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Children are consuming up to three times too much sugar every day, a major survey has revealed.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that people in the UK are not eating enough fruit and veg, while consumption of red meat and saturated fat is still too high.
Children aged four to 10 drank 100ml of sugary drinks per day on average in 2012/14, a drop from 130ml per day in 2008/10, the survey found.
But sugar still makes up 13 per cent of children’s daily calorie intake, more than twice the 5 per cent recommended limit.
Those aged 11 to 18 have daily diet made up of 15 per cent sugar – three times the recommended amount.
Sugar makes up 13 per cent of children’s daily calorie intake, more than twice the 5 per cent recommended limit, the survey found
Meanwhile, adults aged 19 to 64 are also heavy consumers, with 12 per cent of their diets made up of sugar.
These figures have remained more or less the same since 2008.
The survey, funded by Public Health England and the UK Food Standards Agency, also found that people in the UK continue to consume too much saturated fat and not enough fruit, vegetables and fibre.
A fifth of five-year-olds and a third of 11-year-olds are overweight or obese and although rates are no longer rising, they are amongst the worst in Europe.
Children aged four to 10 have diets in which 13 per cent of their daily calorie intake comes from saturated fat, compared with a target of less than 11 per cent.
The figure is 12.6 per cent for those aged 11 to 18, while adults get 12.7 per cent of their energy from saturated fat.
Average intake of red and processed meat should also not exceed 70g per day, but men still eat too much while women are reducing the amount they consume.
There has been no change in consumption of fruit and vegetables in almost a decade, with those aged 11 to 18 managing just 2.8 portions per day on average.
Adults eat four portions, while there are no specific recommendations for young children.
Official guidelines recommend children up to two have no more than one to three teaspoons of sugar a day while 11-year-olds have no more than 5-7
Just 27 per cent of adults, 35 per cent of those aged 65 and over and 8 per cent of 11 to 18-year-olds currently meet the five-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetables.
Typical consumption of oily fish among all age groups was well below the recommended one portion per week, and there has been little evidence of change over time.
Oily fish includes anchovies, mackerel, herring, pilchards, salmon and fresh tuna.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: ‘This data provides compelling evidence that we all need to eat more fruit, veg, fibre and oily fish and cut back on sugar, salt and saturated fat to improve our health.
‘While it is encouraging that young children are having fewer sugary drinks, they still have far too much sugar in their diet overall, along with teenagers and adults.
‘To help tackle this, PHE is launching a programme to challenge the food industry to remove at least 20 per cent of the sugar in its products by 2020.
Children are still not eating enough fruit and vegetables while only 27 per cent of adults are eating the recommended five portions a day
‘It’s an ambitious programme, a world first, and will be a significant step on the road to reducing child obesity levels.’
Professor Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: ‘The results of this survey are extremely worrying.’
She added: ‘At a time when one in three 10-year-old children are overweight or obese, and one in three five-year-olds has tooth decay, the health risks posed by failure to tackle sugar intake are serious.
‘An overweight or obese child is highly likely to be an overweight or obese adult, increasing the risk of developing the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
‘This is why we are surprised the long-awaited UK Government childhood obesity strategy did not include a number of recommendations aimed at protecting children, such as a ban on advertising junk food and limiting their sale around schools.
‘We call for these measures to be reconsidered in order to safeguard the health and well-being of all UK children.
‘The survey was carried out among 1,288 adults and 1,258 children who completed a three or four-day food diary.


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The publicly-traded company behind plant-based burgers and other meat alternatives announced Tuesday it would begin adding its hot Italian sausage product to the fresh meat aisle at more than 400 Walmart stores and expand its frozen Cookout Classic value pack to 500 locations in the U.S. this week.
Beyond Meat is currently available at 2,400 of the retailer's locations.
“We are thrilled by the continued growth with Walmart and the opportunity to offer Walmart customers increased accessibility to a larger selection of our delicious and better-for-you plant-based products,” said Chuck Muth, the chief crowth officer of Beyond Meat, in a press releas. “As more households continue to buy our products and buy them more frequently, we’re excited to satisfy the growing demand through increased product offerings and distribution.”
|BYND||BEYOND MEAT, INC.||96.67||+1.08||+1.13%|
The expansion comes as the plant-based food company has partnered with a number of national fast-food chains to offer meatless burgers and faux sausage patties for breakfast sandwiches as more consumers look for alternative meat options.
Beyond announced earlier this month distribution agreements with McDonald’s for its “McPlant” burger, and Yum Brands, the owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, to develop plant-based products for restaurants such as “Beyond Fried Chicken” and pizza toppings for Pizza Hut. The West Coast-based startup in January also announced a partnership with PepsiCo to develop and produce snacks and drinks made with its plant-based protein. Impossible Foods, its main competitor in the plant-based space, has meanwhile secured partnerships with Burger King for plant-based offerings.
Beyond Meat is sold at 28,000 retail locations across the country. The company first launched in Walmart stores in 2015.
The Associated Press contributed to this report

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A video of the leaked build of Windows 8.1 has been airlifted and dropped on to the World Wide Web. This time around, a host of new features and tweaks to the OS are being showed off. Much to the disappointment of the rumour mongers, no start button is returning with Windows 8.1, or at least that is what the video indicates.
The tweaks Windows 8.1 supposedly brings include better SkyDrive integration, a new apps list and tweaks to searching on the start screen. Other changes include a new option to connect to a wireless display, new touchpad options in settings, detailed Ease of Access settings, and a 'Save Files to SkyDrive by default' setting for the documents.
Finally, we see better SkyDrive integration within the operating system, the lack of which had us fairly flummoxed till now. It appears that Windows 8.1 will add a Files app that will let you access all files on the local storage as well as on SkyDrive. Surely, this will make uploading and syncing a lot smoother.
The new apps list can now be accessed by a new button that sits on the bottom left of the start screen. Windows 8 had received fair criticism for how apps were allowed to be searched, and why all apps didn’t show in the apps list. This will hopefully solve that problem in Windows 8.1. Apps can now be listed in the most used, date installed or alphabetical order.
Sync has now added more options that can be backed up for your account online – start screen layout, browser settings, mouse/touchpad settings and even file explorer settings.
We must specify that Windows Blue, a.k.a. Windows 8.1 is still under development, and any and all features you see here are bound to still get tweaks. This is by no means what the final OS update may look like. But then again, who doesn’t like a good rumour to start the day?


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SPRINGFIELD — There is a Chinese proverb about crossing the river by feeling the stones.
And it’s what wife-and-husband team Wenting Jia and Nels Frye say they are doing as they open and refine the Springfield branch of Keezer’s Classic Clothing, the oldest second-hand fashion store in America with its roots going back to 1895. Take a step. Survey the next step. Take another step.
And the first big step was for Jia to partner with Dick Robasson — owner of the two Keezer’s locations in Cambridge — to bring the concept to Springfield.
“Springfield has space,” she said. “Springfield has space that’s affordable. Springfield has space that’s affordable and near the highway.”
Frye added: “We could never do something like this in Boston.”
The store, which opened three weeks ago, sits in a former bank office on the first floor of the MassLive Building at 1350 Main St. It is the first store to open in the incubator of new downtown businesses called 1350 Market overseen by Latino Economic Development Corporation. MassLive owns the naming rights to the building where some of its offices are located.
Evan C. Plotkin, president and CEO of real estate company NAI Plotkin and a partner in the Masslive Building, said he’s been told by those “hipper” than himself that the clothes are trendy.
“We need other retail downtown,” he said. ”I think the vintage clothing store is a really great start. I’m excited about that.”
The next step is to refine the concept, building on Keezer’s long history of used and vintage menswear to add women’s clothing, upcycled goods and Jia’s own brand, J.W. Frye, which is a line of decorative objects made of recycled plastics.
“There is so little competition it’s hard for me to do market research,” said Jia, who ran vintage clothing stores in Shanghai before coming to America.
Keezer’s Springfield location is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Robasson — who took over Keezer’s five years ago and moved it from its longtime location near Harvard University — said Jia started as a frequent shopper who helped him sell clothing via a livestream video when the store was closed during the pandemic.
Jia and Frye moved to Springfield (Frye grew up in Western Massachusetts) and hatched the idea to locate in Springfield.
“It was a good opportunity to expand a little bit,” said Robasson, himself a Haitian immigrant to the United States who worked as a tailor.
“So I did visit Springfield a couple of times,” he said.
Jia said she visited cities across New England and Pennsylvania looking at revitalized downtowns and business opportunities.
“One thing I noticed is that they all had a vintage or upcycled clothing shop, often coupled with an art gallery,” she said.
At the Springfield Keezer’s, Jia has coupled used clothing from Keezer’s Cambridge inventory with vintage clothing from her own collection, goods made by local artisans including local makers of goat milk soap and Chef Wayne Hooker’s Big Mamou hot sauce and seasoning.
“Someone came in looking for Chef Wayne’s seasoning because they heard it was here,” Jia said. “It’s hot. I tell people if they taste it, and if they regret it, don’t come here and complain!”
J.W. Frye recycles plastic into art objects, like vases and display jars, using 3D-printing technology. There are also T-shirts made from recycled plastics.
Jia displayed a box of plastic bottle caps, material donated by customers to be made into new products at a factory in New Hampshire.
She wants to key into the trend of used clothing and recycled and upcycled goods sold together as a themed retail experience.
“That’s the new department store,” she said. “You see that all over Northern Europe.”
At Keezer’s, a $1,100 blazer might sell for $120.
“Keezer’s has the largest reservoir of used clothing in New England,” Frye said. “It’s an extensive library.”
The threads are culled, Robasson said, from shoppers who come in to sell pieces from their collections or from buying whole wardrobes from estates or as people downsize and jettison dressy clothes.
“There are never two items exactly the same,” Robasson said. “I might have something in Springfield I don’t have anywhere else.”
He said he’s trying to branch into vintage clothes. That is, items that might be older and display a distinctive style.
“Of course now we are trying to open a women’s section also,” Robasson said.
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Supreme have just unveiled their latest collection with cult Italian menswear brand Stone Island, and it’s fair to say they’ve done bits.
The partnership between the streetwear powerhouse and terrace-wear staple has been ongoing since 2014, but this new run of collaborative pieces is arguably the hardest run of items they’ve worked on to date.
With items that fuse both brands idiosyncratic idents through several technically-heavy details and styles, the collection is inspired by Stone Island’s iconic pieces from the 80’s and early 90’s, with water and wind resistant options featuring polyurethane in styles like the New Silk Light Jacket, Pants and 6-Panel Hats. There’s also brushed cotton canvas options in the jacket, cargo vest/pant, backpack and boonie and some subtle camo motifs featuring on certain pieces too.
It’s clear this season’s collab has taken influence from the rise of Stone Island resellers such as Arco Maher and Too Hot Limited, with the collection taking a more subtle approach than in previous seasons. The prices, however, look set to be as eye-watering as ever after resale – with the RRP’s of each item set to drop online once the collection is available from March 14th. Check out the stand-out pieces from the collection below.
In other streetwear news, Daily Paper recently launched their wavey SS19 Editorial.


