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Verve @Ten: The Key to African Exchange
The development of electronic payment systems (e-payments) in Nigeria and Verve Card’s journey of resilience can be viewed as two peas in a pod.
More than ten years ago, before the introduction of Verve Card, local cards available then were the less secure magnetic strip cards. Cards of foreign origin were already offering superior EMV technology-based products. Africa had a huge gap; payments were left to these big foreign players who could deliver best in class technology. This technology was, however, offered at higher costs to issuers and other participants in the value chain. Interswitch identified the need to have a secured domestic card scheme in Nigeria and therefore, approached industry players and government agencies. At the time, initial responses from industry stakeholders were: (a) “It’s impossible to have a successful debit card network in Nigeria,” (b) “It’s extremely risky to do domestic card business in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile Central Bank of Nigeria mandated all operators in Nigerian payment industry to migrate to EMV (Europay, MasterCard & Visa) in a bid to curb fraud cases associated with card payments. Magnetic strip cards were scheduled to be completely phased out by September 2009.
Verve Card was launched in 2009 with EMV technology to achieve the same level of best in class global standard, and at lower price in order to serve the unserved. Over the past 10 years, we have delivered a local card scheme with a better understanding of the local market compared to foreign alternative cards. Verve Card met all the security requirements of international card schemes, with a transparent pricing model. Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank) was the first bank to issue Verve Card to their customers, and today, Verve Card has built partnerships with banks and other institutions across international boundaries and borders in Africa and beyond.
This year (2019) witnessed three significant milestones in the Verve story: (a) launch of Verve Global card, (b) celebration of Verve Card’s 10th anniversary and (c) the formal launch in Accra, Ghana of Verve Classic Cross Border to 21 African countries.
Verve To The World
In August this year, Verve, in partnership with Discover Global Network, introduced the 16-digit Verve Global Card in order to meet the increasing payment needs of Nigerians and other Africans who travel abroad for business or pleasure and need a local card scheme that works seamlessly abroad. To herald the launch of Verve Global, a “first transaction” event took place at Swarovski, international jewelry retail chain, in Times Square, New York on Monday, August 12, 2019. Present at this event where senior executives from Verve, Discover Global Network, major Nigerian banks (Access Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank), members of local and international press, etc.
The event saw Verve grow from a domestic card scheme to a globally accepted payment solution, offering seamless payment solutions in over 185 countries, flexible exchange rates on international transactions, foreign exchange rebates and lower transaction and maintenance fees with great loyalty and reward schemes.
On the heels of this, in November, Verve Global Card was launched in Dubai for the United Arab Emirates markets. Nigerians traveling outside Africa, including UAE can now make payments on the Discover Global Network anywhere Discover, Diners Club International, Pulse and affiliate network cards are accepted.
Verve Global Card also delivers additional benefits to cardholders including broad reward and loyalty schemes and benefits that are available both locally and internationally.
Mitchell Elegbe, Interswitch Group Managing Director, commented during the first transaction event in New York: “The agreement with Discover Global Network will enable Verve compete with other global card offerings, providing cardholders with an enhanced customer experience when transacting globally outside Nigeria. Creating a solution that facilitates international payments for our consumers will help to eliminate existing barriers and simplify the process when transacting abroad.”
Ricardo Leite, Senior Vice President of international markets at Discover Global Network also spoke during the New York event: “It is important to us that we are working with groups around the world to extend acceptance for their cardholders. At Discover, we recognize the importance of being able to use your card of choice no matter where you are traveling.”
Mike Ogbalu III, Verve International Chief Executive Officer, also commented: “The launch of the Verve Global card, provides customers with the ability to transact globally across the US and other countries, addressing challenges that many Nigerians have experienced while travelling abroad. Our partnership with Discover Global Network will help us to optimize the overall experience of every Verve Global card holder by facilitating consistent and efficient payment solutions regardless of where they are in the world”.
Verve Global cardholders can now make payments with their cards in U.S., U.K., Dubai and several other international destinations.
The Test Of Time
On Friday, September 27th, 2019, Verve officially kicked off the celebration of its 10th anniversary with the celebration of ten years of resilience and breaking boundaries.
The celebration started with a media parley at The George Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, which had in attendance members of the press, partner banks, other trade partners and a representative of the payment industry regulator – Mr. Samuel Okojere, Director of Payment Systems Management, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Mitchell Elegbe, Interswitch Group Managing Director, noted that over the years, Verve Card scheme has experienced steady and sustained growth in the digital payments sector.
He said: “Our card scheme has grown from just an idea to solving payment inefficiencies in Nigeria, into a bouquet of innovative payment solutions for Nigerians, Africans and the rest of the world. I consider these first 10 years as years of consolidation and growth. We anticipate the next 10 years to be years of investment in unprecedented payment service delivery.”
The card scheme has blazed the trail for 10years in the Nigerian and African e-payment space. It continues to meet the payment needs of Africans and continues to deliver reliable payment solutions. Despite starting off as a debit card product, it has grown into a portfolio, with five
products: Verve Global Card, Verve Classic Card, Verve Life, Pay-Code and E-cash. Today Verve has several issuer and acquirer relationships.
Mike Ogbalu III, CEO of Verve International, believes that the story of Verve is one of resilience, innovation, determination and most importantly, a business proposition that has stood the test of time.
He said: “At the time Verve was introduced, Nigeria was dominated by international card schemes. There was the need to have a domestic card scheme with a better understanding of the needs of Nigerians and Africans. Today, we have built a payment solution that does not only allow ease of payment across Africa, but also a scheme that the rest of the world is willing to embrace.”
He added: “Verve is not only a payment card; Verve has become a lifestyle for its users. It is the way we pay, play and interact. Verve is both a contact and contactless payment solution, a physical and virtual store of value. It is the key to African exchange; the African Key to exchange”.
Collaboration For Digital Payment Growth In Africa
The city of Accra welcomed Verve International on Friday, October 25, 2019. The event was the formal signing ceremony between Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) and Verve International. It heralds the initiative to drive growth of e-payments in Africa.
Implication of the partnership signing ceremony that took place at Accra Marriot Hotel is that Verve Card users (both Verve Global and Verve Classic) can now transact across channels throughout Ghana. This acceptance of Verve card is available in a total of 21 African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Gabon, Gambia, among others.
Archie Hesse, Chief Executive Officer of GhIPSS, believes that the partnership has the capacity to boost the Ghanaian digital payment system, stating that the development of the digital payments system in Africa was critical to Africa’s competitiveness in the world.
He said: “We are excited to collaborate with Verve International and to midwife Verve acceptance in Ghana. We are positive this will open a new vista of opportunities for improved services and development of more home-grown solutions. The card portfolio within our banks will increase and Ghanaian cardholders will have more exciting world-class services and benefits to enjoy. Together, GhIPSS and Verve will develop the digital payments ecosystem across the sub-region and beyond.”
Mike Ogbalu III, CEO of Verve International, stated that the partnership was strategic because Verve and GhIPSS shared similar vision to grow digital payments in Africa.
He said: “We are excited about this occasion. It marks the beginning of a great synergy between two organizations with similar aspirations to drive the growth of digital payments across Africa. Because we typically share the same payment and economic challenges in various African countries, it’s also logical that the solution should be via African collaboration. In our attempts to solve these challenges, we realized the importance of partnerships; we also realized that GhIPSS’ vision for Ghana is consistent with that of Verve: to drive growth of digital payments in Africa. So
today, we are witnessing the commencement of partnerships between Verve International and the Ghanaian financial and payment ecosystem to grow digital payments, intra-Africa trade and ultimately drive economic prosperity.”
The partnership reiterates Verve’s commitment to providing solutions that suit the needs of Africans.


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Unilever’s Open Innovation team has launched an online platform seeking technical solutions for reducing its environmental impact while doubling the size of its business.
The company has published details of a range of research projects, including ones aimed at better packaging and natural food preservation, and invited potential collaborators to work with Unilever’s research and development team.
Projects are listed on the Unilever web site as a series of “wants.” In the case of the packaging project, Unilever is seeking help on creating multipurpose, lightweight and cost-effective packaging. Techniques from the architecture or construction trades or the use of thin-walling could be used to achieve these goals, Unilever says.
On natural food preservation, the company says that any solution to the problem must limit the growth of bacillus, lactobacillus, yeast or mold and be accepted as “natural” by consumers.
Unilever says it has launched the site to bring in partners with a “fresh, serious” approach to to developing new technology. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Unilever’s plan echoes one by rival Procter & Gamble Co., which is now seeking to generate $3 billion in annual sales from products jointly developed with outside innovators.
The initiative forms part of Unilever’s plan to cut the environmental impacts of its products by 50 percent, announced in 2010.
Unilever recently earned a Platinum Plus rating for corporate responsibility from U.K. nonprofit Business in the Community.

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Thaxted Rangers boosted by Co-op donation
- Credit: Co-op
Thaxted Rangers Football Club has received £500 from the Co-op stores in Great Dunmow and Great Bardfield.
Club chairman Martin Tritton said they have been cheered by "fantastic" community support since the October break-in and vandalism, including this support from Nick Parish, the store's team manager at Great Dunmow Co-op, and Daniel Powell, the store manager at Great Bardfield Co-op.
Co-op said the money was raised and donated in response to the club's break-in, to try and help the club with the rebuild and security improvements.
Martin said: "There is equipment to purchase including CCTV which will provide support for us and the community as well.
"We are a growing club. We have so many kids that want to play football. We are having to buy new equipment, some of our goal posts are old and we need to to replace those.
"The local community has reached out to us and recognised what we are able to give to the community as well. It's more prevalent because we are not playing football now (in lockdown), how much it's missed, how much fun and enjoyment that brings."


