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from nytimes.com: BASF, the German chemical group, has abandoned efforts to sell genetically modified products in Europe, including its Amflora potato, because of overwhelming opposition to the technology, the company said Monday.
“There is still a lack of acceptance for this technology in many parts of Europe — from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians,” said Stefan Marcinowski, a board member with responsibilities for plant biotechnology. “Therefore, it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market.”
The company has instead decided to focus on “attractive markets” in the Americas and in Asia, he said.
The withdrawal of the potato leaves a type of corn produced by Monsanto as the only biotech crop grown in Europe.


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The innovative plastic surfacing will create stronger, more durable roads while working towards solving the waste plastic problem.
Content marketing is one of the biggest challenges and opportunities for both business and consumer brands today. As brands look to expand their reach online and engage audiences beyond ‘interruptive’ advertising, they’re increasingly looking to cult...
Lyft will work with NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission in order to offer its service in New York neighborhoods.
When it comes to catching up with their male counterparts, women have made great strides in the business world over the years. But there's no doubt about it: Today's female entrepreneurs are still up against a few major obstacles. Seven women shared ...
The myth of the highly successful college (or even high school) dropout has lodged itself firmly in the startup scene. I couldn't help but wonder: How important is that piece of paper to startup founders when they're looking to hire talent? Or put an...
A company producing smart furniture has rolled out solar-powered benches in Boston that let you charge your devices on the go.
Experts say there are a number of guidelines to follow if a small business wants to become a subscription service.
Yahoo has acquired RayV, a video streaming startup, the two companies announced Friday. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

domain: news


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Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Release Date Leaked
A listing for Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory has popped up today, with indications that the highly anticipated Square Enix title will be available as early as November 13th. As with all such leaks, these numbers are not confirmed and should not be taken at face value, but it does give players who have been dying to hear news of the upcoming rhythm game a target to shoot for.
The Kingdom Hearts title appears on the Gameware.at website with a price of €62,99 (approximately $75.59 US), and the listing says, “Erscheint am 13. November 2020,” or “Will be released 13 November 2020.” The website says it is a pre-order, and when placed in the shopping cart the text tacks on “voraussichtlich” or “expected” to the release date.
Ever since fans discovered the Melody of Memory logo back in June, they have been scouring the internet for news of the unconventional Kingdom Hearts game, but coming up relatively empty-handed. Until now, it seemed that the only definitive release date fans could find was, “2020.”
Square Enix released the Japanese trailer last month, and followed up with the English trailer shortly after. Other than that, Square Enix and Disney have been rather hush-hush about the release.
Hopes were raised last month when Madison Davenport, the voice of the ‘Nameless Star’ in Kingdom Hearts 3, hinted that she was recording dialogue from her home for the highly anticipated title. If that is the case, it is likely she provided
Kingdom Hearts music lovers can also anticipate the release of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Soundtrack, which will inevitably be included in Melody of Memory. Those who cannot wait that long can always check out this playlist of music Roxas would listen to.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory will launch in 2020 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.


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The electric vehicle excise structure is slated to be finalized this year to help establish Thailand as an electric vehicle hub, the excise department said.
Under the current excise tax structure, electric vehicles are tax-free from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022 for automakers that have been granted Board of Investment eligibility. The rates will be charged at 2% after 2022. Manufacturers who have not received any incentives are charged 8% tax.
This excise tax structure for automobiles encourages certain vehicle types to become product champions through tax incentives, for example through a tax rate of 14% for eco-cars, which should expire in 2025, said General Director Lavaron Sangsnit.
The government wants to promote electric vehicles, which means the excise department needs to develop tax policy to create a new product champion, Lavaron said.
The new car excise structure must highlight clean energy technology to support the use of electric vehicles, he said.
The department will consider the body and batteries of electric vehicles to make it easier for electric vehicle manufacturers to use Thailand as a manufacturing base rather than importing electric vehicles, Lavaron said.
Thailand is a regional hub for vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Domestic worker skills in the auto industry could be a strength to attract EV manufacturers, he said. There are reports that Tesla Inc, a leading American electric vehicle and clean energy company, is speaking with the Indonesian government about possible investments in the country.
Widespread use of electric vehicles in Thailand has not been expected for at least 10 years, Lavaron said.
The department has adapted to weak demand for oil and low global crude oil prices by levying a levy on carbon emissions, he said.


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Representatives from Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West asked the Milwaukee County Research Park Corporation Board to reconsider a proposal by VJS Development Group to construct a 130-room hotel at Research Park in Wauwatosa.
The new hotel would be detrimental to the Crowne Plaza and existing hotels in the area, that are already struggling for business, said Russ Kaloti, with KL Holdings, owner of the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West.
“There will be casualties in a market that is already saturated,” Kaloti said. “We are pro-development and pro-growth, but this is not fair competition.”
Pewaukee-based VJS is proposing a multi-use project that would include a brew pub in the existing 102-year-old, 8,190-square foot building, commonly known as the M-10 building, and a national brand hotel and up to 11,000 square feet of retail in a newly-constructed building.
VJS was one of three respondents to a request for proposal the research park issued in September for development of the two parcels located at the southeast corner of Innovation Drive and Watertown Plank Road.
The RFP had a list price of $3.3 million for the land. The firm paid $2.6 million for the parcels.
“Frankly speaking, we have not had an opportunity to pursue what we have been approved to pursue,” said Jim Sedgwick, vice president VJS Development Group. “We believe in the market and believe in the growth of Wauwatosa.”
Sedgwick said pulling the plug at this point doesn’t make sense, especially given the amount of approvals VJS still needs from the Milwaukee County Research Park Board and the City of Wauwatosa.
“We are going to go through due diligence,” Sedgwick said. “We’re not going to commit financial suicide just because we want to build something.”
After meeting for 45 minutes in closed session Friday, the board voted to table the issue until its Feb. 9 meeting. The board’s executive committee will gather more information between now and then on the demand for hotel rooms and the desirability of the current tenants at Research Park for another hotel.
Three new hotels are being built or planned within a three-mile radius of the Crowne Plaza: a 128-room Residence Inn at UWM Innovation Campus; a 144-room Homewood Suites at Mayfair Collection and a 103- room Hampton Inn & Suites at State Fair Park.
Michael Newman, general manager of the 200-room Crowne Plaza, said when there is too much supply and not enough demand, quality and service suffer.
He gave the example of Moorland Road in Brookfield, where three hotels have changed brands: the Embassy Suites was converted to an independent brand; the Marriott was converted to a Sheraton and subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; and the Best Western could not sustain its brand and converted to a Midway Motor Lodge.
In the past 12 months, Crowne Plaza, was sold out 30 nights, or 8 percent of the time. The hotel has an occupancy rate of about 65 percent. The ballroom was used 15 times over the last 12 months.
“I can assure you, if you add another hotel, there will be a foreclosure sign on the lawn,” Kaloti said.


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Posted by Sheila Shayon on March 18, 2013 04:38 PM
It’s hard to believe that American Express is celebrating its 163rd birthday today, as the iconic brand continues a spry and active presence, pushing boundaries in social media while as fresh and enduring as those half its age. Case in point: its #163candles hashtag on Twitter today.
Just last month, the blue chip brand teamed with that whippersnapper on a social commerce experience that turns Twitter hashtags into purchases. The sync and tweet with #hashtags lets users buy $25 American Express Gift Cards and products from Amazon, Sony, Urban Zen and Xbox 360.
"Based on the initial success of Amex Sync for offers, we know there is significant power in combining our assets with Twitter's platform to bring value to Cardmembers and merchants," said Leslie Berland, SVP Digital Partnerships and Development. "Now, we're leveraging our unique technology and closed-loop network to introduce a seamless solution that redefines what's possible in the world of social commerce."Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on February 28, 2011 12:30 PM
Eric Schmidt, Google's soon to be former CEO and Chairman, shares his vision for TV, technology, mobile, advertising and more at the 2011 IAB leadership conference.


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BUSINESS leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have won a major contract to deliver key export services for the government.
The local Chamber of Commerce is part of West Midlands International Trade LLP – a consortium of Chambers – which has won the work for a minimum of three years.
The contract will see the seven international trade advisors located at Chamber House in Coventry working with firms to export for the first time or to increase export potential.
Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “The government has put a massive emphasis on export being a major route to boosting the economy and we had to go through a very vigorous process to win this contract,” she said.
“This was the only joint bid to feature purely Chambers and I think it reflects the credibility we have in delivering a wide range of trade and business support services including export documentation to local firms.
“Our approach has brought tangible results for many companies across the Midlands.”


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MONDAY, Aug 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) - - Amid an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 37 people in four states, the Wendy's fast food chain has removed romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
"A specific food has not yet been confirmed as the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy's restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania before getting sick," the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement issued Friday on the outbreak.
"Based on this information, Wendy's is taking the precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants in that region." the agency added. "Investigators are working to confirm whether romaine lettuce is the source of this outbreak, and whether romaine lettuce used in Wendy's sandwiches was served or sold at other businesses."
According to the CDC, a person in Indiana also fell ill from E. coli infection.
Romaine lettuce sold in grocery stores doesn't appear to be affected, the CDC said, and people can still eat at Wendy's and eat the romaine lettuce in the salads it sells.
Wendy's explained in a statement that the lettuce used in its salads is not the same as that used for its sandwiches.
"We are fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in certain midwestern states," the company said. "While the CDC has not yet confirmed a specific food as the source of that outbreak, we are taking the precaution of discarding and replacing the sandwich lettuce at some restaurants in that region."
According to the CDC:
What to Do:
For more on the outbreak, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SOURCES: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, Aug. 19, 2022; Wendy's, statement, Aug. 19, 2022


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Comcast Corp.’s chief operating officer, Steve Burke, issued a warning to those content providers who sit by idly and complain about online viewing without doing something to change the TV business model. “An entire generation is growing up, if we don’t figure out how to change that behavior so it respects copyright and subscription revenue on the part of distributors, we’re going to wake up and see cord cutting.”
He said the current OnDemand Online trial – offering viewers access to cable channel shows in exchange for identifying themselves as subscribers – was not an effort to “change the advertising model or get a minute back from content providers,” rather it is a way to “get in front of the biggest social movement I’ve ever seen. Online video consumption is off the charts.”
“I’ve yet to meet a content provider who doesn’t worry about cord cutting and doesn’t see the wisdom of trying to get ahead of that. Stop talking about how hard it is and start figuring it out,” he said.


