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The Internet was built to not shut down; the events in Egypt show that it may not be possible anyway.
Imagine sitting down at a public PC, surfing the Web, visiting Facebook, checking your online bank account and buying something on Amazon.com -- all without entering passwords or credit card information.
That shiny new Android phone you just bought? Yeah, it's a piece of trash. No, I'm not some Google-hating Apple fanboy. The iPhone 4 is junk, too.
Analysis: They poisoned e-mail, then they ruined search, and next spammers will taint your social networks.
Google last week acquired Phonetic Arts, which specializes in technology that transforms a recorded voice into a computer-generated voice.
Articles by Mike Elgan


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Mumbai — Global edible oil consumers are up to supply after Indonesia’s sudden ban on palm oil exports has forced buyers to seek alternatives that are already in short supply due to bad weather and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is no choice but to pay.
Industry watchers predict that a move to ban exports from Thursday by the world’s largest palm oil producers will raise prices for all major edible oils, including palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and canola oil. It will put an extra burden on cost-sensitive consumers in Asia and Africa, which have been hit by rising fuel and food prices.
“Indonesia’s decision affects not only palm oil availability, but also vegetable oils around the world,” James Fry, chairman of commodity consultancy LMC International, told Reuters.
Palm oil accounts for nearly 60% of the world’s vegetable oil shipments, from cake and fried fats to cosmetics and cleaning agents, with Indonesia’s top producers accounting for about one-third of total vegetable oil exports. increase. In order to deal with the rise in domestic prices, it announced an export ban until it was notified on April 22nd.
“This is happening when all other major oil export tonnages are under pressure. Soybean oil from the drought in South America. Canola oil from Canada’s devastating rapeseed crops. Due to Russia’s Ukrainian war. “Sunflower oil,” Fry said.
Vegetable oil prices have already risen by more than 50% in the last six months as supply has declined due to Malaysia’s labor shortages and droughts in Argentina and Canada (the largest exporters of soybean and rapeseed oil, respectively).
Buyers wanted the harvest of bumper sunflowers from Ukraine, the top exporter, to ease tensions, but supply from Kyiv has ceased as Russia calls it a domestic “special operations”. bottom.
This has led importers to use palm oil, which can fill supply gaps, until Indonesia’s shock ban causes “double pain” to buyers.
There is no alternative
Importers such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are trying to increase their purchases of palm oil from Malaysia, but Chaturvedi says the world’s second-largest palm oil producer cannot fill the gap created by Indonesia. rice field.
Indonesia usually supplies almost half of India’s total palm oil imports, while Pakistan and Bangladesh import nearly 80% of palm oil from Indonesia.
“No one can compensate for the loss of palm oil in Indonesia. Rasheed Jan Mohd, Chairman of the Association of Cooking Oil Refiners (PEORA) in Pakistan, said:
In February, the price of vegetable oil reached a record high as the supply of sunflower oil from the Black Sea region was cut off.
A Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading company said the rise in prices raised working capital requirements for oil refiners who held lower-than-usual inventories in anticipation of price declines.
Instead, all oil prices have risen further.
“The refiners were caught on the wrong foot. Now they can’t afford to wait a few weeks. They have to buy to run the plant,” the dealer said.
Dhaka-based refiners say that consuming countries will have sufficient supply in the first half of May as Indonesia allows loading until April 28, but may face shortages from the second half of the year. I am saying.
He said South Asian refiners only slowly release oil to the market because they know that supply is limited.
In India, the world’s largest importer of vegetable oil, palm oil prices rose nearly 5% over the weekend. This is due to industry price shortages in the coming months. Prices have also risen in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
By Rajendra Jadhav

domain: news


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With its worldwide popularity, its no surprise that many have tried to emulate and recreate the massive appeal of the Pokemon series in their own videogames – with some attempts looking a little too similar for comfort. We’ve already seen this in spades for the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario franchises, and now here’s a peek at how some developers/publishers took way too much inspiration from the popular monster-collecting games!
Did You Know Gaming has released a new video that examines various rip-offs and bootlegs that followed very closely in the footsteps of the Pokemon franchise. These include classic Japanese titles such as Robopon, various Chinese clones of Pokemon GO, and even more egregious cases!
Check it out below:
“We take a look at some BOLD cases of plagiarism that rip-off the Pokemon franchise. We cover everything from competing Game Boy games, books, and of course, foreign bootlegs.”


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Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Anyone who’s ever used virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), or mixed reality (MR) goggles will likely have tried to explain to others what they’re seeing in their digitally reconstructed worlds. But there isn’t really an easy way of showing people what they’re experiencing without handing the headset over to someone else. And that’s why Microsoft has launched Spectator View, a new tool to help HoloLens users record what they’re seeing from a third-person perspective.
Microsoft launched HoloLens last year, a mixed reality headset that combines virtual and physical worlds using a rich set of sensors to create a spellbinding digital experience. There may be any number of situations that require an “audience” when using headsets such as HoloLens — for example, if you’re demoing something to clients or prospective customers — and that’s why Microsoft already offered mixed reality capture (MRC) to record what the wearer sees from their own point of view. But with Spectator View, you get to see what the HoloLens user is seeing while also enjoying watching their reactions. It basically serves to create a new experience altogether for those looking on from the outside.
Microsoft has put the necessary code on GitHub to help developers get started in creating their Spectator View camera rig, but all that’s really needed is a standard DSLR camera with HDMI output, and a PC through which the HoloLens connects over Wi-Fi. However, you will also need a second HoloLens device that connects to the camera rig. With that in place, you can livestream HoloLens content and capture photos and videos.
While it’s not for novices, those with the required development experience should be able to set the rig up themselves in “less than a day,” according to program manager Brandon Bray, in a blog post.
GamesBeat Summit 2023
Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles this May 22-23. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.
There are added benefits of using Spectator View too. MRC is subject to the head movements of the wearer, which can create unstable footage. But taking the same basic principle behind MRC and putting it into an external camera on a tripod fixes that problem.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


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Club Macanudo has opened its first location in Southeast Asia, with the launch of Club Macanudo Kuala Lumpur.
Cigars International recently launched a Super Store in the suburbs of Dallas-Fort Worth, marking Cigars International’s fourth retail store and the first outside of its home state of Pennsylvania.
The Knickerbocker Hotel and Club Macanudo have announced a joint partnership launching the city’s premier alfresco cigar lounge called “Club Macanudo at The Knick” set at the legendary New York hotel’s rooftop bar, St. Cloud, opening July 7.
Augusto Cigars and SOL Cigar Co. hosted the first Norwegian Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) qualification tournament in Norway on April 20, 2016.
For the first time in history, Club Macanudo hosted the American qualification tournament for the Cigar Smoking World Championship.


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Due to supply shortages, Philips Morris International twice delayed its nationwide promotion, and Japan Tobacco also suspended the shipment of vape.
Japan has become a key testing ground for these two companies and their new genuine vape products, and they are struggling to cope with the shrinking demand for traditional cigarettes in other developed countries.
“We believe that the success of iQOS commercialization in Japan will accelerate its global expansion,” Paul Riley, president of Philip Morris Japan, told Reuters.
Junichiro Koizumi, CEO of Japan Tobacco Corporation, said at the earnings conference in February: “We have high expectations for the growth of so-called tobacco smoke products in the next five years or so.”
iQOS is a cut tobacco that is heated enough to produce aerosols but does not burn. The company believes that real tobacco will better meet the needs of smokers than existing vape.
This new vape, priced at 9,980 yen ($89), is similar to other vape. It is a pen-shaped vape powered by a battery and releases tobacco vapor through heating.
A key difference is the supplement, which is sold as a Marlboro heating rod. Vapes sold elsewhere mostly use liquids containing nicotine, which is strictly regulated in Japan. A pack of 20 hot rods sells for 460 yen, which is the same price as regular Marlboro cigarettes.
Philip Morris has already launched this product in major cities in Switzerland, Italy and other countries, but Japan is the first country where the company plans to launch this product nationwide.
The company originally planned to sell this product nationwide on March 1, but due to possible supply shortages, the company delayed the launch until the end of March. Prior to this, the company conducted trial sales in 12 counties and sales were better than expected.
The company estimates that as of the end of January, Marlboro heating rods’ market share in Tokyo reached 2.4%.
Japan Tobacco, the world’s third-largest tobacco producer with approximately 60% of the cigarette market in Japan, also joined the initiative, acquiring two overseas vape manufacturers in the past two years.
In Japan, the company launched Ploom technology capsules priced at 4,000 yen, priced at 460 yen per pack, with 5 capsules per pack. The selling point of Ploom TECH is that the vapor generated by the liquid cigarette pack will pass through the tobacco particles in the capsule, creating a taste that the company calls close to the real taste.
Masanao Takahashi, Director of the Emerging Products Marketing Department of Japan Tobacco, said: “There is definitely a demand for products that are smoke-free but still satisfactory as cigarettes.”
Like iQOS, the first release of Ploom TECH in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka was also very popular. Due to supply shortages, shipments of the device were suspended after a week.
Currently, the company is committed to launching new products nationwide, and plans to expand globally later this year.


