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For Julian Mitchell, it is unconscionable that Kenya spends so much money importing food. In the first six months of 2021, Kenya spent $909.4 million on food imports—while 30% to 40% of locally-grown crops each season are wasted due to inefficiencies in the supply chain.
“The rate at which food goes to waste is alarming,” Mitchell tells AFN. “Money is going in the wrong direction. Kenya should be exporting food.”
Mitchell, from the UK, has been living in East Africa for a decade and understands first-hand that the region is more than capable of producing enough food to feed itself. He founded InspiraFarms, a cold-chain tech company, with a mission to helping Kenya’s farmers reduce post-harvest losses and enabling food processing companies to extend their products’ shelf-life.
Inclusive cold chain
Ninety percent of Kenya’s food is grown by smallholder farmers, most of whom lack access to the types of cold storage facilities that are commonplace on and near farms in the US and Europe. It’s a common story in emerging markets.
As a remedy, InspiraFarms designs, manufactures and finances energy-efficient, solar-powered cold rooms for agribusinesses and food distributors.
“Preventing losses comes with economic and environmental benefits across the food chain,” says Mitchell.
Benefits include reduced food waste, which enhances food security and enables farmers to earn more; higher quality food for consumers; and increased opportunities for food producers and processors to reach export markets. A better cold chain also has positive environmental impacts: InspiraFarms’ own research shows that food waste contributes up to 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
InspiraFarm’s cold storage units come with a solar array for power and are designed to be modular, so that they can be built on-farm or near farms and so that they can be easily customized for the needs and space of each user. Each cold room ranges from 20 to 2,000 square meters.
“All our systems are designed to be super energy efficient, because we want to have lower impact on the environment and also lower power bills for our customers,” explains Mitchell.
One of InspiraFarms’ customers, a fresh produce export company in Kenya called Instaveg Limited, was facing numerous challenges due to its poor, decades-old cooling facilities. Food losses were high. It was struggling to meet certification standards for higher-value export markets. And its maintenance and energy costs were exorbitantly high.
InspiraFarms worked with Instaveg to spec out its cold chain needs, as well as its products’ shelf life, loss rate and operational expenditures. It then helped Instaveg install a 240-square-meter storage, pre-cooling and processing facility, along with 125-square-meter of auxiliary space.
InspiraFarms says Instaveg has not only significantly reduced its losses, but it’s now meeting stricter food safety standards and has reduced its energy bill by 30%.
InspiraFarms has installed its facilities in 11 African countries to date. Its core markets are Kenya and Zimbabwe, where it works primarily with mid-size farms and horticulture supply-chain service providers like Instaveg. Other clients include Kenya-based Twiga Foods, Sidai and Kenya Horticulture Exporters, Lauetta Farm and Claremont Farm in Zimbabwe, Ausmoz Farm in Mozambique, GreenPath Food in Ethiopia, and Get It in Rwanda.
Last May, InspiraFarms closed a Series B funding round led by KawiSafi Ventures, a growth equity fund focused on renewable energy in East Africa. Existing investors Energy Access Ventures and PYMWYMIC also participated. Then in December, off-grid solar lender SunFunder offered InspiraFarms $500,000 in debt.
The funding, says Mitchell, gives the company runway to focus on making its products more affordable to the markets it serves while also offering customer financing directly. InspiraFarms’ offers both long-term loans and seasonal repayment plans.
“The equipment is not cheap,” Mitchell notes. “Finding ways to support customers is very important.”
Another way the company does this is by encouraging farmers to form cooperatives and invest in cold rooms as a group.
“The lower you go down the chain towards smallholder farmers, the less they can afford the technology. You have to find payment mechanisms that work for them over the long-term,” he explains.
Mitchell believes government intervention could be a game-changer. He’d first like to see policy makers to tighten cold storage facilities standards, which would help eliminate the problem of low-quality food products entering market. He would also like to see African governments ease financial constraints, like the hefty import duties InspiraFarms pays for on its cold rooms, which are manufactured in Italy. Reducing import duties and value added taxes would enable InspiraFarms to pass cost-savings on to customers, he says.
Finally, African governments and their respective agricultural agencies should advocate for the value of stronger cold chains as a means to reducing their dependence on food imports and building export capacity.
“The only way to unleash Africa’s export potential,” says Mitchell, “is by increasing the shelf life of quality produce.”


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Monday night, Billings City Council members continued their discussion on the marijuana industry.
They’re working on rules and regulations for cannabis, in the event voters say “Yes” to recreational marijuana sales in November.
Council members focused on dispensaries, specifically the licensing process, and how many marijuana businesses could be allowed to open in Billings if voters allow recreational sales.
On the licensing process, City Council talked about a possible lottery system, where business owners would apply to get a recreational license, and would be selected randomly.
They also discussed capping recreational and medical dispensaries within city limits.
Last week, the council passed a 90 day moratorium on new marijuana businesses, meaning there won’t be any new ones allowed to open until the council has a better idea of how they want to handle the industry.
During public comment, one woman said there are already enough regulations on marijuana.
“You’ve all made up your minds that we are all bad people selling toxic drugs, that will eat the children’s brains, and ruin our precious town. What you need to be concerned with, is the meth, gambling, and alcohol, which has already ruined this town, but now our industry has to pay the price with over regulation, and

domain: news


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Posts Tagged «GM»
Speed racer: GM will add AT&T 4G LTE in 2014, bouncing Verizon February 25, 2013 at 3:32 pm
GM envisions more services, including video streaming, to help pay for the higher embedded cost of 4G. Hello AT&T, bye-bye Verizon.
Chevrolet GoGo Link marries cellphone navigation and dashboard LCD for $50 August 20, 2012 at 11:52 am
Fifty bucks and your smartphone give you in-dash navigation on new Chevrolet Sparks and Sonics.
Hands-on: RelayRides makes peer-to-peer car rental cheap, easy August 9, 2012 at 9:00 am
Here’s one more cheap way to get a car for a few hours. RelayRides’ grand vision has 90% of cars rendered rendundant in the urban landscape.
GM leverages WiFi Direct to give pedestrians a better chance of jumping out of the way of cars July 31, 2012 at 7:05 am
In a surprise move that proves that automakers aren’t completely behind the curve when it comes to bleeding-edge tech, GM’s research wing has unveiled a new safety system that uses WiFi Direct to prevent pedestrian collisions.
Cadillac promises self-driving cars by 2015 April 23, 2012 at 8:39 am
That’s under “ideal conditions,” GM says. But still: We may be five years away from cars that could drive themselves on interstates and other limited-access roads.
Mercedes-Benz to offer over-the-air car updates April 10, 2012 at 5:00 pm
No trip to the dealer needed, not even a USB key to stick in the dash. Cloud updates are just one advantage of built-in telematics.
BMW’s full-color HUD: distraction, minimizer of distractions, or costly tech gadget? April 4, 2012 at 11:30 am
US HUD pioneer GM returns with a cheaper head-up display. Will America’s safety zealots declare this a cure of distraction, or one more cause?
GM OnStar API: Angry Birds for your center console, but is it worth $300/year? January 9, 2012 at 10:59 am
GM now pushes everyday usefulness of OnStar as well as anecdotal tales of lifesaving crash notification. The first open app, RelayRides, provides neighborhood car-sharing (for money).
GMC adds in low-cost collision warning by using a cam instead of radar December 23, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Now: $295 for collision warning and lane departure warning system and color LCD standard. This is possible because it uses a cheap camera instead of pricey radar.
GM pioneers cheap collision detection, and yet another airbag October 1, 2011 at 9:14 am
GM-Takata airbag pops out of driver’s seat in side impacts. Collision alert camera also warns of lane departures.


