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After being linked to a Listeria outbreak in 2022, Old Europe Cheese suspended operations and received an FDA warning letter. The outbreak, which sickened six people in six states- California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and Texas, triggered a recall that included cheeses sold under more than two dozen brand names. The recalled cheeses were sold at dozens of stores nationwide including Albertsons, Fresh Thyme, Hannaford, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, Meijer, Safeway, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Winn Dixie.
Do you need a Listeria Lawyer?
FDA’s Inspection of Old Europe Cheese
Health officials used genetic testing on Listeria samples collected from the patients who were sickened between August 2017 and August 2022 and found they matched each other and the Listeria strain found in the Benton Harbor, MI manufacturing facility of Old Europe Cheese Inc.
From September 13, 2022, through October 6, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the facility and found “serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventative Controls for Human Food regulation,” according to the letter. Because of these findings, the FDA determined that the ready-to-eat (RTE) brie and camembert soft cheeses manufactured at the facility were adulterated and should not enter interstate commerce.
The company suspended operations while it conducted a roost cause investigation, attempted to correct problems cited in the FDA’s inspection report, “implement long-term infrastructure projects and rebuild its food safety systems.” These corrective measures included cleaning, environmental sector sampling, hiring a food safety consultant, and making improvements to the ceilings, walls, floors, and drains.
But these actions, outlined in emails to the FDA on October 28, 2022, November 30, 2022, January 13, 2023, and February 28, 2023, were not sufficient for the FDA because the company did not show that the measures had eliminated Listeria from the facility. This prompted the agency to issue a warning letter.
FDA’s Warning Letter to Old Europe Cheese
In its warning letter to Old Europe Cheese, FDA cites the following problems:
- Failure to appropriately evaluate known or reasonably foreseeable hazards to determine whether they require a preventive control.
- Failure to demonstrate that any hazards requiring a preventive control will be significantly minimized or prevented so that cheese products will not be adulterated.
- Failure to clean, sanitize and sterilize utensils and equipment in a manner that protects against contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, or food-packaging materials.
- Failure to address the physical properties of the plant that cause condensate to drip from fixtures, ducts, and pipes which can contaminate food and food-contact surfaces.
The FDA gave Old World Cheese 15 days to respond to the letter which is dated April 4, 2023.
Experienced Listeria Lawyers
If you developed a Listeria infection after eating recalled cheese and would like to discuss your legal options, please contact our Listeria lawyers. Our Food Safety Team has more experience handling Listeria lawsuits than any other law firm in the country securing some of the largest Listeria settlements in U.S. history including a recent award of $6.4 million.
You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.


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Economic activities in Cape Verde are expected to continue contracting in 2013, a year in which average annual inflation is expected to total between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent, the Bank of Cape Verde said Wednesday in Praia.
The projection takes into consideration contraction of business for Cape Verde’s main economic partners and is made on the basis that the archipelago’s current guidelines for macroeconomic policies will remain in place.
In terms of economic activities, the document noted that “the performance of the national private sector, affected in part by still restrictive financing conditions, may determine economic performance this year.”
“The pressures on family income (as well as an expected drop in remittances form emigrants) and in company revenues will in some measure contribute to an expected drop in family spending and in private investment.” The statement said.
The Bank of Cape Verde also forecast that the balance of payments would continue to post surpluses and net foreign reserves would guarantee around four months of imports. (macauhub)

domain: news


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Rapha and Team Sky announce end of kit deal
Rapha will not renew its four-year kit supply deal with Team Sky after the 2016 season, the brand has announced.
Simon Mottram, the Rapha founder and chief executive, said the decision not to renew the partnership was made “after reflection and discussion.”
The Team Sky partnership was announced in October 2012, with kit details released in January 2013, promptly crashing Rapha’s website. At the time Mr Mottram said the the partnership promised to be an “amazing ride”.
“We share their passion for performance and team ethic and are enthusiastic to inspire and engage a wider fan base around the globe,” he said.
Rapha would not disclose the value of the deal, although a spokesman said that a Team Sky rider would get through 750


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In an unfortunate turn of events, split-screen function in Fortnite has been temporarily disabled due to an “issue.” The decision probably comes at an upsetting time for players who prefer to play together on the same couch.
The split-screen was introduced to Fortnite in the latest patch, version 11.30. It only worked on the Duos and Squads modes, and only on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The patch notes for 11.30 went out on Dec. 12; on the same day, the Fortnite Status Twitter account revealed that they have disabled the split screen feature in the game. The statement doesn’t specify a reason, other than there are “issues” with the feature. It promises they’ll update players when the feature has been re-enabled, but it has been over a day, and there’s still no word when it will return.
Due to an issue, we have temporarily disabled the Splitscreen feature.
We’ll provide an update when this has been is re-enabled. pic.twitter.com/Qx4o7cAvxt
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 12, 2019
Ever since patch 11.30 went live, the game has been suffering from a few technical problems. The Siphon mechanic, where players gain health points after eliminating an enemy, was being inconsistent. Some players have also been having issues with the Class Designer device settings being reset to default after the update went live.
Most of these issues have been resolved at this point, including the inconsistent Siphon. Usually, when a significant update goes live, there are bound to be an issues in a game, and Fortnite is no exception.
The inconsistencies with Siphon have been resolved. It is again working as intended. pic.twitter.com/NYswTxvotm
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 13, 2019


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A new report claims the Cupertino-based tech giant received a new patent that could transform the iPhone into a handheld game console
Apple recently obtained another patent; this one is for a snap-on game controller and keyboard accessories for the iPhone. The patent further describes accessories that would instantly turn the iPhone into a more modular device with a wide range of uses.
A look at Apple’s snap-on game controller
The physical gamepad would include action buttons, D-pads, analog joysticks, a QWERTY keyboard, an additional camera, microphone units, and a trackpad. The patent also offers wireless multiplayer gaming capabilities utilizing similar accessory hardware. This gamepad would instantly turn the iPhone into a handheld game console much like the Sony Vita or Nintendo 3DS line.
The technology industry has long been on the receiving end of billions of dollars in capital, but what's next for the industry? Greylock General Partner Sarah Guo joined Wall Street Journal reporter Zoe Thomas to talk about the future of tech investment. Q3 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more Seed Funding Thomas asked Guo Read More
The proposed setup also involves ad-hoc or point-to-point connectivity with either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, making it much more in line with game console creators.
Apple may not use the patents for the iPhone
The other accessories discussed in the patent include variations of provisions for adding more storage and creating additional user profiles and video-out capabilities. Unfortunately, it’s not likely that people will see the patents mentioned above as first-party products from Apple. These patents originally date back to 2008, so Apple has had a lot of time to work on the designs and perfect the patents.
Apple does sell accessories when a potential market is significant. The tech giant usually taps third-party companies to make accessories for specific niches.
It’s highly unlikely this new patent will prove to be anything more than optional accessories if it even reaches beyond the current stage. Apple receives a lot of patents. However, many of the filings never make it to a finished product.
Gaming-related patents should help give Apple a strong boost in the mobile gaming market. Although many game console makers like Sony and Microsoft continue to see strong sales in the ever-changing industry, Apple is seen as a formidable competitor as it continues to attract casual gamers.


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Everybody knows Milan is one of the world’s fashion capitals and now the luxury goods market in Italy has reached a new stage: the number of luxury products companies listing their shares on the stock market has increased considerably. More than that, we could say that Italian companies in the luxury industry will be the leaders of the IPO (initial public offerings) market this year. Our company formation consultants in Italy can assist with the company registration process if you are interested in starting a business in the luxury goods sector.
The number of companies operating in the luxury sector under the Made in Italy brand are among the best performers of the Italian economy, considering the data gathered since the beginning of 2017. Leaving aside startups which are also on a good track, the number of Italian companies issuing new stock on the Italian capital markets is increasing at a fast pace. According to the Italian Statistical Office, Italian companies incorporated within the last five years have registered the best performances. These has also brought “their shareholders great satisfaction”, if we are to quote fashion representatives.
Our company incorporation agents in Italy can explain the requirements to list a company on the local stock exchange.
The Italian fashion industry is winning over new markets all over the world and not only when talking about recognized brands, but also companies with less popularity. Some of them rose by more than 30% in sales numbers within the first two years of activities, while most of them expanded their operation in nearby countries where they have become quite popular.
According to statistics, the luxury segment is one of the best industries to invest in Italy this year, as the Made in Italy brand has gathered some of the most renowned brands and helped new fashion companies to have a greater reach on the market, therefore opening a company in this sector can bring a substantial income even if not addressing luxury consumers from the beginning.
For assistance in starting a business in the fashion industry, do not hesitate to contact our Italian company formation representatives.


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Ledger is investigating phishing scam that targets wallet users
October 26, 2020, 4:28PM EDT
1 min read
Ledger is looking into an apparent impersonation scam after several of the wallet provider's customers reported on social media today that they had received phishing emails.
Web developer Andreas Tasch shared the suspicious email on Twitter and asked the company why he hadn't received any information about his data being compromised. The message, which appeared to come from Ledger, said the Ledger Live service had been hit with a malware attack.
"At this moment, it's technically impossible to conclusively assess the severity and the scope of the data breach. Due to these circumstances, we must assume that your cryptocurrency assets are [redacted] risk of being stolen," the email said before directing readers to click a button to download a new version of the software.
The hardware wallet firm experienced a data breach in late June which exposed customer information and over one million user emails. A Ledger spokesperson would not comment on whether apparent phishing attempts are related to the June data breach.
A Ledger spokesperson told The Block the company has experienced "continuous phishing scams" that often involve "malicious false actors trying to compromise Ledger's integrity and customer information." The spokesperson said the company has deployed an internal task force to investigate the latest attack.
"The investigation is ongoing and at this time we cannot give any additional information but one thing is for certain Ledger will never ask you for your 24-word recovery phrase, which is a blatant sign of a phishing scam," the spokesperson told The Block.
The Block Research was commissioned by Algorand to create Layer-1 Platforms: A Framework for comparison, which provides a “look under the hood” at seven platforms: Algorand, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, Cosmos, Ethereum/Ethereum 2.0, Polkadot, and Solana.
We assess their technical design, related ecosystem data, and qualitative factors such as key ecosystem members to get an understanding of how they differ. Having done this analysis, we draw some insights for what the future of the broader smart contract landscape could look like for years to come.


