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It's a short little bill, but it could have a huge impact.
As you might recall from our write-up last fall, there's a big problem preventing the beer industry in Tennessee from getting any bigger: the 17 percent wholesale tax. As planned, the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild has joined with other beer interests in the state, including the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association, Anheuser Busch, and MillerCoors, to change the way the tax is structured. The legislation, co-sponsored by State Rep. Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and State Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), reads:
That's it. It's a simple fix that would eliminate the wholesale beer tax and instead tax beer by volume, which would mean that Tennessee would no longer have the highest beer tax in the country -- currently 12 percent higher than even Alaska. The sponsors of the bill are convinced it would be revenue neutral, so the state won't lose any money from the tax cut. What will happen, however, is that the lower taxes will mean beer is cheaper to buy and cheaper to make -- which would make Tennessee a much more attractive state for breweries to locate, or to just sell their beer in.SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 57-6-103, is amended by deletingsubsection (b) in its entirety and by redesignating the remaining subsections accordingly.SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 57-6-103(e), is amended by insertingthe language "the state or federal per barrel privilege tax on beer or" between the words "include" and "the" in the first sentence.SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
The legislation was filed today, and there will be a grand launch for the movement tonight -- alas, in Nashville, at Yazoo Brewery's headquarters. You can read all the specific details of why this legislation is important below, but the gist of it is this: If you drink beer, and you'd like it to be cheaper, and you'd like more breweries to sell their beers here, then you need to contact your legislators in the House and the Senate and tell them to support this.
While you're doing so, you might also note a couple of other bills regarding beer. There's one in which Rep. Art Swann (R-Maryville) would tax high-gravity beers at the beer rate instead of the wine rate AND would allow in-state direct shipping of both regular and high-gravity beers to consumers -- good news on all fronts for beer lovers. But there's also a bill that Rep. Bill Sanderson (R-Kenton) has introduced which would prevent you buying beer in the self-checkout lines at the grocery store, which is just dumb. We assume this is intended to prevent underage drinking, but if you've ever tried to buy beer in the self-checkout line at Kroger, then you know it's absolutely impossible to do so without the clerk entering your ID into the system, same as in the regular checkout lines. Some legislators are just looking for problems where there are none.
Anyway, here's all the info you could ever need about the proposed tax reform, straight from the press release:
A Reform Proposal to Cure the Beer Tax that Ales TennesseeNASHVILLE, Tenn. - A new legislative proposal promises to bring logic to Tennessee law and stabilize an out-of-control situation that has pushed the state into the beer-tax stratosphere.Tennessee has the nation's highest effective beer tax rate, 12 percent higher than No. 2 Alaska, and it is rising higher every year, regardless of whether beer sales rise. This effect is the result, likely unintended, from beer-tax policy established by the State of Tennessee in 1954. Since that time, Tennessee has blown past every state to be the nation's highest taxer of beer."Tennessee beer drinkers are already paying more than their fair share, but this is getting out of control," said Scott Turner, president of Ajax Turner Co. Inc. "We are completely out of step with the nation's 49 other states. In addition to higher taxes, this is having a detrimental effect on economic development and consumer choice."Linus Hall opened Yazoo Brewing in 2003 to booming sales and national acclaim. Though his business continues to grow, Tennessee's excessive tax policy is choking down the company's business opportunities, including employment growth."I want to hire more people and invest more money in my business, but because of the tax, it makes it more difficult to do so," said Hall. "We're growing, but just not as fast as we could have to keep up with consumer demand. The margins are just too small because of the 17-percent tax."The Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013, supported by a coalition of Tennessee businesses and consumers, would change the way the state's local wholesale beer tax is structured, though it would still preserve the current levels of funding that the state's local governments receive from the tax.The Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013 will be sponsored by State Representative Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown).Rep. Sexton, Sen. Kelsey, Tennessee craft beer makers, national brewers and importers, wholesalers and consumers will launch a statewide grassroots campaign in support of beer tax reform on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 5 p.m. at Yazoo Brewing Co., 910 Division Street in Nashville. Hundreds of supporters are expected to attend and begin a statewide tour of campaign events in Memphis, Clarksville, Nashville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Tri-Cities.The grassroots effort will be visible in hundreds of Tennessee restaurants and craft brewery establishments, inviting consumers through social media to voice their support and contact legislators. Information about the Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013 can be found on the Web at www.fixthebeertax.com, and at www.facebook.com/fixthebeertax.Said Rep. Sexton, "Our state's wholesale beer tax needs reform. Right now, the tax is working against Tennessee. The world has changed - Tennessee has changed - a great deal since the wholesale tax was established in 1954. The policy should be modernized to reflect changes in the market, such as the growth of craft brewers, to encourage rather than discourage economic investment."Our goal is to reform the beer tax so that the revenues reflect the beer sales, while at the same we want to ensure that local governments continue to receive the current revenue levels from the tax."Added Kelsey: "Tennessee beer sales have gone down 5 percent in the past decade, but the revenues from the wholesale tax have gone up over 30 percent. It doesn't make sense to tax any product like that. Punitive taxes are always unacceptable."Even if the Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013 is approved, and calculated on volume rather than price, Tennessee would retain title as the nation's highest beer tax state. It simply would not continue to grow with such out-of-step force compared to other states' rates.How Tennessee Taxes BeerTennessee's beer tax is a combination of three taxes. Federal and state excise taxes are calculated by volume, and then a 17-percent local wholesale tax is calculated on price. (Later, at the cash register, consumers pay the additional sales tax.) So, for brewers and wholesalers, when costs such as fuel, labor and materials go up, the beer tax climbs ever higher.The Tennessee Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013 addresses this situation by proposing that like 48 other states, Tennessee bases its beer tax on volume. (Kentucky also has an added wholesale tax, though the Bluegrass State's rate is considerably lower than Tennessee's and its effective rate is $23.96.) The Tennessee reform proposal is revenue neutral because it maintains the wholesale tax revenues at current levels, while slowing the explosive growth in revenues created by a price-based model that dates to 1954.Out of Step with the NationHow out of step is Tennessee with the other 49 states? In 2005, Tennessee was the fourth highest beer tax state in the country. Since then, Tennessee has vaulted past Georgia, Alabama and Alaska to become No. 1. And now Tennessee's tax has grown to be 12 percent higher than second-place Alaska."A tax that goes up that fast and continues to climb in spite of lower sales is punitive and is simply not good tax policy," said Ottis Phillips, president of SEC Enterprises, Inc., a wholesaler in Cookeville. "The local wholesale tax might have made sense 60 years ago when it was established, but this is excessive, and surely Tennessee didn't intend to become the highest beer taxer in the United States."The current arrangement hurts consumers and competitiveness in several ways. For example:
- Even though a craft brewery, such as Nashville's Yazoo Brewery, is based in Tennessee, it is much more profitable for that brewery to truck and sell its products to customers in other states.
- Meantime, other breweries ship their products straight through Tennessee but don't stop at warehouses here, venturing on instead to places such as Kentucky ($23.96 a barrel) or Virginia ($8.69). The $37 tax here makes their products too expensive for them to consider selling in the Volunteer State. Consumers pay with a comparative lack of choice on the shelves.
- The extreme tax policy is running off investment. Sierra Nevada considered locating its newest brewery here, but the nation's highest beer tax helped shape its decision to locate in North Carolina instead, where the effective beer tax rate is $19.13.
- One Tennessee distributor, Kurt Strickmaker at BountyBev, actually makes half as much on many of his kegs than his local government does in taxes. His local government takes twice as big a bite as he does on many of his product offerings.
- Tennessee is in a tug-of-war with Virginia to keep Kingsport-based brewer Erich Allen (Studio Brew) in the state. Kingsport economic development officials want Allen and his popular beers to be a downtown economic development anchor, but Virginia is exploiting Tennessee's top tax status as a reason for him to migrate across the border and build in Bristol, Va.
Tennessee's brewers and wholesalers understand that local governments expect and depend on the proceeds from the local wholesale tax on beer. They are already paying more than their fair share. But the current situation is bizarre, creating an ever-rocketing tax rate that defies logic.For the good of Tennessee's competitive edge and for the good of consumers, the Beer Tax Reform Act of 2013 promises to bring common-sense logic to this portion of the state's tax code.