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If you’re pursuing a career in retailing and want to know where the jobs will be in 2014, look to Big Data and Supply Chain. The demand in these areas is expected to be huge as struggling retailers try to “get their heads around” shifting consumer buying habits and placing products on shelves at the right time. The search is on to find talented young comers who can digest personalized information and create ever more efficient delivery systems in today’s far-flung global economy.
Retailing Needs Big Data Like Never Before
Big data experts can help retailers personalize the buying experience to keep customers engaged, satisfied and coming back. This data also provides key metrics for gauging the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. As a Big Data expert, you’ll be involved in collecting, processing and analyzing silos of data about the customer experience. You’ll become the “go-to” customer relationship management expert, providing valuable insights into the psychology and buying behavior of customers. This includes an analysis of both internal and external data to create a more personalized and individualized buying experience. Big Data experts will also guide retailers into what tomorrow’s consumers will want and need;much as Apple did by creating a need and want for its iPhone and iPad. An article in Harvard Business Review by Kristian J. Hammond, founder of the University of Chicago’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and CTO of Narrative Science, noted that what today’s retailers need are experts who can turn Big Data into a story, one that explains the data. Retailers need a narrative that provides context to today’s numbers by exploring the trends and comparisons a company needs to make sense of it all.
Grad Degree in Supply Chain is the New MBA
Today’s retailers are scrambling for supply chain talent, people who understand the flow of production, transport, distribution and other logistics; experts who can unite the engineering and financial aspects of these areas. In today’s global economy, companies who have sourcing partners in latitudes far and wide need supply chain expertise. Systems must be in place and working to ensure quick turnarounds so outlets remain stocked with the products dominated by ever-changing trends. A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that with the increasing complexity of today’s global operations, retailers desperately need people with supply chain expertise. Some are referring to a graduate degree in supply chain management as "the new MBA.” David Closs , who chairs the supply chain management department at Michigan State University's Broad College of Business, noted that the need for supply chain talent will be strong for the next decade and beyond--especially for those with a graduate degree. Tom DeCaro Executive Vice President Supply Chain at Michaels Stores, Inc., notes that Michaels stocks over 40,000 separate products at its 1,100 stores across the U.S. and Canada. Since it’s difficult to forecast which items customers want, establishing a smooth path from factory to store shelf is critical to the retailer’s success.
Want your retailing career to take off? Point it toward the hottest new areas—Big Data and Supply Chain.
Image courtesy of stockimages/FreeDigitalPhotos.net


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Leaving is lucrative for Paul Walsh as former Diageo boss set for pay bonanza
Paul Walsh, who stepped down as chief executive of Diageo last month, is set to walk away from the spirits giant with shares worth a potential £27.6million.
The drinks boss, who has grown the market value of the Guinness to Smirnoff firm from £20billion to £47billion during the past three years, has also accrued a pension pot worth £18.4million.
Details set out in Diageo’s annual report show Walsh, who is staying on for a year as an advisor to successor Ivan Menezes, has also negotiated a handsome package as a consultant.
Cheers: During his tenure at the company Paul Walsh saw the value of the drinks business soar
He will retain his basic salary of £1.2million, which unusually will be more than the £1million Menezes will earn as his replacement.
And Walsh will also stand to benefit from two different bonus schemes.
In his first six months he could receive a maximum award of £1.2m topped up to £600,000 in the second six months.
The firm said he will also represent Diageo over the next five years on a Scotch whisky trade body, earning at least £80,000 per annum.
Such largesse would usually raise eyebrows but Diageo has been a star of the stock market in recent years, acquiring a host of local brands and investing in emerging markets.
Walsh who has been chief executive for the past 13 years has seen the shares rise 80 per cent from 1042p in 2010 to 1880p in 2013. He owns 784,660 of stock worth £15.4million at an average £19.68 price and if targets are met could also get £12.2million in shares and options from incentive schemes – which together produce the £27.6million figure.
The firm says Walsh will not receive any lump sum compensation payment in connection with the termination.
But the attractive terms for his role as adviser are part of a growing trend among FTSE 100 firms.
Some corporate governance groups have raised concerns about the quantum.
Deborah Hargreaves, director of the High Pay Centre, said: ‘Paul Walsh was very good at Diageo and was paid extremely well for it.
‘I do not see why he needs to hang round being paid more than the new chief executive.’ Menezes’ total reward will actually be more than Walsh’s because it is related to long-term performance, given that he is in a position to influence that as chief executive.
Finance director Deirdre Mahlan’s salary was lifted 5 per cent to £714,000, while Menezes got a 8.6 per cent hike to his £1million to reflect his increased responsibilities at the company.
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Knick star Jeremy Lin has scored another big endorsement deal — he’s teaming up with Volvo to help it sell cars around the world, it was reported yesterday.
The deal seems like a slam dunk.
Lin, the American-born son of Taiwanese immigrants, is immensely popular in China.
And Volvo is now owned by a Chinese company, which is hoping its new spokesman will help sell cars to a global market, and especially in China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The company, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, hopes to double the brand’s sales to 800,000 vehicles around the world by 2020, the paper said.
The terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Lin also has a deal with Nike, which began when he was a rookie but is now expected to expand.


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A survey by the market research company Obvius has recorded a surprising bump in the number of online centenarians. ‘People aged over 113 show a surprising level of activity on the internet’, said Obvius MD Keith Clarkson, adding: ‘Especially porn sites’.
Obvius sent out millions of unsolicited email invitations to random individuals inviting them to benefit from a range of online services, such as wine by the case, free holidays, double glazing, introductions to lonely Russian women and discreet affairs. Surprisingly over 90% of the respondents were centenarians and – even more baffingly – born on the same day.
‘We will have to conduct more research to find out what drives this unique group of over-110s to use the Internet, but we suspect it might have to do with mobility issues,’ said Clarkson. ‘Once we understand this, we will look at how we can encourage those born just 24 hours later – on the second of January 1900 – to get more involved on the web.
‘Even though they are a day younger, I’m sure they, too, would benefit from online services.’


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The league’s pregame livestream will take place before the big game on Feb. 11, 2024.
Gwen Stefani is getting fans pumped for Super Bowl LVIII, as the NFL announced that the “Hollaback Girl” singer will be performing at Super Bowl LVIII TikTok Tailgate, the league’s pregame livestream before the big game on Feb. 11, 2024.
See latest videos, charts and news
“We all know how massive of an event Super Bowl is, and I am so honored I get to be a part of it and perform at the Super Bowl TikTok Tailgate. Can’t wait to see you all in Vegas!” Stefani said in a press statement.
For the fourth year in partnership with TikTok, fans watching across the world can tune in on @NFL on TikTok for hours of live programming leading up to the Super Bowl, including a pregame celebration and TikTok creators serving up game day predictions, team facts, commentary and more — in addition to Stefani’s live performance. In addition, portions of the musical performance will be televised in the CBS Super Bowl LVIII Pregame Show.
That’s not all. Stefani’s GXVE Beauty brand dropped a limited-edition beauty bundle in celebration of the 2024 Super Bowl, and Stefani’s upcoming TikTok Tailgate performance. From Feb. 4-9, GXVE Beauty is offering a $50 Game Day Bundle featuring shades of red, gold and black to match the team colors for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
On Sunday (Feb. 4), fans can tune in at 5:30 ET/2:30pm PT on the NFL TikTok account or CBS to watch Stefani rock the stage for TikTok Tailgate.
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The 2013 Acura RDX crossover is set to go on sale this spring with a base price of $34,320, before a $885 destination charge.
Read This Article
The Acura TLX GT will make its official debut for the Pirelli World Challege at the Detroit Grand Prix.
The non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently bestowed its coveted Top Safety Pick awards to four new vehicles: 2013 Ford Escape, Acura ILX, Scion FR-S, and the Subaru BRZ.
When asking consumers what is most important when buying a new vehicle, many will mention styling.


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S Krishna Kumar of Sundaram Mutual Fund said that the earnings have been pretty good and that retail private banks have seen strong delivery.
Market could go through consolidation before heading into the next growth phase, believes S Krishna Kumar, CIO-Equity at Sundaram Mutual Fund.
“In a long term growth phase of the economy, the market does go through a consolidation phase…markets would be more reactive to results that come out this season, along with monsoon progress and the impact of GST,” he told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. These factors will now be the drivers for the market going forward, he added.
With earnings being one of the key drivers, Kumar observed the retail private banks continued to see strong delivery. Housing finance and automobile companies have performed well too, he said, adding, the latter delivered well on growth and as expected the margin impact was also seen due to the GST.
Having said that, Kumar cautions that one should not be too reactive to the results as the country is going through a transitory phase.
Speaking on the outlook on corporate-facing banks, he said that it is a negative surprise in some cases where some of the results have shown fresh slippages outside the watchlist.
However, most of these banks have also seen reduction or flattening out of overall slippages, Kumar told the channel. So, how will the current fiscal pan out for them?
“The credit cost will be elevated in FY18, but will come down next fiscal,” he said.
On midcaps, Kumar said the right approach would be to look for strong businesses, good promoters and better balance sheets. “Look at good long term stories. We are looking at next set of stocks which will help in performance in next three years,” he said.Kumar also said the valuation mismatch is seen due to domestic factors. For instance, companies like Bajaj Finserv were having higher valuations due to high-valued IPOs. Further, he said the overvalued sectors like insurance will see paring down of holdings. He also expects consumer durables earnings & return on equity to compound over next 2-3 years.


