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A SAVVY mum has revealed three ways she saves cash on her family holidays abroad – and you can too.
Money saving mum Ms West, who is known as adventuresofthewests on TikTok, regularly posts videos about making foreign holidays more affordable.
In a recent video, the mum-of-two shared three ways every family can cut the costs of a trip abroad in 2023.
A caption at the beginning of the video read: "Go at the end of the summer holidays."
The savvy mum explained the rationale behind her calendar choice, and said: "Most people want to get away at the start of the summer holidays, so this is usually when the price is at the highest."
"Lots of countries are back to school in mid-to-late August, so going away at the end of the summer holidays can be a lot cheaper."
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While many popular European holiday hotspots have school holidays that match the UK, they're still pocket-friendly for Brits.
The money-saving mum's second tip was to pick a holiday destination that will make your money go further.
She said: "The best value destinations are currently Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Greece."
At the end of the video the TikTok mum attempted to settle a debate between budget holidaymakers: self-catering or all-inclusive.
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She said: "Self-catering is a great option if you're going to go to one of the countries I've previously mentioned and you're going to cook at your accommodation.
"However, if you don't want to cook for yourself on holiday then it's possibly going to be cheaper to get an all-inclusive deal make sure you look around."
The video has been viewed over 15,00 times and liked by over 100 users on the platform.
Other tips from the savvy mum include setting up price alerts on websites such as Skyscanner, travelling with hand luggage only, and using public transport abroad.
Meanwhile another money-saving mum has bagged a four-night staycation for just £41 by jumping on a January promotion
Source: Read Full Article


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|By Business Wire||
|February 24, 2014 08:04 AM EST||
Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) (Nasdaq:UEIC) today announced the latest in the UEI iSeries line of infrared (IR) blaster hardware solutions, i-TWO and Quickset 2.3 control software for smartphones and tablets.
As the leader in universal entertainment device control, UEI has pioneered the integration of infrared control in smart devices, dating back to its collaboration with HP on the iPAQ PocketPC in 2002, which was one of the first personal digital assistants (PDA) to integrate universal AV control in a multi-purpose handheld touchscreen device.
Today’s smartphone and tablet manufacturers have continued this legacy by embracing the concept and are embedding universal AV control as one of the key features of their mobile device platforms – supported by the recent addition of native IR control API from within Android 4.4. (Kitkat).
Consumer research, conducted by Accenture in 2013, showed that smartphone usage while watching TV has grown from 42 percent in 2012 to a staggering 68 percent in 2013. With the majority of AV devices in the market utilizing infrared control, mobile handset manufacturers are driving the adoption of infrared as a standard feature in today’s smartphones. By integrating home entertainment control into this growing “consumer habit,” mobile device manufacturers can strengthen the association of mobile devices with the evolving home entertainment experience.
As the innovative leader in device control, UEI successfully designed, developed, and launched UEI Quickset in 2008, a solution currently deployed in over 70 million home entertainment devices around the world, on a variety of platforms and operating systems, such as Linux, Windows, and Android.
UEI Quickset delivers the simplest and most intuitive universal remote control setup and control experience available today. This technology can enable a smartphone or tablet and remote control app to be set up and programmed to control virtually any television or entertainment device in the home, with minimal or no user input.
UEI’s device code database is a key component to successful device control. UEI’s database is the industry’s leading device database for universal entertainment control, giving users access to literally hundreds of thousands of control functions for virtually all digital entertainment and home automation devices in the world. With over 98 percent of installed TVs in the market supported, users across the globe can benefit from UEI’s ability to deliver the right control code for their specific device.
In addition to its world-leading infrared control database and QuickSet SDK, UEI also offers one of the smallest standard infrared blaster chips, with a footprint that is 90% smaller than UEI’s traditional IR control silicon, and includes features such as built-in learning and driver circuitry that eliminates the need for external components. This makes it the ideal solution for smartphone and tablet manufacturers, where board space is at a premium.
“Control of home entertainment devices and other remote controlled electronics is just a logical next step for smart phone and tablet manufacturers,” said Paul Arling, Chairman and Chief Executive of Universal Electronics. “We view the second screen as a complementary content navigation and control experience to the traditional remote. Our 27 years of experience in integrating control software and hardware for service providers and OEMs makes UEI uniquely positioned in the market to provide the absolute best solutions.”
Universal Electronics will be demonstrating its complete portfolio of control solutions for mobile and second screen devices, including the smallest integrated IR Blaster i-TWO and some of its latest innovative features and concepts, such as:
- Smart Air condition with LCD control; as well as
- a smart app to automatically give users control access of entertainment equipment in most hotels worldwide.
Please join Universal Electronics at their Stand 8.1K14 in Hall App Planet – Hall 8.1 at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, Spain on February 24 - 27, 2014.
About Universal Electronics
Founded in 1986, Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) is the global leader in wireless control technology for the connected home. UEI designs, develops, and delivers innovative solutions that enable consumers to control entertainment devices, digital media, and home systems. The company’s broad portfolio of patented technologies and database of infrared control software have been adopted by many Fortune 500 companies in the consumer electronics, subscription broadcast, and computing industries. UEI sells and licenses wireless control products through distributors and retailers under the One For All® brand name. For additional information, visit our website at www.uei.com.
All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words and expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development, delivery and market acceptance of products and technologies identified in this release; the continued rollout of IR based features and functions in smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices; the continued penetration and growth of the products and consumer technologies identified in this release; and other factors described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward looking statement due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligations to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Identity is in everything and customers are looking to their providers to ensure the security of their identities, transactions and data. With the increased reliance on cloud-based services, service providers must build security and trust into their offerings, adding value to customers and improving the user experience. Making identity, security and privacy easy for customers provides a unique advantage over the competition.
Sep. 29, 2016 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,657
All clouds are not equal. To succeed in a DevOps context, organizations should plan to develop/deploy apps across a choice of on-premise and public clouds simultaneously depending on the business needs. This is where the concept of the Lean Cloud comes in - resting on the idea that you often need to relocate your app modules over their life cycles for both innovation and operational efficiency in the cloud. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at19th Cloud Expo, Valentin (Val) Bercovici, CTO of So...
Sep. 29, 2016 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,531
SYS-CON Events announced today that Commvault, a global leader in enterprise data protection and information management, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Commvault is a leading provider of data protection and information management solutions, helping companies worldwide activate their data to drive more value and business insight and to transform moder...
Sep. 29, 2016 05:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,848
SYS-CON Events announced today that eCube Systems, a leading provider of middleware modernization, integration, and management solutions, will exhibit at @DevOpsSummit at 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. eCube Systems offers a family of middleware evolution products and services that maximize return on technology investment by leveraging existing technical equity to meet evolving business needs. ...
Sep. 29, 2016 05:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,573
SYS-CON Events has announced today that Roger Strukhoff has been named conference chair of Cloud Expo and @ThingsExpo 2016 Silicon Valley. The 19th Cloud Expo and 6th @ThingsExpo will take place on November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. "The Internet of Things brings trillions of dollars of opportunity to developers and enterprise IT, no matter how you measure it," stated Roger Strukhoff. "More importantly, it leverages the power of devices and the Interne...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 3,430
Personalization has long been the holy grail of marketing. Simply stated, communicate the most relevant offer to the right person and you will increase sales. To achieve this, you must understand the individual. Consequently, digital marketers developed many ways to gather and leverage customer information to deliver targeted experiences. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Lou Casal, Founder and Principal Consultant at Practicala, discussed how the Internet of Things (IoT) has accelerated our abil...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,775
Digital innovation is the next big wave of business transformation based on digital technologies of which IoT and Big Data are key components, For example: Business boundary innovation is a challenge to excavate third-party business value using IoT and BigData, like Nest Business structure innovation may propose re-building business structure from scratch, as Uber does in the taxicab industry The social model innovation is also a big challenge to the new social architecture with the design fr...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,339
Whether they’re located in a public, private, or hybrid cloud environment, cloud technologies are constantly evolving. While the innovation is exciting, the end mission of delivering business value and rapidly producing incremental product features is paramount. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 19th Cloud Expo, Kiran Chitturi, CTO Architect at Sungard AS, will discuss DevOps culture, its evolution of frameworks and technologies, and how it is achieving maturity. He will also cover various st...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,949
So, you bought into the current machine learning craze and went on to collect millions/billions of records from this promising new data source. Now, what do you do with them? Too often, the abundance of data quickly turns into an abundance of problems. How do you extract that "magic essence" from your data without falling into the common pitfalls? In her session at @ThingsExpo, Natalia Ponomareva, Software Engineer at Google, provided tips on how to be successful in large scale machine learning...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,383
If you had a chance to enter on the ground level of the largest e-commerce market in the world – would you? China is the world’s most populated country with the second largest economy and the world’s fastest growing market. It is estimated that by 2018 the Chinese market will be reaching over $30 billion in gaming revenue alone. Admittedly for a foreign company, doing business in China can be challenging. Often changing laws, administrative regulations and the often inscrutable Chinese Interne...
Sep. 29, 2016 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 470
Why do your mobile transformations need to happen today? Mobile is the strategy that enterprise transformation centers on to drive customer engagement. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Woods, Director, Mobile Product & Strategy – Adobe Marketing Cloud, covered key IoT and mobile trends that are forcing mobile transformation, key components of a solid mobile strategy and explored how brands are effectively driving mobile change throughout the enterprise.
Sep. 29, 2016 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,195
Creating replica copies to tolerate a certain number of failures is easy, but very expensive at cloud-scale. Conventional RAID has lower overhead, but it is limited in the number of failures it can tolerate. And the management is like herding cats (overseeing capacity, rebuilds, migrations, and degraded performance). Download Slide Deck: ▸ Here In his general session at 18th Cloud Expo, Scott Cleland, Senior Director of Product Marketing for the HGST Cloud Infrastructure Business Unit, discusse...
Sep. 29, 2016 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,545
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Kausik Sridharabalan, founder and CTO of Pulzze Systems, Inc., will focus on key challenges in building an Internet of Things solution infrastructure. He will shed light on efficient ways of defining interactions within IoT solutions, leading to cost and time reduction. He will also introduce ways to handle data and how one can develop IoT solutions that are lean, flexible and configurable, thus making IoT infrastructure agile and scalable.
Sep. 29, 2016 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,621
Data is an unusual currency; it is not restricted by the same transactional limitations as money or people. In fact, the more that you leverage your data across multiple business use cases, the more valuable it becomes to the organization. And the same can be said about the organization’s analytics. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Bill Schmarzo, CTO for the Big Data Practice at EMC, will introduce a methodology for capturing, enriching and sharing data (and analytics) across the organizati...
Sep. 29, 2016 03:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,787
Internet of @ThingsExpo has announced today that Chris Matthieu has been named tech chair of Internet of @ThingsExpo 2016 Silicon Valley. The 6thInternet of @ThingsExpo will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Sep. 29, 2016 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,822