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Drug Company Head Criticizes Australia
Associated Press Writer
The founder of Australia's largest nonprescription drug company says the government is being draconian by suspending his company's license for six months over alleged safety and quality breaches, a published report said Wednesday.
Officials on Monday ordered Pan Pharmaceuticals to halt operations for six months and ordered 219 products recalled _ after the government alleged the company used raw materials that had not been tested for safety, and that it had manipulated laboratory results.
Late Wednesday the government announced an additional 449 Pan products to be recalled, taking the total to 668.
The company accounts for 70 percent of Australia's herbal vitamins and nutritional supplements, and exports to dozens of countries, including New Zealand, Malaysia and Canada. It also makes medicines such as paracetamol, codeine and antihistamines.
Jim Selim, Pan's founder and chief executive, called the penalty "draconian, unwarranted and most unusual."
"This is a witch-hunt, there has definitely been an overreaction and I am just shocked at the sudden decision," Selim was quoted as saying in the Australian Financial Review.
He said he was determined to restore his company's reputation by working with health authorities to resolve the crisis.
Pan chairman Ross Brown blamed a laboratory analyst for falsifying test results.
"What happened was a faulty batch was released on the basis of a rogue analyst falsifying results and that analyst, of course, is no longer in the employ of the company," Brown told Australian Broadcasting Radio.
Pan said it would lay off 250 workers until the suspension can be lifted.
In a news conference late Wednesday, Pan said it was investigating one of its staff members, but has refused to identify that person.
"There is one analyst who has been dismissed and there is a senior person who is helping the company with its investigations," company director Colin Henson told journalists outside the firm's Sydney headquarters.
The Australian government placed advertisements in newspapers Tuesday and Wednesday listing the recalled products, and warned that thousands more products could possibly be recalled in coming days.
The company first raised the government's concern because of a travel sickness tablet Travacalm, which was recalled in January. Faulty batches of the tablets resulted in at least 87 adverse reactions and 19 hospitalizations.
"Some people were very, very ill, they tried to jump out of planes, off ships and things like that because of the hallucinatory effect," federal parliamentary Health Secretary Trish Worth has said.
The company is facing class action lawsuits from alleged victims.
Pan requested that the Australian Stock Exchange continue suspension of its shares until the company meets government requirements to restart operations. The ASX suspended trading for Pan shares late Monday.


text: Allbirds has joined the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA)'s new Associate Partners circle. The mission of the GFA is to mobilize the global fashion industry to set a common agenda for industry efforts on sustainability in fashion. The forum is also known for organizing the annual Copenhagen Fashion Summit. Its Associate Partners circle acts as a secondary board to GFA's strategic partners, offering another perspective on sustainability, with brands providing feedback and input on the initiatives developed by GFA and its strategic partners. Allbirds, known for its environmentally friendly shoes, uses new proprietary sustainable materials, such as eucalyptus fiber and SweetFoam, derived from renewable sugarcane.


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Microgrid Solar hiring, expanding
Rick Hunter, CEO of St. Louis-based Microgrid Solar, has big plans for next year.
Between now and the middle of 2014, he is adding 30 or more employees to his existing staff of 40. His company plans to spend $3 million to $5 million to open three new locations next year, two in the Midwest and one on the East Coast, he said, although he declined to specify exact locations.
“We’re basically making a transition from a small- to medium-sized business with adding an executive team and board of directors,” he said.
Hunter said the company is in the process of raising private equity capital to fund the expansion.
Microgrid, which has offices on North Meramec Avenue in Clayton and on Lakefront Drive in Earth City, builds residential and commercial solar projects and also installs wind turbines and electric vehicle charging stations.
The 30 new employees will fill spots in the office and field, and include executive positions like chief financial officer, vice president of operations, vice president of business development and vice president of marketing.
Nationally, demand for solar energy is up. In the first quarter, installations of photovoltaics, which convert sunlight to electricity, totaled 723 megawatts, up 33 percent from last year’s quarter, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association trade group.
“We’re excited that we’re a Missouri company that’s growing beyond Missouri,” Hunter said. “There are so many markets where solar makes sense.”
Hunter founded the company in 2009. He expects Microgrid to bring in at least $21.6 million in revenue this year, double its 2012 revenue of $10.8 million and a jump from the $500,000 it recorded in 2010.
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As consumers continue to seek out food with clean ingredients, protein on the go, freshness and convenience, cheese is the answer to many of those needs. Over the last year, cheese processors have doubled down on portable snack offerings, from cheese bites to snack packs. Hybrid options (think cheese paired with lunch meats, nuts, fruit and pretzels) are popping up everywhere. Portion control and portability are the keys.
Making cheese predates recorded history, but artisan cheesemaking in the U.S. is a relatively new industry. According to a 2016 American Cheese Society (ACS) report, there are more than 900 artisan, farmstead and specialty cheesemakers operating in the United States. While a few artisan cheesemakers have been in business for over 100 years, the average has been making cheese for only 15 years.
The cheese expo takes place April 12 and 13 in Madison, Wis., at the Alliant Energy Center.
March 10, 2017
Nearly 2,000 cheese industry leaders, suppliers and cheese manufacturers will gather in Madison, Wis., for the Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference (WCIC) to share information about the latest in cheese technology, new products and issues affecting the cheese, butter and whey industries.
To see how White Clover Dairy grew up to become Arla Foods, it helps to look at a series of aerial photos hung in the entrance hallway to this cheese plant in Hollandtown, Wis. In the first image there is a farmhouse near the original plant. Later images show how expansions to the plant crept closer and closer to the house. Eventually, the plant completely surrounds the farmhouse, and in the last image, the house is gone. These additions over the years turned the facility into a 110,000-square-foot plant.
Havarti, Gouda and Edam are cheese types from the Old World. But Arla is making them in Wisconsin. The CEO of the U.S. division of this European dairy co-op talks about Arla’s growth strategy here and its Cheddar cheese joint venture with Dairy Farmers of America.
The European dairy cooperative Arla Foods amba has set its sights on the United States. The strategic plan of this co-op based in Denmark states that the goal is to “excel in eight dairy categories; focus on six geographical regions and win as one united and efficient Arla.”
These are good times to be in cheese. It is a dairy food that consumers like and it can be packaged in formats that fit an on-the-go way of life. Dairy processors are investing in capacity to keep up with demand.
Consumers love their cheese and are clear about what they want. It has to be easy to eat, portable, available in a variety of flavors and all-natural. These are the dominant themes from almost every cheese processor we spoke with. Convenience, flavor innovation, authenticity and freshness are key factors that will drive consumer cheese purchases, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Madison.
Latin American cheese production in the United States has seen substantial growth over the last decade. Driven by the increase in the Hispanic population in the United States, which is now over 55 million, as well as increased consumer interest in specialty cheese, production has increased from around 167 million pounds 10 years ago to around 254 million pounds in 2015.


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Nathan's, Beef Master hot dogs recalled; could contain metal pieces
May 20, 2017 at 8:43 PM
More than 200,000 pounds of Nathan's and Curtis Beef Master beef franks sold nationwide are being recalled because they could contain metal pieces.
According to a press release issued by John Morrell and Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio, approximately 210,606 pounds of ready-to-eat hot dogs produced on January 26, 2017, are being recalled, after it received three complaints about metal being found in the packages.
The following hot dogs are affected:
14 oz. sealed film packages containing “Nathan’s SKINLESS 8 BEEF FRANKS,” with a Use By date of Aug. 19, 2017.
16 oz. sealed film packages containing “Curtis BEEF MASTER Beef Franks,” with a Use By date of June 15, 2017.
The products bear establishment number "EST. 296" on the side of the package.
According to the company, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or injury due to consumption of these products.
The recalled hot dogs should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase for a refund.
Anyone with questions about the recall can contact 877-933-4625.


