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In the digital age, the century-old tussle between raw and pasteurized milk has found a fiery new battleground on social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Advocates of raw milk sing praises of its supposed health benefits and rich flavor, fervently defending their right to choose their dairy. On the flip side, pasteurization proponents emphasize safety, particularly for the elderly and children under two years old.
Surprisingly, this debate rages on even as milk consumption in America has witnessed a dramatic decline over the past five decades. According to the USDA, annual per capita milk consumption plummeted from 247 pounds in 1975 to 149 pounds in 2017. Yet, beyond health, price, or flavor considerations, the core of the discussion revolves around government influence over small farmers and homesteaders’ produce sales, and ultimately, the freedom for consumers to decide what to buy and who from.
Raw Milk: A Flavorful and Nutrient-Rich Choice?
Raw milk is milk fresh from the cow, sheep, or goat, untouched by the pasteurization process. Proponents argue that pasteurization strips away some of the beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics present in raw milk, making it a tastier and more nutritious option. Recent studies have even suggested health benefits, with lower rates of asthma and allergies in European children who consume raw milk, reduced risk of manifest respiratory infections and fever, and a strong protective effect against eczema.
Furthermore, raw milk finds favor with cheese makers worldwide for the same reasons. In some European regions, only raw milk can be used in origin-protected cheeses, making an exception to the mandatory pasteurization requirements for consumer consumption, something that Americans are now ardently supporting. Advocates also embrace raw milk for its support of local and sustainable farming practices, fostering a closer connection between consumers and local farmers – in other words, making a personal connection to the source of their food.
However, it’s not all good and shiny. Raw milk carries potential downsides, particularly for the vulnerable elderly and children under two. If not handled with rigorous hygiene, raw milk can harbor harmful bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, posing serious health risks to those with weaker immune systems. Its limited shelf life requires immediate consumption or refrigeration for no more than a couple of days, a factor that contributes to concerns about potential contamination.
Pasteurized Milk: A Century-Old Technology
Pasteurized milk is the most common milk type available today, but it wasn’t always the case. Louis Pasteur’s groundbreaking discovery of pasteurization during the Alsace-Lorraine wars, initially used to preserve wine, found its way into dairy products. In an era when sanitary procedures were not widespread, pasteurization proved essential. Back then, raw milk often traveled long distances in unrefrigerated coaches, exposing it to contamination. Pasteurization, a heat treatment process that kills harmful bacteria, significantly reduced the risk of foodborne illnesses, ensuring safer consumption for consumers, and providing a consistent and uniform product.
Today, however, raw milk is transported and handled with far greater care and for short distances – usually a few miles – making it safer than a century ago. Consumers now have the option to buy raw milk from their local producer or to choose pasteurized milk available in a wide range of options at the supermarket.
Freedom of Choice and Informed Consent
The heart of this debate centers on consumer choice: should individuals have the freedom to decide what they consume, even if it carries potential health risks? The answer lies in informed consent.
In the current regulatory landscape, each state in the United States has the authority to establish its own laws regarding the sale of raw milk. While most states have implemented statewide regulations, a few have delegated decision-making to local governments. On a federal level, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces a blanket ban on the interstate sale or distribution of raw milk. Any milk intended for sale across state lines must undergo pasteurization and meet the stringent standards outlined in the US Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
However, this nationwide ban has unintended consequences, including putting consumers at risk and fostering the emergence of an underground “black market” for raw milk. In this unregulated arena, consumers often resort to informal exchanges, bartering their products or farm produce with neighbors in exchange for raw milk rather than purchasing it through conventional channels. Additionally, residents of small border towns find themselves grappling with the challenge of inadvertently breaking the law when transporting raw milk across state borders.
Consumers should indeed have the liberty to choose between raw and pasteurized milk, but this choice must come with responsibility. Those opting for raw milk must be well-informed about the potential risks, especially when serving it to children, the elderly, or anyone with compromised immune systems. Informed decision-making should involve awareness of health risks, discussions with healthcare professionals, understanding proper storage and handling, and ideally, sourcing raw milk from reputable suppliers.
In conclusion, the raw vs. pasteurized milk debate underscores the importance of informed decision-making. While consumers should enjoy the freedom to choose what they consume, they must do so with a deep understanding of the potential advantages and disadvantages associated with their choice. For the sake of vulnerable populations like children under two, the responsible choice often leans toward pasteurized milk. Nevertheless, fostering a culture of informed choice is crucial, respecting individual rights while safeguarding public health.


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Discount cards to assist with escalating prescription drug costs
June 27, 2006
TAVARES — On July 3, the Lake County Board of County Commissioners will launch a discount card program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs.Lake County is making free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Caremark RX Inc. The program offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.The cards may be used by all Lake County residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage. The cards are accepted at many of the pharmacies in Lake County. A national network of more than 57,000 participating retail pharmacies also will honor the Caremark Prescription Discount Card."Lake County is proud to be one of the counties nationwide participating with NACo and Caremark" said Commissioner Welton G. Cadwell. "The Caremark Prescription Discount Card offers significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents of our County, and even those fortunate to have prescription coverage can use the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their health plan. Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries to be eligible for this program.” Cards will initially be available at the following locations beginning July 3:
Beginning July 17, pharmacies in Lake County participating with Caremark RX Inc. will have the Caremark Prescription Discount Card available. For more information or assistance with program, call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or log on to https://naco.advancerx.com.
Lake County media contact:
Public Information Coordinator
Office: 352-343-9603; Cell: 352-455-0445
Signup to receive a weekly, aggregated listing of Lake County's news releases via e-mail:

domain: news


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2016 saw the release of a new Metroid game on 3DS with Federation Force, but the new title certainly didn’t have the impact that others in the series did. Unfortunately, it also didn’t feature the iconic bounty hunter Samus Aran, meaning the last time the character had a game of her own was back in 2010 with Other M.
Metroid is one of Nintendo’s most well-known franchises, helping to craft an entire sub-section of games known as Metroidvania. The Switch could provide new life for the series, with either a 2D sidescrolling title or a brand new FPS like Metroid Prime. Looking back at the co-op gameplay of Federation Force, there’s no reason you couldn’t put some kind of multiplayer in a new Switch entry as well as a single-player campaign.
Nintendo is well-known for their action/adventure and platforming titles, and Metroid has always provided some nice variation to their stable of iconic franchises. Besides Splatoon, there aren’t any other shooter games to speak of on the Switch at the moment, a void that a new Prime game could help fill. Plus, the appeal of having a full-blown Metroid Prime that you can also take on the go is incredibly tempting.
Nintendo had a big showing of first-party content coming to the Switch this year, and E3 would be the perfect opportunity to set the stage for 2018 with titles like Metroid.


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Akira’s latest “Fighting EX Layer” coming to PS4
Japanese video game developer Akira, known for games such as Street Fighter, has announced that the new project previously known as ‘Mysterious Fighting Game’ has been officially named as “Fighting EX Layer”.
The company’s founder, Akira Nishitani famously known as Nin, made the announcement in a blogpost saying that there was some trouble during the naming process but it has been settled.
Akira also announced the beta test which will be held immediately after the conclusion of the Playstation Experience on December 11 for a two-week period.
There will be six characters playable in total: Kairi, Garuda, Skullomania, Darun Mister, Allen Snider, and Shirase.
He called for everyone to participate and give their honest feedback as they want to focus on testing the network match function around the world. He also announced to bring the demo version to Playstation Experience.
Akira also broke curiosity for the Gougi system which was introduced earlier this year at the EVO 2017 and was be brought in this upcoming fighting game.
“About the Gougi system that everyone is curious about: it’s grown into a very deep and exciting addition to the game. When the idea first came about,
“I brainstormed various Gougi, which combinations would work well, and what the matches would be like. Trying to imagine all of the possibilities, I got a feeling that “This game is going to be interesting!”
However, Akira said that he was disappointed after experimenting with Gougi ideas saying “This is not what I imagined.” But that’s where the fun lies!
However, he said coming up with new ideas and experimenting in game was awesome, as not many games allows to easily brainstorm ideas, and then testing them in the game.
Akira said that there a few things he wanted to accomplish with the Gougi system:
“I want to change the flow of matches,” he said adding strategy doesn’t really change that much in games. “I wanted to change this on a system level and make a game where matches get crazier and more exciting as they go on.”
Secondly, he said: “I want players to have different ways to play depending on their Gougi.”
This goes without saying as there will surely be some Gougi that work well with others, and some that suit certain characters better than others.
Lastly Akira said: “I want to continue adding Gougi and change the game environment.”
He said this is still just an idea, but he would like to add new Gougi at certain fixed intervals, which would in turn create the feeling of a new game.
“Even by adding just a single Gougi, I think you would be surprised by how much the characters can change,” he said adding that as a developer, he is quite worried about whether or not something crazy will occur.
Akira thinks the Gougi system is extreme and wants players to enjoy it, and go into battle thinking “What kind of crazy thing can I do to my opponent this time?”
The Playstation Experience will be held in Anaheim, California from 9-10 December, which is a truly magical time as thousands of fans descend on Anaheim Convention Center to experience the latest and greatest in PlayStation gaming.


