text:
July 21, 2008
20 Years for Organic Valley; Cooperative Marks Anniversary
By Samantha Marcus, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Jul. 21--LA FARGE, Wis. -- Organic Valley, the nation's largest organic dairy cooperative and pioneer in the organic industry, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. When Organic Valley "CEIEIO" George Siemon talks about the coming milestone, he describes it not as a self-congratulatory blowout but as a chance to give thanks to the employees and member farmers."We're really not making the biggest, biggest deal about our anniversary," the founding member said. "We've never been ones to toot our own horn."
But the numbers might do it for them.
The cooperative reached $432.5 million in sales in 2007, up nearly $1 million over 2006. Siemon said the company anticipates another $100 million in growth for 2008.
Last year the company added about 250 new farmers, bringing its member base to more than 1,200 farmers in 34 states.
Siemon said the majority of farmers recruited to organic from conventional farming are deeply philosophical about organic product.
"Farmers are very, very engaged in integrity," he said. "They push us to have high standards. It's not just a market to them. It's something they really believe in." Still, some are wooed by the economics of a premium marketplace that will help them be sustainable.
Often for farmers, survival means going big or going organic, Siemon said.
And just a few years after the organic brand built a green headquarters in La Farge, it opened a $17.5 million green distribution warehouse in Cashton, Wis.
Siemon said Organic Valley is exploring expansion opportunities at both facilities, including an organic milk processing plant in Cashton.
But there's less and less of a demand on a central location, he said, and instead increased emphasis on local and regional distribution facilities.
"Hauling milk long distance isn't a long-term solution," Siemon said.
Earlier this year, Organic Valley drew fire for tapping a Delhart, Texas, factory farm for organic dairy after two small operations went out of business. Organic Valley leaders opted to purchase temporarily from the mega-farm rather than ship from the Midwest.
Twenty years ago, the cooperative struggled with availability of feed and building infrastructure from the ground up.
Now, it's tempering growth and risk with concerns about inflation, the price of commodities and feed shortage.
About $5 worth of feed three years ago now has a $12 pricetag, Siemon said.
About half the cooperative's farmers grow their own feed. But the balance, Siemon said, "are suffering and losing money."
The cooperative is in a bind, Siemon said, resulting in significant price increases on shelves.
"We've never raised prices just because we could," he noted. "We've never been one to try and gouge the customer."
Once primarily produce, dairy now makes up 85 percent of production.
The business future, Siemon added, looks to existing customers dipping into more organic products.
People will buy organic milk, but not organic cheese, he said.
That said, Siemon is proud of the leaps the brand and the industry have made since the cooperative's inception in 1988.
Once confined mostly to natural food stores, organic products broke into some of the more progressive grocery stores in the late 1990s, he said.
Now, as mainstream food giants such as Kraft and General Mills step into the market and big-house stores such as Costco and Wal-Mart start picking them up, there's a flood of new customers.
"We want organic to be as big as possible," Siemon said, even if it means more business for the other guy.
Samantha Marcus can be reached at (608) 791-8220 or [email protected]
business of the week
What: Organic Valley dairy cooperative
Where: One Organic Way, La Farge, Wis
Phone: (608) 625-2602
Web site: www. organicvalley.coop
To see more of the La Crosse Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.lacrossetribune.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
NYSE:GIS, NASDAQ-NMS:COST, NYSE:WMT,

domain: news


text:
Allegations of taking goods from the school by paying money in the shop, pressure to take the entire package of books and stationery together, complaint given to the police
My city reporter
Greater Noida. Parents have accused Shri Ram Global School located in Greater Noida West of selling books from a fixed shop only. Parents say that the shopkeeper was asking for money and the goods had to be taken from the school. When the parents protested, he started threatening. NCR Parents Association has complained about this matter in Bisrakh police station.
Parents say that even after the notice of District School Inspector Dr. Dharamveer Singh, private schools are pressurizing them to buy books and uniforms from a fixed shop. It is alleged that a shop has been opened in the neighborhood of Shri Ram Global School. A list has been given to buy books, stationery and other items from him. The shopkeeper is demanding money for the entire book and stationery. The shopkeeper said that there are instructions from the school management that full money will have to be paid and the goods will be received from the school. The parents allege that even after complaining, the school management did not listen to anything. The parents called the police on the misbehavior of the shopkeeper. Representatives and office bearers of NCR Parents Association have made a written complaint at Bisrakh police station. Association’s founder Sukhpal Singh Toor said that attempts were made to contact the school management and district school inspector from the post, but no success was found.


text:
Only 30% of CFO-CIO relationships are characterized by strong collegiality and business centricity, according to a recent survey by Gartner. These two key attributes define a strong digital...
May 02, 2022
The ability of any new technological innovation to be a game changer, is, in reality, less dependent on the technology itself. It is far more dependent on our ability to reimagine a future with the...
Jul 09, 2021
The next generation of wireless technology, 5G, is expected to open a future of new and exciting possibilities for enterprises. With a speed that can reach up to 10Gbps, theoretically, 5G can be...
Jul 08, 2021
Senior healthcare executives say that moving to the cloud is among their top priorities as they reimagine how their organizations provide healthcare services to meet consumers’ evolving expectations...
Jun 22, 2021
The explosive resurgence of Coronavirus cases across India has put a severe strain on our healthcare management system. The second wave of the pandemic has flagged our frail emergency response...
Jun 15, 2021
A couple of months back, Vinod Bhat joined as the CIO of Tata SIA Airlines (Vistara). Before taking over as CIO of Vistara, Bhat was the Global Business Head - Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) for the...
Jun 08, 2021
Recent events have forced CISOs across all industries to rethink and refine their business continuity plans. Not only did the pandemic force organizations to transform their networks to accommodate...
Nov 11, 2020
Role of technology in business has changed drastically over the decades. Information technology initially was applied to enhance efficiency in processes. They still are. But increasingly, in many...
Oct 08, 2020
Organizations that combine deployment of AI with skilling initiatives are generating most value from AI, according to Microsoft India’s research. Topline findings of the research underscore that...
Aug 13, 2020
CIOs have increased their organizational credibility during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are more complex challenges that CIOs must tackle during the recovery to sustain their elevated value,...
Aug 12, 2020
As small and micro businesses (SMBs) worldwide continue to endure the financial impact of COVID-19, one thing is clear: rethinking the checkout or point-of-sale (POS) experience is essential for...
Aug 07, 2020
Recently, one of the most prolific social media networks in the world, Twitter was hacked. Hackers who used what is called as a "coordinated social engineering attack" on some of the most high-...
Jul 30, 2020
74% of IT and business leaders said their business will in some ways emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Cisco’s study, titled A New Perspective on the Modern Workplace. This...
Jul 23, 2020
As the phases of the COVID-19 pandemic progress, business leaders must reset their strategy and build resilience, according to Gartner. It is crucial for senior leaders to make strategic decisions...
Jul 21, 2020
Consumers seem to have a heightened awareness about the value of their information with about 69% of Indian consumers saying they like the changes being made to the customer experience as a result of...
Jun 25, 2020
It took some time but by now, most of us have accepted the new reality, that is, living life with COVID-19. This year’s pandemic has put the entire world to a standstill and forced organizations to...
Jun 17, 2020
The number of businesses using asset tracking solutions will reach 90 million this year, and exceed 114 million by 2025, according to Juniper Research’s study, titled Fleet Tracking & Logistics:...
Jun 16, 2020
The COVID-19 crisis is creating pressure on CIOs to do more with less and make difficult decisions. Gartner recommends that CIOs follow a cost optimization framework to help determine where to reduce...
Jun 16, 2020
Two-fifths (40%) of consumers hold business leaders personally responsible for ransomware attacks businesses suffer, according Vertias Technologies’ global research. Furthermore, research shows the...
Jun 09, 2020
Technology solution companies appear to be holding their own during the COVID-19 pandemic, with most expecting to see the first steps toward a return to normalcy within the next three months,...
May 21, 2020
We have never experienced a situation like this in our lifetime. COVID-19 has made all our previous planning and risk management look grossly inadequate. The world economy is going through...
May 12, 2020
With the rapid adoption of enterprise-grade digital meeting and workstream collaboration solutions in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gartner has identified three steps for IT leaders to...
Apr 22, 2020
Business leaders are focussing on navigating the immediate impact that COVID-19 has across supply chains, revenue and profitability, while reconfiguring capital allocation and M&A plans for the...
Apr 06, 2020
Just 12% of more than 1,500 respondents believe their businesses are highly prepared for the impact of coronavirus, while 26% believe that the virus will have little or no impact on their business,...
Mar 13, 2020
Although there’s been plenty of talk about ‘tech-lash’, or pushback against the latest technology, the reality is people are using technology more than ever. 52% of consumers say that technology...
Feb 12, 2020
In today’s regulatory environment, technological advancements are bringing in change at a rapid pace. Regulators and businesses are challenged to maintain a balance between fostering innovation,...
Jan 31, 2020
While most organizations understand the incredible opportunity of data, a gap has emerged between organizations’ aspirations to be data-driven and their employees’ ability to create business value...
Jan 27, 2020
The much awaited, much prophesized 2020 is here. In the last few years, we have seen a lot of forecasts and advices for CIOs, that tell them how their job profile is changing, how the expectations...
Jan 14, 2020
NTT business in India will be led by Kiran Bhagwanani, CEO, India for NTT. He will be responsible for making sure the country meets the ambitious objectives of NTT and its clients. He reports to John...
Oct 07, 2019
A good two weeks after the Srikrishna Committee released its whitepaper outlining various issues to consider in a possible data privacy legislation in India, I tried to informally seek the opinion of...
Jun 08, 2018
There are two kinds of organizations. One is where a user applies IT for business and the other where the user are the producer of IT products or services. In the case of former, the degree of...
Jun 06, 2018
Any CXO position is a combination of expertise and added layers of “big picture thinking” ability and leadership. A CIO/CISO without a strong IT background is a Chief Operating Officer , or a Chief...
Jun 04, 2018
Venkatesh Natarajan, Senior Vice President - IT, Ashok Leyland speaks on being a practical CIO and technology implementations undertaken at his organization. Here are the excerpts: What does it take...
Apr 11, 2018
According to a report by Ethispere Institute, 135 companies across 23 countries and 57 industries feature in the 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies list. The US has the maximum number of ethical...
Feb 28, 2018
The new digital regime requires an outside-in approach. It requires a new outlook and continuous updating of technology knowledge and ability to think of new opportunities using emerging technologies...
Feb 21, 2018
60% of Indians, currently working in small or mid-sized organizations, plan to be entrepreneurs over the next 10 years, according to the ‘Future of Work’ survey, by GoDaddy. Interestingly, the...
Oct 24, 2016
78% of businesses believe digital start-ups will pose a threat to their organization, either now or in the future, according to Dell Technologies research. Almost half (45%) of global businesses...
Oct 20, 2016
Big Data investments continue to rise but are the growth is contracting, as fewer companies plan to invest in future, according to Gartner. Nearly half (48%) of companies have invested in big data...
Oct 05, 2016
Fueled by uncountable data (analytics and AI as well) ‘algorithmic business’ will continue to grow and disrupt your business. It is time for CIO to stand up and take charge. Algorithms, artificial...
Sep 28, 2016
Analytics is the staple food for the company growth, this has been considered a fact by now and data analytics has move up to the priority list along with the investment in analytics but the...
Sep 21, 2016
Indian businesses are under increasing risk from serious cyber-attacks as 8 in 10 IT and C-suit business leaders in India experiencing increased cyber attacks on their firms in 2015, according to the...
Sep 07, 2016
Revenues for information technology products and services will grow to more than USD 2.7 trillion in 2020 from nearly USD 2.4 trillion in 2016. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of...
Aug 31, 2016
India seems ready for technology-business amalgamation. According to a study by Assocham, India has the third highest base of tech start-ups in the world, thanks largely to the supportive ecosystem...
Aug 22, 2016
Gartner reveals three distinct technology trends that are poised to be of the highest priority for organizations facing rapidly accelerating digital business innovation. Key technology trends that...
Aug 22, 2016
Analytics and not data is the one that derives business; this is a known fact now. But when it comes to ‘owning’ analytics, there is no clear ‘owner’ who takes the responsibility or credit for it....
Jul 15, 2016
IT organisations are unprepared for the ‘digital’ that will redefine the IT businesses in coming two years. As per the latest survey conducted by Gartner, 59% of IT organisations are unprepared for...
Jul 14, 2016
Organisations are developing on the technology side of analytic but failed to derive business out of it, as per Broken Links, the latest report by Zassociates. More than half, 52%, of organisations...
Jun 30, 2016
Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Lockheed Martin have collectively launched a new cyber security education program for small and mid-size businesses to help them minimize risk from online...
Jun 27, 2016
Annual global IP traffic will reach 2.3 zettabyte (ZB) by 2020, from already 1.1 ZB (equivalent to one billion gigabytes) per month in 2016 as per CISCO’s Visual Networking Index 2016. A considerable...
Jun 21, 2016


