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Shackleton insisted that the expedition's banjo be rescued, famously calling out to his men: "We must have that banjo! It is vital mental medicine."
Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom (PRWEB UK) 22 August 2013
Norwich, UK business The Great British Banjo Company, has released the first video footage of the prototype of the new Shackleton banjo: the first large-scale production British-made banjo in 60 years.
The short video features an informal performance by three Norwich musicians, shot outside the company's Norwich city-centre workshop.
The prototype Shackleton banjo is played by Mike King from local band 'Hayley Moyses & The Bluegrass Forum', whilst the company's high-end Islander Ash Leaf banjo is played by local singer-songwriter Solomon Amos. The pair are accompanied by bluegrass band leader Hayley Moyses on fiddle.
Simon Middleton, founder and managing director of the company, said: "It's a pretty low-fi video – I shot it myself on my phone – but it captures the fantastic, bright and lively sound of The Shackleton, as well as the rich, mellow tone of the Islander Ash Leaf.
"We are delighted with how well the prototype is performing and we're very keen for people all over the world to hear it, even at this early stage of development," Middleton added.
"We really hope the video will encourage people to support us on our Kickstarter campaign."
The Great British Banjo Company – the Norwich, Norfolk-based business founded by brand author and musician Simon Middleton – has launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to fund the development of The Shackleton, which will be the only low-cost banjo that is genuinely manufactured in Britain, and the first production banjo to be manufactured in Britain for many decades.
The company is hoping to raise £30,000 on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter and has made a campaign film using local musical and film-making talent.
The firm has named the banjo in honour of the Centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton's heroic Endurance expedition to the Antarctic of 1914 – because the banjo that Shackleton took on that trip played a vital role in his epic adventure.
When his ship The Endurance was trapped in the polar ice and had to be abandoned, Shackleton insisted that the expedition's banjo be rescued, famously calling out to his men: "We must have that banjo! It is vital mental medicine."
Shackleton was proved right: he had to leave a party of 22 men on the icy shore of Elephant Island for four months while he led a small party to fetch help.
Those 22 men entertained themselves with concert parties led by their meteorologist Hussey, playing the banjo. All the men survived the ordeal, as did the banjo, which is now in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
In 2011 Middleton began selling imported banjos as Banjos Direct. Last year he launched The Great British Banjo Company in order to embark on a new adventure: to become the first production banjo manufacturer in the UK for sixty years.
Middleton, said: “We've already proved that we can build a world-class banjo. Our limited edition hand-made Islander Ash Leaf which we launched last year has had fantastic reviews from some of the greatest players in the world.
“We have launched a two month campaign to raise £30,000 on Kickstarter to enable us to bring our vision of an affordable British-made banjo to life.”
The Shackleton is a 5-string openback banjo of similar design to the Islander Ash Leaf which the company launched last year. But where the Islander Ash Leaf is a handcrafted (and therefore premium-priced) instrument, The Shackleton is a true 'production' instrument and as a result will be much more affordable for many more players.
The company intends to retail The Shackleton at £300, putting it into direct competition with imported instruments.
The Great British Banjo Company Limited, which also owns online specialist store Banjos Direct, is based in Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
The company works with local craftsmen as well as instrument manufacturers in other parts of Britain.
The business was founded by brand adviser, business author and musician Simon Middleton and has grown rapidly to become the UK's best known banjo specialist retailer and manufacturer.
In 2012, the company launched the Islander Ash Leaf banjo, hand-made in England, which has received glowing reviews from professional players in the UK and the USA.
The Great British Banjo Company is a private limited company, owned and managed by a small group of family and friends in Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
For further information, visit: http://www.thegreatbritishbanjocompany.com/.


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Wondering what stylish homes will look like next year? According to Pantone, the color authority turned trend forecaster, homeowners in the know will be flashing some fringe and
Tag: Home Decor
Halloween is just around the corner, which means costumes, candy and all manner of spooky and kooky holiday decor.
The Byrds famously sang, “to everything there is a season,” and that time has come for wallpaper.

domain: news


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AMD推出一款免费的物理渲染器Radeon ProRender，基于GPU加速，也支持OpenCL，同时会有3ds Max, Maya和SolidWorks，未来还会有Rhino和Cinema 4D版本。
官网：http://pro.radeon.com/en-us/rade ... g-soon-for-blender/
AMD has unveiled Radeon ProRender for Blender: a new version of its free physically accurate, GPU-based renderer for the popular open-source 3D modelling and animation software.
The company hasn’t announced a release date for the new plugin, which is mentioned in a blog post
on the official release of the Maya version of the software.
An open-source, OpenCL-based unbiased path tracing rendererOriginally named FireRender
, Radeon ProRender is an unbiased path tracing renderer with a standard basicset of features
It’s GPU-accelerated, and being based on OpenCL, should be compatible with any manufacturer’s hardware.
Plugin versions are currently available for 3ds Max, Maya, with SolidWorks in beta. The technology is being incorporated natively into the upcoming Rhino 6, and “over several release cycles
” of Cinema 4D.
Can Radeon ProRender outperform Blender’s native Cycles engine?AMD’s blog post doesn’t go into detail about the Blender version of ProRender, beyond the fact that it will also be a plugin, will be integrated into Blender’s viewport, and will come with its own material library.
However, as an open-source renderer based around open standards, it seems a natural fit for Blender.
The real question is whether ProRender will offer the feature set and performance required to persuade users to switch from Cycles, Blender’s existing – and well-established – GPU-based unbiased path tracer.
Cycles also supports OpenCL, although as the online documentation
makes clear, it’s still something of a second-class citizen compared to Nvidia’s proprietary CUDA API.


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The company has refrained from buying any rough diamonds from sources within Russia that are subject to international sanctions, starting in January 2023.
This commitment further cements SRK’s role in the diamond sector as a global leader in ESG.
The meeting provided an opportunity for business leaders to share their insights and policy recommendations on various business economic topics.
This unique initiative was driven by insights drawn from industry-wide research and survey conducted by Team Marksmen.
Igniting the change by being the spark at home: Leading Diamond Company organizes one-of-a-kind Sustainability Conclave.
"SRK’s dedication and commitment to sustainability is demonstrated through the membership of RJC."
"The RJC SDG Task Force is a significant global action platform that unites the industry to create meaningful and scalable impact."
SRK is highlighting its sustainable actions as it has always been a core principle embedded in our business philosophy, backed by a long-term vision of helping...
SRK is a pioneer in the diamond industry on net zero and ESG; the announcement reflects the brand’s commitment to raising the bar on the industry.
Organizations linked by a shared commitment to sustainability and solving humanity’s greatest challenges.
The company conducts 28th Multispeciality Medical Camp to provide free healthcare facilities to Tribal communities.
The camp saw enthusiastic participation, and more than 500 units of blood was collected from SRK personnel, including senior officials of the company.
The crafting facility has successfully achieved the score of 92/100 points.
SRK was officially recognised for this achievement through a Virtual Felicitation Event organized on 11th March, 2021.
They are extremely durable, and the best paper quality used will ensure its longevity.
INSTORE helps you become a better jeweler
with the biggest daily news headlines and useful tips.
(Mailed 5x per week.)


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Death Stranding is coming to PC early summer 2020, Kojima Productions announced on Twitter today. Right now, the game is arriving on PS4 November 8.
Here’s the tweet:
Sony is publishing Death Stranding, and it was announced as an exclusive for their PS4 console. Traditionally, Sony’s big games have stayed on the PS4, but lately, it looks like that’s changing. Some of these higher-interest games are apparently making their way onto PC after their PS4 debut, like Journey and Nioh.
Asked which store it will be sold on, publisher 505 Games would not answer at this time.


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Commerce is migrating to digital channels as more consumers and merchants use connected devices to shop, pay and get paid. At Visa, we could not be more excited to see this shift because for nearly 60 years we have worked to replace cash with more efficient, more secure forms of digital payments. That’s why we are pleased to announce the launch of Visa Developer, a new open platform that gives application developers access to Visa’s payments technology, products and services.
Visa Developer is designed for software developers at financial institutions, merchants and technology companies who are building the next generation of commerce experiences. Our goal is simple: Every time Visa account holders dip, swipe, click or wave to pay there is Visa technology ensuring payments are secure and convenient.
“We are unbundling Visa’s suite of products and services and giving developers access to the underlying payment capabilities,” says Rajat Taneja, Executive Vice President of Technology at Visa. “We believe this will lead to entirely new digital commerce experiences with Visa payment capabilities integrated and providing the security and convenience consumers have come to expect of Visa.”
How does it work?
Application developers can register now through the globally accessible Visa Developer Center and start to browse APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and documentation for some of Visa’s most popular digital payment technologies. They will be able to enhance their own applications or create new commerce experiences by integrating Visa APIs, and test their creation in the Visa Developer sandbox using Visa test data. Developers everywhere can now take advantage of Visa’s global reach, security and payments expertise to create easier, faster ways to shop, pay and get paid.
Let’s build together. Learn more at www.visa.com/developer.


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Many other vessels have decided to take their chances and circumvent the Suez Canal blockage by navigating around the Cape of Good Hope on the Southern tip of Africa.
The 5,500-mile diversion takes vessels traveling between Asia and Europe seven to 10 days longer and also involves a much higher fuel bill. The fact that ships are heading south underscores their importance as the lifeblood of global trade.
With the spotlight firmly on the shipping industry, which companies are responsible for transporting the most containers? While the industry is not a monopoly by any means, several key players do tend to dominate it.
A real-time ranking compiled by Alphaliner shows that Denmark-based APM Maersk has both the most vessels in operation and the highest cargo capacity of any shipping company. As of March 29, it had a fleet of 713 ships with a collective TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit or standard 6.1 meter-long shipping container) capacity of 4.1 million. Swiss international cargo company MSC comes second in the ranking with a TEU capacity of approximately 3.9 million while both COSCO and CMA-CGM follow with around 3 million each. The Evergreen Line that owns the ill-fated Ever Given has 197 ships in its fleet, according to Alphaliner, while its total TEU capacity comes to 1.3 million.


