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Here’s what you need to know
Microsoft is buying Activision Blizzard for $70 billion. Meanwhile, the gaming company fired or disciplined dozens of employees over allegations of sexual harassment and other workplace issues.
JD.com is teaming up with Shopify. The partnership will give small US sellers access to Chinese consumers.
The US is probing Alibaba’s cloud business. Reuters reports the Chinese e-commerce giant is facing scrutiny over possible national security risks.
High prices toppled another UK energy supplier. Together Energy Retail, which was part-owned by a local government council, had 176,000 customers.
US wireless carriers bowed to airlines’ 5G pressure. But AT&T and Verizon’s decision to delay rolling out the upgraded service around airports didn’t stop some international flights from being canceled.
The European Parliament chose a new president. Malta’s Roberta Metsola, the youngest ever leader of the body at age 43, succeeds Italy’s David Sassoli, who died last week.
Poland’s president won’t be skipping the Beijing Olympics. Andrzej Duda also plans to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, while he’s there.
Quartz will be at the Winter Games, in spirit. Follow along by signing up for our Need to Know: Beijing Olympics newsletter.
What to watch for
The US government is officially launching its website for free covid-19 tests on Wednesday. But many American households already ordered their four at-home tests after the website rolled out in beta phase yesterday.
The White House said the early release would help it “address troubleshooting,” a nice way of saying it didn’t want to repeat the 2013 Healthcare.gov disaster. In case you forgot: The health insurance enrollment site was largely inaccessible for weeks after going live.
Here’s a reading list on lessons from healthcare.gov, and what’s still missing in the US’s latest testing strategy:
Microsoft’s big bet
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision is its largest-ever takeover, and will make it the world’s third largest gaming company by revenue after Sony and Tencent. The deal is a huge bet on the metaverse. It’s also complicated by Activision’s history of workplace misconduct.
$77.2 billion: US revenue for the mobile gaming industry in 2020
6th: Rank of Activision’s Candy Crush among the highest-grossing mobile games ever
10,000: People that work at Activision
$18 million: Amount Activision paid in September to settle harassment claims
36+: Number of Activision employees fired or pushed out so far to address the allegations
One of Heidi Klum’s legs is worth more than the other. It cost $2 million to insure the pair, but a past injury made one more expensive.
There’s a 555.55-carat black diamond that came from outer space. Is there really any more to say?
Hong Kong is going to cull more than 2,000 hamsters. Officials announced the move after 11 animals and two humans tested positive for covid-19.
Snoop Dogg is starting a hotdog company. Obviously, it is called “Snoop Doggs.”
An “intriguing carbon signature” on Mars could be a sign of ancient life. However, NASA scientists also suggested two other explanations that don’t involve aliens.
Wonder what’s been Snoop Dogg’s most important business decision? We looked into this.


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Many companies are in the race to deliver the first autonomous car to the public for commercial and personal use. These companies include the likes of Uber, BMW, Waymo, and even Uber, and each company has their sight on collecting the benefits of being the first company to offer autonomous car technology to the public.
Each company is looking to bring self-driving cars to the market for different reasons. Some companies like Uber envision a world where ride-hailing services only require an autonomous vehicle to pick up patrons around town.
Other companies like Tesla want to expand driverless car technologies to different industries like commercial trucking and use that technology for space travel.
While they are not commonly seen in the news, Ford is one of the leaders in the race to bring autonomous cars to our city streets. Even though many people think Ford is a dying brand, the truth is that Ford Motor Company has invested millions of dollars and has more than 10 years of experience developing and testing autonomous vehicles.
With their knowledge of car production and available resources for research and development, Ford is positioning themselves to be one of the leaders for the future of autonomous car technology.
Ford’s Unique Advantage To Lead The Race To Autonomous Cars
When people think of autonomous cars, many people think of Tesla, Microsoft, and even Apple developing and testing driverless technology. While these tech companies have the advantage of devoted resources on the sole purpose of building safe techniques to control self-driving vehicles.
Ford has the advantage of an established process and knowledge about how to manufacture cars from conception to the production line. At the same time, Ford has been a leader in traditional vehicle technology, and their leadership in this area is a valuable asset to their progress in the area of autonomous car technology.
In 2016, Ford took a big step in their ambitious goal as they created the Ford Smart Mobility, a new subsidiary established to research, design, build, grow and invest in emerging mobility services.
While maintaining their core business of traditional cars, SUVs, trucks and electric vehicles, Ford’s creation of Ford Smart Mobility shows that Ford is aggressively pursuing other opportunities to be a leader in connectivity and mobility of autonomous cars.
As Ford builds out their capabilities and research, Ford Smart Mobility is changing the way the world moves in several areas, including connectivity, mobility, consumer experience, and data analytics.
These four pillars are important for Ford to enhance so they can incorporate their autonomous car technology in a way that will help them accomplish their goal of delivering a fully autonomous car by 2021.
Building Strategic Alliances To Achieve Their Goals
Along with a strong history of developing technology for driverless technology, Ford has a strategic advantage because they have massive production facilities that they can tap into to build the future cars.
The company’s understanding of software, sensors, and hardware production means that they can put their sophisticated engineering knowledge towards manufacturing high-quality vehicles at a scale many other companies are unable to match.
Ford has committed to delivering the first fully autonomous car by 2021. To provide an autonomous vehicle within this timeframe, Ford has made four key investments and collaborations to expand its existing infrastructure.
Here are the stakes that could help Ford deliver to their promise of fully autonomous vehicles for consumers within the coming years.
Velodyne: Ford has invested in Velodyne, a Silicon Valley company that focuses on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors.
Ford is investing in this technology company because Velodyne has a proven track record of developing the technology necessary to create detailed 360-degree environmental perspective for use in autonomous vehicles, industrial equipment/machinery, 3D mapping, and surveillance, Velodyne LiDAR now supplies a complete line of detectors capable of providing the most precise real-time 3D information available in the marketplace.
SAIPS: Ford purchased the Israel-based AI learning business to strengthen their ability to process data with onboard instruments and enhance computer vision. SAIPS core experience is the design, development, and implementation of search motors which are predicated on Deep Neural Networks (‘Deep Learning’).
These accomplishments have allowed SAIPS to develop algorithmic solutions in image and video processing to help autonomous car technologies react in real-world environment changes.
Nirenberg Neuroscience LLC: Ford has secured exclusive licensing agreements with Nirenberg Neuroscience which provides the technology needed to permits system vision tasks such as navigation, collision avoidance, object recognition, and facial recognition, to be done in a wide selection of conditions.
This is a vital piece of the puzzle to process, interpret, and apply information gathered by onboard devices to allow self-driving cars to navigate city streets safely.
Civil Maps: Ford has invested heavily in Civil Maps which is based in Berkeley, CA and produces 3D mapping capabilities for autonomous car technology. Public Maps has pioneered an innovative 3D mapping technology that enables self-driving cars together with the capacity to build, share, and upgrade a mental model of the surroundings while always determining their location.
This technology is vital for self-driving cars because it is scalable and efficient to help existing processes work together for car navigation.
Ford Partners With Dominos For Driving Tests
While some companies are partnering with Uber to gain real-world data about city roadways and technology performance, Ford is partnering with Dominos to provide self-driving cars to deliver pizza in their self-driving Ford Fusion in Ann Arbor.
This will provide Ford with valuable information about how their technology interprets and responds to changes in their immediate environment.
At the same time, Dominos will benefit from this test because they will be able to see whether customers like the idea of driverless-car deliveries.
Even though Dominos is not sure if customers will want to go outside in the rain or snow to retrieve their pizza, they see the partnership with Ford as a valuable partnership to position itself ahead of the emerging technology.
Old School Companies Leading The Future Of New Technology
Even though other companies get most of the attention in the news and other outlets, Ford Motor Company is carving out their corner of the autonomous car market.
Combining their ability to produce cars in high volumes and their engineering capabilities, Ford could be positioning itself to be a frontrunner in the future of self-driving technologies.
We will have to keep an eye out for how Ford aligns their resources and experience to help them meet their goal of a fully autonomous car on the road by 2021.
Strategic partnerships are helping Ford build up their capabilities, and the future looks bright for the autonomous car industry as Ford continues to invest heavily in technologies and other aspects that could have prevented driverless cars from reaching our city streets!

