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Price of pure water goes up
Price of pure water goes up Website
Bagged purified water, popularly known as pure water would now be sold in the Central Business District of Accra at 500 cedis or GH 5 pesewas per sachet with effect from Saturday December 1, the Accra Plastic Management Project (APWAP) of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) said on Tuesday. Mr. Ebbo Botwe, Chairman of the Executive Implementation Committee, APWAP announced this at a press conference in Accra to highlight the operations of the project and to react to comments made in the media about its activities. He said trucks transporting bags of the water in the Central Business District would also be required to carry special stickers on their respective vehicles before they would be permitted to transact business. Mr. Botwe explained that before one could be issued with permits, that company would be required to provide a business registration certificate, certificate to commence business, AMA/TMA Business Operating Permit, Ghana Standard Board/ Food and Drugs Board Certificate, full business address and contact details. "As a major source of finance to sustain the project, special Trade permit stickers will be required by any truck that would trade in the project zone. Stickers will be issued per truck per month and shall expire at the end of every month irrespective of the date that it was issued. According to Mr. Botwe, the permit charges ranged from minimum of GH¢ 100 up to a maximum of GH¢ 300. He said the requirements was to ensure that consumers were protected from consuming unwholesome products and curb the incidence of fake bagged water which was becoming a health hazard. All water, cocoa drink, ice cream, alcoholic beverage producers whose products were contained in plastic or bottles would be required to register with project secretariat and apply for a trading permit, he said. He said special guards and policemen would be stationed at entry points to check permits of trucks carrying pure water, cocoa drink, ice cream in the zone demarcated as "No Drop Zone" of plastic waste to enforce the law. Mr. Botwe said the project received reports that some water producers have declined to pay the amount proposed because they were not consulted when the project began. "No person or group of persons or company or group of companies will be allowed to derail this project," he warned. Mr Ali Baba Bature, Director of Public Affairs, AMA expressed the assembly's readiness to enforce its byelaws. He said the assembly has asked the office of the Attorney General to review fines accompanying the byelaws.


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The holiday season is fast approaching, with many Myrtle Beach businesses making the transformation from Halloween to Christmas.
Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach has been working feverishly to prepare for its annual holiday tradition, the Festival of Trees.
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The display features over 100 Christmas trees, with some representing every state in the nation and many other aquatic-themed trees.
See all the beautiful trees for yourself at Ripley’s Aquarium!

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Consumers now make snacking today’s major lifestyle trend, one that’s well-suited to nuts. According to Healthy Snacking, a 2013 survey from Mintel, nuts rank No. 3, after fresh fruits and vegetables. The market research firm reported that 65% of snackers consider nuts and seeds healthy. More than 1,200 new nut products were introduced between 2008 and 2011, second only to snack/cereal bars.
Not only are snack nuts convenient and offered in many flavors and product styles, but consumers also consider them to be “filling” and “satisfying” — the deciding factors when choosing snacks, according to 2014 Snacks Revolution from Innova Market Insights.


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The Morning After: Wednesday. October 11th 2017
Hey, good morning!
NVIDIA, a company best-known for its graphics cards, is making computers for self-driving cars, the company behind Overwatch has something new in the works and the Tamagotchi is back — for some reason.
Google Home Mini bug could make it record audio 24/7
Voice-controlled appliances need to listen in so they can pick up their hotword, but Android Police received a test Google Home Mini that went a little too far. Apparently, it was recording and uploading nearly every sound it picked up, due to an issue that Google says could’ve affected some other devices, too. As a result, the company pushed a software update to temporarily disable activating the mic via its touch panel, eliminating the issue. Units won’t ship to customers until the 19th; we’ll see if there’s a full workaround in place by then.
The chipmaker prepares automakers for the world of robo-taxis.
NVIDIA introduces a computer for level five autonomous cars
At the center of many of the semi-autonomous cars is NVIDIA processing power. Once automakers realized that GPUs could power their latest features, the chipmaker, best known for PC graphics cards, became the darling of the car world. NVIDIA’s first AI computer, the NVIDIA Drive PX Pegasus, is apparently capable of level five autonomy — far beyond the level two and three vehicles we’re only just starting to see. That means no pedals, no steering wheel, no need for anyone to ever take control.
You can use the dials and sliders with a lot of different apps.
Palette’s Lego-like controls can make you a faster video editor
Until robots take over video editing, you’ll still have to fiddle with cuts, colors and sound levels. A keyboard is not always the best tool for that, and many control surfaces are strictly targeted at Lightroom users. So what’s a video editor to do? One of the more interesting controllers on the market is Palette Gear — it’s expandable, flexible, programmable and looks cool. As Associate Editor Steve Dent discovered, if you’re willing to spend some time learning and programming, it can make you a faster and better editor, too.
Don’t get attached.
The 20th-anniversary Tamagotchi is smaller but still easy to kill
It’s been 20 years since the iconic virtual pet Tamagotchi hit US shores. Many of the first pet ownersthose youngsters now have offspring of their own, and Bandai is hoping to entice both generations by reintroducing the classic 1997 model with a special anniversary edition. But most adults and many children now carry a phone capable of doing so much more than the little plastic egg could. Why would they, or anyone, invest in a Tamagotchi?
I’ve reached the acceptance stage of grief.
After 10 years, I’ve finally accepted that ‘Half-Life’ is dead
How Deputy Managing Editor Nathan Ingraham learned to stop complaining and get over Gordon Freeman.
It claimed the acquisition cost just $9 billion. Bargain.
Dow Jones reported a fake story about Google buying Apple
Now is it time to buy one?
Amazon drops Echo Show price
Thinking about picking up one of Amazon’s smart speakers? While the new Echos have yet to arrive, its first screen-equipped device just got a price cut. The Echo Show doesn’t have access to YouTube anymore, but it does cost $200 — $30 off the original ask. Amazon says it’s a “temporary” price drop, but with new hardware and more competition on the way, we could see this sticking around.
But wait, there’s more…
- Porsche’s $2,000 Passport subscription swaps cars on demand
- Blizzard is recruiting for an entirely new ‘Overwatch’ project
- Amazon reportedly wants one-time access to your home for deliveries
- Samsung’s new robot vacuums banish Darth Vader to cleaning duty
- Dubai airport will scan your face as you walk through a video tunnel


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Lincoln Middle East continues its impressive sales pace through 2021, with the luxury brand having had its best year-to-date since 2015. In July, new Lincoln sales increased by 41% compared... Read more
Lincoln continues to steadily steer through challenging times with a successful first quarter of 2021 in the Middle East. The brand announced a 21% increase in sales in the GCC; the highest... Read more
Lincoln is taking home two awards in the 2020 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, with the brand receiving the highest overall score, and the Navigator earning the top spot in the luxur... Read more
Lincoln Middle East’s summer of success has rolled into September, ensuring the luxury marque’s third quarter numbers for new vehicle sales exceeded those of last year’s Q3 by an impressive... Read more
Lincoln Middle East has seen an exceptional summer of sales, where June was the brand’s best month of sales for four years, July experienced an increase of 52 per cent, and August bettered l... Read more
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Lincoln marks the UAE’s golden jubilee with a unique view of the country from 1,500 feet in the sky
Volvo Penta to power Hurtigruten Svalbard’s new hybrid vessel
Interview with Jayraj Balasundaram, General Manager at Pioneer Auctions
The all-new INFINITI QX55 makes its official Middle East debut
© 2017 Morjan Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Whisky the Top Choice of Drink in India
Indians love drinking whisky. India consumes approximately 1.5 billion litres of whisky. This accounts for a remarkable 15% of the total alcohol consumption in India.
According to recent figures, there has been considerable growth of some of the whisky brands in the Indian market. Officer’s Choice contributes to an increased consumption of 4%, mainly between 2013 and 2014. This definitely raises the question of how whisky became one of the top selling spirits in India. The growth has been propelled by the consumption of both local and scotch whiskies. Scotch alone is expected to contribute 10.5 million cases to the total rise in whisky consumption.
In 2014, one of the most popular whisky brands, Officer’s Choice sold approximately 28.4 million 9-liter cases. That is equivalent to about 255 million litres. Another milestone was achieved when Johnnie Walker sold 17.9 million cases that same year. The two combined outsold Smirnoff’s vodka, which sold only 25.6 million cases.
With 2015’s new releases, there are limited editions that deserve a permanent spot in a cabinet of a discerning drinker. The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve is one of the new add-ons to the core collection. This “no age statement” scotch is a perfect mixture of Speyside single malts. Another spot to this limited edition goes to Laphroaig Cairdeas, commemorating Laphroaig’s 200th anniversary.
Going by International Wine and Spirits Research’s (IWSR) conjecture, over the next five years Indian whiskies including scotch will definitely be among the largest contributors of growth to the global whisky market. Whisky fanatics are definitely a more evolved lot. Some of them surely know their stuff. Topping it all, on a Google analysis run by the Drinks Business it was learnt that whisky is the most searched-for cocktail of India. This definitely calls for celebrations. Cheers!
CHIVAS BRINGS 15 YEAR OLD SCOTCH
Chivas is shaking up the Scotch whisky category with the launch of Chivas XV - a 15 year old blend that challenges conventions around how and when to enjoy Scotch whisky. Created to be enjoyed as part of a high-energy, celebratory moment, Chivas XV proves that a serious whisky doesn’t need a serious setting to be enjoyed.Read More
A River Runs Through It: Bourbons Aged on Water
Bourbon has been matured by tossing barrels onto boats for years now. But, this was only an accidental occurrence. Bourbon would be shipped to the thirstier ports of New Orleans and Alabama in boats setting sail on the Mississippi and Ohio.Read More
The Tantalizing Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt is back
The award-winning, and globally-recognized Isle of Arran Distillery has recently announced the launch of the latest edition of the Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt. The company witnessed a consistent rise in demand for the product, with the last batch selling out almost six months ago.Read More


