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It took all of two days for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to make good on his promise of simplifying Facebook’s privacy settings. Unlike many companies who have come under public scrutiny as of late—BP, Goldman Sachs and Toyota, just to name a few—Facebook moved quickly and decisively to address the concerns of their constituency. The new settings were unveiled at a presentation held today at the company’s headquarters and will provide users with what the company had originally intended: a straightforward, user-friendly means for Facebook members to control the dissemination of their personal information. The changes will take a couple of weeks to be implemented, but here is a brief overview of what you can expect:
Leaders of data protection from 10 nations – Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom – have written a letter to Google CEO Eric Schmidt expressing their concern about some of the privacy issues connected with a few of Google’s services, specifically Google Buzz and Google Street View.
“We were disturbed by your recent rollout of the Google Buzz social networking application, which betrayed a disappointing disregard for fundamental privacy norms and laws,” the letter stated. “In essence, you took Google Mail (Gmail), a private, one-to-one web-based e-mail service and converted it into a social networking service, raising concern among users that their personal information was being disclosed.” (more…)
If you haven’t already noticed, the next time you log onto Facebook, you will most likely be prompted with an “Important message from Facebook.” The message contains information about Facebook’s new privacy settings. This should come as no surprise since CEO Mark Zuckenberg told users last week that changes were coming, and yesterday the company set up Facebook’s Safety Board.
“Developing privacy controls that work for 350 million people who all use the site in unique ways is a difficult challenge,” said Ruchi Sanghvi in a Facebook blog post this morning. “We’ve put a lot of work into today’s new features, using your suggestions to guide us, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished. However, we’re by no means done, and we look forward to your feedback, which will help us develop the next innovation in user control.” (more…)
Just the other week, we told that if Facebook were a nation, it’s population would be much larger than the United States. While that remains true, Facebook’s population seems to be exploding. Late last night, Facebook CEO & Founder Mark Zuckerberg had sent out an open letter to all of it’s users. While we reported less than a month ago, that Facebook had 325 million users, Zuckerberg officially announced the site has more than 350 million users. That is a tremendous increase just within the past month alone.
Facebook has seen it’s number’s grow drastically this year, more than doubling in population. Taking a look back, in August of 2008, the popular social networking site had just 100 million users. It then took nearly 5 months for Facebook to gain 50 million users. Since then, the site has grown on average 50 million users every 3-4 months. This year alone, Facebook has gained 200 million users, and there are no signs of slowing down. (more…)
The first week of November is always a busy and important one in America. With elections happening across the country, it can be an overwhelming week. Although, this year we don’t have to make any important Presidential choices, Facebook is gearing to let users vote on a new set of policy’s.


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The impact of Google My Business on local search rankings has seen significant growth in 2018.
Search Results for: google panda
Google Ads is bringing its Merchant Promotions program to Shopping Actions for retailers.
Here are five primary considerations when you see your traffic or rankings fluctuate or take a dive.
Google has drastically reduced incentives for retailers to create what some allege are “fake” comparison shopping sites.
Google’s John Mueller provides guidance on what to do if you’ve acquired a domain with bad history attached to it.
This post will show you how to set up and analyze the Audience report in Google Analytics.
Google Ads has rolled outTarget Impression Share, which automatically sets bids according to where the ad will show up.
Google is preparing to roll out a new feature that will allow users to leave comments on search results.
Site owners can now track the performance of their event listings in Google Search Console reports.
Google has extended users’ ability to message business profiles to Google Maps.
Google Ads is letting advertisers run an experimental ad format specifically for promoting Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.
Google has launched an improved version of the Google My Business app which lets business owners do more on-the-go.
Bugs have been reported in Google’s new website and SEO analysis tool, Web.dev, which are confirmed as known issues.
Google launched a new tool that measures many aspects of a website, including how well it follows SEO best practices.
Google PageSpeed Insights offers new performance metrics and now uses Lighthouse as its analysis engine.
An SEO ranked a site written almost entirely in Latin. Does Google have a spam problem?
Google Search Console is testing a way for users to add all data for a site’s subdomains, protocols, and subpaths.
Google will soon start sending notifications via Search Console to let site owners know if they have unclear billing pages.

domain: news


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A Stowmarket golf pro is celebrating after teeing up a deal with a local business.
It’s the 10th successive year that the Stowmarket-based Volkswagen car retailer have given their support which will see local golf pro, Jon Markham continue to drive a Barnards branded Volkswagen in and around Stowmarket.
The sponsorship deal means the lucky golf pro gets a brand new car every six months to drive to and from competitions, with his current ride being a Volkswagen Golf 1.6 SE.
Jon, the head professional at Stowmarket Golf Club since June 2012, became a fully qualified PGA golf professional in 2005 enjoying success in Pro-Ams and winter alliances as well as reaching the final qualifying stage of The Open.
Speaking about the sponsorship deal Jon said: “I have been playing golf since I was 10 years old, so to have the backing of a respected local business is a dream come true.
“Attracting long-term corporate partners to this extent is a tricky task for all golf pros, so I am especially pleased to hear that my partnership with Barnards is set to continue.”
Gary Halestrap, Brand Manager at Barnards Volkswagen, said: “We’re pleased to offer our continued support to a local and very talented golfer and enjoy watching his pro career as it continues to develop.
“It’s always great to hear our customers comment on seeing Jon driving around Stowmarket in his customised Golf.”


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Coca-Cola Co. said Friday it agreed to acquire Energy Brands Inc., also known as Glaceau, for $4.1 billion in cash, in a move to boost its presence in the fast-growing "enhanced-water" and energy-drink markets.
The blue-chip bottler
The deal is expected to add to Coca-Cola's earnings per share in the first full year following completion, while nipping 1 cent to 2 cents off this year's profit. The deal has been approved by the boards of both companies but is still subject to regulatory review.
Shares of Coca-Cola traded up 1.3% to close at $51.89.
"Glaceau has built a great business with high-quality growth, as well as a strong pipeline of innovative products and brands," Coca-Cola Chairman and Chief Executive Neville Isdell said in a statement.
The acquisition will provide Coca-Cola with a strong foundation from which to develop "active-lifestyle beverages," the company said, adding that the Glaceau deal's likely to bring "immediate, high-quality growth."
As sales of carbonated soft drinks have sagged, the Atlanta-based beverage behemoth has been trying hard to develop or acquire water, tea and juices as well as energy- and sports-drink brands.
While still dominant over rival PepsiCo
Coca-Cola said the deal "sharpens even further our existing focus on re-establishing sustainable growth in our home market, strengthening our system, and leveraging acquisition opportunities to gain speed and capabilities in key categories," said Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola's president and chief operating officer.
Glaceau holds the leading position in "enhanced water," a market expected to make up a large portion of the beverage industry's growth in volume and gross profit in North America through 2010, Coca-Cola said.
Morningstar analyst Matthew Reilly noted that "although the price is not cheap, we see the transaction as positive; Glaceau's brands like Vitaminwater will greatly enhance Coke's North American noncarbonated beverage offerings, which have been glaringly weak over the past few years."
The category is growing rapidly, he continued, and "will benefit from greater distribution as part of the Coke system, especially as international expansion is contemplated. We also think the brand will provide Coke with an innovation platform that could help it capitalize on health and wellness trends, as well as bolster its tarnished public image as a purveyor of unhealthy offerings."
One analyst's 'question mark'
The deal also gives Coca-Cola further international opportunities, noted Isdell, saying the company "looks forward to taking Glaceau brands to other key markets around the world."
Coke will acquire about 70% of the company next month. Separately, Tata Tea will sell its 30% stake in Energy Brands to the company for about $1.2 billion, a deal that should close in November.
Whitestone, N.Y.-based Glaceau will operate as a separate business unit within Coca-Cola North America. Its top three executives intend to lead the business for a minimum of three years, with other key managers also remaining with the business.
"We envision even faster growth for Glaceau as part of Coca-Cola's enhanced range of brands for North American customers and consumers," Isdell said.
But analyst John Faucher of J.P. Morgan doesn't necessarily share Isdell's enthusiasm.
Faucher sees the deal as a "question mark" for Coke, writing in a note to investors: "We think [the company] will need to prove it is beneficial to its shareholders to spend $4 billion for the latest 'hot' beverage brand."
Further, "the deal makes sense strategically for the Coke system as a whole in North America, but [we] worry about the price tag. Vitaminwater ... would allow the company to compete more effectively against Pepsi's Gatorade and Propel businesses, categories where Coke has struggled to gain traction."
By the same token, "we do have some concerns about the implications ... given the lofty purchase price, the potential split of system profits, and the beverage industry's checkered past in terms of overpaying for trendy beverage brands that don't quite live up to initial expectations."