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Fruit Pesticides Lower Fertility in Women
Produce Has Impact on Conception
All kind of people/Shutterstock.com
A Harvard study of 325 women undergoing fertility treatments found that those consuming the most produce high in pesticide residues, such as strawberries, spinach and grapes, were 18 percent less likely to become pregnant and 26 percent less likely to have a live birth compared to women eating the least amount of pesticide-laden produce. Study co-author Dr. Jorge Chavarro suggests that women trying to conceive should eat organic produce or low-pesticide choices like avocados, onions and oranges.
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This article appears in the April 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.
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Nékter Juice Bar, a leading modern juice bar brand with more than 130 restaurants across 14 U.S. states, has opened two of its most exclusive markets, Los Angeles and Northern California, to franchisees seeking to invest in one of the restaurant industry’s most successful healthy dining concepts. Nékter now has six corporate-owned restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area and six in Northern California, and is seeking franchise partners, who want to thrive and expand in those areas.
According to NékterJuice Bar co-founder and CEO Steve Schulze, Los Angeles and Northern California are two of Nékter’s most sought-after franchise markets. “Since we launched our national franchising program, we’ve added almost 100 locations and expanded into 20 additional markets. We’ve continually enhanced not only our menu offerings and in-store experience but also our franchise program to deliver best-in-class corporate and marketing support. Along the way, we have been consistently approached to open our Los Angeles and Northern California markets and believe now is the ideal time to do just that.”
Founded in 2010, Nékter Juice Bar is the pioneer and champion of the truly authentic juice bar experience, offering an innovative, nutrient-rich and delicious menu of freshly made juices, Superfood smoothies, acai bowls and healthy snacks that can be enjoyed any time of the day to help sustain a healthy and nutritious lifestyle. Unlike other juice bar concepts, Nékter uses only fresh, whole ingredients without any hidden fillers, unnecessary sugars, processed ingredients, or artificial ingredients, fostering enduring and growing loyalty among consumers, who increasingly are gravitating to more healthful eating habits.
Currently, Nékter has 47 franchisees with 250 restaurants now operating or in development in 20 U.S. states. In addition to outstanding training, support and operations including a pioneering national sourcing and distribution program, Nékter franchisees benefit from a category-leading Average Unit Volume (AUV) of $816,741 and realistic start-up costs ranging from $211,500 to $462,600.
“Nékterhas become a beacon for transparency and ingredient-integrity in the $2 billion juice bar category, and as such, we are benefitting from increasing market leadership and enviable consumer demand,” said Schulze. “We were the first to offer flavorful, nutritious and affordable functional foods, and we will continue to innovate and deliver what Americans crave and deserve, while other brands attempt to revisit their values and adjust their menus.
Potential franchisees, particularly those with restaurant experience and who want to make a positive impact in their communities with an authentic healthy dining experience, are invited to meet with Nékter’s leadership team to learn more about the brand and franchise opportunities at Discovery Days planned for March 2019.
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Shares of Tesla Inc.
are down 3.2% in Friday trading after Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi highlighted a sharp drop in the company's services gross margins and asked about what this plunge meant for the company's automotive margins. "The key driver of the margin erosion appears to be 'Services and Maintenance,'" Sacconaghi wrote, but he and his team "struggle to find evidence as to why the COGS [cost of goods sold] of Services and Maintenance have increased exponentially...with no commensurate increase in revenues." He said that Tesla's assertion is that the company is building out services infrastructure, but that doesn't square with Bernstein's figures. "The worry/key question, of course, is whether COGS that should be (or historically have been) booked in the Automotive Segment are now being booked in the "Services and Other" reporting segment, given that investors focus nearly exclusively on Automotive GMs & generally disregard "Services and Other" GMs," Sacconaghi wrote. He has a market perform rating on Tesla's stock and a $265 price target. Tesla shares are down 12% over the past 12 months, while the S&P 500
has gained 13%.


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Online deals giant Groupon said Tuesday it was cutting some 1,100 jobs over the coming months in another sign of cooling in the once-hot sector.
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UK: The UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), the trade body representing the short-term rental sector, has announced that it has welcomed three new affiliate members to its ranks.
The companies joining the STAA are as follows:
• Touch Stay – a digital guest welcome book provider
• Airlinen – a short-term rental linen provider
• Elina – a provider of property management software
The new affiliate members have further broadened the association’s membership base and will allow the STAA to better represent the sector moving forward. It now has 29 members in total, which includes some of the largest platform operators in the UK such as Airbnb and HomeAway as well as many companies that provide specific services to the growing short-term rental sector.
Touch Stay CEO Andy McNulty said: “Touch Stay is delighted to be joining STAA and we’re looking forward to working with and supporting them through 2020 and beyond.”
Shaz Mohit from Airlinen said: “Airlinen is delighted to be part of the STAA. We look forward to meeting all other members and contributing to our shared industry and association.”
Merilee Karr, CEO of UnderTheDoormat and chair of the STAA, said: “It’s great to be able to welcome three new affiliate members to our association. It clearly shows the diversity of businesses that are now operating in the short-term rental sector and how significantly it is growing.
“Our new members will help us to have a more powerful voice on the issues that affect the sector and will add further weight to our aim of growing the short-term rental sector in a responsible and sustainable way,” she added.
STAA membership is open to all short-term rental businesses and companies who offer ancillary services. Hosts may also become members of the association, while both hosts and operators can pay an additional fee to become third-party accredited.
The STAA offers host membership for £10 per month, which includes information about hosts’ legal responsibilities, best practice and a code of conduct.
More information can be found here.


text: Von Wellx, a German shoe brand operating earlier from China, operationalized two shoe making units in Agra on Tuesday. The company is collaborating with its India partner, Iatric Industries Pvt Ltd. The company owned by Casa Everz Gmbh had announced in May this year that it would be shifting its entire production of three millions pairs of shoes from China to India following the outbreak of Covid-19. Two units at Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Agra, have provided employment to around 2,000 people. The Von Wellx group will invest around Rs 300 crore in phases in three projects in Uttar Pradesh which will generate around 10,000 jobs. The company aims to produce around five million pairs of shoes annually in these manufacturing units. It is a multiple footwear project to produce 2.5 million pairs across different segments annually. The Von Wellx group is expected to set up a new unit near Jewar (Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority) in a 10,000 sq metre area by next month. While another manufacturing unit is proposed at Kosi-Kotwan in Mathura spread over an area of 7.5 acre. It will exemplify the synergy of German technology and demographic dividend of Uttar Pradesh. Iatric Industries will be the exclusive collaborator for technology transfer, research, development, marketing and production.


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Cannabiz Awaits The Vaccine
December 29, 2020
The arrival of two FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines suggests the pandemic may soon be under control in the coming months. But, what does this mean for the cannabis industry? Our partner and shareholder Laura Bianchi recently spoke with WeedWeek on what the industry can expect. See what she had to say here.
Jeff Toppel featured in Cannabis Business Times “Cannabis Dispensaries Top Target for Labor Unions as More States Legalize”
December 24, 2023
Laura Bianchi, named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Female Executive of the Year category at the 20th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business.
November 15, 2023


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As central bankers gather at the annual Jackson Hole symposium on Friday, analysts think the death of a major economic concept could dominate discussions.
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: VW cars are loaded in a delivery tower at the plant of German carmaker Volkswagen in Wolfsburg BERLIN (Reuters) –
Tesla said on Monday it intends to raise about $ 1.5 billion in a bond offering as the U.S. automaker seeks to ramp up


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Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) has detailed The Authentication Forum 2018 and unveiled a new logo as the association celebrates 20 years supporting anti-counterfeiting and brand protection.
ASPA president U K Gupta said: ‘At a time, when counterfeiting costs the global economy 1.77 trillion USD and the Indian economy 324 billion INR every year and increasing rapidly, it is high time for stakeholders to come together in fighting this issue. The new consumer protection bill passed by the Government of India is a big initiative and positive step towards consumer empowerment in our country.’
‘We are also working on developing a Counterfeit Repository News (CRN). Further, in this year, we will expand our “Make Sure India” and brand awareness campaigns,’ he added.
Luv D Shriram, ASPA general secretary, added: ‘The 20-year celebration marks our commitment to the industry and makes us the world’s one of the oldest and leading associations in the anti-counterfeiting industry. Today, our member companies are protecting more than 15,000 brands across the globe. The second edition of the summit will offer new generation anti-counterfeiting options which are important for the government, industry, brand owners and consumers in their fight against fakes.’
Topics to be addressed at The Authentication Forum 2018 will include:
- Understanding regulatory perspective – government roles to protect the interests of consumers;
- Understanding the 5 Ws of counterfeiting: what, who, when, where, why;
- Global perspectives on the fight against counterfeiting;
- Future of anti-counterfeiting technologies – can blockchain and NFC play a part?;
- Understand how to select the right anti-counterfeiting technologies;
- Practical examples of brand owners through case studies;
- Learn to devise your enforcement efforts and raids;
- Network and interact with the industry; and
- A townhall session on who will take the lead against fighting fakes.
The two-days summit will be held on March 15-16, 2018 in New Delhi and is expected to attract more than 200 delegates.


