Noida is a leading friction material manufacturer since 1983. It has technical collaboration with ASK Technica Japan which is the most reputed friction material OE manufacturer. It xports to 20 countries including Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE and U.K. etc. . Its present production capacity is 3 million sets.
The products of M/s ASK are supplied as OE to all the OEMs in Japan like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki etc. for the full range of vehicles from Passenger cars, Utility Vehicles, HCV's, LCV's and Tractors.
It has a work force of over 350 employees. Brakewel has a facility to manufacture a wide range of both Non Asbestos and asbestos clutch facing. It was one of the first company to introduce asbestos free clutch facing in India. The group is proud of manufacturing worlds best clutch facings with a Japanese collaboration and is supplying to all major Original equipment manufacturer, or OEM.
Brakewel manufactures both Asbestos free and asbestos brake lining and is O.E. supplier to all reputed companies in India. It manufactures brake lining for cars, tractors and brake blocks forlight commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, overhead cranes, hoist, mining equipments and winches..
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of brake shoe. Its auto brake shoe are available in both asbestos free and asbestos material.
Flexible roll linings are manufactured in both asbestos free and asbestos material. Its auto roll linings are available in both molded and woven material which can be turned to any radius.
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of teeth linings for both asbestos free and asbestos material. It is used in various industrial machines and cranes.
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of Disc pads. Our automotive disc pad is available in both asbestos free and asbestos material.
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of sheet linings in both asbestos free and asbestos material.
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of brake bands in both asbestos free and asbestos material.
Brakewel manufacturers a wide range of Disc pads. Its automotive disc pad is available in both asbestos free and asbestos material.
Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) was published in 2007 in this very journal.
Given the fact that Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine is the official Publication of Indian Association of Occupational Health (IAOH), it would also be relevant for it to take a position on it. So far it has maintained silence on the issue.
convention, which will require exporting countries to obtain the prior consent of importing countries.
the past has come out with studies defending workers' health.
dated 19 December, 2006 reads: "The report will be finalised after due discussions with the asbestos industry." Another meeting minutes dated 18 April, 2007 reports that "...the results of the study which was underway could not be shared [with public] till the same was finalised."
the pesticide industry in international negotiations.
Clearly, a scientific study that is finalised after discussion with the corporate interests is grossly conflict of interest ridden and deserves to be scrapped. It is now time for Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine to take note of it as well.
asbestos cement industry, consistently ignoring evidence of its harms.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine to take note of it as well.
First up, another tribute is due to all the people that campaigned and supported the Right To Information Act, 2005. But for this vital legislation, we would have been so much the poorer for not learning what a national disgrace India's union government's ministry of chemicals and fertilizers is. Kudos are also due to occupational safety researchers—it is our collective fortune that there are too many to name here—who have battled India's bureacracy relentlessly to ferret out information on how the ministry's officials work as the menials of the asbestos industry. The information obtained through an rti application shows the ministry officials stripped of all moral clothing, willingly surrendering all agency to an industry that profits from the death and disease of thousands of poor people.
Science has long established—beyond all reasonable doubt—that asbestos is carcinogenic. It kills more people than any other industrial toxin; 40 countries have banned it. Occupational health researchers have been trying for three years to get the mineral listed in the pic (prior informed consent) list of the Rotterdam Convention. This would regulate the international business of this toxin, which is present in numerous products in our daily lives; from asbestos cement sheets to automobile brake linings. The pic listing would create something of an international 'right to information' on trade of asbestos, with exporting countries bound to disclose information to importers. The asbestos lobby does not allow cheaper and safer alternatives to be established in the market. Not only are they anti-worker, they are also opposed to fair competition.
India, along with Canada and Russia, has played a critical role to thwart a pic listing for asbestos. Canada and Russia are both producers of the mineral, so they are protecting their industry. India is only an importer. What prevents it from adopting an alternative to a mineral that kills so many? The asbestos industry does.
While there are alternatives to asbestos, its industry doesn't see options. It has too much money locked up in white asbestos, or chrysotile. It has no plan—intention even—to switch. So, in 2006, it got the Indian government to play a dirty game in international negotiations. Subsequently, the government felt a pressing need for scientific evidence to back its diabolical position. A study was commissioned to a government agency with a reputation, the National Institute of Occupational Health. The ministry's review committee gave it specific instructions on the 'scientific output' required of the study. Now, the committee has called the services of a lobbyist known to defend the interests of industries that profit from hazardous chemicals.
There are very few stories with such obvious villains. And such heroes as our health researchers.
The recent UN statistics indicates that India imported roughly 306,000 MT of asbestos in 2006. Out of which 152, 820 MT was imported from Russia. The rest came from Canada,Kazakhstan and Brazil.
"Asbestos is a threat to everyone, not just workers. From children in schools, to young and old in private and public buildings where asbestos is present and to whole communities where it exists as a pollutant".
Perversely, the extent of the damage in industrialized countries is now being measured only after consumption has been slashed or halted altogether. This is because of the long latency for the development of asbestos-related cancers.
Generally, the mortality curve for asbestos-related cancers follows the asbestos consumption curve with a lag of about 30 to 40 years. In Europe, the mortality peak will be reached only around 2020.
even declared bankrupt in 1997, only to resume its activities afterwards.
approach to the asbestos issue. The struggle by world trade unions and victim support groups to get asbestos banned is sometimes portrayed as the product of a trade war waged with "the deep pockets of transnational trusts". The pro-Russian asbestos lobby claim that it holds relatively little danger for health.
With the same arguments coming out of Canada, Zimbabwe and Brazil, asbestos victims must count themselves really unlucky not to have been exposed just to these pure national varieties of chrysotile.
The Russian authorities continue to deny the health havoc wrought by asbestos. This rose-tinted view is challenged by the figures from Eastern European countries that imported Soviet asbestos almost exclusively.
asbestos pollution of the environment. Still, Russian government's position remains caught in a time warp.
Quebec, home to Canada's only two asbestos mines, has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma — an asbestos-related cancer — in the world.
The Canadian government believes asbestos is safe if handled properly and has spent nearly $20 million in the past two decades to promote exports of the mineral, almost all of it going to developing nations for use in construction material.
But Georgetti argued any appeal by the Canadian Labour Congress(CLC)wouldn't immediately end the practice of asbestos mining in Canada. He called for the federal government to take a lead role in closing the mines, including providing financial support for the miners, and their families and communities when the industry finally ceases production.
"If they did that, the decision for our council would be very easy," he said.
Last week, the All India Trade Union Congress, the second largest union in India, appealed for help from Georgetti and the CLC in urging the Canadian government to stop exports of Canadian asbestos to India, calling the mineral "a major killer."
Roughly 97 per cent of Canada's production of asbestos is exported — mostly to developing countries including India, Indonesia and Pakistan.
Asbestos has been banned by nearly every developed country, as well as a growing number of developing nations. WHO has estimated as many as 100,000 people around the world die annually from asbestos-related diseases.
A February 2008 Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) survey that tracks and records the performance of the manufacturing sector, rated asbestos cement in the high growth category among others. What is not being recorded is the high growth rate of asbestos victims. This is being done in a studied manner as a classic case of Ostrich policy amid reports of 10, 000 asbestos deaths per year in US (approx 30 deaths pr day).
As per data released by UN Statistics Division, India imported about 306,000 MT of asbestos in 2006. Of which 152, 820 MT was imported from Russia and 63, 980 MT from Canada. This trend got a boost from Union Finance Minister, P Chidambaram who announced a 15% reduction on custom duties for asbestos in his previous Budget speech. This time around will the Finance Minister undo his wrongs?
The rising consumption is a joint result of Finance Ministry's support and a Made-to-order science that gets exposed by the documents that shows how the Union Ministry of Chemicals, acting in collusion with the asbestos industry, is manufacturing science to back its pre-determined position to fight global regulation on the killer fibre by reiterating that 'controlled and safe use' of white asbestos is acceptable both to the white asbestos industry and the Indian government.
It is noteworthy that the Union Health Ministry has informed the Parliament in the past that: "Studies by the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, have shown that long-term exposure to any type of asbestos can lead to the development of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma." But it has now emerged that the asbestos cement industry is the largest user of asbestos in India, which is funding NIOH, the only government agency that is empowered to certify asbestos diseases.
Acknowledging the hazards from asbestos, Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Health Minister informed the parliament recently saying, "…regarding asbestos, a lot of poor people use it. As regards the issue pertaining to banning of asbestos, as a health issue, the Government certainly has not taken it up. It is an occupational hazard and people working in the asbestos factories are prone to lung cancer, but we are taking the enormity of the usage of asbestos. Mostly, poor people in the villages use it. Hence, I cannot take a decision on this issue." The enormity of usage is no excuse to expose Indian workers and citizens to this deadly fiber. Without amendment in the existing Import Policy by the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry for white asbestos, the current asbestos consumption pattern that is fraught with disastrous consequences is unlikely to change.
Following a Supreme Court order, the Union Ministry of Labour constituted a Special Committee under Chairmanship of S K Saxena, Director General, Directorate of General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institute (DGFASLI) on the issue of medical benefits and compensation to workers affected by handling of hazardous waste, toxic in nature. The Saxena Committee's report mentions lung cancer and mesothelioma caused by asbestos in all work involving exposure to the risk concerned. The same DGFASLI organized a national seminar on hazards of asbestos in general and "Hazards of Asbestos in Construction Industry" in particular in March, 2006. The seminar was noteworthy for its consistent but discredited submissions about the mythical safe and controlled use of asbestos. In the studies conducted by DGFASLI, Ministry of Labour there are no cases of asbestos related diseases detected in industry at time when asbestos epidemic is hogging headlines in countries like US and Europe!
It is obvious from the industry documents that the prices of substitute products and good relations between the chrysotile asbestos fiber suppliers to India like Russia, Canada, Kazakhstan and Brazil continue to provide an economic rationale for use of asbestos fibers. The suppliers have obviated any uncertainty and ensured reasonable stability of its prices to this end and the political decision makers have consistently provided economic incentives to asbestos and asbestos products deprived the substitute products of even a level playing field. The companies involved in the trade and manufacture of asbestos products continue to expand and explore possibilities of establishing new plants at different locations in the country.
In keeping with the good relations between the government and industry the "Public Private Partnership in India" program of Indian Ministry of Finance, asbestos products manufacturers are listed as their key players.
The political patronage resulting from a quid pro quo given the fact that political parties in India do not get state funding for their activities has led to the emergence of asbestos plants in hitherto unexplored areas like Jaunpur in Uttar Pardesh, Mahuwej in Gujarat, Kymore in Madhya Pradesh, Kaladera in Rajasthan, Rewari in Haryana, Mohali in Punjab, Pune in Maharasthra and at several other locations in other states. The industry is likely to see an accelerated growth due to the government's thrust on the rural housing and sanitation although perceived risk of asbestos is quite wide spread.
Government agencies and decision makers are fully conscious of the risks of asbestos exposure. The good relations between the government, manufacturers and asbestos suppliers in the absence of potent political opposition are quit evident. The perceived opposition to the status quo is coming from the left parties that are ruling in states of West Bengal, Kerela and Tripura besides supporting the ruling alliance from outside at the central level. Their compulsion in not banning asbestos in the states where they are in power and in not using sufficient persuasion towards the central government to do so is puzzling.
The link between chrysotile asbestos companies, Indian government's asbestos policy and collaboration between government and industry in matters of asbestos research is quite visible. The government seems to be following the policy of "kill the people, protect the industry". On its front page, The Times of India (21 Jun 2007) reported "Asbestos lobby to study health hazards" illustrating the incestuous relation between the industry, ministry and the only research institute that has the power to certify cases of asbestos victims.
Of late, it has become quite explicit that NIOH, a key scientific establishment has unequivocally taken a pro-white asbestos position unmindful of glaring evidences.
Keeping with this trend Indian government has done a volte-face by signaling its plans to lift the present ban on mining of asbestos of all kinds. On November 27, 2007, Union Minister of State for Mines, Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy informed the Lok Sabha, "A study has been conducted by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) regarding the likely effects on the health of the labourers engaged in the mining of asbestos. The Study recommended imposition of safeguards on pollution level in work environment and other remedial measures." Dr. Reddy in a written reply said, "Recommendations of the Study have been examined in consultation with all stake holders. Some stakeholders have suggested that asbestos mining can be permitted with appropriate safeguards. At present the ban on mining of asbestos has not been lifted."
This is a culmination of a debate that began in 1998 when the Union Ministry of Mines and Minerals asked the IBM to assess the feasibility of lifting the ban on expansion of asbestos mining after assessing pollution levels in asbestos mines and processing plants in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Indian government's position is dependent on Russian Federation and Canada who inappropriately cite the Asbestos Convention of 1986 adopted by International Labour Organisation (ILO) feigning insincere ignorance about the June 14, 2006 resolution of ILO that called for the elimination of asbestos.
The manifest support the asbestos industry appears to enjoy from the ruling left front supported United Progressive Alliance (UPA) quite like the previous government of Bhartiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) seems illustrative of an unhealthy political consensus.
All this is happening as part of policy campaign by the industry to re-write science by attempting to discredit the past research done by the leading scientific institutes that continues to contradict the government's push to lift the ban and continue its use.
Dr Qamar Rahman, a senior scientist formerly with ITRC, and Dean, Research & Development, Integral University, Lucknow who did the research says that on the basis of the report and recent studies conducted in the milling units, the ban on asbestos mining should not be lifted. She notes that mining and processing are the part of each other and conditions need to be improved at both the places simultaneously. "In the milling or grinding area fibre concentration is very high, workers do not use gloves, masks and protective clothing. They use primitive manual way for grinding," she says, alarmingly. The housekeeping in the units are also very bad. At the moment unauthorised mining of asbestos is going on in Rajasthan and workers are heavily exposed. If the ban will be lifted conditions will further deteriorate. Keeping in view the above facts the ban on asbestos mining should not be lifted," wrote Dr Rahman in her comments to the central government on a report regarding lifting the ban on asbestos mining.