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Big increase in Black Friday spending
- Staff Philadelphia Business Journal
Tsk tsk about commercialism encroaching even further into our holidays if you will, call people crazy who begin their Black Friday shopping on what is actually still Thanksgiving if you must. But even earlier openings and other factors led to a nearly 13 percent increase in holiday spending over Thanksgiving weekend last year.
The Associated Press, crediting Black Friday sales that began Thanksgiving night, plus "[updated] mobile shopping applications for smartphones and tablets, and [expanded] shipping and layaway options, said "total spending over the four-day weekend totaled $59.1 billion."
The Wall Street Journal said online shopping, including over $1 billion logged on Friday, was a big part of the total, and said there were "questions about whether retailers' new tactics are simply shifting spending to different days and sales outlets."
Analysts are wondering, for example, if the strong online sales over the weekend could diminish Cyber Monday.
Philadelphia Business Journal Morning Edition
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Apple, like many big tech companies, has been looking to buy startups and other companies for some time, but now it seems that it has decided to buy the Manchester United football club in a strange move.
The Daily Star newspaper has reported that Apple executives expressed their willingness to discuss a possible deal with Jonel and Oram Glazer, the current owners of Manchester United have expressed. The value of the club’s owners’ request was initially set at 8.25 billion pounds (equivalent to 10 billion dollars), but apparently Apple has decided to finalize the deal with a deal worth 5.8 billion pounds.
As MacWorld He points out, the sums announced by the owners of the Manchester Nine football club seem very high in the world of sports. In comparison, the value of the Chelsea club was also announced in May at 4.25 billion pounds. In addition, the current value of the Manchester United team for Glazers It is very noteworthy that they bought this club in 2005 for less than 800 million pounds. Of course, such a figure is not too much for a big company like Apple because the income of this brand in the last quarter from the sale of iPad is equivalent to the value of the said football club.
Of course, the probability that Apple will buy a famous football team is not very high because this company has no experience in running a sports team, and although this deal has a value equivalent to the quarterly sales of iPads, it is still considered a big financial risk. Therefore, it is not possible to comment with certainty about the possibility of buying Manchester United football club. It is worth noting Elon Musk He had already announced his desire to buy this football team. Such news is sure to have a huge impact on the advertising side of big brands and we will also see a storm of rumors about it.
We must mention that the idea of Apple buying a prominent football team seems very attractive. Ted Lasso’s TV series, which airs on Apple’s TV Plus streaming service, follows the story of a clueless but lovable American coach who takes over the British soccer team. This series has been one of the top successes of Apple’s content streaming service in the past two years.
The Cupertino-based tech giant, on the other hand, will soon acquire the rights to broadcast MLS soccer matches in the United States. Now, if the Manchester Ninth team is purchased, Apple can use it as a lever to expand the coverage of its services in other countries of the world, and in addition, the said club will become a great advertising tool for this brand.
In any case, as interesting as the idea of buying a football club for Apple seems, it is unlikely to become a reality.


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It's clear from our members that patients are still unaware of the potential risks associated with purchasing medicines online from unregulated or unverified websites.
Some of these illegal sites are very professional and look like legitimate online pharmacies, but supply dangerous fakes or unlicensed medicines that have serious health implications.
Our advice is clear; always buy medicines in person or online from a genuine UK bricks and mortar based pharmacy.
More top news
The double Grand Slam winner said he did not regret giving his opinion, but was 'disappointed' at the way he went about it.
It seems the Prime Minister is waiting to have talks with other world leaders in New York where he is attending the UN General Assembly.
Rio Ferdinand has emerged as a surprise possible choice to be the FA's candidate for Britain's FIFA vice-presidential position


