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But they’re not all there for the Gray Lady’s reporting: more than a tenth of those subscribers are paying for access to the Times’ games offering – with no news included.
On this week’s podcast The New York Times’ head of games, Jonathan Knight, tells Press Gazette the publisher’s investment in games creates a valuable funnel for bringing in subscribers (and keeping existing ones around). Read the full interview here.
But it’s more complicated than sticking a sudoku on the website – the NYT has editors exclusively assigned to curating its game offering, and the publication puts great effort into keeping its community socially engaged with the puzzles.
Listen to hear more on The New York Times’ gaming strategy, who it sees as its rivals and why there’s a commercial logic to investing in crossword writers from more diverse backgrounds.
How to subscribe to Press Gazette’s Future of Media Explained podcast
1. In your browser
You can use the player above to listen in your browser right now. Future of Media Explained is published every week.
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Or search for Future of Media Explained wherever you get your podcasts.
3. On your smart speaker
If you have an Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod smart speaker, ask it to “play the latest episode of the Press Gazette Future of Media Explained podcast”. The same command also works with virtual assistants on mobile devices.
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text: Disney has released the Vacation Tsum Tsum Collection in Hong Kong Disneyland. But wait, they also released a Minnie Vacation set (HK $198). While the Vacation Collection is the same as the one released here in the US, the Minnie Vacation set is new and includes 4 different “Summer” themed Minnie Mouse Tsum Tsums. No word yet if the new set will be released in the US. Below is a look at the new set courtesy of our friends at the Disney Magical Kingdom Blog.

domain: news


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UNOCAL ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CLOSE SCHAUMBERG, ILL., OFFICE COMPLEX BY SEPT. 1, 1993
UNOCAL ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CLOSE SCHAUMBERG, ILL., OFFICE COMPLEX BY SEPT.
1, 1993 LOS ANGELES, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Unocal Corp. (NYSE: UCL) today announced plans to close its 275,000-square-foot Schaumburg, Ill., office complex by Sept. 1, 1993. The complex has been headquarters for Unocal's National Auto/TruckStop system and the company's Southeastern U.S. marketing operations. It also houses accounting, information services and other support activities for the company's Petroleum Products group. Approximately 600 employees plus 125 contractors are assigned to the facility. Neal E. Schmale, Unocal senior vice president, Petroleum Products and Chemicals, said the sale or phasing out of business units served by the Schaumburg facility, coupled with consolidation and reorganization of accounting and other support activities, led to the decision to close the facility. Unocal recently announced it would not renew its supply contracts with marketers and dealers in the Southeast United States, and completed the sale of its terminal network in the region to Louis Dreyfus Energy Corp. The company is also currently negotiating the sale of its nationwide Auto/TruckStop system, and hopes to complete that sale by the end of 1992. Employees associated with the Auto/TruckStop and marketing and distribution business units will either be employed by the purchaser, reassigned within Unocal, or released. The accounting, information services and other staff operations, which support ongoing Unocal businesses, will be consolidated with other functions. The company has not yet determined the specific number of employees to be transferred. As plans are being developed regarding the office closure, the company anticipates that a small number of employees may remain in the Schaumburg area past Sept. 1, 1993, to support any ongoing business activities in the eastern part of the United States. The office complex opened in 1960 when the original parcel was 250 acres. Since then, however, portions have been sold for development of Centennial Center, the Hyatt Woodfield Hotel and the Century Centre Buildings I and II. The company has entered into a purchase and sales agreement for the development and construction of 61 acres of the site as a retail center. It will continue to seek purchasers and developers for the remaining 100 acres of the property, which includes the Unocal office building. -0- 07/07/92 CONTACT: James H. Bray of Unocal, 213-977-5390 (UCL) CO: UNOCAL CORP. IN: OIL ST: CA,IL -- LA012 -- X799 07/07/92
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General Motors (GM) has recalled as many as 58,696 vehicles in South Korea due to problems with steering wheels, fuel hoses and seats. The recall includes 4 models: Winstorm SUV and Winstorm Maxx SUV (45,957 units), Lacetti Premiere sedans (12,604 units) and Damas commercial vehicle (135 units). No accidents have resulted from any of the problems so far.
The recalled models are manufactured by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., the third largest automaker of South Korea. The company was formed after GM acquired Daewoo Motor Co. Ltd. in 2001. Post acquisition, GM has re-labeled the Daewoo models under its own brands – Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Holden and Opel. The GM Daewoo nameplate was kept only for models sold in South Korea and Vietnam.
The Winstorm and Winstorm Maxx SUVs are exported as Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara, respectively. Meanwhile, Lacetti Premiere sedans are sold as Chevrolet Cruze in the international market. According to Kim Byeong-soo, a spokesperson for GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., the recalls of exported vehicles will be announced later in accordance with local rules.
At the beginning of this month, GM had announced recalls of 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac compact cars sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico due to a failure with their power-steering mechanism. The affected models were Chevrolet Cobalt (2005–2010), Pontiac G5 (2007–2010), Pontiac Pursuit (2005 and 2006) sold in Canada and Pontiac G4 (2005 and 2006) sold in Mexico.
The recall, triggered by an investigation on January 27 into 905,000 vehicles of the models found 1,100 complaints related to the cars losing their power steering assist. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.
Vehicle recalls have become the talk of the town after Toyota Motors’ (TM) recent announcement of the largest-ever global recall of 8.5 million vehicles for braking and sudden acceleration problems. Toyota’s recall was followed by other automakers including Nissan Motors, with brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge component problems and Honda Motor Co. (HMC), with problems with air bag inflators and braking systems.
GM saw an 11.5% rise in sales to 141,951 vehicles during the last month. The improvement was attributable to higher fleet sales (114%), strong new models and Toyota’s woes. GM’s four existing core brands — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac — witnessed a 32% rise in sales.
Read the full analyst report on “TM”
Read the full analyst report on “HMC”
Zacks Investment Research


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Netflix is raising prices for the fourth time in its history, but its offerings remain in line with the cost of competitors like Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.
Netflix has three pricing tiers, and costs will increase $1 to $2 for each plan. The price hike takes the cost for Netflix’s lowest cost plan from $8 per month to $9, the same as Amazon’s standalone Prime Video subscription. Netflix’s standard plan will cost $13 a month, up from $11, the same as the monthly cost for all of Amazon Prime. Netflix’s premium plan will rise from $14 per month to $16.
Last year, Amazon raised the annual price of Prime from $99 to $119 and the monthly cost to $13. The standalone Prime Video price did not rise.
Hulu offers a variety of streaming plans, starting as low as $8 per month. One of its more popular offerings, the version with no ads, costs $12 per month.
Netflix stock rose 6 percent on news of the pricing changes. Netflix is expected to share more when it reports its quarterly earnings Thursday.
The price increase comes as Netflix has been spending billions on content that has racked up awards and critical success. It expected to spend $8 billion on content in 2018. In October it took out $2 billion in additional debt.
All that spending has helped Netflix grow its subscriber base to 137 million globally at the end of the third quarter, including 58 million in the U.S.


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Volvo Car Group is using Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon* Cockpit Platforms to take the car maker’s Google Android Automotive-based infotainment system in upcoming fully electric cars under the Volvo and Polestar brands to the next level.
Volvo Cars has been recognized for its sustainability strategy by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing an A-score for its actions aimed at cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks and becoming a climate-neutral company.
Volvo Car Canada Ltd. is pleased to report its sales results for the month of November: a total of 922 vehicles were retailed throughout the month, for a decrease of 8.2 percent when compared to November of 2020.
The Volvo C40 Recharge, the first Volvo designed to be fully electric, will start with an MSRP of $72,600 in Canada. This newest addition to the Volvo electric line-up has all the benefits of an SUV but with a lower and sleeker design. Not only is it the first Volvo model in the company’s history designed as a pure electric, the Volvo C40 is also the first to feature a leather-free interior.
Volvo Cars has invested in the optical and imaging technology start-up Spectralics through the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, the company’s venture capital investment arm. The investment gives Volvo Cars access to promising technology at an early stage of development that could contribute to making cars safer and revolutionise in-car user experience.