The government chooses to ignore such suggestions in the same way as it has ignored the plight of victims of white asbestos mines in Roro Hills, Chaibasa, Jharkhand abandoned by Hyderabad Asbestos Cement Products Limited (now known as Hyderabad Industries Limited). Union Ministry of Mines and Minerals is all set to lift the existing ban on asbestos mining. It is ignoring the views of exposure victims, informed recommendations of public sector medical experts, and mounting evidence of an asbestos disease epidemic emerging in developed countries. The rationale to permit mining is hollow.
White asbestos mining is currently banned in India, its import, export or use in manufacturing is permitted. Although Centre of Indian Trade Union and All India Trade Union Congress have called for ban on asbestos and have also written to the Prime Minister. It is not difficult to comprehend as to why the entire political establishment wears blinkers when it comes to acknowledging the fact that currently some 45 countries including Europe have banned all forms of asbestos including chrysotile (white asbestos) due to health hazards. With asbestos firms being owned by politicians or the state itself, the government seems to be following a classic ostrich policy. The reality is that the country's most powerful parliamentarians bless the asbestos industry.
"Research has found that needle-like crystals permanently penetrate the lung tissue when dust-sized particles of asbestos are inhaled. The crystals can eventually cause scarring of the lungs, called asbestosis, and can cause cancer of the lining of the lung, called mesothelioma. Both diseases are incurable and terminal." In such a situation it is inexplicable as why discredited and false claims of 'safe use' of asbestos by the industry is being parroted by Namo Narain Meena, the Minister of State for Environment saying, "No complaints have so far been received regarding its carcinogenic content and its hazard to health and environment." This is stark contrast to Ministry' own admission in the Supreme Court that 16 % of the workers exposed are suffering from asbestos related diseases.
Such stances betray the fact that the UPA government supported by left parties have succumbed to pressures from asbestos industry comprising of Visaka Industries, Hyderabad Industries Limited, Ramco Industries Limited, Utkal Industries Ltd, Everest Industries Ltd, New Sahyadri Industries Ltd, U P Asbestos Ltd, Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited, Kerala Asbestos Cement pipe Factory Limited, Sturdy Industries Ltd, Shakti Roofings Ltd, Assam Roofing Ltd, A Infrastructure Ltd. and others who have been lobbying with the help of Chrysotile Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers' Association, a corporate NGO and Asbestos Information Centre, a corporate NGO both are affiliated to multinational asbestos producers through International Chrysotile Association.
In India, asbestos is used in construction industry in industrial buildings of all types, food storage godowns, warehouses and cold storage godowns, poultry farms, dairy farms, houses, garages, school buildings, public utility sheds, cooling towers, railways and bus stops and in coastal & hilly areas for houses, etc. India comprises of twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are themselves further subdivided into 604 districts. The asbestos industry in India is spread over in about 15 states. In India, asbestos occurs in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Manipur. The state of Rajasthan has the world's largest asbestos deposits of amphibole mostly tremolite. There are some states, for instance Assam, UP, and Tamil Nadu, where the state governments run asbestos factory units.
Documents unearthed under the Right to Information Act reveals how the industry added Rs. 16 lakhs to the Government's Rs. 44 lakhs to commission a study by National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) to "specifically indicate how technology has made working conditions [in asbestos factories] better." The Industry-Ministry study is titled Implementation of Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures - Study of Health Hazards/ Environment Hazards Resulting from the Use of Chrysotile Variety of Asbestos in the Country. Chrysotile is popularly known as white asbestos.
It is noteworthy that the information gained using Canadian Right to Information corroborates the same. The Information Commissioner of Canada informed, "Canada is working with other countries to promote chrysotile asbestos. The Indian government has worked diligently in cooperation with the Indian Asbestos Information Centre (AIC) and the Canadian Asbestos Institute." Canadian High Commission in India says, "A ruling which states that subjecting a worker to asbestos is a violation of human rights could have far reaching consequences whether or not it is binding". It is noteworthy that Indian Government consults and trusts this very AIC in matters related to continued use of chrysotile.
This study that has now been exposed through the Right to Information Act is supposed to be presented at the next meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention in March 2008 to rationalize its third veto against the UN action on white asbestos. It will also form the basis for India's domestic policy on continued use of asbestos.
The next conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention will be held from 27 to 31 October 2008 in Rome. Chrysotile asbestos will be on the agenda of Fourth Conference of Parties (COP-4) as was agreed at COP-3. This treaty that is a result the efforts of United Nations came into force in February 2004. The text of the Convention was adopted in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Indian government irrespective of the ruling party has consistently colluded with asbestos interests.
The COP-3 of Rotterdam Convention held in Geneva, Switzerland in October 2006 failed to bring Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Treaty to apply to chrysotile (white asbestos), a known human carcinogen that represents 94 per cent of world's asbestos. The Indian delegation comprised of Brig. A K Sethi, Executive Director of the Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers Association making Indian delegation, the only one with industry representatives sitting with the official delegation.
Although 95 per cent of the countries sought its inclusion, the COP-3 failed to list this and the decision to include it has been proposed in COP-4 in 2008. The Indian delegation has consistently argued that the science behind the recommendation to list chrysotile asbestos was not categorical. It claimed that India was in the process of studying on the hazards of pure chrysotile.
The minutes of the Review Committee obtained recently through Right to Information Act dated 19 December, 2006 reads: "The report will be finalised after due discussions with the asbestos industry." Another meeting minutes dated 18 April, 2007 reports that "...the results of the study which was underway could not be shared [with public] till the same was finalised." Clearly, a scientific study that is finalised after discussion with the corporate interests is grossly conflict of interest ridden and deserves to be scrapped.
Out of several million workers exposed to asbestos in India, less than 30 have been compensated so far. The reasons for such a small number are: refusal by management sponsored studies to grant medical certifications to workers suffering from occupational diseases, lack of training for doctors in diagnosis of occupational lung diseases, deliberate misdiagnosis by doctors of asbestosis as either chronic bronchitis or tuberculosis and the inherent class bias of middle class doctors against workers.
Meanwhile, the asbestos roofs in the national capital at the New Delhi Railway Station are being dismantled indiscriminately and new alternate roofs being constructed in an effort to make New Delhi, India first asbestos free railway platform. One can see pieces of asbestos strewn around. This underlines that while ban on asbestos is a must, safe removal of asbestos from buildings and other places would be long drawn and arduous process besides the compensation and rehabilitation of asbestos victims.
Inspectors and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, issue the following declaration.
elimination of diseases caused by asbestos; to promote social justice for those affected by asbestos.
forms of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials as soon as possible.
Recommendation 172 as a minimum standard not to be fallen below.
Canada, Russia, Khazakstan, China and Brazil.
implement the objectives outlined herein.
MPCB says, "Exposure to Asbestos can lead to Cancer"
Q. What is Asbestos ?
Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that have been mined for their useful properties such as thermal insulation chemical and thermal stability, and high tensile strength. Asbestos is commonly used as an acoustic insulator, for thermal insulation, fire proofing and in building materials. Asbestos fibers are strong and have properties that make them resistant to heat. It is often found in ceiling tiles, pipe and vessel insulation, blown on to structural beams and ceilings, and in floor tiles. The term asbestos is derived from a Greek word meaning "inextinguishable, unquenchable or inconsumable". It is a generic name for a group of fibrous silicate minerals.
Q. How many different types of Asbestos are there ?
There are usually six different types of asbestos that are found in commercially manufactured products Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos is the commonest while amosite ( Brown asbestos ) and crocidolite ( Blue Asbestos ) are the other common types of Asbestos. It is naturally occurring and deposits can be found in most countries around the world. Most as Asbestos comes from the former Soviet Union, Canada (White Asbestos ), South Africa ( Brown Asbestos ), and Australlia ( Blue Asbestos ).
Q. How do we make products from Asbestos ?
Asbestos is mined from the ground usually by open cast method. The raw material is very coarse and looks much like old wood. It is them processed and refined into fluffy fibers. The fibers are then added to some fro of binding agent like cement to form an asbestos containing material (ACM). Asbestos cement contains between 10-15% asbestos fibers.
Q. Why is a Asbestos is Hazard ?
Asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become air borne when distributed. These fibers get into the air and may be inhaled into the lungs, where they may cause health problems. Medical statistics indicate the more asbestos fibers you inhale the greater the risk of developing a disease. There is no indication yet of a sage amount of exposure.
Q. What are the diseases that can be caused by exposure to asbestos ?
Asbestos is a lung disease first found in naval shipyard workers. As asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may get trapped in the lung tissue. The body tries to dissolve the fibers by producing an acid. This acid , due to chemical resistance of the fiber, but may scar surrounding tissue. Eventually, this scarring may become so severe that the lungs cannot function. The latency perod (the time it takes for the disease to become developed) is often 25-40 years. Mesothelioma is the cancer of pleura (the outer lining of the lung and chest vavity). This form of cancer is peculiar because the only known cause is from asbestos exposure. The latency period is often 15-30 years. Lung cancer can also be caused by asbestos and the latency period is 15-30 years.
Q. When is asbestos a hazard ?
Asbestos is not always an immediate hazard. It's only when asbestos containing materials are disturbed or the materials become damaged that it becomes a hazard. When the materials become damaged, the fibers separate and may then become airborne.
Q. What has been status of litigation with respect to Asbestos ?
Most uses of Asbestos are banned in many countries, especially the West. In the US, asbestos was one of the first hazardous air pollutants to be regulated. One estimate says that, in the 20th Century more than 100 million Americans were exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Today, lawsuits claiming that asbestos caused plaintiffs have so far run into tens of billions of dollars for expenses, settlements and judgments. Over 70 corporations have filed chapter 11 bank ruptcy in the face of heavy liability claims. Since, the late 1970s 6% of all filling in American courts each year were related to asbestos. But it is also believed by many that asbestos litigation in a lot of cases is fraudulent. A study found that less than half the money spent on asbestos litigation went to injured parties, as opposed to attorneys fees and administrative costs.
Note: Asbestos Roofs deteriorate, the asbestos surface accumulates Lichen. Over the period of time the Lichen affects the Asbestos Sheets, causing the surface to be unstable, allowing asbestos fibres to become airbourne. Government, industry and now the institutions like NIOH, Ahmedabad and Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow will have citizens believe that these airborne fibers can be controlled and used safely in India although 45 countries have failed to do so and have banned it.
New Delhi, Feb. 6: The ministry of chemicals and fertilisers is attempting to tamper with a study on the safety of white asbestos, a material widely used in India but banned by 40 countries because of health hazards, environmental groups have alleged.
Using documents retrieved under the Right to Information Act, the Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) and other groups have claimed that the ministry is trying to influence the study to maintain its position that asbestos should continue to be used in India.
Over 90 per cent of the material is used in asbestos-cement pipes, flat sheets and corrugated roofing sheets. The rest goes into brake linings, pads and industrial gloves. India has about 30 companies producing asbestos materials.
"The ministry of chemicals and fertilisers is colluding with the asbestos industry to influence the findings of safety studies," said Madhumita Dutta, an environmental activist based in Chennai who had filed the application under RTI seeking study documents.
A senior official in the ministry involved in a review of the study declined to respond to the allegations.
The ministry had asked the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, to conduct a study on the health hazards of asbestos by examining workers in the asbestos industry.
But the findings are being vetted by the ministry as well as industry representatives before they are either peer-reviewed by independent scientists or made public, Dutta said.
In an asbestos company in Calcutta, the NIOH reported 32 per cent lung abnormalities among a set of workers. But the institute was asked to justify the abnormalities and indicate whether they are because of asbestos or from other factors.
At a meeting on April 14, 2007, a review committee set up by the ministry had decided the report "will be finalised after due discussions with the asbestos industry".
The committee also said the report "will specifically indicate as to how technology has made working conditions better... and include relevant photographs showing protective measures undertaken".
"The ministry wants to influence the findings of this study to shape domestic policy on asbestos," said Gopal Krishna, an activist with the Ban Asbestos Network of India.
India uses tens of thousands of tonnes of asbestos annually, most of it imported from Canada or Russia. Medical studies suggest that many years of exposure to asbestos dust can cause life-threatening lung disease. Public health organisations have long been urging the government to ban asbestos.
But industry organisations have been campaigning to highlight the advantages of asbestos products and asserting that well-managed use of asbestos does not pose health hazards.
Naresh Dayal, Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests (currently Union Health Secretary)led this delegation that played a significant role along with a few other countries including Russia, Canada, Ukraine and Kazakhstan to stop the listing of chrysotile asbestos, a highly toxic material, into the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) List of the Convention. Inspite of 95 per cent of the countries demanding that this material be included, and the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Convention going through a detailed scientific review process, to recommend its inclusion, the COP-3 failed to list this and deferred the decision to the next COP-4 in October, 2008 in Rome. This was dicated by economic motives of white asbestos industry. This was an unprecedented setback to this much-regarded global environmental regulatory initiative.
"Govt, industry under fire for fudging data ," according to LiveMint, the Wallstreet Journal.
Brig. A.K. Sethi, executive director of Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers Association (ACPMA) and Asbestos Information Centre denied its contribution. Sethi is also a member of ASBESTOS FIBRE REINFORCED CEMENT PRODUCTS SUBCOMMITTEE of Bureau of Indian Standards, Union Consumer Affairs Ministry. This committee is dominated by asbestos industry including A Infrastructure Limited, All India Asbestos Cement Pressure Pipe Manufacturers Association, Eternit Everest Limited, Gujarat Composite Limited, Hyderabad Industries Limited, National Council for Cement and Building Materials, National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ramco Industries Limited and Sri Venkateswara Pipes Limited along with gullible and docile government agencies.
"NIOH is an autonomous body. Their credibility is well established. Studies by Central Labour Institute say clearly that there is no link between asbestos and lung impairment," insisted Sethi. This is far from the truth.
Though there are alternatives to white asbestos, such as cellulose fibres, carbon fibres and polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA, it is not used much in India.
"The countries which have banned asbestos use the alternatives," said Ashim Roy of New Trade Union Initiative.