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What’s old is new again! Pokémon Sun and Moon may not be here for many more months, but there’s a certain retro resurgence happening right now in the pocket monster scene. Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow got the virtual console treatment back in February, porting over the original games in a series that has sold million so far and made Nintendo filthy rich. Now, they’re slightly richer as the re-releases of the original trinity have sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Yes, 1.5 million copies for a trio of games that don’t feature any of the advances made in the Pokémon series over the last twenty years. “More than half of these downloads came from the American market,” Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima said in a financial briefing via Polygon.
Since the start of the calendar year, Pokémon has been the subject of much attention in America, and sales are showing a favourable trend.
What makes this even more impressive is that these sales were done within just two months, no doubt leveraging some sales heat from a limited edition Nintendo 3DS bundle that included codes for the older Pokémon games as well. In the bigger picture, these re-releases are also currently commanding a top five spot in the charts for most downloaded game of Nintendo’s 2015-2016 fiscal year which ended on March 31.
Downloads in particular are on the rise for Nintendo, as the company took note that it’s “focused on expanding the digital business.” Fire Emblem Fates, Super Smash Bros DLC and Mario Kart 8 are helping to expand the download side of the Nintendo operation even further. The year of Pokémon is still busy gaining momentum.
With a new legendary Pokémon available every month as the release of Pokémon Sun and Moon draws ever nearer, it’s a great time to be a fan of the franchise. And probably a terrible time to be out of ear plugs when I begin waxing lyrical about how oddly attractive Gardevoir is in my collection of Elite Four challengers.
Last Updated: April 29, 2016


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09:38-09:45 government leader
09:47-10:30 "for the Chinese world-class leading enterprise forum forum guests:
Kotler Consulting Group KMG chairman Milton Kotler
financial department of Chinese University Hong Kong Robin Li;
11:26-12:00 />11:04-11:26 launches "new media trend" speech
in the United States, for example, Beats these high-end headphones generally occupy 67% market share, become fashionable goods, like iPod, children will buy. Headset brand Skullcandy in Europe accounted for 60% market share, is still listed in 2011. Although these high-end headphones generally priced at more than 800 yuan, but the market sales are very hot, the growth trend is good.
the conference invited guests are: Kotler Consulting Group KMG chairman Milton Kotler, the Nasdaq stock market, general manager of the company vice chairman Michael Oxley, vice president Ma Zhihong, President of Greater China, Ericsson Intel’s sales and marketing department China region Yang Xu, NOKIA China Investment Limited company president Zhao Kelin the United States, the Walton School of business at Pennsylvania State University finance professor Lang Xianping, Chinese University Hong Kong Professor Dr. iResearch limited company president Yang Weiqing Department of finance. According to Kisssh419, the conference will release a new sh419 product.
get involved in the market Chen Ge said that from the headset? Apple store in Sanlitun to sell electronic mall, copycat, where electronic products are selling fake Beats Beats headset, including headset, as the industry chain in China fake Beats headset. China last year sold 900 million headphones, high-end headphones Beats, B&, O, Sennheiser and so on, accounting for about 23% of the market share.
"new consumption trend"
well-known legitimate music sites already stranded, whale whale founder Chen Ge did not stop the pace of entrepreneurship. Chen Ge has started the two venture, the entrepreneurial music wearable devices as the starting point.
General Assembly agenda
sh419 fans News Network: thanks to the reminder of scholar brother 2007 sh419 World Congress will be held in Beijing in August 9th. "sh419 world" is held once a year by the sh419 Inc for users, customers and partners of the industry event, as the world’s largest Chinese website, China the widest coverage, the biggest impact of new media, sh419 is the new media to the powerful influence of changing the way people access to information, thus changing people’s way of life.
in the view of Chen Ge, the young people love to buy mobile music hardware, bought 220 million sets of SONY bought Walkman; 470 million iPod; 1 billion dollars a year to buy Beats headset, once the mobile music network hardware could have enormous influence of subversion.
star technology follows Beats headphone mode. Beats headphones to design and sound access to young users, star effect makes beats into headphones "tide" brand, and its sales of not less than AKG, Sennheiser and other veteran headset manufacturers. Star poly technology to new star music player cooperation and services as the breakthrough point, in the mobile Internet era to establish a profit model.
star poly technology will push smart headset and "Star" application network. According to Chen Ge’s plan, the star of science and technology headset and applications will cooperate with well-known stars, through the economic effect of star fans to obtain commercial interests, and stars with sales.
to build a networked headset, there are not many difficulties. Smart networking headset has matured in technology and other aspects, just as apple did iPod in 2003, just integrate innovation, star poly technology is similar to the Beats business model, mainly for >
Chen Ge says it’s normal to start a business and choose intelligent hardware for music. When Jobs returned to apple, the choice is also iPod and itunes. And the trend of wearable devices is likely to begin with music wearable devices.
Chen Ge’s new company, star poly technology, has received tens of millions of yuan of investment, including shareholders of the Li Li angel fund, Changzhou long Cheng Excellence Fund, Changzhou property rights exchange, and received part of the Changzhou government subsidies.
vice president of marketing the new trend of "
start with smart headphones,


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February same-store sales strong in mass channel
February 12, 2008,
|*Including chain stores and traditional department stores
Source: Johnson Redbook Index
New York – Comparable-store retail sales tipped up 0.6% in the first week of the February retail month, slightly below plan but well above the 0.2% comp gain in the final January week, the Johnson Redbook reported today.
February is a four-week month on the retail calendar ending on March 1.
“Most retailers were running below their February plans by the end of the first week,” warned Redbook analyst Catlin Levis as she observed performance in the first week of the 2008 retail year.
“Certain retailers noted that the televised coverage of Super Bowl Sunday and the Super Tuesday presidential primaries diverted consumers' attention, in additional to severe tornadoes and storms which ripped across Southern states, disrupting many homes and businesses,” Levis said.
“Stores with broad product lines reported strength in food and household basics. Elsewhere, as Valentine's Day approaches, stores saw a pick up in sales of candy, cosmetics and fashion accessories,” she added.
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(Bloomberg) — BASF SE is prepared to dig deep, pouring money and expertise into developing materials for electric-vehicle batteries to catch up with rivals like Tesla Inc. supplier Sumitomo Metals & Mining Co.
The world’s No. 1 chemical maker is adding to its expansion plans in Europe, which is emerging as the next high-growth region for batteries, said Ken Lane, BASF’s global head of catalysts. Battery makers in the market currently rely on Asian suppliers like Sumitomo that provide nickel and lithium.
“We are the largest chemical supplier to the automotive industry, and this is the biggest opportunity that we see in that space today,” Lane said in a phone interview. “Asia has been the growth story till now and will continue to grow, but Europe is also going to be growing very fast over the next decade.”
The Ludwigshafen, Germany-based company plans to build a 400 million-euro ($488 million) factory in Europe to make cathodes from a concoction of elements that determine the battery’s strength and lifespan. Work has yet to begin on the plant, but BASF is already looking ahead to additional projects.
The splurge is part of an arms race to scale up output of cathodes to meet demand at a reasonable cost. The U.K.’s Johnson Matthey Plc is investing as much as $270 million, and Belgium’s Umicore SA is spending more than $350 million on its South Korean operation as it seeks to stay ahead of the competition.
For the rest of this article: https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/2018/01/18/basf-looks-to-muscle-its-way-onto-battery-materials-top-table


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For the first time in its history, Russian River Brewing Co. has released one of its creations in cans.
That beer is Mind Circus, a 7 percent ABV “hazy IPA” brewed with oats and Strata hops before being packaged in 16-ounce cans. While this is the first time the Santa Rosa, Calif.-based brewery has sold a beer in cans, this first release was produced on a mobile canning line, “to make sure this is something we wish to pursue.”
View this post on Instagram
So this is happening! 🥳Getting our feet wet with cans for the first time ever with Mind Circus, our hazy IPA! This is a very small can run so it will only be sold in our pubs and gift shops. Available NOW at both our Santa Rosa and Windsor locations! #mindcircushazyipa #mindircusinacan #rrbccrew #craftbeer
According to a post on Russian River’s Facebook page, the newest release of Mind Circus is packaged in four-packs of 16-ounce cans of Mind Circus ($22) and are being sold now at both of the brewery’s locations in Santa Rosa and Windsor.