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The “All Black” Cheeseburger!
Yes, it’s a social media sensation!
Burger King Japan made big big news when they showcased their latest, craziest burger – the all-black cheeseburger! But remember, this is a group known for wacky!
A “Black Tongue” Burger?~!?!?!?!
Ok, relax: it’s NOT made with black tongue…it’s bacon that has been placed strategically on the burger to look like a tongue! And it’s placed on a black bun, too! Burger King never let’s up!
Behold The “Kuro Ninja!”
This is Burger King’s new Japanese burger masterpiece: it’s the “Kuro Ninja,” a burger with a black bun and long, thick strip of bacon protruding out of the sides, looking like, well, a tongue!
“Kuro Ninja,” a burger with a black bun and long, thick strip of bacon protruding out of the side…in the case of this pic, out of both.
The burger also comes with “wide-size” hash browns, onions, lettuce, mayonnaise, and a blackish brown Chaliapin sauce. The “Kuro Ninja” will be on sale starting October 25 for 680 yen (US$6.93).
But Wait! There’s More!
Yes, Burger King couldn’t stop with the “black bun”, they had to go to the “All Black” Burger! It’s a burger with black cheese as well!
NariNari reports that Burger King Japan is rolling out another “Kuro Burger” (“Black Burger”), with buns made from bamboo charcoal, an onion and garlic sauce made with squid ink, beef patties made with black pepper, and black cheese, which is also apparently made with bamboo charcoal.
Yes, Black Cheese!
Kudos once again to the great investigative reporters at Rocketnews24 for reporting on this first! Now, black buns are nothing new in Japan, here is a Burger King black bun burger without the tongue:
The “Black Big Mac!”
And Burger King isn’t alone with the black bun concept. Here is a japanese Big Mac that also utilizes a black bun…
And Don’t Forget The “BIG STACKS!”
And let’s not forget some of Burger King’s other Japanese classics! The fast food chain is always offering something new and unqiue in Japan, and that ALWAYS leads to an inventive use of their food…remember these?
And of course, the “1,000 slices of cheeese” cheeseburger – with video!
And of course, we can never forget THIS Bacon Cheeseburger from Burger King Japan:
Just click on the link to see the world’s most amazing bacon cheeseburger EVER!
All of this huge food is making me hungry enough to lick that “tongue burger”! Let me know what you think!
Categories: Alcohol And Bars, Bacon, Bite Eat Swallow, Books / Media, Burgers, Cheeseburgers, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Fast Food, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Food Writing, Recipes, Restaurants, Sliders, Travel, Uncategorized, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
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Peugeot enters the electric vehicle fray
Monday 06 September 2010
Peugeot has released further details on its iOn electric vehicle (EV) September 6, promising that the car will be available "not just for a few intrepid adventurers, but for a wide customer base."
The vehicle, which is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show and become available at the end of the year, is the latest addition to the raft of EVs that will hit the road over the coming 12 months.
With a range of 150 km and running costs of between €1.50 and €2.00 per 100 km, Peugeot is positioning the vehicle at local governments and transport firms such as leasing and car sharing companies, with production ramping up to 50,000 iOns annually by 2015.
This means that for consumers, the best bet to drive one will be by leasing one or joining a car sharing firm - Peugeot says that it already has 15 deals in the pipeline and is in the running to supply the Autolib' electric car sharing scheme in Paris, scheduled to roll out in 2011.
Private customers will be able to get their hands on it too eventually though, with Peugeot touting consumer-friendly features such as a quick charge unit that can reach 50 percent in only 15 minutes, a Bluetooth compatible MP3 and CD audio system and a €499 "all-inclusive mobility" offer that provides a five-year battery warranty.
To make the brand's electric vehicle range obvious, Peugeot has also rolled out a vehicle-specific badge for the first time in its history, a pearlescent white and chrome lion that separates it from the ordinary lion.
When the concept version of the iOn went on show at the Frankfurt motor show last year, journalists and bloggers were quick to compare the vehicle to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (in reality, it's a slightly modified version of the i-MiEV, as is the Citroen C-Zero, also due for a late 2010 release).
Then, the retail price of the i-MiEV was about €48,000, compared to an expected (although still unconfirmed) price of under €30,000 for the Peugeot iOn and Citroen C-Zero, leaving the brands with a significant pricing gap for virtually the same vehicle.
With Mitsubishi now saying that the European-spec i-MiEV will be set at around the €33,000 - €35,000 mark and the Nissan LEAF at roughly the same point, it looks as if there will be some highly-charged competition in the electric car market by the end of the year.
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The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has been accused of plagiarism over the ‘Nigeria at 60 Logo’ which was unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday.
It has since been discovered that the logo was first designed and unveiled by a Russian diamond mining company, Alrosa, in 2017.
In fact, Forbes edition of August 3, 2017 with the headline: “Russian Mining Giant Unveils 51-Carat ‘Dynasty’ Diamond” reported that Alrosa unveiled the exact logo, describing it as a collection of five diamonds produced at its cutting and polishing facilities.
“Russian diamond mining company, Alrosa, unveiled a collection of five diamonds produced at its cutting and polishing facilities. The centerpiece of the collection is the “Dynasty” diamond—a 51.38-carat traditional round brilliant-cut diamond, which the state-owned company says is ‘the purest of all large diamonds manufactured throughout the Russian jewelry history.’
“Alrosa said during the unveiling Wednesday in Moscow that it plans to sell the collection at an online auction scheduled for November 2017.
“In addition to its size, the 57-facet gem has been rated Triple Excellent (excellent in polish, symmetry and cut), D color (colorless) and VVS1(very, very slightly included), a clarity grading just below “flawless” and “internally flawless” meaning a tiny speck is visible at 10x magnification through the pavilion of the diamond.
“Sergey Ivanov, Alrosa president, said a diamond of this size and with these characteristics has never been produced in Russia and it has the potential to be most expensive diamond ever sold in the country’s history. Less than 1% of diamonds have these characteristics.” (See the link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2017/08/03/russian-mining-giant-unveils-51-carat-dynasty-diamond/#417d99857c30).
Unveiling the logo, Buhari described the logo as an obvious depiction of Nigeria’s togetherness, a country of over 200 million people whose natural talent, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond.
He said: “The selected option depicts our togetherness, a country of over 200 million people whose natural talent, grit and passion glitter like the precious DIAMOND we are.
“This, to me, is a special appreciation to our most precious asset – our people. Everywhere you go, Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in academia, business, innovation, music, movie, entertainment, fashion and culture.
“Furthermore, the neatly encrusted Diamond on the Nigerian Map symbolises our age of treasure, the worth of the Nigerian people with our sparkle to the admiration of the world.
“In the same vein, the pear green and dark green colours should respectively remind us of our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as the abundant wealth inherent in our human capital and the richness of our land.
“All these properties make us unarguably the most prosperous black nation in the world and Africa’s largest economy.”
All eyes on the Buhari administration for further explanation and clarification.


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Guangzhou-Fiat has appointed a new general manager, John Burton, as of March 1 replacing Jack Cheng. Burton has nearly 20 years of experience under his belt running plants for General Motors in Poland, Germany and Britain. Most recently, he was in charge of green field projects for GM in Detroit.
“He has an immense task since Fiat is obviously one of the last automakers into China,” said Bernstein analyst Max Wharburton. “They have some knowledge of China thanks to Iveco (trucks), but in passenger cars they are starting from scratch with an unknown brand, limited distribution, and a somewhat difficult local partner.”
Fiat, which took management control of Chrysler after the US automaker’s 2009 bankruptcy, lags far behind other foreign carmakers in China, the world’s biggest car market. General Motors and Volkswagen both sold over 2.8 million cars last year, and together accounted for over 29 percent of total vehicle sales in China, according to IHS Global Insight.
Fiat sold 8,800 cars in January in China, according to IHS.
Fiat built its first factory in China in June 2012 in Guandong, where Burton will be based. It launched the Viaggio sedan in September, which shares a platform with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Dodge Dart.
Fiat-Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is masterminding a four-year retooling of Jeep that is intended to establish it as one of the Italian automaker’s core global brands.
Chrysler and Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group joint venture Guangzhou-Fiat aims to produce over 100,000 new Jeep models in China by as early as 2014, in a move that is key to Fiat’s goal of selling 300,000 vehicles annually in China by next year.
Fiat-Chrysler is hoping that Jeep’s wide brand recognition in China will help it catch up to competitors in China, as well as build Jeep’s sales to a new record high.


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Agrium Inc., the agricultural retailer and fertilizer producer, said some of its largest shareholders are in favor of retaining the company’s existing corporate structure.
Agrium, based in Calgary, began talking in May with activist shareholder Jana Partners LLC about spinning off its network of farming supply stores and to make other changes that may add $50 of value a share.
“Agrium has recently met with approximately 80 percent of its top 50 active shareholders,” Richard Downey, a spokesman for Agrium, said Tuesday in an e-mail. “Over 90 percent have indicated strong support for Agrium’s integrated strategy, with virtually no support for the proposed spin out of retail.”
Jana, Agrium’s largest shareholder, is proposing a tax-free separation of retail operations from its wholesale fertilizer arm. It’s also asking the Canadian company’s management to boost capital returns, improve disclosure and reduce costs and working capital, Jana co-founder Barry Rosenstein said Oct. 1 in an investor presentation.
Downey’s comments may suggest New York-based Jana doesn’t have sufficient support from Agrium’s institutional shareholders for a spinoff, John Hughes, a Toronto-based analyst at Desjardins Securities Inc., said today by telephone.
“If the institutional asset base is in favor of keeping Agrium’s existing structure, it is much less likely that Jana can round up enough retail investors to get the spinoff done,” Hughes said.
Jana questioned Downey’s figures. “Rather than putting out puffed up, unverifiable claims about shareholder support, Agrium should be making a case on the merits and explain why it consistently underperformed its peer-weighted average until we began publicly engaging with them and what it intends to do about it,” Rosenstein said in an e-mailed statement today.
Agrium rose 1.1 percent to C$103.33 at the close in Toronto. The shares have gained 51 percent this year.


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The Ponds Shopping Centre in Sydney’s north west has delivered Australand’s first 6 Star Green rating, and the only 6 Star Retail Centre Design rating in Australia.
The $40 million centre designed by NH Architects is part of a new breed of shopping centres aiming high on sustainability, such as Stockland’s Shellharbour Shopping Centre, which will have Australia’s largest rooftop solar installation; and Highpoint shopping centre in Maribyrnong, Victoria, which was just awarded the Property Council of Australia’s Victorian development of the year and national best shopping centre development.
Shopping centres account for half of all retail emissions and 4-5 per cent of Australia’s total emissions, so the sector is a key target for improved performance in the property sector.
With The Ponds, the $290,000 worth of sustainability features is expected to lead to a reduction of $45,000 in operating costs a year.
Australand national sustainability manager Paolo Bevilacqua said his company had set a minimum 5 Star Green Star goal for all of its retail centres.
“Solar PV is a particular focus for all of our projects, providing clean, renewable energy in addition to a commercial benefit by reducing power costs,” he said.
He also said retail centres provided a great opportunity to showcase green building to the masses.
“Retail centres provide an opportunity to not only reduce… impact but to interact with the public to educate them on green buildings through demonstration and leadership, which is a position we have adopted. Investors and tenants are increasingly seeking green buildings which over time will be reflected in valuations and overall performance.”
Green Building Council of Australia chief executive Romilly Madew said international research already showed green shopping centres had higher sales per square metre.
Key sustainability features of The Ponds Shopping Centre include:
- Solar PV system – generates power to the car park lights and fans
- LED lighting in the main mall area
- Naturally ventilated
- Economy cycle airconditioning to enclosed mall area that uses fresh air when outdoor conditions are suitable
- Sustainability criteria in the Tenancy Fitout Guide
- Rainwater for toilet flushing and irrigation
- Cycle facilities for workers and visitors
- Full life cycle analysis
The centre is expected to open later this month.


