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BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- "The Belt and Road Initiative brought up by China will help countries along their routes walk out of crises and be prosperous again," said Seylbek Musataev, a professor with Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, during a recent interview with Xinhua.
Many countries have expressed strong interest in participating in the Belt and Road construction, and the number of countries echoing the initiative is increasing, said the professor.
According to the expert, there are many similarities between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Kazakhstan's "Bright Road" new economic policy proposed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, as both are laying great emphasis on infrastructure construction.
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes, and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China with other Asian countries, Africa and Europe by sea routes. It is a development strategy and framework that focuses on inter-connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia.
In recent years, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Kazakhstan and China have jointly implemented some construction projects of transportation, and have built schools, hotels, hospitals and enterprises along the route of the Belt, promoting development of local commerce and economy, said Musataev.
Kazakhstan's Khorgos Eastern-Gate land port is now open, with cargoes from China and other Asia Pacific countries passing through the port and entering Russia and Europe, bringing huge economic benefits to Kazakhstan, Musataev told Xinhua.
In 2015, the number of container shipments from China to Europe via Kazakhstan increased remarkably, reflecting positive results from the two countries' joint efforts in promoting the development of the Belt and the Road, he added.
Meanwhile, China and Kazakhstan have been cooperating actively with each other in the construction of the Western Europe-Western China international transit corridor.
The renovation of the section of the corridor within the territory of Kazakhstan is almost completed, and the whole transit line crossing Kazakhstan is expected to open to traffic in 2017.
The World Bank estimated that the launch of the corridor will increase the volume of freight traffic by 2.5 times, and vehicle maintenance and repair alone could bring in revenues of some 300 million U.S. dollars to the countries along the corridor.
Meanwhile, new enterprises and ancillary facilities will be built along the transit line, which is expected to bring local people a large number of employment opportunities.
Musataev believed that the Belt and Road construction will have a positive effect on the price and quality of the country's imports.
The price of imported products in Kazakhstan's market would begin to drop, Musataev said, adding that local manufacturers must strive to improve the quality of their products in a bid to win consumers.
The professor also pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative is quite welcome among the youth of the country.
For example, students at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University are eager to witness the implementation of the initiative, which is expected to bring many job opportunities to them, according to Musataev.
Many students are now working hard to learn Chinese and English, which they believe will make it easier for them to find jobs, said the professor.
Musataev said the Belt and Road construction is advancing steadily, expressing the belief that the objective of jointly building the Belt and Road shall be achieved with concerted efforts of all relevant parties.


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Last weekend saw the record-breaking opening of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which raked in a phenomenal $174 million. The film broke the record for best March opening weekend and the best opening for a PG-rated film, beating out last year’s Finding Dory by almost $40 million.
Beast‘s lack of competition guaranteed it this large opening. This weekend, we see the release of four wide release films, according to Box Office Mojo. The biggest of these four is Saban and Lionsgate’s Power Rangers, which has received a sizable marketing campaign to rival Disney’s.
Other releases include the sports pic Slamma Jamma, the comedy ChiPs, and the space thriller Life, all three of which are opening in less theaters than Power Rangers and Beauty and the Beast.
With the large quantity of competition, how far will Beauty and the Beast drop?

domain: news


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ADOTAS – New research from mobile analytics company Flurry shows noteworthy growth in the use of home screen personalization apps on Android devices (Flurry Analytics tracks 4,500 such apps). In fact, usage of these apps in Q1 2014 will surpass the entirety of their use in 2013. “Consumer behavior on mobile [...] more...
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 19, 2013 (ADOTAS) – Amobee today announced Amobee LTV, a significant update to the Amobee Platform, which enables advertisers, publishers and app developers to gain insights into their mobile app customer base and increase customer success and ROI of their mobile apps. With Amobee LTV, the [...] more...
LOS ANGELES, February 3, 2014 (ADOTAS) – Airpush (www.airpush.com), ranked #2 on Forbes’ 2014 list of America’s Most Promising Companies, and OpenX (www.openx.com), one of the world’s leading providers of digital and mobile advertising technology, today announced a partnership to launch AirX, a major new private mobile ad exchange. AirX combines OpenX’s [...] more...
VIENNA, Va., February 3, 2014 (ADOTAS) – In a post-game analysis of Super Bowl XLVIII, AddThis has identified the advertisers, celebrities and key moments from the game that generated the most buzz and online consumer engagement during the game. AddThis is the world’s largest content engagement platform and its tools helped advertisers, [...] more...
ADOTAS – We’ve all probably heard some of the crazy stats that tell the story of YouTube’s meteoric rise and global impact on society. Just in case you haven’t seen the latest numbers, or if you’re hoping to impress folks at an upcoming cocktail party, here are the most recent [...] more...
COLOGNE, Germany, January 21, 2014 (ADOTAS) – Adblock Plus, the #1 most popular browser extension for blocking annoying online advertisements, today announced that Adblock Plus for Safari is officially available for download worldwide. With the inclusion of Safari, the Adblock Plus add-on is now available for every major browser: Chrome, Firefox, [...] more...
NEW YORK, January 21, 2014 (ADOTAS) – myThings, a global leader in customized programmatic advertising, announced today the findings of a first-of-its-kind research paper on mobile retargeting. According to the study, adding mobile retargeting to an advertiser’s retargeting mix generates an additional 18% of sales. With its new personalized mobile retargeting [...] more...
SAN MATEO, Calif., January 21, 2013 (ADOTAS) — As the New Year takes hold, Opera Mediaworks today released insights about mobile advertising in the last quarter of 2013 that point to yet another growth year for the industry. To start, the company found that in the three days around Christmas [...] more...
ADOTAS — Coalfire, an independent information technology governance, risk and compliance (IT GRC) services firm, recently released its top five cybersecurity predictions for 2014. Rick Dakin, the company’s chief security strategist, consolidated an analysis from over 1,000 audits and forensics investigations in 2013 to develop the 2014 predictions. “In 2013, [...] more...
ADOTAS – Last week, Gmail announced some big changes regarding images in emails. Now, users will see all images displayed in their messages automatically across desktop, iOS and Android. Instead of serving images directly from their original external host servers, Gmail will now serve all images through Google’s own secure proxy [...] more...
- Adknowledge Acquires Video Syndicator Giant Media March 10th 2014 KANSAS CITY, Mo. and LOS ANGELES, March 10, 2014 (ADOTAS) [...] more »
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- PointRoll’s Social Engager Leverages Multi-Source Data to Alter Creative on the Fly for Mobile Facebook & Twitter Users March 10th 2014 AUSTIN, March 10, 2014 (ADOTAS) — Advertisers can engage prospective [...] more »
- Bitly Adds New Leadership, Partners with Moz for Inbound Link Marketing Intelligence March 10th 2014 NEW YORK, March 10, 2014 (ADOTAS) – Bitly, the company [...] more »
- RadiumOne Appoints New CFO As Rapid Growth Continues March 10th 2014 SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2014 (ADOTAS) – RadiumOne, the leading global [...] more »
- Blue Calypso’s DashTAGG Chosen as ad:tech San Francisco Official Mobile Gamification Platform March 10th 2014 DALLAS, March 10, 2014 (ADOTAS) – Blue Calypso, Inc. (OTCBB:BCYP), [...] more »
- SXSW News: Kenshoo Integrates with Oracle for Social Marketing March 7th 2014 AUSTIN, March 7, 2014 (ADOTAS) –- Kenshoo, the global leader in [...] more »
- The Programmatic Future: Automation Poised to Dominate Video Ad Buying March 10th 2014
- You Have My Data, Now Stop Retargeting Me! March 7th 2014
- The Top 5 New Video Ads: Snickers, Pepsi, HUVr, Hugo Boss March 7th 2014
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- Today’s Burning Question: Instagram’s $100 Million Ad Deal with Omnicom - Responsivemts | Responsivemts: [...] Tech Companies Must Improve EncryptionThe (Important) SXSW Panels You Missed, Explained by CartoonsToday’s Burning
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- Study: Consumers Want a More Personalized Mobile Home Screen | Isupon: [...] ADOTAS – New research from mobile analytics company Flurry shows noteworthy growth in the use


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2022 has had a lot of ups and downs for gaming fans so far, but the most recent downturn is actually good news. With GPU prices already on the decline, recent events have sent them plummeting even further, so let’s take a look at the whens and whys of some nice cheap 30 Series TI’s.
What do you think? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading and have a nice day!


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Emily Milholland has joined Fuller Brush as retail sales manager. A local from the valley, Milholland graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in International Business. She has previously worked at ACE Hardware in Angwin as well as Press Restaurant in St. Helena.
A seasoned world traveler, Milholland studied Spanish and German in college and used her language skills traveling in Europe and Central America.
“Emily has taken on her new role with flying colors,” according to a news release.


