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Certain fruits and veggies are inherently hydrating. Find out the variety of health benefits they come with.
Shilpa Shetty made another healthy dish - a fruits and veggies salad - and was generous enough to post a close-up picture of the dish. The full-of colour salad was an amalgamation of various healthy ...
A new study validates suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the best way to look good, have attractive skin and also stay slim.
It has also been reported that almost 76 to 87 per cent of Americans don't consume recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and it is assumed that such fears will decrease the number even more.
Keep your body hydrated this summer by adding these miraculous foods in your diet.
You are physically more active in summer and there are so many summer fruits and veggies that can help you fight the flab.
Menopausal Symptoms: The fluctuation of hormones is to be blamed for most of the menopause complaints. A recent study has suggested that a healthy diet, rich in fruits and veggies, may help in lessening several ...
Shakes and smoothies are also an interesting part of summers. Smoothie is a rich yogurt or milk-based preparation, blended with fruits and veggies of your choice.
Mira Kapoor offered a glimpse into her diet on a Saturday afternoon on her Instagram stories. Her lunch was healthy, colourful and looked absolutely delicious.
Are you someone who finds it tedious to peel ginger, garlic and other fruits and veggies? These 5 simple peeling techniques are here for your rescue!


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Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart (“Porsche SE“), reached an agreement with Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn that he ceases his function as member and chairman of the executive board of Porsche SE by the end of October 31, 2015.
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of the supervisory board of Porsche SE, thanked Prof. Dr. Winterkorn for the successful work in previous years: “Prof. Dr. Winterkorn assumed office as chairman of the executive board of Porsche SE in a difficult situation. He played a significant role in transforming our company into a highly professional investment holding. I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of the entire supervisory board.“
Hans Dieter Pötsch, chief financial officer of Porsche SE, was appointed by the supervisory board to succeed Prof. Dr. Winterkorn as chairman of the executive board of Porsche SE effective November 1, 2015.

domain: news


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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Price optimization continues to gain popularity for establishing optimal pump prices by market or individual sites, according to a Kalibrate Technologies plc survey released Tuesday.
The third-annual survey involved executives representing more than 8,000 fueling locations that sell 10 billion gallons annually. The number of respondents citing that they use price optimization "always" or "sometimes" continues to grow, the survey revealed. For the third year in a row, the primary reason for employing price optimization is to increase margin while maintaining or increasing volume/market share, depending on the retailer’s market strategy.
Convenience store retailers also continue to rely on third-party fuel price optimization software vs. in-house systems. Sixty-two percent of the respondents said they prefer to purchase price optimization software from a third-party provider, according to Kalibrate.
In addition, convenience store retailers have a growing interest in creating strategies for pricing alternative fuels, the latest Kalibrate survey revealed.
"While retail fuel pricing is a critical component for ensuring profitability, more and more companies are realizing that it is only one of seven elements that can ensure volumes are maintained and profits increased; it’s what we call the 7 Elements for Fuel Retail Success (price, location, market, merchandising, facility, operations and brand),” said Bob Stein, president and CEO of Kalibrate. “Careful attention to all seven elements is the answer to overall site success and withstanding competitive threats.”
Florham Park-based Kalibrate Technologies plc offers a wide variety of strategies and technology solutions for retailers.


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Dunkin' Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with existing franchisees, Savoureux Corp., for 12 new restaurants in North Omaha, Neb. and Sioux City, Iowa. The first restaurant is set to open in 2013.
For the expansion Savoureux Corp., led by Kris Brown and Zach Wiegert, has teamed with Jeff Woodbury of Woodbury Corp., and David Scott, CEO of Tetrad Corps., an Omaha-based real estate and investment firm.
"We are excited to expand Dunkin' Donuts presence in Omaha and Sioux City and play an important role in the daily lives of people who live, work and visit here," Brown said in a press release. "We have a passion and loyalty for the brand and look forward to the opening of our restaurants in the years to come."
This is the latest of several expansion announcements the restaurant chain has made in recent months, as it continues to increase its presence across the United States. In January Dunkin’ inked a deal for eight new restaurants in Des Moines, Iowa, and in October 2011, the chain announced that it would add 86 restaurants in Washington, D.C.


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WESTAMPTON, N.J. (February 22, 2021) – Weego unveils the latest in portable power with its all-new N44s Jump Starter. Rugged, purpose-built and incredibly compact – no bigger than most cell phones – the Weego Jump Starter 44s can start boats, motorcycles, and almost all of the cars and trucks on the road today. Building on the success of its popular N22s the new jump-starting power pack features the very latest in is power management and delivers nearly 50% more power at the same low price.
Recently, Mountain Weekly News created a winter car survival kit list essential for keeping you and your crew safe on the roadways. Guess who made the top of the list – Weego Portable Power!
Read the full article on Winter Car Survival!
Without the use of this nifty piece of kit in our possession, there’s no doubt in my mind that one of the bikes would have been stranded in pretty remote regions. As full-time moto-travellers on a frugal budget, neither of us can afford roadside assistance, and because we love exploring in far-flung places off the beaten track, who knows when a Good Samaritan furnished with cables would have jumped to the rescue.


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We are almost there: in 2019, the 2011/62/EU directive containing measures to increase safety in the supply chain of medicinal products will become mandatory in almost all European countries.
Usually these are referred to as serialisation requirements. There is nothing new in absolute terms because, with only a few exceptions, these same rules exist in the United States, Turkey, China, Brazil etc.
The drug industry is in turmoil, also due to the high cost of converting packaging lines.
Not Falorni however, who has also been strengthened by its experience with international markets, has developed a partnership with Antares Vision (a global leader in the provision of integrated serialisation systems), and is therefore already able to offer services in line with the new FMD anti-counterfeiting legislation.
But that is not enough: Falorni is already investing in increasing the number of lines for serialised packaging, so that none of its clients (present or future) will be left behind.
In line with Falorni’s ability to anticipate ever-evolving pharmaceutical market demands, all serialisation lines are and will be equipped with aggregation systems for pallet management.


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In collaboration between the Trenton Marriott Downtown Archives Restaurant in Trenton, NJ, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the restaurant began featuring "Jersey Fresh" produce on its menu May 3.
"Archives Restaurant has committed to purchase New Jersey-grown produce and highlight a different 'Jersey Fresh' item on its menu once a month," said Jeffrey M. Zeiger, general manager of the Trenton Marriott Downtown. "Our executive chef, Mark Ellis, will create the monthly menu item, and he will hold a monthly after-work cooking demonstration of the recipe in one of the meeting rooms at the hotel. The first demonstration was held on May 18."
The dish for the month of May was New Jersey asparagus salad with citrus- balsamic vinaigrette. The menu featured the item alongside the "Jersey Fresh" logo. The recipe ingredients are grilled New Jersey asparagus, mixed field greens and buffalo mozzarella with a balsamic citrus vinaigrette. Those who attended were treated to a taste of the dish, and they received a copy of the recipe.
Endive will be featured on the Archives menu in June, followed by blueberries in July, tomatoes in August, peaches in September and Butternut squash in October.
Mr. Zeiger is hoping the program will be a great success so that it can be expanded all year round, using New Jersey seafood in the winter months. Archives Restaurant sources its New Jersey produce from J. Ambrogi Food Distribution Inc. in Thorofare, NJ, a major distributor that, while sourcing from across the country and offshore, is devoted to keeping local farms alive. Every season it strives to provide customers with as much local sustainable produce as possible, claiming that by supporting local farms, it reduces its carbon footprint, encourages the well-being of the local economy and delivers the freshest and finest produce to its customers.
"The hotel and restaurant, which seats 140 people, is located in the state's capital," said Mr. Zeiger. "There are approximately 26,000 workers within a several-mile radius. Because of this, we get a strong lunch crowd. We felt it was the perfect venue to feature foods that are produced in New Jersey because the majority of these people are residents of the state, and so are committed to their communities."
Chef Ellis is a culinary graduate of the Philadelphia Restaurant School. He served as adjunct professor for Mercer County Community College, where he taught the fundamentals of cooking, advanced culinary techniques and ethnic food utilization.
"My passion for cooking started at an early age and at home," said Chef Ellis. "Cooking with my family was not only fun, but it also taught me the importance of fresh ingredients, flavor profiles and the true meaning of family. Since graduating from culinary school, I have worked in fine dining establishments, supermarket commissaries, and was the executive chef for an international airline in business and first-class meals."
Mr. Zeiger said that Chef Ellis' previous work in airline meal production provided him with the ability to be consistent in food preparation. "Customers get the same great hamburger, salad or entrée every day," said Mr. Zeiger. "Mark's experience in the high-end restaurant industry also enables him to bring flair and creativity to the menu, but he does it in mass production style. He also knows how to teach his staff consistency and flair."
Archives Restaurant, which opened in 2002, is the only dining establishment in the area that specializes in continental food. Its most popular items are the steak and blue salad, a grilled skirt steak served on fresh greens with crumbled blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Also popular is Asian chicken salad, a combination of Napa cabbage, mandarin oranges and five-spiced chicken with peanut dressing.
"Most of our regular patrons watch what they eat and are carbohydrate conscious, so our salads are the most popular menu items," said Mr. Zeiger. "Chef Ellis' daily buffet, which is also highly popular, offers a fresh salad bar, soup, entree selections, pasta, rice or potatoes, vegetables and a variety of desserts."
Logan Brown, economic development representative for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, helped to coordinate the Jersey Fresh promotion at Archives Restaurant.
"We are very excited about this partnership with the Trenton Marriott," said Mr. Brown. "The supermarket industry has made great strides in promoting the Jersey Fresh locally grown program, and consumers now identify strongly with it. To have products offered on restaurant menus is an added perk for local growers. It also demonstrates a restaurant's commitment to the community, and it helps to spread the locally grown word even more."
The Jersey Fresh program was started in 1983. Mr. Brown said that the department likes to think it was the "original" locally grown program in the country and that today it is synonymous with the locally grown movement. "We work with a different budget each year, depending on what is available to the program," said Mr. Brown. "But regardless of how much or how little we have available for promotional and marketing efforts, the brand recognition continues to grow each year."
The department is also promoting the 130 community farmers markets throughout the state that are beginning to open for the season.
On May 11, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher visited the Trenton Farmers Market with Mr. Zeiger and Chef Ellis, where he introduced them to the farmers who sell what they grow at the year-round market. Secretary Fisher announced that with the seasonal openings, Jersey produce is readily available for all restaurants that are interested in serving locally grown fruits and vegetables.
"Residents of New Jersey know that when they want to incorporate Jersey Fresh produce into their meals, they can easily find locally grown fruits and vegetables at a community farmers market, roadside market or supermarkets," Secretary Fisher said in a press release. "We are asking restaurant owners and chefs to search out these items and highlight 'Jersey Fresh' regularly on their menus because it has been demonstrated that the public highly prizes local produce."
Unlike most community farmers markets, which are seasonal and temporary, the Trenton Farmers Market is in a permanent building and is open six days a week throughout the year. The market has nine farmers who sell during the produce growing season.
"Our market provides the freshest possible fruits and vegetables from local farms, picked only hours before they are sold," Jack Ball, manager of the Trenton Farmers Market, said in the press release. "There are many local restaurants that purchase produce from our market. They know there's a huge difference in freshness and taste when they serve local fruits and vegetables in their salads and desserts."
Mr. Brown said that the New Jersey Department of Agriculture works with the New Jersey Restaurant Association in an effort to promote New Jersey products.
"There are several restaurants that periodically put the 'Jersey Fresh' logo on their menus to correspond with dishes that incorporate local produce," he said. "We provide the artwork for their menus. The agency also plans to do cooking demonstrations at farmers markets using chefs from foodservice operations in the future. The 'Jersey Fresh' logo is a common site at markets in the state."
Currently, the department is working to develop a foodservice promotion with Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, NJ.
"Through the use of the Jersey Fresh theme throughout the entire foodservice division, it set out to become the first Jersey Fresh hospital," said Mr. Brown. "It is using New Jersey product and branding in their cafeteria, patient meals and coffee shop. It is also seeking to set up a weekly farmers market in the parking lot, and it has begun Jersey Fresh cooking demonstrations for cancer patients."
"From the very beginning, we fell on a solid brand name, and we've kept it consistent over the years," Mr. Brown concluded. "The result is a highly successful program that benefits the community, growers and consumers."


