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- More than 50% of consumers believe improving food safety is the responsibility of manufacturers
Dubai: Consumer concerns about food safety and hygiene are on the rise according to the 13th edition of Tetra Pak Index, Tetra Pak’s latest global research study, which highlights and analyses consumer trends related to foods and beverages in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shedding lights on a dilemma in the consumers’ minds as they try to balance the critical priorities of human existence through safe food and sustainability of the planet we live on, Tetra Pak Index suggests that over two-thirds of consumers believe that ‘food safety is a major concern for society’, putting it joint first with ‘COVID-19 as a real threat to society’.
Importantly, approximately the same amount of people (over 6 in 10) agree that “we are heading for environmental disaster unless we change our daily habits”, while 63% believe that pandemic lockdowns have brought environmental improvements that they would like to see maintained.
Amar Zahid, President Middle East and Africa at Tetra Pak said: “COVID-19 has accelerated a reprioritisation of consumer needs while bringing new opportunities for the food and beverage companies to shape the industry. Addressing food safety concerns while minimising food waste cannot come at the expense of the planet - it is not an ‘either-or situation.
“The food industry needs to step up towards the twin goals of protecting our planet and meeting the human need for food. Sustainable packaging plays a key role in this equation. And this resonates strongly with our philosophy that ‘a package should save more than it costs’ as well as with our promise to protect food, people and the planet.”
With 59% of people worried about the food they buy being hygienic and safe, health – a leading consumer concern for a long time - is now bound up with these heightened issues of food safety and hygiene: 67% agree that being healthy is being safe.
While health is deeply connected to heightened issues of food safety and hygiene, 50% of consumers not only believe that improving food safety is the responsibility of manufacturers, but they also see it as the number one issue that companies need to tackle now and in the future.
“Working closely with our customers and stakeholders, we are already on a journey to create the ultimate sustainable food package -- a carton package that is made solely from responsibly sourced renewable and recycled materials, which is fully recyclable and carbon-neutral, allowing ambient distribution and meeting food safety requirements.
“I would like to underline the importance of our customers. We take pride in the fact that many of our relationships stretch back for years – and even decades. We believe this is because we are continually working together to find the most sustainable and cost-effective solutions to complex challenges. Here is yet another challenge which I believe we will overcome together.
“Now more than ever, our role, as a leading food processing and packaging solution provider is to make food safe and available everyday while protecting our planet. We will continue our journey towards providing a sustainable future for the next generations, while listening to and addressing our customers’ and consumers’ needs and concerns”, added Zahid.
Tetra Pak Index findings were announced ahead of Gulfood 2021, the region’s leading food and beverage exhibition taking place from 21 to 25 February at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Tetra Pak is welcoming its visitors in a dedicated lounge in Sharjah meeting room, outside Hall 6.
About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. With more than 25,000 employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.
Our promise, “PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD™," reflects our vision to commit to making food safe and available, everywhere.
More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com
© Press Release 2021


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New figures released ahead of UK Coffee Week finds that over the last decade UK coffee consumption, in and out of the home, has increased..
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I was reading a report entitled “Essex Limited 2016”. Jointly published by Grant Thornton and Birkett Long, it looks at among other..

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The British Pound (GBP) continues to recede against the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) falling to the long-term price of 0.5330 (1.8770) early Monday. News of the UK govt bail out to subsidise energy consumers is putting the Pound under pressure, the package could exceed 100B with average customers already paying 50% more than in 2021. Households (29m) would have their bill capped at the current level of 1,971.00 pounds, private banks or govt would then fund the shortfall between the retail price and the wholesale price. Power companies would then pay back the fund by charging consumers a levy of sorts over an extended period of time. No data releasing over the week could indicate more GBP exits.
Current Level: 0.5277 (1.8950)
Resistance: 0.5340 (1.9150)
Support: 0.5220 (1.8730)
Last Weeks Range: 0.5224-0.5318 (1.8801-1.9139)


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Replacing the iPhone 12 camera module from a third party can cause issues.
This was discovered by iFixit.
It looks like this doesn’t affect the iPhone 12 Pro.
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The iPhones are quite expensive in India and if something goes wrong with the device outside of the warranty, one usually resorted to getting their devices fixed by third-party repair shops. It looks like this may be difficult for iPhone 12 users. iFixit has discovered that replacing the camera module of the iPhone 12 causes some issues. It's not just a simple error screen that one gets. However, it looks like the same problem does not affect the iPhone 12 Pro.
As reported by GSMarena, “iFixit explains that Apple has changed its training manuals. Starting with the iPhone 12 series, changing the display and camera requires the use of the System Configuration tool, which will connect to Apple’s servers before reprogramming the new component to work properly.”
During the era of the iPhone 5s, one could only fix the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone via an authorised Apple repair. This made sense as the fingerprint sensor is vital for security. You can check out the iPhone 12 camera swap test video below.
Speaking of the new iPhones, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are on sale in India, with the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max going on sale later in November. The smartphones announced earlier in October can be purchased from the online Apple Store, and from authorised retailers across the country. Interestingly, the new iPhones are yet to be made available on both Flipkart and Amazon. You can learn more about the iPhone 12 devices here.
If you are an iPhone user, then know that the Apple One subscription is now available in India. You can learn all the details here.
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Digit caters to the largest community of tech buyers, users and enthusiasts in India. The all new Digit in continues the legacy of Thinkdigit.com as one of the largest portals in India committed to technology users and buyers. Digit is also one of the most trusted names when it comes to technology reviews and buying advice and is home to the Digit Test Lab, India's most proficient center for testing and reviewing technology products.
We are about leadership-the 9.9 kind! Building a leading media company out of India.And,grooming new leaders for this promising industry.


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BUTCHER’S shop owner Stuart Blackmun saw a gap looming in the trading market in Midhurst with the closure of the cut-price Unusual Food Company, and he has dived straight in to fill it.
Jeffersons, his butchery in West Street, has been changed around inside to also accommodate shelves of tinned food, biscuits, cookery ingredients, tea, coffee, cheeses and household items, all bought from the same suppliers and selling at similar prices as Ian Palmer’s Unusual Food Company.
It closed in North Street last month with Mr Palmer’s retirement and Mr Blackmun decided to step into the breach.
He said: “I felt there was definitely going to be a gap and before we had a mass exodus of people going to £1 shops in other places, I wanted to do something about it.
“It will be good for West Street if it brings more trade to this end of the town. I got Ian to show me the ropes and one of his staff, Audrey Watkin, is now working here.”


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The Tesla Model Y is officially the best-selling electric vehicle in Germany yet again; however, overall car market dominance remains contested.
The Tesla Model Y has been a world beater since it hit European shores, consistently achieving top sales spots across the continent. In fact, the Model Y was so good it even ousted the ever-popular Tesla Model 3, despite its higher price tag. Now, the Model Y’s dominance seems to be on track to continue, taking the top EV sales spot in Europe’s largest market, Germany.
According to the KBA, the German government agency tasked with tracking vehicle registrations, the Tesla Model Y was by far the most popular pure electric vehicle sold in the country during March. The American automaker sold 5,701 units, growing sales by 28% year over year. The Model Y toppled some gas-vehicle segment leaders like the Fiat 500, Opel Corsa, and Mercedes C-Class.
However, it wasn’t all good news for Tesla. Despite being the top-sold vehicle in Germany at one point last year, it has not been able to replicate that success. In March, Volkswagen secured all of the top three vehicle sales slots. Germany’s most sold vehicle overall was the VW T-Roc, followed by the VW Golf and Tiguan.
The KBA did not release a complete list of model-specific sales, meaning it remains unclear how many other Tesla models were sold during the third month of the year. However, as noted in the KBA’s automaker report from earlier this month, Tesla’s other sales appear to be minor compared to the number of Model Ys sold, as the brand sold just over 8,000 vehicles total, indicating that more than half of its sales can be attributed to its smaller SUV offering.
Outside of Germany, Tesla and its Model Y are making more substantial gains, and they are doing so while dominating the competition even more consistently. Most notably, the Model Y continues to be a top seller, particularly in terms of EVs, in the top 2 markets in the world, the United States and China. And with a new, even cheaper Model Y option now becoming available, the EV leader seems poised to double down on its success.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at email@example.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org!


