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RingCentral, a cloud-based business communications provider, has added contact center capabilities to its portfolio. The new RingCentral Contact Center is powered by inContact; inContact is a third-party provider of cloud contact center software that has deployed over 2,000 cloud contact center instances. The new contact center features are integrated with RingCentral Office.
Video chat has become great way for people to communicate with friends and family, especially across international borders. Facebook now wants a piece of that action.
Facebook users can soon use the social network's Messenger app to talk face-to-face over Wi-Fi or cellular networks, simply by tapping on a video camera icon at the top. The service will work between Apple devices and those powered by Google's Android software.
Alcatel-Lucent has launched a new software platform designed to cut the cost and complexity of embedding and integrating voice, video, and messaging services into any application. “Rapport” is intended to enable the communications network as a platform that offers “contextual communications” where services such as voice, chat, video conferencing and sharing become functions available to any application, website or connected object.
Peugeot Citroën is planning on analyzing its driver's data to help other industries like retailers, smart cities and car dealerships create better services.
The carmaker, which claims to have the largest number of connected cars on the road, will work with IBM to create new business opportunities in the automotive distribution, smarter city and retail space.
Facebook CEO and cofounder Mark Zuckerberg has been on a mission to unbundle the company's many services and expand far beyond the single application that transformed it into the largest media platform that's ever existed. Zuckerberg says the changes represent an evolution in Facebook's approach to how it connects people around the world.
Anthony Bartolo, the President of Mobility and Collaboration at Tata Communications, has been recently interviewed for getting his perspective on the latest trends. Tata Communications targets the top 2500 multinational corporations and also provides global white label services for other carriers to target the mid-tier and small business market segments. Tata Communications is also a global carrier partner helping Microsoft deliver its Skype for Business services.


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It looks like the folks who wrung their hands and said they should have done more shopping at The Crown Market will actually get the chance.
Last week the owners of the well-known West Hartford kosher food store, a focal point of the Greater Hartford Jewish community since it opened in Hartford in 1939, announced the store was closing due to increased competition, higher costs and a very bad winter.
Supporters of the Crown, Jews and non-Jews, were surprised and saddened and took to social media to look for ways to save the market. Nearly 1,700 people signed an online petition. This week, three prominent businessmen — Henry M. Zachs, the founder and CEO of Message Center Management; Alan Lazowski, chief executive of LAZ Parking; and Brian Newman, a partner at CohnReznick — announced plans to save the Crown.
The group plans to assemble investors and buy the store, renegotiate the lease and continue the business. Mr. Zachs, a noted philanthropist who helped revive the Mandel Jewish Community Center, the Hillel at the University of Connecticut and other institutions, said lease negotiations are underway and that more than 20 investors have signed on with, hopefully, more to come. "The community really, really came together," said Mr. Zachs.
So while the deal is not yet final, it looks very promising. It would be, as they say in hockey and historic preservation, a great save — reviving a business doesn't happen very often. If all goes well, the shelves will be restocked in time for Passover, which begins April 14.
The lesson, as many now realize, is that if you like a small business — market, hardware store, bookstore, wine shop — support it. Shop there. And at the Crown, don't just buy the tuna salad.

domain: news


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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd received the Brand of the Year award at the 2015 World Branding Awards held at Kensington Palace in London. JK Tyre is the only brand in the Tyres category from India selected for this year’s awards. The World Branding Awards is the premier awards programme of the World Branding Forum.
Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, JK Tyre& Industries Ltd. said, “We are pleased to receive the World Branding Forum’s Brand of the Year 2015 award. For the brand ‘JK Tyre’ winning this award at the World Branding Award celebrations is a strong validation & a testament of the hard work that has gone into building JK Tyre as a great brand and making it a household name. Selection of JK Tyre through rigorous evaluation, assessment & voting process, is a true reflection of the inherent brand strength of JK Tyre.”
“JK Tyre has been a success story and I would like to thank and congratulate my entire team for their unstinted efforts that have helped JK Tyre to receive such an accolade. This award is an encouraging step towards JK Tyre’s continuous endeavor to be the preferred tyre brand globally”, Dr. Raghupati Singhania further added.
The World Branding Forum is a registered global non-profit organisation. It aims to advance the standards, skills and education of the branding community for the betterment of the industry and consumers. Winners of the World Branding Awards are judged through brand valuation, consumer market research and public online voting.


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Michelin is suspending tire production in Russia and exports to the country, the company said in a press release.
"The Michelin Group is suspending its industrial activity in Russia, as well as its exportations to Russia," it said.
Michelin's Davydovo plant near Moscow manufactures passenger car tires and retreaded truck tires, mainly for the local market.
"In this very difficult and uncertain context, Michelin's priority is to support all of its employees who are impacted by this crisis, including its Michelin Russia employees. The Group remains fully mobilized and will continue to adapt its decisions as the situation evolves," the company said.
Michelin has been in Russia since 1997 and was the first foreign tire manufacturer to open a plant in 2004. Michelin Russia employs approximately 1,000 people, including 750 at the Davydovo plant. This site has a production capacity of 1.5 to 2 million tires per year, mainly for passenger cars. Most of the production is intended for the Russian market and to a lesser extent for certain Northern European countries. Michelin's sales in the country represent 2% of the Group's total sales and 1% of its global passenger car tire production.


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Zollikon (ots) - Mit der diesjĂ¤hrigen Vorpremiere von Â«The Extraordinary Journey Of The FakirÂ» startete ...
EANS-News: Rheinmetall AG /Rheinmetall increases whole-year guidance for 2010
- Consolidated sales increase by 15% to Â€1,728 million in first half of 2010 - Consolidated half-year EBIT up Â€166 million to Â€104 million - 2010 earnings guidance increased to Â€260 million Â– Â€280 million
@@start.t1@@-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------@@end@@
Earnings/quarterly report/6-month report
Subtitle: - Consolidated sales increase by 15% to Â€1,728 million in first half of 2010 - Consolidated half-year EBIT up Â€166 million to Â€104 million - 2010 earnings guidance increased to Â€260 million Â– Â€280 million
DĂĽsseldorf (euro adhoc) - With a strong upturn in profitability and significant sales growth, the Rheinmetall Group is leaving the automotive crisis behind and returning to its earlier profitability. While the Defence sector showed ongoing positive business development at a high level in the first half of 2010, the Automotive sector increased its sales volume considerably and again posted a significantly positive result as compared to the same period of the previous year. Successful business development in the first half of 2010 prompted the group to increase its earnings guidance for 2010 to EUR260 million - EUR280 million (EBIT). Up to now, EUR220 million to EUR250 million had been forecast. On the basis of 35% sales growth in the Automotive sector, Rheinmetall increased its business volume at group level by around 15% in the first half of the year to EUR1,728 million. Driven by the extremely positive development of the Automotive sector and the Defence sector remaining strong, EBIT rose by EUR166 million in the same period to EUR104 million (preceding year: minus EUR62 million). In the first half of 2010, the Rheinmetall Group generated net income of EUR57 million, EUR127 million up year-on-year. Earnings per share rose to plus EUR1.43, compared to minus EUR2.04 in the same period of the previous year. Net financial liabilities were reduced by EUR199 million year-on-year to reach EUR338 million on June 30, 2010.
Klaus Eberhardt, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: "2010 will be a strong year for Rheinmetall. This has become apparent after the first six months. In the Defence sector, our product portfolio means that we are benefitting from the continuing mission-based modernization of armed forces, both in Germany and abroad. Following the turnaround, the Automotive sector is back on the road to success - and quicker than we expected at the start of the year. We are now reaping the benefits of the far-reaching restructuring measures implemented in the Automotive sector in the past year. We are also optimistic for the second half of the year. For this reason, we have increased our sales and earnings guidance."
Defence: Order intake continues to grow
Despite a slight decline in sales, EBIT for the Defence sector in the first half of 2010 was EUR71 million, matching the EUR70 million of the preceding year. The EBIT margin increased to 9.3% in the first six months, compared to 8.9% in the same period of the previous year. At 11.1%, the EBIT margin for the second quarter of 2010 is already in double digits. Sales in the Defence sector amounted to EUR762 million in the first half of the year, while the same figure for the previous year stood at EUR789 million. This decrease of EUR27 million year-on-year is invoice-related; the total operating performance for the sector in the first six months of 2010 has increased by just under 3% year-on-year. Order intake continued to rise in the first half of the year, due primarily to strategically important, high-volume international orders from Asia, the Middle East, North America and Great Britain. It reached EUR1,084 million and has thus increased by EUR66 million (or 6%) year-on-year. The second quarter of 2010 in particular exhibits a significantly positive trend: Large orders for air defence and weapons systems boosted order intake - which amounted to EUR467 million in the first quarter - to EUR619 million in the second quarter. As at June 30, 2010, the order backlog amounted to EUR4,954 million, exceeding the previous yearÂ´s level of EUR3,554 million by 39%.
Automotive: Sales and income increase significantly
RheinmetallÂ´s Automotive sector is emerging from the sector crisis and, with a strong increase in business volume, is returning to its former profitability. The company is benefiting from the package of measures implemented last year to lower the break-even point and from strong growth in the powertrain and exhaust emission reduction areas thanks to its innovative product portfolio. The sector generated sales of EUR966 million in the first six months of 2010, thus exceeding the previous yearÂ´s level by EUR249 million or 35%. The Automotive sector generated EBIT of EUR43 million in the first half of 2010. A loss of EUR128 million was recorded in the same period of the previous year, although this includes EUR68 million in non-recurring expenditure for capacity adjustments. The EBIT margin in the first half of the year was 4.5%, following minus 17.9% last year. In the second quarter of 2010, the Automotive sector had already attained an EBIT margin of 5.1%.
Outlook: Sales and earnings guidance increased
Rheinmetall expects group sales to reach around EUR3.9 billion for the current financial year; the prior forecast was EUR3.7 billion. This is an increase of around EUR500 million year-on-year, including EUR100 million for Defence acquisitions conducted in the current financial year. Organic sales growth of approximately EUR2 billion is expected for the Defence sector in the 2010 financial year. Including acquisitions, growth of EUR2.1 billion is forecast, following sales of EUR1.9 billion in the previous year. Based on expert forecasts from CSM Worldwide, Rheinmetall expects global automobile production to continue developing positively in the second half of 2010 as well, although this will be weaker than in the preceding six months due to market-related and seasonal factors. In this context, Rheinmetall expects annual sales for the Automotive sector to increase to around EUR1.8 billion, following EUR1.5 billion in the previous year. On the basis of the best ever half-yearly result in the current financial year, Rheinmetall is increasing the EBIT forecast in 2010 from EUR260 million to EUR280 million. Up to now, EUR220 million to EUR250 million had been forecast. RheinmetallÂ´s Defence sector will further improve EBIT compared to the previous year. RheinmetallÂ´s Automotive sector is also anticipating positive EBIT for the second half of 2010, although - in line with sales performance - this will not match the value of the first half of the year.
@@start.t2@@end of announcement euro adhoc
ots Originaltext: Rheinmetall AG
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A suspected flu case reported in Fayette County last week has been confirmed as swine flu, Kentucky health officials said Thursday.
The patient, a Lexington man who became sick early last week after a trip to Alabama, received anti-viral drugs and has recovered, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
The report confirms Kentucky's third swine flu case. The others involved residents in Daviess and Hardin counties.
Kentucky officials are awaiting test results from two possible flu cases in Montgomery and Hardin counties.
No new cases were reported in Kentucky on Thursday.
However, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway issued a warning urging Kentuckians to be alert for con artists using the flu breakout to extract money from unsuspecting people.
Conway said residents should not respond to unsolicited e-mails or Internet advertisements offering bogus products to protect families from the flu virus. Internet security firms have reported increasing numbers of sites advertising such items, Conway's office said.
"As we have seen ... con artists seize every opportunity to prey on the fears of unsuspecting consumers to make a quick buck," Conway said. "Their intentions ... are either to obtain money for worthless products they're advertising, or to obtain personal information from consumers to steal their identities or access their bank accounts."
Anyone receiving unsolicited e-mail messages offering flu cures should forward them to the Federal Trade Commission at email@example.com, officials said. Anyone seeing print ads for such items should report them to the state Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-888-432-9357.