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From Gamesauce: The importance of the Asian market can’t be undersold, even to software companies in Europe and the Middle East. That is why Casual Connect Tel Aviv has several sessions dealing with China, Korea, Japan and the rest of the Asian region across multiple tracks. It will all get kicked off with Baris Ozistek, CEO of Netmarble EMEA, providing the keynote session titled Asia: Insights & Strategies for Mobile Game Developers.
EAST AND WEST TRANSFERS
One of the largest misconceptions about Asia is how diverse the whole region is. There are many differences between Korea, China and Japan, and they should be taken into account before any developer brings their game to any of those countries.
Of course, it’s not just games from other regions coming into China; increasingly, Chinese games are being exported to Western markets. There’s plenty to learn from this wave of Chinese games, including things that Chinese developers should keep in mind from Western game developers. Tong Xu, CEO of Narvalous, foresees a Chinese game becoming the top grossing title on the iOS store, and will talk about that and recent trends in their session: Chinese VR Games and Their Affect on the Global VR Landscape.
Read more at Gamesauce


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While Apple continues to heavily market trade-in prices on its 2018 iPhones, it had no trouble clearing out remaining 2016 iPhone SE models.
It's not known how many iPhone SE devices Apple had in stock, but the company sold out of 32GB and 128GB models by Sunday, three days after they popped up on Apple's clearance page.
As noted by MacRumors, Apple was offering brand new, unboxed 32GB and 128GB models for $249 and $299, respectively, representing $100 and $150 discounts on their original prices.
The devices feature the same specs as when they was originally released in early 2016. The iPhone SE shared the same A9 processor as the larger, high-end iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models, but had a smaller, thicker body with iPhone 5-esque flat edges and a four-inch display.
The iPhone SE was for those who wanted a powerful yet slightly cheaper iPhone that could easily fit in a pocket, as Apple pushed ahead with larger displays. Other features included TouchID, a 12-megapixel camera, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
SEE: Apple iOS 12: An insider's guide (free PDF)
The iPhone SE was only available on Apple's US store and there are currently no iPhones available on the clearance page. It's not clear why Apple started selling them again, though it does follow Apple's recent cut to its revenue outlook due to sluggish sales in China and fewer than expected upgrades.
iPhone 6 Plus owners were the target of a fresh email marketing campaign by Apple aimed at getting owners of the 2016-era devices to upgrade to an iPhone XR, which it said was available from $549 with a trade-in.
Apple last year raised the trade-in value on used iPhones by up to $100, which It is currently using to market the iPhone XR as available from $449, and the iPhone XS from $699. Without a trade-in the iPhone XR starts at $749 while the iPhone XS starts at $999.
Previous and related coverage
Apple emails owners of older models, urging them to upgrade to an iPhone XR.
iPhone production cuts of about 10 percent are on the way, according to reports from the Far East.
Apple CEO Tim Cook sends employees a memo highlighting the bright spots in an otherwise gloomy quarter.
Apple has issued its first profit warning since 2002, and the first since the company entered into the smartphone era. But a situation that might be gloomy for investors will be good news for those who want to buy Apple products.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
Apple has always been about more than the iPhone, but stepping beyond it is a massive challenge.
Apple doesn't do small. A lengthy first quarter preannouncement gave Apple fans and critics a lot of fodder to consider.
Maybe $1,000 is too much? Apple says its cheaper iPhone XR has been the best-selling iPhone since its launch.
No discounts on the iPhone XS, but Apple will give you more for an old iPhone.
Apple is said to be ready to offer subsidies to operators to discount the iPhone XR in Japan.
Ahead of this week's G20 meeting, Trump talks up tariffs on Chinese-made iPhones and MacBooks.
It seems that Apple is having a hard time forecasting what the demand for new iPhones will be, and is being forced to slash production orders as a result.
The company blames a deceleration in demand in China, but investors imagine the worst.


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When it comes to cargo handling, the signs point to growth. There is great optimism at the Port of Hamburg. But the boom brings new problems with it.
Dhe rising world trade kept the Port of Hamburg on a growth path at the beginning of 2021. “From March onwards, we noticed the ramp-up of many economic sectors, stronger consumer demand and a stabilization of the scheduled services starting in Hamburg,” said Marketing Director Axel Mattern on Thursday.
His board colleague Ingo Egloff predicted that the ongoing effects of the corona pandemic on global transport and retail chains are likely to “gradually weaken”. “Given the current situation, the year 2021 will bring growth again for the Port of Hamburg.” After Rotterdam and Antwerp, Hamburg is number three among the European seaports.
A total of 32.1 million sea cargoes were loaded or unloaded in the first quarter, 0.4 percent more than a year earlier. In the period from January to March, 2.2 million standard containers (TEU) crossed the quays, 1.8 percent more than a year earlier. The abbreviation TEU stands for a 20-foot container (“Twenty foot equivalent unit”) and is the decisive unit of measurement with which the handling in the port or the capacity of a ship are quantified.
It is true that the global consequences of the corona pandemic had an impact on handling developments in the first quarter, said Mattern. “The month of March brought a significant turnaround in container handling. The growth showed a strong plus of 9.4 percent compared to March 2020. “
The main support for container handling was China, by far the Port of Hamburg’s largest trading partner (plus 16 percent). There was also an increase of 0.7 percent in trade with the USA, “Hamburg’s number two”. In the two largest global economies, the economic recovery after the Corona slump in 2020 started earlier and more sustainably than in Germany. “Among Hamburg’s top 10 trading partners in seaborne container traffic, six countries are already back on a growth path in the first quarter,” said Egloff.
But not quite as bad as feared
The handling of bulk goods – for example ores, coal or liquids – achieved an increase of 2.7 percent to 9.8 million tons, supported primarily by strong increases in ore imports. General cargo handling remained at 22.4 million tons (minus 0.5 percent) is still just below the previous year’s result.
The corona crisis year 2020 caused massive drops in cargo handling in the Port of Hamburg, but overall the development was not quite as bad as feared in the end. Instead of double-digit, sea freight throughput fell by 7.6 percent to 126.3 million tons. A total of 8.5 million standard containers (TEU) crossed the quay, 7.9 percent fewer than in the previous year.
The container throughput index of the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute for Shipping Economics and Logistics is also pointing upwards. As announced on Thursday, according to the current flash estimate, this rose seasonally adjusted by 2.4 points to 127.1 in April. After a short break in winter, the index has risen significantly for the second time in a row.
Traffic jams in ports
On Wednesday, the Hamburg-based transport and logistics group Hapag-Lloyd announced that it was still seeing a globally scarce supply of containers in the picking up world trade. “Hapag-Lloyd has therefore invested again in its container fleet and ordered a total of 60,000 TEU standard containers in China,” announced the group. In April of this year, Hapag-Lloyd announced orders totaling around 150,000 TEU for 2021.
“The significantly increased demand has led to a shortage of containers all over the world,” reports the container shipping company, which is one of the world’s most important providers of sea transport with a fleet of 241 ships and a total transport capacity of 1.7 million TEU.
Strong imbalances, for example in exports from Asia, but also due to traffic jams in ports and delays in hinterland traffic, ensured that the containers were tied up for considerably longer. “The demand is still very high, the provision of container equipment is currently one of the greatest challenges in our industry,” said Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen.
Thanks to the transport boom that began in the second half of the year, Hapag-Lloyd increased its consolidated profit by 151 percent to EUR 935.4 million with sales of around EUR 12.8 billion. The year 2021 also began with a jump in profits.