text: French electronics and telecommunications heavyweight Matra SA has called it a day in computers and late last week closed down its Matra Datasysteme subsidiary. The decision is very bad news for Encore Computer Corp, just getting onto its feet after a very difficult genesis, because Matra was manufacturing the Encore Multimax parallel Unix machines under licence. The move also kicks Norsk Data AS when it is very much down because although it had been so disappointed with Matra’s achievements in marketing its machines in Southern Europe that it scaled back the agreement to a non-exclusive one for France only last year, it still represented significant business for the Norwegian – although work that Matra had been doing incorporating Nord minis into military workstations for Thomson CSF is likely to continue. Also hurt is Sun Microsystems, which had large OEM contracts with Matra – said last year to be one of the French company’s areas of weak performance. The shut down is also a disappointment for a string of software companies, including Micro Focus Plc and Relational Technology Inc, which had hoped to do substantial business from sales of Matra’s Unix systems. Also affected are several European research ventures in which Matra was a partner. The future of Matra’s innovative artificial intelligence Unix server, built around its proprietary 1MLIPS Drake inference processor (CI No 877) is now in doubt. Storm cones were first hoist over the company back in June, when president Charles Picasso resigned amid gossip that times were hard at the company (CI No 952). Matra had recorded a profit of $800,000 on sales of $85m in 1987, and at mid-year was still hoping to make a bigger profit on flat sales. But in the event, sales for 1988 plunged 36% to $53m. Employment at the company – 400 in 1987 – was greatly reduced last year by the sale of the factory making special function terminals in Colmer, Alsace, to ETC SA, and was down to 140 at closure. Matra reckons its installed base at 1,500 workstations and 80 systems, and has retained Thomson CSF’s new Thomainfor third party maintenance operation to look after its customers; Agence France Presse re ports that the 35 support staff at Matra will be offered jobs by Thomainfor, and the other 105 employees will be offered jobs in other parts of the Matra group.


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Eateries in Hackney have reported that police have asked them to remove chairs and tables from their outdoor seating areas.
It comes just months after the council made major changes to their fees regulations for external tables, resulting in fears from locals that the burgeoning café culture of the borough is under threat.
“In one case, police told a chic hair salon to take its chairs inside… Betty’s Coffee said council official had ordered the pavement cleared or a permit bought,” reported local blog ‘Loving Dalston’.
This follows the July fee changes, which replaced the flat rate fee with a ‘sliding scale’ fee dependent on the amount of pavement space occupied.
A six-month permit for outdoor seating now costs up to £592, depending on the size of the seating area.
When asked why the changes were necessary, a council spokesperson said: “We have a responsibility to manage and licence all Shop Front Trading activities, which includes chairs and tables on the pavement.
“The police may occasionally ask for table and chairs to be moved inside in the public interest – for example, there may be times at night when it is not appropriate to have people using table and chairs outside shops.”
Staff at local restaurants are concerned about what they have heard.
Chloe Stubbings, 28, a waitress at Juno on Shoreditch High Street said: “We’ve had to get rid of one lot of seating recently. The design of the interior means it’s quite dark inside the premises so people don’t know we’re here unless they see our outdoor seating.”
Apostrophe, a patisserie located on Great Eastern Street, is also concerned about the council’s action.
Sylia, manager of Apostrophe said: “We are part of a chain but there are only a few of us and business is certainly boosted by having space where people can take their coffee outside.
“It’s not just the smokers that go outside. People enjoy their drinks outside all year round.”
Juno and Apostrophe are just two businesses to have adopted the Parisian-style pavement culture to attract business to the area and aid the transformation of Hackney’s ‘greasy spoon’ identity into a hipster hotspot over recent years.
In their plans for forthcoming changes to Dalston, Hackney Council insisted “the wealth of small-scale independent retailers is considered intrinsic to the community’s sense of identity.”
Bar Kick has managed to remain popular despite the economic climate and will pay the new rates for external seating.
Manuel Mariguetti, 25, a barman, said: “Our outdoor area is packed in summer, and it stays busy throughout winter.
“I think it’s worth paying the extra money if it means we can retain this popular part of our business.”
Staff at Toto’s, a busy lunchtime venue for nearby workers, disagree. Ozzie Yelken, 26, a senior waiter said: “We’re already paying rent. Why should we pay extra?”


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Nintendo of Korea has reduced its workforce from 50 employees to just 10, it has been revealed.
Referred to as "large-scale restructuring", the move will also see the Korean arm relocate to a new office outside of Seoul. Fukuda Hiroyuki will remain in place as CEO.
Nintendo of Korea has posted significant losses for the past four years, and this is being cited as a major reason for the move.
The Korean release schedule for 2016 includes the likes of Kirby: Planet Robobot, Hyrule Warriors Legends, Fire Emblem Fates, Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask 3D and Pokémon Sun & Moon - most of which will be translated in Korean.


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Best Black Friday 2018 deals
Vulnerability in web library lets attackers spoof electronic ID card identities.
Google has figured out a way to make low light photography something I want to do more of.
The man in charge of cybersecurity not only said he does not use a PC but seemed stumped when asked about risks associated with USB drives.
Taking photos in a dark environment has always been a weak spot of most smartphone cameras. That is, until Night Sight was released.
It took AI just a couple of years to go from undercurrent to mainstream. But despite rapid progress on many fronts, AI still is something few understand and fewer yet can master. Here are some pointers on how to make it work for you, regardless of where you are in your AI journey.
The precise system of describing location is assisting efforts ranging from humanitarian aid to luxury vehicle navigation.
This cheat sheet is an IT manager aid for recruiting a qualified project manager. Complete each field to keep telephone interviews on track and ensure that important details aren’t neglected during the...
Readers respond to Apple's five reasons why an iPad Pro can be your next computer.
Company has notified today all impacted customers.
Apple may have kicked off the completely wireless revolution with the AirPods, but others have stepped up with more compelling products since then. RHA is known for high quality audio products and its newest TrueConnect earbuds are its first fully wireless solution.
Opinion: A devastating New York Times investigation reveals a Facebook in which its two top officials behave in troubling ways.


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It is easy to spot a clean technology synergy between Resin Products’ business and its decision to choose Lexus hybrids for its first vehicle fleet.
Honda’s CR-V is already one of the most popular compact SUVs sold around the world. More than 750,000 units have been sold in Europe since it was launched in 1997, nearly 50,000 of which during 2014. In the first nine months of last year, the CR-V was the world’s best-selling SUV*. The model has become […]


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“I have never set a goal which I know is unrealistic, unless I have specifically said I know it’s unrealistic,” said Mr. Musk, 45 years old, in an interview. Earlier this month, he committed to boosting Tesla’s weekly output more than 50% by the end of this year compared with the first half of 2016.
“Tesla has absolutely nothing sustainable propriety and yet it’s losing a massive amount of money with zero direct long-range electric car competition. Starting in just a few months and into 2018 it’s going to be swarmed with long-range electric car competition,” Spiegel explained.Read more "“Most Deceptive CEO I’ve Ever Seen”"
Author:Kristen Lee Source: Jalopnik Tesla’s direct sales model versus nearly everyone else is old news. While I fully support a direct sales model, I also can’t help but pause at Tesla’s latest argument for it. In an ongoing court battle between Tesla and the state of Utah, Tesla holds strong to its business model, according […]Read more "No, Tesla, You Are Not A Special Special Snowflake"
Author: Edward Niedermeyer Source: AFR Elon Musk’s second “master plan” for Tesla Motors arrived much like one of the electric automaker’s cars: brilliant and inspiring, but late and rough around the edges. And like Tesla’s desirable yet quality-challenged cars, Musk’s vision is sure to be embraced and evangelised by anyone who was already convinced that […]Read more "Elon Musk’s Tesla plans are all futuristic promise with no product"
Author: Leon Kaye Source: Triple Pundit You might doubt the Tesla-SolarCity merger, but you cannot dispute the ambition and vision of Elon Musk. His drive to disrupt the financial sector proved successful. And with the money Musk made from PayPal, he set out to transform the transportation and energy sectors. A decade after outlining his first master […]Read more "Tesla Announces Part 2 of Its Master Plan, With Part 1 Still Unfulfilled"
Author: Kevin Mooney Source: Daily Signal Grassroots conservative activists who run a reboot of Ronald Reagan’s political action committee want to know why the government allows one failing company to buy another failing company while both get taxpayer subsidies. They also want to know why corporate executives with friends in high places have not been subjected to […]Read more "‘Quintessential Insider Deal’: Taxpayers Finance Family Ties of 2 Failing Green Companies"


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WhiteSource review of programming language security errors reveal, which languages have the most security holes. The "winner?" C. But that's only the start of the story.
The UK has a terrible record for delivering fibre to the premises. While Ofcom is trying to change that, the slow progress of fibre to the home will ensure the UK is also a laggard when it comes to switching off today’s copper networks
With Apple's video service on the runway, the company has enough parts to create subscription bundles that rhyme with what Amazon offers. A little business model innovation could be in order.
The limitations of the form are on full display in legacy news company's new Mixed Reality app.
We're at the beginning of a new economic cycle, a K-wave; one that will offer the greatest industry, job, and wealth generating opportunities in history. If this movie looks familiar it's because you remember the beginning of the age of IT.
How do you bring Hadoop to the AI, hybrid, and multi cloud era, making it so easy to use and reliable that it's boring? How do you build a sustainable business doing that, while switching to a 100-percent open source model? The new Cloudera raises more questions than it offers answers at this point
At its Modern Customer Experience event in Las Vegas, Oracle showcased products and services on this important topic. This article explains the basics of customer experience, what it is, and how to get there.
AI is viewed by customer service decision makers and agents alike as a boon to the customer and employee experience. AI adoption is nascent, but it's set to soar as more teams turn to chatbots, text, and voice analytics, and other use cases. Use of AI by customer service teams is projected to increase by 143 percent over the next 18 months.
Each time Microsoft rolls out a major upgrade to Windows 10, you have the option to wait a few months before you install it on PCs running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. But you have to act quickly.


