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Fuel cells look like the next hot thing in energy, and Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) is making the most of this opportunity. Although Plug Power had a disappointing start to the current fiscal year, as it reported a higher-than-expected loss in the first quarter, the long-term opportunity remains intact. Its results were affected by a charge related to a change in fair value of previously issued common stock warrants. However, in partnership with its supplier Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ:BLDP), Plug Power seems well-positioned to tap a market that's expected to grow at an annual rate of 22% during the period 2014-2020.
Investing for the future
Although Plug Power's first-quarter numbers were slightly disappointing, management is on track to make the company profitable. According to CEO Andy Marsh:
We need more people on the street so we can grow this company quicker than our projections.
Hence, the company is investing in its sales force to grow the business. This might lead to an increase in costs, but for the long run, it looks like a wise move, as Plug Power will be able to tap more of the fuel cell market. According to management:
By increasing the sales staff, we can increase our target revenue in 2015 from $100 million to $135 million for material handling.
Also, in a bid to raise capital, Plug Power recently went for a secondary stock offering, which closed just a few weeks back. This offering raised $116 million worth of new capital. This will help the company to support continued growth, and it can fund capital investments and acquisitions to accelerate its revenue and enhance its margins.
Product development and infrastructure moves
Plug Power is highly focused on research and development. It has been setting the pace in the industry, as it was the first hydrogen fuel cell company to address the problems of developing fuel cell infrastructure for vehicles. Plug Power addressed this issue by focusing on powering a type of fleet vehicles, a forklift truck, which consumes hydrogen at a rate comparable to the consumption at a present-day gas station.
The company has made the most of this innovation. Now, it aims to explore hydrogen and infrastructure as an opportunity to grow revenue. It is trying to achieve this by offering its customers a turnkey package to convert a facility, named GenKey.
Plug Power's GenKey sites are natural distribution points to provide hydrogen to retail stores and wireless sites. A GenKey site can serve around 50 to 75 retail stores and a distribution center. Plug Power believes that it can more than double its sales if stores associated with the distribution centers are included.
Focus on customers
Plug Power is also focused on customer service, as it is constantly in touch with customers to know the issues they are facing. Consequently, it has identified three issues. First, batteries are often not charged when a delivery truck comes to the store. Second, employee turnover rate in stores is high; and third, the staff often does not follow proper procedures for charging batteries.
The result is that trucks have to wait for around half an hour or more to have minimum charge to unload. Moreover, uncharged batteries could mean a missed opportunity to sell a product. But, contrary to this, a fuel cell can be refueled to full power in less than two minutes, which is an overwhelming advantage.
As a result of the advantages that it looks to provide, Plug Power is anticipating an increase in demand for its products. It expects to ship around 650 GenDrive units in the second quarter of 2014 to Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), P&G (NYSE:PG), Volkswagen (OTCPK:VLKAY), Central Grocers, and Ace. These are just a few of its customers, as Plug Power has more orders under its sleeve. Its first GenFuel facility is expected to be deployed this month. In addition, two more Wal-Mart sites are scheduled to be brought on line in the third quarter, and it expects to ship another 500 GenDrive units.
Expanding its wings
The company has also purchased ReliOn, which is a developer of modular air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell stacks and unique low-cost stack assembly systems. This will help Plug Power add a second supplier for fuel cell stack technology for its low-power products.
As part of its global expansion plans, Plug Power has also entered into a joint venture with Air Liquide, which has gained momentum in Europe. It has also signed an MOU with Hyundai Hysco to create a joint venture that will develop, manufacture, and sell hydrogen fuel sales throughout Asia using Hyundai's advanced stack plate technology. The company expects this partnership to increase its reach in the Asian markets.
Relationship with Ballard
The fact that Plug Power's stack supplier, Ballard Power Systems, is also strengthening its infrastructure can be a positive for the company going forward. Ballard sees opportunity in Southeast Asia and India. It cites that unreliable power grids present in these regions will lead to strong demand for fuel cells going forward.
Also, in the U.S., network hardening activity is taking place, so this is another growth area for fuel cells. Ballard has a strong pipeline in markets such as Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Africa, which is why even Plug Power can extend its reach in these regions as the infrastructure is already present.
Moreover, Ballard is expanding its wings in new geographies. It has successfully completed product trials in Pakistan, Australia, and China. Now, it will be making a demonstration in the coming weeks in Myanmar, while a trial with a major U.S. telecom operator is also in the cards.
Plug Power isn't cheap. The company has a forward P/E ratio of 250. But, its earnings are expected to grow rapidly, which is why investors shouldn't be discouraged by a high P/E. This year, Plug Power's bottom line is expected to grow almost 70%, followed by 120% next year. In addition, the company seems to have a relatively solid balance sheet with just $3.7 million in debt and $63 million in cash.
Hence, Plug Power can easily continue investing in the business and bolster its performance going forward. So, despite running up around 209% so far this year, Plug Power is still a good buy.
Disclosure: The author has no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Microsoft Canada Co., along with several hardware and software vendors officially launched the pen-based Tablet PC on Thursday.
Frank Clegg, the Mississauga, Ont.-based president of Microsoft Canada, described the Tablet PC form factor as “kicking off the next phase in the evolution of moving forward,” in his keynote address to press, analysts and partners.
Eight hardware vendors were on hand at the Toronto launch to showcase their varied versions of the tablets, all of which use Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system, which Elliot Katz, Microsoft Canada’s product manager for the Tablet PC described as a superset of Windows XP Professional.
The operating system runs all Windows XP Professional applications, but additionally features the new Windows Journal utility, which allows users to write directly on the tablet’s screen using a pen tool, a Tablet Input Panel, Sticky Notes, a handwriting recognition engine and the .Net framework.
“It’s powerful, mobile and versatile,” Katz said.
Designed for the enterprise space, the Tablet PC operating system will most benefit users that fit into three different categories, according to Katz.
The first is the road warrior, which he described as the frequently travelling professional. The second sector is what Microsoft is referring to as the corridor warrior, which is a professional who is often drawn into meetings. Thirdly, the Tablet PC will benefit professionals in specific verticals such as education and medicine.
“The Tablet PC is a big bet for Microsoft and our partners,” Katz said.
These partners include Acer Canada, Electrovaya Inc., Fujitsu PC Corp., Hewlett-Packard Canada, Motion Computing, Toshiba of Canada ISG, ViewSonic Canada and XPlore Technologies Corp. While each of these vendors’ offering shares the common Microsoft operating system, the designs of the tablets themselves are the differentiators.
The tablets are currently available in three different designs: the traditional clamshell design, which features an attached keyboard; the slate design, which uses a detachable keyboard; and the hybrid design, which is a combination of the first two form factors.
While these aren’t the first slate-type PCs to hit the market, Microsoft and its partners insist that the timing of this release is right.
“Within five years, most portable PCs will be Tablet PCs,” Katz predicted.
Michelle Warren, market analyst with Evans Research Corp. in Toronto, sees the products as eventually taking over the handheld and notebook market, but noted that it’s not likely to happen any time soon.
“I think there’s going to be a ramp up period – it’s going to take some time,” she said.
According to Warren, the reason for this is because the tablet PC is a niche product with a niche price point.
“The advantage over other notebooks is with the handwriting recognition and rich text capability, which is really a feather in the cap for these products. But it’s going to take some time to make a dent in the notebook market,” she said.
Bill Hogarth, director of education for the York Region District School Board, described how beta testing tablet PCs within his district opened up new opportunities for his teachers and administrators.
“This has made a tremendous difference in the way we see the classroom and the way that teachers use technology,” Hogarth said. “The tablet makes the connection between the learner and the teacher really powerful.”
More information on the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system can be found at www.microsoft.ca/tabletpc.

domain: news


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Microsoft’s Surface Go is now available in the US and Canada, and will be launched in additional markets later this month.
The latest in the suite of Surface devices is smaller, lighter and cheaper than previous iterations.
“Surface Go marks an important inflection point in our Surface journey,” said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group, in a blog post. “From the first tablet that could replace your laptop that pioneered the 2:1 category, to laptops that rival desktops, desktops that transform your desk into a Studio, and Surface Hub, which can make any space a collaborative space, Surface has always been about empowering you to be more productive and creative.
“And yet, a lot has changed since we shipped our first Surface – not only in how technology and device categories have advanced, but in how work and life have blended. We all have the same 24 hours, but the way we move through the day is different. There is less structure or expectation of the types of tasks and activities we accomplish throughout our day. We may fit in a workout or personal errand in the middle of the work day, and we are just as likely to be productive in a coffee shop, on an airplane, in an office, or from our couch at the end of our day.”
Mehdi says that Surface devices are great for work and are proven to save users more time compared to when they use an Apple device. “According to a study we commissioned from Prowess, people using Surface devices consistently perform tasks faster, more easily, and in fewer steps than those using Apple devices,” he said. “When a 200-employee company uses Surface Pro instead of iPad Pro for teaming, they save more than 72 workdays per year. In a separate study, Forrester Consulting noted that when highly mobile workers use Microsoft 365 and a Surface Pro LTE device, they see 9 hours a week in productivity gains.


