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Chocolate, berries, and tea could be naturally modifying your mood, according to new research that reveals certain compounds found in foods bear ‘striking’ similarity to chemicals used in mood stabilising...
Cocoa compounds found in dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure in the short term and could help guard against cardiovascular disease, according to a recently released study.
Cocoa flavanols can improve mild cognitive impairment, according to new research funded by chocolate giant Mars.
Fat content in chocolate can be cut in half and fat bloom avoided by using fruit juice, without any impact on mouthfeel, according to researchers.
Flavanol-rich extracts from cocoa and green tea may reduce markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in obese adults at risk for insulin resistance, says a new study.
On-farm implementation of cocoa bean starter cultures could aid the production of chocolate with a more consistent flavour, according to a new study from a team Belgian researchers and Barry...
Almonds may contain 20% fewer calories than previously thought, with potential implications for nutrition labeling, according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Manufacturers can up the antioxidant content in chocolate with a freeze dried raspberry leaf extract with minimal impact on texture and mouth-feel, according to a study.
Global decline in cocoa butter quality, coupled with growing demand for high quality cocoa butter mean that more robust but flexible refining technologies are required, say researchers.
Using fertiliser on degraded farms with mature trees can double cocoa production, according to a study funded by Mars.
Formulating gummy confections with acid-modified corn starch (ACMS) is a feasible alternative to other gelling components such as regular starch, gelatin or pectin, according to a study.
Barry Callebaut has announced that chief innovation officer Hans Vriens has quit after seven years at the company.
The oil extract limonene can improve the final product quality of reduced fat chocolate, according to researchers.
Supplementation with cacao-flavonoids and soy isoflavones may improve levels of biomarkers of heart disease in postmenopausal, diabetic women, says a new study.
New methods for measuring the stereochemical forms of flavanols in cocoa that could determine whether health benefits can be derived have moved a step closer, say Mars.
Researchers using a combined method of microscopy have connected protrusions in chocolate to oil migration and fat bloom.
A combination of sensory and analytical flavour analysis that is hardly commercially available can optimise the taste of chocolate, according to a flavour consultant.
Researchers suggest shearing to be more effective than seeding in preventing oil migration and possibly fat bloom formation in chocolate
New insights into the distinct roles of roles of flavanols and procyanidins in the human body could provide a fundamental scientific basis for understanding their potential benefits for heart health,...
Looking at images of calorie-rich foods could affect how the brain processes tastes, leading to greater appreciation for even neutral tasting foods, suggest researchers from Nestle.
Higher cocoa percentages and single origin cocoa claims on dark chocolate labels fail to improve consumer expectations, according to a study.
Altering the release profile of salt in crisps and snacks could help to lower levels of ‘unperceived’ sodium without affecting taste, say researchers.
Cardiovascular benefits from cocoa flavanols are independent of any antioxidant properties, according to a study by Mars.
Ethical production claims such as ‘fair trade’ may influence how consumers perceive calorie content, according to new research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
The culinary herb western parsley (WP) can boost antioxidant activity in fatty foods and improve stabilisation over a long storage period, according to a study by Japanese researchers.


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Angry Birds Star Wars was the No.1 UK PC budget game over Christmas.
Focus Multimedia – which claims to have held 25 per cent of the budget-priced PC market in December – told MCV last year it was confident Angry Birds would top the Christmas charts.
It is the second year in a row that a Focus/Rovio title has been the best-selling game of its category in December.
Even though 2012 was a challenging year for many, people still want to be entertained,” said Focus MD Craig Johnson.
The demanding climate makes our successes even more satisfying, and we look forward to a more prosperous, successful 2013.”

domain: news


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- Daily Zen
As gaming companies merge, EA looks for a suitable partner.
American video game maker Electronic Arts, Inc. is reportedly looking for a buyer. Dylan Byers of Puck claims that EA, which has a market cap of $36 billion, has been scouting for a buyer for quite some time. He states that they almost fixed a deal with NBCUniversal. The latest Electronic Arts news alleges that the company has been pursuing “a number of different potential suitors.”
Comcast-NBCUniversal chairman Brian Roberts reportedly approached EA CEO Andrew Wilson regarding the merger. If completed, the resulting company would have been run by Wilson while Roberts held the majority stake. It is rumored that the deal fell through due to disagreements over structure and price. Byers reiterates that the Comcast EA deal would have been extremely beneficial to NBCUniversal.
According to insiders with knowledge of Electronic Arts news, the video game maker EA approached Apple, Disney, and Amazon. EA reportedly wanted to have “a more meaningful relationship than licensing deals” with Disney. Byers states that combining ESPN and EA Sports could truly change the game in future.
On the other hand, EA spokesperson John Reseburg categorically denied the rumors stating, “We don’t comment on rumors and speculation relating to M&A. We are proud to be operating from a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of amazing games, built around powerful IP, made by incredibly talented teams, and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a very bright future ahead.”
However, Byers sheds light on the most recent Electronic Arts news saying, “Several sources familiar with these talks say EA has been persistent in pursuing a sale, and has only grown more emboldened in the wake of the Microsoft-Activision deal. Others say that EA is primarily interested in a merger arrangement that would allow Wilson to remain as chief executive of the combined company.”
Gaming companies have been on a major acquisition spree this year as they race to establish their presence in this growing market. The gaming industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.94% over 2022-2027. Electronic Arts looking for a buyer seems plausible as the biggies make strategic moves to consolidate power.
At the start of the year, news broke that Microsoft had bought Activision for nearly $69 billion. The deal is expected to be completed soon. In a bid to ramp up its mobile gaming segment, Take Two purchased Zynga for $12.7 billion. As the mobile gaming industry continues to grow exponentially, the Take-Two and Zynga partnership could bring newer, bigger to the market. Sony also jumped into the race to buy out Bungie for a cool $3.6 billion. Gaming company Embracer Group recently acquired Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, and Square Enix for a staggering $300 million. The group has business spread across PC, mobile, console, and board games. In February, Ubisoft mentioned that it will continue to remain independent but will consider good offers “in the interest of all shareholders and our great teams.” Back in 2016, Ubisoft fought off a hostile takeover plan by French media conglomerate Vivendi.
Last year, EA bought Glue Mobile and Playdemic for a combined $3.8 billion. In the earnings report for fiscal Q4 2021 and full fiscal year 2022, the company’s net bookings are at $7.51 billion – up 21% compared to fiscal 2021.
However, one thing that remains to be seen is how the proposed mergers will affect developers at Electronic Arts. None of the companies mentioned have issued a statement or given any hint about the rumored mergers. But the merger news comes close on the heels of reports of layoffs at EA in the US and EU. Electronic Arts has confirmed the right sizing and stated that it will help “reduce complexity and increase our efficiency, flexibility and scalability”.


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Author: Joe Kizlauskas
Last Updated: 1st March 2021
The online and retail sportsbooks from New Jersey continued their record-breaking months and remarkable year-on-year growth in October, nearly hitting their first $500 m month. And that development, PlayNJ.com analysts said, will resume with the basketball season’s tip-off.
Garden State sportsbooks reported a whopping $487.9 million in bets in October, a 87% leap from $260.7 million in October 2018. October bets generated a record profit of $46.4 million, ahead of $11.7 million year-on-year, raising taxes of $5.7 million. Sportsbooks have now produced a lifetime income of $331.2 million.
New Jersey’s October handle is likely to fall short of Nevada for the second straight month, which will announce data later this month in October 2019. But that might change in the months to come.
“New Jersey has a real shot at surpassing Nevada again, if not in October, some time before the end of the NFL season,” said Dustin Gouker, Lead Analyst at PlayNJ.com. “The state’s handle is growing at a pace near 100%, year-over-year. And the overlapping of football and basketball should propel New Jersey into new territory.”
He added: “If New Jersey is going to pass Nevada during the NFL season, it will be in large part due to the comparative popularity of basketball in the Northeast. In Nevada, football betting is king, and it’s nearly as popular in New Jersey. But a key differentiation between the two markets is that New Jersey bettors’ have shown more interest in other major sports, especially basketball.”
Of all the October bets, $417 million were made online, reflecting 85% for New Jersey’s handle. That’s up from September’s 84 percent.
FanDuel Sportsbook / PointsBet kept pace with the online market, generating $20.7 million in gross revenue, up from $13.3 million in September. The licence of Resorts Digital, led by DraftKings and Fox Bet, lost ground by raising $10.6 million, down from $10.7 million in September.
At The Meadowlands, FanDuel Sportsbook posted $4.1 million in gross revenue in October, up from $3.6 million in September to lead sportsbook retailers.
“The addition of Fox Bet under the Resorts Digital license has reset the race for the top spot in the online market,” Gouker advised. “FanDuel is still the most popular single brand in the state, but it will be worth watching whether it can keep its lead with DraftKings and Fox Bet.”
The online casino and poker industry in New Jersey, meanwhile, continued its drive toward $450 m in annual revenue after a record October, as the online brand of the Golden Nugget created more revenue than its first land-based casino.
Online casino games and poker in October produced $45.2 m, up 69% in October 2018 from $26.8 m. In October, the Golden Nugget scored $16.6 m, up 71 percent from $9.7 m in October 2018, to lead the online casino market easily and topped the first generated $14.8 m Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
“What the Golden Nugget continues to prove is that its online casino can generate millions in revenue and grow at an overwhelming pace without a negative impact on their own land-based operations,” said Eric Ramsey, Online Gambling Analyst for PlayNJ.com. “When the first online casinos launched in 2013, many thought such a dynamic would be impossible. But clearly that has been proven wrong.”