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The Wauwatosa Plan Commission is recommending that Tobacco Outlet Plus be denied the opportunity to sell liquor, a 180-degree turn from how it handled a similar request from a wine shop going in right across the street.
On a 4-2 vote Monday, the panel said it opposes adding liquor to the shelves at Tobacco Outlet Plus, 11712 W. North Ave., which already sells cigarettes and beer.
"I've never understood what redeeming value Tobacco Outlet has in this neighborhood," Commissioner John Albert said.
He moved to recommend against the request on the basis that it could negatively impact the neighborhood and home values.
Last month the commission also delivered a 4-2 vote, that time in favor of Amandip Singh's request to open a wine, beer and liquor shop across the street from Tobacco Outlet Plus. The Common Council gave final approval to Singh on June 1 for the use, and the liquor license request is expected to come to the council next week for action.
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- Wauwatosa police report 200 percent increase in vehicle thefts
- Changes coming to Wauwatosa Village: The Flower Lady finds new home
- Bryant & Stratton College offers new nursing program at Tosa campus
- KFC in Wauwatosa robbed Wednesday morning, suspect still unknown (1)
- Wauwatosa businesses step up to fund baseball fields at Center Street Park (1)
- Mystery Photo Contest: Feb. 11
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- In Brief: Feb. 11
- Wauwatosa Ask Now: What is being done about the smell coming from the Wauwatosa dump?
- Wauwatosa Things to Do: Feb. 11


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Lykke, a Swiss Fintech company building a global blockchain-powered marketplace, announced that its open-source platform and apps can be integrated to existing products to accelerate performance.
The Lykke Accelerator is an exciting step,” says Richard Olsen, founder and CEO of Lykke and former CEO of OANDA. “We’ve spent the last year building a world-class platform, and now we want other companies to get the benefits of our work. Fintech startups and existing financial institutions can integrate the Lykke suite of products to offer their customers a seamless experience, where trades settle in minutes and safety is increased.
The Lykke Accelerator service provides custom integration of Lykke’s apps and trading platform to existing products, turn-key wallets and digital products to exchange. The platform currently offers currencies and the potential for trading many different types of assets.
The Lykke wallet is an open-source app for iOS and Android that lets customers sign up using Lykke’s KYC and support, transfer money in, purchase and trade assets, and transfer money away. The wallet holds the customer’s assets, protecting them in case anything happens to the exchange, and the customer retains the 12-word password that controls the wallet. Lykke will add customer branding and new features as desired.
The Lykke exchange is an open-source exchange where trades take place between wallets, there are no fees, spreads are ultra low, and settlement takes place on the blockchain in minutes. The platform provides a simple, secure, and powerful new way to trade currencies and other assets.
Example turn-key applications:
- Digital Banking, providing security and immediate settlement
- Peer-to-Peer Lending wallet, simplifying the entire value chain
- Industry groups and consortia looking for synergies
- IoT wallet, allowing devices to spend money
- Merchants looking for cross-border loyalty and points systems
- Event organizers can use a single currency to create an internal economy


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Thousands of families in several districts, including Rajshahi, Joypurhat and Naogaon, are being benefitted from cultivating ample pumpkin this season.
The farmers are achieving bumper output as favourable weather condition and timely supply of necessary agri-input boosts the crops.
In Rajshahi, the farmers in the district are making a good profit than other Rabi crops growers spending a small amount of money. A good number of growers said that commercial pumpkin cultivation has been gaining popularity in the area since 2012.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) supports the pumpkin cultivators by providing all necessary inputs.
A small green pumpkin is sold at Tk 30 to Tk 40, a medium one at Tk 50 to Tk 60 and big pumpkin at Tk 70 to Tk 100. The traders send locally-produced pumpkin to different districts for high demand.
To grow pumpkin on one bigha of land, the farmers usually spend Tk 4,000 to Tk 7,000. Profit over Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000 can be made from the same land if a bumper production is achieved, said Deb Dulal Dhali, deputy director of Rajshahi DAE.
In Joypurhat, the wholesalers from the region have already started exporting the crops to different districts including capital from the last week of January.
The peasants generally grow seasonal crops but they began pumpkin cultivation on an experimental basis according to suggestion of DAE since 2012 and got the success from the farms.
A small one pumpkin is being sold at Tk 30 to 40, a middle one is at Tk 50 to 60 and big one is at Tk from 90 to 100 according to shape and test in the local kitchen markets.
The wholesalers from the adjacent district visit the kitchen market to purchase the crops to sell them in different districts including Dhaka. Getting silly profit from the Boro paddy, they turned the desire from Boro paddy to pumpkin with the assistance of local agriculture offices since last few years.
Sub-assistant agriculture officer Azizur Rahman said that the pumpkin contains several food values which help us keep the body healthy and strong. Its cultivation is proved to the farmers as more lucrative, he added.
In Naogaon, the farmers in the district are achieving bumper pumpkin output this season.
According to DAE office sources, the peasants generally grow seeds of pumpkin October and begins harvesting from last week of January.
Investing trifling money, the pumpkin farmers are making good profit compare to other rabi crops in the region due to its fair market price during harvesting period, DAE added.


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Where to buy face masks online — and everything you need to know about wearing and cleaning them properly
If you buy through our links, we may earn money from affiliate partners. Learn more.
- It’s been a year since the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic.
- The CDC still recommends that all people wear a cloth face mask in public.
- We rounded up the all of best places to buy them, how to properly wear them, and how to clean them.
- This article was medically reviewed by Aimee Desrosiers, PA-C, MS, MPH, a practicing infectious diseases physician assistant in Washington, DC.
It’s been a full year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Although vaccination numbers are increasing daily, it is still super important to wear a face mask.
The CDC recommends that everyone wear a face mask and continue practicing social distancing, even if you’ve been vaccinated.
Whether you have any symptoms of illness or not, face masks should be one of your most essential daily belongings — right along with your phone, wallet, and keys.
To help you stay persistent at limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus and staying healthy, we rounded up all of the places you can buy cloth face masks, plus everything you need to know about picking them out, effectively wearing them, cleaning them, and more.
Where to buy face masks online
Below is a list of all the articles we’ve written about face masks. We’ve rounded up everything from the best face masks you can buy from retailers like Etsy and Amazon to the best face masks for working out to the best ones we’ve personally tested.
Updated on 3/11/2021: Updating formatting, bullet points, introduction, and added latest mask stories and information.
Check out the highest-rated options on Etsy here
Etsy has a large selection of homemade masks for sale. It’s a great place to find quality cloth face masks if you haven’t found one by a well-known name brand that you like. Buying from Etsy is also a great way to support small businesses.
Check out affordable cloth face masks for adults and children on Amazon here
Amazon offers a handful of brand name masks, along with generic face masks in large bulk and one-time use surgical masks. Previously, Amazon limited purchasing surgical masks and other medical-grade equipment to verified healthcare workers, but as supply and demand have evened out, you can now pick them up here too.
Read our full review on the Uniqlo Airism Face Mask here
The Uniqlo Airism Face Mask was a major hit when it launched in Japan early last year. By the end of 2020, it became available in the United States — and it was clear why they were so popular. The masks are lightweight, breathable, and washable. They’re great for wearing in hot weather as well as for double-masking over a surgical mask. They’re available in sizes for adults and kids.
See all of Everlane’s face masks here
Everlane makes a variety of face masks, from basic cotton options that are great for running quick errands to more fitted options with a contoured nose. The masks are sold in packs of two, three, or five, and each purchase benefits the ACLU.
Best face masks we've personally tested
Here are the best face masks we’ve tested
Over the past year, we’ve collectively worn a bunch of masks, whether for personal use or for product reviews. Here, you’ll find all of our favorites and why we like them.
Best masks for double masking and how to do it
Read our full explainer on double-masking here
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, doubling up on face masks is a good idea and “makes common sense.”
If you already have single-use surgical masks, you should still invest in a good cloth face mask for doubling up. Here, we’ve rounded up the best masks for double-masking and a full explainer on why it’s a good practice.
Kids' face masks
Find affordable cloth face masks for kids here
Kids need masks, too. If you’re searching for masks that fit the faces of your little ones well, you’ll find many affordable options here.
Lightweight face masks
Check out lightweight, breathable face masks to help you stay safe on hot summer days here
If you’re particularly interested in masks that are easy to wear in the summer, you’ll want to go with one of these lightweight options. Materials like linen or lightweight cotton are still protective but a bit more comfortable to wear in the heat.
Best face masks for working out and running
Find the best face masks for working out and running here
Whether you’re working out outdoors or in a gym operating at minimal capacity, you’ll want to wear a mask that’s breathable and secure. These are the best options for running and workouts.
Stylish face masks
Check out the brands making stylish, reusable cloth face masks here.
Many of your favorite brands in the textile industry (including those that normally make clothes, shoes, bags, bedding, and more) are using some of their resources to produce masks. Whether you’re a brand loyalist, you want a mask that matches some of your other wearable items, or you simply want a mask from a brand you’re familiar with, you’ll find it here.
How to solve common annoyances associated with face masks
Common annoyances that come with wearing a face mask — and how to solve them responsibly
From eating and drinking to concealing your mouth from those who read lips, there are some annoyances that come with wearing masks. Fortunately, there are also solutions to these problems — and none of them include skipping a mask altogether.
Why is it important to wear a face mask?
Wearing a face mask decreases the likelihood of you potentially transmitting the virus, but if everyone in the community around you wears a mask, then it decreases the likelihood of them transmitting it to you.
According to the CDC’s most recent estimates, 40% of people infected with the new coronavirus may be asymptomatic or presymptomatic.
Whether you’re asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, or showing mild symptoms that could be brushed off as a common cold, there’s still a possibility you’ve contracted the new coronavirus and can unknowingly spread it to others. For this reason, the CDC recommends that everyone, not just those who show symptoms, wear a face mask outside the home.
Note that cloth face masks are not medical grade and that additions like filters have not been proven to be any safer or more effective.
What to look for in a face mask, according to the CDC
A snug fit that sits comfortably against the side of the face and does not gap; ties or ear loops that keep it secure; completely covers the nose and mouth, and fits securely under the chin; two or more layers of fabric; breathability without restriction; and the ability to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to its shape.
How to measure your face for a face mask
While most masks are designed to fit most faces, some will come in more specific sizes like small, medium, and large. If you’re stumped on which size to order, the best way to figure it out is to measure your face and then choose based on the brand’s size chart. You’ll want to use a garment tape measure to get these two measurements:
Measurement #1: Across your face — Going over the bridge of your nose and under your eyes, measure the width of your face.
Measurement #2: From nose to chin — Start from the bridge of your nose and go down to the bottom of your chin.
How to properly clean your cloth face masks
Learn how to properly disinfect your cloth face masks, according to an infectious disease specialist here.
Cleaning your mask is just as important as wearing it in the first place. Wearing or handling a dirty mask can spread germs not limited to just the novel coronavirus. Whether you’d prefer to hand wash or machine wash your masks, here’s everything you need to know about doing it.
How to properly wear a face mask, as recommended by CDC's Dr. Paige Armstrong
More coronavirus-related stories
- Best disinfecting cleaner
- Best hand soap
- Cleaning products for every room in your house
- How to disinfect every room in your house
- Best natural cleaning products
- Where to buy affordable latex gloves
- Best screen cleaner for your phone
Get the latest coronavirus business & economic impact analysis from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is affecting industries.
Sign up for Insider Reviews’ weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.
You can purchase syndication rights to this story here.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].
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BEAVERTON, Oregon — March 25, 2015 — Biamp Systems, a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems, today announced that its Tesira® DSP-based audio platform earned a prestigious, first-annual National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) Excellence in Product Innovation (EPI) award in the category of Ease of Customization. Ron Camden accepts NSCA’s Excellence in Product Innovation […]
2015 Global Installed Audio Conferencing Enabling Technology Leadership Award recognizes innovation and excellence in meeting industry challenges BEAVERTON, Oregon — March 24, 2015 — Biamp Systems, a leading provider of innovative networked media systems, today announced that the company has been recognized with the 2015 Global Installed Audio Conferencing Enabling Technology Leadership Award by industry […]
BEAVERTON, Oregon — March 3, 2015 — Biamp Systems, a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems, today announced the addition of Jim Seretis to the company’s growing global sales team. Appointed to the role of Consultant Liaison and Business Development Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Seretis will be primarily responsible for supporting regional […]
If you are with the media and would like information about one of our products or would like to chat with someone from Biamp, please contact Amanda Roe directly.
Global Public Relations Manager
+44 (0)20 7592 1200
Biamp’s leadership team is made up of seasoned professionals tasked with expanding our earned reputation as a world leader
in audio/video innovation and unsurpassed customer service.
Senior Applications Engineer, Asia Pacific
China National Convention Center (CNCC)
Thursday, April 9


