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Body Glove has Gaming Covered
Body Glove® launches exciting range of trendy covers for Sony’s long-awaited PSP
Body Glove® consumer electronic accessories has launched a new range of cool cases to protect the new PSP against accidental damage.
Body Glove's latest innovation offers consumers robust and stylish protection for the latest portable gaming device.
The trendy Body Glove PSP2 cover has been custom-designed to ensure a perfect fit for the must-have device. The snug fit of the Fusion case protects against knocks and bumps whilst playing and being transported, to keep the precious PSP in pristine condition.
The stylish cases are manufactured from tough EVA material that offers users a comfortable grip, and are available in a combination of attractive colours.
Available in shops from September, the Body Glove Fusion PSP cases retails at around £12.99.
The Body Glove Fusion PSP cases are the latest edition to the Body Glove range of exciting consumer technology accessories which includes CD/DVD/MP3 storage, computer luggage, camera cases and mobile accessories.
The Body Glove portfolio is an aspirational brand that appeals to a young, trend-oriented and active market. In 1953, Body Glove's founders, identical twins, Bob and Bill Meistrell created the first wetsuit out of neoprene. Since that time, the company has become recognised world-wide for its quality watersports and beachwear products and accessories for men and women. Globally Body Glove consumer technology accessories are distributed by Fellowes as a licensed brand.
Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Fellowes' product lines include mobile, computer and consumer electronics accessories; business machines such as paper shredders and binding and laminating equipment as well as home and office organizational products. The company owns and operates subsidiaries in Australia, Benelux, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Fellowes employs over 1,700 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $700 million this year. For more information, please visit Fellowes' web site at www.fellowes.com.
For further press information and photography, please contact:
Clarisse Hoffmann or Abigail Lovell
Tel. 0207 395 7150


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Attention amateur mechanics: Here's a quick lesson in what not to do should your engine catch fire.
As the global economy shows signs of both recovering and getting worse, luxury and exotic automakers are hedging their bets more and more. Introducing cars like the Aston Martin One-77, Bugatti Sang Bleu and Bentley Muslanne made perfect sense -- in 1999. In today's unstable financial climate, you just can't be too careful. While most enthusiasts are salivating over the release of the new Ferrari 458 Italia with its auto-deforming front air intakes and 200+ mph top speed, the more rational among
In a truly heroic effort that's not only daunting in scope but utterly jealousy-inducing in execution, the hot shoes at Motor Trend have once again teamed up with pro-racer and 24 Hours of Daytona winner Randy Pobst to put ten of the hottest performance cars currently on sale up against each other at Laguna Seca to determine which is best. Last year, the winner was given the title of "Best Handling Car," though this year they are switching the name to "Best Driver's Car." That works.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Mazda MX-5 (or Miata) has shown remarkable resilience to the bloating trends of age. While other automakers tend to make new cars bigger and fatter with each successive generation, notwithstanding the optional retractable hardtop version, the Mazda roadster has remained relatively compact and light on its feet. But while the MX-5 Superlight concept due to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show takes the current Miata into ever lighter territory, reports sugge
- Biggest automotive sales disappointments
- Fastest-depreciating cars in the United States
- Find and compare 2017 Models

domain: news


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The Belgian Ministry of Finance said Friday that IT services and technology firm Unisys has failed to deliver on a project to modernize the Belgian tax system.
Salesforce.com is being sued by a customer who claims the CRM (customer relationship management) software vendor's misrepresentations made their relationship go sour.
The Supreme Court of Virginia has vacated a preliminary injunction against reviews posted by a woman on Yelp and Angie's List, in an outcome that is being described by civil rights groups as a victory for freedom of online speech.
Research In Motion will let its customers pick and choose individual BlackBerry services such as security and mobile device management after it introduces the long-awaited BlackBerry 10 platform next month.
An official document containing policies and pledges for customers of Oracle's cloud services reveals that many aspects fall in line with industry standards, while others may prompt cause for worry among customers, according to analysts.
SAP is now offering its MaxAttention support service to companies with software that was designed and built by SAP's custom development organization, in a move that both caters to customers with complicated environments and stands to capture addition...
Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman has once again affirmed the company's commitment to its embattled Autonomy software division, stressing that HP's fiscal health is stronger than recent developments may have suggested.
The U.S. Air Force has decided to scrap a major ERP (enterprise resource planning) software project after spending US$1 billion, concluding that finishing it would cost far too much more money for too little gain.
With SaaS (software as a service) having become a preferred deployment model for new software purchases, customers should be entitled to a clear-cut set of rights and expectations from vendors, a report from analyst firm Constellation Research argues...
SAP now says it will proceed with two major user conferences set for Madrid next month, after saying earlier this week that it was weighing its options following concerns over labor strikes planned for the same time as the shows.
SAP is aware of widespread user discontent over the complexity involved with licensing rules and pricing for its software, and is working to remedy the situation, co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe said in an interview Wednesday.
New details have emerged in Montclair State University's lawsuit against Oracle in connection with a troubled ERP (enterprise resource planning) project, in a court filing that includes more information about Oracle's alleged failings and also accuse...
As another year draws to a close, we look back on the IT-related comments that stuck with us.
SAP has abruptly put the brakes on a planned upgrade to its massive community network portal, which was set to be rolled out this month, due to a number of lingering, "critical" bugs.
A major SAP ERP (enterprise resource planning) software project being conducted by the New South Wales Department of Education and Communities has hit a rocky patch, with projected costs for the first phase ballooning from $153 million to $210 milli...
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We love our premium coffee. Coffeehouse sales have doubled in the past five years, and they're only going to get bigger, according to industry watcher Mintel. Meanwhile, sales of upermarket brew-at-home coffee have dropped, as more consumers buy beans at their favorite coffee shop.
$8.3 billion Sales for U.S. coffeehouses in 2005.
$18.8 billion Predicted sales for U.S. coffeehouses in five years.
14,000 Number of Americans per U.S. coffeehouse.


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NYT CEO: Paid online subscriptions can work for newspapers of all sizes
The CEO of the New York Times Company says the Times’ decision to charge for some online content is going much better than expected. And Janet Robinson says she thinks similar models can work for smaller newspapers, like the Detroit dailies:
"Newspapers of all sizes really have the opportunity to have some kind of paid model. And the earlier they start to explore and test and experiment, I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised in regard to what the results may be."
The New York Times uses what’s called a “metered model.” That means people can read 20 articles for free each month before they’re required to pay for unlimited access. Home delivery subscribers also have unlimited access.
Robinson says from mid-March to mid-April more than 100,000 people signed up for paid online access.
Robinson spoke to the Detroit Economic Club in Birmingham today.


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Jack Dorsey isn't just co-founder of Twitter. He's also the man behind an
ambitious new startup called Square that is taking on the
credit-card industry. Square -- just launched in the US -- lets
anyone send or receive cash by inserting a one-inch-square plastic
device into his or her iPhone or Android phone. You can take credit-card
payments or send money to others via your phone -- and you don't
need to deal with the conventional banks.
Dorsey estimates that the business - due to launch in Europe next
year - will turn over around $1.1 billion by next June. Not a bad
position for him to be in -- for every transaction, Square receives
2.75 percent as a fee, plus 15 cents.
Wired magazine's editor David Rowan interviewed Dorsey at the
recent Founders conference in Dublin. Their wide-ranging
conversation took in Twitter's future, why Evan Williams stepped
down as CEO, and how Dorsey sees the future of peer-to-peer


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There is just 1 week to go before this year’s Sustainability Awards.
Hosted by Architecture + Design magazine, these Sustainability Awards are one of a few industry programs that bring leading designers, suppliers and sustainable building practitioners together to celebrate the industry’s best projects, products and of course, people.
This year heralds the 14th consecutive year the Sustainability Awards have delivered and awarded the highest calibre and largest diversity of national entries possible.
This year with the awards going online in a virtual space, they have finally evolved from a national awards program into an international one.
In other words, the 2020 Sustainability Awards will be streamlined live on Thursday, November 12 – not only as the feature of this year’s Australian built and design sector, but also as an important event in the pantheon of global sustainability awards programs.
The Awards Gala will be live-streamed to a national and international audience, meaning that for the first time ever, the Architecture + Design Sustainability Awards will become Australia’s sustainability design and build sector window to the whole world.
So, with only 1 week to go, don’t miss out your chance to be part of this amazing event!
Tickets are available here!
Click here for more details and information on the 2020 Sustainability Awards, streaming live on Thursday, November 12, 2020.


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In developed markets where the foundation of a high-capacity data transmission network exists, WiFi overlays are likely to be very effective. In emerging economies, where the foundation is yet being built, the same solutions may not as effective. But it is worth following the action, described in the NYT article below.
“Google has deployed 380 lamppost-mounted Wi-Fi transceivers in Mountain View to make wireless Internet service available to anyone who has registered for a Google account, which is free. The company has invested a significant amount in promoting the benefits of wireless Internet access. It has held a series of tutorials, one of them drawing 750 residents.
Users will be limited to one-megabit data rates for both uploading and downloading information, somewhat slower than digital subscriber line (D.S.L.) service offered by phone companies. But Google has experimented with data rates above eight megabits, and Mr. Sacca said the company would consider increasing bandwidth after it had more experience with customer demand.
Making use of the service within a home in Mountain View typically requires a device called a Wi-Fi repeater, which costs $30 to $170. The repeater amplifies the wireless signal and relays it to individual computers equipped with a Wi-Fi card or Ethernet connection.
The installation, in a city of 72,000 residents, cost roughly $1 million, an amount that Mr. Sacca said demonstrated the low barriers to deploying such a service.”