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Cannon Technologies, the global leader in data centre solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Glenn Conlon to the position of for Director of Business Development, Cannon Electronic Packaging.
Based out of the UK, Glenn will be responsible for moving the business forward across Cannon’s growing UK and Ireland operation – as well as working with colleagues across the company’s global estate, which encompasses operations around the world, including subsidiaries in five countries on three continents.
With an in-depth knowledge of engineering, as well as a sound background in the electronic packaging market, successfully studying for a BEng (Hons) qualification in the 1990s and just recently, a BA (Hons) in Business Studies, Glenn’s initial focus will be working with partner companies to push their – and Cannon’s – business forward, as well as ensuring that clients receive the best possible pre- and post-sales support.
The first Cannon partner in this regard will be Germany’s Polyrack Tech-Group, which is renowned across Europe and beyond for its Polyrack and Rapp branded offerings.
“It’s a commonly-held fallacy in the electronics and technology industry that it all comes down to price,” said Glenn, adding that whilst price is an important feature of a given product and services package for a client, longevity in the market and trust – as well as the ability to deliver on promises made – also counts for a lot in an industry that has become very crowded with new players in recent years.
“I’ve always admired the flexibility, innovation and impact that Cannon – plus Polyrack’s – products and services have provided to the customers and markets that they serve,” he explained.
“I hope that, in some small way, I can help contribute to the company’s continued success and leadership in changing the world,” Glenn went on to say, adding that, during his initial time with Cannon, he has been impressed with the company’s long-term vision for growing the market for electronic packaging within the UK and Ireland – as well as the incredible wealth of talent, technology and resources the company has available to ensure its success.
Glenn – whose personal interests include cycling, motorsports, photography, rowing and DIY – says that his evolving track record over the last three decades has given him extensive experience in winning – and managing – mission-critical projects, as well as developing business development initiatives with the knowledge to balance issues such as functionality, quality, economy and efficient project timelines.
According to Matt Goulding, Cannon Technologies’ Managing Director, Glenn’s initial role will be to promote Polyrack’s subracks, cases, system desktop and rack mount solutions, building on the partner’s established track record across Germany, Russia, Switzerland and North America.
Polyrack’s products, he said, are used extensively within the communications, broadcast, security and defence, transportation, utilities and medical sectors, as well as in a wide range of test and measurement environments.
“Glenn brings to Cannon Technologies a wealth of skills, industry knowledge and experience gained in many of the electronic packaging market sectors,” said Goulding.
“His appointment is important for our future success in the UK and Ireland as we expand our product range and market focus to one that is a solutions provider. I am delighted that he is joining us at this time,” he added.


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Resellers are ideally placed to take advantage of the one growth area for customer relationship management (CRM) sales, according to analysts.
Market watcher Datamonitor has predicted that, following 2002's slump, CRM spending will not meet 2001 levels for at least four years.
Smaller firms, which typically lag behind large enterprises in their adoption of technology, are currently the only businesses likely to be buying CRM software, explained Evan Kirchheimer, lead technology analyst at Datamonitor.
"But the only way to make sales in the lower end is by having a sophisticated indirect channel, where resellers have the relationships with buyers," he said.
Smaller businesses approach CRM implementations from a fairly simple perspective, said Matt Dolton, business development manager at Kynetix, a Microsoft Gold partner.
Customers usually want something to address a specific problem, such as contact management, Dolton explained.
"But CRM is not like an account ledger sale. Once you do one part, you realise how it links to others and needs to grow. This is why it's important for customers to have an ongoing relationship with the reseller," he said.
The changes in the market are likely to have a large impact on vendors. Competition is "heating up", said Kirchheimer.
Many enterprise-class vendors, such as SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft, have reacted by pushing out versions of their software packaged for smaller firms.
But these only appeal to the higher end of the small and medium-sized enterprise market, to businesses with enough IT staff in-house to cope with running the systems, and where the idea of fixed prices for consulting engagements appeal, said Kirchheimer.
"The ones that will win out are firms like Sage that offer basic CRM functionality at low cost. Firms like Onyx and Pivotal could be badly hit."
Microsoft's entry into the market later this year will only intensify competition, said Dolton.
"Their brand will be a big influence. But also, integration costs are key. Customers will like the idea that Microsoft CRM will integrate easily with their existing infrastructure," he said.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
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Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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San Antonio — The Progressive Retailers Organization was at the Westin La Cantera Hill Coun
Remote control designer and manufacturer Universal Remote Control has launched a consumer mail-in rebate program, called “Take Control,” that will help users gain command of their home entertainment systems.
The program, which runs until Jan. 5, provides additional holiday sales support for the company's Unifier URC-100, Automator URC-200 and Customizer URC-300 remote controls, as well as its Expander MRF-100 RF receiver.
Consumers who purchase any of these units until the early January deadline will receive a $10 to $20 rebate after mailing in a rebate coupon. Consumers who purchase an Expander MRF-100 in addition to a Unifier, Automator or Customizer will receive an additional $10 rebate.
Mail-in rebate coupons are available at www.universalremote.com/rebate and at participating retailers nationwide.


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Cerberus Capital Management LP said Feb. 28 that it completed its buy of a controlling stake in Staples’ European operations. Staples will retain a 15 percent stake in the business. Reuters reported in December that Cerberus would pay $53.65 million for the business. Staples’ European business consists of retail, contract, and online businesses in 17 countries generating aggregate annual sales of approximately €1.7 billion.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) and Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (“Cerberus”) today announced the completion of the sale of a controlling interest in Staples’ European operations to a Cerberus affiliate. Staples, Inc. will retain a 15 percent equity interest in the business, which has been separated into a privately-held company operating under the name Staples Solutions B.V. (“Staples Solutions”). Staples’ European business consists of retail, contract, and online businesses in 17 countries generating aggregate annual sales of approximately €1.7 billion.
“With the close of this deal, Staples’ global customers with a European presence will have their business needs met through the comprehensive services Staples Solutions will offer, while we will be able to fully devote our resources to growing our business in North America,” said Shira Goodman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Staples, Inc.
“We see great value in Staples Solutions and are confident that the company’s core strengths, when combined with an unwavering commitment to its customers and suppliers and Cerberus’ hallmark operational rigor, will strengthen Staples Solutions’ position as the leading provider of workplace products, services, and solutions to small, mid-sized, and large businesses in Europe,” said Steven F. Mayer, Co-Head of Global Private Equity and Senior Managing Director of Cerberus. “We have spent months getting to know the company and working side-by-side with its management team and its associates. Today, we are even more enthusiastic about our strategy to invest in key growth areas designed to improve the company’s competitiveness, position it for long-term sustainable growth, and capture opportunities that emerge from changes in the workplace products industry.”
As previously announced, upon today’s closing, Olof Persson, an executive with Cerberus’ operations team and the former President and CEO of Volvo Group, will become Chairman of Staples Solutions. Additional board members will include:
• Stassi Anastassov, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Duracell, The Procter & Gamble Company
• John Buchta, Senior Vice President, Tax and Treasurer of Staples, Inc.
• Chan W. Galbato, Chief Executive Officer of Cerberus Operations and Advisory Company, LLC
• Steven F. Mayer, Co-Head of Global Private Equity and Senior Managing Director of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
• Peter Ventress, former Chief Executive Officer of Berendsen plc., International President of Staples, Inc., and Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Express NV
About Staples, Inc.
Staples helps business customers make more happen by providing a broad assortment of products, expanded business services and easy ways to shop – in stores, online via mobile or through social apps. Staples Business Advantage, the business-to-business division, caters to mid-market, commercial and enterprise-sized customers by offering a one-source solution for the products and services they need, combined with best-in-class customer service, competitive pricing and a state-of-the-art ecommerce site. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples, Inc. operates throughout North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. More information about Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.
About Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
Established in 1992, Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. is one of the world’s leading private investment firms. Cerberus has more than US $30 billion under management invested in three complementary strategies: operational private equity; global credit opportunities (including non-performing loans, corporate credit and distressed debt, mortgage securities and assets, and direct lending); and real estate. From its headquarters in New York City and network of affiliate offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia, Cerberus has the on-the-ground presence to invest in multiple asset classes globally.