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There will be nor more advertisements for sugary drinks. The health Ministry of Singapore informed that the island nation is all set to become world’s first nation to ban the advertisements of sugary drinks.
The products considered to be most unhealthy is banned form appearing in advertisements in across all media platforms including print, broadcast and online channels. The government is exploring the possibility imposing of a sugar tax or ban.
The Singapore government by this move aims to combat the rising diabetes rates in the country.As per the International Diabetes Federation around 13.7% of adults living in Singapore has diabetes.


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OnePlus is one of the best Android phone manufacturers. The company will launch a new flagship phone with great features. While there are a few confirmed details about the phone, most details are just rumors and leaks. One of the most expected features is 16GB RAM, while the processor has already been confirmed by the manufacturer. Here are the details about the OnePlus 11’s expected features and rumors.
OnePlus 11 to launch with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC
Once the launch of the latest chipset, the phone manufacturer announced that the new flagship is going to launch with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The new chipset will offer an advanced AI engine and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to the next generation of the flagship. Additionally, there are rumors about the new OnePlus 11 such as design, RAM, and more.
According to a leaker on Weibo, the OnePlus 11 flagship device will come with a ceramic body. However, the ceramic body is not a common type in the US, so the device may have a metal frame in addition to a few different materials like ceramic. In addition, the phone may feature a curved display and a punch-hole front-facing selfie camera in the top left of the device’s screen.
Another significant rumor about the phone is its RAM and storage. Digital Chat Station, the leaker, announced that the OnePlus 11 could have 16GB of RAM and may utilize faster UFS 4.0 storage. One of the other rumors about the OnePlus 11 is its display. The company could launch the device with a 6.7-inch Full HD AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate.
OnePlus 11 expected specs
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC
- RAM: 8GB/16GB
- Display: 6.7-inch Full HD AMOLED, 120Hz
- Storage: 128GB/256GB, UFS 4.0
- Camera: 50-Megapixel, 48-Megapixel, 32-Megapixel setup
- Battery: 5,000mAh, 100W
What do you think about the coming flagship phone, the OnePlus 11? Share your comments 🙂


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Pro Audio > Rekkerd.org
Thursday December 2, 2021. 09:29 AM
Performance Samples has announced the release of Chamber Violins – Classical Shorts, a free instrument library for Kontakt featuring a shorts (spicc/stacc-esque) patch with 6... The post Performance Samples releases Chamber Violins – Classical Shorts free Kontakt library ...
Austrian Audio has extended its highly-successful Hi-X6 headphone range with the new Hi-X60 model professional closed-back reference headphones for recording, front-of-house, mixing and mastering. Featuring... The post Austrian Audio intros Hi-X60 professional closed-back...
King OZ Records has announced a new version in the Esquire limiter series. DSPplug Esquire3 features an improved algorithm combining LU and dBFS detection, so... The post King OZ Records releases DSPplug esquire3 free brickwall limiter plugin appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Audentity Records has launched its new sample pack Melodic & Popular Guitar Vibes 2, a collection of 77 acoustic and electric guitar loops and 13... The post Audentity Records releases Melodic & Popular Guitar Vibes 2 sample pack appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Wednesday December 1, 2021. 10:22 PM
VCV has announced the release of VCV Rack 2, a major update to the virtual Eurorack studio for Windows, Mac and Linux. Version 2 includes... The post VCV Rack 2 modular software released, now also as VST plugin for your DAW appeared first on rekkerd.org.
United Plugins has launched a lightweight guitar solution with the new Electrum Core, bringing the amp and cab simulations from the original Electrum to a... The post United Plugins releases Electrum Core guitar amp and cab effect plugin appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Applied Acoustics Systems has announced that all of its products are 50% off as part of its annual Holiday Sale. During the sale, the Professional... The post AAS Holiday Sale 2021: Save 50% on all plugins, sound packs & bundles appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Karanyi Sounds has announced an extension on its Cyber Week Sale, offering an additional savings on top of up to 70% off on all of... The post Karanyi Sounds Cyber Week Extended: Save up to 70% + 15% additional discount appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Sennheiser has announced the availability of a new pair of professional headphones for mixing, editing, and mastering. The HD 400 PRO studio reference headphones are... The post Sennheiser launches HD 400 PRO studio headphones appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Cableguys has released an update to the ShaperBox effects suite for modern mixes and infinite inspiration. ShaperBox 2 contains 8 unique Shaper effects: TimeShaper 2,... The post Cableguys expands NoiseShaper sound library in ShaperBox v2.4.3 update appeared first on...
Sonus Dept. has announced the release of a free Max for Live device. Scattered can turn an audio input or a sample into an unpredictable... The post Sonus Dept. releases Scattered free Max for Live device appeared first on rekkerd.org.
dSONIQ has announced an update to the Realphones software that re-creates acoustic environment of recording studio control room in your headphones and corrects their frequency... The post dSONIQ adds new popular headphones & IEM support to Realphones appeared first on...
Plugin Boutique has announced a promotion on the Things Texture plugin by AudioThing, a granular reverb effect with pitch shifting and mid/side mode. ‘Things’ is... The post Things Texture granular reverb plugin by AudioThing on sale at 50% OFF appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Audio Plugin Deals has launched a sale on the Espresso Experience Bundle by Have Audio, offering a 75% discount on the collection of 6 Kontakt... The post The Espresso Experience Bundle by Have Audio on sale at 75% OFF appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Rhodes Music Ltd. has announced the availability of the Rhodes MK8, a new instrument that has been redesigned from the ground up to bring the... The post Rhodes MK8: Harold Rhodes’ legendary electro-mechanical tine piano returns appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Splice Sounds has released The Wildcardz Sample Pack Vol. 1, which brings the soundscape of production duo’s The Wildcardz (Sadie Currey and Ester Na) musical... The post Splice Sounds launches new sample packs from The Wildcardz and KiNK appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Dabro Music’s latest sample pack Lofi Hip-Hop III delivers 540MB+ collection of loops and samples suitable for making Lofi Hip Hop music. In this great... The post Dabro Music releases Lofi Hip-Hop III sample pack at Loopmasters appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Solid State Logic has announced the release of its latest Fusion-based plugin release. As on the original Fusion hardware processor, the new SSL Fusion HF... The post Solid State Logic launches SSL Fusion HF Compressor plugin appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Output has announced the release of its latest Line pack expansion for its signature inspiration machine Arcade. Honey – Alt R&B Sampler Kits features a... The post Output releases Honey – Alt R&B Sampler Kits for Arcade 2.0 appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Barcode Industries has announced that its ARKE Pianospheres Lite collection of pads and soundscapes with organic piano textures is free to download for a limited... The post ARKE Pianospheres Lite for Kontakt FREE for a limited time appeared first on rekkerd.org.
Dec, Tue 7 - 04:18 CET