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The hair treatment industry is experiencing a downturn this year, and it is expected to continue to do so throughout 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, shops closed down and also many consumers feared coming to be contaminated when they touched the item packaging. According to Kantar, sales of hair treatment products are expected to decline by 4.1% this year, and also by 2020. On top of that, shipping delays and also decreases have actually lowered sales. Customers’ concern over the COVID-19 pandemic has actually impacted hair treatment sales, with the Economic Times reporting that worldwide maritime trade dropped by 4.1% as a result of the virus.
Components in hair treatment products
When it comes to selecting hair care items, it is essential to recognize what ingredients to prevent. Chemicals are not advised, and also parabens have actually been connected to cancer. Other common ingredients in hair care products are silicones, sulfates, cationic polymers, oils, as well as parabens. These active ingredients can have unfavorable effects on your body as well as are a great way to go environment-friendly without compromising your hair’s health.
Lots of customers are bothered with the ingredients in hair care products Due to the fact that some active ingredients are damaging, the solutions used to make these products have actually undertaken reformulation. Lots of natural hair care consumers avoided hair treatment items consisting of silicones, parabens, as well as sulfates, and manufacturers have also added additional tags to separate the products Some consumers believe that there are “excellent” items as well as “negative” ones, yet you need to know what each one does to your hair.
New components in hair care products
A growing number of consumer beauty companies are turning to innovative components for hair care products. The conventional shampoo and also rinse-off conditioner no more cut it. New ingredients are being created for consumers that are worried regarding the environment as well as that want a much healthier look. These components are additionally geared in the direction of prevention as well as development. These new products can aid an individual accomplish their hair-care objectives and maintain their hair looking fresh and healthy and balanced. Nevertheless, numerous consumers might watch out for the brand-new active ingredients, which can negatively influence their hair.
Most of the most typical components in hair care products are alcohols, a class of substances set up from carbon, hydrogen, and also water. These ingredients are made use of as conditioners to soften as well as detangle hair, and also they likewise offer protection until the next wash. Various other active ingredients include glycerin, which attracts dampness from the air and also oils that help the item last much longer. The following are a couple of brand-new ingredients that you could want to look into for your next hair care product.
Fads in hair treatment products.
Consumers are searching for multifunctional products that have multiple advantages, including better health and wellness. Fads in hair treatment are additionally concentrating on natural and also all-natural active ingredients, along with producing a lot more user-friendly products. The most up to date pattern is developing tailored items, which deal with private requirements as well as are very easy to utilize. You can find the most up to date patterns in hair treatment products on sites such as BeautySourcing.com as well as a regional drugstore.
In 2021, customers will certainly look for products that safeguard the scalp as well as advertise healthy hair. On top of that, customers will try to find items that satisfy their certain hair kinds. Natural components are likewise on the increase, with even more customers choosing items that are devoid of unsafe chemicals and also pet ingredients. For instance, Aveda introduced Shampure, a shampoo which contains 25 pure flower significances. Customers will increasingly require shampoo that is cruelty-free, silicone-free, as well as vegan.
Consumer costs on hair treatment products.
While the women populace is still the main driving force behind the hair treatment market, the male population is ending up being much more susceptible to concerns connected to hair. According to the Journal of Scientific as well as Diagnostic Research study published in October 2018, roughly 60 percent of guys matured 18 to 50 experience loss of hair or dandruff. As a maturing populace, the hair care market is anticipated to reduce down in coming years due to a selection of aspects, including the enhanced usage of male grooming items and the increase in the number of individuals aged 65 and older.
In the USA, the quantity of money consumers invest in hair care items has climbed gradually throughout the years. It is approximated that in 2020, the typical American will certainly spend $64.7 on hair treatment items. According to a study performed in 2017, over half of American ladies have acquired some kind of cosmetic from Walmart. Successor are Target, Walgreens, as well as Ulta. Customers also purchase hair care items in on the internet industries like Amazon as well as Walmart, but the majority of Americans still favor to purchase their charm items from a brick-and-mortar store. If you adored this short article as well as you desire to receive more information about Mens Toupees https://www.hollywoodlace.com kindly go to our internet site.
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Topic: Morgan Stanley
01/28/2015, 11:01 am
Apple's stunning first quarter of fiscal 2015 blew virtually every prediction out of the water, and left Wall Street analysts rushing to increase their price targets on Wednesday as the stock jumped higher.
12/19/2014, 08:12 am
If Apple can build enough units to satisfy consumer demand, it could sell as many as 67 million iPhones this quarter, crushing the company's previous all-time sales record, according to a new survey conducted by Morgan Stanley.
11/20/2014, 03:11 pm
Morgan Stanley joins a number of other investment firms that have raised their price targets on shares of Apple stock this week, reflecting significant gains posted by the company heading into the holiday shopping season and in anticipation of next year's debut of the Apple Watch.
11/14/2014, 08:11 am
The average selling price of tablets continues to drop, according to the latest research from IDC, as sales growth in the tablet market is reportedly being driven by low-end, low-cost devices, just as Apple has entered the sub-$250 market with the first-generation iPad mini.
10/07/2014, 09:10 am
Though Apple Pay isn't even available to consumers yet, investment firm Morgan Stanley expects that Apple's mobile wallet service will become the industry standard and help drive wider adoption of NFC-based payment systems.
iPhone 6 & Apple Watch reveals lived up to the hype for Wall Street, investors have high hopes for Apple Pay
09/10/2014, 12:09 pm
With the redesigned iPhone 6 expected to set new sales records this holiday season, the impending launch of the Apple Pay mobile wallet service expected to catch on with consumers, and next year's debut of the Apple Watch, analysts on Wall Street were largely satisfied with Apple's announcements this week.
08/19/2014, 12:08 pm
Apple is on the verge of a major new iPhone product cycle, but this one will be unlike any other launch before it, making it an ideal time for investors to buy in to the company's stock, Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday, helping shares to touch $100 in mid-day trading.
07/25/2014, 09:07 am
The data in Apple's recently released 10-Q filing reveals the company has invested heavily in manufacturing and component purchases as it gears up for a series of highly anticipated major product launches this fall, including a next-generation iPhone and anticipated "iWatch."
07/14/2014, 09:07 am
Strong customer loyalty for Apple's iPhone is predicted by Morgan Stanley to drive a so-called "halo effect" for sales of the company's rumored "iWatch," prompting the investment firm on Monday to increase its price target for AAPL stock to $110.
06/10/2014, 08:06 am
Continued strong demand for Apple's iPhone has the hot selling handset on pace to set yet another record in the current June quarter, the latest data from Morgan Stanley's AlphaWise survey has found.
05/23/2014, 08:05 am
Though shares of Apple have been trending upward lately, institutional investors -- including hedge funds, banks, mutual funds and other powerful types of financial institutions -- have not yet bought in, suggesting that when they do, AAPL stock could move much higher.
05/20/2014, 08:05 am
While prognosticators have given failed forecasts for years predicting Apple will add near-field communications technology to the iPhone for touch-less mobile payments, investment firm Morgan Stanley offered the same prediction on Tuesday, suggesting that NFC will be a key part of the company's so-called "iWallet."
05/12/2014, 10:05 am
Suppliers in the Far East gearing up for Apple's "iPhone 6" are reportedly anticipating 20 percent growth from last year's iPhone 5s launch, setting the stage for the biggest iPhone debut yet.
04/30/2014, 12:04 pm
Apple might add as much as 30 percent to its U.S. iPhone sales if the company were to release an updated model with a larger 5-inch display, new survey data released Wednesday indicates.
04/24/2014, 09:04 am
Apple's second-quarter earnings report was packed with surprises that delighted investors on Wall Street, prompting some analysts to respond by raising their price targets for the iPhone maker's stock.
04/23/2014, 09:04 am
A pair of investment firms believe casing supplier Catcher has secured a sizable chunk of Apple's anticipated "iPhone 6" metal casing orders, as the company lines up suppliers for a handset launch later this year.
04/17/2014, 08:04 am
A strong recommendation for Apple stock was pushed by investment firm Morgan Stanley on Thursday, which said now is the right time to invest due to low institutional ownership, resilient iPhone sales, and anticipated upcoming product launches.
03/19/2014, 08:03 am
Demand for Apple's iPhone has been higher than expected in the first quarter of calendar 2014, thanks in part to new smartphone promotions by U.S. wireless carriers, new tracking data reveals.
02/26/2014, 10:02 am
Institutional ownership of large-cap stocks is currently at high levels, but there is one glaring exception to that trend: Apple, which is currently at a five-year low among hedge funds, banks, mutual funds, and other powerful types of financial institutions.
01/10/2014, 08:01 am
While research firms Gartner and IDC have very different projections on how Apple's Mac lineup performed in the holiday quarter, both sides can agree on one thing: PC shipments continued to shrink over the holidays, as consumers once again opted for tablets over traditional computers.