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12 hrs ago
McD's rolls out tofu McNuggets
McDonald's Japan is rolling out a brand new chicken-free nugget amid the recent controversy surrounding a U.S. owned Chinese food supplier charged with selling expired meat.
Wed Jul 30, 2014
The Russian Way For Securing A Motorcycle From Theft
Sometimes the cleverness of mankind amazes me. A 56 year old Russian biker in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia had his motorcycle stolen twice and he did not want it to happen a third time.
Mon Jul 28, 2014
Some antibiotics with your heeseburger? Russia regulator probes...
Russia's consumer watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has opened an investigation into the quality of food products used at McDonald's, in addition to a lawsuit that could ban some signature products from the Russian market, curtailing operations.
Sat Jul 26, 2014
Russia: McDonalda s food has a too many caloriesa MOSCOW (AP) " Nearly a ...
A " Nearly a quarter-century after McDonald's startled and delighted Soviets with their first taste of American fast-food culture, the company's now facing a suit that could ban it from selling some of its signature products.
Fri Jul 25, 2014
McDonald's food likely to be banned in Russia
The production and sales of some of McDonald's products is likely to be banned In Russia.
Mon Jul 21, 2014
UKRAINE: The Forces of ATO Summary for Today
Today the forces of ATO were quite productive. At 04.30 began a fight for the of Dzyarzhynsk and Gorlovka.
Registration for III International Business Summit in Nizhny Novgorod opens
Registration for the International Business Summit has opened on the official website of the event, to be held in Nizhny Novgorod in September 2014.
Fri Jul 18, 2014
Gidromash showcases the nose landing gear of MS-21 aircraft at Farnborough 2014
Gidromash Company is taking part in Farnborough 2014 airshow held on July 14th 20th.
Thu Jul 17, 2014
M&A: FAS Russia grants application of Airport-Holding for airport shares
Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service permitted Airport-Holding LLC to purchase 74.9997% of the shares in JSC International Airport Nizhny Novgorod, the regulatory body informed.
Thu Jul 10, 2014
CTT awarded Cockpit Humidification for Irkut`s MC-21
NYKOPING, Sweden, July 10th, 2014 CTT SYSTEMS , the market leader for non -condensation systems in commercial aircraft structures and the world's leading provider of humidification products for cockpit, crew rest and passenger cabin areas, today announces that JSC PDC Teploobmennik selected CTT for Cockpit Humidification of the Irkut`s MC-21 ... (more)
Thu Jul 03, 2014
Walta Information Centre
Nizhny Novgorod region governor meets Consul of Ethiopia to Russia - Thursday, 03 July 2014 08:09
Nizhny Novgorod Governor Valery Shantsev had a meeting with the consul of the Republic of Ethiopia to Russia, Kasahun Dender Melese, on Tuesday, July 1. "In 2013, the foreign trade turnover between the Nizhny Novgorod region and Ethiopia made up USD 288,000.


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Here’s Why Bitcoin is on the streets as the secret to getting UK merchants to accept BTC
“Do you take Bitcoin?” Would you like to? ” These were the questions that echoed around the streets of Reading, near London, United Kingdom, after a long day’s work for two British Bitcoin (BTC) advocates.
James Dewar, a Bridge2Bitcoin founding partner, and MSW, a business developer, took to the streets of Reading in a marathon merchant adoption mission. They spoke with 63 shops, cafés, and restaurants in just six hours, hoping to persuade them to accept BTC. The Bitcoiners detailed the data and their interactions with the general public, armed with flyers, sales experience, and oodles of enthusiasm for the world’s largest cryptocurrency. According to Dewar, roughly half of the 63 merchants they spoke with were a straight rejection, and 10 of the 30 were “worth a follow-up.” Three businesses were onboarded on the spot or quickly afterward.
Indeed, while 3 out of 63 merchants may seem trivial, it’s representative of where the world is in terms of Bitcoin adoption. Accepting Bitcoin makes commercial sense for many merchants, according to MSW, who accompanied Dewar. One of the advantages for many people is that you can only accept pounds. It’s like a cheaper SumUp with added marketing. SumUp is a popular point-of-sale solution in bars and restaurants across the country. But why not onboard businesses onto another cryptocurrency? According to MSW, who accompanied Dewar on his journey, the Lightning Network is the best way to send value, for low fees and instantly. No other network comes close. Indeed, as a payments network, the Lightning Network outperforms Ethereum (ETH) and other cryptocurrencies.
MSW has since embarked on Bitcoin merchant adoption walks in Edinburgh and Oxford, with varying degrees of success. Coach Carbon, a Bitcoin football coach partnered with MSW in Oxford a few weeks later, while in Edinburgh, Jordan Walker, the CEO of the U.K. Bitcoin collective, joined MSW. Walker and MSW spent a day onboarding merchants ahead of the United Kingdom’s first Bitcoin-only conference. But, as gold 2.0, isn’t Bitcoin for HODLing rather than spending? Dewar and MSW would agree that Bitcoin is a store of value, but they advocate for spending Satoshis. Furthermore, due to “Bed and Breakfasting” laws in the United Kingdom, there are no capital gains on Bitcoin that are spent and then replaced within 30 days. While it’s a difficult day out and some people still have a deep-seated hatred for Bitcoin, MSW and James both agreed that the process can be “very rewarding.”


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Re.Use.Full, a website that connects people with still-good items with the nonprofit organizations, schools and churches that could put them to good use, is presenting the first annual Un-Dumpster Day on Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South-Broadland Presbyterian Church, 7850 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Mo. The event will feature nine of their more than 60 charity partners that will be accepting gently used clothing, furniture, toys, books and other household items. Participating organizations include:
- Band of Angels
- Creative Emajinations
- Flourish Furnishings
- Healing House Inc.
- Regal Health and Wellness
- Scraps KC
- Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity
This free event will also feature computer recycling by PCs for People, shredding services and upcycled art workshops for kids throughout the day.
For a full list of the items and guidelines for giving, visit https://www.reusefull.org/un-dumpster-day/.


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Nintendo have just released a new Nintendo direct video taking an in depth look at Mario Kart 8 ahead of its release on May 30th.
Well that came out of nowhere. WTF..........
Mario Kart Underground confirmed!
Game looks great... but that drummer doe
Pink Gold Peach? Is that seriously the best they could do? That's the most random character idea I've ever heard.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Why Lies in the Office Aren't All Bad
Maybe George Washington couldn't tell a lie, but that probably doesn’t hold true for your employees. The average person tells approximately four fibs a day, and not all of them along the order of “yes, those pants look quite flattering on you.”
When employees lie, it's a serious matter. But sometimes a little dishonesty can be helpful to your business.
Charalambos Vlachoutsicos, an adjunct professor at Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece and a former businessman, writes about his experience lying to a superior in a blog post for the Harvard Business Review.
“One company I worked in while studying for an MBA at Harvard was an electric appliance wholesaler managed by its founder autocratically and whimsically,” says Vlachoutsicos. The bottom-line driven business owner purportedly ruled with an iron fist, demanding “sales now, no matter how” from his employees, who worked on commission.
Vlachoutsicos admits the competitive--and frequently dishonest--atmosphere that this policy created did not sit well with him. “Fairness has always been the cornerstone of my value system. So although I was selling aggressively, I was always emphasizing ‘honest’ sales… sales not obtained under false pretenses.”
So after attempting to curtail dishonest practices like claiming the company’s vacuums were the fastest on the market (when they weren’t) to no avail, Vlachoutsicos decided to tell a lie.
He called a meeting with his boss, and explained that one of the company’s biggest customers had called to protest after being “lied to” about the features of one of their products. This wasn’t true. No one had complained. But Vlachoutsicos felt that the company’s false advertising policy would backfire--and that they would lose business because of it. Read complete Inc.com article.