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According to the GSMArena survey, 54% of readers believe that the most convenient way to unlock a smartphone is to use a fingerprint scanner.[hide] 2018 Most users prefer a fingerprint scanner [/hide]
In the weekly survey there were four options:
- Fingerprint reader – 54%
- Face Detection – 7%
- Using both functions – 34%
- None of the above – 3%
[hide] 2018 Most users prefer a fingerprint scanner [/hide]In itself, a 3D face scan received only 7% of the vote. According to readers GSMArena, every time to spend an extra second of time to unlock the smartphone – it’s pointless. This is quite logical, given how many times a day the average user pulls the smartphone out of his pocket.[hide] 2018 Most users prefer a fingerprint scanner [/hide]
Recall that in recent years, smartphone manufacturers are increasingly abandoning the fingerprint scanner in favour of face recognition. This trend was set by Apple with the release of the iPhone X and Face ID technology. Failure is due to the “framelessness” of modern devices – companies are trying to capture the maximum area of the front panel, and the technology of the scanner in the screen still seems “raw”.
At the moment, the ability to unlock the smartphone on the face is present in most flagships of the year. However, vendors such as Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Huawei and Honor are not as categorical as Apple and offer the user an alternative in the form of a familiar scanner.
[hide] 2018 Most users prefer a fingerprint scanner [/hide]


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With the just announced onQ Ransomeware Edition, Quorum is now specifically designing a solution just for that use case. Instead of a ground up rebuild of their solution, Quorum is leveraging what was already working with their DR solution, and creating a skinny bundle to target the problem. Essentially, this is a box designed to deliver the high availability of onQ exclusively, as opposed to the other general DR features, like second site recovery support.
It’s time for Gestalt News once again! This week in servers:
– DR Troopers: Quorum onQ 4.0
– AMD: The Last Decade
Plus Sysadmin Chatbots, The “Why” of HCI, API’s, privacy, and patent trolls!
Quorum is making an argument that creating a secure private cloud for disaster recovery is the way forward for a lot of organizations. They come at this from an interesting background. The company originally built for use on ships for the U.S. Navy, which by necessity by their isolation, cannot exactly afford a lot of downtime for disaster recovery. Since 2010, they’ve offered a commercial product. They recently released version 4.0 of onQ, their backup solution and sole product focus.


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Third publishers who continue to treat Wii with scepticism may be letting opportunities slip them by, THQ CEO Brian Farrell told MCV.
Do we see big growth prospects on a platform that’s been out for so long? No. But are there opportunities? Absolutely,” he stated.
Some times you have to take a step back. This time last year hardware numbers on Wii weren’t good, and people were saying it was dead. But then holiday arrived and sales shot up. Consumers still know about Wii, it’s still good value, it is still a mass-market product.
I love it when competitors say they’re going to de-emphasise it. There’s still a huge Wii market – over 70m users worldwide. With UDraw we don’t need a huge attach rate to do very well.”
The publisher’s enthusiasm for Wii comes ahead of the Christmas launch of its UDraw tablet for Wii.
I’ve been in the industry a long time, and I’ve never seen a reaction to the product like this be so universal,” he added. Retail loved it and said ‘Oh, Nintendo should have done this’. This is exactly the reception we wanted.
I challenged the team because a couple of years ago, when Guitar Hero was doing so well, people were saying ‘peripherals, this is where the business is going’. So I asked the team what sort of peripheral makes sense from an entertainment standpoint? I did not want Violin Hero. And when this idea came up, I realised this was it. Drawing is as universal as music right?”
To read the full interview with Brian Farrell, click here.


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Chefs create contemporary pies with ethnic flavors, savory cheeses and healthy, local ingredients.
By Lisa Parrish, GMC Editor
Is America preoccupied with pizza? Well, consider this: there are 10 times more pizzerias than hospitals; in 2015 the pizza industry collected sales of $38.5 billion – that’s a lot of dough; and 93 percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month. Preoccupied – how about obsession! Pizza is a hip industry that touches almost everyone, from young to elderly and in all menu parts, from morning to late night. Pizza is ubiquitous and prominent chefs are taking the pie from usual to amazing through flavor innovations, creative toppings, and developing recipes for untraditional dayparts like breakfast.
Fast-casual and QSR chains stand on the front-line of flavor innovation. Tyson Foodservice Teams Corporate Chef, Brett Miller, sees the broader international trend of global flavors influencing pizza offerings with hot and spicy ingredients and drizzles.
“With continued consumer demand for hot and spicy, spicy base sauces are a perfect way to satisfy that craving. Hot seasonings—such as Cajun—and spicy condiments—such as spicy pickled peppers or spicy giardiniera—also allow consumers to get the fix they crave,” he said.
Another option for flavor customization includes pizza drizzles and drips. Chef Miller said, “This is a low risk way for operators to feature flavor innovation as well as customization on the menu. The customization piece is critical as consumers continue to look for ways to personalize their food, and some of the fastest growing pizza chains center around this idea of customization.”
Artisan pies with locally–sourced ingredients and healthy options are building demand for pizzas beyond the typical college-age customer. This grown-up approach appeals to consumers who are looking to have a certain level of comfort and connection to their food beyond the traditional options.
Tyson Foodservice Teams Culinary Strategy/Execution & Product Training Chef, Jeremy Lycan, said, “If you treat each ingredient with respect, in the end, you will have the greatest outcome. I always teach people to pay attention to quality in all aspects of the dish, like how each component is cooked, treated and handled.”
Chef Lycan believes operators who appreciate the craft appeal of pizza take the time to make sauces from scratch using fresh tomatoes or grind their own cheese. He said, “Chefs know consumers value the effort that goes into achieving great flavors and quality dishes. Artisan and craft pizzas have different ingredients that are more contemporary than traditional pizzas. Descriptive culinary words like fire roasted and flame broiled help communicate the work and effort that goes into crafting the pizza.”
He provided this example: “Sourdough crust with fire roasted tomatoes, three artisan crafted cheeses, and house cured pepperoni sounds way more appealing than a pepperoni pizza.”
The healthy aspect of contemporary ingredients continues to drive customer demand too. Bacon is a popular topping for pizza. But, some chefs are turning to duck bacon, which has 57 percent less fat than traditional pork bacon while not compromising on taste or texture. Made exclusively with boneless duck breast meat, Maple Leaf Farms offers a duck bacon that is cured and naturally Applewood smoked. It’s a modern alternative to the traditional topping.
Contemporary cuisine also includes must-have options for vegetarians. Chefs can use cheese blends to create luscious pizza options that do not include meat. Sara Hill, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board cheese education manager, suggests perfect pizza cheese pairings with fontina or Havarti and a peanut sauce for an Asian-inspired pie. Or, for a nod to Latin American flavor, she suggests using green salsa for the sauce, avocado cream, black beans, corn, Monterey jack cheese and cotija.
Culinary instructors can go to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board’s Cheese Blend Calculator to learn which cheeses pair well on pizza applications. Instructors input the number of cheeses they want to blend and information is delivered on the performance, flavor profile and ratios required to deliver the best combination possible as well as an estimated cost.
Crusts Getting Thinner
Flatbreads continue to show steady growth in new pizza dough/crusts trends. Flatbread crusts allow operators to execute at a faster, more efficient rate since they cook more quickly than a traditional pizza. These thinner crust bases may increase profit margins by allowing the operator to use less toppings than would be used on traditional doughs/crusts.
Tyson’s Chef Miller said, “Flatbreads were once viewed as a healthier alternative versus traditional crusts, which is still evidenced by chicken indexing as the number one topping for flatbreads. But, we are also seeing more indulgent flatbread builds growing on menus. Consumers’ love for flatbreads stem from the fact that operators are using them to create builds that are more ethnic inspired, as well as utilizing higher quality ingredients such as more premium cheeses, proteins and vegetables.”
Various Menu Parts
How about pizza for breakfast? Consumers say yes, according to Technomic’s latest MenuMonitor data. The number of operators offering breakfast pizza is up 3.6 percent over the past year (Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016). However, menu mentions of breakfast pizza are down by negative 3 percent for the same time period.
Katie Neuser, market research manager for Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, explains the seemingly incongruent information. “This essentially means more operators are featuring breakfast pizza which bodes positively as an upward trend. But, breakfast pizzas mentioned on total menus are down. Menu mention declines are common in food items. One explanation is that operators continue to simplify their menu offerings and ingredients used, which may bring total menu mentions down. Also, some operators may have offered several breakfast pizzas in the past but now are offering fewer options.”
On the positive side, the average price of breakfast pizza in U.S. restaurant is up 1.1 percent at $12.78, according to Technomic. Neuser reports the three most popular breakfast pizzas cheeses are mozzarella, cheddar and feta.
Tyson’s Chef Miller has also noted the breakfast pizza trend. He said, “They allow operators to stay competitive in the marketplace, especially as QSR burger chains continue to offer all day breakfast options. While the breakfast pizza builds can vary widely, some basic commonalities include a white sauce or olive oil base, and toppings including eggs and traditional breakfast proteins such as bacon, sausage and ham.”
Chefs can also capitalize on two hot trends at once creating a contemporary savory breakfast.
A Pizza Master Class is available for CAFÉ Leadership Conference attendees. The three-hour hands-on class on June 22 will feature Wisconsin Cheese Guru Sara Hill and Cheese Chef John Esser, who provides cheese education all over the world, instructing participants on the do's and don'ts of cheese application and how to blend cheeses for fabulous and tasty results!! Pizza-from breakfast to dessert! Class cost is $25 for registered conference attendees.
Photos courtesy of Tyson Foodservice and Maple Leaf Farms.


