Wearable Technology Is Sensing Technology
You Think Your Employees WANT to Wear That Devi… 4 Ways Big Data & VR Are Changing Professi… ReadWrite Sponsors This post is sponsored by StretchSense. It reflects the views of the sponsor, not ReadWrite’s editors.Smart wearables require sensors that are small and able to move with the human body without restricting natural movement. They need to be able to receive information, process it and relay it back to the wearer in a way that is meaningful and useful. The main challenge in creating sensors that can make these measurements lies in the nature of the body itself. The human body is a soft structure, and many of the objects that people interact with everyday—such as clothing, shoes, and furniture—are also soft. The human body is mobile; it can bend, stretch, twist, and be squashed, and there is a real need for sensors that can accurately measure complex body movements in an unobtrusive way.StretchSense has solved this problem by developing wireless stretch, bend, pressure, and shear sensors that are made of soft materials. The basic StretchSense sensor is made of a soft material (such as fabric or silicone) connected to a Bluetooth circuit and a battery. As a wearer moves, the sensor stretches with the movement and transmits motion information to a Bluetooth enabled device. By providing realtime feedback on a wearer’s motion, posture, or technique, StretchSense sensors are becoming increasingly important in providing better healthcare, sports training and gaming experiences. The opportunities afforded by smart, soft sensor technologies are limitless.For more information, visit StretchSense on the Web or see our Expo Stage presentation at Wearable World Congress.This post is sponsored by StretchSense. It reflects the views of the sponsor, not ReadWrite’s editors. How Wearables Will Take Health Monitoring to th…
Tags:#sponsored posts#StretchSense Related Posts The Key to Mass Adoption of Wearables
Tottenham and South Korea Heung-Min Son made a donation of around £70,000 to his country’s armed forces prior to triumphing in this year’s Asian Games. Son, 26, went into the competition with special motivation to succeed. Under South Korean law, all males under the age of 28 are obliged to undertake two years of military service. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! A special dispensation for sporting stars, however, meant that Son would avoid a potentially harmful interruption to his career if he led South Korea to victory in the Games. The winger duly complied, leading an Under-23 team to a 2-1 win in the gold medal match against Japan to land the top prize and win exemption from military services. And as a token of gratitude, it has emerged that Son donated a sizeable sum to the South Korean military prior to the tournament. “Son Heung Min called us by himself saying he’d like to make a donation for Korean soldiers and their families,” Kookbangilbo, the army’s official daily newspaper, revealed. The daily also quotes Son as telling the armed forces, “I have been always thankful for their service to the country. Please use the money for them.”Son has made 74 appearances for his country at senior level to date, scoring 23 goals and appearing at both the 2014 and 2018 World Cup. In Russia the Tottenham star struck in the 97th minute to cap a famous 2-0 victory over holders Germany for Korea, in turn condemning Joachim Low’s men to an early exit. Sweden’s triumph over Mexico in the other final match of Group F, however, meant qualification to the last 16 was denied to the Asian side, who repeated their first-round exit of 2014 this year. Son is now focusing on recovering his best form for Tottenham after his hiatus from domestic football caused by the Asian Games, which caused him to sit out a month of action at the start of the Premier League season. The player has made five appearances in the 2018-19 Premier League, including two off the bench, and is still looking to open his account after so far failing to find the net during the current campaign. Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
Answer?1. Abstractions2. Intangibles3. Anything that can’t be clearly visualizedWhat to put in?1. People2. Painterly details3. Sensory descriptionsThis will make your writing far more vivid and your appeals far more effective.It’s easy to say no to a concept. It’s nearly impossible to ignore something so clear we can see it in our mind’s eye.