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The writing's on the wall about the short supply of IPv4 addresses, and IPv6 has been around since 1999. Then why does the new protocol still make up just a fraction of the Internet?
Bare-metal switches that can be programmed like Linux servers aren't just for big Web companies anymore. They may show up in a lot more average enterprises in the next few years.
Because many enterprises have already upgraded their networks to the 802.11n standard, sales growth in the enterprise wireless LAN sector was cut in half during the second quarter, according to Infonetics Research.
The technology to implement Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) is maturing, but mobile operators won't roll out telephony services in earnest until 2015. At the same time apps like Skype and Fring are growing quickly in popularity, according to Infonetics Resear...
Your office is now optional. A recent study from Infonetics Research projects that enterprises will spend $5 billion on videoconferencing and telepresence by 2015. To accommodate the need for instant connectivity and information sharing at the office...
Passing the second anniversary of the Great Recession's market low this week, the technology sector remains a pillar for corporate revenue and investor confidence, as industry bellwethers like IBM and Apple make impressive share gains.
The increasing popularity of tablets and smartphones has helped sales of Wi-Fi equipment reach new highs, according to two recent reports.
A majority of WiMax operators plan to offer mobile services by 2012, but a lack of smartphones that support the wireless technology will make it a challenge, according to a survey by Infonetics Research.
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Cars.comMar 1, 2013
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KickingTiresHonda announced yesterday the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid will start just over $40,000, including a $790 destination charge. It???s on sale now but only in New York and California. The automaker announced the plug-in Accord's EPA mileage ??? 115 miles........
Tags: Prices, Ford, Credit and Debt, Tax Credits, Hybrid Vehicles
KickingTiresThey say hindsight is 20/20, and in the case of my child-safety-seat purchases, they would be correct. If I could go back in time, I'd skip buying the super-wide convertible car seats and would look for a much slimmer design,......
KickingTiresSteering and water pump problems in Toyota's popular Prius have caused the automaker to issue two recalls affecting 670,000 of the hybrids in the U.S. and 2.8 million worldwide. Faulty steering components in certain Prius vehicles from the 2004 to......
KickingTiresBuried in BMW's iDrive system is a feature that can cool down the car quickly on hot days. Parked Car Ventilation lives up to its name: It turns on fans that cool the car's interior when the car is parked......
Tags: Toyota, Vehicles, Services and Shopping, BMW
KickingTiresCar sales continue to roll along as the industry continues to release redesigned new models with buyers eager to snap them up. In November, two newly redesigned vehicles ??? the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Nissan Pathfinder ??? were the fastest-selling......
Tags: Ford, GMC, Buick, Hyundai, Land Rover
KickingTiresBy James R. Healey, USA Today and Kelsey Mays, Cars.com The simple act of parking your car is the focus of extraordinary technology. Backup cameras and warning sensors have become old hat. Surround-view cameras are slowly arriving, and the big......
Tags: Mercedes-Benz, USA Today, Ford, Nissan, Land Rover
KickingTiresA California law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against Ford Motor Company on behalf of an owner of a new 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The owner claims that he is not achieving anywhere near the EPA-stated fuel economy rating......
Tags: Consumers, Laws, Ford, The Detroit News, Corporate Crime
KickingTiresAnyone with old electronics knows all too well that batteries lose capacity as they age: Start the day on a full charge and that old BlackBerry is running on empty by midafternoon. It's more vexing when it happens with your......
Jan 22, 2013 |Blog| Cars.com
Jun 13, 2013 |Blog| Cars.com
Nov 14, 2012 |Blog| Cars.com
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Dec 14, 2012 |Blog| Cars.com
Dec 28, 2012 |Blog| Cars.com
Dec 31, 2012 |Blog| Cars.com
Original site for Prius topic gallery.


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The Common Grounds Gourmet Espresso Bar, Hog Haus Brewing Co.
Julie SillGood fortune has followed misfortune in Julie Sill's career in the restaurant game. Sill, 32, began waiting tables after a blown-out knee kept her from playing soccer at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she was given a full athletic scholarship.
After a few years waiting tables at various Fayetteville haunts, Sill got a management gig at Emerald Coast. Then in 1997, when Emerald Coast was going out of business, Sill had the chance to rent the space and open a restaurant of her own, The Common Grounds Gourmet Espresso Bar.
In 2004, when Ozark Brewing Co. went out of business, friends and customers urged her to take it over.
"We had a lot of community support because they didn't want (a corporate entity) to come in," Sill said.
So she opened Hog Haus Brewing Co. in the old brewery's place, just four doors down from Common Grounds. And with the help of her business partner, Kari Larson, both restaurants have become veritable Dickson Street institutions.
"The customers keep coming back because they know I'm not going to serve something that's bad," Sill said.
- Wal-Mart Is Now Calling for a Veto of HB1228
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- Asa Hutchinson, Bob Ballinger Don't Seek Changes to #HB1228 20 hours ago
- Jonesboro Developer Bruce Burrow's Pyrrhic Victory 2 days ago
- Hutchinson Vetoes Publicity Rights Bill; Senate Override Fails 11 hours ago


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Due to the lack of applicable innovation in textile processing area more than 70% of industry runs on the conventional process which is ultimately reducing natural resources day by day and creating cancer and persistent effect in environment. Greenpeace along with reputed apparel brands has started to work on ZDHC project, Zero discharge of Hazardous chemical in environmental must be discharge. But still we do not found any project which run for the saving of natural resources i.e. water and energy and ultimately to minimize effluent load.
Let’s take an overview about top textile processing country i.e. China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey. What’s are the countries issues.
One of the country’s greatest environmental challenges is water pollution. The World Health Organization estimates that polluted water causes 75 percent of diseases in China.
According to World Economic Forum on East Asia, Security and Sustainability China uses three times more energy than the global average, four times more than the USA and eight times more than Japan. Pollution is endemic; four hundred thousand Chinese die prematurely every year through air pollution and in addition, all China is chronically short of water.
Environmental Impacts of Textile Processing Together with the chemicals industry; textile manufacturing is one of the largest polluting sectors in China. In general, textile processing has a very high consumption of water and energy, and a large amount of wastewater discharge.
Further investigations by Greenpeace revealed that shoppers around the world are buying contaminated clothing and unwittingly spreading water pollution when they wash their new garments. Of the 78 articles analysed for Greenpeace’s Dirty Laundry 2 report, 52 tested positive for the presence of Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) above the detection limit of 1 milligram NPE per kilogram of material (mg/kg). Clothing from all but one of the fifteen brands tested (GAP, two samples) contained NPEs above the detection limit. The clothes sampled were purchased from shops in eighteen countries.
These results demonstrate both the use of these conventional chemicals in production and the consequent toxic discharges into waterways and rivers well beyond the country of manufacture. The problem and the solution are therefore not just local concerns. This is a truly global issue.
After china, India is the second largest producer of textile in the international market. After agriculture industry, textile industry is the biggest industry where India earns almost 27% of foreign exchange and 35 million of direct employment generates in textile industry.
India faces both the issue related to textile industry i.e. water and energy.
As a geographical point of view India comes on a tropical region of world, where water scarcity is the most important issue tackle by agriculture as well as by textile industry. Due to lack of innovative technology, Madras court give order to close 720 processing mills to shut down until the Zero discharge of textile effluent in environmental these decision made on the basis of used of hazardous conventional chemicals which affect local rivers and produce persistent effect on nature. The same situation arises in the western part of India i.e. Mumbai and Ahmedabad region to close the processing mill if are not complying environmental norm.
Indian textile industry is still facing a issues of energy scarcity where only certain region get surplus amount of energy to particular industrial area, but non-industrial area face a daily 8 to 12 hr power cut. At a same time 80% of energy is produce from the conventional coal technology where ultimately increase the carbon as well as CO2 footprint of fabric.
Pakistan is highly dependent on ground water resource for their daily used requirement. Ground water is contributing about one-third in total water resources of Pakistan and is a sole source of water supplies in major municipalities.
To save a Pakistan from the water and Energy scarcity, WWF Pakistan hosted Environmental Journalist Quarterly meeting on reducing water consumption in various industry including Textile processing industries in December 2015. The project is expected to result in water savings of 2.8 million cubic metre/annum and energy savings of 6MW/year.
Once Brazil has seas of water, but since last 4 years they are facing water as well as energy crises due to irregular nature of rainfall. Brazil water resource is 100% depend on the yearly rainfall.
Fabric processing industry highly developed in last decade by 680% export growth rate. To sustain in present world market need to adopt water saving technology.
According to Ministry of Energy and Mines of Brazil, A water crises of Brazil is also called as energy crises because 75% of total energy is produce from the hydroelectricity.
Turkey is one of the most water rich countries of the Mediterranean, but due to an enormous population increase from 28 million in 1960 to 75 million in 2010 the availability of water resources already decreased from 4000 m3 to 1500 me per capita/year today. Water demand gets increase by double rate in last 5 decade. 12% of water used for the industrial purpose.
Rivers are the main source of water in Turkey, almost 70% of total water access is provided by the rivers. Due to changes in climate, turkey facing water crises since last 5 years.
Turkey 70 % energy demands are produce from importing oil and Natural gases from Middle East. 10% of total share of energy is earned from Hydroelectricity and 20% of energy demand is fulfilling by conventional coal bases technology.
According to Eurostats 2011, Total effluent discharged from industrial waste water was 367.8 million m3; Out of that 103.2 million m3 were discharge without any treatment due to use of conventional chemicals during textile processing which ultimately increase the Overhead cost and increase the per kg price of fabric.
Bangladesh textile market is presently booming due to low labor cost and highly availability of natural resources at economical rates.
Due to 12 month availability of river water, fabric processing industry growth found at very high rate in last decade. Presently Bangladesh is facing tremendous issues of safe drinking water due to pollutions in river water. According to the WHO, the levels of arsenic (heavy metals) have contributed to the largest mass poisoning in history, affecting an estimated 30-35 million people in Bangladesh. Exposure to arsenic can cause cancer and severely damage many integral systems in the human body. Arsenic has been shown to be the cause of death for 1 out of every 5 people in Bangladesh. Arsenic level increases in the ground water due to discharging of conventional textile/denim processing effluent directly in the environment.
Indonesia’s lax pollution controls have allowed industries to discharge toxic waste into the Citarum river with near impunity which lead to make “rivers of water” into “rivers of chemicals”. Such situation arises by adopting conventional processing chemical and methodology which are affecting environment and aquatic life of the rivers in Indonesia. Two environmental NGOs, Green Cross Switzerland and the Blacksmith Institute, Citrum river one of the world’s top ten most polluted sites, next to Chernobyl in Ukraine and the Niger Delta in Nigeria.
In the earlier decade, Indonesia is facing critical energy crises due to increase in the industrialization and need to adopt energy and water saving technology in textile processing industry.