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You have likely heard the phrase 3D printing, but how will it impact construction and how quickly will it become mainstream?
Appinions, www.appinions.com, New York, N.Y., recently released it 3D Printing Influence Study, focusing on adoption of 3D printing across a range of industries, including construction.
According to the study, the 3D printing market is maturing rapidly, as attention and influence shifts from the companies that manufacture the devices to industries where the technology is finding distribution and practical applications.
The report lists the 10 most influential companies in the 3D printing market, which includes Autodesk, www.autodesk.com, San Rafael, Calif., Amazon, www.amazon.com, Seattle, Wash., Home Depot, www.homedepot.com, Atlanta, Ga., GE, www.ge.com, Fairfield, Conn., and Makerbot, which was recently acquired by Stratasys, www.stratasys.com, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Appinions says momentum in 3D printing is being seen in a number of industries including retail, manufacturing, automotive, aviation, finance, construction, and electronics.
While there are a number of different ways 3D printing can impact the construction industry, at a basic level, the technology produces physical models quickly from 3D CAD (computer-aided design), BIM (building information modeling), and other digital data.
Still in the early stages, companies such as Contour Crafting, www.contourcrafting.org, have created a technology that has the potential to automate the entire construction process through 3D printing.
Certainly, the use of this technology can continue to advance in construction, as technology providers incorporate and integrate 3D printing with existing technology.
As CAD and BIM continue to move forward, 3D printing can quickly become another facet in the BIM process. Keep an eye on this technology, as it will likely have a big impact on the construction market in the years to come.


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This is not the first time Google is offering a Black Friday deal, similar to how it has been, the technology guru is making it possible for users with pixel 5a inclined to be able to obtain the device with a $50 off purchase deal. This is little as a mere “taste look” of coming holiday deals.
However there will also be several other holiday deals for inclined customers based in the United States starting from November 18 such as:
- $50 off Nest Cam with floodlight (wired): $229.99
- $30 off Nest Audio: $59.99
- $90 off Nest Wifi router and point: $179
- $30 off Nest Cam (battery): $149.99
- $30 off Nest Thermostat: $99.99
- Google Store Black Friday 2021
- $50 off Nest Doorbell (battery): $129.99
- $50 off Nest Hub (2nd gen): $49.99
Google’s Store’s 2021 Black Friday opening sales will begin a week prior to Thanksgiving with an expected $50 off the Pixel 5a with 5G as earlier mentioned. In addition, the company’s cheapest phone for the year ending 2021-2022 not excluding the Fi in the United States will be soled with a price start of $449 to $399.
Google’s Chromecast for its Television will also be sold at a $10 off price, the Chromecast will go for a price start of $39.99 which happens to be the first discount price sale for the streaming aid.
Meanwhile, before now we observed Google’s Past holiday deals package in two spaces: the first is few days prior Thanksgiving and then following day of at 7 p.m. PT. Google Store is however beginning it’s Black Friday sales early enough for the year ending as report shows that the global supply chain is currently experiencing huge challenges.
Also Read Related Articles
In the report, the tech company did not specify whether it’s will also be availing Black Friday discount on the newly launched Pixel 6 smartphone but we are sure if Google has any intension on doing so, they will make it public for Black Friday sales goes live.
Google product users in the UK can also expect some huge Black Friday sales discount maybe not on the Pixel 5a device but will definitely experience something on Google Pixel Buds A-Series, Google Wifi 3-pack, the regular Chromecast, and Nest Mini. While those in Germany will experience offer discount on the Nest Doorbell (wired)/Hello and Protect. We will be updating this article again with further offers pretty soon do remember to subscribe to our post notification so as to be notified as soon as we publish something new as well as effect updates to the Black Friday Holiday deals.


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Virgin Galactic leaders in front of the New York Inventory Trade, from remaining: CEO George Whitesides, founder Richard Branson and Chairman Chamath Palihapitiya.
Virgin Galactic claimed fourth-quarter success after the marketplace closed on Tuesday that showed a greater decline than Wall Street anticipated.
Shares of Virgin Galactic dropped about 3% in just after-hours trading from its shut at $34.04. The inventory slipped .7% on Tuesday, although it earlier climbed as a lot as 8% whilst fueled by much more speculative investing.
The corporation also announced that on Wednesday it will start out accepting $1,000 deposits towards space flight tickets. Those who fork out the absolutely-refundable deposit will be the very first made available reservations when Virgin Galactic re-opens ticket income afterwards this year.
Expectations vs. success
Virgin Galactic claimed an EBITDA (earnings just before desire, taxes, depreciation and amortization) loss of $55 million, far more than the $46.9 million reduction anticipated according to analysts surveyed by FactSet. EBITDA is an accounting measure of the company’s whole economical overall performance, although it usually excludes some costs this kind of as money investments.
The company claimed just $529,000 of profits for the fourth-quarter, underneath the $800,000 of earnings in its previous quarter.
The company aims to be successful by 2021.
Virgin Galactic’s current market worth has soared to about $7 billion because its October debut on the New York Inventory Trade, multiplying a number of occasions over in the earlier couple of months.
The organization has 603 reservations on its publications, for most tickets ranging in price tag from $200,000 to $250,000. Also, Virgin Galactic tracks “expression of fascination” from probable customers because its successful take a look at flights about a calendar year back. The corporation claimed far more than 3,500 these types of “expressions of desire” when it announced 3rd quarter final results in November.
Virgin Galactic has gained additional than $1 billion of expenditure because its founding in 2004.
Last year, throughout its trader roadshow, Virgin Galactic projected it would fly 66 travellers to house on 16 flights in 2020. Chairman Chamath Palihapitiya told CNBC in November that he expects Virgin Galactic to get started business operations in the middle of this calendar year.
Virgin Galactic earlier this month relocated its spacecraft to its working foundation in New Mexico from its enhancement facility in California.
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The economy has given enough reasons for investors to fret. With higher inflation and slower growth portending further trouble ahead, noted Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) analyst Gene Munster delved into how the economic picture will shape up in the near term.
Recession Fear Building Up: The C-suite is looking to trim management jobs for the first time in a few years, the Loup Funds Managing Partner said citing a recruiter working with Fortune 500 companies.
The analyst said he thinks fear is building among management teams about a potential slowdown.
"The anticipation of a recession is creating a real recession," Munster said.
Litmus Test For Market Reaction: Previewing the U.S. consumer price inflation data for May due on Friday, the analyst said the core consumer price index number, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is the key. He noted that the consensus estimate calls for a slowdown in the core CPI from 6.2% in April to 5.9% in May.
If core CPI comes in at 6.1% or less, the market could react positively, Munster said. On the contrary, if the metric exceeds 6.2%, in all likelihood, the market will retreat, he added.
A quickening in the pace of the core consumer price inflation would be a signal that the Fed's work is just beginning, the analyst said. This is an apparent suggestion that more aggressive rate increases could be in the pipeline.


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How fast can you sack?
Albertsons’ sackers show skills in second annual competition
If you get Cristal Herrera to sack your groceries after shopping at Albertsons Market, then you should know that she’s one of the best sackers the store has.
That’s because Herrera proved victorious Friday morning outside Albertsons Market as she bested five co-workers to win the store’s grocery sacker challenge.
Classic rock music from AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses blared as Herrera, 16, and other contestants bagged eggs, bread, bottled drinks, bags of chips, cereal, cookies, canned goods and more groceries into three sacks as quickly as they could. Mock customers conversed with the sackers as they worked and thought out where to put what while getting timed. Afterward, the grocery bags were weighed and inspected by judges.
Herrera and Atiya Mackey, 15, competed against each other in one round and both agreed the sacker challenge is fun and that jars were the hardest to sack. Putting groceries into bags and talking to the customers was the most challenging aspect for Herrera, while for Mackey it was making sure the bags weren’t too heavy.
“I feel great winning,” said Herrera. “I thought somebody else was going to win. I thought they were better than me, so I’d just give it a try and I guess I won. I was never the first and then I felt nervous and I thought I was going to shake.”
Herrera, who received cash for her winning effort, said she’ll keep trying and trying her best on bagging when it comes to the district competition next month in Odessa-Midland. Herrera plans to work on talking to customers, which was advice given to her by judges after the winner got announced.
“Talk to more people like they said,” she added. “I need to start a conversation with them because I was shy at first. But I’m not actually shy, I talk a lot, but today I was shy.”
Friday marked Albertsons Market’s second annual sacker competition and featured judges from the community: Hobbs Fire Marshal Shawn Williams, Hobbs News-Sun editor Todd Bailey and United Way of Lea County’s Kim Wheeler and Janelle Blain. The sacker competition starts at the store level first. A winner then competes at the district level in Midland-Odessa, explained assistant store manager Steven Luna, and the winner there advances to the divisional competition in Lubbock. From there the winner competes in Las Vegas at a national sacker competition.
“And they’ll be competing in Vegas for a chance to win $10,000,” Luna said.
Contestants are judged on several factors, like time and weight.
“Time is obviously a big one, but that’s what I was trying to stress to these guys,” Luna said. “It’s not just about time. It’s also about how you’re sacking. It is correct? Is (there) glass next to glass? Make sure there’s no glass on the outside, it’s protected on the inside. Bread and eggs aren’t getting crushed. Stuff like boxes aren’t laying down flat. They’re standing up, building walls to protect what’s inside of it.”
They’re also judged on appearance, like if they’re wearing a uniform, name tag, shirts tucked in and wearing belts.
“The overall performance and how they interact with a guest as well,” Luna said. “We want to make this as realistic as possible. Yes, it’s fun. It is a competition, but at the same time it’s a learning experience. This is the exact same things they do on a day-to-day basis. They’re constantly bombarded by different questions, different situations and they not only need to be able to sack quickly, professionally, but also correctly.”
Store director Jubel Patterson called it good training for sackers, saying it’s fun and it “helps build teamwork and excitement” at work. He said it’ll hopefully make the sackers better and praised judges for their critiquing and evaluating.
“I’d just really like to thank the judges for their time,” he said.
Herrera and Mackey were joined by four other competitors: Jayce Lewis, 15, Elko Sanchez, 16, Omar Sandoval, 15, and Deah Duskey, 15.


