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Rivian Q3 2023 Sees 15,564 Vehicles Delivered
Rivian Automotive announced on Monday that it achieved record electric vehicle (EV) deliveries for the third quarter of 2023, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The company delivered 15,564 vehicles during the quarter, marking a 23% increase from the second quarter of 2023. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had projected around 14,000 deliveries for the period.
All 16,304 vehicles produced in the third quarter were manufactured at Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois. The company’s shares were up about 1% as of noon ET on Monday.
Rivian confirmed that it is on course to produce 52,000 EVs in 2023, aligning with its previous guidance to investors. The automaker currently produces a range of delivery vans for Amazon, in addition to its own R1T pickup and R1S SUV, all of which are fully electric.
Earlier this year, Rivian implemented several measures to strengthen its financial position. These included a 6% reduction in staff in February and a $1.3 billion sale of convertible notes in March. The company also postponed the launch of its smaller R2 vehicle platform to 2026 from 2025. As of June 30, the most recent update, Rivian had $10.2 billion in cash on hand.
Rivian is set to announce its third-quarter earnings after the U.S. markets close on November 7.


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Acreage Holdings Opens First Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Florida
Florida’s medical marijuana industry has been severely stunted for a long time due to a previous ban on smoking dried flower. This has been rectified by the current Governor, however, the sale and consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes has resulted in fewer cannabis dispensaries in Florida. It looks like we will have to wait another year to vote on adult-use legalization but a major player just entered the medical cannabis industry.
Inaugural Dispensary In Florida
On Tuesday morning, Acreage Holdings announced via its website the opening of its inaugural cannabis dispensary in the state of Florida. Being a branch of its sophisticated retail brand The Botanist, this store is located just at the Spring Hill Suburb of Tampa.
Florida, unlike some of the other states like Illinois, have placed a ban on the sale and consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes. With this in mind, the new dispensary opened by Acreage Holdings will only sell to individuals with valid and updated medical cannabis cards.
Recent Activities Of Acreage Holdings
This leading cannabis company has adopted an assertive marketing strategy and this has led to an increase in the number of dispensaries it owns. Just last month, the company announced via its website that it has received approval to sell cannabis for recreational purposes in Illinois. You remember that Illinois is the latest state to get rid of the nonprescription rule which allowed for the sale and consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes.
In the last couple of years, Acreage Holdings have been known to be a history maker in this industry. They opened the first cannabis dispensary in New Jersey and Atlantic City. Just like the newly opened store in Florida, the dispensaries in New Jersey and Atlantic City only sell to those with state-issued medical cannabis cards.
Number Of Dispensaries
With the opening of this store in Florida, Acreage Holdings now have thirty-two (32) dispensaries in thirteen (13) states. 14 of these stores carry the brand name, The Botanist.
According to the official press release, Acreage Holdings is of the opinion that they are offering an open and inviting environment for people to learn about the healing properties of the cannabis plant. The press release further stated that the new store in Florida comes with a consultation room.

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Venture Catalysts, India’s first seed investment & innovation platform, has facilitated a seed investment into CoutLoot, an end-to-end fashion reselling service. CoutLoot will be utilising the funds secured through VCats for geographical expansion and launch of new product categories, and will be additionally strengthening its technological framework.
Founded by MahimaKaul, Sahil Khimavat, Vinit
Jain &Jasmeet Thind, CoutLoot is a one-stop solution to de-clutter one’s closet for cash. While sellers get paid for selling off unused branded and boutique fashion items from their closet, buyers get to avail products from the best brands in a nearly-mint condition at up to 80% off.CoutLoot has seen sales of 2,000 items since inception, has an inventory of 6,000 clothes, and sees about 300-400 listings on the platform daily.
Speaking on the investment, Dr.Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Co-founder, Venture Catalysts, said, “Preowned clothes is a huge market opportunity to be tapped on account of India’s burgeoning youth population. The CoutLoot team is a very dynamic team, with a strong focus on business economics, which is what attracted our attention. “
By taking care of everything from curating a product, checking its authenticity and quality to packaging and delivering it to the buyer, CoutLoot lets sellers sell their products at the touch of a button. The one-of-its-kind service is currently available for sellers located in Mumbai, Delhi/NCR, Pune, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore, and delivers to buyers all over India.The startup launched the Android app and iOS app this year and has seen downloads to the tune of 12,000.
Jasmeet Thind, Co-founder, CoutLoot, added, “We are glad to have secured the investment through VCats, which is steadily consolidating its position within the Indian start-up community as an innovation-centric start-up enabler.We will be looking to leverage the funding to drive geographical and category-wise expansion for our platform.As technology has always been a priority for us, we will also be looking to strengthen our tech framework in order to bring in better customisation and in-depth curation for our listings.The idea is to develop a strong, robust business model which can be then replicated across the country, even internationally."
Venture Catalysts has been building a comprehensive, end-to-end ecosystem to support and nurture tech-centric start-ups in the country using its extensive angel network and auxiliary support infrastructure. The platform has previous enabled early-stage investments into promising ventures such as Vahanalytics, vPhrase Analytics, Siftr, ConfirmTKT and LenDenClub.


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CallX was using an unsecured Amazon Web Services S3 bucket to store audio client files.
March 4, 2021
It turns out Avast is using your browsing data to make big bucks. Here is what the new documents have revealed...
January 28, 2020
The database leak is yet another set back for Americans. Here's what was in the data and how it may affect victims.
December 3, 2019
Compared to other forms of marketing out there, social media marketing is by far one of the most affordable ones you can think of.
October 11, 2019
Google says third-party developers can read your Gmail because you allow them. In 2014, during a lawsuit hearing,…
July 5, 2018
It is a widely known fact that a majority of websites keep a record of the number of…
November 23, 2017
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Hackers have designed a new bot named Giftghostbot which is being used to defraud thousands of gift card…
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Get Ready to be Bombarded with Ads- Facebook Employs New Technology to Manage Advertising You cannot run from…
August 10, 2016


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Despite Europe's sovereign-debt crisis that is dragging the global markets into a slowdown along with dragging down the benchmark Kospi index of stocks. , yet the consumer confidence in South Korea increased reaching its highest level in six months.
Sentiment index rose to the level of 103 in November compared with the recorded level of 100 during October.
On the other hand the unemployment rate fell reaching its lowest three-year record at 3.1% in October as a result for the growing employment level in service industries among retailers and wholesalers.
Finally, Korean statistics data showed that on November 9 Kospi index fell to 2.4% , as weakness grew in economic data from U.S. and China, which fueled concerns amid the fading of the global growth.


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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – (RealEstateRama) — Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis today announced that the first of two 2017 unclaimed property auctions, held Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, earned $1.194 million. All of the auction’s nearly 48,000 individual items sold, and the highest grossing individual auction item was a 14k gold ring with a 4.02-carat European cut diamond that sold for $11,500.
Items included in the Department of Financial Services’ unclaimed property auctions come from abandoned safe deposit boxes. Despite at least five years of exhaustive efforts, no rightful owner or entitled heir stepped forward to claim the boxes or the items contained within them. However, the proceeds earned from the sale of auction items can be claimed at any time and at no cost should an owner ever come forward.
The second 2017 unclaimed property auction will be held August 25 and August 26 in Orlando at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1500 Sand Lake Road. Items included in the auction will be available for public preview on Friday, August 25. The auction will take place the following day, Saturday, August 26. A catalog containing descriptions of the upcoming auction items will be available in the coming days.
Roughly 1-in-5 Floridians has an unclaimed property account in their name. To search for unclaimed property or to claim an account, please visit www.FLTreasureHunt.gov.
# # #
Contact: Ashley Carr
communications (at) myfloridacfo (dot) com


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number of cars and light trucks scrapped in the past 15 months
substantially outnumbers new vehicle registrations in the U.S. during
the same period, according to recent analysis by R. L. Polk & Co.
More than 14.8 million cars and light trucks were retired from the
fleet between July 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009, compared to new
registrations of slightly more than 13.6 million, resulting in an
overall scrap rate of 6.1 percent. This includes thousands of units
scrapped during last year’s CARS program, also known as “Cash for
Clunkers,” and follows a trend seen by Polk over the past five years.
Polk also reports an increase in the average age of light vehicles on
the road, up 21 percent in the past 14 years. The average age for all
light vehicles during the 15-month period is 10.2 years. Additionally,
increases in the average age are supported by the fact that consumers
are keeping their cars and trucks longer. As of September 2009, the
average length of ownership for a new or used vehicle among U.S.
consumers was 49.9 months, up from 45 months a year ago the same time.
These trends are supported by a number of factors, including the
economy, limited financing and leasing options available in the market,
extended warranties offered by OEMs and improved vehicle durability and
quality of vehicles. They also provide opportunity for various business
segments of the industry, according to Polk.
“As vehicles age and consumers continue to hold onto them longer, there
are significant opportunities for repair services and parts demand for
the aftermarket as vehicles are falling out of warranty as they age,”
said Mark Seng, vice president, sales and client services, aftermarket
and commercial vehicle at Polk. “The increased complexity of vehicle
repairs also presents a business opportunity for service professionals
as traditional do-it-yourself consumers are less likely to attempt
complicated technical work on their vehicles.”
Dealers will have an opportunity to develop programs geared toward
service loyalty marketing as they seek to hold on to a growing base of
customers, according to Polk. “The trends we’re seeing suggest great
motivation for dealers seeking to maintain a longer-term relationship
with their customers,” said Lonnie Miller, vice president, marketing
and industry analysis at Polk. “Service-oriented loyalty programs can
significantly contribute to improving business and overall loyalty
Polk expects conditions facing the U.S. automotive industry today to
remain through 2010 and expects trends for scrappage and vehicle
ownership to continue for at least another year. This assessment is
largely based on current industry dynamics, coupled with Polk’s annual
forecast of a moderate increase in light vehicle sales to 11.5 million
units this year. It also assumes a general upward trend for vehicle
scrappage rates as high volumes of older vehicles continue to retire
from the U.S. fleet.
Polk has provided authoritative information and analysis from its
review of dynamics among the U.S. vehicle population for more than 60