2-3pm ET | Build an Audience through Video Storytelling, Mark Horvath 1-2pm ET | The Future of Fundraising, Rachel Muir 12-1pm ET | Though the Lens of the Donor: Closing the Gap Between Donor Intention and Behavior, Eleni FischerThere is a gap between donors’ intentions to give and their actual giving behavior, suggesting that there are features of the giving context that can be changed to help donors meet their altruistic goals. You’ll learn how the context can be improved and how charities should engage their supporters for the benefit of donors and charities alike.Speaker Spotlight:Eleni Fischer is a Senior Associate at ideas42 working in the Charitable Giving and Safety and Justice portfolios. Prior to joining ideas42, she crafted solutions for a more sustainable and equitable food system at Karen Karp & Partners, and helped navigate foreign political and economic environments at McLarty Associates. Eleni holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, where she researched soda taxes as a potential policy solution to the obesity crisis in the United States. While in graduate school, she interned at the U.S. Department of State and Vital Voices Global Partnership, and managed a student organization implementing international development interventions in Honduras. Learn how to harness the power of digital tools to delight your donors and deepen your relationships. Discover how simple online surveys and videos are the key to unlock donor’s interests, make them feel connected to your cause, build the right appeals, grow your major gift pipeline and even prioritize your current donor portfolio during this session.Speaker Spotlight:When she was just 26 years old, Rachel founded Girlstart, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls in math, science, engineering and technology. Several years later she had raised over 10 million dollars and was featured on Oprah, CNN, and the Today show. Her career includes leading an online fundraising consulting practice for a major software company and managing major gift portfolios for some of the country’s largest and most successful nonprofits. [Virtual Conference] Cut Through the Noise: Reaching Donors in the Digital AgeLet’s face it. We are experiencing a rapid shift from receiving information traditionally to receiving information digitally. Welcome to the Digital Age! Information surrounds us at every angle and in all channels. The usage of social platforms continues to increase and roughly seven-in-ten adults uses the platform, Facebook, alone.If your nonprofit is looking to stay ahead of the curve, it s time to cut through the noise and refresh your communications to reach donors in the digital age.Five nonprofit thought leaders come together to power the Virtual Conference as we dive into the digital age and its positive impact on the nonprofit sector. Learn everything from how to better understand your donors (and what motivates them to give), where fundraising is headed, how to tell your nonprofit story through video, and what a digital strategy will do for your nonprofit. This is an event you won’t want to miss!Register for the free event here. Can’t make the live session? All registrants will receive all presentation materials following the live broadcast.Here’s the breakdown of sessions: We’ll present data, methodology, and fundraising results from the 2,000 nonprofits Network for Good studied over the last three years – and the technology, tactics, messages, and channels they used to double their year-end fundraising yield, average gift size, and increase their donor retention rate by 20%. Participants will get practical, how-to-implement instruction that leverages free templates and tools designed to easily operationalize the concepts, so you don’t have to start from scratch.Speaker Spotlight:Brian has served as a professional fundraiser and consultant for more than one hundred nonprofit organizations in the United States. In this capacity, he was chiefly responsible for the process and strategy redesign, integrating fundraising activities that lead to more 4 million donors giving $300 million to causes most important to them. Brian teaches fundraising and nonprofit management at George Washington University and Northwestern University. He has traveled to more than 80 cities in the US to challenge his audiences at conferences and workshops. .Get access to the free virtual conference here!Read more on The Nonprofit Blog According to Pew Research, 73% of US adults regularly use YouTube, while 69% use Facebook. In this session, Mark will share tips and tricks that helped him grow Invisible People’s YouTube channel from 500k yearly views to now 30 million yearly views all with zero budget. This session will help you create a successful video storytelling strategy on a limited budget and make the case for audience building over traditional campaign thinking.Speaker Spotlight:Mark developed Invisible People to give a face and voice to homelessness, something he knows all too well since he once lived among them. His work is extremely innovative and his ingenious use of social media for storytelling is a model for both the corporate and not-for-profit worlds. Mark has used social media to reach a different stakeholder and change how people perceive a very serious social crisis that’s mostly ignored. Mark regularly works on cause campaigns with major brands like Hanes, Ford, and Virgin Mobile. In addition, The Nonprofit Times included Mark in their 2018 Power & Influence Top 50 nonprofit executives.3-4 pm ET | Emerging Digital Trends for Nonprofits: Future Proof Your Fundraising Strategy, Beth KanterThe future is unfolding in digital now. Artificial intelligence and other new technologies will allow your organization