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Jack Frain stands with a 6 foot tall tomato plant in his backyard garden. Photos by Kathy Feist
A Late Harvest
By Kathy Feist
(This article first appeared in the August 6 print issue.)
The pleasant weather this summer may be ideal for many. But for those who make a living selling vegetables, this summer has been frustrating.
“This is the worst I’ve ever seen,” says 86-year-old Jack Frain. Frain has been growing tomatoes in his backyard off 117th Terrace and Holmes Rd. since 1965. It’s usually sometime in July when he places his sign along the road near St. Thomas More church. In fact, it was only a year ago when he was selling tomatoes as early as late June.
“It’s just too cool for tomatoes and other veggies,” he states. “The cool nights that get under 70 degrees just won’t let them ripen.”
Slow growth for tomatoes are usually due to cool temperatures and oversaturation. By the end of June, Kansas City had received over 32 inches in rain, making 2019 the wettest year on record up to that date.
“It’s the same story for everybody,” says Frain.
A few miles away at 143th and Kenneth Rd. (State Line), Bill Keller, who has run his produce stand for 25 years, says this is the latest harvest he has ever known. He opened his stand in mid-July.
But the customers keep coming. Out of the thousands of tomatoes ripening in Frain’s backyard, only a couple dozen are ready for sale each day. They are sold by mid-morning. For the unsuspecting afternoon customers, Frain gives them a peek at his garden to offer hope. There, large green tomatoes hang on the vine waiting for the sun to turn them red. When they do, Frain will be busting with business.
UPDATE: As of the end of August, both Frain and Keller are dealing with bumper crops of tomatoes and will continue to as long as the sun shines. Want homegrown tomatoes any day of the week? You can contact Jack Frain at 816-942-1199.


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Modern Warfare 2’s latest update just went live on November 22, bringing about the return of CDL playlists along with a number of crucial bug fixes and UI improvements.
Just one week on from the launch of Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 and Infinity Ward has rolled out a new update to fix a number of the most troubling issues. For starters, competitive players can rejoice as CDL modes are once again back in effect after a few days of frustration.
Additionally, UI improvements are now starting to be drip fed as the first step looks at smoothing out the Camo menus with easier navigation. On top of all that, more than a dozen bug fixes across the board should help reduce the number of issues you encounter moving forward.
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So before jumping back into the multiplayer grind, here’s a full look at Modern Warfare 2’s November 22 patch notes.
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Full Modern Warfare 2 November 22 update patch notes
- Improvements made to help better navigate Camos:
- Added controller bumper navigation to jump between categories
- Added a toggle option to show/hide locked Camos
- Increased audio notification for when The Jailer enters the Gulag.
- Armor Piercing Ammunition
- Removed damage multiplier against armored opponents
- Fixed collision issues with various elements across the game that allowed players to exploit/peek/shoot through them.
- Fixed an issue with audio occlusion and directional audio.
- Fixed an issue causing some unlocks in the Gunsmith to not track Weapon progression.
- Fixed an issue causing Overkill to allow players to equip the same Weapon as both a Primary and a Secondary.
- Fixed an issue that was preventing the correct number of Battle Pass Tokens from appearing on the Battle Pass Menu.
- Fixed an issue causing the Season Countdown Timer on the Battle Pass Menu to not indicate the correct amount of time remaining.
- Fixed various incorrect texts in the in-game interface.
- Fixed various issues resulting in incorrect controller input while navigating menus.
- Fixed an issue that caused players looking down to appear erratic to others.
- Fixed an issue that prevented some players from launching the game due to GPU compatibility.
- Fixed an issue that was causing Focused Mode to crash the client while the Display Mode was set to Windowed.
- Fixed an issue on PlayStation that caused the PlayStation Store icon to remain stuck on screen after experiencing a network error.
- Fixed an issue causing progression for the “Dragon in Downtown” Calling Card to not track.
- Fixed an issue causing the incorrect Operator icon to appear while navigating to select a custom skin for Kleo.
- Fixed an issue causing players to get kicked back to the main menu when navigating to select the PDSW 528 Armory while customizing a Loadout.
- Fixed an issue causing an incorrect progression requirement to appear in the Prestige menu.
- Fixed various audio related issues causing players to hear notifications at times when they should not.
- Fixed an issue causing Platinum Camo unlock requirements to display incorrectly after having unlocked it.
- Fixed various issues causing the camera to shake while spectating another player.
- Fixed an issue causing Operator model hands to appear invisible while ledge hanging.
- Fixed an issue causing the incorrect Weapon to appear in the player Showcase.
- Fixed an issue that caused the Spotter Scope to continuously highlight enemy positions.
- Addressed a dev error in private matches, and will continue to improve stability.
Modern Warfare 2 November 22 update patch notes: CDL playlist returns, UI improvements View Story

domain: news


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Nissan, we have a problem: Car giant to call back 2.14m cars with stalling fault
Car-maker Nissan is recalling more than two million vehicles after discovering an ignition problem that could cause the engine to stall.
The company’s third-biggest recall affects more than a dozen models worldwide, including Micras built at Nissan’s UK plant in Sunderland.
A company spokesman said 84,000 Micras built between January 2004 and March 2006 at the plant will have to be brought in for service.
At fault: The Nissan Micra, which was manufactured in the UK, is one of the models being recalled
No other vehicles manufactured in the UK by Nissan are affected.
The problem relates to an ignition-system part, known as the relay, which could cause the car to stall or fail to restart.
In Europe, 354,170 vehicles are being recalled, but the majority are in Japan and North America.
In Japan Nissan will recall a total of 834,759 vehicles with another 762,000 units being called back in the U.S. and Canada.
The car-maker said no accidents had been reported and they will exchange the faulty part free of charge.
Owners will be notified by their local dealer to take their car in for work which is said to take about 25 minutes to complete.
A Nissan spokesman said 2.14 million vehicles built worldwide between 2003 and 2006 have the faulty ignition system.
More than a dozen models, including the Cube, March and several of the trucks manufactured for the U.S. market are affected.
End of the line: One of the last Nissan Micra models rolls off the production line at Nissan's plant in Sunderland earlier this year
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Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey was being interviewed by Sky News and asked about the tragedy — she was in the area of the attack on vacation — when she said something unbelievably insulting and insensitive about it:
"It may be a bit selfish, but it did spoil our shopping trip. We bought all this lovely shopping and now can't be bothered with it. It doesn't mean anything now."
Ohhh… no! No, Lucy! Shopping, really??
The whole moment is even more cringe-worthy on video, which you can see (below):


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The FCC’s recent DTV enforcement actions made one thing clear – the Commission is being vigilant in the enforcement of its digital television (or “DTV”) regulations. On April 9, 2008, the FCC adopted notices of apparent liability (“NALs”) against eleven companies for mislabeling analog-only television sets with no digital tuners, leaving full V-chip functionality out of DTV sets, and shipping analog-only sets with no digital tuners. The proposed fines total $6.6 million. The FCC also issued consent decrees against seven companies that collectively agreed to pay $3,445,000 for V-chip violations.
Of the eleven NALs, seven were issued against large retail chains for allegedly failing to warn customers that analog-only television sets will not work after the switch to digital broadcasting in 2009. They include Sears and Kmart ($1.1 million in proposed fines); Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club ($992,000); Circuit City ($712,000); Fry’s Electronics ($384,000); Target ($296,000); Best Buy ($280,000); and CompUSA ($168,000). In total, the seven retailers were assessed a total of $3,928,000 in NALs, with Sears and Kmart being the hardest hit (a total of 137 alleged violations). According to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, in testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee on April 8, the FCC inspected 2,716 stores as well as 36 web sites searching for violations.
The FCC also adopted two NALs – proposing a total of $1.6 million in fines – against companies alleged to have violated the DTV tuner mandate. One NAL proposed fines of $357,900 against Precor Inc. for allegedly shipping workout equipment containing TVs without digital tuners, while the other proposed fines of $1,266,100 against Syntax Brillian for shipping televisions in interstate commerce that also lacked digital tuners tuners.
Finally, Polaroid and Proview Technology face fines of $775,000 and $300,000, respectively, for violations of the FCC’s requirement that digital televisions recognize digital V-chip technology. The FCC signed consent decrees with seven other manufacturers accused of V-chip violations. The largest settlement was with LG Electronics, which agreed to pay $1,700,000. Settlements were also reached with Philips ($450,000), Sanyo ($375,000), Vizio ($370,000), Panasonic ($320,000), Westinghouse ($210,000), and Audiovox ($20,000).


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INDIA: Government boosts sugar release by 290,000 tonnes
Published: 07/25/2012, 7:54:11 AM
The government on Tuesday decided to release 290,000 tonnes more sugar in the open market to control the sweetener's price that has risen by INR3 (US$0.05) a kg in a fortnight, according to the Press Trust of India.
"Sugar prices are rising. We are taking steps to control the price and we have decided to allocate 290,000 tonnes of sugar in the open market for the July-September quarter," Food Minister K.V. Thomas told reporters.
Pointing out that sugar rates have risen by INR5 to INR38 a kg in the last one year, he said government will release more quantity of sugar, if need arises, to control the prices.
Sugar prices were ruling at INR34-35 a kg in the national capital a fortnight ago and now have touched INR37-38 a kg.
Thomas said this 290,000 tonnes of sugar was meant for supply through ration shops during 2008/09 and 2009/10 fiscal but the Food Ministry did not lift that quantity from mills.
Now, mills have been asked to sell this quantity in the open market during this quarter. An order in this regard will be issued soon, he added.
With this additional allocation of nearly 300,000 tonnes, the total sugar availability in the current quarter would be 5 million tonnes.
The Food Ministry had allocated 4.5 million tonnes of sugar for sale in the open market in the current quarter. That apart, mills were given permission to sell 200,000 tonnes of sugar that was unsold in the last quarter, Thomas said.
"All together, around 500,000 tonnes of additional sugar has been allocated over and above 4.5 million tonnes for the current quarter," the minister said.
The country's sugar production is estimated at 26 million tonnes in 2011/12 marketing year (October-September), against the annual demand of 22 million tonnes.


