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The advances in the field of speech recognition over the past couple of years have been huge. Since Microsoft began working with deep learning neural networks in 2009, huge improvements in the way algorithms can detect your dialogue have occurred. Since then, many other big names like Google and IBM have adopted the deep learning techniques, with dramatic improvements. But there’s once crucial name missing off that last- Apple. Their Siri product was the cornerstone of their IPhone 4S launch, but has been subject to widespread criticism since then due to its inaccuracy.
This week brought another crushing blow for Siri. They’re in the midst of a patent dispute with Zhizhen Network Technology in China, who claim Siri is overly-similar to their Xiao i Robot offering. Apple tried to have Xiao i Robot’s patent invalidated- a move which was rejected this week. Zhizhen are now trying to have blocked Siri-based Apple offerings in China, claiming the app infringes their rights.
“Apple believes deeply in protecting innovation, and we take intellectual property rights very seriously,” an Apple spokesman has stated. “Apple created Siri to provide customers with their own personal assistant by using their voice. Unfortunately, we were not aware of Zhizhen’s patent before we introduced Siri, and we do not believe we are using this patent. While a separate court considers this question, we remain open to reasonable discussions with Zhizhen.”
The news comes just weeks after Apple announced they would be moving Siri development in-house, and away from their currect outsourcing arrangement with Nuance Technologies. They’ll then be aiming to incorporate the cutting-edge deep learning techniques to Siri, with good reason. Introducing deep learning led to a 25% increase in accuracy (in a field where a an increase of a couple of percent is a breakthrough). Microsoft are now in the process of rolling out Skype Translate, a futuristic service which can translate your speech as you talk.
Perhaps altering the makeup of their technology will aid Apple in their patent disputes. But considering highly-advanced deep learning technologies have been around for such a long time, it almost beggars belief that an innovative industry leader like Apple have only now decided to jump on the bandwagon.
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JACKSON, Miss. (RNS) Now that same-sex marriage is legal nationwide, evangelical Christian wedding vendors are rising up to defend their right to biblically based discrimination. A slew of state legislatures have aided their cause recently with bills that would give state sanction to their “religious liberty” to refuse services to gay and lesbian couples.
Legal protections are great, the vendors say. But what about the awkward interactions of actually rejecting such happy people to their face? That’s a problem that a longtime local sign maker wants to solve.
“Imagine for a minute, these two happy guys walk into your flower shop and your heart swells up for their happiness and joy, but you know that’s Satan pulling on your emotions,” said Jedediah Fearsgod, the CEO of Bless Your Heart Posters and Signs Inc. “These conscientious creative artists deserve the tools to rebuff folks before they even enter the door.”
While florists and cake designers have received most of the media attention for their religious right to religiously refuse their services, the wedding reception venue can be an issue. That could be why Fearsgod’s fastest-selling sign is a large banner for private halls, hotels and other hot spots simply reading “LGBT-NO!” With this easy fix, same-sex couples and their wedding planners will back off immediately.
The stop-them-before-they-ask advertising banners also work for caterers. After all, the largest expense at a wedding is usually the food. And no one likes denying people sustenance.
“Our signs cut straight to the point, and a lot of older folks in these communities don’t even understand what ‘LGBT’ means,” Fearsgod said. “Some of the early adopters have even reported increased revenue since putting the banner up.”
Other signs suitable for venues and vendors include:
- “Proud to Only Serve Straights” if you don’t even want to acknowledge the presence of LGBT people in your community.
- “Homosexual Customer Waiting Room This Way” for the compassionate type who still wants to refuse services to people’s face, but to do it in private.
- Same-sex couple stick figures with arrows pointing folks to the nearest tolerant establishment. (These have elicited some complaints since they imply another option is nearby, but proprietors report oftentimes the closest alternative is hundreds of miles away.)
Wedding dress boutiques can now breathe a sigh of relief, too. Lesbian couples will get the message when “ONE COUPLE = ONE DRESS” appears on yard signs outside.
Bless Your Heart Posters and Signs spends most its time on same-sex refusals, but that’s only a part of its business. It also features signs and posters to deter divorced people from asking vendors to participate in a sinful second marriage ceremony.
“A favorite product of mine is our personalized camera strap with ‘first time only’ in bold lettering,” Fearsgod said. “The photography business is based on referrals, so referring to the Bible clearly states your determination not to capture any evil moments.”
Showing a visitor around his company’s production factory on the outskirts of Jackson, Fearsgod beamed. His pride in his burgeoning business was palpable.
“Our revenue hasn’t been this high since my grandfather ran the business during segregation,” he said.
(Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons (@guthriegf) writes at the intersection of faith and public policy)

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A Southern California man has pleaded guilty to bilking eBay Inc. out of $5.2 million through an advertising scam called “cookie stuffing.”
Brian Dunning of Laguna Nigel pleaded guilty on Monday to a wire fraud charge in San Jose federal court. Dunning admitted he defrauded eBay by signing up his company KFC as an affiliate of the online auctioneer. KFC agreed to drive Internet traffic to eBay by displaying an eBay ad on its Web site. KFC got paid when a visitor used the eBay ad to buy something.
Dunning admitted he secretly planted eBay cookies into applications he provided to Internet users for free. KFC got paid every time one of those users made a purchase on eBay.
Dunning, 47, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.


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ATIV Software’s EventPilot® conference app is first runner-up in EIBTM Technology Awards
EventPilot meeting app with PowerPoint slide-based note taking receives an honorable mention as the runner-up to event video platform
Learn more at http://ativsoftware.com or watch a 90 second video to see the conference app features in action: http://www.youtube.com/
EventPilot is a native mobile conference app for iOS/Android phones and tablets, as well as web-enabled devices. The event app has made it possible for attendees to focus on the presenter's message and simply follow along the presentation with a specially designed mobile PowerPoint slide viewer. Offline full color slide access ensures a great experience independent from the venue Wi-Fi. Attendees easily take notes on individual slides or bookmark important slides. At the same time, attendees do not receive the actual .PPT file which protects the work and concern of presenters.
"It is a great achievement to see our sophisticated event app technology recognized by industry professionals”
The EIBTM Technology Watch is the most significant and longest running technology award for the meetings industry. The goals are to recognize technology innovation and to highlight significant trends impacting meeting planners, attendees and exhibitors at events.
The winner and five honorable mentions for were selected from a tie-breaking record 56 applications.
Details about EIBTM Technology Watch are available at http://www.corbinball.com/
About ATIV Software
ATIV Software offers EventPilot, the customizable mobile conference app for training, corporate event and association meeting planners. EventPilot is available as a native app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android phones and tablets as well as a mobile web version for all other web-enabled devices including Windows Phone 7. It enables paperless events and is designed for large medical and scientific meetings. For more information and to check out the many other features, visit http://www.ativsoftware.com.
EIBTM is one of the largest tradeshows in the meetings industry. The 2011 meeting had over 15,219 participants from over 90 countries. http://eibtm.com


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Staff is converting paid on-street parking spaces into free temporary loading zones
In order to improve community access to curbside food pick-ups, the Austin Transportation Department is installing temporary customer pick-up zones in support of local restaurants that are transitioning to take-out and delivery-only service.
Austin Transportation has begun converting some paid on-street parking spaces near restaurants into free temporary loading zones to make room for more people to pick up food while practicing appropriate social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The first locations to receive temporary customer pick-up zones are in areas with high concentrations of restaurants on blocks that do not otherwise have enough loading options and where off-street parking is unavailable. Austin Transportation has created an interactive map that shows where these temporary customer pick-up zones are located.
Crews have established approximately 50 curbside customer pick-up zones that make it easier for customers to check in with businesses, receive service and move along. The zones are marked with blue and white signs that say Food Pick-Up Priority.
The effort is in coordination with City of Austin and Travis County to close bars and suspend dine-in service at restaurants for six weeks in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about restrictions on restaurants, visit AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.
Austin Transportation plans to install more temporary customer pick-up zones in the coming days based on needs evaluations and field observations. Restaurants can request an evaluation at by filling out the online contact form on SmartMobilityATX.com.
In addition to practicing social distancing, the City of Austin encourages our community to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.