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We here at Mac|Life have covered Apple's contributions to (Product) RED to fight AIDS often enough, but U2 frontman Bono attracted attention during an interview with Apple design chief Jony Ive last weekend when he suggested Apple itself wasn't doing enough to trumpet its $75 million in contributions. In the 45-minute interview, the singer and activist denounced Apple's comparative silence. Today, however, (Product) RED followed up with a blog post stated that it was all a "tease."
Last year Apple CEO Tim Cook auctioned off a coffee date with himself on CharityBuzz, and it was a smashing success (to put it lightly). By the time the bidding ended 20 days later, a staggering $610,000 had been raised. The bidding has started once again over at CharityBuzz as of today, and as before, the proceeds are going to the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. This time, however, the lucky winner will be treated to a full-fledged lunch with Cook at Apple's headquarters.
With a tweet today, Product Red revealed that Apple has raised even more money to fund the ongoing battle against AIDS, bringing the iPad maker's total contributions up to $70 million. That's a $5 million improvement on the $65 million U2 frontman Bono announced in September of last year.
Want to see what Jony Ive's design aesthetic looks like when he's not designing new operating systems for our friends over in Cupertino? AppleInsider revealed images of a Leica rangefinder camera he designed with Marc Newson for a Product (RED) charity auction, and it's a beauty.
Apple has worked with the (Product) RED charity since 2006 in order to help end the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and as Techcrunch reports, today U2's Bono announced that "Apple is certainly leading the crew, with more than $65 million being raised for the effort.
Somebody just paid $610,000 for a coffee date, and it wasn't in Seattle. That's right, the bidding just ended for the Tim Cook charity coffee chat for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights that we reported on back in April (at the time, we thought $210,000 was impressive), which means the lucky winner gets the rare opportunity to spend 30 minutes to an hour swapping ideas or jokes with the famed Apple CEO in Cupertino. Or, you know, just staring in silence and making Cook uncomfortable.
How'd you like to meet Apple CEO Tim Cook? It'll cost you a heck of a lot more than a MacBook Pro. Yesterday the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights posted an auction on Charity Buzz for a one hour-long chat over coffee with Cook, and by Thursday afternoon the 58 bids were sitting at $210,000. And you thought Starbucks was expensive.
Almost curiously on the heels of the criticism of Steve jobs' lack of a public record of philanthropy, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced today that the company has launched a new charitable matching program for its employees. The company is offering to match employees' personal charitable contributions up to $10,000 per year.
Japanese company Capcom and its American counterpart, Capcom USA, along with SEGA will be slashing prices on many of their most popular games in order to raise money for Japan Relief funds. Notable titles like Street Fighter 4 and several Sonic the Hedgehog games are being included in the sale.

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The Elixir settlement system, which handles interbank transfers in PLN, will have a break in standard operation on Wednesday, November 1, the National Clearing House announced on its website. Transfers ordered on Tuesday, October 31, after 4 p.m., will be transferred to the recipients’ accounts on the next business day, i.e. on Thursday, November 2 – it was explained.
As noted in the announcement, it is worth thinking about timely payments well in advance or using instant transfers in the Express Elixir system, which is also available to bank customers on holidays.
About the Elixir system
It was recalled that Elixir is an electronic interbank settlement system operated by KIR. Most transactions ordered by bank customers in Poland are carried out using it. Clearing and settlement of transactions ordered in the system (transfers and direct debits) takes place during three settlement sessions, from Monday to Friday, at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., excluding public holidays.
“It is worth remembering that transfers ordered on Tuesday, October 31, after 4 p.m., will be transferred to the recipients’ accounts on the next business day, i.e. on Thursday, November 2,” it was written.
It was emphasized that the Euro Elixir system, which settles domestic and cross-border transfers in euro, will operate according to the usual schedule on November 1. Similarly to every business day, KIR will conduct 6 settlement sessions on that day.
Instant payment system
In a statement, KIR explained that regardless of the day of the week, bank customers can use the Express Elixir instant payments system, which operates continuously – 24/7/365, i.e. also on weekends and holidays.
The transfer of funds between accounts kept in different banks takes place in real time.
Main photo source: Shutterstock


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NEW YORK — Diy is one of those trendy beauty products that has become a household name and now is available at more than half of the top beauty retailers and online retailers.
It’s a trend that began with the rise of the selfie, and it’s only going to continue to grow.
Diy has a name, but you may not know it’s a manicure tool that uses a cotton swab to absorb excess oil.
The product is popular in Japan and the U.S. and has been around for more than two decades.
In Japan, diy is popular because of its easy-to-use and versatile formula.
It is the perfect addition to the manicure kit or a hand wash.
“The ingredients are so inexpensive, it’s an easy thing to make and can be done in one day,” said Jessica M. Kim, who started her business as a manicurist in 2006.
She now sells her manicures online and at home in the U


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Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport has a UHD display with a cloud-based motion sensing technology installed in the arrival area. The installation is described as the first AliCloud motion-sensing display in the world.
LED Screen Guru - large indoor and outdoor video display assistant - Digital Signage
The Belgian LED screen and lighting manufacturer has performed a number of installations recently, including the massive I-CONIC LED screen in the heart of Brussels, according to the company's statement.
The Bullring shopping centre have enhanced their digital media portfolio with investment in a second LED screen from the UK’s supplier of LED technology, ADI. The financial and experiential value derived from their initial LED display – installed in December 2012 – encouraged the Bullring to procure an additional large format screen for the Upper Mall East which will also be utilised purely for advertising purposes.
Bolton’s premier shopping destination have taken ownership of a large 25m² indoor screen from specialists ADI, which is designed to deliver an enhanced experience for visitors with engaging and interactive content.
The 1.2mm LED display was installed in the lobby of Unibail-Rodamco's corporate headquarters in Paris, according to Daktronics announcement. The project was completed in February in partnership with design team Admemori.
From enormous digital canvases to exquisite ribbons; from good old-fashioned rectangles to the most unusual forms, it is the content that breaths life into LED systems. Being as diverse as one’s imagination the content is an endless topic to discuss.
Renowned for its large-scale LED installations the company proceeds with the recent projects in Las-Vegas, Nevada, and St. Louis, Missouri.
Land Securities, the UK property company and the owner of the Piccadilly Lights, has initiated the major upgrade of the London’s iconic landmark. The redevelopment implies the replacement of a current patchwork of smaller displays with a seamless 4K LED canvas that will retain the renowned curved shape of the location.
Pioneer Digital, part of the Pioneer Group, has fitted out three Sunglass Hut’s primary locations in London with HD digital signage to promote high-end brands located in the store.
Traditionally DOOH signage relied on large pixel pitch solutions intended to be seen from afar, like billboards or displays positioned high on buildings. The location implied that viewers would be located at a considerable distance from the screen, which could have pixel layouts as large as 50mm and larger.
Two Barco-designed LED screens are suspended inside the concourse of the Canary Wharf tube station in London, UK. The screens, which are claimed to be the first LED walls in London’s underground, are installed as part of the Hello London initiative that has been undertaken by Transport for London (TfL) and Exterion Media.
Lyon-based Starterre dealership has its showroom interiors updated with a custom-made LED screen. The project was delivered by IPOView integrator company that specializes in dynamic signage systems.
Ford AV, a US commercial AV integrator, has installed four large-scale Nixel Series displays in the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., according to a press release. Now a total of six NanoLumens displays feed in digital infrastructure of the airport, with the first two displays being installed in 2015 by the same contractor.
The importance of broadcasting for the sports industry is hard to overestimate. With the recent technologies ensuring highest image and sound quality television is the most common way of viewing sports worldwide. However, whatever tech-savvy, broadcasting is unable to deliver the ambiance that controls the venue at the time of big sporting events, and especially the Olympic Games.
Daktronics announced that they have designed, manufactured and installed what they call the largest LED video feature in Europe. An enormous, 1128-square-meter, curved LED display is placed above the entrance to the London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Matrox Graphics Inc. announced that Kamppi Mall in Helsinki, Finland, had its new LED digital signage powered by Mura MPX Series capture & display cards. The technology was selected by Craneworks integrator company who performed the installation.
The company provided two LED displays that have been installed in the new bingo room at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The installation, which was performed by the integration team at National Technology Associates (NTA), marks the seventh project done in collaboration between Station Casinos, NTA, and NanoLumens, the press release said.
A diverse set of digital displays, including a circular LED display and a large touchscreen interactive station, has been deployed for the Hudson Group’s World Duty Free Store in the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Michigan, USA.
Two Performance Series LED displays are installed in a newly made Terminal 4 of Singapore’s Changi airport. The displays were chosen due to their compliance with strict RFP specifications and feature the company’s redesigned proprietary Nixel Series technology.
The newly redesigned terminal of Miami International Airport has a double-sided NanoCurve LED display installed in the international arrivals area. The installation was commissioned by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) as a welcoming sign to the incoming travelers.
NanoLumens, Atlanta-based manufacturer of LED visual technologies, and Gimbal Inc., a developer of mobile engagement solutions, have entered into strategic alliance, according to the announcement from the 30th of November. The partnership is aimed to create a dynamic new series of digital solutions with incorporated geofencing and analytics platform and proximity beacon technology from Gimbal.
In August, NanoLumens was ranked #267 on the 2015 list of the US 5000 fastest growing private companies by Inc. magazine. The company’s digital solutions are installed in five continents, including megacities of Sydney, Beijing, Tokyo, São Paulo, New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, Paris and Munich, among many others. Recently the company expanded its portfolio of completed projects with the installations in Darwin, Las-Vegas, and Toronto.
The company has announced the launch of AWARE platform, which is a cloud-based CMS for LED signage. Described as the World’s First Fully Integrated Intelligent Display Platform, AWARE incorporates real-time remote diagnostics, media playing, and optimized software applications in one system.
Clear Channel Airports (CCA), a brand division of Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA), and a subsidiary of iHeartMedia Inc., will provide a comprehensive ad network at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The agreement is signed with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and authorizes CCA for the advertising concession at the MSP for ten years, the press release said.
The installation is part of an extensive renovation and expansion project completed in early 2017 for the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio. The system integration works were done by Coffman Media, a DS solutions provider.
Interactive. It's a word that very few of us used 10 years ago, and its meaning has changed significantly in the digital age. Nowhere is the trend toward interactive media more intriguing than in outdoor digital signage. 2015 promises to be a year of increased interactive marketing. Here are some trends demonstrating how digital signage has literally energized the static display. Interactive marketing will take digital displays to the next level — making outdoor LED signage a great choice for interacting with customers.
On the 4th of August, the company announced receiving an Infrastructure Partner Award from Switzerland's largest travel and transport company, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB). The award marks the successful pilot installation of two LED displays in the city of Neuchâtel performed in October 2014.
In 2014 Playhouse Square, a major not-for-profit performing arts center in the US, Ohio, underwent an ambitious transformation aimed to distinguish its historical identity. The symbols of Playhouse Square – vertical sign, marquees and news tickers – were replaced with high-brightness and energy-efficient LED signage.
SQM Digital Signage, a Poland-based system integrator, has installed over a hundred multimedia devices for the Posnania shopping center that was opened in October 2016 in Poznań, Poland. The installation includes massive LED screens, Kinect walls and LCD monitors that aim to enhance customers experience in one of the largest and most innovative malls in Central Europe.
Digitization of Rome’s Fiumicino Airport brought Clear Channel Italy the title of ‘Most Innovative Digital Project’ at the InAVation Awards event held at the ISE 2016. The large-scale project, which took two years to complete, deploys a variety of Absen LED visual solutions for the efficient and innovative advertising programme.
Massive LED video display by Unilumin was installed in July in a brand new football stadium in Krasnodar, Russia. Totaling 4,800 square meters the curved video solution encircles the inner perimeter of the stadium bowl in a one-of-a-kind installation.
The company will provide digital assets for the Circa development project, which is currently under construction in Los Angeles. The project, which includes the development of two high-rise residential towers, implies integration of various SNA digital assets into their building façades.
Silicon Valley based company, has announced the launch of free cloud-based digital display content management software. ScreenHub is said to have over 30 years of combined experience in the fields of Digital Signage, Software Development, Electrical Engineering and Digital Marketing.
Storm, a digital brand of OOH media giant Clear Channel UK, used LED video technologies to transform the Cromwell Road site into a top digital advertising platform. The LED displays, developed by Ultravision International were made available to Clear Channel through its partnership with Active International UK.
Sansi North America (SNA) Displays is to unveil a giant video spectacular, which is already being called the highest-resolution LED screen in the history of Times Square. Wrapped around the façade of a newly built Marriott EDITION hotel at 701 7th Avenue, the giant screen will debut on Wednesday, August 23.
Squadrat, a German provider of display systems, have recently installed what they call the biggest LED advertising system in Europe. Located at the motorway A3 near Linkenbach between Cologne and Frankfurt, the AdverTower is referred to as one-of-a-kind advertising platform in Europe.
Noribachi, a U.S.-based custom LED manufacturer of commercial and industrial lighting solutions, announced the launch of its ALiVE product line. The new family of products includes LCD monitors and LED digital signage, which naturally complements the company’s already existing range of LED solutions.
In June Samsung Electronics together with Super 8, founders of City Lights, completed a massive outdoor installation in one of the busiest shopping and entertainment venues in Madrid.