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Ace Attorney (aka the funky haired lawyer known as Phoenix Wright), one of the most popular video game franchises by Capcom made its way over to iOS devices quite some time ago, but it now looks like the other two games in the trilogy will be available as well. Today, in addition to Capcom confirming that the fifth Ace Attorney title is currently in development, the company announced that the first Ace Attorney trilogy will be remade for the iPhone 4, iPad 2 and Android devices with higher resolution graphics. No word on a release date or where the games will be released, but it’s good to see Capcom bringing the entertaining, lawyer/detective-fiction franchise to more mobile devices (a smart move, considering how prevalent smartphones are now when it comes to gaming platforms). Anybody excited?
Xbox One May Feature Remote Play Over Skype [Rumor]
Xbox One Used Game Fees Will Charge Retailers, Not Customers [Rumor]
GeForce GTX 780 Quick Review
Xbox One Game Box Art Style Unveiled With Forza Motorsport 5


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IIT-G researchers conduct extensive study on Assam’s eri, muga silk sector
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have conducted an extensive study on eri and muga silk in Assam.
“The research output of the study, under the aegis of World Bank-financed Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART), will play a very significant role in formulating development strategy in the sector,” a statement from IIT-Guwahati said on Monday.
The ‘Diagnostic Study on Weaver’s needs in respect of Eri and Muga Silk’ primarily focuses on the existing design value chain of eri and muga silk in Assam, starting from weaving (supply side – value creation) to marketing (demand side – value delivery), and formulation of design management Strategy to align demand and supply.
Among the first such reports in this sector, the final report has already been accepted by the World Bank consultants.
The study was conducted by Pratul Chandra Kalita, associate professor, department of design, IIT Guwahati, and Amarendra Kumar Das, department of design, IIT Guwahati.
“Such an in-depth study with extensive scientific field research from design management perspective has been conducted for the first time. The research team could gather and demonstrate very insightful interpretations on the basis of a huge amount of field-level data,” a statement from IIT Guwahati issued here on Monday said.
Kalita identified five strategic design management interventions for alignment of demand and supply side of the design value chain of eri and muga silk.
“The five design management strategies formulated are: skill development and skill-upgrade strategy, design studio and digital design bank, system design solution for integrated supply chain management, frame loom and a new semi-automatic loom to improve productivity and quality, attracting weavers for eri-muga weaving,” the statement said.
The study reached out to 1282 weavers in eight districts: Jorhat, Kamrup, Majuli, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Charaideo and Biswanath.
(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)
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Forbes Recognises Genashtim’s Mission to Employ PWDS and Refugees
Genashtim has been featured in Forbes, an American business magazine that publishes original articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics eight times a year. Forbes also reports on subjects such as technology, communications, science, politics, and law,
On September 8th 2020, this high profile media gathered several B Corp leaders to impart the strategies they are using as part of their research on purpose-driven business. Most importantly, the endeavors of building sustainable economies for the poor in the COVID-19 situation, were discussed.
In the article, Genashtim is positioned as a company that provides persons with disabilities (PWDs) and refugees, employment opportunities by leveraging technology and connecting them to the global economy.
Read more the article on Caixin in Chinese: http://chrismarquis.blog.caixin.com/archives/235339


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Oscar Nominations came out Tuesday and both Kinsey and Sideways got nods. Question is: Do we think busy boy Jamie Foxx will come out with a statue?
A new club is opening its doors and this time, it’s to people not just of legal drinking age. Miami’s new club River opening up next to riverside restaurant Big Fish will cater to everyone ages 18 and up, promising a good vibe and good music.
Twin to downtown electro resident CLUB SPACE, CLUB Spin will open during the Winter Music Conference in what was once the Liquid Lounge.
For those of you who left the cold to flock to the warm sands and tropical beaches of Miami, be glad you’re not in a blizzard. Yet, tell any friends to stop by NYC’s Basta Pasta in Chelsea. Chef Toshi Suzuki has built an authentic igloo with seating for four, if anyone dares to brave the weather.
American Apparel has finally expanded. Check out their new stores in Miami Beach for some classic tees, undies and polo shirts at reasonable prices. By the way, it’s neutral territory; they have great stuff for both guys and girls.
840 Ocean Dr. or 720 Lincoln Road www.americanapparel.net


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Deviating once again from our typical musical fair, we at the Northeast Underground would like to take some time to note the passing of Apple founder and technological innovator Steve Jobs.
According to a report on CNN.com, Jobs died Wednesday after years spent battling a variety of health problems and only a few short months after he stepped down from the position of chief executive officer at the company he helped create. He was 56.
While it is only too easy at a time like this to remember Steve as a guy in a black turtleneck, who popped up once every couple of months to hype the buying public into a frenzy by unveiling his latest i-themed gadget, he should be thought of instead as a tireless inventor who changed the world as we know it.
If it wasn’t for Jobs, I wouldn’t be here writing you now. Yes, I’m currently typing on a PC. But my first exposure to a computer was on an Apple product in elementary school. And from that point on, I knew I wanted to spend my life exploring the opportunities such machines offered. Just by reaching for my wireless mouse, I can feel the Apple titan’s legacy looming large.
Watch video of Steve Jobs telling stories from his life during his commencement address at Stanford University at 2005 here:
No, I won’t be rushing out the door to buy a Mac out of grief. And no, I’m not going to switch to an iPhone. My Droid suits me just fine. Hell, I’m not even going to make the trip to my local Apple store to pay my respects like so many others are apparently doing.
I will however rise from my seat to raise a toast for a single man who changed the world. Thank you Steve. We wouldn’t be the same without you.
For more information on the life and work of Steve Jobs please visit http://www.allaboutstevejobs.com.
And, don’t forget to follow the Northeast Underground on YouTube and Twitter:


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Volvo Buses has secured the first order for 15 Volvo 7900 Electric buses with MCV – Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles as coachbuilder, following the agreement made between the two companies in recent months and which we told you about.
The order for the fifteen e-buses is placed by Luxembourg-based operator Demy Schandeler. The 15 e-buses set to be delivered in spring 2025 will be an updated version of the current Volvo 7900 Electric. The buses are 12 meters long and they will feature a 470kWh battery configuration, providing a flexible and efficient operation.
«We are of course very pleased that we can already take the first order of our Volvo 7900 Electric, built in partnership with MCV. It shows the confidence that our customer has in our brand and organization and that we will continue to be a strong player in the European market, offering a wide range of buses in the premium segment for public transport,” says Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President, Volvo Buses. With our strong partnership with MCV in full swing and our first order already underway, everything is now in place to meet the high demands of our European customers», says Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President of Volvo Buses.


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easyCar Club CEO, Richard Laughton, gives a recap on our first year, a year of exciting changes and of incredible growth.
As we start our second year of national operations I’m delighted to share some of the milestones we’ve achieved together as members of easyCar Club in the past 12 months and some of the highlights for the year to come.
A bigger community. From just over a thousand owners and renters in early February 2013 we’re now at more than 12,000 – a tenfold increase in one year. Whilst London had been our early focus, we now have cars available in every county of England and we’re the second biggest car club in the country. This year we’ll be aiming to cover all of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland too.
Money back in pockets. Despite the fall in petrol prices it hasn’t got any cheaper to run a car in the UK. By renting out their cars our members have benefitted from hundreds of thousands of pounds in rental income over the last 12 months that otherwise would have gone to a rental company – and at the same time renters have benefitted from thousands of cheaper, more convenient rentals, so it’s a genuine win/win.
App-y days. In summer we launched our first iOS app. Making it even simpler to manage car availability and accept bookings, the app has proved a success for owners, and is used by renters to make a growing proportion of bookings. Apologies to Android users – there were more iPhone users, and we aim to have an app for you out later this year… but we’ve worked hard on our mobile responsive site in the meantime.
Lovelier than Apple… The joy of renting from other people seems to be, well, other people…. When we’ve asked renters whether they’d recommend the service we get a resounding yes – in fact, our surveys over the last 12 months have shown a higher proportion of people saying that they would recommend renting in our community than would recommend Apple. High praise indeed for the owners who make their cars available for others to use.
Member Ratings – Word Cloud
Really getting together. We’re aware of two couples that have rented an easyCar Club car to get married. Not sure if you told us about your easyCar wedding? Let us know! We’ve also hosted our first two member meet ups, where we’ve aimed to create a few more engagements.
And coming up… We’re continuing to grow apace and we expect to be the UK’s biggest car club by summer. If you’re flying off on holiday this year we will have an exciting new service to use at the airport – more news on this soon. And we’re offering all easyCar club members discounts on their overseas travel too. We’re adding new things to the service all the time and will continue to make sure that our members are the first to hear about it.


