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Jaguar revealed an updated version of the C-X16 Concept at the 2011 LA Auto Show and looking at the car we can say that the car is getting closer to production. Wearing a Neutron White ‘coat’, the C-X16 promises to become firm’s halo car. For those who don’t know, the C-X16 is powered by a prototype hybrid powertrain comprising a 380PS (280kW), 332lb ft (450Nm) supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine, allied to an electric motor which produces an additional 70kW and 235Nm (equivalent to 95PS and 173lb ft).
The engine is mated to an eight-speed transmission and can push the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mpg) in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 186 mph or 300 km/h. Ian Callum, Director of Design,
Jaguar Cars, said: "A Jaguar sports car should have clear visual movement in its design, and the C-X16 is the perfect demonstration of that goal. Each of its lines begins with a sense of purpose, and ends with a sense of clarity.” "It's that approach that has given the C-X16 its purposeful stance, and nowhere has that been more in evidence than when I saw it here on the streets of LA. Look at the C-X16 and you want to drive it - and that's just how a Jaguar sports car should make you feel."


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The independent craft brewing associations of nine European countries have announced they will be forming a new body, the Independent Brewers of Europe (IBE)
VMI Yantai has announced the appointment of Mr Chen Xing Chunjing as general manager.
AkzoNobel recently released its new generation of coatings for the internal protection of three-piece food cans. Alex Fordham visited the company headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to find out the potential benefits for the three-piece food can market.
Global producer of tire manufacturing machinery VMI has launched its new website.
At the recent Smithers Pira Sustainability in Packaging Europe conference in Barcelona, Metal Packaging Europe underlined the importance placed by consumers for clear facts on packaging materials’ recycling performance.
Following their finish in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, the VMI Duchenne Heroes team have completed their seven-day mountain bike tour.
An all-in-one Fondü bowl produced by Ardagh for Emmi has won a WorldStar Award, recognising the best world packaging in 2016.
The dynamics of the can making industry have changed significantly over the past few months with the recent Ball acquisition of Rexam. In an industry exclusive, Evert van de Weg speaks with the recipients of Ball’s divested part of its business, Ardagh Group.
A uniquely shaped metal can jointly designed and manufactured by Ardagh has been used for the recent launch by Mead Johnson of its Enfinitas infant nutrition product for the Asian market.
Crown has announced a partnership agreement with the England Amputee Football Association’s (EAFA) Junior Teams.

domain: news


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Asus is gearing up to launch the much-awaited Asus ZenFone 4 Pro. Roland Quandt aka @rquandt too to Twitter and revealed the rumored specifications of the Asus ZenFone 4 Pro. Even though there is no official confirmation, the Quandt’s revelations can be believed to some extent because of his credibility.
Likely to be tagged with the model number ZS551KL, the upcoming Asus ZenFone 4 Pro is expected to be equipped with a 5.5-inch FHD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB RAM, 64GB internal storage powered by a 3600mAh battery. Moreover, the ZenFone 4 Pro will be loaded with Android 7.1 Nougat. According to Quandt, the phone will provide support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 including NFC.
Here’s what I can confirm for the ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro ZS551KL US model: 5.5in 1080p display, SD835, 6/64GB, 3600mAh, 7,6mm. pic.twitter.com/yAPkRwpIkA
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) August 13, 2017
However, Quandt has put a question mark adjacent to AMOLED. There is a possibility that Asus will incorporate another technology into the display in a bid to attract sales. If the rumor pointed out by Quandt is to be believed, the addition of the Snapdragon 835 processor will be a big bonus since it provides excellent performance coupled with low power consumption. Moreover, the integrated 3600mAh battery helps the phone to deliver the much-needed backup.
According to Quandt, the thickness of the Asus ZenFone 4 Pro will measure 7.6mm, which is pretty less than competitors. We expect the company has carved a niche by introducing a phone with less thickness. Interestingly, Quandt hasn’t revealed the possible specifications of the camera.
That said, the integration of Android 7.1 Nougat in the ZenFone 4 Pro is confirmed on top of the ZenUI skin. It will bring all the core features of Android 7.1 Nougat such as split-screen, improved power saving features, and enhancements in notifications.
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excerpted from the Charisma news service
The remarkable success of the Left Behind fiction series continues, with
publisher Tyndale House ordering a record 2 million initial print-run for
the seventh installment. "The Indwelling" has already pre-sold 1.3 million
copies to retailers and began appearing on Amazon.com's Top 100 list in
February--even though it isn't published until next month.
The end-times thrillers by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, together with the
adventures' children's versions and audio cassettes, have sold a total of 18
"As each new book comes out, people new to the series go back and buy the
first one," said spokesperson Beverly Rykerd.
"The Indwelling" is scheduled to release May 23, and the authors plan to set
off on a 10-city tour that will see them talking about their work and faith
with fans. An evening event timed with the release will feature praise and
worship music from Christian music artists Wayne Watson and Ginny Owens.
Four books in the series have been regular features on the best-seller
charts, with "Apollyon" and "Assassins" reaching No. 2 in "The New York
Times" prestigious list. The eighth installment, "The Mark," is due out in


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Developer: Zipper Interactive
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Also on: N/A
Console Played On: PlayStation 3
Release Date: January 29th 2010
Age Rating: ESRB M, PEGI 16
Archive for January, 2010
Developer: Zipper Interactive
SEGA have released a new trailer for one of our most highly anticipated games for this year, Aliens vs Predator.
The trailer shows off brand new gameplay footage, all through the eyes of the Predator.
Check it out after the jump. AvP launches on Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 February 19th.
One of our most hotly anticapted games of 2010, Mass Effect 2, has now sold in excess of 2 million copies within it’s first week of going on sale, with that figure set to rise even further with the game’s European launch today.
The game has so far recieved 40 perfect scores from critics, with it overal average 96%, with MSNBC.com stating that, “Mass Effect will go down as one of the most influential video game series of all-time.”
The full PR is after the jump.
Latest industry figures show that Microsoft saw a sales decrease in Q4 of 2009, with sales down 13% on the same quarter of the previous year. The total number of 360′s sold stood at 5.2 million compared with 6 million the year before.
The drop in sales isn’t all bad news for Microsoft as their profits have continued to increase on the 360 and their other products in the media division increasing from $130 million to $375 million, thanks to a 23% drop in production cost of the 360.
Thanks to MCV.
It’s been doing rounds in the rumour mill ever since it was announced for the Xbox 360, but Rockstar have finally confirmed that the much awaited Grand Theft Auto IV DLC, Episodes from Liberty City, will indeed be making it’s way to the PlayStation 3.
Comprising of two pieces, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony it’ll be available in March on the PS3 and on PC too. “It’s been a long time coming, but we are proud to finally deliver Episodes From Liberty City for the PC and PlayStation 3,” said Sam Houser. “We appreciate the patience of our PlayStation 3 and PC fans worldwide.”
You can find the full press release after the jump.
After suffering criticism for their PlayStation 3 port of Bayonetta, SEGA are on track to repair the damage by releasing a patch today that will significantly decrease loading times.
With the new update to the game, you now have the option to install it to the HDD which should hopefully cure the problem.
Full PR is after the break.
THQ have announced the release date for their highly anticipated shooter Metro 2033. The game will launch in North America on March 16th and will follow in Europe three days later on March 19th.
There’ll also be a Limited Edition available too giving you an exclusive shotgun and four art cards by Anton Grechko.
You can find the full PR after the jump.
Square Enix have announced that the second game in the Supreme Commander series will be coming to PC from 5th March and Xbox 360 19th March.
Set a quarter of a century ahead of the last game, the new game promises bigger guns, bigger battles and a bigger story.
The full PR is after the jump, along with 10 screenshots from the game.
We’ve got the latest Aliens vs Predator trailer here for you, showing off, as the title suggests, the heritage of the series. Featuring footage of Rebellion’s original game from 1999, it’s juxtaposed with footage from the new title which shows the action to be as intense as ever.
Check it out after the jump. AvP launches February 19th on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Ubisoft have announced via their that the first piece of Assassin’s Creed II DLC will be coming to all available platforms on January 28th.
The DLC is titled Battle of Forli and it will have a worldwide release for PS3 and X360, with prices pitched at €3.99 and 320 MS points respectively.