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Austria’s industry cut jobs in May for the first time since December 2020. The employment index for the manufacturing industry of UniCredit Bank Austria fell to 48.8 points and was thus below the growth threshold of 50 points. “Domestic industry is now in a recession, which currently seems to be getting worse”says Bank Austria chief economist Stefan Bruckbauer.
The bank’s purchasing managers’ index fell to 39.7 points in May, from April 2020. The downswing of the last few months is continuing unabated and is also becoming apparent in employment for the first time. With more than 20,000 people seasonally adjusted, the number of job seekers in industry has increased slightly. Nevertheless, the labor shortage remains an issue: there are an average of 1.7 job seekers for every vacancy. However, the economic weakness is likely to weaken the need for labor in the coming months.
The domestic industrial companies are confronted with a noticeably lower demand. Due to the decline in new business, the industry has reduced its capacities and production output has been reduced even more than in April. In addition to the economic downturn, high prices and high customer inventories had a negative effect. However, the lower order intake also leads to shorter delivery times.
The lower demand also leads to lower purchase prices for companies. “The costs of the companies for preliminary products fell as sharply as they were last during the financial crisis in 2009″says Bank Austria economist Walter Pudschedl.


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Android ICS update for Sprint Epic 4G Touch possibly rolling out
If you are over in the good old US of A and own the Samsung Epic 4G Touch on Sprint, you have probably been patiently waiting for the Android ice Cream Sandwich update to get rolled out to your device, it appears that you should gain the Android Ice update over the next few days.
According to the guys over at Android Central, they were given a screen shot (image below) that reveals that the Android Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Sprint Samsung Epic 4G Touch begins rolling out as of the 7th of this month and will continue to roll out up until the 20th.
If you have already been playing nice along with any version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich you’ll know what the update offers, but if not the ICS update doesn’t bring too many user interface changes other than settings now being rearranged.
Other stuff included a ‘Software update’ icon has been added to the notifications panel, as has a ‘Samsung Account’ icon, the sub menu for Menu Button is now changed to list type from grid type, the recent application display UI is changed, thumbnail images are displayed in favourites, the ‘Unknown sources’ option has been moved to Security from Applications, and WiFi On/Off buttons are now displayed on the main setting menu.
However, according to the guys, Samsung and Sprint don’t really have a good track record when it comes to updating their devices, and as neither has actually confirmed the roll out of the Ice Cream Sandwich update you need to remain a little cautious, but keep your eye open for that update to arrive.
Any of our Sprint Epic 4G Touch owning readers gained the Android Ice Cream Sandwich update for their device yet?


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Coming out guns blazing in 2019, Stockholm-based iGaming software provider, Nolimit City, has revealed that its latest title, Tombstone, is now live exclusively on LeoVegas. The new game is developed in HTML5 and, like all of the provider’s games, comes with solid math mechanics, high-end graphics and exciting sounds.
“a wonderfully produced and very exciting game”
According to the Thursday press release, the initial launch with the mobile gaming group’s online domain will be followed by a global release across all operators on May 2, 2019, when players everywhere will enter Tombstone and take on the Wild West’s most efficient gunslinge…Read More
After 18 months of negotiations, British sportsbetting operators Ladbrokes and Gala Coral Group Limited have completed their $2.81 billion merger to create the biggest retail bookmaker in the United Kingdom with some 3,500 shops.
In a filing with the London Stock Exchange, the pair revealed that their combined businesses, which are now targeting short-term cost synergies of $73.59 million to $85.85 million, will trade under the name Ladbrokes Coral Group although continue to operate as two distinct brands while maintaining their Gibraltar operational and customer service offices.
“In uniting these two businesses we are bringing together some of the best known and admired brands in betting and gaming,” said John Kelly, the former Chairman for Harrow-based Ladbrokes who is…Read More
First, realize that some have an arranged lottery pool system the total amount players manipulate this pool system will you develop your team by a chance to to get members from worldwide.
An auto-responder will to be able to keep tabs on your list of subscribers that have filled the actual opt-in form on your squeeze sheet. The auto-responder will not only monitor your your list, but you can set upward so that the customers get whatever you want to send inside on an automated basis. To help you to keep program everyone that signs in but then leaves operating costs.
Play and gain any time you pick a ticket because make sure to keep it in a good place to make certain that you won’t loose your good fortune if ever your number will be drawn. Just speak to authorized person…Read More
telah membaca artikel saya untuk sementara waktu, Anda akan tahu saya menikmati kutipan kalimat terkenal Thoreau bahwa ‘Massa pria menjalani kehidupan dengan keputusasaan yang tenang’.
Jika kebetulan baru dalam permainan taruhan sepak bola, Anda akan menemukan istilah yang dikenal sebagai peluang taruhan sepak bola. Anda dapat mengambil bantuan panduan taruhan untuk memilih gambaran yang jelas tentang sistem dan untuk memenangkan maksimum yang terhubung dengan peluang dari kedua tim. Peluang taruhan tidak berarti bahwa tim yang bersangkutan harus menang tentu saja. Kokohnya popularitas tim sepak bola di kalangan pengikut publik. Jumlah peluang dalam proporsi langsung dengan daya tarik atau dukungan publik yang didapat tim eksklusif.
Dan apa yang hebat tentang …Read More
A little over three months after launching its Spartan Fire video slot, Australian online casino games developer Lightning Box Games has now returned to announce the premiere of its new Kalahari Safari innovation.
The Sydney-headquartered firm used an official Wednesday press release published by European Gaming Media and Events to detail that its latest four-row video slot is themed around the colorful African savannah and comes complete with a mixture of indigenous animals and symbols spinning across its five reels.
Bonus bonanza:Read More
NetEnt announces new Starburst PowerPots Community Jackpot System featuring top performing online slot game_1
Top-rated supplier NetEnt has revealed a new innovation to the online gaming world titled Starburst PowerPots. A groundbreaking Community Jackpot system, the new option is customizable and will allow players to collect tokens within the most popular online slot games from the brand, offering up a plethora of prizes.
Want to Earn Rewards Even Offline?
The unique jackpot concept allows players to collect special Starburst tokens via several casino brands and game titles. The tokens provide players with a chance to win a community jackpot along with fellow players.
Together, players will fill up a progress bar connected to the PowerPots system. When the jackpot is triggered, the community pot is then divided among the players, even if the…Read More


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February 23, 2015Cell phone storage lockers have become an attractive solution to the myriad problems arising from America’s courtroom ban on cellphones.
Categories for Cell Phone and Mini Storage Lockers
April 29, 2014As the number of cell phones in our culture continues to grow, organizations are now seeking secure mobile phone storage solutions such as Florence cell phone storage lockers to securely store these expensive personal devices.
June 19, 2013A variety of options exist for property managers and government officials who are looking for secure options to efficiently manage access to cell phone storage locker units.
February 26, 2013For embassies, courtrooms, gyms, churches, government agencies, and other security and privacy oriented organizations, cell phone storage lockers provide an inexpensive way to provide peace of mind to patrons using their cell phone banned facilities.
June 28, 2011As cell phones proliferate, the need for secure storage space for their users is rapidly increasing. The cell phone storage locker is a secure way for an organization to provide its patrons with the security and convenience they need when looking for a quick and safe place to store their mobile phone.
November 5, 2010With security concerns in this day and age more and more places are not allowing cell phones. The cell phone storage locker is the perfect solution so that institutions that prohibit cell phones could provide a secure and safe place to store their patron’s phones.


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In more evidence that the traditional holiday retail calendar is out the window, JC Penney and Kohl’s are breaking new ground for retailers, offering pre-Black Friday sales that highlight deals they will offer as soon as the pumpkin pie gets served. And Amazon has thrown down the gift gauntlet early too, with relentless Black Friday specials starting earlier this week.
The changes certainly don’t mean Black Friday is dead. (In fact, the National Retail Federation has predicted it may be the biggest day of the year in U.S. retail sales, after losing out two years in a row to Super Saturday.)
But experts say it’s part of retailers’ increasing pricing transparency with consumers, says Michael Dickenson, CEO of Ironbridge Software, which has been tracking CPG and store data since the 1980s. “What’s the point of chasing a Black Friday deal down at the mall,” he says, “when the same prices and goods — maybe even better ones — are available all month long?”
Kohl’s, which plans to open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and is scheduling its Black Friday sales for the week before, offered a one-day sale, previewing its Black Friday doorbusters, available online and in stores. It was counting on electronics to drum up enthusiasm, leading with Samsung TVs, Fitbit and Sony and Xbox video games consoles and game bundles. In addition, it will offer shoppers $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent.
JC Penney, which also will open on Thanksgiving, is also previewing its deals in a Black Friday Sneak Peek, as well as big Black Friday cuts in its new appliance departments. And Amazon blazed out of the gate promising “tens of thousands of deals, and new deals as often as every five minutes,” through Dec. 22.
Perhaps the biggest impact of this diminished Black Friday, Dickenson tells Marketing Daily, is that it has radically changed “Big Data Monday,” the day when manufacturers and retailers could pore over the holiday weekend’s results. “It’s when they could look at sales trends, and scramble to analyze results. But typically, there wasn’t much they could do to change things so late in the season, except to lower the price.”
People shopping earlier means data streams in earlier, giving stores and marketers more time to react.
He credits the rise of e-commerce — not just from competition like Amazon, but also the success of their own online sales — with helping retailers continue to distance themselves from the oh-so-analog tradition of Black Friday, or even Cyber Monday, its digital stepchild. “Thanks to long-range shopper forecasts and smart data analyses, brands are no longer tied to one singular day of sales,” he says. “Instead of Big Data Monday, they’ve got this data all month long. It gives them a chance to react and make corrections.”


