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'Facebook And Google Lied To You' Said Kanye West: In A Concert
Attendees at the Saint Pablo Tour concert in Sacramento, California were treated to a full-blown regarding Kanye West's speech. The musician says that people feel like they lost (due to the election, among other issues) because Facebook and Google "lied to you." He even calls out Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg by name around the 12-minute mark. Supposedly, the internet mogul reneged on a promise that he "would help" Kanye and then decided to "look for aliens."
Who Is Kanye West?
Kanye Omari West, most commonly known as Kanye West, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West first became known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys.
West's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct. His more scrutinized comments include his off-script denunciation of President George W. Bush during a live 2005 television broadcast nd his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
'Facebook And Google Lied To You' Said Kanye West
A lot of people here tonight felt like they lost. You know why? Because y’all been lied to. Google lied to you. Facebook lied to you. Radio lied to you.
This is just few lines from what Kanye West said in a Sacramento, California Concert. West also tells people to only put their iPhones in the air, since he wants "only originals." Guess we know where he stands on smartphones, then (although he recently got rid of his phone to focus on creativity), as reported by Engadget.
According to Chicago Tribune, West also mentioned his rants about Beyoncé, Jay Z, Hillary Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg, the radio and MTV on his Saint Pablo Tour. Captured on video by concert-goers, West in an over 10-minute tirade told the audience he was on his "Trump (expletive) tonight."
For the full transcript of Kanye West’s Sacramento concert speech, visit Fader website.
HTC Will Build Another Flagship Phone, Even After Billion-Dollar Deal with Google
HTC is showing signs of revival with the announcement of $1.1 billion smartphone business deal with Google.
Google Replacing Defective Nexus 6Ps with Pixel XL for Free
Owners of defective Nexus 6P units in the US and Canada are now receiving Google Pixel XL as free replacement.
Google Pixel Users on Oreo Complain of Unexpected Mobile Data Shutdown
Google has acknowledged mobile data issues with Pixels running on Oreo update via its official product forums.
Google Announces Permanent Shut Down of Drive App for PC and Mac
Google Drive app gets its end of support date for December 11 and the end of life date for March 12, 2018.
Android O Launching Today As "Android Oreo," Suggests Leaked Image: How to Watch Livestream
Google is all set to release its next mobile operating system aka Android O today.
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Netflix is Raising Prices, Here’s How it Now Compares to Other Streaming Services
Once a brand gains the trust and loyalty of its market, it is only logical that it attempts to flex its dominant muscle. Such is the tale that fits the recent price hike coming from the stable of Netflix. Having baited consumers into believing that streaming, and not cable subscription, is the right way to go, Netflix has now decided to drop its own form of a bombshell on consumers in the form of price increment. The news, which was announced earlier this year, detailed that Netflix would be raising prices across all of its plans by 13 to 18 percent.


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The brand will release short documentaries on its app, with topics including rotational grazing, soil analysis and regenerative farming.
Additionally, a Time Capsule feature taps into Sheep Inc’s identity as a brand built to last and be passed down through generations. It encourages customers to save photos of themselves in the garments for posterity, enabling future generations to look back at loved ones wearing the items.
While Sheep Inc has allowed consumers to read about its production cycle and the carbon footprint associated with their garments via NFC since 2019, the third component of the project – Sheep Selfies – lets customers view the flock via on-farm livestream cameras, providing an unfiltered experience of the animals’ everyday life and proving they’re well-treated. To see the sheep, you can swipe your phone over the NFC tag, which takes you to a microsite or, from February 2023, a dedicated app. Users can even name their favourite sheep (on their profile only).
The project develops the transparency efforts of brands including London-based clothing company Pangaia’s digital provenance passport and American footwear brand Fuchsia’s partnership with US blockchain specialists Provenance.

domain: news


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Two Sigma Advisers LP decreased its stake in Bloomin’ Brands Inc (NASDAQ:BLMN) by 1.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 404,391 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 7,447 shares during the quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP owned 0.44% of Bloomin’ Brands worth $7,235,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in BLMN. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 893,717 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $17,686,000 after purchasing an additional 44,552 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc raised its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc now owns 11,808,062 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $233,681,000 after acquiring an additional 404,855 shares in the last quarter. Tyvor Capital LLC raised its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 159.6% in the 3rd quarter. Tyvor Capital LLC now owns 1,555,536 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $30,784,000 after acquiring an additional 956,233 shares in the last quarter. Cerebellum GP LLC raised its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 49.7% in the 4th quarter. Cerebellum GP LLC now owns 14,376 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $257,000 after acquiring an additional 4,771 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC raised its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 16.9% in the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 162,361 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,905,000 after acquiring an additional 23,413 shares in the last quarter. 94.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
BLMN has been the topic of a number of research reports. Bank of America lowered Bloomin’ Brands from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and set a $17.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Friday, February 8th. BidaskClub lowered Bloomin’ Brands from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 19th. William Blair upgraded Bloomin’ Brands from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Bloomin’ Brands from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $23.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 8th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Bloomin’ Brands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $22.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 26th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Bloomin’ Brands has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $21.67.
Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 14th. The restaurant operator reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1 billion. Bloomin’ Brands had a return on equity of 178.97% and a net margin of 2.60%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.18 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Bloomin’ Brands Inc will post 1.56 EPS for the current year.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: This article was originally published by Baseball Daily News and is the property of of Baseball Daily News. If you are viewing this article on another publication, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of U.S. and international trademark and copyright legislation. The original version of this article can be accessed at https://www.baseballdailydigest.com/news/2019/04/21/bloomin-brands-inc-blmn-shares-sold-by-two-sigma-advisers-lp.html.
About Bloomin’ Brands
Bloomin' Brands, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates casual, upscale casual, and fine dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, U.S. and International. Its restaurant portfolio has four concepts, including Outback Steakhouse, a casual steakhouse restaurant; Carrabba's Italian Grill, a casual Italian restaurant; Bonefish Grill, an upscale casual seafood restaurant; and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, a contemporary steakhouse.
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Twitter has brought its Vine video app to Amazon's Kindle Fire range.
The GIF-making service, which was previously released for iOS and Android devices, is now available as a free download from the Amazon Appstore.
The move marks the first time that Vine has been optimised specifically for a tablet device, and comes at a time of heightened competition for the service.
Facebook-owned Instagram recently introduced video features to its photo-editing application, a move that has reportedly caused Vine usage to decline in recent weeks.
Digital magazine service Flipboard added Instagram video support earlier today, but is yet to integrate Vine.
Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 devices are yet to receive a Vine app.


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Published on October 19th, 2012 | by Cameron Woolsey
SEGA “Reigns” in the New Year with Anarchy Reigns
SEGA has been fairly quiet lately with its mutant-laden fighter, Anarchy Reigns, but luckily for brawler fans, the game is still coming and its release date has been officially unveiled.
Anarcy Reigns, developed by PlatinumGames (Bayonetta, Vanquish), is an online multiplayer brawl fest that features multiple game modes for up to 16 players.
With an MSRP of $29.99, the game won’t cost an arm, leg or any robotic, bladed limb either. And that’s always good news.
From the press release:
“SEGA is hugely proud of the work PlatinumGames has put in to creating a videogame
with such a unique and engaging vision” said Jurgen Post, COO of SEGA Europe
Ltd. “Gamers will soon be able to experience the full adrenaline rush that comes
from competing in explosive multiplayer matches of Anarchy Reigns.”
“Focusing on online play with Anarchy Reigns presented a new challenge for us here
at PlatinumGames,” said Atsushi Inaba, Executive Director/Producer at Platinum
Games. “Very few games fall under its genre of a melee-based online multiplayer
brawler, so I think we’ve been able to supply a new kind of excitement that you
can’t find anywhere else. While some time has passed since its Japan release, I look
forward to having gamers in North America and Europe enjoy the Anarchy!”
Anarchy Reigns will launch on Jan. 8, 2013 for the PlayStation 3, and Jan. 11, 2013 for the Xbox 360.