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Last week, AFN talked to SingCell and Smoocht – two of the innovative foodtech startups participating in Singapore Food Bowl, the food security and sustainability program being run by agrifoodtech impact fund and accelerator GROW.
Supported by government agency Enterprise Singapore and Dole Packaged Foods, Singapore Food Bowl was launched by GROW with the aim of building “a more resilient, sustainable, and decentralized agrifood ecosystem” for the future.
[Disclosure: GROW and AFN share the same parent company – AgFunder.]
In addition to addressing the supply chain chaos caused by Covid-19, Singapore Food Bowl is tasked with helping the city-state achieve its ’30 by 30′ goal of sourcing 30% of its nutritional needs domestically by 2030, up from less than 10% today.
Getting there means the incubation, acceleration, and commercialization of technologies in controlled environment agriculture, vertical farming, and alternative proteins – as well as solutions that eliminate food waste and digitize supply chains to improve efficiency in the agrifood ecosystem.
To mark the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (or #FLWDay for short) AFN recently held a roundtable discussion with three other members of the Singapore Food Bowl cohort, each of which is focused on reducing food loss and waste. They are:
- Crust Group (Singapore) – Tackling food waste by using leftover bread from hotels, restaurants, and cafes to brew into co-branded craft beers and other beverages.
- Mi Terro (China) – Turning spoiled milk into an odorless, temperature-regulating fabric that can be used in place of cotton for clothes, bedding, and biodegradable food packaging.
- Organic Technology Holdings (Australia) – Repurposing organic waste and off-cuts to create high-value products like pet foods, aquafeed, flavor additives, and health supplements.
From each company, AFN spoke to:
- Robert Luo, founder and CEO, Mi Terro
- Travin Singh, co-founder and CEO, Crust Group
- Akshat Talwalkar, co-founder and chief scientist, Organic Technology Holdings (OTH)
AFN: What problem is your company trying to solve, and how does your technology offer a solution?
Akshat Talwalkar (AT): Quite simply, the world is running out of food. Over the next 30 years, 50% more food will be required to feed 9.7 billion people. But due to land, yield, and climate constraints, there aren’t enough resources to grow it.
OTH develops licensable industrial technologies that produce more food without having to grow more food. Our technologies employ a proprietary quick and gentle process that upcycles low-value processing by-products into highly functional edible food and flavourings for humans as well as for companion animals, marine, and other animals.
Travin Singh (TS): Food production has a huge impact on the planet, responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, and yet, we waste a third of all the food we produce. Crust, built around our belief in sustainability, provides unique circular economy solutions to the challenge of food waste. Fresh surplus ingredients are reincarnated into Crust beverages and other products, granting them a new lease of life and thus helping to minimize food wastage.
Robert Luo (RL): Food waste creates 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases, which equals 37 million cars driving on the road at the same time. Also, 128 million tons of milk are thrown away every year globally. The world doesn’t need another food delivery service, it needs a solution to solve food waste.
At the same time, fashion and packaging companies are searching for high-quality, affordable, and sustainable alternatives to replace plastic. Mi Terro is the world’s only biomaterial company that ‘upcycles’ and re-engineers food waste into biodegradable fibers to replace plastic in the fashion, medical, and packaging industries.
We are not turning food waste into food. Instead, we are giving food waste a new life by repurposing it into fiber and film that can replace plastic in the fashion, medical, bedding, and packaging industries.
AFN: What gives your company its competitive edge and differentiates it from others trying to solve the same problem?
TS: Crust promotes the circular economy by upcycling local waste for local consumption. We use locally sourced ingredients through local farmers rather than importing, which cuts our carbon footprint drastically and in turn helps the environment and farmers in each market we operate in.
Also, we repurpose our spent grains from brewing back to the environment, as feed [and] fertilizers. While Crust directly reduces food waste by using surplus bread to brew craft beers, we also aim to spread our message of maximizing our resources to other companies and individuals in order to enact change in the broader food system.
RL: Mi Terro has the world’s only technology that re-engineers spoiled, expired, and bad milk. Our fiber is 100% biodegradable, cheaper, and requires 60% less water than organic cotton. Our technology can potentially apply to any type of protein-based food waste, not limiting to dairy products.
AT: In comparison to the typical idea-driven tech start-ups, we are wholly market driven.
Our technologies have been developed after travelling the world [and] meeting global food companies, [developing a] careful understanding of their needs and what product quality their suppliers are unable to meet. We know global food companies want high-purity protein and oil concentrates that are consistent in quality – features OTH is able to deliver.
This industry driven approach, where OTH has already secured product approval and confirmed volumes from global customers, means our technology can be readily deployed by regional processors. Techn commercialization is thus significantly faster [for us] than for other startups in this space.
AFN: What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a company, and how did you overcome it (or how are you planning to)?
AT: Initially, getting people to see there’s a problem. OTH has been fine-tuning its technology, processes, outputs, and value proposition for a few years now, and for most of those years people didn’t want to believe there was a problem with food supply and food security. Now, as the problem is becoming acute throughout the world, OTH is being approached by global food and ingredient companies looking for new and novel products in unbelievably large quantities.
The scale of these volumes and their increasing urgency will be a formidable challenge [for us] in coordinating the setup of large production plants in multiple regions across the world and their associated supply chains. Fortunately OTH’s business model of partnering with processors and end offtake customers will help in managing this effectively.
RL: Our biggest challenge is sourcing low-cost food waste. We overcome this problem by forming joint ventures with milk plants.
TS: Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge. Just like many other businesses, we shifted to a direct-to-consumer platform from B2B, and had to pivot quickly and set up our own delivery channels [and work with third-party logistics] to be able to meet demand.
Also, it was during Covid-19 that we started restructuring our brand away from being a brewing company and into an R&D-based company. This was a huge learning curve for us, but because we were spending more time at home, we could focus more on product development. That restructuring work took us three months and now that we are already raising our pre-Seed round, we are forming an R&D team within the company for continued innovation.
AFN: How does your business model and mission align with Singapore’s ‘30 by 30’ food resilience initiative?
RL: We are repurposing protein-derived food waste, whether it’s dairy-based or plant-based, into sustainable and cost-effective products.
TS: Covid-19 made us realize that the old, inefficient ways are no longer feasible and that we need to adopt business practices that are ecologically harmonious. Our vision is to maximize our resources, and our mission is to reduce global food waste by 1% by 2030. Crust’s business model accordingly focuses on closing the disconnect between food waste and people going hungry, reducing the carbon footprint on human consumption, and keeping our innovative solutions as local as possible.
AT: Ten years is not a long way away. In a more traditional sense, increasing the amount of available food means growing more of it, which is not really an option for Singapore due to its obvious scarce resources. However, if 30% of a chicken or fish — or 40% of a pig — is wasted, and that 30% to 40% can be upcycled into edible protein concentrates and oils, then we believe OTH will be able to greatly contribute to the overall availability of highly nutritious functional food in Singapore.


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12:10 PM New York City, New York – AES Corp reaffirmed annual growth forecast through 2020. Carter''s announced share buyback plan. Discovery''s revenue jumped on higher advertising. Macy''s jumped on strong profit and sales. Toll Brothers profit soared on higher demand.
Tollbooth Index dropped 62.72 or 0.4% to 14,665.92.
The AES Corporation
) soared 5.3% or 55 cents to $11 after the electricity producer and distributor said total revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December fell 0.8% from a year ago to $2.6 billion.
Net loss in the quarter widened to $1.3 billion or $2.03 per diluted share from $949 million or $1.44 in the same quarter last year.
The electricity producer forecasted earnings per share in the range of $1.15 to $1.25 and reaffirmed average annual growth rate of 8% to 10% through 2020.
) plunged 10.6% or $13.04 to $109.73 after the apparel retailer said net sales in the fourth-quarter ending in December soared 10% from a year ago to $1 billion.
Net income in the quarter surged 55.8% to $135.7 million or $2.84 per diluted share from $87.1 million or $1.76 in the same quarter last year.
Carter''s estimated fiscal first-quarter net sales to jump 5% and diluted earnings per share to advance 15% compared to $5.76 in fiscal 2017.
Carter''s plans to buy back up to $500 million of stocks through open market as the management believes its stock is undervalued.
Discovery Communications Inc
) advanced 4.2% or $1.06 to $26.24 after the broadcasting services provider reported revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December jumped 11% from a year ago to $1.9 billion.
Net in the quarter swung to a loss of $1.1 billion or $1.99 per diluted share from profit of $304 million or 51 cents in the same quarter last year.
As of December 31, 2017, Discovery booked non-cash goodwill impairment charge totaling $1.3 billion for its European unit.
The broadcasting services provider said its Discovery Channel and Animal Planet benefited from higher advertising income across its networks. Total advertising revenues rose 3% to $3.1 billion and distribution revenues jumped 8% to $3.5 billion.
“Solid global advertising and distribution revenue growth helped us achieve our 2017 strategic and financial objectives,” said president, chief executive officer David Zaslav.
Lamar Advertising Company
) declined 4.9% or $3.54 to $69.10 after the digital billboards maker said net revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December rose 3% from a year ago to $398.5 million.
Net income in the quarter jumped 8.2% to $87.2 million or 88 cents per diluted share from $80.5 million or 81 cents in the same quarter last year.
The advertisement services provider forecasted diluted earnings per share between $2.96 and $3.11.
) jumped 4.2% or $1.16 to $28.56 after the department stores operator reported sales in the fourth-quarter ending in December rose 1.8% from a year ago to $8.7 billion.
Comparable sales in the quarter increased 1.3% and 1.4% on an owned plus licensed basis.
Net income in the quarter soared to $1.3 billion or $4.31 per diluted share from $475 million or $1.54 in the same quarter last year.
Macy''s estimated comparable sales on both an owned and an owned plus licensed basis to be flat to increase 1% and total sales to fall between 0.5% and 2%.
Toll Brothers Inc
) fell 44 cents to $47.12 after the luxury residential homes maker said revenues in the first-quarter ending in December soared 28.2% from a year ago to $1.2 billion.
Net income in the quarter surged 87.6% to $132.1 million or 83 cents per diluted share from $70.4 million or 42 cents in the same quarter last year.
The homebuilder said backlog value in the first-quarter jumped 28% to $5.58 billion and units totaled soared 21% to 6,250 homes and net signed contract value surged 36% to $1.69 billion and contract units advanced 20% to 1,822 homes.


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To inform both fans of the Trauma series and anybody curious about the new game, Atlus has just opened a website dedicated to the upcoming Wii exclusive, Trauma Team.
Coming early next year, Trauma Team offers more of the unique animation, presentation, and voice acting that has enriched previous games in the Trauma series. Several gameplay modes have been added, in addition to working as a surgeon, including work as a diagnostician, E.M.T., orthopedic surgeon, endoscopic technician, and forensic examiner.
Trauma team is expected to come out spring 2010, and is published by Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Stick with MyGamer for a full review once the title hits.