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Vitafoods Asia shapes the food industry for optimal health through science and innovation. As Asia's top nutraceutical event, over 350 international suppliers are connected, as well as over 6,000 business leaders looking to source the most innovative and highest quality nutraceutical ingredients, dietary supplements and services. Trending this year on the floor were NPD and ingredients targeting weight management and personalized solutions, as well as botanical ingredients such as ginkgo Biloba.
Vitafoods Europe 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, demonstrated how companies are expanding into new segments and exploring untapped markets, spurring new innovation in nutritional ingredients. We take a look at some of the big product launches and new concepts from this year’s event, which took place between May 10 to 12.
The in-cosmetics Global trade show held in Paris, France (April 5 to 7) spotlighted industry’s latest product developments, which include upcycled skincare ingredients, microbiome-friendly personal care solutions and clean beauty innovations. At the exhibition, PersonalCareInsights was on the show floor speaking to key suppliers for their exclusive highlights on each of...View More
The Natural Products Expo West spotlighted organic and clean label food innovation with a look at the trends shaping the almost US$300 billion industry. Notable highlights include plant-based flavoring technologies, natural preservation ingredients, low sugar and salt solutions, and functional beverages.
2021 saw both a continuation of the pandemic-driven trends of 2020, as well as a return to some periods of “normality,” with in-person trade shows making a comeback. This helped drive industry innovation via acquisitions and launches, with key themes including personalization and tightening regulations around ingredient safety. NutritionInsight takes a look back at...View More


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WINNIPEG — NewLeaf Travel Company is temporarily postponing sales of airline tickets pending a Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) review of licensing regulations for Indirect Air Service Providers. NewLeaf will also refund all credit card transactions for reservations for flights that were scheduled to begin on Feb. 12.
“During this uncertain time, we didn’t want to put anyone with existing bookings at risk, and we wanted to give customers time to make other travel arrangements” said NewLeaf CEO Jim Young.
NewLeaf aims to resume taking reservations in the spring. “Canadians have clearly spoken that they want this type of low-cost service. The overwhelming demand for tickets shows the need for affordable travel in Canada. Hundreds of thousands of people visited the NewLeaf website when ticket sales began. Thousands made bookings,” said Young.
“The reason why we launched on Jan. 6 is because it was confirmed that we were in full compliance of CTA licensing regulations,” said Young. “The CTA gave us an exemption from holding a license directly while it reviews its legislation.” Under a charter arrangement with Kelowna-based Flair Airlines Ltd., Flair held the CTA operating license, while NewLeaf offered seat sales.
“Now there is ambiguity in the air as to whether we need to amend the relationship with our air service provider, or whether we need to have a license ourselves. While Canada has many other Indirect Air Service Providers, NewLeaf is in a unique position as we are the first large-scale IASP,” said Young. “We welcome a regulatory system in which businesses like ours can thrive in Canada as they do in other countries.
“As with any success that threatens to change the status quo, there are those that will resist that change and take any measures necessary to maintain the existing playing field, even if it is to the detriment of the vast majority and the benefit of the very few,” he added.
The CTA is reviewing whether persons who do not operate any aircraft, but market and sell air services to the public, should be required to hold agency licenses. The review applies to all persons operating in this manner and is not limited to NewLeaf’s proposed business venture with Flair Airlines Ltd. As part of its review, the Agency is consulting with, and seeking comments from, stakeholders before finalizing its approach. The consultations end Jan. 22.
Young said anyone wishing to express their opinion can do so through the CTA’s consultation: otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/consultation/consultation-requirement-hold-a-licence
Young said NewLeaf is “taking the high road in the way that is the most respecting of the consumer. As soon as the review is complete, we will make any required amendments if necessary, and resume sales as soon as possible.”
Those who made reservations are guaranteed the opportunity to re-buy their seat for the price they paid for it when NewLeaf resumes sales, he added.


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BERLIN — Fragrance and flavors maker Symrise posted a 31 percent increase in third-quarter net profits to 38.4 million euros, or $49.5 million.
Revenues at the Holzminden, Germany-based company grew 16.4 percent to 410.2 million euros, or $529.2 million.
Symrise’s scent and care division showed a sales uptick of 19.9 percent, growing to 209.8 million euros, or $270.7 million. Dollar figures are converted from euros at average exchange rates for the period.
“The scent and care division in particular benefits from an increased demand in the luxury segment,” stated Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, Symrise’s chief executive officer.


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“Evolva’s biotech platform on yeast design, optimisation and fermentation could end in new cosmetic ingredients bringing a real breakthrough for our customers,” said Luc Aguilar, global head of L’Oréal’s Biotechnologies Department.
Evolva is a pioneer and global leader in sustainable, fermentation-based approaches to ingredients for health, wellness and nutrition. Evolva’s products include stevia, vanilla, saffron and resveratrol. As well as developing its own proprietary ingredients, Evolva also deploys its technology for partners, providing them with a competitive edge and sharing in the returns they make. For more information see www.evolva.com.
“This collaboration further validates the broad industry applications potential of our technology platform and industry awareness of Evolva’s unique value proposition in health, wellness, and nutrition ingredient development,” Evolva CEO Neil Goldsmith said. “We look forward to working with L’Oréal. We are confident that together we can leverage new and sustainable production routes to improve this ingredient’s sustainability profile, reduce its production costs, improve its supply chain predictability, and increase its formulation flexibility in cosmetics.”


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Braidy Industries extends stock sale deadline again to fund $1.7B mill
Braidy Industries has again extended its deadline for a roughly $500 million stock sale, as it works to raise enough money to build a $1.7 billion aluminum rolling mill in Eastern Kentucky.
The stock offering launched in September 2018 and initially was slated to conclude that November, but the deadline was extended to Dec. 31 and then to March 31.
Now, the latest deadline has been set for June 15, according to a company update posted Thursday on Netcapital, an online portal through which people can invest in businesses.
The announcement references an "anticipated investment by an identified potential strategic investor," whom the company does not specifically name.
"No assurances can be provided at this time as to the timing or terms and conditions of the anticipated strategic investment, or that it will occur at all," the announcement said.
Braidy announced its decision to build an aluminum mill in Kentucky in 2017. That year, the company received an unusual direct investment of $15 million from the state in return for an ownership stake and a promise to create more than 500 high-paying jobs in an economically struggling region of the commonwealth.
In the past, Braidy has said it would begin production in 2020. More recent information from the company said it's on track to bring the mill to "full commercial operation" in 2021. It broke ground on the mill in June 2018.
Braidy previously has said it plans to raise around $500 million in fresh equity capital in addition to pursuing hundreds of millions of dollars in loans.
The company also has said it can't disclose details about certain aspects of its current stock sale because of confidentiality requirements and strict nondisclosure agreements, although a prior business update said Braidy had received more than $1 billion in "substantial indications of interest from various accredited parties," such as institutional investors and wealthy individuals.


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The Cupertino-based tech giant today released the seventh beta of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 to developers. With the company expected to release iOS 14 later this month, the latest beta builds of the OS are not packing any major changes.
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 Beta 7: Everything That’s New
The latest beta brings a new dark mode version of the popular stripe wallpaper.
New App Library Categories
There are new categories in the App Library for better categorization of your installed apps. The new categories include Travel, Creativity, and Shopping & Food.