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Software review marketplace G2 raises $157M in Series D funding; achieves unicorn status at over $1 billion valuation with over 1.3 million verified reviews
With millions of software and apps out there on the Internet, finding the right software is like looking for a needle in a haystack. That was why G2 (formerly known as G2 Crowd) decided to help organizations find the right software for their business.
Better known as a sort of “Yelp for business software,” G2 operates a software marketplace to help organizations and individuals research, buy, and manage their software and services. Today, G2 is now the world’s largest software marketplace with over 1.3 million verified reviews and 2,000+ customers.
To further grow its platform, G2 announced it has raised $157 million in Series D funding led by Permira’s growth fund, with participation from existing investors including Accel, Emergence, and IVP. New strategic investors include HubSpot Ventures and Salesforce Ventures, and others. The latest round now values G2 at a valuation of more than $1.1 billion, making it a member of the highly coveted unicorn club. In conjunction with the funding, G2 also announced that Permira Partner and Head of the Menlo Park office Tom Eggemeier will join its Board of Directors as part of the transaction.
Founded in 2012 by Godard Abel, Mark Myers, Matt Gorniak, Mike Wheeler, and Tim Handorf, G2 is a platform to share business software reviews in real-time. It leverages more than 1.3 million user reviews to drive better purchasing decisions. G2 is used by business professionals, buyers, investors, and analysts to select the best software and services based on peer reviews and synthesized social data.
In addition, G2 is the largest and most trusted software marketplace globally. More than five million software buyers each month trust G2, making G2.com one of the Top 1000 web destinations in the U.S. Additionally, 2,000 companies rely on G2 to build their reputation, manage their software spend, and grow their business — including Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoom, Lyft, among others.
The platform is set to reach 60 million software buyers annually, with 100,000+ software and services companies in 2,000+ categories and over 1.3 million trusted user reviews. Nearly 60 percent of the Forbes Cloud 100 are G2 customers, including over 2,000 software customers such as Adobe, Autodesk, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoom. These companies utilize G2’s Marketing Solutions to increase revenue, manage and grow their reputation, and gain valuable customer insights. In addition, nearly 1,000 companies use G2 Track to manage and optimize their annual software expenditures.
“Software spending will top $4 trillion this year and is growing quickly with the need for digital transformation. Customers expect reliable, trusted reviews for everything they shop for and this is increasingly true for B2B software purchases where complexity is at an all-time high and trust is low,” said G2 CEO and Co-Founder Godard Abel. “This funding will be a catalyst for G2 to expand our community and products, grow our team, and continue investing in our vision to be the place for software online.”
“During my time at Genesys, I saw first-hand how the power and utility of authentic reviews influence enterprise software buyers to make more informed buying decisions. The G2 platform serves as an objective, real-time alternative to analyst reports, and with this investment, will be well-positioned to continue to grow and support more customers around the world,” said Tom Eggemeier, Partner and Head of the Menlo Park office at Permira. “We are thrilled to be backing G2 and look forward to leveraging our extensive experience in backing and growing enterprise software and best-in-class technology platforms to further its market leading position.”
Today, G2 is the largest, most trusted destination for software, with more visitors than all other software reviews sites combined. The company added 700 paying customers for its Marketing Solutions in the past 12 months and saw a 95 percent increase in organic traffic from software buyers.
“As a longtime investor in G2, we have seen how vital the company’s marketplace is as software buyers face increasing pressure to answer the demands for digital transformation in their businesses,” said Jules Maltz, General Partner at IVP. “We’re bullish on the future for G2 and look forward to seeing the additional growth and success this fundraising round helps G2 achieve.”
“At HubSpot, we believe that delivering a great customer experience is the key to growing better. So naturally, we’re delighted to invest in G2 — a platform that’s powered by authentic reviews and dedicated to helping customers find the best solutions available in today’s crowded software market,” said Andrew Lindsay, SVP of Corporate and Business Development, HubSpot (for HubSpot Ventures).


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Before it unraveled in an accounting scandal, Wirecard AG built up an image as a fast-growing financial technology company. It spewed out news releases publicizing partnerships with blue-chip names such as SAP SE, Zurich Insurance Group and SoftBank Group Corp. The Wall Street Journal found that some of those partnership announcements were misleading or were promoted without the agreement of the companies involved. The Journal reached out to more than 300 companies with which Wirecard said it had entered partnerships or collaborations.
Digitalscouting.de is a media partner of Monex Europe on 27th and 28th of November at Warsaw, Poland. Monex Summit brings leading experts of FinTech, Banking, and Financial industries together from all around the world in 2 days of learning and networking followed by presentations, panel discussions, networking lunches and B2B meetings. Learn how to leverage with emerging technologies to transform your business and earn benefit from an exclusive ongoing network. Use our 10% discount code MONEXEUROPE081911 when you register. Click here to learn more... Disclaimer: We take no profit in any ticket sales.
"In neither case was this about politics -- it was about public trust," she said in a written statement. "We applauded the efforts of the Dalios and their commitment to helping underprivileged students. But the way the partnership was conceived was flawed from the outset and, as elected public officials, we felt an obligation to correct those flaws by shining a light on how it functioned."
Not too long ago the prevailing mindset among banking industry pundits was that fintech startups would disrupt and displace incumbent banks. That view has evolved to "banks and fintechs will partner." The banking industry is at the dawn of a great new era of fintech partnerships that will change banking as we know it for the foreseeable future." Banks are buying into the new zeitgeist. Just over half (53%) of the C-level executives at mid-size banks and credit unions ($500m to $50b assets) surveyed for Cornerstone Advisors' annual What's Going On in Banking study said that fintech partnerships will be important in 2019. Digital account opening was the most-frequently cited area of focus for these potential partnerships, followed by payments and lending. Too many banks think digital account opening is about opening bank accounts through digital channels. Digital account opening is really about digital marketing, contextual product offerings, data-driven campaigns and a very tight, easy fulfillment process. Fintech startups might bring great technology to the table to make it quick and easy to open accounts, but successful digital sales requires a lot more than a tool. Every time I hear bankers talk about fintech partnerships, I think of that famous Jack Nicholson line from the movie A Few Good Men. You know the one I'm talking about--where he says "You want partnerships?
Mobile games supplier OneTouch to provide leading bitcoin casino Bitcasino with immersive table games offering. Pioneering cryptocurrency casino operator, Bitcasino and mobile-first games developer OneTouch have announced an exciting new partnership. The agreement will see an engaging selection of OneTouch renowned table games go live on the popular online casino later this year, including live dealer Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack. Founded in 2014, Bitcasino is the world's first licensed Bitcoin-focused operator, with OneTouch's latest commercial partnership boosting its appeal amongst a wide range of audiences. "Bitcasino is the industry's foremost cryptocurrency specialist, and this partnership allows our offering to continue expanding across a diverse set of product verticals. Our unique mobile-first gaming suite has continued to go from strength to strength this year, and we've lined up an additional range of exciting product launches and operator deals for the coming period."


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Once sales leaders, MPVs, or minivans, are now a «species» on the verge of extinction and now another one is getting ready to leave the market: the Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer.
The end of production of the Gallic MPV is scheduled for the beginning of July and marks the end of an era at Citroën which, since the launch of the Evasion in 1994, has continuously had at least one MPV developed from scratch in its range.
It is recalled that three years ago Citroën had stopped offering the five-seater version of its MPV, the C4 SpaceTourer. At the time, the brand justified the decision with the launch of the C5 Aircross and with the fact that sales were in decline.
NOT TO MISS: Citroën BX 4TC: the rally car that Citroën wanted to forget
Vacant place but already occupied
Despite not having a direct successor to the Grand C4 SpaceTourer, Citroën has no shortage of models capable of responding to the needs of its MPV customers.
The French brand mentions four “candidates” for the succession of its minivan: the C5 Aircross, the C5 X and, for those who need to carry more than five passengers, the ë-Berlingo and ë-SpaceTourer, two models that since the beginning of the year are only available in the 100% electric variant.
As for the numbers achieved by this generation of the C4 SpaceTourer (in the five- and seven-seat versions), they do not disappoint, but nevertheless reflect the decline of MPVs in general in recent years.
In total, 732,000 units have been sold since its introduction in 2013, but this is a figure that is far from the 1,760,000 units sold of the Xsara Picasso between 1999 and 2012.


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The ACCC has outlined preliminary competition concerns with Woolworths’ (ASX: WOW) proposal to acquire 65 per cent of PFD Food Services.
PFD is a wholesale food distributor, purchasing a wide range of food products from manufacturers and distributing them to food service businesses such as restaurants and cafés, fast food franchises, hotels and clubs.
“The ACCC is concerned that the proposed acquisition seems likely to increase Woolworths’ already substantial bargaining power in its dealings with food manufacturers,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said.
Woolworths and PFD both acquire food and groceries from suppliers such as frozen food manufacturers, dairy processors and manufacturers of pasta and sauces.
“The ACCC is concerned that the proposed acquisition would remove PFD as an important alternative customer in the food sector, reducing the number of buyers and increasing Woolworths’ relative size as a customer of food manufacturers and suppliers,” Sims said. “The dominance of Coles and Woolworths in food retail means that wholesale food distribution is an important alternative customer channel for manufacturers.”
The ACCC is also considering whether the proposed acquisition could affect downstream competition.
“If Woolworths was able to use its existing bargaining power as a retail buyer to gain better supply prices for PFD than PFD could obtain on its own, in the medium term this could have serious consequences for the structure of the wholesale food distribution sector, such as reduced range, choice, and service levels,” Sims said.
The ACCC is also continuing to consider other issues, including whether Woolworths acquiring a company which supplies its competitors will lead to risks of foreclosure, and the extent to which Woolworths at Work and AGW compete with PFD at the moment or are likely to compete with PFD in future.
“We have been working closely and constructively with the ACCC on these issues,” said Woolworths’ CEO Brad Banducci. “We remain confident that we will address any outstanding potential concerns so that we can progress the proposed partnership. We see no reduction in competition, in any relevant markets, from our proposed partnership with PFD.”
Feedback on the ACCC’s statement of issues is due by Monday, 1 February 2021.
The ACCC’s final decision will be announced on 22 April 2021


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Truck-Lite announced the release of a multifaceted training program titled “CSA, Choose Wisely-Choose Truck-Lite.” “Vehicle lighting is a prominent area of emphasis in the CSA vehicle maintenance category, acting as a flag to enforcement and potentially leading to a vehicle review,” says Bob Ives, Truck-Lite vice president of marketing. “The importance in specifying and using reliable and trustworthy products should be given significant attention.”
Over the next couple of weeks, Truck-Lite will be releasing a series of training materials that will help users to make informed lighting and harness purchasing decisions. Some of the materials will include a Compliance Safety Accountability and lighting brochure with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, a dedicated website with frequently asked CSA lighting questions and onsite customer training materials.
“At major trade shows, we will showcase Truck-Lite’s Roadside Repair Kit with just the right amount of lighting and tools to do an emergency roadside repair to get you back on the road in minutes,” says Sherry White, manager of marketing communications and services. “We will be raffling off these kits in our booth at major trade shows throughout the year.”