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If Mr. Dan Floyd wants to call the "roaring" 1920s economic good times he'd best put on his spectacles and look again. The era was marked by the inflation of a gigantic real estate and stock market bubble, in the absence of regulation, which burst on...
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Daily American Sunday EditorThe holiday shopping season begins shortly and e-commerce retailers like Amazon and eBay are already vying for a larger share of sales with massive e-mail campaigns and discounts. The expansion of online sales and banking is tempered by consumer fears...
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Maryland for years benefited from its close proximity to the nation's capital, but the mandatory federal spending cuts called sequestration will be a drag on the state's economy for the next couple of years, said the president of the Federal Reserve...
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Florida officials are cracking down on those who rip off taxpayers by defrauding public-assistance programs — a crime estimated to cost the state as much as $1.35 billion last year. On Tuesday, leaders from the Department of Children and Families...
Gina Blandin has a theory about what caused the flooding disaster that befell New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck last August, an idea that has little to do with engineering studies or physical evidence and everything to do with the poisonous...
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That the Market launch of a cheap Apple entry-level smartphone is imminent, has been rumored in the past few days. 9to5Mac now wants to know that Apple will introduce the device this Friday.
But not iPhone 9
The successor of the iPhone SE will continue iPhone SE and not – as assumed – iPhone 9, the report continues. It will be offered in the colors red, white and black with storage space of 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB.
The smartphone is to be equipped, optically with the iPhone is almost identical to Apple A 13 chip, which also in the current iPhone 11 models is used. The price of the device with a 4.7-inch display should be just under $ 400.
It is not known whether a version of the device with a 5.5-inch screen is also presented, as also suspected.


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Opening at the former home of Italian restaurant Buon Appetito, on Chatham Street, the yet-to-be-named eatery has submitted plans to serve late-night food and drinks.
Buon Appetito closed earlier this year and has now been taken over by business owner Paul Ciprian Chiritescu-Tanasa.
The 34-year-old, from Salisbury Road, Reading, runs Traditional Romaesc, a shop in Oxford Road, and is now branching out to opening his own restaurant.
Explaining the changes, Mr Chiritescu-Tanasa said: “It’s not going to be an Italian restaurant anymore, there will be traditional Romanian food and food for everybody, it will be a mix of European cuisine, burgers, English breakfast, pizza, pasta.
“It will be a wide-ranging menu. There is going to be pork, lamb ribs and steak, traditional Romanian dishes.”
Plans for the cuisine and the alcohol offering have not been fully confirmed yet, as Mr Chiritescu-Tanasa is waiting for licensing approval from Reading Borough Council.
He also hasn’t settled on a restaurant name. It is currently listed as ‘Traditional Romanesc 2’ on Companies House., with the premises appearing as ‘Chatham Street Restaurant’ on the council’s online list of licensing applications.
Ahead of reopening the restaurant, Mr Chiritescu-Tanasa has applied to serve alcohol and play recorded music from 10am to midnight each day, and serve late-night food and drink from 11pm to midnight each night as well.
He also wants to hold live music performances indoors from 7pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Mr Chiritescu-Tanasa said: “It won’t be every weekend, we want a mix of local bands and Romanian bands.”
He added that his team, currently made up of a chef and a barman, are hoping to make renovations to the kitchen and customer area.
You can comment on the licensing application by emailing email@example.com. The deadline for representations is Friday, September 1.
Comments on licensing applications are not anonymous.
Boun Apetitio occupied the premises from 2015 to Spring 2023.
The previous team last posted on Instagram on Friday, April 7, and the restaurant received a 5/5 review on TripAdvisor on the Sunday of that weekend.
Prior to its closure, the building was occupied by The Mirage Polish restaurant, Egipteca Pizza, grill and Steakhouse and the Chi oriental brasserie.


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Digital transformation is a journey that requires continuous leadership, strategic vision, and a commitment to change. It involves transforming the entire organisation’s culture, processes, and methods of working to embrace the digital era and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly changing business environment.
The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council issued “Opinions on Building a Data Basic System to Better Play the Role of Data Elements” in December 2022. Data elements are a crucial indicator for driving digital transformation, and maximising the value of digital elements during the digital transformation process has become a central concern.
With this, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology’s (CAICT) foundation plan is in its early stages and is focused on digital transformation supply. This is to help the growth of industries related to digital transformation, speed up the development of the data factor market, and make the most of the important value of data as a production factor.
In addition, the “Panorama of High-Quality Digital Transformation Products and Services (2023)” collection was recently released and has gotten a lot of attention and involvement from the industry. At the moment, more than 200 businesses have taken part in work linked to this.
On the other hand, the CAICT foundation plan officially launched the collection of “typical cases” of high-quality digital transformation in 2023. This was done to give digital suppliers and buyers more information about best practices and benchmarking. “Typical Cases,” asks both the supply side and the demand side of digital change for examples of good ways to use digital technology or methods. Changes in the way and means of running the country.
For this set of “typical cases,” applicants must fill out the 2023 Application Form for High-quality Digital Transformation Typical Cases of the CAICT’s foundation programme. This form asks for basic information about the lead applicant, the declared products, and the basic results. The first group of shortlisted cases will be announced at the Digital Transformation Conference in July 2023, while the shortlisted cases for the whole year will be announced at the annual meeting at the end of December 2023.
Further, China’s digital transformation has seen stunning progress and has emerged as a significant strategic objective for the country. The nation has emerged as a global leader in digital innovation and adoption due to its large population, technological developments, and strong government support.
Also, the government’s active engagement in defining the digital landscape is one of the primary drivers of digital transformation in China. The Chinese government has put in place several laws and measures to encourage digitalisation across industries.
China’s digital transition is also being powered by the country’s flourishing tech industry. Several IT titans have pioneered breakthrough digital solutions and services in the country. E-commerce, mobile payments, and social media platforms have grown rapidly, changing customer behaviour and enabling new business models.
China has made tremendous advances in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and cloud computing. These technologies are being used to optimise operations, improve efficiency, and improve decision-making across industries such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and transportation.
China’s economy, society, and way of life have all been revolutionised by the advent of digital technology. It has sparked innovation, raised productivity, and increased China’s businesses’ overall competitiveness on a national and international scale.


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The islander appeared on the popular dating show in 2018, and has been delighting fans ever since with her red-hot exposé and racy bikini snaps.
Taking to Instagram earlier this week, the keen surfer dropped jaws thanks to her non-existent get-up.
Digging into her photo archives, Lucie, 21, posted a throwback snap from a getaway – and her lack of outfit caused quite a stir amongst her followers.
Kicking back on a sofa, the beauty flaunted her toned pins as she kept her intimate area covered with a white string bikini.
Thanks to her racy pose, Lucie rested her arm across her legs, making sure her boobs stole the show.
Flashing a glimpse of her chest in the non-existent bikini top, Lucie rested her face on her hand as she smouldered for the camera.
With her killer curves on full display, Lucie looked sensational in the bikini built for Barbie.
Letting her crimped blonde locks effortlessly fall past her shoulders, she added natural-looking makeup to her features.
She captioned the shot: "Let that man miss you for a while.."
And it wasn't long before she was inundated with compliments thanks to her risqué display.
One gushed: "Incredible."
"Unreal girl," another added.
While a third gushed: "You're something else."
Since Love Island, the natural stunner has worked with a number of brands, and most recently bagged a money-spinning deal with high-street retailer Ann Summers.
Following in Maura Higgins' footsteps, who starred alongside Lucie on Love Island, the beauty has become the face of Ann Summers' new Knickerbox lingerie collection.
The line features sexy garments including cut-out body suits, and matching underwear.


