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In his speech, Cook first discussed the tradeoff between privacy and security that consumers are increasingly forced to make.
“Like many of you, we at Apple reject the idea that our customers should have to make tradeoffs between privacy and security,” Cook started. “We can, and we must provide both in equal measure. We believe that people have a fundamental right to privacy. The American people demand it, the constitution demands it, morality demands it.”
Cook then directed his comments to companies in Silicon Valley, such as Facebook and Google who often rely on advertisements and consumer data to make money. Cook noted how Apple's services, like Apple Pay, do not want your data. This is especially true as Apple makes the move into health and the home.
“I’m speaking to you from Silicon Valley, where some of the most prominent and successful companies have built their businesses by lulling their customers into complacency about their personal information,” said Cook. “They’re gobbling up everything they can learn about you and trying to monetize it. We think that’s wrong. And it’s not the kind of company that Apple wants to be. We don’t think you should ever have to trade it for a service you think is free but actually comes at a very high cost."
Cook became even more explicit about how other companies are taking in customer information in exchange for advertisements. Cook noted that while there are lots of "free services" that store your search history, emails, and "now even your family photos," the tradeoff of personal data is not worth it. Google just launched their Photos app that lets you store unlimited amounts of photos in the cloud, compared to Apple's 5GB of iCloud storage.
Cook switched gears to talk about encryption. Apple and other companies in Silicon Valley have been under attack by government agencies for wanting to encrypt data on devices, making it difficult for law enforcement to read and access devices. Cook described such attacks as dangerous.
“We think this is incredibly dangerous. We’ve been offering encryption tools in our products for years, and we’re going to stay on that path. We think it’s a critical feature for our customers who want to keep their data secure. For years we’ve offered encryption services like iMessage and FaceTime because we believe the contents of your text messages and your video chats is none of our business.”
“If you put a key under the mat for the cops, a burglar can find it, too. Criminals are using every technology tool at their disposal to hack into people’s accounts. If they know there’s a key hidden somewhere, they won’t stop until they find it,” Cook continued.
Cook made the argument that removing encryption from their products would only hurt law-abiding citizens. The "bad guys" would still encrypt their data since its so easy and readily available. Cook took is a step further, saying that weakening encryption, or taking it away, would have "a chilling effect on our First Amendment rights" as it "undermines our country’s founding principles.”
While Apple likes to stay away from collecting data, in some cases it could be argued that an enhanced user experience requires such data collection. Apple does currently collect some data from consumers to improve the iOS and OS X experience, but most of the time, its anonymized (stripped of personal information).
It will be interesting to see if Apple's position on data collection going forward as rumors have hinted it may have to develop a more relaxed position.


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Lemington, Ontario’s Aphria Inc., a licensed producer of medical cannabis, has officially rejected an uninvited offer made against their company by Green Growth Brands last month.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, Aphria says the offer significantly undervalues the company based on what it views as the company’s current and future worth. This contrasts from the “premium observed in other transactions in the cannabis sector involving Canadian licensed producers.”
The offer by GGB was $9.41 per Aphria Share. A “24.5% premium over the Aphria Shares’ closing price of $7.56 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on December 24, 2018, the last trading day prior to GGB’s public announcement.” The lack of adjustment is a key sticking point for the value of the deal, according to Aphria, as the offer constituted a 23% discount to their trading price this morning.
“The Aphria Board of Directors unanimously believes that GGB’s hostile offer is significantly undervalued and inadequate and not in the interest of Aphria shareholders on multiple grounds,” said Irwin D. Simon, Aphria’s independent board chair, in the statement. “Regardless of their brazen attempts to suggest otherwise, GGB is asking Aphria shareholders to accept a substantial discount on their shares, as well as delisting from both the TSX and NYSE, resulting in a vast dilution of their ownership in Aphria.”
Aphria is a licensed producer of cannabis with a market cap of over $2.3 billion on the TSX, that runs large scale greenhouse production in Lemington, Ontario. It was one of the first Canadian cannabis companies to list publicly, both in Toronto and New York.
To reject the deal, all Aphria shareholders need to do according to the company is to tender no stock and take no action.
— aphria (@aphriainc) February 6, 2019
On January 23, GGB formally opened their offer to current investors for all issued and outstanding common shares. Keeping pace with the move, Aphria has released multiple notices categorizing the GGB offer as significantly undervaluing the company, and has asked their investors to wait as their board reviews the proposal.
The move is no surprise, GGB has been making their intentions clear for Aphria since last year. Capitalizing on low, year-end trading prices of the stock, they released a proposed plan to acquire the company on December 27. And again, on the final day of 2018, welcoming “early expressions of interest from Aphria shareholders who are frustrated with Aphria’s performance and absence of compelling future plans for the company.”
If Aphria’s shareholders were to accept the offer, GGB’s offer says they would have an ownership position of approximately 60% in the combined company, and GGB shareholders will represent approximately 40%. Aphria said today that taking the deal would result in their investors giving GGB shareholders a 36% interest in Aphria in exchange for shares in a company with “limited operations or other experience in the cannabis industry.”
GGB originates from Ohio, but is currently headquartered in Toronto. It is expanding rapidly into the medical and recreational cannabis business and recently hired former Toronto city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti as its director of government relations to help navigate the local regulatory environment.
Their proposal lays out the belief that the combination of the two companies is a “value-enhancing opportunity and is a superior alternative to the status quo at Aphria.” The company is hoping that the retail capabilities combined with Aphria’s production capabilities will sway stockholders.
GGB’s offer will remain open until May 6.

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The price of half a kilogramme of Pakistani pine nuts in China can be as high as RMB 140 (about Rs4,360), which is at the upper end of the so-called “chain of contempt” of nuts.
Pakistani pine forests are found in valleys at an altitude of 2,000-3,350 metres in the mountainous western areas on the border with Afghanistan.
Sulaiman Range in Balochistan, Sherani and Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Diamer in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) are the main production regions for pine nuts.
A farmer in Diamer said that 200,000 to 250,000 people are engaged in the pine nut business here and every household earns income from it.
According to official data of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), in the first nine months of 2022, Pakistan’s exports of pine nuts in shell to China amounted to $47.69 million, over five times the value of $9.5 million for exports of fresh or dried nuts in 2018.
“Pakistani pine nut exports offer the locals a huge potential to earn a living and get rich,” remarked Faisal Ahsan Pirzada, Secretary of Forest, Wildlife and Environment Department, G-B, in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).
Haji Ghulam Mehmood from Chilas pine nut market agreed and said that the money earned by pine nut exports is settled in US dollars, which is beneficial for Pakistan.
As for the reason behind cutting down the “money tree”, which is a gift of nature, G-B Senior Minister Raja Zakirya Khan Maqpoon told CEN that cutting down the pine trees must be stopped in the underdeveloped areas like Diamer, as forests are their only source of income.
THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2022.
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ASUNCION – Paraguay wants to become the logistics hub for the Paraguay-Parana Waterway, Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Victor Bernal said on Tuesday.
“Paraguay is already a world class player in terms of logistics, but remember that the Mississippi (river) moves 500 million tons of food. The Paraguay-Parana Waterway only moves 30 million tons,” he said.
Together, the Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela – produce more food than the U.S., Bernal pointed out.
The Paraguay-Parana Waterway is a complex of rivers and other inland waterways linking Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay.
The waterway, which extends 3,442 kilometers (2,138 miles) gives landlocked Paraguay and Bolivia a route to the Atlantic Ocean.
The deputy minister spoke at the presentation of the fifth Navegistic logistics and port fair, set for October in Asuncion, where participants are expected to discuss a regional regulatory framework for the Paraguay-Parana Waterway.


