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Google today officially released its March feature drop for Pixel phone users, arriving after the update was rumored to begin rolling out this month with a number of new features in tow. It also coincides with the release of the March 2020 security patch.
Right off the bat, all compatible Pixel phones are getting dark mode scheduling. This feature has been missing ever since Android 10 was released and dark mode became a thing on Google’s OS. It did make its way to the first beta of Android 11, but as it turns out, it won’t be an exclusive feature of the newer system. Dark mode scheduling works with both sunrise/sunset and custom timers.
The March feature drop is also introducing new emojis. According to Google, emoji on Pixel “now be a more customizable and inclusive thanks to the emoji 12.1 update, with 169 new emoji to represent a wider variation of gender and skin tones, as well as more couple combinations to better reflect the world around us.” Here’s a peek at an example of the new emojis.
Live Caption is also becoming more widely available. With the update, Pixel 2 owners will be able to take advantage of the feature which can show captions for any audio (besides music) playing out of your phone, regardless of whether your volume is turned up.
A pretty cool new feature in this update is the ability to access your Google Pay wallet right from the power menu. Now, on Pixel phones, you can long press the power button and get access to all of the cards you have stored on your device. Because of this, the standard power menu gets shifted down to the bottom of your phone. It’s a much quicker way to pay for something over having to sift through your app drawer looking for the Google Pay icon while standing at a register.
Adding a boarding pass to Google Pay is also much easier. Now, you can take a screenshot of your pass and have the option to add it to Google Pay right in the notification shade. This feature will gradually roll out to Pixel 3, 3a, and 4 users during the month of March.
There’s also a new automation feature called Rules. It doesn’t do much but it lets you tell your phone whether to turn on Bluetooth or switch to silent mode depending on your location.
Finally, as far as Pixel series-wide features go, the March feature drop includes new AR effects in Duo that change based on your facial expressions. They’re basically Animojis but a lot less technical.
Rounding things off, there are a number of Pixel 4 exclusive features thrown in the mix. There’s a new Motion Sense gesture that lets you play and pause music by dipping your hand over your phone (also once believed to be an Android 11-exclusive feature), availability of car crash detection in Australia and the UK, depth collection for selfies to improve Portrait Blur and to create 3D photos for Facebook, improved long press options in the Pixel Launcher, and an update for Adaptive brightness that temporarily increases screen brightness when in extremely bright environments like direct sunlight.
The new features should be rolling out to all Pixel phone owners now running Android 10. I’m still waiting for it to hit my Pixel 4 XL, but follow me on Twitter to find out when it does.
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DIDI is backed by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) innovation laboratory IDB Lab, which operates LACChain, and non-profit Bitcoin Argentina.
The project aims to improve the adoption of digital wallets and solutions such as ai di for digital identity. The project will be conducted in the province of Misiones, in the city of Mar del Plata. Misiones just approved a law that permits the use of blockchain technology in government management operations. So, the `Program of Digital Citizens` project will be the first implementation of its kind in Misiones. It has support from the LACChain blockchain.
According to Ledger Insights, in 2020 DIDI launched a mobile app, ai di, that enables users to store economic and civic credentials, as well as social data. The same year, DIDI piloted a project to help people without bank accounts to build their credit score in the Padre Carlos Mugica neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

domain: news


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Jet2.com will become the first UK airline to serve Nando’s food onboard when it starts selling two snack boxes this summer. Fliers loathe to...
Jet2.com will become the first UK airline to serve Nando’s food onboard when it starts selling two snack boxes this summer.
Fliers loathe to miss out on their peri-peri fix at 35,000ft can tuck into a Nando’s Box, which couples peri-peri drizzled hummus with salted pitta chips.
The other “flight bites” option is Nando’s Half-popped Corn, somewhere between popcorn and crunchy corn.
Anyone flying from today (13 May) can pick up the new options, with the box priced at £4 and the corn £1.50 a bag.
Selected boxes will also contain a voucher for a free Nando’s meal inside.
“The addition of these two fantastic snacking options give our customers even more great choice than ever, and mean that we are the first UK airline to offer Nando’s products on our inflight menu,” said Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.
“We have already made a number of exciting changes to our inflight menu this year, and we are sure this brand new menu will delight customers even more.”
Jet.com introduced its first ever vegan meal earlier this year, putting a pasta Arrabbiata on the menu. It has since added a vegan and gluten free ‘Gnaw’ chocolate bar; the Nando’s corn is vegan too.


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CLC Trenython Manor is delighted to announce it has been awarded the 2021 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award (formerly Certificate of Excellence).
The award recognises great traveller feedback, placing Trenython in the top 10% of hospitality businesses around the globe.
“Huge congratulations and thanks go to the Trenython team who have worked so hard during what has been a difficult year for the industry. This award is recognition of their dedication, hard work, and great customer service,” said Jamie Alexander, Resort Manager.
Tripadvisor recognise how challenging the past year has been for the tourism and hospitality industry:
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021 Travellers’ Choice Awards,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “I know the past year has been extremely challenging for tourism businesses. What has impressed me is how businesses adapted to these challenges, implementing new cleanliness measures, adding social distancing guidelines, and utilizing technology to prioritise guest safety. The Travellers’ Choice Awards highlight the places that are consistently excellent – delivering quality experiences time and time again even while navigating changing customer expectations and new ways of working. Based on a full year of reviews from customers, this award speaks to the great service and experience you provided guests in the midst of a pandemic.”
We would also like to thank our guests for taking the time to post their reviews, as without you this award would not be possible.


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Dec 27, 2013 ... 90% of American adults own a cell phone; 32% of American adults own an e- ...
67% of cell owners find themselves checking their phone for ...
May 21, 2014 ... As the information economy comes to shape itself around a sort of unquestioning
abidance by viral technologies, there's a trade-off for making ...
Jun 30, 2016 ... It's important that teens see and understand statistics on the use of cell phones in
cars. A teen using a cell phone while driving is 4 times more ...
Mobile devices are changing behavior. See how your cell phone usage
compares to the averages with this Infographic from Bank of America.
... 2013-2019. For 2017 the number of mobile phone users is forecast to reach
4.77 billion. ... to all statistics .... Study of Canadian cell phone recycling habits.
Jan 16, 2015 ... Much like other consumer products, cell phones have an array of statistics based
on usage, manufacturer, price, etc. Here's to some of the most ...
May 26, 2016 ... Mobile phone usage statistics, including time people spend looking at their
phone each day.
Texting and Driving Statistics - How badly does cell phone use affect drivers?
Accidents become 23 times more likely when driving distracted.
6 days ago ... The cell phone addiction is a growing concern in our time. iPhones, Androids,
and other smartphones have become a vital part of the modern ...
Feb 22, 2015 ... Most people would simply keep their cell phones in their hands and keep ... Such
statistics are quite surprising considering that people cannot ...


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Updated: Tuesday, March 30th, 2021 | 12:37 pm PST.
If you haven't heard by now here's the T. Artist Lil Nas X recently released a pair of custom Air Max 97's with New York base art collective MSCHF.
The roll out of the shoe seems to go with the release of his latest single "Montero", which came out Thursday night. In the video the artist is giving Satan a lap dance! (Watch Below)
Already the internet was triggered by this otherworldly video. Almost right after Lil Nas X put out pictures of his sneaker collaboration, which at first seemed to be a partnership with Nike.
The shoe is a Nike classic and is pretty obviously advertised as one. The modified sneakers, dubbed as "Satan Shoes", are tied to the aesthetic of his recent release. The sneakers released on March 29th at a price point of $1,018. The internet was in a frenzy about its release because of its devilish references.
The sneakers feature a pentagon charm, text reading "LUKE 10:18" — which reads "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven"— and a stamp showing the shoe's number in the collection. (e.g., 17/666) The shoes were going to be exclusively released through MSCHF and only 666 pairs were going to be made.
BUT WAIT IT GETS WORSE...
The shoes even contain a drop of real human blood, which a spokesperson for MSCHF told CNN was donated by members of their team.
MSCHF & Their Past...
This isn't the first time MSCHF have put a spin on a Nike sneaker, In 2019 MSCHF made another Air Max 97 with water inside the bubble soled shoes referencing Jesus Christ. The sneakers also had a crucifix.
In an emailed statement to CNN, Nike said it was not involved in creating the modified sneakers.
"We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas or MSCHF," the company said. "Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them."


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Recharging your MacBook or iPhone may soon take mere seconds if a new fuel cell patent by Apple sees implementation. The new patent describes a liquid or compressed hydrogen fuel system that would allow quick recharging of devices by merely replacing an empty cartridge with a filled one.
British firm Intelligent Energy had previously announced a prototype iPhone 6 using their design that incorporates a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, which was capable of powering the device for one week. The prototype was created without alteration to the phone’s form or function, but vents were added to the case’s rear in order to allow water vapor to escape, a byproduct of hydrogen fuel cells. Whether or not water vapor would have any adverse effect on the device’s performance was not specified.
The technology could use a variety of vehicles for hydrogen, from lithium hydride to sodium borohydride, which could be combined with water or used in their pure forms. A device with this function could potentially run for weeks, given sufficient fuel. There may also be no need for a battery at all, which could be replaced with a capacitor that would supply power during the switching of fuel cartridges.
The mere mention of a new patent acquisition by a technology giant such as Apple does not necessarily mean big changes are coming to device design, however. These patents are also a strategy of maintaining competitive advantage by using the technology in house, or preventing competitors from doing the same. The company has filed numerous patents concerning fuel cell technology in recent years.
The patent announcement does come following recent news from Tsinghua University of Beijing and MIT, where researchers have discovered a method to quadruple the life cycle of current batteries using a new anode design. This discovery will definitely see implementation, because it does not change the fundamental interface between a device and its battery.