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Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is scheduled to release its third quarter earnings report on Wednesday after closing bell. Will the automaker surprise to the positive, or will it disappoint?
What to expect in Tesla’s earnings report
On average, analysts are expecting Tesla Motors to report losses of 1 cent per share on $889.3 million in revenue. That’s compared to last year’s third quarter non-GAAP earnings of 12 cents per share on $602.6 million in revenue—both of which were significantly ahead of consensus estimates.
Gates Capital Management's ECF Value Funds have a fantastic track record. The funds (full-name Excess Cash Flow Value Funds), which invest in an event-driven equity and credit strategy Read More
Tesla previously guided for production of between 9,000 and 11,000 Model S sedans during the third quarter. The automaker projected a gross margin that’s similar to what it was in the second quarter. Operationally, management expected to be close to flat or slightly profitable in the quarter.
For the full year, Tesla expects to deliver 35,000 cars or more, so the number of third quarter deliveries will tell us how many cars the company must deliver in the fourth quarter in order to hit that target. Tesla guided for approximately 7,800 sedans in the third quarter.
Beyond the numbers
Of course there are many other factors that will play a role in where Tesla shares move after the company’s earnings report. For example, the automaker idled its Fremont, Calif. plant during the third quarter to improve production capacity. The facility is also now capable of producing the Model X crossover vehicle in addition to the Model S, so any update on when Model X deliveries will begin will be a good thing. Currently, the automaker plans to begin producing it in the spring.
Updates on the gigafactory could also be a catalyst for Tesla stock, as could details about demand in China, a key market for the automaker.
Where will Tesla stock go after earnings?
In a post last week, Forbes contributor Gordon Scott suggested that shares of Tesla Motors may move downward after the company releases its earnings report on Wednesday. He points to recent price action that suggests investors may be starting to worry.
One of the things they may be worrying about, according to Scott, is the introduction of the D version of the Model S. While it’s certainly a welcome addition to Tesla’s line of cars, it didn’t take long for shares to slump after its introduction. Also he notes that the addition of another model makes Tesla’s business model more complex.
So will Wall Street continue to have a taste for risky Tesla shares? It’s anyone’s guess at this point.


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Versatility, functionality, ease of use, convenience and aesthetic appeal characterise the US’s three most successful small kitchen appliances.
So writes Peter Goldman, president of the home section of The NPD Group, writing in the latest issue of the International Housewares Association’s Housewares MarketWatch.
The top three products – stand mixers, food processors and electric grills – all respond to consumer demand for the above qualities, he says. Mixers, for instance, run the gamut in colour and finishes while tackling a variety of tasks from grinding to juicing and pasta making.
The food processor category has remained at the top by allowing consumers to prepare more and more complete foods in various forms but in less time and with no mess. These features have made the new generation of processors an “overnight success”, with dollar sales up by over 60% in a year.
The electric grill has seen similar success based, on time efficiency, healthier cooking and many new features such as interchangeable plates that improve versatility.
Housewares MarketWatch also reports falling US sales across all sectors of the fine tabletop industry. Last year, dinnerware, beverageware and flatware were down by 5, 0.4 and 7% respectively, reflecting a consumer preference for more casual tableware at lower prices. On the back of a trend towards more home entertaining, a plethora of entertaining-inspired products is predicted to come to market this year across the casual tabletop categories.
Access Housewares MarketWatch at housewares.org/industry/data/marketwatch.asp. Data on a specific category is available at npd.com.


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Dundee’s radiant beauty Lorraine Kelly and rentagob supercar wrangler Jeremy Clarkson appear in a brand new mobile game, launched today, which aims to raise money for the Help The Heroes charity.
Developed by Supersonic and published by the AppyNation collective, the Help For Heroes app is OUT NOW, priced at £1.99, of which £1 goes directly to the charity, helping wounded servicemen, veterans and their families.
Players must help hero bear through a landscape full of pitfalls and dangers. Do well and the sultry Ms Kelly will pop up and offer encouragement. Do badly and Mr Clarkson will appear and offer his own unique brand of hilarious criticism. That alone may help set records as players complete the game flawlessly…
Help For Heroes and AppyNation are trying to make the app one of the fastest selling charity apps of all time. They’re coordinated a mass takeover of social media and the games press to help get news and information out about the game.
You can find out more, download the game and donate to the charity on the Help The Heroes website.


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Ready your sweet tooth, NYC.
Fferins of Brooklyn just debuted in South Slope, and it's spicing up the typical confectionary options we've come to expect. While catering to the local flair—currently offering ice cream from Blue Marble, Raaka chocolate from Red Hook—the candy store also looks to expand its selections to not-so-available treats.
"My partner is from the U.K. and we couldn't find certain items here that we missed. We all lived there until a couple of years ago and that's sort of where the idea and inspiration came from," owner Lindsay McGrath says of her business.
Though the shop is still in the process of importing a chunk of its merchandise, she says the goal is to feature candies such as the full line of Cadbury Chocolate, Starbar, Maltesers, Teacakes and an assortment of other old-school treats—one's that might necessarily be on everyone's radar. "We want to give them [customers] an experience they might not have otherwise had," McGrath adds.
Kiddos can satisfy their sugar highs with a pick-and-mix deal ($6.75 for 1/2 lb.) with rock candy, gummies, Swedish Fish and more items they love. Plus, there's a lot to look forward to down the road with the promise of catering aspect and birthday parties, though final details are still in the works. For now, McGrath and her partner are looking for residents' input to see what snacks they're craving most. They welcome visitors to send suggestions (firstname.lastname@example.org, 718-788-5788) of what they'd like to see on the shelves.
"We're trying to set up a business with ties to the community and a family business for ourselves and for our kids to be involved in," McGrath says.
Sounds like we're going to have to stop by for a bite! Happy snacking, Brooklyn.
Fferins of Brooklyn, South Slope (Facebook.com/Fferins/).


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When will the US Galaxy Nexus release saga finally come to an end? Consumers have been teased for the last few months, awaiting some kind of official sign from Verizon on when they’ll start to sell the device. Some fresh rumors have once again thrown caution to the wind for those expecting the device to drop on December 8th.
If you have been following the US release journey for the Galaxy Nexus, you’ll know that December 8th ‘seemed’ to be the final resting place for the 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus, but new information coming out of Best Buy threatens to override that once again.
According to an internal Best Buy inventory image obtained by Engadget, the Galaxy Nexus will be launching three days later on December 11th, which happens to to fall on a Sunday which you may find strange since Thursday is usually the traditional day for all new Verizon smartphone launches.
The reassuring aspect of this new leak is that it is obviously just three days later, as we’re sure the majority of you will not be bothered too much about waiting a further few days to pick up the world’s first (official) Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone. All these delays though are obviously not too good on the heart, and again we wonder why Verizon do not just announce an official launch date to put everyone’s mind at ease.
Given what has happened though with the US Galaxy Nexus, that would be too easy wouldn’t it, and who’s to say that we won’t have even more twists and turns before December 8? Anyway, treat this as another potential date for now, but let’s hope that December 8 remains the date when the device will finally arrive.
How accurate do you think this new Best Buy listing is? Would it be logical for Google and Verizon to launch the device in the US on a Sunday?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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After some shareholders stated that they thought that the salary of Anil Rai Gupta, chairman and managing director, Havells India, was too high in absolute terms and way higher than his peers, the company has issued a clarification.
As per the shareholders, “the total promoter remuneration was Rs 385.9 mn and Rs. 369.2 mn in FY22 and FY23 respectively, which is high in absolute terms”. The shareholders had sought that the matter be discussed in the upcoming annual general meeting on 27 June 2023.
The company, meanwhile, has justified Gupta’s salary in its regulatory filing, by clarifying that the overall remuneration for the financial year 2023 is approximately1.8 per cent of the profit before tax (PBT), which is proportionate to the nature and size of the company. It clarified that the percentage of commission in the proposed remuneration is in line with the current pay structure, and that it has not undergone any changes in the past one decade.
The commission, as per the company, is linked to the PBT. Therefore, it will change as per the company’s performance.
Gupta’s remuneration for FY23 of about 1.8 per cent of the net profit (last 4 years average of approximately1.8 per cent) has not exceeded the cap of five per cent stated in Section 197 of the Companies Act, 2013.