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Our consumer panel on BPA, a food store in New Jersey that weathered the storm, and if you don’t know what gifts to give this holiday season, I have the answers for you, for November 23rd 2011, this is Food News Today.
Good Morning, we are now streaming on our SupermarketGuru Facebook fan page and on Food News Today.com. If you have any thoughts or comments on today's show, tweet me -@phillempert- or send me a note on Facebook, immediately following today's broadcast we will continue the discussion with a live chat on Facebook.
Food News Today is sponsored by ConAgra Foods, who shares with me the desire to provide the most current, interesting and unbiased food news.
Today is National Cashew Day. And eat a cranberry day. Do you know any food fun fact you'd like to share? Let me know. If I use your fact I'll send you a SG Canvas Tote.
The safety of BPA has been questioned for decades; and it is back in the headlines. But few really understand the facts. BPA's toxicity was first discovered in 1930 when it was initially found to mimic estrogen, and lead to various cancers. But even though, its use became and still is ubiquitous in plastics, cans, and tins used for our foods.
Recently, researchers have found that this chemical could be causing behavioral problems in young girls. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that female toddlers exposed to BPA before they were born exhibited worse behavior at age three than those that didn't.
A new report released just last week by the Breast Cancer Fund documents the presence of BPA in canned foods used to prepare a typical Thanksgiving meal. The study tested some of America’s favorite brands and found that a single serving of almost half of the products tested had levels of BPA comparable to levels that laboratory studies have linked to adverse health effects. Research by the NIH found that BPA may pose risks to human development, raising concerns for early puberty, prostate effects, breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver toxicityand behavioral impacts.
We surveyed our consumer panel about BPA and found that just about half say they know a little about BPA, while nearly 40% say they have learned a lot about BPA. 11% say they are not aware of BPA at all. When asked if they avoid certain containers for fear of BPA, 62% say “sometimes,” but they are not entirely sure how to avoid it, 19% say they only purchase BPA-free products.
Labeling is an issue that consumers strongly favor, 92% of the consumer panel would like to see BPA-free labels on plastics, canned foods and wherever else BPA might appear.
Next up we head to New Jersey... where my grandfather had a dairy farm and I grew up. And this is one of those stories that makes you understand just how important food stores are to their communities! Remember that October storm that dumped heavy snows, rains and wind from Virginia to Maine, and toppled electric lines and put 3.2 million people out of power for days - and some are still without power? The Teaneck Kosher Supermarket came to the rescue!
This grocer gave out 700 hot dinners on the first night and nearly 1,000 on the second and continued to give more meals to all, customers and non customers, for as long as the area was without electricity.
The store's manager Yitz Stern explained that the store's owner wanted to “spread the wealth” after he lost power in his house for two hours and “knew what it felt like.” On the free menu: rotisserie chickens, fried chicken nuggets, French fries, hot soups, and even hot dogs for the kids. “It’s a good feeling to try to help the community,” said Stern, noting that people even came from the surrounding affected towns.
Reacting to this kindness, the grateful people that were interviewed by the local press, who were not current customers said they intend to support the store in the future. Good karma all around - reinforcing the unique role of supermarkets as the center of the community.
The economy is still struggling, and while I’m sure you want to be generous in your gift giving this year, I'd like to suggest you think of the perfect gift - the gift of food. Giving foods to family or friends is old school - and used to be standard and more personal then say - a plastic gift card to Home Depot; think homemade cookies, cakes, and even non-food items like framed photos, or a hand-knit scarf were greatly appreciated. These days we run through stores and malls with expensive shopping lists, buying all kinds of stuff that people don't really need….
So think food - foods like a package of dried soup ingredients along with a hand-written recipe. Or several flavors of a local jam or jelly; or better yet make your own, and include a package of scone or muffin mix. If the kitchen is a challenge for you - how about gift certificates for homemade meals, or cooking lessons or even an evening with a personal chef… or even some potted food plants - herbs that you can use fresh daily. Get creative! Remember it’s the thought that counts.
What's on your food mind this week? Join our live chat right now on our facebook page. Do you have any other food gift ideas to share? or that secret recipe for stuffing that everyone always begs for? Share it here!
Thanks for watching! You can always tweet me @phillempert or post your comments on our SupermarketGuru facebook page.
Happy THANKSGIVING & remember it is that one holiday where most of us eat way too much and start packing on the pounds through Super Bowl as we sit on that couch and watch the games. This year be sure to take a walk after that big meal to get in shape for those manic shopping deals on Black Friday!


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June 7 marks the first observance of World Food Safety Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly last year to celebrate the benefits of safe food and the efforts needed to produce it. And findings released this spring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration highlight the critical importance of both prevention-based food safety approaches in manufacturing facilities and the agency’s rigorous oversight.
The FDA’s inspection results reinforced that Listeria monocytogenes—the bacterium that caused a deadly outbreak linked to Blue Bell ice cream in 2015—continues to be a common hazard in facilities making similar products. Inspectors visited 89 ice cream production facilities in 2016 and 2017, taking samples from each establishment’s production environment to test for disease-causing bacteria. They detected Listeria monocytogenes in samples from 19 facilities.
Public health agencies linked ice cream from one of the facilities to three listeriosis infections, which can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, older adults, and people with impaired immune systems. The implicated company initiated a voluntary recall of all its products and ceased making ice cream.
Each year, contaminated food causes about 600 million illnesses worldwide, including an estimated 48 million infections in the United States. These illnesses can be prevented, in part by ensuring that businesses growing and processing food recognize likely contamination hazards in their operations and act to reduce these threats. This requires constant effort and data; many risks are poorly understood and can change as harmful microorganisms evolve and companies alter their practices.
Closing these gaps in our knowledge is one reason FDA routinely inspects food facilities and collects a variety of samples. The agency’s scrutiny of ice cream plants shows how this approach helps improve food safety.
The inspectors reported operational problems at several plants that could endanger consumers’ health. For example, at six of those where Listeria was detected, FDA staff observed conditions or practices likely to contribute to food contamination, such as improper cleaning of utensils and equipment and employees failing to thoroughly wash their hands before starting work or after handling trash. Armed with this information, FDA must ensure through vigilant oversight that facilities correct documented deficiencies in food safety practices.
Just as important, ice cream manufacturers need to make sure that each facility’s food safety plan includes steps to manage Listeria risks—and to confirm that those efforts are working. The 2015 regulation known as the preventive controls rule, issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), requires such efforts.
The rule established that FDA-regulated food facilities have a legally enforceable responsibility to prevent contamination by identifying risks, taking actions to minimize them, and putting procedures in place to monitor hazards and update practices when necessary. And if contamination of a ready-to-eat food such as ice cream is likely, the rule also calls for companies to test the facility environment for pathogens or related bacterial species that can indicate their presence.
Prevention-based approaches to food safety are the best way to reduce foodborne illnesses, and FDA’s rules implementing FSMA are making them the national standard. On this first World Food Safety Day, Americans can be grateful for this progress, as well as FDA’s efforts to ensure that one of the nation’s favorite summer treats won’t make them sick.
Sandra Eskin directs The Pew Charitable Trusts’ work on food safety.


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Alfa Romeo is at the center of top-level negotiations between Audi and Fiat and might be nearing a sale, according to Wardsauto.com.
Alfa Romeo is at the centre of top-level negotiations between Audi and Fiat and might be nearing a sale, according to Wardsauto.com.
Quoting “reliable” sources in Turin, Italy and Ingolstadt, Germany, Wards said that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and Audi CEO Rupert Stadler are in talks over a major deal.
The top subject reportedly involves the sale of Alfa as well as Fiat’s Pomigliano assembly plant.
If discussions are successful, the facility would return to building Alfas under Audi., according to Wards. Pomigliano was built in the late 1960s specifically for Alfa production, but currently assembles the Fiat Panda.
Discussions between the two automakers also could include a sale of Fiat’s Magneti Marelli auto parts unit, Wards reported. Audi is part of the Volkswagen Group.
According to sources, the sale of Alfa would help Fiat raise the cash necessary for a 100 per cent stake in Chrysler Group. Currently, the UAW’s Voluntary Employee Benefits Association holds a 41.5 per cent stake in the Auburn Hills, Mich., company.
It’s uncertain what impact the reported negotiations would have on Fiat’s plan to relaunch Alfa in North America later this year. Marchionne has said the nameplate would return to North America with the introduction of the Alfa 4C sports car.


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NDC RECEIVED THE 2017 BRAND NAME RECOGNITION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY2017-08-24
On August 20th 2017, NDC was one of the companies that received recognition for their contribution for the construction industry and for their business achievement during 2016 and 2017. The Construction Newspaper – working under the Ministry of Construction - has organized this event.
Starting from the need of recognising quality brands in the market, the Construction Newspaper has organised the voting program for "The 2017 brand name recognition in the construction industry ". The program focuses on creating reliable brands, developing the construction industry as well as strengthening the competitiveness of the industry.
The recognised companies are those who operate in the construction industry with innovative business development. These companies have been successfully in implementing social security policies and workforce safe practice, contributing to tax obligations, achieving good growth, creating positive brand and contributing to consumption growth of the industry.
NDC is honored to be one of the recognised brands for 2017. We will continue to strive to accomplish this honor in the years to come.