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With the holidays providing retailers the chance to snatch up plenty of extra dollars before the end of the year, many stores are willing to pull out the stops to give you the best deals and a good shopping experience this season. When so many shops are willing to treat you well, you might want to avoid stores that offer subpar treatment or lackluster savings.
Yet while the best stores are stepping up to treat their customers well, even updating shipping and return policies to be more favorable during the holiday shopping season, other retailers are falling behind. The worst stores have inconvenient return policies, bad customer service, and underwhelming discounts. Here is a list of five stores you might want to skip on your shopping trips this holiday season.
1. Forever 21This popular clothier is known for selling "fast fashion" -- items that are up-to-the-minute trendy and cheap, but not necessarily built to last. Forever 21 has also faced accusations of copying other brands' designs, and H&M recently sued for alleged copyright infringement over a tote-bag design.
However, the biggest reason shoppers might want to avoid Forever 21 this holiday season is its return policy. It has the worst return policy of any store surveyed for a recent GoBankingRates report.
Whereas most retailers offer cash refunds on returns, Forever 21 does not. The retailer will only exchange in-store returns for store credit or other merchandise and grants no refund except for defective items. Worse, the store only gives shoppers 21 days, just three weeks, to change their minds. After that window is up, the purchase is permanent.
2. CostcoIf you're looking for steep discounts, you might want to avoid this warehouse retailer. Costco's Black Friday deals are among the worst out there, according to a study from WalletHub, with offered discounts averaging just 19.5%. That's half the savings of the average 40.2% discount across retailers. The best discounts were from J.C. Penney, which offered nearly 3.5 times more savings than Costco, with an average markdown of 68%.
Then there are the notorious Costco crowds, which tend to get worse as the holiday shopping season progresses. Since it offers everything needed for the holidays -- from decorations to gifts, clothing, and food items -- Costco will be an essential pit stop for many shoppers. However, without the savings to offset this hassle, you might be better off considering other retailers through the end of the year.
3. Wal-MartAlthough Wal-Mart offers better savings than Costco, its Black Friday discounts are still below average -- just 30.1% on average, reported WalletHub. However, the area where Wal-Mart ranks at the bottom is customer satisfaction. Wal-Mart is the traditional retailer with the lowest customer service ratings, according to Forrester's Customer Experience Index Online Survey for Q3 2015.
This finding is backed up by another report from 24/7 Wall St., which put Wal-Mart on its 2015 Customer Service Hall of Shame. At No. 10, Wal-Mart is the only retailer among service providers like big banks, cell phone carriers, and Internet service and cable providers. This was due to Wal-Mart's high proportion of dissatisfied customers, like the 41.9% who had an overall negative experience, or the 13.8% who rated their experience as poor, the worst option provided. Long lines, limited selection, and higher-than-expected prices could be to blame, according to 24/7 Wall St.
4. Sears and KmartSears and Kmart are both owned by Sears Holding Corporation, and both have some of the least- friendly policies for shoppers. Both of these stores landed among the five with the worst return policies in GoBankingRates' recent survey, because of the short time limit on returns, just 30 days, and for policies against making returns without a receipt.
These stores also landed on MainStreet's list of the worst retailers from which to buy gift cards, because there's a risk your local Sears or Kmart cwill closedown. MainStreet reported that Kmart and Sears stores are much dingier and depressing than other big-box retailers because they spend a fraction of what other stores do on maintenance and updates.
5. Brand storesThis last pick is not one retailer, but a category. "The worst stores to shop at are brand stores like Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Prada, etc.," said Kerry Sherin, a marketing associate with Offers.com. "Chances are slim to none that you find discounted products or deals directly from the brand."
Shoppers looking for real deals would be better off heading tothe big-box retailers that will be offering heftier discounts this season. "[L]ook for deals on the brand[s] at resellers like J.C. Penney or Macy's who consistently strive to provide the best holiday pricing against their competitors," said Sherin.
- 12 Best Money Experts of 2015
- 10 Fastest-Growing Large-Cap Stocks in the U.S. Include Facebook and Adobe
- 10 Best and Worst Deals at Costco
This article originally appeared on GoBankingRates.
The article 5 Stores to Avoid This Holiday Season originally appeared on Fool.com.
GoBankingRates has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool owns shares of Michael Kors Holdings. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Spa skincare company, Elemis, has announced that both its treatments and product range will be available at seven Bannatyne spas before the end of the year.
The new spa locations include Crewe, Wakefield, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Chingford and Shrewsbury. Another spa to take on the brand is Kingsford Park, Colchester. The fully refurbished spa facilities will now offer guests luxurious packages featuring Elemis treatments, including the Biotec Facial.
“The major investment in Kingsford Park, Colchester is part of our roll out of seven new spas in 2017, all of which feature ELEMIS,” explains Karen Wilkinson, group head of spa for The Bannatyne Group. “The Bannatyne name is synonymous with quality and we choose to work with Elemis. Together, we demonstrate a commitment to provide the highest quality service in everything we do. It allows us to take the spa service to a new level, which everyone can enjoy, both members and guests.”
“We are very privileged to work with Karen and the team at Bannatyne spas nationwide,” Noella Gabriel, co-founder and creator of ELEMIS Spa Therapies says. “Together, we have gone from strength to strength, bringing clients professional, results-driven skincare treatments. This latest investment that Bannatyne has made is representative of the company’s dedication to delivering the best in health, wellness and wellbeing services, and we cannot wait for the new spas offering Elemis to open their doors.”


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U.S. Factories Out-produce Chinese Manufacturers by More than 40 Percent
February 4, 2011
U.S. factories are closing. American manufacturing jobs are reappearing overseas. China's industrial might is growing each year. Yet America remains by far the No. 1 manufacturing country, according to the Associated Press, and it out-produces No. 2 China by more than 40 percent. U.S. manufacturers cranked out nearly $1.7 trillion in goods in 2009, according to the United Nations.
The United States has lost nearly 8 million factory jobs since manufacturing employment peaked at 19.6 million in mid-1979. U.S. manufacturers have placed near the top of world rankings in productivity gains over the past three decades.
That higher productivity has meant a leaner manufacturing force that's capitalized on efficiency.
"You can add more capability, but it doesn't mean you necessarily have to hire hundreds of people," James Vitak, a spokesman for specialty chemical maker Ashland Inc. told the Associated Press.
The industry's fortunes are brightening enough that U.S. factories are finally adding jobs after years of shrinking their payrolls. They added 136,000 workers last year — the first net increase since 1997.
What's changed is that U.S. manufacturers have abandoned products with thin profit margins, like consumer electronics, toys and shoes. They've ceded that sector to China, Indonesia and other emerging nations with low labor costs.
Instead, American factories have seized upon complex and expensive goods requiring specialized labor: industrial lathes, computer chips, fighter jets, health care products.
The U.S. remains No. 1 in global manufacturing, accounting for 18 percent of global manufacturing output in 2008. But China is catching up. Its share of manufacturing output jumped from about 6 percent in 1998 to 15 percent in 2008.
In Category: Headlines
Related: China, Economy, Manufacturing


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Promotion will help Fish & Game
February 27. 2014 9:37PM
The N.H. Liquor Commission has partnered with Bacardi and Horizon Beverages to raise $10,000 for the state's Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to provide funding for programs and services provided by the N.H. Fish and Game Department.
Bacardi will donate $1 for every 750ml bottle purchased at New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlets throughout February and March to the foundation.
Bacardi USA brands include all Bacardi brand liquors, Dewar's, Grey Goose and Bombay, as well as Benedictine Liqueur, St. Germain Liqueur and Cazadores Reposado.
"Bacardi USA is excited to be able to raise money for an organization that has supported great programs like the Barry Conservation Camp in Berlin, the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness, and a project to track the migration of river herring," said Paul Power, vice president of spirits for Horizon Beverage Company, which distributes Bacardi products.


