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New strategies start to pay off for Sprouts Farmers MarketNew strategies start to pay off for Sprouts Farmers Market
For the third consecutive quarter—as well as for fiscal 2019—Sprouts reported an 8% increase in net sales. Adjusted net income for the fiscal year dropped more than 10%, however.
February 20, 2020
Sprouts Farmers Market continued its streak of sales growth through the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, ending the year with an 8% increase, the company announced Thursday afternoon.
"I'm delighted that during the fourth quarter we drew positive comps as well as an improved margin profile well ahead of our expectations—a testament to the changes we're making," CEO Jack Sinclair said during the afternoon conference call.
Fourth-quarter sales comparable store sales increased 1.5%, but customer traffic was down, said interim Chief Financial Officer Lawrence "Chip" Malloy.
The company reported positive results in sales and income for the fourth quarter:
Net sales of $1.4 billion, an 8% increase from the same period in 2018.
Comparable store sales growth of 1.5% and two-year comparable store sales growth of 3.8%.
Gross profit was $468.9 million, up 11.4% from $420.9 million in Q4 of 2018.
Gross margin was 34.4%, an increase of 120 basis points from the same period a year ago.
Net income of $32 million, compared with net income of $13 million and adjusted net income of $24 million from the same period in 2018.
Diluted earnings per share of $0.27, compared with diluted earnings per share of $0.10 and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.19 from the same period in 2018.
The leadership team will continue to drive comparable store sales and customer traffic as it works on stabilizing Sprouts' profit margin, Malloy said.
Results for the fiscal year, which ended Dec. 29, were more mixed:
Net sales of $5.6 billion, an 8% increase from 2018.
Comparable store sales growth of 1.1% and two-year comparable store sales growth of 3.2%.
Gross profit was $1.89 billion for the year, an 8.4% increase over the $1.74 billion in fiscal 2018.
Gross margin was 33.6%, an increase of 5 basis points.
Net income and adjusted net income of $150 million, compared with net income of $159 million and adjusted net income of $168 million in 2018.
Diluted earnings and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.25, compared with diluted earnings per share of $1.22 and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.29 in 2018.
While company executives are enthusiastic about the most recent results, they also are cautious about how fiscal 2020 might turn out. Comparable store sales growth is projected to be 0% to 1% this year. Net sales for a 52-week year are expected to grow 5.5%-6.5%, plus an additional $120 million because fiscal 2020 includes 53 weeks.
"Although we are encouraged by our fourth-quarter results, and optimistic about the direction we are heading, our strategic work is still ongoing. Therefore, this outlook only factors our current business and does not factor any potential strategic changes," Malloy said.
Some of the company's strategic changes—particularly pricing adjustments and marketing aimed more at the core customer—could continue to reduce customer count in the short term, Malloy said.
Becoming a bigger, more efficient company
"We're keenly aware that our traffic remains negative. We're taking a long-term view, and we know as we move toward a new marketing strategy, a stronger everyday price position and pulling back on unprofitable promotions may result in continued traffic headwinds," Sinclair said. "We expect an adjustment period, and then profitable customers will respond. Sinclair was appointed CEO of Sprouts on June 24.
"Marketing will evolve to promote more brand awareness," he added. Already, Sprouts has refined its promotions to target core customers instead of those who are bargain-hunting among natural and general retailers.
This new strategy has performed above expectations, Malloy said, as the company is promoting products that are profitable, not chasing the competition to the bottom.
"To be clear, we're still promoting and providing to our customers, but we're doing so differently," Sinclair said. "We've focused our promotional activity by responding to opportunities in the marketplace, rather than reacting to promotional pricing elsewhere."
The company is changing its traditional growth models, as well. Instead of opening 30 stores that are 30,000 square feet large, Sprouts will open smaller stores that will be cheaper to build and operate, the CEO said. In addition, the company will enter new markets with more stores, as opening just a few stores in a new city or state strains the distribution system.
The company plans to open 20 stores in 2020, Malloy said. As of Thursday, it had 340 stores in 22 states, after opening 28 and closing one in fiscal 2019.
"All markets, both existing and new, will be supported by a more effective and efficient supply chain," with the goal of lowering costs and improving freshness of food, particularly produce," Sinclair said. "Our supply chain has been disjointed with our growth. This will be corrected in short order, and it will separate us from our competitors who lack this infrastructure."
Thursday was Malloy's last day as interim CFO, as Denise Paulonis takes over in that position on Friday. Malloy will continue to serve on the board of directors.
Two new men have also joined the board: Joel Anderson, who became a board member in November, was previously president and CEO of Walmart.com and an executive at Toys R Us; and Doug Rauch, who was president of Trader Joe's Co. for 14 years, as well as chief executive officer of Conscious Capitalism Inc., which is dedicated to using business as a force for good.
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With Apple Inc. still in its no-growth era, how should investors think about its stock?
At least one analyst saw fit to move to a more cautious stance on the name in the wake of Apple’s
latest report, which brought the third quarter in a row of revenue declines and commentary suggesting another could be on the way.
Opinion: Apple is slogging toward a mediocre milestone not seen in 22 years
Apple’s most recent report “highlights the slowdown phase in which Apple now sits,” wrote Rosenblatt Securities analyst Barton Crockett, who lowered his rating on Apple shares to neutral from buy Thursday while maintaining a $198 price target.
The iPhone stands as “the most important device of the modern economy,” but that may not be enough to help the stock, Crockett cautioned.
“[A] slowdown in the U.S. seems likely to last until a material new product category takes hold,” he wrote. “And that is uncertain both in timing and success, leaving little reason to favor shares now trading near peak absolute and relative multiples.”
Read: Apple’s Tim Cook explains why he won’t showboat around AI
UBS analyst David Vogt was cautious as well as he tried to read between the lines of Apple’s forward-looking commentary. The company doesn’t give traditional guidance, though management offered various nuggets, including expectations for similar revenue performance in the September quarter compared what was seen in the June quarter, an acceleration in iPhone and services revenue relative to the June quarter, and double-digit year-over-year declines in iPads and Macs.
While bulls will say the iPad and Mac weakness is “transitory” due to tough comparisons, Vogt thinks foreign-exchange trends, not demand shifts, will be behind any iPhone improvements.
“Therefore, on a constant-currency basis, we expect both iPhone and Services growth in [September] to be similar to June,” with “no acceleration,” which is “disappointing,” in his view.
He set a neutral rating and $190 target price on shares of Apple.
JPMorgan’s Samik Chatterjee was more upbeat, writing that “the softer top-line guidance partly explained by the greater-than-anticipated [currency] headwinds has limited implications in relation to our expectations for modest earnings growth” in the September quarter.
He said he is optimistic about the company’s longer-term story as well.
“We continue to view the set up into [fiscal 2024 for Apple to be positive with likely improvements in consumer spending from trough levels, which will return the company to healthy revenue and robust earnings growth, and drive an outperformance for the shares, led by increased appreciation from investors of the high predictability of outcomes,” Chatterjee wrote as he stuck with an overweight rating and $235 target.
Don’t miss: Apple has a juicy $40 billion opportunity ahead of it
Oppenheimer’s Martin Yang also urged patience, writing that Apple’s “stagnating” revenue growth in the present is “not a cause for concern” as he thinks about the company’s long-run opportunities.
“The lack of growth in [fiscal 2023] so far is understandable cause for concern over Apple’s ability to grow and justify its elevated multiple,” he wrote, but “such fear is immature, based on Apple’s stronger competitive position in hardware, unfavorable near-term macro factors, and durable high-margin revenue growth from Services.”
Yang continues to have “conviction” in Apple’s ability to post “superior long-term profit growth from hardware and services market-share gain,” while the company’s expansion of its total addressable market is “intact despite slower revenue growth in the near term.”
He rated the stock at outperform and raised his price target to $220 from $195 Friday.

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For the first time, the Tulsa SPCA is holding its "Clear the Shelter Month" virtually.
The organization said the pandemic is making it harder to get animals into homes.
"It's just always nice to see that moment when an adopter kind of falls in love,” Mindy Tiner from the Tulsa SPCA said.
Prospective pet owners can go on the Tulsa SPCA's website to look at available animals, then fill out the application. Once approved, and with a few extra steps, the adoption is processed.
"The adopter comes with the animal in the afternoon and we kind of pass the animal off,” Tiner said.
According to the SPCA, funding has been down, partly from adoption revenue and partly from having to cancel several fundraising events.
"When COVID first started, we stopped intake, so we weren't taking animals in,” Tiner said.
Since people don't get to meet the pets until they adopt, Tiner said they have a relaxed return policy.
If you would like to adopt an animal, visit the website here.


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Using your face may be the best way to unlock the upcoming iPhone 8. The iPhone is reported to come with 3D sensors for facial recognition that can allegedly sense your face in millionths of a second, according to The Korea Herald.
In order to celebrate the original iPhone's 10th anniversary, Apple is rumored to be releasing a dramatically redesigned iPhone 8 (its exact name is TBA). If rumors are to be believed some of the features we can expect on the new iPhone include an edge-to-edge OLED display, wireless charging, and AR capabilities.
Facial recognition has also been a rumored feature for quite some time, and the rumor gained more weight after mention of the iPhone's facial recognition was spotted in Apple's HomePod firmware code.
Unlocking your phone with facial recognition has been possible with other phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8, but we have yet to see a similar feature on the iPhone. That may change soon according to an Apple patent from July, which shows facial recognition being used for anything from unlocking your iPhone to zooming in and out based off of how far away you are from the screen.
Unfortunately, fooling a phone that uses your face to unlock has been as easy as printing out a photograph, but the iPhone's tech is rumored to be more advanced than the S8's thanks to 3D sensors, according to The Korea Herald.
The report also claims that the iPhone 8 won't have an in-display fingerprint scanner, as previously speculated. Word on the street is that the iPhone 8 may ditch its home button to opt for a bezel-less display, so without a fingerprint sensor built into the home button or display the future of TouchID is up in the air. You may be able to use your face instead.
There's no official word on when Apple will announce its next batch of iPhones, but historically the company hosts its iPhone events in September. If that's the case we may hear more in the next few weeks.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.


