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Peter has released remixes of four songs from the Humanology album. They are available through the usual digital platforms.
- Addicted (Interphace Remix)
- Shape of You (Interphace Remix)
- Call Me By Your Name (Sunset ’84 Remix) (remixed by Vinny Vero)
- Dancing (Vinny Vero & Steve Migliore Remix)
“Humanology” has now been released on vinyl. It is available from the usual online retailers Bengans, Ginza and CDOn. You can also buy it at Peter’s show at Cirkus.
There is also a limited orange vinyl edition, which is limited to 300 copies. This can be ordered from the above online retailers.
“Humanology” has debuted at number one on the Swedish physical sales chart. The album debuted at number six on the combined physical/digital chart.
Well done Peter, and well deserved.
Peter has revealed in an interview that the album will also be released on vinyl. There is no release date yet.
Carolina Norén has interviewed Peter on Swedish radio. The interview is in Swedish.
As part of the interview, “What If Tomorrow Never Comes” makes its debut.
You can listen to the interview on Sverige Radio’s P4 website. The song appears at the 24 minute mark.
Peter has released a third single from his new album. The song is called “Addicted” and is available digitally. The song is also featured in Peter’s current show at Cirkus.
Again, the song has been written by Peter, Tobias Fröberg, Kathryn Williams and Tobias Karlsson. It was produced by Tobias Karlsson. The gospel-sounding backing vocals were supplied by the vocal trio Resound from Atlanta, USA.
Peter has said that the song is a tribute to life and its trials. It’s about being vulnerable, honest and being able to reconcile yourself. Embracing your own story and its power.
Peter’s album “Humanology” is released in three weeks.
Peter’s new album “Humanology” is released on 26 October 2018. It is coming out on CD in Sweden and should be available via the usual digital platforms around the world.
The album contains 10 songs.
- Shape Of You
- How Great It Is
- Rushing Into Love
- I Want To Know
- Call Me By Your Name
- The Mask
- What If Tomorrow Never Comes
If you pre-order the album through Bengans, it is possible to get a signed copy.
Link to pre-order album
Peter has revealed in an interview in the September issue of QX that the title of his new album is”Humanology”. It is being released in October.
There will be a piano ballad “Call Me By Your Name”, inspired by the movie of the same name.


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Cloud Storage Startups: In Partners We Trust
Given the value businesses place on their data, however, solution providers and MSPs tread carefully when it comes to looking for a partner who can help provide technology they can use to bring cloud storage to clients.
Even so, solution providers do not reject the new cloud storage offerings from fellow entrepreneurs out-of-hand, but instead tend to carefully vet their offerings before taking them to customers.
[Related: Cloud Storage: 10 Startups Who've Scored Big ]
Finding the right cloud storage partner will continue to be an important task for solution providers for the future. Indian-based analyst firm MarketsandMarkets estimated early this year that the worldwide cloud storage industry drew in about $5.65 billion in 2012.
MarketsandMarkets also estimated the market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40.2 percent through 2018 to reach $46.8 billion, thanks to both a high adoption by SMBs as well as a rapid growth of personal cloud use by consumers and employees.
Choosing a cloud storage provider is not about size, said Larry Velez, CTO and founder of Sinu, a New York-based MSP.
"Microsoft, Google Docs, even EMC doesn't have all the right answers yet," Velez said. "We don't have mainstream solutions for a true SaaS [Storage-as-a-Service] solution, so we had to look at startups."
For solution providers, many of whom are founded by entrepreneurs, there is a desire to help startups, even in a market like cloud storage where lost data could mean the end of a customer relationship or, depending on the severity of the loss, the end of the customer.
It is essential that startup cloud storage providers make it clear who they are and who is behind them, said Alain Bezahler, president of BCPi, a Sharon, Mass.-based networking and security solution provider.
"I'm all for startups," Bezahler said. "But in this case, we're dealing with customer data, so we have to be careful. I've been in business 21 years, and some of my customers have been with me that long. We have to partner carefully."
A good cloud storage startup starts with good investment backing, several solution providers said.
"This is about trusting someone with data," Bezahler said. "It's not like trying a new monitor."
If a cloud storage startup is founded by someone from a company like EMC and has the backing of a well-established venture firm and is a well-run enterprise, Bezahler said he would talk to them. "But I get calls all day from companies trying to sign me up to their service," he said. "Someone has to be there with support any time."
As a fellow entrepreneur, Steve Combs, president of IS Support, a Houston-based MSP, said he supports startups as part of an overall goal to embrace the best possible products and services available.
However, Combs said he is more likely to support a cloud storage startup that is focused on the backup side of the market, and not on the production data side.
"From a cloud backup perspective, I would talk to a startup," he said. "I would look at who they are, and at how they would handle customers' data if they went out of business. They would need a clear receivership plan to show how customers could get access to their data."
IS Support is currently exploring the possibility of partnering with alternative cloud storage providers, including startups, with the right technology, Combs said.
"My current cloud provider is very good," he said. "But it doesn't have agents that allow for fast backups to the cloud. We're looking at alternatives."
Velez said a cloud storage startup looking for his company's business needs a solid backup strategy beyond saying, "Just trust us."
"They will need a plan if they go away," he said. "They need to show how customers can get their data out of their system. The better their answers are, the easier it is for us to make the decision." It also would help if cloud storage startups come to market with the ability to integrate their offering with Microsoft Active Directory, Velez said.
"That's a big deal," he said. "Microsoft dominates the directory in SMBs, and even in enterprises. Dropbox just added Active Directory integration. You really need to use Active Directory if you want to share files in the cloud."

domain: news


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3-D Printers Create Real Objects Out Of Computer ImagesPlay
Here & Now Guest:
- Rajeev Kulkarni, vice president of global engineering at 3-D Systems
For the past 20 years, high tech companies have been using 3-D printers to create parts and prototypes. These devices cost millions of dollars, and could convert computer-generated images into real-life objects. Now, a less-sophisticated home 3-D printer is out, starting at $1,300.
The printers spew out plastic, layer upon layer, to create objects from the ground up. People can use the devices to create toys, spare parts, even plastic jewelry for their kids. But what are the practical uses of the product?
Rajeev Kulkarni, vice president of global engineering at 3-D Systems in Charlotte, N.C., told Here & Now's Robin Young that the 3-D home printing industry is in its infancy, but has immense potential.
He said that one day, people could use the printer to create replacement parts, instead of going to the store.
"Something breaks in your washing machine," he said, "and you download the digital data and you print the part yourself."
Kulkarni says that while the home 3-D printers on the market right now make things out of plastic, he can envision a day when people can even cook with these gizmos.
"Think about you having your kid's birthday party, and each chocolate piece is customized to... the kid attending the party. It's their own personal chocolate bar with their face on it!" Kilkarni said.
This segment aired on July 6, 2011.


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Frontier Communications plans to offer a landline phone service designed for emergency use only, said Frontier CEO Maggie Wilderotter at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference yesterday. Also at the event, Wilderotter said Frontier is planning a residential VoIP product to be launched in the second half of this year.
Frontier Emergency Phone
Frontier’s planned emergency phone service targets rural areas, which represent a large portion of Frontier’s customer base.
Like all local phone companies, Frontier is seeing customers canceling landline service and moving to cellular or other alternatives. But as Wilderotter noted, rural areas experience frequent power outages. And because traditional phone service is powered from the phone company’s central office, it could provide a reliable communications method even during an extended outage.
Frontier believes there is a market for an emergency landline phone, which would be capable only of dialing Frontier or a 911 operator. The service will have “four nines” reliability, Wilderotter said, using telecom jargon for a service that is available 99.99% of the time.
Wilderotter didn’t provide details about the VoIP offering the company is planning, other than to note that the company sees the broadband pipe as the main pipe into the home and is where the company’s future lies – and that VoIP is a logical extension of that view.
A Bit Less Bearish on Backhaul
Wilderotter and Frontier Chief Financial Officer John Jureller expressed a bit more positive attitude towards mobile backhaul at the J.P. Morgan conference than we have heard from them in the past.
As mobile data traffic booms, wireless operators are seeking higher-bandwidth, lower-cost connectivity to cell towers based on fiber. For Frontier, meeting that demand means investing in fiber, despite a resulting decrease in backhaul revenues.
“For every tower we upgrade, [there is a] revenue write-down,” Wilderotter said.
Back in December Jureller noted that Frontier had plans to upgrade only 45% of cell towers in its territory to fiber, with another 15% under consideration. Upgrades had been ruled out for 40% of towers because “it wasn’t the right economic decision,” Jureller said at that time.
Jureller and Wilderotter didn’t discuss those percentages on yesterday’s call. Instead, they likened the mobile backhaul business to “headwinds” that will cause backhaul revenues to drop for a limited time until backhaul business increases and the impact of the upgrade becomes revenue-neutral. And on yesterday’s call, Wilderotter said, “We’re coming to the end of that transition.”
The Internet of Things
Also at yesterday’s event, Wilderotter said Frontier is pursuing opportunities involving the Internet of Things. The types of offerings the company is considering include home automation, security, monitoring and “lifestyle” products, she said. The company envisions pursuing these opportunities through partnerships and sees an opportunity to gain recurring monthly revenue that would leverage the company’s strong tech support resources, said Wilderotter.