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While the research on Cannabidiol and its benefits are still ongoing, there’s no doubt that many of them have yielded results in favor of its benefits. Sure, there is more research to be done, but completely disclaiming the current findings is something that not many would prefer to do. However, Scott Gottlieb, the Former Commissioner of FDA, expressed his skepticism on these ‘findings’ and the potential benefits it comes with, during a news interview with CNBC
CBD Benefit Claims are “Pretty Hokey”
Scott Gottlieb, during his recent interview with CNBC news, claims that supporters of CBD are making claims about CBD’s benefits that are yet to be confirmed by research. Although he didn’t completely discount the proven results of experimentations, he did, however, claim that CBD’s ‘calming effects’ are yet to be proven.
He expressed this notion in a statement where he claimed that the idea of being able to use CBD in dog food to providing ‘calming effects’ for the canine is “pretty hokey”. Furthermore, he says that “there’s no science to that” claim so to speak. As evidenced by the response the video got on Youtube and the CNBC News Website, the supporters of the CBD Bandwagon are enraged by his baseless claims, since research did support and prove the theories of CBD’s calming effects.
Why is this a concern?
According to Scott Gottlieb, these “unproven” claims are a cause for concern since these are giving different companies the opportunity to add CBD in just about anything; ranging from adding them in pet treats to coffee and beverages. He insinuated that not only these claims are misleading, but are also encouraging people to buy more products through false advertisements.
The former FDA commissioner’s claims have become a cause for concern for the supporters of CBD as well. Sure, some are happy, behind the scenes, since Gottlieb is the “former” commissioner, hence, can’t do much harm anymore; but his claims can and will put doubts in the minds of CBD users who are benefitting from its use.
What We Know About CBD?
Not to totally disregard Mr. Gottlieb’s claims, his statements hold true to some extent. It’s true that he might have been wrong about some already established facts, but it’s also true that the supporters of CBD are believing way more than they should. Taking a look at the contemporary studies, we can conclude without a doubt, that CBD’s effects on anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and pain are proven through science.
The sketchy sections about its benefits are usually pertaining to the magnitude of these effects and whether or not they are sufficient by themselves to act as a medication for the aforementioned problems. Furthermore, the benefits of CBD in Arthritis treatment, relieving menstrual cramps and its benefit on a person’s skin are yet to be proven. Regardless, that doesn’t stop capitalists exploiting these rumors and releasing body creams and lotions in the market to prey on the believers, is what the commissioner is really trying to say.
Sure, he has a point. But just like the supporters, he is opposing, he too, has made some unverified claims during the interview that most people cannot agree upon. Hopefully, future research will clean up more of the confusions among its supporters and shine some light on the matter, laying the debates to rest once and for all.
CBD Crackdown Backed By the Attorney General
Leevin Camacho, Attorney General supports the recent crackdown on hemp-derived CBD products and has issued a statement regarding the issue. Since the 2018 Farm Bill passage, cannabidiol associated products have been on a rise in the market in various island stores across the nation.
The statement mentioned that the passage of the bill has given an impression that hemp has been legalized and that CBD containing products are decriminalized. Majority of the people believe that selling CBD is legal everywhere and anyone can do it. The Attorney General assures that “decriminalization does not mean there will not be any regulation.”
Guam Officials Question CBD Crackdown
The statement provided by the Attorney General was issued as a response to a letter delivered by the Guam Officials. Speaker Tina Muna Barnes and acting Gov. Josh Tenorio asked for a written statement on Monday from the Attorney General on his thoughts on the extent to which individuals and business can sell or import CBD products in Guam.
The letter was sent in response to local island businesses who issued complaints because their products containing CBD were seized by Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency officers. Director of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services Linda DeNorcey denied that her officials have rejected the release of products containing CBD because they “might contain THC and also because these products have not been screened by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.” DeNorcey stated that her department did not instruct CQA to confiscate any CBD containing products. Despite the Public Health department’s zero involvement, officials question the reasons behind CQA’s confiscation of these products.
CQA Director Tested Shipments
Ike Peredo, the Director of Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency mentioned to The Guam Daily Post that his officers did start testing some CBD products that arrived through air cargo shipments in February. These products were found to contain trace amounts of THC, the major component of the psychoactive marijuana, which is still illegal under federal law. Since THC is related to CBD, despite its non-psychoactive effects, CBD is classified as a drug. According to Camacho, the FDA can regulate these products containing CBD, most of which still require approval for interstate trade and commerce.
AG Concerned About Consumer Health
Camacho referred to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association which observed that more than 70% of the products containing CBD which are usually bought online were not labeled properly. Thus, a consumer might as well be ingesting THC instead of CBD, which is still illegal. The AG said that his office is worried about consumer safety and that it’s his responsibility to ensure that the products contain the proper ingredients and are properly labeled.
By regulating these products, he wants to ensure that there is minimum harm done, and it may stop businesses from stating false claims about their products. The FDA had previously warned businesses about advertising CBD products as miracle cures to diseases such as cancers, anxiety, depression and other serious ailments.
Do Pet CBD Supplements Really Work?
The CBD Bandwagon has gathered such momentum that people are now even investing in CBD products for not only themselves but their pets as well. But how much of the presumed benefits of these products on their pets are legit? What should be the things that a pet-owner should be aware of? These are the questions asked by the Seattle Times with some collaboration with veterinary experts.
Pet CBD Products
With many of the CBD products available for people out there, there are CBD products available for dogs as well. Although the effectiveness of these products in animals is still in question, it’s definitely not doing anything to stop people from experimenting with their beloved animals with these products. While some of these products help the animals, others inadvertently lead to a waste of time and money in the best case scenario and cause harm to the animals in the worst (As seen in the experimentation with rats).
Obviously, the grey lines in its usefulness will bring about a lot of controversies from different organizations and individuals; especially when CBD is gaining such popularity at such a rapid pace. While the supporters of CBD can blow it off as “haters hating”, the opposition does take these skepticisms as weapons to fuel their beliefs.
Actual Data from the Proper Sources
With arguments from both sides, it’s actually very easy to get lost amongst the truths and differentiate the myths from the facts. So, like the Seattle Times, we believe that the best way to get rid of these confusions is to refer to actual sources of knowledge and the unbiased statements from the experts in the field.
One such source, is PetMD, a pet-focused version of WebMD. It details everything, with clear details on the benefits as well as the side-effects of these “medications” on pets. Going through this source does reveal some alarming information about these products. However, they do also do not deny some of the perceived benefits that these products can have on dogs.
What to Do?
So, if CBD infused treats and medications for your pets come with both benefits and side-effects, what to do? The answer is simple: Moderation. According to the Seattle Times, experts did not completely discount the use of these products, but rather advised its users to use them with caution. They should refer to their better judgment when purchasing their products from different companies and only use the products that have demonstrated effectiveness rather than just assumed or self-proclaimed ones.
Nowadays, it’s easy to find products for your pets in stores and online, Vet CBD is a notable example. But not all of the sources might be able to provide what they claim to deliver. Some of these products might just be a dud, with little to no effects on your pets. While others might even go as far as to harm your pets. Regardless of which, your pet product is, it’s always safe to administer these products to your pets in moderation and after careful consideration of the sources.
Payment and Compliance Companies Now Playing a Huge Role for CBD Products
Compliance issues among CBD products
CBD has faced a good amount of controversy surrounding its efficacy and abuse potential in the past. While it doesn’t give a high like marijuana or other THC-containing products, it’s been reported to help with pain and anxiety.
Nowadays, issues with payments and compliance are huge concerns in the cannabis industry, as well as other CBD-containing products. Among the issues are the exceeding amounts of CBD or THC in the products. For this issue, LegitScript comes into the rescue. They are an online service that verifies and monitors online pharmacies.
They have since launched a program that certifies websites selling CBD products that are legally compliant. As of today, USDA, FDA, and DEA- approved U.S. manufacturers and traders can apply for certification via LegitScript. Currently, the site provides a 10-page introduction regarding marijuana laws and regulations. It aims to help people understand the state restrictions and payment processes involving medical marijuana.
Having the LegitScript certification gives consumers and banks assurance that CBD merchants are compliant with state-specific laws, as well as regulations provided by various U.S. agencies. Even though cannabinoid or CBD-containing products have been made legal in the U.S., some products that contain THC in more than legal amounts are still illegal. This is why it has become difficult to pinpoint which merchants are selling compliant products.
CBD payments made easy
Even though the CBD industry has its regulation difficulties, major companies like Target and Walmart have been reported to be having discussions with CBD manufacturers. Many are also asking for lab and research results on top of CBD samples.
With this, the fact that the CBD industry is increasingly growing is undeniable anymore. Thus, digital payment companies such as Square, have gone into the CBD industry by providing access to basic financial services. This happened just when Elavon recently backed out from CBD companies.
A year after the legalization of CBD in the U.S., Square has stepped in to give businesses in the CBD industry a good financial service that makes it easier to process payments.
A growing industry
It’s been reported that over 7 percent of Americans are using products that contain CBD as of February. Cowen & Co. surveyed 2,500 adults and have found that the CBD market would be worth over $16 billion by 2025. Meanwhile, in a study by Vivien Azer, analyst, there are over 2.7% more people who use CBD more than e-cigarettes. Because of the rapidly growing industry, more people would definitely be in need of safer and more efficient payment options. In the future, more research will back up most of CBD’s health claims, thus attracting more attention from consumers. There will come a time that these certification programs will be a necessity amongst many consumers.
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Those moves may fool some people, but most have caught on. In a Consumer Reports survey several years ago, three-quarters of Americans said they noticed that packages were shrinking, and 71 percent of those people theorized that the main reason was to hide a price hike. Yet half said they'd prefer that companies keep the old package and raise the price. So why don't they?
"Because people are much more conscious of price than they are of package size or net weight of contents," says Edgar Dworsky, editor of Mouseprint.org, a blog that examines advertising's fine print. Slight downsizing is often imperceptible, whereas price increases are about as subtle as a pie in the face. And when prices rise, buyers often seek cheaper alternatives.
Despite awareness of downsizing, it's not easy to figure out which products have shrunk because relatively few packaged goods come in standard, recognizable sizes anymore. Tropicana and Florida's Natural, for example, shaved 5 ounces off their half-gallon cartons of premium orange juice. Häagen-Dazs, citing "ingredient" and "facility" costs, put its ice cream pints on a diet, knocking them down to 14 ounces. Other products come in such a range of sizes that it's hard to tell when one of them shrinks. Oreos, for instance, come in more than a dozen packages weighing from 2 ounces to more than 50 ounces.