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Feb. 20, 2013
MTherapy Beauty Products Group
-- Beauty technology innovator, MTherapy™ Group, has announced the outcome of independently verified clinical tests of their published research. The research was carried out by Laboratoires Lysedia in Paris, and the results of the independent clinical tests are available in full on the Company's own website.
The results show measurable and spectacular improvements in skin appearance after using the MTherapy system that delivers natural nutrients into the skin through the use of controlled vapour from a small machine that is made to be used at home and not just at the Spa.
Following this announcement the group is now moving forward with the launch of the product on its new website, mtherapy.net
The MTherapy™ Beauty System combats the signs of ageing by rejuvenating and regenerating the skin through the use of non-invasive nourishing steam technology.
The system is designed to refine enlarged pores, decrease lines, reduce wrinkles and bring a new radiance to the face.
Simon Luel, Chairman of the MTherapy Group, says: “We’re extremely excited about the launch of MTherapy. The treatment suggests the beauty industry is moving in a new direction. Its a spa-like treatment which can be used repeatedly at home to achieve great results. Our research and clinical trials have been so positive that we have decided to fully guarantee the results after four weeks of use.”Full details on mtherapy.net


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Jack Ma provides valuable lessons for Africa’s ICT leaders
Jack Ma retired yesterday, leaving the Alibaba building after two decades. Analysts say African entrepreneurs and ICT leaders should emulate his career and vision.
MTN makes sweeping leadership changes across Africa
The mobile operator announces CEO changes in Zambia, Rwanda and Cote d’Ivoire.
South African ICT policy expert joins ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers appoints Mandla Msimang as one of its board of directors.


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There have been a plethora of reports that the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. This means buyers who currently have a set of headphones with a 3.5mm headphone port will either need to invest in Bluetooth-enabled, or Lightning-enabled headphones.
As it stands, Apple currently ships a pair of EarPods with every iPhone. Obviously, it wouldn’t make much sense for Apple to continue bundling headphones with a 3.5mm jack if the device itself doesn’t have the port.
In photos that were shared on Weibo, a new version of the EarPods are bing developed that connect via Apple’s Lightning port.
The new EarPods look nearly identical to the existing earbuds, from the ear inserts, inline buttons and mic. However, the biggest change is with the connector.
The photos indicate that Apple will ditch the 3.5mm headphone port in favor of Lightning. This, of course, would make sense if the iPhone 7 comes without a headphone jack.
To take it a step further, it looks like Apple has reinforced the Lightning end with a much thicker cable. It may also be due to the fact that the new EarPods will have an embedded DAC and amp.


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The upcoming first-person shooter Battlefield Hardline has “gone gold.” That means that Visceral Games has completed the development on the game (until now). But are they really ready or will we see a Day One Patch? We don’t know. What we know is that the news comes from the official Battlefield Twitter account. The Image you see below was added to the tweet. On this you can see a man with a golden gun.
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) February 24, 2015
Will Battlefield Hardline have the same or new problems like Battlefield 4? Is this game just a expensive DLC/Add-On. We will find out.
Hardline’s release date for Xbox 360, Xbox One,PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC is March 17th in the US and March 20th in the EU.


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Garmin has just announced a new LiveTrack feature for their Fit smartphone app, that allows you to share your location by email, Facebook or Twitter. At an in-app purchase price of $19.99 a year or $1.99 per month, I think they are going to sell a lot of these. There are enough runners and road bikers with anxious spouses that I think it will be a big hit.
Sure, there are other ways to go about this, some free, but this will probably work much better for most folks (I’m thinking of things like Google Latitude, which doesn’t update that often). And Garmin’s LiveTrack feature can even show heart rate data if you’re wearing an ANT+ heart rate monitor and have a compatible Android phone or the ANT+ iPhone adapter.
Here’s the full news release.


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The Chief Operating Officer for Nissan, Toshiyuki Shiga, commented that the “global compact car” would be introduced to the market place in three versions. These versions take the pretty usual shape of hatchback, sedan and compact multi-purpose vehicle (read a crossover). The current plans are for the car to be produced at first in Thailand; however, Shiga says that by mid-2010 production is planned for India and China. Nissan is targeting to sell 1 million units of this new “global compact car” on an annual basis.
Bottom line—China is giving Nissan a much need boost in the profit column and it seems to be paying off not only on their bottom line, but also in the development of new products. The real question is: How many of these “global compact cars” will make it to the US?


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After many years in private hands the UK personalised car registration plate “NFC 1” is for sale. “Because the number plate will also appeal to football fans, I’m looking for offers of over £10,000,” owner Jane Jeffries told NFC World. Jane can be contacted in the UK on 07785 952303.
- India to rank states on digital transactions
- HSBC to launch Hong Kong P2P mobile payments app
- Indian mobile wallet adds healthcare services
- Singapore commuters to get NFC-enabled transport payment wearables
- Call to ‘digitise Indian rupee’ using blockchain


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A new design for a hospice fundraising standby will be available during the nonprofit's annual Labor Day auction.
Each year, the sale features a new memorial garden ornament. The ornaments are crafted by Viocity Group. This year's ornament shows a hospice rose and heart with two butterflies.
The metal ornaments are created by Viocity, hospice spokesperson Allie Bucher said last week.
The ornaments will be for sale during the auction. There will be 400 copies available.
The annual two-day sale will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 31, and resume at 7:30 Monday morning, September 2.
The two-day event features new and used items up for bid, a furniture auction, an array of gift certificates and gift baskets, and six specialty auctions. The specialty auctions on Saturday are art, plants, day of care at your home, and, new for this year, tools. The art auction has original paintings from loved local artists. Among those offerings are a watercolor by the late Dak Ziegler and paintings by Suk Shuglie and Kyong Sill Shin.
The plant sale will run for two days to accommodate donations from local greenhouses and florists.
The tool auction, new this year, will feature new and used equipment.
Monday’s specialty auctions are sports memorabilia and quilts. The sports auction will include two vintage Ty Cobb baseball cards, one from 1909 and the other from 1911.
A high end auction on Monday includes vacations, fine jewelry, handyman services, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and handcrafted items. The Auction Raffle gives ticket holders a chance to win a 2019 Ford Mustang Coupe and $2,000 or $1,000 VISA gift cards.
Other high end items in this year's sale include a nine-day stay in Ocean City, Md., a week in Garden City, S.C., and a timeshare.
This will be the auction's 35th year. It moved from the Lampeter Fairgrounds to the Solanco Fairgrounds, S. Lime St., Quarryville, in 2016. The nonprofit's fundraiser was moved because the Quarryville location has more room for the sales as well as more parking for bidders and visitors.
The move helped increase the auction's income. In 2016, the sale brought in $710,000, up nearly a quarter million dollars from its last year in Lampeter.


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So arising with nearly all well being and wellness-related options, the Google Pixel Watch can have nearly all well being monitoring options. These embody coronary heart fee monitoring and step counting. It’s potential that we might even see options just like Fitbit smartwatches and trackers on this specific watch. Rumours say it, that Google is engaged on a brand new smartwatch software program which will try Fitbit integration for Put on OS.
Additionally, since Google Nest Hub 2 has the potential of loud night breathing detection and respiration monitor, it’s probably that this characteristic can also be included within the upcoming watch.
Google Pixel Watch Might Run On Put on OS
The brand new Put on OS smartwatch platform, as was revealed in Google I/O occasion final yr, could also be seen on this upcoming pixel watch. It’ll supply higher service with sooner efficiency and an intuitive consumer interface. It’ll additionally be capable of higher combine Google and Fitbit companies.
Google Pixel Watch Battery Particulars
Similar to the Apple watch, Google’s smartwatch must be charged every day. Battery energy might end in 24 hours. Stories are that Google is perhaps working to additional enhance upon the battery life.
T. remains to be a lot in regards to the Pixel Watch that we all know nothing about. Particularly the pricing and availability elements are completely not recognized. Additionally, extra importantly, we’re unaware of which chip will energy it. One other concern mendacity unknown is the gadgets that might be appropriate with it.
As quickly as we get extra .rmation about Google Pixel Watch & Pixel 6a Particulars and all these underlying points, we will certainly replace you. Be careful for this house.
Smartwatch by Google – Pixel Watch to launch in 2022
Google Pixel Watch to come back with Qualcomm Snapdragon Put on 3100 Chipset
Apple Smartwatches & Wearables Lead The Tech Business