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Held each May, Celiac Awareness Month is supported by, among other organizations, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Because people with celiac disease are sensitive to gluten, the month also raises awareness of this intolerance.
Treatment for celiac disease typically mirrors that for gluten sensitivity: Avoid foods, beverages, and other products that contain glutens—which could mean some baked goods, pastas, sauces, lunch meats, and even cosmetics. While this is sometimes difficult, more and more you’ll see efforts to make this easier on people. Stores are housing gluten-free products in specifically signed locations, beer purveyors have gluten-free beverages separate from the others, and restaurants not only designate but even promote their gluten-free offerings.
Millions of people in the United States have celiac disease, yet many may not realize it. Celiac Awareness Month serves to help people understand what the disease is, how to determine if they have it, and how to control or even eliminate their symptoms. And throughout the year, you’ll find celiac disease information and avenues for support, online and in the community.
Locally, D&W Fresh Markets offer classes taught by Margaux Drake, the stores’ Living Well Lifestyle Expert, who is a member of the WOTV 4 Women Healthy Eats Crew and a contributor to WOOD TV8’s eightWest. Margaux is keenly aware of the need for better education on food and nutrition, particularly regarding celiac disease and other food sensitivities and allergies.
For more information on Celiac Awareness Month, start with http://www.celiaccentral.org/.
Written by: Amy L Charles is West Michigan Woman’s editorial director. Later this month, the West Michigan Woman website will offer information on gluten-free dining in the area.
Photo courtesy of: Amore Trattoria Italiano


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This week, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs and Tesla boss Elon Musk both issued dire projections on the issue of an impending recession in the US. In the wake of Terra’s epic explosion, the topic is all the more important, but Luna-tattooed Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz still thinks “the crypto revolution is here to stay.” This is Bitcoin.com News Week in Review.
Goldman Sachs’ Blankfinn advises companies and consumers to prepare for US recession – says it is ‘very, very high risk’
Lloyd Blankfein, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs who is now the firm’s senior president, has warned of an impending recession in the US, Blankfein says companies and consumers should be prepared, insisting that it is “very very high risk”.
Elon Musk: US economy possibly in recession that could last 18 months – warns it will ‘get worse’
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says the US economy is probably in a recession and could be a “tough” 12 to 18 months. He said: “The honest reason for inflation is that the government printed a billion more money than it did.”
Onchain Analysis Report Says Terra’s Bitcoin Reserves Have Been Sent to Binance and Gemini
After the collapse of Tera’s one-time stable coin Terasad (UST), many wondered where the Luna Foundation Guard (LFG) bitcoin went, as the funds should have been used to protect UST’s $1 parity. On Friday last week, Elliptic, a blockchain intelligence and analytics firm, published a blog post summarizing where bitcoins were sent, according to the firm’s network monitoring tool.
Billionaire investor and Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz addresses Terra Luna and UST fallout
On May 18th, Billionaire investor and crypto proponent Mike Novogratz published a post about the recent Terra blockchain fallout. Novogratz and his firm were big believers in the Galaxy Digital Terra project, and the investor even got a Luna-focused tattoo on his arm. Despite recent events and the damage the crypto economy felt last week, Novogratz stressed that he still firmly believes that “the crypto revolution is here to stay.”
Do you think a recession is coming? If so, how will crypto go through all this? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
image credit: Shutterstock, Pixabay, WikiCommons
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation or recommendation or endorsement of an offer to buy or sell any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.


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TikTok Stock Prices
So does the social media platform TikTok have stock prices and can investors buy TikTok Stocks? The answer is NO because TikTok is not yet a publicly traded company, therefore retail investors cannot purchase shares of the company. TikTok is a privately held Chinese company, owned by ByteDance.
As TikTok gained more popularity over the last 3 years, many retail investors began to ask if they could invest in the company. Although that is not an option now, there have been rumours about an IPO (Initial Public Offering) in the future.
However, investors should not hold their breath in anticipation of one!
Who are TikTok’s Investors?
TikTok, owned by ByteDance, has a number of high-profile investors under its belt. We will include a list of some of them below!
TikTok stock prices is valued at $250 Billion in private trades. The company owned by Chinese ByteDance grew 2021 revenues by nearly 77% to $58 billion, down from 100% growth in 2020.
The company maintained 21% of the advertising market in China, according to a recent report from Marketing Lab Zhongguancun. Other sources have valued ByteDance at over $400 Billion, as the company continues to dominate the advertising market in China.
TikTok User Growth Metrics
TikTok has seen tremendous user growth metrics over the last 3 years. The company boasts more than 1 billion monthly active users, and the app has been downloaded more than 3 billion times.
App Annie reported that TikTok was the most downloaded mobile-app in 2021. They also rank #6 on the world’s most-used social platforms, according to HootSuite.
Can I Invest in TikTok Stocks Indirectly?
Yes, you can invest in TikTok indirectly. However, this route may involve substantial risk. A way that you can do this is by investing into SoftBank Group, a conglomerate holding company that owns a 3% stake in ByteDance.
However, keep in mind that their stake could be substantially less. This is because SoftBank’s Vision Fund reported that they booked some profits on their ByteDance stake in April 2021.
SoftBank Group Corp (OTC: SFTBY), trades in the United States on the OTC markets. The stock is currently down more than 45% over the last 12 months. Given the company’s business model, investing in the stock involves substantial risk. SoftBank carries high levels of debt on its balance sheet, so if you’re thinking about investing, do so with caution.
There are also platforms like EquityZen, that allows you to invest, buy or sell stock in pre-IPOs via an EquityZen Fund. EquityZen operates a marketplace that allows employee shareholders in private companies to sell their equity to outside investors.
The platform has a minimum investment of $20,000. While this may seem like an awesome idea, this investment route may not be attainable for most people. If you want to invest into TikTok, you may be better off waiting for a potential IPO (Initial Public Offering).
TikTok Stock Prices: IPO (Initial Public Offering)
Investors have pondered on the idea of a TikTok IPO. However, there is no guarantee that the company will take this route. Back in September of 2020, ByteDance announced the new company they plan to form with Oracle, intends to hold an IPO.
However, it’s been more than two years and an IPO still holds no luck. They plan to call the subsidiary, ‘’TikTok Global.’’ News surfaced after the company faced backlash from former U.S. President Donald Trump, raising national security concerns. This was largely due to the company’s Chinese ownership.
Oracle, Walmart, and Microsoft, were reportedly interested in being involved in the company’s IPO plans. While things are still uncertain, there is still a possibility that TikTok makes an IPO debut on a U.S. stock exchange.
With the potential involvement of Oracle, Walmart, and Microsoft, and growing popularity of the app in the U.S., it poses a unique opportunity for U.S. investors. However, the timeline of it’s IPO plans is still uncertain.
Will The U.S. Ban TikTok?
Over the past two years, there has been growing concerns of national security as one of the world’s most popular social media apps takes storm. During President Donald J. Trump’s time in office, he sparked growing concerns of the apps dominance in the U.S.
However, when President Joe Biden took office on November 3rd, 2020, he revoked an executive order to ban Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat. Over the course of the last year, TikTok’s growth in app downloads and users in the United States continues to explode. USA remains at the #1 spot, with more than 140 Million users.
We’ll share a chart below of the Top 10 Number of TikTok Users By Country!
On November 1st, 2022, the FFC (Federal Communications Commission) commissioner Brendan Carr, said that the United States should continue it’s efforts to ban Chinese app, TikTok. He is just one of five commissioners who voiced their concerns that the FCC has no regulatory authority over TikTok.
He also cited concerns about Chinese telecom companies, like Huawei. ”I don’t believe there is a path forward for anything other than a ban,” Carr said. There is a general concern in China’s dealings with U.S. user data and how this data might influence U.S. political processes.
While the path forward for TikTok in the United States is uncertain, the popular social media app might have to divest to a U.S. company to remain active.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you buy stock of TikTok?
The Best Way to Buy Stock of TikTok is through SoftBank Group Corp (OTC: SFTBY) and KKR & Co Inc (NYSE: KKR). These two globally renowned investment firms own shares in TikTok’s Parent Company, ByteDance.
Is TikTok a publicly traded stock?
TikTok is not a publicly traded company. It is a privately held Chinese company owned by ByteDance.
Is TikTok gonna go public?
TikTok was rumoured to go public back in September of 2020. ByteDance announced that they intended to form a new company with Oracle (TikTok Global) for an IPO in the U.S. However, the deal fell through.
Who owns TikTok now?
TikTok is currently owned by Chinese technology company, ByteDance.
Disclosure: The author holds no position in SoftBank Group Corp or any of the companies mentioned in this article. Freedom Stocks has a disclosure policy.


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To a large proportion of the population, blockchain technology is a very new concept. Most people started paying attention to this new technology in the latter days of 2020. Today, blockchain and all its element is almost a household topic despite the technology being launched over 10 years ago. The launch of Bitcoin by unknown persons under the pseudonym of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 brought this technology to a bunch of tech-heads. However, the building blocks of blockchain technology were described for the first by Stuart Haber and W Scott Stornetta through a cryptographically secured chain of blocks. As a result of the complexity of blockchain technology, it has always been a community topic. In addition, in the early days of the technology, its application was limited, with the main reference being Bitcoin. Therefore, if you did not have a background in technology and you have a hard time understanding new concepts, you stayed away from blockchain technology.
Fast forward to 2022, blockchain technology has matured and its application has expanded. Despite the tech always changing and evolving, the basics still remain the same. There is content all over the internet providing dumbed-down explanations for newbies. The availability of easy content to understand has come in handy for tech lovers in Africa. The result is Africa is the fastest adopter of blockchain technology in the world. The adoption of the tech has gone beyond crypto to new applications that are changing lives in the content. Examples of such initiatives include Kotani Pay. However, there are individuals who have used the complexity of the tech to create get-rich-quick schemes to scam people. There is still a gap in information about blockchain technology, especially in Africa. The information is not readily available or covered by mainstream media, which most people trust.
At Usiku Games, we noticed this problem and we hosted a media workshop in partnership with the Media Council of Kenya, Harmony, and Polygon. The objective was to train the media fraternity in Kenya on how to cover and report on blockchain stories. The speakers were Jay Shapiro, David Nandwa, Founder HoneyCoin, Jofre Rocabert, Harmony DAO Member, and Joan Jerop, Blockchain Business Strategist. The topics covered included the basics of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, NFTs, DAOs, and myths about blockchain technology.