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CVS to Acquire Aetna
On Sunday night, CVS Health and Aetna released a joint press release announcing a $69 billion acquisition plan for the pharmacy company (CVS) to purchase the health insurance giant (Aetna). The CVS Health and Aetna merger would not only set a record as the largest health insurance deal in U.S. history, but could potentially change the way that consumers get health checkups or see a doctor for other ailments. CVS has over 9,700 pharmacy locations and more than 1,100 walk-in health clinics nationwide. These “minute clinics” offer vaccinations, lab tests, health screenings and treatment for basic injuries and ailments. CVS also owns the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) and mail order pharmacy Caremark.
The CVS Healthcare and Aetna merger could result in a shift in health care costs, where consumers are treated for emergencies or even how often they visit the doctor. It could also mean the beginning of similar mergers in the near future. While the deal has the appearance of being beneficial to consumers, many question if this is so.
A Threat to U.S. Hospitals
The proposed acquisition is designed to keep patients out of the hospital as a part of a move towards more value-based care. The plan includes a CVS service expansion in its pharmacies and retail clinics. In addition, CVS will begin to deliver services and care directly to a customer’s home. This is intended to possibly save Aetna money by putting patient care in a lower cost home-setting as opposed to outpatient clinics.
While this is a potentially positive move for patients, it comes as bad news for hospitals nationwide. Hospitals regularly see millions of patients in emergency rooms and provide care for issues that CVS and Aetna executives believe could be directed to an outpatient clinic or avoided altogether. The acquisition is believed to be filling the void in regards to convenience and coordination that healthcare is currently missing.
CVS and Aetna want to shift healthcare from a fee-for-service system that encourages treatment by volume and increases costs to a value-based care system. CVS/Aetna plans to heavily use mid-level practitioners to provide care. For example, nurse practitioners will provide care in CVS Minute clinics, a pharmacist administering vaccines in the pharmacy or a nutritionist in the home. The CVS/Aetna merger is the first integration of large systems that excludes doctors. All of these things could prove to be detrimental to the nation’s largest hospital operators like HCA Holdings, Community Health Systems, Tenet Healthcare and the nonprofit hospital industry as well.
Hospitals have not been oblivious to the possibility of radical changes that are now coming into fruition. Hospital operators have been forming partnerships with retailers like CVS and Walgreens-Boots Alliance and even expanding services into community-based urgent care centers. United Health Group is the most integrated system and owns everything from hospitals to PBMs to physicians. Unfortunately, they may not be making changes to lower cost services fast enough to compete with CVS’ $69 billion purchase of Aetna that gives the chain and its 1,100 retail clinics more than 22 million paying health plan members.
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Truth
History may be a good indicator that the recently announced $69 billion CVS and Aetna merger may not be a win for consumers. If the insurance company and the pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) are allowed to merge, it may result in less choice and higher costs for both consumer and payor alike. CVS’ acquisition of Caremark, one of the nation’s dominant PBMs is evidence of this point. After acquiring Caremark in 2007, CVS formed exclusive pharmacy networks that prevented its consumers from accessing pharmacists of their choice and in the end increased their prescription drug costs. CVS claimed that consumers were rewarded with increased choice – a claim that would only prove to be true if the consumer only wanted to get their prescriptions at a CVS store or a CVS mail order operation.
Yet another example that insurer/PBM combinations do not benefit consumers or payors is proven in the 2015 UnitedHealthCare acquisition of CatamranRX. The deal allowed UnitedHealthCare, the largest insurer nationwide to acquire the then fourth-largest PBM into its OptumRX PBM, making it the third largest PBM in the United States. This merger has no evidence of its claims that greater integration and greater patient focus equating to improved care and lower overall costs for consumers. Rather, it has proven to result in fewer choices, higher drug prices, poorer services and an increase in fraud and abuse. The instances of decreased consumer welfare can be substantiated in the recent lawsuits against Optum for charging consumers co-pays that far exceed the costs of the medication itself.
PBMs are special entities that lack transparency yet dominate the pharmaceutical industry. The PBM market is controlled by only three PBMs. The lack of transparency and regulation provides ample opportunity for these PBMs to escalate their profits by way of rebates schemes that inevitably inflate the price of drugs. Typically, a PBM will receive a “rebate” from the insurance company for drugs provided. This allows them to pocket a large portion of rebates that far exceed any potential value that they can provide to consumers. Mergers such as the CVS/Aetna acquisition cement the role of such PBMs. A PBM will use its size and power to force a wholesaler to sell a drug for $200 per month. The $500 margin is returned to the PBM.
CVS may claim that the merger is necessary to gain increased bargaining power, which would in turn lower prescription costs, but unfortunately, the past history of PBM mergers has proven differently for consumers. The market is neither competitive or transparent, thus allowing rebates to be increasingly pocketed by the PBMs and consumers to continuously receive the short end of the proverbial stick.
And, In Comes Amazon
In the background to all of this change within the healthcare sector is the threat of online retailer, Amazon.com, entering the ring of the middleman business. Some analysts and consumers project that the online retailer giant would further disrupt the drug supply chain with a new business model and potentially simplify and make the drug-pricing system far more efficient. The idea of an online empire that has disrupted the way consumers shop becoming competition is found to be appealing for many.
Amazon has proven that information technology can and will produce benefits to companies that may not have appeared to be compatible in the past. As the online giant’s plans to enter the healthcare arena became more apparent this fall, healthcare companies across the spectrum began to assess the threat and scrambled to prepare for this perceived disruption. The CVS and Aetna merger is rumored to be a result of this.
Only Time will Tell
The CVS Healthcare-Aetna deal is being touted as a vertical merger and it is assumed there will be few regulatory obstacles in the way. However, the unpredictability of the current administration combined with the valid concerns of what impact the deal will have on patients could pose significant road blocks for the merger. If the deal quickly passes through regulatory oversight, only time will tell how such a concentration of power in the healthcare system will impact U.S. consumers.
While there is little actual business overlap between CVS Healthcare and Aetna, it is nearly impossible to properly gauge how its combined leverage could be used. On one hand, it could result in a plethora of innovative product and service offerings for consumers. On the other hand, the merger could prove to adversely impact the products and services being offered to its patients. There is also mystery as to how this merger will affect doctors.
Regardless of whether or not the CVS-Aetna deal closes, consumers can be assured that Sunday’s announcement will only fuel similar discussions between competitors. This proposed merger provides a template for a one-stop shop for healthcare services. This could inevitably open the door for greater consolidation in the healthcare sector. There are pros and cons to these highly concentrated healthcare service companies, but players like Amazon and Walmart may force groundbreaking changes in the battle in the healthcare sector.


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Director leaving port authority
Executive director soon to retire from port authority
Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Kornegay, 67, has led the authority for almost 17 years, longer than anyone. A special meeting of the commission that oversees the port authority has been called for Friday to discuss succession.
He joined the authority in 1972 in the engineering department, where he developed the master plan for the Barbours Cut container terminal, which opened in 1976. Kornegay also oversaw the construction of the Bayport container and cruise terminal complex, and was instrumental in the $700 million deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel.


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What would it be like to face in the wrong direction during takeoff?
If a company's design ever comes to fruition, travelers could get their chance.
Zodiac Seats France, a manufacturer of passenger seats for the airline industry, has patented a design that flips the middle seat in the other direction.
The early reaction to the new design is hardly friendly. NPR compiled a few headlines throughout the country that included calling the new look a "nightmare" and "evil."


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Per a report from ESPNNY’s Darren Rovell,Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III’s, more commonly known as RGIII, No. 10 jersey will set the NFL record for jersey sales. The NFL only recently started keeping track of jersey sales statistics six years ago, and the numbers are pulled from the league’s official internet store, NFLshop.com. RGIII’s jersey beats the record previously held by Brett Favre’s, who had the distinction of holding the record twice, first with the New York Jets in 2008 and then again with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. The league fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31, which means RGIII broke the record with over three months left. 676 days
Break Sports News. Join The Tribe. What Is BallTribe?


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Robin.Christopherson | 05 May 2016
More than 500 hours of Youtube footage is uploaded every minute, but almost every second of it is impossible millions of visually impaired people to understand. AbilityNet's Robin Christopherson thinks that's about to change and that by the end of the decade robots will be delivering high quality...
Robin.Christopherson | 13 Apr 2016
Twitter has recently made it possible to add alt-text to images, but will this be enough to make the image-laden web more accessible for people with visual impairments? Robin Christopherson thinks it may need a bigger push - or maybe there's completely different solution around the corner?
Robin.Christopherson | 29 Mar 2016
Microsoft has announced advancements to its accessibility checker, as well as enabling it on more devices and for Mac users. Robin Christopherson would like to see an accessibility check become as natural as a spell check
Robin.Christopherson | 21 Mar 2016
Happy 10th birthday Twitter. Here's our top 10 run down on how happy (or unhappy) you've made people with disabilities in the past decade.
Robin.Christopherson | 08 Mar 2016
A raft of new internet accessibility work by Microsoft will make the web user-experience for people with disabilities far smoother and more sophisticated. AbilityNet has a long-standing relationship with Microsoft, including user-testing its products for more than a decade. It's clear the company...
Robin.Christopherson | 09 Feb 2016
Discriminating against your employees with dyslexia has been against the law since the first disability discrimination legislation was introduced over 20 years ago. But it's in the news today as a result of Starbucks employee Meseret Kumulchew winning her disability discrimination case.
Robin.Christopherson | 03 Feb 2016
Around 90% of jobs nowadays have some sort of technology involved. Your job might involve using a desktop computer or laptop, a telephone, cash register or some kind of handheld device such as a credit card machine. The possibilities, like the array of devices and software, are endless. Technology...
Robin.Christopherson | 22 Jan 2016
We are spending more of our time in the workplace, at home and on the go using computers or mobile devices of some kind. For many of us, the daily routine starts with a compulsory check of our emails, the local weather report and a browse through our social media feeds on a smartphone or tablet,...
Robin.Christopherson | 11 Jan 2016
With computers and mobile devices the norm in today’s workplace, computer-related stress is a risk for employers keen to keep productivity levels up and sickness absence down. But technology can also provide an answer to some of these problems, explains Robin Christopherson.
Robin.Christopherson | 23 Oct 2015
AbilityNet's Head of Digital Inclusion Robin Christopherson looks at how the technology available today reflects the futuristic options in the 1980s classic sci-fi adventure 'Back to the Future'. From flat screen TVs and talking household objects to the iconic flying cars and hover boards, a...


