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BCs New Car Dealers Driving Environmental Leadership
October 5, 2016
Clean Energy Vehicles Steering the Way to Environmental Sustainability
By Blair Qualey
Vancouver, B.C. – The New Car Dealers of British Columbia continue to drive environmental leadership and have helped pave the way for B.C. to have the highest per capita sales of clean energy vehicles in Canada.
Electric vehicle (EV) sales have been steadily increasing, jumping by 32 per cent from 2014 to 2015 according to Canadian auto research firm FleetCarma. One of the reasons for the steady increase in sales of EVs is the point-of-sale incentive programs. Funded by the Province of B.C. and administered by the New Car Dealers Association, CEVforBC offers up to $5,000 to B.C. residents who purchase or lease an eligible new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Visit cevforbc.ca for more information.
Many British Columbians pair this rebate with the SCRAP-IT initiative. SCRAP-IT provides buyers with a $3,000 rebate on a new EV if they trade in their older vehicle, making for up to $8,250 in potential savings.
Wallet-wary and environmentally aware consumers are also recognizing the benefits of going greener. Efficient vehicles are smart protection against increasing gas prices. Even with lower prices at the pump, an efficient vehicle is still a sound investment that can save you thousands over the course of the life of the vehicle.
Statistics from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants show that the average vehicle in B.C. is 11.08 years old. According to research from the University of Michigan, vehicles a decade or older produce an average of 16 per cent more emissions than new models. Understandably, helping B.C. turn over its fleet could lead to huge emissions reductions, another reason the government incentive program is a smart move for British Columbia.
Recently, the B.C. Government released the Climate Leadership Plan, which outlined a commitment to support and expand the clean energy vehicle point of sale incentives and infrastructure. With the government’s ongoing support, these innovative incentive programs help consumers make climate conscious decisions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower exhaust pollutants from across the province. The CEVforBC and BC SCRAP-IT programs have helped British Columbia become a national leader for clean energy vehicle usage, and new car dealers across the province are aiming to maximize these incentive programs in the years to come.
For more information on how to take advantage of these incentive programs, and explore the clean energy vehicle options visit your local new car dealer today.
Blair Qualey is the President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC.
Dealer Members with New Car Dealers Association
We represent more than 390 New Car Dealers throughout British Columbia.


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Indianapolis-based tech company Kennected creating more than 400 new jobs
Indianapolis-based Kennected is expanding its Indianapolis operations and plans to create up to 405 new jobs by the end of 2025.
The software-as-a-service company opened its Indianapolis headquarters at 201 S. Capitol Ave. last year and plans to invest more than $2 million in operations, according to a news release. It has already hired 50 new employees toward its goal.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation announced Monday it has offered Master Your Network, LLC, which does business as Kennected, up to $4.25 million in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans.
Kennected currently employs 107 associates nationally and internationally, including 40 in Indiana. The company is hiring for sales, management, customer service, accounting, human resources and executive positions. Interested applicants can apply at https://kennected.org/careers/.
"We are passionate about our Indianapolis roots and the tech community that belongs to the city," Cody Harvey, Kennected chief strategy officer, said in a news release. "We have looked up to the successful entrepreneurs and business leaders here for so many years. We have been inspired by the impact entrepreneurs bring to our communities. We want to step up and do our part bringing growth to the city."
The company also is evaluating options for a second location south of downtown to accommodate growth. It also plans on releasing four new products over the next six months.

domain: news


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Today we are going to be discussing Why Use Calendly…I have used Calendly in a handful of different methods. My number of meetings increased when I was making use of Calendly.
Today comes news from a startup that has been a part of that trend: Calendly, a popular cloud-based service that people utilize to establish and confirm meeting times with others, has actually closed an investment of $350 million from OpenView Venture Partners and Iconiq.
The financing round includes both secondary and main money (a little more of the latter than the previous, from what I comprehend) and values the Atlanta-based startup at over $3 billion.
Okay for a company that before now had raised simply $550,000, including the life savings of the creator and CEO, Tope Awotona, to initially get off the ground.
Calendly is a freemium software-as-a-service, built around what is essentially an extremely simple piece of functionality.
It’s a platform that provides a fast method to handle open spaces in your calendar for people to book appointments with you in those spaces, which then likewise books out the time in calendars like Google’s or Microsoft Outlook– with a growing number of tools to boost that experience, consisting of the capability to pay for a service in the event that your consultation is not a company conference but, state, a yoga class. Prices ranges from complimentary (one calendar/one user/one occasion) to premium ($ 8/month) and pro ($ 12/month) for more calendars, combinations, features and occasions, with larger plans for enterprises likewise available.
Its growth, on the other hand, needs to date been based primarily around an extremely natural strategy: Calendly welcomes ended up being links to Calendly itself, so people who use it and like it can (and do) begin to utilize it, too.
The vast array of its usage cases, and the virality of that growth method, have actually been winners. Calendly is already lucrative, and it has actually been for several years. And more recently, it has seen a boost, particularly in the last twelve months, as brand-new Calendly users have actually emerged, as a result of how we are living.
We might not be doing more standard “company conferences” each week, but the variety of conferences we now require to set up, has actually increased.
All of the unscripted and serendipitous encounters we used to have around an office, or a neighborhood coffee shop, or the park? Those also need invites for online conferences.
And so do sessions with therapists, virtual supper celebrations, and even (where they can still occur) in-person meetings, which are often now occurring with more timed accuracy and more record-keeping, to keep social distancing and potential contact tracing in better order.
Presently, some 10 countless us are using Calendly for all of this on a month-to-month basis, with that number growing 1,180% last year. The army of service users from companies like Twilio, Zoom, and UCSF has been signed up with by teachers, specialists, business owners, and freelancers, the company states.
The company last year made about $70 million yearly in subscription profits from its SaaS-based business model and appears confident that its aggregated earnings will not long from now get to $1 billion.
While the secondary funding is going towards providing liquidity to existing investors and early employees, Awotona said the plan will be to use the primary capital to invest in the business’s service.
That will include developing out its platform with more combinations and tools– it began with and still has a considerable R&D operation in Kiev, Ukraine– expanding its operations with more skill (it presently has around 200 workers and strategies to double headcount), additional business advancement and more. Why Use Calendly
2 significant moves on that front are likewise being revealed with the funding: Jeff Diana is beginning as primary people officer with an objective to double the company’s staff member base. And Patrick Moran– previously of Quip and New Relic– is joing as Calendly’s first chief income officer. Significantly, both are based in San Francisco– not Atlanta.
That focus for structure in San Francisco is currently a huge modification for Calendly. The start-up, which is going on eight years old, has actually been rather off the radar for years.
That is in part due to the truth that it raised really little money up to now (simply $550,000 from a handful of investors that consist of OpenView, Atlanta Ventures, IncWell and Greenspring Associates).
It’s also based in Atlanta, an increasingly significant city for innovation start-ups and other companies but generally short on being credited for its heft because department (SalesLoft, Amex-acquired Kabbage, OneTrust, Bakkt, and numerous others are based there, with others like Mailchimp likewise not too far away).
And maybe most of all, proactively courting publicity did not seem part of Calendly’s growth playbook.
In fact, Calendly might have closed this huge round silently and continued to get on with company, were it not for a short Tweet last fall that signified the company raising money and shaping up to be a peaceful giant.
” The business’s capital efficiency and what @TopeAwotona has constructed are worthy of method more credit than they get,” it checked out. “Possibly this will start to change that recognition.”
Does Calendly have a free option? Why Use Calendly
After that brief note on Twitter– flagged on TechCrunch’s internal message board– I made a guess at Awotona’s e-mail, sent a note introducing myself, and waited to see if I would get a reply.
I eventually did get an action, in the form of a brief note agreeing to chat, with a Calendly link (naturally) to choose a time.
( Thanks, unnamed TC writer, for never ever writing about Calendly when Tope originally pitched you years ago: you might have whet his cravings to react to me.). Why Use Calendly