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SPORTS Direct have announced they are to ditch zero-hours staff contracts after a review of working conditions at the company.
Britain’s biggest sports retailer – founded by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley – also issued a grovelling apology and promised to stop controversial practices like the ‘six-strike’ policy.
The review was commissioned by the company, with a final report written by law firm RPC.
It said it had identified “serious shortcomings…in working practices in [the] warehouse which the board deeply regrets and apologises for”.
The company was slammed after a report by the Guardian into the exploitation of temporary warehouse workers.
Many people working at the retailers depots were effectively being paid less than the national minimum wage – something Sports Direct have now promised to change.
The report said chief executive Dave Forsey didn’t tell the board about the possibility of workers being paid less than the legal minimum.
But Ashley previously said he “takes ultimate responsibility for any aspects of the working practices that were unsatisfactory”.
The firm has also made moves to suspend its ‘six-strike’ policy which saw workers fearing for their jobs, after coming under fire for it.
Under the policy, staff could be given black marks if they took too long in the toilet or were seen to be chatting too much.
And Sports Direct has promised to offer guaranteed hours for casual retail staff.
But the company stopped short of offering the same to the 4,000 agency workers at its infamous Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire.
Conditions at the facility were previously compared to a “Victorian workhouse” by a committee of MPs.
ashley's drug vowSports Direct boss thanks The Sun for uncovering drug use at firm's HQ and vows to call in cops
SNORTS DIRECTFresh shame for Mike Ashley as Sports Direct HQ revealed to be rife with coke, crack and syringes
clean up your act, ashSports Direct chief Mike Ashley told to shape up over 'Victorian' working practices by investors
HAPPY FAMILIESSports Direct boss Mike Ashley financed son's debt-ridden company while paying staff less than minimum wage
The report also called for a confidential system for reporting sexual harassment, fewer searches of warehouse staff and a cut in the number of brands workers are banned from wearing – currently numbering a whopping 800.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 0207 782 4368.


text: Sony Computer Entertainment announced technical specifications for its next-generation video game console--the company's latest effort to maintain its lead in the video game market. The Foster City, Calif.-based company, the video game unit of Japan's Sony Corp., would not discuss the look or price of the unit, known unofficially as PlayStation II, and scheduled for U.S. release in 2000. It will be four times more powerful than the current PlayStation. The enhanced computing power of its processor will allow more realistic games, said Sony Computer Entertainment executive Kazuo Hirai. PlayStation II will store data on DVD-ROM discs; the current PlayStation stores data on a CD-ROM disc. All games sold for the old system will be compatible with the updated console.


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A cargo ship containing salt destined for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation is expected to arrive by midnight Friday into the Port of Providence, directly from a desalination plant in Inagua, Bahamas.
The delivery is the scheduled shipment that was supposed to arrive March 1, said International Salt spokeswoman Mary Kay Warner. It was delayed by harbor congestion in Matthew Town, Inagua’s port, she said.
Because the salt business is so competitive, she said, she was unable to tell how many tons were being delivered to Providence.
DOT spokeswoman Rose Amoros said department officials are hoping to receive 10,000 tons, which will take several days to be delivered by truck to DOT storage facilities. The DOT tries to keep about 25,000 tons on hand, Amoros said.
On Twitter: @donita22


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Less than a month ago, Magic Legends developer Cryptic Studios confirmed that an open beta for the free-to-play ARPG was in the works. Now Cryptic is back to officially announce the open beta’s upcoming release date. Revealed during the Epic Games Store’s Spring Showcase event, Magic and ARPG fans can look forward to the launch of Magic Legends‘ open beta starting on March 23. The duration of the open beta is left unconfirmed, as no end date has yet been revealed.
The full scope of Magic Legends‘ open beta hasn’t been discussed yet, but early indications point to it being substantial. The open beta announcement trailer description says that there will be over 170 spells available alongside 5 different classes. All of these may or may not be available during the open beta, but so far there’s no mention that they won’t be. It’s even possible that the open beta will feature the full game and will just be used to stress testing and polishing purposes.
As an added benefit to encourage players to start playing the Magic Legends open beta as soon as possible, Cryptic will be offering a special login bonus. To earn it, all players have to do is log in to the game via the Epic Games Store during the first two weeks of the open beta. The bonus includes a free character costume, creature skin, and two nameless boosts.
If it wasn’t immediately obvious from those last details about the open beta, the Magic Legends open beta is going to be exclusive to the Epic Games Store. PC users will have to download the Epic Games Store client in order to download the free-to-play Magic Legends. It’s unclear if Magic Legends‘ full release will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store, so stay tuned for more information.
Magic Legends releases in open beta on March 23, 2021 on PC.


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2020 in Review: Adapting Our Fleet Simulator to an Evolving Market
The year of 2020 will be memorable in history for many reasons.
We had the passing of the UK Brexit withdrawal agreement in Parliament, Harry and Meghan standing down from royal duties, bush fires in California and Australia, public clapping for healthcare and support workers, the Black Lives Matter movement, the normalisation of video socialising, and the 2020 US Presidential election.
But the global response to COVID-19 has dominated the way we live around the world
Changes to Our Industry
As the rate and spread of infection grew, our industry – transportation – was significantly impacted. Public transport and wider road use dropped significantly, as many people lost jobs, started working from home and wished to maintain social distancing.
The resulting combination of lockdowns, social distancing and environmental recognition has led us to rethink our relationship with transportation. COVID-19 disrupted the legacy mobility systems that existed in cities and regions around the world.
Lockdowns have driven an increase in walking, cycling and remote working, whilst risk of infection concerns associated with public transport and shared mobility services has led to private or individual modes being preferred – somewhat undoing the momentum gathered over the last few years in the sustainable, shared mobility industry.
We do believe that this shift in modal mix is temporary, with shared solutions (including public transport) rebounding and continuing to grow. An area that has seen increased focus to support the rebound, is the development of on-demand solutions that complement and cooperate with public transport. These ‘demand-responsive transport’ or DRT services will play an important role in pooling demand and increasing access to the public transport system.
Whilst modal mix may be temporary, some effects may well be permanent. Remote working may well have a lasting impact if companies can recognise efficiency, cost, and productivity benefits. The increased recognition of climate and air quality issues has accelerated the enactment of climate change legislation and the growth in sales of electric vehicles. In the UK, November’s EV sales increased by 122% compared to the same time in 2019. This is even more impressive considering that overall car sales are 27% down. We have also seen the near-term use cases for automated vehicles shifting from taxi/rideshare services to logistics (including food and medical supply delivery).
The effects of these changes can have last benefits for our environment and economy. The key challenge is helping businesses adapt to make the most of these accelerated transitions.
Market-Led Adaptations to Our Product
So, what do these market changes mean for Immense’s platform?
Back in June, we launched the first publicly accessible Immense application. Our Fleet Simulator helps operators understand the impact of future changes to their fleet – whether that be variable service demand, alternate vehicle supply or changes to infrastructure configuration. Remarkably, our launch came at a time of rapid and uncertain change for many fleet operators.
Whilst COVID-19 has benefits and disbenefits for the different service types, the one constant across all fleet operators was the rise in uncertainty. This has driven the need and interest in using modelling and simulation for improving operational resilience and planning for futures that have never previously occurred.
Whilst our early product focused on supporting ride-hail and rideshare fleets (both human-driven and autonomous), we quickly evolved to supporting the rise in other service types. In general, we have witnessed growth in demand for understanding and planning 3 service types:
Fully electric buses are being accelerated to market following the recognition that city buses are the cause of large amounts of black carbon emissions, whilst fixed route, regular bus services are a good use case for battery powered vehicles.
Even though COVID-19 has slowed down the public transport sector, global electric bus volume is expected to grow by over 10% per year to 2027. EV bus makers such as Arrival, Volvo, BYD and Proterra are all racing to produce vehicles to meet the growing demand.
This means that the time is now to start redesigning the services to make best use of these technologically advanced assets. We have seen a mix of cities, automotive manufacturers and fleet operators show interest in modelling electric buses, proving the collaborative nature of deploying these new service types.
Services to Compliment Public Transport
Whilst ride-hailing has partly clashed with public transport services over the last few years, cities and operators are starting to design collaborative network systems, where on-demand and public transport services can efficiently coexist and be cooperative.
This has the potential to plug gaps in public transport coverage, reduce demand for parking and reduce cost of running underutilised bus routes. The emergence of key players such as ViaVan (pictured right) and Uber Transit have the right mix of technology capability and brand to work seamlessly alongside public transport.
To build trust across stakeholders and design effective systems, simulation is an important tool for testing different scenarios. Again, we have seen interest across stakeholders – cities, fleet operators, and automotive manufacturers – to understand how best to implement this new service type.
On-Demand Delivery Fleets
The logistics market has seen a surge in demand for package delivery this year. The growth in last-mile and on-demand delivery services has been necessary to maintain social distancing and lockdown rules, whilst ensuring the public can access the goods they need – including food and medical supplies.
The explosion of growth in demand for services such as Uber Eats (pictured left) and Deliveroo is likely to be maintained beyond COVID-19 as the ability to order food on-demand is normalised in societies around the world.
The roll-out, scale-up and transfer of these new services is challenging to get right first time – which is where businesses are seeing the value in scenario-analysis using simulation. Playing different potential ‘futures’ for service demand and fleet availability helps an operator understand the sensitivities of different service parameters in current and new locations around the world.
Looking Ahead to 2021
With hopes growing for a potential COVID-19 vaccination, optimism is starting to re-enter our industry
We expect many of the trends from recent years that have been accelerated through COVID-19 to continue to grow – including electric vehicles and on-demand logistics.
We also believe that shared mobility will rebound from the setback experienced this year, as the shared and service economy continues to expand across all areas of our lives. Whilst private vehicle ownership has been preferable to many people this year, the mid-term expectations are that the accessibility of other sustainable, cheaper, and more equitable mobility solutions will disincentivise owning a vehicle.
For Immense, we will continue to listen to our clients and industry and keep improving our platform to help navigate uncertainty and capitalise on opportunities that exist. Our foundations of supporting autonomous, connected, electric and/or shared mobility solutions remains hugely relevant to the future of our industry, but we are placing greater focus on supporting users to embed simulation within their business and decision-making processes.
If you would like to speak with one of our team to see how Immense can help you in 2021, please reach out to us here: immense.ai/contact-us/


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GOP gloating over Greece
What happened to Michael Lewis?
10 non-salary factors to consider while job-hunting
Is legal polygamy next?
The Copenhagen talks get heated
The week's best editorial cartoons
Australia is building a skyscraper inspired by Beyoncé's curves
Leonardo da Vinci's house is up for sale
Amazon promises a day of shopping bigger than Black Friday
Video Jamie Jungers opens up on Tiger Woods


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“The anticipated alternate relating to the usage of Visa credit score playing cards on Amazon.co.united kingdom will now not happen on January 19,” the corporate stated in an electronic mail to consumers.
“We’re operating intently with Visa on a possible resolution that may permit consumers to proceed the use of their Visa bank cards on Amazon.co.united kingdom.”
It stated consumers may just nonetheless use Visa’s debit playing cards, at the side of Mastercard and Amex bank cards and Eurocard.
A Visa spokesperson stated on Monday: “Amazon consumers can proceed to make use of Visa playing cards on Amazon.co.united kingdom after January 19 whilst we paintings intently in combination to achieve an settlement.”
Visa had stated in November it was once “very disenchanted that Amazon was once threatening to limit shopper selection”.
An EU-enforced cap on charges charged via card issuers is now not in position in the UK following Brexit.