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Facebook's 'Dark Knight' may be Netflix's dark day
Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A major Hollywood studio began streaming the film "The Dark Knight" directly through Facebook on Tuesday in an experiment that literally opens up a new theater in an escalating battle over online entertainment.
Analysts viewed the test by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution as a shot across the bow of Los Gatos' Netflix Inc., which is shifting its business away from mailing DVDs to delivering movies and TV shows over the Internet.
Netflix's stock price dropped nearly 6 percent on the news. Warner made the 2008 Batman blockbuster available for rental directly from the movie's Facebook page, which has nearly 4 million fans.
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Analysts said the experiment could presage a long-term threat to Netflix, yet cautioned it was too soon to tell whether it will be a hit or miss. And Warner Bros. won't be alone on Facebook for long - Netflix in January told shareholders it was working on its own "extensive Facebook integration."
Thomas Gewecke, president of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, said the studio wasn't going after Netflix, but instead going where the audience already is - on a social network with an estimated 600 million members worldwide.
"It's taking advantage of what we think is a great opportunity to make our movies available to fans," Gewecke said. "We don't have a lot of preconceived notions. We view this as a test, but we think it's really important to get out there and creatively present our movies."
The studio is renting the movie for 48 hours of unlimited viewing for 30 Facebook Credits, or $3 worth of the social network's own online currency. The Palo Alto firm typically receives about 30 percent of revenue from Credits transactions, widely used by players of social video games to buy virtual goods.
Limited to U.S.
The test is only available in the United States for now. Gewecke said in the near future, Warner plans to make movies available for download and purchase through Facebook and might add other content like TV shows.
Netflix, which has more than 20 million subscribers in the United States and Canada, is the market leader in streaming video rentals, although Amazon last month jumped into the market with its own 5,000-title service.
Separately, a San Francisco streaming service named Fandor is launching Wednesday with about 2,000 independent movies typically screened only at film festivals. Fandor has also embedded a streaming video player into its Facebook page and hopes the social sharing platform helps indie film-makers find an audience.
The video experiment could turn Facebook into a "new credible platform" for online video rental and a potential threat to video-on-demand and movie rental services like Netflix, said Atul Bagga, senior research analyst for ThinkEquity Inc. of San Francisco.
For the studios, production costs are rising while revenue from DVD sales is flattening, "so they are looking for ways to expand their revenue stream," Bagga said. However, he added, "They still need to take care of a lot of things to make it work."
Hollywood has also viewed Netflix with a wary eye. Last year, Jeffrey Bewkes, chief executive of Warner Bros. parent Time Warner Inc., publicly questioned whether Netflix's subscription model for streaming movies and TV shows is sustainable. Bewkes also called Netflix a threat to Time Warner's premium cable channel HBO.
Paul Verna, senior analyst with the online research firm eMarketer Inc., said Warner's Facebook experiment is "an opportunity to chip away at Netflix. It's not really about making a direct connection with the consumer. It's about trying to control the digital distribution side of the business."
But Verna was skeptical that consumers will flock to Facebook for films, which would require more of a change of "consumer behavior and psychology than business models."
"People don't really go to Facebook to sit down in front of a TV to watch full-length movies," he said. "You don't think of curling up on a couch on a Saturday night and watching movies on YouTube. You think of Netflix for that."
Moreover, he noted several failed attempts by the music industry to lure online customers to sites or services tied to an individual label. Movie viewers may be the same way.
"What the consumer is looking for is choice," he said. "They don't care what studio made it, they don't care what the dynamics are between Warner Bros. and Netflix. They just want to watch the movies that are hot that week or that just came out on DVD."


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Carriers in for a brutal year as capacity floods in
The new tonnage coming online is incredible, but the competition for market share is still trumping any drive to improve profitability.
Alphaliner’s chart of the week focuses on the new tonnage that has been added by the top 20 container shipping lines in the past 12 months. As incredible as the capacity is – 844,000 TEUs for a fleet growth of 6.4 percent – the one carrier that stands out is CSAV.
In the past year, the Chilean shipping company saw its capacity decline by half as CSAV offloads ships to bring its financial troubles under control. The line has seen losses building fast and is US$1.5 billion in the red since the beginning of 2011.
Just a year ago, according to Alphaliner, CSAV had 544,000 TEUs of capacity in operation. On July 1, that had been chopped to 269,000 TEUs as the carrier tries to bring its balance sheet to order.
Also cutting capacity was another loss-making line, Zim. It’s losses are over half a billion dollars since the beginning of last year and the line disposed of 10,600 TEUs in capacity in the past 12 months.
It is encouraging to see these two shipping lines focusing on restoring their financial health rather than getting caught up in the market share business. These are tough times for the container shipping business and this week’s figures show manufacturing activity in China has slowed even further, which means export cargo will follow.
Carriers with excessive capacity on their books are going to face pressure to offer discount rates to fill ships and the cycle of unsustainable freight rates and shipping line losses will be repeated before the year is up.
In its chart, Alphaliner reveals that AP Moller Maersk unsurprisingly leads the new capacity list, increasing its fleet by almost 10 percent in the past year. That’s a massive 232,300 TEUs. MSC is second at almost 11 percent with an equally impressive 217,000 TEUs, and CMA CGM third with a modest by comparison 4.4 percent capacity increase.
These top three carriers have boosted their capacity by more than half a million boxes. Perhaps the line executives know something the rest of us don’t because that is an incredible figure.
What it means is the world’s top three carriers are determined to dominate container shipping for years to come and only consortiums of carriers such as the G6 alliance can compete. The statistic we like to trot out is one given by Maersk a couple of months ago saying that 85 percent of all Asia-Europe container trade is handled by Maersk, the CMA CGM-MSC partnership, the G6 and Green alliances.
For smaller carriers, this is not a good time to be in business and 2012 will end just like 2011 – with mounting losses and a growing unease that the industry’s volatility is here to stay.


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Little more than a year ago, Transkaryotic Therapies Inc. was in the unenviable position of having to cut staff while its stock dipped following its failure to win FDA approval of Replagal, a treatment for Fabry's disease.
Around the same time, Michael Astrue, once on President Bush's short list of candidates to run the FDA, became president and CEO of the Cambridge, Mass-based firm. Back then, TKT's stock was trading at $5.55. (See BioWorld Today, March 20, 2003.)
Monday the stock (NASDAQ:TKTX) closed at $16.90, down 24 cents.
The shares inched up over the last year for several reasons, but among the most important has been the company's paradigm shift.
"What we've done is really try to focus the company," Astrue told BioWorld Today. "We had too many programs, so we stopped work on a lot of things - for instance our gene therapy program. We focused on what we've done best, in what I think produces the most value to shareholders in the short run, which is protein replacement for rare genetic diseases."
Indeed, with about 350 employees, TKT expects to have three products on the market in 2006, and Astrue believes the firm will reach profitability late that year.
Aside from the enzyme replacement therapy Replagal (approved in markets outside the U.S.), TKT believes it will be selling Dynepo for the treatment of anemia associated with kidney disease and have I2S, also an enzyme replacement therapy, on the market for a rare genetic disorder called Hunter syndrome.
TKT even is winning kudos from Wall Street, said Eric Schmidt, analyst with SG Cowen Securities Corp. in New York, who agreed that the firm has been successful in turning things around. "I think their outlook - based mostly on continuing to grow Replagal [agalsidase alfa] sales outside the U.S. as well as the Hunter trial - is quite promising," he told BioWorld Today, adding that TKT shares are ripe for more growth.
Replagal, launched in Europe in 2001, generated $35 million in 2002 and $57 million in 2003. Astrue expects sales to range between $67 million and $77 million in 2004. (Replagal also is approved in Latin America and other countries, including Canada and Australia, areas in which it has yet to be launched.)
Meanwhile, TKT and Cambridge neighbor Genzyme Corp. recently completed enrollment in a 12-month, 96-patient pivotal trial of I2S (iduronate-2-sulfatase). Astrue believes I2S could be a $300 million drug.
Dynepo Poised To Enter Market In Europe
But TKT's stock got a major boost recently when the firm's partner, Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., an arm of Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France, returned all rights associated with Dynepo (epoetin delta) in Europe and all other territories outside the U.S. Dynepo is a fully human erythropoietin product developed using TKT's gene-activation technology.
Although Aventis retained U.S. rights, TKT's shares rose sharply, up 51 percent, or $6.10, on the news, closing at $18.10 on March 29.
Dynepo was cleared for marketing in the EU in March 2002 but wasn't launched because of disinterest on Aventis' part, Schmidt said in a research note.
Part of the problem is an ongoing patent-infringement lawsuit pitting TKT and Aventis against Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based Amgen Inc. over epoetin products. In the U.S., the matter is with Amgen, and in Europe, the battle is with Kirin-Amgen Inc., the Japanese affiliate of Amgen.
The situation has nearly resolved itself in Europe, though, since patents related to Amgen's product expire in December, paving the way for TKT and generics to hit the launch pad. Amgen's U.S. patents are good until 2016.
Astrue expects to launch Dynepo in Europe in 18 to 24 months. TKT is in the process of establishing contract manufacturing outside the U.S. in order to bring the drug to market in a manner consistent with applicable court orders and regulatory requirements, the company said. (A U.S. court order prevents Aventis from exporting product made in the U.S. for sale in Europe.)
"We have to satisfy the regulators that the product made at the new site is equivalent to the product made at the old [New Hampshire facility]," Astrue said. "That is a fairly standard process when companies upgrade or expand manufacturing."
The European application was supported by studies involving 1,400 dialysis and pre-dialysis patients in which it was determined that Dynepo was comparable to epoetin alfa and was effective in raising hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. In patients treated with Dynepo, there have been no reported cases of pure red cell aplasia, a condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce vital red blood cells and a safety concern with other marketed erythropoietin products derived from Chinese hamster ovary cells, TKT said.
Aventis has completed enrollment for the Phase III work using Dynepo in oncology, possibly producing adequate data to expand the label in Europe.
In a research note released by Leerink Swann & Co., Bill Tanner, an analyst in New York, estimated a third quarter 2006 launch of Dynepo with 2006-2007 revenues of $23 million and $77 million, respectively.
Schmidt told BioWorld Today Dynepo's European success likely will depend on the number of generic or follow-on products that join it in the market.
"If two or three or four [generics] come to market at the same time as Dynepo, that would make for a substantially different dynamic," Schmidt said. "Competition drives down prices, so the more drugs marketed in the same time frame, the worse it is for TKT."
The U.S. path, however, is even more uncertain.
So why would Aventis want out of the European deal? According to David Owens, head of global product communications for Aventis in Bridgewater, N.J., the decision was part of the firm's effort to reprioritize its investments. He described final terms of the renegotiated deal as a win for both parties.
"The amendment [to the contract] gives our willing and able partner the chance to commercialize throughout the rest of the world while we still can maintain rights in the U.S., which is a really key market," Owens said.
Indeed, Schmidt believes the U.S. market could generate 60 percent or more of overall Dynepo sales. The fact that Aventis kept its share of the U.S. rights indicates that the firm believes Dynepo will reach commercialization here.
In November 2000, the FDA refused to file the Dynepo application based on what Astrue called "procedural grounds" related to manufacturing.
Astrue said TKT is considering its partnering options in Europe, adding that the firm already employs a successful Replagal marketing and sales force in that part of the world.
Under the renegotiated deal with Aventis, TKT will pay a single-digit royalty that starts in the low- to medium-range, but would increase to medium-single digits if Dynepo sales increase above the biogeneric level, Astrue said. Aventis also forgave a $15 million to $20 million loan related to litigation expenses. Henceforth, TKT is responsible for all EU litigation expenses and half of future U.S. litigation expenses. Aventis also will delay an $8 million U.S. milestone from the date of FDA approval to the date of first commercial sale. Furthermore, the agreement gives Aventis an option on certain TKT gene therapy technology for one year.