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Verizon business regulating Motorola Droid Bionic smartphone can now download a Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) refurbish after roughly a year of painfully watchful and regulating Gingerbread. It has been reported final week that Big Red will pull a refurbish on Friday, Oct 19th, and it seems it’s loyal to a word. There are already some Droid Bionic owners who reported to have updated their device.
The refurbish is outrageous bringing along a 368MB package, that is typical. While Gingerbread has already been proven to be a many fast Android version, Ice Cream Sandwich offers tons of new features. Here is a brief list of a some important facilities Droid Bionic owners could enjoy.
Easier and smoother multi-tasking. This is one of a facilities long-time Gingerbread users could simply notice given a speed of switching from one app to another is a lot smoother.
Face Unlock. It is a standard and common underline that would be combined if users refurbish their inclination from GB to ICS though it is also among a few facilities that would certainly be appreciated generally those who haven’t used any face approval record on mobile before.
Battery improvements. Battery optimization is common to any updates and while Droid Bionic perceived good feedback for being a power-saver, owners might even find it some-more fascinating as they can now use their phone longer than before.
Direct Access Lock. Owners can now clear their device directly to their content message, camera app, keypad or clear screen. This underline will save copiousness of time though owners will have to module a device on what app to run once unlocked.
Enhanced Notification Window. The new appropriate to boot functionality of a new presentation bar is one of a many unsentimental and lauded facilities that come with ICS package. The interface also perceived a sum facelift.
Home shade folders creation. It is now easier to emanate folders on home shade and conduct icons; owners can only drag an idol over another to emanate a folder.
Other information about a new facilities and functionalities can be found here.
The package can be pulled down over a atmosphere and given it is a vital update, owners are suggested to have a fast Wi-Fi tie before initiating a process. Interruption might have sour consequences. Also, depending on a speed of your internet connection, a download might take from 10 to 15 minutes. If you’re ready, here is a official downloadable guide from Verizon.
Motorola took to their central website to announce that their engineers are tough during work optimizing Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, for several Motorola devices. Motorola business have been seeking that phones will be upheld by a newest chronicle of Android. While a web posting here gives no tangible time …
While users of a Motorola Droid Bionic phone patiently wait for Motorola and Verizon to make accessible Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, users who are skilful during flashing ROMS onto inclination can suffer a leaked 4.0.4 build. Reportedly, a upgrade, that brings ICS functionalities like camera enhancements and new …
For a final integrate of days we have been conference about Motorola Mobility’s Droid Bionic being cancelled. Like all good rumors this one widespread like wildfire and was all over a internet. First we listened that a Bionic was cancelled, after that a Motorola Mobility Spokesperson had pronounced that it …
Category: Android, Motorola, Smartphones, Verizon
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Zak is a good husband. He alerts me to all the good articles floating around in the blogosphere. This morning, when I should have been reading the New York Times food section, but was instead finding out that abortion clinic bomber Eric Rudolph was being sentenced to life in prison, he told me to check out the story on tattooed fruit.
Yeah, tattooed fruit.
In an effort to be rid of those damnable produce stickers, a process by which the information contained on those stickers is instead burned by a laser into the skin of the fruit, has been patented and will soon be evident in a grocery store near you.
Just to prove I am not a neo-luddite, after my cautionary statements on nanotechnology yesterday, I want to say this seems like a pretty good idea. Part of the reasoning behind it is to track produce from source to table–and since most food travels thousands of miles in between these days, that is a good idea. Food security depends on knowing where your food came from–stickers don’t cut it because they fall off or can be removed. If a batch of apples, for example, comes in, and they have been poisoned or cross-contaminated in some way–tattoos will help investigators figure out the source of the contamination easier by providing an easier trail to follow back to the source of the fruit.
So, there–not everything that the giant food corporations come up with is evil.
Just most of it.
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Chrysler wants to turn your car into a rolling WiFi hotspot where you check your Facebook profile, upload pictures to Flickr, and eventually be part of a nationwide traffic-control network.
The UConnect Web system Chrysler will unveil Thursday -- and introduce next year -- marks the start of the dot-car era and puts Chrysler in front of BMW in their race to bring wireless internet access to your dashboard. Most of the other automakers, not to mention Microsoft, are right behind them, and there's a push to bring some standards to the hardware.
"It's something everyone's looking at," says Aaron Bragman, an auto-industry analyst at Global Insight. The rush is fueled by the runaway success of Sync, Ford's hands-free iPod and cellphone system. "It's very popular, and it drives a lot of sales," Bragman says.
Sales are something Chrysler desperately needs, and it hopes that filling its cars with gadgets will lure buyers. Among the toys it's showing off next week are rear-seat swivel screens, blind-spot cameras and something it calls "rear cross-path sensing."
But UConnect Web is the star of the show, and Chrysler's betting on it to make its cars appealing to millennials -- the twenty-something buyers who've made Sync so successful. The company clearly wants to gain a reputation for high-tech cars.
"In today's market, Chrysler's mission is to bring innovation to market more quickly," Chrysler Vice President Frank Klegon says.
Chrysler says UConnect Web uses cellular and WiFi technology to provide "instant access" to the internet. Anyone in the car will be able to check e-mail, download music, play games and even upload photos from an SD card directly to Flickr. Chrysler says any wireless device and "all major gaming systems" will work with UConnect.
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Bruce McEacharn remembers climbing one of the round chrome counter stools at E.W. Thomson Drug Co. in downtown Delhi when he was a boy.
McEacharn's father owned the store, like his father before him and his father before him, and the young McEacharn would watch as the soda jerk squirted Coke syrup over ice before bringing it to life with a stream of carbonated water.
Today McEacharn owns what his family believes is Louisiana's oldest continuously operated drug store at the same location.
And though many things have changed since E.W. Thomson opened the store 140 years ago in 1873, customers can still get an old-fashioned fountain Coke, as well as hand-crafted milkshakes, at the store.
"It's been a touchstone for my family and the community as long as I've been alive and long before I was born," said McEacharn, 57, whose wife Shari manages the gift shop within E.W. Thomson Drug Co. "We think it's a special place."
McEacharn held a 140th-anniversary celebration including free hot dogs, hamburgers and prizes earlier in October. The town shut down Elm Street to accommodate the crowd.
McEacharn's family bought the store 91 years ago from the Thomson family and has operated it for four generations. McEacharn, the fourth generation, bought the store from his father, the late Neal Doyle McEacharn, in 1990.
The grill is a popular lunch hangout, where the tuna salad and chicken salad plates and sandwiches have been traditional offerings for decades, although McEacharn said the cheeseburger is probably the most popular menu item today.
State Sen. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, said E.W. Thomson Drug Co. "is the epicenter of the town."
"We've all grown up there; it's an institution," Thompson said. "They've been refurbished, but I can still sit in the same booth now where I carved mine and (then-future wife) Marilyn's names into the wood when we were in high school."
Thompson said adults gather to discuss current events and politics, while the teenagers still come for shakes and burgers.
"It's a gathering place," he said.
McEacharn, a pharmacist who went to the University of Mississippi and graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, said he plans to continue to the tradition of E.W. Thomson Drug Co. for years to come.
"As long as my health holds out and I'm able to keep this great staff, we'll still be here," he said.
GREG HILBURN, The News-Star


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Johnstown Cinderella Project helps girls go to prom in style
JOHNSTOWN -- Prom season is right around the corner.
And one local organization is making sure girls don't have to worry about paying for their dresses and accessories.
The Cinderella Project hosted the 11th annual Try On Days at the YWCA in Johnstown.
Everything is provided on a first-come, first-served basis, but there was no shortage of dresses to go around.
Lined up and ready to shop, high schoolers from across the region waited at the YWCA in Johnstown to find the perfect prom dress.
Laken Burkhardt attends Pitt Johnstown, but showed up with her sister Lindsey to find a dress, like she did the last two years.
"Dresses are going to be upwards of $100. And a lot of the people around here don't have the money to do that,” Burkhardt said. “So having the opportunity with the Cinderella Project, to get dresses for free, I think it's a wonderful thing for this town."
Since 2007, the Cinderella Project has helped outfit more than a thousand girls for their proms and formals.
"Everybody who has a blue shirt on is a fairy godmother type of volunteer,” project coordinator Megan Livingston said. “So once you have five dresses that you like, then one of them will show you to a dressing room."
Livingston said there's no cost or proof of income required. They just ask for a form of ID to prove you are of high school age.
"We see a couple hundred girls between the two weekends. And we have well over 1,000 dresses on our racks this year,” Livingston said. “This is actually the most dresses that we have ever had in the 11 years of the project."
And parents are very thankful for those who donated.
"It's a great community project. We're very thankful that there are people that donate dresses for girls that couldn't afford a $500 dress at a retail shop," parent Nicole White said.
"We do the whole experience. They can go through the racks. If they find a dress they want, they can look for jewelry, shoes and accessories,” Livingston said. “So it's really kind of the whole nine yards for them for the day."
High school senior Madison Gulish found a dress that she loves.
"And they had all the accessories and everything,” Gulish said. So it was just really nice to know that there's an organization like this who really wants to help people."
But more than just a free dress, Livingston says it gives girls confidence.
"It's more than about dresses. You know it's more than the sequins and the sparkle,” Livingston said. “It'sreally for girls. It's about self-esteem."
If you still need a prom dress, the Cinderella Project will be hosting another try-on day next Saturday,March 25, from 12-3 p.m.


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Helping Our Game Developers Press Play On Their Dreams
The Allan Labor Government is backing the next generation of digital game talent, with a new round of grants supporting a new crop of global hit games created in Victoria.
Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks today announced applications are now open for the latest round of the Originate Games program, which champions local game developers with projects in the early stages of development.
Delivered by VicScreen, Originate Games helps Victorian game developers fine-tune their ideas and concepts and provides tailored support as they work toward launching their game to be enjoyed by millions around the world.
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for Victorian developers, providing the resources they need to bring their projects from the drawing board to the games console, including mentoring by industry experts.
Last year’s inaugural installment of Originate Games has an epic collection of games lined up for release in the coming years including Bugging Humans, which sees a spider and fly team up to start a backyard revolution, and Dawn Chorus, an interactive story-telling game about people and relationships.
Also among the 2023 crop is a supernatural detective game Have You Seen Me?, The Adventures of Dolly, a role-playing game set on the streets of Melbourne’s CBD and Untitled Baseball Game, set in Melbourne’s inner-west.
Victoria is globally renowned as a creative hub for unique and compelling games, including the international blockbusters Untitled Goose Game and Cult of the Lamb, recent award-winning smash hits Gubbins and Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical.
Applications for Originate Games 2024 close on Friday, 15 March.


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Batman: Arkham Knight, the final entry in Rocksteady’s caped crusader series, is finally getting re-released on Steam today after it was pulled off of the platform due to some serious issues. After months of working hard to bring the game up to the same level of its console counterparts (which were well-received and suffered no major problems) Arkham Knight is finally ready to be enjoyed in the way the developers intended. Unfortunately, prospective consumers tend to read up on the game prior to purchase and Arkham Knight on Steam is sitting on a mountain of negative user reviews dating back to its poor state at release.
Steam has marked these reviews as Pre-Release opinions even though the individuals who posted their reviews actually purchased the game on or after Batman: Arkham Knight’s initial launch date back in June. This has some fans wondering if it’s a marketing ploy of some sort seeing as how some may be a bit confused as to what those negative comments reviewed. It can easily just be a case of giving the game a fair chance as some other fans had commented.
Recently Batman: Arkham Knight was said to be receiving yet another update to further fix the game. Rocksteady has certainly been hard at work and this re-release along with the inclusion of more patches shows that.