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Although the Prius only launched in Japan on 18 May, it sold so well that it became the country’s best seller for the entire month. And while the car’s had all of June to notch up sales, it’s still great to see that it’s repeated the feat.
That’s not the only good news for the next Prius, though. At the end of June, it was awarded Car of the Year 2009 by WhatGreenCar.com.
The judges were impressed with several of the 10-car shortlist – including the iQ which, despite being described as a two-seater in the video above, can comfortably seat three adults and a child. Though they commended three cars, they agreed that new Prius ‘stood head and shoulders’ above the rest.
“This year’s judges… were unanimous in their acclaim for the new Prius,” said WhatGreenCar managing editor Dr Ben Lane.
“In addition to the new model’s best-in-class cradle-to-crave environmental credentials, the panel particularly commented on the way the car seamlessly integrates green features as part of its design.
“If Apple made a car, it would probably be the third generation Prius,” he added.


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Louis Vuitton’s Web3 Trunk | Apecoin | Big Eyes Coin
Following the wide endorsement and adoption received by Apecoin’s Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection from various celebrities and influencers, NFTs have become a status symbol. Another industry associated with social status is fashion, and Louis Vuitton, the renowned luxury fashion house, recently made news in the crypto world with its latest NFT release, the “VIA Treasure Trunk”. Read on as we explore the role of NFTs as status tokens and their impact on other projects such as Big Eyes Coin (BIG) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
Big Eyes Coin: Cat Of The People
Big Eyes Coin, an ERC-20 token built on the Ethereum blockchain, debuts on June 15. This new meme coin has caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts by offering a fun and potentially lucrative investment opportunity.
Thanks to its foundation in the Ethereum blockchain, Big Eyes Coin ensures increased speed and security for its users. The project also has many other features that entice investors to go deeper into it, such as Big Eyes Coins cryptocasino which will be open at the end of August. BIG Casino will host over 4,000 games, both P2E and regular, and it will use $BIG as a universal medium of exchange.
Big Eyes Coin is also capitalizing on the popularity of NFTs by promising to release one of its own alongside the project. This NFT collection will provide access to an owners club called the Sushi NFT Club, but unlike Louis Vuitton’s Web3 Trunks, this club will be more of a way to demonstrate loyalty and deep investment in the project rather than social status since the Big Eyes Coin is a community-focused project.
Louis Vuitton’s Web3 Trunks: The Final Nail For Apecoin?
After the scandalous fame achieved by the Bored Apes collection, ApeCoin (APE) received a boost of attention and excitement. However, recent developments have cast a shadow over this once promising digital resource. With 95% of ApeCoin owners experiencing financial losses, concerns have been raised about its long-term sustainability. Declining network growth and a slowdown in trading speed have contributed to the coin’s current challenges. ApeCoin’s price has seen a significant decline, and the MVRV ratio indicates a lack of selling incentives among holders. And now with luxury fashion brands venturing into the NFT space, ApeCoin will really struggle to recover from this downturn.
Dogecoin, depending on celebrity endorsements
Dogecoin (DOGE) is no stranger to celebrity endorsement thanks to Elon Musk. The eccentric billionaire has repeatedly tweeted about the coin and once went so far as to use the mascot as the Twitter logo, causing large increases in the token’s value. This approval from Musk has definitely raised the stature and stature of meme coins as a whole and brought them into the mainstream.
Currently ranked #8 in the crypto ecosystem, Dogecoin has also gained attention for its unique approach. With a significant market capitalization and recent price increases, Dogecoin presents an exciting investment opportunity with Dogecoin price forecasts in 2023 indicating a relatively stable outlook, with expected minimum and maximum prices, offering a potential return of 5.3%.
It is said that prestige or social status is the first thing people seek when their more basic needs are met, and that seems to be true in the crypto space as well. Louis Vuitton’s web3 trunk NFTs are supposed to be status symbols, but they are bringers of good fortune to the crypto world as well, considering the mainstream adoption they bring to it. Big Eyes Coin’ NFTs, on the other hand, are a community-building tool, and these shared values are what make Big Eyes Coin so popular. So, grab your space suit and get ready to launch because the countdown has begun. Visit BIG’s website today and register to join the countdown.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG)
Telegram: Telegram: Contact @BIGEYESOFFICIAL


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According to Char49, Found My Mobile components contained a total of four vulnerabilities, and they could have been abused by a malicious app installed on the target computer.
Pedro Umbelino, the Char49 researcher who discovered the bugs, told that the malicious app would only need access to the device’s SD card to exploit the first vulnerability in the chain and build a file that would allow the attacker to intercept backend server communication.
Effective exploitation of the vulnerabilities would have allowed a malicious user to conduct whatever action the Find My Mobile app might take, including forcing a factory reset, wiping data , monitoring the position of the device in real time, retrieving phone calls and messages, and locking and unlocking the phone.
Before the vendor released a patch, the exploit was successfully replicated on Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, and S9 + computers.
Char49 told that the vulnerabilities were discovered more than a year ago, but they were only fixed by Samsung at the end of October 2019, and the security company decided to wait 9 months for information to be made public.
“This vulnerability can be easily exploited after configuration, with severe consequences for the consumer and with a potentially disastrous impact: permanent denial of service via telephone lock, complete data loss with factory reset (including sdcard), serious privacy consequences via IMEI and location tracking as well as call and SMS log access,” the company explained in a technical report explaining each of the vulnerabilities.
It added, “The [Find My Mobile] framework should not have publicly accessible, and in an exported state, arbitrary components. If absolutely required , for example if these components are called by other packages, they should be secured with proper permissions. You should avoid testing code that depends on the presence of files in public places.


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Around the world, global initial public offering issuance was less than stellar in the past year. A weak Chinese market, the debt crisis in Europe and the sputtering markets in the U.S. contributed to IPO proceeds falling 29.7 percent, the lowest level seen since 2008, according to Renaissance Capital.
Even though Facebook's 2012 IPO was hotly anticipated and expected to perform well, it ended up being a controversial move and the stock performed much worse than anticipated over the following months.
However, those businesses considering filing an IPO in the coming year may need to take into consideration market trends and expectations for 2013. According to Renaissance Capital, IPO issuance should gain strength next year, in part due to late 2012 gains.
Businesses thinking about making such a move should consider their corporate banking choices and ensure they have reliable options and advice before coming to a final decision. With an IPO in the pipeline, a company will have a variety of financial disclosures to make and will need to ensure its operations and statements are in order to have a successful opening. This makes having a reliable banking partner all the more important.
Content presented by Bridge Bank, offering flexible, customized solutions for entrepreneurs.


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By Johanna Bennett
JMP Securities raised its rating and target price for medical device maker NuVasive (NUVA) today, citing an uptick in surgical procedures using the company’s products.
It was good news for the stock price, which climb 7.1% or $1.11 to $16.63 a share in afternoon market action.
JMP upgraded NuVasive to a Market Outperform from a Market Perform and raised its target price to $21 a share.
A survey of 26 hospitals found that volumes for a broad array of procedures rose 2.1% during the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period last year. The increase was fueled largely by an increase in the number of insured patients.
NuVasive’s develops and manufactures products used to treat spinal disorders.