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Our Type Tuesday guests will talk about their recent work and discuss the challenges facing young people joining the creative industries at this strange time.
‘What now? What next?’ also gives us a chance to hear about Dines’s new venture #Blup50 and to look at some recently launched indie mags courtesy of Jeremy Leslie, who will be zooming direct from the magCulture shop in Clerkenwell. The evening will conclude with a panel discussion and questions from you, the online audience.
Eye 101 goes to press soon. If you don’t already subscribe, you can join here and start with the next issue.
Sign up for Type Tuesday on 9 March here – all proceeds go to St. Bride.
John L. Walters, editor
PS The Eye ‘Lockdown Bundle’ of four copies of Eye (nos. 95, 96, 97 & 98) is still available in the UK (£40).
PPS Hearty congratulations to my Eye colleague Simon Esterson, who won an Art Director of the Year award at the 2020 BSME awards last month.


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‘Star Trek’ DP Nicholson to Keynote P|PW at 2020 NAB Show
WASHINGTON—Having helped bring deep space to viewers, Emmy-award winning cinematographer and visual effects director Sam Nicholson will serve as a special keynote speaker during the Post|Production World Conference taking place at the 2020 NAB Show.
P|PW is a training event for content creators and designers, including TV, film and video editors; producers; directors; graphic artists; motion graphics designers; and online video specialists.
This year, P|PW’s keynote session is “Virtual Production: On Set Visual Effects in Real Time,” offering a discussion on the advances in modern visual effects. Nicholson will provide personal insights in the advances of creating real-time effects using Stargate Studios’ new real-time VFX process, ThruView. The keynote is sponsored by Blackmagic Design.
Nicholson, ASC, is the CEO and founder of the visual effects production company Stargate Studios. He also has credits in film and television that include “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “The Walking Dead,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “CSI.”
The NAB, which partners with Future Media Conferences to produce P|PW, has also announced that this year’s event will feature the new “P|PW Hands On Studio Experience.” This will be an interactive training opportunity taking place Friday through Sunday where attendees can go into the field in real-world locations with experts to see the workflows and gear in action.
More information and registration options for P|PW are available on the NAB Show website.
The 2020 NAB Show will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 17 to April 22.
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Currently based in Canton, Reebok has chosen Boston’s Seaport District as the home of its new headquarters.
The new offices will occupy 220,000 square feet and five floors of space at the Innovation & Design Building by next fall. About 700 employees will work from the office.
The new headquarters will feature a 30,000 square foot gym with a CrossFit box, multiple studio spaces, and a boxing ring, among other state-of-the-art amenities. Reebok also plans to include a one-mile running track around the facility for public use.
In addition, the new location will feature a cafe and a Reebok FitHub retail store, both will be open to the public. As they designed it, Reebok had the wellbeing of their employees in mind: personal trainers, dietitians, acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy and many other employee-focused services will be available onsite.


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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- In addition to beer, whiskey, salsa, and even candles, Beck's Roasting House & Creamery's "Aggie Roast" is the latest Pistol Pete-themed product available for purchase.
12% of the wholesale price for all Aggie-licensed consumables goes toward New Mexico State University's athletic department.
"Supporting student-athletes is such a phenomenal way that we can give back to our community," said Arianna Parsons, the owner of Beck's Roasting House & Creamery.
We can really connect NMSU to the community and the community to NMSU. As the mom of two young boys who are adamantly involved in sports and love it, I understand the value of that support," she added.
NMSU's athletic director Mario Moccia said that even though 12% of wholesale price doesn't seem like a lot, the money adds up because the licensed products are consumables. That means people come back to buy more, more frequently, compared to licensed apparel such as hats and t-shirts.
"[Consumables] are meant to be consumed and purchased again, and when you get all the cumulative effect, you're right at bringing in 100 thousand new dollars to the athletic program," said Moccia.
"Six figures at New Mexico State is nothing to sneeze about. It's tremendous for our student-athletes," he added.
Moccia added that New Mexico State came fifth in the nation regarding revenue from collegiate-licensed consumables, which he called an achievement, considering large schools like Texas A&M and UCLA are also on that list.
ABC-7 reached out to UTEP to see if they have similar branded consumables to New Mexico State. They responded that they did not.


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By Adelaide Elliott, Special to Casual Living, a supplement of Furniture Today
In a trend that has continued since retail stores reopened following shutdowns in the wake of the coronavirus last March and April, home furnishing stores have reported increased consumer interest and spending across the board. And that trend has left some retailers weighing the pros and cons of adding new categories.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in being involved in several categories,” noted Erik Mueller, president and CEO of Watson’s, a Cincinnati-based chain of retail stores that carries indoor and outdoor furniture, recreational furniture, and pool and spa products. “But, it also makes things more complicated. Each one has its different problems, different schedules. It definitely keeps things interesting.”
According to research from market and consumer data company Statista, just from January to March 2020, online visits to websites selling home decor and furniture products went from 1.56 billion to 1.7 billion. Later in the year, Salesforce found that the online sales of home goods during the holiday season increased by 89%.
Now, in 2021, many industry experts and data services indicate that the market should see continued increases, citing many people’s sustained unwillingness to travel and spend money on activities outside of their home, which will in turn free up money for more spending on home purchases.
For outdoor spaces, COVID-19 has left many consumers considering investments for the first time ever, creating new opportunity for those with outdoor furniture available.
“If you would have told me last March that 2020 would end up being as great as it was for us, I don’t know that I would have believed you,” said Doug Sanicola, owner and president of Outdoor Elegance Patio Design Center in La Verne, Calif. “But it was, and it was for a lot of retailers and manufacturers. … I think that’s the optimistic message you have to move forward with in outdoor, new business or not.”
But, even for those already in the furniture retail business, adding outdoor can be complicated: Buying seasons are different, the manufacturing base is different, and the product, materials and styles are oftentimes very specific to outdoor.
When Amy Arant decided to take the leap into outdoor, she was excited about the product, but not very familiar with the specifications or the market. Arant, an accountant for more than 20 years, had gotten into retailing in 2014 when she took over ownership of Wrapsody in Blue, a Blue Ridge, Ga.-based home accessories and furniture retailer that originally opened in 2005.
“I had been in accounting for 27 years, and my daughter was raised and out of college, and everyone was just telling me I needed to do something different, and I did,” explained Arant. “So, I reinvented myself and immersed myself in the store.”
And, after a few years spent learning the ropes and trading in some of her accounting skills for lessons on gift and furniture markets, customer service and furniture manufacturing, she observed an open “niche” in her second-home-heavy area. While nearby retailers in the area offered some lower price outdoor options, there was no store dedicated to more boutique, quality outdoor living products.
“I wanted to offer the high quality outdoor furniture that was made to last and had longer warranties,” she said.
So, after spending more than three years researching the category and its product, Arant opened Wrapsody Outdoor Living as a separate store in the area in 2019.
For Arant, those three years spent researching the industry has made all the difference.
Starting with a trip to the Atlanta market, Arant said she just started scoping out manufacturers and asking as many questions as she could about their warranties, frames, etc. In addition to learning about materials, constructions and more, speaking with those manufacturers also taught her a lot about which ones she was really interested in doing business with.
“If they took the time to teach me and really answer questions before I started buying, it was a good sign,” she said.
Arant said she was really looking to find manufacturers that were willing to educate her long-term, taking time to meet and educate her staff with in-store rep visits, factory tours and more.
She also used applicable lessons from her home furnishings business when seeking out partners, noting that she already knew it was a priority for her to find a manufacturer that protected pricing online for its brick-and-mortar partners.
Arant also noted that many of the lessons she learned indoors about delivery and pricing was applicable outdoors, too, as well as the knowledge she had on her customer base. Knowing that her region had more cabin decks to fill than poolside lounges, she pulled away from “beachy” looks and colors, opting for items more “woodsy.” Being able to receive customer feedback before getting started outdoors with the indoor business was helpful in


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In celebration of World Water Day yesterday, Niantic launched yet another event for their Pokemon Go mobile game, called the water festival.
World Water Day was celebrated yesterday to raise awareness of the water crisis around the globe because it affects more than 1.8 billion people, governments and companies have been thinking about what they will do to help this cause.
Niantic think that they can help with this festival, which started yesterday at 1:00PM PST and will run until March 29th at 1 PM PST.
During this event, players will have more chances to catch water Pokemon like Magikarp, Squirtle, Totodile as well as their evolutions
In particular, you will also see an increased spawn rate of the Gen 2 water Pokemon, as well as some of the rare water Pokemon, like Gyarados and Lapras.
There will also be new avatar items such as a Magikarp Hat to wear during the event.
You can check it out by updating you version of Pokemon Go and playing today.