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SsangYong has announced ambitious plans for the future.
One part of that programme is bringing out one new model every year between now and 2020. And, says Paul Williams, the CEO of SsangYong UK, that’s a brand-new model, not just a bit of spit and polish and a quick refresh of an existing car.
Another part is recruiting new dealers to cope with what is expects will be unprecedented demand for its cars. The manufacturer has 60 dealerships now and hopes to increase that to about 75 by the end of the year.
For more information on the SsangYong Range please click here


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41% of Americans Say They Won’t Ever Invest In Cryptocurrencies
Who buys Bitcoin and its cryptocurrency ilk?
A relatively small segment of the population, according to a June survey by cryptocurrency app Gem and analytics firm Harris Insights.
Roughly 8% of Americans invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, the poll of over 2,000 adults revealed. In comparison, roughly 52% of Americans own stock, according to a Gallup poll from 2016.
What is perhaps more daunting to Bitcoin’s supporters who hope to boost the asset’s popularity: About 41% of those same adults say that nothing could motivate them to invest in such digital assets.
The survey comes during a year when the value of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, have plummeted from a $20,000 high in December. As of Wednesday, the price of a single Bitcoin stands at roughly $6,300. Much of the excitement around cryptocurrencies from 2017 has given way to concerns about how to regulate Bitcoin and other so-called digital currencies.
Now, at least in the U.S., regulators appear to be combing through the plethora of cryptocurrencies to decide which ones should be subject to more onerous securities laws. Meanwhile, much of the crypto sphere lies in a state of uncertainty.
Another interesting tidbit from the research: Those earning more than $100,000 annually are less likely to invest in cryptocurrencies than those with lower earnings.
Based on the survey, 6% of those with over $100,000 in annual household income own some cryptocurrencies. In comparison, about 11% of those earning between $50,000 to $74,900 can say the same. And an even higher percentage of those earning less than $50,000 claim to hold crypto: About 7%, according to the survey.
“We find that younger people with less income are more willing to put money in crypto,” said Gem founder and CEO Micah Winkelspecht. “My guess is that crypto is of the digital age. And the younger generation is of the digital age and used to doing everything on the internet.”
He acknowledges that the phenomenon of less wealthy investors entering the cryptocurrency fray may also be due, in part, to a “get quick rich” mentality. Though not a direct comparison, it’s worth noting that people in lower income brackets are more likely to enter the lottery, according to 2011 research in the Journal of Gambling Studies—even when the likelihood of hitting the jackpot is miniscule.
“The cryptocurrency space is still in its Wild West phase, so there’s potentially some of that going on,” he said. “When you have less to protect, you are more willing to take the risk.”
Still, as a startup founder in the cryptocurrency space, Winkelspecht is hopeful that we’ll see increased adoption by the mainstream public. Gem commissioned the survey in part to understand what could sway investors to purchase digital assets. And indeed, 50% of respondent did say they are willing to try out the asset class in the future.
In that group, it’s the lack of easily understandable basic information about cryptocurrency that presents the largest barrier to entry, with 20% of respondents saying more information could motivate more cryptocurrency purchases.
“If these potential investors have access to better information and cut through a lot of this noise, that could be a big opportunity for crypto,” said Winkelspecht.


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Ministers fear new stay-and-spend scheme to boost tourism could overheat economy
Department of Finance officials are wary of overheating the economy with a new stay-and-spend scheme as people have saved significant sums during the pandemic and are already spending freely, The Times understands.
Increased spending is expected in the months ahead as all remaining Covid-19 restrictions are due to be lifted on October 22 and a Covid-19 bonus will likely be paid to thousands of frontline workers. A new “stay-and-spend” scheme is being examined in budget negotiations.
Paschal Donohoe, the finance minister, said yesterday that strong growth — almost 12 per cent in 2021 and 2022 — in the economy was down to the high volume of savings by people during the lockdowns.
“The key driver behind that growth in the domestic economy is what is


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ANYONE who has ever prepared a meal with a process called sous vide, which involves putting ingredients in a plastic pouch and cooking them, raves about the wonderful tastes that result.
''There is no question that the quality of the food is superior to what you cook on top of the stove,'' said Ron White, president of the First New York Corporation, a Toronto company that sells sous-vide food. ''You don't lose flavors, and you don't lose moisture.''
Just as important, the food, once bagged and cooked, can be held for three weeks or so in a refrigerator because the process creates a vacuum, removing the oxygen that would hasten spoilage. The name of the process, which was developed in France in the 1970's, means ''under vacuum.'' It can be used to make almost any kind of dish, from a simple fillet of fish to chicken fricassee, and it needs to be reheated only briefly before serving.
Indeed, food prepared this way, although still very rare in the United States, seems custom made for what busy consumers say they want: foods that are fresh and easy. The only problem is that, because the sous-vide foods are subjected to less processing than frozen or canned foods, they may present greater health risks if they are improperly made or are improperly stored on the way to the consumer.
If the food is kept at too-high temperatures, it can become a breeding ground for Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces a toxin that can cause serious illness or death. The danger is magnified because the sous-vide process heats the food long enough to kill some less harmful bacteria that would otherwise grow during spoilage and create a putrid smell to serve as a warning to consumers.
No reports of botulism have been linked to sous-vide food. Nevertheless, because of concerns that inadequately trained people might enter the field, the Food and Drug Administration recently said it believed that Federal regulations prohibit restaurants from preparing foods by the sous-vide method on their premises.
The agency said that manufacturers are free to process and sell such food to restaurants and retailers, but that it planned to monitor the processors. ''What we have said is, 'We're going to keep an eye on you,' '' said Thomas L. Schwarz, assistant director for program development in the agency's retail food protection branch.
Mr. Schwarz said the agency worries about processing, but mainly about treatment during shipping and storage. Botulinum can grow, he said, if the food is not consistently kept at or below 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Under Government regulations retailers are required to keep refrigerated cases at or below 45 degrees, which is too warm for sous-vide products.
Mr. Schwarz said that as a consumer he worried about the adequacy of handling of sous-vide products. ''I wouldn't buy it,'' he said.
Nevertheless, experts agree that the chance of botulism poisoning is remote. Michael Doyle, an associate professor of food microbiology at the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, said botulinum would grow only if the product was kept at room temperature for at least a day. ''Under refrigerated conditions,'' he said, ''it takes many days to get toxin produced.''
When consumers buy any fresh, refrigerated foods, he said, they are safest if they pick items that have not been sitting around in a store for more than a week.
Americans now have very little opportunity to try sous-vide food, because it is so new and is sold in only a few dozen retail stores. Some restaurants use it, but no one knows for certain how many, and consumers have no way of knowing whether they are served sous-vide food. But interest in sous-vide technology is growing, particularly because it is so successful in Europe, where 50 companies are certified to produce it.
The F.D.A.'s warning to restaurants came in the form of a reply to an inquiry from the National Restaurant Association about whether restaurants could use the process. Some association members had expressed interest in the technology after seeing equipment demonstrated at a trade show last summer. Although the F.D.A. can interpret Federal sanitation codes, it is up to state and local health departments to enforce them.
Larry Young, director of applications development at Cryovac, a division of W. R. Grace & Company that makes the packaging material used in sous vide, said he believes that no more than 40 American restaurants are now using the process. They have a choice of either abandoning the process or using it in spite of the F.D.A.'s opinion that it is not permissible.
Because of the F.D.A.'s statement, the few restaurants that admit to doing their own sous-vide processing say they use it for its culinary advantages, not to store prepared entrees for extended periods. Richard Perry, owner of Richard
Perry restaurant in St. Louis, said the process protects fragile foods and preserves essences. ''For a tender fish it's an ideal method,'' he said. ''The food is sealed in there so that it retains all its flavor.''
At the restaurant Carlos' in Highland Park, Ill., the chef, Roland Liccioni, uses sous vide to prepare foie gras.
''When you cook it that way, you don't lose as much fat,'' he said, ''and you can store it very well: up to two weeks in the cooler.'' One big user is the Petroleum
Club in New Orleans, which is managed by Restaurant Marketing Associates of Media, Pa. Ed Albany, general manager at the club, said the staff makes about 300 sous-vide meals a day. He said these meals are never stored for more than five days. Although the F.D.A. has not said that it plans to issue regulations that would allow properly trained restaurant workers to use the process, Mr. Albany hopes that the agency will do so. ''I hope we can continue,'' he said. Even manufacturing, which is legal, has been very limited in this country so far. Gerard Haute Cuisine Inc. in Fairfax, Vt., sells sous-vide dishes in its own restaurant and to three dozen or so retailers in the Northeast, including the Dinner Market, a five-month-old store in Manhattan that dedicates itself solely to sous-vide foods. Gerard Rubaud, an owner of
Gerard Haute Cuisine, said the F.D.A. is right to be concerned about the importance of proper production and handling during distribution. His company, he said, maintains control by transporting the food in its own refrigerated trucks and by visiting its customers twice a week to talk about how the food should be handled and sold.
''There is a lot of education going on,'' he said. ''A fresh product has to be treated with more respect than a pack of frozen peas.'' The only other company in the
United States set up just to produce sous-vide food is Culinary Brands Inc. in Sausalito, Calif. Carl H. Randall, its president, said the company plans to start testing a retail product this year in northern California. It now sells sous-vide meals to several hotels, but Mr. Randall declined to identify them.
Sous-vide processors are well aware of the concerns that food might be mishandled during transportation or storage, and they are trying to develop systems to alert consumers to any problems. When customers of Culinary
Brands receive their shipments, Mr. Randall said, they can read a scanner code on the container that will tell them how long the product can be stored. When the company starts selling in supermarkets, it plans to place its food in its own refrigerated kiosks so it can be assured that the correct temperature is maintained. Culinary Brands is also working on a package that would change color if the product had been exposed to too much heat in transportation or storage.
In Toronto, First New York Corporation, which is partly owned by W. R. Grace, is also working on a visual system that would let consumers know if the product had been mishandled. The company plans to start selling its products in Loblaws supermarkets later this year under the brand name Cuisine du Monde. Already it is selling to such Canadian restaurants and hotels as Holiday Inn.