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GM was rumored to be introducing the all-new high-performance 2020 Chevy Blazer SS at the New York Auto Show last month. But that doesn’t seem to have happened, although many rumors hit the internet. Based on the rendering image, the new Blazer SS SUV looks very sporty with a design style almost similar to the Chevy Camaro. It’s not wrong if GM intends to launch the 2020 Blazer SS in the near future, considering there are quite strong competitors in this high performance SUV segment like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and Ford Edge ST. So there’s a gap for GM to take a little cake from its closest competitor.
The new Blazer SS is set to be a performance-focused crossover with the possibility of 500 horsepower from under its hood. Recent reports indicate that the 2020 Chevrolet Blazer SS will be powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission capable of producing 404 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. That’s the same powertrain that you can find on the current Cadillac CT6. And unfortunately, there’s no 6.2-liter V8 engine option with 455 horsepower coming from the Chevy Camaro. Even though there are many rumors out there that indicate the Camaro engine is ready for the upcoming Blazer SS.
Of course, by relying solely on the Cadillac CT6-based powertrain, it’s not strong enough to fight the Jeep Trackhawk that offers 700 horsepower. Nevertheless, it seems stronger than the Ford Edge ST. Apart from that, the upcoming Blazer SS will be equipped with a standard all-wheel drive system and is expected to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds before reaching its top speed at 155 mph. There is a possibility of another four-cylinder engine with 193 horsepower offered on this high-performance SUV.
The turbocharged and superchargers should be offered in order to make the engine able to crank out more than 500 horsepower. It seems that the V6 engine with 464 HP sourced from the Cadillac ATS-V can also be another engine option for the 2020 Chevy Blazer SS, but some tweaks are needed to produce more than 500 horsepower. Chevrolet is also rumored to be offering a new RS version on the upcoming Blazer crossover, which is predicted to offer more power than the base Blazer SS model. In addition, there will also be a hybrid version, but there’s no SS version like the Chevy Camaro SS.
Speculative rendering images show that the 2020 Chevrolet Blazer SS adopts an aggressive design style with aero-enhanced body and black trim, plus it’s equipped with larger 21-inch alloy wheels and lowered suspension. There’s no official word on prices and release dates, but the 2020 Chevy Blazer SS is expected to be introduced in the United States around the end of this year. Prices may be slightly different from the current standard Blazer models and are expected to be priced starting at around $29,000 for the base model of the upcoming Blazer SS crossover.


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The legislation, introduced by State Senator Robert W. Singer (R-NJ-30), would clarify that banks and credit unions will not be penalized by state regulators for working with legitimate hemp businesses.
Related: NJ Senate: Congress Needs to Legislate Safe Level of CBD Consumption Pres. Trump Requests $5M to Regulate CBD; Cuts EPA, Ag NPA Fights Illinois for Supplements, CBDBanking has been an issue for CBD and hemp businesses: In June 2019,Thrive Market was forced to stop selling hemp extractsby the company that processed their customer payments; in August, theNational Credit Union released guidancerelated to hemp; it wasn't until September that theHouse of Representatives voted to allow banks to provide servicesto CBD companies; and in October,Square made its services availableonly to select CBD-related businesses.
Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA, said in the release: “CBD is one of the most popular products in America right now and the government needs to start taking it seriously across the board. We have already asked FDA for clear regulatory rules on safety, labelling, and potency. But companies also need clear rules and the ability to use America’s financial services sector to deliver this product to consumers. We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Singer and other lawmakers on legislation that provides clarity to this growing industry while protecting consumers.”


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Tesla has just unveiled its new Cyber Truck features and the vehicle’s release date Cyber Truck is the most anticipated vehicle ever and Tesla has taken advantage of this and more buyers while not releasing any information about the actual vehicle.
Thankfully Tesla has started working on the Cybertruck with the completion of the factory in Austin and it turns out that they have a definitive design and information on the Cybertruck is now available. This Cybertruck is Tesla’s first in the pickup industry.
Late to the party as companies like the Ford Rivian and even Toyota already have pickup trucks, none have garnered more attention than Tesla’s Cyber trucks. What are the features of the truck?
when will it be released and find out the tesla cyber truck was initially introduced in 2019 and it caused quite a stir online we had never seen anything like it and it was amazing y coming from tesla design school to think of it That this futuristic contraption may run among us by the end of 2021.
Tesla fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on a car and even those with a one hundred dollar deposit who couldn’t afford the vehicle that starts at twenty nine thousand nine hundred dollars posted their Cyber Truck invoices on Twitter.
Tesla still has over one hundred thirty million dollars in fully refundable Tesla Cyber Truck deposits Cyber Truck has met with many delays and it already became a meme in August 2021 like most other things related to this vehicle That is, Tesla’s website announced that Cybertruck production would be delayed until January 2022, until 2022.
All mention of the Cyber Truck production date was removed, later delayed to 2023, and in April 2022, after Musk confirmed that the Cyber Truck would be released in 2023, Tesla’s creator and CEO Elon Musk revealed that Tesla Cyber Truck would be released in 2023.
2023 During the most recent Tesla keynote he opened the Cyber Truck session with an uncomfortable joke, so um are we going to break the window again, referring to the 2019 incident in which Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen wore bulletproof glass.
Tesla share price down six percent The latest version of this stainless steel wrapped car doesn’t have complete door handles, we’re not sure because they work fine in most automobiles but a circular steering wheel can take the same case.
Elon said the following if some of the adjustments we made can already be seen, no door handle needed anyway Automobile detects your presence and understands it needs to be opened next year .
We will have to offer you a fantastic Cyber Truck that will blow your mind. Franz von Holzhausen Chief Designer of Cyber Truck expressed his opinion on the competition, most likely referring to the well received and great success.
Sful rivian r1t saying that there is no other vehicle everything else is unimportant this is the only one you need it all depends on the correct running and driving vehicle of the cyborg truck as it is now only as a nft is useful.
You can reserve your Cyber truck at Musk with rumors of prices starting at $20 for the rear wheel drive version and $990 for the all-wheel drive version at the bottom of the page for Elon Musk to know. Wants to expand its electric vehicle product line.
All major segments and heavy truckers and vans are part of the major segments apart from consumer vehicles, two other types of electric vehicles that require heavy duty trucks and high passenger density urban transportation. Both are still in their early stages of development at Tesla.
By 2023 Cybertruck and even a Tesla van and Roadster should be ready to unveil the latest news that comes from a supplier spreadsheet. Auto forecast vehicle and it lists manufacturers’ platforms.
Their assembly locations are the start and end of production and for several brands from the spreadsheet you can see that the Tesla Roadster will be built in Fremont starting July 2023 and the Model Y S3 and X are all listed in both Austin and Fremont for 2023.


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And the hits keep on coming for Bed Bath & Beyond…or at least they hope they do.
This week the big box home furnishings retailer, which had fallen on hard times and is in the middle of a top-to-bottom reset, is debuting its second wave of private label “owned” brands across a wide swath of the store.
It’s the latest step in its radical redo of its entire merchandising mix that if everything works according to plan will result in the company tripling its house brand business over a three-year period to the point where it will account for at least a third of its overall revenue, or about $3 billion.
It’s an ambitious plan, one that CEO Mark Tritton found much success with at his last stop as chief merchant at Target
“When we got here, we inherited a large number of vendors and we felt we had to find the right brands,” said Joe Hartsig, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, who came aboard as a Tritton hire last year. Many of the brands in the store at the time “didn’t have the proper governance,” he said. “It’s like cleaning out your closet.”
The three latest additions “fill in destination categories,” he said, the core product classifications that represent 60% of the company’s revenue. They are: Our Table, a 1,100-sku kitchenware program positioned at the good and better levels of the store’s mix and the first to debut, this week; Wild Sage, what’s described as a “youthful and eclectic” 600-piece line that cuts across hard and soft home and will be in stores later this month, in time for the back-to-college season, a key target; and Squared Away, about 300 skus for home storage, organization and cleaning that will follow the other two programs into stores later this summer.
These join the initial three brands that began appearing at BBB
All of the programs feature newly sourced and developed products with a smattering of existing items that are being rebranded under these new labels. “There was definitely some products that we wanted to keep,” said Hartsig.
Up to four more brands are scheduled to be released before the end of Bed Bath’s fiscal year early next year. No details on what they might be but it stands to reason one could be a seasonal program for the fourth quarter holidays. These new product roll-outs come as the retailer works on other initiatives including its deal announced last week to expand its same-day delivery services, through Door Dash.
Hartsig said the retailer had planned well in getting these new products into motion even as the industry in general faces unprecedented supply chain issues. “We’re pretty proud about being able to get from concept to store shelves” so quickly, he said, adding that management was also delivering what it promised when it came on board. “We’re walking the talk.”


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CRYSTAL LAKE – Joseph’s Marketplace, an independent grocer in Crystal Lake for more than a decade, is closing.
Several store officials said Monday that the business, known for its fresh produce and some hard-to-find items, will close. But they did not say when, and they did not want to comment further.
A member of the store’s management team said they are not yet sure when the store will be closing.
A cashier at the store, which is in Crystal Lake Plaza on Route 14, could be heard telling a customer one or two weeks until close. Another said a month or six weeks.
Customers in the past couple of weeks have expressed disappointment on the store’s Facebook page about rumors that the store would close, while others posted that store employees confirmed the news to them.
Upon hearing the news, Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce President Mary Margaret Maule said it was “really unfortunate.”
“Joseph’s has served a unique role in the marketplace,” said Maule, who lived in Europe for five years and went to Joseph’s for certain items that she was introduced to overseas. “They have a lot of specialty offerings, a lot of European foods.”
On Monday, the store had not yet posted anything saying it is closing, nor had it advertised any going-out-of-business sales.
Some shelves inside the store were not fully stocked.
Joseph’s survived the recession after it opened in 2005, filling the space left vacant by an Eagle Food Center Inc. store.
It also bounced back from a three-month closure in 2011 after a partial roof collapse as a result of a powerful summer storm.
There’s fresh competition in the grocery store marketplace in Crystal Lake. Several new grocers have opened along Route 14 in the wake of the recession. Mariano’s plans to open a store nearby in April.
Maule lauded Joseph’s for always being active in the community, including its aiding in food drives to benefit the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.
A call to the property owner of Crystal Lake Plaza, Madison Corporate Group, was not returned Monday, a holiday.


