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Guyana’s apiculture industry may still be light years away from matching the honey production levels of the global giants but President of the newly formed Guyana Apiculture Society (GAS), Karl Persaud believes that there are significant economic gains to be realized from the sector if it can secure a heightened level of private sector interest and a more generous measure of public sector support.
Last Saturday’s Honey Show held outside the Muneshwer’s Shopping Mall on Water Street was intended to mark the start of what Singh says will be a major initiative by GAS to popularize apiculture as a potential business pursuit. The initiative, Persaud says, will include a public education programme designed to alter the less than convivial relationship that currently exists between bees and the populace at large and to encourage individuals and communities to regard bees as an economic resource to be exploited.
The small groups that ‘checked in’ with the Honey Show during the day were afforded the opportunity of witnessing displays of the range of commodities produced by the sector including honey, pollen, soaps, medicinal mixtures, food seasonings, candles, wax, royal jelly and wines and speaking with apiculturists who put on displays for the occasion.
In addition to these products, in an interview with Stabroek Business, Persaud said that the displays were intended to heighten public awareness of the value-added nature of the industry.
According to Persaud, GAS has set itself the task of popularizing an industry which has existed for years but has been confined mostly to hobbyists and producers of modest quantities of honey for commercial purposes. Some comparisons are instructive. Unofficial estimates place Guyana’s honey production at 10,000 pounds annually. United States honey production in 2011 is estimated at between 150-160 million pounds of honey. China, the global colossus in the honey industry is estimated to have produced around 900 million pounds of honey last year. In 2009, Argentina was the leading honey exporter in the world, earning US$160,000,000 from approximately 128 million pounds of honey exports. The comparative statistics provide both an indication of just how far Guyana is behind the global giants of the apiculture industry as well as the potential economic benefits to be derived from nurturing the local industry.
Current honey production levels are insufficient to meet domestic demand even if no account is taken of the significant requirements of the beverage industry which relies on honey as a sweetener for several of its products. Persaud says that if the local industry is to meet ordinary consumer demand it would be required to produce 300,000 pounds of honey annually.
Developing the local apiculture industry to a point where it can even meet local demand is, for the moment at least, well beyond the capacity of the newly-formed GAS which comprises twenty-seven members of whom twenty are full-time beekeepers. Persaud estimates that there are probably at least sixty beekeepers across the country, most of them “hobby beekeepers” managing “one or two hives.” That apart, he points out that the practice of apiculture is widely scattered across Guyana, a circumstance that impacts negatively on efforts to create a cohesive industry. Additionally, Persaud notes that by comparison with other countries in the region the local apiculture industry receives a less than generous measure of public or private sector support. Persaud told Stabroek Business that private sector initiatives in the local apiculture industry are usually not well-supported by the commercial banking system. By contrast, he said that in Trinidad and Tobago, where the local apiculture society boasts more than 300 members, beekeepers benefit from higher levels of support that allow for both investment in production and training for apiculturists. Apiculturists in Suriname also benefit from official support.
Persaud concedes that much of the challenge confronting GAS reposes in allaying fears associated with bee attacks, some of which have been fatal. The public education process, he says, will seek to enhance public knowledge as to how to coexist with bees and how to transform their presence into economic ventures. “If handled correctly bees can be our best friends,” Persaud says.
Public concern over the threat posed by swarms of bees heightened dramatically following the migration from Brazil of Africanized bees. Persaud believes that despite their fearsome reputation the arrival of the Africanized bees in Guyana has actually benefitted the local industry. While other species boast swarms of 45,000 during the honey season, swarms of Africanized bees can number between 100,000 and 120,000 during the swarming season. Their numbers make them prolific producers of honey.
Persaud says that the availability of land for the rearing of bees is one of the major challenges facing the industry given the requirement that hives be kept at least 1200ft away from the nearest house. And Persaud advised builders and property owners that scented woods should be treated prior to being used for construction as a deterrent to occupation by bees. He further recommended that ceilings should be sprayed with a home-made mixture comprising neem and thyme.