to have greater empathy for your donors – understand their needs, see their world, and appreciate them as humans. During this session you will gain an overview of how early adopter nonprofits are using artificial intelligence for programs, marketing, and fundraising. You will leave knowing how to apply human-centered methods and innovation techniques to develop a robust digital strategy for you nonprofit.Speaker Spotlight:Beth is an internationally recognized thought leader in digital strategy, wellbeing in the workplace and training. Beth has over 35 years of experienceworking in the nonprofit sector in capacity building and has facilitated trainings for thousands of social change activists and nonprofits on every continent in the world. She is an in-demand keynote speaker and workshop leader. Named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company and one of the BusinessWeek’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media,” Beth was Visiting Scholar at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation 2009-2013. She author of the award winning Networked Nonprofit Books and The Happy Healthy.4-5 pm ET | What 2,000 Nonprofits Can Tell Us, Brian Lauterbach 
zoom The 2014 revenues of Northern Europe’s shipping and logistics company DFDS increased by 6% to DKK 13bn.The company’s earnings before depreciation increased by 18% to DKK 1.4bn, as shown in the company’s review of annual results for 2014.DFDS recorded a rise in return on the invested capital of 8%. However, the company aspires to achieve a return of 10% in the short term.“The main return gaps to overcome to reach a 10% return are the impact of structural overcapacity on the English Channel and a low return on the freight activities between the Continent and UK in the North Sea,” the company said.The company’s profit before tax and special items was DKK 571m, an increase of 56% compared to 2013. The increase was mainly driven by higher earnings for the freight shipping activities in the North Sea region and a reduction of the loss for the routes on the English Channel, the company said in its annual results.In addition, the earnings of the Logistics Division was boosted by the acquisition of three companies (one in 2013 and two in 2014).The company’s revenue for the year was DKK 12.8bn, an increase of 6% compared to 2013, which was attributed to the effect of the three acquisitions in the Logistics Division and higher revenues in the North Sea and Channel business units.“We have financial strength to grow our market coverage through acquisitions as well as investing in new technology and our employees. And not least, financial strength and capital discipline to provide our shareholders with a competitive return on their investment,” said Niels Smedegaard, President & CEO of DFDS.
zoom Shipbreaking yards in Alang, India seem to be on the track of transformation toward becoming compliant with high safety and environmental standards, according to the Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, Søren Skou.“After 20 months, three yards in Alang, India, are performing at the same level or better than yards in China and Turkey, which used to be the only options for economically viable and responsible ship recycling. The door to changing an otherwise gridlocked situation has been opened, and we now need to accelerate this development,” Skou said in the group’s Sustainability Report for 2017.In 2016 the company launched an initiative to help upgrade ship-recycling facilities and practices in Alang yards in order to make them compliant with the company’s standards.Two container vessels, the Maersk Wyoming and the Maersk Georgia, were sent to India’s Shree Ram yard in Alang for recycling in late May 2016.The move to demolish ships in Alang was severely criticized by environmental organizations in Europe and Asia, however, the company stood its ground saying this was “an opportunity to change the industry for the better.”Maersk’s switch to Alang was a shock to the industry, especially taking into account that since 2009, A.P. Moller – Maersk adhered to a strict interpretation of the Hong Kong Convention regarding health, safety and environmental issues, sending its ships for dismantling at yards only in Europe, China or Turkey.“The result was that we found ourselves in a situation where we were spending money on exceeding compliance requirements, but without this effort resulting in a spread of responsible practices benefiting the environment or the workers. Furthermore, it did not help narrow the competitive disadvantage our approach was giving us,” Maersk said in its Sustainability Report.Commenting on the financial background of the story and claims that Alang decision is driven by cost-cutting desire, Maersk said that it would have been less costly to continue to recycle a few vessels in China every year, and sell off other ships before the end of life, or chartering tonnage rather than owning vessels.“We believe that being on the ground could help solve this industry-wide problem,” the company said.As explained, the company’s approach in Alang is to sign commercial deals with the best yards, where the company accepts a lower price for the ships than what is normally paid in Alang.At the same time, the company commits to helping the yards upgrade their practices while contractually requiring full implementation of its standards controlled by on-site supervision throughout the process as well as quarterly audits by third parties.Over the past 20 months, the company has sent six vessels to three yards in Alang.Furthermore, Maersk cited audit results that show that all the yards it works with are operating in full compliance with its standard, and are even exceeding it by fully eliminating contact with the intertidal zone during primary cutting. According to Maersk, this means that they are operating to at least the same level as when the company recycles vessels in China and Turkey.