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In the wake of escalating crime rates, the US-based cab-booking company Uber on Thursday announced three security features that are slated to be piloted in India in the coming months to ensure the safety of passengers as well as drivers.
The three new safety features include: a pre-ride PIN verification, an in-ride audio recording feature, and a “RideCheck” functionality that would keep track of mid-route halts and deviations during the course of the trip.
While the PIN verification feature would ask the rider and the driver to exchange codes and verify their trip, the audio-recording feature would let people submit feedback by voice.
Uber claims the recording feature would be encrypted and would only be accessible to the company. In addition, the company also said that the audio file recorded through this feature would not be available for listening or socially sharing despite it being stored on the device.
The “RideCheck” feature would also trigger an alert to Uber if any abnormal ride activity is traced and the company would immediately reach out to both the rider and the driver.
“We work towards introducing audio recording in India as a pilot this year and roll-out the ‘RideCheck’ feature for long stop and midway drop-offs", said Sachin Kansal, senior director of global safety products at Uber.
The California-based company has previously said that it tests quite a number of its potential features in India first, before rolling them out globally, because the diversity in India helps the company tweak the proposed features for its 95 million users worldwide.
Earlier, in October, the cab-major partnered with the online consultation app DocsApp to provide free medical consultations, subsidised prescription medicines, and lab tests for drivers and delivery partners across the Uber's rides and Eats platforms throughout India.
Not just Uber, but similar platforms including Google Maps and the Indian cab service Ola have also rolled out safety features for riders in India.
Introduced in July 2019, Google’s “Stay Safer” feature on Maps alerts and notifies users travelling in taxis and auto-rickshaws if their vehicle has gone off-route in India.
In December, Ola announced an expansion of its Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based safety feature ''Guardian'' to 13 more cities in India in a bid to provide safe travel to women.


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Weekly Report (Dec 15 — Dec 21)
- Completed the integration test of the fee scheme of version 1.5 with the front end.
- Added new proposal types related to the new fee scheme.
- Completed the test and acceptance of all current functions of version 1.5, and wait for the completion of the new fee scheme before merging the code.
- Completed the development of smart contracts supporting receiving multiple assets.
- Completed the development of smart contracts supporting the constant method.
- Completed the refactoring of mapping usage mode.
- Improved the broadcasting mechanism of super-large transactions by 50%.
- Continue the development of AschLink project and enter the stage of UI debugging.
- Technical support for exchanges and DApp development.
- Completed the API and business process discussion for the project with an operator.
Marketing and Operations Updates
- On Dec. 20th, William Yin, Operation Director of ASCH, attended the blockchain banquet hosted by Bit-Z, to explore more cooperation opportunities with exchanges, blockchain projects, and practitioners.
- ASCH has been included in the 2019 Commemorative Calendar of Blockchain Enterprises, and has been selected into the list of the top ten most influential blockchain enterprises in the “Finding Real Value” event by Yunshi24.com! Now the voting is over. ASCH has received a total of 1,680 votes from the community, ranking 13th on the list. Thanks for the support of all ASCH community members.
- ASCHBet (http://aschbet.io/) is a side-chain DApp of ASCH. Players can make bets with XAS or XCT. The DApp game is executed on the smart contract of ABET, and uses the unique encryption technology to ensure the fairness of the game.
- Xingbei (http://h5.xingbei.io), a side-chain DApp of ASCH, has started the 116th session. The prizes include XAS token, iPhone XS, backpacks, physical coins, ASCH customized sweaters and so on. Xingbei is a decentralized blockchain platform for the lucky draw. Its original intention is to subvert the traditional platform to create a new treasure-grabbing platform based on blockchain, to enable the platform to operate in a fair, and open environment, and make digital assets more valuable.


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COOL, a tech company from China, who specializes in making Apple iPhone replicas, has launched a new smartphone, with an integrated video projector.
This phone should be packing some mean features, to live up to its COOL name, but apparently to the guys at m8cool, the GTW18 isn’t impressive at all. It comes with a 3.2 inch 240×400 resolution touchscreen, and a MP4 video projector that supposedly works in 1080p mode. Only, when it was tested, the projector couldn’t manage resolutions higher than 640×480. Though the inscription clearly says 1080p, I think they meant VGA, at best.
The COOL GTW18‘s projector can only be used in dark room, and even then, the projection is not much larger than the phone’s screen and it’s totally unimpressive. If you’re looking for a projector smartphone, I’d go with the Samsung Beam, instead.
Apart from its crappy projector, the COOL GTW18 comes with WI-FI connectivity, a no-name web browser, and analog TV station streaming capabilities. But you;ll probably get only static with that thing.
With such an unimpressive lineup of features, the COOL GTW is not cool at all, and hardly deserving of its cheap $140 price.


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Creative Works Inc. Press releases
Apr 18, 2016
GameWorks, the entertainment center with six venues across the US, just opened their seventh location at The Shops at Northfield Stapleton in Denver, Colorado.
Apr 04, 2016
Jim Saxe realized that there were limited recreational activities in his community and wanted to do something about it. After several attempts at securing financing, the hard work finally paid off when Mr.
Mar 18, 2016
The laser tag experts at Creative Works will be hosting their 15th LaserTAG360 event in Indianapolison May 17-18.
Jan 22, 2016
Creative Works, Inc. chosen as laser tag arena designer and builder for the project.
Oct 07, 2015
Since its opening in July 2012, Lake Wylie Bowl N Bounce has become a favorite family destination for residents in the Southwest Charlotte area.
Sep 10, 2015
Monster Mini Golf is a popular destination that has 29 locations spread across the United States and Canada.
Aug 17, 2015
Bowling Center Adds Laser Tag Arena to Renovation Plans Lake Elsinore, CA - Residents in Lake Elsinore, CA were sad to hear that their local bowling center was closing its doors. That was back in late April 2014 but bowling is finally back in the city.
Jul 21, 2015
A new entertainment facility opened its doors in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood in early June.
May 15, 2015
Creative Works, Inc. successfully put on another TAG360 event this past week with a great group of entrepreneurs looking for strategies for a successful laser tag business.
Apr 01, 2015
Creative Works brings to you a new laser tag arena at Fiesta Fun Center


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Canadian marijuana companies, seeking to overcome the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, are urging the federal government not to exclude them from economic measures offered to other businesses.
The appeal was made in a letter sent by a group of 74 regulated cannabis companies and organizations to Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
“We are requesting that the Government of Canada implement immediate measures to provide economic stimulus to our industry,” the letter stresses.
“We are not asking for special treatment, but rather equitable treatment.”
The companies identified two areas of support:
- “Equal and fair access” for legal cannabis companies, including access to wage subsidies as announced by the government on March 18. That announcement is applicable only to small businesses, but the letter points out that some firms employ a greater number than would qualify under the definition of a small business.
- Equal access to funding through federal agencies such as the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada.
The letter notes that the legal cannabis sector cannot access the 10 billion Canadian dollar ($7 billion) in stimulus funding, part of which is available through BDC.
The letter was jointly spearheaded by a number of associations, including the Canadian Chamber’s National Cannabis Working Group, the Cannabis Council of Canada – which has made its own governmental appeal – the Alberta Cannabis Council, the Association québécoise de l’industrie du cannabis as well as the Ontario Chamber’s Cannabis Policy Council.
“Canada’s cannabis industry has weathered several shocks in the past six months, including the loss of over 2,000 well-paying jobs in the sector,” according to the cannabis companies’ joint letter.
“Our access to capital, including credit, is challenging. COVID-19 has added another significant impact, both with our suppliers and our workforce.”
A copy of the letter is availabe here.
Matt Lamers is Marijuana Business Daily’s international editor, based near Toronto. He can be reached at email@example.com.
For more of Marijuana Business Daily’s ongoing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on the cannabis industry, click here.


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Ripple, the blockchain payments firm behind XRP altcoin has raised $200 million in a new funding round.
On Dec. 20 the firm announced on the funding deal. It was led by closed-ended investment company Tetragon. The new Series C funding round was also joined by Ripple’s major Japanese partner SBI Holdings and venture capital firm Route 66 Ventures.
Ripple Continues To Gain Momentum
The funding will reportedly help Ripple to continue improving its global payments network and the broader utility of the digital asset XRP and the XRP Ledger.
The new investment is claimed to mark a record year for the business as Ripple reportedly saw its “strongest year of growth to date in 2019.”
CEO of Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse said that the company continues to gain momentum and accelerate industry leadership, while “others in the blockchain space have slowed their growth or even shut down.”
As of yet, Ripple claims to have customers over 45 countries and six continents, with payout capabilities in more than 70 countries. The company has reportedly seen a 10-fold year-over-year growth in transactions, while the firm’s global payments network RippleNet grew to more than 300 customers worldwide.
Source: Cointelegraph | Ripple


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Qu Toutiao, China’s news and video aggregator, has raised over USD 100 million in a Pre-IPO round led by Tencent, reports Chinese biztech media 36Kr citing multiple sources. The latest round values the startup at USD 1.3-1.5 billion, making it a unicorn.
The Shanghai-based company is reportedly mulling a US IPO at $3 billion value as soon as this year, according to Bloomberg. Qu Toutiao, meaning Fun Headlines in Mandarin Chinese, aggregates news and videos from online sources and then feed users in a personalized way based on their interest.
Most of its users live in third- or fourth-tier cities in China. The app is particularly popular among middle-aged and old netizens. Users stick to the app as they can earn a small amount of money by reading articles or watching video clips. The platform also leverages on social networking to promote its app, encouraging users to invite friends to the app with real cash rewards. The platform gives users less than one dollar for inviting 2 friends.
The content on its platform is a combination of serious news, gossips, health tips, jokes, etc. Its biggest rival Toutiao is already China’s biggest news aggregator and one of the world’s most valuable startups on CB Insights’ unicorn list.