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The International Monetary Fund has warned that fears over the global economy and a rapid slowdown in China are putting the brakes on Asian growth, as it called Japan the region's "main bright spot".
The Washington-based Fund pared back its growth forecast for the region, saying it expected Asia's economies to expand at an average 5.25 per cent through this year and 2014, still strong but "weaker than anticipated" in its April World Economic Outlook.
"During the first half of 2013, growth in Asia generally moderated," said the IMF's latest report, published on Tuesday.
"This was due to a more rapid slowdown in the pace of growth in China, which affected industrial activity in much of emerging Asia," it added.
However, the report credited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's growth policy blitz for powering the world's third-largest economy since he swept to power late last year.
The report projects Japan's economy will expand 2.0 per cent this year before slowing to 1.2 per cent in 2014 as Tokyo ushers in a sales tax hike.
"Japan was the main bright spot, reflecting the new policy momentum," the report said.
Still, the IMF also warned that Tokyo must enact deeper reforms - including liberalising Japan's labour market and chopping trade barriers - or its bid to reboot the long-stagnant economy would fail.
Across the region's fast-developing economies, the IMF said it was keeping its outlook for continued strong growth although "the risks are tilted to the downside".
"A major downside risk is a synchronised global slowdown, which would take a heavy toll on the region's export-dependent economies," it said.
"Another risk is that capital outflows - due to a further tightening in US monetary conditions or deteriorating domestic fundamentals - could intensify."
Indonesia, India and other emerging markets have been hit by huge outflows of foreign cash since May when the US Federal Reserve first signalled it may start tapering its stimulus drive, known as quantitative easing.
The Fed's massive bond-buying program saw a huge investment splurge in emerging economies when it was unveiled last year. That money started racing back the other way when the central bank said it was considering a wind down.
The IMF also cut its 2013 China growth forecast to 7.6 per cent, in the latest acknowledgement of slower expansion for the region's growth engine.
It also reduced the prediction for the world's second-biggest economy in 2014, expecting gross domestic product (GDP) growth to come in at 7.3 per cent.
China's slowdown "will affect many other economies, notably the commodity exporters among the emerging market and developing economies", the IMF said.
The country has enjoyed decades of double-digit growth fuelled by exports and big-ticket investment projects.
But it recorded its slowest performance in 13 years in 2012, growing 7.7 per cent, down from 9.3 per cent in 2011 and 10.4 per cent in the previous year.
Beijing's new leadership under President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need for the country to retool its growth model to one where private, consumer-led demand drives sustained, albeit lower, expansion.
Speaking at an Asia-Pacific business forum in Indonesia on Monday, Xi described the economy as being on a smooth and controlled slowdown, calling it "an intended result of our own regulatory initiatives".
However, the impact has already been felt with Indonesia's economy, Southeast Asia's biggest, projected to slow to 5.3 per cent this year from 6.2 per cent in 2012 due in part to sluggish investment and weaker demand for commodities from the resources-rich archipelago nation.
India's economy, meanwhile, is expected to grow 3.8 per cent this year, the IMF said, as it lowered its earlier 5.6 per cent growth forecast in July.
The new assessment deals a blow to India's embattled government, which is struggling to boost the sluggish economy ahead of elections due next year, hit by weaker investment, stubbornly-high inflation and a slumping rupee.
India's growth will rise to 5.0 per cent in 2014, thanks to stronger exports and an easing of supply bottlenecks, the IMF said. But inflation is expected to hit 11.0 per cent this year and 9.0 per cent in 2014, driven by high food prices.
Solid domestic demand would help power the economies of some Southeast Asian nations, particularly Malaysia and the Philippines, while Thailand should pick up in the second half of this year after a slowdown, the IMF report said.


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On Qualcomm recently introduced the renamed Snapdragon 888 flagship processor, and now her example could be followed and OnePlus.
What does it mean
IN Qualcomm explained that they have chosen a new name (and not Snapdragon 875 as expected), as the number 888 sounds more premium. It symbolizes in Chinese culture good luck and prosperity. The American company thus decided to pay tribute to its partners from China.
After the presentation, the founder and OnePlus CEO Liu Zuohu talked to brand fans in social networks Weibo. is he asked how they the idea to name the new flagship OnePlus 888. Moreover, in next year OnePlus will celebrate its
Of course it is not means that OnePlus 9 definitely decided to rename it to OnePlus 888, however everything is possible.
Recall in the OnePlus 9 lineup should include three models: OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro and simplified OnePlus 9E. By rumored, the presentation of the flagships is scheduled for March 2021.


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Today, we’re going to chat about some of the hottest updates Google’s bringing to Wear OS. Yes, you heard that right, Google’s stepping up its game with new features that are absolutely game-changing for all you Wear OS watch users out there.
We’re talking better battery life, a slicker Gboard, a more helpful Google Assistant, and a standalone Google Play Store for Wear OS watches.
Let’s break it down:
Battery life improvements: Google’s taking battery life to the next level. They’re optimizing the ambient mode to reduce power use on idle. That’s what we call efficiency!
Gboard gets even better: We’re getting more languages, emoji, voice typing, and a one-handed mode. It’s all about making your life easier, right?
Google Assistant gets more helpful: Google Assistant is going to be your new best friend, with hands-free help at any time. And the best part? This is going to be available globally.
Standalone Google Play Store: They’re making it easier for you to discover and install apps directly from your watch. You don’t have to use your phone to get the apps you need on your watch anymore.
Multi-language support: You’re getting support for more languages. That’s Google, always thinking about its diverse user base.
In addition to these, Google is bringing new proactive health features and improved sleep tracking, which means a focus on proactive health management. We’re also getting new workout modes for all you fitness buffs, an enhanced Google Assistant that you can use without needing your smartphone, Google Pay updates to make transactions smoother, and increased performance and stability for a smoother and more reliable experience. Lastly, there’s some exciting news about an upcoming major update to the OS later this year7.
But wait, there’s more. Google is rolling out a series of updates aimed at making the Android Wear OS platform more robust and user-friendly than ever before. They’re bringing new proactive health features that allow users to track their heart rate, sleep, and other fitness parameters right on your smartwatch. They’ve also made improvements in sleep tracking with the inclusion of deep sleep and REM sleep stages. And for all the fitness enthusiasts out there, they’re introducing new workout modes tailored for the gym or outdoors.
The bottom line? Google is not messing around. They’re investing heavily in making the Wear OS platform better, more intuitive, and more responsive to users’ needs. These updates are all about making your life easier and helping you get the most out of your Wear OS watch.
I’m still in the process of gathering all the details about each feature, so stay tuned for the full low-down. Let’s embrace the hustle, and let’s embrace these game-changing updates from Google! They’re not just changes, they’re upgrades. So, let’s upgrade our hustle, and let’s upgrade our game. Because that’s what it’s all about, right?


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With a hefty tax on the importation of a key feed ingredient — corn — prices of poultry products in Sri Lanka have risen above the world average.
However, the government has announced a reduction in import levy, reported Economy Next
Now down to 25,000 Sri Lankan rupees (LKR; US$77.20) per metric ton (mt) from LKR75,000 previously, the lower import duty is aimed at reducing the cost of animal feed, said the finance minister. It could also open opportunities for Sri Lanka to export poultry meat and eggs.
According to this source, the high import duties have pushed up the prices of poultry products, making them unaffordable for poor families, and leading to child malnutrition.
Furthermore, poultry farmers put some of the blame for the situation on corn traders. This group, they allege, control the market and make large profits in their businesses.
Lower poultry prices forecast
It will take around two weeks for the reduction in corn import tariff to feed into chicken prices, according to the national poultry organization.
Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror
It says eggs could be selling for LKR40 each by the end of this year.
In this South Asian state, feed accounts for 70-80% of the cost of chicken. Domestic corn production does not meet demand, and availability of alternative feed grains is limited. As a result, Sri Lankan feed and poultry producers rely on corn imports.
According to the Association, the import duties were originally introduced by the government to protect domestic corn growers. It says that the partial lifting of the duty will not impact local production as imports will only fill the gap in demand.
Sri Lanka’s corn market
Corn is the key ingredient used in animal feed production in Sri Lanka, according to a report on the market by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) earlier this year.
For the last marketing year — October 2021 to September 2022 — local production was estimated at 187,000mt. The figure was around 40% lower than the five-year average. This reflected reduced levels of planting and fertilizer use, according to FAS.
In January of 2020, Economy Next reported that Sri Lankan corn production amounted to 250,000mt, while the annual requirement for poultry feed was 600,000mt.
Another South Asian state has recently experienced a sharp spike in poultry product prices. As a result, the government of Bangladesh is examining a range of measures to keep these key food products affordable for the population, and to stabilize the poultry industry.


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It turns out that magazines and newspapers aren’t the only things you can subscribe to. Many motor companies are now allowing car buyers to purchase vehicle subscriptions. From Ford to Cadillac, this new program is being used by mostly high end manufacturers. This new system will allow potential car owners to pay a per month fee. While this model works similarly to leasing an automobile, it is more of an all in one package, providing customers with insurance along with the car. One group that could benefit from vehicle subscriptions are people who live in cities. With so many public transportation options available they may be on the fence about purchasing their own automobile, but this could give them the opportunity to have a car for a short amount of time and see if it’s the right decision for them. While this program may not be available in every state, it’s an option for those living in major cities, like Los Angeles and New York City, depending on what brand of automobile someone is looking to buy. As expected monthly costs are high in exchange to change cars on an almost monthly basis.
For people in Maryland who are still looking for a more affordable car buying option, there’s always used vehicles available. Purchasing a pre-owned automobile can be daunting if you’re not sure what to look for, but we can help. Used cars legally have to be inspected by the seller before being sold, but it’s never a bad idea to take matters into your own hands and have the vehicle checked out by a group you trust. Our ASE certified Mechanics will perform a thorough, top to bottom examination of your potential automobile, looking for anything questionable. Our technicians follow the Maryland State vehicle inspections guidelines and will let you know if the car surpasses those standards or not. This check covers the vehicle from the brakes to the electrical system to the wipers. It’s peace of mind to have the experience of our mechanics on your side. For those looking to purchase a car in the Laurel, Burtonsville, Maple Lawn Farms, Fulton, Clarksville, Highland, or Columbia MD bring it in for an examination before making your big investment.