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By Andrew Nsoseka
Sika, a leading multinational company, with expertise in the production of specialty chemicals used in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry, is further expanding its presence in West Africa, starting with a new facility for mortars in Cameroon.
A press release from the company declares that “Sika is further expanding its presence in West Africa and starting operations in a new facility for mortars in Cameroon. Following the foundation of the national subsidiary in 2016 and the opening of a concrete admixture plant in 2017, the company is now investing in a new mortar manufacturing facility. In total, Sika has 22 factories on the high-growth African continent”.
According to the company, they have, in the current business year, invested in new facilities in Egypt and Senegal. “Sika will use its new mortar products factory, located in the major city of Douala, to expand its product portfolio and supply customers in Cameroon’s construction market with locally manufactured products. The country’s building industry is developing dynamically under the stimulus of investments in infrastructure and housing construction,” Sika states in its press release.
Referring to instances where, major projects, using its products, have been realised in Cameroon, the company cites “sports stadiums, the Douala Grand Mall and Business Park Project, and facilities for water treatment and the supply of drinking water which are being constructed across the country.”
The company equally quotes it’s Regional Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, EMEA, Ivo Schädler, saying: “We are continually expanding our business on the African continent and are recording the strongest growth rates in the EMEA region. Over the past four years, we have increased sales by an average of 22 per cent each year. Our investments in expansion will create the basis for further market penetration in Africa, where the boom in the construction industry is being driven by high population growth combined with urbanisation trends and megacity developments.”
Following its golden touch, they have left wherever they have operated throughout the world, Sika is optimistic about its decision to invest in Cameroon.
the international company, “forecasts indicate that Cameroon’s construction
industry is expected to grow by 8.4% in 2019, with annual growth averaging 7.4%
“This means that the country’s construction market is the market with
the highest dynamics in West Africa,” Sika maintains.
Sika’s Corporate Profile
According to authorities of the company, “Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 300 factories. With 24,000 employees Sika expects sales in excess of CHF 8 billion [approximately FCFA 4.8 trillion], for the fiscal year 2019”.


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Love's Purchases More Real Estate for HQ Expansion
OKLAHOMA CITY -- As it continues to expand its retail footprint across the country, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is taking steps to ensure its headquarters space can accommodate the growth.
The Oklahoma City-based retailer closed on an acquisition of three corporate buildings located at N.W. 63rd Street and the Lake Hefner Parkway in Oklahoma City. The buildings were purchased from Chesapeake Energy Corp. and offer a combined square footage of 227,000 square feet.
The transaction, which closed on Nov. 8, follows Love's recent dedication of a new 68,000-square-foot, three-story building at its corporate campus in northwest Oklahoma City.
“We've been in business at Love's for nearly 50 years from our home base of Oklahoma City,” said Greg Love, president of Love's Development Cos. “The purchase of these three buildings is in line with our strategy to add space relative to the steady pace at which we grow. On average, Love's adds 20 new travel stops across the United States each year. As our retail footprint expands across the country, the need for additional corporate support increases to sustain our high level of operational efficiency and customer service.”
Family-owned and -operated Love's currently has more than 300 travel stop locations, plus 170 Love’s Truck Tire Care centers in 39 states. The chain was ranked ninth on Forbes' most recent listing of America’s Largest Private Companies.
“We have tremendous admiration for Love’s and their business, and we are very pleased with this transaction," added Gordon Pennoyer, Chesapeake's director of external communications. "The sale allows both companies to meet their business objectives – a win-win scenario for Oklahoma City.


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Venture Noire, a non-profit committed to assisting Black and minority entrepreneurs, is launching "In the Black", a new program designed to advance Black-owned businesses in key industries.
Made possible by a $1.3 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation, In The Black will provide eight-week courses for minority entrepreneurs that will address income equality, minority workforce creation and the racial wealth gap. Each program will feature a Northwest Arkansas showcase, which will be attended by business leaders and investors.
“Venture Noire is making significant strides in advancing inclusive entrepreneurship in Northwest Arkansas... “Through innovative programming, the organization will support local Black-owned businesses and draw minority talent to the region," said Walton Family Foundation Program Officer Yee Lin Lai. -Arkansas Money & Politics
Want to know more? You can read it HERE
You can apply to join Venture Noire’s inaugural In The Black cohort by email.


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The Maritime Industry's original and most viewed E-News Service
FSL Trust Management Pte. Ltd., as the trustee-manager of First Ship Lease Trus, announced that the Trust has completed the disposal of Ever Radiant and Ever Respect
China's COSCO already the sole bidder for Greece's Piraeus Port. Buying both would give COSCO a European transhipment hub.
China's COSCO is expected to make
Shipping freight rates for transporting containers from ports in Asia to Northern Europe fell by 8.1 percent to $431 per 20-foot container (TEU) in the week ended on Friday,


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This article from the Economist echoes some recent arguments that with China’s rising wages, manufacturing jobs could move back to the developed countries. The article says that: “for some manufacturers low wage costs are becoming less important because labor represents only a small part of the overall cost of making and selling their products.”
However, such view is questionable. If labor cost only accounted for a minimum proportion of the total production cost, why would firms care about the rising labor cost? Also, more and more products made in China are sold locally today rather than shipped back to the US or other developed markets. Therefore, for many sectors (such as softgoods) despite the rising labor cost, leaving China is not always a workable option.
One thought on “Comparative Advantage: The boomerang effect”
I agree with the article’s point of view. It would not surprised me if China’s rising wages caused manufacturing to move back to developed countries. In today’s world, companies look to find the most inexpensive sourcing options. Even if labor costs account for only a small percentage of overall costs, the small increase can still be enough incentive for companies to want to move sourcing to where labor costs are cheaper. Additionally, even though more and more products produced in China are being sold in China, majority are still being sold globally. Especially for companies like Apple, whose products have proved to be a global phenomenon, the benefit of staying in China to sell products locally is very minimal compared to the lowered costs of sourcing where labor costs are cheaper.


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UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna is the world’s most powerful female Arab, according to a new list published by CEO Middle East.
Sheikha Lubna, according to the magazine, “has been challenging traditional opinions about women in business ever since she developed a system that reduced cargo turnaround at Dubai Ports Authority from one hour to ten minutes.”
She also sits on board of directors for Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry amongst many others and is on the board of directors (honorary) for the National US Arab Chamber of Commerce.
The Emirati was placed just ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Lubna Olayan, boss of Olayan Financing, with another Emirati, Salma Hareb – CEO of JAFZA – in third place.
The head of the Alwaleed Foundation in Lebanon, Leila El Solh, was ranked fourth, while Dalia Mogahed, an advisor to President Obama, came in at fifth.
The list examined the influence of Arab women across the globe across all sectors, including business, science, media, sports, academia and entertainment.
Subscribe to Arabian Business' newsletter to receive the latest breaking news and business stories in Dubai,the UAE and the GCC straight to your inbox.


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As we turn the calendar to January, we’ll take a look at the first data back on shopping this holiday season. Much of the research pointed to how big of an impact digital devices (computers, tablets or smart phones) would have this season – particularly how consumers used them to save money.
• Nearly three-quarters said they made a holiday purchase via digital device, that’s an increase of 35% from last year
• Over 60% used an email offer from a retailer. Usage of email offers increased close to 40%
• One-third used a mobile coupon this holiday season. Consumers redeeming mobile coupons grew more than 80% compared to last year
What Does This Mean To You?
While the holidays are a once a year happening, they (on average)
account for upwards of 40% of total retail sales nationally. The reason
behind the growth in digital shopping this year was convenience –
Nearly 40% of shoppers said they shopped online because of the
convenience and ease of it.
The trend towards online shopping continues to rise – over four in 10 consumers said they shopped more online than in physical stores this year compared to last year.
One of the things every business needs to do is stay relevant with its
customers. Making sure that it’s convenient to buy from your store vs.
the competition is part of staying relevant.
Just having a mobile site or ecommerce solution is not enough. Part of your due diligence should be to continually look at the experience your digital and mobile
Are there things that the competitors have that you don’t?
How intuitive is the navigation?
Is it easy to find and buy products from your site?
Are you effective promoting your digital and mobile capabilities?
It’s easy to launch and forget, but if consumers have a bad experience –
it’s a good bet they will not return. In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look
at what improvements consumer’s want to see from businesses. For more information on creating digital presences that drive results, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Advertising Marketing Manager
Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; GfK Roper; SapientNitro