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New bakery owners have recipe for success
Mandy Davis and Meloney Moody, the daughter-mother team who recently opened Ellie Mae's Bake Shop in downtown Gastonia, think they have the recipe for success.
That recipe involves neither sugar nor chocolate, neither pecans nor cream cheese. Instead, it is a recipe made up of equal parts of Christian faith, reliance on family, and a love for serving others, especially those who are differently abled.
The pair sat down to chat with a Gazette reporter on a recent weekday afternoon, the smell of baking pecan bars permeating the small, older residence at 176 S. Chester St. that now serves as the bakery's home.
First things first.
Who is "Ellie Mae?"
"Ellie was our guard dog," responds Davis. "She passed away eight years ago. She was a rescue dog and was a part of our family for 10 years. She was always so grateful."
Artistic by nature, Davis readily admits that her first love was cake decorating, not baking, but adds that she has grown to love baking as well, particularly coming up with her own original recipes.
"She is the artistic force of the bakery," said Moody. "I'm the more practical side, taking care of publicity, social media, and acting as our business and time manager."
Actually, the two's roles go beyond that, as they explained family responsibilities:
• Mom Moody's specialty is pound cake, of many different varieties.
• Daughter Davis' specialty is the decorating of cakes and bars, such as lemon and pecan.
• Dad Ben Moody's specialty is sauces, including bourbon and cognac.
• Brother Andrew Moody is known as "the cheese cake guy."
• Brother-in-law Michael Tomberlin's specialty is cream horns.
• And young nephews Jack and Benjamin Tomberlin love to work on cake pops and putting sprinkles on top of baked goods.
Regardless of what is being baked or who is involved in the baking, Davis wanted to emphasize that everything is made from scratch.
"There's a difference between genuine made from scratch and adding fresh ingredients to a recipe mix," she said. "We genuinely make everything from scratch. Everything."
The bakery's kitchen can also produce gluten-free products and is set up to be allergy free as well.
Davis, who had previously worked in the bakery department at the Belmont Walmart and at several grocery stores, decided to open a home bakery business about eight years ago.
Moody said it was the 2018 holiday season that convinced them they needed a free-standing location.
"We had so many orders, many of which were large orders, that we simply needed room to expand," she said.
Of the South Chester Street location, Moody said, "This building was just begging to be turned into a bakery. It has a great front porch. It has good bones. And, it's handicapped accessible."
That accessibility is important to mother and daughter, both of whom spoke of their goal of making the bakery as friendly and as welcoming to everyone as possible.
Ellie Mae's has a small seating area where customers can sit down and enjoy their purchases onsite if they wish.
"We will put their treat on a real China plate. We will give them a real fork. And we will encourage them just to sit down and visit for a while."
Coffee, the perfect complement to most sweet treats, will soon be available at the bakery as well.
Hours for Ellie Mae's Bake Shop are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The bakery may be reached at 704-842-1180.
Bill Poteat may be reached at 704-869-1855.


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The post-cookie era: challenges & opportunities
Third-party cookies are dead! Browsers such as Firefox and Safari, followed by Google’s Chrome, are already putting privacy first and block tracking by default. The consequence? “Publishers and marketers need to drop third-party-tracking and focus on developing relationships with their customers. Contextual advertising is the new cookie”, claims martech expert Michael Sturm, CEO of TMSe.
This trend may be surprising for some. To date, digital advertising makes up more than half of all ad spending and growing by more than 100%. Big companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon are the greatest profit-takers. Together they control about 80% of non-search advertising, as well as 50% of advertising in the open internet. All made possible by cookies.
However, the tracking cookie starts to crumble. Evolving privacy laws, stricter requirements and the rise in customers’ privacy demands, cookies will only be a short term investment. The future of the global ads market is about privacy first. Earlier this year, Google announced that they will drop third party cookies and assured that they will refrain from developing an alternate tracking system. “With the end of third party cookies, publishers and marketers should work closer together and find new, innovative strategies for using data – and one reliable strategy is contextual advertising”, says Stian Remaad, CEO of Adnuntius.
Contextual advertising uses keywords, category information and other information on a page, and therefore makes sure that ads fit to the environment they appear in. Instead of getting bombarded with business ads wen reading a travel guide, customers will see hotel recommendations for their next holiday. Adnuntius implemented support also for cookieless advertising from the early start. The company’s system “Adnuntius Marketplace” offers buyers, publishers and ad networks an effective alternative to programmatic advertising.
Relying on context may seem strange at first sight, but it comes with several advantages. “Contextual targeting can produce great results, and is also one of those things that publishers are great at since they already have editorial content as a source of information”, explains Stian Remaad. Additionally, by waiving cookies, businesses put their customers’ need – privacy – first and make sure that their ads appear in an environment that fits the brand and that is relevant for their target group.


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Kia unveils futuristic 2025 Carnival Hybrid: All you need to know
Kia unveils the Carnival HEV variant, featuring a 1.6-liter turbo-hybrid engine and improved efficiency.
Kia has officially introduced the 2025 Carnival Hybrid, showcasing a blend of cutting-edge technology and enhanced performance. Following the successful debut of the new-generation Carnival in global markets last year, Kia has now unveiled its Carnival HEV variant. While its arrival in the Indian market remains uncertain, expectations are high for Kia to launch the new Carnival generation soon, reported HT Auto.


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Tamagotchi has been making a comeback with a slew of recent collaboration releases Koyoharu Gotooge’s hit manga and anime “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (“Demon Slayer”), which saw a SEA release via AFASHOP.co — Anime Festival Asia‘s official online store. After the success of “Tanjirotchi” and “Nezukotchi”, a new collection has been teased featuring the rest of the series’ popular cast!
The gameplay has also been specially customized to offer the full KNY experience. Feed them when they’re hungry, train them in sword-fighting through various minigames, and treat them when they’re injured, to help them grow stronger. But neglect them, and something demonic might happen!
Watch out for another possible regional release very soon! Till then, stay tuned to SO JAPAN!


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Owners of Android and Symbian-based mobile handsets will be able to download the first full release of Firefox Mobile some time in December, according to official reports.
A spokesperson for Mozilla, the developer behind the software, confirmed that Firefox would also be hitting handsets running the Maemo platform after the beta testing was complete.
The software was recently demonstrated on a Nokia N900 tablet phone and impressed the experts.
Firefox Mobile is said to replicate virtually all of the features contained within the desktop version, including tabbed browsing and support for YouTube and Google Maps in their full capacities.
It has been suggested that the focus on Maemo, which has far less market presence than Android or Symbian, could limit the adoption of Firefox Mobile in the short term. However, if Mozilla follows through with its promises for multi-platform support, Firefox Mobile could soon be the portable browser of choice.
In contrast, owners of the Apple iPhone are unlikely to see a Firefox app any time soon. This is because Apple is known to veto entries onto the App Store which directly compete with one of its own products.


