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Insect meal is emerging as a new natural and sustainable ingredient to support the growth of sustainable aquaculture
by Maye Walraven, Head of Business Development, Innovafeed, France
Over the past decades, the aquaculture industry has seen many innovations and major technological changes. In particular, on the feed side, where feed-formulators are in constant search of new ingredients and are continuously optimising feed formulas for better performance and improved sustainability.
This has led to many positives impacts, such as a significant decrease in the pressure on wild fish stocks by reducing the content of marine resources in the diet of carnivorous fish and replacing them by plant-based protein. Yet, with aquaculture continuing to experience double-digit growth and the shrinking of marine resources, feed formulators have continued to look for new alternative ingredients.
Recently, the F3 conference in San Francisco reunited all the players in the aquaculture industry to discuss new alternative ingredients. Insect meal is emerging as a promising solution: it provides a sustainable source of protein, which is part of a wild fish's natural diet. In 2017, after several years of studying the proposal, the European Commission amended its regulation and authorised the inclusion of insect meal in aquaculture feed.
Innovafeed, which has established itself as a leader in insect meal production for aquaculture, explains why they view 2019 as a turning point and how they plan to make insect meal a competitive alternative. Maye Walraven, their Head of Business Development, comments, 'There's a strong interest in insect meal from scientists, investors, feed formulators to fish farmers. First movers to adopt insect meal view it as an opportunity to create value rather than a threat - there's a strong messaging for end-consumers on aquaculture's benefits to using a natural and sustainable ingredient'.
Laying the foundations to scale up industrial and commercial activity
After several years of research at its R&D facility, the change in EU legislation was the green light for the French-based biotech to launch its first industrial production plant in late 2017 near Cambrai, North of France. Over 2018, this pilot site has enabled InnovaFeed to validate the ability to scale-up its industrial model and to start commercialising its product, ProtiNova.
InnovaFeed only views it as the first step of their deployment to address the colossal needs of the aquaculture industry. 'Looking ahead,' continues Maye Walraven, 'we need to deliver on volumes, ensure the highest product quality, and create value for our partners.'
To meet the first of these objectives, InnovaFeed has announced the construction of its next factory that will significantly scale-up its production by the last quarter of 2019 and targets an annual production capacity of 50,000 tonnes of insect meal by 2025. Convinced of the sector's strong potential and InnovaFeed's executional capabilities, Creadev and Temasek (two large French and Singaporean investment funds) have chosen to back InnovaFeed in this scale-up effort.
InnovaFeed's next production unit will be located right next to a starch facility in Nesle, North of France, which is owned by Tereos, a leader in sugar, alcohol, and starch production. By partnering with Tereos, InnovaFeed secures quality 100 percent plant-based agricultural by-products as basic feed for breeding its insects, without generating any additional pressure on natural resources.
'As a matter of fact, the quality and stability of the feed is a key factor to ensure the quality of the insect meal,' explains Guillaume Gras, co-founder of InnovaFeed and Head of Product Development. Furthermore, by integrating their industrial processes, such as sharing the utilities that have already been installed on the industrial platform, the two companies are contributing to minimising the impact on climate change.
The operation of this unit will specifically enable the avoidance of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Over the next four years, the company plans to deploy this model and construct four additional new production plants in Europe, as well as in the United States.
The ambition: Establish insect production as a key segment of tomorrow's agro-industrial landscape
Of course, the industrial challenge is only one part of the story. Along with the engineering challenges, also came various R&D and legislative barriers to overcome before InnovaFeed could start selling their insect meal. Indeed, the company had to obtain all the permits and certifications to ensure the safety and total traceability of its entire supply chain – constraints which apply to all ingredients entering in the human food chain.
Furthermore, InnovaFeed had to run many trials, both in their R&D facilities and at commercial farms, to demonstrate the performance of its insect meal.
'On top of demonstrating that our product meets the nutritional requirements of the fish, we also wanted to prove that it has a positive impact of the quality of the fish for the end consumer' says Guillaume Gras.
These efforts paid off: in late 2018, InnovaFeed was the first in the world to launch insect-fed fish in French stores, thanks to a unique collaboration with the French Retailer, Auchan.
'This achievement is the result of the strong engagement of all actors of the value chain, who worked together over the past two years to integrate insect protein in fish feed and guarantee optimal quality for customers' shares Guillaume Gras.
'We worked hand in hand with the fish feed manufacturers, the fish farmers, and Auchan France to enable the success of this pioneering initiative'.
Available from the fish stalls, the 'insect fed' trout is now distributed in 52 Auchan stores in the North of France region, a stepping stone before extending the initiative nationwide by the end of 2019.
Looking ahead, InnovaFeed plans to continue collaborating with all actors in the value chain and across the world, just as it has done with Auchan Retail France, to co-construct a more sustainable food system that meets the growing needs of the sector and ensure the consumption of quality fish accessible for all.


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Created on July 6, 2016
Cordier Auctions & Appraisals will hold an auction July 9, 2016, of items removed from the collection of the Pa. Historical and Museum Commission.
Created on July 4, 2016
A steady drizzle didn't keep people from attending the Taste of Independence event in Harrisburg on July 4, 2016.
Created on June 29, 2016
Harrisburg's Fourth of July festivities over the years have included power boat races, hot air balloons and inner tube floats.
Created on June 23, 2016
The summer of 1966
Created on June 22, 2016
The new Hershey Gardens Conservatory is open and is the new entry to Hershey Gardens, June 22, 2016. It has an Educational & Horticultural Wing, gift shop and, come July 1, a new Butterfly Garden.
Created on June 20, 2016
Webpage FX, a Harrisburg-based company, is located on Front Street in the Moffitt Mansion, or "Mansion FX," which was constructed in 1895. After serving as a dentist's office and later a courthouse, the mansion was gutted and turned into a modern office space. Alex Driehaus, PennLive

domain: news


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The Pixel 5 is Google’s flagship smartphone this year, bringing improvements over the 4a like more RAM, a high refresh rate display, wireless charging, and an aluminum build. It’s the phone many of us have been waiting for, especially in that Sorta Sage colorway.
But how exactly was Google able to pair wireless charging with an aluminum phone? For years, companies have been forced to use glass or polycarbonate for wireless charging to work, since the charging signal can’t go through metal. While we loved the build quality of other aluminum phones like the Nexus 6P, wireless charging forced the build materials to change.
Aluminum with ‘skin’
While Google is technically using aluminum for the Pixel 5’s hardware, there’s another layer that sits directly on top. Google calls this material bio-resin, which is really a fancy name for super thin plastic. This is what you’ll feel when holding the device, but the aluminum underneath helps give the Pixel 5 structure.
This allowed Google to cut a physical hole in the Pixel 5’s aluminum chassis to put the wireless charging coil. Google says you shouldn’t be able to feel the coil since the resin is apparently very sturdy, even with its thin design.
When we pressed Google on why it made this decision as opposed to just using glass or plastic, its answer had to do with something I didn’t suspect: thinness.
Mo battery, mo problems
With the Pixel 5, Google is using its biggest battery to date in a Pixel device at 4,080mAh. While this isn’t substantially bigger than other manufacturers, Google wanted to make sure it could maintain a thin footprint that was in line with other devices in the Pixel family. Using an aluminum frame with this super-thin bio-resin “skin” allowed it to maintain the thickness it wanted, and make the phone feel premium at the same time.
Personally, I’m excited to hold the Pixel 5 for myself. Aluminum phones are much more sturdy than glass phones on average since they don’t crack nearly as easily. It’s yet to be seen how this bio-resin holds up to drops and cracks, but aluminum plus wireless charging seems like a winning combo.


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Iran marks 1979 revolution with anti-Israel, anti-US demonstration
A crowd chanted "Death to Israel" and "Down with the U.S." during the celebration. Iran and Russia both fight on the side of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
Mattel shares soar on report of Hasbro takeover offer
Both toymakers have been struggling with waning demand and the recent bankruptcy of Toys'R'Us, a major outlet for toy sales. The terms of any possible deal "couldn't be learned", the WSJ said, and it is not clear if the approach will move forward.
Woman fired for flipping off President Trump's motorcade
A woman has been fired from her job after a photo of her making a rude gesture at President Donald Trump's motorcade went viral. We're not exactly sure what any of that means, but apparently flipping off the president doesn't "enable superior outcomes".
Watch out! Millions of Netflix users target of email scam
If you receive an email that appears to be from the Netflix team, be extra vigilant before following the instructions within. The fraud aims to gather personal information from Netflix's 110 million subscribers , according to USA Today .
Fans Can Attend The OnePlus 5T Event By Paying $40
The other features of OnePlus 5T will include connectivity options like Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, a micro USB Type-C port, 3G and 4G. The latest leak suggests that the OnePlus 5T may actually launch at the same price as its predecessor, the OnePlus 5 .
Target Stores will close for six hours on Black Friday
Target says its stores will be open from 6 p.m.to midnight on Thanksgiving, and they will reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Up to 50% off tools. ►Apple Watch Series 1 starting at $179.99, $70 off the regular price.
Panasonic Eluga A4 with 5000mAh Battery Launched in India at Rs 12490
In terms of optics, there is a 13MP camera on the rear with LED flash and a 5MP camera on the front for selfies and video calls. The Eluga A4 is unashamedly mid-range, and makes no apologies for not going with expensive components like an OLED screen .
Mueller Investigating Flynn's Role in Alleged Plot to Deliver Cleric to Turkey
Gulen, who has lived in exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, is a bitter enemy of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan . Flynn had written an op-ed in The Hill on Election Day calling on the US government to extradite Gulen.
Target selling fidget spinners with potentially risky levels of lead
Public Interest Research Group ( PIRG) Education Fund found some problems with a major retailer's sales of this hot new toy . Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Mobile and Sprint finally discontinue merger talks
A combined company would have had more than 130 million USA subscribers, behind Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc. What can the next era of T-Mobile and Sprint do to gain ground? (TMUS) and Sprint Corp.