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When Rogers revealed its streaming hockey package in early September it came with a catch, in order to watch the 1,000-plus games online customers had to have a traditional cable or satellite subscription.
But that’s not the only one. In order to get all the new features, it wasn’t good enough for customers to just buy the $199 GameCentre Live streaming package. They needed something more: a subscription to Rogers mobile data, home internet, or cable TV.
Those customers get access to a second app, Game Plus, which allows them to watch replays from additional camera angles. It’s a move that seems designed to incentivize hockey fans to switch some of their other services to Rogers.
That’s at least the way Bell sees it.
“GamePlus is being offered on an otherwise preferential basis to Rogers’ mobile and retail Internet access subscribers. This gives an advantage to Rogers’ own wireless and Internet distribution businesses. That is precisely why Rogers is doing it,” Bell says in a complaint to the CRTC, according to journalist and blogger Steve Faguy. “Consumers who are not Rogers customers will be harmed as a result of being blocked from accessing this content.”
While the complaint was filed in mid-October the broadcast regulator didn’t release it until last week.
At issue is how closely the app is related to TV broadcasts. The CRTC doesn’t allow streaming services to restrict access to based on a customers internet service provider if that content is “designed primarily for television.”
But Rogers says the app is a different thing than the hockey games it shows on TV.
“These user enabled camera angles were designed primarily for the Internet — we wouldn’t have developed them solely for broadcast use,” a company spokesperson told the Canadian Press.
The ruling will be a technical one, CRTC regulations are dense and highly specific.
But it will also send a signal about whether the federal agency will try to regulate Canadian streaming providers more closely than those based in the United States.
The CRTC has struggled with regulating the internet and as more and more television-replacing offerings appear it’s getting more and more difficult. One of the regulator’s approaches has been to create exceptions to the rules traditional TV faces when it comes to online streaming.
The rule that bans streaming providers from restricting access to TV content based on their ISP is a lot stricter when it comes to traditional TV. Companies like Bell and Rogers have to share content – the TV stations – with their competitors.
Those exceptions were on display last month when Netflix and Google were called before the Commission.
Both companies insisted they had showed up voluntarily and were not subject to CRTC regulations. Both companies also refused to share data about their Canadian users with the commission.
While it threatened regulatory action, the CRTC ultimately decided to remove Google and Netflix’s submissions from its final report.
By challenging the Commission’s authority over online video services, Netflix and Google have raised doubts about the future of the CRTC as a broadcast regulator over the fastest-growing part of the market — the Internet,” Michael Geist, Canada research chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, wrote in the Toronto Star. “For companies such as Netflix and Google, the fear is that basic disclosures could eventually expand to promotional mandates, Canadian content requirements and mandatory financial contributions.”
It’s a battle that the CRTC seems likely to lose. The federal government has said it won’t support any plan to make Netflix and other streaming providers pay fees to support the creation of Canadian content – something traditional cable companies are required to do.
“The CRTC’s New Media Exemption Order is a policy decision in which it has convinced itself that it can regulate content on the Internet but simply chooses not to do so,” Faguy writes on his blog. “And while it can control the online activities of companies it already regulates like Bell and Shaw, it can’t control Google, Apple and Netflix without prompting a war that might just end in those companies abandoning our country.”


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The Stockport Express has stepped in to give pensioner Florence Bailey a Christmas to remember.
The 84-year-old widow has been unable to leave her top-floor flat for three months after a lift broke down.
Health problems mean the former sweet shop owner can’t make it down the four flights of stairs at Rena Court in Heaton Norris.
After our exclusive story revealed Mrs Bailey’s plight last week, she received numerous offers of help.
And this week Stockport Express reporter Peter Devine went to see Florence – complete with Santa Claus and a hamper full of Christmas goodies.
Previously, the only way she could get her shopping done was by relying on kindly neighbours.
A delighted Mrs Bailey said: "It's just amazing. I never expected all these things to happen, particularly, after the first burst of publicity.
"People have been so good. It’s unbelievable."
We contacted Sainsbury’s in the town centre, who made up a hamper including turkey breast, chocolates, Christmas pudding, brandy butter, crackers, biscuits, tinned food, sherry and a wrapped present.
Mrs Bailey added: "I have a friend in Lytham St Annes, who is in shock after reading about me in a national newspaper.
"Goodness knows what she will say when I tell her I have been visited by Father Christmas."
Trish Laing – who helped deliver the hamper with Sainsbury’s colleague Karen Howard – said: "Mrs Bailey is such a sweetheart – she is so inspiring."


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Humans are used to being watched by things like security cameras, speed cameras, and security officials themselves. However, the recent rise of big data surveillance powered by machine learning presents something entirely new – the aggregation of small bits of freely provided information from an individual into an incredibly accurate portrait of their life and tendencies. While frightening, such technologies offer extraordinary opportunities. But in order for their continued use to be morally justified, a conscious effort needs to be made to educate people on exactly what information they are giving up, what it is being used for, and the capabilities of big data as a whole.
Most of the data used in this new surveillance is seemingly not invasive, so people have no qualms with its collection. The issue is that people do not tend to understand what can be learned from seemingly irrelevant bits of data. As the article on Facebook likes displays, bizarre predictors exist (such as liking curly fries being a signal for high intelligence), and the aggregation of such predictors can start to paint a creepily accurate picture of a stranger’s life.
The Target pregnancy advertising campaign illustrates the biggest problem with big data advertising– it tends to produce positive results using methods with which we are uncomfortable. Though the following would not alleviate all concerns, better informing people that their data is being used for surveillance would at least eliminate the surprise many have felt when they realize their data is being used. I think a big piece of the problem is that consent for data collection is often buried in the fine print that almost nobody reads. This means that we are legally giving consent for our data to be taken without consciously knowing it, which I believe is a corrupted view of what consent entails. I strongly believe that affirmative consent must be given for the distribution and use of someone’s personal data to be okay. A positive change would be to force everyone to actively consent to data collection with some sort of check box reading something like “I acknowledge that the data generated by this action is the property of the Company and can be disseminated as the Company likes.” The cost of not accepting these terms might be the inability to purchase or use a product, but at least this would ensure that everyone knows that their data is being mined.
We have already seen a concerted effort to regulate data usage in order to prevent abuses (especially following the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal from the 2016 US election). In fact, the European community has taken the lead in doing so with its recent passage of the GDPR, which significantly increases the standards for the protection of consumer data and threatens stiff penalties for violators. Notably, it follows my insistence on informed consent and ensures that “companies will no longer be able to use long illegible terms and conditions full of legalese, as the request for consent must be given in an intelligible and easily accessible form, with the purpose for data processing attached to that consent.” Such regulation is exactly what we need to enable us to enjoy the incredibly possibilities of big data surveillance while maintaining respect for privacy, and the adoption of similar standards elsewhere is crucial as we move forward in our increasingly data-driven world.
The biggest counter-argument to a backlash against targeted advertising is that this advertising allows us to access content for free. If we take the revenue source away from content creators and social media platforms alike, we will either lose access to the content or platforms or be forced to pay. We see some of this happening with ad blockers, which are starting to create a tragedy of the commons on the Internet. Everyone likes free stuff, and almost no one likes advertising, so anyone can get the best of both worlds by using ad blockers. However, if enough people use blockers, then the revenue source is gone and the above will occur. I don’t think there is anything unethical about using ad blockers, especially due to the privacy concerns I have raised and the fact that pages are figuring out ways to get around the blockers, but I think it is important for people to understand that content has costs.


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With every state in America under a disaster declaration, the implosion for early-stage companies has been swift. According to a New York Times analysis, 6,000 people across 50 startups have lost their jobs since the middle of March.
Once fast-growing companies are losing their revenue overnight. Startups in travel, consumer goods and fintech are the hardest hit by the current economic freeze. The full impact on climatetech and cleantech companies is still unknown. That will depend on the sector they’re targeting, whether they’re generating revenue and how long this crisis lasts.
Shayle Kann and Stephen Lacey talk with Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs, and Emily Kirsch, founder and CEO of Powerhouse about how early-stage companies can make it through the current economic calamity.
The Interchange is sponsored by Viking Cold Solutions, a leader in thermal storage for refrigerated warehouses, grocery store freezers and restaurants around the globe. Find out how thermal storage can benefit your facility.
We’re also sponsored by NEXTracker. NEXTracker has more than 30 gigawatts of resilient and intelligent solar tracking systems across six continents. Optimize your solar power plant.