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(HBO) - After the week-long 2023 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, almost all enterprises in Hoa Binh province have resumed their operation with a high determination to complete the set goals, contributing to the overall growth of the local economy.
(HBO) – The province's industrial production index in January 2023 was estimated to increase 7.21% compared to December 2022 but decreased by 14.96% year-on-year.
(HBO) - In 2022, Lac Thuy district’s total State budget revenue reached 287.5 trillion VND (12.2 billion USD), surpassing the estimate assigned by the provincial People's Committee by 70.9%, meeting the target set in the resolution by the district People's Council and up 66.19% from a year earlier.
(HBO) – On the first days of 2023, the first batch of Cao Phong orange was exported to the UK, following the successes obtained in 2022. This year, agricultural exports are expected to post strong growth, helping local agriculture improve added value and develop sustainably.
(HBO) - Hoa Binh province has raised locally-originated pig species with high meat quality. This is also a specialty purchased by many people every Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
(HBO) – Authorities of Lac Thuy district in Hoa Binh province have paid special attention to developing clean agricultural production meeting VietGAP, GlobalGAP and organic standards, contributing to improving the quality and value of farm produce.
(HBO) - On January 11, the provincial Sub-Department of Managing Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality held a conference to summarize and award VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and organic certificates in 2022.
(HBO) - Since its establishment, My Tan Agriculture Cooperative in Cao Duong commune, Luong Son district, has always persistently pursued the goal of creating safe and environmentally friendly agricultural products. Dien pomelo, guava, and tea are three typical products of the cooperative that are cultivated in accordance with Vietnamese or global good agricultural practices (VietGAP, GlobalGAP), organic standards and the province’s One Commune One Product programme standards. The products are mainly sold at large supermarkets in Hanoi and Hai Phong cities and Quang Ninh province.
(HBO) – Over the recent years, Hoa Binh authorities have considered the implementation of patriotic emulation movements in ethnic minority areas as one of the important measures to create motivation for socio-economic development. The work not only contributes to hunger eradication and sustainable poverty reduction, but also multiplies good models, new ways of doing things, and exemplary examples of overcoming difficulties.
(HBO) – The Business Association of Hoa Binh province has well performed its role as a representative of the business community to gather, promote unity, and support local businesses.
(HBO) – In 2022, preferential loans from the Bank for Social Policies continued serving as an important motivation for poor households and policy beneficiaries in Hoa Binh province to escape from poverty and boost economic development.
(HB) – For the past two consecutive years, Yen Thuy district in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh has led the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI).
(HBO) - Ngai village in Thach Yen commune, Cao Phong district is home to about 100 natural doi trees. Bui Van Tien’s family living there has cared for and expanded farming area with the hope of turning the product into a high-quality specialty to put up for sales in the market.
(HBO) - On January 5, Cao Phong District People's Committee collaborated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cao Phong One Member Limited Liability Company and RYB joint Stock Company held a ceremony to export the first shipment of Cao Phong oranges to the UK market. There was the participation of Mr. Bui Duc Hinh, the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council: Mr. Vo Ngoc Kien, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Dinh Cong Su, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee...
(HBO) – The Lunar New Year (Tet) festival is nearing, and it is also the time when essential goods for Tet are in great demand. Given this, the Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee has ordered relevant agencies to augment price management, governance, and stabilisation efforts before, during, and after the 2023 Tet holiday.
(HBO) – Fifty co-operatives and 16 cooperative groups were established in the northern province of Hoa Binh in 2022, an increase of 35% and 14% respectively compared with those in 2021. By now, the province has a total of 485 cooperatives, four People's Credit Funds, and 209 cooperative groups.
(HBO) – Despite economic challenges and difficulties, Hoa Binh’s industry and trade sector has kept striving to fulfill assigned goals, making active contributions to the province’s economic growth.
(HBO) - Over recent years, the Farmer Support Fund has proved effective and become a substantive credit channel to help farmers in Hoa Binh province develop production, gradually ease poverty and raise income. This kind of capital has helped many farmers build and develop models of cultivation, husbandry, business and services, thus contributing to agricultural restructuring and socio-economic development.
(HBO) – The People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province held an agricultural and OCOP (one commune-one product) trade fair of the northern mountainous and midland region in November. The fair attracted the participation of many businesses and producers from 19 provinces and cities, with 232 booths. It offered a good chance for cooperatives and enterprises to connect and expand consumption markets for their products.
(HBO) - In the morning of December 28, the Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary organized a review of the work in 2022, implementing the tasks and plans for 2023.
(HBO) – The Hoa Binh provincial Construction Department on December 26 organised a conference to review its performance in 2022 and roll out tasks for 2023.
(HBO) - The Management Board of Industrial Parks (IPs) and the Trade Union of IPs in Hoa Binh province have recently held a conference to review their performance in 2022, and launch tasks for 2023.
(HBO) – The first batch of Tan Lac red pomelo has been shipped to the UK, opening up a new opportunity, new market, and sustainable growth orientation for the fruit.
(HBO) - On December 21, the Provincial Farmers' Union and the Provincial Post Office coordinated to organize the opening of a typical store of agricultural products - OCOP in Hoa Binh province in 2022. There were Mr. Nguyen Thi Cam Phuong, the Vice President of the Standing Provincial People's Council, Mr. Dinh Cong Su, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee attending the opening ceremony.
(HBO) – The Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee has held a conference to announce results of the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI) 2022.


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In other wearable computing news this morning, Qualcomm just announced its next chip for Wear OS. The Snapdragon Wear 4100 and 4100+ look to deliver a meaningful performance boost for smartwatches.
Powering all current devices, 2018’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 was essentially the same chip as the 2100 from two years prior in that it featured the same CPU but included another component that made possible power-efficient always-on displays.
Today’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 starts with a major process size shrink from 28nm to 12nm. Qualcomm says this makes for a “significantly faster new processor,” as well as 25% better battery life and faster LPDDR3 memory. There are quad-core A53 processors at 1.7GHz for 85% faster performance, while the Adreno 504 GPU is 2.5x faster. There is support for up to 16-megapixel cameras, while a lower-power 4G LTE modem is touted.
The Snapdragon Wear 4100+ features an updated QCC1110 co-processor that can handle more tasks. This includes offloading sleep tracking and heart-rate tracking to this resource-efficient chip instead of the main CPU.
Meanwhile, “watch mode” now supports up to 64,000 colors, battery indicators, alarms, reminders, and haptics, while Qualcomm touts “faster tilt-to-wake responsiveness.” The regular 4100 lacks the co-processor for manufacturers that don’t need an ambient display.
In addition to Wear OS, the Snapdragon Wear 4100 supports Android Open Source Platform (AOSP). Devices running the Snapdragon Wear 4100 will be shipping soon. Mobvoi says it has a “next-generation TicWatch Pro” coming with the new chip later this year, while kid smartwatch brand imoo is planning to launch a device within the next month.
More about Wear OS:
- TicWatch C2 upgraded with 1GB of RAM, making it the fastest Wear OS watch on a budget
- [Update: Fix available] Latest Wear OS update for Fossil Sport breaks always-on display
- Wear OS now supports hardware-accelerated watch faces for smoother animations
- Smartwatch market grew 12% in Q1 2020, but there’s no good news for Fitbit or Wear OS
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Domo furniture store on Tuam Street. A large section of the building has collapsed and the rubble has spilled onto the street below. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
A photograph looking across High and Tuam Street to the earthquake-damaged Domo furniture store on Tuam Street. Wire fences have been used to cordon off High Street and the garden between the streets. Several road cones and other supplies have been stacked on High Street.