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Good news appears to be en route for road warriors, leisure travelers and Candy Crush addicts.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the FAA may soon loosen up regulations on electronic device usage at lower altitudes, potentially allowing passengers to use some devices – like e-readers – the entire time they are on a plane. Imagine not having to miss even one email or news update, and not having to end a favorite online game right when you were about to beat your highest score.
According to a draft report by an FAA advisory committee, the FAA is feeling the pressure to update standards set in the 1960s due to the overwhelming popularity of consumer electronic devices and an increasing bending of the rules by connected consumers. The draft noted that less than 60% of travelers surveyed turn their devices off completely when asked to do so in flight.
Travelers today simply expect to stay connected throughout their journeys. SITA recently found that more than 70% of passengers carry a smartphone today, and 9 out of 10 passengers want flight status info on their mobile devices. And this trend shows no signs of slowing – ABI Research recently projected that there will be 10 billion Wi-Fi enabled devices shipped by 2015. Airlines are racing to keep up with connectivity demand, with The New York Times reporting that 38 percent of all domestic flights now offer connectivity.
When implemented, the FAA’s relaxed standards could represent not only what the Journal calls a “major cultural shift” for travelers, but also major opportunities for airlines and airports. With the coming launch of Next Generation Hotspot standards, which will enable seamless roaming between Wi-Fi networks with no user action needed, a passenger could conceivably maintain a Skype conversation from the gate to their seat, and right through in-flight drink service, or watch a favorite flick without interruption. This seamless, continuous connectivity could improve passenger satisfaction, allow airports and airlines to stay in constant contact with their travelers, and potentially net airports and airlines additional Wi-Fi revenues.
This gate-to-gate connectivity experience won’t happen overnight – the latest reports point to a phased integration following thorough safety assessments – and the roll-out will necessitate significant investment from airports and airlines in their Wi-Fi networks. The New York Times recently reported on the high consumer demand, and high costs, for high-quality in-flight Wi-Fi systems – with experts noting that they’re rapidly becoming the cost of doing business for airlines. The Journal also asserted that the FAA standards review presents an opportunity to create global Wi-Fi standards to reduce complexity and provide a more consistent experience to electronic device users worldwide.
With the cooperation of industry regulatory bodies, the coming launch of Next Generation Hotspot standards and the anticipated easing of the FAA rules, the sky may no longer be the limit when it comes to connectivity.
Are you looking forward to a 100% connected in-flight experience, or will you miss a few minutes offline under 10,000 feet? Are you one of the estimated one-third of travelers who already leaves their devices on throughout the flight?
Be sure to share your comments below.


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Intel has designed a pair of smart glasses that won’t make you look like a hopeless geek.
Called “Vaunt,” the peepers, which are still in the prototype phase, look like ordinary glasses, save for a faint, red glimmer that occasionally appears on the right lens.
Information sent to the glasses appear to be displayed on a screen but in reality is beamed to the retina of a wearer’s eye.
“The prototypes I wore in December also felt virtually indistinguishable from regular glasses,” Dieter Bohn wrote in a hands-on review published Monday in The Verge.
“They come in several styles, work with prescriptions, and can be worn comfortably all day,” he added.
Intel’s Smart Peepers Look Smart, Too
Microsoft and Intel on Wednesday announced Project Evo, their highly anticipated collaboration to create the next generation of personal computers. The project aims to expand on new advances in artificial intelligence, mixed reality, advanced security and gaming.
Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, unveiled some of Project Evo’s ambitious plans at the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) event in Shenzhen, China.
Through the collaboration, the companies will push the boundaries of a personal computer’s capabilities in the near future, he said. Technologies under development include far-field speech and wake-on-voice enabled through Cortana, biometrics and voice authentication in Windows Hello, spacial audio, and HDR support for gaming.
Project Evo — particularly its expanded use of Cortana — invites comparisons to the digital assistant tools found in Amazon Echo and Google Home, standalone speakers that use Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant respectively. Though their capabilities differ, each uses voice communications to interact with the automated home.
However, Project Evo seems geared toward making the personal computer into a much more sophisticated device — one that can be accessed and operated in ways never before seen.
Microsoft and Intel’s Project Evo Ups the PC Game
Intel on Tuesday presented its virtual reality vision — a vision that mixes virtual and real worlds into a kind of merged reality — to developers attending a conference in San Francisco.
Mixing reality and unreality sometimes can be a recipe for disaster, but Intel thinks it will be a formula for success. At the center of Intel’s vision is its Project Alloy mobile headset and its cutting edge RealSense software.
The Alloy head-mounted device departs from other VR devices in that the headset housese all sensors and computing power. Other headsets either have cords that tether them to a computer or are wirelessly connected to a smartphone.
“This all-in-one form factor is something new for the VR industry,” said Brian Blau, a research director at Gartner.
“It’s exciting, because you can get everything you need in one place and take it with you,” he told TechNewsWorld.
Unlike VR headsets that offer a totally immersive experience, the Alloy headset uses Intel’s RealSense software to provide you with a combination of a virtual and real experience. For example, with RealSense you not only can see objects around you but also bring them into your virtual world.
“It takes away the need for sensors in a room to know where you are, and to use controllers to manipulate the environment that you’re in,” said Strategy Analytics’ Goodman.
“I haven’t seen anyone else doing that. Everyone is using some form of controller,” he pointed out.
Intel’s Project Alloy Tosses Reality Into a Blender


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Leaders in the hemp industry have prized the crop’s versatility for years. Hemp can be harvested for food, medicine, fiber, fuel and other purposes. Although the industry has made progress in the development of hemp products, consumers can now expect this development to rocket forward because hemp has found a new ally in 3M Co.
This Minnesota-based American multinational conglomerate corporation is famous for developing popular household products like Post-it Notes, Scotch Tape and Command Hanging Strips, among other household and industry-specific products. Now, the corporation is turning its attention to more environmentally friendly products, and 3M leadership reportedly believes that hemp could be the key to their success in this venture.
Why is 3M experimenting with hemp now?
Don Davidson, 3M’s Global New Product Marketing Manager spoke this week at the virtual National Hemp Symposium organized by Oregon State University. According to Hemp Industry Daily, Davidson claimed that 3M’s customers are “clamoring for environmentally friendly offerings.”
“Pretty much all across the board, regardless of if it’s a consumer or they’re industrial, health care, transportation or energy, they’re asking for more sustainable solutions,” Davidson said.
3M may also be looking at greening their reputation for other reasons. Although not reported by Hemp Industry Daily, 3M’s push for environmentally friendly offerings occurs after the company has appeared negatively in recurring news coverage regarding perfluorochemical (PFC) contamination in ground water, a topic that is drawing national attention again as the Biden administration and the State of Minnesota consider new regulations regarding PFCs.
The corporation’s hemp development also comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased demand for many of the corporation’s office supply products. The related losses reportedly caused the company to cut roughly 2,900 jobs near the end of 2020.
What kinds of products could be in the works?
Despite the corporation’s complicated reputation, it likely does have the capability to make the most of hemp’s potential.
Davidson reportedly said that 3M has been experimenting with hemp outside of the United States for years . The corporation reportedly ramped up its domestic research-and-development significantly after the 2018 Farm Bill passed.
“This base material has so many applications across the company,” Davidson reportedly said.
At this time, the corporation is actively researching hemp fiber and hemp oil for use in garbage bags, general plastic bags, surgical gauze, conventional box-sealing tape and adhesives for aerospace and transportation. It is researching hemp as a component of nonwoven agricultural material for use in preventing soil erosion and weed growth. It is even researching hemp as a component of a growing matrix for cells used in regenerative medicine to do things like cultivate healthy liver or intestinal tissue.
When will 3M’s hemp products become available?
“We’re looking at, ‘How we use that hemp fiber for not just a handful of product applications, but an incredible amount of applications, and the positive impact that will have,’” Davidson said, though he reportedly admitted that it is still unclear when 3M’s new hemp products would come to market or how much hemp fiber the company will need.
“We still want to learn what type of converting has to happen with the hemp fiber, whether it’s using the fiber for material as opposed to adhesive,” Davidson said.
He reportedly explained that the global supply of hemp is still small, so 3M’s research and development teams must determine what is available in the supply chain and establish a decent supply before they can really start working with the material.
“Once we get that base material and we can start to develop prototypes, then we can get that out to our customers,” Davidson said. “And that’s when things pick up and really fill out that product pipeline involving hemp.”