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A WOKING furniture shop is closing after nearly 30 years, which the owners blame mostly on disruption from the town centre redevelopment.
Broadway Furniture Centre, near the railway station, was opened in September 1993 by brothers Tony and Jason Richardson.
The three-storey premises soon became the go-to place for local people seeking good-quality furniture.
The shop was part of an expanding business that included a small removals arm and shops in Byfleet, Farnham and Aldershot.
Tony has been in the furniture business for many years and Jason helped him at weekends, while working in insurance, before they bought the shop at 17 The Broadway and ran it together full time.
About 15 years ago they featured in the Channel 5 series Cowboy Builders, donating furniture to a family in Send who had been ripped off by unscrupulous tradesmen.
In September 2014, the News & Mail reported on the Broadway Furniture Centre’s 21st anniversary, with Jason putting their longevity down to having a personal touch, as well as quality products and services.
“Customers stay with us for generations – they come back time after time. We get a lot of recommendations too; word gets around, which is nice,” he said.
Less than five years later, business was being badly affected by changes to parking arrangements, largely because of works on the town centre redevelopment.
Jason wrote to the News & Mail in a letter we published in March 2019, saying: “I am becoming increasingly frustrated at the parking chaos in Woking and the unsympathetic attitude of the traffic wardens.
“Not only have all the customer parking bays been replaced along the Broadway by a taxi rank, causing a massive impact on the businesses, but now customers are being hassled and given parking tickets when they park outside the shop to collect an item.
“Even our delivery drivers are getting tickets. Has the world gone completely mad? I cannot believe the wardens are using any common sense when they can see that people are collecting or dropping off, or delivering.
“Woking shoppers and businesses have been extremely tolerant over the last couple of years with all the building work and roads being dug up.”
Jason asked the borough council, “do you not want shoppers in town? You don’t want businesses to fail – let’s have some common sense and support people and businesses.”
A year later, the pandemic made the situation worse, with shops having to close or follow social distancing and hygiene regulations and a lot of trade going online.
Jason told the News & Mail this week that closing the shop, on 31 July when the lease expires “is another sad day for the independent retailers with another victim to the big corporations along with the council killing off the local high street”.
All business will now be conducted from Byfleet Beds in the village’s High Road and through the Richardsons’ website.
“We have enjoyed our time in Woking and many of our customers will remember us from the beginning and our team, Andy Booth and Wayne Shuttle, who have always been very loyal and reliable workers,” Jason said.
“It is obviously quite a sad time. I know that things change and move on.
“I’ve got lots of happy memories and we’ve had some really good customers over the years and still have. I think a lot of people will be sad to see us go.”


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Exercise restraint when shopping, especially during Ramadhan, because bulk buying of foodstuff results in huge wastage, a reliable source at Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has said. According to a study conducted by the Sultan Qaboos University, food worth RO 54 million goes waste every year in the Sultanate. The source has advised against excessive shopping unless one has proper storage facility. “People buy foodstuff in bulk which results in a huge quantity of it being trashed,” said the source.
PACP often offers consumers advice on what they need to buy for short duration instead of stocking up supplies for the entire month. “Consumers should treat this matter seriously and realise how much they have lost (monetarily) due to bulk buying,” said the source. Mere checking of the expiry date on the packages isn’t enough as most homes lack the basic facilities for storing food commodities. “Storing food commodities is a major concern. High temperature is one of the main reasons why food gets damaged.” He said most homes have one or two refrigerators and that is not sufficient for properly storing foodstuff.
“The best practice is to buy foodstuff you need for a week while keeping in mind the capacity to store it in a proper manner. This will help save food as well as money,” said the source. Such a practice would mean one would have to go shopping four times in a month. But in the absence of proper storage facility, it’s the best option. Ahmed al Harthi, a resident based in Muscat, feels it is difficult for him to go shopping more than once in a month. “I and my family spend hours shopping besides long waits at the cash counter. I can’t find time to shop four times a week. I prefer throwing little perished food and saving time,” he said.
Al Harthi, however, said with more planning, he can overcome this problem. Mohammed al Balushi, another Muscat resident, prefers to shop when his household runs out of foodstuff. “I don’t go for bulk purchases. I find it healthier and wiser to shop every week.”
By Fahad al Ghadani


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Switched on: With growing interest in its range of petrol, diesel and now electric vehicles, startup car-maker Tomcar is looking increasingly like the Tesla of the Australian all-terrain vehicle market.
AFTER 11 years battling for its place in the challenging Australian
manufacturing industry, tough all-terrain vehicle (ATV) company Tomcar has
reached a crucial tipping point with several large contracts nearing fruition
and its imminent LV1 model about to take the title as the world’s first
industrial production electric vehicle.
The Melbourne-based ATV-maker has been steadily forging a presence with a
growing range of high-end off-road vehicles that have found a strong footing in
agriculture, but the company is poised to finalise a number of significant
mining and defence contracts that will take it to the next level.
If successful, production at the scalable facility in the south-eastern
Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin will have to increase to many times the current
output to meet the exponential boost in demand.
Speaking exclusively to GoAuto, Tomcar Australia founder and CEO David Brim
explained that growing sales in agriculture and consumer markets were combining
with significant demand from new industries and shifting the company’s focus
from finding customers to meeting rapidly increasing demand.
“It’s an issue that’s nice to have and something we’ve never worried about
before,” he said. “The hard part was creating the brand but we are now into
“We’re talking mining and defence and we are looking at 400 or 500 cars in the
next 12 months. We are working on a number of projects and if they pay off all
at once ... it’s going to be ongoing.”
While the Tomcar range currently spans petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, the
company’s most ambitious venture to date – the electric LV1 – has attracted a
flurry of interest.
With a zero-emissions drivetrain, IP66-rated components and a range of
class-leading safety features, Tomcar says its LV1 pure-electric go-anywhere
vehicle will become the world’s first industrial electric vehicle (IEV) when it
rolls out to the first customers in March next year.
Mr Brim is staying tight-lipped about naming which “blue-chip mining
organisations” the company is negotiating with, but said he is in communication
with a majority of the big-hitters as well as the Australian Defence Force
“We are now talking really closely with the ADF and with the EV the market
acceptance for our cars underground is incredible,” he said.
“We are bidding on a contract in Mongolia right now for our diesel models but
on that same mine they are trialling an electric car. They’re still
apprehensive about where this technology is going. Once they become comfortable
with it, it will happen very quickly.”
Unlike many other electric vehicles, Tomcar’s LV1 battery was developed to
allow upgrades as the technology advances. The agnostic approach has already
allowed the company to upgrade the LV1 lithium-ion pack with a higher
Customers can choose from a number of battery sizes and charge rate options,
with the longest-range pack offering up to 300km. The power pack is
liquid-cooled, allowing both fast charging and high performance as well as
reliable operation in high-temperature environments.
A single 140kW motor sends power to the rear wheels and is the same drive unit
used by a “European supercar-maker” – possibly Italian sportscar-builder Rimac
– and the prototype uses a beefy 325 volts for maximum performance.
As with any Tomcar, customers are offered a range of customisation options and
the LV1 has a number of unique design features for the mining industry such as
glow-in-the-dark panels, air-conditioning, military-spec spaceframe
construction and high corrosion resistance.
Mining and industrial applications can be harsh for plant equipment but the LV1
componentry has an ingress protection rating (IP) of 66 which offers the
highest resistance to dust and can withstand high-pressure water jets.
GoAuto was the first motoring publication to test the LV1 last week in an
exclusive first drive, and the pre-production prototype is proof that electric
drivetrains offer significant potential for all-terrain vehicles.
Like the range of petrol and diesel models, the electric Tomcar has incredibly
agile off-road ability thanks to a combination of its light weight, long-travel
suspension and a unique rear-drive transmission that actually forces the driven
wheels into the surface as more torque is applied.
Its virtually non-existent front and rear overhang and clever independent
suspension allows severe undulations to be approached with speeds that would
upset many, if not all quads and side-by-sides that compete in the compact ATV
On-road, the LV1’s knobbly tyres roar loudly but in its natural habitat the
Tomcar glides eerily over challenging obstacles in silence. Only its electric
brake pump occasionally interrupts the silence, but Tomcar’s engineers are
developing an even quieter unit for production.
Even when the undulations become too severe for all four wheels to stay in
contact with the dirt, bellying out does not bother the LV1 thanks to its tough
military-spec construction and highly articulate rear wheels. Its ability,
combined with snug bucket seats and full rollcage, creates a sense of
imperviousness and inspires the confidence to really throw it at some
As previously reported, combustion-powered Tomcars are just as impressive on a
range of tricky terrain, but the electric drivetrain of the LV1 takes it into a
different realm. Its massive torque is available from zero rpm and scaling
steep inclines from a standstill is effortless and, when descending,
regenerative braking is an effective limiter while having the beneficial effect
of topping up the battery.
Power delivery and regeneration maps are still being finalised by drivetrain
partner, Armidale-based Energetique, but even in prototype form the delivery
and performance is impressive. A tendency to oversteer is huge fun in a
slippery paddock but may be tamed for the final production version and top
speed can be limited to 70km/h as it was in our test car.
Production versions will be set up for individual applications but the
prototype has a number of interesting development tools accessible through the
hi-tech digital control panel, including adjustable regenerative braking as
well as extensive drivetrain diagnostic information.
With various flexible charging and battery configurations, users should have no
concerns over range in the LV1 and it is worth noting that even with the
smallest battery pack we used just one per cent of its range during our drive.
We have always been impressed by the Tomcar irrespective of its drivetrain. The
range of go-anywhere vehicles offer surprising off-road potential and peerless
build quality wrapped up in a package that is safer than anything else on the
market, but the company’s latest locally made offering is genuinely