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'While millions starve in the world, the UK is fussing over courgettes': Twitter breaks out in memes mocking the #courgettecrisis as Sainsbury's, Tesco and Ocado run out... and tomatoes are next
- Bad weather on the continent is affecting courgette crops, experts say
- Slimmers said they can't make courgetti now due to the supermarket shortage
- Sainsbury's has completely sold out, with some markets quadrupling the prices
- But Twitter users saw the funny side and posted hilarious GIFs, and memes
Britain has been hit by a courgette crisis sparking a hilarious response on the internet.
Bad weather in Spain is affecting crops of courgettes, which means supplies are running low in the UK - with Sainsbury's and Ocado completely out of stock - and reports suggest that tomatoes could be next.
But Twitter users saw the funny side and posted hilarious tweets, GIFs, and memes, using the hasghtag #courgettecrisis.
Liam Stallard posted a picture of Jeremy Corbyn holding a huge courgette and wrote: 'They mocked me for my allotment, WELL WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?!'
Ollie the cat said: 'Stepping up my surveillance in my kingdom's vegetable patch in case the #courgettecrisis turns into civil unrest.'
And another user used the picture of former England manger Sam Allardyce in his Daily Telegraph sting and wrote: 'I can get you courgettes ... but it's gonna cost you.'
Sainsbury's has completely sold out in its stores and online.
A spokesman said: 'There has been severe weather in Southern Europe but we are working with our suppliers to maintain supply for our customers.'
A sign on an empty vegetable basket at Sainsbury's in London read: 'Sorry. There's currently a shortage of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes and we may run out.
'This is because of flooding in Spain and bad weather throughout Europe. We're doing our best to get any out of stock items back instore as soon as possible.'
Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket, has admitted it is experiencing 'availability issues' with courgettes across its stores, but some people have said their local Tesco stores have sold out of the vegetable.
A Tesco spokesman said: 'Due to bad weather conditions in Spain, we are experiencing a few availability issues, but are working with our suppliers to resolve them as quickly as possible.'
The courgette shortage is likely to reignite memories of last year's Marmite scandal, when Tesco saw its shelves emptied as supplier Unilever sought to increase prices by 10 per cent.
A sign on an empty vegetable basket at Sainsbury's in London read: 'Sorry. There's currently a shortage of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes and we may run out. This is because of flooding in Spain and bad weather throughout Europe. We're doing our best to get any out of stock items back instore as soon as possible'
Comparison website mysupermarket.co.uk shows that Sainsbury's and Ocado are out of stock
A spokeswoman for the British Retail Consortium told MailOnline: 'Recent poor weather conditions in some European countries have resulted in supermarkets experiencing availability issues for a number of products.
'Supermarkets are working closely with their suppliers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible to ensure a minimum level of disruption for their customers.'
Jordi Vorderman, UK sales manager at Dutch vegetable supplier Valstar Holland, claimed courgette prices had quadrupled since the summer from between £4 and £6 to above £20 for a 5kg box.
Commenting on the courgette shortage, Mr Vorderman said: 'Supplies are low because of cold nights in Spain and Italy. The cold affects courgettes a lot.
'There is less production but demand is at the same level so it has driven prices up enormously.'
He added that some UK supermarkets were not prepared to buy courgettes at such high prices and would rather leave their shelves empty.
Mr Vorderman said the issue was not confined to courgettes, but was also affecting produce such as peppers, aubergines and tomatoes.
'The cost of everything imported from Spain and Italy is sky high at the moment.'
Several slimmers have taken to social media to mourn the courgette shortage - as it means they won't be able to make courgetti
Dieters have been sent into a frenzy on social media after a UK courgette shortage was announced today.
And several slimmers have taken to social media to mourn the loss of their favourite vegetable - as it means they're not able to make courgetti.
One dieter, Ryan, said the shortage was affecting his ability to follow recipes by nutrition coach Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach.
The courgette shortage could last for months, some experts say.
Tesco and Sainsbury's are both suffering courgette shortages currently
Some people are distraught at the courgette shortage, saying they can't follow their diet plans
And the shortage has sent courgette fans into crisis on social media, with one bemoaning the fact she wouldn't be able to make courgetti.
Lesley Mitchell said she would have to resort to using 'frozen sliced' courgettes, while Mirry As said the news of the shortage explained why she had received a savoy cabbage in place of a cabbage in her online grocery shop delivery.
But others criticised those in shock over the crisis, saying that they should buy British vegetables that are in season instead of flown in vegetables from the continent.
Others criticised those in shock over the crisis, saying that they should buy British vegetables that are in season instead of flown in vegetables from the continent
The shortage is apparently due to bad weather in Spain and Italy, which has affected crops
Colin Putt, sales manager at the vegetable supplier Total Produce, warned that vegetable shortages could last for months as growers in Spain struggle to recover from the poor weather.
He told The Guardian: 'I've never seen it so bad on so many products.
'It's not just courgettes, it's most of the produce we get from Spain at this time of the year.
'They had a year's-worth of rain in less than 24 hours, and they've cold weather as well.
'One of our growers in Spain has lost over 5m heads of lettuce. And because of the weather they can't replant.'
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Turkish Lira Recovers From Record Slump But It’s Not Over Yet
Earlier this week, Donald Trump, President of the United States threatened to impose even more sanctions on Turkey in a state of heightened trade wars between the two nations.
While the US Dollar has continued to rise, the Turkish lira has fallen 5% amidst fresh sanctions placed on the nation, which might even lead some to believe that Trump (surprisingly) is winning the latest battle of trade wars.
Vulnerable to Foreign Economies
The underlying cause of growing concerns in the fact that Turkey, like many other countries around the world is heavily reliant on foreign investment and international financing in currencies other than their own which means which makes its economy extremely sensitive to external factors such as the strengthening of the dollar.
In addition to increased tariffs on steel and aluminum, the US government has also placed sanctions upon the Turkish Ministry of Justice and Interior Ministry.
Experts remain vary of the fact that these could be early gremlins that might even morph into a global financial crisis due to increased volatility of financial markets and the ripple effect. While Trump might believe that he is winning the trade wars, the reality of the situation is he is actually bringing countries like Russia, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and China closer together through mutual interests and increased strategic alliances.
In response to US sanctions, Turkey itself doubled the tariffs imposed on US goods including a 120% tariff increase on US cars, 140% increase in alcohol tariffs, 60% tariff increase on tobacco along with various cosmetic products.
A Row amongst Strategic Allies
Tensions between the two countries are indeed regrettable, considering that they are NATO allies and Turkey is the second biggest contributor to NATO. According to statistical data from the IMF, the US was the fourth largest exporter to Turkey with exports totaling $12 billion with Turkey being the fifth biggest exporter to the US with total annual exports totaling $8.7 billion.
After the weakening of the Turkish lira, the country faces serious economic conditions since almost 40 percent of the country’s debts to American and European banks are in the form of euros and dollars which puts an increased strain on small and medium sized Turkish businesses who are unable to repay their corporate loans due to an increased devaluation of their national currency.
It is believed that the source of increased tensions between the countries originated from the imprisonment of a US pastor Andrew Brunson back in 2016 on charges of plotting a coup against the Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan along with accusations of espionage and links to terrorist organizations. In retaliation, the US imposed heavy tariffs on aluminum and steel in an attempt to reprimand the country for failing to release the American pastor.
The Turkish President in a recent press release stated that the US must accept a mutual relationship on equal terms with mutual respect and even threatened that continued actions of unilateralism and disrespect towards Turkey would eventually lead to the nation seeking political friends and strategic allies elsewhere.
Up and Over the Hump
In response to this economic climate, the local government has attempted to get the support of the public by calling for a boycott of US electronic goods and proposing them to buy Samsung smartphones rather than Apple’s iPhones and ditching their US currency and gold in favor of the Turkish lira in a bid to boost the economy. Additionally the Turkish central bank has also restricted local banks from getting large sums of foreign currency which has helped stabilize the fall of the Lira.
Additionally, many of the country’s neighbors and allies have expressed their support for Turkey with Qatar pledging to provide an investment in Turkey totaling almost $15 billion which has somewhat stabilized the economy.
The Turkish lira had fallen by almost 40% this year before recovering back to 28% and just last week, the currency strengthened by another 6% after the central bank promised to provide liquidity.
However many experts believe that Turkish monetary problems are deep rooted and it will become increasingly difficult to sustain the recovery of the lira, with many economic experts believing that Turkey’s situation might actually get worse before it starts to steadily improve since the downfall of the lira will lead to an increase in foreign debt which would eventually trickle down into the banking system, further worsening the country’s economy. However, after a period of recession, Turkey will eventually find its feet and rebuild its economy in the near future.
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The third-party logsitics company's Americas division has carved out a group to create a host of customized transportation services, including cross-border, forward inventory handling, and managed transportation solutions.
John Urban, who is a founder and former president of GT Nexus, served as an executive with APL and was also president of domestic intermodal carrier NPSC.
Florida East Coast Railway Holdings Corp. will be acquired by GMéxico Transportes S.A. de C.V. in an all cash transaction.
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
The U.S. Department of Justice served several container shipping lines with subpoenas last week in Sausalito, Calif., where their top executives were attending industry meetings.
Yang Ming responded by saying it has unwavering support of Taiwan’s government and has "proactively reorganized internally to effectively reduce its operating costs."
Tom Cook, managing director of Blue Tiger International, discussed the types of contingency plans supply chain executives should be creating in order to manage potential supply chain disruptions.


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GRAPHIC DESIGN Lydia Charron
Listen. Fashion is a waste monster.
“The climate crisis wave has hit fashion, and the industry is responding.”
This is something we already know, we’ve known for a while, and finally, the designers and companies have come to realize we’ve figured it out. With the world quite literally burning and drowning simultaneously, the industry’s priorities are getting ‘vibe checked.’ Sustainability is not only a word, but an ideology that has taken over the fashion world. Young women like Greta Thunberg and Autumn Peltier are igniting an international conflict between the way we live and the way we ought to. The climate crisis wave has hit fashion, and the industry is responding.
The concept of sustainability simply means “meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations.” The dialogue of sustainability within fashion has been critical on producer’s waste, and water consumption. EDGEExpo has a quick article about fashion waste facts, sporting findings such as fashion being the second leading pollutant in the world. Fashion causes up to 20% of global water waste; for example, processing cotton takes up to 20,000L of water per pair of denim.
Heritage houses have abandoned fur; Gucci, Michael Kors and, Versace doing so in 2018, Prada announcing to do so by February 2020. Fashion has made its first attempt at adapting their textiles, techniques, and talents toward sustainable ways of making clothes. From haute couture to high street producers, creators are being asked to take up some ecological responsibility. Not only have designers responded with attempts such as using sensible materials, as well as recognizing waste and water consumption, but brands have formed under the identity of making enduring, symbiotic, affordable clothing. Basics brands like Organic Basics, reselling e-platforms, and stores like Depop, Grailed, or Reformation are all gaining traction. Through reselling, recycling, and up-cycling, clothes are kept in closets and out of landfills.
These brands are bringing with them new policies of transparency. Factories provide millions of jobs for millions of people. However, there is an extensive history and knowledge of factory work being grueling and treacherous for minimal pay in dangerous environments. Although waste management and ecological responsibility dominate fashion’s discussion surrounding sustainability, the conversation becomes bigger than that.
In a conversation at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in 2018, Aurora James, founder of Brother Vellies, mentioned how sustainability exists beyond her shoes. James takes up a collaborative effort with her artisans, assuring what she wants is possible and enduring. Granted, not everyone wins Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue’s fashion fund, and most people do not have $250,000 lying around, so it is understandable that not everyone is capable of developing lasting sources within developing countries. However, it is the philosophy that’s important. Sustainability is presenting hundreds of different opportunities for designers to create and develop some-what symbiotic relationships with the earth and its people through their art. Sustainable materials expand to sustainable labour, which demands new transparency from producer to consumer.
This topic begs the question of how far sustainability will grow, how deep it will root itself, and where else may it reach. There is also the young and naive side of me who writes this thinking: can sustainability be a catalyst to shake the process, production, and subsequent culture and creative spaces of fashion? That marketing, modeling, publishing, and interning will also take on some form of sustainability within their respective systems; that spaces and interactions of mutual benefit will exist for every hand important to production.
Ultimately, fashion is a form of design, and the role of design is to solve problems. Clothes can be powerful devices, whether they are technical, functional, or political. Sustainability is simply another problem: an extremely meaningful one, yet fashion has the opportunity to make a genuine difference. Sustainability has opened a connecting pathway between the consumer’s beliefs and the fashion realm. One in which the industry sees and hears the questions we ask, and the criticisms we have as informed consumers, and responses are coming back.
“Before fashion runways, look-books, and magazine covers, fashion is about people.”
Sustainability asks an essential question of the industry’s creators and consumers: What is the importance of clothes with no purpose, that quite literally benefit no one, or at the very many, few? Before fashion runways, look-books, and magazine covers, fashion is about people. The reasons for a sustainable industry are endless, as is the ideology and its application; at its core, it requires a new collaborative effort that fashion has never seen.