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Dassault Systemes SE, a maker of industrial design software, agreed to buy Medidata Solutions Inc. for $5.7 billion to gain a foothold in the fast-growing market for clinical trial technology.
The deal pushes the French company further beyond its design roots into data processing and business analysis. Medidata’s software analyzes pharmaceutical and biotech trials for some of the world’s biggest drugmakers including Sanofi SA, Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc.
“This is by far the largest acquisition we’ve ever made,” Pascal Daloz, chief financial officer of Dassault Systemes, said on a conference call. He said health is becoming a crucial market for the company, whose customers are mostly in aerospace, defense and consumer goods.
The all-cash deal values New York-based Medidata at $92.25 a share, 17% above its closing price on April 18, the last trading day before Bloomberg reported Dassault Systemes’ interest in the company. Medidata stock fell 4.4% to $90.60 in premarket trading.
Shares in Dassault Systemes, which has a market value of 36 billion euros ($41 billion) and annual sales of 3.5 billion euros last year, fell as much as 3% before recouping some of the decline to trade down 1% at 11:31 a.m. in Paris.
Medidata offers clients wearable sensors that help track patient health and biomarker analysis to select which patients may best respond to certain drugs. It estimates that 13 of the top 15 medicines sold last year relied on its technology, as the healthcare industry shifts towards personalized medicine and the targeting of individual patient profiles.
President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade agenda hasn’t reduced the appetite of European companies for U.S. takeovers. In fact their appeal has been growing, potentially turning the tables after years in which Europe was mostly a target for U.S. acquirers.
French advertising group Publicis Groupe SA announced its biggest ever takeover in April, a $4.4 billion deal for U.S.-based Alliance Data Systems Corp.’s digital marketing unit Epsilon.
The Medidata deal is expected to close in the final quarter of 2019 and start boosting earnings as early as 2020, the companies said in a statement. Dassault Systemes will finance it with a 1 billion-euro loan, a 3 billion-euro bridge-to-loan facility and available cash. It’s the first time the French company has resorted to external funding, Daloz said.
By Geraldine Amiel, Marie Mawad and Bloomberg
AbbVie will be among the stocks closing out a busy earnings week. Earnings season tends to draw a lot of interest from investors, but it’s not always the best indicator of a stock’s overall trajectory.
Pfizer has bought privately held Amplyx Pharmaceuticals for an undisclosed sum, gaining experimental antifungal and antiviral treatments as the world’s attention turns more toward infectious diseases.
Surgical Theater’s technology builds 3D models of an individual patient’s anatomy from CT and MRI scans to offer surgeons an immersive, 360-degree fly-through view.


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Industrialists call landfill and Odebrecht lawsuits ‘shameless’
Santo Domingo.- Dominican Industries Association (AIRD) president Campos de Moya, on Tues. called the lawsuits by the landfill contractor Lajún Corp. and Odebrecht against the Dominican Govt. “shameless.”
“In those two cases, the government is right to go to arbitration,” he said.
He said Lajún’s claim of compensation, “after having made such a big mess,” should be responded by the Dominican government with a prosecution “to the partners who have lent themselves to such shamelessness.”
De Moya spoke at the launch of the III Dominican Industry Congress, that aims to update proposed strategies for the sector’s development.
In his speech, the head of the AIRD said progress has been made on issues such as production chain, infrastructure, trade and export policies. “The failure to fully implement the proposed actions threatens us to teeter the little achieve.”


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Hungary has a long and storied history of trading. So, it’s no surprise that the country is now home to a thriving Bitcoin trading scene. To know more about digital trading tips explore https://immediateedge.biz/.
Bitcoin trading in Hungary is growing at an impressive rate. In fact, the country is now home to one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in Europe. The Hungarian Bitcoin exchange, Bitstamp, is currently the third largest in Europe with a 24-hour trading volume of over $13 million.
Hungary is also home to a number of other Bitcoin exchanges such as Coinbase, LocalBitcoins, and Kraken.
- Coinbase is the world’s largest Bitcoin broker and allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoins with ease.
- LocalBitcoins is a peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange that allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoins with each other.
- Kraken is a professional Bitcoin exchange that offers a wide range of features for both beginners and experienced traders.
The Hungarian government has been supportive of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. In 2016, the government launched a $200 million fund to support startups working on blockchain technology.
Hungary is also home to a number of Bitcoin meetups and conferences. The country’s first Bitcoin conference was held in Budapest in 2014. The Hungarian Bitcoin community is active and growing. If you’re interested in trading Bitcoin, Hungary is a great place to start.
Bitcoin trading is a popular activity in Hungary. The country has a large number of Bitcoin users and traders, and there are many exchange platforms available. LocalBitcoins is one of the most popular exchanges in Hungary.
The Hungarian National Bank has not issued any official statement on Bitcoin, but the country’s tax authority has said that Bitcoin is not considered legal tender. Nevertheless, Bitcoin trading is not illegal in Hungary.
There are many Bitcoin ATMs in Hungary, and some businesses accept Bitcoin as payment. Overall, the cryptocurrency sector is growing rapidly in Hungary.
Bitcoin trading is slowly gaining popularity in Hungary. The country’s central bank, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB), has recently issued a warning about the risks associated with virtual currencies like Bitcoin, but it has not banned their use. This is good news for those interested in trading Bitcoin, as it means that there are no legal barriers to doing so.
However, before you start trading Bitcoin in Hungary, there are a few things you should know. First of all, it’s important to remember that Bitcoin is a volatile asset and its price can fluctuate wildly. This means that you could end up making or losing money very quickly. So, only invest what you can afford to lose.
Secondly, there are a few different ways to buy and sell Bitcoin in Hungary. The most popular method is through online exchanges, such as Coinbase or Bitstamp. However, there are also some brick-and-mortar shops that accept Bitcoin, such as the Budapest-based BitcoinATM.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the Hungarian government has not yet announced any plans to regulate or tax Bitcoin. So, for now, at least, trading Bitcoin in Hungary is something of a Wild West. But if you’re careful and do your research, it can be a great way to make some extra money.
Bitcoin trading activity in Hungary is on the rise, as more and more people are looking to get involved in digital currency. There are a number of different ways to buy and sell bitcoin in Hungary, and this guide will explain how to get started.
The first step is to find a reputable bitcoin exchange that supports Hungarian users. There are a few different exchanges that cater to Hungarian users, but the most popular is probably BTC-e. BTC-e is one of the largest and most well-known bitcoin exchanges, and it offers a variety of different payment methods.
Once you’ve found an exchange that supports Hungarian users, the next step is to create an account and deposit some funds. Most exchanges will require you to verify your identity before you can start trading, so make sure you have all of the required documents ready. Once you’ve deposited funds into your account, you’ll be able to start buying and selling bitcoin.
If you’re new to bitcoin trading, it’s a good idea to start small and gradually increase your position as you become more comfortable with the process. Hungary is a great place to start trading bitcoin, and with a little research, you should be able to find everything you need to get started.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.


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Bad loans, infrastructure, ICT hurdles hurt India's competitiveness: WEF
While India moved up 16 positions -- highest for any country -- to 39th place on the global competitiveness index released by Geneva-based World Economic Forum.
TTSL looking at expanding ICT services in Vadodara
"Vadodara is a growing SME market and we are witnessing a tremendous demand for ICT soluti...
GESIA to help Gujarat govt promote ICT industry
Gujarat's ICT exports, growing at estimated 25 per cent annually, need to strengthen areas su...
US asks India to eliminate customs duties on ICT products
Deputy US Trade Representative Robert Holleyman also said that next month top officials of both the countries will hold the strategic and commercial dialogue here.
Narendra Modi to address 400 CEOs from ICT industry
Modi will also participate in a closed door round-table discussion with over 30 select industry captains from 15 strategic industry segments like ESDM ecosystem.
Industrial revolution of ICT can transform India: Nandan Nilekani
India can use technological advantages of third industrial revolution of information, communication and technology for transforming the country.
India ranks 131 in ICT Development Index
India has been ranked 131 out of 167 countries by the ICT Development Index of the International Telecommunication Union.
Emerging career opportunities in ICT sector
According to TimesJobs recruitment index RecruiteX too, demand for IT/telecom professionals picked up by 2 per cent in April.
India ranks 131 on global index of ICT access: Report
The report said the Asia-Pacific is the most diverse region in terms of ICT development, reflecting stark differences in levels of economic development.
Huawei wants to help India to build ICT for smart cities
The Indian smart cities could also use ICT for similar use, said So who addressed the Huawei Innovation Day held in Singapore today.
Indo-Africa ICT Expo to showcase innovative products
The first Indo-Africa ICT Expo 2015 will be held in Nairobi between September 28 and 29, to build synergy among India & African countries.
How to transform waste management using ICT to enable Swachh Bharat Mission
Considering the social, environmental and health impact of waste management and sanitation, Government of India has launched Swachh Bharat Mission.
Indian wins ICT Mountain Development Award
Panwar won the award along with Avinash Jha and Sibjan Chaulagain of Nepal, Suleman Mazhar of Pakistan and HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation.
Innoventive Industries moves Bombay HC
ICICI Bank had filed a case at the NCLT, the first under the new law, to initiate corporate insolvency resolution process on Innoventive Industries.
Rockman Industries acquires Moldex Composites
Rockman Industries decline to specify the financials of the deal but said that Moldex Composites has been acquired at a valuation of Rs 100 crore.


