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David Smith, CTO, Wearality, a 3D pioneer of VR, AR, and other technologies, spoke at the SPAR 3D Conference in Houston earlier this year, about how his company is dedicated to delivering and creating AR products for consumers and business.
Archive for the ‘apps’ Category
Biplap Sarkar, CEO of Vectorworks, spoke at the spring AIA 2016 Convention about the upcoming features for the new version of Vectorworks coming out in September.
Trimble and Autodesk, Inc. entered into an interoperability agreement to improve current data exchanges, aimed at saving customers’ time and reducing project costs typically associated with workflow inefficiency across different suppliers’ technologies. This will benefit architects, engineers and contractors, and importantly, project owners by enabling more freedom to optimize technology workflows needed to meet the complex requirements of today’s construction projects.
Eniko Paulo, business development manager for GRAPHISOFT, spoke on the new release of Archicad, Archicad 20. The new release seeks to extend user information usage to the information management stage, looking at how can we involve BIM way in the early stages in the design. BIM is part of the whole lifecycle and the BIM model is used by those not even using BIM software.
At an industry session held at SPAR3D 2016 in April in The Woodlands, Texas, Lou Bush, Director of Survey, Bowman Consulting Group, and Steve Hutsell, Chief, Geospatial Section U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, gave a talk entitled: “Integrated Data Capture, BIM, CIM, GIS and CAD – Owner and Industry Perspectives on Products, Processes and Policies for Informed Decision Making.”
At the AIA Convention 2016 held in Philadelphia last week, the Exhibit Hall showcased software, hardware and all types of building materials.
Emphasis for AEC technology this year is on reality capture or modeling, building information modeling, zero carbon energy initiatives, conceptual modeling and the inclusion of metadata in projects.
At the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2016 Convention this week held in Philadelphia, keynote addresses spanned the gamut from host and executive producer of NPR’s Fresh Air, Terry Gross’ interview with Julia Louis-Dreyfuss of the iconic TV sitcom Seinfeld and now the series VEEP to Israeli-born architect, designer and MIT professor Neri Oxman’s highly inspirational presentation on “material ecology.”
Celebrity keynoters Kevin Spacey, Neri Oxman, and Rem Koolhaas will be among the numerous highlights of the AIA Convention 2016 held in Philadelphia next week. Learn and keep up with the latest from leading experts on topics including resiliency, business management, ADA compliance, LEED, green building, design and health, and more. Register for an in-depth workshop or pack your schedule with challenging seminars. Nearly 800 exhibitors will also be on hand with the latest products and technologies in the industry. Philadelphia is always a treat to visit so attendees will find a lot to entertain them after the conference lights dim.
With all change in organizations, there are headaches, hiccups and some hairpulling, but definitely it is best to keep those activities to a minimum.


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"Italy in 10 Selfies" is the appealing title of a report published by the Italy-based Symbola Foundation. The report provides an encouraging portrait of Italy, which positively looks at the future despite its old and new problems.
As highlighted by Symbola president, Mr Ermete Realacci, Italy can be a great example of a strong economy, based on cohesion, the care for human capital and the strong relationship between the territories and the communities. In order to succeed in this glorious plan, Italian economy should focus on three main elements: equity, sustainability and beauty. Symbola Foundation deeply explored Italian winning cards, summarizing them in "10 selfies".
Firstly, Italy is one of the 5 countries in the world having a manufacturing surplus superior to 100 million dollars. In fact, in 2015 the surplus was $103,8 m, consolidating Italian companies on the international market. Secondly, Italian companies are adopting the green economy model. More than 385 thousand companies have espoused green economy, improving their performances in terms of export, innovation and turnover. Furthermore, green economy generates a number of new vacancies.
Thirdly, Italy is a leader in the photovoltaic system performing even better than Germany and Japan. The fourth selfie sees Italy as a leader in effective energy and emissions, confirming the success of the Italian model even over the British, the Spanish and the German one.
Italy also stands out as the European leader of industrial recycle, having reused 47 million tonnes of non-dangerous wastes, reducing emissions and extracting energy. The 6th selfie tells about Italian leadership in machinery. Some examples of Italian most exported machines deal with agriculture, tobacco, food industry and wood industry.
Italian beauties are indisputable and the Bel Paese is the first one for the number of its UNESCO sites, which are 51 officially recognized. The 8th selfie regards Italian wood furniture, which is a champion in sustainability, while selfie number 9 and 10 portray Italian competitive companies and Italian agro-food leadership.

domain: news


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There's nothing wrong with showing some skin!
While older sister Kim Kardashian West has spent this week battling pearl-clutching Puritans, Kendall Jenner has shown solidarity by subscribing to the same less-is-more style on her night out in Paris Tuesday.
Related: Kendall Slays At Chanel
The supermodel took a break from traversing catwalks to sit and watch others do it at the Virgile show, but she of course looked just as good as her fellow mannequins in tight leather pants and a narrow bandeau top.
You could even say her top mimicked the black censor bar Kimmy put over her boobs in her now infamous selfie!
Obviously, Kenny was more covered up thanks to her leather jacket, but we still think the homage is there.
Are you glad we live in a world where people can wear whatever they want, or would you prefer a return to the past when women wore petticoats and men wore hats?
[Image via Splash News.]
Tags: abs, fashion smashion, fashion week, francophilia, kendall jenner, paris, paris fashion week, pfw, street style, virgile


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With all the things there are to worry about in the world today, looks like the thing that worries most Americans at the holiday season is Christmas decorations!
According to a new survey, almost 44% of people asked said they worry about the safety of their kids and pets this time of year. They are concerned that they might get into decorations and hurt themselves. Because of this, many will avoid certain decorations including tinsel, fake snow and incandescent lights, opting for the cool to the touch LEDs instead.
Yes, definitely avoid the tinsel. At Halloween my cat ate some tinsely door curtain decorations, and ended up at the emergency vet at a cost of almost $2000!
Not sure if this counts as a decoration, but in South Africa a snake was discovered in a family’s Christmas tree! They noticed their cats watching the tree intently, checked it out and found a little heat poking out from behind an ornament. Turns out it was a snake. And not just any old snake, but the most poisonous snake in South Africa, a venomous boomslang. The owner of the house got some tongs, grabbed the snake and threw it outside. Yeah...I would have left the house with the snake inside and then burned it down thank you very much.
Stay safe this holiday season!


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Mobile operator Uninor, controlled by Norwegian firm Telenor, on Tuesday said it has opened 367 new exclusive retail stores in one day, taking the overall footprint to 1,480 stores in the six circles, where it offers services.
The new outlets launched with tag line ' affordable internet for all' opened up for business in the six circles of UP West, UP East, Bihar (including Jharkhand), Maharashtra and Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat where the company offers its 'sab se sasta' voice and internet for all services in addition to 1,480 exclusive stores – the second largest among all operators.
"In one day, 367 new exclusive Uninor retail stores opened up for business in the six circles. This is a 30% expansion of the exclusive retail footprint that takes Uninor to 1,480 exclusive stores – the second largest among all operators in these six circles," the company said in a statement.
The retail store expansion includes 39 new stores in the circle of Andhra Pradesh and are now available at 350,000 retail points across six circles and 53,146 in Andhra Pradesh, says Satish Kannan, Uninor's circle business head for Andhra Pradesh.
All stores will be full service outlets that will offer all services including new connections, recharges, on-the-spot query resolution and complete assistance to all subscribers, it added.
Uninor was one of the operators whose licences were cancelled in 2012 by a Supreme Court order and the company had to buy fresh spectrum to continue operations. The company now operates in six service areas.
"We declared early this year that 2014 will be about investments, expansion and growth for Uninor. We started this with the addition of a record 5,000 new network sites and follow that up today with our largest ever retail expansion," nominated CEO of Uninor Morten Karlsen Sorby said.
The company said with the network expansion earlier and retail expansion now, it expects a significant increase in customer base that includes doubling of its active Internet users within this year.