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Following the Terra stablecoin collapse last May, the Terra blockchain environment has another stablecoin principle in the jobs called & #x 201C; Solid. & #x 201D; The stablecoin Solid and its white paper were disclosed by a decentralized finance(defi)job, Capapult Finance, and the concept has actually been dubbed a & #x 201C; soft-pegged stablecoin & #x 201D; improved Terra. Terra Blockchain Ecosystem to See a […]
Last month, whale activity saw investors buying massive amounts of Bitcoin. This month, the shift has moved towards offloading.
The post Massive Bitcoin whale offload this month: Bullish signs? appeared first on Coin Insider.
Bitcoin and choose altcoins are facing selling at greater levels, indicating that short-term traders may be reserving profits after the current rally.
For the first time ever, Bitcoin price has surged past $50,000 USD to hit a new all-time high in a bullish turn following Tesla’s investment.
The post Bitcoin smashes all-time high, breaking past $50,000 USD appeared first on Coin Insider.
The “Rarest Pepe” has sold for over $320,000 USD according to the previous owner in the biggest ever NFT sale.
The post Crypto collectable NFT sells for whopping 205 ETH appeared first on Coin Insider.
Institutional traders have secured$56 billion right into Bitcoin financial investment products after inflows totaled
$97.5 million recently.
It’s not looking great for Bitcoin bulls, a minimum of for today, as moving standards slide from sight and also$40,000 begins to


text: WILTON — Communities deal with a number of issues in summer that aren’t so prevalent at other times of the year. The list includes everything from outdoor merchandise sales to dog control. The town of Wilton has laws dealing with each of them. ‘Seasonal sales things clearly need to be licensed and approved,’ Wilton Supervisor Arthur Johnson said. Such laws have been on the books for at least 15 years. In the past, there have been isolated incidents of someone trying to sell furniture from the back of a truck. ‘Nothing to any great degree,’ he said. People interested in doing seasonal sales must apply for a peddlers’ license with the town clerk’s office. Such forms must then be approved by the Town Board. Longer-term seasonal sales are subject to approval by the town Planning Board. Johnson said such laws were adopted before these situations became an issue. ‘It was definitely not a reaction,’ he said. ‘We wanted to control people coming in and selling cheap products.’ Wilton also has a leash law and pooper scooper law requiring people to clean up after their pets. A couple of years ago, the town considered creating a dog park, but Johnson said liability concerns kept the project from moving forward. ‘There’s so many issues with that,’ he said. Wilton does prohibit people from bringing dogs to Gavin Park, the town’s recreational complex. South Glens Falls laws The village of South Glens Falls adopted a seasonal sales law more than 20 years ago, Mayor Robert Phinney said. Sales are not allowed on public property. People must pay $300 for a license and obtain permission from a property owner to conduct sales. Phinney said the law was updated two or three years ago, including a fee increase. He said about two or three people per year sign up to conduct seasonal sales in South Glens Falls. ‘That’s what the history is,’ he said. The village has a popular bike and pedestrian trail along the Hudson River and adopted an ordinance about six years ago that requires people to keep dogs leashed. Owners must also clean up after their pets and face fines if they don’t. ‘You have to address everything,’ Phinney said. In addition, South Glens Falls has an open container law that prohibits people from consuming alcohol in any public place. This could become more of an issue in summer, but Phinney said village police have had few problems. ‘I don’t think they’ve used it at all,’ he said.


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The owner and co-founder of sports drink company Red Bull has passed away, the company announced Saturday.
Dietrich Mateschitz started selling the drink in Austria in 1987, according to the company.
“The overwhelming feeling in these moments is one of sadness,” Red Bull said in a company-wide email to employees. “But soon sadness will give way to gratitude – gratitude for what he has changed, touched, encouraged and made possible for so many people. We will remain in touch with him respectfully and lovingly.”
In addition to its flagship product, Red Bull under Mateschitz is also known for its intensive marketing of extreme sports and events, including the record-breaking skydive from the edge of space in 2012. It also sponsors two Formula One teams.
“He was an incredible visionary entrepreneur who helped to transform our sport and create the Red Bull brand known all over the world,” Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement. said in a written statement.


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York will host a DeLorean convention that could turn some heads.
This Saturday, more than 20 DeLorean cars - a brand famous for being in the "Back to the Future" films - will cruise around the West York area. The gull-winged stainless steel cars will be hard to miss.
The DeLorean Mid-Atlantic Club's spring social includes a tech session at Zech's Service Center and an evening dinner at Logan's Roadhouse. Club members, age 18 to 70, are from as far as North Carolina and New Jersey.
The event is promoting what York has to offer, said club member Felecia Lundgren.
"There's some neat things in York," she said.
The social's luncheon will feature food, such as chicken corn soup, pretzel sandwiches, snacks and dessert from local businesses. Utz, Martins, Wege, Rutters and Carman's Ice Cream will give attendees a slice of York County, the West Manchester Township woman said.
The event is not open to the public, but the cars will be at various locations in the West York area this weekend. If you spot one, feel free to look - but don't touch.
"Stainless steel shows every fingerprint," she said.
- Reach Mollie Durkin at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Lost and Found and Stolen
We need your help ID’ing this man who took a woman’s cell phone earlier this week after she accidentally left it in a shopping cart at a Wal-Mart in southwest OKC. Call Crime Stoppers w/ your tips (405) 235-7300 or submit a tip online at OKCCrimeTips.com (Case #17-67746)
Reported By (tap image below)
Join us on Crimeseen and be part of the solution!


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Civic GX has High Occupancy Vehicle access through 2015
Drivers of the Civic GX, a Honda Civic using compressed natural gas, have been given the green light to use the HOV access lane in California through 2015. Sales for this model have tripled recently and now it appears they will continue to grow. Benson Honda, the leading Honda dealer in San Antonio, Texas knows the Honda Civic is a great vehicle and we’re excited to share this information with you.
The Honda Civic GX allows California commuters to use a less traveled lane on the highway and pay less for gas. They also enjoy the satisfaction of reducing their personal carbon footprint.
“Civic GX drivers in California have long enjoyed the benefits of driving a compressed natural gas vehicle, whether it was saving time commuting in the carpool lane, paying lower fuel prices, reducing dependence on oil or reducing their CO2 footprint,” said Elmer Hardy, senior manager of alternative fuel marketing at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “With the all-new model coming this fall, drivers will continue to earn these benefits along with additional commuter-friendly features.”
Just because it runs on compressed natural gas doesn’t mean it’s skimping on any Civic features. The Honda Civic GX still carries all the innovative technology that you’d expect from Honda. Bluetooth, USB audio are all standard, among other great Honda features.
While this vehicle is currently only being sold in California, it won’t be long before other states catch on to the immense benefit from HOV lanes on busy highways. Benson Honda knows traffic, but traffic in a Honda Civic just seems to be a bit less irritating. Come out to Benson Honda, the leading Honda dealer in San Antonio, Texas, and take a look at all the great Honda models we have, ready for you today.


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New York: Mixed earnings reports and a stronger dollar helped US stocks finish about where they started Tuesday.
The Dow Jones industrial average wavered within a 100-point range as traders attempted to parse the direction of the economy amid a drop in home prices, a batch of weak earnings reports and a slight rise in consumer confidence.
Stocks started the day with losses after disappointing results from Texas Instruments Inc., US Steel Corp., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Du Pont, one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow average, fell 1% even though it beat estimates. Investors have been having high expectations this season with three out of every four companies besting analyst estimates.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 5.41 points, or 0.1%, to 11,169.46. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 0.02% to 1,185.64, while the technology-focused Nasdaq composite index rose 6.44 points, or 0.3%, to 2,497.29.
The 30 stocks in the Dow were split down the middle, with half falling and half rising. Microsoft Corp. rose 2.8% to lead the index, while Procter & Gamble fell 1.1% as the measure’s laggard.
A gain in consumer confidence this month helped stocks pare their losses and then edge higher in afternoon trading.
“The consumer confidence numbers were encouraging,” said Bernie McSherry, vice president of strategic initiatives at Cuttone and Co. It’s a sign shoppers “may be reaching into their wallets heading into the holiday shopping season.”
Ford Motor reported a record third quarter profit on Tuesday, citing a strong product line and better sales in North America. It gained 1.4% in US market share, while GM lost some. For the year, Ford also beat out Toyota in US sales.
Ford was able to avoid bankruptcy and government bailout money unlike GM and Chrysler early last year, but it left the company with a lot more debt than the other 2 automakers. Ford’s previous best net-quarter was in 1997.
Shares of Netflix Inc. rose $10.78, or 6.4%, to $177.62 amid rumors that the company may be a target of an acquisition by Apple Inc.
Traders were moving out of riskier assets as the dollar strengthened. A stronger dollar makes stocks and commodities more expensive because they are priced in dollars. The dollar rose against Japan’s yen and the euro Tuesday.
Home prices slid in August, renewing concerns about the health of the housing market. Fifteen of the 20 cities measured in the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index saw price declines.
Consumer confidence, a measure used to gauge consumer spending, rose slightly in October to 50.2. High unemployment and bad business conditions have brought the index down to far below 90, which indicates a stable economy.
A reading above 100 indicates a strong economy, a level last reached in mid 2007.
Bond prices fell slightly. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 2.64% from 2.56% late Monday.
Trading volume on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange came to 965 billion shares.