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Google Pixel Fold launch is tipped for the fourth quarter of 2021 and the foldable telephone is alleged to characteristic a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED show. The newest hearsay comes a bit of over a yr after the Android maker was reported to have its foldable telephone within the works with codename ‘Passport.’ In 2019, Google revealed that it had began engaged on foldable smartphone prototypes. The corporate additionally supplied help for foldable shows in Android 10 that was leveraged by firms together with Samsung to develop their in-house foldable telephones.
David Naranjo, Senior Director, Show Provide Chain Consultants, has tweeted on the event of Google Pixel Fold with the LTPO OLED show. The chief shared a listing of gadgets which might be accessible and rumoured to make use of the brand new show know-how the place the Google Pixel Fold mannequin is included with the launch date speculated for the fourth quarter.
Final yr, a purported inner Android doc steered the This fall 2021 launch timeline for Google Pixel Fold. The telephone appeared with the codename ‘Passport’ alongside ‘Raven’ and ‘Oriole’ which might be purported to be the codenames for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Professional.
Though Google itself confirmed the testing of varied foldable prototypes, a patent submitting steered that the corporate might be finalising a mannequin that will fold inwards.
Tipster Jon Prosser in February claimed that the rumours across the growth of the Google Pixel Fold are actual. He additionally said that the telephone may come both by the tip of this yr or early subsequent yr.
Google has not but revealed any particulars on whether or not it’s planning to launch a foldable telephone or whether it is simply testing prototypes for making Android extra optimised for present and new foldables out there. Having stated that, the corporate could contemplate talking about its plans in readability whereas saying the Pixel 6 collection that’s anticipated to happen on October 19.
For the newest tech information and evaluations, observe Devices 360 on Twitter, Fb, and Google Information. For the newest movies on devices and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Realme Narzo 50 Sequence India Launch Set for September 24, Realme Band 2 and Good TV Neo 32-Inch Additionally Coming


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Listen to senior editor Kate Kaye on Digital Politics Radio.
ClickZ Senior Editor Kate Kaye appeared on Digital Politics Radio with Karen Jagoda last week to discuss the latest news on how presidential campaigns are using video, how much they're spending on digital advertising, and more.
Part One: Campaign Online Ad Strategies
Part Two: Capitalizing on Conflict
On the heels of a fantastic event in New York City, ClickZ Live is taking the fun and learning to Toronto, June 23-25. With over 15 years' experience delivering industry-leading events, ClickZ Live offers an action-packed, educationally-focused agenda covering all aspects of digital marketing. Register today!
Hong Kong, May 5-6, 2015
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce
This Magic Quadrant examines leading digital commerce platforms that enable organizations to build digital commerce sites. These commerce platforms facilitate purchasing transactions over the Web, and support the creation and continuing development of an online relationship with a consumer.
Paid Search in the Mobile Era
Google reports that paid search ads are currently driving 40+ million calls per month. Cost per click is increasing, paid search budgets are growing, and mobile continues to dominate. It's time to revamp old search strategies, reimagine stale best practices, and add new layers data to your analytics.
May 6, 2015
12:00pm ET/9:00am PT


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Shares of Bharti Infratel, the only listed tower company in India, plunged more than 13% in intraday trade on Friday, before closing 10.1% down at Rs 218.30 on the BSE.
The development will also impact the revenue of telecom equipment vendors such as Finland’s Nokia, Sweden’s Ericsson, and China’s Huawei and ZTE, even threatening their India business cases. Their India revenues are already under pressure due to lower spending on network expansion and upgrades this year, executives of these companies said. “We are closely monitoring the progress,” a Huawei spokesperson said.
According to analysts, the total exposure of these equipment vendors against their contracts with telecom operators in India is as high as Rs 8,000 crore, including Huawei India's Rs 1,200 crore exposure to Vodafone Idea. Exposure to Airtel includes managed services. However, vendors aren’t too worried about Airtel because it is expected to withstand the situation.
Queries sent to Ericsson, Nokia, ZTE, Bharti Infratel, Indus Towers and ATC did not elicit any replies till press time Friday. Mahesh Uppal, a director at communications consulting firm Com-First India, said tower companies would be hurt more in comparison with equipment vendors.
Tower companies are largely local players whose market is already under great stress because of the exits of several telecom companies form the market. An exit of Vodafone Idea will add to this stress, Uppal said.
The moment the industry structure changes to duopoly, the power of the surviving operators will go up versus their vendors, partners and customers, Bharti Airtel’s former India chief executive Sanjay Kapoor said.
“Passive infrastructure as an industry was born on the concept of cost-sharing and that will now get challenged in a duopoly, especially when (Reliance) Jio is building its own towers. Valuation of these tower companies and assets will be in question. The same thing will happen to fibre and any other passive infra assets,” Kapoor said.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Brands & Companies
- Adani Enterprises Board OKs Raising up to ₹20kcr Via FPO
Adani Enterprises said Friday that the company’s board approved the raising of up to ₹20,000 crore ($2.5 billion) through a follow-on public offering (FPO) by issuing new shares to retail and institutional investors.All Aboard Black Friday Express — From US to India
Samsung, Amazon, Uniqlo and Domino’s were among several companies looking to turn Black Friday, yesterday, into another big sale day in India.Slew of Reforms brings Ease to Insurers
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) allowed private equity funds to invest directly in insurance companies and banks to tie up with as many as nine insurance companies as part of several measures approved at its meeting on Friday that will free up about ₹3,500 crore capital.
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
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We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Scott Moore news every morning.
Yahoo has been showing off its Fall collection to journalists in a series of presentations at its Sunnyvale campus.
Nothing really new to report: a dash of colour here, a widget there, but this blog’s fashion trendspotters can report that the theme this season is Open and Yahoo was sporting a fetching pastiche of styles and services, stemming from it opening up its platforms to others.
Ari Balogh, chief technology officer, kicked off the event by saying the Yahoo Open Strategy, launched last April, was about Yahoo merging with the web.
He showed its Digg clone, Buzz, as an example of how Yahoo was open with content. More than 5,000 publishers had taken part since its launch in February and 2m articles buzzed, including 1.5m hits sent to the New York Post’s website for one favourited article.
Content owners must love Yahoo becoming more open – it can claim 500m users and hitching your content to that wagon is sure to drive ad revenues. Getting their content also makes Yahoo more of a magnet for readers and advertisers.
Scott Moore, head of Yahoo’s media properties, said Yahoo’s Olympics coverage had outstripped host broadcaster NBC’s in popularity with 32m unique visitors in the US, compared to NBC’s 22.9m, according to data from the comScore research firm yesterday. He said Shine, launched in April, had rapidly become the leading women’s site on the web.
Coming up next is another revamp for Yahoo Music. The site’s openness will mean Flickr integration plus modules for outside blogs and reviews and music services such as Pandora and The Hype Machine.
Ash Patel, head of the Audience Product division, showed how outsiders could even earn real estate on the Yahoo home page through greater personalisation for users. His example was a Netflix box, that also showed up in Yahoo Mail and search. Users could see Netflix synopses of films and add them to their rental queue as a service that supplemented their normal search results for movies.
Hilary Schneider, head of Yahoo US, recapped some advertising numbers and said Yahoo taking full control of Right Media had given it a 77 per cent growth in total participants in its network and growth of more than 30 per cent in yields. Jerry Yang, chief executive, is expected to do the hard sell on Yahoo’s network at the Ad Week event in New York later this month.
Finally, Marco Boerries, head of the Connected Life division, gave a rerun of his talk at the CTIA cellphone conflab in San Francisco, talking about Blueprint and OneConnect. Paul Taylor was at his earlier presentation.
But he added he did have “one last thing” – a demonstration of the “cinematic internet”, or the Widget Channel, a television application announced by Intel and Yahoo last month.
The widgets were contained in a ticker-like strip along the bottom of the TV screen and could be easily navigated and expanded. There were weather, stock-ticker, Flickr and news and sports widgets, and even examples of ad widgets, with a Macy’s food mixer on sale and available to buy at the click of a button.
Talking to Yahoo folk afterwards, the feeling was that the software and Intel boards that would drive the service should debut in set-top boxes at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The ultimate aim is to wire it with the internet directly into TVs, something Sony has already committed itself to achieving and may be an interested customer.
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Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Oklahoma City celebrating ‘Free Donut Friday’
OKLAHOMA CITY – A popular doughnut shop is offering customers a free doughnut to kick off the first Friday of the month.
Several Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Oklahoma City are celebrating ‘Free Donut Friday’ on Friday, Dec. 1.
Customers in Oklahoma City can celebrate the end of the work week with a free classic doughnut of their choice with the purchase of any beverage.
The offer is valid all day on Dec. 1 at participating restaurants.
To find a location near you, visit Dunkin’ Donuts’ website. Also, call ahead to make sure the store near you is participating in the event.