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The new update to the adidas A-ZX platform is a thirst-quenching ZX 7000 developed in partnership with the Chinese company HEYTEA.
HEYTEA launched in 2012 as a small tea shop in Guangdong and now runs hundreds of stores across Asia. With the intention of breathing new life into traditional culture, Cheezo Tea was made, a creamy tea-based drink that mixes a form of salted cheese from New Zealand with fresh tea. It sounds weird, but its success around Asia shows it’s on to.
For the collaboration, HEYTEA reworked the ZX 7000 in pink, purple and white-the colors of its iconic “Grape Cheezo” drink. Accentuating the beverage-inspired style, the sneaker features a shimmering, pleated top with a translucent TPU overlay and the HEYTEA emblem on the translucent TPU.
This release is part of the adidas A-ZX program, a series of 26 ZX sneakers launching throughout 2020-21.
You can buy yours at adidas.com, OVERKILL, BSTN, 43einhalb, Asphaltgold, and Solebox


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If you look at Samsung’s Galaxy line of smartphones, you’ll see a sudden, dramatic shift in design and quality from the Galaxy S5 to the S6. That trend continued with both Galaxy and Note lines with dual curved screens, the best AMOLED displays and cameras in the business, and the removal of bezels. Samsung is no rookie when it comes to innovation, even if they sometimes need a push from competitors (sorry, plastic), but there’s one piece of tech that’s still in dire need of improvement – batteries. Samsung’s Advance Institute of Technology has now found a way to use graphene to increase battery capacity by up to 45% and improve charging times by a factor of five. Could this finally be the innovation we’ve been waiting for?
Graphene has a lot of advanced applications, such as detecting cancer and purifying ocean water, but “graphene balls” could soon change smartphone batteries forever. Charging times, even with Qualcomm’s Quick Charging or Dash Charge from OnePlus, are still over an hour from 0 – 100%. They’re faster than they’ve ever been, but 90 minutes is still a real chunk of time. Imagine if that time fell to just 18 minutes and your battery lasted a lot longer afterward. That’s what graphene has the potential to do.
A major boost in charging times also won’t shorten a battery’s lifespan as engineers found that batteries still had 78% charge retention after 500 charging cycles. Stability and conductivity of both cathodes and electrodes are improved by a graphene coating, adding resiliency to lithium-ion batteries under the pressure of fast charging. Unfortunately, the technology is still at an early stage and most likely won’t appear in 2018 smartphones. Samsung has published a technical paper about graphene ball production and how the technology works, so hopefully it’ll debut in 2019.
Smartphone batteries are just the tip of the iceberg with graphene ball technology and Samsung claims it can be scaled up for larger applications. Electric cars are in desperate need of improved charging times as they can’t compete with the couple of minutes it takes to fill up a gas tank. That roadblock is the major reason why there isn’t larger adoption and they’re still generally considered “homeowner cars” with overnight charging possible in a garage.
Samsung has filed patents in both the US and South Korea for graphene ball technology, but there’s no timeline as to when (or if) it’ll reach smartphones and electric cars. With the potential to revolutionize some of the most important consumer products in the world, let’s hope that Samsung has 2019 or 2020 in mind.
Source: Digital Trends


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Tourism is a booming business in Louisiana and despite budget cuts across the state, Louisiana had its best year yet for tourism during 2012.
One in every 10 Louisianans is employed in the hospitality industry.
During 2012, 26.3 million people visited Louisiana and spent $10.7 billion. That left about $665 million in tax revenue to state and local governments.
Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne made a visit to Southwest Louisiana on Wednesday to tour the Louisiana Spirits rum distillery in Jeff Davis Parish.
Officials said the new attraction will generate even more visitors.
“This is going to be an exciting new attraction for Jeff Davis and really for the whole state,” Dardenne said. “It’s right on the interstate and it’s going to reflect on Louisiana’s sugar cane, and will actually be distilling rum to be sold.”
Co-owner Skip Cortese said the facility is designed to accommodate tours and large groups.
“We have created a destination spot for tourism,” Cortese said. “People can experience rum made here in Louisiana.”
The rum, known as Bayou Rum, will come from Louisiana sugar cane.
“It’s exciting to introduce a new business and a new product,” Dardenne said. “In particular, it will be one that uses entirely Louisiana products. It’s truly a Louisiana made and processed product.”
Jennings Mayor Terry Duhon said the city had more than 40,000 visitors during 2012.
“We had almost $20 million dollars spent in Jeff Davis Parish,” Duhon said. “That amount equates to about half a million dollars in local tax revenues for the municipalities in Jeff Davis.”
Officials said between the location and the uniqueness of the distillery, it is sure to be an addition to the hot spots in Jeff Davis.
“When people make travel decisions, they are interested in authenticity and looking for something they can’t experience in their own backyard,” Dardenne said.
Owners said the distillery is set to open between June and July.
“This is going to be a tremendous travel corridor,” Dardenne said. “I guarantee you that people who are traveling east and west on Interstate 10 are going to stop in Jeff Davis.”
Original Story at KPLC 7 News


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Whitewater Valley Indiana
And while some sit behind the wheels of their new luxury replica watches uk, others are taking to the seas. in consumption of luxury goods, according to World Luxury Association data. And the fourth-largest population of the world wealthy will live in China by the rolex replica, says a mid-July report by McKinsey, titled, China Wealthy. According to the report, as of 2008, there were 1.6 million families in China with household incomes of over US$80,000. By 2015, Louis vuitton estimates that number will jump to 4.4 million, growing by up to 16% per year over the next five to seven years. luxury sector will benefit most if this trend continues, says Jeremy Cheung, managing director of China luxury consultancy Impact hublot replica. In response to continued and growing sales, luxury brands are investing in China. French fashion brand Hermes announced plans late last year to open three to four new stores across the country during the next three years. Italian fashion house Versace is investing more than US$56 million to increase its presence in Asia, with louis vuitton replica on China, and is slated to open 11 new stores across the region this year, according to statements by former chief executive Giancarlo Di Risio. The company gave its first fashion show in louis vuitton replica in November last year, at Beijing Legation Quarter, the former residence of the American ambassador that has been turned into one of cartier replica trendiest venues.


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Google TV, which hasn't been able to catch a break yet, it is still around and Google is still improving it. The latest update may actually have an impact as Google TV devices are finally getting access to the Play store.
This means movie and TV show rentals along with music, all available on Google TV for the first time.
The fact that Google is making the announcement now, six months after Google Play launched, and that users have been able to buy and watch movies on their phones for a long time now, but not on Google TV, should be an indication of just how much Google cares about is TV platform at this point.
"Starting today more of the Google Play experience will come to your Google TV. Google Play Movies, TV shows, and Music will be rolling out to your Google TV over the next few weeks," Google wrote.
"You’ll be able to buy or rent content directly through the Google Play Store on Google TV, and purchases you’ve made on other devices will also be automatically available on Google TV," it added.
Google is also making it possible to discover the entire Google TV catalog via the TV & Movies app, one of the big reasons Google TV exists.
The app already has content from live TV, but also from video apps and services such as Netflix and Amazon. Now, Google's own store is part of the offer.
The update goes beyond just movies and music, with the Play Store app available for Google TV, existing apps will be able to make use of the functionality available to all other Android developers. Google TV is based on Android.
Things like automatic updates, smart updates, and smart billing, which have been available to everyone else, will be available to Google TV developers as well.


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Economists had a major surprise today with retail sales. Let's check in with Econday to see what was predicted and what happened.
Unit auto sales proved very weak which is expected to hold down January's retail sales gain to a moderate 0.3 percent. When excluding autos, however, sales are expected to show a seventh month of solid strength, at a consensus gain of 0.5 percent. When excluding autos and also gasoline, where higher prices are a positive for the month, sales are expected to move back down to a 0.3 percent gain. When also excluding food services and building materials, control group sales are also expected to come in at a 0.3 percent gain.
Retail sales not only proved very soft in January, but a sharp downward revision to December looks certain to pull down what had been outstanding strength for consumer spending in fourth-quarter GDP. Retail sales fell 0.3 percent in January compared to Econoday's low estimate for no change. December is revised down 4 tenths to unchanged with November, adding insult to injury, also revised down, 1 tenth lower to what is still an outstanding gain of 0.8 percent.
All three months show declines for the leading component which is motor vehicles, falling a very sharp 1.3 percent in January. The weakness here no doubt is the result of replacement demand following the hurricane season which pulled sales forward. Building materials are also weak, down 2.4 percent and in this case possibly reflecting January's unusually severe weather. But however bad the weather was it didn't help nonstore retailers, a component that is dominated by e-commerce and which proved dead flat in January with December's initial surge of 1.2 percent revised down to a much more moderate looking 0.5 percent.
Clothing sales, which had been very soft, rose 1.2 percent in the month, echoing this morning's consumer price report where apparel prices posted a sudden jump. Restaurant sales, which had been strong, were unchanged while furniture sales wobbled for a second month, down 0.4 percent.
The downward revision to December turns what had been a solid holiday shopping season into a so-so season. Control group sales, which are a direct input into GDP, did rise a very strong 1.2 percent in November but are now down 0.2 percent for December with January limping in at no change. After today's report, the consumer sector gets a one-notch downgrade from strong to solid.
Hurricane Impact is Over
We have discussed hurricane impacts for quite some time, and it's not just about autos. Building materials down 2.4% is partially weather-related at best. Most of it was hurricane repairs that are now finished.
Econoday had been crowing about the need for an inventory build, citing strong demand. Poof. Those inventory-to-sales numbers won't look so lean going forward.
Advance Retail Sales
Let's turn our attention away from shoddy cheerleading to the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report.
Shocking? No, this should have been expected.
These numbers will take a bite out of 4th quarter GDP as well as estimates for first quarter GDP.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock