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Aug 11, 2017
JONESBORO, AR -- The farm of Mark and Belinda Wimpy was the scene yesterday for Horizon Ag’s Arkansas field day. Speakers provided research and market updates to the crowd of approximately 100 growers, eagerly awaiting updates on the new release of the Provisia™ rice system.
“Provisia™, the new companion technology to the Clearfield rice technology will work to prolong the Clearfield technology,” said Sunny Bottoms, senior technical service representative for Horizon Ag. “The first varietal release in the 2018 season with the Provisia™ Rice herbicide resistant technology will be PVL01, currently in seed production this year. This will be a limited release, with a full release expected for 2019.”
USA Rice COO Bob Cummings gave an overview of key trade priorities, including next steps with China now that the U.S. and China have signed a protocol to allow U.S. rice exports to China.
“Half the U.S. rice crop is exported, so we constantly need to look for new markets and preserve those that we have,” said Cummings. “We are working very closely with U.S. exporters and USDA to make the first shipments of rice to China a reality now that the phytosanitary protocol has been signed. That means arranging and supporting a visit of Chinese inspectors to rice country in the Mid-South and California. China is the world’s largest consumer and importer of rice and we hope to be shipping early in 2018 if things go smoothly.”
Cummings also stressed the importance of preserving the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, for the economic health of the U.S. rice industry.
“Mexico is the number one market for U.S. rice, and this success is a direct result of NAFTA,” he said. “Our message to the Trump administration is ‘Do No Harm’ when negotiators from Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. meet in Washington next week to start talks to modernize the agreement.”
Cummings also noted ongoing efforts by USA Rice to encourage consistent purchases of U.S. rice by Iraq’s Grain Board and to achieve normal commercial relations with Cuba.
“While progress on Cuba has been slow, we continue to press for the lifting of U.S. policies that restrict our ability to sell to this key market. We’re appreciative of the support and leadership of many in the Arkansas congressional delegation, including Senator Boozman and Congressman Crawford,” concluded Cummings.


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Small Business Index Jumped to New All-Time High
Small business owners do not appear to have been unnerved by the recent rise in trade tensions with China or the associated sell off in the stock market. The latest quarterly Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index jumped 11 points to new all-time high. Wells Fargo
Today is Pearl Harbor Day
Friday December 7, 2018 is Pearl Harbor Day, marking the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those lost or wounded on that day and on the days following until WWII ended.
RIP George Herbert Walker Bush 41st president of the USA
ISM November 2018 Reports Manufacturing Activity Expanded
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) November 2018 Report on Business: Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in the month and the overall economy grew for the 115th consecutive month say the nation’s supply executives.
The report was issued Monday by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee:
“The November PMI increased 1.6 percentage points from October. The New Orders Index increased 4.7%, the Production Index increased 0.7%.”
“Comments from the panel reflect continued expanding business strength.”
USA Drill Rigs Running Fell Last Week
The number of drill rigs running in the US fell by three last week, to 1076, led by Louisiana, down by four, and Canadian drilling declined by five rigs, to 199, compared to the previous week.
US Raw Steel Production Dipped Last Week
US raw steel production dipped 0.7% last week as mills operated at an ACUR of 80.7%. In the corresponding week last year mills operated at an ACUR of 73%. Thus far this year mills have produced prox 88,000,000 tons compared to the prox 83,000,000 tons produced in the like period last year.
The Monthly Advance Report on Manufacturers Shipments, Inventories and Orders for October 2018 by the Census Bureau
- New orders for manufactured durable goods in October decreased 4.4%. The decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 0.1% September decline.
- Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, down 0.6% following two consecutive monthly increases.
- Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, down two of the last three months were virtually unchanged.
Labor Market Remains Strong
US employers slowed their pace of hiring in November but wage growth matched the highest rate in nearly a decade and unemployment held at a very low level, showing the labor market remains a pillar of strength even as the stock market and other economic signals flash caution. WSJ
Have a great weekend…
God bless America


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Canadians were dealt with another blow this week when news broke that the European Union was set to remove Canada from its list of approved countries from where travellers can enter the bloc without COVID-19-related travel restrictions.
A new pilot project for rapid COVID-19 testing at Calgary Airport is being trumpeted as a first step in shortening and hopefully one day soon eliminating the 14-day quarantine, with more Canadian airports almost certainly taking part in the near future.
ACTA is advocating for agents during the COVID-19 crisis not just at the federal level, but at the provincial level too, lobbying for the retail travel industry in the regulated provinces of Ontario, Quebec and B.C.
As the world begins to reopen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more destinations are welcoming back visitors. Airlines, hotels, resorts and ground handlers have invested heavily in health and safety protocols and are eager to welcome travellers back.
Travel advisories from governments in Canada, the U.S. and countries around the world warning against non-essential travel amid the coronavirus pandemic set off a domino effect of operations suspensions for seemingly every supplier in the travel industry.
Last year was all about the micro-cation, quick and easy getaways that catered specifically to travellers with busy lifestyles. Fast-forward to a year and a global pandemic later and the focus has shifted to long-stay vacations that last upwards to a month or even longer.
We may love travel, but we also know it’s far from perfect. Sure, some forms of travel make the world a better place, but far too many types hurt more than they help. It’s time we all got together, as travellers, to talk about just that.


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Sony is keen to get in on the ultra-light laptop market, which seems to be a popular move these days. Apple, Samsung and Asus are all selling incredibly lightweight, but powerful, machines.
If you're looking for something with the portability of a netbook, but the power of a desktop, these are the machines for you. The problem is that Sony's new Vaio starts at around £2,000 and doesn't stop until it hits £2,700 for the top-spec model.
These are not computers that will be within everyone's reach but, for those who can afford one, the Vaio Z is likely to be an attractive proposition.
Latest Tesla news: Tesla share price continues to fall after Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is linked to investment in rival
SEC 'probe' takes its toll on Tesla as new research suggests that Tesla loses $6,000 on every $35,000 Model 3
RTX 280 Ti will come with 11GB of fast GDDR6 video RAM with a 352-bit memory bus offering 616Gbps
The scale of jobs lost to automation will be at least as large as those in the first three industrial revolutions
10nm Cannon Lake Core i3-8121U CPUs make a rare outing with Intel's NUC mini PC


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Rogers announces that it has acquired Mobilicity for $440 million, wireless speed boost is coming.
Telus was named top telecom/cable company in the “Gustavson Brand Trust Index”.
According to The Globe and Mail, Rogers will buy Mobilicity.
MTS says with its new Total Internet plan, you can now just subscribe to one service for all your data needs.
WIND Mobile plans to launch iPhone sales for the first time, by offering refurbished units.
Fido recently pushed a new carrier update for iPhone users.
Mobilicity considers Rogers, TELUS takeover offers, wants to avoid shutdown if sold.
TELUS has plans to invest $1 billion in Edmonton to roll out a fibre optic Internet network.
TELUS is again looking to acquire Mobilicity, while Rogers is also said to be in the running.
Virgin Mobile has a new contest for members: enter to win a MINI 5 for a year.
Canada’s top court has ordered wireless carriers to hand over iPhone sales data over allegations Apple may have influenced local pricing.
Cell phones and WiFi are ‘serious public health issue’, says a new Parliamentary report


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As a leading LED display company that is deeply involved in the international market, Absen has, since its establishment 20 years ago, consistently adhered to its core principles of technological innovation and respect for intellectual property rights. After being sued in 2018, Absen actively responded. It set up a special team of internal experts as well as external American lawyers led by Goodwin Procter LLP. Absen also partnered with other Chinese LED display companies (Glux, Leyard, Liantronics, and Unilumin). Particularly, the partnership included jointly retaining Goodwin Procter and executing a joint response strategy. With the overall planning and efforts from all parties, a highly successful result was received in the US court and Absen thanks all involved.
While Ultravision has sued nearly 40 LED display companies for patent infringement, many of those companies either chose not to contest Ultravision’s assertions or paid a settlement fee. This case is a milestone because it is the first time an LED display company has refused to settle with Ultravision and, instead, Ultravision’s patent claims have been fairly and justly decided on the merits. The result has a great influence on the global LED display industry and is also a good reference for companies in other industries that export products to the United States.
Established in 2001, Absen is the world's leading LED display brand, renowned for its high-quality products, global presence and full-service capabilities. Absen's displays cover a wide range of applications including Commercial Display, Data Visualization, Rental & Staging, DOOH and Corporate. Through constant innovation and development, Absen has been the No.1 Chinese manufacturer in exporting LED displays for 12 years in a row, making it the brand of choice for some of the most prominent brands, integration partners and rental companies around the world.
In the future, Absen will, as always, respect intellectual property rights, deeply cultivate the international market, and work hard for the respect of the international market for the LED display industry.