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A priest in Italy became so fed up with his services being constantly interrupted by cell phones going off that he decided to put a jammer inside his church. Not everyone's happy about it, though....
Wikipedia has pulled together a ton of site contributions from over the past 12 months to create a video offering a lightning look at 2014 and to celebrate all the effort that goes into building and maintaining the popular online encyclopedia.
The 2015 CES, the biggest gadget show of the year, is mere weeks away. From wearables to the Internet of Things to smartphone cases galore, here's what we expect to see.
With the ride-hailing service coming under increasing scrutiny over the way it screens drivers, Uber knows that at the very least it has to be seen to be taking steps to improve the reliability of the process. This week it laid out some plans.
HP has put two new, reasonably priced tablet up for sale, which run full Windows 8.1 rather than Android, or Windows RT. The Stream 7 and Stream 8 share similar specifications, but the larger tablet comes with 200MB of T-Mobile data for free each month.
Leaked emails have revealed that back in March Snapchat quietly acquired a company that makes smart glasses. The startup apparently paid $15 million for the company, though the reasons for the purchase aren't altogether clear.
Virgin America has completed installation of ATG-4 inflight Wi-Fi from Gogo, which is three-times faster than its previous air-to-ground system. But it's a baby step toward even faster Wi-Fi that's coming soon.
Volvo has made the news a lot in the last year, thanks to the introduction of new engines and the debut of the stunning new XC90. But the Swedish automaker is just getting started; Volvo is planning on releasing as many as seven new cars in the next three…
Newly reported, off-the-record statements from U.S. intelligence claim North Korea was a key player in the attacks against Sony and suggest an official response may be forthcoming.
Kia’s all-new 2016 Sorento is a dramatic improvement over the 2015 version. Bolstered by a new 2.0-liter turbo engine and reimagined interior styling, Kia’s CUV is quickly eyeing the top of its class.
The group responsible for the massive Sony email hack has invoked the September 11 terrorist attack in a threat against theaters showing The Interview.
Sandman author Neil Gaiman explains why Benedict Cumberbatch was perfect for Morpheus, but Avengers actor Tom Hiddleston would be great casting, too.


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"Pokemon" fans weren't happy with the latest trailer that Niantic released. Gamers thought the clip would reveal the actual release date of the highly anticipated game for the Nintendo Switch.
Instead, Niantic's latest teaser highlighted "Pokemon Go" Gen 3 creatures in its natural habitat. It followed the documentary "Planet Earth" with the voice of Stephen Fry as the narrator.
"Nintendo, my legs were shaking. I was freaked out. I thought there was a new Pokémon game," one netizen commented. "Man don't excite me I thought it was Pokémon switch. I was gonna have a heart attack," another user stated.
Some "Pokemon" fans, however, commended Niantic for the masterfully crafted teaser. Some wished that catching "Pokemon Go" monsters could happen in real-life and not just in augmented reality.
The teaser coincided with rumors that hinted Niantic's plans to release new Legendary monsters for the "Pokemon Go" Gen 3 by Feb. 14. The timing seems right as fans think there will be a Community Day event for Valentine's despite the lack of confirmation from Niantic.
Gamers expect to find Deoxys as well as Castform in the said event. There's also another unidentified monster that's deemed to be the raid boss.
The last time Niantic released new "Pokemon Go" Gen 3 monsters was back in January with 23 new creatures. It also coincided with a Community Day event that took place for three hours globally. Niantic, however, stated at that time that its next Community Day would launch on Feb. 24 and not Feb. 14.
Meanwhile, "Pokemon Go" enthusiasts also expect to grab Store Boxes by Valentine's Day. The company, however, hasn't also confirmed any of the speculations though Niantic did give away plenty of Valentine's Day bonus in 2017.
Niantic is also mum on talks about Niantic's "Pokemon" game for the Nintendo Switch. It's rumored, however, to be out in stores sometime in 2018.


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Mecum Auctions is set to take over TV screens this Thanksgiving, November 26, with 10 hours of nonstop auction action airing from 7 a.m. Eastern to 5 p.m. on NBC Sports Network, inviting viewers to relive some of the greatest moments from the past year. This jam-packed full-day auction broadcast will feature several of the top-selling and most iconic collections to cross the Mecum auction block in recent months. Get ready to relive the action from Kissimmee 2020 and this year’s Spring Classic auction.
Starting bright and early at 7 a.m., NBC Sports Network will air the Kissimmee 2020 Friday experience, which featured unforgettable lots from collector Tim Wellborn of the highly regarded Wellborn Musclecar Museum, including the 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition that raked in a healthy six-figure sale of more than $400,000, and 12 other vehicles along with it. During that same successful day at Kissimmee 2020, history was made as The Bullitt Mustang rolled its way down the red carpet, achieving a whopping multimillion-dollar final sale, and viewers can relive the unforgettable moment this Thanksgiving by tuning in early.
The excitement from Kissimmee won’t stop there, as the Saturday auction will air as well with vehicles from the collections of Don Wallace and Michael Fux set to appear on screen. The collection of 27 machines from The Don Wallace collection encapsulated the love of all things American drag racing and then some, with iconic cars such as his 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Sox & Martin Pro Stock that sold for nearly half a million dollars. And from collector Michael Fux, the auction coverage will feature two main attraction cars that sold for $1.43 million apiece, including his 2019 McLaren Senna that showed just 203 miles on its clock.
From this year’s Indianapolis Spring Classic auction, the coverage will feature a handful of memorable highlights from Corvettes to Mustangs to Cadillacs, as well as some private collections, like that of John Atzbach, including the sale of his one-of-a-kind 1965 Shelby GT350R Prototype.
Airing on NBC Sports Network all day this Thanksgiving, these exciting Mecum experiences are ready to be enjoyed, once again, by the people who continue to make these auctions a success: the loyal Mecum fans and customers. Tune in from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, November 26, 2020, as Mecum and NBCSN gear up for Kissimmee 2021 and give thanks the Mecum way by delivering auction action to homes everywhere with the presentation of this hard-hammering marathon this Thanksgiving Day.


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Jimmy Song, a Bitcoin educator, developer, and entrepreneur has recently acknowledged the influence of Bitcoin among the global populace by terming the digital currency as a valuable asset that is building stuff that actually meets people’s needs.
Bitcoin (BTC), the first and largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has been amassing tons of believers since inception.
Its emergence was in relation to serving as a safe haven and store of value for the people during the 2008 global financial crisis. Obviously, Bitcoin has since evolved beyond its initial functionalities.
The digital currency was recently named the best performing asset of the last decade. It was a title that was simply claimed by Bitcoin, considering its steady price growth since it was created.
BTC indeed started from ‘nothing’ in terms of value a decade ago. But the rise in price and value in the space of 10 years makes Bitcoin number 1 among other valuable commodities and assets, including Gold and other precious metals.
Jimmy Song Believes Bitcoin (BTC) is Building Stuff that Meets People’s Needs
Jimmy Song is a famous cryptocurrency enthusiast and educator. He’s also a developer and entrepreneur with years of experience as a Bitcoin believer.
He recently took to Twitter to acknowledge the importance of Bitcoin and how the popular cryptocurrency has been serving as the best alternative means for the people to circumvent any possible national or global financial crisis by building a safe haven that is capable of transforming their funds into assets.
He pointed out there is a real lack of good stores of value in the world, believing that Bitcoin (BTC) has conveniently occupied that vacuum to serve the people across the world.
He said, “Bitcoin is building stuff that actually meet people’s needs (there’s a real lack of good stores of value in the world) shitcoin are building stuff to justify printing money.”
Michael Nye is Bullish about Bitcoin (BTC) Over the Next 5-10 Years
Michael Nye is also a cryptocurrency enthusiast and Bitcoin fan. He recently shared his bullishness about the cryptocurrency with his teeming followers on the micro-blogging platform Twitter a few minutes ago.
He assured that he’s bullish on Bitcoin and the potential of cryptocurrency over the next 5-10 years. He, however, added that the price action now takes the least of his attention.
He said, “I’m bullish on Bitcoin and the potential of cryptocurrency over the next 5-10 years, but I don’t spend time anymore watching price action on a day to day basis. I’m not inspired by it, so you won’t see me talking about it much, if at all, anymore.”
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Action in the Market
Bitcoin (BTC) is still maintaining its most important support for the next price uptrend at the moment. There seems to be an indication that another price breakout is around the corner for the digital currency.
Howbeit, such a movement cannot be ascertained due to the nature of the cryptocurrency in relation to a price trend. At the time of writing, BTC is trading at $9,414.26, with a 1.11% price uptrend in the last 24 hours.
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Paddington Bear can breathe a sigh of relief: new figures indicate Britons are rolling up their sleeves to make their own marmalade.
New Waitrose figures provide a vote of confidence for the Great British breakfast spread - and help allay fears of its decline.
The supermarket’s sales of Seville oranges are up 30% year-on-year as more people take a DIY approach to marmalade.
Reports earlier this month warned the breakfast staple was being ousted from shopping baskets by chocolate spread and peanut butter.
But Waitrose sales figures suggest Britain’s taste for marmalade is increasingly being satisfied by homemade varieties.
Shoppers have bought 30% more Seville oranges since the fruit arrived in Waitrose stores on January 7th compared to the same period of 2010.
Online searches for Waitrose.com marmalade recipes jumped 80% in the first fortnight of January compared to the same period last year.
Waitrose Home Baking Buyer Christopher Moore said: “We are delighted that customers are having a go at making their own marmalade.
“This breakfast spread is a Great British tradition and there’s nothing quite like it on toast in the morning. It’s important that younger cooks discover the pleasure of making and eating marmalade.”
Sales of pectin, a marmalade ingredient, were 40% higher last week than the same period of 2010.
And Waitrose sales of fruit sugar and preserving sugar were up 15% and 11% respectively, year-on-year.
Assorted orange marmalade recipes on Waitrose.com, the supermarket’s website, got thousands of searches in the first fortnight of January.
Seville oranges make the clearest, tangiest marmalade but are usually available in UK stores for just three weeks in January.
This weekend (January 22) is expected to be the busiest of the year for making marmalade at home before the Seville oranges season ends.
Fans who miss out on buying Seville oranges can turn to Waitrose.com for other marmalade recipes.
Waitrose is the only UK supermarket selling 100% organic Seville oranges.