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Norwegian Adds More Caribbean Flights, From $79 One-Way
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Not only did Norwegian Air announce today that it’s launching new service to Rome from three US cities (Los Angeles, Newark and Oakland), but it’s also expanding its presence in the French Caribbean. Today, the low-cost carrier announced that it’s adding new service to its established destinations in Guadeloupe (PTP) and Martinique (FDF).
Beginning this October, Norwegian will launch new service from Providence (PVD) to both PTP and FDF. Plus, it’s adding a new route between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and FDF in addition to adding a new frequency to its existing FLL-PTP route. Here are the details of each of the three new routes and the one that’s adding an additional frequency:
- Providence (PVD) to Guadeloupe (PTP) — Launches on October 29, 2017, with 2x weekly service.
- Providence (PVD) to Martinique (FDF) — Launches on October 30, 2017, with 2x weekly service.
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Martinique (FDF) — Launches on October 30, 2017, with 2x weekly flights.
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Guadeloupe (PTP) — Additional frequency (from 2x per week to 3x per week) launching on November 2, 2017.
Fares to both PTP and FDF start at $79 one-way in economy and are now bookable on Norwegian’s website. Back in 2015, Norwegian launched French Caribbean service to the two countries from New York (JFK). And in 2016, the carrier added a Fort Lauderdale (FLL) route to Guadeloupe (PTP), which it’s now increasing in frequency to 3x per week.
The flights will be operated by the carrier’s 737-800 aircraft that feature a 3-3 configuration.
TPG Assistant Editor Brendan Dorsey recently had the chance to try out Norwegian’s Caribbean service from New York (JFK). Stay tuned for a full review.
With this announcement, Norwegian is choosing to build on its presence in Providence (PVD). Earlier this year, the low-cost carrier announced new service from PVD to Edinburgh (EDI), Belfast (BFS), Bergen (BGO), Cork (ORK), Dublin (DUB) and Shannon (SNN). Now, with these two new routes, Norwegian will serve a total of eight destinations spread across Europe and the French Caribbean, making it the largest international airline at PVD. And, as a result of the new routes, Norwegian will operate its fourth American crew base in Providence for the summer.
Overall, this is more exciting news coming from Norwegian. Today alone, the carrier has announced that it’s launching new service to both Rome and two destinations in the Caribbean, expanding its footprint in the US market — good news for anyone looking for a low-cost option when traveling.
Featured image of Martinique courtesy of Matteo Colombo via Getty Images.
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THE BETTER retail locations will continue to get better in 2005, and occupational demand for offices and industrial units will continue to improve slightly because quality space is at a premium in parts of Wales, according to property consultants King Sturge.
These predictions come on the back of a 2004 which saw property outperform other assets, achieving returns of 18% against equities at 13% and gilts at 8%.
Property investment yields shifted more than expected, producing capital growth of about 9%.
Senior partner Bob Croydon said 2004 had been characterised by decreasing unemployment, low inflation, rising bank interest rates and increasing consumer expenditure. There had been growth in both in the technology, media and telecommunications sector and the finance and business services sector, and an increase in industrial production, all of which had translated into a reasonably good year for property across the various markets.
"The general election will dominate the first half of this year, but, with house prices stalling, the economy slowing down and slower growth in Government expenditure, the focus will be away from the economy," he said.
"One of our predictions for the coming year is that the volume of occupational demand for office and industrial space will continue to improve slightly against a background of an exceptionally low supply of Grade A office space in Cardiff and South East Wales."
King Sturge also predicts that the Lyons review of civil service relocations requirements will create only modest demand, and only for quality locations and product.
The relocation of 20,000 jobs across the UK by 2010 will be offset by 80,000 fewer civil servants.
The company believes the consolidation of retailers and locations will continue in better towns and shopping centres.
The expectation for new planning permissions for out-of-centre retail parks is that they will remain extremely difficult to achieve, although Capital and Regions have gained partial consent for a very large park at Leckwith Stadium in Cardiff.
In-town retailers are expected to remain selective with increased inducements being paid for a select list of retailers who can anchor schemes.
In the industrial sector King Sturge predicts that vacant floor space will continue to decline particularly given competing land uses which is reducing the available industrial land near major cities. The success of J R Smart's Capital Point scheme at Wentloog is a good example of falling floor space creating a demand.
Also during the year rising construction costs are expected slow down new development.


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Eight crew members of a Dutch fishing boat were arrested in the Vlissingen harbor, the Public Prosecutor announced on Wednesday. They are suspected of deliberately endangering fishery inspectors of Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA. The inspectors pressed charges of attempted manslaughter against them, NU.nl reports.
Dutch food safety authority NVWA is facing fierce criticism in the Tweede Kamer on Thursday. The parliamentarians have nothing good to say about the NVWA's actions in dealing with millions of Dutch eggs being contaminated by toxic insecticide fipronil. In summary, the MPs accused the NVWA of not communicating well, not responding adequately to an anonymous tip about the contamination and having an inadequate setup to deal with such a crisis, NU.nl reports.
Food supplements, for example for more energy or slimming supplements, are increasingly popular in the Netherlands. But they are by far not always healthy and some even contain forbidden substances, the national poisoning information center NVIC warned in its annual report for 2016. In some cases the information on the labels don't match the substances actually in the supplements, ANP reports.
Thirteen supermarket chains affiliated with Superunie quietly recalled waffles and cookies from their shelves on Wednesday because they contain toxic insecticide fipronil, AD reported on Thursday. "We expect more such silent recalls", Wilco Jansen of Emté said to the newspaper. "There are many products with a lot of egg in them. No idea where this is going to end."
A tip the Dutch food safety authority NVWA received about the use of toxic fipronil on Dutch poultry farms in November last year, specifically mentioned Barneveld pest control company ChickFriend, Public Health Minister Edith Schippers confirmed in a letter to parliament, ANP reports.
Two Dutch suspects arrested last week in connection with the so-called fipronil scandal, will be arraigned on Tuesday. The magistrate will decide whether they will be kept in custody, ANP reports.
The Dutch and Belgian authorities are raiding several addresses in both countries on Thursday as part of the investigation into fipronil contamination at numerous poultry farms and their eggs. This is a joint action from the Dutch and Belgian authorities, a spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecutor said to the Telegraaf, though she would not say exactly where the raids are done.
Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA denies that it first learned that eggs were maybe contaminated by toxic fipronil in November last year. The authority did receive a report about fipronil in that month, but that report only stated that it had been used to clean stables - there was no reason to believe that it could end up in eggs and pose a potential health risk, inspector general Rob van Lint said on Wednesday, RTL Nieuws reports.
Last week supermarkets recalled "between 8 and 10 million eggs" because they may contain toxic insecticide fipronil, Rene Roorda, director of the bureau for foodstuffs trading CBL, said to the Telegraaf.
Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA decided to test chicken meat for fipronil after all. Admin from company ChickFriend showed that the company used the toxic insecticide at a number of meat companies too, AD reports.
ChickFriend is considered the source of the fipronil contamination in the Netherlands.
Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA added codes of another 14 poultry companies to its list of eggs contaminated with toxic insecticide fipronil. Foods that contain contaminated eggs are safe to eat, according to the federation of the Dutch foodstuffs industry FNLI based on its own research, NU.nl reports.
German supermarket chain Aldi is removing all eggs from the shelves across the country because of fipronil found in eggs from some Dutch poultry farms, the supermarket chain announced on Friday. According to Aldi, this is a "precautionary measure", ANP reports.
The supermarket sector suffered "fairly substantial" damages that can amount to millions of euros as a result of fipronil contaminated eggs, René Roorda, director of the central bureau of foodstuffs trading CBL said to ANP.
Agricultural organization LTO Nederland is furious that the Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA advised consumers to show restraint in eating eggs until the results of an investigation into eggs' fipronil content are in. "That is a terrible and unnecessary statement", Eric Huber, chairman of the poultry farm department, said to Radio 1 Journaal on Wednesday. "It leads to unnecessary unrest among consumers."
Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA added 17 more company codes to its list of eggs that contain too high quantities of toxic fipronil. Dutch stores may have been selling eggs containing too much of this insecticide for as long as a year.
Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA issued a warning to consumers not to eat eggs with the company code X-NL-40155XX. The content of toxic fipronil in these eggs is so high that they pose an acute danger to public health, the NVWA said, NU.nl reports.
The Xs in the code represent numbers. The code will be stamped on the egg. The NVWA is recalling the affected eggs from the shelves, but consumers who already bought eggs with this code are advised to throw them away.
The Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA halted production at dozens of egg-laying companies while they investigate whether the companies' eggs contain poisonous substance fipronil. This measure was taken as a precaution while inspectors take samples from eggs, laying hens and manure, ANP reports.
A 3-year-old boy was critically injured when he somehow got stuck under a cart on a fairground attraction at the Tilburg fair on Saturday. He is now in a stable condition and out of danger, alderman Erik de Ridder of the municipality of Tilburg said, Brabants Dagblad reports.
It took rescue workers almost an hour to free the boy. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was treated.
The Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA halted production at seven companies in the poultry sector after they were found to use poisonous insecticide fipronil in the chicken barns. The authority also recalled eggs from four of the companies, the NVWA said on Saturday.
Food products imported from the United States and sold in Dutch stores often don't comply with European laws and regulation, Foodwatch announced after investigating 86 such products sold by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Jamin, among others.
According to the watchdog, none of the products fully complied with EU laws. "We already suspected that there are problems in the supervision on these types of American import products, but that not one product from a sample of over 80 products fully complied with European regulation is really scary", Foodwatch said in a statement.
Customs officers intercepted 60 red flamingos at Schiphol airport. One was dead and three were in a bad state, ANP reports.
The flamingos were being transported from Cuba to China.
All of the birds were seized and taken to an animal hospital for care, a spokesperson for the Dutch food and consumer product authority NVWA said on Friday. The animals were injured in the poor transport conditions.
The inside of the cases weren't sealed properly, resulting in some of the flamingos getting their feet stuck in vent holes.
Dutch food safety authority NVWA placed a total of 129 restaurants in the Netherlands under increased supervision between November 2015 and December 2016. This happens when a restaurant gets at least three fines, one of which for poor hygiene standards or rotten food, in a period of two years. Over 30 of the affected restaurants are located in Amsterdam, RTL Nieuws reports based on data received from NVWA after appealing to the freedom of information act.
Dutch food and product safety authority NVWA raided a very expensive Amsterdam fashion boutique this week and seized 105 items of clothing made of leather from endangered species - including shoes, coats, belts, skirts and other accessories made of crocodile, python and anaconda leather, the Volkskrant reports based on a court ruling.
Economic Affairs State Secretary Martijn van Dam and slaughterhouses in the Netherlands came to an agreement on voluntary camera supervision to monitor against animal abuse. The cameras will make sure that there is a good view on all actions involving living animals. "You must be able to see every step in the process", Van Dam said to broadcaster NOS.


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Today Hawkshead brewery announced that they would be updating their branding for the 21st century, Despite this re-branding they wanted to clarify that they consider this branding “evolution, not revolution”.
“The industry is going through a period of change and we wanted to reflect that in the new, refreshing branding,” said Hawkshead’s managing director, Alex Brodie.
This new branding, which will include a new logo, will run through all the breweries products, from bottles to cask beers. Its an evolution of the brewers existing line and will see it pay homage to the brewers lake district roots.
Katie Rome, Manager of The Beer Hall, the brewery tap said “I’ve had some really positive feedback from our regular customers who love the fresh new look”.