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The dangers of sunbeds are pretty well known and now loads of people are opting to ‘fake it’ as self tanning products have improved so much. Even though this is the case around 10% of the population of Northern Europe uses sunbeds regularly - that’s, errm, millions of people. Using sunbeds regularly before the age of 35 increases your risk of getting cancer by a shocking 75%. People who have fair skin should never use sunbeds – but 40% of sunbed users in the UK are fair-skinned.
It was recently revealed that 9 out of 10 sunbeds in Britain were not meeting British Safety Standards. The average radiation from sunbeds tested was twice as damaging to the skin as midday Mediterranean sun, some being up to 10 times stronger. So, 50p for a minute on a sunbed might not seem like a very high price but the cost to your health could be devastating. There are concerns about the regulation of sunbeds as many appear to not abide by the laws. The main law that is flouted is the accessibility of sunbed use to under 18s.
In England a sunbed ban for under 18s was introduced in 2011. The reason behind the ban was to curb the amount of people developing melanoma. This could be the first step to a nationwide ban on sunbeds.
There is already a campaign in the UK for the ban of sunbeds (sunbedban.co.uk) which was started by a Stage Four Malignant Melanoma patient. Skin cancer is the highest rising cancer in the UK and it is on the whole preventable. And Sunbeds are classified as the same carcinogenic level as tobacco! The campaign was inspired by the banning of sunbeds in some states of Australia.
It may seem like an extreme step to ban sunbeds but it is part of an Australian government plan to prevent skin cancer. When the Government in Victoria was developing a skin cancer prevention policy 161 dermatologists, cancer specialists and clinicians voted for a full ban on sunbeds in the state.
From the end of 2014 sunbeds will be banned in three states of Australia. Queensland, another Australian state, has not committed to implementing a ban yet but it is now illegal to buy new sunbeds for a salon. They will not be issuing any more licences.
Where sunbeds are being banned there is a problem of the livelihood of the sunbed owner. Some are arguing that they should receive compensation from the government. The health minister has said that none will be offered but with a year until the ban comes into effect they have the time to adjust and prepare for it. Sunbeds can be seriously profitable - to ease the blow the New South Wales government will pay $1000 for each registered sunbed and dispose of them for free. This is to stop them being sold for use overseas or in private homes.
Unfortunately there has been evidence in the state of Victoria that, after tougher regulations were implemented, members of the public misunderstood and believe that using sunbeds is now safer. The measures include stopping people with a high risk of skin cancer using sunbeds, tougher licensing and health warnings. The numbers are scary: 39% of adolescents thinking that sunbeds are now safer to use.
There has already been a full ban on sunbeds in Brazil so I reckon it’s only a matter of time before the debate comes to England.
People with naturally paler skin often feel pressure to use sunbeds in order to achieve the sun kissed glow seen on many models and actors.
London Fashion Week 2012 supported Cancer Research UK by banning models from using sunbeds. Loads of people look up to models, and seeing pale skin on the catwalk may be more of an incentive not to visit the tanning shop. If the potential health risks of using sunbeds aren’t enough to stop people using them perhaps the only way people be deterred from tanning is if embracing your natural colour becomes fashionable. At the end of the day the media plays a big part in tans being associated by beauty. Until this image is gone it will be hard to convince people otherwise.
There’s always the argument when implementing a ban on something that it compromises people’s choice. There are many things that are detrimental to our health and it would be impossible for the government to ban them all – so if a ban was to be considered, the question would be where do we draw the line? Australia’s ban has sparked controversy and some are campaigning to ‘reverse the tan ban’.
The banning of sunbed use for under 18s was accepted much more easily than a full ban would be. People have much more of a problem with adults being banned from exercising their freedom to choose, that is after all part of being an adult.
We’d love to hear what you think about this hot topic. So e-mail us at DW@doctorwellgood.comand let us know if you think banning sunbeds is the best option or do you think it’s up to


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The official images of the KIA Carnival 4th generation appeared in late July as part of the automaker’s presentation. Now the Network got pictures of the real car.
The portal KCB published “live” photos of the KIA Carnival minivan next generation. A novelty, by the way, has already set the first record for itself: in just two hours managed to make 20 thousand pre-orders for the model. That is the figure announced in KIA.
Externally, the van began to resemble modern crossovers. It has flared wheel arches, protective pads, plastic, etc. the Grille became more and now resembles the current Sorento. Front and rear optics were also redesigned, with a change of generation minivan is a little older. Its length increased by 40 mm, width 10 mm, wheelbase – 30 mm. But still the height is preserved.
The “fourth” KIA Carnival gets a “smart” sliding door with electric. Used here, the technology can identify a smart key (if close enough) and to open the door. It is very convenient when hands are full with shopping bags. On this useful function, the smart key does not end there.
In the car posted a 12.3-inch “tidy” contemporary media with a touch display, but the traditional buttons are almost none. The manufacturer decided to replace their touch. Second-row seats are more comfortable – they can relieve stress and fight fatigue. Another aspect that has received particular attention is the security. The van is equipped with the most advanced driver’s assistants. In the domestic market the new minivan will get a diesel 2.2-liter and petrol engine with a displacement of 2.5 liters. Over time, the sale may occur and hybrid.
Start of sales of new products in the homeland is scheduled for 3rd quarter of 2020.
Previously, the network got the image of a large minivan Wuling Victory. Production of new items should not wait until next year. His style sextuple Chinese model just reminds KIA Carnival. The developers claim that Victory will be the most headroom in its segment.


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Slowly but surely, Redfly is carving out a niche market for itself. Previously only Windows Mobile phones worked with the smartphone companion, but soon Blackberry users can join in on the fun. A free update is coming sometime in the next few months that will allow Blackberry Bold 9000, Curve 8900, and Tour 9630 to sync with the Redfly C8N and C7.
The company also expects to support upcoming RIM devices as they are released. But where is the love for the Blackberry Storm? The phone might not be the greatest, but it sold well. Maybe Redfly didn’t that that people that were suckered into buying the phone is its target customer base. But some support is better than none at all. The Redfly seems like a solid companion to a smartphone but so is a netbook and teathering…
Celio Announces BlackBerry Support for the REDFLY Mobile Companion
Mid-Q4, RIM customers will be able to use their BlackBerrys with a larger screen and keyboard; boosting productivity and efficiency
ShowStoppers for the Digital Holidays
SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Celio Corp, maker of the REDFLY Mobile Companion, has announced support for BlackBerry; giving RIM customers the ability to get the most out of their smartphones with a larger screen and keyboard. The BlackBerry solution will be available in mid-Q4 2009. The BlackBerry solution is offered free-of-charge for existing and new REDFLY Mobile Companion C8N and C7 owners.
At launch, the REDFLY will be compatible with the BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Curve 8900 and BlackBerry Tour 9630, with plans to support additional phones as they are released by RIM.
“The trend in enterprise right now is for more people to carry their laptop less and their BlackBerry more,” said Andrew Seybold, CEO and Principal Analyst, Andrew Seybold, Inc. “What Celio is doing will give BlackBerry users a significant productivity boost and businesses a solution they can leverage for their employees. With the Celio REDFLY, you don’t have to carry a laptop at all. Given a choice between a netbook or the REDFLY, I would take the REDFLY hands down.”
The REDFLY Mobile Companion comes in two models – the C8N and C7 – and has a large screen, full QWERTY keyboard, touchpad, up to 8-hour battery, and USB, VGA and media ports, enabling people to get the most from their BlackBerry handhelds. The REDFLY is not a computer. It has no OS, storage or processor, but uses the smartphone’s computing power to give users the ability to interact with the smartphone’s familiar user interface on an 800×480 resolution display. The REDFLY is currently compatible with more than 70 Windows Mobile devices. As Celio adds BlackBerry compatibility, it demonstrates that the Celio REDFLY technology will be implemented on multiple platforms to the benefit of smartphone users.
“Adding BlackBerry support for REDFLY is a logical next step due to RIM’s overwhelming acceptance in the enterprise market. BlackBerry compatibility also answers the call from our community and customers to give them the REDFLY experience on RIM devices,” said Kirt Bailey, president and CEO of Celio Corp. “We’re confident BlackBerry users will enjoy having a larger screen and keyboard for typing e-mails and editing documents, and become more productive and efficient.”
Celio Corp will demonstrate its BlackBerry solution at the ShowStoppers for the Digital Holidays event in New York City on Wednesday, September 16, 2009.
For more information about the REDFLY Mobile Companion, visit www.celiocorp.com.


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Jun 27, 2019: The Ministry of textiles has so far paid Rs 44.5 billion to the local textile industry under Prime Minister’s Exports Enhancement Package since July 2017, with an objective to help boost exports from the country, senior official in the ministry told APP here on Thursday.
During the last 1ten months, the ministry paid Rs 20 billion to the textiles industry, while it intends to pay more Rs 6 billion in coming month of July, the official said.
During the upcoming year, the government would pay further Rs30 billion to the textile sector for value addition, which the official said would boost country’s external trade.
The Exports Enhancement Package was aimed at bridging gap between exports and imports by encouraging the export-oriented industry and incentivizing the industrial sector for introducing the innovative, modern and cost cutting technologies, particularly in the textile industry.
Replying to a question, he said that so far State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has received Rs 50 billion refund claims under the package, which he said would be processed accordingly.
He said in last seven months, the government had paid Rs 20 billion in terms of outstanding claims, adding that pending liabilities of Rs. 6 billion would be paid off in coming months.
“The government is committed for the execution of PM export enhancement package for development and growth of the textiles sector for increasing country’s export,” the official added.
He further said that increasing country’s exports and creating job opportunities for the people were the top most priorities of the government.
The official said the government is also committed for promoting Small and Medium Entrepreneur (SMEs) in the country


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The US hotel sector is set to experience two years of decline as the industry battles against declining demand and oversupply, according to a report from real estate consultants PKF-Hospitality Research.
The downturn in the US economy is expected to have a negative impact on the outlook for the hospitality market, the report states, warning demand, occupancy, average daily rates and revenues per available room are all set to fall in 2008 and 2009.
However, the number of hotel projects coming on stream is set to increase over the same period, with a net increase of around 275,000 rooms due in 2008 and 2009 compared to the end of 2007 – a 6.2 percent increase.
Mark Woodworth, president of PKF-HR, said seven years after September 11, hospitality was once again experiencing a “set of circumstances [that] is propelling the industry towards the next trough.” He expected the industry slowdown not to be “as deep as the ones observed in 1981 or 1991, but it may take a little longer to fully recover.”
Demand for hotel space in 2008 is expected to fall by 0.2 percent and by 1.1 percent in 2009. It is expected to recover by 2010 growing by more than two percent. The report though highlights that in all the 50 US markets studied by PFK, nine regions, such as New York, Seattle, Atlanta and Boston, are set to see weak growth in revenue per available room in 2009, with 41 expected to see negative growth.
Woodworth added that the credit crisis would eventually benefit the industry, as hotel supply is constricted in the short-term. “We believe the existing restrictive financing environment will linger into 2009, thus delaying or preventing the start of hotel projects currently in the pipeline. Given the 12 to 24 month time needed to construct most hotels, we project a window of one to two years when the amount of hotel openings will be very limited. While the pace of supply growth will be waning, we will start to see a return in the demand for lodging accommodations.”


