text:
SAINSBURY’S fuelled the supermarket price war last night by knocking 10p a litre off petrol.
Shoppers who spend £60 in one of its stores or online will get a coupon cutting a fiver off the cost of filling the typical tank.
The move heaps more pressure on Tesco as it prepares to reveal its worst fall in sales for 20 years tomorrow.
It also comes as Tesco digested an embarrassing report that exposed its £500million “Big Price Drop” campaign as a flop. The Grocer trade magazine found shoppers were paying £1.34 more for a basket of 33 staples such as bread, cheese, rice and eggs, than they had a week before.
Mike Coupe, Sainsbury’s commercial director, said: “Household budgets are stretched at the moment and there is no doubt that high fuel bills are playing a part in this.
“We aim to offer great value right across the store so we are sure that this fuel deal will be very popular.”
The vouchers certainly seem to be helping drive business to the supermarket forecourts.
Official figures reveal that fuel sales at grocers’ garages overall increased by 0.4% between April and June, while sales at oil giants such as BP slid by 11.2%.
Luke Bosdet of the AA said the Co-op’s decision in April to give people 5p-a-litre vouchers if they spent £30 was a “game changer”.
But his praise for Sainsbury’s offer was more reserved.
He said: “It’s fine if you are a family and are happy to spend £60 in one shop but not so good if you are single or a pensioner who wouldn’t normally spend so much.”


text:
You may have to get a Peacock subscription if you want to watch every single game in the NFL playoffs. The streaming service will serve as home to the first-ever exclusive livestreamed NFL playoff game, NBCUniversal and the league have announced. It’s a wild card game that’s scheduled to take place on January 13th, 2024, which is the first playoff weekend. And by “exclusive,” they meant it will not be aired on national TV or even on cable. Only the local markets for the two competing teams will have access to the game outside Peacock, through a local TV channel that’ll most likely be an NBC affiliate.
As The Wall Street Journal notes, the NFL made postseason games available for streaming in the past. However, this marks the first time one can only be accessed on a streaming service by most viewers. NFL chief operating officer Hans Schroeder has acknowledged that the decision could upset some fans who’ll have to get Peacock to watch that one game, but he believes it “will be transformative for sports on digital.”
In fact, Schroeder said the NFL will likely continue making one of its wild card games exclusively accessible via streaming going forward. Whether Peacock will carry the game again in 2025 will probably depend on how the 2024 game performs for the service: Peacock and the NFL only signed a one-year deal, which The Journal says cost around $110 million.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.
This story originally appeared on Engadget

domain: news


text:
A coalition of consumer, labor, health and business groups launched a television ad campaign demanding Albany pass legislation to protect patients from exorbitant surprise emergency hospital bills.
The Patient Protection Coalition created the ad, “Protect,” to expose the financial threat consumers can face when hit with excessive out-of-network emergency hospital charges.
The spot highlights the average out-of-network charges consumers in the New York metro area can face: an eye-popping $220,000 for a broken leg; $150,000 for a heart attack.
Patients end up bearing these costs, either in higher insurance rates, diminished benefits, or direct out-of-pocket expenses.
Consumer Reports, the United Federation of Teachers, the New York State Business Council, the New York State United Teachers and the CSEA are among more than 40 organizations urging Albany to pass this common sense consumer protection legislation.
If passed, the bill allows an independent arbitrator to review excessive emergency hospital charges, a process New York State already successfully uses with emergency room doctor bills.
The legislation (S.3171-A / A.264-B) will defend patients from abusive hospital fees and help end surprise bills for patients who wind up in out-of-network hospital emergency rooms.
The spot, “Protect,” began airing June 8 in Albany, Westchester and Long Island on traditional broadcast and cable. The cable run includes CNN, MSNBC, News12 and the Food Network.
Coalition partners will also share the ad, and a 15-second cut “Patient,” on their own social media platforms.
The ad was produced by Andi Johnson, partner in the television division of GPS Impact.


text:
Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture recalls beef report
The DCA - the Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture and the authors of a report on the climate impact of beef have decided to recall the report, as it does not live up to the university's standards for arm's length and independent research. The academic content of the report is to undergo an independent international assessment by peer review.
In light of the intense debate and criticism, and in agreement with the authors, the DCA has decided to recall the report entitled "The climate impact of beef and veal through the entire value chain compared with nutrition aspects in different dietary patterns".
"Questions may be asked about the report’s arm’s length from business interests, among other things because business partners have been able to provide input and comments during the writing of the report and the press release. This does not meet university standards concerning independent research, good research practices and research communication. Therefore, we’ve decided to recall the report. We cannot accept that such issues bring the integrity of the university into question, and our procedures will now be tightened up. As the report does not live up to our normal standards of arm's length, we will return the funding granted by Kvægafgiftsfonden," says Niels Halberg, director of DCA.
"We still stand by the research and its results, even though it fails to meet the arm's length principle. The best response to the academic criticism is to have international researchers review our methods and results via peer review," says Niels Halberg.
For further information, contact:
Niels Halberg, director of DCA
Tel: +45 87158037
Mobile: +45 29630093


text:
Three Arrows Capital’s co-founders are teaming up with CoinFlex, which stated the partnership is an outgrowth of its “commitment to establishing open and transparent financial markets.”
Similar concerns from the community were echoed by Wintermute, a major cryptocurrency market maker, who was fast to disassociate itself from a fresh fundraise by the co-founders of failed hedge firm Three Arrows Capital (3AC).
Three Arrows Capital’s co-founders are teaming up with CoinFlex
Su Zhu and Kyle Davies, co-founders of Three Arrows Capital, joined up with Mark Lamb and Sudhu Arumugam, co-founders of the struggling cryptocurrency exchange CoinFlex, to raise $25 million for a new exchange dubbed GTX.
According to GTX, it intends to establish an exchange where customers can trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, and debt claims on insolvent businesses like FTX. According to the presentation, the creators believe there is a “clear market need” to release $20 billion worth of crypto claims, which GTX claimed it could “dominate” in two to three months. The new rise, though, is part of CoinFlex’s own future rebranding strategy, and the present moniker, GTX, is merely being used as a placeholder for the time being, the company said in a blog post. According to the company’s blog post,
“Any new money collected will be used for operational growth, which we strongly believe will boost value for CoinFLEX creditors.”
The blog said,”This channel will not only be a chance to satisfy a significant number of current crypto debtors but, in doing so, will also attract new volumes to the exchange through crypto trading.”
The blog post stated that Lamb and Arumugam will both continue in their roles as the new businesses’ executives, with Lamb remaining in his role as CEO, and that it may add additional important individuals to management in order to develop and grow the business.
The CEO of Wintermute was one of the major voices in the crypto industry who quickly expressed their skepticism. Evgeny Gaevoy, the CEO of the market maker, tweeted on Monday,
“If you are investing into coinflex/3ac ‘exchange,’ you could find it a bit more difficult to deal with Wintermute in the future (on the relationship building side)”.
And since we are talking about cancelling stuff, if you are investing into coinflex/3ac “exchange” you might find it a bit more difficult to work with wintermute in future (on the relationship building side)
— wishful cynic (@EvgenyGaevoy) January 16, 2023
Additionally, he made it plain that his company will not invest in any initiatives, including those of the co-founders of 3AC. Gaevoy added in another tweet,
“Similarly, we are not going to be participating in venture rounds where these individuals are set to enter the cap table, so founders beware.”
In essence, a crypto market maker is a trading company that uses its own funds to wager on tokens and take the opposing side of trades on exchanges when other participants are attempting to enter or exit the market swiftly. Potential backers of the new company may be discouraged from investing in it if they see that a significant market maker, like Wintermute, which transacts more than $5 billion daily, has distanced itself from GTX.
When a wave of unanticipated liquidations prevented the Singapore-based crypto hedge fund Three Arrows from paying its debts, it went bankrupt in 2022. In July, Three Arrows filed for bankruptcy protection. The hedge firm owed creditors $3.5 billion at the time.
The co-founders of the hedge fund mainly disappeared from view when the liquidation began, but they reappeared after the bankruptcy filing of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX in November.
By initially asking claimants in the bankruptcy proceedings that have shook the cryptocurrency market to trade their claims on GTX, the newly formed company hopes to “lead the worldwide movement towards more financial transparency, liquidity, and predictability.” According to the pitch deck, these failures include BlockFi, which had borrowed money to 3AC and then declared bankruptcy, Celsius Network, and FTX.
If the users would also be able to exchange 3AC claims is not made clear in the presentation. Some 3AC creditors would have the option to convert their claims into equity in the new claim-trading corporation, according to a public reporter.
According to GTX, fees will range from 0.25% to 0.50%, and time to market will be “ASAP by end of February.” The presentation deck for GTX stated that after claims trading has attracted users, it will “fill the power vacuum left by FTX” by enabling users to trade cryptocurrency and eventually equities.
The cryptocurrency community as a whole, including Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Island Ventures, a publicly traded startup fund with a blockchain focus, was skeptical of the new project. In a tweet, Carter wrote, “Disgraced fraudsters collaborating with other disgraced fraudsters to trade claims from a collapsing fraudulent exchange seems backable.”
At the time of publication, none of the founders were available to comment on the pitch deck.
FightOut (FGHT) – Move to Earn in the Metaverse
- CertiK audited & CoinSniper KYC Verified
- Early Stage Presale Live Now
- Earn Free Crypto & Meet Fitness Goals
- LBank Labs Project
- Partnered with Transak, Block Media
- Staking Rewards & Bonuses