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Seven members of staff have been made redundant after a specialist sports shop in Beeston ceased trading.
Accountant RSM has been appointed to assist the director of Total Fitness Nottingham, with a view to placing the company into liquidation.
A spokesman for RSM said: "Specialist triathlon retailer Total Fitness Nottingham (“TFN”) in Wollaton Road ceased to trade on October 31, 2017.
"As a result, the company had little choice but to make seven staff redundant – all of whom were paid up until that date.
"Insolvency practitioners from RSM are now assisting the director of the company with a view to placing the company into liquidation.
"They have contacted creditors in order to establish ownership of the stock before a likely sale in due course.
"Interested parties and creditors are invited to contact Nick Robinson on 0115 964 4517."


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Chargebee, a recurring billing platform for subscription-based SaaS and e-commerce businesses, announced on Wednesday it raised $14 million through its Series D funding round, which was led by Steadview Capital. The new investment brings the total funds raised to date to $38.2 million, including last year’s $18 million through the company’s Series C funding round.
As previously reported, Chargebee integrates with payment gateways such as Stripe, Braintree, PayPal to allow customers to automate recurring payment connections along with invoicing, taxes, accounting, email notifications, SaaS Metrics, and customer management. Krish Subramanian, Co-Founder and CEO of Chargebee, stated:
“Enterprises and rising startups recognize the value of subscription businesses. Unlike transactional revenue models, subscriptions require companies to evaluate longer-term metrics and redefine KPIs for success.”
Speaking about the investment,Ravi Mehta, Founder and Managing Director of Steadview, commented:
“High-growth subscription businesses need the right kind of infrastructure that enables a rapid scale. Over the next few years, we believe robust subscription management platforms will become an essential layer in business tech stacks. We are very excited to partner with Chargebee in this space.”
The funds from Series D will be used for continuous growth and development of the Chargebee platform.


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AT&T (NYSE:T) has grown revenue each year since 2009, but at a relatively slow rate of only 1.7% per year. When AT&T reported first quarter earnings back in April, it once again reported relatively small earnings increases. AT&T had first quarter earnings per share of $0.60, which was a 5.2% increase from earnings per share of $0.57 in the first quarter of 2011. First quarter revenues were $31.8 billion, which was a 1.9% increase from revenues of $31.2 billion in the first quarter of 2011. First quarter net income was $3.58 billion, which was a 5.3% increase from net income of $3.4 billion in the first quarter of 2011. AT&T's first quarter earnings highlights included a 19.9% increase in wireless data revenues, a 19% increase in its strategic business services and a 38.2% increase in its consumer U-verse revenues. But, with these increases, how much control does AT&T have in the telecom market? And how does it compare against Verizon (NYSE:VZ) in terms of investment opportunity? Let's find out.
Have AT&T and Verizon Become a Duopoly?
AT&T currently has 100.7 million wireless subscribers, and despite its strong first quarter performance, it still lags behind Verizon, which has 108.7 million wireless subscribers. Many of the analysts that have followed the wireless communication business refer to the combination of AT&T and Verizon as a duopoly. It is their perception that AT&T and Verizon pretty much control the wireless communications services market. After all, Verizon controls 33.7% of the market and AT&T controls 31.2% of the market. Together, the companies control 64.9% of the U.S. telecommunications market, and an even greater percentage of its prices, services and products.
If AT&T and Verizon are truly a duopoly, they could control mobile communication price rates, and make huge profits. The Department of Justice has taken note of the duopoly theories, and in 2011 it sued to block the purchase of T-Mobile by AT&T. T-Mobile controlled 10.4% of the U.S. market and the Department of Justice argued that the deal would result in diminished competition and higher prices in the U.S. telecommunications market. The Department of Justice is now "reviewing Verizon's proposal to acquire $3.6 billion in additional spectrum from cable companies that would increase their control of and capacity for U.S. smartphone data traffic".
Shared Data Pricing Plans
In a new development that has raised eyebrows, and which seems to reinforce the duopoly theory, Verizon recently announced a new pricing plan that it calls the "Share Everything" pricing plan. The new plan is pushing customers to purchase plans that will connect all of their non-phone devices like tablets and PC's to the Verizon network.
The new pricing plans, which could result in higher prices for many subscribers, start at $90 per month for a smartphone and increase according to the number of additional devices that the subscriber connects. I mention the Verizon pricing plan because AT&T has already announced that it would probably introduce shared data plans as well. The shared data plans could work to increase AT&T's relatively flat revenues, while squeezing out weaker competitors like Sprint-Nextel (NYSE:S) and T-Mobile. Some people might not like that AT&T and Verizon seem to be moving in unison, but I believe that AT&T will adopt a shared data pricing plan by the end of this year.
Positives for AT&T moving forward
AT&T has made it known that it will almost certainly adopt a shared data plan by the end of 2012. It appears that the shared data pricing concept will help the larger wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon to further establish themselves as the leaders in the wireless communication industry. If AT&T adopts a shared data plan, it will be able to increase prices and grow revenues. Since the company can initiate a shared data plan with its current infrastructure, it should also be able to increase its margins and profitability.
Despite the fact that AT&T had to give up on its plan to purchase T-Mobile, it is still the nation's second largest wireless communications company. As the nation's second largest wireless communication company, it is in a position to influence prices and services throughout the industry. Since December 19th, when news got out that AT&T had dropped its bid to purchase T-Mobile, the stock price has increased by 27.5%.
AT&T added 726,000 new wireless subscribers and 460,000 new subscribers for (tablet, tethering plans, etc.) "to reach a total of 5.8 million, up almost 70% versus a year ago."
"Total AT&T U-verse subscribers (TV and High Speed Internet) reached 6.2 million in the first quarter. AT&T U-verse TV added 200,000 subscribers to reach 4.0 million in service."
AT&T's first-quarter wireless operating income margin increased from 25.8% in 2011 to 27.2% in 2012.
Back in April, AT&T began selling the Nokia (NYSE:NOK) Lumia smartphone. Sales of the Lumia smartphone exceeded expectations, and the company plans to spend $150 million on the marketing of the Lumia 900, which is more than it spent to market the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone. AT&T hopes that the Lumia which features the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) 7.5 Windows operating system, will help it to compete with Verizon.
Negatives for AT&T moving forward
In December of 2011, AT&T announced that it will no longer pursue its $39 billion bid to buy T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom (OTCQX:DTEGY). AT&T needed to purchase T-Mobile so that it could use T-Mobiles wireless spectrum to increase its 4G LTE wireless network. AT&T's still needs to increase its 4G LTE network so that it can compete with Verizon which has the nation's largest 4G LTE network.
AT&T could face a loss in market share if Verizon's newly announced "Share Everything" pricing plan is successful.
AT&T and Verizon are in a fierce competition to be this nation's number one mobile communications carrier. Unfortunately for AT&T, Verizon seems to have the upper hand. Verizon will be first to initiate a shared data pricing plan, and in the first quarter Verizon increased its revenues by 4.8% compared to AT&T, which increased first quarter revenues by 1.9%. Verizon grew its first quarter earnings per share by 15% compared to AT&T, which grew first quarter earnings per share by 5.2%. As a result of Verizon's higher level of performance, its 52 week stock price also outperformed AT&T, and increased by 22.1% compared to AT&T, whose stock price increased by 15.6%. I believe that Verizon is the better investment, and will outperform AT&T over the next 52 weeks.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.