“Finally, we are seeing increased investments in upgrades in many other yards, and when we sold our second batch of vessels, we saw yards competing on higher standards and not just on price. We believe these results indicate that with this approach, all the ship recycling operations in the entire Alang area could become responsible,” the company said.The situation is far from perfect, especially with relation to the prevailing health hazards in the ship breaking yards.“Access to health care – in general, and in emergencies– was confirmed as the most urgent unmet need. As a first intervention in this area, we began a project to establish a mobile health van, which will be able to provide emergency care in case of accidents. Following on from this initiative, we will be engaging more deeply in the area of health promotion and the handling of accidents in wider Alang, in partnership with the Indian Red Cross,” the company added.Maersk plans to continue to invest and work on the ground with selected yards in Alang. However, for a more sustainable progress to be made more shipowners need to become involved.“We hope other shipowners will join us in transforming the entire Alang shipbreaking industry by demanding high standards for safety, human rights and the environment, and by supervising implementation on the ground on a daily basis. It is about businesses and other partners working together to solve a complex problem,” Skou pointed out.World Maritime News Staff
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal filed by outspoken political commentator Ezra Levant over a 2014 libel judgment against him.Levant was found to have libelled Khurrum Awan in nine posts to his online blog.An Ontario trial judge awarded Awan $50,000 in general damages and $30,000 in aggravated damages and ordered the libellous posts taken down.The posts dealt with Awan’s appearance at a British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal hearing in 2008.The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the judgment against Levant last year.As usual, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for refusing to hear the appeal.In the original ruling, Judge Wendy Matheson said the blog posts were “motivated by malice.”“I find that the defendant’s dominant motive in these blog posts was ill will, and that his repeated failure to take even basic steps to check his facts showed a reckless disregard for the truth,” Matheson wrote in her decision.Awan was completing his articling and looking for work as a lawyer when the statements were posted online. Awan sought $100,000 in damages.
TORONTO, May 25, 2017 – AH-YA-YA-YA-YA! Much announced today that Canada’s own multi-platinum award-winner Alessia Cara, and multi-platinum Grammy-nominated superstar, and veteran MMVA host, Joe Jonas, are set to take the stage as hosts of one of the biggest street-level award shows in the world, THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MUCH MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS.After making her IHEARTRADIO MMVA debut as a performer in 2016, Cara hosts for the first time ever, alongside Jonas, who hosted the show in 2009. As previously announced, Jonas is also set to perform with his multi-platinum selling band DNCE. Airing live in exceptional 4K on Sunday, June 18 at 9 p.m. ET, THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVAs is simulcast on Much, CTV, and VRAK. Follow the conversation at #MMVAs.“I grew up watching the MMVAs every year in my living room with my family,” said Cara. “I’m really excited to be a part of it and take the stage in a different way this year. Can’t wait to mess up every line, because I absolutely will!” “I’m looking forward to getting back on this stage, at one of my favourite events, to celebrate and to host the show with Alessia,” said Jonas.Today it was also confirmed that ETALK reporter Liz Trinnear and Much and E! host Tyrone Edwards return to co-host THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVAs. Additionally, ETALK reporter and E! host Chloe Wilde, and MMVAs red carpet newcomer, iHeartRadio’s Patrick Langlois, are set to welcome the hottest celebrities to the #MMVAs carpet as hosts of THE IHEARTRADIO MMVA RED CARPET, airing Sunday, June 18 at 8 p.m. ET on Much, MTV, E!, and Much.com.Canadian singer/songwriter and Def Jam Recordings artist Alessia Cara emerged onto the music scene in 2015 with the release of her iconic anthem “Here.” “Here” garnered over 500,000 total streams in its first week, went on to crack the Top 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list, and rose to #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and Pop charts in early 2016. A JUNO award-winner for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, Cara was also nominated for an American Music Award for Best New Artist of the Year. She also toured with Coldplay before hitting the road for her second headlining Know-It-All Part II tour. Her latest hit single from the platinum-selling debut album Know-It-All, “Scars to Your Beautiful,” is Cara’s gut-wrenching take on female identity, on body image and on deleterious behaviours in the name of beauty. Cara walks listeners through heartache but concludes with strains of promise: “There’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark /You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are.”Joe Jonas is a GRAMMY®-nominated recording artist, actor and international superstar, who first came into recognition as the front man to multi-platinum selling group, and one of