text:
OKX Web3, a leading Web3 technology company, recently took center stage as the presenting sponsor of Solana Hacker House Mumbai. The four-day event, held from September 21-24, provided participants with informative educational programming, guidance from core Solana Labs engineers, networking opportunities, and exclusive evening events.
During the event, OKX Web3’s BD Director, Shusen Yang, showcased the OKX Wallet and discussed the company’s plans to scale up its wallet services in India. Yang emphasized OKX’s commitment to tapping into India’s thriving developer community and exploring the potential of Web3 applications in the region.
“The one-stop solution of OKX Wallet brings a new evolution to the EVM chains and non-EVM chains, which allows crypto assets to flow freely across various blockchains,” said Shusen Yang.
OKX Web3 offers a comprehensive suite of products for both beginners and experts in the crypto space. One of their flagship products is the OKX Wallet, which provides users with access to over 70 blockchains while allowing them to take custody of their own funds. The wallet features MPC technology, which enables users to easily recover access to their wallet independently, without the need for traditional seed phrases. Additionally, OKX Wallet’s Smart Account allows users to pay for transactions on multiple blockchains and interact with multiple contracts via a single transaction.
Another product offered by OKX is their DEX (decentralized exchange) aggregator, which supports over 300 DEXs and approximately 15 bridges. With support for more than 20 blockchains and over 200,000 coins, the DEX provides users with a seamless and diverse trading experience.
OKX also operates an NFT Marketplace, which gives users access to NFT listings across multiple top-tier marketplaces. This multi-chain, zero-fee marketplace allows users to explore and trade NFTs from various platforms.
In addition to these products, OKX offers a powerful DeFi platform, Web3 DeFi, which supports earning and staking on around 70 protocols across more than 10 chains.
OKX has established partnerships with renowned brands and athletes like Manchester City F.C., McLaren Formula 1, The Tribeca Festival, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.
As a leader in the industry, OKX recently launched a global brand campaign titled “The System Needs a Rewrite,” advocating for a new paradigm led by Web3 self-managed technology.
To learn more about OKX and its products, interested individuals can download the OKX app or visit their website at okx.com.
It’s important to note that the information provided by OKX is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or investment advice. OKX Web3 Wallet and OKX NFT Marketplace are subject to separate terms of service.
Overall, OKX’s participation in Solana Hacker House Mumbai highlights its commitment to driving the future of Web3 technology and exploring the potential of blockchain applications, particularly in India’s growing developer community.


text:
Originally published on Monday, August 05, 2013
Introducing Windows 8.1 Whether you loved the new Windows 8 or not, later this year, there will be a release of the new Windows 8.1, attempting to not only provide bug fixes and patches, but also to regain some popularity with the Windows 8 operating system. One of the biggest complaints that came with the new Windows 8 was the Start Screen. The use of the application “tiles” left many users unhappy with the new layout, as it differed greatly from the other versions. Windows 8.1 attempts to organize these tiles better by sizing them differently and incorporating better navigation tools. It also gives users a chance to avoid the Start Screen altogether, plus it will give everyone the option to use a “start button” as most people are already accustomed to. Another common complaint that Windows 8 users have had is the lack of third party apps, along with Microsoft apps that seem underdeveloped. It is speculated that these have improved, while new third party apps are slowing coming in. It is rumored that some of these include Foursquare, OpenTable, Rockmelt and Rhapsody with Facebook and Flipboard on the way (source). Click here to read more about the new Windows 8.1 and to learn more about the new layout and new features.


text:
Tata Consultancy Services Recognised for its Brand Reputation, Deep Relationships with Customers, Thought Leadership, and Community Initiatives in the UK
LONDON | MUMBAI, April 8, 2019: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation, has been recognised as a Business Superbrand for the fifth year in a row.
The long-running annual survey is the ‘gold-standard’ benchmark for brands in the UK that set the agenda, have established reputations and offer their customers significant emotional and/or tangible advantages over competitors. For the 2018 edition, more than 1,500 brands were shortlisted. The two-track assessment process involved an independent and voluntary expert council made up of 26 senior industry figures, alongside a survey of 2,500 business professionals, a representative of UK businesses, with purchasing or managerial responsibility.
2018 was a milestone year for TCS in the UK and globally. The business celebrated five decades of industry-leading customer satisfaction, and reached a market cap of $100bn for the first time, with the UK among the company’s fastest growing markets. Over the past decade, TCS has built a significant brand presence on the world stage, becoming a Strategic Partner to the World Economic Forum and European Business Summit, and has invested in a comprehensive portfolio of brand sponsorships, including the London Marathon, for which it developed the record-breaking official companion app.
The Business Superbrand accolade is testament to the work TCS has delivered for its customers over the last 12 months and the contribution the company has made to the UK economy. In 2018 TCS was recognised, also for the fifth year running, as the number one IT services organisation for customer satisfaction in the UK by Whitelane, a leading European research agency. This award was coupled with endorsements from Brand Finance and the CRF institute, which respectively named TCS as the fastest growing IT service brand for 2018 and one of the UK’s top employers. In addition, TCS was recognised as Britain’s Top Employer for the second year by the Top Employer Institute, in recognition of TCS’ continued investment in its 17,000 employees across the country. The business was also the largest software consultancy in the UK to be certified gold for the UK’s ‘Investors in People’ marque.
TCS has been working with local communities across the UK to develop and nurture the IT talent of tomorrow with the IT Futures programme. In 2018 alone, TCS engaged with a record number of young people through its Digital Explorers event series. The events took place in six cities across the UK; London, Birmingham, Peterborough, Liverpool, Bristol and Edinburgh, and saw over 100 TCS employees volunteering their time to encourage more than 1500 students to embrace digital and STEM skills.
Overall in 2018, TCS UK won or was nominated for more than 50 awards across departments and disciplines.
“It is an honour to see TCS’ name once again next to renowned UK brands. This is testament to the positive contribution and impact made by each and every TCSer to our customers and to the UK economy,” said Shankar Narayanan, Country Head, TCS UK & Ireland. “The investments we have been making in our employees, in research and innovation, and in local communities have helped us create immense value for all our stakeholders. This is what has resulted in our outstanding business performance in the UK and the growth in brand value."
Stephen Cheliotis, Chief Executive, TCBA and Chair, Superbrands UK, said, “Tata Consultancy Services is a trusted partner to a vast array of organisations across the country, reliably helping them adjust to wide-ranging technological changes and empowering them to adapt and thrive. Helping protect and build their client’s reputations has also facilitated TCS’ own brand equity growth, winning a myriad of awards be that for their services, solutions or as an employer. Growing awareness through high-profile partnerships, such as its deep relationship with the London Marathon, and through its own events and comprehensive thought leadership, the TCS brand continues to go from strength to strength and deserves to be recognised by UK business professionals and experts alike as a Business Superbrand for the fifth year in a row.”
About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS)
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for the last fifty years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.
A part of the Tata group, India's largest multinational business group, TCS has over 417,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $19.09 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS' proactive stance on climate change and award winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com.
Phone: +65 9138 4370
Phone: +61 422 989 682
Phone: +31 615 903387
Phone: +49 172 6615789
Phone: +31 611 531246
Phone: +91 226778 1121 | +91 22 6778 9960 | +91 22 6778 9081
Phone: +81 80 2115 0989
Phone: +569 6170 9013
Phone: +44 20 3155 2421
Phone: +1 646 313 4594