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The San Jose, Calif.-based maker of chips for various 4G wireless devices had planned to raise up to $67.5 million by offering 7.5 million shares at a range of $7 to $9 apiece. GCT Semi, whose investors included Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., National Semiconductor Corp., Parakletos Ventures and FirstMark Capital.
Shares of the chipmaker, which filed its initial S-1 documents in September, was expected to begin trading Thursday. Another IPO that had been expected this week, mortgage REIT Provident Mortgage Capital Associates, postponed its offering Wednesday.
Despite these signs of IPO market weakness, local business review site Yelp Inc. is still expected to price its shares Thursday evening and begin trading Friday.
The closely watched Yelp offering follows several other social media IPOs -- LinkedIn Corp., Zynga Inc. and Groupon Inc. -- and is set to be followed by the most anticipated offering in the sector, that of Facebook Inc. The social networking leader is expected to price its shares in May.
Two months after stepping down as head of private equity at Travers Smith LLP in London, Phil Sanderson joins Ropes & Gray LLP as a partner. For other updates launch today's Movers & shakers slideshow.
The Deal's David Marcus interviews colleague Richard Collings, who reports on retail, about the recent travails of RadioShack. The troubled electronics retail chain is racing against the clock as it weighs its options, including a refinancing or a bankruptcy. It is burning through cash rapidly as it is unable to close money-losing locations. More video


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|While Microsoft may be pleased with itself on keeping Sony’s PlayStation 3 at bay, now the company must focus on stealing some of Nintendo’s thunder. The Wii’s innovative remote controller allows it to attract a whole new audience, such as women and the elderly, to play video games. In order to rule this console generation, Microsoft believes that it needs to start emulating some of Nintendo’s tactics. “If we don't make that move, make it early and expand our demographic, we will wind up in the same place as with Xbox 1, a solid business with 25 million people,” said Peter Moore, a Microsoft marketing VP. “What I need is a solid business with 90 million people.”|
|“If you don't start building that content and reputation it never comes,” said Albert Penello, director of Xbox global platform marketing. “I don't want to be pigeonholed as a hard-core machine.” Microsoft also may do something about the price, as it sees the Wii’s relatively lower price point of $250 as a “strong value proposition,” said David Hufford, a director of Xbox product management. |
“When mom walks into the store and sees she can get a console with a game for $250, she sees it as a $300 value,” Hufford said with regards to the Wii. “They've done a good job.”
Microsoft may be looking at a price below $200, as Hufford says, “We are well aware that the sweet spot of the market is really 199 bucks.” According to the story, Sony sold 75 million PlayStation 2s at or below $200, making up about 80 percent of all PS2s sold.


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Xiaomi India Completes Nine Years in India: Strengthens Its Commitment to Empowering Lives and Creating Social Impact
- Xiaomi India completes nine years in the country
- The brand has undertaken numerous initiatives in critical areas such as education, environment and skills development
- Xiaomi India is steadfast in its commitment to nation-building by consistently investing in these areas in the coming years
India, 2023: Xiaomi India, the country’s leading smartphone and smart TV brand, is immensely proud to celebrate nine successful years in India. Over the years, the brand has become a household name, winning the hearts of millions of Indian consumers with its innovative products and commitment to social responsibility. On the occasion of its 9 year anniversary, Xiaomi India launched its report highlighting the impact it has created on the society.
Xiaomi India has been a purpose-driven brand and has consistently worked towards societal development through its focus areas of education, skill development, and environment. The brand firmly believes in leveraging technology to improve people’s lives and making a positive impact on society.
In its nine-year-long journey, here are some key milestones that the brand has achieved.
- Mi Scholarship Program: In 2020, the brand partnered with “Buddy4Study” and pledged INR 2 crores for scholarships under the Mi Scholarship program, offering scholarships to 5000 underprivileged students for higher education. The initiative ensured that the financial liabilities of education did not deter the bright young minds in the country from discontinuing their education.
- Shiksha Har Haath: Under its Education initiatives, Xiaomi India launched the “Shiksha Har Haath” program in partnership with Bollywood celebrity and philanthropist Sonu Sood in 2021. This initiative provided education to underprivileged children in the country and enabled them to access digital learning through smartphones, ensuring equal opportunities for quality learning.
- Education support during Covid-19: During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xiaomi India extended support by providing 2,500 smartphones to underprivileged children in partnership with Teach for India. This initiative bridged the digital divide and enabled these children to access online education, ensuring continuity in their learning journeys
- Education for cancer survivors: In 2022, Xiaomi India joined forces with the YouWeCan Foundation to support the education of 200 cancer survivor children by covering their educational expenses. These efforts demonstrated the brand’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and equal educational opportunities for all.
- Cauvery Calling campaign: Reaffirming its commitment to conserving the environment, Xiaomi India collaborated with the Isha Foundation for the “Cauvery Calling” campaign. Through this initiative, the brand planted 1.8 lakh trees, addressing critical issues such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water scarcity for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.
- Solar electrification project: Xiaomi India partnered with United Way India to empower rural communities in the Palghar district of Maharashtra with sustainable energy solutions. This intervention will enable multiple efforts such as zero wood/zero fossil fuel cooking, clean water, sustainable agriculture leading to net-zero energy communities for over 1500 people across five villages.
- Skill development of the transgender community: Recognizing the importance of empowering marginalized communities, Xiaomi India partnered with United Way India to strengthen the skills and employability of transgender individuals. This collaborative project aims to foster inclusive environments, providing necessary training and assistance for transgender persons to lead fulfilling lives.
- Skill Development: Xiaomi India has been actively engaged in various initiatives with the primary goal to promote skill development, skill training, employment, and livelihood among the youth. It equips individuals with practical skills, enhancing their employability prospects and enabling them to contribute to the digital economy. Xiaomi India has partnered with GlobalHunt Foundation to support skill development in mobile repair. It partnered with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad for Project SPARK.
- Innovative Tinkering Labs for Students: Furthermore, Xiaomi India has introduced Innovative Tinkering Labs (ITL) in collaboration with United Way India. These labs serve as creative hubs in educational institutions, fostering a culture of innovation, problem-solving, and hands-on learning experiences that nurture a generation of innovators and entrepreneurs in India, thus contributing to nation-building.
As Xiaomi India completes nine years of success, the organisation remains dedicated to providing quality learning opportunities, promoting sustainable energy, fostering environmental conservation, and empowering marginalised communities. Through strategic partnerships, innovative projects, and community engagement, Xiaomi India strives to create a positive and sustainable change, ensuring a brighter and more inclusive future for all.


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Strawberries are one of the world’s most popular fruits and taste additives, and when strawberry season comes to southern Alberta many begin to look for a local farmers’ market or u-pick to add farm fresh strawberries to that summer smoothie or autumn jam.
For local strawberry growers, demand in a normal year far outstrips supply, but in a hotter year like this one has been that supply challenge is further magnified.
“I have heard complaints that weren’t enough berries this summer for people to pick,” admits Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association executive director Conny Kappler, who is also the owner of Save Our Soils Farm Produce located near Rolling Hills.
“They would go out, and within a couple of hours everything was picked off.”
“When a strawberry plant flowers, it doesn’t like temperatures beyond 28 C,” agrees Willard de Wilde, owner of Skyview Acres near Nobleford and vice-president of Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association.
“Beyond 28 C what happens is we get heat blast, and the flowers don’t form into buds and you don’t get a berry. We had a lot of heat so it was hard on the berries. Without a cooling system, excessive heat affects the berries’ size and, for sure, the yield.”
Kappler has irrigation, but does not employ a cooling/ misting system in her fields. The irrigation prevented even greater heat damage to her crops, but her berries still experienced some of the effects of the monster heatwave southern Alberta experienced this summer.
“I think our strawberries definitely ripened smaller this year,” she says. “I wasn’t getting the bigger berries that I usually get.
“Now that it has cooled off a bit it seems like they are getting a chance to grow a bit bigger again. So it took more berries to sell for the same amount of money when compared to last year.”
That heat blast damage was likely even more magnified in dryland growers, says Kappler.
de Wilde does uses a state-of-the-art Netafim, droplet-cooling system on his strawberry plants. While costly to install, de Wilde grows strawberries as his cash-crop mainstay and felt the investment was worthwhile when he made it.
And it has proven its worth, he says, by extending his growing season into mid-October by protecting his berries from early frosts in previous years. It has now prevented catastrophic heat damage to his berry crop this year as well.
“Some days that was running up to 12 hours just to keep the field temperature cool,” he admits. “On days when we have 37 C, we can drop that temperature to 27 C. That’s how much difference that water cooling does.”
The cooling system however, could not prevent early hail damage to his crop back in June, says de Wilde, which wiped out all his early production.
“We run June bearers and day neutral (ever bearing) strawberries,” explains de Wilde. “June bearers produce at a high rate for three weeks and then shut off, and that’s the end of the berries you are going to get from that plant.
“The ever bearing plants begin producing early at the end of June or beginning of July. You get about three weeks off them too, and then they go dormant for a bit and come back in mid-August and produce right up to the end of October.
“We didn’t get any June bearers this year due to that hailstorm which came through.”
For Kappler the recent cooling trend is a mixed-bag as well. The good news is her later bearing strawberries are now coming in at normal size again, but now she is in a race against the frost to see if they will ripen in time to be marketable.
“That’s farming for you,” she says with a wry chuckle. “Of course, I am just seeing my first big berries now.”
For more information on how to become a strawberry grower in southern Alberta, and beyond, contact the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association by phoning (403)-964-FARM (3276), or go online at albertafarmfresh.com.