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The Vice Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (Cok Ace) and Bali Tourism Board, met with China’s Consulate General for Bali, Zhu Xinglong, in a virtual meeting to discuss plans to reopen a travel corridor between the China and Bali. Both governments are hoping the a travel corridor can be set up by February, 2021 just in time for the Chinese New Year.
The Government of Bali is attempting to revive the nation’s economy from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that struck earlier this year.
Cok Ace describes the bond between Indonesia and China to exceed just trading and tourism, as a cultural commonality connects the two nations.
“Since the pandemic began in China in February, China has ceased international airspace operations which impacted Bali’s tourism-based economy.” said Ace.
Since then, Bali has implemented safety measures to combat the situation, including enhanced health facilities, quarantine houses and free rapid/swab tests.
Cok Ace explained that the above measures will influence a positive outcome as Bali regains trust from international travelers, including China.
In response, Zhu Xinglong said that he appreciates the efforts from Bali’s authorities to implement health and safety protocols during the pandemic. Zhu also mentioned that the domestic tourism in China has gone back to normal, with no surge of new Covid-19 cases. He admitted that many of China’s residents anticipate travel to Bali for either vacation or wedding ceremonies.
“But first, we need to make sure that we have the same commitment to implement all the prevention protocols on both sides before letting people in” Cok Ace concluded. In order to resume tourism, both nations need to be in agreement on travel guidelines, as well as enforce the requirement of PCR test results upon arrival of destination and return to the country of origin.
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community


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...Call of Duty: Ghosts. That's according to a mistakenly published (and now removed) listing posted by megaconglomoshop Tesco. The posting, showing the PS3 version of the game, stated a December release, and lists Infinity Ward as the developer. That's as expected, given the annual franchise swapsies between them and Treyarch.
With no official announcement from Activision, further details are light. According to rumours that surfaced last month, Ghosts is a Modern Warfare spin-off set in the future. It's suggested that a major plot event will force characters to use current-day weapons. Beyond that, if I were to wildly speculate:
- Someone will be shot.
- At some point, you'll be informed that you're "Oscar Mike".
- The plot will be jingoistic and morally dubious bobbins, but no-one will care because hey, multiplayer.
I'd also like to nominate the Ghost Knifefish as the official mascot of CoD:Ghosts. Just look at that thing! If the final cutscene doesn't involve the protagonist being incapacitated by ultimate villain Gruffman McBadingtons, groping around in a just-in-reach puddle, pulling out a Knifefish and throwing it skull-first into your opponent, then it'll be a criminally missed opportunity.
While the PS3 listing suggests current-gen consoles, it's more than likely that Activision will be keen to release the game on every conceivable format, including next-gen consoles - hopefully meaning the PC version will get a long overdue graphical bump.
Here's that box art in full. Just pretend the PS3 logo isn't there. And that we still use boxes.(opens in new tab)
Thanks, OPM .


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Digitalisation has been on an upward trajectory for the better part of the decade, and it was only a matter of time that brands identified this and revised their retail strategies.
Commenting on how importance it is for brands to go digital in the current situation, Varun Alagh, Co-founder & CEO, Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd, the parent company of organic wellness brand Mamaearth feels that the pandemic has pushed the brands sooner towards digitalisation to remain viable.
“During the lockdown, consumers looked towards e-commerce for their personal care requirements, that’s where our D2C presence was a big benefit for us. We were able to restart out operations very quickly during the initial days of lockdown itself. With the sales from our website, and then e-commerce marketplaces opening up, we were able to cater to the increasing consumer requirements,” states Alagh.
At Mamaearth, the journey towards digitisation has been very smooth. “Digital channels presented themselves as our best option as it helped us reach our consumers directly and connect with them. This has helped us innovate our product line and stay relevant to the changing consumer demands. We are currently servicing over 11000 pin codes across India and we intend to innervate deeper geographies with our digital presence,” says Alagh.
Inventory Management: The brand has on boarded logistics partners to ensure timely delivery. They have also streamlined their internal processes to ensure minimum glitches from order to delivery channel.
Marketing Initiatives: The brand reached out to its consumers and communicated them about the latest offerings via marketing and digital initiatives.
Customer Service: Mamaearth set up an ‘Easy Customer Service Interface’ with a system in place to guide and assist users through their queries. Customers were able to easily track orders, as well as request refunds and monitor the return status of any of their products. The customer support team is extremely efficient in resolving customer queries and catering to their requests.
Areas to Explore
The brand aims to continue solving millennial consumer problems with their innovative line of products.
The biggest misconception related to digitalisation is that it is limited only to urban areas. “On the contrary, the extensive Internet penetration and accessibility to mobile phones has greatly changed the way people shop. If there is Internet service and smartphones in an area, online shopping has made its way into these markets,” Alagh notes.
“The online buying behaviour has evolved over the years and the affinity towards online shopping has been increasing continually. Digitalisation is on its upward trajectory and will continue to grow in the future as well.”


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When: Thu., Oct. 9, 6-7:30 p.m. 2014
The Sustainability Institute teams up with local companies Harry Barker and Lucia's Premium Pet to learn about the sustainable pet products they offer. They'll also have Animal Rescue and Relief joining them as well, and the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium will talk about the importance of picking up pet waste so it doesn't contaminate our waterways. Bring your pets in costume! Bonus points for making a costume out of recycled material. Meet at The Mixson Barn near Summey Street in North Charleston.
Price: $15/non-Sustainability Institute members, free/Sustainability Institute members


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Headlines may have been filled with Phelps, Bolt, and Peaty winning big at the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio, but the real winner was Snapchat, and every other social media platform. In April, it was announced that Snapchat had signed a deal with NBC, carriers of U.S. Olympic programming, to stream some additional Olympic content on their popular mobile app.
Like Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat was permitted to stream game highlights. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that these social media platforms were more successful at delivering video to the end-users who sought after it.
The immense popularity of new platforms for content like this is nothing new. The past decade has seen the digitization of just about every aspect of “analog” life. But we have moved past mere digitization, our current path is redefinition. Future generations won’t video online video as online video, merely video. This year’s Olympics was an example of the future norm, people wanted the ease with which the internet delivers video – ergonomic, intuitive, convenient, and accessible almost everywhere.
Our award winning YOUBORA Analytics platform is uniquely equipped to support the weight of the future. It will monitor, track, and provide useful models to guide management in growing their video business. Whether a sports broadcaster, OTT, telecom, or another provider of video, the use of real time data makes complex tasks like live streaming, once daunting and synonymous with buffering, more manageable to boost QoE and drive positive user engagement.
Just another thing to think about from us here at NPAW.
James Noeker on September 02nd 2016
The video streaming industry is still new, which means that even major players are still figuring out whether and how to deliver in-stream video ads through the infrastructure that they have. As a recent report for AdAge points out, “there’s an opportunity to do better and to define a whole new genre...
As more and more of the world’s services head online, businesses established before the internet era will, sooner or later, have to adapt their business model to survive. This article will look at what the rise, fall, and rise of Blockbuster can teach us about business and the future of movie consumption. In...
The Super Bowl ads for 2020 were watched by an estimated 100 million people and cost $5.6 million per 30 seconds. The ads for the first Super Bowl (1966) cost $42,500. The biggest difference is not in the dollars and eyeballs, but in the context of the Super Bowl as an video advertising event. Although...