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Green Builder's 2023 Sustainable Brand Index
When our readers think about green building, here’s what comes to mind first.
As the world went back to business in 2022, our readers went back to generating and providing services for the construction industry (and in many cases, for themselves). Our annual survey reveals what products were on the public’s mind the most, from the best energy-saving appliances to the cars they like to drive on the job.
Results here evaluated brands using three distinct tools: our traditional survey data, market visibility or “mentions,” and public sentiment. These are averaged to create a Brand Index Score and derive a company’s final ranking among its peers.
Many of the big-name players are back within the familiar surroundings of the top five within their category, while others were bumped out of this year’s top 10. A few lesser-known companies are on the way to becoming household names. Overall, our survey shows where a company is doing well, and which improvements could round out category excellence.
There’s no doubt who ranks first in sustainability imaging among appliance makers. LG topped all three survey components—and is the only company among any category winners to do that—largely due to its ever-advancing and continually popular Signature Kitchen Suite brand and consistent emphasis on energy efficiency and performance.
LG Electronics USA, Inc. is a global innovator in technology and manufacturing, selling innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. The company's commitment to environmental sustainability and its "Life's Good" marketing theme encompass how LG is dedicated to people's happiness by exceeding expectations.
DuPont’s always-strong name recognition moved it into the top spot among building wrap manufacturers last year, and kept it at No. 1 this year. TYPAR, usually ranked at the lower end of our survey, used best-ever word of mouth and product marketing to finish second.
Cabinets and Shelving
With a wide range of eco-friendly cabinetry brands designed to offer something for everyone, American Woodmark has finally reached the top of the industry and public’s minds. IKEA also retains its image as a green leader, and has begun some new sustainability initiatives in the past few months.
Another year, another top finish for DuPont Surfaces. The countertop surface maker (and its previous namesake, Corian) has been perceived as a sustainable brand in the industry for years. The continued popularity of its sustainably made Solid Surface, Quartz and Endura lines can probably be thanked for keeping that strong positive reputation in the market.
Corian® Design excited to be Green Builder Media’s 2023 Sustainable Brand Leader in the countertop category. Proudly offering 20 Corian® Solid Surface aesthetics featuring recycled content, including the recent introduction of six new colors to our portfolio (pending SCS Certification in Q4 2023). Corian® Design is committed to making an impact on design, not the environment.
In terms of overall sustainability, it’s 13-0 for Trex, the only company in the history of our survey to never finish less than No. 1. This year, the decking giant can do almost no wrong, earning the public’s trust after years in the middle of the pack.
The gang’s all here—again. Last year’s top doormakers are also this year’s, with Therma-Tru leading the way for a fifth consecutive year. Almost every company has a sustainable angle to brag about, from lumber certification to re-use of water and materials in manufacturing.
Therma-Tru® Thrive is committed to making a difference beyond its door products through Thrive. The company is focused on boosting energy efficiency—by keeping heating and air conditioning sealed inside, the company’s industry-leading door systems help reduce energy loss at home. More than 50% of the company’s fiberglass and steel door end rails are made from 90% recycled content or scrap material. Therma-Tru endeavors to be a good neighbor by partnering with 100+ organizations to serve the places their employees call home
Mohawk and Armstrong Flooring continue to battle for bragging rights, with the former claiming the top spot this year (and in 2021 and 2019) after Armstrong won it in 2022, 2020 and 2018. The reason? Strong word of mouth. But both companies need to work on their sentiment scores.
Hot Water Systems
There’s nothing better for business than making sure people know who you are and what you do. Rheem and A.O. Smith have that formula down. But they can take a lesson from Rinnai when it comes to ensuring that you’re winning hearts and minds on social media.
Founded in 1925, Rheem® innovates new ways to deliver precise temperatures while saving energy, water and supporting a more sustainable future. Rheem is America’s #1 water-heating brand with products available in more than 80 countries. Including the ProTerra® family of heat pump water heaters. Paloma Co., Ltd.® of Nagoya, Japan, acquired the iconic Rheem brand in 1988.
Trane’s consistent innovation and good service record continues to deliver. Except for Daikin, which returns to the top 10 after missing out last year, the new list of HVAC makers is the same as it was in 2022.
Trane is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. The company’s manufacturing sites achieved zero waste-to-landfill status ahead of the stated 2024 goal. Now every plant in Residential HVAC & Supply recycles just about every type of material, including all forms of plastic. The company is also dedicated to innovative products, like the Trane® Platinum XV20i Heat Pump featuring Trane® Link, a revolutionary communication technology that simplifies installation, commissioning, and remote monitoring of Trane’s variable speed systems.
Among insulation manufacturers, there’s Owens Corning, and then there’s everybody else. The company continues to widen its lead over competitors in product recognition and popularity. The also-ran pool keeps changing: Out from last year are CertainTeed and Applegate Insulation; in are Dow, NCFI, and Nu-Wool.
Last year’s winner, Eaton Lighting, drops to the middle of the pack, while Philips returns to the top after an off year. The difference? Level of effectiveness when marketing their respective lighting products. But both companies need to improve their lower-end corporate images.
Paint and Coating
You wouldn’t think Sherwin-Williams could improve after finishing in the top three in each category in 2022, but the paint manufacturer pulled it off. The top scores in product recognition and public appeal, and runner-up mark in popularity, stem in part from an increased focus on non-VOC products.
Seven wins in eight years isn’t too shabby for Tesla Solar, which has finally moved past the controversy involving the parent company’s purchase of what was once SolarCity. Over the past few years, the public has increasingly embraced the new entity’s potential and available services.
Kohler returned to its natural leadership role in sustainability, with clear messaging and new offerings. Last year’s surprise winner, Niagara, dropped back to its traditional positioning this year. Kohler, American Standard, Moen and TOTO typically hold the top five, where they have resided since 2017.
Aside from Owens Corning, roofing’s main players continued to swap spots. But efforts to stand out were offset by weak public opinion, and vice versa. It also reflects a shift back toward composite shingles, running against the demand for concrete and clay versions over the past two years.
Westlake Royal, CertainTeed, James Hardie and LP are the industry’s most highly regarded siding manufacturers, but they’re not public favorites. Strong word of mouth is keeping them in the spotlight. Watch out for K2 Stone, with consistent scores across the board and a solid public standing.
Smart Home Technology
Amazon and its Alexa-related line continues to benefit from its worldwide reach and household name status. But recent reports say the retail giant’s smart products have peaked in popularity, opening the door for Google, Samsung and Apple, who have lurked in Amazon’s shadow for nearly a decade.
Lutron Electronics didn’t top any of our survey categories, but solid work performance overall helped the company hold off TP-Link and Leviton. Lutron’s line of smart dimmers isn’t likely to lose steam anytime soon, so staying at or near the top is feasible.
Fans of Tesla’s solar components continue to shrug off partial owner Elon Musk’s antics, as the company hits No. 1 for a second year. Tesla’s growing product recognition and decline in everyone else’s paints a mixed picture of where this industry is headed in 2023.
While Premier Building Systems and Boise Cascade maintain their traditional spots at or near the top, this year’s list features some new or revitalized blood. West Fraser and LP need to polish their presence among peers and the public, but the top 10 in general is in a better state than in 2022.
Premier SIPS (Structural Insulated Panel Systems) are the superior high performance building envelope offsite construction system that create better buildings for everyone. Sustainable from the start, SIPs structures save 40-60% on energy consumption & emissions, they reduce job site construction waste, and create significantly healthier indoor environments. Premier SIPS install 55% faster than outdated site frame methods and create code approved strength in disaster prone regions. Manufactured with factory engineered precision, Premier SIPS deliver superior higher performance structures.
Google’s Nest brand has rebounded nicely in the past two years, evolving into a product that people enjoy and like to inform others of. But with our top 10 maintaining their survey positions and market shares, overall growth is showing signs of leveling off.
Panasonic and Delta Breez remain the overall leaders, but it’s important to note that many of these top 10 brands are encountering negative sentiment online. Is this the normal “troll” effect, or something they want to address, before it impacts their overall brand image?
Panasonic Eco Solutions is proud to have been named a 2023 Sustainable Brand Leader in the ventilation category. As one of the world’s premier IAQ solutions provider, we’re uniquely positioned with a comprehensive portfolio of ventilation fans, ERVs and air purification devices that help ensure homes have the freshest, cleanest air possible, helping create healthy homes and healthy families.
When promoting products and generating word of mouth, Andersen and Pella are doing everything right. Like other popular brand categories, however, they’re getting a lot of negative chatter on social media, something that could catch up with them over time. For newcomer aluplast, it’s the opposite: Little is said, but people who use the products like what they see.
Toyota took the top spot this year. The company’s sales slipped in 2022, but it sold 8 million more cars than Ford, despite an industry-wide computer chip shortage. Ford’s bright spot is its electric vehicle division, led by the Mustang Mach E SUV, for which sales rose 45 percent from 2021.