the highest-grossing bands of all time, Jonas Brothers. From 2006 until 2013, the band released four studio albums of which 17 million were sold globally, toured to sold-out crowds worldwide and garnered countless award nominations and wins, including a Grammy nomination and American Music Award. He earned a second Grammy nomination in 2014 for his co-writing efforts on the song “Dreams” from John Legend’s smash album Love in the Future. Currently, Jonas is the lead singer for the multi-platinum selling band DNCE, who first introduced themselves to audiences in 2015 with the release of their now three-times certified triple platinum single “Cake By The Ocean.” DNCE released their self-titled debut album in November of 2016, which included their singles “Toothbrush” and “Body Moves,” and recently completed their 2017 North American headline tour DNCE In Concert. Cementing them as one of 2016’s breakout acts, the band took home the win for Best PUSH Artist at the 2016 MTV European Music Awards and Best New Artist at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Fans get a double dose of Jonas this year as he not only returns to THE IHEARTRADIO MMVAs stage as host, but also rocks it with a DNCE performance of their new single “Kissing Strangers.”Chart-topping performers descending on Toronto for THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVAs include: Arkells, DNCE, Iggy Azalea, Imagine Dragons, Jazz Cartier, Julia Michaels, Lorde, Niall Horan, and Post Malone. Confirmed to present awards at this year’s show are KJ Apa, Lilly Singh, and Nikki Bella. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.Official partners of THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVAs include: LG Electronics Canada, Coca-Cola®, Virgin Mobile Canada™, M&M’S® Caramel, and Fruit by the Foot™.SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:@Much@LizTrinnear@mr1LOVETO@TheChloeWilde@alessiacara@joejonas@patricklangloisAbout THE IHEARTRADIO MUCH MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS:Much gives fans the experience of a lifetime by putting them as close as humanly possible to their favourite artists and celebrities at THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVAs. The show airs live on Sunday, June 18 on Much, CTV, and on VRAK in Québec. Past MMVA performers and presenters include: Adam Lambert, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Carly Rae Jepsen, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Fifth Harmony, Gigi Hadid, Hedley, James Bay, Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and many more. At THE IHEARTRADIO MMVAs, the audience is the priority; Much gives them the best seats in the house, whether a foot from the stage or a foot from a television, computer, or mobile phone. Fans should hit up Much regularly at Much.com or Twitter @Much for the most up-to-date info about the event of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Facebook Advertisement LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Login/Register With: Twitter
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – While most of British Columbia will be setting the clocks one hour back, Fort St. John and the entire Peace River Regional District and Fort Nelson is an exception to observing time change.Fort St. John joins a number of cities across Canada that stay on one time zone all-year-round.The last time Fort St. John observed daylight saving time was on August 30, 1972. The city currently observes Mountain Standard Time year-round. What makes Fort St. John and the Regional District unique is that for 238 days they are in sync with the rest of B.C. as the province observes Pacific Standard Time and Pacific Daylight Time, while in the winter months the city is in sync with the time in Calgary and Edmonton which observes MST and Mountain Daylight Time.According to Larry Evans, local historian and former city councillor, the time synchronization for Fort St. John was meant to be with one province or the other, not alternating with both.“In 1973-74 the oil patch up here wasn’t doing that well and everything that was working up here was from Alberta, but there was a time change. We were on Pacific Standard Time and they were on Mountain Standard Time. So they decided to come up with a referendum where the area does not change their clocks, they wanted to stay on Mountain Standard Time so that the oil patch didn’t have to change their clocks”, said Evans.Evans says there were 4 choices on the ballot, but only one could be chosen.The options included:Pacific Standard including Pacific Daylight Time (B.C.)Mountain Standard Time including Mountain Daylight Time (A.B.)Pacific Standard Year AroundMountain Standard Time Year Around
The time zone options as they appeared on the ballot in 1974. Courtesy of Larry Evans Evans says that when it came to voting, there was some confusion as to what they were voting for.“It was two camps, as near as I could figure, one wanted to be on MST as that was Alberta time and when you’re dealing back and forth all the time you don’t have to worry about a time change. The other group wanted to stay on PST which was B.C. time and change when we change, but the question that everybody checked off, thinking that was what they were asking for, was actually asking not to change their clocks at all”, said Evans.Evans says they meant to choose option two as this would make Fort St. John in complete sync with Alberta. Since they chose Mountain Standard Time, without daylight savings time, this explains why the city is stuck between two time zones for parts of the year.“In this case, I know exactly what they were trying to do and it went completely sideways and there has been no political appetite to change it”.