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GREENDALE -- Sears will close its department store and auto center at Southridge Mall by mid-September, according to TODAY'S TMJ4's partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal.
The news comes just months after another of the mall's anchor stores, Kohl's, also said it would be leaving.
Liquidation sales will begin June 30. The location's auto center is expected to shut down in late July.
"We have been strategically and aggressively evaluating our store space and productivity, and have accelerated the closing of unprofitable stores as previously announced," a spokesman said in a statement.


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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — With egg prices greater than doubling up to now 12 months, calls are coming for an investigation into doable worth gouging.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed sent a letter Tuesday asking for the Federal Trade Commission to research whether or not egg prices have been improperly manipulated by producers. A farmer-led advocacy group known as Farm Action made a similar request final week arguing that there “seems to be a collusive scheme amongst trade leaders to show inflationary circumstances and an avian flu outbreak into a possibility to extract egregious income.”
The spike in egg prices has been attributed to the tens of millions of chickens that had been slaughtered to restrict the unfold of chicken flu and farmers having to compensate for inflation driving up their prices.
But though roughly 43 million of the 58 million birds slaughtered over the previous 12 months to assist management chicken flu have been egg-laying chickens, the dimensions of the full flock has solely been down 5% to six% at anyone time from its regular dimension of about 320 million hens.
The national average retail price of a dozen eggs hit $4.25 in December, up from $1.79 a 12 months earlier, in response to the newest authorities knowledge.
“At a time when meals prices are excessive and lots of Americans are struggling to afford their groceries, we should look at the trade’s position in perpetuating excessive prices and maintain these accountable accountable for their actions,” Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, mentioned in his letter to the FTC.
But commerce teams say egg prices are largely decided by commodity markets, and specialists say the chicken flu outbreak — mixed with the skyrocketing value of gas, feed, labor and packaging and continued sturdy demand for eggs — is the actual wrongdoer for the value will increase.
“Current egg prices replicate many elements, most of that are outdoors the management of an egg farmer,” mentioned Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board commerce group.
Purdue University agricultural economist Jayson Lusk mentioned “in my opinion, the fundamental economics of the scenario properly clarify the value rise.” He mentioned small reductions in egg provide may end up in giant worth will increase as a result of shopper demand for eggs doesn’t waiver a lot.
The FTC didn’t instantly reply Tuesday to questions concerning the egg price-gouging issues, however the company doesn’t typically touch upon outdoors requests for investigations.
The largest U.S. producer of eggs, Cal-Maine Foods, was singled out by each Reed and the Farm Action group as a result of it reported final month that its quarterly gross sales had jumped 110% to $801.7 million on the report egg prices, serving to it generate a $198.6 million revenue. up from simply $1.1 million a 12 months earlier.
The Ridgeland, Mississippi-based firm mentioned it “needs to guarantee its clients we’re doing all the pieces we will to maximise manufacturing and maintain retailer cabinets stocked” and the “home egg market has all the time been intensely aggressive and extremely risky even below regular market circumstances.”
The prices Cal-Maine prices its clients are decided by negotiations with the grocery retailer chains, membership shops and distributors it sells to. Cal-Maine mentioned its prices averaged $2.71 a dozen in the latest quarter. That’s nearly double the $1.37 it was getting a 12 months earlier, however nonetheless a lot decrease than the prices customers are paying.


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The owners of a furniture shop in Stockton that was destroyed by fire and is now being demolished, say they will re-build to store. Isaac Godwin and his son Michael have run Godwin's on Stockton's Norton Road since 1972.
The three story building was devastated by the fire which broke out on Tuesday night. The father and son say after the site is demolished, they will re-build the shop and continue the business. They are also reassuring customers that any orders which were placed will be honoured.
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Two year old Ruby from York ate 24 plastic gloves while her owner wasn't looking.
It is the start of the busiest time of the year for the RNLI which rescued 520 people on the North East coast last season.


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Making a dent in the mid-range smartphone market is a tough job for anyone to pull off, but Lenovo might be just on to something with the Vibe X2. The multi-layered smartphones, as the company touts it, boasts a very cool and colorful design without coming off as tacky.
Of course, there will be people that don’t like the design, but trust me, it’s looking even cooler in person. Now that the company officially owns Motorola, it is competing outside China as well and has the ambitions to conquer the likes of Apple, Samsung and LG. And what better way to grab consumer’s attention than a flashy look? Read more »
One of the thinnest smartphones around, the Gionee Elife S5.1, has just made it through our review routine and you can find out what happened in our in-depth article.
The Gionee Elife S5.1 uses a 4.8″ Super AMOLED screen and runs on the MT6592 chip with an octa-core Cortex-A7 processor. We’ve seen this platform perform rather poorly, when it comes to battery endurance, so we didn’t expect anything impressive from the Elife S5.1 but we surely had our eyes open for potential surprises. Read more »
Earlier today Sony opened its first of a kind underwater store. But before you put on your bathing suits, there is a slight catch. The Xperia Aquatech store is a promotional activity, carried by the Japanese company in Dubai, or rather 4 meter under sea level near the city.
The three daylong event aims to demo the marine capabilities of some of Sony’s water-proof devices and most of all build publicity. The guest list is very short, with only competition winners, media and VIPs attending and from the looks of it was nothing short of a spectacular experience.
Attendees are required to participate in some mandatory scuba diving training and are put under the constant supervision of a diving instructor. Read more »
The KitKat update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom started rolling out back in July, but it amazingly managed to so far not make it to AT&T’s version of the device. Only now, many months later, can we report that the Galaxy S4 Zoom sold by AT&T is in the process of receiving the new software.
Of course, KitKat isn’t the latest version of Android anymore. Though given the fact that this is the first ever update that AT&T’s S4 Zoom has gotten, we wouldn’t bet on it seeing Android 5.0 Lollipop anytime soon. Read more »
BlackBerry showcased the soon to be released Classic smartphone in an official hands-on video. The handset is already up for pre-order for $449 and will become available this month.
The short clip gives us a close look at the highly revered old school hardware keyboard and navigation buttons of the handset, as well as its browser and app stores. Read more »
Motorola Nexus 6 is listed by its manufacturer as water-resistant, but doesn’t carry an official IP rating. A crafty YouTube user decided to put the credentials of Google’s flagship phablet to the test with rather surprising result.
As it turns out, Nexus 6 can handle full water submersion for an hour without breaking down. Read more »
Earlier today, we saw another glimpse of the new theme engine in the TouchWiz Launcher and now a tipster has provided us with a video that showcases the new addition to Samsung’s flavor of Android.
The video is a hands on review of a Galaxy A3 unit that runs the new TouchWiz. Among other things it does seem to show working themeing options, just like the photos from earlier implied. Read more »
The Nokia Lumia 1030, the successor of the Lumia 1020 cameraphone, was in our rumor section for quite a while. It was known as Lumia McLaren in the beginning, but later the Lumia 1030 name got accepted as almost official.
The most recent rumors had it that the Lumia 1030 cancelled in the wake of the Microsoft’s completed acquisition of Nokia. And while we heard the Redmond’s giant is still prepping a proper Lumia 1020 sequel, we are still getting various reports of the “leaked” Lumia 1030. Here is the latest batch. Read more »
The HTC One (M8) was one of the best phones to have come out this year. It excelled in many things, including the design, build quality, display, loudspeaker, software, hardware, and battery life. Yet it had a big drawback and that was the UltraPixel camera on the back.
HTC seems to have heard all the feedback about the camera and has now come up with a new variant, the HTC One (M8 Eye). The One (M8 Eye) gets a new 13 megapixel camera and a lower price. That sounds like a recipe for success but it’s not without its caveats. Let’s see what the phone is like. Read more »
Lumia codenamed McLaren has been in the rumorland for quite a while this year, but eventually it turned out Microsoft had cancelled the Lumia 1020 successor after the Nokia acquisition went through.
Nowadays the rumor has it Microsoft is already prepping a true Lumia 1020 sequel with breath-taking PureView camera, which should premiere at the upcoming CES or MWC expos early next year. But do you wonder what could have been if the Lumia McLaren, also known as Lumia 1030, actually made it to the market? Here it is. Read more »
The top-shelf internals of the Motorola Nexus 6 are powered by a beefy 3,220mAh battery. As the first handset to run Android 5.0 Lollipop, we were really curious to put the Pure Google phablet through the paces out battery test.
Curiously, the Nexus 6 features the exact same size battery as its main Android rival, Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Read on to find out how the newcomer’s battery performance stacks up against the Korean offering! Read more »
Smartwatches are this year’s hot trend and with the round form factor, already a summit firmly conquered, designer are now focusing on reimagining other traditional watch components. Apple has already pioneered this tendency with the inclusion of a digital crown on the Apple Watch that serves some secondary functions, such as zooming in and out. Other than that, however, most smartwatches today, regardless of the form factor, share one common input method – touch.
Samsung in taking steps to address that, as it would appear by the recently issued patent. The technology at hand focuses on employing a turning ring mechanism, much like the one seen on traditional sports watches, for different software control functions. Read more »
Xiaomishop, one of the more popular resellers for Xiaomi devices is currently offering customers special offers on many popular devices, including Xiaomi Mi 4 and Redmi Note 4G.
The promotion began yesterday, on thanksgiving and will span all the way through the weekend and Cyber Monday. Read more »
Amazon.de has posted a deal offering 41 premium paid apps for free up until November 29. The collective value of the applications is over 100€ and can only be downloaded from the Amazon App Store for Android.
Some highlights form the list include MyBackup Prom MAPS.ME Pro Angry Birds and 38 more exclusive free offerings. Read more »
President Obama signed the E-Label act today, proposed back in July. The new regulation allows manufacturers to remove the physical FCC markings from certain electronic devices and display them inside the software instead.
Currently American companies are required by law to place certain regulatory texts and stamps on their devices and the FCC stamp is arguably the ugliest of the bunch. Read more »