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Reliance Jio’s take on to E-commerce companies in India, JioMart has finally launched its mobile app for Android and iOS smartphones. The app will allow customers in more than 200 cities across the country to order and cater to their deliveries online.
Chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh D. Ambani last week shared insights of JioMart at the RIL Annual Meeting 2020. According to him, the company is taking heavy consideration of its customer base in the country. And will aim for future developments regarding JioMart at a much larger diameter.
Currently, the JioMart app is available in more than 200 cities across India. At JioMart, users can purchase groceries and make payments via different modes including net banking, credit/debit cards, Sodexo for food products, ROne loyalty points, and cash on delivery (COD).
Little to inform, Jio Platforms early launched the JioMart in the Maharashtra region only. With a good response in return, the company widened its facilities and services. Up until now, the services were only available on the JioMart website and the JioMart Whatsapp chat facility.
How to use JioMart App?
JioMart is free to download e-commerce app which allows a user to buy groceries online at much cheaper rates than the MRP (Maximum Retail Price). The company claims to sell a wide range of groceries and food items at an average discount of 5% at the market price.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani has also assured the users that the upcoming months will bring a lot more range of products. According to the Reliance chairman, the platform will be expanding its inventory with electronics, fashion, healthcare, and pharmaceutical products soon.
To use the JioMart app, Android and iOS users can download the JioMart app from the Google Play Store and iTunes Store. Similar to other e-commerce website apps, JioMart allows customers to add numerous products in their cart and after fulfilling their needs, they can choose payment options accordingly
With an ingrowing customer base throughout the country, Jio Platforms announced a much easier method for buying staple household items. Ambani said at the AGM 2020 that their e-commerce website service recorded 2,50,000 orders in a single day at the time it was launched.
While the platform experienced some minor issues regarding the quality of its products at the beginning, JioMart did manage to grow its customer satisfaction over time. And now, with a new and improved action in the form of the JioMart app, the platform is planning to engage in collaborations with more brands and startups as well.
“JioMart is a major boost to local businesses and Kirana stores in the country,” says Isha Ambani
JioMart, a combined venture of Reliance Retail and Jio Platforms is a major competition against major e-commerce companies including Amazon Inc., Walmart owned Flipkart and Alibaba backed Big Basket. The initiative of the JioMart is to promote local businesses in the country.
Also read- How To Order From JioMart Using Whatsapp
At the AGM, Isha Ambani said, “With JioMart, Kirana stores will no longer be held back by limited product range, space, or delivery challenges. The partnership with JioMart can potentially help Kirana stores grow business and earnings. JioMart is built to digitally enable, empower, and engage Kirana stores in the country
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Your fridge is running out of milk and bread but instead of facing an empty stomach when you get back home late in the evening, there will be food waiting for you in a Starship robot outside of your front door. Your fridge has already notified your online grocery store and the goods have been delivered outside of your front door (in the future by a drone to your Cleveron box?). This is how the story of the Internet of Things (IoT) is usually illustrated.
This is not a dream that is years away, it is already happening. There is an abundance of smart devices that just need to be connected to the internet in order to be able to communicate with each other. This is where 1oT comes in. Märt Kroodo (32), the founder and CEO of 1oT, and his team have been building that dream for the past 3 years.
’We just launched the 1oT eSIM card that enables our clients to swap between pre-negotiated telecom services “over-the-air”, without the need to physically change the SIM card,’ Märt explains. The first-ever consumer eSIM device was already launched back in 2015 – the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch –, followed by the Google Pixel 2 smartphone.
’It is a matter of a year or two until eSIM becomes a standard solution. Tesla, Apple and other big conglomerates have launched eSIMs for their own use but this technology is not available for smaller market players,’ Märt points out. ’Telecoms themselves, however, are not interested in pushing eSIM technology to the market as they enjoy the lock-in situation the traditional SIM card technology is offering.’
1oT is carrying out this tedious task of gathering many telecom deals together and talking the telecoms into making the swapping between their networks possible. It took 1oT two years to persuade one big carrier (not to point any fingers) into signing a deal. ’In essence, we will operate as their sales team bringing them more traffic using the existing networks.’ They have 12 telecoms integrated with 1oT services so far, and have already made 3-4 of them very happy while being their top service resellers.
Switching off the City of Angels
Until now, 1oT’s main clients have mostly been the producers of smart devices such as light vehicles, tracking devices, smart city solution providers, and wind turbines. ’All of these above-mentioned device producers and service providers are our potential customers – if they do business globally and have to decide in the production cycle which SIM to use, 1oT will be a no brainer.’
The biggest target market for 1oT is currently electric scooter sharing, providing connectivity service to some of the four-letter US & European market players like Uber, Lime, Lyft, Bird and Bolt. Their platform enables these providers to control their SIM cards: they can see where SIMs are located, set up data limits, switch SIMs on & off and so on. One client could have hundreds of thousands of scooters, and that is a lot of SIM-cards to be in charge of and to track.
Sometimes there are setbacks and technology can fail. ’Once in Los Angeles the entire T-Mobile network switched off because all of the scooters in the city started system upgrading simultaneously,’ Märt recalls. This is where smart devices can still behave quite stupidly and there is a vast field of opportunities to make them smarter yet.
Besides the element of comfort – of not having to change the SIM-card – there is an obvious advantage of energy saving: for example, in the case of smart city solutions, the street lights do not have to be on all the time – if a car drives by, the light will automatically switch on and then off again. In the end, it will help to bring down the cost for the end user and make processes more efficient.
Plants as pets
Having obtained his MSc in Finance from the University of Portsmouth in the UK, Märt worked in stock analysis for Swedbank. After 3 years he got bored, although he remarks that ’only in Estonia can someone so young be allocated such responsibility’.
He moved on to Ernst&Young where his first client happened to be Click & Grow, an Estonian startup developing urban farming technology. They were in search of another investor, which Märt failed to find as a consultant, but decided to join the startup as a team member to finish his job. During his time at Click & Grow, they moved their headquarters to the US and joined Y Combinator, the startup accelerator that has helped push Dropbox and Airbnb to the market. Additionally, they switched production to China and raised another 2 million dollars for the company.
’I still think it’s an amazing product and it has a lot of potential as an urban farming device or as a modern pet,’ says Märt, summarising this period in his life. He learned a lot, both from building the product as well as the time spent at Y Combinator, which offered useful insight into how to make things work.
In hindsight, it was great to be in Silicon Valley as there are so many likeminded people around you but nothing will replace the small family-like Estonian startup ecosystem where everybody supports each other and will give you honest criticism. ’The feedback you get from your customers is the most valuable way to better the product. We are in constant learning-mode in 1oT and are keeping the mentality of students as part of our company culture.


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Taco Bell's sales are soaring — and it's thanks to fried chicken.
On Wednesday, Yum Brands reported that the Mexican fast-food chain's same-store sales grew 8% in the first quarter, with sales bolstered by the success of the chain's Naked Chicken Chalupa. Traffic grew by 5%, despite industry concerns of an incumbent restaurant recession.
"We sold over 25 million Naked Chicken Chalupas, which illustrates the enthusiasm for our crispy chicken offerings," Yum CEO Greg Creed said in a call with investors.
Creed said that $1 Double Stack Tacos and Triple Double Crunchwrap also helped boost sales.
"Our high-low value strategy is working," he said. "Going forward you can expect to see continued focus on innovation and value with our $1.49 Loaded Beef Burrito and more "naked" products in our second quarter."
RELATED: Check out the most-hated chain restaurants in America:
On Tuesday, Taco Bell announced that it would be rolling out its Naked Chicken Chips — the brand's take on the chicken nugget — nationally in mid-May.
Fried chicken has become one of the hottest menu items in the fast-food industry, as chains such as Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Arby's invest in the dish.
STOCK PRICE FOR YUM
The chicken trend has its roots in economic realities, as in 2016 chicken prices were significantly lower than beef prices. However, prices have equalized — and chicken has become a star in its own right. While once seen as a greasy guilty pleasure, fried chicken managed to ditch its trashy reputation with the rise of fast-casual fried chicken sandwiches like Shake Shack's Chick'n Shack and celebrity chef David Chang's Fuku.
Now, after years of ground beef tacos, it's Taco Bell that's reaping the benefits of the rise of fried chicken.
More from Business Insider:
We tried Taco Bell's answer to the Chicken McNugget that's rolling out nationwide — here's the verdict
An American jobs threat worse than coal is coming to your hometown
How to order the right way at Chick-fil-A


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Cannabis retail licenses are on hold for another two weeks after a hearing Friday in Ulster County.
As News 12 reported on Monday, a state Supreme Court judge issued an order barring the state's Office of Cannabis Management from issuing new licenses and granting operational approvals for businesses with existing ones.
The court ruling followed a lawsuit from disabled veterans who claim the license violates the state Constitution.
The state started by awarding the first licenses to people convicted of drug-related offenses as a way to improve social equity.
The Cannabis Association of New York says it's severely disappointed by the judge's decision.
The group wrote that the Legislature should hold a special session to avoid legal issues and address the danger of shops opening illegally.