text:
The Peterbilt and Kenworth divisions of PACCAR Inc. (NASDAQ: PCAR) share many of the same underlying products. But they practice great courtesy in steering clear of each other when it is time to talk about them.
Kenworth revealed the first full makeover of its Class 5-8 work truck in three decades on Monday. The brand invited media to Phoenix a few days earlier for a preview and short drives. Kenworth closed off part of Third Street downtown to film Monday afternoon’s virtual dealer reveal.
On Wednesday, Peterbilt followed with press releases of new versions of its Class 5-8 medium duties. Of course, there was no mention of its sister brand. But the biggest changes — a wider and taller cab, a 7-inch customizable digital dash, and a new eight-speed transmission — are common between the two.
Peterbilt pointed to optional additional cupholders and underseat storage that Kenworth didn’t emphasize.
In February, Peterbilt took the lead in introducing an updated Model 579 Class 8 flagship. Kenworth followed with a lower-key public reveal of its T680 over-the-road model. It invited a few reporters to Washington state for a look that led to trade media stories.
Similar coordination is the rule for Volvo Group brands Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) and Mack Trucks. Depending on the subject, the two make simultaneous announcements. Or they can put months between, such as with steering technology that VTNA debuted in September 2019 and Mack added only recently.
Multiple brands sharing the same underpinnings are common in the automobile industry, too. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks once were so similar that a brand emblem was mistakenly affixed to the wrong truck at the factory. Today, the brand positioning and sheet metal differs so much that a mistake would be extremely unlikely.
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) no longer needs to worry about having too much in common with Mercury. Ford mothballed the slightly premium brand in 2010.
Knurled grab handles
Kenworth and Peterbilt speak to many of the same customers. Brand preference matters, but at the end of the day, whether Kenworth or Peterbilt makes a sale, the proceeds go to the PACCAR top and bottom line.
So when Peterbilt talks about knurled grab handles, it is safe to assume the manufacturing process of rolling straight, angled or crossed lines into the material happens at Kenworth plants, too.
“The medium duty segment is integral to Peterbilt’s business and we have seen great gains in market share since the launch of our first medium duty truck back in 1995,” Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president, said in a press release.
Like Kenworth, Peterbilt is pursuing greater middle- and last-mile business with the Model 535 Class 5 truck and the Model 536 Class 6 model. Both brands emphasized growing lease and rental of the lighter trucks, typically box trucks or stake beds affixed to the chassis by body builders Both brands funnel customers to the captive PacLease group.
Peterbilt’s Model 537 and Model 548 are designed for the Class 7/8 segment where water, utility boom trucks and specialty models like concrete mixers tend to be ordered.
Deliveries of the new models begin in July, Peterbilt said.


text:
Visa and M&I Bank Continue 30-Year Partnership
Wisconsin-Based Bank to Continue Issuing Visa Credit, Debit and Commercial Solutions
SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) today announced it has signed a seven-year agreement to renew its partnership with Wisconsin-based M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank (M&I Bank), an affiliate of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (NYSE: MI). M&I Bank’s relationship with Visa began in 1977.
Under the terms of the agreement, Visa will provide payment programs for credit, debit, prepaid and commercials cards, as well as merchant acquiring services. As consumers increasingly look for more choices in how they control their funds, Visa provides a range of electronic payment product services that deliver greater choice, convenience, and security.
“Over the past 30-plus years, Visa’s broad range of payment services has helped us deliver on our promise to provide high quality products and services to our customers,” said Brian Bieger, senior vice president, M&I Bank.
“From credit and debit cards to commercial cards, Visa has worked closely with M&I Bank over the years to provide more convenient, secure and reliable payment options for their customers,” said Bill Sheedy, President, North America, Visa Inc. “We look forward to building on our long-standing partnership and continue to meet the changing needs of cardholders as we migrate away from paper-based payments toward electronic payments.”
This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.
News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.


text:
Brummies have reacted after Uber users called out the taxi-hailing app for its surge pricing model.
It came after one passenger was given a proposed charge of up to £149 from Harborne to Solihull on Monday.
An anaesthetist on her way to care for patients undergoing cancer surgery slammed the service as the city faced travel and traffic chaos in the midst of an icy snow blast.
The surge pricing model - which is automatic - comes into effect during busy periods.
But, alarmingly, it has meant some passengers face having to fork out more than four times the normal rate.
Dr Daman Mullhi shared details of a proposed route and service price on social media.
Staggeringly, it worked out at an astonishing £111 - £149, from Harbone to Solihull Hospital.
The NHS professional eventually used a local minicab firm which charged £30 for the same journey.
Dr Mullhi, who couldn’t get a vehicle off the drive this morning, resorted to calling for an Uber alongside countless other Brummies.
The anaesthetist worker was left utterly outraged at the cost.
Dr Mullhi said: "Whilst I understand that taxi firms may charge some additional fees in adverse weather, I feel that the surcharge Uber were placing was ridiculous and quite mercenary."
An Uber spokesman said: "Our app uses dynamic pricing which means fares automatically increase when the demand for cars in a specific area is greater than the cars available.
"Bad weather meant that were many people looking to book a car but fewer cars on the road which caused prices to automatically rise.
"The higher fare encourages more drivers to come into the area so there are more cars for people who want one.
"Users always see a fare estimate in advance so they have the choice to book a car, share the trip with others or wait until fares decrease."


text:
Private home sales breached the 2,000-unit mark for the first time in nine months since July 2009.
Figures from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show that 2,207 units were sold in April on the back of positive sentiment and resilient demand.
While the transaction volume exceeded market expectations, analysts said it is unlikely to be sustainable.
Private home sales in April were also 25.3 per cent higher than the 1,761 units sold in March.
In fact, the number of units sold outpaced the number of units launched in April, with only 2,084 units launched last month.
UOL’s Waterbank@Dakota was one of the star performers in April, with 573 units being snapped up at a median price of S$1,178 per square foot.
CapitaLand’s The Interlace saw 144 units sold at a median price of S$1,067 per square foot.
The two projects, along with Tree House’s 374 units accounted for nearly half or 49.4 per cent of the total sales transactions.
The most expensive unit sold last month was The Orchard Residences at Orchard Boulevard which went for S$4,207 per square foot.
Unlike the trend in recent months, luxury projects were not the most popular among buyers, with mid-priced developments taking over the rein.
“In a way, we can look at it as a second ring, second tee-off compared to the core central region. In terms of pricing, certain pockets are still lower than outlying suburban areas like Ang Mo Kio , Bishan. So there is that attractiveness – near to the city, and yet pricing is still quite affordable,” said Chua Yang Liang, head of Research, Southeast Asia, at Jones Lang LaSalle.
Compared to March, home sales in the city fringe jumped 290 per cent with 1,044 units sold last month.
Meanwhile, fewer new homes changed hands in other areas.
392 new homes in the city were sold, down 45 per cent from March, and sales in the mass market segment dipped by 1 per cent to 771 units.
Overall, market players attribute the strong demand to better economic and job prospects.
Some home buyers may also be eager to lock-in their purchases in anticipation of an interest rate hike in the second half of the year.
Despite the positive sentiment, analysts warned that there are uncertainties ahead due to the debt crisis in Europe.
“The last 2 weeks has seen some cooling off. If you were to visit some of the showflats, the attendance has been small,” Colin Tan, director & head of Research & Consultancy at Chesterton Suntec International.
“I think developers recognise this, so when they price their projects, they will have to bear this in mind that they either have to push for sales or push for prices,” he added.
Going forward, analysts project quarterly home prices to grow by 1.5 to 2 per cent.
CBRE said it expects demand of new homes to reach 4,000-4,500 units in the second quarter, similar to the 4,380 new homes sold in the first quarter.
They also expect between 13,000 and 16,000 new homes to be sold for the whole of 2010.
Source : Channel NewsAsia – 17 May 2010