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Broomfield City Council voted to send one of two marijuana issues to the ballot
The first, asking Broomfield voters to approve a special sales tax on retail marijuana sales, was approved. The second, to approve a new excise tax on the first sale or transfer of retail marijuana from a cultivation facility, failed.
Both types of businesses are currently banned in Broomfield. The moratorium on those businesses is set to expire in February.
Broomfield will ask voters if they want to approve a 4% special sales tax on top of the city and county’s regular sales tax, and authorize an increase up to 10% without a future vote of the people. The special sales tax revenue may be used for Health and Human Service programs as well as other general purposes of the city and county.
Council members Guyleen Castriotta, William Lindstedt, Laurie Anderson, Heidi Henkel, Jean Lim and Deven Shaff voted for the recreational tax; council members Kimberly Groom and Elizabeth Law-Evans voted against.
The ordinance concerning the excise tax failed, according to city minutes. Castriotta, Henkel, Lindstedt and Shaff voted in favor. Anderson, Groom, Law-Evans and Lim voted against. To pass, the vote needed a majority of council members to pass.
Assistant City and County Attorney Courtney Thiemann said before the moratorium expires, council will have to decide which, if any, marijuana businesses will be allowed in Broomfield. That could include sales rooms, manufacturing and cultivation.
The conversation Tuesday was about how they will be taxed if they are allowed to exist.
An estimated cost for the regulatory program, including administration and enforcement, is roughly $75,000 annually. Broomfield’s finance department estimates that if Broomfield had five recreational shops, a “conservatively high” estimate of tax revenue would be $3.5 million.
Scott and Marci Sargent were the two Broomfield public commenters who spoke against the ballot issues and warned about the dangers of marijuana in general.
Scott asked council to extend the current moratorium by council action or by putting the issue to voters. He is concerned that marijuana is going to endanger the most vulnerable residents, including children and youth dealing with anxiety and mental health issues.
He asked council to consider not only the financial compilation, but the societal impacts if marijuana were to be sold in Broomfield. Marci said she is concerned with things her children have seen, including vaping in schools.
“Vaping marijuana is so easy now,” she said. “I want it far away from kids.”
She said that retail shops within walking distance of schools will exacerbate the problem.
Four other Broomfield residents, including marijuana shop owners and employees, spoke in support of the ballot issues. They explained that their customers are already traveling from Broomfield to those cities, so this community is already losing out on sales tax revenue.
“If we’re trying to keep marijuana out of Broomfield — I don’t think that’s a possible thing to accomplish,” said Dan Martin, who runs his corporate office in Broomfield and retail shops in Boulder and Trinidad.
Allowing marijuana businesses in the city would be a great benefit to Broomfield, he said, and could allow for discreet shopping. He offered to answer any council questions about how the businesses operate.
Anthem resident Sally Vander Veer, who owns a marijuana retail dispensary chain, said she was excited Broomfield is “finally entertaining” the idea of marijuana sales.
“We’re entering a time where a lot of retail establishments are struggling,” she said, adding bringing retail marijuana to the community could help with the loss of retail stores.
She talked about the access to retail for people who are addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, cancer, anxiety and depression. Vander Veer encouraged council to talk to municipalities about best operators and those businesses that pay attention to regulations.
Ward 3 Councilman William Lindstedt said it was “high time” Broomfield consider these measures and have the ability to decide how many shops Broomfield wants and where they’re wanted. But first, he said, the city needs to establish a taxing authority, especially now in this fiscal climate.
When legalization was approved in 2012, and the state created the regulations, they added to the Healthy Kids Survey, which he thinks is the gold standard in terms of studies on usage in children. “Time after time” it found usage didn’t increase in Colorado post legalization, he said, so he doesn’t know if concerns about more youth using are well founded.
He thinks the science supports the fact legal sales doesn’t endanger youth, but might prevent youth usage because it’s harder to obtain.
Ward 1 Councilwoman Elizabeth Law-Evans expressed reluctance to put these tax questions on the ballot without letting voters decide if they event want to allow recreational marijuana sales. It is clear that this is an important issue to Broomfield voters, she said, and said this was the first time council had even taken public comment on the issue. She felt the move was a jump from a ban on retail sales to the tax discussion.
Mayor Patrick Quinn and Mayor Pro Tem Castriotta disagreed with the statement that public comments were not allowed because comments were allowed two weeks ago when the ordinance came up for the first vote.
“I take offense at the false accusation that this wasn’t a public process,” Castriotta said. “It was publicly noticed. The fact people didn’t line up in droves may be indicative of the fact it’s not a big deal.”
Legalization was decided in 2012, she said, including 53% of Broomfield residents voting in favor of recreational sales. Amendment 64 permitted local governments to regulate, or prohibit, those facilities. Castriotta said council doesn’t need to put “everything” on the ballot because it would “take forever,” and added that the moratorium was passed without voter approval.
Ward 4 Councilwoman Kimberly Groom was adamant about funds staying with Health and Human Service programs and did not agree with wording that added “general purposes,” which she believes could open that money up to be spent on anything.
Secondly, she did not support any council or government body being able to raise sales taxes without a vote of the people. She agreed with Law-Evans that Broomfield might have the “cart before the horse” and wondered if Broomfield should take the question of “should we sell” or manufacture and then apply a tax base if approved.
Quinn said council will be seeking public input about regulations as the conversation moves forward. People jump to the assumption that marijuana shops will placed next to schools, but added that he doesn’t think that’s where this council is headed.