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|By PR Newswire||
|November 23, 2012 09:31 AM EST||
CHICAGO, Nov. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include China Mobile Limited (NYSE:CHL), Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL), China Unicom Limited (NYSE:CHU), ChinaTelecom Corp. (NYSE:CHA) and Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG).
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:
China Mobile Seeks iPhone Target
China Mobile Limited (NYSE:CHL), the largest wireless carrier in the world by subscriber base, intends to sell 100 million mobile phones in 2013 with almost 80% of it in smartphones. This indicates a remarkable improvement of 25% over 2012 expected sales of 70-80 million units. A potential deal with the world's second largest smartphone manufacturer Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL) can be attributable for the raised guidance.
China Mobile covers more than half of the Chinese mobile market with a subscriber base of 698.51 million at the end of third quarter 2012. Nevertheless, the company's 3G customers comprise only 11% (75.6 million) of its huge subscriber base.
Two of its closest rivals – China Unicom Limited (NYSE:CHU) and ChinaTelecom Corp. (NYSE:CHA) – with subscriber base of 229.49 million and 152.62 million, respectively, lags far behind but have far better 3G customer concentration than China Mobile. This provides China Mobile a significant opportunity to tap this under penetrated 3G market.
China Mobile's biggest flaw is that it offers mobile service based on Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology, which is not very well supported by the handset makers including Apple Inc.'s iPhone, resulting in lower upload/download speed. However, the competitors like China Unicom and China Telecom offer their services through globally acknowledged Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technology.
With nearly a billion cell phone users, China Mobile offers a huge smartphone market, which is still being dominated by Google Inc.'s (Nasdaq:GOOG) Android operating system (OS) and Apple's iOS comes at a distant second place.
The company has been in talks with Apple for quite some time in order to develop a TD-SCDMA iPhone, although nothing has been finalized yet. We believe China Mobile has to strike a deal with Apple sooner rather than later to have any realistic chance of achieving its 2013 smartphone sales target.
China Mobile currently has a Zacks #2 Rank, implying a short-term Buy rating.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
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SOURCE Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
"BSQUARE is in the business of selling software solutions for smart connected devices. It's obvious that IoT has moved from being a technology to being a fundamental part of business, and in the last 18 months people have said let's figure out how to do it and let's put some focus on it, " explained Dave Wagstaff, VP & Chief Architect, at BSQUARE Corporation, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held Nov 4-6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Jun. 3, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 4,157
The WebRTC Meetup, where WebRTC enthusiasts exchange ideas, is being held on Wednesday, June 10, from 7 pm – 9 pm at the 4th WebRTC Summit, June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The WebRTC Meetup is being hosted by the New York WebRTC Developer Group. WebRTC is the future of browser-to-browser communications, and continues to make inroads into the traditional, difficult, plug-in web communications world. The 4th WebRTC Summit continues our tradition of delivering the latest and greatest presentations within the world of WebRTC. Topics include voice calling, video chat, ...
Jun. 3, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 816
Explosive growth in connected devices. Enormous amounts of data for collection and analysis. Critical use of data for split-second decision making and actionable information. All three are factors in making the Internet of Things a reality. Yet, any one factor would have an IT organization pondering its infrastructure strategy. How should your organization enhance its IT framework to enable an Internet of Things implementation? In this session, James Kirkland, Red Hat's Chief Architect for the Internet of Things and Intelligent Systems, will describe how to revolutionize your architecture and...
Jun. 3, 2015 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,045
Aria Systems, which helps enterprises grow recurring revenue, today announced that its co-founder and inventor of cloud billing Brendan O'Brien, will be a featured speaker at the Cloud Expo, June 9-11 at The Javits Center in New York. Aria also will be demonstrating its Active Monetization platform in Booth #424 on the Expo Floor. O'Brien will lead the following sessions: June 9 - 11:00 am - 11:35 am, Room 1A16 with participants from Constant Contact, MGI Research and ATG Enabling Complex Recurring Revenue Strategies – With IoT exploding, massive data will transform businesses with oppor...
Jun. 3, 2015 02:15 PM EDT Reads: 758
Growth hacking is common for startups to make unheard-of progress in building their business. Career Hacks can help Geek Girls and those who support them (yes, that's you too, Dad!) to excel in this typically male-dominated world. Get ready to learn the facts: Is there a bias against women in the tech / developer communities? Why are women 50% of the workforce, but hold only 24% of the STEM or IT positions? Some beginnings of what to do about it!
Jun. 3, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,044
The enterprise market will drive IoT device adoption over the next five years. In his session at @ThingsExpo, John Greenough, an analyst at BI Intelligence, division of Business Insider, will analyze how companies will adopt IoT products and the associated cost of adopting those products. John Greenough is the lead analyst covering the Internet of Things for BI Intelligence- Business Insider’s paid research service. Numerous IoT companies have cited his analysis of the IoT. Prior to joining BI Intelligence, he worked analyzing bank technology for Corporate Insight and The Clearing House Pay...
Jun. 3, 2015 01:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,693
The basic integration architecture, as defined by ESBs, hasn’t changed for more than a decade. Most cloud integration providers still rely on an ESB architecture and their proprietary connectors. As a result, enterprise integration projects suffer from constraints of availability and reliability of these connectors that are not re-usable across other integration vendors. However, the rapid adoption of APIs and almost ubiquitous availability of APIs amongst most SaaS and Cloud applications are rapidly redefining traditional integration approaches and their reliance on proprietary connectors. ...
Jun. 3, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,480
SYS-CON Events announced today that O'Reilly Media has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participa...
Jun. 3, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,135
The 17th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. 17th International Cloud Expo, to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, brings together Cloud Computing, APM, APIs, Microservices, Security, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal today!
Jun. 3, 2015 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 5,359
The 4th International Internet of @ThingsExpo, co-located with the 17th International Cloud Expo - to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA - announces that its Call for Papers is open. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the biggest idea since the creation of the Worldwide Web more than 20 years ago.
Jun. 3, 2015 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,199
Imagine a world where targeting, attribution, and analytics are just as intrinsic to the physical world as they currently are to display advertising. Advances in technologies and changes in consumer behavior have opened the door to a whole new category of personalized marketing experience based on direct interactions with products. The products themselves now have a voice. What will they say? Who will control it? And what does it take for brands to win in this new world? In his session at @ThingsExpo, Zack Bennett, Vice President of Customer Success at EVRYTHNG, will answer these questions a...
Jun. 3, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,736
SYS-CON Events announced today that BMC will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. BMC delivers software solutions that help IT transform digital enterprises for the ultimate competitive business advantage. BMC has worked with thousands of leading companies to create and deliver powerful IT management services. From mainframe to cloud to mobile, BMC pairs high-speed digital innovation with robust IT industrialization – allowing customers to provide amazing user experiences with optimized IT per...
Jun. 3, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,625
17th Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some form of XaaS – software, platform, and infrastructure as a service.
Jun. 3, 2015 12:30 PM EDT Reads: 3,285
With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo in Silicon Valley. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be! Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 17th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal an...
Jun. 3, 2015 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,864
SYS-CON Events announced today that MetraTech, now part of Ericsson, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY. Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society- a world leader in communications infrastructure, software and services. Some 40% of the world’s mobile traffic runs through networks Ericsson has supplied, serving more than 2.5 billion subscribers.
Jun. 3, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,045
2015 predictions circa 1970: houses anticipate our needs and adapt, city infrastructure is citizen and situation aware, office buildings identify and preprocess you. Today smart buildings have no such collective conscience, no shared set of fundamental services to identify, predict and synchronize around us. LiveSpace and M2Mi are changing that. LiveSpace Smart Environment devices deliver over the M2Mi IoT Platform real time presence, awareness and intent analytics as a service to local connected devices. In her session at @ThingsExpo, Sarah Cooper, VP Business of Development at M2Mi, will d...
Jun. 3, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,965
"For over 25 years we have been working with a lot of enterprise customers and we have seen how companies create applications. And now that we have moved to cloud computing, mobile, social and the Internet of Things, we see that the market needs a new way of creating applications," stated Jesse Shiah, CEO, President and Co-Founder of AgilePoint Inc., in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 15th Cloud Expo, held Nov 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Jun. 3, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,666
The Internet of Things is not only adding billions of sensors and billions of terabytes to the Internet. It is also forcing a fundamental change in the way we envision Information Technology. For the first time, more data is being created by devices at the edge of the Internet rather than from centralized systems. What does this mean for today's IT professional? In this Power Panel at @ThingsExpo, moderated by Conference Chair Roger Strukhoff, panelists will addresses this very serious issue of profound change in the industry.
Jun. 3, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,153
Health care systems across the globe are under enormous strain, as facilities reach capacity and costs continue to rise. M2M and the Internet of Things have the potential to transform the industry through connected health solutions that can make care more efficient while reducing costs. In fact, Vodafone's annual M2M Barometer Report forecasts M2M applications rising to 57 percent in health care and life sciences by 2016. Lively is one of Vodafone's health care partners, whose solutions enable older adults to live independent lives while staying connected to loved ones. M2M will continue to gr...
Jun. 3, 2015 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,785
The world is at a tipping point where the technology, the device and global adoption are converging to such a point that we will see an explosion of a world where smartphone devices not only allow us to talk to each other, but allow for communication between everything – serving as a central hub from which we control our world – MediaTek is at the heart of both driving this and allowing the markets to drive this reality forward themselves. The next wave of consumer gadgets is here – smart, connected, and small. If your ambitions are big, so are ours. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Jack Hu, D...
Jun. 3, 2015 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,068


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If Captain Birds Eye is looking particularly pleased with himself these days, it’s not just because he has been reincarnated in the form of a handsome Italian watersports enthusiast. It may also be because the old sea dog can boast that his fish fingers are helping the seas to recover.
That may be stretching it but the Marine Conservation Society in the UK said recently it had found that 85 per cent of fish in 48 brands it looked at were from top-rated sustainable sources. In its report, the society notes that a lot of brands don’t highlight the fact that their fish is from a sustainable source, though they could.
That’s not the case with Birds Eye. On the front, its boxes have a blue logo with a tick inside and the words “Certified Sustainable Seafood MSC www.msc.org”.
This isn’t just empty marketing speak. It refers to the fact the Marine Stewardship Council, a British non-profit organisation, conducts “objective third-party fishery assessment using scientific evidence”, according to its website. The MSC Fisheries Standard is based in part on the UN Fisheries and Agriculture Organisation’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing. This is confirmed by external auditing to the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative benchmark.
Birds Eye goes one better and, as is explained on the back of the packet, if you go to the website and feed in the code next to the “best before” date, it will tell you where the fish in that box comes from. Find the provenance tool and you will have an answer. The number 27-01E on packets I picked up indicated that the fish was Atlantic cod from the north-east Atlantic, north-east Arctic or Norwegian Sea. It was caught with trawls, seines, lines and hooks, gill nets and similar.
Cod gets the MSC tick of approval too as stocks were deemed last year to have recovered from near collapse. It’s the first time in 20 years this has happened and it’s the reason there is so much cod on sale again. As of 2017, Birds Eye got 90 per cent of its fish from sustainable sources, according to its website, and it plans to hit 100 per cent by 2025.
So what else can you tell from the packet? Fish fingers have omega-3, a type of fatty acid that has been credited with helping to boost brain power in children because it plays a role in brain development and function. Lots of brands, including Dunnes Stores’ own brand and Birds Eye and Young’s, note that the fingers are “a source of omega-3”.
The type of white fish used in fish fingers, however, such as cod and pollock, has a lot less omega-3 than oily fish such as salmon or sardines. If my maths is correct, salmon has about three times more.
Fish fingers are still a good way to get the wary to eat fish. After Birds Eye developed fish fingers, it created the tagline “no bones, no waste, no smell, no fuss” and that still holds. So what else is in there? Nothing too odd, it seems.
Dunnes’ Alaskan Pollock fish fingers have 65 per cent fish fillet, then some fairly standard batter ingredients. These include potato starch, wheat flour, salt, linseed oil, breadcrumbs, spices and rapeseed oil, which incidentally has some omega-3 too. Under the nutrition information, it also notes there is 0.17g of omega-3 fatty acids in each fish finger.
Some brands seem to have more omega-3 than others despite using the same fish. Birds Eye’s box of 18 fish fingers uses just 58 per cent fish but keep reading the ingredients and you will see that the bread-crumb coating contains fish oil too. So they have 120mg of DHA and 231g of EPA& DHA Omega-3. Seems like a clever plan as long as they taste good.
Buy a box of 14 Alaskan Pollock fingers from Birds Eye and there is no added fish oil. They are made with 62 per cent fish fillet and a standard batter, but there is no mention of omega-3 levels on the box. The only separate nutrient mentioned in the nutrition labelling is selenium, which we all need.
Most brands don’t have sugar in the ingredients, but Tesco Finest chunky cod fish fingers has, where it appears as glucose syrup. So they are best avoided.
There’s not a lot of fish in fingers compared to a full-size fillet, but they are an easy way to have fish. The only question for Captain Birds Eye now is whether to fry or grill them.
FOOD LABELS SERIES
- Sliced ham
- Cream crackers
(search Rose's other food labels articles here)