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Dairy Crest has expanded its relationship with Gist, incorporating cream and flavoured milk into its existing milk supply chain operations for a major retailer. By combining the cream and flavoured milk volumes with the existing milk logistics operations, Dairy Crest and Gist said they will save warehousing space and eliminate around 1,200 trips, or more than 300,000 lorry kms, per year. Simon King, procurement director at Dairy Crest, said: “We are continually looking for ways in which we can improve […]
Lloyd Fraser Holdings has said it is “broadly pleased” with its performance after reporting a rise in profit before tax of almost 60%.
Gist and long-term customer Marks & Spencer have signed a 12 year extension to their warehousing and distribution partnership, with the first year of the contract estimated to be worth circa £300m.
Gist blamed one-off pension costs and retailers’ squeezing of supply chain providers for a 23% fall in pre-tax profit last year, but it still saw turnover rise by 7.2%. For the year ended 31 December 2011 pre-tax profit fell to just under £18.8m, from £24.5m the previous year. However, turnover rose 7.2% year-on-year from £379m to £406m. Gist chief executive Martin Gwynn told Motortransport.co.uk: “Business performance remains robust. Excluding the effect of the one-off pension charges, profit increased year-on-year despite […]


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determined - Fotolia
You'd think that if someone was spending $67bn on something that the benefits would be fairly obvious to everybody else. I'd certainly like to think that if I ever had that amount of money, or access to it, and I chose to blow it all on a one-off deal that the overwhelming response from everybody around me would be "what an inspired decision that was".
I think I'd be disappointed if a significant number of people said: "Really? Are you sure? That's an awful lot of money, don't you think? Well, it's your decision, I suppose."
Yet, that appears to be what's happening in the wake of Dell's announcement that it plans to acquire EMC. Some people are excited by the fact that it's the largest takeover deal in the history of IT, but not as many as I would have expected.
There's a good summary of the arguments for and against the deal which are dividing analysts in MicroScope here. My own feeling is that if you can't sum up the reason for a huge deal in a simple sentence that everyone can understand, you're in trouble. And the bigger the deal, the easier it should be to understand.
Fair play to CEO Michael Dell for giving it a crack in the press release accompanying the announcement of the deal, the gist of his argument appearing to be that people are crying out for a one-stop shop from an integrated technology company. "The combination of Dell and EMC creates an enterprise solutions powerhouse bringing our customers industry leading innovation across their entire technology environment," he said. "Our new company will be exceptionally well-positioned for growth in the most strategic areas of next generation IT including digital transformation, software-defined data centre, converged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, mobile and security."
But as many commentators have pointed out, Dell's consolidation with EMC occurs at exactly the moment that former IT one-stop shop HP is busy preparing to become a two-stop shop and against a backdrop of IBM busily reducing its size and technology portfolio. Just because the Dell/EMC deal seems counter-intuitive doesn't make it wrong, of course, but it does make observers more likely to be sceptical of its merits. Bucking the market is all well and good when it comes to profits and sales but not so much when you're talking about merging two businesses while everyone else is splitting theirs up.
It could be seen as a sign of ambition, strength even, that Dell is making such a massive acquisition when many of its larger rivals appear to be retreating from the markets that it's betting big on. Certainly, in contrast to HP, Dell's purchase of EMC could be viewed as a signal of intent given that HP reportedly pulled out of its own prospective takeover of EMC last year.
You could draw a contrast between HP's decision to walk away from the takeover and split up its business with Dell's 'bold' and 'audacious' bid for the storage giant. On the other hand, the big split at HP had presented Dell and other rivals with an opportunity to exploit the uncertainty over how the two separate companies would operate to go out and try and poach HP customers.
Now, the roles are reversed. Dell's plan to buy EMC prompted HP CEO Meg Whitman to pen an email to HP employees describing it as "an opportunity for us to seize the moment". She described the process of trying to integrate Dell and EMC as "a massive undertaking and an enormous distraction for employees and their management team as two very different cultures come together, leadership teams shift and an entirely new strategy is developed".
She claimed that bringing two portfolios together would "require a significant amount of product rationalisation" which would be disruptive to the business and create confusion for customers. "Customers simply will not know if the products they are buying today from either company will be supported in 18 months," Whitman added (people might say the same of HP, of course, as it becomes two different companies).
Given HP's history of disastrous and costly acquisitions (EDS and Autonomy), you could accuse Whitman of admirable chutzpah. Alternatively, you could believe the company's painful write-offs have left it better placed to articulate some of the problems associated with big takeover deals (although the fact it had to write down $8bn twice on acquisitions in the space of six years suggests otherwise).
Anyway, as far as I can see, there are three big questions that need to be answered: Is $67bn a fair price to pay to create "an enterprise solutions powerhouse"? Will the deal actually create an "enterprise solutions powerhouse"? Do customers still want an "enterprise solutions powerhouse"? I'm tempted to abbreviate "enterprise solutions powerhouse" to ESP but that might cause confusion for many of us wondering whether we might need ESP to be able to predict whether Dell's big deal will be a success.


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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Minister for Revenue and Financial Services Kelly O’Dwyer announced the launch of a new financial capability strategy this week, aimed at helping Australians take control of their financial situation.
Speaking to mark the launch, Ms O’Dwyer said the strategy will guide action across the government, business, community, education and research sectors to boost financial capability across daily money management, decision-making and planning for the future.
According to ASIC modelling, if all Australians’ financial capability was lifted slightly, the benefit over the next 30 years would be a $212 billion increase to consumer wealth and consumption.
“The financial sector as a financial community should be engaging in practices that promote fair consumer outcomes,” ASIC chair James Shipton said.
“In particular, we need to continue to encourage women to be more confident with money, young people to find the information they need when they need it, and support Indigenous Australians to access appropriate financial products and services. We want to see more Australians in control of their financial lives.”
Commenting on the strategy, the chief customer officer at superannuation solutions provider SuperEd, James Coyle, said the strategy is “particularly important in the context of superannuation”, given the millions of Australians in unsuitable products.
“The new ASIC website, combined with other online tools and interactive services, will be a great step forward for bolstering levels of financial literacy in this country and helping equip all Australians with the confidence they need to make better decisions regarding their financial futures."


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Indeed, just last month, FDA publicly released two more warning letters to cosmetic companies. This time, FDA pursued cosmetic giant, Avon, and a smaller company called Bioque Technologies. As with the agency’s previous warning letters, FDA issued the letters citing objectionable claims found on each company’s website. This brings the total number of warning letters FDA issued to cosmetic companies (including some of the world’s largest) to six in a period of just one month.
Just a few weeks prior, FDA issued four similar warning letters to cosmetics companies also citing objectionable marketing claims on company websites. These were sent to Lancôme USA and Greek Island Labs on Sept. 7, 2012 and to Andes Natural Skin Care, LLC and Jansen Beckett, Inc. on Sept. 21, 2012. Such action clearly signals one of the most significant enforcement crackdowns against the cosmetics industry since the inception of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
While several of the claims made for the various products include terms like “muscle relaxing,” “scar healing,” and “acne”—claims that are officially recognized as drug claims under several of FDA’s over-the-counter (OTC) drug monographs—many of the other claims cited by FDA in the warning letters are, arguably, little more than “new age” cosmetic claims and consistent with those appearing on vast numbers of cosmetics on drug store and retailer shelves across the U.S.
So far, FDA has objected (in part) to the following claims:
- “Rebuild collagen to help plump out lines and wrinkles”
- “Stimulate elastin to help improve elasticity and resilience”
- “Regenerate hydroproteins to help visibly minimize creasing”
- “Formulated to boost shock-absorbing proteins to help strengthen skin’s support layers”
- “Intensive Penetrating Complex affects its long-term repair”
- “Damaged skin cells repair themselves and then replicate, creating healthier replacement cells”
- “Delivers a formula rich in peptides and active botanicals to fuel the rebuilding of skin structure and elasticity”
- “Higher concentration of beneficial elements promotes regeneration of skin cells during peak hours of sleep”
- “Boosts the activity of genes and stimulates the production of youth proteins.”
- “…has been shown to improve the condition around the stem cells and stimulate cell regeneration to reconstruct skin to a denser quality.”
- “Immediate lifting, lasting repositioning.Inspired by eye-lifting surgical techniques…helps recreate a younger, lifted look in the delicate eye area.”
- “Unique R.A.R.E. oligopeptide helps to re-bundle collagen.”
- “…a potent antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal…recommended for many types of skin disorders.”
- “… used… to ward off infections …”
- “... used… against plague and fevers.”
- “Clinically proven to reduce breakouts and blemishes by 84%”
- “Takes away acne, rosacea, scars, skin blemishes and deep under skin lesions accumulated by excess UV exposure...”
- “Prevents and Clears Acne”
- “Relieves the side effects of Accutane.”
- “Acetyl HexaPeptide (Argireline)...was the first peptide to offer effects similar to Botox. Argireline works...to block the nerve signals and by inhibiting the overproduction of catecholamines. By blocking these neurotransmitters, Argireline reduces the contraction of muscles and reduces wrinkles and prevents wrinkle formation.”
- “Leuphasyl helps moderate the release of acetylcholine... by lowering the skin’s electrical charge in the applied area… Leuphasyl’s ability to moderate the electrical charge being sent to the applied area is crucial in lessening and relaxing muscle contraction. Impairing muscle contraction is what...mitigates wrinkles and their formation.”
- “Alpha Lipoic Acid, the most potent antioxidant on the market today, helps repair aged skin while preventing future damage.”
What is foremost on everyone’s mind is: what’s next? Until this past month, FDA has taken enforcement action against cosmetic companies for drug claims but a few times during the past decade. This long period of quiet is in sharp contrast to FDA’s current enforcement initiative, which, some say, appears to be one of the most ambitious enforcement strategies ever implemented against the cosmetics industry. While many in the industry were initially wondering whether the letters were just isolated notices, it has become painfully clear that this effort is part of a well-orchestrated enforcement scheme—one that can be expected to continue. Significantly, as none of the warning letters were issued by FDA’s regional field offices, this further corroborates that the warning letters are part of a new cosmetic/cosmeceutical enforcement scheme. Obviously, such action could threaten the economic viability of industry members and their promotion of cosmetic products, particularly those that are labeled with scientific language to describe their unique, enhanced benefits.
In conclusion, FDA has recognized technological advances in other areas but, as evidenced by its recent enforcement, is steeped in antiquated views of what constitutes an acceptable cosmetic claim. Granted, FDA is limited by the statutory definition of “cosmetic” which is decades old, but it’s high time that FDA recognize the strides made in cosmetic/cosmeceutical and partner with the industry stakeholders to develop a framework that permits companies to develop sophisticated cosmetic products and lawfully market them.
More info: Georgia Ravitz, 202-715-8426, www.arentfox.com