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Bank Audi of Lebanon selects Verifone cashless payment solutions
Verifone, a provider of payments and commerce solutions, and Bank Audi, Lebanon’s largest bank, have partnered to offer merchants with point-of-sale devices. Supporting Bank Audi’s merchant services in both countertop and mobile retail sales environments, the Verifone VX520 and VX680 devices will enable contactless with NFC acceptance and value-added applications that help to increase consumer loyalty and repeat business. Ergonomically designed, they offer better transaction processing speed for fast consumer checkout and better experiences.
“We are delighted to offer the new and easy to install Verifone devices that enable our merchants to benefit from contactless and mobile payment acceptance,” said Randa Bdeir, Group Head of e-Payment Solutions and Card Services at Bank Audi. “Ultimately we are providing consumers with better, faster and more convenient ways to pay and this is a great complement to our strong card business. Verifone’s commerce-enabled devices will encourage the uptake of new POS-based services in Lebanon including e-loyalty and targeted promotions for a more personalised shopping experience.”
“As Lebanon’s premier bank, Bank Audi is a pioneer and market leader in cards and e-payments, offering some of the most innovative merchant solutions,” said Özgür Özvardar, Vice President and General Manager, Verifone MENA. “We are helping to accelerate their vision for building the next generation retail infrastructure as Lebanon moves towards service-rich mobile and cashless payments.”
Verifone’s local representatives and team of technical experts, based at its regional headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, will support this deployment which is expected to begin in the second part of 2016.


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Chinese electronics manufacturer, Oppo has announced its intention to invest EGP100 million ($13,103,757) into Egypt’s smartphone market.
ITNewsAfrica reports that, this move by Oppo will boost the production of smartphone phones in Egypt and will be creating about 1000 new jobs.
Oppo’s executive director, Sky Lee also said that there’s a “possibility of establishing a factory in Egypt” if the company’s projections in the country are met.
The price range of smartphones in Egypt is said to be beyond what majority of the country’s residents can afford and with a low employment rate in the IT sector this move by Oppo is seen as a welcome development.
Photo Credit: alexanderjstein via Compfight cc


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"We believe it will be new companies more than old ones that help those living on a few dollars a day move out of poverty" Paul Polak #quote
"By designing products from the ground up, entrepreneurs are better positioned to consider the challenges of distribution early on" #quote
Apr212014Who Will Grab the Fortune at the Base of the Pyramid?
Re-posted from NextBillion Blog, Next Thought Monday: Who Will Grab the Fortune at the Base of the Pyramid? by Paul Polak and Mal Warwick In a recent post on NextBillion, Stuart Hart, who coauthored The Fortune at the Bottom of the… Read More »


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Richland bakery and cafe ‘pies’ it forward to Tri-City community
RICHLAND, Wash. – At Ethos Bakery and Cafe, preparing for Thanksgiving is a marathon.
“A lot of chaos and craziness but there’s also just this energy in the room and I think everybody who’s here is just so focused to make it a great day and we love being a part of everybody’s holiday tables,” Co-owner Angela Kora said.
This year, they’re especially grateful for the chaos. Kora said they have nearly three times the number of orders for pies and sides, compared to previous years.
“Definitely the most we’ve ever done; blown away by the support. I think we put a call out there essentially saying, ‘this is a really tough time for businesses, we don’t know what the future looks like,’ and for people to say ‘we want to support you now so we can support you in the future’ is huge,” she said.
At the same time, Ethos is able to give back to the community. This year, customers were able to buy their Thanksgiving sides and pies, and purchase a smaller version for a local family in need.
“We’re able to donate, I think, when all told, about 20 total meals which will feed about 50 individuals,” Kora said.
The meals will to go families involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties.
Brian Ace, the Executive Director applauded all the small businesses who, despite the pandemic, are still able to help out.
“Having support from the community, especially food support, is so critical during this time, but it’s not just about feeding hungry stomachs. It’s an expression of encouragement, it’s an expression of support and we appreciate the community thinking about our kids,” he said.
Kora said they couldn’t have made it through without the Tri-City community, and support is still needed as we reach the holiday season.
“Community has just been so overwhelmingly supportive. I’ve seen a lot of other businesses that have sold out of product as well and everybody’s just running to keep up and it really helps to boost spirits during a time that would otherwise be really difficult,” she explained.
Ethos‘ two locations will be open on Wednesday, November 25th and their Queensgate-Keene location will be open for limited hours on Thanksgiving, in case you need a last minute dessert or bread. Kora recommended that customers call ahead.
More from Madeleine Hagen:


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Following up on their previous announcement of new digital comics and packaging featuring NFL players as "The League of Captains," Gatorade has released several new videos featuring the NFL players as drawn by DC Comics artists.
Check them out below:
"Push Up" featuring Robert Griffin III as TrIIIple Impact.
"Sweat" featuring Cam Newton as The Blender.
"Jump" featuring JJ Watt as MegaWatt.
"Rain" featuring Eli Manning as Big Easy.
"Big Talk" featuring Peyton Manning and Cam Newton as The Sheriff and The Blender.


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- Market Loop
- Daily business and finance update 11th April 2023
Daily business and finance update 11th April 2023
Doctors strike begins
Good morning. Hope you had a great Easter weekend. Thankfully there are less than three weeks until the early May bank holiday. With 24 days to go until King Charles III’s coronation – and 26 until the extra holiday - Buckingham Palace has released the official procession route, emoji and hashtags.
Doctors on strike (again)
A four-day NHS junior doctor strike begins this morning, compounding prime minister Rishi Sunak’s struggle to end months of labour unrest that has slowed the UK’s post-Covid recovery. Tens of thousands of junior doctors, who are qualified medics in clinical training, will walk off the job across England for 96 hours starting at 7am today until Saturday. It's the second walkout this year. Hospital leaders and politicians warn the British Medical Association’s push for a 35% pay rise will cause unprecedented disruption to the NHS, with many staff still on annual leave during the school holidays following the Easter break. The BMA say their pay demand makes up for 15 years for below-inflation wage rises but the government says it is unrealistic. NHS leaders estimate 350,000 appointments could be cancelled.
Tesla’s China expansion
The US electric vehicle maker announced plans to build a new factory in Shanghai. The facility will manufacture Megapack batteries - large-scale energy storage units that can be used to help stabilise energy grids and prevent power outages. It will serve a growing market as the world shifts to renewable energy. CEO Elon Musk has promised to make Tesla’s battery division just as big as its car business. Tesla’s Shanghai plant produced almost 711,000 vehicles last year, accounting for the majority of its global production. The news came amid deepening trade tensions between the US and Chinese governments with Washington pressing American companies to become less reliant on China.
US jobs market slows
The US economy added 236,000 jobs in March, close to analyst expectations but the lowest monthly gain since December 2020. The unemployment rate fell by 0.1% to 3.5% while average wages rose 4.2% compared to the year before. The data is being closely watched amid looming uncertainty over the economy following the Federal Reserve's year-long efforts to bring inflation back down to its 2% target. Signs of a slowing labour market could encourage the US central bank to pause its series of interest rate hikes to cool the economy.
Major online partnership
THG, the online shopping group behind Cult Beauty and Lookfantastic, has announced a 10-year partnership with beauty e-commerce retailer Maximo Group, owner of All Beauty and Fragrance Direct. The deal will see Maximo's sites migrate onto THG’s digital commerce solutions arm, Ingenuity. THG expects this to add £150m gross merchandise value to the Ingenuity platform annually. The announcement comes three months after THG revealed that its profits would fall short of expectations for the third time in a year, blaming delivery disruption, contract delays and falling sales at one of its key divisions.
Poor flying: Budget-airline Wizz Air has been ranked the worst for flight delays from UK airports, for the second year in a row, an investigation has found.
Down and out: Thousands of UK Vodafone customers have complained after suffering from a broadband connection outage.
On the rise: UK house prices rose unexpectedly for a third month in a row in March in a sign of “resilience” in the market according to the latest report from Halifax.
Number Of The Day
Average amount of days it took to agree a house sale on a UK home last month, roughly twice as long as a year ago.