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The last months of Rockstar games can’t be counted among the happiest. The relationship between the studio and players has deteriorated dramatically, and the dire technical state of the recently released Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition has only published the letter “i”. Fans of the American team may feel neglected by the developers, but no wonder – the company is making decisions that are increasingly difficult to understand.
GTA Online is still on everyone’s lips
Known to all players, Grand Theft Auto V still brings coconuts. For this reason, he is of course pleased with Rockstar Games, as well as with Take-Two themselves, who answer him. The commercial success of GTA Online’s online mode has led to the fact that it continues to receive new content (we just received a comprehensive update that introduces a theme dedicated to one of the three main characters in the single-player story) and more. Or even less, he made the team located in New York in no hurry to create GTA 6 and, accordingly, advertise the game – no one was going to kill the golden hen.
Finally, it’s been more than seven years since the premiere of Grand Theft Auto 5. In the meantime, we’ve had the emotional story of Red Dead Redemption 2 that stands out, among other things, but Rockstar Games is a huge company (after all, it has many Branches around the world deal with their own projects or additional content (those already released) work on the next episode of the gangster series should have started at least a few years ago. So why do we still know nothing about the item mentioned in the text title?
It all started with Dan Houser?
According to compatible insiders (the past has already shown that if most whistleblowers agree, there is always an iota of truth in their words), GTA 6 has been in a real development hell for a long time. It all started in early 2020 with the unexpected departure of Dan Houser, the father of the brand with which Rockstar Games is most associated.
The most likely scenario that appears in the minds of people familiar with most of the rumors surrounding the Rockstar title is one in which Dan Houser’s take-Two vision of GTA 6 did not appeal to Take-Two, causing a major conflict in Rockstar North. We all know how it ended – one of the founders of Rockstar Games decided to leave the team.
There are many indications that Dan Houser did not intend to watch his series, which he put all his heart into, lose its unique humor and special atmosphere. GTA has always been associated with brutality, coercion and, where possible, black humor, which was amusing in one moment and even embarrassing in the other.
In addition, according to the words of Jamie King (one of the four founders of the studio), GTA 6 will be adapted to current standards, which ultimately means that the series will not stand out from other positions by introducing “sharp threads”. It doesn’t look good, but one thing to remember that GTA 6 will be “polite” – with the trailer for the next-gen version of GTA 5, in one of the buildings where the action is taking place, it was decided to remove the stickers from naked women.
Bully 2 to the rescue
According to the words of the respected Chris Kebbell from Rockstar Mag, after the departure of Dan Houser, it was decided to re-release the new part of the gangster series. The scriptwriters were interested in creating an entirely new main plot (this is yet another report that proves that GTA 6, which was originally intended to provide a strong story, was later refined, as some of the threads may be – by today’s standards – very strong), and as modified Modifications are the same as the main game mechanics.
It is claimed that Take-Two planned to reveal production in 2020, but due to the fact that it has been in development hell for some time, it was decided to give the creators more time. At this point, it is worth recalling the interview – from the beginning of 2020 – with a representative of Take-Two, where Strauss Zelnick vehemently declared that Rockstar Games should release games faster. It is very possible that something was already there at the time.
In the meantime, Bully 2 comes to the rescue, which the network has been honking for several years. Production was supposed to be revealed this year, but as in the case of Warner Bros.’s Hogwarts Legacy. At the last minute, it was decided to postpone its announcement indefinitely.
On the one hand, you can be glad that Bully 2 is being created – and maybe – it will be revealed sooner than GTA 6, but on the other hand … it will be another reason for that next year, maybe even two years, we won’t hear anything about The next gangster series. Thanks to a production premiere focused on school adventures, Rockstar Games and Take-Two may think their fans are fed up with something, and now they can wait a few more months for GTA 6.
One thing is for sure – GTA 6, like Mass Effect: Andromeda in the past, is in a lot of trouble.. With the title BioWare, we’ve already discovered the hard way, which means no coherent vision and terrible project management. I would be wrong, but all the signs in the sky are that GTA 6 will not be as good as millions of players dream of.
“Prone to fits of apathy. Introvert. Award-winning internet evangelist. Extreme beer expert.”
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NEW YORK — Grappling with retail consolidation and cost-cutting efforts, the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. reported third-quarter net earnings that fell by 44 percent, despite a 3.5 percent sales gain.
“We are confident that once we get over these hurdles, mainly the Federated May merger, we should be poised to resume stronger sales gains,” said president and chief operating officer William Lauder, during an earnings call with analysts Thursday.
In a move to address the evaporating pool of department store nameplates, the firm said it will restructure its sales force, transitioning from a geographic approach to an account-specific one.
A third-quarter charge of $51.6 million tied, in part, to an employee buyout offer was the primary drag on earnings, which — for the quarter ended March 31 — fell 44 percent to $59.5 million, or 28 cents per diluted earnings per common share, from $106.2 million, or 46 cents a share, in the same period last year. Sales rose to $1.58 billion from $1.53 billion.
The company expects its cost-savings initiatives to reap about $75 million in future years. While encouraged by the firm’s belt tightening, Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Linda Bolton Weiser noted that management has work to do in transitioning the organization to a “cost-cutting culture.”
Retail consolidation is a continued challenge with Federated Department Stores planning to shutter 75 doors during Lauder’s fiscal 2006. The beauty firm anticipates the store closures will impact revenues by $70 million due to lost sales and a disruption in business as Federated changes regional nameplates.
Department stores might be the Estée Lauder Cos. core retail channel, but Lauder said the company is less reliant on one sales avenue.
“We’ve also followed our consumers as they have found other places to shop,” said Lauder, naming online ventures, the firm’s own stores, specialty retailers — including Nordstrom where MAC Cosmetics is the largest cosmetics brand — and Kohl’s Department Stores, the exclusive North American retailer of the firm’s BeautyBank brands. Lauder acknowledged the Estée Lauder Cos. has been in talks with Sephora regarding J.C. Penney, but said the company has not yet made any decisions on the venture.
BeautyBank reported lower sales due to a difficult comparison to last year, according to the company, when BeautyBank had completed rolling out the brands to Kohl’s stores. Lauder said that the initiative, which began 18 months ago, did generate “store-for-store growth.”
“We are going to be building these brands over the long term,” said Lauder, noting that these are new brands and a new category for Kohl’s shoppers. “It continues to get strong support from Kohl’s management.” Analysts estimate that BeautyBank brands generate $50 million to $55 million in Kohl’s stores, nearly half of many analysts’ initial estimates of $100 million to $150 million.
Despite its move into other channels, the company remains focused on department stores. “The department store model of having dedicated sales associates to sell your brands is a very effective way to do business,” Lauder told WWD.
During the quarter, on a reported basis, skin care sales inched up 0.5 percent to $611.1 million, with makeup, fragrance and hair care sales increasing at a faster clip. Makeup sales increased 3.2 percent to $634.9 million, driven by makeup artist brands MAC Cosmetics and Bobbi Brown. Hair care sales accelerated 19.3 percent to $80.3 million and fragrance sales rose 7.7 percent to $246.3 million, buoyed by Estée Lauder’s Pleasures ads featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and the runaway success of Unforgivable by Sean John. Lauder noted that following its February debut, Unforgivable became the number-one selling men’s fragrance in U.S. department stores and has doubled the company’s sales expectations.
“It could become a multiyear success,” said Lauder, adding the company will soon introduce ancillary items for Unforgivable.
By region, sales in the Americas gained 3.7 percent to $870.1 million, outpacing sales growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa of 1.6 percent, to $501.5 million. Asia-Pacific sales increased 6.9 percent to $206.6 million. The company named China, India, the Middle East, Brazil and Russia as key strategic markets.
In April the company sold Stila Cosmetics to an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners Inc., a Boca Raton, Fla.-based investment group, for an undisclosed sum. Industry sources estimate that when the Estée Lauder Cos. purchased Stila in 1999 it paid between $25 million and $30 million for the makeup artist brand.
The company is currently introducing Tom Ford’s spring collection for Estée Lauder, called Azurée. Lauder also commented that its Clinique brand is ripe for catering to emerging markets and ethnic groups, given its strength in foundations.
Lauder expects net sales for fiscal 2006 to grow approximately 3 percent.


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Microsoft looks set to take a page from Apple's playbook with its Metro app store. More details are beginning to emerge about the company's business model, and as PC World reports, it sounds awfully similar to what Apple's doing with the iTunes App Store.
For starters, the site quotes Microsoft's Ted Dworkin as saying, "We will be the only store for distribution of Metro-style apps." Dworkin reportedly leads development of the Windows Store. On top of that, PC World learned that Microsoft will take a 30% cut off Metro app sales—the same percentage Apple takes off third-party iOS apps.
We also found out last week that Metro apps submitted to the Windows Store will be subject to a six-step approval process. As part of that process, Microsoft will check apps for security flaws and compliance with technical and content-filtering rules.
You know the saying: good artists copy, great artists steal. The iOS App Store model certainly has its upsides, from weeding out buggy apps to giving indie app developers a simple avenue to monetize their efforts. As for the downsides, well, I'm sure someone will come up with a jailbreak-like scheme to install unauthorized Metro apps on Windows 8 machines, for users who care to get their hands dirty.
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The tainted milk was supposed to be dumped in a Pennsylvania farmer’s manure pit.
Instead, it was pumped into another truck and delivered to a New Jersey cheese company, federal authorities said. The milk was bought with cash at a discounted rate, they continued, and used to make ricotta cheese that was sold to a food market in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2008.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office on Monday charged a Lebanon cheese manufacturer and its president, Joseph G. Lotito, 42, of Annandale, with causing the interstate shipment of adulterated ricotta cheese. According to a press release from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s office, the shipment violated the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
The cheese Lotito’s company sold was unfit for human consumption, the press release said, because the milk used to make it failed FDA-approved screening tests for acceptable levels of antibiotics.
According to authorities, D.A. Landis Trucking, which was charged separately, along with its owner, hauled the milk to Lebanon Cheese Co.
Authorities said from about January 2008 to about July 2009, the drivers of loads that tested positive for antibiotics were told by the trucking company’s owner, Dean Landis, to return the milk to a yard where it was pumped into another truck. From there, authorities said, the drivers delivered the tainted milk to Lotito, who purchased it for about $4 per hundred pounds.
According to the press release, the going rate at that time for 100 pounds of raw milk ranged from $12 to $23.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the case of Landis, who was charged with conspiracy in February, led investigators to the Lebanon Cheese Co. Landis allegedly falsified drivers’ logs from 2007 to 2009.
In August 2008, the cheese company delivered eight 10-pound containers of ricotta impastata cheese to a food market in Wyomissing, Pa.
Bill DeStefano, an attorney for Lotito, said the ricotta, which is used to make cannoli, was a "very small quantity of cheese that was shipped to one customer."
"This does not seem like the crime of the century," he said.
According to the U.S. attorney's press release, the milk screening is done to reduce the likelihood of a person suffering from an allergic or anaphylactic reaction to the antibiotics and keep people from becoming even more resistant to antibiotics.
Steven Marcus, the medical and executive director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center, said if someone is allergic to antibiotics, they could have an allergic reaction from eating a cheese that has traces of antibiotics, depending on the concentration. He said the situation could be especially life-threatening for someone with severe allergies.
"It could set off a very bad reaction," Marcus said.
He also said there are other reasons why the milk could have been potentially harmful.
"If the farmer gave antibiotics to a cow, it could be for a reason," he said. "The udders could be infected. So not only could you run into trouble with antibiotics, but whatever the germ that was being treated by the farmer could still be contaminating the milk."
If convicted, Lebanon Cheese Co. faces five years’ probation, a fine of $200,000 and a special assessment of $125. If convicted, Lotito faces one year of imprisonment, one year of supervised release, a $100,000 fine and a special assessment of $25.