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Welcome to another Vegans, Baby Bite. This week, we’re sharing a hidden gem in Desert Shores, some big Las Vegas vegan dining news and a discount you’ll want to enjoy. It’s the week of Aug. 19, 2019, and this is your Vegans, Baby Bite with Founder Diana Edelman.
First, let’s chat hidden gems. While Rooster Boy Cafe isn’t vegan, it is a vegan-friendly restaurant in Las Vegas. Helmed by the amazing Chef Sonia El-Nawal, Rooster Boy serves up home cooking for breakfast and lunch in Desert Shores. Order one of her vegan eats, or simply trust her to make something vegan and magical, you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to watch the video to find out about the secret menu item you’re going to want to order.
In Las Vegas vegan dining news, Tacotarian recently announced its opening its second location. The all-vegan Mexican restaurant which boasts it serves the most vegan tacos in the universe is set to open its doors in the downtown Arts District this fall. The opening marks the first vegan restaurant in the area.
But, there’s more Tacotarian news.
The restaurant’s original location is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Thursday, Aug. 22 with some free margaritas and apps. Check out the video for details. Plus, they’ve extended their brunch. Now, Tacotarian serves their popular brunch both Saturday and Sunday.
Finally, you’ve got until the end of the month to take advantage of the special 15% off deal at Veganos Kitchen. Head over and mention Vegans, Baby to take advantage of the offer and save.
We’ve got more news coming at you next week!


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CITEXPO 2009 Officially Opened
This morning the 7th China International Tire Expo (CITEXPO) opened in Shanghai. This year’s event has played host to more than 300 companies in the domestic and international tyre trade. The organisers, Reliable International Exhibition Services, don’t anticipate this year’s event will set a new attendance record, with visitors from the US particularly lacking as a result of the threat of punitive tariffs market for importing Chinese products into the American market. Nevertheless, they are confident the show, running through till Friday, will be a success. Tyres & Accessories/tyrepress.com (along with sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung) is represented with a stand at the exhibition. A detailed report on this leading Chinese tyre trade fair and its exhibitors will follow shortly.


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A team at Cambridge University has developed a breakthrough battery which could double the life of mobile devices - and make them cost less.
Up to 40% of the the cost of current batteries is taken up by the positive electrode - the cathode - which is normally made of lithium and a metal oxide, usually cobalt, manganese or nickel.
The Cambridge team instead used a composite of sulphur and nanostructured carbon for the electrode.
By doing so they were able to dramatically cut the cost - and achieve double the energy density.
"Using sulphur instead of the materials currently used in lithium-ion batteries could substantially reduce production costs, as sulphur is a fraction of the cost of other materials," said Dr Can Zhang, one of the developers of the material.
"Additionally, compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, the carbon-sulphur electrodes achieve double the energy density per unit of weight."
The new cathodes are made by growing a "forest" (their word) of carbon nanotubes on a layer of metal foam.
The team explains:
"The CNT forest provides excellent electrical conductivity, and acts as a three-dimensional scaffold into which the sulphur is injected in order to form the cathode.
The sulphur is trapped within the scaffold in the form of small particles which store electrons. The pore structure of the metal foam, combined with the dense vertical packing of CNTs, provides a labyrinth with a large surface area for the retention of electrode material."
The problem with sulphur-based batteries has usually been the low number of charge cycles of which they are capable before needing to be replaced. The new batteries up this number from 80 to 250 - still way behind the contventional battery's 500 cycles, but much closer.
The team are now working on inreasing this number to achieve a commercially viable battery. Over the next two years the 'CamBattery' commercial team will work on building a production machine - with the possibility of handheld devices gaining the tech soon after.
The WildCat Robot
In 2012 Darpa, the American military science research megalab, unveiled this video of a robot which can run faster than a Cheetah. According to some sources, in 2013 they'll be showing off a new version which can run around outside. At which point we'll all bow down and worship our new robot masters.
In October 2013 the European Space Agency will launch the Gaia spacecraft, which will create an insanely detailed 3D map of our galaxy and catalogue about a billion stars with its billion-pixel camera. It's a dramatically awesome piece of equipment which could change the way we see our universe over the course of its five-year mission.
Retina iPad Mini
The iPad Mini was our favourite tablet of 2012. It's lighter and more beautiful than the bigger version, and it's almost perfect - with one exception: the screen. We expect that to change in 2013 with a Retina model - if Apple can build a big enough battery to fit in the Mini's tiny case.
Next Year it looks almost certain that both Sony and Microsoft will release new gaming consoles. What they'll be like - and what they'll be called - we don't know yet. But you'll definitely want one.
The next Grand Theft Auto is set to be the biggest game of 2013 - and we can't wait to see what it looks like in its final form. From the trailers released so far it seems set to bring new scale, drama and impact to the series.
The new SimCity was the best game we previewed in 2012 - and with its release in 2013 it's promising truly seamless multiplayer, complex AI and all-new game modes which could turn the city building game into a truly immersive sandbox.
The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset isn't definitely going to ship commercially in 2013. But we should definitely start to see more from developers about how they might use it, and what types of games might be possible. If we do, you should get excited - this could be a whole new world of cool technology.
Bendable Phones (Sigh)
We know, we know. Bendable phones are one of those technologies which has been around for years - despite recent media reports that make it seem as if it's a brand new idea, this picture was taken in 2008! But 2013 might be the year the tech finally hits phones - and even if it doesn't make the handset itself bendy, it will make it more flexible, durable and thinner.
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung's flagship device the Galaxy S3 will be superceded by an S4 - or something very, very similar - quite soon into 2013. And while it will likely be just an incremental update in some ways, it could be the first truly breakthrough Android device which shows clear space between it and the latest iPhone. Rumours of a 13-megapixel camera, a super HD display and other improvements do make it sound rather tasty - but we'll have to wait and see.
In truth it's probably a long shot, but billionaire Richard Branson thinks his Virgin Galactic space tourism service could launch in December 2013 - with himself and his family as passengers. If it does, it will take space travel to a truly new level.
Google Glass 2.0
Google debuted its augmented reality glasses last year, and the 'Explorer Edition' will go on sale to early adopters in 2013. But we also expect other companies to respond - and possibly for Google itself to make a splash in the true consumer space. The tech is still early, but we're getting closer to the next big breakthrough.
4G launched - to most peoples' surprise - in 2012 in the UK. But it won't be until Ofcom's auction takes place early in 2013 that the market really hots up. We'll see a huge broadening of available 4G services in 2013, and only then will it take off to its fullest extent and start to change lives around the country - particularly in rural areas as-yet unreached by traditional broadband.
Comet Of The Century
The Comet Ison could be among the brightest and most intense ever seen, if predictions come to pass. It's set to pass within the Earth and the Sun at the right distance to be visible during the day - possibly emitting as much light as the Moon in a more concentrated pinpoint of light. It could be a spectacular sight - and make for some even more spectacular science.


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More Articles for facts
With Christmas just a day away, it's time to stop worrying about work, presents or decorations and start enjoying time with friends and family. Here are some Christmas trivia questions to get you in the holiday spirit. 1. Alabama was the ...
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We have been able to get some information about seven titles to be released by Paramount Home Video on November 23. Since VSDA it was in everyone’s mind, and finally Paramount has decided to announce the November 23 release date for the 1974 thriller by Roman Polanski, Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson as down-on-his-luck private eye Jake Gittes. Its less successful 1990 sequel The Two Jakes will also be released on November 23.
Another anticipated film, although from a very different angle, is South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, and after all,
U-2: Rattle And Hum is also part of Paramount’s release line-up, plus two more volumes from the Star Trek Original Series.
All discs will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99.


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By Aubreyonna Van Hoose
Empowerment. Promotion. Community. These are the aims of HerHub, a newly-launched online community of local women-owned businesses by Women of Toledo.
HerHub seeks to help women promote their business by networking and collaborating with a diverse group of entrepreneurs.
“Its mission is to empower women through economic development, increased visibility, and increasing network,” said Jonelle Massey, Board Liaison of HerHub. She further emphasized the need for an easily accessible, one-space directory for all women-owned businesses and organizations in Toledo.
In 2017, Nina Corder, Managing Director of HerHub, submitted a proposal to build an organizational hub for women. According to Corder, that proposal became one of twelve projects to receive a fellowship under the UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Partner.
After tinkering with the idea through various focus groups, market research and a pilot program, HerHub re-launched this May. The website features a directory and map where consumers can locate women-owned businesses, services, authors, and organizations within the greater Toledo area.
“I think HerHub does a good job in including all kinds of businesses— we have diversity in categories of businesses, but also interracial makeup,” said Massey. She also mentioned the directory is diverse in experience and features everything from start-up businesses to seasoned entrepreneurs.
Businesses must have a HerHub membership to appear on the directory. The yearly membership is $99, and companies can apply for $300 yearly partnerships. “We do talk a lot about the membership, but the way you look at it is more like an investment… for you, and an investment for your business,” said Massey.
Membership also gives access to the “Mastermind” Facebook private group, which allows businesses to network at a more intimate level, whether for professional or personal business advice.
According to Massey, HerHub’s donations go towards helping businesses, specifically towards a HerHub scholarship fund. Any businesses that can’t pay their yearly membership fee can apply for the HerHub scholarship on their website.
While the HerHub website promotes itself as a “Women of Toledo initiative,” Massey also highlighted the community’s outreach, encouraging support from all— not just women.
The non-profit organization also works with volunteers and specifically looks for people who offer particular expertise within marketing or public relations. “We are coming up with creative ideas. We could use volunteers for helping out with an idea or initiative that we come up with to help businesses generate more profit,” Massey said.
HerHub continues to promote women empowered events and businesses, even throughout the pandemic. “We do have that core mission, that’s bigger than us that we really want to help with the local economy,” said Nina Corder.
Corder and Massey both made it clear they want to work with businesses to increase their revenue and sustainability. “We can give grant money and scholarships all day long, but at the same time, we want to be able to work with the network… we want to fight with the women-owned businesses,” said Corder.
For more information about HerHub or to apply for a membership, the website is 419herhub.org. Also, you can follow HerHub on Instagram at 419herhub and on Facebook on the “HerHub” public page.