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Apple clinched a total of 20 Pencils for various campaigns at this year’s virtual D&AD Awards, which canceled its annual festival because of coronavirus. Winners of D&AD’s highest honor, the Black Pencil, will not be announced until September.
The brand’s “Bounce” ad for AirPods took home two Yellow and three Graphite Pencils. The video, created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, follows a man’s unusual morning commute. It also won Best of Show at this year’s ADC Awards.
Apple won three Pencils, one Yellow and two Wood, for “The Underdogs,” a 3-minute film about a group of humdrum office workers who jump at the chance to pitch an idea they’ve cooked up: the circular pizza box. The ad was produced by Smuggler and directed by Mark Molloy.
The brand’s lengthy “Hermitage” ad, created to illustrate the battery life of the iPhone 11 Pro, won a Graphite Pencil. The video, which clocks in at 5 hours, 19 minutes and 28 seconds, takes viewers on a tour of the sprawling Hermitage Museum in Russia. TBWA\Media Arts Lab’s London office worked on the project.
“Wonderful Tools,” an animated film that shows how Apple’s products have evolved throughout the years, also clinched a Graphite Pencil.
Burger King also had a good run at this year’s D&AD Awards: The fast-food chain took home a whopping 10 Pencils, five of them Yellow, for the Moldy Whopper. The crux of the campaign is a video that shows a Whopper literally molding over the span of a month to illustrate the brand’s commitment to stripping its menu of artificial preservatives. David Miami, Publicis Bucharest and Stockholm-based Ingo are the agencies behind it.
Burger King picked up an additional 15 Pencils for a handful of other campaigns, including three Yellow ones for the “Stevenage Challenge.” Created by David’s Miami and Madrid offices, the campaign encouraged FIFA 20 gamers to play for Stevenage FC, a little-known football club the chain sponsors. Players who competed in a series of challenges created by the brand could win free Burger King food.
David’s São Paulo office won four pencils for “Burn That Ad,” a feature on Burger King’s app that lets users virtually “burn” McDonald’s ads in exchange for a free Whopper. Jones Knowles Ritchie won three pencils for Burger King’s “Meltdown” campaign, which debuted when the chain made the decision to stop including plastic toys in kids meals served in the United Kingdom.
Other big winners at the 2020 D&AD Awards include:
- Droga5 New York: 11 Pencils for a number of campaigns, including Facebook’s “Never Lost,” its Game of Thrones work for HBO and “The Truth Has a Voice,” an ad for The New York Times.
- Africa: five Pencils for Unesco’s “History Blocks“ in addition to six more for a slew of other campaigns.
- Mother London: eight Pencils for Ikea’s “Silence the Critics” holiday campaign, as well as three for KFC’s “Finger Lickin’ Good“ ads.


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Developed by Queensland based IoT and transport intelligence company GPSengine, the world’s smallest IoT focused Printed Circuit Board (PCB) has been unveiled at the Everything IoT Summit in Sydney.
Utilising the low-cost data network, Sigfox, the new PCB, named the TRACKbox SA4, is enabling a fundamental shift in the uptake of IoT devices for industries which have previously been excluded from IoT implementation, due to the cost of scale.
Speaking at the Everything IoT Summit, CEO of GPSengine Jeremy McLean stated that companies which had previously looked at technology for monitoring low-value assets and found the options to be cost-prohibitive, now have access to a reliable and cost-efficient solution provided by the TRACKbox SA4.
“The value of goods in transit no longer matters, the process itself matters. A duty of care rests with the distributor and retailer, and we can now largely eliminate IoT implementation cost barriers for tracking items such as individual pallets in transit, or livestock which are roaming large remote farms not serviced by mobile networks, ” Mr McLean said.
The GPSengine developed TRACKbox SA4 was demonstrated paired with the company’s Augmented Reality (AR) application, which communicates with the IoT devices via PlatformConnect, the company’s existing software platform used to retrieve live IoT data. These end-to-end pairings allow 3D representations of map and asset data to be overlaid in a real-world environment, such as on a table in an office.
“The conversation has changed from tracking a $100,000 truck to now tracking a $100 pallet,” said Mr McLean. “We have been building tracking platforms for 12 years, and being able to release a cost-efficient end-to-end hardware and software solution, coupled with the next generation of Augmented Reality data visualisation tools is incredibly exciting.”
Watch a demonstration of this world-first Augmented Reality ARkit application by clicking here – https://web.facebook.com/GPSengine/videos/1493921510693063/
GPSengine is a Brisbane based company which develops white-label GPS tracking hardware and software, allowing companies to track and manage assets quickly and easily. Headquartered in Brisbane, CEO Mr Jeremy McLean founded GPSengine in 2005.


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CHENNAI: Hinduja Group
flagship Ashok Leyland
has undertaken a "three-pronged strategy" for developing its electric vehicle business and was significantly ramping up production in this regard, a top official said today.
The city-based heavy commercial vehicle
maker last year introduced the first 'Made in India' electric bus "Circuit
The bus is equipped with a minimum seating capacity of 35 to a maximum of 65. It can run upto 120 kilometres on a single recharge under standard test conditions.
"We have three-pronged strategy to our electric vehicle business and are significantly ramping up production," Ashok Leyland MD, Vinod K Dasari
told reporters here.
"Strategy one, you can have a product similar to Circuit (bus), strategy two is a battery swapping technology and European based strategy which requires high battery levels," he said.
Declaring the annual performance for the financial year 2016-17
, Dasari said the company has earmarked Rs 500 crore as capital expenditure for 2017-18.
The company has also undertaken an exercise to focus on other verticals rather than "depending on truck sales."
From the current sales of trucks which accounts for 60-62 per cent of the total business, "we want to bring it to 50 per cent may be in next three to five years," he said.
On the company's power solutions business, Dasari said, it grew by 6 per cent in 2016-17 as compared to previous year.
"Our aftermarket revenue were up by 31 per cent and as far as our Defense business is concerned we have got nearly 19 (government) tenders," he added.
To a query on light commercial vehicle business, Dasari said, "It is a very important business for us. We are planning to launch one new model every quarter."
Referring to the sales of vehicles under BSIII variant, he said, nearly 10,664 vehicles that are BSIII variants were being converted into BSIV variants.
"Around 2,000 vehicles may be sent to overseas and remaining will be converted into BSIV variants with our iEGR technology," he said.
For 2017-18, Dasari said the company was "bullish" and was hopeful of surpassing the industry growth expected to be around 10-15 per cent in Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle segment.
On the status of setting up factories in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said the company was waiting for the approval from the respective governments.


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Wiwynn launches edge computing platform for 5G
Aaron Lee, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES
Taiwan-based server maker Wiwynn has unveiled its new Edge Platform 100 (EP100) based on Nokia-led OCP OpenEDGE specifications, as the company forays into the telecom equipment market.
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There have been times when Sydney entrepreneur and design engineer Jatinder Grewal was brought to tears by his startup, but his robotics business is now turning over more than $30,000 a month because he never gave up.
And persevering through the dark days has meant Grewal and his co-founder Karemjit Grewal are set up to take advantage of even greater success.
“Just last month we got $32-35,000 in revenue,” Grewal tells StartupSmart.
Grewal says he registered Hind Technology more than five years ago but pivoted the company’s focus to designing machine controllers in 2015 after “the oil and gas market went down big time and we lost our major client”.
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“I have been making electronics and robots ever since I was a teenager,” Grewal says.
“I made a computer controlled machine while at school — at that time, I didn’t even realise it was a computer controlled machine.”
Today, Hind Technology builds robotic control systems with free software updates for manufacturers around the world.
“We’ve got people making car parts, we’ve got this great company here in Canberra, they make drones, we’ve got people making customised wedding ring boxes,” Grewal says.
With sales doubling monthly over the past three months, Grewal predicts the company will be turning over $700,000 a month by December if it continues to grow at this rate.
“At the moment, it’s just me and my wife [Karemjit] and we’ve got a few contractors,” Grewal says.
“We’re trying to set up a team for marketing and social media so we can have more video and marketing online.”
Reflecting on their journey to date, Grewal shares three critical lessons for growing entrepreneurs.
1. Listen and refine
When bringing a product to market, Grewal says it’s critical to pay close attention to what clients really want and then act on feedback to improve what’s being offered.
“What we’ve been able to do over time is really understand what the client wants, instead of saying: ‘Hey, use what we have’,” he says.
Taking the “give us some feedback, we’ll improve it” approach has played a major role in Hind Technology’s ability to acquire and keep customers from around the world while adapting to market shifts, he says.
2. Grow with social media
Grewal says social media is the number one sales driver for Hind Technology.
“We initially tried approaching distributors and other channels online but being a new company no one knows you,” says Grewal.
Researching online led Grewal to start connecting with social media influencers.
“We met so many people online making machines as a hobby,” he says.
“Over time they really liked what we’re doing [and] they started featuring us on their live channels.
“At the moment 100 percent of our sales come through YouTube or Instagram.”
3. Cry it out but start again
“At first things won’t work, they won’t work for a long time,” says Grewal.
“Everyone’s going to tell you: ‘Why are you doing this?’”
But hang in there, Grewals says, because eventually “it will work”.
Grewal says sticking in the game no matter what is one of the best things he and his co-founder ever did.
Before launching Hind Technology, Grewal says he saw the “many issues on the ground” faced by manufacturers, such as costly machinery breakdowns.
While he realised he could build a solution, Grewal says it took a while for others to see his vision.
“I had this idea but no one was listening,” he says.
With the support of a “great circle of friends” and perseverance, Grewal was able to bring Hind Technology to where it is today.
“I think the main thing is not losing hope,” he says.
“There has been so many times I would come home and literally sit home and cry because things wouldn’t work out.
“But [the] next day I start again.”