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It’s time to start thinking about your Christmas dinner because Coles has just launched their 2021 festive range with 150 new items.
The retail giant has thought of everything from crackling ham roasts to summer berry trifles and Christmas icing figurines.
Encompassing everything you could possibly need for a family get-together, the Christmas range also features heat-and-eat gourmet entrées, savoury side dishes and salads and show-stopping centrepieces.
Our top pick from this year has to be the crackling ham rack roast, which is left on the bone, brined and smoked and ready for the oven.
There’s also an RSPCA Approved Hunter Valley Turkducken on the menu and an indulgent Belgian Chocolate Trifle which features layers of vanilla and chocolate mousse, Belgian chocolate brownies and chocolate ganache.
If desserts are your thing, there are plenty on offer in this year’s range, with a raspberry, vanilla and white chocolate mousse log catching our eye. It’s made up of rich chocolate sponge layers of lightly salted caramel and Belgian chocolate mousse. And it’s finished with a sprinkle of hazelnuts on top.
Of course, Coles has something for everyone and is also bringing back a luxury Christmas pudding, fruit mince pies and a classic panettone.
This year, Coles is focusing on sustainability and says its products are more responsibly sourced right across the range.
In keeping with the sustainable theme, Coles will have its first-ever range of 100% plastic-free and recyclable festive crackers. Made from FSC paper, they come in a modern rustic colour and include a classic joke, paper hat and puzzles to play around the Christmas table.
Coles’ decorative range includes new wind-up children’s wooden musical toys and wooden ornaments to dress up the Christmas tree and provide Aussie parents with more sustainable gifting options.
Liquorland, First Choice Liquor Market and Vintage Cellars have also created Christmas drinks pairings for your food
Coles also announced new kitchen utensils to collect from 27 October, featuring four new stainless-steel MasterChef Knives, scissors and an electric mini chopper, as well as a return of the four most popular knives from last year’s collection.
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Tesco starts selling used cars online
Tesco has become the first general retailer to start a used car buying website.
The supermarket giant claims it can offer low prices by controlling costs.
It will show detailed pictures of vehicles for sale - including any scrapes and dents - as well as a history report and fuel usage details.
It will not, however, give people the chance to test-drive vehicles. Instead, a video of the car being tested will be available for would-be purchasers.
Tesco says all vehicles will undergo a strict vetting process, including a mechanical inspection by the RAC.
The cars will come with a one month RAC warranty and the price will not be open to negotiation.
Tesco says by supplying directly to customers, there is no middle man, no expensive showroom and no salespeople on commission.
The majority of cars for sale will come from fleet and lease hire companies, with one registered keeper and a detailed service history.
Steve Fowler, editor of What Car? magazine, said it was too early to tell if car buyers would be happy buying without physically seeing or driving the vehicle, but said it did appear to offer a realistic alternative to "standing on a forecourt, haggling".
The motor trade, which is worth £24bn a year, is one of the biggest generators of complaints to consumer groups.
As well as the profit from selling the cars, Tesco could also benefit from drivers using its financial services, such as a loan, insurance or the breakdown cover it offers.


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What you need to know
- The public name for the OS would have been Queen Cake.
- Android 10, or Q as otherwise known, will be the first version of the OS since 1 and 1.1 to not have a tasty treat public name.
- Google will continue to have code names internally. Android 10 is known as Quince Tart internally with the team.
As many have heard by this point, Google will no longer be giving a tasty treat name to each new version of its operating system based on what alphabet letter it's on. Two Googlers, VP of Android engineering Dave Burke and software engineer Dan Sandler, revealed to the All About Android podcast that, had the team continued the naming tradition it would have been called Queen Cake.
Perhaps more interesting was that the Android team has been using Quince Tart as the internal code name. OS version 10 will be the first time that an Android version won't get a public name since Cupcake, which was released in 2009.
This change goes hand in hand with a change in branding. Dave and Dan said the Android brand wasn't created with a "huge amount of thought," and it was done with "the minimum they could to get started." Version 10 of the OS gives the team a chance to start fresh and give the brand genuine, thoughtful planning.
While the tasty treats had their fun statues on Google's campus and brand team-ups with Kit Kat and Oreo, Android Q marks the perfect time allowing the brand to mature with an eye towards the future. It's also good to know the team at Mountain View won't be letting all the fun go to the wayside by keeping up with naming traditions internally.
It's about time they grew up, left nursery school and started shaving.
Real operating systems wear beards.
Never heard of Queen cake.
Yep, never heard of it..
I read Google ditched the desserts in favor of operating system names that will be more accessible to its global users, but Queen Cake comes close. It would've been mouth-watering familiar to users in Louisiana, the UK, South Africa, and Canada.
I'm in the UK, and consider myself an expert on cake, and as i say, never heard of it.
Ditto, glad they've dropped these names if they were just going to pick weird things like this that I've never heard of (UK too)
You're thinking of King Cake... There is no such thing as Queen Cake
They should still do the statues for the internal names. Keep the tradition going.
I still wish it was Quaaludes!
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Here’s how onsite food service chefs are getting inspired by global flavor profiles and using budget-friendly, versatile ground pork in many cool ways, from meatloaf to mapo tofu.
2020 has been a challenging year with the coronavirus pandemic, but onsite food service operators still found ways to inspire and support the communities they serve.
If there was one relative positive to come out of the entire coronavirus experience for onsite dining operators, it has been its impact on advancing the implementation of technology solutions in meal programs. Foodservice directors in multiple...
For countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the food shares some commonalities: light, breezy, fresh and bright. Combine that with your grab-and-go strategy for an instant breath of fresh air on the menu.


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Midsummer signs four LOI’s for 224 MW of thin film panels
Swedish solar energy leader Midsummer has signed new letters of intent (LOI) with four Swedish and international roof material producers, house manufacturers and solar cell installers for the pre-sale of 224 MW of solar panels. That brings the number of offtake agreements to ten in November for an accumulative 331 MW of solar panels.
On November 5, Midsummer announced the signing of LOI’s with six Swedish and international industry players for a total of 107 MW of solar panels. Together with today’s announcement of 224 MW solar cells and previously announced deals with Italian roof and building companies it brings the number of entered offtake agreements to 13 with a combined volume of more than 400 MW of solar panels.
”Many large industry players around Europe are lining up for our products as they see a big market for our discreet and sustainable thin film panels,” said Midsummer’s CEO Sven Lindström. “It is our defined strategy to enter into these offtake agreements to ensure sale of our products parallel with us scaling up our production capacity.”
The signed LOI’s equate to 406 MW of solar panels to be supplied in the coming three to six years, which can be compared with the company’s annual production capacity of 2 MW at the existing Swedish factory and 50 MW at the Italian factory in Bari that is expected to commence production in 2023. Midsummer also seeks to setup a new factory in Sweden for an initial 20 MW production and eventually 200 MW annual production capacity. The long-term goal is at least 1,000 MW annual production capacity by the year 2030, which would require several new mega-factories around Europe.
Midsummer's thin film solar cells are produced with in-house developed world-leading machinery. The company owns the entire value chain and the technology, processes and businesses are commercially proven after decades of experience as a manufacturer of unique production lines as well as solar panels and solar roofs.
Midsummer's CIGS solar cells require no silicon, no aluminum frames and no glass encapsulation, which, together with efficient material consumption, production and installation, has created the world's most environmentally friendly way of producing electricity known today with a climate footprint that is only one-tenth that of silicon panels.


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A leaked image from a prominent Pokémon leaker involving two unnamed listings at GameStop has got the community speculating about a potential release for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remake.
Sparking interest back into the conversation, prominent leaker, Centro Pokémon LEAKS, sheds light to a potential release. In a tweet, a screenshot of GameStop’s internal system, relayed by an employee, shows two incomplete listings for the Switch. Fans of the franchise are fully aware that mainline Pokémon titles often come in pairs, thus further raising suspicion.
Tidbit from a GameStop employee:
Apparently two new contiguous $59.99 Switch SKUs have been added recently to GameStop. While we can't know if they are related to Pokémon, it certainly is intriguing.
In the past we've seen GameStop adding SKUs shortly before announcements. pic.twitter.com/jcyotL4BYS
— Centro Pokémon LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) February 22, 2021
As the Pokémon Day celebration draws close, many are in anticipation on what the franchise has in store. While the upcoming release of Pokémon Unite and Pokémon Snap have long been known, the 25th anniversary could have something more.
Discussions about the potential for a Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remake had been going on for the good part of 2020. And, it seems that the discourse has not died down despite no official word from Nintendo about it since.
The slots themselves may be open for any Switch title, considering the platform’s healthy flow of incoming games. However, it’s hard not to theorize how the move would not have any implication with the up-and-coming Pokémon anniversary event.


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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union, United States and Japan formally asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday to settle a dispute with China over Beijing’s restriction on exports of raw materials, including rare earth elements critical to major industries.
The EU’s trade chief, Karel De Gucht, said the three trading powers were making the dispute settlement request, the first step before filing a full trade case, following a successful EU challenge at the WTO on similar restrictions earlier this year.
“China’s restrictions on rare earths and other products violate international trade rules and must be removed,” De Gucht said. “These measures hurt our producers and consumers in the EU and across the world, including manufacturers of pioneering hi-tech and ‘green’ business applications.”
China accounts for about 97 percent of the world’s output of the 17 rare earth metals, which are crucial for global electronics production and the defense and renewable-energy industries. They are also used in a wide range of consumer products, from mobile phones to electric cars.
The dispute is one of several between Beijing and the world’s other three largest economic powers, as China’s rise changes the world economic order. It is the first case to be jointly filed by the EU, United States and Japan with the WTO, an EU official said.
De Gucht said during a recent visit to Hong Kong that China needed to be sensitive to perceptions that its huge economy is a threat in Europe. The cost to EU businesses of China’s export restrictions runs into the billions of euros, officials say.
Trade between the EU and China has boomed in recent years, reaching almost 400 billion euros in 2010, but EU complaints against Chinese dumping range from the shoe industry to steel fasteners. De Gucht has in the past complained that China subsidizes “nearly everything”, making it hard to compete.
An EU decision to make all airlines using EU airports pay for carbon emissions has brought threats of retaliation from China, as well as from the United States and Russia.
Critics complain it is a tax, which infringes sovereignty. The EU says it is not a tax because it is based on buying and selling allowances on a market and airlines can avoid costs by finding other ways to offset their emissions.
Japan has been worried about supply of rare earths, especially after fears that China held back shipments of rare earths as punishment after the territorial dispute last year.
President Barack Obama is currently toughening his stance on China trade ahead of November’s presidential election. He recently created a new interagency trade enforcement centre, which is expected to be up and running in the coming months and whose primary focus is to make sure China honors WTO rules. Obama administration officials also have been considering a WTO complaint against anti-dumping and countervailing duties that China imposed late last year on U.S. auto exports. Beijing’s restrictions on exports of the valuable minerals became a flash point in 2010, when China halted rare earth shipments to Japan during a diplomatic dispute. The United States and the EU have long been expected to file a WTO case against China’s rare earth mineral export curbs, but appeared to be awaiting the outcome of a separate case against Beijing’s exports on a long list of other raw materials. That dispute was finally decided in favor of the United States, EU and Mexico in January after China lost an appeal to keep its raw material export curbs. Beijing has not yet announced how it intends to comply with the January ruling.
Reporting By Sebastian Moffett and Doug Palmer; editing by Luke Baker