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Beginning this week, retail giant Walmart will launch two distinct virtual reality (VR) experiences as part of its newest campaign, venturing into the metaverse.
The first is Walmart Land, and the second is Walmart’s Universe of Play, a gaming platform that uses Roblox.
Walmart Wants to Shake Up its Buyers’ Shopping Routine
According to CNBC news, reported by Forbes, the company is reportedly experimenting with new ways to engage customers and shake up their buying routines in the wake of the pandemic. It is attempting to stimulate customer participation in social media, mobile applications, and online gaming platforms.
Walmart group executive William White has stated that the company is planning to utilize the online game Roblox as a testing ground. The platform offers other potential moves in the metaverse and beyond.
He claimed that the designed experiences are crafted with the future generation of consumers in mind. Gen Z consumers, defined as those 25 years old or younger on average, are the focus of the company’s newest marketing efforts.
White stated that he anticipates that the company will improve due to the new project.
What’s In It for the Roblox Players?
The Roblox players can earn tokens and other rewards redeemable for virtual merchandise on the said online game.
Brands such as LOL Surprise and Skullcandy headphones were included in the tests based on their appeal to Roblox’s younger gaming demographic.
White stated that the firm would not profit from Walmart’s immersive experience. However, the retail group might earn money by charging a brand for inclusion.
Related Article: The Metaverse Explained: What It Is and Why You Should Care
The New Strategy Is a ‘First’ for Walmart
White’s approach is supposed to contribute relevance to the cultural conversation. This will develop the community and the engagement between them. The project also aims to tap younger consumers.
In January this year, a CNBC report confirmed that the retail company initiated trademark applications to venture into the metaverse. There were seven separate applications filed in total.
Some of the trademarks are associated with the purchasing or selling of virtual products, as well as the provision of users with virtual currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The plan is to create its own cryptocurrency, as well.
Back then, the retail group had already hinted about investigating and launching advanced, novel ways to influence future shopping experiences.
Walmart and its Engagement with the Social Media
On many occasions, Walmart held live-streaming events via TikTok and YouTube. These are made possible with a collaboration with Meredith, a media and marketing company that owns several publications like Allrecipes, Parents, and Better Home & Gardens.
Walmart has already launched an augmented reality-powered service on Pinterest, too. The technology enabled consumers to visualize how furniture would look in their own homes before purchasing it.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
ⓒ 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Read More: www.techtimes.com


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Following suit are companies like Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Surfaces, which have made enormous strides in recycling post-consumer products to create new and innovative materials. In the last year, Polycor, the parent company of Vetrazzo, made two significant strides in their commitment to sustainability: receiving silver level Cradle to Cradle certification for 42 of its products; and a unique example of upcycling—the development of, Pierre Habitat, a planet-friendly hardware collection generated from recycled and reclaimed glass and/or existing stone and slab waste, all turned into beautiful artisanal objects.
However, Vetrazzo is not alone, there are hundreds of other companies around the United States that are making an impact on local communities through job growth, and a national impact through the availability of innovative products on the broader market. This collective effort is changing the home and building products landscape, and will continue to give consumers smarter and better options.
Specifically within the recycled surface space, whether you are in the market for carpet or tile or pavers, there are some great companies out there doing some really innovative work. Here is a sampling of some of the most interesting products and tail blazing companies that are committed to both beauty and social responsibility:
Crossville Inc., an innovative leader and sustainability pioneer in the porcelain tile industry, commitment to sustainability extends not only to products but to its design solutions. By harnessing the power of light, water and oxygen, their Hydrotect ™ glazing solution defends against dirt, pollution and bacteria. It’s a revolutionary product that actually improves air quality and reduces the need for maintenance.
Bella Terra, Recycled Earth Products. The Rochester, NY based company manufactures natural stone pavers from recycled granite. This material, which would otherwise be relegated to a landfill, offers consumers an afforable paving solution and provides the durability and style that only natural stone can do.
Twenty years ago, Interface®, who is the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally-responsible modular carpet, led the way with their Mission Zero® promise to eliminate by 2020 any negative effect the manufacturing of its carpet tiles has on the environment.
While this evolving landscape is an indication of change, there are signs of a larger cultural shift when it comes to disposal of unwanted materials and products. Last year, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its report on municipal solid waste generation, recycling, and disposal for the United States. Solid waste generation per capita hit a 25+ year low, while recycling (recycled materials and compost) hit an all-time high. According to the report, paper, cardboard, metals, glass and plastics remain the highest percentage of materials recovered from solid waste, all of which then find a way into a variety of home and building product materials.
The EPA also announced that it has shifted its efforts from waste management to seeking a systematic approach to sustainable materials management, and will explore the connection between personal consumer expenditures and the generation of wastes. This renewed focus and commitment aligns with the mission of many building product manufacturers and provides hope that the country is moving in a positive direction towards a sustainable future.


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ADzero stylish Bamboo Android Phone, SGS3 wish
Yesterday we brought you word on a concept phone that incorporated wood into its design, the Nokia Diamond, and today we learn that there just might be a new phone coming out to play this year that brings the wood design to the mobile space, and that phone is an Android handset called the ADzero.
News of the ADzero possibly releasing comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Droid-life who say the ADzero phone was deigned by a UK student who was fed up at the lack of variety in the smartphone world and thus created the Adzero, an Android based handset made of bamboo.
Word is the Adzero bamboo phone now has backers in China and a model to tout at trade shows and thus those behind the eco-friendly bamboo handset are hoping to bring the ADzero to market sometime this year.
Details on the ADzero are scarce, but the device is apparently ultra-lightweight due to its build materials, will run a custom version of Android and apparently brings a new camera tech to the tablet that isn’t available on any other handset, known as “ring flash” whatever that may be.
The guys do say that the ADzero resembles the HTC Thunderbolt but with a bamboo housing, and whether the device will actually make it to market is a bit tough because we have yet to see the device turned on.
So we thought we’d ask our readers if they would like to own an eco-friendly bamboo phone and would they like to see the Samsung Galaxy S3 (SGS3) arrive in a bamboo flavour as along with being eco-friendly it would also look quite stunning and would probably win a few hearts.
If you have enjoyed this Phones Review article feel free to add me to your circles on Google+ and I will of course add you back.


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According to the new study “Mediascope Europe Study” carried out by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA), which represents European interactive media; The Internet is already the means of communication in which users spend the most time. In our country, this trend has Czech-Republic Mobile Database been verified and continues to increase due in large part to a change in user habits, something that is also experienced at the European level. In Spain alone, Internet users spend an average of 12.1 hours per week connected to the network, exceeding the 11.7 hours per week that they dedicate to media such as television, or 10.9 hours in the case of radio.
To develop this study, more than 9000 surveys have been carried out in European countries, including Spain, where 1000 of these surveys have been carried out, revealing that at a global level, on the European continent there are 178 million people (60% of the population) who regularly connect to the Internet. Other data in this report analyze and show the trends of Internet users, with online searches, social networks, and music downloads being the most used resources. Impact of new Brother Cell Phone List trends and habits in the Advertising sector Undoubtedly this is a clear reflection that makes evident the current growth of the internet medium and that has a direct impact on the online advertising market that every day increases its business figures and the investments of advertisers on a medium that despite the crisis The economy remains stable and in a maturing process that clearly indicates that the online and interactive advertising sector is showing great strength and being a market that continues to mature by leaps and bounds.
Television, on the other hand, is getting worse every day retracted by users and viewers themselves. According to data from the latest survey carried out by the Consell de audiovisual de Catalunya (CAC), the problems most cited by the audience are directly related to the broadcast of heart programs, trash TV programming, and excess violence, and advertising saturation. Factors without sweat are forcing users to modify their own habits in favor of more continuous and growing use of the Internet.


