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- Ahold Delhaize has announced cold storage provider Americold as its partner to build two fully-automated frozen warehouses, which are a part of the retailer’s previously announced supply chain transformation plan, according to a press release.
- The two facilities will be in Plainville, Connecticut, and Mountville, Pennsylvania. The Plainville warehouse will serve Ahold Delhaize’s Northeast brands, including Stop & Shop and Hannaford, and the Mountville facility will serve its Mid-Atlantic brands, which include The Giant Food Company, Giant Food and Food Lion.
- The new facilities will expand the grocer's cold storage space by 500,000 square feet and provide increased product freshness and faster delivery in addition to enabling local product expansion. The facilities are part of a supply chain transformation project that will grow Ahold Delhaize's distribution center network from 16 facilities to 23 by 2023.
Late last year, Ahold Delhaize announced plans to invest $480 million on new facilities and renewed warehouse leases in order to transition to a self-distribution supply model that will improve margins and reduce the company's reliance on third-party distributors.
The three-year plan includes buying up three facilities from C&S Wholesale Grocers and implementing technology enhancements like an integrated transportation management system and end-to-end forecasting and replenishment technology, and is expected to save the company $100 million annually.
The two new automated cold-storage facilities, which were previously announced but not outlined in detail, will collectively provide 59,000 pallet positions to Ahold Delhaize's retail stores, and will operate on 20-year leases. Each facility will have 200 workers.
“Through this expansion, we will continue to modernize our supply chain distribution, transportation and procurement through a fully-integrated, self-distribution model that will be managed by our companies directly and locally," Chris Lewis, executive vice president of supply chain with Ahold Delhaize's Retail Business Services, said in a statement. "This will result in efficiencies and, most importantly, product availability and freshness for customers of our local brands."
Lewis, recently told Supply Chain Dive that the new cold-storage locations are strategically placed near populated cities to support delivery and pickup.
Another retailer that has recently transitioned to a self-distribution model is Dollar General. The discount retailer plans to double the scale of its DG Fresh program for its fresh and frozen items, and aims to reach 12,000 company stores by the end of this year.


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Samsung has officially announced a smartphone that will be powered by the Linux-based Android operating system.
The I7500 has a 3.2-inch AMOLED touch screen, which means it will come with the "Cupcake" firmware update that adds a virtual keyboard, stereo Bluetooth, and video recording. The smartphone's face is dominated by the touch screen, but there are also a few tactile keys on the face and sides of the handset.
Like the T-Mobile G1, Samsung's smartphone will have deep integration with Google's Web services, including Google Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Talk. To stay connected, the I7500 comes with Wi-Fi, EDGE, and 3G capabilities that can get up to 7.2-Mbps downlink speed.
User will be able to augment the handset with applications from the Android Market, which is similar to Apple's App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Google said the Android app store is more open than its rivals, but the search company will still yank programs if they violate a carrier's terms of service.
"Samsung is among the earliest members of the Open Handset Alliance and has been actively moving forward to introduce the most innovative Android mobile phone," said J.K. Shin, executive VP of Samsung's mobile division, in a statement.
The I7500 also will be a capable multimedia player, as it can use multiple audio and video codecs. It comes packed with 8 GB of onboard storage, and the memory can be expanded up to 32 GB via a microSD slot. Samsung's Android-powered handset also has a 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash.
Samsung said the I7500 would be released in major European markets in June, but it did not specify a price. There was no word if the smartphone will be coming to the U.S. market, but it does support the 1,700-MHz band, which indicates it may come to T-Mobile USA.
Samsung's announcement gives the open source OS some much-needed momentum, as Android fans have been craving a new handset. The G1 has sold well, but not everyone was enamored with its design. Additionally, the second Android-powered handset, the HTC Magic, is essentially a G1 without a physical keyboard.
InformationWeek has published a 360-degree analysis of the first Android-based smartphone. Download the report here (registration required).

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Morakniv leaked some huge news in a small package today. The company announced the new Eldris, a knife that extends Mora’s product line into the broader every day carry market. “You could say that this is our interpretation of the folding knives that are very popular today, but Eldris has the advantages of the rigid features of a fixed blade”, says Arvid Larsson, a Design Engineer for Morakniv.
The Mora Eldris, with an overall length of just 5.6″, will be unveiled at the IWA Outdoor Classics knife show in Nuremberg on Friday. The company says that they have been considering a more versatile and space friendly option for some time now. “The Eldris knife has been in our minds for a long time, the small knife that fits easily in your pocket or hanging around your neck. Most times the modern outdoor life doesn’t need much more than this knife,” says Larsson.
The 2.3″ blade is made of Sweden’s own 12C27 stainless steel and will feature a ground spine compatible with a fire starter.
The knife will be accompanied by a color matching sheath, but you can take the Eldris to a higher level by adding an optional neck knife kit containing a fire starter and a paracord necklace. Morakniv says the package includes a removable secondary lock made of leather that is designed to prevent the knife from falling out the the sheath and will make it “more safe to carry.”
There is no word on a price or ship date yet, but like most Morakniv blades it’s a safe bet the knife will be an affordable option.
The Eldris gets its name from a local holiday cottage that sits on the opposite bank of the river from the Morakniv factory. Morakniv says “[it’s] our way of paying tribute to our roots.”
Along with news of the Eldris, the company also released their 2016 Catalog today which includes another new for 2016 knife – the Morakniv Garberg, the company’s first full-tang knife they say is “designed to perform the toughest tasks” and doesn’t abandon Mora’s renowned Scandi-grind profile.
Knife featured in image: Morakniv Eldris


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Amazon has confirmed that this year’s Amazon Prime Day, a 48-hour mega sale that typically takes place in July, will be held on June 21 and June 22.
In a press release, Amazon said that Prime Day 2021 will feature over two million deals across every category, including fashion, home, beauty and electronics, as well as Prime Video, Amazon Music and Prime Gaming.
While Amazon will be offering discounts across the majority of its product categories, including its own Amazon-created products like Echo, Kindle and Fire TV, Prime members will also be encouraged to support small businesses across the two-day-long savings event. Amazon is set to list “more than a million deals from small and medium-sized businesses”, including local Black-owned, woman-owned, military family-owned companies.
Amazon says that from June 7 through June 20, it will offer a $10c redit to use on Prime Day to members who spend $10 on select small business products and brands based in the U.S. in Amazon’s store, including products from Amazon Handmade and Amazon Launchpad.
The self-styled “shopping extravaganza” will be available to Prime subscribers in the U.S., the U.K., the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Spain, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Netherlands, Mexico, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, China, Brazil, Belgium, Austria, and Australia.
“Prime Day is a celebration of our Prime members, and we’re excited to bring members great deals across an incredible selection, whether members want to shop and save on top brands, buzzworthy items, or small business collections,” said Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime.
“Since we launched Prime Day in 2015, it’s delivered great new ways to shop, gift, watch movies and TV, and even dance, and we’re excited to carry on that tradition.”
Amazon Prime Day deals will go live at midnight on June 21, which translates to 3AM ET.


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Crown Paints appoints marketing director
Katie McLean has joined Crown Paints as its marketing director for the UK & Ireland.
Crown Paints, which dates back to 1777, has its head offices in Darwen in Lancashire and operates a factory in Hull.
McLean was previously a brand and marketing consultant at Babushka and has also worked for Cloud Technology Solutions, CloudM and L'Oreal.
She's also been head of marketing at Bolton online retailer AO.
In its most recent published results, sales at Crown Paints in 2018 were up by almost £10m to £173.4m in 2018, with profits before tax up to £11.4m.


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A number of big publishers will have a digital presence at this year's Gamescom.
Different subplots will alter the main plot, thus allowing for completely different epilogues as per CD Projekt RED.
The open world title apparently won't have a gameplay demo like Halo Infinite.
"We want to be a platform of choice for these games," says the Xbox boss.
"They took all the notes from May," says Keighley.
343 Industries' shooter will see its campaign debut at the Xbox Games Showcase in a few days.
Kitatus and Friends CEO and Lead Programmer Ryan Shah believes the new tech brought about by Unreal Engine 5 will present "a unique set of challenges."
"Players will experience many key stories that each have the epic scope of a feature length film," says narrative director Darby McDevitt.
Team Blur Games' design lead Gavin Stevens explains how the Xbox Series X's Sampler Feedback Streaming will allow it to keep up with the PS5's SSD.
Good luck on that one, Phil.
"It’s more about where you want to draw the line," says The Initiative’s Francisco Aisa García.
Microsoft's studios can make Xbox Series X exclusives if they choose to, according to the Xbox boss.
Narrative director Darby McDevitt says the upcoming open world RPG will have a lot to see and experience.
These are "player triggered" but happen "only under a certain context" ,as per Ubisoft's Benoit Richter.
The developers break down what to expect with the Xbox Series X version.
The Coalition pins down a time frame for the strategy game's console release.
The regular Xbox One S will "continue to be manufactured and sold globally" as per Microsoft.
Bungie wants to ensure that this is the "coolest, most entertaining expansion" possible for fans.
"It will come down not so much to the raw power they are going to have, but what the teams are going to do with that power," says The Initiative's Francisco Aisa García.
The Viking seeks more than glory, but the price could be high.