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BMW is the latest automaker suggesting a question of EV buyers is expected to deed the marketplace successful the coming year. The German automaker’s CFO, Nickolas Peter, said successful a video league Monday helium expects axenic electrical conveyance income to scope 400,000 adjacent twelvemonth arsenic request continues gathering and proviso chains ease.BMW acceptable to deed higher extremity of electrical conveyance income goal
BMW’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) says it’s been a turbulent twelvemonth for the German automaker, but things are looking up from here.
Lockdowns successful China and proviso concatenation issues during the archetypal fractional of the twelvemonth chopped into profits. Furthermore, Germany and the UK saw request dilatory arsenic rising vigor prices shook the markets, portion France, Italy, and Spain remained stronger.
When asked astir state prices and vigor proviso owed to the warfare successful Ukraine, the German automaker’s CFO responded, saying, “the state contented volition not person immoderate nonstop interaction connected america this year,” arsenic BMW has already chopped backmost its state usage successful Germany and Austria by 15% and volition trim further if needed.
BMW expects to proceed seeing unit this year, yet successful 2023, it believes it tin instrumentality different monolithic leap successful electrical conveyance sales. The automaker expects betwixt 240,000 to 245,000 electrical conveyance income this year, much than treble that of 104,000 successful 2021, and it is hitting its extremity of a 10% EV stock of wide sales.
The luxury automaker expects that fig to emergence adjacent further to astir 400,000 successful 2023 arsenic buyers proceed demanding axenic electrical vehicles.
In North America, BMW presently offers 2 axenic EVs, the BMW iX SUV and the BMW i4. In China, the automaker besides offers the BMW i3 and its first-ever afloat electrical 7-series, the BMW i7 sedan, which is slated to merchandise successful North America successful 2023.BMW i7 Source: BMW
On apical of this, BMW is launching its Neue Klasse (new class) conveyance level specifically for electrical vehicles successful 2025 for its “next-generation” EVs.
By the extremity of the decade, BMW looks to execute 50% electrical conveyance income of its wide total.Electrek’s Take
BMW said it sold 75,891 electrical vehicles successful the first fractional of 2022, much than doubling from 2021. The automaker’s CFO seems assured that electrical conveyance income volition proceed picking up this twelvemonth and into 2023 aft mentioning request picking backmost up successful the 3rd quarter.
With respective highly anticipated EV releases (Rolls Royce Spectre, BMW i5, MIINI Countryman) adjacent year, I wouldn’t uncertainty BMW’s quality to conscionable its target. However, the question going guardant volition beryllium however good it tin negociate its proviso concatenation and ramp accumulation of these vehicles.
Demand isn’t the issue. BMW mentioned the “high desirability of its axenic electrical models among customers worldwide” successful its archetypal fractional electrical conveyance income release. The contented volition travel down to resolving the proviso concatenation bottlenecks, which person been disrupted since the pandemic.
The vigor situation successful Europe is adding substance to the fire, arsenic respective captious car parts suppliers are being affected and passing connected higher costs to automakers.
Other German automakers, including Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, person some prepared for the worst, expanding orders from suppliers extracurricular the affected area, according to Reuters. Will BMW beryllium adjacent to follow? If they are going to deed their assertive electrical income targets, I wouldn’t beryllium amazed to spot them bash the aforesaid successful the adjacent future.
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ETRADE Capital Management LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Burlington Stores Inc (NYSE:BURL) by 6.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 5,553 shares of the company’s stock after selling 382 shares during the period. ETRADE Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Burlington Stores were worth $880,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in BURL. Stifel Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Burlington Stores by 44.2% during the third quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 1,813 shares of the company’s stock valued at $364,000 after purchasing an additional 556 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its holdings in Burlington Stores by 9.9% in the 4th quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 1,118 shares of the company’s stock worth $255,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its holdings in Burlington Stores by 24.1% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 15,179 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,461,000 after acquiring an additional 2,949 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new position in Burlington Stores in the 4th quarter worth approximately $341,000. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd raised its holdings in Burlington Stores by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 4,125 shares of the company’s stock worth $940,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.83% of the company’s stock.
BURL has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Burlington Stores in a report on Monday, February 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Gordon Haskett initiated coverage on shares of Burlington Stores in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. They issued an “accumulate” rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Wedbush upgraded shares of Burlington Stores from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $230.00 to $246.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Royal Bank of Canada restated a “buy” rating and issued a $175.00 price objective on shares of Burlington Stores in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. Finally, Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Burlington Stores from $196.00 to $190.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $220.96.
Burlington Stores (NYSE:BURL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $3.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.23 by $0.02. Burlington Stores had a net margin of 6.38% and a return on equity of 131.83%. The firm had revenue of $2.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.21 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.83 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Burlington Stores Inc will post 3 EPS for the current year.
In related news, CMO Jennifer Vecchio sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.01, for a total value of $300,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer now owns 39,353 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,903,343.53. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Insiders own 1.48% of the company’s stock.
About Burlington Stores
Burlington Stores, Inc operates as a retailer of branded apparel products in the United States. The company offers fashion-focused merchandise, including women's ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, footwear, menswear, youth apparel, coats, toys, and gifts, as well as baby, home, and beauty products.
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Organisers Wicked Comics have announced some fantastic deals for Fans and Creators travelling to this year’s Malta Comic Con, spanning over the weekend of Saturday 2nd November and 3rd November 2019 – so if you’re after a bit of winter sun, then here’s a heads up. To be held in one of Malta’s biggest conventionsContinue reading Malta Comic Con 2019 dates, attendance package deals announced
Most of the latest episode of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast focuses on the team’s recent trip to Oldham Comic Con 3, held on Saturday 11th May. Nikki Bates tabled on the day, while Ian went off interviewing a range of comic creators, including Oldham Comic Con organiser Dennis Whittle, plus 2000AD andContinue reading Lakes Festival Podcast legs it to Oldham! (Oldham Comic Con 3, that is)
2000AD Prog 2126 is on sale now in all good newsagents, UK comic shops and via various digital platforms, with a cracking cover from D’Israeli, marking the return of the alien invaders story “Scarlet Traces” to the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! Read on for a full run down – and a guide to a host ofContinue reading Scarlet Traces returns to 2000AD this week! Plus, Upcoming Titles News from Rebellion…
Wrapped in a great cover by “Grey Area”: artist Mark Harrison (more on that here), 2000AD Prog 2125 is on sale now in all good UK newsagents, comics shops and digital platforms. Right from the get go, this is a terrific issue of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with Rob Williams working hand in hand withContinue reading Out Today: 2000AD Prog 2125 – Sov Killers on the loose in Judge Dredd!
Osprey Games, a division of Osprey Publishing, has revealed 2000AD artists Rufus Dayglo and Dan Cornwell as the artists on its upcoming Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth card game. As we previously reported, Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, set to launch early next year, uses the core mechanics of Osprey’s bestselling 2017 release, The Lost Expedition,Continue reading Rufus Dayglo and Dan Cornwell revealed as artists on new Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth game


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NEW YORK – Some better-than-expected retail earnings reports are drawing investors back into the stock market.
Stocks rebounded Tuesday from the previous day’s selloff, with major indicators rising about 1 percent. Investors were still wary about consumer spending and the economy as a whole, but found enough good news in retailers’ reports and the Commerce Department’s latest take on the housing market to justify the comeback. NYSE, NASDAQ
Some bounce back was to be expected after Monday’s big drop, which took the Dow Jones industrials down 186 points on growing fears that nervous consumers won’t spend enough to lift the economy into recovery.
The earnings reports from retailers showed that American consumers are still shy about spending, but results weren’t quite as bad as analysts expected and that helped calm some of investors’ nerves.
Home Depot Inc. said its second-quarter profit fell 7 percent, but its adjusted results beat Wall Street’s expectations, as cost cuts partly offset weak revenue. The world’s largest home improvement retailer also lifted its forecast for full-year earnings.
Target Corp.’s quarterly profit also fell, but it also surpassed analyst estimates. And TJX Cos. said its second-quarter profit rose 31 percent as its discount-oriented stores continued to lure in cost-conscious shoppers. Not all the reports were positive, though. Luxury department store Saks Inc. said its loss widened from a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the Commerce Department reported that construction of new homes and apartments fell 1 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 581,000 units, from an upwardly revised rate of 587,000 in June. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected a pace of 600,000 units.
There was some good news in the report, however. Construction of single-family homes rose 1 percent to the highest level since October 2008. It was the fifth straight monthly increase.
At midday, the Dow rose 74.21, or 0.8 percent, to 9,209.55. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 8.99, or 0.9 percent, to 988.72, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 21.53, or 1.1 percent, to 1,952.37.
In other trading, the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 8.52, or 1.6 percent, to 556.70.
About four stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to a light 428.1 million shares.
John Wilson, chief technical strategist at Morgan Keegan, said he’s encouraged that investors continue to see opportunities in the market’s dips.
“Buying tends to come in a little quicker because people have missed the market,” he said, referring to the recent surge in stocks that has taken the S&P 500 index up 12 percent in a little over a month and 45.5 percent since early March.
“The data is not going to all of a sudden turn positive,” he said. However, “more and more people are beginning to embrace the fact that we’re through the worst of the recession.”
The big question facing investors now is how strong the economy’s recovery will be. The market is trying to gauge how big of a drag consumers will be on the economy if unemployment remains elevated for some time, leaving consumers afraid of spending too freely.
“There’s volatility because investors have a lot of questions,” said Alan Skrainka, chief market strategist at Edward Jones. “What will the recovery look like and how much of this is already reflected in stock prices?”
Investors once again bought stocks that are dependent on a healthy economy, including financial, material and industrial companies. Gains in industries that tend to hold up better when the economy is weak, like health care and utilities, were more subdued.
Among retail stocks, Home Depot added 92 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $27.03.
TJX shares fell more than 3 percent, losing $1.34 to $34.04, while Target jumped $3.04, or 7.4 percent, to $44.25.
In other economic news, a government report showed wholesale prices dropped sharply in July – triple the decline economists had expected – driven by big decreases in both energy and food costs.
Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, dropped 0.1 percent last month, better than the 0.1 percent gain economists expected.
Overseas markets also rebounded from steep declines on Tuesday. Japan’s Nikkei stock average rose 0.2 percent.
European markets rose in afternoon trading after a research institute reported that consumer confidence is rising in Germany, Europe’s largest economy. Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.9 percent, while Germany’s DAX index was up 0.9 percent and France’s CAC-40 was up 0.9 percent.
Meanwhile, bond prices dipped after the previous day’s big gains. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to its price, rose to 3.50 percent from 3.47 percent late Monday.
The dollar lost ground against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.
Oil prices were higher after dropping to a new monthly low on Monday. Light, sweet crude added $1.47 to $68.22 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.