text:
A new restaurant in Greeley aims to bring authentic, home-cooked Italian cuisine to the community.
Capri Restaurant, located at 1825 9th St. in Greeley, is set to open Wednesday with a large menu featuring freshly prepared dishes inspired by Italian cuisine.
The building where Capri is located was once a popular Italian restaurant in the 1960s and 70s, said building owner Ali Emrami. When the restaurant’s owner died, the building was divided into different areas to house various businesses, including a hair salon and Moonlight Bridal.
“For years afterwards, the restaurant was a veterinary hospital,” Emrami said of the location of the new Capri. “I thought it would make a good restaurant for downtown.”
Emrami is the owner of Cattleman’s Steakhouse and Saloon and Restaurant Alberto.
Baton Konjufca, 28, is the owner of Capri and comes to Greeley from Cheyenne where he ran Napoli’s, a successful Italian restaurant at 1901 Central Ave. Konjufca began her culinary career working in restaurants in New York City before heading west to Wyoming.
“Greeley is a growing town, so I thought it would be a good opportunity,” Konjufca said. “I really love Colorado and thought why not try opening a restaurant here.”
With Italian chef Antonio working in the kitchen, everything will be done from scratch, Konjufca explained. The staff is dedicated to providing excellent service and food to members of the community.
The menu features appetizers like napoleon shrimp and fried ravioli, as well as salads, pizzas and baked pastas like baked ziti and a pasta sampler with lasagna, manicotti and ravioli.
House specialties include sausage pizzaiola, Italian sausages sautéed with mushrooms, onions and green peppers in a marinara sauce served over spaghetti as well as Viva Italia with sausages, chicken and mushrooms in a sauce Alfredo.
“Tour d’Italia with lasagna, chicken parmesan and fettuccine Alfredo is one of my favorite dishes on the menu,” Konjufca said. “I also like eggplant parmesan. Everything is delicious.
“We will also offer specialties like Osso Buco, which is veal.”
The restaurant also offers options for the whole family, with a children’s menu featuring cheese ravioli, spaghetti and manicotti.
Along with a variety of starters and main courses, Capri will serve wine, beer and a selection of cocktails, including classic Italian Bellinis and Negronis.
“We have tried to put Italian wines on the menu so that customers can have a more Italian dining experience,”
The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Sunday.
Due to COVID-19 limiting seating capacity, reservations are suggested and can be made by calling (970) 353-1850.
Take-out orders are also available.
For more information on Capri Restaurant, visit www.caprigreeley.com.


text:
Stephen Elop announced today that the Nokia Lumia 830 smartphone will launch on AT&T’s network this holiday season.
Elop, the former Nokia CEO who has returned to Microsoft as part of its $7.2 billion Nokia acquisition, made the announcement during his keynote speech at the CTIA Super Mobility Week in Las Vegas this afternoon. AT&T also just issued a short press release noting the news.
Microsoft unveiled the new Lumia 830 last week, describing the new phone as an “affordable flagship” device that offers advanced features at an unsubsidized price of 330 euros, or about $430. It has a 1MP front-facing camera and is the thinnest and lightest Lumia to date, at 8.5 mm thick and 150 grams, compared with 9.8 mm and 167 grams for the Lumia 930. The Lumia 830 is metal and polycarbonate and ships comes with Windows Phone 8.1, including Microsoft’s Cortana virtual assistant.
Pricing and exact release dates were not announced.
Aside from the Lumia news, Elop’s speech focused on Microsoft’s attempt to help people with both digital work and digital life. He noted how many have wondered why Microsoft doesn’t just focus on its immensely successful enterprise business.
“The very clear conclusion that we reached is that it is incredibly important that we appeal to every person — not only at work, but also at home,” Elop said. “We have to be great at both.”
Elop noted that whether you’re at a business meeting or video chatting with your daughter who just went to college, “it should be done the same way.”
“It should be simple and the experience should be recognizably Microsoft,” he said.
He added that the Nokia acquisition was “in many ways a declaration that we would be great at digital work and life.” Elop also touted the “really positive reviews” for the Surface Pro 3, and explained how the Xbox One offers a “key strategic foothold in the gaming space.” However, Elop did not mention Microsoft’s reported $2 billion bid for Mojang AB, the makers of the popular Minecraft game.
Elop ended his speech with this quote: “Innovation is anything, but business is usual.”
“Innovation demands risk, it demands courage,” Elop said. “You will see us innovate with new experiences and new mobile form factors in the very near future. Our success and your success comes down to this.”


text:
(CNN) Fed-Ex is helping job seekers. The company is offering free resume printing.
On March 10th, you can go to any Fed-Ex print and ship store and get 25 copies of your resume. The offer is good for March 10th only.
Employers cut some 600-thousand jobs in January, more than in any month since December 1974. Nearly 12-million Americans are unemployed.


text:
Kolkata: Disney Publishing Worldwide, a division of The Walt Disney Company (India), has entered into a licensing agreement with publisher Junior Diamond to launch its Disney Comics portfolio in the country.
For the first time, these comics will be available in vernacular languages. At present, only story and activity books in English from Disney Publishing are available in India. Last year, Disney test-marketed eight storybook titles in Marathi and Hindi as a precursor to the launch of Disney Comics.
Roshni Bakshi, regional director, Disney Consumer Products, India & Asia, said, "We are adding value to the comics portfolio by bringing them out in vernaculars, as well."
Disney's comics, targeted at the age group of 6-14 years, would be priced at Rs 25. For starters, every month two new Mickey and Donald stories would be released. Later, the range could be expanded to include Disney's other characters, including the Princess.
Disney is targeting to sell its comics through about 10,000 outlets, including mom-and-pop stores and newsstands.
Bakshi said comic reading habits are not waning among kids since Disney has received encouraging feedback from children for the 3-4 page comics published in its Disney Adventures magazine.
Bakshi added that Disney's special magazine, brought out through a tie-up with Kingfisher Airlines, has also received positive feedback from kids.
New York-based Disney Publishing, with over 340 regular titles, sells 274 million copies of children's magazines and 120 million children's books annually across the world.
Junior Diamond, which will print and distribute the comics, is the youngest division of the Diamond Group, which has been in the publishing industry for the last 70 years. Its titles include Grihlakshmi (a woman's monthly), Cricket Today (in English and Hindi) and Sadhna Path (a magazine on ayurveda and spiritualism).


text:
Assisted stretching studio StretchLab opens in Del Mar Highlands
StretchLab, the unique assisted stretching franchise, has opened its newest studio in Del Mar Highlands Town Center. The new state-of-the-art studio is located in the new “Fitness Row” at Del Mar Highlands, on the second level of the center’s expansion.
StretchLab offers a variety of one-on-one personalized stretching services with a trained “Flexologist,” including a 25-minute stretch that concentrates on the client’s current stretching needs, as well as a 50-minute head-to-toe deep stretch that addresses all major muscle groups. In addition to one-on-one stretching services StretchLab also offers two small-format group stretches
A studio preview event will be held Saturday, May 15 with prize giveaways, live music and partners such as A New Life Rescue (a local animal rescue) and Simple Abundant Life essential oils.
Del Mar resident Angie Cohen brought the LA-based boutique health and wellness studio to Solana Beach’s Beach Walk Shopping Center in 2019.
After leaving the corporate world of pharmaceutical sales, Cohen found her passion in the fitness industry. After having major back surgery in her early 20s, she understands the value that stretching offers and saw a real gap in the fitness market, especially in the recovery space.
“After the mandated shutdowns and reopenings of my first studio in Solana Beach, the feedback I receive daily by the community about how the pandemic has affected their overall health inspired me to launch StretchLab Del Mar as a place where people can get back on their wellness journey and significantly improve their overall wellbeing,” Cohen said in a news release. “Regardless of your age or athletic experience, assisted stretching proves to enhance your personal and physical health. I take great pride in the opportunity to provide such a valuable service to the community of Del Mar.”
Monthly memberships are available for four or eight visits per month, family membership plans, as well as drop-in stretches. The studio also has a retail storefront where members can purchase athletic apparel, muscle recovery tools and stretching equipment.
Stretch Lab falls under parent company Xponential Fitness, which includes the fitness brands CycleBar, Club Pilates, Yoga Six, Pure Barre and rowing concept Row House. A new Row House will also be opening soon close to StretchLab on Del Mar Highlands’ Fitness Row, which is also home to the new Club Pilates location. Row House is currently offering outdoor classes in the parking lot near El Pollo Loco.
StretchLab Del Mar is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. as well as Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit at StretchLab.com or call (858) 794-3000.
Get the Del Mar Times in your inbox
Top stories from Carmel Valley, Del Mar and Solana Beach every Friday for free.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Del Mar Times.


text:
Lexus is urging leasing companies to dispose of end-of-contract vehicles at closed electronic auctions to protect residual values.
Simon Frith, Lexus GB general manager, said: “Many prestige manufacturers have not been ready to deal with used cars coming out of the system. In September next year we have a lot of cars coming back from leasing companies.”
Lexus, which is preparing for the return of three-year-old IS200s, holds a weekly closed electronic auction at which its 48 dealers bid for defleeted ex-company vehicles. Hertz Lease has committed to the programme, with other leasing firms expected to sign up.


text:
19:27 Thursday, 26 April 2018
Straws have become the latest target in the world’s war on plastic, following a clampdown on single-use carrier bags and disposable coffee cups.
Just this month, the UK government announced that the sale of straws, drink stirrers and plastic cotton buds will be banned.
The humble straw is usually associated with children’s parties but they’re also used by people with disabilites and people with sensitive teeth.
Reusable straws have been around for awhile, they’re available to purchase in glass and stainless steel, but there’s now one you can bring around with you.
The world’s first collapsible, reusable straw has been invented and it fits on your key-ring.
FinalStraw folds down into a handy case and it comes with a tiny cleaning squeegee, which also fits into the case.
The straw was invented by Emma Cohen and Miles Pepper, after Emma saw countless discarded straws on the beach when travelling in Thailand.
Within 24 hours of going on Kickstarter, the project was already 575% funded.
Each FinalStraw costs $20 (around €16.50) and ships from Los Angeles.
You can order yours on Kickstarter but estimated delivery isn’t until November 2018.