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The new series -- currently dubbed the "Untitled Jude Judy Sheindlin Project" -- comes just months before her long-running syndicated reality courtroom program “Judge Judy” on CBS is set to end production.
IMDb is a free streaming service operated by Amazon that offers a selection of digital movies and shows. The ad-supported channel launched in 2019, and while some people may not have heard of it until now, expert Eric Schiffer says Sheindlin's show will likely drive an extraordinary boost in traffic, much like disc jockey Howard Stern did for SiriusXM.
"Judy is modern clickbait for a big portion of Americans who have a legal obsession. This is a further seismic shift to streaming dominance," Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, tells Fox Business. "It's unbelievably intelligent on Amazon because of the traffic it will further drive. A good 15-20% of all of the current traffic of IMDb goes to Amazon.com for purchases, so this will be a further feeder and allow for additional relevance to the channel."
Sheindlin pulls in roughly $47 million annually for hosting "Judge Judy" and producing "Hot Bench," a courtroom show that debuted in 2014 according to Forbes. She has a reported $440 million net worth.
Schiffer said it may not be likely that the TV judge will see a substantial increase in her paychecks, but assumes the offer was "a more attractive overall deal than what CBS was putting on the table."
Like Stern, who is reportedly negotiating a $120 million deal with Sirius XM as his current contract is set to expire at the end of this year, Sheindlin will likely bring her already established fanbase with her to Amazon.
|SIRI||SIRIUS XM HOLDINGS INC.||6.19||+0.09||+1.48%|
To put it simply, Schiffer predicted "Judy will execute for IMDB what Howard Stern has done for Sirius XM."
"Howard Stern had this installed base that were addicted to his experience. It was an army that would follow him to any destination and certainly, he proved that when people were willing to spend money versus getting it for free on radio," Schiffer said.
The expert continued: "Judy has a similar army of those really obsessed with her straight-talking, charming approach to adjudication. That army will follow her wherever she goes. They may struggle with downloading the app and navigating on IMDb, but I'm sure their kids and family members will assist. She'll get them there, and Amazon benefits because they'll get not only a revitalized IMDb with greater traffic that's been fairly flat at least gingerly for the last year, but they'll also get the upside on the e-commerce penetration."
The service can be seen via the IMDb app or on a personal computer via the IMDb TV web page or on the IMDb TV channel on Amazon’s Fire TV devices.
Meanwhile, reruns of "Judge Judy" will continue to be shown through CBS' two-year deal with affiliate stations. "Judge Judy" originally premiered in 1996.
Schiffer said Scheindlin's exit from CBS is "stone-cold crazy" on the network's part.
Head honchos at CBS are probably shaking their heads in regret at Sheindlin's new project, Schiffer said.
"CBS was wretchedly foolish for allowing Judge Judy to walk out the door and the move will be seen as horribly incompetent with I'm sure some of the executives now absolutely apocalyptic," he said.
Plus, Sheindlin's decade-long success in television proves the public is nowhere near done with tuning in to the 78-year-old TV personality.
"She's not retiring. She certainly is passionate about it. The great thing is what she does is it's not date-stamped,. You've got judges on the court into their late '70s and '80s. Look at Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Judy's got this very real and relatable persona," he added.
Schiffer said Amazon Studios likely added the IMDb TV component to further drive its e-Commerce traffic.
"I think Amazon is always looking for additional streams of traffic to feed its core money machine. Many in Hollywood were aware of it because they had made deals of recent, but not a lot. This definitely puts them on the map and ties them into the whole Amazon Studios infrastructure I think you're going to see a lot of producers be dusting over further product over the next year and seeing IMDB as a place they can write checks."
In a press release on Thursday, Sheindlin applauded Amazon for its appeal, one she says she's witnessed right at home.
"I used to yell at my husband, Jerry, for all the packages he had ordered from Amazon every day. I have enough mouthwash in the cabinets to keep the entire planet's breath fresh until the next millennium. The doorbell never stops ringing. The dogs don't even bark at the delivery people anymore," she joked. "After I signed this deal, I apologized to Jerry. Who would have thought that the Sheindlin's and Amazon would be mishpachah?"
The judge is currently the subject of a roughly $5 million lawsuit by Rebel Entertainment Partners that claims disgraced former CBS boss, Les Moonves, did some corporate sleight-of-hand to avoid answering to the network’s Board of Directors that resulted in it not getting the money it believes it's owed.
In a statement provided to Fox Business in August, Sheindlin said she'll eat her contract on television if the lawsuit is found to hold legal water.
"I have not seen the complaint and can therefore only comment on what I have read which suggests that I am being sued for ‘breach of contract,’” Sheindlin told Fox Business in a statement. “If that is the basis of Mr. Lawrence’s lawsuit, here is my challenge: If Mr. Lawrence can produce a contract, signed by me and Mr. Lawrence on the same page, at any time in history from the beginning of time, I will toast that contract, smear it with cream cheese and eat it on national television."


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With Valentine’s day just around the corner, here is your chance to spoil your loved ones.
The British-Japanese designer Reiko Kaneko is new to SCP. Her first product for the company, the Adderley Works pendant light, was launched in 2013. Now, for the 2014 Collection, she has been working on some very special terracotta tableware. Our Editor, Duncan Riches, called in to find out more.
We follow SCP founder Sheridan Coakley and designer Reiko Kaneko on a trip to the Ishinomaki Laboratory
This week SCP founder, Sheridan Coakley, visited New York for NYCxDESIGN, which is New York City’s official citywide celebration of design.
For those who need to brighten up their living space, this week we present our top lighting designs available from stock or to order at SCP.
We are proud to present the SCP 2014 Collection for the first time in the UK since it was launched at the Salone del Mobile, Milan.
Useful & Beautiful at the Geffrye Museum is an exhibition that showcases innovation and creativity in domestic design from London and beyond.
SCP presented the new 2014 Collection of designs at the Salone del Mobile, with designs from Jasper Morrison, Terence Woodgate, Donna Wilson, Faudet-Harrison, Fort Standard, Lucy Kurrein, Reiko Kaneko, Andrea Stemmer and Sarah Kay.
For the first time in a few years in Milan, there was a clear definition in approaches to exhibiting product.
Magis, Mattiazzi and GUBI are three very different brands, yet there was a certain something in common in their Salone presentations in Milan.
Two companies that SCP work with closely are Brooklyn based lighting brand Roll & Hill and Dutch experts in re-use Piet Hein Eek.
HAY, and the more recent London-based incarnation WRONG FOR HAY, are long-time friends of SCP.
SCP 2014 Collection //
This week we have launched our latest 2014 Collection at the Salone del Mobile, Milano.
This week we launch our latest 2014 collection at the Salone del Mobile, Milano.
At the 53rd Edition of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milano, SCP present the 2014 Collection, new designs of quality, precision and beauty.
SCP upholstery | Under the skin
SCP upholstery is made by hand at our specialist factory in Norfolk, England.
At the 53rd Edition of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milano, SCP present the 2014 Collection: new designs of quality, precision and beauty.
In September 2012, Makers & Brothers presented a selection of beautifully crafted and handmade objects at SCP's Department Store during the London Design Festival.
We are proud to announce that SCP East & West stores are now stocking the Scrapwood Collection by Dutch designer, Piet Hein Eek.
SCP stockist, Moleta Munro are delighted to announce their move to a new showroom on Edinburgh's London Street.
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who visited The Special Relationship at SCP's Design Department Store during the London Design Festival 2013.
To celebrate this year's London Design Festival, SCP’s East and West stores will play host to The Special Relationship; a week-long series of launches and events that highlight SCP’s strong relationships with designers and companies from America.
This September SCP launch the new Autumn | Winter collection at Maison & Objet in Paris.
Minus a few showers it seems like the summer sun is here with us to stay.
ICFF 2013 is in full swing.
SCP 2013 Spring / Summer Collection // US Launch
The Future Perfect
18th - 21st May
SCP is pleased to announce the US launch of our Spring / Summer 2013 Collection of upholstery, furniture and lighting.
From the 21st – 23rd of May 2013, SCP Contracts exhibit new SCP products at Clerkenwell Design Week.
A bright and clear South London sky blessed the SCP Spring Summer photoshoot, giving the right kind of look and feel to the day.
Next week, Ineke Hans will be in Singapore for SingaPlural.
In the world’s largest showcase of wool, the recently renovated West Wing of Somerset House is soon to be transformed into a home made primarily from wool.
SCP owner, Sheridan Coakley recently paid a visit to a traditional textile mill in the South West of Wales where our Nos Da and Bora Da fabric is woven.
Last week, we introduced our 2013 collection at Home, Earls Court and Maison & Objet, Paris.
Last week Jang, from the SCP development team, visited Avenue 636, a new design store in Seoul’s well known Gangnam district.
The bleak chill of Autumn is well and truly here, which means it's the perfect time to stay indoors and get cosy around the dinner table.
Last week our development team visited a manufacturing facility based in West Yorkshire where we produce the Boundary pendant light by London based designers, Faudet-Harrison.
Brooklyn based printmaker, Mark McGinnis had returned to SCP with a follow up to his cheeky Alphabet print series.
Some of Team SCP took a trip across the water to Paris to set up and man our stand at Maison & Objet this weekend.
This weekend is the last bank holiday of the year (aside from Christmas, which is forever away).
SCP will be exhibiting the Autumn Winter 2012 Collection in Paris this September.
Max & Peter Kater left lucrative jobs in the fashion and corporate worlds when they realised there was a market for housecleaning products that weren't full of chemicals.