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The Nissan Leaf – the world’s best-selling electric car – will power up like Pac-Man for its second-generation. A bigger capacity battery will boost range, power and torque increase, and there’ll be a suite of autonomous features and a distinctive one pedal driving experience, all wrapped in a much edgier design.
The Mk2 Leaf will be unveiled in Tokyo on 6 September, and we’ve pulled together all the info so far that’s in the public domain.
The leaks: spec and design
The intrigue about the Mk2 Leaf is being stripped away by a series of leaks and official teasers. Powertrain details were briefly revealed on US automotive marketing platform Autobytel, suggesting the electric motor’s peak power will jump from 109 to 145bhp+, with peak torque climbing from 187 to 236lb ft. The motor will continue to spin the front wheels via a single speed transmission.
Battery pack capacity climbs from 30kWh to 40kWh, although that critical yardstick – range – is still secret. Today’s UK Leaf has a 155-mile range: will the Mk2 be able to pass 200 miles on a single charge, a feat managed by the Chevrolet Bolt with its 60kWh pack, and claimed by Tesla’s 50kWh Model 3? The other details revealed in the Autobytel leak were US list prices, starting at $29,990.
The hatch is only a few millimetres longer than the outgoing car, with the wheelbase remaining at 2700mm: no need for it to grow, with the floor-mounted batteries freeing up plenty of cockpit space. But blurry leaks of cars parked at Nissan’s Oppama plant show the more modernist design hinted at in the official sketch. The U-shaped corporate grille from internal combustion engine Nissans is grafted on, and the teardrop glasshouse can be crowned in a secondary paint hue.
A one-pedal driving experience
‘The new Leaf will be a focal point of 2018,’ Nissan UK managing director Alex Smith told CAR. ‘It’s an EV, and it embodies everything we’re hugely focused on.’ Not only does that mean the electrification of the Nissan fleet, but autonomous driving – an area where Nissan is striving to be the leading mainstream car maker.
The new Leaf will be equipped with Nissan ProPilot Park, where the EV can park itself in parallel, perpendicular or slanted bays, driving forwards or reversing. It will also get autonomous highway capabilities, dubbed ProPilot I, such as cruising in lane between 18 and 62mph, and potentially ProPilot II – automated motorway overtaking at the flick of an indicator.
ProPilot I is due on the facelifted Qashqai, but wasn’t available for the crossover’s commercial launch this summer. Smith says it’s in the pipeline, but necessitates fine-tuning for European roads and right-hand drive. ‘When we’re introducing tech, it’s properly tested. We don’t test on consumers but before it reaches them.’
Smith has driven the Mk2 Leaf, on a fact-finding mission in Japan. He was particularly fired up by its e-Pedal (see the video above and illustration below), which aims to bring new capabilities to an EV’s one-pedal driving style. Expect the accelerator to be more responsive than the electric car norm, precisely moderating speed according to driver pressure and bringing the car to a halt if you lift off entirely. It will automatically activate a hold function on hills. Nissan claims the e-Pedal will be able to cover 90% of a driver’s needs – although the friction brakes back-up is present and correct.
New Nissan Leaf: what to expect
Lurking under the black-and-white swirls of the disguise is a five-door hatchback influenced by the IDS concept of 2015, and a little bit of new Micra in its detailing. Sharp edges and creases are in; soft, jelly-mould soap-bar curves are out.
This was hinted at by a teaser photo shown in a recent tweet from the Nissan Electric Twitter account.
View image on Twitter
We hear a choice of battery packs will be offered, just like in the Tesla electric car range; the highest capacity is said to be rated at 60kWh (double that in the rangiest Leaf) and it will be compatible with the latest high-speed charging stations.
Range? Word is it should be nearly double today’s Nissan Leaf, with the ability to drive around 200 miles between top-ups in the real world.
The Leaf's cabin is dominated by a widescreen display, a digital instrument pack and an evolution of the round gearlever from today's model. This official teaser photo reveals how the car will get ProPilot, semi-autonomous tech, allowing the car to drive in stop-start, urban environments.


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Apple plans to start producing a new product that has nothing to do with the technology from near or far, this time it will produce protective face caps for distribution to health workers to protect them from infection from the Corona virus.
According to Tim Cook, CEO of the company, Apple has finished designing the product and has already started manufacturing it. Apple plans to produce more than a million face shields a week, and distribution will be the priority of the United States and then will gradually spread around the world.
And Apple will donate about 20 million protective covers, free of charge, to several countries around the world. The face cover of Apple is easy to install, as it can be placed on the face in less than two minutes, and Apple will use manufacturing materials from the United States and China.
The trend of Apple to produce health-related products is not surprising, as it was preceded by several other companies, especially those working in the automotive sector and began manufacturing artificial respirators.
Many entities around the world are mobilizing all their capabilities to help tackle the Corona virus. In Britain, more than 1,400 people have pledged to use their 3D printers to use them to make face masks for the National Health Service in Britain.
Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers. pic.twitter.com/3xRqNgMThX
– Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 5, 2020


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After spending two and a half years as Lincoln Center's first-ever fashion director, and more than 10 years before that at Vogue as director of special events, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff is launching a new creative agency that reportedly seeks to create connections between the worlds of fashion, beauty and entertainment.
The new agency, according to WWD, is called SWW Creative, and as one might imagine, Winston Wolkoff already has quite a few clients lined up: Lincoln Center, the CFDA, and IMG Fashion among them.
When Wolkoff first took the helm at Lincoln Center, she was taking on the hefty task of coordinating a soft landing for Fashion Week at its new home in 2010, as well as smoothing communication between Lincoln Center, IMG Fashion, and the CFDA, not to mention all of the A-list guests attending the events at the tents each season. After more than a decade as Vogue's director of special events, however, she was more than up to the challenge, having run point on high-profile events like the Met Gala, among others.
Winston Wolkoff's new agency will build on her skills at forging partnerships -- like getting Ralph Lauren to commit to a public interview with Oprah Winfrey at Lincoln Center, which was no small feat -- with her new agency, and will still be involved with the runway shows at Fashion Week, according to WWD. Considering Lincoln Center has already lined up to be one of her new clients, it's unclear whether the organization plans to replace Winston Wolkoff or hire someone new to help spearhead initiatives like Fashion Week.


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A new brewery is opening its doors in North Raleigh this month.
Drink an IPA at one of these Raleigh breweries to celebrate National IPA Day Aug. 4.
Toast to Raleigh’s beer scene via these bars and breweries on National Beer Day April 7.
5 frothy patios to fulfill your pursuit of hoppiness.
Bottoms up! If you’re in pursuit of hoppiness and ready for a challenge, take our quiz to test your knowledge …
Clouds Brewing partners with Carolina Tiger Rescue on a new beer to help save the tigers. Get your claws ready—this …
R&D Brewing’s Seven Saturdays Tap Room opens this week on Capital Boulevard
Experience over 50 different NC breweries, cideries and more at the NC Hops Festival June 12-13.


text: The ability for someone to forge, copy, delete, or modify a company's data is universally threatening. Both hackers and trustworthy employees have the ability to destroy the integrity and trustworthiness of your data history, which can make it difficult to stay compliant with government standards, make business decisions, and avoid legal challenges. Worldwide spending on information security products and services is projected to exceed $124 billion in 2019 according to the latest forecast from Gartner Inc. The market previously increased 12.4% from 2017 to 2018, and this newest forecast expects an additional 8.7% growth. Organizations with sensitive data have understandably been seeking out new ways to use technology to protect and prove the accuracy of their data. Blockchain technology just might be the answer on how to reduce cost and prove data integrity.