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A chain of used-car stores is preparing to open a location in central Ohio.
DriveTime will open in mid-August at 3101 Morse Rd., on the North Side. The lot and building once housed Germain Chevrolet, said a spokesman.
The company, based in Phoenix, has about 90 stores. The only other location in Ohio is in Fairfield, near Cincinnati.
DriveTime markets itself as a friendly destination for customers who might have poor credit, and for people who want a low-pressure experience on the lot. The company says it uses no-haggle pricing, and it tries to minimize additional charges that sometimes drive up the final cost.
The company sums up its approach with this tag line: “No stress. No hidden fees. No haggling."
Its most similar rival might be CarMax, a Virginia-based chain of used-car stores that has locations on the Northwest Side and at Easton. The Easton store is just down the street from where DriveTime will open.
The former Germain Chevrolet site has been vacant since the dealership shut down in the summer of 2009.
DriveTime plans to hire about 15 people, the company spokesman said.


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Here's everything OnePlus is expected to launch on February 7 in India.
The launch event will take place on February 7 at 7.30 pm IST.Source: Techlusive
OnePlus 11 5G might come with an alert-slider, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, and a 5,000mAh battery with 100W support.Source: Techlusive
It will also feature a punch hole camera and a Hasselblad camera.Source: Techlusive
OnePlus 11R will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chipset.Source: Techlusive
OnePlus revealed that its upcoming TWS earbuds is one of the first TWS earbuds in the market to adopt Google's spatial audio feature developed for Android 13.Source: Techlusive
OnePlus TV 65 Q2 Pro is expected to come with a 65-inch display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution.Source: Techlusive
The tablet could be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 SoC. It will be the company's first tab.Source: Techlusive
Thanks For Reading!
Data Privacy Day: Top WhatsApp Security Features You Should Know AboutFind Out More


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Two factors have motivated Mr. Sheer to make this statement: actual findings from more than ten already published annual global reports, all pointing towards modest improvements in 2009; and other reliable industry tracking indicators, such as those from the US Television Bureau of Advertising, which follows advertising revenues at stations and which have indicated an uptick in 2010.
Douglas Sheer, CEO and chief analyst of DIS Consulting Corporation, said: “The broadcasting and professional media industries are heading for a 4.8% increase overall in 2010. This growth forecast, although modest, is a sign that the industry, which has seen a devastatingly steep decline - an average of a 14% decline - in 2009 purchases, is on its way back up.
“All of the signs are coming up as positive towards a recovery in 2009. In addition to the forecast for broadcast, DIS is confident that other non-broadcast sales in the industry, such as in event video, mobile/OB and medical video will be even stronger in recovery, perhaps topping 7% next year as the entire industry rallies.”
Have your say and discuss with your peers on the InfoGrok community.
Participate by posting your comments now.


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(PRWEB) July 05, 2012
Central Restaurant Products has teamed up with True Manufacturing, a world leader in commercial refrigeration for over 65 years, to provide the lowest prices on True’s full line of refrigeration, along with free shipping.
Central carries nearly 2,000 of True’s products from reach-ins, prep tables and merchandisers to bar refrigerators, undercounters and worktops. Central has hundreds of these True products in-stock and available for same day shipping.
All of True’s products are made in the USA and each unit is tested before it is released into inventory. True has the government’s Energy Star label on many pieces of their equipment and have also earned Foodservice Equipment and Supplies’ “Best in Class” award for the 11th consecutive year on their heavy equipment.
Central is the direct source to hundreds of leading manufacturers. In addition, Central has their own premier line of products—the Central Exclusive, Central Edge and Value Series, as well as Combo Deals, to give customers access to exclusive products, bundles and pricing.
Customers can order any way they prefer with Central whether it is online, over the phone, via fax or through the mail. Central also has convenient methods of payment, free online chat and a bilingual hotline to assist Spanish-speaking customers. Foodservice industry information can be found on their blog (blog.centralrestaurant.com/) as well as on Facebook (CentralRestaurantProducts), Twitter (@CRPRestaurant), Pinterest (CentralProducts), Google+ and YouTube (CentralRestaurantPro).
Central Products opened in 1981 near downtown Indianapolis and has grown to become one of the nation’s leading distributors of quality commercial restaurant equipment and supplies. Central’s knowledgeable Product Consultants with industry experience are available during convenient hours—phone lines are open for business from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST on Saturday. They can be reached at 800-222-5107. Shop online, request a catalog or sign up for email promotions at CentralRestaurant.com.


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Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is adamant, perhaps unsurprisingly, that Formula One will survive the global economic crisis and has moved to downplay its impact on the sport.
Formula One has been hit hard by the financial downturn and the ensuing slump in the motor industry with Honda becoming the sport’s first victim after it pulled the plug on grand prix racing late last year.
In addition to concerns that more manufacturers may follow Honda out of the sport, there have also been fears that the crisis could impact on ticket sales forcing race promoters who are unable to afford Ecclestone’s fees to withdraw from the calendar.
However, according to the Global Motorsport Media service, Ecclestone has issued an uplifting message in the New Year saying that ticket sales will not be dented and that the image and popularity of Formula One remains as strong as ever.
On a visit to Serbia to rescue his marriage with wife Slavica the 78-year-old told the local press:
“As far as I know, all the tickets have been sold for almost every race in the next season. Moreover, we signed two huge deals, one with LG and one with DHL.”
“It’s simple, the big guns who want their add across the whole world understand that Formula One is the cheapest way to achieve it.”


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Last year Game stores introduced its Halfway Day sale for the first time.
By extending the sales to Makro stores, Massmart says it will give more South Africans the chance to shop categories such as electronics, appliances, lifestyle, and essentials at the lowest prices in South Africa for one day only.
Katherine Madley, Massmart’s vice president of group marketing explains that extending the campaign to Makro this year is in line with Massmart’s customer strategy.
The strategy looked at the similarities and differences between the Game and Makro customer – who, despite marked differences in the ways they shop, are bargain hunters at their core.
“Our shoppers look to stock their pantries, buy in bulk, and make the smartest decisions around deals and pricing – specifically when it comes to big-ticket purchases.
“The Halfway Day sale is the perfect opportunity for both Game and Makro shoppers to make smart purchasing decisions on their must-have items,” says Madley.
She adds that the group has leveraged learnings from 2022 to ensure an even more successful Halfway Day campaign this year.
“Our teams have worked to bring products that our customers are most looking for at the best possible prices; in line with our wider strategy of saving our customers money on the items they want and need.”
Some of last year’s best-selling products include UHD TVs, laptops, smart phones, airfryers, comforters, gas heaters, gas stoves, and pantry essentials.
Giving some insights into this year’s deals, Madley says: “Customers can expect unprecedented prices on items such as gas heaters, air fryers, appliances and food items.
“Our selection will appeal to those customers shopping for their first home, looking for 32” TVs or those looking for a more experiential TV experience.
“We also cater for customers looking for products that will keep them warmer over this harsh winter period, including products that could help ease the pain during loadshedding.”
The sale will once again run both in-store and online, on Friday, 30 June. In-store shoppers can visit any Game store between 08:00 and 20:00 on the day, while Makro shoppers can shop between 08:00 and 18:00.
For those who prefer to use online channels, the sale will launch online at both game.co.za and makro.co.za at midnight.