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This week on the Nation’s Restaurant News podcast, Extra Serving, editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Sam Oches discussed the recent sale of Del Taco to Jack in the Box. Earlier this week, quick-service chain Jack in the Box acquired the quick-service Mexican chain Del Taco. The brand had previously owned a Mexican limited-service brand, Qdoba Mexican Eats, which it sold off in 2018 after 15 years of ownership. Check out what the team thinks of this move and what it could mean for the market. Will we see Jack in the Box go on to purchase another brand?
Also, the NRN editors discussed the recent news that New York City would require vaccinations for employees of private businesses. What does it mean for companies that have already had to face so much these past few years? The team discussed the implications of this for the restaurant industry.
Plus, the team spoke about Christmas in New York and gave some recommendations.
This week’s guest is Victor Cruz, former football star who has recently partnered with Krystal to become a restaurant franchisee.
If you have a restaurant that’s decorated for the holidays, send me an e-mail at [email protected], it may make it on the website.


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On March 2, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) assessed a US$100,000 penalty against Dwolla, Inc. (Dwolla), in the CFPB’s first data security enforcement action. The CFPB thus became the latest Federal agency to take action against a company for inadequate protection of sensitive personal information gathered online. The Dwolla Consent Order addresses both advertising and representations made to the public, as well as internal protection and training relating to data security.
This CFPB action sends a clear message that a company’s claims about its data security measures must be accurate, and that any company handling personal consumer data needs to have reasonable and adequate data security measures. The fact that no data breach or other public incident precipitated this action is a reminder that data security measures, and staff training, need to be periodically tested and evaluated. Entities subject to CFPB supervision should take careful note of the broad implications of this Order, which appears to open a significant additional area of inquiry in CFPB examinations.
Dwolla is an online payment processing company that competes with PayPal and other online payment networks. As of May 2015, Dwolla had approximately 653,000 members and transferred as much as US$5 million per day. The CFPB found that Dwolla violated Sections 1031(a) and 1036(a)(1) of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA), which prohibit “unfair, deceptive, or abusive” practices. Among the actions cited as deceptive: claims on the Dwolla website and to consumers that its data security practices “exceed” or “surpass” industry standards, that “100% of [consumer] info is encrypted and stored securely,” and that Dwolla’s data security measures comply with Payment Card Industry Security Standards.
The Consent Order, without citing any data breach or consumer complaint, asserted that Dwolla’s claims misrepresented the company’s actual practices and contradicted its privacy policies. As a result, the Consent Order asserts, the company’s actions were “likely to mislead a reasonable consumer into believing that Dwolla had incorporated reasonable and appropriate data-security practices when it had not.” The CFPB further asserted that the “representations were material because they were likely to affect a consumer’s choice or conduct regarding whether to become a member of Dwolla’s network.” The Consent Order also cited Dwolla for lacking sufficient training of its staff, and for not ensuring that privacy and data security measures were adequately incorporated in mobile applications offered to consumers.
In a blog posting following the CFPB order, Dwolla claimed that it “has not detected any evidence or indicators of a data breach [or] received a notification or complaint of such an event.” While Dwolla no doubt argued that point to the CFPB, the CFPB’s legal standard – like the Federal Trade Commission’s – does not require a showing of actual harm to any consumer; rather the standard is whether the acts and practices are “likely” to mislead or deceive a consumer.
Interestingly, the Consent Order does not just enjoin Dwolla from future misrepresentations, but goes beyond that to affirmatively require that the company: (1) “adopt and implement reasonable and appropriate data-security measures to protect consumers’ personal information on its computer networks and applications;” (2) “establish, implement, and maintain a written, comprehensive data- security plan;” (3) “designate a qualified person to coordinate and be accountable for the data-security program;” (4) “conduct data-security risk assessments twice annually of each area of relevant operation to identify internal and external risks to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of Respondent’s network, systems, or apps;” and (5) “conduct regular, mandatory employee training,” to name a few.
The massive amounts of data collected online, coupled with a litany of high visibility data breaches, have made data privacy and security a focus of regulatory attention. Although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has long been a prime watchdog over company online privacy and data security practices, the CFPB is not the first federal agency to flex its enforcement muscles in such matters. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued its first data security enforcement action in 2014, when it departed from agency precedent and applied a longstanding statute previously focused on protecting a consumer’s telephone calling details to encompass a broader array of sensitive personal information. In that action, the FCC proposed a US$10 million penalty against TerrCom and YourTel for “collect[ing] names, addresses, Social Security numbers, [and] driver’s licenses . . . and stor[ing] them on unprotected Internet servers that anyone in the world could access with a search engine and basic manipulation.” The FCC later resolved the apparent violations in a US$3.5 million settlement.
First, this action shows that the CFPB is willing to take action against service providers and online platforms, as well as against traditional financial institutions. Second, as the CFPB notes in its press release, this first action “builds off advances made by several other agencies.” More than ever before, companies must understand that multiple agencies watch over data protection practices – including the FCC, FTC, Securities and Exchange Commission, state Attorneys General and, now, the CFPB. Inadequate security measures have also led to liability claims against companies, as well as their officers and directors. Based on the conduct described in the Consent Order, Dwolla could have just as easily been forced to answer to the FTC or another law enforcement agency. Third, companies may be subject to varying legal standards when under investigation for data security and privacy protection. In fact, the “unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices” standard employed by the CFPB is even broader than that of the FTC.
At the March 3 Privacy & Data Security Symposium co-presented by the Federal Communications Bar Association and the American Bar Association Forum on communications, officials from the FTC and the FCC reaffirmed their collaboration and shared mission in protecting the privacy and security of consumer personal data. Multiple federal and state agencies have overlapping jurisdiction when it comes to privacy and data security. As the Dwolla case illustrates, these agencies are taking expansive views of their mandates.


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Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives) has announced that Maldives will be represented at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024. ATM is the leading global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East. The fair is being held from 6th to 9th May 2024 at Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE.
A circular has been distributed for expression of interest for ATM 2024. This enables MMPRC to estimate the overall number of companies interested in participating in the event before booking the stand space. MMPRC aims to give opportunities to all interested parties to participate in the fair and facilitate a platform for industry partners to promote their individual products and experiences.
The Middle Eastern market is a key source market for the Maldives. During the global pandemic, 2021 was recorded as the highest number of arrivals from the Middle East, owing to Maldives being one of the few countries with their borders open. Last year, Maldives welcomed over 78,966 tourist arrivals from the Middle East.
Interested companies who would like to take part in this event can apply via the google form “Expression of Interest for ATM 2024” before 23rd January 2024.


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Oct. 29, 2013
For more information contact Dave Thompson, (503) 860-8021
Oregon state law allows motorists to use studded tires from Nov. 1 through March 31. Because studded tires damage Oregon highways, ODOT encourages drivers to consider using chains or non-studded traction tires. Studded tires cause between $40 and $50 million damage each year on city streets, county roads and state highways.
Other types of traction tires are available. Traction tires that meet Rubber Manufacturers Association standards for use in severe snow conditions carry a special symbol on the tire sidewall showing a three-peaked mountain and snowflake. Research shows these tires provide better traction than studded tires when used on bare pavement and most winter driving conditions.
# # ODOT # #


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This conversations between sister cities Burlington and Honfleur concerns the COVID-19 pandemic. The city of Honfleur set up a “Click and Collect” e-commerce platform to help nonessential local merchants deal with mandated COVID restrictions/closings imposed on their businesses and maintain their customer base.
Presented by Town Meeting TV on March 29, 2021
Fran Stoddard, member of the Honfleur Sister City Committee, freelance journalist
Richard Gliech, member of the Honfleur Sister City Committee, translator
Patricia Sausseau, Honfleur city council, deputy mayor in charge of economic activity
Anthony Bry-Faik, Honfleur Tourist Office, Shop and Box office manager
Christophe Lefèbvre, owner/manager of Honfleur’s Brasserie L’Alcyone restaurant
The link to the Town Meeting TV page is here. Or watch:


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Along with the NES Skin and Smash Bros 3DS model, Persona fans can finally get their hands on the Persona Q model that was introduced in Japan.
Many Persona fans begged and voiced greatly about wanting to get this model. Myself included. All the effort is now rewarded and personally I can’t wait to get my hands on this! This will no doubt be a collectors item for Persona fans. Thank you ATLUS. The Persona Q 3DS model will be released alongside the game on November 25, 2014. Only available at GameStop.
Speaking as one of the few who doesn’t have a 3DS, this will be one to make me join the bandwagon. So the only reason you would want to get a 3DS now is that you either don’t have it yet, want to get the limited edition, or you’re just a hardcore fan of the Persona series and limited edition goods.
But I agree with the public feedback , you have to question what Nintendo is doing after announcing an upgraded 3DS last week. Why announced this now after the impending promise of a new 3DS upgrade next year or later? Is it for sales? Satisfying the hardcore audience? If this news was before the “New” 3DS, then perhaps it would have been enough justify the purchase of these limited edition 3DS. But if there is an upgrade on the horizon, perhaps its better to hold out for now and save the money? And the naming, it will only lead to mass confusion. Unless they change it in the next E3.