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Average weekly occupancy across Queenstown has remained stable at around 75% – 80% since early February, indicating good demand from international visitors, who typically give the resort a boost after Kiwis return to work and school.
Christchurch’s strong run of occupancy growth came to an end last week, with the city’s hotel market sliding back for the first time since the post-Elton John bump in late January.
Ed Sheeran’s concert at Wellington’s Sky Stadium in early February gave the capital’s hotel market a timely shot in the arm following the summer slumber.
The country’s hotel market continued to strengthen into late summer despite the extreme weather seen in parts of North Island.
Average weekly occupancy across Auckland has been climbing steadily since the start of the year with the impacts of the city’s destructive deluge three weeks ago on its hotel market seen as a shortlived dip.
Queenstown occupancy has slid to the end of summer – as expected – but appears to be flattening out at around 66.6%
Elton John appeared to give Christchurch’s hotel market a welcome boost with his concert at Orangetheory Stadium attracting 27,000 fans.
After average weekly occupancy fell to 40% during Christmas, Wellington’s hotel market is back on the rise as people return to work and government gets going.
New Zealand’s biggest hotel market is headed back up after the week leading to Christmas saw it drop below 50% occupancy for the first time in months, according to figures from STR.
All of New Zealand’s major hotel markets saw occupancy slip at the start of December, according to figures from STR.
Occupancy reaches a peak at the resort thanks to the return of its annual marathon.
Of the country’s major hotel markets, Wellington appears to have come out of spring the strongest with average weekly occupancy mostly above 80% since mid-October, according to figures from STR.
Almost all of New Zealand’s major hotel markets are finishing spring stronger than they started, according to figures from STR.
A good October has turned into an even better November for Christchurch’s hotel market, according to figures from STR.
Auckland is back on the rise after suffering a mid-October occupancy and ADR drop, according to figures from STR.
Queenstown occupancy and ADR appear to have stabilised at a new post-Covid ‘normal’ – at least for late spring – according to figures from STR.
A steady climb in occupancy across the country since early September pushes the rate up to a 2022 high.
Christchurch has hit an occupancy high for 2022 after a long climb from the Omicron-impacted doldrums of March this year.
The capital is having a strong spring with the return of the World of WearableArt after three years helping to drive occupancy and ADR.
After spending most of the year struggling to crack 50% occupancy, Auckland is finally on the move with the major metrics all trending in the right direction.
Average weekly occupancy and ADR have slid from their winter highs at Queenstown but the October school holidays will hopefully give the resort another spring boost.
Average weekly occupancy across all of New Zealand barely budged over winter, hovering around 55% since early July 2022, according to figures from STR.
It is still early days in the recovery but could Wellington’s crown as the country’s best-performing hotel market for the past two-and-a-half years finally be slipping?
Christchurch has enjoyed an improving occupancy rate this year, recovering from an Omicron low in mid-March to reach 66% on average across the city in late-August, according to STR.
There was been little movement in Auckland’s hotel market over winter with new room supply and returning managed isolation facilities keeping a lid on occupancy rates and ADR.
Average weekly occupancy at Queenstown has plateaued in the high 60s, with a consistent performance seen since the July school holidays, according to figures from STR.
Average weekly occupancy across all of New Zealand has been stuck around 54% for the past month although ADR has been performing relatively well, according to figures from STR.
The country’s best-performing hotel market during the pandemic, Wellington, has been matched by Queenstown for most of the past month, according to figures from STR.
Queenstown hit an average weekly occupancy high of 70.5% during the July New Zealand school holidays, according to figures from STR.
Christchurch bucked the trend of falling occupancy seen across New Zealand last week, according to figures from STR.
While other major hotel markets have seen good occupancy and room rate performance during the July school holiday period, Auckland is lagging.
A strong upturn in Queenstown’s hotel market is underway with average weekly occupancy touching 68% last week, according to STR.
Average weekly occupancy across New Zealand has finally passed 50% for the first time this year, according to STR.
New Zealand’s strongest hotel market during the pandemic has returned to its 2022 occupancy high, touching 72% on average last week, according to STR.
BEIA’s MEETINGS 2022 event at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has given the city’s hotel market a lift.
A good recovery is under way in Queenstown with hotel occupancy closing in on 50% and expected to surpass it with the start of the ski season this week.
New rooms and returning managed isolation facilities look to be the story of that market for the months ahead.
Average weekly occupancy across NZ is exactly the same as it was in late April with hundreds of new rooms opening as visitor numbers grow.
Wellington remains the country’s best-performing hotel market in terms of occupancy with a consistently steady climb since the mid-March low, according to figures from STR.
Queenstown’s hotels appear to have bottomed out at around 30% occupancy following the boost from the April school and public holidays, according to figures from STR.
Christchurch’s hotel market is closing in on 50% occupancy following its 2022 low of 33% recorded in mid-March, according to figures from STR.
The country’s two major gateways – Auckland and Christchurch – shrugged off the ending of the April school holidays last week with average weekly occupancy continuing to rise, according to figures from STR.
The country’s hotel sector scored a much-needed boost from the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends and the first week of the April school holidays, according to figures from STR.
Queenstown’s hotels saw a much needed Easter boost as the resort hoped to benefit from a combination of school and public holidays in the second half of April.
A steady rise sees Wellington top the country’s hotel markets in terms of occupancy last week, according to figures from STR.
A slow but discernable rise in occupancy across New Zealand has been underway for most of the past month, according to figures from STR.
The resort’s struggling hotel market appears to have pulled itself off its 2022 occupancy low, according to figures from STR.
ADR last week dipped below 2021 levels for the first time this year as hoteliers attempt to entice customers.
It continues a dismal slide for the country’s major hotel markets since the Omicron outbreak started.
Wellington was the only major hotel market to show any growth in occupancy last week, compared to the same period last year, according to figures from STR.
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PC Makers Catch Green Wave
PC and electronics makers have never given much thought to environmental issues, USAToday reports. That is, until now. For the first time, almost every major PC and electronics maker is trying to change that.
Here are just a few of the industry’s latest green initiatives. Dell has announced a plan to become “the greenest technology company,” by beefing up its recycling program and building more Earth-friendly PCs. Apple made a similar pledge to become “greener.” Toshiba has announced a new recycling program.
Companies are motivated by customer demand as much as altruism, says Scott Martin, a marketing director at Motorola. Confidential Motorola customer surveys show a marked increase in environmental concerns, he says.
It’s still unclear whether often-costly environmental programs generate enough goodwill to be worth it, according to the article.
It’s hard to judge if most buyers consider the environment when buying electronics. Most shopper surveys don’t ask about it, probably because most shoppers don’t think about it.
That’s not surprising, as the environmental impact of an electronic product, such as lead leeching into groundwater from TVs in landfills, can be hard to see.
Preventing that kind of indirect harm is a tough sell. “Consumers do not buy products for their greenness,” says David Thompson, environmental director for Panasonic.
Lots of good examples of companies initiatives in the article.
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The concept was created, designed and built by Outform.
Visitors were able to check-in to the experience by scanning a QR code through Outform’s PodDrop product, which entered them into a competition to win a new Galaxy S23.
The space then included a selfie booth with colour changing LEDs so that visitors could see the camera’s consistent quality in different light settings.
Photos could then be shared digitally whilst they received an instant print to take away, both of which were watermarked with the Galaxy S23 series name and Samsung branding.
Guests were also able to use the Galaxy S23 as a controller so that they could play the various games available on the device through Samsung’s 55” Odyssey Ark Gaming Monitor, giving them the opportunity to play on a bigger screen, entirely powered by the Galaxy S23 device.
In addition, visitors could explore Samsung Galaxy’s ecosystem of products through real-life demos supported by interactive screens to tell the brand story.
The pop-up then travelled to six other high streets and universities across Brierley Hill, Nottingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Southampton and Reading.
James Dawson, Vice President, Commercial UK at Outform, says: “The challenge we see many brands facing when they create temporary pop-up stations is that it’s harder to inspire shoppers and build long-term loyalty. It has to be more than just a one-off.”
He adds: “We knew that this roadshow had to move beyond the traditional demo station, where phones are usually locked into a stand. We wanted to create something that felt personalised, interactive and engaged visitors in a point of experience.”
““We’ve partnered with Samsung to build a mobile experience that taps into different consumer interests, encouraging them to see first-hand the Galaxy S23 series’ ultimate gaming and camera capabilities – and amplifying its ‘stronger together’ ecosystem.”


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Memberships On 'Buy Nothing' Facebook Groups Explode Nationwide
THE WOODLANDS, Texas (CBS) -- For many people, decluttering is a popular way to mark the beginning of a new year. But instead of tossing or donating unwanted items, a growing number of Americans are first offering them to their neighbors for free. It's part of the Buy Nothing Project, and memberships are exploding nationwide.
CBS This Morning's Janet Shamilian went to The Woodlands, Texas to find out how this movement is offering far more than just giveaways.
Jordan Cheatham is stopping at a neighbor's home to drop off a fondue pot she's never used.
The mom of three found a taker for it on her local Buy Nothing Facebook group she helps run. In the last six months, she's given "clothes, shoes, books and dishes."
And even a couple of pieces of furniture.
People post photos of what they're giving away on a neighborhood Buy Nothing Facebook group or through the Buy Nothing app.
Members can also ask for something they need. Everything is donated with no strings attached -- trading, bartering, buying or selling is not allowed.
Friends Liesel Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller started the Buy Nothing movement in 2013.
"I think we originally were thinking, OK, we can all offer up what we'd like to give in this hyperlocal gift economy and try to solve that question of do we have too much in our homes? Can we share our bounty?" Clark said.
They didn't realize then, what's apparent now. It's about more than decluttering and economic need.
"I've made so many probably lasting friendships and just from this group," Cheatham said.
But, perhaps the most important gifts came when her daughter was born in October 2020.
Cheatham had to have an emergency C-section. She posted a desperate plea in her Buy Nothing group. "Formula? Baby is not doing well on breast milk," the post said.
The response overwhelmed her.
"When I got home, my front porch and inside was full of formula, I had like two or three months' worth of supply from at least 15 people," Cheatham said. "It really shows that, you know, you're never alone."
Buy Nothing has spread to almost 7,000 communities across more than 40 countries. The pandemic fueled a spike in membership, more than 1.5 million people joined and the number taking part in Buy Nothing groups now tops give million worldwide.
"Ironically, here we were isolated, but we were coming to know our neighbors," Clark said.
With record inflation and the stresses of the pandemic, Buy Nothing became, for some, a financial and emotional lifeline.
"It brings more joy to yourself, helping others," Cheatham said.
To learn more about the Buy Nothing Project, click here.
CBS This Morning's Janet Shamlian contributed to this report.
for more features.


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The Israeli government has proposed a bill that would introduce biometric identity cards and passports to the country with the purpose of relieving theft and counterfeiting of identities, according to a Jerusalem Post article.
While officials behind the proposal assure that the proper steps to ensure high security for personal data, others from the Knesset Science and Technology Committee are incensed by the movement towards biometrics citing infamous disasters as possible outcomes.
Even those preparing the bill have agreed somewhat with the opposition that there are still great opportunities for leaks of data to be sued for personal or criminal use. Future open meetings and session regarding the use of biometric technology and how personal security can be assured by it and with it are expected to be held to further understand any implications behind adoption of the technology before any implementation of it.
Read the full story here.


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CONNIE BACON, a regular seller on eBay, thought that she had brokered an excellent deal. On behalf of a consignment shop in Charleston, S.C., she had sold a Rolex watch for $13,500 in an online auction, and everything had gone smoothly.
A man who identified himself as Kelvin Johanis had put the money in an escrow account, assuring Ms. Bacon that the payment was good, and the shopkeeper had shipped the package to a house specified by the buyer in Lynwood, Wash.
A few hours later, Ms. Bacon got an urgent e-mail message from I-Escrow, the company holding the payment. I-Escrow said the buyer was suspected of using a stolen credit card. Please, the message pleaded, do not ship the watch.
''I was shaking,'' Ms. Bacon said. ''This was a $13,500 watch that wasn't mine.''
She had good reason to be concerned. Online sellers are even more vulnerable to fraud than online buyers, experts say. Those who buy faulty or fake goods through online auctions or Web shops have some recourse; insurance programs and credit card companies will often come to their rescue and credit their accounts, at least up to a certain amount.
But individuals who are selling goods in online auctions have little protection. Stolen credit cards, fake money orders and bounced checks are risks they face. For them, the adage is turned on its head: Seller beware.
In Ms. Bacon's case, she was not the only Ebay seller who did business with the person who called himself Mr. Johanis. His real name was Michael Prime, according to court documents, and he turned out to be a 19-year-old unemployed high school graduate in Brier, Wash.
According to I-Escrow's investigators (informally known as the fraud squad), Mr. Prime had opened 25 accounts on the I-Escrow system and had been in contact with at least nine sellers. He had used stolen credit cards to get almost $20,000 worth of merchandise, including laptop computers, other Rolex watches and three remote-controlled scale-model helicopters.
When people worry about fraud in online auctions, they do not usually think about buyers like Mr. Prime. They assume that they are most likely to be deceived by sellers -- particularly by people hawking counterfeit or broken merchandise.
''That is really not true,'' said Dr. Audri Lanford, a sociologist and editor of an e-mail newsletter, Scambusters.org. ''Fraud is a huge issue, but it is from the seller's perspective.''
In fact, online sellers are 1O to 18 times as likely as bricks and mortar merchants to lose merchandise to people using stolen credit cards, according to a survey by the Gartner Group, a market research company. The survey, which was released in July and polled 166 retailers, showed that 1.13 percent of all online transactions were conducted with stolen cards.
Once online sellers accept a stolen card, they often find that the credit card company is of no help. Under federal law, the owner of the credit card would not have to pay for those items. The credit card companies do not have to cover the cost either; they are liable for the purchases only if the seller got a signature from the card holder. So the seller bears the cost and will never be paid.
A year ago, that might not have sounded like an issue for consumers to worry about. But now, with auction sites like those offered by eBay, Yahoo and Amazon.com, consumers can be sellers as easily as they can be buyers. Today, millions of people are selling goods online, with no background in running a business and none of the resources used by traditional businesses if things go awry.
Until recently, most individuals selling through online auctions have not been able to accept credit cards and have had to worry only about bounced checks. But this spring, the introduction of credit card services like Billpoint have made it possible for anyone -- even someone selling one item -- to take credit cards online. Now people who have no business savvy, and who may simply be selling miscellaneous items to clean out their basements, are vulnerable to the same credit card fraud that is plaguing online merchants.
Ms. Bacon, an antique-glassware trader who can often be spotted on eBay under the name GrayHorse, was an experienced online auctioneer when she decided to help a consignment shop sell the Rolex last summer. She had already run into a few problems, mainly with buyers who retracted their bids. But she was still not prepared when she heard that the sellers she was acting for had been defrauded by Mr. Prime. ''I felt very violated,'' she said. ''It made me very angry.''
Mr. Prime, it turned out, was doing more than simply using stolen credit cards. Those involved with the case say that he is a whiz with computers, though he has little education beyond high school. His lawyer, Tim Tesh, described his client as ''one of these self-taught kids who can just pick it up.''
According to I-Escrow, Mr. Prime first registered for accounts using stolen cards in July 1999. But I-Escrow detected that the accounts were based on stolen cards and quickly canceled them.
So Mr. Prime tried to get around the system. According to I-Escrow, he told sellers that he wanted to use I-Escrow and would start the process of setting up accounts. But instead of completing the transaction through the escrow service, officials said, Mr. Prime would close the deal by pretending to be an escrow agent and sending messages from ''I