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Esta página no está disponible en español.
The Indianapolis News/Indianapolis Star
BY DAVID MANNWEILER
28 November 2004
Headlines about hurricanes crashing through the Caribbean in August and September left a huge misconception in the minds of winter travelers.
"Every time there is a hurricane, people assume every island was hit and is down and out for the duration," said Gay Nagle Myers, Caribbean editor for Travel Weekly. "Absolutely, that's a misconception in the Caribbean now."
The confusion is understandable. The area extends nearly 1,700 miles from Cuba in the west to Barbados in the east. But very few of the 30-some Caribbean islands with large tourism draws suffered heavy hurricane damage from Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan or Tropical Storm Jeanne.
The Cayman Islands, the non-hotel side of the Dominican Republic, Grenada and the Bahamas islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco reported major destruction from the hurricanes.
Left practically untouched were Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago. The popular U.S. Virgin Islands, which technically are not Caribbean, also escaped lasting damage.
David Cumpston, spokesman for the travel Web site SideStep.com, said travel to the Caribbean this year is ahead of 2003 figures. "It looks like a 19 percent increase in Caribbean air traffic volume in 2004 over 2003," Cumpston said.
"The Florida/Hawaii traffic looks relatively unchanged from 2003. Travel to Europe during the winter is way down -- about 25 percent below a year ago. So it looks like a shift from Europe to the Caribbean for wintertime travel," he added.
To keep tourists coming, island businesses are offering rare bargain prices for winter trips in the Caribbean. Holiday Inn, for instance, is offering a free night at any of its island inns or SunSpree Resorts to anyone purchasing three consecutive nights through Dec. 15. Other hotels are matching those extra-night deals.
Here's some of what travelers can expect to find:
Puerto Rico escaped serious hurricane damage to its championship golf courses (it has more than any other Caribbean destination). That was very good news for the third annual Puerto Rico Ambassador's Cup, a pro-am tournament hosted by Chi Chi Rodriguez and scheduled on three different courses Dec. 15-19.
The Wyndham El San Juan Hotel & Casino, across from the city's cruise piers, is undergoing a $4 million renovation of its 385 rooms with ocean, mountain or beach views. The 10-story resort has Puerto Rico's largest casino. The El Conquistador Resort and Spa is adding 67 luxury villas on a 300-foot bluff and two swimming pools.
Interest is growing for vacations on the tiny Puerto Rican island of Vieques, now that the U.S. Navy has stopped using the island as a bombing range. The Wyndham Martineau Bay Resort & Spa, (recently ranked one of the world's top nine new resort destinations by the Robb Report) has rooms beginning at $145 a night. The guesthouse Posada Vistamar has $55-a-night rooms. Visitors to Vieques have a choice of 40 beaches, including three phosphorescent bays that glow in the night.
Beach connoisseurs like San Juan's Isla Verde for windsurfing, the town of Isabela's Shacks Beach for surfing and Luquillo Beach, near the El Yunque Rainforest, for its fine white sand. El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in a U.S. National Park.
Puerto Rico Tourism Co., (800) 866-7827, www.gotopuertorico.com.
The prices quoted in this article came from advertisements, hotel and resort Web sites and Internet travel sites. Prices are subject to change due to accommodation dates, non-stated room taxes and room location.
If you go
Check with travel agents or consolidators about hotel-airfare packages, which usually are better deals. Round-trip airfares start at around $400. Helpful Web sites include expedia.com, travelocity.com, hoteldiscounts.com, orbitz.com and travelweb.com.
Sources: The Star, U.S. Department of State


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The niche manufacturer scores its best year of sales in its near-50-year history.
Caterham's history since it was founded in 1973 has been a phenomenal one considering that its business model has been to keep the classic Lotus Seven fire alive. Over the years, we have seen the historic chassis modernized with new components and powertrains in a bid to satisfy some of the purest driving enthusiasts across the world, but even the company that created it has moved on to bigger things like the Lotus Emira while Caterham has doggedly stuck with the simplest recipe.
2021 was a big year for the small British brand as it introduced its first-ever electric powertrain and the Caterham Seven 170, which is officially categorized as the lightest Seven ever made. By switching things up in its portfolio, the Japanese-owned company now confirms that it has experienced its most successful year of sales in its history.
The final sales figure of 670 cars for the entire year is very modest but it reflects a 41% increase over 2019. Before this, its sales record sat at 667 in 2015. Caterham says that it was pleased with its result considering that it too was hindered by complications that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that it didn't put together any limited edition models.
A big reason for its success last year was the aforementioned 170 but the Seven 420, launched in 2015, remained its strongest seller in the UK and USA. Its biggest market remained its home region with a share of 37.6% but it noted an increase in demand everywhere else. Its youngest dealership in Portugal managed to clear 22 units and the Italian region sales increased by 17 cars year-to-year.
The USA was one of its biggest markets having cleared 49 unit sales. This is more than double what it was able to achieve in 2019. Caterham says it has no intention of stopping its momentum in 2022 as its order books are filling up at a rapid pace. It also notes that this year's Caterham Academy season, consisting of 50 cars, was fully occupied a whole eight months before the season opener. 2023 looks to repeat this as 25 of the slots are already catered for.
Graham Macdonald, Caterham's Chief Executive Officer expresses great joy regarding Caterham's impressive achievements last year. He says, "While 2021 saw plenty of challenges across the automotive sector, I'm delighted to announce such positive sales figures for Caterham. The experiences of the last two years have led many people to re-evaluate what they want out of life, meaning Caterham's philosophy of driver-focused fun and thrillingly pure performance resonates even more clearly than before."


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Hockey Hall of Famer Dick Gamble to get ring backPITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — A scuba-diving treasure hunter who found an American Hockey League Hall of Fame ring in one of New York's Finger Lakes is returning it to its owner.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
DECEMBER 03, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2013 - FINGER LAKES SELF STORAGE, INC.
AROUND THE WEB
- Hockey Hall of Famer Dick Gamble to get ring back
Monday Jul 24, 2017
- Knife-Throwing as a Sport: Who Would Have Thunk It?
By PETE CROATTO - Friday Sep 15, 2017
No, ESPN is not televising it — at least not yet. But there are a growing number of devotees who love the sound of knife hitting wood.
- Self-Storage Startups Offer Pickup and Delivery
Tuesday Jun 20, 2017
The tech sector is turning its sights on the self-storage sector. A handful of startups are using the latest in logistics and web technology to offer what they claim is a more efficient and user-friendly way for people to store things.
- Google Parent Retires 'Firefly' Self-Driving Prototype
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Google parent Alphabet Inc. retired its self-driving prototype dubbed the “Firefly,” a tiny test car with no steering wheel or pedals, to focus on building its self-driving technology into mass-produced vehicles.
- Lyft to Develop Self-Driving Car Technology in New Silicon Valley Facility
By MIKE ISAAC - Friday Jul 21, 2017
The ride-hailing company is opening a research center in Palo Alto, Calif., and plans to collaborate with automakers and tech companies.
- Apple Scales Back Its Ambitions for a Self-Driving Car
By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI - Tuesday Aug 22, 2017
The tech giant was going to build its own self-driving car. Now it is sticking to the underlying technology and testing it in an employee shuttle service.


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The TargetExpress store in Rosslyn is getting a facelift.
Two sections of the store — an area next to the women’s apparel aisle and the Starbucks — are currently blocked off by plastic sheets. Large pieces of construction equipment and tools were spotted in those sections.
Though several Target employees told ARLnow.com they weren’t sure what kind of work is being done or when those areas might reopen, one said a new beer and wine section might replace the shuttered Starbucks. A media representative for Target did not immediately respond to requests for more information.
(Luckily, Rosslynites needing a caffeine fix will not have to go far to find another Starbucks.)
The 23,000 square foot store, located at 1500 Wilson Blvd, sells groceries, beer, wine, personal care items, clothing, gadgets and other goods. It opened less than two years ago.
A person suffered serious injuries in what’s being described by police as a single-vehicle crash in Rosslyn.
Introducing Towngate North, a new condominium residence coming soon to Old Town North. Find rooftop terraces where you can relax and take in city views along the Potomac.
A Dominion Energy substation under renovation near Crystal City is set to electrify the neighborhood with an artistic façade. The energy provider is expanding and remodeling its substation at the…
The Right Note is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s. The annual closeout process, or second round of spending, is upon us again. Tonight, the…


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A new patent from Sony Interactive Entertainment reveals a device used for what appears to be the control of mobile games, with a space for a phone in the middle and buttons on the sides.
The whole thing is based on the DualShock 4 pad from PlayStation 4 and not on the newer DualSense from PS5. The controller is “cut in half,” and there is a slot for portable equipment in the center.
Although not shown in the drawing, the plans also include a special lever, thanks to which it would also be possible to control motion – according to documents filed with the patent office.
The controllers are already compatible with mobile devices via Bluetooth, so that the novelty would be an extension of the offer. Perhaps it would be used, for example, to support games as part of streaming to PlayStation Now or via Remote Play.
Recently, Sony has been investing more widely in the field of games on phones. Nicola Sebastiani became the new head of the department in October, transitioning from the successful Apple Arcade.
Earlier, the head of PlayStation – Jim Ryan – assured that his company still in the current fiscal year – ending in March 2022 – wants to release “cult series” on mobile devices.