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Charles Savidge says fresh clothes and school materials — especially a new box of crayons — are what drive kids to do best. That’s why he’s spent the last three months coordinating bake sales and barbecues to raise money for colorful backpacks and school uniforms at Emma E. Booker Elementary as part of his Eagle Scout project for Troop 14.
His mother, Jenny Savidge, teaches kindergarten at Booker and informed her son of a shortage in school supplies.
The Out-of-Door Academy senior has since piled 150 backpacks into two giant cardboard boxes and packed 150 school uniforms into numerous plastic containers.
“I’ve grilled out at my dad's hardware stores — Longboat ACE Hardware and Holmes Beach Hardware — and talked with Walmart to collect the backpacks,” Savidge said. “I plan to have dress-down days at ODA, which also wants to pick up the project.”
Anyone who wishes to donate money or supplies may contact Savidge at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Contact Loren Mayo at email@example.com.
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23 LBK Chamber of Commerce Networking Luncheon
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
25 Manatee Audubon -- Bird walk at Leffis Key
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
15 Being your best self
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
29 Santa Jaws at Mote Aquarium
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Only 16 days left to vote for your favorite 'It's Read Everywhere' photo!
Voting is now live for the Observer's 'It’s Read Everywhere' photo contest.
A fitting tribute
A day after receiving an Ageless Creativity Award from the Ringling College/Longboat Key Center for the Arts in honor of their late father, Ed Brickman, daughter Carol Diamant and son Eli Brickman held a celebration of life service Saturday.
Alma mater honors Harold Ronson
Philadelphia University presented Longboat Key resident Harold Ronson with its “Leadership in Philanthropy” award Oct. 11, at its Homecoming Dinner Dance.


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“We are focussing on the use of eco-friendly bags and working towards developing an affordable alternative for polythene bags. As paper bags are not an eco-friendly option, we shall build a long-lasting recyclable alternative that is convenient for retailers and consumers,” Arun Jain, business head, Ballyfabs International, told Indiaretailing on the sidelines of Pure and Play.
The Jute Shop is the jute bag retail chain of Ballyfabs International, the West Bengal-based jute bags manufacturer. “We have finalised various spaces in and around West Bengal, and will also open in the western part of the country. About 80 of our exclusive stores will be operational by the end of 2009,” Jain informed.
The stores will be a mix of franchisee and company-owned outlets.
– Satrajit Sen


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Samsung will now offer 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security patches on certain Galaxy smartphones in its catalog. Unsurprisingly, this improved software monitoring is reserved for high-end and recent terminals launched by the brand. We have provided you with a complete list of affected devices.
Samsung continues toimprove the software monitoring of its smartphones. Shortly before the official presentation of the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8, the South Korean manufacturer, leader in mobile telephony, has committed to offering 4 years of Android updates on certain smartphones in its catalog.
Until now, the manufacturer was content to promise 3 years of major Android updates to the most premium phones in its lineup. Samsung has also made strong security commitments. The Seoul giant now guarantees 5 years of security fixesagainst only 4 previously.
The list of Galaxy smartphones and tablets with 4 years of guaranteed Android updates
This extended software monitoring is reserved for the brand’s most recent terminals, such as the Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra which have just been unveiled. Other devices, launched in the course of last year or the beginning of this year, are also affected by this new effort. We trained you the full list of smartphones that will receive 4 major Android updates and will benefit from 5 years of security patches:
Unsurprisingly, the firm’s next high-end smartphones will also benefit from this new policy. We think in particular of the future foldable smartphones from Samsung, Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Galaxy Z Fold 4which is expected to be released sometime next summer.
Read also: With the Galaxy S22 Ultra, this is how Samsung says goodbye to the Galaxy Note
These 5 years of patches guarantee that your smartphone will be protected against new flaws discovered in Android source code or in the brand’s home interface. Besides, it is inevitable that Samsung will not offer monthly security updates during this 5-year period. After an as-yet-undetermined delay, updates will be pushed out on a quarterly basis.


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Oct 2, 2013
NEW YORK — Eric Bogosian has been looking back on his old angry work lately and laughing.
Oct 1, 2013
NEW YORK — Danny Aiello ('EYE-yellow), the Oscar-nominated character actor, is eager to take on
SAN FRANCISCO — Online document-sharing site Scribd is taking a page from Netflix's success stor
Sep 30, 2013
NEW YORK — Sherman Alexie is learning to live with e-books, conflicts and all.
Is Billy Crystal’s new memoir funny?
Sep 25, 2013
LONDON — William Boyd has left James Bond stirred, if not shaken.
SEATTLE — Amazon is refreshing its lineup of tablet computers with new devices called Kindle Fir
NEW YORK — Writing a children's book isn't enough for Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.
Sep 23, 2013
HARARE, Zimbabwe — An African teenager living in Detroit can't understand why her immig
Sep 19, 2013
NEW YORK — Publishers hope that the new rules in place for the National Book Awards, for which t
Sep 18, 2013
NEW YORK — A pair of best-selling works by staff writers for The New Yorker, Lawrence Wright's "
NEW YORK — Grace Jones, who once vowed she'd never write a memoir, has changed her mind.
LONDON — The Americans are coming to storm Britain's literary citadel.
Sep 17, 2013
NEW YORK — "Bleeding Edge" (The Penguin Press), by Thomas Pynchon
iBooks' Official Book Charts for the week ending Sept. 16, 2013:
Top Paid Books
Sep 16, 2013
NEW YORK — Harper Lee has settled the lawsuit she filed to secure the copyright to her clas