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‘Our Cattle May Starve Due to Lockdown,’ Rue Aarey’s Dairy Farmers
“Other businesses can lock up factories, we can’t stop feeding our animals,” Aarey dairy farm owners raise concerns.
In Mumbai’s Aarey milk colony, more than 17,000 cattle may starve amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown as it affects transportation and factories producing and delivering cattle feed. Since it is difficult to replenish stock, all 30 units of dairy farmers in Aarey, comprising 365 dairy farmers, are forced to reply on each other to feed their animals.
Dairy farm owner Rahil Salim Nandolia has 250 cattle and barely enough cattle feed to last a week.
“Cattle feed is brought in from deeper Maharashtra and Gujarat. Since there’s been a lockdown at the border, there’s been no movement. Our cattle feed is not reaching us. We mix four to five different kinds of cattle feed for our buffaloes but the ratio is being disturbed now. As a result of this, we are not able to provide proper nutrition to our cattle and as a result, this is affecting the milking yield.”Rahil Nandolia, dairy farm owner
Stocking up on cattle feed, which includes grass and grains, for more than 10 days is not an option due to the chances of insect infestation. Also, the suddenness of the lockdown left dairy farmers unable to anticipate the impact it would have on the fodder.
Dairy farmer Sunil Mishra has no grains or grass left to feed his animals. With each animal consuming at least 18-20 kilograms of food, he is forced to beg and borrow from his fellow dairy farm owners.
“Each one has a certain amount of cattle feed stocked, some have 10 days’ worth of food, some five, some two days’ and some have no food. Those who don’t have any cattle feed are asking their neighbours for help. Because we are all in the same business, we are trying to help each other today and are left to worry about tomorrow,” says Mishra, pointing out milk production has decreased due to rationing cattle feed.
Rising Cost Due to Logistical Woes
Cattle feed is usually brought to Mumbai from the interior districts of Maharashtra, including areas like Satara, Sangli, Pune and also from states like Gujarat, Karnataka and Telangana. Dairy farmers claim that due to hurdles faced at check-points while transporting the stock, transporters now seek double the amount to cover return charges as well.
“The transporter says that they don’t get the return fare, thus the transportation charges double, they include return charges. The factories say that they won’t get any raw material, and they can now sell only the leftover materials.”Firoz Patel, President, Aarey Milk Producers’ Association
Sunil Mishra, who earlier paid Rs 15,000 to the transport company that delivered cattle feed to his doorstep in Aarey colony, says he paid Rs 35,000 for the same now.
Factories manufacturing fodder have also allegedly run out of raw materials, driving a spike in cost. Cotton seed cake for instance, cost Rs 20 per kg earlier and has now shot up to Rs. 26-27 per kg as manufacturing units anticipate supplies running out in the near future.
“We can only get food if it is manufactured but that’s not happening as all factories are closed right now. All the mills are closed and the labourers are going home. The business owners are saying that we will provide (cattle feed) till we have stock. It all depends on how much they have manufactured.”Indrajeet Singh, dairy farm owner
Mass departure of migrant labourers has reduced the manpower at each dairy farm by about 30 to 40 percent, affecting milking and feeding cows.
Wholesale Milk Prices Slashed
With most restaurants, shops selling sweets, and ice-cream parlours shut as they don’t meet the essential services criteria, the demand for milk has reduced drastically. This has affected the selling price quoted by dairy farm owners. Prices have almost halved overnight.
“Our main customers were sweet shops, restaurants and paneer shops. Since restaurants are shut right now, they don’t need milk for paneer, sweets. 60 percent of our milk was used for these purposes. Only 40 percent of it was local customers. Because of this, our rates have been slashed. Our official rate is Rs 68.50 but now people are buying our milk for Rs 35-40. People are taking advantage of our condition.”Sunil Mishra, dairy farm owner
At this point, dairy farmers are worried that their business and animals may not survive unless the government announces certain measures to protect the sector.
“Loss is secondary because we have faced and have to face a lot of losses but more importantly, somehow we have to save this business and we need to feed the cattle. Other manufacturers can lock up their factories, but we can’t stop feeding the animals, we need to feed them two times a day and we are more worried about their food than ours,” said Indrajeet Singh.
25 percent of the milk supplied in Mumbai is sourced from Aarey milk colony. On an average, a dairy farmer in Aarey owns about 50 cattle. While buffaloes cost approximately Rs 1 lakh, cows cost anywhere between Rs 75,000-80,000. If the lockdown continues, each dairy farm owner stands to lose approximately Rs 5 lakh each month on average.
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Many people are done carrying cash because of how easy it is to send money from our smartphones. Payment apps such as Venmo, Zelle and Paypal are commonplace, and some of these peer-to-peer networks are even being used by businesses or service providers.
"It really was designed for payment between two trusted parties," said Scott Arendsen who works at The Parlor in Encinitas. "You know, friends, family, but not as a means of business payment."
But now businesses are using these apps, and the IRS is paying closer attention to making sure that income is reported.
"More and more people were starting to use these third-party pay apps," said Ena Askia-Reese, a tax preparer at Liberty Tax. "They can't keep track of it."
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Askia-Reese said there are no new taxes being added, but the IRS is making sure income from those apps is treated just like income from anywhere else.
"Before it was more of the honor system," said Askia-Reese. "That's how taxes started in our country."
Starting this tax year, the apps are making it easier for the IRS to track payments that should be reported as income. Some are now offering business accounts, and will send people who have more than $600 this year in transactions a 1099-K.
Arendsen says he understands the idea people might have to try and avoid paying taxes on payments made on these apps, but doesn't think it's a good business strategy.
"The appearance of having your clients issue you a payment under the guise of something else isn't a good practice," said Arendsen.
However, these requirements only apply to people using payment apps to receive income. Paying friends and family for dinner or the ride that you shared doesn't count.
On apps like Venmo, you are given the option of selecting if the money you are sending is a purchase for goods or services. If it is, you get some customer protection as well.
"People just need to be careful when they're making the choice on what they're paying for," said Askia- Reese. "When marking if it's a friend or if it's a business."


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The high cost of prescription drugs for the uninsured took center stage Thursday afternoon outside a Buffalo pharmacy.
A public interest lobbying group urged state lawmakers to establish an agency to buy medicine in bulk for individuals who lack prescription drug plans.
"We've found that the uninsured pay over 60 percent more than those with insurance," said Josh Turner, project coordinator of the New York Public Interest Research Group at Buffalo State College.
A state agency that could to bargain with drug companies and buy prescription drugs in bulk would incorporate the strategy that governments and health insurance companies use for their workers and subscribers, Turner said.
"Fourteen other states and industrialized countries like Canada and Australia do this," Turner said. "We owe it to ourselves."
As for traveling across the border to Canada to buy cheaper medicine, Turner said area residents, particularly senior citizens, should not have to go to that much trouble to save money.
To support the argument that bulk buying is needed, Turner said he and his associates surveyed 17 area pharmacies and came up with numerous discrepancies and "exorbitant prices."
At one Black Rock pharmacy, 30 tablets of Singulair cost $115, while at a North Buffalo pharmacy the same prescription cost $93.69.
"The average consumer doesn't have time to go around to local drug stores and compare prices," said Mary Carney, the former regional director of NYPIRG. "The prices are arbitrarily set."
The news conference in front of the CVS Pharmacy at Elmwood Avenue and Amherst Street was one of 15 held statewide to highlight a study on the high cost of prescription drugs for the poor.
NYPIRG and several other consumer groups developed the report by comparing prices paid by the uninsured and those with prescription plans.
The goal now, Turner said, is to persuade the State Legislature to establish bulk purchasing for the uninsured.
Part of the study also found that many pharmacies throughout the state do not comply with a law to provide consumers, upon request, with a price list for the 150 most popular prescription drugs.
But in Western New York that was not the case, Turner said. Most drug stores complied by providing the list and posting of signs stating such a list was available.
Tammie Lee Demler of Wheatfield, president of the Pharmacists Association of Western New York, said Thursday evening that a bulk drug purchasing bill already has come before the Legislature in Albany, but pharmacists opposed it because it offered them no say in how much compensation they would be allowed.
"We're always trying to find creative ways to reduce costs and maintain safety," she said, "but if we don't provide for reimbursement for the pharmacies, the pharmacies will close."
She added that the measure also did not cover "the 80 percent cost of the ingredients, which we see as the biggest problem."
In Albany, meanwhile, NYPIRG, the Center for Medical Consumers and the New York Statewide Senior Action Council announced that consumers can compare drug prices from 248 pharmacies across the state on the NYPIRG Web site -- www.nypirg.org.
State Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer also offers comparisons of prices in every county on 25 of the most common drugs on his Web site -- www.NYAGRx.org.
News Staff Reporter Dale Anderson and Associated Press reports contributed to this article.


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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has focused on Groupon in recent weeks over the deals Groupon offers for circuses and other animal-centric attractions.
According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, PETA activists protested outside the doors of the Dana Hotel, where Groupon (Nasdaq: GRPN) held its annual shareholders meeting. Groupon has said its policy requires two years’ worth of animal welfare records before featuring animal-centric businesses on its site, but PETA argues that the company violates its own policy on a consistent basis, the report said.
Inside the shareholders meeting, there was some acknowledgement of the outside pressure. The Tribune noted that at least one shareholder representative, Justin Danhof of the National Center for Public Policy Research, urged Groupon not to give in to PETA’s demands. Medill Reports later spoke to Danhof, who said it’s his position that Groupon ought follow market demands for its offers, as it did in canceling gun deals after the Sandy Hook School shootings, only to resume offering them after some time had passed.
Last month, PETA bought shares of Groupon in an attempt to gain access to the shareholders meeting, but they weren’t allowed in because they made the purchase after a March 31 deadline. At the time, as NBC Chicago reported, PETA said it would have a presence at the 2014 meeting, and it plans to attend the 2015 meeting should Groupon continue with the deals the organization finds objectionable.