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A new high! The cargo throughput of Tianjin Port is 39.9678 million tons
- Tianjin Port completed a cargo throughput of 39.9678 million tons in January, an increase of 1.7% year-on-year
- Container throughput reached 1.731 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%
Ports are an important barometer of economic operations. Since the beginning of the year, machines at Tianjin Port wharf have roared, cargo throughput has hit a new high, and international trains have followed one after another, reflecting sufficient economic vitality and resilience.
Tianjin Port has access to more than 500 ports in more than 180 countries and regions in the world. It is the sea-land intersection point of the Belt and Road Initiative and an international hub port that is fully open to the outside world.
The world's first smart zero-carbon terminal
During the Spring Festival in 2023, Tianjin Port Yuanhang International Company's loading and unloading terminal throughput exceeded 1.4 million tons, hitting a new high, doubling the throughput during the Spring Festival in 2022; increased by 44%.
The relevant person in charge of Tianjin Port Group stated that the group will accelerate the construction of a world-class green smart hub port, strive to create a new situation of high-quality development, strive to write a new chapter in the construction of a Chinese-style modern port, and contribute to the comprehensive construction of a socialist modern metropolis. .
In January 2023, Tianjin Port Group released the first full Internet of Things container terminal, pressing the fast forward button in the era of intelligent interconnection of all things in the port, and the service quality and operation efficiency of the terminal continued to make new breakthroughs. The new tide surges along the shore of Bohai Bay, accompanied by the sound of loud sirens, this large port in northern China strides forward. Editor/He Yuting


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Megan Thee Stallion has been using her platform to promote the value and protection of women of color and she recently dropped an opinion piece with The New York Times. In the piece, she explored what it means to be a woman of color in today’s society. Check out a clip below:
More from The New York Times:
What do you think? Do you agree with Megan Thee Stallion?


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By Favour Unukaso
AS part of moves to sanitise the environment, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed plans to commence activities that will result in the formulation of a regulation on E-Waste in Nigeria.
NCC noted that currently, the global concern for the regulation of e-waste is two-pronged, which include the acute awareness of the hazardous properties and the potential risk to human health, as well as their capacity to degrade the environment and secondly, is the business case and vast potential for wealth creation in recycling e-waste into more benign and productive uses.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, who disclosed this in Abuja, Wednesday, at the 2023 World Consumer Rights Day with the theme: “Empowering Consumers through Clean Transition,” noted that in line with its regulatory mandate and to keep pace with efforts at managing e-waste-related issues, in a manner that reduces cases of indiscriminate burning of electronic devices with the potential for increased carbon emission in the environment, “the Commission has been working, with other relevant agencies, to develop a regulations on E-waste. The regulations will represent a holistic intervention aimed at providing clarity and delimiting the responsibilities of various stakeholders in the e-waste value chain within the telecommunications industry.”
While the proposed regulations are industry-specific, NCC said they, nonetheless, key into other initiatives at national and international levels.
Indeed, eWaste generation in Nigeria has reached an alarming state and has continued to rise. In fact, findings showed that Nigeria generated 461.3-kilo tonnes (KT) in 2019 to rank the highest in West Africa and second after Egypt on the continent. The 461.3kt amounts to $166, 060, 000 (N64.2 billion).
Specifically, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a United Nation’s arm in charge of global telecommunications, noted that approximately 60,000 to71,000 t of used electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) were imported yearly into Nigeria through the two main ports in Lagos since 2015.
While this importation lasted in Nigeria, ITU noted that specific e-Waste legislation on the management of it is still lacking in most African countries. According to it, few countries have legislation published in Africa, these include Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire. However, it said enforcing the legislation is very challenging.
Further checks showed that components of e-Waste include large household appliances (42 per cent); IT communications technology (34 per cent); consumer electronics (14 per cent), while others account for 10 per cent.
It was however, gathered that in Nigeria, the largest form of e-Waste, which is a computer and its accessories, constitute about 60 per cent, while mobile devices follow with 25 per cent. Others like photocopiers and other office equipment account for the remaining 15 per cent.
The ITU, in its Global E-waste Monitor 2020, said e-Waste rose by 21 per cent in the last five years, with a record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt). It noted that e-Waste discarded products, including a battery or plug such as computers and mobile phones generated, went up 9.2 Mt in five years as of 2019.
Breaking down the 461.3kt into value, the Chief Executive Officer, E-Terra Technologies Limited, a private end-to-end electronic waste management company in Lagos, Dr. Ifeanyi Ochonogor, had said “1mt equals 2,000Ib.Therefore, 461,300mt = 922,600,000Ib.1 scrap computer currently cost $0.18. Therefore, 922,600,000Ib of scrap computer is worth $166,068,000. So, 461.3k of e-waste appears to be worth $166,060,000.” With a population of over 200 million people, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country.
Ochonogor said in a country considered one of the poorest in Africa, over 90 per cent of its citizens own and use electric and electronic devices.
“Unfortunately, most of these technology gadgets used by Nigerians are either obsolete or near end of life (popularly called Tokunbo), which naturally means they will not last long before being discarded by users.
“Further, because most Nigerians cannot afford new electric and electronic appliances, it has become a dumping ground for all manner of fairly used electric and electronic gadgets often imported into the country by dealers and repairers operating in Alaba and Computer village in Lagos State. This explains the huge proliferation of e-Waste in Nigeria.”
Former President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Olusola Teniola, the cost of recycling is huge.
Teniola disclosed that there are very few companies involved in the processing of electronic equipment and ensuring the proper breaking down of the components and ensure proper disposal.