text:
Though several telecom companies are before the Supreme Court with a spectrum of complaints against licensing policies and roving investigations against them, they have all the while claimed immunity from consumer law. The court has been on their side on this issue. It has ruled that complaints about deficiency in service cannot be moved before the consumer forums. Though consumer forums largely follow this fiat, there appears to be some dissidence below against this decision.
The Supreme Court had held in the case, General Manager vs M Krishnan (2009), that those who have grievances against telecom service providers cannot invoke consumer law. Giving a strict construction to Section 7B of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, it said any complaint against the service provider shall be determined by an arbitrator appointed by the Central government and the award shall be conclusive, and it shall not be questioned in any court.
The judgment was delivered in an appeal against the Kerala High Court decision, which had stated that complaints could be moved in consumer forums against telecom service providers. While hearing the appeal in the Supreme Court, the complainants did not appear, though they had been served notice. It was natural because the thousands of aggrieved consumers could not travel to Delhi to assert their claims against the telecom giants who were represented well by corporate lawyers.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the government, which should have protected the consumers, stood as mute spectators. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) swore by the antique law. As a consequence, district forums all over the country are giving contrary views when complaints are filed before them.
Last week, the Tamil Nadu consumer commission delivered a judgment giving a different twist to the issue. It stated that the Supreme Court did not consider certain important aspects of the law while deciding in favour of the telecom companies. Therefore, it trawled the whole law in its judgment, J Subramaniam vs Bharti Airtel Ltd. It can trigger a review of the Supreme Court judgment.
First, the Supreme Court did not take into consideration the modern laws that had been enacted, since the invention of the telegraph. Some of the legislation that have come into effect, since the telecom revolution are: the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Act, 1997; the Information Technology Act 2000; the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act 2003; the Telecom Consumers Protection and Redressal of Grievances Regulations, 2007; and, lastly, the Consumer Protection Act 1986. These laws preceded the Supreme Court judgment; still the court did not take serious note of them.
Second, there is a serious problem with appointment of arbitrators for each complaint - which are in thousands. "For a country like India, having population of more than one billion, how many arbitrators can be appointed by the Central government?" wonders the state commission.
Moreover, the Trai Act asserts in its "objects and reasons" that the legislation and the regulations under it are aimed at "achieving the universal service, bringing the quality of telecom service to world standards, provisions of wide range of services to meet the customers' demand at reasonable price... as also making arrangements for protection and promotion of consumer interest and ensuring fair competition". Therefore, the law has consumer interest in focus.
Then, there is the question about which law will apply. Since the new laws assert that the companies are providing service, it should come within the umbrella of the Consumer Protection Act. Those who avail of the service are consumers and, therefore, a consumer complaint should clearly lie. The Act further emphasises that it is in addition to and not in derogation of existing laws. Therefore, there should be no manner of doubt that the consumer law should apply to telecom services.
Since the Tamil Nadu ruling has affected BSNL and a number of private telecom providers, the issue is bound to be taken to the Supreme Court. The main argument is likely to be that the state commission had defied the ruling of the Supreme Court. All authorities are bound to follow the law laid down by the apex court. If such an appeal comes before the Supreme Court, it will have an opportunity to change the law in favour of phone users.
This will also put the telecom companies in the unenviable position of defending an obsolete law devised by the British some 130 years ago. The invention had just been imported to the then colony and it contributed to the suppression of the 1857 revolt.
Technology and law have changed a lot since then. It is odd to see the telecom companies and the government swear by a law that is held together by rust, faith and the inertia of parliamentarians. When it comes to marketing their wares, the companies claim their goods and services are state of the art; but when it comes to accountability, they are artful dodgers.


text:
Culver City, Calif. (PRWEB) February 12, 2014
Urban contemporary and athletic footwear retailer Shiekh Shoes will partner with classic American sneaker and apparel manufacturer Converse to hold a release event for the new Cons Sneaker Collection featuring the Aero Jam sneaker Friday, Feb. 14, at the Westfield Culver City Mall. Members of the public are invited to visit Shiekh Shoes, the West Coast retail destination for Aero Jams and the Cons Sneaker Collection, and the ConsMobile truck for giveaways, contests and musical entertainment to celebrate the release of this new best-selling line from the classic company.
The event will kick off from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with Converse giveaways from the ConsMobile truck outside of Shiekh Shoes. The party moves inside where attendees will be entertained by a rap battle featuring 16 contestants and judged by West Coast rapper Sage the Gemini, whose single “Gas Pedal” graced the top Billboard Top 100. Attendees can also view the one-of-a-kind Shiekh Aero Jam customized by New York sneaker designer Mache.
Shiekh Shoes, which operates nearly 140 stores in California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan and Texas, is set to carry eight new styles of Converse sneakers in stores Friday morning.
Shiekh Shoes is a footwear and apparel retailer that prides itself in selling quality products at affordable prices in styles ranging from women’s dress and casual shoes and boots to men’s athletic footwear and shoes for children. Shiekh Shoes carries top brands like Converse, Nike, Jordan, Adidas and Reebok. Special offerings include new releases and exclusives from top brands like Jordan, Nike and Reebok.
This event is open to the public. To sign up for the in-store rap battle, please visit Shiekh Shoes at the Westfield Culver City Mall. Space is limited.


text:
Sharon Personal Care has opened a sales office in Germany and increased its manufacturing capability at its facility in Trezzo sull’Adda, Italy.
According to Statista, the European personal care market is valued at $56 billion. Sharon Personal Care hopes to position itself to be a better partner to consumer products companies to coincide with the current market value.
The company’s sales office is Sharon’s first entry into Germany, hiring Tina Duoba as its regional sales manager. Duoba has more than 30 years of industry experience, having previously served as the general manager at Gattefossé.
Sharon’s Trezzo sull’Adda facility is adding equipment and quality processes while making upgrades to some of the current systems used at the plant. The expanded capabilities at the site will allow Sharon to start producing new preservation systems. The line includes preservatives that are free of formaldehyde donors and parabens.
Antimicrobial protection of wet wipes, baby care, facial cleansers and other products will be developed at the Italy location. With the expanded Italian facility, the company will also be producing these products closer to the market it is serving.


text:
A recent study found that a couple of popular brands of rolling papers, blunt wraps, and other products used to roll up your weed are contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals. The good news is that the vast majority of products tested have been clean.
For the study, SC Labs has tested 118 smoking products. Only a few were dirty enough to fail state product standards when combined with cannabis.
A couple more were so dirty by themselves, with heavy metal levels more than 100 times worse than state limits that the lab recommended consumers treat them like seafood containing high levels of mercury and limit consumption.
For cannabis users, this all adds up to two takeaways.
One, rolling papers and other products used to consume cannabis aren’t currently subject to any kind of state safety limits for harmful additives.
Second, our health-conscious followers have yet another vector for contamination to worry about.
SC Labs is based in Santa Cruz, California. Technicians there first began to suspect something was wrong with rolling papers after some pre-rolled joints—containing demonstrably clean cannabis—kept failing a final inspection.
Unlike some other states including Oregon, California requires cannabis products entering the market to be tested for potency and cleanliness “in their final form.” (And, at least currently, there are no standards applied to rolling papers themselves in any state.)
Suspecting the failure could be tied to the rolling papers used to twist up the prerolls, SC Labs collected 118 different brands of rolling papers, blunt wraps, and hemp cones from Amazon and local smoke shops.
Of the 101 products tested for heavy metal contamination, 90 percent had at least one heavy metal, with 8 percent registering so much heavy metal contamination that the paper itself would fail state-testing standards.
Heavy metals include cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and lead; exposure to too much heavy metals can trigger neurotoxicity, cancer, and kidney problems in humans, research shows.
Lead was the most common metal found, according to SC Labs.
As for pesticides, 16 percent of the rolling products tested had detectable levels, with 5 percent containing more pesticides than allowed under California standards.
What products were the worst? SC Labs did not name too many names, but smokers who favor paper rolling products can breathe easy. No rolling papers violated pesticide limits.
It was cellulose-based papers—the transparent, gummy papers sold as “clear” papers in smoke shops and the like—that had “very high levels of contamination,” according to SC Labs’s report released Friday.
The limit for lead contamination in California is 0.5 micograms of lead per gram. Two cellulose papers, made by Smokeclear and aLeda, had 55.1 and 60.3 micrograms of lead per gram, according to SC Labs—astronomical levels
Interestingly, both flavored blunt wraps and supposedly more “natural” hemp-based wraps failed tests for cadmium and arsenic as well as lead, as per SC Labs. Blueberry and pineapple-flavored “cigar cones” made by Zig-Zag both failed, as did hemp wraps made by Twisted Hemp and HydroLemonade. Wraps made by King Palm and Elements also failed for pesticides.
How bad is this? Well, not so bad… mostly.
The hemp papers and the wraps seemed to fail mostly because there’s just more of then, SC Labs’s Josh Wurzer said in an interview with Forbes..
“They’re thicker, and that seemed to be the issue,” he said. “But that being said, the findings of the study don’t support too much alarm—this certainly isn’t a, ‘Raise the alarm bells now, we have to stop and test all papers.’”
When combined with clean cannabis, even rolling papers that failed state testing standards would create a “clean” product—provided, of course, that they did not fail too badly, like some of the hemp, cellulose, and flavored wraps.
The study demonstrates that California did the right thing by requiring final packaged products to undergo testing. “Other states might want to take a look at their requirements,” Wurzer said.
And smokers might want to at least consider re-examining their habits.
“Would I personally completely stop smoking everything in a blunt wrap? No, but I would consider limiting how often I use them,” he said. “If I was smoking three to four joints a day and I always used a blunt wrap, I would reconsider that.”
“It seemed like regular old rolling papers were pretty clean,” he added. “Maybe I’d just switch to using those most of the time.”
Of course, these considerations only apply in legal states with product-testing requirements. If your state still hasn’t legalized recreational cannabis and you’re still forced to patronize the illicit market, who knows what’s in your weed? Whatever it is, whatever’s in the blunt wrap won’t make much of a difference.


text:
Total 77 Posts
The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea met today for the first trilateral meeting since 2019 to advance cooperation in six areas, including economy and trade. The Chinese foreign minister also called for the restart of trilateral trade talks, as its trade with the two neighboring countries is
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced new export control rules that target China's semiconductor and AI industry, expanding the parameters and patching "loopholes" of existing export controls on chips and manufacturing tools.
The European Commission adopted a new document that sets up a deadline for Member States to conduct risk assessments on multiple critical technologies, including AI, advanced chips and manufacturing equipment, as well as quantum computing, with potential export controls and investment restrictions to follow.
In a WTO consultations request from last week that was made public yesterday, China has supplemented its previous request related to U.S. export restrictions on semiconductors.
In reaction to recent reports of a new Huawei smartphone with advanced capabilities, member of Congress are pushing the U.S. Commerce Department to tighten semiconductor export controls even further.
Members of Congress Call on Biden Administration to Strengthen Export Controls to Maintain "Technological Edge"
Last week, Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, urging the Biden Administration to tighten the export controls that restrict advanced semiconductors and equipment from being exported to China.