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Dubai stores kick off expansion plan at fashion brand Lipsy
Lipsy, the Next-owned fashion brand, has begun an expansion in the Middle East with the opening of two stores in Dubai.
The move follows a multi-territory deal between Lipsy, which was acquired by Next in 2008, and retail and hospitality conglomerate Landmark Group last November.
On trend: Lipsy, the Next-owned fashion brand, has begun an expansion in the Middle East with the opening of two stores in Dubai
Lipsy has 40 shops in Britain and will also add outlets in Bahrain and Qatar later this year.
Emma Dobson, head of international business development at Lipsy, said: ‘These initial openings in Dubai mark an exciting chapter in Lipsy’s ongoing success story.’
The brand also sells through concessions in France, Singapore, Australia and the US.
Next announces full-year results on March 22. It has said it struggled with ‘disappointing’ sales last year and that it was focusing on costs and expanding its online business.
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Report: Blockchain Patents ‘Skyrocket’ in 2020, Alibaba Owns the Most Crypto Patents
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Club is the business
A NEW business club has been launched to provide a common voice for Stevenage businesses to boost the town during the current recession. Called Biz4Biz, the club is exclusively for business owners, directors, partners and senior executives. Co- founder Pa
A NEW business club has been launched to provide a common voice for Stevenage businesses to boost the town during the current recession.
Called Biz4Biz, the club is exclusively for business owners, directors, partners and senior executives.
Co- founder Paul Beasley of the Richmond House Group based in Argyle Way, said:
"I have long felt the need for a forum where senior business people can meet to discuss common issues.
"There are many networking organisations and functions but they rarely attract the senior audience that can influence and drive forward business development. The intention is for Biz4Biz to fill that void."
Another co-founder of the group, Adrian Hawkins of Wholesale Welding Supplies said: "As a Stevenage lad I am delighted at the response we received."
- 1 Tranquil Turtle officially opens with lavish launch event
- 2 Dangerous paedophile jailed for sexual abuse of vulnerable girl
- 3 Serious collision on A602 injures four
- 4 Icon building planning appeal quashed after High Court review
- 5 Christmas markets return to Hitchin
- 6 Butts Close: A monument to medieval Hitchin
- 7 When to see The Geminids - one of the best meteor showers of the year
- 8 Care home excited to open its doors to new residents
- 9 Cat owner given 'best Christmas present' after being reunited with missing Maine Coon five years after disappearance
- 10 Woman pleads guilty to smashing bottles of booze worth £10,000
The inaugural meeting was hosted by The Wine Society where two dozen local business people met to discuss the aims of the club that will include
l Sharing ideals and concerns.
l Providing a genuine voice for Stevenage business working with Government and other organisations.
l Provide a forum for business people to talk to other businesses for the future prosperity of the town.
The next meeting is on May 13 at The Node Conference Centre, Codicote, between 12.30 and 2pm. To find out more, visit www.biz4biz.org or call Mr Beasley on 07976 177518.


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BGL Group, the major financial services organisation which owns brands including comparethemarket.com, online life insurer Beagle Street and insurance partnerships business Junction, is pleased to announce the appointment of Julian Brown as its new head of legal.
Julian will lead BGL’s in-house legal department, managing its development as the group continues to grow. His extensive business-focused legal experience, combined with his commercial awareness and knowledge of international markets, were key factors behind Julian’s appointment.
Prior to joining BGL, Julian was head of legal for Experian Marketing Services having previously worked for Clifford Chance and Thomson Reuters.
Ron Simms, corporate services director at BGL Group, said: ‘Julian is a great addition to BGL’s legal team. His experience in the technology, marketing and financial markets will be extremely valuable as we continue to build for the future.’
Julian said: ‘It’s an exciting time to be joining such a dynamic and forward-thinking company as BGL. I’m looking forward to working alongside a like-minded team to support the business in achieving its ambitious growth objectives within an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment.’


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NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison is urging European dairy farmer representatives, traders and European Commission officials to agree fair proposals for private storage aid as well as robust ways to limit the impact of falling commodity prices and the recent Russian import ban on dairy products.
“It is vital that I can represent UK dairy farmers in Brussels and push for appropriate and relevant action from the European Commission, in response to the critical price collapse we’ve seen in dairy commodity values,” said Mr Harrison.
“Creating a commercial and political environment in which British dairy farmers can compete globally has always been the focus of the NFU. In July 2013 we launched ‘Compete to Grow’, our vision for the future of the dairy industry. At that time farmers were receiving market signals and favourable conditions to grow their output. Despite this growth, the UK market is still in deficit and below its quota ceiling. Depressed prices now are a result of wider global factors, which have depressed global commodity values.
“Compete to Grow challenges the entire UK dairy supply chain to seize the opportunities for global market growth that lie ahead by ensuring our industry is competitive and seeking new markets. These principles are echoed by the UK dairy industry’s ‘Leading the Way’ strategy, which is endorsed by around 50 dairy organisations, processors, retailers, banks and consultants.”
Mr Harrison was taking part in discussions today and yesterday.


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RBC first Canadian bank to leverage GPS
No, it's not trying to keep track of its money. It's getting brand exposure by mapping all its North American branches and ATMs.
RBC announced yesterday that it has begun putting its brand logos, and the locations of all its branches and ATMs in Canada and the US, on online maps and GPS navigation systems.
Canada’s largest bank by assets and ATM proliferation, RBC also has more than 340 branches and 390 ATMs south of the border. So Canadian consumers will see an RBC icon for RBC Royal Bank, and American users will see the logo for RBC Centura. ‘This opportunity will allow us to get our logo into the hands of the millions of people who regularly consult online maps,’ explains Ann Bowman, RBC’s VP channel strategy.


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To the Editor:
In "The incentives debate: Who's being 'stupid'?" (Aug. 25), American Honda's John Mendel warned rivals who are luring customers with longer loans and courting risky subprime buyers: "You're probably pulling people out of used cars into a new car that maybe they can't afford."
I learned many years ago that you cannot be a judge of your customer's financial ability to purchase a vehicle.
If a client wants a certain vehicle and can obtain financing to get it, he will -- if not from you, then from someone else.
Does Best Buy advise its customers to buy the 50-inch screen and not the 60-inch one because of their economic status?
You're treading on thin ice here. It's not like we're selling immoral or illegal paraphernalia.
They're just cars.
The writer has worked in automotive retailing for many years.


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By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Oct 28:
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a penalty of Rs. 936.44 crore on Google for abusing its dominant position with respect to its Play Store policies, apart from issuing a cease-and-desist order, on Tuesday.
The Commission also directed Google to modify its conduct within a defined timeline and gave 30 days time to provide the requisite financial details. The Commission imposed a penalty @ 7% of its average relevant turnover on provisional basis, for violating Section 4 of the Competition Act, 2002. It also directed the company to desist from indulging in anti-competitive practices.
For app developers, app stores have become a necessary medium for distribution of their apps to the end users and the availability of app store(s) is directly dependent on operating system (OS) installed on a smart device. An appreciation of the market dynamics in licensable mobile operating system in India makes it evident that Google’s Android OS has successfully reaped the indirect network effects.
The Commission found Google to be dominant in the markets for licensable OS for smart mobile devices and market for app stores for Android smart mobile OS, in India. Selling of in-app digital goods constitutes an important means for app developers to monetize their creations/innovations. However, for in-app digital goods to be distributed to purchasing users, developers must configure their apps so that all purchases of the digital goods go through Google’s payment system, which processes the transactions.
Google’s Play Store policies require the App developers to exclusively and mandatorily use Google Play’s Billing System (GPBS) not only for receiving payments for Apps (and other digital products like audio, video, games) distributed/sold through the Google Play Store, but also for certain in-app purchases (purchases made by users after they have downloaded/ purchased the App from the Play Store). Besides, app developers cannot, within an app, provide users with a direct link to a webpage containing an alternative payment method or use language that encourages a user to purchase the digital item outside of the app, the Commission’s statement read.
If the app developers do not comply with Google’s policy of using GPBS, they are not permitted to list their apps on the Play Store and thus, lose out the vast pool of potential customers in the form of Android users. Making access to the Play Store dependent on mandatory usage of GPBS for paid apps and in-app purchases was unfair, the Commission observed.
The Commission noted that Google Pay has been integrated with intent flow methodology whereas other UPI apps can be used through collect flow methodology. With intent flow offering significant advantages, its success rate is higher due to lower latency.
The Commission concluded that, to make app developers dependent on mandatory usage of GPBS for paid apps and in-app purchases, constitutes an imposition of unfair condition. The mandatory imposition of GPBS, also results in denial of market access for payment aggregators as well as app developers.
Also the Google was following discriminatory practices by not using GPBS for its own applications i.e. YouTube, which is not paying the service fee as being imposed on other apps covered in the GPBS requirements.
The practices followed by Google resulted in leveraging its dominance in market for licensable mobile OS and app stores for Android OS, to protect its position in the downstream markets. The different methodologies used by Google to integrate, its own UPI app vis-à-vis other rival UPI apps, with the Play Store resulted in violation of Sections 4(2)(a)(ii), 4(2)(c) and 4(2)(e) of the Act. As such Google shall not restrict app developers from using any third-party billing/ payment processing services, either for in-app purchases or for purchasing apps, the Commission stated.
The above fine is in addition to the fine of Rs 1,337.76 crore imposed on Google for alleged anti-competitive practices, especially related to Android mobile devices on October 20. In that order the Commission directed Google not to offer any incentives to smartphone makers for exclusively carrying its search services. It also asked the company to allow users to choose their default search engine at all search entry points, especially during the initial device setup.