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Harvest Health & Recreation Inc (OTCMKTS: HRVSF) bid to become the most valuable cannabis company has received a significant boost. The closing of $100 million private placement leaves the Company well financed to pursue growth initiatives that have the potential to accelerate growth and reinvigorate market sentiments.
Harvest Health Price Analysis
The stock has not had the best of runs after experiencing strong resistance at the $10 a share resistance level. A strong pullback has since come to play. A 30% plus pullback comes at a time when Harvest Health fundamentals appear to have edged higher.
In addition to the $100 million financing boost, the Company is fresh from delivering stellar financial results supported by a 135% year-over-year increase in revenue. Gross profit increasing 342% also explains why the stock has taken a flight in 2019, amidst the recent pullback.
The stock is still up by more than 50% for the year, even on the short-term momentum turning bearish. A breach of the $8 support level has left the stock vulnerable to a drop back to the $6 mark, which appears to be the next support level.
Above the $6 mark, the stock remains well supported for further upside action. However, a violation of the support level could elicit more selling pressure that could result in the stock plunging back to the $4 mark.
About Harvest Health
Harvest Health is a multi-state cannabis operator that cultivates manufactures and retails cannabis in the U.S. The Company boasts of one of the largest footprints in the U.S cannabis sector with 219 facilities made up of 142 retail locations and more than 1,580 employees in 17 states.
$100 Million Boost
The closing of a $100 million financial deal is a transaction likely to strengthen the stock’s market sentiments after the steep pullback. The financing comes at an acquisitive time in the industry. With the funding, the Company remains well funded to pursue acquisitions and mergers that have the potential to strengthen the core business and accelerate growth into new markets with tremendous growth prospects.
The balance sheet could receive yet another boost on Harvest Health entering into an investment agreement with an institutional investor. Under the terms of the agreement, Eight Capital is to sell to the Institutional up to four additional ranches of 100,000 convertible debentures, valued at $400 million.
Verano Holding Acquisition
The financing deal comes on the heels of Harvest Health receiving a boost on its bid to become the largest multi-state operator, with the signing of an agreement to acquire Verano Holdings. Verano is a privately held multi-state operator of cannabis facilities. The Company also boasts of a robust portfolio of premium branded products.
With the acquisition, Harvest Health gains access to operations in 11 states and territories, including seven cultivation licenses and 37 retail licenses. Verano Holdings also comes with positive cash-flow operations that generated as much as $31million in revenues in 2018. It also boasts of an Ethanol extraction technology as well as a premium portfolio of proprietary strains.
“This accretive transaction will improve our position by strategically expanding our operating base to realize the benefits of scale. From day one, both companies focused on consistent revenue and profit growth. We are excited to bring Vera no’s premium brands, depth of management and sound operations into Harvest,” said Jason Vedadi, Executive Chairman of Harvest.
Verano acquisition could not have come at a better time as Harvest Health is exploring ways of boosting its 2018 performance. Total revenues for the full year totaled $16.9 million, representing a 135% year-over-year increase.
Gross profit, on the other hand, was up 342% to $7.2 million underscoring the Company’s push for positive cash flow. Harvest Health benefited from the expansion of its retail and wholesale footprint that allowed it to enjoy robust sales growth. The Company also made selective acquisitions of facilities as well as brands.
A pullback from a record high in our view presents an opportunity to bet on a stock with tremendous long-term prospects. Harvest Health is in a phase of robust growth if a 135% increase in revenue is anything to go by.
A rapid expansion drive into new cannabis markets should allow the Company to enjoy sales growth going forward. That said the stock is a potential bounce-back play after the minor correction, given the solid underlying fundamentals.
We will be updating our subscribers as soon as we know more. For the latest updates on HRVSF, sign up below!
Disclosure: We have no position in HRVSF and have not been compensated for this article.


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The SPANX store is located pre-security in the MKE Main Terminal, making this sought-after merchandise available for travelers and the local community. Customers can purchase SPANX’s leggings, denim, shapewear and athleisure wear at the same great prices that are available on SPANX’s website.
“We are excited to officially open SPANX and celebrate the grand finale of our major refresh of our shops at MKE,” said Brian Dranzik, MKE director. “This will be a fun location pre-security for the traveling public and for the local community that wishes to shop at MKE’s unique stores.”
The SPANX store is part of a major transformation of nearly two dozen shops that started at the airport in 2019. The MKE agreement with Paradies Lagardère includes 30 percent participation from local Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, which exceeds the County’s goal of 25 percent.
“We are very excited to connect two of our amazing partners, SPANX and the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, to complete this outstanding new retail program, designed specifically for MKE,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO of Paradies Lagardère. “With its powerful brand recognition and iconic fashion, SPANX will deliver an exciting shopping experience and quickly become a favorite retail destination in Milwaukee.”


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New and Better Buy and Sell Philippines
Newspaper nowadays aren’t as in demand as they were 10 years ago. People looking for news go the internet for faster and convenient reading. Due to the rapid change in user’s perspective, Buy and Sell Philippines, the country’s number one ad paper, will launch BuyAndSellPH.com as the magazine’s online counterpart.
The site features items not found in the free ads publication and equipped with search engine so users can skip unwanted postings. Everything you need to buy can now be found in one site and within a few clicks, can be yours.
Reaching 2.5 million page views a month, BuyAndSellPH.com is still a formidable entity in the online marketplace field. Housing several range of advertised products, from automobiles to gadget and personal effects, everything you need is right under your fingertips.
Last January 28, 2012, Buy and Sell Philippines hosted its first Blogger’s event at Banapple Too in Quezon City. It’s an exciting afternoon where bloggers and online fanatics were introduced to the newly revamped BuyAndSell.com website. Not only that, event sponsor Make Up Designory (M.U.D.) gave a demonstration featuring their line of professional-grade cosmetics. One of the female blogger was chosen as the model girl of their cosmetic brand.
The online magazine will not only make Buy and Sell Philippines more visible, but will make it convenient for consumers to select products they need.


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Zirconium Silica Fume,Undensified Zirconium Silica Fume,Pure Zirconium Silica Fume,Best Zirconium Silica Fume Ningxia Changmaoxiang Smelting Co., Ltd , http://www.cmxsilicon.com
In 2013, the development of the LED industry, the beauty and the thorns are in the same place. With the advent of the LED lighting era, the manufacturers have not earned a lot of money, and the shadow of increasing revenues without increasing profits is lingering. In 2014, the growth performance of the LED lighting market is expected, and the industry reshuffle and the strong and strong pattern will continue.
According to statistics, in the second half of this year, the LED lighting market has begun to grow rapidly and is expected to continue its five-year high growth. As for the benign development of the LED industry, the profits of the downstream brands are relatively good; the upstream is over-invested and the oversupply of production capacity. In addition, during the three years from 2010 to 2013, the average annual decline in the price of LED lighting products exceeded 20. In 2012, the output value of LED indoor lighting in China reached more than 30 billion yuan. In 2013, the market size reached 63 billion yuan.
Industry analysts believe that the most important trend in the LED lighting market in 2014 is that the lighting industry will shift from brand-scale economy competition to manufacturing economies of scale plus brand-scale economies of scale, which will make the industry concentration of LED lighting era more traditional. High illumination. Among them, the domestic market in the domestic market is concentrated in the commercial lighting field, and alternative light sources and downlights are gradually becoming mainstream shipments. From the export data, the growth rate of LED lighting products is accelerating, and the export performance in the fourth quarter is not weak.
At the same time, the National Development and Reform Commission previously issued the "Notice on Strengthening Work to Ensure the Implementation of the Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Targets in 2013". The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development are jointly responsible for promoting the implementation of green lighting projects and continuing to implement energy-saving products. In the future, the financial subsidies for green lighting will shift from fluorescent lamps to high-efficiency lighting products such as LEDs.
Experts predict that with the withdrawal of state subsidies and the increase in demand for LED lighting, the LED chip industry will improve in 2014, and the entire market is expected to usher in a turning point in the second half of the year.
Zirconium Silica Fume,Undensified Zirconium Silica Fume,Pure Zirconium Silica Fume,Best Zirconium Silica Fume
Ningxia Changmaoxiang Smelting Co., Ltd , http://www.cmxsilicon.com


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Project P-100, one of the more intriguing Wii U exclusives shown off at E3 earlier this year, is now going by the finished title of The Wonderful 101. This was announced at Nintendo’s Wii U presser earlier today.
Developed by Platinum Games, The Wonderful 101 looks to be a mix of Pikmin-esque micromanagement and fast-paced action reminiscent of titles like Viewtiful Joe. Players use the Wii U GamePad to control a group of 100 superheroes in an effort to quell an oncoming alien invasion. It’s bright, colorful, and definitely something you can picture Nintendo getting behind.
No release date has been provided for The Wonderful 101 just yet.


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AT&T has loosened its grip on FaceTime availability.
FaceTime access has opened up to those who own the iPhone 4S and who have grandfathered unlimited data plans. Macrumors discovered the feature from users in forums.
An AT&T representative said "we're looking into it."
At one time, AT&T had banned FaceTime access via its cellular network, limiting use to Wi-Fi systems. But earlier this month the company announced that it would. All others were left out. According to Macrumors, AT&T has backtracked a bit, giving FaceTime access to iPhone 4S owners (who obviously don't have access to its LTE network), as well as those outside of its Mobile Share data plan.
AT&T has been one of the more restrictive U.S. carriers when it comes to FaceTime access. The company's top executive on legislative and regulatory affairs, Jim Cicconi, has argued that's because it has the most iPhones of any carrier, and the data impact on video conferencing over its network would be huge.
"AT&T has by far more iPhones on our network than any other carrier," Cicconi wrote in a blog post earlier this month. "We're proud of this fact and the confidence our customers have in us. But it also means that when Apple rolls out new services or changes, as it did in iOS 6, it can have a much greater, and more immediate, impact on AT&T's network than is the case with carriers who have far fewer iPhone users."
In order to get FaceTime running on the iPhone 4S, users must turn their handset off and then back on. According to some forum posters, FaceTime works quite well over AT&T's network.
Updated at 10:37 a.m. PT: to include a comment from AT&T.


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Skip to comments.U.S. durable goods post largest drop in nearly a year
Posted on 08/26/2013 6:06:47 AM PDT by John W
(Reuters) - Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods recorded their biggest drop in nearly a year in July and a gauge of planned business spending on capital goods tumbled, casting a shadow over the economy early in the third quarter.
The Commerce Department said on Monday durable goods orders dropped 7.3 percent as demand for goods ranging from aircraft to computers and defense equipment fell. That was the biggest decline since last August and snapped three consecutive months of gains
Orders for these goods, which range from toasters to aircraft, had increased 3.9 percent in June.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected durable goods orders to fall 4.0 percent.
Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, fell 3.3 percent, breaking four straight months of gains. It was the biggest fall since February.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
And now the DJIA is up a very small amount because this news eases their concerns of Fed tapering. Bizarro World.
All these financial numbers are cooked. The only reason they are putting out some bad numbers is to lower surging bond yields. They know that the party is over if treasury bond yields keep going up.
But, but everyone is getting those new 29 hour per week jobs. They should be buying all kinds of stuff.