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NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Pacific Biosciences reported after the close of market on Thursday that while its second quarter 2013 revenues dropped roughly 18 percent year over year, its revenues grew 7 percent sequentially.
The Menlo Park, Calif.-based single-molecule sequencing technologies firm reported total revenues of $6 million for the three months ended June 30, compared to $7.3 million in the second quarter of 2012, and $5.6 million in the first quarter of 2013. It fell just shy of the consensus Wall Street estimate for revenues of $6.1 million.
Revenue reflects the installation of three PacBio RS II systems, the sale of reagent consumables, upgrades from the RS to the RS II system, and instrument service contracts.
Product revenue was $4.6 million, down from $5.8 in the year ago quarter, but up from $3.8 million in the first quarter of 2013. Service and other revenue was up year over year to $1.4 million from $1.3 million, and flat sequentially.
The company booked orders for seven of its PacBio RS II instruments in the quarter, matching its record for number of systems booked in a single quarter. It ended the quarter with 10 systems in backlog.
"We're certainly seeing an increased interest in the technology," President and CEO Mike Hunkapiller said during a conference call to discuss the company's second quarter performance. "Our pipeline is starting to grow again."
Instrument bookings have picked up significantly from the prior year's second quarter, when the firm booked just one system. Bookings were also up from the four systems the company booked in the first quarter this year.
The company also took orders for 23 upgrades to the RS II, adding to the 31 upgrades it booked in the first quarter. The RS II upgrade doubles the throughput compared to the RS system.
Upgrades to 34 systems were completed in the second quarter, contributing around $700,000 in revenue, said Ben Gong, the firm's VP of finance and treasurer. PacBio anticipates installing "most, if not all," of the 20 upgrades in backlog during the third quarter, Gong added.
Going forward, Gong said the firm anticipates that its third-quarter revenue will grow sequentially and that the company expects to "at least double" its total instrument bookings over 2012, from 12. As such, Gong said that total 2013 revenue would be higher than total 2012 revenue of $26.0 million.
PacBio's R&D costs for the quarter were $11.7 million, compared to $11.3 million in the second quarter of 2012, while SG&A expenses dropped to $9.4 million from $11.6 million in Q2 2012.
The firm's net loss for the quarter was $20.5 million, or $.33 per share, compared to $22.5 million, or $.40 per share, in Q2 2012. It beat analysts' consensus estimate for a loss of $.35 per share.
PacBio held cash and investments of $107 million as of the end of the quarter.


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Transparency be damned in Amazon bid
We learned very quickly just how unserious those riding herd over Greater Pittsburgh’s super-duper, hush-hush secret bid for Amazon’s second headquarters are about transparency.
Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records (OOR) ruled on Jan. 24 that local officials must make public their bid to secure the Internet retailing giant’s “HQ2.”
They’ll have 30 days from then to do so or to file a court appeal. If the appeals route is chosen — and it appears that will be the path of secrecy’s sycophants — the process could be exploited, dragging on and on, thus, rendering the OOR’s ruling moot.
Thus, Pittsburgh’s Amazon bidders would be using taxpayer dollars to keep hiding that bid from the public tapped to underwrite it. See how Orwellian these secrecy machinations have become?
Those same officials cited supposedly “proprietary” information in the bid as their reason for not allowing the public to see what it would pay for, likely in the form of tax credits, grants, loans and other freebies.
Early on, local officials claimed Amazon had demanded non-disclosure but it had not. Then they said that because private property was involved, they had to keep everything hush-hush.
Then they rationalized that, of course, secrecy was OK now because the offer would have to be made public eventually — after the deal was cut and it was awaiting City Council, County Council and General Assembly approval. Rubber stamps thrice?
Also last week, Amazon indeed did give the 20 finalists under consideration for “HQ2” cover moving forward for keeping quiet, asking those finalists to sign non-disclosure agreements. But it’s not clear what that “non-disclosure” refers to specifically – what the finalists have offered already or what Amazon might be demanding in addition to what’s been offered — or both.
Amazon is promising a $5 billion investment and up to 50,000 jobs over two decades with an average salary of $100,000 to the “winning” bidder. Those spendthrift bidders are pledging all manner of public dollars – largely undisclosed – to lure Amazon to their locale.
New Jersey’s bid, in fact, is reported to exceed the company’s touted investment by $2 billion. Holes in heads appear to know no limit in their depth.
Stefani Pashman, who heads the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, told the Tribune-Review about Amazon recent request for nondisclosure agreements with the finalists.
Pashman also told the Trib that Amazon’s investment could help to address the challenges the region faces regarding education, equality, inclusion and diversity.
Throwing even more money at Pittsburgh Public Schools won’t fix the badly broken district. (Though it might give the superintendent and school board more money to attend oversees junkets in, say, Ireland and the Caribbean, as KDKA-TV recently exposed.)
And what of the city’s crumbling water and sewer systems, its still woefully underfunded public pensions and a public transportation authority whose cost structure remains severely out whack? And what as well of a city government ever promulgating more and more onerous regulations that sully the business climate and proclaim “We’re NOT open for business?”
In an interesting turn, the Tribune-Review reported Friday that “PGHQ2,” the consortium of government officials and non-government organizations (such as the Allegheny Conference on Community Development) formed to put together the secret Amazon bid, registered this past October as a limited liability corporation with the Pennsylvania Department of State.
If this was an attempt to circumvent public disclosure by claiming that one corporation was not required to divulge its business dealings with another corporation – and reasonable people can and are thinking just that — well, that’s absolutely deceitful and shameful.
Such behavior shows how little regard this group truly has for the taxpayers that it expects to underwrite Amazon’s expansion. And it also suggests that the freebie offers to Amazon are beyond the pale.
Colin McNickle is a senior fellow and media specialist at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (email@example.com).


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Anxiety is a very common and very real issue that does not discriminate, and it can affect anyone no matter their age, class, gender, or ethnicity.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety levels are skyrocketing. In fact, a Gallup poll from April found that 60 percent of Americans are experiencing anxiety right now. Some of us are facing job or income loss, some of us are dealing with sickness or grief, and some of us are finding it difficult to live in such uncertainty. This is particularly true for parents who are navigating an entirely new landscape where their kids are learning from home, are cooped up in the house, and are experiencing new emotions.
The pandemic has also created new challenges like inhibiting medical appointments with primary care doctors or mental health professionals. This may be hard for individuals who are suffering from anxiety, depression, or stress at this time. For those who do not need immediate emergency mental health support, CBD or CBD oil might be a good option.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive—meaning it won’t make you high. This could be beneficial for parents who need something 100% legal to calm them. However, like THC, studies have found CBD to have several benefits.
Not only can CBD aid with managing anxiety, but it can also assist in other areas of your life such as pain, sleep, and overall well-being. Below we’d like to discuss some of its benefits, particularly for parents who may be struggling at this time. While CBD is safe with very few known side effects, it’s always important to speak with your doctor before trying something new.
Anxiety relief: Anxiety is the number one reason why people take CBD. Even Kim Kardashian and Kristen Bell take CBD to help them handle the stress of motherhood and their careers. Researchers believe that CBD interacts with your serotonin receptors, which can affect your mood for the better. Most research in the science community on cannabis has been focused on the benefits of THC. However, small studies on CBD have sprung up over the past 10 years as CBD grows in popularity, including one funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. While more research still needs to be conducted, early results are promising. A small study in Brazil found that CBD is helpful in treating individuals with social anxiety disorder, and another study found CBD to be promising in treating panic disorder. One study from a psychiatrist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Fort Collins found that CBD helped ease anxiety of a child with PTSD. These are all highly specific studies, but the overarching theme is that CBD seems to calm patients by easing their anxiety symptoms.
Sleep aid: Insomnia can be caused by a long list of issues, including anxiety, stress, PTSD, depression, pain…and parenting. Maybe you’re experiencing insomnia right now as you worry about what the future holds for you and your family. CBD has been found to be a promising sleep aid. Your endocannabinoid system is known to play a large role in many areas of your body, including your appetite, digestion, mood, motor control, immune function, and sleep. CBD supports your endocannabinoid system, meaning it can help regulate your sleep. One study in 2014 found that CBD improved sleeping issues with Parkinson’s patients, and another study of 72 adults who took 25 mg of CBD had their anxiety levels decrease by 79 percent, and their insomnia improved by 66 percent. One of the most promising studies on the benefits of CBD is treating children with epilepsy, and medical professionals have discovered that CBD medicine to treat these children—Epidiolex—has a drowsiness side effect.
Pain relief: Pain is a beast, and when you’re in pain—say you have a headache or back issues from sitting at your computer all day—nothing makes it worse that screaming or obstinate children. Fortunately, CBD has shown promising results in pain relief. One study published in 2017 found that CBD “influences” pain response in rats who had a surgical incision. In another study with rats, oral CBD helped reduce neuropathic pain and inflammation. CBD pain relief can come in the form of CBD oil, edibles, or topicals.
Bottom line: While research on CBD is still growing, it has been found to have positive effects on anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain relief. If you’ve been curious about CBD, particularly as a supplement for the stresses of parenting, there is no better time to buy CBD than now.