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Uber was not able to crack a deal with other food delivery companies. The deal would have been profitable for Uber’s food delivery business. The demand for Uber’s food delivery business increased during the pandemic.
However, instead of Uber another Netherland based company, Just Eat confirmed that it has managed to make a deal with Grubhub.
The all-stock deal values Grubhub at $7.3 billion. In after-hours trading, the company’s shares increased to 6%.
The Netherland based company is operating in 23 countries. The company’s shareholders will approve the merger between both the companies and will be finalizing the deal by early next year. This will be the first time that Just Eat Takeaway will be operating in the United States.
Just Eat Takeaway.com in a statement said they were “In advanced discussions with Grubhub regarding an all-share combination.”
CNBC and the Wall Street Journal reported the deal could be struck as early as Wednesday, with CNBC reporting that Uber “is likely” to pull out over anti-trust concerns, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Uber was discussing an acquisition offer with Grubhub at the start of the year before the pandemic outbreak. Both the companies were discussing a potential deal and were supposed to be finalizing the deal as soon as May.
Uber’s food delivery demand was increasing in the lockdown. But, its ride-hailing business was having low demand as people were staying at home. Uber’s ride demand is down by 80% whereas Uber Eats has flourished since the COVID-19.
Shortly after the reports about Uber and Grubhub, Democratic Senators. Amy Klobuchar, Patrick Leahy, Richard Blumenthal, and Cory Booker wrote a letter urging the Department of Justice and the FTC to “monitor the negotiations” and “to initiate an investigation if the parties reach an agreement to merge.”
Uber spokesperson Noah Edwardsen in a statement said, “Like ridesharing, the food delivery industry will need consolidation in order to reach its full potential for consumers and restaurants. That doesn’t mean we are interested in doing any deal, at any price, with any player.”
Grubhub was launched in 2004. The sole purpose of the company was to deliver food to customers on demand. However, it had to face severe competition in the market from companies like Uber, DoorDash, and Postmates.
Actions Taken by Uber
As it is not sure when the business will recover from the adverse impression of the pandemic. The company is focusing to get Uber Eats more profitable in the same way they did for their rides, but this will take time. The profit they are getting from their food delivery platform is not substantial enough to meet the expenses.
Uber has taken some difficult decisions and the company laid off further 3000 employees and thanked the employees for their contribution towards the firm. The company is focusing not to rely on investors instead of cope up with its own self.


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Rosewood Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to manage its first property on the Italian island of Sardinia.
Rosewood Porto Cervo will be located on the island’s Costa Smeralda, about 1.5 kilometres south of Porto Cervo town, and will offer 65 rooms (including 26 suites), all of which will enjoy 180-degree views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Facilities will include a bistro and lounge bar, a beach club and pool bar, as well as spa facilities, an outdoor pool, fitness centre and a private pier.
Rosewood Port Cervo will be the group’s third Italian hotel, joining an existing property in Tuscany and a forthcoming hotel in Venice.
Earlier this month Rosewood announced plans for its first Spanish property, with the existing Hotel Villa Magna in Madrid set to rebrand as the Rosewood Villa Magna following the completion of refurbishment works.
Rosewood’s European collection currently comprises the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco in Tuscany, Rosewood London and Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris.
Forthcoming locations include Vienna (2022), Munich (2023), Venice (2023), and a second London property.
As previously reported, the Rosewood Hotel Grosvenor Square will see the former US Embassy converted into a 137-room hotel with five restaurants, six retail units, a spa, and a ballroom accommodating up to 1,000 guests.


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Google's Top Lawyer: Some Apple Inventions are Commercially Essential, Should Be Made Into Standards
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that he wants other companies to "invent their own stuff", and that Apple shouldn't be "inventor for the world".
Google General Counsel Kent Walker disagrees, and this month wrote a letter to the US Senate Judiciary Committee arguing that commercial inventions that impact "consumer welfare" should be just as important as technical patents.
All Things D's John Paczkowski interprets Walker's argument thusly:
In other words, Google’s view is that just as there are patents that are standard essential, there are also patents that are commercially essential — patents that cover features that are so popular as to have become ubiquitous. The latter are just as ripe for abuse as the former, and withholding them is just as harmful to consumers and the competitive marketplace. Viewed through that lens, multitouch technology or slide-to-unlock might be treated the same way as an industry standard patent on, say, a smartphone radio.
Apple strongly disagrees. Bruce Sewell, Apple's top lawyer, writes a rebuttal letter to the committee, saying in part, that simply because a "proprietary technology becomes quite popular does not transform it into a ‘standard’ subject to the same legal constraints as true standards."
In other words, simply because an Apple technology is extremely popular with consumers, doesn't mean Apple has to license that technology to competitors. Apple owns numerous patents regarding nearly all iOS technologies, a fact that Steve Jobs touted when he launched the first iPhone in 2007.
From Sewell's letter:
The capabilities of an iPhone are categorically different from a conventional phone, and result from Apple’s ability to bring its traditional innovation in computing to the mobile market. Using an iPhone to take photos, manage a home-finance spreadsheet, play video games, or run countless other applications has nothing to do with standardized protocols. Apple spent billions in research and development to create the iPhone, and third party software developers have spent billions more to develop applications that run on it.
Though Tim Cook has said that he hates lawsuits -- once calling them "a pain in the ass" -- he has said he will staunchly defend Apple's inventions from copycats.
Steve Jobs was quoted in his biography as threatening to "go thermonuclear" on Google for what he considered the theft of Apple's intellectual property regarding the Android operating system. He pledged to spend every penny Apple had in the bank, a war chest that has since grown to more than $100 billion, fighting a legal battle with the company.
All Things D has the full text of both letters, as well as a much deeper analysis of the legal aspects of the situation.


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Words have been circulating on Weibo that 360buy, one of the largest Chinese B2C service is poised to acquire Shanghai-based express logistics company CCES. Liu Qiangdong, founder and CEO of 360buy once revealed on Sina Weibo last year that “there’ll be more than 25,000 new colleagues joining Jing Dong Mall in 2012”. Since then people were speculating that 360buy is acquiring a logistics company in an aim to ramp up its delivery service.
Gong Wenxiang, VP of 360hqb.com, a Shenzhen-based 3C-centric etailer broke the rumor on Sina Weibo, implying that CCES might be 360buy’s acquisition target.
Logistics Conundrum Behind the Ecommerce Prosperity
And 360buy isn’t the only one in China’s ecommerce forefront which is striving to do the same thing. For example, VANCL, the largest Chinese online outlet of apparel set up its own logistics company Rufengda to address problems and enhance customer experience. So does Amazon China, Dangdang, Mecox Lane, Suning and so on.
A survey shows that more than 90% of Chinese B2C companies choose 3rd party logistics companies for goods delivery. And as the growth of ecommerce outpaced the growth of logistics, innumerable problems emerged like “delay in delivery or goods missing from delivery” and the list can goes on and on. So to some extent, Chinese B2C companies had no better choice but to DIY their own shipment effort. The logistics infrastructure in the U.S., by contrast, is so much better.
That’s one of the major causes why from the day the ecommerce fever picking up in China on, a dozen of Chinese B2C companies were considering or have already set up their own logistics arm. Except for the aforementioned examples, some nascent B2C players like OKBuy.com (Zappos-like), Xiu.com (luxury site), Coo8.com (electronics, owned by Gome) and so forth are also committing to the similar effort.
Guo Hongchi, CEO of Chinese B2C site focusing on sportswear Xijie.com once commented that cheap price isn’t the competitive edge in the sector anymore, it is outstanding logistics service that help etailers stand out in the crowded market.


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The Search Engine giant – Google is reportedly testing a new tool that will let you pay your bills directly from your Gmail inbox.
According to a Re/code report on Tuesday, the tool or service is currently code-named “Pony Express” and is under development.
With the new Pony Express service, Google’s intention is to offer an easy tool for its users to pay bills right away from their Gmail inbox as well as the Inbox by Gmail service.
Re/code claims to have seen the official papers and has got knowledge about Google’s Pony Express service, documents that specify the service is planned to start in the fourth quarter.
As per the official documents, Pony Express will query Gmail users to provide personal information such as name, address and social security number to a third-party company, and go through step-by-step verification process to verify the user’s identity.
Re/Code report also states that with Pony Express service, Google could take in the type of business data, which would let it expand into new business. This data could also be recycled to refine how advertisements are tagged to users on Google, YouTube and other partnering services.
The report also notes that the users might also have to provide information such as their account/ credit/ debit card number or something related to getting started.
After verification, users will start receiving bills in a particular folder of Gmail or the Inbox by Google, from where they can pay directly. For now, the Google is said to be talks with third-party vendors that print and mail out bills on behalf of service providers.
Still it’s not clear whether the service will also take benefit of the current Google Wallet payment service, or will tie-up with Google’s forthcoming Android Pay, which is likely to be revealed during Google’s I/O conference in May, 2015.
Google will even let you share your bills with other Gmail subscribers, which is a plus point.
At this time, we consider it applies more to the U.S. market, but don’t be surprised, who knows if the service gets declared globally as well.