Sethi, however, said that the same qualities cannot be found in other substances.
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 5: Labour unions and NGOs on Tuesday alleged that a government study on better working conditions in asbestos factories was partially funded by the asbestos industry itself. Addressing a press conference here, activist Madhumita Dutta said the documents obtained by her through the Right to Information Act reveals that the asbestos industry in the country added Rs 16 lakh to the government's allocation of Rs 44 lakh for a study by the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) to "specifically indicate how technology has made working conditions (in asbestos factories) better."
Demanding a ban on asbestos including chrysotile asbestos, like the one imposed by 40 countries across the world, the 13 labour unions and NGOs released a dossier, "A Fox in the Hen House: Made-to-Order Science and India's Asbestos Policy".
"The Government is conducting the study merely to justify its position that asbestos does not pose an unmanageable risk," said Dutta, adding that the industry was trying to use "manufacturing science to back its pre-determined position to fight global regulation on the hazardous fibre."
The group quoted a WHO study which estimates that 125 million people are exposed globally to all forms of asbestos. "The made-to-order study, partly funded by the asbestos industry, is being tweaked by a review committee some of whose members are representatives of asbestos industry," the activist alleged.
The unions alleged that the industry was being consulted by the Government at every step and the study would be presented at the next meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention in March 2008 to rationalise its third veto against the UN action on white asbestos.
The minutes of the Review Committee dated December 19, 2006 reads: "The report will be finalised after due discussions with the asbestos industry." Another meeting minutes dated April 18, 2007 reports that "...the results of the study which was underway could not be shared (with public) till the same was finalised."
"Clearly, a scientific study that is finalised after discussion with the corporate interests is grossly conflict of interest ridden and deserves to be scrapped," said Gopal Krishna of Ban Asbestos Network of India.
India, Canada and Russia are the three countries opposing the ban and restriction on asbestos trade at the Rotterdam Convention, a multilateral agreement promoting open exchange of information on hazardous chemical trade, including proper labelling and informing buyers of any known restrictions or bans.
According to the documents, a letter from the department of chemicals and petrochemicals to the director of the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) in 2006 states that the study should include "generation of data, which would justify the safe standards of its usage as also the reasons/rationale justifying its non-inclusion/or otherwise in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)".
Under the Rotterdam Convention, an item in the PIC list would require the exporting country to inform its clients on the hazardous nature of the commodity.
Ministry officials were not available for comment.
The ministry commissioned NIOH to conduct the study in 2004 in light of the proposed inclusion of chrysotile asbestos, the so-called white asbestos, in the PIC list of the convention, which was recommended in 2005 and 2006.
As many as 13 labour unions and NGOs released a report alleging nexus between the government and the industry.
"The World Health Organisation has got the reports. The reports say that all sorts of asbestos, including the white type called Chrysotile asbestos is one of the most toxic and widely used in India and some other developing countries,"they said.
Environment watchdogs have long been up in arms against the use of asbestos in the country, considering that all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, have been classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Alarmed that an estimated 100,000 workers die every year due to the diseases caused because of exposure to asbestos, environmental groups demanded that a complete ban be placed on the use of asbestos in India.
More than 40 countries have banned the use of chrysotile asbestos in any form, owing to the occupational health hazards.
India and six other countries alone are opposing the inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in the list of hazardous chemicals. Chrysotile accounts for 95 percent of asbestos usage worldwide.
India's ship breaking industry is the most vulnerable when it comes to asbestos exposure. The labourers, a majority working on daily wages, are often exposed to toxic wastes in the process of dismantling of ships.
As per the latest data released by the UN Statistics Division, India imported about 306,000 metric tones of asbestos in 2006, of which 152,820 metric tones was imported from Russia and 63,980 metric tones from Canada.
OTTAWA — In the Indian state of Jharkhand, hills emerge sporadically from the rural jungle. In the middle of the lush green setting, children grab makeshift toboggans and head to the surprisingly snow-capped Roro Hills. They slide down a fluffy hilltop to squeals of delight.
Twenty years ago, they mined chrysotile asbestos here - a "soft" form of asbestos that some say can be mined safely, with proper regulation. When workers started getting sick, they shut the mine down. In the company's rush to leave, they forgot the toxic playground they left behind.
Two decades have passed, many people have died, even more are sick. The large pile of asbestos has seeped into everything, poisoning the water, the ground and the people in the tribal hamlets. There's no way of knowing how many are sick because there aren't any statistics.
This is a rural area. The doctors here are not trained to diagnose occupational health diseases and cannot access electricity, let alone X-ray machines. Asbestos-caused cancers like mesothelioma and asbestosis go by a different name here. Tuberculosis.
Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers commissioned the National Insti-tute of Occupational Health (NIOH), a premier research institute under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to conduct a study titled Implementation of Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures- Study of Health Hazards / Environment Hazards resulting from use of Chrysotile Variety of Asbestos in the country.
The study was commissioned in 2004 in the light of the proposed inclusion of chrysotile (popularly known as white asbestos) in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) list of the Rotterdam Convention, which was recommended in 2005 and 2006 by the Chemical Review Committee of the Convention. On the face of it, the Government's decision to base its position on science is laud-able.
However, documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveal that the Government is conducting the study merely to justify its position that white asbestos does not pose an unmanageable risk. The made-to-order study, partly funded by the asbestos industry, is being tweaked by a review committee some of whose members are representatives of the asbestos industry. At no point in the study will members of public, workers' organizations or in-dependent physicians be allowed to comment.
Asbestos Institute." Canadian High Commission in India says, "A ruling which states that subjecting a worker to asbestos is a violation of human rights could have far reaching consequences whether or not it is binding". It also notes, "AIC is of the belief that problems with safe use of asbestos will arise in the unorganised sector.
These include small manufacturers who cannot afford to either install the equipment necessary to safely use asbestos or invest in the health needs of their workers." AIC accepts that "unorganised sector does use imported products that they acquire through agents." It is noteworthy that Indian Government consults and trusts this very AIC in matters related to continued use of chrysotile.
Information made available shows that Second Secretary (Commercial), Canadian High Commission in India has been in correspondence with Ministry of Environment, Labour, Commerce on asbestos issue. He has arranged bilateral meetings between the Ministers too in the past specifically "to discuss[tongue]romotion of the safe-use of chrysotile asbestos and confirm India's continued market access and policy approach (controlled-use) re chrysotle asbestos".
Second Secretary (Commercial) Canadian High Commission in India is quoted as saying, "I realise that Kolkota looks like .....(blackned) but as Kolkota is the real centre of mining in India this where the private participation will be greatest. Equipment manufacturers will be welcomed in Eastern India and getting an audience out will not be a problem. The State of Jharkhand has asked the delegation to stop in Ranchi. I have adivised that this is unlikely but we will be in Kolkata. They seemed keen to travel to this city if this is what will take to meet the delegation. The coal companies can make site visits and the asbestos producers may want to meet with the local infrastructure groups as the use of AC cement is controversial in this state."
The High Commission suggested that the minerals/mining group go to Hyderabad before Calcutta. If the use of AC cement is controversial , it may be worthwhile looking as something similar there.
In one letter written by Second Secretary (Commercial) Canadian High Commission in India, he informs, " I met with Brigadier Sethi of Asbestos Information Centre (AIC)..."
He was informed the outcome of the April 11, 2002 meeting where Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) was formed. It reads, "Most of the articles have headlines similar to the Times of India story saying that Experts are calling for the banning of asbestos in manufacturing, mining, etc"
"Be advised that the Courts in India are much more interventionist than in Canada. It is entirely possible that the High Court could issue the injunction and stop the use of asbestos. Eventually the matter would reach the Supreme Court but there is no predicting the outcome."
The Brigadier also told me that a similar petition has been with the National Human Rights Commission. He does not seem concerned about this because the NHRC is a non-binding body. I advised that a finding stating that subjecting a worker to asbestos is a violation of human rights could have far reaching consequences whether or not the ruling is binding. I think that it may be necessary at some point to prepare an advocacy campaign to counter the arguments of the NGOs"
Documents unearthed under the Right to Information Act reveals how the industry added Rs. 16 lakhs to the Government's Rs. 44 lakhs to commission a study by National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) to "specifically indicate how technology has made working conditions [in asbestos factories] better." The Industry-Ministry study is titled Implementation of Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures - Study of Health Hazards/ Environment Hazards Resulting from the Use of Chrysotile Variety of Asbestos in the Country. Chrysotile is popularly known as white asbestos. These documents were shared with the media today at the Press Club, Delhi.
It is noteworthy that the information gained using Canadian Right to Information corroborates the same. The Information Commissioner of Canada informed, "Canada is working with other countries to promote chrysotile asbestos. The Indian government has worked diligently in cooperation with the Indian Asbestos Information Centre (AIC) and the Canadian Asbestos Institute." Canadian High Commission in India says, "A ruling which states that subjecting a worker to asbestos is a violation of human rights could have far reaching consequences whether or not it is binding". It also notes, "AIC is of the belief that problems with safe use of asbestos will arise in the unorganised sector.
Acknowledging the hazards from asbestos, Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Health Minister informed the parliament saying, "…regarding asbestos, a lot of poor people use it. As regards the issue pertaining to banning of asbestos, as a health issue, the Government certainly has not taken it up. It is an occupational hazard and people working in the asbestos factories are prone to lung cancer, but we are taking the enormity of the usage of asbestos. Mostly, poor people in the villages use it. Hence, I cannot take a decision on this issue." The enormity of usage is no excuse to expose Indian workers and citizens to this deadly fiber. Without amendment in the existing Import Policy by the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry for white asbestos, the asbestos consumption pattern is unlikely to change.
The study that has now been exposed through the Right to Information is supposed to be presented at the next meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention in March 2008 to rationalize its third veto against the UN action on white asbestos. It will also form the basis for India's domestic policy on continued use of asbestos.
As per data released by UN Statistics Division, India imported about 306,000 MT of asbestos in 2006. Of which 152, 820 MT was imported from Russia and 63, 980 MT from Canada. This trend got a boost from Union Finance Minister, P Chidambaram who announced a 15% reduction on custom duties for asbestos in his Budget speech. The rising consumption is a result of a Made-to-order science that gets exposed by the documents that shows how the Union Ministry of Chemicals, acting in collusion with the asbestos industry, is manufacturing science to back its pre-determined position to fight global regulation on the killer fibre by reiterating that 'controlled and safe use' of white asbestos is acceptable both to the white asbestos industry and the Indian government.
Meanwhile, Dr Barry Castleman, an internationally respected expert on asbestos who was in India in December 2007 commented: "Anyone who says there's a controlled use of asbestos in the Third World is either a liar or a fool." Dr Castleman is well known for his role in the passage of Ban Asbestos America Act 2007.
A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) survey which tracks the performance of the manufacturing sector, today said that the sector is looking for positive triggers to attain excellent growth rate.
The survey done for the nine month period beginning April 2007, as against the same period in 2006, found that although the sectors showing excellent growth has slightly declined, the number of sectors showing high growth has increased in the given period.
Of the total 100 sectors reporting production, 15 sectors reported excellent growth rate of more than 20%, a slight decline from the last survey done for the six month period beginning April 2006.
Around 30 sectors recorded high growth rate of 10-20%, an increase of 6% from the last survey.
Those in the high growth category include asbestos cement, industrial valves, abrasives among others.
The percentage of sectors in negative category also declined for the same period. However, percentage of ones showing moderate growth remained unchanged from the last survey.
According to the survey automobile industry including motorcycles, three wheelers, continued to remain in the negative sales growth category like the previous survey.
An expose has been compiled based on documents obtained through Right to Information Act 2005 which chronicles a blatant attempt by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers to deceive the international community and lie to the Indian public and parliament about the health hazards of asbestos (chrysotile-white asbestos). The dossier details the truth behind a Government-commissioned piece of "research" entitled: Implementation of Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures - Study of Health Hazards/ Environment Hazards Resulting from the Use of Chrysotile Variety of Asbestos in the Country.
Corporate Accountability Desk-The Other Media and Ban Asbestos Network of India invites members of the press to the release of: A Fox in the Hen House: Made-to-order science and India's asbestos policy.
Representatives of major trade unions will be addressing the media at the release.
The leading producers of asbestos in the world are Russia, Canada, China, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe.
Asbestos is the name for a group of minerals that occur naturally in the ground. Bundles of fibers make up asbestos minerals. Three types of asbestos were commonly used to manufacture products.
Chrysotile, sometimes called white asbestos, is composed of wavy, flexible white fibers and comprises almost all of the asbestos used in the India.
Amosite, sometimes called brown asbestos, is composed of straight, light gray or brown fibers.
Crocidolite, sometimes called blue asbestos, is composed of straight blue fibers.
Anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite are three other types of asbestos. They were not commonly used to manufacture products. However, tremolite contamination has been documented in vermiculite attic insulation, and caution should be used when dealing with this material.
Asbestos is mined out of the ground as an ore from open pit mines. The ore is then processed to extract the fibers from the ore.
Asbestos fibers have special characteristics. Heat or chemicals do not affect them and they do not conduct electricity. Asbestos is also very strong. Asbestos fibers are also very flexible, allowing them to be woven into cloth-like materials. This versatility is why industry has mined and widely used asbestos to make many different products.
Why should I be concerned about asbestos?
In general, the more asbestos a person is exposed to, the greater the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease. Exposure to asbestos occurs through inhalation of airborne microscopic fibers. Airborne asbestos can be present during renovation and demolition of buildings and building products. Residential and nonresidential buildings can contain asbestos materials. Untrained individuals performing asbestos-related work can expose themselves, other individuals in the building, or their own families by having their clothing or skin contaminated with asbestos fibers.
Where can I learn more about asbestos in India?
Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) has a wide variety of information available to both workers and consumers on this web space .