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Ouya, maker of a bite-sized game console that runs Google’s Android operating system, wants to take a bite out the video game triumvirate of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo
. The console is already sold out on Amazon and Target's website, The Associated Press reported.
The console, which went on sale Tuesday for $100, lets players try games for free before buying them, a selling point Ouya (pronounced oo-yah) CEO Julie Uhrman often makes to underscore that gamers who use consoles made by “the big three” can’t test games before they spend as much as $60 to purchase them.
“We are definitely disrupting the console market,” Uhrman says. “I mean, there’s been no startup that has had a meaningful impact on the market in decades, and we’re the first. We offer something different.”
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So far, Ouya’s pitch seems to be working. The underdog console had sold out on Amazon.com and on Target’s website by Tuesday afternoon. It is available at other outlets, including Best Buy and GameStop.
The Ouya game cube measures about 3 inches on each side and hooks up to a TV set. The console comes with a single controller. Additional controllers cost $50.
There are nearly 180 games available for Ouya, ranging from the likes of “Crazy Cat Lady” to the more established “Final Fantasy III” from Square Enix. The company says more games are on the way. There are also some non-gaming apps, such as online music service TuneIn Radio.
The games are sold through Ouya’s storefront, not Google Play, the app store where people buy games for Android tablets and mobile devices. Pricing is left up to individual game developers; many games are in the single digits. “Final Fantasy” is an exception at $16. Ouya takes a 30 percent cut from the game developers.
While you won’t find “Grand Theft Auto IV” or the latest “Call of Duty” among the available titles, there are plenty of others from independent developers whose games may never make it onto the dominant consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox, Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s Wii.
“I don’t think it’s ever really going to challenge the big three, but it offers a lot to the more casual gamer,” says Anthony Yacullo, a self-described “gadget geek” from Lawrenceville, N.J. Like thousands of other gamers and game developers, Yacullo already has an Ouya. He contributed at least $95 to the company through crowdfunding website, Kickstarter.
“When I’m out on the road for work and come home, I don’t want to play `Call of Duty,” he says. Rather, Yacullo says he looks for games more like the ones on his phone – except he doesn’t want to be staring at his phone.
That’s where Ouya comes in. Still, the new console is unlikely to present a serious challenge to high-end consoles coming out from Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. later this year.
Ouya lacks recent blockbuster games with high-end graphics. But at a fraction of the price (the Xbox One will cost $500 and the PlayStation 4, $400), it appeals to budget-conscious gamers, gadget geeks and those looking for an alternative to gaming power-trio.
Gartner analyst Brian Blau says the measure of Ouya’s success will not be the number of consoles it sells but the amount of money game developers make – and whether there is a steady stream of new games for the device. What’s missing now, he adds, is the big-name video game brands such as Activision and Electronic Arts supporting Ouya.
That could come later.
The project to build the Ouya console launched on Kickstarter last July. On Aug. 9, 2012, Ouya’s funding period ended with $8.6 million pledged, more than nine times the original $950,000 goal its creators had set. More than 63,000 people donated, with 12 pledging $10,000 or more.
“We brought it to Kickstarter because we wanted to know if anybody really wanted this,” Uhrman says. “We had talked with developers and industry veterans like (video game designer) Brian Fargo and Ed Fries, who is one of the founders, basically, of Xbox, and there was a general feeling that there was a void in the market place for soemthing. But we wanted to validate it.”
This May, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Ouya received another $15 million in venture capital funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, other VC firms, and chip maker Nvidia.
Ouya is not the first independent game console to attempt a challenge to the big three console makers. Four years ago, a startup called OnLive launched, offering games streamed over an Internet connection, similar to the way Netflix offers streamed movies and TV shows. OnLive’s small game consoles went on sale for $99 in 2010, but they never gained broad appeal or even made a dent in the traditional console market.
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Another early backer, Pedro Amador-Gates, thinks Ouya should “not even go after the consoles,” but rather appeal to hobbyists and do-it-yourself folks.
“This is like a baby system compared to an about-to-be upgraded gaming system,” he says, referring to the Xbox one and the PS4. But, much like it was with the early cell phone games, “it will only get better.”
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Astro HQ, the company behind some of our most favored digital drawing software solutions, Astropad and Luna Display, has recently announced an update to its Liquid video engine
Anybody who reads digitalEPIGRAPHY on a regular basis probably knows by now, how fond we are of Astro’s solution, that transforms the iPad into a makeshift Wacom tablet via a little dongle, called Luna Display.
With Apple offering their own mirroring solution baked right into their operating system, Astro HQ decided to extend their portfolio beyond the Mac. In the past twelve months, the developers put a lot of effort into bringing their tech to PC users' doorsteps.
The technology of utilizing a cable or wi-fi connection to expand the Mac’s desktop to the iPad through a certain combination of apps has been around for some time now. We’ve been using our iPad as a simple screen extension or Wacom tablet replacement both in the studio and in the field...
Back in 2015 Astro HQ released an iPad app called Astropad with a unique mission: to map the iPad to your Mac’s screen! At that time Astropad filled a unique space for creative pros.
With the public betas of both macOS Catalina and iPadOS finally available for testing, digitalEPIGRAPHY went ahead and tried out Sidecar, Apple's intriguing new feature, to see if it’s ready to take on our beloved Astropad Studio.
More than a year after Adobe's announcement, Adobe Photoshop for the iPad is finally available as a free download through Apple’s App Store. We’d like to share our first impressions getting around the interface and working with the mobile version.


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I’m trying it on iPhone 4 running iOS6 Beta. It’s a bit slow on the uptake, but if you’ve got a new iPad with iOS5, it should be lovely.
The chaps at Beats n Bobs have just told me an update has been sent to Apple, which should fix a few things. Nice. You can download the app HERE.
The app has just been updated – there are now more sounds, more accurate tuning and improved finger tracking and response.
I’ve just updated my version for iPhone 4 and it’s much more responsive. A few extra sounds are a nice bonus, but that extra responsiveness from the capacitance screen is a Godsend. Cheers guys! That Elka Synthex sound for the Jarre ‘Rendez-vous’ preset is superb.
Just a reminder that WWDC 2012 happens this coming Monday at 6pm BST. I’ll give you live-as-remotely-possible updates on the day. Please remember to bookmark this site, and around 6pm on Monday, refresh your browsers like hell as I reckon there’s gonna be a lot of stuff to talk about!
Apple have set up a new page on their developer site with more info about WWDC, which the company will kick off at 6pm BST (10am PT) on 11 June 2012. Tim Cook will probably get it all going, although no official announcements have been made as yet.
My last attempt at live blogging failed miserably when the whole internet died in a lather of excitement at the prospect of the new iPad. I will be doing my usual blogging bit and bring you updates as soon as I get them, with associated images from any new hardware.
In other news, casing for a prospective new iPhone have appeared online. iFixYouri leaked (via 9to5Mac) the two-tone case, complete with the much rumoured smaller dock connector, which one wag said earlier could be a Thunderbolt port. The back plate of the phone is made of an aluminium alloy, and someone even said that (quelle horreur) the headphone port is on the bottom.
All credits to 9to5Mac for the pictures.
BGR are reported to have come across the new bespoke Mapping system for iOS6. And here’s a 3D view:
Cheers to BGR for the Image.
Some more pics of the alleged new iPhone:
*Update 30 May*
CydiaBlog say they’re received blueprints of the purported new iPhone 5, with larger screen and camera positioned above the speaker:
A new Apple Patent released today shows “gifting” of iTunes content via email or Near-Field Chip. This could point to Near-Field technology being incorporated into new iPhones, iPads and even the iPod Touch;
As you may have read here, Jony Ive has been awarded the British Visionary Innovator Award;
A funny little story coming out about Steve Jobs wanting to put a “golden ticket” inside the box of the millionth iMac, and then inviting the finder of the ticket to Cupertino for a tour of Apple. It was claimed that Jobs was even gonna dress up in top hat and tails to greet the winner. It fell apart after scrutiny of California’s gambling laws wouldn’t allow them to do it very easily;
Apple have been given permission to build a cafeteria in Cupertino just for Apple employees. It would be somewhere for staff to go to relax without fear of being overheard or having their prototype iPhone 5 picked up by some unscrupulous hack at the bar;
WWDC is more likely to be about iOS 6 than iPhone 5;
Some “analyst” says that Apple will decline without Steve Jobs. Yeah, that was evident from the recent Apple earnings wasn’t it?
Apple stores are replacing the iMacs in the Kids’ Section with iPads. Presumably because some kids were seek poking the iMac screens believing it was a touch screen.


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bdking writes "After more than two weeks of complaints from frustrated iPhone 4S owners, Apple finally has admitted problems with fast-draining batteries in the new devices. The company blames it on bugs in iOS 5 and promises a fix 'in a few weeks.' But Apple should have spoken up sooner, if only to acknowledge the issue."
The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up
in the morning, and does not stop until you get to work.


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17 February 2017, 02:05 | Winifred Adams
Download Pokemon Go 0.57.2 Apk For Android Devices
Considering these items' effects to the PoGO experience, there is a very good chance that they would be very popular in the game. Apart from these two new features , Hanke has confirmed plans for Niantic to host real-world events that tie in with the game.
Microsoft's February Patch Tuesday Moved to March 14
Many have speculated that at fault for this " last minute issue " was Microsoft's overhaul of the patch delivery system. However, Microsoft missed the date this month and now says the new patches won't arrive until the middle of next month.
Can new labels take a bite out of food waste?
But according to food safety experts, most spoiled foods, though unpalatable, aren't particularly hazardous. The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute are hoping to prevent that.
Trump Blasts 'Fake News' and 'Failing' Media Outlets
He said the steps he has taken in the four weeks since he was sworn in "should surprise nobody, especially in the media". We have to talk about it, to find out what's going on because the press, honestly, is out of control.


