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WASHINGTON, D.C. (MuseWire) – The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce that San Francisco-based hip hop group Audiopharmacy will tour Southeast Asia and the Pacific as part of the American Music Abroad program. With roots in hip hop, Audiopharmacy fuses live instrumentation and global musical styles, making […]
Category: Synth News
Stewart Audio announces technology licensing agreement with Audinate PTY, LTD for compact Networked Amplifiers
SILICON VALLEY, Calif. (MuseWire) – Stewart Audio, an innovator in small, compact Networked Amplifiers is pleased to announce a technology licensing agreement with Audinate PTY, LTD the inventors of Dante™ the award winning, digital media networking solution. Stewart Audio will be one of the first licensees to offer a Dante Ultimo™ solution in their line […]
Fulbright-mtvU Fellowship 2013-2014: U.S. Dept. of State and mtvU Announce Artists to Help Nominate Candidates
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MuseWire) – The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network, announce today musical artists Imagine Dragons, Rita Ora and Steve Aoki will help review and nominate candidates for the 2013-2014 Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships. The Department of State sponsors Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships to promote music as a […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MuseWire) – The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that ensembles of the Afghan National Institute of Music (ANIM) will travel to three cities in the United States from February 3-15 for performances and cultural exchange with American youth orchestras. The group will begin its tour with a small ensemble performance […]
PORTLAND, Ore. (MuseWire) – Audinate is proud to announce the newest member of the Dante product family: Ultimo. Ultimo is a complete, fully-featured, ready-to-use Dante interface for networked audio products, integrated into a single 13 x 13mm chip. By providing an integrated, cost-effective networked audio solution over a 100Mbps Ethernet interface, Ultimo extends the benefits […]
ANAHEIM, Calif. (MuseWire) — WINTER NAMM: Korg USA announces the King Korg analog modeling synth. Focused on live performance, it features Korg’s new XMT (Xpanded Modeling Technology) engine, with many types of oscillators and filters that can accurately model sought-after vintage analog synths. With its controls laid out in easily identifiable sections, King Korg delivers the unique characteristics of a dedicated synthesizer, while remaining approachable to players who are new to synthesizers.
Native Instruments announces Reverb Classics, two premium-quality algorithmic reverbs inspired by renowned studio hardware
BERLIN, Germany (MuseWire) — Even though Native Instruments no longer attends NAMM to showcase new products, they can still time their news for the show. Native Instruments this week launched REVERB CLASSICS – two premium-quality algorithmic reverbs inspired by renowned studio hardware. While each effect has its own distinct sound, both provide a rich, harmonic character that adds dimension and depth to any source.
BATON ROUGE, La. (MuseWire) – PreSonus has announced that the company has licensed Audinate’s Dante digital-media networking technology and will incorporate Dante into optional networking cards for several of its new products. Audinate’s patented Dante solution is a combination of software, hardware, and standard TCP/IP protocols designed to transport many channels of high-resolution, uncompressed, low-latency […]
ANAHEIM, Calif. (MuseWire) — WINTER NAMM: Today Korg announced a new analog synthesizer, in a bite-size form factor. Korg’s MS-20 monophonic synthesizer, first introduced in 1978, is still coveted to this day for its thick, robust sound, powerful, iconic analog filter, and versatile patching options. It has now been reborn as the new MS-20 mini. The same engineers who developed the original MS-20 have perfectly reproduced it in a body that’s been shrunk to 86% of the original size, yet retains the distinctive look of the original.
Arturia announces MiniLab, a new optimized portable MIDI keyboard controller with touch strip modulators
GRENOBLE, FRANCE (MuseWire) — WINTER NAMM: Music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce the NAMM 2013 launch of MiniLab, a stylishly compact and bijou Universal MIDI Controller that’s far from being short on features. MiniLab is a USB bus-powered powerhouse, featuring 25 velocity-sensitive mini-keys alongside brand-new pitch and modulation touch-strip controls for maximising musical expression in a highly-portable package.
Winter NAMM 2013: Bob Moog Foundation will present ‘Exploring Bob Moog’s Archives with Michael Boddicker’
ANAHEIM, Calif. (MuseWire) — At this year’s Winter NAMM in Anaheim, The Bob Moog Foundation (BMF) will celebrate the indelible nature of the synthesizer pioneer’s legacy where NAMM attendees will have opportunities to see and hear demonstrations of vintage Moog instruments and explore rarely seen archival material from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives. Front and center at the Foundation’s booth at NAMM (#5307) will be rock musician Erik Norlander’s modular Moog synthesizer known as the Wall of Doom.
PORTLAND, Ore. (MuseWire) – Audinate announced today, that as part of its global expansion, it has hired Gary Southwell as its new Vice President of Product Management. Audinate is revolutionizing the way that AV systems are connected, by transporting high-quality media over standard IT networks. Audinate and its award winning, Dante digital media networking solution, […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MuseWire) – SoundExchange today announced a new record with total year-end royalty payments reaching approximately $462 million (up 58 percent from the prior year) for 2012. Fourth quarter 2012 distribution also increased with more than 22,000 payments totaling approximately $134.9 million, a nearly 10 percent increase from its Q3 2012 distribution of $122.5 […]
VICTORIA, B.C. (MuseWire) – Vocal processing expert TC-Helicon and audio specialist Sennheiser today unveiled their partnership in the field of vocal effects microphones. Combining their extensive expertise in creating tools for vocalists and microphone technology, the two companies have been working on joint research projects since 2011, and will launch a joint product at NAMM […]
ANAHEIM, Calif. /MuseWire/ — Extron Electronics is pleased to introduce three new DMP 128 Digital Matrix Processors with Dante network connectivity from Audinate. The DMP 128 is a 12×8 audio mixer featuring Extron ProDSP™, automixing, I/O expansion capabilities, and available AEC – acoustic echo cancellation. The three new DMP 128 AT models provide efficient scalability […]
Over 25 Industry Consultants and Manufacturers Network Audio Uses Cases at AV Networking Congress 2013
PORTLAND, Ore. /MuseWire/ — For the third straight year, the AV Networking Congress will be in session Tuesday, 29 January, at the Holiday Inn Amsterdam. This daylong event will feature real-world use cases and presentations, as well as interactive demonstrations and workshops. The panel discussions will be conducted by over 25 leading industry design consultants, […]
ASCAP Launches New PLAY MUSIC Licensing Campaign with Low-Cost, No Reporting License for Websites and Mobile Apps
NEW YORK, N.Y. (MuseWire) – The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) today announced the launch of the ASCAP PLAY MUSIC License for Websites and Mobile Apps. Designed to make obtaining an ASCAP license easier and more affordable for individuals and small businesses, the new agreement is available now at www.ascap.com/licensing/digital. In just […]
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (MuseWire) — Leading Audio Video Bridging platform provider Lab X Technologies announces the launch of Xavity™ AVB connectivity. Xavity (pronounced “zav-i-tee”) provides turnkey AVB platforms for an expanding list of silicon devices for use in AVB-enabled audio, video, and switching products.
RISSKOV, Denmark (MuseWire) – TC Electronic this week announced their new Ditto Looper, a looper “that has been made by guitarists specifically for guitarists.” Ditto Looper is the first looper to combine fun, simplicity and great sound quality with a feature-set and functionalities designed for guitarists. What puts Ditto Looper miles ahead of the looper […]
Audinate Expands Worldwide Team, Steve Greenall joins Audinate as Director of Sales for EMEA and ASEAN countries
PORTLAND, Ore. (MuseWire) – In order to support the proliferation of Audinate’s Dante media networking solution across the AV industry, Steve Greenall has joined Audinate as Director of Sales for Europe. Greenall, who resides in the UK, will also be responsible for leading sales activities in the Middle East, Africa and ASEAN countries. “Over the […]
TOKYO (MuseWire) – International music technology manufacturer Native Instruments is pleased to announce the opening of its dedicated Japanese branch in Harajuku, Tokyo. Established to directly serve the company’s long-standing Japanese user base and business partners, the new office is also intended to further expand the company’s footprint in the crucial Japanese market for music […]
MuseWire NEWS: 123creative releases Transhaper X3 – transient shaping / designing system, VST plug-in for Windows. According to the developer: “Transhaper X3 allow you boost transients (spikes of audio signal) of your drums, percussions or any other instruments. Are your drums or percussions sounding too deep and flat and you want to make them modern, […]
BERLIN (MuseWire) – Native Instruments today introduced SCARBEE RICKENBACKER BASS, a new KONTAKT instrument featuring the sound of a Rickenbacker 4003 bass guitar. Sampled by bassist and instrument designer Thomas Skarbye, SCARBEE RICKENBACKER BASS is also the first software version of this bass to be approved by Rickenbacker®. SCARBEE RICKENBACKER® BASS delivers the sound of […]
MuseWire NEWS: Soundlib this past week announced a new version of their G-Player sample instrument, originally designed to enable playback of Gigastudio samples and instruments on Mac OS and Windows. The new version is a free upgrade for registered users. New features include: New stack editor with independent VCA and VCF control, new Audio Mixer […]
Music Industry Newswire NEWS: Moog Music this past week announced the latest version of their iOS app for iPad, the ANIMOOG V2. According to the company: This major update to the TEC-Award Nominated iOS synthesizer is a free update for existing Animoog users and includes many user requested features and product enhancements.
MuseWire NEWS: Liine has announced new features for Lemur on iOS, including In-App Editor and new Skins. Update available now on iTunes. Legendary multi-touch controller Lemur’s templates now editable directly from your iPad, + new skins, + LiveControl 2, free download in early 2013. In-App Editor: Lemur has evolved. Now you can design your templates […]
Music Computing releases ControlBLADE Gen3 Keyboard with 22-inch Touchscreen and with Mac OS or Windows On-board
AUSTIN, Texas (MuseWire) – Austin based Music Computing this week announced their latest portable keyboard workstation, the ControlBLADE Gen3, with a complete PC inside running Windows or Mac OS, with a 22-inch touchscreen, and a breakthrough price point of US$1899. Options include SSD and Intel i5 or i7 processors. The company describes their ControlBLADE Gen3 […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MuseWire) – Part of American Music Abroad, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced that Kensington, Maryland-based folk group Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, with Barbara Lamb, will tour Asia and the Pacific Islands. Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer have won two GRAMMY® Awards and fourteen consecutive GRAMMY® […]
Paris, France (MuseWire) — UVI’s Vintage Legends has been announced and contains samples from many rare and desirable electronic synths. It’s desccibed by UVI as “Six brand-new soft synths with the brilliant depth and character of classic hardware. Instantly call up inspiration from: the Yamaha CS-70M, CS-40M and CS-20M, the crazy Italian Elka Synthex, the Rhodes Chroma, the king of FM – the Yamaha DX1, the rare DK Synergy and the classic K250 revisited.”
MELVILLE, N.Y. (MuseWire) – This week Korg announced 64-bit native capabilitiy for their popular Legacy Collection virtual music instruments. Korg’s Legacy Collection is a complete software recreation of five legendary KORG Synthesizers – the MS-20, Polysix, Mono/Poly, M1 and WAVESTATION – complemented by the included MDE-X Effects Suite, which boasts 19 different effects algorithms. UPDATE […]