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Speed reading apps like Spritz are a nifty way to plow through text at a breakneck pace, but they’re not perfect.
Apple had a fantastic first quarter. So good, in fact, that the company surprised itself—in January it forecast revenues of between $42 billion and $44 billion.
Hope for the best but expect the worst. That seems to be the motto for German executives, who report brisk business at the moment but fear that the good times won’t last.
Apple is continuing its remarkably rapid transformation from the world’s premier growth story to the world’s top-value stock.
Cable companies aren’t terribly popular with their customers, and the size of their monthly bills goes a long way toward explaining why.
Even in evangelism, America’s flair for mass production is irrepressible. The US has more than 1,600 megachurches—meaning those with more than 2,000 weekly attendees—the most in the world.
The $7.2 billion sale of Nokia to Microsoft is expected to close tomorrow, bringing the phone-making chapter of a remarkably versatile, adaptive and admired company to a close—almost.
In the coming weeks, nearly 17,000 medical school students will graduate across the US and begin their career in medicine.
When it comes to fighting disease, your body’s defense system doesn’t like enlisting outside help. Overcoming this “locals only” attitude has been a huge handicap for scientists trying to make medical nanorobots, but now a team from Harvard thinks they’ve developed a disguise that will help the nanorobots sneak through and get to work fighting cancer.
For the first years of their existence, tech companies tend to be tiny. The recently acquired WhatsApp had only 55 employees when Facebook bought it for $19 billion.
What to watch for today The first earnings report from Microsoft’s new CEO. Satya Nadella, who took over after a long and tortuous leadership search, has a chance to burnish his image with good news about the company’s push into cloud computing.
Harlem’s Lenox Lounge as Vergara saw it in 1994 (left) and 2014 (right). Camilo José Vergara Camilo José Vergara came to the US from Chile to study in 1965, and in the 1970s, he began taking photos to document the decay of inner-city neighborhoods.
ChinaSmack A Chinese crackdown on pornography is taking a creative turn. Authorities have arrested over 20 women in Henan province for writing gay erotic fan fiction online, according to a report (video in Chinese) from Anhui Television.
Jens Kratholm, a 56-year-old Norwegian, owns a staggering seven Teslas. Six of them are Roadsters and one is a Model S.
Apple has still got some gas in the tank. Both profits and sales exceeded expectations from analysts. Here’s all the ways Apple surprised them.
More than one billion people logged into their Facebook account on a mobile device, on average, in the first three months of the year.
“It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game.” This old adage has never been more true than when you look at a new batch of games being marketed as a better way to measure employee potential and, ultimately, factor into company decisions on whom to hire or fire.
Uber, the wildly successful taxi-service app that garners both good and virulently hateful feeling, just released maps of how its services are used in the 100 cities it in which it now operates.
So, new home sales in the US tanked in March, falling 13.3% year-over-year—the ugliest number since April 2011.
Tech company valuations are becoming so inflated that some think there’s a bubble about to burst. But how do offices with a few dozen people in them get to be worth billions, and what do those numbers mean?


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(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bonnie Hartsuff for the information in this story.)
Boy Scout Troops 476,425,413 and Pack 435 collected about 1,200 items during the combined troops’ food drive for Faith in Action recently.
“In terms of money collected, this was the most successful food drive I’ve participated in,” says Bonnie Hartsuff of Troop 476, who estimated more than $3,200 in items were collected thanks to the generosity of shoppers at Polly’s Country Market.
A total of 26 scouts and parents worked in this food drive, including:
- Troop 476 – 12
- Troop 425 – 11
- Troop 413 – 1
- Pack 435 – 2
A staff member from FIA emailed Hartsuff following the food drive and was told the “Scouts are Unbelievable.”
She said the infusion of food and goods was a great way to get FIA “off to a good start this summer. What a blessing you all are.”
Hartsuff wanted to thank everyone who gave of their time last Saturday to help make this food drive a huge success.


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In Australia, 50,000 disposable coffee cups are used every 30 minutes. A huge percentage of those cups are unrecyclable.
Single O in Surry Hills is committed to breaking the cycle, and aims to reduce its single-use coffee cup waste by 50 per cent by this time next year. That’s 150,000 less coffee cups going to landfill.
On Tuesday May 30, the cafe's Surry Hills and York Street stores will offer free coffee for those who bring in a KeepCup, BYO cup or reusable mug. This is the first time Single O has offered free coffee in its 14 years.
“Reusable cups have been around for a while, but we’re taking that step to increase our collective consciousness about waste,” says co-owner Emma Cohen. “Lots of people have KeepCups or other reusable cups in the back of their cupboards. Bring them out!”
Single O has already been encouraging customers to take their coffee “lidless” the past few months. At its coffee cart at Carriageworks Farmers Market, customers can borrow a ceramic mug, walk around the markets and then return it – 25 per cent of customers are already on board.
Another way customers can take a stand against waste is to drink their coffee from a ceramic cup at Single O’s new Short Stay Coffee Bar. The bar has been installed outside the takeaway window in Surry Hills, taking inspiration from Italian stand-up espresso bars.
“We want to create a culture were people can stop for a few minutes [to drink their coffee], and think about our excess waste at the same time,” says Cohen.
The free-coffee initiative coincides with the ABC’s War on Waste program, which is shining a light on Australia’s wasteful habits.
“People are talking about it, and the show is helping kick start behaviour change,” says Cohen.
There won’t be a compromise on the coffee itself. In fact, the baristas say the coffee tastes better in a ceramic mug than in a paper cup.


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Apple has confirmed that it will be opening a new development office in Hyderabad with over 150 employees. The company’s statement comes after news report had indicated the same.
The company announced today that it has invested $25 million in a new facility in Hyderabad, India. It hopes the 250,000-square-foot space will house 4,500 employees.
In an official statement, an Apple spokesperson said,
“We’ve been investing to expand our operations in India and are thrilled to have passionate customers and a vibrant developer community across the country. We are looking forward to opening a new development office in Hyderabad that will be home to over 150 Apple employees supporting maps development. The office will also have space for many contractors who will support our ambitious efforts locally.”
Jayesh Ranjan, IT secretary of Telangana, told ET while confirming the details of Apple’s investment that “MoU will be signed after some approvals come.”
Right now Apple captures only 2 percent of the Indian smartphone market while in the latest results announced by Apple, iPhone sales were up 76 percent in India for the quarter. The Cupertino, California-based tech giant also saw its India revenue rise by 38 percent.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in the earnings call that the company plans to invest in India for a long term.
“India is incredibly exciting. It is one of the fastest growing economies, and is also the third largest smartphone market in the world, after China and US. In India, the median age for the population is 27, in China that’s nearly 36 years. I see the demographics there being incredibly great for a consumer brand, and for people that really want the best product,”
Cook had said.
I read. I write. A threat to humor, if one liners could kill. Twitter: @ayushxgarg
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Keeping birds comfortable is a top priority for poultry producers. Their comfort is directly proportional to their well-being and, thus, to their productivity. Keen producers follow age-old baseline tactics to assess bird comfort – starting with observation.
We've seen the demand for cage-free eggs grow in the United States, with large companies like McDonald's and Kroger setting deadlines to go 100% cage-free by 2025. Already McDonald's reports that 43% of their eggs in the U.S. are sourced from cage-free producers.
Receive insight and updates into protein production building solutions straight to your inbox.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled three public meetings on its proposal to require more record-keeping for foods on its proposed Food Traceability List. The virtual sessions, announced in a Federal Register notice published today, are slated for Nov. 6, Nov. 18, and Dec. 2.
There's a day for everything, and just around the corner is World Egg Day on October 9. World Egg Day is celebrated worldwide and helps raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their importance in human nutrition.
Before long, the smartest entity in your egg house will be a machine – if it isn't already. Robotics are here now, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the horizon.
U.S. egg producers continue to increase flock sizes compared to a year ago levels. According to the 2020 Top Egg Company Survey results, an annual report by The Egg Industry Magazine.
Egg production in the U.S. continues to climb. Recently, results of The Top Egg Company Survey, an annual report by The Egg Industry Magazine assessing the U.S. layer flock, showed that even though there was an oversupply of eggs and the resulting losses for poultry producers, flocks grew, and more eggs were produced in 2019 as compared to 2018.
The state of Colorado has now joined Michigan, California, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and potentially Maine, to require all eggs produced and sold in the state to come from cage-free laying systems.