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Propel Marketing: Repository can help clients boost presence
The Repository has partnered with a Massachusetts-based digital marketing company to help businesses here strengthen their online and mobile offerings.
The newspaper will host a free seminar Thursday to introduce Propel Marketing, a division of GateHouse Media, which owns The Repository. The company offers a wide range of services, from website creation to online search optimization.
“Through this partnership, we will be better able to help local small and mid-sized businesses boost their digital presence, and better compete with larger, national competitors,” said Chris White, publisher of The Repository.
“People expect businesses to have a website, to show up in a search and be directed with at least a phone number and an address on a map,” White said. “There’s really a clear need in the marketplace for these services. Ultimately, businesses ‘need to be found’ online, and Propel can help make that happen.”
Propel will launch this week, offering website development, social media management, reputation management, search engine optimization and more to local businesses. The program also will help companies to build an online presence via social media.
A business workshop presented by The Repository on Thursday at the McKinley Grand Hotel, 320 Market Ave. S in downtown Canton, will outline those digital marketing techniques.
“Every business has a website, maybe even has a presence on social media sites,” said Paul Reynolds, The Repository’s director of digital sales. “But very few really understand how to effectively monitor their digital tools and use those tools to generate sales.
“Our partnership with Propel Marketing offers local businesses the opportunity to work with a trusted company like The Repository, and begin to really use digital marketing effectively.”
Propel is an online marketing company that provides digital solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses, giving them a leg up to keep pace with the continually changing industry of digital marketing and compete with bigger companies and reach more potential customers.
Teaming with Propel can help businesses best leverage the internet and avoid common pitfalls in developing a web presence.
“Our multimedia sales executives have always been committed to recommending products that drive results for our customers,” said Repository Advertising Director Jeff Precourt. “Propel’s suite of products takes us to a new level of effective marketing solutions.”
Local businesses today have an unprecedented opportunity to connect with consumers, but small and medium business owners may not have the time or resources to figure out how to take advantage of the opportunity.
“So many web searches conducted by Stark County residents result in purchases made outside the area,” Precourt said. “Propel enables us to help local businesses capture those opportunities and keep dollars in our local economy.”
Propel has access to technology and resources that may be impractical for smaller companies to tackle on their own.
Propel launched about a year and a half ago, and the Repository is one of the first newspapers outside of Massachusetts to offer the services. Propel will manage the digital services, but members of the Repository’s sales staff will work to bring local businesses on board.
Thursday’s seminar will include a basic introduction to digital services and to what Propel offers, from building websites to managing social media outlets and monitoring online reviews of a business through sites like Yelp and Foursquare.
Basic services start at $95. For example, the cost for building a functioning five-page mobile website with clickable phone numbers and a clickable map is $280 with a $50 annual service fee.
The workshop, offered three times (8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.), will feature media consultant Mike Blinder, president and founder of The Blinder Group, and will be hosted by The Repository in partnership with Propel.
Each business in attendance will receive an analysis of their digital marketing, a multimedia voucher from The Repository and complimentary food and beverages.
There is no cost to attend, but space is limited. More than 150 people already have signed up.
Deadline to reserve a space is Tuesday. Reservations can be made at 330-580-8541 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Supermarket chain Morrisons has targeted “zero waste” and announced several new green measures, including a recycling partnership with global brand Nestle.
Whether or not a complete elimination of waste is possible, Morrisons’ efforts – beginning with six trial stores in Edinburgh – represent an ambition by the retailer to improve waste management processes and significantly enhance its recycling capability.
The trial will incorporate a unique recycling partnership with Nestle which involves collecting and recycling all ‘difficult-to-recycle’ soft plastics. Morrisons has also committed to all waste collected in its stores being recycled in the UK to avoid the need to export materials for overseas processing.
Shop waste, including soft and hard plastics, cardboard, food waste, green waste, PPE, tins, cans and foils, will be sorted by staff in the warehouse, then collected by a range of specialist waste partners.
Customer waste such as confectionery wrappers and pet food pouches, hard plastics such as yoghurt tubs, mixed materials like crisp tubes and coffee pods, and specialist products like ink cartridges and batteries, will be collected at new dedicated collection points situated in the participating stores’ foyers, before recycling takes place.
Jamie Winter, sustainability procurement director at Morrisons, said: “We’re not going to reach our ambitious targets through incremental improvements alone.
“Sometimes you need to take giant steps and we believe that waste is one of those areas. We believe that we can, at a stroke, enable these trial stores to move from recycling around 27% of their general waste to over 84% and with a clear line of sight to 100%.”
He added: “We all need to see waste as a resource to be repurposed and reused. The technology, creativity and will exists – it’s a question of harnessing the right process for the right type of waste and executing it well.”
Commenting on the recycling partnership, Alison Bramfitt, group packaging manager at Nestle UK & Ireland, said: “At Nestle, we’re dedicated to driving a more circular system by reducing our use of virgin plastics by one third, and ensuring all of our packaging is reusable or recyclable by 2025.
In addition to packaging and product waste, more unsold food in the six Morrisons stores will be offered to customers on a budget through the Too Good to Go app and its ‘Magic Bags’. Where surplus food arises, Morrisons aims to redistribute it within its communities.
Morrisons said it will repurpose all of the other waste it collects, turning it into other useful products. Meanwhile, bread waste which is not fit for human consumption will be turned into animal feed, and cooking oil will be turned into biodiesel to power Morrisons trucks.
If successful, the so-called ‘zero waste’ concept will be rolled out to Morrisons’ 498 stores across the UK.
Morrisons’ Scottish capital stores – in Edinburgh Hunters Tryst, Moredun, Ferry Road, South Gyle, Granton, and Livingston – are the trial sites for the initiative.
[Image credit: Green Retail World]


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Columbus’s reputation for fashion has been climbing the couture ladder for sometime now. With the opening of IL Moda, Columbus’s fashion stock is about to rise even more. IL Moda is the brainchild of Lubna Najjar of Lubna Designs. IL Moda is a fashion PR showroom. While it is not the first in the U.S., it is certainly the first in Columbus. Similar to a public relations house that occasionally opens up to the public for events, IL Moda represents a variety of brands including five local brands including Lamp Apparel and Lubna Designs. You can shop these brands at wholesale prices inside the showroom. IL Moda also specializes in media outreach to celebrities, bloggers, and buyers to get the word out about each brand.
IL Moda had its launch party on July 31st in the Greystone courtyard in the Short North where the showroom is located.


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T-Mobile has announced that it will be the only US carrier to sell the OnePlus 7 Pro when it’s released on May 17th. This follows T-Mobile’s exclusive on last year’s OnePlus 6T, which was OnePlus’ first partnership with a US carrier.
We won’t know exact pricing details for the OnePlus 7 Pro until OnePlus’ event on May 14th, though it’s rumored to cost above $700. It’s likely to cost less for T-Mobile customers who buy the phone on a payment plan, and it’s possible that the carrier may host a trade-in promotion that’ll make it even more affordable. Last year, T-Mobile gave $300 in billing credits for any OnePlus phone, dating back to the 2014 OnePlus One.
If you’re not a T-Mobile customer, you don’t need to fret about not being able to buy one just yet. It’s likely that OnePlus will also offer it unlocked through its own online store. Like the OnePlus 6T, it may work with Verizon out of the box.
While we wait for May 14th to roll around, there’s a lot to read up on about the OnePlus 7 Pro, some of which is still rumored. One thing we do know is that it’s not waterproof. OnePlus’ latest phone will forgo an IP rating because, according to a tweet from the company, “Water resistant ratings for phones cost you money.” The promotional video that it released was a misfire, with some claiming that the OnePlus 7 Pro’s rumored price is costly enough to warrant waterproofing. On a brighter note, this phone is also said to feature a nearly bezel-free display that has a 90Hz refresh rate. Whether you enjoy gaming on the go or not, a smooth-scrolling display makes for a generally more enjoyable experience.


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Google hires lead developer for open source instant messenger, Gaim
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Google recently hired Sean Egan, the lead developer of Gaim, an open source instant messenger, in an apparent bid to improve their Google Talk messenger's interoperability. The news follows a recent announcement by Microsoft and Yahoo that the two companies plan to allow their instant messengers to interoperate. Google Talk is based on Jabber technology, which is an open standard which any instant messenger can be programmed to interoperate with. The Gaim instant messaging client, as of the most recent version (1.5.0), can communicate on AIM and ICQ (Oscar protocol), MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, SILC, GroupWise Messenger, and Zephyr networks. Gaim is cross-platform, with versions available for Linux, BSD, MacOS X, and Windows.
- "Microsoft and Yahoo team up to make IM clients compatible" — Wikinews, October 12, 2005
- Sean Egan. "Gaim news" — October 12, 2005
- "GOOGLE BETS ON OPEN COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS" — , October 13, 2005
- "Google Hires Gaim's Main Developer" — , October 13, 2005
|This page has been archived by an administrator, and sighted by a trusted user. It is no longer publicly editable.|


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Food producer Kakuzi has issued a profit warning to shareholders today due to a poor avocado harvest and stiff competition among European buyers.
Total earnings for the year to December 31 will be at least 25 per cent lower than last year’s profits, the Kenya-based company said in a statement.
Chairman Nicholas Ng’ang’a explained that the company’s weaker yields were a result of stronger yields the year before, with avocados being a fruit of bi-annual production.
With avocados taking off among European consumers, the London-listed producer has also had to battle against lower prices in the continent amid an oversupply of fruit from Peru and Columbia.
Despite the warning, the food producers share price remained unchanged.
“As a responsible listed entity, we are taking this early opportunity to issue the profit warning notice,” Ng’ang’a said, adding that, “Even as we expect recovery, the board is stepping up the execution efforts on our product diversification strategy, which is of critical importance.
“This strategy aims to mitigate the global market volatility and overreliance on any one product.”
The more-than-ready market for the popular fruit in Europe and elsewhere has encouraged farmers in the region to give up maize for avocados, according to local media outlet The Star.
Due to climate change and high production costs, local farmers have been encouraged to diversify their crops to more high-value alternatives like avocados, coffee, macadamia and bananas.