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Apple Inc., is soon to acquire patents of a Virginia based startup, Privaris that deals with small fingerprint sensors used for authentication process.
The patent that Apple is trying to get its hands on is entitled ‘Fingerprint Biometric Sensor Including Drive Signal Level Updating’ to improve its TouchID sensors that is capable of collecting fingerprint data by using special ‘sensing pixels’ within the screen. Another document indicates that a person can scan his fingerprint on a reader and can unlock cars or house doors. It is expected that it would eliminate the need for a physical ‘home’ button on future iPhone models.
It is quite common on Apple to acquire patents and intellectual property but it does not roll them out to its products. However, noting that Privaris has not updated its website since November 2009, build up ones curiosity. The startup’s website lists Authentec as one of its partners, an entity Apple acquired in 2012 for its TouchID systems. According to other reports, Apple acquired three patents from Privaris on December 19,2012 and were bought in October 2014. Rather than acquiring the whole company, Apple bought its patens after which the startup probably ran out of mainstream tasks which explains the four years of no update on website.
Post acquisition of Metaio by Apple, the company is working full pledged for the betterment of the TouchID systems for the future. It also brings a whole picture as the company has to keep up with the current trends and offer new products and services to consumers. It was also reported a week before that Apple was developing a new iPhone design that features a new advanced chip for its multitouch display that will come with fringerprint sensors integrated in it, possibly replacing the home button.
The display Apple may get as described in the patent application is a LCD display similar to the ones currently being used in the latest generation of iPhones or it could be another type of display like the OLED screens that Apple is reported to be researching. If Apple becomes successful in eliminating the home button, one could expect the display screen to have grown little bigger in the next version.
In another report by Patently Apple, Charlottesville, Virginia, based fingerprint reader startup Privaris announced it recently transferred 26 to 31 patents to Apple. Privaris manufacturers list Authentec as one its technology partner which Apple acquired in 2012. Apart from the recently acquired one, another acquired patent covers biometric access control technology that could allow user to open a door with their iPhone by scanning their fingerprints and holding their phone up to a reader, similar to the way users are able to pay for products with Apple Pay.
Most of the acquired patents from Privaris consists of fingerprint and touchscreen technology to enable transactions, control machines and backup personal data. It looks like the startup has remained in the sleep-mode for the past five years because the deal had mentioned only the patents. So its unlikely that there will be a full-scale acquisition of the startup by Apple.


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The Washington Times ending Sunday edition
- Barton Eckert
- Staff Reporter
In the wake of a top management shakeup, and plans to lay off hundreds of staffers, The Washington Times is going to end production of its Sunday edition. The Times said the last Sunday edition will be published Dec. 27.
The paper says it will continue to produce Monday through Friday editions that focus on its "distinctive news and opinion content" but the price will go up from 50 cents to $1 at retail outlets.
Other changes between now and the first half of 2010 include expanding its recently launched, subscription based, theconservatives.com Web site, and seeking more syndication deals for its new radio show, America’s Morning News, which is currently carried by radio stations in about 70 markets.
It will also distribute its print edition for free to federal government agencies and other institutions and continue to sell single copies at newsstands and retail locations. Home delivery will be offered “at a premium price,” the Times said.
The Washington Times average daily circulation fell 17 percent in the six months between April and November, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The money-losing paper is owned by News World Communications, a wing of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church.
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Planners can step into a virtual world where they can, for example, see patterns cast by the different luminaires
City planners can visualise the right light for their streets and buildings and test different lighting designs before buying using Signify’s new Philips Urban VR experience.
The company, formerly known as Philips Lighting, has also developed a VR experience for retailers which allows customers to step into a virtual world.
The VR app takes city lighting managers and planners on a journey along a virtual street, allowing them to visualise different effects from Philips street light luminaires as they walk down the road. The interactive experience allows them to make more informed decisions when selecting the lighting that’s best for their city or town. Signify has created a virtual city centre, park and residential area.
“Lighting is a visual medium. This innovative app lets potential customers step into a virtual world where they can see how lighting and different designs – such as patterns cast by the different luminaires – will look to citizens,” said Chris Damkat, VR Specialist at Signify.
"Today’s virtual reality technology is more affordable and accessible than ever before"
“Designers, managers and smart city planners can see for themselves and feel assured about their choices. Today’s virtual reality technology is more affordable and accessible than ever before. It engages the senses, making it the perfect visualisation tool.”
Signify has also created an app for retail customers to visualise lighting in a virtual fashion store. Accurate 3D renderings enable them to immerse themselves in the store and see first-hand how lighting can make shop windows more dynamic to attract a shopper’s attention and draw footfall into the store.
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Two recent studies of children’s and families’ reading habits suggest that while young readers may not be flocking to ebooks in droves, they are figuring out where digital content fits into their reading lives.
93% of children ages 2–13 now read an ebook at least once a week, according to new research from Digital Book World and PlayScience, a figure that’s held steady (up from 92%) since the past year. The percentage of children who read ebooks has likewise remained consistent, with about two-thirds reportedly doing so in January 2014 and January 2015 alike.
But stability isn’t the same thing as growth, and a separate study of kids’ reading habits, released by Scholastic yesterday, suggests ebooks aren’t catching among young readers.
Scholastic finds that even though the percentage of children ages 6–17 who have read an ebook has increased over the past four years, during which time ebooks have become more prevalent, the share that prefer print to ebooks has risen, from 43% in 2012 to 55% in 2014. And so has the percentage of kids who say they’ll always want to read print books even though ebooks are available (65% last year vs. 60% in 2012).
“Kids have told us that they have a sense of pride when they finish a book,” a Scholastic spokesperson says, “and in focus groups, they say they like seeing the books they’ve read lined up on a shelf and that they just like the feeling of a physical book in their hands.”
Yet Kara Liebeskind, author of Digital Book World and PlayScience’s forthcoming report,The ABCs of Kids & E-Reading: Volume 4, adds that children don’t view print and ebooks as mutually exclusive. “We see this most clearly in the finding that children own the same book in both versions, as well as the fact that children prefer digital”–a finding that differs from the format preferences Scholastic records–“while parents prefer to co-read with print,” Liebeskind adds.
David Kleeman, SVP of Insights and Programs at PlayCollective, who wrote about those findings earlier this week, points out that while neither study paints a portrait of runaway growth in the children’s ebook market, the two sets of findings may not be entirely at odds.
Contrasting the 6–17 age range Scholastic’s research focuses on with PlayCollective’s 2–13-year-old sample, Kleeman speculates, “One can easily imagine that parents of 2–5-year-olds are finding they and their kids love ebooks for the ability to read alone [as well as their] portability (and nobody colors in an ebook…!), plus they never knew a world without them.”
13–17-year old readers, on the other hand, like their print-preferring parents, “grew up with print and may be more resistant to switching, especially if they use a smartphone more than a tablet,” says Kleeman. Still, it was the youngest age group (6–8) in Scholastic’s study that reported the strongest preference for physical books (66%, followed by 9–11-year-olds at 56%).
Since children’s digital content purchases and reading habits are so heavily influenced by those of their parents, it’s possible to surmise that the slowdown in the ebook market overall might be reflected, at least in part, in the children’s segment as well.
But like recent fears that a drop in e-reader device sales in the UK heralds the inexorable death of ebooks themselves, it’s much more likely that these data reflect a series of complex, interrelated shifts in an evolving market, rather than its wholesale stagnation or decline.
As more children grow up in a world with ebooks, it’s only reasonable to discover, as Liebeskind puts it, that “there seems to be a time and place for both platforms, and families are perhaps just in the process of figuring out when and where each one works best.”


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MU Research Shows Consumers Pay More For 'Green' Clothing
COLUMBIA - Cotton clothing brands may start promoting their 'green' production thanks to a recent MU study. The benefits of this advertising could mean an extra boost of another green for those farmers and companies that have use these practices.
The research conducted found consumers are willing to pay up to five dollars, or 16.7 percent more, for a $30 cotton t-shirt produced sustainably in the U.S.
MU's Textile and Apparel Management Department conducted the research by surveying 500 people across the nation.
Jana Reowe, sales manager at Missouri Cotton Exchange in Columbia, said this research doesn't quite add up.
"People have good intentions at first, but then they see the price tag, and..."
The store caries a variety of recycled and organically grown cotton brands, but the cost of that clothing is about double the price of the conventionally procuded cotton clothing. Rewoe said most of the cotton that is used in the shirts are not made from cotton grown in the U.S.
Pamela Norum, one of the researchers of the study, said they also found consumers thought locally grown U.S. cotton more important than cotton produced with sustainable practices. And, having both of these factors in cotton clothing is very rarely seen.
The study was published in the Journal of Consumer Marketing and Clothing, and Textiles Research Journal.


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As Christmas shopping begins to take hold, dog owners are being encouraged to pick up the perfect present for their pooch by registering for a free identity tag.
Cherwell District Council offers a free dog registration service which provides dogs with an identity tag containing a unique reference number.
When cross referenced with the council’s database, the tag will provide contact details for the dog’s owner, allowing officers to quickly reunite people with their pets.
Senior dog warden Neil Greenway said: “We know lots of people like to splash out on presents for their pets at Christmas time, but what better gift to get a dog than an identity tag which could help reunite them if the worst should happen.
“By spending just two minutes completing a free registration form now, owners could save themselves hours of heartache searching for their priceless pets in the future,” he added. During the 2013/2014 municipal year Cherwell picked up 169 lost or stray dogs across the district and provided 826 free dog tags to owners.
It is a legal requirement for all dogs to wear an identity tag in public, regardless of if they are microchipped. Failure to do so can result in a £25 fine.
To register a dog online, visit www.tiny.cc.uk/dogreg istration. Those who do not have internet access can call 01295 227003.