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domain: news


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SINGAPORE--Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) has unveiled a 5mm hybrid hard disk drive (HDD) in a 2.5-inch form factor, one of the world's thinnest available, as part of a project aimed at extending the shelf life of the country's existing tech industries.
Called the A-drive, it potentially could be fitted into tablets and other handheld devices to allow storage capacities of up to 1 terabyte (TB) or around 250,000 songs, and extend battery life by 30 percent, said Pantelis Alexopoulos, executive director of A*Star's Data Storage Institute (DSI).
The drive can also be utilized for enterprise storage applications, reducing power consumption by up to 50 percent, and to produce slimmer ultrabooks and laptops, Alexopoulos told ZDNet Asia in an interview.
"Although there have been technological improvements such as in capacity and connectivity, scalability of the battery has not caught up and there are also scalability limitations of Flash," he explained.
He pointed out smaller hybrid drives would be the future for devices, since it combined the advantages of a faster, but more expensive SSD, with the capacity scalability of a HDD.
Birth of hybrid idea According to Alexopoulos, the DSI started development work on the device last year and was the first in the world to come out publicly to talk about the concept.
He said the idea struck him when he was taking apart an Apple iPad when the tablet first hit the market. It then became the first project he proposed at DSI, when he joined nearly three years ago.
"When I pitched the idea to International Disk Drive Equipment and Materials Association (IDEMA) in Japan, they thought I was crazy," he said.
One of the challenges in shrinking the hybrid drive from the then-existing standard of 7mm was the need to reduce the thickness of its spindle motor without compromising performance.
"It had to pass the 'wife check'--cheap enough for a guy not have to ask for his wife's permission to buy it."
"We also had to make sure it was not too expensive to make. It had to pass the 'wife check'--cheap enough for a guy not have to ask for his wife's permission to buy it," Alexopoulos quipped, adding it cost around US$60 to manufacture the device.
Alexopoulos said A*Star's product was not designed to compete with the industry, but to support Singapore's technology sectors by pushing for the 5mm hybrid form-factor and allowing them to stay relevant in the supply chain.
The government agency hopes this would lead to a trickle-down effect, with every job created usually indirectly creating another eight jobs, he said.
He added DSI was open to sharing details about the A-drive with the industry and had done so with WD at an earlier stage of the project, sharing design concepts and details over a presentation.
The difference between both versions is the motor used in DSI's offering is thinner, he said, adding it was A*Star's commitment to the concept which propelled the industry toward the direction for a 5mm drive.
"If it was for personal glory, I would have kept everything to myself," Alexopoulos said. "My goal is to extend the shelf life and relevance of existing tech industries in Singapore."
He noted WD opened a R&D center in Singapore last year, which was a big testament to the government agency's efforts.
It already has plans to improve the current design by shrinking the A-Drive's actuator--motor to control a mechanism--which could help make the hybrid HDD lighter by 30 percent and smaller by 20 percent. It currently weighs about 84 grams.
Associated patents will be handled by A*Star's strategic marketing and commercialization arm, Exploit Technologies, which might explore potential spinoffs and licensing.


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According to the WSJ yesterday, Target, the multifaceted retailer invested millions in trying to get shoppers using their stores to convert to chips in their cards. It was Target’s hope that other retailers would support this effort. This was 2001. The program didn’t take hold and they ditched the program three years later.
The irony now is Target has now become the victim (and millions of customers) of a global hacking effort that has resulted in the compromise of thousands perhaps millions of check cards. According to the same WSJ piece, some compromised plastic has already been found on people who obviously were receiving fraudulent cards.
When I was in Canada last year, the chip cards rule. I could not purchase in many places because my U.S. issued cards lacked a chip. In addition, most of the restaurants where I ate brought the card machine to the table to run the card and would not (as is customary in the U.S.) leave the area with my card. It was a much more stringent approach to plastic/electronic transactions.
In one store, a merchant laughed when I told him that the U.S. didn’t really use chips in cards much. It was a learning experience for me.
Do you want to know how late the U.S. is on this one? Check the science:
“Magnetic stripes have been used on plastic since the 1970s. Hackers find it increasingly easy to copy the data on them because the information in the magnetic stripe doesn’t change, and criminals can easily produce fake cards, because the technology is readily available.
Chip cards, on the other hand, take the cardholder information and turn it into a unique code for each transaction. They also often require additional authentication, such a personal identification number, or PIN. Payment and security experts say the technology wouldn’t have prevented the attack at Target, but it would have made it more difficult for thieves to counterfeit the cards and make fraudulent purchases.”
This one is a no brainer. At least that is what I think. The rest of the world has moved to secure chip system and we don’t move. Why? The UK’s fraud is way down since they went to chips. Duh? I am laughing now. Que up the James Brown track: “Living in America…”


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Bluepoint is already moving on to its next project—and we've got a solid guess of what it is.
The new Shadow of the Colossus will let players capture their moments of victory like never before.
The studio run by man behind Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian is teasing something new.
The PlayStation 4 remake's visuals get a side-by-side comparison video with the PS2 and PS3 visuals.
Your guide to the biggest gaming news stories of the week, along with the ones you might have missed.
Bluepoint Games has released a new video for its upcoming PlayStation 4 Shadow of the Colossus remake.
The team behind games like Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian is hiring for a new project.


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BY LORRAINE WOHI
The country to country trade and investment relationship between PNG and Australia is skewed in Australia’s favour and Australia has not done enough to support PNG to increase its exports especially in the Agriculture sector.
Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru made this remark in his keynote address yesterday at the 38th PNG Australia Business Forum and Trade Expo in Port Moresby.
Mr Maru told the Australian investors and business community that their time for investment in the country is now or never as PNG’s focus is now is on trading and opening up investment opportunity with China.
This will be possible through an establishment of the first Trade mission in Shanghai, China which the country is set to establish this year.
Mr Maru said for the last 47 years, trade has been in favour of Australia and that has been the status quo. PNG’s exports to Australia are mainly gold and other precious metals which comprise over 98 per cent of total exports.
This means less than 2 per cent are from the non-extractive sector and is valued at about 1per annum.
Australia Assistant Minister for Trade and Manufacturing Senator Tim Ayres told the Forum that Australia is more focused on investing in roads and ports as reliable roads and ports means uninterrupted travels , trades and commerce into PNG.
“Australia is PNG‘s number infrastructure partner and these investments are made in a significant way in creating employment in these projects. Reliable roads mean uninterrupted travels, trade and commerce.
Australia is a vast country as well and road infrastructure matters because for every dollar that we put into roads we know we will reap several dollars in-return in the economic growth,” Mr Ayres said.
Australia’s total exports to PNG is estimated over Kl .5 billion, which translates to a ratio 1:10.
Mr Maru said this is huge trade imbalance.
“Enough is enough. We have been pushing on deaf ears for 48 years and starting this year we are moving on. We will partner whatever country that will help us achieve that.
We are friends to all and enemies to none.
We are not interested in geopolitics.
Our main priority is securing the future of our people, “ Mr Maru said.
He said PNG is open for business and will give red carpet treatment to any investor coming into the country particularly to invest in the identified SEZ areas.


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The Selangor Cyber Games International 2016 opens today and it's a doozy of an eSports event. In fact, it is already rocking it with crowds showing up to support their favourite teams and try their hand at being like some the eSports stars that are competing.
Held from September 9 to 11 2016 at The Square, One City Mall in Subang Jaya, the event venue itself is considerably massive, packing enough air-conditioning to keep the crowds and all the gaming systems running cool.
Preliminaries have already kicked off and tomorrow will be even more awesome as FNATIC and MVP, both well-known eSports teams, are duking it out with their opponents, respectively, before and after the opening ceremony.
Of course, it's not just about the tournaments as there are loads of gaming systems around for attendees to play with. This includes the Acer Predator triple-monitor racing setup and a Acer Predator powered VR booth.
Entrance to Selangor Cyber Games International 2016 is free. Just make sure to bring loads of liquids to cool off.


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No bids offered for Milford firehouse on Melba Street
A Milford firehouse is still up for sale today after a no-bid auction.
Mayor Ben Blake said he believes the Melba Street firehouse’s price point, which started at $500,000, was too high for bidders. However, he wants buyers to know there is a lot of potential for the property.
"Have a little shop at the bottom, maybe a flower shop or chocolate factory or something, and then grab some...