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During the surge in container shipments, the carriers had every possible vessel sailing to maximize capacity on their routes. Now as volumes have slackened and spot freight rates tumbled there have been forecasts that carriers would begin dramatically cutting back on capacity by blanking sailings and laying up vessels for an extended period. The analysts at Sea-Intelligence, however, are warning that the cuts may not be coming quickly enough laying the groundwork for even more competition on price as volume falls during and after Chinese New Year.
Traditionally, the period around Chinese New Year Sea-Intelligence notes sees a production slowdown in Asia. The shipping lines blank sailings in order to bring supply in line with demand. The industry has already begun blanking sailings with the expectation that it will continue and likely increase in the coming weeks. The Port of Los Angeles for example was forecasting at least 11 blanked sailings to the port during December following 13 blanked sailings in November.
Chinese New Year is also earlier in 2023. The holiday is January 22 with China and Vietnam having an official week-long holiday running till January 27. Normally there is a rush to move goods in the weeks before the holiday while many companies slow operations and reduce capacity for several weeks around and after the holiday.
Jeremy Nixon, CEO of One Network Express, one of the leading Pacific carriers, said his firm was expecting that factories might take as many as four or five weeks off in January and February around the holiday. He said his firm was expecting carriers to reduce capacity by as much as 50 percent on some routes and slowly build it back with the seasonality pick up in March and later.
Alphaliner at the beginning of December reported that approximately 1.4 million TEU of capacity has already been idled or a total of 261 ships. That represents little more than five percent of global capacity, but some analysts have forecast that during the first quarter idle capacity could rise to 2 million TEU or more.
“In 2020, we saw an extension of Chinese New Year (CNY) due to the Covid outbreak, while in both 2021 and 2022 the shipping lines kept capacity high in order to cater to the high demand levels,” says Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence. “Given that demand growth has now stagnated, and freight rates are still dropping, it would make sense for the shipping lines to blank additional capacity during CNY 2023 to try and stem the bleeding freight rates.”
Murphy highlights that while the expectation is for further capacity cuts based on the volume declines and dropping rates, it is not the case.
“When we compare 2023 with both 2019 and the average capacity growth rate of 2015-2019, we see an extraordinary increase in deployed capacity,” said Murphy. According to Sea-Intelligence’s analysis of the current schedules. Asia-North America West Coast is seeing capacity growth of 35 to 38 percent, Asia-North America East Coast of a staggering 57 to 59 percent, and Asia-North Europe of 28 to 42 percent. Asia-Mediterranean is the only trade lane that is closer to the pre-pandemic levels Sea-Intelligence notes.
“This development is quite concerning, as despite falling demand, deployed capacity during CNY 2023 is slated to be higher than the deployed capacity in 2021, where demand was absolutely surging. If demand continues to be sluggish, or outright contracts, given these capacity levels, freight rates will continue to tumble,” predicts Murphy.
With the shipping lines sitting on piles of cash, further helped by a highly profitable Q3, Sea-Intelligence speculates that the industry might end up in a situation where there is another price war, reminiscent of the 2015-2016 price war in container shipping.
Image by Freepik


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With the game streaming future taking off with Google’s Stadia announcement during this week’s GDC event, it appears another contender is ready to step into the fray. The mega corporation Walmart is reportedly taking the beginning steps in creating their very own game streaming platform, further pointing towards a streaming future for the industry.
In a USGamer report, anonymous sources have confirmed that Walmart is indeed processing the idea of a streaming platform by speaking with various publishers and developers on creating a competitive game streaming service. Little else is known about the rumor, so everything regarding Walmart’s dive into a game streaming future should be taken lightly.
In the past, Walmart attempted to embark into the video streaming service with the likes of Netflix and Hulu, although those efforts were abruptly shutdown after Walmart labeled them as “too risky”. It should also be noted that Walmart Labs – the company’s tech developing center – employs around 6,000 workers all working towards developing various technological elements within the Walmart’s digital presence.
Again, while there’s been no official confirmation from the Walmart corporation themselves, this is all merely speculation. It’s highly unlikely that Google will be the only company outside of the gaming industry looking to capitalize on a piece of tech that looks as though it could change the way we game forever. Stay tuned for more updates on Walmart potentially diving into the game streaming market as more information may, or may not, release.


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Moneygram has launched a new cryptocurrency service to allow customers to buy, sell and store cryptocurrencies using its mobile money transfer app. Initially, three cryptocurrencies are supported, including bitcoin and ethereum.
Moneygram’s New Encryption Service
Moneygram International Inc. (Nasdaq: MGI) announced the launch of a new cryptocurrency service on Tuesday. Moneygram’s official Twitter account tweeted:
Moneygram announces the launch of a new service that allows consumers to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies through the Moneygram app. This feature gives customers in almost all US states the ability to exchange and store BTC, ETH and LTC.
The company is expected to expand its selection of supported cryptocurrencies in 2023, the announcement adds. According to Moneygram, the new service is available in all US states (except Hawaii, Idaho and New York) and the District of Columbia.
“Moneygram allows instant access to over 120 currencies around the world, and we see cryptocurrencies and digital currencies as another entry and exit option,” said the company’s President and CEO Alex Holmes. He continued:
As consumer interest in digital currencies continues to accelerate, we are uniquely positioned to meet this demand and bridge the gap between blockchain and traditional financial services.
Moneygram describes itself as “a global leader in the evolution of P2P digital payments” and “a pioneering leader in blockchain-enabled settlement and cross-border payment innovation”. The company says it has served more than 150 million people in the last five years.
The ability to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies using the Moneygram money transfer app is made possible by the company’s existing partnership with Coinme, a US-licensed cryptocurrency exchange.
The two companies announced a partnership in May last year “to enable cash financing and payment for purchases and sales in digital currency”. Coinme’s website claims the service is “available at 12,000 Moneygram locations”. In January of this year, Moneygram announced that it had “completed a strategic minority investment in Coinme”, giving the money transfer company an approximately 4% stake in the cryptocurrency exchange.


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Ctrip publish report into China-Europe tourism market
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
Ctrip has released the “2017 China-Europe Tourism Market Data Report” alongside China Tourism Academy (CTA), a specialized institute under China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). The report was shared at the Venice Business Summit, the kick-off event of the 2018 China-Europe Tourism Year.
Ever since the signing of the ADS agreement, tourism exchanges between China and Europe has seen consecutive growth. In 2017, Chinese citizens visiting Europe exceeded 6 million for the first time.46% are from Eastern China with Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen being top departure cities. According to Ctrip’s airline ticket sales data, Europe is the second most popular destination for Chinese outbound tourists after Asia. Europe also saw a year on year growth of 26.3%.
While France, Italy, Spain and Germany remain top choices for Chinese travelers, countries such as Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland and Norway are also becoming increasingly popular. With strong preferences for self-coordinated and personalized tours, Chinese travellers are more willing to spend money on new and unique experiences. Females travel more than their male counterparts and 30 to 40 year olds are the main force of European tourism. With higher income and purchasing powers, this age group has the greatest demand for high-quality travel services and comfortable experiences.
Ctrip’s CEO of destination marketing Jenna Qian (main picture) said, “Seizing the opportunity of the China-Europe Tourism Year, we look forward to more tourism cooperation and exchanges between China and Europe. With the largest user base and a deep understanding of Chinese travelers, we are able to provide European destinations and partners with the most effective marketing and product strategies and solutions, and as a result, better serve our users.”
Mr Dai Bin (above right), president of China Tourism Academy (CTA) added, “Tourism is changing the world. Tourism is changing China and Europe. Looking ahead, we firmly believe that goodwill, tolerance and patience, will remain the cornerstone of sustainable tourism development between China and Europe.”
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Dr. Deborah Linder of Tufts University recently opened an obesity clinic at the school’s North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, campus to help people help their pets lose weight.
The pet obesity clinic is one of just a few to be associated with a veterinary school and staffed by specialists trained in pet obesity and other health problems. In addition to treating dog and cat patients, Linder also conducts research on pet obesity at the clinic.
The biggest challenge in addressing pet obesity, Linder says, is that most owners do not accurately assess their pet's weight. Nearly 40 percent of owners of overweight pets do not think their pet has a problem, according to research.
For most dogs, Linder says the best way to identify a weight problem is to touch around the rib cage, which should feel about as padded as the back of the owner’s hand. For cats, “if there’s a fat pad in the abdomen between the back legs, that cat is overweight,” said Dr. Kathryn E. Michel, medical director and nutrition professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
“What really gets me is that obesity and even [having] overweight animals is completely preventable,” Linder said. “We do the best we can to help them, but it would be better to prevent.”
The mid-year meeting addressed several regulatory matters affecting petfoods
The intent was to educate regulators and industry about the Model Pet Food Regulations
Committees discussed key proposals such as a possible shift in the oversight of animal feeds
It's an "Intel inside" type of molecule -- but also a problem child
It's the finishing touch that can meet both owner and pet needs.
What is this quiet, unassuming ingredient, and should it be there?
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The British low-cost airline EasyJet reported that hackers had accessed the email address and travel details of approximately 9 million customers, and the credit card details of 2,208 of them, the company said, quoted by world agencies report.
Hackers have stolen the data of millions of EasyJet customers, including thousands of credit card numbers, the budget airline said in a statement today, 19.05.2020. A “sophisticated source” had accessed the email address and travel details of approximately 9 million customers, and the credit card details of 2,208, the company said.
“At this point, there is no evidence of any misuse of personal data. We are in contact with approximately 9 million customers whose travel data has been stolen to advise them to take precautions to minimize any risk of potential fraud, ” the company said.
The airline added that by May 26 they will contact all customers affected by the cyberattack.
“Since we became aware of the incident, it has become clear that owing to Covid-19 there is heightened concern about personal data being used for online scams,” Lundgren said. “As a result, and on the recommendation of the ICO, we are contacting those customers whose travel information was accessed and we are advising them to be extra vigilant, particularly if they receive unsolicited communications.”