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By Emily Bary
Verizon Communications Inc.’s third-quarter earnings may end up being the last hurrah for an era of low customer churn rates.
The telecommunications giant reported third-quarter results Wednesday that once again showed how Verizon /zigman2/quotes/204980236/composite VZ -0.33% subscribers have been staying put with the carrier. Verizon posted a retail postpaid phone churn rate of 0.63% for the quarter, down from 0.79% a year earlier, as well as a retail postpaid churn are of 0.8%, down from 1.05% last year.
“It simply can’t be overstated how unprecedentedly significant these kinds of declines are, nor how important they are, and have been, for margins,” wrote MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett, who has a neutral rating and $59 price target on Verizon’s stock.
The fourth-quarter and beyond are likely to look a lot different for Verizon, however, as a new chapter begins in the wireless industry. After years of more muted promotions, carriers took a more aggressive approach to the launch of Apple Inc.’s /zigman2/quotes/202934861/composite AAPL +0.74% iPhone 12 line, containing the company’s first 5G phones. Heavy wireless promotions can help carriers gain new subscribers—or compensate for subscribers lost to rival operators—but this discounting can also come at the expense of free-cash flow.
Verizon Chief Financial Officer Matthew Ellis defended the promotions on the company’s earnings call, saying that “we think those are value creative for us.” In addition, under the revenue-recognition rules for accounting, “a large part of those promo costs will be amortized over the next 2.5 years or so rather than hitting the income statement upfront,” he said.
Verizon shares are off 0.2% in Wednesday afternoon trading and on track to decline for the seventh straight trading session. If the losses hold through the close, Verizon will notch its longest losing streak since the period that ended Sept. 8, 2017.
It remains to be seen how Verizon will fare in the world of 5G. Rival T-Mobile US Inc. /zigman2/quotes/204659678/composite TMUS +0.36% is likely to have a more competitive wireless network than in years past, thanks to spectrum gained through its recent Sprint acquisition, and that could mean that Verizon loses subscribers to T-Mobile, Moffett wrote. On the flip side, AT&T Inc. /zigman2/quotes/203165245/composite T -1.04% has been the most aggressive with its iPhone 12 promotions, but its broader business pressures could prevent it from being able to spend up adequately on the spectrum needed to bolster its network.
Read: Apple’s iPhone 12 has 5G — what is it and is it worth the upgrade?
Taken together, that might not mean much for Verizon, wrote Moffett, who doesn’t see much path to growth for the company. At the same time, he expects that it will take “take lots of money,” as well as time, for Verizon to acquire the mid-band spectrum required to build out its own 5G network, given that the company bet big on millimeter-wave spectrum, another flavor of 5G, in its earlier efforts.
“Most expect that 5G will mean higher capital intensity, and therefore lower [return on investment],” he wrote.
Bernstein analyst Peter Supino also expressed concern that Verizon’s future may not be as rosy. “We see signs that segment saturation, competition and economic stress threaten several virtuous trends in Verizon’s mobile business,” he wrote. Supino cited “key growth initiatives still on the come and economic stress pressuring volume and mix” as he maintained a market-perform rating and $63 price target on Verizon’s stock, despite what he referred to as “premium” results for the latest quarter.
Verizon’s report kicked off earnings season for the big telecommunications players, with AT&T set to follow Thursday morning .
Shares of Verizon have gained 2.4% over the past three months as the Dow Jones Industrial Average /zigman2/quotes/210598065/realtime DJIA -0.60% has risen 5.6%.


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McGraw Hill has acquired the developer of SIMnet, a Microsoft Office 365 training tool that the education publisher distributed and marketed for years, the publisher announced last week.
The software company, Triad Interactive, has partnered with McGraw Hill for 20 years. McGraw Hill, which publishes textbooks and other learning materials, focused on expanding online offerings in recent years and the majority of its billings are now digital.
This is the next “exciting and logical next step” in the companies’ partnership, McGraw Hill’s higher education group president, Michael Ryan, said in a press release.
“By joining together, we’ll be able to make SIMnet stronger and better, improving implementation and support services for customers, fueling future growth and development of the product and exploring new markets and channels to bring the program to a larger audience,” Ryan said in the press release.
SIMnet, which started as a CD-ROM program, now simulates Microsoft Office products in an online environment to walk students through skills like creating PowerPoint presentations or formatting Excel spreadsheets. Along with marketing and distribution, McGraw Hill and Triad worked on other products together, like a textbook on Microsoft Office produced in 2016 that closely aligned with the SIMnet program. (The companies have since updated that textbook for Microsoft 365.)
Along with SIMNet, Triad worked on a number of web-based projects in health, including for the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Employees will move to McGraw Hill, while Triad founders Cheryl Manning and Catherine Swinson will join the company in consulting roles.
McGraw Hill publishes both textbooks and online learning resources. McGraw Hill Connect’s open online learning platform showed 4.5 million paid activations in fiscal year 2020, according to its website. About 53% of the company’s total billings came from online products that fiscal year.


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According to a recent Ericsson ConsumerLab report titled 5G: The Next Wave, Malaysia’s 5G readiness is high and it expects 4 million users to sign up for 5G services in 2023. The study revealed that 43% of users in the country want to sign up for 5G next year and 25% already have a 5G-ready device.
Ericsson added that the findings show a strong inclination towards 5G adoption and the promise for new innovative applications and services is a key factor in the 5G adoption rate. While one in every five early adopters expect innovative applications, twice as many 5G potential users are looking for strong network coverage.
Ericsson said 87% of 5G users in Malaysia consider innovative 5G experiences to be an important inclusion on their mobile broadband plans. Therefore, telcos would need to reflect consumer demands from 5G offering and move from best effort to improved quality of experience and enhanced content experiences.
The Next Wave Report by Ericsson has highlighted several interesting trends driving 5G. It believes 5G adoption will be inflation resilient with at least 510 million consumers across 37 markets to jump on the 5G bandwagon in 2023. The next generation of 5G consumers will have high expectations of 5G performance especially network coverage compared to early adopters who are looking forward to new innovative 5G services.
Besides high-speed downloads, the perceived 5G availability is expected to be a new satisfaction benchmark among consumers. Users would prioritise geographical coverage, indoor/outdoor coverage and congregation hotspot coverage rather than just population coverage. 5G is also expected to increase the usage of enhanced video and augmented reality. In the past two years, they found that time spent on AR apps by 5G users has doubled to two hours per week.
Mass 5G adoption depends on the availability of 5G from the big four telcos
Malaysia is currently deploying 5G through Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), a state-owned single wholesale network. At the moment, Yes 5G remains the first and only telco to offer commercial 5G services. Ericsson is the sole telecommunications vendor appointed by DNB for 5G deployment.
Following the signing of conditional share subscription agreements by four telcos, DNB expects Celcom, Digi and TM to offer commercial 5G services starting this month but it all depends on the execution of the access agreements. According to DNB, all six telcos which include Maxis and U Mobile are given until the end of October to sign the 5G access agreements which will enable them to offer 5G to consumers.
Despite Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul’s claim that all six telcos have signed their access agreements, none of the publicly listed telcos or DNB has made any announcement about the execution of the 5G access agreement.
- Yes 5G now available in Melaka and Seremban, coming soon to Sabah and Sarawak
- Uni5G: TM teases 5G is coming soon on Unifi Mobile
- Malaysian telcos have until the end of October to sign 5G access agreements with DNB
- Did the govt allocate RM1.3 billion from Budget 2023 to roll out 5G? Here’s DNB’s response


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A new report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicates that dozens of diet and immune system supplements on shelves make illegal claims on their labels – some going as far as purporting to cure or prevent diabetes or cancer. Government investigators said these claims not only lure consumers into wasting money, but could endanger their health if they take the over-the-counter drugs in place of a prescribed medicine.
Such supplements aren’t required by law to have the U.S. Food & Drug Administration review claims before they are sold. However, the new report says when companies do submit evidence for the claims, documents have included a 30-year-old handwritten college term paper, ads, press releases and links to Wikipedia, the free online “dictionary that anyone can edit.”
Investigators called for the FDA to beef up its oversight of the $20 billion supplement industry, something the FDA said it supports and plans to ask Congress for more authority to do so.