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Fisker automotive Inc. is recalling certain 2012 Karma plug-in hybrid models to check for a potential problem with their battery systems that could result in fires.
The car maker said the recall affects vehicles built from July 1 through Nov. 3, 2011. The problem stems from hose clamps that may have been positioned improperly inside the battery pack. As a result the cover for the battery compartment could interfere with the clamps and cause coolant to leak. Coolant leaking into the battery compartment could result in an electrical short that could lead to a fire.
In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fisker said the recall includes 239 cars, and the company believes fewer than 40 of those cars have been delivered to customers.
Under the recall Fisker dealers will replace the high-voltage battery free of charge. The recall is expected to begin this month. Owners may contact Fisker consumer affairs Monday through Friday at 855-575-7577 from 6 a.m. to 7p.m. PST.


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With all of Thailand laser-focused on Covid-19 outbreaks, vaccine availability, and apparently Phuket has got some sort of brouhaha over some foreigners showing up, it’s easy to lose track of the important daily tribulations of keeping a country functioning. But never fear, there are those that don’t get distracted by the glitzy headlines and are doing the thankless work to keep Thailand chugging along in the background. While you were all preoccupied with sandboxes and syringes, the Department of Transport has quietly tackled the problem of unregulated and oversized delivery boxes on motorbikes plaguing the Kingdom today.
While it seems negligible, the pandemic has brought a massive increase in food delivery services throughout many parts of Thailand. Food delivery services have become an essential part of Covid-19 life with restaurants often constrained to take away orders only and warnings and restrictions against leaving your home unnecessarily being levied on and off throughout the pandemic. Logo-emblazoned motorbikes zooming around with delivery boxes full of hot meals for holed up residents are a common sight on the streets of Thai cities.
But in this lawless grey area, some delivery boxes have become too large or too long for motorbikes to be safely driven. And so this week, the director-general of the Department of Land Transport has put his foot down and declared that motorbike delivery boxes cannot exceed 60 centimetres in overall width and length.
Regulations have now been put in place that rear-mounted boxes must not extend more than 30 cm behind the body of the motorbike. Furthermore, side-mounted delivery boxes must be symmetrically mounted in the centre of the motorbike’s body to maintain balance. The attached boxes must not exceed 110 centimetres across and side-mounted delivery boxes must not have a height greater than 70 centimetres.
The main point of these regulations is to ensure the safety of delivery drivers and the other vehicles they interact with on the roads. Regulations include the stipulation that delivery boxes must not block visibility or any motorbike lights or turn signals in order to keep everyone safe. The director-general warns delivery business owners and motorbike drivers the measure their delivery boxes and get in line with new regulations before they officially become law soon.
Fines for a delivery box size or mounting regulation violation can be up to 1,000 baht. So the next time you put in a humungous food delivery order that your driver has to fit into their regulation size delivery box, maybe give them a tip?
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
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AFP recently spoke with Drew Wolff, treasurer for Starbucks, on his upcoming session at the CTC Corporate Treasurers Forum, May 22-24 at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay. Wolff will host a session on why natural-resource risk management is becoming more important to investors and customers.
AFP: As we’re seeing across the board now, more companies are being pressured by customers and investors to be more socially responsible. Starbucks has clearly been a leader in this space. Can you provide some numbers on the progress you’ve made? How has treasury specifically been involved?
Drew Wolff: Several years ago, we started a farmer loan program in conjunction with NGO partners. In the coffee industry, the spread of coffee rust due to global warming is a huge issue. It is destroying entire mature coffee farms. And replanting is a problem, because the trees don’t produce anything for three years. There is credit provision in the coffee space but it is trade financing; short-term loans. Not many people are willing to do the type of long-term loans needed to replant a coffee farm, and if they are, they are typically at a very high rate of interest. So for a relatively small amount of money for a large corporation, we’re having a transformative, long-term impact by supplying the capital for replanting. It was originally $20 million, and we recently announced a pledge to increase it to $50 million. Treasury, being the banker in the company and the subject matter expert on loans, is a key internal participant to that program. Like a bank, we have a lending committee, and as treasurer, I’m a member and also assist with formulating our strategy.
AFP: Millennials purchase items differently from the way customers in earlier generations did so. They’re not just looking at the product itself; they’re looking at how the product is made, the company selling it to them, etc. In your case, 99 percent of your coffee is sustainably grown and you’ve made a commitment to your employees in terms of pay and benefits. Has this improved sales with your customers?
Wolff: We have very strong same store sales, and we believe they are directly related to how the consumer’s connect to our store partners and how they feel about our brand. As a result, our sustainable coffee purchasing is directly related to driving those sales. We have been working on it for many years and can now say that 99 percent of our coffee purchases are ethically sourced. This is measured by a comprehensive set of standards that cover wages, social conditions, education, and environmental standards and are independently verified by Conservation International. For the 1 percent that isn’t traceable, we have a good reason behind that. For example, we’re buying coffee in the Congo by working with the Eastern Congo Initiative. We don’t currently have all the end-to-end reporting set up but our purchasing is helping to restart their coffee industry and is the right thing to do.
Our comp sales were up 8 percent last quarter the last two quarters, and the first thing we talk about in any kind of investor presentation is the Starbucks employee. We call them partners, and we think they are the key reason people come to Starbucks. Customer engagement with the baristas really makes the difference. As a result, we have always been proactive in investing in wage increases—frequently before other retailers. But it’s not just about hourly wages; there are many other benefits to working at Starbucks including stock compensation down to the store level which we call ‘Bean Stock’. As treasurer, I have to buy a certain amount of shares just to keep our share base constant as Bean Stock is being exercised just to keep up with dilution. And it’s quite a bit of money every year to do that. And obviously, healthcare benefits have been a founding principle since the early days of the company—you only have to work 20 hours a week and you get full healthcare.
It’s a really hard thing to prove—that our investments in our partners drives our performance and comps, but we measure as best we can and know that it is true. We conduct surveys of customers, asking them what drives them to go to Starbucks, and two-thirds of the positive stuff is related directly to the employee they’re interacting with. So we think that’s a reason why we’re having such great results right now.
AFP: More than 50 multinationals have committed to using 100 percent renewable energy. Now, with the historic 195-nation deal on climate change, do you expect to see those numbers skyrocket since we have actual government action being put in place? Do see even more and more companies embracing sustainability?
Wolff: Yes, I do. Of course, cheap oil prices make the economic case for sustainability weaker. But it does feel like we’ve gotten past the tipping point. I think given the long-term nature of the infrastructure being built, it will continue. People care now.
You’re starting to see more companies getting on board, especially in Europe. The European consumer really cares, and they want to know what you’re doing. It’s less so in the U.S., but it’s definitely much more on people’s radar screens than it was two years ago. The biggest change will happen when investors—large pension funds, etc.—really start to look at sustainability scorecards and company ratings and refuse to invest in certain businesses. When the market starts to speak with investment dollars—that will really make the difference.
Don't miss Drew Wolff's session, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, at the CTC Corporate Treasurers Forum. Register here.


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#95 Heather Bresch
In May, Heather Bresch, CEO of the generic producer Mylan, projected annual sales as high as $11.5 billion, quite a jump from 2012's $6.1 billion, her first year. That's partly because Bresch's strengths--well-timed purchases of generics, well-orchestrated parries against takeovers from the likes of Carl Ichan and generic power Teva, and a taste for corporate battle and profitable mergers--have vaulted Mylan to industry-leader status. Bresch came up in a field roiling in a confluence of expiring patents, favorable generic legislation (which she helped shape, as a Mylan lobbyist) and pharma M&As (in 2015, over $600 billion). She got her first job with Mylan in 1991 as a clerk, and today stands at pharma's very center as the sole woman running a big pharmaceutical firm--originally from Pittsburgh, although Mylan recently inverted to the Netherlands to reap game-changing tax and strategic advantages. Bresch told Forbes in 2012 that "more women at the top are needed to shrink the ambition gap." Given her $38.9 million compensation over the past two years, her point is well taken.


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According a report from Video Game Chronicle, Nintendo’s got some big plans in the works for the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.
The site says that it has heard from multiple sources that the company is going to be remastering “most of Super Mario’s 35-year back catalogue this year” for the Switch to coincide with the jumping man’s 35th birthday. The specificity of the Super Mario label implies this will be most of the mainline platformers in the series, from the 2D platformers like the original Super Mario Bros. to 3D platformers like Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel.
Along with this grandiose remaster plan, VGC says Nintendo is also planning on releasing new Mario games this year, as well, including a new entry in the Paper Mario RPG series, which was last seen on the Wii U in 2016 with Paper Mario Color Splash. The series has yet to appear on the Switch, but it sounds like it will finally get its chance in 2020.
Eurogamer also released a report that backs up much of what VGC’s report says, with a few more specifics included. According to its sources, among these plans is a Deluxe Edition of Super Mario 3D World, one of the few Wii U games that has, as of this writing, not made its way to the Switch. This would account for one of two Wii U games Nintendo is rumored to be bringing to the Switch in 2020, so hold onto hope Star Fox Zero fans.
While the new Paper Mario is confirmed by both outlets, there will apparently be “several other Mario titles” in 2020. So if Paper Mario is not your jam, there might still be something coming set in the Mushroom Kingdom for you yet.
You may also like:
- Nintendo Has a “Perfect” Image of Mario, Invalidating Other Interpretations
- Universal Japan Unveils Gamified Super Nintendo World Featuring Mario
- Just Straight-Up Become Link In Super Mario Maker 2 Update
Whatever Nintendo is planning, this does mean that the Mario series has something coming in 2020, which has been a relatively quiet time for the franchise up until now. Even on Mario Day (March 10), the major announcement of the day wasn’t in a new game, but instead was a Lego set featuring characters and environments from Nintendo’s star franchise. But it’s no ordinary Lego set, it’s actually a kind of level maker, featuring a battery-powered Mario that recognizes when he stomps on enemies.
Last year had its fair share of Mario games, however. Along with Super Mario Maker 2 bringing the level making subseries to the Switch, Mario Kart Tour brought the kart-racing game to mobile devices. But for those of us who like our Nintendo mascots green and slimy, there was also Luigi’s Mansion 3, which brought us Gooigi and allowed us to reckon with the morality of sucking up ghosts into a vacuum cleaner.
For more on that, check out Fanbyte’s review, as well as some general tips on things the game doesn’t make abundantly clear to you from the outset.