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New York City
The gift-buying frenzy may be over, but Wednesday kicks off the next phase of the holiday shopping season as one-in-five shoppers plan to hit the malls, according to a holiday survey from the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. (ICSC) and UBS Securities LLC.
The survey, which was conducted between Dec. 13-16, 2007, polled 1,018 adults comprising 510 men and 508 women, 18 years of age and older.
The survey said that 18% of consumers, or nearly one-in-five consumers surveyed, plan to go shopping today. Many of these shoppers are hitting the stores, gift cards in hand, ready to scout out post-holiday discounts and to return or exchange gifts.
In fact, 29% of the gift cards sold during the holiday period are expected to be redeemed the week after Christmas, according to the ICSC.
"Gift cards have transformed the holiday-shopping landscape and they are extending holiday shopping well past Christmas Day," said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC chief economist and director of research. "Dec. 26th begins that new phase of the holiday shopping season. The day is expected to be busy for shopping as consumers flock back to the nation's retailers.”


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BALTIMORE – A small subsidiary of UPS (NYSE:UPS) is making a big impact on behalf of its customers through the deployment of computer software that allows exquisitely precise planning of delivery routes.
The software, known as the Roadnet™ Transportation Suite, is offered by UPS Logistics Technologies and is being used by grocery stores, beverage bottlers and snack food companies, among others, to shave miles off their delivery networks.
"I needed to reduce travel time, mileage and costs, but our routing process was holding us back," said Michael Johnson, project manager for Lance, Inc., a major snack food company. "With UPS Logistics Technologies' solution, we can now alter routes quickly and make our inevitable last-minute changes much more manageable."
Lance additionally is enjoying an increase in serviceable accounts per driver, contributing to a 10 percent annual business growth rate.
The 1,300 customers of UPS Logistics Technologies are on track to save an estimated 250 million miles during calendar 2003. That equates to 250,000 tons of CO2 emissions eliminated from the environment. The totals are calculated based on the number of vehicles within each customer's fleet, the miles driven and an average mileage reduction of 10 percent per customer.
"This solution is a good example of how smart business and environmental practices go hand-in-hand," said Mike Herr, UPS environmental affairs manager. "We have built our company through operational innovation and we're glad we can apply that knowledge to help other companies, particularly when the results contribute to the environment's bottom line."
For more information on UPS Logistics Technologies' suite of routing software, visit http://www.tech.upslogistics.com


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Avoid the lines! Advance tickets go on sale in the Times Square Museum and Visitor Center (7th Ave btw 46th & 47th Sts) at 10 AM on Monday, May 21. From May 22 – June 10, they can be purchased every day from 9 AM – 6 PM. On the day of the event, buy tickets at the Visitor Center from 9 AM – 3 PM and then at the festival starting at 3 PM.
Taste of Times Square is an outdoor food and music festival featuring international flavors from top restaurants and the city’s best street performers at the Crossroads of the World. Times Square’s most popular culinary destinations will set up tables on the street to offer “tastes” of their signature dishes.
Michelle Judd from blog Taste As You Go visited us on Saturday May 19, and she was absolutely delighted with our Short Rib empanada.
Michelle started this food blog on 2008 (tasteasyougo/about), with the goal to start talking about experimentation with new foods, the exploration of new cuisines, and the revisitation of those foods she had previously written off.
Interesting article on how has impacted the Food Truck fact in the social behaviors in the last years, including a timeline with a few remarkable issues about the evolution of this new actor in the city’s food landscape, and a bunch of detailed numbers that could help to a better understand of this quite recent phenomena.
Citymeals-on-Wheels raises private funds to ensure no homebound elderly New Yorker will ever go a day without food or human company. Since 1981, this non-profit co-founded by Gael Greene and James Beard have been serving meals to New York City’s frail, isolated elderly on every borough of the city.
During the past fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2011, Citymeals-on-Wheels delivered 1.7 million meals to 16,916 New Yorkers at times when they would otherwise have been alone and hungry.
The New York City Food Truck Association is proud to announce a partnership with Citymeals-on-wheels, allowing New Yorkers to do good by satisfying their appetite on street food. From May 1-15, 2012, 35 food truck vendors will collect donations from their patrons to raise funds that will be used to prepare and deliver weekend, holiday and emergency meals to the homebound elderly throughout the boroughs of New York City.
Addicionally, this Saturday May 5, Nuchas will donate 5 % of our revenue to Citymeals.
Pat Lafrieda, master butcher of Gotham and the “magician of the meat”, is the proud host of a new show on the Food Network, Meat Men, running every Monday at 11 pm starting April 09. You could see Mr. Lafrieda in action by his dad, Pat Sr., and his smooth talking cousin, Mark Pastore. Meat Men goes behind the scenes of the business for a high-”steaks” ride with a side of humor, served medium rare.


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Rainbow Fashion Week to Become the First Ever Carbon Neutral Fashion Week of its Kind
June 17-24, Rainbow Fashion Week is returning to New York City, this time with a Carbon Neutral mission.
According to Eco Watch, fast fashion Is the second dirtiest industry in the world, next to big oil. The fast fashion industry uses pesticides in cotton farming, toxic dyes in manufacturing, as well natural resources used in extraction, farming, harvesting, processing, manufacturing and shipping. Additionally, discarded clothing creates a huge amount of waste.
After attending a summit at the Hudson Institute, which addressed the destruction of the Himalayan glaciers and speaking with Sharon Kahn of Water Keeper Alliance, RFW Founder and CEO E. Jaguar Beckford re-wrote RFW’s mission statement to make it a global pledge to educate new designers of the responsibilities they bare when ordering, utilizing and disposing textiles, to consider bio safe vendors and consider several "re-purposing ideals."
RFW’s goals are to reduce their electric energy consumption by 1/3 through the use of solar powered generators and panels, urge the City of New York to mandate dog waste composting through its Rainbow Pets event; recycle, re-purpose and re-use clothing through its Dumpster Divers event – ultimately, becoming the “first carbon-neutral fashion week” of its kind. Focused on the endeavor to create a morally accountable fashion week, Jag and RFW are committed to work closely with strategic partners and industry leaders such as Viridian, Blue Water, Gem Pawnbrokers, CERES and Earth Justice to help educate the event’s audiences about new ways to reduce our carbon foot prints.
This third edition of Rainbow Fashion Week will officially kick off Friday, June 17th; launching with the “Top New Media Moguls Black Tie Affair” celebrating 50 outstanding achievers: in the LGBT community for their efforts in media, community, fashion and beauty. It will feature Eight days of exceptional queer fashion shows, with daily themed runways: Top New Media Moguls, Drag’Stars and Trans-Justice, Rainbow Pets, Queer Kids, PhotoViews, Rainbow Tots, Trans’’ition, Urban Knights, Inside The Celebrity Closet and Body Dysmorphia, Hair du Soleil and Kids Who Tech (where FIT meets MIT in a fashion clothing Hackathon for solar energy wearables).
Get Your Tickets Now: http://www.rainbowfashionweek.com/tickets/


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Out-Law News 2 min. read
27 Jan 2014, 5:25 pm
The EU-US 'safe harbour' agreement is a framework that facilitates the transfer of personal data between the EU and US.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had reached agreement with 12 US-based companies to settle claims that the businesses had "falsely claimed" that they complied with the safe harbour framework. The agreements have yet to be finalised and are currently subject to public comment.
The safe harbour framework sets seven principles of data protection broadly equivalent to standards set under the EU Data Protection Directive and allows US companies that adhere to those principles and self-certify compliance with the principles to transfer personal data from the EU to US.
EU data protection laws prevent companies from sending personal data outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) unless "adequate protections" have been put in place or in circumstances where the destination country has been pre-approved as having adequate data protection. Only a handful of countries, including Argentina, Canada and Switzerland, have qualified as having adequate protection.
The US has not been designated as providing adequate data protection, but the European Commission and US Department of Commerce negotiated the Safe Harbour scheme to facilitate personal data transfers between organisations in the EU and US.
The FTC had charged the 12 companies it has agreed draft settlements with of claiming to comply with the Safe Harbour regime when in fact their certifications had lapsed. US businesses must self certify compliance annually to the US Department of Commerce.
"Under the proposed settlement agreements, which are subject to public comment, the companies are prohibited from misrepresenting the extent to which they participate in any privacy or data security program sponsored by the government or any other self-regulatory or standard-setting organisation," a statement by the FTC said.
"Enforcement of the US-EU Safe Harbour Framework is a Commission priority," FTC chairwoman Edith Ramirez added. "These twelve cases help ensure the integrity of the Safe Harbour Framework and send the signal to companies that they cannot falsely claim participation in the program."
The FTC said that, despite bringing the cases against the companies, it was not necessarily the case that the 12 businesses "committed any substantive violations of the privacy principles" set out under the Safe Harbour regime.
More than 3,000 US businesses are currently signed up to the Safe Harbour scheme. In November last year the European Commission published a report which cited "deficiencies in transparency and enforcement" in how the framework works. The report followed a review the European Commission undertook into the framework following news leaked earlier this summer about the alleged surveillance activities of the US' National Security Agency (NSA).
In its report the Commission made 13 recommendations on how to address concerns about the Safe Harbour framework. Among its recommendations, it said the US businesses subject to the agreement should "publish privacy conditions of any contracts they conclude with subcontractors" and facilitate "readily available and affordable" access to alternative dispute resolution for EU citizens so that they can raise and settle complaints they have on privacy issues.
The Commission also said that there should a procedure for testing some Safe Harbour scheme members' privacy policies to ensure "effective compliance".