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Kassof: Listeners More Likely To Enter Contests Online Than Via Phone
February 4, 2013
Mark Kassof & Co. has released more data from their latest survey on radio contesting. Kassof says, "One surprising finding of our recent online research on contests is that a majority (65 percent) of 18-64 radio listeners have tried to win one…at least once. But only two percent actually tried on the day they took our survey. Fortunately, our research uncovered a powerful way to boost participation."
Kasoff asked listeners how likely they would be to participate given various means of entry — from "not at all likely" to "very." Via a station's Web site and email entry top the list:
When asked, "How likely would you be to participate in a radio station contest if you could enter?," 59 percent answered "Very Likely" via Web site, with the same percentage "Very Likely" through email. Meanwhile, 39 percent said "Very Likely" by text message, 38 percent were "Very Likely" by phone, with 26 percent "Very Likely" on a smartphone app and 23 percent "Very Likely" through the mail.
Kassof says, "Do I think 59 percent really are very likely to enter using email??? No! Respondents usually over-emphasize what they might do in a hypothetical situation. It’s easier to click off on 'very likely' to email than it is to actually send the email. (And these are internet respondents, so it makes sense they’d be more web-oriented than average.)
But even given these caveats, what counts here is the big numbers for web and email entry and their big margin over other means. It makes sense. After all, it’s almost as easy to enter a station site or send email as click on 'very likely.' (And it’s a whole lot easier and less time-consuming than trying to be the 100th caller)!"
When Kassof asked listeners who have never tried to win a contest, 45 percent said they would be "Very Likely" to enter via Web site, with 40 percent "Very Likely" to use email. Additionally, 25 percent were "Very Likely" via text message and 19 percent on a smartphone app. Just 18 percent were "Very Likely" to use the phone, with only 16 percent using the mail.
Kassof concludes that "the bottom line is that broadening contest entry methods to include the internet has significant potential for expanding the pool of potential participants, even reaching listeners who have never entered a contest before. It’s all good! The only 'bad' is that way too many stations are overlooking the upside of online contest entry as another way to interact with listeners."


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Ag center hosts Christmas Market Dec. 7
Published 7:44 pm Wednesday, December 4, 2013
A Christmas Farmers Market will be held this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Mill Spring Agricultural Center.
Community members are encouraged to join area crafters for the popular indoor Christmas market and walk the halls of the old school building.
Inside will be artisan crafts as well as local food for sale that visitors can purchase for themselves or for Christmas gifts.
The Mill Spring Farm Store has also undergone some changes and will be open for shoppers to peruse.
There will be handmade crafts, hot chocolate, local produce, jams, jellies, honey, gifts, wreaths and other decorations. The farm store also offers gift baskets that can be purchased to fill with locally-made products for the person who loves Polk County.
Vendors spots are still available. For more information, call 828-436-0029.
– article submitted
by Bonnie McLain


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Organic & Grass-Fed is Healthier & Greener
McClatchy Newspapers | April 16, 2007
GRANDVIEW, Texas - Inside the only boucherie in town is a meat case full of chuck roasts, flank steaks, New York strips.
But what they're really selling in the rustic Burgundy Boucherie is a story.
It's an old story, actually, one about a Texas ranching family that raises cattle on rolling, green hills of native grasses, never uses pesticides, hormones or grain, and sells their meat to people they know on a first-name basis.
Jon and Wendy Taggart tell it best.
"It's not new," Wendy Taggart said. "It's the way ranching was done years ago."
A few years back, they climbed out on an agricultural limb, gambling that people would pay extra for organic, 100-percent grass-fed beef bought directly from their store in Grandview, about 35 miles south of Fort Worth.
They struck at a time when many Americans were growing more interested in all-natural products and more concerned with problems in mass-produced meat.
That interest keeps growing, and not just in the expected places such as New England and California. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is considered the second-strongest market in Texas for environmentally friendly foods.
But there's one problem.
"There is more demand than supply," said Brad Stufflebeam, president of the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. "Texas is decades behind this movement."
The grass-fed beef movement - which means the cows are not fattened up in feedlots with grain or corn - is in its infancy.
The American Grassfed Association is only 4 years old, and few people have particularly reliable statistics about it.
But in a state as cattle-rich as Texas, there are fewer than 20 grass-fed producers that can be found on the Internet, most of them selling whole or half carcasses, not individual cuts.
Nationwide, it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the beef supply comes from grass-fed cows, an even smaller amount from organic grass-fed operations like the Taggarts'.
"It's a niche, niche market," said Angela Jackson, president of the Organic Grassfed Beef Coalition in South Dakota. "It's been growing 50 percent a year the last three years, but the number of producers coming on is not as fast as the growth in demand. We don't ever see being able to catch up."
Bucking the 50-year agricultural tradition of always growing bigger to survive, the Taggarts elected to go smaller by creating Burgundy Pasture Beef.
And far from just surviving, they are prospering. They are left to wonder why more ranchers aren't telling the same story they are.
"Our business increased 70 percent from 2005 to 2006, and that was the smallest increase we've ever had," Wendy Taggart said. "I think there's a lot bigger market out there."
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association in Denver expects to see continued growth among grass-fed producers, particularly since grain prices are so high.
But Joe Schuele, a spokesman for the group, said it is unlikely to ever dethrone grain-fed cattle as the predominant source of beef.
"We're all in favor of cattle producers identifying and capitalizing on that kind of market opportunity," Schuele said. "It's a marvelous opportunity for a select number of producers, but it's not likely to be an opportunity for a huge number. It's unlikely to create any major shifts in cattle production in the foreseeable future."
Eight to 10 full carcasses usually hang in Jon Taggart's dry-age freezer. Even when they're stripped of any identifying characteristics, Taggart still knows which carcass came from which cow.
Just four miles away is the Taggart ranch, a 1,370-acre spread of wheat fields turned native grass pasture.
Pure Angus calves come to the Taggart ranch at about 12 months from operations that use only grass. They stay there for another 12 to 15 months, eating only grass. Jon Taggart decides which is ready for slaughter, based on how fatty they look.
They go to slaughter near Hillsboro, Texas. The carcasses come to the boucherie - or butcher shop - for 21 days of aging.
They're processed and packaged from employees on site. Then the meat is sold.
This is what people mean when they say "local food."
Organic is no longer the buzzword for the food savvy.
That market kept up double-digit growth over the past few years, to the point that large agriculture companies are now in the business of organics.
To local food supporters, industrial agriculture is bad; organic or not.
"Local food is the ultimate in accountability," Stufflebeam said, because it puts farmers and ranchers directly in touch with customers. "Local food is a more secure food system. When people understand the value of food, where it comes from and the people who grew it, it makes the banquet on our tables much more rewarding and nutritious."
To illustrate how much local has overtaken organic as the rallying point, neither the Taggarts nor Stufflebeam have ever requested organic certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"I hope our customers put more faith in what I say than the USDA," Jon Taggart said.
The Taggarts' grass-fed program started nine years ago because of money. Specifically, not enough of it ending up in their bank account through a conventional stocker calf operation.
"We were struggling," Jon Taggart said. "The cattle business is a tough business. We had to come up with some way to increase our income."
So, in their words, they left the "commodity-driven rat race" in which beef prices go up and down on based on the packer or grocer market.
Instead, they converted their ranch and their herd to all-grass and all-natural, a process that took several years. In September 2004, they opened their store, perhaps their biggest leap of faith, because it was too difficult to run the business out of their house.
Because they sell directly to the customer, they can set their own prices, which have never come down.
Bone-in rib-eye is $12.99 a pound. A tenderloin is $26.99 a pound. Flank steak is $7.99 a pound, and short ribs are $4.29 a pound, all of which goes to the Taggarts.
"It's a better way to raise a family," Jon Taggart said. "We can budget our household now."
Running a grass-fed ranch is easier in some respects.
Jon Taggart doesn't have to plow, fertilize or buy antibiotics. Every few days, he moves the cows to a different pasture and makes sure the grasses are doing well, and the cows take care of themselves.
But the rest of it is a huge departure from what ranchers normally do - processing the meat, marketing, running a Web site and dealing with customers.
"We are service-oriented," Wendy Taggart said. "Our customers want to talk to who is raising their food because that's important to them."
The Taggarts' typical customers are middle- or upper-middle-class, educated and selective about what they put on their plate.
They also get their meat delivered to their door, typically a 20-pound order that runs about $100.
"Our customers are black and white, people with families and empty-nesters," Wendy Taggart said. "But the one thing they have in common is their food philosophy."
Deanna Wagner is one of them, a former vegetarian who went back to eating meat - only because she could find products like the Taggarts'.
"I have a husband and two teenage boys, who can eat," Wagner said. "I can feel good about them eating this."
Many of the Taggarts' customers shop at Central Market or Whole Foods, and they still do for fish and other items. But even those grocery stores with certified organic options don't offer what some people are looking for - the exact provenance of their dinner, provided by the grower himself.
Coleen Merk of Dallas is a Whole Foods shopper who has been shifting to more local foods. She buys her meat from the Taggarts, and buys chicken and goat's milk from an East Texas farmer for her family of six.
But the Taggarts' home delivery with custom cuts is what sets them apart.
"I don't know of anyone who does that," Merk said. "I buy from there for three reasons - the quality is superb, they deliver, and I don't have to buy a half or a whole cow."
The age-old criticism of grass-fed beef is that it can be tough, and that's based partly on truth.
Grain does fatten a steer faster and offers more consistency in taste. But the Taggarts say a grass-fed steer will get a similar amount of marbling, given more time and the right genetics.
That's what Jon Taggart does - he buys good Angus calves and doesn't rush them to fatten up. He is also careful not to "stress" the cows, which he says can ruin a perfectly good carcass.
"People told us when we started that grass-fed beef is tough and has no fat on it," Wendy Taggart said. "We continued anyway. And I was astounded at the quality of beef that can be raised on grass."
Jon Bonnell, owner and chef of Bonnell's Restaurant in Fort Worth, has served the Taggarts' meat for three years.
Bonnell's is a highly regarded restaurant that specializes in serving regionally grown food.
"I've tried several grass-fed products, and they're the only ones I like," Bonnell said. "Since they dry-age the beef and hand-select each cow, the tenderness is fantastic.
"It's a handcrafted deal. Jon looks in the herd and says that cow, that cow and that cow are ready, whereas someone else might say, `I need 10 cows,' and the first 10 they get are the ones that get processed. His is a personal touch, and he really knows what he is doing."
The Taggarts' business is growing. Already, they sell pasture-raised pork and chicken from friends, plus raw-milk cheeses. They're working on offering pasture-raised lamb.
They've even talked about opening a little hamburger restaurant in the boucherie.
To handle the increasing demand, they'll slaughter more cows this year than last, which has been true every year.
But they've chosen a low-volume business model and have no interest in selling to large numbers of restaurants, much less grocery stores.
They predict that they will hit a point at which they won't grow anymore.
"We got into this to cut out all the middlemen, and they're going to stay out," Jon Taggart said.
"Our business model is direct retail to the customer. I could really grow my operation big, but then it becomes a lot like the commodity business that we left."
HEALTH BENEFITS OF PASTURE-RAISED BEEF
Studies have shown a number of health benefits to eating beef from cows that were 100 percent grass-fed.
_Lower in saturated fats
_Slightly higher in omega-3 fatty acids
_Higher in vitamins A and E
_Substantially lower chance of E. coli contamination
Infowars.com is Copyright 2007 Alex Jones | Fair Use Notice
Find out the true story behind government sponsored terror, 7/7, Gladio and 9/11, get Terror Storm!