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People Watching: Groceries with a Click
(MONEY Magazine) – They're back: A new breed of online grocers, having learned from dotcom failures like Webvan and Kozmo, are tailoring their services to fit customers' lifestyles. They're delivering the goods in 14 of the 20 biggest U.S. markets and, according to JupiterResearch, will do $2.4 billion in business this year, doubling 2003 sales. Here's a look at the new age of the online grocer.
THE ORDER Many of the 160 residents at Le Mirador Senior Apartments in SAN JOSE no longer drive. So they've traded their car keys for a mouse, ordering groceries from Albertsons.com on the complex's computers. Here resident and retired truck driver Paul Knott places an order for one of two weekly deliveries.
THE DELIVERY SimonDelivers' Doug Larsen may not be a milkman, but customers in the TWIN CITIES say having a familiar face dropping off groceries each week reminds them of a bygone era. "Not only do I know customers by name," says Larsen, "I know their kids had a big football game or were in the school play."
THE SELECTION FreshDirect is a big hit in the Big Apple: 11% of households on its MANHATTAN routes are regular customers. Finicky New Yorkers like the range of choices, from Spanish cheeses to live lobsters to curry samosas. John Melendez sorts spareribs at the online outfit's 300,000-square-foot Queens food factory.
THE PUTAWAY It's become a ritual for David Brauer and his kids, Abigail and Ian, of MINNEAPOLIS. He picks them up from day care, they find the bright green SimonDelivers boxes waiting on the porch, and they all unpack together. "When you have two kids," Brauer says, "you grab on to anything that offers convenience."


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Mercedes-Benz confirmed in the final quarter of 2020 that it'd be making an electric version of the G-Class; not just for a boutique line (or at least, no more boutique than the list of people who can afford a G-Wagen anyway) but as part of its overall electrification strategy. The G-Class had been confirmed as going electric as far back as 2019 but we've not had the big announcement about how, exactly.
That's a step closer because MBEQ Club forum posters have spotted that Mercedes filed two new and interesting trademarks with Europe's EUIPO. The documents are for an EQG 560 and an EQG 580, which means this is getting extremely real and we must be relatively close to seeing the hulking great things in action.
Before you get excited and start imagining AMG's new, berserk, Formula 1-inspired powertrain in a G-Wagen (it is built, after all, for potentially large vehicles) then we have to warn you to hold your horsepower. This will be an EQ-range car but that doesn't mean it won't be an all-wheel-drive monster. That is, if the other luxury cars Mercedes is bringing out in that range are anything to go by.
There's also a chance the G-Wagen gets its own architecture, of course; it's not like the G-Class just rolls off the line with a standard chassis raised a few feet off the ground. Either way, it's happening and with the expected rollout to come in 2024, there's still time for more wild developments to come. Just know Merc doesn't take the G-Wagen lightly.
Got a story tip? Mail me on firstname.lastname@example.org


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Wednesday, 19 January 2022
A PUB in Sonning Common is donating the proceeds from its Christmas raffle to a charity.
The Hare and Hounds pub in Woodlands Road will hold the event on Christmas Eve from 8.30pm.
Tickets cost £1 and the prizes include a five-litre Hofmeister keg, an Amazon Fire tablet, wine, spirits and chocolates.
The money raised will go to the Fish charity in Lea Road, which provides transport and support to elderly and disabled residents.
20 December 2021
A BOAT enthusiast has criticised a decision to ... [more]
POLL: Have your say


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ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan Point News - APP - 13th Jan, 2017 ) :President,Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Zubair Tufail on Friday hailed the Rs.180 billion "Trade Enhancement Package" from government for enhancing the country's exports. He said the government has decided to give relaxation in duties mainly to different five sectors for coming 18 months from January 2017 to June 2018 to enhance the country's export,he said this while talking to APP here on Friday.
He was of the view that the "Trade Enhancement Package" to play pivotal role for enhancing the export and to provide competitive environment to local exporters for competing with the regional countries like Bangladesh and India. The government had decided to give drawback on duties in sports goods by seven percent,carpet six percent,tents five percent, garments seven percent, process fabric six percent,leather goods five percent for coming 18 months,President FPCCI.
Zubair said the government had also given relaxation on the import of textile machinery for the modernization for enhancing the capacity of the textile sector. President FPCCI said increase in export volume would play important role in enhancing employment opportunities in the country. He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif hold long consultive meetings with the representatives of business community including key exporters and he decided to give relaxation in the export duties on different sector and related products.
Zubair Tufail said FPCCI is committed to play role for bridging gape between the policy makers and the business community of the country to enhance cooperation for economic growth. The liaison with market unions and chambers would be further strengthened so that issues of trade and industry could be taken up with relevant authorities for redress,Zubair Tufail said. Former President,FPCCI and knowned businessman, Zafar Bakhtawari and Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan S.M. Munir also welcome the government package for enhancing exports. APP/sha/aa/


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by Jeff Sovern
As Allison posted on Wednesday, the CFPB has proposed a rule obliging nonbanks that it supervises to register the contractual standard terms they use that waive or limit consumer rights. The Bureau would then make the terms public. I think this is a great idea for several reasons.
We all know that consumers don’t read these terms, and if they read them, they don’t understand them. And even if they do read them and understand them, there isn’t much they can do about it because in many product sectors all or nearly all the providers include the terms. In other words, consumers are not in a position to protect themselves when they sign contracts containing troublesome terms. That means someone else has to protect consumers. Once upon a time, that meant private attorneys general, but arbitration clauses and the Supreme Court’s recent standing cases have made that less likely. Regulators can sometimes intervene, but their limited resources mean that they can’t bring every meritorious case; on top of that, sometimes regulators are more interested in protecting the industry than consumers.
But it’s hard to protect consumers if you don’t know what the facts are. That’s one reason the registry is such a good idea. It should help the Bureau determine what the most widespread problems are and where it can best put its resources.
Another argument for the registry is that it will help consumer protection groups, like Consumer Reports, ascertain which companies offer the most objectionable contracts. They can steer their subscribers away from such companies. Some companies might respond to such reporting by reconsidering their contract terms and making them more favorable to consumers. That’s another positive to the registry. Scholars too, are likely to find the information useful.
Those who truly favor the free market should also favor this proposal (though I’m not holding my breath). Economics 101 tells us that free markets require perfect information. But if consumers can’t understand contractual terms, we don’t have perfect information. That means that free marketers should prefer actions that promote perfect information, and this registry promises to do just that.
The industry and conservative lawmakers have already taken aim at the proposal. For example, Representative Patrick McHenry, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is quoted in Jon Hill’s Law360 article, CFPB Unveils Plan For Nonbank Contract ‘Fine Print’ Registry, as saying that the registry would “facilitate the naming and shaming of firms to empower progressive activists.” Lawyers at the Ballard Spahr firm’s Consumer Finance Monitor Blog also have complained about shaming. But these contracts are not secret documents: businesses give them to consumers to agree to every day. All the registry would do is make it easier to collect the information. If there is nothing wrong with the terms–as consumer finance industry lawyers presumably believe because they insert them in their contracts–there is nothing to be ashamed of. Is this really naming and shaming–or is it accountability?
I am still making my way through the proposal and may have more to say in the future.