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Prosecutors Still Mulling Charges Against OSU And OU
Friday, November 9th 2007, 10:01 am
News On 6
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Prosecutors still are considering whether to file theft charges against representatives from the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University who seized college-themed merchandise from several vendors at an Oklahoma City crafts show.
Last week more than 15 vendors from 'An Affair of the Heart' filed complaints of theft against Suzanne Staley, OU's director of brand development, and Judy Barnard, OSU's director of trademarks and licensing, after the two women seized their merchandise. The women alleged the items infringed on the university's trademarks.
Assistant Oklahoma County District Attorney Scott Rowland said prosecutors have decided not to prosecute any of the vendors and will not seek forfeiture of the items.
``We are of course fully supportive of any holder of a trademark or copyright protecting those, but in this case I think apparent irregularities in the seizure of those items by the university employees preclude us from taking action against the vendors,'' Rowland said in an e-mail.
If convicted, someone who knowingly sells an item with a counterfeit mark could be sentenced to up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.
Rowland would not comment on the specifics of the case, but said generally, for someone to seize private property, that person must have a search warrant or court order, and that any kind of warrant-less seizure is ``problematic.''
``Whenever you do it without a warrant, you start out from the proposition that it's assumed to be an illegal seizure, and then the burden's on the state to prove that it was lawful,'' he said. ``It's just so much easier if you have the time and opportunity to (obtain) a warrant or a court order.
``I would prefer that to have been done in this case, if this case is brought to us.''
In the meantime, both universities have sent certified letters to the vendors whose merchandise was obtained for allegedly using university trademarks without a license.
Both letters explain how to become a licensed vendor and say the universities will return items if vendors agree to several conditions, including an agreement to resolve ``all matters related to infringement and confiscation.''
Both universities issued statements saying they are working on returning the alleged unlicensed items to the vendors if they agree to sign the release.
Vendors lost anywhere from $150 to $7,000 worth of merchandise, and many said they were ``repeatedly threatened,'' if they did not hand it over, according to police reports.


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We've compiled a list of Wellington's top marketing events, conferences and meetups. Take your business (or career) to the next level!
Earlier this week, Google announced an exciting new feature for GA and we’re pretty sure you’re going to like it.
When most people think blockchain, their minds go straight to those headline-grabbing cryptocurrencies. And sure, the likes of Bitcoin and Ethereum are great exponents of the technology, but they are far from its only use. In fact, cryptocurrencies represent just the tip of a particularly large technological iceberg.


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Parents are scorching mad on social media over Jessica Alba’s crappy sunscreen
Not even Jessica Alba’s own sunscreen can protect her from getting burnt.
Customers of Alba’s Honest Company say the brand is lying about the effectiveness of its mineral-based sunscreens. Unsatisfied shoppers are tweeting and posting heated comments (along with cringe-inducing photos) on Facebook saying their children are getting serious sunburns.
“This was NOT a user error, this is a product fail,” wrote a mother on Facebook on The Honest Company’s Facebook page, complaining that its line of sunblock didn’t protect her child. Another mother said she was “very very upset” and demanded the company make changes so “no other babies get burned.”
Here are some others:
The Honest Company, which has built a dedicated following for its “toxic-free” product line, also got burned on Twitter with messages demanding they pull the product from shelves.
Don’t buy @Honest sunscreen unless u want to look like this. Second time I’ve tried this stuff and got fried pic.twitter.com/pEhO5GYIkQ
— Lindsy (@LindsyMarshall) July 26, 2015
@Honest this is my very real result from Honest 30 SPF sunscreen. Only spent 1 hour outside. Burnt. #nothappy #red pic.twitter.com/T42TNeg5mj
— Brandon Atherton (@bdatherton) June 1, 2015
My wife and daughter used @honest sunscreen and got sunburns. We returned that junk to @Costco
— Chad Jones (@randomlychad) July 31, 2015
@Honest have u pulled your sunscreen yet?? so disappointed with this company.
— cep (@cep1981) July 31, 2015
Comments on Amazon pummel the SPF 30 sunscreen where it’s marred with one-star reviews. “To be honest, this is the worst sunscreen I have ever used!,” one said.
According to an investigation from WMAQ-TV in Chicago, the Honest Company reduced the amount of the lotion’s zinc content, a key ingredient to protect against sunburn, from 20 to 9.3 percent. The brand says it boosted other ingredients to keep it effective, although it doesn’t look like it’s working.
Alba hasn’t yet publicly commented about the issue. In a statement issued to E! News, the Honest Company says its products meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards for sunscreens and that it won’t pull the product. “We stand behind the safety and efficacy of this product.”
Brand, agency execs speak out on Google’s latest cookie-killing plan and cookieless identifier challenges
During the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit, brand and agency executives weighed in on the present and future of the third-party cookie and cookieless identifiers.
Gaming industry execs chime in on changing consumer habits and the the rise of AI in Q1 2023
The gaming industry's ascendance was checked in the first quarter of 2023, as brands and consumers decreased their spending in the sector in anticipation of a mounting recession.
Inside NHL’s content strategy ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals
The NHL is offering live and on demand content on YouTube and across social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.
SponsoredHow enterprise-grade CDPs are enhancing data processes and improving customer experiences
Produced in partnership with Marketecture The following article highlights an interview between Martin Kihn, Salesforce’s senior vice president of Marketing Cloud, and Ari Paparo, founder and CEO of Marketecture Media. Register to watch more of the discussion and learn how brands are making the most of enterprise-grade CDP technologies. As brands expand across channels and […]
Five years in, the GDPR has had a double-edged impact on the ad market
When it launched in 2018 the GDPR was hailed as a privacy superhero of sorts. It set the rules for how companies handle personal data, making sure they couldn’t just grab it without someone’s permission.
‘We need an ad exchange for identity’: Overheard at the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit
Brand and agency executives discussed the state of cookieless identifiers, ad tech firms attempting to become one-stop shops and the extent to which ads should and shouldn’t be personalized.


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Phoenix Weather Summary: 65 degrees
Suspect shot, killed by Tempe PD was 14-year-old boy, had airsoft gun
State requesting pregnancy and STD testing for all Hacienda Healthcare patients
Say hello to Green Monday 2016!
The store offered the first 600 people gift cards.
16 Black Friday Doorbusters 2016 available right now!
Top 10 Black Friday 2016 Tech deals
The best deals on Amazon.com this Black Friday 2016
The top Black Friday 2016 toy deals
Your biggest deals This Black Friday 2016
Black Friday's 5 best audio deals


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The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) recently published American National Standard for Lighting Equipment—LED Drivers Robustness (ANSI C82.15-2021), which applies to hardware and microcontroller and microprocessor-based LED drivers. This American National Standard describes testing methods used to evaluate LED drivers’ robustness or their ability to withstand the specific stresses.
In this special controls-related “Conversation” podcast series launched by Get a Grip on Lighting and hosted by C. Webster Marsh, Marsh talks to Ron Kuszmar, who oversees Port’s Architectural and Theatrical Lighting Design & Installation departments, as well as the company’s Lighting Control Systems and Equipment Sales team.
Endeavor Business Media recently announced the launch of LightSPEC West and LightSPEC Midwest, two regional events providing lighting education and solutions for buyers and specifiers of commercial, architectural, industrial, and high-end residential and decorative lighting products, controls, and technologies. LightSPEC West will take place September 21-22, 2022 at the Magic Box @ the Reef in Los Angeles, CA and LightSPEC MidWest will take place October 4-5, 2022 at the flagship Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Chicago, IL.
The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) recently announced two additions to its Networked Lighting Controls (NLC) Technical Requirements, Version 5. These additions became effective December 22, 2021.
The nLight® IECC 2021 applications guide is designed to support compliance with commercial building energy codes based on the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code, or IECC.
Dan Hollenkamp, COO of Toggled offers several key predictions for the future of smart lighting technology.
A new report by Research and Markets estimated the size of the global smart lighting and control system market at US$13.95 billion in 2020 and projected it to reach US$14.64 billion in 2021 and US$19.04 billion by 2026.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published American National Standard for Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment—Energy Measurement for a Network Lighting Control (NLC) Device with a Locking-Type Receptacle (ANSI C136.50-2021). This is a new Standard that describes methods and requirements for the measurement of energy consumption and the reporting of the consumption for a network lighting control (NLC) device in an outdoor lighting application.
In this guest post, Jared Morello, VP of Specification Sales, Legrand North America, makes the case that secure lighting networking is achievable with the right compliance and certifications.
The Department of Energy’s Integrated Lighting Campaign (ILC), sponsored by the Lighting Controls Association and other organizations, is introducing new participant and supporter categories for 2022. The categories reflect new priorities and a focus on equity and deployment, while continuing to recognize participants for exemplary projects in connected lighting systems under the original categories.