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There are only four days until the opening game of World Cup Qatar 2022. Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding the decision for the tournament to be held in Qatar and the many human rights abuses reported in relation to the construction of sporting infrastructure (See previous PILA Bulletin article #PayUpFIFA: The real cost of the World Cup Qatar 2022), FIFA has projected that audience numbers will be in the region of 5 billion viewers, well over half of the entire population of the globe.
Against the backdrop of the world’s largest single sporting event many legal issues are anticipated, specifically around marketing and intellectual property as the business of sport sponsorship means big business.
The World Cup brand comprises numerous IP assets to include the Qatar 2022 name, the World Cup trophy, official emblems as well as event mascots. As with previous host nations for events such as the Olympic Games and other major global sporting tournaments, Qatar has passed bespoke legislation to regulate and govern the intellectual property rights of FIFA and its commercial partners. The law recognises FIFA’s world cup trade-marks as well-known and protected in Qatar regardless of whether they are registered there. Aside from trade-marks, design and copyright may subsist in a number of works such as the slogans, logos, kits and broadcasts in various countries.
FIFA has a dedicated section on its website profiling its rights, including registered and unregistered trade-marks, designs and copyrights. This ‘Brand Protection’ portal includes a number of key documents and details of what is and is not deemed acceptable regarding the use of names and images associated with the tournament.
There are a number of official FIFA sponsor partners, including Coca-Cola, Wanda, Adidas, KIA, Qatar Airways, Qatar Energy and VISA. These companies have made significant financial investments in order to gain the exposure and goodwill that is associated with this major sporting event and, in return expect certain levels of protection and enforcement from FIFA. FIFA includes terms and conditions and guidelines to protect the investment and grants exclusive rights to their commercial partners and other licensees of the tournament. These exclusive rights include monitoring and action plans on counterfeit merchandise, ambush marketing campaigns and social media activity. The rights are actively enforced to prevent misuse and to protect the prestige and commercial value of the partnership.
Ambush marketing is an intentional effort by a non-sponsor of an event to create the impression of being an official sponsor, without authorisation and without the financial outlay of sponsorship fees. Such campaigns can confuse the public and take advantage of the media interest in an event to obtain exposure for their own products.
This form of marketing first became mainstream during the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Bavaria disguising Dutch models as Danish fans and revealing promotional attire once the match had commenced. However these tactics have long been employed for example during the 1984 Summer Olympic in Los Angeles and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul where American Express and VISA led a number of ‘credit card wars’.
At the Russian World Cup in 2018, there were a number of campaigns highlighting Russia’s stance on LGBTQI+ rights by donating £10,000 to charity for each Russian goal scored. In light of major human rights concerns surrounding Qatar’s stance on LGBTQI+ and other human rights, it is possible that there will be more of these types of ambush campaigns during the event.
Numerous businesses seek to promote or advertise their brands without falling foul of ambush marketing, although it can be a fine line. A key issue for FIFA is that legal action itself can make the news and with social media, can result in significant publicity over and above what the brand would have originally envisaged. In the court of public opinion, the public can cast judgment before any formal legal proceedings have reached their conclusion. It remains to be seen whether the legacy of the World Cup 2022 will comprise a string of human rights abuses and vocal discrimination or whether, intellectual property issues aside the court of public opinion will be swung by the bright lights of big commercial brands.


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New Data Shows Cybercriminals Increasingly Targeting Apple’s Ecosystem: Kaspersky
New data shows that ill-intentioned hackers are increasingly targeting Apple’s ecosystem.
While macOS is often touted as “safer” on the cybersecurity front compared to Windows-based systems, cybercriminals are in fact increasingly targeting Apple’s ecosystem, reads a new report from Kaspersky released yesterday.
According to data outlined in the report, the number of attacks on macOS users through malicious and potentially unwanted programs has been increasing annually since 2012, and in 2018 it exceeded 4 million attacks. The pace is staying steady so far this year; during the first half of 2019, the firm registered 1.8 million malware attacks on Macs.
One of the most frequent fraud schemes outlined in the report are those designed to resemble the iCloud interface that steal credentials from victims’ Apple ID accounts. Links to these attacks usually come from spam emails which pose as messages from technical support, often threatening to block users’ accounts should they not click the link.
Another widespread scam is the use of scaremongering pages that attempt to convince the user that their computer is under serious security threat, luring them to click links to “fix” their computer.
“While technically these fraud schemes are nothing new, we believe they pose an even greater danger to Apple users than similar schemes against users of other platforms — such as Windows or Android,” says Tatyana Sidorina, security researcher at Kaspersky. “That is because the ecosystem around Macs and other Apple devices is generally considered a far safer environment. Therefore users might be less cautious when they encounter fake websites.”
“Meanwhile the successful theft of iCloud account credentials could lead to serious consequences — an iPhone or iPad could be remotely blocked or wiped by a malicious user, for example,” Sidorina explains. “We urge users of Apple devices to pay more attention to any emails they receive claiming to be from technical support, which request your details or ask you to visit a link.”
The countries with the largest share of unique macOS users who experienced phishing attacks in the first half of the year were Brazil (30.87 percent), India (22.08 percent), and France (22.02 percent).


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SNG-Grant Thornton - Using tech to tap into Africa's growth
Yugen Pillay: Big businesses can use tech to grow small businesses and support the economy.
With the economy not doing well, the role of CFOs within the organisation will be more important than ever. Yugen Pillay, Director and Head of Business Process Improvement (BPI) at SNG-Grant Thornton, believes this will see new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) play a significant role in helping cut costs, drive sales revenue, and help business manage risk more effectively.
“I will be discussing smart businesses at Finance Indaba Africa with my session based on AI, blockchain, and some of the other technologies out there that are becoming easier for companies to implement. Already, we are using software with AI capabilities built in. For example, clerks capture accounts from companies, allocate the same amount for a specific transaction several times, and if hey input incorrectly, they receive a pop-up warning that this is not a regular occurrence.”
For SNG-Grant Thornton, it is about selling solutions and improving business processes.
“Because the economy is slowing down, the best practice is to grow small businesses as they can grow the economy and hire faster. We consult to large corporates and review their supply chains. In this way we can either help upscale the small businesses they have or create new ones to meet in their requirements. Part of this entails going to the townships and communities where people are unemployed and get them plugged in to the supply chain.”
He believes this also fulfils an important role in getting younger people inside a business.
“They are more comfortable with new technologies and have a different way of thinking. As a corporate, you look at staff members and listen to their needs and expectations. Already, this results in a more flexible work environment when the business starts listening to the young employees,” he says.
To grow the country, investments are needed in people and technologies to evolve and adapt to a new digital environment.
“Africa is growing at a phenomenal rate. We can only really tap into this growth using technology. And through technology, people are becoming closer irrespective of where they are working from on the continent. Yet, there is still a big equality gap in the country. Technology can be expensive, and a small start-up may not be able to adapt quickly enough. This is where corporates can look at spending their community social investment funds and help these smaller companies get access to technology.”
Once accessibility improves, he says, then smaller businesses can really become innovative and embrace the likes of AI and other solutions to drive value for more inclusive growth.