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Gresham police arrest 'organized' shoplifters
Nine people have been identified as connected to a shoplifting ring that stole more than $102,000 worth of products from Safeway and Fred Meyer stores, primarily around Gresham, the Gresham Police Department said.
Seven people were arrested and two others are wanted in connection with the ring, police said.
These highly organized shoplifting rings are becoming an increasing problem for stores. They steal from retailers in bulk and then sell the merchandise at substantial discounts, often using internet sales platforms such as OfferUp.
"Unfortunately, drugs are behind a lot of it," said Gresham Police Detective Brandon Crate.
The seven members of the group were arrested in February after a five-week investigation assisted by loss-prevention investigators from the retail outlets that suffered the thefts, Crate said.
Police arrested suspected ringleader Jenna Hollingshead, who is accused of 27 counts of theft. She has an extensive list of brushes with the law, including convictions for theft, drug charges and other crimes.
Other accused in the case included: Stephanie H. Mitchell, 17 counts of theft; Andrew J. Christie, 11 counts; Kristin Renee Eichler, 10 counts; Michael William Lewis, five counts; Richard Santos, seven counts, and Tyler Scott Tomlinson, 48 counts.
John Logan Irish, who faces seven counts, and Kristan Lee Partan, 4 counts, were identified by police as part of the group, but have not yet been arrested or charged, Crate said.
One OfferUp site, which is still online, advertises Tide Pods, Prilosec, Yankee Candles and other products in Gresham. The seller is identified as Hollingshead, and the photo of the seller on the site matches her booking photo.
The store investigators help the police and detectives by going online to the sales sites and going undercover to buy merchandise. The store investigators go through surveillance footage and deliver evidence to the police.
Crate said the buying trips are a way to determine if the merchandise for sale is being offered by extreme couponers or other legitimate sellers.
This organized shoplifting, called organized retail crime, or ORC, is a widespread problem across the U.S. Participants generally steal high-value items such as laundry detergent, razors and blades, teeth-whitening strips and nutritional supplements.
Some professional shoplifters use what is called a "booster bag," which is a purse lined with foil or a hot/cold bag. The foil lining keeps the anti theft scanners from going off in the store when the shoplifter leaves the store. Other thieves just fill carts with merchandise and leave without paying.
The National Retail Federation recently published a report that found, for the first time, every retail company reported it had been a victim of organized retail crime. In addition, 83 percent said that organized theft had increased in the past 12 months and those responding said the thieves are becoming more brazen and aggressive. The FBI estimates organized retail crime totals as much as $30 billion every year.
Retailers and law enforcement work together through a group called the Northwest Organized Retail Crime Alliance. The group comprises law enforcement in Oregon and Southwest Washington and several prosecuting attorneys.


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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- It's iPhone launch day -- a tech holiday! -- and the annual traditions are running full steam: lines at Apple stores are epic, and the blogs already buzzing with gripes about the brand-new phones.
This time around, the two main complaints revolve around reception problems and sporadic accounts of yellow spots and bars marring iPhone 4 screens. Gizmodo is hosting a photo gallery of user-submitted images showing translucent yellow splotches that appear underneath the iPhone screen's glass.
But as quickly as the bug reports popped up, so did the rebuttals. Some customers said the yellow magically faded away as the day wore on and their new phones got more use. A popular explanation of the phenomenon is that the yellowness is from the glue used to attach the screen to the iPhone's body. Since Apple manufactured and shipped the phones so quickly, some bloggers say, the glue had not dried yet on some phones.
But one issue that did come up in an influential review was matched by blogosphere grumbling on Thursday. In his review in the Wall Street Journal this week, Walt Mossberg said that his iPhone 4 had trouble finding a cell network in places where his iPhone 3GS had no problems.
In some cases, his phone showed no bars of reception but could still make calls, which Apple chalked up to a software bug.
IPhone 4 users reported similar issues on blogs, saying that the phone's signal appeared to go in and out when they placed their hands on the steel antenna surrounding the phone.
"IPhone 4 problems" was among the top 10 searches on Google Thursday, as customers, bloggers and tech enthusiasts weighed in with issues and explanations.
It's certainly not the first time that Apple has faced complaints after a new product ships.
About one in a thousand first-generation iPod Nanos shipped with cracked or broken screens, according to Apple. And iPhone 3G users quickly complained about a lack of service in 2008, which AT&T (T, Fortune 500) eventually said was the result of a network overload. That's a problem it is still working through.
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Whether you hedge inflation or look for a return that outpaces inflation, here's how to prepare. More


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In addition to GALA, other gaming and meta-universe tokens such as decentraland (MANA), sandbox (SAND) and ultra (UOS) have also seen significant gains in recent days.
MANA is up 57% in the last 7 days, SAND is up 100% and UOS is up 77% in the same period, making them the best performing tokens on a weekly basis in CoinGecko’s rankings.
Aside from improved sentiment across the gaming and metaverse categories – often referred to as GameFi – there have been few major announcements or other news from Gala Games that could explain the token rally.
However, the GALA token was recently listed on a number of major exchanges in November, including Coinbase, FTX and Huobi. since listing on these exchanges, the token price has risen more or less vertically, with GALA today 500% higher than it was on the first day of trading on Coinbase on November 16.
4-hour chart of GALA since Coinbase’s listing.
GALA tokens allow users to participate in the governance of the game’s development and to purchase in-game items and non-forgeable tokens (NFTs) from Gala Games’ own VOX NFT series.
Currently, a simulation game called Town Star is the only playable game developed by Gala Games, with one other game currently in beta and three others in development.


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A change that goes into effect Thursday effectively removes all CVS locations from the Tricare retail pharmacy network and adds Walgreens to the system.
This change of vendors was a result of contract updates with Tricare’s pharmacy provider Express Scripts and will reduce the number of pharmacy sites to around 58,000 retail pharmacies nationwide. CVS locations and those in Target stores are affected and about 8,000 Walgreen pharmacies will be added. This affects all Tricare users, including those in the Tricare for Life program.
May beneficiaries still fill prescriptions with CVS after the change, officials said, but will have to pay up front for their drugs since the retailer will no longer be in the Tricare network. Fifty percent of that cost can then be refunded for Tricare Prime users through a reimbursement request made by the beneficiary to Express Scripts, per Tricare policy, officials said.
“If they decide to switch to another network pharmacy, they can take the prescription or prescription bottle for a refill to the new network pharmacy,” said Kevin Dwyer, a Tricare spokesman. “The pharmacist there will contact the beneficiary’s old pharmacy and transfer the prescription.”
Users may also call their new pharmacy and ask it to transfer the prescription from CVS, Dwyer said.
Minute Clinics, located inside CVS retail locations, still will be part of the Tricare urgent care network, officials said.


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Andy Bagnall to leave ITV
Andy Bagnall, the director of business development at ITV, is leaving the broadcaster next year after 35 years' service with the company in its various iterations.
Bagnall, who has been director of business development since 2005, has been responsible for ITV’s successful management of Contract Rights Renewal, the rules governing how ITV sells its airtime.
A well-known and respected figure in the TV ad sales industry, Bagnall has been instrumental in the development of TV research, including the audience measurement system Barb.
Bagnall was planning director at Granada, prior to becoming director of knowledge management when the ITV companies merged to form ITV plc on 1 January 2004.
He will remain in his role until early 2013 and will work alongside Christy Swords, director of operations and strategy, on the transition process for business development.
Fru Hazlitt, managing director of commercial and online at ITV, said: "Andy has been a real asset to ITV over many years. The depth of his knowledge and his experience of UK airtime sales has meant he played a critical role in the process that led to the creation of ITV plc.
"From managing complex regulatory processes to navigating the evolution of Barb, Andy has tackled whatever has been thrown at him with commercial intelligence, tenacity and his trademark stoicism. I am personally very grateful to Andy for the support and counsel he has given me and we all wish him well for the future."
Bagnall said: "After 35 challenging and stimulating years at ITV, now feels like the right time to move on/put my feet up.
"Over the years, I have worked with some great characters inside ITV and across the industry, but am particularly grateful for the support that my team in business development has given to me and the wider business."Follow @MaisieMcCabe
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
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DeKALB – On Wednesday, a Bitcoin was valued at more than $16,000, compared with the estimated $1,000 it was worth at the beginning of the year.
The staggering price appreciation of Bitcoin, one of the most common forms of cryptocurrency, prompted Dustin Gurnitz of DeKalb to make a $40 investment in Bitcoin in November.
Gurnitz said that he feels comfortable enough in the currency to let it play out – and the amount he stands to lose is relatively small, anyway.
“I don’t see [a bubble crash] happening in the near future, but I think there’s a possibility of it happening at some point,” Gurnitz said.
Bitcoin was the first “cryptocurrency,” so called because it uses cryptography to secure online transactions in a complex and continually growing list of records called a blockchain. Computer operators who add to the blockchain can be rewarded with Bitcoin.
Buying Bitcoin is one of the ways consumers have been investing in cryptocurrency. But whether Gurnitz’s 0.003 percent of a Bitcoin is liquid enough to sell is uncertain.
In 2009, when Bitcoin was created, it might have been a wise investment for the average consumer if he or she was planning on mining it. Any standard PC could undertake the process of Bitcoin mining, which involves adding transaction data to the currency’s global public ledger – the blockchain – for profit.
Despite the skyrocketing prices of the digital currency, however, the computations required to make Bitcoin lucrative have become so complex that the average person is more likely to win the lottery than to earn a major payout through Bitcoin mining, said David Gunkel, director of graduate studies at Northern Illinois University’s Department of Communication.
“Early on, [Bitcoin mining] was easy, and the bar to get involved was very low,” Gunkel said. “Now, if you want to do [mining], you’ll need a garage full of CPUs with a full A/C unit. The computers would have to run constantly with internet and electricity connections. It’s not only an initial investment, but an ongoing payment for energy and operating costs.”
Bitcoin can be collected in three ways: mining, trading against other currency or receiving it as payment for services. To buy, a person must first set up a digital “wallet” to store their cryptocurrency, which can be done on websites such as Coinbase. Users then can connect their bank account, debit card or credit card to change digital currency into and out of their local currency.
Gurnitz said he used the Coinbase investment app to make his exchange, and likes how it allows you to set price points that will alert a consumer when the price of Bitcoin is dropping.
The process of mining, however, is only going to get harder and harder. Gunkel said that by the year 2040, 99 percent of all Bitcoin will have been discovered.
“For 100 years, only 1 percent [of Bitcoin] will need to be discovered, which devotes a lot to such a small amount,” Gunkel said. “You’re playing an elaborate mathematical game, pouring a lot of energy from not necessarily green sources into making it happen.”
Bitcoin was the first decentralized cryptocurrency on the market, but others, such as Litecoin, also have popped up over the years. Gunkel said the initial idea was to be a liberating currency that could be made available to the developing world, where people might not have access to central banks.
“The reality of the situation is that Bitcoin has turned into an asset and not a currency for exchange, so people have hoarded the asset and are waiting for it to appreciate,” Gunkel said. “It’s closing in on a $20,000 Bitcoin-to-dollar exchange, which is really impressive, but the question is whether this is a phenomenon that can be consistent over time, or whether it’s a bubble.”
Gunkel added that a rapid rise in value in a short amount of time is common bubble economics.
“It doesn’t mean that there isn’t something here that will give it longevity,” he said. “It’s anyone’s guess as to how long it will be performing this way.”
Based on its volatility, it also is difficult to say how liquid Bitcoin might be when it comes time to find a buyer to cash out.
One innovation of these cryptocurrencies when they first came out was allowing online transactions to occur without the need for a third-party verification service, meaning no transaction fee, or at least a very small one.
“Third parties are expensive,” Gunkel said. “To broker deals, they have to siphon for themselves to stay functional.”
Because of this, cryptocurrency had become popular for online criminal activity and was used by sites such as Silk Road, an online black market shut down by the FBI in 2013 that was used primarily as a platform for selling illegal drugs.
Gunkel’s research mainly focuses on the social aspects of artificial intelligence and robotics, but he also has published work on blockchains, which are continuously growing lists of records, or blocks, connected and secured through cryptography.
He said these can be used in all kinds of ways, including as the ledgers for cryptocurrency transactions, that can revolutionize the exchange of online records and ideas.
“That’s the big innovation, and we’re going to see that rolled out everywhere,” Gunkel said. “It is able to utilize what the internet is good for, which is trading digital information online only and supplying some validation mechanism, so that we’re ensured that the information has some integrity.”