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Telstra opens up payphones and home phones for free Christmas calls
Call anywhere in Australia for nothing, as well as free Wi-Fi from selected Telstra Air hotspots.
In an age where the mobile phone dominates our calling landscape, it's all too easy to think of payphones and landlines as yesterday's technology, and expensive to boot. Compared to the near-standard "unlimited" calls you get on most mobile plans, the prospect of paying for a payphone or landline call seems a little archaic.
Still, the end of the year is a time for giving, and Telstra has once again decided to open up its payphone network to Australians wanting to get in touch with their loved ones, by making calls made from Telstra payphones or Telstra landlines to any local, national or standard mobile number free from 24 to 26 December 2017.
That's actually a shorter timespan than the same deal that Telstra ran last year, but the difference this year is that it includes not only payphones but also any Telstra home phone as well.
If you've still got a Telstra home phone, perhaps as part of a Telstra broadband bundle, then you can contact anyone important to you at no cost over the holiday period.
According to Telstra's head of Fixed Products, Jana Kotatko, last year, "more than 271,000 free payphone calls were made over three days."
"This year, by giving people even more ways to contact their friends and family for free, we expect to see this figure rise by at least ten times."
If your needs over the holiday period are more data-centric, Telstra advises that it's also making its Telstra Air service available for free use during that same timespan, but only at "selected" locations.
We've asked Telstra to clarify which locations will offer free data and will update once it does. For most existing Telstra customers, Telstra Air is an included bonus with their Telstra broadband or Telstra Mobile plan, but the free offer should expand the utility of the network to all Australians for a limited period at least.
Telstra's positioning for the deal isn't so much a promotional one as it is a simple way for Australians to stay in touch during a period of the year where many people instead feel isolated.
Telstra's announcement about the free offer quotes Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle as stating that "A phone call can go a long way in combatting these feelings of isolation, but many people find themselves without the technology or financial means to get in touch with their loved ones".
This initiative from Telstra is helping to provide an invaluable solution to the problem, by offering everyone in the country – regardless of their personal situation – the chance to connect this Christmas."
- Qantas Points sale: Is 25% off gift cards worth it?
- 3 tips to manage this year’s holiday credit card spending
- ASIC cracks down on risky online investments: What you need to know
- Top 10 TV shows in Australia this week and where to watch them
- Bushfire blindness: 6 million Australians close to bushland not ready for fires
Follow us for all the latest mobile phone news and deals


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2020 Ford Bronco Updates - 2020 ford bronco: [update], 2020 ford bronco: everything we know [update] https://www in addition to a ranger-based bronco, ford will build a smaller model that is thought to be based on the ford escape.. 2020 bronco updates | 2020 ford bronco, And information about the new ford bronco! incoming search terms: 2020 ford bronco pictures, new ford bronco 2020 actual pictures, 2020 bronco updates, 2020 ford bronco detroit auto show, 2020…. 2020 ford bronco: expect ford’ reborn , Here's what we expect from the reborn 2020 ford bronco. if not at launch then in time for a midcycle update. ford's ecoboost 2.7-liter v-6 seems like the most likely candidate. it produces 325. The ford bronco 2020 updates & , A ford bronco ii is another production from 1985-1990, that was more compressed than the original bronco and based on the ranger platform. it was replaced by the ford explorer.although the full details of the new 2020 ford bronco weren’t known yet.. 2020 ford bronco update | 2020 ford bronco - part 2, Bronco offer 3rd seat, 2020 ford bronco 6 seater, bronco in jerasic park, 2020 grabber blue, bronco 5 8 gas mileage, ford bronco 2021 latest news, super charger pour ford…. 2020 ford bronco updates redesign, specs, release date, The all-new 2020 ford bronco updates use a 2.7-liter ecoboost v6 engine. this model can generate as much as 325 hp and 375 lb-feet of torque. the same engine is running the f-150 pickup.. 2020 bronco updates | 2020fordcars., 2020 ford bronco announcement can take the host to the middle of the-dimensions explorer suv. 2020 ford bronco announcement design 2020 ford bronco exterior the previous bronco is an element. Ford bronco 2020 | bronco confirmed - release date, 2020 ford bronco 03/16/2018 update. ford held a press conference where they discussed the future of the company in suv segment. the news that came our way was in regard to their upcoming off-road vehicles, with 2020 ford bronco included.. New 2020 ford bronco concept release date, 07/31/2017 update: according to the ford engineer, ford is struggling to determine the direction in which the bronco is heading. if they need any help with the upcoming suv, they need to take a look at these renderings below. we cannot wait to find out more about the new 2020 ford bronco and to see how much of the original look will be.
2020 ford bronco everything we know [update] → 2020 bronco updates 2020 ford bronco → 2020 ford bronco what to expect from ford’s reborn off → The new ford bronco 2020 updates & changes → 2020 ford bronco update 2020 ford bronco part 2 → 2020 ford bronco updates redesign, specs, release date → 2020 bronco updates 2020fordcars → Ford bronco 2020 new bronco is confirmed release date → New 2020 ford bronco concept release date →


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During a conference in California (USA), this Wednesday (7), Tim Cook may have discarded once and for all the idea of adopting RCS on iOS. Considered as the replacement for SMS, the new messaging standard makes use of mobile data and has features already known from other applications, such as audio and video support. According to Apple’s CEO, this is currently not something users ask for.
Cook was alongside former Apple designer Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs, philanthropist and widow of Steve Jobs, when he was asked by a journalist about iOS’ non-adoption to the RCS (Rich Communications Service) standard. “I don’t hear our users asking us to put a lot of energy into this right now,” the CEO replied.
The journalist, an iPhone user, countered by saying that he has difficulties sharing videos and photos with his mother, an Android user. In response, Cook said, “Buy your mom an iPhone.” And he added: “I would love to convert it to the iPhone”.
Yes, the journalist and his mother could switch to a messenger like WhatsApp or Telegram, but Americans end up depending a lot on the messaging app that comes with their cell phone. In the case of iPhone, the default app sends and receives SMS for Android, and uses iMessage with other Apple products.
Fact is, Android has led the industry when it comes to RCS adoption. However, since the beginning of its implementation, Apple has remained firm in the decision not to use it, defending iMessage tooth and nail.
It’s worth noting that in 2013, a top Apple executive opposed bringing iMessage to Android. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, said this “would simply serve to remove [um] obstacle for iPhone families to give their children Android phones.” The information was revealed amid the legal dispute with Epic Games.
What is the difference between SMS and RCS?
RCS, as mentioned, is considered the real replacement for SMS. The new mobile messaging standard goes beyond text messaging: it supports videos, images, group chats, and other features.
Although widely adopted by Android device manufacturers, the protocol also depends on support from phone carriers.
Also, Google has been trying for years to convince Apple to replace the standard with the original iMessage protocol. The last move was to use a song by rapper Drake to tease the company about this issue.
If iOS were to support RCS, there would be an equivalence of messaging functionality on the two most used mobile platforms in the world, including end-to-end encryption and read receipts.
Although it is not too late, the arrival of the new standard in iPhones seems to become more and more a utopia, after all, the chances of Apple giving up the most popular messenger in the United States, its main market, are minimal.
With information: MacRumors, 9to5Google


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University of Toronto Startup Developing Shoe-Sizing App With iPhone Facial Recognition
Don’t know your shoe size? There might be an app for that soon.
Xesto, a start-up based out of the University of Toronto, has turned the iPhone’s facial recognition camera into a foot-sizing tool for people looking to buy new shoes online.
A press release explains that Xesto’s software takes four different photos of a shopper’s foot to determine his or her size. According to the start-up, it can pinpoint sizes within 1.5 millimeters. The software then cross-references the resulting measurement with the sizing guidelines of over 150 different shoe brands to predict which models will fit the best.
Xesto reportedly worked with researchers in UT’s department of electrical and computer engineering to develop the software, which uses point cloud frames to measure the user’s foot.
“Point clouds are similar to pixels,” explains master’s student Najah Hassan. “What pixels are to 2D, point clouds are to 3D. With different point clouds across time you can arrive at an image with depth.”
Hassan and master’s student Jeffrey Qiu initially predicted the technology would be used in health care, self-driving cars, and even space exploration. But after being exposed to the world of entrepreneurship, they saw the technology in a different light.
“What really stood out for me at Xesto was that they were using something so innovative and new at a level that could impact the everyday consumer,” Hassan says. “I didn’t think of using it for anything other than [self-driving] cars. That blew me away.”