#Moon is scary big tonite. Fri 13 full moon. http://t.co/x74UJhgLCJ— Soichi Noguchi 野口 聡－ (@Astro_Soichi) June 13, 2014 Read: Scientists discover planet that is more like Earth than any other planet (but still not that similar)> Source: Soichi Noguchi 野口 聡－/Twitter
IT’S ANOTHER FEW hours before darkness falls here in Ireland, but it looks we have a treat in store.Here’s tonight’s moon, as snapped by astronaut Soichi Noguchi. It’s big, beautiful, and a gorgeous milky-yellow colour. The moon is at a particularly low point at the moment, hence its size.Notably, it’s a full moon – and it falls on Friday 13. Are you superstitious? We hope not…Gaze on this pic and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself. It’ll be Saturday 14 before you know it.
Click here to see a larger version.THE HSE HAS said it has ‘no evidence’ to suggest that staff were responsible for inputting inappropriate names on a publicly-available training system.The site, which has now been taken offline but was publicly accessible using IP address 137.191.226.232, featured a system used to log patient details.However, dummy entries entered included “Bator”, first name “Master”, and “Tyrone Le Bron”, with the nickname of “n*****r”.Records show that the website is owned by the Government, and earmarked for use for HSE services.In a statement, the HSE said there is no evidence to suggest that these were inputted by HSE employees, noting that the the website was ”accessed by a range of IP addresses from within and outside Ireland”.“However, if HSE staff are found to have made any inappropriate posts to the site, this would of course be taken very seriously by the HSE,” the statement read.The statement stressed that no real patient details were used on the site.The company behind the system “have been informed that the website will no longer be hosted by the HSE and the website has now been taken down”, the statement concluded.Read: Calls for urgent meeting with Varadkar after serious failings at Mayo care home >More: Irish hospitals to start giving away old equipment >
PORTLAND — A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash early Tuesday in Southwest Portland, police say.A driver hit the pedestrian, identified only as a woman, about 7 a.m. at Carson Street and 45th Avenue, according to Portland police.Police said the driver was in an “older” red or burgundy van that was last seen going north on 45th Avenue after the crash.The crash is under investigation, and traffic is affected.Police encourage anyone who has information about the crash to call 503-823-3333.
Following rejection of the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill by the full House on a 198-213 vote last Friday, leadership decided not to return to the legislation until June 22.Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) announced on Monday that the House will first vote on an immigration bill sponsored by Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Michael McCaul (R-TX), a condition that some members of the conservative Freedom Caucus cited as a condition before they would consider voting for a farm bill. It’s uncertain if or how the outcome of any votes on immigration legislation will impact the timing and prospects of the farm bill in the House.The American Soybean Association (ASA) and other farm organizations now turn their attention to the Senate Agriculture Committee, where Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) has indicated that he and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will introduce a bipartisan bill.If that legislation passes in Committee and attracts a filibuster-proof supermajority of 60 votes on the Senate floor, the Senate will be in position to pressure the House to act before the Fourth of July recess, so that differences between their respective bills can be worked out in conference during July.ASA strongly supports completing a new five-year farm bill before the Agricultural Act of 2014 expires at the end of September, to give farmers longer-term certainty during this period of continued low crop prices and farm income and increased volatility in export markets due to heightened trade tensions.TAKE ACTION:Going forward, it is vital that farmers stress to their Members of Congress the importance of enacting a new farm bill this year. They need to hear from folks “back home” that this is a top priority.ASA urges board members and state affiliates to raise getting the farm bill done this year in meetings and calls with your Members of Congress, and through the Soy Action Center, during the upcoming Memorial Day recess and as the legislative process moves forward in June.