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India's industrial production unexpectedly contracted 1.6 percent in May from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected output to grow 1.6 percent annually. April's output growth was revised down to an annual 1.9 percent from 2.3 percent earlier.
Manufacturing sector, which constitutes about 76 percent of industrial production, shrank 2.0 percent from a year earlier, the federal statistics office said.
Capital goods production, a barometer for investments in the economy, contracted an annual 2.7 percent in May from a year earlier.


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Police: Two masked men rob convenience store at gunpoint
Bellevue police are searching for suspects after two masked men robbed a metro convenience store overnight.
It happened at the Kwik Shop near 42nd and Harrison streets just before 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Roxie King and her roommate are both cashiers at the store.
"She just said, 'I've been robbed,'" King said.
King told KETV NewsWatch 7 that her roommate was working when the masked men came into the store with a rifle and demanded cash. Investigators said one of the men struck the clerk on the shoulder with the gun before running off with the money. The clerk was not injured. She called her coworker to help stay calm.
"She said, 'Yeah, I'm OK.' I said, 'OK, then just take a deep breath and you've called the police and everything else, so just relax,'" King said.
Authorities said they're reviewing surveillance video from the store and are looking into whether this robbery is connected to the hold-up six hours later at the Mega Saver on Northwest Radial Highway and Hamilton in Omaha.


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It’s that crazy uncle you have, the one who rants about his issue du jour. Or it’s your long-lost “friend” on Facebook who baits others with political incendiaries. Those, my friends, are the missing elements of your brand strategy.
Well, not exactly, but everything you have been taught or told about brands consciously avoiding political controversy or, at very least, tiptoeing around political hot buttons, can now be thrown out the window.
We currently live in a political era that would largely be unrecognizable just three or four years ago. In 2016, street lamps in Austin for SXSW Interactive were covered with pop-art pictures of Donald Trump with the caption “We shall overcome.”
A scant two years later and a mere 62 weeks into Trump’s presidency, the political discourse has firmly moved into the conference programming itself.
Beyond the presence of speakers such as Bernie Sanders and Sadiq Khan and sessions that were explicitly political, such as "Tech in the Trump Administration: Year 1, it seemed that every panel somehow led back to politics, regardless of the core theme.
While talking about augmented reality innovation, JAX Digital's Bianca Jackson mentioned how AR is deployed to show people what a Mexico-USA wall would actually look like. In a panel entitled "What Followers Want: How Social Evolves in 2018,"visual content on Facebook was mentioned as a way to mobilize and engage consumers to care about political issues.
Westworld’s panel on establishing a transmedia franchise included a side note on how terrifying a Delos reality would be today — and the list goes on.
None of this should be surprising. We are all talking about politics significantly more often. Three months into Trump’s presidency, Gallupreported that 60% of people noticed a sharp rise in political conversations at work, and this has likely only snowballed. Now it’s not just at the water cooler, but in our advertising.
So where does this leave brand managers that have been badgered for years with the advice to “never talk politics”?
The answer is deceptively simple: Shun convention and take the plunge into politics. Recognize that in the era of social-media fluidity, the key is to engage clearly and authentically with your consumers. Garner empathy with increasingly highly-mobilized communities. This seemed to be underscored in SXSW session by Rally's Latia Curry.
Understandably, your knee-jerk reaction might be that you don’t want to choose a side for your brand. However, my premise transcends the traditional left-right party binary. Brands don’t need to pick a side. Instead, they need to associate themselves with issues that align with their brand values, regardless of party.
Few people agree with every single party policy. Instead, they tend to have a political identity built up through caring about specific issues. Ben & Jerry’s has a brilliant political track record, running campaigns to register voters, as well as creating products that call out particular issues, such as marriage equality.
In 2016, Patagonia donated all $10 million of their Black Friday sales to grassroots environmental groups that protect natural resources. Chick-Fil-A espouses a firm association with “biblical principles,” which has put the chain at odds with gay rights proponents but ensured a committed following in large parts of the South.
In short, brands should offer consumers a crystal-clear vision of their platform. Creating an issue-focused approach (rather than a partisan-approach) creates a platform that embodies the brand’s values, connects more authentically with consumers, and drives avenues for new business.
Consider the Lyft/Uber example.
When the #deleteUber movement was in full swing, due to Uber’s perceived treatment of their drivers, Lyft was quick to sweep in as the “feel-good, do-good” alternative. During the January 2017 immigration ban protests, Lyft pledged $1 million to the ACLU — in stark contrast to Uber, which was seen to be profiting from the protests, while their then-CEO Travis Kalanick was directly involved with Trump’s advisory board.
Consumers didn’t have to renounce the convenience of ride-share apps to support their values. Instead, they could opt to use another service that was aligned with their values. Lyft saw a 33% uptick in sales, reported Recode.
Brands should have visible values and not shy away from expressing them. Make sure those values are reflected in your business —including with your leadership team and board — to avoid being seen as inauthentic or hypocritical. Trust is a central element to brand loyalty, and yes, politics can be part of it, if done the right way.
Full disclosure: my agency stands by our commitment not to work with tobacco, gambling, or adult-content companies in order to foster a safer world for our children. What are the values that you stand by?


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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Garuda Indonesia plans to provide additional flights during the 2018 Eid al Fitr holiday, locally known as the lebaran holiday.
Garuda Indonesia Bali General Manager Joseph Adrian Saul said that ticket demands to Bali would usually increase during this holiday period.
“We are still considering the number of extra flights, including the plan to use a wide body airplane,” said Joseph on Tuesday, May 15.
The increase of passengers, according to Joseph, would likely happen seven days before and after Eid al Fitr day. During that time, tickets would be sold out and remaining demands will be fulfilled through the planned additional flights that have been requested.
He further revealed that the number of passengers flying with Garuda Indonesia in this year’s Eid al Fitr holiday is expected to increase by 15 percent compared to normal days. Meanwhile, international flights will not be affected considering that the homecoming or mass-exodus tradition will not affect international flights.
Joseph also revealed that Garuda Indonesia would offer promotional discounts during the Ramadan month, a period where passengers would drop 10-15 percent in average.


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Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sweetened its offer for Diedrich Coffee by $2 per share on Tuesday, matching a rival bid from Peet's Coffee & Tea.
Tuesday's bid comes two days after Peet's raised its own offer for Diedrich, hoping to get a foothold in the wholesaler's popular and growing single-serve coffee pod business.
Green Mountain's all-cash proposal of $32 per share has a total value of $265 million. Peet's second offer _ a cash-and-stock bid submitted Sunday evening _ is also valued at $265 million.
Green Mountain said its revised offer provides Diedrich shareholders with a substantial all-cash premium and greater value.
Green Mountain's bid represents a 57 percent premium to Diedrich's closing stock price on Nov. 2, the last trading day before news emerged of a proposed tie-up between Diedrich and Peet's.
Diedrich said its board is considering the dueling offers.
Both Peet's and Green Mountain are hoping for a stake in Diedrich's K-Cup business. The wholesaler is one of four companies licensed to make the single-serving coffee used in the popular Keurig Inc. brewing system, which is already owned by Green Mountain.
Green Mountain, based in Waterbury, Vt., acquired another K-Cup licensee earlier this month for $157 million. If it succeeds in its quest to acquire Diedrich, it would control about 85 percent of K-Cup sales, analyst said.
Under the terms of Peet's most recent proposal, the Emeryville, Calif., coffee company said it will pay $19.80 in cash and 0.321 of one share of Peet's common stock for each share of Diedrich common stock.
The value of the stock component will rise and fall with changes in Peet's stock price.
Green Mountain shares fell $1.18 to $64.26 in midday trading Tuesday. Diedrich shares dipped 23 cents to $33.42. Meanwhile, Peet's shares rose 66 cents, or 2 percent, to $33.72.


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The deadline to submit art for the Smithers Art Gallery’s 6 by 6 auction is fast approaching.
Beginner to expert artists are invited to create a piece of art that will be auctioned off later in October.
Volunteer Shannon Goodhead says the submission guidelines are simple, the canvas must be 6 inches by 6 inches, inspired by a song title and the artist must only sign the back.
“The auction is anonymous so it adds to the fun to the bidder who is trying to guess who the artists is,” she says. “That way the artist’s identity will only be revealed after the auction has ended. So if you have some of our more famous artists come in and do a panel, you aren’t just trying to buy those.”
All the money raised goes to art gallery. Art must be in by October 15th and it will be on display from October 21-24. The auction will be held on the 24th.