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In a Nutshell: A whole world of intricacies exists behind the scenes of a seemingly straightforward online purchase. As a payment processor that operates in this hidden realm, Pinpoint Payments focuses its services on merchants that often fall into the high-risk category. But rather than simply being a processor for its customers, Pinpoint bills itself as a payment partner, bringing a level of attention to client accounts not available through larger processors. Pinpoint ultimately strives to help its business partners grow by maximizing their profits. //
When consumers purchase a product or service online, the transaction — from their perspective — is fairly simple. Input your card information, click the purchase button, and that’s it.
What most people don’t consider is that behind the scenes, a whole other world exists of companies working to accept, approve, process, and deliver that payment, while guarding merchants against fraud, chargebacks, and other potential pitfalls.
That’s the world that Pinpoint Payments inhabits.
Founded in 2013, Pinpoint specializes in stopping fraud and reducing chargebacks associated with e-commerce, card-not-present and high-risk payment acceptance with best-in-class offerings, according to the Pinpoint website. It protects customers from millions of dollars in fraudulent charges and saves them money by contesting and winning chargeback cases.
Earlier this year, following the launch of its Pinpoint Payments division, the company landed on Inc. 5000’s list of the nation’s fastest-growing small- and mid-sized private companies.
“We’ve had some tremendous growth since we started — it was 664% in just the last three years,” said Benjamin Grossman, Pinpoint Co-Founder and CEO. He said Pinpoint has also sought out unique opportunities and unique partners during that time.
According to a press release, Pinpoint Payments fills an industry need by providing “smarter credit card processing options for businesses from all walks of life.”
Pinpoint Focuses on High-Risk Credit Card Processing and Understands the Needs of Both Processor and Merchant
Until about five years ago, Grossman said he used to work in the online marketing industry, helping to operate a large website that generated thousands of sales each day. Once he left that industry and co-founded Pinpoint Payments, he was able to bring the experience and expertise gained from spending so much time on the merchant side of things to the processor’s point of view.
At first, Pinpoint was focused primarily on reducing fraud and chargebacks as a payment processor, but as the company has turned more focus to its Pinpoint Payments division, Grossman has been able to combine his years of expertise to focus on really giving customers what they need.
“Pinpoint Payments is really focused on taking everything we know from having been marketers, taking everything we know from our fraud-reduction business — which we still utilize within Pinpoint Payments — and focusing on helping merchants get the right merchant accounts and grow their businesses,” Grossman said.
Grossman said the Pinpoint team is able to bring a high level of understanding to both the merchant and processor side of the equation.
“So, we’re very unique in that way, that we’ve been basically on all the sides,” he said. “We’re able to be laser-focused on what’s very important to each side because they want us to address their concerns in an intelligent way, and that helps the relationship between the merchant and the processor be a lot more effective and productive.”
Another factor that sets Pinpoint apart from other companies in the industry is that it focuses its efforts on what are considered to be high-risk accounts. These are often businesses that are perceived to attract high chargeback and fraud rates, and may have trouble securing a large payment processor because they could be seen as a bigger financial risk.
Examples of industries that can fall into the high-risk category include licensed firearms, gentleman clubs, e-cigarettes, online nutraceuticals, and other card-not-present direct marketing businesses.
Prioritizing Quality over Quantity, Pinpoint Offers Boutique Service to the Customer Every Step of the Way
Grossman said Pinpoint employs industry experts who can help to tailor a client’s experience with Pinpoint, to get them the best service possible.
He said when the company brings on a new e-commerce client, it will monitor the account closely as it begins to establish a history. Grossman said they will fine-tune the process as they go, likening it to trying different levers and pushing different buttons to help the client be more effective and process better.
“Being that we focus a lot on the high-risk clients, we also want to continue expansion of the number of banks that we work with in order to be able to provide our clients more opportunities for merchant accounts, and the right merchant accounts for their particular type of industry,” Grossman said.
Grossman gave an example of a client in a particularly high-risk industry. He said when the client was just getting off the ground, he came to Pinpoint for help.
“He really didn’t know what he was doing,” Grossman said. “He had gotten one merchant account at the time, but then it quickly blew up. We now have him processing close to $2 million a month and growing at a regular clip. We really helped take him from the ground up, to where he is today.”
Except for the marketing itself, Pinpoint helped the client with just about every aspect of his business, including operationally and helping him make industry connections, Grossman said.
“You get our Rolodex when you’re a Pinpoint client,” Grossman said. “We’re very well connected to the Electronic Transactions Association. We know all the people in customer service. We know all the people who are doing fulfillment, and we know all these different technology companies that you might want to work with.”
Grossman said the client in his example has taken full advantage of the Rolodex — Pinpoint even connected him to his attorney and to the call center his company now uses. The company is now a significant player in its niche area, he said.
This type of attention may not be available from larger companies, Grossman said.
“We are not a volume shop. I think that’s very important to make clear,” he said. “We deal with each individual client.”
Some large companies deal with up to 600 merchant account approvals a month. Grossman said they do far less than that, but each of Pinpoint’s accounts is uniquely tailored to the client. Grossman said.
“We’re more of a boutique shop,” he said. “We really do hand-hold our clients from the application process, as well as while they’re processing — making sure they are staying compliant with Visa and Mastercard — we’re also making sure they are following up on what they need to do to keep their fraud and chargebacks low.”
Pinpoint Monitors Accounts Closely to Maximize Sales While Finding the Acceptable Balance of Chargebacks and Fraud
Grossman also dove into some of the details about how the company’s services actually work.
“What our technology does is it helps us give a snapshot in real time of where the account stands from a transactional point-of-view,” he said. “We’re going to see what the chargeback ratio is, the refund ratio, the decline ratio.”
Monitoring these types of statistics gives Pinpoint some basic data to make predictions on how well an account is going to perform over a period of time. He said Pinpoint will estimate how many chargebacks an account will have and share this information with the client.
Grossman said being able to maximize sales while keeping chargebacks and fraud low is a careful balancing act. Although Pinpoint makes adjustments to help minimize chargebacks and fraud, some level of these incidents is unavoidable.
If the company takes the most aggressive steps possible to eliminate every instance of chargebacks or fraud, he said, this approach would also eliminate any sales for the company.
“Fraud will continue to grow every year,” he said. “So, we try to balance all of those levels, keeping the processors happy, keeping the merchants happy and making sales, as well as trying to guide our clients on making the best possible customer experience for their customers. This is often not an easy task, that requires both grace and skill.”
Grossman said their clients also benefit from a company that does it all. He said rather than being a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, Pinpoint had to become the master of all.
“Because we’re unique in that we keep all the pieces in one place, and you’ve got one team looking over all of those pieces at one time,” he said. “So we’re able to see which levers and which buttons need to be pushed to lower chargebacks, to lower fraud, to increase sales.”
With the world at our fingertips via trackpads and keyboards, it’s easy to forget how complex the World Wide Web is, particularly the world of e-commerce. Companies like Pinpoint Payments work hard to make sure the e-commerce process remains convenient for consumers by bringing detailed and efficient payment processing solutions to their clients.
“Being a boutique operation is something we take a lot of pride in — the fact that we’re getting our customers a different kind of service experience,” Grossman said.


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Marvel announces new 6v6 team shooter Marvel Rivals, which is legally distinct from Overwatch, we think?
When Overwatch was initially announced way back when, there were striking similarities between that game and Team Fortress 2.
All of the upcoming Marvel TV shows and movies, including Wakanda Forever, Deadpool, Secret Invasion, and more!
It can be tough to keep up with all of the shows and movies Marvel has on Disney+ — particularly when an event like Disney's D23 Expo serves us a massive infodump of announcements every year.
Playing Marvel Snap, you can tell it has the advantage of being a second-generation card game.
Second Dinner is a company started back in 2018 by various ex-Hearthstone alums including Ben Brode, who left Blizzard to found the company and previously was essentially the public face as well as Game Director of the popular Warcraft themed computer card game.
Sometimes it hits me how even when Jack Kirby didn't create a big Marvel character, that character wouldn't exist without him.
Captain Marvel is out of time.
Blizzard is well known for putting tributes to celebrities into World of Warcraft.
Today, I answer your questions about superhero television.
Everyone I know may be talking about Marvel's just-released Captain America: Civil War trailer, but I'm staying away.
The next Marvel series coming to Netflix shows the traumatic side of the superhero business.


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Best Antitrust Practices 2020
November 27, 2020
Yulia Solomakhina and Konstantin Bondarenko spoke at Russia’s largest antitrust conference organized by Forbes and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia). They were joined by Mr. Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia, as co-panelist.The session focused on trends and recent developments in the antitrust and competition law and regulation on a global and European market and gathered together economic experts and leading antitrust practitioners speaking on key topics.
The event took place online and was attended by 700+ external viewers.


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If given access to, your upcoming new car could hold more information about you than let’s say your Facebook profile – a goldmine for automakers and interested third parties.
This fact is attracting the attention of European regulators that are growing weary that such data needs to be controlled – and regulations should stipulate who has access to it and can make money from it. Cars are growing even smarter than our smart mobile devices and they will soon be able to track and record where you go, have information about who you call or text and what you Google en route. That would be very useful to the carmakers. “The industry talks about uncovering a gold mine, ” comments Stephan Appt, a Munich-based partner at law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. But there are shades of gray when it comes to what the automakers are allowed to collect and use. For example, Germany’s luxury triumvirate – BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz – set aside their life-long rivalry and jointly showed their interest in such data by bidding together to acquire digital-map company Here from Nokia Oyj for 2.8 billion euros ($3.2 billion).
And they could also introduce services that would track the vehicle’s owner whereabouts even if he or she is not in the car. Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz has the “Mercedes me” service that delivers remote data concerning the vehicle – but the privacy statement (the long and boresome sheet no one actually reads) – says the data could also be used for their marketing. But the consumer watchdogs are on the lookout, especially in Europe where they had a recent clash with Google about its Street View service. “We are emphasizing privacy by design” so that systems produce “no more data than necessary,” comments Manfred Ilgenfritz, car-data responsible at the Bavarian data-protection authority.


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On the heels of combining two of America’s favorite flavors to create the biggest taco launch of 2012 – the Doritos® Locos Tacos – Taco Bell® is now pairing the spirit of its tagline Live Más with one of the biggest sporting events of 2012: the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series.
Today announced, MLB and Taco Bell are teaming up to give everyone in America the chance to get the best selling taco of 2012 free. In its biggest MLB promotion of the year, Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco,” will reward everyone in the U.S. with the opportunity to enjoy a free Taco Bell Doritos® Locos Tacos if any player steals a base during the World Series, which begins this Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on FOX.
If the first stolen base occurs during Games One through Four, America will get free Doritos® Locos Tacos on Tuesday, Oct. 30 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time at all participating Taco Bell locations. If the first stolen base occurs during Games Five through Seven, America can redeem their free tacos on Monday, Nov. 5 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time at all participating Taco Bell locations. Fans are invited to visit www.mlb.com/stealataco beginning Oct. 24 for more information on how to receive a free taco. Limit one (1) Free Taco per person.
“Baseball in October is a magical time, and we want to give America something to rally behind together, regardless of their favorite team,” said Brian Niccol, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “We can think of no better way to celebrate America’s favorite pastime than by giving out what America tells us is their favorite taco, Doritos Locos Tacos!"Since first partnering with Major League Baseball in 2004, Taco Bell® has given away millions of free tacos to Americans with its highly successful “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” campaign, which began in 2007 and returned in 2008. This year, the brand is giving everyone in the U.S. the chance to get not only a free taco, but the one and only Doritos® Locos Tacos.
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Rayong officials defended a Klang District seafood restaurant, saying the price of black crabs was clearly posted and accurately reflected market rates after a customer criticized the price of a crab dinner.
Online reviews have become a touchy subject after an American expat was hit with criminal charges for slandering a Koh Chang resort. The case was dropped after he apologized and removed his critical comments.
The owner of Khun Eak Seafood on Leam Mae Pim Beach in Sunthorn Phu claims her business also was damaged by a Facebook posting from a dissatisfied guest who groused that the Stir-Fried Black Crab in Curry dinner ordered was excessively expensive at 1,200 baht. A photo posted with the comments also made the 1.2 kilograms in seafood look smaller than it was.
Sunthorn Phu Subdistrict Clerk Hiranset Wongbumru investigated the overcharging complaint Oct. 14 and found it to be baseless.
The owner, identified only as Wongduan, 59, pointed out that the price for black crab clearly is shown on the menu at 1,000 baht per kilogram. Unlike blue swimming crab, the black crab is more exotic and expensive. The 1,000-baht-per-kilogram reflected market rates.
She showed the clerk that the plate used was, in fact, 30-centimeters wide.
“The price is common,” Hiranset said. “Tourists should understand and be confident that prices are not too expensive. Moreover, the municipality always sends officers for inspection about hygiene and sale prices.”
Wongduan said she knows who posted the complaint online and that the customer never said anything about being dissatisfied.
“We were surprised upon seeing the post online and don’t understand why he didn’t talk to us before paying. If it’s possible, we would like the customer to come here and we can explain.
“What the customer posted online really ruined our repetition and other restaurant operators at Leam Mae Pim,” she said.
Sunthorn Phu Mayor Kachain said it was the customer’s responsibility to check prices and understand what they are ordering. They said the Facebook user probably was confused about what type of crab he ordered.