text:
With the series' 50th anniversary in full swing, the BBC's iconic sci-fi franchise celebrates five decades as a global phenomenon and brand licensing juggernaut.
Aardman Animations is teaming up with StudioCanal to bring its animated character Shaun the Sheep to the big screen.
Knockout Licensing has added five new licensees for Boo–The World’s Cutest Dog.
Quaker Oats Company's Cap’n Crunch character Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch is getting a new late night web series.
Pink Chillies, has added four new characters to its assortment of collectible gifts in support of the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Paddington Bear is partnering with HP for a collection of downloadable coloring and activity sheets, in a deal negotiated by Lindberg Marketing + Media on behalf of The Copyrights Group.
To celebrate the brand’s more than 25 years, HIT Entertainment will launch the Barney 25 Million Hugs campaign.
AG Properties, the licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, is kicking off a worldwide QSR promotion with Burger King for the Care Bears brand.
Hasbro is letting fans create the new Transformers character as it readies for the brand's 30th anniversary.
The new Babar-inspired menswear collection from Danish designer Silas Alder is now in New York and Los Angeles.
Disney, in collaboration with its partner Glidden, has released a series of new home paints and specialty finishes.
New York City retailer Yellow Rat Bastard has created a Domo-themed area in its SoHo store.
Limo Licensing has been appointed to represent Hugo Games' classic Scandinavian TV character Hugo Troll.
WizKids/NECA and MFV have announced the newest iteration of their TabApp gaming system, which will include DC Comics Super Heroes.
Les Editions Albert René has teamed up with app developer BulkyPix to create two games based on the Asterix comic book series.
Lawless Entertainment has inked a new deal with Hoffman California Fabrics for fabric featuring the art property Suzy’s Zoo.
Team! Licensing has added new partners for the Peanuts brand in Germany.
Brand Liaison has signed on to represent the Happy Toon World brand in North America.
Nickelodeon has teamed up with the Middle East entertainment resort Atlantis, The Palm to feature SpongeBob SquarePants.
memBrain has been appointed to represent singer-songwriter Christina Milian’s new brand Shelby Star.
American Greetings Properties has signed new master partners for its top brands.
©2013 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


text:
It might be the thought that counts but when it comes to Valentine's Day, Kiwis are leaving such thoughts to the last minute.
Figures released by Countdown to the Herald on Sunday show we are a nation of last-minute buyers when it comes to the day of love. Most purchases are made the day before or on Valentine's Day itself.
Countdown merchandise manager Steve Sexton said: "This is unique to other occasion holidays such as Easter or Mother's/Father's Day, where people tend to buy in the weeks leading up to the date."
Nine out of 10 bunches of Valentine's flowers are bought on the day, with the biggest sales spike at 5pm. "This obviously shows that we're all really keen to have the freshest flowers possible - or that we are taking last-minute to a new level," Sexton said.
There is a 1000 per cent increase in the sale of red roses on Valentine's Day compared with any other day. About 120,000 rose stems will be sold in Countdown supermarkets.
Foodstuffs also sees a rush on flowers on the day before Valentine's Day, and on the day itself. Its New World and Pak'nSave stores reported a spike in speciality chocolate sales in the week before February 14.
Florist Kerry Bradburn from Wild Poppies said most flowers were ordered on February 12 and 13, although people still called on the day wanting deliveries in an hour.
She said that, compared to five years ago, there was more variety in what gifts people were buying. Presents such as cupcakes and candles were popular, and the price did not go up as much as it did for roses.
"Roses are supply and demand in terms of pricing. You can't turn the hose on a bit harder for more roses." Most people would spend about $100 on flowers or slightly more, she said. Wild Poppies would get four times its normal orders in the lead-up to Valentine's Day.
A spokeswoman for The Warehouse said most sales of flowers and confectionery happened after midday on February 14.
Cadbury Favourites and Ferrero Rocher were the top-selling Warehouse chocolate brands for Valentine's Day.
"More people are giving non-traditional Valentine's Day gifts , so we are also seeing increased sales in home decor items and apparel. Now that some of our fun new range of onesies have landed in store, we expect sales of these to lift as customers look for an alternative gift."
In the week leading up to Valentine's Day, 94,000 boxes of chocolate will be sold in Countdown stores - one-and-a-half times the usual amount. More than half of those will be sold on February 13 or 14. Sexton said three cities had, by a small margin, the most romantic Countdown shoppers. As a percentage of sales, Auckland, Hamilton and Palmerston North have the highest number of Valentine's Day purchases. In Auckland, the busiest supermarkets were Auckland Metro and Quay St. The most popular Valentine's gifts were red roses, Cadbury Favourites, Cadbury Roses, and the Ferrero Rocher and Hershey's Kisses ranges.
University of Otago marketing department associate professor Lisa McNeill said people probably left shopping to the last minute because of mixed feelings about the day. "A lot of people feel a bit pressured into Valentine's Day. They do the whole 'I'm not really into it' but then they feel the obligation as it gets closer.
"Or a lot of people who weren't going to do anything find the look on their partner's face in the morning changes their mind."
True romance goes beyond roses
Doing things together, or for each other, is more valuable for a relationship than spending money, says clinical psychologist Nic Beets.
"I think rituals can be helpful but when it becomes an empty ritual, or is taken over by having to prove things according to some sort of official societal expectation, that's not helpful," he said.
"Doing things that are about quality time together are far more valuable than expensive gifts or spending money in restaurants."
He said couples should take the chance to go for a walk, prepare a meal or sit and talk together.
"Particularly if you've been avoiding having a conversation that your partner wants to have ...
"Saying if you really want to talk about it, let's do it, that's more romantic than a big bunch of roses."
He said it was the sense of giving yourself that would be of value.
Single red rose price
The Warehouse: $4.99.
Wild Poppies: From $25.
Best Blooms: $30.
New World: Long-stem $14, small stem $4.99.


text:
By Daniel Benitez (Cafe Fuerte)
HAVANA TIMES — The production of cow’s milk in Cuba fell once again (by 10.5 million liters) in the early months of the year, keeping the downward trend since 2013.
The production decline in the first quarter of 2015 (around 12%) compared to the same period of the previous year seems to be influenced by an elementary factor: 19.000 fewer milking cows.
The figures from the National Bureau of Statistics and Information (ONEI) show a production from January to March of 76.9 million liters. The average yield of the 311.000 cows milked was 2.7 liters.
But it’s not only the cows delivering less milk. Also buffaloes and goats decreased their production by 200 thousand and 100 thousand liters respectively.
The promised glass of milk
The numbers indicate that today in the Cuban countryside there are some 6,900 buffaloes ready to deliver milk, 4.000 less than in 2014. The goats also decreased, as the 11,900 registered mean seven thousand less than the previous year.
The results show that the glass of milk that President Raul Castro promised on the table of all Cubans in 2007 is still far from reach, even though the price of milk powder in convertible currency (CUC) was reduced in April this year.
The situation of eggs for sale was not promising either: in the first quarter of 2015, 2.7 million units less were obtained compared to last year.
The agricultural sector has in the non-state entities, such as the different cooperatives called UBPCs, the CPA and CCS, and the private individual growers, the main producers of meats, vegetables and all kinds of food. The greatest contribution of government farms is in citrus: 36.5 percent of what was harvested and 22.9 percent of the potatos.
The state participation in corn (2.2%), fruit (2.7) and tomatoes (5.7), is minimal compared to what comes to the markets and shops of the Island.
Pork, new prices
However, where the state continues to exert significant market presence is the selling of live pigs and pork meat sales in state markets. From January to March this year government coffers for these showed a 110% increase in revenues.
In May, the government announced new prices for pork in the country.
Resolution 238/2015, issued by the Ministry of Finance and Prices approved the maximum selling price for live pigs at 12.24 CUP (around 0.60 USD) a pound, when the animal has a weight equal to or exceeding 80 kilograms.
If the pig weighs less than 80 kg, the price is set by agreement between the state pig breeders and the meat companies.


text:
Russell Proposes ‘North Country Department Store’ of Local Goods
by Timothy W. Scee II
Special to Newzjunky.com
Published September 24, 2011
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — November may see a large-scale gathering of north country farmers, antique dealers and small businesses as Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, announced a second phase as part of an effort to market a variety of locally produced goods.
Russell told reporters at a Friday press conference she is seeking a location for an event that would bring local businesses together, preferably near the center of the 118th Assembly District at the Route 37 corridor, as part of her “Rediscovering Your Backyard” initiative introduced in May.
“It’s a north country department store,” Russell explains. “We’re bringing the north country products all under one roof and designing it in a shopping-friendly manner.”
Russell said the initiative stemmed from her own desire for guests who attended her wedding to either buy gifts from both big box stores or boutiques that offer locally made goods, specifically from the assemblywoman’s favorite antique shop.
“I rolled out a program that would allow local businesses and artisans to become part of a database of businesses that are willing to do wedding and special event registries,” Russell said. “We all know that when you spend money at a locally owned business that money stays in our community and strengthens our community.”
Although a location has yet to be confirmed, Russell is planning to hold the event on Saturday, Nov. 5.
“This directory of businesses participating in the initiative will provide a great resources for others seeking a similar experience,” Russell wrote. “Both giving and receiving a unique gift from a North Country business is most fitting for occasions like a graduation, a wedding or a shower.”
Photo from the River Rat Cheese website