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Princess Cruises, Holland America Line resume US sailings this weekend
Two Carnival Corp. subsidiary cruise lines are restarting service in the U.S. this weekend.
Holland America Line is kicking off its Alaska cruise season this weekend, with its Nieuw Amsterdam ship departing the Port of Seattle Saturday. Princess Cruises will follow suit Sunday when the Majestic Princess sets sail from the same port.
Each cruise line is set to operate 10 cruises out of Seattle through September, according to a Friday news release.
Passengers sailing on either cruise line this year must be vaccinated, with their final dose completed at least two weeks prior to the start of the cruise, according to the cruise lines' websites.
Carnival Corp.’s flagship cruise line, Carnival Cruise Line, launched its first ship from a U.S. port since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this month.
Princess Cruises has not operated in U.S. waters since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a "no sail order" in March 2020. The cruise line had major coronavirus outbreaks on two of its ships, the Diamond Princess and the Grand Princess, in early 2020.
Disney Cruise Line:Cruise line resumes US sailings from Florida in August with Disney Dream
Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.


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YouTube Introduces Cards for TrueView In-Stream Ads
Last month, YouTube launched video cards which allows viewers a new way interact with the video they’re watching. To no surprise, this feature is available on both desktop and mobile devices. Digital marketers have viewed this new feature to be a blessing because it has been rumored to have replaced the old YouTube annotations in a more visually appealing way.
Today, YouTube officially announced video cards within its TrueView ads which are the ads that are served before a viewer watches their video. This announcement has been made in response to top brands and advertisers who were looking for a way to make video ads more interactive—particularly on mobile. TrueView in-stream ads is a feature that will make video ads more engaging and will allow a more interactive experience for views.
What Can You Do with TrueView In-Stream Ads?
You’ll have the ability to share more information about your brand, related videos and playlists, and eventually link to your website directly from the TrueView video ad. These cards will work on mobile—just like the regular video cards, and will come to connected TVs. This will allow viewers to know how they can get more information about video ads regardless of how they’re watching YouTube.
Changing the Way Advertisers Pay Per Click
YouTube has always charged advertisers for deliberate clicks on video ads, but now it has decided to alter the way advertisers are charged. Now, only clicks to cards or CTAs, the video header, companion banner, or link at the bottom of the player will count as a click. This is a blessing for advertisers because now they know individuals who are clicking are actually interested and not “accidentally” clicking which could potentially rack up unnecessary ad spend.
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Category Archives: news
Earlier today we finally received the much-anticipated Elephone P7000, now it’s time for another much talked about device, the simply sexy LeTV S1!
Its one of the most anticipated and long awaited Chinese Android smartphones but now it is finally here. Sit back and watch our first Elephone P7000 Pioneer unboxing and hands on!
Both IUNI and Meizu have cut prices of popular device in China, but the clear winner in the price war is the IUNI U3 at incredible 1399 Yuan!
It is a leak or is it misdirection? Whatever it is sure looks like the 2nd generation Meizu m2 note we have been hearing a lot about.
The Asus Zenfone Selfie might actually be a reality according to a new teaser on the Taiwanese tech makers Facebook page.
We’ve received a couple of emails today from eagle eyed JiaYu fans who have reported that a developer release of Android 5.1 Lollipop is available for download.
If you are trying to keep details of the Gionee Elife E8 a secret until launch then look away now as here is an early video leak of the phone.
The Ulefone Be Touch has been shipping out to customers for a few weeks now, and lucky owners can expect an Android 5.1 OTA update in around a months time!
One issue that many customers of Chinese phones struggle with is the lack of support for device in their home country. Chinese brand Siswoo have eliminated this with their first service centre in Spain.
What a week for unboxing videos! Today we have another for you this time it is the Mlais M4 Note, check it out in this hands on and unboxing.
Purported leaked photos of a metal Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 have arrived in our inbox today. Are these really photos of Xiaomi’s upcoming Redmi device?
Coolpad Dazen’s latest market is India, where it goes live with the stylish Dazen X7.
It has been a little quiet on the Ecoo front since the launch of the 3GB RAM E04, but the company have been busy working on new projects like CM12.1 for their phones!
Taking a ride on the launch of Xiaomi’s Mi Store the US, UK, Germany and France. Xiaomi adds support for Google Fit to their popular Mi Band.
It was a month with many rumors about the new flagship of Gionee, but it seems the company has more to show us soon.
Xiaomi is bringing it’s Mi Store to the US, UK and a few other European countries next week! Read to know the full list!
Large battery phones are no longer a thing of the past, and one of the most cost effective we have seen so far appears to be the Bluboo X550. Check out more in this promo video.
Today we get to grips with Xioami’s latest device, the Xiaomi Mi4i smartphone in a unboxing and first impressions.
Gionee’s next in line flagship, aka the Gionee Elife E8 poses for the spy camera alongside the svelte Elife S7.
A few days back we posted details of the Siswoo C55, a good looking 4200mAh device which many readers expected to cost a fortune! Official pricing is surprisingly low.


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Deadpool ‘Juvenile But Awesome’ trailer
He's so awesome, he rides grocery store rockets.
Activision and High Moon Studios have published the debut gameplay trailer for High Moon Studios’ upcoming Deadpool game. It’s ‘juvenile, but awesome.’ Watch it below.
Save $3 with the coupon code "GEMATSU"


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Held Sunday night at at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Zendaya arrived at the ceremony in a bright purple Versace dress.
The bodice is exposed — with severe cut-outs and contrasting lime green straps — it is a look.
And if it screams Y2K to you, well, you're not wrong. Beyoncé actually wore the dress in 2003. Z was paying homage!
Queen B originally rocked the dress at her first ever BET Awards, the third annual celebration back in 2003. At that time, the dress was brand new: just released as part of Versace's 2003 spring collection.
Donatella Versace loved Zendaya's tribute, and wrote on Instagram, "@Zendaya!! You looked just SENSATIONAL last night at the @bet awards. I’ll never forget @Beyonce wearing this in 2003. A tough act to follow but you aced it effortlessly! You got me looking….!!"
The idea came from Zendaya's longtime stylist Law Roach. On Instagram, he captured a video of Z walking in the dress and wrote, "Paying homage to the Queen Beyoncé wearing @versace SS2003 ..... get you a stylist with a ARCHIVE!!!!"
And apparently this isn't even Zendaya's first time paying tribute to a musical icon. At the 2021 Oscars, her yellow Valentino gown was a nod to a famous Cher look from the '70s.
Keep the inspired fits coming, Z!
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SOLO “Together” T-Shirt blue
SOLO “Face” Goodie Tote Bag
Team Trouble Newspaper Zine
Vans and Pop Trading Co. partnered again. Here’s the first result, a clip with Rob Maatman, Yeelen Moens and Pascal Moelaert.
A new Vans Holland video you should not miss.
Ziggy Schaap and his Dutch crew have released a new clip.
Raw finnish talent from Element's latest full length!
The 1989 Jordan 4 now got a 2023 skateboarding look.
Show me heaven – some Aussie Nike SB riders in Copenhagen.
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Photo: Flickr / breezy421
In spite of the hee-ing and haw-ing about how obnoxious QR codes are, it turns out that there is a demographic that doesn’t want to punch themselves in the face when they see the omnipresent barcodes: Millennials. Teen Vogue VP and publisher Jason Wagenheim told attendees at Business Insider’s Mobile Advertising Conference that 42 per cent of the magazine’s readership is scanning QR codes. That’s up a whopping 133 per cent from 18 months ago.
Melissa Lentz, managing partner and SVP of account and strategy service at Mr Youth agreed that scanning is big. In fact, 46 per cent of millennials scan product bar codes while shopping to find cheaper deals online.
“QR codes are huge,” Wagenheim said. “I saw a kid on the F train trying to scan a QR train … although it wasn’t working.”
Which brought him to his next point, if the QR codes aren’t working, “if it’s bad, it’s on us.”
Millennials don’t want to be brought to another website—they want exclusive and easy to use information. Based on Teen Vogue data:
- 78 per cent want coupons or discount offers
- 74 per cent want prize giveaways
- 66 per cent want access to beauty how-tos
- 61 per cent want fashion look-books
- 59 per cent want access to fashion DIYs
According to Scanbuy, which creates QR codes for brands, 13 million scans were processed in 2012 Q1, and a ScanLife study says that 86 per cent of marketers will use QR codes in 2012.
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The Nokia N900 was released midst Symbian's struggle to keep up with the competing iOS and Android platforms. The Maemo platform which the N900 runs is a full Linux iteration on a mobile device and gives the user the flexibility to do anything on the device.
However since the N900 is the only device to run Maemo, it hasn't been picked up much among developers, and users are disappointed not to find major developers releasing their apps on the Maemo platform.
Android which was released not too long ago has quickly climbed its way to become one of the most popular mobile
platforms. Android is tightly integrated with Google's services like GMail, Maps and Search. The Google Marketplace
allows users access to thousands of popular apps.
Because of the Android platform's popularity, even Apple devices have a port available (iDroid) for users who want to use Android on selected Apple devices.
The NitDroid project works hard to bring the latest versions of Android to Nokia's Internet Tablets. While full functionality of Android has still not been achieved on the N900, the latest version of Android, 2.3 Gingerbread is already available for the N900. Use this link to install Android on the N900.


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Most Stolen Car for 2011 Is... The 1994 Honda
Accord - again. For the fourth consecutive year, the popular family car has once again been declared the most frequently car stolen in the US. All told, some 7,596 Accords in 2011 were stolen, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Coming in second place was the 1998 Honda Civic and it was the seventh straight year in which the top two spots were Honda models. So why these two? Simply because car thieves are aware of which cars are reliable. Newer Hondas are apparently more difficult to steal because of technology added by Honda making them harder to hot-wire.