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Apple revealed at today’s WWDC that iOS 11 for iPad brings AR to the Apple mobile ecosystem, as the Cupertino company announced its all-new ARKit for iOS devices.
With a carefully phrased sideswipe at Apple competitors’ recent, ‘Carefully edited videos’, today’s onstage demo showed a steaming cup of coffee being placed on a table top and realtime manipulation of the scene, including dynamic light and shade from a table lamp that was placed in the environment. Apple said this was possible through fast and stable motion tracking that finds planes such as floors and tables, as well as estimating ambient light.
ARKit integrates with third party frameworks to help with rendering, as well as using the hardware’s cameras, CPU, GPU and motion sensors. Apple made the claim that, 'You have millions of iphones and ipads that are capable of AR - overnight, ARKit delivers the largest AR platform in the world.'
AR Like Never Before
The bold claim that, ‘It’s AR like you’ve never seen it before’, prefaced a demo by Alasdair Coull, Creative Director at Peter Jackson’s production company, Wingnut AR. In his words, “With ARKit, you don’t need special kit or markers – it just works”; how very Apple!
The wasteland sci-fi scene and spaceships that followed were rendered in real-time using Unreal Engine 4, including one victim that plummeted off the table and into the abyss of the stage floor. Coull exclaimed that, “With ARKit, it’s like you’re the director of your own experience”, going on to say that, “It’s a real game changer”.
iOS 11 will be a free upgrade to existing users, ‘this fall’, with developer access by the end of the month.
New pictures from the iOS 11 / AR presentation at WWDC:


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Voice assistants in cars are becoming more like co-drivers, said Christophe Couvreur, vice president, product at Cerence. They’re not only responding to commands, but are also understanding common language and offering solutions.
Couvreur has been in the midst of these changes for years, as Cerence’s core business is speech technologies and other artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for the automotive industry. It supplies these to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 suppliers of equipment that gets into the car.
“Wider data connectivity will allow the car to behave in a much smarter way, assisting the driver in a much smarter way,” Couvreur told PYMNTS.
In recent weeks, Cerence has expanded its work with additional manufacturers, including Audi, where it will power the in-car assistant platform for the new Audi e-tron GT and Audi Q4 e-tron.
Cerence Pay, the company’s voice-powered, in-car payment product, is available and has been supplied to OEMs and Tier-1s, but the cars that integrate it are not yet on the road due to the development cycle of new cars, which can last 18 months to three years.
“People don’t want to talk to their cars for the sake of talking — they want to tell their cars to do something, and we keep looking for new use cases, new applications or new technologies that do something for the driver,” Couvreur said.
Paying Without a Smartphone
In the context of payment, Cerence saw an opportunity to make the driver’s life easier by enabling them to use the voice assistant in their car to pay for gas, to make reservations at restaurants and other similar applications.
The company works with classic payment processors so that if the retailer can accept credit cards, they can accept Cerence Pay. They do need something to interface with, such as an API. In the case of restaurant reservations, Cerence Pay connects with OpenTable. It also handles tolls and parking, enabling drivers to prepay for parking without using their smartphones and forging partnerships across parking vendors.
“As a driver, I don’t want to get my phone out of my pocket,” Couvreur said. “I may be on my way and I spotted parking.”
Cerence Pay is available separately from its voice assistant, so it can be used with or without that.
A Safer Way of Operating
The first application of Cerence voice technology was the ability to operate a phone with voice. Since then, the company has been increasing its capabilities. Cerence collaborated with Ford on SYNC, Ford’s voice-powered, in-car infotainment system that launched in 2007.
“The reason speech was relevant for automotive was initially safety,” Couvreur explained. “Voice gives you a very safe way of operating things in the car, hands-free and eyes-free.”
In the years that followed, the technology got better and the computers in cars got more powerful. Voice control of navigation systems was added. “Entering an address, even with a touchscreen, is not that easy while driving,” Couvreur said. “Even if you forget about safety concerns, it’s much easier to say the address.”
Similarly, navigating a city, searching for information and adjusting a seat when driving are all done more easily and safely with voice. “As the technology was getting better at understanding people, we saw that as a very attractive market with a lot of headroom for growth, and that’s why we got involved,” Couvreur noted.
Voice Is Growing More Common, More Capable
In 2010, Cerence introduced natural language understanding technology in the car, which allowed for a more natural and flexible way of speaking rather than requiring a specific command. As cars became connected in 2012, BMW introduced a system that allowed drivers to dictate text messages by voice.
Over the years, voice usage in cars has become more common and much more capable. Couvreur cited third-party data that showed 60% to 70% of cars have voice assistants, and of the people who have them, half are using them on a regular basis.
“In the medium and high range, it has become almost the de-facto standard,” Couvreur said. “It’s only on the very low end that you don’t see it as a standard feature.”
Cars Are Becoming Aware
The past and present development of voice assistance has been driven by computers becoming more powerful and less expensive, data connectivity being introduced and improved, and the acceleration of AI and machine learning.
“You are going to see cars become much more context-aware of what’s going on,” Couvreur said.
For example, today, if you ask a car to find a charging station, it can only look at the map, find the nearest charging station and tell you about it. But with connectivity, it can look at which stations are in use and recommend one with a free slot. Even better, it could see if other cars are heading to that charging station and if a car that is already there is nearly done charging.
Less an Assistant, More a Co-Driver
Also becoming more common are built-in cameras that detect if a driver is not paying attention to the road, is drowsy or is using a phone. Some cars have this today, but the European Union has mandated that all cars must have driver monitoring systems by 2025.
“Getting those extra sensors in the car to be combined with the voice assistant, or the co-driver in general, is one of the things you’re going to see,” Couvreur predicted. “The fact that the system will get smarter also means it can become less of an assistant that you ask to do something and reacts to it, and more of a co-driver that takes all of that information — visual and contextual — and tries to assist you proactively.”
Overall, he concluded, voice technologies are becoming less about command and control and more about AI and making the system “disappear.”
“We are moving in the direction where you will be able to interact with your car as you normally would with any other human being,” Couvreur concluded. “The car will be smart enough to be like a great assistant to you, like a co-driver that can talk to you, advise you and help you with things.”


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ALGONQUIN – A popular retail store for fishing, hiking, hunting and outdoor enthusiasts will soon be coming to Algonquin along Randall Road.
Executives from Gander Mountain announced in a news release Wednesday that they will soon construct a 52,000-square-foot store on a vacant lot at 1400 S. Randall Road, just north of the Walmart.
The outdoor specialty store operates at 127 locations in 24 states, including existing stores in Geneva, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield.
"We're excited to welcome Gander Mountain," Village President John Schmitt said in the release. "Their decision to locate in our community reaffirms that Algonquin is a desirable place to do business."
The Algonquin store will feature a large selection of new and used firearms, along with fitness wear, gear, and accessories for hunting, fishing, camping, boating and archery.
Gander Mountain will continue to update consumers about a grand opening in Algonquin through its website, www.GanderMountain.com
– Stephen Di Benedetto


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In less than a month, Final Fantasy XVI will make its debut and players will have the opportunity to learn about its world and story. Meanwhile, the developers are taking the opportunity to talk more about the project and recently revealed that the game was about to run out of one of the most iconic creatures in the Final Fantasy universe.
Since the release of Final Fantasy III in 1990, moogles have been a part of every major Final Fantasy installment in one form or another. That being said, in Final Fantasy XVI they could have been left out since the developers had several problems implementing them.
In case you missed it: Square Enix reiterated that Final Fantasy XVI will come to PC and stated that it will be careful with this version.
But what was the problem? In a recent interview with some of the developers behind this RPG, published on the Square Enix blog, Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XVI explained that the moogles were a real nuisance for the development team as they were difficult to implement and they thought they would not fit well with the mature theme of Final Fantasy XVI.
“Probably the biggest challenge, on a fundamental level, was the moogle,” Yoshida said. “The development team was worried that the moogles were too difficult to create and didn’t fit the feel of the world, but our Assistant Producer was like, ‘I don’t care, just put them in the game!'”
Related Video: News Roundup for Week 20 of 2023
Final Fantasy XVI moogles looked like hedgehogs
For his part, Hiroshi Minagawa, art director, the biggest problem had to do with the implementation of the performance mode that made it look like a hedgehog: “The performance mode slightly alters the appearance of the polygons, and we really struggled with the moogle.. It ended up having less hair. It ended up looking like a hedgehog, and we were wondering if that was a moogle or not! In the end, we decided to incorporate some moogle-specific processing.”
Find out: Final Fantasy XVI pre-orders would be causing “panic” in Square Enix
Fortunately, in the end, the Final Fantasy XVI development team managed to overcome all these problems and moogles appear in the new installment of the series. This will undoubtedly make many fans happy, who will be able to rejoice that one of the most beloved elements of the series will remain intact.
Final Fantasy XVI is in development exclusively for PlayStation 5, the platform on which it will debut on June 22, 2023. You can find more news related to it if you visit this page.
Related Video: Final Fantasy XVI – “Awakening” Trailer | PlayStation 5 Showcase


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The governing body of cricket in England and Wales, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a new sponsorship association with the UK’s number one shower and bathing brand, Radox.
As a result of the partnership which includes the men’s, women’s, and disability England teams, the renowned Radox brand will promote the recently relaunched shower gel line with a campaign at sporting events across the nation.
Via England Cricket’s social media channels, Radox will continue to highlight the summer’s best cricket memories. The brand is seeking fans to submit their favourite series moments for an opportunity to prevail tickets to both the men’s and women’s Ashes.
Russell James, Sales & Marketing Director at the ECB, said, “We’re delighted to announce this new partnership with Radox. We have partnered with Unilever for numerous seasons now and, as we eagerly anticipate the upcoming Men’s and Women’s Ashes, there is no better time for one of their top performing brands, Radox, to join up with the sport to help amplify their new shower gel range.”
Chris Barron, General Manager, Personal Care, Unilever UK & Ireland, commented, “We’re so excited to see Radox partner with England Cricket. We feel there is a great fit between the two; Radox was founded back in 1908 with the objective to ease the fatigue of weary bodies and minds. Fast forward to today, Radox stands for helping people find a moment of recovery and restoration within their daily cleansing routine through the transformative power of fragrance and mineral therapy. We’re looking forward to supporting all of England’s players and keeping them refreshed over the season!”
Radox’s collaboration with England Cricket comes after the intriguing re-launch of its renowned shower gel line, which includes a new bottle made of 50% recycled plastic and 100% refillable with their new refill pouches. The recently released “Feel Radiant” vibrant pink strawberry and raspberry fragrance is among a wide range of mood-enhancing scents that are available.