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South African startup Tesseract is gearing up for a launch in the third quarter of the year, dedicated to bringing affordable payments testing and validation solutions to both local and international markets.
The Tesseract solution will be a cloud platform with two flavours: a public cloud-hosted solution and an onsite white labelled version for larger, more demanding organisations.
It is aimed at end-users within various payments organisations, with the goal of assisting in tasks of managing validation, verification and certification of applicable solutions and service offerings.
“It will allow these organisations to test and manage their investments in an efficient manner while reducing the overheads associated to these tasks,” Tesseract co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Alexi Karalis told Disrupt Africa.
“The cloud solution from Tesseract will provide end to end coverage across the entire payments landscape within an organisation which includes networks, payment gateways, switches, financial institutions and technology companies.”
The startup is three months away from its initial launch, which comprises of basic functionality. From there it plans on preparing its solution to accommodate the rollout of faster payments in the United States (US) towards the end of 2016.
“The solution will evolve of time and we will continuously add functionality to the cloud based solution,” Karalis said.
Karalis and business partner Andrew Boyd have both been working together for over 10 years, most recently in the software testing space. He said current players in the market are focused on desktop solutions underpinned by heavy consultancy, while those that are not in the consultancy space have weak solutions that support bigger initiatives such as payment switches.
Tesseract, he said, is the only solution in the cloud that will offer end-to-end functionality across the payments ecosystem.
“The majority of current solutions are unaffordable to the industry and carry hefty price tags, our model revolves around software as a service (SaaS) on a pay-per-use model,” Karalis said.
“There is also a trend currently to move to an open standards API type model whereby institutions configure solutions as required by absorbing the core elements as required. This is very much the case in the view of financial institutions that are adopting a “single API” approach to providing services globally. There is also a void in terms of skills and knowledge associated to payment technologies as this space is complex by nature.”
Tesseract aims to address this through wizard-driven configurations and templates that will allow customers to speed up the adoption of a payments testing sandbox.
The startup is currently self-funded, but is in the process of seeking investment and a strategic partner.
“We are currently looking at local markets with a plan to launch a solution into the US market later this year to assist with the roll out of immediate payments, known as faster payments, in Europe,” Karalis said.
“We are also looking at providing a service-based solution in Europe and Africa using the cloud-based platform.”
Tesseract derives its revenue through subscription-based services that are adopted monthly or annually dependent on the customer.
“We have also derived profits from doing consultancy work internationally and locally on payments projects,” Karalis said.
He said the startup had faced some challenges in effecting a mind shift on the part of possible clients.
“What we are doing is new and changes the approach to how institutions go about testing their solutions. We have already seen as shift in this direction with organisations looking for something more than just a licensed tool to address their needs and evolving strategies,” he said.
“These organisation include large financial institutions as well as the networks like Visa and MasterCard who have to continually assess and evolve what services they provide in a rapidly changing industry where costs are cut and speed to process transactions increases on a global scale with traditional boundaries disappearing. Emerging technologies like ApplePay and PayPal are forcing traditional players to rethink their models or be left behind.”
The post Payments testing and validation startup set to launch in SA appeared first on Disrupt Africa.
from Disrupt Africa http://ift.tt/1WHcSZQ


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BRENTWOOD — A local charter school that serves students who are home-schooled or in independent study will soon occupy a 9,000-square-foot space in the Garin Ranch Shopping Center at Brentwood Boulevard and Balfour Road.
Vista Oaks Charter School will be located in a nearly empty retail building with the exception of a small yoga studio. The nontraditional school currently has classroom spaces in both Byron and Lodi, but wants to expand to better serve younger students in Brentwood, Antioch and Oakley with enrichment programs like art and science.
Vista Oaks Executive Director Joy Groen said the charter school operates six classrooms with the Byron Union School District and that they have outgrown that space for the services they hope to provide.
“We are not a traditional school. The majority of schooling and education is done in home,” she said. “They are only with us for a few hours once a week.”
In a 3-2 vote, the Brentwood Planning Commission approved the application for Vista Oaks to locate in the shopping center, which also houses Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Word Play, a speech therapy center.
Commissioner Lance Crannell requested that Vista Oaks submit a drop-off and pick-up plan to the city for review and approval to ensure the safety of the students in the bustling parking lot. Only a maximum of 50 students would be at the site at any given time during its weekday instructional hours from 9:45 to 2 p.m.
“It is well-needed and it serves a population that needs more attention and services,” said Crannell. “I think it is a great project and a well-used service and an under-utilized building.”
Commissioner John Fink, who voted against the permit, said that a shopping center is a place for retail and jobs.
“I don’t think this is the highest and best use of this facility,” he said. “I have an issue taking away retail space or job generation space. As much as I feel the need for this type of schooling, I feel there are other locations in Brentwood that would serve it better than this particular space.”
With more than 300 parking spaces in the center, Brentwood Senior Planner Jeff Zilm said that there is adequate parking for the addition of a school of this type. There are some traffic-flow issues, including access to parking stalls during hours when Starbucks is busiest, but center officials reported that the drive-thru will be reconfigured to address that ongoing issue.
According to Groen, Vista Oaks has a site in a similar center in Lodi and it has gone smoothly. She also noted that students will be brought in and out by their parents during drop-off and pick-up to ensure safety.
“We work hard to be good neighbors at that site,” she said.
Commissioner Joseph Weber also voted against Vista Oaks’ request due to a fear that the school would expand and that it is not an ideal use for that center.
Crannell argued that the K-8 students who would attend this school are often those with learning disabilities or challenges with attending school on a regular basis. He added that Vista Oaks’ parents and students would grab coffee or lunch in the center or use the other businesses there.
“The highest and best use of that space is to educate our children,” he said. “If we invest a little in our children this way, there may be some ripple effect benefits to the community.”


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Facebook Inc. plans to develop a stablecoin cryptocurrency to facilitate money transfers via the company’s WhatsApp messaging app, according to a Friday report from Bloomberg that cited people familiar with the matter. Those sources have reportedly said that Facebook intends to first introduce the currency in the Indian remittances market, where the app enjoys tremendous popularity:
WhatsApp, the company’s encrypted mobile-messaging app, is popular in India, with more than 200 million users. The country also leads the world in remittances -- people sent $69 billion home to India in 2017, the World Bank said this year.
According to Bloomberg’s sources, the company’s planning is in the early stages. Facebook is reportedly also developing a strategy to manage the custody assets needed to support any stablecoin’s value.
Facebook neither confirmed nor denied the report. In a statement, the company said:
"Like many other companies, Facebook is exploring ways to leverage the power of blockchain technology. This new small team is exploring many different applications. We don’t have anything further to share."


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BP have launched their biggest ad campaign in over a decade designed to make them look like a renewable energy company but in reality they spend 97% of their money on fossil fuels.
According to Greenpeace we already have far more oil and gas than our planet can afford for us to burn - and yet BP are still planning on spending $70 billion searching for more.
Tens of thousands of people have already taken action against BP the year to try and force them to go 100% renewable or to shut down. Members of Greenpeace have been involved in blockading their HQ, occupying their rig at sea, and flooding their social media pages with protest messages.
Now they've take on their greenwash advertising. You can join their campaign and show advertisers that you don't want to see ads from oil companies anymore by adding your name here