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The Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova has decided to support the development of Indivd's patent-pending AI technology. A new technology which gives physical retail a deep and unique understanding of...
The AI startup Indivd has now filed a patent application to PRV (Patent and Registration Office) to protect the company's new unique technology, which makes it possible to follow and identify...
Physical retail is facing dramatic changes when e-commerce puts pressure on the physical stores, which are forced to close one after another. But the startup company Indivd is now building a...
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About our Journey: "People thought our idea was incomprehensible"Press image: Linda Åstrand, Dataföreningen Sundsvall- People thought that our solution was completely incomprehensible during the...
Finally! Hanna and Didrik join the studio with the person we’ve talked about the most in Privacypodden ( except
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Comcast-Charter joint venture points to new chapter in streaming wars
Brian Roberts (CEO of Comcast) and Tom Rutledge (CEO of Charter Communications),
Drew Angerer | Getty Images
You can easily ignore the announcement last week. ComcastAnd CharterTo gain national market share in streaming video distribution, they have created a joint venture. The two biggest U.S. cable providers may not be winning the long-game that could open up new opportunities in streaming video distribution.
Comcast and Charter have announced a partnership of 50/50 to promote Comcast Flex’s streaming platform in more American homes. Comcast will licence Flex to Charter and give Charter Spectrum subscribers the access to it. Comcast will contribute to the venture its smart TV business (XClass), as well as free ad supported streaming service Xumo.
Charter will contribute $900 million in the beginning to help with expenses and expand. Charter will begin offering Flex-operated products and voice-controlled remotes in 2023. Although Flex isn’t new, it almost doubles its potential installation footprint.
It appears that Charter and Comcast started their partnership many years ago. Roku, Amazon, AppleAnd GoogleWe have been creating streaming aggregation tools and software for over a decade. SamsungThe smart TVs are equipped with a built-in streaming service. Netflix revealed last week that it will be offering a streaming platform. it lost customers for the first time in more than a decadeAccording to some reports, streaming subscribers in America may have hit a peak at the moment.
Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku said that it was difficult to see how the Comcast-Charter venture would succeed given all the years invested. during his company’s earnings conference call Thursday.
Wood stated that companies have had difficulty competing with Roku for streaming distribution in the past because Charter and Comcast both operate large businesses. Roku, however, is Roku’s only focus. Roku’s sole focus is streaming. No. 1 in big-screen device streaming market shareConviva Research found that Samsung was followed closely by Amazon Fire TV, Samsung, and Conviva.
Still, Comcast and Charter have a major advantage that no other streaming competitor has — technicians who enter the home.
Nearly all people and families who move into a new home or apartment need to have broadband installed. Comcast, Charter and Windstream are two of the biggest home-high-speed broadband providers in the United States.
A streaming device is used by hundreds of millions of Americans and they may not want to stop. Comcast and Charter serve more than 200 million households in the United States. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, and Charter CEO Tom Rutledge could agree on a strategy for telling their broadband technicians that they must connect Flex devices to homes when hooking up to the Internet.
Comcast, Charter and other companies don’t currently have Flex benefits to offer consumers. Although the companies may be able to market their user interfaces, it is difficult for them to convince consumers about something that they haven’t seen. Comcast’s voice-controlled remote allows users to quickly find content among a variety of streaming services. Roku and Amazon also have remotes that can be voice controlled.
Flex can be used over any device the consumer has, so there is no reason to choose Flex. But, streaming and TVs will age. For the moment, new broadband subscribers are eligible to receive Flex boxes at no cost.
Cable is perhaps the most well-known industry in video distribution.
An executive at a smaller entertainment and media company said that they were surprised that streaming packages have not been realized.
“I don’t think there is a lot of pressure to do that.” NetflixReed Hastings, co-CEO told CNBC in 2020In that year, the company’s stock value was nearly twice as high today. While it might work in some places, we don’t see the need to do that much.
Netflix’s recent share plunge and guidance that customer losses will accelerate next quarter may be the catalyst for streaming bundles — a product that starts to resemble a smaller version of the cable bundle.
If Netflix agrees to sell a bundled product — say, purely hypothetically, with Starz, Peacock and Paramount+ — for an aggregate discount, a third-party distributor will need to sell that bundle and authenticate buyers of the bundle.
Apple, Roku Google Amazon and Amazon all could be this third-party bundler.
But the “OG” video distributors are Comcast and Charter — the cable companies. They have been selling video content bundles for years.
They are now trying to place streaming devices into the homes of millions. As it is not difficult to imagine, they might want to offer customers bundles of video subscriptions that go with their boxes.
Roberts stated that Comcast will bring the products to more people and open up new revenue streams during last week’s earnings conference call.
Rutledge stated during Charter’s earnings conference that almost all Charter customers will soon have streaming video and not cable-connected TV.
“I believe that our customer base will increase incrementally.” [Internet protocol]He said,
It won’t happen in a day. It makes Comcast’s and Charter’s JV play a lot easier. They’re playing the streaming wars long game — and hoping the end result looks a lot like Cable TV 2.0.
Disclosure: Comcast owns CNBC and is the parent of NBCUniversal.
WATCH: Comcast’s earnings results for the first quarter


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(NEW YORK) — The Lego Group says it will remove gender bias from its iconic toys.
The Danish toymaker announced in a statement Monday, that it will get rid of gender references among its famous building block sets, after new research in a study commissioned by Lego found that “girls today feel increasingly confident to engage in all types of play and creative activities, but remain held back by society’s ingrained gender stereotypes as they grow older.”
The study carried out by the Geena Davis Institute in recognition of the UN’s International Day of the Girl also marked the launch of Lego’s new Ready for Girls campaign, which celebrates girls who rebuild the world through creative problem-solving.
“What we found is not only from the parents, but also from the boys that they were worried — that they would be teased or made fun of for playing with toys that would be say, associated with girls, so it was the fear of being shamed and made fun of,” Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute told Good Morning America. “With girls, they felt more confident than boys to engage in a variety of playing activity.”
According to the research, 4 in 10 girls and nearly 3 in 4 boys surveyed said they felt uncomfortable to play with toys presumably targeted to the opposite gender.
Parents are four times more likely to encourage girls to engage in dress-up than boys and twice as likely to encourage boys in computer coding than girls, according to the survey, which also noted that the boys and girls surveyed agreed with the idea that some activities are gender-specific.
Another toymaker, Hasbro, recently rebranded its iconic Mr. Potato Head toy earlier this year and introduced a new gender-neutral potato head family with diverse body parts and clothes. And in 2019, Mattel released its first gender-neutral doll.
Retail giant Target announced in 2015 that its stores would not classify toy aisles by gender, a move that also paved the way for proposed legislation requring large retailers to provide gender-neutral toy sections.
A California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend makes it the first state that mandates large department stores to display products like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for every family — and parents should encourage what their kids love and what they’re interested in,” parenting expert Ericka Souter told GMA. “We want the world to be open to our children and don’t want them to feel limited by their gender — companies are responding to this growing demand.”
Lego said in a statement that it is “committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children’s creative ambitions – both now in the future – are not limited by gender stereotypes. We know there is work to do which is why from 2021, we will work closely with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and UNICEF to ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free of gender bias and harmful stereotypes.”
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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A 43-inch television will come for Rs 23,999 – the lowest price for an ‘official’ Android 4K TV in India. Only Google certified Android TVs get the ‘official’ tag.
Super Plastronics (SPPL), the brand licensee of Kodak in India, has launched Kodak Android televisions on Flipkart.
The series is available in four variants, 43 inch, 50 inch, 55 inch and 65 inch. The price of the series starts from Rs. 23,999 for the 43-inch variant to Rs 49,999 for the 65-inch variant. The product will available on Flipkart from March 19.
Currently, prices for official Android 4k TVs in India start from Rs 26,000. When it comes to 55-inch, a similar product by Sony costs Rs 85,999.
When the company entered the Indian market in 2016, it had offered TVs that didn’t have the Google tag.
This is the first bezel-less television manufactured in India and has been produced in our Noida factory. Kodak’s official Android TV is frameless, bezel-less with Dolby Vision, 4k HDR10, Android 9.0 interface.
Bezel is like a frame around the TV screen.
Kodak is a large player in the online television space and Marwah claimed that it has better brand recall than other online-only players.
Kevin, CloudWalker, Thomson iFFalcon, Micromax are some of the players that sell only online. Marwah explained that since the Kodak brand has been associated with products like cameras in India in the past, its brand recall is higher than the other online TV companies.
In 2019, Kodak TVs had an online market share of 4 percent and is eyeing a 4.5-5 percent market share in 2020.
SPPL is the only brand licensee in India that has partnered with Google, to make in India.
Kodak Android 4K TVs have features like, Dolby Digital plus with DTS TruSurround, multiple connectivity options with USB 3.0, HDMI ARC/CEC and Bluetooth v.5.0 (latest version) with user friendly remote.
The remote has dedicated hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play Store and is also equipped with Google Assistant for smooth navigation.
According to Acumen Research and consulting, the global android TV market size is expected to reach around USD 231 Billion by 2026 with a CAGR of around 20 percent during the forecast period of 2019-2026. The growing integration and extension of multi-media coverage is a natural progression for android TV.
SPPL is targeting to launch new TV models throughout the year. In 2020, SPPL is targeting a turnover of Rs 700 crore for FY 2020-21. With the launch of official android televisions, SPPL aims to witness 100 percent growth in volume sales in 2020 as compared to 60 percent growth in 2019.
Hari Kumar, Senior Director – Large Appliances, Flipkart said that through their payment constructs such as Debit Card EMI, Buy Now Pay Later etc., the e-commerce platform will help take the Kodak brand to the deepest corners of the country.