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Brighton-based British studio, Relentless Software, is closing shop after nearly thirteen years of service. The developer was best known for its award-winning and multi-million selling Buzz! series of quiz games for PlayStation platforms, starting with the PS2 era.
This news was confirmed to Games Industry by founder Andrew Eades who said that all employees have been made redundant. It was only earlier this year that Relentless opened up another studio in Wales with government assistance and commitment of investment from Hasbro. Apparently, the toy company was set to invest in the developer as well as the community for three years. We’re not sure what happened to the deal but back in March, we were told that Relentless was going to create 70 new jobs over two years as it was supposed to work on multiple Hasbro-themed projects.
Our best wishes go out to the employees who have been affected.
[Source: Games Industry]


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From paying with a ring, to a Bentley that orders dinner and virtual reality seats at events: Visa takes us on a tour of the future of payments
- Visa has opened new innovation centre in Paddington
- The 1,000 square metre space will provide immersive environment
- It says mobile and e-commerce payments are growing rapidly
Payment giant Visa has cut the ribbon on its European innovation centre in London, which at 1,000 square metres is its biggest creative space in the world.
While Brexit is looming, global financial services firm Visa has opened the innovation centre at its European Headquarters in London's Paddington Basin, as it looks to inspire the next generation of payments technology.
At its opening event, which came complete with a tour from interactive robot Pepper, Jim McCarthy, Visa vice president for innovation, said: 'We've had great success doing this in our centres globally and are very excited to be opening a state-of-the art facility in Europe.'
SCROLL DOWN FOR BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO
Grand opening: The innovation centre opened on Tuesday in London - and Visa hopes it will spark future technology
The new space in London joins a global network of Visa innovation centres located in technology hotspots, such as Dubai, Miami, San Francisco, Singapore and Tel Aviv.
It comes as mobile payments have tripled in the last year while 5billion contactless payments were made, the global giant said.
Visa is hoping the immersive environment, in which it can work side-by-side with financial institutions, merchants and other partners will help develop the next generation of 'payment solutions'.
At the tour, it revealed a new payment ring which users wear on their finger, as another method of contactless.
The ceramic rings come in all different sizes to suit the owner and which finger they choose to wear it on.
Users link their credit or debit card to the ring and swipe to spend. It is not yet available to the public but was trialled by athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Sizing up: Visa were showing off their NFC payment rings at the event
Inside the centre, it has a Bentley Continental GT as it looks to develop the 'Internet of Things,' which is likely to see 20billion connected devices by 2020.
The Internet of Things is the concept of connecting any device with an off/on switch to the internet - from cars to coffee makers, lighting to washing machines.
It has an app in prototype in which Bentley drivers may, in the future, be able to pay for fuel with a tap of their tablet, order dinner to arrive when they get home and pay for tolls automatically when needed.
Car giant: Visa has a Bentley on display at the centre and it has a prototype app for the 'Internet of Things'
Visa also had a virtual reality station which allowed people to put on Samsung VR goggles.
Here, we were taken to a virtual stadium, in which users can select seats around the whole venue to check before they buy. If they are happy, they can buy the tickets.
It also showed off how people can use biometrics, including setting up payments via 'selfie' and voice recognition.
Robot help: Inside the innovation centre lurked Pepper the robot, who was offering tours
And on the stadium theme, the innovation centre is where it has come up with a new 'Visa Venue' prototype app over a five day period.
It says it was approached by a number of stadium makers across the world for better payment solutions for those who attend events, such as football matches.
This app allows customers to buy their tickets, pre-order food and drinks and along with an interactive map to show the quickest way to get to their seats.
Visa says it handled $8.2trillion worth of payments globally last year and mobile and e-commerce is now where the major growth is coming from.
It adds that the payments industry is now shifting from plastic to digital, and it said at the event that it wants to make sure that every internet-connected device, appliance or wearable can become a secure place for commerce.
Its mantra is to engage, experience and collaborate, and it believes this innovation centre will help benefit the public in the future.
Rajesh Agrawal, deputy mayor for business, said: 'London is a global fintech leader because we have been able to combine our traditional strength in financial services with our growing talent for tech and our innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.
'I am delighted that Visa is launching this new innovation centre in London, bolstering our flourishing global tech and fintech reputation and proving that London is open to great ideas and innovation.'
Jim McCarthy adds: 'What makes the approach we take in our innovation centres unique is that they're all about collaborating with clients to solve real world, consumer pain points or business problems using digital solutions.'
Visa hasn't revealed to This is Money how much it has invested in the centre.
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Major companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Johnson & Johnson have halted ad spending on YouTube in response to a growing concern that ads are being placed on videos with offensive content. This is putting extra pressure on YouTube/Google to make changes to the way ads are delivered on the platform. Read more below to find out what this means for you and your videos on YouTube.
Over the last 6 months or so, YouTube has been focusing more on developing Cards and End Screens as the primary tools for keeping fans engaged. At the same time, they’ve been slowly phasing out annotations. Last week YouTube officially announced the end of annotations.


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By Craig Zammit
SYDNEY: The first of an expected 147 Yes Optus stores to be rolled-out nationwide was officially opened this week in western Sydney’s Westfield Parramatta shopping centre, with the new stores looking to focus on complete consumer communication solutions.
Optus World stores across the country will now be re-branded as Yes Optus outlets over the course of the next three years with a greater concentration on Optus’ many bundled offers and packaged communications solutions.
“Optus stores are no longer just mobile phones stores — they’re network stores” Yes Optus Parramatta store co-franchisee, Lianne Manley, told Current.com.au
“We now do laptops and broadband, we can help you with memory cards and data cables, we can show you how to set your Bluetooth up and much more," she said.
“We are one of only two carriers that can offer the number of products solutions we can, so we want to show that and be sure people are aware of it.”
Co-franchisee Ian Rhynehart told Current.com.au that changing the consumer perception of a phone outlet selling more than just mobiles will be one of the stores greatest tests.
“One of the challenges for us as owners and staff of Optus is to try and change the direction a little bit. We can’t just hang our hat on mobiles because the market’s not getting any bigger,” he said.
On display in the Parramatta store were Cellnet memory cards, Sony Memory Sticks and Hewlett Packard laptops as well as mobile phone accessories and Panasonic, Uniden and Audioline cordless phones.
“We used to be into cordless phones in a big way but now we just want to stock a reasonable amount so that if our customers need a cordless phone upon connection of their home phoneline, we can offer them a solution,” said Manley.
More Yes Optus stores will be rolled-out across Queensland, Victoria and regional New South Wales over the next 10 weeks.


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Starbucks Coffee Co. has reached a deal to produce and exclusively release a CD of 10 Dylan recordings from New York's Gaslight Cafe in 1962
Legend Bob Dylan inks a deal with Starbucks Coffee Co. as it's agreed to produce and exclusively release a CD of his 10 recordings from New York's Gaslight Cafe in 1962. And so, "Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight 1962" will be available at Starbucks stores in the United States and Canada on August 30.
The CD, includes the earliest known recordings of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," as well as folk standards "Barbara Allen" and "The Cuckoo," will cost $13.95 at Starbucks' 4,600 U.S. stores.
In related news, the CD's release will coincide with the release of director Martin Scorsese's feature-length film about Dylan titled "No Direction Home," which two-CD soundtrack will also be sold through Starbucks.


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Tesla has opened its first battery-swap station, as it takes the next step in eliminating range anxiety and inconvenience for owners.» Read More
Apple is reportedly searching for new talent to develop its iWatch, and Tesla Motors replaces Oracle on the Nasdaq today. CNBC's Simon Hobbs and Bob Pisani, discuss.
CNBC’s Mary Thompson takes a look at three stocks investors need to keep an eye on for Monday.
Tesla has become the hottest stock of the year and has found a home in the Nasdaq 100. Is it too late to buy? CNBC's Herb Greenberg weighs in.
Regular investors are rolling the dice on the common stock of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a big way, making a risky bet.
Tesla Motors continues to ride a wave of good news as it will join the Nasdaq 100, which is a listing of the 100 largest nonfinancial companies on the exchange, on July 15.
Nasdaq OMX Group said Tesla Motors will replace Oracle on the Nasdaq 100 stock index, reflecting the rising profile of the U.S. electric car maker.
The GlassTesla app allows users to perform functions remotely as well in their car.
While stocks closed higher, the correction isn't over, Josh Brown of Fusion Analytics says.
Amid a 10 percent S&P rally this year, some of hedge fund Third Point's short holdings have held it back, as even the most beaten-down companies have staged remarkable comebacks.
Tesla Motors will offer drivers on some routes the option to swap in a new battery rather than wait for a recharge.
The electric automaker conducted a test to prove it was quicker to swap out EV batteries than to fill a gas tank, reports CNBC's Phil LeBeau.
Cramer is absolutely shocked by the mistakes Wall Street pros are making right now.
Electric car maker Tesla Motors said it is recalling 1,228 of its 2013 Model S cars due to a possibly safety concern with the back seat mounting bracket.
Colin Rusch, Northland Capital Markets analyst, discusses whether news of a seat-mount defect found in some of the electric cars will impact the stock.
Some of the names on the move ahead of the open.
Tesla Motors draws heated arguments from the "Fast Money" traders.
The trade on Bank of Japan's interest rate policy, with the FMHR crew. And, Nicole Sherrod, TD Ameritrade, discusses what's attracting investors to Tesla Motors.
Investors in May reduced their overall equity exposure for the second month in a row even as the S&P 500 hit a record high, according to a survey from TD Ameritrade.
Algorithm-based money manager Wealthfront hits a historic milestone in assets, showing that contrary to widespread skepticism, investors do trust a machine to manage their money.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, criticized the traditional way of selling cars in the US and indicated the model would hamper the 10-year-old U.S. automaker's growth prospects.