text:
Officials believe a suspect automated flight-control system activated before a Boeing Co. 737 MAX nose-dived into the ground in Ethiopia, according to people briefed on investigators’ preliminary conclusion from data captured by the doomed flight’s black boxes.
The emerging consensus among investigators, one of these people said, was relayed during a high-level briefing at the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, and is the strongest indication yet that the same automated system, called MCAS, misfired in both the Ethiopian Airlines flight earlier this month and a Lion Air flight in Indonesia, which crashed less than five months earlier. The two crashes claimed 346 lives.
50% off + free delivery on $20 orders with DoorDash promo code
Expedia Coupon - 15% off for members
20% off your next online order - Walmart coupon code
- Office Depot & OfficeMax:
One Link for All Office Depot Coupon
Journeys Coupon: $20 off $100 + free shipping with email sign up
Get 20% off with online Target promo code


text:
For a second summer, the rental car industry has an undercurrent of intrigue as two big brands, Hertz Global Holdings and Avis Budget Group, court Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
For now, Hertz is the twice-jilted suitor, while Avis Budget lies in wait, hamstrung by an extended regulatory review.
Travelers, though, are more likely to find suspense in a summer page-turner than this long-running courtship. "All they care about is continuity of the overall value proposition, meaning price and quality of service, and dependability of the brand they have an affinity for," said Neil Abrams, a longtime car industry executive and consultant.
Frequent travelers expressed concern that, with fewer players, rental prices would go up.
A spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission said it did not comment on pending cases. It can challenge mergers and acquisitions that probably would lead to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers.
A spokesman for Avis Budget declined to comment.
Richard D. Broome, a spokesman for Hertz, said, "We of course want to purchase the Dollar Thrifty Group at a fair price," adding, "But at the same time, we have many significant ongoing initiatives to grow the business and provide even better customer service."
Rental car companies vary pricing based on brands and their target customers, according to Mr. Abrams. His consulting firm maintains a pricing index that aggregates rates from the major car rental brands at 10 big airports.
He said a traveler who booked a midsize car a week in advance at those airports for use on June 13 would have paid $85.61 at Hertz, $80.39 at Avis, $86.78 at National, $63.10 at Budget, and $57.39 at Dollar.
A traveler who reserved a compact car for a week would have paid $299.37 at Hertz, $286.49 at Avis, $296.81 at National, $226.56 at Budget, and $212.81 at Dollar. The prices exclude taxes, fees and surcharges, which can add 25 percent or more to the base rate in some markets.
Mr. Abrams said any consolidation at the top would not change those variations significantly. Over 30 years, with many ownership changes, the competitive price positioning of the brands has not changed much.
According to a 2010 market ranking based on fleet, locations, and revenue, Enterprise, made up of Alamo, Enterprise, and National, was the dominant car rental company.
Hertz, Avis Budget, and Dollar Thrifty follow. A combination of Hertz and Dollar Thrifty or Avis Budget and Dollar Thrifty would close the gap with Enterprise, said Chris Brown, executive editor of Bobit Business Media, publisher of Auto Rental News.
Guidelines: Please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Comments that violate these standards, or our privacy statement or visitor's agreement, are subject to being removed and commenters are subject to being banned. To post comments, you must be a registered user on toledoblade.com. To find out more, please visit the FAQ.


text:
A Burnaby resident who says she was swindled out of $16,000 in an elaborate cryptocurrency scam is speaking out to prevent others from being taken in.
Donna Stark told the Better Business Bureau she responded to an online ad that promised high-level growth for a small investment of $250 dollars into a cryptocurrency purportedly linked to Elon Musk, according to a Better Business Bureau news release.
Stark said she was quickly contacted by a salesperson who worked with her for several days to confirm her private information, according to the release.
She said she was then transferred to a “trader” who was supposed to help her make money through Shakepay, a Canadian mobile crypto-trading platform app used to buy and sell Bitcoin.
Stark said the trader used high-pressure tactics to make her believe she would miss out on the chance to make money in the market if she didn’t invest large sums.
“He only left me alone finally once he took out every penny from my credit card and my chequing account,” Stark said.
Later, the man’s partner phoned to say the market had crashed and Stark had lost all her money.
“I knew that this was not true and the whole thing was a scam and that they got what they wanted from me,” Stark said. “There was no one to phone as they used burner phones, and I wrote but they never responded.”
According to the latest BBB report, there has been an 87 per cent increase in online scams since 2015.


text:
Nokia 800 Not Sea Ray? Both Show Up on Game AnalyticsAugust 23, 2011 No Comments
Recently a really good way to spot new devices coming to Windows Phone has been to look atÂ the occasional gamers game analytics. Elbert Perez (the Occasional Gamer) has over 1- games on the marketplace and he publishes the stats from the games on his website. Things like daily and weekly game-plays but what has been gaining publicity as of late has been his breakdown of what devices are playing his games. Recently we saw a device named the Nokia 800 on the list and we said it might be the Nokia Sea Ray, Especially since of the high number which is indicative of a really sup-ed up phone. It looks like though as everyone was wrong to assume that the Sea Ray was the only high end device out there because both the Nokia Sea Ray and the Nokia 800 are listed at the same time.
Looks like there’s 2 different Nokia devices out there that might be ready to be released to the masses.


text:
UtterBerry Technology Company Creates 800 New Jobs
Utterberry sets up a massive manufacturing and innovation base in Leeds.
14:03 28 July 2021
Utterberry is set to create 800 jobs in Leeds as it moves its manufacturing and innovation operations to Yorkshire.
The firm, whose technology has been used on the likes of the Forth Road Bridge and London Underground, specialises in sensors that monitor the movement of infrastructure to see if there is any hint of potential displacement, movements or changes in temperature. In addition to sensors, the firm's Leeds manufacturing hub will also be used to design and manufacture new contactless Covid-19 symptoms scanners, which Utterberry hopes to roll out across the Uk and worldwide.
Founder and chief executive Heba Bevan said: “What attracted me to Leeds was I knew there was a huge amount of talent around Yorkshire because you have got amazing universities,” she said.
“There is a huge pool of undergraduate and graduate talent.”
“There are so many catastrophes that we could prevent, simply by monitoring,” she said.
“It will be their legacy that they have saved lives, and I think that is massive for engineers.
“Engineers want to do good and provide sustainable developments. The pandemic showed us just how much we are lacking in manufacturing.”
Its chair, Sir Roger Marsh, said: “It goes without saying that I am absolutely delighted to welcome Utterberry to Leeds in a move that will catapult the region into a new frontier as home to one of the most exciting global tech start-ups in the world right now.”


text:
Just over 28,000 Land Rover models are being recalled after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) discovered an issue with the automated tyre pressure monitory system.
The fault revolves around the fact that while the vehicle is on the move, the tyre pressure monitoring system may not function correctly and display a low tyre pressure warning light even if nothing is wrong. The NHTSA says that if one of the tyres were then to loose air pressure, the driver would not be notified of any change.
The recall affects 28,037 Land Rover models from the 2013-2014 LR4, 2014 Range Rover and the 2014 Range Rover Sport built from September 16, 2013 to June 30, 2014.
To fix the problem, an update to the Body Control Module is being offered while for the 2013 LR4, new sensors will be installed.