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Consumer confidence dipped in November, two recently released monthly surveys found, as concerns about inflation dimmed consumers' view of their financial prospects and helped prompt a pullback on consumer spending plans.
The latest numbers from The Conference Board, a New York-based not-for-profit think tank, show that consumer confidence retreated last month after a one-month uptick in October; the organization's Consumer Confidence Index had posted three straight months of declines (in July, August and September) before that as new COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant surged.
In November, the Consumer Confidence Index stood at 109.5 (with a baseline of 100 established in 1985), down from a revised 111.6 in October and a 2021 high of 128.9 in June.
Consumers' assessments of both current business conditions and the short-term financial outlook for their household lost ground last month: 29% of consumers surveyed in November rated current business conditions as "bad," up from 25.8% who said the same in October. Further, 12% said they expect their income to decrease in the next six months, up from 11.2% expressing the same expectation in October.
Meanwhile, the University of Michigan's monthly Index of Consumer Sentiment, released last week, fell 6% in November from October, and consumer expectations declined 6.5% from the previous month. "Consumers expressed less optimism in the November 2021 survey than any other time in the past decade about prospects for their own finances as well as for the overall economy," Survey of Consumers Chief Economist Richard Curtin wrote. They're still planning to fund much-anticipated holiday celebrations, Curtin noted, but beyond that, the outlook is iffy.
"Consumers have a strong desire to resume more-normal holiday gatherings with family and friends and to use their accumulated savings to fund their celebrations and gifts despite higher prices," he wrote. However, one in four consumers in November said inflation had cut into their living standards, and they're expecting their incomes to take a hit when adjusted for inflation. They further predict that "spending cutbacks due to rising inflation [will] slow the pace of growth in the national economy in the year ahead," Curtin wrote.
The Conference Board, in its survey report, noted that fewer consumers in November than October said they were planning major purchases—of homes, automobiles or large appliances—in the next six months.
On the brighter side of consumers' feelings about the economy, 24.1% of those surveyed by the Conference Board in November said they expect overall business conditions to improve in the short term, up from 22.7% who said the same in October. In addition, the share of consumers who expect business conditions to worsen fell, sliding to 20.7% from 21.9%.
"The Conference Board expects this to be a good holiday season for retailers, and confidence levels suggest the economic expansion will continue into early 2022," Conference Board Senior Director of Economic Indicators Lynn Franco said in a statement. "However, both confidence and spending will likely face headwinds from rising prices and a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the coming months."
Both surveys were completed before the emergence of the omicron variant was first reported; the Conference Board is slated to release its December Consumer Confidence Index on Dec. 22.


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BOCA RATON — Satisfy a hankering for healthy, plant-based foods at a festival that celebrates a wholesome vegan diet.
Palm Beach VegFest, a free event centered on vegan foods and desserts and the local merchants who make them, will be held at Mizner Park Amphitheater in downtown Boca Raton on Saturday, Jan. 20.
A twice-yearly festival in Palm Beach County, VegFest’s first event will be held at the Boca amphitheater, at 590 Plaza Real. Local and national vegan food vendors will line the amphitheater lawn.
Between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., there will be free samples, live music, a veggie burger bar, guacamole-making and more.
The second festival will be held Nov. 11 at Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm Beach.
?Palm Beach VegFest
When: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, at 590 Plaza Real
More info: www.pbvegfest.com


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Microsoft’s Surface PC Event – How to Live Stream and What to Expect
Microsoft's October 26th event is just a few hours from now. The company is expected to bring some major updates to Windows 10. Moreover, we also expect the company to introduce some new hardware as well. Here's a list of things that we expect from today's Microsoft Surface event. Moreover, see how you can live stream the event from your browser.
Here's Everything You Need To Know About Today's Microsoft Surface Event
Microsoft is set to unveil its updates for this year and we have high hopes that the company will announce updated hardware as well. If you're not familiar with the way, we'll tell you what you can expect from today's event and how to view it live.
How To Watch Live Stream
The event will kick off at 7AM PT / 10AM EDT / 3PM BST / 4PM CEST / 7:30PM IST. To watch the live stream of Microsoft's Surface event, simply tune in to this webcast using your browser. There will be a bunch of new announcements, so schedule timings accordingly if you're interested.
Windows 10 Updates
The software giant is planning two major updates for its Windows platform, which will be released early next year. The first update is expected to arrive in March. Henceforth, in today's event, we anticipate that the company will detail the additions which are going to be part of the Windows 10 update in the coming year.
Some of the variations being tested by Windows Insiders include trackpad changes, better customization, HomeHub and F.lux for blue light reduction. The company is also said to be bringing the Holographic shell to Windows 10 PCs. There's a lot of other things part of the announcement as well so be sure to stay tuned for more.
Creativity Plus 3D
Recently, there was a leak of the new Paint app on Windows 10. The company seems to be drenching it in the complete design overhaul. Moreover, it will be a Universal Windows app that will support touch as well as pen features. Other than this, Paint will have the ability to create 3D objects, which seems to be the main focus of the app. It will definitely be a very useful tool for learning as well as productivity.
New Surface PC?
Microsoft is also expected to showcase a new Surface device. Laptops and tablets aside, the new device will reimagine the desktop computer. Possibly, the all-in-one device will be an iMac competitor. The design of the device is expected to feature a large display with a hinge to lay it flat on the desk. It could come with touchscreen and support for a stylus, which ensure better controls and diversified operations. This device will be oriented towards productivity, as it will focus on creating 3D objects and Holograms with new Surface hardware.
HoloLens And Amazon Echo Rival
Microsoft's augmented reality headset might also be discussed at the event. HoloLens provides a "mixed reality" experience in which users can see holograms and can interact with them as well. Any details on the headset would provide a clear insight for what the company has in focus.
Other than this, the company might have plans to announce a smart home competitor. The device will feature the company's voice-based assistant Cortana which will rival the newly launched Amazon Echo. It's good to see that the company has the trend in focus and it does not want to be left behind.
Surface Pro And Surface Book
Microsoft is expected to refresh its Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 earlier next year. So it is possible that the company will not announce any details on them. It seems that the main focus for the event will be the new Surface PC. Nonetheless, it's never too late to expect what surprises could the event have in store for us.
Microsoft held a similar event last year in October, however, today's event seems to include less hardware. Nonetheless, we can never be sure about the releases as the company could have planned a surprise. The focus this year is around 3D and creativity so lets see what the company will have in store for users. As for what we should expect from today's event, the company is going to cater both hardware and software aspect. Be sure to stay tuned for our extensive coverage of the Microsoft Surface event.
This is it for now, folks. Are you excited about today's Microsoft Surface event? Do you think the company will surprise us with the new Surface PC? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.


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Asus Zenfone 5Z is all set to be launched in India on June 26 exclusively via Flipkart. Asus Zenfone 5Z has already gone on sale in Europe and it is the cheapest smartphone there with Snapdragon 845 and it also comes with a notch on the front.
Asus has unveiled its Zenfone 5 series flagship smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in February. The ZenFone 5Z was launched in selected regions and went on sale with a starting price of €499. Asus is now planning to bring this to India and the launch is all set for tomorrow, June 26 in India.
Asus ZenFone 5Z Specifications
The Asus ZenFone 5Z comes with a 6.2 inches IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution and 18.7:9 aspect ratio including a notch on the top. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor which is clocked at 2.7GHz paired with Adreno 630 GPU. The processor is paired with 6GB and 8GB RAM, the storage is 256GB in all variants, the storage is also expandable via hybrid SIM slot.
The smartphone is featuring a 12MP + 8MP dual camera setup with PDAF and f/1.8 aperture size. The camera is also capable of capturing 4K video recording. On the front is an 8MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture size and 1.12um pixel size. The smartphone comes with all the connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, FM Radio, USB Type C port for data sync and charging.
The fingerprint sensor is also available on this smartphone on the back. The battery in Asus ZenFone 5Z is a 3300 mAh non-removable with 18W fast charging support. The smartphone also comes with dual speakers, Hi-Fi audio, and DTS Headphone X. The smartphone is 7.9 mm in thickness and 155grams in weight.
Asus ZenFone 5Z Price in India
Asus ZenFone 5Z went on sale in Europe recently and the smartphone is priced lower than the OnePlus 6. This makes the Asus ZenFone 5Z the most affordable smartphone with Snapdragon 845 processor. The price of the smartphone is not yet unveiled but the pricing would be aggressive in India to compete with the OnePlus 6. The smartphone will launch exclusively on Flipkart online store.


