Conversational AI Innovator Giant Otter Announces Commercial Availability

August 24, 2018, 5:03 am

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The milestone software release debuts EXPRESS v1.0 - Giant Otter’s radically different way to create conversational AI - at 80% less cost and with 4x more coverage of user behavior than comparable benchmarks

SOMERVILLE, Mass. (PRWEB) August 24, 2018

Giant Otter Technologies, Inc. today announced the commercial availability of EXPRESS v1.0, a powerful end-to-end platform for turning customer dialog transcripts into AI for extended conversations.

EXPRESS replaces complex design and dialog assembly tasks with a repeatable, scalable process requiring no special expertise. And the result feels human, not robotic, via both text and voice. The EXPRESS platform ships today with pre-existing integrations to speech platforms from Google, Amazon and Twilio as well as text messaging platforms from Microsoft, Facebook and for SMS.

The primary initial target market for EXPRESS is the largest 2,000 companies in the US that spend more than $200 billion each year on customer support. 54% of that contact center budget is staff salaries and benefits, which are a direct target for EXPRESS automation, yielding higher customer satisfaction scores for consumers at lower costs for companies.

The market has not had access to a fast, affordable technique to develop state-of-the-art artificial conversations. Enterprise customer care leaders have been forced to choose between unaffordable high-quality suppliers and low-cost vendors that can only deliver brittle, shallow conversations. Competing chatbot platforms require users to explicitly define each intent and slot (starting from scratch) and link everything together by hand, a painful process dubbed “Top Down.” Further reading is available here: Five Ways that Top Down Chatbots Fail

Based on five years of research at MIT and an additional five years of commercialization at Giant Otter, the EXPRESS platform is now deployed with three early adopters, plus additional enterprise customers in the pipeline that are expected to launch during the second half of 2018.

EXPRESS supports state of the art, omni-channel automated conversations, that can be built by anyone in a matter of a few weeks. It’s language agnostic, requires no experts and requires only small data sets. Small data solutions are a better fit for most companies. Many companies don’t have access to big data, or can’t share it. Even if they do have 10,000+ call recordings, they are useless until transcribed. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) does not work well on call center recordings. So, they need to be transcribed (and de-identified) by hand, which is incredibly expensive. Further reading is available here: A Crash Course in Building Better Chatbots

Interested enterprise call center leaders can sign up for a demo and trial account here...

About Giant Otter Technologies, Inc.
Giant Otter is a ragtag band of AI researchers, web developers, and game industry veterans, passionate about building technologies that understand human language and behavior. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

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Prophecy Contracts NewFields to Advance Permitting/EIS for Gibellini Vanadium Project, Sets Project Timetable

August 24, 2018, 5:13 am

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*VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 24, 2018 / Prophecy Development Corp. *("*Prophecy*" or the "*Company*") (*TSX: PCY*; *OTCQX: PRPCF*; *FRA: 1P2N*) is pleased to announce that it has engaged NewFields Companies, LLC ("*NewFields*"), an environmental, engineering, and construction management consulting firm to advance permitting and environmental impact statement (the "*EIS*") preparation for the Gibellini vanadium project (the "*Project*").

Prophecy's and NewFields' teams will work closely with the Bureau of Land Management (the "*BLM*"), the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and other federal and state permitting agencies to target the filing of all major permitting applications by the end of 2019. Prophecy anticipates that the Gibellini EIS will not be more than 150 pages (excluding appendices) and the EIS notice of intent (the "*NOI*") will be triggered in 2019. Should that occur, the EIS decision for the Project may be rendered in 2020, according to new government direction on such matters.