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Performers may be able to collect more revenue from streaming music under a deal in the works between Universal Music Group and SoundCloud.
The world’s largest record company is talking with the streaming service to change the standard music royalty structure, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the talks.
The goal is to reach a deal by the end of the year, the report said, noting the exact details are not yet worked out.
While music sales have risen in recent years, artists and record labels say they are not getting paid enough. And now that music industry growth is slowing, even as fraud and piracy continue to siphon revenue from everyone in the business, the issue is even more complicated.
Streaming giant Spotify, for instance, said earlier this year that it has paid out nearly $40 billion to music rights holders since its launch in 2006.
The company pays out 70% of each dollar it takes it in to rights holders, including record labels, publishers, distributors, performing rights organizations and collection societies – but that amounts to just $0.005 per stream. That means 1 million streams results in $5,000 in payouts, but the artists and composers themselves collect just a small share of that figure from the rights holders.
For lesser-known artists, the payouts are even lower than for the likes of Post Malone and Lizzo, who are among the artists who shot to stardom after their SoundCloud posts went viral.
Universal Music chief Lucian Grainge and execs at other labels have floated the idea of adjusting the current model to benefit their artists, Bloomberg reported. Among other efforts, “one possibility is cutting down on the amount of money and attention siphoned off by formats like white noise or AI-generated tracks,” the report said.
Other possible changes could involve paying artists more if their work is sought out by listeners than when it’s part of a passive playlist, Mark Mulligan, managing director and music analyst at Midia Research, told Bloomberg.
Universal Music is also considering creating a bonus pool of money for artists who generate streams from new users, the report said.
SoundCloud has since 2021 used “fan-powered royalties,” in which the company divides up each customer’s subscription and advertising revenue among the artists whose music they click on and listen to, rather than adding each users fees to a larger pool. That enables the service to send more money to artists with loyal fan bases.
Last year, SoundCloud reached a licensing deal with Warner Music Group based on the fan-powered model. The New York-based company announced a separate deal with the independent licensing service Merlin last month.


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Take That add SEVENTH Manchester date despite grumbles over ticket prices
Contains affiliate links.
Take That are basically moving into Manchester’s Co-op Live arena next spring it seems – the pop trio have just added a SEVENTH date to their run in their home city.
Their first shows sold out at light speed and Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen have added even more dates to their This Life On Tour tour.
Take That will now be gigging at Manchester’s soon-to-open Co-Op Live arena on 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 May – then coming back for more on 11 and 12 June.
They’ve also added a sixth date at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, bringing their tour up to 41 dates across the UK and Ireland.
The trio will be joined by Olly Murs as the support act in Manchester.
The phenomenal ticket sales come despite a fair few grumblings about Take That ticket prices, which started as soon as the pre-sales went live.
With prices between £69 and £129.50 for general admission, and up to £242.70 for VIP packages, fans have labelled the pricing structure ‘crazy’.
One person wrote (and I don’t know why she’s directly targeting Gary Barlow here): “Wow, @GaryBarlow the price of the Take That tickets are totally out of reach for a lot of us this time round . Two tickets approx £490, that’s a food shop for 5 weeks . Enjoy the profits.”
Another person said: “You know what @takethat you don’t need to charge a bloody fortune for the tickets, you’ve got enough cash yourselves and not every artist does it. I went to see Paolo at the Hydro 3 times for the price of 1 ⫩ ticket Ripping off your fans! Tickets are 4 times the price of 2015.”
Someone else said: “Prices are crazy…first time in 30 years that I’m not even trying for tickets.”
Another person commented: “Prices are ridiculously expensive, I got through to buy tickets for Birmingham but refused to pay £70 to sit at the very back of the arena.”
General sale tickets for Take That’s newest date are available through Co-op Live from 9.30am on Friday 6 October, and you can grab them here.
Take That tour dates for Manchester’s Co-op Live arena in full
- Tuesday 7 May – SOLD OUT
- Wednesday 8 May – SOLD OUT
- Friday 10 May – SOLD OUT
- Saturday 11 May – SOLD OUT
- Sunday 12 May – SOLD OUT
- Tuesday 11 June
- Wednesday 12 June
Take That ticket prices for Manchester
- Take That Premium Floor Seat Package (includes a gift, a limited-edition city-specific signed print, a souvenir laminate, and an exclusive VIP tote bag) – £242.70 including booking fees.
- Take That Premium Tiered Seat Package (includes a gift, a limited-edition city-specific signed print, a souvenir laminate, and an exclusive VIP tote bag) – £242.70 including booking fees.
- Seats – £129.50
- Seats – £107.50
- Seats – £91.00
- Seats – £69.00
- Chase and Status announce highly-anticipated UK tour with just three dates — and one of them is Manchester
- A radio station playing only Christmas tunes 24/7 is back on air in the UK
- The Chemical Brothers’ Ed Simons on upcoming arena tour, forming in Manchester and how the city influenced them
Featured image: Publicity picture


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Every day FierceWireless brings you the top five wireless news stories of the day, but we also deliver much more. Besides our daily news coverage, FierceWireless and its sister publications FierceMobileContent, FierceDeveloper, FierceBroadbandWireless and FierceWireless:Europe, are delving into some of the bigger themes, trends and issues in the industry.
In case you missed some of our intriguing special features, here's a rundown of the latest articles we've posted:
- It's been a busy week for the financial community with many top wireless firms reporting their first-quarter earnings. Check out our coverage of all the top wireless companies' first-quarter results here.
- FierceWireless Editor Phil Goldstein spoke with William Plummer, Huawei's vice president of external affairs, about the company's attempts to crack the U.S market as well as network security, its handset business and what it is doing to overcome negative perceptions. Check out the interview here.
- Sensors are ubiquitous in mobile devices and they should inspire a world of innovative applications based on their special abilities to detect motion, touch, light and environmental conditions. But fragmentation in the market is making it difficult for developers. FierceDeveloper Editor Peggy Albright looks at what is being done to solve these issues here.
- Mobile apps will remain a universal obsession only as long as they continue to captivate, surprise and entertain consumers. Fortunately, the app ecosystem shows no signs of slowing: Innovative and immersive mobile experiences are entering app stores every day. FierceMobileContent spotlights the best and brightest apps of April.
- White-space spectrum is fast becoming a playground for what could be ground-breaking devices and services. FierceBroadbandWireless Editor Tammy Parker looks at what is being done to make this spectrum viable.
- Major League Baseball is back for another season, bringing with it all of its signature accoutrements: The crack of the bat, the slap of leather, the smell of fresh-cut grass... and the latest edition of Out of the Park Baseball, the perennially popular simulation game first launched by developer Markus Heinsohn in May 1999. FierceDeveloper contributor Jason Ankeny spoke with iOOTP Baseball 2012 lead developer Sebastian Palkowski about the challenges of streamlining the game for the mobile platform, maintaining an app with so much data and why promotion is as important as programming. Check out his Developer Workshop.


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IBM package brings Watson smarts to everything IoT
10 November 2016 | 0
IBM has released an experimental program developers can use to embed Watson cognitive intelligence features in all manner of IoT systems from robots and drones to sensors and avatars.
IBM says the platform, called Project Intu, offers developers easily build cognitive or basically machine learning skills into a wide variety of operating systems – from Raspberry PI to MacOS, Windows to Linux devices. Devices using Intu can “interact more naturally with users, triggering different emotions and behaviours and creating more meaningful and immersive experience for users. Developers can simplify and integrate Watson services, such as Conversation, speech-to-text, Language and Visual Recognition, with the capabilities of the “device” to, in essence, act out the interaction with the user,” IBM stated.
IBM said instead of a developer needing to program each individual movement of a device, Project Intu makes it easy to combine movements that are appropriate for performing specific tasks like assisting a customer in a retail setting or greeting a visitor in a hotel in a way that is natural for the end user.
The growth of cognitive-enabled applications is accelerating. IDC recently estimated that “by 2018, 75% of developer teams will include Cognitive/AI functionality in one or more applications/services.” This is a dramatic jump from last year’s prediction that 50% of developers would leverage cognitive/AI features by 2018.
“IBM is taking cognitive technology beyond a physical technology interface like a smartphone or a robot toward an even more natural form of human and machine interaction,” said Rob High, IBM Fellow, VP and CTO, IBM Watson in a statement. “Project Intu allows users to build embodied systems that reason, learn and interact with humans to create a presence with the people that use them – these cognitive-enabled avatars and devices could transform industries like retail, elder care, and industrial and social robotics.”
Project Intu is now accessible via the Watson Developer Cloud and also available on Intu Gateway and GitHub.
IDG News Service


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US convenience food truck Tokyo Dog has claimed a record for selling the most expensive hotdog the world of aggressively processed meat has ever seen, selling a $169 (£100) sausage and bread combo to six gristle enthusiasts.
The foot-long sausage is known as the Juuni Ban, and contains Maitake mushrooms, Wagyu beef, foie gras, truffles and more bespoke posho ingredients to justify its enormous expense. Putting ketchup on it might be a bit of a crime against food. But you still would. [YouTube via Guinness]