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Barnier issues Ireland border warning over agricultural goods after Brexit
Existing checks on agricultural goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland would have to increase ten-fold after Brexit, the EU's chief negotiator has said - an ultimatum likely to enrage unionists and eurosceptics.
Speaking to business leaders in Brussels, Michel Barnier laid out new details about the EU's updated plan to find a solution to the Irish border issue.
Intensification of checks is highly unlikely to be accepted by the DUP, who have said they will use their crucial Commons votes against any deal that treats Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK.
Mr Barnier said customs and VAT details could be filled out online by traders and that the only physical checks needed for them would be the scanning of a barcode on a ferry across the Irish Sea or at a port.
He said such checks "already exist in many EU member states, such as between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands".
The negotiator also said the EU believed regulatory compliance checks for industrial goods could be carried out at the premises of businesses.
But Mr Barnier warned that so-called phytosanitary checks on live animals and other agricultural products had to be carried out at the border, and would have to apply to 100% of all imports. Some of these checks already exist, but they are only conducted as spot-checks and applied to just 10% of imports.
"EU rules are very clear: such checks must happen at the border because of food safety and animal health reasons," he told business leaders.


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If you were looking for a good reason to finally cave in and get an Apple Watch, the news that you can play "Pokemon Go" with it is definitely an incentive. And it will also be interesting to see if the Apple Watch "Pokemon Go" app is similar to the iPhone app or if there's going to be a learning curve. Obviously, the screen is a little smaller but according to the company's launch event this week, the app will be pretty much the same and give you all the information you need to catch a few Pokemon. The screen will display how far you have to walk to hatch an egg, how many experience points you need to move to the next level, where the closest Pokestop in addition to some information about your own fitness.
You can play the game all on the watch and never have to look at your phone, which means you can still email and text without interrupting the hunt. Until you actually want to catch a Pokemon — which is a pretty big flaw, since the purpose of a watch is that it's handsfree. Playing the game on the watch might too much of a hassle to make it a real feature for anyone.
That's sort of a shame, but the addition of the app seems like a last ditch effort to increase sales. The current version of the Apple Watch isn't doing very well — sales more than halved over the summer.
But the addition of new apps on their devices is something Apple seems to be focusing on, given the runaway success of "Pokemon Go" this year. For the new iPhone, the biggest news (besides the lack of a headphone jack, of course) was that there would be a Super Mario Bros. app just for the phone called Super Mario Run. It won't be like the original but it is probably going to be pretty awesome. Nintendo’s designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, who was responsible for games like Donkey Kong, told The Verge that the mobile game was inspired by the "Pokemon Go" craze and keeping things light.
"With Mario, what we’re looking at is simple game play, one-handed gameplay; shorter play time, playing in shorter bursts; and then really bringing the joy of Mario to that much larger audience," he said.
The "Pokemon Go" app for the Apple Watch is a cool addition. But a Mario game on the iPhone? That's epic, and exclusive to Apple for the time being. Both apps will be available later this year.


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Sister Businesses Find New Homes
Eden in Love, The Wedding Café and Fred + Kate Events have special places in my heart. Eden in Love has impressed me with a business model that’s focused on philanthropy, while The Wedding Café and Fred + Kate Events played a huge role in making my recent wedding a huge success. The three recently moved out of their joint space in Ward Centers, but what’s even better is that great things are in store for the trio of companies.
Tanna and Bryson Dang will continue on as owners of Eden in Love and transition ownership of sister company The Wedding Café to Lauren and Luke Williams. Meanwhile, Tessa Gomes (Tanna’s sister and former general manager of all three companies) will take over Fred + Kate Events.
Gomes knows how important the “big day” is and strives to assist couples with any speed bumps along the way.
“I want to make sure the overall experience is what they want,” she says. “They’re not just a name to me. It’s getting to know them as people.”
(Here’s a sneak peak: Stay tuned for Fred + Kate Events’ new logo!)
The Williams couldn’t be more excited to move forward with The Wedding Café — the same company that helped them during their engagement.
“Luke likes to say that weddings are the last frontier of small business,” says Lauren. “It’s the one place where small business is really on top … They are the people who do weddings best. The Wedding Café is a resource for brides and grooms — and also for business owners, to get them the best exposure to the brides and grooms.”
Not to worry, The Wedding Café workshops will remain in the mix.
The Wedding Café will continue to sublease from Eden in Love, which has a happy home at a new location in Ward Warehouse on the corner next to Ultimate Foot Store, and Gomes will operate wedding-coordination company Fred + Kate Events from home (or wherever her love-struck couples are).
With Eden in Love, Tanna wants to continue incorporating retail and giving.
“We realized that we wanted to focus heavily on the giving aspect,” she says.
Eden in Love operates a nonprofit arm called Divas Doing Good, which conducts outreach to a village in Sri Lanka and other charitable works.
With all three companies doing well, Tanna knew it was time to make a change.
“We wanted to sell when The Wedding Café was on a high, when it was the most solid,” she explains, “which is why we were able to attract buyers like Lauren and Luke. We wanted to go out when everything felt great to us in our hearts, in our bones.”
‘LOVE’ THESE DEALS
A lot of work goes into making Eden in Love’s Black Friday sale a huge hit, and as owner Tanna Dang says, “Black Friday is bananas. It’s like our Black Friday sale becomes contagious. You have to be there.” Here are some of the deals to look for this Friday:
* 6-8 a.m., 50 percent off
* 8-10 a.m., 40 percent off
* 10 a.m. to noon, 30 percent off
* noon to 9 p.m., 20 percent off
Follow Eden in Love on Instagram and Facebook for more information on Black Friday discounts.


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Ready for a bit of snow to ring in the holiday season?
It may be fake snow and indoors at that, but in southeast Texas who’s complaining?
With the arrival of Santa Claus on Nov. 12 at The Woodlands Mall comes faux snow flurries starting at 11 a.m.
Every hour on the hour from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. until Christmas Eve, the mall’s Future Court and the south main entrance near Marble Slab Creamery will be awash in white flurries for 10 minutes.
So bring your mittens and your hot chocolate ’cause it’s getting cold in here!


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October 18, 2013
7,000 UK SMEs will benefit from a new government programme to help them attract overseas customers through the internet.
And business secretary Vince Cable has also announced that, for the first time, the UK will have an approved global network of business-to-business support to rival the world's best.
The UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Grow Online, Expand Worldwide campaign will deliver training and advice to SMEs and provide funding to help improve their web capability over the next two years. By the end of 2014, UK SMEs will benefit from 40 approved support networks in UKTI top high growth markets, including China, India and the UAE.
Vince Cable said: "Britain's 220,000 online retailers export more than the rest of Europe's e-retailers combined, but other countries are catching up fast. UK companies need to stay ahead of the game and capitalise on the rapid growth of mobile technology and social media to find new international customers."
He said: "Britain has moved back up into fifth place in the IMF's worldwide ranking of exports of goods and services. UKTI's Grow Online, Expand Worldwide campaign will help even more businesses to tap into the global appetite for British goods and services."
The announcement comes in the same week that the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has called for more support for exporters at its annual International Trade Conference.
BCC director general, John Longworth said: "We need a direct focus on export support if we are to be amongst the best in the world. The prime minister has committed to increase UK exports to one trillion pounds a year by 2020. Exports will need to increase at 9% compound year on year, every year. The government spends 25 times as much of taxpayers' money on overseas aid as it does on export support – grossly underfunded by comparison with competitor nations."
This week's BCC/DHL report on the health of the UK export market reveals that 69% of exporters expect their turnover to improve this quarter – the highest number since 2007.