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New Delhi, Feb 17 (KNN) Delivering his Interim Budget Speech for 2014-15 the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that Ministry of MSME has already created the 'India Inclusive Innovation Fund' to promote grass root innovations with social returns to support enterprises in the MSME sector with an initial contribution of Rs 100 crore to the corpus of the fund.
“Ministry of MSME will create the ‘India Inclusive Innovation Fund’ to promote grass root innovations with social returns to support enterprises in the MSME sector. I propose to make an initial contribution of Rs 100 crore to the corpus of the Fund,” he said.
Chidambaram today presented the interim budget for the fiscal year 2014-15 to cover expenditure until the government's term ends in May.
The National Innovation Council (NInC) and the Ministry of MSME in January announced the creation of the India Inclusive Innovation Fund.
The fund is an autonomous Rs 500-crore fund, with the Union Government contributing 20 per cent. The balance will come from public sector banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, multilateral/bilateral development agencies, Indian and global corporates, said a presentation by NInC.
He further insisted that the Government must focus on manufacturing and especially on manufacturing for export. “Manufacturing is the Achilles’ heel of the Indian economy. The deceleration in investment in manufacturing is particularly worrying. Consequently, there is no uptick yet in manufacturing.”
The Minister proposed that all taxes, Central and State, that go into an exported product should be waived or rebated. He also proposed that there should be a minimum tariff protection so that there is an incentive to manufacture goods in India rather than import them into India.
Coming to the manufacturing sector, Chidambaram said that the National Manufacturing Policy has set the goal of increasing the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent and create 100 million jobs over a decade.
“Eight National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) have been announced along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and nine projects have been approved by the DMIC Trust,” he said.
The Minister added that three more corridors connecting Chennai and Bengaluru, Bengaluru and Mumbai, and Amritsar and Kolkata are under different stages of preparatory work.
“Several measures have been taken to promote micro, small and medium enterprises including notifying a public procurement policy, establishing technology centres and common facility centres, and launching the Khadi mark,” FM said.
One of the measures is the National Skill Development Programme. Chidambaram has proposed that Rs 1,000 crore be set aside for 2014-15 in addition to the same amount allocated during the previous year to scale up the programme of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) rapidly.
Of the Rs 1000 crore set apart in previous financial year (2013-14), he said that the whole of that amount will be transferred to the NSD Trust and proposed the transfer of another sum of Rs. 1,000 crore next year (2014-15) to enable the Trust to scale up the programme of NSDC rapidly.
Further, on the social sector initiatives, he said that, “In order to promote entrepreneurship among the scheduled castes and to provide concessional finance to them, IFCI will set up a Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes. I propose to provide an initial capital of `200 crore, which can be supplemented every year.”
The biggest highlight of Chidambaram's speech was the announcement on fiscal deficit. The finance minister said the government will curtail its 2013-14 fiscal deficit to 4.6 per cent of GDP, lower than the red line at 4.8 per cent he drew in the last budget.
India's fiscal deficit will come down to 3 per cent of GDP by 2016-17, Chidambaram added.
He also announced that India's current account deficit for 2013-14 will come down to USD 45 billion and forex reserves will rise by USD 15 billion by end of the current fiscal.
Chidambaram announced the cut duty on consumer durables from 12 per cent to 10 per cent.
The measure is aimed to spur domestic manufacturing at a time when India's economy is growing at the slowest pace in a decade.
Speaking about the foreign trade, India’s exports are expected to grow by 6.3 per cent to USD 326 billion during the current fiscal, Chidambaram said.
“Though 2013—14 began on a pessimistic note, I am happy to inform the House that the year will end with estimated merchandise exports of USD 326 billion, indicating a growth rate of 6.3 per cent,” he said in the interim Budget speech in Parliament.
India’s merchandise exports was at USD 300.4 billion in 2012—13, a decline of 1.8 per cent over the previous year.
“However, imports are down and this does not augur well for either manufacturing or domestic trade. Our aim must be robust growth in both exports and imports, with trade in balance over a period of time,” Chidambaram added.
Further, he said exports have recovered sharply and the recovery must be seen in the context of growth of global trade declining from 6.1 per cent in 2011 to 2.7 per cent in 2013.
He said the government’s objectives included fiscal consolidation, reviving the growth cycle and enhancing manufacturing.
A national interim Budget refers to the budget of a government that is going through a transition period. A vote-on-account presents an estimate of expenditures to be sanctioned by the exchequer till the Budget is passed.


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Join gaming leaders, alongside GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming, for their 2nd Annual GamesBeat & Facebook Gaming Summit | GamesBeat: Into the Metaverse 2 this upcoming January 25-27, 2022. Learn more about the event.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Nvidia unveiled the next-generation chips in its roadmap for desktop computers and mobile devices today. And by 2015, those devices will be 100 times faster than they were in 2011.
Jen-Hsun Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, made the announcements at its GPU Tech conference today in San Jose, Calif. He said that the company’s next-generation graphics core for desktop and high-end mobile computers will move from Kepler to Maxwell in 2014. By 2015, Nvidia will launch Volta, a chip that includes its first instance of Denver processing technology.
With Volta, Nvidia will move to 3D transistors and stacked memory, or memory chips on a circuit board that are stacked on top of each other.
The 2nd Annual GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming Summit and GamesBeat: Into the Metaverse 2
January 25 – 27, 2022
Meanwhile, Nvidia is also refreshing its lineup of Tegra mobile processors for smartphones, tablets, and other power-efficient devices. Nvidia is currently shipping (or about to ship) its Tegra 4 mobile processors. By 2014, Nvidia will launch Logan, which will presumably be called Tegra 5, and it will launch Parker in 2015. From 2011 (with Tegra 2) to 2015 with Parker, Nvidia’s processing power in Tegra chips will have grown 100 times in performance. Normally, chip improvements would call for an eight-fold increase in performance.
“You’re not the only one who has been holding their breath for these chips,” Huang said in his keynote speech.
GamesBeatGamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. How will you do that? Membership includes access to:
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- And maybe even a fun prize or two
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Hockey fans just suffered their worst casualty of the lockout so far; the NHL has cancelled the first two weeks of its regular season.
While fans remained frightened and livid at the possibility of missing an entire year of hockey due to the lockout, as they did during the 2004-2005 season, they aren't the ones losing money.
Players and owners are — and they just lost a lot, in ticket sales and player salaries alone.
Last year, a leaked NHL report revealed the total value of ticket revenues of all 30 teams during the 2010-2011: $1.2 billion.
Teams play 1,230 games in a typical regular season. That means if you miss one game, it costs the league approximately $975,000 in ticket sales. Missing 82 means the league loses $80 million.
And player salaries? That's about $1.7 billion, according to last years figures. Missing 82 games of means hockey players have lost $113 million, collectively.
So the lockout has cost the NHL almost $200 million. Some players have supplemented their income playing abroad, so maybe that changes how players are analyzing financial incentives. But these figures don't even include lost merchandise and concessions sales at games, parking, and all the money that the a hockey game can bring to bars, restaurants, and businesses that surround stadiums.


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Gaming TV-show host reveals that Sony could take draconian piracy measures; Twitter reacts.
Sony could implement a controversial DRM system to block the free exchange of used games, according to Geoff Keighley, Spike TV host.
In response to furious fan reaction to the news that Microsoft may charge and additional fee for people to swap games or buy used games for the upcoming Xbox One, Keighley suggested that Sony was likely to respond in kind.
"The console companies are becoming the bad guys,” he explained (via Kotaku), adding: “And, you know, Microsoft is getting beaten up a lot on it.
“Sony, I think, has been seen as this kind of white knight so far that's not going to restrict used games. Based on some of the things I'm hearing, I don't think that's entirely true, because I can't see publishers allowing one system to do one thing and one do another."
Since this rumour hit the internet fans struck back on Twitter, delivering a clear message to Sony with the suddenly popular tags of: #PS4NoDRM and #ps4usedgames.