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U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit Features Senator Dorgan, Cuban Ministry Officials, Travel and Investment Spe
March 11, 2010
For Immediate Release
March 11, 2010
U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit Features Senator Dorgan, Cuban Ministry Officials, Travel and Investment Specialists
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit, March 24-26 in Cancun, features a unique opportunity for travel professionals to connect with Cuban officials and travel specialists. U.S. travel professionals and others interested in being at the front of the opportunity when travel opens to Cuba will want to attend this one-of-a-kind conference. Presented by Alamar Associates in association with NTA and sponsored by USTOA, the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit offers presentations from top Cuban officials and local travel specialists on the state of tourism and opportunity for investment in Cuba.
Senator Byron Dorgan (D- North Dakota), sponsor of S428 (the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act), is scheduled to host a Q&A via teleconference on the status of the U.S. legislation. The current schedule of events also includes an overview of the state of Cuban tourism by Miguel Figueras, senior advisor to the Cuban Minister of Tourism and a panel of Cuban hoteliers speaking on the experiences of international companies in the Cuban travel sector. Also, Cuban travel representatives from Gaviota, Havanatur, Habaguanex/San Cristobal, Palmares, Gran Caribe, Cubanacan, Marlin Nautica and Marinas will present information on the opportunities for travelers in Cuba.
In addition, the U.S-Cuba Travel Summit offers breakout sessions on all aspects of travel in Cuba and more than two days for U.S. participants to talk informally and personally with all officials from Cuba.
Currently, registrants of the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit include representatives from the Cuban government, the Cuban Ministry of Tourism, the Cuban Ministry of Trade and Foreign Investment and the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Registration for the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit is open at http://www.uscubasummit.org/. Walk-up registration will be available during the summit.
This is the 10th such U.S.-Cuba business gathering that has been organized in Cancun by Alamar Associates. Overall more than 400 U.S. executives have been able to meet their Cuban counterparts in such sectors as food and agriculture, energy, general business, and travel.
NTA is the leading association for professionals serving travelers to, from and within North America. Since its founding in 1951, the association has served a broad and diverse membership and helped them expand market reach with innovative business tools, strategic relationships and collaboration within the industry. NTA membership represents more than 40 countries. To learn more about NTA, please visit NTAonline.com/.
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BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust: Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey WON'T make a Mint, says fan of frontier economies
Mint is the flavour of the month, at least according to Jim O’Neill, the former Goldman Sachs economist who in 2001 coined the acronym ‘Bric’ as shorthand for emerging-market giants Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey make up this new group and O’Neill says they have the ‘potential to be powerhouses of the world economy’, with high economic growth rates expected.
Sam Vecht, joint manager of BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust [latest price and charts], which puts almost 11 per cent of its money in Nigeria, says he is ‘not a fan of the “Mint” concept as the countries have little in common other than they are spread around the world a bit and have not been a great investment’.
Vecht believes the focus on Mint countries’ potential economic growth is misleading. He says: ‘It has no connection with market growth.’ He sees more potential in the frontiers sector – 140 states that are considered less developed than those meeting the emerging markets definition. The sector excludes three out of four Mints.
Flying the flag: Jim O¿Neill, who came up with the concept of the Mint countries
Vecht says: ‘What we like about Nigeria is its earnings per share growth and the relatively low valuations. The biggest issues in frontiers economies is valuations and there has to be a sensible time to invest. Too many people buy when prices are strong.’
Nigerian shares have doubled in 18 months, prompting Vecht to cut the fund’s exposure from a high of 15 per cent to 10.6 per cent. ‘We are still keen, but less so,’ he adds.
Arabic countries – even Iraq –feature large among the 22 in its portfolio. ‘There are obviously political risks [in Iraq] but the country is starting to make more of its oil assets. It has been a fabulous investment,’ he says.
However, the fund is not all about oil. Just 16 per cent is invested in oil and energy sectors. He says: ‘In Saudi Arabia we invest in a hospital operator, fast food and car rentals.’
Dividends are also attractive in many of these countries as investors demand a share of profits. Vecht adds: ‘In Muslim countries this is popular as it is an acceptable form of return when interest isn’t.’
Darius McDermott of broker Chelsea Financial Services likes the trust. He says: ‘It has had an exceptional run in the past year and has a decent dividend yield of 3 per cent.’ But he warns that the trust is ‘not cheap’.
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TORONTO, CANADA — Canada can't continue to be a cheap "drugstore for the United States" and intends to ban bulk export of prescription drugs when supplies are low at home, the health minister said Wednesday.
Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said he must ensure Canadians continue to have access to an adequate supply of safe and affordable prescription drugs, and he would launch initiatives, including legislative and regulatory changes, to protect the supply and safety of Canadian drugs.
Dosanjh, in an ambiguous statement at a news conference in Ottawa, said he intended to introduce legislation when the House of Commons reconvenes this fall that would allow for the temporary ban of bulk exports when supplies are running low at home.
He also intends to establish a drug supply network within the federal ministry Health Canada and work with provinces and pharmaceutical companies to provide more comprehensive data on Canada's prescription drug supply.
"We are in fact looking at a host of issues," he said. "The legislation would definitely mean a ban on large-scale drug exports to the United States, particularly when there's a shortage here."
Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world, so U.S. lawmakers are pushing to legalize the importation of prescription drugs over the Internet from Canada. Four bills are pending in Congress but have met with opposition from the pharmaceutical lobby and from the FDA.
The concern in Ottawa is that if those bills are passed, Americans will flock to Canada, via the Internet or on foot, and hurt the supply chain in this much smaller country of 34 million people.
Some worry the move could kill a $700 million industry that has become popular with underinsured U.S. patients.
Compiled from news services and edited by Cara DiPasquale (email@example.com) and alBerto Trevino (firstname.lastname@example.org)


text: JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (10/7/09)--Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) announced it has completed the acquisition of Metavante Technologies. The resulting company, called FIS, will continue to serve credit unions and other financial institutions, the companies said in a release. FIS and Metavante provide transactional and payment technologies to financial institutions, including credit unions. FIS is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. Under terms of the agreement, FIS acquired all of Metavante’s outstanding shares of common stock, with each shareholder receiving 1.35 shares of FIS common stock for each share of Metavante common stock held. “We will continue to make business and product investments and we will strategically integrate our products, where it makes sense to do so in order to deliver high-value solutions to our clients and prospects,” said Frank Martire, FIS president/CEO.


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Metal Slug Console Get The Latest Game At The Console!
Old gamers? You must know about the Metal Slug franchise. Yes, Metal Slug itself is a run and gun game that was very popular during his time. In fact, the average old gamers must have played this one game. The last series of the Metal Slug franchise itself was released 10 years ago.
However, there is good news for your SNK game fans. SNK has recently officially announced that they are preparing a new series for the current generation of consoles. Reporting from Ruliweb, this game is not the same as the mobile game project by Tencent.
So, we can be sure that this is the latest Metal Slug game that will be released on the console at this time. Until now, there are no further details about this latest game. Hopefully, SNK will soon reveal the details of this one legend game.


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Three New Videos Promote U.S. Dairy Exports to Global Customers By Kara McDonald February 21, 2018 Share these videos on social media and embed them on your website. Partnerships. Supply
Organic Produce Sales, Movin’ On Up The Organic Produce Network in partnership with Nielson released 2017 figures on sales of fresh organic produce sold in grocery stores. The figures are impressive.
Electronic trading brings anonymity. Understand how CME dairy spot markets function Posted on February 11, 2018 By Sherry Bunting, Reprinted from Farmshine, February 9, 2018 CHICAGO, Ill. — The CME dairy
U-Turn From Top Dairy Exporter Sends A2 Milk Shares Soaring Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd.’s strategic partnership with a2 Milk Co. Ltd. sent shares of its former rival surging and
Milk price dip of little concern to farmers In the global dairy auction overnight, the average price fell for the first time this year by 0.5 percent to
Cheese prices still climbing Cash block Cheddar cheese closed Valentine week at a slightly more romantic $1.54 per pound, up 3 cents on the week but 4 cents below a


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Six states have reported an E. coli outbreak potentially linked to romaine lettuce, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday.
Twelve individuals have been infected with the strain and five people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Officials in Michigan identified the outbreak of "E. coli 0157:H7" in a sample of a single-head package of Tanimura & Antle romaine lettuce during a routine sampling on Nov. 6.
The sample of romaine was determined to be the same strain identified among sick people associated with the E. coli outbreak. However, this information alone is not enough to prove a link in the outbreak, the CDC reported.
The organization advises retailers and consumers to not eat, sell or serve Tanimura & Antle's recalled single-head package of romaine.
According to the CDC, "People usually get sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) two to eight days (average of three to four days) after swallowing the germ."
Symptoms of the infection can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Some individuals may have a fever, which is usually less than 101-degrees Fahrenheit.
Some infections may not have been reported yet as it takes an average of two to four weeks between when a person gets sick and when the illness is reported, according to CNN.
The investigation is still ongoing to determine whether people got sick from the recalled lettuce.
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The CDC will continue to provide updates when available.
According to the agency, this outbreak is different from two other E. coli outbreaks that the CDC recently announced: one that infected at least 23 people in 12 states and another that's sickened 21 people and caused one death in eight states.
Source: Read Full Article


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Islamabad: The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Mr. Furqatbek Akhmed Sidiq, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the development of new firms and companies in Uzbekistan which will help to foster smooth and good trade relations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan via importing&exporting the goods through Afghanistan. He was addressing a video link conference at the Embassy of Republic of Uzbekistan along with Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council (UPBC), Islamabad on Saturday.
A video link conference was held at the Embassy of Republic of Uzbekistan, Islamabad between Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan (CCIU) and the members of Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council (UPBC), Islamabad. More than fifty representatives from the business community of Islamabad and Rawalpindi attended the meeting.
The meeting commenced by the welcome address of Mr. Islam Kazimovich Jasimov, First Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan who greeted the participants at the forum and highlighted the importance of today’s video link discussion and hoped that this forum will help in bringing the two sides close for best business relations. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Islam Kazimovich Jasimov, and Mr. Syed Amjad Ali, the Chief Liaison Officer of Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council, from Uzbekistan and Pakistan’s side respectively.
Mr. Khalid Taimur, Deputy President of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council, highlighted the major activities& events of the Uzbek-Pakistani Business Council, to improve the business environment and development of entrepreneurship in Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Mr. Shohruh Alikhanov, Head of Department of Export Support Fund for small businesses and private entrepreneurship under the National Bank of Uzbekistan presented on the prospects for the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan.
Dr. Ikramov Adkham Ilkhamovich, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and also Chairman of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council, highlighted the activities of the Uzbek-Pakistan Business Council, and reforms in Uzbekistan to improve the business environment and the development of entrepreneurship in the republic”.
The speakers from both the sides expressed their enthusiasm and keen interest in exploring and exploiting the business opportunities existing in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and also the investment opportunities in the fields of textile, Information technology, Hospitality&Tourism, Agriculture and Agricultural Machinery, Raw construction material mainly cement industry, and mutual exchange of students in academic programs.