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Google Glass is about as fancy as it gets in technology at the moment. Launched last year and now in the hands of a few thousand plucky “Explorers”, Glass is potentially one of the most disruptive pieces of technology to emerge in recent years. It’s also a constant talking point in legal circles, both here and in the US.
Ahead of its arrival in the UK, we’ve aggregated all of our Glass coverage into one place. Below you’ll find pretty much everything you need to know about Glass, from specs to the latest news and updates, as well as lots of other things – things like competitor devices, new Glass applications, and news about how much it will cost when it finally arrives on our shores much later on this year.
What Is Google Glass?
The display has a 640×360 pixel resolution, which might sound a bit low at first, but bear in mind the panel is actually just a tiny piece near your right eye. Google claims it provides the equivalent picture to that of a 25-inch HD display when viewed from eight feet away. That sounds pretty good to us.
The built-in camera is a 5-megapixel unit with 720p video capture, while audio is handled via a bone conduction transducer. In other words, rather than having actual headphones it sends the audio vibrations directly through the small bones in your ear, which you then hear as sound.
Onboard storage is 16GB, although 12GB of this is usable as 4GB is presumably taken up by the software. The device is fully synced with Google’s cloud storage.
Google claims the Glass frame will fit ‘any face’ and it comes with three sets of adjustable nose pads to help you get a comfortable experience. The company hasn’t given precise figures for the onboard battery but states the spectacles will last you ‘one full day of typical use’.
Of course, whether that day of ‘typical use’ is as typical as normal smartphone use, or something particular to this snazzy new technology is anybody’s guess. Google does add that video capture and the use of Google Hangouts would have an impact on battery life.
Google is apparently launching an app called ‘MyGlass’ which can be installed on Android phones running Android 4.0.3 and above. The app is said to enable GPS navigation and SMS text messaging capabilities.
Google Glass & Prescription Spectacles
After announcing that Google Glass Expolorers can upgrade to the new version of hardware for free, we’ve been treated to an image of the kit fitted to a pair of prescription glasses, which has leaked online. Below is a selection of publicity shots of the new glasses-friendly Glass hardware:
The company doesn’t go into a lot of detail about specs, it released a statement saying:
“We want to say “thank you” for all the amazing feedback we’ve been getting, so later this year, all Explorers will have a one-time option to swap out their existing Glass for a new one. This hardware update will allow your Glass to work with future lines of shades and prescription frames, and we’ll also include a mono earbud. You can find more details about this here:https://support.google.com/glass/answer/3501111.”
It’s an important step, because since Google Glass went into public testing there have always been complaints from those who wear prescription glasses who’ve been left with a choice – get contact lenses or don’t join the party.
Google’s one-time swap program is open to anyone who has bought Google Glass before October 28 who signs up for the switchover.
Google Glass Titanium Collection announced
Google has announced its new Titanium Collection of Google Glass prescription devices.
The Titanium Collection is aptly named, as the new specs feature titanium frames for extra durability while maintaining a light weight. You also have a choice of four new frame styles including “Curve”, “Thin”, “Split” and “Bold”, as well as two styles of sunglasses. The frames are intended to be stylish, sleek and simplified and to help hide the fact that these are smartglasses (to an extent).
Existing Glass Explorers can upgrade to a new Titanium Collection model for $225, otherwise the specs are going to be available through the usual channels (in the US of course) including optical health provider VSP.
Google Teams Up with Ray-Ban & Oakley
Luxottica, parent company of both Ray-Ban and Oakley brands, has announced its entry into a partnership with Google to produce smart eyewear products.
The company’s announcement does not explicitly state Luxottica will produce Google Glass variants and says the designs and details will “be disclosed at a later stage,” but did add that the produts will “straddle the line between high-fashion, lifestyle and innovative technology.”
Andrea Guerra, CEO of Luxottica, said, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Google and are proud to be once again setting the pace in the eyewear industry.”
The company says it plans to leverage Luxottica’s expansive retail presence as an avenue for distribution and it’s assumed the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands will create more stylish, consumer-facing variants of Google Glass.
Whether the same capabilities can be achieved in a more streamlined design remains to be seen, however. Hopefully we won’t see too many features shaved off.
What Google Glass Can Do
In The Home
Researchers at UC Berkeley’s CITRIS lab have created a mod which allows home appliances to be controlled using Google Glass hardware.
Brainiacs have added an IR emitter to the Google Glass unit that – when paired with an Xbee 802.15.4 WiFi radio and a microcontroller – allows the user to control devices with an IR transmitter attached. This way a user can look at a device, connect to it, and control it using Glass.
The mod has applications for lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and Smart TV’s. The researchers also created controls for when there are a bunch of devices within range. There’s a concept video below which shows the device in action. As you can see the emitter isn’t the most stylish addition to the Glass hardware, but it’s still in the early stages.
But it is a good indicator of what will be possible with Google Glass in the future. Also, for Glass to work with appliances, they will need to be fitted with an IR transmitter. Check out a video of the tech in action below:
Imaging & Photography
Google Glass explorers will soon be receiving a software update which allows them to take a photo by just winking. The update, officially known as XE12, is apparently just an “exploratory feature” for the time being – Google wants feedback from its explorers.
MyGlass for iOS is also featured in the update, bringing Glass management to iPhone and iPad, as well as turn-by-turn directions. Nice.
XE12 also includes a Touch Menu for Google Play Music as well as screen locking, which kicks in whenever an explorer takes the headset off. Google’s bumper update also supplies the ability to share videos to YouTube and new Google Search cards.
Last but by no means least is the arrival of the Hangouts application for Glass. This allows Explorers to share photos, make video calls and chat using Google’s IM app. All in, it’s a pretty sizable update and it’ll be interesting to see what Explorers make of the new wink imaging capabilities.
Google Glass To Get Android 4.4 KitKat
With a load of different devices beginning to get the update to Android 4.4 KitKat, Google is now preparing the Glass headset for the same software bump. The news comes from a report by Glass Almanac which claims the headset will receive its first major update in a year since its “launch”. The headset launched for beta testing in certain areas last February and included Android 4.0 onboard.
Since then there have been gentle monthly updates for the headset but nothing as big as the introduction of Android 4.4 KitKat.
A Glass Guide, Teresas Zazenski, wrote in a private Explorers forum last week that the update may be coming. She said, “In fact we’re working to move Glass from Ice Cream Sandwich to Kit Kat to make the Glass experience smoother and just plain better. This change will make it easier for us to bring you more useful updates and it’s something we’re really excited about.”
The entire private thread seems pretty sure the update is coming in the near future but there’s only one way to confirm the news, speaking to the internet giant itself. Know Your Mobile has reached out to Google for comment on the idea of updating the headset to Android 4.4 KitKat but Google refused to comment on the topic.
Another Glass community member, Sarah Price, also stated later on in the forum post that “bigger updates take more time and may no longer come monthly anymore.”
When we hear any more details we will be sure to keep you posted.
Google Glass Apps & Use In Real World Situations
Google Play Music
Here’s a question to which the answer will soon be no: is there anything you can’t do with Google Glass?
That’s according to ReadWriteWeb who point out that the Google Play Music app is coming to Glass – making it “the most futuristic Walkman ever.”
The publication put it to the test and found that, as with the other features of Glass, it puts voice commands first. But with the music app, instead of saying “OK Glass” the wearer should say “listen to.” Google then starts looking through Google Play Music to find whatever band or artist it is the wearer is trying to listen to.
According to RWW’s Taylor Hatmaker, Glass recognised her request to listen to ‘Tegan and Sara’ within seconds – and allowed her to pause, skip or play tracks back with just a tap.
So far, so good – even if you’re not a Tegan and Sara fan. But there’s just one problem: battery.
“I started playing music over Glass with 40% battery life. Ten minutes later, I was down to 27%. After 20 minutes, about five songs in, I was in the red at 15% remaining battery. Weak.”
There have been a number of situations where Google Glass has become a problem when driving. One explorer was even cautioned for using the device whilst behind the wheel, but there’s no legal precedent set just yet.
A cornerstone of the debate is that you don’t use your hands when using Google Glass like you do a smartphone.
But what if an app for Google Glass could save your life whilst driving? There’s a new app called DriveSafe which uses the headset’s sensors to measure if you’re paying attention to the road. This also means when you start to nod off at the wheel the app will tell you.
Law Enforcement: NYC Cops Testing Google Glass
Google Glass is apparently being trialed by cops in New York City. According to a report by Venture Beat, the New York Police Department is looking into Glass in order to see whether or not it would be a benefit to law enforcement officers working in the city.
VB spoke with a spokesperson for the NYC Police Department: “We signed up, got a few pairs of the Google glasses, and we’re trying them out, seeing if they have any value in investigations, mostly for patrol purposes”
Google has denied it is working with the police department and says the law enforcement agency likely acquired smart glasses via the Google Glass Explorer Edition program. If that is the case it means the department will have parted with $1500 per pair.
Trails of head-mounted cameras on cops have been proven to improve officer’s behavior in the past, so the inclusion of Google Glass into law enforcement could be viewed as a good thing. That’s one side of the argument. Critics like Mayor Mike Bloomberg argue the data Glass collects would create an enforcement nightmare.
Virgin Atlantic Confirms Google Glass Scheme
Virgin Atlantic has confirmed it is doing a six-week pilot test of Google Glass and other wearable technology in order to access how the new gadgets could improve customer service.
Staff will use the Glass to update passengers on their latest flight information, weather and local events at their destination and translate any foreign language information.
Dave Bulman Director of IT, Virgin Atlantic, said: “While it’s fantastic that more people can now fly than ever before, the fact that air travel has become so accessible has led to some of the sheen being lost for many passengers.
“By being the first in the industry to test how Google Glass and other wearable technology can improve customer experience, we are upholding Virgin Atlantic’s long tradition of shaking things up and putting innovation at the heart of the flying experience.”
Google Glass Is Even In Hospitals!
A hospital in Boston has begun using Google Glass alongside QR codes to help them keep track of patients. Instead of the traditional clipboard at the end of the bed, doctors can now use the headset to scan a patients QR code outside their room and know everything they need to all through the display.
Dr John Halamka, chief information officer at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center wrote on his blog describing the process. This is what he said,
“When a clinician walks into an emergency department room, he or she looks at [a] bar code (a QR or Quick Response code) placed on the wall. Google Glass immediately recognizes the room and then the ED Dashboard sends information about the patient in that room to the glasses, appearing in the clinician’s field of vision. The clinician can speak with the patient, examine the patient, and perform procedures while seeing problems, vital signs, lab results and other data.”
The hospital has been using the system for the past three months and it’s soon to make it available to all of the doctors there. Google Glass headsets don’t come cheap though, it really shows the difference between the States and the UK’s health care systems that the US can afford to buy the headsets.
Google Glass Development Kit (GDK) Detailed
Wearable tech is now a thing. Whether it’s smartwatches, Oculus Rift or some other form of headgear the idea of wearing your tech on your body is now officially in the public domain and looks to be one of the biggest tech trends of the coming year. Google Glass, however, is something else entirely…
And this week the search-giant has given the world a glimpse inside its Glass Development Kit (GDK) – the thing developers use to create content and apps for Google’s head-mounted computer thingumajig. During a briefing on Tuesday, Glass Developer Advocate Timothy Jordan gave a presentation highlighting three things that can only be accomplished on GDK.
“Unlike Google Mirror API, the interface that Glass developers have been using up to now, the GDK will allow for offline Glassware functionality, real-time user response and ‘deeper access to hardware, such as the accelerometer and the GPS.’ Jordan went on to demonstrate each of these additions via specific apps that take advantage of the GDK’s abilities,” reports BGR.
Check out Jordan’s presentation in the video below:
Google Glass Gaming Galore
Glass has so much potential for gaming on the move and Google is hoping to inspire developers with what they can achieve with a new demonstration. The company has released an advert showing the different gaming experiences Glass can supply. Google hopes it shows the possibilities of gaming whilst wearing the device.
Time to watch what is possible:
Done? How awesome does that look!? It’s probably not the kind of thing you’d play whilst walking down the street sure, but we’d feel comfortable in our own homes. Out in the real world there are cars and other obstacles to concentrate on more than a clay pigeon simulator.
So what games has Google created already? There’s a Tennis game in which the player uses their head to play a 3D game of the sport. Balance uses the headset to measure how much the user is moving their head, much like finishing school.
There’s Matcher, the odd memory matching game you saw in the advert. Then there’s Shape Splitter which is essentially Fruit Ninja combined with your own hands. And then there’s the real one you wouldn’t want to be playing in public, Clay Shooter. The game makes you shout “pull!” before then shouting “bang!” to shoot down the clay.
Google said, “Each game is visually simple and straightforward to play. We intentionally wanted games that are quick to get into when you have a few, free minutes and just as easy to get out of when you want to turn your attention back to reality.”
Google Glass brings some real interesting gaming potential, but maybe not on the commute.
How Not To Be A Glasshole
Google has released its definitive guide on how not to creep out people on the street when using Google Glass. The firm doesn’t want to see explorers scaring people with the new wearable technology so has issued advice on how is best to interact with the device in public.
For example, Google said, “Standing alone in the corner of a room staring at people while recording them through Glass is not going to win you any friends. The Glass camera function is no different from a cell phone so behave as you would with your phone and ask permission before taking photos or videos of others.”
So what are the rules of using Google Glass in public?
Do: explore the world around you, take advantage of the voice commands, ask for permission before filming, use the screen lock and be an active member of the Glass Explorer community.
More importantly there are some rules on how you shouldn’t act whilst using Google Glass.
Don’t: Wear whilst doing sports, expect to be ignored whilst using it and don’t be creepy. The company also warns not to “Glass Out” and fully retract into your headset world, it wants you to carry on living your life without using Glass as much as you use it.
Of course the company wants to sell more handsets so creepy users filming others on the street or talking to themselves isn’t going to look good for Google. It’s nice Google is giving advice and thinking about user health though, especially talking about how it doesn’t want users to use the headset every moment of the day.
Google: Not Everyone Is A Glass Hole
Google is quite clearly having a problem with people thinking Glass wearers are “Glass-holes”. To try and combat that way of thinking, Google has revealed its own Top 10 Google Glass Myths. It posted them on its Google+ page which you can see the full…very long…list here.
We are just going to sum them up here for you though with the actual titles of each myth. If you agree or disagree be sure to let us know in the comments.
Myth 1 – Glass is the ultimate distraction from the real world
Myth 2: Glass is always on and recording everything
Myth 3 – Glass Explorers are technology-worshipping geeks
Myth 4 – Glass is ready for prime time
Myth 5: Glass does facial recognition (and other dodgy things)
Myth 6: Glass covers your eye(s)
Myth 7 – Glass is the perfect surveillance device
Myth 8 – Glass is only for those privileged enough to afford it
Myth 9 – Glass is banned… EVERYWHERE
Myth 10 – Glass marks the end of privacy
The Competition: Google Glass Brothers From Different Mothers
Google Glass’s first real competition comes from Venice based company GlassUp. Recently the company showed off its first ever prototype, which had one key difference from the Glass we’re used to – GlassUp projects an image in front of the eye not to the right of your vision, as with Google Glass. That means you have all you want to see right in front of you, says the company’s CEO Franceso Giartosio.
He told The Verge, “When we heard about Glass in spring 2012, we thought we had to close down and go home. But we kept on because there were some big differences in our vision. We use the front lens so we aren’t asking the user to look to the side — they’re looking forward.”
He believes his version of Glass is “like a tool” whereas Google’s is “like a game”. But for Ellis Hamburger of the Verge, the device still needs work. “I like the idea of only delivering high priority text notifications to a screen in front of, instead of to the side of your face, but GlassUp seems to have a long way to go before accomplishing its goal”, he explained.
We may get to see for ourselves soon: GlassUp hope the device will come to market this summer for $399.
LaForge Optical’s “Smartspecks”
Features in the technology include heads-up directions, the ability to take pictures, record video, display your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds and more. It’ll work through an app in your phone which allows it to connect to the cloud.
The product is by an unfunded five-person startup called LaForge Optical. CEO of LaForge Optical, Corey Mack told VentureBeat: “Anyone who wants Google Glass … in a more conventional form factor can have it. Additionally our lens technology allows for people who need prescription lenses (about 65 percent of the population) to be able to use our glasses.”
One big selling point is a fully immersive display unlike Google’s product which only has a screen in the top right of the lens. The look of the glasses will also likely prove to win people over as they look like a normal pair of spectacles.
No official comment from Samsung yet if it will be working on a headset wearable but it’s inevitably in the works. But a Samsung patent has suggested smartglasses are on the cards. SamMobile got their mitts on a patent for an augmented reaility interface which uses your hands to interact with a headsets camera.
The way it seems to work is it projects a keyboard onto your hands in front of you. Each part of your finger and some of your palm corresponds to a letter and you use your thumbs to press the keys.
The patent even covers a one-handed mode which will come in useful when you’re lugging shopping back home.
SamMobile reports, “The patent was filed last year at the World Intellectual Property Organization and South Korea’s Korean Intellectual Property Office.”
Other reports claim Samsung looked into using Google-style voice input but that seems to be ditched for this more interesting system due to concerns with accuracy. When could we see the debut of a Samsung based headset? It could even be as early as the end of 2014, it’s unlikely but it could even come alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
Could this be some serious competition for Google Glass?
The People Vs. Google Glass: Law Suits, Prosecutions & Legislation
Not Coming To A Cinema Near You….
The US cinema chain AMC has called the Google Glass eyewear “not appropriate” for use in film screenings following an incident when homeland security officers interrogated a Glass wearer. The user took to The Gadgeteer blog to explain what happened during a screening of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
Half way through the film showing in Columbnus, Ohio, the man was taken out and questioned by homeland security’s ICE unit (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The man said, “a guy comes near my seat, shoves a badge that had some sort of a shield on it, yanks the Google Glass off my face and says ‘follow me outside immediately’”.
The man claims he had the Google Glass off as he didn’t want it to distract him during the movie but he was wearing them for the prescription lenses.
The man continued, “After a long time somebody came with a laptop and an USB cable at which point he told me it was my last chance to come clean. I repeated for the hundredth time there is nothing to come clean about and this is a big misunderstanding so the [ICE officer] finally connected my Glass to the computer, downloaded all my personal photos and started going though them one by one … Then they went through my phone, and five minutes later they concluded I had done nothing wrong.”
Homeland security has confirmed the incident did take place. Khaalid Walls, a spokesperson for ICE, said, “Local authorities briefly interviewed a man suspected of using an electronic recording device to record a film at an AMC theater in Columbus. The man, who voluntarily answered questions, confirmed to authorities that the suspected recording device was also a pair of prescription eye glasses in which the recording function had been inactive. No further action was taken.”
Google Glass is still having teething issues in day-to-day life. It’s still unsure what the precedent is for driving with the headset on and it’ll take more cases such as this to work out the kinks.
US Court Throws Out Case Against Californian Google Glass-Wearer
Cecilia Abadie, the Californian woman reported as the first person to be fined for driving while wearing Google Glass, has had the case dismissed by a US court comissioner.
Court Commissioner John Blair threw the case out saying that there was no proof the Google Glass device was in use at the time Abadie was driving, when she was pulled over by a highway patrol officer in October 2013.
A scan of the ticket was circulated when the story originally broke, showing the officer classified the device as a “monitor”, in violation of California state law.
“There is no testimony it was operating or in use while Ms. Abadie was driving,” said Blair. Lucky for Abadie, the speeding ticket (which was the original reason she was pulled over) was also dismissed “because an expert did not appear to testify to the calibration on the officer’s speedometer,” reports Reuters. On this basis, Blair said there was also no proof of Abadie’s driving speed at the time.
The officer who pulled Abadie over, Keith Odle, claimed he caught her dirving her Toyota Prius at 85mph in a 65mph zone, according to the report.
“Odle said he had not been planning to cite Abadie for wearing Google Glass, but that he did so because of her reaction to his questions,” Reuters writes.
“She got a little argumentative about whether or not it was legal for her to wear them,” said Odle.
Speaking to reporters outside court, Abadie said Google Glass did not create a blind spot for her while driving.
Google Glass Could Be Legal On UK Roads…
UK drivers might be able to wear Google Glass headsets whilst driving, a new report has revealed. The head-based technology, which is still not widely available – even in the US –, has already been the star of a series of driving-related arrests in the US.
According to The Sunday Times, however, Google is now in talks with the Department for Transport to make the device road legal.
The DfT said: “We have met with Google to discuss the implications of the current law for Google Glass. Google are anxious their products do not pose a road safety risk and are currently considering options to allow the technology to be used in accordance with the law.”
The navigation benefits of using Google Glass could be great but the nature of the device could endanger road users. Google Glass needs the user to take their eyes off the road and look to the top right which would distract them from the road.
What’s safer would be technology which embeds the navigation right into your windscreen such as HeadsUP. Although it can obscure the view, it’s a transparent display meaning you can see through it whilst driving and you’d never need to take your eyes off the road.
Or Not: The Case Against Google Glass Being Road Legal In UK
A statement has been released by the UK Government which may stop consumers using Google Glass while driving.
The law will go along the same lines as anyone caught using their phone while driving – an automatic fine and the possibility of appearing in court.
According to CNET, the UK’s Department of Transport has issued a pre-emptive blow by saying, ‘It is important that drivers give their full attention to the road when they are behind the wheel and do not behave in a way that stops them from observing what is happening on the road…We are aware of the impending rollout of Google Glass and are in discussion with the police to ensure that individuals do not use this technology while driving.’
The issue has already been raised in the States, with West Virginia’s Republican politician attempting to pass a law to ban the technology in his state, an issue which didn’t get very far and was placed on the backburner for debate at a later date. The UK Government isn’t messing around, however, and appears keen to pass official laws on the device before it launches.
Google claims that it has received initial feedback suggesting that the tech may actually make driving safer as it allows drivers to use a heads-up display, rather than reaching for a smartphone and glancing away from the road, but the UK authorities don’t seem convinced.
The interesting twist to the story, though, is that Google is aiming to make its Google Glasses available not just through its own (slightly odd-looking) frames, but eventually through any pair of prescription glasses and maybe even contact lenses, which could make detection of the gadget a lot more difficult.
One can only hope that Google will have given its Glasses an ‘off’ switch for these occasions.
And then there’s The Simpsons
Nothing is ever sacred on The Simpsons, it is unafraid to parody anything and now the longest running comedy show of all time has taken on Google Glass. In a recent episode, everyone’s favourite Lenny Leonard shouts, “Finally, I’m not a slave to my stupid human eyeballs!” after putting on a pair of Oogle Goggles.
By explaining the story here we are in danger of making it sound incredibly unfunny, but here it goes. All the workers at Springfield Power Planet are receiving their Christmas gifts from Mr Burns which usually amount to a stress ball or Hound-A-Day Calendar. Instead this year the employees are treated to a pair of Glass-esque “Oogle Goggles.”
The headsets are designed to do two things, one let the wearer see information about everyone around them, and two to let Mr Burns spy on his employee’s day to day life. It’s not just a single scene; the episode continues to poke fun at augmented reality headwear throughout the episode.
The Simpsons has never been shy to take on technology with digs at iPhones, Facebook, the web and of course Steve Mob’s underwater fortress.
If you’re not receiving enough of the yellow family in your life, we recommend you download The Simpsons: Tapped Out, possibly the most addictive game on the market. Not sold? Well you get to build your own Springfield!