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|Deere recalls more than 2,000 lawn tractors for crash risk
Deere is recalling more than 2,000 lawn tractors because the brake arm can fail and cause a crash.
|Whirlpool recalls 40,000 Jenn-Air ovens due to burn risk
Whirlpool is recalling more than 40,000 of its Jenn-Air brand ovens after customers reported burns due to faulty oven racks.
|Mini recalls about 35K cars to bolster side crash resistance
Mini is recalling about 35,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because they don't meet side-impact crash-test requirements.
|Harley-Davidson recalling bikes to fix saddlebag problem
Harley-Davidson is recalling more than 185,000 motorcycles in the U.S. because the saddlebags can come loose and fall off, increasing the risk of a crash.
|Chicken Recalled for Possible Staphylococcal Contamination
Pennsylvania firm Recalls Chicken Products sold Nationwide due to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Contamination
|Volkswagen Issue Recall on Passat, Other Vehicles Over Fire Fear
Volkswagen has temporarily halted sales of about 25,000 cars in the US because of a fire risk.
|Takata Airbag Recall
Takata air bag recall becomes biggest ever in US.
|Blue Bell Recalling All Products
Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries is recalling all of its products on the market after two samplings of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream tested positive for listeriosis.
|Rossville Bi-Lo ground beef recall
Officials say the beef could be contaminated with pieces from a small plastic pop-up timer.
|Sabra recalls 30,000 cases of hummus over listeria concerns
Listeria is a food-borne illness that can cause high fevers and nausea in minor cases, but the infections can be fatal to people with weakened immune systems and young children, along with causing miscarriages in pregnant women.


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After being announced earlier this year as a Wii U exclusive before being pushed back and then made a multi-platform release, we finally have a release date for Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut. Square Enix have released the above trailer, stating that the game will be available on October 22nd for North America and October 25th for Europe.
It’s nice to finally have a release date, but in this crowded holiday season I don’t think Square Enix will have the right to be disappointed if a port of a 2 year old game just doesn’t sell well.
- Nintendo’s NX will feature detachable c
- The Nintendo NX will use Nvidia’s Tegra
- Sci-fi platformer “Rive” is delay
- Splatoon Splatfests are officially over. Nint
TAGS: deus ex, Nintendo, square enix, wii u


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How the crisis is changing the way we look at online shoppingWhile the Corona crisis is a brutal blow to retail, it also shows that the crisis is spawning new ideas. By forcing many people to change the way they consume, they have looked at all the options that can be found outside of brick-and-mortar retail. This has led to an unexpected boom in services and shopping from the Internet. While it is already clear that offers from food retailers via the Internet are among the big winners of the crisis, it is particularly evident that regional retailers can also score points with their own presences on the Internet.E-commerce is establishing itself more and more as an alternative in GermanyIt is no wonder that this development has now taken such a leap, as it was already foreseeable in recent years that Germans would become more intensively involved with commerce on the Internet.
In a comparison within Europe, they have made it to third place in terms of who ordered products from the Internet in the past year. Nevertheless, it was noticeable up to now that the Germans' interest in trading on the Internet was mainly in the fashion and technology sectors. At the same time, supermarkets' projects to deliver groceries to the doorstep in particular had to contend with considerable problems in terms of demand and were even partly discontinued again by some chains.With the Corona crisis, however, it became clear that even these services can now generate a certain demand among customers. For many consumers, it was the first time they had come into contact with such services and they were able to see for themselves the quality and processes behind them.
But it was not only the providers of food or similar products that benefited. Above all, it was noticeable that many small shops finally dared to take the step into the Internet in order to be able to achieve at least a part of their sales. Many consumers took it for granted that they would stock up on goods from regional and local suppliers that they might have ordered from large chains under other circumstances.The ease of setting up a shop is an advantage for newcomersBesides the fact that acceptance of online shopping has risen noticeably in recent years, it is also the ease of access to one's own online shop that is responsible for this boom. It has never been so easy to create your own shop with the simplest of means.
There are, for example, providers such as Shopify, Jimdo or WooCommerce, with which the own online shop can be designed. Here, the users alone decide how many functions they want to have, how much money should be invested in the construction and how large the shop actually needs to be so that it is perfectly aligned for consumers. So, due to the correspondingly simple accesses and easy processing according to one's own wishes, the doors to the digital sales world are now also open to the operators of small shops in the retail sector. The current crisis in particular could be a great opportunity in which to completely reinvent oneself.


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Cincinnati's Coney Island is getting an update.
For those who have special memories at Cincinnati's Coney Island amusement park, sad news has been announced since the destination is about to undergo a renovation process. According to Cincinnati.com, the amusement rides will be running until September 21 before they shut down forever. The final day will be followed by the annual Fire Up The Night event.
According to the publication, the shut down of rides is due to the lack of attention each excursion was getting after resources and man-hours had to be divided for the rides and the water park equally. "All of our consumer research, all of our consumer feedback, and all of our in-park data shows that the vast majority of our guests come to Coney Island because of the fun they have while in the Sunlite Pool area,” Rob Schutter Jr., Coney Island's president and CEO said of the updates.
Renovations on the park have already begun and the final unveiling of the updates will be revealed on the park's 100th birthday in 2025. “Since 2016, we’ve invested more than $6 million into the Sunlite Pool,'' Schutter added. "We will kick start a new multi-phase renovation to grow Coney Island into the region’s premier swim and play destination.''


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The BlackBerry Q10 will first be stocked by carriers Rogers (TSX:RCI.B), Bell Mobility (TSX:BCE) and Telus (TSX:T), the company announced Tuesday.
U.S. carriers are expected to get the phone "by the end of May," the company said in an emailed statement. The four major U.S. carriers, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, will all carry the Q10.
The new model, which sports both a keyboard and a touchscreen, has been highly anticipated by some longtime BlackBerry fans.
"We're seeing strong momentum behind BlackBerry 10 from carriers, customers and partners around the world," said Andrew MacLeod, the company's managing director for Canada.
"The BlackBerry Q10 will accelerate this trend."
When the Waterloo, Ont.,-based smartphone maker revealed its new phones in January, several analysts were critical of BlackBerry's decision to stagger the release of the touchscreen and keyboard versions.
Shares of BlackBerry rose 35 cents to $14.72 shortly before markets closed Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Also on HuffPost


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North American Business Report
tap here to see other videos from our team.
By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON — U.S. economic growth accelerated in the first quarter, the government confirmed on Thursday, but the export and inventory boost to activity masked weakness in domestic demand, some of which appears to have prevailed in the current quarter.
Gross domestic product increased at a 3.1% annualized rate, also driven by strong defense spending, the government said in its third reading of first-quarter GDP. That was unchanged from its estimate last month. The economy grew at a 2.2% pace in the October-December period.
Despite the unchanged reading, growth in consumer spending was revised lower and business investment in intellectual property products was stronger than previously estimated. There were also upward revisions to spending on nonresidential structures. Revisions to the trade deficit and inventory accumulation were minor.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected first-quarter GDP growth would be unrevised at a 3.1% rate.
Excluding trade, inventories and government spending, the economy grew at only a 1.3% rate in the first quarter. That was the slowest rise in this measure of domestic demand since the second quarter of 2013.
When measured from the income side, the economy grew at a tepid 1.0% rate in the last quarter. Gross domestic income (GDI) was previously reported to have increased at a rate of 1.4% in the first quarter. The average of GDP and GDI, also referred to as gross domestic output and considered a better measure of economic activity, increased at a 2.1% rate in the January-March period, down from the 2.2% growth pace estimated last month.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell last week acknowledged the temporary boost to economic growth from trade and inventories, which he described as “components that are not generally reliable indicators of ongoing momentum.”
The U.S. central bank last week signaled interest rate cuts as early as July, citing rising risks to the economy, especially from an escalation in the trade conflict between the United States and China, and low inflation.
The economy will mark 10 years of expansion in July, the longest on record. But momentum is slowing, with manufacturing struggling, the trade deficit widening again and the housing sector still mired in a soft patch.
CONSUMER SPENDING REVISED DOWN
While consumer spending appears to have regained speed in the second quarter, business spending on equipment is expected to have contracted further following Wednesday’s weak report on durable goods orders in May. The trade war between Washington and Beijing is hurting both business and consumer confidence.
The Atlanta Fed is forecasting GDP growth to rise at a 1.9% annualized rate in the April-June quarter.
The trade deficit narrowed to $905.0 billion in the first quarter, instead of $903.6 billion as reported last month. The trade gap contributed 0.94 percentage point to GDP rather than the 0.96 percentage point estimated last month.
The U.S.-China trade tensions have caused wild swings in the trade deficit, with exporters and importers trying to stay ahead of the tariff fight between the two economic giants. The standoff has also had an impact on inventories. Growth in inventories was revised down to a $122.8 billion rate in the first quarter from the previously estimated $125.5 billion pace.
Part of the inventory build was because of weak demand. Inventories contributed 0.55 percentage point to first-quarter GDP, rather than the 0.60 percentage point reported last month.
Growth in consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, was revised down to a 0.9% rate, the weakest in a year. Consumer spending was previously reported to have increased at a 1.3% pace in the first quarter.
Business spending on equipment declined at an unrevised rate of 1.0% rate, the weakest since the first quarter of 2016. Government investment increased at a 2.8% rate. It was previously reported to have risen at a 2.5% rate.
The government also reported on Thursday after-tax profits without inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustment, which correspond to S&P 500 profits, fell at a 0.2% rate in the first quarter. Profits were previously reported to have dropped at a 0.8% pace. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani Editing by Paul Simao)