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Less than a year since its founding, Paris-based Mistral is launching a new AI flagship model for developers, Mistral Large — just a few months after the release of its first model, Mistral 7B.
Much like its predecessor, Mistral Large is an open-source generative AI model. According to the startup, it boasts “top-tier” reasoning capabilities and is proficient in code and mathematics. It’s also multilingual and fluent in five languages (English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian).
“This is a significant milestone for us, as the unparalleled performance of this multilingual model will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with frontier AI,” said the company’s co-founder and CEO Arthur Mesch.
The startup has also teamed up with Microsoft and is releasing the model on the tech giant’s Azure AI platform, which is now Mistral’s first reselling partner. The partnership makes the startup the second company to launch commercial language models on Azure — right after OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Microsoft will help Mistral bring its AI models to market and will take a minor (undisclosed) stake in the startup, the Financial Times reports.
Meanwhile, Mistral is also launching a multilingual conversational assistant. Called “Le Chat” (the French word for “cat”), the tool will enable conversational interfacing with the company’s AI models. Today, Le Chat enters beta access for early customers and will soon be available for enterprise users.
The young startup has so far witnessed exponential growth. Last June, it raised €105mn in Europe’s largest-ever seed round, while in December, it reached a €2bn valuation, securing €450mn in investment. Mistral is also one of the main European players offering an alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT alongside Germany’s Aleph Alpha and Helsinki-based Silo AI.


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S&T connected content for Freeview and Freesat
February 11, 2011
Strategy & Technology (S&T) is helping to deliver on demand video content over broadband to Freeview HD and Freesat set-top boxes and IDTVs as part of the new MHEG Interaction Channel (MHEG-IC).
MHEG-IC is part of D-Book 6.2.1 the specification for Freeview HD and published by the UK’s Digital TV Group (DTG). It is anticipated that MHEG-IC -based applications will be brought into use ahead of the YouView platform, in which it is included, offering viewers service such as the BBC iPlayer on set-top boxes, PVRs and integrated digital televisions. Freeview New Zealand has also specified MHEG-IC for their platform and other countries are considering its adoption.
Colin Prior, Director of International Sales at S&T said: “MHEG remains a very important part of UK TV, because the MHEG-based Red Button interactive services are both valued and well used. HbbTV adoption is led by Germany and France with other countries to follow. S&T’s MHEG and HbbTV solutions provide a cost-effective connected TV platform for broadcasters and manufacturers alike”.


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Coast Spas® Manufacturing Inc has unveiled a new Swim Resistance System (SRS), they believe will revolutionise swim spas and set raised standard for the industry in this growing swim spa sector. The new SRS will be available on all of Coast’s 2018 Wellness Swim Spa models. Developed by Coast Spas and engineered to be the […]
Home spa and hot tub owners can now control their hot tubs through their mobile phones thanks to new SmartPhone
technology being introduced to top end spa models for 2012.


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Huawei is one of the top brands in the technology market across the globe. The company knows well how to tackle with advanced problems and stand perpetually on the demands of the consumers. And seems like Huawei will propel the tech limits to some more extent by making the AI large model parameter score to trillions.
The latest information reveals that the Chairman of Huawei, Hu Houkun has recently attended the 5th Digital China Construction summit, held in Fuzhou. In this event, Hu made the operators realize how important digitization is for the evolution of technology.
He explains that the next wave of development in digital China will bring digitization to thousands of industries. However, this will require continuous cultivation of both quality and quantity of digital talent. Further, he states that huge digitization will also demand a good amount of data. And to collect this data, we require a better computing infrastructure.
Therefore, Huawei and other tech operators are trying hard to develop the AI large model parameter from billions to trillions in the next three years. In that way, the evolution and the penetration rate of intelligent computing would be able to cross 40%.
Industry Software and Application Software are also important!
On the flip side, Houkun also states that industry software and application software are also equally important for economic growth. Currently, new mechanisms such as online collaborative design and digital twinning are the main requirements for industrial software. Ultimately, these elements will provide more firmness and bring the benefits of cloud computing to accelerate the software iteration and application maturity.
Additionally, the application software plays another vital role. Although, Huawei has released the HarmonyOS and Euler operating systems that have been the best support for the basic systems. Further, these interfaces are still working actively to establish an open-source software ecosystem.
Yet to achieve an industrial market full of digitization, the industries need to run their hands more speedily in terms of developing new strategies and innovative ideas.
(Via – Ithome)


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Nothing, the technology company, has unveiled its plans to open its first dedicated Customer Service Centre in Bengaluru, India, ahead of its Phone (2) launch on July 11. Scheduled to open in August, the service centre aims to provide comprehensive customer support and after-sales services to Nothing customers.
Manu Sharma, General Manager and Vice President of Nothing India, expressed the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional service to its customers, stating, “At Nothing, we not only strive to create iconic designs, products, and software experiences, but also prioritize after-sales service to ensure an elevated product experience for our valued customers in India. We are delighted to announce the launch of our exclusive service centre, which will foster trust and establish credibility among our esteemed customers.”
Sources reveal that Nothing has plans to establish an additional five exclusive service centres in different cities by 2023. Looking ahead to 2024, the company has set a goal of establishing 20 more exclusive service centres in various Indian cities.
Nothing will augment its customer service team by 50% to support this initiative. The newly launched service centre in Bengaluru will provide customer support and host periodic service camps for Nothing customers. Additionally, customers can purchase accessories, care packs for accidental/liquid damage, and warranty upgrade packs at these service centres.
The eagerly awaited launch of the Nothing Phone (2) will begin tonight at 8:30 PM IST, and enthusiasts can tune in to the live stream on the company’s official social media platforms and YouTube channel. Serving as the successor to the Phone (1), this second-generation smartphone is being unveiled nearly a year after the launch of its predecessor. Packed with enhancements, the latest offering from Nothing boasts an upgraded design, a powerful flagship processor, and numerous other improvements.


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Gu Xin: 37GAMES Will Be a Good Partner for Western Developers
This year’s Game Developers Conference saw a sharp increase in the number of Chinese companies both attending the GDC and hosting their own booths. It’s a recent trend that should bring little surprise to those familiar with the gaming industry. As China projects to be the largest market for game companies more and more young Chinese companies are looking to learn from their seasoned Japanese, American, and European counterparts.
During the GDC 2015, 2P got a chance to interview with Mr. Gu Xin from 37Games to ask what the GDC means to Chinese companies and, perhaps more importantly, what the increased Chinese presence means for the game industry as a whole.
2P: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions. Firstly, are you surprised to see so many people from your own country here at the GDC?
Gu Xin: Not really. The gaming industry in China is already extremely crowded, so it’s natural that we’re all starting to branch out and move into new markets.
2P: You mentioned new markets -- but most Western countries have been gaming for decades. What do you feel the Chinese bring to the table for both the gaming industry and the player?
Gu Xin: Well, as far as players are concerned, most Chinese games are free to play. Add this to the fact that Chinese games typically are less hardware intensive -- so I think our games are available to a wider audience compared to traditional AAA Japanese and American games. You don’t need a console and you don’t need the latest graphics card or processor to run most Chinese games.
2P: Most foreigners aren’t familiar with any of the Chinese game publishers or developers. Tencent is probably the only one I’m familiar with as well. Could you tell me a bit about the company you work for?
Gu Xin: 37Games is actually the second largest game platform in China behind Tencent. In 2012 we started to expand outside of China. We have platforms in Mainland China, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. We also have platforms for the English speaking market, France, and Turkey. We’re going to be in Germany and Brazil soon, too. In the smaller, niche markets we’ve created new brands -- but for Europe and North America we’re really trying to push the 37Games name and make us more well-known across the industry.
Many Westerners are playing Chinese games but are completely unaware of it. We know that in the West China gets a bad rap concerning quality and originality, so many Chinese companies try to conceal the fact that they’re Chinese. We’re not really going to hide it.
2P: So what brings you to this conference?
Gu Xin: I’m doing localization -- so I’m basically here to learn from the best in our industry. I’ve talked with localization staff from Bungie, Nintendo of America, and Activision. It’s awesome meeting these people because I can show up here and gain a condensed version of their knowledge and experience. Beyond the professional aspect -- it’s just cool to meet these people in person -- I’ve been playing Nintendo’s franchises since I was a kid and to actually meet these people in person is unreal.
2P: It seems like you’ve learned a lot from others. What kind of value is 37Games bringing to this conference? What can people “get from you”, so to speak?
Gu Xin: China has a lot of people. I’m sure you already know that. Gaming consoles were just recently legalized in China. The Chinese market is different from most -- and for foreign companies they will need a Chinese partner to help ensure their game is published here without any issues. So basically, we’re also here to let foreigners know that if they’re interested in tapping the biggest userbase in the world then they can partner with 37Games.
I think we have a very attractive position in the domestic market. 37Games is big -- but not like Tencent. They’re going to take a larger share of the revenue from their partners. We have enough muscle to localize and promote games for Mainland China but I don’t feel like we would be nearly as controlling as a company like Tencent would be.