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Google has joined forces with Qualcomm for its next-generation Project Tango smartphone prototype.
While it seemed as if Google had given up on Project Tango phones, with the first prototype making its debut back in February last year, the firm announced during Google I/O on Friday that it is working with Qualcomm on an updated model.
Qualcomm has since confirmed that the partnership will see its Snapdragon 810 chip, currently found inside the HTC One M9 and Sony Xperia Z3+, powering Google’s next-generation Project Tango smartphone development platform.
The firm boasts that its flagship Snapdragon processor will allow for "fast graphics and compute performance while reducing power consumption", along with advanced GPU security and superior camera functionality.
No further details have yet been announced, but much like the orignal Project Tango smartphone, the device will combine the smartphone's camera, gyroscope, and accelerometer to allow users to to create a visual 3D map of their surroundings.
This technology looks to fuel innovation in areas such as indoor navigation, virtual and augmented reality experiences, and real-world 3D gaming.
Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management at Google, said; "Qualcomm Technologies is pleased to power the next generation Project Tango development device.
"We're excited to work together with Google and Android developers to help deliver new, innovative visual experiences using depth-sensing technology on mobile devices."
Google also announced that its Project Tango tablet, which features Nvidia's Tegra K1 processor under the hood, has gone on sale for $512.
Developers interested in the next Project Tango device can register their interest on the Qualcomm website, with the firm saying that it will be available for purchase in the third quarter, coinciding with the launch of Android M.
Also announced during Google's I/O conference this week, Android M brings with it native fingerprint authentication support, Android Pay and support for USB Type-C.
Engineer calculates that Chengdu's plan to replace streetlights with artificial moonlight would cost $100bn
Dark matter holds the Universe together - and gravitational waves could help identify it
Addison Lee is working on autonomous taxis for commuting and pleasure
IBM and Technical University of Munich team demonstrate how Shor's algorithm, which can't be cracked by conventional computers, can be solved quickly with quantum computing