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Jim Green wanted his prospective business partners to know he wasn’t all that concerned with where they cut down the tropical hardwood that would eventually become veneer siding on homes across the United States.
“I’m not worried that you’re stealing from a national park. I don’t care,” he said during a 2017 meeting. What mattered to Green was that he had paperwork — even if bribery or graft was involved — indicating that everything was above board.
As it turns out, Green, a Eugene businessman and hardwood importer, wasn't talking with potential business collaborators; he was revealing his secrets to an environmental watchdog group's undercover investigators, who were surreptitiously recording him on video.
Those video recordings, along with other investigative materials, have been shared with federal officials, who are conducting an investigation of possible illegalities involving west Central African rainforest poaching, black market trading, and the roles played by Northwest businesses.
On Monday, the watchdog group behind the undercover operation, Environmental Investigation Agency, released that video and the rest of its findings to the public.
Among its allegations: Timber harvested illegally from African rainforests is being sold in the U.S. through Pacific Northwest companies and others are doing the same thing to get hardwood to customers throughout Europe.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a nongovernmental organization based in Washington, D.C., spent four years investigating logging in the Republic of Congo and Gabon. The region is home to one of the world’s largest rainforests, which provides habitat for endangered species such as forest elephants and gorillas.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed to OPB on March 16 that it had launched an investigation into the illegal import of tropical hardwood and the involvement of Northwest companies in moving it through a supply chain to retailers and customers throughout the United States.
Undercover investigators and trade data analysts from the EIA say they have found forest lands obtained illegally, routine overharvesting, bribery and other illicit activity in the supply chain of timber known as okoume. That okoume, used in plywoods and veneer siding, has been sold domestically by Evergreen Hardwoods — an importer based in Mercer Island, Washington — and Oregon’s Roseburg Forest Products.
“We’re talking about systemic illegal logging of the forest that has been developed in a way that is undermining governance in the region, and has been occurring over a greater than 10-year period,” said Lisa Handy, director of forest campaigns for the EIA.
At the center of the report is a collection of companies known as the Dejia Group, which according to the EIA controls an area of 3.7 million acres — 10 times the size of Washington's Olympic National Park — inside the Congo basin. It harvests a variety of species and exports primarily to China. It also sends wood to France, Spain and Belgium.
The United States accounts for about 3 percent of its business, but EIA’s report states approximately $22 million worth of that illegal timber found its way into the U.S., primarily through Evergreen Hardwoods and a related company called Cornerstone Forest Products. Jim Green, who lives in Eugene, is the owner of Cornerstone and a former part-owner of Evergreen, where he still works as supply manager.
EIA investigators posed as timber suppliers and captured undercover video during a meeting with Green.
Green declined to comment until he had seen EIA’s undercover video of a meeting with him, which was released at 12:01 a.m. Monday. He declined to answer questions sent more than a week ago Friday via email.
“FYI, I have not been to Africa in 15 years and have never visited Republic of Congo,” he said via email to OPB.
At one point on the tape, which was made available in advance for OPB to review, Green and EIA investigators discuss required paperwork under the Lacey Act, a U.S. law preventing trade in illegal plants and wildlife, at which point Green states on the tape that he doesn't care if the timber was stolen from national parkland, where logging is forbidden.
“I just need to have documentation in case somebody accuses me and wants to look,” he says.
Green also states on the tape that he understands graft and bribery are part of doing business in the Congo basin. Green also states on the tape that, while he believes illegal timber harvesting does occur, it’s not the norm and “everyone’s doing, I think, reasonably a pretty good job at doing everything correctly and legally.”
Cornerstone and Evergreen sold okoume to Oregon's Roseburg Forest Products for use in a popular veneer siding, found in stores such as Menard's and, until 2017, Home Depot.
“All these illegal practices and deforestation of the Congo is actually being sold to consumers in the U.S. who probably feel pretty good about the product that they’re buying,” Handy said.
While the EIA report focuses on the roles played by the Dejia Group and Evergreen Hardwoods, it also examined Oregon-based manufacturer Roseburg Forest Products and its role in the supply chain, which ended with millions of U.S. consumers who "unwittingly supported the perpetuation of high-level corruption, illegal logging and massive tax evasion."
The report said this has only been made possible because of the "negligent role of the manufacturer and the complicity of the American importer."
Roseburg Forest Products said in a statement that the company was unaware of any potential issues with its veneer until federal investigators phoned the company March 11.
Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has opened an investigation into imports of okoume veneer. EIA said it has provided law enforcement its information.
“Roseburg will closely monitor the investigation and determine any impact on its overall procurement relationships with Cornerstone and Evergreen as this matter develops,” the company's statement read.
Roseburg Forest Products spokesperson Rebecca Taylor said that, after the government investigation was brought to its attention, the company was “not sourcing okoume from any supplier,” and that it suspended its business relationship with both Evergreen and Cornerstone.
The company said last week on its website that it was a "cooperating witness" in the investigation. Homeland Security Investigations has not confirmed this. Asked whether Roseburg Forest Products' characterization of its status as a witness and "not the subject of the investigation" was accurate, Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson Tanya Roman said in an email Sunday: "This is an ongoing investigation and I'm unable to comment further at the time."
Roseburg Forest Products said its internal and third-party audits showed no indications of illegal activity in its supply chain. Late Monday afternoon it issued a statement saying it had reviewed the EIA report issued that day and that it "fully supports the current investigation into allegations of illegal timber imports" while also denying "any knowledge of or complicity with" the alleged actions of its former okoume hardwood suppliers Cornerstone and Evergreen.


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Oregon - Nike says its second quarter net income fell 18% as the European economy remained weak and growth slowed in China. But the results topped Wall Street expectations and Nike's stock rose more than 4% in aftermarket trading.
The world's largest athletic gear maker says net income for the three months ended Nov 30, fell to $384m, or $1.14 per share. That compares with $469m, or $1.03 per share, last year when it had about 3% more shares outstanding.
Revenue rose 7% to $5.96bn.
Analysts expected $1 per share on revenue of $6.01bn.
Higher selling prices and easing raw material costs were offset by higher labour costs and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Futures orders rose 6%.
Follow Fin24 on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.


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, a smallish rental agency on the West Coast that rents nothing but
, is doing quite well for itself. EV Rental has 425
hybrids and the cars
are rented out 90 percent of the time (compared with 80 to 85 percent for most rental agencies). EV Rental can also charge about $10 more a day than other agencies' comparable non-hybrid vehicles. The company turned a profit last year, and the EV Rental CEO told the
Wall Street Journal
that this year should be even better. The Journal writes that while things are looking rosy now, the future is uncertain. Gas prices could go down, the paper says (we say, "Huh?") or the larger rental agencies could invest in hybrids when more are available from the automakers. For now, the larger agencies don't see many hybrids in their fleets' futures.
[Source: The Wall Street Journal via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]


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Recently, some leaker on Weibo said that Huawei is about to release the new MateBook X and X Pro, up to the 11th generation Core + MX 450. In addition, Huawei MateBook 13 and 14 will also upgrade their processors.
Now once again we got news related to the Huawei MateBook’s new product confirming that Huawei will hold a new product communication meeting in Beijing on January 13, and it is expected to update the 2021 version of MateBook X and X Pro and other MateBook models.
Also, Huawei expects that in addition to hardware upgrades it will also launch a series of software updates, such as the PC version of the Huawei App Store.
Back in September last year, Twitter user @_rogame had found information about the new MateBook X in User benchmark, equipped with Intel’s latest i7-1160G7 processor.
The i7-1160G7 is an 11-generation Core with 7W-15W power consumption, 4 cores and 8 threads, and a turbo frequency of up to 4.4GHz. It will have a significant improvement in power consumption and performance over the 14nm i7-10510U.
Related: Honor global releases 2021 MagicBook Pro powered by 10th generation Core and MX 350
Join Huawei Update (Social Links) – Facebook, Twitter & Telegram


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19th June 2017
To, All Members,
IATO this Fortnight – 5th to 17th June 2017
- GST issues were in focus last fortnight and IATO invited senior officials of the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC), Mr. Pramod Kumar, Mr. G.D. Lohani, both Commissioners (CBEC), Mr. Sachin Jain, Additional Commissioner, CBEC and Ms. Aarti Saxena, Dy. Secretary, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India at the IATO interactive meeting on 14th June 2017 at The Ashok Hotel. It was an opportunity for the members to interact directly and raise their queries and get clarifications. After the meeting, IATO had sent its recommendations to the Government and have requested for following:-
1) Applicability 5% GST on Tour Operators should only be on Value Additions
2) There should be no GST on services provided by Tour Operators to Tour Operator to avoid double/multiple taxation
3) GST should not be applicable on Outbound Tourism on services provided outside India except for air ticket, transport and
insurance which are provided in India.
4) There should be no GST applicable on foreign exchange earning earned by the tour operators
- After meeting with officials of CBEC, IATO felicitated Mrs. Rashmi Verma, new Secretary Tourism and Mr. Vinod Zutshi, former Secretary Tourism, Govt. of India. Mr. Suman Billa, Joint Secretary and Mrs. Meenakshi Sharma, Additional Director General (Tourism) were also present. Secretary Tourism informed that in the Ministry also a GST cell has been created which will look into problems of tourism industry. Our above recommendations have been sent to GST Cell in Ministry of Tourism also.
- IATO had written to Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance to reconsider the 28% Tax put on hotels above Rs 5000/- and how this is going to have negative impact in tourism business operations. We understand from FAITH who had been representing all associations in meetings with GST council members, concerned Ministries and attended GST council meeting, the rate of Rs 5000/- and above on which GST @ 28% was applicable, has now been revised and for the room rates between Rs 2500/- to Rs 7500/- GST will be charged @ 18% GST. Similarly, the rates on AC restaurants in 5 Star hotels has been brought down to 18% from 28%. We must thanks to our Tourism Secretary Ms. Mrs. Rashmi Verma and Joint Secretary Mr. Suman Billa who strongly pleaded our cause positively. (Official information from the government will follow).
- IATO also organized a training programme at Ethiopian Cultural Centre on 9th June and on popular demand the topic was kept GST implications. There were 50 participants in the training programme. More training programme will be organized in due course.
- EC members attended two important meetings in the Ministry of Tourism (related to Niche Tourism, Golfing in India and Golfing events to be sponsored by the MOT) and Media Publicity (Domestic Campaigns).
- President, Mr. Pronab Sarkar, IATO was one of the invited speakers at the Odisha Tourism Conclave held on 17th June 2017 at the temple city of Bhubaneswar and addressed the delegates on the subject tourism the driving force of Odisha economy in the coming years. Earlier on the day President called on Hon’ble Governor of Odisha alongwith our Regional Chapter Chairman Mr. J.K. Mohanty, who held a special meeting to discuss the ways and means to boost tourism and place Odisha in global tourist market.
- Mr. Rajiv Mehra, Vice President, IATO attended the global Employment skill partnership programme called by the MP Government on 1st June, 2017 in Bhopal. The objective of the conference was to identify the requirement of the stake holders and Government intends to impart the skills to the youths in the state in accordance with the needs of the employers. Mr. Mehra focused his talk on the future employment opportunities in tourism and Hospitality sector.
- Executive Director represented IATO in the National Skill Development Council meeting on Hospitality and Tourism Services at Mahindra Tourism, Bhikaji Cama Place on 5th June, 2017.
Shall keep you update with the development on GST


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Competition: EU and India reinforce cooperation on competition policy at second EU-India Competition Week in New Delhi
The importance of strengthening cooperation and partnership between the EU and India was highlighted in the Joint Communication: Elements for an EU strategy on India, adopted on 20 November 2018. As evidence of this deepening partnership, officials and experts from the EU and India will meet in New Delhi from 9 to 11 December to advance cooperation and exchange practical experiences on case handling and enforcement in competition policy. The technical discussions will touch upon a wide range of topics, including digital economy, big data, mergers, leniency and settlements. This second EU-India Competition Week follows the inaugural Competition Week organised in 2018 and builds on the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of competition law signed between DG Competition and the Competition Commission of India on 21 November 2013. The EU-India Competition Week is part of the Competition Cooperation project, a 5-year EU-funded programme offering technical cooperation to competition authorities in Asia. The objective is to exchange experiences and strengthen convergence in competition policy to the benefit of citizens and businesses in both the EU and Asia. More information about the European Commission’s bilateral dialogue with India in the field of competition policy is available on the Commission’s website.