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Employment in the industry has risen over the past year. The carmakers are now running at or near a profit. And, more important for the economy, a feared collapse of the industry was avoided.
"This plant just hired a new shift of 1,100 workers last week," Mr. Obama told an audience of Chrysler employees after touring a factory near Detroit. "You are proving the naysayers wrong."
It was a pep talk for workers in one of the states hardest hit by the recession, but also a response to critics who say the government shouldn't have spent taxpayer money to rescue Detroit carmakers – or for broader programs designed to stimulate the economy.
The auto rescue in particular could use some public-relations help, judging by recent polls.
Some 48 percent of Americans say they are now less supportive of the auto bailouts than they were a few months ago, versus 17 percent who say they are more supportive, according to a Bloomberg poll taken early in July. And in a May CBS News poll, 6 in 10 adults said the government should not have aided the automakers.
Obama argued Friday, in appearances at a General Motors plant as well as at Chrysler, that failing to help the firms would have deepened an already severe recession.
"It's estimated that we would have lost another million jobs if we had not stepped in," he said. The shutdown of these two firms, he said, would have rippled out to bankrupt suppliers and dealerships – including adverse affects on the supply chain for Ford, the other large US-based automaker.
The Obama administration says it has committed $60 billion to help GM and Chrysler avoid liquidation, adding that much of that money could be recouped for taxpayers as the government's ownership stake is eventually sold to private investors in a stock offering.
Many economists agree with the president's basic assertion – that some form of carmaker aid was needed. Amid a financial panic late in 2008, car sales took a 40 percent plunge as consumers held back on large purchases.
Ford avoided a bailout in part because it had borrowed to create a cash cushion before the recession.
In addition to assisting GM and Chrysler, the government subsidized a "cash for clunkers" program, designed to revive car sales by encouraging people to trade in old vehicles with poor fuel efficiency.
Mr. Grimes worries, however, that the long-run challenges for the industry aren't over and that the specific form the rescue took could make life more difficult for GM and Chrysler in the future.
The bailouts have provided the firms with bridge funding, so that they could restructure in bankruptcy rather than liquidate their operations. The companies downsized, and their stock and bond holders took losses that allowed the companies to emerge with smaller debt.
But the administration policies gave more favorable treatment to one set of creditors – trust funds representing retired union workers – than to traditional bondholders. When that framework survived in the bankruptcy proceeding, it set a precedent that could make it harder for these firms to raise funds in credit markets.
"It clearly makes it less likely that unionized companies, in particular the auto industry, going forward are going to be able to go to the bond market and say, 'Give me a loan,' " Grimes says.
The industry, Obama said, has gained 55,000 jobs in the past year. But that comes after a much sharper decline during the recession.
Michigan still has one of the nation's highest unemployment rates. The state now has 3.9 million nonfarm workers employed, down from 4.7 million in 2000.
The carmakers are not only surviving, Obama said, but are also transitioning toward new fuel-efficient technologies. While in Detroit, Obama got behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Volt, the electric car for which GM has just announced a $41,000 price tag and a 50 percent boost in production.
Michigan is also hoping to gain thousands of jobs from battery production for electric cars.
But a recovery in the car industry alone won't solve the jobs problem, Grimes says. Longer term, he says, the solutions include reforming the state's tax system, boosting education and retraining, and growing new industries in the service sector.
Similar changes may be needed nationwide as well, economists say. Obama's visit coincided with news of tepid 2.4 percent growth for the economy during the year's second quarter.
"We've got more work to do," Obama said.


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In a headline that couldn’t be more 2022, a US judge has deemed that popular stock trading APP Robinhood must face market manipulation claims from the 2021 “meme stock” incident that affected millions of retail investors last year.
If perhaps you were living under a rock for most of 2021, you may have missed what many have deemed the biggest breach of trust by any market facilitator since the beginning of the modern stock market. In early 2021, the GameStop stock (GME) short squeeze incident saw a group of retail investors uniting on popular trading APP Robinhood to drive up the stock prices of struggling companies to score profits for themselves, and more importantly, to stick it to the establishment.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “shorting” a stock means to bet that the price of a particular security will go down in the future. Short sellers borrow shares of the stock they hope to sell from somebody else, sell the stock, and then buy it back at a lower price and return the shares to the person they borrowed them from. If the stock price does go down, the short seller profits.
However, if the stock price goes up instead, the short seller’s bet has failed and they can lose their entire bet.
The masses unite!
Millions of users, led by the subreddit Wallstreetbets, noticed that large institutions had massive short positions against GameStop and unified together to drive the price up and liquidate these big, bad institutions. The plan was working flawlessly and the price of GameStop began to soar.
The majority of these users, turned to the Robinhood, due to its ease of access and zero trading fees and began ramping up the price of GME using simple taps of their fingers, betting on the continued explosion of the price and the hope of liquidating these institutions while also hoping to realize a profit themselves at some point.
Robinhood then did something unprecedent
In the midst of the price explosion, Robinhood turned evil villain (allegedly) and decided to halt the trading of the GameStop stock on their app. To take it even further, at one point Robinhood disabled the ability to purchase GME, but still allowed users to sell the stock — how convenient..
Foul on the play!
Millions of users on social media immediately began to call foul, appalled at Robinhood’s blatant (alleged) market manipulation.
So how long until all of the executives of @RobinhoodApp are in jail?
— Professor (@Super_Professor) January 30, 2021
Imagine you own a stock, and you are betting on it’s price going up, but one of the largest (if not the largest in that moment) decided to only let users sell and drive the price down — you’d be pretty pissed right?
People were pretty upset and rightfully so. Claiming foul on the play with no remedy from Robinhood in sight, users decided to do the only thing they could at the time and “vote with their wallet” — uninstalling the app and taking their business elsewhere — causing Robinhood’s revenue and stock price to plummet (take that!)
Robinhood’s transaction-based revenue at their last public filling ( the second quarter of 2022) reporting year over year drops in revenue of 250 million, which represented more than half of their prior year quarter. Additionally their share price is down 70% from all time highs in 2021.
The Grim Reaper targets Robinhood
After 18 months+ of waiting, finally a a Miami federal judge decided to allow a proposed investor class-action lawsuit to go forward and hopefully see the once-popular APP face the music on (alleged) market manipulation claims. And while the justice system moves at a snail pace, the markets do not — and the stock price of Robinhood fell nearly a point on the news. As the stock approaches single digits, the best case scenario is that Robinhood will just become insolvent and go away. While millions of people will likely never be made whole on the billions of unrealized, possible “gainz” from that fateful day — standing on the grave of Robinhood one day may provide some satisfaction.
We’ll see you in hell Robinhood
(If this story is news to you and you happen to use Robinhood, may we recommend uninstalling ASAP)


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Bridgerton season 2 will not be making its way to Netflix in the following month. Bridgerton is among the most popular Netflix Originals out there with a huge fan base. Ever since it was first released on Netflix in December 2020, the users of the streaming platforms have
Netflix reportedly paused the production process of Bridgerton season 2 indefinitely because of a new pandemic case. Bridgerton is one of the most popular Netflix shows out there without a doubt. Its first season was a huge sensation when it was first released back in
Bridgerton season 2 is unfortunately not going to land on the popular streaming platform in the following month. Bridgerton is among the most popular Netflix Originals without a doubt. Having debuted on Netflix in December 2020, the series quickly became a fan-favorite one.
Netflix’s popular Regency-era series Bridgerton will not be on Netflix with its season 2 in the next month. Bridgerton is a Netflix Original drama series telling of England’s Regency-era with the perspective of the powerful Bridgerton family. The release date of the
Netflix announced Bridgerton spinoff which will be centered around young Queen Charlotte’s life. This upcoming spinoff series will be created by Shonda Rhimes who will also be the executive producer. Tom Verica and Betsy Beers are also on the team for the prequel. The
Netflix’s popular Regency-era series Bridgerton is not going to be on Netflix with its season 2 in May 2021. Bridgerton fans have been waiting eagerly for the next installment of the series since the release of the first season back in December 2020. Netflix currently
Bridgerton season 2 is expected to come to Netflix in 2021 but what are the details? The TV series was first released at the beginning of 2021 and, within its first week, it became the biggest series ever on Netflix. There are many watchers who are in love with the series