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to pay $step 1.83 mil in refunds and you will a municipal punishment out of $step one.8 million having failing continually to deliver the promised benefits associated with its factors. Within its consent buy, this new CFPB so-called that LendUp failed to offer consumers chances to create credit and provide use of reduced money, because stated it could. LendUp did not know to any wrongdoing regarding order.
But a few weeks before, reports headlines touted an opportunity for creative, tech-experienced begin-ups so you can fill a void in the payday lending area amidst increasing regulating administration up against heritage brick-and-mortar pay-day lenders. LendUp even provided an announcement inside Summer pursuing the CFPB create suggested quick-money credit laws, proclaiming that the firm “shares the fresh CFPB’s aim of reforming the new profoundly troubled payday lending market” and you may “fully supporting brand new purpose of one’s recently put-out industry laws.”
In fact, during the a great blog post, CNBC reported on how on the internet lenders could use tech to reduce performing costs and you can fill the conventional cash advance emptiness developed by increased controls
Having its order against LendUp, brand new CFPB explained you to in spite of the physical differences between brick-and-mortar credit procedures and you may FinTech options that will fundamentally work with underserved consumers-both are equally susceptible to the newest regulating structure and you may individual economic laws and regulations one to govern the as installment loan with bad credit Arkansas a whole. Particularly, the new CFPB so-called one to LendUp:
- Misled consumers on graduating to lower-charged funds: LendUp said every one of the financing issues nationwide however, specific straight down-priced finance were not available beyond Ca. Thus, borrowers beyond California just weren’t eligible to obtain people lower-listed funds or other positives.
- Hid the actual cost of borrowing from the bank: LendUp’s advertisements into the Fb or other Search on the internet overall performance greet people to access individuals mortgage amounts and you may repayment terms, but don’t disclose the new annual percentage rate.
- Corrected prices versus consumer knowledge: To possess a certain financing equipment, individuals encountered the choice to find an early fees big date for the exchange to possess getting a cost savings into origination commission. LendUp don’t reveal so you can users if the user after prolonged brand new fees day or defaulted to your financing, the company manage opposite the brand new dismiss given in the origination.
- Refined the newest apr: LendUp provided a help you to definitely acceptance consumers to get their financing continues easier in exchange for a fee, a portion of that was chosen by LendUp. LendUp failed to usually become these types of retained charges within annual commission rates disclosures so you’re able to consumers.
- Didn’t declaration credit recommendations: LendUp began and then make money in 2012 and you can reported their funds as borrowing from the bank strengthening potential, however, didn’t present one information to credit rating enterprises up to . LendUp plus failed to write any authored rules and procedures regarding credit scoring until .
And the CFPB settlement, LendUp along with entered to your your order toward Ca Institution out-of Company Oversight (DBO). With its order, the brand new DBO ordered LendUp to spend $dos.68 billion to respond to accusations that LendUp broken state pay-day and fees lending laws and regulations. This new agreements for the CFPB and DBO focus on the necessity for FinTech companies to build sturdy conformity management expertise that need on membership one another state and federal laws-pre and post they give their products or services to sell.
Even after levying hefty penalties facing LendUp, brand new CFPB expressed towards markets which “supporting innovation in the fintech place, however, you to definitely start-ups are just like created companies in that they want to clean out customers fairly and conform to what the law states.” Inside the a news release pursuing the announcement of your own payment agreement, Lendup stated that the problems identified by new CFPB mainly go out returning to the business’s early days once they was basically good vegetables-phase startup which have restricted resources so when couples as the five personnel.
Flurish, a san francisco bay area situated company working while the LendUp, offers small dollars financing with the web site to consumers in a number of says
Contained in this action, as try possible throughout the CFPB’s enforcement action up against Dwolla, the newest CFPB expresses a resistance to offer initiate-upwards people one sophistication period getting quick development compliant policies and you will actions, even in which those businesses are seeking establish items that you’ll eventually work for millions of underbanked consumers. One of many key demands for both the latest and current technical-smart loan providers will be in a position to expeditiously render innovative financial products to offer, if you’re making certain that the means have been in compliance with the regulating framework in which it work. As is clear regarding the CFPB’s previous administration strategies, FinTech organizations must manage and apply comprehensive principles and functions with the exact same enthusiasm that he is strengthening its technology.


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The coronavirus has hit the world unexpectedly and many countries are currently on lockdown — you can hardly find a government that hasn’t been affected by the COVID-19 and coronavirus cases can be found in as many as 187 countries.
For now, it’s not possible to predict with any certainty how severe the consequences of the lockdown will be for the global and home economies. But we can already observe what irreparable harm the virus has caused to various industries like logistics, tourism & travel, trade shows, retail (excl. FMCG, especially manufactures of toilet paper and sanitizers, and essential goods are in a good position), and many others.
Who Suffered the First from the COVID-19 Crisis?
The industries that heavily rely on human labor have suffered the most. Take the travel industry, for instance. Many domestic and international flights have been cut and many bookings and business trips have been canceled or postponed indefinitely. The trade show sector is keeping up with the lockdown. Many shows that used to gather thousands of people annually are canceled — E3, the biggest gaming event in the world, Google I/O, Mobile World Congress MWC Barcelona, and many others.
Is it So Bad for All Industries?
Despite the obvious negative toll, the coronavirus has a silver lining for a few industries. Companies that are online or had an opportunity to quickly go online and adapt to the new reality are the lucky ones. Online entertainment and shopping, web communication sectors are on the rise now. As many multiplexes and other entertainment venues shut down, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon are surging.
Web conferencing companies are also experiencing a great boon. Zoom and others are reaping major benefits as many businesses around the globe have gone online and are using such tools to connect with employees and keep their businesses alive.
What is the State of Things in the Tech Industry?
The tech industry is also facing great challenges. For instance, companies that offer software or mobile apps for traveling are in grave peril, for obvious reasons. But what about the virtual reality and augmented reality sphere, which was so promising before the coronavirus pandemic?
The VR and AR technology was a really promising sector before the pandemic. You could immerse yourself in a fictional world in a local play space or office, but with those closed, it’s become impossible to enjoy any virtual experience. Does it mean that there’s no more use for augmented and virtual reality? It might be true for small businesses at the moment, but giant corporations use AR and VR to provide more real experience for employees during meetings while they’re working remotely. Virtual reality meetings will have a common space and everyone will be able to collaborate in an efficient way, thus, the technology will provide its users with a sense of real presence.
Sure, corporate behemoths can allocate budget to have the technology, while others are cutting costs substantially on such things.
Some small businesses are pivoting. For instance, a company that used to rent VR headsets for corporate events, parties, and team buildings, is now renting them to people who are locked at their homes as well as for those who have no opportunity to travel and are seeking entertainment at home. Having the necessary equipment for a really awesome VR and AR experience is costly, so renting such gear seems to be a win-win option for companies and clients in the age of crisis. Moreover, in case you are “lucky” to have a birthday while being locked at home, VR provides a nice chance of celebrating an event with your friends and family in the virtual environment. You can organize a party inviting your guests who we’ll be using headsets.
While companies providing headset rent services might see some gain in the current circumstances, for manufacturers of these very headsets or for brick-and-mortar retailers who sell them, the situation is not that rosy. A lot of people are not ready to spend a large sum of money on hardware before trying it first. Thus, offline retailers are at a high risk of closure as they still need to pay rent, salary, and other expenses.
Hardware manufacturers might have ramped up the production of headsets but because of the lockdown, the supply chain may be disrupted.
How Can You Use AR & VR in the Age of Coronavirus?
But augmented reality can become a safety belt for brick-and-mortar retailers. AR can help people to commit to a certain item of furniture or a piece of clothing without going out to a shop. They can try a new pair of jeans on or see how a yellow armchair will look in their living room. With the help of a smartphone, you can see how a certain item looks on you or in your home. For instance, GAP, a famous shop that sells women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel and accessories, has a nice VR app that will help you to pick up the right clothes.
Having been locked at home for some time, it’s really hard not to lose your mind. Virtual and augmented reality can alleviate the burden of boredom. Even when the borders are closed now, you can travel the world without leaving your home. Or you can study, work, and entertain yourself with the help of various VR and AR applications.
One of the most important virtues of virtual reality and augmented reality is its ability to bring people together wherever they are. In the age of coronavirus when the pandemic has distanced people from each other or even isolated them as never before, it is essential to have a kind of a virtual escape where you can meet and chat with your friends We might not know if the COVID-19 will be here for long (so far, there’s no vaccine) but it will definitely change a lot for businesses, people, and the world.
For now, there’s no certain answer to the question “How COVID-19 is transforming AR and VR markets?” as for various businesses, there are different consequences and some companies are even prospering at the moment. Brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling to survive. But we can say for sure that when the virus is gone, augmented and virtual reality are not going away and their implementation into various businesses might become ubiquitous.
All in all, VR & AR is a future-proof investment into your business even if now a lot of companies are cutting down on various expenses including technologies. We can say for sure, that virtual and augmented reality will soar in the years to come. But you can already start bulletproofing your business with LITSLINK, a US-based augmented reality app development company and virtual reality software development agency, by creating products that will make a difference.