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If you're a resident of the Downtown Phoenix area... then this is news you've been waiting for.
Fry's Food Stores has officially announced the opening date of the latest location: Wednesday, October 23rd. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the official opening at 8 a.m.
The new store is 67,000-square-foot in size and is located on the northeast corner of First and Jefferson streets. Among a new 'urban design' and updated order technology, this store will also include made-to-order sushi, and a deli, bakery, and pharmacy.
Read more at Phoenix New Times


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Since its split from Huawei, Honor has launched a series of premium devices and is now set to launch its first-ever foldable smartphone.
The company officially teased the upcoming Honor Magic V, the brand’s first-ever foldable smartphone, via a poster. The poster does not reveal much information regarding the smartphone but only displays two panels connected via a hinge.
Currently, it is not known whether the foldable smartphone features a book-like fold or a clamshell fold design.
Honor is expected to launch two foldable smartphones in the upcoming year with the Magic V as one of them, expected to launch in January.
Another leak hinted at an 8-inch inner display and a 6.5-inch cover screen for the upcoming foldable smartphone. It is expected to use display panels from BOE and Visionox. It is, however, unclear if the leaked specs are those of the Honor Magic V.
The foldable smartphone is likely to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, as Honor was listed as the first few to feature a smartphone powered by the chipset, launched earlier in December.
Honor is soon to release details and specifications regarding the upcoming smartphone.


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On January 15, it was announced that Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins would be the first major Fortnite personality to get his own skin in the game.
As part of the Icon Series, Epic Games are bringing a number of streamers to the battle royale title, making skins of their likeness available in-game, so fans can play as their favorite streamers.
Ninja is the first personality to be eternalized in Fortnite, and his popular streamer peers have reacted to and made their opinions known on the Ninja Fortnite skin. While many simply congratulated Ninja on his achievements, some offered a little more.
The Two-Time, back-to-back Blockbuster champion, Dr Disrespect, didn’t waste time letting his opinion be known.
The Doc, obviously, made a little joke at the expense of the Fortnite developers but offered “firm handshakes” to Ninja, who he says it took them way too long to create in-game cosmetics for.
Given the fact that he was always in favor of PUBG creating Dr Disrespect-themed skins, his support of Ninja here is no surprise.
I will say this, it took way too long for Epic to add an influencer skin, let alone a @Ninja skin.
These skinny developers from North Carolina finally woke up.
Firm handshakes Ninja.
— Dr Disrespect (@drdisrespect) January 15, 2020
Meanwhile, good friend Tim ‘TimTheTatman’ Betar took the opportunity to roast his long-time streaming partner for his embarrassing incident that occurred on New Year’s Eve 2018.
It’s hard to forget the sheer awkwardness of Ninja standing in front of hundreds of fans in the middle of New York City’s Times Square, one of the most famous New Year celebrations in the world, and attempting to get the crowd to floss with him – to absolutely no response.
Of course, Tim made a joke of that situation as soon as the Ninja skin became available to him, doing the ‘Floss’ emote and telling his chat he “doesn’t see enough movement” while attempting the worst floss you will see.
Ever the optimist, Turner ‘Tfue’ Tenney took a slightly different angle on the Ninja skin, claiming that he wasn’t actually the first personality to get one.
As well as the default Jonesy skin – which bears an uncanny resemblance to the former FaZe Clan member – he also noted that Marshmello had got one, and then Ninja.
This doesn’t do much to prevent the rumors of ongoing beef between the two Fortnite and livestreaming megastars, but it’s unlikely that bothers Tfue too much.
(Timestamp 5:27 for mobile users)
While much of the main reactions were from fellow top-tier Twitch streamers, Fortnite players or close friends of the star, one of CSGO’s best players, Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev also reached out to Blevins.
In a tweet posted shortly after the game, s1mple tagged Ninja and congratulated him on the “well-deserved award.”
Congratz with well deserved award in your game @Ninja
— Sasha (@s1mpleO) January 15, 2020
The Icon Series definitely seems like something that has been a long-time coming to Fortnite. The game became a pop-culture phenomenon and people such as Ninja have helped it grow massively, as well as vice versa.
As well as Ninja, Kathleen ‘Loserfruit’ Belsten and David ‘TheGrefg’ Martínez will be getting in-game skins at some point in the future as part of the Icon Series.


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The Wait is the Hardest Part Months ago, I received an email from the Idaho Department of Labor. It was a press release saying that in the first week of the economic shutdown, it had seen a 1,400% increase in unemployment claims. I’ll never forget that email because it showed me just what kind of trouble Idaho faced, regardless of how it fared with the spread of COVID-19. The news has only gotten more dismal from there. Substantial amounts of money have passed into the hands of departments of labor around the country, but they still must obey state and federal laws when it comes to vetting unemployment claims and disbursing funds to people in need. That process has gotten slower, even as the urgency to do something—anything—increases. Tracy Bringhurst was on a mission. She wanted to collect the voices of people who have been affected financially by the pandemic, and discuss their experiences with the Department of Labor. Their stories are harrowing: Many of them have waited more than two months for a response to their applications, let alone receive benefits. Rent is due, they’re out of a job, and when they pick up the phone to call the state agency that can help, they’re put on hold. Many of them have never even spoken with a DoL representative. Read Tracy’s story on page 4. Then, on page 7, Sydney Kidd writes about her trips to the Boise Towne Square Mall and the Village at Meridian, where shopping has resumed, but the experience has greatly changed. As Idaho’s economy slowly reopens, commerce may be back on the uptick, but unquestionably, the pandemic has left a mark on how people conduct it. On the topic of commerce, this week’s issue also includes a list of businesses and organizations owned or managed by Black people. Curated by Boise Bucket List and others, it includes independent artists, restaurants, barber shops and more to celebrate and promote the endeavors of African Americans in Boise. Read Sydney’s report and check out the list, also on page 7. —Harrison Berry, Editor
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Health has always been the primary concern of people. Moreover now with the coronavirus pandemic, the essence of health and hygiene is clearer than ever. Therefore, for this month’s edition of our “App of the Month”, we bring to you an app that has been contributing tremendously to the health sector of our country. The app, Jeevee, Founded by Mr. Aabhushan Jyoti Kansakar, is one of the first of its kind in our country. It has been catering to the medical needs of the public with its highly effective services before and even throughout the pandemic.
Here’s the complete story on our App of the Month: “Jeevee” , The All in One Health Care App
The Story behind Jeevee
Like most entrepreneurial ideas. The idea behind Jeevee was also quite similar. It was based on solving the problem that existed in the market and filling the market gap.
One fine day Mr. Kansakar realized that technology actually played a big role in every aspect of his life, more than he ever thought it would. The information which used to take hours or days to find in a library when he was a kid; He could now find in seconds. Furthermore, he could also book seats for the latest movie in minutes, pay for them online, and even call a cab before he left his home.
Everything seemed possible and so much easier with the help of technology. But he couldn’t do any of them when it came to my health. He could not find a doctor or service online nor could he find proper information on them. Add to that, his medical records weren’t digitized to view on the go nor were their details of available emergency beds online. He found that he couldn’t book an ambulance online either and ordering medicines too was not convenient.
So in April 2019, he decided to solve these problems in the healthcare industry. Thus, Jeevee was launched in November 2019.
Putting Idea Into Action and Early Challenges
Jeevee launched in a very short period of time, less than 4 months since they started building the app in July. Initially, it was slow and we were still learning and improving the app through plenty of reviews and feedbacks. Humans are creatures of habit and at the beginning, people didn’t really use our service. After a lot of marketing and making people understand our services, we have now covered several milestones. Resistance from the market and competition is not something new and is part and parcel of an entrepreneur’s journey as per Mr. Kansakar.
What is Jeevee App?
Founded in November 2019, the Jeevee app sets a target to make life more convenient for one who seeks and provides medical support. They have a team of over 50 members (marketing, logistics, IT, others) working on the company’s vision. Jeevee provides a wide variety of medical supplies. They basically have all the essential medical supplies you may need from your medicines to skincare. Besides that, they also have a feature called “Namaste Doctor”.
Namaste Doctor – You can consult with over 1000+ top verified doctors regarding your health concerns through this feature in Jeevee. Just go to their app and choose the doctor you want to talk to from the list of available doctors. All your health concerns will be acknowledged by the respective doctor.
Jeevee app is available in the play store for smartphone users. It has over 2 lakhs app downloads and 80,000+ active users through vigorous digital promotions. With an exceptional number of specialized doctors verified by the Nepal Medical Council and Pharmacy on board where you can order all your medicines and other health product and discount with free delivery inside Kathmandu valley. The app is steadily making positive impacts on people’s lives. Also, this app helps the doctors, Patients to act and work according to their convenience. Amidst the lockdown, Jeevee has been a life savior. Jeevee is normally delivering to around 210 customers on a daily basis and helping them fulfill their medical needs. The number of orders has seen a major surge since the lockdown period.
The Covid-19 Impact
The initial days were difficult from the operations side due to the increased orders and hiring was also a problem. Since they were the only online pharmacy in the early days of the lockdown who were able to operate due to our readiness for inventory and organization, they had the sole responsibility to get medicines to people’s homes. The team worked from 9 am to 9 pm for more than 2 months to fulfill orders. Customer experience dropped early on as they couldn’t find a way to respond to every call or message and even fulfill their promise of same-day delivery due to the overwhelming orders. But they reorganized their fulfillment team and optimized their operations and within a month they were able to again provide same-day delivery for 70% of our orders.
To cope up with the lockdown, Jeevee also launched an online consultations feature “Namaste Doctor” in just 11 days after the first lockdown was announced. This feature was developed to help people who could not visit doctors at clinics. Since the launch, there have been over 25k consultations made through “Namaste Doctor”. They have further launched Version 2 of that feature with Video Consultations. You can find Nepal’s top doctors from more than 15 specialties and you can also get their diagnosis, advice, and prescription on the app itself. All that will be stored in your app.
What sets Jeevee Apart?
Unlike most companies that outsource their development to India, China, or other countries; Jeevee is purely a Nepalese driven technology company seeking to affect change in the country. They are a technology company at heart with a strong tech and R&D team. They have heavily invested in their time and resources on research and development. Due to this, they already have development plans set all the way up to 2022. They aim to bring innovation to serve and simplify their customer’s problems through powerful research and development.
What the future holds for Jeevee?
Jeevee currently operates its service inside Kathmandu Valley only but they are planning to expand to Butwal within this month and also expand to Pokhara before Dashain. Likewise, they also plan to expand to 2 other cities before the end of 2020. Though their plans of expansion might have been delayed due to the pandemic they are still set on meeting their goal of expanding to 4 cities outside of Kathmandu valley in 2020.
As for the coming years, Jeevee plan on expanding their services to all 7 Provinces and at least 50% of the districts in Nepal. Furthermore, they plan to expand their portfolio in other health services and eventually be synonymous with Digital Health Care in Nepal. They are looking for opportunities to expand beyond Nepal, and aim to be the first Nepali tech company to be successful abroad.
At a time of crisis like this, Jeevee has been doing exceptional work to serve our medical needs. We at Techsathi are extremely thankful for their efforts and convey best wishes for their future endeavors.