Every day over 100 people die internationally while waiting for an organ transplant and every five minutes somewhere in this world someone is added to one of the national organ transplant waiting lists.
Lists in various countries include thousands of individuals waiting for a heart, kidney, lung, pancreas, liver, skin, tendon, bone marrow, eyes or heart valve transplant that will save their lives; a large percentage of them are children and young adults.
Both diabetes and hypertension can lead to the need for an organ transplant if not treated well and nearly one-third of those in the organ transplant waiting list are suffering from one of those, with the numbers increasing daily - forty percent of them will need a kidney transplant. Accidents are the next cause for transplants, especially between young adults.
Rapper Nelly used his celebrity position to talk about the importance of organ donation after his sister was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001 and she needed a bone marrow transplant, while I also had a member of my family who went through exactly the same procedure. After his involvement over 2,000 new donors registered. Sean Elliot, the former NBA player, returned successfully to one of the hardest and most competitive sports in the world after receiving a kidney transplant, and was then followed just one year later by another NBA star Alonzo Mourning who also had a kidney transplant.
As you can see, an organ transplant not only save lives, but it gives life to people who thought that they had reached the end; what could be more natural to give hope to thousands more? Furthermore, there are thousands of kids, even newborn babies, who have a desperate need of an organ, most commonly a heart transplant.
I know that it does not sound normal to talk about obligations after death, but we must all be aware that our obligations to the human race and its future don't stop the minute after death; we can still do good and save a life. Even more, we can live another life and that has nothing supernatural in it. It is just the feeling that your own organ gives life to a dead body.
The hospital often ask the family if they want to help others by donating the organs of their late relative, but under the sentimental pressure of the moment it is natural that most of them refuse, especially when it comes to young members of their family. This is why it is good if we realize the concept ourselves and become donors as soon as possible.
The process of becoming an organ donor varies from country to country, but in general in most countries, such as the EU and in America, there are organ procurement centers you must register. You must also remember that registering is only the first step because donors must inform their families of their decision, since close family have the final word and must respect the donor's wishes.
It is important is to make as many people as possible aware of your decision and this may even influence others to follow your example. People should not be afraid, even though it is something that includes their own death and thankfully we don't all have a family member or friend who has needed an organ to make the decision simpler to understand.
You must just remember that there are cases where a donor saved more than one fellow human being, including children and newborn babies.