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Minister of trade and industries, Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah, stated this during the third day of his working visit to the Volta region, where he met management and workers of the company.
Volta Star Textiles, mainly makes grey baft for Ghana Textile Printing (GTP) company as an off-taker. Workers of the factory, have been on indefinite strike over non-payment of their salaries for 10 months.
'Let me on behalf of government, the sole shareholder, and the people of Ghana apologise for the inconveniences to you, workers,' the Minister told the agitated workers. The EDAIF grant would clear all backlogs and pay salaries to put the factory back into production soon, he added.
The Minister previously said comprehensive efficiency tests, including worker-machine ratio and other productivity assessments, would be carried out in the factory during his meeting with management and staff of the company.
The minister further expressed regret that reports from management did not appear to have conveyed the real situation on the ground to his office and he expressed hope that the search for investors would yield results soon, to put the factory back to business. (NA)
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3 Filipino Pizzerias Win At The 50 Top Pizza Awards
The experts have spoken!
It's official! Three of the best pizzas in Asia and the Pacific are right in town. Last night, the 50 Top Pizzas, which ranks the best pizzerias as chosen by experts, launched the 50 Top Pizzas in the Asia-Pacific. And three of the Philippines's pizzerias made it!
The three local pizzerias to be honored were: Crosta Pizzeria at Number 32, Wild Flour Italian at number 38, and a mano at number 48. Congratulations!
Fun and funky Crosta Pizzeria, a smash hit during the pandemic, was praised for its signature sourdough crust. “An extremely delicious detail that accompanies the fresh toppings very well,” says 50 Top Pizzas, which also praised Crosta’s vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.
"Everyone [on the Crosta team] was ecstatic," said Crosta's owner and founder Ingga Cabangon Chua. "I feel like their hard work and time with the company has finally been validated. We have employees who have been with us from the start, coming from a very hot and tight space in Poblacion, then moving to Salcedo and then receiving this award, it’s kind of given them some validation for their hard work and excitement for what’s in store in the future for them.
"We are so happy to see the Philippines be firmly put on the radar of 50 top pizzerias in APAC. We are also extra excited to see more home grown Filipino brands represented in higher rankings in the next couple of years. Excitement and elation!"
In addition to its delicious pizzas prepared with "extremely fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection," Wild Flour Italian is touted for its curated menu which gives guests a well-rounded experience from appetizers to dessert. At Wild Flour Italian, it’s possible to “embark on a journey to explore Mediterranean flavors, while dining in a relaxed environment” — and this while in a tropical country thousands of miles from Italy!
“To be recognized by this internationally renowned award-giving body is nothing short of invigorating, especially when the standards for restaurants are only getting higher and competition is getting fiercer," said Wild Flour Italian owner Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo. "To be among the first restaurants to be awarded this honor fills me with nothing but pride. It only firms our resolve in what we've always been dedicated to doing: serve quality food, ensure a quality dining experience,” she adds.
a mano not only came in at 48th place, it also won the One To Watch 2022 award. This restaurant “offers authentic Italian food prepared using traditional methods that bring out the flavor of every fresh ingredient.” a mano pizzas are praised for the delicious dough, extraordinary toppings, and the signature smokiness that only comes from being baked in a traditional woodfire oven.
The 50 Top Pizza awards was started in 2017 as a free online guidebook dedicated to finding the best pizzerias in Italy and around the world. It was promoted by famous Italian journalists Luciano Pignataro, Albert Sapere, and Barbara Guerra, who helped make it the best-loved guides for pizza enthusiasts and coveted by pizza chefs, says Vittoria Dell’Anna of Virgilio, the company which organizes and manages the 50 Top Pizza awards and events.
How are the pizzerias selected? Ms Del’Anna explains that the pizzerias are reviewed by gastronomy specialists, and the rankings are then shared on the official 50 Top Pizza website.
.“We are excited to host the first event on this side of the world, and we can already say we had a great response from both the pizzerias in the ranking and local media”, announced Albert Sapere one of the founders of 50 Top Pizza guide in regards to Thailand’s launch of the 50 Top Pizza Asia Pacific. The awarding ceremony were held at The Peninsula Bangkok on August 8, 2022.
The awards give well-deserved recognition to the pizzerias. “The Wild Flour team was overjoyed when the folks at 50 Top Pizza broke the news to us,” says Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo of Wild Flour Italian. “It's such a boost—necessary after what we and other restaurants have had to go through during the pandemic. It only gives us more vim and vigor to keep firing up our ovens, slinging our pizzas, twirling our pastas, and stoking the passion we have for Italian cuisine each and every day.”
“I'm simply proud to represent our country among some of the best pizzerias on the planet, and I'm determined to keep the spotlight pointed at our local dining scene. We've always deserved not just a seat at the table but to have everyone there enjoy what we serve.”
For the complete of 50 Top Pizza list, click here.


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Google and Fossil Group have been involved in some acquisition deal yesterday. Although it is a fashion brand, Fossil is probably the largest hardware vendor
Android . Brands such as Fossil, Michael Kors, Diesel, Emporio Armani and Misfit are part of the Fossil Group and all produce Wear OS devices. Fossil sells Google some IP and "part of the Fossil Group research and development team, which currently supports IP transfer" for $ 40 million. he was concerned. However, the press release sent the technology community into a riot.
"Google is interested in Android Wear?" "That'll fix everything!" ̵
The deal was incredibly small
I saw the Google / Fossil deal compared to the Google / HTC deal that ended in 2018 and has some similarities. Google and HTC are working together to build the Pixel 1, Pixel 1 XL and Pixel 2 smartphones. Ultimately, the two companies have reached an agreement that will allow Google to bring that collaboration internally, by acquiring IP and HTC employees. With the deal with HTC, Google has become the maker of end-to-end smartphones.
Today Google and Fossil somehow collaborate on smart watches. Fossil and many other traditional clock makers are able to make Wear OS because Google offers turnkey hardware and software to these non-technology companies. These fashion brands are responsible for the aesthetic design and can choose from several features but from the inside they are the same. Similar to HTC, Google gets some IP and employees
These vague, general outlines refer to the place where the similarities are over. The main difference between the two transactions is only the scale of the two acquisitions: the deal with Google / HTC was $ 1.1 billion. It had to be approved by regulators around the world. Google has written many blog posts about it. It was a big and transforming acquisition – one of Google's top five acquisitions for all time.
The Google / Fossil deal was for zero billion dollars – OK, $ 0.04 billion ($ 40 million) if you want to include two decimal places. He was incredibly small. No regulator will look at it. There will be no blog post. In the big list of Google's acquisitions, the $ 40 million fossil deal will not reach the top 30, and it is before it adjusts to inflation.
Only in terms of dollars is it difficult to compare the two acquisitions seriously. If this is a significant deal, Google will cost a significant amount (relatively speaking) of money.
Google and Fossil have already ruined your Pixel Watch Theory
Google's hardware division started somewhere in 2016 and produced a number of interesting and sometimes even the best-in-class products. To date, Google's hardware division has made three phones, two tablets, three laptops, three intelligent speakers, smart display, two Wi-Fi routers, two phone VR power headphones and a bunch of Chromecasts and accessories. I often say that phones could be better, but the vertical integration of Google Hardware hardware and software often allows it to deal with new form factors, test new things, and bring a level of polish and support that usually do not exist in third
Google Hardware has never tried to use an original smart clock. With almost every other large Google platform that receives a flagship device from Google hardware, it is difficult to interpret the lack of a Wear OS device as anything other than a platform conviction. Wear the operating system is bad, and the hardware has standards and will not create a smart clock unless it can make a good clock. At least, I hope this is the reasoning behind Google.
The Pixel Watch dreams have made many associate this secondary acquisition of Fossil technology with initial viewing of Google (Feel free to CTRL + F for "Pixel Watch" in each of these reports: 1, 2, 3, 4) , but Google and Fossil have already dropped these theories. The two companies took part in an interview with Wearable, where Greg McKeely, EVP and Chief Strategist and Digital Director of Fossil Group, admitted that this technology is for third-party devices and will be open to the entire Wear OS ecosystem. "Fossil Group will bring the product to market through our entire range of brands over time," said McKelvey. "And then, in true Google fashion, technology will be expanded in the industry over time to be beneficial to everyone."
Something that first debuted on a fossil product, and then will be open to the rest of the ecosystem, not
McKeely said technology is "innovative innovation of new products that has not yet reached the market "and stems from the acquisition of Misfit, a fitness tracking company. , Misfit's DNA makes this technology sound more like an acquisition to allow for a new Google Fit feature.
If Google really wanted technology to stand out from the crowd the first party, it already has something in the house that would gain a lot of attention: Project Soli. Soli is a small radar that allows users to control the device with air gestures. It has recently received approval from the FCC and is usually demonstrated as a new smartwatch interface. I still do not think the Soli project can save Wear OS, because before killing an interesting gesture system, you will have to fix the Wear OS processor problem.
Fossil can not solve Wear The biggest problem on OS
Fossil is a fashion brand. This is not a technology company with any experience that can correct the many fundamental problems of Wear OS. Today, no vendor of components sells a good SoC clock that a company like Google can buy. Qualcomm is really the only game in the city and does not seem to be interested in the smartwatch market. Qualcomm has three major generations of smartwatch chips: Snapdragon 400, Snapdragon Wear 2100 and Snapdragon Wear 3100. Generally, these three chips released for four years are the same. All of them use Cortex A7 processors, built on a 28nm manufacturing process, which in 2013 was a modern smartphone technology. Qualcomm has not invested in building a serious smartwatch chip, and instead only flames the market the same basic technology year after year. I do not think it's possible to build a viable, competitive smartwatch using a Qualcomm chip.
Meanwhile, competition from non-carrier operating systems is Samsung and Apple, both of which have their own private divisions at SoC where they can invest in building smartwatch quality chips. I would say Apple's SoCs' S line is the main technology of Apple Watch – it can be compact, fast and long lasting thanks to the SmartWatch SoC with real effort behind it. Apple did not talk much about technical details, but the S3 chip in the Apple Watch Series 3 was 70% faster than the S2 SoC. S4 SoC in this year's Apple Watch Series 4 is said to be twice as fast as S3, and is a modern ARM design with 64-bit compatibility.
Never never saw the performance improvements that Apple Watch uses every year. If you read carefully the Qualcomm press releases (starting 2100, starting at 3100), you will notice that the company does not even claim that the new smartwatch chip is faster than the old smartwatch chip. We also checked this with benchmarks. It is the same ancient processor that repackages over and over again.
When it comes to hardware, Google relies on an ecosystem of component suppliers to produce a good product. This works well in established markets like smartphones, but it is very difficult for a company to penetrate new factor factors that component vendors have not already invested in large quantities. must take a high risk of developing quality components for a market that does not yet exist. Qualcomm has clearly decided that it is not willing to take that risk.
Wearing the OS happens when the hardware ecosystem collapses. You can create the best hardware and software on Earth, but if everything is done on a hundred-year SoC, which is hot, slow, big and has a terrible battery life, you will not end up with a good product unless Google can strengthen the foundation of its platform and provide a new line of quality, competitive smart-chat SoC, there is nothing to do to save Wear OS.