Under the engagement, NewFields will provide comprehensive environmental permitting and related engineering services that include:

· developing with Prophecy, overall permitting roadmap and budget;
· performing necessary updates to already-filed baseline studies and Management Plan of Operations (the "*MPO*");
· preparation of Water Pollution Control Permit application (the "*WPCP*") including detailed design and engineering analysis;
· preparation of resource report, which is a precursor to trigger the NOI to prepare the Gibellini EIS; and
· preparation of various federal and state permit applications such as the application for Air Quality Permit, Surface Disturbance/Class II Operation Permit, Explosives Permit, Class III Waiver Landfill Permit, Multi-Sector General Stormwater Permit, Hazardous Materials Storage Permit, Hazardous Waste Permit, Septic System Permit, Potable Water System Permit, Dam Safety Permit, and Industrial Artificial Pond Permit.

NewFields completed the Gibellini heap leach pad and waste dump designs (over 40 pages) as part of an overall basic engineering design lead by Scotia International of Nevada, Inc. in 2014. NewFields' familiarity with the Project should help to expedite permitting efforts at Gibellini.

Prophecy has systematically advanced the Gibellini Project in the past 12 months by:

· securing water for future mining operation (power is readily available);
· enlisting a technology partner which owns and operates the world's largest black-shale vanadium mine, with a nearly decade-long commercial vanadium recovery and production experience
· consolidating a package of approximately 27 sq. km of contiguous mining, exploration and facility land with no known endangered species habitat, or archeological, agricultural, or aboriginal claims;
· bringing on mining industry veterans who previously worked at Barrick Gold Corporation and Newmont Mining Corporation ("*Newmont*");
· compiling and filing with the BLM, over 1,100 pages of MPO and baseline studies; and
· engaging Amec Foster Wheeler E&C Services Inc. ("*AMEC*") and completing the Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "*PEA*") in June 2018, which outlined Gibellini's annual production profile of 9.65 million pounds of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) with operating cost of $4.77 per lb V2O5 and an initial capital cost of $116.76 million including a 25% contingency. The most recent trading price of V2O5 according to www.asianmetal.com, as of the date of this press release, is US$18.40/lb.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The PEA was prepared under the direction of Kirk Hanson, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining for AMEC. Mr. Hanson is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he is independent of Prophecy.

In July 2018, Prophecy received a 6-page letter from the BLM Mount Lewis Field Office which contains comments with regard to the submitted MPO. Prophecy is working with NewFields to address the BLM's comments. A preliminary assessment carried out by NewFields and Prophecy indicates that there are no deficiencies identified that are expected to cause delays to Prophecy's proposed schedule.

John Lee, the Company's Executive Chairman, states: "Prophecy has set out a plan to complete the Gibellini permitting and EIS in 2020, and will be issuing updates throughout the next 18 months as each permit application is filed with the relevant agencies.

Together with the Company's news release announcing engineering, procurement, construction and management work progress dated August 15, 2018, Prophecy's objective is to clear all pre-requisites for the Project construction, start the Project construction in 2021, and deliver the first batch of vanadium pentoxide product on site in 2022.

We believe the Gibellini Project is years ahead of other North American primary vanadium projects in terms of the time to deliver the vanadium product to the market, and we are on target to transform the Gibellini Project to become the first primary vanadium producing mine in the United States."

*Relevant NewFields experience: *

In 2014-2018, NewFields successfully obtained several WPCP approvals in Nevada including: approvals for Newmont's Long Canyon gold project with carbon in column processing method, located in Elko; Kinross Gold Corporation's Bald Mountain gold project with heap leach facility, located in White Pine County; and West Kirkland Mining Inc.'s Three Hills gold and silver project with heap leach facility, located in Esmeralda County.

*About NewFields *

NewFields is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA with offices in over 10 cities in the United States and has offices in Canada, the UK, Brazil and Mexico. NewFields has over 100 employees dedicated exclusively to supporting the mining industry and its expertise includes environmental and permitting services, construction management and quality assurance services for tailing storage facilities, heap leach facilities, waste rock storage facilities, civil and geotechnical engineering design services, hydrological and hydrogeological engineering and associated mine site infrastructure. NewFields' staff has provided design and construction services on over 80 heap leach facilities projects with an aggregate lined area of over one billion square feet in over 20 countries and in a variety of climatic conditions ranging from extremely wet and extremely dry to arctic conditions.