Why does PCORI require that only some of its Awardees share their data?
PCORI made an organizational decision at the outset of the Policy's development that the requirement to share data should focus initially on its larger research investments (i.e., Targeted, Pragmatic Clinical Studies and PCORnet Research).
That said, the Policy specifies that in certain circumstances PCORI may request that other Awardees share their data (e.g., based on its estimation of high importance of research project findings and/or requests from external researchers). The Policy also states that Awardees may request funding from PCORI for allowable data sharing costs if they are interested in making their data available in a PCORI-designated repository. PCORI will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis and provide funding for approved requests.


Skipping "/dev/dri/card1", driven by "nouveau"
Skipping "/dev/dri/card0", driven by "nouveau"
Found "/dev/dri/card1", driven by "nouveau"
Any idea how many lines we look at ? And how much easier the code tags make this ?
OK, what is driving the kernel nuts ?
Last edited by andreadixon825; 3 Days Ago at 02:23 AM.
takes the 390.67 version driver.
takes the 418.56 version driver.
Now my experience ends here. I do not know how to make the kernel support 2 nvidia cards.
Maybe disable one of the cards in Bios ? and get the system booting.
Other's skills here too will be much appreciated.


For marketers, being one step ahead can make the difference between closed business and lost sales. The more marketers know about people, the easier it is for them to predict which campaigns will engage shoppers best and drive real ROI.
The same informed, proactive thinking does wonders at the departmental level, too. In looking at what's worked in the past and what's earning buzz now, CMOs can begin to ideate and implement institutional changes that benefit an entire team of marketers, not just some. At the individual level, it's nearly impossible for marketers to seek out new technologies and secure buy-in for investments that would dramatically improve their capabilities. But CMOs can, and they need to be. Those that aren't advocating for new solutions are likely missing opportunities to help their teams grow and thrive in a digital age.
1. Automation Use Cases Will Grow: Automation was far and beyond one of 2017's biggest – and most exciting – trends. Companies are making major investments in automation and have opened their processes up to the benefits solutions like artificial intelligence offer.
Of the many areas ripe for automation, marketers should eagerly funnel resources toward paid advertisements. Digital advertisers working with Google tools (Google AdWords, etc.) can easily automate routine tasks like keyword searches and targeting. They can also automate separate tools to work together, which avoids internal redundancies and informational siloes. This collaborative approach offers the additional benefit of surfacing more nuanced customer insights (even at scale) by weighing all data (and other available context) together.
Over time, machine learning as a part of automation will help point organizations in more creative, strategic directions . However, while automation may inform next steps, humans still play an important role is seeing those plans through. Particularly when it comes to creative campaigns, this is an area where automation cannot yet match human cognition.
2. Attribution Is Now Multi-Touch: Marketing departments traditionally live in vacuums separate from the rest of their organizations. But this cannot be the case in 2018, as boosted data volumes make it easier and more important for marketers to connect with others throughout the business.
The customer journey is old news at this point, and attribution conversations have shifted from the last touch to multi touch . Marketers can better determine what's leading customers to purchase, and not just the websites they visited before purchase, but the entire journey from start to finish.
This evolution is great in theory and accounts for the extended research/browsing period today's shoppers go through with shopping online. But internally, marketers still struggle to elevate individual interactions to the entire organization and support these conversations and strategy development. The more data organizations share internally, the more dots they can connect. Constant collaboration also fosters a workplace environment where teamwork and acting cross-functionally are encouraged.
This philosophy supports long-term attribution tracking, which is really the expectation for all brands today. Emerging solutions like Bizable and a growing arena for analytics tools give brands full access to every consumer touch point. Tomorrow's attribution model will be even more multi-touch as new channels and devices come to market, so now is the time to champion tracking investment.
3. Voice Is on the Rise: Forty-six percent of Americans now use voice-activated digital assistants like Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri. Voice is certainly a channel brands should dedicate time and resources to, but it's actually an area where organizations can get ahead of themselves in 2018 .
The temptation is to start offering voice interactions now, but ample education must come first. Brands should determine how customers want to interact via voice and then can develop unique strategies for engaging shoppers on these devices. Already, new research is leading to important updates in areas like long-tail keyword creation and question-answer formatting for SEO content.
A copy-and-paste approach to voice (modeling voice strategies directly off of what's work with other technologies in the past) runs the risk of disappointing target audiences with lackluster introductory experiences that don't encourage repeat usage.
And repeat usage is the goal, as a rise in voice should inspire valuable increases in call volume for marketers. As more people embrace digital personal assistants as a way to reach brands, marketers will earn access to tons of new attribution data. An increased level of transparency into the buyer's journey will allow marketers to A/B test campaigns and personalize interactions, but only if they've first researched how to make informed decisions regarding voice.
Alone, marketers will struggle to make progress against these 2018 predictions. They likely cannot automate processes without permissions and will find it tough to integrate solutions that make attribution tracking and new channels (like voice) possible.
At the departmental level, however, CMOs are in a unique position to arm their teams with the technologies and education required to successfully navigate emerging trends. And not only to handle them but to master new technology capabilities as offerings that set your brand apart from the competition.
The original article is from Martech Advisor.