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Your Next Eight-Pack of Urban Chestnut Beer Could Support Local Animal Shelters
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (UCBC), one of St. Louis’ premier craft breweries, takes its affinity for animals—shelter pets, to be exact—quite seriously. Their specialty may be brewing up delectable batches of artisanal, modern American- and European-style beers, but teaming up with Purina has helped the brand cultivate a local identity promoting the beauty of shelter-pet adoptions.
This year’s partnership between the two brands begins with a promotion that runs June through August. For every eight-pack of Urban Underdog American Lager sold to retailers through the end of August, Purina will donate $5 to the Petfinder Foundation, a nonprofit that awards grants to shelters to care for homeless pets and nurse them to adoptable condition. The organization’s ultimate, noble mission is to prevent euthanasia of adoptable pets. Out of the need, a vital partnership between UCBC and Purina came to life.
“As someone who has two rescue dogs and co-owns pet-friendly breweries, I consider this partnership to be a no-brainer,” says David Wolfe, co-owner and co-founder of UCBC. “Working with Purina to find homes for more shelter pets is a win for the pets, their owners and our community—and we are proud to do our part.”
The donations will also help offset the costs of shelter-pet adoption fees, working to remove as many obstacles as possible between shelter pets and loving, forever homes. If last year’s partnership is any indication, it’s a highly impactful effort. Last year the promotion raised nearly $50,000, which went directly to offset the cost of pet-adoption fees at area animal shelters and rescues.
This year’s #ConsiderAShelterPet summer campaign proves to be even more ambitious. For 2018, Purina will donate up to $100,000 to the Petfinder Foundation, accumulated by the $5 donations from every eight-pack of Urban Underdog American Lager, which will fund $25 subsidies toward individual pet-adoption fees through the end of August 2018.
“Our partnership with Urban Chestnut is based on our mutual passion for pets and our shared desire to bring people and pets together,” says Libby Davidson of Purina’s pet welfare team. “By working together through Purina’s #ConsiderAShelterPet summer program, we can give pet-lovers and beer-lovers alike a simple way to help local adoptable pets find forever homes.”
Purina will also sponsor UCBC’s Dog Day Friday series, an evening pet-friendly event series at the brewery’s location in The Grove. Each event will feature UCBC beer, food, games and activities encouraging pet adoptions, while 20% of food and libation sales will also benefit shelters. It’s another way both organizations plan to raise even more awareness about the partnership and celebrate the important pets who enrich our lives.
This post has been brought to you in part by the mentioned organization. Thank you for supporting the companies that keep ALIVE growing.
All images courtesy of Urban Chestnut Brewing Company.


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AAA Mid-Atlantic Expands Green Efforts
Auto Club recycles thousands of batteries and plants thousands of trees
PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 13, 2018) – A dead car battery can bring the blues, though this time of year AAA roadside assistance and AAA Car Care Centers will help motorists see green with the auto club’s annual Earth Day efforts.
Batteries and Trees
As part of AAA’s annual Earth Day recognition, the auto club will fund tree plantings to celebrate green initiatives and the responsible battery recycling of batteries purchased at the roadside or at a AAA repair facility. In addition, between April 16th and 29th, customers who visit any AAA retail store or AAA Car Care, Insurance and Travel Center can also help plant a tree with a donation of $1 or more. All trees will be planted in National Forests through the Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit conservation and education organization.
Environmental responsibility is standard operating procedure for AAA Battery Service programs. The auto club first began its mobile battery recycling efforts in 1997, and last year recycled approximately 1.75 million batteries nationally.
“AAA understands the tremendous environmental impact recycling car batteries has in terms of reducing toxic waste and unnecessary production of new materials. Sixty to 80 percent of car batteries consist of hard rubber or plastic, which can be recycled. The lead and sulfuric acid can also be recycled,” said Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “AAA Mid-Atlantic is committed to doing its part in recycling used car batteries to help protect the earth, and help sustain the environment by contributing to the greening of America through the planting of trees.”
With an extensive network of warehouses throughout the United States and Canada, East Penn, the manufacturer of the AAA branded battery, recycles virtually 100 percent of each spent battery received for processing. Each of the three major battery components (lead, plastic, and acid) are safely recycled and used in making new energy storage devices.
Follow us on Twitter: @AAAPhillyNews
7777 Brewster Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19159
AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and more than three million members in Pennsylvania. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.AAA.com.


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InXile remembers the moment it created a young game and became caught up in a moral panic as it marks its 20th anniversary
At least you can chuckle when you look back and say, “No, not that!”
The legendary InXile Entertainment, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, just posted a new studio film featuring some of its leading figures discussing the overall adventure. Brian Fargo, the co-founder of Interplay, established InXile in 2002. Its debut title, The Bard’s Tale, a fourth-wall-breaking APRG that succeeded in the elusive accomplishment of being a genuinely amusing videogame, set a high bar.
However, quality doesn’t always triumph, and InXile frequently experienced difficult times, including periods when the company had to produce mobile and Nintendo DS games to pay the bills. It didn’t help that certain ideas were dropped. For example, when I went to a Codemasters preview event many years ago, I saw a demo of Heist, a detailed bank robbery strategy game that would never be released. It genuinely appeared to have the potential to be fantastic, but obviously, appearances can be deceiving.
The studio’s anniversary movie explores many of its highs and lows, but an occurrence I’d completely missed at the time is what really left me in awe. The massive Nintendo DS market and its seemingly limitless hunger for “lite” style sim games were one of the directions InXile sought when it was trying to keep things running.
Fargo stated, “The earth was moving beneath our feet.” We just need to be brave businessmen since we hold the rights to Line Rider, I guess. When Nintendogs later came out, I said, “Let’s do cats,” and we ended up selling somewhere around three-quarters of a million copies. What further should be done considering what dogs have already actually achieved? Well, people adore children…”
Baby Pals would eventually be created from this, but what transpired soon after its initial release must have astounded InXile. The anniversary video features footage from an American cable news program where the reporter claims that the mother was upset after giving her 8-year-old daughter the game as a prize before “discovering” that it had a hidden message. The infant seems to be saying, “Islam is the light.”
Fargo stated, “We purchased the sound library. Which, ‘know, looked safe because Mattel had previously used it for one of their dolls. Then, all of a sudden, we are in the headlines because, if you pay close attention, the infant is saying, “Islam is the light.”
“Okay, you’ve got to be kidding me, I think. That was a bit of a stretch, I agree.
Another voice adds, “It wasn’t even words,” and they are undoubtedly correct. However, the disparate baby noises combine to form a strange approximation that may be heard if you look for it (and some people undoubtedly do).
As Elene Campbell of InXile recalls, “It was just a baby babbling.” “There were no secret references, and it was such a foolish mistake that it caused so much grief. Yet Baby Pals was fantastic!”
The game’s publisher at the time stated: “The sound in the question of this babble may sound like the words night, right, or light, but it is only coincidence as The sounds were also found in Mattel’s dolls at the time. The baby recorded was too young to speak these words, let alone a completely grammatically perfect phrase.
The uproar finally fizzled out, and the cable news channels that were constantly upset turned their attention to other things, like French mustard.
The company InXile appears to be doing much better these days, as both gamers and critics have praised its most recent game, Wasteland 3. Although the studio was just acquired by Microsoft, it is still unknown what its upcoming project would entail. However, the many talking heads present clearly suggest it will be the style of game the firm is known for. And no, Baby Pals are not included in that.


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Mucor circinelloides. It's a mouthful to say, and if you've dipped into a cup of Chobani Greek yogurt that tasted a little fizzy, you've probably had a mouthful of it.
According to the Twin Falls Times-News
, Mucor circinelloides—a species of mold associated with dairy, fruits and vegetables—has been identified by Chobani officials as responsible for tainting yogurt at the company's massive Twin Falls plant and spurring a recent nationwide recall of certain contaminated products.
However, the Times-News
reported, the company has yet to explain exactly what led to the contamination in the first place, and what safeguards—if any—are being put in place to protect against future outbreaks.
Though company officials maintain the mold does not pose a health risk, unconfirmed reports of illness have surfaced
. According to a statement
from the company: "Very rarely, it can act as an opportunistic pathogen, but not through food and usually only for people with compromised immune systems through inhalation."
Work continues uninterrupted at the Twin Falls plant, while Chobani has advised retailers and consumers alike to destroy yogurt containers with the code 16-012 and expiration dates Sept. 11-Oct. 7.
The recent mold contamination is one of several incidents in which the yogurt giant has had to defend its product on environmental and human health concerns. In June, Chobani officials were quizzed
by Twin Falls area residents on the potential environmental impacts of its massive production plant—the largest yogurt factory in the world. Concerns have centered on acid whey
, a byproduct of Greek yogurt manufacturing, disposal of which some worry could adversely affect groundwater supplies. Chobani vigorously denies
that the acid whey waste poses any threat.
Those with health concerns related to mold-tainted yogurt should contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: 1-800-332-1088.