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MADISON, Wis. — On National Cheese Curd Day, Governor Tony Evers’ campaign released a cheesy new ad highlighting how the governor is doing the right thing for Wisconsin’s dairy industry. One of Gov. Evers’ first jobs was scraping mold off of cheese in his hometown of Plymouth, Wisconsin — and he’s never forgotten how important this industry is to Wisconsin.
Our state is stronger and cheddar thanks to Gov. Evers’ investments in the Farm Support Program — he allocated $100 million to over 20,000 farmers across Wisconsin’s 72 counties. This support is helping farmers pay bills, invest in equipment, and continue feeding and fueling Wisconsin.
In addition, Gov. Evers signed historic legislation to expand dairy exports and has made significant investments to strengthen meat processing across the state. In his second term, he will continue to find innovative ways to connect Wisconsin’s agriculture industry with new markets and strengthen the state’s agriculture supply chain.
Gov. Evers is committed to ensuring that Wisconsin’s family farms and agriculture industry are getting the resources they need. This might sound cheesy, but we think this ad is really grate.
One of my first jobs was at a cheese factory scraping mold off of 40 pound blocks of cheddar.
That job built a lot of character.
But I learned that dairy and agriculture are essential to Wisconsin’s economy.
So in the pandemic, I had directed millions to help farmers and cheese makers prevent layoffs and create new jobs.
Folks, politics can be too divisive, helping creameries, like this is what really matters.


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Shares in China’s Alibaba plunged 10% after trading opened in Hong Kong on Friday following the company’s disappointing earnings – a big fall in second quarter net income – and its warning of slower growth.
The company forecast that annual revenue will grow at its slowest pace since its 2014 stock market debut as its results missed expectations due to slowing consumption, increasing competition and a regulatory crackdown.
On Thursday the Chinese e-commerce group reported an 81% fall in net income to $833.5 million in the second quarter, missing a Reuters consensus estimate of $3.76 billion.
Alibaba cited high investment and losses from equity investments as the cause of the drop.
Revenue rose 29% to $31.4 billion in the three months to September, compared with the same period last year, missing analysts’ forecast of $32.3 billion.
New York-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holding, which expects fiscal year 2022 revenue to grow by 20-23%, slumped more than 11% on Thursday.
Daniel Zhang, Alibaba’s chief executive, said increasing competition and slowing consumption in China were the primary causes for slowing growth.
Maggie Wu, Alibaba’s chief financial officer, told analysts that competitors “have been increasing investment to acquire users and show a high level of spending”. Alibaba’s competitors have been luring merchants away from its Taobao e-mall business with lower costs.
Beijing has cracked down on technology companies, citing monopolistic abuses and security reasons. Another tech giant, Tencent, last week posted its slowest revenue growth since it went public in 2004.
Chinese shoppers have become more cautious about spending, in part due to new coronavirus outbreaks. This, along with supply disruptions and deleveraging in the property sector has contributed to China’s economy suffering its slowest growth in a year in the third quarter.
However, Barclays analyst Thomas Chong said Taobao continued to be an attractive platform.
“Domestic consumption, globalisation and cloud continue to make progress, with Taobao the destination for consumers with different preferences,” he said.
Chong said “solid progress” made in a number of initiatives including attracting a rising percentage of new consumers from lower-tier cities.
- Reuters, with George Russell


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Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report has been crowned a ‘favorite idea’ for investors for 2022 by one influential Wall Street analyst while being dubbed a “tech safety blanket” by another, despite recent reports of lagging iPhone 13 sales and even as the shares touch all-time highs, pushing the company's market capitalization to near $3 trillion.
While cautious on technology stocks overall, Morgan Stanley on Thursday named Apple its favorite hardware large-cap pick for investors for 2022, just two days after the investment bank's noted analyst Katy Huberty boosted her price target on the tech giant to the highest level on Wall Street.
Huberty, one of the tech sector's top-rated analysts, on Tuesday raised her price target on Apple by $36, to $200 per share while keeping her 'overweight' rating in place, noting upside potential from Apple's nascent autonomous driving division as well as the planned launch of augmented and virtual reality products such as headsets and glasses.
Huberty also shrugged-off recent reports of waning iPhone demand heading into the holiday season, noting that handset and App Store revenues could surprise to the upside in the December quarter.
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, meantime, also sees a juicy future for Apple, lifting his price target on Apple to a bull-case of $225 per share on what his team sees as strong demand for the iPhone 13, also contrary to recent reports, as well as expectations that Apple's highly anticipated AR glasses will hit the market next year.
“Our iPhone 13 checks continue to be much stronger than expected with our belief that Apple is now on pace to sell north of 40 million iPhones during the holiday season despite the chip shortage headwinds,” Ives wrote, noting that from his team’s calculations demand is currently outstripping supply for iPhone 13s “…by roughly 10 million units globally.”
“While there are various media reports focusing on supply shortages of roughly 15 million iPhone units, the underlying demand story remains our focus into 2022 and we believe is the key driver of the stock going forward,” Ives said, calling Apple a “safety blanket” tech name.
What’s more, Ives sees the debut of Apple’s AR headset Apple Glasses potentially adding $20 a share to Apple’s valuation, “…given this massive market opportunity and tapping the broader metaverse ecosystem.”
A $200 handle on Apple stock would peg the company's valuation at more than $3 trillion.
Shares of Apple were down 0.7% at $173.85 in premarket trading after ending the trading day at $175.08, a fresh record high. Year to date the stock is up nearly 40%.


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British Treasury Is Against the Legalization of Algorithmic Stablecoins
The British Treasury, in the Financial Services and Markets Bill, introduced rules to regulate stablecoins as a payment mechanism. However, the innovations do not apply to algorithmic stablecoins.
According to The Telegraph, a Treasury spokesman noted that the decision to supplement the document was announced in a speech of Queen Elizabeth II dated May 10, 2022, which was read before Parliament by Prince Charles.
In the address, Prince Charles announced the introduction of new legal regulations in various sectors and measures to stimulate economic growth to improve living standards in the UK.
According to the statement, the bill aims to further strengthen the powers to combat illegal financing, reduce economic crime and promote business growth.
Algorithmic stablecoins are not included in the document, as they do not guarantee stability. According to the UK government, some stablecoins are not suitable for payment purposes because they share characteristics with fiat crypto assets.
Earlier, the UK Government Treasury asked the Royal Mint to create an “emblem of UK forward thinking” in the NFT before the end of the year.


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- Jed McCaleb, creator of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange and co-founder of Stellar, predicts that blockchain technology will result in a "universal payments network."
- He also said the phenomenon of initial coin offerings show entire "markets not tapped right now by the financial system."
- Finally, McCaleb expects that non-cryptoassets such as stocks will become digitized with the same technology.
A longtime developer in the cryptocurrency world predicts its technology will change global payments, fundraising and stock markets in the near future.
Jed McCaleb has had a hand in some of the biggest crypto organizations to date, beginning with the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange. McCaleb is now chief technology officer at Stellar, which is focused on developing a cryptocurrency network for cross-border payments. On Wednesday, he shared his views with CNBC.com on how cryptocurrency and the underlying blockchain technology will likely gain traction in the years to come.
"In the future, I think it's pretty clear to me there will be a universal payments network that will operate," McCaleb said. That will involve a "public ledger that people can see and can't change arbitrarily" and letting people "use things they're used to, like dollars and euros."
Coincidentally, Stellar is working to solve those very issues. The network claims transaction settlement times of about 5 seconds or less — a fraction of bitcoin's — and allows users to quickly exchange government-backed currencies such as the U.S. dollar and the euro. IBM is already using Stellar's network to develop a cross-border payments system with some large banks.
Second, McCaleb said the phenomenon of token sales known as initial coin offerings show entire "markets not tapped right now by the financial system."
Initial coin offerings have raised the equivalent of nearly $9 billion in just over four years, according to financial research firm Autonomous Next.
The influx of funds into initial coin offerings has also spurred the growth of many fraudulent fundraisers, drawing the attention of regulators. But proponents say the token sales represent a new model for fundraising.
In contrast to the traditional model of projects courting venture capital, token sales generally go directly to retail investors who can contribute to a project by buying digital coins. These tokens can give investors access to a future platform, or at least appreciate in value.
Finally, McCaleb expects that non-cryptoassets such as stocks will become digitized with the same technology.
"In the next 10 years I wouldn't be surprised if all equity isn't tokenized on some blockchain somewhere," he said. That may involve decentralized exchanges since McCaleb thinks people will want to trade so many things it will be hard for a centrally controlled exchange to handle.
Several start-ups are already working on ways to connect the world of digital tokens to traditional financial markets. For example, Maryland-based Securrency is working to allow investors to buy stocks with bitcoin.
McCaleb created the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange before selling it in 2011 to Mark Karpeles, under whom the exchange was hacked and eventually filed for bankruptcy. McCaleb went on to co-found Ripple, whose XRP coin is now the third largest by market capitalization. After a falling out with the Ripple team, McCaleb co-founded Stellar in 2014 and is now chief technology officer.
Stellar's XLM coins, known as lumens, soared into the 10 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization around New Year's. It has since sold off with the market, down about 34 percent for the year so far at 23.8 cents.