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COG writes: Madden NFL 21 is set to get a next-gen facelift when it launches on the Xbox Series X and PS5 on December 4, 2020. Will this be more of the same or a true next-gen leap?
How have we not seen the nextgen version yet? Probably because it's not much of an update at all. They saw the significant strides NBA 2k21 made and were probably like f*ck...
The proof of the pudding's in the eating, and we always seem to get a mediocre trifle. I'll be curious to see if that changes this gen. Gen-on-gen improvements have always felt minimal to what the devs/pubs seem to claim. I still remember seeing the "target" image they showed in GamePro for Madden on PS3/360 - it looked almost like CGI. It didn't even get close to that old render even with the comparably much more powerful PS4/XBO lol. They also do the weird thing of being like "Last year, the game was bad. The tackling was bad, the AI was bad, the physics were bad...This year, they are all waaaaay better"...and it always feels pretty much like the same game. Maybe it'll be different this time! Buuut I doubt it :-p
I remember that 360 CGI footage lol. Game wasn't even remotely close to that.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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WASHINGTON — With two hurdles to clear before it can set up its Book Search project under the terms of a major settlement with authors and publishers, Google is on a bit of a public relations jag to defend the deal against its critics.
The settlement agreement, reached in October, resolved a three-year-old copyright dispute, and is currently under review in a federal court in New York. In the meantime, the Department of Justice has opened its own antitrust probe into the matter.
But here at Google’s outpost in the nation’s capital, an increasingly important part of the search giant’s operations, some of the company’s top lawyers dismissed concerns that it could start gouging customers for access to what could become the world’s largest library, or that the settlement will give Google a stranglehold over books whose authors cannot be found — the so-called “orphan works.”
Under the settlement, Google agreed to commit $34.5 million to establish a nonprofit registry for authors to claim their works and choose whether they want to participate in the Book Search project. Opponents of the deal have claimed that the orphan works provision would give Google control over the majority of books that are out of print but still in copyright, a charge that Google disputes.
David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer, said that the registry would give authors an incentive to come forward and claim their works, ultimately reducing the number of orphan works.
“We think it’s fairly small and it’s going to get smaller,” Drummond said in a meeting with reporters this morning. “We believe that a lot of the critics of the settlement are exaggerating the extent of orphan works out there in the corpus of out-of-print works.”
Google is promoting the settlement as a way to create a revenue stream for books that would otherwise be lost to obscurity. Consumers would be able to purchase out-of-print books through Book Search, and Google would cut authors and publishers in on the revenue from ads placed alongside their content.
“It’s not like television, which seems to exist in perpetuity, or songs where you get a recurring revenue stream,” said Alexander Macgillivray, Google’s deputy general counsel. “For books, basically, they fall out of print and it’s done. The author receives nothing.”
“For a publisher, it wasn’t economical to keep pushing some of these books because of limited readership,” Drummond said. “So enter the long tail and the Internet and the ability to make a market for things that have small numbers of people interested in it — many, many things with small numbers of people interested in it. That’s sort of the economic model you see on the Internet.”
And Google is looking to broadcast that message to as wide an audience as possible.
The Book Search settlement is a frequent subject on Google’s public policy blog. This afternoon, Drummond is scheduled to give a speech at the World Copyright Summit on the settlement and Google’s efforts to partner with rightsholders. Last week, Macgillivray appeared on a panel discussion at another Washington conference to defend the deal.
For several years, Google has advocated for legislation that would clarify orphan works under existing copyright law.
The New York judge is scheduled to hold the final hearing on the settlement agreement in October, with a ruling to follow, pegging an optimistic launch date for the new Book Search sometime next year.
“Hopefully we’ll come out of the gate running,” Drummond said.
Another part of the settlement concerns pricing. In addition to selling digital versions of copyrighted titles, Google would also offer institutional subscriptions to its catalog. All public libraries in the United States would be given one free subscription for a designated computer terminal, but would have to pay for additional accounts. Private libraries and businesses would also have to subscribe.
Opponents of the deal worry that Google, as the only game in town, would have the clout to gouge customers for the subscriptions. The fear is that because the digital catalog would be so large, institutions would be all but forced to subscribe, giving Google unreasonable leverage over the market.
Not so, said Macgillivray, pointing to a clause in the 334-page settlement agreement that limits Google’s control over the subscription pricing. The agreement requires Google to set prices at a level that would give institutions “broad access” to the service. Though the term is a little vague, Macgillivray said it gives libraries and other institutions the ability to challenge the pricing in arbitration court.
“This is not like a regular commercial agreement, where a company can just decide the price,” he said “We will be in violation of the agreement if we don’t ensure broad access.”
“They can subscribe and then later claim that the price was too high, and if they win in arbitration, we have to refund them the difference,” he added.
As for the regulatory probe, which focuses on antitrust issues and Google’s market power, Drummond said it is running along different lines than the judge’s review of the settlement.
“I think it’s a separate case,” Drummond said. “I don’t think the subject of the DoJ’s review is necessarily what they’re looking at.”
Much has been made lately of a new crop of regulators taking a closer look at the activities of companies in Silicon Valley, and particularly Google, whom Christine Varney, the DoJ’s new antitrust chief, described as a monopoly in a speech last year.
With regulators now probing Google’s Book Search settlement, its hiring practices and a slight overlap in the makeup of its board of directors and Apple’s, Google’s legal brass is getting used to the drill.
“We’re not super surprised by being inspected,” Drummond said.
“We fully expect that regulators will from time to time take a look at what we’re doing,” he added. “There’s probably a feeling that antitrust enforcement and reviews were not as vigorous in the past eight years as they might have been. I’m sure that the administration takes that position.”


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Hands spread harmful chemicals throughout homes
Our hands help spread potentially harmful chemicals such as flame retardants throughout the house, a study has found.
Toronto: Our hands help spread potentially harmful chemicals such as flame retardants throughout the house, a study has found.
Hundreds of everyday items, from furniture to cell phones to floor wax, contain organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticisers. Some of these semi-volatile compounds make their way into the air, onto surfaces and even inside our bodies, with uncertain health effects. Researchers showed that hands play a central role in transferring OPEs and other flame retardants and plasticisers throughout the indoor environment.
Increasingly, manufacturers have relied on OPEs to replace brominated flame retardants, some of which were banned or heavily restricted because of health concerns. However, a few recent epidemiological studies have linked the replacements themselves to adverse health effects, researchers said in a statement. "The toxicity of OPEs is not well understood," said Miriam Diamond, from the University of Toronto in Canada. "Studies are emerging that associate some OPEs with developmental effects in kids, fertility problems and possibly some types of cancer," said Diamond, the project's principal investigator. Previous studies have found relatively high concentrations of OPEs in indoor air and dust.
However, the sources of these compounds were not always clear. "We wondered if electronic devices, especially those that heat up during use, such as computers or printers, might be important sources of flame retardants and plasticisers," said Diamond. To find out, the researchers collected about 400 samples from the homes of 51 Canadian women enrolled in the Ontario Environment Health Study. These included urine samples and hand wipes from the women, surface wipes of their electronic devices, and air and dust samples. The team used mass spectrometry to determine the concentrations of 23 different OPEs in the wipes and eight OPE metabolites in urine. Researchers found that all indoor surfaces had similar chemical profiles, and larger electronic devices that heat up had no higher OPE levels than handheld devices.
"We went into this study expecting to find that surface wipes of different electronic devices would have elevated levels of one or a few flame retardants and plasticisers that were added to their casings during the manufacturing process," Diamond said. "Instead, we found that most of the OPEs, and other flame retardants and plasticisers, were in most of the surface wipes, floor dust and on participants' hands, as well as on the electronic devices. In other words, we found most of the chemicals everywhere," she added. Another unexpected result was that the level of OPEs on the surface wipes of cell phones predicted about 25 per cent of the variability in urine levels of OPE metabolites -- suggesting that cell phones might be major sources of internalised OPEs, or perhaps they accumulate the compounds from other sources.
When people use their cell phones -- which most people touch hundreds or even thousands of times per day -- they ingest the compounds or absorb them through their skin. More recently, the researchers conducted a network analysis to find correlations among the chemical profiles they identified from all of the samples. They found that regardless of which group of chemicals they examined, hands were at the centre of the network. "We believe that hands are central to moving chemicals around the indoor environment," Diamond said. "This makes intuitive sense -- your hands touch everything. It's also consistent with how infectious organisms can be spread by hands that touch multiple surfaces," she said.


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Rihanna has been declared a national hero by the Barbados Republic after she was honoured by Prime Minister Mia Mottley at an event marking its new status as a republic.
The artist and businesswoman, also known by her full name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was previously named ambassador to Barbados in 2018 received, “the order of national hero” during the event in Bridgetown. Mottley invited Rihanna on stage to accept the honour which she gladly did.
“On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we, therefore, present to you, the designee, for the national hero of Barbados, ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty,” Mottley said. “May you continue to shine like a diamond and continue to bring honour to your nation by your words, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go.”
The ceremony was held to commemorate Barbados leaving the reign of the British monarchy after 396 years. It will also remain within the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Earlier this year, Rihanna, who is also behind the famous beauty brand Fenty joined the billionaire’s club making her the wealthiest musician in the world and the second-wealthiest female entertainer in the world after Oprah Winfrey. Forbes estimated the pop star’s wealth to be worth billion.
RiRi is a business mogul and founder of fashion house Fenty as well as makeup line Fenty Beauty which have made her a lot of money aside from her music career exploits.
Robyn was born in Saint Michael in Barbados and grew up in Bridgetown before moving to the United States as a teenager to pursue a career in music.
She has since become one of the best-selling artists of all time, winning top industry awards along the way, and branched out to create cosmetic and clothing businesses in recent years.
Barbados names Rihanna as a national hero of the republic
In 2018, she was named as “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary” for Barbados, a role that involves promoting education, tourism and investment on the Caribbean island, which is home to nearly 300,000 people.
A year earlier, the pop star also had a Barbados street she used to live in renamed after her as Rihanna Drive in her honour.
Her latest recognition makes her the 11th Barbadian to have ever been honoured as a national hero. The only other living person to have received the same award is iconic cricketer Garfield Sobers, who was also present at Monday’s ceremony and hugged Rihanna.
Meanwhile, there’s still no word on when Rihanna will be releasing new music, as her last album, Anti, came out in 2016, prior to her major brand expansions.
Also read: Adele Breaks More Records With Her Latest Album ’30’
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