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After successfully launching the Canvas Spark and Yuphoria, Micromax has launched a new smartphone under the Bolt segment. Faddish Indian Android maker has named this handset as Bolt Q335. It might be possible that Micromax price this handset at the amount of Rs. 3,999 approximately. Though company has not yet disclosed when this smartphone will hit the shelves.
Micromax Bolt Q335 Specs:
It comes up with 4.5” FWVGA display delivering screen resolution up to 480X854 pixels. It provides 16.7M color depth. One will get clear image quality and can enjoy their favorite apps, movies, videos, ebook etc at decent quality. It boasts smart looks and has been listed in black color on the official website.
It is powered by quad-core processor which is clocked at the frequency of 1.2GHz. The processor is based on SC7731 chipset and is coupled along with 512MB of internal RAM. It runs on Android Kitkat V4.4.2 Operating system out of the box.
There is a 5MP of camera provided at the rear panel with 2MP of front facing camera. LED Flash is incorporated along with the rear shooter. It can be bit disappointing as it does not offer auto focus camera. One can record and play the videos at the resolution of 1080pixels. It bears 4GB of internal storage out of which 2.5GB is available for apps and mass storage. External memory is expandable up to 32GB with the help of Micro SD card slot.
It houses 1650mAh battery at the rear which claims talk time up to 5.5h and stand by time up to 280h. 1650mAh battery will be sufficient enough to run whole day long. It will offer 3G connectivity and other features like WiFi, Bluetooth V4.0, GPS, HSPA etc. It accommodates sensors like gravity, proximity and light sensors. It will be a Dual SIM smart phone which also offers connectors like 3.5mm ear jack and Micro USB.
It is loaded with applications like Trending apps, Askme, Chaatz, Clean master, Dr. Safety, Hotstar, Housing, News Hunt, Paytm, Quickr, Snapdeal, Reverie, Opera max Games: Giga jump Launcher: Mannons.
Micromax is on the spree of launching newer handsets, like earlier last month it unveiled Canvas Nitro 2. Generally Micromax covers the price range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. And most of the handsets offered by the company are latest in terms of specs and features.
Specs at a glance:
|Screen resolution:||480*854 pixels|
|OS:||Android Kitkat V4.4.2|
|Processor:||1.2GHz Quad Core|
|Internal phone memory||2.5GB for apps and mass storage|
|Connectivity:||Wifi, USB, GPS, MicroUSB etc.|
|Connectors:||3.5mm ear jack and Micro USB|
|Sensors:||Gravity, proximity, light|
|Stand by time:||280h|


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Best Buy on Wednesday announced that Senior Vice President of Enterprise and Merchandise Finance Matt Bilunas will be promoted to chief financial officer effective Monday.
Bilunas has been at the electronics retailer for 13 years, rising through its finance organization and holding both corporate and field roles in both domestic and international operations. As the SVP of Enterprise and Merchandise Finance since 2017, he's been responsible for planning processes, including strategic planning, annual budgeting, monthly forecasting and capital planning, the company said.
Best Buy is recruiting its top management from its own ranks, a show of confidence in how its management has navigated the Amazon-dominated retail era.
"At the heart of Best Buy's strategy is a view that it can use its assets to help enrich people's lives through technology — and this goes beyond selling them products," GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders said in May comments emailed to Retail Dive. "The company is well managed and run and has a clear vision around how it will connect with and sell to consumers over the next few years."
The big box retailer seemed threatened by the e-commerce giant not long ago, as Amazon moved to amplify that core merchandise offer to its own assortment. Sagging sales of mobile devices didn't help, and last year led Best Buy to shutter its 257-store fleet of standalone Best Buy Mobile locations. Earlier this year analysts fretted that declines at Apple would hit the retailer especially hard.
But the retailer has lifted its prospects considerably by expanding its services, revamping its stores and diversifying its operations. Last year Best Buy went well beyond electronics retail to acquire health and safety solutions company GreatCall for $800 million. That purchase began contributing to sales right away. In its most recent quarter, a tough one coming just after the holidays, Best Buy's U.S. revenue rose 0.8% year over year to $8.48 billion and comps rose 1.3%, as overall company revenue rose to $9.14 billion from $9.11 billion a year ago.
Online sales rose 14.5% on a comparable basis to $1.31 billion, and, as a percentage of total domestic revenue, e-commerce expanded by some 180 basis points to 15.4% from 13.6% last year. Even Amazon seems to appreciate Best Buy's importance to the segment, considering its high-profile move to sell its Fire TV Edition smart TVs at U.S. and Canadian Best Buy stores.


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I’m covering the Consumer Electronics Show next month, and I imagine that, like last year, the square footage that isn’t covered by tablets and cell phones will be filled with 3-D TVs. The consumer electronics industry really, really needs you to lust after 3-D TV, because otherwise, they fear, you’ll stick with the same LCD or plasma set you bought a few years ago that’s HD but not 3-D.
And then comes this headline from GigaOM:
It’s based on Nielsen data that shows less than a quarter of consumers worldwide are likely to buy a 3-D set, and, at least in America, the people who say they’re unlikely to buy one are apparently fervent in their opposition. Only 3% of Americans say they’re likely to buy one in the next year; only an additional 3% say they’ll ever buy one. And an earlier Nielsen study contained even worse news for the 3-D folks, finding that after people experience 3-D TV for themselves, they’re LESS likely to want a 3-D set.
That is not promising.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but my 3-D experiences have been pretty unimpressive. I’ve tried to watch 3-D TV, but it looks the way 3-D looked when I was a kid and they made you wear those blue and red cardboard “glasses”: flat figures in front of each other, with dim, indistinct colors and blurring. It’s a novelty for about a minute, then it’s annoying and I want to take off the glasses. I’m not an anti-3-D campaigner, just someone who doesn’t see the need to spend even a dime more for the experience. 2-D is good enough, even if blue creatures are zooming across the screen. And most of the movies and TV shows I watch don’t lend themselves to “improvement” via 3-D, even if the idea of what “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” or “Community” would do with 3-D might be amusing. Or disgusting. Likely both.
It’ll be interesting to see what the set manufacturers will be saying about studies like this at CES. What about you? Are you buying? Are you waiting until the price premium for 3-D is negligible? Do the glasses make a difference — are you going to wait until that magical day when the glasses are no longer necessary? Or are you going to hold out, period? There are a lot of people betting huge money that you’ll succumb. No wonder CES is in Vegas.


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Prohibitory orders eased in Kathmandu, what are allowed?
KATHMANDU, June 2: The district administration offices (DAOs) of the three districts [ Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur] decided to extend the ongoing prohibitory orders, which were due to expire on Thursday midnight as of May 27 decision, by another 11 days. With this, the fresh restrictions will be imposed until June 14.
The restriction orders, which are in force since April 29 in an attempt to break the infection chain in the country’s most populous city, however, have been a bit relaxed as an indication to normalize the city life impacted by the complete closure of business and other normal activities.
With the fresh orders, which are due to come into effect from Friday, grocery stores and grocery sections of the departmental stores are allowed to open until 9 in the morning. Similarly, fruits and vegetable stores, shops selling cooking gas, water and dairy products will also remain open until 9 AM as usual.
The chief district officers (CDOs) of the three districts also issued the orders to allow the operation of stationery shops until 9 in the morning. Similarly, workshops that repair automobiles are allowed to open between 9 PM and 9 AM as per the recent orders.
The development works are also allowed. The transportation of construction materials, however, is allowed only during night [ 9PM to 4 AM ].
Wedding and other social ceremonies can be carried out only at homes with a maximum of seven participants.
The orders have allowed the operation of vehicles discharging emergency services. However, the private and public vehicles other than used for emergency purposes, are not allowed until midnight on June 14.
See the orders issued by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu.


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For 2020 Nissan has installed a brand new powertrain into the Frontier, but is that really enough to make it a significantly better truck, both on and off-road?
That’s a question we set out to answer by comparing it to a stalwart in the off-road world, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. First, let’s break down the Frontier.
Next year, Nissan plans to reveal a brand new truck from hood to hitch, but for 2020, the brand has decided to put the new truck’s powertrain into the current Frontier. Nissan says that the new powerplant has 93 percent new parts compared to the current V6. That new unit is a 3.8-liter V6 that makes 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque send through a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Besides that new powertrain, everything else about this Frontier remains, meaning that the Pro-4X package still brings along a set of Bilstein shocks, all-terrain tires, skid plates, fog lights, a spray-on bedliner and some goodies inside.
Meanwhile, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is one of the most off-road ready midsize pickups you can buy, coming with lockers in the front and rear, a disconnecting sway bar, over 10-inches of ground clearance, generous angles all around and some low gearing to provide great crawling abilities.
If you want to watch these two trucks go head-to-head, watch the video above.


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Brandy's mom is suing everyone Kardashian, claiming they raped her financially.
According to a lawsuit filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Sonja Norwood, the mom of Brandy and Ray J, claims in 2004, when Kim K was a stylist, she was given permission to use Sonja's American Express card to make "one (and only one)" purchase on behalf of Sonja.
According to the suit, Kim allegedly gave the card to other members of her family -- Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr. The suit claims in 2006, the Ks racked up $62,793.83 in unauthorized charges. And, in 2007, they blew another $57,841.82. The total: $120,635.65!
And get this for audacity: the suit claims the Kardashians charged thousands of dollars in their own stores, Dash and Smooch.
It's unclear why Sonja didn't just cancel the card.
UPDATE: TMZ got the following statement from the Kardashians: "The charges against the Kardashians are meritless. Both Kim and Khloe were employed by the Norwoods and never used their credit cards without their express authorization. The Kardashian family looks forward to proving the absurdity of these claims in a court of law."
UPDATE: TMZ obtained this statement from Sonja Norwood: "I did not want to commence litigation against the Kardashian family without conducting an exhaustive investigation into the charges, and discussing all options, including criminal prosecution, with my family. After Ray J and Brandy urged me not to file criminal charges because of their prior friendship, I decided to afford the Kardashians an opportunity to resolve this matter without a lawsuit.
When the fraudulent charges were brought to their attention, they apologized profusely, and advised us, through their attorneys, that they would pay the debt in full. However, they have since reneged on that promise. The investigation has revealed that the Kardashians used their two stores and other stores that I have never visited to take advantage of me. I very much look forward to having the Kardashians account for their misconduct in a court of law. I also welcome the examination of any so called evidence to determine whether it was fraudulently obtained or whether it constitutes a forgery."