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The spike in new home sales in January is a clearly a very good sign for the U.S. real-estate market, but investors shouldn’t get too giddy about housing. While the trend is up, the industry has a big hill to climb.
The monthly report on new home sales is always difficult to figure because it’s often very inaccurate on the first read. Sales figures are constantly revised later on, sometimes sharply so, particularly in the winter months. That’s why economists examine at least three or four months of sales to figure out the trend.
Still, the January report holds a lot of promise. For one thing, the fastest pace of sales in four and a half years offers the clearest proof yet that the housing-market recovery is here to stay. Sales in January jumped 15.6% – the biggest one-month gain in 20 years – to an annual rate of 437,000. Read about jump in new home sales.
How big is that? Assuming the January number stands, it would be the first time annualized sales have topped the 400,000 mark since the end of the last recession, excluding months in which generous federal tax breaks applied.
The government offered a number of incentives from April 2008 to September 2010 to first-time buyers and even to some longtime homeowners who bought a new place of residence. The tax credits artificially boosted sales, but demand petered out after they expired.
The surge in new home sales in January also answers a question that has been confounding economists. While new construction and permits for future building have been on a tear, sales of new homes in 2012 were not keeping pace. The January sales report goes far in alleviating that concern.
The new sales numbers “were not rising fast enough to justify the pickup in builder sentiment and single-family housing starts over recent months,\” economists Patrick Newport and Stephanie Karol of IHS Global Insight wrote in a note. \”January’s new-home-sales figures tell us that builders were justified in ramping up on starts and that they are likely to pick up the pace this year since inventories remain lean.\”
This is all good news for the economy, but some perspective is in order. New-home sales are forecast to rise to around 450,000 or so in 2013, marking the third straight annual gain. Yet the last time sales were that low – excluding the past four years – was in 1982. And just eight years ago, sales of new homes reached almost 1.3 million.
“We are not expecting sales to climb to normal levels (i.e., above 800,000) until 2015,” the IHS economists wrote.
- Jeffry Bartash
Follow Jeffry on Twitter@jbartash
Follow The Tell blog on Twitter @thetellblog


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Interesting article in the New York Times today: Escaping to Bryant Park, but Staying Connected to the Web
It was the perfect collision of technology and nature, at least the way Oren Eckhaus, a Brooklyn photographer, describes it. He was surfing the Internet on his Apple Titanium PowerBook one day last week and a leaf fluttered in a light breeze and landed on his keyboard.
“I’m surrounded by all this technology, and this leaf falls — that is so amazing,” Mr. Eckhaus said, sitting in the shade on a bench in Bryant Park last week. “Nothing like that can happen at home, except the coffee can spill on your computer.”
The really neat part about this project in Bryant Park, New York City, is that the access is made available for free. Currently there are more than 70 hotspots in NYC that are publicly accessible and free, all run by NYCwireless
Now if I could only convince some of the parks in Oslo to buy into this idea, and I would get a lot more fresh air and sunshine :-)
[Via Dave Winer]


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Mobile Edge Protective Cases Offer Superior Organization and Optimal Mobility. Protect Valuable Student Gear with Mobile Edge.With many schools in the United States adopting some form of remote learning this year, students are using laptops and other valuable tech more than ever. As a result, millions of additional delicate electronic devices need protection. Mobile Edge offers the industry’s leading assortment of stylish, functional protective cases and backpacks for students. Each offers superior organization, excellent protection, and optimal mobility.“Each year, losses from damage to student laptops and other devices range in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and that’s not factoring in downtime or the loss of valuable data,” explains Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “In most cases, it’s the responsibility of parents to insure or replace those devices, but with a protective case from Mobile Edge, parents can give themselves and their children greater peace of
With social distancing keeping people away from crowds, it’s no wonder video gaming has seen a massive surge in popularity. As a way to de-stress and entertain yourself, video gaming checks all the boxes. For the next few weeks, Mobile Edge is making it easier than ever for gamers to create or fill their ultimate gaming go-bags with quality gear at significant savings.“Whether gaming is your guilty pleasure or you’re a professional, Mobile Edge’s WELCOME25 promotion represents the perfect opportunity to fill up your gaming go-bag with quality power accessories and other essentials,” says Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “Better yet, if you don’t already have a gaming go-bag, now is the time to invest in a top-line case or backpack from Mobile Edge to protect and organize your valuable gear.”Now through September 30, 2020, Mobile Edge welcomes gamers to 25% off products purchased through the Mobile
What’s in Your Student Go-Bag? With some states reopening schools in-person and others planning online classes, the one constant you can count on this back-to-school season is a protective case or backpack from Mobile Edge that offers superior organization, maximum protection, and optimal mobility. We invite you to create your ultimate student “go-bag” that’s ready to go when you are, wherever you need it, with all of your gear safely in tow.“Back to school shopping this year is especially difficult for parents and students unsure about what the new school year will bring,” explains Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “With the idea of student go-bags, Mobile Edge is hoping to remove some of that uncertainty by offering top-line protective cases and backpacks plus an expanded lineup of power and productivity accessories geared toward students at significant savings.”Get 25% OffNow through September 30, 2020, Mobile Edge welcomes students
Mobile Edge has upped its personal productivity game by offering a number of new mobile power and wireless accessories sure to be popular with mobile consumers, professionals, and gamers.“More and more, consumers are looking for Mobile Edge to provide mobile power and other personal productivity accessories,” explains Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “With many returning to work in their offices or on the road, others carrying-on working remotely from home, and video gaming surging in popularity, this seemed like the perfect time to expand our lineup of quality accessories while also offering a great summer discount.”Welcome to Summer SavingsIn addition to the new arrivals, Mobile Edge is welcoming all customers to significant summer savings. Now through August 31, 2020 customers can save 25% by using the special discount code NEW25 at checkout from the Mobile Edge online store. Customers also get free shipping
Father's Day Gift Giving - Sitewide Discounts on Protective Cases and AccessoriesFather’s Day is June 21. It’s time to pick out a gift for your dad, husband, and the other important men in your life. Mobile Edge is offering huge discounts on its industry-leading selection of cutting edge and stylish protective laptop and gaming cases, as well as power and productivity accessories.“Many dads have been spending a lot of time at home the past several months,” says Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “And while getting to spend extra time with family is a great gift in and of itself, Father’s Day remains an opportunity for you to show how much you care about and appreciate your father.”Mobile Edge has rounded up some of our most popular men’s backpacks, briefcases, and gaming gear and added a significant discount to make picking out a great Father’s
THIS MEMORIAL DAY MOBILE EDGE HONORS THE SACRIFICE OF OUR MILITARY PLUS THOSE ON THE FRONTLINES OF THE PANDEMICLong known as the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day is dedicated to honoring men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military. This year, Mobile Edge and many others are also expressing thanks for the numerous heroes of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as remembering the lives of those claimed by it. Through July 2020, our #POWERON Gift Cards Program will donate 20% of Mobile Edge gift card amounts to various COVID-19 relief efforts. Qualifying gift cards are available in denominations ranging from $25 to $250 at MobileEdge.com.Mobile Edge honors and thanks all military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who continue to keep us safe at home and aboard, and all the first responders, health care workers, and others who have worked
Help You Organize Your Laptop and Other DevicesWith working from home a necessity as we continue to social distance, Mobile Edge offers protective cases and backpacks to help you organize laptops and other devices, plus matching power and productivity accessories. We’ve also got nine tips you can try to make your work-at-home time more comfortable and productive.“Social distancing and stay-at-home orders are testing the adaptability of workers and families like never before,” says Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “Many are not only working from home for the first time, they are sharing that space with roommates, spouses, partners, children, and pets. Being able to protect and organize your office tech, even at home, is critical for keeping stress levels low and productivity levels high.”Here are nine tips for improving your work from home experience:
- Designate a workspace. Even if you share it with others, it’s
Today’s mobile students have thousands of dollars invested in their laptops, mobile devices, gaming consoles, and various other tech and accessories, and all it takes is one mishap to teach them a valuable lesson about the need to protect it. With the industry’s largest selection of protective laptop cases, backpacks, messenger bags, and sleeves, Mobile Edge offers highly functional, award-winning designs that allow students of all ages to carry and protect their gear in style.“Carrying cases and backpacks are a relatively inexpensive way for students and their parents to protect valuable electronics and computers, especially when failing to do so could be catastrophic in terms of downtime, lost data, and expensive repairs or replacements,” explains Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “At Mobile Edge, we focus first on the laptop and tech, and then design our bags/protective cases around what we’re trying to protect and the
Time for Some Self CareThis year, Mobile Edge not only wants to help you keep your gear safe and secure, we want you to dish out a little self-care as you navigate between treats and temptations, late nights, long-distance travel, and re-connecting with friends and relatives you might not normally hang out with.
- Are you prepared to get too little sleep, eat too much food, and to have your normal work and home routines disrupted?
- Are you prepared to get stuff in traffic, spend too much time in airport security lines, and avoid topics of conversation such a politics and religion?
- Manage Your Expectations
ANAHEIM, CA (November 20, 2019) — Mobile Edge is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA), the American Video Game League (AVGL), a leading collegiate esports organization owned by BoomTV, and other gaming industry innovators to launch the first ever esports tournament series integrated with college bookstores across the United States.“Since our founding in 2002, Mobile Edge has been at the forefront of producing innovative, cutting edge products embraced by gamers,” explains Mobile Edge President and CEO G. David Cartwright. “As esports and gaming continue to surge in popularity with both fans and players, we look forward to opportunities like this to work with colleges, students, and other leaders in the gaming industry to demonstrate our dedication to esports and its continued growth.”In addition to its own line of Core gaming products, which features award-winning backpacks, mobile power