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More than skin deep
Your next dermatologist visit could reveal important health information that you may not expect. Some 30 to 40 percent of issues dermatologists see may be related to underlying chronic conditions, estimates Lisa Grandinetti, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Skin is the window to your health,” says Wilma Bergfeld, MD, senior dermatologist in the department of dermatology in the Cleveland Clinic. Medical dermatologists are seeing more and more skin issues, especially related to immune system problems, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. In many cases, dermatologists might help discover conditions during routine visits—before a specialist would—which can ensure patients get treated in earlier stages of illness. Here are some important conditions your skin doctor has her eyes on. Here are some more details on how to identify common rashes and skin conditions.
Diabetes is very common—almost 10 percent of Americans have it. Dr. Grandinetti estimates that about half have some kind of skin disease. The main one is called acanthosis nigricans, a velvety thickening of the skin that occurs around the neck and in the underarms. Usually patients with these dark patches don’t know they have diabetes when we see them, says Dr. Bergfeld. “In dermatology, they tend to be younger, so we pick up these cases early.” Skin tags are another sign, but they’re not an automatic red flag. “Everybody gets skin tags under their arms every now and then, or in the groin area just from rubbing,” says Dr. Grandinetti. “If somebody has no other risk factors for diabetes—they aren’t overweight, there’s no family history, and they only have one or two skin tags, there’s really no evidence to support further testing. But if someone has multiple skin tags around the neck, in the underarms, and in the groin and they also have acanthosis nigricans, then I usually test their blood glucose levels or A1C levels.” Here are some more silent signs of diabetes you might be missing.


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As noted by The Next Web, the iPhone 4S appears set to launch in India on November 25th, marking yet another milestone in Apple's fast-moving rollout of the new device. Both Aircel and Airtel appear to be participating in the November 25th launch, with Aircel having already provided public confirmation of the debut.
Aircel first posted a teaser on its official Facebook page announcing that the launch details would be coming soon and then followed that up with an official announcement on Saturday that the chosen date was November 25. Impatient customers will be able to start placing preorders on the carrier’s website from November 18 onwards.
Airtel's participation appears to be unconfirmed at this time, but The Times of India reports that the iPhone 4S will indeed launch on the carrier at 12:01 AM on November 25th.
Aircel and Airtel, both GSM providers, are Apple's two official carrier partners in India.


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DRINKS firm CWF has launched three-litre bag in box packs of its British wine range Straw Hat. Boxes are available in the red, white and rosé varieties. The firm describes the new lines as perfect for parties and get-togethers.
CWF also expects Italian sparkling wine Prosecco to continue to grow. It says its Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG and Prosecco Treviso Spumante DOC from Casa Gheller both provide good options for girlie nights or dinners for two.
• Michelle Raworth, brand manager for Lambrini at Halewood International says the big night in continues to be the basis for Lambrini’s campaigns, including last Christmas, when ads showing fun-loving women enjoying Lambrini at home reached an estimated 4.9m women between 21 and 55 years old.
Halewood has recently launched Lambrini Strawberry and Luci by Lambrini. Luci by Lambrini is a light variant with an ABV of 3.5% which contains 29 calories per 125ml serving.


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Business Accounting Goes Mobile - Page 2
Cross-platform integration is another area of consideration. For example, Microsoft Office is currently only available on the Windows Phone. Rumors have been circulating for years about Microsoft’s plans to release Office versions for other platforms, but they have yet to make an official announcement on this front.
Similarly, QuickBooks Mobile is available on iOS and Android, but it discontinued its version for Blackberry in 2011. While QuickBooks might have thought that this was a practical decision, considering that the Android and iPhone currently make up nearly 90 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, they didn’t account for possible fluctuations in the market. With the recent debut of the Blackberry Z10 and the upcoming release of the Blackberry Q10, customers might just be returning to the platform in large numbers.
Looking forward, it will most likely take these companies a while to work through the limitations and problems associated with mobile integration. For example, Microsoft Dynamics released its mobile application for CRM but has yet to offer mobile versions for GP, ERP, or AX.
As the world becomes increasingly mobile, will accounting software companies that fail to release mobile applications be left behind?
I don’t think so, at least not for the foreseeable future. Business software is usually extremely well integrated into a company’s systems, and switching to another software provider is a huge hassle. Mobile integration isn’t a looming issue for accounting software companies the way it is for other companies.
But mobile integration cannot be ignored forever. Everyday, there are new and exciting innovations in the mobile sphere. In fact, mobile devices may soon replace wallets with “e-wallets” through NFC technology. Business accounting software companies would be well advised to start developing mobile innovations of their own.


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Kansas City Crime Stoppers most wanted fugitives
It was the acrid smell of burnt plastic that gave them away.
Two alleged shoplifters are charged with arson, accused of burning off anti-theft sensors attached to clothing at department stores in Oak Park Mall.
Jamesha Baskin, 19, of Olathe, and Miracle Williams, 18, of Overland Park, are each charged in Johnson County District Court with felony theft and two counts of arson.
The charges allege that they used fire to damage the anti-theft devices on Sunday at Macy’s and JC Penney stores in the mall.
The devices are designed to trigger an alarm if someone tries to take clothing out of a store with the devices attached.
The theft charge alleges that the two stole merchandise from three different stores in a 72-hour period.
After store employees noticed a burning smell coming from the fitting room area, they contacted Overland Park police, who arrested the women.
Overland Park Police Detective Byron Pierce said it was the first time people have been caught at the mall using flames to melt off the plastic pins that attache the sensors to clothing.
He said it is a potentially dangerous crime because some clothing items could be left smoldering and present a fire hazard.
“Not very good judgment,” Pierce said.
Both women made their initial court appearances Monday. If they post bond, a judge ordered them to stay off of Oak Park Mall property.


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The company employs its familiar autofill-style ad to urge people to seek out evidence in a campaign by Toaster India.
Mukesh Ambani made the announcement during Reliance Industries' AGM.
The CEO of the company was speaking during Google for India 2020.
The executive moves from Star and Disney India.
CVL Srinivas transitions fully to his role of country manager for WPP.
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Electrolux launches a new Product Recyclability Tool
AB Electrolux (publ)
Electrolux's Product Recyclability Tool supports its circularity goals. The tool was developed with the help of Stena Recycling. 77% of consumers value recyclable products.
Electrolux introduces a new Product Recyclability Tool to support its ambitious circularity goals.
The prototype tool, which was unveiled today at the Circular Initiative event in Stockholm, Sweden, builds on the knowledge gained during the company's ongoing collaboration with Stena Recycling to explore circular solutions.
Consumers today want circular materials. According to a recent European survey commissioned by Stena Recycling, 77% of consumers believe it is important or very important that products be recyclable.
"The tool will allow our design and engineering teams to explore recyclability right from the start of the design process, allowing us to create products that are even more recyclable - so their components can continue their life as useful materials," says Vanessa Butani, VP Group Sustainability.
"The tool is still in its early stages of development, and the next step for us will be to open the process to other companies, working together to expand its functionality, data quality, and market relevance."
"Collaborating with others means they can use our learnings to create their own more recyclable products, while we can support a growing market for circular materials," says Barry Waddilove, Sustainability Director Development & Collaborations.
The Stena Recycling partnership expands to include more products. Over the last three years, Electrolux has collaborated closely with Stena Recycling to better understand what happens to its products at the end of their lives and how we can improve product circularity.
In 2020, the partnership created a prototype vacuum cleaner made entirely of recycled materials and repurposed components, and in 2021, it created a prototype vacuum cleaner that is 90% recyclable.
"Our extensive research in the vacuum cleaner category has been especially helpful in understanding our material choices and design decisions that benefit both quality and recyclability," Waddilove says.
"By 2022, we plan to expand these studies across all of our major product categories, including dishwashers, refrigerators, and cookers."
Source: Electrolux Group news