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Users can submit material for sharing and topics will cover everything from blockchain and its applications to cryptocurrencies and security best practices
Blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has launched an academy to try to foster a wider understanding of blockchain. It has created the open-access platform, Binance Academy, to democratise education about blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
The educational initiative will tackle the challenge of the currently fragmented blockchain and crypto knowledge base available on the Internet and aims to provide a one-stop-shop for relevant educational articles and videos. Binance Academy is the latest pillar in an ecosystem from the exchange, which wants to transform itself into a global hub for "all things crypto".
“The most elementary building block of revolution, after all, is knowledge,” said Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. “Binance Academy’s mission is to proliferate knowledge about the power of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. By offering comprehensive and easily accessible educational content to onboard the world, one video view and one article read at a time.”
“Given global reach and inherent advanced nature of users we have attained through the Binance ecosystem, we have the responsibility of propagating blockchain and crypto knowledge to the rest of the world.”
Binance Academy will be universally accessible and will cover a vast range of fundamental and advanced topics comprising everything from blockchain and its applications to cryptocurrencies and security best practices.
“We have taken great care in adopting a platform that is open for both consumers and producers of contents. Users are free to suggest new topics they would like to learn about and also submit their work for review and sharing alongside Binance-produced contents on Academy,” added Zhao.
The fast-moving nature of the industry, means that the curriculum at Binance Academy will be continuously adapted and expanded to reflect real-world scenarios and strategies. Users can also bookmark the glossary as a companion to navigate through the jargons of the fast emerging blockchain economy.
The burgeoning initiative has been released to the public in its early stages with the direct aim of fostering community participation from the very beginning. Besides Academy’s in-house content, submissions of community content are warmly welcomed and Binance said it aspires to actively encourage feedback from readers around the world.
Survey: Blockchain for smarter cities: Where’s the action?
SmartCitiesWorld is undertaking a global survey which looks at the level of understanding around blockchain and the impact it can have on creating smarter cities. We would love to hear from you.
Take the survey
We’ll present the results at our blockchain event in London on September 12. There will also be a keynote presentation, panel debate and roundtable discussions. Register now.


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The Galaxy S21 FE has gone through a wave of rumors ranging from being canceled to getting mass produced next month. After juggling around with that information, the launch date of the upcoming handset is expected to be October 29, according to one leakster.
Pre-Orders for the Galaxy S21 FE Rumored to Start From October 20
The launch date comes from none other than FrontPageTech’s Jon Prosser, who also states that the Galaxy S21 FE will go on pre-order from October 20. This means that the October 29 launch is when the device will be available to purchase from online retailers and physical outlets. Users of the Galaxy S20 FE are well aware that the Galaxy S21 FE will be a treat for customers who do not want to spend the extra money to purchase a top-tier flagship and are satisfied with one model with impressive hardware specs for a competitive price.
The aforementioned launch date information is different than the official announcement, so it is possible that Samsung unveils the Galaxy S21 FE before October 20. According to the FPT report, the price-performance handset will be available in the colors Graphite, White, Olive Green, and Lavender. A previous benchmark leak revealed that the smartphone will be powered by the Exynos 2100, but there is no word if Samsung will proceed with a Snapdragon 888 variant alongside it.
Apart from a high-end chipset, the Galaxy S21 FE will sport 8GB of RAM, with current details claiming that Samsung will unveil this model with 128GB of 256GB of internal storage. Before you ask, previous reports have stated that the Galaxy S21 FE will lack expandable storage as well as a power brick, so you will have to use the accessories that you currently own.
Exact pricing details are yet to be revealed, but the Galaxy S21 FE should not cost more than $649 for the base storage model. The remainder of the info we will likely come across in October, so stay tuned for more updates.
News Source: FrontPageTech


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Nintendo is set to lift the curtain on a number of titles coming to its Switch console during its annual E3 presentation.
As Nintendo has done in the past, in lieu of hosting a more traditional E3 press conference, it will be live-streaming a pre-recorded video presentation known as a Nintendo Direct for their fans.
The Nintendo Direct will air Tuesday at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET.
Nintendo has already confirmed that the next entry in their popular Super Smash Bros. series for the Switch will be showcased during the presentation.
Other titles likely to appear include Yoshi Switch and Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu Version and Pokemon Let's Go! Eevee Version.
Pokemon Let's Go was recently announced for the first time in May. The game takes place in the Kanto region and includes all 151 original Pokemon including their Alolan forms as seen in Pokemon Sun and Moon for the Nintendo 3DS.
Following the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo will be demoing a number of upcoming games as part of its live-streamed Nintendo Treehouse series.
Copyright 2018 United Press International, Inc. (UPI). Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.


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By James Atkinson
Barossa Valley legend Peter Lehmann has been remembered as a larrikin, a shrewd businessman and a winemaker who put the interests of grapegrowers above his own.
Lehmann suffered from kidney disease and died on Friday in hospital in Adelaide, according to reports. He was aged 82.
Lehmann started his winemaking career in 1947 at Yalumba, before joining Saltram Wines in 1960, and founding Peter Lehmann Wines in 1979.
Peter Lehmann Wines CEO Jeff Bond told TheShout the company was saddened by the loss.
"He's a legend of the industry and it's a bit of a shock for us," he said.
"We're sad for his family, he leaves behind Margaret, his beloved wife and collaborator and their two boys David and Phil and of course Doug and Libby from Peter's first marriage as well," said Bond.
Wine writer Huon Hooke told TheShout that Lehmann was often underestimated in business. [continued below]
L-R: Margaret, Doug and Peter Lehmann
"One of the great things about Lehmann to me is he was such a larrikin, such a loveable bugger, but underneath that he was incredibly smart," he said.
"People took him for someone less intelligent, less insightful, but he was actually a very good businessman."
Hooke said Lehmann would be remembered for sticking up for the grapegrowers, "even when his own livelihood was on the line".
"I think he was looked upon as a hero, the kind of person that we just don't see many of – people of such incredible integrity," he said.
Richard Mattner, senior winemaker for Saltram's Pepperjack label, told TheShout that Lehmann was a huge part of Saltram's history.
"Peter was probably one of three names that really stand out as part of Saltram's history – him alongside the Dolan family and the Salters really set the tone for what Saltram's was all about. He was a true legend of the Barossa," Mattner said.
"He was a good friend of my grandfather, so I've known him from that perspective as well. He was such a down to earth bloke that could make friends with growers quite comfortably and he really showed loyalty to a lot of growers."
Wine Australia chief executive Andrew Cheesman said Peter Lehmann was "one of the leading legends of Australian wine and the original 'Baron of the Barossa'".
"He helped shaped the industry over several decades and his contribution will continue to live on along with the brand he created," Cheesman said.
"His foresight, passion and great respect for grapegrowers led him to create one of the world's most respected wine brands. He will be remembered for his gift for winemaking, extraordinary passion and sharp wit. Our thoughts are with Margaret and his family. The industry is much richer for his incredible contribution."
Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA) president Giuseppe Minissale said the passing of Lehmann was a loss to the entire liquor industry.
“We lost a legend and great man today. The retail liquor industry owes so much to him and his legacy, from education and just all round great fun. He epitomises what this industry is all about – great food, great wine and plenty of enjoyment. It is a very sad day indeed.”


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On May 25 (National Wine Day), Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the USPS Shipping Equity Act (HR 3721). The bill has been introduced nearly every Congress for the last 10 years. This is the first time the bill has not been sponsored by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), who has since retired from Congress.
This legislation would end the Prohibition-era ban that prevents the United States Postal Service (USPS) from shipping alcoholic beverages to consumers, and would let it ship directly from licensed producers and retailers to consumers over the age of 21, in accordance with state and local laws at the delivery location. This bill is critical in leveling the competitive playing field, increasing consumer and manufacturer choice, and generating millions of dollars in revenue per year for the financially strapped postal service.
WineAmerica supports the USPS Shipping Act, as it would give American wineries another option for shipping their wine safely and legally to consumers


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30 July, 2018
A refiner in China sold an MR-size cargo of 92RON gasoline loading from South China on Aug 22-23. The price was said to be slightly lower than the price for the 92RON gasoline cargo loading on Aug 20-21 that the company had earlier sold at a premium of 50cts/bbl to Singapore quotations.
Sources expected naphtha demand in South Korea to decline from September or after due to planned maintenance by petrochemical companies such as Lotte Chemical, YNCC and LG Chem. There were views that an arbitrage cargo volume to be brought over to Asia from outside the region such as Europe and the US would fall to 1.30-mil mt in August from 1.58-mil mt in July.
Purchases of jet fuel from Japan were ongoing. A refiner in the country was reportedly looking for a cargo loading in September. Another refiner has already bought an MR-size cargo loading at the end of August from South Korea. The cargo was said to be loaded in Ulsan. Refiners in Japan started imports of jet oil as they need to build up inventories of kerosene toward the winter demand season. Those movements could become the bullish factor for the jet fuel loading in September.
FUEL OILKorea East West Power Co (EWP) bought 40,000mt of 0.3% sulfur fuel oil to be delivered in Ulsan on Aug 6-10 at a premium of slightly lower than $70.00/mt to Singapore quotations. It was reported that a 0.3% sulfur fuel oil cargo for delivery in Japan could be traded at around the same differential as EWP’s cargo. EWP issued another buy tender for 40,000mt of 0.3% sulfur fuel oil to be delivered in Ulsan on Aug 13-17. The tender was scheduled to close on Aug 2.


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Footprint exists to create a healthier planet by eliminating single-use and short-term use plastics. Footprint designs, develops and manufactures technologies that are biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable. They are revolutionizing industries to eliminate plastic pollution by making it easy for companies to switch to plant-based solutions. The company was co-founded by former Intel engineers Troy Swope and Yoke Chung and employs more than 1,000 people. In 2019, Footprint was announced a winner of the prestigious NextGen Cup Challenge for its Plant-based alternative manufacturing process for drinking cups and lids. It has already helped eliminate over 61 million pounds of plastic.
Congratulations to our World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers 2020
Sanjeev Krishnan, S2G Ventures Managing Director and CIO, will ...Connecting Technology and Business to Create Healthy, Resilient Food Systems.