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Commerce holds cassava transformation inception meeting
The National Standards Laboratory of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently held a one-day inception meeting and workshop of the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) activities under the Cassava Transformation Project (CASTRAP) in Monrovia.
CASTRAP is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and regional integration of Liberia’s cassava sector through a value chain approach focusing on sustained production, value addition, entrepreneurship, and sustainable markets.
It is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by CERATH Development Organization with Rural Integrated Center for Community Empowerment, Conservation Alliance Liberia, and Center for Enterprise Development.
The EU-funded project is Liberia’s (national) component of the West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) launched on the 28th of October 2021.
The project is expected to strengthen the efficiency of actors engaged in the cassava value chain to improve access to inputs and markets, enhance production, processing, and commercialization of the cassava value chain that will be financially sustainable, commercially viable, etc.
CASTRAP is currently being implemented in the South East of Liberia in the five counties of Grand Kru, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, Sinoe, and River Gee.
Thomas Gobah, Deputy Commerce Minister for Industry, lauded the EU and other development partners for their continued support to Liberia.
The Deputy Commerce Minister for Industry described the meeting as a clear manifestation and determination of the Government through the Commerce Ministry along with its development partners to improve the living condition of ordinary Liberians, especially farmers, through sustainable and inclusive development programs like the CASTRAP project.
He said that the inception meeting of the NQI is very vibrant to ensure key stakeholders remain engaged in a very meaningful way in the implementation of all these activities.
“Therefore, I wish to also applaud and encourage everyone to give their support and commitment to participate to make this national endeavor a success,” Gobah said.
According to him, the cultural and displayable attitude of said project is that it will support and strengthen viable institutions, whose services have a significant impact on the entire project.
He said, “The selection of the services of the NQI confirmed that every sector of the development spectrum of this country must be prioritized and properly mainstream if development must be holistic and sustainable.”
The Deputy Commerce for Industry told participants that over the years, the NQI has been one of the sectors left behind with little awareness of its importance to national development, yet the issues of standard, technical, regulations, affirmative assessment, accreditation, and meteorology remain key components of industry development and trade.
He said the CASTRAP project will assist and strengthen the capacity of the National Standards Laboratory and address gaps in the NQI when it comes to policy, legal institutional, and capacity framework.
Deputy Minister Gobah also noted that with this project, the National Standards Laboratory infrastructure and services will be standardized and internationally accredited to depth and certified cassava-based products like gari (farina), fufu and cassava flowers to be traded in local and international markets.
The project, he said, intends to provide support for the revision of the National Quality Policy, which is the key policy document for the NQI as well as creates awareness among lawmakers on the passage of the National Standard Acts of 2017, which is required for the setting up of Liberia’s Standard Authority (LSA).
These, Deputy Minister Gobah said, are all laudable and interventions needed to ensure that this is well institutionalized in line with international requirements.
In a remark, the European Union Delegation representative, Madam Geertrui Lovwagie, told the participants that the project is a four years initiative that is being supported by the EU regional West Africa Competitiveness Program.
The EU representative also put the cost of the CASTRAP project at six million United States Dollars (US$6M).
She said the project is also intended to enhance the financial sustainability and commercial viability of the value chain as well as strengthen policies and other incentives that will stimulate commercialization in the cassava sector of Liberia.
Madam Lovwagie further said that the project will ensure that food safety is looked at critically because food safety is paramount to them under the project.
“Food safety matters to us from two perspectives, first, we will like to see safe food on Liberia’s domestic market. We will also be pleased to see Liberia exporting food to the European Union markets and we will rarely be glad that Liberia produces food and products into the EU markets when they are not safe,” she said.
George D. Wolo, Deputy Commerce Minister for Commerce, in his welcome and introductory remarks, also said that the inception meeting of the NQI activities is a significant part of the CASTRAP project, which mainly ensures that services of the NQI, for example, standard, technical regulations, confirmative assessment, and meteorology are well up to enhancing the national cassava value chain.
He said, “Today’s program seeks to create awareness on specific activities and likely outputs of the NQI to the cassava value chain and to harness stakeholders’ support in commitment to participate during the implementation of the CASTRAP project.”


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Target to hold Aug. 15-17 hiring fair for new Canton store
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Target Corp. will hold a job fair this week for the 200 people the mega-retailer plans to hire for its new store in Canton.
The job fair is scheduled for Aug. 15-17 at the Best Western on 5625 O’Donnell St. in Southeast Baltimore. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 15 and 16, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 17th.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit Target.com/careers to apply in advance for the event, though walk-in applicants are welcome.
Hundreds of prospective candidates are expected to attend. During the event, Target officials will conduct pre-scheduled interviews with applicants and discuss Target’s employee culture.
The Target (NYSE: TGT) will anchor the Canton Crossing shopping center currently under construction off Boston Street. The 135,000-square-foot store is scheduled to open Oct. 8.
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VISA - An arm of the Democrat Party
Gun grabbing socialist pigs attack gun stores
by preventing them from using credit cards.
The assault on the U.S. Constitution and the Second Amendment continues.
This time big business is getting into the mix and they’re aiming for gun stores right at the source of their revenues – their transaction processing facilities.
According to Larry Hyatt, owner of the largest gun brokerage firm in the United States, Authorize.net, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Visa USA and one of the world’s largest credit card processing gateways, has terminated their relationship with the firm reports the Washington Examiner.
After four years in business with the Visa owned Authorize.net, Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Gun Shop, received an email indicating that the company would no longer provide its services due to “the sale of firearms or any similar product.”
The email reads:
Dear Hyatt Gun Shop Inc,
Authorize.Net LLC (“Authorize.Net”) has determined that the nature of your business constitutes a violation of Section 2.xiv of the Authorize.Net Acceptable Use Guidelines and Sections 3.3 and 11.3 of the Authorize.Net Service Agreement (the “Agreement”).
These sections include, but are not limited to, the sale of firearms or any similar product.
Accordingly, pursuant to Section 4 of the Acceptable Use Guidelines, your ability to access and use the Authorize.NetServices will be terminated on September 30, 2013.Hyatt’s massive online store will be unable to process credit card transactions, giving the store only a few days to find a new processing company before Authorize.net terminates their business relationship.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Hyatt Marketing Director Justin Anderson told the Washington Examiner.
All of a sudden, after four years of doing business together, Authorize.net declares that Hyatt Gun Shop is in violation of their terms of agreement.
An odd coincidence to be sure, but not if you consider that many top executives at Visa have donated to President Obama’s election campaigns. With President Obama renewing his push for gun control in the wake of the Navy Yard shooting last week, and Americans ardently opposing any legislative action that would further restrict the ownership of firearms, it looks as if anti-gun politicians are now calling in favors with their connections in big business.
For the full article go to Infowars News.
|Hyatt Gun Shop|