It was touch and go for a while this year, wasn't it? We weren't sure when Old Man Winter would go and Spring would finally be here to stay. I think we're pretty safe now that the first blossoms are starting to come in.
Our apricot tree is in full bloom. The sweet cherry tree is also starting to blossom. No sign yet on the sour cherry trees. And of course the spring flowers are out, as you'll see in the photos from our garden.
Your spring is faster than ours here in Hokkaido, Japan. Those are very beautiful pictures of spring flowers and tree blossoms. I took a look at some of the other posts here. The custom made suits article is inteesting. When I accepted a position as an AET (assistant English teacher) with the board of education, I had to get a suit fast for junior high school instruction. Needless to say, the Japanese off-the-rack suits didn't fit my 190 cm and 82 kilo body. My mother-in-law sprung in with some financial generosity and we had two suits made at about $900-$1000 each (the yen-dollar exchange rates have been all over the place). They looked great for about a year until I developed a nagging sinus infection that lasted for three months during which I had a persistent fever. I lost 8 kilos and they stayed off after the infection finally disappeared. The suits now hang a bit baggy on me in the neck and shoulders, so I don't wear them during class. The pants were also baggy, but now fit well. I guess that tells you what my 54 year old body is doing! On the topic of physical fitness, I too think it is a shame to let myself go to seed. The Japanese cuisine is much healthier than the American one, of course, so it is easier to maintain one's weight. My fitness level is poor, however. I find my body doesn't improve with push-ups or sit-ups. I just get fatigued and my joints and muscles ache. Going on long walks of about 5 kilometers is more my style. I try to get in one or two a week. My daily routine is to walk to work and use the stairs to my fifth floor office. That means going up and down at least 4 times a day. But that midriff bulge just won't go away! Keep those pictures of your family and Dumbraveni/Romania coming. They put a big smile on my face.
Stuart, the thing to do is to adjust those coats so they fit you properly. My suggestion is to go back to the tailor shop where you had them made and get them properly fitted to your new frame. Another suggestion is for you to read JJ Virgin's book, "The Virgin Diet", it should shed some light on why you can't get rid of your paunch and why you have so much inflammation in your body. Good luck!


text:
Royal Highlights
The Royal Forums > Reigning Houses > British Royals > British Royal History
Prince William of Gloucester (1941-1972)
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HereditaryPrincess
Royal Blogger
Had history turned out differently, Zsuzsi Starkloff may well have been a member of the English aristocracy. Her title, Duchess of Gloucester, would bring with it an apartment in Kensington Palace and a sprawling estate in Northamptonshire.
Instead, the 79-year-old former model lives in a modest home in Colorado. Look closely though and there are hints of a more exotic past, in the photos scattered about and in the signet ring she wears on a chain around her neck - it bears the initial 'W' for William, the name of her former lover.
This was not just any William either. The ring belonged to Prince William of Gloucester, the Queen's cousin, a dashing young man who captured Zsuzsi's heart. Theirs was a passionate 60s love affair that caused panic in Establishment circles: Hungarian, twice divorced with a daughter - not to mention Jewish - Zsuzsi was not considered a suitable bride, certainly not for a prince who, when born, was fourth in line to the throne.
Tragedy of the other Prince William:*How the dashing but doomed young royal's affair put the Palace in a spin | Daily Mail Online
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone". Audrey Hepburn
"Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy". Anne Frank
Osipi
Member - in Memoriam
Location: On the west side of North up from Back, United States
What a wonderful article and a very good insight into the life and times of William. He certainly was a very handsome young man and unfortunately died too young.
Its amazing too to be able to see how remarkably changed the attitude of "suitability" has changed in such a relatively short time.
To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. ~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
wartenberg7
Heir Presumptive
I agree. It´s a pity there are only a few photos of him available...
There probably are more photographs out there. He was a constant in the Royal Family for a very long time.
Fürstin Taxis
Serene Highness
Location: Saturn, Germany
The Other Prince William - All 4
Channel 4 airs a documentation about William, including an interview with Zsuzsi Starkloff, on the 27th of August.
To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!
Originally Posted by Fürstin Taxis
I guess it´ll be only available in Britain, wouldn´t it?!
The Other Prince William | TV Guide 27 08 15 | What's on TV
Location: *******, Canada
The Queen's dashing cousin William of Gloucester died in 1972 when his light aircraft crashed to the ground in an air race. But his secret Hungarian lover has never forgotten about their 'fairytale' romance
Although it is usually tucked away from sight, Zsuzsi Starkloff still wears the same necklace every day.
A chain carrying a signet ring carved with the letter 'W', it is the legacy of a love affair which unfolded nearly half a century ago.
It changed her life – and if things had turned out differently it may well have changed the course of history too.
The 'W' stands for Prince William of Gloucester, the Queen's cousin and a handsome young royal who was fourth in line to the throne.
Read more: The other Prince William - TelegraphRead
Originally Posted by wartenberg7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47w1RZnF5PQ
Imperial Majesty
Location: Midwest, United States
I'm glad some light is being put on William of Gloucester, because he's not a royal that's really talked about. I'll be watching.
"WE CANNOT PRAY IN LOVE AND LIVE IN HATE AND STILL THINK WE ARE WORSHIPING GOD."
Out of interest I looked at the New York Times archive. You only can read the whole articles if you pay, but the headlines are enough
Prince Will Attend Stanford
Prince Will Attend Stanford - Article - NYTimes.com
British Prince Is Arrested On Coast Traffic Charge
Prince William was cited by a last night for sports car across the in the Los Altos hills.
British Prince Is Arrested On Coast Traffic Charge - Article - NYTimes.com
British Prince Gets an 'A' for Work at Stanford; But Elizabeth's Cousin Plans to Stop Seeking Master's He Wants to Chart Career in Commonwealth Relations
British Prince Gets an 'A' for Work at Stanford - But Elizabeth's Cousin Plans to Stop Seeking Master's He Wants to Chart Career in Commonwealth Relations - Article - NYTimes.com
Prince Fails Test For British Post On Second Attempt oops
Prince William of Gloucester, one of Queen Elizabeth's fa*vorite cousins, has failed a Civil Service entrance examination for the second and last time, it was announced today.
The 22‐year‐old Prince is tak*ing a post‐graduate course in economics at Stanford Univer*sity in California.
A family spokesman said Prince William had been in*formed that he had failed the examination for entry into the Commonwealth Relations Of*fice.
"This is the second time he has taken the examination, the first being when he was at Cambridge, and unluckily he has just failed each time," the spokesman said.
"Unfortunately, under the regulations he cannot have an*other go."
"Prince William is naturally very disappointed," the spokes*man added. "He had hoped that he might be able to do a useful job in this field."
The Prince completes his year at Stanford this summer. He is expected to spend the Easter vacation at home in Britain.
"Obviously he will be discus*sing his future with his parents," the spokesman said.
The Prince's father, the Duke of Gloucester, who is the third son of King George V, had planned a military career for his son. But the Prince chose otherwise.
http://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/25/pr...d-attempt.html
British Prince Takes Job LONDON, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Prince William of Gloucester, 23-year-old cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, began today a $42a-week job as an apprentice in the
British Prince Takes Job - Article - NYTimes.com
Prince Begins Training LONDON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Prince William of Gloucester, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, started a .month s training today for his much- past as a diplomat.
LONDON, July 16 (AP) Prince William of Gloucester, the 28-year-old first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, has resigned from the diplomatic service, the Foreign Office announced today.
British Prince Quits as Diplomat - Article - NYTimes.com
CyrilVladisla
Location: Conneaut, United States
What was the name of the merchant bank in which Prince William worked?
Curryong
He worked at Lazards merchant bank for a little while.
Countessmeout
Location: alberta, Canada
The other Prince William: The uncanny parallels between Wills and the dashing but doomed cousin in whose memory he was named | Daily Mail Online
Denville
Apart from them both liking flying, I can't see any possible paralells.
Katrianna
Royal Highness
Location: Omaha, United States
Neither can I, but it's the DM and it was a slow news week.
They have to fill up pages, I wouldn't mind if they didn't go into a "look at the similarities" when there aren't any. William was called William because the name wasn't in use after W of Gloucester died, and I suppose partly as a tribute to him. and they boht liked flying. And that's about it.
Prince William was a pageboy at the 1946 Wedding of the Viscountess of Clive and Brigadier Derek Schreiber.
Prince William participated in the wedding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppLYo4Z3XBo
MaiaMia_53
^^ That old footage from the 1946 wedding in Canberra is so cool, especially with the voice-over narrator commenting about the young Prince William of Gloucester acting as the pageboy and somewhat stealing the spotlight rather innocently, in a similar vein to Prince George at Pippa Middleton's recent wedding.
The fact that Queen Mary is said to have doted on her grandson, Prince William of Gloucester, may be partly because he bore a physical resemblance to her epileptic (and possibly autistic) son, Prince John, who died at age 13 in 1919, after suffering a severe seizure.
Prince William of Gloucester
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/f...0804737075.jpg
Prince John of the United Kingdom
http://royalty-magazine.com/wp-conte.../10/John-2.jpg
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/...14/71284_1.jpg
They definitely share an uncanny resemblance.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
When Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel Was Accused of Corruption, He Responded: 'Lions Don't Care About the Opinions of Sheep'
Israel had been a Republican but ran for office as a Democrat. He was first elected sheriff in 2012, then re-elected in 2016. According to the Sun Sentinel:
The outreach workers, who mainly attend community events, are in addition to political activists and others Israel hired into community affairs roles, writing and designing printed pieces about the agency, and sharing it on social media. The employee log shows six hired into community affairs roles, their salaries totaling $388,729.
Israel's opponents say he's built a publicly funded political machine, paying back supporters with jobs and using them to keep him in office. They say the money could be better spent, particularly after the sheriff complained about not having enough funding to secure the county courthouse, where a murder suspect recently escaped.
Asked about the allegations, Israel responded, "What have I done differently than Don Shula or Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King, Gandhi?"
He also said, "Lions don't care about the opinions of sheep." That's a paraphrase of a quote from the Game of Thrones character Tywin Lannister, a villainous public administrator known for promoting his family's interests ahead of the government's or the people's. – READ MORE
[give_form id="79809″]
John McCain associate invokes Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying on Trump dossier
NRA to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel: 'You were the one that didn't protect these children'