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Hot start-ups in the coming year will likely be thinking outside of Silicon Valley. It's not that technology and software are on their ways out; rather, a softly stabilizing economy has heightened consumer confidence and opened up growth in areas such as brick-and-mortar retail, boutique consulting firms, and education companies, industry data from three private research firms show.
Analyzing and comparing data from firms Sageworks, IBISWorld, and AnythingResearch.com on employment, profit growth, anticipated industry growth and a host of other factors, Inc.com has pinpointed 17 industries that are not only growing, but are also ripe for new companies. That's due to factors favorable to start-ups, such as low-to-moderate industry competition and saturation, employment growth, and attainable average company size. You can see the complete methodology for information on the research firms consulted for data compiled to create this list, as well as other sources consulted.
After years of growing unemployment, Americans are not only going back to school—trade schools and language schools both made the list—but also looking for, and finding, work. Employment and recruiting agencies show promising growth. The housing bubble burst, and people stalled on major purchases, but today, both real estate appraisal and automobile retailing are picking back up. But in a post-banking crisis world, consumers are giving great care to their savings, as illuminated by the fast rate of growth predicted for financial planning services.
Some of the industries missing from this year's list also serve as strong economic indicators: consider repossession services (this past year down 8 percent, according to AnythingResearch.com), as well as self-storage, and foreclosure services, which both grew last year, but neither of which can expect significant industry growth in the near future. Goodbye, recession. But others that did make the list illuminate both growing consumer confidence and a reluctance to return to spending habits of the pre-slump decade.
Take, for instance, two surprise newcombers on our list: the beauty industry and clothing accessory stores. According to AnythingResearch.com, the cosmetology and barber schools (that educate salon-entrepreneur-hopefuls) grew at 29 percent last year, and nail salons grew at 9 percent. Inc.com's reporting shows an industry with a low barrier to entry for salons and barber shops. Pair that with a recent resurgence in barbershop nostalgia—and with a return to beauty-service spending by consumers—and it's a perfect storm for rapid growth in the salon and beauty industry. Bring on the beauty start-ups. Not so disconnected from the growth in personal pampering is clothing accessory stores, which show a 9 percent year-over-year growth rate, according to AnythingResearch.com. That's due to the allure of affordable luxury for shoppers.
Economic indicators, to be sure. Two additional industries on Inc.com's list show even families are spending more freely. They're moving past the staycation, but appear more eager to choose the nearby great outdoors over more elaborate—and expensive—travel plans. That's as evidenced by the growth in industries such as historical site management and tourism (which grew at a rate of 16 percent), and recreational good rental (10 percent).
Education companies continue to be poised in a strong and growing field. Whereas testing and tutorial companies made the list last year, this year language education is primed for strong growth, as experts attribute it to an increasingly diverse U.S. population and a highly globalized business atmosphere.
Technical and trade schools are particularly strong (with a 15 percent increase in sales), as the unemployed or underemployed seek additional skills, even as employment numbers slowly improve. Similar forces—including the increased ability of companies to hire—that seem to be driving anticipated growth in employment and recruiting agencies, which are predicted to grow 5.5 percent annually. Also tied to job growth in general, experts say, is coming growth in boutique consulting firms, and, particularly, in services provided by financial planners and public relations agencies or sole-practitioner companies.
Gary McCormick, chair of the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America, says the industry's recent stagnancy was due to other companies that use public relations firms or independent contractors cutting back on advertising, marketing, and publicity-related expenses. Upcoming growth is due to social media's necessitating growth in marketing and public relations budgets, he says.
A strong industry that makes the list for the second year in a row, environmental consulting, is a broad field with a moderate barrier to entry, but super-strong growth. As energy use, environmentalism, and saving money are all front-and-center issues for both businesses and families, the industry is expected to grow an astounding 16 percent each year through 2016.
"We had a little bit of a lull with the economic conditions that we experienced with the recession," says Jeff Kishel, senior vice president of Stantec, an engineering and design firm. "Demand for certain services dropped off for a while, but demand is picking up and we believe it represents a growth opportunity for us both short-term and long-term."
But can you break in?
"There are lots of different ways to be successful," Kishel says. "This is a broad multi-disciplinary field that goes from the beginning of a project's life cycle to the end: planning and regulations, production and operation, and finally, cleaning up the mess."
And consumer-facing goods are going green as well. As grocery shoppers become hungrier for organic foods, even the snack aisle is thriving by picking up that labeling. And parents are not just treating their kids to organic snacks, but also to eco-friendly toys and clothing.
Or, you can swing the other way, and take advantage of Detroit's resurgence. For the first time in years, growth is predicted in many of the manufacturing industries that support the auto industry. Car sales are recovering—and could face a big boost due to a simple fact: people are sick of driving their beaters. "Thorugh the downturn, we saw severe declines as consumers were just putting off large purchase decisions as they hunkered down to weather the storm." said Will Boland, a senior analyst at research firm Sageworks. "Even though 2010 wasn't a great year economically, but there was large pent-up demand in the auto market due to consumers riding out their old vehicles."
How big's the demand? Boland himself is starting a business helping drivers sell their used cars.
Ready to start something? Check out the entire 2011 list of Best Industries to Start a Business.
—Additional reporting by Gabrielle Blue, Tim Donnelly, and Drew Gannon.


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YouTube is celebrating fashion and music created by black British people with a pop-up at Westfield London that will feature a fashion show and live entertainment.Focusing on the best up and coming black music artists and black owned fashion labels, The Legacy Series pop-up shop gives you the chance to explore the trends and buy the looks featured in YouTube’s The Legacy Series music videos, which have been shot across Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City and are launching throughout December.
The “Legacy Series pop-up” The pop-up shops will be available at Westfield London on Level 1. Opening times will be between 12-8pm on Friday and Saturday and 12-6pm on Sunday every weekend until the 20th December.
Fashion brands in-store include:
On 17 December a virtual live-streamed event will be hosted by presenter and DJ Henrie Kwushue and showcase the designers and their collections. The stream will be available to watch live on the GUAP YouTube channel.


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- Roblox keeps its promise 😇
Roblox keeps its promise 😇
The people have been heard.
It's Tuesday and thanks to TikTok’s latest test feature, your FYP could soon be loaded up with more gadgets and gizmos than a late-night inforercial.
Roblox creators will soon earn 100% of revenue from in-game item sales
Roblox is making good on one of its biggest promises to creators.
The background: Over the last few years, Roblox has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to creators who make and sell assets like in-game avatars, accessories, and plugins through its Creator Marketplace. The catch: Roblox has historically claimed a 30% cut of each sale. Now, that monetization system is about to change.
The official announcement: Back in 2023, Roblox announced that it would be eliminating its 30% cut—meaning creators would “keep 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of your assets” (minus sales tax and processing fees).
Upcoming changes: To implement that new system, Roblox will transform the Creator Marketplace into a “Creator Store” where players can buy items with USD instead of Robux (aka Roblox’s in-game currency).
Once that revamp is complete, creators will officially earn 100% of the proceeds from asset sales.
The big picture: While Roblox’s decision to eliminate its cut of creators’ sales is unusual, the wave of “loud and clear” community discontent that preceded the change isn’t—and that’s something platforms like Twitch have historically struggled to reckon with.
HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰
In addition to laying off 530 employees, Riot Games says it has stopped development of “REN,” an esports-focused platform designed to rival Twitch. (Tubefilter)
Instagram’s latest test feature is “Flipside,” a tool that allows users to create custom profiles and “share exclusive content with a smaller group of followers.” (TechCrunch)
TikTok appears to be encouraging certain creators to post long-form horizontal videos by increasing the visibility of eligible posts with viewership “boosts.” (The Verge)
DATA • GOSPEL STATS 📈
Top 3 Branded Videos: Philanthropic acts, perilous air balloons, and pop science
As the month wraps up, it’s safe to say that January’s top branded videos fell into three main categories: MrBeast videos, edutainment content, and podcasts. This week’s most-viewed clips were no exception. Here’s how the latest Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report shook out:
🥇 Beast Philanthropy x Dragon City: We Built A Town (12.9M Views)
MrBeast’s most recent act of charity centered on the construction of long-term housing for a community affected by storms. To put a little financial oomph behind that video, the YouTuber teamed up with a mobile game that encourages players to build their own destruction-proof homes: Dragon City.
Beast Philanthropy • “We Built A Town”
🥈 Theo Von x Celsius, PrizePicks, Current, BetterHelp, Füm: Shane Gillis | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #478 (3M Views)
For the 478th episode of his podcast, Theo Von sat down with fellow comedian Shane Gillis to discuss a few of the internet’s favorite things: “the perils of hot air balloon rides, shady tunnel activity in NYC, the upside to arranged marriages, and defensive vomiting.” The result: Von’s five sponsors earned the attention of 3 million viewers.
🥉 Veritasium x Ground News: Do People Understand the Scale of the Universe? (3.6M Views)
Veritasium’s latest IRL adventure revealed exactly how much the average person doesn’t know about our universe. Luckily, that’s the whole point of the channel: to let viewers in on the secrets of all things science and education-related. The video’s sponsor, Ground News, takes a similar approach to breaking news by helping readers “compare headlines across the political spectrum.”
FYI: Our weekly brand report is just a sneak peek at Gospel Stats’ in-depth analysis of YouTube sponsorships and rising creators. Check out the full site for more info.
WATCH THIS 📺
Is it time for a live-action adaptation of Ratatouille?
Max Fosh’s latest experiment might be a little out-of-the-box for viewers who prefer to keep their mealtimes rodent-free.
Kitchen nightmares: The adventurous YouTuber decided to test out the logic behind Pixar’s Ratatouille by cooking up a nutritious meal for his friends—with a little help from a hired rat named Mars. (Don’t worry: Mars washed his hands before entering the kitchen.)
The resulting dinner party is an event you’ll want to see for yourself. Check out Fosh’s complete culinary adventure here.
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Toyota is working on a spiritual successor of the MR2 roadster as part of the company’s plan to have a three-model strong range of sports cars, according to Gazoo Racing chief Tetsuya Tada.
This means that a lightweight spiritual successor to the MR2 will be positioned next to the GT86 and the upcoming Supra, with Tada-San saying to Evo that Toyota wants to have the trio in production together “As soon as possible”.
And staying true to the spirit of the last MR2 roadster, the new model will be as light and simple as possible.
With that said though, Toyota is thinking of using some of the hybrid tech found in its LMP1 racers in order to meet the future emissions standards and of course make the necessary connection to its motorsport programme.
This also means that a mid-engine layout is almost a certainty, as packaging a hybrid powertrain is easier. While the MR2 may not be a hybrid from the start, Tada-San says Toyota is “working very hard” to make the hybrid roadster a reality.