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New Vape Technology: 4 Devices that Ensure Safer Cannabis InhalationTechnology innovations in cannabis consumption look to solve a variety of problems.
In recent years, consumers have become more conscientious about the products they use. Whether we’re talking about foods and beverages, cosmetics and lotions, or tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they’re putting into their bodies.
Unlike tobacco and alcohol, in many cases, consumers are turning to cannabis products as an alternative to side-effect-riddled pharmaceuticals and using various commercial products for health and wellness benefits.
Sadly, many of these products lack consistent dosing capability. And, as we learned from EVALI in 2019, without careful regulation, additives, contaminants, and toxic byproducts can ultimately cause more harm than good in vape devices. And as with all intoxicating substances, there’s always the concern of preventing child access.
While mandated emissions testing recently imposed in Colorado will help eliminate many of these problems, the quest for safer cannabis consumption continues for vape manufacturers. We’ve rounded up four of the most innovative vape solutions designed for safe, efficient, and responsible cannabis consumption.
Problem #1 – Measuring an Inhaled Volume
Can you imagine if pharmaceutical medications came in powder form and doctors prescribed a pinch of this or dash of that? Dosing cannabis, especially in an inhalable format, can be tricky.
When inhaling cannabis, the volume is often dependent on how the consumer inhales. Some may take long, deep draws off an inhaler device, while others take shorter puffs. These differences can make it difficult for physicians to monitor their patients’ actual session activities accurately.
Additionally, the cannabinoid content can vary significantly from product to product. These inconsistencies in products can make it extraordinarily difficult for consumers to achieve consistent, repeatable results.
The Solution: RYAH Smart Inhaler
Introducing new solutions in patient session monitoring, control, feedback, and formulation data analytics; RYAH is a multi-IoT device solution and is much broader than an inhaler company. Instead, they are “more of an IoT solution, data and digital care platform,” according to company CEO Gregory Wagner.
The RYAH Smart Inhalers bake dry herb cannabis through a ‘heat-not burn process’ via convection, extracting the moisture or vapor out of the material slowly while not burning the contents. While this technology isn’t new to cannabis consumption, how the platform controls the user session is remarkable.
Discussing how the device works, Wagner explained, “when a patient reaches a session limit, the device stops them from overdosing. Using QR code technology, it loads the entire lab results of the strain, which materially mitigates illicit products from going inside the devices.”
Wagner also emphasized that all of the data, including captive patient data, is stored on a HIPAA-compliant cloud in AWS. The device can capture patient indications and details from the entire patient session, like what temperature was used, how many draws they took, how many milliliters per draw, and how many times they consumed per day.
As a medical device, the ultimate goal is patient efficacy, and therefore the platform also collects and tracks physical and mental feedback so their physicians can have insight into what is working for their patients and what isn’t.
Understanding the value of this kind of raw data, Wagner stated, “Our goal would be one day to be able to give away the devices and focus on collecting, interpreting and providing the data analytics as a service.”
“Essentially, users of RYAH devices are part of what we consider the largest, living study ever created in plant-based therapies, and it’s all happening in a real-time basis,” Wagner concluded. “Data is the new gold, and we’re mining for it – our pickaxe is the device.”
Problem #2 – Reducing Unintentional Child Exposure
Look, there’s no denying it – no matter how well you attempt to hide something, children capable of walking are capable of finding your stash. According to data recently published in Canada, the number of emergency room visits for unintentional cannabis exposure in kids has increased dramatically since legalization.
Dr. Yaron Finkelstein, Senior Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences at SickKids, stated, “While uncommon in adults, cannabis intoxication can have significant negative impacts on young children including behavioral changes, seizures, respiratory depression, problems with coordination and balance, and even coma. As different formulations of cannabis continue to be legalized, it is important for everyone who has cannabis in their home to be aware of the potential harms to children and ensure cannabis products are safely stored.”
The Solution: PurTec Delivery Systems
Programmer, entrepreneur and father, Corey Mangold launched PurTec Delivery Systems to address these and other concerns for responsible parents. Mangold explained in an interview with Cannabis Tech, “We worked with our manufacturing partner in China to conduct an 18-month safety study in Switzerland. We analyzed all the other cartridges on the market, both in the cannabis and nicotine sectors, and we noticed a lot of glaring issues, such as heavy metals, toxic glues and adhesives, and really low-quality ceramic that breaks apart.”
Although Colorado is the first state to require emissions testing on inhalable products, Mangold and his team at PurTec test all their cartridges and components for safety. Beyond consumer safety, the PurGuard technology takes precautions a step further.
PurGuard is software that pairs with the firmware installed on the vape device. A QR code opens an application, runs through an identity and age verification process using facial recognition and artificial intelligence. Once the user is validated, it unlocks the device.
“We can also set the device to auto-lock, so if the phone disengages with the device, it locks the device so no one else can use it,” Mangold explained.
“Our major initiative for the past 12 months has been consumer safety and think protecting minors is first and foremost when it comes to ensuring safety,” he concluded.
Problem #3 – Inconsistencies in Products
With dozens of active compounds, cannabis extracts can vary greatly from product to product, strain to strain, and even batch to batch. Each of these compounds has different boiling points, and all of these variables can make it challenging to achieve the perfect draw with a vape device.
Additionally, the way consumers inhale varies significantly. Some inhale with long, deep draws, while others take smaller, lighter puffs. These differences create different temperatures with vaporization devices.
In many cases, vapes aren’t truly vaporizing either. During a phone call, Mladen Barbaric, CEO of Airgraft, explained, “True vaporization converts a liquid molecule into a gas molecule in a phase change, not a molecular change. But most cannabis and nicotine vaporizers are simple contraptions that apply a constant current that heats the coil quickly.”
“Once you blow past the goal temperature, there’s a conversion of the molecule which can create volatile substances, aldehydes, and so on,” he explained. Unfortunately, the cost of adding the necessary technology, chipsets, and high-quality components to prevent this can add up quickly.
The Solution: Airgraft Cartridges and Memberships
Using complex algorithms, the technology built into the Airgraft cartridges and systems creates the ideal temperature path based on the lab results of the contents within it.
Barbaric explained, “We have a chipset inside each cartridge that recognizes the cartridges, identifies the extract, and applies a dynamic heating algorithm that changes based on the type of draw and the compounds within the extract to optimize how it reaches the right boiling point.”
But, with technology like this, Barbaric admits, “It’s hard to compete with the cheapest, most-commoditized piece of hardware from Chinese manufacturers. We use heated food-safe materials, add chipsets and technology – essentially, we’re adding cost to the cartridges and the system.”
But rather than be elitist and demand higher prices, Airgraft has established a unique membership program to minimize expenses.
“One of the key issues in the cannabis is that the supply chain and distribution channels are very fragmented. So, when an extractor buys the cartridges, it becomes the cost of goods, and for every dollar, they pay for the hardware, the consumer pays four to five dollars,” Barbaric explained.
“This discourages innovation and incentivizes manufacturers to cut corners,” he continued.
Instead, Airgraft gives the cartridges and the packaging to their partnered brands and extractors with the understanding that they cannot mark up any of the hardware or packaging, so when members buy an Airgraft pod, they’re literally only paying for the cannabis inside – the membership covers the cost of cartridges, packaging, and technology.
Problem #4 – Metal Leaching - Toxins and Contaminants
As an organically grown herb, eaten raw cannabis and hemp pose little threat to the consumer. Without heat, cannabis isn’t even intoxicating. However, introduce a catalyst like heat, and that quickly changes.
Terpenes, volatile aromatics naturally found in cannabis, can become carcinogenic when heated to extreme temperatures. When inhaled into the lungs, these toxins are easily absorbed into the bloodstream and can create significant health issues.
Now, factor in cheaply made vaporization devices using poor quality metals and ceramics. With excessive heat, these components can shed cancer-causing heavy metals like cadmium and lead and silica particles from ceramic coils. Heavy metal ingestion can cause high blood pressure, kidney disease, and brain damage.
For this reason, the popularity of ceramic coils has risen in recent years. However, some research suggests that ceramic may not be the perfect solution either. Inhalation of silica is extraordinarily hazardous to the lungs. Just a few of the known health problems from inhaling silica include,
- Silicosis: lung disease due to inhalation of silica dust
- Permanent lung damage
- Difficulty breathing
- Trachea scarring
- And lung cancer
The Solution: Introducing The Beam
Meet the Beam, a cannabis concentrates vaporization device that uses light to heat extracts instead of metal components. With this ingenious device, no metals ever come in contact with the cannabis product, and it keeps temperatures below 420 degrees. The Beam uses high-quality, fully-cured ceramic that is inert and safe.
Standard cartridges allow for terpenes and other compounds to be heated repeatedly before they are inhaled. The Beam, on the other hand, only heats the material being vaporized during each session. Scheduled to launch on November 16th, The Beam will be available to the general public soon!
Technology advances like these continue to evolve the way we consume cannabis. The rapid increase in innovation only leaves one to wonder where will this technology take us in another five to ten years?