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The money will be spent on expanding the common electric platforms available to brands within the Alliance from four to five after the introduction of a small EV platform for use from 2024 for European models such as the forthcoming Renault R5 and newly announced replacement for the Nissan Micra. Both cars will be engineered by Renault and built in its ElectriCity network of plants in northern France.
The new CMF-BEV platform was described as a “game-changer” by Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who said it reduces costs by 33% compared with the platform currently used by the Renault Zoe. “It will be the key to democratise electric cars,” he said. “For the very first time, EVs will be able to compete with internal combustion engines in this segment.”
For Autocar Business webinars and podcasts, visit Autocar Business Insight
The platform will underpin five cars from Nissan, Renault, Alpine and Dacia and volumes will reach 250,000 cars a year, de Meo said. The relatively low volumes suggest it will be a Europe-only platform.
The CMF-EV platform that underpins the delayed Nissan Ariya SUV and the new Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric will be global and eventually span 15 models for five brands, including Nissan, Renault, Mitsubishi, Infiniti and Alpine, totalling 1.5 million sales by 2030. The platform will be used by around half of the 35 pure EV models that the Alliance intends to sell globally by 2030.


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Our customers are our priority
In light of the investigation into emissions from diesel engines built by the Volkswagen Group, we would like to inform you that all new Volkswagen Commercial vehicles with EU6 engines are not affected. Transporter, Caravelle, California and Crafter are also unaffected.
We would also like to take this opportunity to reassure you that independent testing authorities have confirmed that there will be no negative impact on engine performance, maximum torque, fuel consumption, noise and CO2 emissions as a result of having this update applied.
We now have technical measures drawn up for the affected EA 189 engines (1.6-litre and 2.0-litre) which have been ratified by the relevant type approval authority, and we will be writing to our customers in turn as we roll out the service action programme.


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A person in the UK is a victim of cyber crime every seven seconds, as 420,000 fake emails are sent every hour.
A quarter of Brits polled by CPP admitted to falling victim to cyber criminals, with the average victim losing over £285 each. The most commonly seen was fake banking emails, with 55 per cent of those targeted receiving seemingly legitimate e-correspondence from high street banks. Over half received false lottery or competition prize draws, while a further one in two was targeted by foreign cons such as '419' scams.
Also one fifth of Brits have received phoney Facebook messages claiming to be from friends or family, one in ten fear that fraudsters are using Twitter to follow them and a third are concerned their social networking account could be hacked.
Commenting on the report, Nicole Sanders, identity fraud expert at CPP, said: “It seems that not a day goes by without a new case of online fraud hitting the headlines. But what's concerning is that consumers are still falling victim. Fraudsters are becoming ever more skilled in their techniques and tactics.
“It can be extremely difficult to spot a legitimate email from a scam, so we advise caution at all times when online. And as social networking sites become increasingly popular, people need to continue to be mindful of what they post. Their identity is as valuable to a thief as a credit card, so protecting personal details is key.”
Former hacker Robert Schifreen said that staying safe online is easy if you follow basic precautions such as not typing your credit card number, password or any other confidential information into a website unless its address begins with https and your browser displays the ‘closed padlock' symbol.
“Also, make sure your anti-virus software subscription is up-to-date and that your computer is configured to automatically download protective software,” he said.


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Amica Group grew its sales revenue to PLN 1.656 billion (£305 million) in 2013, representing an increase of 6% on year-to-year sales.
The main increase in revenue was reported in Amica’s home market of Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany and in the markets of southern Europe. During 2013, the Group began selling its ranges of built-in and freestanding appliances in new markets such as Belarus, France, Greece and Cyprus.
Gross profit on sales increased to PLN 515 million (£98 million), and was PLN 79 million higher than the previous year, while the gross sales margin increased by 30%. This was achieved primarily due to significant increases in production of cooking appliances and optimizing product mix. Operating profit also increased by 30%.
Domestic sales exceeded PLN 571 million and enjoyed a 7% increase compared with 2012. With a stable market, this growth translated into a noticeable increase in market share, Amica says. Significant growth in built-in categories; cooling, freestanding cookers and ovens as well as hobs was a key factor.
In the UK
sales increased by more than 40%, according to Amica.
UK country manager Simon Freear comments: “We are enjoying a period of sustained growth in the UK and Ireland. There’s confidence returning to the market and we are well positioned to offer retailers a progressive and ambitious brand. We’ve held our course during the recession and it’s heartening to see new retailers actually moving to Amica as an alternative to brands that have not been so loyal.”


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TRAI directs Dish TV to comply with new regulatory framework, submit compliance report in 5 days
MUMBAI: After Bharti Telemedia (Airtel Digital TV), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has pulled up direct to home (DTH) operator Dish TV India for non-compliance of the provisions of the new regulatory framework for the TV broadcasting sector.
The regulator issued the direction to Dish TV to comply with the provisions of the new regulatory framework after receiving consumer complaints and the inspection of Dish TV’s website and the consumer premises. It has also sought a compliance report from Dish TV within five days from the date of issue of this direction.
TRAI stated that Dish TV is forcefully offering a bouquet of free-to-air channels with no choice to subscribers and without their consent. This is in addition to the channels opted by the subscribers and the following message is being displayed: – This is a free to air bouquet at no extra charge. If you have selected any pay channel, then this bouquet will not impact your NCF.
It also noted that most of the times, the consumers are not able to contact the toll-free number of Dish TV India to express their grievance.
Earlier this week, the TRAI had issued a direction to Bharti Telemedia (Airtel Digital TV) for non-compliance of the provisions of the new regulatory framework for the TV broadcasting sector.
In its direction, the TRAI had noted that Bharti Telemedia is forcefully offering a bouquet of free-to-air (FTA) channels with no choice to subscribers, without their consent and with no additional NCF. This is in addition to the channels that the subscribers have opted for.
It had also stated that the consumers are not able to contact the toll-free number of the DTH operator most of the time to express their grievance.
The TRAI had directed Bharti Telemedia to resolve the two issues and report compliance as per the new regulatory framework within five days from the date of issue of this direction.
The direction to Dish TV India and Bharti Telemedia comes close on the heels of the TRAI’s directions to six multi system operators (MSOs). While directing the MSOs to comply with the provisions of the new regulatory framework, the regulator had asked the MSOs to submit a compliance report within five days.
The directions were issued to Hathway Digital, DEN Networks, IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd (IMCL), Siti Networks, GTPL Hathway, and Fastway Transmission. The directions were issued following complaints received from consumers and inspection of consumer homes by TRAI officials.
Some of the common issues over which the six MSOs were pulled up include 1) forcing channels/packs to the consumers, 2) subscribers not being able to delete the channels, and 3) non-furnishing of printed bills to consumers.


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Watch Rivian R1T Perform Tank Turn
R1T pickup makes a full 360 degrees turn.
Some of you might have seen a leaked video showing the zero-turn radius feature of the Rivian EV in July. That video was taken off the internet, but now we have the official video from Rivian, showcasing its R1T pickup that makes a full 360 degrees turn. The automaker calls it Tank Turn for apparent reasons.
For the maneuver, the vehicle spins the right and left wheels in opposite directions thanks to the four-wheel-drive system created by the automaker, which uses four independently controlled electric motors. The Tank Turn will be handy on low-traction surfaces like mud, snow, and sand. Although this feature can work on a hard surface as well, Rivian do not advise it owing to extra burden the drive system has to bear.
Rivian has recently added $1.3 billion in its account thanks to the support of Amazon, Ford, and BlackRock. With this raised capital, the company now has enough finance to start the production of its electric R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck on time.


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Even though retailers blame the cooler weather for less-than-stunning sales this Spring, some online divisions fared well:
-New York-based designer clothing online outlet Bluefly Inc. announced that its net sales for May 2002 increased more than 19% to $2.5 million from $2.1 million during May 2001.
-Hampstead, MD-based Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. continues to rack up sales increases, posting a combined catalog and Internet sales increase of 31.7% for the four months ending June.
-San Francisco-based Sharper Image Corp. reported a 34% increase in Internet sales this May, climbing to $4.8 million from last May’s $3.8 million.