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Booksellers are letting their creative streaks show this holiday season with a wide array of fun activities and special promotions.
The Reading Bug, a children’s bookstore in San Carlos, California, collaborated with the Wornick Jewish Day School for a children’s Hanukkah party that featured festive songs, snacks, and crafts.
Co-owner Lauren Savage said the religious school approached the store this year with the idea for the party, and every year the store hosts holiday-themed crafts, sing-alongs, and story times for both Hanukkah and Christmas each day in December.
“For our holiday dance parties, we usually get about 30 kids, and our annual holiday sing-along draws nearly 100 people each year,” Savage said.
As part of the store’s annual volunteer gift-wrapping program, holiday customers at Schuler Books & Music, with locations in Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Okemos, Michigan, always look forward to getting their books wrapped by staff from the Wildlife Rehab Center. The animal rescue organization, a yearly participant in the program that includes volunteers from many organizations, is known to bring along a selection of unique forest animals for customers to pet, said store manager Tim Smith.
“They’re great with our guests and are always a big hit while they are here,” said Smith. “Our volunteers sign up for specific time slots during the busy holiday season, and our guests have an opportunity to learn about their organization.”
The organizations themselves have a chance to earn funds by collecting donations while they are wrapping presents, Smith added, “so it’s really one of those great situations that benefits all involved.”
This holiday season, Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, New York, is also inviting volunteers — schools, nonprofits, and individuals — to help with gift wrapping at the bookstore during the busiest days of December, with any tips going to benefit the organization or to the Brooklyn Community Foundation.
On December 14, Greenlight also held a toy and book drive and potluck dinner for the residents of 60 Clarkson in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, an apartment building whose occupants are currently facing housing insecurity and which, until recently, had been a Department of Homeless Services-funded housing location. Donations were dropped off at Greenlight or at Blessings Herbs & Coffee in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and the bookstore wrapped and delivered the packages to residents.
Jamie Hope Anderson, owner of Duck’s Cottage Downtown Books in Manteo, North Carolina, said she plans to hold a Christmas-themed version of her store’s popular new “Coloring and Cocktails” event for $12 at Waveriders, a local coffee shop/winebar/deli. Anderson said 56 people attended the store’s first “drink and draw”-style event at Waveriders last month. The $20 admission fee bought guests their choice of a coloring book and an adult beverage, and Waveriders received $5 a head. Anderson said she hopes she can hold a few more of these Coloring and Cocktails events over the winter months.
On Friday, December 18, Waveriders is also hosting Duck’s Cottage’s last-minute holiday pop-up shop, which will feature a selection of jewelry by local artisan Maritoka Palmer and a selection of Nag’s Head Apothecary body butters, face serums, lip balms, and spritzers, as well as coloring books and fun stocking stuffers from Duck’s Cottage.
At Macdonald Book Shop in Estes Park, Colorado, store owner Paula Steige’s Festive Fridays feature entertainment and author events accompanied by free hot cider. On Friday, December 11, one of the store’s employees, Claudia Hook, dressed up as Mrs. Claus and performed on her viola throughout the day.
“Being an accomplished and formerly professional viola player, Claudia sat by the fireplace and played whenever we had people in the shop,” Steige said. “It was very much enjoyed by many, including children, who accompanied her with jingle bells.”
At Bookbug, a children’s bookstore in Kalamazoo, Michigan, customers can choose to be a “gift angel” and fulfill the holiday wishes of local children in need, which currently hang above one of the store’s holiday tables. Customers find the child a gift, and Bookbug will deliver it to the Salvation Army in time to be wrapped and delivered for Christmas.
This year, Sheridan Stationery Books and Gallery in Sheridan, Wyoming, is participating, along with other local retailers, in the Downtown Sheridan Association’s “Wise Men’s Night Out” shopping event on December 17.
During the nighttime event, which features deals from local downtown area stores, a contest drawing will offer a chance to win traditionally male-oriented prizes: a Ruger Collector Series 10/22 Carbine Rifle donated by Big Horn Trading, valued at $350, or a Spirit Decanter, bottle of Trail’s End Bourbon, and two rocks glasses donated by local upscale liquor store, The Tasting Library.
As a thank you to their loyal customers, Eagle Eye Bookshop in Decatur, Georgia is giving out a complimentary Christmas gift to those who spend more than $25 in a single purchase. Additionally, all this month, the store’s e-newsletter has featured fun facts on various Christmas traditions and holiday myths, including the origin of the Christmas tree, gift-giving, and Christmas stockings, as well as the legend of Santa’s demonic counterpart, Krampus.
Eagle Eye has also set up a special shipping service for last-minute book purchases: If a customer needs to get a certain book in time for Christmas Day, they can place an order as late as Monday, December 21, and it should arrive at the store by Tuesday, December 22. Customers can have books sent to almost anywhere, including military addresses. Books can even be gift-wrapped and a gift message included for an extra $1.50.


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U.S. stocks set to open lower
Futures were forecasting a lower open for U.S. stocks on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said his administration is not ready to make a trade deal with China.
“I think they probably wish they made the deal that they had on the table before they tried to renegotiate it,” the president said on Monday at a press conference during his state visit to Japan. “They would like to make a deal. We’re not ready to make a deal.”
As of 7:05 a.m. ET, futures on the blue-chip Dow were seen losing 14 points, or 0.05% to 25,606. Futures on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 declined 5.5 points, or 0.08% to 7,310 while those on the broader S&P 500 were down 4.37 points, or 0.15% to 2,827.38.
Alibaba said to be eyeing $20 billion through a second listing in Hong Kong
Alibaba is weighing raising $20 billion through a second listing in Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people with the matter.
The people told Bloomberg that the e-commerce giant is planning to submit a listing application confidentially as early as by the end of this year.
Alibaba will use the money raised on the Hong Kong stock exchange to help it “diversify funding channels and boost liquidity,” the sources said.
The move would ensure that the Chinese ecommerce behemoth can still access international investors in case its New York listing is affected by the ongoing the trade war between the U.S. and China.
Fiat proposes merger with France’s Renault
The proposal was made after both companies held discussions to identify markets and products where they could join forces to meet the costly challenges of in-car connectivity, autonomous cars, and electric vehicles.


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Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as new data shows the UK claimant count jumped over 2m in April.
then we are confident you have heard about the world's most famous digital currency.
As you can already tell, Bitcoin faucets allow users to earn free bitcoins in small.
Bitcoin Aliens has one of the highest paying averages in the industry,
Bitcoin Real-time Price China’s sovereign digital currency could be launched later this year, with the likes of Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat. Bitcoin Bowl Kickoff On Espn The bowl will now be known as the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl. Kickoff is set for 8pm ET on Friday, Dec. 26, 2014 and the game will be televised by ESPN.
The BP share price has slumped, and the oil market is in tatters, but I am sticking with my investment in BP because I think.
BitCoin Faucets. Sharing BitCoin with New Users across the Internet.
Delve inside the often chaotic world of one of Britain’s largest hotel chains. Plus: Rob and Romesh vs Cricket. Here’s what.
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Should You Buy Bitcoin 27 Mar 2020. Historically, November has always been the best time to buy Bitcoin and was followed on average by a 30% rally in the same month and by a 40. When it comes to buying and selling cryptocurrencies, it is the Wild West out there. This is Money guides you through wallets. 16 Jan
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While the world observed the International Day Against Homophobia.
an area that has also improved — after a majority voted against LGBTQ education in elementary and junior-high schools in 2018, 53.
The current cheapest deal costs the typical household £764 a year with the best value tariff from the Big Six coming in at.


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New Cybersecurity Bill of Rights Announced by NAIC
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has chosen National Cybersecurity Awareness month to announce a new bill of rights aimed at protecting consumers, which sets new standards for insurers to follow, and protects subscribers whose personal information is exposed in an insurance data breach.
The new cybersecurity bill of rights has been summarized in a PDF file which is available for viewing and download on the NAIC website. The document outlines the rights of consumers following a data breach that exposes personal information. While the new bill of rights has now been made available, how it is applied may actually vary depending on where insurance consumers live, as consumer rights will still be governed by data breach laws in each state.
Monica J. Lindeen, the Montana Insurance Commissioner and current NAIC president, spoke of the new bill of rights earlier this month. “Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today and this is one of our association’s key priorities,” she went on to say, “Our commitment to strengthening the NAIC’s technical and information services infrastructure and our security environment is demonstrated in our current budget, as well as strategic planning for the next few years.”
Last week, the Cybersecurity (EX) Task Force adopted the new standards laid down in the Cybersecurity Bill of Rights in an effort to ensure consumers are better protected, although the new bill of rights is currently still being reviewed. A final discussion on the bill is due to take place later this year, after which the NAIC Executive (EX) Committee/Plenary will decide whether to formally give its approval.
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The new bill stipulates 6 rights that are granted to consumers, while it also helps insurers reduce the impact of cybersecurity risks and helps them develop an efficient data breach response plan.
Key Elements of the Cybersecurity Bill of Rights
- Consumers to be informed of the type of information collected and stored by insurers and their contracted business associates
- Insurance companies must take reasonable steps to ensure stored data remains private
- Following a breach of data, consumers must be informed within 60 days. The nature of the breach must be explained along with the information exposed. Standards also dictate the content of breach notifications
- Consumers must be provided with identity theft protection services for a year if their data has been exposed
- The rights of consumers following a breach of personal information are to be explained, including the actions that can be taken to protect credit following data breach, how fraudulent activity can be identified and other rights, such the prevention of debt collectors attempting to recover funds that have been fraudulently obtained by criminals who have used stolen consumer data
Adam Hamm, North Dakota Insurance Commissioner and NAIC Cybersecurity Task Force Chair, explained the need for the new bill of rights, saying ““[Consumers] also deserve to know when a breach occurs so they can safeguard themselves against identity theft or other types of fraud. This Bill of Rights is designed to assist consumers when sensitive information is breached.”
Additionally, the NAIC Cybersecurity Task Force will be working with state regulators and is expected to start auditing covered entities to ensure that appropriate measures are being implemented to both protect the privacy of consumers, and ensure they are notified in a timely manner should a data breach actually be suffered.