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Tesla’s upcoming Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai appears to be attracting a lot of interest among China’s workers, with a recent recruitment day for the facility attracting a larger-than-expected number of applicants. Videos taken of the job fair show long lines of interested candidates waiting their turn to submit their applications for the factory.
Local media reports noted that Tesla’s job fair, which was held at the Lingang Industrial Zone, was initially set to end at 3:30 p.m. local time. To accommodate the number of candidates applying for a post in Gigafactory 3, though, Tesla ended up extending its hiring hours. Several applicants interviewed by local media also pointed out that they took the effort of traveling to Shanghai to apply for a job in the upcoming Tesla facility.
Update (Video) about:
Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory held a job fair in the Lingang Industrial Zone. As you can see from the video provided by Chinese media https://t.co/CmnfB7Cj1u ，huge amount candidates are interested to join $TSLA for GF3 development.#Tesla #China #TeslaChina pic.twitter.com/mSZxyf5S5w
— Vincent (@vincent13031925) November 30, 2018
The warm reception to Tesla’s recent job fair in Shanghai bodes well for Gigafactory 3’s development. Tesla, after all, announced in its third-quarter vehicle delivery and production report that it is expediting the construction of the factory, which is expected to be capable of producing both battery packs and electric vehicles. In its report, Tesla noted that it expects Gigafactory 3’s buildout to be quick and efficient, particularly as the company would be applying the lessons it learned during the Model 3 production ramp on the facility.
Tesla’s business in China has been challenged this year due to additional import tariffs placed by the government against vehicles imported abroad. Despite this, though, Tesla’s brand has remained strong in the country, partly due to its reputation as the manufacturer of some of the most desirable electric vehicles in the market. Amidst China’s aggressive plan of adopting electric cars in its key cities, Tesla’s place as one of the first movers in the EV industry appears to be valued by the country as well.
The development and progress of Gigafactory 3 has been remarkable so far, thanks in part to the Chinese government’s support for the project. Over the past months, state media has run multiple segments about how the state fully supports the construction of the factory. This support became quite evident when China made the rare decision to allow Tesla to become the sole owner of Gigafactory 3. The electric car maker’s bid for the 864,885-square meter plot of land in Shanghai’s Lingang area went unchallenged by any rival bidders as well. Apart from these, low-interest loans from local banks were also secured quickly, with local news site Beijing Business Daily noting that around 30% of the facility’s funds have been ready since October.
China has agreed to reduce and remove tariffs on cars coming into China from the U.S. Currently the tariff is 40%.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Apart from the apparent high interest among job applicants for Gigafactory 3, Tesla’s business would likely see a notable boost this quarter, thanks to changing headwinds in the ongoing US-China trade war. In a recent tweet, US President Donald Trump suggested that China has agreed to “reduce and remove” import tariffs on vehicles coming in from the United States. Considering that Tesla’s electric cars are weighed down by a 40% tariff, the reduction or removal of the duties would likely result in better Q4 figures.
Tesla has ambitious plans for Gigafactory 3, with the company aiming to produce up to 500,000 electric vehicles every year once construction is complete. Two of the company’s high-volume vehicles, the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y SUV, are expected to be produced in the upcoming facility, which would specifically cater to the Chinese market.


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PAKISTAN lifted a nearly two-year old ban on Indian sugar and cotton imports, government sources said, a step towards reviving suspended trade between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Council, a top decision-making body, on Wednesday (31) allowed the private sector to import 0.5 million tonnes of white sugar as Islamabad tries to keep soaring domestic prices in check, government officials said.
Pakistani buyers have already started making inquiries about buying Indian sugar and cotton, which is being offered at lower prices than supplies from other countries, five dealers said.
“Enquiries for sugar and cotton are going on for price checking,” said the India head of a global trading firm, who declined to be identified due to company policy.
Pakistan has been looking to tap the international market for sugar, floating two tenders for 50,000 tonnes in the last month. It rejected bids on both tenders in March.
The first tender offer was priced at $540.10 per tonne on a cost and freight basis (C&F) and the second at $544.10 tonne, European traders said.
India is offering sugar at a discount compared to supplies from Thailand, said a dealer with global trading firm.
“Pakistani traders have been buying Indian sugar through their offices in Dubai for Afghanistan. If Pakistan allows imports from India, they will unload shipments in Pakistan,” the dealer said.


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Syrian migrants residing in Turkey have been making over $5 million worth of exports to their home country daily, the head of their trade association has said. "We export mainly food products to Syria via the border gates of Cilvegözü and Öncüpınar, worth over $5 million a day. Our aim is to meet the daily need for food in Syria. We plan to increase our exports as well, thus bringing foreign exchange revenue to Turkey, which has hosted us since the beginning of the civil war in Syria," said Taher Ahmad Kasem, the head of the Syrian Trade and Industry Chamber in Turkey.
He noted that the association, which was established some 21 months ago near the southeastern district of Reyhanlı, now has 600 members, adding that they plan to open branches in the southern provinces of Mersin and Gaziantep.
Kasem said the association made the required applications to export granulated sugar to Syria from Turkey and hopes to receive approval. Saying that Turkish companies could import cotton, cumin, lentils and beans from Syria with the permission of the Customs and Trade Ministry, Kasem added that the same permissions should be offered to Syrian companies as well.


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Eindhoven, September 7, 2016 - DLL, global provider of asset-based financial solutions, delivered a robust commercial and operational performance for the first half of 2016. The company’s focus on partnerships, dedicated industry knowledge, a balanced spread of activities across geographic regions and disciplined risk management led to continued strong and healthy results.
DLL recorded a net profit before minority interest of EUR 297 (USD 331) million in the first six months of 2016, representing an increase of 15.6% compared to the same period in 2015. “Our first-half results continue to validate our business strategy, as well as our unrelenting focus on customer satisfaction and business development with the manufacturers, distributors and dealers who choose to partner with DLL around the world”, said Bill Stephenson, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board.
Focus on vendor finance
Earlier this year, DLL announced an agreement to sell its automotive leasing unit, Athlon, to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Nederland B.V., part of the Daimler Financial Services global network. The sale transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, and will allow DLL to direct the majority of its resources, investments and innovation toward its leading global vendor finance business.
DLL is active in more than 35 countries, across four continents and is focused on supporting a select group of industry sectors, including food, agriculture, healthcare, clean technology, construction, industrial, transportation and office technology. During the first half of 2016, DLL realized strong commercial results, with originations growing across all sectors on a year over year basis.
The company’s managed portfolio grew by an impressive 4.7% compared to the same period in 2015, and totals EUR 38.36 (USD 42.6) billion. The portfolio balance will be adjusted downward following completion of the sale of the Athlon automotive leasing unit, giving DLL further strategic flexibility with regards to the management of its global vendor finance business.
“DLL will continue to focus on the business of our partners, specializing in their markets and helping them sell more products and services with finance and leasing,” commented Stephenson. “By providing new and innovative digital tools to our partners and a top notch customer experience, all delivered by an empowered and engaged workforce, we will continue to differentiate ourselves in a growing, highly competitive market.”