Binge watching is the new way people consume video content, (think Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime Video). Given new viewing habits, content creators should launch with a few episodes so audiences can watch multiple episodes in one sitting. If you're a filmmaker or content creator, it's better to create episodes as one-offs so that you can post the episode online and react to data. (Look at data to see if people are engaging with the content, are they finishing the entire episode, are they sharing your content?) Another important note, filming multiple episodes at once may be cost effective, but it also means you can't adapt the content or give your cast members time to get used to each other.
It's important to stick to a consistent upload schedule. For one, online platforms like Youtube tend to favor channels that are uploading on a frequent basis. So, make sure to inform your viewers of your upload schedule so that they can come back to your channel.
In addition, longer videos between 10-12 minutes in length are being weighted higher by Youtube's algorithm, so start testing longer episodes as you will improve your search discoverability on YT.
Some brands just care about reach and use influencers incorrectly. Influencers are seen as cheaper than traditional media, but what ends up happening is brands end up dictating what the influencer should do and then the content does a disservice to both the brand and the Influencer's audience.
Solution: Brands and influencers should align on objectives and what they both want the outcomes to be so that they're both in a mutually beneficial partnership.


Lifetime has released the first trailer for their Michael Jackson biopic Searching for Neverland, starring the self-proclaimed "world's greatest" King of Pop impersonator Navi.
The movie, based on the 2014 book by Jackson's personal bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, follows Jackson in the final years of his life, with the pop legend trying to balance parenthood with fame.
However, the trailer hints at the darker side of Jackson's final years as investigators question the bodyguards about Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor who administered the deadly dose of Propofol in the hours before the singer's death.
Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland premieres Memorial Day, May 29th, on Lifetime.
Whitfield and Beard's book detailed their experiences working for Jackson and protecting his family from the aftermath of his 2005 sexual molestation trial to his 2009 death. In the biopic, The Walking Dead actor Chad L. Coleman plays Whitfield.
Jackson is the latest celebrity to become the focus of a Lifetime movie, following the network's campy biopics for Brittany Murphy, Anna Nicole Smith, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and, most recently, Britney Spears.
Jackson's pet chimpanzee Bubbles will also soon be the recipient of his own biopic thanks to an offbeat stop-motion movie co-directed by Taika Waititi.


text:
package com.ghstudios.android.loader;

import android.content.Context;
import android.database.Cursor;

import com.ghstudios.android.data.database.DataManager;

public class WyporiumTradeListCursorLoader extends SQLiteCursorLoader {

    public WyporiumTradeListCursorLoader(Context context) {
        super(context);
    }

    @Override
    protected Cursor loadCursor() {
        // Query the list of all wyporium trades
        return DataManager.get(getContext()).queryWyporiumTrades();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Jenson Button: What former world champion can offer Williams beyond 'business acumen' this season
Button joined Williams as a 19-year-old in 2000 and has the smarts to help their younger drivers develop into future stars
Former F1 champion Jenson Button has returned to Williams as a special advisor (Photo: GETTY)
The confirmation that Jenson Button will take up a "special advisor" role at Williams from this season is a sign new owners Dorilton Capital are serious about rejuvenating the team, albeit via soft power rather than a complete overhaul.
Button adds to his relationship with the team he first joined as a young, spirited driver back in 2000 by signing a multi-year contract with the aim of helping lift Williams back towards the top of the sport.
It is over two decades since Williams last won the Formula One Constructors' Championship and boasted a genuinely competitive title challenger in the form of Jacques Villeneuve.
Recent years have seen the team slide into obscurity. After a season where George Russell and Nicholas Latifi managed to steer the team backwards from their sole point earned in the 2019 campaign – neither Russell nor Latifi finished in the top 10 of a grand prix last year – changes are clearly needed at their Grove base.
Dorilton Capital, a private investment firm, bought the team in the summer of 2020 after the Williams family sought investment. When the new firm took over it insisted the long-term future of the team was secure and that "renewed competitiveness" was to follow.
Yet the company also stressed it has a "patient" investment style, which means we're unlikely to see money pumped into Williams without very good reason. Indeed, there wasn't much chance of out-of-contract Sebastian Vettel or Carlos Sainz heading to Grove this winter. Instead, it appears as though the new owners are focusing on a gradual improvement at Williams that includes the team's image.
And this is where Button comes in. In a statement, Williams said Button's appointment was to "provide advice and guidance to the team" and help "support and develop both race and academy drivers". While those duties don't exactly seem specific, Button will also only attend "a number" of grands prix with Williams and take part in UK-based team events, as well as supporting Williams' "media and marketing activities", which is a polite way of saying he will regularly be seen kitted out in team garb.
Not that this is a bad thing. Williams endured their worst ever season last year in terms of points and budgets are tight due to coronavirus. Adding a splash of razzmatazz in the form of an ex-F1 champion won't harm Williams' chances of increasing their marketability, even if on the track they trail behind the pack.
Lewis Hamilton is not 'replaceable' at Mercedes, no matter what Eddie Jordan says about Ayrton Senna
Button made his name in F1 when joining Williams as a 19-year-old in 2020 (Photo: GETTY)
"He has shown his acumen in both the business and broadcasting worlds and remains a widely respected figure in the paddock," said Williams' incoming CEO Jost Capito.
"All this experience will add another layer to our transformation both technically and as a business. I know everyone at Grove has huge respect for him and we're delighted to start working with him."
What Button brings
So what can Button offer Williams bar an increased profile? Well, in Russell the team has a driver who is tipped for greater things and what better than to have a former F1 world champion on call to offer advice and guidance?
Russell proved in his stint in the Mercedes at the Sakhir Grand Prix that he has the talent to challenge for race wins – even if he will likely have to leave Williams to achieve that goal. Having Button available will only improve the driver.
But perhaps more importantly it will be Button's work with the team's academy crop that could prove most fruitful. After all, Williams are not in a position to attract big-money drivers with stacks of experience to their team – hence why Russell and teammate Latifi's contracts cost less than an estimated £700,000 a season combined.
Williams driver George Russell raced in Bahrain for Mercedes last year (Photo: REUTERS)
Russell impressed in his sole outing in a Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's replacement driver in Bahrain and is tipped to make a permanent move to the Silver Arrows one day – and Williams would ideally replace the Brit with another young talent.
Jack Aitken, 25, is their reserve driver, but behind him there are development drivers Jamie Chadwick (22) and Dan Ticktum (21). Latifi himself is a product of the Williams Driver Academy, as are Nico Hulkenberg and Valtteri Bottas.
"I am incredibly excited to have the chance to come back and help the team as it strives once more for success," Button himself said.
"There's a lot of hard work to be done but I have no doubt the future is incredibly bright for this fantastic team and I can't wait to get started."
How quickly we will see results from his appointment remains to be seen.
Emma Kimilainen wants to be the first mother to race in F1, 10 years after being asked to pose nude for a seat
F1 driver line-up 2021: How the grid will look next season
Garside: Drivers who refused to take the knee revealed how little the fight against racism really means to them
From world-beaters to back-markers: Why were Ferrari so slow in 2020?
Too much of a threat? Why Russell might never become Hamilton's teammate
Monday's order of play at the Australian Open - including match times for Nadal and Osaka