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Talking about what organic food is in the last several weeks makes you realize that it’s more about what organic food DOESN’T contain than anything else. Because really, that’s the simple truth, the pure definition of organic food is basically what we all think food should be. What it used to be. Real food. (to see previous articles, just type “What is so special about organic food?” in the search box, or click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4)
Organic food goes beyond your basic fruits and vegetables available in the produce aisle of your local grocery stores and supermarkets, it affects all processed food, non-food items and animals too. I found this great article last week that talks about some practices used in commercial farming of animals like pigs, cows and chickens. Practices that are banned in Europe but are totally acceptable here, in North America. (Yum! bleach-flavoured meat!)
I hope I don’t come across as the bearer of bad news, but I believe in knowledge, and the more people know about all this, the more you can change the way you buy your food (and everything else) and the more each of your dollar shows large corporations and the governments that you want to eat better foods. But in the meantime, why wait for them to make the changes that impact your life (and your family’s life) immediately? As a friend of mine just told me recently, the food you buy is an investment in your health, now and for the future.
Not that you need more, but here is another good reason to purchase organic meat that has been grass-fed from a small local organic farm…
I’m just copying the article from Tom Philpott:
Last week, the European Commission voted to place a two-year moratorium on most uses of neonicotinoid pesticides, on the suspicion that they’re contributing to the global crisis in honeybee health (a topic I’ve touched on here, here, here, and here). Since then, several people have asked me whether Europe’s move might inspire the US Environmental Protection Agency to make a similar move—currently, neonics are widely used in several of our most prevalent crops, including corn, soy, cotton, and wheat.
The answer is no. As I reported recently, an agency press officer told me the EU move will have no bearing on the EPA’s own reviews of the pesticides, which aren’t scheduled for release until 2016 at the earliest.
All of which got me thinking about other food-related substances and practices that are banned in Europe but green-lighted here. Turns out there are lots. Aren’t you glad you don’t live under the Old World regulatory jackboot, where the authorities deny people’s freedom to quaff atrazine-laced drinking water, etc., etc.? Let me know in comments if I’m missing any.
Why it’s a problem: A “potent endocrine disruptor,” Syngenta’s popular corn herbicide has been linked to a range of reproductive problems at extremely low doses in both amphibians and humans, and it commonly leaches out of farm fields and into people’s drinking water.
What Europe did: Banned it in 2003.
US status: EPA: “Atrazine will begin registration review, EPA’s periodic reevaluation program for existing pesticides, in mid-2013.”
2. Arsenic in chicken, turkey, and pig feed
Why it’s a problem:Arsenic is beloved of industrial-scale livestock producers because it makes animals grow faster and turns their meat a rosy pink. It enters feed in organic form, which isn’t harmful to humans. Trouble is, in animals guts, it quickly goes inorganic, and thus becomes poisonous. Several studies, including one by the FDA, have found heightened levels of inorganic arsenic in supermarket chicken, and it also ends up in manure, where it can move into tap water. Fertilizing rice fields with arsenic-laced manure may be partially responsible for heightened arsenic levels in US rice.
What Europe did: According to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, arsenic-based compounds “were never approved as safe for animal feed in the European Union, Japan, and many other countries.”
US status:The drug giant Pfizer “voluntarily” stopped marketing the arsenical feed additive Roxarsone back in 2011. But there are still several arsenicals on the market. On May 1, a coalition of enviro groups including the Center for Food Safety, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit demanding that the FDA ban them from feed.
3. “Poultry litter” in cow feed
Why it’s a problem: You know how arsenic goes inorganic—and thus poisonous—in chickens’ guts? Consider that their arsenic-laced manure isthen commonly used as a feed for cows. According to Consumers Union, the stuff “consists primarily of manure, feathers, spilled feed, and bedding material that accumulate on the floors of the buildings that house chickens and turkeys.” The “spilled feed” part is of special concern, because chickens are often fed “meat and bone meal from dead cattle,” CU reported, and that stuff can spill into the litter and be fed back to cows, raising mad cow disease concerns.
What Europe did: Banned all forms of animal protein, including chicken litter, in cow feed in 2001.
US status:The practice remains unrestricted. US cattle consume about 2 billion pounds of it annually, Consumers Union’s Michael Hansen told me last year.
4. Chlorine washes for poultry carcasses
Why it’s a problem:As the US chicken industry has sped up kill lines in recent years, it has resorted to heavier use of chlorine-based washes to “decrease microbial loads on carcasses,” the Washington Post recently reported, quoting a previously unreleased USDA document. As I’ve noted, the USDA is preparing to release new rules that would speed up kill lines still more as well as allow companies to douse every carcass that comes down the line with antimicrobial sprays, “whether they are contaminated or not.” According to the Post, poultry workers face a “range of ailments” to the practice, including “asthma and other severe respiratory problems, burns, rashes, irritated eyes, and sinus ulcers and other sinus problems.”
What Europe did:The EU not only bans the practice, but refuses to accept US poultry that has been treated with antimicrobial sprays.
US status: As stated above, the USDA is preparing to roll out new rules that will increase the practice.
5. Antibiotics as growth promoters on livestock farms
Why they’re a problem: Antibiotic use has surged on US animal farms in recent years—and now accounts for 80 percent of all antibiotic use. Meanwhile, meat sold in US supermarkets is rife with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
What Europe did: In the EU, all antibiotics used in human medicines are banned on farms—and no antibiotics can be used on farms for “nonmedical purposes,” i.e., growth promotion.
US status:The FDA is floating new rules that would ban antibiotics as growth promoters—but the regulation would be voluntary.
6. Ractopomine and other pharmaceutical growth enhancers in animal feed
Why it’s a problem:Fed to an estimated 60 to 80 percent of US hogs, ractopomine makes animals grow fast while also staying lean. Unfortunately, it does so by mimicking stress hormones, making animals miserable. The excellent food safety reporter Helena Bottemiller looked at FDA documents and found that between its introduction in 1999 and 2011, the drug had killed 210,000 pigs—”more than any other animal drug on the market.” Pigs treated with it, she found, suffer from ailments ranging from hyperactivity and trembling to broken limbs and the inability to walk. (Beef cows are fed similar drugs, as are turkeys.) Traces of these pharmaceuticals routinely end up in our meat—and according to Bottemiller, their effects on humans are little-studied.
What Europe did: Europe not only bars its own producers from using ractopamine, it also refuses to allow imports of meat from animals treated with it—as do China and Russia.
US status: Rather than trying to rein in ractopamine use, the Obama administration is actively seeking to force Europe and other nations to accept our ractopamine-treated pork.
7. Gestation crates
Why it’s a problem:The sows that breed the hogs confined in US factory farms spend nearly their entire lives stuffed into crates “so small the animals can’t even turn around or take more than a step forward or backward,” the Humane Society of the United States reported. An undercover HSUS investigation of a sow facility run by pork giant Smithfield in 2010 found, among other horrors, this:
The animals engaged in stereotypic behaviors such as biting the bars of crates, indicating poor well-being in the extreme confinement conditions. Some had bitten their bars so incessantly that blood from their mouths coated the fronts of their crates. The breeding pigs also suffered injuries from sharp crate protrusions and open pressure sores that developed from their unyielding confinement.
What Europe did: Banned them, effective this year.
US status: Pork giants Smithfield, Cargill, and Hormel have pledged to phase them out; several fast-food chains including McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Subway have promised to stop buying from suppliers who use the crates; and nine states have banned the practice, HSUS reported. But the practice remains widespread, and as industry flack Rick Berman recently put it, a large swath of the pork industry “has no plans to stop using standard sow housing.”


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Update: TorqueNews had a chance to speak with Rob Peterson of General Motors who confirmed that the Chevrolet Volt "involved" in the two residential fires were burned in the fire but the Fire Marshalls in both cases ruled that the Volt was not at fault for the fires themselves. That being said, it was merely a coincidence that the cars which caught fire in those garages were Volts.
The most recent issue occurred when a 2011 Chevrolet Volt that had been used for crash testing caught fire while sitting in an NHTSA overflow lot – three weeks after the car had been wrecked during testing. The concern by the NHTSA is that when these lithium ion batteries are damaged in an accident, there is an increased risk of fire hazards to the first responders who arrive to assist with the accident along with those who handle the vehicle after the wreck, such as tow truck drivers and owners of the salvage yards where these wrecked EVs are sent.
General Motors points out that they recommend that when charged, the lithium ion battery in the Chevy Volt should be drained as soon as possible after the accident and after the NHTSA performed the crash testing on the Volt, the battery should have been drained. Right now, General Motors sends a team of specially trained technicians to drain the Voltec battery but the technology to do this could be available within the next year to dealerships around the country. Also, General Motors has worked with the National Fire Protection Agency to train over 10,000 first responders who know how to properly deal with wrecked. GM's Rob Peterson explained the following about the training for these first responders: "Their protocol is to isolate the energy in the battery at the scene of an accident. This is accomplished by simply pulling the manual service disconnect or cutting the wires in a specific location. This action allows first responders to safely do their job. The vehicle can then be removed and de-energized elsewhere - eventually by a dealership, salvage yard or other entity who takes possession of the vehicle."
In any case, while the Chevrolet Volt has become the catalyst for this investigation, GM holds firm that after the Volt is wrecked, the battery should be drained and the NHTSA may make that recommendation a requirement. At the same time, you would think that a battery supposedly costs over $10,000 wouldn’t just be left to rot in a junkyard car after the vehicle is wrecked but in the case of the salvage yards, they should be able to shoulder some of the responsibility of the battery disposal since they are the ones who stand to profit from having and selling components. The good news is that these incidences have allowed GM to collect batteries that were damaged in real-world accidents (or NHTSA testing which is intended to simulate real-world accidents) to see the effect of the impact on the batteries and the damage done to these units. Also, GM has been working with the global power distribution company ABB to develop use for these batteries once their time in the Chevy Volt has come to an end.
However, for people like the police officiers, EMTs, firefighters and other first responders to an accident, having to worry about the massive battery bursting into flames minutes after the impact posts a very real risk that the NHTSA will surely address after their investigation into this technology.
Other GM News:
NHTSA steps up battery investigation after third Chevy Volt catches fire
TorqueNews review of the 2011 Chevy Volt: 109mpg and endless range
GM introduces the Chevrolet Camaro COPO Concept ahead of SEMA
GM pride beams as SEMA Show awards Chevrolet Camaro hottest car status
GM rolls out a life sized Camaro Hot Wheels model at the 2011 SEMA Show
Full information on the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is here