$999 Angela Lang/CNET $999 Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case: $155 (save $45) $999 Share your voice Comment $299 at Amazon Sarah Tew/CNET Tags Rylo 5.8K 360 Video Camera: $250 (save $250) I thought this might be a mistake, but, no, the weirdly named HP Laptop 15t Value is indeed quite the value at this price. Specs include an Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, a 256GB solid-state drive and a 15.6-inch display. However, I strongly recommend paying an extra $50 to upgrade that display to FHD (1,920×1,080), because you’re not likely to be happy with the native 1,366×768 resolution. Though not technically a Labor Day sale, it’s happening during Labor Day sale season — and it’s too good not to share. Nationwide Distributors, via Google Express, has just about the best AirPods deal we’ve seen (when you apply promo code ZBEDWZ at checkout). This is for the second-gen AirPods with the wireless charging case. Can’t imagine these will last long at this price, so if you’re interested, act fast. Tidal 3-month family subscription: $5.99 (save $54) Spotify and most other streaming services rely on compressed audio, which robs the listener of full fidelity. Enter Tidal, the only “major” service that delivers lossless audio — meaning at least on par with CD quality, if not better. Want to see (er, hear) the difference for yourself? Grab this excellent extended trial while you can. It’s just $6 for three months, and it’s good for up to six listeners. Netflix YouTube,I’m shocked — shocked! — to learn that stores are turning Labor Day into an excuse to sell stuff. Wait — no, I’m not. As much as I respect the original intent of the holiday (which became official back in 1894), to most of us, it’s just a bonus day off — one that’s blissfully tacked onto a weekend. So, yeah, stores; go ahead, run your sales. I’m listening. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Labor Day doesn’t bring out bargains to compete with the likes of Black Friday (which will be here before you know it), but there are definitely some sales worth your time.For example:We’ve rounded up the best Labor Day mattress deals.We’ve also gathered the best Labor Day laptop deals at Best Buy.The 2019 Vizio P Series Quantum is back under $999.Be sure to check out Amazon’s roughly three dozen Labor Day deals on TVs and audio. Google Express is having a big sale as well, one that includes deals on game consoles, AirPods, iPhones, laptops and more.Below I’ve rounded up a handful of individual items I consider to be the cream of the crop, followed by a handy reference guide to other Labor Day sales. Keep in mind, of course, that products may sell out at any time, even if the sale itself is still running. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Digital Media Now playing: Watch this: Google Nest Hub: $59 (save $70) Read DJI Osmo Action preview Turo: Save $30 on any car rental DJI Osmo Action camera: $261 (save $89) Formerly known as the Google Home Hub, Google’s Nest Hub packs a wealth of Google Assistant goodness into a 7-inch screen. At $59, this is within a buck of the best price we’ve seen. It lists for $129 and sells elsewhere in the $89-to-$99 range.This is one item of many available as part of eBay’s Labor Day Sale (which, at this writing, doesn’t specifically mention Labor Day, but that’s how it was pitched to us). 7 $261 at Daily Steals via Google Express Read the Rylo camera preview Other Labor Day sales you should check out Best Buy: In addition to some pretty solid MacBook deals that have been running for about a week already, Best Buy is offering up to 40% off major appliances like washers, dryers and stoves. There are also gift cards available with the purchase of select appliances. See it at Best BuyDell: Through Aug. 28, Dell is offering an extra 12% off various laptops, desktops and electronics. And check back starting Aug. 29 for a big batch of Labor Day doorbusters. See it at DellGlassesUSA: Aug. 29 – Sept. 3 only, you can save 65% on all frames with promo code labor65. See it at GlassesUSALenovo: The tech company is offering a large assortment of deals and doorbusters through Labor Day, with the promise of up to 56% off certain items — including, at this writing, the IdeaPad 730S laptop for $700 (save $300).See it at LenovoLensabl: Want to keep the frames you already love and paid for? Lensabl lets you mail them in for new lenses, based on your prescription. From now through Sept. 2 only, you can save 20% on the blue light-blocking lens option with promo code BLOCKBLUE. See it at LensablSears: Between now and Sept. 7, you can save up to 40% on appliances (plus an additional 10% if you shop online), up to 60% on mattresses, up to 50% on Craftsman products and more. The store is also offering some fairly hefty cashback bonuses. See it at SearsNote: This post was published previously