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Alicia Silverstone and Juice Beauty share a mission: to make women look beautiful without making the earth less so.
The actress, who is an outspoken advocate for green living, and the San Rafael, Calif.-based beauty brand have collaborated on a collection of five skin care and makeup products priced from $16 to $36. The collection started rolling out at Ulta stores nationwide on Sunday, which was Earth Day. Industry sources estimate the products will generate $2 million in first-year sales.
Silverstone is the first celebrity officially connected to Juice Beauty. “She has effortless beauty,” said Karen Behnke, founding partner and chief executive officer of the brand. “The Juice Beauty girl is similar: quick and easy. They don’t want harsh chemicals, but they want to feel glamorous.”
For Silverstone, who has an ongoing partnership with EcoTools as well, the decision to associate with a brand boils down to its commitment to environmental principles. “This is who I am. This is not just something I’m slapping my name on,” she said. “I would never align myself with something that I don’t 100 percent believe in. I think people count on me for that, and I take pride in that.”
It took two years to get the products in the Alicia Silverstone Collection for Juice Beauty — Purely Kissable Lip Color, Irresistible Glow Facial Highlighter, Simply Flawless Pressed Powder, Simply Nourishing Moisturizer and Simple Pure Chamomile Cleanser — up to snuff ecologically. Formulas contain certified organic juice base, shea and cocoa butters, and packaging is created out of more than 95 percent post-consumer recycled materials for the skin care items and more than 90 percent recycled pressed paper components for the makeup items.
Behnke said she hopes Juice Beauty’s products with Silverstone “could eventually achieve a double-digit percent of our business.” At the moment, that business in North America is spread out across 450 Ulta doors, 225 Whole Foods doors, 25 Pharmaca doors and 125 doors of prestige and masstige outlets such as Murale and Bluemercury. About 25 percent of Juice Beauty’s sales come from abroad. The brand has a strong presence in Asia, where the collection with Silverstone will launch by June.
Silverstone vetted products while she worked. Once last September, for instance, Behnke toted 75 different aromas to Silverstone’s trailer on the New York set of “Gods Behaving Badly,” a movie that also stars Sharon Stone, Christopher Walken, John Turturro and Edie Falco, for the actress to sniff. “She was involved every single step of the way and had a ton of opinions. I would leave her with aromas and textures, and she would e-mail all her thoughts. She was very, very specific,” Behnke.
The trick, according to Silverstone, was to get the products to smell and feel the way she liked and, at the same time, be effective. “I am a smell person. So, I was looking for a super yummy smell,” she said. “I did so many smell tests, it was pretty funny. The texture is really important to me, too, and, obviously, the performance, but I was pretty confident in the combination of ingredients. There is the clinical part of making it work on your skin. Once that part is handled, the fun part is the smell and the texture.”
Silverstone, who set off a media firestorm recently by posting a video on the online hub The Kind Life, a name taken from Silverstone’s 2011 book, “The Kind Diet,” of her feeding pre-chewed food out of her mouth to her son, doesn’t regret being vocal about her lifestyle choices. When she started to be open about them, she was advised her frankness would hurt her career, but her experience has been the opposite. “I am living my truth and what I believe in, and I am actually able to support myself doing what I love,” she said.
Acting has never been off of Silverstone’s agenda. She may be most recognized for the 1995 film “Clueless,” but she’s busy this year introducing herself to audiences in new ways. She has a guest-starring stint on the ABC television show “Suburgatory” that started airing April 18, and has several movies in the can, among them “Vamps” directed by “Clueless” director Amy Heckerling with Krysten Ritter, Sigourney Weaver and Richard Lewis, and “Butter” with Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman, Ashley Greene and Olivia Wilde.
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
Not only does #TheProfit return to CNBC tonight, but @marcuslemonis has launched @shopmarcus, a new shopping and lifestyle retail experience in Aspen and Chicago, with more locations to come. The retail stores offer in-store stylists and a variety of contemporary womenswear selections.
“It’s life, I’m going to face it,” @mingxi11 sighed. “I fell, but you know, I think the most important thing is that I get back up. I had the love, the help from my sister — the girl next to me Gizele [Oliveira] — she’s so nice. When I went backstage everybody was trying to comfort me like ‘Oh Ming, it’s OK.’ I’m really, really touched. I think it’s them who gave me the courage to go back on stage for the finale,” Xi told WWD of her fall at the @victoriassecret fashion show. (📷: David Fisher) #wwdfashion #vsfashionshow #victoriassecret
@louisvuitton tapped @therealpeterlindbergh for its latest city-centric photo book, which is part of a series called Fashion Eye. The primarily black and white book captures the spirit of Berlin in 57 images shot between 1989 and 2019. “Berlin is an inspiration for me, more than a city. I mean @millajovovich is simply Berlin!” said Lindbergh. #wwdfashion
“You know, I think audiences expect a certain performance so I have to deliver to them what they’re expecting to a certain degree. But I’m also a different actor and a different person, I have my own spin on the character,” says @noahegalvin of his takeover of the leading role in “Dear Evan Hansen” following the departure of @bensplatt, who originated the role. Read WWD’s interview with the 23-year-old actor on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
For pre-fall 2018, @etro created richly-colored wonderland, using tapestries, textiles and wallpapers from the Eastern world at large. The line featured floral and graphic prints and jacquard motifs, like this two-piece look featured here. #wwdfashion (📷: Giovanna Pavesi)
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)


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In Asia, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern producers started to issue their February PP and PE prices this past week as per ChemOrbis pricing service.
At the beginning of last week, an agent of a Southeast Asian producer reported that their supplier announced February import PP and PE prices to Vietnam and Malaysia. The new prices indicate identical decreases in both countries at $80/ton for LDPE and $100/ton for homo-PP. Meanwhile, the producer’s PP random copolymer injection and PP block copolymer injection offers are down by $110/ton and $160/ton, respectively. A source from the company pointed to their pessimistic outlook for next month for their decreases.
A trader offering on behalf of the producer remarked, “February prices are significantly down from January levels. However, overall market sentiment is still weak and we are not confident about the market outlook for over the near term.”
A distributor operating in Malaysia noted, “February prices are noticeably down from January. However, we are not sure if February levels will see additional decreases since producers have been cutting their prices for two consecutive months. We believe that February will be slow in terms of trading as China will be out for two weeks for Chinese New Year holiday and Malaysia will have two bank holidays in the first week of February.”
A different Southeast Asian producer issued their new February prices both to China and to Southeast Asia. The producer’s new prices indicate decreases of $100/ton for LDPE film, $140/ton for HDPE, $130/ton for homo-PP and $200/ton for PP block copolymer. A source from the company reported that they were able to conclude deals in China at their initial levels. February is a short month in terms of working days. Most players are expected to have prolonged Chinese New Year holidays and therefore, they prefer to stock up before they leave their desks before the holiday. “Overall demand performs better in China when compared to Southeast Asia, where further decrease expectations prevail and hinder sales. However, we are optimistic that Southeast Asian buyers will return to the market over the near term to make fresh purchases,” added the source.
When the week was closing, a Middle Eastern producer also issued their new February PP and PE prices to Southeast Asia. The producer’s new prices indicate sizeable decreases of $100/ton for homo-PP, $120/ton for BOPP, $50/ton for PP block copolymer, $40-60/ton for LLDPE film and $60-70/ton for HDPE film.
A source from the producer commented, “Our PP line is currently facing some technical issues and it may take around 7-10 days for us to get back to our normal production. We hope that relatively improved demand in China might provide some ground for demand in Southeast to improve.”
According to ChemOrbis, a Southeast Asian trader commented that they do not think that the producer’s prices will prove workable in the regional markets, where most buyers are looking for levels below the $1100/ton threshold on CIF, cash basis.


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Zac Posen traveled to the Lone Star State last week for a whirlwind visit, culminating with his fall runway show, which Saks Fifth Avenue invited him to stage at a 250-guest luncheon to benefit the Houston Grand Opera.
“Houston was incredible,” Posen said. “The women and seeing how they make designer clothing and my clothing come to life, and how they create whole outfits out of it....It’s really finding the place in America where there is true sophistication and connoisseurs of Zac Posen.”
The three-day trip kicked off April 20 when Becca Cason Thrash, a longtime friend and client of Posen’s, opened her home to welcome him and a gaggle of local socialites for a “Glamour Girls, Night Out”-themed event. The group of 60 or so then moved on for a dinner at acclaimed eatery Cafe Annie.
“It is the highest concentration of market research and inspiration I can find,” Posen said.
The partying continued the next day, when Gracie Cavanar, a supporter of the Grand Opera, was host at a pre-benefit dinner in the designer’s honor at her home. Posen enlisted Lynn Wyatt as his date for the night, and she wore one of his white suits. It featured a revealing back slit that was mirrored in her blouse, offering a peek of skin.
Between the women and the frocks, Posen found time to explore the city’s art collections, starting with Thrash’s new collection of Richard Prince pieces, as well as a private tour of The Menil Collection and the Cy Twombly museum, and a visit to the city’s Rothko Chapel. He also toured the Manil home, which was created by Phillip Johnson with interiors by Charles James, a designer Posen admires.
On Wednesday, Posen staged his fall runway show during a luncheon at the Zaza hotel, which was followed by a champagne reception and shopping event at a pop-up Saks boutique at the hotel. “We were able to sell numerous special-order pieces from the show, from the Pamela Love for Zac Posen jewelry to the encrusted stockings to gowns,” he said.
The event raised more than $100,000 for the Houston Grand Opera.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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It’s been weeks, no months, no a very long time and we have waited with baited breath to see the Notion Ink Adam hit retail. According to Engadget the day may finally come this Wednesday when pre-orders start getting filled and the Notion Ink Adam actually goes on sale.
According to a blog post on Notion Ink’s website they have finally been granted approval from the US government to start shipping.
At this years Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas the Notion Ink Adam garnered honorable mention at a show filled with tablets from some of the more widely known manufacturers.
We can’t wait to get our hands on an actual retail ready to ship unit.