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In an effort to proliferate their malicious software, a growing segment of cybercriminals are now using USB devices to attack unsuspecting computer users, according to security firm Avast.
PCWorld reports that 700,000 recorded attacks from last week – 12.5 percent of the total number of attacks – came from USB devices. Hackers use the AutoRun feature supported by Windows to distribute their malware as soon as computer users connect a USB device to their machines.
"AutoRun is a really useful tool, but it is also a way to spread more than two-thirds of current malware. The threat of USB-distributed malware is much more widespread than just the Stuxnet attacks on enterprise computers – which were also spread via infected memory sticks," PCWorld quotes Avast virus analyst Jan Sirmer as saying.
USB devices can be used on a number of different platforms, ranging from computers to MP3 players.
Experts agree that the most effective way to prevent infection from occurring is to purchase an anti-virus program, such as Avast, and keep the software up-to-date.
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Snacks from other parts of China are being marketed and sold as "old Beijing snacks" on downtown Beijing's famous Wangfujing Street, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Wangfujing snack street, densely packed with restaurants and food stalls, is well known for traditional Beijing favorites.
However, snacks from other parts of the country, including crispy banana, fried stinky tofu, hot and spicy Sichuan treats and even coconuts from Hainan, together with the exotic flavors of Turkish kebabs, are all touted as "old Beijing snacks."
"Although the crabs are not produced in Beijing, our cooking method is local," said a stall owner selling sautéed crabs in hot spicy sauce.
A Beijing resident surnamed Zhou said he had never seen "old Beijing snacks" like these before.
Hou Jia, an expert in traditional local cuisine, said the marketing of such snacks were misleading tourists, who were being given the wrong impression about the capital's food culture.


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What you need to know
- Apple is imploring developers to implement AppTrackingTransparency "as soon as possible."
In a news release on the Apple Developer website, Apple has announced that developers need to update their app's implementation of AppTrackingTransparency "as soon as possible."
Late last year, to give you additional time to prepare, we had temporarily deferred the requirement to use AppTrackingTransparency when requesting permission to track users and access device advertising identifiers. This requirement now goes into effect starting with the upcoming beta update, and will roll out to everyone in early spring with an upcoming release of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14. We encourage you to verify your app's implementation of AppTrackingTransparency as soon as possible. Without the user's permission, you will not be allowed to track them and the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros.
Apple also said that additional details are coming soon for Private Click Measurement, which "enables the measurement of ad campaigns that direct users to websites while preserving user privacy."
In an upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS, we will enhance SKAdNetwork and add Private Click Measurement support for apps, allowing advertising networks to better attribute advertisements that display within apps on these platforms. Private Click Measurement enables the measurement of ad campaigns that direct users to websites while preserving user privacy. Additional details are coming soon.
Earlier today, Apple announced that App Tracking Transparency will be a requirement in the next beta release of iOS 14 as part of a press release celebrating Data Privacy Day. In the press release, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said that "Privacy means peace of mind," and that Apple's goal was to "create technology that keeps people's information safe and protected."
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Several petroleum product market operators of Moldova increased retail fuel prices at gas stations
In particular, the cost of gasoline was increased by about 0.4 lei per liter, of diesel fuel by 0.6 lei, and the liquefied gas price - by 1.2 lei per liter. The increase in fuel prices at gas stations is due, first of all, to an increase in the amount of excise taxes on petroleum products, as well as an increase in the cost of petroleum products on world markets, and an increase in purchase prices for fuel. As InfoMarket reported earlier, in Moldova retail prices for petroleum products are expected to increase by about 10% due to an increase in excise taxes on January 1 and an increase in fuel purchase prices. According to InfoMarket, the operators are running out of fuel supplies purchased in November-December 2019, and new purchase prices are higher than last year, primarily due to the situation around Iran. The cost of a barrel of oil since the beginning of 2020 has already increased to $69, despite the fact that in October-November last year it did not exceed $60. The purchase price of raw materials is also reflected in the selling prices of oil refineries, which, when prices change on world markets, are in no hurry to lower prices for their products. To a lesser extent, the upcoming price increase is under pressure from a certain devaluation of the MDL - the exchange rate against the US dollar has increased by 0.2 lei per $1 since the beginning of the year. Market operators note that against this background, in the near future we can expect an increase in retail prices for petroleum products in the country by about 10-12%. //17.01.2019 - InfoMarket.


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For most people, the first week of July is a time to welcome summer.
For students, it solidifies the fact that school is out—giving them a reprieve from the studying and early morning wakeup calls. For adults, it is a long weekend; a family barbeque or a day at the beach. It’s a red, white and blue event, complete with patriotic songs and vacation time. Bring on the fireworks.
Bring on the sunshine, and the sales and the back-to-school coupons?
This year, while most people were enjoying their days off, letting the sun and the idea that school was out sink in, their mailboxes filled up with newspaper articles and advertisements highlighting back-to-school pitches from retailers—little reminders that, while school may have just ended for some, it’s never too early to start shopping for the new year.
And though, traditionally, consumers have begun their back-to-school shopping three-to-four weeks before school starts, this year, it’s different.
According to the National Retail Foundation, back-to-school and back-to-college spending accounts for $84 billion in sales, making this the second biggest season for retailers behind the $580 billion winter holidays.
Though sales were up 5.9 percent last year from 2011, retailers are allowing their customers time to shop around for the best deals—and the early start gives them more time to save for the holidays.
In a recent press release, Staples announced the launch of their #StaplesHasIt program, opening the back-to-school shopping season with their “Reward-A-Classroom” program—saving customers money, and rewarding teachers for all their hard work.
"Staples has it all for the back-to-school season, with tremendous savings and a huge selection of products that ranges from essential supplies to the latest technology," said Demos Parneros, president, North American stores and online, Staples. "Staples supports teachers and with our new Reward-A-Classroom program, we make it easy and affordable for parents and educators to work together to keep the classroom stocked all year long."
Staples makes it easy on customers to shop for supplies, and give back at the same time. With their diverse carrier mix, they’re also ensuring a quick delivery of those highly anticipated school supplies.
Without a worldwide infrastructure to support, regional parcel carriers like OnTrac in the 8 states out west, are able to keep prices competitive and its regional hub-and-spoke model enables customers to save time in transit; a welcome concept in the ever-changing, competitive eCommerce industry.
Their strategically located facilities and optimized routes make getting packages faster, easier.
“Free shipping is not enough,” Director of Business Development Mark Magill said. “e-Retailers now have to compete by offering faster shipping. In an industry where free shipping has come to be expected, online retailers must play to the beat of a generation that not only wants things faster, but for a cheaper price. Regional carriers are the perfect solution. With faster transit times and fewer fees than national delivery companies, regional carriers can often save time and money."
From its Commerce facility, OnTrac is able to deliver overnight to every ZIP Code in California and the major metropolitan areas of Arizona and Nevada overnight, with two-day shipping to Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado and Idaho.
Plus, with less accessorial fees consumers can feel good about their back-to-school experience from shop to ship.