and is continuously updated with new information.CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page. $520 at HP $60 at Best Buy HP Laptop 15t Value: $520 (save $780) Chris Monroe/CNET Boost Mobile See it $59 at eBay Read Google Home Hub review $90 at Daily Steals via Google Express The problem with most entry-level laptops: They come with mechanical hard drives. That makes for a mighty slow Windows experience. This Lenovo model features a 128GB solid-state drive, so it should be pretty quick to boot and load software, even with its basic processor. Plus, it has a DVD-burner! That’s not something you see in many modern laptops, especially at this price. SOPA Images Video streaming site YouTube is jumping into programming where viewers can directly interact with a show’s narrative, according to Bloomberg. These choose-your-own-adventure shows will be overseen by Ben Relles, YouTube’s head of unscripted programming for YouTube Originals.Owned by Google, YouTube is one of the most popular video hosting sites in the world. In December 2018, its rival Netflix premiered Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an interactive movie that allowed viewers to choose different plot lines. The movie was considered a hit by Netflix, and with YouTube throwing its hat into the ring, viewers are going to see more interactive programming on one of the most popular video sharing platforms.By participating and engaging with programming directly, viewers can explore different plot lines and permutations of a overarching story multiple times — and stay on a single platform for longer periods of time. In addition to YouTube and Netflix, other companies are investing in choose-your-own adventure videos too. In October 2018, Walmart partnered with the startup company Eko to develop interactive programming for $250 million.Google did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Lenovo Smart Clock: $59.99 (save $20) The Cheapskate Free Echo Dot with an Insignia or Toshiba TV (save $50) See at Amazon Review • iPhone XS review, updated: A few luxury upgrades over the XR JBL Soundgear wearable speaker: $90 (save $160) Turo is kind of like Uber meets Airbnb: You borrow someone’s car, but you do all the driving. I’ve used it many times and found it a great alternative to traditional car-rental services — in part because you get to choose exactly the vehicle you want (not just, say, “midsize”) and in part because you can often do pickup and dropoff right outside baggage claim.Between now and Sept. 1, the first 300 people to check out can get $30 off any Turo rental with promo code LDW30. Read the AirPods review Comments Rylo Sarah Tew/CNET What’s cooler: A snapshot of a firework exploding in front of you, or full 360-degree video of all the fireworks and all the reactions to seeing them? Oooh, ahhh, indeed. At $250, the compact Rylo dual-lens camera is selling for its lowest price yet. And for an extra $50, you can get the bundle that includes the waterproof housing.This deal runs through Sept. 3; it usually costs $500. Sarah Tew/CNET Tags See It Turo CNET may get a commission from retail offers. Best laptops for college students: We’ve got an affordable laptop for every student. Best live TV streaming services: Ditch your cable company but keep the live channels and DVR. Preview • iPhone XS is the new $1,000 iPhone X $6 at Tidal Recently updated to include digital-photo-frame capabilities, the Lenovo Smart Clock brings Google Assistant goodness to your nightstand. It’s a little smaller than the Amazon Echo Show 5, but also a full $30 less (and tied with Prime Day pricing) during this Best Buy Labor Day sale. Use promo code 19LABOR10 to get an unusually good deal on JBL’s interesting hybrid product — not quite headphones, and not quite a traditional speaker, but something you wear like neckphones to listen to music on the go. $210 at Best Buy Best Buy 2:12 $999 DJI’s answer to GoPro’s action cameras is rugged little model that’s shockproof, dustproof and waterproof down to 11 meters. It normally runs $350, but this deal drops it to $261 when you apply promo code 19LABOR10 at checkout. 1 Tips and tricks to master YouTube TV TVs Speakers Mobile Accessories Cameras Laptops Automobiles Smart Speakers & Displays Read Lenovo Smart Clock review See at Turo Lenovo 130-15AST 15.6-inch laptop: $210 (save $90) Apple iPhone XS Amazon $155 at Google Express Share your voice Sarah Tew/CNET See It An Echo Dot makes a fine match for any Fire edition TV, because you can use the latter to say things like, “Alexa, turn on the TV.” Right now, the 24-inch Insignia Fire TV Edition starts at just $100, while the 32-inch Toshiba Fire TV Editions is on sale for $130. Just add any Fire TV Edition to your cart, then add a third-gen Echo Dot, and presto: The latter is free. Sprint Mentioned Above Apple iPhone XS (64GB, space gray) See It