text: Lifestyle Pets Vet Expert Reminds Pet Owners it Is 'Not Safe' for Pets to Drink Christmas Tree Water Veterinarian Dr. Audrey Wystrach offers her tips on how to keep your pets safe around, tinsel, Christmas trees, poinsettias, and more By Kelli Bender Published on December 7, 2022 12:02 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty It's early December, which means — aside from early decorators — many are starting to put up their holiday decor, including Christmas trees. A Christmas tree adds a festive flair to any home but can also bring added issues for pet owners. Cats and dogs are often curious about new things, and brightly lit, ornament-covered, present-surrounded trees are no exception. To help pet parents enjoy their holiday decorations without added stress, Dr. Audrey Wystrach, a veterinarian and the co-founder and CEO of Petfolk, provide PEOPLE with pet safety tips tailored to holiday decor issues. Dr. Wystrach recommends owners keep a close eye on their pets around Christmas trees. It is "not safe" for pets to drink the water left at the base of fresh Christmas trees, said the veterinarian, because "the water can be filled with preservatives, pesticides and other agents, such as aspirin, which is commonly added to keep a tree fresh." Additionally, it is dangerous to let cats and dogs consume any part of a Christmas tree. An evergreen tree's needles and sap can be toxic to pets, and sharp tree needles can puncture the intestines and cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested. Christmas Trees Will Be More Expensive This Year — But There Will Be Plenty to Go Around Pet parents with artificial Christmas trees are not spared from pet dangers. The synthetic needles that can be eaten off artificial trees by pets can also pose health problems. Owners who witness their pets trying to eat part of a Christmas tree or drink the plant's water should create a boundary to keep pets from reaching the tree, Dr. Wystrach advised. The same action should be taken to prevent pets from marking Christmas trees. "Trees are a natural marking place for dogs and cats. Marking is a means of feline and canine communication. Providing physical barriers to block pets from getting near the tree base is the best way to prevent this behavior. There are some pheromone sprays that may be helpful as well," the veterinarian added. For animal lovers with feline friends who love to climb Christmas trees, Dr. Wystrach has a few natural options to curb this behavior. Stunning Celebrity Christmas Trees! Kyle Richards, Kim Kardashian, and More Stars Show Off Their Evergreens "Spray adverse fragrances unfavored by felines, like citrus or apple cider vinegar, to the base of the Christmas tree to deter cats. Or consider placing citrus peels near the base of the tree for a natural remedy that will last a little longer than sprays. Consider wrapping aluminum foil, which our feline friends don't love, around the base of the tree. Hide electrical cords and dangling ornaments, as these hanging objects are sometimes tempting to revisit," she shared. Unfortunately, Christmas trees aren't the only festive plant that can cause problems for pets. Poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, and amaryllis are popular holiday plants that can be fatal to cats and dogs if ingested. Keep these plants out of any pet's reach. Owners who see their pets eat any of these plants should take them to the vet, especially if a pet exhibits signs of gastrointestinal distress. RELATED VIDEO: The Australian Firefighters Calendar Creates a Pet-Filled Christmas Video to Spread Cheer Other holiday decorations that may result in a trip to the animal hospital are tinsel and snow globes. Tinsel should be hung where pets can't reach the garlands because "the string-like object is something cats like to play with and, if swallowed, can cause intestinal obstructions that require surgery. Objects like this can get wound up under the tongue or inside the stomach. These thin strings can be extremely difficult to diagnose on X-ray and can be an expensive surgery," according to Dr. Wystrach. As for snow globes, many contain ethylene glycol (antifreeze) inside, which is highly toxic to pets. "If a globe breaks, it only takes a few licks to be fatal," the veterinarian shared. To learn more about Dr. Wystrach and her work, visit Petfolk.com.


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Key takeaways: Equal treatment should be prescribed for violations by government and private fiduciaries Recommendation for statutory body for media organisations harms media freedom Anonymisation of data needs more checks and balances before it can be shared "The one way to look at it is this is a carte blanche for censorship because if the government starts deciding why or when should the media be legitimate and accepting, or agreeing to publish something and not access personal data, in a way the government is completely controlling the narrative and which is very dangerous," Saikat Datta, founding partner at DeepStrat, a think tank, said during the session on 'Government Access to Data' at MediaNama's event 'Decoding India's Data Protection Bill' held on January 20, 2022. Datta was talking about the Joint Parliamentary Committee's recommendation to the government that a regulatory body supervise the media's use and access of data, in its report on the Data Protection Bill (DPB). Along with him, Anushka Jain, Associate Counsel at the Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights organisation; Jhalak Kakkar, the Executive Director of the Centre for Communication Governance National Law University Delhi, a think tank; and Vaneesha Jain, Associate Partner at law firm Saikrishna & Associates also shared their views in the session. The latest version of the Data Protection Bill in the Committee's report enables the government to process or access data without consent while imposing certain obligations on private data fiduciaries. The report also recommends sharing of non-personal data with the government,…
Data Protection Bill: How government access to data is carved out of fiduciary obligations #NAMA
In the prescribed responsibilities of government and private data fiduciaries, experts identify a glaring double standard in the bill.
- Meta to give advertisers more control using AI and content filters June 2, 2023
- Transparency Report: Here’s all Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google had to say about user complaints in April June 2, 2023
- Views: Informed Consent—Fiction, Not Fact June 2, 2023
- Instagram explains how it ranks content on the platform June 2, 2023
- Here’s what online streaming industry thinks about Indian telecom regulator’s consultation on regulatory convergence June 2, 2023
MediaNama’s mission is to help build a digital ecosystem which is open, fair, global and competitive.
Is it safe to consider all "publicly available data" as public?
PhonePe launched an e-commerce buyer app for ONDC called Pincode. We, however, believe that it should also launch a seller app.
Amazon announced that it will integrate its logistics network and SmartCommerce services with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
India's smartphone operating system BharOS has received much buzz in the media lately, but does it really merit this attention?
After using the Mapples app as his default navigation app for a week, Sarvesh draws a comparison between Google Maps and Mapples
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Virginia’s first commercial hemp fiber processing facility opening
WYTHE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ7) - Governor Ralph Northam has announced the Commonwealth’s first commercial industrial hemp fiber processing facility will open in Wythe County.
Vitality Farms, LLC, operating as Appalachian Biomass Processing, will invest $894,000 and create 13 jobs, and plans to purchase more than 6,000 tons of Virginia-grown industrial hemp over the next three years, at a value of more than $1 million.
Click to watch the announcement via FB Live.
In March, Governor Northam signed legislation that was unanimously passed by the General Assembly to legalize the commercial growing and processing of industrial hemp by conforming Virginia law to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill. This is the first economic development announcement for Virginia’s industrial hemp industry.
“I am committed to pursuing every path that will attract economic prosperity to our rural communities, and hemp production opens up a wealth of opportunity to bring new jobs and new business to Virginia,” said Governor Northam. “We are focused on developing a thriving and sustainable hemp industry in our Commonwealth and by establishing Virginia’s first modern commercial hemp processor, Appalachian Biomass Processing will play a key role in helping to create a highly-anticipated market for our farmers and industrial hemp growers.”
“Industrial hemp holds the potential to be an important crop for our farmers, especially those in the southern and southwestern regions of Virginia,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. “Having the infrastructure to process industrial hemp and strong markets in which to sell it are critical to seizing its potential. With more than 1,100 registered industrial hemp growers in Virginia, I am pleased to see the local market for industrial hemp fiber begin to grow.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) worked with Wythe County to secure this project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a $25,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) fund for the project, which Wythe County will match with local funds.
“Our production model is an internally reproducible model and can expand to meet the demands of the region’s hemp supply chain,” said Susan Moore, owner of Appalachian Biomass Processing. “Our team brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and motivation to see this plan to fruition. By working with state and local economic development allies, we hope to help create an entirely new industry for the region.”
According to a release from the Governor’s Office, Appalachian Biomass Processing will use a specialized decorticator to process bales of hemp stalks into two raw agricultural products. The company will sell bast fiber to a North Carolina company for further processing and sale to the textile industry, while the woody core of the plant, or hurd, will be sold to a Virginia company for use as animal bedding. A native of Wythe County, company founder Susan Moore has cultivated substantial industry knowledge and relationships through experience conducting research in partnership with VDACS and the University of Virginia.
Copyright 2019 WDBJ. All rights reserved.