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San Francisco’s most expensive unsold homes of 2021
January 1, 2022
If they sell in 2022, they’ll break records
Anna Marie Erwert | SFGATE.COM
2021 was the year of the luxury home in San Francisco, but despite hot demand for these uber-expensive properties, not every luxury listing flew off the market last year. In fact, some of them are still on the market as the year comes to an end.
These are the top three highest-priced homes that didn’t sell in 2021. If they do sell in 2022 at their asking prices, they will break existing residential sales records.
1. 2582 Filbert, $46 million
In June, this homemade news with its tremendous list price of $46 million. If it had sold, 2582 Filbert would have broken San Francisco’s record for the most expensive home sale ever, but as of Dec. 31, 2021, it hadn’t yet found a buyer.
The Cow Hollow mansion is 12,200 square feet of new construction, set on a triple-wide lot (the size of 4.62 standard city lots). The home was built with modern luxury tastes in mind, with a 72-foot pool, gym, and roof deck, plus a tech-friendly Tesla wall and smart mirror in the primary bathroom. Despite all these amenities, and despite a record-breaking year for luxury homes in general, 2582 Filbert has yet to find its first owner.
2. 2006 Washington, penthouse unit, $45 million
In October, this luxury penthouse co-op came to market hoping to break not one, but two records: both sale price and price per square foot. The 1924 trophy building offers stunning architectural detail and impressive city views, but its asking price is daunting. If this three-bedroom, three-bathroom abode sells for asking, it will command over $8,000 per square foot. Click here to visit compass.com for more info.
The current record for price per square foot fetched by a San Francisco co-op was set this year, by 2500 Steiner, when Unit #6 closed for $4,428 per square foot in early November. If the penthouse at 2006 Washington sells for asking in 2022, it will nearly double that record. Interestingly, this penthouse set the price-per-square record once before, when it sold for $32 million in 2015. “That $32 million sale only gave way to an even more expensive renovation by interior designer Suzanne Tucker,” wrote real estate blog the FrontSteps. Click here to read the article via thefrontsteps.com.
3. 2950 Pacific Ave., $29.5 million
With its proposed remodel, this home’s front door will actually open on Broadway, AKA Billionaire’s Row, a prominence that has yet to attract a buyer after more than 290 days on the market. The official listing promises that “the newly reimagined 2895 Broadway fully repurposes the existing home, and creates new living and entertaining space built into the hillside below.” The new mansion will feature 20,000 square feet, with eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. Click here to learn more about the listing.
The home was built as a Gold Coast Dutch Colonial in 1907. According to the FrontSteps, “Zynga founder Mark Pincus bought this place for $16 million in 2012 but sold it to developers only a few years later.”. Click here to read the article via thefrontsteps.com.


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Did you snag a Huawei Mate50?
At 10:08 am yesterday, Huawei's long-awaited Mate50 series finally launched,The Mate50, Mate50 Pro and Mate50 RS Porsche designs are all on sale, starting at 4,999 yuan.
Frankly speaking, this is not a cheap price for a mobile phone, but because of Huawei's excellent innovation and product power, millions of people flocked to Huawei,They sold out in ten seconds.
According to the pictures exposed by netizens, Huawei's offline stores are also in a long line, and sales are booming.
According to industry insiders,The first batch of Huawei Mate50 series was actually ready to ship as many as 4 million units, but that number was quickly snapped up.
Therefore, the price of Huawei Mate50 series in the channel is also soaring, which is stronger than iPhone 14. Among them, the price of Mate50 RS Porsche design model has been increased by more than 7,000 yuan, and the spot price needs to be more than 19,999 yuan to get it, which becomes LDQUO again. Financial products & RDquo; .
But you don't have to worry about scalpers or other channels.
According to the latest news,At present, Huawei has urgently increased production of Mate50 series, and will continue to increase the amount of stock preparation and release.If you want to buy it, just keep an eye on the official buying time.
We believe that with Huawei's supply chain capability, we will soon be able to grab the mobile phone we like.
It is worth mentioning that according to the exposed data of the first 4 million stock volume has reached the bottom, Huawei Mate50 series is very hopeful to hit ten million sales, breaking the embarrassing appearance in the recent two years.
Huawei phones are really back!
Recommended use China IT News APP
Download flyfish app to read news


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Fashion enthusiast Jose Stemkens has gained worldwide attention from her lifestyle and fashion tips. The beautiful lady also gains immense fame from her clothing consult by the name of Sunrise Fashion Consulting.
However, Jose didn't jump to sudden fame as she worked to her bones, building an impressive resume.
Many people are well aware of Jose's succesful career, but only a few get a glance at her personal life.
Jose Stemkens' Net Worth From Career
Being a fashion enthusiast from a young age, Jose decided to pursue her dream in the respective field. While honing her skills and searching for a place to showcase those talents in Hongkong, Jose got hired by Heinz Krogner and Michael Ying to join Espirit, which specializes in casual wears.
Jose contributed ten long years to Espirit and moved from Hong Kong to Dusseldorf to Los Angeles and New York.
Look For: Paige Hathaway Age, Boyfriend, Net Worth
Then, Jose's next job was an international account manager at The Great China Wall, a global fashion brand.
Enhancing her passion, Jose got better opportunities as she joined a Dutch company, Dept &JC Rags, as its president responsible for the brand image, team placement, and whole structure including customs, shipping, warehousing, and team building.
Moreover, between 2013 to 2014, Jose served as vice president at House of Quirky in Los Angeles.
Armed with vast experience, talent, and confidence, Jose relocated to Los Angeles, California and established her own place, Sunrise Fashion Consulting. As of now, she manages the overall company and its outlets.
Jose, who has been in the fashion industry for a long time while establishing herself, has kept her net worth behind the curtains. But from her success, she is believed to have amassed a considerable fortune as a fashion consultant's average salary ranges from $15K to $83K.
Married / Wedding Details With Husband, Children
Jose Stemkens was once happily married to American actor Titus Welliver, who stands at the height of 5 feet 11¾ inches (1.82 meters). Jose walked down the aisle and exchanged her wedding vows with her better half on 12 April 2014.
While the union never welcomed any children together, Jose was a stepmother to three children from Titus' previous marriages.
Jose Stenkens attends the New York Premiere of Transformers with her husband, Titus Welliver and three step-children, on 25 June 2014 (Photo: gettyimages)
Jose was relishing her married life with her husband until Titus filed for legal separation after five years of marriage.
Also Read: Kayla Maisonet Ethnicity, Boyfriend, Height
The announcement of their divorce didn't fail to shock everyone. And the reason behind the sudden separation remains undisclosed to date.
Born in 1987 in Tembisa, South Africa, Jose Stemkens celebrates her birthday on 29 December every year.
Her parents brought her up in Holland. Other than that, Jose has let people in on the details of her parents' identity, early childhood, or her educational background.
Nevertheless, according to the report of answersafrica.com, Jose has a brother and sister, but very less is known about them.


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Using statistics complied by Ascendant Corporate Finance, we can see that a total of 683m was invested through 131 deals of over 500,000 by 115 backers. That means 2015 figures now sit at 1.9bn from 365 deals.
Here are the ten largest deals from Q3 2015
Sector: Fantasy sports
Amount raised: 175m
In short: The Scottish fantasy sports venture secured the much-coveted $1bn valuation when it turned to multiple backers for its Series E round. New funds will be used to boost customer acquisition.
Sector: Food and drink
Amount raised: 45m
In short: Another young business gobbling up venture capital, Deliveroo closed its first of two 2015 funding rounds in July (a second in November brought in an additional 66m). Operating a delivery service for restaurants that dont do delivery, it has already expanded beyond Europe to the likes of Asia and Australia.
Business: Secret Escapes
Amount raised: 38m
In short: It had been a while since luxury travel offering Secret Escapes had raised any growth funds, but July saw it bank a sizeable amount with the intention of closing more acquisitions. As only the fourth business in Europe to get money from Google Ventures, Secret Escapes is shaping up for a big 2016.
Amount raised: 38m
In short: Made.com is part the brainchild of Lastminute.com co-founder Brent Hoberman, and operates as an ecommerce platform directly providing consumers with designer furniture but minus the third party involvement. Its 38m deal is designed to allow it to accelerate European expansion.
Amount raised: 32M
In short: Generating a lot less fanfare than its consumer-facing rivals in this top ten, AMCS is a software provider for the waste and recycling industry. It banked 32m to fund strategic acquisitions in existing core markets and central Europe.
Business: First Light Fusion
Sector: Renewable energy
Amount raised: £23m
In short: Spun out of the University of Oxford, First Light Fusion has pioneered a new process that can achieve the high temperatures and compression necessary for fusion reactions and other applications. The 23m it raised was actually its first funding round.
Sector: Business services
Amount raised: £22m
In short: As already explained in a feature on Real Business, Geniac describes itself as a service giving entrepreneurs their time back . Professional service firm Grant Thornton lead the investment, its first in a technology startup.
Amount raised: £20m
In short: MyOptique raised its funds to finance the acquisition of two companies German eyewear business 4Care and UK-based Eyewearbrands. The firm has now closed five fundraising rounds, bringing in a combined amount of 64m.
Sector: Social media
Amount raised: £17m
In short: Before it had even launched, Crowdmix managed to get angel investors to part with 17m to fuel its growth. With a mission to become the Instagram for music, the business recently hired Universal Music Groups Rob Wells as chief commercial officer ahead of a 2016 launch.
Sector: Cyber security
Amount raised: £15m
In short: A business backed by Autonomy co-founder Mike Lynch, Darktrace works as an anti-virus software that sits inside networks and uses machine learning to recognise abnormal behaviour. Its revenue is growing at more than 100 per cent a year, and plans to expand further in Asia-Pacific.