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NY Daily News
Cheese gets a lot of flack. Some say that it has too many saturated fats, and some take issue with it being dairy. “If you’re not a baby cow, you don’t need milk,” many people have often quipped. What does the scientific evidence show?
The Results Are In…
A study conducted in China and Holland compared a group of over 150,000 people who ate cheese daily to a group who did not. The results showed a U-shaped correlation between daily cheese consumption and risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke.
After ten years, the group who ate cheese daily showed up to 14% less risk of cardiovascular problems.
There’s A Catch
The U-shaped correlation means that daily cheese consumption corresponds to less risk for cardiovascular diseases up to a certain point. People who ate more than forty grams of cheese each day began to show an increased risk for cardiovascular problems.
Although the original study did not give a reason for the correlation between cheese levels and risk for cardiovascular disease, it has since been proven that cheese contains a fatty acid called CLA. CLA is considered to be “good cholesterol.” Good cholesterols break down the kind of fat that builds up in the arteries and causes stroke and heart attack. This could be the reason why cheese eaters have fewer strokes.
The Meaning Of This News
Before you go dumping cheese on your plate, take this advice. While cheese has been proven not to increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, it shouldn’t be consumed in excess.


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She added that the company’s team in charge for the projects in Russia resides in Rovio’s headquarters and counts 20 people, who speak Russian. Russia is one of the top five strategically important countries for the company. Rovio develops games in Russia and sells thematic products.
Salonen said that the company’s partner, developer Fort Group, had delayed the launch of the first Angry Birds amusement park in St. Petersburg. The park will be opened in March-May 2015.
Source: De Peet Journal


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A Silicon Curtain Descends
In a speech delivered almost exactly one year before the 2020 election, Vice President Mike Pence outlined the stakes of a potential tech cold war between the United States and China.
China had “smashed the barriers between civilian and military technological domains,” Pence said at the Woodrow Wilson International Center, just around the corner from the White House. “By law and presidential fiat, companies in China—whether private, state-owned, or foreign—must share their technologies with the Chinese military,” Pence said. Those technologies, in turn, were being weaponized by the Communist regime in Beijing to hone its authoritarian conduct at home—and, Pence added ominously, were being increasingly exported “to countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.”
Pence went on to say that America did not seek a technological “decoupling” from China. But other parts of that speech—and some of the actions taken by the Trump administration in the months since—conjure images of a silicon curtain descending across the world.
The Trump administration’s conflict with China was dominated by a trade war focused on industrial and agricultural goods, and by an unexpected pandemic that appears to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. But the most lasting and significant aspect of how President Donald Trump has reshaped the U.S.-China relationship may prove to be the White House’s efforts to cut off China’s telecom industry from its global supply chains. At the center of that effort lies a single company, Huawei, which has become the boogeyman for Americans fearful of Chinese technological superiority—fears that are unlikely to subside when the Trump era passes.
China hawks and Trumpian nationalists see Huawei as a symbol of the rising threat posed by the Middle Kingdom or as evidence of America’s waning technological superiority. Having already banned Huawei equipment from being used in America’s next-generation cellphone networks, the Trump administration spent 2020 bullying allied nations to take similar steps. In September and again in November, the conflict escalated when the White House issued orders that effectively banned foreign companies from doing business with Huawei if they also want to do business with American firms.
Both Beijing and Washington are now pursuing what Evan Feigenbaum, vice president for Asian studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, calls “technonationalism.” That is, they view private-sector technological developments through the lens of national security. A cellphone isn’t just a cellphone; it’s a potential weakness that could be exploited by an enemy. The supply chains for semiconductors and other bits of equipment are sprawling and multinational, but governments on both sides of the Pacific are eyeing each other warily and threatening to choke off innovation for fear of losing the so-called “race to 5G.”
“Technonationalism everywhere threatens to disrupt flows of technology and talent that have enabled decades of innovation,” says Feigenbaum. “If every commercial technology is now viewed as central to national security, it will re-entrench past patterns of technonationalism that many believed to be relics in an era of supposedly ‘borderless’ innovation.”
Put more starkly, the rapid pace of global technological innovation that we have come to take for granted—which has made people all over the world healthier, longer-lived, more productive, and happier—could be brought to a halt by a combination of paranoia and cronyism. It could presage a more dramatic economic disruption that would be a crushing blow for American businesses, and not just those already doing bus-iness in China.
Trump may be on his way out of the Oval Office, but American anxiety about Huawei—and, more broadly, about the nation’s status as the world’s technological superpower—both predate and almost certainly will outlast him. President-elect Joe Biden has criticized Trump’s handling of the trade war with China, but he has also made clear that he plans to adjust Trump’s strategies rather than reverse them. Technonationalism could be here to stay.
When Subsidies for Chinese Equipment Backfire
The idea that Huawei tech is a sort of sleeper cell within America’s communications infrastructure is one that many in Washington take seriously. “Wherever Huawei poses a national security threat—which we believe is everywhere—that equipment comes out of our system,” says Brendan Carr, one of the five commissioners charged with setting policy for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Under orders from Congress, the FCC is currently engaged in what Carr refers to as a “rip-and-replace” process that seeks to excise the Chinese-made equipment from cell towers all over the country. It’s the last and most difficult step in a process that kicked off last year when Trump signed an executive order that largely blacklisted Huawei gear from the U.S. (with some exceptions). In November 2019, the FCC followed up by passing a rule prohibiting American cellphone carriers from purchasing Huawei gear if they receive federal subsidies. In February, Congress escalated things with a new law requiring that all cellphone carriers rip out Huawei tech and replace it—and ordering the FCC to come up with $1 billion to help facilitate the process.
More interesting, however, is the story of how much of that Huawei gear got there in the first place. As it turns out, the federal government spent years subsidizing its purchase as part of an effort to expand cellphone service into the more remote parts of the country, even as other parts of the government warned about the possible risks. Huawei’s biggest selling point is that its equipment is cheap—thanks in part to heavy subsidies from the Chinese government. So purchasing it allowed carriers to make their federal subsidies stretch further.
Until the FCC banned the practice last November, cellphone carriers were free to buy Huawei equipment with the federal dollars they receive through the Universal Service Fund—an $8 billion-a-year program intended to bring cellphone service to poor and rural areas. Union Wireless, a small carrier that operates in Wyoming and Montana, for example, has spent more than $34 million on Huawei gear installed in 418 cell towers across a network that covers more than 90,000 square miles, according to FCC filings.
More than half the member companies of the Rural Wireless Association, a trade group that represents Union and other small carriers, have used Huawei tech in some capacity. That means equipment that was purchased, in many cases, using federal subsidies will now be removed at significant cost to both taxpayers and American businesses. Union Wireless told the FCC last year that it would cost $110 million to rebuild its network and replace the Huawei gear. In September, the FCC estimated that it would cost about $1.8 billion to complete the rip-and-replace effort.
Ordering American companies to stop using Huawei equipment—or even to remove what’s already in use—is one thing. But in summer 2020, the Trump administration turned its attention to disrupting Huawei’s supply chain as well.
Under pressure from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC), the world’s largest computer chip manufacturer, announced in May that it would stop fulfilling orders from Huawei. Shortly afterward, TSMC struck a deal to build a heavily subsidized new manufacturing center in Arizona. Previously, TSMC had been a major supplier to both Apple and Huawei, but the company has been effectively forced to pick sides by a combination of carrots and sticks from the U.S. federal government.
In August, the Commerce Department announced further plans to prohibit American companies from doing business with foreign manufacturers that supply semiconductors to Huawei. One of the primary targets of the new rules seems to be the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), China’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, which currently uses American-made tools in its manufacturing process.
But banning American companies from selling chip-making equipment to SMIC is a self-inflicted wound. These new export restrictions will “ultimately undermine U.S. national security interests by harming the semiconductor industry in the U.S. and creating substantial uncertainty and disruption in the semiconductor supply chain,” Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, an industry group with more than 2,400 members around the world (including SMCI), warned shortly after the new rules were announced. The Trump administration’s policies, the group said, would “fuel a perception that the supply of U.S. technology is unreliable” and would “further incentivize efforts to supplant these U.S. technologies.”
Article from Latest – Reason.com