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International biz students help regional firms abroad
Bait in the water doesn't guarantee the fish will bite. But it never hurts to throw in a few lines.
Additional tackle is essentially what local multinational companies are getting from the Collaborative Industry Partnership project at Elizabethtown College.
Also known as CIP, the 3-year-old program is a collaboration between the college and the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center in Harrisburg. The latter helps the former's international business senior seminar class identify regional firms in need of market research and ways to set their brand apart overseas.
"They are helping companies fish better," said Martin Brill, the SBDC's international trade program manager. "They are helping them help themselves."
In return, students gain real-world experience before they graduate. It could mean a job for them, which happened last year in the case of a student working with Armstrong World Industries Inc.
The spring semester project also could create internship opportunities with participating companies for future international business students.
"It has to be mutually beneficial," said Hossein Varamini, who teaches the senior seminar and runs the international business program at the college.
The CIP is one project in the course and not a replacement for an internship.
"It's all about problem-solving," said senior Nate Fosbenner, who is working with York Township-based International Water Co. to identify possible distributors for its mobile water purification systems.
Fosbenner and classmate Danni Qiao, an international student from China, said the project presents a good opportunity to accumulate practical experience they will need after graduation.
They also are working on a sales management database to track worldwide leads and recommendations to help the company differentiate its products in the field.
"Our market has largely been identified as overseas. And intellectual property theft is rampant," said International Water CEO Steve Strachan, who is looking for some guidance on a logo and company colors.
International Water sells two versions of its purification system, which is tailored to help developing countries with fresh water supplies. The smaller version can pump about 2.5 gallons per minute; the larger version pumps about 15 gallons per minute.
Both can operate from a generator but can function using solar and wind power. The base price per unit: about $50,000 for the small one and $150,000 for the larger unit.
Different water sources create different challenges, which means customization. And costs can vary over how the units are purchased, Strachan said.
The cost is a lot to absorb for many countries, which opens up the prospect of selling units to leasing agents in the target countries. That is one option students are exploring as they get ready to present their recommendations at the end of April.
International Water has its sights set on Chile, Colombia and Vietnam.
"Our technology, being off-grid, supports those sorts of economies where towns and villages are not connected by electrical lines and underground plumbing," Strachan said. "The types of infrastructure we know here don't exist in most of the developing countries."
Since unveiling its system last year in York — after about three-and-a-half years of research and development — International Water has been developing relationships with defense contractors and the federal government.
The early interest is coming from within the government structure of several countries across the globe. The Chinese government has a unit on display at the Bird's Nest in Beijing, site of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Tanzania has expressed interest in the system for its military.
"It's happening slow for them, but it is happening," Brill said of International Water, which has about 9,000 square feet of space on Farm Lane where it could produce up to 20 machines per month.
Other project details
Other students are working with Manor Township-based Armstrong, maker of flooring, ceiling and other building products, and York-based Air Dynamics Industrial Systems Corp., a custom manufacturer of indoor contaminant control systems.
The former is looking for market research for a plasticizer used in flooring coverings, while the latter wants to identify third-party certification agencies to bolster the appeal of its test chamber, which it says is more sophisticated and reliable but also more expensive than others on the market.
Students are provided access to various SBDC tools to help them in their research.
"This could be a model for other business schools in the region," said Varamini.
More information about Collaborative Industry Partnership projects
The Collaborative Industry Partnership project, or CIP, started at Elizabethtown College in 2011. It is part of the international business program’s senior seminar class offered in the spring semester.
Including the current class of six students, about 40 to 45 students have participated in the CIP, which is a collaboration with the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center in Harrisburg and regional companies looking to expand overseas operations.
Here are some past projects:
• 2011: C.L. Sturkey Inc. Assist the company with potential markets and prospects in Southeast Asia, based upon previous contacts and market research from a variety of databases.
• 2011: Zeigler Bros. Inc. Research new markets in Africa and Southeast Asia, including screening importers and researching tariff and non-tariff barriers.
• 2012: Ethos Pure Water Technology. Identify the competition, analyze the current electrolyzed, oxidized water market in the U.S., research necessary certifications, seek applicable trade show opportunities, outline the strategic differentiators and outline key import requirements.
• 2013: Allegheny York Co. Expand sales in South America by researching tariffs, shipping costs, competition, potential distributors and market demand in select countries.
• 2013: Armstrong World Industries Inc.* Research material procurement with a particular focus on starch.
*Armstrong is the first repeat company. Elizabethtown College students are currently working on a research project tied to a plasticizer used in floor-covering products.


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Srinagar, May 09, 2019 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, people in the Kashmir valley are facing a crisis situation in the holy month of Ramadan due to shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables in the market, while prices of mutton will likely shoot up as supply trucks are facing multiple curbs on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
The Joint Secretary of New Kashmir Fruit Association, Parimpora, Shahid Chaudhry in a statement issued in Srinagar said the highway ban and the fresh order of toll tax will affect the supply chain and prices may escalate, putting extra burden on consumers.
He said, “We are not able to cater to the demand of consumers as our supply trucks are being stopped frequently at multiple checkpoints, often for several days. No truck is allowed to pass without paying bribe to the police at Udhampur and Ramban districts.”
He said that the unnecessary curbs had resulted in huge losses to business because traders are forced to throw away the spoiled fruits and vegetables. “These curbs must end, otherwise, we will face a crisis situation in coming days with prices shooting up,” he added.
General Secretary of the Mutton Dealers Association, Meraaj-ud-Din Ganai, said that trucks carrying livestock were allowed to move on the highway after being halted for more than 7 days. “We faced huge losses due to death of animals in the stranded trucks. Policemen at multiple checkpoints continue to charge Rs 1,800 from each truck driver. There is a mafia raj which is affecting our business dearly,” he said.
The President of Kashmir Economic Alliance, Muhammad Yasin Khan, in his statement condemned the continued curbs on the highway and appealed for easing the supply of essential commodities in the holy month of Ramadan.
“Supply of essential commodities must reach the valley 24/7 in Ramadan because the demand of essential items increases manifold in the month of fasting,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan admitted that his office had received multiple complaints about supply trucks being stopped on the highway and bribes take by policemen. He said strict instructions have been issued that no supply trucks of essential items like mutton, poultry, fruits, vegetables and other perishable should be stopped.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549


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It plans to offer samples next summer, and will demonstrate the miniature HDD at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
Currently 1-inch diameter Microdrive HDDs are the smallest hard disk drive on the market. But the drive does not fit into a mobile phones. By offering a smaller hard drive with about coin-size disk, Toshiba aims at cultivate mobile phone applications.
With TV reception expected to be the next big feature for mobile phones


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GoVacuum.com has launched a website service for recycling old vacuum cleaners. Vac-Recycle.com will buy your old vacuum cleaner regardless of where you purchased it. The program's goal is reuse and recycle vacuum cleaners in an effort to keep them from landfills.
Chantilly, VA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/27/2012 --Keeping up with the minds of today’s environmentally conscious consumers, GoVacuum.com has recently launched America’s first vacuum cleaner recycling program. Vac-Recycle.com is the first program of its kind which allows consumers to reduce their carbon footprint. Justin Haver, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at GoVacuum says the benefits of this recycling program is to, “Reduce, reuse, recycle; this is the process we all learned as kids to help the Earth. We try to reduce the number of vacuums being purchased by urging our consumers to buy a quality vacuum that will last longer. We will service most of the used vacuums we receive from this program and offer them for re-sale. If beyond repair, almost every part of the vacuum is recycled as per the recycling company we've partnered with and their 99% no landfill policy.”
GoVacuum and Forever Green Recycling, two Virginia based companies, are pairing up to reduce the electronic clutter in landfills in efforts towards a cleaner environment.
GoVacuum started off as four vacuum stores in the Northern Virginia area until a few years ago. The stores were sold and the company changed from Vacuums Unlimited to GoVacuum, the online retail store of vacuums, vacuum accessories, air purifiers, etc. Haver states that as a company, “we've always cared about the environment, but two years ago we started thinking about how we can do more to be even greener. Thus, programs like planting a tree for every 500 ZVac filters we sell, reducing and altering our shipping process to use less and more Earth friendly materials and of course, Go Green. Go Clean.” became the company motto. Staying true to their motto, GoVacuum has joined up with the Virginia based company Forever Green Recycling in pursuits of reducing the clutter of vacuums in landfills.
The BETA launch for vac-recycle.com was September 1, 2012. During this testing period, “we received four used vacuums all of which we will offer a new home after servicing via the GoVacuum outlet.” says Haver. The date of the official launch for the website, vac-recycle.com, is September 27, 2012.
Though this is the first program of its kind for vacuums online, this is not the first recycling program that online consumers have encountered. Haver states that GoVacuum has modeled their vacuum recycle program after Amazon.com's trade-in program for the Kindle fire. “They want you to trade in your old electronics for store credit to help increase Kindle sales. We want to do the same for vacuums while helping the environment.” GoVacuum is now offering up to a $50.00 store credit to consumers for their used and abused vacuum cleaners, no matter where the vacuums have been purchased.
In three easy steps, consumers can now complete the entire vacuum recycling process with GoVacuum and receive online store credit. The first step is checking out their easy to navigate website to see what their vacuum is worth. The second is to fill out the brief online form provided by GoVacuum. The third is to ship the vacuum and GoVacuum will send an email within seven to ten business days to let the consumer know that their account has been credited. Not only will the consumer get store credit for vacuums donated through the vacuum recycling program, but GoVacuum will also have a tree planted in the endangered Atlantic Forest of Brazil in the consumer’s name.