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Financial sector cyber incidents increase by 1,000%
A Freedom of Information (FoI) request has revealed that cyber-incident reports from the UK finance sector increased by a whopping 1,000% in 2018. The Financial Conduct Authority figures show that the number of declared cyber incidents and attacks rose from 69 in 2017 to 819 in 2018.
Financial cyber incidents are on the rise
Hacking is now big business. And, organisations that hold financial data are a particularly lucrative target.
Worryingly, there are also signs that cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated. For example, AI-assisted imposters have become an increased threat. With machine-learning helping to make existing cyber-attack efforts like identity theft, denial-of-service attacks and password cracking faster, more formidable, and more effective.
Furthermore, as we move deeper and deeper into the Internet of Things (IoT), more and more devices and data are going to be connected to the internet. Keeping these safe from hackers is going to be an ongoing challenge.
Consumer banks accounted for nearly 60% of the data breach reports
Tax and consulting firm RSM made the FoI request. Commenting on the sharp rise in financial sector cyber incidents, a spokesperson for RSM told the BBC that:
"The web-enabled systems underpinning the financial services sector hold huge volumes of personal and financial data, which are incredibly valuable for cyber-criminals.
"One of the problems is that there are lots of freely available cyber-attack tools and knowledge that can be sourced online. There is currently no legislation that makes possessing or developing these tools illegal and this is exacerbating the problem."
Why are these cyber incidents happening?
Consumer banks accounted for nearly 60% of the data breach reports submitted last year. The most common types of cyber-incident include:
- Third-party failure
- Hardware and software issues
- Change management (attempts to switch from one system to another)
- Human error
Cyber-attacks such as DDos, malware, ransomware and phishing accounted for only about 11% of the incidents.
Cybercriminals do not cause the vast majority of cyber incidents
At Hayes Connor Solicitors, we are only too aware that the number of cyber incidents is rising.
Of course, the amount of reports has undoubtedly increased due to the GDPR. This is because GDPR puts a new obligation on organisations to report cybersecurity breaches. But this does not detract from the fact that attacks are happening on an unprecedented scale.
Commenting on the findings, Hayes Connor managing director and data protection stalwart Kingsley Hayes added his insight on this matter. He said:
"Unfortunately, the sheer scale of financial data breaches doesn't surprise me. I've been warning organisations about the level of risk they are exposed to since before GDPR.
"But, while protection against cybercriminals should now be a priority for the entire financial sector, it's vital to understand that the vast majority of data breaches are not caused by cybercriminals, but by human errors and a failure to ensure robust security processes. This situation is not acceptable, and it is contributing to a huge rise in cyber incidents. Many of which are entirely avoidable.
"It is also important to look at the sheer scale of third-party failures. Especially as a recent study has found that the number of companies suffering data breaches because of third parties is growing. Shockingly, this report also revealed that the majority of companies do not monitor the security and privacy practices of vendors with whom they share sensitive or confidential information - or they are unsure if they do.
"With breaches often devastating to victims, especially when they find their financial and personal data exposed, businesses must do more to meet their data privacy responsibilities, or risk increased compensation claims."
Awareness is crucial
When it comes to data breaches, it's now urgent that businesses look at the threat from within, as well as putting measures in place to protect themselves from the bad guys.
On a positive note, there are some signs that financial businesses are getting better at identifying and reporting cyber-attacks. And, if the financial services industry is now taking cybersecurity more seriously, this is a good thing for customers.
At Hayes Connor, we believe that raising awareness of the growing cybersecurity threat will help organisations across the UK improve their data protection processes. But it's also vital that we all do our bit to protect ourselves as individuals.
How to protect yourself from a financial security incident
When it comes to protecting yourself from financial fraud, you should:
- Don't disclose security details, such as your PIN or full banking password
- Never assume an email, text or phone call is authentic
- Don't be rushed - a genuine organisation won't mind waiting. If you panic you are more likely to make a decision you'll regret
- Listen to your instincts - you know if something doesn't feel right
- Keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements to see if there is anything you don't recognise
- Make sure you read your credit card statements and other letters that come from your bank
If your identity has been stolen, you should also:
- Contact your bank/credit card provider immediately
- Consider a credit freeze until the matter is resolved
- Report the scam to the police and contact Action Fraud for advice on what to do next
- Let the credit reference agencies know of any activity that was not down to you
- Register with the Cifas protective registration service. This will slow down credit applications made in your name with additional verification checks made to ascertain that the applicant is actually you.
For more advice on how to keep your data safe, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Alternatively, if you have been the victim of a financial cyber incident,find out how we can help you to recover any losses. Or give us a call to discuss your case in more depth.
 Ponemon Institute


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NEW ORLEANS, April 8 (UPI) -- A new process produces "fruit-juice-infused chocolate," which retains the lush, velvety "mouth-feel" of chocolate but less fat and sugar, British chemists say.
Study leader Stefan A. F. Bon of the University of Warwick said the technology would allow the manufacture of chocolate with fruit juice, vitamin C water or diet cola that would replace up to 50 percent of the fat.
The juice is in the form of micro-bubbles that help chocolate retain a lush texture that is firm and snappy to the bite and yet melts in the mouth, Bon said. And all with less sugar.
"We have established the chemistry that's a starting point for healthier chocolate confectionery," Bon said in a statement.
Bon explained a 2-ounce serving of premium dark chocolate may contain 13 grams of fat -- 20 percent of the total daily fat recommended for a person who eats 2,000 calories per day. Much of this fat is the unhealthy saturated variety, Bon said.
Bon's team used fruit juices and other food-approved ingredients such as apple, orange and cranberry juice to form a Pickering emulsion, named for British chemist Percival Spencer Umfreville Pickering.
In 1907, Pickering discovered a new way to stabilize emulsions -- combinations of liquids like the egg yolk and oil in mayonnaise that normally would not mix together.
The Warwick researchers ' findings were presented at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans.


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The latest news from BolognaFiere S.p.A.:
The international presence of the BolognaFiere Group, a player in the trade fair sector with consolidated expertise on foreign markets, is expanding into the Latin American area with the opening of a new company and new offices in Guadalajara in Mexico.
AIE and BolognaFiere: partners promoting Italian publishing abroad and organizing new initiatives for the world of books
Joining forces to promote the children’s publishing industry in Italy and overseas and organize new publishing events in Italy. The Italian Publishers' Association (AIE) and BolognaFiere S.p.A. - already consolidated partners, especially for Bologna Children's Book Fair - have signed a Memorandum of Understanding extending their collaboration.
The reopening of trade fairs from 1 July is a fundamental step for the economic recovery and for Italian industry
On 16 April, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi outlined the various stages of the gradual reopening programme designed to enable economic activities to be resumed safely, setting 1 July as the date for the resumption of international trade fairs in Italy in accordance with the health protocols approved by the Technical Scientific Committee.
The spring edition of OBUV’ MIR KOZHI has concluded in Moscow with great satisfaction expressed by the Italian footwear producers involved. Around 4,500 professional operators attended the event over the four days of the exhibition that involved 110 exhibitors, of whom 50 were representing ‘Made in Italy’ footwear.
HEALTH AND BEAUTY GROUP PRESENTS ITS LATEST INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THE BEAUTY & SPA SECTOR IN EUROPE
New digital initiatives and acquisitions of strategic publishing platforms will characterize the future strategy of Health and Beauty, the German publisher and events’ organizer aimed at the professional aesthetics sector.
MARCA DIGITAL SESSION was MarcabybolognaFiere’s response to the ongoing restrictions on holding in-person trade fair events as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic
BOLOGNAFIERE IS THE ONLY TRADE FAIR ORGANIZER TO HOLD AN EVENT ABROAD DURING THE COVID ERA: THE INNOVATIVE FORMAT OF OBUV’ MIR KOZHI BRINGS ITALIAN FOOTWEAR TO RUSSIA
A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE REPLICATED FOR OTHER INITIATIVES WHILE THE PANDEMIC EMERGENCY CONTINUES
BOLOGNAFIERE CHINA AND SHENZEN RETAIL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO ORGANIZE MARCA CHINA INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE LABEL FAIR 2021
An agreement has been signed between BolognaFiere China Ltd. and Shenzen Retail Business Association to organize Marca China International Private Label Fair. The first edition of the event will take place from 8 to 10 June 2021 at the Shenzen World Exhibition & Convention Centre.
BolognaFiere has announced a further development in the company’s business that is paving the way to new commercial opportunities: BFS (BolognaFiere Servizi) is expanding its perimeter of action, further extending the spheres in which the company is active.
Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A. (“IEG”) and BolognaFiere S.p.A. (“BF”), the leading companies in the Italian trade fair and congress market, declare to have signed a non-binding term-sheet (the “Term-Sheet”) with the objective of effecting a merger between IEG and BF on the basis of a merger exchange ratio equal to 1:1 and according to a modality that is yet to be defined by both parties (the “Merger”).
BOLOGNAFIERE’S NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONVENES FOR THE FIRST TIME APPOINTED PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT
Today on 9 July 2020 BolognaFiere S.p.A’s new Board of Directors convened for the first time. The board’s three-year mandate will conclude with the approval of the Budget for the financial year 2022.
Substantial growth concerning all business indicators consolidates the positive trend of the last three-year cycle
The largest European exhibition centres heavily impacted by the crisis are mobilising for a reopening on 1 September 2020 at the latest!
BolognaFiere, Fiera Milano, Italian Exhibition Group (Rimini and Vicenza) and VeronaFiere also join EMECA's appeal to institutions to guarantee the survival of the sector.
The President of BolognaFiere, Gianpiero Calzolari, and the board of directors have agreed to reduce their own salaries by 50% in view of the delicate economic situation that the country is experiencing because of the Covid-19 emergency and the resulting lockdown.
Given the unprecedented health situation the world is currently facing with COVID-19, event organizers BolognaFiere and the Professional Beauty Association have postponed the 18th edition of Cosmoprof North America to September 20th - 22nd, 2020.
BOLOGNAFIERE BRINGS FROWARD THE DATE OF SANA 2020: The international exhibition of natural and organic products is to take place from 3 to 6 September 2020 at the same time as COSMOPROF WORLDWIDE BOLOGNA
“Since the beginning of the Coronavirus emergency, the national and international trade fair system has had to make considerable efforts to reposition the events scheduled for these months,” announced Antonio Bruzzone, General Manager of BolognaFiere.
In parallel, Bologna Licensing Trade Fair as well awaits all the professional community in 2021 It is with great sadness that BolognaFiere announces the decision to cancel the 57th Bologna Children’s Book Fair - BCBF. As a consequence, Bologna Licensing Trade Fair has either been cancelled.
BOLOGNAFIERE GROUP ANNOUNCES THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE EVENTS SCHEDULED DURING THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2020 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEASURES ADOPTED TO COUNTER THE NOVEL CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19)
In compliance with the orders and indications from the Italian authorities, beginning with the communications from the Ministry of Health and Minister Roberto Speranza, and the Emilia Romagna Regional Administration, and its President Stefano Bonaccini, the BolognaFiere Group announces the postponement, of a precautionary nature, of the events scheduled during the months of February and March 2020 at the Exhibition Centres in Bologna, Modena and Ferrara.
BolognaFiere, Italy’s leading trade fair organiser in terms of activities in foreign markets, has announced the creation of a new company (a JV) that will operate in China, expanding the range of trade sectors in which the Group is already a key player in the Asian markets.
The great return of METEF, one of the world’s leading trade events for the aluminium industry, in Bologna in 2021 with new projects and important synergies. Veronafiere and BolognaFiere are to create a joint venture (spilt 50:50) for METEF, the international expo focused on technology for the aluminium, foundry castings and innovative metals industry.