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Here are the top trending stories from the world of technology. News that we feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
Byju’s clocks whopping Rs 4,500 Crore loss in FY21
Amid Surging controversy, Byjus finally released its FY21 results but the numbers are not that pleasant. The Edtech giant announced a net loss of whopping Rs 4,500 Crore for FY21, which is a massive 17 fold increase as compared to its Rs 262 Crore clocked in Fy20. The company said that the losses have sharply increased on account of slew of acquisitions it made during last one and half year. The company’s unhealthy spike in net loss may cast a bad spell on its soon to be lunched IPO, which may hit the market either this year or next year.
Twitter Whistleblower claims Chinese agent working on Company’s Payroll
Twitter’s former security chief turned whistleblower Peiter Zatko has made some sensational revelation during the congress hearing. He has claimed that a Chinese intelligence agent is working in Twitter and is part of the company’s payroll. Zatko further said that FBI had informed Twitter about this matter but the company choose to ignore the matter. By the way, It is not known whether this Chinese agent still works in Twitter or not. In his previous congress hearing, Zatko had accused that Twitter had agreed to place an Indian government agent in its India office and give complete access to data.
Google loses Android Antitrust Case in EU Court
In a huge setback for Google, European General Court on Tuesday upheld the EU Commission’s ruling that had accused Google of abusing its market dominance. However, the court did agree to reduce the tech giant’s fine by 5%. With this marginal reduction, Google is now liable to pay nearly $ 4.1 Bn to the EU. The EU court said that Google had overstepped by making its mandatory for Android phone and tablet manufacturer in pre-installing its app and search engine. According to a rough estimate, nearly 80% of smartphones and tablets currently operating in EU run on Android Software.
Elon Musk’s Tesla Sued over Self Driving claims
A person in the U.S. has filed a class lawsuit in the San Francisco Court against Tesla for making false and exaggerated claims over auto-pilot and self-driving feature. In the lawsuit, the person has accused Elon Musk’s company of deceptively advertising its cars as fully-functional cars when it is actually not. Tesla did this to generate excitement among the customers and to increase its sales numbers. Tesla is yet to reply to the class lawsuit. As things stand today, Tesla and no other auto company are probably even remotely close in making a self-driving car. Currently, the technology is very much in nascent mode.
After initial Spike, WhatsApp UPI Payment continues to struggle
WhatsApp is struggling to popularize its UPI Payment feature among Indian consumers. As per the NPCI data, the Meta owned platform has registered a sharp decline in its transaction volumes for two consecutive months, i.e. July and August. While WhatsApp made a good start in June with 23 Mn total transactions, its transaction volumes fell to roughly 6 Mn respectively in the month of July and August. Despite its huge userbase in India, experts claimed WhatsApp Payment is most likely to struggle due to its late entry. Even before WhatsApp Payment’s official launch earlier this year, Google Pay, PhonePe and Paytm had already captured India’s UPI payment market.


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Some marketers have decided to be creative in their approach to influencer marketing and have begun to create their brand ambassadors themselves using artificial intelligence.
These virtual influencers are computer-created characters whose “personalities” are entirely fictional. They’re paired with animated images from digital artists to accurately re-create the subtle features of human faces. Some companies are building their own influencers and creating their own characters which they have creative over.
MEET Lil Miquela
A working example is Lil Miquela, a 19-year virtual music influencer who releases music and engages with 2.6m followers on Instagram. Lil Miquela was created by the L.A.-based firm Brud, formed in 2016 and the face of the “CGI influencer phenomenon”.
She’s a regular face in fashion magazines and works with a number of luxury brands. More than 80,000 people stream Lil Miquela’s songs on Spotify every month. Lil Miquela has conducted a number of interviews and until her creators revealed her true origin, many of her fans were convinced she was a real person.
Another virtual influencer is Blawko (also created by Brud.) This influencer covers half of his face, creating a mysterious allure and describes himself as a "young robot sex symbol." What is interesting about this influencer is that they are also in an on-off relationship with another CGI-created influencer called Bermuda.
How Companies Are Using Virtual Influencers
Not only are influencers being created, but companies are also using their brand ambassadors as their own influencers. KFC created a virtual Colonel which shows a younger version of the Colonel as an influencer, to mock the current influencer culture.
The human portrayed character posts from KFC's official account, which has 1.6 million followers. It places him as a virtual influencer who is chasing the dream of selling chicken-based out of Louisville, the company's headquarters.
Virtual Influencers Working With Brands
Robot influencers are becoming big business on Instagram, with Coca-Cola and Louis Vuitton using video game characters in their ads. New research looks at the most popular virtual influencers and how much they could be earning. Lil Miquela is set to earn £8m before the end of the year, 252 times more than the UK’s average annual salary.
CGI influencers are also working with real-life influencers. Lil Miquela recently appeared alongside model and influencer Bella Hadid for a Calvin Klein commercial.
Traditional influencer marketing has taken a hit due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Many social media creators have become limited to what they can create due to social distance measures. Due to this, it does make virtual influencers more appealing as we don’t know what will happen in the next 6-12 months trying to get back to “the norm.”
There has been a rise in virtual influencers over the last 4 years with some becoming bigger and creating a dedicated following. More companies are creating these influencers to sell products to consumers and using these virtual influencers as brand ambassadors. The influencers are active and engaged with their community, have personalities and relationships similar to "real" influencers. Well, known brands are working with these virtual influencers creating validity and continuing to build their profile and worth to other companies.
These virtual influencers are not only in North America and have become more global and international in nature. Ghana created the first African influencer, Aba Wils and Japan have a popular virtual fashion influencer, Imma.


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Incoming PayPal Holdings (PYPL) Chief Executive Alex Chriss faces a tough turnaround job, says an analyst who downgraded PYPL stock on Monday.
Chriss, formerly president and general manager of Intuit‘s (INTU) small business and self-employed group, will take over as PayPal CEO on Sept. 27.
SVB MoffettNathanson analyst Lisa Ellis downgraded PYPL stock to market perform. Apple‘s (AAPL) push into digital payments continues to pressure PayPal, Ellis said in a report. There’s also growing competition with Square parent Block (SQ), she said.
“Looking forward, unfortunately, we expect PayPal’s gross profit growth to remain lackluster, in the low- to mid-single digits,” Ellis said. “We see the potential for further downside to our estimates, particularly given the strong momentum of Apple Pay, which we worry will begin to benefit from the powerful network effects in payments.”
On the stock market today, PYPL stock fell 2% to close at 62.94. PayPal stock has dropped 12% in 2023.
PYPL Stock: Venmo Upside Limited?
“In addition to the competitive pressure on PayPal-branded checkout, and the uncertain impact of the aggressive Braintree pricing strategy, new PayPal CEO Chriss has a few other challenges to contend with,” Ellis said.
“The recent deceleration in Venmo’s growth, likely due to competitive pressure from Block’s Cash App. Venmo is not currently a significant revenue contributor for PayPal but has long been viewed as a source of long-term upside.”
Chriss replaces Dan Schulman will continue to serve on the PayPal board of directors through May 2024 after he exits as CEO.
San Jose, Calif.-based PayPal has evolved from an online checkout service to a mobile shopping and person-to-person payments service.
PayPal ranks No. 17 out of 38 stocks in IBD’s Finance-Credit Card and Payment Processing industry group, according to IBD Stock Checkup. PYPL stock has an IBD Composite Rating of 57 out of 99.
Follow Reinhardt Krause on Twitter @reinhardtk_tech for updates on 5G wireless, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and cloud computing.
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For the second consecutive year, 20 entrepreneurs from the UAE participated in an exclusive event on International Women’s Day aimed at developing female entrepreneurs’ business acumen and practical skills through industry mentorship
Dubai, UAE: In observance of International Women’s Day, Procter & Gamble (P&G) hosted the second edition of its Women Entrepreneurs Academy 2023, as part of its ongoing commitment to equality and inclusion. The event brought together P&G’s senior leadership, 18 women-owned and led businesses as well as leading industry figures including Cara Nazari, Managing Director, AmCham Dubai, Racha Makarem, Regional CEO of Starcom (a part of Publicis Groupe) and Tahany Taher, Head of Digital for the Middle East Turkey cluster and Head of Mid Corporates – UAE, Citibank. The day-long workshop, which was held at P&G’s Innovation Center (I-Dubai), invites UAE women business-owners to participate in competitive training opportunities, further cementing the brand’s efforts to create an inclusive, gender-equal environment.
According to the Ministry of Economy, half of all small and medium enterprises in the UAE are women-owned, while 48% of women business owners are also the sole owners of their companies. In alignment with the UAE’s efforts towards gender equality and P&G’s people-first culture, the Women Entrepreneurs Academy featured a series of panel discussions and training opportunities for female business-owners.
Rohini Venkateswaran, Vice President – Country Manager East Gulf & Sales Strategy & Planning Gulf, P&G, said: “At P&G, we believe that we can be a Force for Good and a Force for Growth in the world around us every day. International Women’s Day presents a vital opportunity to explore how diversity and inclusion is a key cornerstone in the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy aims to create a strong foundation that positively impacts women-owned businesses and fosters collaborative acceptance of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy offered a total of six business modules and two training sessions on topics including procurement, digitization, business strategy, and enabling long-term business growth as well as a panel discussion titled “Women in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Ceiling”. The day concluded with a graduation ceremony and networking session for all women entrepreneurs. With a concerted effort required to strengthen persistence, proactiveness, and innovation to increase women-owned businesses’ profits across multiple contexts, participants at the Academy had the opportunity to identify practical approaches to address these challenges.
Venkateswaran added: “P&G has implemented several initiatives to create a more equitable world for our employees, with our brands, through our partners, and in our communities both internally and externally, by investing in programs that support women-owned businesses. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy provides a platform for women to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to start and grow their businesses. We are proud to be part of this movement towards empowering women, creating positive social impact, and promoting economic growth in the UAE.”
P&G is set to spend a cumulative total of USD 300 million with women-owned and women-led businesses across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa region between 2021 to 2025. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy 2023 and other P&G initiatives such as the #WeSeeEqual Summit are crucial opportunities to accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality and discuss strategic actions to address gender inequality – a core focus of the UN Sustainable Development Goal #5.
About Procter & Gamble:
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.