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196w ago - Previously we reported on PlayStation Move's confirmation and official specs from GDC 2010, and now SCEE's Product Marketing Director Mark Hardy has confirmed more details alongside a video!
Jack Tretton of SCEA also revealed that PlayStation Move will be available in a range of bundles, from stand-alone controllers, to a starter kit and even the 'Ultimate Bundle' which will include a PS3 console as well as the starter kit.
He noted that this will be the biggest effort of the Sony year and promised huge TV exposure!
To quote: By now you may have seen the update on our new PlayStation 3 motion controller, via our live video stream at GDC. In case you missed it, let me introduce you to 'PlayStation Move'.
We first showed the 'Move' controller prototype at E3 in 2009 and we're now ready with the final design, along with an early look at just a few of the upcoming games...
Take a look at our trailer below, which aims to explain PlayStation Move in more detail.
Our launch games are designed to appeal to all PlayStation 3 fans. We've got our own take on social games such as 'Sports Champions' and 'Move Party' (both working...
284w ago - An Xbot's take on why the time is now right for Xbox 360 gamers to seriously consider getting rid of their 360's and purchasing a PS3
Before beginning this article I would like to make it clear that I'm a confessed Xbot. Even after churning through 3 separate Xbox 360's due to hardware failure, I have remained loyal to Microsoft and believe that Xbox Live is an amazingly fun service, even worth paying for.
BUT do I really? What has kept me coming back again and again when a normal gamer would have spat the dummy and gotten rid of the Xbox 360 years ago? Why is now the right time to finally break away from Microsoft?
The following reasons are what I believe to be the most compelling as to why my fellow hardcore Xbots should seriously consider taking the plunge and moving over to the PS3.
The Play Station Network Now I hear what you guys are saying, nothing beats Xbox lives usability, social aspects and servers, but PSN has come a long way over the last year or so. The Servers (due to less traffic) experience a lot less lag than what we have all become accustomed to on Live. The PSN interface thanks to 2.40 update will encompass almost all the functionality that Xbots are familiar with, including fast access to friends and game invitations, and it's FREE!


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With the unemployment rate at about the lowest level in almost 50 years, how much lower could it go? An economist explains.
Trump's plan to slap $200 billion more in tariffs on Chinese goods is premised on yesterday's waste-fueled economy. Tomorrow's economy is 'circular.'
It's when times are good that the seeds of the next financial crisis are sown.
South Africans debating the zero rating of certain products for VAT purposes must realise it isn't a panacea for poor people and should be accompanied by other policies.
We are doing well, but our economic report card is mixed.
Indonesia under President Joko Widodo seems to be on the right track in reducing inequality.
The recent Rokan block deal signals a shift to a more nationalist agenda, but Indonesia's government is still pursuing other more outward-looking economic policies.
Whoever ends up the Liberal prime minister will need to articulate a more coherent economic policy to help everyday Australians.
Venezuela recently devalued its bolivar by 95 percent to tame rabid hyperinflation that has been sending prices on everyday goods through the roof. If history is a guide, it won't work.
In the information age, advertising is no longer needed to inform consumers.That means its primary role is to manipulate.
Global travelers are being increasingly asked if they want to pay for local purchases in terms of their home country currency. Here's why you should resist the strong temptation to do so.
Kenya's heavy debt burden is worrisome and could damage its economy in the long-term.
The Trump administration's promise of $12 billion in aid to offset losses from retaliatory tariffs will not make up for the long-term consequences of a prolonged trade war.
The free movement of people between African countries could facilitate economic development.
While the hurricanes last year dealt devastating blows to Puerto Rico, its challenges predate the storms and continue on today. They also offer new opportunities.
Muhammad bin Salman is set on transforming the oil-rich kingdom into a modern, economically diverse superpower. It won't be easy.
Trump has started a trade war with China and much of the world. Here's what you need to know.
China turned inward during the Industrial Revolution after being a economic powerhouse for thousands of years. There are lessons about the dangers of Donald Trump's isolationism in Chinese history.
The government's plan released by Treasurer Scott Morrison on Thursday, would ensure the fiscal capacity of all states and territories was "at least the equal of NSW or Victoria, whichever is higher".
The president says immigration is bad for the US economy. Economists disagree.


text: Shares of Eventbrite Inc. /zigman2/quotes/208043748/composite EB +9.93% fell 6% in the extended session Thursday after the online events and ticketing company reported better-than-expected quarterly results but said it had seen "early evidence" of coronavirus-related event cancellations. Eventbrite said it lost $13.9 million, or 16 cents a share, in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $13 million, or 17 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Sales rose 9% to $82.7 million. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected Eventbrite to report a loss of 21 cents a share on sales of $78.8 million. The company guided for a first-quarter net sales between $84 million and $88 million, and full-year 2020 revenue between $342 million and $359 million. "We have seen early evidence of event cancellations that appear to be associated with the coronavirus, and we expect the outbreak will impact live events and attendance in the near-term. These expectations have been considered in the business outlook," Eventbrite said in a statement.


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Lawrenceville, NJ (June 6, 2016) – A new revolutionary solution, named GS1 US Mobile Scan, offers the next generation of product identification, helping brands and retailers transform their business by delivering robust product information to consumers. GS1 US Mobile Scan-enabled packages have a DWCodeTM, a nearly invisible high performance barcode offered in collaboration with Digimarc Corporation, giving trading partners the latest technology for providing digital savvy consumers with timely brand-authorized product information, including marketing, pricing, special offers and coupons, product attributes, instructional videos, rich media and additional shopping assistance via their smartphones. GS1 US members can begin implementing GS1 US Mobile Scan by obtaining DWCodes through the new online portal located at www.gs1us.org/mobilescan.
“Consumers are increasingly demanding access to complete and accurate product information to inform their purchase decisions and more than 90 percent use their smartphones while shopping in retail stores," said Laura DiSciullo, senior vice president of solutions, GS1 US. “The combination of mobile technology and shopper expectations has created the perfect storm and is challenging brands and retailers to respond with richer information for the consumer. GS1 US Mobile Scan addresses those requirements, helping provide the ultimate consumer experience now and in the future.”
In addition to providing brands with improved customer loyalty and direct consumer engagement opportunities via the digital devices they use today, GS1 US Mobile scan also offers retailers better inventory accuracy and faster check out at point-of-sale (POS). GS1 US Mobile Scan-enabled packages contain the same Global Trade Item Number® (GTIN®) data currently carried in a product’s U.P.C. barcode, making the data scannable on all printed surfaces of a package. Clerks can quickly scan packages with optical POS scanners without having to first orient the barcode to the reader, saving time and improving store operations.
By utilizing the Digimarc Discover® software development kits, mobile app developers will provide a state-of-the-art reader to consumers that enables their smartphones to read DWCodes for GS1 US Mobile Scan experiences, as well as 1D and 2D barcodes.
To enable GS1 US Mobile Scan, brand owners will need to register, create an account, verify each GTIN, and provide the required product attributes. The DWCode portal validates a brand and product identifier to prevent unauthorized use by someone not affiliated with the brand owner company. There is a $50 annual license fee per DWCode, plus the Certified Solution Partner fees for enabling the DWCode in package designs.
For more information about GS1 US Mobile Scan, please visit www.gs1us.org/mobilescan.
About GS1 US®
GS1 US, a member of GS1®, is an information standards organization that brings industry communities together to solve supply-chain problems through the adoption and implementation of GS1 Standards. More than 300,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading-partner collaboration and for maximizing the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, security and sustainability of their business processes. They achieve these benefits through solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, barcodes, Electronic Product Code (EPC®)-based Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), data synchronization, and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code® (UNSPSC®). www.GS1US.org
Digimarc Corp. (NASDAQ: DMRC), based in Beaverton, Oregon, is the inventor of the Digimarc Discover® platform featuring the imperceptible Digimarc Barcode for automatically identifying and interacting with virtually any media. The platform enables industrial scanners, smartphones, tablets and other computer interfaces to reliably, efficiently and economically identify traditional barcoded items, along with many other media objects. Digimarc Barcodes are imperceptible to people and do all that visible barcodes do, but perform better. They can be applied to virtually all forms of media. These remarkable capabilities have allowed Digimarc and its business partners to supply a wide range of patented consumer engagement, media management and security solutions across multiple consumer and government industry sectors. Digimarc owns an extensive intellectual property portfolio, with patents in digital watermarking, content identification and management, media object discovery, and intuitive computing more generally. For more information and the latest news, please visit www.digimarc.com and follow on Twitter at @Digimarc.


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techUK is pleased to announce that we will be the publishing partner with Raconteur on its "Smart Technology & Living" report, to be published in The Times, and hosted on The Times iPad edition homepage, on 15 November 2017.
Raconteur and techUK are working together to create an engaging 16-page report highlighting where the smart home is today and will educate consumers about how to integrate the latest smart technology into their home.
With a national circulation of 436,692, a print readership of 1.05 million, plus an additional 81,000 daily subscribers on the app, The Times is the leading broadsheet newspaper in the UK, reaching the largest audience of ABC1 readers in the national press.
The report will profile no more than seven leading brands in this space and discounted commercial options are available to all techUK members.
For further details please contact:
Liz Sheldon, Lead Publisher, T 020 3877 3840, E firstname.lastname@example.org
Raconteur is a premium independent publishing house, committed to producing high quality, special interest content for The Times & The Sunday Times newspapers since 2008.