*Qualified Person *

The technical content of this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Danniel Oosterman, VP, Exploration. Mr. Oosterman is not independent of the Company in that he is employed as a consultant to the Company and most of his income is derived from the Company. Mr. Oosterman is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

*About Prophecy*

Prophecy Development Corp. is a Canadian public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Prophecy's main objective is to develop the Gibellini primary vanadium mining project in the Battle Mountain region in northeastern Nevada to production. Further information on Prophecy can be found at www.prophecydev.com.

PROPHECY DEVELOPMENT CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"JOHN LEE"
Executive Chairman

For more information about Prophecy, please contact Investor Relations:

+1.888.513.6286
ir@prophecydev.com
www.prophecydev.com

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

*Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements*

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding Prophecy's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Prophecy's forward-looking statements. Prophecy believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although Prophecy has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Prophecy undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

*SOURCE: *Prophecy Development Corp. Reported by Accesswire 1 day ago.

Traditional veterans groups on Long Island struggle to attract younger members

August 24, 2018, 8:31 am

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At the American Legion post in East Meadow, the basement plumbing leaks so often nobody bothers to put the wrench away. Reported by Newsday 1 day ago.

This VC says her time at a high-growth startup prepared her for everything Silicon Valley could throw at her: 'You're the veteran smoking the cigarette'

August 24, 2018, 11:52 am

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· *A few years at a high growth startup will teach you as much as 20 years as a venture capitalist, according to Benchmark General Partner Sarah Tavel.*
· *In an interview with Fortune, Tavel said that after her three year sprint at Pinterest, she's no longer "frazzled" or "running for cover" when there are little bumps in the road. *
· *Working at a high growth startup has also helped her empathize more with founders and how hard it is to scale a company.*

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Sarah Tavel, a general partner and investor with well-known venture firm Benchmark, has a secret weapon: She knows what it's like to work at a high-growth startup. 

In an interview with Fortune published Thursday, Tavel jokingly compared herself to a grizzled war veteran in a World War II movie, unphased by the chaos going on around her. 

"They would be sitting there, smoking their cigarettes when a little bomb goes off. All the new recruits run for their guns or jump for cover, while the veterans are still smoking their cigarettes," Tavel told Fortune. "By the end of your experience at a high-growth company, you’re the veteran smoking the cigarette."

"And that’s who you want on your board," she added. "You don’t want the person who is going to be jumping for their gun or running for cover when there’s a little bump in the road because there will always be bumps. You want the person who isn’t frazzled by it and is always focused on the long-term. You can get that from 20 years of being a venture investor or from a few years of being an operator."

-[These 23 venture capitalists are picking the winners and shaping the future of work]-

For Tavel, that startup experience came from Pinterest, which she joined in 2012 as a product manager. She first met the Pinterest team when it was just five people. She was an investor at Bessemer Venture Partners and participated in its Series A funding round. 

She believed in Pinterest so deeply that she briefly left the world of venture capital to help scale the startup.

In her three years on the ground, Tavel said the biggest lesson she learned was just how hard it is to run a company. And she thinks she's a better investor as the result.

"One, you have an immediate level of empathy for the founders because it’s so freaking hard. Two, I’m much more interested than I used to be in the thought process that got to the metric they’re focused on today because that reflects how they’re running their company," she told Fortune. 

"As a VC, you can take that process for granted and not see all the strategic thinking that goes behind figuring out what the company should focus on," she said. "From the outside, you see the manifestation of all the small decisions that happen without realizing all the work that goes on behind it."

*SEE ALSO: This VC explains why she's sticking to small checks even as $100 million rounds become the norm in Silicon Valley*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Everything Samsung just announced — the Galaxy Note 9, Fortnite, and more Reported by Business Insider 23 hours ago.

CORRECTING and REPLACING Comcast Has Now Helped Connect More Than Six Million Low-Income Americans to the Internet Through Its Internet Essentials Program

August 24, 2018, 11:41 am

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PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast’s Internet Essentials has reached more than 6 million low-income Americans and expands to low-income veterans Reported by Business Wire 23 hours ago.