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TORONTO — Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division will begin operating six of Rex Resorts’ Caribbean hotels as part of a newly formed strategic alliance that will see Sunwing grow its presence in destinations including Grenada, Tobago and Barbados.
The new deal takes effect Dec. 1. As part of the agreement Sunwing’s growing hotel division plans to make significant improvements to each of the resorts over the coming years.
The six Rex Resorts will be absorbed within two of Sunwing’s hotel division’s brands: the new luxury boutique hotel collection, Mystique Resorts and the popular mid-market chain, Starfish Resorts.
Mystique Royal St. Lucia will be the second addition to the Mystique Resorts brand, with the first opening later this month in Holbox, Mexico.
The Starfish Resorts brand will see five new additions: Starfish Discovery Bay Resort, Barbados; Starfish Halcyon Cove Resort, Antigua; Starfish St. Lucia Resort, Saint Lucia; Starfish Grenada Resort, Grenada and Starfish Tobago Resort, Tobago.
“We are excited to be entering into this partnership which reflects our commitment to the CARICOM countries of the Lesser Antilles,” says Stephen Hunter, President & CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. “We look forward to increasing tourism in Grenada, Tobago and Barbados as we have recently done in St. Lucia and Antigua.”
Adds Rex Resorts’ Alison Palin: “This strategic alliance will enable us to rejuvenate and further enhance these popular resorts which are all situated in prime beach locations. Leveraging Sunwing’s distribution and scale will allow us to boost our occupancy and tighten our operational costs and ultimately position these properties to provide even more value to our guests. We look forward to the continued support of our valued employees, local suppliers and tour operators as we finalize this exciting and transformational agreement.”
In other Sunwing news, the travel company has announced it will be expanding its Cuban offering this winter with the addition of seasonal flight service to Cienfuegos.
Direct flights from Toronto will operate on Mondays between Dec. 17, 2018 and April 22, 2019 inclusive.
Sunwing is the only Canadian leisure carrier to offer a direct flight service from Toronto to Cienfuegos this coming winter.
“We are very excited to be offering Cienfuegos this winter and to be giving travellers another varied Cuban destination to explore,” says Andrew Dawson, Sunwing’s President of Tour Operations. “From pristine beaches to fascinating culture, we’re sure that Cienfuegos will prove to be a popular addition.”
Resort options with Sunwing include Memories Trinidad Del Mar, recently added to Sunwing’s roster of hotels. Located near Trinidad, the resort offers two pools, gym and tennis courts and an array of non-motorized sports together with a mini club and playground for children.


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- READ MORE: ‘Gori: Cuddly Carnage’ is a bizarre blend of ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ and ‘Devil May Cry’
Kinetic opened by talking about how Phasmophobia has experienced some update delays as the virtual reality optimisation took a few months longer than planned, “Originally the VR overhaul was planned to release earlier than April, allowing us to get knee-deep into custom difficulty’s development. As it took longer, we pushed custom back a couple of months and gave the community three smaller patches of content to fill the gap in content” shared the developer.
The custom difficulty update, mentioned above, is set to launch this month. This update adds several options that will allow players to tweak the difficulty of each individual game. A new map called Sunny Meadows is set to be added. This new asylum will be smaller than the original but will be more densely packed to compensate. Fans of the game previously voted in favour of a smaller map.
Kinetic has also promised a couple of surprises for the upcoming patch, teasing “We’ve squeezed in loads of extra things and even a few new [redacted] for you to enjoy, all will be revealed when the update trailer drops very soon.”
The ‘Progression’ update has been split into several parts and pushed to next year, but some of the planned features are being packaged into an update set to launch in Q4 2022 called the ‘URP Upgrade’. This update will contain an overhaul of the game’s weather system and new lighting.
2023 will contain Phasmophobia’s “biggest programming and art overhaul” with various progression updates. New models, animations and systems are being made completely from scratch while Kinetic adds new content to the game simultaneously. The developer’s plan is to release several smaller updates to keep the game fresh for the community. You can view the whole Phasmophobia roadmap on Steam.


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The UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Ghana, Adam Afriyie MP visited Ghana this week to promote UK-Ghana bilateral trade relations with a focus on the forthcoming UK-Ghana Investment Summit.
The Trade Envoy was in Ghana to highlight the world-class offer from UK companies that can partner with Ghana to help realise the President’s vision of moving ‘Beyond Aid’.
Adam Afriyie MP said:
I am happy to be back in Ghana for the second time this year. More than ever, the UK and Ghana are stronger trading partners. One example of such partnership is the UK-Ghana Investment Summit which will seek to bring potential investors including UK companies to Ghana and showcase investment opportunities in the country with the aim of boosting trade and investment.
The UK-Ghana Business Council is another great initiative for both countries to work together for mutual economic benefit. This strategic partnership will allow the UK to set out an incredible offer to support Ghana move ‘Beyond Aid’ through collaborations and partnerships.
Whilst in Ghana, Adam Afriyie MP met with the Vice President of Ghana H.E. Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and several Ministers to discuss the proposed UK-Ghana Investment Summit on 15 to 17 October 2018 and the new UK-Ghana Business Council.
He also raised awareness on a number of British projects in the country with the government.
This follows the Prime Minister’s visit to Africa in August, which signalled a step change in UK engagement with African partners and an ambitious plan for the UK to become the largest G7 investor in Africa.
Adam Afriyie MP also witnessed the announcement of a joint venture between Baird & Co. and Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) for the establishment of an assaying plant in Ghana’s International Airport zone. It is the first for the region and increases Ghana’s revenue from its gold industry.
Ghana is well placed to be at the forefront of this new focus on Africa. Ghana is a key market for the UK – it is the UK’s fifth largest export market and seventh largest import market in sub-Saharan Africa.
Adam Afriyie MP will be encouraging more UK businesses to invest in Ghana in line with the government’s ambitious plans for economic transformation such as the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative and promoting Ghana as a choice destination for UK exports and investments to strengthen current bilateral ties.
About the UK-Ghana Investment Summit
The UK Ghana Investment Summit is an event created by the UKGCC to promote Ghana as an investment destination for British companies and investors.
The first event took place on 22 July 2017 in the UK and was attended by over 250 senior business professionals and leaders, followed by the second UK Ghana Investment Summit hosted on 17 April 2018 in London. This event brought together leading thinkers and decision-makers from different sectors and industries across both Ghana and the UK. The President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the keynote address followed by in-depth interviews with several Ministers of State and business leaders.
Off the back of 2 successful summits, the UKGCC is preparing to host its third investor focused summit in Accra, Ghana on 15t October 2018. This investment will provide a platform to further merge new opportunities which have opened up both in Ghana and the UK for enhanced trade investments.


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Baby formula shortage leads to potential scams
MADISON – Wednesday, formula manufacturers appear before a House subcommittee, while the Senate is poised to on a $28M House bill to help the FDA combat the crisis surrounding a national baby formula shortage. This comes as the second round of “Operation Fly Formula” arrives Wednesday. But as families wait for the formula to hit shelves, scammers are attempting to take advantage of the situation.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns online shopping scams are the riskiest; whether it be through direct messaging, well-crafted fake websites, or social media ads claiming your baby’s formula brand is back in stock.
“Scammers love to use Facebook and lure you to your sites,” said Tiffany Bernhardt Schultz, the Southwest Wisconsin Regional Director for the BBB. “So maybe you see an ad or it could be a post. They could say they have the merchandise, they could have pictures of it, and ask you to pay via Venmo or credit cards.”
Schultz suggested looking at either https://www.godaddy.com/whois or the BBB’s website to learn when the advertiser’s website was created. If it was made very recently, it’s cause for concern. Alongside that research, she said there are other ways to check up on the website itself.
“If it’s a website, there’s a lot of red flags that you can look for,” Schultz said. “The first thing you should be doing is looking at the website address. Does it start with an HTTP or does it start with an HTTPS? That ‘s’ is always going to stand for secure. Look at the content of the website. Are there grammatical errors or misspellings? If there are, it could be a scam.”
Schultz also suggested looking at contact information to see if the site’s listed physical address leads to a real office. She said it’s also a good idea to try calling the phone number listed to see if it’s in use.
If you are a victim of a scam, you’re asked to report it to the BBB. You can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Meanwhile, one of the major companies at the heart of the baby formula shortage says it plans to restart its plant next week. Abbott Nutrition will restart production at its facility in Sturgis, MI on June 4. But the company does not expect the first batches of new formula to be available until around June 20.
Abbott shut down its Sturgis plant back in February after FDA investigators found bacteria in several areas inside the plant. This led to a nationwide recall of its baby formula products.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.


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Shortly after the launch of a haircare line (Anomaly Haircare) that is available exclusively at Target, Priyanka Chopra Jonas introduced a new business venture, SONA, on her IG feed. SONA, of course, has nothing to do with one’s mane – and isn’t even open for service or take away yet (yes, it’s a restaurant, 10 points to Gryffindor for preemptive guessing) – but has already got the world’s eyes on it.
The restaurant is set to open doors in late March 2021. It will be helmed by Chef Hari Nayak, and will serve scrumptious Indian food at 36 East 20th Street, New York. “SONA is the very embodiment of timeless India and the flavours I grew up with,” wrote Priyanka Chopra Jonas, announcing the launch of the restaurant on Instagram. SONA’s opening will mark the launch of the sixth business venture owned and funded by PCJ. Take a look at some of the other ventures she owns and financially supports, below.
6 business ventures owned & funded by Priyanka Chopra Jonas
In 2015, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her mother, Dr Madhu Chopra, launched a film and television studio, Purple Pebble Pictures with an aim to promote regional filmmakers and emerging talent on the big screen. The studio has hits such as Ventilator, a Marathi comedy drama, and The Sky Is Pink to its credit.
In 2018, Priyanka Chopra Jonas started exploring the tech space and made her first big investment in Bumble, the dating app.
In the same year, she also invested in Holberton School for software engineering. It is a coding education startup.
Founded by Priyanka Chopra Jonas in January 2021, Anomaly Haircare is a sustainable haircare brand available at Target in the States, presently. The company claims to retail chemical-free and gentle range of products for hair and scalp care.
SONA is an up and coming Indian restaurant in New York. Scroll up to read all about it.
Aside from launching two new business ventures in the first quarter of 2021, Priyanka Chopra Jonas also invested in a US-based rental marketplace Apartment List. According to Business Insider India, with this investment, she joined a star studded list of board of investors including American singer Lizzo and baseball star Alex Rodriguez.
Notably, Priyanka Chopra Jonas has also expressed interest in investing in more diverse start-ups in 2021.
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Samsung claimed its fourth quarter operating profit rose twenty six %, driven by sales of mind potato chips as well as display panels.
That has been in line along with the tech giant’s guidance this month.
Samsung even said revenue rose three % to 61.6 trillion received, also conference estimates on now.xyz.
Jung Yeon-je|AFP by Getty Images Samsung Electronics claimed on Thursday it expects its general profit to weaken in the first quarter of 2021, hurt by bad currency moves at its memory chip business as well as the cost of new production lines.
The forecast comes despite anticipated solid demand for its mobile products and in the information centers business of its.
Samsung posted a 26 % increase in operating profit inside the October-December quarter on the backside of strong memory chip shipments and display profits, despite the impact of a reliable won, the cost of the latest chip cultivation line, weaker mind chip prices, in addition to a quarter-on-quarter fall in smartphone shipments.
Samsung’s operating profit within the quarter quarter rose to 9.05 trillion received ($8.17 billion), by 7.2 trillion earned a year prior, within model from the company’s appraisal earlier this month.
Revenue at the earth’s top maker of smartphones and memory chips rose three % to 61.6 trillion won. Net profit rose 26 % to 6.6 trillion won.