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Image Credit source: Xiaomi
Redmi A2 Series of Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi is going to be launched for customers in the Indian market next week. Recall that in March this year, the company launched Redmi A2 and Redmi A2 Plus in Europe. The launch date of this upcoming series of Redmi has been confirmed by the company through a tweet on Twitter.
Redmi A2 Series Launch Date in India
The company has confirmed the launch date of the Redmi A2 series by tweeting from the official Twitter account of Redmi India. This latest series will be launched in India on 19 May 2023 at 11 am.
Presenting #RedmiA2 series #DeshKaSmartphone which will revolutionize the way you connect & communicate.#Giveaway Time! 1. Head to the link below and follow the easy steps to win #RedmiA2
2. Share screenshot below using the hashtags Hurry here: https://t.co/hVagBMgofl pic.twitter.com/sCWZZKrK0l
— Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) May 12, 2023
Apart from this, a separate microsite has been prepared for the Redmi A2 series on Xiaomi’s official site Mi.com. Along with this, a separate page has also been prepared for this series on the e-commerce site Amazon.
read this also- Gift these gadgets to mom on Mother’s Day
With the preparation of the page on Amazon, one more thing has been confirmed that after the official launch on May 19, the company will make its smartphone available for sale on online e-commerce platform Amazon apart from Mi.com and Mi Stores.
These features will be available in Redmi A2 Series
Many things are known by looking at the page made on Mi.com and Amazon, such as you will get a waterdrop display notch design in the front of the phone. Apart from this, two camera sensors with LED flash in the back, octa core processor for lag free performance, large display will be available for better viewing of visuals.
Apart from this, a 5000 mAh battery will be given in the Redmi A2 series. Talking about the operating system, this upcoming series of Redmi will be packed with Android 13.
read this also-Two cheap smart TV launches, starting price less than 10 thousand
Redmi A2 Series Price
The first thing to be seen is that how many devices does the company launch in its latest series. One thing to note is that Redmi’s A series is a budget segment series, so it is expected that this upcoming series can be launched at an affordable price.


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RFID World 2008
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ADT announced today that its innovative Sensormatic iREAD platform won a prominent industry award for "RFID Excellence in Business" at RFID World 2008 in Las Vegas. This award is a significant achievement as it recognizes the company's commitment to forward-thinking radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions for implementing item-level intelligence in retail environments.
The second annual awards ceremony was held on September 8, 2008, at the MGM Grand Hotel. It honored RFID industry innovators and luminaries who have demonstrated the benefits of the technology's application. Independent judges from across the RFID industry chose the winners. RFID Revolution, a leading education and consulting firm, sponsored and administered the selection process and awards ceremony.
The Sensormatic iREAD platform took top honors in the Excellence in Technology Award category. With it, retailers can improve the integrity of item-level data and gain greater visibility into store operations, allowing them to become more predictive and proactive in improving profits.
The award also recognized the Sensormatic tag and detacher devices that are integral parts of the Sensormatic item-level intelligence solution suite for the retail apparel industry. While the Sensormatic hard-tag platform is globally known as a loss-prevention technology, it is now a tag and detaching system able to carry both RFID and electronic article surveillance (EAS) capabilities. With a single, reusable hard tag, apparel retailers can gain both item-level security and inventory visibility.
In a joint statement about their selection of the Sensormatic iREAD platform, judges Dan Dobkin, PhD, from RFID industry consulting firm Enigmatics, and Doug Martin, an industry veteran from RFID Applications, said:
Sensormatic item-level intelligence solutions offered by ADT focus on operational improvements on the retail selling floor. They help provide information accuracy that drives intelligence back into the supply chain by improving the integrity of data from merchandise items on the store floor. The highly scalable, easily deployable Sensormatic iREAD platform dramatically enhances the economics of in-store, item-level RFID deployments by reducing the number of readers, cables and antennas traditional RFID systems need.
"With the Sensormatic iREAD platform, retailers can achieve better customer satisfaction and increased sales through improved item availability," said Jeffrey Bean, vice president, ADT North American Retail Sales and Operations. "We will continue investing in forward-thinking solutions by integrating the EAS and RFID technologies to meet a variety of retailer needs."
About ADT Security Services
ADT Security Services, a unit of Tyco International is the largest provider of electronic security services to more than seven million commercial, government and residential customers worldwide. ADT's total security solutions include intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control, critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated systems. ADT's Web site address is http://www.adt.com.
Copyright 2008 Business Wire All Rights Reserved.


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Ain’t no party like an iPad rumor party, because an iPad rumor party don’t stop. Am I right? Digitimes has once again called on anonymous sources who have a very interesting story to tell:
Apple will announce new iPads on January 26th at iWorld, which is part of MacWorld. The new tablets will have 2048 x 1536 resolution Retina displays, and the only difference between them will be the rear-facing camera. One will have 8MP and the other 5MP. Supposedly this will distinguish one as being high-end and one being mid-priced while the iPad 2 becomes a low cost low-end offering.
As others have already pointed out, the proposed timing is off given the fact that Apple pulled out of MacWorld some time ago and other rumors point to a February announcement, which is more in line with past actions. Plus, having the camera as the only distinguishing feature just seems silly. People don’t worry over tablet cameras as much as they do smartphone ones. Not enough to make the megapixel count the difference between spending a little and spending a lot.
The Digitimes report also claims that the new iPads will come with LED light bars to increase brightness, a longer-lasting battery, and a quad-core A6 processor made by Samsung.
TechCrunch puts more stock in these rumors than earlier claims that Apple would go after the smaller screen size market with a 7-inch iPad. Especially since Steve Jobs is already on record as saying the iPad is the perfect size and 7-inch tablets are just too small for people’s big, meaty fingers. He was wrong, of course. So maybe anything is possible.
Another aspect of the report everyone finds credible is that the iPad 2 will compete with lower-priced tablets while the newer models maintain the high price tags. Will this mean a drop to $399, $299, or even $199?
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Enjoy access to a free NMLS renewal class when you attend an in-person event.
Distressed sales accounted for 7.8 percent of total home sales nationally in June, according to new data from CoreLogic. This represents a 0.8 percent decline from May and a 2.2 percent drop from June 2015.
Within the distressed category, real estate-owned (REO) sales accounted for 4.9 percent, a 1.9 percent year-over-year slide and the lowest level since September 2007. Short sales accounted for 2.9 percent of total home sales in June, slight lower than May’s three percent level.
Eight states recorded year-over-year increases in their distressed sales shares in June, most notably Maryland (19.4 percent), Connecticut (18.4 percent), Michigan (17.6 percent), Illinois (15.8 percent) and New Jersey (15.3 percent). North Dakota had the smallest distressed sales share at 2.5 percent, while Florida’s 5.8 percentage point drop in its distressed sales share from a year earlier was the largest decline of any state.
On a metro basis, Maryland’s Baltimore-Columbia-Towson market had the largest share of distressed sales at 19.1 percent, followed by Illinois’ Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights market (17.7 percent), the Florida metros Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (16.6 percent) and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (15.4 percent) and St Louis (13.2 percent). Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. had the smallest distressed sales share at 2.4 percent.


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Investment decision companies could be eyeing Ubisoft for a takeover
Rumor mill: With all the recent news of sport studio acquisitions, it really is in all probability no surprise to hear that Ubisoft is currently being viewed as for a feasible takeover. Having said that, it probable would not be by the normal suspects — Microsoft or Sony. The two main curiosity holders are mega-conglomerate Blackstone and expense firm KKR. Other unnamed companies are eyeing the publisher as properly.
Assassin’s Creed publisher Ubisoft Enjoyment is reportedly attracting takeover notice from private fairness companies Blackstone Inc, KKR & Co, and other individuals. Bloomberg resources with knowledge of the matter say that the corporations have analyzed the potential clients but have not committed to pursuing a buyout.
Co-founder and chairman of Ubisoft Yves Guillemot and his loved ones are bulk shareholders in the firm with a collective 15-% stake. Stock in the French activity maker has dipped approximately 45 per cent in the previous calendar year, with a marketplace cap of 4.64 billion euros ($5.05 billion).
Although the corporation would seem ripe for the buying, investors are in pretty early deliberations and are uncertain no matter whether to commence with features. It is also not solely obvious if Ubisoft wishes to be picked up. Guillemot and other execs have been obscure on the matter and have held their cards close to their vests.
French media huge Vivendi pursued a gradual hostile takeover of Ubisoft for yrs. In 2017, Vivendi was poised to pounce holding a 26-per cent stake. However, an uptick in valuation put the conglomerate’s options on ice, ruining hopes for a takeover for at the very least 6 months.
Eleven months later on, Vivendi announced it was divesting all interest in Ubisoft thanks to a three-year expansion spurt that noticed share values rise more than 400 per cent. It was a very good go much too, as stock has plummeted more than 64 p.c, diving from $24.10 per share in July 2018 to its current price of $8.62. The drastic dip can make Ubisoft’s buyout cost interesting for traders, though an injection of contemporary funds may be enough to get the publisher back again on track. Earn-acquire.