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The Arizona medical marijuana community and business industry can finally exhale: The state Supreme Court decided a crucial appeal on Tuesday by siding 7-0 with patients and state voters on marijuana resin extracts.
Parties in the case of State of Arizona v. Rodney Christopher Jones received word just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday that Jones had won his appeal.
“We hold that [Arizona Medical Marijuana Act’s] definition of marijuana includes both its dried-leaf/flower form and extracted resin, including hashish,” the court stated in its unanimous ruling.
The positive ruling for the medical marijuana industry means no change — vape-pen cartridges, concentrates like shatter and wax, infused food and drinks, patches, tinctures, and topicals will not be banned, as had been feared.
The question of whether the AMMA applies to resin extracts is now settled.
If the high court had ruled instead that the voter-approved 2010 Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA) doesn’t cover extracts, some of the most popular and medically efficacious products would have been taken from dispensary shelves and relegated to felony status. [Read more at Phoenix News Times]
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Is social media worth the time, money, and effort to build brand awareness in the cannabis industry when borders are closed, and the rules are so restrictive? Today we’re talking to our social media partner, Amy Donohue from Hybrid Social, to discuss why social media is the place to build brand, community, and authenticity through…
by Griffen Thorne, Attorney at Harris Bricken Cannabis businesses need money – and lots of it – to operate. Being mostly startups, operational profits are not enough to sustain their business. So cannabis businesses take on outside capital generally in one of two ways: taking on debt from cannabis lenders or bringing in equity investors.…
Growing cannabis outdoors is a gamble. The upside is a high return for a relatively small investment. Outdoor cultivation requires the lowest capital and operational expenditures compared to indoor or greenhouse growing, with the potential for equal or greater yields per square foot of canopy. The downside is the risk. Weather conditions can make or…
PRESS RELEASE Cilicon recently introduced a newborn ELEV Air2, expanding its disposable sizable product portfolio and building on its success in elegant design integration and continuous improvement in developing a powerful and larger capacity feature of the disposable cannabis vape device. CILICON ELEV Air2 challenges the limit of microporous ceramics in cannabis atomization and redefines…


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So basically HP has decided to not only drop out of the tablet and phone business just 48 days after launching their Touchpad, but they have apparently decided to drop out of the consumer computer business altogether. With their acquisition of Autonomy, a business software company, HP plans to drop their entire hardware business (with the exception of printers) and focus strictly on software and cloud based services for businesses. Their tentative plan is apparently to ditch everything consumer related within 12-18 months.
This just blows my mind, as HP is the biggest PC manufacturer in the US. It makes up 1/3 of their yearly revenue and is pretty much owns the Windows based PC market. Now of course it probably means that another company will just come in and buy up that division, but this all seems like crazy drastic measures immediately following their failed 2 month tablet venture.
Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's largest personal-computer maker, is exploring a spinoff of its PC business, an about-face that highlights how growth has pivoted from the computers that so long ruled the industry toward software and mobile devices, where H-P has largely failed to compete.
H-P said its board is evaluating strategic options for its PC business, which could include a "full or partial separation." It also will abandon efforts to sell tablets and smartphones that challenged Apple Inc.'s iPad and iPhone.
At the same time, H-P agreed to buy U.K. software firm Autonomy Corp. for about $10.25 billion, seeking to move further into the higher-profit business of analyzing data for corporations.
Facing low margins and low growth in the PC businesses, Mr. Apotheker decided there would be no sacred cows and it would be best to get out of the computer business, people familiar with the matter said.
His goal is to reposition H-P into an enterprise business and move away from consumer products, the people said.
A $1 billion investment disclosed in May by New York hedge-fund manager John Paulson in H-P was also a "wake up call" for the company, one of the people said. Mr. Paulson told H-P executives that the company had to make moves to unlock shareholder value, the person added.
While H-P will pursue a spinoff, it will also be open to other potential offers if they are more attractive, people familiar with the matter said. The company said it expects the process to last 12 to 18 months.


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LPG price hike order scrapped after negative feedback
The government had directed oil companies in May this year to raise prices by Rs 4 per cylinder every month until the subsidy was eliminated or March 2018 or till further order, whichever was earlier. The order has been withdrawn from October following negative consumer feedback, especially from poor families who had recently become clean fuel consumers.
A previous order by the government had allowed state oil companies to raise cooking gas prices by Rs 2 per cylinder every month between July 2016 and May 2017. The price of a subsidised gas cylinder has increased by Rs 74.5 per cylinder since July 2016 in Delhi. Other places have also witnessed similar hikes.
The variance in cooking gas prices in the last two months has been due to goods and services tax, and not because of any subsidy-related hikes, company executives said. Following the rollout of GST in July, subsidised cooking gas across the country has started attracting 5% tax, which leads to variance in prices every month.
State oil companies have also not revised prices of kerosene in the months of October, November and December, executives said. The government had earlier directed companies to raise prices of kerosene by 25 paise every fortnight in a bid to eliminate the subsidy on this fuel. It wasn’t clear how long companies will pause before resuming price hikes.
The last three years have witnessed a record expansion of cooking gas consumers in the country. More than 3 crore poor families have received fresh connections under the government’s Ujjwala Yojana.
The Modi government has also been attempting to cut fuel subsidy burden, which has anyway shrunk due to lower oil prices. It deregulated diesel prices three years ago, encouraged more than one crore cooking gas consumers to voluntarily give up subsidy, rolled out direct cash transfer for all cooking gas consumers, and ordered gradual cut of subsidies on both cooking gas and kerosene.
The government is trying to strongly discourage use of polluting kerosene by raising its prices as well as providing easier access to cleaner cooking gas and electricity. The government has been mulling options to insulate the poor from cooking gas and kerosene price hikes but no concrete plan has been unveiled yet.
Separately, the government has also directed state oil firms to ensure that commercial cooking gas is not sold at a price lower than domestic non-subsidised cooking gas. Commercial cylinders attract higher 18% tax and domestic 5% but companies offer distributors of commercial cylinders deep discounts to compete in the market, resulting in lower prices at times for commercial gas. From January 1, state companies plan to eliminate this.


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After months of rampant rumors and speculation, Alesis announcedthat it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 27, 2001.The filing was made in conjnction with an agreement to be acquired byJack O’Connell, president of Numark Corporation. Numarkmanufactures professional DJ equipment, including mixers, turntables,CD players, headphones and microphones. An auction for the company willbe held on May 23 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles.
Alesis said it will continue normal operations during its protectionperiod; there is no word yet on what the acquisistion means for newproduct development, but the company said it plans to follow through ontechnology announcements made at AES and NAMM.
In an earlier announcement, Groove Tubes announced that thecompany’s three-year partnership with Alesis has come to an end.Under the agreement, Groove Tubes retains all original product designs,intellectual property for its studio mics and processors that wereinvented before the partnership, and retains exclusive rights to theGroove Tubes trademark and GT logo.
For more, visit www.alesis.com.


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Read The Full Article On: Investorplace
Lordstown Motors just made its debut as RIDE stock on the Nasdaq Exchange
Are you ready to drive? Turns out Lordstown Motors (NASDAQ:RIDE) is — the red-hot electric vehicle company officially came public yesterday and is now trading on the Nasdaq Exchange. After months of generating pre-debut buzz, Lordstown Motors stock promises to be exciting. But what do investors need to know now?
Investors should start with a refresher. What exactly is Lordstown Motors? Well, the company is yet another entrant into the electric vehicle market. Unlike some of its competitors focused squarely on consumer cars, Lordstown hopes to electrify the world of commercial fleets. This unique niche is another reason why RIDE stock is already hot.
Here are some of the top facts for potential Lordstown Motors investors to know now:
- Previously, Lordstown Motors was trading through a special acquisition purpose company called DiamondPeak Holdings (NASDAQ:DPHC). Late last week, DPHC shareholders voted to approve a reverse merger between the SPAC and Lordstown Motors.
- Interestingly, this is one of the fastest turnarounds in the SPAC world. Shareholders just learned of the reverse merger in early August — potentially indicating just how hot EVs are right now.
- Lordstown Motors came public yesterday with a whole lot of potential. But what is behind that excitement?
- The primary offering from the company is its Endurance pickup truck. Although it looks like more futuristic offerings from Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Ford (NYSE:F), it has a different place in the market. Lordstown Motors hopes commercial fleets will take a green approach with its truck.
- Importantly, investors should note that the Endurance is not yet available. The company hopes to have models in production by the end of 2021.
- Also importantly, Lordstown Motors has some credibility. It actually receives support from traditional automaker General Motors (NYSE:GM).
Why Lordstown Motors Stock Is Hot Right Now
There are so many catalysts working in favor of Lordstown Motors. Beyond its unique product offering and the backing it receives from GM, RIDE stock will benefit from two other big trends. The first is the novel coronavirus. As we have previously reported, consumers care more than ever before about the environment. This is already translating to increased interest in electric vehicles — and importantly, in electric car stocks. Expect Lordstown Motors to keep climbing higher.
The other big catalyst comes from former Vice President Joe Biden. With Election Day just a week away, many investors are looking for eco-friendly equities to support. Why? Biden has promised to invest $2 trillion in clean energy projects. With more federal incentives to get green, we could see corporations and municipalities clamor to swap out their fleets for the Endurance.
No matter what happens, Lordstown Motors is a company to keep on your radar. It still has to deliver, but after popping 19% during its first day of trading, we know Wall Street will be watching closely. You should too. Any updates on its Endurance or future products will have RIDE stock rocketing higher once more.