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Posted Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 07:00 AM PST by Mike Attebery
Want more content on Boxee? It’s coming, but you’ll have to shell out a bit for it.
Boxee knows you want more content and better applications, and they want to give it to you. Of course, they can’t just give other people’s content away for free, so they’ve created the Payment Platform, which will let owners promote and sell their content on Boxee.
It’s a sort of App Store, but it’s not just for applications. Streaming services, content providers, and even subscription services will be able to sell through Boxee. That means that a company like Amazon could easily make the jump over to Boxee, but so could smaller, independent companies.
For their part, Boxee hopes to attract developers and content holders to their service. The first attraction is that anyone can get Boxee; it’s a free program. The second is that they’ll be charging significantly less than Apple, who takes a 30 percent share of any sales made from their App store.
“It’s our belief that the Internet is ready to become the fourth method of distribution for broadcast,” says Avner Ronen of Boxee. “[it] represents a great opportunity for the major media companies and for the independent content producers.”
Boxee hopes to host not only their current ad supported content, but also pay per view, authentication based, and subscription based content.
There’s no set date yet for the first Boxee apps, but Avner says we can expect to see them soon.
Source: Boxee Blog
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Starbucks Releases 'Blonde Espresso’ for Light Roast Lovers
There are two types of coffee drinkers in the world: those who take it black, and those who overload on milk and sugar so it tastes more like dessert. Luckily for the latter, Starbucks has just announced a brand new permanent menu item — a one-of-a-kind light roast with natural sweetness, which means less added sugar! And it’s quite the opposite of a Unicorn Frappuccino.
For the first time in over 40 years, the brand is introducing a new espresso — and it’s blonde. The “Starbucks Blonde Espresso,” boasts a lighter, smoother coffee flavor, but has just as much caffeine as the bold, dark-roasted espresso that’s been in every latte, macchiato, and Flat White for over 40 years.
All drinks ordered “blonde” will have bright, sweet citrus notes with hints of lemon, orange, and caramel.
“Blonde is a great option for customers who are new to coffee, or who are looking for a smoother coffee flavor that needs less cream and sugar added — Starbucks makes its Blonde espresso flavored drinks (like Vanilla Latte or Caramel Macchiato) with less syrup to balance out the espresso,” Starbucks said in a press release. “Because of its brightness, Blonde Espresso is an ideal base for any Iced Espresso beverage, like an Iced Americano.”
Coffee lovers interested in trying the new roast can do so starting January 9.
For more on the Seattle-based brand, here are 20 things you didn’t know about Starbucks.


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Google has removed at least four apps from its Google Play Store that had allowed users to block advertisements that appear when using their Android devices.
The reports of the ad-blocking app removals have come from the developers of several of the apps, including at least one developer, Adblock Plus, which issued a March 14 press release criticizing the move.
“Adblock Plus reported today that Google has removed all ad-blocking apps for Android, including Adblock Plus, from the Google Play Store,” the statement said. “Adblock Plus claims that this unilateral move by Google threatens consumer choice.”
In an email to the developer, Google said that the ad-blocking app violates Section 4.4 of the store’s Developer Distribution Agreement, which prohibits the development or distribution of products that “interferes with, disrupts, damages, or accesses in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator.”
Till Faida, co-founder of Adblock Plus, said in a statement that Google has been unfairly targeting such apps in recent months and that this move marks the third time Adblock itself has been hit with attacks by Google.
“[T]oday’s action is the third in a string of actions that Google has taken against our open-source product: in late February Google began forcing Android users to manually configure a proxy server in order to run Adblock Plus; in December 2012 Google re-categorized Adblock Plus in the Chrome Web store and stopped showing it in search results when users specifically looked for the extension; and when Adblock Plus re-listed as an app on December 12th, Google took it down again 12 hours later,” Faida said.
“I realize that advertising revenue is important to Google, but understand that Adblock Plus does not automatically block all ads; we simply allow users the choice whether to block ads or whitelist them,” Faida said. “We even encourage advertising that is done appropriately and conforms to an Acceptable Ads policy, which is debated and decided in an open public forum. By unilaterally removing these apps, Google is stepping all over the checks and balances that make the Internet democratic. People should be really alarmed by this move.”
The disappearance of the app from the Google Play Store doesn’t mean that users can’t download it and use it, though. Adblock Plus is still available for free from the Adblock Plus Website. The app is an open-source project that has been downloaded more than 200 million times and which plugs into Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Android browsers, according to the company.
A spokesperson for the company could not be reached by eWEEK today for further comment.
Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson said in an email reply that the company does not comment on individual app removals from its Google Play Store. “We remove apps from Google Play that violate our policies,” the spokesperson stated.
At least one other developer of an ad-blocking app also publicized Google’s action.
Jared Rummler, the developer of AdAway, posted on Twitter March 13 after he received a notice from Google about the action. “Got a notification from Google and it looks like all Ad Blockers were removed from Google Play today,” wrote Rummler.
Google Play Store Pulls Apps That Block Ads
In an update on an AdAway Webpage, Rummler wrote that his app “was removed due to ‘Violation of section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement.’ Thus, it will never be available on Google Play again.”
In response, he wrote, users who are seeking the app can find it instead through “F-Droid, the open alternative to Google Play.”
Several other ad-blocker apps were also removed by Google Play, including AdBlocker and AdFree, according to a story by TechCrunch.
A huge portion of Google’s revenue comes from ad revenues, so the ability of advertisers to get their ads in front of viewer’s eyeballs is huge for the company.
Google Play, which was created in March 2012 to combine what until then were separate sites where Android lovers could buy their favorite apps, music and ebooks, has been a huge hit. Before Google Play, users had to shop through the individual Android Market, Google Music and the Google e-Bookstore sites.
By September 2012, Google Play had served up more than 25 billion downloads to app- and game-hungry Android users, reaching a significant milestone in only six months.
According to Google, the 1 billion Android app download mark was reached in mid-2010, while the 2 billion app download mark was hit in mid-2011. That number soared to 10 billion by the end of 2011, then to 15 billion in early 2012, before soaring again to 25 million in September.
Google Play hosts more than 675,000 apps and games, up from about 450,000 in March 2012, according to Google.
Google Play has been Google’s answer to the App Store as both companies are locked in a fierce battle for the lion’s share of the mobile-device market. Google also faces a rising threat from Microsoft, which is planning to issue tablets running Windows 8 in late 2012.
In the global smartphone market for the third quarter of 2012, Google’s Android was the mobile OS of choice on 75 percent of the 181.1 million smartphones that shipped around the world, which was five times the 14.9 percent market share of Apple’s iOS for the same period, according to IDC analysts.
Those figures show remarkable progress for the four-year-old Android OS against competition that includes the still-strong popularity of Apple iOS, a drastically smaller BlackBerry market, Microsoft’s multiple Windows Phone efforts and the rest of a straggling field.
Android use has been going through the roof worldwide. In fact, Android hit 500 million device activations overall in mid-September 2012, just as Apple’s latest iPhone 5 was about to launch.


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Out with the Old and In with the Old
Furniture is one of the largest waste categories in the U.S. if not worldwide, generating more than 12 million tons of waste in landfills every year, according to 2018 data by the Environmental Protection Agency. Over the past decade, there has been an acceleration in businesses across the globe provide new homes for pre-owned or pre-loved furniture. Leading the way is Kaiyo, an online marketplace for secondhand furniture, says it has helped the impact by keeping nearly three million pounds out of landfills since its launch in 2015. You’re probably more familiar with seeing things like second-hand books or refurbished tech products available at steep discounts. But chances are high that if you’re following recent trends, you’ve hopped into the second-hand furniture industry, too.
Since many of us were still staying closer to home—and investing in that space rather than, say, travel—the home furnishing market grew twice as fast from 2020 to 2021 as it did the previous year, according to GlobalData 2022 Resale Home Furnishings Market Research. Americans are now investing about $415 billion per year on furnishings, and this is expected to top $477 billion by 2027.
The service applies only to used IKEA furniture that is fully assembled and functional. Acceptable products include office drawer cabinets, bookcases, small tables, dining tables, desks and chairs and stools without upholstery. However, there are items IKEA will not take back which includes beds, sofas, mattresses, home furnishing accessories, leather products or lighting fixtures.
Unlike platforms such as Chairish and Kaiyo, used furniture sellers earn an IKEA store credit. Typically, sellers receive between 30 to 50 percent of the original price. By having such a programme, it helps IKEA align with goal to become climate positive by 2030.
The top four reasons, according to a Chairish report, appear to be:
- Better value amidst inflation
- Larger, more diverse selection
- Quicker fulfillment and fewer supply chain delays
- Less of an environmental impact (selling and shopping secondhand is one of our favorite forms of recycling!)
Fast Furniture comes at a great environmental cost. Making and shipping a single piece of furniture emits an estimated 90 kilograms of carbon, the equivalent of flying a Boeing 747 for an hour. Americans throw out 12 million tons of furniture annually, up from 2 million in 1960, which clogs our landfills and wastes the wood, metal, and plastic required to create it.
Get this: Only about 9 percent of our global economy is “circular”, meaning that it involves some form of leasing, sharing, reusing, repairing, recycling and/or refurbishing. That means more than 90 percent of the resources we use and consume are not reused, reports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and more than 12 million tons of home furnishings alone are thrown out every year in the U.S. For perspective, back in 1960, we tossed 2 million tons, according to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If we learned more into the circular economy for frequent furnishing components like aluminium, plastic, and steel, we could make a major dent in reducing global carbon gas emissions.


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Retail banks looking to invest in innovation to boost revenues: Infosys study
Retail banks across the world are increasingly investing in innovation as a means of generating revenue and controlling costs amid recovery in global economy.
Banks are looking towards technologies that can simplify their operations and deliver a richer customer experience. In particular, mobile innovation is beginning to gather pace, with 77 per cent of banks deploying or planning to deploy a mobile wallet solution, the study said.
About 77 per cent of banks surveyed are increasing investment in innovation. "This is an encouraging trend as the 2009 study revealed only 13 per cent of banks had increased investment," the study, which surveyed 148 banks in 66 countries, said.
"As the global economy recovers, retail banks across the world are increasingly investing in innovation as a means of generating revenue and controlling costs," it said.
Also, 60 per cent of banks surveyed have an innovation strategy compared to just 37 per cent five years ago, when the study was first issued, it said.
More than half (58 per cent) of banks surveyed believe the ability to deploy new systems in components would have a positive impact on their ability to innovate.
Mobile location-based offerings were cited as another area of innovation for banks, with 69 per cent deploying or planning on making deployments, it said.
To enhance their product and service offerings, 45 per cent of banks are already using or planning to invest in gamification, and 61 per cent of banks currently allow or plan to allow customers to do some form of product personalisation, the study, commissioned by Infosys and conducted by Efma, said.
"The report also reiterates that retail banks across the world have recognized that simplification and innovation can go hand-in-hand to help grow business and deliver excellent customer service," Haragopal M, Global Head of Finacle at Infosys, said.