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Yeah, like that’s going to happen!
Leading independent consumer motoring website, honestjohn.co.uk, has analysed six months of Twitter data to reveal the car manufacturers that are tweeted about the most, which models are frequently mentioned and which industry figures are the most influential.
The results can be seen at: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/twitter.
And at no. 10 in ‘The Top 20 motor industry influencers’ is…. you guessed it. (Scroll down if you didn’t!)
Their press release continues:
Those car companies that perform well are not just being mentioned on Twitter, but are actively influencing others, with research showing that it’s not just about building up a massive follower base, either. Although some of the most influential people identified through the research have a large follower base, others don’t. The most successful Tweeters influence the influencers, rather than speak to an audience that isn’t listening.
Top of the pile is Toyota’s Head of PR, Scott Brownlee, who used Twitter to great effect earlier in the year to keep owners updated with news of the brake pedal recall, in addition to more traditional forms of communication. Other top tweeters include Silverstone Race Circuit and the Driving Standards Authority – both of which really connect with their audiences.
“Having an authentic voice on Twitter is becoming crucial for any company that wants to actively communicate with those buying and owning its cars,” explained Daniel Harrison, Editor, HonestJohn.co.uk. “Those companies who are engaging with people are those that are leaving a lasting impression on them.
“There has been a lot of research done in the past into what’s causing a buzz on Twitter – in politics for instance. But this is the first time that anyone’s looked into the motor industry – despite its size and importance. At HonestJohn.co.uk we found this lack of insight into motoring tweeters rather strange, so we have compiled the top motor industry tweets.
“This breakdown finally sheds some light as to who and what have captured the imagination on Twitter. But, things change quickly, so we’ll be updating this in coming months”, concluded Daniel Harrison.
The Honestjohn.co.uk analysis has been broken down into three sections:
Most mentioned models
Top 20 motor industry influencers
Most used words in the bios of @_honestjohn followers
|Top 20 UK Motor Industry Influencers**
1. @ToyotaPR // Head of PR for Toyota and Lexus in the UK
2. @SilverstoneUK// The UK’s premier motorsport venue
4. @NissanUKPR // Press office team for Nissan in the UK – Gabi, Linda & Gloria
5. @valvo // PR Manager for Toyota and Lexus in the UK
6. @AstonMartin // The official home of Aston Martin on Twitter
7. @AutomotivePR// Specialist PR Agency, providing services to the global motor industry
8. @UKNissanLEAF// Official Twitter for Nissan LEAF in the UK.
9. @Andy_Francis// Co-founder of sports and auto PR agency
10. @LawsonClarke// Twitter Stream from Jeremy Clarke of Lawson Clarke
11. @Honda_UK // Tweets from Steve Kirk at Honda (UK) on cars, motorcycles and power equipment
12. @grouplotusplc// Group Lotus plc – Manufacturers of the renowned lightweight performance sportscars
13. @JaguarUKPR // The Jaguar UK PR team and press office
14. @SEAT_cars_UK// Mike Orford – Head of PR for SEAT in the UK
15. @suzanne_tennant// Ex Fifth Gear now @ Golley Slater PR
16. @TomHyundai // PR Manager of Hyundai UK
17. @InsideVolvoUK// Official Twitter feed for Volvo Cars UK
18 @AlfaRomeo_UK// Official updates from various Tweeples in the Alfa Romeo UK PR team
19. @smartfortwoUK// Official smart car news and views from smart UK
20. @MercedesBenzUK// Official Mercedes-Benz news from the UK head office in Milton Keynes
**Calculated by analysing the ratio between activity, mentions and re-tweets.


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The ads for Britney Spears' lingerie line that hit the web last week showed the pop star looking more trim and toned than she has in years.
But while Brit's clearly been working out, and may even be benefiting from laser fat removal treatments, an expert in digital photo editing says the lingerie ads were still altered to flatten Brit's midsection.
"They've been retouched," says Giles Fabris, CEO of LookingBetterOnline, adding that Photoshopping on pics as revealing as Brits has become "the industry standard."
"While Britney Spears is obviously naturally a beautiful woman, when it comes to modeling, most modeling shots are retouched," Fabris says. "It creates an image that often is realistically impossible for women to attain."


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It’s not just Oppo focusing on 5G for the mid-range, as LG’s Velvet brings a high-speed mobile connection to under a grand.
There’s little doubt that 5G is pushing into the market, and with every new release in 2020, we keep looking for more evidence of the 5G love.
We’ve seen it from Samsung so far with the S20 range, from Huawei in the P40 Pro, and from Oppo’s Find X2 models, and now we’re about to see it from LG, which is finally (finally) releasing a new phone for 2020 in Australia.
While the V60 hasn’t quite made landfall locally yet been announced, LG is looking to the mid-range with its latest release, the Velvet, a 5G phone sporting a mid-range price tag, even if it is in the high-end of the mid-range.
Set to be available for $899 locally, it’s LG’s first 5G phone for under a grand in Australia, and will sport a Snapdragon 765 processor, 128GB of storage, and a selection of cameras on the back, with 48 megapixel standard wide, 8 megapixel ultra-wide, and 5 megapixel macro modules, while the front is set to a 16 megapixel camera.
As usual, LG’s approach to deliver an OLED screen is here, arriving with a 6.8 inch Full HD+ (2460×1080) display, with a glass and metal back and support for wireless charging.
Perhaps most interesting is it seems LG is going for both the standard phone market and the Note market — which is due to launch a new model in the coming weeks — as it will support a stylus of some kind. That could make it a solid Note competitor of sorts, though it would also have to be a pretty solid phone, too. Already we know it’s water resistant at IP68, but it will have to be a capable mobile, as well.
One of the main focuses, however, is that support for 5G, and that’s a pretty big push for LG, which thus far has only offered it in the LG V50 ThinQ.
At under the $899 mark, it’s a phone that could turn heads, though with so much launching, we’ll wait until it’s in our hands to tell you whether it’s worth owning yourself. For now, it seems like that exciting year of phones that was due to begin in February is finally beginning to take shape, albeit a little late.


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With Apple’s iPad taking a big bite of the tablet market share in 2010, many manufacturers such as Samsung and Dell have decided to grab their piece of cake as well. LG showed off their new 4G Android tablet at CES, which they plan to start selling through T-Mobile in the US. The 8.9-inch tablet has been named the T-Mobile G-Slate. It’ll run the new Android Honeycomb OS and will be powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 processor.
One of the interesting software features would be the new Google Talk for tablets which will enable audio and video chatting. The other Google apps will also be made available, but with tweaks made to them for better compatibility with the larger platform. The product is slated to be released in the next few months. No one has had the chance of actually using the product and no prices details have been made public either. In fact, no press images have been made available either. More details might be given out during at an event in the next few days.
Published Date: Jan 06, 2011 11:08 am | Updated Date: Jan 06, 2011 11:08 am


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Putting our customers first: We fight against Mask-Tax
The UK Government has recently announced they will be reintroducing a 20% VAT on mandatory PPE items such as protective face masks, gloves and visors from the 31st October.
At Trusted PPE, we don't think this is the right decision and we're urging the government to perform a U-turn. The change comes at a time when financial strain for families up and down the country is on the increase and the governments furlough scheme comes to an end. It is a disappointing, unfair and an ill-timed decision and we believe action must be taken.
We've fought hard to provide our customers access to fairly priced PPE items, taking on high street names in the fight against PPE profiteers. It is now the government who are seeking to profiteer from the pandemic by collecting taxes on mandatory items, at a time when face coverings are a legal requirement and the UK and Europe are grappling with a second wave.
We pledge not to increase any prices to PPE items for the time being, meaning the VAT increase is not passed on to anyone purchasing from Trusted PPE.
This allows our customers much deserved access to fair-priced PPE items, as well as giving the government time to reverse this decision.
You too can help show support for the fight against Mask-VAT campaign by joining us and the 80,000 people who have already signed and shared the petition below.


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Poll: Majority Of Americans Still Watching NFL Bucs-Falcons Draws Lower Overnight Rating P&G Pulls Out Of NFL Initiative Goodell To Meet With Media Friday Afternoon 49ers-Backed Tech Startup Looks For New Business Panthers Place Greg Hardy On Exempt List NFL's Crisis Continues With Cardinals RB's Arrest CBS' Moonves: NFL Problems Spiked Ratings PepsiCo CEO Backs Goodell Amid Scandals Goodell Called Out For Silence Amid Scandals
Upcoming Conferences and Events
SBD/30/Sponsorships Advertising Marketing
REEBOK RETREATS ON NFL; ADIDAS GAINS PATS AND 'SKINS IN '99
Published June 30, 1998
Reebok "is out" as an NFL Pro Line licensee as of the '99 season and will lose the sideline TV exposure accompanying the "top-tier NFL apparel license," according to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK. The move comes as Reebok continues to pull back much of its sports marketing activity, "further fueling the widely held industry belief that it will eventually exit sports apparel licensing altogether." In related news, Lefton adds that adidas, which gets on the sidelines this season via the Bucs, "is expected to add" the Patriots and Redskins, now Starter teams, to its portfolio in '99 (BRANDWEEK, 6/29 issue).


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Liverpool out-of-home advertising firm OPEN Media is launching two brand new D48 screens in the city this month.
The screens are situated close to Liverpool John Lennon Airport at the entrance to one of the busiest retail hubs in the city.
The launch marks phase one of a D48 rollout in 2021 at 25 locations and including Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. All sites are hand-picked, strong roadside locations to ensure maximum reach and impact for brands.
The brand new screens in Liverpool provide 500,900 impacts on a fortnightly basis. Brands already utilising the screen for the launch include JD Sports, Specsavers, BBC and New Balance.
Managing Director Mike Smith said: “Despite the challenges of 2020, OPEN has remained true to its promise to invest and grow our team and portfolio. Supporting our strategy, we are investing in new cities with strong premium roadside and large format city centre locations.
“Liverpool is the start of the rollout and we hope to be up to 25 D48 locations by 2021. Our new networks help brands and advertisers reach new audiences, delivering incremental reach to clients campaigns and driving cut through.”