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BOZEMAN — With the COVID-19 shutdown business are looking to give back in any way that they can. Here at Bozeman Spirits Distillery, they're making hand sanitizer for local organizations.
"We're trying to make it in bulk for hospitals, there's construction crews that need it," said owner Jim Harris. "We got some calls, some emails, some texts as distilleries around the country were starting to make hand sanitizer and we have all the equipment to do it."
Harris and Bozeman Spirits Distillery are doing what they can to find out who is in need of hand sanitizer.
"It's a cool feeling to call people up and say hey we got this, what do you guys need?" Harris said. "Our process right now is reaching out to those individuals and those companies to say what's your need. Do you need 50 gallons? What is it?"
With only being able to sell their spirits like a liquor store, as no customers can hangout inside, making hand sanitizer is giving Harris and his crew a sense of direction during these difficult times.
"It gives us a purpose right now, it's a cool purpose to do, to go help the community out give a product out that's in short supply and that's a pretty good feeling to be able to come out and do that," Harris said.
If there's any way that you can help, Harris said, just wash your hands.


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As the weather turns chilly and people start to think about the holiday season, the Junior League of Duluth will host it’s popular Festival of Trees arts, crafts and gifts show at the DECC on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11 and 12. Festival of Trees has become one of Duluth’s largest “pop-up” shopping experiences and is more popular than ever with a decline of shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retail.
Last year there were over 140 retail vendors and non-profits selling handcrafted gifts and foods, home goods and décor, professional art, jewelry, books, clothing, health and beauty products, and more. There is something for everyone. And of course, the most popular guest is Santa Claus, who will once again be on hand to supervise the festivities and take free photos with his fans.
Junior League of Duluth’s Festival of Trees is a non-profit fundraiser that gets its name from their holiday tree auction. Every year, JLD members creatively decorate miniature holiday trees to display and auction at this event. Proceeds go to support JLD’s mission as an organization of women committed to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
JLD’s Festival of Trees began in the 1980s in the basement of a church as a simple craft vendor show. Today, it has expanded to fill two floors of the City Side Convention Center at the DECC.
“We had over 6,000 visitors at last year’s Festival of Trees. Many of our attendees come back year after year to see what’s new and to get a head start on their holiday shopping,” said JLD President Angela Engblom. “It’s a very festive environment made even better knowing it supports many local causes.”
Tickets are purchased at the door and the cost is $6 on Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9 am to 5 pm; and $4 on Sunday, Nov. 12. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Donating a non-perishable food item either day will provide a $1 discount, with all foods being donated afterward to Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Historically this event has collected up to 3,500 pounds of food. Parking at the DECC is $10 for the day.
Additional information about the Junior League of Duluth may be found at JuniorLeagueDuluth.org.


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Texas has one of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country. The state allows CBD, but only to treat intractable epilepsy. Patients wishing to use CBD must have recommendations from not one but two neurologists. Still, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) wants to crack down even more. In March, DSHS caused massive confusion in the state when they tried to pull CBD products from shelves. DSHS said all CBD had to go, even if it wasn’t derived from cannabis and even if it contained no THC.
The Lone Star state’s cannabis industry says DSHS has gone too far, and they’re stepping in to change the outcome. The industry provided massive information during the open DSHS period for public comment. Now, the final decision rests in the hands of DSHS commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt.
So what’s all the fuss? DSHS views CBD as an adulterant, a substance derived from another substance that is illegal. In short, CBD is not a legal nutritional supplement so it can’t be added to foods or other products, in DSHS’s view. Texas says CBD is specified as a controlled substance on the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) list.
CBD is found in marijuana and industrial hemp. Although the two plants are both cannabis sativa and are very similar, one plant is legal (hemp) while cannabis is not. Federal law defines hemp as a cannabis sativa plant with THC under 0.3 percent. Cannabis sativa plants with higher THC are considered marijuana, banned on a federal level as a Schedule I substance on the DEA’s Controlled Substances Act list. Since 2014, American farmers have been able to legally grow industrial hemp, thanks to the 2014 Farm Bill. Furthermore, America has always been able to import industrial hemp from other countries to use its fibers and other plant parts to make soap, fiber products, and other things.
DSHS is grappling with the issue. They’re also weighing how to deal with the massive influx of CBD product being sold by other states and by online retailers.
One of the concerns that industry has is that if Texas goes through with the CBD ban, the state will not only be hurting the cannabis industry but also the fledgling hemp industry. Farmers have only been growing it since 2014, and a move in the wrong direction by Texas would do “devastating and irreparable damage to the emerging hemp industry,” according to industry insiders.
The move would also set Texas back to the dark ages regarding the use of CBD products for medical ailments. The Texas Cannabis Industry Association (TCIA) has been very outspoken about the DSHS move. TCIA says that DSHS didn’t even participate in the state discussions on the new low-THC medical marijuana program, and as such, questions whether DSHS has any right to make their latest decision.
“Due to its nonexistent involvement throughout the legislative process, (the DSHS agency) lacks the education and understanding of how CBD and THC from hemp products should be regulated,” said Richard Cheng, attorney for TCIA.
DSHS is holding firm, and says it will make its final decision soon, but gave no timeline. A spokesperson for DSHS said this is not new; “the health agency has detained CBD products in the past.” The state legislature won’t be reviewing their decision because they view it as enforcement of an existing rule. So it’s all up to DSHS.
TCIA says that Texans are safely consuming CBD now and should be allowed to continue. They reiterate how far behind Texas is related to medical treatment as well as recreational use of CBD.


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A health department initiative to get small convenience stores to offer healthy food such as fresh produce is beginning to bear fruit.
After three years, an initiative to get small convenience stores to offer customers healthy alternatives such as fresh produce has begun to bear fruit.
The Healthy Corner Store program, which began in 2012, welcomed its 11th Toledo-area convenience store into the fold Tuesday when Moe’s Market at 4401 Hill Ave. in South Toledo began carrying a small assortment of produce.
To promote the event, a dietitian was at Moe’s to offer food demonstrations, recipes, and samples of healthy foods.
“You never know how many customers will stop by, but we wanted to have free samples and provide recipes,” said Tony Maziarz, the Creating Healthy Communities grant coordinator at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
The Healthy Corner Store program is sponsored by the health department and Live Well Greater Toledo, a community coalition promoting policy and other changes for a healthier community.
The Centers for Disease Control provided a $110,000 grant to pay for the stores’ marketing of healthier choices. But the program also receives assistance from the state’s Creating Healthy Communities program.
In the end, though, it is the stores themselves that help change eating habits by carrying, promote, and selling healthier items such as bananas, apples, oranges, and vegetables.
The program began in 2012 when the Saveway Market on Broadway agreed to carry fresh produce. In November, Toledo’s Ridi family to agreed to carry produce at two of its 37 Toledo-area Stop & Go carryouts, Mr. Maziarz said. Then last spring, Stop & Go owner Dan Ridi committed seven more stores to the program.
The program has participants in the east, south, north, and central city areas of Toledo. Mr. Maziarz said Moe’s Market marked a new step in the program — public sponsorship.
Charter school Winterfield Venture Academy donated $500 to help pay for the produce stand in Moe’s and also pay for signage. Winterfield is near Moe’s, and school officials wanted students to have healthier choices available on their way to and from school.
“We really wanted to partner with a school so that we can promote [healthier choices] in the school,” Mr. Maziarz said. “But we’re just trying this out. We hope that we can have a package out for the entire community soon so that if a business wants to sponsor this and put their name on a sign, it’s not a lot of money but it’s good PR.”
While the program will keep seeking new participants, Mr. Maziarz said a new goal next year is to expand offerings at the 11 stores participating.
Whole grain breads, unsweetened beverages, additional fruits and vegetables, and whole grain pastas would be offered if the participating stores agree, he added.
Contact Jon Chavez at: firstname.lastname@example.org or 419-724-6128.
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The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is urging Ghanaians to ignore videos making rounds on social media about the existence of plastic rice on the Ghanaian market.
The Authority explained that the same claims were made in 2017, for which samples were subjected to laboratory tests.
“Results from the analyses showed that all the samples were in fact authentic rice and not plastic as perceived by the public,” FDA said in a press release on Thursday, June 9.
It emphasised that the physical and chemical properties of plastics make them not suitable to be cooked into edible food.
“This is because plastic cannot absorb water and does not mix with water,” the release further stressed.
It, therefore, pointed out that “the videos on the alleged plastic rice are false and must be ignored”.
“The public should be assured that the FDA will continue to monitor the quality and safety of the varieties of rice on the market, both local and imported, to safeguard public health and safety.”
Source: Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana