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There’s brick-and-mortar, then there are food trucks—somewhere in the middle is a pizzeria run out of a garage…
“We are a relatively new pizzeria, but with deep Hoboken roots,” says Gallo. “We opened our doors just over a year ago and have been picking up steam ever since.”
The unique shop is set up in an old garage at 606 Second Street, which boasts a fully secluded private garden—ideal for outdoor seating and private parties. And while pizza may seem ubiquitous in Hoboken, explosive development in the southwest corner of town has created a small, under-served pocket of population that are happy to have a great local pizzeria nearby.
“We have unique eatery, serving great pizza and great food,” says Gallo. “Come down and enjoy a slice.”


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Retailer Baby Bunting Group Limited [ASX:BBN] has a $450 million market cap and over 1,200 staff.
News just in…
It has told the market that sales are up 8.1% to $186.4 million.
That includes gross profit rising 15% to $68.9 million.
And this is during what some say is a ‘retail apocalypse’, as several retailers go into administration.
With an announcement like this, you may wonder…is now the time to buy?
Today, we’ll take a look.
Who is Baby Bunting Group Limited [ASX:BBN]?
Baby Bunting is what the company calls itself a ‘one-stop-baby shop’.
The company sells everything from prams, babywear and toys to feeding products.
Arnold Nadelaman and Gail Nadelman founded the company in 1979.
Today, it has over 50 stores currently open…with plans to operate 80 stores across Australia.
The company is also seeing a big increase in online foot traffic.
Online traffic grew to over 10 million unique visits. Which is an increase of 13% to the prior year.
BBN said online sales grew by 10.5% and that it now makes up 11.7% of total sales.
The result of this good news? A dividend!
BBN will be paying out a $0.041 dividend. And the ex-dividend date is set for 27 February.
So what does all of this mean?
Let’s take a look at the chart….
BBN Share Price Testing All-Time Highs
Right now, it’s too early to tell how this news will impact the market over the medium term.
However, it wouldn’t be uncommon to see some profit taking occur.
One thing to point out is that the Baby Bunting share price is nearing its all-time high.
We can assume this means that investors are currently happy with the direction of BBN.
This may change.
For now, it may not be wise to go chasing the stock. The recent news will now be priced into the share.
Though, if the future of BBN seems interesting…it may be worth placing it it on the watchlist.
As always, this is not a recommendation to buy or sell BBN. It is an update only. I hope you found it useful.
Until next time,
PS: If you want to receive ongoing updates right to your inbox. Just click right here. Next time I’ve got something important to share with you. You can read it right in your email.


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US Firm Experiences Spike In Demand For Green Building Materials
on: February 19, 2010, 6:44 am
Local Quoter USA
USA – Thursday, February 19, 2010 - Florida-based home improvement
quote website Local Quoter America has announced a spike in the
level of demand for environmentally friendly building materials
since the start of 2010.
The company, which has its head office in Miami, said more and more households are
looking to use ‘green’ building materials such as vinyl siding in their home
improvement projects, in an effort to minimize the effect of their properties on the
One of the strongest themes to come out of last month’s 2010 International Builders’
Show in Las Vegas, was the increasing desire to build sustainable homes in America.
The proof that more emphasis is being placed on eco-friendly products such as
siding, can be found by looking at recent trends witnessed by Local Quoter.
Les Yates is head of the online price comparison website www.localquoter.net/us which searches for home improvement quotes from a database containing thousands of
building companies across America.
He said: “So far during 2010, over 50 per cent of all the enquiries we have received
through the website have been related to siding quotes. I think
it really shows how important the use of environmentally friendly materials is to
homeowners, as well as a strong indication of the way the building industry is
Siding has always been a popular product in America as an exterior cladding for
houses, but increasing knowledge about climate change issues and the importance of
using sustainable building materials has boosted awareness considerably. Like other
sustainable products, the vinyl siding manufacturing process is very efficient, with
little waste produced. The product is also virtually maintenance free and only needs
periodic cleaning with soap and water much like the materials used in the frames for replacement windows.
Calli Schmidt, director of environmental communications at the Washington-based
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), backed up the recent trend seen by
Local Quoter America. She said the organisation is also expecting to see increased
demand for green materials, although “it is not a landslide yet”, with the state of
the credit market holding back building projects whether they have green credentials
Schmidt said: “Once the economy starts moving again and the housing market starts to
rise, it's pretty clear to NAHB members that the future of building is much, much
greener. The interest in obtaining the “Certified Green Professional" educational
designation has continued unabated over the past two years and the National Green
Building Standard and Commentary are the two biggest sellers in our member
About Local Quoter America:
http://www.localquoter.net/us/ is an online price comparison site specializing in
the home improvement market. It is a sister company of Local Quoter, one of the
largest home improvement sites in the UK.
For more information contact Local Quoter America at:
Contact Details: Local Quoter
7339 NW 54th Street
+44 (0) 1204 488 919


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Dr. Dre’s ‘Compton’ Album Streamed 25 Million Times in First Week
Dr. Dre is straight up winning this week. In addition to the Straight Outta Compton biopic that he co-produced reaching No. 1 at the box office for its opening weekend, Apple Music announces Compton, his first album in 16 years, was streamed 25 million times during its first week of release.
The album, which features music inspired by N.W.A. and the film, also had half a million downloads through iTunes. Although it's not clear whether these numbers reflect the amount of complete listens or if it also incorporates listeners who heard only a few songs, this is a great feat for The Chronic creator, considering the album was released solely through Apple Music.
Other major players in the game have earned higher streaming numbers but their albums were released on multiple platforms like Spotify, Google Play and TIDAL. Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late LP had 48 million streams during its first week in February while Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly album topped at 39 million streams during its initial release in March.
"We're beginning to show what we can do in terms of communicating music to a worldwide audience and helping artists at the same time," Jimmy Iovine, who co-founded Beats Electronics and helped launch Apple Music, told The New York Times.
See 25 Historic N.W.A. Moments