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Sony is set to launch highly anticipated second-generation Virtual Reality headset, the PlayStation VR2
Sony is making waves in the Indian gaming community with the launch of its highly anticipated second-generation Virtual Reality headset, the PlayStation VR2. Introduced almost a year after its global debut, this advanced VR system is set to redefine immersive gaming experiences for Indian enthusiasts. Priced at Rs 57,999, the PlayStation VR2 includes the VR headset, the headset itself, and the innovative sense controller, with the charging station for the controllers available separately.
Building upon the success and learnings from its predecessor, the PlayStation VR2 boasts several enhancements designed to elevate virtual reality gaming to new heights. One of the key features is the adjustable headset band, allowing users to personalize the fit for maximum comfort during extended gaming sessions. The ability to fine-tune the headset’s proximity to the face ensures an optimal visual experience for users, addressing one of the critical aspects of VR comfort.
A notable addition to the PlayStation VR2 is the lens adjustment dial, a feature aimed at enhancing visual clarity. This allows users to make precise adjustments to the lenses, accommodating differences in eyesight and ensuring a sharp and focused display for every user. Sony’s commitment to user-centric design is evident in these thoughtful details that contribute to an inclusive and accessible VR experience.
Vibration feedback and advanced haptics for controllers further immerse users in the virtual worlds they explore. The sense controller, a key component of the PlayStation VR2, brings a heightened sense of touch and responsiveness. Gamers can feel the impact of in-game actions through the tactile feedback and nuanced haptic sensations, adding a layer of realism that enhances the overall gaming experience.
Sony’s entry into the VR space in India is well-timed, considering the growing interest and demand for immersive gaming experiences. The gaming community in the country has been eagerly awaiting the PlayStation VR2, and its arrival marks a significant step forward in the accessibility of cutting-edge VR technology.
While the PlayStation VR2 is a standalone device, its integration with the PlayStation ecosystem ensures compatibility with a rich library of VR games. Sony has been a pioneer in delivering compelling gaming content, and the VR2 is positioned to leverage this legacy, offering users a diverse range of virtual adventures and experiences.
The launch of the PlayStation VR2 in India aligns with the global trend of pushing the boundaries of gaming technology. Virtual reality has become a focal point for innovation in the gaming industry, and Sony’s commitment to delivering a premium VR experience is evident in the features and capabilities of the PlayStation VR2.
As gaming enthusiasts across India embrace the PlayStation VR2, the immersive world of virtual reality gaming is set to captivate a new audience. Sony’s dedication to evolving gaming experiences continues to make a significant impact, and the PlayStation VR2 stands as a testament to the company’s pursuit of excellence in the ever-expanding realm of gaming technology.


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The next free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons turns up on Thursday, 28th January.
This update will prep your island for Festivale, a colourful carnival-themed event set for February.
Festivale itself takes place on 15th February, when fabulous peacock Pavé will be in town and dance in exchange for rainbow feathers.
Before then, new carnival costumes will be available from 1st February via the Able Sisters, and you’ll be able to buy a set of new reactions from Nook’s Cranny.
Nook Shopping will also get a selection of other seasonal items throughout January and February themed around Valentine’s Day, Lunar New Year and Big Game Celebration.
Finally, Nintendo has confirmed the set of rare Sanrio amiibo cards will be coming to Europe at the end of March. These unlock crossover items featuring Hello Kitty and friends, and have so far been very hard to find on these shores. More details on that will be announced soon.
Next up for New Horizons is its long-awaited March update that brings Mario items to the game (first announced all the way back last September).


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The government has disbursed PKR 163 billion of tax refunds during the current fiscal year 2019-2020, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh told media
Hafeez Sheikh said that the amount disbursed during the current year was more than the previous financial year when PKR 101 billion of tax refunds were disbursed.
While providing detail of tax refund he said that PKR 100 billion of the amount was disbursed under the special relief package announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan amid coronavirus outbreak in the country.
“Tax refunds of PKR 52 billion were made to industries in terms of general sales tax (GST) while PKR 10 billion of the tax refund was disbursed for exporters under Fully Automated Sales Tax e-Refund (FASTER) system,” Sheikh said.
He said that PKR 15 billion tax refunds were given in terms of duty draw back while PKR 20.5 billion of the refund was made under Local Taxes and Levies (DLTL) scheme.
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It’s not that many male groups out there right now, so 4EY could be the artists to bring it back!
“We never thought in a million years our careers would turn into a group,” they said. “Now that it is, were’s taking it full steam ahead and we’re ready to bring that boy band feel back.”
This event was presented by The Frequency | Radio One, and is an annual Urban artist showcase and music industry gathering This year is the fifth anniversary of The Blitz and the launch party for OneX, Radio One’s new custom content studio for brands and their curators.
4EY The Future Discuss Bringing Boy Bands Back [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com


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Big four's electric dream: giants link-up for swappable battery project
Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month.
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The ‘e-Yan Osaka’ trial, in cooperation with Osaka University, is intended to be a large-scale demo of how battery-swappable electric bikes could revolutionise urban transport by eliminating the concerns about range, charge time and finding recharging points.
It’s the first big development following the establishment of a consortium between the Japanese ‘Big Four’ in April 2019 to create a uniform battery pack and battery exchange system.
While they’ve yet to officially unveil the resulting standardised pack, it’s likely to be based on the ‘Honda Mobile Power Pack’ system seen at CES in Las Vegas in January 2018 for use in the Honda PCX Electric and Benly-e, both of which are available to corporate customers in Japan as part of a slow phasing-in of the technology.
"As a result of repeated collaboration studies among four domestic motorcycle companies we were able to collaborate with e-Yan OSAKA to verify the common specifications of replaceable batteries," said Noriaki Abe, Managing Executive Officer and Head of Motorcycle Business Operations at Honda.
"We are aware that there are still issues to be solved in the spread of electric motorcycles, and we will continue to work on improving the usage environment of our customers in areas where each company can cooperate."
During the trial, electric bikes will be loaned to students and staff at Osaka University, with battery-swap stations set up on the University’s campuses and at local convenience stores. The idea is that rather than trying to pack big, heavy, long-range batteries into a bike and to force owners to find ways to charge them at home or at work, it’s made quick and convenient to simply swap the battery for a fresh one whenever it runs low.
The test is due to run for about a year, picking out any problems with the specifications of the batteries or the operation of the system before a final, common battery design is created along with the necessary chargers and battery-swap stations.
Honda’s Mobile Power Pack has already illustrated how the firm see the idea working. It’s designed to fit multiple vehicles, including the PCX Electric and Benly-e scooters but also everything from lawnmowers to quad bikes. However, by standardising the pack across multiple brands it takes another step forward, becoming the e-bike equivalent to your AA torch batteries.


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EMA Stands By Suspension Of Ranitidine In EU After Re-Examination
Suspension of heartburn remedy ranitidine looming in the EU as the European Medicines Agency stands by its original decision.
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EMA has set out four conditions which marketing authorization holders must meet before the suspension of ranitidine across Europe can be lifted.
Concerns over the presence of a probable human carcinogen will likely see marketing of all ranitidine-containing drugs suspended across the European Union.
FDA requests immediate removal of ranitidine OTC and Rx drugs after third-party testing finds contaminant NDMA increases during storage, especially at higher temperatures. CDER Director Janet Woodcock asks firms to reformulate products to be stable as the ingredient remains approved.