text:
2021 Salon Privé
“Oh, To Be In England Now That September Is There,”
A very impressive lineup of supercars at this year's Salon Privé makes us wonder if maybe we should pop over the pond more often.
By The Editors
Sat, Sep 4, 2021 09:27 PM PST
Editor's Note: Most of the below article - below an intro by Doug Stokes - is almost entirely a copy of a press release. We edited a bit, added some extra images, as well as inserted some headings.
“Oh, to be in England Now that April's September’s there” ... Good old Bobby Browning was off by a few months, but he sure was right about being in old “Blighty” about now, especially at this year’s Salon Privé where, in the words of of the below press release: “The hallowed turf of the Blenheim Palace cricket pitch swapped leather and willow for some of the most coveted machinery ever built…”
And that, friends, as you are about to read below was a full-time, full-bore “honest to Lord Nelson” understatement of fact. At “Blenheim” the cars are flat out spectacular, but the people who attend and who are honored are the real attraction… Take, for example, British privateer driver/car owner David Piper, who began racing some 58 years ago who was on hand to show his Ferrari GTO. The 90 year-old Piper, who tragically lost part of a leg in an (on camera) crash during the filming of Steve McQueen’s 1970 movie “Le Mans”, was as chipper as ever and cheered well by the crowd.
- Doug Stokes
--- The Press Release ---
The opening day of the 2021 Salon Privé Week – Wednesday 1 September – was packed with model debuts from the world’s leading manufacturers, the reunion of a Ferrari 250 GTO with its famous first owner, and the announcement of a brand-new 2022 event by the organisers of Salon Privé.
Plenty Of Debuts At Salon Privé
Arese RH95 Global Debut
Nearly 150 members of the press were on hand as legendary Italian design house Touring Superleggera gave the Arese RH95 its global debut, and the mid-engined supercar – resplendent in green with yellow highlights – greeted visitors as they walked onto the South Lawn in front of Blenheim Palace. The Arese RH95 is named to reflect 95 years of Touring design heritage, and follows on from the Disco Volante and the AERO 3, which received its world debut at last year’s event.
Range Rover Sport SVR Ultimate Edition Global Debut
The Range Rover Sport SVR Ultimate Edition was also given its global debut. Based on the Sport SVR – Land Rover’s fastest and most powerful SUV – the Ultimate Edition boasts exclusive colour combinations and detailing, and the car presented at Salon Privé was finished in a beautiful shade of Maya Blue.
European Debuts For McLaren And Morgan
Not far away on the South Lawn, there was a European debut for the latest model in the McLaren long-tail line-up – the 765LT Spider – as well as the Morgan Plus Four CX-T, which has been developed by Rally Raid UK as a rugged overland vehicle.
Alpine A110 Legende GT UK Debut
Alpine gave its A110 Legende GT 2021 its UK debut. Limited to 300 units worldwide, the striking French sports car boasts 292bhp in a package that weighs less than 1100kg, and includes a number of features that are unique to the Legende GT 2021, such as the matt Mercury Silver paint.
"Salon Privé is a fantastic event! It's great for us – the venue, the setting, the fact that it has a garden party feel. We love being here – it’s the fourth consecutive year that we've been at Salon Privé and it’s one of the events that we really look forward to."
- Seb Brechon, Alpine Territory Manager UK
Automobilia Pininfarina Battista Anniversario
Luxury Italian carmaker Automobilia Pininfarina was another to give a new model its UK debut. Worldwide production of the stunning Battista Anniversario will be limited to just five cars, all of which are now sold, and with 1873bhp, the all-electric hypercar is the most powerful road-legal car ever to come out of Italy. It was displayed alongside six timeless classics that were entered in a Concours d’Elégance class celebrating 90 years of the Pininfarina SpA design house, which assisted Automobilia Pininfarina in production of the Battista Anniversario.
UK Debut Of Automobili Estrema Fulminea
Another all-electric hyper-car making its first UK public appearance was the Automobili Estrema Fulminea - the first car in the world to use an innovative ‘hybrid’ battery pack combining Li-ion cells with solid-state electrolyte and ultracapacitors.
UK Debut Of Hispano-Suiza Carmen
Also making its UK debut was the fully electric Hispano-Suiza Carmen. Designed, developed and built in Barcelona, the Carmen marks a return to car production for one of the oldest and most prestigious names in automotive history.
Impressive Lineup Of Impressive Machinery
The sheer variety of machinery on show at Salon Privé was highlighted by the fact that the Hispano-Suiza was joined outside the Spencer Pavilion by the BAC Mono R – a minimalist sports car that uses graphene in its body panels to limit its total weight to only 555kg. [Editor's note: "OMG!"]
The hallowed turf of the Blenheim Palace cricket pitch swapped leather and willow for some of the most coveted machinery ever built, via the introduction of a brand-new feature for 2021. The Red Collection was unveiled on Wednesday during a dramatic ceremony, and at the center of the 12-car display was a sensational Ferrari 250 GTO. Chassis 4399 GT – raced in period by the famous Maranello Concessionaires team – was surrounded by cars covering more than 80 years of automotive history, including the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Spider Zagato that won Best of Show in last year’s Salon Privé Concours d'Elegance.
They were joined by a Maserati 250S that was driven in period by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, a Ferrari F40 that has covered only 2371 km from new, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’, and two Paganis - Huayra Roadster and a Zonda F Clubsport. One of the most significant Ferraris of all time - the Ferarri 166 MM that won the Mille Miglia and Le Mans 24 Hours in 1949 - was also part of the line-up, along with a Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione Clienti that was one of only 10 built. The show-stopping group was completed by an ex-Scuderia Filipinetti Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, a McLaren F1, and an Amilcar C6.
Chassis 4399 GT wasn’t the only GTO at Salon Privé. Taking pride of place in front of Blenheim Palace was 3767 GT, which was reunited with first owner David Piper on Wednesday afternoon. The British privateer bought the GTO new in 1962 and finished fourth overall on that year’s Tour de France, before heading to South Africa and winning the Kyalami Nine Hours. The reunion at Salon Privé was made even more special for being a family occasion - Piper was joined by his wife Liz, as well as his daughter and grandchildren, who proudly watched as he was interviewed with the GTO on the main stage in front of the palace.
Salon Privé - The Chelsea Edition
Along with the unveiling of The Red Collection came the announcement of a brand-new Salon Privé event – ‘The Chelsea Edition’, which is set to take place from 21-23 April 2022 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the famous Chelsea Pensioners and world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show. With Salon Privé retaining its traditional September date at Blenheim Palace, the springtime London fixture will be the perfect way to bookend the motoring season.
Event Director Andrew Bagley said: ‘Wednesday was a sensational opening day for this year’s Salon Privé Week, and it was great to see so many manufacturers presenting new models for the first time. It was also an honour to welcome David Piper and his family to Blenheim Palace, and hear his memories of his time with the GTO. We were particularly excited to announce a second Salon Privé event for 2022, and we look forward to returning to London next spring for our new Chelsea Edition.’
Salon Privé Charity Partner
Salon Privé is proud to once again have Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as its charity partner. The organization provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness, and thanks to the generation donations of guests and Concours entrants, the event has so far raised in excess of £1.1 million for these great causes.


text:
real-time news and commentary for investors
Tuesday, Mar 27
2012, 10:00 AM
Digitimes continues to report notebook OEMs expect to see healthy shipment growth in the coming...
Digitimes continues to report notebook OEMs expect to see healthy shipment growth in the coming months, thanks to new products and Intel's (INTC) Ivy Bridge launch. It also claims chipmakers are seeing orders "pour in" ahead of ultrabook launches. Wells Fargo recently argued these datapoints are a reason to be bullish on chip stocks ... though shares have already rallied on expectations of rebounding demand.


text:
Brand watch: Samsung launches new audio line up
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, January 16:
Hansraj Hulaschand & Company, the authorised distributor for Samsung Electronics in Nepal, has launched a new audio product line up for 2005 in the market. The new launches include a latest DVD audio line up in micro and mini segments with various models. According to a press release issued here today, the new models of DVD feature packed systems along with new features like DivX, and Qmp compatibility.
The new model includes MaxDJ-750 with 5.1 channel and surround speakers and has been priced at Rs 33,500. The second model is Max DJ 550 and also with surround sound and is priced at Rs 25,000. The third model is Max DJ8 with micro compo, while the fourth model is MM-DS80 with room theatre and 5.1 channels. The products are priced at Rs 19,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.
The entire range carries one year warranty and are available at all authorised Samsung outlets, states the release.


text:
The $35 billion accessories market continues to grow at a rapid pace, and some of last year's standouts will be celebrated at tonight's 11th annual Accessories Council Excellence Awards.
Held in New York at Cipriani on 42nd Street, the awards are expected to attract honorees and accessories aficionados such as Mandy Moore and presenters including actress Kerry Washington. In past years, Jennifer Lopez, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Jessica Simpson and Sean "Diddy" Combs have received awards.
The trophies double as accessories themselves. Designed by Leiber president Frank Zambrelli, the award is a clear crystal minaudière with a mirror on the interior that is engraved with the winner's name.
"The mission of the Accessories Council is to increase consumer awareness, especially at this time of the year," said Karen Giberson, the council's president.
While it is an industry event, the photographs of the A-list attendees are projected through media outlets across the globe. "Consumers really pay attention to what [people] are wearing," Giberson added.
This year will be no different. Washington will present Tory Burch with the honor of Accessory Brand Launch. Burch delved into handbags, footwear and jewelry in fall 2006.
"Accessories are an essential part of our brand," Burch said. "For now, we are focusing on continuing to grow our shoe and handbag collection. It's important for me to expand slowly so we can stay true to our original vision and keep giving customers what they want and need."
The Reva ballet flat — named after Burch's mother, whom she calls her muse — has been a success for the company.
"The success of the Reva ballerina has been beyond anything I ever could have imagined," the designer added. "The Reva introduced our brand to a much younger customer, which is great to see,
because I have always hoped our brand would appeal to women of all ages."
Nancy Gonzalez will receive her award for Brand of the Year from Bergdorf Goodman chief executive Jim Gold.
"We have a very significant business with Nancy Gonzalez," Gold said in 2006 when the specialty store devoted the entire Arcade space to Gonzalez to display its exotic skin bags. "We feel their product is unique and they earned that space. They have a very loyal following of women who love to add to their collections season after season."
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


text:
(Bloomberg) — Foreign tourists wanting to replicate the looks of their favorite K-pop stars and South Korean actors have helped spur a meteoric rise in sales at cosmetics retailer CJ Olive Young Corp.
Revenue at the company’s six stores in the luxury Myeongdong shopping district in central Seoul surged 840% so far this year from the first 10 months of last year, the retailer said as it opened its first shop specialized for foreign tourists.
The two-story, 1,157 square meter (12,453 square feet) outlet has English-language price tags, staff who speak English, Japanese and Chinese, a duty-free service, and a QR code that links to an English map of the store.
“Recently, we have had more visitors coming from countries outside China, such as South Asia, the US and Japan,” said Yoo Hanvit, an official at CJ Olive Young. “They have a lot of interest in learning the make-up of K-pop artists, such as lipsticks and eye shadow.”
The decision to open the tourist-friendly store came after the company found more than 80% of its 3,000 daily visitors were foreigners, Yoo said.
Compared to Chinese tourists who usually buy cosmetics in bulk at duty-free stores or department stores, these customers are looking for cheaper Korean cosmetic brands rather than expensive big-name brands, CJ says.
“I think South Korean cosmetics are more various than Japanese ones, especially for lipsticks, which have more colors than I can find in Japan,” said Miyu, a 23-year-old Japanese tourist who was browsing the store. She is a fan of K-pop girl band Aespa, and said their beauty inspired her to try Korean cosmetics.
Korean skincare products, including whitening lotions, are more varied than European brands, said Thera de Haas, a 69-year-old tourist from the Netherlands who was looking at mascaras. She’s a fan of Korean television dramas like Crash Landing on You, in which a South Korean heiress ends up in North Korea after a paragliding accident.
South Korea welcomed about 1.1 million foreign visitors in September, up 225% from a year earlier, and reaching around 75% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Korea Tourism Organization.
While visitors from Japan, the US, the Middle East, Europe and South Asia have recovered to nearly 90% of pre-pandemic levels, arrivals from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are still around half of 2019 levels, the data showed.
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.