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A lot has happened in the past ten years for cyber intrusions and data breaches. We want to round out the end of the decade with our top 3 cyber intrusions.
Stuxnet was discovered around June 2010 by Belarusian antivirus company VirusBlokAda. U.S. based antivirus company Symantec was the first to reverse engineer the malware and Ralph Langer, an Industrial Control System specialist, provided the last piece of the puzzle. Langer discovered that Stuxnet controlled Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) that are associated with a specific controller manufactured by Siemens. These controllers were also specific to centrifuges that were installed in Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment lab. The malware caused the centrifuges to spin wildly out of control by either speeding up, or slowing down, their RPMs. By doing this it caused the hardware to destroy itself and fail. It’s been hinted at that Stuxnet was a joint operation between the United States and Israel.
In the book “Countdown to Zero Day,” by Kim Zetter, she mentioned that Stuxnet was the first malware of it’s kind to cause physical damage to something in a real world attack. Through her research she found that Project Aurora, that was conducted at Idaho National Laboratory, was the first documented piece of code that could destroy a physical machine. Click here to see it on YouTube.
Sony Pictures Hack: 2014
Where to being with Sony? Between their installing rootkits on peoples’ computers when playing a CD and the PlayStation Network hack, the Sony Pictures hack stands out the most, as those who tuned in witnessed a near real time implosion of a company.
The group who claimed responsibility of the hack, Guardians of Peace, infiltrated Sony Pictures’ internal network, allegedly stealing over 100 terabytes of data. They also installed wiper malware that erased data on company hard drives. Guardians of Peace threatened Sony Pictures that they would release the data they stole if they didn’t give in to their demands, one of which was to not release the film “The Interview.” The movie was a comedy about assassinating North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. The group made good on it’s threats by releasing data they stole and prevented Sony Pictures from releasing the file. To this day, it’s been alleged that North Korean threat actors were behind the attack.
Equifax breach: 2017
We’re including Equifax as one of the top three because of the size and severity of the data stolen, which still has not surfaced on the dark web yet. Roughly 140 million U.S. citizens had their social security numbers exposed. Some drivers licenses and credit card data were also part of the breach.
We covered the initial fall out of the data breach here. One interesting thing that we’ve spoken about, but didn’t include in the original post, is a research team found a login portal for some South American properties Equifax held that had the default username and password as admin/admin. You can read more of the gory details by journalist Brian Krebs here.
Marriott Data breach: 2018 Up to 500 million guests compromised. Among the stolen data included passports and credit card numbers.
Suprema hack: 2019 Security company that has a biometric lock platform was breached where “…fingerprints of over 1 million people, as well as facial recognition information, unencrypted usernames and passwords, and personal information of employees, was discovered on a publicly accessible database for a company used by the likes of the UK Metropolitan police, defence[sic] contractors and banks.” [Source]
What these three events represent
With Stuxnet, it showed us a stark reality of where wars of the future will be fought and just how fragile critical infrastructure is.
The Sony Pictures hack felt like a test bed for the future of ransomware attacks. Since this hack, we’ve seen news of WannaCry shutting down multiple hospitals that are part of the UK’s National Health Service and other variants of ransomware taking other healthcare providers, schools, and municipalities offline. As private citizens and businesses continue to move, and store data, to the cloud, these attacks will ramp up against these providers.
Equifax is the poster child of what a business should not do. Lackadaisical patch management, gross negligence, botched public notification, and a lack of accountability on their part. We as consumers also need to do our own due diligence to protect our stuff, but Equifax felt different as they possess our most valuable data which we’ve never consented to them having. Our belief is that Equifax also represents the need for consumers to have significantly more control over their personal data.
Let us know your thoughts. What did we get right or wrong? What cyber incidents did we miss over the last decade that should be included?


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Debbi Kerrigan may be an engineer by trade, but keeping the local community outfitted with the latest fashion trends has been her focus since 2018 when she took over the fab’rik franchise in Franklin. Then in 2022, Debbi added a sister store in Brentwood’s Hill Center.
“My daughter, Jordan, is running the Brentwood location for me,” Debbi shared. “We’re both sharing that little bit of passion with retail. It’s been so fun, because the whole time she was in her last years of high school and throughout college she’d come home and help every break.”
Debbi describes the pair of stores as “sisters, but not twins,” meaning you’ll find complementary styles and a cohesive vibe across both stores, but their offerings may vary slightly based on each market.
“You’ll know the stores are related, but you won’t see the same thing,” Debbi shares. “Franklin has more of the mother/daughter shoppers, and Brentwood caters more to the business woman.”
Fashion is ever-changing, and one of Debbi’s favorite parts of the job is providing the community with an opportunity to add trending pieces to their wardrobe while keeping the basics in mind. As we head into fall 2023, a few noteworthy styles are emerging, and Debbi and her team are ready to help you pack your closet with the latest and greatest.
This fall, Debbi shares that a surprising item is making a comeback: the cargo pant, saying, “We’re seeing that for all age groups. I’ve even taken a pair home myself and I love them.” While cargo may be trending, denim will continue to remain in style, deviating from tears and holes to straight leg styles with minimal distressing at the bottom. Spanx is a popular pant and clothing brand, and Fab’rik carries an expansive selection.
Colorful dresses were a major trend in spring and summer, and Debbi anticipates that will continue as we head into fall, saying “Women want comfort, but we also want to be girly. We’ve sold so many dresses this year, and we anticipate they’ll still be a hot item going into fall and winter.”
Before packing up your spring and summer favorites, Debbi recommends finding ways to layer outfits to be more seasonally-appropriate. Throw on a jacket or sweater to warm up a dress, or opt for a basic with an unbuttoned gauzy blouse on top.
Debbi, Jordan and their team of stylists are happy to help with layering options for existing pieces, whether you opt to come in with photos and ideas or schedule a complimentary personal styling appointment at either store.
Traditional fall colors like sage green and earth tones will continue to trend this year as with autumn’s past, but one vibrant colorway is standing out as a new trend for 2023: cherry red. Bright colors are growing in popularity and will continue to trend into the colder months, but if cherry red feels too bold, Debbi recommends dialing it down with a neutral basic like white denim. Speaking of, Debbi shares that the old rule against wearing white after Labor Day is no more.
Since Debbi launched her new career path with fab’rik nearly five years ago, she’s enjoyed getting ingrained in the local community and helping women stay on top of trends. She shares, “That’s been the biggest blessing - to get to know these fantastic women in this area more deeply, and watching them grow to have confidence in what we do here.”
Both the Franklin and Brentwood fab’rik locations have all the latest and greatest pieces to help you stay on trend through any season.
“Women want comfort, but we also want to be girly. We’ve sold so many dresses this year, and we anticipate they’ll still be a hot item going into fall and winter.”


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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, grocery store employees were hailed as heroes and given $2-an-hour bonuses.
Now, in the crippling third wave, most “hero pay” is long gone, there’s little paid sick leave and store staff are still waiting to be vaccinated.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“Overlooked, underappreciated and, in a way, betrayed.”
That’s how it feels, an employee of a major grocery store in Windsor told me.
Yet while we stay home, they keep showing up for work. They need their jobs, and we need to eat.
The pandemic’s first wave was “very scary,” said this employee, who asked to remain anonymous. Customers flooded stores, panic buying.
The employee would remind people to stay two metres apart, and some would respond, “f— off.”
Now, some customers still walk in without masks, said an employee at another major grocery store in Windsor. When staff remind them to wear masks, “they just ignore them and walk in,” said the second employee, who also asked to remain anonymous.
Some customers wear their masks pulled down to their chins, said the first employee.
“You should see the looks you get when you ask them to pull (the mask) up,” the employee said. “They look at you like you’re sub-human.”
Signs asking people to stay two metres apart and directional signs are often ignored.
“Most of the time it’s chaos,” said the employee
When long lines form at cash registers, “it’s a madhouse,” the second employee said, with people back-to-back, reaching around others to grab products.
The three main grocery chains — Loblaws, Metro and Empire Co. Ltd., which owns Sobeys and FreshCo — list stores where employees have tested positive. Metro listed more than 100 cases the first three weeks of April, including one at its Howard Avenue store in Windsor. Loblaws listed 119 the last 10 days. Sobeys listed more than 70 in the last two weeks.
Both employees I spoke to worry about being infected. They know the virus variants are more contagious and virulent and more young people like them are getting very sick.
They also worry about infecting family members with compromised immune systems.
“I worry about it a lot,” said the first employee.
Some employees worked more than 12 hours a day with no time off for weeks last year. But they felt needed and appreciated.
Now they feel burned out.
“It’s like if I have to tell one more customer to put their mask up, I could snap,” said the first employee.
They do all this for minimum wage — $14.25 an hour — or slightly higher.
The $2-an-hour bonus last March wasn’t much, but it was something, some recognition. The companies ditched that in June.
The chains posted hundreds of millions of dollars in profits last year, double-digit increases. Loblaws chairman Galen Weston made $3.55 million, including a $648,000 bonus. President Sarah Davis made $4.53 million, including a $1.35-million bonus, according to the Globe and Mail.
But only Empire pays bonuses to regular staff again. Metro gives staff store gift cards. No Frills gives them company water bottles.
Part-time employees, the majority of staff at some stores, don’t get paid sick leave, either. One employee lost days of pay isolating after a COVID-19 test. The test was negative.
“Going to get tested was such a hard decision because I knew I was going to miss valuable pay that I can’t afford to miss,” the employee said.
Ontario’s COVID-19 advisory table has repeatedly called for paid sick leave for essential workers. The Ontario government has offered only to top up the federal government’s inadequate sick benefit. The federal government rejected that proposal.
Grocery store employees are prioritized for vaccination in the current phase of Ontario’s rollout, but they’re near the bottom of a long list, behind older people, those who live in hot spots or high-risk congregate settings like shelters, those suffering chronic health conditions from organ transplant recipients to diabetics, first responders, teachers, child care workers and farm workers.
The parent of a grocery store employee emailed me, worried and frustrated about the wait. But, even the parent acknowledged, “I feel guilty saying this group should get it ahead of other people. Everybody should get the vaccine.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens three weeks ago called for Ontario to further prioritize essential workers, including grocery store employees.
“Most reasonable people would say those are higher risk settings for COVID transmission, and we should elevate those people because the service they provide obviously is very essential,” he said.
Local public health officials are planning vaccination for more essential workers, but there’s no indication that grocery store employees will be included when vaccine supply doubles during the next two weeks.
The first employee I spoke to remembers taking grocery orders at Christmas, “copious” amounts of food for family get-togethers. But this employee doesn’t see family. This employee is too worried about infecting them.
“My life is on hold because I have to serve these families their food for their get-togethers,” the employee said.
They were called heroes, but what they really need is pandemic pay, sick pay and vaccine, said Tim Deelstra, spokesperson for the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents employees at Metro, Food Basics, Real Canadian Superstore and Wholesale Club in Windsor.
“We think there’s a moral imperative to do that, on the part of employers and on the part of the provincial government,” he said.