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Google Mobile Product Manager Punit Soni Friday explained in a blog post that Gmail's HTML5 rendering now provides a clean two-column display. He points to several applications that ship with the iPad.
Similar to Mac computers and the iPhone, those with iPads will find Google Search located in the top right corner of Safari. Other applications that ship with the iPad include YouTube, Street View, and Maps.
Along with thousands of others who bought the iPad, Trip Chowdhry, managing director at equity research firm Global Equities Research, received his this weekend. He says consumers can choose their favorite search engine from the App Store.
For advertisers wanting to target consumers on the iPad, Google has added an option in AdWords to serve up ads formatted for those reading content on the iPad. During the past year, the AdWords team has been working to ensure its advertising platforms work well on a variety of devices -- such as mobile phones with full Internet browsers like those running Android operating system, and Apple's iPhone. Similar to the iPhone, now Google has made placing ads on iPad an option.
Advertisers will have lots of consumers to reach. Piper Jaffray Analyst Gene Munster estimates that Apple sold between 600,000 and 700,000 iPads during the first day of sales, including online pre-orders that began in March. Munster writes in a research note published Saturday that it took Apple three days to sell a million iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3Gs, and 74 days to sell 1 million original iPhones.
As of 7:30 p.m. EST on April 3, 19 of 20 stores the analyst firm called still had availability of all models. For example, at the 5th Ave. Store in New York, Piper Jaffray counted 730 people in line at 9 a.m., as store doors opened and the iPad began selling. Compare that with 350 people for iPhone 3GS, and 540 people for iPhone 3G.
Aside from Google, Yahoo also brought an entertainment portal to the iPad. Yahoo on Friday released Yahoo Entertainment. It offers multi-touch interactive features and geographic functions that pinpoint a consumer's location to deliver targeted local television listings and content in both portrait and landscape displays.


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A Texas mattress store that drew jeers for its commercial that spoofed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 has closed.
In a statement posted to social media, Miracle Mattress owner Mike Bonanno said the San Antonio store will "close indefinitely."
"We take full responsibility for our actions and sincerely regret the hurt and pain caused by this disrespectful advertising campaign," Bonanno said.
The store came under fire last week for a 20-second spot advertising a "Twin Tower sale" that was released just days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
The ad shows store manager Cherise Bonanno, the owner's daughter, flinging her arms back, causing two men standing behind her to fall into a stack of mattresses - one topped with an American flag - and knocking them over. Cherise Bonanno then looks at the camera and says "we'll never forget."
Mike Bonanno said the ad was posted to the company's Facebook page without his approval. He issued an apology and said the store will make a donation to 9/11 funds for victims.
He also disavowed what he said were phony Facebook accounts set up claiming to represent the store.
"Miracle Mattress, its ownership and its employees will not be engaging in any personal attacks or responses on any social media platform," Bonanno said. "Any account doing so is unauthorized."


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The contemporary car owners and buyers are indeed getting more and more smart as time goes by. That is since there’s no shortage of machine models and car brands out in the market right now. Honda hybrid cars are among the most successful right now.
Each car brand and type is trying to produce the level of backing up and patronage that would sustain for fruitful and lucrative revenues and sales not just right now but also in the future.
The machine buyers have proven more finicky recently. That is since they expect factories to battle the aspects and issues they raise against the current vehicles they own.
Motor vehicle consumers expect future and current motor vehicle models to eliminate the unattractive characteristics and reservations of the contemporary machine types.
Because of this hybrid cars have become the most attractive and craved cars of the new generation.
The mighty car industry Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Honda have all in unison got going in a tight and pressuring contest to become the top hybrid vehicle maker and marketer.
When the tight race for hybrid motor cars started years ago, Honda was among the initial few car builders to have genuinely gone up and take the matter seriously.
As time goes by, Honda has formed a patient, devoted and skilful team to bring up research and development efforts for the brands own hybrid cars lines.
The manoeuvre did not fall inadequate. Now, the most contemporary and most in demand hybrid car models are bearing the brand trade mark of Honda.
From nowhere, Japan’s Honda has been successful in building its own niche in the worldwide machine industry. Two decades ago, Honda was naught. It was an little known Japanese vehicle brand that appeared to linger on its prototype cars.
But through the years, Honda eventually emerged to win the battle. Its commitment has paid hugely, and now, it is competing directly against fellow Japanese motorcar maker Toyota in the global top spot for car manufacturers.
In the Usa alone, sales of Honda vehicles have continuously been on the rise the past few years, and their brethren, particularly the local based Ford and General Motors, are beginning to conceive the crunch in their very own sales and profits.
Honda hybrid cars have developed to being a threat to rival factories. And it’s no coincidence either.
The Honda Civic hybrid
Honda has recently come up with its 2006 Civic Hybrids. This Honda hybrid car can brag with a potential to considerably reduce on gasoline consumption while at the same time enjoying the same old, cherished technical specifications of the common Honda Civic motor cars.
It is understood that hybrid motor cars are somehow mediocre and fall a notch lower evaluated against their conventional competitors, mostly as a result of the reservations arising from the association of electricity and gas combustion inside its engine.
But the Civic hybrid report that it has gotten past that limitation. The Honda Civic hybrid is right now obtainable in the market place at not so reasonable prices.
The Accord hybrid
One of the most accepted Honda hybrid cars is the Accord hybrid vehicle that is nowadays out in the market place and enjoying a enormous and warm clientele from hybrid car fanatics.
Honda report that the hybrid car is zero-emission, but even so, the driver and vehicle buyer will get to experience once more the bliss and feel of driving a satisfactory high-performance motorcar.
This hybrid car prototype by Honda is tagged as the designer’s most environmentally friendly. The prices are astronomical, however, only in the higher premium compared to the most luxurious traditional or conventional car model in the market these days.
But do not let this be a hindrance for you to own these hybrid cars. The options and upsides of owning and driving the Honda Civic hybrid for certain might very well outpace or be more substantial than the disadvantages.


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Only a day after releasing a framework to help companies "self-regulate" online privacy, the US Federal Trade Commission has settled with social gaming site RockYou, which the FTC says advertised a secure service while implementing poor practices that resulted in 32 million accounts being stolen by hackers in 2009. The FTC had filed a civil complaint alleging that RockYou deceptively represented its services as secure when, in reality, it stored a plaintext database of account information and encouraged short, weak passwords.
The site also apparently collected 179,000 email addresses from children under thirteen without notifying parents or admitting that it collected such information from children, a violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. RockYou's operator has agreed to the terms of a proposed settlement. As part of the settlement, RockYou will need to delete any information that it has collected from children, maintain a stronger security program, and pay a fine of $250,000. RockYou was widely criticized after the hack, so we're sure this settlement was a long time coming. Even so, its timing suggests that the FTC is letting businesses know that it expects them to follow through with their security promises.


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Another day, another data breach.
More precisely: another day, another multibreach, caused by a common point of failure.
That’s a bit like what happened recently when hundreds of government websites ended up cryptojacked because a shared service provider – in that case, a web-based text-to-speech system – got hacked, and “passed on” the hack to all its customers.
This time, at least Sears Holdings, owners of brands such as Sears and Kmart, and Delta Airlines were affected by a breach at a chatbot company that both companies use.
The company that spilled the data is the curiously-named
7.ai, a company whose website leads with the question, “Ready to Join the Chatbot Revolution?” and follows up with a free white paper entitled, “Why Delighting Customers is a Waste of Time and Money.”
Update. As pointed out by @lgcslyr in the comments below, Best Buy has now confirmed that it too is on the list of retailers affected in this incident. [2018-04-05T23:30Z]
Unfortunately for both Sears Holdings and Delta, at the same time that
7.ai was saving them money by not delighting customers, the company was also costing them reputation points (and perhaps getting them into regulatory trouble) by leaking personal customer information.
According to Sears Holdings:
7.ai, a company that provides online support services to Sears and Kmart, notified us, as well as a number of other companies, that they experienced a security incident last fall. We believe this incident involved unauthorized access to less than 100,000 of our customers’ credit card information. As soon as 7.ai informed us in mid-March 2018, we immediately notified the credit card companies to prevent potential fraud, and launched a thorough investigation with federal law enforcement authorities, our banking partners, and IT security firms.
According to Delta:
Last week, on March 28, Delta was notified by 7.ai, a company that provides online chat services for Delta and many other companies, that 7.ai had been involved in a cyber incident. It is our understanding that the incident occurred at 7.ai from Sept. 26 to Oct. 12, 2017, and that during this time certain customer payment information for 7.ai clients, including Delta, may have been accessed – but no other customer personal information, such as passport, government ID, security or SkyMiles information was impacted.
We have to imagine that the customers of
7.ai are surprised – if not incensed – that the company took so long to pass on news of the breach, given that the ultimate accountability for safeguarding the information lies with those customers, not with
Of course, we also have to assume that
7.ai may not even have realised they’d been hacked until well after the event.
It’s surprisingly common for credit card breaches to be picked up by the card issuers themselves, after the data has been sold on the underground and actively abused, because of what are called CPPs, or common points of purchase, amongst defrauded card holders.
(With apologies to Oscar Wilde, to lose one credit card number may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness; to lose hundreds of thousands is a large-scale compromise.)
Well done to Sears Holdings and Delta for providing prompt public commentary on their websites, and for setting up dedicated web pages where customers can track the breach investigation as it goes on.
Even better is that both companies avoided “doing an Equifax” – after its 2017 megabreach, Equifax infamously set up a brand new domain name as a landing page for updated information.
Being brand new, this one-off domain,
equifaxsecurity2017 DOT com, had no reputation with any search engines, looked like a scam itself, and as good as begged typosquatters to register similar names to trap unwary visitors.
Equifax went on to compound that blunder when its PR company tweeted out an incorrect version of the new “security incident domain”, making a bad thing even worse.
The PR company wrote
equifaxsecurity2017 – fortunately a security researcher registered the misnamed domain before the crooks could do so.
This is a blunder that simply wouldn’t have happened if Equifax had stuck to a URL that was part of its regular website.
Sears Holdings has gone for
searsholdings.com/update and Delta has chosen
delta.com/response, thus taking advantage of their already-known domain names and the HTTPS certificates associated with those domains.
Just two notes, though, as we write this [2018-04-05T15:00Z]:
- Sears Holdings officially linked to the
http://version of its page. Because the page is also available by using
https://, why mention the unencrypted HTTP version at all?
Hey, @Sears @SearsHoldings - well done making your breach response URL part of your existing domain (not like Equifax!) but how about advertising the URL with https:// instead of http:// - just saying! pic.twitter.com/SoCbuFmYgT— Paul Ducklin (@duckblog) April 5, 2018
- Delta’s page didn’t exist yet and gave an error. The error page confusingly said, “THAT PAGE ISN’T ON OUR RADAR”. Why not create the page with a “coming soon” message instead, rather than reporting an error and inadvertently encouraging customers to go looking elsewhere?
What to do?
We don’t yet know what really happened, except that an online support company ended up creating a whole host of unwanted support issues for its customers.
In the meantime: watch those credit card statements; consider requesting a new card if you think you might be affected; and remember…
…you can outsource your work, but not your accountability.