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Nintendo Bringing Labo to Classrooms
Nintendo is working with the nonprofit Institute of Play to bring its popular Labo kits for Nintendo Switch to classrooms in North America. The Institute of Play is developing STEAM curriculum and a teacher guide for Labo and is seeking classrooms to participate. It's already running a pilot in New York.
Labo is a making and invention system for the Nintendo Switch gaming platform that brings mixed-reality capabilities to the platform, allowing users to build interactive devices out of cardboard and other materials that can not only interact with games and content on the screen but can be interacted with. For example, users can build a car out of cardboard that can actually move using vibration controlled through Switch. Similarly, they can build a fully functional keyboard out of cardboard and use it to play music through the Switch.
With the addition of a feature called Toy-Con Garage, Labo becomes an invention system that allows users to build interactive objects out of any material and create custom programs for them.
Up until now, however, Labo has existed purely in the consumer realm. Now, however, the Institute of Play is working to develop resources for bringing it into formal education at the elementary level.
"We are always on the lookout for new tools and technologies that combine the best of learning with the spirit of play, and in Nintendo Labo we found an inspiring and innovative approach in both areas," said Arana Shapiro, co-executive director of the Institute of Play, in a prepared statement. "Teachers in the pilot program are already seeing the natural fit for Nintendo Labo in the classroom, and now we can bring that dynamic to schools across the country."
Photo: Nintendo of America. Third-grade students at the Douglass G Grafflin School in Chappaqua, NY, participate in an interactive learning session with the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit for the Nintendo Switch system, led by Rebecca Rufo-Tepper, Co-Executive Director of the Institute of Play.
According to Nintendo, "The Institute of Play is currently conducting a pilot program with schools in the greater New York area. Nintendo and the Institute of Play will use these pilot classes to develop a Nintendo Labo Teacher Guide that will allow other educators to implement Nintendo Labo in the classroom to promote the development of skills such as creative problem solving and collaboration. The Nintendo Labo Teacher Guide will include sample lesson plans and learning modules dedicated to basic elements of STEAM and the Make, Play and Discover components of Nintendo Labo. The guide will be available for free later this fall to anyone who wants to incorporate Nintendo Labo into their classrooms or homes."
The Institute of play is currently seeking classrooms across the United States to participate in a special program once the pilot in New York is completed. Nintendo will provide about 100 schools with Switch systems and Labo Variety Kits, as well as the Teacher Guide. The program will be open to schools in the United States and Canada.
"The ingenuity of Nintendo Switch brings Nintendo Labo to life to provide a fun way for kids to explore basic STEAM topics together and be entertained while building a fundamental understanding of the technology behind them," said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime, also in a prepared statement. "We hope our programs in the United States and Canada encourage kids to explore, tinker, problem-solve and, in the process, get excited about design and technology — all while having fun."
Further information can be found at labo.nintendo.com/classroom.


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updated 07:10 pm EDT, Sat October 22, 2011
Seagate and WD outline Thai flooding damage
Seagate and Western Digital both warned late this week that continued flooding in Thailand was worsening shortages. Western Digital has been the worst affected and anticipated a major hit to supply of its hard drives made in the country. Seagate's main plants were unaffected so far, but many of the smaller companies supplying parts were temporarily shut down, the company said.
There would be a 'significant impact," Seagate said, and it expected this to last over multiple quarters.
About 25 percent of hard drives are made in Thailand and could see significant shortages among traditional PCs. A knock-on effect could lead to increased prices both for PCs and aftermarket drives and, in extreme cases, delayed models as companies wait to get enough stock. Some may also make aggressive orders to book a guaranteed supply, possibly creating problems for smaller PC builders.
The expected shortage could magnify problems for computers. Windows PC makers are already seeing slow sales growth and in some cases may have to contend with the inability to make already conservative expectations.
Apple has warned that it might be affected as well, although it may be the best positioned to mitigate the loss. Its relative entry-level MacBook Air uses entirely flash-based storage, often made well away from Thailand by Samsung and Toshiba. The iPad has been denting traditional PCs and again uses only flash storage, giving it little trouble on the market.
Numerous other electronics companies operate out of Thailand. Nikon produces some of its less expensive compact and DSLR bodies and is expecting a camera shortage while its own plant is shut down. [via CRN]


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Bharti Airtel Launches 4G LTE Services in Bangalore
Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, inaugurated the 4G network launch in Bangalore.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sanjay Kapoor, CEO - India South Asia, Bharti airtel said: "As seen the world over, the total data usage is exploding and is doubling each year to grow to nearly 3.6 hexabytes by 2014."
"With the launch of 4G, India will move from being a follower in technology to matching the world in this domain. Leading from the front, Airtel is now the only operator that gives citizens of the 'Information Technology capital' of Bengaluru, access to entire spectrum of broadband services including 2G, 3G and now 4G - thereby giving the customers never seen before data experience," he added.
In 2010, Airtel procured the permission for BWA license spectrum in Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) circles. Now the telecom company is working out plans to roll out its 4G services in other circles as well.
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With the 4G LTE service, the subscriber can download data around 100 megabytes speed per second and sometimes up to 1 Gigabytes speed per second, at a destined location, according to Airtel.
The telecom major has also introduced various tariff plans for 4G LTE subscribers in Kolkata and Bangalore as followed.
Meanwhile, Airtel also has offered add on plans which customers can use when all their free usage gets over.
"This plan is called 'Smartbytes' for 4G allowing customers to buy these add on packs and continue enjoying the 4G experience even after exhausting their monthly data limits," said Airtel.
In addition, to attract the subscribers to switch onto the 4G network, the company has introduced a list of movies that could be watched on 4G network real time, without buffering.
As an introductory offer, the first 10 films can be watched on 4G network for free after which the subscribers will be charged. The telecom major also has another offer where the customers can watch unlimited movies by subscribing for a monthly movie pack worth Rs 149.
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Two of southern Oxfordshire’s most loved green spaces have again received national recognition.
Council welcomes promises of further engagement over plans for a ‘next-day Rapid Access Care Unit’ at the new Townlands Hospital
People in Didcot are set to see a big increase in shopping and dining in the town after plans to expand the Orchard Centre were approved.
Four local businesses are sharing the first weeks of Wallingford’s new High Street pop up shop.
People living in Didcot have given their strong backing to plans to expand the Orchard Centre, the town’s main shopping area.
South Oxfordshire District Council and its largest social landlord, Soha, are starting a benefits initiative before it is made compulsory.
Adults across Southern Oxfordshire can try a whole host of low cost outdoor activities this summer
Just four months left for towns/villages to claim a share of money made available to support local infrastructure projects.
People in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being urged to confirm their voter details online this summer.
Wallingford’s new pop up shop will open this month and more than 20 businesses have already expressed an interest in taking up a space.