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There was a time in 2020 when grocery stores temporarily closed, and when they reopened, masked customers waited in long lines — separated by six feet — some waiting hours to finally get in. Once inside, many shelves were (and still are in some places) bare, especially those aisles with paper towels, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies.
So a game show set in a grocery store — a fully stocked one at that — to actually be debuting on TV seems like a miracle of sorts. But that's what ABC and production company Fremantle (American Idol, The Price Is Right, Match Game) have done with the new Supermarket Sweep, a reboot of the popular series of the 1980s and '90s hosted by David Ruprecht. Filmed over the summer, after Hollywood productions were allowed to resume work under new pandemic-related health and safety protocols, the game show now has a superfan as host in the form of Saturday Night Live alum Leslie Jones.
"The nurses that [oversaw compliance and testing]... yo, they were not f—ing around," Jones says of the production, which filmed at Barker Hangar (often used for award shows and other productions) at the Santa Monica Airport in Santa Monica, Calif. "We were getting tested three times a week. No one could come near me without a mask and a shield on their face. I had to wash my hands every time I touched anything. They were sanitizing me."
As the one asking the questions and sending contestants into the aisles on a mad dash to fill their carts, Jones brings her trademark exuberance to the proceedings, where one of the three competing teams of two could go home with as much as $100,000 — a hefty improvement over the old show's $5,000 grand prize. Jones tells EW why she's so excited about that change to the show, how her love of game shows runs deep, why she couldn't be a contestant on Supermarket Sweep nowadays, what gets her emotional as host of the show, and more.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: After months of rehearsals via Zoom while production was on hold due to the pandemic, what was your first day of shooting like?
LESLIE JONES: Everybody was positive the first day of shooting… we were really trying to be a well-oiled ship. I was really excited about having interaction with the contestants — seeing some wins, seeing some losses. That part was really fun.
How does being a game show host compare to doing stand-up or being on Saturday Night Live? How did you put those skills to use here?
It’s a lot of crowd work. But it’s a lot of reading. [When I was on SNL,] people would always be like, “Leslie, why is you messin’ up?” [Laughs] I was like, “I gotta read out loud and I can’t see the [cue cards]!” Here, I gotta have a [rapport] with the contestants and I still got to read all this text. So, yeah, it was difficult. But because of stand-up, I was able to make it… through Leslie Jones’ eyes.
You’ve said you always wanted to be a contestant on the old version of this show. And you’ve been a celebrity player on shows including The $100,000 Pyramid and Match Game — so you understand what’s at stake.
There were a lot of game shows I wanted to be on. I wrote Wheel of Fortune so much that they sent me a letter saying, “Hey, we know. We got it.” [Laughs] I’m a game show head! Supermarket Sweep was one of those game shows where it was like, you don’t even have to really be smart. I know grocery stores, and I know what the hell is expensive and what’s not. It’s just a show for regular people. [It’s not like] Jeopardy! — you don’t have to know 17 states and s---; you just have to know where the steaks are.
So did you grab a cart and run through the grocery store to see how much money you could rack up on a shopping spree?
Nah, 'cause I got a bad knee, man. They should've got me when I was in my 30s. [Laughs] If I was to be on Supermarket Sweep now, I would get a partner that could run it. I don't know if I would run it, especially the way it is now. It is so physical. I was like, whoever is doing this, I just hope they get a good person to run the store. I forgot about the bonuses and all of that. To watch it, I was like, no, I'm too old for this! I might get hurt. [Laughs]
These contestants could win a lot of money — up to $100,000. In a preview, you said to some contestants, “Do not make me cry!” It sounds like the emotional stakes are as high as the financial?
When I was trying to get on Supermarket Sweep, [the prize] was, like, $5,000 — after taxes, it was still gonna be more than I had. These contestants are real people: some who want to put people through college; there's people who want to pay bills; there's people who have children they need to take care of. Especially during COVID, for us to be able to give this type of money away is life-changing and wonderful. Think about when you watch a game show and it's a regular person — like a mailman or garbage man, which are the most important people in our lives, by the way — and these people get to win $100,000. It's very emotional. I’m proud of my game show. I’m proud of us coming up with this in this time. I'm proud of us being able to help people. You could say “God bless you” to somebody, but if you give somebody $200, that’s a real God bless you right there. [Laughs] These people are winning real money and it's just absolutely wonderful. It’s heartwarming and exhilarating and fulfilling.
Add to that, the show donated all of the grocery items to local, Southern California charities and food banks. Tell me about that decision. Were there any difficulties involved given how we're supposed to wipe off our groceries?
I've always had a thing about homelessness and stuff like that, and I just really believe that we can fix this problem if we start thinking about what we can do for each other. And it could start by just being able to give food that we would normally have to throw away to people who can actually use it. We can't be irresponsible and not say, "Hey, we're gonna help everybody with all of this stuff that we're doing." This is a thing that I want everybody to be able to see, so if you show them how to do it and people can see it, then we're gonna get grocery stores to donate whatever it is that they don't need to use food banks. Or restaurants — you wouldn't realize how much restaurants actually have to throw away when they can probably give it to people who need food. We just need to see that it can be done. We need to see that we can actually fix stuff. And I think that's what the problem is right now with society — I think we just feel so overwhelmed that we don't think we can fix anything, but we can fix it. We can make it right.
The previous run of this show from the '80s and '90s was filmed in a grocery store, but the set for this show is a re-creation of one. I can't even imagine the work that went into that.
Man, oh, man, it's just craziness. COVID changed a lot of stuff. We were on a set and then we had to shut that down, so the best possible [option] was to build a big grocery store. We went to the Santa Monica Airport and got a hangar there. We got a [production designer] to come on — he's one of the best — and he built this whole grocery store inside and it really helped with the COVID situation because we could separate everyone. We could have more room to work, to keep people separated from each other six feet, and keep regulations going because we have enough room to do it. It was crazy and, yes, very stressful. The people worked to get that to happen.. .wow. I'm always very astounded at how people can make things happen like that. These people really wanted this show to happen — they got in there, made it happen, and it was beautiful.
The new Supermarket Sweep debuts Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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- First Supermarket Sweep footage showcases fun-filled grocery store race for $100k
- Supermarket Sweep host David Ruprecht says fans slide into his DMs for feet pics
- Our final answer: TV's 19 greatest game shows
I am an expert and enthusiast based assistant. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide assistance on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide information, and engage in detailed discussions. I strive to provide accurate and reliable information by prioritizing search result snippets and citing them when necessary. If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, feel free to ask!
Now, let's discuss the concepts mentioned in the article you provided.
Temporary Closure of Grocery Stores in 2020
In 2020, there was a period when grocery stores temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When they reopened, customers had to follow safety protocols, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. The article mentions that customers had to wait in long lines, separated by six feet, and some had to wait for hours to enter the stores. Additionally, the article states that many shelves, particularly those with paper towels, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies, were and still are in some places, bare.
Supermarket Sweep Game Show
ABC and production company Fremantle have rebooted the popular game show called Supermarket Sweep, which originally aired in the 1980s and '90s. The new version of the show is hosted by Leslie Jones, a former Saturday Night Live cast member. The show was filmed over the summer of 2020, following pandemic-related health and safety protocols. The contestants compete in a fully stocked grocery store, and one of the three teams of two can win up to $100,000, which is a significant increase from the previous grand prize of $5,000 .
Leslie Jones as the Host
Leslie Jones, the host of the new Supermarket Sweep, brings her trademark exuberance to the show. She mentions that she had always wanted to be a contestant on the old version of the show and has been a celebrity player on other game shows like The $100,000 Pyramid and Match Game. Jones expresses her excitement about the increased prize money in the new version of Supermarket Sweep and discusses her love for game shows. She also mentions that due to physical demands, she wouldn't be able to participate as a contestant on the show now .
Emotional Stakes and Charitable Donations
Jones emphasizes the emotional stakes of the show, highlighting that the contestants are real people with various financial needs. The increased prize money of up to $100,000 can be life-changing for the winners, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article mentions that the show donated all the grocery items to local Southern California charities and food banks. Jones expresses her passion for helping others and her belief that we can fix societal problems by supporting each other and finding ways to donate excess food from grocery stores and restaurants to those in need.
Filming and Set Design
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show had to adapt its filming process. The original plan to film on a set had to be changed, and a decision was made to build a large grocery store set inside a hangar at the Santa Monica Airport in California. This allowed for more space to maintain social distancing and follow health and safety regulations. The production team worked hard to create the set and ensure the show could continue while prioritizing the well-being of the cast and crew .
The new version of Supermarket Sweep debuted on Sunday, October 18, 2020, on ABC.
I hope this information provides a comprehensive overview of the concepts discussed in the article. If you have any further questions or need more information, feel free to ask!