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Nvidia will offer a Scanner tool for all GeForce RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti graphics cards that safely pushes each card to a stable maximum overclock, all from a single click of your mouse.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti hype is big and performance numbers are scant, but we have the first three GeForce RTX cards in our labs.
Interested in a GeForce RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti graphics card? Here are the first 23 sweet slices of Nvidia 'Turing' silicon and all the details you'll need before you buy.
Nvidia releases benchmarks for the RTX 2080 card, which compare it the GTX 1080 amid doubts over whether the new product is really worth its $699 price.
The RTX 2080 will start at $699 while the RTX 2080 Ti will go for $999. A cheaper model, the RTX 2070, will be $499 when it arrives in October. The actual performance increase, however, is less clear.
Nvidia is making a much-hyped appearance in Cologne, Germany, today for a Gamescom press conference that's expected to include the launch of new graphics cards.
The vendor originally anticipated "cryptocurrency-specific product revenue" reaching $100 million during this year's second quarter, but it actually came in at a mere $18 million at a time when Bitcoin's price has sunk.
Nvidia and AMD take note, Intel is preparing to enter the discrete graphics market with its own GPU and card. The card won't arrive until 2020, but Intel kicked off the marketing campaign this week.
Monday's announcement suggests that new Nvidia gaming graphics may be around the corner. But for now, the Turing architecture will be used in three graphics cards from Nvidia's Quadro line with the starting price at $2,300.
The high-end discrete graphics cards will reportedly target the PC gaming market and data centers, putting pressure on AMD and Nvidia. Intel hired a former AMD exec to lead the effort.
On Friday, the US government unveiled Summit, a new supercomputer 60 percent faster than China's top ranked machine. 'President Trump is determined to make America first in supercomputing,' says Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining are winning out over consumer GPUs at Nvidia right now.
The motherboard is designed for cryptocurrency mining and will release in this year's third quarter.
Nvidia cites 'rumors, conjecture and mistruths' as its reason for canceling the program.
A processor, graphics card, and motherboard in one box to 'equip your gaming rig for battle.'
Crypto mining has made new graphics cards expensive and scarce, but a review of 44 older cards confirms they still work just fine. Here's how to find a deal on a GPU.
Many more laptops will offer the 3x performance while being 3x thinner Max-Q promises.
Nvidia offers two variants of this laptop GPU and one is much slower than the other, but you might not be able to tell which one you're buying.
Nvidia asks retailers to only let shoppers buy two graphics cards at once, rather than selling them everything they have (for mining cryptocurrency, of course).
Nvidia now has over 320 partners, including companies and organizations, developing autonomous vehicles with its technology.


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Publishing analytics provider Parse.ly wanted to find out where web traffic for 2015’s top news stories came from — search engines or social networks. The company found that social media continues to account for a large and growing portion of traffic, depending upon the content of the news story.
Parse.ly tracks and analyses the site traffic of more than 400 publishers, including Business Insider, Reuters, The Atlantic, and New Republic. The results:
For the study, Parse.ly said it identified the top seven news events of the year based on the most-read stories in its network. “We only considered stories that had one ‘event’ at their core (sorry Donald Trump and the Kardashian clan!), then we normalised the data based on site size because we didn’t want our biggest sites to dictate the trends,” the company said in a blog post.
Read the full story here
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Chief content officer Joanna Coles discusses the premiere edition of Airbnbmag, its celebration of global community and the future of travel.
22nd May 2017
Eight lessons from Cosmopolitan on publishing to Snapchat Discover
One of the lessons for Cosmopolitan following the brand’s wildly successful launch on Snapchat Discover just short of 2.5 years ago was that “you have to dig beyond analytics to find out what [users] are saying about your editions and what they really care about”.
22nd May 2017
Inside The Business of Fashion
In the space of only a decade, The Business of Fashion has grown from a blog to multi-channel business servicing a global professional community in the millions through a website, newsletters, social media, print magazine and membership programme, with clear, diversified revenue model and each stream contributing meaningfully to the overall top line.
23rd May 2017
The Immediate Media Co story: from starting up to being acquired by Burda
Earlier this month at the PPA Festival, Barry Mcllheney of the UK Publishers Association sat down with Immediate Media Co’s CEO, Tom Bureau, who talked about the journey from starting Immediate to being acquired by German-based publisher, Hubert Burda.
24th May 2017
Transitioning to digital when print still pays the bills
For most publishers, transitioning from print to digital is the essential change. But when print magazines remain the most profitable part of your business, it can be important to balance evolution rationally in order not to lose the print cash cow. Here, we talk to Danish company, Bonnier Publications, about walking that very path.
25th May 2017


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The current conservative Supreme Court is quickly becoming known as the “5 to 4 Team” because on every decision that protects big corporations while stepping on the rights of individuals, the five conservative justices issue the majority opinion. The latest travesty is contorting interpretations of prior case law and FDA regulations (who are the judicial activists now??!!) and results in protecting generic drug manufacturers from being sued –whereas the original brand label manufacturers are liable. The decision and implications are too complicated to discuss in this space, but we note that Justice Thomas, who authored the decision, readily admits the decision “makes no sense.”
Our clients who have taken generic drugs now risk having their cases dismissed: metoclopramide, alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, isotretinoin, propoxyphene among other. In fact, 70% of all prescriptions each year are filled with a generic drug. However, our trial team and briefing lawyers are combining with forces around the United States to attack this decision in local state courts by exploring using alternative claims. Judge Higbee in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Judge Moss in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will become the battlegrounds for defending our clients’ rights. Legal theories will include liability of the brand label manufacturers as well as liability theories against the generic manufacturers which don’t rely on label inadequacies. At this point, the FDA could easily modify their regulations, but we expect this to be a slow process, if it is to happen at all.


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A Brookfield man could be cited for disorderly conduct after a heated exchange with people collecting signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker was recorded, according to city of Brookfield police.
According to a police report:
The 51-year-old man approached two people collecting signatures in the 17000 block of Bluemound Road at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 10.
He used profane language and grabbed a camera that one of the signature collectors used to record the exchange.
The man acted as though he was going to smash the camera, but gave it back and left the scene.
The supporters contacted police and showed them the video.
The case has been forwarded to the city attorney's office for review, and the man could be cited for disorderly conduct.
- Brookfield gears up for July 4 events
- Elmbrook names Sobocinski as new assistant superintendent for business services
- Brookfield Central student charged for bomb scare
- New Starbucks to anchor retail building at Sendik's Towne Centre in Brookfield (1)
- Brookfield and Elm Grove Police Report: June 23
- Brookfield aldermen OK Artisan apartments, public funding (5)
- Brookfield council reaffirms committee's denial of TIF referendum referral (2)
- Trainer allegedly sexually assaulted client at town of Brookfield fitness center
- Ask Now: City's rummage sale rules?
- In brief: RR crossing closed (3)


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The recent September Apple event has given fans much to look forward to. At this point, I start to consider the likely next steps for our friends in Cupertino. After the event, Apple TV was elevated to the top navigation bar on apple.com. Clearly, Apple sees a bright future for the category. The new Apple TV added tvOS to the already established OS X, iOS and the new kid on the block watchOS. Look at the lineup on apple.com, nearly all the hardware categories have their own OS. The exception is the iPad.
I believe iPad has been hurt by the move towards universal apps. I'm an optimist and think customers will pay for great software available only on the iPad. I anticipate a course correction and a move to encourage more app development specifically for the iPad. New and interesting hardware has been announced with the iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil and the Smart keyboard. Apple also has to address the shortcomings of the shared OS strategy for iPhone and iPad. I think the past is a predictor in this case. The iPad has slowed down while the iPhone continues to grow.
The iPad Pro shouldn't be running the same OS as the iPhone. There I said it. It makes no sense, just look at the home screen on the iPad Pro. Apple has to know how ridiculous it is. The iPad is getting a needed bit of attention on the hardware side. Now it is time to give the iPad an OS to give it a fighting chance at growth. There is so much untapped potential in the iPad, and not just for creative and enterprise professionals.
I'll be shocked if Apple doesn't announce an OS for iPad at WWDC 2016. Well, this is my first prediction for 2016.


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The Indianapolis Star file photo
Two masked gunmen held three employees of an Eastside store at gunpoint Sunday night before forcing them to open a safe and leaving the store with an undetermined amount of cash.
Police responded at 9:06 p.m. to the Dollar General store at 1801 S. Emerson Ave., according to an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department report.
The two men entered the store about 8:45 p.m. wearing paintball masks and holding black revolvers, the three employees told police. They made all three employees gather near a front cash register, pointed guns at their heads and ordered them to open a safe, police ...