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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blogalicious (www.beblogalicious.com), a community of multi-cultural digital influencers and publishers, today announces a strategic partnership with PadSquad (www.padsquad.com), a mobile software and advertising technology firm.
The B-Link Marketing Network from Blogalicious is a niche network of 700 digital publishers made up of African-American, Latina, Asian-American and Caucasian influencers. In the past few years, this uniquely diverse community has seen their audiences using mobile devices as they browse their sites explode in growth. In this exclusive partnership, PadSquad will use its proprietary mobile software to create mobile-friendly versions of Blogalicious publisher websites, while connecting brand advertisers to their mobile audiences. The partnership will kick off at the sixth annual Blogalicious Weekend in San Antonio, Texas on November 6-8, 2014 with live demonstrations and a panel discussion including PadSquad’s CEO & Founder, Daniel Meehan.
"In 2012, it was widely reported that for the first time, racial and ethnic minorities made up more than half the children born in the U.S. While this shift was expected, the official announcement was nonetheless a landmark as the multicultural market is increasingly becoming the new general market,” comments Stacey Ferguson, Chief Curator of Blogalicious and owner of JusticeFergie.com. “Many of our multi-cultural bloggers and publishers have mega followings and are very active on social media. Since mobile, social, and blogging are all so interconnected, it really made sense to offer our network a solution to help grow their business by leveraging their huge mobile audiences that already exist. PadSquad’s mobile publishing software has proven to be super easy to use, will help them drive more mobile revenue, and gets our network into mobile publishing very quickly.”
According to Nielsen, Multicultural consumers have led the growth in smartphone penetration, as they’re adopting smartphones at a higher rate than the U.S. average. In fact, Asian Americans lead the U.S. in smartphones ownership, as nearly four out of five (78%) already use smartphones. Hispanics are ahead of the curve in adopting digital devices, including smartphones, as over three-quarters (77%) of Latinos in the U.S. use smartphones. African-Americans are also pioneers of smartphone technology, as 73 percent of Black consumers in the U.S. currently own smartphones.
“One of the greatest challenges digital marketers face in 2014 is finding ways to help their brand stand out," PadSquad CEO & Founder, Daniel Meehan, states. "There are so many advertisers saying similar things in similar places. We are tremendously excited about the partnership with Blogalicious because it’s a perfect match between influential multi-cultural publishers, content that connects to deeply passionate and tech savvy audiences, using leading mobile technology. This is a huge opportunity for brands who are committed to making an impact on mobile in the multi-cultural market, using all of the high-impact mobile solutions we offer.”
Launched in 2009, the Blogalicious brand celebrates diversity among women in social media. By offering marketing, educational, networking and social opportunities geared towards women of all backgrounds, Blogalicious serves to uplift and advance its community of over 2,000 official members in their digital endeavors, and connect them with lifestyle consumer brands. Under the Blogalicious umbrella are several unique efforts, all dedicated to fostering diversity - both of ethnicity and thought - in social media, including: the bLink Marketing Network; the #ShopTalk social media chat series; and the Blogalicious Weekend Conference, which generates upwards of 300M social media impressions yearly.
Founded in 2012 and based in New York City, PadSquad is a mobile software company focused on the intersection of digital content and advertising on mobile devices. Our proprietary mobile responsive software combines high-end user experiences and viewable rich media advertising to deliver meaningful results—measured and proven with an extensive suite of analytics. To learn more about PadSquad, visit http://www.PadSquad.com or follow us at @padsquadmedia.


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What percentage of Americans drink coffee on a daily basis?
The survey found that 64 percent of Americans drink a cup of coffee every day, up from 62 percent in 2017, and the highest percentage since 2012.
Why do Americans drink so much coffee?
- It’s not really coffee, it is often more similar to a milkshake.
- Americans often know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Any cheap food must be consumed in large quantities − cola, popcorn, French fries and “coffee”. …
- Americans are happy to eat and drink while walking or while in a vehicle, even if they’re driving. …
What percentage of Americans are addicted to caffeine?
What percentage of Americans say they’re addicted to coffee? Just like nicotine, caffeine can be a hard habit to break. Overall, 26% of coffee drinkers say they’re addicted to java, and that number jumps to 46% among people who have at least three cups each day. How much coffee does the typical office worker consume each week?
What does percentage of Americans consume caffeine daily?
More than 90 percent of U.S. adults use caffeine regularly, the study says, and, on average, they consume about 200 mg per day. For healthy adults, the FDA says 400 mg a day is OK. But consuming much more than that can have dangerous, negative effects. And the milligrams add up quickly.


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Saturday, April 09, 2005
It's the end of an era for Britain. Many news articles have talked of MG-Rover being the last major independent car maker in Britain, but I would argue it stopped being independent several years ago when it was purchased by BMW. These last few years of "independence" were really only continued selling of old designs. The lack of money never allowed a new generation of vehicles to emerge, and the result was just a dying company selling out the last of its models until they became so outdated no one would buy them.
I see a lot of similarities between the American auto industry and MG-Rover, specifically GM and MG-Rover. GM doesn't have enough money right now to make new car models, at least RWD ones. The Zeta platform was cancelled to make room for new SUVs, a market that has been and will continue to diminish for the next century because of the end of the petroleum age.
There's also a habit of American manufacturers refusing to upgrade the engineering that supports their cars. Ford's Crown Victoria can be traced back decades. GM harnesses 4 speed automatic transmissions to twenty year old iron block v6s. Ford upgrades its two decade old Mustang, and it sells out. GM refuses to do anything so radical.
All the Big 3 and MG-Rover had executive cultures that were against change. The American reason for refusing to change probably had more to do with an obsession for short term profit, wringing out every last cent out of an aging platform. The British reason for doing it was probably just a cultural refusal to change anything. But the end result is the same, more modern vehicles from foreign competitors.
MG-Rover at the end tried to bring in vehicles from the 3rd world, specifically from Tata, an Indian manufacturer. It didn't work. South Korea is hardly a third world country, but GM's importing over of the Aveo from there is a similar idea. It seems like a good idea, but it just won't make the same kind of profit a homemade little car would. It also shows that GM doesn't have the ability to create a cheap small car on its own, the same problem MG-Rover had. The more you import for others, the less likely you'll be able to make it on your own. Small cars are a very competitive market with low profits. To not invest in this area and depend on others is very risky.
What can GM and the rest of the American auto industry do to avoid the fate of MG-Rover? Even a liberal government like the one run by Tony Blair, is refusing to completely prop up the company. And that's right before an election. The Bush administration will not be a friend to a blue state industry, especially in an off-election year. So the American auto industry better tread carefully to avoid bankruptcy. The Big 3 should invest in areas where they know the future will be. Invest in new car platforms. Don't think mediocre designs atop old platforms is competitive. It isn't. It never has been. Be daring in design. And don't depend on a roadster to rescue your company. It didn't work for MG-Rover with their MG-TF, it won't work for GM with the Solstice and Sky. It's a small market niche, that holds profit potential, but just isn't enough to maintain an entire company. Spend the money where your competitors are spending it: hybrids, small and midsize sedans. Not SUVs.


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Airwaves: Can ‘Star Wars’ save Disney from itself?
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has been in theaters for about two weeks, since opening internationally on Dec. 15. Perhaps you’ve seen it — maybe even more than once. Lots of people have.
In fact, it would be difficult to nail down a box office record that the latest installment in the “Star Wars” franchise hasn’t obliterated. Earlier this week, it became the fastest film in history to make $1 billion worldwide. In the coming year, “Force Awakens” merchandise is expected to make $5 billion for Disney — which acquired George Lucas’ LucasFilms in 2012 for a little more than $4 billion.
However, a story this week in the Washington Post suggests that “Star Wars” may not be enough to keep the struggling Disney empire in the black as it continues to dump money into ESPN despite a consistent decline in cable and satellite subscribers. According to the article, about 45 percent of Disney’s operating profit last year came from cable TV. In addition to the ESPN family of networks, Disney also owns the Disney Channels, ABC Family and maintains 50 percent ownership in the A&E networks, which include History, Lifetime, A&E, the Lifetime Movie Network, H2 and FYI.
But ESPN — that’s the albatross. It is Disney’s single biggest business, and the company spends billions on securing sports broadcast rights each year. In order to remain competitive with the sports networks of Fox and NBC, ESPN has agreed to pay the NFL more than $15 billion over 10 years. It also has a deal in place with the NBA costing $1.4 billion per year for nine years — “three times as expensive as Disney’s previous TV deal with the league — even though ESPN’s basketball viewership last season fell 10 percent to 1.5 million viewers, the network’s lowest since 2008,” the Post article notes.
Now, Disney is not exactly a sinking ship. It has, however, seen a few stock sell-offs this year, and analysts tie that directly to a growing skepticism of the subscription cable TV model. BTIG Research analyst Rich Greenfield recently downgraded the stock to “sell,” adding that “even the Force cannot protect ESPN.” This is a point that I have written about time and time again in this space. As so-called “cord-cutters” opt for web-based alternatives for their visual entertainment, cable and satellite bundles — huge moneymakers for Disney — will begin to decline.
Currently, ESPN is earning about $7 a month off your cable or satellite bill. But seven million U.S. households have dropped ESPN in the past two years — a trend that doesn’t bode well for the sports network, its parent company, or investors.
If we zoom out a little farther, this is really indicative of a larger problem. Cable and satellite TV services are becoming more expensive while cheaper alternatives flood the market. A couple of years ago, I wrote a column exploring the viability of a la carte programming — allowing subscribers to choose the channels they want instead of bundled tiers of programming. I still suspect that, if cable and satellite services are going to make their services viable in the long-term, they’ll have to find a way to make this work.
Or else they’ll have to turn up the pressure on studios and content-providers to freeze out players like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. The business model that forces subscribers to get 40 channels when they’re only going to watch four will only continue to send consumers scrambling for alternatives.
Meanwhile, Disney is poised to die by death of 1,000 cuts as it continues to enter into agreements with the big streaming providers that are gradually eroding the subscriber base of its biggest moneymaker.
Don’t get me wrong. Someone smart will come along and figure out a solution before the Magic Kingdom crumbles — but not before more damage is done to a business model that the internet is making more unsustainable by the minute.
Damien Willis may be reached at email@example.com. Visit www.damiennow.com and follow him @damienwillis on Twitter.