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Japan Finally Recognizes Bitcoin After Long BattleLast month, the Japanese government recognized bitcoin as legal tender.
Locations of Bitcoin ATM in Japan The easiest way to buy and sell bitcoins.
MtGox bitcoin chief Mark Karpeles arrested in Japan - BBCGox, the bitcoin exchange that folded in 2014 and lost coins worth hundreds of millions of pounds, has been looking for ways to keep a closer eye on cryptocurrencies and prevent another disaster.
Rollout of 260,000+ Bitcoin-Accepting Stores in Japan BeginsTwo Japanese retail groups are about to start accepting bitcoin payments, a move that is likely to promote wider use of the virtual currency by domestic consumers.Nw regulations in Japan that will make Bitcoin a legal form of payment may do more harm than good for the fledgling industry in the country.Mt. Gox was a bitcoin exchange based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.TOKYO -- Two Japanese retailing groups soon will accept bitcoin payments, a move that is likely to promote wider use of the virtual currency among dom.
Coincheck Becomes the First Licensed Japanese BitcoinBitcoin trading activities are expected to rise in Japan following the activation of the tax reform bill.
New laws will set Bitcoin and other digital currencies as official currency in Japan.Japan has once again become the largest Bitcoin exchange market with 50.75 percent market share of the global Bitcoin exchange market.
Behind Bitcoin’s Wild Ride: the Japan Factor - WSJThe popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been in the news for one reason or another over the past few months.
Japan’s 1st Bitcoin ATM a New Twist on Mobile Banking
Although it remains unclear whether the Bitcoin protocol split will occur on August 1, a number of Japanese exchanges will suspend all deposits and withdrawals at.A surprising bitcoin exchange ranking chart published today shows Japanese exchange bitFlyer trading at number one over the past 24 hours.We are the easiest to use and most secure bitcoin wallet service.
Japan’s Marui to Accept Bitcoin Payments - dcebrief.comThirteen bitcoin exchange operators in Japan said they will.
Japanese retailers to accept bitcoin payments | Retail
The Japanese Ministry of Finance is expected to shortly announce that the sale of bitcoin and other virtual currencies will be exempted from 8% Consumption Tax. The.
Japanese Bitcoin Exchange bitFlyer Obtains Approval toExperts say the weakness of the Chinese yuan and acceptance of bitcoin as legal tender in Japan may be driving the recent bitcoin pricing surge.
According to a report in the Nikkei newspaper, the changes were proposed by government body the Financial Services Agency.


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As Pokemon Go continues is rise in popularity, many developers have reverse engineered the game to publish unauthorized APIs. Niantic has now issued a cease and desist letter to a popular Pokemon Go API developer in an attempt to quash the unauthorized practice. Will threatened legal action work?
Seventeen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Payments, Artificial Intelligence, Demographics, Movies, and Monitoring. Highlights include the Windows Defender ATP API and a GraphQL API for GitLab. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.


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Yale professor Robert Shiller has been one of the many market watchers warning of lofty valuations in assets this summer, but one research firm has detailed how his own economic indicator could actually be signaling a
This cries out for a “Write your own caption contest here,” right? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and
China is developing its own operating system, which will compete with Microsoft Windows and Google Android. China is once again taking a nationalist stance on technology, this time, with its own PC and mobile operating system. The
Editor’s Note: The following was written by Yahoo Finance Contributor Milanee Kapadia. You can follow her on Twitter @MilaneeKapadia On Friday, the SP 500 (^GSPC) finished at 1,988.40 after fluctuating near an all-time high. Investors were focused
By Jonathan Spicer, Michael Flaherty and Howard Schneider JACKSON HOLE Wyo. (Reuters) – Pressure is building within the Federal Reserve for officials to move as early as next month to more clearly acknowledge improvements in the U.S.
A Target store in Canada, where Target has struggled to make inroads. Target’s mantra is “Expect more, pay less.” These days, it’s investors and shoppers who are expecting a lot more from the discount retailer. Target(TGT) cut


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News tagged ‘iPhoto’
Apple has uploaded new promo video about new Mac Pro.
At just 7.5 mm thin, weighing only one pound, and with the advanced A7 chip, iPad Air is incredibly light and powerful. But it also comes with all the capability of iOS 7. And iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are now available free. So the possibilities for what you can do with it, and where you can take it, are virtually limitless.
Apple’s iCloud service went through the overnight outage - some users report they were unable to use Calendar and a bunch of other features. Apart from that, the company's online store was inaccessible for updates for as many as 5 hours.
Today Apple has introduced the iPhone 5c which can be truly called the most colorful iPhone ever. The smartphone features a new design. It is available in five bright colors - blue, green, pink, yellow and white.
iPhone 5c boasts all the features so respected and loved by Apple customers. The magnificent 4-inch Retina display, the long-awaited rapid processor A6 chip, as well as the 8 megapixel iSight camera are only a small part of brilliant hardware of the new iPhone. It also has more LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world, a new FaceTime HD camera, and iOS 7, which is expected to be the best iOS Cupertino company has ever had to present to its customers.
“iPhone 5c is everything iPhone 5 was and more, in an all-new design packed with great features,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 5c is designed with a beautiful polycarbonate enclosure that looks and feels so solid in your hand.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Apple has recently won a large supply contract for iPads to LA Unified School District. According to the program, all students in the school district will be equipped with iPad. The gadget will boast the Pearson Common Core System of Courses presented as a new app. Moreover, Apple’s iWork (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) and iLife (iMovie, iPhoto, GarageBand) suites will be preloaded on each iPad as well as some educational third-party apps. Apple says that the $30 million commitment is the beginning of a bigger contract from Los Angeles schools.
The first 31,000 iPads are only the initial phase of the program, which plans to buy and distribute iPads to all 640,000 students in the nation’s second-largest school district by late 2014, Mark Hovatter, the chief facilities executive for the LAUSD, told CITEworld.
“The most important thing is to try to prepare the kids for the technology they are going to face when they are going to graduate,” said Hovatter. “This is phase one, a mix of high school, middle school, and elementary students. We’re targeting kids who most likely don’t have their own computers or laptops or iPads. Their only exposure to computers now is going to be in their schools.
With the yesterday’s Mountain Lion launch, Apple updated its iWork productivity suite, as well as iPhoto, iMovie and Aperture. Updates for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote include support of the high-resolution Retina display on the next-generation MacBook Pro.
New features in Pages 4.2, Numbers 2.2, and Keynote 5.2 according to Apple, are:
Every year thousands of Apple developers flock to San Francisco to attend Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference to be educated in all things Apple. Over the past decade the conference has undergone some big changes as Apple has introduced products like the iPhone, Mac Pro, Intel Processors, Mac OS X operating systems, and much more. An event that used to be lightly attended has now become the most popular developers conference in the world and sold out within 2 hours this years.
Here’s a look at the banner images of WWDC over the past 10 years.
Apple announced OS X 10. 2 (Jaguar), QuickTime 6, and held a mock funeral for OS 9 to tell developers there would be no more Mac OS 9 development.
Apple doesn't support its new iPhoto app, as well as iMovie, on the original iPad. The reason is obvious - the original iPad doesn’t have a camera. But the apps can be installed manually using Apple's iPhone Configuration Utility. iPhoto and iMovie seem to work well enough on the original iPad, although it lacks speed of the iPad 2 and memory of the newest iPad.
To install iMovie and iPhoto to the original iPad you need:
1. to install Apple's free iPhone Configuration Utility, available at http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/
Following the launch of Apple’s iPhoto for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch application, several reports noted that the mapping integration into the software was not Google-based. With Apple working on an in-house iOS maps product for the last couple of years, Daring Fireball's John Gruber later clarified that maps for Photo Journals and slideshows were coming directly from Apple.
The OpenStreetMap Foundation has now issued a blog post revealing that Apple is using at least some of its mapping data for these features, although it does note that Apple is using outdated mapping data and is not crediting appropriately for its usage.
The new iPhoto for iOS, however, uses Apple’s own map tiles – made from OpenStreetMap data (outside the US). [...]
11:23AM - That’s it!
Yesterday Apple introduced new service called iCloud. US users can try it today using iOS 4.3.3 and iTunes 10.3. To understand what is iCloud, what is it for and how can be used, we recommend to read official Apple text about iCloud.