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Sri Lanka’s tourism industry stakeholders welcome the reopening of Sri Lanka for international tourists
The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) along with its One Industry One Voice partners have reportedly welcomed the reopening of Sri Lanka for international tourists.
“The much-awaited important guidelines being finalised and accepted is a great move to help our industry. We are confident that the new normal bio bubble tourism could be marketed via the foreign tour operators to revive the industry,” they have said in a statement by One Industry One Voice Coordinator and SLAITO Immediate Past President Mahen Kariyawasam.
The Daily FT has reported that it was pointed out that marketing and restarting tourism with this new concept would not be an easy task as unfortunately the country had no forward promotional plan from Sri Lanka Tourism as yet.
“Nevertheless with the new guidelines, although there can be a few teething issues, we are confident that our members and foreign tour operators will do their best to promote Sri Lanka and it is crucial that the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau supports them on the way forward as one industry and one voice in tourism,” the statement has added.
With the current surge of Covid 19 in major tourism generating markets, SLAITO and its partners do not see a big influx of tourists at the start but anticipate greater volume from summer onwards, especially with fast rollout of vaccination programs.
“We will work very closely with the Ministry of Health, the COVID Task Force and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority keeping in mind the health of the nation as a priority while we move in the ‘new normal’ post-COVID d tourism. This will also help to revive our industry of three million direct and in direct persons and bring in the much needed foreign exchange to the economy,” the statement has further noted.
The reopening of Sri Lanka’s airport has helped recommence several key economic sectors with tourism being the main sector. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry was one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the country until the Covid 19 pandemic affected global travel. It is a positive sign to see the arrival of foreign tourists from several key tourist markets. Sri Lanka being listed as a must visit destination by several leading global travel publications and the safety and hygienic certification received by the country have made it an attractive travel destination for post Covid travel. Hence, business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry are once again expanding. Foreign businesses/investors could explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
|Article Code :||VBS/AT/20210126/Z_4|


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A group of Lancashire business leaders will visit companies across the county as they pick the winners of the region’s biggest business awards.
The Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, has confirmed it will send its judges into business premises to get a first-hand look at how they operate.
Its judges will go ‘on tour’ as part of a second round of interviews scheduled to take place in June for the 2014 awards which is now open for applications.
By sending judges on tour, the BIBAs is yet again setting the standard for business awards to ensure it truly is the one they all want to win.
Going into the heart of the businesses bidding to win a BIBA will give judges an unrivalled understanding of what makes them tick and enable us to select the very best of the best.
The identity of the judging panels will be unveiled later this month with awards organisers, the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, promising big-hitters from the county’s business community.


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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who is under house arrest in Canada and facing extradition to America, is not a bargaining chip in the trade...Technologyread more
Boris Johnson will be meeting President Donald Trump to discuss a potential post-Brexit trade deal just as he tries to court EU leaders for a new withdrawal agreement.World Politicsread more
Arturo Estrella has a message for recession naysayers: It could hit sooner than you think.Marketsread more
Accountants in Hong Kong took to the streets on Friday to call for the government to accept five demands of the people, including the complete withdrawal of a now-suspended...China Politicsread more
Recent trade friction between the two Asian powerhouses has morphed into a dispute with political implications that go far beyond the region.Asia Politicsread more
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell faces the tough challenge of presenting a unified voice on Fed policy from the most divided Fed in years.Market Insiderread more
Local governments commonly share single service providers, making many vulnerable at once. On top of this, ransomware has often been used to mask more targeted, malicious...Technologyread more
The unlikely alliance would in theory enjoy a relatively comfortable majority in the parliament's lower house but would rely on a handful of sympathetic but unaligned...Europe Politicsread more
Bank Indonesia on Thursday cut its key policy rate by 25 basis points to 5.5% to support growth amid an increasingly fragile global economy.Central Banksread more
Meanwhile, investors look ahead to Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at a yearly central banking symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.Asia Marketsread more
The office has long been a breeding ground for budding romances. But actively going into business with your other half is another thing entirely.Successread more
U.S. consumer prices rose in April but underlying inflation remained muted, suggesting the Federal Reserve could keep interest rates unchanged for a while.
The Labor Department said on Friday its Consumer Price Index increased 0.3% last month, lifted by rising gasoline, rents, and health-care costs. The CPI gained 0.4% in March.
In the 12 months through April, the CPI increased 2.0% after advancing 1.9% in March. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI increasing 0.4% in April and advancing percent 2.1% year-on-year.
Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the CPI edged up 0.1% as apparel prices dropped for a second straight month. The so-called core CPI has increased by the same margin for three straight months.
In the 12 months through April, the core CPI increased 2.1% after gaining 2.0% in March.
The Fed last week kept interest rates unchanged and signaled little desire to adjust monetary policy anytime soon. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said he believed the recent weak inflation readings "may wind up being transient."
The U.S. central bank, which has a 2% inflation target, tracks a different measure, the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, for monetary policy.
The core PCE price index increased 1.6% on a year-on-year basis in March, the smallest rise in 14 months, after advancing 1.7% in February. The April PCE price index data will be published later this month.
In April, gasoline prices rose 5.7%, accounting for more than two-thirds of the increase in the CPI last month, after surging 6.5% in March.
Food prices dipped 0.1% in April after gaining 0.3% in the prior month. Food consumed at home dropped 0.5%. But consumers paid more for rent. Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence, which is what a homeowner would pay to rent or receive from renting a home, increased 0.3% last month after rising by the same margin in March.
Health-care costs increased 0.3%, matching March's gain. Apparel prices declined 0.8% last month. They plunged 1.9% in March, which was the biggest drop since January 1949, after the government introduced a new method and data to calculate apparel prices.
Prices for used motor vehicles and trucks fell 1.3%, decreasing for a third straight month. There were decreases in the cost of airline fares, household furnishings and tobacco. The cost of new vehicles ticked up 0.1% after rising 0.4% in March.


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Boeing has found debris inside the fuel tanks of about two-thirds of undelivered 737 MAX jets inspected so far, according to federal and aviation-industry officials, indicating a bigger production-related problem than the company previously suggested.
The revelation comes as the plane maker struggles to restore public and airline confidence in the grounded fleet.
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Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair
60% off running shoes and apparel at Nike
- The Home Depot:
$50 discount sitewide - Home Depot Coupon
Hotels.com September Deals - Save 20% or more


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Although this first model is a plug-in hybrid, it lays the foundations for future fully electric cars that could give those looking for an affordable electric car an alternative to the Tesla Model 3.
“All future cars from Polestar will feature a fully electric drivetrain, delivering on our brand vision of being the new standalone electric performance brand,” Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. An all-electric Polestar 2 will enter production at the end of 2019, followed by an SUV-style Polestar 3 electric vehicle.
Both Polestar and Tesla are aimed at enticing consumers into the realm of electrification. But where the Tesla Model 3 starts from $35,000, with optional extras pushing the price up further, Polestar has gone for a unique approach where consumers subscribe to a car for two to three years, with maintenance and insurance covered as part of the fee. This is the only way to get your hands on a Polestar, and the price is currently unknown.
In the Polestar, two electric motors generate 218 horsepower by themselves. A rear-axle battery combines with a transmission-based battery pack to offer 93 miles of electric range. The company claims it is the longest full electric range of any hybrid car on the market.
The Model 3, on the other hand, offers 220 miles of range in the $35,000 model, reaching up to 310 miles on the $44,000 model. That seems to blow the Polestar out of the water, but bear in mind the Tesla has no gasoline engine to fall back on when the juice runs dry. Once you’re out, you’re out.
The Polestar 1, a 600 horsepower coupe, is the first step toward vision. Set to hit the roads in the middle of 2019, the vehicle will arrive around the same time as the first right-hand drive models of the Tesla Model 3. The latter vehicle can hold its own in the performance space, offering acceleration from 0-60 mph in just over five seconds.
Like the Tesla Model 3, the Polestar 1 offers the ability to unlock the car through an app, but the two implementations differ somewhat. In Tesla’s system, the user can also switch to a keycard. With the Polestar, users can transfer the virtual key to a third party to share the car around.
Both cars are going to be in high demand, but the Polestar 1 may prove even more a rarity than the Model 3. While Tesla only produced fewer than 1,000 cars in the first quarter of production, Polestar plans to produce just 500 vehicles per year in this first iteration. It’s a small start, and it’s going to take a while before the brand starts to become visible on roads. Baby steps.