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As they pile up in cash accounts, undistributed foreign profits are inflating U.S. multinationals' valuations and making companies appear less…
The car rental firm says it will restate three years of financials, months after its finance chief said she left for personal reasons.
If forced to do business in a virtual currency, finance will have to alter existing processes and invent new ones. Here's some of what it faces.
At many companies, CFOs will have to oversee a transition to broader disclosures on revenue recognition.
International and emerging markets are enticing but can be hazardous. Here are six risks to watch out for.
In March the Treasury Department proposed an amendment to tax law, taking effect in 2015, that would prevent most corporate inversion transactions.
Under FASB’s forthcoming standard, revenue recognition will require more brainpower than ever.
Why finance and treasury departments are keeping their distance from the virtual currency.
The outmoded U.S. proxy voting system imposes barriers that make it more difficult for companies to engage directly with their equity investors.
The new rules also add stiff requirements to the auditor’s report.


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Over 150 stores have signed up to this year’s Wake Up To Organic campaign, surpassing the 70 stores involved last year, and well on the way to the Organic Trade Board’s (OTB) target of 200.
The campaign, which takes place on 14 June, was officially launched this month at Natural & Organic Products Europe by River Cottage chef and author Gill Meller who cooked up an organic breakfast treat in a session hosted by Madeleine Shaw.
“I’m delighted to be involved with the Wake Up To Organic campaign,” said Meller. “I’ve long been a fan of organic produce and it’s certainly at the heart of the River Cottage ethos. I’m looking forward to showing how easy it is to switch to an organic breakfast.”
The event is designed to encourage consumers to switch to organic at breakfast as well as increase footfall in indie stores during the sometimes quiet morning selling period.
Commenting on last year’s campaign, Alan Martin from Food For Thought said: “2016 was our first Wake Up To Organic Event and was so successful, not only on the day, but ongoing, bringing both awareness to organics and to our store. We promoted the day on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our website, and had over 250 customers turn up for a free organic breakfast and cup of Pukka tea. We handed out a 10% off store voucher with every breakfast and had over 50 redemptions on the day, many from first time customers.
“Last year’s result has given us the confidence to build on it for this year and increase our marketing/social media budget to make Wake Up To Organic 2017 a much more prominent, exciting and fun occasion.”
Catherine Fookes, OTB campaign manager, said: “It’s fantastic that we have reached the 150 store milestone for Wake Up To Organic. From last year’s campaign we know that it’s a great opportunity for retailers to demonstrate to customers how simple and beneficial it is to make the switch to organic. And there’s still time for more retailers and cafés to sign up and take part in the campaign”.
Participating retailers will receive a free toolkit to help them make the most of hosting events in store. Once again this year Infinity Foods Co-operative will provide breakfast boxes of its organic products to all participating stores.


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Dealing with the Christmas tree shortage
It's Christmas tree season, but in 2021, you might find it harder to get your hands on a real or artificial tree than in previous years. One of the reasons for this year’s shortage of real Christmas trees is a result of extreme weather in the Pacific Northwest and the shortage of artificial trees, which mostly come from China, are affected by the same supply chain issues hurting many industries. And if you want a locally grown Christmas tree from one of the over 250 Christmas tree farms in Illinois, you may have to hustle, as the shortage is impacting the tree market here. The 21st was joined by two Illinois Christmas tree farmers to talk about it.
President of the Illinois Christmas Tree Association and co-owner of Richardson Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois
Owner of Cinnamon Tree Farm in Brimfield (Village in Peoria County)
Christmas tree shopping today? There's a shortage in Illinois, farmers say shop early. https://t.co/lYxV8UwdIJ— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) November 26, 2021
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
Help shape our coverage on The 21st by joining our texting group and answering weekly questions. To join, text “TALK” to 217-803-0730 or sign up with your phone number below:


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The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had a monumental effect on the games industry, for better or worse with stats like engagement and playtime increasing heavily.
"One of the leading developers in Vietnam, Amanotes, specifically said that in lockdown every day seemed like a weekend in terms of the gameplay," App Annie general manager of gaming Junde Yu told viewers at a panel at PGC Helsinki on 'Second Wave of Games - Coming Back from Covid-19'.
"Usually, you have spikes from Monday to Friday and the weekend blows up but every day was like a weekend," he explained.
Further panellists included DICE head of design Fawzi Mesmar, Deconstructor of Fun founder Michail Katkoff, Omdia games industry analyst Louise Shorthouse, and Bitkraft esports ventures founding partner Malte Barth.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that mobile game installs have shot up by 75 per cent in Q1 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19. While mobile has grown heavily, console and PC have actually risen even more with the panellists putting this down to people being at home instead of frequently travelling.
Deliverables vs. time
"We're looking more at deliverables versus time spent at the office, which I think is smart," said Katkoff in response to the long-lasting effects of the pandemic.
"When it comes to a more persistent effect in terms of genres and games people play, we can kind of see what happened with China because they were ahead of the curve.
"Once its lockdown ended we saw pretty steep normalisation of the time spent on different games. And of course, during the lockdown everybody played the most popular games and after people didn't."
One of the first games to benefit from the lockdown was Epic Games' Houseparty App, which jumped by 3000 per cent in downloads.
Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki Digital is the best of our Pocket Gamer Connects conference in an online form, with an entire week of talks, meetings, and pitch events taking place from September 14th to the 18th. You can read up on all the tracks taking place throughout the week here.


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The PMI reading, given between 0-100, measures activity in the sector - anything above 50 signals growth, while anything below means contraction.
New contracts predominately came from the domestic market, although exports remained strong, if down on July's near-record high.
Manufacturing output declined to 54.3 from 56.3, though some survey respondents reported having a greater number of projects in the pipeline.
The strongest euro exchange rate in two and a half years did little to dent demand for French-made goods as the flow of new orders and backlogs of work grew, the survey showed.
The manufacturing sector slumped to its lowest level in July - its lowest mark since February 2009 - dragged down by disruptions to business activity following the introduction of GST.
USA retaliates against Russian Federation ordering closure of consulate and annexes
President Donald Trump said on Twitter that "talking is not the answer" when it comes to dealing with North Korea. Moscow forced the cut in American diplomatic staff earlier this year in retaliation for USA sanctions.
Rob Dobson, a director at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey, said: "At the moment, the survey data suggest that the manufacturing economy remains in good health despite Brexit uncertainty, and should help support ongoing growth in the economy in the third quarter". Purchase price inflation accelerated for the first time in seven months during August.
China posted stronger-than-expected economic growth of 6.9 percent in the first half, fueled by a year-long construction boom, resurgent exports and robust retail sales.
Furthermore, the rate of growth was little changed from July's five-month high.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's shock move last November to scrap high-value banknotes late past year has continued to weigh on overall economic activity. The rate of job creation was the highest in three years.
Supply shortages put upward pressure on prices and there were further reports of capacity constraints.


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By now you might have seen someone riding a brightly-painted bike or whizzing around on an electric scooter. These vehicles have already flooded the streets of downtown D.C. and Silver Spring, and they could be coming to Bethesda soon as a part of the dockless vehicle craze spreading across the region and the country.
The system that these vehicles run on is incredibly simple: all a user has to do to ride is to download an app and scan a code on the bike or scooter. Then they are free to go wherever they want, and simply lock the vehicle when they’re done. There’s no hassle of having to park a bike at a dock, so people can ride straight to their destination.
Montgomery County has been running a pilot program of dockless bikes in downtown Silver Spring. They’ve allowed Lime, one of the companies running the bikes and scooters, to place a number of them on the streets. County officials have been impressed with the results of the pilot and are looking to expand the program throughout the county, starting with downtown Bethesda, among other areas like Friendship Heights, North Bethesda, and Wheaton.
This next phase would bring the vehicles right to the backdoor of BCC, with huge advantages for students. One notable benefit would be for those who have to stay after school and don’t have a car, like students on sports teams or attending TAP. The vehicles would be a quick way to get home, being much cheaper than an Uber and potentially faster than public transit.
Another perk of the vehicles would be noticed at lunchtime. Instead of rushing to get food off-campus at lunch and eating on the way back to school, electric scooters and bikes would allow students to quickly get to places like Bethesda Row and elsewhere with time to spare.
There are some possible drawbacks to adopting this new system, however. Residents have complained about bikes improperly parked on sidewalks, blocking the way. In a presentation made at several town hall meetings on the subject, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation found that 7% of parked bikes were blocking sidewalks or buildings. Even though this is a fairly low rate, it should ideally not become elevated as the system is expanded. Also, the dockless bikes and scooters prompt safety concerns as riders must either share the road with cars or the sidewalks with pedestrians. The county is currently working on a solution to this issue by expanding bike lanes to accommodate an increase in ridership.
Despite these areas of concern, dockless bikes and scooters present a significant opportunity. They have the potential to alleviate traffic while at the same time getting people where they want to go faster than other methods. If the issues are managed well, the vehicles could truly change and improve the way we get from place to place.