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July 29, 2016
Earlier today, the president signed S. 764 into law: a Federal level law that stipulates that the Secretary of Agriculture is to decide on a mandatory nation wide standard by which all foods derived from sources which have been modified by in vitro recombinant DNA techniques will be labeled. Biotechnology advocates have largely opposed any Bill which unjustifiably singles out one particular breeding method for mandatory labeling (either Federally or at the State level).
Although this Bill was intended to be a compromise, the new Bill will not satisfy GE food opponents, simply because it won’t be conspicuous enough for them to easily construe them as warning labels.
They argue that the proposed labeling methods won’t convey any real information. They are actually correct about that, but not for the reasons they likely believe. The truth is that no policy of mandatory GMO labeling would convey any objectively relevant information. It’s really just a double standard which singles out one breeding method out of many on the basis of a manufactroversy propagated by anti-science activists and organic industry marketing, and further spread by unwitting consumers who’ve been duped by the hype.
I’ve outlined what I take to be the most important of the numerous flaws in the reasoning behind the mandatory GE food labeling movement here.
The Vermont labeling Bill has not had the effect that its proponents likely desired. It has resulted in fewer food choices for Vermont shoppers. This is an issue opponents of the law warned would be problematic if a patchwork of illogical and/or inconsistent State Level labeling laws were permitted to exist.
As readers of this blog are most likely aware, there is an international scientific consensus on GE foods which stipulates that
1). All the currently approved commercially available crops that have been brought about via modern molecular genetic engineering techniques are at least as safe to consume (and are at least as safe for the environment) as their corresponding non-GE counterparts.
2). There is nothing about the process of modern genetic engineering that makes unpredicted dangers any more intrinsically likely than would be the case with other methods of altering an organism’s genome (I.e. Selective breeding radiation mutagenesis, polyploidy or wide cross hybridization).
Insofar as point one is concerned, there is a tremendous amount of evidence to corroborate that conclusion, and an international scientific consensus based on it (citations to many studies, reports and systematic reviews, as well as position statements from numerous credible scientific organizations are hyperlinked within).
Despite the science, many anti-GMO activists and organic industry front groups have pushed for a law which singles out GE for a mandatory label, despite the fact that has been shown to introduce the fewest off target DNA changes of any currently used method of altering a plant’s genome, and despite their end products being the most tested and heavily regulated category of foods in the entire food supply.
They’ve tried to demonize GE through a variety of tactics, including the use of emotive propaganda imagery, shedding doubt on the legitimacy of the science through the use of evidence-free conspiracy hypotheses, and have even resorted to attacking independent scientists and science communicators for conveying the state of the mainstream scientific position on the subject, and vandalizing both GE test crops and family farmers’ personal crops. They even produce bad studies, sometimes even fraudulent ones, under the pretense of “independent science” (often published pay-to-play predatory journals) which contradicts the thousands of other studies. In some cases these so-called “independent” studies are fraught with undisclosed conflicts of interest.
These are all common tactics employed in several areas of science denialism, from opponents of vaccine science, water fluoridation and GE foods, to AGW denial, evolution denial and young earth creationism.
Several GE food opponents have come to realize that pretending that GE foods are more dangerous than their non-GMO counterparts will be a losing battle so long as there are people in the world who can follow the science. So, instead they take a “right to know” approach to their argument. They ask “if GMOs are so safe, why won’t you label them?”
Framing the debate in this way allows mandatory labeling proponents to set up a useful catch-22. Before mandatory labeling laws, they get to ask loaded questions such as “If they’re so safe, why don’t you label them?” After the implementation of mandatory labeling laws, they get to ask “If they’re so safe, why did they need to be labeled?” The answer to the former question is because mandatory food labels are supposed to be for information pertinent to consumers making food choices conducive to health and nutrition. The answer to the latter question is that they DIDN’T need to be labeled.
We already have voluntary labeling, but we don’t generally make a label mandatory unless it has some kind of objectively defensible relevance to the consumer (I.e. Health, nutrition, safety etc). Genetic engineering is a process: not an ingredient, and from an objective scientific point of view, breeding method is irrelevant to health and safety. Consequently, considering how thoroughly biotech opponents have flooded the internet with propaganda misinformation against GE foods, mandatory labels could easily be misinterpreted as a warning. It would mislead people into thinking it denoted some kind of pertinent difference in safety and/or nutrition between GE foods, conventional, and organic foods, when that is simply not the case.
The bottom line is that singling out GE out of all the other breeding methods to push irrational labeling mandates is an ideological position, not an evidence based one. There is not even one single valid argument for forced labeling of GE foods that doesn’t equally pertain to non-GE crops.
Instead, my view is that we should take an approach with GMOs that perfectly parallels the way we handle Halal and Kosher foods. We permit retailers to use Kosher, Halal and GMO-Free as voluntary labels for marketing purposes, because all three are based on ideological belief systems, rather than any scientifically defensible bearing on health.
That way, the burden of cost is placed on the people who want something for ideological reasons, and that allows food companies to voluntarily target that niche market if they so choose instead of passing the extra costs of regulation on to customers who don’t want illogical policies driven by mob rule.
However, this current labeling Bill is a compromise. If nothing else, it will at least mitigate the problems with interstate commerce that would be created by having a patchwork of state-level labeling laws.


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Her image may have revolved around sex on several occasions during her illustrious career, but it seems Madonna would rather buy a new pair of Jimmy Choos than enjoy a little bedroom action, according to the famous shoe designer.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said the singer once told him she finds slipping on a pair of his heels more satisfying than having sex with a man.
“At least you know they are going to last forever,” the 51-year-old had remarked.
Her comments make quite a turnaround from previous announcements about her sex life with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
Madonna had boasted that despite several years of marriage and taking care of children, the pair still enjoyed plenty of nookie.
But she may not be the only woman in the world who would take a new pair of shoes over sex.
According to a recent survey by shoe storage retailer tszuji.co.uk, more then 92% of women remember the first footwear they bought with their own money, while just 63% remember their first kiss.


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- Robinhood is experimenting with cryptocurrency wallets with chosen clients in the following weeks to let traders and investors receive, send and more crypto in and out of the Robinhood app.
- The move comes as digital currency makes up a growingly big portion of the revenue of the Robinhood app.
- Share of the app rose 10.9 percent on Wednesday.
- In recent weeks, a number of users of the app have taken to Instagram, Facebook etc., to complain that through utilizing the app, they had exposure to the values of crypto but not real ownership of the crypto themselves.
Robinhood app is debuting a feature that provides traders better control over digital currencies in its newest development in cryptocurrency.
According to the company’s blog post released 22 September, the recently public brokerage is doing a test on a crypto wallet with chosen clients in the following weeks. The crypto wallet will enable traders to trade, receive and send cryptocurrencies as well as move them inside and outside of the app.
There was a continued increase in the shares of Robinhood amounting to 10.9 percent yesterday. In few weeks, many users, most especially traders of Dogecoin, have taken to social media platforms to protest that by making use of this app as the broker, they had contact to the prices of the coin but not real ownership of the digital coins themselves.
According to Aparna Chennapraga, chief product officer of Robinhood, they are not the first to this market in a phone interview with CNBC. They have been taking their time to ensure that they develop this in a phased method. He also stated that some clients come in, iterate on the product, acquires the clients’ feedback, and then expand from there.
Specific clients will start trying the product. The app will share its advice and criticism over its blog on social media sites, said chief product officer, who spent twelve years at Google leading product, design teams and engineering prior to partaking in Robinhood. Eventually, the rollout will let patrons on a waistline participate.
Robinhood Is Indeed A Growing Digital Coins Firm
The start-up debuted coins trading a few years ago; however, it is turned out to be more and more vital to the company’s top line. Over half of the company’s dealings–based profit last few years came from trading digital coins. That is up from only three percent a year earlier.
The new crypto wallets will allow patrons to consolidate their cryptocurrencies into a single account. Customers can trade, receive and send coins to and from other digital wallet addresses. Other companies like Gemini and Coinbase provide this feature. According to Bloomberg News, Robinhood plans to roll out this new feature in the beta version of the cryptocurrency trading app.
Digital coins like Bitcoin have seen quick volatility since BTC reached an all-time high a few months ago, among more issues about rules and regulation. Digital currencies dived together with the broader market Monday, with BTC ending about seven percent lower. The decline results in recurring arguments on whether the bitcoin should or can serve as a safe-haven asset. In recent years, BTC has shown more of a propensity to dip with wider markets.
What is more, Robinhood stated that the latest feature which enables the set up of recurring coins investment is live on the app. They can schedule commission-free coin purchases for only one dollar. Crypto broker’s move comes as coins are under scrutiny from the SEC, specifically Gary Gensler, the chairman. A few days ago, he assured lawmakers that top regulators are working to make a set of regulations to watch the volatile market of coins while balancing the interest of innovators in the US.
According to Gensler, at present, they just don’t have adequate investor security in issuance, finance, trading as well as a lending of digital currency. At this point, it is like the Old World of buyers aware that existed prior to the securities rules was enacted.
According to Robinhood, digital wallets will have many security features, which include multifactor authentication, identity verification, phone and email verification to keep currencies secure from hackers. The company is aligned with its regulators and the Security and Exchange Commission to ensure that they’re working on this with learning tools, safety and protection.
ChesWorkShop commits to presenting fair and reliable information on subjects including cryptocurrency, finance, trading, and stocks. However, we do not have the capacity to offer financial guidance, advocating instead for users to conduct their own diligent research.


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October 10, (THEWILL) – To ensure that its clients get the utmost safety, privacy and luxurious experience, AvanteFly has launched its Mobile Application with adequate features for private Jet, helicopter, luxury car charters, hotels and executive spaces bookings
AvanteFly is a United Kingdom and Nigerian Corporation gaining entry into the African space with the goal of facilitating luxury travel and lifestyle management for corporate executives, high net worth Individuals and individuals seeking a special luxury experience.
Unveiled recently at Mariott Hotel, Ikeja, AvanteFly Mobile App is the first African real-time aviation mobile application that utilises real time data, distance, and time to automate private air charter bookings and payments. This eliminates avoidable delays using manual quotes and lack of visibility in booking fees usually experienced in the private aviation industry.
According to the company, the app is for people desiring the exclusivity of private travel, while AvanteFly is focused on unparalleled commitment to providing a range of services from flight chartering to ground transportation, hotels and other types of executive spaces.
Speaking at the launch, AvanteFly’s Founder and CEO, Brian Okonkwo, said, “The AvanteFly mobile App is focused on providing value to our members without compromising on privacy, safety, reliability and a luxurious experience. Let’s revolutionize the way you access and experience air travel. It’s a world of possibilities.
“At its core, AvanteFly is a benefit corporation and launching an exclusive charter and lifestyle management company is timely, especially for the African market.
AvanteFly offers four levels of membership to meet our clients’ needs.
“These four levels are Garnet, Jadeite, Blue diamond and Black Diamond. Members take advantage of all exclusive add-ons, such as empty legs, priority boarding on shared flights, access to executive lounges and others. Also available to members are 14 additional services, which include private banking, global mobility (citizenship by investment), family office, luxury goods sourcing and much more.
The AvanteFly team provides real time booking support (24/7) with a dedicated Personal Lifestyle Manager assigned to every member. AvanteFly members earn Membership Points with each successful booking and can also access promotional discounts available on bookings.”
Commending the initiative, a former Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Engr Benedict Adeleyika, advised all Nigerian operators to take advantage of the platform.
He also advised the company to adhere to the local content policy of the government in terms of manpower development.
“We need to do things locally, even if it is 30 per cent local content. AvanteFly is commendable”.
Similarly, MD/CEO, Ezuma Jet, Capt David Augustine said Nigerians have not scratched the surface of private jet industry, as much is yet to be done, adding that AvanteFly has come up with the right time and strategy.
The Managing Director and CEO of Jewest Mobility, Mr Dikko Nwachukwu, observed that AvanteFly would curb frictions created by middlemen since the app would afford members of the executive an ample opportunity to do their flight bookings by themselves.
“AvanteFly is a great platform. It is important for the future of future travels. It gives confidence for brand building also,” Nwachukwu said.