KeyBank gives $100K to help veterans, former inmates find jobs

August 24, 2018, 1:32 pm

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Reported by syracuse.com 22 hours ago.

Appeals Modernization: VA’s progress one year since enactment of the historic law

August 24, 2018, 1:52 pm

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WASHINGTON — TIt's been a year since President Donald J. Trump signed into law one of the most significant statutory changes in decades to affect the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans it serves. Reported by Harrison Daily 21 hours ago.

As It Celebrates Its Centennial, The American Legion Tries To Welcome A New Generation

August 24, 2018, 2:08 pm

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The American Legion is holding its 100th national convention this week and is trying to keep the organization relevant for younger veterans. The story of Post 40 in Seattle — which split between older and younger veterans — illustrates the challenge. Reported by NPR 21 hours ago.

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KeyBank donates $100K to help veterans and ex-inmates improve job skills

August 24, 2018, 3:27 pm

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Reported by syracuse.com 20 hours ago.

W.N.B.A.’s Stars of Old Are New Again, and Six Wins From a Title

August 24, 2018, 4:10 pm

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Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi headline a semifinal playoff round defined by young talents coming into their own and W.N.B.A. veterans finding new ways to win. Reported by NYTimes.com 19 hours ago.

ORB™ Launches New Line of Ryan's World™ Licensed Creative Products With Digital Media Brand, pocket.watch

August 24, 2018, 4:01 pm

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New Ryan's World™ licensed toys and activities from ORB™ available at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (PRWEB) August 24, 2018

ORB™ is proud to partner with pocket.watch to launch a line of creative products featuring top family YouTube creator, Ryan ToysReview, under the brand Ryan’s World™.

The new line of Ryan's World™ products is inspired by some of Ryan’s favorite interests and activities. The six-year-old host, Ryan, is an internet phenom: with over 15 million subscribers, his channel has over 1 billion views per month. Ryan's new videos will feature his own line of products including, Ryan’s Squishy Pals, Ryan’s Bubble Pals, Ryan’s Instant Slimy Blasters™, and Ryan’s Molecules™ which will soon be followed by an even greater expanded line currently in development. Ryan hand-selected these toys because they're collectible, silly, and fun for the whole family. The entire collection is available in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.

“We are excited to partner with pocket.watch in order to create toys that directly reflect the wants and desires of top creators and their fans. ORB™ is placing a strong focus on digital marketing, especially with our trend and collectible items,” says Steve Kay, ORB™ CEO.

“We are proud to have ORB™ as a partner for the launch of Ryan’s World. Working together we’ve taken Ryan’s ideas and turned them into a line of products that perfectly emulate the fun and silliness that kids can find on Ryan ToysReview,” said Stone Newman, Chief Revenue Officer, pocket.watch.

About ORB™
ORB™ is the fastest growing toy company in North America. With unheard of speed to market and an uncanny eye to spot and create unique, high trend, collectible compounds and products, ORB™ experienced an unprecedented year over year growth over 1,100%. Due to the continued success of ORB’s™ highly collectible brands including Soft’n Slo Squishies™ and ORB Bubbleezz™ along with innovative compounds including ORB Molecules™, this growth trend is on track to far exceed current numbers by year’s end.

About pocket.watch
Pocket.watch is the virtual entertainment headquarters for kids. It is a new media brand that lives everywhere they live and celebrates the new digital stars, franchises and formats that they love. The company boasts a growing portfolio of franchises that includes some of the largest kids and family YouTube brands in the world alongside original characters and talent. Pocket.watch was founded in March 2017 by Chris M. Williams and is located in Culver City, CA where it maintains an office and studio. The management team is made up of studio veterans and visionaries from traditional and digital entertainment including Albie Hecht, Jon Moonves and David B. Williams. Investors include Greycroft, Third Wave Digital and United Talent Agency (UTA), as well as notable strategic angels including Les Moonves, Robert Downey Jr. (Team Downey) and Jon Landau.