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Two Seattle companies — Amazon and Microsoft (I have no financial interest in their securities) — are vying for the position as the world’s most valuable company.
In the meantime, who will win the quarterly battle of beating and raising — that determines how their stock prices will trade in the next few days — will be settled later today.
Microsoft shares are down nearly 2% in pre-market trading after it reported slightly disappointing revenues. Meanwhile Amazon is expected to post 19% revenue and 51% earnings per share growth later today — its shares trade up 1.8% in pre-market.
I think Amazon shares will take a hit after it reports this afternoon.
Before getting into that, let’s review Microsoft’s report and preview Amazon’s.
Microsoft’s Slight Miss
Microsoft reported 12% revenue growth to $32.47 billion — $40 million below the number expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv — but EPS of $1.10 was a penny more than expected.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud business grew 76% — the same rate as it did the previous quarter.
But Microsoft did not report Azure revenues — instead they’re bundled into its Commercial Cloud category (Azure public cloud, commercial subscriptions to the Office 365 productivity software bundle, the Enterprise Mobility and Security products and commercial LinkedIn services) — whose revenues were up 48% to $9 billion, according to CNBC.
Microsoft’s top business segment, More Personal Computing — which includes gaming, search advertising, Surface and Windows — reported $12.99 billion in revenue — $81 million short of the number expected by analysts. As CNBC wrote, “revenue from Windows device makers fell five percent year over year in the worst results there in more than two years.”
CFO Amy Hood issued disappointing guidance for the current quarter ranging between $29.4 billion and $30.1 billion in revenue — the midpoint of which is just below the Refinitiv consensus estimate of $29.87 billion.
Hood expects Microsoft to suffer “continued market impact” because of a more limited supply of chips, and she said the PC conditions could also hinder Office consumer revenue growth.
Amazon Earnings Preview
Amazon is expected to report rising revenue and profit. Specifically, analysts expect Amazon to report 19% revenues growth to $71.89 billion and 51% EPS growth to $5.65, according to FactSet.
The Wall Street Journal expects Amazon to report a record holiday for online sales — having benefited from “thousands of closed Toys “R” Us stores last year.”
Amazon may also report better than expected advertising revenue. Despite a third place position in digital advertising behind Google and Facebook, Amazon’s “‘other’ revenue category, primarily comprised of ads, has been growing quickly and is higher margin than many of its other businesses,” according to the Journal.
Meanwhile, Amazon leads the $180 billion market for cloud infrastructure, which lets companies offload their computing and data storage.
Synergy Research Group reported that in the third quarter of 2018, AWS — with 40% public cloud market share — “remained the clear leader in all four of the world’s major regions, ranked by public IaaS and PaaS service revenues. Microsoft was ranked second in three of the four regions.”
AWS is expected to report revenue of $7.3 billion, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet, up 43% from the $5.1 billion AWS reported last year.
Amazon is competing by launching new services — such as its AWS RoboMaker that was adopted by companies like Stanley Black & Decker, Robot Care System, Open Robotics and FIRST, opening more datacenters globally and lowering prices, according to Zacks.
Sadly for Amazon investors, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analysts found that e-commerce giant usually does not beat and raise when reporting its holiday quarter results.
As MarketWatch reported, those analysts wrote, “History shows that Amazon has had limited success in exceeding Street expectations for revenue in 4Q, likely due to the lack of visibility at the time guidance is given, and difficulties in forecasting a high amount of sales volume in such a small window.”
In the last 10 fourth quarters, Amazon has only exceeded analysts’ expectations in 2017 and 2009 — it failed to beat in all the other previous ones, according to SunTrust.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s stock market capitalization is up 11% this month to $817 billion. This ties Microsoft’s market cap — which has inched up 3% this month.
If history is any guide, Amazon will miss analysts’ expectations for the quarter and its shares will be worth less than Microsoft’s by the end of the day.
Over the long run, though, I think Amazon will be more successful than Microsoft at tapping into big new growth markets — as long as Jeff Bezos remains CEO and he’s not too distracted by negotiating a divorce settlement with his wife, MacKenzie.
Site Search 360 Reports


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Holidaymakers who’re fully vaccinated will not have to take any Covid tests for travel out of the country, Boris Johnson has confirmed.
Speaking on a visit to a health facility, the High Minister mentioned that day two lateral drift tests – which can be currently required for fully vaccinated other folks entering the united kingdom – could be ditched, saving a circle of relatives of four round £A HUNDRED AND TWENTY. The changes are expected to come into impact at 4am on February 11.
It follows the finishing of pre-departure and PCR tests for vaccinated travelers in advance this month and can be observed as an immense filip for the shuttle trade prematurely of the February part-term holiday. The changes are expected to come into impact at 4am on Feb ELEVEN.
Vacation corporations have already reported a surge in bookings for part time period after the easing of restrictions and in anticipation of additional lifting of curbs.
Speaking sooner than a Covid-O cupboard committee meeting on Monday, Mr Johnson said the rustic was moving in the course of the omicron wave and “issues are beginning to get well”.
“On trip, to turn the country is open for trade, we will be able to see adjustments that folks no longer have to take exams if they are double-vaccinated,” he stated all through his talk over with to Milton Keynes University Health Facility in Buckinghamshire.
Covid passes for 12- to 15-year-olds
Youngsters elderly 12- to 15-years-antique also are set to receive get right of entry to to digital Covid passes in time for part time period. at the moment they’re excluded from the use of the pass machine, curbing their ability to simply turn out their vaccination standing.
This items problems for households vacationing to nations akin to France, Italy and Spain, which require everywhere-12s to be double vaccinated, or else face harder restrictions reminiscent of quarantine or daily checking out.
Folks are compelled to request an NHS letter confirming the vaccination status in their under-16s, in the event that they want to avoid those measures. The letters, which can be sought the use of the NHS 119 hotline or online, include a QR code like the app.
Bookings to all holiday locations have already jumped by 67 per cent on average compared with December 2021, in keeping with analysts Skyscanner.
A Few global and lengthy-haul beach and solar destinations are seeing demand return to levels above that in 2019 prior to the pandemic, in step with the corporate.
The destinations with the fastest rising bookings are Maldives (up ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE in step with cent), Mexico (up A HUNDRED AND TEN consistent with cent), Costa Rica (72 according to cent), Colombia (FORTY EIGHT consistent with cent), and Tanzania (39 in line with cent).
Paul Charles, chief govt of travel consultancy the pc Agency, stated: “Whilst it occurs, it will probably be an excellent boost for the travel sector and crucially for customers. it’s going to mean inexpensive holidays and work trips and the tip of the testing nightmare the industry has faced for almost two years.”


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That sure was quick.
This weekend, the hacking group unc0ver released a new tool that can jailbreak Apple’s newest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 13.5, just days after its initial debut. Per multiple reports, the tool works on all versions of iOS from 11 onward and doesn’t drain battery life or impinge on your device’s other apps and baked-in security measures.
“This jailbreak basically just adds exceptions to the existing rules. It only enables reading new jailbreak files and parts of the filesystem that contain no user data,” unc0ver’s lead developer, who goes by Pwn20wnd, told WIRED.
While jailbreaking can give users access to additional customization and otherwise prohibited apps on their devices, these perks come with added security risks that, coupled with Apple’s increasing focus on security, have quieted the iPhone jailbreaking community in the last few years.
However, that’s changed after Apple’s recent series of high-profile security blunders. In an interview with Motherboard, Pwn20wnd said this new tool marks the first time a jailbreak has been released that’s capable of working on all devices at launch since iOS 10. Though that doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple’s devices are becoming less secure, they argued:
“It’s just a big target for attackers,” Pwn20wnd told the outlet. “Apple is constantly adding more features to iOS that introduce new attack surfaces.” All these jailbreaks and attacks “found in the wild” serve to help the company learn from its mistakes and develop better safeguards.
Unc0ver’s tool exploits a zero-day vulnerability that the group declined to disclose, and it’s not open source. Pwn20wnd predicts that, as with the other security vulnerabilities Apple’s fixed retroactively, it’s likely just a matter of weeks before the company release a patch and closes the jailbreak.
Gizmodo has reached out to Apple for an official statement regarding this exploit, and we will update the story as soon as we hear back.


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Asus reveal new Eee PC with 8.9″ screen
ASUS has made several innovative improvements with the next generation of the Eee PC ? dubbed the Eee PC 900. These new technologies will bring about a brand new concept for Internet access with 1G of memory, larger storage of up to 12GB, and wider 8.9-inch screens. These new Eee PCs will cost 399 Euro each, and will be available in summer this year ? to select countries on the first wave of launch. All of these new models will be Windows ready, and will provide users with a chance to enjoy a brand new PC experience while on the go.
The new addition is dubbed the Eee PC 900, and has been pictured running XP. More here.