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The crypto craze has been observed with awe by many over the past few years. Comments such as “if only I bought some bitcoin in 2009, I’d be a millionaire now!” are commonplace amongst friends contemplating how much better life could have been. Of course, lots of people that never invested in these digital currencies follow the marketplace, weighing up if it’ll ever feel worth jumping into this pool of financial uncertainty.
We hear stories of kids investing birthday money in crypto and becoming millionaires before their 18th birthday; of individuals making headlines after forgetting the passwords to their cryptocurrency wallets, or those realising their immense luck after seemingly being shafted by a past freelance gig and being given a measly 100 bitcoins instead of the agreed upon price.
The gusto by which traders have been buying and selling these nonexistent coins is staggering. Not to mention the number of normal, everyday people that have gotten involved in this digital marketplace. Profits have soared, dreams have been made, and lives have been changed.
With the value of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu and many more regularly increasing by 100-300% in a short span of time selling just a small amount of those digital treasures could see you sitting proud as a millionaire. Unless something was to change.
You see, in the last couple of months, some guidance has been published by the looming entity that is Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs. This helpful and lengthy manual, intended primarily for staff of HMRC, lays out the legal requirements for both individuals and businesses in paying cryptocurrency related taxes!
There are likely many cases whereby traders of cryptocurrency were unaware or hadn’t considered the fact that the money they make from this digital currency needs to be taxed like any other form of income. This can fall both under Capital Gains Tax, if someone is specifically trading via online markets, but can also come under Income Tax if your employer paid you in this digital currency.
Now, the UK government is casting the net back to the 2019/2020 tax year and looking at everyone that has traded or profited from the multitude of cryptocurrencies during this period. If you or your business failed to consider that the money you make off of these coins was taxable, you are likely in for a pretty rude awakening.
It’s also commonplace for people to trade in one coin for another after a rise in value and, unfortunately for them, even though no real currency has been traded, the value of these gains is taxable. This could spell out a devastatingly high tax bill for some unlucky folks. Luckily, if you haven’t disposed of (traded or sold) your cryptos at all, then no tax payments are required.
Ultimately, the world of digital currency trading is changing. Come the end of the next tax year, the capital gains taxes gushing into the coffers of the UK government could be astronomical.
To read up on the tax laws for cryptocurrencies, check out the Cryptoassets Manual on the UK government website.
By Sam Ellison


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26 Feb '18, 10am
Some Westerners think jackfruit ‘tastes like meat’, ‘mimics pulled pork’ https://t.co/ENLIhpcgP4
NowThis Food , a subsidiary of the popular Facebook page NowThis , recently posted a video about a “bizarre” fruit that apparently mimics pulled pork, going so far as saying that it tastes like meat. Advertisement Jackfruit It’s not even some kind of new fruit that will propel us into culinary culture circa year 3018, actually. It’s just the humble tropical jackfruit. That’s right, the fruit commonly grown at community gardens and sold at fruit stalls is getting popularised as a vegan substitute for meat. Which is weird, because for most of us, we are pretty sure jackfruit tastes like a cross between mango, pineapple and banana… basically, nothing like meat. Tastes like meat if cooked like meat But before you go down to your nearest fruit store to see whether your taste buds have deceived you for the last 20 odd years, relax, that’s not it. Rather, the reason why anyone wo...


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After months of articles, leaked reports, and speculation regarding Apple's expected foray into mobile health, the company officially unveiled two new health-related apps, “HealthKit” and “Health,” at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference this week.
“Up to now, the information gathered by [health and fitness] applications lives in silos. You can’t get a single, comprehensive picture of your health situation,” Apple SVP Craig Federighi said in an article published by Forbes.
The HealthKit platform, described by Federighi as “a single place that applications can contribute to a composite profile of your activity and health,” sets out to solve this problem by serving as a data aggregator to better help users track basic health measurements. It can also share the data with healthcare providers.
“With your permission, each app can use specific information from other apps to provide a more comprehensive way to manage your health and fitness,” said a press release published on Apple’s website. “For example, your blood pressure app could share its data with a physician app, such as the Mayo Clinic app, so your doctor can provide high-quality guidance and care.”
Along with HealthKit, Apple’s upcoming iOS 8 operating system will come with the Health application, which the company describes as having been designed to give users “an easy-to-read dashboard of [their] health and fitness data.”
While the company has not released a great deal of detail regarding either app, representatives did say that Apple might be working closely with other companies and healthcare providers to make the new apps as comprehensive and user-friendly as possible. In particular, an article published by Reuters reported that Apple has teamed up with Nike, who has become a significant player in the field of wearable fitness trackers, and the Mayo Clinic, who has reportedly designed an app that could link patients to their doctors via the HealthKit platform.
“The HealthKit has the most potential for the future,” Nils Kassube, development director for German consulting firm Newscope, said in the article. “Those of us that are interested in health need a platform for sharing information.”
Apple’s announcements are the latest to make headlines in the rapidly growing, increasingly publicized, and highly competitive field of personal health devices and medical-related apps. Earlier this week, for example, Med Device Online published an article about Samsung’s new Simband device, a prototype smartwatch with biosensors and a cloud-based information storage platform. Apple and Google have indicated that they may also be developing similar devices.


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Overcapacity dogs the industry still
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
So, what are the lessons to be learned from the collapse last week of Howard Hunt and the sad loss of 250 jobs?
Much like with the demise of similarly scaled Anton Group a couple of years ago, many will be quick to blame a lack of recent investment resulting in the firm fighting a losing battle against ever diminishing margins in the commodity driven long-run mailing market. Which, presumably, left precious little in the kitty to upgrade kit and workflows to improve efficiency and, of course, said margins or, better still, move into new higher margin markets.
Equally, like Anton, despite it taking decades of blood, sweat and tears to build a print powerhouse with sales of more than £50m, the end came frighteningly quickly.
However, to be fair, while the main Howard Hunt (City) business may have fallen behind many of its peers in terms of investing in inkjet technology, in other areas – such as data and customer engagement and insight services – it was arguably well ahead of the pack. As evidenced by Paragon’s willingness to take on the print business’s sister operations.
So, comparison’s with Anton are by and large unfair in all but one respect: that the business’s circa £50m of print will likely be swallowed up with barely a burp by the industry at large.
Which means that the key learning will most likely be that overcapacity continues to be the single biggest blight facing print, like traditional mass mailings, where volumes are falling.
And if you find yourself in a market where the opportunity to add value to your product or service and reinvest in your business is limited by that market’s unhealthy focus on the pound spent rather than the pound potentially earned, then the lesson is: find some new markets. Quick.


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Your canine crusader reckons it is ironic – and highly appropriate – that Shane Jones’ $3 billion electoral slush fund…
Displaying items by tag: fta
Negotiations this week in Wellington are expected to further advance a free trade agreement (FTA) between New Zealand and the European Union (EU).
The EU’s proposed restrictions on the use of geographical names in products could have implications for NZ exports to other regions – including China, a trade expert says.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan is optimistic that a quality free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and NZ can be negotiated before the end of 2019.
Dynamic gains in both the New Zealand and United Kingdom economies could be made if some trade barriers were freed up.
There is no good reason why New Zealand should not get a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), says Trade Minister David Parker.
New Zealand can survive without the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal in the short term, says Wellington-based trade expert Charles Finny.
New Zealand needs to work hard on developing special trading relationships with Japan and Mexico, according to the Head of Global Agri for KPMG, Ian Proudfoot.


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According to the latest insights from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is gearing up for a substantial revamp of its iPad lineup in the coming year. Kuo’s report indicates that the tech giant is set to introduce cutting-edge iPad Pro models featuring state-of-the-art M3 processors and dazzling OLED displays.
In a departure from the current norm of LCD displays across all iPad models, the move towards OLED is poised to bring a host of benefits. Expect deeper blacks, superior viewing angles, and potentially even reduced battery consumption, making for a more immersive and power-efficient user experience. While the 12.9-inch iPad Pro already boasts an enhanced mini-LED display, the incorporation of OLED in other models aligns with a logical progression in display technology.
Anticipated to make their debut in the first half of 2024, the new iPad Pro models are slated for mass production, with a timeline extending from late in the first quarter to the second quarter.
But that’s not all—Kuo’s predictions extend to the iPad Air lineup as well. Brace yourself for the arrival of two new iPad Air models, one sporting a 10.9-inch display and the other a sizable 12.9-inch display. The latter, described as an entirely novel model, is set to match the dimensions of the larger iPad Pro. While it won’t feature the mini-LED display found in today’s iPad Pro, reports suggest a slight enhancement in the display department. The production of these new iPad Air devices is scheduled to kick off in the first quarter of 2024, according to Kuo’s insights.
Interestingly, Kuo’s projections closely align with those of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, adding credibility to the anticipation surrounding Apple’s forthcoming iPad lineup. It’s worth noting that while much of the information aligns, Kuo’s report introduces the intriguing prospect of a larger iPad Air, a detail previously undisclosed. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, these developments signal an exciting chapter for Apple enthusiasts, promising advancements that meld innovation with user-centric design.


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Over the past few years, grassroots support has swelled for new federal farm policies -- ones that promote healthy, sustainably grown food, not the interests of a few agribusiness firms. Udder madness. Photo: iStockphoto The target of much of this organizing has been the 2007 farm bill. If past farm bill debates have been the concern of a small cadre of lobbyists and activists, this one has hit the mainstream. Informed farm bill discussions have turned up in newspapers' food sections, general-interest magazines, and even the best-seller list, in the form of books like Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and …
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Millions alive today would have to die before the paleo diet could take over
Washington state just lopped up to $2,500 off the cost of solar panels. Here’s how.
Goodbye, everyone! A massive hole has opened at the End of the World
Lay off the almond milk, you ignorant hipsters
Nestlé doesn’t want you to know how much water it’s bottling from the California desert


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We all know that a lot of the stories we see on a daily basis aren't anything all that interesting or surprising, but there's something about that news cycle that keeps us coming back. And, one of those things may be one word: Apple. It doesn't really matter what the story is, if Apple is in the headline, someone will want to read it... at least that's the idea behind the newest Joy of Tech
The comic targets the story that we just brought you about how Apple has been using some generic corporate trickery to lower its overall tax-rate
. This story is nothing new, and not a topic that many readers would really bother to go through, except when the New York Times told the story, it focused specifically on Apple. Tax trickery isn't a good thing, but it happens all the time. Having a target to uncover a systemic problem is one thing, but the Times article came off as making Apple the scapegoat for things that all companies do.
Still funny though.