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MUST-HAVE: AIR JORDAN 12 RETRO “TAXI”
Jordan brings back one of our favorite retros just in time for the holidays: the Air Jordan 12 Retro “Taxi.” It’s been a while since the Air Jordan 12s have been on the sneaker scene. But with the upcoming release of the original “Taxi” colorway, our love for these classic kicks is rekindled. The Air Jordan 12 Retro “Taxi” makes its way back on the market in its original colorway. Originally launched in the season of MJ’s fifth championship, the kicks boast a White and Black leather upper with “rising sun” stitching throughout. Golden glimpses of Taxi can be spotted on the lace stays while bold pops of Varsity Red are found on the sneaker’s heel strip and outsole.
The Air Jordan 12 Retro “Taxi” is not only a classic, but is essential to any sneaker lovers collection. So stay tuned, because these kicks will be hitting Shiekh Shoes stores on December 14 in mens and kids sizes!
images via insider.nike.com
#basketballshoes #Jordan #AirJordan12RetroTaxi #AirJordan #menssneakers #AirJordan12Retro #kidsshoes #shiekhshoes #Taxi #basketballshoe #mens #kidssneakers #kids #Decembersneakerrelease #mensbasketballshoe #mensshoes #shoerelease


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The Alice Austen House Museum will present its annual Arts & Crafts Fair from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on two consecutive weekends. The fair will begin this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and run again Dec. 2 to Dec. 4.
Unique vendors will showcase crafts and fine artwork. Items include one-of-a-kind jewelry, upcycled designer accessories, handmade soaps and holiday ornaments and exclusive multimedia creations.
The museum is located at 2 Hylan Blvd.
The Eger Scandinavian Holiday Fair will celebrate its 40th year on Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Traditionally held on a Saturday, the new weekday slot – a Thursday – will free loyal fairgoers to attend other church and community holiday events on the weekend.
The fair will showcase the work of Eger's Crafty Ladies, traditional jewelry and baked goods.
Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center is located at 140 Meisner Ave.
Dolls, ceramics, Avon products and jewelry will be featured at the Columbiettes - Auxiliary of the Father Drumgoole Knights of Columbus fair on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Refreshments and fresh baked goods will be available. The Drumgoole Council Hall is at 397 Clarke Ave.
The Holiday Fair at All Saints Episcopal Church, 2329 Victory Blvd., will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Doll, dollhouse, and train vendors will be joined by over 35 other vendors from across the city. Raffle baskets, "Margaret's Attic" items, homemade baked goods and other food items will be for sale. Father Christmas will also be on hand for photo ops.


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Good news, coffee snobs.
Are you a total Starbucks fiend? The type of person who simply must have their expensive half-caf mocha latte with two pumps of espresso every morning or they go mad?
Scientists (bless them) were able to connect “advancing age, systemic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and coffee consumption,” per Stanford Medicine. Basically, coffee can help safeguard you against a chronic inflammatory process that happens when you reach elderly status.
So suck down that java, because it’s helping your body fight old age and deterioration that could wind up giving you heart disease and increasing your chances of dying.
We already know that coffee is great because it contains caffeine, which can actually be really beneficial for you in moderate doses. But interestingly enough, caffeine has another superpower in that it “targets and combats” this chronic inflammatory process, which is huge news, because inflammation is actually a huge reason for many elderly people’s illnesses.
According to David Furman, the study’s lead author, “More than 90 percent of all noncommunicable diseases of aging are associated with inflammation... Our findings show that an underlying inflammatory process, which is associated with aging, is... driving cardiovascular disease.”
And the even better news is that the mechanism that starts the inflammatory process is actually “directly countered by caffeine and associated compounds.”
That means that every time you sip on a caffeinated beverage, you’re actually helping your body fight against inflammation that could lead to heart disease further down the line, which is great for people who love their coffee or anything that contains that little wonder drug, caffeine.
So go, get in a long line, order your fancy coffee, and feel good about yourself as you enjoy it. You’re not just a coffee addict anymore — you’re giving your body the tools to fight against disease. And that can (probably) ease your guilt over your coffee budget every month.


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Gwyneth Paltrow's alternative wellness brand, Goop, has been controversial (to say the least) since its inception. Vagina candles, jade eggs, vampire repellent sprays - if you take a look at the website, you'll see a broad range of products for an 'open-minded, and service-centric approach' to wellness.
It has been branded 'dangerous' on several occasions, and Goop was fined $145,000 in 2018 in civil penalties for ‘unsubstantiated’ marketing claims.
And this month, Gwyneth's empire expanded. She landed a Netflix series, The Goop Lab, exploring the company's work and giving viewers an insight into what goes on behind the scenes.
However, NHS chief Sir Simon Stevens was speaking at an event in Oxford this week and spoke about the new show, calling out the claims behind some of the alternative products and treatments.
Via The Guardian, he is reported to have said: 'Myths and misinformation have been put on steroids by the availability of misleading claims online.
'Now we have dubious wellness products and dodgy procedures available on the web. Fresh from controversies over jade eggs and unusually scented candles, Goop has just popped up with a new TV series, in which Gwyneth Paltrow and her team test vampire facials and back a 'bodyworker' who claims to cure both acute psychological trauma and side-effects by simply moving his hands two inches above a customer's body.
'Gwyneth Paltrow's brand peddles 'psychic vampire repellent'; says 'chemical sunscreen is a bad idea'; and promotes colonic irrigation and DIY coffee enema machines, despite them carrying considerable risks to health and NHS advice clearly stating there is 'no scientific evidence to suggest there are any health benefits associated with colonic irrigation.'
A Goop spokesperson has since responded, stating: 'Goop takes efficacy and product claims very seriously.
'When products are available for retail sale, we have a robust legal and compliance team that works closely with our science and research group to vet product claims.'
Marie Claire Newsletter
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Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.
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Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are under attack.
There are over 25 million SMBs in the United States – each with a business plan and a dream to turn an innovation, service, or hobby into a lasting monument to resourcefulness, perseverance and hard work.
For SMBs, growth (and indeed, existence alone) brings risks, and nothing can be more devastating and confusing than stealthily losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fraud schemes that exploit relationships that they normally trust – their banking relationships. The breakdown in trust is hugely damaging for both parties, and often results in costly lawsuits.
Businesses may believe that fraud can’t or won’t happen within their organization, but we all know that fraud is an equal opportunity crime. Creative fraud schemes, a lack of fraud awareness, limited security resources, and downright denial have conspired to give rise to SMB losses that are reaching epidemic proportions.
Precisely tabulating losses is extremely difficult, but recent data shows that more than half of small businesses have suffered a data breach – and nearly a third of all cyber attacks in 2012 were aimed at small businesses. While some reports suggest that both the number of incidents and the loss per incident is down, the reality is that fundamentals have not changed: fraudsters are creative, fraud is an industry, small businesses have limited resources, and denial is rampant.
For banks, the rise of cybercrime on small businesses presents a new opportunity – not to drive new revenue, but to reinforce the reason why small business choose banks in the first place: trust. In fact, by not effectively addressing SMBs’ security concerns, banks risk shaking the foundations of their customer relationships.
Security experts have long focused on promoting smarter banking strategies and building powerful tools to fend off cybercriminals. Both small businesses and their banks invest a lot of time and money to ensure the security of sensitive information, yet the cyber-assault on SMBs continues.
The primary issue is that technologies and policies put forth by banks are not always practical on a small business level. Many common security strategies – such as consistently patching vulnerabilities, ensuring antivirus programs are up-to-date, limiting banking activities to certain devices – are practical for most large corporations, but can be problematic for small businesses. With small business owners often already stretched too thin, the time and commitment required to maintain security falls off the radar.
Additionally, many small businesses don’t fully realize the security risks they face, or fail take the threat seriously – even though evidence that SMBs are likely to be targeted by cybercriminals piles up.
But this reality doesn’t excuse banks from providing optimal security – in fact, with banks’ reputations and customer relationships highly at stake, banks need to be leaders for small businesses in protecting sensitive information, go above and beyond what is required, and act as a true security partner.
The Security To-Do List for Banks
The industry can’t force every single small business to dedicate time, resources, and focus to security – so it’s up to banks to ensure that normal, everyday payment behaviors are secured. Banks can strengthen the security standing of their small business customers’ payments by embedding secure protocols into the services they offer, and by educating SMBs on the must-implement security practices, including:
• Two-factor authentication, which requires two forms of identification – often a physical token and digital code – to complete a transaction.
• Transaction verification, which ensures that the content of the transaction is accurate.
• Transaction monitoring, which continually monitors transaction activity, and sends alerts when something is amiss.
• Segregation of duties, which adds a layer of security by requiring at least two people to approve and process a transaction.
• Multi-stage approvals for large payments, which places an additional degree of control and security in the hands of the business making the payment.
More importantly, banks need build secure solutions that simple, seamless, and packaged in a way that they can easily be adopted, to ensure that more customers are using the most secure tools possible. Additionally, banks should build these protocols an inherent feature of their payments and online banking services – not offer them as value-adds. The value for banks stems from the competitive advantages and increased customer loyalty gained by becoming a better security partner.
Implementing the Security To-Do list can be a challenge for banks – especially when their customers are SMBs. Security procedures are often seen as detracting from a friendly user experience, and banks are loathe to do anything that impacts usability.
But, it is only a matter of time before security becomes the selling point, and customers become aware of why they do business with their banking partners – trust, after all, is important.
Don’t Put Trust At Risk
The relationships between small businesses and security, banks and small businesses, and security and banks are complex. Banks rarely come up short when managing security for consumers and large corporations; investing in small business security, though, is an often challenging and uneasy task. But with their most valuable assets – trust, customer service, and reputation – on the line, banks need to transform the security risks and solutions for small businesses in order to deliver a more secure and practical payments experience for SMBs.
The cyber-attacks that small businesses face are a threat to banks, as well – to their reputations and their customers relationships. It’s imperative that banks overcome the disconnect that frequently occurs between them and small business customers, and establish a security-focused dialogue that ensures that customers’ trust in their banks is not broken.
B.C. Krishna is the CEO of MineralTree, which provides small business payments solutions to banks.