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What to expect from CES 2019 fans of Apple?
Last year at CES was presented a lot of accessories for the smart home, but few companies can demonstrate products that were truly innovative. Tell how CES 2019 may be associated with Apple.
Accessories for iPad Pro from a USB C
Despite the fact that over the last few years Apple has set the laptops USB ports-C, this is the first CES since how USB-C replaced the Lightning connector in the iPad Pro. In this regard, probably the accessories manufacturer will present the device with USB-C, which will expand the possibilities of Apple tablets.
Hubs, chargers, keyboards, monitors, and audio devices are just some of the possible accessories USB-C.
Accessories for Mac computers
Perhaps CES will feature new external graphics processors for Apple computers, and various peripheral devices that are compatible with macOS.
Like last year, devices for the smart home dominate CES, but it is unknown whether they will support HomeKit. Unfortunately, the manufacturers of such accessories often do not have time to produce product to the stated deadline, and some prefer not to include support for HomeKit. Overall, the product category of “smart home” remains an intricate network of systems and standards for most consumers.
Competitors AirPods and AirPower
Last year at CES was presented a lot of smart speakers. It happened after Apple announced the HomePod. In the case of a wireless charging station for multiple devices the situation could be repeated. The iPhone maker has not yet released the promised gadget AirPower and the case for wireless charging AirPods. But the competitors had enough time to work on the same products and solutions.
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Metal recycler EMR has made a multi-million pound investment into the development of a new and the “most innovative” deep-sea dock in the UK.
The company will be using the investment to transform its operations in Scotland at the River Clyde dock King George V West Quay (Berth 10) in Glasgow.
The 11.5-acre site will be one of the few low carbon docks in the country enabling the company to offer competitive rates.
On completion of the project, from December, customers in central Scotland will benefit from more competitive prices to scrap their metal as the logistics costs fall.
It will bring several environmental benefits: the new deep-sea dock and will be able to accept bulk carriers up to 65,000 tonnes dead weight, which produce one fifth of the carbon emissions, per tonne of steel carried, compared with the smaller (3,000 tonne) vessels EMR currently operates in the area.
The development will also use renewable electricity from Scottish Power and will have enhanced electrical connections to allow equipment used on the site in future to be fully electrified.
The company hopes this will make the site ready to meet EMR’s goal to be a net zero recycler by 2040.
The company will have the option for a further expansion in a few years time for developments in large scale metal processing and electric vehicle recycling on the site.
EMR’s Area general manager, Gary Barrett, said: “From December, the city will once again see some of the world’s biggest bulk cargo ships arriving on the Clyde and taking scrap metal to play its vital role in the global, circular economy.”
Paul Bodkin, commercial general manager for EMR said: “This new site will be a game changer for our customers across Scotland. At King George V we will have the ability to accept all grades of non-ferrous and ferrous metal and thanks to the efficiencies this new site will provide, EMR will be able to offer better prices and service than ever.”
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The regular use of certain cleaning products can have harmful effects on the lungs, according to a recent study from the University of Bergen in Norway
The regular use of certain cleaning products can have harmful effects on the lungs, according to a recent study from the Department of Clinical Science at the University of Bergen in Norway.
The researchers studied more than 6,000 people of both sexes for 20 years and found that women “who clean at home or who work as professional cleaners had an accelerated decrease in their lung function.”
This “suggests that exposures related to cleanup activities could constitute a long-term respiratory health risk, ” the study warns.
And, according to scientists, many times the use of chemical cleaning products is “unnecessary”, since fabrics made with microfibers and water are “sufficient in most cases”.
As if smoking n
Previous studies had already explored the short-term effects of these chemicals on asthma, but Norwegian research focused on the long term.
“We feared that these chemicals, by sustainably damaging the airways a little, day after day, year after year, could accelerate the rate of decline in lung function that occurs with age,” explained the research coordinator, professor Cecile Svanes.
Each survey included interviews, spirometries, questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, among other resources.
And the study found that the size of the effect (to a prolonged exposure to chemicals in cleaning products) was comparable to that of smoking between 20 and 40 cigarettes a day.
The group analyzed were men and women, whose ages ranged between 20 and 44 years between 1992 and 1994.
And one of the aspects that draw the attention of this study is that the vast majority of people who presented the effects were female.Most of the women who participated in the study indicated that they were responsible for cleaning at home. ISTOCK
In fact, in the case of men, no significant differences were found in the levels of decline in lung capacity of those who performed cleaning tasks and those who did not.
According to the researchers, this can be explained because there are far fewer men working as professional cleaners, but it also suggests that women may be more susceptible to the effects of chemicals.
For Svanes it is key that the study be taken into account to prevent exposure of the respiratory tract to harmful substances during cleaning activities.
“This study confirms that air pollution comes from many sources, including paints, adhesives and cleaning products,” Sarah MacFadyen, of the British Lung Foundation, told the BBC.
“Ensuring that we have our homes well ventilated, that we use liquid cleaners instead of sprays, can help protect us and avoid the impact of everyday products on our lungs,” he added.Previous research demonstrated health risks that may involve exposure to some of the chemicals present in everyday products. ISTOCK
Indeed, cleaning products are not the only products of daily use that can negatively affect health.
Another study recently published in the journal Science found that “pesticides, coatings, inks, adhesives and personal care products such as perfumes produce more than twice the polluting emissions of automobiles.”
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A new year and a new decade are coming up in less than 24 hrs…
Men’s Fashion Week Street Style
For the past 2 weeks Men's Fashion Week has been held in London, Milan and Paris, and will be held later this month in NYC. Of course we are eager to see what looks are going down the the runway for Spring 2015 drops, but another exciting element is seeing what the Fashionista's are wearing on the streets. What's on show won't be available in stores until at least February 2015 unlike what everyone's wearing on the streets. The "Street style" at any Fashion Week is usually very creatively put together and often on a lot lower budget than whats on show.
Below are some of the looks that were seen, lots of color, layering, accessories and the use of print on print was beautifully executed.
July 02, 2014
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Vapour lounges are at the forefront of our recent cultural revolution. Washington and Colorado took the plunge as the first two American states to legalize marijuana, while others seem to be largely following suit progressively by decriminalizing it. Legalization talks are more and more present in Canada as Federal Liberal Party leader, Justin Trudeau, is very much in favour of the move. Even without pot being legalized, there are several loopholes in the law that allow many to sit back with some friends and light up.
Whereas marijuana might be illegal, vapour lounges are not. Anyone over the legal age can walk into a vapour lounge with their own supplies – selling is very much still illegal – rent out papers, vaporizers, or pipes, buy a coffee and some snacks and get high. Vapour lounges and cafes are prominent in places like Amsterdam, where any form of marijuana and the act of smoking it is legal, but these chilled out zones are rising in popularity even in places where pot has yet to become legal. Toronto, Vancouver and certain cities in the United States are taking the lead, bringing a kooky “Amsterdam” feel to the cityscape.
So why is it legal to provide a safe space for people to smoke pot in places where the drug is actually still illegal? First of all, privacy laws restrict anyone from asking for the medical status of your marijuana, so it could be prescribed. These vapour lounges don’t even need a specific license – most of them just have a business licence or a food establishment license. The majority of them run as regular coffee shops that sell beverages and food with the added feature of “vaping.” These lounges aim to provide a safe environment for people to do what they were probably going to do on the streets anyway, and to creates a united and enlightened cannabis community. If you’re undecided on the to-legalise-or-not-to-legalise question, perhaps a rundown of these five fascinating North American vapour lounges will help you make up your mind.
#5. Club Ned – Colorado
The first cannabis cafe to open in Colorado, Club Ned’s owners, a middle-aged couple, faced difficulties when they had to keep prolonging their grand opening due to complications with their license. Club Ned’s slogan is “a club with altitude” and it’s an exclusive club only for pot smokers. The idea is to have an intimate, small space where people can choose to enjoy each other’s company or to sit quietly in a corner and enjoy their joint without the usual judgmental looks that come with lighting up just anywhere. Club Ned is particularly special because it’s the first business of its kind to open in Colorado and will probably pave the way for more in the newly legalized marijuana state.