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Reliance Retail in advance talks with Silver Lake to sell 1.8 pc stake: Report
New Delhi/IBNS: The retail wing of billionaire Mukesh Ambani controlled Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is reportedly in the final stage of talks with US private equity investor Silver Lake to offload 1.7 per cent to 1.8 per cent stake for about Rs 7,500 crore in what could be the first such deal by the retail giant to raise funds, said a media report.
The development was first reported by Financial Times (London) late Thursday evening.
If the deal materialises, it would value Reliance Retail at about nearly Rs 4.3 lakh crore, as the country’s largest brick-and-mortar retail business is in talks with multiple investors to raise funds by selling minority stakes, about 10 per cent in new shares, the Financial Times reported, citing people aware of the matter.
When asked for comments, a company spokesperson told ET: “Our company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis. We have made and will continue to make necessary disclosures in compliance with our obligations under Sebi rules and our agreements with stock exchanges.”
Reliance, an oil-to-telecoms conglomerate, had raised $20 billion investment from 13 global investors, including Facebook for Rs 43,574 crore, for digital business Jio Platforms. Silver Lake had also invested Rs 10,202 crore in this business.
According to the Financial Times report, investors in Jio Platforms had been given the opportunity to buy stakes in Reliance Retail.
Reliance Retail, the largest retail chain of India, which operates stores across formats, recently acquired the retail and wholesale as well as logistics and warehousing businesses of the Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore.
Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani had told the shareholders in the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in July that Reliance Retail has received strong interestfrom strategic and financial investors.


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Augmented reality start-up Jadu has raised $36 million to create a Web 3 gaming platform which allows players to roam the real world with their NFT avatars. The Series A round was led by Bain Capital and General Catalyst Partners, with additional funds coming from LG Tech Ventures and Alumni Ventures. Jadu’s AR mobile app will connect to players’ Ethereum wallets, letting them turn their 3D animated NFTs into playable avatars. The app is expected to emerge in beta form this summer.
“Adding an avatar in the middle of [a player’s] view is a novel concept for AR, and it’s kind of counterintuitive,” said Asad J. Malik, Founder and CEO of Jadu. “However, when you do it, suddenly it becomes really effective because your AR becomes super visual. You can actually see a representation of a character going around the room doing things.”
Jadu plans to use the new funds to grow its team and build out the gaming platform. According to Malik, Jadu is also focused on releasing its first collection of in-house avatar NFTs, which it expects to be its main source of revenue for this fiscal year.
Malik has high hopes for Jadu’s metaverse, because as he says, the future of the metaverse is not virtual reality, but augmented reality.
“People are building out the metaverse as this interoperable virtual world,” added Malik. “We are building out what we call the ‘Mirrorverse’ as the AR reflection of that, and the ‘Mirrorverse’ exists on the physical planet—it exists on top of the world as we know it, and we think that’s super compelling.”
(All information was provided by dot.LA)
Check out the industry-leading META Business podcast where we discuss the intersection of business and the metaverse
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Controversial fight franchise UFC bought by private equity investors in deal understood to be worth a record £3.1bn
UFC promotes a combat style derived from boxing, wrestling and various martial arts
It is a sport many in Britain have probably never heard of.
But yesterday Ultimate Fighting Championship, a company that promotes a combat-style derived from boxing, wrestling and various martial arts, was set to break records by becoming the richest-ever franchise sold.
UFC, whose promotions are shown on BT Sport in the UK, is understood to have been bought for £3.1billion by a consortium of private equity investors in America including entertainment agency WME-IMG.
The bid, which is likely to be confirmed this weekend, is thought to value the company at seven times the UFC’s annual earnings of around £450million.
UFC, which ran its first promotions in the early 1990s, has soared in popularity in recent years and in December last year an event at the O2 Arena in London sold out in just 27 minutes.
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Study finds city’s south side is a food desert
WARREN — The lack of a major grocery store and having fewer convenience stores nearby makes Warren’s southside neighborhoods more food insecure than the rest of the city, according to a recently released study by Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership.
Examining 91 items from a U.S. Department of Agriculture thrifty food plan survey list, stores on the city’s southeast side did not have 68 percent of the items, according to a study on food access conducted by TNP over the past year.
The list includes fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables; breads and cereals; dairy products; meats and meat alternatives; oils and fats; as well as seasonings.
TNP’s survey on food security and access is a result of a $31,551 planning grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which ends next month.
Approximately half of those that participated in an online survey as part of the study either were not satisfied with the food choices available, did not have funds to purchase them, or did not have easy access to healthy food choices, according TNP’s Cassandra Clevenger, who spearheaded the study.
Clevenger outlined the results of the nearly year-long study at the Southeast Side Community Association meeting on Thursday.
More than 43 convenience stores — including privately owned neighborhood stores, as well as regional and national stores — are located throughout the city, according to Clevenger. There are five larger grocery stores and supermarkets in the city, which are all located on the city’s north side. Less than half of the convenience stores are on the city’s south side.
“To address their needs, some respondents applied for federal food assistance programs, skipped meals and obtained additional work,” Clevenger said. “Some that obtained additional work risked other benefits they may have been receiving.”
Transportation also presented a problem because the distance between residents’ homes and places they purchase food ranged from being less than five minutes away to more than 74 minutes away. Average travel time was 20 minutes, the survey showed. Supermarkets and grocery stores in the city are not on bus routes, she said.
Of the 43 smaller convenience stores in the city, 24 of the owners/managers allowed TNP to look at the items they are selling and their costs.
“The average cost of commonly purchased items — white bread, milk, tuna, eggs and grape jelly — are higher in Warren than nationally,” Clevenger said.
The cost of a basket of these items is, on average, $10.43 in Warren, compared to $7.81 nationally, according to the study.
“We do not know why there is a difference,” Clevenger said. “Part of the explanation could lie in the quanity sold in the smaller stores compared to what is available in the larger stores.”
Clevenger said there are 12 federal food emergency programs in Trumbull County.
“We are glad these programs exist, but we want to encourage self reliance and sustainability,” she said.
In the series of community meetings that will continue next week, Clevenger will not only outline what they learned in the data, but seek the public’s help to find solutions to eliminating food deserts and reducing food insecurity.
“We want to know what people really want,” Clevenger said. “We believe solutions include creating more food resources by creating more farmers markets, pop-up stores, home and community gardens and helping people open stores in their own areas, instead of waiting for someone else to come in.”
Nutrition education also is important.
“Having access to healthy food is only one aspect,” Clevenger said. “Sometimes people need to be taught how to prepare the foods available to them.”
“Farmers markets, such as the one held on Courthouse Square, and one in Howland, help to bring nutritious foods and recipes to residents.”
The final version of the study will be released after the community outreach portion is completed. For more information, visit tnpwarren.org.
• YWCA Warren, 375 N. Park Ave., 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
• Raymond J. Wean Foundation, 147 W. Market St., Warren, 5 to 6:30 p.m.


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Netflix says it drive bring out other period of last A&E stage production chain Longmire.
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Netflix launched Longmire’s 10-episode 4th seasoned on Kinfolk. 10.
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ENFIELD — Town officials anticipate more outdoor dining options will be coming this year after two restaurants recently received approval to make permanent their temporary outdoor areas allowed.
The Planning and Zoning Commission on March 25 unanimously approved applications from Chicago Sam’s Sports Bar and Grill on Elm Street and Buona Vita Bar and Grille on North Maple Street to make their outdoor dining areas permanent.
Buona Vita owner Kelly Miller said her restaurant found success with the temporary outdoor dining option, which is why the business decided to make it permanent.
“We had outdoor seating last summer and it went really well and was super helpful,” Miller said.
PZC Chairman Ken Nelson Jr. said he believes many more restaurants will consider this move.
“With the stigma from COVID, I think a lot of people are going to want that outdoor option to stay spaced out,” Nelson said.
He said this is also a way for restaurants to potentially “recoup some of their losses” after the pandemic’s toll on some businesses.
Chicago Sam’s owner Phil Frogameni said that bouncing back from last year should be easier with the approval for permanent outdoor dining.
“It’s definitely been a challenge,” Frogameni said. “I appreciate this very much.”
According to Nelson, the only real concern with outdoor dining is safety. The PZC initially did not approve of Chicago Sam’s outdoor dining plans until additional safety measures were added.
All outdoor dining facilities are subject to inspection by the fire marshal. Shaker Pines Fire Department Chief Charles Macsata said that he reviewed these plans with the fire marshal and was happy to provide approval, adding how much he enjoyed eating outside last summer.
“We’re in favor of this,” Macsata said.
Nelson said that other than safety concerns that would be handled before approval is granted, there really are no negatives.
“There’s nothing nicer than sitting out on a patio on a nice night,” Nelson said.
Town Manager Christopher Bromson agreed.
“I think as long as all the concerns are addressed, especially safety, I think it’s a great idea,” Bromson said.