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OMG! Nike has already produced a Tim Tebow shoe and the guy hasn't set foot on a pro-gridiron yet. Do they know something we don't? Is Timmy destined for greatness after all or do they think this is the only chance they'll have of marketing him; in the past tense?
BEAVERTON, OR -- The website Sole Collector is reporting that on July 9, quarterback Tim Tebow officially unveiled his Florida Gators themed Nike Trainer 1.2, a collaboration shoe with EA Sports to celebrate the upcoming NCAA Football 11 videogame.
Along with the orange and blue coloring on the shoe, there are also several nods that tie in to Tebow's legendary collegiate career in Gainesville.
The word 'PROMISE' is stitched along the left heel and the date September 27, 2008, a touch reminding everyone of Tim's very famous "Promise" post-game speech after Florida's loss to Ole Miss.
A series of years are stitched on the right heel, indicating Tim's Heisman Trophy, the Gators' '07 BCS National Championships, and Tim's All-America team honors.
The website also states that the shoe is not officially for sale yet, but limited quantites should be available in the very near future.
Perhaps the shoe should read, "I promise to sit on the bench and pay attention," followed by 2010, 2011
Michael Jordan has "Air Jordan." What should we name Timmy's new shoe?


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As previously reported on this blog, bar and cafe owners in Istanbul's bustling Beyoglu district have been locked in an ongoing battle with municipal authorities, who recently initiated a crackdown on outdoor seating in the area. Although authorities are now planning a new "master plan" for the district, one that's supposed to provide new guidelines for outdoor seating, local business owners say the current ban has left them in dire straits. From the Tarlabasi Istanbul blog:
Mehmet Aktaş, who works in a traditional meyhane on Sofyalı Sokak says the restaurant is having serious trouble staying open: “We used to have about 18 tables outside, with room for 40 to 50 people. Now we have three tables left. Five out of eight employees are on unpaid leave, we are really struggling.” Like many bars and restaurants on Sofyalı Sokak, they, too, have seen their revenues fall by almost 80percent. “At this rate, we won’t survive very long. Restaurants and bars will start to close. This street will be dead without them.” Aktaş points out that the restaurants will not be the only businesses affected by the municipality’s policy: “We buy from fishermen, butchers and green grocers. Our restaurant used to buy 150TL to 200TL worth of fish daily from a local fisherman. Now we can only afford to buy fish for 20TL to 30TL every day.” He shrugs. “This will affect a much broader local economy. Even the children selling Kleenex on the streets will make less money.”
The owners of two small corner shops on Sofyalı Sokak agree; both have seen their business drop by about 80 percent. Many wonder why the Beyoğlu Municipality deliberately risks such economic loss, and the loss of so many jobs: According to bianet.org, the number of layoffs stands at 2,000 after only one month.
As recently reported on Eurasianet's Kebabistan blog, Istanbul municipal authorities have recently instituted a crackdown on outdoor seating in the city's Beyoglu district, known for its bustling bars and cafes. The street fight now seems to be escalating, with city inspectors confiscating the instruments of musicians playing in Beyoglu's streets and some 20 people being detained in a recent police raid after they refused to stop drinking in a makeshift outdoor space.
The Hurriyet Daily News has an interesting article up looking at the some of the underlying problems of the battle to control Beyoglu's outdoor life. From the article:
If Istanbul were a sky, there is little doubt that its famous Beyoğlu district would be a rainbow thanks to the diversity of colors existing side by side. Walking along the district’s iconic İstiklal Avenue, one can see a number of surreal juxtapositions that would rarely be seen elsewhere, such as a Santa Clause trying to coax people into a kebab restaurant or people angrily protesting cheek and jowl with a group of musicians.
But Beyoğlu’s technicolor landscape is slowly losing its vividness due to recent conflicts between Beyoğlu Municipality, area residents and business owners over the use of public space and noise coming from street musicians....
....Korhan Gümüş, from The Human Settlements Association, or HSA, a nongovernmental organization in Beyoğlu that focuses on issues related to local governance, said state officials in Turkey were not aware of how to use the public spaces.
“The use of public space also requires a cultural plan,” Gümüş told the Daily News. “İstiklal Avenue is an area that is especially like Turkey’s window abroad. There are opera singers there and there are traditional musicians; the municipality can control this by limiting the decibels. Taking away instruments is just despotism,” he said.
As previously reported in this blog, Turkey has recently been dealing with a flood of bootleg booze that has mostly impacted the country's lower-end tourist trade and has, tragically, led to the death of four Russian tourists.
Turkish authorities have responded with a crackdown on bootleggers and have started taking a closer look at just what is being served to tourists. As Milliyet reports, what they're finding out is pretty worrying. In Antalya, out of 54 bottles of booze sampled in various touristic facilities, a whopping 22 turned up with elevated level of methyl alcohol -- a compound which is directly linked with alcohol poisoning. In response, says Milliyet, authorities have announced a ban on the import of bottles of several brands of booze that, based on their names, should probably have never been let into the country in the first place. Among the illustrious brands being banned: "Mister Bourdon" and "Brave Harvey" vodka and whiskey, "Nordix Gin Party" and "London Dry Gin Guard Hause" [sic] gin and "838" vodka. (If you follow this link, you can see a photo of a bottle of "Brave Harvey" whiskey, proudly bottled in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.)
A yacht tour in Turkey has turned out badly for a group of Russian tourists, after three of them died after drinking what appears to be bootleg alcohol. More details here.
This is not the first time Turkey has had to deal with the death of tourists who had imbibed bootleg hooch. In the resort city of Antalya, a court is currently deciding the fate of a liquor distributor who is accused of supplying the bathtub booze that killed three German students in 2009. More on that case here.
And in 2005, more than 20 people died after drinking bootleg raki, the anise-flavored spirit that is Turkey's national drink. Details here.
Strict new regulations introduced by the Turkish government had put many of the country's drinkers in a funk. Among the new regulations were ones that tightly controlled who could buy alcohol at festivals and other large events and also made it more difficult for catering companies to serve alcohol at events.
But some of those regulations have now been suspended by a Turkish court. More from the Hurriyet Daily News:
The ruling party tabled one of the most disputed articles in the law, one which had banned alcohol sales at events and activities “for children and young people,” dealing a blow to festival and concert organizers and attendees.
The regulation had come under particular fire for defining “young people” as those up to 24 years of age, a provision the court said contradicted existing laws that set 18 as the minimum legal age for buying and consuming alcohol.
The Council of State made its decision as it continued to examine a petition by the Ankara Bar Association seeking the annulment of the entire bill. It also suspended a second provision of the law that had prohibited shops from selling liquor in small bottles, which regulators argued made alcohol easier to access for young people.
The regulation was passed in January by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, with the aim of protecting young people from alcoholism. Its adoption triggered protests saying that the party was targeting liberal lifestyles.
The San Francisco-based Vinography blog has a very nice roundup that reviews several Turkish wines. The article can be found here. If you're in Turkey and want to try some of these wines, a New York Times article of mine about new wine bars in Istanbul can be found here. And for more wine reviews, check out Istanbul Eats' review section, here.
Istanbul Eats' latest Turkish wine review features a bottle made from an obscure grape known as the "forgotten Thracian prince." The grape, Papazkarasi ("priest's black" in Turkish), is grown almost exclusively in the Thrace region, near Turkey's border with Bulgaria and Greece. More details here.
With its latest round of regulations targeting the sale, promotion and consumption of alcohol, the Turkish government has run into a storm of accusations that it is working to impose a conservative agenda (i.e. a dry one) on the country. Newsweek takes a look at the developments in its latest issue:
The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was so fond of raki that he died of liver disease. But alcohol is becoming the latest battleground in Turkey’s culture wars. New regulations introduced this month by the conservative, Islamic-leaning AK Party government have caused a storm of protest from the imbibing elite.
On the face of it, the restrictions aren’t very draconian—banning alcohol advertising at sports or youth-oriented events, and outlawing the sale of alcohol on highways. Turkey’s alcohol-licensing laws remain far laxer than in the U.S. or most of Europe. Nonetheless, critics of the AK Party fear this is just the beginning of a “government-coordinated campaign to make alcohol socially unacceptable,” says Ilker Gul, an Istanbul bar worker.
The Islamic-rooted government of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has defended the new restrictions, saying they are about "protecting young people" from the dangerous effects of alcohol. But critics point out that the latest restrictions come hot on the heels of yet another increase on the tax levied on alcohol, which has created the suspicion that the government's true intention is to keep booze out of the hands of Turks of all ages.
While local Turkish liquor producers have been complaining about new government taxes that they believe will hurt their business, the Wall Street Journal reports foreign booze companies are increasingly eyeing Turkey and its hot economy and young population. From the WSJ article:
With countries like Spain, Italy and Greece, where they traditionally sell alcohol, plagued by economic troubles, liquor-company executives are turning to a perhaps unlikely Mediterranean market: Turkey, whose mostly Muslim population hasn't ranked among the world's big drinkers historically.
Tapping nontraditional markets while established regions stagnate is a strategy that other industries are also pursuing, and the challenges that liquor makers face in Turkey echo the kinds of dilemmas that those industries confront as well.
Turkey, for instance, offers a fast-growing economy, but liquor companies must navigate high taxes, advertising restrictions, and a lack of familiarity among some consumers with the finer points of their products.
"In developed countries, consumers are much more familiar with products," says Robert Furniss-Roe, vice president of Bacardi Ltd. "In these new, emerging economies you have to go back to basics in some ways and explain things."
But the economics are alluring. Turkey's economy grew about 10% in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, and its population is young and urban. The country's economic growth is also providing young Turks with more disposable income, and they are using it to travel or study abroad, bringing back some new tastes.
"Young people in Turkey are changing very quickly," says Mr. Furniss-Roe. "There's growth in disposable income, and young Turks want to spend it on status."