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No in-store discounts on the day, but buyers get buy-one-get-one-free coupons for future used LP purchases. In 2009, 1,000 record stores participated, and 1,400 were involved by 2012.
Record Store Day began in 2007 as a way to honor and acknowledge the almost 1,400 independently owned record stores in the United States.
Tempest will give an exclusive preview of a special track she recorded straight to vinyl at Abbey Road Studios to celebrate RSD.
Recordland's intimidating collection of used vinyl is a risky place to start; it's easy to spend a whole day digging through the towering shelves. John habitually engaged in music store shopping sprees in various cities on his world tours in years past, amassing a monumental collection over the decades. Its owners also operate the label Schizophrenic Records, and in past years have done limited runs of their own releases to coincide with RSD, including special pressings by Rammer and Haymaker.
The Record Store Day web site encourages patrons to "support indie record stores ... not flippers".
As for the lifespan of record stores, Ronnie believes that it is generally 2 - 5 years.
"There's a few things from the Cure, there's a Grateful Dead release that's never been out before, (and) there's a Smiths special single that hasn't been around in a long time", Nardone said. All of a sudden, everyone has got these orders and everything.
"So many to choose from, but I'm really looking forward to the Claypool Lennon Delirium's 10-inch EP, mostly because their release a year ago was one of my favorites and I can't wait to hear more from them".
I love the look of a wall of CDs and record albums on my shelves.
Are there any ways that the demands of Record Store Day affect production?
"We got one", Mike said. I remember sitting on the edge of the bed staring at my shoes and thinking, "There's no way I get that record". Usually, you could be like, "Oh well, this is wrong, let's go back and redo it".
"You have to innovate to be successful now", said Michael Kurtz, Record Store Day co-founder and president of the largest coalition of independent record stores. The plant now produces 20,000 records a day.
"I've been blessed", Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook makes history
Scoring 50 points in a triple-double has been done five times this season: three times by Westbrook and twice by Harden . There was no three-point line back then, so Archibald scored or assisted on 56.8 points per game that season.
The weirdest thing is the most confidential record - can't talk about it!
I've done the math, and it seems like, with determination and careful planning, it's possible to see Tall David, Some Sons of Mudboy (twice), and end the day on a blanket in front of Minglewood, counting a stack of rare 7-inchers to the sounds of Son Volt. You put the needle down in one spot so it's playing one song, and you put the needle right down in the groove next to it and it plays a different song.
The worldwide day (which promotes vinyl sales and rare collector's items) is dedicated to "record culture, record lovers, record makers and most of all, the incredible record stores that make it all possible", says recordstoreday.com.
The idea to launch a record label arose during New Year's celebrations in Nashville with music industry professionals.
Are there any notable reissue trends this year? "We know the albums are going to be a huge hit". It's wild how many we have to do!
So it sounds like Record Store Day is just another part of your production calendar now.
"But a good record shop makes a unique contribution to the cultural life of a town all year round".
"People line up to come in buy stuff, which we can't sell until that morning", Bernath said". Indies rule. We haven't gone anywhere.
In-stores in every market. That magical day that has come once a year since 2007.
That now, the emotional experience of buying and owning a piece of art is more important than it ever was.
With extended hours on Saturday, the store will have three live shows - each with multiple acts - through the day.