text:
Statistics Show That Apple Dominates the Online Video Streaming Shares
Gabriel Roşu / 5 years ago
We’ve all heard that Apple will not continue with its Apple TV products, but the latest statistics coming from Adobe prove that Apple might not need a new TV device after all. Statistics now show that the company already owns the majority of online video streaming shares as it stands, so this places it on a very important position in this market.
The old Apple TV now jumped from 5% to 10% shares and is now over Roku with only 1%, which means that people still enjoy their old Apple TV, even after all this time. Furthermore, iOS video streaming has now grown from 43% to 48% in shares, leaving Android behind at 15% shares.
If we are to break down iOS devices into iPhones and iPads, we see that 30% of video streaming comes from the iPad and 18% from iPhones. This is not good news for Microsoft too, since its Surface came in with just 2% shares.
Adding the Macs to the equation, we see that Apple products accounts for 62% of all online video streaming shares. To be noted is that Apple did not come on top in Browser video streaming shares, having Safari touching only 15% shares.
The latter market is still dominated by Google Chrome with 18% shares, but for how long? WWDC is coming and we are bound to see a lot of stuff aimed at getting Apple on top of everything in the end.
Thank you TheNextWeb for providing us with this information


text:
Airlines are scrambling to fix the ticketing issue with some airlines.
Some airlines are offering free re-issuance of airline tickets, and some are offering re-issue tickets.
But as of this morning, tickets from some airlines that were already issued have not yet been reissued, and it appears there is a gap in the ticket pool between those who were issued and those who aren’t.
Here are some of the airlines with tickets in the queue, according to their website:Delta: Free re-issued tickets, or the same ticket as when you bought it.
American: No re-issues.
Delta: No refund or refund options, but Delta says that customers who want to exchange their tickets for the new one will have to pay the difference between the new ticket and the old ticket.
United: Reissue the ticket and pay the full difference.
Delta, United and American Airlines all issued new flights to customers who had already purchased tickets on the old airline, but that hasn’t helped.
Delta says it will offer a refund for any re-ticketed tickets.
Delta is also offering the same re-sale price for all new tickets, but the airline has not offered a similar offer to customers with re-sales or reissued tickets.
United says that people who have re-sold tickets on Delta can still receive a full refund, but it will only be applied toward the difference from the old seat that they bought.
United Airlines says it is working with ticket brokers to issue re-exchange tickets for those who re-sell tickets on other airlines, but they will not be able to refund customers for the difference.
United has a similar service, but only applies to re-selling tickets on American, Delta and United.
Delta said that if a customer re-orders a ticket on Delta or American, it will get an extra ticket on the same airline.
United is offering a limited re-assignment service for customers who resell tickets at Delta, American or United, but no re-booking fee will apply.
United says that if someone has purchased tickets from any of these airlines on their own, they will be able return them to the same carrier.
American and Delta said that re-bundling re-purchases from other airlines would not affect the refunding process, but those who have bought re-priced tickets on their previous airlines may need to rebook with them.
American said that customers should expect to see an increase in re-releases over the coming weeks, and that it was working with rebooking service providers to ensure that reissued fares would not be affected.
United said it would reissue reissued seats if there was an increase of re-pricing, but did not offer an explanation.
American says it would not offer refunds, but if there is an increase to reissuances, it would offer to reimburse customers for re-released seats.
Delta and United both said they were working to resolve the issue with reissued customers.


text:
Bush Hog still exploring options
Published 10:08 pm Monday, January 12, 2009
The owners of Bush Hog are deciding the next move for the company, including making the company more attractive for potential buyers.
CC Industries Inc. released a statement Monday saying the company is considering several options to determine the future of Selma-based Bush Hog. CCI is “in the process of hiring financial advisors who will assist in this effort, which may include a sale of the business,” the statement said.
Among other actions it could take, CCI will reduce “the amount of working capital currently invested in the business.”
Email newsletter signup
David Middlebrooks, Bush Hog director of human resources, said earlier the current economic downturn forced the company to make adjustments.
Local executives held an informative meeting with employees Friday, but they declined to discuss the meeting’s details.
Bush Hog announced last week its factories in Selma and Telford, Tenn., had shut down production temporarily until the company could adjust inventory with demand.
Workers in Selma were also given letters last week with a phone number to call on Jan. 15 to check about their status.
Bush Hog has designed, manufactured, distributed and serviced rotary cutters and other agricultural implements and equipment for more than 50 years. The company’s product line includes rotary cutters, finishing mowers, zero turn mowers, front-end loaders, backhoes, utility vehicles, landscape equipment and a wide variety of other implements.
The company employs about 600 workers, uses about 700,000 square feet of manufacturing space and exceeds $100 million in sales annually, according to the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce’s Web site.


text:
Today Lightning Labs announced its $10 million Series A round of funding and its new bitcoin financial product Loop. M13 is thrilled to participate in the round and support Elizabeth, Lalou, Bryan, and the entire team in their vision to make bitcoin the first digitally-native money.
Lightning Labs is the market leader of the Lightning network, a second layer protocol that solves the core existing issues that prevent bitcoin from becoming a current method of exchange, specifically that it is slow and doesn’t scale at the base layer. Lightning uses the Bitcoin protocol as a backstop, leveraging the security and immutable nature of the underlying protocol but otherwise allowing users on the Lightning network to transact quickly with each other. Loop specifically allows users to move funds in and out of Lightning faster, which increases the liquidity of the network.
What does this mean in practice? Users can send and receive bitcoin frictionlessly without an intermediary and in extremely small fractions: it is possible today to send via Lightning 1 “Satoshi,” bitcoin’s lowest denomination worth 9 thousandths of a cent. This will improve on existing use cases such as digital tipping, microtransactions (for gaming), and microwork (for remote work) while creating new ones that are difficult today to even predict.
Instant purchasing made possible via Lightning Labs at The Lightning Conference; photo by Enid Valu
This is not a pipe dream: more than 4,000 developers are building on the Lightning Labs platform and over 30 startups have integrated the payments technology for their business. Through companies like River Financial, Fold, and Radar, developers are building businesses on top of the network that have real users and are now themselves attracting venture funding. The network now supports millions of USD worth of bitcoin.
Elizabeth Stark speaking at The Lightning Conference
At M13, we are focused on empowering entrepreneurs at the forefront of driving new consumer behaviors. Lightning Labs is building the foundation for a digital-only financial system with a global community of developers who are already building startups and apps on top of their network. We are excited to support Elizabeth and the team in their bold mission.
Learn more about their new financial product, Lightning Loop, here.


text:
$30 trillion of assets globally are held by similar open-ended funds.
OK, so we have a phenomenon here that has taken on historically huge proportions in the era of the Everything Bubble.
Neiman Marcus newest disclosures – and what the crazy-hot IPO market has to do with it.
Those who bet on the most obvious short in the history of mankind got the heads handed to them.
Bloodletting after record IPO Hype in 2018 of Chinese companies in the US.
Impact felt by the real economy and the most vulnerable consumers.
Tesla is steeped in chaos — and chaos is absolutely the opposite what a complex manufacturing, distribution, and retail operation needs.
Finance & Insurance, Which Dominates the US Economy, Has Blistering Q1. Huge Services Sector Not Yet Hit by Slowdown in Goods.
But what will happen to banks and automakers when the cycle turns?
Here’s how it works. Meanwhile, the media is busy publishing real-estate industry hype.


text:
Scientific studies now showing that lotions made from the comfrey plant can aid in easing back pain, osteoarthritis, ankle sprains, and more!
The Claim: Lotion made from the flowering comfrey plant is a natural way to ease muscle and joint pain.
The Verdict: Several scientific studies suggest comfrey is effective for back pain, ankle sprains and knee osteoarthritis. One study even found it hastened healing of abrasions. However, most of the studies are funded by manufacturers and scientists say more independent research is needed.
Lotions containing comfrey (pronounced come-free) are made either from the root of the plant, or the stems and leaves, depending on the manufacturer. A review last year from the independent Cochrane Collaboration found that there is low quality, or inconclusive, evidence, for its use in treating back pain, and a 2013 Cochrane review found it “probably” improves arthritis pain more than a placebo.
“It seems to me to be particularly beneficial for knee osteoarthritis,” says Dwain M. Daniel, an associate professor of clinical sciences at Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas. The evidence for comfrey appears good, particularly for knee pain and sprained ankles, he says, pointing out that a potential caveat in interpreting the data is the fact that manufacturers have paid for most studies.
Much of the research has been funded by two German companies. Merck KGaA, a company not connected to the U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., has funded published studies that found beneficial effects on sprains, back pain and knee arthritis for its Kytta comfrey-root cream. Harras Pharma Curarina Arzneimittel GmbH has funded studies showing a wide range of benefits for its Traumaplant cream, including a speedier healing of abrasions, as measured by their surface areas in a 2012 study of 108 children ages 3 to 12. Traumaplant is made from stems and leaves of comfrey grown in a monastery garden in Germany, according to Robert Rebitzer, Harras’ export manager.
Comfrey appears to work by relieving inflammation and swelling, says Mathias Schmidt, a pharmacist by training who works as scientific consultant to Harras. There’s also a theory that it increases circulation, but that hasn’t been proven, he adds.
Traumaplant, $24.95 for a 50-gram tube, is sold in the U.S. by EuroPharma Inc. of Green Bay, Wis. Kytta isn’t sold in the U.S. by its manufacturer, but can be found on some specialty websites.
There haven’t been any major side effects from comfrey lotion reported in clinical trials. Both Traumaplant and Kytta have undetectable levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances that can be toxic, particularly to the liver, the companies say. Oral formulations such as capsules and tea—formerly used for their purported healing properties—mostly have disappeared from the U.S. market following a safety warning from the Food and Drug Administration in 2001.
The FDA hasn’t expressed any safety concerns about the creams, but companies can’t make health claims for the creams unless they are approved as drugs, says FDA spokeswoman Jennifer Corbett Dooren. In recent years, according to its website, the FDA has taken enforcement action against several companies selling comfrey cream and making illegal claims.
EuroPharma doesn’t make any claims for Traumaplant, says company Chief Science Officer Cheryl Myers.