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It’s that time of the year again, where the runways get filled with new collections and designers come out of their hiding.
Ofcourse, everyone in the world can’t go to that one special location like New York or Milan to catch the shows – so, it’s all come online. But the problem with going online, the quality of the footage is so different and rarely do they show you more than just a semi-blurry, front camera view. But, the room for improvement is coming in and Topshop is taking the initiative to do something about it.
The UK brand is engineering a unique and multi-platform show experience for online viewers, and this time, they are partnering with Google to do. Just in time for the show at Tate Modern on Sunday for London Fashion Week.
Topshop is calling it “The Future of the Fashion, ” and it has been designed to let the audiences see the show from every single point of view – from the models on the runway, to makeup artists backstage and even the celebrities and buyers in the front row.
Leading up to the show that is set, several models including Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn will be keeping ‘digital diaries’ on their own Google+ accounts which will let you follow them through the entire fashion week series up until the final walk.
To top off the experience, Topshop will be hosting a viewers Q&A session with the design tea via Hangouts from Topshops headquarters.
We’ll definitely be apart of this online sensational idea – so stay tuned to find out more!
And, just to get you that more excited as we are, check out this video:
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Emirates reopens First Class lounge at Dubai International Airport amid increased demand
Lounge reopens with comprehensive bio-safety protocols in place.
Emirates has reopened its dedicated First Class Lounge at Dubai International (DXB's) Concourse B to serve the growing volume of premium customers travelling from and through Emirates' hub, as more countries around the world ease restrictions and put in place protocols that enable international travel.
Emirates will also continue to operate its Business Class Lounge in Concourse B which has been opened since July 2020 for First and Business Class travellers as well as eligible Skywards members, a statement issued on Monday said.
With comprehensive bio-safety protocols in place, customers will get a full complement of trademark services located within the Emirates First Class Lounge.
The re-opened Emirates First Class Lounge also features refreshed and spacious seating in the dining, rest, and social areas.
Emirates First Class customers can select from an entirely new menu with over 55 individual dishes created by chefs at Emirates Flight Catering. The menu offers a dedicated selection of vegan, gluten-free and other healthy options.
Catering to customers flying in from different time zones, the Lounge offers all-day breakfast and lunch options, round the clock.
The re-opening of Emirates' First Class Lounge in Concourse B is the latest in a phased programme where the airline has steadily and safely restarted its exclusive ground services for premium customers over the past year. This includes complimentary Chauffeur Drive in 70 cities, and Emirates Lounge operations in Dubai, Cairo, New York JFK, Manchester, Boston, Milan, and Los Angeles.
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New Google app starts rolling out to Android users — some aren't happy
Google has revamped its Android app making a number of changes to its Google Now cards and functionality. These alterations don’t do much to alter the core experience, but include a few aesthetic and functional tweaks, not all of which are being well received.
Immediately noticeable is the new design of the Google Feed panel found in the left-most home screen when using the Pixel Launcher. This is now semi-transparent, revealing the device wallpaper in the spaces around the Now Cards — a feature that was first spotted back in June. This arrives alongside a new tabbed format on the Google Now landing page (opened when you tap the Google App), which is now divided into three sections: “Home,” “Upcoming,” and “Recent.”
Home is the area where you’ll find the familiar card interface, while upcoming can be linked to your calendar and email accounts to bring you personalized information on what’s happening in your schedule. Recent, meanwhile, is the place where you’ll find your search history.
As you might have worked out, these changes mean that your upcoming events no longer appear above the news cards in the main (Home) feed, but instead are held exclusively in their own tab. It’s a change which is going to feel weird at first, but it could make for improved usability in the long run — isn’t it better to have the two distinct cards kept separate and laid out more clearly?
Another change which already seems to be causing disappointment among fans is that cards can no longer be swiped away. Instead, you need to tap the hamburger (three dots) menu and select “done with this story” (see above, right).
This, in all honesty, does seem like a bad move: Google has swapped a convenient one-tap gesture for a two tap gesture that requires a more precise press. It might seem like a small thing to casual users, but those who are used to regularly swiping cards ain’t gonna’ like it. And it’s not even because you can swipe between tabs, because you can’t.
Some people will have already been seeing this change for some weeks, while others might only have access to some of these latest features. Judging by the number of reports popping up, it seems like Google is rolling the update out on a larger scale now, so you should be up and running with the full feature set soon.
What are your thoughts on the most recent changes to the Google App? Let us know in the comments.


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Industry experts say the consultation paper Distribution of Retail Investments: Delivering the RDR, goes little further than the feedback statement published in Nobember 2008. The latest consultation asks whether stakeholders agree that Adviser Charging should be applied where individual advice is given on GPPs and whether the principles of Adviser Charging should be applied to non-advised GPP business, and if so how.
The FSA is asking for responses on the issue to be filed within a very short timeframe, by July 31, 2009, and says it wants to publish draft rules for GPPs by the end of the year.
It is also consulting on the concept of ‘arranger charging’ whereby in situations where advice is not given to employees, any intermediary remuneration would be negotiated between the intermediary and the employer, even if it was ultimately obtained from contributions or scheme funds. The FSA says this could be disclosed to potential GPP members alongside the usual Key Features Document. However it cautions that if it does not apply the principles behind Adviser Charging to unadvised GPP business, it may run the risk that its proposed rules on Adviser Charging could be circumvented.
The consultation paper also says employees being steered towards GPPs should not be treated as receiving a personal recommendation from an adviser unless one to one advice is given as well.
Raising a number of problems with applying the RDR to the workplace, it also flags up the issue that a too onerous regime could push schemes towards trust-based arrangements, which fall outside its remit.
The consultation paper says: “At this stage, we do not know what shape and level of charges will apply to personal accounts, but it seems likely that there will be circumstances where recommendations to employers to establish GPPs as qualifying alternatives to personal accounts could be justified (for example, where an employer wants to contribute more than the maximum amount proposed for personal accounts). Equally, there could be recommendations given to employers which are more questionable, such as recommending a GPP that is more expensive than personal accounts
on the grounds of wider investment choice (something not likely to be needed by
most consumers eligible for personal accounts).We want to be confident that our rules protect consumers in such situations and reflect the eventual charging structure of personal accounts.”
Trevor Matthews, chief executive officer of Friends Provident says: “I am pleased the regulator’s announcement proposes a way forward for adviser charging for GPP schemes and would support the inclusion of non-advised sales of them under this approach.”
“The FSA has expressed concern in the consultation paper whether some firms may shift their focus from retail investments to protection products as a result of the RDR to the detriment of consumers. In the light of the well known and huge protection gap in the UK I believe this concern may be overstated.”
Gareth Evans, head of corporate affairs at Royal London says: “We particularly welcome a clear indication that the regulator is actively seeking to extend the principles of Adviser Charging to the group pensions market. The market for GPPs is extremely competitive and is clearly subject to some of the issues that RDR is seeking to address. The fact that FSA is looking to keep GPPs on the same implementation track as the rest of the reforms is very good news.


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In the days and weeks following holiday gatherings, many households are cleaning out their fridges and pantries – tossing spoiled food and temptations that might derail New Year’s resolutions. One of these goals may be to eat healthier, more environmentally-friendly meals and waste less. Not only is food waste money squandered, but when rotting in landfills it also generates the greenhouse gas, methane.
How can households do a better job of wasting less food? Preparing meals the family is sure to eat helps, and taking leftovers for lunch at work or school is also a good choice to use up extra food. Cooking staples, like roast chicken, that can be transformed into several different dishes prevent leftover burnout that leads to food waste.
According to a recent New York Times report, tackling food waste may be one of the best ways to combat climate change. In the U.S., food waste is responsible for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as commercial aviation. In addition to wasting less food at home, restaurants are encouraged to donate edible food, and many communities have created community fridges where unneeded food can be dropped off for those in need.
Older adults who may have experienced food shortages during their lifetime are a wonderful resource to teach families how to stretch the food budget and waste less. Households currently account for 39 percent of food waste in America, more than restaurants, grocery stores or farms. This means that change needs to start happening at home to improve kitchen habits, waste less and recycle more.
Tips to Waste Less
- Inventory the fridge and pantry before grocery shopping.
- Plan out meals for the week before shopping.
- Avoid impulse food purchases.
- Freeze leftovers.
- Try reusable containers to keep food fresh longer.
- Compost food waste.
Cooking at home more, and wasting less food, will not only save money and help protect the planet but eating out less is often healthier. Using a few time-saving tools like an air fryer and choosing simple meals with easy clean-up can help encourage good habits in the kitchen. Make food preparation a fun activity by enlisting the family or a group of friends, playing some energetic music, or listening to a podcast while you food prep for the week helps make cooking a joy, rather than a mundane task.


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Internet commerce company Stripe has created a stir in the crypto markets today. The Irish online payments firm has ended support for Bitcoin and is eyeing new contenders. It is a significant move for Stripe which was the first major payments company to support Bitcoin back in 2014.
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New Delhi: Global slowdown continued to dent India’s exports which fell by 1.66 per cent in January on a year-on-year basis, official data showed Friday.
January’s exports were down to $25.97 billion from $26.41 billion reported for the corresponding period of the previous year.
Similarly, on a sequential basis, exports were lower than $27.36 billion worth of merchandise that were shipped out in December.
“Cumulative value of exports for the period April-January 2019-20 was $265.26 billion as against $270.49 billion during the period April-January 2018-19, registering a negative growth of (-) 1.93 per cent in dollar terms,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.
“Non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports in January 2020 were $19.79 billion, as compared to $19.94 billion in January 2019, exhibiting a negative growth of (-) 0.78 per cent.”


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After 80 years of ownership of the business magazine, McGraw-Hill Cos has officially sold Business Week to Bloomberg, and the acquisition completed today.
The purchase price wasn’t disclosed, but people familiar with the deal say Bloomberg agreed to pay nearly $5 million in cash and take responsibility for more than $10 million in liabilities, including severance for BusinessWeek staffers who might lose their jobs.
“Bloomberg’s universe of market makers and BusinessWeek’s readership of business decision makers create a powerful audience and a unique value proposition for advertisers,” said Daniel L. Doctoroff, president of Bloomberg.
“We didn’t buy this to gut it,” Daniel Doctoroff, president of Bloomberg L.P., said in a separate interview. “We bought it to build it.”
Doctoroff also said it’s likely the magazine will be renamed “Bloomberg BusinessWeek.”