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Tuesday, July 23, 2013
[News] f(x) Release 'Rum Pum Pum Pum' Teaser Video Online, 'Transformation?'
Release 'Rum Pum Pum Pum' Teaser Video Online, 'Transformation?'
Group f(x) has released their 2nd album title song, "Rum Pum Pum Pum" MV teaser online.
This teaser revealed the new upgraded image soy the members.
In the released video, we get to catch a glimpse of the album's songs highlights as well as their fashion and dance.
They will begin TV performances starting on July 25.
They will officially release their new album, Pink Tape, on July 29.
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* Pop-up restaurants are here to stay, and are increasingly supported by food lovers who are prepared to pay a premium to attend such a restaurant. They give young chefs an opportunity to try their hand in running their own mini-restaurant.
* South Africa is expected to source most of its tourists from India by 2020, according to SA Tourism Country Manager Hannelie Slabber. Reasons for the increase are better airline connections, and our country’s growing reputation as a business and leisure tourism destination. Our big cities have been the focus of the marketing to date, but now Hermanus, Franschhoek, Port Elizabeth, and Stellenbosch will be promoted.
* The Cape Town Carnival takes place in Green Point on Saturday afternoon from 16h00, and 50000 or more party Continue reading →
* In honour of Mandela Day last Friday, and the launch of the new DVD of the ‘Lego‘ movie, a collection of limited edition Lego figurines of local presenters, including Gareth Cliff, Bonang Matheba (ex Metro FM), Lee-Roy Wright (SABC3 presenter), DJ Fresh (5FM), and Casper Lee (actor Spud 3) has been created. A set of three Nelson Mandela mini Lego figurines has also been launched.
* The few women honoured in Cape Town by means of statues is soon to become something of the past, when steel cut-outs of such women luminaries and outspoken leaders as the late Albertina Sisulu, Miriam Makeba, Adelaide Tambo, and Nadine Gordimer are erected along the Fan Walk leading to the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point, a World Design Capital 2014 project called ‘Wonder Women’. Architect Mokena Makeka will make up the steel statues of the women, with a positive and negative image.
* Terroir will feature in a six part series ‘Seasons of Terroir‘, produced by Justin Bonello of ‘Cooked in Africa Films’, to reflect what it takes to run a busy restaurant in a competitive industry. It will be broadcast on National Geographic (channel 181) from 25 March at 18h15, for six consecutive weeks. The restaurant celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Broughton says: ‘After watching the series, I hope viewers will have a better understanding of what cooking in a modern-day, professional kitchen is all about. For one, it is not nearly as glamorous as it is often depicted in the media. In fact, it is tough, demanding and relentless. If someone is really committed to following a career as a chef, including the long, often anti-social hours, it is an exciting and rewarding choice. It has certainly been rewarding to be part of the growing gourmet culture in Stellenbosch – I can’t think of a better place to experience great food and wine than on a wine farm like Kleine Zalze…’ (received via media release from Manley Communications)
* Bain’s Cape Mountain single grain whisky from Wellington has been awarded a gold medal at the 2014 China Wine and Spirits competition, based on its value for money. (received via media release from De Kock Communications)
* Cape Town is celebrating its Carnival, with the theme ‘Imagine’ linked to Cape Town hosting World Design Capital Continue reading →


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Apple has added an entire new section of music to iTunes today called iTunes Latino, which is an entirely dedicated area of iTunes that features "top Latin music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks and podcasts." There has been Latin music before on iTunes, but now with the addition of iTunes Latino, there is even more content available for an apparently very popular genre. Eddy Cue, Vice President of iTunes, said that "“Latin music has been a huge hit on iTunes and now we’re bringing music fans even more of what they love in a dedicated area on the iTunes Store.”
In addition to sectioning off and adding content to iTunes Latin, iTunes has also added television content from Telemundo and its bilingual youth network mun2. Shows such as "Pasión de Gavilanes," "El Cuerpo del Deseo" and "Decisiones" (which is offering a free episode for download), have been added to iTunes, as well as reality show "mun2: The Immigration Special." Shows are $1.99 apiece and more Telemundo content is expected to be added in the coming months.
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Aim for smaller products and travel deals. Some of the best buys on Cyber Monday will surprise you, from apparel to shoes to beauty products, says consumer and money saving expert Woroch. “It’s also a great day to shop for travel deals, specifically airfare sales,” she says. “Apple products and other electronics will be a good deal on this day too.”
In September 2017, Amazon announced plans to locate a second headquarters in a metropolitan area with at least a million people. Cities needed to submit their presentations by October 19, 2017 for the project called HQ2. The $5 billion second headquarters, starting with 500,000 square feet and eventually expanding to as much as 8 million square feet, may have as many as 50,000 employees. In 2017, Amazon announced it would build a new downtown Seattle building with space for Mary's Place, a local charity in 2020.
Shop according to product. Woroch urges shoppers to wait to buy winter apparel and accessories until closer to the holidays or in early January. “Toys are best to buy in the first two weeks of December, based on price histories,” she says. “Gift wrap, decor, and other seasonal merchandise like pre-lit Christmas trees are a better buy after the holidays.”
Amazon now has more than 100 private label brands, some without the name Amazon even remotely attached, for product categories like clothing, dog food, and furniture. Yet AmazonBasics, and the Amazon Essentials clothing brand, remain the company’s biggest weapons in its war against offline retail. Just as Walmart, Target, and other stores launched their own private label brands for virtually every product imaginable, the company has done the same. (In 2015, it also launched an official Etsy competitor in the form of Amazon Homemade.)
Information may be abridged and therefore incomplete. This document/information does not constitute, and should not be considered a substitute for, legal or financial advice. Each financial situation is different, the advice provided is intended to be general. Please contact your financial or legal advisors for information specific to your situation.
In early 2018, President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Amazon's use of the United States Postal Service and pricing of its deliveries, stating, "I am right about Amazon costing the United States Post Office massive amounts of money for being their Delivery Boy," Trump tweeted. "Amazon should pay these costs (plus) and not have them bourne [sic] by the American Taxpayer." Amazon's shares fell by 6 percent as a result of Trump's comments. Shepard Smith of Fox News disputed Trump's claims and pointed to evidence that the USPS was offering below market prices to all customers with no advantage to Amazon. However, analyst Tom Forte pointed to the fact that Amazon's payments to the USPS are not public and that their contract has a reputation for being "a sweetheart deal".
Now when you shop with Amazon.com, a portion of your purchase will help support the work of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Through AmazonSmile, a website operated by Amazon, you can enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to AICR.
Amazon was never going to be able to compete with Google’s YouTube in user-uploaded video content, and it didn’t have the social infrastructure of Facebook to become a destination where people discuss their lives and share videos from around the web. But what Amazon did have was the resources to purchase a company that was poised to outrun both Facebook and YouTube to a new type of business: live-streaming, in particular video games live-streaming. The pioneer of that market was Twitch, which Amazon purchased in 2014 for just shy of $1 billion.
Barnes & Noble sued Amazon on May 12, 1997, alleging that Amazon's claim to be "the world's largest bookstore" was false because it "...isn't a bookstore at all. It's a book broker." The suit was later settled out of court and Amazon continued to make the same claim. Walmart sued Amazon on October 16, 1998, alleging that Amazon had stolen Walmart's trade secrets by hiring former Walmart executives. Although this suit was also settled out of court, it caused Amazon to implement internal restrictions and the reassignment of the former Walmart executives.
Depending on which options you choose, using an online marketplace like Amazon can make the fulfillment process easier for new and small businesses. Not only can Amazon interact with customers on your behalf, saving you time while protecting your personal and private information, but it can also handle the entire shipping process, including returns. As a result, owners can concentrate on building their businesses.
Although As Seen On TV was founded in the 1980’s by Shark Tank panel member Kevin Harrington, the public domain label is often used to refer to all infomercials that have aired to date – ranging from the familiar Ron Popeil and his line of popular “o-matic” products, to Sir James Dyson and everyone in between. The infomercials all use direct marketing which allows customers to immediately understand the benefits of a product, and provides the seller with an easy way to track results and understand if a campaign will be profitable.