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Epic Games and LEGO are collaborating on a space in the metaverse. What it will look like, what will be done and when it will be available is not known yet. The metaverse is a virtual 3D world where people should eventually be able to work, play games and meet friends online. Mark Zuckerberg sees this so often that he previously changed his company name from Facebook to Meta.
Epic Games, better known as Fortnite, and gaming company LEGO have entered into a long-term partnership. They said the two companies would build “an immersive, creatively inspiring and engaging digital experience that children of all ages can enjoy together.” Fortnite is a shooting game and it is one of the most popular games in the world. There are also many LEGO computer games and they are often based on well-known films such as Star Wars.
Other companies also see potential in the metaverse, such as Microsoft, Nvidia, Disney, and Apple. At the end of last year, Meta took a step into the metaverse by opening a new virtual reality (VR) platform. It is already possible to play games with friends or build a virtual world. Zuckerberg is investing billions in the digital world.
“Coffee buff. Twitter fanatic. Tv practitioner. Social media advocate. Pop culture ninja.”

domain: news


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Hollywood’s famous bridal designer Amsale Aberra dies of cancer at 64
Amsale Aberra, founder and creative director of the bridal and ready-to-wear line Amsale, died at the age of 64 on Tuesday. The Ethiopian-American bridal designer created wedding gowns for actors, like, Halle Berry, Heidi Klum, Salma Hayek, Vivica Fox, Gayle King and Bethenny Frankel and was well-known for her evening gowns, cocktail dresses, and bridesmaid dresses.
Aberra had launched her namesake Amsale business in 1985 and opened a Madison Avenue flagship boutique in 1997. She died due to uterine cancer, according to a representative of the brand, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
The 64-year-old designer, also designed fitness and wellness expert Hilaria Baldwin’s champagne-hued wedding gown for her June 2012 marriage to actor Alec Baldwin, and also dressed Jessica Alba in a bridesmaid’s dress to a friend’s wedding in 2013.
Amsale gowns have also been famously featured on the silver screen and television.
Kate Hudson donned a $12,500 beaded, drop-waist wedding gown by Aberra in Something Borrowed, while Julia Roberts wore an ivory satin, off-the-shoulder gown with a train by her in the 1999 film Runaway Bride.
A channel also purchased a $6,600 strapless Amsale wedding dress for Sandra Oh’s character, Cristina, to wear in the final episode of the hit sitcom Grey’s Anatomy. The designer’s bridal gowns were also featured in the films like 27 Dresses, When In Rome and The Hangover, and on TV shows like Private Practice and Brothers and Sisters.
Before she passed, Aberra had already chosen a successor: Margo Lafontaine, recently the senior studio director at Vera Wang, reported Vogue. Lafontaine will oversee Amsale’s extensive bridal and ready-to-wear design teams.
Aberra is survived by her daughter, musician Rachel Brown, and her husband, Amsale CEO Neil Brown, who said in a statement: “Amsale was not only an inspiration to the company, but someone who inspired and impacted everyone around her with her strength, kindness, and humility. Working side by side, we spent 360 degrees of our life together, and I know only too well both her creative genius and her infinite goodness. Words cannot express the personal loss that we feel, but we are comforted by the avalanche of support we’ve received and the commitment of our team to carry on Amsale’s legacy.”
Follow @htlifeandstyle for more


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CONEXPO Russia at CTT 2012 concluded a successful run May 29 to June 2, providing exhibitors with direct access to quality buyers and potential business partners in this important marketplace.
The event was held in Moscow, Russia at the Crocus International Exhibition Center. CTT is the largest construction-related trade show in Russia and Eastern Europe.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is CONEXPO Russia organizer and offered exhibitors a high-profile location that allowed manufacturers and their exclusive dealers to control their corporate brand and marketing messages.
AEM Vice President of Exhibitions & Events Megan Tanel participated in and spoke at the opening ceremonies for CTT 2012 along with other show partners and supporters.
AEM helped facilitate CONEXPO Russia exhibitor travel planning and logistics and offered cost-effective exhibit options, so members could more easily expand their presence internationally. The association also provided its signature high level of customer service and manufacturer input to exhibit planning.
Russia's growth plans include billions of dollars allocated for infrastructure growth, including projects related to the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi.
"Our manufacturers recognize the continued value of doing business in Russia, and the show supplied increased opportunities to bring their product technologies to the region and sell equipment," states CONEXPO Russia Show Director Melissa Magestro.