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Apple Inc and Broadcom Inc should pay US$1.1bil (RM4.5bil) in damages for infringing California Institute of Expertise patents on WiFi expertise, a jury in California ordered.
Apple was ordered to pay US$837.8mil (RM3.42bil) whereas Broadcom was hit with a US$270.2mil (RM1.11bil) verdict, in line with attorneys for CalTech. The college sued the expertise firms over a variety of patents associated to wi-fi knowledge transmissions.
It’s the largest jury verdict of any sort to date this 12 months, and the sixth-largest patent verdict of all time, in line with Bloomberg knowledge.
Whereas Apple spent years suing different firms for allegedly infringing its patents, the iPhone maker has additionally been essential of how damages are calculated in patent circumstances. It has requested the US Supreme Court docket to take up the problem in a long-running dispute with VirnetX Holding Corp, an organization with lower than US$2mil (RM8.18mil) in annual income that has been pursuing a giant payday from Apple for years.
Apple stated the corporate deliberate to attraction the CalTech verdict. Broadcom additionally plans to attraction, the corporate stated, including it disagreed with the factual and authorized foundation for the decision.
CalTech is “happy the jury discovered that Apple and Broadcom infringed Caltech patents, ” a spokesperson stated, including the varsity is “dedicated to defending its mental property in furtherance of its mission to broaden human information and profit society by way of analysis built-in with schooling.”
Apple and Broadcom attorneys have denied infringing the patents and stated the varsity wasn’t entitled to important damages even when they have been utilizing the innovations.
CalTech filed the lawsuit in 2016 and named iPhones, iPads, iPods, Apple Watches, Mac computer systems, HomePod sensible audio system, and the since-discontinued AirPort wi-fi routers as gadgets utilizing the infringing Broadcom parts.
Apple and Broadcom beforehand stated in court docket filings that the claims towards Apple are “based mostly solely on the incorporation of allegedly infringing chips” in Apple merchandise.
The one points earlier than the jury have been whether or not the Broadcom chips used the college’s patents and, in that case, how a lot in damages was owed. The decision towards Apple marks one of many largest towards the Cupertino, California-based expertise big in its historical past. – Bloomberg


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Retailer stock prices recently jumped, as many of them saw strong quarterly results. Yet retail centers are currently subject to several market trends, some of which are seemingly contradictory. These dynamics should be examined as part of any investment decision.
Retail Has Been Seeing a Boost
A host of retailers recently issued strong results or forecasts. Discount chain Ross Stores, shoe store Foot Locker, and clothiers Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch all saw their stock prices recently soar
. Even J.C. Penney surprised to the upside
Kristina Hooper, a global market strategist with Invesco, recently said
the companies were giving a double dose of good news: consumers are spending more, and there are some signs that some retailers are figuring out how to survive even as purchases are increasingly made online.
Consumers are spending more, and there are some signs that some retailers are figuring out how to survive even as purchase are increasingly made online.
What’s Driving This Trend?
One of the drivers of these recent successes is that Americans are increasingly optimistic about the economic outlook.
A measure of consumer sentiment, released in October ‘17 by the University of Michigan, rose to its highest level since 2004. The U.S. unemployment rate has hit a 17-year low, and wages have ticked up in recent months. Some observers believe that those drivers should boost spending and broaden economic growth
in the coming months.
The reasons, too, could be reflective of a recent strategic change seen across much of retailing. Many retailers seem to be “aiming higher” in becoming a desirable place to shop.
“People don’t have to go to stores anymore; they have to want to go,” said Lee Peterson
, an executive vice president at WD Partners, a strategy, design and architecture firm. “And that goes a long way when thinking about what retail has to become.”
“People don’t have to go to stores anymore; they have to want to go.”
Apple, with its chic showroom-style retail stores, was a pioneer in “experience” retailing. And increasingly, some believe that other physical retailers will need to be less about facilitating the pickup of a product and more about providing unique experiences
Many brick-and-mortar retail chains are trying to lift sagging sales using this strategy: cozier spaces that sell very little of anything. And showrooms — a retail model popular with bridal designers, car dealers and, recently, online apparel start-ups — are now inspiring mass-market heavyweights like Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters.
Are Showrooms the New Retail Experience?
Department store retailing generally is not out of the woods yet.
Macy’s announced the closure of 68 stores nationwide and cut 10,000 jobs early this year, and comparable sales — those at stores open at least a year, a key gauge of retail performance — fell 4% in the quarter ended Oct. 28
compared with a year earlier. The company forecast a comparable-sales drop of 2.2% to 3.3% for its full fiscal year.
But the new “experience” strategies are interesting. Retailers are experimenting with small showrooms with few or no products, but often with impeccable customer service, as they try to compete with e-commerce companies.
Retailers are experimenting with small showrooms with few or no products, but often with impeccable customer service, as they try to compete with e-commerce companies.
Nordstrom recently opened its first showroom-style store
, called Nordstrom Local, on an upscale section of Melrose Place in Los Angeles. The store was designed as a kind of neighborhood services center, where customers can get manicures, have clothing alterations made, pick up goods that were bought online, or even or sip wine from the store’s bar.
Customers do not just come to shop — at least not as we normally think about shopping. Instead, customers may work with personal stylists, for example, to use tablets or phones to put together clothing ensembles. The individual clothing articles are often requested from a nearby full-size Nordstrom store and promptly (within hours, sometimes) delivered for customers to try on amid the comfortable decor in Local’s dressing area.
The Trouble with Showrooms
The issue with the showroom model is that the approach runs somewhat counter to the usual practices mall-based retailers, which are typically known for providing lower prices, higher volumes and impulse purchases. Many retail chains, then, are exploring the model cautiously.
But other retailers are also trying out the model. Urban Outfitters opened a temporary showroom
in Los Angeles last year, displaying furniture, artwork and decorations that shoppers could order online at kiosks.
This fall, the company, which is known mostly for its apparel and beauty offerings, put furniture showrooms in several of its stores; its sister company, Anthropologie, did something similar
with scenes of living and dining rooms.
Novel Approaches to Retail
Showrooms are just one experiment. Major chains are trying everything
to adapt to market pressures — a wardrobe-in-a-box subscription service from Gap for babies, a personal shopping option from Walmart, shrinking stores from Target and Kohl’s.
The way we choose to shop, and the way retailers decide to sell us things, is an ever-evolving relationship
. And as new ideas emerge and come to dominate (“It’s one place with everything — a department store!”) they inevitably fall out of favor and give way to the next brainstorm (think Amazon’s 1-Click).
The way we choose to shop, and the way retailers decide to sell us things, is an ever evolving relationship.
One reason for the success of some retail operations are property owners who can “pivot to meet market demands,” said DJ Busch
, managing director at Green Street Advisors. “Those are the ones that can weather the changes in the marketplace.”
For many owners of retail properties, the current strategies often involve more emphasis on dining and entertainment. For other properties where that approach is insufficient, owners may be looking at sacrificing mall space for office or residential development.
Online Retailers Move Into Malls
Interestingly, the crossover need seems to work both ways.
As e-commerce grows, even previously online-only retailers like Amazon have ventured into brick-and-mortar solutions to add to and enhance their online operations. The brick-and-mortar retailer isn’t dead – it’s just evolving.
Many retailers are converting empty mall space into pick-up or returns facilities, where customers can (for example) return goods that may have been purchased online. At the same time, some online merchants are heading the other direction – opening brick-and-mortar locations either through short-term leases of pop-up stores or long-term tenancies like Amazon’s move
into Manhattan’s Time Warner Center.
More retail centers, including those at town-center locations in smaller cities, are housing Amazon Lockers, which allow Amazon’s online customers to pick up and return packages at their convenience
. Other online retailers without any physical stores are looking to provide options for their customers to drop off unwanted purchases in person in shopping centers where they can get immediate refunds.
“We have to be creative. People in Middle America are so hungry for interesting products.”
Such developments could provide needed relief to shopping malls across the U.S. as they grapple with a rise of e-commerce and some retailer bankruptcies.
Columbus, Ohio-based landlord Washington Prime Group in November started rolling out Amazon Lockers in 50 of its retail centers, and is looking to add digital screens that offer coupons and promotions to draw shoppers to restaurants and apparel stores nearby.
“We have to be creative,” said Lou Conforti
, Washington Prime’s CEO. “People are so hungry in Middle America for interesting products.”
The Lasting Importance of the “Hands-On” Experience
Online data, ironically, points to the continued relevance of physical retail stores. Searches for “locations near me” are on the upswing
, indicating that consumers want “hands on” before they buy.
Amazon, Google and Facebook have rolled out numerous pop-up stores and roadshows around the country showcasing their gadgets.
Thus brands are expected to continue to open their own locations. The physical presence concept holds real appeal for any brand that wants to effectively tell its story (not to mention control its sales, inventory, and service ethos). For online-only brands retailers, a pop-up storefront offers an opportunity to connect with customers face-to-face.
Amazon, Google and Facebook have rolled out numerous pop-up stores and roadshows around the country showcasing their gadgets, such as speakers with the latest intelligent voice functions (Amazon Echo and Google Home) or virtual reality goggles and wireless controllers (Google’s Daydream View and Facebook’s Gear VR).
Amazon has been the most active
, with 31 pop-up stores in shopping centers around the U.S., as well as plans to roll out grocery stores.
The Changing Face of the American Shopping Mall
The traditional mall is being redefined as a multi-purpose space that showcases not only traditional staples such as clothing, fashion accessories, home goods, and food but also neighborhood-style shops and services.
In the new mall, you’ll find everything you need to live—from doctor’s offices to schools and libraries, hair salons, grocery stores, real estate and business offices, restaurants, movie theatres, and, yes, residential apartments. (Once you’re in, you’ll never want to leave!) Hudson Yards
(in Manhattan) may provide the new standard.
In the new mall, you’ll find everything you need to live. Once you’re in, you’ll never want to leave!
Grocery and drug store anchored centers, too, remain productive and in high demand. “Daily needs” traffic is a powerful force.
In general, though, households are spending more on services than on goods, according to Jack Kleinhenz
, chief economist of the National Retail Federation. “Experiential” shopping, with a focus on eating and being entertained, does seem to be paramount these days.