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The retailer had already stopped using airbrushing in its swimwear ads, but said that it was now applying the ban to all its marketing.
The department store is taking the stance after publication of several studies suggesting that school girls want to lose weight partly because of the portrayal of women in ads.
Sharon Webb, Debenhams' head of lingerie buying and design, said: "We want to help customers feel confident about their figures without bombarding them with unattainable body images.
"As well as being a positive from a moral point of view, it ticks the economic boxes as well. Millions of pounds a year are spent by organisations retouching perfectly good images."
Debenhams' move has been welcomed by fashion commentator Caryn Franklin, who said: "Retailers have the power to take a stance on digital manipulation, so I'm delighted that Debenhams has taken the lead here. Customer feedback will no doubt validate this important step."
Debenhams said that its in-house ad designers would no longer use techniques such as digitally skimming arms and legs, flattening stomachs, slimming waists and removing underarm creases.
It follows the recent news that H&M drew the ire of Beyonce after she discovered it had photo-shopped images of her wearing its swimwear, following a modelling deal signed with the singer in March.
Research by the Schools Health Education Unity published last year found that 58% of female school pupils aged 14 to15 wanted to lose weight and that around 25% were missing breakfast to do so.


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British Airways said that the data breach it first reported in September is larger than previously thought. It has added an additional 185,000 victims to the official tally.
The airline said that hackers may have stolen personal data connected to an additional 77,000 payment cards, including name, billing address, email address and card payment information – including card number, expiry date and CVV. And, it uncovered a further 108,000 cards that were exposed without CVV.
In the plus column, of the 380,000 payment cards originally thought to be compromised, only 244,000 of those were actually affected, upon investigation. The net total for the entire breach now stands at 429,000.
The impacted customers were those using their air miles to book flights on the website between April 21 and July 28 of this year, and who used a payment card.
“While we do not have conclusive evidence that the data was removed from British Airways’ systems, we are taking a prudent approach in notifying potentially affected customers, advising them to contact their bank or card provider as a precaution,” the airline said in a website notice. “Crucially, we do not have any verified cases of fraud.”
The breach is believed to have been carried out by the Magecart group, which specializes in e-commerce attacks. According to RiskIQ researchers last month, there were suspicious scripts on the baggage claim information page of the British Airways’ website – which then collected data from visitors and sent it back to the threat actors’ server.
Yonathan Klijnsma, threat researcher with RiskIQ, told Threatpost at the time that the campaign can be attributed to Magecart with “medium-high confidence.”
“Magecart since 2017 has been running a campaign very similar to what happened to British Airways,” he said. “They’ve been setting up infrastructure to mimic victims or they would simply mimic ad or analytics providers to blend in. The British Airways attack was just an extension of that attack in our eyes.”
The news comes on the heels of Cathay Pacific admitting this week that “unauthorized personnel” accessed the personal data for up to 9.4 million passengers, including their passport numbers, along with a small amount of card information.
“Airline customers by their nature travel a lot, so location-based usage on their credit cards is difficult to predict,” said Matthew Aldridge, senior solutions architect at Webroot. “This gives fraudsters a greater chance of successful transactions being made with the stolen card data. Similarly, travel history could be used to place fraudulent transactions at locations that have actually been visited by the cardholder.”
He also pointed out that personal data also goes hand-in-hand with booking a ticket – also attractive to thieves.
“Airlines keep a lot of sensitive personal data on their customers, which can include things like passport numbers, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses,” he said. “This information can be of great use in future identity theft attacks.”


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Which long-awaited Rockstar sequel can you least bear to wait for at this point? Red Dead Redemption 2? Max Payne 4? Bully 2? Seemingly, the latter of these is next on the menu. The studio's parent company Take-Two Interactive has filed a new trademark with the European Union trademarks and designs office for the emblem of Bully's decrepit educational institution, Bullworth Academy, in a clear indication that the IP has some sort of future.
Taken out on 20th November, the emblem carries the inscription, "Bully Bullworth Academy: Canis Canem Edit". "Canis Canem Edit" - Latin for "dog eat dog" - was the PS2 original's title in PAL regions.
A quick glance at the United States Patent and Trademark Office database reveals that Take-Two filed an application to update its "Bully" trademark on 25th July 2013. Alas, as of 1st November the company appears to be in difficulties - the USPTO has refused its latest application on the grounds that it clashes with another trademark, "Bully in a Box", which covers downloadable games and books "relating to mitigating and preventing bullying". The irony, etc.
According to a CV discovered in October, Rockstar is working on the "next version of a famous IP", which has been in development since September 2010. The developer has told fans to "stay tuned" for news about the future of both Bully and Red Dead Redemption. Let's hope an announcement isn't too far off - perhaps at E3 2014, Rockstar?
Thanks to JunkieMonkeys for spotting the EU trademark.


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Nigerians Are ‘Ordering Pizza From London And Using British Airways To Deliver It’
In what’s the most Bernard Manning-esque headline to be sent my way since the days of Bernard Manning, apparently people in Nigeria are ordering pizza from London and using British Airways to deliver pizza.
Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria’s Minister for Agriculture, 71, made the ‘woah there mate’ inducing revelation as he addressed the Senate Committee on Agriculture in Abuja.
Mr Ogbeh complained Nigerians are ‘using their cellphones to import pizza from London’, Metro reports.
He expressed concern over the nation’s importation of goods exceeding the exportation.
Anyone to immediately ask ‘Why London?’, I lived there for years and miss my regular trips to Franco Manca, Homeslice and ICCo as payday neared.
Mr Ogbeh said:
They buy in London, they bring it on British Airways in the morning to pick up at the airport.
It is a very annoying situation and we have to move a lot faster in cutting down some of these things.
The Nigerian administration is looking to curb the importation of goods, which they say is damaging the country.
Mr Ogbeh described the country as ‘a nation of importers’, highlighting spends of $18 million on toothpicks and $400 million on tomato paste each year.
Meanwhile, a basket of tomatoes is less than n2,000 [around £4.26]. The farmers are losing money because the processors do not have enough funds to set up factories.
Two factories have started off. I am sure by the end of next year we can comfortably tell the importers of tomato paste to stop.
The Agriculture Minister’s comments have been met with mixed reaction on Twitter.
One person wrote:
If we can hire foreign coaches and order FOREIGN PIZZA, why can’t we RENT FOREIGN LEADERS from China or Finland to build Nigeria?
Audu Ogbeh is one of the shameless elders who put Nigeria where she is. A man whose boss spent 6 months in London, and he saw nothing wrong with it. Instead, the French graduate agri minister falsely accuses Nigerians of ordering pizza from London via @British_Airways #RenosDarts
One highlighted the impact of the delivery practice:
An example of how air travel is being abused in a way that is totally inconsistent with the need to curb global carbon emissions. Pizzas being shipped from London to Nigeria by plane… This is just wrong
With all these issues raised, has no one thought about what the pizza would taste like after sitting on a flight for six-and-a-half hours?
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]


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Castlereagh Borough Council's last Christmas tree-mendous relief for town
Castlereagh Borough Council will cease to exist early next year, and that cannot be soon enough for the residents of Carryduff, who are fed up with the Scrooge-like behaviour of the council every Christmas. It has refused for eight years to erect a Christmas tree in the central shopping area, instead placing it outside a leisure centre on the outskirts of the town.
In April the area will come under the new Lisburn and Castlereagh super council, and surely it will adopt a more sensible approach, trying to reach accommodation with its own ratepayers.
A local businessman has played Santa this year and put up a tree in the shopping area.
That is the true spirit of Christmas - and Castlereagh councillors should learn from it.


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UNDATED (WSAU) Annual car sales plunged by 46-percent in Wisconsin over the last decade. According to Cross-Sell Incorporated, 172-thousand new vehicles were registered in the state last year. That’s down from almost 320-thousand registered in 2000. And in Metro Milwaukee, industry figures show a 48-percent decline in annual sales during the period.
The recession is mostly to blame, as unemployment rose and credit became harder to get. Also, quality has improved – and that’s letting buyers delay their next vehicle purchases. It’s put a big toll on jobs in Wisconsin, as General Motors closed in Janesville and Chrysler is expected to shut down in Kenosha this year. Parts’ suppliers have also dried up. And the Urban Science research group says 107 dealerships have closed in Wisconsin over the past decade – 56 of them since the start of 2008.
Milwaukee’s Johnson Controls, the world’s largest maker of car batteries and car seats, went into the red last year and ended 62 straight years of sales records. It closed 19 plants worldwide and cut 14-thousand jobs. But Johnson expects a turnaround to begin soon. It predicts a 24-percent increase this year in North American auto production, to around 10-million vehicles. Last year’s production was the lowest since 1961.