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Israël: Flight from Tel Aviv to Prague was evacuated after iPhone caught fire
woensdag, 27 augustus 2014 - Categorie: Berichten Internationaal
Bron: emfrefugee.blogspot.mx/2014/08/could-smartphones-be-banned-on-flights.html .
20 aug. 2014
Could smartphones be banned on flights? iPhone 5 catches fire and forces emergency evacuation of plane in Tel Aviv
Flight from Tel Aviv to Prague was evacuated after iPhone caught fire
Smoke filled the cabin and was found to be caused by a faulty smartphone
Passengers were ordered off the plane before it took off
By MICHAEL GADD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:16 GMT, 20 August 2014 | UPDATED: 15:26 GMT, 20 August 2014
Passengers were evacuated from a flight ready for takeoff after an iPhone burst into flames in Tel Aviv.
Passengers were forced to leave soon after boarding the plane which was departing from Israel when smoke from a girl's handbag filled the cabin.
The fire was found to have been caused by iPhone 5, reported AndroidPortal, forcing the passengers to disembark before the flight left for Prague, Czech Republic.
The father of the phone's owner, Yarden Leviovej, told Nova TV (as translated by iClarified): 'My daughter opened her purse, from which we saw the flames and the heat radiating from it.'
After the source of the flames and smoke was established, and the cabin cleared, the flight was reboarded. However Yarden, who was travelling with her family, had to leave without her burned out smartphone.
In July, the Civil Aviation Authority made a series of videos about the dangers of and risks associated with the transportation of lithium batteries, the power source of most personal electronic devices that would be used by travellers.
The videos, in conjunction with the US's Federal Aviation Administration, are aimed at airline and airport staff, cargo handlers, check-in staff and cabin crew, and explain the increased fire risk that comes with lithium batteries on passenger and cargo planes.
The CAA explains that 'although lithium batteries are very safe, their high energy levels mean they can pose a fire risk if damaged.'
'As a result they must be treated with care and stowed appropriately during flight.'
The use of items such as smartphones and tablets is only set to increase as airlines increasingly begin to offer on-board WiFi as part of their on-board entertainment.
It is the International Civil Aviation Organisation which sets the worldwide guidelines for dangerous goods, with lithium batteries a common cause for concern in their publicly available literature.
Current rules allow passengers to carry mobile phones, laptops, tablets, cameras and equipment in their carry on and hold luggage, but new security restrictions demand they be charged and able to be powered up on request.
However, spare lithium batteries such as those used invideo cameras must be taken in carry on.
Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2729656/Could-smartphones-banned-flights-iPhone-5-catches-fire-plane-Tel-Aviv-poses-big-question-airlines.html#ixzz3B3hfAnZY .
Voor de foto's en video's zie bovenstaande link.
Lees verder in de categorie Berichten Internationaal | Terug naar homepage | Lees de introductie


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Important Current Affairs 23rd August 2017 with PDF
Banking, SSC and Insurance aspirants can now read the Important General Awareness in PDF. Here is an update containing all the important current affairs for 23rd August July 2017. You can download the Important Current Affairs 23rd August 2017 with pdf capsule too.
You can also attempt daily important current affairs quiz for yesterday:
Important Current Affairs 23rd August 2017
Panel to oversee PSU bank merger
- The Union cabinet has approved a mechanism to oversee consolidation in the state-run banking sector.
- The panel will be set up to supervise merger proposals from banks’ boards as the government seeks to consolidate 21 state-owned banks in the country.
- The objective is to create strong entities and any decision regarding consolidation will be based on commercial feasibility.
Lohani named as Railway Board Chairman
- Ashwani Lohani, CMD of Air India, has been named as the new Chairman of the Railway Board, following the resignation on A.K. Mittal.
- He will replace Ashok Mittal who resigned from his post in the wake of two derailments on the Indian Railways in just four days.
- He holds the Guinness Record for successfully running the ‘Fairy Queen Express’, the world’s oldest working steam locomotive.
Google partners with Walmart
- Google & Walmart has announced a partnership that will make Walmart’s products available on Google’s online shopping mall.
- Walmart will work with Google to offer hundreds of thousands of items for voice shopping via Google Assistant.
- It’s the first time Walmart has made its products online in US outside of its own website.
- The service will compete with Amazon’s Alexa voice-shopping platform
First Videsh Bhavan in Mumbai
- Sushma Swaraj will inaugurate country’s first Videsh Bhavan, assimilating all Regional Passport Offices under one roof, at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.
- As a first pilot project, 4 offices of MEA – RPO, PoE, Branch Secretariat & Regional Office of ICCR have been assimilated & brought under one roof.
- It is expected to cut costs besides improving efficiency & hastening delivery of services
Railway Board Chairman Mittal Resigns
- Ashok Mittal, the chairman of the Railway Board has resigned from his post in the wake of two derailments on the Indian Railways in just four days.
- Mittal was first in the history of Indian Railways to receive a two-year extension. He was to remain in the post till he turned 62 in 2018.
- Indian Rails Kaifyat Express & Utkal Express derailed in past 4 days, several passengers died.
Govt notifies Rs 200 currency notes
- Finance Ministry has formally announced the launch of the new Rs 200 note. The new notes are expected to come into circulation from next month.
- This will be the first ever new note to be introduced by RBI after Rs 500 & Rs 2,000 notes introduced post massive currency culling exercise in Nov last year.
- Rs 200 notes will help bridge the gap between Rs 100 and Rs 500 notes.
National Sports Awards
- National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize & reward excellence in sports.
- Devendra Jhajharia & Sardar Singh have been selected for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
- Harmanpreet & P. N. Prakash are among 17 sportsmen who will be given Arjuna Awards.
- 7 persons have been chosen for Dronacharya Awards for producing medal winners at International sports events.
National Sports Museum to be established
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is going to establish National Sports Museum at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.
- Museum will showcase India’s achievements in sports and also focus on the traditional sports within the country.
- It will display achievements of Indian greats in sports & also act as an educational hub & offer an opportunity for young to delve into some sporting activity.
Highest paid actors
- Forbes has released its list of world’s 20 highest paid actors of 2017 featuring 3 Indian actors – Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan & Akshay Kumar among top 10.
- The list is topped by Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg with earning of $68 mn.
- Wahlberg replaced last year’s top-ranked star, Dwayne Johnson who comes in at the 2nd spot with $65 mn earnings while Vin Diesel with $54.5 mn got the 3rd spot.
First to implement Bharat QR
- Andhra Pradesh’s EPDCL & SPDCL have become the 1st state-owned distribution companies in India to accept payments through Bharat QR.
- Bharat QR is a secure, network-agnostic interface that enables customers to use their smartphones to make payments without divulging information like card no. & CVV.
- Bharat QR is world’s 1st interoperable quick response code acceptance solution launched by RBI.
Microsoft launches ‘Project Brainwave’
- Microsoft has announced its Project Brainwave deep learning acceleration platform for real-time artificial intelligence.
- The ‘Project Brainwave’ uses the massive field-programmable gate array infrastructure that Microsoft has been deploying over the past few years.
- It can handle complex, memory-intensive models such as Long Short Term Memories, without using batching to juice throughput.
Kuvera ties up with Uber
- Kuvera, a wealth management platform, has partnered with Uber to offer investment products & financial planning services to Uber’s driver partners.
- Through the partnership, Uber drivers will get access to investment schemes and advisory services on Kuvera.
- Kuvera lists “direct only” mutual fund plans, allowing its users to create and monitor their portfolio on the platform.
New chairman of Syndicate Bank
- Ajay Vipin Nanavati has been appointed as the chairman of Syndicate Bank.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment as Non-Official Director/Non-Executive Chairman in Syndicate Bank for three years.
- As the chairman, he will be responsible for overall policy directions of the bank.
- In 2015, govt bifurcated the posts of chairman & MD in public sector banks.
Trai inks cooperation pact
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has inked an agreement with Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission to deepen bilateral cooperation in telecom & broadcasting regulation.
- The 2 telecom regulators signed a letter of intent, under which they will exchange information & regulatory best practices.
- Pact came amid ongoing Asia-Pacific regulators’ roundtable organised by ITU & TRAI.
Mentor India Campaign
- NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will launch the Mentor India Campaign in New Delhi.
- The campaign is a strategic nation building initiative to engage leaders who can nurture and guide students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs.
- The labs are dedicated workspaces where students from Class 6th to 12th learn innovation skills and develop ideas that will go on to transform India.
Door step Aadhar enrolment
- UIDAI has joined hands with CSC India for launching door step enrolment facility in Delhi for elderly, patients & others who cannot travel to Aadhar centres
- A mobile van in partnership with CSC will go & enrol people who are unable to travel to centres for enrollment
- CSC provides permit & monitors operations of common service centres across India which provide govt services in rural area
Out of top 10 most valued companies
- Infosys, India’s 2nd largest software services firm, lost its place in the list of country’s 10 most valued companies in terms of market capitalization.
- Fall in market capitalization comes after its CEO & MD Vishal Sikka resigned.
- Standing at a market cap of Rs2 trillion, Infosys now ranks at 11th position & has been replaced in top 10 by IOC.
- Reliance Industries is the most valued company.
All-in-one DigiPoS machines
- HDFC Bank has launched an all-in-one offering DigiPoS Machine, that offers a complete suite of digital payment solutions
- With DigiPoS, a merchant can use as many as 12 digital payment options like UPI, in addition, to pay through debit/credit card swiping
- It will integrate popular digital payment methods in merchant payment machines offering greater convenience to both customers & merchants
Yatra against child trafficking
- Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi would embark on a 35-day Bharat Yatra, leading a fight against child trafficking & child sexual abuse across the country.
- The yatra will begin in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 11 and will conclude in Delhi on October 15, after covering 22 states.
- The start of Bharat Yatra will mark the launch of a three-year campaign against child sexual abuse.
Rishang Keishing passes away
- Former Manipur Chief Minister and a member of the first Lok Sabha Rishang Keishing passed away.
- He was elected to the Lok Sabha in the first parliamentary elections held in 1952 and had also represented Manipur in Rajya Sabha.
- Keishing contested the assembly election for the first time from Phungyar in 1972. He won the seat seven times and became the state’s longest-serving chief minister.