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As Nestlé goes on a Public Relations (PR) offensive trying to improve its image by linking to the Fairtrade name during International Nestlé-Free Week, it is a great opportunity to tell people why to boycott Nestlé Fairtrade KitKat, its token Fairtrade chocolate bar, involving just 2.6% of its cocoa purchase. You can download our leaflet 'Why boycott Nestlé Fairtrade KitKat' by clicking here. You can also invite your friends to the event on Facebook event - click here - and adapt our suggested message (given below) for posting as a comment on articles that highlight KitKat without mentioning other concerns.
Nestlé is 'widely boycotted' (to use the words of the company's Global Public Affairs Manager) because its baby milk marketing violates international standards, so undermining breastfeeding and endangering babies fed on formula. Nestlé is the global market leader.
Many boycott supporters do support the Fair Trade concept - a certification system requiring producers to abide by minimum standards for employment conditions, to ensure child labour is not involved in their supply chain and to pay a fair price to suppliers.
In the UK, certification is organised by the Fairtrade Foundation, which awarded the Fairtrade mark to Nestlé' 4-finger KitKat in 2010 and 2-finger KitKat from 2013. Nestlé says it will be buying 4,500 tonnes of cocoa through the Fairtrade scheme (its annual purchase is about 365,000 tonnes). In 2005 the Fairtrade Foundation awarded the mark to Nestlé Partners' Blend coffee, which involves just 0.1% of the coffee farmers dependent on the company, while Nestlé is accused of driving down standards for the rest - click here for the controversy over Partners' Blend.
The announcement that 2-finger KitKat will have the Fairtrade mark from January 2013 came two days before International Nestlé-Free Week 2012 - the timing of the announcement was clearly an attempt to try to divert attention from the week.
We conducted a survey through our site at the time of the Partners' Blend launch and of 500 who responded, 95% were boycotting Nestlé and 92% said they bought Fairtrade products, while 45% said their support of the Fairtrade mark would change if Nestlé received it. There was widespread confusion about the meaning of the Fairtrade mark as two-thirds of respondents said if they saw the mark they believed it indicated there were no significant ethical concerns about the company. In truth, the certification process only involves checking the practices surrounding the product on which the mark appears.
It was announced 6,000 farmers would benefit from supplying cocoa to Fairtrade 4-finger KitKat, gaining about an extra £400,000 per year from the Fairtrade premium. This has risen to 7,000 farmers with the addtion of 2-finger KitKat. Nesté's is again receiving global publicity for a fraction of the price of the sums it pays on adertising (for example, it spent £43 million on the Nescafé UK advertising campaign it ran in 2010).
My concerns about the way Nestlé exploits the Fairtrade mark are contained in the message I have posted to a few of the articles promoting Nestlé KitKat - feel free to adapt this when posting comments on articles and discussion groups (I cannot be everywhere!). I've added links to supporting documents and an interview with the International Labor Rights Fund, which has campaigned on child slavery in Nestlé's cocoa supply chain. You can download the leaflet with 10 key fact about Nestlé by clicking here.
Also check out the date of the next Nestlé demonstration if you are interested in campaigning.
What a Public Relations coup for Nestlé - whose KitKat bar you have mentioned in your article. Only 2.6% of Nestlé's cocoa purchase is involved in KitKat and it is criticised for failing to act on a 2001 undertaking to end child slavery in the supply chain of the rest by 2006. There are also concerns that Indonesian rainforest is being destroyed to provide Nestlé with palm oil - following a Greenpeace campaign last year, Nestlé said it would source sustainable palm oil, but only by 2015 (best to pay close attention as to whether this will be another broken promise made to silence campaigners).
Nestlé Fairtrade KitKat is on Baby Milk Action's list of products to boycott to put pressure on Nestlé executives to stop marketing baby milk using strategies that violate international standards. Nestlé's latest global marketing strategy is to claim its formula 'protects' babies, while in reality babies fed on formula are more likely to become sick than breastfed babies and, in conditions of poverty, more likely to die. The email Nestlé campaign has prompted some changes and admissions, but more pressure is needed as Nestlé continues to defend the colourful logos it has added to labels and most of the promotional material containing misleading claims. Nestlé also refuses to bring its warnings and instructions into line with World Health Organisation guidance on how to reconstitute powdered formula, so putting babies who have to be fed on formula at additional risks.
Nestlé is also accused of trade union busting activities in Colombia and refusing to accept court rulings in the Philippines over workers' rights. For information on these and other issues, see the Nestlé Critics site: http://www.nestlecritics.org/
You can find evidence of what Nestlé is really doing and a leaflet explaining why to boycott Fairtrade KitKat at: http://info.babymilkaction.org/nestlefree
There are companies that are 100% Fairtrade which deserve supporting by those who back this initiative, rather than Nestlé that uses its token Fairtrade chocolate bar to divert criticism and gain undeserved publicity.
Nestlé's infographic about its 2-finger KitKat joining 4-finger KitKat with the Fairtrade mark says that 9,600 tonnes will be purchased from 7,000 farmers.
Although it was reported in 2009 at the time of the 4-finger KitKat gaining the Fairtrade mark that 6,000 farmers were involved, the new infographic suggests that the number involved was actually 2,500.
According to Nestlé Creating Shared Value report 2011, it aims to buy 40,000 tonnes of cocoa in 2012 through its own cocoa plan scheme (through which Nestlé ties in suppliers through offers of better treatment) and this will represent 11% of its entire cocoa purchase. From these figures, it can be calculated that Nestlé purchases about 364,000 tonnes in total per year. A clear statement of the total purchase has not be found in the latest report (it is noted, however, that the Trading Visions site gave Nestlé's purchase in 2008 as 370,000 tonnes, so if this has actually increased, the Fairtrade percentage will be even smaller than 2.6%).


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Just a few morsels of food news. But a chance to remind you to partake in Oakland Veg Week! Even if you don't go to one of the Oakland restaurants with specials for the week, try eating vegetarian for a change. There are lots of great restaurants in Oakland with vegi and vegan options that make it easy.
I noticed some activity at Lost & Found on Telegraph earlier this week. No update on when it might open, but activity is a good sign. The website still says "Coming Soon".
Max's Diner and Bar in City Center closed up rather suddenly. According to @dto510,"Max's up and left City Center without even telling its employees, a week ago!"
Also rather suddenly, a number of Lanesplitter Pizza employees quit mid-shift at the Temescal location. According to the East Bay Express article, one of the servers put a post that "outlined a series of grievances that included alleged misogyny, emotional abuse, and a deceptively inaccessible employee health care program." Ouch. Unsurprisingly, the company denies the allegations.
In more exciting news, Bites off Broadway is about to begin its third year. I'm a fan, so I'm very happy to hear it will be back.
The East Bay Express wasn't wild about Lungomare, "Highs and Lows at Lungomare", but liked some things and is optimistic about the future. K and I tried it a couple weeks ago, and we enjoyed it. One of the things we had and liked was the polenta, which the EBX article mentioned.
And a few leftovers from earlier this year.
I'd heard but forgotten about Little Star Pizza planning to open on Grand Avenue, but was reminded by a recent tweet from @davidcolburn showing the new sign on "The Star" at the former site of Milano.
Thick crust not your thing? Back in January, Berkeleyside said that Jules Thin Crust was scheduled to open in Rockridge in March. Update: @davidcolburn let me know the Rockridge location is open, as confirmed by some reviews on Yelp.
Update #2. In a good sign for Oakland beer lovers and probably a bad sign for Quinn's Lightouse, the Brotzeit Boathaus and Biergarten is aiming to open in May.


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WASHINGTON – It took Charlene Daniel-Green and her daughter Kaeleigh two days, about a dozen stores and countless hours to find the perfect prom dress.
And that was just for the dress.
Preparations for the big night began more than a month in advance. There’s the hair appointment, the nail appointment, the makeup artist who will come to the house, the boutonniere, the pre-party, the after-party, the transportation and the buying of the actual tickets.
Still, the mother/daughter pair will come out of the whole affair having spent around $500 — which is far less than many high-schoolers in the region.
“I read an article about that, that last year’s average was about $850, which is crazy. I’m sorry. It can be done much cheaper if you’re willing to shop around. It’s not a wedding. It’s a prom,” Daniel-Green says.
Daniel-Green was correct. In 2011, American families spent an average of $807 on the prom. But, despite continued economic sluggishness, that number has soared.
The average amount families will spend on prom this year is 34 percent higher than the year before, about $1,088, according to a recent survey by Visa. And that’s just the national average. When broken down by region, Northeast families, including those in the D.C. area, will spend a whopping $1,944 on prom, according to the study.
It’s the highest average in the country.
In the South, Visa says families will spend an average of $1,047, families in the West will spend about $744 and in the Midwest, folks will spend $696, on average.
“I know some folks go a little crazy on spending for prom, but I just don’t see the purpose of that,” Daniel-Green says.
“She’s going to have a good time regardless of the price of her dress.”
Proms have already begun in the area, with some high schools hosting theirs this past weekend. Private schools traditionally hold theirs the earliest, and some public schools schedule theirs well into June. Regardless, store managers say they’ve been bustling with business for weeks.
“I don’t think people really watch what they spend when it comes to prom dresses — at least when it comes to this area,” says Breanne Fugere, who manages Luna, an upscale clothing store in Bethesda.
Fugere says her store sells specialty silk dresses that aren’t available elsewhere, so teens searching for that one-of-a-kind dress shop there. After the dress, teens are looking for jewelery, clutches and shoes.
“When it comes to prom dresses, I think parents assume they’re going to spend a couple hundred bucks, between $200 and $400,” Fugere says.
Gail Cohen owns Salon Central in Bethesda, a high-end salon that Bethesda Magazine rated “Best Salon” for the last three consecutive years. She says her prom clients are usually daughters of loyal customers “who would rather spend their money on a place like Salon Central, where they know they’re going to have a professional doing their hair.”
Cohen says prom clients often come early in the day to have their hair styled professionally, and then go elsewhere to get their nails and makeup done.
“There’s no limit,” she says. “They will spend the money, absolutely.”
According to the Visa survey, parents in the lowest income bracket plan to spend more than the national average. Those families who bring in less than $50,000 annually will spend an average of $1,307.
Households earning between $20,000 and $29,000 will spend the most: $2,635.
“Prom season spending is spiraling out of control as teens continuously try to one-up each other,” said Jason Alderman, senior director of Global Financial Education at Visa Inc. “Parents need to set limits in order to demonstrate financial responsibility.”
Daniel-Green, whose daughter will attend Howard High’s prom on May 4, says it may have more to do with the parents trying to outdo each other than the kids. But that’s not happening among the parents in her daughter’s group of friends.
She says her daughter is a lacrosse player who is very busy with school and sports, and so doesn’t have time for a part-time job. Because of that, Daniel-Green is footing the bill for Kaeleigh’s prom this year.
“That’s why I’m shopping around,” she says.
“The best part of it, we got her dress for $48. It was $60, but I had a coupon. I know, unbelievable compared to some of the prices we saw.”


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We’re heading to the UK’s flagship retail event, Retail Technology Show 2023, at the Olympia, London between Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th of April.
Last year’s show was a roaring success and saw retailers and technology suppliers brought together again for the first time since the pandemic. The Retail Technology Show has always been a key date in the diary for the TPP team and we can’t wait for the doors to open for 2023. It’s been an exciting year of innovation for us, and we have so much more to show you! Come and see us on Stand 6D30.
We remain incredibly passionate about creating simple yet smart solutions that improve the customer retail experience, reducing friction in your stores and improving operations with better processes. But the retail landscape is evolving and more and more of our solutions support the transformation of the retail store to meet not only the needs of today’s consumers but make life better for your store colleagues too.
Make the most of your time at Retail Technology Show and book a meeting with us. We’d love to hear about your store challenges, share ideas with you and demonstrate how we’re helping brands just like yours innovate their retail operations to deliver a seamless colleague and customer experience.
See you at RTS!
Stay up to date with the latest in retail technology with news and insights sent straight to your inbox.