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In December 2015, an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorism suspects, Syed Rizwan Farooq was seized by the FBI. However, encryption technology has allegedly prevented the authorities from gaining access to its contents. On January 16, 2016, a federal magistrate in California requested Apple to create a program that would disable key security features (in geek terms, give the FBI backdoor access to the device) and install it on Farooq’s iPhone in order to break past the encryption.
In layperson terms, the code would disable a key security feature that will remove limitations on how often an attacker can incorrectly guess an iPhone passcode. This would allow the FBI to crack the passcode on Farooq’s phone via brute force; guessing each possible encryption key in sequence until you find the right one. There are just a million conceivable mixes for a six-digit password. The FBI needs Apple to make a custom iOS that will permit the FBI to enter allow the FBI to enter password guesses electronically, as fast as the iPhone can process them. This would fundamentally undermine key security features of the iPhone, as explained in Apple CEO Tim Cook’s public letter to customers.
Here’s a quote from Apple’s letter explaining why they it’s not complying with FBI request:
The order would set a legal precedent that would expand the powers of the government and we simply don’t know where that would lead us. Should the government be allowed to order us to create other capabilities for surveillance purposes, such as recording conversations or location tracking? This would set a very dangerous precedent.
Law enforcement agents around the country have already said they have hundreds of iPhones they want Apple to unlock if the FBI wins this case. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks. Of course, Apple would do our best to protect that key, but in a world where all of our data is under constant threat, it would be relentlessly attacked by hackers and cybercriminals. As recent attacks on the IRS systems and countless other data breaches have shown, no one is immune to cyberattacks.
Again, we strongly believe the only way to guarantee that such a powerful tool isn’t abused and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands is to never create it.
The San Bernardino County government made a public statement on February 19, 2016, revealing that their staff tampered with Syed Farooq’s iCloud account under an FBI directive. This is relevant because a reset of Farooq’s iCloud password made it impossible to see if there was another way to get access to data on the shooter’s iPhone without taking Apple to court. The FBI’s response? it doesn’t matter.
On February 20, 2016, The FBI released a statement to Ars Technica. Their stance comes down to two claims: 1) Yes, the FBI ordered the reset of the password, and 2) The reset of the iCloud password is irrelevant to the court order that asks Apple to unlock the terrorist’s iPhone by building a backdoor tool to crack the passcode on the device. They insist that even if they hadn’t bungled the password reset, there’s still information that a seized iCloud backup wouldn’t have been able to retrieve on the phone. Thus, they think that it’s irrelevant as to how or why the iCloud backup failed. (Read the full statement)
Experts say, whether FBI’s bungling up iCloud password forced no other option but to break through encryption is an argument that will play out strongly in court. However, this has not deterred public opposition to FBI’s request. ABC News ran a feature revealing 175 pending cases in New York alone, which require foiling encryption, further strengthening the argument that this will not be a one off deal with the FBI. If Apple gives in to the FBI’s demands, it sets a dangerous precedent. What’s to stop other authorities from doing the same? Additionally, if a backdoor is built for one case, that same backdoor can be used to break encryption on other devices as well. Forensic Scientist, Jonathan Ździarski in a detailed analysis on his blog, writes about the forensic and legal issues of the case:
FBI could have come to Apple with a court order stating they must brute force the PIN on the phone and deliver the contents. It would have been difficult to get a judge to sign off on that, since this quite boldly exceeds the notion of “reasonable assistance” to hack into your own devices. No, to slide this by, FBI was more clever. They requested that Apple developed a forensics tool but did not do the actual brute force themselves. This was apparently enough for the courts to look past the idea of “reasonable assistance”, however there are some unseen caveats that are especially dangerous here. What many haven’t considered is the significant difference – in the legal world – between providing lab services and developing what the courts will consider an instrument.
Ździarski’s analysis gives a detailed insight on how the case may play out in court, but more importantly the impact it will have on the forensic process and encryption. There’s been a lot of conversation around Apple’s decision, some of which points to the fact that Apple may be doing this as a way to promote their product. This is an interesting observation and one that could be useful in the fight for encryption. If corporations embedded encryption as a core part of their products, inevitably, more companies would have to join the fight for privacy by aligning their interests with that of the public.
What does this mean for Pakistan? What happens in the US has had a trickle-down effect in many countries, including ours. The aftermath of the NSA revelations saw governments, including ours, scrambling for more control. We witnessed a similar incident when Blackberry released a statement informing users that it planned to exit Pakistan over pressure from security agencies for user data. The company subsequently announced the issue was resolved. By refusing to comply, Apple has set a precedent for other companies to follow, it has risked being accused of siding with the terrorists to partake in a broader and much needed debate on privacy vs security.
The case also brings to the forefront, the need for better security when it comes to our digital devices. Micah Lee from The Intercept has a detailed guide to follow:
- Within the “Touch ID & Passcode” settings screen, make sure to turn on the Erase Data setting to erase all data on your iPhone after 10 failed passcode attempts.
- Make sure you don’t forget your passcode, or you’ll lose access to all of the data on your iPhone.
- Don’t use Touch ID to unlock your phone. Your attacker doesn’t need to guess your passcode if she can push your finger onto the home button to unlock it instead. (At least one court has ruledthat while the police cannot compel you to disclose your passcode, they can compel you to use your fingerprint to unlock your smartphone.)
- Don’t use iCloud backups. Your attacker doesn’t need to guess your passcode if she can get a copy of all the same data from Apple’s server, where it’s no longer protected by your passcode.
- Do make local backups to your computer using iTunes, especially if you are worried about forgetting your iPhone passcode. You can encrypt the backups, too.


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Council urges residents to waste less plastic
Through the Joint Waste Service with Tamworth, Lichfield District Council is launching a campaign this September to encourage residents to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics.
With the increasing awareness of the harm it is doing to the environment, Lichfield District Council has put together a Waste Less Plastic campaign, which aims to highlight the issue of plastic pollution and how to avoid plastic packaging and throwaway items.
As part of this the council has produced a poster that features nine top tips about how to avoid using single use plastics.
From always having a reusable water bottle and shopping bag to hand, to bringing your own coffee cup and packed lunch with you, the tips offer simple ways to cut down on plastic packaging.
Other tips include refusing plastic straws, using a cloth instead of wipes that have plastic in them, choosing loose fruit and vegetables and opting for glass containers rather than plastic bottles. The ninth tip is to recycle all appropriate plastics in your blue bin.
Councillor Liz Little, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Recycling & Leisure, said:
“Plastic pollution is having an impact on our waters and marine life, as well as the food chain and public health.
“We know it is an issue that many of our residents are really worried about, which is why we’re suggesting a number of ways we can all avoid single-use plastic items.
“Our tips offer simple swaps that if enough people do them will really cut down the waste we produce. However, they are just the start and there are many more ways to reduce plastic waste, and we’re hoping lots of people will share their own top tips with us through our Twitter and Facebook accounts.
“This is the first phase of our Waste Less Plastic campaign, and we hope to work with local businesses to look at ways to reduce the amount of plastic produced across the district.”
Waste Less Plastic top tips:
- Bring a water bottle
- Bring your own bag
- Bring your own coffee cup
- Bring a packed lunch
- Use a cloth not a wipe
- Say no to plastic straws
- Choose loose fruit and vegetables
- Choose glass packaging
- Recycle your plastic waste


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While world was waiting for the iphone 4S and were keeping their eyes on the Apple Inc. at the very same time the Apple announced the death of the Steve jobs, the founder and the ex-CEO of Apple. That caused a sadness for such an accidental and sad demise of the Steve jobs.
but now after Steve jobs, the question is that, who will lead the Apple Inc? it was said till now that whether Steve jobs is on job or is retired he keeps and eye on the company and do his innovations but now after the Steve jobs, is Apple inc. board of director strong enough to hold up the company and the values that steve left? and will they be able to to continue the way Steve did so great with his innovative mind?
It would be an honor to hear about your views here.


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Thursday, March 5, 2015
February threw snowstorms and other roadblocks at the auto industry, but U.S. sales of new cars and trucks are still poised to hit their highest level in more than a decade this year.
Top U.S. business executives are pressing Congress to give U.S. President Barack Obama greater authority to negotiate international trade deals. In a report by the lobbying group Business Roundtable, ....................
With tens of millions of gamers now regularly spectating video games online and in real-world arenas, game developers looking to create the next “StarCraft” or “League of Legends” might learn a few lessons at this year's Game Developers Conference.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
U.S. factories expanded last month at their weakest pace in a year, with orders, hiring and production all growing more slowly.
Monday, March 2, 2015
At a taco shop in Southern California, milkshakes are served in mason jars and a chalkboard menu lists “The 1%er” made with lobster meat.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
The U.S. economy slowed more sharply in the final three months of the year than previously believed, reflecting weaker business and a bigger trade deficit.
What if cauliflower got the same type of marketing firepower as candy bars and potato chips?
Consumers using smart phones to scan special codes or symbols on food packages could head off the debate between the food industry and those pushing for labels identifying genetically modified organisms, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
Internet activists scored a major victory after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission agreed to rules that would ban service providers from creating Internet fast lanes.
Relying on Republicans and going against the grain of his own party for his legislative successes has not been much of a go-to play in President Barack Obama's game plan.