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More to the Story with Staley: Donating Dresses
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — He runs one of the world’s largest independent fashion internet sites. Yet he does all he can to help underprivileged young women. He’s been doing so since 2017, with great success.
Sam Sisakhti is the owner of “UsTrendy,” one of the largest independent fashion ecommerce sites in the world.
Some six years ago, Sam started a new venture called “Believe in Yourself.” It provided brand new dresses for underprivileged girls.
Sisakhti struggled mightily to get “UsTrendy” going. Beating the odds, overcoming roadblocks, with all of that, he still wanted to share his good fortune.
“A lot of times, people have dreams as a kid. But over time, those dreams go by the wayside,” Sisakhti said. “That’s why overcoming my adversity, I always wanted to give back. And that’s why the organization is called Believe in Yourself.”
UsTrendy deals with women’s apparel. At first, Sisakhti was donating dresses to celebrities and influencers. But then he started “Believe in Yourself,” donating to those who really need a helping hand: for occasions like a prom or a homecoming.
But Sam says it was nerve-wracking!
“I remember the first few times I did it I was nervous. It was because I wanted the kids to like the dresses,” Sisakhti said. “We just try to get them what they want!”
Sisakhti says as time goes on, he wants to expand his project to include young men as well. For now, he’s only dealing with brand new dresses for the young women.
And for the most part, Sam says he’s using his own money to buy the clothing. No problem!
“It’s been great. We’ve done about 30 states. We’ve helped thousands of kids,” said Sisakhti. “It’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever worked on. My favorite part is seeing their reactions.”
Sam says even as a young tyke, he was into fashion. Now, he’s into helping. As the old saying goes, we only have what we give.


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Patchy Indian monsoon set to cheer palm traders 3,000 miles away
25 Aug 2021
Faltering monsoon rains in India are posing a risk to domestic soybean and peanut crops, and may prompt the world’s biggest palm oil importer to boost purchases from top growers Indonesia and Malaysia.
The world’s second-most populous nation, where eating fried food is a national tradition, depends on overseas suppliers for as much as 70% of its edible oil needs. Concerns are growing that deficient monsoon rains this year could hurt crops, raise food prices, threaten a nascent economic recovery and boost imports of farm goods.
Inbound shipments of palm oil will be higher in the year starting on Nov. 1 than an estimated 8 million tons in 2020-21, said G.G. Patel, a veteran trader and managing partner of GGN Research. He didn’t provide an estimate for the next year. India mainly imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, which are about 2,400 miles and 3,000 miles away respectively from New Delhi.
Deficient showers in the western state of Gujarat, India’s biggest peanut grower, and erratic showers in Madhya Pradesh, the nation’s No. 1 producer of soybeans, are likely to hit oilseed crops, said Patel, who has been trading edible oils for more than five decades. Poor rains in the northern Rajasthan state will potentially curtail prospects for winter-sown mustard crop as well due to a reduction in soil moisture, he said.
Private weather forecaster Skymet Weather Services Pvt. said Monday that India is likely to miss a normal monsoon forecast due to patchy rains in July and August and an unfavorable weather pattern. According to the India Meteorological Department, the nation’s weather bureau, cumulative rainfall in the June-September rainy season so far has been 9% below normal.
Soybean production in 2021-22 will be lower than the estimated 9.2 million tons for the previous year, while peanut output may drop from 5.4 million tons, he said. According to the farm ministry, total area under monsoon-sown oilseeds was 18.8 million hectares (46.5 million acres) as of Aug. 20, compared with 19 million hectares a year earlier. Sowing of some crops will continue until the end of this month, it said.
Showers in Gujarat have been 47% lower than average so far, the weather office said. Weaker monsoon conditions will continue to prevail over several parts of the country during the next 4 to 5 days.


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Last week I wrote a post about regional airlines and their legacy counterparts and explained how Horizon and Alaska Airline’s relationship is different. Some flights Alaska does pay Horizon to fly, called capacity purchase agreement (CPA), but other flights Horizon flies under its own brand and not being paid by any outside airlines.
Now, it looks like things are changing and Horizon Air will stop flying under its own brand and only fly under CPA. By January 1, 2011 all Horizon brand flights will be converted over to CPA under Alaska.
I spoke with Jen Boyer with Horizon Communications told me, “This is mainly behind the scenes change and do not anticipate any visible changes on the customer facing side.”
I asked if Horizon will be looking for other airlines to fly for and Boyer told me that Horizon will only be working with Alaska at this time and their main goal is to work on increasing profitability. When I asked if the Horizon brand might one day be changed to Alaska, Boyer told me, “the Horizon brand will be on the planes still and out there in the marketplace, no decision has been made to change that aspect at this time.”
Thanks to Dan Webb over at Things in the Sky for pointing out this story!


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AU Expo 2020 -Deputy Commissioner General
Mr Chiza Charles Chiumya serves the African Union Commission (AUC) in the capacity of Acting Director of the Economic Development, Trade, Industry, Mining (ETIM).
Mr. Chiumya has a strong persuasion that Africa’s Regional Integration is key to enhancing its share in global trade and boosting Intra-African trade as well as in creating a conducive environment for socio-economic development for the continent.
As the Deputy AU Expo Commissioner General, he is confident that the Expo will provide Africa with excellent opportunities for solutions that would assist in its recovery and building back resiliently and sustainably better from the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.
The Expo offers unparalleled opportunities for Africa to increase its global visibility. This too, comes at an opportune moment when Africa has started trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and as such, the continent will showcase its market viability in all sectors including, finance, agribusiness, manufacturing, and services such as tourism and logistics, and telecommunications, among others, backed by continental policies and initiatives such as the Single Africa, Air Transport Market (SAATM) under the Agenda 2063.


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Braintree Village has confirmed which shops will remain open despite being in Tier Four.
The majority of the county was plunged into the new and strictest tier on midnight on Sunday (December 20), placing residents under an increasingly familiar lockdown scenario.
Non-essential businesses had been allowed to stay open in Tier Three, but the strictest tier forced all non-essential businesses to close their doors.
Braintree Village has followed government advice, but there are some services still available.
There are three exceptions outlined by the government of shops that can continue to trade, which are:
- Essential retail
- Stores that are offering the local community a click & collect service
- Cafes & restaurants offering a take-away service
Braintree Village has confirmed that the following five businesses are available in one way or another:
Holland and Barrett