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England-battery-hens, the british hen welfare trust has rehomed nearly 300,000 former battery hens jane howorth came to the telephone out of breath and needing a drink of water after spending a windy december afternoon.... Battery hens rescue finding homes some 10,000 hens need new homes a norfolk animal welfare charity trying to save 10,000 rescued battery hens from slaughter says the appeal to find them homes is..., a woman from oxfordshire has started knitting sweaters for rescued battery hens that have lost their feathers. jane blaine, of eynsham, said when a friend first asked her to knit jumpers for chickens she thought it was a joke..
Newspaper article the journal (newcastle, england) battery hens 'result of low prices' farming . read preview. article excerpt. byline: by sam wood . as a tv campaign is launched to stop battery chicken farming, a former free-range poultry farmer in the north-east says she understands why the system is used. rachel walton, who used to run a ..., apr 1, 2014 - a woman from oxfordshire has started knitting sweaters for rescued battery hens that have lost their feathers.. The hens will be brought to coventry from battery farms around the country to be offered to new owners. the hens on offer are all about 18 months old - that's the age when they can no longer be guaranteed to lay eggs every day, meanng they are no longer any use to commercial battery farms., download this stock image: battery hens - xdxbtw from alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors..
Join byc free here to see fewer ads, post questions, upload pics, & more! to see fewer ads, post questions, upload pics, & more!, everything chicken related. share and learn with the uk's largest growing community. welcome to the grapevine where for 15 years we've helped to make growing vegetables easy..
Battery hens have trouble acclimatising to normal outdoor conditions once they are released, so nicola congdon came up with a creative solution.


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Shares in Thomas Cook have soared 43 per cent after the company, Europe's second-biggest travel firm, secured a vital credit line from banks less than a week after its stock had plunged 75 per cent in just one day.
Shares rocketed by 43.21 per cent to 25.86 pence on London's second-tier FTSE 250 index on Monday, which rose 2.22 per cent to stand at 9854.86 points.
Thomas Cook's share price had plunged 75 per cent in value last Tuesday after the British firm said it was renegotiating its financing terms with banks after a sharp drop in business.
That announcement has caused the group to delay the release of its annual earnings.
However on Friday, Thomas Cook revealed it had reached a deal with banks for access to STG200 million ($A317 million) of funding until April 2013.
The new deal replaced a STG100 million ($A158 million) short-term facility unveiled on October 21.
Travel sector analysts welcomed the new terms as they looked for an improvement in trading conditions that have been hampered by the weak global economy and unrest in the Middle East.
"Thomas Cook has secured its short-term survival," said Evolution Securities analyst James Hollins.
"Longer-term, it will have to fundamentally adjust its operating model, savagely cut costs, hope to benefit from more benign economic conditions and wish for negligible external factors such as that currently being witnessed in Egypt."
Thomas Cook has suffered a disastrous year, leading to the resignation of its chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa in August.
Plunging consumer confidence, the faltering global economy and turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa region have hit the company hard.


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What a glorious week the Gold Coast turned on for the 50, 678 visitors to Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, the second highest tally in the Show's history. Exhibitors report strong sales, advance orders and plentiful leads for future business. And that's what it's about, as much as a great day out for families and visitors to the GC.
Over the next few issues we will cover the highlights from SCIBS – the products, people and innovations to inspire and inform you.
Now brace yourselves for the Melbourne Boat Show, 3 to 7 July, Adelaide 17 to 20 July and SIBS, 31 July to 5 August at Darling Harbour. Then follow Darwin, Perth, Brisbane and Mandurah.
You can get a complete rundown of all the national and international shows, expos and trade events at the BIA website www.bia.org.au/calendar-of-events.html, and we will feature the standouts on the calendar each issue, including those that AIMEX is adding to its list, those in new markets and all the opportunities exhibitors and visitors can enjoy.
This week, we have a profile on Navico, coinciding with its CEO visiting Australia for SCIBS. Jens-Thomas Pietralla spoke at length with Marine Business News about the company's plans for the development of each of its brands, trends in marine electronics and the importance of our region in the global scheme of things. We rank second after the US market!
Innovation in the marine space is also foremost in the minds of Garmin, preparing to market and distribute its products independently from GME from 1 July. The new National Marketing & Sales Manager, Matthew DeMoss talks about the aims of the company and the many new products it will launch downunder over the next 6 months.
The AMIF held its Australian Marine Awards during SCIBS, as did the Australian Superyacht fraternity, so we list all the winners and sponsors, as well as some of the judges' comments about this year's entries.
Another WA company is going great guns. Strategic Marine in WA has come a long way from back yard boat builders in 2000 to become one of the leading manufacturers of high speed aluminium ships in Australia and to date has designed and built more than 322 vessels. It's now expanding to Vietnam and Mexico and fills us in on some of the opportunities that those markets offer.
The Raymarine “takeover” amounted to nothing, and most of those companies revealed by the world's media as “secret bidders” were mildly amused to see their names in print.
Discussions have been terminated, Raymarine is not on the market and unfortunately for the UK manufacturer, its share price dropped dramatically, mostly attributed to “weak US retail and dealer channels, a slow start to the year in some European markets and delays in new product launches”.
Locally, Raymarine is experiencing sales growth. New MD, Ben Bowley has joined the company from Panasonic and Apple and with just 6 weeks on the clock, says he is looking forward to product launches, innovation and taking the brand to new heights.
There's plenty of news, profiles on the people who make the marine business great and I believe, something from each facet of the industry. If you can't find your sector represented, let me know and we'll seek out the latest.
Thanks for the emails, calls and comments in person about Marine Business News. Hope we continue to help you in your business.
Jeni Bone, Editor
Sanctuary Cove Show brings spectacular sales Kate Duryea, The 20th Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show brought multimillion dollar sales showing the event had truly come of age. A snapshot of 15 exhibitors by the Show's close at 5pm showed more than $A146 million in sales.... [more]
Bowley joins Raymarine as MD Jeni Bone, After just 6 weeks in the job, Ben Bowley, the new MD for Raymarine Australia, is energized and enthused about his role, the company's direction and success so far this year.... [more]
Garmin Counts Down until Independence Day Jeni Bone, 1 July is the official Independence Day for Garmin, splitting with GME in time for the Sydney International Boat Show 31 July-5 August.... [more]
Countdown to Sydney Boat Show Media Services, It's not too late to get organized for SIBS. For six exciting days, July 31 to August 5, Darling Harbour will become the headquarters of the Australian boating industry when the 2008 Sydney International Boat Show immerses the city in boats and marine paraphernalia.... [more]
Online advertising delivers your message TetraMedia, TIME IS MONEY. Especially when you're waiting for your product news to reach your audience.... [more]
US reduces red tape for recreational boating Jeni Bone, The NMMA is celebrating a potential reduction in red tape, following the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I) approval of commonsense legislation known as 'The Clean Boating Act'.... [more]
David Hay, GM of FGI, joins AIMEX Board Jeni Bone, David Hay, general manager for FGI, has been appointed to the AIMEX board replacing Steve Taylor whose role within Nuplex had changed making him ineligible to stay on the board.... [more]
Peelable perfection Skudo Media, Top names in yacht building are relying on the peelable protective coating range from Skudo for protection during manufacturing and transport. Think of it as a heavy-duty protective film for boats, ships and marine equipment that is easily sprayed or rolled on and even simpler to peel off.... [more]
Low Carbon Marina Initiative launched MIAA, Climate change is pressing to our marine industry. The Low Carbon Marina Initiative is one example of how the marina industry is responding to this challenge. MIAA has partnered with the Carbon Reduction Institute to develop and manage the Low Carbon Marina Initiative.... [more]
Superyachts celebrate excellence and service Jeni Bone, The Australian superyacht fraternity celebrated the high achievers of the industry on Saturday night, culminating in the Awards highest accolade: the inaugural Hall of Fame Award, which went to Donald Johnston, original founder and owner of Oceanfast in WA.... [more]
Navman is now NORTHSTAR Jeni Bone, At this year's SCIBS, Navico demonstrated to the trade, dealers and public alike that Navman marine products are as innovative as ever, just rebranded and rebadged under the Northstar name.more]
Raymarine share price slumps, takeover dropped Bloomberg News Service, Raymarine, the UK manufacturer of electronic marine products, has had a record one-day drop in London trading after announcing takeover talks have ended and that sales missed forecasts.... [more]
Grant Torrens Marine hosts its own Show Jeni Bone, Celebrating 10 years on the marina of one of the Gold Coast's most prestigious residential development areas, Grant Torrens International Marine has become the largest international marine brokerage of its kind in Australia and its boat show grows every year.... [more]
Strong interest in Korea International Boat Show Jeni Bone, There is still time to take advantage of the support – both financial and marketing – offered to exhibitors by organizers of the first Korea International Boat Show in June and get your brand to the many hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend.... [more]
Riviera wins Boat of the Year Award Denby Browning, Australia's most awarded luxury boat builder, Riviera, has added another major trophy to its collection, winning the Australian Boat of the Year at the marine industry national awards ceremony on Thursday night.... [more]
You must replace your EPIRB now to 406! NSW Maritime Media, Recreational boat owners with vessels eight metres or longer must replace their distress beacons under new rules to take effect on 1 July. Commercial vessels which come into survey after 1 July will also be required to make the switch to a 406MHz beacon. (EPIRBs)... [more]
Australia's Boat of the Year award Bob Maxwell, CEO of the Australian Marine Industries Federation (AMIF), Sherry Donaldson said last night that '.The strong line-up of finalists in the 2008 Australian Marine Awards is proof that Australian consumers have more choice of marine product than ever before.'... [more]
Grow Boating: Seeking contributors for Task Forces Jeni Bone, Grow Boating is seeking industry leaders to contribute to Task Forces that will implement each facet of the strategy.... [more]
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2012 December 20
CH Carolina Herrera Takes PR In-House
Billy Farrell Agency View Gallery
(NEW YORK) CH Carolina Herrera is ushering in a fresh face to helm its PR efforts, taking on Jenny Friedman as public relations director for the brand. Friedman comes chez Herrera from her post as public relations and marketing manager at Roberta Freymann; she joined the label in March 2012. Prior to Roberta Freymann, Friedman spent nearly four years at Akris as PR manager, a title she landed in July 2008. Friedman also spent almost two years as design assistant at Polo Ralph Lauren shortly after graduating from George Washington University in 2004. Between her stints at Akris and Polo Ralph Lauren, Friedman spent six months as events and integrated marketing manager at Plum TV. In her new role, Friedman will report to Emilie Rubinfeld, Herrera's VP of global marketing and communications. Previously, CH Carolina Herrera was represented in particular capacities by BPCM.
Moda Operandi will be expanding their luxury e-commerce business, thanks to a new $20 million round of funding. Since it was founded three years ago, the site, co-founded by Lauren...
A slew of designers are getting the British Fashion Council's stamp of approval. BFC's NewGen council is sponsoring seven young labels' walks down the catwalk during London Fashion...
The perfect holiday treat just might be a dose of Donna Karan, in the form of her Urban Zen Marketplace. Brimming with gift-apropos goods of very wearable and décor-ready iterations...