text:
The company boasted “strong performance across all retail banners and categories, with growth in overall footfall and average transaction value”. With sales of £3.5 billion, Kingfisher reported 17.2% group-wide growth during the third quarter.
This was led by growth across all of its UK, French, Iberian, Romanian and Polish brands – and was led by B&Q, which reported 23.9% sales growth during the quarter. Kingfisher was also boosted by notable new trends in consumer habits, with its e-commerce sales increasing by 153% during Q3 – now comprising 17% of all sales – and click and collect spiking 216% – now making up 77% of all e-commerce activity.
Similarly, in the fourth quarter to-date, like-for-like sales growth continued, up 12.6% and “largely reflecting the impact of more recent temporary lockdown measures”. Despite the lockdown, the company said that all stores remain open.
Weighing on its balance sheet, Kingfisher repaid the £23 million it received under the government’s Job Retention Scheme. Similarly, it saw its sales in Russia contract by 12.3% during Q3, as it agreed to dispose of Castorama Russia for a consideration of £73 million.
In addition to lauding the company’s sales performance, CEO Thierry Garnier said: “At the same time, we have made good progress against our ‘Powered by Kingfisher’ strategic priorities – the early benefits of which are enabling us to meet the current strong demand, both in-store and online, and grow our share in key markets. I am thankful for the way in which our teams continue to respond to the immense challenges of doing business in today’s environment.”
“During the period we also furthered our commitment to supporting our communities. We continued to create jobs in our stores; we continued to make donations to charity partners and health authorities; and earlier this month we repaid £23 million received in the first half of the year under the UK government’s furlough programme. While there remains considerable uncertainty around COVID-19, we are confident in our ability to operate safely, to serve our customers, to look after our colleagues, and to protect our business.”
“Overall, we believe that the renewed focus on homes is supportive for our markets. Furthermore, we are confident that the strategic and operational actions we have taken so far are helping us to build a strong foundation for long-term growth.”
Following what appeared to be a positive update, Kingfisher shares dropped by 5.58%, down to 282.60p a share. This price is short of its 321.40p high seen in October, but around 7% ahead of analysts’ target price of 254p a share.
Analysts currently have a consensus ‘Hold’ stance on the stock; its p/e ratio of 39.12 is ahead of the service sector average of 33.27; and the Marketbeat community currently has a 59.95% “underperform” rating on the stock.


text:
Changes in spending patterns for ultra-high-net-worth travelers might signal a slowdown in luxury revenge travel. However, despite a cautious approach, there's still a considerable appetite for unique experiences, as a younger set go in search of sailing adventures.
It’s not exactly budget travel, but at least one tour operator is seeing a pullback in what high-net-worth households are looking to spend.
They’re less likely to shell out $1 million for a luxury, tailored week spent island hopping in the Mediterranean. And they’re favoring the less chartered waters of Indonesia or Costa Rica at the average rate of $250,000 for a week onboard a private yacht for 12 people.
That’s according to Edita Sgovio, vice president of Yachts and Villas for Kensington Tours, which has access to a 3,000 global charter fleet and is part of the Navigatr Group.
In 2022, she said, million-dollar super-yacht bookings made up 40% of Kensington’s private yacht tours business. In 2023, that dipped to 20%.
“We’ve still had a few bigger bookings, but not as many as last year,” said Sgovio, who suggested the revenge luxury travel trend is slowing. “We see more caution tied to the U.S. Economy. Our ultra-high-net-worth clients are holding their cash. This is always a big purchase, even for them.”
Kensington shared other trends it’s seeing:
- More than half of chartered yacht bookings, at 55%, were new first-time yacht charter clients.
- North Americans and Canadians in the 60+ age group make up most private tour bookings with Kensington.
- The company is also seeing younger customers, with an estimated 15% of bookings now coming from travelers in their 40s.
- Clients include celebrities, investment bankers, hedge fund owners, and a marked increase in young tech billionaires, according to Sgovio, who said they want a “protected, private seven-star experience at sea where they get to control everything.”
Private Charters Booking Pattern Shift
While super-yacht bookings might be down, the company claimed it is still seeing record-breaking sales in 2023 across all other luxury itineraries.
In the first quarter, sales were 90% higher than the same period in 2019 and double what they were in January 2022.
The Mediterranean, the South of France, Italy, and Greece were some of the most booked destinations for 2022. This year, Kensington Tours also sees trends toward Croatia, Indonesia, and Costa Rica.
High-net-worth individuals are familiar with the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, according to Sgovio. She put the shift down to these clients wanting to “venture out and try the next exciting thing and explore different destinations.”
“Costa Rica has never really known to be a yachting destination, but it is one to watch,” said Sgovio.
The destination made up 10% of villa bookings for Kensington Tours in 2023. An average group trip of up to 12 to Costa Rica on a super-yacht for one week with its own certified submersible have been booked at $700,000. A regular yacht without a submersible starts at $100,000.
While flight connectivity across Costa Rica might not be well-suited to Kensington’s premium clientele, itinerary packages can include private flight charters as an optional extra. “Travel around Costa Rica takes forever too. Including a private jet to fly around in or a helicopter is always much easier. So we add that to their package,” Sgovio said.
Unique wildlife experiences are drawing well-established travelers to the destination, suggested Sgovio.
Guests get to swim with a pod of thousands and thousands of dolphins, for example, which Sgovio said requires a degree of logistical preparation. The dolphin pods are pre-scouted via helicopter in the morning, with the location then sent to the yacht. Once there, clients jump into the water with their seabobs, a jet-propelled device that allows them to swim underwater and keep up with the dolphins.
Real Estate for Super-Yachts
Brokering these super-yachts for their clients has become a niche offering for Kensington.
“Owners are known to do world trips, stationing their yacht in various destinations when they fly home for a few months. This has created the opportunity,” said Sgovio, as her team tracks different super-yachts worldwide. This strategy works well for seasonality, too, she added.
A yacht owner would station their yacht in Indonesia, for example, allowing Kensington’s Yachts and Villas team to charter it for their clients, depending on the length of stay required and the availability of the yacht.
“We work directly with the yacht owners. So there’s no middleman. And everybody has a representative, the client side and the owner side. Everybody enters into this legal contract that protects both parties in any event.”
Owners can refuse a client, too, said Sgovio. “It’s still a personal asset for people. Thankfully we have a great clientele, and it’s never been an issue with us, but they are very strict with who they let on board, especially recently with Russian sanctions.”
While the company deals with direct clients, travel advisors account for 65% Kensington Tours bookings per year. For example, a luxury travel advisor based in New York or Texas who has never booked a yacht might not know what to do with a client’s request for this type of experience, explained Sgovio.
“They come to us, and we help them put this package together and work alongside them to curate a perfect itinerary for them.”
Correction: This story has been updated to show Kensington Tours is part of the Navigatr Group, which includes the Travel Edge Group.
The Daily Newsletter
Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch
Photo credit: Lionshare Super Yacht. Source: Kensington Tours Kensington Tours


text:
He said that while household incomes had grown by around 60 per cent in the past decade, the Australian dollar's rise meant that the price paid for many manufactured goods had remained, on average, virtually unchanged."The stable prices for many goods, combined with strong disposable income growth, means there is more disposable income to be spent on services," he said in an address to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) in
Tue, 05 May 2015 23:15:07
High Australian dollar boosts household spending power: RBA
16 Feb, 2012 06:37:56
SYDNEY, Feb 16 (Asia in Pulse) - The high value of the Australian dollar has boosted the spending power of households the past decade, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) says.
RBA Deputy Governor Phillip Lowe on Thursday said households were reaping the benefit of the currency's high value.
Your Email (Your email will not be displayed)
Sri Lanka should strive for better balance between social development and wealth creation: Economist
Sri Lanka’s new government has hopeful prospects of opening positive relations with US: National Peace Council


text:
Hilda Baci, Nigeria’s culinary sensation, is committed to improving the country’s food environment and providing culinary skills and knowledge to Nigerians, particularly women, with the goal of shaping the country’s culinary scene in the future.
Baci, the founder of My Food By Hilda, stated that her goal is to expand the culinary sector and constantly update chefs’ recipes.
In a recent conversation, she said,
“My joy is to see more women become economically stable for the growth of the country as it has been proven that the more women into gainful employment, the better the society is,”
Recognising the potential for growth in Nigeria’s culinary sector, she established the Hilda Baci Academy, which offers aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts the opportunity to learn from her experience and expertise.
“During our last class, we empower lucky students with items that they can use to start their business, this year won’t be different as lucky students will win a full scholarship to the prestigious Red Dish culinary institution, a $1,000 Amazon gift card, N1 million for 10 people, N5 million for one person, iPad, iPhones, and a MacBook.
“The academy’s curriculum focuses on equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of Nigerian cuisine. Students delve into a repertoire of over 160 recipes, mastering traditional dishes alongside contemporary culinary techniques. This focus on breadth ensures graduates are well-versed in the rich tapestry of Nigerian flavours.
“The academy aims to cultivate well-rounded chefs who can navigate the complexities of the food industry. Students gain valuable insights into food business management, food safety practices, and presentation skills. This holistic approach equips graduates to not only cook delicious food but also build successful careers in the culinary world.”
Her commitment to knowledge sharing is already inspiring a new wave of culinary talent in Nigeria and abroad.
Baci rose to prominence in 2023 after setting a Guinness World Record for the longest individual cooking marathon.