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SEOUL, KOREA (press release to Zennie62Media) – At CES Las Vegas 2020 Saltlux, Korea’s leading artificial intelligence company, will unveil its latest AI solutions, gearing up to enter the global market.
Saltlux, under the theme of “United Solutions of AI”, will use CES Las Vegas 2020 to showcase how AI is applied to our lives and business in the era of augmented intelligence, particularly in autonomous driving, VR/AR and RPA fields.
Saltlux will participate in CES Las Vegas 2020 with 3 partners – INFINIQ (data collection from self-driving cars), FRONTIS(industrial VR and AR), and SYMATION (RPA) – and introduce solutions jointly developed with partners, showcasing how those AI solutions will innovate our daily/professional life.
The following AI solutions will be showcased at CES Las Vegas 2020:
– Knowledge-base deep conversation system “TalkBot”
– Asia’s largest knowledge graph-based data inference and translation tool “Knowledge Graph”,
– BQA algorithm, deep learning-based IRQA and machine reading comprehension technology-based deep question answering engine “Deep QA.” The services will be provided in 7 different languages including Korean, English, Japanese and Vietnamese, and more languages will be added in 2020.
“Korea is considered as one of the fast-growing AI markets and local leaders in technologies and solutions are emerging in the global market,” said Tony Lee, CEO of Saltlux. “We will release a global AI platform in 16 languages including French, German, and Spanish in 40 countries around the word within the next 3 years.”
As Korea’s leading AI company, Saltlux is spearheading the development of artificial intelligence and big data technologies, with 194 patents (including PCT), the biggest number among domestic AI companies, and over 15 billion pieces of accumulated knowledge data which is Asia’s largest. The company provides both audio and visual intelligence based on a million-word corpus and over 20,000 hours of voice data. For the last 10 years, the company has been focusing on supplying AI platforms for building AI customer centers and chatbot for customer service as well as supplying big data platforms for unstructured data and customer voice analysis and public big data analysis. Recently, the company expanded into the AI OpenAPI service and cloud-based subscription service businesses that include data science SaaS service, data collection at scale, and cognitive analysis.
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DHL Supply Chain will insure itself while running autonomous trucks in the Transport Research Laboratory’s (TRL) £8.1m trial of platooning trucks in the UK. TRL will run the trial, which could see platooning HGVs on major UK roads by the end of next year, in conjunction with DHL and DAF Trucks. DHL Supply Chain’s MD of transport Phil Roe said that running the technology previously unseen on UK roads will not affect its insurance premiums because the operator is self-insured. […]
Supermarket chain Morrisons has opened the UK’s 350th authorised testing facility (ATF) at its regional DC in Bridgwater, Somerset.
DHL Supply Chain has won a £14 million contract renewal with Travis Perkins Group, which will see it handle 160,000 deliveries per year. The three and a half year contract extension will see the firm manage national transport operations from the builders merchant’s Northampton DC, moving 20,000 loads annually. It will transport goods for the group’s retailers, including Wickes, Tile Giant, City Plumbing Supplies, City Heating Spares and Toolstation, to 1,000 branches nationwide. DHL has worked with Travis Perkins for […]
A West Yorkshire haulier has introduced new livery on its trailers to promote the government’s ‘stay at home’ message.


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Emissions & Omissions Headlines
News / Pessimism in the air as the IMO pushes for reduced greenhouse gas emissions
The momentum behind efforts to curtail shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions appears to have come ...
News / Transport 'undoubtedly the big-ticket item in reducing port emissions'
Pollutants at UK ports are declining at a minimal rate, mirroring wider national trends as ...
News / Work with haulage industry on emissions, don't penalise us, says RHA chief
UK transport groups have argued that road freight must not be penalised because it plays ...
News / Investors worry as major box lines still falter on strategy for low-sulphur laws
Investors are increasingly concerned that, with only 18 months to go until the IMO’s 0.5% ...
News / Time pressure on carriers to decide on scrubbers or more expensive greener fuel
With just over 18 months until the IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap regulations come into force, ...
News / Ports can help reduce ship emissions by using a 'polluter pays' fee system
Ports could play a major role in efforts to decarbonise the shipping industry and help ...
Recommends / 2035 and all that: global warming, ship emissions and acronym soup
Marvellous op-ed piece by Splash247 contributor Andrew Craig-Bennett on the emissions debate that is engulfing ...
News / Shippers fear huge surge in costs if IMO rules box ships must slow down
While shippers have been warned that low-sulphur regulations to be enforced globally in 2020 will ...
News / Maersk hints at using LNG in post-2020 low sulphur shipping
Maersk Line is considering converting some of its ships to run on LNG fuel ahead ...
News / Rising oil price poses another profitablity problem for containership operators
Escalating fuel prices are posing a renewed risk to carrier profitability, adding to the twin ...
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- 3.Moody's downgrades Maersk's credit rating amid fears for box shipping sector
- 4.Maersk aims to cover itself with an alternative to cargo insurance
- 5.Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the whole of Europe
- 1. dave g on New EC rules on working conditions may make truck driving more attractive
- 2. Lee on HGV driver shortage is 'a ticking time bomb' for UK logistics sector, say MPs
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NEW YORK — Top officials at Google knew about ads for online black-market pharmacies displayed on the Internet search giant's website, according to published reports.
Forbes magazine reported that federal investigators said Google co-founder Larry Page was aware that the ads were illegal but still allowed them to be displayed, based on documents related to the case. The article quoted a company spokesman as saying that the company had settled and was "moving on," but that it should not have allowed the ads.
Last week, Google paid $500 million to the federal government to settle allegations that it allowed the pharmacies to display their ads. The pharmacies purported to be Canadian and sell prescription drugs online without requiring prescriptions to customers who go to them looking to save money.
In many cases, however, black-market pharmacies provide a way for counterfeit, adulterated and mishandled drugs to enter the U.S. healthcare system. Last month, a report by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy found that 96% of 8,000 analyzed rogue pharmacy websites operated out of compliance with U.S. pharmacy laws, and more than 85% did not require a valid prescription.
Meanwhile, as Food and Drug Administration commissioner Margaret Hamburg recently remarked, between 30% and 50% of drugs used to treat serious conditions around the world are counterfeit, and the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest estimated that global drug counterfeiting is growing by 12% to 16% per year.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2012
Local laptop stand producer enters “Dragons’ Den,” nets national TV exposure
VANCOUVER—ChillBed Industries, a producer of high quality, Canadian-made tablet and laptop stands, will have its products featured on CBC’s “Dragons’ Den” program on February 1, the company said today.
“Dragons’ Den” is one of the country’s top-rated television programs, with more than 1.5 million Canadians tuning in every week. In each broadcast, budding entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of influential business people, otherwise known as the Dragons.
ChillBed Industries manufactures and designs the ChillTab™ Universal Tablet Stand and the ChillBed™ Laptop Cooling Stands. Both stands are made from high quality anodized aluminum and are made in Vancouver.
“The fact that ‘Dragons’ Den’ wanted ChillBed’s products to be part of their show says a lot about the quality and design of our stands,” said Adam Berson, CEO of ChillBed Industries.
“It’s not every day that business moguls give you a chance to show off your products on national TV, so it’s a real opportunity. The ChillTab is already selling well, so being on national TV will definitely be a bonus.”
The February 1 broadcast of “Dragon’s Den” starts at 8 p.m. PST.
Contact: Adam Berson, CEO of ChillBed Industries


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Just in time for the holiday season, Amazon is adding a bunch of new features to its voice-activated digital assistant Alexa, including the ability to hear emails and set location-based reminders, among other things.
According to a report in The Verge, the new updates, some of which were announced this fall, started launching this week, with full availability to U.S.-based customers coming this week. With the new location-based enhancements, users with the Alexa app for their smartphones will be able to induce actions when they enter or leave a place, whether it’s the gym, home or office. Alexa will be able to automatically engage in activities such as turning off the lights when you leave a room or turning on the AC as you pull into the driveway. Users can also set up location-based alerts to remind them of certain tasks when they enter the home or office. For instance you can have Alexa remind you to send an email when you enter the office or do the laundry when you get home. The Verge noted that if a user creates a location-based reminder without an Alexa device close by, a notification will be sent via the Alexa app.
As for the new email feature, Alexa can respond to voice commands such as “check my email.” Alexa can also respond to a command to check if an email coming from a specific sender was received, noted The Verge. Alexa can also delete messages, reply to email and archive messages, all via voice commands. The Verge noted the new enhancements support Gmail, Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live.com. Alexa can also now respond to voice commands about local businesses. For example, if a user asks where the closest Whole Foods is, Alexa will respond with the address, reported The Verge. The enhancements on the part of Amazon come a few days after the eCommerce company announced the launch of a self-learning system that can pinpoint defects in Alexa’s ability to understand voice commands and automatically fix the errors without any action on the part of a human.


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Cloud storage services, like Dropbox and Gmail, may soon be able to better manage your content, giving you more storage capacity while still being unable to 'read' your data.
Yahoo is warning users of potentially malicious activity on their accounts between 2015 and 2016, the latest development in the internet company's investigation of a mega-breach that exposed 1 billion users' data several ...
The U.S. Justice Department wants a judge to throw out a lawsuit from Microsoft and keep a law that prohibits technology companies from telling customers when the government demands their electronic data.
Facebook is seeking to reassure Thai users that it safeguards their private data, after a series of arrests raised concerns the social network had failed to protect personal information from Thailand's military government.
A new way of managing personal information set to maximise people's chances of privacy is being developed by computer scientists, led by a researcher at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
A long-awaited new data protection law came into force in Turkey on Thursday, just days after it emerged that private details about some 50 million citizens had been leaked.
Phone and Internet service provider Talk Talk said Friday that private data from its 4 million British customers may have been compromised in a "significant and sustained" cyberattack on its website.
US online brokerage firm Scottrade said Friday it was notifying some 4.6 million customers about a hack into its database which could have leaked private information.
Target has reached a deal to pay up to $67 million to settle Visa claims related to a massive 2013 data breach that resulted in the theft of millions of debit and credit card numbers.
In response to public concerns about cryptographic security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has formally revised its recommended methods for generating random numbers, a crucial element in protecting ...