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Our Correspondent Hyderabad
A peasant woman, Hoori Bheel, residing in Village Ameen Soomro, near Kaloi town, Tharparkar district, has cultivated off-season vegetables at her courtyard to have safe food products at home.
Describing her tale, she said “I started kitchen gardening quite recently, producing a variety of vegetables at home and spared little space outside our makeshift abode.”
“For me it became possible when received water through a solar-powered facility.
Otherwise, several women are eager to have such gardens at their homes but due to unavailability of water they are yet to implement the idea,” she said.
“Many vegetables available at the home garden like coriander, green chilli, ridge gourd, eggplant, tomatoes and others do not grow in the wild in the desert after monsoon rains,” she said.
For example, she said “tomato, onion, coriander and green chilli are essential items, which the people usually purchase from markets.
But now we have produced these products at homes and share little to the relatives and family friends.”
Mithan Bheel, another farmer woman in the same village said “whenever we receive rains a variety of naturally grown wild vegetables and fruits like mushrooms, melon, watermelon, apple guards and other products grow near here.”
“We collect these products from the area for our own consumption and little extra for sell,” she said.
Talking to women it was observed that for these women growing vegetables plays an important role to fight poverty and diseases, which in the desert areas sometimes hit the people because of improper diet.
These women seem vocal and show wide space at courtyards and outside for growing fresh vegetables to fulfil their diet.
These women are lucky to have access to solar-powered water facilities near there to get water for domestic purposes and use the wastage water for producing vegetables and fruit trees.


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More than 200 years after our Founding Fathers enshrined patent protections into our constitution, America continues to be a shining beacon for innovation and ingenuity. It is not by chance that our economy remains the envy of the modern world, it is a testament that strong intellectual property (IP) rights are essential to building a first-class economy.
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- McDonald’s is lobbying the Trump administration to make changes to a bill that would require some employers to provide paid sick leave amid the coronavirus outbreak, executives said on an internal call on Monday, a recording of which was obtained by Business Insider.
- McDonald’s leadership spoke with President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning. On Monday, they discussed concerns about how the bill would affect franchisees’ finances with members of the Trump administration, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
- “McDonald’s supports the bill that would provide sick leave support to employees impacted by Coronavirus, and in fact, McDonald’s and many of its franchise owners have already committed to offer those same benefits to potentially diagnosed employees,” a McDonald’s representative told Business Insider.
- Fast-food chains have faced backlash about workers’ vulnerability during the coronavirus outbreak. An estimated 517,000 employees at McDonald’s locations don’t have paid sick leave.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
McDonald’s is pushing for changes to a coronavirus relief bill that would require its restaurants across the US — 95% which are owned by franchisees — to give workers two weeks of paid sick leave, describing it as an effort to protect franchisees’ financials.
The fast-food giant has been lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to alter a bill that would require employers with 50 to 500 workers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave, executives said on an internal conference call on Monday. McDonald’s has pushed back against plans to use a tax credit to cover the cost, which executives said would fail to protect franchisees.
“We know that the funding mechanism and the repayment timing could cripple small-business owners,” David Tovar, McDonald’s vice president of US communications, said on the call, a recording of which was obtained by Business Insider.
Tovar said McDonald’s was “pulling out all the stops to work with” the National Franchisee Leadership Alliance, “owner-operators, our trade partners, our friends in Congress, congressional leaders, and anyone who can make a difference to fix the bill.”
In an industry where taking sick leave is not encouraged, will companies like McDonald’s and Chipotle protect workers and the public?
Running the grill, marinating the meat, and taking out the trash are just a few of Luis Torres’s responsibilities at the Chipotle Mexican Grill where he works in Midtown Manhattan—“I basically do everything,” he said. And, he added, every time he’s felt too ill to work during his 13 months at the fast-casual restaurant chain, his managers have discouraged him from calling in sick.
“Once, I had a fever and I wasn’t feeling good, and [supervisors] told me to work anyway,” said Torres. “They give you an attitude or tell you that they don’t have people to cover your shift.”
Even as he’s suffered from cold and flu symptoms, Torres said he’s cut peppers, onions, and prepared meat. “We’re told that that we have a role to play and that’s to work,” said the 22-year-old employee.
Chipotle told Civil Eats that company policy requires sick employees to stay home and that it communicates with all employees about how to properly request sick time. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that’s claimed the lives of more than 100 people in the United States and more than 7,800 worldwide, food workers across the country have staged walkouts and raised concerns about their health and safety at restaurant chains they say dissuade them from calling in sick and deny them paid sick leave.
With new federal recommendations to cancel gatherings of almost any size to halt the spread of the coronavirus, multiple states have recently placed restrictions on restaurants, limiting the number of diners who can be in an establishment at once and ordering restaurants to transition to drive-through and delivery service only. But those efforts don’t address the fact that just 25 percent of food workers receive paid sick leave, increasing the likelihood that these laborers may continue to show up to work ill and spread infectious diseases to colleagues and customers. The coronavirus cannot be transmitted through food, but the virus can live on high-touch surfaces found in restaurants, such as tables, countertops, cardboard, and plastic.
A Waffle House employee in Georgia has already tested positive for coronavirus, and the restaurant chain granted him and his quarantined coworkers paid sick leave. Waffle House, however, stopped short of committing to pay sick leave for other employees who may contract COVID-19 in the future.
Additionally, McDonald’s announced last week that it would provide two weeks of paid sick leave to employees who contract coronavirus, but that offer applies only to workers at its corporate-owned U.S. restaurants. Franchisees reportedly operate more than 90 percent of the 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the country. Hence, McDonald’s workers are asking the company, the world’s second-largest employer, to ensure that all workers receive paid sick leave, be it for coronavirus or any other medical condition.
The federal government hasn’t offered much help on this front. The bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed early last Saturday, was largely billed as providing paid sick leave to U.S. workers impacted by the virus. Instead, it extends this benefit to only about 20 percent of the workers who need it, giving corporations such as McDonald’s and Chipotle the option not to offer paid sick leave and small businesses the opportunity to obtain hardship exemptions. This lack of paid sick leave is a major problem now, and it could exacerbate predicted future pandemics.
From McDonald’s to Whole Foods, Starbucks to Popeyes, here is what chains are offering (or denying) employees amid the coronavirus pandemic