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Bandai posted the official images of the Change Heroes Series figures, the action figure toyline of the Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger.
Bandai posted the official images of the Zenkai Gattai DX Zenkaioh VrooMagine Set from the Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger TV series.
Bandai posted the official images of the Zenkai Gattai DX Zenkaioh JuraGaon Set from the Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger TV series.
Premium Bandai has unveiled the PROPLICA Nichirin Sword (Kyojuro Rengoku) from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime series.
Actress/model Noa Tsurushima, best known to most fans as Kamen Rider Zero-One's Is/As has launched her own personal brand named Romansual.
Tsuburaya announced that the currently ongoing YouTube web series, Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy will get a Director's Cut via the series' Blu-ray/DVD release.
Premium Bandai has unveiled the I Absolutely Want to be Licked by Gengar, which is basically a Gengar pillow with a really long tongue that you can sleep on from the Pokémon franchise.
Premium Bandai posted the official images of the Ultra Replica Spark Lence 25th Anniversary Ver. from the Ultraman Tiga TV series.


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UK desktop ad viewability improvements, Google's first-price auction rollout, Facebook's political ad policies changes, YouTube's inappropriate content removal update
This week has brought with it the news that the UK is seeing great rates of desktop ad viewability, with viewability reaching a record high in the second quarter of the year - great news for digital advertisers!
In other advertising news, after months of testing, Google is set to start rolling out its new first-price auction rollout, which has reportedly had good results so far.
Facebook is also making changes to ad policies, this time relating to political ads and those that tackle social issues. These changes are aimed to provide greater visibility over political advertising ahead of the 2020 US elections.
Our final big news story is the week is that YouTube has provided an update on its efforts to remove inappropriate content from the platform, with thousands of hate speech videos being…
Facebook's US 'Clear History' rollout could be delayed, Snapchat has added new features to Lens Studio AR, Instagram is testing a new messaging app, Facebook bans The Epoch Times from advertising, Google Assistant answering ability improvements, Facebook adds 3D photos to Android
Facebook's 'Clear History' tool has started to be rolled out but it could be delayed in the US due to a court case.
Snapchat is making it easier for users to create AR experiences by adding new features to its Lens Studio AR.
Instagram is testing a new type of messenger app aimed at close friends and featuring automatic updates.
Facebook has banned pro-Trump The Epoch Times from advertising on the platform after it broke advertising rules.
Google Assistant is now able to answer more questions, suggesting that voice search is set to become more popular.
Facebook has finally rolled out 3D photos to a number of Android devices and has expanded the number…
Facebook rolling out 'Clear History' tool, Twitter blocks Chinese state-backed accounts, YouTube removing chat function, New LinkedIn Live guide, Twitter's new video ad bid and Facebook's new movie ad tools
This week has seen Facebook finally announce the rollout of its 'Clear History' tool, which will enable users to have more control over their off-site data. While it is only available in select locations, for now, the tool will soon be available to all Facebook users - but what impact will this have on advertisers?
Twitter has announced that it has blocked a number of accounts that were found to be backed by the Chinese state in the wake of growing tensions between protestors and police in Hong Kong, with Facebook following suit.
YouTube has announced that its chat function will no longer be available from next month, with more focus being put on public comments and YouTube stories.
LinkedIn has released a new…
Advertisers are turning their attention toward their ad creative, which is quickly becoming the driver for financial performance
Facebook is changing the game for advertisers. In recent years, the social network has focused on improving its optimization algorithm and native advertising tools, which have allowed smaller companies to compete without having to invest in third-party ad tech. Automation features like auto bidding, auto placement and auto audiences have simplified the media buying and bidding process, so advertisers can spend less time doing intraday bid and budget changes.
Instead, advertisers are turning their attention toward their ad creative, which is quickly becoming the driver for financial performance. They need to quickly solve problems like creative fatigue and audience saturation with fresh, high-performing creative or else their campaigns will fall flat.
[si_quick_block id="142509" title="How to increase your Facebook followers" description="Learn six greats ways you can grow your Facebook page's following, from…
Twitter's new design, Amazon anti-competition investigation, UK digital tax plans, Facebook's scam ad tool, Instagram removes like count
This week has seen Twitter launch it's new design for desktop users, with the jury still being out on how it is being received.
Amazon is set to face a probe to see if it is using third-party seller data unfairly.
The UK government has announced that it will push ahead with a plan to tax tech giants more going forward.
Facebook has responded to a lawsuit by introducing a new tool for reporting scam ads in the UK.
Finally, Instagram is testing out the removal of it's like count in six new areas.
Get more detail on all of these news stories below in our latest news roundup.
Twitter updates desktop site
Twitter has updated the look of its primary desktop website in a bid to improve personalization…
Facebook faces data transfer challenge, British Airways fined for GDPR breach, Facebook is reducing reach of exaggerated health claims and Instagram launching anti-bullying tools
This week has seen Facebook facing another challenge over its users' data and GDPR implications relating to its transfer of data to US servers.
British Airways has also received a historic fine following a hack that breach GDPR rules.
In more Facebook news, the platform is limiting the reach of ads that feature unsubstantiated health claims.
Finally, Instagram is launching new anti-bullying measures in an attempt to make the platform safer.
Find out more about these new stories in this week's news roundup below.
Facebook faces data transfer challenge
Facebook is being challenged over its method of transferring data from the EU to the US for business purposes. According to the Irish data protection commissioner, the way in which data is transferred does…
Facebook changing business Page info, the CMA investigating impact of digital advertisers on consumers, Twitter's updated search results and MPs call for digital political campaigning electoral law changes
Following the excitement of Google's updates last month and several changes to social media platforms, the start of July seems to have been fairly quiet. It seems the marketing world is taking the beginning of this month at a slower pace, which is reflected in the big news stories of the week.
This week comes the news that Facebook is scrapping some of the Pages info sections on August 1st, so you need to get these updated.
A UK government agency is launching an investigation into the possible harm that digital advertisers could be doing to consumers, which could have huge implications for platforms like Facebook and Google.
Twitter has added some more context to search results in a bid to make…
A step-by-step approach to using identity-based targeting to drive relevance for your digital ad campaigns
One of the huge advantages that digital advertising has promised marketers is the ability to target audiences more precisely and deliver personalized content and creative. Whilst TV, billboards, print and radio can reach mass audiences at scale, highly targeted digital advertising gives marketers the opportunity to drive relevance and accuracy that no other media can match.
Although digital advertising has always had a degree of targeting and personalization, the introduction of identity-based targeting has taken this to a new level. Identity-based targeting has now been adopted by many of the world’s largest advertising companies, opening up new opportunities on a range of channels including Facebook, Google, Amazon and Twitter.
The advantages of identity-based targeting
Good advertising always starts with a clear objective. For brands looking to build mass reach and frequency to drive awareness, broadcast media is a highly…
The successful launch of a new mobile app ad campaign requires a targeted UAC approach
When launching a new mobile app, you may not have an advertising account history to leverage or a customer list to create a lookalike audience from on Facebook and Google UAC. This makes a successful ad campaign launch difficult since most user acquisition resources you read assume you will have those two items to work off of.
But, since your user lists and advertising accounts are brand new, you have to start from scratch to acquire app users.
[si_guide_block id="100244" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Product launch playbook" description="This playbook will guide you through the process of how to successfully launch your product online."/]
Below, we outline the user acquisition process that will lead to the successful launch of a new app campaign.
Perform a competitive analysis
It’s quite easy to run a competitive analysis on Facebook. Start by making…
Facebook's Community Standards update, New brand loyalty research, new playable Facebook ads, consumer views on Netflix advertising and Twitter's new live stream with guests feature
This week, Facebook has updated us on how it is enforcing its Community Standards with its third report. The report includes new data in a bid to make sure its enforcement is more transparent.
New research has revealed that brands who form emotional relationships with customers are likely to see better brand loyalty, showing that the human element and storytelling really do benefit companies.
Facebook has launched its new playable ads, aimed at providing users with a trial of advertised mobile games.
As Coca-Cola announces working with Netflix on Stranger Things season three, a study has found that most subscribers are totally against ads being added to the video streaming service.
Finally, Twitter has announced a new feature. Those who live stream will now have the opportunity to add audio-only…