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CHANEL’S SPRING 2019 COUTURE COLLECTION.
With legendary leader Karl Lagerfeld who was noticeably absent, the poolside show went on.
We’ve seen many Chanel Couture brides on the runway that made us weak at the knees. (Lily-Rose Depp stunned in a pink wedding dress for Spring 2017, and we were smitten by the white feathered tuxedo from 2018.) But enter the swimwear bride, a glamour queen in a silver cutout monokini with sequins and a matching cap affixed to a floor-sweeping glitter veil. Whoa. Model Vittoria Ceretti impressed in the finale look, standing confidently in shimmering mules.
But if that’s not enough to make you stare wide-eyed at the Spring 2019 Haute Couture runway, which was transformed into a Mediterranean garden at the Grand Palais in Paris, perhaps the celebrity-filled front row will make you do a double take; that, or Kaia Gerber in a pink appliquéd midi with wispy grey feathers to boot. The celebrities like pharrell aren’t found wanting too.
The big news from Tuesday’s Chanel Spring 2019 Haute Couture show in Paris wasn’t about the new collection or another over-the-top set design (though there was that in the form of a makeshift villa, complete with pool). Rather, it was the mysterious absence of designer Karl Lagerfeld that sent waves of whispers through the fashion industry.
In an unusual move for the prolific Lagerfeld, the designer did not appear to take his bow at the end of either couture show, instead sending right hand and sometime runway companion, Chanel Fashion Studio Director Virginie Viard in his stead. According to a report from WWD, an announcement made at the 10 a.m. show stated Lagerfeld would appear at the second show slated for noon; at that show, however, the same announcement was made which ended with, “We wish Mr. Lagerfeld to recover quickly.” Well, it says it all.
So back to the show, what we can;t help but notice are the hair and makeup, accessories like the couture swimming cap and the shoes which sets a new trend for the SS19 fashionistas.
Read on to see all the images from the latest show, and join us in imagining a wedding that takes place on the beach with one villa nearby for changing into a miraculous designer one-piece, no gown necessary and that lucky cover model of a magazine wearing it.


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Alphabet Inc's Google has unveiled the second generation of its Pixel smartphone along with new voice-enabled home speakers, redoubling its commitment to the hardware business as it competes with a surge of devices from Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc. Silvia Antonioli reports
An apple a day may keep the doctor away but the tech-giant might have had a slight sneeze as Google unveiled a series of new products that rival the smart phone king as well as Amazon and Go-Pro. It was a typical California tech-style presentation (UPSOT PRESENTING PIXEL 2) Google's Pixel 2 lacks the brand appeal of Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy smartphones but its camera and software won praise from reviewers. Google also launched wireless headphones with the ability to translate, a laptop-slash-tablet, voice-enabled speakers that rival Amazon's Echo and a smart video camera. JUSTON PAYNE, GOOGLE PROJECT MANAGER: "And I am really excited to share an entirely new type of camera that works with your Pixel. We call it Google Clips" The camera, seen as a direct competitor of action camera maker GoPro, records automatically when it detects actions like a child cracking a smile. Its launch sent Go- Pro shares down more than six percent. The push into hardware is strategic for Google as users of its devises are bound to use more of its services like search and maps boosting its key ad sales business. The Google smart phone and most of the other products will be available by the end of October. beating Apple's iPhone X, at least on timing for now.


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Strong performance from the popular Volvo S40 compact and a fast start of sales of the sporty new Volvo S60 were high points in November, helping Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. maintain a 9.4 per cent increase in volume for the first 11 months of calendar year 2000, the company reported today.

Year to date Volvo sales of 114,397 compares to 104,530 vehicles during the same period of 1999. November sales of 10,029 units fell just 2.8 percent short of the 10,317 cars sold in the same period of 1999.

Total North American sales of 10,953 cars in November outpaced the 10,822 units of last year by 1.2 per cent, helped by the 83 per cent surge in sales in Canada (924 vs 505). Year to date North American sales of 122,307 vehicles in calendar 2000 is 9.2 per cent ahead of the 111,998 of 1999.

"Strong November demand for the S40 sedan (ahead 44.6 per cent) and the new S60, as well as the rugged Cross Country, indicate the broad appeal of the new Volvo model line," said Mark LaNeve, president of VCNA. "The popularity of these three cars, in three very different segments, is indication to us that the appeal of the Volvo brand continues to expand across the country."

Volvo Cars of North America is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Goteborg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 328 Volvo automobile retailers across the country. The 2001 Volvo automobile line includes the flagship S80 luxury sedan, versatile V70 wagon and rugged Cross Country, C70 coupe and convertible, the sporty, new S60 sedan and compact S40 and V40 models.


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The successful acquisition of the game channel Twitch by YouTube is about to enable the giant to take on a whole new dimension in live streaming entertainment. Owned by Google, YouTube’s move into live gaming comes from two different sources. The first is the stellar performance of Twitch as an independent company, the second is the success of the gaming videos on YouTube. High rates of viewers have been showing up to watch live video broadcast of players playing games, while on Twitch they are showing up to do that and play the games themselves.
Over 25,000 portals leading to one dedicated page
The size of the gaming channel is going to be stunning. YouTube currently lists that there will be near 25,000 gaming access portals that will funnel gamers to one central channel. This radically increases the size of the live community. It also increases the potential for independent producers of games and game videos to make more money.
Bringing the tip jars together
If you have ever seen a gamer video you may be impressed at the amount of planning and production that goes into one. You should be, as these videos of gamers playing games are moneymakers. Both YouTube and Twitch use “tip jars” that allow viewers to give money to the producer to encourage them to make more videos. Add in some pay for play options and member only features and you have the potential to make a richly successful online channel.
Is it a direct challenge to Amazon?
Amazon is in the midst of announcing their own dedicated game channel that could rival Twitch. Once again, Amazon seems to play the role of the quiet cousin with surprising strength. The only thing that threatens all of these parties is Facebook’s move to return gaming to the living room. The announcement that Oculus is going to partner with Xbox for a 2016 release has a lot of people wondering which style of gaming is really going to take hold.
Either way, it’s the independent producers that win for once
With the YouTube channel and Amazon getting into dedicated gaming channels it is going to be the independent producer that wins in the end. This is what leads many people to assume that the RIFT will get a share, but there is no going back to one home game system being the dominant part. Too many people make videos about games, and want to watch them for that type of community to be broken. Both Amazon and YouTube offer ways for independent producers to get their voices heard – and that’s what consumers want.


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Japanese renewable energy provider, Looop, has announced an electricity plan aimed at reducing costs for bitcoin and other cryptocurrency miners. The plan charges a flat monthly fee for electricity usage of up to a certain level in the Tokyo Electric Power Company service area.
A Flat Electricity Rate for Crypto Miners
Looop Co. Ltd is a Tokyo-based renewable energy provider that offers natural energy products and services as well as retail electricity services. The company “was born from the volunteer activity to set up photovoltaic power in the affected area of the Great East Japan Earthquake,” its website describes. The company began operations in March 2011 with the development of “a photovoltaic power plant that can be installed by ourselves.” Other products offered include solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, and geothermal power systems.
Following the liberalization of Japan’s retail power market in April 2016, Looop entered the retail electricity market. Over 55,000 Japanese households now use Looop’s electricity services, according to IT Media.
The company recently announced a new electricity plan which is tailored to cryptocurrency miners in the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) service area. Looop calls it the “Mining Flat” rate plan. Customers can start applying for this new service this month.
Looop explained that customers can sign up for a “1kW equivalent contract (10A or 1kVA)” which allows usage of up to 250kWh for a fixed monthly price of 6,170 yen. They can also sign up for multiple contracts. For example, a 3kW contract will allow them to use up to 750kWh. Overages are charged at the rate of 22 yen per 1kWh.
According to an estimate by IT Media, the monthly cost of electricity for the 3kW contract is 16.9% less than what TEPCO would charge for a similar service.
Japan Embracing Bitcoin Mining
Japanese companies are increasingly embracing bitcoin mining, with a growing number of corporations entering the space. Last month, GMO Internet announced its bitcoin mining and ASIC chip manufacturing plans. The company is investing 10 billion yen to build its mining farm in Scandinavia.
Another Japanese conglomerate, DMM Group, announced in the same month that it “will operate a mass-scale, made-in-Japan quality mining farm whose operating size will be unmatched by any of the domestic operators.” According to Nikkei, DMM is also planning a 10 billion yen capital investment into its mining business.
Last week, the publication also reported on two more large companies, SBI Holdings and Monex Group, starting their own bitcoin mining operations.
Looop Director and President Shoichiro Nakamura emphasized how bitcoin mining uses a lot of electricity. He was quoted by IT Media as saying:
The high cost of electricity is a bottleneck in Japan, which makes it difficult for mining to penetrate [the market]…I would like to support domestic mining companies by offering this pricing plan.
Meanwhile, Japanese consumers can also pay their electricity bills using bitcoin. Energy retailer Remixpoint, the parent company of the bitcoin exchange Bitpoint, recently started accepting bitcoin payments for its low-voltage electricity services as well as offering discounts for customers paying with bitcoin.
What do you think of this flat rate electricity plan for miners? Do you think more Japanese will start mining bitcoin? Let us know in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Tepco, and Looop.
Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.