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Google just aired their latest Android-specific commercial during the Grammys (as well as posted it online), and it's all about the Nexus 4 and Google Now. We've long said that Google Now is the killer feature of Android, and tonight's ad pushes that point home. Weather, train schedules, local guides and translation portions of Google Now all get their time in front of the camera, and the one minute spot ends with a calendar reminder of a hangout where a road warrior spends some time with his son.
While we expect Google to pimp out the Nexus 4 a good bit, it appears they also know that Google Now is pretty damn awesome. It's about time they show off both the phone and Google Now a little for everyone who hasn't been able to experience either first hand. The full video is after the break, be sure to check it out.
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Today on StartupSmart, we peer into the world of venture capital in Australia to unearth some key nuggets of advice for start-ups.
Venture capitalists have fairly strict criteria over the businesses they will invest in. But what are these criteria and how can you stand out from the crowd?
Business advisory guru Marc Peskett explains all, as well as guiding you through what the VC process entails.
Elsewhere, we profile ThereItIs, an Adelaide business set to storm the world stage with its online display technology, while Steve Torso argues that Australian investors are not more timid than their US counterparts.
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Latest Caffeine Stories
KT Press reports on the hardships faced by the country's coffee industry KIGALI, Rwanda, Sept.
SAN DIEGO, Sept.
CROFTON, Md., Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company Coffee is now proud to be the Preferred Premium Coffee of Navy Athletics.
HerbalGram cover article addresses impacts of environmental variation on botanical quality and activity AUSTIN, Texas, Sept.
Journalists and other members of the media consume more coffee than any other type of professional, with police officers and teachers following closely behind, according to the results of a new survey of 10,000 professionals conducted by UK-based public relations firm Pressat.
DALLAS, September 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market by Application [Beverages (Alcoholic, CSD, Sports & Energy Drinks, Others),
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., Sept.
La Jolla roaster is one of the few in the world to secure the Yemen Haraaz Red Maragaha La Jolla, Calif.
Regular hot chocolate contains only 5% as much caffeine as coffee according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food information website.
By sequencing the genome of the coffee plant, an international team of researchers has discovered genetic secrets that could enable them to create new varieties of coffee that taste better, have varied levels or caffeine, or are better able to survive drought conditions and diseases.
- In medieval musical notation, a sign or neume denoting a shake or trill.


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David Lopez is happy to see the changes in his hometown of El Socorro, Honduras — the jobs, the better wages, the new equipment for his coffee farm.
But what gets Lopez most excited is the addition of a single teacher — doubling the total — at the town’s primary school.
“Our community is very small (population 1,092), and we had 30 students and one teacher who taught grades 1 through 6 all together,” Lopez said recently by phone from Honduras. “Now we have two teachers and around 65 to 70 students, divided into grades 1 to 3 and then 4 to 6. It’s a better system, and the motivation of the students has changed.”
The additional teacher originally was funded by Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, a Columbus company that is committed to improving the lives of those in the communities where it purchases coffee, according to founder and president Greg Ubert.Want more inspiring news? Head over to Dispatch.com/TheGoodLife and sign up for our happy news newsletter and join The Good Life Facebook group where you can share your good news.
In Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, Ethiopia and New Guinea, the company’s Friend2Farmer program has built new homes, paid for school supplies and funded construction of a community center, among other initiatives. In the past year alone, the program has supplied for such efforts.
The heart of the program, though, according to Ubert, is a philosophy that revolves around giving a hand up rather than a hand out. Crimson Cup is most focused on helping farmers grow better coffee so the company can buy it at a higher price and increase income flowing to the communities, he said.
The teacher in El Socorro is an example. Since Crimson Cup’s one-year salary investment of $2,400 ended in 2014, the community has been able to financially support the position itself.
“Giving can come and go. We’ve all seen that,” Ubert, 52, a Worthington native and Upper Arlington resident, said recently while sitting in his company’s chic Innovation Lab on the East Side. “What we want is for all boats to rise.
“We want them to feel good about the product they’re producing because there’s a benefit to them economically, and how they choose to spend it, that’s their choice because it’s their community.”
Ubert founded the company in 1991 and at first focused on teaching people how to make coffee and run a business so they could open their own shops (and become Crimson Cup customers). It still does that, supplying more than 300 independent coffee shops nationwide.
But by the 2000s, Ubert, a Harvard graduate, said he became more focused on the next step of what he calls “the relationship chain.” That meant traveling to the countries producing coffee beans for his product and developing relationships with growers.
As Crimson Cup grew — it now roasts about 800,000 pounds of coffee a year — the company was able to start its Friend2Farmer program.
Other Columbus coffee companies, such as Brioso Coffee and One Line Coffee, travel and have relationships with growers as well. But company officials for both say they are not yet big enough to duplicate Crimson Cup’s efforts.
“It’s definitely a dream of ours,” said Jeff Davis, president of Brioso.
As its program expanded, Crimson Cup began taking groups of business owners that it serves to the communities where the company is involved so that they might be inspired to help as well.
Crimson Cup has a contract to supply coffee to Ohio State University, and in 2013, Ubert and Zia Ahmed, OSU’s senior director of dining services, hatched a plan to begin taking groups of students overseas.
“I realized that the same vision Ohio State was trying to have in regard to food sourcing and transparency was what Crimson Cup was doing as well,” Ahmed said.
Alexa Hirsch Lalejini was one of five students on that initial trip to Honduras in 2013. They visited roasting facilities, farms and schools. A community leadership major at the time, Lalejini said the visit inspired her to change direction.
“We hung out with kids who get up at the crack of dawn to pick cherries, and they only get a few hours a day to go to school,” she said. “Most of the schools don’t go past sixth grade. That was my first big 'wow’ moment, and it’s how I ended up going into education.”
She ultimately received a bachelor’s in world literature and a master’s in library science. Now 25, she is a librarian at Swan Valley High School in Saginaw, Michigan.
Since that first trip six years ago, Ohio State students have traveled to Honduras annually.
“It transforms a student and helps them understand the impact the food system has,” Ahmed said. “Every year, I hear the same story from students — that they have a better understanding of how much goes into it.”
Lopez said the relationship with Crimson Cup has had a far-reaching impact in El Socorro, too. Fewer young people leave, for one, as they see better opportunities at home. That is important to Lopez, a third-generation farmer whose grandfather was one of the town’s founders.
“Because we (coffee growers) are getting a better price, we’re able to pay better wages and we have more opportunity to create jobs. We are able to start improving our quality of life.”


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October 22, 2013 BY Aaron Hope
A couple of the recent Nike LeBron 11 colorway reveals showed up first in kids sizes. Here we see the mens version of the ‘Carbon Fiber’ LeBron 11 as differentiated by its inclusion of Dynamic Flywire. That changes the whole complexion of the otherwise black/silver upper greatly, as the pink cables locking your foot down give a more pronounced color pop than the GS edition. Let us know your opinion with this key detail clarified and be sure to check Sneaker News regularly for the latest LeBron 11 release dates.


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Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) will release its quarterly report on Thursday, and after a big share-price jump during the winter and spring months, the stock has essentially given back all of its gains for the year. Even if Calavo earnings do post the modest increase that investors expect to see, the question will remain whether the company can turn more of its revenue growth into higher profits going forward.
Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) is a specialized giant in the produce industry, best known for its avocados. With shoppers interested in higher quality fruits and vegetables, Calavo has had an opportunity to deliver greater value from its avocado, papaya, and guacamole offerings. Yet not everyone is convinced that the company can count on the healthy-food craze boosting its results. Let’s take an early look at what’s been happening with Calavo Growers over the past quarter and what we’re likely to see in its report.
Stats on Calavo Growers
|Analyst EPS Estimate||$0.39|
|Change From Year-Ago EPS||2.6%|
|Revenue Estimate||$189.17 million|
|Change From Year-Ago Revenue||23.5%|
|Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters||0|
Will Calavo earnings fall short again this quarter?
With analysts having gotten burned in previous quarter, they’ve cut their views on Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) earnings substantially in recent months. A nickel-per-share reduction in July quarter estimates is just part of a greater than $0.25 per share cut for full fiscal year projections. The stock has also given up substantial gains, falling almost 20% since late May.
Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW)’s struggles became apparent early on in the quarter, when the company announced fiscal-second quarter results that disappointed investors. Even though efforts to promote the sale of fresh avocados led to 40% higher fresh-avocado volume and 20% higher revenue for the quarter, the costs of those promotions hurt Calavo’s profits, falling about 12% from year-ago levels. Shareholders didn’t take heart from Calavo’s assertions that the company should do better during the second half of the year because of expected improvements in demand.
But Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) is hoping to use the power of the Internet to help boost its prospects in the long run. Earlier this year, the company launched its FreshRealm distribution-technology company, with the goal of allowing both large and small retailers as well as food banks and other community organizations to connect to a network of fresh-food producers. The hope is that FreshRealm will make it easier for Calavo to expand its presence in the industry by making its products more available to customers.