text:
Gordon Naccarato
Chef / Owner
Gordon Naccarato is a partner in the Naccarato Restaurant Group. He acts as Executive Chef and Vice President of the corporation and oversees all food operations and the hiring, training, and management of the kitchen staff. Born and raised in Tacoma, WA, Gordon moved to Los Angeles after graduating "cum laude" from the University of Washington, to attend Loyola Law School.
Gordon has a 30+ year career as an Executive Chef and restaurant owner. During his restaurant career he has worked with some of the most talented chefs across the country, in restaurants in Los Angeles, Aspen, Miami, and New York City. For many years his restaurant, GORDON'S, in Aspen, Colorado, was considered the "Best Place to eat Between the Coasts." (NY TIMES)
Co-owned by Television Executive and Movie Director, Bruce Paltrow, and Tony Award winning Actress and two time Emmy Award Winning Actress Blythe Danner (parents of Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow), the restaurant was so popular with the jet-set crowd that they were often times booked a year in advance. The New Year's Eve party was so filled with celebrities that they had to black-out the windows to prevent the paparazzi from taking pictures of the stars inside: such as Jack Nicholson, Yoko Ono, Barbra Streisand, Goldie Hawn, Cher, Elizabeth Taylor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and so on…
Gordon has cooked for sitting Supreme Court Justices of the United States, and was honored to cook for Robert Kennedy's widow Ethel Kennedy. He cooked many vegetarian meals on request for Michael Jackson, and cooked for Neil Diamond's annual Labor Day Party, at the singer's beach house in Malibu Colony 5 years in a row. He has also cooked for titans in the business and publishing world such as Billionaire Rupert Murdoch, and Donald and Ivana Trump.
After Gordon left Aspen, he became chef at the infamous Monkey Bar in Los Angeles, owned by Jack Nicholson and Eagles Drummer Don Henley. The "global menu is the star of this remarkable hang out" (Ruth Reichl GOURMET MAGAZINE) and "Gordon's 'Lobster Tacos' and '3-Alarm Risotto' are as famous as the celebrities that pack the place." (LOS ANGELES TIMES); "Gordon is a genius in the kitchen" (LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE).
Gordon's recipes appear in countless books and magazines from around the world. He appears in the PBS series THE GREAT CHEFS OF THE WEST, preparing several of his signature specialties.
Gordon's Food Blog was recently mentioned by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the Best New Chef Food Blogs in the Country.
Gordon's many honors in the food industry include:
"10 BEST NEW AMERICAN CHEFS OF THE YEAR," Food & Wine Magazine
"TRAVEL HOLIDAY AWARD," Great Chefs of Los Angeles
"Best Chefs of Los Angeles," by City of Los Angeles Mayoral Proclamation
"Best Seafood Menu in the United States," Seafood Leader Magazine
"Chef Stars 1987," Rockefeller Center Tribute, New York City
"Top 20 Most Talented People in Seattle," Seattle Magazine


At Sun Microsystems' quarterly event, Sun CEO Scott McNealy deliversdetails about the new, free version of the Solaris 10 operating system.
video At Sun Microsystems' quarterly event, Sun CEO Scott McNealy reveals the latest version of the Solaris operating system, Solaris 10. McNealy talks about the significance of the new operating system and how it fits into the company's overall software strategy.


text:
Moto Z3 leaks along with four others in Moto X5, Moto G6 series
That's six devices displayed with some presentational panache with a seventh device in speculation on the Z3 lineup. More to come over the year, for sure, but a great first look right here.
Published 17 January 2018, 01:21 EST
Leaks,
Modular,
Moto G6,
Moto Mods,
Moto X5,
Moto Z3,
Moto Z3 Force,
Moto Z3 Play,
Renders,
Rumors,
Motorola may have recently built a presentation deck covering six upcoming smartphones for the current model year as those slides have seemingly leaked out.
Droid Life has distributed the slides — which could not be verified with a second source — which have detailed the existences of the Moto G6, Moto G6 Plus, Moto G6 Play, Moto X5, Moto Z3 and Moto Z3 Play along with speculation of a seventh device, potentially in the Z-series.
There is also a rendering of a Moto Mod accessory that would allow the Z-series phones to potentially tack-on access to 5G cellular networks. However, the media is the only piece of information we have of it and we are in pure conjecture territory at this point.
As if that weren't a clear enough bell, reserve some doubt for the details to follow.
Moto G6 series
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The design language of the Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus will dispatch with the G5-series emphasis on metal for all of the phones will mirror what the Moto X4 brought: glossy, glass-topped metallic sheen with tapers toward the sides much like the Galaxy S6 generation brought. All of them will also feature double-wide displays.
The Moto G6 Play will apparently follow the Moto E5's latest rumored cue of implanting the fingerprint sensor within the rear-facing Motorola "batwing" logo. There's a healthy 4,000mAh battery and a 5.7-inch display at 720p resolution. It will come in black, blue and gold colors.
The Moto G6 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, have a 3,000mAh battery and a 5.7-inch display at 1080p resolution. Memory configurations include 3GB or 4GB of RAM tied to 32GB or 64GB of storage, respectively. The G6 Plus will run with a Snapdragon 630, get a 3,200mAh cell and a 5.93-inch display at 1080p. In addition to the above options, an extra 6GB RAM slot will be available for Plus buyers. Both devices will feature a fingerprint reader below their displays, 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras at back and a 16-megapixel snapper up front.
The Moto G6 has black, silver and rose gold colors while the Moto G6 Plus has the more official-sounding hues of a "Deep Indigo" (black), "Nimbus," (silver) and "Dark Lake," (dark teal). The G6 will apparently cost something like $240 while the G6 Plus will fall around $330 — we're not sure where those figures lie in terms of the configurations.
For the Moto X5, the trend on looks continues to be refinement rather than evolution from the Moto X4. We see it here in a dark blue finish. However, the fact that the 5.9-inch 1080p display at 2:1 aspect ratio has a notch gives us a callback to the iPhone X as the rendered software indicates that device status information gets relegated to the "ears" of the top line. Droid Life is left with the impression that more future Moto and even Lenovo devices with have the notch.
One other bit of emulation is a white lozenge at the bottom of the screen that may replace the usual navigation keys — the evocative software features depicted in these pictures should be especially taken lightly at this point, especially considering that the traditional keys could come as an option.
It's not clear if the "batwing" logo at back will have a fingerprint sensor or if Motorola goes with an under-display solution, but we're putting good money on the latter since it's likely to cost good money to implement it. As the X-series will generally price above the G-series, we'll likely see enough margin to warrant the new technology to be included.
Like the Huawei Mate 10 Lite, this phone will have four cameras, two on each side. No further details are given, but at least we know there's some sort of home-grown AI element that could play into it all.
Moto Z3 series
The vaguest descriptions are left for what are presumably the most capable phones of the portfolio, the Moto Z3 and Moto Z3 Play. We notice that the rear-side pin outlay for the Moto Mod accessories has been replaced with a single metal contact that could theoretically connect with the traditional 16-pin pad.
Both phones are touted to have "zero borders, zero compromises" with 6-inch 1080p double-wide displays that lack the notch of the Moto X5, but transfer the single software button. This could be one option for navigation. As it is, there is no visible fingerprint sensor on the front nor would it be practical to have one on the rear for the sake of Moto Mods, so we may be in for under-display fingerprint sensors for sure — either that or we'll get another facial authentication rehash.
It is implied that these phones will have lesser specifications than a third Z device, perhaps the Moto Z3 Force featuring a Snapdragon 845 and a higher resolution screen.
Scheduling could run as tradition goes, bringing the G6 phones up this spring — perhaps at MWC — the Z3 in early summer and the X5 in late summer. Once again, nothing's official as of yet.
Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S21 series
Excited about the new flagships from Samsung? Here is everything you need to know about the Galaxy S21 series smartphones.
Pocketnow Daily: iPhone 13? More Like iPhone 12S! (New Leaks) (video)
On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about new iPhone 13 rumors, a possible under display camera in the Galaxy Note 21, and more.
OnePlus 8T, The Moto RAZR 5G, and tons of Samsung Galaxy devices are on sale today
Today's deals come from OnePlus, Amazon and Samsung.com, where we find the OnePlus 8T, the latest Samsung Galaxy S21 and more on sale