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The Galaxy Note 8 is a great phone, but there are some reasons for you to give it a second thought.
It's the Android phone out there, but it's unclear if it will remain the champ, according to CNET reviewer Jessica Dolcourt in her full review of the.
It's got a ton of features and a slick design, but is it too expensive? There's the cheaper Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, both of which have heavier discounts since they're a few months old. And there's the Google Pixel 2 coming right around the corner.
We also discuss T-Mobile's plan toto its T-Mobile One unlimited data family plan customers and our next piece, a feature by .
As you can imagine, the show gets crazy.
The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by the CNET News team in New York and producer Bryan VanGelder.


text:
Economic research is proving it's not a small world, after all, just a well-connected one.
The European Commission and the World Bank last year produced a stunning series of maps that reveal the extraordinary scale and reach of global transportation infrastructure. The map below shows travel time to major cities, indicated by brightness. Those living in the brightest areas — more than half the world’s population — are less an hour away from a major city, defined as a city of more than 50,000 people in 2000.
The map, prepared by the EC’s Joint Research Centre and available with a key here, is a measure of “accessibility” not just to cities but economic activity and opportunity. “Cheap flights, large scale commercial shipping and expanding road networks all mean that we are better connected to everywhere else than ever before,” the JRC said. “Accessibility — whether it is to markets, schools, hospitals or water — is a precondition for the satisfaction of almost any economic need.” And infrastructure, as the maps indicate, is a precondition for accessibility, and economic prosperity.
Road, rail, airline and river networks were incorporated in the model used to design the map, as was terrain and population density. The blue lines crossing oceans represent commercial shipping lanes.


text:
AppleInsider: Apple Computer plans to host a special event on September 7th to
introduce new music-related products.
Monday the iPod maker began distributing e-mail invites to the event, which will
take place at 10:00am on Sept. 7th at San Francisco’s Moscone
"1000 songs in your pocket changed everything. Here we go again,"
the invite reads, in part. The slogan "1000 songs in your pocket" was
originally used by the Apple when it introduced the the very first 5GB iPod
digital music player in 2001.
Sources had previously reported that
Motorola and Apple would use the 7th of
September to unveil the first of Motorola’s iTunes ROKR cell
The phones will be the first product of Motorola’s strategic
partnership with Apple, aimed at enabling music fans to transfer their favorite
songs from Apple’s iTunes jukebox software to compatible Motorola mobile
It was previously reported
that Motorola was also be looking into the rental of a studio venue in Manhattan
to hold an east coast launch party for the phones.
Apple, as it has done
historically, does not mention in the event invites which products it plans to
C/Net suggests that its video related, noting:
Record company executives have said recently that Apple has been seeking
licenses to distribute a wide variety of music videos through the iTunes music
store, and that the computer company has told them of plans
to unveil an iPod that plays video.
Research firm iSuppli recently reported that Samsung Electronics was dedicating
a large amount–perhaps as much as 40 percent–of its flash memory production to
Apple, leading to speculation that the Mac maker was preparing a larger-capacity
version of its flash-based Shuffle player, or even switching its iPod Mini to a
You just have to wait a week . . .
Apple music event set for Sept 7
Staff, Monday, August 29,
Apple hints at big music announcement
CNET News.com, August 29, 2005, 11:20 AM PDT


text:
SEOUL, South Korea, June 30 — The United States and South Korea on Saturday signed the largest free trade deal for Washington since the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1992, though Democratic leaders in Congress warned that they would not approve it.
If approved by the legislatures of both countries, the agreement could expand trade between the countries, already worth about $79 billion a year, as much as $20 billion, according to recent estimates by United States and South Korean economists.The deal, known as the Korean Free Trade Agreement, calls for eliminating tariffs on 95 percent of consumer and industrial products on both sides within three years.
domingo, 1 de julho de 2007
Coréia e EUA assinam acordo
Coréia e Estados Unidos assinam acordo de livre comércio:


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This is the result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of the Netherlands on Friday, 31 October, in a conflict between a company based in Amsterdam and two trade unions, FNV Bondgenoten and Het Zwarte Corps (HZC).
According to Stefan Sagel, who defended the unions during the proceedings before the Supreme Court, this ruling means a breakthrough in the Dutch right to strike. ‘The right to strike is based on judgments by the Supreme Court and on the European Social Charter. This ruling is also based on the Social Charter.’
Although the ruling involves a specific conflict in the Port of Amsterdam, it will have a broader impact, according to Sagel. ‘Take for instance a strike at a chain of supermarkets, in which the unions are also striking against Coca-Cola and Mars, to force them to put the supermarkets under pressure. If this action at the suppliers reasonably contributes to the target, this action in principle is legitimate.’
Stefan Sagel and Kim van Belle


text:
Emuparadise might want to consider a different name. Have I Been Pwned? (HIBP) revealed that 1.1 million accounts from the site's forums, where people gather to discuss game console emulators, were compromised in a data breach that occurred in April 2018 but wasn't disclosed until June 8.
HIBP said the breach revealed email addresses, IP addresses, usernames and passwords. The good news is that the passwords were hashed. The bad news was that they were hashed using the MD5 algorithm, which its creator declared insecure back in 2012, so it would've been pretty easy for anyone with experience cracking hashed passwords to decrypt them. Continuing to use it after that point would be like using a broken chain to lock up a bike.
Emuparadise doesn't appear to have mentioned the breach on its site proper. There is a thread on the forums discussing HIBP's disclosure, though, and several users claimed they were never told about the breach. Others said that it was disclosed when it happened--but not to the public. Some of the forum's leadership team, including an administrator going by "Cookie Monster," said that forum staff members were informed of the breach.
"We didn't announce it publicly but we forced everyone to change their password," Cookie Monster wrote. "And we enforce that measure twice every year. This is old news." While that appears to be the case for the Emuparadise forum leadership, most people consider a data breach to be disclosed when it's revealed to the public, not when a team of pseudonymous forum leaders quietly discuss that more than 1 million accounts were compromised.
Not that a forum breach would be the biggest problem Emuparadise has had to overcome in recent memory. The site announced in August 2018 that it would no longer host console emulators or game ROMs--which were essentially it's reason for being--to avoid increasing scrutiny from game publishers. (Especially Nintendo, which scored a legal victory over another ROM distributor just a few months after Emuparadise made its decision.)
Other details about the Emuparadise breach remain unknown. Was the information taken by someone with access to it or by someone who forced their way into the forum infrastructure? Each answer would most likely warrant a different response. Passwords are said to be reset twice a year, but are they still hashed with the MD5 algorithm, despite it being obsolete? The public doesn't know; Emuparadise forum users have to hope Cookie Monster does.
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It’s hard to look at the spec sheet on the upcoming Sony A7 and A7r mirrorless compacts and not be impressed. With a 36 MP full-frame sensor (on the A7r), compact body, interchangeable lens system, and a price tag that undercuts most full-frame DSLR’s by a good margin, some will be tempted to call it the perfect camera on its expected announcement date of October 16th.
A few might agree with that sentiment, but a better way to look at Sony’s newest wunderkind is as a manifestation of the trend towards diversification in the digital camera market.
Not long ago, there existed the impression that you needed to buy a DSLR to be a “serious” digital photographer. That wasn’t exactly true of course; plenty of people made a name for themselves in the photo community using the simplest of compacts, and there were digital rangefinders for those with deep pockets. But it’s also true that the options weren’t plentiful.
When I started shopping for my first DSLR in 2007, there were a few pro-oriented compacts and a handful of DSLRs, just a couple of which were full-frame. The many casual compacts that filled in the rest of the market were certainly capable imaging devices, but were geared specifically towards snapshooters.
What a difference six years can make. There are still plenty of intermediate level DSLRs (as black and bulbous as they’ve ever been) but it’s very possible, even easy, to develop your skills as a photographer without ever touching one. Feel like you need a full-frame sensor? Well, as of October 16th, you’ll be able to find that in an interchangeable lens compact, in a fixed-lens compact, in DSLRs and in rangefinders.
Will an APS-C or 4/3 sensor do? Not only will you have your pick of form factor, but also of camera aesthetics(do you like sleek and modern or retro chic?), size, and color. It’s easy to imagine a grid of the possible combinations of characteristics of digital cameras, and manufacturers are rapidly checking each of them off. And while this theoretical grid certainly isn’t yet filled, the A7/A7r represents a pretty significant step towards that goal.
But what drove the change? The critical hit dealt to the compact market by the rising popularity of phone cameras likely played a large role, pushing development resources closer to the professional end of the spectrum. Technological improvements surely made it easier and more cost-effective to build new breeds of camera, while falling costs of CMOS sensors makes it easier to implement larger image sensors at a reasonable price.
This diversity of cameras is important for more than the intrinsic value of customer choice. When a market becomes filled to bursting with products that fulfill similar roles, there’s more pressure help yours stand out, and one popular strategy for achieving that goal is to seek niche uses. In other words: more options create more competition for attention, which in turn increases pressure to create products with unique uses.
Arguably, it’s this pressure that’s driving the creation of increasingly specialized cameras by mainstream manufacturers, and the expansion of once small-time camera companies. There are now specialized astro-photography DSLRs, underwater ILCs, and even an exclusively monochrome rangefinder.
Consider also still cameras built with videographers in mind, or devices like the Samsung Galaxy NX that blur the line between camera and mobile device. Of course, that’s just identifying a few of these very specialized cameras.
Some companies made a huge name for themselves entirely based on niche products. Consider GoPro, now worth over two billion dollars, whose cameras can be found on the helmets and chest pieces of countless athletes around the globe.
Of course the photographer, not the camera, makes the photograph. But the photographer relies on his or her tools, including the camera, to create their images. With a larger variety of shapes and styles of cameras available, photographers can choose a tool that more perfectly suits their needs. Going back to the previous example of the GoPro: it’d be difficult to capture videos like this, or photos like these with a full-frame DSLR.
My point is this: as much as digital cameras seem to be “advancing” year after year, as new models with smaller bodies and bigger megapixel counts are released, that sort of perspective ignores the much more exciting truth that they’re also diversifying — that photographers have access to more options than ever before.
The result is an industry with fewer compromises: whether you shoot raves, urbexing, frat parties, motocross, endangered frogs, drag shows or the Andromeda Galaxy, you’re more likely now to find a camera to suit your needs than ever before.