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Langton Capital – 2017-02-20 – Unilever, business rates, inflation, trading & other:
Unilever, business rates, inflation, trading & other:
A DAY IN THE LIFE
We got another bit of wired kit on Saturday that I don’t pretend to understand.
It connects the TV to the internet, allows you to surf various channels etc. and, clever as the people who make these things are, they understood that few people were going to read the instruction booklet & so provide a ‘Quick Start’ guys for the impatient, the over-eager, idiots and men.
But, looking at the thing, I realised that I wasn’t sure that I could follow it.
And at one stage I’d swear a grinning cartoon fool looked to be sticking his finger in a plug socket after which he was presumably going to put his feet in a metal bucket of water and pray for lightning.
Still, we got the thing working but, as it demanded credit card details and there was no ‘skip’ button, it’s gone back in the box & will be returned to the shop.
We tried to find a way around, of course. Even entered into a conversation with the online assistant. But that person, named apparently both John and Trevor at different stages in the conversation, asked for credit card details to process an ‘assistance fee’ of $69.99 in order to avoid putting your credit card details in, which kind of rendered the advice useless.
Still, whilst we might have made a £40 mistake, there are others messing around with $145bn or so. But that’s other people’s money, of course. Different rules. On to the news:
PUB, RESTAURANT & DRINK PRODUCERS:
• Wetherspoon’s is to include on its menus the number of calories contained in its drinks next month, with other pub groups expected to follow suit. It comes after a poll found 90% of people did not know the calorie count of a pint of beer, with 80% unaware how much was in wine. Tim Martin, chairman of the 930-strong group, called it a ‘logical step’.
• Christopher Snowdon of the Institute of Economic Affairs argues that all alcoholic drinks should be taxed at a single flat rate of 9p per unit. The head of lifestyle economics called the current duty regime ‘excessive and illogical’ and said a 9p/unit rate would ensure a tax on alcohol rather than an ‘arbitrary’ levy on fluids.
• Stonegate has completed the integration of the 30 Intertain units following its acquisition last year for c£39.5m, per Propel.
• Bud Light to return to UK after 16yr gap says The Grocer. Journal also reports shoppers would dump brands for own-label if Brexit forces up price of food
• The business rates row is moving to a new level. For most losers, there is a winner. But try telling that to an operator in a swish district in the South East.
o It’s true to say that the rating system is somewhat outdated. It doesn’t make any allowance for online sales etc.
o Daily Mail reports price of a pint may rise 5p because of Rates hike alone. This is getting serious
• Foresight Group is in talks to take a stake in Liverpool-based Indian street food chain Mowgli, which currently has three sites. MCA writes that Foresight reportedly beat off interest from the Business Growth Fund and Imbiba.
• Colliers reports increased appetite for the pub sector and writes that pubs will most likely be sold in mid-scale packages in the coming year.
• Figures from the ONS show that retail sales volumes fell unexpectedly by 0.3% month-on-month in January compared to expectations of a 0.9% rise. The ONS said the data indicated the first signs of a fall in the underlying trend since December 2013, with increased fuel and food prices playing a key role.
• A group of global food chain experts led by Professor Tim Benton of the University of Leeds have called on supermarkets to better support UK food production. The group write in a report using Defra data that just 23% of the fruit and veg eaten in Britain is grown here.
• Moody’s reports Kirin’s planned sale of Brazilian business to Heineken is Credit Positive. It says the $700m sale is ‘credit positive for Kirin…because it is divesting a loss-making business and its leverage would improve if proceeds are used to reduce debt.’ Moody’s goes on to say ‘although selling the Brazilian business will weaken Kirin’s geographic diversification, the company’s overall profitability will improve without the loss-making operation.’
• Telegraph predicts ‘perfect storm’ for High Street. Points to challenge from online, rates increases & other factors.
• Predicts prices may rise even though demand is edging down as delivered products remove the need to visit shops.
• Speaking of business rates, the BRC says ‘it is the tax that is fundamentally broken, the whole thing needs to be overhauled.’ Cost increases may have to be passed on to customers.
• Pro Brexit campaigners at Leave Means Leave have suggested £300 could be knocked off shopping costs if the UK leaves the EU.
• It presumably accepts that, if lamb and prawns are shipped halfway across the world, farmers’ jobs will be lost in the UK and this will not be without cost. Tariffs on goods from the EU could have the opposite effect.
• The Daily Mail reports that half of all ready meals consumed in Europe, were eaten in the UK.
• Oil up to $56.01 from $55.74 last week
• Sterling lower at 124.2c vs US$ and 117.06c vs Euro
• House price growth slowing, however. Rightmove reports +2.3% y-o-y in year to February. They rose by 3.2% in January
KRAFT APPROACH TO UNILEVER – THE BID THAT NEVER WAS:
• We’ve come full circle. Kraft will not bid for Unilever. The wires have been buzzing over the weekend but, in an intriguing Press Release, both parties have said that they respect each other too much to fall out over the odd 100 or 150 billion dollars.
• Unilever & Kraft this morning identically report ‘Unilever and Kraft Heinz hereby announce that Kraft Heinz has amicably agreed to withdraw its proposal for a combination of the two companies.’
• It continues ‘Unilever and Kraft Heinz hold each other in high regard. Kraft Heinz has the utmost respect for the culture, strategy and leadership of Unilever.’ Kiss, kiss, smiley face, smiley face.
• For the record, Kraft Heinz made a $143bn approach to buy Unilever saying Kraft ‘confirms that it has made a comprehensive proposal to Unilever about combining the two groups to create a leading consumer goods company with a mission of long-term growth and sustainable living.’
• Kraft said ‘while Unilever has declined the proposal, we look forward to working to reach agreement on the terms of a transaction. There can be no certainty that any further formal proposal will be made to the Board of Unilever or that an offer will be made at all or as to the terms of any transaction.’
• Unilever responded frostily saying ‘their proposal represents a premium of 18% to Unilever’s share price as at the close of business on 16 February 2017. This fundamentally undervalues Unilever. Unilever rejected the proposal as it sees no merit, either financial or strategic, for Unilever’s shareholders. Unilever does not see the basis for any further discussions.’
• Kraft / ULVR put-up-or-shut-up means former has until 5pm on 17 March 2017 to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Unilever or announce that it does not intend to do so.
• As it was, the parties didn’t need a month to come to the conclusion that a stress-free marriage wasn’t a realistic possibility
o Kraft has shown its hand. It wants to buy things.
o It was clearly prepared to pay a very juicy multiple of sales (not just profits)
o There are other, admittedly smaller, fish in the sea
o Some of the sales & EBITDA multiples for smaller operators are much, much lower than those for Unilever
LEISURE TRAVEL & HOTELS:
• Almost 200 Thomas Cook travel agency jobs are at risk under plans to shut 39 branches as part of the travel agent’s review of its retail network. Thomas Cook hopes to have the majority ‘redeployed across the business to retain their expertise’.
• A record high of 2,049,093 Brits travelled to Tenerife last year, making up some 36.6% of all visitors to the island.
• VisitBritain statistics confirm that a record 37.3 million visitors came to the UK last year, up 3% on 2015, although spending remained the same at £22.2bn. The US, which remains Britain’s most valuable source market, and Canada grew strongly. VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe said: ‘We must seize the opportunity to build on this, boosting visitor spending by driving home the message of welcome and value particularly in our high spending markets such as China and the US and the valuable European market.’
• The state of emergency in Tunisia has been extended for a further three months.
• Snap has been valued at up to $22bn ahead of its IPO, which will see shares sold for between $14 and $16. The flotation will be the largest since Alibaba went public in 2014 with a value of $171bn.
• Foresight Group has invested £4m in golf equipment retailer Clubhouse Golf, which will go towards driving international trade and developing its e-commerce platform.
FINANCE & MARKETS:
• More than a quarter of employers (27%) believe EU staff are considering leaving their jobs and/or the UK this year. A fall in the supply of EU nationals is hitting the UK retail and wholesale, manufacturing, health and accommodation, and food services sectors particularly, the survey of more than 1,000 employers conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found.
• The Times reports properties are taking longer to sell
• UK gilt yields sharply lower as reflation concerns abate. 10yr gilt yield 1.21% vs 1.26% on Friday
• World markets: UK up Friday but Europe lower. US up and Far East mostly up in Monday trade
TODAY IN A NUTSHELL:
• Business rates row moves to new level. For most losers, there is a winner. But try telling that to operators in swish London post codes
• Daily Mail reports price of a pint may rise 5p because of Rates hike alone. This is getting serious
• ONS shows retail sales volumes fell unexpectedly by 0.3% m-o-m in Jan vs expectations of a 0.9% rise.
• Kraft drops ULVR approach. Both companies say they love & respect each other. There are other fish in the sea
• Moody’s reports Kirin’s planned sale of Brazilian business to Heineken is Credit Positive
• Telegraph predicts ‘perfect storm’ for High Street. Points to challenge from online, rates increases & other factors.
• Thomas Cook to shut 39 branches. Evolution to online continues. Purchase of Co-op sites not so sensible in hindsight
• VisitBritain statistics confirm that a record 37.3 million visitors came to the UK last year, up 3% on 2015. Spending unchanged at £22.2bn
• State of emergency extended in Tunisia for a further 3mths
• Later tweets on Friday: US has too many restaurants says journal NRN. Wendy’s to open 1k new stores. Macro v micro behaviour. The one doesn’t benefit the other
• US Q4 earnings season shows EPS +7%. Not bad going. Strong Philly Fed numbers too.
• MLC confirms view that London hotels much, much stronger in Jan. Than both Jan last year & the autumn. Benefits MERL etc.
• Christopher Snowdon of IEA argues all alcoholic drinks should be taxed at a single flat rate of 9p per unit
• Stonegate has completed the integration of the 30 Intertain units following its acquisition last year for c£39.5m, per Propel
RETAIL NEWS WITH NICK BUBB:
• Saturday Press: The big business story in the Saturday papers was the shock/rejected Kraft Heinz bid for mighty Unilever (as trailed by FT Alphaville’s excellent Markets Live column on Friday morning) and Lex column in the FT concluded that Kraft Heinz can afford to pay more. There was also a lot of uncritical coverage of the disappointing ONS Retail Sales figures for January (although they were downplayed by the Telegraph, funnily enough), swallowing the line that consumers are reacting to price rises by reining in their spending. The Guardian had a bullish feature about the revival of the Iceland supermarket chain, noting the success of the Clapham store revamp and its middle class appeal (“Zuppa di Pesce, 28-day matured steaks, asparagus spears, and a £35 bottle of champagne to wash it down”) and flagging that Iceland is planning six more similar makeovers elsewhere in London,
• Sunday Press: The Kraft Heinz bid for Unilever filled plenty of column inches in the Sunday papers and Mike Coupe of Sainsbury was quoted by the Mail on Sunday as inveighing against the power of “massive monoliths” who form their biggest suppliers and flagging that the CMA will have a field day with the competition issues. The other big focus was on the iniquities of the new Business Rates system and the Sunday Telegraph flagged that both Mike Coupe and Andy Higginson of Morrisons have criticised the Business Rates system as being “medieval”. The Observer had a double page spread about the increases coming in Business Rates for many retailers next month (“Small shops recoil in the face of business rates that will more than double”), but perhaps the most useful overview of the problem came from the Sunday Times’ estimable Retail Correspondent Oliver Shah (who is up for 2 awards at
• Today’s Press and News: The amazing news that Kraft Heinz has already formally called off its bid for Unilever, because of political opposition and the cultural difference between the two companies, gets plenty of coverage in today’s papers…but there is also a lot of focus on the news that Amazon is to create 5000 new jobs in the UK and the growing political row about the planned rise in Business Rates (given the revelation that nearly all the worst affected areas are in Tory-held seats).
• The Grocer Watch: The widely followed Grocer “33” weekly supermarket pricing survey in Saturday’s The Grocer magazine saw Tesco score its first victory of 2017, with its basket of £60.90 coming in a convincing £4.14 than its nearest rival, Asda (and that was before the £2.97 Brand Guarantee cash back). Poor old Asda also had to give a hefty £10.74 Price Guarantee voucher. Morrisons was 3rd on £65.38 and Sainsbury was 4th on £67.00. As usual, Waitrose was in last place, on £71.45, but there was better news for Waitrose in the separate regular Grocer “Mystery Shopper” weekly survey on Store Service and Availability, as its 17,500 sq ft store in Wells came top, scoring 76 out of 100.
• Trade Press: We weren’t able to bring you the highlights of Retail Week magazine on Friday but the main feature was about how CEO Rowan Gormley is “putting the fizz back into Majestic”. RW also had features on the 5 lessons for retailers from JD Wetherspoon, why The Body Shop may need facelift, which companies could be on Asda’s shopping list and the new Bunnings DIY store in St Albans. And in his column the Editor took a sympathetic view of the recent news about Waitrose store closures and management job losses, thundering that “Waitrose’s tough decisions are in its long-term interests”.
• News Flow This Week: The hard-pressed spin-doctors at Asda will try to put their gloss on more weak sales figures tomorrow afternoon, on the back of the Wal-Mart Q4 results, with new CEO Sean Clarke overdue to set out his strategic plan. Tomorrow also brings the CapCo finals and the Hotel Chocolat finals, whilst we get the Intu Properties finals and the Howden finals on Thursday.