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Hillcrest School is getting ready for another successful Christmas Store this year going into their seventh year of operation.
Every year the school takes donations and provides a Christmas shopping experience to their students. People from the community donate gifts or cash that will become available in the school’s Christmas Store. The students can pick from the donated items and have them wrapped by the schools elves and then the students will have gifts they can give to their family or loved ones.
“They are slowly trickling in and we have just put out adds in the last couple of weeks so we are just sort of seeing things slowly trickle in,” said Sara Pippus, the school’s community education liaison.
The amount of donations last year was around 300 items, which allowed students to have a second round of wrapping presents.
“Every year in the last six years we have had enough gifts the students were allowed to go through the store twice”, said Pippus.
Originally the Christmas Store was held in the library but Pippus didn’t want to deprive students the use of the library this year.
“This year it is going to be in our former computer lab”, said Pippus.
Among many things the Christmas Store helps teach student’s about giving instead of being at the receiving end of gifts.
“They pick at least one gift out to give to someone special in their life, so that is how they learn about giving and thinking of other people. Originally it was to give our students an opportunity to shop in a school environment where we teach them about giving and teach them about being good to other people. Lots of kids don’t have an opportunity to shop for other people because they tend to be the ones who are shopped for,” said Pippus.
Pippus has found that the community puts just as much effort and hard work into the Christmas Store as herself and her volunteers.
“We have a lot of community people who have stepped up this year to make sure that this shop can continue. What we see is the community’s generosity. The community tends to step up every time and donate to our school, it is a good way for the community to show they care for the students and the students know they are cared about and that they can trust our community,” said Pippus.
The donations that are acceptable are gently used or new items. Pippus knows that people do have a lot of extra stuff at home but those extra items may not be best suited for Christmas presents.
“Just gently used or good new items as long as things are something that you think as a parent I would like to receive, don’t bring us stuff you have no other place for,” said Pippus.
Pippus and many others would like to see the Hillcrest Christmas Store experience spread to other schools.
“We have always sort of put the idea out there to other people but I don’t think there is anyone else that has taken up the idea yet,” said Pippus.
Members in the community are welcome to volunteer or donate items to spread the Christmas sprit. If anyone has any interest they are encouraged to contact the Hillcrest School or check out one of the Christmas Store flyers that are circulating around town.


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The economic slowdown in China, a Trump-era trade deal and Europe’s desperate search for natural gas are generating gains for Chinese energy companies. With demand low, Chinese companies that have signed long-term contracts to buy U.S. liquefied natural gas are selling off the excess and earning hundreds of millions of dollars per load. Buyers include Europe, Japan and South Korea.
Chinese customs data shows that China is getting nearly 30% more gas from Russia so far this year. The increase is due to growth in scheduled delivery of the Force of Siberia pipeline and purchases of Russian LNG, usually at a deep discount.
However, Chinese sales to Europe are small to help the continent avoid a shortage this winter, but provide a preview of Moscow’s growing dependence on Beijing. Chinese companies are easing their effort to sow divisions in Europe, halting gas exports.
The contracts, which last up to 25 years, have given US suppliers the confidence to build more multibillion-dollar LNG terminals along the Gulf Coast, increasing the country’s ability to export more gas.
China’s ENN Natural Gas is expected to profit from this trade when it sends the Diamond Gas Victoria LNG tanker to pick up a cargo of gas from the Cheniere Energy Inc plant. in Sabine Pass, Louisiana, on the Gulf Coast on Oct. 18, according to three industry sources.
Since 2021, US suppliers and Chinese buyers have announced 16 deals for a total of around 19 million metric tons of LNG per year, which will gradually come into effect over the next five years.


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JAL says nine-month net profit slips, ups year forecast
Published on Feb 4, 2013 2:34 PM
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan Airlines (JAL) said on Monday that its net profit in the nine months to December slipped 3.7 per cent to US$1.52 billion (S$1.9 billion), but the carrier boosted its full-year profit estimate.
JAL, which re-listed its shares in Tokyo last year after a high-profile bankruptcy restructuring, said it booked a 140.64 billion yen (S$1.9 billion) net profit in the nine-month period, while upping its profit estimate for the year to March to 163 billion yen from an earlier 140 billion yen forecast.
Sales over the nine-month period were up 3.6 percent at 942.04 billion yen.
JAL credited the upward full-year profit revision to an expected income boost "from new products and services as our business in Europe and the United States as well as Southeast Asia are performing well, despite concerns over the suspension in service of the Boeing 787".
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Latest Fat Stories
About 300 000 years ago humans adapted genetically to be able to produce larger amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
In a finding that may challenge popular notions of body fat and health, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have shown how fat cells can protect the body against diabetes.
Might the "Twinkie defense" have a scientific foundation after all? Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown – by each of a range of measures, in men and women of all ages, in Caucasians and minorities – that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids (dTFAs) is associated with irritability and aggression.
In the war against obesity, one’s own fat cells may seem an unlikely ally, but new research from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) suggests ordinary fat cells can be reengineered to burn calories.
About five years ago, animal studies first revealed the presence of entirely novel types of oral fat sensors or receptors on the tongue.
Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease.
It's well known that exercising reduces body weight because it draws on fat stores that muscle can burn as fuel.
Brown adipose tissue (often known as brown fat) is a specialized tissue that burns calories to generate body heat in rodents and newborn humans.
Can brown fat make you thinner? A research team led by Andre Carpentier and Denis Richard at the Université de Sherbrook, in Quebec; attempted to find the answer.
Brown adipose tissue (often known as brown fat) is a specialized tissue that burns calories to generate body heat in rodents and newborn humans, neither of which shiver.


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Story in the Globe today discussing the economic impact on wine sales (high end Champagne, icewine and cellar-worthy).
It looks like icewine sales are particularly soft.
Icewines are a small fraction of sales at most wineries, but at Inniskillin, the country's largest producer, it can make up as much as 40 per cent of sales, depending on the harvest. "For us it's quite major," says Inniskillin's Deb Pratt. Vincor Canada, which owns Inniskillin, saw sales brake abruptly in November after a normal October. "It certainly has caught up with us," says export director Randy Dufour.


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11 E. coli O157:H7 cases likely tied to cheese sold or tasted at Costco stores in October have been found in Arizona. Overall, more than two dozen cases of E. coli in five states, also including Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and California, are likely tied to such cheese, the Arizona Department of Health Services said in a news release. The illnesses may be associated with cheese served and sold at “Cheese Road Shows” Costco held in October, the Arizona health officials said.
Federal, state and local health officials are working to determine the type of cheese causing illness. Preliminary data are pointing to the Dutch style Gouda, but health officials are still investigating, the news release said. The Arizona State Public Health Laboratory is now testing several samples.


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News By Tag
News By Location
AMD receives the American Heart Association’s Fit Friendly Workplace Award
Beverly Kuykendall, the company’s President of Government Business division, accepted the Award on AMD’s behalf. “We are pleased that our employees are so involved in the heart healthy initiative. It is an incredible testament to their commitment that they now drive the company’s efforts in participating in the Annual Heart Walk, and all of the activities leading up to the American Heart Association’
The 150+ AMD employees are so committed to promoting health, they have assembled a “Committee of Ambassadors”
The American Heart Association’
Visit the American Heart Association website to gather information on the requirements to become a Fit Friendly Company at: AHA Fit Friendly Company Requirements (http://www.heart.org/
AMD is one of the nation’s largest diversified health care distribution and information technology companies. Assisting their customer partners, AMD improves financial and operational efficiencies while enhancing clinical quality performance.
AMD serves the full spectrum of health care providers including acute, primary, home health and hospice, offering a wide range of supply chain centric product and service offerings through its national distribution network.
Learn more by visiting amdnext.com (http://www.amdnext.com/


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Tuesday twelfth April 2022 noticed the release of US CPI (inflation) statistics, with the discharge being very carefully watched via the market, as the main macroeconomic tale of new months has been accelerating global inflation which was to begin with defined by means of the Federal Reserve as “transient”. The past few months have visible statistics hold to exceed expectancies with each release, pushing the Fed right into a tighter financial coverage, and raising the threat that considered one of its coming near near rate hikes may be as high as 0.50% as opposed to the greater ordinary 0.25%.
It changed into anticipated that the March 2022 CPI data might show an boom within the headline annual charge from 7.9% to 8.5%, and that is what happened, with the month-on-month boom going for walks at 1.2%. Interestingly, the core CPI, which is arguably a extra accurate meter of underlying inflationary pressures, undershot expectancies, coming in with a month-on-month growth of best 0.3% compared to the anticipated 0.5% exness เข้าสู่ระบบ. More than half of the month’s boom in inflation changed into composed of extended energy expenses. This, plus the reality that the information undershot expectancies standard, has given a few desire to analysts that US inflation can be peaking now at 8.5%, a price which has no longer been passed on the grounds that 1981.
UK March 2022 CPI
Wednesday 13th April 2022 saw the release of UK CPI (inflation) records. Like maximum other major valuable banks, the Bank of England is in middle of a process of increasing its historically low hobby price with a series of rate hikes.
Recent months have visible inflation facts constantly overshoot expectations, and unlike in the US statistics, this continued, with the March 2022 headline inflation price coming in at an annualized 7.0%, exceeding the anticipated price of 6.7%. Core CPI additionally overshot, with an annualized rate of 5.7% well passed the analyst consensus of 5.3%.
Inflation this high has no longer been visible in the UK given that 1992, with food and drink up by using nearly 6% and energies up by extra than 25%.
What Does This Mean for Traders?
Neither of those statistics releases produced uncommon or maybe strong reaction in the the Forex market market. The US Dollar remains the most powerful important forex and mockingly, higher inflation has been stoking the Fed’s extra hawkish policy on interest rates, which has given a tailwind backing the dollar’s latest upward push.
One feasible takeaway is optimism concerning US inflation. It may be that the annualized fee can be peaking, and with the price of crude oil manner off its latest excessive, if power fees are averted from growing any in addition, the United States can also now start to see inflation topping out. There have been fears that a headline charge above 10% could begin to cause seriously excessive embedded inflationary expectancies that can result in a actual financial unravelling, and it may be that this chance has handed. The warfare in Ukraine has definitely contributed to inflation, however maybe no longer as strongly as were feared, even though many commodities, specially foodstuffs, remain high and growing.