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INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 22, 2024) – The Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) and the Indiana Foodways Alliance are inviting pie lovers to indulge in the sweetness of Indiana pies with the annual "Pie Day-to-Pi Day" celebration and contest.
From Jan. 23, 2024 (National Pie Day) through February (National Pie Month) to March 14, 2024 (Pi Day), anyone who checks in at two restaurants on the Hoosier Pie Trail using the free Indiana Culinary Trails Passport will earn custom "Nothing Tastes Sweeter" socks.
Anyone who visits Wick's Pies/Mrs. Wick's Cafe in Winchester will be entered to win free pie for a year (one per month) from Mrs. Wick's Pie, lunch, as well as a VIP tour of Wick's Pies commercial bakery.
"The Hoosier Pie Trail includes 24 restaurants from the Indiana Foodways Alliance that each have something unique for everyone to savor,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "From Indiana's favorite sugar cream pie the classic apple pie, the varieties are endless. I encourage everyone to explore the Hoosier Pie Trail and experience the sweets, today!"
Indiana Foodways Alliance has 21 culinary trails, including the Hoosier Pie Trail, which can be found on the Indiana Culinary Trails Passport, an all-inclusive mobile app. All you need to do is sign up online and check in with your smartphone.
"This passport was designed to encourage people to eat at locally-owned restaurants and establishments," said Elaine Bedel, Secretary and CEO of IDDC. "The Indiana Culinary Trails Passport is a gateway into Indiana's diverse culinary scene and gives users a roadmap to experience it."
"Mrs. Wick's Pie is an Indiana staple for baked goods and has set the gold standard for decades," said Kristal Painter, Indiana Foodways Alliance Board President. "So they are perfect for our 'Pie Day-to-Pi Day' promotion."
For more information about the Indiana Culinary Trails Passport and the pie promotion, go to VisitIndiana.com/Pie or scan the QR code to sign up. Follow us on social media, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.


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People across the globe are learning new languages to pass the time at home ... and one language software company says Tom Hanks' coronavirus diagnosis triggered a spike in sales.
Here's the deal ... honchos at Rosetta Stone, Babbel and Duolingo tell us they're all seeing a surge in language software sales during the pandemic ... and Babbel says it all started when Tom told the world he contracted COVID-19.
It's interesting ... Babbel sales saw a slight decrease when Italy started getting ravaged by the virus, but everything flipped when the country started quarantining entire cities.
Now, Babbel sales are seeing a 50% increase compared to what they usually see this time of year. And, the company says most folks say "cultural interest" is the reason for buying the service, surpassing the previous most-popular answer, "travel."
In the States, Babbel says most folks are trying to learn Spanish, French, Italian and German ... and the company is offering 3-months of free software for American students.
Over at Duolingo, the company tells us software usage is at an all-time high, with an increase in new users across the board in all 50 states. From March 9 to March 16 alone, Duolingo tells us they had a 91% surge in new users in the U.S. We're told the majority of new users this week are learning Spanish.
And finally, honchos at Rosetta Stone tell TMZ ... they're seeing strong growth in Washington state and Northern California, two areas hit hard by the virus.
Rosetta Stone says it's allowing teachers and students unlimited usage of their products until the end of the school year -- most classrooms are going online -- and 1,500 folks have already taken advantage of the offer. They're also offering three months of free access to students around the globe.


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Daily deals craze and smartphone growth drive spending, says BIA/Kelsey.
Online advertising by local businesses will account for almost a quarter of all local ad spend by 2015, says local media research and consulting firm BIA/Kelsey. The company's new U.S. Local Media Forecast points to channels such as daily deals offers as increasingly popular with consumers, and thus a market ripe for local advertising dollars.
According to BIA/Kelsey, local online ad spending by small and medium-sized businesses will represent 23.6 percent of all local ad spending by 2015, growing from $21.7 billion last year to $42.5 billion by 2015. The economic downturn has tempered the company's predictions, previously more bullish. Back in 2006, the firm predicted local search and online classified spending alone would hit $31.1 billion in 2010.
BIA/Kelsey suggested maturing online ad products, increased usage of smartphones and tablet devices, and continued disruption of traditional newspaper models are driving momentum for local online ad spending.
The research outfit pegs 2010 online local ad spending at 14.1 percent of all spending by SMBs, and expects 2011 online local ad expenditures to account for 16.2 percent of the local ad pie.
The company surveyed clients and non-clients and compiled data from various sources to determine the findings. The report, released today, indicates overall local advertising revenues will increase from $136.3 billion in 2010 to $153.5 billion in 2015. However the projected revenue for 2015 is still less than the total for 2008, when spending hit $156.3 billion, according to BIA/Kelsey.
As firms like Yahoo and Gannett explore local daily deals offerings, BIA/Kelsey forecasts the daily deals space will generate $3.9 billion in consumer spending by 2015.
Another recent local online spending report from Borrell Associates found spending on social media marketing by SMBs would grow more than 30 percent this year.
Kate Kaye was Managing Editor at ClickZ News until October 2012. As a daily reporter and editor for the original news source, she covered beats including digital political campaigns and government regulation of the online ad industry. Kate is the author of Campaign '08: A Turning Point for Digital Media, the only book focused on the paid digital media efforts of the 2008 presidential campaigns. Kate created ClickZ's Politics & Advocacy section, and is the primary contributor to the one-of-a-kind section. She began reporting on the interactive ad industry in 1999 and has spoken at several events and in interviews for television, radio, print, and digital media outlets. You can follow Kate on Twitter at @LowbrowKate.
US Consumer Device Preference Report
Traditionally desktops have shown to convert better than mobile devices however, 2015 might be a tipping point for mobile conversions! Download this report to find why mobile users are more important then ever.
E-Commerce Customer Lifecycle
Have you ever wondered what factors influence online spending or why shoppers abandon their cart? This data-rich infogram offers actionable insight into creating a more seamless online shopping experience across the multiple devices consumers are using.
October 13, 2015
1pm ET/ 10am PT
November 12, 2015


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It’s been a busy last few months for our clients. Here are just a few highlights that show there’s plenty of good news on the business front:
- At the conclusion of a 20 month procurement project run jointly with KiwiRail, Auckland Transport has signed supply and maintenance contracts with Spanish train manufacturer, CAF, to buy 57 three car electric units. The new trains will begin carrying Auckland commuters from the end of 2013.
- Airline management system provider, Merlot Aero, has received a significant new investment from Air Asia.
- Online driver training provider, SharpDrive, has signed corporate sponsorship deals with ANZ Banking Group and Mazda.
- Innovative cereal manufacturer, Smartfoods, continues to grow the value of the Vogels muesli range while increasing exports of product to Australia, Asia and the USA. Founders Justin Hall and Vicky Taylor were featured in the latest issue of Idealogue magazine.
- James Madelin’s photography equipment company, Enlight Photo, was the winner of $200,000 of new funding in the University of Auckland Business School’s 2011 Entrepreneurs Challenge.
- Kate Billing and Paul Leacock, the founders of employment brand specialists Blacksmith, have launched a new recruitment company – Talent Magnet.
- The ultra energy efficient central heating system launched by Heatbox is now available nationwide in all 64 Placemakers stores, is being trialled by a market leading home ventilation system and has also been involved in a pilot for Auckland Council to heat its “Homes for Older People” on the North Shore.
- Konnect continues to make the press – as the fastest growing technology company outside the TIN 100 – and with the launch of its new services for the insurance broker market. Its Australian investment in Pen Computer Systems and Oxygen Services (a joint venture with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) is making waves in the e-health market.
- Affinity ID has sold the online sports tipping game Jimungo to APN Online with the deal closing just before the Rugby World Cup got started.