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Augmented reality game Pokémon Go will feature an in-game music demo by a well-known artist for the first time next week. Games like Fortnite and Apex Legends have done this before. It is not known if developer Niantic will do this often.
Niantic has cooperation Advertise on their website. Singer Ed Sheeran will appear in the match starting Monday evening. This is done through the in-game news section. It is not yet known exactly what that will look like. Pokémon Go also contains appearance-related items, such as avatar items and stickers.
Pokemon Go is not the first game to facilitate the artist’s performance. This is how it is arranged there Offers in Fortnite And Apex Legends has that, too. Virtual shows act as a kind of harbinger De Metaverse, as these types of events are likely to be normal.
Pokémon Go was launched in 2016. The peak of popularity was at first. according to statista There are currently around 29,000 daily active iOS players in the Netherlands and around 17,000 in Belgium. It is unknown how many there are across Android. Niantic itself does not publish figures on the number of active players in each country.
“Professional web ninja. Certified gamer. Avid zombie geek. Hipster-friendly baconaholic.”
Google denies that Bard was trained in ChatGPT data – IT Pro – News
Naughty Dog is investigating complaints about the performance of the PC version of The Last of Us – Games – News
“Microsoft working on Windows CorePC for alternative hardware and form factors” – PC – News


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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A local church is moving its thrift store to better serve low-income communities.
According to a press release, the Mahoning County District of Saint Vincent De Paul will be moving its thrift store from its current location at 400 Williamson Ave., which was a temporary location. That location will close on Sept. 9.
All items will be sold at 50% off.
Until the new store opens, the location will not be taking donations.
“Our faith teaches us to meet the needs of struggling families in our community. We believe we will be able to better serve our guests in the future at a new location. We will continue to meet the needs of our guests and the community through our pantry and kitchen while we find a permanent home for our Thrift Store,” said Anne Kravitz, board president for Saint Vincent De Paul, Mahoning County District.
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The economy may have finally begun to turn around.
Records show that consumers are spending more, which has translated into a slow rise in sales tax revenue for cities and the state.
It’s a reversal of an 18-month trend of declining sales tax revenues.
“It’s moving in the right direction,” said Cathy Gleason, Phoenix budget director.
In the city of Phoenix, January collections were just 0.4 percent behind collections from a year ago, a vast improvement over the 22 percent shortfall recorded in July.
And state sales revenues were down just 2 percent from a year ago, marking the first time since September 2008 that the decrease wasn’t double digits.
“It’s the first, somewhat bright light we’ve seen in 18 months,” said Rep. John McComish (R-Ahwatukee Foothills).
But for local business owners like Greg Stewart of Fast Frame on Chandler Boulevard, times are still tough.
“I do not see this economy turning around at all,” Stewart said. “I think when people are living in fear they are reluctant to spend on anything but essentials. I find a fairly somber mood.”
The news that consumer spending may be increasing comes as the city trimmed almost $240 million from its budget and the state still has a $700 million shortfall for this year and a $2.6 billion deficit for next year, all attributed to a decline in sales tax revenue.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee reported that retail sales tax revenues were down just 1 percent in January, compared to a year ago and corporate income tax collections were up $23.8 million over forecast.
McComish said that he has seen “help wanted” signs recently, which is a good sign the economy is improving.
Still holding the economy down is construction.
“Construction will continue to lag because commercial real estate is on the downward trend. We have enough commercial space for the next few years,” McComish said.
January sales tax figures reflect activity during the Christmas shopping season and may or may not reflect a fundamental change in the economy.


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And so it goes: The reissue of The Cure’s Disintegration has been delayed yet again, with a new release date — in the U.S., at least — set for June 8, according to a press release from Rhino Records this afternoon. The 3CD set, originally due in February, will feature the remastered album, a disc of unreleased demos and an expanded edition of Entreat. See full tracklist here, and take a listen to “Delirious Night” — one of the previously unheard outtakes — right here.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Audio: The Cure’s ‘Delirious Night,’ unreleased ‘Disintegration’ demo
- Watch ‘The Cure in Orange’ to celebrate Robert Smith’s 51st birthday
- The Cure plays early version of ‘A Forest’ with alternate lyrics
- Spin in the ’80s: The Cure, R.E.M., Morrissey, The Replacements, much more
- Watch The Cure’s Robert Smith guest host MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’
- John Hughes wrote a screenplay inspired by The Cure’s ‘Lovecats’
- The Cure’s Robert Smith: ‘4.13 Dream’ follow-up ’slowly taking shape’
- The Cure’s Robert Smith contributes rare solo song to ‘Alice in Wonderland’
- The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’ gets 3CD deluxe reissue in 2010, plus ‘In Orange’ on DVD
nooooooooooooooooo! but really, it’s ok. i am still absolutely pumped about this release.
God, this is becoming like The Cure’s Chinese Democracy. Hopefully this is the last set back.
Tonight Amazon notified customers who placed a pre-order that the new date is June 21-25, 2010.


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Continuing its efforts in supporting various equal rights campaigns in recent years, Apple has voiced its support for a new equal rights bill in Houston through a statement issued by the Human Rights Campaign organization. Business Houston Journal reports that the organization issued the statement below on Apple’s behalf in support of the bill known as Proposition 1, or Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), ahead of voting on the bill ending October 30.
LGBTQ Stories October 30, 2015
LGBTQ Stories July 23, 2015
Apple is officially putting its weight behind new LGBT anti-discrimination legislature currently being proposed in Congress. The company said in a statement to the Human Rights Campaign that it actively supports the Equality Act.
At Apple we believe in equal treatment for everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love. We fully support the expansion of legal protections as a matter of basic human dignity.
Apple’s support for the bill that would expand federal protections in the workplace to LGBT Americans in all states follows several years of Apple CEO Tim Cook calling on Congress to pass such legislation, and Apple’s backing is in line with its own company policies. expand full story
LGBTQ Stories March 27, 2015
Apple CEO Tim Cook on Twitter today shared Apple’s opposition to a controversial new law in Indiana while calling on the governor of Arkansas to veto legislation before it becomes law. Both laws relate to religious freedom protection but have been criticized as enabling LGBT discrimination. expand full story
LGBTQ Stories January 29, 2015
LGBTQ Stories December 18, 2014
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a “generous personal financial investment” in Project One America, an LGBT equality campaign focused on three Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin announced the donation on the civil rights organization’s blog today.
When Tim first learned about HRC’s Project One America – our bold, comprehensive campaign to dramatically advance equality for LGBT Americans in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi – he said, “I’m in.” Thanks to his generous personal financial investment in the program, together we will move the needle forward at the local and state level, tearing down misperceptions and providing concrete protections for those who need it most.
In announcing the Apple CEO’s personal donation to Project One America, the HRC also praised Tim Cook’s personal essay from October in which he became the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company: expand full story
LGBTQ Stories November 19, 2014
Apple CEO Tim Cook today announced via his Twitter account that Apple has received a 100% score on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index for the 13th year in a row. Apple once again makes the list put together by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which rates U.S. workplaces based on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality: expand full story
LGBTQ Stories July 7, 2014
Just over a week ago, thousands of Apple employees, including CEO Tim Cook, took to the streets of San Francisco to take part in the Pride Parade. The company has not been hesitant to share its views on LGBT rights, and the parade was yet another instance of that. This evening, Apple uploaded a video to its official YouTube channel showing off all of the effort that went into the Pride Parade last week and its “unwavering” support for equality and diversity.
LGBTQ Stories May 7, 2014
Apple has invited its employees through an internal memo to participate and represent the company together next month at San Francisco’s annual LGBT pride parade. Apple will host a base camp for registered attendees made up of Apple employees and their families and will supply entertainment and breakfast as well as T-shirts for participants. This year’s Pride Celebration and Parade marks the 44th annual gathering and has been host to the likes of Apple, Google, and Facebook (including CEO Mark Zuckerberg) in recent years. expand full story
LGBTQ Stories April 10, 2013
Tim Cook tops Out power list for third consecutive time, more than anyone who has come out
For the third consecutive year, Apple CEO Tim Cook has ranked #1 on Out Magazine’s The Power List, which features prominent gay men and women with influence in American public culture.
Eligible bachelor or not, Cook shouldn’t have trouble sleeping at night, as he topped another important list last year: highest paid CEO.
Thanks for the tip, Howard!


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Apple suppliers for the first time achieved 100 percent UL Zero Waste to Landfill validation for all final assembly sites in China, according to the company’s 2017 Supplier Responsibility progress report.
The average environment assessment score across Apple’s 705 supply chain assessments in 2016 was 87 out of 100. The company says the majority of violations found in 2016 were related to hazardous substance management and environmental permits.
In 2016, Apple suppliers’ facilities diverted more than 200,000 metric tons of waste from landfills, compared to 74,000 metric tons in 2015, according to the report.
One of the sites to achieve UL Zero Waste to Landfill validation in 2016 was the Tech-Com final assembly supplier in Shanghai. Apple says it discovered that more than 20 percent of the waste produced at this facility was being incinerated or going to landfills. The company worked with the supplier and the local recycling facility to develop a better process for separating and recycling waste, enabling Tech-Com to recycle 100 percent of its manufacturing waste. The facility also developed a new process for managing food waste, which it now sends to a local composter instead of a landfill.
Since 2015, Tech-Com has diverted more than 10,000 metric tons of waste from landfills, according to the supplier responsibility report.
Apple’s Clean Water Program, which focuses on using less freshwater in suppliers’ processes and increasing the reuse and recycling of treated wastewater, saved more than 3.8 billion gallons of freshwater in 2016. This represents a 35 percent average reuse rate across 86 sites.
Since 2013, the water management program has saved more than 8 billion gallons of freshwater, Apple says.
Apple is also working to reduce supply chain emissions by increasing suppliers’ renewable energy use. In 2016, Apple tripled the number of supplier sites participating in its energy efficiency program, thus reducing more than 150,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
The report says several large suppliers have already committed to power all Apple manufacturing with renewable energy by the end of 2018. The company expects this to reduce carbon emissions by 7,000,000 metric tons per year.