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Michigan State Police investigating suspicious package deliveries
Michigan State Police are investigating an increase in unsolicited and suspicious packages that were delivered in the counties of Tuscola, Huron and Sanilac.
These packages are from overseas, mostly China, and are showing up at residences that did not order them, police said this week.
The packages have contained harmless items, mostly consisting of home goods, cleaning supplies, small electronics and even personal accessories, MSP said on Twitter, noting that residents should be cautious and avoid opening any packages from overseas for orders they did not place.
If residents receive a suspicious package from another country, they should call 911, MSP said.
The police have also discovered incidents where hackers accessed online retail accounts, so they advise consumers to check their accounts for unauthorized use.


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BMW has not said anything about a BMW X4 M version yet but the latest spy shot does seem to support the rumours about them working on one.
The vehicle was spotted out in the open and while it is clear that BMW is trying to cover up the sporty parts, it is still pretty obvious to the fans. Based on what we can see, the X4 M will come in with a front fascia with bigger air intakes, deeper side sills, muscular rear bumper and four tailpipes.
We still do not know what BMW will be fitting under the hood but it is predicted that we will see a twin-turbo 3.0 litre straight six engine that will be offering about 450hp when the time comes.
Hopefully, more details will be revealed when BMW brings out the new BMW X4 in 2018. Would you like to see the X4 M?


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By Julian Oram, Policy Director
If you had a bit of extra room and a couple of grand stashed behind the sofa a year ago, you could have made a pretty penny by purchasing a crate of cocoa beans and squirreling them away in your basement. On Valentines Day, 2023, a tonne of cocoa was fetching around $2,700 on the world market. One year later, cocoa prices have crossed the $6,000 threshold, with little sign of the market cooling. Not a bad return, if you’re an investor.
For millions of West African farmers, though, cocoa is not a whimsical investment, or even just a business. It’s a crucial source of livelihood, of income to support their families. In short, it’s a matter of survival.
A sweet deal for some…
Just four African countries – Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon – account for over 70% of the cocoa traded on world markets. Most of that cocoa, which is predominantly grown by small-scale farmers, ends up in confectionary products destined for consumer markets outside of Africa, sold by global conglomerates such as Mars, Mondelez (owner of Cadbury’s), Hershey, Nestlé and Ferrero.
Until last year, the prices these companies have paid for the cocoa in their chocolate products (often purchased through intermediary traders) had remained steady. In the five years running up to early 2023, cocoa beans were trading at an average of around $2,400/ tonne. This has allowed chocolate manufacturers to make steady profits, with any small fluctuations in cocoa prices quickly transferred to the consumer.
Writing in Time magazine in June 2023, Alana Semuels observed that chocolate companies have not been shy about hiking prices, even when faced with minor inflationary pressure:
The price of cocoa has an effect on the price of the chocolates you buy at the grocery store; even in normal times, cocoa is one of the highest-cost ingredients. And with the inflation of the last two years, chocolate makers have not been shy about raising prices to cover their costs. It’s something Hershey’s has already acknowledged…in April, chief financial officer Steven Voskuil said that “cocoa and sugar in particular are moving in the wrong direction,” referring to commodities prices. In early 2022, even before the invasion of Ukraine, Hershey’s raised prices for its product lines.
As it turns out, cocoa isn’t just a shrewd short-term investment for casual investors with an empty basement but has also been good business over a long period of time for the world’s largest chocolate manufacturers. Very good business indeed.
…A bitter legacy for others
As for the farmers, their story is not so rosy.
The dominance of cocoa in the economies of West Africa is a legacy of colonial administration. Cocoa was introduced by the British in West Africa in the 1890s, where it slowly spread and subsequently flourished under smallholder cultivation. Cocoa was adopted by large numbers of farming families because, as an export crop, it provided a source of cash income for rural households. However, after achieving a high point in the late 1970s, cocoa prices subsequently dropped dramatically, and – with a few notable spikes – have more or less stagnated since.
While inflation has made farming and the cost of living more expensive for rural households over recent decades, the price farmers have received for their cocoa has failed to keep pace, driving many into poverty. In 2021, researchers from the University of Wageningen, in the Netherlands, found that between a third to a half of households in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire earned a gross income below the World Bank extreme poverty line, while the large majority (73-90%) were earning below a living income. This means they cannot afford enough to pay for basic household needs, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care.
Aside from its tragic human consequences, the inability of cocoa farmers to earn a living income from cocoa has also had devastating impacts on West Africa’s forests. Experts point out that the number one driver of deforestation in West Africa is poverty, as smallholder producers trying to earn a living seek to expand their farms by pushing into forests and protected areas. Low earnings from depressed cocoa prices also prevent farmers from investing in measures that could improve biodiversity on their farms, such as the adoption of agroforestry techniques.
All the above suggests that the recent spike in cocoa prices on world markets should provide a much-needed boost to struggling cocoa farmers. Right?
Unfortunately, not. The reasons behind the astronomic rise in world cocoa prices over the past twelve months are varied, but to a large extent derive from a series of poor harvests from the main West African producer nations. Low yields have been triggered by unpredictable rainfall, brought about by climate change and an outbreak of a disease affecting the roots of cocoa trees. Low yields have caused a supply shortfall, fueling the recent price spike. So, while so-called “farmgate” prices may eventually rise as commodity price trends filter back through market, the amount of cocoa farmers have to sell has gone down considerably. Investors and traders may be happy, but farmers are still losing out.
Where next for Cocoa?
On the surface, this might all appear to be just another story of capitalist greed writ large: of power imbalances that allow huge corporations to exploit those sitting on the bottom rung of the supply chain ladder.
And to a large extent, it is. For decades chocolate companies and the trading house that supply them with cocoa have extracted value from smallholder farmers, paying low prices, engaging in unfair business practices, and placing the burden of risk for sudden changes in the market on those people in the supply chain least able to bear those risks.
But this story has another facet, one which could surface in ways that significantly and permanently disrupt the industry. The most obvious response to the significant recent jump in cocoa prices in world markets has been an unsurprising series of announcements that chocolate companies are being “forced” to respond by hiking up consumer prices.
But beyond this knee-jerk response (which may test the desire of an inflation-weary public to keep buying confectionary), there is a growing sense that this episode could represent a necessary catalyst for change to the business-as-usual approach of the chocolate industry.
While cocoa is grown in many tropical countries around the world, confectionary manufacturers are still heavily reliant on West African smallholder producers to supply the bulk of their needs for mass-produced chocolate. As such, the industry faces a stark choice: help struggling farmers to cope with climate chaos, or abandon them to their fate, and watch the base of their supply chain crumble (recognising that support by West African government agencies alone will not be sufficient to meet the needs of millions of cocoa-growing households).
Faced with this choice, the big chocolatiers know that they must do more. So, the question is, what is to be done, and how?
All the major cocoa buyers (traders and chocolate companies alike) operate various sustainability programmes in West Africa. Many of these have a “living income” component, whilst others are designed to address specific challenges, such as reducing the worst forms of child labour, improving on-farm biodiversity by distributing tree seedlings, or tackling the overuse of agrichemicals. In terms of livelihoods, interventions include programmes with names like “income accelerator”, “payment for environmental services”, or “livelihood diversification”. Pretty jazzy stuff.
Unfortunately, while useful for addressing some specific needs, these programmes often fail to make a dent in the daily reality of persistent poverty for cocoa farmers. Nor, by and large, are they adequate for helping farmers to build resilience to climate change on their farms.
This is where the opportunity for change must be grasped.
Last week I attended the World Cocoa Foundation Partnerships meeting, two days of discussions amongst chocolate industry figures, cocoa traders, government officials, farmer cooperative leaders, and civil society representatives on a range of critical sustainability issues. At these meetings, which kicked off Amsterdam Cocoa & Chocolate week, I repeatedly heard people talking about the need to provide cocoa farmers with a living income. This was not new.
What was different, though, was that for the first time, a common theme emerging was on the need to pay farmers more for their cocoa, particularly cocoa grown sustainably. This wasn’t just NGO people like Mighty Earth or the VOICE Network – which published an excellent paper on good cocoa purchasing practices in November 2023 – it was also coming (quietly) from people in the industry itself, as well as from representatives of governments.
The impetus for this is also coming from new EU regulations, which has set the clock ticking for companies selling chocolate to European consumers to ensure that all the cocoa in those products is deforestation-free by 2025. That means the big brands quickly need to get a lot better at knowing who their suppliers are – down to the farm level – and start investing in those farms by a) paying producers a price that allows them to earn to a living income for growing deforestation-free cocoa, and b) doing so through fair and transparent contracts. And if it this sounds idealistic and impossible, it isn’t – its already being done by lots of smaller chocolate companies around the world.
The future of the industry hangs in the balance, but by being bold and pioneering new business approaches that properly value both farmers and sustainability within their core purchasing strategies, the big chocolate companies could help set a course for a cocoa sector that is climate resilient, environmentally friendly, ethically responsible, and generates benefits for the many, instead of just the few.