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Up to 600 million GM crop plants could grow in Britain annually under plans drawn up by the European Commission to be considered next week.
The plans would in effect bring in GM agriculture by the back door, and seriously compromise organic farming across Europe. They could lead to European farmers growing more than six billion genetically modified crop plants every year, without realising it.
British ministers will decide this week whether to back the plan at the meeting, and their verdict could be decisive. Britain has so far supported it - but ministers are now reassessing their position in the light of accumulating evidence about the hazards of GM crops. Results of the Government's official trials reported last week that growing GM oilseed rape and sugar beet would harm British birds, butterflies and other wildlife much more than conventional cultivation.
Other government reports concluded that growing the sugar beet could drive the skylark to extinction within two decades, and that just one season of the oilseed rape would contaminate the countryside for more than 16 years.
Both crops are now likely to be banned in Britain but this ban could be negated by the European proposal, which recommends contamination levels of up to 0.3 per cent in rape seed, 0.5 per cent in maize, sugar beet, tomato and potato and 0.7 per cent in soya.
These apparently tiny figures, experts say, would lead to the widespread growing of GM crops, even by organic farmers. They would mean that one in every 200 apparently conventional or organic maize or sugar beet seeds, could in fact be GM. Seed packets would not have to mention the contamination unless it had been deliberately introduced.
Organic and conventional farmers, Greenpeace statistics show, would be unwittingly growing up to 4.5 billion GM oilseed rape plants, and up to 2.3 billion GM sugar beet across Europe every year. As their genes inevitably spread, critics say, the problem would get worse, even making organic agriculture impossible.
Michael Meacher, Environment minister for six years until his sacking this summer, said yesterday: "This would introduce GM by the back door and behind the backs of the people of Britain and Europe."Reuse content


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PUNE: Airfares during Christmas and New Year
’s Eve from the city to popular tourist destinations are unusually low this year compared to 2020 and 2019.
Travel companies claimed that the sudden Omicron scare has put on hold travel plans of many. However, those associated with tourism also believe that the fares for New Year would rise because there is a section of people eager to travel but has decided to wait until the last moment to book the tickets.
If one looks at the fares (see graphics), the prices from Pune to Goa, Delhi, Jaipur and Srinagar for December 30, is 40% to 60% lesser compared to the fares in 2019 when the pandemic was unheard of.
“Not just 2019, the fares are even lesser by around 25% compared to 2020. Travelling was in its peak between October 2020 and January 2021 before the second wave hit India. This year, too, travelling has been decent since August but it dipped suddenly from early December because of the new variant,” a city-based travel company representative said.
A glaring example is a one-way fare to Goa this year, which is somewhere between Rs 4,000 and Rs 4,600 during Christmas and New Year’s eve. “It is unusual considering Goa is a tourist hotspot during this time of the year. I remember paying Rs 15,600 one-way fare from Pune to Goa in 2019. After seeing the current price trend, I am tempted to book tickets immediately but my family has asked me to wait,” said Saransh Khairnar, a resident of Balewadi and a working professional.
Travel agents said at present many people were not sure whether or not they should travel because of the looming dangers of Omicron. Aviation analyst Dhairyashil Vandekar said there is a lot of hullabaloo about the new variant, which has given rise to hesitancy.
“Travellers are not sure what new restrictions and which state will suddenly come up with new travel norms,” he said.


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Honda Cars India CEO expects demand to revive in Jan – March quarter2 min read . Updated: 15 Jul 2020, 09:22 PM IST
Honda Cars India will roll out its first hybrid electric car in India in 2021 and will not delay the introduction of its electrification plans due to the adverse impact of the current slowdown on business
Honda Cars India Ltd – the local unit of Japan’s Honda Motor Company - is expecting demand in the domestic market to revive from the January to March quarter of this fiscal year. The company though, will not put any of the product related investments on hold but will review other investments planned during the year.
Hence, the Japanese car maker will roll out its first hybrid electric car in India in 2021 and will not delay the introduction of its electrification plans due to the adverse impact of the current slowdown on business.
According to Gaku Nakanishi, president and chief executive, Honda Cars India, sales during the first quarter of the fiscal was down but in the second quarter the company has seen some recovery.
“In June our sales was almost 60% compared to the last year and this kind of decline in sales will continue till the end of this year (calendar year). In the January to March quarter the sales are expected to be as good as the corresponding period," added Nakanishi.
“Before and after the Coronovirus, our investment plans are severely watched. Regarding investments on products we don’t have any change but we keep evaluating if any of our investments are necessary or not and that will not change before or after the pandemic."
Japanese companies like Honda and Toyota have put their money in hybrid electric technology compared to the Koreans and European competitors, who are focused on developing battery electric vehicles. As part of its electrification strategy, Honda is expected to launch its first hybrid electric vehicle next year.
“There will be no change in our hybrid vehicle plan. Two years ago we shared the electrification strategy and we are going to start the production and sales of hybrid vehicle next year. Internally, to launch a new model we have to plan almost 5 years ahead and we have almost spent 3-4 years. At the moment we don’t have any plans to postpone the project," said Nakanishi.
The covid-19 crisis has added to the woes of India’s auto sector, which has been battling headwinds like a liquidity squeeze and decline in consumption demand over the last year and half, which has impacted sales across categories.
According to ratings agency ICRA, sales of passenger vehicles will decline in the rage of 22% to 25% in FY 21 compared to 10-15% expected in the first phase of the lockdown.
“Some customers don’t want to use public transport and demand for entry level and affordable cars will increase and our Amaze will be a key model but now we are focusing on used car sales as well," Nakanishi said.
Honda Cars India Ltd – a subsidiary of Japan’s Honda Motor Company - on Wednesday announced the launch of the fifth generation, City, a mid-size sedan, within a price range of ₹10.89 lakh to 14.64 lakh. The new vehicle will come with 1.5 litre petrol and diesel engines and will be available in five colour options.
Honda launched the first generation of the City sedan as its first product in the Indian market and ever since the vehicle has been the best selling product of the company over the last two decades.


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Holiday company Thomas Cook has suspended its dividend and warned that profits will be £30 million lower than expected this year.
Underlying earnings fell by £58 million to £250 million in the year to September 30 after the heatwave knocked demand for its holidays.
This was put down to additional charges including flight disruption and transformation costs, as well as dwindling demand for its tour holidays amid the heatwave.
Group revenue was up 6% on a like-for-like basis, reaching £9.58 billion.
Earnings in the tour operator division dropped by £88 million due to a higher-than-anticipated decline in margins as Thomas Cook slashed prices to keep up with competitors.
Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser said in the unscheduled announcement that 2018 had been a "disappointing" year for the business.
"Looking ahead, we must learn the lessons from 2018 and go into the new year focused on where we can make a difference to customers in our core holiday offering," he said.
"We will put particular attention on addressing the performance in our UK tour operator, where the challenges of transformation in a competitive environment remain significant."
Thomas Cook said it will focus on driving awareness and take-up of its own brands in the UK during 2019, as well as increasing its flexibility and reducing costs.
Bookings for the upcoming winter season are currently down 3% in the tour operator division, but airline bookings are 11% ahead of last year


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Honda Cars India will unveil the all-new 2018 Honda Amaze at the Auto Expo, which will start tomorrow. The 2018 Amaze, in its second generation, is expected to take stylistic cues from elder brother – the City sedan. The all-new Amaze will continue to operate in the sub-4 meter compact sedan segment, and will compete with the likes of the Maruti Dzire. Ford Figo Aspire, Tata Tigor, Volkswagen Ameo and the Hyundai Xcent.
Render courtesy IAB
The market launch of the car is expected to happen in a few months from now, which is also when the price announcement will be made. The all-new Amaze is expected to use the same platform that the previous-generation model used, but with significant styling changes and revised interiors. The 2018 Amaze is expected to take an upmarket route in terms of looks,interiors and features offered.
The car is likely to be a mini-City in all these aspects. Mechanically though, it’s likely to be unchanged. Both petrol and diesel options will continue, with the petrol motor being the 1.2 liter i-VTEC unit making 87 Bhp-110 Nm and the diesel motor being the 1.5 liter all-aluminium turbocharged diesel unit making 98.6 Bhp-200 Nm. While the petrol engine will get 5 speed manual and CVT automatic gearboxes, the diesel motor is expected to use a 5 speed manual transmission.
Competition in the compact sedan space in intense and over the past couple of years, the Amaze has lost favour among buyers. To remedy this, Honda is expected to load the new car with features, including a new 7 inch Digipad touchscreen infotainment system. This system is expected to offer smartphone integration, navigation and a host of other features. In terms of dimensions, the new Amaze is likely to become slightly larger than before on the outside, allowing engineers to pack in additional space on the inside. The car’s price is likely to be pegged close to the 5.5 lakh rupee mark.