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Electronic manufacturer Samsung Electronics continues to seriously working on portable computer market (notebook).
Despite playing for two years, Samsung has dared to issue a premium grade products at affordable prices.
Samsung Notebook Series 5 AMD [...]
Women eighteen origin Saratoga, California, Eesha Khare managed to make a supercapacitor that can charge a cell phone in just between 20 to 30 seconds.
Through this work, Eesha also won about 500 million dollars from Intel in the Intel International [...]
News of the warm coming from two future Samsung products mentioned in this release, the Galaxy Tab 3 and Galaxy Note 3.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (21/3), both rumored to appear first on IT exhibition IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany.
This event is scheduled [...]
The good news for you smartphone users had Windows Phone OS. Angry Birds can now be downloaded for free.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (2/5), Angry Birds has changed the status of being free is the original version, that is Angry Birds first.
Apple is reportedly preparing a new MacBook Pro is equipped with Intel’s Haswell and will be introduced at the WWDC 2013, 10-14 June 2013 in the U.S..
Never heard about Intel Haswell? This is the latest generation of Intel processors, which will [...]
Right now who do not know Instagram, a photo sharing application. If you include people who have an account Intagram, here’s how to play smart application.
Not a photographic aesthetic interest to many people but that enshrined [...]
Apple has recently released iOS 6 operating system update to the new version, the iOS 6.1.4.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Friday (3/5), strangely this update is only intended for those users of the iPhone 5.
It is something that is not unusual for Apple to [...]
“Microsoft chose HTC to be the first smartphone that shows a real Windows Phone.”
Mobile phone manufacturer HTC back innovate through the launch of Windows Phone distinctively, namely HTC Windows Phone 8X and HTC Windows Phone 8S.
Among other things, failing to hide bank accounts.
Millions of Android app users, according to a research, be lured to reveal personal data.
The researchers tested 13,500 Android apps and found nearly 8 percent failing to protect his bank account and [...]
The new generation of Samsung smart phone has been released, introducing the new Samsung Galaxy S5, what can you expect? As we have already known that there are lots of features we can expect such as a more durable design and also a more fun experience [...]
Los Angeles – Technology latest computer with a transparent display that allows users to reach out and touch into digital content introduced recently at the TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment and Design) in Los Angeles.
Researchers TED Jinha [...]


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The Obama administration is blocking the inspector general's access to files related to Fast and Furious and other Justice Department scandals.
The federal government has underscored its indifference toward taxpayer dollars once more by funding a study on “sexist adjectives.”
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee has approved a bill that could ban all mandatory GMO labeling in the United States. H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 would not require food companies to disclose their use of genetically modified ingredients. Under the bill, companies that want to indicate that a product is “GMO-free” may still do so.


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How social media became the most powerful tool in the British royal family's playbook
Meghan Markle is bringing her innate understanding of Instagram to the Sussex Royal account, and the rest of her husband's family are taking notes, writes Caitlin McBride
When there’s a merger of two great houses, anything is possible and in this case, it’s the British royal family’s bond with social media.
Since Meghan Markle - a former actress who had nearly three million followers on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter before marrying Prince Harry - arrived on the scene, there has been a notable shift in tone in how royals present themselves online.
Kensington Palace has been active across channels for a number of years now, but it acted as more of an informal newsletter, supplementary to the traditional coverage the Cambridges (and Harry, before was Duke of Sussex) receive in newspapers and websites.
But Meghan, whose impressive numbers were bolstered by her relationship before eventually deleting all her private accounts, understands the importance of brand-building in the digital space. It wouldn't be out of line to say she was an influencer before she was a duchess.
She understands the importance of creating a unique tone across platforms, in particular Instagram, and since Sussex Royal launched in April, her voice is being heard the loudest.
“While Twitter is a brilliant platform for news sharing and live moments, Instagram is really where they can build their personal brand. They say a picture paints a thousand words and Instagram allows them to communicate with their audience in a highly visual way and present a particular image to the world,” says Angie Grant, Managing Director of Teneo, a Dublin-based communications agency.
“Social media allows the royal family to speak directly to their audience in a way that they have never been able to do before. It makes them seem more accessible and, in many ways, more relatable. The survival of the monarchy is intrinsically linked to its popularity so having a platform where they can showcase their work, manage their brand image and talk to their audience is hugely important for them.”
In particular, Meghan’s influence was evident in a post celebrating American Mother’s Day, sharing a picture of her baby son Archie’s feet with forget-me-not flowers in the background, the flower of choice of Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana.
It was not a coincidence.
Suits, on which Meghan starred for seven years before leaving to to marry her prince, is an undoubtedly popular show around the world, but it's not close to being in the upper tier of television. The fact that her social presence reached into the millions even before her royal link is a testament to her innate understanding of consumption online.
She produced The Tig, a lifestyle blog named after her favourite red wine Tignanello, which she launched in 2014. It was reminiscent of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop before other celebrities began following suit when they saw the money it could earn.
As any influencer worth their salt knows, reach is everything and now, with the eyes of the world on her, her reach is infinite.
“I think Meghan’s experience of running her lifestyle blog and Instagram given her a clear understanding of the power of Instagram and how to build a personal brand via social media,” Angie explains. “Prior to the Sussex Royal account, we saw the royals mainly use Instagram as a way to simply showcase the events they had attended on any given day.
“What we’re seeing with The Sussex Royal Instagram is a more strategic approach with a well thought-out content strategy which reflects their personal brand. From the imagery to the accompanying captions, it feels a lot more ‘influencer-esque’ and I definitely think that’s down to Meghan’s own experience and understanding of social media.”
Her influence goes beyond her family’s digital representation spreads to her in-laws as well: Kate Middleton and Prince William have upped their game since the Sussexes began giving them a run for their money.
It’s been less than two months since they launched and already, Meghan and Harry have only 600,000 fewer followers than the Kensington Palace account which has been in action for several years now.
The Cambridges pushed beyond the envelope, especially in publishing pictures of their children, of whom they are famously private in a bid to give them as normal an upbringing as possible.
After Kate’s garden display at the Chelsea Garden Show, six candid pictures were rolled out on Instagram (in addition to those issued by the photographers to newspapers and photo agencies around the world), including video footage of George, Charlotte and Louis playing.
They have also begun sharing Sussex-style long form captions with relevant images to highlight causes close to their hearts, in stark contrast to the sort of picture and caption style they adopted for so many years before.
Even Queen Elizabeth is hiring a new social media manager, advertising for an individual who will find "new ways to maintain The Queen's presence in the public eye and on the world stage" and the senior royals are investing heavily in their digital portfolios.
"Kate has always worked hard to be seen as relatable favouring high street brands and repeating outfits," Angie adds. "Now we’re seeing that brand strategy translate to the whole family. The latest posts of the family together at the Chelsea Flower Show are a great example of this.
"It felt very different from the content we have come to expect from the Kensington Royal account. A lot more personal and clearly designed to show that they are ‘just like any other family’. I think as they get to grips with the power of Instagram and how they can build their brand through social, we’ll see a lot more content like this in the future."


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IOWA CITY, Iowa - A company and two executives were charged Wednesday with selling the eggs responsible for a 2010 salmonella outbreak that sickened thousands of people and led to an unprecedented recall of 550 million eggs.
Disgraced egg industry titan Austin "Jack" DeCoster and his son Peter DeCoster were charged with introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce, a misdemeanor. A charging document filed in federal court in Iowa alleges the pair and their company sold shell eggs tainted with the strain of salmonella blamed in the monthslong outbreak of 2010.
Their company, Quality Egg LLC, which includes the DeCosters' network of chicken and egg-laying farms in rural northern Iowa, is charged with introducing misbranded food into interstate commerce, a felony. The document says Quality Egg sold products from 2006 to 2010 with labeling that "made the eggs appear to be not as old as they actually were." The company is also charged with bribing a public official, a felony, for an alleged 2010 payment meant to influence a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector to approve shell eggs that had been held back for failing to meet federal standards.
Attorneys representing the DeCosters and the company didn't immediately return messages. The charges were filed in a document known as an information, which means they waived their right to be indicted and are expected to plead guilty as part of a plea agreement. No court date was immediately set.
Seattle attorney Bill Marler, who represented some of the victims of the outbreak, praised prosecutors for bringing the charges.
The Food and Drug Administration Quality blamed Egg, which marketed itself as Wright County Egg, for selling the tainted products that led to the outbreak. Another Iowa egg company with ties to DeCoster's operations, Hillandale Farms, was also implicated. The companies recalled 550 million eggs in 2010 after public health officials found a sharp spike in reports of salmonella, which causes fever, cramps and diarrhea and can require hospitalization.
Scientists traced the illnesses back to shell eggs from those farms that were served in restaurants and sold in grocery stores under several brand names. FDA investigators found salmonella all over the farms, along with filthy conditions including dead chickens, insects, rodents and towers of manure.
The Centers for Disease Control says more than 1,900 reported illnesses were linked to the outbreak, the largest of this specific strain of salmonella since the start of the agency's surveillance of outbreaks in the late 1970s. The CDC estimates that it also caused as many as 60,000 unreported illnesses. No deaths were reported.


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Toy specialist The Entertainer has acquired Early Learning Centre from Mothercare for up to £13.5m.
Early Learning Centre (ELC) operates in 80 UK Mothercare stores in the UK and in 400 stores internationally through franchise partners and online.
The deal includes ELC’s stable of toy brands such as Happyland.
The Entertainer founder and executive chairman Gary Grant said: “We are delighted to add ELC to The Entertainer family. It comes with a rich history as a much-loved British brand, supporting parents and grandparents with their children’s early years’ learning, development and play.
“We will look to bring new life to the product offering while maintaining the high level of quality ELC is renowned for. By combining our experience with that of ELC’s passionate and capable partners around the world, we look forward to re-invigorating the brand for generations to come.”
The deal is the latest for The Entertainer, which in December bought 57-store Spanish toy retailer Poly.
Mothercare said the disposal was “the next step towards being free of bank debt”. It will receive £6m on completion of the deal, with up to £5.5m for inventory “due within a few months of completion” and £2m in earn-out fees over two years.
Net proceeds will be used to reduce the group’s bank debt.
Mothercare said: “While Mothercare has a solid presence in the toy market through the ELC brand, the group does not have the necessary capital, resources or scale in this category to continue to invest and develop the own‑brand ELC toys needed to maximise returns from this specialist brand.
“Furthermore, in the intensely competitive toy market, where third-party and branded product is key to a successful customer offer, especially in the older age ranges, we lack the scale to construct a compelling product range to achieve acceptable margins.”