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A voice for Business in Europe - 'Celebrating 30 years of the EU Single Market'
On Friday March 24th 2023, I was delighted to host a seminar for SMEs, Business Groups and Entrepreneurs in Dublin for a high-level discussion on the opportunities and challenges businesses in Ireland face as we mark 30 years of the EU Single Market.
A robust discussion with many indigenous businesses and organisations including IBEC, ISME, members of Chambers Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Irish and European economy.
We owe the single market much: An estimated 56 million jobs, roughly 70% of exports of small and medium-sized enterprises and trade in goods, which alone accounts for around 25% of the EU GDP. In Ireland, SMEs account for nearly 70% of employment.
However, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that Irish businesses and SMEs get the most benefit possible from the EU single market. More needs to be done to improve SME trading opportunities within the Single Market and boost investment and support programmes to assist SME with their trading activities.
Multinationals based in Ireland have been able to take full advantage of the Single Market on Ireland’s doorstep, and this is a good thing, yet smaller and medium Irish enterprises have yet to unlock the full untapped potential on offer.
Speakers at the seminar offered their unique in accessing the EU internal market, sourcing funding at EU level and how to reap the full benefits of the Single Market.
Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, focused her keynote address on areas of the Single Market that are still underdeveloped, such as the area of financial services and why we need a more integrated market for banking, insurance, pensions and trading – this benefits both citizens and businesses.
Susan McGarry, Managing Director of Ecocem Ireland explained the day-to-day operation of the Single Market and the benefits it delivers to her business as Ecocem now trades in ten different EU countries.
Aongus Hegarty, President of International Markets, Dell Technologies shared his experience of operating in the Single Market and how important access to the Single Market is for indigenous Irish companies and for multinational companies operating in Ireland.
CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Leo Clancy focused his remarks on the common challenges businesses face when accessing the Single Market, particularly when they are trying to grow their business and outlined a range of supports EI offers directly to businesses.
The question of skills including how Ireland can remain competitive in a market of 27 Member States and where we should be working to develop future strength was highlighted by Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive of ISME.
In my role as a legislator in the European Parliament, I shared my thoughts on reforms coming down the line from the EU of which businesses should be aware of.
The green and digital transition was also a major topic of discussion. The seminar gave an opportunity to those businesses in attendance to voice their opinion on implementation periods and the need for greater consultation.
Check out a quick summary of the seminar above.


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The Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show has officially launched its milestone 30th anniversary showcase, which will be held from May 24-27.
Starting today, marine brands are invited to join the 2018 show.
SCIBS general manager Johan Hasser said the team was thrilled to be planning a massive show for 2018, buoyed by the spirit of exhibitors already working toward their displays for it.
“Thirty years is a milestone we are proud and excited to share with our exhibitors, sponsors and supporters across the industry,” Hasser said in a statement. “From 100-plus exhibitors in 1989 to the world-class showcase it is today, with more than 300 quality exhibitors from Australia, New Zealand and Asia, plus visitors from around the world, it’s fair to say we’ve come a long way.”
As well as attracting upwards of 40,000 visitors, SCIBS has grown to become an important B2B event on the Australian boating calendar, hosting international delegations from every continent in the wake of the Australian Superyacht, Marine Export and Commercial Marine Industry Conference and thanks to the support of the Gold Coast City Council and the Queensland government.
“Many people tell us they plan to travel down under to experience SCIBS and see for themselves the ingenuity and innovation the Australian marine industry is renowned for,” he said.


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Those who fall into the consumer category of cord cutters surely aren’t lacking in movies and shows to watch or music to listen to. But despite dozens of various streaming services coming and going over the last several years, there has still been only one way to watch live TV. Until now.
Today at CES, Dish TV has unveiled the next generation of live television. Dubbed Sling TV, thanks to Dish, consumers finally have a new option in watching some of today’s most desirable cable television content from anywhere at anytime. For just $20 a month, Sling TV users will be able to use the Internet to access live, real-time broadcasts from ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ABC Family and CNN.
At $20 a month with limited content providers, Dish is taking an interesting approach to giving consumers what they want. Instead of charging something close to what your normal cable costs and bundling in dozens of unwanted channels, Dish is working with its most popular partners offering a more curated approach. If you want to add more channels, $5 themed add-on packs let you customize how much you pay for TV service and what kind of channels you get. Dish has already announced a “Kids Extra” add-on pack with Disney Junior, Disney XD, Boomerang, Baby TV and Duck TV, and a “News & Info Extra” add-on with HLN, Cooking Channel, DIY and Bloomberg TV. A sports themed add-on pack is coming soon as well.
As for how you will be able to access Sling TV, supported versions of Android will have an app, there is a Sling TV website, and Google’s Nexus Player along with the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick will have access to the service.
Every year we like to look at the news coming out of CES and imagine which products, services or announcements will have the biggest impact on the industry in the coming years. It’s hard not to think Sling TV could finally be the tipping point that flips the TV industry on its head. Sling TV will be launching soon, stay tuned for more details as they’re made available.


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The Plastics Industry Trade Association and the SPI Bioplastics Division announced Wednesday that Eastman Kodak was the winner of the 2015 Innovation in Bioplastics Award for its creation of a bio-toner, designed for the electro-photographic printing industry that contains greater than 90 percent biobased and biodegradable materials. The announcement was made at NPE2015: The International Plastics Showcase, hosted at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
“The term ‘bioplastics’ has quickly grown to become synonymous with innovation, and Eastman Kodak’s creation of a bio-toner that is formulated with biobased and biodegradable materials continues that tradition,” said SPI President and CEO William R. Carteaux. “SPI congratulates Eastman Kodak for winning the 2015 Innovation in Bioplastics Award and thanks all of this year’s entrants for their continuing pursuit of new applications for biobased and biodegradable materials and for supporting the expansion of choices that plastics manufacturers have when it comes to which materials they use in their products.”
Eastman Kodak, headquartered in Rochester, NY, created its award-winning biobased and biodegradable bio-toner using low-carbon-footprint, naturally-advanced Ingeo™ resin, which is comprised of polylactic acid (PLA) and derived from renewable and naturally abundant resources and natural waxes that only contain a small amount of inorganic material. Having such a high percentage of PLA makes the de-inking process for this material much simpler, and the resulting waste material that’s leftover contains mostly lactic acid, which Eastman Kodak noted is a useful feedstock for other plastics products and stands in stark contrast to typical residue leftover after standard de-inking processes.
According to Eastman Kodak, toner resin worth approximately $1 billion is consumed each year in the printing industry for electro-photographic toners. One third of that goes into chemical toner production of which color toner production accounts for 98 percent. Bioresins have limited impact in the industry, accounting for only one percent of color toners and 10 percent of monochrome toners, but developing economically-viable biotoners that can be used at 100 percent incorporation, as Eastman Kodak’s innovative biotoner aims to do, can capture greater market share.
“The Innovation in Bioplastics Award was created to draw attention to solutions that are being created by the industry using bioplastics, and to draw attention to companies that are using bioplastics not just as a novelty, but to actually solve real world issues because of their unique functionality,” said Keith Edwards of BASF, chairman of the SPI Bioplastics Division. “Bioplastics isn’t a revolution, it’s an evolution and Eastman Kodak created a biobased toner that’s very innovative. Because it’s going to be used in a wide array of applications it has the potential to have a huge impact on the marketplace.”
“We congratulate Eastman Kodak because they did something very new and we hope that their success helps other companies look to bioplastics for the solutions they can bring,” Edwards added.
According to Eastman Kodak, their biobased toner will be widely available by May or June this year. For more information on the SPI Bioplastics Division, click here.
Founded in 1937, SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association promotes growth in the $373 billion U.S. plastics industry. Representing nearly 900 thousand American workers in the third largest U.S. manufacturing industry, SPI delivers legislative and regulatory advocacy, market research, industry promotion and the fostering of business relationships and zero waste strategies. SPI also owns and produces the international NPE trade show. All profits from NPE are reinvested into SPI’s industry services. Find SPI online at www.plasticsindustry.org and www.inthehopper.org.
“From resin suppliers and equipment makers to processors and brand owners, SPI is proud to represent all facets of the U.S. plastics industry,” said William R. Carteaux, president and CEO, SPI. Our most recent economic reports show that the plastics industry as a whole is resilient, and has come through the recession significantly better than other U.S. manufacturing sectors.”
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ALSO READOne economic India: Transition to regime complicated, says Economic Survey Records of goods lost, stolen, gifted a must under GST draft rules GST to be soon be a reality: Five things to know about the tax reform Centre, states look to iron out differences at GST meeting GST to boost Uttar Pradesh's commercial tax kitty
The Advance Ruling Authority under the goods and services tax (GST) regime may comprise officials of the rank of joint commissioner as against non-government members in the current regime for Customs and central excise, if draft rules are implemented. While the move will expedite rulings, industry feels it may impact the independence of the bench. Advance rulings enable investors to know in advance about their tax liability on proposed transaction. The process has been liberalised. “It is going to be faster and easier for businesses to obtain the ruling. However, since it will not be an independent judiciary, it will be a challenge to not allow a revenue bias to come in,” said Pratik Jain, leader, indirect tax, PwC India.