For more information, visit http://www.orbtoys.com Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

Atlantic Shores Retirement Community Honors Area Military with Partnerships and Mentorships

August 24, 2018, 6:44 pm

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Retired Military Residents Spur Award-Winning Community Involvement Programs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (PRWEB) August 24, 2018

Located in the heart in one of the country’s largest military communities, Atlantic Shores Retirement Community continues its connection and involvement with organizations and causes tied to active and retired military.

Recently celebrating its own 20th anniversary, Atlantic Shores supported nearby Naval Air Station Oceana’s anniversary celebration, as promotional partner of their Naval Aviation Symposium and 75th Anniversary Gala. This historic event highlighted the past, present and future of naval aviation while celebrating the men and women who have served at NAS Oceana over the past 75 years.

Home to many Hampton Roads Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard facilities, Atlantic Shores also is proud to have a large number of retired military members as part of their community. These active and committed residents help carry forward Atlantic Shores’ legacy of service to the surrounding area, including serving as docents and special event hosts at the Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum, and as volunteers at local military hospitals.

Atlantic Shores Veterans paired with young cadets from Cox/First Colonial High School Navy Junior Reserve Training Corps to launch an intergenerational mentorship program to record personal stories of military history. Through Vets and Cadets, the next generation of military heroes learn directly from the previous generation. Atlantic Shores veterans shared their stories of bravery and sacrifice with the young cadets, who recorded their personal testimonies using an app called Storycorps.me. When completed, each veteran’s story was uploaded to the Library of Congress for posterity - - to keep history alive for future generations.

Atlantic Shores is also home to the Colonial Chapter of Freedom’s Foundation at Valley Forge, an organization which honors past and present veterans for the sacrifices they have made, and educates children on the principles of citizenship, leadership, and how to support the freedoms their previous generation fought so hard to achieve. Members present awards and scholarships to those who have demonstrated good citizenship on a local level. They also honor living veterans, and memorialize those who are no longer with us in ceremonies staged throughout the year.

For their variety of community programs benefiting military veterans, seniors and youth, Atlantic Shores was recently honored with the CoVa BIZ Magazine Community Impact Award, as one of the top 10 local businesses consistently and creatively making an impact in the community by giving back.

Atlantic Shores residents include Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard, and Coast Guard veterans that have served honorably - - several earning Purple Heart and Silver Star awards. Many are still active in supporting the current generation of their military colleagues, and have participated in Honor Flight tours to Washington D.C. to be recognized for their service.

According to Anna Little, Atlantic Shores Director of Sales and Marketing, “They were proud to serve us, now we are proud to serve them, both within our community, and our community at large. Our military residents truly feel at home here, and take full advantage of our special amenities, as well as a wealth of nearby services available for military retirees. We even have a Veteran’s Rep that comes to Atlantic Shores to share the latest military benefits and programs. There’s also camaraderie and a vibrant social scene among these residents both within Atlantic Shores, and beyond.”

Atlantic Shores’ ROMEO group (Retired Old Men Eating Out) meets on Saturday mornings to swap military stories over breakfast. Popular outings include the Military Aviation Museum Hanger Dance, and NAS Oceana Air Show dress rehearsals. Historic trips include Fort Monroe, the New American Revolutionary War Museum in Yorktown, and the Battle of Great Bridge Civil War re-enactment.

Atlantic Shores resident and former Marine Ashby Franklin shares, “Many of us lived in this area during our military careers and loved the community. When it came time to retire, we wanted to move back. Atlantic Shores’ location is perfect, between two medium sized naval stations with additional fitness facilities and private beaches, and easy access to commissaries, exchanges, military hospitals and outpatient centers. There’s also a feeling of comfort and security living here, knowing that the first line of defense is all around us.”