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Google has recently confirmed that more than one billion hours of video is watched by YouTubers on a single day. Given this huge traffic, the search engine giant now wants to make some real money by spicing up the platform with a new YouTube TV service.
While the likes of YouTube Red are already making money for the company through subscriptions, the new YouTube TV service is another subscription-based service that aims to bring more than 40 TV networks to your Android and iOS devices as well as Chromecasts and Chromecast-supported TVs. This is a huge move by the company, especially since this whole package will cost users just $35 per month.
You’ll need a stable internet connection in order to bring YouTube TV to life, but since 4G LTE connectivity is just about everywhere in the country, this shouldn’t be a problem for those who fancy this internet-based television. Local channels such as ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW and even sports channels such as ESPN, Golf and many others, including cable networks, will be available.
Google says that this YouTube TV service will not be ready to launch until later this year, but the specific date is not yet known. Those in major U.S. cities will be first to receive the service and later on it will expand to other regions. So far, there’s still no mention of the prospects of the service making it to other markets across the globe.
There are a number of perks that this YouTube TV service brings. For instance, since it is an internet-based TV service, it has been accompanied by a cloud DVR that is not limited to storage space. You can record live TV for as long as you wish – simultaneously. These recordings will then be stored online for easy access, but they will be no more after 9 months of existence. You also get YouTube Red Originals with a YouTube TV membership, but not Google Play Music membership.
To find out when Google will launch YouTube TV in your market, you can sign up at tv.youtube.com.


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Check Point Claims Ltd fined £250,000
Article added: 19/05/2016
It’s hardly new news nowadays, but the claims industry is still coming to terms with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) ruling last year about what consent is needed before you can engage in electronic marketing (text, email and automated voice).
From the consumer’s point of view, this fine is another victory for consumer protection, but from the industry’s point of view it’s another example of closing the door after the horse has bolted.
The industry as a whole really needs to sit up, listen and read the literature being produced by the ICO and the MOJ or else risk further fines.
The automated calls were made by the company and played a recorded message encouraging people to claim compensation for job-related hearing loss.
Head of Enforcement at the ICO, Stephen Eckersley said:
Nuisance calls are bad enough, but picking up the phone to a recorded message can be the most frustrating and intrusive thing of all.
That’s why the law is so strict – it’s there to protect consumers and in practice it’s very difficult to make a legal automated marketing call.
If you get one, report it. If you’re making one, beware. We will take action.
Check Point Claims has gone into liquidation, but the ICO are determined to continue to seek payment.
Mr Eckersley said:
We will do everything within our power to recover fines on behalf of taxpayers and those millions of people who have been hounded by unwanted calls.
Even companies that have stopped trading or try to get themselves struck off cannot escape because we will use all means available to chase the debt.
From the 16th May 2016, as part of a Government crackdown, cold callers will no longer be able to hide or disguise their phone number. And that will make it easier for the ICO to find and take action against companies making nuisance calls.
Check Point Claims Ltd Monetary Penalty Notice
Read the new rules on Caller Line Identification (CLI) that apply to direct marketing calls.
Check Point Claims Ltd sent over 17 million automated calls over a 6 month period, so not a small amount, but they relied upon the assertions of their data suppliers that the data was suitable for automated broadcasting. It is this ‘misunderstanding’ that is causing the claims industry a great deal of pain at the moment.
Consent for anything, but especially electronic marketing, is under intense scrutiny by the regulators. The regulators argue that consent must be “freely given” and the age old “selected third parties” statement which has been used widely in the online and offline industry since the start of the internet to create so called “opted in data” will not be deemed by the regulators as sufficient consent for sending electronic messages.
Whilst it is difficult to argue with the ICO on this one, and costly to do so, they ought really to accept some responsibility for failing to police this earlier and even now many companies have little or no idea on how the ICO’s recent interpretation of the Privacy Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) may affect their business.
Useful links on the subject:


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Tom Brady Stars in Simmons Bedding Campaign
Posted on May 25, 2016
Tom Brady stars in new campaign for Simmons Bedding called Dream in Black. The campaign for the brand's Beautyrest Black mattress is part of a new partnership between Simmons and the Patriots quarterback.Brady says in a statement, "When you think luxury, a designer watch or a sports car may come to mind; but as an athlete and a father, sleep is the ultimate luxury. I am extremely selective in the brands I partner with. That's why I'm excited to team up with Beautyrest Black on the new Dream in Black campaign – I believe that a good night's sleep is incredibly important."
The commercial shows Brady exploring a luxury hotel in search of the perfect room. He finally finds it and it contains nothing but a Beautyrest Black mattress. Take a look:


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There’s a major problem in the U.S. cannabis industry: Businesses can’t receive loans or open bank accounts, because marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
That’s preventing companies from using money to buy buildings, expand their operations, and create new jobs. It also creates a security risk, as companies are forced to secure their cash.
But a growing number of entrepreneurs are creating solutions…
One of the creative solutions has been cryptocurrencies. Crypto allows cannabis companies to transition from being all-cash businesses, which comes with risks and limitations.
According to business development firm SIVA Enterprises, the odds of a cannabis dispensary being burglarized in 2015 were 50%. In comparison, banks only had a 34% chance of being burglarized in 2009.
As of January 2018, there have been five crypto coins created to make facilitating transactions easier.
Those coins include:
- PotCoin (POT)
- CannabisCoin (COIN)
- DopeCoin (DOPE)
- HempCoin (THC)
- CannaCoin (CCN)
Aside from cryptocurrencies, firms are also developing banking and merchant solutions for cannabis businesses through blockchain and other technology sources.
And one of those firms is MoneyTrac Technology Inc.
MoneyTrac specializes in providing alternative banking solutions to “high-risk” market spaces, like the cannabis industry. It’s also using blockchain technology to “revolutionize the banking industry,” according to its website.
On top of that, it also has a crypto token called “MTRAC-Token.”
Jason LeBlanc is the director of business development for MoneyTrac, and because he’s at the forefront of the convergence of the marijuana, cryptocurrency, and blockchain industries, I knew I had to get his insider perspective on these industries.
I recently spoke with LeBlanc, and now I’m sharing his insights with Money Morning readers to help you get a leg up on Wall Street.
With the blockchain industry projected to be worth $2.3 billion by 2021 and legal marijuana sales in North America reaching $24.5 billion by 2021, there will be plenty of profit opportunities created for investors who know where to look.
And because you’re receiving access to interviews like this, you’re going to know about them before anyone else.
Here’s what LeBlanc had to tell me about the current state of the cannabis and banking market, including the single most important thing he wants you to know…
JD: How does banking in the cannabis industry work?
JL: There are a few banks here and there that will accept deposits on a very limited basis, but traditional banking solutions are currently virtually unavailable to the cannabis industry, which means they are a 100% cash business.
The problem this creates is twofold: It’s a huge security issue for the amount of business they do. The cash flow is huge and it leaves them extremely vulnerable.
It also makes it extremely difficult to track, both for inventory and taxation purposes. This means the state is losing out on untold amounts of tax money from this industry.
JD: What are the biggest difficulties involved in banking in the cannabis industry?
JL: The federal schedule 1 status is currently the largest hurdle to banking. There are rules in place that allow banks to accept cannabis cash, but the ambiguity in federal position has made them very skittish about trying to participate.
What this also means is that no ACH providers will allow cannabis purchases, which means most dispensaries are cash-only.
JD: What have been the biggest developments in the cannabis/banking sector for 2018?
JL: Right now, the largest development is the integration of crypto and blockchain technology. Companies can begin to move away from cash using blockchain payment platforms, B2B and C2B, in which some solutions also provide a POS, ledger, and seed-to-sale tracking software.
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JD: When do you think all legal cannabis businesses will have reliable access to banking services?
JL: In California, there are some new banking organizations attempting to enter the arena, which we are vetting now. Over time, we’ve seen similar organizations and opportunities come and go, but I believe there is now a larger contingent of people, not only in the industry, but people in regulatory seats, who are wanting to see more reliable banking services provided to the industry.
The difficulties and the liabilities created by forcing these licensed businesses to use cash are really not serving a value to anyone. For starters, it makes paying (and tracking) taxes harder for the business owners and the IRS, respectively.
And energy companies don’t accept cash payments, which I believe is a big reason you see some major energy companies in recreational states beginning to back cryptocurrencies.
I’m not sure what will happen first: Crypto and blockchain technologies fulfill banking needs successfully, avoiding the federally regulated banking model altogether, or the federal government begins to relax some of the restrictions currently in place for these banking institutions.
I think the latter could happen sooner than later if and when banks can convince the federal government that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are a big enough threat to their business models.
Some major banks have already openly admitted this.
JD: If you want people to know one thing about the legal cannabis/banking industry, what would you want it to be?
JL: Help is on the way. The days of licensed business owners having to bury mountains of cash in their backyard are soon to be a thing of the past.
Delivery drivers will soon not have to worry about being robbed at gunpoint, because they will be engaging in cashless transactions on the blockchain.
Large legal product companies can halt the design and eliminate the budget for developing armored cars to pick up loads of cash from their licensed customers, because MTRAC is now banking the unbankable.
The Bottom Line: Back in October 2017, Money Morning Director of Technology & Venture Capital Research Michael Robinson predicted we would see a major convergence of cryptocurrencies and legal cannabis. And today, he wants to share your next potential profit opportunity through cryptocurrencies…
Finding the Next Crypto 10-Bagger
We’ve spent the last few months developing a series of special, comprehensive videos and reports that we want to share with you.
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Permanent adjustment of the Russian legislation in the sphere of trade creates uncomfortable conditions for business. Companies every time you have to spend a huge amount of paper work, adjusting to changing rules of the game, which is unacceptable. In an interview with "Vedomosti" said the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of GC "Damate" and "Rusmolco" Naum Babayev.
"We any law suits. Let have the opportunity to work with these laws, give a year or two to see how it works," the businessman said, answering the question, whether it suits the trade law.
According to Babayev, the company is not satisfied with the constant changes of the law on trade. "What we categorically do not like is the constant changes: initiatives to prohibit the work networks first night, then day, then in the afternoon," — said the businessman..
"It is impossible every year to constantly change. I have five people work in only one division that specifically deals with collecting all sorts of documents. Sometimes I think that we are not the Turkey grow, and paper boxes ammunition", — he said.
Another controversial initiative is the restriction of trade margins. Director of development Association of manufacturers and suppliers of food products "Rusprodsoyuz" Dmitry Vostrikov has previously admitted that it
alarming approach. "You must understand that then the business will cease to be a business. Suffice it to recall the initial version of the amendments to the law on trade, which was limited to 50 percent of profitability for the entire manufacturing and distribution chain", — he told the publication Milknews .
This involved limiting the yield of raw materials from "field to fork", which in different regions have different costs, not to mention the price. Understanding Vostrikova, we are talking about returning to the "socialist distribution system, using state planning.
About the need to limit large chain stores at night at the end of March 2017 said first Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on agrarian and food policy Sergei Lisovsky. In his opinion, retailers should not work around the clock and on Sundays, as this leads to "monopolistic dominance" of the Federal trade networks in major cities.
Against made and the government. "If people are comfortable that the store has been open around the clock — better to have it opened around the clock. To adjust, I think it's not necessary," — said Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.