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Japan's Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd., is looking to open its first Nitori store in Vietnam with a view to speed up more store openings in the Asian market.
Nitori, Japan's largest furniture and home-furnishing retail chain, has a plan to open its first store in Vietnam. The move is part of the company's strategy to take on Ikea in Asia with new Thailand and Vietnam stores.
"Our rival is Ikea," Nitori said, adding that the next five years will be decisive.
Accordingly, Nitori plans to open 77 stores this fiscal year, more than double its year-earlier tally. It has already added locations in China and Taiwan and plans to enter six other markets for the first time, including Vietnam and Indonesia. Next fiscal year, it aims to launch more locations abroad than in Japan, as reported by Nikkei Asia.
Before any upcoming retail presence in Vietnam, Nitori has had already set up its manufacturing base in Vietnam. The group boasts two in-house factories in Hanoi and the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Covering a total area of about 160,000 square metres, the Hanoi factory began operation in 2005. Meanwhile, the total area of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau factory is about 400,000sq.m, which is about 2.5 times that of the Hanoi factory.
According to a Mordor Intelligence report, the scale of the Vietnamese furniture market is expected to expand from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $1.82 billion in 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.33 per cent during the period.
As a result, Vietnam's furniture market has attracted major international brands to enter the country, such as Thailand's Central Retail with its Come Home brand. Meanwhile, existing players, such as Danish retail chain JYSK, continue to expand their presence in Vietnam.
|Wood and timber sector anticipating strong finish to year
Wood and timber firms have reported an uptake in orders and are taking measures to increase exports in the build up to vibrant year-end shopping season.
|Diverse retail players turn heads towards interior design
Vietnam’s furniture industry is witnessing adaptation and diversification as businesses tap into the lucrative domestic market of interior design, driven by evolving consumer preferences.
|Masterise Homes teams up with branded furniture distributor Modale
Masterise Homes signed a cooperation agreement with the exclusive distributor for Modale on August 11, creating more value for customers. All furniture is imported from Europe, and consulting services and interior construction that is in line with international standards are available.


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A patent filed by Apple seems to suggest that Siri may be making the jump from iPhones to desktops. The patent, filed with the U.S. Patent Office on Feb. 5 as reported by Apple Insider, is titled an “intelligent digital assistant in a desktop environment.”
The patent explains that a user can interact with this new digital assistant through dictation or command modes, or by dragging objects onto the assistant’s icon that can be sorted by instruction.
What’s more, the patent states that natural language processing has advanced to where commands can be spoken, instead of performed through menus and programmed commands. Also, it adds that digital assistant systems can improve a user’s confidence in a system’s capabilities.
At a recent workshop held at Intel’s campus, Intel executive Rani Borker passed around Llama Mountain, a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet reference design created by Intel and demonstrated at the Computex 2014 conference in June to show off the kinds of thin and light form factors that will be enabled by the chip maker’s upcoming Core M “Broadwell Y” system-on-a-chip architecture.
Company officials discussed design challenges that had to be overcome to create an SoC that was powerful enough, small enough and energy-efficient enough to run the very thin, very light fanless 2-in-1 form factors that Intel was aiming for.
Microsoft appears to be scoping out a posh Fifth Avenue address in New York City, just a few blocks south of the Apple store. The company is reportedly negotiating a deal to occupy a two-story, 8,700-square-foot space on 677 Fifth Avenue. Situated between 53rd and 54th streets, the midtown site formerly housed Fendi, a luxury fashion brand.
As a result of the Target data breach and others like it, there has been a renewed call in the United States for a move to Chip and PIN credit cards, also known as EMV cards.
However, at the recent Black Hat USA 2014 conference multiple researchers revealed that EMV technology isn’t necessarily the security solution to all that ails the payment card industry.


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This year, Poco has been quite productive with the launch of new mobile phones. The company released a bunch of phones this year. These include Poco F2 Pro, M2 Pro, C3, and Poco X3. Now, it seems that the Chinese company is preparing to launch a new smartphone soon. The hint was given by Angus Kai Ho Ng, who is the Product Marketing Manager and Global Spokesperson of Poco Global. Also Read - Redmi 10 Prime in-pics: Here's a close look at the new budget Redmi smartphone
In his post on Twitter, the cited source said that the company isn’t done yet and has more plans for 2020. While he hasn’t clearly mentioned which device will be launched, it is being rumored that a new Poco phone will make its debut soon. No information has been revealed about which smartphone the brand will release, but we hope to see it launch in the near future or at least later this year. Also Read - Best gaming phones under Rs 35,000 to buy in September: Poco F3 GT, Mi 11X, and more
At the same time, it is alleged that the new Poco phone has received certification from the Euroasian Economic Commission (EEC) carrying the model number M2010J19CG. For now, the real name of the smartphone is unknown. However, after tracing, the device with the model number M2010J19SC is almost similar to the M2010J19CG device. It was certified by MIIT some time ago. While some rumors suggest that it could be a rebranded version of the Redmi Note 10 smartphone.
If the model number can be used as a reference. In that case, it looks like Poco will re-use the Redmi smartphone for them to change by using its own brand as they often do, and this was explained by Poco Country Director Anuj Sharma some time ago regarding the reason Poco always renews Redmi smartphones. However, the new device, which has the model number M2010J19CG will be a rebranded version of the Redmi Note 10, is still a matter of speculation. We have to wait for other leaks to strengthen this allegation.


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Microsoft generated news and reactions during the E3 2019 press conference, mainly because of the existence of the Xbox Scarlett console.
The company showed a new Halo infinite trailer and confirmed that the game would reach Xbox Scarlett at Holiday 2020.
However, the editor did not say at that time if infinite would still come to Xbox One and PC. After the conference, Microsoft assured the fans that the shooter was coming to his current generation machine.
In a post on the Xbox cable, the editor-in-chief of the official blog, Will Tuttle, included Halo Infinite for Project Scarlett, Xbox One and Windows 10.
Halo Infinite was shown for the first time since the E3 2018 with its new trailer, but we have not yet seen any gameplay. Later we learned that the game will remain dark until E3 2020, so we will not learn much about the game until next year.
Halo Infinite and Xbox Scarlett will launch Holiday 2020. A more specific release date was not shared, nor were there any more details about what to expect from the game.


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LA TECHNOLOGYRecent and archived news stories on: Alternative Energy, Automotive, Computing, Engineering, Internet, Nanotech, Software, Telecom, Wireless...
Kin Community, an online women’s lifestyle network headquartered in Santa Monica, has launched a new branded content division called Kin Studios, which boosts the company’s ability to craft online video campaigns for advertisers.
Finding that Santa Monica’s culture and concentration of talent outweighed the lure of less expensive space in other Silicon Beach communities, rapidly growing MD Insider has signed a lease for 10,000 square feet on Main Street.
Expense reporting and automated invoicing software company Chrome River has raised a $100 million Series D round from private equity firm Great Hill Partners.
El Segundo’s Nativo, a native advertising platform for Web publishers, has raised a $20 million Series B round led by San Francisco’s Advance Vixeid Partners.
Who said technology is for the young?
ZestFinance is headed to China in search of new borrowers.
TECHNOLOGY: Science credits system for successes such as Dollar Shave Club.
Science has moved beyond an incubator model to help entrepreneurs hatch successful companies.
A weekly roundup of L.A. tech company and product launches.
A weekly roundup of must-read L.A. tech investments and acquisitions.
Outer space could soon get a little more crowded.
Dating app Tinder is headed for an IPO.
Consumer 3-D printing companies have struggled lately to balance consumer expectations and price, but New Matter thinks it has found the sweet spot.
Cornerstone OnDemand wants to give its customers ideas worth spreading.
Frank Addante explains the basics of programmatic advertising and why it has come to dominate the online advertising world, even as it remains a largely opaque corner of the market to the general public.
Snapchat has partnered with British advertising agency WPP and the U.K.’s Daily Mail to launch an advertising agency called Truffle Pig.


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New dog pound almost ready for animals
By JOE WARREN
The City of Dalhart will soon have a brand new Animal Control facility (dog pound) building which will house stray and lost dogs picked up by the city’s animal control officer.
City Public Works Director Dennis Rojas made the announcement to the city council during the regular meeting Monday (Oct. 7) that, other than a few small fixtures needing to be installed the new facility, is almost ready for business.
For the full story SUBSCRIBE to the online edition of The Dalhart Texan, call 244-4511 to setup a subscription to our physical paper or pick a copy up at one of our many convenient newsrack locations. You can also stop by and purchase a paper or subscription in person at our news office located at 410 Denrock Ave.