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Due to all the recent backlash and heavy criticism, it is reported that Vera Wang has decided to abolish the ‘try-on’ fees at all the label’s international bridal stores.
The customers at the brand’s Shanghai bridal flagship were required to pay 3,000 yuan (RM1496) that includes 90-minute fitting session and afternoon tea with a consultant. The ‘try-on’ fees policy sparked a huge debate on both Chinese Twitter equivalent, Sine Weibo and the international websites. Some defended Vera Wang and stated that a lot of people weren’t serious about buying a wedding dress hence the policy is to make sure they serve the right customers and prevent stolen designs.
The brand made a careful investigation and review of the policies of their international operators and decided to abolish the appointment fees in all of their stores.
“We wish for all Vera Wang customers to enjoy the same standard of excellence worldwide. Treating our customers in a fair and equitable way remains a priority. The store in Shanghai has only been open to private VIP preview appointments. The official opening to the public will take place on April 29,” Vera Wang told WWD.
Source: Vogue UK


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November 21, 2022
VALDOSTA, Ga. – Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga. is offering half off admission for guests who donate a new, unwrapped toy to support local Toys for Tots efforts.
“Whenever we ask our guests and the local community to give, they always turn out in big ways, which is why are excited to partner with Toys for Tots again this year,” said Elke Schultz, marketing manager. “Whenever there is an opportunity to make a child’s Christmas merry and bright, it is an opportunity worth taking.”
Guests who bring a new, unwrapped toy valued at least $10 will receive 50% off up to six regular-priced single-day admission tickets. All donations will benefit Valdosta’s local Toys for Tots organization, which will distribute the toys to children in the community. More details can be found at WildAdventures.com.
New to Wild Adventures Christmas is the Candy Cane Express, a peppermint-scented train ride through brilliant light displays set to festive holiday tunes. After riding the Candy Cane Express, guests can take a stroll through twinkling displays along the Glimmering Light Trail that meanders through a real Georgia Swamp decorated with Christmas trees, snowflakes and more.
Also new to the event are the woodland creature antics of “A Very Puppet Christmas,” the new “Magic of Christmas Parade” where kids dance and sing along the way to light up a towering five-story animated Christmas tree, the new S’mores Village where guests can make a tasty treat over an open flame and Georgia’s Largest Snow Foam Party where kids can play in a mountain of foam.
“We are also ending each night of Wild Adventures Christmas with free hot chocolate at the new Wanyama Observation Deck,” said Schultz. “Our guests will be able to cap off a magical day with delicious hot chocolate as they enjoy the views at Wanyama which overlooks an open range featuring animals from throughout Asia and Africa.”
Complementing the new additions to Wild Adventures Christmas are several returning events and attractions, including visits and photos with Santa, “The Miracle of Christmas: A Living Nativity,” The Drummer Boys percussion show, “Holly Frostington’s Elf Training Academy” interactive show, Mrs. Claus’s Storytime, cookie decorating and ornament decorating.
“Wild Adventures Christmas is the biggest holiday celebration in our region, and we can’t wait to welcome families this year for a bright and festive experience they will never forget,” said Schultz.
Wild Adventures Christmas continues select days through Dec. 31. Tickets and Season Passes are available for purchase at WildAdventures.com.
Wild Adventures Theme Park is located at the halfway point between Atlanta, Ga. and Orlando, Fla. off Interstate 75 and is home to more than 40 family and thrill rides, hundreds of exotic animals, dozens of concerts and special events each year and Splash Island Waterpark, named as one of the “Top 30 Waterparks” in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Wild Adventures is ranked as the Fifth Most Affordable Theme Park in America in the Theme Park Price Index published by HomeToGo and the Top Theme Park Deal in Georgia by Yahoo! Finance.


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20th Century Fox has made a number of changes to its release slate today, most notably pushing Independence Day 2 nearly one full year, from July 3, 2015 to July 1, 2016. As of now, the only competition facing director Roland Emmerich's sequel is Sony's Angry Birds animated movie.
The last we heard about this sequel was in October, when Roland Emmerich revealed that two scripts had been written, one with Will Smith's Stephen Hiller from the 1996 original Independence Day, and one without the character, in case the actor decides not to sign on. It isn't known why the project was delayed a full year, but perhaps it is to buy more time to try and coax Will Smith to come back.
The studio has also pushed its Fantastic Four remake from March 6, 2015, to June 19, 2015, where it will face Disney's Inside Out, while shifting Assassin's Creed from June 19, 2015 to August 7, 2015. The video game adaptation currently doesn't have any direct competitors in its new release date.
The Secret Service, an adaptation of Matthew Vaughn's comic book series, is moving up to the March 6, 2015 date, from November 14, 2014. The studio has also handed out new release dates for Vince Vaughn's Business Trip (October 24, 2014) and the Jason Statham/Melissa McCarthy spy comedy Susan Cooper (May 22, 2015).


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The next HTC One, codenamed the HTC M8, will reportedly come in four colors, according to a tweet from XDA TV producer Shen Ye spotted by PhoneArena. The colors will reportedly be the same as the original HTC One—black, red, blue and gray— and won’t include gold.
Rumors about HTC’s next flagship smartphone have been a dime a dozen lately. We already know it will have on-screen buttons, a rear fingerprint scanner, and Android 4.4 KitKat. It is also rumored to have Full HD resolution, scrollable wallpapers, and a 5-inch screen. PhoneArena has also previously reported that the next HTC One will be called the HTC One+, instead of the HTC One 2, which would have been extremely confusing.
Perhaps the only thing we still don’t know is when the HTC One successor will be announced, although previous reports suggest it will be in February.


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Updated May 15
[Read Cornucopia’s letter to USDA Secretary Perdue.]
Industry Watchdog Reinforces Call for New Leadership at USDA National Organic Program
Non-organic corn and soy, labeled as organic, are flooding U.S. ports, undercutting legitimate U.S. organic farmers, due to the USDA’s negligence. The organic industry’s most aggressive industry watchdog, The Cornucopia Institute, reinforced their call for USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to correct the chronic pattern of gross corruption at the National Organic Program (NOP) by replacing the incompetent management.
Cornucopia’s letter to Perdue follows the release of a new investigation by The Washington Post documenting massive shipments of fraudulent organic grains entering the U.S. from China and Eastern Europe. The May 13 article, The labels said ‘organic.’ But these massive imports of corn and soybeans weren’t, details how easy it has been for exporters to sell gross amounts of fraudulent “organic” commodities to U.S. markets.
“This is the second organic major-league scandal uncovered this month by The Washington Post, and it confirms a longstanding pattern of negligence and corruption documented by our researchers,” said Will Fantle, Cornucopia’s codirector.
Cornucopia has filed numerous formal and well-documented legal complaints seeking to force the USDA to examine a wide range of alleged wrongdoings at organic factory farms and by other industry scofflaws. All too often the complaints have been dismissed without investigation, or, when found meritorious, penalties have been negotiated down to a “light slap on the wrist” for offenders, with the details of the deals cloaked in secrecy, according to Cornucopia.
The organic sector is a robust and rapidly growing piece of the food pie, with annual sales now topping more than $40 billion. “Clearly there is a hunger by many in America for food that is safer and more nutrient-dense,” Fantle noted. “But consumers are being cheated and ethical farmers are being robbed of income while the USDA fails to vigorously defend—as they were charged to do by Congress—organic integrity.”
The NOP oversees approximately 150 independent agencies worldwide that do inspections of organic farms and facilities. “Its accreditation program is fundamental in ameliorating the inherent conflict of interest in businesses hiring their own certifiers,” stated Anne Ross, an attorney with Cornucopia with a background in food and agricultural law.
Cornucopia has updated an outstanding complaint with the USDA’s Inspector General about corruption at the NOP. The agency has ignored well-documented concerns of improprieties in imports since The Cornucopia Institute first published their report on growing Chinese “organic” soybean sales in the U.S. in 2009.
“Regulators have ignored U.S. organic farmer co-ops sharing information about domestic markets being destroyed by imports sold at bewilderingly low prices,” said Fantle. “U.S. farmers simply cannot compete with organic alchemy.”
Whisperings of widespread fraud with grain imports have been circulating for over a decade in the organic farming community. A number of Cornucopia’s farmer members, and leading farmer-owned organic grain cooperatives, have shared data about domestic markets completely undermined by imports sold at extraordinarily low prices that they simply cannot compete with. For over a decade Cornucopia has informed NOP officials of these concerns. Instead of taking action, the NOP sat back and watched domestic markets erode to the point where organic grain farmers could no longer make a living.
Bob Joos, 57, a fourth-generation North Dakota farmer, who has just finished his conversion to organics, is caught in the squeeze, “Three years of financial sacrifice and hard work later I have achieved organic certification and I am now feeling financial stress because I have bins full of organic grains that the end users don’t want because they are now getting production cheaper than my cost of production, from overseas.”
“If I don’t get a break soon, I am contemplating selling some grain as conventional to try to stay in business one more year. The only other thing I can do is sell off machinery or land,” Joos added.
In 2011 Cornucopia joined with U.S. grain cooperatives and organic farmers in Canada in investigating a widespread conventional grain laundering scandal by Québec certified organic operation Jirah Mills.
The allegations of fraud ended up with Jirah voluntarily surrendering its organic certification in Canada, along with their right to engage in organic commerce in the province of Québec. But the company was then recertified by Oregon Tilth, under the NOP standards, and Jirah resumed exporting the suspect grain to the U.S.
The USDA’s National Organic Program inexplicably continues to recognize the credibility of certifiers that have been banned from organic certification activities in Europe. And there are widespread reports of cargoes being rejected in the United Kingdom and instead being diverted to the U.S. The lax oversight of the U.S. organic program has turned bad actors, here and abroad, loose against unsuspecting U.S. organic consumers. Our National Organic Program is failing at its most basic duty: to enforce the organic standards.
“The callous attitude of the National Organic Program administrator, Mr. McEvoy, in ignoring widespread fraud in organic livestock agriculture, illegal hydroponic (soil-less) organic produce production, and the longtime calls for investigation into fraud in imports, has materially injured the organic farming community in the U.S.,” said Mark A. Kastel, Cornucopia’s senior farm policy analyst. “Organic stakeholders need the Trump/Purdue administration to step up and exert authority over the NOP, which has been unduly influenced by the leading industry lobby group, the Organic Trade Association.”