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Get a 4% dividend from the future of medicine: International Biotechnology Trust manager on the Investing Show
Biotechnology is an exciting industry, where technology creates medicine tailored to individuals.
This is seen as the future of healthcare, as instead of being given one size fits all drugs patients can get treatments that will work better for them and fight diseases such as cancer in a way that increases their chances of survival.
As the West's populations age, this will become even more important.
We interview Carl Harald Janson, the manager of International Biotechnology Trust and a qualified medical doctor. He explains what biotechnology is, how it works and what he looks for when investing in companies that could change healthcare over the next decades.
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Sometimes the plucking of E-commerce strings seems as syncopated and well-orchestrated as a Keiratsu quartet. This week it’s Google’s Boutiques.com and Amazon’s new Visual Search, closely rivaled by a rumored Google merger with Groupon and Yahoo!’s partnering with serial entrepreneur Martin Tobias and Tippr.com.
While Boutiques.com, and its radically advanced visual search capabilities according to genre, silhouette, pattern, color families and sizes, may not keep very many shoppers away from women’s couture this coming Black Friday, the “design your own” personal style “Store” is a pretty compelling alternative to long checkout lines and picked over apparel.
Boutiques.com offers a variety of features to search and discover merchandise. Besides the many-splendored Advanced Search filter, Inspiration Photos help to match the outfit ideas to the right of the search results. Complete the Look feature helps to develop a tool to suggest the items that match with the outfit. The Visual Search helps to analyze the photograph of an item for it’s colour shape and pattern. You can also download an iPad app for Boutiques.com.
Amazon’s A9 also has its eye on the fashion world. With its new “shape picker” technology, finding the right pair of shoes becomes even easier for customers. Bill Stasior, president of A9, explained: “The customer is presented with a palette of shapes, representing different styles of shoes and that palette is constantly changing to match the customer’s context. Because the styles are shown graphically as silhouettes, customers don’t even need to know the name of the styles they are exploring.”
The shape picker relies heavily on global and local shape contour descriptors, as well as texture descriptors, computed using algorithms developed at A9.com. This same idea of helping customers find visually similar items is also manifested in the “Items That Look Like This” feature on the product detail pages.
Google is in a year-end shopping mode, to say the least. Spurned in its less-than-formal offer to buy Twitter for somewhere between $2.5 and $4 billion, the Googleplex is as flush with cash as Steve Ballmer is lately, Eyeing Groupon’s deals of the day could seem like the deal of the decade to Mountainview. Owning the hot space around local purchasing and consumer information, combined with the social element, would be a tasty treat for Google. But there is at least one major obstacle in a possible Google purchase of Groupon: even more regulatory scrutiny by the federal government. Google narrowly missed getting approval for its $750 million purchase of mobile advertising start-up AdMob.
Across town in Sunnyvale, Yahoo! announced its partnership with Seattle-based Tippr.com, one of the largest group buying sites on the Internet,as part of Yahoo!’s new Local Offers program. The alignment exposes Tippr.com’s popular daily deals to Yahoo’s massive audience, and provides unprecedented value to Tippr.com merchants who will now have exposure to the nearly 200 million monthly visitors to Yahoo.com.
The partnership is also a big win for publishers like Belo Corp, who has its own daily deal site, Yollar.com, operated by PoweredByTippr, Tippr’s patented, industry-first, white-label, group buying platform. Through this partnership between Tippr and Yahoo!, Belo and all other PoweredByTippr publishers now have the option to promote their own daily deals through Yahoo!’s Local Offers program to reach millions of potential customers.
“Our partnership with Yahoo! means more consumers are getting more deals, and more merchants are getting more customers,” said Martin Tobias, founder and chief executive officer of Tippr. “The best part is that any publisher using the PoweredByTippr platform can expose their own branded group buying site to the Yahoo! audience with the proverbial flip of a switch. This is something no other group buying site can offer its partners.” For more information on Tippr’s white-label group buying platform, visitwww.PoweredByTippr.com.
Can online deals revive the economy by driving holiday shoppers to offline savings? Groupon recently offered an unheard of price of $25 for a $50 gift card to Nordstrom Rack. We’ve never seen Nordstrom Rack offer that kind of deal. But it was real! For holiday gifting, Groupon has just launched a new themed site called Grouponicus. Opening today, the store will add a deal at 50-90% off every day for the next five weeks (totaling 650 deals). Unlike normal Groupon deals which go off market in 24 hours, Grouponicus offers will be available for three to five days. Furthermore, the site will preview upcoming gifts.
Read More of What’s Brewing Here >>>


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The Tesla workers that are key to ensuring the automaker meets its lofty production targets are threatening to strike, the media reported on Tuesday.
Germany's industrial trade union IG Metall are calling for a worker strike at Grohmann Engineering, the German engineering company Tesla bought in November, claiming workers have been making 30% below union wages ever since Tesla acquired the company, according to the report. IG Metall could decide whether it will call for a strike by ate Tuesday in order to negotiate new wages.
Tesla refuted the claim that Grohmann workers are making 30% below union wages.
"We continue to work directly with Tesla Grohmann employees and are prepared in the event there is an action initiated by the union," a Tesla spokesperson said. "We don't anticipate any impact on the Model 3 timeline." The California-based automaker acquired Grohmann as part of an effort to further automate ts factories and speed up production.


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Carbitex Inc., the maker of Kennewick technology that turns carbon fabric into flexible carbon composites, had a choice to make when it debuted in 2012.
Its patented composite material, flexible but rigid, can be used in a large number of products. Junus Khan, founder and president, had to figure out which one to target.
Four years ago, Khan and his team chose shoes.
Integrated into athletic shoes, Carbitex’s carbon composite plates provide strength and lift thanks to its ability to transfer power from the foot to the ground. It’s a branded addition to the high-end footwear – boots in Europe – worn by some of the world’s most elite athletes.
Footwear-focused planning, development and marketing efforts are paying off.
Carbitex claims repeat orders from its stable of shoe customers including Adidas, growing revenues, approximately $ 15 million in investor capital over multiple rounds, a payroll that has grown to 50, and a new CEO.
He even put his most prominent shoe to date, the Adidas model formerly known as X Ghosted, on Argentine soccer legend Leo Messi. The Ghosted X has been renamed in his honor.
Kahn called it the culmination of four years of efforts to promote its carbon composite as a key component of high performance footwear. In addition to Adidas, it supplies a wide range of shoe manufacturers including Scott, DC Shoes, and Lake Cycling.
The list goes on, even though Khan has said he can’t announce anything concrete.
But it’s telling that its existing customers have all placed orders and are using Carbitex in a growing number of applications, including running shoes, cycling shoes and more. Khan said outdoor shoes are a growing category.
Carbitex gets a foothold
Carbitex quintupled its turnover in 2020 and is expected to double again this year. He does not disclose the income, but in a 2016 notice to the Securities and Exchange Commission, he said sales totaled less than $ 1 million.
Today the number of jobs reaches 50. Khan expects it to reach 200 in the coming years.
In its most recent disclosure to the SEC, filed in September, it reported $ 6.3 million in new equity investment, its second round this year.
A month later, he welcomed new CEO Rob Langstaff, former president of Adidas North America, who succeeded longtime CEO Ron Boninger, who retired.
Welcome of a new CEO
Khan spent six months looking for a CEO who would take Carbitex to the next level after Boninger announced his intention to retire.
Khan said Langstaff was the right fit.
He has held senior development roles at Brooks Running and most recently at Portland-based Keen Footwear. He commutes between his home in Willamette Valley and the eastern neighborhoods of Carbitex in Kennewick.
For Khan, Langstaff’s footwear experience is important. But the same goes for its work in developing regional offices. A young but growing business needs a leader who knows how to build bandwidth.
“Rob did it for the regional offices of large companies and on his own,” Khan said. “We were really lucky.”
Langstaff isn’t the only new addition. In January, Khan announced two new leaders. Erika Canfield has joined as vice president of global marketing and Clark Morgan as director of global footwear business development.
Both have extensive experience in the industry and brand development. They join a team that includes Dave Lajeunesse, Director of Operations, and Tom De Shiell, Senior Engineer.
Partnership with Leo Messi
Adidas, the Germany-based sneaker brand, launched its X Ghosted “soccer shoes” for over $ 250 in 2020 with Carbitex composite plates integrated into the foresole.
The technology is said to have helped football players get off the ground and was such an important part of the packaging that Adidas made the outline of the plate visible on the sole.
Messi, one of the most successful and highest paid athletes in the world, signed and the X Ghosted was renamed X Speedflow.1 and received a colorful makeover.
It’s a win without qualifying, Khan said.
“It has been a huge success for Adidas and for us as well. We are one of, if not the technologies featured in this boot, ”Khan said.
Adidas has released a simplified “.3” version that sells for under $ 100. The .3 does not have a Carbitex heel plate, but does feature the contour of the sole.
Carbitex continues to look to private investors to support its growth, which includes increasing its manufacturing capacity. She opened a second facility near her first in Kennewick and is equipping a third.
Since 2016, he has raised about $ 15 million in equity investments, according to information released to the SEC. The latest cycle was reported in September and includes a contribution from the Richland Fuse Fund, of which Boninger, the retired CEO, is a leader.
The three Kennewick manufacturing plants are within a mile of each other. Khan said the arrangement would work for now. But he hopes to regroup in a single establishment within two years.
He said the company is developing a new strategic plan under the leadership of its new CEO.
Carbitex: 1426 E. Third Ave., Building B, Kennewick; carbitex.com.


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SustainFloyd is proud to announce that it’s now accepting applications for the 2014 Floyd Farmers Market. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2014. A jury committee will evaluate the applications in February and vendors will be notified soon after so they can prepare for the market’s opening in May.
The application is available here: Floyd Farmers Market Vendor App 2014.
In 2013, SustainFloyd received more than 20 applications to serve as a vendor in the Floyd Farmers Market. That’s the biggest response we had ever had — and the first time we’ve had to tell applicants “no,” as the demand for vending spots outstripped our supply.
We anticipate a similar response this year, so get your application in now to be considered for a spot in 2014.