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The SRECA project, implemented by GIZ on behalf of the BMZ, strengthens private sector development in Mongolia, especially regarding export-oriented SMEs. One goal is to diversify export markets and to involve Mongolian partners more in regional economic integration processes in Northeast Asia.
Against this background, SRECA supported the “Export Mongolia 2021” organised by Export International Trade Center (EITC) together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Mongolian SME Agency on 09 December 2021. The event was held on site and via the online platform Export Mongolia under the theme “Solutions to promote exports during the pandemic”.
Around 100 representatives of Mongolian export-oriented companies, 10 trade-related government organisations, several representatives of banks and 10 media companies for promoting the event participated in the online event. Some of the Mongolian companies displayed their products during the online exhibition. Moreover, representatives of the government and international organisations as well as the private sector participated as panellists to discuss the improvements, challenges and outlooks of Mongolian trade policy.
The SRECA Project Director attended as a panellist in the event and presented ongoing activities of the project to promote export processes and trade-related services for Mongolian partners as well as introducing good practices from other GIZ partner countries.
The hybrid meeting and exhibition emphasised the need for Mongolian participants to actively work on effective solutions to overcome challenges regarding international trade. This aims especially at improving Mongolian exports during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, to support them to continue their business smoothly, as well as to facilitate more efficient public-private dialogues. Therefore, partners, representatives and organisers agreed to draw up a unified statement on solving several trade-related issues and continue to work together throughout the year to present tangible outcomes in “Export Mongolia 2022”. GIZ SRECA will continue to support EITC and other Mongolian partners in this regard during 2022.


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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from ZDNetAsia, located at http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/dailynews/story/0,2000010021,20169354,00.htm. --------------------------------------------------------------
'Tis the season to be jobless
By Julian Matthews,
December 28, 2000
There was little festive cheer for dotcommers who found themselves without a job and no pink-slip parties to attend this December. The outlook in 2001 is cautious at best, although bricks-and-clicks hybrids may be in hiring mode.
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian dotcoms slashed more staff from their payrolls, bringing to an end a year many of those displaced would like to forget.
Entertainment portal operator MCities.com Sdn Bhd was hit by a spate of about 15 resignations, and laid off another 40 staff from its related club and theme restaurant MCities Live! this month.
On Dec 1, E-One Thousand Dot Com Sdn Bhd, which runs lifestyle vortal e1000.com, lopped off 32 staff, mostly content writers and marketing personnel.
Both companies cited cost-cutting as a key factor for the sudden restructuring. Their failure to shine is telling considering they are linked to business tycoons Vincent Tan and Quek Leng Chan respectively.
Deep-pocketed Tan controls MCities.com's parent company MOL.com Bhd, which made a splash this year picking up stakes in about 20 Internet sites including financial portal 1800 Assist.com, tutorial site MyETutor.com, and hotel bookings portal Asia Web Direct, none of which are known to be profitable as yet.
e1000.com received a cash infusion of US$1.32 million in May from New Zealand-incorporated investment firm Brierley Investments Ltd , whose major shareholder is Camerlin Bhd, a member Quek's Hong Leong group.
Given the slide in the Nasdaq and regional stock markets, investor confidence in tech-related stocks are likely to be shaky in the coming year.
Former Merrill Lynch analyst Yeoh Keat Seng, who founded a dotcom himself this year, says the gloomy outlook is likely to persist in 2001.
"I don't think we've hit the bottom yet. Difficult market conditions have thrown off the IPO and fund-raising plans of a number of Internet companies. Some of the plans were probably not viable anyway, being based on revenue models which are unlikely to materialize anytime soon," said Yeoh, now chief executive of financial portal MalaysiaStreet.com.
Richard Jacobson, manager of B2B Internet Research, with research company IDC Asia/Pacific, speculated that one of the key factors for Malaysian dotcom failures may have been "the inexperience of 20something CEOs".
"A good idea remains only a good idea unless it can be executed by someone with the right business acumen and experience. At the end of the day, dotcom or no dotcom, it's all about doing business," said Jacobson.
The year 2000 was marked by a number of Internet wannabes spending large sums on launches and on advertising of their yet untested business models, only to find Nasdaq caving in on them, and venture capitalists still not biting.
The Malaysian entrepreneurs' rush to copycat, instead of innovate, may have been a factor, although Yeoh says it was hard not to jump on the bandwagon. "When Asian Internet companies were copying the US models, all they could read was success. I wouldn't really blame them. As for creating their own (technologies from the ground up), if you track the development of most Asian economies, that's not how most of Asia was built. Given the nascent stage of the industry, it's hard to learn from anyone except through your own failure," said Yeoh.
Besides Malaysia, various dotcoms region-wide, many of them first-movers in their niche, found themselves suffering the same fate when revenues slowed, investor confidence eroded and fresh funding dried up.
Online retailer adMart, owned by Hong Kong colorful entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, went belly-up early this month putting 334 employees out of work.
On Dec 18, Chinese Web portal Sohu.com Inc announced it would slash 126 jobs, or 20 percent of its workforce. Its stock prices were hammered this year, along with other Nasdaq-listed Chinese portals Chinadotcom, Netease.com and Sina.com, and talks are rife of a four-way merger.
On Dec 12, content developer Asiacontent.com Ltd hawked its flagship brand CNET Asia, along with 84 staff and seven country-specific sites, back to its owner CNET Networks Inc, for US$6 million worth of desperately needed cash.
Asiacontent's stock had nose-dived to less than US$1 per share from a US$15.93 peak since its April listing on Nasdaq, and earlier in the year it had cut 50 staff.
Singapore-based search engine player Catcha.com Ltd also displaced up to 30 staff this year, based on one estimate, while German-based job portal player Jobpilot AG shutdown its Malaysia and Singapore offices with undisclosed layoffs.
Closer to home, Malaysian ezine AgendaMalaysia.com said it would shutter its site come Dec 31 citing failure to attract fresh funds and poor market conditions.
IDC's Jacobson said there was nothing to differentiate the current downturn in the dotcom industry from any other industry in history, albeit in a more compressed timeframe.
"There is nothing that is happening in the dotcom industry that never happened in any other industry throughout history. The only difference is, what took hundreds of years to happen in some industries took just a few years to happen in the dotcom industry," he said.
Jacobson's theory is that every industry goes through five phases. "The first is Fun. I'm sure that the Wright brothers had a lot of fun when they first invented the airplane. The second is Capitalization. Investors see potential in something and start pumping in money even if there isn't a lot of revenues being made. The third is Business. Here is when the serious and well-thought out business plans prove their mettle."
Jacobson said the fourth and fifth phases are Shake Out and Consolidation. "That's when the number of companies starts to drop, but industry revenues continue to grow. Consolidation is when a handful of large market leaders start to merge, and some of them will merge and consolidate."
In Malaysia, the fallout may not be as spectacular, even as the terms "dotcom winter" and "IPO freeze" are being bandied about in the US. One of the main reasons, is many homegrown dotcoms have yet to receive the high valuations of their American counterparts, nor have they been handed hefty VC funding or been able to go public yet. There are no Internet entrepreneurs who have turned dotcom millionaires overnight to speak of.
On the flipside, Malaysian dotcom failures, unlike their American cousins, may be stuck with a stigma they will not be able to shake for years. Those having taken the plunge and flopped may revert to secure, less risky positions, while those still within dotcom ranks take little comfort in an unregulated, non-unionized industry, where sackings without severance packages are becoming commonplace.
The silver lining amid the gloom is that previously cautious Old Economy local companies have warmed up to e-commerce and entered the Internet fray.
They are mirroring the worldwide trend that the one true model that may work is the bricks-and-clicks hybrids. Some are expanding their Internet-related investments and operations, albeit cautiously, and talented webbers may find new openings there.
Both Yeoh and Jacobson believe the click-and-bricks hybrid model may gain momentum in 2001.
"From a global perspective, most e-business investments today are coming from brick- and-mortar companies, not Internet startups. Worldwide investment in building e-businesses will top US$300 billion by the end of 2001. If a large manufacturing company can reduce the cost of procuring raw materials by even five percent, it will invest in B2B," said Jacobson.
Jacobson believes that although pure content plays may be out of favor, the Application Service Provider (ASP) and B2B models are still viable business models in 2001.
Yeoh said companies shifting from bricks to clicks will have an "unfair advantage" in 2001. In the pureplay arena, he points to local operators of JobStreet.com, a recruitment portal and AsiaTravelMart.com, a travel portal and booking engine, as companies that "will do well."