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Actress Tracee Ellis Ross has been a bright light on recent red carpets. With colorful ensembles, daring silhouettes and an elegant, yet easy presence, it’s no surprise Ross was honored with the Style Ambassador award at the 2018 ACE Awards on Monday night in New York.
Ross walked the carpet in an eye-catching look, wearing a Kevin Germanier gown and Christian Louboutin shoes. Her dress featured sheer components, with highlights of fluorescent glitter.
On how she approaches the red carpet in terms of style, Ross said, “The truth is red carpet fashion is pretty specific. It’s about what’s going to photograph well and not in studio light. It’s on a backdrop.”
She also gave a nod to her stylist, Karla Welch, who helps put together unexpected, fun and elevated outfits.
“She and I have very similar style. We are from the same generation. We both love elegance and edge at the same time. We both are happy to please ourselves and no one else, which makes it a fun creative adventure with each other,” said Ross.
And to top it off, Ross said it’s all about making yourself feel good.
On stage, the “Black-ish” star accepted the award and made a point to acknowledge fashion’s tendency to be exclusive and elitist, but that it has an overall importance to society and culture as a whole.
She said, “Fashion can be judgmental, it can be elitist, it can be exclusionary, but the opportunity is for it to be used a stool to connect, to include, to empower and to be bring joy.” Watch below.
Other honorees at the 2018 ACE Awards included:
American Heritage Award — Brooks Brothers
Business Excellence Award — The Jewelry Group
Business Leadership Award — Andrew Rosen of Theory
Legacy Award — Longchamp
Retail Influencer Award — KITH
Retail Innovation Award — Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Specialty Retailer Award — STORY
Style Influencer Award — Micaela Erlanger
Click through the gallery below to see all the red carpet arrivals.


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Those who doubt that employers can keep hiring at a solid clip for the foreseeable future might consider a new recession gauge that is signaling full speed ahead.
First, to recap. The job market boomed in November, data released on Friday by the Department of Labor show. Employers added a better-than-expected 266,000 workers, the most since January. The reading is strong even when you back out the lift from the 45,000 or so General Motors (GM) strikers returning to work.
November’s jobs report was astonishing, if you ask economists and consider the stock market’s reaction. “A strong read on the jobs market almost no matter how one slices the data,” says Jon Hill, vice president of U.S. rates strategy at BMO Capital Markets. The S&P 500 (.SPX) climbed 0.9%, to 3146, on Friday.
Together with upward revisions to October payrolls, a drop in the unemployment rate to 3.5%, and the kind of wage improvement that is enough to help spending without stoking inflation, the jobs report allays concerns that the labor market is cooling and that the trade war will drag the economy into recession.
Is this all too good to last? No, says Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at the Leuthold Group in Minneapolis.
The evidence, he says, is a recession indicator he recently created and has dubbed the WS Ratio. It’s the ratio of the U.S. wage rate divided by the U.S. stock market (the S&P 500), and it’s meant to serve as a proxy for corporate confidence. The idea: As long as the price of equity capital rises faster than labor costs, companies will remain confident enough to add workers. But once wages begin to rise faster than the stock market, Paulsen says, executives get anxious and pull back on hiring.
Like many investors, Paulsen closely follows initial jobless claims as a recession predictor. The WS Ratio looks similar to the ebb and flow of jobless claims, but it has a different interpretation. Compared with the popular weekly claims indicator, the WS Ratio offers a real-time view since the stock market opens and closes daily. Moreover, it takes into account factors that can predict layoffs, instead of simply tracking them.
The WS Ratio has risen prior to every recession dating back to about 1950, usually giving investors watching it a few months’ lead time. For a sharper picture of where the economy is heading, he advises tracking it in addition to jobless claims.
Friday’s jobs report showed that wages rose a slightly better-than-expected 3.1% in November from a year earlier, and the October gain was revised higher to 3.2%. It’s no surprise that employers are paying a bit more to attract workers in the increasingly tight labor market. The gains, though small, bode well for consumer spending and show a bit of progress on the wage front, which hasn’t much budged in recent years despite robust hiring.
Even with the latest wage gains, The WS Ratio fell to new lows. “Wages are growing, but the stock market is way up,” Paulsen says. “If you’re a corporate CEO, you have to feel pretty good about this—and confident enough to add staff.”
Paulsen notes that the indicator began rising in 2018, and he, like many others, worried that a recession was on the horizon. The global economy had a rare bout of synchronized growth in 2017 and part of 2018, he says, which led to synchronized slowing this year. Then the U.S.-China trade war intensified, and both business and consumer confidence were hit.
Those worries were fleeting, at least as far as Paulsen and his WS Ratio are concerned. “Massive global easing has started to kick in,” Paulsen says, referring to central banks’ interest-rate cuts and the cost of global credit.
By his last calculation, the ratio is at 0.00911. That’s a historic low (he tracks back to 1949), and it has declined for three consecutive months. For comparison, the WS Ratio spiked up to about 0.03 during the last recession.
Heeding its direction is the key for using the indicator, Paulsen says, explaining that it’s not about watching for a certain level but instead about whether it’s rising or falling. If it starts rising and does so for a few straight months, it would signal corporate anxiety and coming job losses—and mean a recession is probably knocking.
For now, though, Paulsen says there is room for the unemployment rate to drop from its current half-century low of 3.5%. The WS Ratio suggests that joblessness will move even lower in the coming months—toward 3%, he posits. And maybe importantly, Paulsen says, “it would signal that imminent recession risk continues to diminish from its elevated levels of late last year.”
A separate economic release on Friday, overshadowed by the employment report, lends support to Paulsen’s take. Consumer confidence, as measured by the University of Michigan, recovered in December to the best level since May.
What consumers say and what they do can be different things, but it’s nonetheless a good sign that Americans are feeling better about the economy—especially during the holiday shopping season.
|For more news you can use to help guide your financial life, visit our Insights page.|


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“Cost-push pressures arising from supply disruptions and demand revival have shown up in consumer prices in June 2020,” it said.
In its statement, the MPC highlighted that government spending remained subdued during the pandemic. But more importantly, it recognised the stress in balance sheets of many “viable” companies.
The MPC has still not given its numerical estimate for GDP growth for the quarters adversely affected by Covid-19.
The National Statistical Office, however, will give its official GDP growth estimate for the June quarter at the end of this month. Supply disruptions are pushing inflation up for both the food and non-food segments. The MPC said a bumper rabi harvest and benign increases in support prices for upcoming kharif crops might tame food inflation. But it needs support from enhanced procurement from the government, it added. Cost pressures from high retail petrol and diesel prices at fuel stations, hikes in telecom charges, and rising raw material costs are pushing up non-food inflation, it added.
While agriculture would remain a bright spot in FY21 in terms of growth, non-farm high frequency indicators, which had improved post Unlock, have now “levelled off,” the statement noted. The rural sector would provide a fillip, as fertiliser production and sales of tractors, motorcycles and fast-moving consumer goods look promising. Except pharmaceuticals, the industry is expected to contract sharply, as the RBI’s business assessment index for the June quarter hit its lowest ever. Capital goods imports fell stronger than expected in June, signalling a deterioration in investment demand.
A sharp fall in imports in June and deterioration in consumer confidence in July indicate weakening of domestic demand. External demand, too, is expected to remain anaemic, the statement said. Producers sold goods at prices lower than in Q1 of the previous year, and they saved on their wage bills — indicative of a fall in salaried class incomes. A more protracted spread of Covid-19, deviations from expected normalcy in monsoon rains, and volatility in the global financial system would dent the GDP contraction further, the MPC said. Keeping consumer inflation anchored at 4 per cent with a band gap of two percentage points is the MPC’s mandate under the inflation targeting framework. But the committee, for the first time, said supporting growth had assumed primacy when the state of the economy was “extremely weak” due to the pandemic shock.


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Herd health is every farmer and rancher’s top priority. When cattle get sick, you treat them. However, as consumers continue to have more questions about antibiotic use and livestock, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued more guidance and regulations on their use.
Starting in 2017, the FDA issued guidance for industry #213 (GFI 213), the first major move to limit the use of antibiotics in livestock and companion animals. This included antibiotics like chlortetracycline (CTCs) that were commonly used in feed during times of stress or disease outbreaks.
In 2023, the FDA issued guidance for industry #263 (GFI 263), the next regulation that further restricted the use of over-the-counter (OTC) injectable and bolus antibiotics in livestock. This includes antibiotics like penicillin, oxytetracyclines, sulfa-based, tylosin and cephapirin from being used in livestock without a prescription (Rx) from a licensed veterinarian.
What is GFI 263?
Buying antibiotics for your herd used to be a breeze - just walk into a feed store or order them online. But things have changed since June 11, 2023.
To protect human and animal health, the FDA issued GFI 263 in June 2021, which now requires all previously OTC antibiotics used in livestock and companion animals to have an Rx from a veterinarian.
Want to know which antibiotics are affected by GFI 263 regulation? Check out the FDA’s list of medically important antibiotics.
The Reason for GFI 263
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that antibiotic resistance is a major global public health threat. Diseases that were once easily treatable with antibiotics are now becoming resistant to antibiotics used in the past.
According to the CDC, food animals can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter that can make people sick. When animals are given antibiotics, resistant bacteria in their intestines can continue to survive and grow. As animals are processed, those antibiotic-resistant bacteria can pass through to humans, or the bacteria in their feces can contaminate fruits and vegetables and pass through in runoff to water systems.
How Do You Manage Disease in Cattle with GFI 263?
Luckily, antibiotics won’t be going away; farmers and ranchers will just need to work more closely with their veterinarians to obtain antibiotics directly or receive an Rx to get them from a distributor.
To help you manage and prevent disease, establish a biosecurity plan or tighten your current program on your farm. According to Cornell University, the best management practices for biosecurity on a cattle ranch include:
Limiting farm traffic
Establishing a common entrance and exit
Providing disposable plastic boots and on-farm clothing. No footwear or clothing from another farm is allowed ever
Making a record of all livestock feed deliveries and supplies
Recording cattle source and health history
Segregating new cattle from the herd for 30 days
Maintaining vaccination programs
Protecting against manure entry and avoiding the use of it
How Ralco Can Help with GFI 263
Ralco has been helping farmers and ranchers keep their calves and cows naturally healthy and focused on converting nutrients to growth for the last 50 years. With patented approaches in essential oils, prebiotics and microbial processes, Ralco beef products help keep cattle naturally healthy and don’t require VFDs or GFI 263s.
All products are easy to use and can be implemented in mineral programs, feed additives and health to help your herd during times of:
Poor colostrum quality