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How Nike Air Jordan trainers went from being banned by NBA in 1985 to making $3billion in 2020 – The Sun | The Sun
IN 1984, the perfect marriage began.
Nike, then a struggling sportswear company and not worth a fraction of the $34billion it's said to be worth today, picked Michael Jordan to endorse their trainers.
Incredibly, 38 years later their brand Nike Air Jordan still manages to make $3bn-per-year – and is enjoying a resurgence since the premiere of Netflix documentary The Last Dance.
In fact the very first trainers Jordan wore, the Air Jordan I, fetched a then-world record $552,000 at a 2020 auction at Sotheby's.
Here's how it all began… and it very nearly didn't!
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Fresh out of the University of Carolina, where he starred for the Tar Heels college team, then-rookie Jordan was approached by Nike after being drafted with the Chicago Bulls.
At that point, Nike was most famous for their running shoe – but that business had dwindled in the mid 80s and the company was suffering.
He liked the idea of becoming a global face of Adidas or Converse.
But the latter didn't fancy an unknown, having already snapped up Boston Celtic legend Larry Bird and former LA Lakers star Magic Johnson on huge contracts.
Adidas didn't offer him a deal either, and it was only on the advice of his former agent David Falk and his mother Deloris that Jordan went to see Nike at their Portland HQ.
Speaking on The Last Dance, he said: "My mother said, 'You're going to go listen, you may not like it, but you're going to go listen."
JORDAN WAS UNSURE
The story goes that Nike's sales pitch didn't enamor Jordan.
Their head designer at that time Peter Moore is said to have shown the NBA legend sketches for the designs of the Air Jordan I trainers, tracksuits, and other sportswear all in black and red.
On being presented with them, Jordan reportedly replied: "I can’t wear that shoe, those are Devil colours."
Never-the-less, Jordan signed a five-year deal worth around $2.4million, with royalties on top.
He was prepared to take a dance with the devil.
AIR JORDAN I
It was the trainer that kick-started the revolution. Going against the trend, the Air Jordan I featured bold black and red styling and caused controversy.
The NBA banned it – insisting footwear on the court had to be white. But Jordan didn't listen, continuing to wear them whenever he turned out at the Chicago Stadium.
That resulted in fines of up to £4000-per-game, but Nike were happy to pay that off.
It gave their shoes the best publicity they could hope for, and at $65 they were flying off the shelf – selling $144million-worth in the first year.
Famously, Jordan wore the red and black shoe when he scored 63 points against Bird's Celtics.
Rapper Nas explained in The Last Dance: "For a kid, it was almost like owning a lightsaber, from Star Wars, you needed that shoe to be like him.
"It was more than a status symbol—you knew that this guy was the guy."
WHAT IT'S WORTH TO JORDAN
Sports first-ever billionaire, Michael is still raking it in from the Nike Air Jordan.
Since the launch of Air Jordan I, Nike produced a further 33 pairs of trainers. In 2019, the brand had a resurgence – making an astonishing $3bn worldwide.
Jordan's cut of that was around $145m – four times as much as LeBron James earns with his Nike sponsorship deal – that's 17-years after he retired from basketball.
In his final game for the Bulls at Madison Square Garden 1998, the home of NY Knicks and where Jordan loved playing, Jordan wore the original pair of Air Jordan I trainers from his debut season.
They were a size too small and cut his feet, but that didn't deter him from leading the Bulls to a 102-89 win, while finishing the game on 42 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
It was a fitting send-off for the man, and his legendary trainer.
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‘[In new media], brand experience as a marketing tool will start to come into its own,’ says JHP managing director Steve Collis; ‘Longer hours, lower fees, more pain,’ says Intro creative director Adrian Shaughnessy; more overseas competition, especially from eastern Europe (Cut The Mustard design director Robin Dunlop); ‘Graphic design will adopt a strong back-to-basics approach’ (Mark Whitehouse).
From an editorial influenced graphic style to a changing education landscape and a burgeoning international outlook, what defines design in New York?
Stories That Never Stand Still has been created “by people with ADHD, for people with ADHD”, and features educational articles alongside personal accounts that attempt to cut through the stigma
Precious Plastic seeks to tackle a “global problem on a local level” by sharing blueprints for industrial plastic recycling machines.
The new identity has been launched to mark the platform’s tenth anniversary, as well as support its mission to get more fans directly supporting music creators.


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Like most American muscle cars, the Chevy Camaro has a big following the world over. GM has tried to tap into that market by offering the 5th-generation Camaro for sale in far flung places like South Korea, China, and Europe.
England is on that list as well, and GM has just announced pricing figures for the UK Camaro. The Camaro starts at £36,495, or about $57,000 at today’s exchange rates.
That’s a lot of loot for a Camaro, but like most of Europe, the UK has high taxes and tariffs on imported cars. All told, these add-ons almost double the cost of the Camaro from the time it leaves American shores to the time it reaches the British Isles.
There is only one engine option, the 426 horsepower 6.2 liter V8, and the automatic transmission option adds another £1,500 or $2,350 to the price tag. Want a convertible? Prices start at £41,965, or $65,838. That’s Cadillac CTS-V pricing right there, though the UK will also get access to the 45th Anniversary Edition Camaro at an undisclosed price. And these prices are likely without any available option packages; start ticking those off and the price could easily climb above $70,000.
Just another reason America rocks; we can still keep our muscle cars reasonably priced, as well as our gas. Imagine having to top up a Camaro with $8 a gallon gas, like most of the UK pays. There, the Camaro is a car reserved for the wealthy, but here in America even the average man can aspire to own a piece of automotive muscle.


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Testing cosmetics on animals may seem like something of the past — and in the United States, it is, for the most part. Animal testing was phased out in the entire European Union in 2009, and in 2013, a follow-up law banned the sale of any products that were tested on animals anywhere in the world. The United States has mostly followed suit, and you’d be hard-pressed to find products on the shelves of drugstores that were tested on animals within our borders.
But — anything imported from China will almost definitely have been tested on animals, as the country’s laws require it. And as more and more companies outsource production, chances are you have something tested on animals in your makeup bag.
California lawmakers, however, are fighting back. Senator Cathleen Galgiani of Stockton introduced legislation Friday that would ban the sale of any animal-tested cosmetics in the entire state of California. Called the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, or SB 1249, the bill would “make it illegal for any cosmetic manufacturer to knowingly import or sell any cosmetic, including personal hygiene products such as deodorant, shampoo, or conditioner, in California if the final product or any component of the product was tested on animals after Jan. 1, 2020.”
It’s not the first time the state has created laws around this issue. In 2000, California made it illegal to use animals for testing “when an appropriate alternative method is available.” As advancements are made in technology, this has become more common; It’s now possible to engineer 3-D human skin or tissue, for example, which is a cheaper, faster, and more ethically sound way to predict human reactions to shampoos and mascara. The list of ingredients used in cosmetics is also becoming more standardized, making it not as necessary to test each one before it hits the shelves.
“California has long been a leader in promoting modern alternatives to animal tests,” Galgiani stated, “Inaction at the federal level compels California to lead the way.”


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With Square Enix celebrating Final Fantasy XI‘s 20th anniversary this year, they are bringing one of its crossover events back to Final Fantasy XIV: The Maiden’s Rhapsody. The event will be live from Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 1:00 a.m. to Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 7:59 a.m. (PDT) / Thursday, 28 April at 8:00
The third step of the Escutcheon questline makes an appearance this month, together with some high-level synthesis recipes of an extreme difficulty level, each producing Superior 3 equipment usable with a new gift being introduced! On the battlefront, the monthly changes to Ambuscade are available, the Ark Angel TT has been added to the alter
This year marks the 15th anniversary of FINAL FANTASY XI’s release. In celebration of this momentous occasion and in thanks for your steadfast support, we will be holding the 15th Vana’versary Mog Bonanza! In addition to the usual slew of wonderful prizes, the luckiest of the lucky will receive the Onion Sword II cosmetic item!
It’s that time of year again! Final Fantasy XI launched May 16, 2002 in Japan for the PlayStation 2 and this year marks it’s 15th anniversary. While we’re sure to get even juicier items, events and bonuses once the May Version Update lands, here’s a list of campaigns that will be active during the period.
Over the past couple of years the world of Vana’diel has changed in many new and exciting ways, and if you’ve been on an adventuring hiatus for a bit, there’s a good chance you might have missed out on some of the great quality-of-life changes that make it easier than ever to adventure throughout Vana’diel.
Towards the tail end of July, the FFXI Development Team titans Producer Akihiko Matsui and Director Yoji Fujito stopped by Reddit to field some questions from the masses.
Anyone remember .hack//SIGN? It was an anime that hit the States back in the early 2000’s on Adult Swim that was set in the fictitious MMORPG, “The World”, a game that was conceptually ahead of our time utilizing virtual reality (VR) headsets in place of a standard screen. While we’re still years away from VR
This week at the Nexon Developers Conference, the first ever images of the new Final Fantasy Mobile game were shown and wound up on a Japanese blog, the images bearing the title, “Final Fantasy XI Reboot”. As many of you well remember, back in March 2015, Square Enix announced The Vana’Diel Project– a means to
The next version update is scheduled to dock on Tuesday, April 8. Cargo on this ship includes new high-tier mission battlefields with Tenzen and Ouryu respectively, new job-specific equipment, racial stat adjustments such as increases in Tarutaru HP and Galka MP, and a variety of adjustments to make adventuring in Vana’diel more convenient than ever.
The Spring Alter Ego Extravaganza will commence on April 1, bringing along with it three new alter egos to add to your arsenal! Vana’diel’s most prestigious chocobo chick, Sakura! The Red Menace, Ovjang! The Reticent Protector, Mnejing! Campaign Period: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) to Wednesday, April 30 at the same hour.
Producer Akihiko Matsui held another “Freshly Picked Vana’diel” to go over some of the new content and discuss other topics pertinent to adventuring. Of particular interest to Vana’diel’s adventurers is some insight into the plans in store for inventory system changes and gear-swapping macros. We’re currently making plans to add an equipment-specific inventory that will
I rarely get jealous of games that are exclusive to Japan – mostly because there isn’t much I can do about it. However, as both a Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV player, its hard not to be jealous at Square Enix’s latest announcement for their Dragon Quest-based MMORPG. By now, you’re probably thinking,
…FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn™, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX, TOMB RAIDER®, and FINAL FANTASY® XIII-2! And they were purchased at a great price! Today, Square Enix announced a massive sale for the coming holidays. If you were looking for a gift for your gamer loved one or maybe just waiting for some
Its already been 2 weeks since the launch of Seekers of Adoulin and we want to hear what you have been up to! Have you already reached the level cap with the new Geomancer and Rune Fencer jobs? Perhaps you’ve already collected a full set of the new armor? Or maybe you’ve been destroying Knotted
It’s been mentioned that Final Fantasy XI players that make the move over to Final Fantasy XIV may see some type of bonus. Today those bonuses are revealed! Note that these bonuses are exclusive to the PC version of Final Fantasy XIV. PlayStation 3 bonuses will be announced at a later time. Read on for


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People are busy at times, and people are lazy at other times. These two worlds have one thing in common, One doesn’t have time to cook, and the other doesn’t feel like cooking. “Maggi”, this one word has made life easy for both of them. Maggi, an international brand of instant noodles, has been into various controversies over the past month or two.
“Nestle” must have seen its highs and lows all through these years but it has seen its worst lows during the past two months or so. Its Share price coming down by more than 50%. For a company which has been functioning for more than 50 odd years, this would obviously bring down the brand image. The reasons for this were clear enough. Its contents are contaminated with(higher presence) lead and monosodium glutamate, which would risk a consumer’s health. The Government of India had filed a case against Nestle for its unfair practices, and false labelling and Maggi had to go off the shelves from every retail outlet and had to be tested. After all, this has been done, and people voicing their views on the “BAN OF MAGGI” to whether it had to be brought back.
People of all ages have voiced their views, and more than 70% have voiced their support in bringing back Maggi. Suddenly, when you flip channels sitting on the couch at home, you come across an advertisement wherein people share their experiences with Maggi.
“Kab waapas aayega yaar? Miss you”
“I miss you, yaar. Come back, man.”
“Ab aa bhi jao. Miss you yaar.
In all of these advertisements, a person shares his own story at the end, and explain why and how much they miss MAGGI.
All this is followed by a hashtag that says #Wemissyoutoo.
This has created a new ripple in the social media wherein the loyalists have shared it to get Maggi back onto the shelves. And Maggi has recently announced that they are going to bring back Maggi by this year-end.
Blog writer | Photographer | Foodie.