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enrich360 is applying a unique reverse logistics model that sees major commercial and industrial operators form a closed loop partnership to convert their food waste into compost.
Bill Kollatos, enrich360 Founder and Director, could see the impact of farmer soil degradation from chemical fertilisers used as a result of mass production.
With his team at In2food (previously Yarra Valley Farms), a leading wholesale supplier of quality fresh fruit and vegetables, Bill realised his vision to improve farmer products, consumer transparency and reduce the impact of food waste in landfill.
Understanding that the future is determined by the health of planet and a need to support farmers – enrich360 was launched in 2016. To support its ambitious endeavours, the company received finance from Sustainability Victoria in late 2017.
Enrich360’s program uses a dehydrator to condense food waste into recycled water and biomass that can be utilised as fertiliser. The model is established on a closed loop system where restaurants and cafes across the country convert their food waste into rich organic fertiliser to give back to farmers and grow better, more nutritious produce.
Dean Turner, Chief Executive Officer of enrich360, says the company has seen significant growth since he took over earlier this year, having partnered with 300 businesses nationwide, including major organisations such as IKEA in Richmond and David Jones in Bourke Street, Melbourne. Dean says enrich360 will also soon be in other major outlets such as the Victorian State Library, shopping centres and a major airport.
“We don’t proclaim to be a waste company, we don’t see ourselves as a competitor. We’re about our niche and supporting our customers that want to give back to the environment,” Dean explains.
He explains that the company leverages a reverse logistics model by having In2food drivers pick up the condensed waste during their usual drop-off route. Dean says the food dehydrator is able to reduce the volume of food waste by up to 93 per cent.
He says that on average, a commercial and industrial outlet such as IKEA produces about 200 kilograms of food waste a day, which can be reduced into two 22-litre bins comprising 15 to 20 kilograms of dry biomass and about 150 litres of water. The twice-weekly collection of sterile pathogen-free biomass is taken directly to a farm or composter for end use.
“We’ve got machines that can do 30 kilograms of food waste which could run twice a day and up to one that does 1.1 tonne on the larger end, reducing the waste to just 100 kilograms – which significantly reduces trucks on the road,” Dean says.
He says the company’s certification scheme will give consumers peace of mind that they are dining at a sustainable food service. The scheme requires partners to demonstrate compliance to the organisation’s program to be granted an enrich360 certification mark.
“Getting the produce out of the farms and back into restaurants forms a complete circle. Once people are up and running and into the routine of that, we will go and check what they’re doing, make sure that they’re capturing all of their waste and then award them enrich360 certification,” Dean says.
Once enough commercial partners are signed on, consumers will be able to use enrich360’s mobile app to ascertain where their raw materials are coming from and information on the farm – adding a further layer of traceability to the process.


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Apple announced their second generation iPad mini with a Retina display a few weeks ago but even company CEO Tim Cook admitted a few days later they were unsure of they would be able to meet the expected demand for the 7.9 inch tablet this holiday shopping season. Today, in a somewhat unexpected move, Apple started taking orders for the new iPad mini online.
Currently the 16GB and 32GB WiFi version of the tablet will ship from Apple in one to three business days, while the 64GB and 128GB versions will take between five to 10 business days to ship out. The WiFi-4G versions are all showing they will take between five to 10 business days to ship.
As we have reported before, the new version of the iPad mini, which comes in "Space Gray" and silver colors, now has a display with a resolution of 2048x1536 along with the A7 processor that's in the new iPhone 5S and new iPad. The starting price for the iPad mini is $399 for the 16GB WiFi-only model all the way to 829 for the 128GB WiFI-4G version.
Thanks to +Mephistopheles for the tip in our forums!


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The dawn of the 5G era has arrived. Although it might seem too early to go out and throw serious money on a 5G phone, major carriers such as Verizon have already connected their 5G networks. The technology offers tremendous opportunities, especially for startups.
Think of it this way: if you wanted to connect 10 devices to the Internet a couple of years ago, you need a router. But large organizations with hundreds or thousands of terminals had to invest heavily in sophisticated network technologies to meet their network needs. Further 5G fixes this problem. This does not require a router, and the towers can serve a million devices within a square kilometer.
The development of 5G technology is similar to the invention of an internal combustion engine. This changes the rules of the game, and a sharp reduction in delays and increased throughput will make possible new business models. A lot of processing will take place in the cloud, and not at the device level, which will lead to an exponential reduction in software and hardware costs. And by freeing the bottom of the electronic spectrum, 5G will simplify the creation of a huge network of devices connected to IoT.
For telecommunications companies, the ability to use the 5G market is obvious, and they are rapidly expanding their networks and preparing employees for changes. For example, the FCC is working with the National Alliance for Wireless Security to train the 20,000 skilled workers that will be required to service towers.
On the other hand, companies that manufacture routers and provide cable Internet services will encounter some difficulties, but this does not mean that all doors will be closed to them. A quick switch to 5G will allow new players to move into old industries and adopt disruptive business models.
How To Make Perfect Your Online Business For 5G Technologies
For example, consumers did not buy Google Glass when it was launched back in 2013. People did not understand the essence, and the company spoiled its marketing strategy. But lower latency connections and the higher bandwidth that 5G provides will make AR and VR hardware more viable as cloud processing speeds up, creating a space for innovation that once seemed too much like The Jetsons. North’s Mojo Vision and Focals are already demonstrating the new potential for the once-mocking form of technology.
In addition, the introduction of smart glasses, smart contact lenses and other AR devices will drive software development. New devices open up new possibilities for software developers to determine how consumers interact with technology and the world around them. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are probably all working secretly on new operating systems for smart devices, but it will be interesting to see what new applications and technologies are conquering the market.
But 5G will not just shake the consumer market. Intelligent devices and sensor technologies have serious industrial applications, so you can bet that oil pipelines, production halls, and warehouses will soon find a use for them. Reducing the cost of connected devices will also facilitate the use of technology to implement real-world innovations in the business models that need it most.
Startups must prepare if they want to take full advantage of the 5G revolution, and they need to start now. Here are three tips to get you started.
Read These 2 Ways About 5G Technology In Your Business
Embed 5G in your corporate culture.
According to a Statista study, eleven million people worldwide will use 5G smartphones worldwide by the end of 2019, and by 2022 this figure will reach 627 million. This increase of 57 times in three years and the breakneck speed of this change means that workers will need serious support for adaptation.
Training schemes and clear communication strategies are vital to getting everyone on board. Business leaders cannot assume that everyone will understand what 5G means to the company. They must make innovation a part of the company’s culture to ensure that everyone buys it.
Get everyone on one page.
5G will affect all aspects of the business. Many moving parts need to be coordinated, and old management systems and ways of doing things may have to be abandoned to make companies more flexible. Audi has already begun working in this “old, new” philosophy, using Wi-Fi to connect robots to its assembly line, but it has also begun testing 5G and expects to deploy it to all of its German enterprises. in the coming years. Companies from other industries can also learn from this example. They must set up processes that enable them to succeed.


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The Federal Government has launched a new suite of free iPad apps that aim to help SME business owners to create new business, marketing and emergency plans on their tablet device.
The new apps were launched this week by Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, Senator Kate Lundy, at the FutureGov Summit in Canberra.
“The planning process for companies can be daunting, but sound planning is required to start, run and grow a successful business,” Senator Lundy said. “By making planning templates available in a tablet app format, it will now be easier for businesses to create plans and update, share and store them online.
“Developed with the help of business experts, these smart apps are a great example of how the Gillard Government is using engaging and interactive technology to help business owners improve their productivity.”
The two new iPad apps, MyBizPlan and MarketMyBiz, provide interactive templates to guide businesses through the process of developing business and marketing plans. The existing app, MyBizShield, has been updated in response to customer feedback to improve its usability and enable cloud storage. The app was launched last year as part of a suite of resources to help businesses plan for emergencies.
“A look around any business office shows that owners and managers are embracing new technologies like tablets and smartphones,” Senator Lundy said. “As a Government we recognise how important it is to keep pace with rapid technological change and provide information and tools in a way that helps business owners increase productivity.”
For more information or to download the planning apps visit www.business.gov.au/businessapps . Android versions of the apps are currently being developed.
Follow @mybusinessau on Twitter for breaking stories throughout the day.
Find out why you should join the SME Association of Australia.


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Honda and Nissan have been banking on fuel cells and electric cars as the long-term strategy for sustainable mobility. Company executives are now warming up to plug-in hybrids.
Since their introduction in the US in late 1999, hybrid cars have been repeatedly dismissed as a “bridge technology”—a euphemism for a short-lived second-rate technology that briefly serves a purpose until it can be replaced with something better and longer lasting. But in recent statements coming within days of one another, executives from Honda and Nissan are reconsidering the role that hybrids will play in the coming decades.
For both companies, the plug-in hybrid is seen as the next stage of hybrids and as the key to the technology’s longevity. Honda was banking on a transition to fuel cell cars, while Nissan was primarily moving toward the pure battery-electric vehicle.
Honda began leasing a limited number of its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell cars last year, and still sees hydrogen as the long-term alternative to gasoline. But Honda President Takeo Fukui believes that the cost of fuel will need to increase before hydrogen-powered cars are ready for significant growth. In an interview published by Bloomberg, he said, “Oil prices are going to go up. When that time comes, fuel cells, solar panels, hydrogen, those will be the key words. We will have packages that will be very competitive at that time.” In the meantime, he said the company is “thinking about plug-in hybrids.” He added, “We aren’t thinking about commercializing one right away.” Honda will need to modify its current mild hybrid system—or develop a new approach—in order to produce plug-in hybrids.
The Bridge Gets Much Longer
Honda’s views on plug-in hybrids are also motivated by new consumer tax credits—as much as $7,500 for a robust plug-in hybrid. Fukui said, “We understand the situation, in terms of government and incentives. Naturally, we’re going to have to accommodate that too.”
Nissan also sees a future jump in oil prices as the key to its long-term efficient technology: the electric car. “When GDP growth comes back on a worldwide basis, there will be again attention on the oil market, which will trigger an oil price increase,” said Carlos Tavares, Nissan executive vice president. “We will be in the right tempo to face that environment.”
Mark Perry, Nissan product planner, told HybridCars.com, “Zero emission vehicles are clearly our focus and we believe it’s the future state of transportation. Some segments of the market in the near term may best be served by high efficiency internal combustion engines, diesels, hybrids or extended range electric vehicles [also known as plug-in hybrids].” He added that these technologies are “all bridge technologies to the time when battery electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles can cover every market segment.”
The Key Question: When?
The key question for both companies is how long it will take until electric cars and fuel cell vehicles can reach levels approaching the current hybrid market. After 10 years on the market, hybrids represent less than 3 percent of the new car market.
Speaking at the Society of Automotive Engineers’ 2009 World Congress last week, Minoru Shinohara, Nissan corporate senior vice president, said that plug-in hybrids will be an important transition solution to the pure electric vehicle because they don’t need an extensive public charging infrastructure. The cost of building the public charging infrastructure will cost many billions of dollars; therefore, most analysts believe that it could take decades to construct.
Hybrids will not necessarily disappear even after an electric-recharging or hydrogen-refueling infrastructure is built. Kenji Nakano, senior chief engineer, Honda R&D, also appearing at the World Congress, said, “Hybrid technology is also applied to fuel cell vehicles, range-extender vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Thus, instead of being a bridge technology, hybrids are expected to remain in the mainstream for quite some time.”