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Industry must act over meat consumption, warns WWF
The industry must take action over meat consumption before the government is forced to impose draconian measures, the leader of WWF-UK has warned.
Speaking at the Sustainable Consumption Institute conference recently, WWF-UK chief executive David Nussbaum called for a consumption-based approach to sustainability.
Acknowledging that livestock consumption is a highly contentious issue, which “tends to send many producers and manufacturers running for the hills”, Nussbaum said that production-based emissions cuts will not be sufficient to reverse climate change.
He warned that if consumption is ignored, emissions will keep rising until the government is forced to take “drastic action”, such as rationing or fiscal measures.
“The longer livestock remains the elephant in the room, the more draconian these changes are going to be – on everyone. Conversely, the sooner we start speaking about it and looking at the options, the less invasive they will be,” he said.
Nussbaum stressed that WWF-UK does not want to polarise groups with “knee-jerk, over-simplified campaigns”, but wants to encourage co-operative work towards a common goal.
“To be clear, this is not an anti-capitalist or anti-business message,” he said. “It’s pro-sustainability. It’s pro-efficiency. It’s pro-business. It’s also reality. And while consuming less may mean selling less stuff, it doesn’t have to mean creating less value. How about eating less, but better meat?”
He urged retailers and manufacturers to lead the way and recognise their role in shaping consumer demand, as well as responding to it.
“That’s not to say there won’t be differences – and big ones. This makes it challenging, but the retailers and manufacturers can play a huge part: they cannot just respond to consumer concerns – they have to help shape them,” he said.
27 October, 2016, 8:30
Next steps for tackling obesity: prevention, sugar consumption a
01 - 03 November, 2016
China Foodtech 2017
07 November, 2016
Butcher’s Shop of the Year
01 December, 2016, 8:30 - 13:30
Policy priorities for the UK food, drink and farming industry


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"The $3.7 billion World Trade Center Transportation Hub will soon house the luxury Westfield World Trade Center mall, which calls itself "the most complete retail destination in New York City, the most alluring retail landmark in the world." But a persistent water leak, among other things, has delayed the opening of the $1.4 billion shopping center. The problems of building such a complex structure — a four-block-long interconnected network with the soaring Oculus as its centerpiece — have nearly doubled the price tag that was estimated 12 years ago. @bryanthomasphoto photographed construction crews working at the #Oculus on Monday." By nytimes on Instagram.
Posted on infosnack.


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By Shane McMahon Northwest Asian Weekly As a crowd gathered on King Street, lettuce and firecrackers hung from the front of a building, two pairs of children in lion costumes prepared to dance, and the celebration of the Year of the Sheep was ready to start. On Feb. 7 the Wing Luke Museum provided Seattle’s […]
Power outage disrupts, but festivities continue
By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly This year’s Dragon Fest posed challenges to many Chinatown businesses, even though it could be a record-breaking year in attendance.
Dragon Fest a boon to families, businesses
By Charles Lam Northwest Asian Weekly The International District is open for business. That’s what over 25,000 people attending the International District’s Dragon Fest 2013 last weekend learned as vendors lined the streets and restaurants opened their doors for the neighborhood’s annual summer festival.
ID restaurants to bring back $2 tasting menu for annual Dragon Fest
The Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) organized the return of the $2 Food Walk at this summer’s Dragon Fest. On July 9 and July 10, 16 of Chinatown-ID’s top culinary destinations will offer up a menu of $2 bites. Participating restaurants include Sea Garden, Kaname Izakaya, Harbor City, Oasis Tea Zone, Fu-Lin Ramen House, […]


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Here’s a quick look at some of what to do around Asheville this weekend, including our pick of five places around town to watch the NCAA basketball tournament’s Final Four games on Saturday and national championship game on Monday. Thursday Asheville City Soccer Kick-Off Party, 6-9 p.m. at Hi-Wire Brewing Big Top near Biltmore Village: Celebrate AVL’s new soccer team[Read More…]
Post Tagged with: "Hi-Wire Brewing"
John Silver hopes to begin serving beer in downtown Burnsville this spring.
Also, Hi-Wire has replaced a pale ale with a new IPA as a year-round flagship beer, and more.
Also, a Nov. 5 run and walk takes aim at prostate cancer, and much more.
Also, a new business called GEARU specializing in providing outdoor gear to locals through a membership program, and more.
The series of events includes a passport program encouraging folks to visit each brewery to collect Parkway Beer Passport stickers.
Hi-Wire, which opened a new production facility and tasting room last year near Biltmore Village, will continue producing its core lineup of beers at that location.
Actor and comedian Danny McBride, who created Powers, has been hitting restaurants and bars all over town.
Hi-Wire’s new production facility is located near Biltmore Village.
Hi-Wire’s “Biltmore Big Top” will soon take over production of the brewery’s flagship beers.
Burial Beer Company celebrated its expansion recently with the release of the first batch of beer brewed on their new 10 barrel system.
The announcement of Hi-Wire’s expansion caps off a remarkable year in the growth of Asheville’s independent craft breweries.
Also, a new downtown Asheville bar is in the works, Hi-Wire Brewing is poised for growth, SantaCon is Saturday, Ben’s Tune-Up party, more.
Here a few local beer ideas to go with your Turkey Day feast.
With increasing numbers of beer tourists and wider distribution, there appears no end in sight for beer production in Asheville.
Hi-Wire is working with Lazy Magnolia Brewing to have it contract brew some of Hi-Wire’s bottled beers.
It’s the massive building is right behind one of Asheville’s best beer and wine stores, Appalachian Vintner.
Asheville Beer News: Hi-Wire wins big at N.C. Brewer’s Cup, Highland Brewing to release anniversary IPA
Also, Burial Beer to release a limited amount of a raspberry chocolate stout on Thursday.
Both breweries are right at their one-year anniversaries in Asheville, and they’re growing. Beer City USA, y’all.
This trend of seeking more extreme craft brews is getting out of hand. Summer is the perfect time to sip on a classic beer style.
The property sits at the corner of Asheland and Hilliard avenues on Asheville’s hot South Slope.
Also, Ben’s Tune-Up announces a lunch buffet, Chef Mo lands in Madison County, East Fork Pottery is spotlighted and more.
Ashvegas Hot Sheet: City of Asheville threatens Pack Place lease; Hi-Wire gets nod; Clement house preserved
Also, Moogfest’s economic impact is assessed and Sylva’s Heinzelannchen Brewery is on the move.
Ben’s Tune-Up food, delivered to your table at Hi-Wire, starting Wednesday.


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FRAMINGHAM (CBS) — TJX announced it is closing all of its stores around the world for the next two weeks as of Thursday because of the coronavirus. The Framingham-based company is also shutting down store websites during that time.
The TJX brand includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and Sierra.
“This pandemic has affected everyone’s lives, including those of our Associates and customers,” CEO Ernie Herrman said in a statement.
TJX will continue paying store, distribution and office workers for two weeks during the closures.
On Wednesday, Simon closed all of its retail properties temporarily in response to coronavirus.


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A Cook County judge recently granted final approval to a $25 million class-action settlement to end a sweeping class-action lawsuit accusing well-known HR technology and service company, ADP, of violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in the way it supplied equipment and support to employers requiring employees to scan their fingerprints when punching the clock at work.
According to class counsel, more than 40,000 people filed claims under the settlement. According to the terms of the settlement, these individuals will receive a prorated portion of the settlement fund equal to about $375 each. The judge approved an award of $8.75 million in attorney’s fees for class counsel or one-third of the total settlement funds.
The litigation resulting in this settlement dates back to 2017 when the first lawsuit was filed against ADP. In 2018, two additional class-action lawsuits were filed against ADP, all centered on nearly identical allegations. The three cases were eventually consolidated into one proceeding before Judge Atkins prior to the settlement.
The lawsuits all accused ADP of allegedly failing to obtain written authorization from the employees working for ADP’s clients before those employer clients required their employees to clock in and out of their shifts by scanning their fingerprints on so-called biometric timeclocks. The lawsuits also accused ADP of failing to provide legal notice to the employees using these biometric timeclocks detailing how ADP would store, share and ultimately destroy the scanned biometric identifiers. The lawsuits sought statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation. With thousands of employees using ADP-provided devices and recent interpretations of the law finding each time a worker scanned their fingerprints constituted a separate violation, ADP faced a potential judgment of hundreds of millions to billions of dollars. The court initially dismissed the claims back in 2019, but the judge allowed the plaintiffs to amend their complaint.
The Illinois BIPA was enacted in 2008 to help regulate the collection, use, safeguarding, handling, storage, retention, and destruction of biometric information. The BIPA defines biometric information as information based on “biometric identifiers” used to identify a person. The statute further defines the term “biometric identifier” as “a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry.” Violations of the law comes with potentially steep penalties with the law providing for statutory damages of $1,000 per negligent violation and up to $5,000 for intentional violations.
As we have previously detailed, BIPA lawsuits, and particularly class action lawsuits, have been steadily on the rise over the past few years. A large majority of these lawsuits have targeted employers directly for alleged BIPA violations related to their use of technology that collects or relies on employees’ biometric identifiers, such as fingerprints, hand print, or facial geometry. Recently, HR technology and timekeeping companies have become the targets of a number of these class action suits. Late last year, ADP-rival NovaTime settled a similar lawsuit for approximately $14 million. A federal judge preliminarily approved that settlement.
ADP agreed with the plaintiffs to mediate the case in the summer of 2020, where the parties reached their $25 million agreement. The judge overseeing the case preliminarily approved that settlement in November 2020.
The court’s order granting final approval of the settlement is available here.
Super Lawyers named Chicago consumer rights dispute lawyers Peter Lubin a Super Lawyer and Patrick Austermuehle a Rising Star in the Categories of Class Action, Consumer Rights, and Business Litigation. Lubin Austermuehle’s Chicago class action and consumer protection lawyers near Schaumburg and Wheaton have over thirty years of experience litigating consumer rights, auto fraud, complex class action, breach of contract, franchise and dealer termination, copyright, partnership, and shareholder oppression suits, non-compete agreement, trademark and libel suits, and many different types of business and commercial litigation disputes. Our Wilmette and Oak Brook area consumer fraud and auto fraud attorneys near Chicago litigate certified pre-owned fraud cases and rebuilt wreck and flood vehicle cases against used car dealers and automobile manufacturers. We also assist Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park area used car consumers who are victims of fraud and consumer fraud. You can contact one of our consumer rights attorneys near Chicago and Oak Brook by calling at 630-333-0333. You can also contact us online here.