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Nicole Hager, 202-224-4515
Hatch Statement on U.S.-Japan Trade Talks
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today released the following statement regarding President Trump’s announcement that he will begin trade talks with Japan:
“Japan is one of the world’s largest economies and our fourth largest trading partner. A trade agreement with Japan has the potential to open more markets for U.S. goods and services, which will help American producers expand operations and lower prices at home. I have long called for a strong U.S.-Japan trade agreement. It is a welcome step that the administration is prepared to undertake those negotiations in accordance with Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). I will work with USTR to help deliver an agreement that benefits American businesses, farmers, ranchers, workers and families.”
Background: The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over international trade. Hatch spearheaded efforts in Congress to enact bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to help open more markets for U.S. exports and strengthen intellectual property rights protections in U.S. trade agreements. More information about TPA here.
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Apple sent out a flurry of invitations to the tech press today that heralds another in a long line of its special events. This latest event will be held September 7. The tagline this time around—"See you on the 7th"—almost certainly means we'll be introduced to a new generation of iPhone hardware early next month. The company is once again renting out San Francisco's expansive Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to host this latest extravganza, another hint we're in for something big.
And here it is! Apple iPhone (maybe Apple Watch?) event on Sept 7 at 10AM in SF. pic.twitter.com/wmio7USJ6m— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) August 29, 2016
On top of the possible introduction of next-generation iPhones with more-advanced camera hardware inside, Apple might also use this event to introduce the next-generation Apple Watch and a long-overdue update to its MacBook family of notebook PCs. Nothing is for certain yet, though, so hang on to your Smart Covers and join us next Wednesday as we learn what Apple has in store.
|Aerocool's Project 7 P7-C1 Pro case reviewed||6|
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|Thermaltake Sync box bridges RGB LED walled gardens||3|
|Intel tips off potential 960 GB and 1.5 TB Optane SSD 900Ps||6|
|Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX Vegas put a big chill on spicy-hot chips||17|
|Antec P110 Silent touts quiet looks and quiet operation||11|
|Updated LG Gram laptops put heavy-duty power into feathery bodies||16|
|Monkey Day Shortbread||14|
|Thursday deals: a nice Z370 mobo, a huge VA display, and more||6|
|His comment looks silly now that AMD has gone back and time to release a 16-core version of the Threadripper.||+22|


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Xbox owners may soon be open to new freedom. Reports have begun leaking over the past few days regarding a recent agreement between Microsoft and non-profit investor group As You Sow, the latter attempting to persuade large companies to make changes to better the environment. While consumers have always technically been permitted to repair their own devices and accessories, Microsoft has made it notoriously difficult to do so by withholding repair instructions and necessary parts. The recent agreement asks Microsoft to bring in an independent consultant to measure the environmental ramifications of letting Xbox owners make their own fixes, with the findings scheduled to be made public knowledge by May 2022. If this study shows any benefit to letting consumers have this freedom, Microsoft has agreed to make spare parts and instructions available by the tail end of 2022 at the latest.
This may all sound well and good, but Microsoft is currently a member of multiple lobbying groups that oppose right-to-repair bills. What signaled this massive change of heart, and is it genuine? It will take a little longer to see if this dream come true is all it’s cracked up to be. The company has also stated that it will become completely ‘carbon negative’ by 2030, meaning that this right-to-repair policy might become more important than ever, contingent on the independent findings. However, allowing customers to do this may lead to significant potential for security and piracy risks, according to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).
According to As You Sow, electronics account for the fastest-growing waste stream on Earth, with over 70% of computer-related emissions produced during manufacturing. If consumers are allowed to repair their own items and extend the lifespan of said products, this would help reduce overall pollution.
Public pressure may be what’s needed to bring Microsoft to its knees. Currently, Microsoft’s Terms of Service negate the warranty on any device showing damage or modifications done by someone other than an authorized professional. Basically, it’s time to change that.


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Mixware has announced the appointment of David “Davey Dave” Arevalo as its new vice president of marketing as well as Nicholas Hernandez as vice president of product marketing.
Arevalo brings more that 30-plus years of experience to the role that includes work with GEFFEN Records and TASCAM, and most recently, director of marketing for Pioneer DJ. He also has an extensive background as a professional touring DJ having performed at some of the largest music festivals in the world, which he continues to do. He’s responsible for all company marketing communications, social media channels, content creation, and artist relations.
Hernandez has a seasoned history in the music retail industry, including work with Guitar Center as an eCommerce buyer and category manager for live sound, DJ and lighting products, in addition to also working as a DJ. In his new role, he’s focusing on developing new products for Mixware’s in-house brands such as ColorKey creative lighting and the Headliner accessories line for performers and creators.
“Having two individuals such as David and Nick who fully understand the performer and creator markets will be invaluable to further develop and strengthen the Mixware portfolio of brands,” states Gerard Cohen, CEO of the company.


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SAN ANTONIO -- Retailers must weigh numerous factors in purchasing warehouse management systems. Developing a system in-house requires significant information technology resources. Packaged systems often require a degree of customization to fit a distributors needs.
Three leading retailers discussed three very different paths to choosing a warehouse-management system during a workshop session at the 1999 Distribution Conference, held here March 7 to 10 and sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute, Washington.
Wegmans Food Markets, Rochester, N.Y., went the in-house route, even though "it's unusual to develop your own WMS," according to Mike Bargmann, director of distribution for the retailer.
"For us, a new WMS was very important," he said. "It was one of the Top 5 projects for the company."
The WMS development effort received strong backing from the company's management, Bargmann added, and "we had an awfully solid IT program. We could see where our WMS was headed and developed a good five-year plan." The components of the WMS are still being developed as they are needed.
This very personalized system allows the retailer to move quickly and make changes to it. "In the end, we see our WMS as a strategic advantage," Bargmann said.
Although the system is very agile and can currently meet all the retailer's requirements, the possibility of using a vendor-supplied solution in the future is not out of the question. "We continue to look at opportunities and development of systems in the marketplace," he noted.
Price Chopper Supermarkets, Schenectady, N.Y., bought its WMS from a vendor, according to Renato Cellupica, vice president of distribution.
The retailer sought to replace a system that had been in place since the 1980s and had had "a lot of Band-Aids" put on it over the years, he said. The old WMS couldn't handle new technology such as radio frequency systems, he said.
The retailer met with several vendors, and in the end decided to go with a package solution. "The single biggest factor [in choosing a vendor solution] was the resources available to us," Cellupica said. "We didn't think we were going to have the continuity of resources or skill level [to develop a WMS]. Why reinvent the wheel?"
Although the system didn't immediately perform all the functions Price Chopper wanted, it came pretty close, according to Cellupica. The vendor's solution addressed about 90% of the functional requirements for the system.
Several industry consultants told SN that a 90% functionality rate for a WMS is very good, and that there will always be some customization needed with such a system, whether it's "off the shelf" or designed in-house.
Doug Pope, vice president of warehousing at Seaway Food Town, Maumee, Ohio, concluded the presentation. When faced with its WMS decision, the retailer opted to do nothing, he said, "but to our horror, doing nothing was doing something.
"Our information systems officer came in and said we would have to spend about $200,000 to make sure our WMS was year-2000 compliant," Pope explained.
Updating the system Food Town already had in place would have cost more than a totally new system, Pope added. "Warehouse-management systems cost a whole lot of money," he said, and chuckles from the crowd indicated that they were well aware of the high cost of such systems.
Pope said that when the evaluations were completed and the numbers came in, the retailer decided not to change the system at all. "After all this, Food Town opted to stand with what we had," he said.


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Posts Tagged World of Warcraft
BlizzCon 2013 Schedule revealed
Blizzard are gearing up for BlizzCon next month with the reveal of the event schedule.
Blizzard win legal case against World of Warcraft bot company
Over the years there has been so many different bots to automate actions in World of Warcraft and other Blizzard games but Blizzard has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to cheating in their games.
Legendary Pictures reveal World of Warcraft movie release date
It’s finally happening, a release date for the World of Warcraft movie has just been revealed by Legendary Pictures.
Blizzard registers trademark for Heroes of the Storm
Blizzard has been busy filing more trademarks, this time for Heroes of the Storm which has now been filed in the US following a New Zealand trademark filing for the same name.
World of Warcraft Siege of Orgrimmar patch 5.4 goes live tomorrow
The next major content update for World of Warcraft arrives tomorrow and it’s called Siege of Orgrimmar.
World of Warcraft subscriber numbers continue to fall
World of Warcraft subscriber numbers are becoming a regular feature every time a financial report is issued by Activision Blizzard.
Blizzard’s new Battle.Net launcher demoed in video
Blizzard are in the process of testing their Steam/Origin-like desktop launcher system for Battle.Net to provide easy access to their game information, and some video footage has surfaced today.
Legendary don’t want to “screw it up” with World of Warcraft movie
The World of Warcraft movie feels a little like Duke Nukem Forever.
Filming of World of Warcraft movie starts early 2014
The World of Warcraft movie has been talked about for years but it’s one of those videogame movie tie-in projects that seemed to never quite get off the ground.
Blizzard confirms Project Titan team reduction and redesign
Following last night’s news that Blizzard were going back to the drawing board with their unannounced MMO codenamed Project Titan, they have confirmed the story that the game is being redesigned.
World of Warcraft getting in-game browser
Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft will be getting it’s own in-game browser.
PC gaming is growing with record revenues says report
A report by the PCGaming Alliance, the non-profit body which includes Intel, AMD, Epic and other notable players in the PC gaming industry, reveals that PC gaming is on the rise.
World of Warcraft numbers decline, Blizzard “aggressively” support Diablo 3
Last night was the latest financial call from Activision Blizzard which threw up more big numbers and comments on how well they are doing with game such as Skylanders and Call of Duty.
World of Warcraft 5.2 patch hits PTRs – DOTA style Battleground uncovered
Blizzard has now kicked the World of Warcraft 5.2 patch live on the PTR servers.
Football Manager 2013 Still Tops UK Charts
Football Manager 2013 tops the UK PC Game charts for week ending 15 December followed closely by the Sims 3.
Blizzard being sued over Authenticator requirement to protect information
A class action lawsuit has been filed by a plaintiff called Benjamin Bell against Activision Blizzard claiming that Blizzard are ”deceptively and unfairly” charging their customers by asking them to purchase a Blizzard authenticator to ensure the safety of their accounts on Battle.Net.
2.7 million Mists of Pandaria copies sold in first week
All week analysts have been discussing the sales figures for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria and today Blizzard revealed the first week sales figures.
Mists of Pandaria expects significant boost from digital sales say analysts
A few days ago, reports of disappointing sales of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria from analysts Lazard Capital Market may have raised a few eyebrows but Blizzard should not be concerned according to analysts Brean Murray, Carrett & Co.