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THOUSANDS of people are asking the question ‘how do I make money online’ every day and there are a similarly high number of websites offering advice on how they can do this.
BITCOIN continues to grip the public’s imagination and has once again increased in value this year attracting the attention of several big investment institutions who have added the cryptocurrency to their portfolios.
A POPULAR free cryptocurrency faucet has closed due to widespread hacking attacks.
With the prices of bitcoin soaring once again, we all want to grab a slice of digital gold.
Popular bitcoin earning site Cointiply has announced it’s working on a new player versus player (PvP) game due to be released soon.
With the price of bitcoin heading to the moon again we’ve had a surge of enquiries from people looking to grab a slice of the popular cryptocurrency but wary of getting scammed.
ONE lucky faucet user can drive away with a Lamborghini Huracan after a popular free bitcoin website launched a ‘Golden Ticket’ giveaway.
CRYPTO-enthusiasts are being urged to sign up for the beta phase of ShapeShift’s brand new digital assets platform designed to simplify the way coins are managed.
March 1, 2019, update: Challenges has now relaunched.
The ‘Challenges’ system launched by popular bitcoin microwallet CoinPot last week then promptly closed due to abuse is to re-launch on March 1.
A NEW system offering generous rewards and big prizes has been launched by CoinPot, one of the web’s largest free bitcoin microwallets.
One of the oldest free bitcoin faucets around is spicing things up by launching a new, free lottery with a top prize of $2000.
Cointiply, the free bitcoin earning website, has now launched a chat function to enable users to interact with each other and contact support directly.
The team behind CoinPot (CP), the top-rated free bitcoin microwallet, have added a new feature for budding crypto millionaires which will make the service even more appealing.
We all know that claiming from free bitcoin faucets can be hard, repetitive work and that the pay-outs aren’t what they used to be.
When most people think of earning free bitcoins from online faucets they imagine a very simple website where they enter their bitcoin address, fill in a reCAPTCHA and hit claim.
If you’ve ever used a free bitcoin faucet you’ll realise that some of them are, at best, ill-conceived yet optimistic money-making ideas which disappear overnight, while others are outright scams.
If you fancy yourself as a cryptocurrency trader or are already actively involved in the markets then life has just got a whole lot easier for you.
Coinbase, one of the most popular bitcoin wallet/trading sites in the world, has introduced a new way of spending your cryptocurrency in fee-free way.
Popular free bitcoin microwallet CoinPot is now publishing daily transaction lists for all supported coins in a bid to add even more transparency to what is already a highly respected service.
An increase in the number of people trying to scam the popular free bitcoin microwallet CoinPot has prompted the admins to hit back at the cheats.
ONE of the web’s most popular free bitcoin faucet and game websites has just got better after the launch of a wagering and referral contest with some huge prizes on offer.
There are literally hundreds of free bitcoin faucet websites out there, all offering you the chance for a quick cryptocurrency reward in return for a reCAPTCHA click.
Bitcoin continues to hit the headlines on a daily basis, whether it be a price spike, an exchange hack or a well-known tech figure predicting a coin will be worth $1million in a few years’ time.
If you’re familiar with the CoinPot microwallet you’ll have noticed a few changes recently.
For those of you who’ve been avidly following CoinPot’s rise to become one of the most popular microwallets around, the sudden closure of its Bitcoin Cash faucet, located at moonb.ch, came as a bit of shock.
Do a quick google search for online lotteries and you’ll be bombarded with thousands of results, making it hard to find legitimate sites that actually pay out.
The best free bitcoin microwallet (in our opinion) has just got better with the launch of its own digital ‘asset’ alongside a new hourly lottery.
CoinPot, the hugely popular cryptocurrency microwallet, was rocked by claims this week that user accounts had been hacked.
Although this topic has been covered elsewhere on this site, we thought we’d bring you the most up-to-date information on the best free bitcoin faucets in 2018 (scroll down to see the list).
There was some good news for users of the CoinPot Microwallet service for free faucets this week – all fees have been removed and the withdrawal threshold reduced.
Developing an income stream which does all the hard work for you while you sit back and count the cash is the aim of all referral marketeers.
The thought of earning an income with little or no effort is extremely appealing to most people but finding a way of achieving this often proves elusive.
Do you want a share of digital gold without having to pay for it? Well read on…
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has risen to become one of the largest cryptocurrencies in terms of market cap (at the time of writing it was fourth) and now you can grab some for free from the new Moon Bitcoin Cash faucet.
The price of a single bitcoin stands at around $11,000 (£8,000) as I write this. But within minutes this could have risen or fallen by a huge margin. Exciting stuff isn’t it?
The much maligned bytecoin (BCN) cryptocurrency has seen an explosion in its value recently and while it’s not entirely clear what’s behind this, a lot of people are suddenly keen to get their hands on some coins.
The web is awash with free bitcoin faucets all claiming to hand out quantities of cryptocurrency to visitors so it is sometimes difficult to know which are genuine and which are fake.
Browser mining for bitcoin and other cryptocurrency has surged in popularity in recent months in parallel with the public’s interest in crypto coins as a whole.
One question that pops up in our inbox with reliable frequency is ‘where can I find a Coinbase faucet list?’ or variants of this theme.
If you’re a regular visitor to free bitcoin faucets you’ll be familiar with the dreaded reCaptcha system and the endless problems this can cause when trying to claim your coins.
Free bitcoin (and alt coin) faucets are a great way to both learn about cryptocurrency while earning some coins at the same time.
There are hundreds of free bitcoin faucets out there paying into a range of different microwallets, including the popular CoinPot service.
Bitcoin frenzy has gripped the world and it’s hard to avoid the banner headlines screaming about the latest value record the ‘original’ crypto coin has broken.
If you’re a regular free bitcoin faucet visitor you’ll have noticed an increasing number of sites attempting to download a JavaScipt file originating from Coinhive to your computer.
Free bitcoin faucets are a great way to earn your first free bitcoins but for some people, the earnings don’t mount up quickly enough and they lose interest.
One of the first questions that people who become interested in cryptocurrency ask is ‘How can I earn or make free bitcoins online without any cash outlay?’.
FreeBitco.in is one of the most popular bitcoin faucet sites out there, with more than 8,800,000 registered users at the time of writing. Search for information on faucets and pretty much everywhere you go you’ll find reference to this site.
So, what makes this such a popular destination for people looking to get hold of free bitcoins online without mining or having to buy any expensive and difficult to maintain equipment?
These are questions that crop up regularly in internet forums, comment sections and Q&A sites across the web so clearly there’s some confusion surrounding the validity of faucets.
After all, where else can you literally get free money handed to you in the comfort of your own home for very little effort? It just seems too good to be true and perhaps people are rightly suspicious.


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In its first six days, industry leader OpenAI’s ChatGPT smartphone app had over half a million downloads. Character, an a16z-backed AI app, is claiming launch success.AI app claims 1.7 million installs in less than a week. The AI app company, which raised $150 million in Series A funding earlier this year, lets users create their own avatars and customize AI companions with various personalities.
While there are several AI character generators in app stores, interest in Character.Founders shaped AI. Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, AI scientists who led a Google team that developed LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications), founded the Palo Alto firm.
The Wall Street Journal stated that Google’s founders were dissatisfied by the company’s reluctance to release AI chatbots to researchers and the public, even through Assistant integrations. Despite CEO Sundar Pichai’s requests to stay and develop LaMDA, the couple left Google in late 2021, believing AI will change search and other sectors. Shazeer and De Freitas formed Character Technologies, now Character, that November.AI.
On May 23, the mobile AI chatbot platform launched globally to iOS and Android users, with a strong showing on Google Play. The app had 700,000 Android installs in its first 48 hours, surpassing Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. The company told that installs in large Android markets like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil are continuing that pace after the launch. The business says the U.S. leads Android downloads.
The web experience’s prominence increased mobile app interest. Character before the app launches. AI online app Character has 200 million monthly visits. AI estimates consumers spent 29 minutes per visit, 300% more than ChatGPT.
Character too. AI says people are engaged after initial use. This month, the business said that users spend more than two hours on the platform after sending their first message to a character. The company said users had generated over 10 million bespoke AI characters.
This month, the 30-person team released c.ai+, a subscription service with similar benefits to ChatGPT Plus, including faster response times, access during high usage, and early access to new features. It also formed a strategic agreement with Google Cloud for AI model development. The startup will use Google Cloud’s tensor processing units to train and infer LLMs faster and more efficiently.
Character is honest about its download numbers, unlike some firms. AI’s numbers seem accurate. Data.ai compared characters. Estimates and statistics from AI.ai reported greater app downloads. (Since the apps are new, third-party estimates may not be realistic, but they do show initial user interest.)
ChatGPT remains No. 3 on the U.S. top free apps chart, but Character. Post-launch, AI demand has decreased. The iOS app ranks No. 13 in the U.S. App Store’s Entertainment category. The app was No. 4 on U.S. iOS for two days before dropping to No. 89. Data.ai said it hit No. 5 on U.S. Android on May 27 but plummeted to No. 27 today.
Character. AI denies spending any of its massive marketing budget on initial installs. The firm said 99% of app downloads were organic.


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Actions and Detail Panel
Make your own solar lamps
Sat 25 March 2017, 10:00 – 18:00 CET
Impact HUB geneva hosts a one-of-a-kind workshop by Lausanne based startup LEDsafari, titled ‘Make your own solar lamps’.
At the workshop, participants with get the opportunity to create a low cost MIY (Make-it-yourself) solar lamp that uses a small solar panel (0.5 W) to convert energy from the sun, store it in a battery and use it to power an LED bulb. Through the hands-on experience of making a solar lamp, participants will be able to understand and apply the concepts of clean energy, sustainable design and electronic solutions. No prior knowledge is required. It is open to all. Check out lamp designs on discover.ledsafari.com
LEDsafari is a social startup based in Lausanne, Switzerland that aims to teach the use and benefits of solar technology in schools by integrating innovative pedagogy and hands-on practical training through creating a solar LED lamp. LED Safari believes that ‘a solar lamp can change the world’. LEDsafari has won awards from EU, Forbes30Under30, MIT and has done workshop in East Africa, India, Sweden, Spain, and Switzerland. Till now 10,000+ people around the world has got trained.