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This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. This is the collection of past column.
The many delivery businesses that have sprouted up in the past few years make no sense financially and could be turning us into monsters.
I’m talking about app-based companies including Uber, DoorDash, Gopuff and many more around the world. They aim to bring us groceries, pre-cooked meals, cleaning supplies, a barrel of beer or a trip across town – all better, faster and cheaper than the traditional way. we always do.
I’ve tried to be open about these app companies. They are the logical next step in our consumer culture, and they create new kinds of jobs. Delivering anything under the sun can put Amazon’s power in the hands of local businesses and preserve what we like about Main Street with handy 21st-century knobs.
But any bit of my optimism is fading. These app distribution services are at best an economic illusion and at worst add to the misery by making it too easy to ignore their real costs – financial, human and community – in the name of convenience.
For years, my question about companies like Uber was… how? How does it make sense to take a 20-minute trip through San Francisco for the price of a sandwich? How could an app connect me to a courier and a local restaurant and get a burger delivered to what appeared to be peanuts?
The answer in many cases is that it makes no sense. Uber started in business in 2009, and so far, the company has spent so much money to maintain its popularity that it burns 14 cents in cash for every dollar of revenue. That’s not what sane businesses do, and it’s an improvement on Uber. Food delivery companies in the United States are also mostly unprofitable.
As my colleague Kevin Roose wrote in June, fledgling app-based companies built for consumer convenience are no longer a luxury to spend cash in stupid ways. Most of these companies are now trying to buy out competitors, raise prices or squeeze restaurants or restaurants for better terms. Or they are hoping that companies’ economies will be less affected as they supply a wider variety of goods and larger orders. Sure, these tactics can work in some places and some times. Or they may not.
More recently, delivery companies make even less meaningful sprouted everywhere. In 2015, Uber rides seemed unbelievably cheap, but now companies like Gopuff, Dija, Getir, and Jokr – I’ve been opposed to spellchecking with these names – promise to deliver one jar and condom in 10 minutes or less.
These companies operate like little 7-Elevens, except they collect the cost of buying the product and sending a man on a scooter to your home. This can make sense if people pay for the privilege of skipping the store, but the fees or markup on the product is relatively minimal. How?
Two answers: They are subsidized by eager investment companies – now, like Uber and others for many years. And, like other app-based delivery services, they pay for themselves in part by squeezing more from the least powerful in the transaction.
A series of articles this week from Rest of World, and an investigation from The Verge and New York Magazine, paint the picture of impossible requirements for delivery workers for a multitude of services. application based.
Low-wage work is always precarious, and the richer people benefit from it in the form of cheaper products and services. But application transporters are forced to constantly do more, faster and for less money or don’t favor the computer programs that deliver the best jobs.
It is possible that this work can be improved, voluntary or forced. And it’s possible that labor shortages and demand for couriers could force app companies to improve working conditions.
I fear that the most important innovation of these applications is obscuring the true cost of convenience. We are learning to expect things to be quick and easy and not think about the damage people and our communities have to bear.
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Before we go…
Each of these words broke my heart: My colleagues Ryan Mac and Sheera Frenkel reported on a Facebook initiative to spread pro-Facebook disinformation in people’s post streams, keeping Mark Zuckerberg away from scandals and practice. Take other steps to improve the company’s image in the eyes of Facebook users.
Barcelona is the white center of Airbnb rage: Paige McClanahan tracks why so many residents and city officials are angry with Airbnb rentals and what the new ban on short-term rentals means for providers service at home on site.
You will come back to that online article, maybe: THERE IS A LOT OF EMPLOYEES READING AND WATCHING ONLINE. The protocol writes about new apps trying – like many before – to help us find the best content on the internet, save it, and come back at the right time.
It’s the first day of autumn for us in the Northern Hemisphere. Let’s all take a moment to look at big and beautiful harvest moon.
We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think about this newsletter and what you’d like us to explore. You can contact us at [email protected]
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At least for the time being, the official word is that the news that the parent company of the US-based CVS drugstore chain is to acquire Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna Inc won’t affect Aetna’s large and growing international operations.
The deal, formally announced on 3 December, is technically being called a “definitive merger agreement”. According to a statement issued by the companies, it will see CVS Health acquire all of the outstanding shares of Aetna, in exchange for a combination of cash and stock.
The transaction values Aetna at approximately US$207 per share or approximately US$69bn, or US$77bn, if Aetna’s debt is included.
The deal needs the approval by the two companies’ shareholders as well as the respective regulators, and is not expected to close until sometime next year at the earliest.
But the acquisition/merger remains the subject of considerable speculation, in the US especially, where its promise to create community-based hubs at the roughly 10,000 stores that CVS now operates – where consumers would be able to access certain basic healthcare in addition to picking up medicines, toothpaste and other drugstore staples – is attracting comment.
The US healthcare market is, of course, already in a state of high disruption as a result of the Obama administration’s efforts to introduce a form of subsidised healthcare, which was followed by the current president’s efforts to dismantle it.
CVS is not as international – at least yet – as some other US retailers, but does have an unknown, as this article was going to press, number of retail units in Brazil and Puerto Rico, according to its website.
In their announcement of the deal, Aetna and CVS said that Aetna will operate as a stand-alone business unit inside of the CVS Health corporate entity, and will be led by members of its current management team.
Consumers, it added, “will benefit from a uniquely integrated, community‐based health care experience.
“The combined company will also be able to better understand patients’ health goals, guide them through the health care system, and help them achieve their best health.
CVS Pharmacy locations will include space for wellness, clinical and pharmacy services, vision, hearing, nutrition, beauty, and medical equipment, in addition to the products and services our customers currently enjoy.”
A New York Times analysis the day after the merger was announced noted that Aetna and CVS were hoping that, “by overseeing patients’ medical benefits as well as their pharmacy benefits”, they would be better able to “coordinate treatments for customers”.
“Instead of getting lost in what Aetna’s chief executive Mark Bertolini, describes as the ‘rat maze’ of health care, patients could go somewhere near their home to have a chronic condition like diabetes [treated] by a nurse, or to a clinic to check out if a sore throat is strep,” the article added.
CVS, the largest retail pharmacy chain in the US, based on number of shops, already operates walk-in clinics, including some in Target stores. It also specialises in dispensing high-priced specialist drugs that require special handling, and, following an acquisition of a business known as Caremark some years back, became involved in the so-called pharmacy benefits management business, which works as a intermediary between pharmaceutical providers and insurance companies.
Will the model translate abroad
The question for the international market is whether Aetna and CVS will translate their planned model into its overseas operations.
Currently Aetna International, which is based in the UK, is one of the largest providers of international private medical insurance services, with more than 700,000 members worldwide, including expatriates, local nationals and business travellers. Its global footprint expanded in 2014, when it acquired the UK-based IPMI specialist InterGlobal.
From an international perspective, there are some similarities in the acquisition in 2015 of the UK’s drugstore giant, Boots, by America’s Walgreen’s chain – second only in size in the US retail drugstore market to CVS. But crucially, no insurance company was involved in that deal.
Back in Hartford, meanwhile, the question on many locals’ minds, especially those who work for Aetna, is whether the company will now go ahead with its planned relocation of its headquarters (pictured above) to New York City, where a new , US$85m HQ is currently under construction.
CVS has formally said it plans to review all of Aetna’s offices as part of its purchase, and has not said one way or another whether Aetna is likely to leave Hartford or stay put.
According to a recent article in the Hartford Courant, Aetna decided to go ahead with the planned relocation “despite overtures from the state and the city [of Hartford]” after the insurer announced in June that it would end its 164-year run in Connecticut.
It quoted Bertolini as explaining the move by noting that the company needed “workers in the so-called knowledge economy: software developers, data specialists and others who adapt digital technology to Aetna’s work as it pivots to a health care company”.


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News Clips Most Popular Online Video Content: Study
"The Internet is still seen first and foremost as an information resource," said Lynda Clarizio, president of Advertising.com. "With news clips remaining the most popular type of streamed content, video viewing habits reflect that status."
In the first half of 2007, 62% of consumers viewed news clips online, followed by movie trailers at 38%. Music videos came in third at 36%, decreasing from 47% in the second half of 2006.
The study covered the first two quarters of 2007 and incorporated both consumer survey data and video advertising performance data from the Advertising.com video network, and was hosted by online market research company InsightExpress.
With regard to video ads, consumers seem to accept them as part of the video experience--as 94% of respondents prefer ads to subscription fees. According to 63% of survey respondents, however, shorter ads would make the experience more enjoyable. Shorter spots also deliver higher percent-viewed rates, according to data from the Advertising.com network.
Despite this year's strong showing from older Web users, Clarizio implied that shifts in consumer behavior patterns will continue to shift.
"It will be interesting to see how viewership evolves with the rise of social networks, more diverse video content, increased interactive gaming, and other such advances in online entertainment," Clarizio said, adding: "I think we may see a shift in usage toward recreation."
Demonstrating that TV still has its place, 51% of survey respondents said they would watch a television episode online if they missed it on TV, but 80% said online video usage does not cut into their TV time.


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Kneaders and mixers
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VMI at the International Baking Industry Exposition, at booths #8041 and #9624...
VMI is pleased to welcome you at the Pack Ex exhibition from 14 to 16 May 2013 in Toronto, on boot...
VMI environment friendly program...
One of the major issues challenging the bread-making professionals lies in their way to guarantee a ...
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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 — The founders of Raihanah Cold Storage Sdn Bhd have filed a RM150 million defamation suit against Facebook account owner Zaharin Mohd Yasin, also known as Sang Kelembai, who had allegedly accused the company of being involved in the import of non-halal meat issue.
Rahman Sheikh Abdullah, 45, and his wife Raihanah Kasim, 43, who are the directors of Raihanah Cold Storage, and the company, as the first to third plaintiffs, filed the suit through Messrs J.S. Pillay and Mohd Haaziq in the High Court here on January 27, and named Abd Zarin Mohd Yasin, who is also known as Zaharin Mohd Yasin, 69, a blogger, as the sole defendant.
Lawyer Datuk Mohd Haaziq Pillay Abdullah, when contacted by reporters, said that February 26 was set for online case management (e-review) before High Court deputy registrar Farah Shuhada Ramli.
In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs claimed that the defendant had published a defamatory statement in his Facebook account, in December 2020, which contained the first plaintiff (Rahman)’s photo, the company’s Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) details including the second plaintiff (Raihanah)’s full name and identity card number.
The plaintiffs also claimed that the defamatory statement, among others, insinuated that they distributed or sold non-halal meat, apart from alleging that the company practiced malicious business tactics by repackaging non-halal meat as halal meat for sale or distribution.
The three plaintiffs also claimed that they were never involved in importing or smuggling non-halal meat or beef to Malaysia and never repackaged non-halal meat as halal meat.
They also denied being involved in corrupt practices with the Customs Department or any relevant authorities while dealing in the distribution or sale of halal meat.
The plaintiffs claimed that the defamatory statement was made without any basis, was malicious and tarnished their reputation and that the defendant made the statement recklessly without getting an explanation from them.
Therefore, the three plaintiffs are seeking general damages of RM50 million each, and other relief deemed fit by the court in addition to applying for an order to prevent the defendant from issuing or publishing the same post again on any platform. — Bernama