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Australian consumers are bombarded with communications. They are exposed to over 600 branded emails, ads, social posts and searches per day.
There is a never-ending stream of messages, calls, emails and social alerts from friends, family, colleagues and even “smart” devices.
Brands are all guilty of adding to the noise but how do you get attention when you really need it?
All much harder when 2018 research out of the USA indicates that 90 per cent of consumers don’t want you to phone them and 80 per cent don’t want your unsolicited email.
Visual messaging startup MobileDigital marketing guarantees that customers will see your message.
Their software platform, called SNIPER offers businesses a totally new DIY utility to produce and send branded visual imagery directly to the smartphone text box, as personalized images.
Over 98 per cent of messages guaranteed to be seen and 95 per cent of messages are seen within three minutes. Best of all, no link to click to see the imagery which is BIG from a trust perspective as consumers become more aware of phishing, spooking a brand identity theft from SMS scammers.
MobileDigital founder and architect of SNIPER, Eibhlis Stuckey said: “By adding instant visual messaging to regular email and social communications, our customers are significantly boosting their customer engagement.
“Whether this be a major new sale, launch of a new product, a re-activation campaign or even invitations to VIP events, our customers rely on us to deliver the messages that matter.
“We are seeing click-through rates as high as 60 per cent.
“Already we have over 60 clients using the software, and we have some fantastic case studies on CTR’s and out of this world redemption and engagement.
We just set up a version of the software in the UK and opportunities for use of SNIPER are popping up everywhere.”
Temple & Webster senior marketing manager, Carole El-Rahi said: “Some customer segments don’t engage a lot with emails.
“We wanted to leverage the segmentation available to deliver the right message to the right customer at the right time.
“Personalised was a great way to reach customers who don’t normally engage with our brand via other channels.”


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Kraft Foods Group (NASDAQ:KRFT) is scheduled to announce its 2014 second quarter earnings on July 30. We expect increased price-based competition in the grocery segment and higher commodity prices to weigh on the company’s earnings growth. However, cost savings from productivity initiatives and pricing actions in cheese, coffee and refrigerated meat categories could partially offset the impact of higher input costs on its margins.
Kraft Foods Group manufactures and markets packaged food products, including beverages, cheeses, convenient meals and various grocery products. The company primarily deals in the North American markets with the majority of its sales coming from the U.S. and Canada. It generates annual sales revenue of around $18 billion with a consolidated adjusted EBITDA margin of ~20.5%.
We currently have a $61/share price estimate for Kraft Foods Group, which is almost 13.7x our 2014 full-year GAAP diluted EPS estimate for the company.
- Kraft Foods Q1 2015 Earnings Preview
- Analysis Of the Kraft-Heinz Merger
- Kraft Foods Group Earnings: Lack Of Guidance Causes Uncertainty
- Kraft Foods Earnings Preview: Commodities And Operations In Focus
- Weekly Food Industry Notes: Kraft In Focus
- The Impact Of Coffee Prices On Kraft Foods Group’s Business
Higher Commodity Costs
Food commodity prices in the U.S., mainly dairy products, coffee beans, and meat products have been on fire this year. Raw milk prices have risen sharply over the past few months due to increasing export demand from the fast-growing Asian markets, especially China. According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council, exports of dairy products from the U.S. grew by 19% y-o-y last year. Most of the increase in export demand came from China where the consumption of imported milk has risen sharply since a 2008 incident in which adulteration of domestically produced milk was found to be the reason behind the death of six children. The price of current month class III milk futures contract has risen to around $21.5 per hundred pounds, up almost 15% this year.
On the other hand, coffee prices have also been steep this year, as one of the worst droughts in the history of Brazil has hit the country’s coffee plantations, leading to a downward revision in production forecasts. Brazil is the world’s largest producer and exporter of coffee. It contributed more than 35% to the global coffee production last year. Prices of Arabica coffee futures have increased more than 60% so far this year.
In addition, prices of commodity meat products such as pork and beef have also been on an uptrend recently. Hog prices have been high due to a shortage in supply of slaughter-ready pigs because of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus or PEDv, which has killed millions of piglets since last spring. The virus that was discovered in the U.S. hog herd in May last year, causes diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration in hogs but poses no health risks to humans according to swine veterinarians. The price of front-month lean hog futures contract on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has increased by around 27% so far this year.
Kraft uses large quantities of these commodities as raw materials. In order to tone down the impact of higher input costs on its operating margins, the company has either announced or implemented price increases across 45% of its product portfolio this year. During the first quarter earnings call, Kraft’s EVP and CFO, Teri List-Stoll mentioned that the company had increased prices of its cheese products by 5-12% in March this year. The company also implemented a 10% price hike across 50% of its Oscar Mayer cold cuts portfolio on May 25.  Early last month, Kraft also raised prices for its Maxwell House and Yuban roast and ground coffee brands by around 10% on an average.
Interestingly, in a vast majority of price increases announced and implemented so far, Kraft has been leading its competitors. This could potentially erode the company’s market share in some product categories. This is because some players in the industry are hedged in certain commodities, which partly insulates them from the impact of a sudden jump in prices of those commodities. So, a leading pricing measure generally erodes a company’s volume share, which is not always easy to regain and requires investments in advertising and marketing later on. Kraft’s CFO agrees that there would be some “dislocation” in market share in the short term, but she believes it would be mostly offset by marketing and brand renovating activities that the company would be taking up simultaneously.
Lower Grocery Sales
We believe that higher net pricing would improve Kraft’s cheese, coffee, and refrigerated meals sales revenue during the second quarter since the company has passed on some of the increase in commodity costs on these products to end consumers. However, heightened price-based competition in the grocery segment is expected to partially offset these gains.
The company’s organic net revenue declined by 2.4% y-o-y during the first quarter, primarily because of the lackluster performance of its Enhancers and Snack Nuts and Meals & Desserts divisions. In our analysis, we have combined these two divisions together. The combined segment is referred to as the Grocery division. It includes our analysis of the company’s sales from products such as Cool Whip, Jell-O, Mac & Cheese, A1 steak sauce, and Planters nuts and peanut butter.
Kraft faces stiff competition in the grocery segment from private label manufacturers that compete primarily on pricing. This competition has intensified due to weak economic conditions over the past few years, as consumers increasingly look for cost saving options and are easily gravitated towards lower-priced brands. According to our estimates, the company’s organic net revenue from grocery sales declined by around 6.4% y-o-y during the first quarter of this year. We are expecting a similar performance from the division during the second quarter as well. (See: Price-Based Competition In The Grocery Segment Weighs On Kraft)Notes:


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Starbucks' profits fell by 97% in the last quarter as the coffee chain faced a weakening demand for lattes, americanos and skinny macchiatos. The company has had to close under-performing outlets in reaction to the news that its net profits were $5.4m (£3.5m), down from $158.5m a year earlier, perhaps due to a new mood of frugality amid fears of just how bad the recession will get.
Have you cut your coffee intake dramatically in recent months? What are the little daily pleasures you had to recently kiss goodbye to in order to cope with recession – have you switch off the lights and turned to candles instead?
Cif editor's note: Full disclosure: The Guardian is currently working with Starbucks on a promotional campaign.