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Plastic packaging and other garbage are not the only objects polluting the oceans.
Now, according to a group of scientists from the Oregon State University, microbeads from cosmetic products are building up in U.S.' marine environments, KRWG News22 reported.
These tiny plastic beads, which are less than 5mm in size, are added to various products such as soap, body scrubs, facial wash, and toothpaste to enhance their cleaning and exfoliating properties. However, once people use these products, their microbeads are washed away through the drains of sinks and in showers.
Since these beads are plastic and take a very long time to break down, they accumulate at the bottom of various bodies of water such as oceans, lakes and rivers. According to the data collected by researchers, about 8 trillion microbeads pass through the drainage system and end up in aquatic habitats every day. The researchers noted that this amount can easily blanket 300 tennis courts.
"Part of this problem can now start with brushing your teeth in the morning," Stephanie Green, the co-author of the study said in a statement according to KSL.com.
"Contaminants like these microbeads are not something our waste-water treatment plants were built to handle, and the overall amount of contamination is huge," she added.
Due to their size, these beads can be mistaken by marine animals as food. Although the researchers are still studying the effect of these beads on fish, they said the toxic chemicals from microbeads can then be passed on to humans after consuming these marine animals.
Due to the environmental and health dangers that microbeads can cause, the researchers have called on companies to ban them from various products. Major manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson and Unilever have already agreed to stop using microbeads in their products after learning about the researchers' report.
Aside from these companies, the public is also rallying against the use of plastic microbeads. Earlier this month, the California State Assembly has passed a bill for the total ban of microbeads in products.
"This legislation will eliminate the billions of plastic microbeads that are dumped into California's precious freshwater and marine environments every day," Mark Murray, the executive director of the Californians Against Waste organization said according to the Huffington Post.
"I am confident that if the [Democratic Governor Jerry Brown] signs this bill, future generations will look back and wonder why these tiny pieces of plastic were even considered for use in products that are designed to be washed down the drain," he added.
The report by the researchers from the Oregon State University was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.


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Check out what Tuesday has in store for you.
Deciding gifts can be a cumbersome task, especially when you don’t know where to look! To help you out, here’s a list of products we found super-interesting - unique, thoughtful and Planet Positive to gift on this Diwali.
Rangoli is made at the entrance door to welcome the guests, including goddess Lakshmi herself, on the occasion of Diwali. Check out this list of beautiful rangoli designs that you can make this Diwali. Have a look!
Ahoi Ashtami 2019 would be celebrated on October 21 2019, Monday this year. Know the puja vidhi, vrat katha and timings here.
Kriti Sanon donned a beautiful red Anita Dongre saree for Housefull 4 promotions, giving us major inspiration for our Diwali outfits.
According to the latest study, better diet control like limiting food intake to mealtimes or fasting intermittently, could help overweight people maintain a more effective exercise routine, lose weight and avoid debilitating complications such as diabetes and heart disease.
Consuming potato puree during prolonged exercise works just as well as a commercial carbohydrate gel in sustaining blood glucose levels and boosting performance in trained athletes, a new study suggests.
"Through the randomised clinical trial of healthy never-smokers over a month, we found that an increase in urinary propylene glycol, a marker of inhalation-e-cig intake, was significantly correlated with an increased inflammatory response in the lung," said the study's first author Min-Ae Song from Ohio State University.
Acharya Indu Prakash explains how an element like alum can be useful in bringing prosperity, happiness and positive energy in your house or office.
Daily Horoscope October 21, 2019 (Bhavishyavani): Acharya Indu Prakash will tell what to do and what not to do in order to make your day fruitful.
Check out your horoscope for Saturday, October 20.
It is no surprise that Philadelphia has creepy and reportedly haunted historical locations. Have a look at the top haunted destinations of one of teh oldest American cities.
Arowana fishes are considered auspicious in Vastu Shastra. They can bring prosperity and happiness into your life.
Check out your horoscope for Saturday, October 19.
Arowana fishes can play a major role in your lives if kept as per Vastu Shastra rules. They are auspicious and can bring prosperity and happiness.
Horoscope for October 18, 2019: Check out what's in store for you today.
Want to look stylish and save the planet all at once? Try these sustainable fashion brands right now!
You might think that binge gorging on pizza is acceptable in your 20s, but it turns out you might be wrong. Gaining weight from your mid-20s into middle age is associated with an increased risk of premature death, warn researchers.
Alcohol lovers, take a note. Drinking small amounts of alcohol frequently is linked with a higher likelihood of atrial fibrillation than binge drinking, says a new study.
As a country that loves pizza way too much, we are sad for all you travellers visiting these European countries. We wish this never happens to us. #Keepingourfingerscrossed
Karwa (Karva) Chauth 2019: Know the moonrise time, puja timings, muhurat, mantra and puja vidhi for the auspicious occasion this year.
White noise will now be used in a speaker that will be able to monitor your baby's breathing and movement as well as soothe sleeping babies. Check out the new research here!
On her birth anniversary this year, we take you through the most beautiful pictures of Smita Patil that showcase her unconventional beauty like no other. Have a look!
Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar and Ananya Panday looked stunning as they walked for Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla's latest collection called ASAL
Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy of 'Swadeshi' movement were at the centre as fashion designers from India and Bhutan came together to celebrate the textile heritage of the two countries.
Acharya Indu Prakash opens up about the advantages of keeping a goldfish in your house.
Karwa (Karva) Chauth Horoscope 2019: On this special occasion, we bring to you special Karva Chauth horoscope so that you have a clear idea about how your day will go today.
More than 60 per cent of clothing in use these days includes synthetic fabrics, and that market share is growing fast, adding on to pollution caused by microfibres.
According to a latest study, for each kilogram increase in birth weight, there was a 44 per cent increase in the risk that a child had food allergies or a 17 per cent increase in the risk that they had eczema.
All set for shopping this Diwali? Check out these five platforms will help you save loads on shopping this festive season!
Pictures showing Sara Ali Khan's transformation from fat to fab are all over the internet -- only proving how the firebrand actress has striven to be where she is.
According to Shane O'Mara, a neuroscientist and author of the new book 'In Praise of Walking', walking is actually a hugely complicated task for our brain to pull off. It's a super-power, own up to it!
Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif has come out with her own beauty line called Kay by Katrina. Read all about it here.
Karwa (Karva) Chauth 2019 is widely celebrated in North India, especially in states such as Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Acharya Indu Prakash states the reason why any type of dish or antenna placed in front of the windows can result in negative results.
Horoscope Today, October 16, 2019: Know how your day will go today. Acharya Indu Prakash gives you success tips and more.


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It’s hard to imagine slavery still exists in the twenty-first century, but human trafficking is a modern problem called the “fastest-growing criminal industry in the world”. For example, the fishing industry in Thailand is supported by slaves, mostly Burmese migrants. Some of this slave-based catch ends up in US markets.
Of course, no one enters willingly into slavery. In Thailand, brokers coax Burmese workers by promising jobs. As described in The Global Post, migrants pay $350 to be smuggled into the country, where they are hired on fishing vessels. Unfortunately, these Burmese fisherman never receive pay, cannot quit, and may face murder.
Americans almost certainly eat fish that was caught by forced labor in Thailand. The Global Post reports:
Thailand is the world’s largest seafood exporter and the United States is its largest buyer. One third of America’s shrimp is imported from Thailand, home to a $2-billion shrimp industry and a major supplier of tuna, squid and other frozen seafood imports. But it’s an open secret that the industry relies, in part, on forced labor…The supply chain eventually leads to America’s largest supermarkets, according to investigations by the Solidarity Center, a non-profit agency under the AFL-CIO.
The Global Post identifies “Costco, Giant, Harris Teeter, Trader Joe’s and Walmart” as retailers who sell slavery seafood from Thailand. Trader Joe’s has already been called “Traitor Joe’s” by Greenpeace for selling red listed seafood, but seafood slavery makes this popular retailer even more worthy of boycotting.
Thailand is well known for its child slavery, with children often being forced into prostitution. Between 60,000 to 200,000 children are sold into brothels, and virginity sells for $3500 in Bangkok, according to Time. Most Americans are abhorred by such statistics, but do they realize their Trader Joe’s shrimp is a result of human trafficking as well?
Unfortunately, the Thai government has not been successful at cracking down on seafood slavery. Doling out fines of only $2,100 and allowing shrimp factories to continue operating after being busted for forced labor of children has been ineffective. Monitoring conditions on fishing vessels is even more difficult than in factories. “Forced labor remains endemic in the seafood industry” in Thailand with estimates of 200,000 Burmese migrants working in the industry.


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According to the data from Future Market Insights (FMI), the CAGR of global demand of antioxidant in 2014-2020 will probably reach 5.3%, or equivalent of 103300 metric tons in quantity.
Antioxidant could be classified to natural and synthetic ones. Natural antioxidants mainly include rosemary extract, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, while the synthetic family include BHA, BHT, TBHQ, gallate and so on.
FMI predicted that the global market of antioxidant will keep growing in the future years, especially when the port consumption is increasing. Port counts the largest share in global meat consumption and the forecast shows it will be the top one in the following four years.
From geographic view, Asian-Pacific region will be the largest market for antioxidant, which accounts 31.8% of the global share. Customers in Asian-Pacific region are the main force of antioxidant, as they have more health and anti-aging consciousness, which greatly push up the requirement and consumption of antioxidant. Cancers, amyotrophic lateral scleroses, and other neural disease also boost the demand. During 2014 and 2020, the CAGR in Asian-Pacific region is looking to reach 5.9%.
The second largest market is North America and then Europe, especially in Britain and Ireland. Both natural and synthetic antioxidant are selling well in Europe. Besides the stronger health consciousness, increase of population is a major reason to boost the market. In 2013, the demand in Europe was 18000 metric tons. During 2014 and 2020, the CAGR is look to reach 5.2%.
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