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Listen: Andrew Walker, Kimberly Adams, China discussed on Morning Edition
"I'm Kimberly Adams in for David Brancaccio. China's central Bank announced today it would lower the reserve requirements for banks in the country. It's the fifth time in a year. The People's Bank of China has cut the amount of cash individual banks have to keep in reserve. This is part of China's efforts to address slowing economic growth for more on this. I'm joined by BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker and Andrew Howard, cutting this rate help boost Chinese growth banks will not need to put aside quite so much by way of cash and and reserves they have in accounts at the central Bank when they expand their lending. And so that will mean that it'll be a little bit easier for them to provide more loans to to businesses and consumers so it could boost credit somewhat. And thereby encourage consumers and businesses to borrow more to spend is. Is it sustainable then to keep lowering that safety cushion of cash in Chinese banks? There are certainly concerns that have been expressed repeatedly over the last few years about the rapid growth in credit. There has been in the in the Chinese economy. So absolutely there is a limit to how far you can go in offsetting a slow down by encouraging the banks and other parts of the financial sector lend. More the BBC's Andrew Walker. Thank you so much, my pleasure, Kimberly. And let's do the numbers."


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Russia’s real estate sector is on its back, but internet entrepreneur Oskar Hartmann believes that means there are bargains to be had. Following Europe’s lead, the founder of Russia's leading online fashion discount store has launched the country's first crowdfunded real estate investment scheme – and already he’s raised over $14mn in a month to buy the first property.
Hartmann is best known for setting up fashion discounter KupiVip.ru about eight years ago. Since then, he has launched a string of other sites focusing on e-commerce, including CarPrice.ru to sell cars and ZaOdno.ru, a discount online store for household staples, as well as founding the internet investment fund Fastlane Ventures over five years ago. But his latest venture Aktivo.ru breaks new ground by moving into finance.
The idea is simple: real estate has always been seen as a long-term secure investment, but ordinary people usually cannot afford to make more than one investment – buying the apartment they live in. What Aktivo.ru does is togather hundreds or thousands of people together who all buy a small share in a building and then collect a share of the rent each month.
“I am doing an investment at the moment on Aktivo.ru and would like to invite you to co-invest with me. I built Aktivo.ru as a commercial property crowdfunding platform, which allows successful people to buy shares in large commercial property to build a passive monthly income and achieve financial freedom,” Hartmann writes in a recent marketing email blast to solicit investment.
Although at first sight this looks like some sort of “phishing” scam, the fund is a PIF (mutual fund) regulated by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR), and the investment is secured by real property rights over the buildings. The risk the investor takes on is more or less the same as any investor in real estate takes on the development of the market. “This is like a normal PIF,” explains Ekaterina Nikolaeva, managing director of Aktivo.ru. “We have set up a management company that has a license from the CBR that guarantees the safety of the investment.”
Time to buy
Moscow’s real estate sector is in a bad way at the moment. Demand for residential housing is expected to fall by 30-40% in 2015, according to VTB Capital, with discounts on the prices on the secondary housing market currently at record highs. Meanwhile, vacancy rates on retail space have been creeping up from 7.5% at the end of last quarter, while rents have plunged. And vacancy for office space is also at an all-time high: there are one and half times more empty offices in Moscow at the moment than in the depths of the 2008 crash. The bet for any potential investor into Moscow property is that the market has hit bottom and it will be uphill from here.
For those willing to take a punt, Aktivo has some quality properties to invest into. The company is currently in the process of raising money for Tverskaya 9, a residential and retail asset. If the golden rule of real estate deals is “location, location, location”, then it doesn’t come much better than this. The building is at the bottom of Moscow’s main thoroughfare and a stone’s throw from Red Square.
The property costs $18.8mn and fund raising began at the end of October. The reaction was positive: Aktivo has already 3,000 registered clients and had collected 70% of the money by November 6, or $14.1mn. “We hope to close the fund raising by the end November and then close the deal in December. The first rental payments will made in January,” says Nikolaeva.
The property is supposed to yield 11-16% per year with full payback on the initial investment in seven years, according to Aktivo’s prospectus, and there is a long-term lease agreement in place until 2022 fixed in US dollars – crucial in these times of exchange rate volatility. The price of the space is $8,730 per square metre, less than half the historic highs that property commanded in the boom years. “We will buy the retail part of the building – the first four floors – and have a lease contract for seven years with the current tenant denominated in US dollars,” says Nikolaeva. “The price of the property is cheap. Three years ago the cost of a square metre was as high as $28,000 per square metre on Tverskaya, so if the value of the space recovers, then the rental value will rise too.”
Although the crowdfunding is about to close, investors can get into and out of the deal at anytime: Aktivo.ru plans to set up a secondary market for shares in the scheme, which investors can buy and sell at any time, says Nikolaeva.
Of course, a crowdfunding online investment is easy to do. A punter just has to go to the website, register and choose an amount to commit, starting with a minimum of $5,000. “Filling in a form will take couple of minutes, you will need only the basic passport information, tax number, bank account details and a copy of your passport (the first page and page with registration),” the website explains. “The set of documents will be generated automatically then a personal manager will contact you to agree on a convenient time and place to sign the contract.”


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Automobili Lamborghini has announced that it achieved a production record when Lamborghini Huracán number 14,022 came off the brand’s assembly line. In just five years of production, it achieved a production milestone for its V10 model by surpassing the numbers for its previous V10 model, the Gallardo. 14,022 units of the Galalrgo were produced over a production cycle of ten years which lasted from 2003 to 2013.
The V10 Huracán family is the successor to the iconic Gallardo, and was launched in 2014 with the coupé variant. This was followed by the Spyder and the rear-wheel-drive versions – the Performante in 2017 and the Performante Spyder in 2018. All the different versions lived up to the hype regarding their performance capabilities, by establishing several lap records. This year, Lamborghini launched the Huracán EVO (coupe and Spyder) which came with a next generation V10 engine and features like next-generation vehicle dynamic control and aerodynamics.
The milestone model which bore chassis number 14,022 is a Huracán EVO coupé in Grigio Titans (grey) and is meant for sale in the Korean market.
In the first half of 2019 alone (from 1 January to 30 June), Automobili Lamborghini delivered as many as 4,553 vehicles, representing an increase of 96 percent compared to the same period in 2018. From this figure, the Huracán accounted for 1,211 units, which included the last deliveries of the Huracán Performante and new units of the Huracán EVO, of which deliveries to customers started in June 2019. The V12 Aventador, continued to maintain its relatively high sales figures with 649 units being delivered to customers during this period.
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The Oklahoma State Department of Health has joined public health officials in other states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate a nationwide foodborne outbreak of Salmonella Poona. Epidemiologic studies of these Salmonellosis cases have implicated garden-variety cucumbers distributed by Andrew & Williamson of San Diego, CA as the cause of the outbreak. As of September 4, 2015, the CDC reports a total of 285 cases in 27 states linked to this outbreak. Seven cases of the outbreak strain of Salmonella Poona have been identified in Oklahoma.
Garden-variety cucumbers are the most common variety found in the grocery store; they are plump, smooth, dark green skinned, 7-10 inches long, and are usually waxed. These contaminated products were distributed to grocery stores and restaurants throughout the United States. For the current list of the stores and retail establishments that purchase cucumbers from Andrew & Williamson, please visit the webpage at the link below. This list may be updated in the future.
On September 4, 2015, Andrew & Williamson voluntarily recalled all cucumbers sold under the label “Limited Edition” from August 1 through September 3.
Contaminated garden-variety cucumbers may still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and in consumer’s homes. Recommendations for consumers:
· Oklahomans having purchased cucumbers for which they do not know the source should either discard the cucumbers or contact the store of purchase to determine the distributer.
· Oklahomans having cucumbers known to have been purchased from a store selling cucumbers distributed by Anderson & Williamson should not consume them.
· If you have cucumbers, but do not know where the cucumbers came from, do not eat but discard the cucumbers.
Symptoms of salmonellosis will generally appear within 6 – 72 hours after consumption of a contaminated food. The symptoms of salmonellosis include: diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, headache, muscle aches, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Blood is sometimes seen in the stool. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, but may last up to two weeks. In rare cases, Salmonella bacteria may enter the bloodstream. People with compromised immune systems, infants less than one year old, and the elderly are more likely to experience severe or prolonged illness. OSDH recommends that Oklahomans having concerns regarding symptoms they are experiencing should contact their personal physician.