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"People will try to break in, and it's our job to stop them breaking in," he said then.
On Monday, Apple issued a of its own, saying that any modification to an iPhone automatically voids its warranty. It also warned customers against unlocking their phones. "Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs ... will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed," the company said.
A firmware update, the third since the iPhone went on sale in late June, will be released through iTunes this week. Apple is expected to add new features to the phone, including the ability to purchase music over a Wi-Fi connection.
The iPhone Dev Team spokesman advised users who had already unlocked their phones to not apply the update, saying they should instead wait while others, presumably including the iPhone Dev Team's own programmers, analyze it. Elsewhere in the message, the spokesman claimed that about 500,000 copies of the free unlocking tool had been downloaded. If true, it would mean that almost half of the iPhones sold so far have been unlocked. Apple announced only two weeks ago that it had just sold its 1 millionth iPhone.


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Around the world, people are asking for more. More restrictions on carbon emissions, more sustainable ways of living and more action on climate change.
One new initiative is looking to help us all work towards a solution to those issues, not by doing more, but by thinking of how we can useless.
We’re proud to be joining the ranks of thousands of other Kiwi individuals and businesses committing to Gen Less, a new programme developed by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). Gen Less aims to help tackle climate change on an individual and organisational level through meaningful action.
“Too often, the solutions identified to combat climate change leave the average person to feel like they don’t have a role to play. Gen Less is there to help change that mindset,” said David Benattar, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Warehouse Group.
“We pride ourselves on being Here for Good at The Warehouse Group by inspiring our 13,000 team members and millions of customers to do what’s right for the environment. Gen Less is a fantastic complement to our work in that space. We’re proud to have the opportunity to spread the word on how we can all make a difference.”
Anyone can sign up and pledge to embrace a lifestyle that uses less energy to help halt climate change. Through its interactive website, users can get tips on how to use less whether it’s reducing food waste, drying clothes on the line instead of a dryer, holidaying locally instead of travelling abroad, and much more.
As part of our Here for Good value, we have a program of over 25 energy efficiency and emissions reduction initiatives that enable us to do what’s right by our people, our product and our planet.
From installing LED lighting in a number of our stores, to transforming unwanted plastic bags into permanent store fixtures, to transitioning 30% of our passenger vehicle fleet to electric vehicles by the end of this year, we’re always looking for ways to build a better future with less environmental impact.
Learn more about Gen Less and sign up here.
Meet the Exec


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Levi Johnston‘s sister, Mercede Johnston, makes her big Playboy debut this week, taking it all off for a four-page pictorial accompanied by an interview where she launches some pretty big allegation grenades against Sarah Palin and her family. And these are in addition to the charge Bristol Palin allegedly got pregnant on purpose. After the jump, we rate the probable likelihood of Mercede’s latest claims about the Palin clan. If I were Mercede, I wouldn’t say such things about a family of sharp shooters. Keep reading »
About six months ago, my naturally curly locks entered a fussy phase. My hair has always been a delicate ecosystem, but some unidentified hormonal, dietary, or environmental shift had caused it to change from uniformly unruly to lopsidedly bizarre. Essentially, I looked like a frizzy mess except for one stubborn greasy patch directly above my right eye. I had no desire to become the poster child for “combination hair,” and spent a lot of time glaring at my reflection while muttering expletives. Keep reading »
I, for one, am excited about “The Playboy Club,” NBC’s new fall show that sounds like a bonus dose of the sex, drugs and cultural upheaval we’ve come to love from “Mad Men.” (Come back soon, pretty please?) But other ladies are less than thrilled, such as the inimitable Gloria Steinem, the feminist icon/all-around badass who went undercover as a waitress/Bunny at the Playboy Club in 1963 for an exposé in Show magazine. In an interview with Reuters to promote a new documentary about her life, the 77-year-old huffed and puffed, “Clearly ‘The Playboy Club’ is not going to be accurate. It was the tackiest place on earth. It was not glamorous at all.” I take her word for this: her exposé revealed many things to the public about the so-called harmless fun of Playboy Club culture, including how all the waitresses were required to have a pelvic exam and a test for STDs. Let me repeat that: waitresses had to get tested for STDs. “[O]ne of the things they had to change because of my expose was that they required all the Bunnies, who were just waitresses, to have an internal exam and a test for venereal disease,” Steinem said, no doubt with pride. She continued to praise “Mad Men” as “a net plus [for pop culture], because it shows the world of the early 1960s with some realism.” However, she added, “I expect that ‘The Playboy Club’ will be a net minus and I hope people boycott it. It’s just not telling the truth about the era.” Keep reading »
It’s no secret that The Situation thinks Snooki is looking mighty fine this season on “Jersey Shore.” I wonder what he’d think of her with her new electric blue contact lenses, which she was spotted with yesterday while leaving a hair salon in New York. Personally, I think they are fab—I am a total sucker for the dark hair and blue eyes combination. [Radar]
But interestingly, Snooki’s new look has her looking an awful lot like another famous lady who stepped out with blue-as-the-ocean eyes recently. Find out who after the jump.
Related: Dark Hair And Blue Eyes Is One Of The Prettiest Combos
Keep reading »
Recently, a big stink has been made about Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, bringing back nude hosiery. Now, you couldn’t pay me a million spacebucks to wear nude pantyhose — it freaks me out and reminds me of my 5th grade teacher Bobbie Jo Hibben who was obsessed with matching every aspect of her outfit. But the trend did pique my interest enough to check out the line that Ms. Middleton is supposedly rocking. Italian brand Philippe Matignon is not yet launched in the U.S., but the brand can be found at Urban Outfitters and select retailers — and they’ve just launched a collection of sheer stockings and socks. We fell in love with these thigh-high fishnets, and can’t wait until we’re able to purchase more from the collection when their U.S. retail site goes live on September 1. Middleton’s nude look notwithstanding, Matignon is here to stay.


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A report from last week hinted that Xiaomi may hold a launch event on the 12th of December in china to announce the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12X flagship phones. New information now reveals that Xiaomi will announce the Xiaomi 12X lineup by the end of December. Last year, the Xiaomi Mi 11 5G was announced in December, making it the first smartphone to launch with the Snapdragon 888 SoC.
A screenshot of an internal document from Xiaomi China surfaced on Weibo, showing that the company will be holding a press conference on the 28th of December to announce a new product, presumably the rumored Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12X .
Tipster Digital Chat Station has claimed that Xiaomi’s product launch conference is scheduled for the end of December. He added that there is high probability that Xiaomi may not be the first smartphone brand to launch with new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This suggests that the Moto Edge X featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 may go official before the Xiaomi 12 lineup.
Reports have revealed that the Xiaomi 12X will have the Snapdragon 870 mobile platform under the hood, whereas the Xiaomi 12 will be equipped with Qualcomm’s new flagship SoC. Both models are expected to arrive with a curved edge AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
The Xiaomi 12X is expected to house a 5000mAh with support for 67W wired charging, along with 33W wireless charging. According to recent leaks, the 12X is also expected to come equipped with a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 20-megapixel selfie camera.


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Kirk Cousins and this Redskins offense exploded Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers . They're also 4-0 at the betting window in their last four games versus a team with a winning record and are 5-1 against the number in their last six games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous contest.
Amazon has offered a Black Friday PlayStation 4 Pro Sale 2016. GameStop Black Friday 2016 has wide range of gaming deals, especially on the top-selling models. Gaming products account for some of the most significantly discounted tech during Black Friday, so it's a great time to hunt down a new PS4 or Xbox One console, along with a new TV or surround sound system to support it.
Dress warm and grab your spot, because the tractor parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Petaluma's Santa's Riverboat Arrival: Starting at 11:30 a.m., downtown Petaluma becomes a holiday wonder as Santa and Mrs. The tree lighting ceremony will close out the party at 6 p.m. Make your own sundae and visit Santa at Waretown Township's tree lighting ceremony. Santa also will make an appearance.
The Sixers took advantage of several Heat miscues down the stretch to defeat Miami 101-94 and send the Heat to a dismal 4-9 record. Would his presence in the second overtime have been the difference, and a chance to give the Sixers their first three-game winning streak in almost three years? 76ers: Host Bulls on Friday night.
Airplane mode has been a feature of smartphones since 2007. This would allow Driver Mode to automatically turn on without frustrating anyone who wants to do something with their phone while somebody else is driving the vehicle. Niantic, the maker of " Pokémon Go ", recently modified the game to prevent it from operating while moving at speeds of more than about 10 miles per hour, a spokeswoman for the company said.
The thrust produced by the drive comes to 1.2 millinewtons per kilowatt of thrust. Pilot-wave theory, on the other hand, suggests that particles do have precise positions at all times, but in order for this to be the case, the world must also be unusual in other ways - which is why many physicists have dismissed the idea.