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Mobile operators are increasingly connecting paid subscriptions without the knowledge of subscribers – Roskomnadzor told what to do in this case. Roskomnadzor decided to explain to subscribers of mobile operators how to deal with paid subscriptions. Indeed, in recent years, Russians are increasingly faced with the connection of paid services and services without their knowledge. […]
All investment recommendations that were relevant at the beginning of 2022 subsequently brought investors only losses. Many foreign securities were frozen, and Russian ones lost everything they had accumulated over the past years. Foreign exchange investments have also become irrelevant – due to the fact that there is simply nowhere to use the currency in […]
Moscow exchange explained what caused the suspension of trading in the foreign exchange market and the precious metals from 10:50 to 12:15 Moscow time, this is reported on its website. A technical error occurred due to the absence of a part of the personal codes of foreign exchange market clients in the trading and clearing […]
It is no longer necessary to certify documents with an ordinary stamp – Rosreestr works using paperless technology. When buying real estate in Russia, re-registration of ownership is required, which is carried out by submitting a previously concluded sale and purchase agreement to Rosreestr. And although this document can be compiled independently, it is usually […]
The Central Bank explained the position on the access of “nequals” to the securities of “friendly” countries
The Bank of Russia proposed to ban unqualified investors from buying foreign securities regardless of the infrastructure of which foreign country they are stored in, since the risk of blocking is everywhere. About this “RBC Investments ” reported the press service of the Central Bank. Earlier, the Ministry of Finance said that they need to […]
“I love to swim against the current”: the founder of Delimobil explained the continuation of investments in Russia
The founder of Delimobil, Italian Vincenzo Trani, does not plan to leave the local market, the service will continue to operate in Russia.
On the territories liberated from the militants of the Ukrainian army, they will apply the experience gained during the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation. This was announced by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea to the President of the Russian Federation Georgy Muradov in an interview published by […]
PhD in Economics Mikhail Belyaev commented on the statement by US President Joe Biden that the G7 countries will impose a ban on the import of Russian gold. “He can impose a ban on gold imports, it can even apply to certain countries that are part of the G7. We need to understand that Biden […]
The American company Zedge, engaged in the distribution of content, published Q3 FY 2022 financials, which reported a notable drop in MAU, which measures the number of Monthly Active Users who used the company’s app. During the reporting period, the MAU fell 7% year-on-year and also dropped 11.6% quarter-on-quarter to $32.1 million. In the Zedge […]
“Logistics is reminiscent of a circus juggler on a ball”: CDEK explained the delay in deliveries from abroad
The CDEK courier delivery service explained the delay in the delivery of goods and the delay in the return of funds to customers of the CDEK.Shopping service due to complex logistics, payment restrictions and customs control. Earlier, customers of the service began to complain about the delay in the delivery of paid purchases.


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Mobile person-to-person payment options are changing the way money moves. Here’s how community banks stand to benefit.
By Colleen Morrison
Remember the days when you went out to dinner with a few friends and one person picked up the tab, leaving the rest of the group hunting in their pockets for cash or pulling out the checkbook to pay their share? Those days are gone.
According to Bank of America’s 2017 Trends in Consumer Mobility Report, “the exchange of funds through p2p [person-to-person] is the new social ‘norm,’ ultimately replacing the IOU.” With millennials leading the charge and Generation Z following in their footsteps, the mobile portion of the p2p payments market could reach $97 billion this year, according to BI Intelligence. Venmo, PayPal’s social payments platform, processed about $9 billion in payments in Q3 2017, up 93 percent on the same period of the previous year.
“p2p is critically important, but the problem is that it’s not a good revenue model from a direct economic standpoint,” says Chris Nichols, chief strategy officer at CenterState Bank, a $10 billion-asset community bank in Winter Haven, Fla. “But we look at it from the future standpoint. In the long run, p2p will be the flagship application in any platform.”
Despite its potential, many community banks haven’t jumped on the p2p bandwagon. A recent study from ICBA Bancard found that a third of community banks plan to offer a p2p solution in the future but have not yet introduced one.
“When I ask community bankers why they haven’t adopted it, the most common response is, ‘My customers aren’t asking for it,’” notes Tina Giorgio, president and CEO of ICBA Bancard. “My response is, ‘That’s because they are getting it from someone else.’ It’s not because they don’t want it; they just aren’t asking you for it.”
Experts believe a bank-centric solution may drive adoption by expanding connection points. With the potential to reach every account in the nation, community banks can ease the mobile p2p payment process and improve customer satisfaction at the same time.
“Today, the user experience is that there are a lot of solutions out there,” Giorgio says. “I use one, my friend uses another, and I end up with multiple apps on my phone to move money. Any time a bank can step in and help with that, the longer it’s going to have that customer.”
Banks have seen the beauty of this approach, and more bank-centric solutions are emerging. In October 2016, ICBA and North American Banking Company launched a proposal for an all-payments app called Excheq, a bank-connected faster-payments solution with a mobile p2p component. This offering provides a white-label option and leverages same-day ACH to process payments.
Most recently, the largest banks in the nation banded together to launch Zelle, a p2p network that quickly delivers payments to more than 86 million U.S. mobile banking customers. The Zelle team plans to expand its network by engaging in strategic partnerships across the financial services and technology spectrums, and has already partnered with some of the leading payment processors:
CO-OP Financial Services, FIS, Fiserv and Jack Henry & Associates.
“We want Zelle to be made available ubiquitously,” says Peter Tapling, the former chief revenue officer of Early Warning Services. “We want all banks to be able to participate on equal footing.
The whole distribution strategy was created in a way to make it as easy as possible to participate.”
Financial institutions can join the Zelle network in one of two ways: They can contact Early Warning Services to sign up and build the direct integration, or they can reach out to their service provider and find out when Zelle will be available on the core banking product.
“Zelle is the new standard for the bulk of banks’ customers,” Nichols says. “There’s no doubt that Zelle will get a large percentage of the market, but will it get enough to completely displace Venmo? That remains to be seen.”
When looking at gaining market share, banks may have the upper hand when it comes to their customers’ security requirements. A recent American Bankers Association/Morning Consult poll reported that a majority of consumers across all age groups trust banks to keep their payments safe—more so than alternative payment providers, retailers and telecommunications companies. In fact, consumers reported trusting banks nearly five times more than providers like Apple, PayPal or Venmo (59 percent versus 12 percent).
“As p2p banking solutions increase in use and popularity, we believe customers’ money should be secure within the safe, trusted network of banks,” says Michael Brandt, senior vice president and corporate marketing director at Homestreet Bank, a $6.8 billion-asset bank headquartered in Seattle, and one of the first community banks to sign on to Zelle. “When deciding what p2p solution to offer, it came down to security, quick transaction times and ease of implementation. Zelle checked those boxes for us.”
No matter what p2p solution a bank chooses, the time to engage has arrived. Offering a bank-provided product bonds customers more deeply to your bank.
Just imagine it: The next time your customer goes to dinner with friends, your bank’s app could take care of the check.
Skin in the game: bank-centric p2p solutions
- Excheq all-payments app (North American Banking Company & ICBA), a white-label p2p app that leverages same-day ACH for clearing and settlement. nabankco.com
- Popmoney (Fiserv*), a service that allows consumers to conveniently send, receive and request money with an email address, mobile phone number or account number, leveraging Fiserv’s network. fiserv.com/popmoney
- People Pay (FIS*),
a network that enables customers to make real-time, p2p payments through FIS’ infrastructure. fisglobal.com/solutions/payment-solutions
- Zelle (Early Warning Services), a new p2p payments network from bank-owned Early Warning Services, connecting more than 86 million U.S. mobile banking customers.
Colleen Morrison is a writer in Virginia.


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On November 24, leading Thames dining cruise company Bateaux London – which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – will be dropping its prices by 40 per cent as part of a special Black Friday discount.
And on November 27 – also known as Cyber Monday – the 40 per cent discount will return for one day only, giving potential bookers the chance to buy a gift voucher for their friends or family at a fraction of the price.
Bateaux London’s two vessels, Harmony and Symphony, offer unparalleled views of some of the city’s most famous landmarks including the Palace of Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, as well as a variety of dining options created by the on-board team of highly-skilled chefs.
Gareth Brown, Marketing Manager at Bateaux London said: “Black Friday is renowned for being the day where shoppers can get a fantastic bargain – and here at Bateaux London, we wanted to embrace that.
“This special deal is a great opportunity for both our loyal, returning customers, and those wanting a memorable, dining experience on the Thames for the first time, to get a huge saving.”
Bateaux London’s river cruises rank steadily at 4.5 with online travel site TripAdvisor and depart daily from Embankment Pier, Victoria Embankment, London.