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Pattie Lovett-Reid: Buy now, pay later? Don’t do it!
HUNTSVILLE, ONT. —
Low charges and rising prices are main extra Canadians to tackle extra debt.
The most recent MNP Client Debt Index report has discovered that borrowing intentions are on the rise, as many Canadians merely search to make ends meet, and that borrowing has taken on a riskier tone as customers look to finance their buying habits over the following few months.
Practically six in 10 respondents (58 per cent) say they’re considerably prone to borrow extra money earlier than the top of the 12 months. This quantity consists of the 37 per cent who’re inclined to rack up extra debt on bank cards that already carry a stability.
What’s alarming to me is the idea of purchase now and pay later. Any such exercise spiked in the course of the pandemic with an uptick in on-line buying coupled with monetary instability.
Nonetheless, this transfer might show to be very pricey.
Purchase now, pay later, payday loans and even bank cards could seem enticing on the floor, however the satan is within the particulars. Some of these fee choices favour the lender, not the buyer. They’re designed for corporations to earn money at your expense.
The longer you keep in debt, the upper your curiosity prices can be, and the extra the mortgage or advance will value you. Add to this expenses for processing the transaction and potential late fee charges do you have to miss a fee, and it might begin to seem to be a conspiracy to value you some huge cash.
“Retail incentives of purchase now and paying later might fulfill your want for fast gratification however paying later shouldn’t be at all times good worth for customers,” says Grant Bazian, president of MNP.
We’ve got been lulled into a way of complacency, with rock-bottom rates of interest resulting in purchases we all know we’d not in any other case been in a position to afford. Actually, 58 per cent admitted within the MNP survey that low rates of interest supplied them with the chance to purchase stuff they needed however did not essentially want.
Nonetheless, the low-interest-rate gravy practice will come to an finish.
We will not ignore the almost half (46 per cent) surveyed who reported that they have been $200 or much less away from not having the ability to meet their monetary obligations, together with the 27 per cent who say they already do not make sufficient to cowl the payments coming in and their present debt funds.
Costs are on the rise and inflation has been stubbornly persistent. Vitality prices are hovering, and provide chains have been disrupted. All of those challenges improve the price of items and companies at a time when some households live very near the margin and struggling to make ends meet.
Decrease-income Canadians are the cohort I fear about most. It is not the discretionary spending that might take them down financially, it’s the fundamentals like meals and shelter.
Nonetheless, for others, the monetary danger to Canadian households is actual. Rate of interest will increase are on the horizon because the financial system positive aspects traction. You could possibly lose your job, have an sudden expense or perhaps a life-altering occasion. Any one in all these life occasions might add vital monetary stress to your family.
For many who proceed to rack up debt as a result of they will, a phrase of warning. There may be one factor that might change your monetary trajectory: eliminating discretionary spending on the issues you already know you possibly can’t afford.


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There is no doubt that the tech space has been marked by an enormous uptick in patent disputes over the last several years. Rivalries have spilled from the sales floor to the courtroom, as battles between tech giants like Apple and Google, suits from so-called patent trolls and governmental rulings, like decisions from the ITC to ban the import of certain tablets and smartphone. have grabbed headlines
So, in light of all of the animosity between and among these tech companies, it is newsworthy when word of cooperation comes down the pike. But cooperation is indeed the latest news out of South Korea, as LG Display and Samsung Display have decided to put aside their disputes and explore cooperation.
These companies are the largest makers of panel displays in South Korea. Samsung Display manufactures screens for devices such as Galaxy smartphones and tablets, while LG Display supplies screens for iPhones and iPads.
In the past year, the two companies have sued each other over patents related to the creation of these displays. But these suits have put undue weight on the backs of the two companies, who also compete heavily with manufacturers from Japan and China.
In a statement, Samsung Display noted that it has “come to an agreement with LG Display to focus on finding ways to cooperate on patent matters though discussions, and to immediately drop lawsuits over liquid-crystal displays and next-generation organic light-emitting-diode display patents.” LG Display released a separate statement echoing the same sentiments, saying “What’s most important for both of us is upgrading our competitiveness globally.”
With increasing consumer demand for crystal clear displays on portable and wearable devices display manufacturers are under increasing pressure to create new and innovative screens. By putting aside their differences, the companies can redirect money and resources devoted to litigation, using the funds instead for R&D and, perhaps, the two companies truly can work together to get a leg up on foreign competitors.


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Camp Cocker Rescue is for the first time saving dogs from the puppy mill/dog meat industry in South Korea.
What many people don't realize is that the puppy mill trade and the dog meat trade are directly connected and work together to make use of the dog for it's entire lifespan. Small breed dogs that start out in puppy mills, when they are done being used there, will then be transferred to the dog meat farms.
In an effort not to take donations away from Cocker Spaniels in our USA shelters, we want to set up this special link for separate donations for these dogs from South Korea.
We are working with an rescue organization in South Korea by the name of Band For Animals and their rescue partner, Korean K9 Rescue. They are doing the brutal and brave work of being on the frontlines and saving these dogs from puppy mills and dog meat farms as each place of business is being busted for inhumane conditions. They are also saving dogs from local animal shelters in South Korea, to intervene and keep them from ending up at a dog meat farm.
As of right now, both puppy mills and dog meat farms are legal businesses in Asia, so the only way that rescuers can save dogs from these situations is if business owners are caught by the government running things in an inhumane way (such as no proper air circulation, unsanitary conditions, not giving the animals access to clean water, etc.).
Any dog that Camp Cocker Rescue can take in, makes room for another dog to be saved from a truly horrific situation.


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Confident builders and tame prices aid growth
But last month’s factory output was modest
The outlook for the US economy brightened a little Tuesday after reports that consumer prices stayed tame and home builder confidence rose to the highest level in six years. A third report showed factory output grew only modestly in September, a reminder that the economy is still weak. Low inflation could give consumers even more incentive to spend at a time when their confidence is at a five-year high. That could boost growth and help lift American manufacturers out from their slump.


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Closing the loop: BMW cars to help update HD Live Map
We’re still ten years away from fully autonomous vehicles being used in meaningful numbers. For broad market adoption, think 2035...
HERE maps are on board 100 million vehicles and counting
HERE is celebrating this week, as the cumulative number of vehicles sold worldwide with our maps on board has surpassed...
NVIDIA and HERE partner on artificial intelligence for HD maps
With their sights set on a driverless future, HERE and NVIDIA are extending their collaboration to develop HERE HD Live...
HERE gets new investors and plans expansion into China
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Back in May, BlackBerry confirmed that Android and iOS users would soon be able to download BlackBerry's BBM for free. The Canadian smartphone manufacturer said the application would support iOS6 and Android 4.0 and higher and would be available in the summer. While there's still no word on the app's general release date, it has been confirmed that BBM for Android is now in beta testing.
BlackBerry this week began emailing its Beta Zone members to invite them to become beta testers for the Android version of BBM. The company eventually provided confirmation of the beta test to Engadget, detailing that internal testing for both iOS and Android has begun, but that the beta program is full.
BBM for iOS and Android will allow users to chat (one-on-one or group chats), as well as send photos, and voice notes. Of course, these applications are subject to approval from the App Store and the Google Play Store, so it's not guaranteed yet. For example, Apple could very well reject BBM for replicating the function of iMessage. Still, we'll wait to see what happens when the summer rolls around.


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HANOVER, Germany—Tire manufacturing is returning to Algeria, thanks to a private investor that is financing a greenfield car and truck tire plant being built in Setif.
The plant, which represents an investment of $250 million to $300 million, is financed by an unnamed "private consumer products company which is currently active in the electronics segment," Black Donuts CEO Kai Hauvala said at the Tire Technology Expo in Hannover.
The plant will, for now, be small and will produce passenger car as well as truck and bus tires, Hauvala said.
Officials broke ground on the plant was in mid-2016 and machinery is expected to be installed at the plant by the final quarter of 2017.
Finnish automation and materials handling company Cimcorp Oy is supplying machinery to the plant, Hauvala added.
Algeria has been without local tire production since 2013, when Michelin closed its plant in Algiers and sold its business there to a local investor.
Located in eastern Algeria, Setif is the capital of Setif Province with more than 275,000 inhabitants.
Pirkkala, Finland-based Black Donuts is an independent consultancy offering turnkey tire plant engineering formed in 2011. Hauvala is a former Nokian Tyres P.L.C. engineer who helped found Black Donuts. He worked for Nokian for more than 16 years in various positions.