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The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) is hosting a networking webinar with Lakeland on Tuesday 24 November at 2.30pm. The online forum will feature Philippa Simons, Head of Buying and Scott Jefferson, Lakelandâ€™s Commercial Director.
Philippa and Scott will be sharing details about Lakelandâ€™s â€˜Playing to Winâ€™ category strategy, which is a plan for product over the next three years. This will include information highlighting the categories seen as winners; and those which will be reduced or remain with more static, but credible ranges.
The webinar will also cover off Lakelandâ€™s approach to trading in the pandemic, the trends emerging as a result and the steps which the retailer is taking to adapt.
One such trend is the rising importance of Eco in terms of products and packaging. Lakelandâ€™s membership of WRAP and its efforts to reduce the use of plastic packaging, together with the challenges which must addressed will be discussed. Afterwards, delegates will be able to ask questions.
The BHETA Lakeland event will also include an opening address from BHETAâ€™s Chief Operating Officer, Will Jones, summarising the trade associationâ€™s member support activities during the pandemic and key focus moving forward.
Will commented, â€œBHETA has been working hard to provide members with advice and up to the minute information during this challenging time. I am delighted to say it has also been able to maintain its programme of retailer
networking services for members, of which this occasion is another excellent example. It is great to see Lakeland setting out the opportunities for the future. There are many; and itâ€™s good that BHETA can facilitate insights like these.â€
To register for the Lakeland webinar or any of BHETAâ€™s current or future events, contact Nicola Adams at the BHETA Member Services Team on 07946 078566, or alternatively, email on firstname.lastname@example.org


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The designer who created Star Wars’ famous opening crawl says the Force isn’t with the series’ latest entry, “Rogue One,” because it failed to feature the iconic text, according to a report Tuesday.
Dan Perri — who designed the yellow verbiage that traditionally sets the scene in a galaxy far, far away — called the omission a big screw-up, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Frankly, it is a huge mistake because the image is so iconic and it’s so important to tens of millions, hundreds of millions of fans,” Perri said. “I couldn’t imagine it starting without that. It’s foolish.”
Disney’s Lucasfilm, which created “Rogue One,” has dubbed the blockbuster a “Star Wars Story” to differentiate it from the series’ main storyline, which features the likes of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and, most recently, Rey and Finn.
The filmmakers have said that the movie, which stars Felicity Jones and Diego Luna, doesn’t need a new crawl because its events are a spin-off of the 1977 original.
Perri, who also designed credits for the movies “Airplane!” and “Taxi Driver,” admitted he hasn’t actually seen “Rogue One” yet, saying, “There are too many things to do and there are too many films out there to see.”
He called his “Star Wars” work “a difficult project.”


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German researchers from Leipzig University, Bauhaus-University Weimar, and the Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence questioned whether Google results are worse now than ever before.
The team examined 7,392
product review queries on Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo for a year, and shared the results in a new study.
The group conducted two main analyses, investigating the type of content that is retrieved by product-review queries and how much SEO influences rankings in this web genre.
They also examined how search results change over time, and whether the changes made by search-engine operators improve the overall quality of
the results to support brands' websites, publishers, blogs and other online services.
The findings suggest that all search engines have significant problems with highly optimized affiliate content — more than is representative for the entire web, according to a baseline retrieval system on ClueWeb22, the latest Lemur Project line of datasets supporting research on information retrieval.
Only a small portion of product reviews on the web use affiliate marketing, but the majority of all search results do.
Of all affiliate networks, Amazon Associates is the most popular, but all search engines fall victim to large-scale affiliate link spam campaigns.
The group also found that the line between "benign content and spam in the form of content and link farms becomes increasingly blurry" -- a problem the team expects will worsen with the advent of generative artificial intelligence (GAI).
Despite Google's continuous updates and GAI integrations to make better (some believe it will completely change) the world of search, the German researchers found "a torrent of low-quality content, especially for product search, keeps drowning any kind of useful information in search results."
"We find that the majority of high-ranking product reviews in the result pages of commercial search engines (SERPs) use affiliate marketing, and significant amounts are outright SEO product review spam," the researchers wrote.
The research showed a strong link between search engine rankings and affiliate marketing, as well as a trend toward simplified, repetitive and potentially AI-generated content.
The group also conducted a longitudinal analysis of the ongoing competition between SEO and the major search engines.
The study -- which was conducted over a period of one year -- found search engines do "intervene and that ranking updates, especially from Google, have a temporary positive effect, though search engines seem to lose the cat-and-mouse game that is SEO spam."
"SEO is a constant battle and we see repeated patterns of review spam entering and leaving the results as search engines and SEO engineers take turns adjusting their parameters," per the report.
Overall, the researchers found that the analysis of the product-review search results revealed three trends.
The group notes that search engines are increasingly losing the battle against SEO content, and predicts a long-term increase in spam and a decline in overall quality.
The data shows "patterns of review spam entering and leaving the results as search engines and SEO engineers take turns adjusting their parameters."
All search engines have had some success eliminating spam. "Bing and DuckDuckGo have substantially improved their results, albeit on an overall lower level than Startpage.
The paper is accessible through a link made available by Mashable.


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Pentair recently appointed Jerome Pedretti as executive vice president and chief executive officer of its Pool segment, and Greg Claffey as group president of Pool.
In their roles, Pedretti and Claffey have a shared commitment to further supporting pool professionals by delivering innovation excellence, accelerating category growth with smart, sustainable products and solutions for the future of the pool industry, and making it easier to do business with Pentair.
“Our dealer base in Pool is important to us, and we work every day to lead with a ‘Customer First’ mindset and become closer to our customers,” says Jerome Pedretti. “These dealers — pool builders, service companies, small retailers — are critical to our success. We are focused on prioritizing their needs and delivering for our customers into the future.”
“Our network of pool professionals, channel partners and dealers are at the heart of our vision for the future,” says Greg Claffey. “We believe that 2023 will be a great year as we work to deliver innovative and energy efficient pool solutions to help people more sustainably enjoy water.”


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Facebook declares its new face (facebook home) for android devices
Facebook Declares its New Face (Facebook Home) for Android DevicesA social networking giant, Facebook launched its new face (Known as Home) for Androidphones. This new face of android comes with lots of new and updated features on the devices.According to the latest reports, Facebook is collaborating with two most companies AT&T andHTC to launch its most anticipated device that comes preloaded with the new face of Facebookthat is known as ‘Home’.Other users of Android devices can download this new update on their android devices; butunfortunately, they will not be able to use all the features. Android smart-phones users ofSamsung Galaxy S3, HTC One, HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and upcoming HTC oneand Samsung Galaxy S4 can only download this update. However, other users of androiddevices will need to wait for Facebook’s Home, a new approach of facebook for Androiddevices.
The company is looking to hold an event, where it officially launched Facebook Homeworldwide. The whole event will be about a new Android product at the social network’s MenloPark, California. It is expected that the company will host a big event in some days to show offits new Android Home, which is a new application to run on HTC device.Before, rumors were focusing on Facebookphone, but Mark Zuckerberg, a CEO ofFacebook, said “It does not want to get into thehardware game. The device would include aFacebook “Home” app designed to highlightFacebook.”Mark said “Android is very open, so you canmake many changes to it. “You don’t need tofork Android to do this… Today we’re going totalk about the Home Screen of your phone.” Heshows the new cover feed of facebook homethat comes with many new changes like new-style of notifications, no more conventionalnotification, get it with a person’s name andface. He also said “We wanted this to feel like system software, not just an app you run”.After hearing Mark Zuckerberg’s statement, it is expected that Android Facebook Home willsurely rock in the market as it updated many new features in this new application that includesmessaging, notifications, apps and many more. So are you eagerly waiting for new the device ofHTC to use Facebook Home or you are going to update this new app in your existing Androiddevice?Author Bio: Mobile Development Experts is a renowned name in the mobile applicationdevelopment companies as it designs and develops all types of applications like socialnetworking app, business app and more. You can hire android developers from MobileDevelopment Experts and get highly interactive applications to cater your specificrequirements.


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Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the National Conference on Bajra
The Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the National Conference on Bajra in New Delhi.
The theme of the conference is 'The Future Super Food for India'.
The conference has been organised by industry body ASSOCHAM in association with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
The conference has been organised to discuss the opportunities and challenges of ensuring food and nutrition security.
The production of coarse cereals in the country has increased to 17.96 million tonnes in 2020-21 from 14.52 million tonnes in 2015-16 and the production of bajra (pearl millet) has also increased to 10.86 million tonnes in the same period.
Bajra is one of the oldest food items of the country which can be grown in dry areas or even on low fertility lands.
It is known as the superfood of India.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
India is the 5th largest exporter of millet in the world.
The year 2023 will be the International Year of Millet which will promote value creation and sustainable products in food choices.
Major millet producing states in India include Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Rajasthan is the largest producer of millet.
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