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The avocado market is easing; demand has decreased. Mexico is expecting ample supplies of 48 to 60 count fruit through the transition into the fall crop starting in September.
California fruit remains available, but stocks are extremely limited
Mexico’s fall crop, Aventajada, is expected to begin in early to mid-September
Current Flora Loca supplies continue to be on the greener side when ripe
PSI testing is still the most reliable indicator of ripeness
Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
©2019 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Researchers Call for Collaboration Across Fields to Reduce Waste by Using Science to Clarify, Regulate Dates on Products
Lack of regulation, standardization and general understanding of date labeling on food products leads to billions of dollars in food waste annually in the nation. UMD researchers argue that interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to combat this problem.
When a trip to the grocery store can induce an elevated heart rate, it’s more important than ever to buy food that we’ll actually eat before it goes bad.
But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of regulation, standardization and general understanding of date labeling on food products—more than 50 variations in the United States alone, including “best by” and “use by” date—leads to billions of dollars in food waste annually in the nation.
In a new article in Food Control, researchers across the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources argue that interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to combat this problem.
“The labeling is the manufacturer's best estimation based on taste or whatever else, and it is not scientifically proven,” said Debasmita Patra, assistant research professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology and lead author on the paper. “But our future intention is to scientifically prove what is the best way to label foods. As a consumer and as a mom, a ‘best by’ date might raise food safety concerns, but date labeling and food safety are not connected to each other right now, which is a wide source of confusion. And when billions of dollars are just going to the trash because of this, it’s not a small thing.”
Americans discard or waste about 133 billion pounds of food each year, representing $161 billion and a 31% loss of food at the retail and consumer levels, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. A whopping 90% of Americans say they are likely to prematurely discard food because they misinterpret date labels, food safety concerns or uncertainty on how to properly store the product, the Food and Drug Administration has found. This confusion accounts for 20% of the total annual food waste in the United States, representing more than 26 billion pounds per year and over $32 billion in food waste.
“Recognition of food waste due to confusion over date labeling is growing, but few studies have summarized the status of the research on this topic,” said Paul Leisnham, associate professor in Environmental Science and Technology and co-author.
He and Patra, along with Abani Pradhan, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, and his postdoctoral fellow Collins Tanui, collectively found that environmental sciences and food science departments don’t seem to collaborate on this topic.
Expertise from environmental science, food science, sociology, extension education and other disciplines can more effectively develop interventions to reduce behaviors that may increase food waste, Leisnham said. While this is an environmental issue, it also involves the knowledge, attitudes, perception and social behaviors of multiple stakeholders, including retailers, food-service providers and consumers.
Pradhan, for example, hopes to use expertise in experimental and mathematical modeling work to scientifically evaluate the quality characteristics, shelf life, and food spoilage risk of food products. “This would help in determining if the food products are of good quality beyond the mentioned dates, rather than discarding them prematurely,” he said.
Patra said the research is relevant to everyone—from producers to wholesale and retail buyers to consumers who open a box or can, unwrap a package of pork chops or peel a fruit.
“People look for something that has a longer ‘best by’ date thinking they are getting something better. And when you throw that food away, you are not only wasting the food, but also all the economics associated with that, like production costs, transportation from the whole farm to fork chain, and everything else that brought you that product just to be thrown away,” she said. “Food safety, regulation and education need to all combine to help solve this problem, which is why interdisciplinary collaboration is so important.”
Maryland Today is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications for the University of Maryland community on weekdays during the academic year, except for university holidays.
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The increased attention and plaudits paid to high-profile Black chefs in America in recent years simultaneously sheds ambient light on their overall scarcity.
“It’s been a rough and scary year with the normal avenues for selling our produce turned on their ear. But the meaningful relationships we had with some of our chefs before the pandemic have grown unbreakably stronger. To quote chef Kikkoman Shaw at Southside Kitchen, ‘It has brought a lot of us together who might […]
The We Give a Share Program helps both small farms and local families struggling to put food on the table.
Sanctuary Brewing Co. hosts its fourth annual Puppy Bowl. Also: Super Bowl chili cook-off at Craft Centric Taproom & Bottle Shop; First Friday Fish Fry; and plenty more.
On Saturday, May 6, a Soul-Caribbean themed meal, live music and silent auction will mark the second Soul Shakedown by the River, a benefit for Green Opportunities.
Asheville’s annual Goombay Festival offers learning and networking opportunities for culinary trainees.


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Digitalization, through the fourth industrial revolution, more widely known as Industry 4.0, is the link to the future and providing more of what today’s end consumers want from products.
anti-counterfeiting solutions like holographic stickers, watermarks, and scratch-off secret codes are being replaced by QR code and NFC chip based anti-counterfeiting.
The new U.S. bioengineered food disclosure standard for using QR codes presents a ripe opportunity for food manufacturers.
Different companies may vary in the way they implement digitalization, but there are basic steps to digitizing products.
Counterfeiting is a vast and perpetual problem causing lost revenue and threats to public health. Anti-counterfeiting technologies are also plentiful though, but which is best?
Trust and the human connection to our food will only be restored when consumers are able to independently check and verify that the food they are buying is authentic and that the brand’s claims about its provenance are true.
By integrating with SAP Logistics Business Network, material traceability option, Scantrust’s solution for Unique QR Codes for Farm-to-Consumer Traceability delivers trusted connection to end consumers
ePac Flexible Packaging & Scantrust announce a new global partnership to bring flexible packaging and smart packaging features, like anti-counterfeiting, to businesses of all sizes.
Scantrust continues collaboration with SAP by joining the SAP PartnerEdge Build program
An analysis by Sogeti showed that almost 90 percent of social media sentiment on loyalty programs was negative. One reason for this failure is a lack of personalization.


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Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts said it expects to keep more than 95 percent of its prescription volume in 2012 even though it plans to stop doing business with Walgreen Co., the largest drugstore chain in the U.S.
Express Scripts and Walgreen have been unable to come to terms on a new contract to replace a deal that expires Dec. 31. Express Scripts pays Walgreen to fill prescriptions, but after the contract ends, Walgreen won't fill prescriptions for most Express Scripts members. The dispute became public in June, after Walgreen said it would stop handling Express Scripts claims. Walgreen has said Express Scripts would not pay it enough money, while Express Scripts says Walgreen wants to be paid more than other drugstores.
Walgreen runs close to 7,800 stores, and it fills about 20 percent of all prescriptions in the U.S. Walgreen has said it would lose $5.3 billion in annual revenue by parting with Express Scripts.
Express Scripts said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit rose 8 percent as revenue increased and selling, general and administrative costs fell. The St. Louis company's net income grew to $324.7 million, or 66 cents per share, from $301.5 million, or 56 cents per share.
It earned 79 cents per share excluding one-time costs, most of which were connected to its planned acquisition of competitor Medco Health Solutions Inc. Revenue grew 3 percent $11.57 billion from $11.25 billion.
Analysts expected Express Scripts Inc. to report adjusted profit of 76 cents per share and $11.28 billion in revenue, according to FactSet.
After the company reported its results, after hours, shares of Express Scripts rose $1.28, or 3.3 percent, to $39.75. The shares had ended regular trading down $1.98, or 4.9 percent, to $38.47.
The company handled 184.8 million adjusted prescription claims during the quarter, down 1 percent from a year ago. Medication use has declined because of high unemployment and because some consumers are skipping trips to the doctor to save money. The company handled 556.6 million adjusted prescriptions in the first three quarters of 2011, also down 1 percent from the same period last year. Adjusted prescriptions count 90-day mail order prescriptions as three one-month prescriptions.
Earlier this month the company cut its annual profit guidance because of those trends and said it was not filling as many prescriptions as it had expected. Express Scripts said Tuesday it still expects to earn $2.95 to $3.05 per share for fiscal 2011. Analysts expect $3.01 per share, on average.
The company currently expects to fill less than 750 million adjusted prescriptions in 2011, down from 753.9 million in 2010. Express Scripts expects medication use in 2012 to be about equal to current levels. It said total adjusted prescriptions could be unchanged from 2011, or they could grow as much as 2 percent. It did not provide a profit forecast, citing its planned $29.1 billion acquisition of Medco.
The companies announced the deal in July, and Express Scripts hopes to complete the purchase in the first half of 2011. Antitrust regulators and Congress are scrutinizing the transaction. The companies have said the larger Express Scripts would be able to use its size to save money for consumers and health plans, but critics have said the deal will reduce health care choices and may not deliver the savings.
If the cash-and-stock deal goes through, the new Express Scripts Holding will be the biggest pharmacy benefits manager in the U.S. by far, with about a 30-percent share of the market. Combined, Express Scripts and Medco handled about 1.7 billion prescriptions in 2010.
Express Scripts said its results in the third quarter included 8 cents per share in professional fees and financing costs related to the Medco deal. The remaining charges including 4 cents per share in expenses related to its purchase of NextRx in April 2009, and a penny per share in other amortization costs.


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It’s like a scene out of “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” a family heads to customer appreciation day at an amusement park and it’s closed.
One lone guard was all the New Jersey family found at Clementon Park And Splash World. Rasheena Phinisee and family had discounted tickets for the advertised “customer appreciation day” at the park September 15. The family of eight packed up and headed over early.
It turns out, the park closed early for the season despite advertising a November shutdown and a big appreciation day. The tickets the family bought were non-refundable and only good for September 15.
Action News in Philadelphia pushed for a refund for the family and finally got it, but the company that owns the park still isn’t answering questions about why they shut early. And there was no apology.