text:
The world’s first test-tube burger will be ready to eat within months.
It will look, feel and, it is hoped, taste, like a regular quarter-pounder, its creator Mark Post told the world’s premier science conference.
He plans to unveil the hamburger in October - and hopes celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal will cook it, although he has yet to approach him.
Tasty: A small sample of the lab-grown 'meat' which Dutch stem cell scientist Dr Mark Post believes everyone will want to eat
The ‘ethical meat’ will would be kinder to the environment than the real thing, reduce animal suffering and help feed the world’s burgeoning population.
But it will be far from cheap with the prototype burger costing £220,000 to produce.
Professor Post says that ‘everyone’ will want to eat the burgers, which, despite their vast initial cost could eventually be priced to match that of real meat.
However, it remains to be seen whether a public that likes to think of its chops, steaks and sausages as having their roots in nature will take to meat made in test-tubes.
The Maastricht Univeristy professor has spent the last six years trying to turn stem cells - ‘master cells’ with the power to turn into all other cell types - into meat.
Real thing: But the new meat could be an ethical alternative to beef
He first attempts involved mouse burgers. He then tried to grow pork in a dish, producing strips with the rubbery texture of squid or scallops, before settling on beef.
A four-step technique is used to turn stem cells from animal flesh into a burger.
First, the stem cells are stripped from the cow’s muscle.
Next, they are incubated in a nutrient broth until they multiply many times over, creating a sticky tissue with the consistency of an undercooked egg.
This ‘wasted muscle’ is then bulked up through the laboratory equivalent of exercise - it is anchored to Velcro and stretched.
Finally, 3,000 strips of the lab-grown meat are minced, and, along with 200 pieces of lab-grown animal fat, formed into a burger.
The process is still lengthy, as well as expensive, but optimised, it could take just six weeks from stem cell to supermarket shelf.
Yesterday, Professor Post told the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual conference in Vancouver that he has so far made a strip of beef measuring 3cm by 1.5cm by 0.5cm.
This beef is ‘pinkish to yellow’ in colour - but he is confident of having a full-sized and properly coloured burger by the autumn.
The professor, who is funded by an anonymous but highly-successful benefactor, said: ‘It’s not quite ready, it’s going to be presented in October.
‘We are going to provide a proof of concept, showing that out of stem cells you can produce a product that looks like and feels like and hopefully tastes like meat.
‘Seeing and tasting is believing.’ Sausages and other processed meat products could swiftly follow, although pork chops and sirloin steaks will be much more problematic.
Other possibilities include synthetic versions of the meat from are animals such as pandas and tigers.
Choice: Professor Post hopes experimental chef Heston Blumenthal will have a
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2103472/Test-tube-burgers-hit-kitchens-year-scientists-create-meat-taste-quarter-pounder.html#ixzz1mx5iqZTp


text:
Listen to this article now
BlackBerry, the Canadian technology company, reported an unexpected profit for the first quarter, driven by increased client spending in its cybersecurity division and continued success in the automotive sector with its enterprise software offerings.
The news had an immediate impact on BlackBerry’s stock, with US-listed shares soaring over 20% during pre-market trading on Thursday.
With rising security threats in the IT industry, BlackBerry has capitalized on the growing demand for its cybersecurity products. For the quarter ending on May 31, the company posted a profit of 6 cents per share, defying analysts’ expectations of a 5 cent per share loss.
Furthermore, BlackBerry’s total revenue of $373 million exceeded the average estimate of $160.4 million from analysts surveyed by IBES data provided by Refinitiv. Notably, the cybersecurity business unit saw a 5.5% sequential increase in revenue, reaching $93 million. Additionally, licensing and other services generated $235 million in revenue, primarily driven by proceeds from patent sales.
As part of its strategic shift, BlackBerry, renowned for its business smartphones, closed its flagship business last year and focused on selling its legacy patents associated with mobile devices. In line with this strategy, the company inked a deal in March to sell patents related to its mobile devices to Malikie Innovation Limited for a potential sum of up to $900 million.
Based in Waterloo, Canada, BlackBerry had previously announced its intentions to explore strategic alternatives, including potentially separating its core businesses: cybersecurity and software systems.


text:
PHH Group Marketplace sellers set a Black Friday trading record
The Black Friday campaign was very successful for the PHH Group Marketplace sellers. Their sales in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were more than 52% higher compared to the 2022 Black Friday results.
"Black Friday has become another success story for our marketplace sellers. The results of this campaign reflect PHH Group's strategic objective to grow the number of external sellers in the Group's Marketplace by providing them with a well-developed, convenient and customer-valued e-commerce infrastructure. We continue to consolidate our reputation as a seller sales accelerator," - says Kristina Liškauskaitė, Head of Sales of PHH Group.
She said that the dynamics of Black Friday sales show that clients have already gotten used to the fact that the campaign is not only on Friday but all weekend long.
"When we opened Black Friday offers to loyal customers on Thursday, we saw growing sales, which peaked on Friday, but remained active throughout the weekend. It is clear, that customers were able to take the time to shop online in a calm and rational way over the weekend, avoiding the congestion and spontaneous purchases that are typical of physical outlets," - says Liškauskaitė.
A total of 157,000 orders were recorded in PHH Group's e-shops in 4 countries during the 4-day Black Friday campaign. This is a record for this campaign. The flow of customers was around 10% higher than last year.
The most common amount spent by customers during the campaign was between €27 and €59. The most popular product categories for PHH Group were children’s constructors and bricks, women's perfumes, headphones, smartphones and smartwatches, TVs and vacuum cleaners-brooms.
The most expensive purchase during the campaign was an air conditioner, bought by a buyer in Estonia for around €5,000. A Bang & Olufsen Beosound A9 wireless speaker sold during the campaign in Finland cost over €3,000. In Lithuania, the most expensive purchase was a Canon digital camera for around €3,000. In Latvia, the most expensive purchase was a Cybex Jeremy Scott Wings multi-purpose stroller for children, which cost more than €2,000.


text:
Rural News Highlights
What if the Federation drought happened today?
A reconstruction of the Federation drought has found that if it were to occur again today, its effects would likely be even more devastating in some areas of the country.
The drought was one of the world's worst recorded 'megadroughts', which at its peak saw much of the country get less than 40 per cent of its annual rainfall, with 1902 the driest year on record.
The CSIRO has conducted new research trying to reconstruct the drought by studying thousands of historical records and eyewitness accounts of the drought and combined that with rainfall records.
It said that more than 60 bird, fish, mammal, reptile, and plant species were severely affected across more than a third of Australia's land mass.
Victoria on track to become first state to introduce mandatory mulesing pain relief
Victoria is set to become the first state in the country to introduce mandatory pain relief for mulesing.
Mulesing involves cutting wrinkles of skin away from a lamb's breech to prevent the build-up of faeces, which can attract blowflies that lay maggots.
Pain relief has been available for close to a decade and is widely used in the sheep industry, but is not mandatory.
Industry groups are divided over mandatory pain relief.
Wool Producers Australia and Sheep Producers Australia support it, but the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association and Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders do not.
Lamb roast is off the table as prices skyrocket into uncharted territory
If you have done a double-take at the price of lamb in the shops recently it is because Australian sheep prices have skyrocketed into uncharted territory.
Lamb and mutton have never been more expensive and there's no end in sight to the high prices.
Almost three years of drought have diminished the national flock by millions.
Short supply means intense competition at the saleyards to meet the demands of hungry overseas markets for lamb and mutton.
For domestic customers it means the Sunday roast is becoming a rarity.


text:
San Antonio — The Progressive Retailers Organization was at the Westin La Cantera Hill Coun
London — American youth are having cellular phones at a younger age than in any other country in the world, according to market research company Wireless World Forum.
The research company found that:
• 4.6 million U.S. consumers under age 25 got their first phone in 2004. This growth trend will continue until 2007.
• the number of mobile youth in the U.S. is fast approaching 50 million.
• more than half (51 percent) of all 5-24 year olds owned a mobile phone in 2004. Their numbers will increase to 64 percent in 2007.
• mobile youth constitute 30% of the mobile user base.


text:
Refocus gives Amec a 66% profits boost
Catching the coat-tails of some of the world's biggest spending companies, the global energy giants, has produced soaring orders, profits and dividends at Amec.
Breaking the mould: Samir Brikho says Amec's financial performance should improve despite the downturn
Fashioned after two years of reconstruction into a focused energy industries engineering contractor and consultant by chief executive Samir Brikho, Amec today reported a 66% surge in 2008 pre-tax profits to £210m and a dividend up 15% to 15.4p.
Profit margins have risen to 7.1% from 5.1% and the forward order book now stands at a record £3bn.
Brikho, a Lebanese who made his name at European industrial giant ABB, said Amec's business has been underpinned by several milestone contracts with the likes of American giant Exxon Mobil and British supermajor BP.
Other big customers expanding to the US include National Grid and EDF.
'Our internal performance programmes mean our financial performance should improve irrespective of the state of the market,' said Brikho.
Shares in Amec, which slipped below £4 in the autumn, were 8½p better today at 543p.
Most watched Money videos
- Citroen unveil the My Ami Cargo, a dinky electric van
- Volkswagen's Up! is a stylish city car with big performance
- What the frunk!? Ford Lightning features a trunk on the front
- Will investors see a Roaring Twenties on the stock market?
- Take a look at £3.3 million Bugatti Chiron Super Sport hypercar
- Cupra Born: First all-electric hot hatch from Spain
- Rare 1960 crashed Jaguar sells at auction for £90,000
- The all-new 7-seater SUV Kia Sorento with a panoramic sunroof
- Europe's most powerful EV charging hub to be installed in Oxford
- New £2m electric Nevera: The fastest accelerating car in the world
- Highway England catch dangerous drivers using unmarked supercabs
- Ineos Grenadier 4X4 is tested for sturdiness on the toughest roads