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Fri, 12/06/2020 – 13:41
According to the Grattan Institute, the Sunshine Coast has lost more jobs as a result of COVID-19 than any other region in Queensland. Unfortunately, the sectors that are the strong suit of our regional economy are also the very sectors that are most exposed to COVID-19. I’m happy today to be releasing a report on a survey I’ve recently undertaken with the business community, and I’m grateful to the 281 business leaders who made a contribution. Their key concern at the moment is the risk of business failure and the persistence of a recession. It should be no surprise that a top concern, especially of the tourism sector, is that the Queensland borders remain closed, without any certainty about when they might reopen.


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Just read in the news recently that CIBIL and other bureaus like Equifax etc will have to give one free credit report free to customers every year.
- Is this true?
- Is this a proposal or already live?
- And will this be a special report or the usual detailed report?
Any one has more info on this. Pls share.


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Despegar is operating on revenues down 91% year-over-year despite seeing high demand for travel in two of its major markets during the third quarter of 2020.
In the online travel agency's earnings report for the quarter, revenues came in at $12 million compared to $132 million in the corresponding period in 2019.
Transaction and bookings were down 78% and 86% respectively in Q3 year-over-year.
The company narrowed its losses between the second and third quarters, with adjusted EBITDA at a loss of $34 million from a $66 million deficit in the previous three-month period.
A recovery in the domestic markets of Mexico and Brazil were credited with improving transactions and bookings during the July to September period, Despegar's earnings report says.
CEO Damian Scokin says: "We remain disciplined yet opportunistic in our expenses and capital deployment, targeting attractive returns through an increase in scale by leveraging our technological platform and strong brand, moving ahead with the integration of Best Day and Koin as we further build on our low-cost delivery model."
Despegar announced the acquisition of Best Day in January this year, spending $136 million on the Mexico-based travel group.
The total number of transactions during the third quarter came in at 600,000, compared to 1.1 million in Q3 2019.
Ticket prices are more than a third cheaper than in 2019, Despegar says, with the average selling price in the July to September period at $278 ($433 in Q3 2019).
* Check out this interview with Despegar co-founder Martin Rastellino, recorded for the How I Got Here podcast in August 2020.


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Rainier Fruit see big opportunity with Northwest cherries
Rainier Fruit Co. is gearing up for what’s expected to be a stellar Northwest cherry season. And while start dates will shift later than typical years, due to the near record cold spring, Rainier is looking forward to a crop with great potential for size, quality, and promotability. Tyler Johnson, sale manager at Rainier, said, “We’re anticipating peak volumes timing from mid- to late-July through early August for dark sweets, and early- to mid-July for light sweets.”
The grower-shipper expects to see a larger crop than what the industry had to offer in 2022. Johnson said, “This year should provide the opportunity for retailers to generate dollars in the category, and offer great product to customers throughout the season.” Along with that, Johnson added, “a wider range of sizing will create room for more of the ‘value seeking’ customers at attractive price points.” Due to the smaller crop and lighter fruit load on trees last year, Rainier explained that the fruit was not only scarce but larger, and those factors compounded to drive pricing upwards for most of the Washington shipping window.
The last few seasons have reminded us that Mother Nature is in charge, which is why Rainier’s orchard and warehouse teams employ numerous techniques to reduce the impact of weather events. Johnson said, “Diverse orchard location, protective netting, and in-field hydrocoolers are a few examples of investments we’ve made to hedge our bets and maximize quality.” And while it’s not the easy way, over the last 20 years Rainier has learned it’s worth the effort.
“While we can’t control the weather, we can control our growing practices,” said Johnson. Rainier has utilized integrated pest management for quite a while now, but more recently introduced new techniques such as plant sap analysis to build proactive programs that focus on holistic plant health to increase yield and quality versus relying completely on conventional practices. “We’re also continuing to plant more pollinator habitat in partnership with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to bolster native populations year-round in and around our orchards.”


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Just the idea of losing a camera with a memory card full of pictures from an event is enough to make a photo enthusiast anxious. A California photographer suffered that fate two years ago during a charity cycling event, but now the camera has been found and the photos surprisingly survived.
The camera was found in a dried up lake bed, so the body itself (an older Canon DSLR) is smoked, but the SD card inside kept the photos safe during its watery slumber. It was found by a man who was out exploring the dried up lake bed. He uploaded the photos and emailed the owner.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, but it’s always interesting when it does. It’s also a good reminder that it’s a good idea to label your camera somehow, even if it’s just with your URL.


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A popular Bearden business will soon close their doors temporarily while they move into a new location in South Knoxville.
After more than 10 years at their Homberg Drive location in Bearden, Willy’s Butcher Shop will soon reopen at 3336 Sevier Avenue near SoKno Taco Cantina in January.
The butcher shop will remain open to sell their remaining product inventory through Friday, Sept. 22.
The business can be contacted during the temporary closure at 865-297-6145 for those seeking a custom order or have other questions.
Willy’s Butcher Shop first opened in 2013 and is owned by and operated by William and Samantha Carithers.


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by Yeoh Siew Hoon,
Shaped in 2019 to tackle restrictions all-around short-phrase rentals and electronic marketing, the physique has discovered new function with Covid-19 as it seeks to lobby governments in APAC to establish prevalent protocol for safe and sound journey these kinds of as a two-swap procedure for opening of journey corridors and protection and hygiene benchmarks in locations and inns. Yeoh Siew Hoon speaks to ATTIA chair Ang Choo Pin, a profession diplomat who joined journey to “change the way governments glance at tourism”. With ATTIA, he confident has a big job on his arms – to come across wider acceptance by a fragmented industry and to be viewed outside of a “big boy” lobby.
You know an industry has appear of age when it demands an
association to champion its passions, or most likely it usually takes a disaster these kinds of as
Covid-19 to speed up its development and kickstart it into motion. Or most likely
it felt its passions were too specific and unique that they couldn’t be looked
right after very well sufficient by other journey associations.
What ever the rationale, say hello there to the newly-shaped Asia Journey Technologies Industry Affiliation (ATTIA), spearheaded by the big four on-line journey brand names, Expedia Team, Scheduling.com, Agoda and Airbnb, to champion the passions of their sector which is envisioned to account for more than fifty percent of all journey bookings by 2022 (Phocuswright APAC Full and On the web Journey Markets Report), and that’s prior to Covid-19 struck.
Certainly, from staying an outlier section circa 1996 when the likes of
Expedia and Scheduling.com were discovered, the section is now large sufficient to command
its have association to fight its battles. And let’s experience it – the mass migration
of shoppers on-line and the amplified familiarity with e-commerce equipment throughout
generations will with out doubt speed up the change to on-line in the location.
Post-Covid, the on-line journey space will no doubt prosper once again but
prior to that happens, journey demands to recuperate and that is what ATTIA would like to
support and facilitate.
In accordance to ATTIA chair Ang Choo Pin, the association was
really shaped in 2019 and the four events experienced been operating guiding the scenes
to suggest governments on restrictions all-around short-phrase rentals as very well as to
keep the electronic marketing agenda prime of mind among tourism authorities.
But together arrived Covid-19 which gave it the impetus to launch. “There is an amplified will need for platforms to appear jointly for journey restoration. Our function is to glance at how to deal with the disaster and how to recuperate,” explained Ang, who is also senior director,


text: Traffic is rising as customers come back. Margins are rising sequentially and vs year ago. Stale merchandise will be gone by spring. Gross margins are around 30% and rising, even with steep discounts on Johnson merchandise; 2/3 of the margin hit in Q3 was from selling Johnson merchandise at extreme markdowns. SGA in Jan Q will be lower than year ago. CEO just bought a huge amount of stock on the open market for $8.95. Who knows better what's coming down the pipeline than the CEO? Analysts are way off on this one, have a negative bias that they still can't shake. A quarter or two of surprisingly improved performance and they'll start raising target prices after the stock has already risen. Follow the CEO's move. He wouldn't be buying unless he believed the stock was heading much higher in the near-to-medium term.