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Netgear is officially the first networking company with an 802.11ac Wi-Fi router, the company announced Thursday. The R6300, which will debut in May, will reportedly run up to 1.3Gbps on the 5GHz band, which makes it (theoretically) more than twice as fast as current 802.11n routers.
The R6300 features four gigabit Ethernet ports for hooking up wired devices, and two USB ports for network-attached storage and printer sharing. The router has DLNA support, which lets you securely stream media across multiple devices. The R6300 is also backward-compatible, which means that it will work with all of your existing wireless devices. This is important, since there are no 802.11ac-compatible devices currently on the market, and none are expected until the end of this year (at the earliest).
The R6300’s top speed of 1.3Gbps is only attainable using the 5GHz band. This means that if you have devices on your network that use previous wireless standards (both 802.11ac and 802.11n operate on 5GHz, but not 802.11b/g), then your R6300 will also fall back to those standards. The R6300 is a dual-band router, though, so a settings tweak should let you banish slower devices to the lower 2.4GHz band, while maintaining faster devices on the 5GHz band.
Though the R6300 is the first 802.11ac router announced, it’s not the first time we’ve seen the technology. At CES 2012, we saw a prototype 802.11ac router from Buffalo running on unofficial standards, as well as one from TrendNet. Those routers are expected to debut in the fall, while the R6300 will be released in May.
The R6300 will cost $200 and be sold through Netgear’s authorized retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Fry’s Electronics.


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Rare mikan (mandarin oranges or tangerines) that were on the brink of extinction are once again showing up in markets in the Higashi Kishu region in Mie Prefecture, a major citrus growing area.
Mikan growers and sellers are attracted to native mikan brands as a way to differentiate themselves amid an increasing threat of further liberalization of the orange market, as Japan and the United States may start negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement. Japanese farmers fear the agreement could result in an influx of oranges from the United States that are more cost-competitive. “The number of mikan that a person can eat in a day is limited. If more oranges are imported from the United States, consumption of Japan-grown mikan will drop,” said an official of an agricultural cooperative in Mihama, Mie Prefecture, which touts itself as “a town that produces mikan all year long.” Japan has been conducting selective breeding of citrus fruits to make them seedless and sweet. However, such new breeds of mikan and oranges often face fierce price competition with similar varieties of imported fruit.
After Japan’s orange market was liberalized as a result of trade talks with the U.S. in 1988, imported oranges were sold at half the price of domestic citrus fruit, forcing many Japanese growers to give up farming or change to different crops. Then came the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, in which Japan agreed to eliminate tariffs imposed on citrus fruit, ranging between 16 and 32 percent depending on the season, over six to eight years, while allowing itself to impose high tariffs in the winter season — when consumption is high — if imports abruptly increase.
However, the U.S. recently announced that it will quit the TPP framework and negotiate a bilateral trade pact with Japan, which may bring even tougher demands.
Faced with the danger of a further decline in mikan farmers, the citrus industry in the Higashi Kishu region is focusing on producing unique citrus varieties to differentiate their products from imports.
Shizen Juku, a fruit shop based in Kumano, Mie, began selling bottles of mikan juice in March produced using Yatsushiro, a mikan variety the size of a pingpong ball that was grown largely on the Kii Peninsula during the Meiji Era.
The firm hopes the juice, sold at ¥540 per 150-ml bottle, will be used as a seasoning for cooking.
Local people have traditionally mixed Yatsushiro juice with soy sauce to go with white fish sashimi, instead of using wasabi.
The region is working on promoting Yatsushiro by taking part in local specialty exhibitions at department stores in Tokyo and Nagoya.
Because Yatsushiro has many seeds and is extremely sour, it was deemed useless after the end of World War II and most of the trees were felled. But Shizen Juku purchases the few that are still grown at ¥300 per kilogram, almost double the price for the widely marketed Unshu mikan tangerines.
“To protect the traditional mikan varieties, we have to call on farmers to continue producing those fruit,” stresses Shizen Juku President Ken Takeuchi, 65.
Meanwhile, Mihama Kankitsu, a producer and seller of oranges in Mihama, is expanding production of Ichigi oranges, a variety that has been cultivated in the town in small quantities for more than 60 years.
Ichigi oranges are sweet and juicy, and can be scooped out with a spoon like grapefruit. The fruit has been gaining popularity, and shipments are expected to grow to 5 tons next year, a tenfold increase from a decade ago. The firm is boosting online sales of the fruit, together with other Higashi Kishu-grown citrus breeds, Shunkokan and Sanpokan, touting them as the “rare orange trio.”
“Fruit types that have once become extinct can be taken as new products by young people or people living outside the region who have never tried them before,” said Mihama Kankitsu President Hirohisa Shiba, 67.
“Having excellent varieties is a great weapon to fight imported produce,” Shiba said.


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Runner’s World China has launched with the November 2012 issue. With the inaugural issue of Runner’s World Norway coming early next year, there are now 17 editions of the magazine.
Runner’s World China executive editor Yan Yi said, “The emergence of Runner’s World China is very timely and necessary. Running groups in China and marathon competitions have grown rapidly in recent years and sports brands have increased their investment in the running industry. It’s the perfect time for a professional running magazine to arrive in China.”
The magazine is a sponsor of the Beijing Marathon, which is being run on Nov. 25 this year instead of its usual mid-October date. Runner's World China will be produced monthly.


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A group of industry leaders, alongside with Razer, a leader in connected devices and software for gamers, and Sensics, a leader in high-performance VR, today announced the Open-Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) ecosystem, a new standard in VR gaming to push the VR gaming experience forward. Razer will support the venture with the OSVR Hacker Dev Kit, a virtual reality device and open-source software that enables programming for any variety of VR technology.
OSVR provides both hardware and software support at every level of virtual reality gaming. Starting with some of the most popular game engines, including Unity 3D and Unreal 4 Engine, OSVR also works with device plugins from hardware market leaders like Bosch and Razer and the latest from Sixense and LeapMotion. Moreover, OSVR is designed to support all VR devices, including the Oculus DK 2 and Vrvana’s Totem headset.
Engineering teams from all over the world developed a standardized interface for virtual reality gaming. The open platform will allow third parties to design and build their own apps and hardware across any operating systems, including Windows, Android and Linux.
“Gaming is moving towards the virtual reality platform and this poses huge benefits and challenges to gamers at every level,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “OSVR brings game developers, gamers and hardware manufacturers together to solve those challenges and make virtual reality gaming a reality for the masses.”
“OSVR’s open-platform approach accelerates innovation and provides consumers the freedom of choosing the best combination of hardware and software components”, says Yuval Boger, CEO of Sensics. “We are excited to partner with Razer and other industry leaders to build OSVR together”.
In line with the OSVR vision, the OSVR Hacker Dev Kit hardware design is both affordable and open source to encourage developers to take advantage of the program. To make software development even easier, the OSVR HDK includes high-quality, low-distortion optics that practically eliminate the need for color and distortion correction, thus minimizing the amount of additional development work required for OSVR compared to other VR devices. Anyone can download 3D files and create their own set of VR-Glasses. For more information on how that works, visit www.osvr.com.
“The OGA is committed to an open ecosystem for the gaming industry, and is pleased to support the efforts of the OSVR,” said Drew Johnston, president of the Open Gaming Alliance. “A free, open source VR development solution supporting multiple headset manufacturers, diverse game engines, and multiple platforms is exactly what game developers and publishers need to accelerate VR gaming adoption.”
OSVR is inviting additional partners to join the cause. Interested parties can contact us at [email protected].
Pre-view demos of OSVR and the Hacker Dev Kit will be shown at CES at the following locations:
– Razer, South Hall 3 at Booth #31132
– Hillcrest, Renaissance Hotel in Suite #1130
Nod Labs is demonstrating natural 3D interaction in OSVR with the Nod gesture control ring and Skeletal tracking. Schedule your visit to meet the Nod team at nod.co/ces
Leap Motion is also showcasing the future of truly immersive virtual reality experiences with OSVR and the original input device – your bare hands. Please email [email protected] to set up a private appointment and connect with the Leap Motion team.
OSVR™ is an ecosystem designed from the ground up to set an open standard for Virtual Reality input devices, games and output with the sole goal of providing the best possible game experience in the Virtual Reality space. Supported by Industry Leaders and focused on gaming, the OSVR framework rallies gamers worldwide together to push the boundaries of VR-Gaming.
Current supporters of OSVR:
Headmounted Display Manufacturers
Input Device Manufacturers
International Game Developers Association
Open Gaming Alliance
Variety of peripherals via VRPN
In addition to the aforementioned VR-Glasses, OSVR provides a plugin to work with the Oculus DK2.
For the purpose of game development, the following game engine plugins are planned for:


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Written by: Fahmi Turk, Chamber Young Professionals Committee + Relationship Manager at Libro Credit Union
Black history in February is necessary. However, people should also act on their appreciation for Black communities in Canada throughout the year.
Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate Black Canadians, acknowledge historical wounds, and recognize that Black Canadians are an important part of our society. Beyond treating them as equals, Canadians can make the effort to support Black businesses, artists, and charities throughout the year — not just in February.
According to small business BC, Canadians should shop at small businesses to:
We asked Fred & Ida Wells – retired Canadian entrepreneurs what black history month meant to you as business owners? The former Waterloo African bakery owners said: “Some of the socio-economic disadvantages we faced as entrepreneurs in America effected our operation and led us to relocate and immigrate our skills to Canada where we felt nothing short of equality and respect for our operation”. We felt partially marginalized in America because of our skin colour, Ida said. Her family struggled with debt growing up which reflected negatively on her credit score and the opportunity to fund a successful operation diminished. “The inability to borrow and support our marketing strategy made it difficult to grow and prosper”. We moved to Waterloo in 1999 and ran Well’s Puffs bakery until 2009. We then decided to retire and focus on our family. Waterloo has been happily home for over 24 years.
In efforts to raise awareness, how can the community support African business owners in our community?
The challenges that many black business-owners face and continue to endure can be overcome. The good news is that you can do a tremendous amount to become a positive force. A great place to start is to seek out one black-owned business you can get behind and give them some business. Then, spread the word.