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From Page 20
‘‘When New Zealand farmers install equipment they expect to be able to just press a button and not have a technician come to visit too often. That has become the mantra of our design philosophy – we engineer the complexity out.
‘‘All our products are designed and built here. We have been able to build a strong presence in New Zealand and use that to leapfrog into international markets.’’
The company has four New Zealand manufacturing divisions, all in the Waikato, hiring 130 staff. It also has a wholly owned subsidiary in the United States, set up four years ago.
Seventy-five per cent of the company’s overall business is designing and building rotary milking platforms, which farmers put their milking machinery on. The company also makes milking machine components including pulsators and clusters.
One of its divisions in Hamilton is Stainless Innovations, providing stainless steel for the company’s products.
‘‘By owning our own manufacturing process, quality is absolutely paramount.
‘‘We also have our own rotary platform fabrication company in Matamata. We recently installed robotic welding systems to get consistency and precision.’’
Rotary platforms are becoming the milking platform of choice, as herd sizes in this country grow, with the average herd size now more than 400 cows.
One of the company’s latest innovations is a rotary platform made from nine layers of laminated material including Kevlar – a lightweight but durable material used in bulletproof vests, yachts and Formula 1 racing cars. Kevlarwas about five times as strong as concrete but about five times lighter, Mr Bell said.
‘‘An average-size composite Kevlar rotary platform is about 22 tonnes lighter than a concrete platform.
‘‘This means you can install a Kevlar rotary platform in areas where there are geotechnical issues, such as soft soils. And we can now export a complete rotary platform around the world.’’
A young Waikato man, Josh Janmaat, came up with the idea of using Kevlar and approached Waikato Milking Systems with the idea. They liked it so much, they hired him, bought his company and built a manufacturing space for him to exercise his creativity.
Mr Bell said a key to running a successful business ‘‘is having the right people and the right talent, and giving them the environment to thrive’’.
The company’s rotary platform innovations have driven international opportunities, particularly in China. A deal has just been signed with one of the biggest dairy companies in China – Mengniu. The deal is worth about $5 million for the Waikato company, and came from a visit by an 18-strong trade delegation from China.
‘‘New Zealand has a reputation as one of the best dairy producers in the world so we’re able to trade off that NZ Inc reputation. Dairy companies overseas wanting to invest in new technologies look first to New Zealand.’
Mr Bell said Waikato Milking Systems platforms suited the intensive Chinese dairy systems.
‘‘They are milking cows 24 hours a day with shifts of milkers and with cows typically milked three times a day. The equipment has to be very high performance with short servicing intervals, which is what we provide.’’
Waikato Milking Systems has partnered with an Israeli company, Afimilk, in the Mengniu deal. Afimilk will provide computerised herd management systems.
Mr Bell is Waikato-born and bred. He studied management diploma at Waikato University and has an MBA.


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Anthony Wysome, a former senior project manager at the upmarket retailer, has been hired as head of convenience to oversee the project.
A Waitrose spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that
Waitrose is continuing to explore the potential for smaller shops. We've made no secret of the fact that we want to build the size of our business and we are exploring opportunities to take the brand to areas where it's not currently represented."
Waitrose was currently looking for potential sites to trial the new shop format, she added.
The news comes less than two months after Waitrose launched the first of as many as 100 new 10,000-15,000sq ft Market Town stores.