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HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 5, 2019, the ALLPCB International Operation Department attended the 10X Growth Conference ("the Conference"), hosted by China (Hangzhou) Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone and Qiantang New District Comprehensive Free Trade Zone Management Office, in Hangzhou, China. During the Conference, ALLPCB presented its previous work in terms of online branding and marketing. Other presenters included international and China-based companies such as Google, LINKJOINT, Orange Branding and Indahash.
With the focus of the Conference being digital marketing strategies and online brand building, ALLPCB showcased its past efforts to develop online traffic surrounding its brand. ALLPCB's online platform is committed to building a super factory with collaborative manufacturing capabilities. As such, ALLPCB has always utilized five key terms to focus its values as part of its online identity: "Data-driven", "Internet-based", "Collaboration", "Efficient" and "Win-Win".
ALLPCB further demonstrated how it has set itself apart in terms of brand recognition at the Conference. Being a leading cross-border e-commerce enterprise with a focus on one-stop shopping for PCB products, ALLPCB has broken conventions in the PCB industry by providing 24-hour ultra-fast prototype service without charging expedited service fees to help users shorten the research and development (R&D) period. At the same time, ALLPCB is running its self-operating portal website, ALLPCB.com, which is a professional and efficient online platform for electronic design engineers and hobbyists to make purchases and communicate with one another, thus gathering a large number of loyal users. ALLPCB's online ad program has also allowed ALLPCB to occupy a considerable share in the global PCB market.
The Conference further helped ALLPCB articulate its plans for the future of its online marketing and branding campaigns. In 2020, ALLPCB will invest considerably in social media to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to the website, ALLPCB.com. Key opinion leaders (KOLs) will also play a vital role in the company's marketing plan, as ALLPCB hopes to establish stronger ties with them to expand its brand recognition and influence.
ALLPCB is an ultrafast PCB super factory as well as an internet-based manufacturing company, committed to building an electronic collaborative manufacturing service platform. It offers professional one-stop service, including PCB prototype, PCB assembly, and components sourcing. Since its establishment, ALLPCB has reconstructed the traditional PCB industry through data-driven technology.
For more information, please visit: https://www.allpcb.com/


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This is a nice little find from the folks over at 9to5Mac: The creators of a new Kickstarter project called iEmu are working on a desktop emulator that lets you run iOS apps on your Mac or Windows machine, and your Android device. Hey, remember playing old school console games on your Mac? Now you'll be able to do so with all the new iOS games.
We're fans of wireless anything. After AirPlay debuted, we were doing anything we could to use it for whatever applications were compatible. But the native 720p resolution streaming cap is a little irking, especially for media hoarders. Enthusiasts Eric Govoruhk and Kelly McAteer solved this issued by figuring out a way to stream full HD 1080p video mirroring for the iPad 2 by using a wireless HDMI transmitter and USB battery pack. It's pretty awesome, and seeing it put to use is even more so. Check out the video after the cut.
If there’s one thing hackers love more than anything, it’s a new device to perform their trickery upon -- and this week, the focus appears to be on Apple’s refreshed Apple TV box, which appears to be possibly more hacker-friendly than the original version thanks to its iOS roots.
What manner of witchcraft is this? Surely it appears to be the devil’s work when an enterprising developer manages to port the Apple TV interface to his iPod touch -- before the new box even hits store shelves.
It’s nice to sometimes take a break from reporting about mythical products such as the Verizon iPhone or the Facebook Phone and just kick back for 35 seconds and watch video of an iPod nano walking. Wait, what…?
God bless those enterprising developers! Just because Steve Jobs and the rest of the Apple gang have thumbed down Adobe Flash on their iDevices, doesn’t mean that other folks aren’t working hard trying to find a way to do it. One of the latest is a service called Flash in a Pinch -- but don’t get too excited just yet, it’s only a proof of concept for now.
Palm, whiners of the tech universe, got pwned by the USB Implementers
Forum after complaining about iTunes blocking the Pre from syncing. If
you haven’t been following the Palm vs. Apple drama, here’s a quick


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Atlas Digital announced that Don Rohrer has joined the company as director of technical operations. He comes to Atlas after spending the past 10 years at Wexler Video where he has held many senior management positions, most recently serving as Wexler’s vice president of sales and mobile services.
“We are very excited to have Don join our team and to help drive the technology roadmap of the company,” said VP of sales and business development, Lloyd Guillen. “Don has an excellent understanding of our clients’ needs and we’re excited to have him lead our technical operations department to better serve them not only today but into the future. Adding Don to the team gives our clients one more resource on the Atlas Digital team to lean on as the postproduction industry continues to evolve,”
“Our clients have a vision and our job is to help create and deliver that vision,” said Rohrer. “The direction Atlas follows is one of innovation to further help clients design a workflow that best suits their needs.”
“Content producers can buy everything themselves now in retail stores or online,” Rohrer continued. “Atlas is a unique company in that we can provide workflow solutions and insight so that non-technical, creative people can focus on what they are trying to create as artists.”
During his tenure at Wexler, Rohrer began as director, nonlinear services and also held roles as VP of sales and VP of broadcast IT. Prior to Wexler, he was with 3 Point Digital where he started as a senior support representative/ACSR and moved up to senior sales executive.


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In light of the recent responses to the price surges of inebriated users Post New Year ride home, ride sharing company Uber is changing the game again.
In a press release late Monday, Uber announced it was moving away from its current “Surge” pricing model in favor of new “more hip” models of mobile device applications.
Uber stated in a press release Monday afternoon “Effective January 12th Uber will be moving to a Freemium model.”
Uber spokesman reassured its users that requesting a ride will work exactly the same.
Riders, who reacted to the change negatively online, indicated they dislike Uber’s continued persistence to “Drain every last penny from us”, didurmom a user of a popular social media site called Reddit.
Patricia Sten, 43, creator of ‘Moms against Uber’ posted her warning to other moms, “It starts out with just a ride, then you need to adjust the air, you get bored, or just need a drink of water and your ride has tripled in cost. Its outrageous and Uber does nothing to protect the college parents who saved their credit card on their son’s phone.”
Drivers alternatively were happy to hear Uber is providing a more progressive price model for them.
“This really opens us up to new market ventures. Now the fact I am an excellent small talker can rake in the big bucks.” Steven Stillwood, 26, an Uber driver informed us.
Lyft was reached out to comment on if they would be following pursuit of new price models but was unable to provide any information.


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Tijuana Flats, the brand known for its Tex-Mex food and hot sauce, launched its new website at www.tijuanaflats.com. The fast-casual restaurant’s website received a full creative and developmental overhaul, using responsive web design, which allows guests to navigate easily on most digital devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Aside from the enhanced functionality, the most noticeable change that Tijuana Flats fans will see is its video game–inspired design. Developed by the restaurant’s agency of record, Push, the new website changes in design based on the device being used, turning one website into three. Users will experience an arcade machine view on desktop computers, and two different hand held game platform views when using tablets and on smartphones.
In addition to the design, other enhancements to the website include flathead rewards, which make it easier to register to become a loyalty member; updated locations with Google Map integration and an individual page for location-specific information; a new option to purchase digital gift cards; and a careers page, which makes it easier to learn about careers and apply for positions.
Adding to the website’s interactivity is the new feature of so-called “easter eggs.” These secret and hidden items are incorporated throughout the site for users to find. Each one can be unlocked to reveal a secret action on the page.
“We’re interested to see how guests will respond to the new website,” says Brad Kaemmer, CEO of Tijuana Flats. “It’s easier to use than ever before, and we’ve worked very hard to not only maintain our brand’s culture, attitude, and freshness, but also made the website exciting each time guests visit.”
The five times weekly e-newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest industry news and additions to this website.


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We would like to express our sincere thanks to Gaudi Group for choosing Ariyana Convention Centre for the remarkable 10th Year Kick-off Party on July 16th, 2019. More than 240 members including the Management Board and personnel of Club99 and Club OneOpera had the chance to enjoy superb traditional Vietnamese cuisine prepared by the Ariyana culinary team while immersing in spectacular performances from famous singer Thu Minh.
On September 10th & 11th 2019, Ariyana Convention Centre was honoured to welcome 53 members from the leading Indian manufacturing company TRL Krosaki Refractories to attend the annual Sales & Marketing Meeting
From September 19th-27th 2019, the 28th meeting of the trade negotiating committee and related meetings for RCEP take place at Ariyana Convention Centre Danang with the participation of ministerial leaders of 10 ASEAN countries
On August 29th 2019, Danang Hotel Association in co-operation with Ariyana Convention Centre and Outsourcing and Purchasing Club - Central Vietnam Chapter organised the Danang Hotel Solutions Exhibition 2019 at Ariyana Convention Centre


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Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has announced the ‘TRANSFORM Plastics Challenge’- a programme to accelerate Indian start-ups. TRANSFORM is a joint initiative between Unilever, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and EY. This challenge, in collaboration with Social Alpha, will help tech start-ups from India working in the areas of plastic waste management and circularity.
Over the past few years, India has seen the emergence of a thriving start-up community with several organisations working to find social and environmental solutions. The TRANSFORM Plastics Challenge will identify start-ups working on developing technology solutions for processing plastic waste, economically viable reuse, or refill models, as well as material or substrate level innovations that make packaging recyclable or compostable.
The Challenge invites start-ups who are already building innovative and scalable solutions to apply and ensure that plastic waste does not end up in landfills and oceans but stays in the circular economy.
Deepak Subramanian, Executive Director, Home Care, HUL & General Manager, Home Care South Asia says, “True to the spirit of TRANSFORM, we intend to help accelerate Indian start-ups in building and scaling solutions that have the potential to be adopted at a global scale. We are excited to work with Social Alpha to help empower the next generation of start-ups that will pave the path to a waste-free world.”
Smita Rakesh, Vice President & Partner, Social Alpha says, “Entrepreneurship powered by innovation has a huge potential to address the problem of plastic waste and create impact through new material innovations, material recycling, complete packaging redesigns, and perhaps a more fundamental rethinking of delivery to the end customer. We are excited to work with TRANSFORM, given their experience in supporting social enterprises. With this collaboration, we are looking for disruptive innovations that will contribute to reducing the amount of plastic in the value chain and introducing circular models to packaging.”
The Unilever Compass, which drives the company’s sustainable business growth vision worldwide, lays down specific targets for building a waste-free world. HUL is committed to collecting and processing more plastic than it sells, and using 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging, by 2025. In 2021, HUL achieved its collect and process goal, four years ahead of schedule.