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Why Constellation's investment in Canopy Growth is important
Canopy Growth (#TSX: $WEED #NYSE: $CGC) with the support of Constellation Brands (#NYSE: $STZ and $STZ.B) are once again leading the Canadian cannabis parade. Recall the blockbuster announcement on October 30, 2017 in which STZ took a 9.9% position in WEED with an ability to increase that holding to 20%. We believe this triggered the massive rally that carried cannabis stocks to new highs in a 55.9% rally as measured by the Let’s Toke Business Marijuana Composite Index. This was particularly important because it was the first significant cross-industry investment into the Canadian cannabis sector.
This most recent transaction could trigger a 2018 rally in the cannabis stock sector.
In actual fact, however, the first transaction was more like an engagement and everyone knows not all engagements end in marriage. It wouldn’t be the first time someone said I do then didn’t. That transaction did, however, discourage other prospective suitors for Canopy’s hand without preventing an aggressive paramour from making a last ditch effort. To the extent there was a lack of total commitment, it probably existed on both sides. Constellation had made the decision it wanted to enter the cannabis industry and saw Canopy as a potentially great partner. Canopy probably wanted an association with a major but couldn’t be absolutely sure Constellation was the one.
The nature of the latest transaction, however, suggests both sides are now fully committed. Constellation will acquire 104.5 million additional shares directly from Canopy at C$48.60 per share and will then have 38% ownership after exercise of existing warrants. The price being paid is a 37.9% premium to WEED’s 5-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) of the common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and a 51.2% premium to the closing price on August 14, 2018. STZ will also receive 139.7 million three-year warrants to buy additional Canopy shares: 88.5 million exercisable at a price of C$50.40 per share, a 43.0% premium to VWAP and 51.3 million exercisable at the VWAP at the time of exercise. Canopy will receive approximately C$5 billion cash immediately and the exercise of all new and existing warrants would give STZ over 50% ownership of WEED and provide WEED with at least an additional C$4.5 billion cash. (read full press release here)
We think this is an important transaction for investors because:
(a) The Chief Executive Officer of Constellation Brands Rob Sands said, “Through this investment, we are selecting Canopy Growth as our exclusive global cannabis partner.” Constellation Brands is a credible, Fortune 500 company so this commitment is meaningful.
(a) The initial cash infusion from this transaction should cover Canopy’s needs for the foreseeable future. Unlike other major financings, this has the advantage not sucking $5 billion of cannabis stock buying power out of the market.
(b) It is not lost on us that Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy, referred to the cash injection as “rocket fuel” to “expand internationally.” Linton also said international meant the United States, Europe and Latin America. But Constellation and Canopy both stressed they would not go into a market unless cannabis was legal at all levels. This excludes American growers at this time although it leaves them open to nibble around the edges.
(c) A quick calculation indicates that if Constellation follows through to a 50%+ ownership of Canopy, they will have paid C$10 to C$12 billion for their 50% interest. Given there is a premium paid for a controlling interest, this still suggests Constellation views Canopy’s value to be in the C$20 billion plus range.
(d) In making the investment, Constellation expressed the view that Canopy would be accretive to earnings in 2021. It is reasonable to assume that Fortune 500 companies do not spend C$5 to C$10 billion without having thought about it carefully. For example, Constellation was advised by Goldman Sachs and financing was provided by Bank of American Merrill Lynch.
(e) As happened after the initial investment around 10 months ago, the latest Constellation/Canopy transaction could result in another broad reassessment of stock market valuations. It seems Constellation believes Canopy is worth around triple the market cap it was trading for on the financial markets. Above average investment returns may not be over for Canopy shareholders by a long shot.
(f) Accepting that Constellation is an aggressive, early adopter, we think this move indicates it will not be that long before other majors in the alcoholic beverage, pharmaceutical and tobacco industries make their move into cannabis. Although their focus will be on larger cannabis companies, we think there will be some appetite for larger potential growth as well.
(g) Linton also said and not for the first time that price weakness in the cannabis plant is only a problem if you are dealing with a commodity. This implies Canopy will stress cannabis based products that offer higher profit margins and marketing capabilities which is where Constellation’s expertise comes in.
(h) Wednesday’s events once again demonstrate the value of diversification into the cannabis stocks. On a day when the Canadian Cannabis Composite Index was up 287.86 points or 12.7%, the Dow Jones Industrials fell 137.51 points or 0.5% and the S&P/TSX Composite declined 182.2 points or 1.1%.
Here is a summary from Canopy Growth Chief Executive Officer Bruce Linton’s BNN Bloomberg interview shortly after the news broke on Constellation. We have selected seven Bruce Linton sound bites that tell you all you need to know to invest in cannabis.
Why Constellation? “We know these guys well….They get that this is a medical business and a consumer packaged goods business and that you have to do both or else you lose.”
What’s Next for Canopy/Constellation? “…if you’re saying 'Well I think I should sell Canopy stock and buy a few of these other companies because they’re going to buy them,' that might not work out. But if there are global business opportunities, that’s where we’re going.”
Why Global? "We’re in 11 countries on five continents….my target addressable market is probably somewhere north of 20 times the number of people who are in Canada. We want to be at the front of all that."
Why Hurry? “The reason we wanted the cash now is because…Canada is being copied but it’s not…one country after another….about 29 countries are saying, 'We should do the same thing.'”
Who Will Be Your Competition? "The competition…are going to be big, big alcohol and big, big pharma….what I want to make sure is that we are partnered up and going fast early…..”
Canada’s Investment Outlook? "The problem…is that there’s far more companies then there are businesses….There’s going to be two or three companies that are decent….The rest, there won’t be consolidation, there’s going to be disintegration.”
And Canopy? "…the company that people look at and say, 'Okay, I might own four cannabis stocks…half my money’s going to Canopy and the other ones are going to funny little side bets, and hope they work out.'"


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BEIJING (AP) — China is preparing to retaliate if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump carries out promises to impose sanctions on Chinese goods and already has toughened its stance by imposing unusually high duties in an anti-dumping case against a U.S.-made agricultural chemical, an American business group said Wednesday.
Trump, due to be inaugurated Friday, rattled American companies that do business with China when he threatened during his campaign to raise import duties on Chinese goods to 45 percent. That prompted warnings Beijing might retaliate.
"China has indeed threatened to and is preparing to take steps in retaliation if such actions take place," said Lester Ross, a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in an implicit rebuke to Trump, issued a ringing defense of free trade in a speech Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and warned a "trade war" would harm all countries involved.
Ross said Beijing already has toughened its stance by imposing higher anti-dumping duties on DGGS, an additive used in livestock feed, than were recommended by Chinese regulators.
The Ministry of Commerce on Jan. 11 raised duties on the chemical to up to 53.7 percent, nearly double the 33.8 percent rate it recommended in September, prior to Trump's election victory.
In a reflection of American companies' concerns, the chamber chairman, William Zarit, said it will send a delegation of seven or eight businesspeople to Washington in February to meet with lawmakers and Trump administration officials.
Zarit said that was in addition to a chamber delegation that goes to Washington for a "door-knock" each April or May because this year is "special in many ways."
"We certainly are not going there to lecture the administration but we will share our ideas on a win-win path forward," said Zarit at a news conference to release a report on business conditions in China.