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Teton Waters Ranch Recognized by the ASPCA’s Shop With Your Heart Program for its Commitment to Farm Animal Welfare
By: Julia Johnson, Manager of Corporate Policy, Farm Animal Welfare at the ASPCA
Teton Waters Ranch is among a small, but growing, community of companies dedicated to increasing transparency and welfare standards for farm animals. This is why the ASPCA® lists them as a food company that meets the values of consumers who are committed to buying better, more responsible food products.
Identifying companies that prioritize farm animal welfare has never been more important to Americans. In a public opinion survey conducted last year, nearly 90% of participants expressed concern over industrial animal agriculture citing animal welfare, worker safety, and public health as their top concerns. What’s more, the same survey found 85% of farmers and their families support a complete ban on new factory farms. These findings dispel the common narrative that rural and urban residents have divergent opinions on farming and food production methods. Rather, the vast majority of Americans do not support factory farming despite it being the main production method for meat, eggs, and dairy.
There are alternatives: To help individuals find more humane farming practices, the ASPCA established its Shop With Your Heart program to introduce conscientious consumers to farms and food brands working to build a better food system. For a meat, egg or dairy product to be featured on the Shop With Your Heart Brand List, a company must earn one of the meaningful animal welfare certifications recommended by the ASPCA to demonstrate their higher welfare practices for farm animals. Teton Waters Ranch has earned recognition for their participation in the Certified Humane® program with an additional Grass-Fed distinction on all of their products.
Teton Waters Ranch’s policies and practices are a remarkable exception to the nearly ten billion farm animals confined and suffering in inhumane farming conditions across the country. For most cattle raised for beef, that usually means confinement in barren feedlots without shade or any enrichment, where cows may suffer from heat stress and muddy conditions; and where they are routinely given antibiotics and growth hormones. And at the end of their lives, cattle often undergo long-haul transport of up to twenty-eight hours (or longer).
Unfortunately, many well-intentioned shoppers are tricked by loosely defined and weakly regulated claims into thinking that conventional beef without a welfare certification is more humane. Claims like “all natural” and “grass-fed” do not guarantee animals were raised more humanely. For example, the claim “grass-fed” does not require cows to be on pasture all year—almost all beef cattle begin their lives on grass, and after six months to a year are shipped to feedlots to be “finished” on a corn and soy-based feed that can cause major health and digestive problems for cows.
Under the Certified Humane Grass-Fed program, cattle must be fed a diet of grasses and forage and have continuous access to pasture, which is more than what cows are offered through the USDA Organic program’s minimum requirement of four months per year. Certified Humane cattle are never given growth hormones or routine antibiotics and are never transported longer than eight hours. Teton Waters Ranch demonstrates that giving cows a better quality of life is not only possible, but essential for building a trustworthy brand that listens to today’s consumers.
Consumer demand for a more humane food system continues to grow. In 2020, over a half a million people used the ASPCA’s Shop With Your Heart resources to find more humane options. We hope many more companies will follow the lead of Teton Waters Ranch to ensure farm animals have a more humane life.
You can learn more here: www.ASPCA.org/ShopWithYourHeart.


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from the second-guessing-the-first dept.
redletterdave writes "After AT&T unceremoniously canceled the HTC First after just one month on the market, Facebook announced the first phone running the Facebook Home operating system will not be launching in the U.K., as originally planned. From Facebook: 'Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customization features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision. Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future.'"
"Can't you just gesture hypnotically and make him disappear?"
"It does not work that way. RUN!"
-- Hadji on metaphyics and Mandrake in "Johnny Quest"


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Updated with closing prices.
Multiple reports cited Apple speaking with its Asian component suppliers, and said that the tech giant's working on several designs of the next-gen television set.
Apple's manufacturing partner, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. is said to have been working with Sharp on the project, but nothing official has yet been announced.
Sensata Technologies (ST) shares fell 2.61% to $29.66 as the sensors and controls company priced its secondary offering, selling 10 million shares at $29.95. Sensata is not going to receive any of the proceeds from the offering, outside of proceeds from certain selling shareholders. The offering is expected to close on Dec. 17, 2012. Morgan Stanley and Barclays are acting as the joint book-runners on the offering.
Akamai Technologies (AKAM) shares rose 1.92% to $40.36 as Goldman Sachs resumed coverage on the name, with a "neutral" rating and a $44 price target. Akamai recently signed a deal with AT&T (T) for the telecom giant to start reselling Akamai's content delivery network (CDN) services. The press release on the deal said the two companies will initially focus their efforts on the North American market, but hope to expand globally within the next 12 months. Closing Prices: Apple dips $2.39 (0.44%) to close at $539.00. Akamai Technologies adds 37 cents (0.93%) to $39.97. Sensata Technologies loses 46 cents (1.51%) to close at $29.99. --Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York >Contact by Email. Follow @Commodity_Bull
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Oct 02 2021
GM Faced 33% Drop in Production of Q3 2020 Due to Chip Shortages
GM dealers shipped 446,997 vehicles in the US in the third quarter of 2021, down 218,195 vehicles (33%) due to supply chain disruptions and historically low inventories. GM was forced to recall about 140,000 Chevy Bolt electric vehicles in August due to reports of a battery fire. The 2017-2019 Bolt EV was first withdrawn in November 2020 for the same reason. During the quarter, GM delivered more than 68,000 vehicles to dealers who stopped at assembly plants due to semiconductor supply problems.


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Exactly one year since the loss of visionary CEO Steve Jobs, it’s clear that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) hasn’t lost its juggernaut status as some had feared it might.
Continue Reading Below
Apple still has the power to move financial markets, create a flutter in the hearts of techies and generate serious returns for its shareholders.
The iPhone and iPad maker’s shares have surged as much as 86% since Jobs’s death last October 5, making Apple the world’s most valuable company ever at more than $625 billion.
Apple’s continued blockbuster success is a testament to the creative genius of Jobs as well as the ability of the team he surrounded himself with, highlighted by Tim Cook, his successor.
Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates, compared the situation to the Boston Symphony, which continued to perform even after the loss of its acclaimed conductor Serge Koussevitzky.
“When Steve was alive it looked like he was doing everything, but actually a lot of people were doing things. He was simply conducting,” said Kay. “After he went away the orchestra was every bit as good as it used to be."
Of course, just because Apple is still flying high on the incredible product pipeline that Jobs built, doesn’t mean it will continue to do so if that pipeline eventually runs dry.
“They can still play all the old pieces. But they’re going to have a harder time playing the new pieces,” said Kay.
Those concerns helped cause some consternation among shareholders when the world found out Jobs had lost his battle to pancreatic cancer last October.
After closing at $378.25 hours before his death, Apple’s shares dipped to as low as $368.49 that week. But they battled back and surged to as high as $705.07 this year -- a new all-time high.
During that span Apple scored a number of other achievements, including paying its first ever dividend, making strides to improve labor conditions in Chinese factories, a scoring a $1.05 billion legal settlement against Samsung and unveiling its iPhone 5 (albeit to disappointing opening-weekend sales).
Cook deserves credit for keeping the Apple ship on course during the tumultuous aftermath of Jobs’s death.
“He’s been able to do what a lot of people thought he wouldn’t be able to do, which is keep the juggernaut going,” said David Becher, a professor at Drexel University. “The financial performance has been quite solid. He sat down and listened to investors about their concerns.”
Much of the recent success also goes to Jobs’s ability to ensure Apple’s product pipeline would continue churning out products even after his death.
The fact that Jobs knew he was seriously ill allowed Apple even more of an opportunity to plan for his eventual absence.
“The company has no lack of interesting and innovative things that were put together when he was still alive,” said Kay, adding that Jobs had an uncanny “ability to generate blue sky products out of thin air -- not many people have that.”
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy for Apple, as the company’s recent slide underscores.
Apple’s shares have retreated as much as 6.5% over the past few weeks due to disappointment about the opening weekend of sales for the iPhone 5.. Cook even apologized for the new Apple Maps app, something Jobs would have been unlikely to have done.
Long known for being adept at under-promising and over-delivering, Apple also delivered an earnings “dud” in July, missing earnings expectations by more than $1.00 a share and reporting disappointing sales.
Yet the true test of Apple’s staying power will in the years ahead as the company searches for products that continue to meet the demands of the public.
“When the pipeline finally runs dry there is a question of who is the visionary who can replace Steve,” said Kay. “Shareholders have to be cautious about that because he had a pretty special talent for seeing past all of the current market buzz to see into the future and figure out what would be appealing to people before anyone knew what it was.”


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Not one to keep her style or beauty look the same for too long, Demi Lovato has reached for the bleach and debuted a brand new blond hair color on Instagram. The "Body Say" singer, who has said she'll be taking a break from the spotlight in 2017 after her comments on Taylor Swift's squad were the talk of the internet, didn't stop there, also keeping the long extensions she added to her short bob back in August. The results are stunning, and just like Demi said, reminiscent of Goldie Locks.
This, of course, isn't the first time that Demi has been a blonde. After all, she has sported basically every color under the sun — from black to pink to lavender to blue to honey. According to our calculations, though, Demi hasn't opted for the shade since mid-2013.


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Austin Business Journal
R. Weinstein puts medical equipment on show
An 11,000-square-foot showroom off South I-35, R. Weinstein takes medical supplies and office equipment beyond the pages of catalogs and into a comfortable, retail-like setting.
"We've actually set up suites so that the interior designer can visualize what it will look like,"(Richard) Weinstein says.
Office equipment and medical supplies are displayed in a variety of colors for family practices, obstetricians, pediatricians, surgeons and laboratories.
Walt Allinger, support services manager for Austin Regional Clinic, recently purchased an audiometer-a device that tests hearing-from R.Weinstein.
"They had a better price and a quicker turnaround than others I talked to, "Allinger says.
Allinger says he particularly likes the showroom concept because it gets products to customers quickly, rather than shipping from an out-of-town site like companies do that sell from catalogs.
"(The showroom) is real hands-on," Allinger says. "It's set up and ready to go."
Weinstein says the idea for a medical equipment showroom is appropriate because doctors are jazzing up their offices in order to attract new patients.
"In an increasingly competitive environment, physicians are looking to provide a more comfortable environment for (medical care consumers)," Weinstein says.


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The Top Gun movie will launch with the expansion on May 27.
Microsoft’s Top Gun movie expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator has been delayed to meet the movie’s new release date. Paramount announced earlier this month that it’s delaying the rest of its 2021 films, pushing Top Gun: Maverick from its Thanksgiving weekend release date to May 27, 2022.
According to Microsoft and Asobo Studio, the Top Gun expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator was initially planned for later in the year. It will now be “released alongside” the movie. Asobo Studio has not yet revealed much information about the Top Gun expansion. This includes some locations and jets from Top Gun: Maverick. A blog post by Microsoft’s Flight Simulator team states that they look forward to sharing more information.
Microsoft first announced the Top Gun expansion earlier this year at E3 and the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator on the Xbox Series X / S.
Paramount has moved Top Gun to 2022 because of concerns about the delta variant and increased COVID-19 cases. Jackass Forever is also being delayed until next year. Mission: Impossible 7 will now be released on September 30, 2022.