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Over and over again over, most of the pre-launch chatter about the iPhone 5c was that this was Apple’s “budget” iPhone, meant to help Cupertino squeeze into the mid-range, and especially penetrate the
After announcing the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c at an event on its Cupertino campus on Tuesday, Apple released its first ads for both devices. One of them — the iPhone 5c one — was shown during the keynote,
I like my gadgets, and generally consider myself an early adopter. When my friends are looking at buying a new piece of technology, I’m the one they ask as they know I’ll either own it or have tried it.
We have heard a lot of rumors and leaks over the last year that Apple would install a fingerprint sensor underneath the home button of the iPhone 5S this year, but what does the leaked hardware actually
Analysts are predicting the the launch of the iPhone 5S and 5C will set new records for Apple with the company selling up to 13M handsets in the first nine days following the predicted availability date
Apple sent an email to members of its developer program today prompting them to add push notification capabilities to their websites. Push notification support is one of the many new features in Safari
It’s official. Apple sent out invites for its iPhone event on September 10th this morning. The tagline is “this should brighten everyone’s day,” which is a not-so-subtle hint at the Skittles-themed collection
It might not be the iPhone 6, but Apple could have some surprises this year Apple’s next iPhone is approaching fast. A new phone is all but certain to be revealed at Apple's September 10th event, and have


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Vietnam’s export will grow to 20 percent this year from 15.4 percent in 2013, helping the country’s economic growth to reach 5.6 percent, according to the latest report on the country’s macroeconomic prospects by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).
|Illustrative image. (Photo: SGGP)|
The report said that Vietnam possibly becomes one of the countries who receive most benefits after demand in European countries improved as the country’s economy totally relies on exports with exports accounting for about 80 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Exports, especially by foreign direct investment enterprises, will foster economic growth for Vietnam. The purchasing managers index of Vietnamese manufacturing industry showed that manufacturing production was at 51.8 points in December last year, the highest level since April 2011. HSBC expects that production will maintain rising momentum in the upcoming months when inventory level drops and orders recovers.
GDP growth of European countries and the US is expected to increase in 2014 which will boost demand for Vietnamese goods, such as: garments and electronic products.
With global economic conditions having gradually improved and trade agreements under negotiation, export companies are looking forward to a prosperous year. The country will receive more benefits from European countries which account for 14 percent of total exports, instead of from the US which accounts for 18 percent of total exports.
The country’s inflation rate was on losing trend, declining from 9.3 percent in 2012 to 6.6 percent in 2013. This year, inflation is forecast to slightly rise as the price of gasoline and foods climbs.


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WEAR - Search Results
Belk says thank you for 125 years of service
PENSACOLA -- Fashion lovers are at Cordova Mall helping a popular clothing store celebrate.
Belk Department stores are celebrating their 125th anniversary this morning.
The first 100 customers were entered into a free gift card give away.
Belk Associates say this celebration is way for Belk to say thank you to their customers, employees and Pensacola community.
Belk has over 300 locations across 16 southern states.


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With the continuous hitting of a heatwave almost in all parts of our planet. The hot climatic condition greatly impacts many electric vehicles (EVs) and can often lead to a breakdown. On the other hand, when it comes to Tesla’s EVs, they are not being affected much. Even, as per a study performed by Recurrent, Tesla EVs have gone through minimal range loss in flaming temperatures. While it significantly pushes off the heat that leaves other EVs to be heavily affected.
A vehicle’s approximate range and how far it can go in a single charge is dependent on multiple factors. Certainly for EVs temperature is one of the primary causes. Therefore, both intense cold and heat can send your EVs range into a sudden fall. At the same time, Tesla seems to be making light work of these heat waves.
In the study research, Recurrent conducted a task of examing the battery readings of 7,500 vehicles of different brands. These ranges consist of Chevrolet, Hyundai, and Ford, among others. The outcome of these tasks shows that some models showed increases in range before losing it while some others depict a severe decline. Impressively, Tesla appeared to be a clear-cut winner, since its range took the heat in a way that its least amount of range loss under these circumstances.
Traditional Aircon and Heaters Perform Better
This is not just mere magic, since Tesla vehicles utilize heat pumps as compared to the typical automotive air cooling systems. It also appears that traditional aircon and heaters perform better at cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. Whereby, these benefits come at a cost because many components are not much efficient as well. To be more precise then tesla’s heat pumps seem to surpass its peers in terms of performance.
Moving ahead, before we declare Tesla to be the King of hot weather. Then the latest heat wave across the Southern and Western US greatly hampers the Tesla EVs range, the information has been reported by Automotive News. Also, there have been problems with the charging of the vehicle during a recent heat wave. The reason is quite simple to understand, as stronger the cooling system has to work, the more power it consumes which ultimately produces more heat for the circuits.
Greg Less, technical director of the University of Michigan Battery Lab, explains, “Once you’re above 40°C, the passive emission layer on the anode starts to break down, causing the liquid electrolyte to be consumed, which shortens the battery’s life.”
Everything comes with its fair pros and cons and that’s what EVs do. However, there are ways to keep the health of your EV battery good. Some of the precautions are using a slow charger, avoiding charging up to 100% and keeping the EV in the shade as much as you can.


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Billionaire investor Carl Icahn added to his Apple position, calling it a "no-brainer" because he thinks it's still cheap.
Apple has posted its 2nd worst day of the year after unveiling a new iPhone. Carl Icahn, Icahn Enterprises, is one of the most well-known shareholders in the tech giant. He explains why Apple is one of his best investments right now.
U.S. Treasurys prices rose on Wednesday due to strong investor demand at a $21 billion auction of 10-year notes.
Songza is a free streaming music app. Its CEO Elias Roman, discusses doing business with its competitor, Apple. "On Songza, we predict exactly what you're doing or feeling, and we serve an expertly curated playlist that makes it better," he says.
Verizon Communications priced a massive bond sale on Wednesday, offering $49 billion worth of debt.
CNBC's Jon Fortt breaks down problems Apple consumers and investors are seeing following the company's event yesterday. CNBC contributor Herb Greenberg, and Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray, weigh in.
Carl Icahn of Icahn Enterprises thinks Apple is a "no brainer" and "extremely cheap," and that a buyback would be a "major plus."
Apple has been full of surprises this week, but not the good kind. Its stock was pummeled after it failed to deliver on two key things.
"I think the Street is missing the big picture," Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty says.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin reports the consensus at the TechCrunch Disrupt event is that Apple's low cost iPhone isn't low cost enough, compared to Android phones. Jon Fortt, weighs in.
Between margin and market share, which path will Apple chose?
Apple should be able to follow through on the TV vision of the late Steve Jobs, but investors are growing impatient, said biographer Walter Isaacson.
European shares closed narrowly higher on Wednesday, having paused after rallying on Tuesday.
Shuman Ghosemajumder, Shape Security, discusses the pros and cons of the tech giant's highly anticipated fingerprint technology and reveals whether he give it a thumbs up.
Toni Sacconaghi, Bernstein analyst provides his outlook on the tech giant and explains why he still maintains an "outperform" rating on the stock.
Channing Smith, Capital Advisors, and David Trainer, New Constructs CEO, debate whether it makes sense for investors to bail out of the tech giant at this time or stay the course.
The Virgin Media deal in effect makes Netflix a benefit for a cable company, not just an upstart threat.
There are indications that a deal is in the offering for Apple's iPhone to run on the world's largest wireless operator, reports CNBC's Eunice Yoon with the latest details. And CNBC's Jon Fortt reports Apple shares are falling sharply following yesterday's unveil of its IPhone 5C. Also Kulbinder Garcha, Credit Suisse explains why he downgraded Apple to "neutral" from "outperform."
The September global market rally is fading a bit today. Still, it's clear shifting expectations over Syria have had an impact on trading.