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Sony shares jump 12% on earnings outlook to four-year high
Sony soared to 3,094 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, up 11.73 percent from Wednesday’s close, with buying bids overwhelming sell offers.
After the Tokyo market closed on Wednesday Sony announced it now expects to lose 170 billion yen ($1.4 billion) in its fiscal year to March, down by more than a quarter from an earlier estimate.
It also projected an operating profit of 20 billion yen, turning around an October forecast that it would lose 40 billion yen.
A weak yen helped Sony’s third-quarter results as net profit more than tripled to an estimated 89 billion yen, while sales grew 6.1 percent to 2.55 trillion yen.
The company said its smartphone and PlayStation console businesses picked up in the October-December quarter while restructuring costs shrank.
A big contributor to the robust quarterly results was sales of image sensors for cameras built in Sony’s Xperia and Apple’s iPhones.
“The demand for front-facing camera modules is going through the roof, because everyone wants to take high-quality selfies, and that doubles the market size for Sony,” Amir Anvarzadeh, a manager of Japanese equity sales at BGC Partners in Singapore, told Bloomberg News.
“The auto segment of the market is also beginning to boom. Cars potentially may have more than five modules per car.”
Sony still warned of more job cuts in the mobile communications segment as it chops away at struggling units in a bid to claw itself back to profitability.
It now plans to shed a total of 2,100 jobs by March 2016, including the previously announced payroll cut of 1,000.
“Games and image sensors are doing great, even as impressions from digital cameras and televisions are less favourable,” Yu Okazaki, an analyst at Nomura Holdings said before Sony’s release of results.
Sony published the estimates Wednesday after earlier saying it would delay its finalised numbers following a cyberattack at its Hollywood film unit — linked to satirical film “The Interview”, about an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un — compromised “a large amount of data”.
On Wednesday, it said that investigating the attack and fixing the problems at Sony Pictures Entertainment would cost at least $35 million, but added that it would not have a significant impact on earnings. (AFP)


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A caravan of LA-area rideshare drivers with Mobile Workers Alliance descended on Uber’s Greenlight Hub in Central LA on Wednesday, November 3, and demanded that the tech giant grant gig workers across the world fair pay and basic worker rights and protections. The demonstration, held on the anniversary of Proposition 22’s passage, was part of a series of protests held by workers in 7 countries in response to the attempt by gig companies like Uber to push Prop 22-style legislation around the world.
Prop 22, which a California court recently ruled unconstitutional, denies app-based rideshare and delivery drivers the rights and protections afforded to California employees, including a minimum wage, paid sick leave, overtime pay, unemployment insurance, access to workers’ compensation, and the right to join together in a union. In 2020, tech giants like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash spent more than $220 million on a misleading ad campaign pushing the California ballot initiative — and the companies have since tried to spread similar laws in the U.S. and to other countries.
On Wednesday, the LA-area gig workers drove to Uber’s Greenlight Hub on Beverly Boulevard after convening in MacArthur Park. There, drivers rallied and spoke out about the false promises of tech giants’ Prop 22 campaign.
Drivers also called on the companies to drop their legal appeal of the court ruling declaring Prop 22 unconstitutional and to properly classify drivers as employees and not “independent contractors.”
On November 3, gig worker actions were also held in Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, and Spain. And, as part of California protests Wednesday, gig drivers with We Drive Progress and Gig Workers Rising rallied at DoorDash’s headquarters in San Francisco.
“The gig economy is a global economy,” said Neide Tameirão, who has worked for gig companies like Uber and Lyft for many years, at the LA rally. “Companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are using the predatory business model they developed to exploit workers here and in other countries. In order to defeat these companies, our fight must also be global.”


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GUELPH, ONTARIO — Ren’s Pets was recognized by the Retail Council of Canada’s (RCC) Excellence in Retailing Awards for its omni-channel retail program. The RCC recognition marks the retailer’s first award from a prestigious association.
RCC’s omni-channel award recognizes retailers who sell through a combination of sales channels, including brick-and-mortar, online, mobile and others.
“This is an extraordinary achievement for Ren’s, and we’re just thrilled to have won this significant award from the RCC this year,” said Scott Arsenault, chief executive officer of Ren’s Pets. “As our business continues to grow, we’ve put tremendous effort into ensuring our customers have a full omni-channel experience with Ren’s and can shop the way they prefer to for their pets.
“We’ve invested heavily not only in our brick-and-mortar store expansion, but also in our website and other online platforms and programs,” Arsenault added. “Having a seamless integrated channel experience for our customers is key for our future as we continue to be there for your pet’s best life.”
Ren’s submitted its “Fetch Your Favorites” campaign, a same-day delivery program in partnership with DoorDash, which ran fall of 2021. The program helped consumers during the pandemic, providing them with the convenience of same-day home delivery for pet food and supplies.
“We’re so excited about this RCC win, especially because it was in the omni-channel category,” said Larissa Wasyliw, vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ren’s Pets. “Implementing same-day delivery powered by DoorDash was a logical next step for Ren’s to improve our omni-channel capabilities.
“We offer order online, pick-up in-store, and ship to home, and knew our customers were looking for a quick, easy, convenient option for same-day deliveries as well,” Wasyliw added. “In particular, our customers in the Toronto area plus those wanting their raw, frozen food delivered. DoorDash has been an excellent partner for us, and we’ve delivered hundreds of orders to the doorsteps of happy pet parents.”
Read more about pet retail trends.


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IAG Cargo expands services to Mexico City
07 / 02 / 2014
IAG Cargo is increasing frequency on its London Heathrow to Mexico City route.
An additional weekly flight will provide extra capacity to this strategic market, with the new service set to begin on Sunday April 27.
The expanded schedule will now see flights per week increasing from five to six.
Rodrigo Casal, regional commercial manager for Latin America at IAG Cargo, comments: “With the increasing importance of emerging markets, it is essential that we provide enough capacity to serve these key areas and support our customers’ future growth.
“The additional flight, which is to be served by a B747, will see a 20 per cent boost in airfreight capacity for our customers as well as increasing the level of flexibility for global businesses in this region.”
These flights are also key to the transportation of one of Mexico’s significant exports – perishables. The route allows perishable foodstuffs, such as berries, papayas and mangoes, to be delivered rapidly to many European export destinations including Amsterdam, Paris and Madrid.


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Monday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers
The small-cap sector plodded downward along with the major indices Monday despite a number of high-riding tech stocks.
Among these was Phazar (ANTP), which rocketed some 38% in an explosion of trading after the communications equipment maker swung to a fiscal first-quarter profit of $176,000, or 8 cents a share, compared with a year-ago loss of 4 cents a share. Revenue hiked up 69.2% to $1.9 million. Shares of the Texas-based company gained $2.88 to $10.45.
China's Telestone Technologies (TSTC) bounced after China Mobile (CHL) said the company's WFDS (wireless fiber distribution system) technology "reached and exceeded the performance standards" required by TD-SCDMA networks -- a 3G standard in China -- based on recent testing.
China Mobile added that the technology "holds an obvious advantage over traditional 2G indoor wireless coverage systems" in a number of areas. Shares of Telestone ramped up 10.5% to $7.76.Lumera (LMRA) jumped 11.3% to $4.23 after the Bothell, Wash., company launched its 40 Gbps (gigabits per second) polymer modulator for optical transmission systems, which the company says it will market as a "superior and reliable alternative to crystalline materials." Fellow Washington-based company InfoSpace (INSP), meanwhile, agreed to sell its mobile-services business to Motricity for $135 million in cash. A "significant" chunk of this is planned for a special dividend after the deal closes, which will probably be within the next three months. Shares added $1.22, or 6.7%, to $19.35.
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honestly green eye shop is the best
Smart homes are fast becoming a reality, with smart TVs, smart meters and other such smart devices/systems already representing a substantial household presence. These, which we collectively term smart domestic products (SDPs), will need to be promoted, adopted, and normalized into daily routines. Despite this, the marketing canon lacks a substantive discourse on pertinent research.
Each sector has its own system which together form Alibaba mega ecosystem. Though its development took a somewhat different course, Tencent has built a mega ecosystem too.Chinese companies seem more inclined than their Western counterparts to migrate across sector boundaries and create larger ecosystems. This is perhaps because new market opportunities have been popping up more frequently in China and its consumers have embraced smartphone apps more closely.
It disgusting, no politician should do this. Minister Poto William’s told parliament on behalf of Immigration Minister Iain Lees Galloway that she had ministerial responsibility for Shane Jones.one in parliament, no party, should be distancing themselves from this, now is the time to boldly call out language that seeks to divide, it is harmful language says Bela.call on the government to take responsibility to uphold human rights and hold Mr Jones accountable for his racist remarks which may fuel racist and xenophobic reactions from his party’s followers. We pledge to support the voices of millions everywhere who are forced into silence in the face of discrimination, hate or xenophobia.
By developing detailed models of close star systems, Konacki was able to tease apart the tangled starlight. This allowed him to pinpoint, for the first time, the tug of a planet on a star snuggled next to other stars. Of 20 systems examined so far, HD 188753, located 149 light years away, was the only one found to harbor a planet..
Item Type:ArticleItem Status:Live ArchiveAbstractThis article is the start of a new series entitled “Architecture and Love” where we would like to present low tech architecture, a direction created by architects “who refuse to be closed within the walls of design factories”. Architects who without trying to imitate anyone, to kiss up to bankers want to set an example. Money and technology.
Stacey Mayora and Paul Watson, Pasadena residents for a number of years, wanted to build a 577 square foot, two story addition to their 1,547 square foot existing single story, hillside single family home at 518 Glen Holly Drive. The city Planning and Development Department had inspected the property, approved the project, and issued them a permit permit no. 6315..


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Moto G heading for retirement in India; Last stock of 16 GB available for Rs. 11999
While Motorola is gearing up for the launch of the successor to the Moto G in India on September 5, the company seems to be retiring the current Moto G before the launch.
Flipkart has revealed that it is clearing out the last stock of Moto G in India given that the new handsets are expected to be announced in less than two weeks’ time. The 8 GB variant of the Moto G is already out of stock, after the company had recently offered a Rs. 2000 discount due to the mounting competition. Currently only a few units of the 16 GB variant are available priced at just Rs. 11999.
While the Moto G was just launched early this year, hardly six months back, it managed to single-handedly take Motorola in the top five ranks in India. Hence it is quite surprising that the company decided to retire the warrior so soon. While we are eagerly looking forward to the successor, we hope that the existing Moto G handsets will continue to get support and service, even after retirement.