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- Some kenkey sellers in Accra have suggested the pepper that comes with meals will no longer be free
- Kenkey sellers have been lamenting the increased cost of ingredients for preparing the pepper
- Kenkey is a popular indigenous meal from the Ga ethnic group made from fermented white corn
Some kenkey sellers are considering selling the pepper, which is usually a free accompaniment to their sales.
The sellers want to review the free paper policy because of the continuous price increase on the market of ingredients used for the food.
The Mirror reported that Ga Kenkey joints in areas like Adabraka, Osu, Tudu and Jamestown were now being a bag of pepper at GH¢800.
They now want to charge for the pepper to account for this operational cost.
“Pepper has become expensive, and very soon we will start selling it," some traders told The Mirror.
Kenkey is a popular indigenous meal from the Ga ethnic group made from fermented white corn.
It has always been a meal that favours people without means.
Accra kenkey, which used to be a meal for the poor, is now expensive.
At the Kenkey Boutique Company Ltd at Adabraka, a seller said she could not serve her clients with as much pepper as they desired.
"If you want to enjoy a proper kenkey meal, you must have about GH¢50 because fish has also become expensive and a bag of pepper alone is now GH¢800.”
Recently, research organisation Kenkey Index said kenkey sells for as high as GH¢5 per ball in Accra.
The Kenkey Index has also said the cheapest kenkey in Accra is in areas like Teshie, La and Osu.
There are areas outside Accra where kenkey has been noted to sell as low as GH¢1.5 for a ball despite the persistent inflation.
All the affordable food items a Ghana lady living in a rural area purchased
In another story, a lady recently started a massive social media conversation after encouraging Ghanaians facing hardship in Accra to leave.
In a video, she showed a large saucepan filled with cassava and plantain she purchased for just GH¢15 and another pan of meat for GH¢35.
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Casey’s CEO to retire in April
Casey’s General Stores Inc.’s top executive will retire in April, the company said this week.
Robert Myers, 68, who has served as the Ankeny-based convenience store chain’s chief executive since 2006, will remain on the company’s board of directors.
Terry Handley, Casey’s president and chief operating officer, will take over as chief executive. Handley, 55, has been with Casey’s for 34 years.
Myers joined Casey’s in 1989. During his tenure as CEO, Myers built and acquired almost 500 stores, the company said. He will retire on April 30, 2016, the end of the company’s fiscal year.
Handley has served in several positions at Casey’s, including marketing director, regional manager for store operations, vice president of food service, and senior vice president of store operations.
Casey’s is one of only two Iowa businesses in this year's Fortune 500, the list that ranks the U.S.'s top revenue-generating companies. Principal Financial Group came in at No. 282, Casey's was at No. 382.


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London’s National Portrait Gallery has released the shortlist for its annual Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, ahead of the winner being announced in October.
Articles tagged "portrait-photography"
May 2, 2018 at 16:07
In this video, Phlearn's Aaron Nace walks you through his preferred method for sharpening portraits in Photoshop. The best thing about this technique is just how flexible it is: create as many layers of sharpening as you need to get the look that you want.
Apr 17, 2018 at 14:58
As part of his ongoing ‘Good Light’ YouTube series, London-based photographer Sean Tucker has created a simple tutorial on how to find good natural light for portraits.
Nov 22, 2017 at 17:27
A portrait of an android woman has beaten over 5,700 pictures of humans to take third place in this year’s prestigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. The judges were not told the subject was an 'android' until after the winning images were chosen.
Oct 31, 2017 at 23:55
Photographer Markus Hofstaetter decided to celebrate Halloween with a few creepy wet plate collodion portraits. Watch him work, see the final product, and read some behind-the-scenes tidbits about the entire process.
Oct 30, 2017 at 20:26
Famed portrait photographer Albert Watson tells the story behind his now-iconic portrait of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
Oct 3, 2017 at 15:21
Can a client really tell the difference between a portrait taken with a $6,000 full-frame setup and a $2,000 crop sensor setup? Can you? Photographer Manny Ortiz put together this shootout to find out.
Aug 29, 2017 at 19:37
Portrait photographer Philippe Echaroux tried to capture professional-looking portraits using just an iPhone, flashlight, and Big Mac box from McDonald's... seriously.
Aug 22, 2017 at 22:13
Try your hand at this blind portrait shootout between the Canon 1DX Mark II, Nikon D5 and Sony a9. With all bias removed, you might just rank your favorite camera brand worst.
Aug 17, 2017 at 16:07
Joey L, Dani Diamond, Brandon Woelfel and Jessica Kobeissi go head-to-head in an episode of "4 photographers shoot the same model."
Aug 12, 2017 at 14:00
Sean Tucker tells the story behind these two portraits of the Himba people he captured for a personal project in Namibia.
Aug 7, 2017 at 19:07
Godox just released a set of studio portraits captured with an iPhone 7 Plus and the company's upcoming Godox A1 smartphone flash and flash trigger. Intrigued?
Most popular cameras


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Maile Sky Court ‘beef’ has residents suing board
Some condo owners claim board is keeping them ‘in the dark’
A squabble between the board of directors and owners of condominiums in the Maile Sky Court Hotel in Waikiki has made its way to First Circuit Court in Honolulu.
The plaintiffs, National Maile LLC, MSC Acquisition LLC and the Association of Apartment Owners of Maile Sky Court, are accusing the board of failing to inform them about the operations of the property at 2058 Kuhio Ave.
KOHI Investors is an affiliate of Black Sand Capital, which Kobayashi and MacNaughton manage.
“The major beef is that the board members are keeping the minority owners in the dark,” said Terrance Revere of Revere & Associates, the attorney for the plaintiffs which include developer Kevin Showe.
Revere said the board skipped the mandatory annual meeting last year and refused to let minority interest owners participate during board meetings.
“The board meetings consist of board members sitting in a room reading from what appears to be scripts as opposed to the substantive open meetings required under the law,” he said. “The plaintiffs are also very concerned that conflicts of interest are simply being ignored.”
Revere said the plaintiffs have not yet determined what damages they will seek. That will depend on the results of a “full forensic accounting,” he said.
“One of the problems has been the lack of transparency on the part for the board,” he said. “Especially not disclosing who is paying for what at the [Association of Apartment Owners], and tracking whether [it’s] collecting all the funds that it should be collecting.”
Duane Shimogawa covers energy, real estate and economic development for Pacific Business News.
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Patna | Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today said that commodities like petrol and diesel may be considered for bringing under the ambit of the GST, once the revenue collections stabilise beyond Rs 1 lakh crore per month.
“I think that the time has not come (to consider the inclusion of petrol and diesel under GST purview). It will take time.
“When revenue collections stabilise at least at Rs 1 lakh crore per month, then the GST Council may consider as to when and how commodities like petrol and diesel be included under the ambit of GST,” he said, speaking on the occasion of the completion of one year of GST roll out.
Sushil Modi, who also heads the GST Network Panel, said the price of petroleum products may not come down, even if they are brought under its ambit, as states will have the power to impose a tax (top up) beyond the highest GST rate of 28 percent.
He exuded confidence that revenue collections under GST would increase in fiscal 2018-19, with the new return form likely to be in place in the next five-six months, which would further boost collections.
The minister said that the first year of GST was very successful, as people had apprehensions of price rise after the launch of the new indirect tax regime, but that did not happen.
In Bihar, one lakh new and additional dealers, and businessmen have been registered under the GST, said Sushil Modi, also the state’s Finance Minister.
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Does CEO Ballmer's strategy point at the direction for Microsoft Game Studios?
Reuters reports that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said the company will be focusing on smaller acquisitions over the next few years in order to focus on the "independent path".
Speaking at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco yesterday, Ballmer said that the company wants to focus on smaller purchases worth $50m to $1bn each ever year rather than pursuing 'mega-deals'.
"If at some point it makes sense, maybe then it makes sense. But that's not where we are going. We are driving in an independent direction," said Ballmer.


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At the D23 Expo (which is essentially Disney’s Comic-Con) CEO Bob Iger made an announcement: Disney is building Star Wars Land in both Anaheim and Florida. The park will be 14 acres and feature multiple rides, shops, and experiences unlike ever before.
This video was released of Iger’s keynote on the subject:
And here’s some pictures of concept art released from the event:
Not a whole lot was revealed by Iger just yet as the Disney Parks and Resorts panel will reveal more. A few things that are known is that there will be a Millennium Falcon attraction in which guests will take the controls. Those riding the attraction will on a “secret mission” to possibly save the galaxy.
Finally, all the ‘Star War’s Land’ coming to a reality!