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corp., WPSC the Wheeling, W.Va., steelmaker, expects to report second-quarter operating profit of about $19 million, compared with its previous estimate of $11 million. Revenue in the quarter was higher than expected because of higher selling prices and lower costs, Wheeling-Pittsburgh said.
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McDonald’s has been known as a fast food juggernaut, with being able to sell to over a million people a day. But, just like every other company, a promotional strategy is needed to keep awareness of your establishment. In January of 2012, McDonald’s attempted a new Twitter campaign using the hash tag #McDstories. The feedback they were receiving was far from what they expected. Tweeters would post negative things about McDonald’s whether it be a sickness they received from the food, the atmosphere or even the way food is made and processed. Within two hours of the promotional campaign debut, McDonald’s changed their promotional program quickly as they dropped it within two hours. Social Media director, Rick Wion issued a statement afterwards saying:
“Last Thursday, we planned to use two different hashtags during a promoted trend – #meetthefarmers and #McDstories. While #meetthefarmers was used for the majority of the day and successful in raising awareness of the Supplier Stories campaign, #McDstories did not go as planned. We quickly pulled #McDstories and it was promoted for less than two hours.”
Even though the struggle was real for McDonald’s, it just goes to show how well they are able to handle these situations with the promotional campaign ending within two hours and only generating roughly 1,500 mentions of stories that shouldn’t be told about a company. On top of that, Wion was able to comment on the matter and explain to the public why its promo ended and staying away from detail was beast for their public.
Some of the tweets in response to #McDstories consisted of:
“Hospitalized for food poisoning back 1989. Never ate there again and became a vegetarian. Should have sued”
“I lost 50 pounds in 6 months after I quit working and eating at McDonald’s”
“Ordered a McDouble, something in the damn thing chipped my molar”
Hopefully in the future, social media experts within the company will think about what their customers might generate towards the hash tag instead of assuming all stories told can be good. From experience here we can see even big boys can make mistakes.


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London: Women will spend £25,776 in their lifetime pampering themselves, according to new research.
Each year the average woman will spend £379-a-year – or £32-a-month – on skincare, treatments and beauty products.
The beauty conscious spend the biggest chunk of that looking after their skin, with the average woman splashing out £11,424 on moisturisers and cleansers, in their lifetime, or £168-each-year.
Feel good treatments such as massages, facials and tanning take up another £8,066 during a woman’s lifetime while hair cuts, creams and cosmetics costs a total of £6,286.
A spokesman for skincare and make-up specialists Clarins, which carried out the research, said: ”It’s reassuring that women today have the confidence to know that ‘me-time’ spent in the beauty salon and at the beauty counter is money well spent.”
Women in London spend more than other women in the UK on looking after themselves, splashing out on £801.12-a-year – or £54,476 in their lifetime, more than twice the national average.
But at the other end of the scale Bristol girls aren’t quite as self-conscious, as they only spend £276 a year – or a total of £18,776 in their lifetime.
It’s not surprising women spend so much money trying to improve their appearance – the poll, of 2,000 women,l found that almost 60 per cent say looking their best is the most important thing to them.
A huge 93 per cent of women even think that the way they look has a massive affect on how they feel.
Lynda Tarpey (corr), owner of Pretty Woman, an award-winning beauty salon in Leeds, said: ”A facial or body treatment can work wonders in just one hour to help you de-stress and feel more confident.
”One of our most popular at present is a Radiance Ritual Facial from Clarins which revives tired looking skin that’s lost its sparkle.”
However, more than half aren’t happy with the way they look and eight out of 10 women reckon they are constantly judged on what they look like.
A desperate 43 per cent would even consider turning to cosmetic surgery, with teeth-straightening the most popular procedure followed by a tummy tuck and liposuction.
The poll also found that a lazy 32 per cent of women don’t bother to take their make-up off before they go to bed, with girls in Exeter the worst culprits.
In Cardiff only 20 per cent of women polled wake-up wearing make-up from the night before.
Raj Aggarwal (corr), who runs Cardiff’s Clarins salon, said: ”You can’t put a price on looking good.
”For most people, if they look great on the outside, they feel good on the inside and tend to be happier.”
The survey also found that a quarter of Wigan women reckon their partners would find them UGLY if they didn’t use moisturiser.
A third of Brits admit to wearing fake tan in order to look good with London women most likely to go under a sun bed.
However, one in 10 of those polled think people who spend so much time on themselves are vain and should get a life.
UK BEAUTY CAPITALS – MONEY SPENT ON LOOKING GOOD A MONTH
1. London 66.76
2. Southampton 63.5
3. Liverpool 46
4. Leeds 40.51
5. Birmingham 33.7
6. Derby 31.09
7. Wigan 30.79
8. Belfast 30.43
9. Coventry 29.34
10. Cardiff 28.82
11. Cambridge 27.86
12. Sheffield 27.84
13. Brighton 27.35
14. Newcastle 26.04
15. Bradford 25.74
16. Swansea 25.48
17. Norwich 25.35
18. Reading 24.17
19. Nottingham 24.02
20. Bristol 23.01
FIVE THINGS YOU COULD BUY FOR £26,000
*1 Lotus Elise S
*306 tickets to watch the Spice Girls
*34 weeks at the Four Seasons Resort, Whistler Mountain, Canada
*29 return flights to Sydney, Australia
*314 tickets to Disneyland Paris


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Microsoft is bringing Forza Horizon 4 to Steam on March 9th. It marks the very first time the Forza franchise has been available on Steam, and it will include crossplay with players on Xbox consoles, the standard Windows 10 model, and people streaming Forza Horizon 4 via xCloud.
Playground Games has been gradually increasing Forza Horizon 4 with expansions and a fight royale-like manner. A Halo driving expertise even appeared in the match a couple decades in the past, and the Lego Pace Champions growth involves brick cars and landscapes. A new Warm Wheels car or truck pack is also coming before long, which will incorporate a number of new vehicles for $10.
Microsoft’s Forza embrace of Steam will come soon after the corporation reversed program approximately three a long time in the past, promising to distribute additional Xbox titles by means of Steam. Halo: The Grasp Main Assortment arrived on Steam in 2019, adopted by Sea of Burglars final calendar year. Together with Microsoft Flight Simulator, all a few titles are now often identified in the top rated sellers record on Steam.


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Kohl's to open over 55 new stores in 2001
January 8, 2001,
MENOMONEE FALLS, WI -Kohl's continues its store expansion into new and existing markets this year, with plans to swell its number of stores approximately 19 percent.
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Vegas Performing with PureCare's Lonnie Scheps


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Kerry Hayes/Walt Disney StudiosRyan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock in “The Proposal.”
Lost in the weekend box-office churn was a tidbit about “The Proposal” that shows just how big of a hit it has become for Walt Disney Studios. The Sandra Bullock vehicle reached $155 million in domestic ticket sales over the weekend, bypassing the total domestic tally for “Sex and the City.” That firmly plants “The Proposal” as one of the most successful romantic comedies of the decade.
Adjusting for inflation, Box Office Mojo lists “The Proposal” as the 19th highest grossing romantic comedy of all time in North America. (“Pretty Woman” is No. 1; “Sex and the City,” which is a yardstick for studios in part because its success last summer drew intense media fawning, is No. 20.)
Media analysts at SNL Kagan estimate that “The Proposal” will make about $172 million in profit once DVD sales and television runs are factored in, which is extremely good news for Disney’s struggling studio division, which posted a rare loss in the most recent quarter.
Steadily over the years, the big names in music have come to terms with iTunes, including Led Zeppelin, and, in 2010, the Beatles. Recently, AC/DC agreed to sell its music there. Still, you won't find Garth Brooks and others. Whose music have you looked for, unsuccessfully, on iTunes? Who should Apple be coming to terms with next?
The Emmy-winning actor may replace Carson Daly in a late-night half hour interview program, according to one executive involved in the network’s program planning.
About Media Decoder
Media Decoder is an insider’s guide to the media industry that tracks the transformation of the movie business, television, print, advertising, marketing and new media. It’s a showcase for the extensive media coverage throughout The New York Times and a window on how the business of connecting with consumers is changing in the digital age.