text:
Some news out of China last week laid a nostalgia trip on those of us who covered the long saga of the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD format war. According to a report in the Timesof London, a recently introduced high-def DVD format developed in China, called China Blue High Definition (CBHD), is already outselling Blu-ray in the Peoples’ Republic by a margin of three-to-one.
The Times called the development a “new format war” but it’s really a continuation of the same format war that had simply gone underground after Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD in the West back in February 2008.
The roots of CBHD go back to 2005, when the Chinese government set out to “break the monopoly” of Western and Japanese companies on the technology underlying the DVD format by creating new intellectual property controlled by China to be used in a next-generation format.
In 2007, the DVD Forum fomally approved specificationsfor a “China-only” version of the HD DVD standard, which was to be based on the HD DVD physical specs developed by Toshiba and Chinese-developed audio and video codecs. Instead of MPEG 2, VC-1 and H.264, for instance, the Chinese format would support only the Advanced Video System (AVS) developed in China, saving Chinese manufacturers boat-loads in royalty payments to foreign technology owners. Read More »


text:
Brazil to join OECD in a year - economy minister Guedes
BRASILIA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Brazil should join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development within a year, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said on Tuesday, adding that around two thirds of the preparatory work has already been completed.
In a live online event hosted by the Milken Institute, Guedes also said higher exchange rate risk is a natural consequence of the policy shift over the last 18 months in Brazil to looser monetary conditions and tighter fiscal policy.
(Reporting by Jamie McGeever)
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Latest Markets Videos
- White House says Walmart, FedEx, UPS to work 24/7 to ease supply bottlenecks for holiday season
- Chinese online brokers Futu and UP Fintech face regulatory risks - People's Daily website
- September, Third Quarter 2021 Review and Outlook
- PRECIOUS-Gold eases as inflation data fans policy tightening bets


text:
SegWit Activated, Bitcoin Price Rests - btcmanager.comWith Litecoins representing value through its use as a developer test bed in a real-world environment.
Segwit adoption - CRYPTOCURRENCY DISCUSSIONSDuring the last two weeks I found myself writing about Bitcoin more than usual.Litecoin Price Spikes Amid SegWit Activation. The main reason behind the recent rally has been the rising support and adoption of SegWit.
This becomes an increasing issue as more people start using Bitcoin and adopt the technology. Credit: The Atlas Increasing size of Bitcoin Blocks SegWit.
A Second Version Of Bitcoin Has Launched. Could ItIf the Bitcoin community can agree to adopt SegWit before August 1,.The fact that there are two schools of thought on how the Bitcoin platform can be further improved to drive mass adoption has. capacity than Bitcoin SegWit.
SegWit Ushers In The Future Of Bitcoin - ibtimes.com
SegWit is a scaling solution presented by contributors to Bitcoin Core.Data from the already upgraded litecoin blockchain can provide an answer. Adoption metrics aside,.If both Bitcoin and Litecoin adopt Segwit and their coins become almost instantly interchangeable, does that mean that bitcoin has creating its first Dapp.
Segwit Ready: 84, work-in-progress: 29, planned: 26. 1 BitGo provides wallet services to exchanges such as Bitstamp and Kraken.I will not discuss in detail the possible outcomes from the SegWit adoption proposals,.
Hi, so some say segwit will at least postpone scalability issues in bitcoin, but adoption is yet to happen, far from approval.SegWit refers to Segregated Witness, and it was made possible by the core developers of Bitcoin.
BItcoin ABC Lead Dev: 2017 Is the First Year with NegativeUnlike traditional currencies such as dollars, bitcoins are issued and.SegregatedWitness (SegWit) — the proposed upgrade to the Bitcoin protocol developed by the Bitcoin Coredevelopers — is still far from activation.
Bitcoin Analysis: Eyes fresh record highs as blockchainIt adds a good long term foundation for bitcoin — SegWit — but is pragmatic about.
Bitcoin Investment News. bitcoin adoption, bitcoin predictions, SegWit.
Even though the number of companies and mining pools supporting SegWit is growing, the community remains divided.The notoriously volatile cryptocurrency, whose 150 percent surge this year has captivated.
Litecoin Moves to Adopt Bitcoin's SegWit Scaling Upgrade
Bitcoin News: Segwit adoption increasing, coming to Litecoin soon.
Litecoin’s SegWit Activation: Why it Matters and What’sThe adoption of SegWit comes with implications that will have a.
Posted in Bitcoin News, News, Reddit Tagged 247 Bitcoin, Bitcoin, Bitcoin News, Bitcoins, BTC, Reddit.There are signs that Bitcoin could be on the cusp of mass adoption. With 2 days left to SegWit activation, Bitcoin fees are low,.
SegWit Goes Beyond Scaling Bitcoin - Bitcoin.com.au
Bitcoin: SegWit - AVC
Why South Korean Bitcoin Adoption Could Outpace Most Other Countries This Year. Shapeshift and Segwit.


text:
23 October 2019 00:39
We've already told you about one great smart speaker deal today, but do you know what's better than cheap? On Tuesday, Spotify announced that it is bringing back its free Google Home Mini offer, but is opening up the offer to far more customers than were able to take advantage of it last year. In 2018, only subscribers with Spotify Premium for Family subscriptions were able to snag the free Google Home Mini, but starting October 22nd, 2019, new and existing Premium Individual subscribers are eligible to pick up a free Home Mini as well. Head to this page on Spotify's website where you'll be asked to link up your Google and Spotify accounts. Once you prove that you aren't a robot, you'll be redirected to Google's online store, where you can choose between four colors of Google Home Minis: Coral, Charcoal, Chalk, and Aqua.
With Saver shipping, I was able to complete my purchase for a grand total of $0, and my completely free Google Home Mini will arrive in the next two weeks. In all likelihood, this is just an easy way for Google to clear out the remaining Home Mini inventory now that the Nest Mini is available with better sound, improved voice recognition, and a wall mount, but if you have ever wanted to give Google's smart speaker a spin, this is the cheapest and easiest way to do so. If you pay for a Premium Individual or Premium Family plan, be sure to jump on this offer (providing you actually want a Google Home Mini, of course), because Spotify says it will only be around while supplies last. For a while last year, Spotify was giving away free Google Home Mini speakers to its Spotify Premium for Family subscribers. Now, it's bringing back the offer and extending it to individual plans, even if you're already a subscriber.
Keep in mind that this is not the Nest Mini with better bass that Google announced last week, and if you already claimed a free speaker last year, you won't be able to get another one. Same goes with users who have a student discount or who are paying through a third-party billing system, such as iTunes or a cable provider. Also worth noting: Amazon is offering its own Echo Dot speaker for $1 with a month of its Amazon Music Unlimited service, but only for new subscribers. Google Home update bug is bricking some smart speakers Some Googe Home users are reporting issues with a recent software update that has bricked some smart speakers. According to impacted device owners, the update results in perpetually illuminated LED lights on the updated Google Home or Google Home Mini speaker, something they aren't able to fix by factory resetting the device. Google has acknowledged the issue, but it appears that users who aren't covered by warranty may be out of luck. Reports of the issue started appearing a couple of weeks ago on Reddit, Twitter, and some tech forums. Impacted users report that after the most recent software update, their Google Home or Google Home Mini speaker appeared to be bricked — all the lights turned on, the speaker became unusable, and factory resetting didn't fix the problem. A look at Google's Support forum shows reports spanning back quite a while, but many have cropped up in recent weeks, hinting at what may be a more widespread issue caused by a recent update. The impact of this bug is varied: some users say that unplugging their speaker and then plugging it back in fixed the problem; others report that they had to factory reset the speaker to get it to work again. Many others, unfortunately, say that unplugging and resetting the speaker doesn't fix the problem, meaning it is effectively bricked. These same users claim that unless their device was covered by a warranty, Google refused to replace it, leaving customers with an unusable device despite the fact that they were not responsible for the issue. Only some Google Home speakers appear to be impacted by this issue, the cause of which is unknown at this time. On September 27, a 'community specialist' reported on Google's Support forum that the company is investigating the issue to find the 'root cause.' Users currently dealing with a potentially bricked speaker are advised to try unplugging it and, if that doesn't work, factory resetting it.


text:
Namco Bandai have released a new trailer for Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. The trailer shows the new DLC: Mirror Spirits in action.
A new shadow appears. Demonic creatures fill the land…
Destroy the mirrors spirits.
This new Shinobido 2 will be available on the 9th of May.
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen is now available on Playstation Vita.


text:
It is not particularly new or even something that hasn’t been debated or talked in the forums but it is always good to know that there is a specific intention of achieving it. Lego intends to reduce the size of the boxes saving almost 20% of the cardboard in the manufacturing and assembling process.
Of course that the environment also appreciates that, after all there are less grubbed trees and less carbon dioxide that is released to the atmosphere. But on the other hand that downsizing represents a cost reduction not only in terms of logistics but also in terms of transportation.
Shouldn’t part of this save be passed somehow to their consumers, fans and faithful or regular buyers? It’s true that this is a process that might be considered somehow an enterprise efficiency but I think and I guess that most of you too that that it also should traduce in lower prices (yes, and I am Santa Claus!!).
There we already some experiences in previous years and results, apparently we’re quite satisfactory. Have a look at the complete press release:
In 2013 the LEGO Group will introduce a new series of environmentally friendly, smaller LEGO boxes containing the same number of LEGO bricks. The change will reduce the LEGO Group’s annual consumption of cardboard for boxes by about 4,000 tons depending on the number of sets sold.
At the same time the cardboard used in the new boxes will carry FSC certification. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an international certificate guaranteeing that paper, cardboard, etc., comes from sustainable forests.
“We are introducing the new boxes as an environmental measure, and hope at the same time that consumers will welcome the visible change. We’re reducing the size of our boxes because we think it makes sense for shoppers, customers and for our business – and because we harbour an ambition to exert a positive effect on our surroundings. We believe we share responsibility for our planet, the wider community, and the generations who will follow us,” says Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, CEO of the LEGO Group.
In 2013 all new products launched will be packed in smaller boxes, and by 2015 all LEGO products on the market will be packed in the smaller boxes. The change will reduce the CO2 impact from packaging by about 10%, and the smaller boxes will make it possible to save approx. 18% of the cardboard used for LEGO boxes.
New boxes a benefit everyone
The reason for the LEGO Group’s focus on reducing packaging is that approx. 15% of the Group’s total CO2 impact is associated with its packaging. But the new boxes are good news not only for the environment.
“Consumers will find it easier to handle the packaging, retailers will have space for more boxes on their shelves, and we’ll use less energy in transporting the goods to the shops. So it’s a win win situation for everybody,” says John Goodwin, CFO of the LEGO Group.
Benefits from invisible improvements
The LEGO Group is currently engaged in a number of other initiatives which may not be as visible to the consumer but nevertheless have a major effect on the environmental impact.
Roughly a quarter of the LEGO Group’s total carbon emissions stem from the manufacturing of LEGO bricks. Efforts are therefore being made to mould LEGO elements more efficiently.
John Goodwin: “In 2012 we improved the energy efficiency of our production by 4.1%. Reducing energy consumption by that much really does make a difference to the environment – even though it may not be visible to shoppers.”
Investment in wind energy
Over the past five years the LEGO Group has increased its sales by more than 15% a year – and this rate of growth has brought the Group’s environmental impact into stronger focus. In 2012 the LEGO Group – via its parent company – invested in an offshore wind park off northern Germany.
“It’s an investment I’m proud of because it means that by 2015 we will be generating renewable energy corresponding to our own energy consumption for many years ahead,” says Jørgen Vig Knudstorp.
The amount of sustainable energy from the off-shore wind farm will correspond to the annual power consumption of about 100,000 households.
You can read more about LEGO Group activities and results in sustainability and other fields in the company’s Progress Report.
References in the text to “the LEGO Group’s total CO2 impact” relate to carbon emissions from areas such as:
In conclusion, the LEGO Group’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is evident through their initiatives to reduce packaging and minimize their carbon footprint. By introducing smaller, environmentally friendly boxes and obtaining FSC certification for their cardboard, the company aims to make a positive impact on the planet while also benefiting consumers and retailers. This approach aligns with the use of eco-friendly packaging solutions such as skin board and stock blisters, which not only provide effective protection but also contribute to the reduction of material waste. As more companies follow suit and prioritize sustainable packaging practices like those offered by Andex’s stock blisters (https://www.andex.net/stock-blisters/), we move closer to a future where businesses and consumers actively contribute to preserving the environment for generations to come.