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No-show name and shame: Are you on the naughty list?
Furious hospitality business owners are lashing out at the no-shows costing the industry $75 million annually.
Perth-based restaurateur Mark Diel has taken matters into his own hands, creating website no-show.com.au “to improve client behaviour”.
“The under 30s seem to be the biggest problem,” he told Jim Wilson.
“They’re the ones that seem to make multiple plans, and perhaps book for larger numbers than they actually end up … with.
“Not everyone’s going to be black banned … it’s just a guide for restaurants … to ask for perhaps a credit card or prepayment.”
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview


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Pure Storage, a five-year-old Silicon Valley enterprise storage startup, has made some big announcements this week, launching an all-flash storage array line called FlashArray//m and introducing a new business model with Evergreen Storage as a new approach for storage procurement and upgrades.
As its fourth-generation hardware, the FlashArray//m is an end-to-end integrated solution with hardware and software combined and optimized for peak performance, according to the vendor. In three rack units the new array integrates Intel Haswell controllers running the Purity Operating Environment 4.5, new NV-RAM cache modules, and new dual-drive flash modules. The base chassis draws approximately 1 kW of power and uses six cables.
Matching product models with performance and capacity needs, the new array portfolio is offered with three controller options, according to the company. The //m20, //m50, and //m70 feature 120TB, 250TB. and 400TB of usable storage respectively, with increasing amounts of IOPS.
In addition to all of the all-flash array software features that Pure is known for, the company announced Pure1, a single platform for cloud-based storage management and support. Through a single web interface Pure1 brings the simplicity and cost savings of the SaaS model to enterprise storage management, the company says.
The new FlashArray//m models are expected to enter general availability in the third quarter of this year.
In addition to the modular and upgradable aspects of the new all-flash arrays, Pure introduced Evergreen Storage as a new storage ownership model for keeping technology current and avoiding forklift upgrades. The new model aims to keep customer deployments fresh over time, adding upgrade flex bundles to allow customers expanding capacity to upgrade their controller hardware and if desired receive trade-in value for their existing controller investment.
A previous version of the article erroneously said Pure Storage was a 15-year-old company. The company is actually five years old, and the article has been corrected accordingly. DCK regrets the error.


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RALEIGH, N.C. — The field where corn grew last year could be covered this summer in plants that look a lot like marijuana.
North Carolina is calling for farmers to grow industrial hemp as part of a statewide test. The plant, a nonintoxicating cousin of marijuana, can be used to produce many products such as cloth and oils that might open new markets for farmers struggling with low prices on conventional crops.
“There has been a tremendous amount of interest in growing hemp,” said Sandy Stewart, director of the Research Station for the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Resources.
Industrial hemp is in the same genus – cannabis – as marijuana and their plants look identical, Stewart said. The federal government outlawed cannabis in the 1930s.
Roughly 30 nations, including Canada and most of Europe, grow hemp for industrial use. American farmers and others lobbied for what could be a profitable crop here. Congress passed a law in 2014 to allow test projects for hemp farming. North Carolina followed the next year with a law to allow a test program, and Virginia did the same last year.
This plant is different from marijuana. Industrial hemp contains three-tenths of a percent or less of THC, the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana. That is not enough to have any narcotic effect, Stewart said. Marijuana contains an average of 10 percent.
Even hemp’s scientific name of cannibis sativa means “useful” hemp, according the National Hemp Association.
“Hemp has absolutely no use as a recreational drug,” the association website says.
Its use instead goes back thousands of years for making paper and cloth. Early copies of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper, according the association’s website. Levi’s jeans were first made of hemp sail cloth, it said.
Interested North Carolina farmers must apply for a license from the state’s Industrial Hemp Commission. State agriculture agents will monitor and test the crops to make sure they don’t contain THC. Growers will have to report each acre to the state giving precise locations using GPS technology.
David Schmitt, chief operating officer of Industrial Hemp Manufacturing LLC, says his Spring Hope, N.C., business is ready to contract with farmers to grow the crop. One potential customer is Volvo Truck North America in Greensboro, Schmitt said.
Hemp can be made into materials for auto interiors such as door panels and head liners, he said.
“We can grow this in North Carolina and ship it to an end user in North Carolina,” Schmitt said. “That will be cool.”
Schmitt has long been making products from kenaf, another legal cousin of hemp. His company produced an absorbent material used in the cleanup of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the Gulf Coast.
The same equipment transforming kenaf also will make products from hemp, Schmitt said.
But the idea of growing hemp has not reached eastern North Carolina, where fertile fields stretch over thousands of acres producing some of the state’s highest yields.
“It’s news to me,” said Don Parks, manager of C.A. Perry & Son in Weeksville. His company buys grains from farmers in the region and is a center for agriculture news.
“I think economically, if it proves viable, farmers would see it as another option,” Parks said. “I can’t wait to see somebody try it.”
Farmers will grow, harvest and market hemp, working closely with state agents to test its value including how well it will sell, what soils are best, its resistance to insects and whether the same cultivation equipment used on crops such as cotton can do the job, Stewart said.
Hemp can be made into cloth, rope, food, fuel, paint, paper, particleboard, plastics, seed, seed meal and seed oil. The products are 100 percent recyclable, Schmitt said.
“You buy hemp jeans or a hemp shirt and they’re going to last forever,” he said.
At least 17 states allow test programs to grow hemp, according to the National Hemp Association. Kentucky is among the leaders, approving 209 applications in 2017 to cultivate up to 12,800 acres for research purposes, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
States still are working out how best to use this plant needed more than a century ago for rope-making in an economy dependent on sailing ships and their miles of rigging, Stewart said.
“I don’t feel like North Carolina is late,” he said.
Via AP Member Exchange. Information from: The Virginian-Pilot


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Ever since Rockstar Games announced Red Dead Redemption 2, PC players have begged the company to release the game on their platform of choice alongside the planned PS4 and Xbox One versions. Fans have gathered support in hugely popular petitions, they have posted thousands of messages on social media, and have produced plenty of videos demanding a PC release too.
The companies behind the game have only slyly acknowledged these requests, with Rockstar parent company Take-Two calling PC an important platform. But the professional LinkedIn profile of a Red Dead Redemption 2 developer appears to outright confirm that a PC version is in the works. The profile listing was first spotted by TGFG, the Easter egg hunting group that also uncovered Grand Theft Auto 5's secret alien mission.
A screenshot of the LinkedIn profile of a programmer at Rockstar Leeds includes Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, indicating that the game is coming to PC as well as consoles. Unsurprisingly, since fans caught wind of the list the mention of PC has been scrubbed from the programmer's profile.
The suggestion that Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to PC comes as little surprise to fans of the game. There has been such huge demand for the game from PC gamers that Rockstar Games would be leaving a lot of money on the table by not bringing the game to the platform. Rockstar has also made tons of money from Grand Theft Auto 5's PC version, as that game regularly tops the Steam charts and brings in cash from microtransactions.
In addition to this, PC players have also had a taste of the Red Dead Redemption formula through services like PlayStation Now, which allow them to stream the first game to their platform. The stats from this also confirm to Rockstar that releasing the follow-up on PC wouldn't be too big of a gamble.
A big question, however, is when the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released. As Rockstar did not announce the PC release the same time it announced the PS4 and Xbox One versions, it is reasonable to think that the PC version will not be ready come October 26. Moreover, Rockstar previously did a staggered release for Grand Theft Auto 5. After releasing GTA 5 on PS4 and Xbox One during the busy holiday shopping season, it didn't come to PC until the following winter. Whether Rockstar plans to do the same for Red Dead Redemption 2 is unclear.
Red Dead Redemption 2 releases October 26, 2018 for PS4 and Xbox One.