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Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has warned that cyber attacks cost the UK economy billions of pounds each year.
Speaking on the launch of a new security cell to combat cyber attacks, he said the government intends to make Britain one of the safest places to do business in cyberspace.
Mr Maude said: "We know that cyber attacks are happening on an industrial scale and businesses are by far the biggest victims of cyber crime in terms of industrial espionage and intellectual property theft."
More top news
A Nigerian bread seller has landed a modelling contract after walking by chance in to shot during a photoshoot for pop star Tinie Tempah.
Scientists are about to provide an update on the search for gravitational waves, 100 years after Albert Einstein predicted their existence.
The draft Investigatory Powers Bill - dubbed the "snooper’s charter" - requires "significant work", a committee of MPs and peers has said.


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Is the long-awaited Apple tablet just weeks away?
Apple is preparing to show off a new, larger mobile device with a higher resolution display in January -- probably a version of the Apple tablet we've been hearing about for months -- according to a plugged-in source in the mobile industry.
Apple has been telling some app makers to prepare apps for a demo next month, according to this source. "They've told select developers that as long as they build their apps to support full screen resolution -- rather than a fixed 320x480 -- their apps should run just fine," our source says.
The device won't go on sale in January, according to this source -- just the demo. This is presumably so Apple can give other app makers time to prepare their apps for larger-screen devices, a project that will range in complexity depending on the app. Previous reports suggest a tablet will be available in March.
One possibility -- increasingly likely, we think -- is that this is the first of several tablets Apple will announce over the coming months. According to mobile blog Boy Genius report, Apple is "100%" likely to announce a 7-inch tablet in January. The FT also suggests Apple could unveil a tablet next month. At four times the screen size of an iPhone, this is exactly the "iPod touch HD" we envisioned a year ago.
This could be in addition to a 10- to 11-inch tablet the company has supposedly been working on. No shocker. We assume tablets -- or at least multi-touch screen technology -- will eventually penetrate more Apple product lines, including portable Macs and maybe even desktop Macs.
A January demo may seem like curious timing: One reason Apple supposedly pulled out of the Macworld Expo is that January is not the best time to demo new hardware, falling right after the holiday shopping season and right after many employees would like to be on vacation.
But Steve Jobs has never been one to follow even his own rules, so we wouldn't rule anything out -- especially for a device that won't ship until later, anyway. And if Apple could start selling the tablet in the spring, it would presumably clear up some teams to deliver the new 2010 iPhone in its usual June/July release.
It would also be an awesome way to step on the Google Phone announcement, which is supposedly scheduled for January.


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Apple has finally made its move into the wearables market official with the unveiling of the Apple Watch at an industry event in Cupertino, California on September 9, 2014. As expected, the Apple Watch is built around comprehensive health and fitness tracking features, something the company’s CEO, Tim Cook, has said is “personal” to him.
Some industry observers expressed surprise at just how comprehensive these health and fitness tracking features are. Many had expected that Apple’s first foray into the wearables market would be tempered with a conservative approach, with the Apple Watch limiting itself to features seen in its prime competitors, notably the Nike FuelBand. However, at first glimpse, it appears Apple has gone above and beyond what many expected.
Here’s a rundown of the Apple Watch’s key health and fitness features:
- The wearable includes specially designed LEDs which will measure users’ heart rates in real time. These sensors can be used to track workout intensity, and to generate data for later relay to family doctors.
- Built-in “Fitness” and “Workout” apps will generate comprehensive data to help users monitor their general health.
- “Stand,” “Move” and “Exercise” functions will help users minimize the amount of time they spend sitting, track incidental calorie expenditure through normal daily activities, and compile searchable and sortable data during and after workouts.
The Apple Watch will also support the integration of personal health and medical records into the watch, which will theoretically help users if they are ever in need of emergency medical attention.
Healthcare app developers will have a powerful new platform to explore when the Apple Watch goes on sale in early 2015. It is a powerful device, and early reviews indicate that its capabilities far out-measure those seen in its primary competitors.
If you’re part of a Bluetooth app development company, you should also know that the Apple Watch supports NFC technology, making it possible for users to transmit data and make payments with a simple swipe of their wrists. Should the Apple Watch become as popular as many expect, it will make the development of a whole host of new NFC-powered apps a viable prospect.Tags: apple watch, ble apps, fitness tracker, healthcare medical app, infrared, led, medical devices, mobile healthcare, nfc apps, nfc tech, smartwatch technology


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Google has released a new feature called Sound Notifications
Sound Notifications will send you a pop up notification whenever it detects a suspicious sound
The feature can detect ten different sounds, as of now
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Android has just debuted a new and rather useful feature in the form of Sound Notifications. Designed specifically for hearing impaired users, the feature is also useful for everyday folk as well. The feature will deliver a pop-up notification whenever it detects a particular noise at home. For example, say you have your noise-cancelling headphones on and can’t hear what’s happening, your phone will send you a push notification, turn the flash on your camera on or even vibrate your phone. The feature is now supported by WearOS devices and work offline as well.
As of right now, the Google Sound Notification system can detect ten different sounds and noises such as dogs barking, smoke alarms, shouting, knocking, water running and more. The feature already comes installed on Pixel phones and a few other select Android phones. In fact, it also comes with the Pixel 4a that was launched in India, today. Sound Notifications was developed using machine learning and is essentially an extension of Google’s work with Live Transcribe.
The feature also comes with a timeline so that you can actually monitor a history of what sounds have been recorded and logged over the past few hours. It really is a novel feature that could have many practical uses. Parents could use it to monitor their infants, Nurses could use the feature to monitor their patients as well. There are a ton of imaginary use case scenarios with this new feature.
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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is planning to use blockchain to prevent unsolicited telemarketing communications, Business Standard reports today, May 30.
Trai claims that the technology will enable regulators to accurately track ‘pesky’ telemarketing spammers, who often use unregistered 10-digit phone numbers to evade tracking. Trai Chairman RS Sharma claimed that Trai is “probably the first organization” to implement blockchain as a RegTech (regulatory technology) “on such a large scale,” explaining:
“Blockchain will ensure two things — non-repudiation and confidentiality. Only those authorized will be able to access details of a subscriber and only when they need to deliver service… [in cases where consent] is misused... the subscriber will be able to revoke consent whenever they desire through a Trai app.”
According to Sharma, 30 bln commercial messages are sent out in India every month, of which many are unwanted. To date, 230 mln subscribers have reportedly registered for Trai’s “Do Not Disturb” registry, which came into effect in 2010, but has so far failed to crack down on telemarketers.
Blockchain can be leveraged as a digital record that tracks the “entire communication between entries involved." Even in those cases where a spammer uses a 10-digit number, telecom users can report the communication and the data can swiftly be matched using the blockchain.
Trai’s Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations 2018 draft will be open for public comment until June 11. The regulations notably propose that consent to commercial communications should be “reviewed periodically” to ensure it is not abused. Business Standard further reports that the regulations are expected to be finalized by July.
Last year, Cointelegraph reported on a blockchain-based RegTech initiative aimed at improving consent management and compliance in the digital identity sphere. A new Cointelegraph opinion piece has also considered how personal data stored on the blockchain will interact with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws, which came into effect in the EU last week.