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Lenovo launches Table PC
Los Angeles, January 8, 2013
Lenovo has launched the IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC, the company’s first "interpersonal PC," a multi-user, multi-touch, multi-mode device for the home.
The device allows users to turn their personal computing experience into a shared computing experience, it said.
As a Table PC, Horizon can lie flat on any surface, lets two or more people use the screen at the same time. It supports interactive physical gaming accessories and is designed for touch screen game-play among several players.
“Horizon takes advantage of Windows 8 touch functionality to bring customised games from Electronic Arts and Ubisoft to life in a way players have never seen before. Horizon can also easily transform into a 27-inch high-performance desktop to handle whatever productivity tasks users need to do,” the company said.
At the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show this week, Lenovo also demonstrated a large 39-inch wide-screen Table PC, code-named "Gamma." While still an early concept, Gamma illustrates the outstanding multi-user entertainment experiences such a large screen can provide and is indicative of Lenovo's future direction in Table PC computing.
“We've seen technology shifts across the four screens, from the desktop to the laptop, tablet and smartphone, and yet, while people have more computing power than ever before, there is still room for technologies like Horizon that bring people together. Horizon makes personal computing interpersonal computing with shared, collaborative experiences among several people,” said Peter Hortensius, president, Product Group, Lenovo.
“Now many people can enjoy different photos, music and video on the same screen, and they can play games with our special accessories that blend physical and digital interaction. Horizon reflects our commitment to delivering the innovative products that define the PC Plus era.”
The IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC will be available beginning in early summer through Lenovo business partners and www.lenovo.com. Prices start at approximately $1,699. – TradeArabia News Service


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BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Access Vascular, a medical device company developing the next generation of intravenous devices from novel biomaterials designed to minimize the risk of bloodstream infection, catheter thrombosis, and vein trauma, announced $6M in new funding from new and existing investors. With this new round, Access Vascular is poised to launch the next generation of its FDA-cleared HydroPICC device, initiate the company's first post-market registry study, and expedite new product development.
"2020 is shaping up to be another exciting year for Access Vascular," commented James Biggins, Access Vascular's Founder and CEO. He emphasized the importance of clinical evidence to the company's long-term strategy, noting, "While we've received incredible traction from doctors and nurses already, we recognize that this is a market which is sorely lacking robust clinical data about patient outcomes. To that end, we intend to conduct multiple clinical evaluations starting in early 2020 that will establish the impact our devices have on patient outcomes compared to conventional catheters."
The new funding will also support product development as the company seeks to expand its portfolio of reduced thrombosis intravenous devices. The company anticipates making an FDA submission for a second product next year. While Access Vascular's biomaterial platform has already demonstrated its ability to minimize thrombus accumulation, a leading cause of catheter failure, future innovations in the company's pipeline could actively combat bloodstream infections for the life of the catheter or allow insertion of a catheter through difficult or stenosed vessels.
Access Vascular is rapidly growing its team to meet the demand for its HydroPICC product and move additional products in the company's pipeline toward commercialization. For more information, please visit www.accessvascularinc.com/careers.
About Access Vascular
Access Vascular was founded in 2015 to address the most common and costly complications of intravenous therapy: infection, thrombosis, and phlebitis. The company develops intravenous catheters and ports from patented biomaterials which are highly biocompatible and are capable of long-term infection protection. Access Vascular's first product HydroPICCTM began commercial use in early 2019, future applications include midlines, dialysis catheters, ports, and other devices. For more information, please visit www.accessvascularinc.com.
SOURCE Access Vascular


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Burberry, the upmarket British fashion label, destroyed unsold clothes, accessories and perfume worth £28.6 million ($NZ55.2 million) last year to protect its brand.
It takes the total value of goods it has destroyed over the past five years to more than £90m.
Fashion firms including Burberry destroy unwanted items to prevent them being stolen or sold cheaply.
Burberry said that the energy generated from burning its products was captured, making it environmentally friendly.
"Burberry has careful processes in place to minimise the amount of excess stock we produce. On the occasions when disposal of products is necessary, we do so in a responsible manner and we continue to seek ways to reduce and revalue our waste," a spokesperson for the company said.
The FTSE 100 company said last year was unusual as it had to destroy a large amount of perfume after signing a new deal with US firm Coty.
As Coty would be making new stock, Burberry had to dispose of £10m worth of old products - largely perfume.
Over the past few years, Burberry has been working hard to make its brand exclusive again after it went through a phase when counterfeiters were "sticking the Burberry check on anything they could", said Maria Malone, principal lecturer on the fashion business at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Destroying unwanted products is part of that process, she said.
"The reason they are doing this is so that the market is not flooded with discounts. They don't want Burberry products to get into the hands of anyone who can sell them at a discount and devalue the brand," Ms Malone said.
Burberry is not the only company having to deal with a surplus of luxury stock.
Richemont, which owns the Cartier and Montblanc brands, has had to buy back €480m (£430m) worth of watches over the last two years.
Analysts say some parts of those watches would be recycled - but much would be thrown away.
Environmental campaigners are angry about the waste.
"Despite their high prices, Burberry shows no respect for their own products and the hard work and natural resources that are used to made them," said Lu Yen Roloff of Greenpeace.
"The growing amount of overstock points to overproduction, and instead of slowing down their production, they incinerate perfectly good clothes and products.
"It's a dirty secret of the fashion industry. Burberry is just the tip of the iceberg," she said.


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Himax, Lumus collaborate on next-generation smart glasses development Himax Technologies and Lumus announced another joint initiative to continue developing the next-generation of smart glasses that will set new technological standards in image quality and performance. Himax and Lumus have been successfully collaborating for several years in the field of combat aviation, producing market leading helmet mounted displays. Leveraging their combat-proven solutions and manufacturing capabilities, the two companies are now collaborating to make wearable displays mainstream consumer products.
Himax force touch winning spots in smartphones, DigiTimes reports Himax Technologies president and CEO Jordan Wu said the company's multi-level force touch controller series has been selected by "leading smartphone vendors" for models to be launched in the first half of 2016, reported DigiTimes. Reference Link
On The Fly: Analyst Initiation Summary Today's noteworthy initiations include: Adesto Technologies (IOTS) initiated with a Buy at Roth Capital... American Farmland (AFCO) initiated with an Outperform at Oppenheimer... Blackstone (BX) initiated with a Neutral at JPMorgan... California Resources (CRC) initiated with a Buy at Ladenburg... Calumet Specialty Products (CLMT) initiated with a Neutral at Goldman... Clearfield (CLFD) initiated with a Buy at Lake Street... Coherus Biosciences (CHRS) initiated with an Overweight at Barclays... Copa Holdings (CPA) initiated with a Buy at HSBC... GOL Linhas (GOL) initiated with a Reduce at HSBC... HP Enterprise (HPE) initiated with a Hold at Maxim... Himax (HIMX) initiated with an Overweight at Morgan Stanley... Horizon Pharma (HZNP) reinstated with a Buy at Jefferies... Match Group (MTCH) initiated with a Buy at Axiom... Mirati Therapeutics (MRTX) initiated with a Neutral at Citi... Momenta (MNTA) initiated with an Equal Weight at Barclays... MyoKardia (MYOK) initiated with an Outperform at Cowen... Revance (RVNC) initiated with a Buy at Guggenheim.


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The world of software is expanding and developing rapidly. It is evolving and transforming all the time. Today it is almost impossible to imagine an e-commerce business without mobile browsers support or a large transportation company without an ERP System. If not to say more - keeping up with the latest technologies is a key part of success in today's business.
“We have been always cultivating the idea of innovations. So, I wouldn’t say that we have just decided to switch our focus from something “Medieval” to the most innovative trends. That’s not true. We were among the first companies that implemented and published an app on the App Store; we started working on the Android apps since the first stable release. Actively using such JS MVC as AngularJS, Backbone.js, Knockout.js and Ember.js Frameworks and creating cross-platform visually rich mobile solutions, we are proud to be among the technology leaders in Front end and Mobile Web sectors”, says Andrei Prohorenko, Head of Web and Mobile division.
Our company continue to grow, get more mature as well as continuously cultivate our expertise and explore the latest technologies and trends. The iTechArt Innovation Lab is intended to support those specialists, who are willing to keep abreast of modern IT trends, wants to stay at the forefront of advanced technologies and love challenges. We have opened an internal meetup for Senior engineers looking to broaden their technology horizons and deepen their existing competences.
Andrei Prohorenko adds, “Right now, we are exploring the world of Low Energy Bluetooth technology paying specific attention to iBeacon, an indoor positioning system promoted by Apple for IOS 7 devices. We’re sure that a combination of an appropriate app and iBeacon is going to change the way retail, m-commerce, event management and other businesses interact with their users and customers via a mobile device.”
iTechArt. Innovation Acceleration through the Proven practices.


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Earlier this month the popular children’s store Claire’s recalled some makeup products because they tested positive for asbestos, a mineral linked to deadly cancers. But, many makeup products come with those risks since they contain talc, according to Michelle Whitmer, a medical writer for the Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com.
“It happens because asbestos tends to form geologically alongside talc. And when we mine talc, sometimes there is asbestos in there,” Whitmer said.
She says part of the problem is the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t have the authority to recall cosmetics.
“There are no rules or regulations on purifying the talc to ensure that there’s no asbestos remaining, particularly for cosmetic grade talc. So, it ends up in there accidentally because we don’t have enough regulations and oversight to ensure that it isn’t there.”
Whitmer suggests parents and consumers buy talc-free products and brands such as BareMinerals, Honest Beauty and Smashbox that don’t use any talc in their beauty products.