text:
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/16/13 -- The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, hosted a meeting in Ottawa today with concerned parents and community members to outline action that will be taken by the Harper Government in the coming months to help support the health and safety of Canadian families. This follows from the Prime Minister's announcement in January that supporting families will be a priority for the Government.
"Canadians don't want government to raise their kids, but they do want government to take action to support the health and safety of their families," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Over the coming months our government will be launching efforts to do just that in areas like food, drug and consumer product safety."
Minister Aglukkaq identified measures that will be taken related to consumer product safety, drug safety and food safety.
The Minister announced today new initiatives that will include:
-- Moving towards more plain language on drug labels;-- Taking action on products that contain small, powerful magnets which threaten the safety of young children;-- Establishing a new research centre which will strengthen Canada's ability to pinpoint and stop food-borne illnesses;-- Improving the reporting of adverse drug reactions; and,-- Proposing enhanced safety standards for playpens sold in Canada.
"The Prime Minister has stated clearly that supporting Canadian families is a priority for our Government," said Minister Aglukkaq. "As Health Minister, and as a mother, I am proud to outline areas where our Government will take concrete action in the months ahead."
For more information on how the Government of Canada is working to protect the health and safety of Canadians, please visit the Healthy Canadians website.
Egalement disponible en francais
Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/media
Upcoming Actions to Support the Health and Safety of Canadian Families
Taking action on products that contain small, powerful magnets which threaten the safety of young children:
Health Canada has determined that some products containing small powerful magnets are a danger to children and their presence in the marketplace is a violation of the general prohibition under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA). Health Canada is now taking action to identify and have these dangerous products removed from the marketplace.
These magnets are found in some novelty magnet sets which appeal to children and some children's toys. Health Canada is particularly concerned about magnet sets containing more than one small powerful magnet, where the set is intended for use as a toy or for puzzle working, sculpture building, mental stimulation or stress relief, regardless of the intended age of the user. Health Canada is equally concerned about some children's toys that contain small powerful magnets or magnetic components. Health Canada's position is that toys on the Canadian marketplace should conform with at least one of the latest versions of internationally respected safety standards (e.g. ASTM F963, EN 71, ISO 8124) with respect to magnets or magnetic components.


text:
Elizabeth Warren ve Lindsey Graham, Büyük Teknolojiyi Düzenlemek İçin Yeni Bir Kurumun Kurulmasını Talep Ediyor.
Elizabeth Warren and Lindsey Graham Call for the Establishment of a New Agency to Regulate Big Tech
In recent years, the power and influence of big technology companies have grown exponentially, raising concerns about their impact on society, competition, and privacy. In response to these concerns, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Lindsey Graham have come together to propose the creation of a new agency dedicated to regulating these tech giants.
Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, may come from opposite sides of the political spectrum, but they both recognize the need for greater oversight and accountability in the tech industry. They argue that the existing regulatory framework is ill-equipped to deal with the unique challenges posed by companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.
The proposed agency, tentatively named the Digital Markets Unit (DMU), would be responsible for monitoring and enforcing competition laws, protecting consumer privacy, and ensuring the fair treatment of small businesses. It would have the authority to investigate and take action against any anti-competitive practices, such as monopolistic behavior or unfair business practices.
One of the key motivations behind the creation of the DMU is the concern over the immense market power held by these tech giants. Warren and Graham argue that these companies have become too big and too powerful, stifling competition and innovation. They believe that the DMU would be able to prevent further consolidation of power and promote a more level playing field for all market participants.
Another major concern addressed by the proposed agency is the protection of consumer privacy. With the increasing amount of personal data being collected and monetized by tech companies, there is a growing need for stronger privacy regulations. The DMU would have the authority to set and enforce privacy standards, ensuring that consumers have control over their own data and are protected from any misuse.
In addition to competition and privacy, the DMU would also focus on addressing the challenges faced by small businesses in the digital marketplace. Warren and Graham argue that these tech giants often engage in unfair practices that harm smaller competitors. The DMU would have the power to investigate and take action against any such practices, ensuring a fair and competitive environment for all businesses.
The proposal put forth by Warren and Graham has garnered support from various stakeholders, including consumer advocacy groups and small business associations. They believe that the creation of the DMU would be a significant step towards reining in the power of big tech and protecting the interests of consumers and small businesses.
However, the proposal is not without its critics. Some argue that the creation of a new agency would only add to the already complex regulatory landscape and could potentially stifle innovation. They believe that existing regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), should be empowered to handle the regulation of big tech.
Despite the criticism, Warren and Graham remain steadfast in their belief that a dedicated agency is necessary to effectively regulate big tech. They argue that the DMU would have the expertise and focus needed to address the unique challenges posed by these companies. They also emphasize the importance of bipartisan cooperation in tackling this issue, as it transcends political boundaries and affects all Americans.
In conclusion, the proposal put forth by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Lindsey Graham to establish a new agency dedicated to regulating big tech reflects growing concerns about the power and influence of these companies. The proposed Digital Markets Unit would be responsible for ensuring fair competition, protecting consumer privacy, and promoting the interests of small businesses. While the proposal has garnered support, it also faces criticism. Nevertheless, Warren and Graham remain committed to addressing the challenges posed by big tech and believe that a dedicated agency is the best way forward.


text:
This Valentine’s Day, Slowflowers.com urges us all to support local farmers and florists by choosing sustainable, American-grown bouquets for our loved ones.
Even though the retail flower market is strong ($7-8 Billion per year), stats show that only 2% of roses sold annually are actually grown in the USA. Slowflowers.com has nearly five hundred florists committed to sourcing their flowers from the USA, and they are looking to you to help them drive business away from the 1-800 tele-florists and their imported bouquets.
Slowflowers.com has launched a farm-to-vase crusade and aims to make Valentine’s 2015 a flower revolution. This year, florists are turning down 1-800 orders that flow into their businesses every February – choosing instead to deliver only domestic flowers and foliage to their customers.
Debra Prinzing, founder of Slowflowers.com has faith that you will make the right choice if you are given the options. “Fifty-eight percent of consumers would rather purchase domestic flowers if given the choice. Valentine’s sees millions of roses arrive via Jumbo Jet with a shelf life of just days,” she says. “Even if ‘American-grown’ is not a concern, buying fresher flowers should be.”
Slowflowers.com florist, Farmgirl Flowers, owned by Christina Stembel, only uses California-grown flowers. “The entire process of ordering from the big guys feels like you just got conned,” says Stembel. “We’re pledging flowers that are fresh, local, beautifully designed, and thoughtfully delivered.”
The Origin Matters initiative from the California Cut Flower Commission is determined to promote change this season by placing Valentine’s 2015 into the hands of florists committed to domestic flowers.
“We are ready to prove Slowflowers.com bouquets and arrangements are far better than imported alternatives,” says Prinzing. “It’s time to show your love with local flowers.”
Slow Flowers is an online directory to help consumers find florists, event planners, supermarket flower departments and flower farmers committed to using American-grown flowers. More information is at www.slowflowers.com.


text:
Mars will axe its Goodnessknows brand in the UK due to poor sales after only launching the fruit and nut chocolate snack in the country last year.
Originally a US product made by the Boulder, Colorado-based firm owned by Mars, Goodnessknows rolled out in the UK in August 2017 supported by a GBP4.6m (then US$6m) advertising campaign. Mars said then it planned to produce 80,000 of the bars aimed at health-conscious consumers every hour, with 10% of the profits set to go to good causes.
The Virginia-based confectionery giant said discontinuing the Goodnessknows brand in the UK will give it leeway to focus on its Kind snacks. Kind is manufactured by a US firm in which Mars took an investment in last year. That product range was launched in the UK in 2015.
However, a spokesperson for Mars told just-food: “Sales of Goodnessknows have underperformed against our expectations since launch, so we took the difficult decision to discontinue the brand in the UK market. This now gives us the opportunity to focus on the strategic partnership with Kind in the UK and grow this brand at scale.”
Goodnessknows snack bars are made with whole nuts, fruit, toasted oats and dark chocolate, and were first launched in the US in 2015.


text:
Independent contractors, temporary employees, and other so-called “contingent” workers make up a growing share of the American workforce. According to a 2015 report from the Government Accountability Office, contingent workers accounted for 40.4 percent of employed workers in 2010, up from 35.3 percent in 2006.
In Wisconsin—and elsewhere—companies that make up the “sharing” or “gig” economy are forming and expanding. However, some parts of the sharing economy are not being embraced with open arms, and there are lingering questions related to the classification and rights of workers who “gig.”
The sharing economy, while somewhat difficult to define, is likely larger than most people realize. A 2016 study by the Pew Research Center found that 72 percent of American adults had used at least one of 11 shared or on-demand online services. Many of these services, such as ride-hailing apps and grocery delivery, involve a gig worker. However, Pew also considers transactions like buying secondhand items on Craigslist—a website that was popular long before the era of Uber and Airbnb—to be part of the sharing economy. Read the full story here.