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If you're thinking of looking for technology solutions from small innovative companies, but you’re not sure where to look or how to approach them, you may be interested in our UK startups guide.
In this series of articles Computer Weekly aims to connect CIOs with technology startups.
In this guide you will find everything you need to know about startups in the UK, with news, business profiles and advice starting relationships with UK startups.
Table of contents:
Tech startup news
Osborne announce HS3 to provide boost for northern tech startups
Proposed high-speed rail line, HS3, linking the cities of the M62 corridor from Manchesterto Leeds, draws mixed reaction.
TLA launches health tech competition for startups
Tech London Advocates (TLA) has launched a competition to find innovative health tech startups.
Talent shortage is threatening growth of London’s tech sector
A shortage of talent and immigration legislation has been blamed for hampering technology growth in London.
uMotif wins Cisco Big Awards 2013
Digital health startup uMotif has won first place.
UK gov digital services framework goes live
A digital services framework has gone live.
Huddle sees 132% increase in UK public sector contracts
Adoption of cloud services in the public sector is continuing to increase.
Tech City: 27% of London job growth comes from technology
Over a quarter of the job growth in London comes from the tech and digital sector.
Computer Weekly UKtech50: Rising stars 2013
During Computer Weekly’s UKtech50 awards we also announced our top 10 rising stars from the IT and technology industry.
City University London launches startup incubator
City University London has opened The Hangout incubation unit.
Cisco announces BIG Awards startup semi-finalists
Twenty UK innovative startups shortlisted for theCisco Big Innovation Gateway (BIG) Awards.
Businesses claim UK lags behind China and US in tech innovation
Over half of businesses claim the UK lags behind China and the US.
London Innovation Lab seeks second round of FinTech startups
The second annual FinTech Innovation Lab is calling for applications..
UK immigration laws are preventing the UK from attracting world-class developers
Relaxing UK immigration laws would attract a great number of foreign developers
Tech City News
Tech City startups looking elsewhere due to London costs
Technology SMEs struggle to grow in London and are looking to other less expensive hubs and cities to set up their businesses.
Tech City startups struggling to acquire capital for further growth
A severe lack of funding is preventing tech startups in London's Tech City from growing.
Tech City launches London apprenticeship scheme
Tech City Apprenticeship (TCA) programme which will provide young people the chance to work with digital companies.
Tech City needs second stage investment and more space, says Huddle CEO
Second stage investment and room for companies to expand is needed for Tech City to keep growing.
Tech start up articles
Tech startups lobby for changes to immigration laws
Startup companies in London have lobbied the Home Office to adjust immigration policies.
Governments need to work with tech startups to solve social problems
Governments around the world should look to startups to solve social problems more efficiently.
UK startups call for change
The Web Summit conference in Dublin was a hot bed for technology startups.
Why are retailers turning to startups for innovation?
There has been a surge of interest by retailers in using startups, rather than established IT suppliers, to build their technology solutions.
Startups will struggle outside London, says Mind Candy
Startups will find it hard to thrive outside London.
UK tech startups face hiring roadblock due to immigration policy
The UK’s immigration policy is hindering the growth of London’s tech hub.
Cisco incubator to connect UK startup clusters
Cisco launches its National Virtual Incubator to harness innovation and incubation across the UK.
Cardiff Start launches to help regional startups
A community hub for technology startups, Cardiff Start, has launched in the Welsh capital.
Universities must rethink their startup strategies
Interview with Andy Hopper, head of the Computer Lab at Cambridge University .
Interview Joanna Shields CEO Tech City
Joanna Shields has been at the helm of reshaping the UK’s tech startup scene since taking the role of CEO seven months ago.
What benefits will CIOs get from looking at technology startups?
Consumer-focused startups have been hitting the news for groundbreaking apps for mobile or social networks, but the B2B tech startups also have something to shout about.
Where do CIOs look to find startup technology companies?
Connecting with innovative B3B startup tech companies can benefit CIOs but where can CIOs find the hottest tech companies?
Tech startup profiles
Startup profile: Lowdown
Lowdown is a British startup which has developed an app for meeting management.
Startup profile: Novoda
Novoda is a service-based startup company which operates out of two offices – in London and Berlin. It develops Android software for companies wishing to have an application on the Google Play Store.
Start-up profile: CloudZync
CloudZync is a British startup which provides mobile wallets for retailers to enable mobile payments and loyalty programmes.
Start-up profile: Judo
Judo is a British startup which provides a card payment solution for mobile applications.
Startup profile: Clear Returns
Clear Returns is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that provides online retailers with real-time information on their products and customers.
Tech startup profile: Digital Shadows
Digital Shadows analyses a company’s online digital footprint by looking at all the information businesses expose online through social media channels, cloud services and mobile devices to find risks to the company’s reputation and security.
Tech startup profile: Geckoboard
Geckoboard provides a dashboard for businesses to see their key metrics in real time.
Tech startup profile: 43 Digital
Video technology agency 43 Digital is helps brands monetise and gain visibility from video content through web search.
Tech startup profile: Growth Intelligence
Growth Intelligence offers a SaaS product to B2B corporations wanting to search for sales leads.
Interviews With CIOs Using Startups
Interview: How Ordnance Survey supports geolocation startups
Ordnance Survey has named three budding geolocation startups as winners in its latest Developer Challenge.
Interview: Richard Williams, CIO, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance experiments with startup technology
CIOs need to have the courage to seek out innovation, says Richard Williams, CIO at insurer Mitsui Sumitomo
Interview: Eric van der Kleij, head of FinTech startup accelerator Level 39
Six months since Level 39 (L39) officially opened and the accelerator has received over 300 applications from startups for 76 places.
Interview: Paolo Cinelli, CIO, Ikea looks to startups for innovation and expertise
Ikea's priority is to get closer to its customers using a multi-channel approach which combines digital and traditional methods.
Interview: Daniel Heaf, CDO, BBC Worldwide searches for startups through BBC Labs programme
As chief digital officer at BBC Worldwide, Daniel Heaf doesn’t believe in 'innovation for innovation’s sake' - it's all about the audience.
John Lewis seeks out innovation from technology startups
John Lewis has been investing in technology innovation to keep ahead of the game in the changing landscape of the UK high street.
Interview: Alistair Grant, EMEA CIO, Citi chooses to work with startups
Keeping on top of the latest technology advancements, including working with tech startups is how Citi takes an active approach to its technology innovation.
Tech startups provides inspiration and innovation to Barclays
Working closely with tech startups is helping Barclays to boost its innovation in its IT strategy. Barclays is working closely with startups to boost innovation in its IT strategy.
Tech startup photo galleries
Introducing the BIG Awards semi-finalists
Here’s a handful of the semi-finalists, who have a range of innovative tech in both the B2B and B2C space.
UKTI and the best UK start-ups at CES 2013
Text: These are the winners of the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI)'s competition to find the best technology start-ups in the UK.
Tech startup videos
Huddle's CEO on startups and immigration
Huddle and the office of the future
UK startups: the highs and lows
Startups: If you were Prime Minister for a day...
Digital Shadows: One year after the Cisco BIG Awards
Video interview: Joanna Shields, CEO, Tech City
Video interview with Ubisense CTO Andy Ward
Interview with Professor Andy Hopper, Cambridge
Interview with Raspberry Pi co-founder, Robert Mullins
Video interview: Andy Harter, CEO, RealVNC


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col Tecmo has denied the rumor it will stop making games for Microsoft's Xbox. The rumor, fueled by online discussion forums, claimed Tecmo's relationship with Microsoft was deteriorating. But Tecmo, best known for its Dead or Alive franchise, said it wil
Square Enix, created from the recent merger of SquareSoft and Enix, is branching out. The new company has invested 99 million yen -- about $842,000 -- in fellow role-playing game developer Game Arts. All are now working together on an unidentified project.
"James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing" will sport a star-studded cast. Pierce Brosnan will voice James Bond, with John Cleese as Q, Judi Dench as M, and Willem Dafoe voicing Bond's newest nemesis. The game is coming in November to PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube.
The man behind the Street Fighter and Resident Evil franchises has left Capcom. Yoshiki Okamoto, a Capcom employee since 1984, is now starting his own company. Okamoto said his not-yet-unnamed company will specialize in doing contract work.
Nintendo is taking some heat for its new Game Boy Player. Buyers have complained the GameCube accessory is only available in one color, thus giving consumers a one-in-three chance of matching their system. Nintendo said gamers can opt to import other colors from Japan.
Digital Watch is a weekly feature that relays news from the video game industry. Items presented here are gathered by writers of Digital Playground.