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U.S. based memory-chip maker Micron Technology Inc has reportedly resumed shipping chips to China-based Huawei Technologies Co Ltd after almost a month of ordeal citing Huawei ban imposed by the U.S. Government last month.
Based in Idaho, Micron has resumed shipping memory chips to Huawei after it found a provision or say a loophole in the ban imposed by the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Government which released an ‘entity list’ banning Huawei and 67 other companies from acquiring any U.S. based technology or goods without prior approval which in case of Huawei, is a NO on the face without any doubt.
Reuters posted a report where Sanjay Mehrotra, Chief Executive at Micron, stated how the chip making giant has started shipping products to Huawei that aren’t subject to the export administration regulations while complying with the ban imposed by the U.S. government. He further added that having a situation like Huawei, it is not yet predictable whether what volumes or time periods they will be allowed to ship products before a full-on imposition is in place in August.
According to Micron, its lawyers and attorneys found out a provision within the imposition which dictates that U.S. based companies with products having 25% or more of U.S-originated materials or technology are subject to ban which leaves a lot of room for other manufacturers to supply products such as in the case of Micron, it is shipping memory cards while Intel Corp has also added to the list of companies doing the same where the chipmaker has also resumed shipping some products.
The report further adds how Huawei is estimated to suffer a cost of $30 billion in revenue this year due to the ban where the company has been charting the list of top manufacturer in terms of items shipped overtaking Apple while lagging a little behind South Korea based Samsung. It also stated shipping 100 million smartphones as of May 30, which is less than two quarters which is enough to convey the scale of monstrosity the China-based company is true.
However, Huawei currently has stockpiles of components that it can use to manufacture phones for over a year before finding substitutes and alternatives of components that are sourced from the U.S. if this Huawei ban goes through in August.
Micron listed how the ban could cost the chip making giant almost $200 million in missed sales during the third quarter of this month. The report further states that Micron did found the solution by its own and without any interference from any other company or the U.S. government parse. It also added that other companies can also work around the ban to find provisions that allow them to ship products and do business with Huawei while attaining compliance with the imposition as well.


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Since the toilet paper panic-buying subsided, another item quietly flew off the shelves: garden seeds.
Springtime weather combined with shelter-in-place orders and empty shelves at stores has spurred a spike in seed sales, according to some gardening experts.
“I’ve seen an increase in seed sales because I’ve been looking around to see what people are doing and anticipating what kind of questions we will get once we open up again,” said Jan Kendel, a master gardener with the Sutter-Yuba University of California Cooperative Extension. “We’ve had some calls and emails from people wanting to know if it’s a good time to plant tomatoes.”
Like many offices, the Cooperative Extension office in Yuba City is closed to the public but people can connect with them by phone or email.
“We have seen an increase in sales in both vegetable and fruit plants and seeds this year and so has our supplier,” said Jessica Oakes, manager of Sperbeck’s Nursery & Landscape in Yuba City. “We’ve seen an increase in people wanting to be self-sufficient and I think it’s because it’s the first time people have gone to the market and not been able to get what they need.”
Oakes said they’re selling lots of seeds and small plant cuttings and are keeping the business as safe as possible.
“We’re sanitizing carts and counters and keeping our distance while customers are visiting,” she said. “Also, gardening is great for wellness – it reduces stress, boosts immunity and it’s a good activity that kids can participate in.”
Grange Co-op manager Robby Jellsey said their nursery has been busy and echoed Oakes’ thoughts about it being a good activity for children.
“People love growing their own food. It’s also something people can do with their kids to get them engaged and keep them busy,” he said. “Customers are letting us know that they are gardening to keep their minds off of some of the negativity that’s going on in the world right now. It’s relaxing and gets them outdoors.”
Jellsey said that in order to keep things safe, they’re opening the store exclusively for seniors from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. and after that, it opens to the general public.
“We also offer a drive-through warehouse and pay option where you can purchase feed and pet food from the comfort of your car,” he said. “In addition to gardening supplies being sold at a higher rate, he said pet supplies are also selling fast.
“In times of uncertainty, people want to make sure their animals are taken care of just as they take care of themselves and their families,” he said.
Harry Chiem, owner of Union Lumber/Ace Hardware in Marysville, said they’ve shortened their hours and, despite that, have seen people buy more gardening supplies.
“We’re starting to sell a lot of seeds and vegetables and have sold quite a few more of the 4-inch starters. We’re quite a bit above the vegetable seed sales from last March,” he said. “People have extra time on their hands and the weather is conducive to start planting plus, people will be home more to care for it.”
Gridley resident Harry Krishna perused the Grange Co-op Thursday and picked a variety of vegetable starters for his garden.
“I’ve been doing this since I was a little kid and I normally plant this time of year,” he said. “My wife and I do it together and spend about two hours per day in our quarter-acre garden and we also have some fruit trees.”
He said there are many types of plants that are easy to grow and can be frozen and consumed months later.
“You know you’re getting safe food that’s organic and fresh when it comes from your garden and it makes you feel good,” he said. “We grow cucumber, eggplant, tomato, corn, black-eyed peas, squash and chili peppers and many of those can be frozen and eaten later.”
Jessica Oakes said that squash, beans, cucumber, melons and sunflowers can all be easily grown from seed.
She recommends getting starters, or cuttings, for people who are trying to grow tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.


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July 12, 2013 - Rachel Miller
Local authorities that buy goods and services from small firms help to generate millions within their local economy – but they could do even more, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
New research from the FSB and the Centre for Local Economic Strategies shows that 58% more of the money spent by local authorities with small firms is re-spent in the local economy compared to that spent with large businesses in the same area.
The report – Local Procurement: making the most of small businesses, one year on – finds that in the past year, small local firms generated £746 million more for the local economy compared to large local businesses – even though more than £500 million less was spent with them. It means that for every £1 spent with an SME, 63p was re-spent in the local area, compared to 40p for every £1 spent with a larger business.
The FSB is calling on local authorities to up their spend with local firms. The report does show widespread good practice within local authorities, with 86% breaking contracts into smaller chunks to help SMEs win work. However, it says if each authority spent an additional 5% of their budget locally and committed just 3% more of that to small firms, an additional £788 million could be generated for local economies.
John Allan, FSB national chairman, said: "This report shows the power and strength of small firms to create jobs and growth in the local economy if they are given the help to do so. With budgets being cut there seems to be an increasing realisation that spending more locally will benefit the local economy."
Business secretary, Vince Cable MP, said: "In central government we are already trying to level the playing field with an aspirational target that 25% of our contracts should be awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises by 2015. We are currently working on Lord Young's 'single market' recommendation to establish a simple and consistent approach for all public sector procurement contracts. This should mean more SMEs can take advantage of the £230 billion of potential business each year."
Local government minister, Brandon Lewis MP, said: "Councils have billion pound procurement budgets at their disposal and they should be supporting their local economy by cutting back procurement red tape, like Pre-Qualification Questions and unnecessary equality requirements, in order to allow small firms to bid for more contracts."


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Singapore's longest spell of negative inflation looks to be nearing an end as oil prices bottom out and stabilise.
The country experienced its 24th straight month of negative inflation in October, as the consumer price index - the main measure of inflation - logged a 0.1 per cent contraction over the same month a year ago. This was the smallest fall in two years.
Lower oil prices and falling car prices and accommodation costs - partly due to the soft property market - have been the main drivers behind this two-year bout of negative inflation.
The consumer price index has fallen 0.7 per cent in the January to October period compared with last year.
However, this has had minimal impact on the average household. Prices of necessities such as food, education and healthcare have continued to creep upwards.
This is why the central bank and most economists here do not regard this run of falling prices as "deflation", a term reserved for a more sustained and entrenched economic problem. Deflation indicates a chronic lack of demand across an economy, and is often accompanied by falling wages and asset prices as well as an economic recession.
While Singapore's negative inflation situation is not as dire, policymakers will likely be glad to see an end to it as it can have a "psychological effect", given its association with recessions, said CIMB Private Bank economist Song Seng Wun.
"It seems as though commodity prices have bottomed - albeit at low levels - and this should be reflected in inflation data going into 2017," he said.
The cost of oil-related items dropped by 3.7 per cent in October over the same month last year, compared with a sharper 8.4 per cent fall in September. This was due to a smaller decline in electricity tariffs and petrol prices.
Meanwhile, core inflation - which strips out accommodation and private road transport costs to better gauge everyday expenses - rose to 1.1 per cent, from September's 0.9 per cent.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Trade and Industry Ministry expect oil prices to go up in 2017 from their trough this year. This is expected to contribute to a gradual uptick in inflation.
However, this will be offset by subdued economic growth and a softer labour market.
Government forecasters expect core inflation to average about 1 per cent this year, and to rise to 1 per cent to 2 per cent next year.
Citi economist Kit Wei Zheng said core inflation has been rising at a slower rate from month to month compared with historical averages, which may reflect slowing economic growth.
He pointed to weak trade numbers as a sign that growth in the October to December quarter could be lacklustre, and noted that upcoming manufacturing and labour market data will help to paint a clearer picture of the outlook.