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Microsoft announced today that CEO Steve Ballmer will retire within a year as soon as a successor is named. The stock market treated this as very good news (courtesy Zero Hedge)
As always, I expect the traders got carried away by unwarranted exuberance. Mr. Ballmer may have been unable to break Microsoft out of its large company doldrums, but it isn’t obvious that the Microsoft board will find anyone who can.
“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”
Large companies always seem to believe they need slogans to inspire the troops (and shareholders) and "devices and services" is Microsoft’s current one. It will be interesting to see how long this slogan survives a new leadership and whether Microsoft can be rejuvenated short of a near death experience. For the moment though, Microsoft still has a sturdy herd of cash cows that can fund a lot of continued floundering.
In the meantime, here’s a reminder of happier days in Redmond:
The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft Corp. €561 million ($733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser.
The penalty is a first for Brussels — no company has ever failed to keep its end of a bargain with EU authorities before.
The commission’s top regulator, Joaquin Almunia, said at a press conference in Brussels, Belgium Wednesday that negotiated settlements are vital for enforcement to be carried out quickly. But he warned that the whole point would be undermined if companies then don’t abide by the terms of the settlement.
"They must do what they committed to do, or face the consequences," he said.
Almunia added that the large fine took into account the size and length of time the company violated the terms of its agreement, as well as the need to defer other companies from backsliding on their promises to competition authorities. He said the fine was less than it might have been because Microsoft had co-operated with the investigation.
Quite a profitable racket they have there.
A top Dell executive warned Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer not to call its new tablet operating system “Windows RT” because the operating system wasn’t compatible with other versions of Windows and the name would only lead to widespread confusion.
Speaking to analysts at the Dell World conference in Austin last week, Dell’s vice-chairman and president of its PC business, Jeffrey Clarke, said he told Mr Ballmer the “Windows” brand was meant to signify that an operating system was compatible with Windows applications. As Windows RT couldn’t run Windows applications, it should be renamed, he said.
Mr Ballmer had replied that the Windows brand was too important a franchise to not be used with Windows RT, Mr Clarke said.
Had Microsoft listened to Dell, it could have avoided one of the major criticisms of its new operating system: that Windows RT looks so much like Windows 8 it’s too easy for a consumer to mistakenly buy a Windows RT device, not realising it’s not a regular Windows device.
Instead, Microsoft has reportedly had to offer relaxed return policies for its own “Surface with Windows RT” tablet, specifically for customers who got the tablet home only to discover their favourite Windows applications wouldn’t run on it.
They could always have called it Windows Mobile. Oops, that’s been used. Maybe just something more distinctive than "RT" would do? How about Windows Zune?
Actually, I would worry more about consumers buying a PC with Windows 8 and not realizing it isn’t a regular Windows device.
Windows unit president Steven Sinofsky is leaving the company, effective immediately, AllThingsD has confirmed.
The move comes less than a month after Sinofsky presided over the launch of Windows 8 and Microsoft’s Surface tablet–products seen as key to the future if the PC software pioneer is to retain its position amid a market increasingly dominated by phones and tablets.
Sources have said the move came amid growing tension between Sinofsky and other top executives. Sinofsky, though seen as highly talented, was viewed at the top levels as not the kind of team player that the company was looking for.
Sinofsky has been widely reputed to have an abrasive personality for years, so one really has to wonder at the proximate cause of his departure. Still, team player or not, Sinofsky has to get credit for the Microsoft recovery from the Vista debacle with Windows 7.
The official press release is even more opaque as expected, but here’s the new leadership:
Julie Larson-Green will be promoted to lead all Windows software and hardware engineering. Tami Reller retains her roles as chief financial officer and chief marketing officer and will assume responsibility for the business of Windows. Both executives will report directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.


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JERTIH, Jan 6 — The water supply disruption affecting 11 villages in Kampung Raja and Keluang subdistricts here that began at the start of the year and is expected to last till January 21, will not only impact domestic users, but also local businesses, especially laundrettes and resort operators.
Damai Beach Resort assistant operations manager Hafizuddin Amlin said the resort would face issues obtaining clean water for their guests.
“Syarikat Air Terengganu Sdn Bhd (SATU) does offer water supply service to commercial interests like resorts for a certain fee.
“But we feel it is ineffective for us to use this service as our high daily water usage will surely raise our operational costs,” he told Bernama at the resort near Bukit Keluang beach here today, adding that he had to carry 2,000 litres of water every three days in Jertih, which is 40 kilometres away.
“The water supply ferried by lorry is only for special functions at the resort hall, while water for rooms are drawn from tube wells.
“Our guests have complained of the unsatisfactory quality of water as it has a rusty colour, but we have to resort to such measures,” he said as he expressed hope that the problem could be resolved earlier than the expected period.
Meanwhile, Che Zaini Hassan, 51, has had to shutter his laundrette at Kampung Pangkalan Nyireh for three days from Tuesday till Thursday due to the water disruption.
“I had to hire people to install a tube well at the back of my laundrette to ensure I can continue operating.
“My laundrette only opened yesterday using tube well water, he said as he suggested that certain measures be taken, including the installation of a bypass of the water main, to ensure such water supply disruptions do not occur for long periods. — Bernama


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Sony will adapt the newly published book No Place to Hide, which focuses on the Edward Snowden data privacy story, into a movie that will be produced by the people behind the James Bond movie series.
Neowin Holiday Giveaway: Thecus 5550 NAS
Windows 10: The x64/x86 ISO's are here
Playbulb Color: The Bluetooth enabled multi-color light bulb and speaker
All the news on Windows 10
Catch up to Windows Phone news
The evleaks Twitter account claims to have gotten a hold of five new product code names for future Nokia devices, including two names that are based on James Bond movie characters.
We can now confirm, via our sources, that Activision's rights to publish games based on the James Bond franchise have expired. There is no word on which publisher will obtain that license.
All of the James Bond PC games that were published by Activision for the PC have been removed from sale from Steam, including the most recent game 007 Legends.
A company is holding special events at 10 movie theaters on November 9th, not only to show the upcoming James Bond movie, Skyfall, but also to demonstrate Windows 8 on Dell products.
Activision has confirmed that the second mission for its upcoming James Bond shooter 007 Legends will be based on the classic Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
The first trailer for 007 Legends has been released, showing that the upcoming James Bond-based shooter will have a mission based on the "Bond in space" movie Moonraker.
Activision has announced plans to release a new Xbox 360-PS3 game, 007 Legends, that will mix elements of several James Bond movies, including the upcoming film Skyfall.


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The number of people who have died in the cantaloupe listeria outbreak in the US has reached 23, according to the latest government data.
The figures, measured until 0900 EDT on 11 October, also showed one pregnant woman had a miscarriage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The agency also reported that 116 people had been infected with the four outbreak strains of listeria monocytogenes.
Last month, US firm Jensen Farms recalled cantaloupes sold under the Rocky Farms brands. The CDC said the affected cantaloupes should no longer be on sale but added more illnesses could emerge. Up to two months can elapse between eating contaminated food and developing listeriosis.


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Post-EMV Effect of More CNP Chargebacks and False Declines
Last October’s EMV liability shift brought the US into the fold as one of the final major economies to make the switch to chip-and-PIN point-of-sale technology. Veterans of EMV shifts in other parts of the world, including the EU and Latin America, warned that a surge in CNP fraud would almost certainly accompany the US EMV changeover, as it had in other markets. So far, the numbers bear this out, with CNP fraud ramping up ahead of the switch.
The good news is that by studying what’s happened post-EMV in other markets, merchants can reduce their risk of higher chargeback costs with minimal impact on the customer experience. The less-good news is that, like any other human endeavor, seeking out and adopting better fraud prevention methods is often left until it becomes a large and costly problem. The bad news is that if those new fraud controls raise the rate of false declines based on broad generalizations about customer behavior, merchants face a new and potentially worse problem.
Fewer chargebacks, more false declines
Research presented by MasterCard and Javelin found that 32% of customers who are falsely declined never shop with that merchant again. That amplifies potential losses over time, especially because many of these shoppers are affluent and well-traveled—the exact type of customer many retailers hope to retain for life. Because false declines carry such a high potential cost, the research found that they cost US retailers 13 times more than card fraud does; it’s important to choose fraud mitigation strategies that combine robust chargeback prevention with careful analysis and evaluation of potential declines.
Post-EMV lessons from Latin America’s largest market
Based on observations of Brazil’s EMV changeover which took place from 2008 to 2011, there are [to continue reading at Let's Talk Payments, please click here]


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By Aniruddha Ghosh
(Reuters) – Jeff Bezos’ surprise move to step down as chief executive of Amazon.com Inc quashed Wall Street optimism about bumper quarterly results, but analysts were upbeat on the promotion of its cloud computing head to the top job.
Andy Jassy has long been considered a strong contender for the top job since Amazon.com Inc created two CEO roles in 2016 reporting to Bezos, the other held by recently retired consumer CEO Jeff Wilke.
However, few were expecting Bezos to step down when the company on Tuesday reported sales above $100 billion for the first time in a hugely successful year delivering goods in the coronavirus pandemic.
“We expect Amazon’s equity to trade higher … but expect a more tempered response given the change in CEO,” Citigroup analysts wrote in a research note.
Shares of the company, which gained about 76% in 2020, were up marginally on Wednesday morning at $3,444. They rose 8% since mid-January in the run-up to the results.
“The upside to the stock price is limited given the performance into the numbers and given what’s coming in the next 3-6 months – the vaccine rollouts,” said Keith Temperton, an equity sales trader at Forte Securities.
“Amazon model might be seen as starting to get a little bit expensive, given that people might start thinking about actually leaving their houses.”
At least 17 brokerages raised their price target on Amazon and 46 brokerages have a “buy” or higher rating on the stock, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon.
Jassy, 53, joined Amazon in 1997 after Harvard Business School, founding Amazon Web Services, known as AWS, and growing it to a cloud platform used by millions of customers.
Analysts noted that Bezos, now among the world’s richest men after starting Amazon as an internet bookseller in a garage 27 years ago, had already stepped back from much of the company’s day-to-day operations.
J.P.Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth dismissed some concerns around Jassy’s lack of experience in retail, saying that Jassy would continue Bezos’ same core values and beliefs given similar operating cultures between the consumer and AWS businesses.
“As part of Amazon’s S-team for years, Jassy has still been close to the Consumer business in which he originally started at Amazon,” Anmuth said.
(Reporting by Aniruddha Ghosh, Susan Mathew and Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)


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Walmart is acquiring Bonobos, a menswear retailer launched online in 2007, for $310 million in cash.
Following the closing, Andy Dunn, founder and CEO of Bonobos will report to Marc Lore, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. e-commerce. Mr. Dunn will oversee the company’s collection of digitally-native vertical brands, says Walmart. These are brands born online, and owned from design through distribution. The brands will be offered on Jet.com and possibly other Walmart brands in a variety of countries over time, and include Bonobos and recently-acquired ModCloth, according to the company.
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close toward the end of the second quarter or the beginning of the third quarter of this fiscal year.
In its most recent quarter, Walmart saw 63 per cent growth in U.S. e-commerce sales, the majority coming from organic growth in Walmart.com.
Citi is serving as financial advisor to Bonobos for the transaction and Fenwick & West is serving as its legal advisor. Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Hogan Lovells are serving as legal advisors to Walmart for the transaction.
[Image courtesy: Bonobos]


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Tokyo: The Japanese Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 years, a measure aimed at encouraging the participation of young people in the society in the face of a rapidly ageing population.
The measure, set to come into effect in April 2022, would allow young people over the age of 18 to marry without parental consent, although the legal age for drinking alcohol, smoking or gambling would continue to be 20, Efe news reported.
Men above 18 and women over the age of 16 were already allowed to get married in Japan with parental consent, but the new measure eliminates this clause and also raises the legal marriageable age for women to 18.
The new law is in line with the one already approved by the Parliament, or Diet, in June 2015, which reduced the minimum voting age from 20 to 18, the largest electoral reform in the country since 1945, putting it at par with most other democratic countries.
Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, following her vote in the Diet's Upper House, highlighted the significance of the new law that will empower those above 18 years of age to make their own life choices.
There will also be reviews of 22 other laws related to nationality and the issuance of passports.
The Diet last week also approved an amendment in the consumer contract law to protect vulnerable young consumers from economic fraud, so that transactions in which the seller exerts some kind of pressure on the consumer -- even if they are above 18 -- could be cancelled.