text:
L Catterton, a private-equity firm with deep roots in the restaurant industry, announced Wednesday it was acquiring Uncle Julio’s, a polished casual Mexican chain with 29 restaurants across seven states.
Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar is all-in on plans to open its first Las Vegas restaurant location in 2018; right in the heart of the entertainment district on Las Vegas Boulevard.A lease agreement was recently signed landing Big Whiskey’s in the Town Square Las Vegas center on South Las Vegas Boulevard.
A new upscale boutique burger restaurant, recently named to FSR’s “The Top 50 Emerging Restaurant Chains,” is making its debut in Maryland.Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, which offers gourmet burgers combined with perfectly paired wine selections, will open its doors to the new Arundel Mills location on Tuesday, October 17 at Arundel Mills, 7000 Arundel Mills Circle in Hanover.
Five years and countless accolades after opening Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, ME, Big Tree Hospitality expands to Boston with Eventide Fenway, a modern, metropolitan take on the window walk-up seafood shacks that dot the New England coast.
Dallas diners can stop by for a pie and pint at the Arizona-based concept’s third national location when it opens in Deep Ellum on October 12. Developed by Evening Entertainment Group (EEG), led by Diane and Les Corieri, Bottled Blonde Pizzeria + Beer Garden will showcase contemporary Italian fare, including the brand’s signature pizzas and extensive local craft beer selection, in a high-energy setting.
National casual dining brand Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar (Boston’s) announced a significant development agreement in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which will bring 15 new locations to the brand’s home market by 2023 or sooner.
Ford’s Garage, a group of Henry Ford-inspired restaurants known for prime burgers and a wide selection of craft beers, plans to open its first Central Florida location in the master-planned community of Hamlin, parent company 23 Restaurant Services announced today.
Midwest charm and southern hospitality collide with the latest franchise deal for Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar. A recently signed two-store deal will land Big Whiskey’s in sweet home Alabama; right in the heart of Birmingham in 2018.
Chef Michael Kornick, a five-time James Beard nominee, and restaurateur David Morton of Morton’s Steakhouse are teaming up with David Grossman, a franchise expert, to expand the DMK Burger Bar concept into an international chain.
Ocean Prime, downtown Denver’s award-winning modern American restaurant and lounge, has announced the opening of a second location in summer 2018 at the Belleview Promenade Center at 8000 E. Belleview Avenue in Greenwood Village.
Most 71-year-old French chefs who have earned three stars from Michelin are contemplating retirement and maybe retreating to a summer place in Monte Carlo or Nice. But not Antoine Westermann. He earned his three stars at Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, France.
Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar is heading to the Northshore, opening its first Covington, Louisiana, location on Monday, September. 25.The new restaurant, located at 69796 Stirling Blvd. near Sam’s Club, will open at 11 a.
The P.J.W. Restaurant Group will open their 15th P.J. Whelihan’s at 12 General Warren Blvd in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The Great Valley neighborhood restaurant will open to the public on Monday, September 18th with the hours of operation from 11:00 a.
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the family-run collection of upscale casual dining restaurants brought its inspired, scratch-made cuisine and cocktails to Folsom, California, on September 13. The new Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is located within the Palladio at Broadstone, 300 Palladio Parkway, #800, Folsom.


text:
Hi, just a reminder, my book launch is on Monday in Central London starting at 1730. Really hope to meet you in the person if you happen to be around. More details.
Day: 21 January 2009
Heartland Payment Systems Inc. said Tuesday that cyber criminals compromised its computer network, gaining access to customer information associated with the 100 million card transactions it handles each month.
The company said it couldn’t estimate how many customer records may have been improperly accessed, but said the data compromised include the information on a card’s magnetic strip — card number, expiration date and some internal bank codes — that could be used to duplicate a card. Read more…


text:
Greentech Lead America: Automobile major Ford announced
that the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board
(CARB) has given green signal for Golden State owners of the new 2012 Ford
Focus Electric to drive in the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes with less
These owners will be able to receive up to $10,000 in tax
credits between the state’s new $2,500 rebate and the eligible $7,500 federal
The company claims that Focus Electric recently became
America’s most fuel-efficient five-seater with a 110-MPGe city fuel economy
rating, with more power, passenger room and standard features as well as half
the charge time and cost of Nissan Leaf.
Ford gives customers the power of choice with 10
fuel-efficiency leaders across segments and powertrain technologies.
Ford will ramp up Focus Electric retail production in the
first half of 2012 for dealership availability in California, New York and New
Jersey. By the end of 2012, Focus Electric will be available in 19 markets
across the U.S. Ford has already delivered the Focus Electric to key fleet
customers and technology partners, such as Google.
Californians looking to avoid projected $5-per-gallon gas
will be able to buy the gas-free Ford Focus Electric, save $10,000, and enjoy
high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane access after the car was just approved for
California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP).
California Focus Electric customers can apply to receive
a $2,500 tax rebate when the Focus Electric is purchased or leased for 36
months or longer. In addition to the state rebate, Focus Electric qualifies for
the existing $7,500 federal tax credit.
“Ford is providing customers the power of choice to
save money at the pump – from our gas-free Focus Electric to our innovative
EcoBoost technology that delivers leading gas-engine fuel economy,” said
John Viera, global director, Sustainability and Vehicle Environmental Matters.
According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s annual
Urban Mobility Report, Los Angeles and the San Francisco-Oakland metropolitan
area rank No. 3 and 7, respectively, for the worst congestion in the U.S. In
Los Angeles alone, this congestion contributed to a total of 38 million gallons
of wasted fuel over the course of a year. This congestion costs the average Los
Angeles commuter an additional $1,464 a year.
In California, the cost to fully charge the Focus
Electric at night is between $1 and $2 – which enables 76 miles of average
driving. In a gasoline vehicle that gets a fuel-efficient 38 mpg at $5 per
gallon, the cost to drive that same 76 miles is $10.


text:
History buffs may recall that approximately 80 years ago, back in 2019, was the Summer of White Claw. The oh-so-millennial, gluten-free spiked seltzer is gearing up for summer 2020, pandemic be damned, by introducing White Claw 70. White Claw 70 has 70 calories, 0g sugar, 0g carbs, and just 3.7% alcohol by volume (ABV). The 70 series also has two flavors unique to it: Pineapple and Clementine. Somehow, “ain’t no laws when you’re drinking lite claws” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
Though the calorie number is in the drink name, White Claw is pushing this line for its low ABV, which is a feature, not a bug. (For reference, the standard White Claw is 5% ABV.) The hard seltzer purveyor says the drink is intended for the “sober curious” consumer, which is to say, people who want to drink without getting wasted. Interesting idea. Demand for low-booze drinks is expected to grow nearly a third by 2022, says White Claw in a press release, though I wonder if the company considered the current global pandemic when crunching those numbers. Given the summertime day-drinking vibe associated with White Claw, it’s wise for the brand to release a can that one can drink all day long.
Lots of alcohol companies have low-ABV brews these days, most of which fall between 4% and 4.5% ABV. Stiegl Grapefruit Radler comes in at the low, low ABV of just 2%, so it’s probably fine to feed your toddlers. Interestingly, low-ABV and lite beers are pretty much the same thing. But whereas 10 years ago each brew boasted of its low calorie count, now it’s the takes-longer-to-get-you-drunk aspect that brands are flaunting. But don’t worry! The shift away from calorie counts isn’t a reflection of our culture’s increased body positivity or anything. It’s just a way to sell more booze.


text:
Some of 3Par’s global customers decided not to use its products in Australia and New Zealand because it lacked a local presence, according to newly-appointed country manager Steve Kelly.
“We have missed a couple because we got here late,” Kelly told SearchStorage ANZ today. “The 3Par board said we are crazy to be missing out,” and therefore decided to open a local office.
The new presence, Kelly said, will focus on ensuring that global customers can extend their 3Par footprint with confidence.
“We are in the throes of working with international hosting service providers who are looking at local presence for their cloud data centres,” Kelly said, naming Terremark, Verizon Business and SAVVIS as current 3Par hosting clients. the local outposts of global customers will also be targeted, to stop leakage to rival vendors.
Kelly expects to add to the local team by appointing pre-sales resource early in May 2010, and is also recruiting partners.
SearchStorage ANZ put it to Kelly that he would seek out “global integrators and local integrators with storage expertise,” but Kelly said he will ignore global services organisations.
“We do not have professional services so because our products do not need weeks and months of implementation time,” Kelly said. “Our proposition to the channel is more around services like disaster recovery, business continuity, tiered storage and storage economics. We think they are more lucrative for partners than command line setup stuff.”


text:
Patxi's (pronounced pah-cheese) Pizza -- a San Francisco-based pizza chain -- is opening two locations in the metro area later this year: one in Cherry Creek at 185 Steele Street and one in Englewood at 3455 South University Boulevard.
"With seven successful locations in the Bay area, we are ready to take the next step and bring our concept to the Denver market," co-owner William Freeman said in a statement about the expansion. "We're committed to becoming a vital part of the Denver community by creating more than a hundred jobs, sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible and giving back through our charitable endeavors."
Patxi's specializes in Chicago-style pizza, but offers regular and thin crusts options as well beer and wine; view the menu here. And look for both Patxi's to open in the fall.


text:
January 30, 2017 6:27:47 pm
Fitbit will lay off 5 to 10 per cent of its workforce as the company prepares to release a disappointing fourth quarter earnings later today. A report in The Information claims the job cuts are expected to affect between 80 and 160 people across multiple departments out of its strong 1,600 – work force. The purpose of the job cuts is to restructure the organisation and save around $200 million in costs, notes the report.
By restructuring, Fitbit will reportedly try to diversify its business portfolio. That’s probably the reason why the company showed interest in struggling Pebble and later acquired it for $40 million at the end of last year. The deal does not include any of Pebble’s hardware offerings, instead the purchase was an intent to get intellectual property such as the Pebble Watch’s operating system, watch apps and cloud services.
A source told The Information that Fitbit is interested in developing an App Store to better support third-party developers. This move would help the company to shift its focus from being the hardware-focused company. Meanwhile, reports also suggest Fitbit will cut down on making fitness-centric bands and will gradually start its focus on developing smartwatches.
Subscriber Only Stories
This could explain what made the company to acquire Vector Watch, a European luxury smartwatch maker. Fitbit will be able to compete directly with Apple, Google and Samsung in the smartwatch segment thanks to these two acquisitions.
However, the smartwatch segment has been struggling and sales have dropped. Apple Watch, which is the market leader, has taken a big hit, and even Google’s Android Wear 2.0 was delayed for all of 2016. We’ll have to wait and see if the smartwatch market can mark some sort of revival in 2017.
delivered to you
📣 Join our Telegram channel ( The Indian Express ) for the latest news and updates
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.