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TOP Financial Group (NASDAQ: TOP) is an online brokerage business based in Hong Kong that went public last year. In recent days, the company's shares have exploded in value, increasing by more than 500% in pre-market trading on Friday alone. As of 1:49 pm ET that day, TOP Financial Group's shares had surged nearly 633% higher.
The surge in TOP Financial Group's share price has been unexplained, leading some investors to question whether it is a good investment opportunity. The stock hit new records on Friday, but its profit and revenue are tiny, which could make it a high-risk, high-reward investment.
Despite the lack of news, TOP Financial Group's shares have continued to trade at high volumes, with the company's shares trading higher by 415% to $103 on Friday afternoon. As of April 28, 2023, TOP Financial Group's shares are experiencing a significant increase in trading volume, despite the absence of any significant news.
Investors looking to invest in TOP Financial Group should be aware that the company is a high-risk, high-reward investment opportunity. The company's shares have been subject to extreme volatility in recent days, and the stock's price could fall just as quickly as it rose.
TOP Financial Group's business model is focused on offering online brokerage services to retail customers in Hong Kong and other Asian markets. The company's platform allows investors to trade stocks, options, futures, and other financial instruments.
Despite the company's rapid growth, investors should be aware that TOP Financial Group's financials are still relatively small. In 2022, the company reported revenue of just $10 million and a net loss of $2.6 million. While the company's revenue increased by 50% in the first quarter of 2023, it remains a small player in the online brokerage industry.
Investors looking to invest in TOP Financial Group should also be aware of the risk associated with investing in Chinese companies. Many Chinese companies have come under scrutiny in recent years for accounting irregularities and other issues, leading some investors to question the reliability of financial statements from Chinese companies.
Despite the risk, TOP Financial Group could be an attractive investment opportunity for investors looking for exposure to the rapidly growing online brokerage industry in Asia. The company's platform has gained popularity among retail investors in Hong Kong and other Asian markets, and the company is well-positioned to benefit from the growing trend towards online trading.
Investors looking to invest in TOP Financial Group should also be aware of the risk associated with investing in high-growth companies. While the potential rewards can be significant, high-growth companies are often subject to extreme volatility, and the stock's price can fluctuate rapidly.
In summary, TOP Financial Group is a high-risk, high-reward investment opportunity that could be attractive to investors looking for exposure to the rapidly growing online brokerage industry in Asia. However, investors should be aware of the risk associated with investing in high-growth companies and the risk associated with investing in Chinese companies.
Ticker: NASDAQ: TOP


text: Ford and Volkswagen AG announced plans to expand their global alliance in what may be a significant auto-industry shift. The goal is to create a new manufacturing standard. VW will invest $2.6 billion in an autonomous-vehicle startup, Argo AI, in which Ford has invested $1 billion. Ford will gain access to VW’s electric-vehicle platform with a goal of building more than 500,000 vehicles in Europe. Using the same platform, VW plans to manufacture 15 million battery-electric vehicles for global consumption in the next 10 years.


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The firm, which employs 1.5 million people worldwide, said the cuts would fall mainly in areas including cloud computing and advertising.
It did not say which countries would be affected but said the positions would be closed in the next few weeks.
Boss Andy Jassy said it was a "difficult decision" but it would be best for the company in the long term.
The firm already axed 18,000 jobs in January.
Mr Jassy said that in recent years, most areas of Amazon's business had been adding roles.
"However, given the uncertain economy in which we reside, and the uncertainty that exists in the near future, we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount," he continued.
Like many tech giants, Amazon saw sales boom during the pandemic when customers were stuck at home.
But more recently its sales have slowed down as consumers spend less due to the cost of living crisis.
Other companies, including Google and Facebook-owner Meta, have been grappling with how to balance cost-cutting measures with the need to remain competitive.
Last week Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs.
Mr Jassy said it is "never easy" to lose employees, adding: "To those ultimately impacted by these reductions, I want to thank you for the work you have done on behalf of customers and the company."
Another area that will see cuts is Twitch, a livestreaming platform for content including gaming and music.
It comes days after Emmett Shear announced he would be stepping down as Twitch's chief executive officer after 16 years in post.
Amazon bought Twitch for $1bn (£1.5bn) in 2014.


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A stunning debut for Paddy Power, topping this new-for-2011 sector and coming sixth overall. The Irish bookmaker also takes the awards for quality of marketing and innovation. Of the group operating profit of €45.3m, 81% comes from online operations. The UK’s largest high street bookie, William Hill, has 2,370 shops, but posted Q3 profits down 22% in October, thanks to losses at its phone betting arm. Third-placed Bwin.Party Digital – the company behind the PartyPoker brand – has teamed up with US casino operators MGM Resorts and Boyd Gaming in anticipation of the legalisation of online poker there. Betting exchanges Betfair and Sportingbet are also pushing for global expansion.
BMAC 2011 by sector: Gaming


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If you’re brave enough to repair your smartphone on your own and you own a Google Pixel phone, then you’ll love this.
Month: June 2022
If you want a fast laptop at a reasonable price, then go for a Chromebook.
The latest Chrome OS update will allow Android users to sync recent photos and Wi-Fi passwords, and fast-pair Bluetooth devices with their Chromebooks. It’s the next step towards a unified ecosystem of Google hardware and software.
You no longer need to have a Pixel in order to transfer all of your data from iPhone to Android.
Making files on Google Drive available offline with the Desktop Client is just a few clicks away. Jack Wallen shows you how it’s done.
Google will move Hangouts mobile users to Chat today.
For the past decade, researchers in academia and the nonprofit world have had access to increasingly sophisticated information about the Earth’s surface. Now, any commercial or government entity will have access to Earth Engine
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was the lone leader in running Google’s latest version of Wear OS, but we now have a new option available in the Montblanc Summit 3. This luxury model is powered by the latest from Google …
Google is encouraging all companies to introduce anonymous code review to remove bias in reviews that cost it lost developer hours.
Following this morning’s decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, Google has informed its US employees that they can relocate themselves “without justification.” more… The post Google tells employees they can relocate ‘without justification,’ in wake of …
If you’re a tab hoarder like me, chances are you’ll waste tons of time looking through dozens of open browser tabs to find the one you need. Let us show you how to use Chrome’s built-in tab groups to wrangle …
If you need to work with documents, spreadsheets, or presentations in Google Drive when a network connection isn’t available, Offline Access is the way to go. Jack Wallen shows you how it’s done.
ChromeOS finally has support for both dark and light themes. Jack Wallen shows you how to make the switch.
There’s whining, and then there’s trying to look cool and still whine. Oh, Google.
Netflix confirmed earlier this year that it is preparing an ad-supported streaming tier, and it seems the company is considering Google as a partner for those ads. more… The post Netflix reportedly in talks with Google to bolster ad-supported tier …
Award-winning AI research? Check. Startup and enterprise experience? Check. Venture capital and Mark Benioff backing? Check. Is that enough for Richard Socher’s you.com to take on Google?
If you didn’t know better, you’d think the whole brouhaha was a publicity stunt by Google.
No, you really don’t have a new voicemail.
Apple’s “Move to iOS” app makes it easy to move your WhatsApp account to the iPhone, but there are some things you need to know.
Google plans to introduce the Professional Chrome OS Administrator certification this fall. Here’s why Chrome is making changes to this popular operating system certification.


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TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN
Brand-new vehicles sit in front of Brandon Chrysler Dodge on Victoria Avenue on Friday afternoon.
One of the major automotive dealerships in Brandon is changing hands following the sale of Brandon Chrysler Dodge to Kent Forman, owner of Forman Honda and Forman Mazda.
"I’m excited and I think it’s a great opportunity to continue the Chrysler presence in Brandon," Forman said.
While there will be only a few changes, one of the bigger ones is a name change to Brandon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
Forman bought the dealership, which is located on the south side of Victoria Avenue near 34th Street, from the Larkin family. The dealership will be headed by new general manager Chris Irvine, who has experience at Mainline Motors and Murray Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC Brandon.
Forman has enjoyed servicing existing clientele who have appreciated the smaller, more efficient vehicles sold by Honda and Mazda, but admitted that he’s excited to now be able to offer full-sized trucks.
"I look forward to being able to provide for the needs of the ag and oil industries, commercial accounts from the Ram truck and the cargo vans," Forman said.
Forman, who grew up around the auto industry in Rivers and Dauphin, said no major renovations are planned for the immediate future and all staff are being retained.
"It should be a seamless transition — same location, same staff — and I really hope the customers don’t notice an immediate change," Forman said.
"We will make improvements where it’s warranted but we have a long timeline to work with. We’ll continue to compete for the business of our customers and we’ll have to earn their respect and trust and it starts today."
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition September 14, 2013


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What goes together better than a Rolex Daytona and Paul Newman? The two are almost inseparable amongst watch enthusiasts. Paul Newman’s own Daytona became the most expensive watch in the world in 2017 when it sold at auction for $17.5 million USD, and it looks like Christie’s wants to challenge that with their own Newman associated Daytona.
With only three out in the world, the Rolex Daytona 6263 Paul Newman Lemon Dial is known as “The Legend” for a reason.
These 18K gold variants date back to 1969 when Daytonas weren’t one of the most popular watches in the world. These became so rare that many in the watch world couldn’t actually decide if it was real or not, but somehow Christie’s got their hands on one.
Rémi Guillemin, Head of Watches at Christie’s Geneva, believes that this watch “is to my eyes the best-preserved of only three known to exist.” That will surely up the price just a tad. The current pre-sale estimates value watch at CHF 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 (~$4,791,000 – $7,986,000 AUD).
Why is it so sought after (other than its scarcity)? Other than the Paul Newman features (layout, contrasting sub-dials etc.), the watch is valuable because it came from an era of experimentation with colour for Rolex, hence the small numbers produced. Those screw-down chronograph pushers and 18k gold case are also a combination that many believed didn’t exist on lemon dial models. All this adds up to that monster price.
Other than all the things that make it valuable, is it a good-looking watch? Yeah, of course it is. For me, it’s the sub-dials. They don’t look machine printed, but hand done, blemishes and all, but again, you could say that of all Daytonas from the 60s.
The watch will go on sale November 7.
At A Glance
Dial: Lemon with white subsidiaries
Case: 18K yellow gold
Bracelet: 18K Rolex Oyster with deployant clasp
On paper, the Shanghai circuit should have heavily favoured Ferrari’s package being front-limited track with low-speed corners. On paper, McLaren should have struggled. And yet, it was the complete opposite at the Chinese Grand Prix.
“I think it’s as simple as he’s doing a better job,” Leclerc explained.
Speaking ahead of the Chinese GP, Valtteri Bottas confirmed that they have brought further modifications, but a proper fix hasn’t been found as of yet.
The Speedmaster Chronoscope embodies a refined interpretation of the iconic Paris 2024 color scheme.