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When Walmart paid $3.3 billion for Jet.com in August of 2016, Wall Street saw the move as bold step — and somewhat necessary — to help the Bentonville-based retailer up its online game.
At the time, it was the highest price Walmart had paid for an internet retailer, but the deal included Jet’s highly-regarded founder and CEO Marc Lore, who agreed to stay with Walmart for a minimum of five years. The plans at the time were for the two companies to run autonomously, with Jet keeping offices in Hoboken, N.J., where Lore would continue to reside and work as CEO of Walmart U.S. eCommerce.
Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon said in 2016 Walmart was looking for ways to lower prices, broaden assortment and offer the simplest, easiest shopping experience possible for customers.
“We believe the acquisition of Jet accelerates our progress across these priorities,” McMillon said in August 2016. “Walmart.com will grow faster, the seamless shopping experience we’re pursuing will happen quicker, and we’ll enable the Jet brand to be even more successful in a shorter period of time. Our customers will win. It’s another jolt of entrepreneurial spirit being injected into Walmart.”
The retail giant continued to spend heavily on technology, and Lore set out to improve the look and feel of the Walmart.com shopping experience. He also went after several online startups, which Walmart acquired as well, giving the retailer more insight in higher-margin categories like apparel with the purchase of ModCloth, Moosejaw, Bonobos, Eloquii, Shoes.com and Bare Necessities. The company picked up the final-mile delivery business Parcel, the art startup Art.com and Hayneedle, the home goods e-tailer owned by Jet.com.
Walmart also poured more funds into Store No. 8, an incubator for technology that is used to help efficiencies in stores and improve customer shopping experiences. Out of Store No. 8 came Jetblack, a concierge shopping service, for a select few in Manhattan who pay a subscription fee and join by invitation only.
Lore told the media in June the service is still running in Manhattan, but there were no plans to expand it.
Two years ago, Walmart said Jet would focus on urban areas and Walmart.com would continue to serve the more suburban areas around the country. Jet experimented with a pop-up store in Manhattan, with new management taking over last year when Liza Landsman exited the company. Jet was also supposed to lure more niche brands, which it did. But in recent months, Walmart has been telling many suppliers to focus solely on Walmart.com, an indication there are more changes coming for Jet.com.
Jet executives did not address the media at this year’s shareholders’ week in Bentonville, also an indication their presence would likely be smaller in the future. Walmart recently announced Jet President Simon Belsham would be leaving the company and the organizational leadership will be managed by Walmart.com.
WALMART’S OPERATING MODEL
Keith Anderson, senior vice president of strategy and innovation at Profitero, said the recent move to combine the leadership of Jet and Walmart validates what has been rumored for at least a year.
“It’s not really a surprise,” Anderson said. “Walmart has almost never supported or scaled brands or banners that it has acquired in the U.S. At least, not the way it does in international markets.”
Anderson said manufacturer clients of Profitero have been saying for some time Jet isn’t replenishing or buying new items. He said Walmart’s experiment with Jet.com to try and fill gaps with more affluent and urban shoppers is just that — an experiment.
“I think Walmart was really buying Marc Lore’s vision, strategy, team and tech [not Jet as a standalone brand or operation], and I think Marc understood and accepted that,” Anderson said. “When Walmart acquired Jet, the whole industry’s focus was on Jet’s valuation as a multiple of its sales. But Walmart didn’t buy Jet for what Jet was or would become as its own entity. It bought it for what that leader and team could do for Walmart.”
Anderson said for Jet.com to continue to grow outside of Walmart, more investment would be needed, and that model is not compatible with Walmart’s operating model.
He said Lore founded Jet in 2014 on the premise that digital commerce would not necessarily be winner-take-all. At the time, Amazon had not yet emerged as the clear, dominant front-runner it is today. He said Amazon had exposed itself to low-end disruption through its increasing dependence on Prime members.
“Now, imagine you are Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon, appointed in 2014, nearly two years before the Jet deal closes, and you hear this vision from an ambitious executive that spent years inside Amazon via the acquisition of Diapers.com,” Anderson said.
Wall Street agreed Lore was a bonus for Walmart in 2016, and that’s still true today. Walmart executives told Wall Street two years ago it would give up some profits to invest more heavily in technology to ready the retailer for the future.
Recent reports that Walmart.com will lose $1 billion this year are eye-catching. Walmart does not break out financial results for Walmart.com for reporting purposes and that number came from insiders who may or may not be accurate. Walmart did tell analysts this year, however, the online business is not yet profitable, and it gave no timeline for when that might happen.
Walmart is no doubt mulling the future of Jet.com and perhaps one or more of the recent online acquisitions made before the Flipkart deal in India.
“This was predictable for anyone who really knows Walmart,” said Annibal Sodero, a former University of Arkansas professor and now professor of supply chain at Ohio State University. His expertise is omnichannel retail and the supply chain logistics that make it possible. “They wanted and got Marc Lore and other tech talent in that deal. Now it looks like they might be winding down Jet. Closing the checkbook. No one knows for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise us if Jet.com operations are folded into Walmart.com, and time will tell.”
Sodero said two years ago that Walmart’s acquisitions of small retailers looked a bit like it was assembling Frankenstein. He said merging the cultures and operations would be tricky and likely prove challenging over time.
Lore has put some of the executives of those acquisitions over specific categories for Walmart.com. For instance, Eoin Comerford is the CEO of Moosejaw and also general manager of the outdoor category for Walmart eCommerce. Andy Dunn, a co-founder of Bonobos, is now senior vice president of digital brands and oversees fashion at Walmart eCommerce.
Sodero said if all Walmart does is sell things, it will never compete with Amazon online or in Wall Street valuations. He said Walmart’s biggest asset is its massive store presence and the technology it is putting inside the stores. He said online grocery won’t be the big win for Walmart two years from now, but it more likely will be the data the retailer is able to collect and analyze from the millions of shoppers and store employees engaged in social interactions inside the stores.
“Nobody has that kind of massive scale to collect consumer/worker social data on the masses that shop Walmart each week,” Sodero said. “If Walmart can monetize that data in some way by improving operationally, helping suppliers improve profits and helping ancillary business partners also benefit, then Wall Street will likely begin to see Walmart as a tech company, not just a retailer who sells things,” Sodero said.
As for what happens to Jet.com in the next two years, Sodero said the brand will likely cease to exist, and he doesn’t see Lore staying at Walmart past the five-year payout on his contract. He said entrepreneurs like Lore are not usually happy working for someone else long term.
In the meantime, shares of Walmart (NYSE: WMT) are up more than 55% in value since the company purchased Jet.com. The bulk of that increase took place between 2017 and early 2018 when the share price rose above $100, only to fall back into the 80s price range through much of the back half of 2018. Walmart shares have largely been on a bullish run since the low of $87.13 in December 2018.


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KURNOOL: Wholesale prices of onion have crashed to a new low at the Kurnool Agriculture Market Yard following a bumper harvest coupled with low demand, leaving farmers in tears. Nearly 40 lorries and 300 tractors carrying onions have been arriving at the Kurnool Agriculture Market daily for the past 15 days. Onion is cultivated in 25,000 hectares in the district.
After transporting the produce to the market in rented vehicles, the farmers, coming to know that the prices have dipped, do not know whether to sell the produce at the rate as announced by the Market Yard authorities or take them back. Some of the farmers angered at the MSP announced have dumped their onion produce on road.
Farmers from Bellary, Raichur, Siriguppa and other parts of Karnataka and Mahabubnagar district of Telangana State are sending their produce to Kurnool market. Nearly 8,000 quintals of onions are arriving here and 6,000 quintals are sent to Kolkata and Hyderabad, resulting in 28,000 quintals of onion stock remaining unsold.
On Thursday, several farmers who have been waiting for a week to sell their produce were angered with the State government for not responding to their issues. The irate farmers arrived on the RTC bus station road, near the market yard, along with their produce and dumped it on the road. The Left parties staged a one-day ‘deeksha’ to support the farmers at Sri Krishnadevaraya Circle in the city. AP Rythu Sangam State president P Ramachandraiah asked the government to purchase onion directly from the farmers and announce an MSP between `1,500 and `2,000 per quintal.


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Huawei makes some pretty amazing smartphones with fantastic performance, cameras, and features. The only problem is that now with the company being on the US Entity List, it means that the company’s phones cannot run Google Play Services. We get that it might be a deal breaker for you, but there is some good news.
This is because if you don’t mind buying tech that’s about a year old, you might want to check out the Huawei P30 Pro which is on sale on Amazon at the moment. The phone has typically hovered around the $900 mark, but now thanks to the deal, you’ll be able to pick it up for $600, saving yourself close to $300 in the process.
We should note the the P30 series is the last Huawei phone to date that still legally has Google Play Services installed on it. If this is important to you, then this might be a deal worth checking out, especially at $600 where you’ll still get quite a beast of a smartphone for a relatively affordable price.


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Easy appetizers, snacks and more food ideas for your football-watching menu.
Source link Food & Drink
Some people are bad about eating leftovers, their refrigerators filled with takeout containers and Tupperware containers of dubious provenance. For others, leftovers are an opportunity ― they diligently eat them and may even strategically cook […]
California, Oregon and Washington are all suffering from raging wildfires this year. Over 3 million acres have burned in 2020 in California alone, while it took just one week this month to decimate over a […]
Linxin Wen — the 29-year-old CEO and co-founder of Chowbus, a delivery app that specializes in high-quality Asian cuisine — is intent on providing customers with access to authentic Asian food, and helping mom-and-pop shops […]


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[IMGW]http://media.1up.com/media?id=3240629[/IMGW]Hope you liked Sonic and the Secret Rings, as Sega president Simon Jeffery told Newsweek the Wii game was one of the company's first steps towards reinventing what the world perceives as Sonic. Even though Sonic the Hedgehog appears to have performed well commercially for the company, they seem to have recognized the 3D adventures in recent years haven't done much for the core fans.
"We are actually undergoing a fairly considerable refresh of Sonic as an intellectual property, as a character," said Jeffery.
And what this means for Sonic and friends is a break. "We're not going to be bringing another game out on the other platforms for quite some time, because we feel that it is time to reinvent Sonic, to make Sonic contemporary again. At the same time, even the recent 360 and Playstation 3 games have sold extremely well. Sonic is still an extremely endearing character; there's still a lot of love for Sonic out there in consumerland."
Sonic's already a part of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, so the blue hedgehog isn't exactly going anywhere, but it might be a little while before he's headlining another platforming adventure. Maybe this time he'll finally leave his sidekicks behind.
Thanks to 1UP.com for sharing the news with us, and you can discuss the news HERE!


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The collaborative capsule includes a 10-piece collection of black and white looks that meld Kung-Fu inspirations with utility aesthetic, with a new footwear model available. Two colorways for the shoe are available as well.
Select pieces from the Jackie Chan x Li-Ning collection released exclusively in China on Jan. 19. According to
, a wider launch is likely scheduled for this year.
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