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We know that Google will be turning up the security on their new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. So what does that means for the rooters? Well, nothing much really.
While it sounds like the security feature would prevent their users from rooting the device, that is actually not the case here. The new security feature works more like a corruption prevention system where is protect your smartphone so that you won’t be vulnerable to hackers.
Those looking to root the device can still unlock the bootloader which means the device won’t be able to check for corruption anymore and more there, the rooting process should be the same. In fact, a lot of users have already reported that the Android 7.0 Nougat can be rooted.
Of course, with the new security feature in place, one-click root apps like KingRoot won’t work anymore which is probably good news since that kind of apps are the ones that are putting the users in danger.


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Monday's News & Notes
Mon, 2009-05-11 18:40
Here are some
and notes on retail and retail real estate from around the Web today.
what General Growth's bankruptcy means for special purpose entities.
talks a look at a
lag in in a rebound
for commercial real estate.
shines a spotlight
on Deutsche Bank's first quarter commercial real estate outlook.
Sam Chandan wrote about the
stress tests and commercial real estate
for the Huffington Post.
CNN profiles activist investor William Ackman and his
plan for Target
Retail News provides some
survival tips for real estate investors
REIT Wrecks writes about how the
will prove to be a pivotal stretch for REITs.
contrasts the retail strategies
of B&H with Circuit City in explaining why one is thriving while the other failed.
delinquencies near a record peak
according to a new
report from Standard & Poor's
Retail vacancies in Chicago hit a 11 percent--
a six-year high


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Vauxhall's new Meriva has revolutionary doors that are scientifically proven to reduce back strain. The revolutionary FlexDoors reduce back strain by up to 58 percent compared with a standard car. The rear hinged doors on the Vauxhall Meriva are similar to those seen on the iconic London black cab providing easy access to the rear seats and making entering and exiting the car and lifting objects in and out effortless. This is ideal for parents with young children and for the older generation.
The new Vauxhall Meriva comes at a time when more and more Brits are injuring their backs, with 80% of us suffering back pain at some point in our lives and one in six working days are taken as sick days due to a bad back. Dr James Shippen of Coventry University, who headed the research, said "with this research we wanted to prove that the New Vauxhall Meriva could actually help the physical wellbeing of drivers everywhere. The results speak for themselves; you will be putting significantly less strain on your back with this car."
Inside the Vauxhall Meriva the new FlexSpace allows easier fold-down of the rear seats, while moving the rear seats to create more boot, leg or shoulder room is simpler than ever. There is advanced seat comfort and new for the Vauxhall Meriva is a full-length panoramic sunroof, which is standard on SE models. At almost two metres long, the roof comes with an electronic blind and is one of the largest of its kind offered in the compact MPV segment. The Vauxhall Meriva is in showrooms and available to order now.


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More customers help Vitacost.com boost sales 30% in Q3
November 12, 2012 04:09 PM
New customers, orders shipped and online sales were all up in the third quarter for health and wellness products e-retailer Vitacost.com Inc.
For the period ending Sept. 30, Vitacost, No. 86 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide (learn more about The Guide: ), reported:
- Online sales of $82.22 million, a 30% increase compared with $63.46 million in the third quarter of 2011.
- Net loss of $5.1 million compared with a net loss of $5.3 million in Q3 2011.
- Total number of active customers on Vitacost.com increased 30.3% to 1.59 million at the end of the quarter from 1.22 million last year.
- Total number of new web customers increased 59.5% to 236,000 from 148,000.
- The number of online orders shipped increased 30.1% to 1.08 million from 830,000.
Vitacost says a greater emphasis on new customer acquisition, including an expanded affiliate marketing program, contributed to the growth in active customers and orders shipped during Q3. Also, the merchant’s Refer-A-Friend program and launch of product sales on the Amazon.com Inc. (No. 1) marketplace in the second half of last year boosted sales for first-time customers.
“We delivered another quarter of strong growth,” says CEO Jeffrey Horowitz. “Going forward, we remain focused on continuing to grow our customer base and improving the efficiency of our fulfillment operations.”
Year-to-date, Vitacost.com also reported:
- Net sales increased 27.2% to $245.7 million from $193.1 million in the first three quarters of last year.
- Net loss was $16.0 million, compared with $11.3 million last year.


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Sears to Spin Off Lands End
December 6, 2013,
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears Holdings said it has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the spinoff of its Lands' End business.
In company statement, Sears Holdings said it would spin Lands' End off through the pro rata distribution of all of the share of the business' common stock. The spinoff will be subject to the approval of the Sears Holdings board and the satisfaction of certain other, unspecified, conditions. The company also said it may decide to abandon the spinoff or change the spinoff's terms at any time until it is completed.
Other Articles By Author
HFN Launches Interactive Idea Book
HFN's DIGITAL EDITION
COVER STORY: HFN Turns 90
We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


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To enjoy the full Mail & Guardian online experience: please upgrade your browser
07 Oct 2013 11:41
Vodacom is studying Icasa's proposed changes and will comment at a later date. (Gallo)
Vodacom Group, South Africa's largest wireless operator, fell the most in more than three months after the telecommunications regulator halved mobile termination rates for carriers.
The company's shares declined as much as 6%, the most since June 24, and traded 4.8% lower at R117.75 as of 10:54 am in Johannesburg on Monday. More than 2.2-million shares traded, above the three month daily average.
MTN Group, Vodacom's nearest competitor, was down 2.8%, its biggest fall in more than a month.
The fee mobile phones companies pay each other to end calls on another network will drop to 20 cents from March 2014, half the current price, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) said in an October 4 statement on its website.
It will then fall by five cents in each of the following two years.
"The market is seeing it as Icasa's intention to drive prices down, so obviously there'll be pricing pressure" on the companies, BPI Capital Africa analyst Kate Turner-Smith said by phone.
The authority last revised call termination rates in 2010 after ruling the market was uncompetitive.
Vodacom and MTN dominate the mobile market, while state-owned Telkom is the leader for fixed-line calls. Vodacom is studying the proposed changes and will comment at a later date, the company's spokesperson Richard Boorman said in an e-mailed statement.
MTN didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. – Bloomberg
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Retailers, consumers and prices
Meet Bernie Madoff at the 2009 Toy Fair
Modelworks, a company that makes models of anything from planes to action figures is expected to unveil its version of Madoff, an accused perpetrator of a $50 billion investment scam, at the 2009 Toy Fair in New York’s Jacob Javits Center, the Toy Industry Association said on its website.
Mr. Madoff will not be alone. The 2009 American International Toy Fair from Feb. 15-18 will host toy makers from Mattel to Lego and hundreds of retailers who will carefully pick toys to put on store shelves in 2009.
Gone are the days where lead and safety issues took center stage. Its all about the price of toys and their value, analysts told us this week. That means no more toys for hundreds of dollars, as even the most free-handed parents sacrifice buying costly toys for their children to save money.
Mattel, for instance is selling Elmo again this year with a twist – you can wear gloves modeled after the character’s fuzzy red fur and use it to tickle your friend. All for about half the price of the Elmo Live doll Mattel sold last year.
Or there is Hasbro, which is seeking to attract kids with a $28 puppy, whereas last year, one of its star toys was the nearly $180 Biscuit, a bigger animated pup.
The Madoff action figure, however, was born as a way to help his friend, an irate Madoff victim, feel a little better, said creator Graeme Warring. The figure, which is made to look like a devil, also comes with a hammer that can be used to “pulverize Bernie,” the website says. Warring eventually ended up making a couple more such figures for others and is unveiling it widely at the Toy Fair.
(Photo from Mini-Me by Modelworks website)


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The Korea Herald is reporting that Samsung held a massive meeting earlier today at its Samsung Town headquarters in Seoul, Korea to discuss new design directions the company might take starting in 2014 when “Design 3.0” is unveiled.
The meeting was attended by top Samsung managers Yoon Boo-keun and Shin Jong-kyun as well as “the whole entourage of executives.” According to Co-Chief Executive Officer Yoon, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss how Samsung might use a new design to differentiate itself from the competition.
“During the conference, new ideas on current design trend in the electronics market and strategies were exchanged,” Yoon told The Korea Herald. “Everyone at the meeting agreed that consumers should be able to identify Samsung products easily.”
Samsung’s Design 1.0 guided every product the company released until the Galaxy S III, when the nature-inspired Design 2.0 was implemented (the recently released Galaxy S4 and upcoming Galaxy Note III will feature the same design principles). We won’t see Design 3.0, which is expected to focus on external beauty and technical practicality while also embodying positive values and creating a connection with consumers, until 2014.
The real question on everyone’s mind is whether Samsung will eschew the plastic components we’ve come to associate with the South Korean company. The plastic chassis helps differentiate Samsung’s handsets from the HTC One and iPhone, but it also drives complaints that the expensive Galaxy S4 devices feel cheap when compared to the aforementioned phones, which are crafted out of aluminum.