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‘Sending drivers out to die’: UPS workers demand heat safety amid record temps – NBC News
A UPS worker claims that his boss told him off for pausing for 47 seconds to sip water, amid a searing heatwave.
Last week, temperatures in New York reached highs of 95 degrees Fahrenheit, making it more difficult for UPS workers to work. Some workers described their struggle to work in the hot weather, and some went to the hospital for treatment.
Driver Matthew Moczygemba, 35, felt dizzy and vomited after delivering packages for several hours on a 103-degree day in Fort Worth, Texas. He was diagnosed with dehydration and heat exhaustion and given several bags of IV fluid.
UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company, and its ubiquitous brown trucks and warehouses are largely without air conditioning. The union representing UPS workers says the company has not been proactive on the topic of heat.
Experts say it’s difficult to know how many workers are injured by heat in a given year, because many heat-related injuries are not fully admitted to hospitals.
UPS workers have reported heat indexes of 126 and temperature readings above 150 degrees in the back of their trucks. The company has installed venting systems and offers fans to drivers on request.
Security footage of a residential home shows a UPS driver that collapsed at a customer’s front door in extreme weather conditions.
For more updates on this story, check out the news outlets listed below.
- ‘Sending drivers out to die’: UPS workers demand heat safety amid record temps NBC News
- UPS worker reprimanded for sipping water amid NY heatwave: report Business Insider
- UPS workers rally for AC in trucks after heatwave The Hill
- Deliver them from heat: What UPS drivers and other victims of extreme heat deserve New York Daily News
- New York UPS workers rally over claims of unsafe conditions in summer heat Fox Business


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Final Fantasy XIV Celebrates Third Anniversary
Final Fantasy XIV is celebrating its third anniversary and a landmark six million players worldwide.
The FFXIV development team hosted a 14-hour live broadcast, featuring the 31st installment of “Letter from the Producer LIVE.” Producer/director Naoki Yoshida showcased upcoming content, addressed fan feedback, and previewed Patch 3.4 “Soul Surrender,” releasing on September 27. The new patch will include new main scenario quests, dungeons, trials, the final wing of the Alexander raid, and more. A recap can be found here.
The third anniversary also continues in-game with “The Rising” seasonal event, a celebration of remembrance, featuring fun activities and exciting in-game rewards for players to enjoy.
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Is yours protecting you — Sunscreens ranked
- Author: Audrey Hill May 24, 2017,
May 24, 2017, 4:06
But which products are the safest?
The advocacy group compiled a list of best and worst-rated products after examining SPF protection, chemical ingredients, overall safety and effectiveness of several sunscreens. Plus, the sun didn't seem to cause burns on anyone, including Cannon, who wasn't wearing sunscreen. Of the 58 products tested, researchers named 15 that met their standards.
Is SPF 15 protection enough?
How high is too high? "But instead, they may encourage people to spend more time in the sun, exposing themselves to more, not less, ultraviolet rays".
The initiative is part of the company's "Long Live Skin" campaign. Moisture makes sunscreen less effective. But UVA and UVB protection do not harmonize, and because the FDA caps the number of active ingredients in a product, high SPF sunscreens-which are geared toward protecting against UVB rays-leave very little room for anti-UVA ingredients like zinc oxide and avobenzone. The Environmental Working Group states that, properly applied, SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98 percent of sunburn rays, while SPF 100 blocks 99 percent. The mom explained that her baby's face was blistered and beet red.
"High SPF is a marketing gimmick", said David Andrews, a senior scientist at EWG. In fact, her daughter began breaking out in a blotchy, red rash, complete with blisters and "second-degree burns" following the sunscreen application, according to Cannon. She recommends sticking to products between SPF 30 and 50.
Kalia recommends finding a sunscreen to protect against UVA as well.
'When it came to having sunscreen on, I thought it was better to have some sunscreen than none at all, ' Cannon said. "And of course don't inhale the sunscreen, or it can be irritating". Inconsistency in coating from the spray mechanism, potential inhalation of the spray by children while applying and flammability have become causes of concern. Some of these chemicals are extremely helpful, but others may have damaging effects. The latter, though, are especially risky because they contain additions like oxybenzone and the Vitamin A-based retinyl palmitate, which are included for anti-aging benefits, but heighten the skin's sensitivity to UV rays and may speed the development of tumors.
Retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, has been the topic of years of debate and research.
Not everyone is convinced of the claims made in the report.
"We are greatly concerned when any person encounters a reaction using our products", Banana Boat said in a statement.
Sun lovers beware: New test results from Consumer Reports finds not all sunscreens block UV rays as advertised. There are two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVB and UVA.
"It appears that Consumer Reports' testing methods are not consistent with those used by FDA, and therefore are not the same testing as required by the product manufacturers to assign the SPF designation".
Doctors, when asked about which sunscreen to use for young children, generally suggest using titanium dioxide or zinc oxide sunscreen.
Experts say it's important to pick a sunscreen that gives you the best coverage overall.
Davis notes that protective clothing can also play a key role in blocking harmful rays.


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President Donald Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. This is the culmination of a 16-month battle, which will benefit small businesses greatly.
With the passage of the USMCA, small business is going to thrive with more opportunities in Canada and Mexico. According to U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza, “This new framework will make it easier to sell products to consumers in Canada and Mexico by eliminating complex and cost-prohibitive rules requiring small businesses to open foreign offices.”
Carranza goes on to say, “$68 billion in new economic activity will be generated, and an estimated 176,000 new jobs will be created, helping to further fuel upward mobility in communities that need it most.”
For his part, the President added, “The USMCA is estimated to add another 1.2 percent to our GDP and create countless new American jobs.”
The passing of the USMCA in Congress marks a rare bipartisan agreement. A clear majority that highlights the value of the new trade arrangement between Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
Small Business and the USMCA
With the USMCA, small business is going to see higher export numbers, and considering most of them already export, it will provide immediate results. But it all starts with the number of jobs U.S. trade supports with Canada and Mexico.
This comes out to a whopping 12 million American jobs, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Furthermore, overall U.S. goods exports and trade with the two countries was nearly $1.4 trillion in 2018.
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) reports 143,634 small firms export to Canada and Mexico, while 32,758 import. And the majority of these businesses have less than 20 employees, so they really are small businesses.
The president & CEO of the SBE Council, Karen Kerrigan further explains some of the other benefits of the signing of the USMCA by President Trump.
Kerrigan says, “The digital, intellectual property, good regulatory practices, agricultural and unique small business chapters will facilitate and encourage global expansion for America’s small firms.”
Even better, it will get rid of more regulations. Kerrigan adds, “Provisions dedicated to cutting costs and red tape at the border are especially vital for small businesses. In terms of their ability to compete profitably and pursue opportunities in these markets.”
All this adds up to more benefits for small business owners in the U.S.
USMCA Small Business Benefits
The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been in effect since January 1, 1994. The passing of the USMCA is ushering in a new era of trade between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. While the overall impact will not be known long after its implementation, here are some of the benefits small businesses can expect.
Here are some of the other benefits.
One of the more important benefits for companies in the tech sector is it forbids customs duties on digital products with electronic distribution. This includes e-books, videos, music, software, games, and other channels.
At the same time, USMCA supports cross border services by eliminating local presence requirements which will greatly benefit small businesses. If a small business provides cross-border services, it no longer has to open a foreign office. In the past, this was a condition for doing business.
You can read the full fact sheet from the Office of the United States Trade Representative here for more on how the USMCA supports SMBs.
The Bipartisan Effort
When President Trump announced he wanted to get a better deal than NAFTA, he started a debate which was mostly falling across partly lines. However, members of both parties have come together to get a better deal.
In 2018, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. signed the first USMCA. In December the House approved legislation to implement the USMCA. It passed by a vote of 385 to 41, with 193 Democrats and 192 Republicans backing the pact. In the Senate, the voting passed with 89 to 10 in favor of the agreement.
The only thing left is for Canada and Mexico to follow suit and sign the agreement. Mexico has already approved the new version. And the Canadian Prime Minister says his country will be the last to ratify the agreement.
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I guess if it can help the economy, it will be good for businesses.


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The big news of the day is that Adobe is purchasing Macromedia for $3.4B in stock. Fundamentally, this deal makes sense. The core of both of these companies’ products is an offering for the “creative professional” (that’s the Adobe-speak that I picked up while working there a few years ago). Adobe has had success in the past year increasing their top-line through the bundling of their product line; this acquisition will add another set of titles to supplement that bundle. That part of the marriage makes a lot of makes sense – these companies are in the same neighborhood.
The question that I have with the acquisition comes down to culture and strategy. While both of these companies are in the Bay Area, their physical distance mirrors their cultural and strategic differences. Macromedia up in San Francisco and Adobe down in San Jose are worlds apart sometimes. And especially for these two companies. Remember the bitter lawsuit war that these two companies had a few years ago? Let’s just say that tensions ran high and it’s going to take some time internally for the people at these two companies to warm up to each other. More importantly, Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen has publicly stated that the key component of their growth strategy moving forward is around bringing the PDF intelligent document to the enterprise. How does the Macromedia acquisition fit into that plan? I don’t see it, really.
Moreover, I think that Om Malik has it right: these are “two companies who have not kept up with the times… The deal is proof that there is little or not growth organic growth left in the old Silicon Valley. Desktop publishing, and subsequently Web 1.0 publishing are passe… They are becoming increasingly irrelevant in digital worlds where free programs like iPhoto and Picasa are setting the tone on the desktop.” Adobe has missed out on a huge opportunity in consumer digital imaging. Its offering, Photoshop Album, has been edged out by competitors. The problem comes down to culture – it’s just not a place that embraces innovation, especially in the connected online world. The internal Photoshop fiefdom is used to producing shrink-wrapped software, not online services. It “innovates” around a new tweak in the next Photoshop release, not around new product lines or business models.
At least now Adobe is waking up to the fact that it must purchase innovation, not facilitate it. Look for more acquisitions from the Adobe team in the upcoming year, so it can add a few more houses to the neighborhood it’s building.