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Wells Fargo analysts think investors have become overly focused on the fact that May U.S. boat sales were down without considering several underlying nuances “skewing May data.”
“May U.S. retail unit sales data from Statistical Surveys Inc. perhaps has created the most cross-currents among investors in recent memory,” Wells Fargo senior analyst Timothy Conder wrote in a report.
But the data are based on 27 states and later-reporting states are added into the data about 2-1/2 months after the end of a quarter, Conder wrote.
Also, a decline in yacht unit sales from Delaware, a state that sees a large portion of offshore non-U.S. resident yacht registrations, resulted in the 17.4 percent inboard fiberglass segment decline.
“Within the industry, questions have been raised if non-residents simply are not registering product that is sold, due to increased U.S. government scrutiny of offshore residents and nonresidents,” he said.
April through July are historically key months for U.S. boat retail, accounting for 59 percent of sales.
“However, given adverse weather in Q2 2013, retail sales did not begin to kick in until July and then continued through early October,” Conder said in his report.
Year-to-date sales in 2014 are stronger despite challenges and “clearly appear to be positively accelerating throughout June,” he said.
“Our industry lending sources indicate that U.S. June retail boat unit sales have been stronger than expected, accelerating as the month progressed, including the upper Midwest and Northeast areas most impacted year-to-date by weather,” Conder wrote. “It appears that 2014 could be setting up similar to 2013, which saw strong retail sales during Q3 2013 following Q2 2013 weather-related challenges.”
The company still projects industry sales to be up overall about 8 or 9 percent in the traditional powerboat segment, while ski and wake boats and PWC will each likely see low double-digit growth.
Of the powersports companies Wells Fargo covers, Brunswick Corp. represents the best value, Conder said.


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Meta has announced the launch of Meta AI in South Africa with built-in Llama 3 on WhatsApp. This is a leapfrog step for…
The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) and tech innovation accelerator Sw7 will host two UK ‘Deal Makers’ to share their experience with local entrepreneurs. The programme will take place from 14 to 18 of November in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The event is designed to help sustainable, early-stage companies and entrepreneurs who wish to expand internationally.
Stephen Mooney (CEO of Synoptic Technologies) and Anthony Sheehan (founder and CEO of Near You Now) are part of UK’s Global Entrepreneur Programme, which is a project run by the country’s government.
“The UK is a massive technology market, in excess of ten times the size of our [South Africa] market, and many times higher than that in many digital sectors,” says co-founder of Sw7, Keith Jones in a press release to Ventureburn.
The event aims to offer advice and tips for local entrepreneurs hoping to make it big overseas
“The marginal time zone difference, common language and relatively easy access to market and funding make this an obvious target market for businesses looking to expand internationally.”
“Brexit has significantly increased the appetite for international trade partners. It is a good time to be looking internationally,” he continues.
In addition to the event, a ‘Business Expansion’ master class will be held by Mooney and Sheehan at GIBS.
“Our ‘dealmakers’ are coming to South Africa to advise and mentor entrepreneurs who are already successful here in South Africa and are now looking to expand their business overseas,” says the UK Government’s trade director for SA, Emma Wade-Smith.
“We hope that the support and information that the UK dealmakers have to offer will help South African entrepreneurs make the decision to join thousands of others from around the world in choosing the UK as the location from which to set up their global venture,” concludes Wade-Smith.
For more information and registration for the event, visit the Sw7 website.


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O'Brien Tire marks 75th year in business
O'Brien Tire & Service Center has been a fixture in Granite City, Ill., since 1932.
The single-location dealership officially celebrated its 75th anniversary last week, co-owner Mark Buenger told moderntiredealer.com.
The company's founder, Jim O'Brien, "started with $132 in inventory and $100 in the bank," says Buenger.
Buenger and his brother, Scott, took control of O'Brien Tire 15 years ago after their father, Earl, retired. (Earl acquired the company in 1971, buying it from Bruce Marler, who originally bought it from Jim O'Brien.)
The seven-bay outlet sells Cooper, Bridgestone, Firestone and Hankook brand tires.


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Craft beer poured on Capitol Hill at Holiday event.
Caption: Craft beer poured on Capitol Hill at Holiday event-David Rehr, president of the National Beer Wholesalers Association, and Daniel Bradford, president of the Brewers' Association of America recently served as co-sponsors of the first "Capitol Hill Holiday Beer Tasting" for members and staffers of the both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The BAA brought together 14 U.S. small breweries to showcase their holiday beer and their flagship beer for approximately 500 attendees. The food and facilities for the December tasting were organized by the NBWA. "We are hoping to infect the political community with American small brewers' passion and skill," commented BAA President Daniel Bradford. "When it comes to thinking about beer issues, we hope they will find themselves thinking of our small businesses and our great beers." More photos of the event are on Page?
|Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback|
|Title Annotation:||Capital Hill Holiday Beer Tasting event|
|Publication:||Modern Brewery Age|
|Article Type:||Brief Article|
|Date:||Jan 20, 2003|
|Previous Article:||Miller Brewing Co.|
|Next Article:||Capitol Hill Holiday beer tasting. (Weekly Specialty Beer Report).|


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Cash flow issues
2,000 construction firms at risk as support ends
Construction workers facing uncertainty (Shivendu Shukla)
On in ten construction firms or sub-contractors in Scotland – equal to more than 2,000 companies – could be forced out of business as temporary protection measures introduced during the pandemic are withdrawn, says a restructuring specialist.
Those safeguards, including restrictions on winding-up processes and the suspension of wrongful trading rules, have likely prevented a significant number of business failures, says Blair Milne, head of restructuring at Azets in Scotland.
Mr Milne, head of restructuring at Azets in Scotland and a specialist on the construction sector, is warning that the withdrawal of this support comes on top of the introduction of new VAT and IR35 taxation rules.
Sub-contractors are expected to be disproportionately affected with many businesses and sub-contractors under pressure to continue trading.
There are around 21,000 construction businesses in Scotland employing 143,000.
Blair Milne: cash flow pressure
Explaining the new VAT and IR35 rules, Mr Milne said: “The VAT reverse charge system introduced on 1 March this year means that VAT must now be paid directly to HMRC by the main contractors rather than be passed down the supply chain to sub-contractors.
“Many sub-contractors will have previously used VAT to assist with their cash flow prior to their quarterly VAT return. This cash flow benefit is now being removed in its entirety and many small businesses or contractors will not have the reserves to continue trading.
“Cash flow pressure will be further impacted for many following the new IR35 legislation which will require more contractors to pay tax and NIC directly from their pay.


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BIÑAN CITY, Laguna - The city government has introduced a new mobile app to boost contact-tracing efforts and help curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
On Wednesday (Aug. 5), residents, business owners, and those working in Biñan were encouraged to download and register in an app called BinD360.
The app works by assigning a personal QR code to every registrant, which can be scanned by other BinD360 users they interact with. The app can also be used to scan QR codes of business establishments they visit. In this regard, the Establishment QR code should be displayed at the entrance of the participating establishment.
To assist users, there is a BinD360 Mobile App Facebook page, "created to be an online forum discussions and other related topics on the developed contact tracing app of the City of Biñan. This Forum will create opportunities and troubleshooting of the current versions of the BinD360 App.
The app is currently available for Android and Huawei users, and soon for Apple devices.
As of Aug. 5, the city has recorded 761 confirmed cases, with 402 recoveries and 23 deaths. As per Laguna Provincial Health Office's Aug. 4 count, Biñan has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the province, next to Santa Rosa City.


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Netflix Fires Another 300 Employees as Subscriptions Wane
The downsizing accounts for roughly four percent of its workforce
Published Jun 23, 2022After axing 150 employees back in May, Netflix has announced an additional 300 jobs lost today as its subscriptions — and shares value — continue to fall.
The latest round of terminations follows the company having reported a 35 percent drop in shares back in April — their biggest drop in more than a decade.
It also coincides with the streamer's announcement that it will be introducing an ad-supported, cheaper tier subscription for people who think regular Netflix is too expensive, and "don't mind advertising," as CEO Ted Sarandos put it, speaking with Sway podcast host Kara Swisher on the Cannes Lions stage today, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Netflix offered the following statement about the downsizing: "While we continue to invest significantly in the business, we made these adjustments so that our costs are growing in line with our slower revenue growth," adding that the company would continue to hire in other areas [as reported by BBC].
The company's shortcomings have inspired rumours of a takeover, which Sarandos said "is always a reality, so we have to be wide-eyed about that," while assuring that there is "plenty of scale and profitability and free cashflow to continue to grow this business."
While at Cannes, the CEO also doubled down on his support for Dave Chappelle and his Netflix-backed comedy special The Closer, which attracted criticism (and later, employee walkouts) for its transphobic jokes.
"We won't make everyone happy, but that's the beauty of on-demand: you can turn it off," Sarandos said, apparently unaware of the irony. "The reason comedy is hard is we don't all laugh at the same thing. We all cry at the same thing so drama is a little easier to pull off, but when it comes to comedy, it's all very different."
He added: "Part of the art form is to cross the line, and part of the art form means you only find where the line is by crossing it sometimes. Supporting expression is really important."