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Stocks Slip as Investors Brace for Earnings Season
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Major U.S. stock averages slipped for the second straight day on Tuesday as investors waited on the sidelines for the unofficial start of the earnings season with a report from aluminum giant Alcoa(AA) after the markets close.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 55 points, or 0.41%, at 13,329. The blue-chip index posted its third day of losses in five sessions but remains up 3% since the start of the new year.
Breadth was slightly negative on the Dow, the laggards outnumbered gainers 15 to 14, while Alcoa closed unchanged. The biggest percentage blue-chip losers were AT&T(T) , Verizon(V) , UnitedHealth Group (UNH) and Boeing(BA) .
Verizon shares were off 2.4% after CEO Lowell McAdam told The Wall Street Journal that he believes the company can feasibly buy out its wireless joint venture with Vodafone(VOD) .
Shares of Alcoa were up 1.2% in after hours trades after the aluminum products producer posted earnings of 6 cents a share on $5.9 billion in revenue and said it expected a bump up in global demand. Consensus among analysts had expected 6 cents a share on revenue of $5.61 billion.
Except for health care and transportation, all sectors in the broad market were weakening, with capital goods, consumer cyclicals, conglomerates, and energy sinking the most.
Apple(AAPL) shares were off 027% as investors took profits following a pop in the stock amid a DigiTimes report that said the tech giant is developing a low-cost iPhone for emerging markets for 2013.
There were also reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook made his second visit to China in less than a year and met with the country's ministry of industry and information technology.
Volumes reached 3.59 billion shares on the New York Stock Exchange and 1.74 billion on the Nasdaq. Advancers were marginally ahead of decliners on the Big Board, while winners beat laggards by a 1.1-to-1 ratio and the Nasdaq.
Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist for LPL Financial, said this week investors will begin to see whether fourth-quarter corporate profits suffered any collateral damage from the "fiscal cliff" battle.
"When the earnings season winds down in February, the fiscal cliff battle part II may emerge as we approach the limit on U.S. borrowing authority, the end of the delay to the spending sequester, and funding of the U.S. government," said Kleintop.
"Starting Tuesday afternoon, with Alcoa's Q4 earnings report, corporate fundamentals will start to matter again -- if only briefly," said Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx. "U.S. companies have proven time and again over the last four years that they can deliver strong bottom-line results in spite of a tepid global economy. The market-moving information will, instead, be at the top of the income statement -- as it was during Q3 2012 season."


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That Louis Vuitton is the leading name in luxury is not unknown. Like a magic wand, Louis Vuitton transforms its products into exquisite pieces of luxury. In fact, Louis Vuitton and luxury are today synonyms. So we commend the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) who has decided to hire the expertise of the famed luxury brand Louis Vuitton to build a 168,000 square meter luxury mall on Saadiyat Island connecting to Abu Dhabi’s three planned mega museums. The developer, TDIC, announced that it had formed a joint venture with L Real Estate, a private equity fund in which the Louis Vuitton owner LVMH is a minority investor. The mall, christened “The District” mall, is touted to become one of the biggest malls in UAE and would form a triangle between the three museums.
The mall is expected to house more than 550 stores, many of which would be outdoors. The retail destination would be home to all types of stores from luxury and fashion brands, department stores, home furnishing chains to art galleries and family entertainment venues.
The three-story mall would be classified into four zones. Three of the four – Luxury Street, Canal, and Main Street zones – would be located outdoors on two levels. Luxury Street is expected to boast of elite fashion stores, while Canal would include cafes and restaurants next to a canal opposite the Guggenheim. The Main Street zone would include stores and outdoor cafes.
L Real Estate, specializing in luxury shopping, will collaborate with TDIC to develop the mall on a 17-hectare plot of land in the new cultural district. The construction for the mall is expected to begin in 2014, and it is expected to be completed by 2017 to coincide with the opening of the Abu Dhabi Guggenheim Museum.


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People who use tanning beds before age 30 are 75 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, which is responsible for the most skin cancer deaths each year. College students are at MAJOR risk here. While the dangers of skin cancer might not be news, this is an important reminder to stay away from tanning beds!
What’s wrong with tanning beds?
Tanning beds are classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, joining asbestos, mustard gas, plutonium, sunlight and tobacco smoke on the list of the world’s most dangerous cancer-causing agents. This reinforces recommendations by the World Health Organization to avoid sunlamps and tanning salons and to protect yourself from overexposure.
What’s the problem with tanning in general?
Long-term exposure to artificial sources of ultraviolet rays like tanning beds, or to the sun’s natural rays, increases both men’s and women’s risk of developing skin cancer. In addition, exposure to tanning salon rays increases damage caused by sunlight because ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal. Women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 1 million people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer in the U.S. every year. In fact, non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the country. Forty to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have this form of skin cancer at least once. These are startling statistics for a cancer that can, for the most part, be prevented.
Am I at risk?
Almost everyone who frequents a tanning salon or exposes themselves to the sun is putting themselves at risk for skin cancer. The risk is greatest for people with fair skin; blonde, red or light hair; and blue, green or gray eyes. Artificial tanning can also be more dangerous for those who burn easily, have already been treated for skin cancer or have a family member who has had skin cancer. In addition, women have a higher risk of contracting skin cancer on their legs, and men have a higher risk of getting it on their backs.
How can I prevent skin cancer?
There are various things than one can do to prevent their exposure to artificial sources of ultraviolet rays:
- Avoid tanning beds and booths.
- Instead of going to a tanning salon, try tanning sprays. In fact, some salons now provide only tanning spray services.
- Regardless of your exposure to natural or artificial UV rays, conduct a monthly skin self-exam looking for any abnormalities (like bumps or sores that don’t heal) or moles that have changed size, color or shape. Be sure to check all areas. Have a friend or family member check your back.
- Visit your physician or a dermatologist to get annual exams. If caught early, skin cancer is now almost 100 percent curable.
The bottom line?
Long-term exposure to artificial (or natural) sources of ultraviolet rays increases one’s risk of developing skin cancer; however, there are alternatives one can take to minimize the risk associated with artificial rays such as using sunless tanning lotions or sprays in concert with regular skin checks by your physician or dermatologist.
Information provided by Susan Millan, MD, SHCC Team H/Dermatology Clinic


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SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading into the E3 gaming conference this week, Interpret releases data from a re-contact study of its New Media Measure™ consumer database showing that 16% of gamers are aware of Nintendo's intent to release a 3D handheld device. The study, "3D State of Union: Are Consumers Ready?" also reveals significant gender differences in terms of awareness, with 21% of male gamers showing awareness versus 9% of female gamers.
"Despite the absence of any formal news or announcements about a no-glasses 3D handheld device, awareness and positive purchase interest are relatively high," said Michael Cai, VP, Interpret. "Nintendo's brand strength among gamers is a contributing factor, but the data clearly show that general excitement about 3D is also driving increased anticipation."
In terms of purchase interest, the study reveals similar gender differences in that "definite interest" is highest among males (10% of male gamers versus 5% of female gamers).
3D State of Union: Are Consumers Ready? is a New Media Measure™ interpretations report that examines consumer awareness, experience, perception, and interest of 3D entertainment and technologies and identifies early adopters of 3D content and devices.
New Media Measure™ is Interpret LLC's proprietary, quarterly survey of media behaviors, attitudes and product consumption. Designed to keep pace with the evolving media landscape, New Media Measure™ supplies the means to better measure and keep track of fast-changing consumer behaviors. New Media Measure™ surveys 9,000 consumers aged 12-65, representative of the U.S. population and weighted to U.S. Census. Data collected includes: demographics, psychographics, brand consumption, traditional media consumption, online and social networking, mobile phone, video gaming, and digital entertainment. Data is available via Interface, a web-accessible, interactive analysis tool, through Intrend, quarterly trend reports, and through Interpretations, monthly whitepapers from Interpret analysts. www.interpretllc.com/new-media-measure.php.
About Interpret LLC
Interpret LLC is a leading entertainment, media and technology measurement and market research firm that applies proprietary, cutting edge methodologies and extensive category knowledge to help companies plan, test, and measure their business strategies. www.interpretllc.com.
Jeff Tiddens (310) 255-0590 x346 / firstname.lastname@example.org
SOURCE Interpret LLC