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Start talking car-business “big-picture” with engineers and once you hash out autonomy for the thousandth time, the discussion invariably comes to diesel. Is diesel stick-a-fork-in-it done?
Everyone knows the Volkswagen impact, which for now has caused diesel compatriots BMW and Mercedes-Benz to almost completely withdraw diesel models from U.S. showrooms. The VW scandal generated plenty of still-fomenting blowback in Europe, too.
But even with pressure from ongoing gasoline-engine design innovations—Mazda just announced it is ready to launch a production compression-ignition gasoline engine in 2019, for example, and there’s a growing menu of hang-on electrical enhancements—diesel doesn’t quite look dead. After all, what car company can turn its back on 40% thermal efficiency that comes as easy as falling out of bed in the morning—bundled with the luscious, customer-pleasing torque a hybrid can’t hope to match?
Ford powertrain chief engineer Pete Dowding is talking the talk, at least. He concedes diesel’s battered at the moment, but he sees a strong, high-volume truck market where diesel’s still a magic word. Ford truck buyers, he said, are hungry for the coming 3.0-L V6 diesel for the F-150 next spring. And after an emissions-scandal scare of its own, FiatChrysler sold the EPA on an emissions-system reprogramming and FCA’s Ram brand is back in business with its popular diesel for light-duty pickups (as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee).
But there’s no denying the diesel pandemic that Volkswagen started in the U.S. has bled to Europe and even the famously diesel-worshiping Continent has picked up the torches to pursue the Frankenstein monster. Several large cities have outright bans on the books or in play. Britain and France took a larger view, proposing to prohibit all internal-combustion vehicle sales by 2040.
Even in Germany, the cradle of all things compression-ignition, diesel might be losing not just the perception war—but the battle with fast-moving electrification technologies, too. Late summer saw German automakers in a desperate-looking, Cash for Clunkers-mimicking gambit to tweak the engine-management software of up to 5 million vehicles to bring oxides of nitrogen (NOx) output in line with today’s Euro 6 regulations. Oh, and a €500-million fund to improve urban air quality.
Seemingly calling for a return to reason, BMW Chairman Harald Krüger was quoted as saying, “For almost two years now, diesel technology which is cutting-edge, highly-efficient and popular with customers has been deliberately and publicly discredited. This has caused tremendous uncertainty among millions of drivers and it’s not going to get us anywhere.”
Indeed, Germany Inc. is working hard to protect the diesel, not only from short-sighted political knee-jerk but also from the expanding notion that battery-electric technology is ready for high-volume primetime. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel was quoted in September by Bloomberg as saying the onus is on the country’s entire auto sector to “address unforgiveable mistakes,” but she stressed, “that doesn’t mean we have to rob the whole industry of its future.”
Dr. Rolf Bulander, chairman of Robert Bosch Mobility Solutions, told journalists at an August media event that he sees the diesel as a core power source for passenger vehicles beyond 2025.
“What is amiss when Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City decide to ban diesel vehicles from their streets from 2025? In our view, this is ecologically misguided—or, at best, environmental protection from a ‘blinkered’ perspective. Blinkered if only because such driving bans ignore diesel’s outstanding efficiency, which is still needed to limit global warming. But, also, blinkered because it underestimates the potential still latent in this technology.”
All well and good. But there’s no question diesel’s emissions-perception problem isn’t going away. The answer: rather than run from it, embrace it.
Leave it to Honda, perhaps, to adopt exactly that approach. The engine experts there recently crowed the new European-market 1.6-L iDTCI diesel was one of the world’s first engines to be certified under the watch of the newly-adopted Worldwide Harmonized Light-Vehicle Test Procedure (please just say WLTP). A crucial component of the WLTP is data input modeled from on-the-road emissions testing widely known as real-world driving emissions (RDE).
Yes—the very same scrutinizing that exposed VW’s cheating.
Honda carefully admits its new diesel achieved its exceptional RDE results with some slick engine-design enhancements and, uh, “a new NOx Storage Converter (NSC) system with larger catalysts and a higher content of noble metals (silver, platinum and neodymium) that store nitrogen oxide gas until the regeneration cycle.”
If you’re reading “added cost,” go to the head of the class.
But until aftertreatment expense can be reduced or a combustion innovation improves engine-out emissions, the best thing the industry can do is to keep bragging about acing those new RDE tests.
“Future mobility will definitely depend on state-of-the-art diesels as well,” BMW’s Krüger declared.
I agree. But just to be on the safe side, get cracking on the next big diesel breakthrough, car industry. Do it not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.
Continue reading »


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Fair trade certification is expected to help Vietnamese cocoa enter the EU market, especially after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement takes effect (2019), experts have said.
“We’re working closely with fair-trade organisations in Europe and Asia to introduce cocoa products that are manufactured sustainably, respond to climate change, and ensure the rights of workers, women and children,” Nguyen Dac Thang, vice chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance said. “So far three cooperatives in the Central Highlands region, have been granted fair-trade certification and have started exporting to the European market.“
Krista Verstraelen, chief representative of the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) in Vietnam, who was present at a meeting with Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, presented a Vietnamese cocoa project that TDC supports. “In 2016, we developed a project for sustainable fair-trade cocoa supply from Vietnam. It included three steps: certification of fair-trade, product and market development, and product monitoring and evaluation,” she said. The project has helped 350 small cocoa-farming households take part in fair-trade supply chains and benefit from fair-trade practices. Under the project, the cooperatives raised awareness about fair trade and learned about fair-trade value that can bring added value to their products. They also become more aware of fair-trade requirements and advanced planting techniques.
Nguyen Xuan Van, chairman of Eakar Cooperative, one of the three participating organisations, said: “In the past, I planted cocoa and worked on my farm without calculating how much money I was spending or making. I listened to advice from a shop on how to use pesticides without knowing why I should use it. I had very little money left after harvesting cocoa,” he added. “But after joining the cooperative, I began to plan better, and after training, I started using a diary to note how much I spent for the farm and what kind of chemicals I used.” Now they trust the quality of their cocoa and they can sell it at a better price.
Fair Trade Asia and Pacific helps local traders find fair-trade markets, while national fair-trade organisations in Belgium, Germany and Italy look for buyers to introduce fair-trade cocoa from Vietnam.


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Mumbai, April 26 : On-demand home service company Mr Homecare, a subsidiary of facility management firm SILA, is planning to raise up to Rs 20 crore in the next 12 months to expand its presence in six cities.
SILA, an Indian start-up firm, recently entered the on-demand home care services market by raising Rs 4 crore with investments from Piramal Realty Executive Director Anand Piramal as well as from a group of financial investors.
“The on-demand services market in India is growing at a rapid pace and is largely unorganised at the moment. Being an established player in the facilities management business, we see an immense business opportunity in this space as well.
“Our vision is to be an extension of each home, with the philosophy that ‘Your Home is Our Care’,” SILA Founder Sahil Vora told PTI here.
The company has already started with deep cleaning and pest control services in Mumbai and will extend it to cities like Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai in the next 12 months and plans to raise up to Rs 20 crore for the expansion.
“Initially, we will be using the Rs 4 crore raised in building a strong marketing network, technology and for paying employees. We will further raise up to Rs 20 crore for expanding in newer markets as well as adding more services,” he said.
He said the company was in talks with a few venture capitalists as well as financial investors for raising funds.
According to Vora, most houses spend on average of Rs 20,000 per year on household repairs, cleaning, plumbling, etc and this is the segment Homecare is targeting.
Homecare is an online platform for users to book home services such as pest controlling, deep cleaning, washing of cars, installation of an air conditioner, plumbing, electrical fixing, among others.