And the community’s military residents are having fun with their retirement; former pilot Bill Jenkins still flies gliders. Retired pilot Milton Beach leads behind-the-scenes tours at NAS Oceana.
Some residents even served as models for the The Pin-Up Boys of Atlantic Shores charity calendar, featuring gentlemen from Atlantic Shores, creatively obscured to create the illusion of nudity in a range of comical vignettes, generating more than $20,000 to purchase a new ambulance for a local Volunteer Rescue Squad.

According to Mr. Franklin, “Although we served before, we enjoy serving now in a different way. We have our own community here, where we are treated with respect, and feel like we have an extended family. That helps motivate us to continue paying it forward.”

For more information on Atlantic Shores, visit http://www.atlanticshoresliving.com. Reported by PRWeb 16 hours ago.

Shahid Kapoor: Talent shouldn’t be judged by individual’s achievement

August 24, 2018, 10:24 pm

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Having worked with veterans as well as new film directors, Shahid Kapoor, who will next be seen in Shree Narayan Singh’s Batti Gul Meter Chalu, says the number of hits and flops of a director is not his parameter to judge ones talent. Singh has earlier directed two films, his latest being Akshay’s Toilet – […]

The post Shahid Kapoor: Talent shouldn’t be judged by individual’s achievement appeared first on Bollywood latest news. Reported by Filmy Friday 13 hours ago.

Pensioner attempts terrifying skydive to help limbless veterans

August 25, 2018, 6:20 am

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A BRAVE pensioner who lost his left eye while serving with the Wiltshire Regiment, is preparing for an assisted free fall parachute jump at the world’s highest skydive site. Reported by The Argus 5 hours ago.

Social justice movement veterans help Poor People’s Campaign

August 25, 2018, 6:14 am

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CARTHAGE, N.C. (AP) — As the Poor People’s Campaign launches a massive initiative to sign up people to support the movement and to vote, its leaders are working with the generation of civil rights activists who stood with the Rev. Martin Luther King and have continued his work. The Rev. William Barber is co-chair of […] Reported by Seattle Times 5 hours ago.

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Amazon hired an army of employees to say nice things about it on Twitter, and it shows how big its reputation problem has gotten

August 25, 2018, 6:29 am

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· *Amazon has launched a new program that encourages some of its fulfillment-center employees to go on Twitter and talk about their experiences working there. *
· *These employees are called "FC Ambassadors," and spreading the word about working at Amazon is their full-time job, a company spokesperson said. *
· *Everything the employees say on Twitter is positive, sticking to a few talking points like bathroom breaks and compensation.*
· *The program is a sign that the company is taking steps to protect its reputation as it gets tarnished by media reports and tweets from high-profile figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders.*

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Amazon is trying harder than ever to combat its growing negative image.

The company now has a small army of "FC Ambassadors" saying nice things about the company online and engaging in dialogue with average Twitter users. The ambassadors are full-time employees, according to an Amazon spokesperson, and it is their job to share their experiences working at a fulfillment center. 

A quick search on Twitter reveals about 13 such employee accounts, and they seem to be uniform in both their online presence and talking points. 

They routinely engage with tweets from low-profile users discussing a few subjects that portray Amazon in a negative light: pay for warehouse jobs, employee bathroom breaks (#IgowhenIneedto, as Twitter user @AmazonFCCarol tweets), and the temperature of warehouses.

The ambassadors also seem to back each other up when they face criticism or pushback from users who call them bots. 

In a statement to Business Insider, Amazon said that the FC Ambassadors are all Amazon employees who have worked in warehouses.

"The most important thing is that they've been here long enough to honestly share the facts based on personal experience," an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider. "It's important that we do a good job of educating people about the actual environment inside our fulfillment centers, and the FC Ambassador program is a big part of that along with the fulfilment center tours we provide."

They all seem to be one- to two-year veterans of the company's warehouses, though their daily role has changed since becoming a part of this new program. They continue to get paid as if they were regular warehouse workers, the spokesperson said. 

This kind of coordinated pushback, targeting specific criticisms, shows that Amazon is taking steps to improve its reputation. 