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A kitchen that really rules
THINGS are heating up for a Brighton listing after its recent debut on the popular reality series, The parents of star
are selling their contemporary house at 59 Sussex St, where Ms Pali and her husband, scored top marks during the instant restaurant rounds.
The house is so distinguishable from its television appearances that people have recognised it during walk-throughs.
The bayside beauty is finished with luxury fittings and materials including American oak floors and limestone-tiled bathrooms. The kitchen where they prepared their winning dishes features a calacatta marble island bench, high-end Smeg appliances and designer storage.
It hit the market as the couple lost their place in the competition last week.
Kay & Burton’s Stewart Lopez said the owners had price hopes of $3.4 million-plus.
The house is being sold through an expressions of interest campaign that closes at 5pm on May 3.


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Global restaurant visits weak in Q3
By Canadian PizzaNews
January 4, 2012, Chicago – Low consumer confidence and the stressed global economy were reflected in weak foodservice traffic in most countries around the world in the quarter ending September 2011, according to The NPD Group.
The growing or more stable domestic economies of Canada, China, and France encouraged more visits over the last year. In contrast, Italy, with one of the more challenging economic environments, also experienced traffic gains in the quarter.
According to NPD’s CREST survey, which tracks commercial foodservice usage in Canada, Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States, restaurant traffic declines were steepest in Spain, due to persistent economic weakness, and Japan, which is still feeling the after effects of last year’s earthquake. Australia experienced traffic declines in the quarter in spite of a growing economy. China posted traffic gains of 19 per cent over the same quarter last year.
“There still is a mixed bag of health and weakness across the global foodservice industry,” says Bob O’Brien, senior vice-president of global foodservice at NPD. “While a few of the countries we track posted traffic gains, the news for the third quarter of  remains disappointing.”
According to NPD, foodservice chains continue to grow around the world and visits to independent foodservice concepts have stabilized and returned to growth in some countries. Lunch traffic appears to be growing in some of the stronger economies while breakfast, which is largely a non-core day part outside of Italy and China, is growing in most markets. Visits during the supper day part are also growing in most countries. Promotions are still important in attracting consumers to visit foodservice outlets.
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The Chinese government will provide around 38 more agricultural drones to Pakistan in a few months to fight desert locust. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs had donated the drones ...
We bring together the very latest drone news from hundreds of sources across the web! Product releases, reviews
& videos combined with help on finding some of the very best drone deals from stores and online outlets!
Constantly updated through the day - every day -
the site has everything for the beginner right right through to the seasoned drone professional!


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The GBP EUR exchange rate was 0.20% higher on Wednesday after the UK saw its highest inflation since 1997. The figures were affected by the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme from a year ago but alarm bells are ringing over the rise in the cost of living.
The GBP to EUR trades at 1.1715 after a strong bounce from around 1.1620.
UK inflation at highest level since 1997
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said that the cost of living in the UK has increased by 3.2 per cent in the year to August. Analysts had been expecting a 2.9 per cent increase in this release.
The figures were up by 0.9 per cent on the year, reflecting the largest monthly increase ever noted by the ONS.
Much of the spike in living costs was driven by stubbornly high prices for petrol, used cars and food, which were all up by 2 per cent from the July figures.
However, the ONS said that inflation should drop again next month, as August’s figures were affected by last year’s Eat Out To Help Out program, which saw restaurant meals discounted by 50 per cent.
Sarah Coles, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Inflation has taken a breath taking leap, surging at its fastest rate in over 20 years.”
“It was given a significant shove by the Eat Out to Help Out scheme discounts a year earlier, which will drop out of the figures next month,” she added.
“However, much of this enormous jump is powered by the same alarming imbalance between supply and demand that has seen yawning gaps open up on the supermarket shelves. It spells trouble for shoppers, savers and the broader economy.”
Euro inflation ahead on Friday
The next high-level economic data is the eurozone’s turn for core inflation with analysts expecting a jump to 1.6%.
Europe’s inflation is lagging that of the UK and that puts more pressure on the Bank of England to act on interest rates and stimulus.
But worse for the European Central Bank is that long-term inflation swaps are already pricing in their 2% inflation target.
ING said: “The relentless rise in EUR inflation swaps since their trough in the first stages of the Covid-19 crisis in March 2020 is striking… it is catching many investors’ attention as indicators such as the 5Y5Y rates reaches their 2017 peak, and as they are no longer far from the ECB’s inflation target of 2%.”
The bank added that hawkish comments could be a risk for the pound versus the euro, saying:
“In short, inflation remains a concern, but we doubt it will be enough to stop markets from expecting further ECB easing to be announced in December, even if hawkish headline risk remains ever present as early September has shown.”
The GBP to EUR exchange rate has been rebounding from lows near the 1.1620 level recently and is trying to find further support above the 1.17 level.


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News of the upcoming Nike Air Foamposite One black/stealth colorway was revealed weeks ago, along with photos. However, the release date has changed.
The all-black version of retired NBA star Penny Hardaway’s iconic sneaker was slated to drop December 26th, but has now been moved up to December 14th! So, all you sneakerheads can enjoy your Christmas holiday without worrying about getting your pair.
The “Stealth” colorway gets an all-black-everything makeover, highlighted by stealth grey accents and a traditional clear sole. Tonal black laces and matching mesh complete the package.
The Nike Air Foamposite One Stealth will retail for $220, and hit Nike Sportswear accounts on December 14th.


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The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has approved products from Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Cooling & Heating Division (Mitsubishi Electric) to be installed as part of the energy-efficient air-source heat pump Clean Heating & Cooling program. As part of a five-year, $30 million plan, Alicia Barton, CEO, MassCEC, announced that Massachusetts households and businesses will be eligible to receive rebates on energy-efficient HVAC systems. Homeowners must select from a list of prequalified equipment by manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Electric.
The rebate plan, a collaboration between MassCEC and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), will assist consumers with the initial costs of installing a renewable-energy heating and cooling system. “People today, more than ever, want to be energy efficient,” says Tim Gochinski, owner of Pioneer Heating & Cooling, Florence, Massachusetts. Gochinski believes the rebates are the deciding factor for customers looking to improve their home comfort system and assist in their move toward energy-efficiency compliance. He has already seen the results of this program, attributing nearly 20 to 30 percent of his company’s sales to the program.
Consumers will see the most benefit in their wallets, according to Gochinski, by not only saving on equipment costs, but also lowering their heating and cooling bills with a Mitsubishi Electric system, which is up to 40 percent more efficient than a traditional system. The patented Hyper-Heating INVERTER™ technology allows heat pumps to operate at 100 percent heating capacity at +5 degrees Fahrenheit, giving them the highest performance capabilities in cold climates on the market. Additionally, in a side-by-side comparison with competitors, at 30.5 SEER, Mitsubishi Electric’s MSZ-FH09NA/MUZ-FH09NA system is one of the most energy-efficient ductless zoning systems in the U.S.
Many HVAC contractors participating in the rebate program have expressed similar sentiments. “Consumers using these units to offset electric baseboard heat will see significant savings and a greatly reduced carbon footprint,” says Joel Boucher, Boucher Energy Systems in Mendon, Massachusetts.
The Clean Heating and Cooling program is part of the Commonwealth’s long-term commitment to energy efficiency. The rebate program will not only help Massachusetts achieve its energy goals, but also, “greatly enhance consumer acceptance of new technology,” says Boucher. With the success of the program, MassCEC plans to expand later this year to more consumers, including low-to-moderate income customers and commercial property owners.


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2K Silicon Valley has rebranded as 31st Union. In addition, the company has opened a new office that sees them expand to Spain.
Over the holidays players of WWE 2K20 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One found that they weren’t able to launch the game once their device’s year had chanced to the year 2020.
After bugs and glitches for the game went viral, Playstation has begun offering refunds to players who have purchased WWE 2K20.
Borderlands 3, the latest title in the Borderlands series, has broken records for both the series as a whole, and 2K’s game publishing history.
2K have pulled Borderlands 3 from the Epic Games Store for the duration of Mega Sale, making it the 3rd title to be removed during the promotion.
It’s been confirmed by 2K Games that Borderlands 3 will be yet another PC title to sell exclusively through the Epic Games Store. When the game launched on the 13th of September it will be available through Epic’s platform only. David Ismailer, 2K President, said in a statement that the PC gaming community has been […]
2K Games is hoping to recreate the success of their mini games franchise success on the Nintendo Wii by bringing it to the Nintendo Switch.
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 5 has sold over 75 million copies since its release on September 17, 2013, was revealed by the publisher, Take Two Interactive.
The release of Take-Two Interactive’s latest earnings report provided some precious trickles of information to fans of Rockstar Games.
Developers from Hanger 13 recently spoke about their approach to doing the mob game genre, discussing the style, tone and atmosphere of the upcoming Mafia 3.