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Square Enix has announced that Outriders has been delayed until April 1st. According to the statement, People Can Fly will use this extra time in order to further polish the game.
In addition, Square Enix revealed that it will release a free demo on February 25th. This demo will feature both single-player and co-op modes, and will allow players to experience the game’s first few hours.
Outriders is a 1-3 player, drop-in-drop-out, co-op shooter, featuring an original dark and desperate sci-fi universe. The game promises to be a dark modern third-person shooter with a strong story.
In Outriders, players will create their own Outrider and embark on a journey across a hostile planet. The game also promises to feature rich storytelling with a diverse world. Thus, players will leave behind the slums and shanty towns of the First City and traverse forests, mountains and deserts in pursuit of a mysterious signal.
Square Enix and People Can Fly have not revealed yet the game’s PC requirements!


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Facebook will unveil a music-sharing platform this week. It will allow music services to spread virally on the Facebook platform, the way other companies do. Facebook's business model is to provide a social layer and tools to other businesses and take a toll in exchange, as it has done in social gaming and with the advertising of pages on its platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made no secret that he thinks media is next after marketing and games. Facebook integration has been a boon to Spotify, which shares investors with Facebook, by getting users to share playlists, thereby increasing engagement and virality. Facebook's platform should definitely be a boon to these music services in the short term. In the longer term, it remains to be seen whether and how Facebook imposes a toll on them, and whether they can afford to pay off both Facebook and rights owners.
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Major exchange collapses
When Mt. Gox collapsed in 2014, some 650,000 bitcoins were lost. While it was a rather big sum four years ago, it is now worth $5.2 billion. Another big failure may result in a total loss of confidence in the cryptocurrency, resulting in an exodus to fiat money and commodities.
Last week, $500 million in NEM cryptocurrency were stolen, adding more concerns about the lack of security of investing in cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin becomes obsolete
The reason why bitcoin cash and other spin-offs split from bitcoin is that the original cryptocurrency lacks capacity. Bitcoin’s one megabyte file size for transactions can process nearly 2,500 transactions per block on blockchain. Bitcoin cash is eight megabytes and is much faster.
Thus, a simple transaction can last an unpredicted amount of time (sometimes hours) and may be rejected by the system. Moreover, sending bitcoin has become significantly more costly than it used to be, growing from $10 to $140 on the average.
“The first players in anything are usually highly speculative. But the trend itself is here to stay. There is a phrase that the people who do the expeditions get the arrows, and the settlers get the wealth. So, if bitcoin is doing the expeditions, there are people behind it,” Blair Sheppard, PwC global strategy leader told RT.
Regulators crack down
Just a verbal intervention by the Indian Finance Ministry, pledging to ban cryptocurrencies, shaved off around 25 percent of the market’s value. Bitcoin plunged by $3,000 on Thursday and Friday. If China, India, Russia, and the United States announce a total ban on bitcoin, it may not be killed, but will certainly lose its luster.
When amateur investors decided to buy bitcoin last year, it was a hyperinflated asset. If it becomes criminalized, investors’ interest will most likely wane, and major holders will flee.


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Sydney, Brisbane auction results improving
Almost 70 per cent of 248 residential properties put up for auction in Sydney on Saturday sold on the day. That result was an improvement on last week’s results when the auction clearance rate was 67 per cent of 205 properties. On the same weekend last year, just 48 per cent of 248 properties sold.
In Melbourne, 79 per cent of 437 properties put up for auction sold on the day, continuing the very good results for Melbourne auctions that have been recorded over the last few months. Last week, 85 per cent of 413 properties sold at auction. On the same weekend last year, just 50 per cent of 400 properties listed for auction sold on the day.
The Brisbane auction market shows signs of improvement, with 40 per cent of 65 properties sold at auction on the weekend, up from 31 per cent of 37 properties last week and 25 per cent of 75 properties on the same weekend last year.
In Adelaide, 40 per cent of 24 properties sold under the hammer on Saturday.
Source: Australian Property Monitors


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Columbia's tourism future spotlighted in town hall
Of all departments that have taken a hit during the COVID-19 crisis, Columbia's tourism and marketing sector has definitely seen its fair share of changes and having to adapt.
This is not only in regard to the economic impact due to less tourism, but also the loss of jobs and income for many local businesses and workers. However, there have been several solutions to these issues brought forth for those struggling.
Tuesday, Mayor Chaz Molder hosted a fourth virtual town hall meeting, which is available to view on the City of Columbia, TN YouTube page. This week's guests included Columbia Tourism and Marketing Director Kellye Murphy and Communications Director Jayce Bomar.
The three discussed solutions the city has created to help businesses reach their customers, resources for those who have been without work over the last few weeks to find jobs locally and the future of Muletown tourism.
“We've been hosting these virtual town halls for three reasons over the course of this coronavirus outbreak,” Molder said. “No. 1 is to promote continuity in government so you know that government in the city of Columbia continues to work for you on a daily basis, even in a time of crisis or pandemic. No. 2 is to show transparency … and is a way for us to sort of bring government to you so you can see what's happening behind the scenes, and thirdly it's to provide information to you, so that you know what's going on on a daily basis.”
In March, the city launched its #MuletownMighty website and social media pages, designed for businesses to post their hours, services and any changes that have been made in response to COVID-19.
To access the site, visit www.muletownmighty.com.
The network, which was Murphy's creation, is intended to act as a central database where any information a person could want on a business is made available. There are also resources on the site specific to COVID-19, such as the latest data and recommendations from the state and national health departments.
“With travel on pause right now, and everybody sheltering in place still, it is especially important to me that we support local during tough times,” Murphy said. “Some of these merchants have been learning to do business in ways they're doing maybe for the first time, either by doing online selling, stepping up social media strategies, having curbside service, free local delivery or bulk meal options. It's been so impressive to see how everyone has stepped up and really changed their game to stay relevant right now.”
Muletown Mighty is also free for any business or service to join.
“One of the things I love about Muletown Mighty is that it serves as sort of a central command center for the various pieces of information that you see,” Molder said. “A lot of times, businesses get drowned out in other social media posts, and this allows them to get their message to a central clearing house that then distributes it out.”
TN Talent Exchange for jobs
The Tennessee Talent Exchange is a new state initiative aimed to connect individuals without work into jobs in the grocery, retail and logistics industries.
The effort was started by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development in partnership with Tennessee Grocers & Convenient Store Association, the Retail Association and Hospitality TN.
“It's a really great resource that matches Tennesseans who are out of work due to COVID-19 with local jobs in their area,” Bomar said. “You can find it at www.jobs4tn.gov, and it matches you with current jobs in your local area.”
Columbia's tourism future?
Over the last few weeks, the city has adapted to the loss of tourism by developing a new plan in preparation for the days when Columbia can once again can welcome new visitors.
Pending the lifting of Gov. Bill Lee's executive safer-at-home order, scheduled May 1, Columbia city staff has created a multi-phase rollout plan as the community slowly reopens. According to national data, small towns like Columbia are among the top categories of places travelers plan to vacation once the opportunity becomes available.
“We know this is not the time to invite anyone, travelers, to Columbia, not just yet,” Murphy said. “Right now, our job is to inspire future visits to Columbia, and we'll soon move toward our full marketing program as this situation resolves, and more than anything when sentiment says, 'It's time.'”
The first phase has involved designing a new Visit Columbia tourism guide, as well as approving two new Visit Columbia billboards on I-65.
Columbia tourism has also gone digital, with “virtual vacations” spotlighting various tourism destinations online at www.visitcolumbiatn.com, similar to the digital “explore Tennessee from your couch” tours available at www.tnvacation.com.
“We've created a way for our visitors and our local community to share their amazing photos, videos and experiences that they've had in Columbia,” Bomar said. “This platform allows us to display a colorful gallery of those photos and videos on our website.”
The next phase will focus on promoting the outdoors, day trips and weekend itineraries for smaller vacations. There will also be a focus on informing the public as to steps Columbia is taking to provide visitors a safe and clean environment.
The final phase, which Murphy refers to as “getting back to normal, almost” will involve promoting hospitality options and main attractions in the event a person were to take an extended vacation.
“Attractions will be offering discounts, and the same with our hotels. By the fall, travelers will be more willing to consider longer trips, so we'll be phasing back into this,” Murphy said. “Again, with that 'new normal,' safety and sanitation are part of our new marketing messages post-pandemic, and other nuances will rear their head over time as far as what we need to be clued into for our travelers.”