The company has been a frequent target of those on the left, including high-profile figures such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, who see Amazon's growth as abuses of capitalism.

Sanders' tweets frequently portray Amazon as the biggest villain of capitalism, and they often refer to the company's founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, who as the richest man in the world has been criticized for giving relatively little away in the name of philanthropy. A frequent theme is Bezos' extreme wealth compared to the relatively little that Amazon's lowest-paid workers make.

"While Jeff Bezos' wealth has increased $260 million every single day this year, he continues to pay many Amazon employees wages so low that they're forced to depend on taxpayer-funded programs such as food stamps, Medicaid and public housing to survive," Sanders tweeted on Friday.

Amazon's new Twitter ambassadors often end up engaging with users in Sanders' Twitter threads, most of whom agree with the senator's sentiment.

Many on Twitter said they would boycott shopping on Amazon's Prime Day in July due to reports about poor working conditions inside Amazon's warehouses and a concurrent strike from workers in Spain.

Amazon has defended its working conditions.

"Amazon is proud to have created over 130,000 new jobs in the last year alone. These are good jobs with highly competitive pay and full benefits. One of the reasons we've been able to attract so many people to join us is that our number one priority is to ensure a positive and safe working environment," Amazon said in a statement to Business Insider in July.

Amazon has also been criticized, fairly or not, for seeking tax breaks for its second headquarters project, HQ2, and for making business conditions difficult for small retailers.

*SEE ALSO: Amazon quietly extended a program designed to help it sell more grocery items online*

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NOW WATCH: How Columbia House sold 12 CDS for $1 Reported by Business Insider 5 hours ago.

Karnataka: Day after row over Nirmala Sitharaman`s itinerary for flood-hit Kodagu visit, Defence Ministry gives detailed account

August 25, 2018, 6:39 am

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In the statement, the Ministry said the tour program of the Sitharaman was finalised by the district administration of Kodagu in consultation with the public representatives and on the request of the district administration, an interaction with the veterans was added to the schedule. Reported by Zee News 5 hours ago.

Social justice movement veterans help Poor People's Campaign

August 25, 2018, 8:11 am

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CARTHAGE, N.C. (AP) — As the Poor People's Campaign launches a new initiative, its charismatic leader is working with the generation of civil rights leaders who stood by the Rev. Martin Luther King's side and continued his efforts... Reported by New Zealand Herald 3 hours ago.

Provincetown's September 2018 Art Scene

August 25, 2018, 8:00 am

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As America’s oldest continuous art colony, the Provincetown artist community takes many forms.

Provincetown, Massachusetts (PRWEB) August 25, 2018

From festivals to flower shows, author readings to live theater and dance performances, this thriving creative scene has plenty to offer come September. As the air turns cooler, check out the Provincetown Art Guide and Provincetown Gallery Guide to keep visitors and residents alike entertained well into September.

While September brings the close of summer, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the crisp ocean breezes in Provincetown. First, in conjunction with the Provincetown Great Schooner Regatta, promoting awareness of Provincetown’s maritime heritage, comes Paint the Race (September 6). This event is a perfect way to take in the thrilling race and the panoramic views of Cape Cod Bay all from a whale watching boat. Painters, photographers, and sketch artists are all welcome to meet at Fisherman’s Pier and follow along as the boats race through the bay.

The delight of great outdoors continues at the Annual Provincetown Dahlia Show (September 29-30). This charming show presents hundreds of dahlias as growers all over New England flock to Provincetown to display their prized flowers.

Join the Provincetown community for Celebration of Life (September 7), an annual concert and signing of prayer ribbons held at UU Meeting House. Inscribed with messages and names, the ribbons allow the community to celebrate loved ones. The ribbons will create a visual marker for the swimmers as they cross the harbor during Swim for Life the following day. Both Swim for Life and Celebration of Life are a reminder of everyone the community lost during the AIDS crisis as well as the importance of following your joy in life.