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Do you have an interesting story or news tips to share about a local business? Ideas can be shared with business reporter Kayli Reese at firstname.lastname@example.org or 563-588-5673.
Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-state area. This edition highlights developments in Dubuque, Guttenberg, Iowa, and Galena, Ill.
A Dubuque electrical contracting company has moved to a new location.
A&G Electric has moved from 490 E. 14th St. to 10501 Iowa 3, next to Minnesota Furniture. A&G Electric started in 1983 by Wayne Gartner and Rick Ackley, the latter of whom is the father-in-law of current president and owner Barney Grobstick.
“We grew pretty quick, and we ran out of room,” Grobstick said of the old location. “This new building allows us room for what’s next.”
Grobstick said the new facility was most recently the home of Quincy Bag, but it also used to be the location of Kirchhoff Distributing Co. Budweiser signs related to Kirchhoff still hang in the building.
Grobstick said he closed on the new building in February, and employees moved into office spaces in June. Over the summer, staff have been getting equipment and parts into the new warehouse space.
The new facility is 30,000 square feet, 25,000 square feet of which is for the warehouse. Grobstick said the previous 14th Street location was 4,000 square feet total.
“We had nine employees in 2014,” he said. “We have 52 employees today.”
Last week, the community was invited to tour the new facility, which Grobstick said underwent a complete renovation.
The new office space offers several new amenities to employees, including a conference room and training room. Photos of a handful of projects A&G Electric has worked on, such as Dalzell Field, hang from the walls, as well as original A&G Electric signs from the business’ three previous Dubuque locations.
Though the business’ facility has changed, the business remains family-based. Grobstick’s wife, Michelle, and son Zachary also work at the business, and his son Carter is completing an apprenticeship there.
“It truly is a family business,” Grobstick said. “I’ve been blessed to work here.”
A&G Electric is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but it also offers 24/7 emergency electrical services. The business can be reached at 563-588-4253 and found online at agelectricdubuque.com.
German beer hall opens in Clayton County
Sisters native to Guttenberg have opened a German beer hall in a historic building.
Jessi Eulberg and Joy Meyer opened Rathskeller in the basement of the historic Albertus Building, 218 S. River Park Drive, on Friday. The sisters also own the store Roots, which is upstairs from the beer hall.
“The town itself has a German heritage,” Eulberg said. “Every year, we celebrate GermanFest. We want to help build the Guttenberg downtown area and get tourism up and running.”
Eulberg said the basement of the Albertus Building was initially used as a cold storage space in the 1850s. The space was turned into a bar in the 1960s, but the bar closed in 1975.
“It was sitting there empty,” Eulberg said of the basement. “We got the wild idea to see if we could open it again.”
To stay true to German roots, Eulberg said Rathskeller will sell only German beer and soft pretzels. Currently, she said the business has 17 different beers, all from Fahr Beverage out of Waterloo, Iowa.
“It’ll be a seasonal establishment, just like the store upstairs,” Eulberg added. “This building is impossible to heat and cool.”
Rathskeller will run this year from Labor Day weekend to the end of November. Next year, it will run from May to November.
Hours will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Galena store sells collection of fossils, historic prints and maps
A newer store in downtown Galena focuses on selling a man’s collection of historic items, including fossils.
Rick Pariser opened Rix Antiques, 235 S. Main St., in July. The store is located in the same building as Fraternal Order of Eagles, across from DeSoto House Hotel.
“I have hundreds of maps and prints, boxes of fossils and heaven knows what other materials, and I’m going to be 75 years old,” Pariser said. “That’s the motivation (for opening the store). I don’t want to leave someone else to deal with finding a place for all this stuff.”
Pariser said he has collected fossils for more than two decades, starting with finding fish fossils in dry lake beds in Wyoming.
“I’ve got 20 years of accumulation of that,” Pariser said. “I find it really enjoyable and spend some time every summer doing that.”
He also spent time collecting fossils on the Jurassic Coast of the United Kingdom and northern Africa, which he said is a rich area for fossils of animals that roamed what is now the Sahara Desert.
Pariser also enjoys collecting old maps, and he has accumulated historic prints during his search for maps.
After deciding to sell his collections in a store, Pariser said, he asked about the open unit next to Fraternal Order of Eagles. The Eagles have owned the building for years, he said, but the space now occupied by Rix Antiques has been vacant for years.
Since opening, Pariser has enjoyed conversations with customers about his items, especially academics who teach him more about the historic items themselves.
“I get a lot of foot traffic because of the fossils,” he said. “That’s a big draw. The retail business is very good, and I’m distributing them to people who appreciate them.”
Rix Antiques is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.


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Iran and Iraq relations expand
Iraq is the biggest trade partner of Iran and Shalamcheh border is the most important route for Iraqis to procure their needed goods
Iran Press/Iran: Iran and Iraq have long standing relations. Khorramshahr and Basra are twins and entwined with share cultural and economic grounds.
" we, Iraqi Shiites, have long standing and deep relations with our Iranian brothers. 7000 Iraqis come to Abadan and Khorramshahr daily and visit their relatives" an Iraqi man said.
An Iraqi woman said that " we are treated friendly and brotherly, we express our gratitude for freedom of movement and shopping "
Many Iraqis are waiting in a long queue to buy Iranian high quality goods from Shalamcheh border terminal hall.
" Iranian vegetables and fruits are in high quality and living state" said an Iraqi waiting in the queue.
Shalamcheh border terminal is full of exporting building materials and food items due to export for Iraqis.
" the export items are building materials, petrochemicals, vegetables and dried fruits" said Memari, manager of Khorramshahr customs.
An Iraqi man says" we procure ironware to foods from Shalamcheh, the prices will go up in the event of the border close"
Iraq is the biggest trade partner of Iran and Shalamcheh border is the most important route for Iraqis to procure their needed goods.
In August this year, $36 million worth of goods was exported to Iraq from Shalamcheh border", said Bavi the head of general administration customs of Khorramshahr


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Toronto tech firm building second-gen 3D scanner with $858K from FedDev Ontario
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Funding to leverage $1.7M private sector investment, create 12 jobs
TORONTO—Canadian tech firm Matter and Form Inc. has launched a project to develop and commercialize a new 3D scanner with funding from the federal government as well as two private investors.
Based in Toronto, the company’s first generation scanner allowed customers to scan small objects and create computer models that could be reproduced with a 3D printer. Now working on the second generation of its technology, Matter and Form will take advantage of an $858,560 contribution from FedDev Ontario to bring its new product to market.
“Canada has the opportunity to establish itself as a powerhouse in 3D and other emerging technologies,” Drew Cox, the company’s CEO, said. “Supporting companies like Matter and Form Inc. shows the government’s commitment to ensuring the success of Canadian businesses that will lead us into the future.”
With the federal assistance in place Sandstone Asset Management and the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund have also agreed to provide up to $1,717,120 in funding for the project.
The development project is expected to create 12 new jobs.
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Topic: unlimited data plans
The new unlimited plan launches Aug. 12 and starts at $55 per month for one line.
Verizon expanded its unlimited plans to five, with the carrier reinstating a $10 per month fee for 5G service on its lowest cost Start Unlimited tier.
Visible hasn’t determined when or if it will reinstate the data speed cap, but plans to make the decision based on consumer feedback and needs.
US Mobile is growing and is now cash flow positive, according to the company's CEO.
With 5G set to roll out across a number of cities in the coming months, there has been remarkably little discussion of how 5G services will be priced.
U.S. Cellular confirmed that it will overhaul its pricing plans in a move that will raise the cost of its unlimited plans by roughly $5 per month.
T-Mobile introduced a less expensive version of its unlimited plan, offering four lines of no-frills service for $120.
The increasing speed of wireless has created a landscape in which 14% of U.S. households are in a position to cut their wired connection.
The executive in charge of AT&T’s wireless business sought to explain exactly how WarnerMedia might affect the company’s wireless business.
Sprint introduced a pair of new unlimited plans that put the carrier in line with the unlimited pricing strategies of AT&T and Verizon.