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Windows 10 and the launch of several new devices wasn't enough to keep PC shipments from going down worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2015. Research firm Gartner says shipments went down by 8.3% to 75.7 million units while IDC claims they experienced a year-on-year decline of 10.6% with just 71.9 million units shipped.
For the entire year of 2015, Gartner says PC shipments totalled 288.7 million units, down 8% compared to 2014. IDC says PC unit shipments went down 10.4% in 2015, with shipments of 276.2 million units. Lenovo was the largest PC hardware vendor worldwide while HP retained the top position in the US.
You may remember that in the fall of 2015, Microsoft teamed up with Intel, HP, Dell and Lenovo to help fund the "PC Does What?" marketing and advertising campaign in the US. The idea was to show consumers that new PCs, in general, can do more than the ones many people are still using but bought several years ago. However, it looks like that effort was not effective as shipments of PCs in the US went down by 3.1%, according to Gartner or by 4.3% if you believe IDC's numbers.
What happened? Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa stated:
Also, IDC believes the release of the free update to Windows 10 caused some consumers in the US to hold off on buying a new PC in favor of simply upgrading to the new OS.
Despite these gloomy figures, both IDC and Gartner are projecting PC shipments to start rebounding in 2016. IDC stated:
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Google has announced a new open source project, YouTube WatchMe for Android, that will allow third party app developers to get live broadcasting capabilities in their apps.
The project, available on GitHub, has a reference app designed for the Android operating system that creates a YouTube Live Streaming Event. It has a simple interface allowing an end user to press a button to start broadcasting from their phone to YouTube, and another button to end the event. The app’s interface also allows users to tap a thumbnail to start a live broadcast session as well as recommend the broadcast on Google+. The Internet giant says that the app being offered is still in the experimental phase so the developers may face a few bugs.
The WatchMe project is designed for mobile app developers to start, stop, view and share live events from within an Android app. YouTube already offers a live streaming functionality that allows event creators to capture and share live video using either custom encoders and controls, and users to live stream a Google Hangout using their webcam. The Live streaming functionality will be similar to Sony Xperia's 'Live on YouTube' app and HTC's 'Re' app.
According to reports, YouTube is also planning a paid subscription service that will allow users to watch content on the site without any advertisements. YouTube has over a billion users and had a net revenue of $3.5 billion in 2013. However, according to other reports, Facebook may soon replace YouTube as the top video sharing site. The social networking site recently revealed that it has been serving one billion videos a day.
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Features Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus, benchmarks and phones
Qualcomm has finally unveiled the Snapdragon 888 Plus, the update expected in the middle of the year for its Snapdragon 888 phone chipset.
The 888 Plus brings improved CPU and AI performance, while also providing 5G support, and more excitingly we’ve already had five major phone manufacturers committed to using the new silicon.
Here’s what you need to know.
When will the Snapdragon 888 Plus arrive on the phones?
There’s always a bit of space between a chipset that’s announced and the first phones that use it to arrive, and that’s no different.
While a few brands have already unveiled their plans for the new chip, Qualcomm says the first phones using the 888+ are expected to be announced in Q3 2021 – namely July, August and September.
Which phones use the 888+?
The phones have not yet been announced in any detail, but we know a bit.
For one thing, five major brands were mentioned in Qualcomm’s press release pledging to use the new chip: Honor, Asus, Xiaomi, Vivo and Motorola.
Asus has promised that the phone will appear “in the ROG Phone”, suggesting that we can see an updated version of the ROG Phone 5 with the 888+.
Meanwhile Honor has gone a step further and revealed the name of its next flagship: Honor Magic 3. Following the recent announcement Honor 50 (the company’s first phone to ship with Google Mobile Services in the West in a few years), is said to be Honor’s first foldable phone, using the Magic line for experimental form factors.
What are the specifications of the Snapdragon 888 Plus?
Like previous ‘Plus’ versions of Qualcomm chipsets, the 888 Plus uses essentially the same 5nm hardware as the Snapdragon 888, but has upclocked the CPU core and AI to improve performance.
The Kryo 680 CPU is back, but the first Cortex-X1 core is now clocked at 2.995GHz (which Qualcomm rounds up to 3GHz), from 2.84GHz in the previous generation.
Meanwhile the AI Engine has seen an even bigger boost, with about a 20% improvement over the 888. It now offers 32 TOPS (trillion transactions per second), up from 26 TOPS just six months ago.
All other chip specifications remain unchanged, from the Adreno 660 GPU to the Snapdragon X60 5G modem that is integrated into the chip. Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 also remain the same, as do the chip’s camera capabilities.
Here are the key specifications:
- 5nm architecture
- Integrated Snapdragon X60 5G modem, up to 7.5 Gbps downlink
- CPU Kryo 680, up to 2.995GHz
- Adreno 660 GPU, supports up to QHD + @ 144Hz
- Hexagon 780 AI processor, 32 TOPS
- Spectra 580 ISP, up to 2.7 gigapixels per second
- Up to 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM
- Qualcomm Quick Charge 5
Are there any 888+ benchmarks?
While Qualcomm hasn’t released any official benchmarks for the 888 Plus, a leak before launch gave us an unofficial look at the chip’s performance in Geekbench 5 – and crucially included the 3GHz core chip, so it looks like it will be legitimate.
The current benchmark shows a fairly modest jump though. The multi-core score of 3704 is above the average we’ve seen for 888 phones, but actually below better numbers we have seen – the Vivo X60 Pro + arrived in 3781 when we tried.
Of course, RAM and other factors contribute to the point, so it’s also likely that overall the 888+ outperforms the 888 in core performance, but don’t expect a huge jump.
And the Snapdragon 888 Pro, 888 4G and 888 Wi-Fi?
Before the 888 Plus was announced we had heard contrasting names for Qualcomm’s next chip.
For one, the first leaks refer to the 888 Pro instead of the 888 Plus. This is probably just a case of different potential names for the same chip, but it’s possible that the Pro will be a separate chip.
We first heard the name Snapdragon 888 Pro from the tipster Digital Chat Station, which shared via Weibo the word of the existence of the 888 Pro (automatically translated via Twitter below):
The national s888 pro manufacturers are also tested, q3 will have models, and maybe they are not exclusive overseas like last year. Is the super-large nuclear booster x1 or process improvement?
– Digital Chat Station (@chat_station)
April 24, 2021
Since then it is spoken (from u the same source) of a Snapdragon 888 WiFi and Snapdragon 888 4G waiting even in the wings.
These two could be specifically targeted at Huawei. The company’s inclusion on a U.S. trade blacklist prohibits it from buying 5G technology from U.S. producers, but it it is it has enabled some 4G and Wi-Fi components.
This means that if Qualcomm made a Snapdragon 888 4G then Huawei could theoretically use it to power the next P50 series, scheduled to be revealed later this summer.


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Heinz is releasing a range of limited-edition cans to encourage the nation to join them in helping to ensure that no child is too hungry to learn.
For every can sold, Heinz will donate a meal to partners Magic Breakfast, who provide nutritious breakfast food to over 1,000 partner schools across the UK.
With three million limited-edition cans available to buy from Tesco nationwide, Heinz will donate three million meals to Magic Breakfast this academic year.
The donation comes as part of a five-year partnership between Heinz and Magic Breakfast, in which Heinz is providing No Added Sugar Beanz for the 1 in 8 children at risk of starting the day hungry in the UK.
The 3 million to be donated this year, adds to the 13 million meals that Heinz has already donated since the partnership began.
Arriving in Tesco stores nationwide from today (21st September) for 85p, they feature the iconic Heinz keystone transformed into a child’s backpack which reads ‘Beanz for Every Child’ on both the classic Heinz Beanz and Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz varieties.
With six different design versions available, the can that can help fight child hunger will raise further donations and awareness for Heinz’s charity partner, Magic Breakfast.
Lucy Cooke, Brand Manager at Heinz Beanz said: “At Heinz, we strongly believe no child should be too hungry to learn, and it’s expected that the pandemic has only increased the number of children who are at risk of going to school hungry.
“We hope our limited-edition cans of Heinz Beanz will prompt more people to pick one up and support the children who need our help now more than ever. By purchasing a can, you will be helping to ensure pupils can start their day with the energy and nutrition they need to make the most of their morning lessons.”
Emily Wilkie, Head of Fundraising at Magic Breakfast said: “Through the sale of these fun and eye-catching limited edition cans of Beanz, Heinz will not only be donating a further 3 million meals for the children we support, but they are also helping us to raise awareness of the issue and engage the public.
“Classroom hunger is tragically an everyday reality for many schoolchildren in the UK and only by working together will we be able to end it for good, giving all children the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
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