text:
- Unbeliebable: White House turns Bieber petition response into immigration screed
- Obama signs law denying Iran ambassador’s visa, but says law is ‘advisory’
- Mich. judge to laughing convicted killer: ‘I hope you die in prison’
- Man charged in Kansas City-area highway shootings
- Keystone XL pipeline still on hold after State Dept. decision
- Fla. man charged with killing 16-month-old son to play Xbox undisturbed
- Drones from the deep: Pentagon develops ocean-floor attack robots
- Michigan mayor slaps back atheists’ try to erect ‘reason station’ at city hall
- PHILLIPS: Where is the conservative establishment?
- 7.5-magnitude earthquake shakes southern Mexico
Sears, Kmart failed to anticipate their customers’ needs
Bonnie Knutson compares brand strategy to shooting a deer or pheasant: You aim beyond the prey. If you don’t, the animal is gone by the time the bullet gets there.
“They were aiming at today’s consumer rather than thinking of tomorrow. They didn’t anticipate. They didn’t keep up,” she said.
Sears Holding Corp., which owns the two ubiquitous retail names, announced this week that it would shutter 100 to 120 stores, citing poor holiday-season sales. The move came as little surprise to retail strategists who say the issue wasn’t simply weak 2011 sales.
Rather, they said, modernization and competition from both ends of the retail business have helped to fell the historic chains that gave us the blue-light special and pioneered catalog shopping in the past century. All the campaigns in the world can’t fool people, Ms. Knutson said.
“Oldsmobile, 10 to 15 years ago, created an ad campaign to attract young consumers: ‘It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile,’” Ms. Knutson said about the problems of the now-gone General Motors Co. brand. “Well, when these young people looked around, all they saw were people who looked like their fathers or their father’s friends driving them.”
“No matter what Kmart or Sears said, they weren’t keeping the promise. Consumers are pretty sophisticated, and they walked into these stores and it was the same old place … without the freshness, the excitement or the interactivity of the experience,” she said.
The nation’s retail statistics for the 2011 holiday season won’t be out until mid-January, but the National Retail Federation projected gains of 3.8 percent over last year after strong Black Friday sales. Sales for Sears in the eight-week period ahead of Christmas, however, plummeted 6 percent while Kmart sales dropped 4.4 percent, sending Sears Holdings stocks tanking 27 percent just on Tuesday and prompting bankruptcy whispers this week.
On Thursday, Sears Holdings released a preliminary list of 79 store closings. The biggest store cuts are in Florida, which will lose 11 Sears or Kmart stores. Ohio, Michigan and Georgia each will lose six shops.
Sears customer Rachael Zylstra, who recently received a master’s degree, defended Sears for offering her stylish apparel without emptying her small budget. Her parents, she added, enjoyed purchasing appliances because of the stores’ long-standing customer service record on big-ticket items.
“I’m definitely sad that Sears and Kmart are in trouble,” said Ms. Zylstra, 25, of East Lansing, Mich. “I love the selection of clothes at Sears — the Kardashian Kollection, Land’s End and UK Style by French Connection. I was initially attracted to Sears a couple of years ago when I discovered that I could purchase trendy clothes at affordable prices, and I knew I’d be able to find what I needed because of its diverse selection of clothing … and all of it typically on sale.”
Consumer retail analyst Kristin Bentz said there weren’t enough shoppers who shared such fealty to Sears over the years.
The stores also mirror economic divisions that have erupted in the nation, creating what Ms. Bentz describes as a bifurcated market.
© Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
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text:
By Euro Weekly News Media • 27 April 2021 • 10:40
Silicon Valley often overshadows the growth and endless future possibilities of the European startup scene. In fact, European startups are leading the charge when in the app market right now. In a span of few years, the continent has managed to gain high ground on more than 50 game-changing startups.
It is natural to think about the secret behind the billion-dollar valuations of various European startups. Well, the answer can come across as simple and complicated at the same time. The truth is that European startups prioritize data and make strategic moves based on accumulated big data.
For instance, an analysis report explains and affirms how France’s tech ecosystem is growing at a faster pace. Now, in order to scale up operations, modern European startups navigate marketing challenges and operational costs through data.
As of now, there are many exciting European startups that stand out in the app market.
One of the most progressive, intuitive, and growth-oriented startups in the spotlight is Skoove. The piano learning app has managed to mark its presence in the market. Skoove offers beginner piano lessons online for beginners and advanced learners.
But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Part of the reason users from across the world love the app is its navigational approach and insightful resources like hand movement techniques, selection of songs, and much more.
With Skoove, you don’t have to hire an expensive in-person instructor to learn or improve your piano skills. The AI-based app is a self-sufficient and automated learning app that helps learners push their creative boundaries.
Grover is a Germany-based startup that helps gadget enthusiasts to rent rather than purchase tech devices. In fact, it has become one of the most sustainable solutions in Europe to rent tech devices. The idea of the startup boils down to the circular economy model.
Currently, Grover is ready to offer its services in the Netherlands. Grover’s subscription makes it easier for average people to rent a product portfolio from more than 1300 tech brands. Once the rental period expires, customers just need to return the tech product and then exchange another product. It is a mobius cycle that eliminates culturalinfluence and improves the circulation of products.
Over the years, there have been many productivity apps, and Asana may just be the best one. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual fitness app market is growing in Europe and the rest of the world.
Although Asana Fit has been around for more than five years, it offers a more engaging and intuitive user-experience now. Whether it’s design, user-experience, or graphics, the app continues to evolve. Consumers also love to use the app to improve their sleep cycle, fitness, and meditation.
In the realm of money management apps, Plum, a London-based new startup, has managed to break new boundaries. In fact, the startup has raised a whopping €8.7 million investment for further expansion of the money-saving app across Europe.
Just like the best and most advanced modern startup apps, Plum uses AI technology to resolve money management issues. In fact, the integrated automation and AI assistance make it easier for people to save and manage money.
It is no wonder that during the COVID-19 crisis, the app has had a significant increase in its usage and fame. It allows people to find more effective money management and saving solutions right at home.
The Amsterdam-based tech startup managed to raise funds of more than €3 million to reshape and structure future adult learning. The focus of attention for the startup app is to improve and fill the digital talent gap throughout the world.
The startup caters to the needs of adult learners and convinces organizations to become more flexible on digit re-skilling.Essentially, Growth Tribe is a startup platform that provides intuitive and personalized brief learning experiences through professional coaching.
As a result, it helps adult users develop resourceful skills in the field of UX design, development, marketing, artificial intelligence. In less than five years, the startup has helped more than 15,000 people and firms to learn modern digital skills.
Scandinavian countries are famous for their proactive and progressive approach towards climate change. And one Copenhagen startup, Too Good to Go, is leading the app market against food waste. The app informs, guides, and offers transformative solutions to take control of food products.
The app has been around for five years and now shops, restaurants, and customers use the app to avail discounts on food items. In short, it connects restaurants, customers, and retail shops with surplus food with people suffering from hunger and poverty.
In the quest to continue the fight against food waste, the startup tech has managed to partner up with more than 1500 brands. The app has become an efficient way for people and businesses to do their part and reduce food waste.
This Istanbul and Berlin-based startup is helping millions of users to meditate and reduce stress each day. One of the unique aspects of the app is its personalized approach to offer mental health solutions in different languages to different European regions.
In the European startup landscape, it wasn’t much of a surprise that Meditopia managed to garner around €13.1 investment funds. After all, it is the most downloaded and used non-English wellness app. In 2021, the app continues to maintain a high rate of downloads.
It offers 3,000 different content pieces in 10 separate languages. The app is personalized for a specific region and allows team members to collaborate with experts. In hindsight, it offers users comprehensive and on-point mental health support on natural disasters or other events.
The current trajectory of growth indicates that 2021 might bring even more investment opportunities to European startups. Besides, Europeans are more conscious to form healthy habits and use apps that can improve their lives altogether.
Whether it’s fitness, inspirational, meditation, health, music learning, or finance, the new wave of ML and AI-based apps can change the course of the future. 2020 was a tumultuous and long year for businesses of all sizes, and now it is time to get back on track.
It’s the progressive approach of the European startup apps that makes all the difference. In retrospect, you can expect the online education, training, and communication from these modern apps to become more sophisticated and productive in the coming years.
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Advanced Micro Devices
cut its third-quarter sales forecast, citing manufacturing issues that limited the availability of supplies of its Llano chips. As revised, the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based semiconductor manufacturer said it now expects sales to rise 4% to 6% from the second quarter, compared to a previous outlook that had called for an increase of 10%, plus or minus a two-percentage-point range.
Also late Wednesday, two insurance companies issued their pre-tax estimates of losses arising from Hurricane Irene, the storm that hit parts of the eastern U.S. hard late last month. Chubb Corp.
pegged catastrophe losses for the third quarter in a range of of $400 million to $475 million, or about 90 cents to $1.07 a share. About $300 million to $375 million of this amount reflects damages caused by Irene, the Warren, N.J.-based company said.
Separately, Kemper Corp.
said it expects third-quarter earnings to include catastrophe losses of between $22 million and $27 million arising from Irene. On an after-tax basis, the Chicago-based company noted, these losses represent less than 2% of total capital and surplus for Kemper’s property and casualty businesses as of June 30.
raised its 2011 forecast for sales and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. As revised, the company sees full-year sales of about $1.4 billion, up from the $1.2 billion to $1.35 billion that management forecast in May. Titan’s EBITDA target is a range of about $175 million to $200 million, revised up from $135 million to $155 million previously. “Agriculture is booming, mining is hot and construction is rebounding,” said Maurice Taylor, Quincy, Ill.-based Titan’s chairman and chief executive, in a statement.
Dow Jones Industrial Average component Merck
said it sold its stake in an over-the-counter drug joint venture with fellow blue chip Johnson & Johnson
Terms call for Merck to receive $175 million as a one-time payment and have greater freedom to convert its prescription products into OTC versions, the company said. The joint venture, which will now be run by J&J’s McNeil PPC Inc. unit, will continue to sell OTC products such as Pepcid, Mylanta and Mylicon.
said a subsidiary reached a definitive agreement to acquire 90.1% of privately held ContentGuard Holdings Inc. for $90.1 million in cash. Based in El Segundo, Calif., ContentGuard is a developer of technologies in digital rights management and content distribution. Following the closing of the transaction, Time Warner
will own 9.9% of ContentGuard.
The board of Atmos Energy Corp.
approved a five-year program authorizing the repurchase of up to 5 million common shares. Repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market or via privately negotiated transactions. The buyback program’s primarily intended to minimize the dilutive effect of equity grants under incentive compensation plans, the Dallas-based company said.
The board of Atlantic Tele-Network Inc.
declared an increased quarterly dividend of 23 cents a share, payable Oct. 14 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 7. The increase works out to 4.6% and marks the 13th consecutive year in which the Beverly, Mass.-based company’s dividend has been hiked.


text: Growing awareness of GMO technology fuels demands on the mainland for stricter laws on the labelling of ingredients Mainland consumers are starting to flex their muscles over the issue of genetically engineered food. Chief among them is Shanghai resident Zhu Yanling. Ms Zhu launched the country's first consumer lawsuit on the issue when she sued Nestle, claiming the food giant was selling a product containing a genetically modified ingredient without proper labelling. The court ruled against Ms Zhu based on an agriculture ministry test which showed the company's chocolate milk powder contained no genetically modified organisms (GMO). The national standard used to determine the outcome of the case only requires labelling GMO food products made directly from transgenic crops like soy oil, so processed food products with some ingredients derived from GMO crops were not covered, she claimed. 'I don't oppose GMO technology, but personally I am conservative about eating GMO food. I don't want to risk trying these products,' Ms Zhu said. Ms Zhu and her lawyer, Wu Dong, are not giving up. They insist that stricter standards should be applied to the case, saying consumers have a legal right to be informed about food ingredients under consumer laws. Mainland consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their rights, including the right to know whether the food they choose contains GMO ingredients. 'To me, a decade or so is just too short in terms of food testing. I would rather eat foods that have stood the test of time, and I am even more reluctant to let my small child eat GMO foods,' Ms Zhu said. Ms Zhu studied in Europe and brought her knowledge of the GMO debate back to the mainland. A recent survey by environmental group Greenpeace showed that Chinese consumers were becoming more aware of the issue. Labelling of GMO ingredients was favoured by 87 per cent of respondents in a poll of 600 residents of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, conducted in February. Greenpeace campaign manager for genetic modification issues in China, Sze Pangcheung, said: 'Consumers want the right to know and choose whether the food they are consuming is genetically engineered or not. Consumers are increasingly concerned about genetically engineered food.' He urged the government to revise the law on labelling to cover all food products that use or are derived from genetically modified organisms. The government has been quick to accept genetically engineered crops because of hopes the technology will raise crop yields. Few consumers realise that up to 70 per cent of soybean products sold on the mainland contain GMO ingredients, experts say. With soybeans a key component of the Chinese diet, it is impossible to stay GMO-free. In an effort to feed the world's largest population, China leads the world in crop biotechnology research and development. Its research capacity for genetically modified rice is probably the largest outside North America, said Chen Zhangliang, president of China Agriculture University and a specialist in genetic engineering. 'Genetically modified rice is still in the field trial stage. Although I believe the technology is mature enough for commercialisation, the government hasn't approved it because of various biosafety concerns about food and environment, which is quite a complicated issue,' he said. Professor Chen is confident genetically modified rice is safe and expects the government to change policies which have limited the crop to field trials. Some GMO supporters argue that required labelling shows discrimination and plays on fears towards such products. Scientists have yet to find solid evidence that genetically modified foods are harmful, but nor can they prove they are 100 per cent safe. Given the uncertainty, consumers say they have the right to know what the food they eat contains.