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Nestle India wants to become 'a breakfast company'
07 August 2018
Swiss major Nestle, which is widely known in India for its Maggi noodles and Nestle instant coffee, aims to become ‘a breakfast company,’ with a range of cereals, coffee, yogurts and noodles for consumers in the country.
Suresh Narayanan, chairman and managing director, Nestle India, told reporters that the company offers several breakfast products in India now. It launched Nesplus, a brand owned by Nestle Breakfast Cereals, which is part of Cereal Partners Worldwide, a joint venture between Nestle SA and General Mills of the US.
Besides Nesplus, which was launched in India recently, it also offers coffee, yogurt, oats, noodles or milk, he said. “We have a global portfolio of about 2,000 brands, but in India we are operating with a truncated portfolio of just 20 brands,” pointed out Narayanan. “While we are focussing on increasing the number of products and brands, we are also looking at growing the depth of our product range, where we see strong organic growth opportunities.”
The Swiss company faced a crisis in India about three years ago when the food regulator imposed a ban on its Maggi instant noodles – its largest revenue earner in the country – for the alleged presence of monosodium glutamate and excess lead.
Narayanan said the company was still to reach the pre-crisis level of sales, but in terms of market share, it had crossed the 60 per cent mark. Maggi instant noodles and other related products account for about 30 per cent of the company’s sales in India.
Nestle India now plans to launch Maggi dips, special masala noodles and Kitkat Desert Delight brownie Kubes, besides premium, international coffee labels.


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India's drug laws are incomplete and difficult to navigate, and this is especially true for drugs sold online. Many drugs that require a prescription in the U.S. to purchase can be bought over-the-counter from Mexico and aren't considered controlled in either country. True Canadian pharmacies are certified by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA), which states on its website that CIPA-certified pharmacies follow the same stringent confidentiality and safety procedures as U.S. pharmacies.” CIPA-certified pharmacies are legitimate and licensed in Canada, but cannot be verified by U.S. pharmacy bodies.
However, the FDA reports that many online pharmacies that appear Canadian are actually operating out of other countries. 6. How a Canadian online pharmacy is different Canadian pharmacy practices and standards are similar to those of the U.S., and many Canadian pharmacies follow U.S. and Canadian rules when selling to U.S. customers. When importing prescription medications, the patient must also provide that physician's contact information to authorities at customs.
4. What is definitely illegal We know the FDA strongly discourages buying drugs from other countries, but specific laws on the subject are not always clear. Back in 2011, the FDA sued and settled with Google for $500 million for Google's placement of illegal Canadian online pharmacy ads. Even so, the FDA recommends against buying drugs from other countries because their safety can't be confirmed and because consumers who have adverse reactions have no recourse against the manufacturer.
In the case of foreign online pharmacies, drug costs in other countries are cheaper, so the potential for savings is even greater. It makes sense to try and save money in any way possible, including navigating the myriad online vendors that promise to sell your drugs for a fraction of the prices you're currently paying. It's no surprise: Americans spend more than $300 billion a year on prescription drugs.
If lawmakers act on this issue, Americans suffering from the high cost of prescription drugs will finally get some relief. Many 'American-made' brand name prescription drugs are manufactured in other countries and then imported into the U.S. In fact, many American-made” brand name prescription drugs are manufactured in other countries and then imported into the U.S., according to a 2017 New York Times article.
Search our drug information guide for helpful advice on some of the most commonly prescribed medications, including potential side effects and drug interactions. The FDA has a page with tips on safe ways to buy medication online. The text on the very same page states that the medications will come from pharmacies in the United States.
The availability of cheaper medication above the United States' border has resulted in the creation of websites that appear to be from Canada, but actually originate far overseas, as we have written before Cyveillance currently sees more than thirteen hundred websites out there today that mention Canada and the word pharmacy in the site's domain. Another possibility is that what they receive in the mail from these faraway online pharmacy operations is not even real medication at all, but fake pills that contain inert ingredients like corn starch or dangerous chemicals like mercury People can and do die in all of the scenarios above.


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A US project will use computer modelling and outreach to find strategies to minimise COVID-19 cases and transmission among workers in food processing facilities.
The Made with Care campaign is designed to grow awareness, preference and demand for New Zealand food and beverage products in key export markets.
The New Food Conference will be a part of next year's Anuga food fair in Germany and the focus will be on the topic of alternative and cultivated proteins.
The American Frozen Food Institute has published a report on alternative approaches to the risk management of Listeria in low-risk foods.
A study found levels of potentially harmful minerals within pink salt products sold in Australia.
The Australian food and agribusiness sector is set to soar, according to a report that identifies 10 future trends and 19 growth opportunities for the sector.
The contaminated food packaging could present a risk to both import and export cold chain workers.
Bunderberg's brew rated best in Canstar Blue's Australian review of soft drinks, pipping multinationals Pepsi (6th), Coca Cola (7th) and Fanta (8th).
The winners will be announced on 13 November at the Awards Gala Dinner, which will proceed as restrictions lift on gatherings in South Australia.
Australian researchers are unlocking the benefits of purple sweet corn, which has high levels of specific phytonutrients.
What must food companies do to survive and thrive between now and 2050?


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- In 2017, after years of advocacy by the ASPCA and other stakeholders, the USDA issued organic program requirements for more humane animal housing, transportation and slaughter.
- In 2018, the agency suddenly did an about-face and withdrew these important animal protections, allowing companies using factory farm conditions to continue to qualify as organic and use the “USDA Organic” label on their packages.
- With the withdrawal now being challenged in court, the USDA is attempting to justify its decision in part by minimizing consumers’ willingness to pay for higher-welfare products.
- The ASPCA submitted comments reminding the USDA of an abundance of data showing that consumers are willing to pay more for higher-welfare products—including the higher-welfare conditions that they mistakenly believe the “USDA Organic” label represents.
Source: Read Full Article


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News Feed is the starting point for most Facebook users’ journeys through the social network, but it began slowing down on the flagship iOS application due to steps that were taken to speed up other components of the app. iOS developer Adam Ernst explained what steps were taken to quicken the loading of News Feed in a post on the Facebook engineering blog.
1 billion is the magic number for Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who was not referring to dollars (directly, anyway), but to user totals for when Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and search will “start to become meaningful businesses,” he said during the social network’s third-quarter earnings call Tuesday.
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call Tuesday that he does not see virtual-reality offerings from recent acquisition Oculus VR reaching sales of 50 million to 100 million units and becoming a meaningful computing platform for several years, although he added that he was pleased with its progress.
What are Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans for the company over the next three, five and 10 years? He went into great detail on those plans during the social network’s third-quarter earnings call Tuesday.
Thursday morning was the perfect time for Thursday Market to announce the national launch of its social referral network for service professionals, with the site’s integration with Facebook playing a major role.
After Ad Age broke the news last week that Facebook was revamping Atlas, formerly Atlas Solutions, the ad network Facebook acquired from Microsoft in February 2013, The Wall Street Journal uncovered more details Monday, speculating that an official announcement will come during Advertising Week 2014 in New York next week.
FacialNetwork CEO Kevin Alan Tussy said in a press release that shortly after his company released the second demonstration video for its NameTag facial-recognition search engine, he received a cease-and-desist letter from Facebook, which had already taken away FacialNetwork’s access to Facebook Login.


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DES MOINES, Iowa – July 28, 2022 – Pitchly, the no-code data enablement company creating new ways for work to be done, set records in the first half of 2022 for revenue growth, workforce expansion and product innovation. Continuing the growth that started in 2021, Pitchly delivered exceptionally strong results with pipeline and product development momentum accelerating into the third and fourth quarters of this year.
Revenue was at an all-time high in Q2 2022 for Pitchly, with new revenue increasing more than 240% compared to the prior quarter and included the win of a top 100 investment bank in the same period. In addition to increased new revenue, existing clients expanded their use of Pitchly with a 50% increase in contracted users from January through June of this year. Boosts in revenue provide the opportunity for Pitchly to continue to add staff and innovate in the data enablement space. The company also released a brand refresh and new website in March. This exponential company growth was driven by a talented team with key hires that were made in sales, marketing and engineering.
To round out the first half of the year, innovation in the Pitchly data enablement platform via a newly released content API allows the company to help clients generate multi-format content (Word, Powerpoint and website content) from a single template. The company also received its SOC 2 Type 2 audit and earned a clean opinion ensuring that the innovation in the Pitchly platform is secure. In addition, Pitchly clients are using the platform to manage 6 million data points, 750,000 live content assets and now has integrations with Upslide (document management) and Templafy (content management). This product innovation has been met with enthusiastic responses from clients, prospects and partners alike.
“The dedication of our entire team fuels the growth and client success at Pitchly. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the first half of the year, especially in a turbulent economy,” said Ryan Gerhardy, CEO at Pitchly. “We plan to continue this success streak thru the rest of the year and into the future.”
Pitchly was founded on the belief that the future of work is data-driven, not task-driven. With a focus on solving the last mile dilemma for business data, Pitchly has created a place where people, data and content come together to generate real business outcomes. Pitchly's data productivity suite of applications, extensions, and integrations empowers collaboration, automation, and bottom-line value. Visit us online at www.pitchly.com.


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For many years Blockbuster video enjoyed great success in the movie rental business. Blockbuster is one of the largest movie rental chains in the country, but the company has found that its continued existence is far from guaranteed.
Blockbuster has announced that there is "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a going concern. A going concern is a qualification that refers to an auditor's assessment of a company's ability to continue operations reports MSNBC.
Blockbuster is struggling with profitability and viability in the face of the rising popularity of mail-order rental services like Netflix the company stated in a SEC disclosure. Blockbuster had previously disclosed that an auditor was likely to raise doubts about its long-term viability.
Blockbuster stated last week that its revolving and term loan agreement had been amended giving the company a $250 million revolving loan for financing maturing on September 30, 2010. The company thinks it will be able to close the financing around May 11, but states that the closing of the loan is not assured at this point.
Blockbuster says that even if the loan is funded it, "may not have sufficient liquidity to finance the ongoing obligations of our business, which raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern."
Blockbuster shares fell 3 cents to 85 cents in trading after hours after closing at 88 cents reports MSNBC. In July of 2008 Blockbuster was considering the purchase of now defunct Circuit City.