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The popular $20,000 instant asset write-off for small business entities, which enables small businesses to immediately write-off depreciable assets costing less than $20,000, is now accessible to 90,000 more businesses.
Until recently, this instant write-off was only accessible to businesses with an aggregated turnover of less that $2 million. But, a last minute deal struck between the government and Senator Nick Xenophon to pass the enterprise tax Bill – containing amongst other things the tax cuts for business and a change in the small business threshold – extends this concession. The Bill passed Parliament on 9 May 2017.
For businesses that have not previously accessed this concession, it’s important to understand how you can take advantage of it this financial year to maximise your deductions.
With the passing of the bill, businesses with revenue of up to $10 million have been brought into the fold. At the time the write off was implemented in June 2015, small businesses were counted by the ATO as those that had an aggregated turnover of $2 million or less.
Now a much larger number of businesses will be able to make a claim under the scheme for the first time. Small businesses should not miss out on this chance, if their circumstances allow.
It is important to remember that you can’t claim a tax write-off if you aren’t paying any tax, and you are only paying tax if you are making a profit. The tax you are expecting to pay on your profit also needs to be big enough to cover the expected deduction on your purchase.
Additionally, cash flow is king, and businesses need to be able to afford to take on the cost of the purchase until a portion of it can be claimed back – even when the claim is made, it will only be for a percentage of the cost of the asset.
There are a wide range of assets that can be claimed under the instant write-off, including cars, IT equipment, office equipment (including coffee machines and art), and more.
According to Treasury data, in the first six months of the scheme to December 2015, 99,000 small businesses made claims worth $418.5 million. Over the course of two years, it has helped many hundreds of thousands of businesses make a purchase that has helped to grow their business.
Originally, the $20,000 deduction limit was to reduce back to $1,000 on 30 June 2017. However, Treasurer Scott Morrison announced on Budget night that the $20,000 limit would continue until 30 June 2018.
Don’t leave it to chance. To find out how to take advantage of the $20,000 instant asset write off, contact MWM Advisory now.


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Karachi: Amreli Steels, Pakistan’s Largest Selling Brand of Steel Bars, organized the first-ever National Retailer Awards 2022 in Ramada Hotel near Jinnah Terminal Airport, Karachi. The award show was organized to recognize the efforts of Amreli Steels’ Retailers in achieving record sales in volume and value for the company in the previous fiscal year.
Amreli Steels’ retailers from all over Pakistan gathered in the city of lights for the occasion. Prizes included Smart TVs, Microwaves, ACs, Motorcycles, International Tours, Hatchback and Sedan Cars and more.
The highest selling retailer nationwide won the grand prize of Toyota Corolla Altis. The evening was capped off by a Sufi Qawwali performance by Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawal Brothers.
Speaking on the occasion, Amreli Steels’ COO (Operations) and CFO, Mr. Fazal Ahmed, said “Amreli Steels believes that our business partners’ success is our success. This award show is a demonstration of our company’s win-win business philosophy.
These retailers are our champions in the field.” Country Sales Head, Mr. Mazhar Hussain added “Amreli Steels continues to set new industry sales records every year.
This success would not have been possible without our business partners.
This event is a celebration and a token of our appreciation for their efforts.”
Company representatives on the occasion included all divisional heads and Sales and Marketing Teams. Organized by the multi-award winning Marketing team of Amreli Steels, the Award Show was the first-of-its-kind event, in terms of scale and scope, in the building materials category of Pakistan.
Amreli Steels completed 50 years of its operations in 2022.


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JOHNS HOPKINS (US) — Persuasive packaging drives initial sales but can also entice consumers to use up a product more slowly once they bring it home.
The effect cuts long-term profit potential, a new study published online by the Journal of Marketing Research, shows.
“Consumers become so convinced of the power of a boldly packaged product that they judge they can use less of it,” lead researcher Meng Zhu says. “Conversely, they tend to use more of a product when the packaging lacks strong cues of effectiveness.”
Research had already established a link between strong marketing cues and consumer purchasing choices. The influence of such cues on post-purchase use of a product, however, hasn’t been investigated until now, Zhu says.
“It’s a topic worth examining, given the fact that personal consumption makes up about 70 percent of U.S. gross domestic product,” says Zhu, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University.
“The results made us wonder whether manufacturers are even aware that their success in promoting a product’s effectiveness might be self-defeating,” Zhu says.
Zhu and colleagues from Brigham Young University and the University of Pittsburgh conducted six experiments with university students as the subjects. The aim was to determine how various packaging cues influenced perceptions of effectiveness and the likely use of three made-up products: a teeth-whitening rinse, an insect repellent, and a toilet-bowl cleaner.
In an experiment with the teeth whitener, participants were shown two packages, one that depicted a smiling face with a glittering smile and the other with no picture. While a significantly high number of the respondents said they perceived the product with the smiling face as more effective, they indicated that they would use it at a rate 42 percent below that of the product with no picture.
Similarly, a bug repellent packaged with a picture of a dead bug was judged more effective than one with a live bug on the box; the participants predicted they would use less of the dead-bug product, compared with the live-bug product they had deemed less powerful.
The same process emerges when brand names are involved, the researchers say. Participants were asked to consider two fictitious toilet-bowl cleaners: BalanceClean and BalanceGreen. The product with “Clean” in its name was viewed as more effective, but its predicted use was 20 percent below that of the cleaner carrying the “Green” brand.
“The ironic effects” of packaging cues can quickly move products off store shelves but cause them to sit longer on household shelves, the researchers conclude.
They also suggest using effectiveness cues in advertisements and outer packaging but removing them from the bottle or tube that contains the product.
Just how susceptible consumers are to marketing cues depends on their level of “cognition,” Zhu explains. Shoppers with low cognition generally don’t seek out detailed information about a product and are more easily swayed by cues of effectiveness. In contrast, high-cognition consumers are naturally more inquisitive and less likely to be influenced by such signals.
“People tend to be lazy,” Zhu says. “When we’re shopping, we don’t generally study the ingredients on the package. We look for the salient cues, such as brand names and strong images. Those things are easy to process, and whether they’re presented in a bold fashion or not makes a huge difference in how we judge products.”
More news from Johns Hopkins: http://releases.jhu.edu


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Back in February, the US Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, announced that it had won its battle against VivaCeuticals Inc. Owned by Matthew A. Nicosia, and doing business as Regeneca Worldwide, the company stood accused of knowingly hawking … Continue reading Regeneca Recalls Everything. Yes, Everything.
It’s often hawked as a safer alternative to marijuana but “fake weed” is actually more dangerous to kids. Continue reading Fake Weed Worse For Kids Than Actual Marijuana
It’s one of the sloppiest press releases I’ve covered in years–and for phony ED remedies, no less. Continue reading Black Ant, Clalis, Max Man Recalled For Illegal Spiking
Aegeia Skin Care and its founder, Rebecca Sue Wachsler, have been warned by the US Food and Drug Administration for medical claims that the agency says go well beyond the promises that over-the-counter skincare products are allowed to make. Four … Continue reading Rebecca Sue Wachsler, Aegeia, Get FDA Warning
Wellness website HealthyHabits.com has been warned by the US Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for making non-allowed medical claims about the company’s DermaTox® products. And while the claims have since been removed, the agency alleges that the company made … Continue reading HealthyHabits.com Warned For Bogus Claims
A new review-study of more than 2 dozen studies published in the past 15 years once again highlights the potential dangers some alternative and complementary medicines can pose to cancer patients. It also underlines the frustration felt by both mainstream … Continue reading Review-Study Highlights Risk Of Not Disclosing Alt Med To Your Cancer Docs
The company behind the XtraHRD Natural Male Enhancement product has announce a recall covering all production lot numbers of the pills. Continue reading XtraHRD Natural Male Enhancement Recalled – Spiked


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Well, it turns out, those rimless titanium specs were made by industrial designer Kazuo Kawasaki and cost about $375 (roughly P17,250) for the frame alone. (Oof! even the rimless Roberto Cavalli frame I had been coveting from an online optical shop only a few months ago cost only $290.) Sigh...the price one must pay for great fashion. BTW, Palin's frames are from the Kawasaki 704 series which have really cool choices for its temples.
(Sarah Palin's eyeglass frames by Kazuo Kawasaki from the 704 series. Photo from Vision Glasses)
Check out this feature from ABC News' Good Morning America. They're calling Palin's eyewear "the new pantsuit."
NOW, this is interesting...an interview with five of Sarah Palin's closest pals. Only one of them has categorically stated that she is voting for the Alaska governor as Vice President.


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Stephen Edelstein, writing for Green Car Reports, published an article on Ford CEO Jim Farley’s aim to increase EV battery production within the US.
The gist of Edelstein piece is that Farley wants to prevent a repeat of the recent computer chip shortage that left automakers struggling to obtain sufficient chips for EV production. Those chips were primarily sourced offshore, meaning US car makers had to wrestle with manufacturers throughout the world to obtain an adequate supply of necessary components.
Farley wants to stave off a similar battery shortage as electric vehicle production multiples around the globe. Edelstein quotes Farley as declaring “We can’t go through what we’re doing with chips right now in Taiwan. It’s [battery production] just too important.”
The article also points out that offshore battery manufacturing is typically “dirtier” then similar cell production in the US. China is particularly egregious in this regard, Edelstein reports the CO2 emissions from Chinese battery factories are “60% to 85% higher than in the Europe and the U.S.” Edelstein writes the Chinese producers are investing in methods to lower CO2 emissions, but emissions are expected to rise in the near term.
I think it makes great sense to build EV batteries in the US rather than import them. There was a clamor to reduce our dependance on foreign oil, why should the US become addicted to foreign battery cells? While reduced C02 emissions and more domestic jobs are worthy goals, it is foolhardy to transfer the countries’ best technology and intellectual property to offshore producers.
Farley’s demand for greater US battery production is farsighted and intelligent. I just hope the US listens to him.
You can find Eldelstein’s report here