text:
Scream Factory is celebrating #Shocktober all month long leading up to Halloween and each week they will be having a Sales From the Crypt Six featuring these horror Blu-ray releases plus if you order, you get these cool magnets for free! This week’s Blu-ray sale includes DEADLY [...]
Browsing all 3453 posts in Horror.
Head inside to watch the new international trailer for V/H/S: VIRAL, the third horror anthology in the V/H/S series releasing on iTunes and On Demand this Thursday, October 23rd followed by a theatrical release on November 21st.
Head inside to check out the new theatrical poster and some stills from the upcoming nightmarish horror film STARRY EYES, releasing in theaters and On Demand on November 14th.
Hey horror hounds! The horror comedy anthology DATE OF THE DEAD is set to make its world premiere at the Tucson Terrorfest on October 25th. Head inside for the details and to check out a few images from the movie.
Head inside to check out the new poster for Dark Sky Film’s upcoming horror-thriller LATE PHASES, howling its way into select theaters on November 21st.
Universal Pictures has released a new TV spot for the upcoming supernatural horror-thriller OUIJA, scaring its way into theaters this Friday,October 24th. #OuijaMovie
The new horror film THE DEVIL’S HAND is out now on VOD and we have a little game for you to play and the winner gets a $15 iTunes gift card!
Epic Pictures’ underwater creature feature KILLER MERMAID is now available on DVD and On Demand and we have been given an autographed DVD to give away to one lucky fan. Head inside for the details!
Head inside to check out some new behind-the-scenes images from INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3, haunting its way into theaters on May 29, 2015.
THE INSIDE was written, directed and produced by Eoin Macken and stars Emmett Scanlan, Eoin Macken, Tereza Srbová and Brian Fortune.
Hey gang! As our #31DaysofHalloween continues how about a cool horror treat for you to watch. Even though the 1986 horror classic TRICK OR TREAT is sort of hard to find these days at a fair price, it’s available on YouTube in its entirety so [...]
Scream Factory will unleash Clive Barker‘s cult classic NIGHTBREED on a 10,000 Unit Limited-Edition 3-Disc Blu-ray set and a Special Edition DVD & Blu-ray Combo Pack DIRECTOR’S CUT on October 28th. Head inside to watch two clips from the upcoming release. In the first clip, Boone (Craig Sheffer) [...]
Uncork’d Entertainment has announced the release of Drew Rosas and Nick Sommer‘s award-winning revenge-filled horror-thriller BILLY CLUB, bashing his way onto DVD and On Demand on November 4th. Billy Club, you’ll never run home faster!
THE SQUAD (aka El Paramo) was directed by Jaime Osorio Marquez and stars Juan David Restrepo, Andrés Castañeda, Mauricio Navas, Mateo Stevel, Daniela Catz, Nelson Camayo, Andres Torres, Juan Pablo Barragan, Julio César Valencia and Alejandro Aguilar as Cortez.


text:
We might only be four days into November, but companies including John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, TK Maxx and Boots have all made clear that the holidays are coming by releasing their Christmas adverts. And for many people, it’s usually a sign that the countdown to December has begun.
Today, the much anticipated John Lewis’ 2021 Xmas advert has literally landed – featuring a story of an alien experiencing her magical first ever Christmas.
If you’re wondering why the Christmas advert has dropped today, or thinking it’s a bit earlier this year than last, then you’re right. The 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert has actually come about some two weeks early after a rise in online searches for Christmas on the retailer’s website. It seems many of us are already in the Christmas mood this year!
It has been reported that the retailer has spent around £800,000 in coming up with the concept of this year’s advert, as well as filming it, the special effects and editing. The cost is thought to include actors and staff involved in the advert but it is shy of the £1 million that was spent on their animated advert last year. Added to this cost is the huge promotional budget that John Lewis gives to the advert, thought to be around £5 million, so that it can be seen during prime slots on TV. The advert will also be accompanied by two Snapchat lenses, including one that allows shoppers to project an AR version of Skye’s spaceship onto their surroundings.
In addition, the new TK Maxx christmas ad is also making waves with their anticipated christmas advert. Filmed in Orpington, the advert marks many firsts for TK Maxx, as Poland, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands will be broadcasting the TV advert for the first time, in addition to the UK and Ireland. It is TK Maxx’s biggest Christmas campaign to date and is available in four versions – 20, 30 and 60 seconds for TV and two minutes for online.
The TV advert will be supported with print, digital, social and PR, and a pan-European partnership with TikTok, where people are invited to participate in the #TKMaxxTalentShow. This Branded hashtag challenge will see participants showcase their talents against a specially created Branded Effect backdrop.
Though both John Lewis and TK Maxx have been a couple of the most highly anticipated ads for the christmas season, it’s Sports Direct that has gone ‘all out’ with a huge budget for its star-studded advert.
Released today, November 4, the Go All Out ad features a whole host of famous celebrities from the sports world, including tennis star Emma Raducanu and footballer Jack Grealish, as they get swept away from distractions of video games and phones and take each other on in an snowball fight.
The celebrity lineup also includes Premier League footballers Jordan Pickford, Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as well as England Women’s pro Fran Kirby, Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, England rugby union players Maro Itoje and Anthony Watson, and England Women’s Harriet Millar-Mills. It’s likely the price of involving so many celebrities added to the eye-watering cost of the ad campaign, which is reported to have come in at a whopping £6 million.
A lot of retailers are hoping, after a very challenging year, that shoppers will shop early and shop big and with dedicating so much advertising budget to their christmas campaigns, they’ll be banking on it.


text:
CYBER HOT HITS & CYBER ROCK LAUNCH ON CAMBRIDGE DAB
Both stations will be available on Cambridge DAB as from May 22nd.
The CEO of Cyber Digital Radio Limited, Tatiana Safonova stated "We are really happy to announce that both
Cyber Hot Hits and Cyber Rock will now be available on the Cambridge Mux. We will be making further expansion announcements over the next few weeks."


text:
September 11, 2023, 09:41
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia Viktor Evtukhov, on air on the Rossiya 24 TV channel, announced the opening of Decathlon stores after the purchase of assets by the new owner.
“The Decathlon deal was approved by a government commission several months ago, the obligatory contribution to the budget has already been paid, and I think that stores will open by the end of this year,” TASS quotes him as saying.
At the same time, he added that the situation with the departure of Western companies and the purchase of their assets by new owners is very diverse. According to him, many companies “would like to return, many do not want to leave and do not leave, despite very severe pressure.”
Evtukhov added that even many departing companies, in agreements on the sale of Russian assets, stipulated the possibility of subsequent repurchase and return to the Russian market.
Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that Decathlon had found buyers for all its stores in Russia.
Error in the text? Select it and press “Ctrl + Enter”Subscribe to our Zen channel


text:
Postage Stamps will now include personalised photos/logos
The Department of Posts said that any individual/corporate identity can get a photo/logo of their choice printed inside a postage stamp. Secretary SK Sinha said, "We have opened up customised printing of My Stamp for individuals and corporates. Anyone can get his logo or photo printed inside the stamp for net cost of 12 lakh." These stamps can be used for general postal mail.
Philately is a term used to refer to the study and collection of postage stamps, revenue stamps, stamped envelopes and the like as a hobby or an investment.
On 3rd June, 2016, Amazon India marked it's third anniversary in the country with the help of India Post, which released a Rs. 5 stamp. Called My Stamp, it shows a delivery boy holding a carton labelled Amazon.
If an individual wants to customise a postage stamp, he/she has to order at least one sheet of pre-printed stamps (including 12 stamps and costing around Rs.300). However, for corporates seeking to personalise postage stamps, the minimum order stands at 5,000 sheets (including 60,000 stamps for Rs.12 lakh). Apart from Amazon India, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has issued a customised stamp.
Various entities like Western Union, SNDT Women's University and Allahbad High Court have displayed interest in issuing customised personal stamps.
Anticipating a jump of Rs. 100 crore in turnover at Rs. 141 crore from the philately segment, India Post expects the My Stamp initiative to contribute Rs. 60 crore Total revenue this year is expected to be approximately Rs.15,000-Rs.16,000 crore against Rs.13,037 crore in 2015-2016. "There was a fiscal deficit of about Rs.5,500 crore which we have contained. In next seven years, we will break even", SK Sinha said.
One of India Post's strategies to boost it's revenues is to promote philately amongst middle-school children. The Department of Post wrote to the Department of School Education and Literacy seeking to include a chapter on philately in Class V, VI and VII textbooks. SK Sinha said, "We are focusing on philately to increase our revenues and have been making consistent efforts towards this."


text:
Guardian article about the Weinereien in Berlin, where (after 8 pm at least) you pay what you want:
The Berlin Weinerei are the inadvertent brainchild of Jürgen Stumpf, who moved to the city in 1996 from the Bavarian town of Franken, where his family owns a five-hectare vineyard. He opened up a small wine shop selling his family’s wares in the rapidly emerging east of the city, and invited his nextdoor neighbour, Argentinean immigrant Mariano Goni, to cook for guests on Thursday nights.
I liked the ‘rapidly emerging east of the city’ too, and even better ‘Prenzlauer Berg, an area in the former east’.
Whatever happened to British spelling? ‘Reisling’ is traditional Grauniad, but ‘assholes’?
…sometimes there are assholes who spend the entire night here and pay €5,” said Mariano. “Especially Spanish people. …
(Mariano is from Argentina).
The New York Times understood it better:
Their owner hails from the north Bavarian region of Franconia, and more than half the wines are produced in Germany.


text:
The company of American rapper Kanye West Yeezy plans to use algae foam to make a line of eco-friendly running shoes.
According to the musician, the company itself will grow algae on a hydroponic farm on a Wyoming ranch with an area of more than 1600 hectares. They also plan to move the Yeezy headquarters there.
Kanye West says the company is experimentingwith alternative harmless dyes, since the natural color of the algae foam is not particularly attractive. Despite the rapper’s noble intentions, It may not be so easy for a new product to win the favor of consumers.
Sneakers presented at the Fast Company’s Innovation Festival are very similar to the previous Yeezy Foam Runner.
Despite the announcement, the rapper did not give an approximate release date for the new line or the timing of the launch of the hydroponic farm.
Recall that in the summer, Link introduced lightweight shoes that consist solely of soles.