Fall festivals are in full swing in Provincetown this September. First up is the 8th Annual Afterglow Festival (September 10-15), Provincetown’s avant garde live performance arts festival. Dedicated to providing a platform for innovative stage artists, the festival sheds light on new performers and seasoned veterans alike.

The festival season continues with the Provincetown Book Festival (September 14-16), which includes three days of free literary events, with readings, panels, and even a cooking demonstration! Featured guests include author Amy Bloom, National Book Award Winner James Caroll, poet Eileen Myles, and many more. The full roster of exciting activities includes everything from the “Writing for Young People” and “First Ladies of Fiction” panels to a cooking demonstration by Chef Justin Chapple, the culinary director of Food & Wine.

The final September festival is the celebrated Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival (September 27-30). Diving into the theme of anticipation, the festival will include two plays by Williams: “The Rose Tattoo” a production from New York City, directed by Dana Greenfield and featuring fan favorite Irene Glezos. The other Williams play, “Talisman Roses” has never been published or performed and will receive its world premiere in Provincetown. Produced by actor-director Marsha Mason and produced by The Collective NY, “Talisman” is the festival’s 12th world premiere of a Tennessee Williams play. Experience all Provincetown has to offer this September: renowned authors and playwrights, gorgeous displays, and riveting live performances are just the beginning.

About Provincetown

Located on the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown Massachusetts boasts beautiful beaches, Zagat-rated restaurants, art galleries and charming shops. A top LGBTQ destination, this open-minded community celebrates individuality and freedom of expression. Provincetown has a rich creative history and is home to one the oldest continuous art colony in the country. The diverse population of artists, sailors, fisherman, authors, and more, makes Provincetown unique. From Carnival in August to Women’s Week in October and First Light at year’s end, Provincetown is thriving 365 days of the year. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

Poll mode: Congress forms key teams

August 25, 2018, 5:40 pm

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Getting to business for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Saturday, almost eight months before the schedule, formed the three crucial committees to manage coordination, manifesto and publicity for the polls. 

While the three committees look like a cocktail of old and new, the choice of their members shows that Congress president Rahul Gandhi gave a pass to several heavyweight old managers like Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh. 

Incidentally, against expectations, Manmohan Singh’s name was not there in both the Core Group and Manifesto committees. Party sources said they were surprised to not find Singh’s name as his inclusion as a global visionary would have provided gravitas to the committees. 

The choice also showed an increase in the stature of party’s media in-charge, Randeep Surjewala, as his name finds place in both the Core Group and Publicity committees.  The key nine-member Core Group committee comprises AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal.

While all those in the Core Committee have worked under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, those in the publicity and manifesto committees comprise old-timers as well as some fresh faces.

The 19-member Manifesto Committee comprises veterans such as former finance minister P Chidambaram, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former union ministers Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Shashi Tharoor and Kumari Selja, besides former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma.

Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal, party’s women wing head Sushmita Dev, party Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda and Tamradhwaj Sahu, who is also the party’s Backward class department chief, are also part of the panel.

-*Young & Old*-

Party leaders said Rahul Gandhi has opted for a blend of young and old leaders, taking the experience of the veterans and the energy of the youth together

Article Type: 
Report
Sections: 
India
Authors: 
dna Correspondent
Agencies: 
DNA
Cities: 
New Delhi
Tags: 
Congress
2019 Lok Sabha elections
Rahul Gandhi
Kamal Nath
Digvijay Singh
AK Antony
Ghulam Nabi Azad
P Chidambaram
Ashok Gehlot
Mallikarjun Kharge
Ahmed Patel
Jairam Ramesh
Randeep Surjewala
KC Venugopal
Sonia Gandhi
Bhupinder Singh Hooda
Salman Khurshid
Shashi Tharoor
Kumari Selja
Sun, 26 Aug 2018-05:45am
Date updated: 
Sunday, 26 August 2018 - 5:45am
Article Images: 
A file photo of Rahul Gandhi with other Congress leaders
PTI
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Highlights:  Reported by DNA 18 hours ago.