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Circular Week - press release
From 12-18th of October 2020, the third edition of the International campaign - Circular Week will take place. During this initiative, multiple events dedicated to the transformation towards a circular economy, as well as sustainable production and consumption will be organized across Europe. We are happy to announce that in addition to the main organizer, INNOWO, such organizations as Holland Circular Hotspot, CSR Europe, Circular Economy Forum Austria, LWARB- London Waste and Recycling Board (Great Britain), Circular Change (Slovenia), Circular Futures (Austria), Institut national de l'économie circulaire (Inec) (France), Sustainable Food Movement Greece, ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability, The Impacter (Ireland) have joined the official partners of Circular Week 2020.
Circular Week is an international educational campaign whose goal is to endorse and promote the idea of a circular economy, support sustainable business models and establish cooperation between interested stakeholders. The initiative also aims to spread the concept of sustainable production and consumption to the broader public. Finally, Circular Week is a platform where every organization, institution or individual could become engaged and take part in this movement; it is all about cooperation, collaboration and joint action.
Any party who would like organize their own event dedicated to circular economy is welcome to do so. It could be connected to any topic or sector within the realms of circular economy, i.e. food waste, sustainable fashion, sustainable construction or agriculture, etc. On our dedicated webpage www.circularweek.org we present the schedule of Circular Week events across Europe.
In the face of today's epidemiological situation and the economic crisis that we experience, the transformation towards a circular economy seems to be an even more desirable and necessary direction of change, said Agnieszka Sznyk, President of the Board at INNOWO. That is why we would like to invite as many organizations and institutions to participate in the 2020 edition of Circular Week in order to build partnerships and support the transition into a circular economy. This year, we will put more emphasis on how to lead to the development of local entrepreneurship, economic stability with sustainable production and consumption.
For Holland Circular Hotspot, the International Circular Week organised by INNOWO / Polish Circular Hotspot provides a great opportunity to present Circular Economy as an inspiring way out of the crisis. COVID-19 made us aware that the ususal business is not an option, and that we have to come up with more resilient models. Circular Economy can create jobs, inspiration and contribute to the societal goals, not as an additional cost but as a business model. The Dutch with their open economy know that international collaboration is the only way forward. So let’s make this shift together, because the future is circular! - said Freek van Eijk, Managing Director of Holland Circular Hotspot.
The global news of spring 2020 sounds like a new call to transform our model of society. Faced with a linear model of production and consumption based on the obsolete principle of the abundance of natural resources, a collective awareness is taking place on the need for a transition to a new model adapted to today's challenges. Circular Week, to which the National Institute for Circular Economy is honored to contribute, is a way to disseminate circular economy solutions and strengthen the European cooperation necessary to achieve our ambitions.- said Marline Weber, Institut National de l’Economie Circulaire
After the success of London Circular Economy Week 2020, we are really looking forward to continuing the conversations with international friends and partners at Circular Week 2020 organised by INNOWO and Polish Circular Hotspot. We know that embedding circular economy principles in our way of life is vital. Circular Week 2020 will be another opportunity to learn from one another, celebrate our successes and identify new opportunities to collaborate - said James Close, Head of the Circular Economy Programme, London Waste and Recycling Board.
Circular economy provides businesses with the opportunity to ensure sustained economic development, minimise environmental impact and maximise social welfare. However, many barriers still exist. CSR Europe offers to businesses, industry federations and EU policymakers a platform to engage in trust-building dialogues at local, national, and international level, to tackle the challenges and unlock the opportunities posed by circularity. This year we are very glad to do so by joining the 2020 edition of Circular Week together with other like-minded peers throughout Europe to underline the importance of collaboration in the transition to a more circular future - said Stefan Crets, CSR Europe’s Executive Director.
The world is facing multiple crises. From the creeping climate emergency already wreaking havoc in many regions of the world, to the sudden shock of COVID-19 which has and will continue to test social and economic resilience for some time, it’s clear that we’ve reached a tipping point in history. Thankfully, a positive vision for a sustainable, just and resilient society already exists – the circular economy – and Circular Week 2020 will be an important opportunity to learn, reflect and reenergize ourselves for the essential task of economic transformation which lies ahead." said Ashleigh McLennan ICLEI Europe’s Officer who specializes in Sustainable Economy and Procurement.
Circular economy is a challenge for the entire society, as it requires us to change our thinking about the use of the natural resources and the functioning of the economy. Currently, the industry operates a linear model of resource consumption by using the "take, use, and throw away" principle. On the other hand, circular economy assumes that raw materials and products will remain in circulation as long as possible and their value will be maximized. As a result, we will extract fewer natural resources and produce less rubbish, and those created will be used again for production. We have distinguished several principles that guide the circular economy; the first step towards their implementation is to understand how materials circulate in a closed circle.
To learn more about all aspects, principles, opportunities of circular economy, join CIRCULAR WEEK 2020 – www.circularweek.org
If your organization would like to have a more active part in Circular Week initiative and organize a circular event, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org


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Since 2006, the economic and financial magazine Paperjam has been publishing, every two years, the ranking of the 100 most influential economic decision-makers in Luxembourg. For the 2018 edition, announced Wednesday at the Rockhal, Luxinnovation’s CEO, Sasha Baillie, appears in 16th position.
The newly created non-profit organisation "De Mains de Maîtres" has launched its first call for applications. The objective of the call is to allocate one or several scholarships to Luxembourgish artisans or artisans living in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg unveiled a new strategy in 2017 to promote economic growth in a sustainable manner, focused both on attracting foreign direct investment in a targeted and service-oriented manner and supporting Luxembourg-based companies moving into foreign markets.
Using data from its in-house survey team, which continually researches the financial and lifestyle conditions of more than 400 cities around the world, AIRINC, a global research company which currentl...
The new FM Global Resilience Index 2017 analysing the resilience of 130 counties and territories ranks #Luxembourg 2nd – having gradually risen from it’s 8th ranking in 2013.
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Lors d’une conférence de presse en date du 2 mai 2017, la secrétaire d’État à l’Économie Francine Closener et le CEO Jean-Paul Schuler ont présenté le rapport d’activité 2016 de Luxinnovation. Constit... Read more


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Posted on: 20 August 2018 by Kimberley Young
In the next two years, TP Aerospace will open 11 new locations around the world to move closer to its customers as part of a growth plan called Green Sunrise.
Adding to the existing seven sites, TP Aerospace will in 2020 be able to support its customers from 18 different locations around the world.
“We consider the entire world to be a market potential, but to continue to provide the best possible service, we need to be closer to current and potential customers,” said Thomas Ibsoe, president and founder of TP Aerospace. He added that the company is at a point where “We need to expand our global presence to keep up with the market demands and continue to deliver a high-quality service.”
Ten of the new locations will be MRO facilities designed to support current and future customers in the regions. The majority of these will be in APAC, three will be in EMEA and two in Americas.
A sales office and warehouse are also being set up in Tianjin, China.
“Some of our customers have highly complex operations, and it is important for them to have a reliable wheel and brake business partner who can support them locally” says Peter Lyager, CEO and founder of TP Aerospace, and concludes: “There is no doubt that project Green Sunrise is very ambitious and even aggressive, but this is exactly who we are and what we represent as a company”.


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- Light fog
CINCINNATI -- It may not look it, but Google turned 15 years old Wednesday.
The Internet search engine is used by just about everybody. But even in 2013, there are still those who prefer the public library.
Google is so ubiquitous, even Merriam-Webster defines it as a verb.
The search engine has revolutionized how we find information for questions like: "What is gout?" and "What is planking?"
But it wasn't always that way. Remember libraries?
In the days before Google, information was often obtained from a card catalog at your local library.
But today, even libraries have gone digital.
Google is the No. 1 search engine in the world. In fact, in the time you’ve been reading this, over 100,000 searches were made for information about ‘Dancing With the Stars.’
Surrounded by stacks of books, Cincinnati resident Dan Daily went to the library Wednesday to research his family genealogy.
He says Google and its online counterparts will never replace the library.
"The Internet is for quick information, the library is for in-depth research," Daily said.
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Billions of dollars are expected to fly around the Internet during Cyber Monday, the World Wide Web's version of Black Friday.
Closing the biggest shopping weekend of the year is Cyber Monday, when deals can be found in all corners of the World Wide Web.


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It already feels like a banner year for Pittsburgh restaurants. We’ve got a long list of new places to check out below, plus the welcome return of two mainstays and (sadly) two closures.
🍺 Big Sewickley Creek Brewery is pouring pints creekside in their recently opened taproom. The newcomers have booked a calendar of music and food trucks through April and welcome dog owners to their indoor-outdoor facility. (Sewickley)
🍺 East End Brewing has opened a South Hills taproom on Washington Road in Uptown Mt. Lebo. The taproom will feature a pup-friendly outdoor area and, like their Larimer home base, will serve fresh pizza from East End Chewing. (Mt. Lebanon)
🥪 GS Sando Co. is popping up with Japanese sandwiches at different locations in town. Among the regular stops for the concept will be Scratch & Co. in Troy Hill on Wednesdays. Chef Gary Marshall hopes to turn the concept into a brick-and-mortar in the not-too-distant future. (Various)
🍛 Khalil’s is back. The Syrian restaurant celebrated 50 years last year and reopened its historic Baum Boulevard digs over Valentine’s Day weekend after extensive renovations. Khalil’s was one of just 25 restaurants nationwide to receive $40,000 in grants for historic preservation. (Oakland)
⚽ Piper’s Pub has reopened. The Scottish bar was a beloved spot for soccer fans until their closing at the beginning of the pandemic. They’re still working to get fully up and running but will be serving bottled and canned drinks and a limited food menu during prime “footy” viewing hours. (Southside)
🥮 Ritual House is now open downtown. The swanky “modern American + global influence” restaurant has some eye-popping dishes, including an otherworldly combo of red velvet pancakes and cotton candy. (Downtown)
🥗 Sultry F&B has popped out of Federal Galley and onto Carson Street. Featuring sandwiches, salads and other fare with a Southern twist, this “restaurant for flavor enthusiasts” is currently BYOB while they await a liquor license. (Southside)
🥡 Viet Nom Nom is serving fresh Vietnamese cuisine in a build-it-yourself model. Diners in the cozy spot can choose a carb, protein and veggies to complete a meal or wait for Friday to try special entrees. (Squirrel Hill)
😃 See you soonish
🍕 Pesaro’s Pizza, which closed after a fire in 2021, could be coming back to a small storefront a little ways up Butler… your humble Incline editor is keeping a close eye on the situation. (Lawrenceville)
🍨 RIP Kings; hello Valley Dairy: The dying chain’s vacant storefront in Alle-Kiski will likely get a local occupant, namely the 80-year-old Latrobe-based dairy restaurant. They plan a full lineup of homestyle entrees and ice cream specialties. (Allegheny Township)
🍳 Azorean Café has apparently gone up for sale. The Portuguese restaurant’s owner has plans to move out of state and is seeking a buyer who will either continue to run the café or start a new business, so whether this is a full-on “goodbye” is TBD. (Bloomfield)
🍩 Valkyrie Doughnuts has taken flight. The purveyor of square vegan doughnuts announced their intent to restructure before clarifying that they would not be returning to the Pittsburgh area. (Bellevue)
See something we missed? Email us at email@example.com and we can update this post. We’ll have more food news coming your way in April!