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Srinagar: Given the number of red zones in Kashmir, authorities have decided not to implement the relaxations in the lockdown as detailed in the MHA order.
P.K. Pole, Kashmir divisional commissioner, said since there in a large number of red zones in the Valley and as such there will be separate directions from the health department those will be issued shortly with regard to relaxations in the lockdown.
MHA issued a directive on Friday allowing the opening of standalone shops and shops located in residential complexes of urban areas and shops selling non-essential goods in addition to those selling essentials of life in the rural areas.
There are 76 red zones in Kashmir with hardly any single district among the 10 districts in the Valley remaining unaffected by COVID-19.
Authorities have recently declared Pulwama as a COVID-19 free district, but given the very low number of tests conducted in Pulwama district, it is still a fingers crossed situation even in this district.
Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary, Srinagar DM has clearly expressed dissatisfaction with the opening of shops in Srinagar district where only yesterday five more tested positive for the virus. There are 15 red zones in this district.
In the neighbouring Ganderbal district also police and CRPF were seen enforcing the lockdown on Sunday as it was before the MHA directive.
On Saturday, however, people were seen engaged in brisk shopping in Baramulla town, Abut reports from there also suggest the lockdown is being enforced strictly and no shop selling non-essential goods even if the shop is categorised as standalone is being allowed to function. (IANS)


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Debenhams PLC announced on Thursday that it has appointed Amazon’s European fashion boss, Sergio Bucher, as its new chief executive, replacing Michael Sharp – who said last year that he would be standing down.
The move comes as the department store focuses on improving online sales.
Bucher, who has served as the vice president for Amazon Fashion Europe since 2013, will join the group in October 2016. His expertise in online retail may be what Debenhams needs to boost profits – it has lost a fifth of its market value over the last year.
Bucher lead Amazon Fashion’s growth to become one of the largest fashion retailers in Europe.
Debenhams chairman Sir Ian Cheshire said in an announcement of the appointment: “Following a rigorous recruitment process with some exceptional quality candidates, Sergio’s wealth of e-commerce expertise, international experience and clear leadership qualities stood out.
E-commerce refers to purchasing and selling goods and services online.
“I am confident we have the best possible person to realise the potential of ‘new Debenhams’ as a leading international multi-channel retailer with a bright future.”
Bucher also held senior positions at Nike and Zara owner Inditex, where he led the start-up of its lingerie retail brand Oysho.
“I am excited to be joining Debenhams, with its strong UK heritage, a growing international presence and a track record of supporting and developing brands and designers,” said Mr Bucher.
“I look forward to working with its experienced and talented team to take Debenhams forward to an exciting new future.”


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For The Week Ending Feb. 1, 2013
IMMIGRATION REFORM INTRODUCED IN SENATE
A bipartisan group of senators Monday introduced an immigration proposal that gives special treatment to farm workers, citing the need for sufficient domestic food supply. President Obama Tuesday endorsed the proposal. NPPC supports comprehensive immigration reform that secures national borders fairly and justly, provides a pathway to citizenship for the millions of immigrants already in the United States, creates new temporary work visas, requires employees to check the legal status of all employees against a strengthened E-verify database and gives employers access to a legal work force without placing undue burdens on businesses. NPPC will continue to work with Congress to make sure the U.S. pork industry has access to a viable workforce.
SINGAPORE REMOVES BAN ON PATHOGEN REDUCTION TREATMENTS
Singapore updated its import requirements for pork this week to permit certain pathogen reduction treatments (PRTs) used by the U.S. pork industry. Currently, the U.S. pork industry employs a number of post mortem pathogen reduction treatments as an effective way of reducing the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in pork. NPPC has been pushing for the removal of Singapore’s ban on PRTs as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. The TPP is an Asia-Pacific regional trade pact and represents the best opportunity for the U.S. pork industry to remove sanitary-phytosanitary (SPS) barriers to trade and to eliminate import duties in the countries involved in the negotiations. Singapore has potential for growth as an export destination for U.S. pork products. However, U.S. exports are still limited because of non-science-based trichinae mitigation requirements and overly restrictive production-date and shelf-life restrictions on processed, fresh and chilled U.S. pork products.
NPPC PARTICIPATES IN PANEL ON SETTING INTERNATIONAL FOOD-SAFETY STANDARDS
Laurie Hueneke, NPPC Director of International Trade Policy, Sanitary and Technical Issues, this week at the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga., participated in a panel on the role of the Codex Alimentarius in establishing international food safety standards. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, established by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization and its World Health Organization to promote food safety and coordinate international food standards, last summer, for example, adopted an international standard for ractopamine, a feed ingredient used to promote leanness in pork and beef. NPPC strongly supported the action by Codex, which is the World Trade Organization’s reference body for food safety, noting that the U.N. body upheld its mandate to adhere to process and adopt science-based standards. The adoption of the ractopamine standard had been stalled for four years because of unscientific concerns by several countries. Ractopamine was evaluated and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1999 and has been approved for use in 26 countries. A Codex panel of independent international scientists has confirmed the safety of ractopamine three times. NPPC views the adoption of maximum residue levels for ractopamine as a path forward to engage with trading partners that have food-safety concerns related to science, and the organization is actively involved in developing new standards based on science and consensus. Many countries adopt Codex standards as national standards, increasing the influence that Codex standards play in how U.S. pork producers raise their animals and ensure a safe supply of pork to more than 100 countries every year. The IPPE brought together processors, packers and producers to discuss issues of interest for the meat and poultry industries.
NPPC MEETS WITH OFFICIALS IN MEXICO
In Mexico a new administration under President Enrique Peña Nieto assumed office in December. NPPC Vice President and Counsel for International Affairs Nick Giordano traveled to Mexico this week to meet a number of new government officials and to discuss issues of mutual interest to the U.S.-Mexico bilateral trade relationship. Meetings with private-sector representatives were also held. Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. pork by volume and second largest by value. From January to November 2012, U.S. pork exports to Mexico totaled 550,409 metric tons valued at more than $1 billion, an increase of 15 percent by volume over the same time period in 2011. Maintaining access to the Mexican market is a top priority for the U.S. pork industry as exports add approximately $14 to the price of each hog.
2013 PORK FORUM SET FOR MARCH 7-9
The 2013 National Pork Industry Forum will be held March 7-9 at The Peabody Orlando Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information on media registration, click here.


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Pizza Fusion: Publicity On A Shoe-String Budget
44 Million Impressions, 1,400 Leads
Is it possible to promote a business on a shoe-string budget? Can a small business with new voice in a voluminous media market get enough attention to merit the time investment? More importantly, will the results gained from your efforts be measurable in terms of business outcomes?
For one small and very unique pizza restaurant, turned franchise chain, it turns out the answer is yes. These were the questions facing Pizza Fusion when Eric Haley joined the restaurant business in early 2007 as vice president of communications. Pizza Fusion was bringing a new twist to an old business: an eco-friendly pizza restaurant.
Pizza Fusion is wholesome in every sense — from the environmentally considerate hybrid vehicles used by its delivery drivers — to the organic and gourmet ingredients that go into its food products. As the firm’s tag line goes, “Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time.” Pizza Fusion faced a pretty significant hurdle: how could they share their story, build reputation and ultimately attract business on a very, very tight budget.
Grabbing National Attention
So just how does a start-up business build a reputation in an industry that never previously existed? Pizza Fusion turned to PRWeb and Haley notes he opts for the advanced visbility package because it allows him to incorporate photos, for example of menu items, at no extra costs. He’s also experimented with establishing his own RSS feed for “organic pizza” something that is unique to his line of business.
“The PRWeb solution for Web visibility allows me to effectively communicate to media and the consumer alike, across multiple channels,” says Haley. “PRWeb is also a useful service for social media and it has proved to be very good at driving blog traffic.”
Haley notes that PRWeb has put Pizza Fusion “all over the Internet.” Such a measure may seem vague until you quantify the results: he determined that in his first year he was able to secure 44 million media impressions – a number he doubled the next year.
“In part, the PRWeb analytics has enabled me to better quantify public relations results,” says Haley. “This is helpful when communicating the value of PR to management, for example, I can definitively report to the CEO that, ‘We got X number of impressions.’ ”
And there’s evidence to suggests it’s not just the CEO that’s been impressed. Pizza Fusion has received a substantial amount of news coverage to which Haley notes PRWeb has been a significant contributor. Key placements have included: USA Today, The New York Times, Sundance Channel, CNN, Entrepreneur Magazine and a number of trade publications important to the Pizza Fusion franchise. Perhaps the most noteworthy PR results are those Haley ties to business outcomes. In his first year — on that shoe-string marketing budget — Pizza Fusion secured 1,400 leads, 60 franchise commitments and opened 20 new stores in 14 states. As these results indicate, Pizza Fusion has been more than successful – and yet the business continues an aggressive national expansion with several new locations currently underway around the country. Pizza Fusion is booming and credits savvy PR initiatives made possible with PRWeb.
Questions about your PRWeb account or interested in learning more about our news services?
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Contact information is available here.
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In the year in which all supermarkets did good business, Jumbo managed to increase its market share, whereas ALDI in 2020 lost clientele on the total.
This is evident from figures from market research agency Nielsen on Thursday.
The share of market leader Albert Heijn (AH) remained at 35 percent last year almost the same as the market share of 34.9 percent a year earlier.
The total turnover of the Dutch supermarkets reached a record high of 44.7 billion euros last year.
Jumbo managed to gain considerably more market share.
The company went from 21 percent in 2019 to 21.5 percent in 2020. ALDI lost 0.4 percent to 5.5 percent.
Lidl, the other major discounter, remained at 10.7 percent.
Both AH and Jumbo gained stores in 2020.
In the case of the wholesaler from Zaandam, 12 stores were added and the total increased to 992. Jumbo grew by 10 stores to 679. ALDI has 496 and Lidl 432. A number of stores were added to both companies last year.