text: “Don’t worry—we have scrambled eggs and lots of strong coffee,” cohost and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s trustee Anna Carter wisely said to the well-heeled crowd of early risers who came out Monday morning to breakfast in support the NRDC’s Clean by Design initiative. The event, which was held at the Lambs Club on West Forty-fourth Street and cohosted by Vogue Fashion Director Tonne Goodman, CFDA executive director Steven Kolb, and Christie’s chairman Stephen Lash, enticed the likes of designers like Diane von Furstenberg (dressed, quite appropriately considering the summerlike weather, in bright spring prints and sunglasses), Jason Wu, Tory Burch, and Joseph Altuzarra, and retailers like Mickey Drexler and Andrew Rosen, who came to discuss the changes—large and small—they could make within their businesses to make them more environmentally friendly. First to the podium was Linda Greer, the director of the NRDC’s health and environment program. “It takes as much as 200 tons of water to produce one ton of fabric,” she said to the crowd. “There is a saying in China that you can know what colors will be in the following season by looking at the water in the river.” To combat the destruction the fashion industry has been wreaking in countries like India, China, and Bangladesh, the initiative, which was started in 2009, has laid out ten best practices for having a more sustainable business, and these have been embraced by everyone from Stella McCartney to the Gap. At the end of the presentation, New York senator and environmental advocate Kirsten Gillibrand took center stage with a smile. “Our democracy is run on the idea that everyday people can stand up and take action,” she said. And judging from the buzzing post-breakfast conversation on the topic at all the tables—it was a call everyone in the room has decided to answer.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Spurred by positive analyst comments, shares of Internet commerce companies eBay Inc.
and Amazon.com Inc.
were leading the Internet sector higher in early Wednesday trading. Amazon.com shares were trading up 0.2% in early action after Soleil Securities Group initiated coverage of the stock with a buy rating, commenting that Amazon.com is "poised to capture an accelerating consumer and merchant adoption" because of its heavy investment in its infrastructure. Shares of eBay gained 0.4% on Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. analyst Robert Peck note that it's testing a seller rewards program in the United Kingdom. That's significant because eBay is "finally" trying to create incentives for its sellers to dole out more goods. Time Warner Inc.
shares were flat after its AOL division unleashed a new version of its instant messaging software, adding several features that many critics have long complained it lacked. Google Inc.
continued to gain ground, bouyed by Credit Suisse analysts setting a new, $600 price tag for the stock, which is nearing the $500 a share benchmark. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Internet Index
and the Nasdaq Composite Index
were both gaining ground in early action.


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A rare 50p coin has been sold for £255 on eBay after reportedly being minted with a mistake.
The seller says the Benjamin Bunny coin has the Queen's head printed facing in the wrong direction.
The coin was placed on a five-day auction on eBay and attracted two bids - finally selling for £255, reports The Mirror.
the Benjamin Bunny coins were released in 2017.
In the listing description, the seller said: "In the picture you will see the rotation error where the Queen's head is - that's how far the rotation is on the coin.
"When you flip it round, it should be facing up the same way as Benjamin bunny."
The seller adds that the 50p is in "lovely condition".
Error coins are extremely rare to find and could be one of only a handful, or even one of a kind.
The Royal Mint is able to verify coins to check they are genuine.
The Royal Mint has posted the mintage figures for 2020, providing the official guide to the rarest coins in circulation.
In 2020, over 330 million coins were released into circulation, including new 50 pence designs commemorating ‘Diversity Built Britain’ and the UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union. Ten million of each design were released into circulation, making them widely accessible.
The 50 pence is Britain’s most collectable coin and provides the ideal canvas for commemorative designs – with more than 50 different versions released into circulation since 1969. The famous 2009 Kew Gardens 50p remains the most coveted coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000. Other rare designs include the 2011 Olympic 50p’s and the highly collectible Peter Rabbit series.
In January 2020 The Royal Mint issued a new 50 pence to mark the UK’s departure from the European Union, featuring the inscription “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” as a symbol of continued unity. In October 2020 a fifty pence was issued to celebrate ‘Diversity Built Britain’ as part of Black History Month. To accompany the release The Royal Mint issued a coin and education pack to every primary school in England and Wales.
The Royal Mint’s Director of UK Currency, Mark Loveridge, said: “As the original maker of UK coins, we are delighted to play our part in celebrating the story of the nation.
"In 2020 two important new designs were issued on fifty pences, commemorating British diversity and the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
“Coin collecting remains a popular hobby in the UK, and finding a special design in your change adds to the excitement. If you are lucky enough to find a commemorative 50 pence you can find more information about its history, design and mintage on our website.”
As well as the coins found in your change, The Royal Mint issues a range of commemorative coins each year to celebrate landmark events, anniversaries and individuals that have shaped the nation. In 2021 that has included collectable coins celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s 95 th birthday, Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics and the 50 th anniversary of Mr Men and Little Miss.
The Royal Mint’s Top 10 Rarest 50p Coins in Circulation
2009 Kew Garden Mintage 210,000
2011 Olympic Wrestling Mintage 1,129,500
2011 Olympic Triathlon Mintage 1,161,500
2011 Olympic Judo Mintage 1,161,500
2011 Olympic Football Mintage 1,161,500
2018 Flopsy Bunny Mintage 1,400,000
2018 Peter Rabbit Mintage 1,400,000
2011 Olympic Tennis Mintage 1,454,000
2011 Olympic Goalball Mintage 1,615,500
2011 Olympic Shooting Mintage 1,656,500
In celebration of coin collecting, The Royal Mint will host its’ annual ‘Collect Week’ from September 20. The event features a host of expert webinars and behind the scenes content – all of which is free and can be streamed from home.


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More Americans Multitasking While Watching TV
Jim LiebeltJim is Senior Writer, Editor and Researcher for the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University. Jim has over 25 years of experience as a youth and family ministry specialist, and has been on the HomeWord staff since 1998. He has served over the years as a pastor, author, youth ministry trainer, adjunct college instructor and speaker. Jim’s culture blog and parenting articles appear on HomeWord.com. Jim is a contributing author of culture and parenting articles to Crosswalk.com. Jim and his wife Jenny live in Olympia, WA.
- 2013 Apr 10
The proliferation of media-able devices in our households (PCs, smartphones, tablets) is leading to a division of our attention when it comes to traditional television viewing and programming.
According to Accenture’s third annual “Video Over Internet Consumer Survey,” 90% of consumers watch at least some video content over the Internet. Not only are they watching more content over the Internet, but when it comes to watching traditional television, attention is increasingly more divided. According to the results, 77% of respondents said they use their computer or laptop while watching TV -- up 16% from last year.
“It’s impressive how much multitasking is increasing,” Francesco Venturini, broadcast lead for Accenture’s media and entertainment group, tells Marketing Daily. “Many people [who are] in front of TV are doing something else. Their expectations from traditional linear TV [programming and content] are decreasing.”
At the same time, the tablet is becoming the go-to device for multitasking while watching television. According to the survey, 44% of consumers used their tablets for multitasking (up from 33% last year). Significantly, 14% of consumers used their tablets to search for content and engage in social media directly related to the television program they were watching.
Source: Marketing Daily


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US Chamber of Commerce, lobbying group urged India to delay a new digital tax; say firms battling fallout of coronavirus
The digital tax, inserted into budget amendments passed in March, caught the industry off guard as it was not part of the main proposals finance ministry had presented in Parliament a month earlier
New Delhi: Nine lobbying groups including the US Chamber of Commerce have urged India to delay a new digital tax that will hit firms such as Facebook and Google as they are battling the fallout of the coronavirus, a letter seen by Reuters showed.
From 1 April India imposed a new 2 percent tax on foreign billings, or transactions where companies take payment abroad for digital services provided in India. The tax also applies to foreign e-commerce transactions on sites such as Amazon.com.
The tax would also apply to advertising revenue earned from companies overseas if it eventually “targets a customer” in India, the government said.
The tax, inserted into budget amendments passed in March, caught the industry off guard as it was not part of the main proposals finance ministry had presented in Parliament a month earlier.
The nine groups, from the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia, wrote a joint letter to India’s finance minister on Wednesday, urging that the tax be delayed by nine months and for an industry-wide consultation before implementation.
“The time frame within which this expansive new measure was approved and entered into force allowed for neither the dialogue nor the significant structural changes that would be necessary (for companies to comply),” said the letter.
“India is a critical market in which many of our members are deeply invested,” it added.
Other than the US Chamber of Commerce, signatories also included the Washington-based Information Technology Industry Council, the Asia Internet Coalition and DigitalEurope.
The government’s new tax is seen to be aimed at taxing foreign companies which have a significant local client base in India but were billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country’s tax system.
The tax also applies to advertising revenue earned from companies overseas if those advertisements eventually target customers in India.
Google is particularly concerned that it will not be able to swiftly identify countries where advertising arrangements were in place to target Indian users, increasing technological and compliance requirements, one of the sources told Reuters.
“Everyone is grappling. In the current downturn, the focus is on protecting the business hit due to coronavirus,” said the source who works for a global technology company and described the tax as a “big, big headache”.
The tax further risks souring India’s trade relations with countries such as the United States that had already been concerned with New Delhi’s stricter rules for sectors such as e-commerce.
“The new levy came out of nowhere ... It will disrupt India’s trade relations perhaps in ways the drafters of the levy did not anticipate,” said Roger Murry of the Alliance for Fair Trade with India, a group of US trade associations.
The extent of possible compliance disruptions caused by the tax, a so-called equalisation levy, was not immediately clear, nor was how much India could garner from the tax.
Indruj Rai, a partner at law firm Khaitan & Co, told Reuters earlier that the government’s move appeared aimed at taxing foreign companies which had a significant local client base but were billing them through their offshore, or foreign, units.
“The timing of the introduction of the levy appears to be an attempt to increase revenue collections during the pandemic,” Rai added.
The new tax was inserted in the 2020-21 budget amendments passed last week, giving companies only a few days to prepare. The levy was not part of budget proposals first presented on 1 February.
India and the United States remain at loggerheads over a wide array of tariffs.
After months of discussions with Ukrainian officials, the Biden administration is finally starting to concede that Kyiv may need the power to strike the Russian sanctuary, even if such a move increases the risk of escalation
There were 67 migrants from Guatemala travelling in the truck, including 57 unaccompanied children, mostly boys, aged between 14 and 17, pointing to large-scale human trafficking, according to a statement by Mexico's National Institute of Migration
Eminent musicians like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Elvis Presley were honoured in the first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on 23 January 1986