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In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Chinese smartphone brand OPPO’s plea against a Delhi High Court order which directed the company to deposit 23 per cent of the amount generated from its sales in the country for infringing upon Nokia's patent.
OPPO Reno 8 5G, Enco X2, Pad Air Tab go on sale in India
Chinese smartphone maker OPPO has announced that its most awaited phone, OPPO Reno8 5G, entry-level phone Enco X2, and Pad Air tablet
will go on sale from today onwards, exclusively on Flipkart, OPPO authorized stores, and across mainline retail outlets in India.
The new OPPO Reno8 5G is priced at Rs 29,999 and sports a streamlined uni-body design. The handset is available in two colors: Shimmer Gold and Shimmer Black.
OPPO Reno8 5G comes with a 4500mAh battery backup. On a single charge, it provides up to one-and-half days of battery backup. The device supports an 80W SUPERVOOC TM adaptor for super fast charging, it can fuel 50 percent power in just 11 minutes of charging.
Also, OPPO’s BHE (Battery Health Engine) technology on this handset permits the battery to hold 80% of its original capacity limit after upwards of 1,600 charge cycles ( double the industry normal of 800 charge cycles), said the organization.
“It ensures batteries stay in good condition for around four years and with the same high levels of safety to make it the longest smartphone battery lifespan on the market,” it added.
In-camera department Reno8 5G comes with the RGBW Sony IMX709 selfie sensor and Sony’s IMX766 rear snapper that improves night light photography and improve the clarity of images.
The device provides DOL-HDR technology that enhances dynamic audio range while consuming media. It has a 6.4 inches AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate.
It runs cool with the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 based on 6nm SoC, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and ColorOS 12.1. It runs on the latest version of Android 12.
The OPPO Pad Air is on sale at Rs 16,999 for the 4GB+64GB version and Rs 19,999 for the 4GB +128GB version on Flipkart.
The company’s first tablet comes with a power-efficient 6nm octa-core Snapdragon 680 processor.
It delivers smooth multitasking, seamless switching between apps, hi-res video streaming, and 3D mobile games thanks to its AI System Booster 2.1 and RAM Expansion technology.
Also, the OPPO Enco X2 TWS went on sale for Rs 10,999. These flagship earbuds come with industry-leading ANC and a segment-first Dolby Audio Binaural Recording.
It packs the next-gen Super Dynamic Balance Enhanced Engine (SuperDBEE) acoustic system co-developed with the Nordic audio giant Dynaudio.
Buyers can profit from a few energizing proposals on the Reno8 (8+128GB), like 10% cashback up to Rs 3,000, on different bank cards.
That’s what the company said assuming somebody purchases OPPO Reno8 Series, Enco X2, and OPPO Pad before August 31, they can register on My OPPO application and get the OPPO Watch Free worth 5,999 at just Rs 1.
(inputs from IANS, GSM arena)


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Here are some of the Bord Bia food trends 2013.
The percentage of snacks consumed in a typical American diet has increased from 12% in the late 70’s to 24% in 2010 as well as the number of eating occasions per day increasing from 3.9 to 5.6 in the same period.
Pepsi-Co has spoken of their mission to “snackify” drinks and “drinkify” snacks when they launched their fruit puree snack Tropolis, showing the potential they believe to be in the market. Specialty Food magazine states that “while the healthful-snacking market is flourishing, there’s still room for pleasing consumers who like to snack for fun and manufacturers and retailers who provide both are poised for success.”
Examples of new snacking trends in the U.S are as follows:
Gourmet Popcorn: Both the Specialty Food Association and Time magazine predicted that popcorn would be the hottest snack trend of the 2013, and are being proved right with several gourmet popcorn stores opening in Massachusetts’s as well asflavours such as Chipotle & Lime, Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar and Tangy Dill popcorn being seen on the shelves in retailers.
Sweet & Spicy pairings: Flavours such as chipotle, picante and jalapeno have been appearing in everything from dark chocolate to jelly beans lately. Products such as American Gourmet Group’s Chipotle and Dark Chocolate Bar and Seth Greenberg’s Authentic Southwest Jalapeno Crunch have been on display at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago which ran from 21-23 May 2013 and have been tipped as future hits in the world of snacks.
Seaweed Chips: This is a trend which first appeared in 2012 and has seen great success prompting large scale retail stores such as Trader Joe’s to start stocking brands of seaweed chips (crisps). Flavours have started to diversify from just plain salted seaweed chips to teriyaki, wasabi and sesame flavours, proving popular among brands such as Annie Chun’s Seaweed Snacks.
Irish snack food manufacturers may find these flavour trends of interest with regard to their own NDP projects.


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A recent scam targeted, and still is targeting, millions of Netflix users, trying to get them to follow a link to update their payment information via a realistic-looking email. That email was well enough crafted that it has fooled even some tech experts, and Inc’s Minda Zetlin described it as “a genuine work of art as phishing goes.”
Sanvada talked to two cyber-security experts, Itay Glick, CEO of Votiro, and Israel Levy, CEO of Bufferzone, to find out exactly what it is that makes the Netflix scam and crimes like it so worrying, and to discuss how email scams are evolving.
What exactly makes the Netflix scam so dangerous?
Itay Glick: The email is very misleading. It looks valid because it includes both images (like the logo for example) and personal details make it seem legitimate. People tend to engage with these types of emails out of habit and lack of concentration. However, following good and simple security practices will prevent them from falling for these tricks.
Israel Levy: Obviously the fact that Netflix is so well known makes it likely to have hit a customer. After all, everyone expects their card to expire at some point. The goal, of course, with any phishing attempt is to get access to sensitive data – and phishing generally provides an ROI that pays off. What we’re seeing with the Netflix scam is an attempt to get subscribers personal and credit card details, which can be very valuable on the dark web.
Why do people open such a high percentage of these types of scams?
Itay Glick: Spear phishing and phishing have become so popular because these emails are believable even to those with a trained eye. It has been found that people open 3 per cent of their spam and 80 per cent of spear phishing attempts. In many high-profile attacks, hackers have studied their targets for months, using the information that they’ve gathered from social media to carefully tailor their attacks.
Hackers pretend to be from a legitimate business and use social engineering tools to induce panic, (or a sense of urgency) in their readers – for example, in the Netflix scenario, the email suggested that user accounts would be suspended unless customers entered some of their billing information. An email from a “bank” for example, may say that it needs your customer information to verify records due to a technical error etc.
What’s the definition of spear phishing, as opposed to regular phishing?
Itay Glick: In a phishing scam, emails are sent to a wide group of people without specifically targeting anyone. The attackers know that not everyone will respond, but they know that if they send enough emails out, enough people will.
The Netflix attack is an example of a phishing attack since it was sent to a large group of people but it wasn’t necessarily tailored to each individual. Netflix users and likely a range of people who weren’t customers received an email stating that their Netflix account had been suspended, due to a problem with their billing information (this may be very believable). The email offered a link for users to click on, taking them to what looked very much like a Netflix landing page.
Spear phishing on the other hand, is much more targeted. Hackers target specific organizations and individuals with seemingly innocuous emails that pretend to be from coworkers, friends, or family members, but are actually infected with malware. In many highprofile attacks, hackers have studied employees for months, using the information that they’ve gathered from social media to carefully tailor their attacks.
What can people do to protect themselves?
Itay Glick: Users should think twice before they click on a link or enter any personal information. To see if a link is legitimate, they should use their mouse to hover over each link to see where it leads or make sure when using an iPhone to give each link a long press. Be sure to check the domain and view the SSL certificate (to protect from man-in-the-middle attacks.) Furthermore, organizations that have a large amount of customer data must protect themselves and find solutions that will remove human error from the equation and ensure that emails received within an organization are safe to open.


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FDI inflows hit six-month high
Gross FDI inflows were $6.54 billion in October, the highest since $6.7 billion in April, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India.
“The high gross FDI inflows into India in September and particularly October are consistent with a couple of large corporate acquisition deals in the previous months and possibly some early IBC (Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code) resolutions,” said Saugata Bhattacharya, chief economist at Axis Bank. “The proximate reason might be opportunistic buying, leveraging on the weak rupee in those months and the fall in the equity markets.”
The rupee hit a record low of 74.48 a dollar on October 11, making it Asia’s worst-performing currency. However, this meant that a single dollar would have fetched more of the local currency, making sense for multinational companies to bring capital into India where they have units.
“FDIs come based on opportunity and availability of investible funds,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at CARE Ratings. “India still is fast growing with hospitable FDI rules. With developed economies slowing, India offers better prospects, especially for the long term.”
The Ministry of Commerce & Industry released the e-commerce draft policy in August, aimed at promoting the sale of ‘Made in India’ goods through online retail platforms.
“Fundamentals of India remain strong, better than the sovereign credit ratings assigned by the global rating agencies,” said Joydeep Sen, a consultant with PhillipCapital India. “With improvement in ease of doing business and expected continuity in government at the Centre, FDI flows are expected to be positive.”
In November, the World Bank said India had climbed 23 positions in its Ease of Doing Business Index to 77th place, becoming the top-ranked country in South Asia for the first time and third among the BRICS nations.
“Sometimes, there are lumpiness in flows on deals like Rosneft-Essar or Walmart-Flipkart,” Sen said. “That apart, on a long-term basis, India offers sustainable growth.”


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Facebook on Monday launched a range of AI-powered smart speakers which will make video calling easier bringing a strategic revolution for the social network giant who is looking forward to having its share of the smart speaker market that is currently dominated by Amazon and Google.
Facebook’s vice president of consumer hardware Andrew Bosworth called it a big shift for the company.
While talking on the launching ceremony, he said that the company had been seeing a rise of video calling, on both Messenger and WhatsApp which is why they decided to bring AI-powered smart speakers to make this experience worthy.
The device will be available for pre-order in the United States from Monday. It will allow the users to make video calls at home without having to stand in front of the screen or hold a phone in their hand.
This product is most likely to raise privacy issues as in this way Facebook is going to have access to the people’s homes. The company has suffered several major data breaches this year affecting tens of millions of user accounts.
“we realized that if we want to continue to advance our mission, the hardware we’re dealing with is not enough and we found the need to build our own hardware to accomplish that mission,” Bosworth said.
The portal comes in two sizes, a 10-inch screen which retails at $199 and a 15-inch version priced at $349. It’s a hand fee portal, the user will just to say ‘Hey Portal to start the call.
This portal has been designed in a way that it can also play music on Spotify or videos from Facebook Watch during the calls.
It also comes bundled with Amazon’s voice interface “Alexa”, which would enable the users to shop or control household appliances.
During the video calling, the integrated camera can automatically zoom out to include a second person, follow the person as they walk around. It will also have the ability to pick out their voice over background noise.
Facebook has assured in a statement that the risk of hacking can be lower in this way as it relies on an actual device rather than the cloud.