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New York gets revved up for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
Attention fashionistas, the most sophisticated event of the year is about to happen at Lincoln Center in New York with the kick-off to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on September 5,2013. Although the event is by invitation only, there will be plenty of places the public can go to spot supermodels and get into the act.
En scene from Los Angeles will be Byron Salon’s very own Alina Ratta and Debi Dumas who are included in the prestigious guest list. The talented hairstylist, who is also the official ‘glam squad’ for Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker, will be on call to manage the manes of models or other attendees.
Sad news for LA, although it not yet been confirmed, this Examiner heard rumor that the Beverly Center Fashion Week is not hosting its usual Fashon's Night Out spectacular this year when the show comes to Los Angeles. So seems like we'll have to hop jets to New York if we want to be in the loop. And if you do, and you can score a ticket, Mercedes is hosting its 10th Annual Style Awards on September 4. Host of the show, Nicole Richie will honor celebs such as ZackPosen, Kate Upton, Victor Cruz, Frederic Fekkai, Rachel Zoe and others will receive an award designed by Tiffany & Co for their contributions to the fashion industry. The Style Awards will air on CNN on September 14, 2013 at 7 p.m. Eastern time.


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DAILY MAIL- UKBy CLAIRE ELLICOTT, 22 July 2012
Women who use fake tan could put themselves at an increased risk of fertility problems and having babies with birth defects, according to experts.
Although seen as a safe alternative to sunbeds, the products can contain a ‘cocktail’ of chemicals which may pose a risk to health – and can even cause cancer. Among the dangerous ingredients found in fake tan are hormone-disrupting compounds, which can affect the healthy development of babies. The products often also contain carcinogens, including formaldehyde and nitrosamines, as well as skin irritants and chemicals linked to allergies, diabetes, obesity and fertility problems.
The potentially dangerous effects of fake tan are thought to be more worrying than for other cosmetics as it is applied over the whole body regularly.
Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of the European Environment Agency, said the chemicals it contains ‘may be a contributing factor behind the significant increases in cancers, diabetes, obesity and falling fertility’.
‘It’s the cocktail effect,’ she said, adding that a ‘precautionary approach’ to many of the chemicals would be sensible ‘until their effects are more fully understood’.
Elizabeth Salter-Green, of UK charity the Chem Trust, warned: ‘Many of the chemicals in fake tan are toxic to reproduction and can harm a foetus.
Although no tests have been carried out on humans showing that they are harmful or cancerous, researchers in the US have expressed fears about the safety of tanning products.
Dr Lynn Goldman, dean of the School of Public Health and Health Services at George Washington University, in Washington DC, said: ‘What we’re concerned about is not so much that reaction that creates the tanning, but reactions that may occur deeper down with living cells that might then change DNA, causing a mutation, and what the possible impacts of that might be.’The active ingredient in fake tanning products is dihydroxyacetone, which reacts with the amino acids on the skin to turn it brown. When it is sprayed on to the body, it is often inhaled and absorbed into the bloodstream. Scientists say it could damage DNA and cause tumours. They also claim the chemical may worsen asthma and other lung problems, such as emphysema.
Sales of tanning products were worth around £100million a year in Britain in 2010. One in ten British men and four in ten women say they use them. Alyson Hogg, of Vita Liberata, a UK firm that has developed a fake tan free from potentially dangerous chemicals, said firms used them as they were ‘cheap and easy’.
But cosmetics manufacturers insisted all ingredients used were safe. Dr Chris Flower, director general of the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Perfumery Association, said: ‘There are stringent EU laws covering the manufacture of cosmetic products.’


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As you may have heard already, we have released the three finalist names for our smart card, and we want you to decide on a winner starting Friday, January 14, 2011!
As you know, we’re working on a smart card project for launch in 2013, where you’ll load your transit fares onto a single card that you can use across the system, and track important trip and ridership data for better system planning.
The three shortlisted names are Starfish, Compass or TPass. So visit translink.ca/contest on Friday and weigh in on your favourites: the voting period will be open for two weeks after that, ending on Friday January 28, 2011.
The winning name will be announced at the end of March along with a brand identity for the new card. The contest winner will get an iPad and a smart card loaded with a year’s worth of transit, to be used on the system in 2013. (If more than one person submitted one of these names, we will do a draw from all of those people to get our winner. See the rules and regulations for more info.)


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Oct 9, 2013 Without a local partner, Walmart will be unable to open more stores in India.
Sep 24, 2013 The Surface 2 tablet launched yesterday in New York.
Sep 17, 2013 Netflix has some big media competition.
Sep 13, 2013 Today, networks can spend millions on a series and still cancel it after two or three episodes. But that wasn't always the case.
Sep 12, 2013 Billionaire Ron Burkle just bought the Fresh and Easy chain from Tesco. Today's earnings report from Kroger affords a glimpse into the way these markets make money.
Sep 4, 2013 The discount retail chain reported better than expected profits today and its stock is up almost five percent at the moment.
Aug 28, 2013 The nation's largest employer will give healthcare benefits to same-sex partners of full-time employees starting next year.
Stacey Vanek Smith
Aug 15, 2013 The world's largest retailer reported quarterly sales were down and cut its profit forecast for the year. So what are consumers putting in their shopping carts and what are they leaving out?
Aug 15, 2013 Diane Swonk, chief economist with Mesirow Financial, discusses the latest retail earnings.
Aug 2, 2013 Once upon a time a little low-budget movie about a tornado and sharks taking over Los Angeles became a hit on Twitter, and grew up to head to a movie theater near you.


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Indonesia witnesses a surge in trade surplus in July as import was down more sharply than export amid subdued economic growth.
The national statistic bureau announced on Tuesday that Indonesia recorded 1.33 billion U.S. dollars trade surplus in July.
Import fell by 28.44 percent to 10.08 billion U.S. dollars in July from a year earlier, and export scaled down by 19.23 percent to 11.41 billion U.S. dollars in July on year, Adi Lumaksono, deputy of statistic production of the bureau said.
"This is because of the weakening of currency, especially the appreciation of U.S. dollar against other currencies," he told a press conference at the bureau headquarters.
Rupiah has depreciated to the lowest in 17 years, rising cost of shipment of capital goods, most of materials required for the production of country's exported products, shipped from overseas.
Indonesia's economy expanded to the slowest pace in 6 years in the first and second quarters by 4.71 and 4.67 percent respectively, according to the bureau.
Indonesia's exports have been subdued in recent months due to falling demand on the country's export products.
Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of palm oil, thermal coal, and the world's third biggest exporter of rubber and cocoa, as well as home to the world's second-biggest copper mine.


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Aside from its rich natural heritage and breathtaking biodiversity, Nouméa's cosmopolitanism shines through its architecture, cuisine, and buzzing tourism scene. The EUR 15,000 WiFi4EU voucher comes as a perfect complement to the municipality’s plan to improve their tourism and digital services while expanding the existing network.
Home to some 100,000 people, Nouméa is a rapidly growing tourist destination for hikers and water-sports enthusiasts of all ages. To learn more about how the municipality is channelling the WiFi4EU voucher towards inclusive connectivity and improved tourism services in the area, the WiFi4EU team spoke with Othman Joumady, Nouméa’s contact point for digital policies
The municipality of Nouméa already features 28 free Wi-Fi hotspots, as part of a project that aims at bringing free internet access across the territory. Mr. Joumady revealed that, thanks to the WiFi4EU voucher, the local network is being upgraded and new hotspots will soon begin operation in key municipal sociocultural spaces, such as local museums and the multimedia library, or médiathèque.
In its application, the Local Council of Nouméa saw the potential for WiFi4EU's role as a catalyst to reduce the digital divide, complement the municipality's existing network infrastructure, and offer a connection for the growing number of tourists. With the voucher now in tow after the first call, Nouméa seeks to turn this potential into reality on the ground.
As first step towards becoming a smart community, in 2018 Nouméa presented “Simply City”, a mobile free application for locals and visitors staying in the city. The app gives useful integrated information and updates in real time regarding cultural events, public transport and shops timetables.
The development of the free Wi-Fi network made possible by WiFi4EU will allow for more innovative services on the line of Simply City and much more, explained Othman Joumady, satisfied and happy to be part of the WiFi4EU programme.