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Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015. BMG: Reports surfacing on Facebook and in Mexican Newspapers are that Belizean shoppers are being targeted while shopping in Chetumal, even more so now that the Christmas season is near and everyone is looking for ways to get some extra cash.
It is said that thieves have been lurking like sharks and stealing wallets or bags of Belizean shoppers by creating distractions then stealing the items without shoppers even being aware.
Specific places noted as hotspots for the thieves are commercial centers such as Sams or Walmart and Plaza de Las Americas mall.
These reports have been confirmed by Mexican authorities in Quintana Roo who urge Belizean shoppers to be cautious and keep their belongings close at all times, so as to not lose cash or credit cards to these professional thieves.
Many persons have posted on the “Belize Buy and Sell” Facebook page to warn others about the incidents happening in Chetumal and about the lack of interest from Mexican police. It is expected now that officers from that area will be more vigilant since these reports have garnered so much attention.
Looking for Internet marketing, social media presence and direct email exposure to a Belizean oriented market of over 500,000 individuals every month? Breaking Belize News is able to offer a marketing package that uses internet, social media and email to reach over 500,000 Belizean-centric potential customers each month.
Email us at email@example.com for more information.


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Cannabis and Taxes: What Cannabis Business Owners Need to Know
You have to pay cannabis taxes without getting tax benefitsBy Canaan Suitt, J.D. | Last updated on March 27, 2023 Featuring practical insights from contributing attorney Eric D. Shevin
Use these links to jump to different sections:
- Do Cannabis Businesses Have to Pay Federal Taxes Even Though Cannabis is Federally Illegal?
- Section 280E: The Crushing Tax Code for Cannabis Businesses
- What About State Taxes for Cannabis Products?
- Will Federal Law on Cannabis Change Anytime Soon?
- You Need a Cannabis Law Attorney
If you are a cannabis business owner or an investor seeking opportunities in the cannabis industry, you’re in for a tough time when it comes to taxes.
Though many states have either fully legalized or decriminalized cannabis, it remains federally illegal. As a result, cannabis businesses aren’t entitled to any business tax deductions or benefits. But even in states where cannabis is legalized, taxes for the industry are onerous.
Potential cannabis entrepreneurs and investors need to be fully informed about the business risks before taking action. To do this, consultation with an experienced cannabis attorney is essential.
With this overview of the tax situation for cannabis businesses, you can confidently meet with an attorney about your goals as a cannabis professional.
Do Cannabis Businesses Have to Pay Federal Taxes Even Though Cannabis is Federally Illegal?
The answer is an unqualified yes.
“The Fed’s approach is that you could be selling methamphetamine or cocaine and you still owe them taxes,” says Eric D. Shevin, a cannabis law attorney at Shevin Law Group in Sherman Oaks, California.
“Taxes aren’t limited to legal activities. If you’re doing anything in collecting money, the federal government wants their piece.”
Section 280E: The Crushing Tax Code for Cannabis Businesses
“For federal tax purposes, the most relevant and detrimental provision controlling the cannabis industry is Internal Revenue Code Section 280E,” says Shevin.
As the IRS states in their 2020 cannabis industry frequently asked questions, Section 280E prohibits businesses that illegally traffic Schedule I or II controlled substances from receiving tax deductions or credits for any amount paid or incurred in carrying on their trade.
“Notwithstanding the fact that many states have legalized cannabis for various uses, cannabis remains federally illegal as a Schedule I controlled substance,” Shevin says. “And nobody is entitled to any federal tax benefits or business expense deductions when they’re engaged in illegal drug activity.”
Still, “[Businesses] are entitled to the benefit of the costs of goods sold offset.” The costs of goods sold (COGS) are the expenses involved in producing goods–things like materials and labor. “For example, if you have somebody who buys $500,000 of cannabis and sells it for $1 million, they can offset their taxable income by the $500,000 [purchase of cannabis]. But they would still pay full federal income tax on the remaining $500,000, which is the adjusted gross income. For that, there are no deductions.”
The lack of tax deductions hits dispensaries and distributors especially hard. “Retailers aren’t able to reduce their tax liability by deducting rent, employee expenses, insurance, advertising, lawyers’ fees, or operating costs—all things that other businesses can deduct,” says Shevin.
Things aren’t as bleak for cultivators and manufacturers since most of what those businesses do is produce goods. These businesses can use creative accounting methods to capture a much bigger percentage of the COGS offset.
280E’s Negative Impacts on Entrepreneurs and Investors
“When I break down the terrible tax situation to people who want to invest in cannabis, they just get this glossy look on their face, and one of two things happen,” Shevin says.
“Either they’re like, ‘We understand all that, but we just really want to do it.’ And you can’t argue with that. They just have this idea that it’s going to be like printing money if they can just get into the cannabis business. But then the majority who are real business people realize, ‘What were we even thinking?’”
For people trying to enter the cannabis industry now, “The tax piece almost makes it impossible,” adds Shevin. “When you’re a new investor, you’ve got to ask yourself, ‘OK, if everything goes well, how long will it take before I get my money back?’ And when you break it down in cannabis, you might not live long enough.”
Unfortunately, this situation will continue until cannabis is rescheduled at the federal level.
“After all, the Internal Revenue Service relies on its codes, the code is specific to the scheduling of substances, and as long as cannabis is scheduled as a level I controlled substance, then 280E applies.”
What About State Taxes for Cannabis Products?
If you thought cannabis tax woes ended at the federal level, think again.
“It’s not just the federal tax. It’s also state taxes,” says Shevin. “For example, California has an excise tax, which is 15 percent of the gross income that goes to the state. In Los Angeles, you have to pay another 10 percent in gross income taxes to the city, plus another 10 percent sales tax.”
All of that, and then you don’t benefit from the business sales deduction. “The effect of all this is that your margins are only about 10 percent. So, on a revenue of $1 million, you’re only going to get around $100,000.”
In addition to the unique tax burdens on cannabis businesses, “Competition with the black market makes it even more difficult since you have to be competitive,” adds Shevin. “The reality is that the lowest price will always be on the illegal black market. And so, the convergence of all these taxes combined with the black market makes it nearly impossible to profit unless you’re producing at a very large scale.”
Will Federal Law on Cannabis Change Anytime Soon?
There are several federal bills slowly making their way through Congress, Shevin says, though they may never pass.
“One of them is the Safe Banking Act, [which has already failed to pass a couple of times]. This bill would allow cannabis money to be deposited in regular banks. Currently, banks in states where cannabis is legal are allowed to do that. Still, the IRS requires a whole administrative process that is so expensive and onerous that banks either won’t do it or will charge astronomical fees to customers to cover the administrative costs.”
In Shevin’s view, “Making everyone deposit their cash in banks would be the best thing the Feds could ever do to help fight the cannabis black market. It would get cash off the street.”
Another potential provision of the Safe Banking Act would be to provide an exception under 280E for business expense deductions, which would bring major benefits to cannabis companies and investors.
Right now, these reforms are only possibilities. Though the state of cannabis law at the federal level can seem bleak, Shevin is encouraged by the history of state-level cannabis reforms. Rather than a story of inevitable decline, it’s been “one step forward, two steps back,” which is at least some progress.
One sign of potential progress came in 2022, when President Biden signed the Medical Marijuana Research Act, which, Shevin says, “Didn’t get a lot of attention and was sort of promoted as just further research on the medical benefits of cannabis, which is kind of ridiculous since there’s so much research on that already.
“But when you read deeper into the bill, it’s also to study interstate distribution models. So, the Feds are getting their stuff organized. Legalization is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ There’s so much money on the table.”
You Need a Cannabis Law Attorney
When asked about the need for legal counsel in the cannabis industry, Shevin says: “It’s incredibly critical.”
For one thing, cannabis is one of the most regulated and taxed industries on earth. “And where there are overly granular regulatory processes and onerous tax limitations, you need highly skilled attorneys to create structures that mitigate those tax burdens in order to be competitive,” he says.
Without getting organized from a business structure standpoint, “You won’t have a competitive advantage or be competitive on any level,” says Shevin.
Additionally, “The legal process of getting a cannabis license is very involved. It can take you four times as long if you don’t have legal counsel. And when you’re doing any kind of business transaction or raising capital, you can’t do that without proper legal counsel to protect everyone’s rights. You would never invest in any cannabis activity if you didn’t meet with the lawyer for the team and get clear on who’s in charge if something goes wrong and who is ensuring they’re following the rules.”
Ultimately, “Every aspect of the operation requires legal backup,” says Shevin. “There are all kinds of surprise inspections and enforcement activities. You could find that you’ve done everything legally, but someone you’ve done business with has done something illegal, and now you’re being questioned about it.
“Let’s face it: Cannabis is still federally illegal, so you want to follow the letter of the law and be well represented at all times. The consequence of non-compliance is that you lose everything. That’s the real risk here.”
To find a highly experienced and reputable lawyer in the industry, look for a cannabis law attorney in the Super Lawyers directory.
For more information about this area of law, read our overview of cannabis law.
Additional Cannabis Law articles
State Cannabis Law articles
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