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First up, Cox Communications Inc. is using mPortal to create a branded mobile user experience via Mobile Widgets running in the idle screen of its phones. Using mPortal's Springboard smart client and content delivery manager, the MSO built a personalized home screen for its own and third-party Internet widgets.
Leap Wireless International Inc. (Nasdaq: LEAP)'s consumer-facing brand Cricket Communications Inc. has been using this platform for a while now, but is taking it to the next level by adding in mobile click-to-action ads that pop up on the home screen when it's not in use. The ads can be displayed on feature phones or smartphones.
Why this matters
These customer wins by mPortal are important for several reasons. First, they remind us smartphone-centric users that feature phones still matter. In fact, 234 million Americans still own them, according to comScore Inc. .
Second, it's proof that Cox still cares about mobility. Cox has been relatively quiet since its initial market launches, so it's good to see some signs of life at the MSO. (See Cox Wireless Is Go for Launch.)
Finally, mPortal's Cox deployment demonstrates one way that triple-play providers can tie together their entire bundle of services. The platform lets the operator choose what apps it promotes to users and also provides Cox's own apps, such as a DVR widget. It keeps Cox front and center for its customers and unifies the app experience around one portal.
"We can give Cox tools needed to promote whatever service they want to," says mPortal CEO D.P. Venkatesh. "If they want to promote video services, we push the video widget to the home screen and give access to video solutions."
The strategy has worked well for Cricket so far. Venkatesh says the carrier has seen significant uptake on content and apps because of its widget platform, which is why it's ready to bring ads to the mix.
Personalizing the home screen with ads and widgets is an opportunity for wireless operators to promote their brand and drive extra revenue. Whether consumers want the widgets the operators choose to promote and the ads that infiltrate their idle screen, however, is another story.
For more on how operators are using their mobile phone's screen real estate for marketing and personalization, check out the following stories:
- Flytxt Unveils New Mobile Ads Platform
- AlcaLu Targets Egypt With Mobile Ads
- CTIA 2010: Sprint Finds an ID
- JumpTap Lures Developers From Apple, Google
- CommunicAsia 2010: Navteq Preps India Ad Launch
- Ads Follow Mobile Video Explosion
- Mobile Marketers: Just Do Something
— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile


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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and holiday shopping season is already upon us. If you’re playing Santa and shopping for the kids in your life, it’s important to be aware of what toys are currently under recall.
6 Recalled Toys
Tempra and Finger Paints. Sargent Art recalled these paints sold at many Hobby Lobby and Walmart stores, as well as other locations, due to bacterial contamination.
Cradle ‘n Swing. Fisher-Price recalled this popular baby swing in April after learning the seat can fall unexpectedly, risking injury to the baby.
Stuffed Monster Truck. In March, Feld, Inc. recalled pink stuffed trucks sold at Florida Monster Jam events due to a pedophilic symbol found on the truck’s design.
IKEA Drum and Drum Stick Set. Budget furniture and toy maker IKEA recalled these toys in January due to a choking risk.
Breezer and Fuji bicycles. Advanced Sports International recalled these bikes for the 2017 model year due to the danger of falls from possible cracks in the top clamp of the seat post.
Glion Electric Scooters. Probity Cell recalled these scooters after learning the frame can break when they’re folded, causing a fall hazard.
Where to Find Recall Information
SafeKids.org has lots of information for consumers on the most recent recalls that affect products marketed to kids – including toys. You can search the site by month and year, and also find information on child safety laws for you state and tips on how to take action to keep kids safe.
For more information on important recalls, check out our recent post on the Samsung Note 7 recall.
If someone you love suffered an injury or illness due to someone else’s inaction or wrongdoing, our Washington D.C. personal injury attorneys can help you seek compensation effectively.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.


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Only 15 vehicles earned 2018 Top Safety Pick+ awards from the IIHS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s modus operandi is clearly in its title. As the premier not-for-profit independent safety watchdog for all things automotive safety, it’s imperative that the standards of such an organization remain stringent enough to be considered legitimate. After all, if every car gets a Top Safety Pick+ rating, is it really a Top Safety Pick in the first place?
For the latest round of safety evaluations, the IIHS only awarded 15 vehicles from the 2018 model year with its most coveted accolades. Why so few? Last year, there were nearly 70 vehicles given the prestigious award.
The IIHS has made their standards stricter, particularly in the headlights and brand new passenger-side small overlap front crashworthiness test, to keep auto manufacturers humble and on their toes.
Ratings and Review: 2018 Ford Fusion
Sure it’s not as new as the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, but the Ford Fusion’s design has stood the test of time, despite not being redesigned in six years.
For Daily News Autos contributing writer Liz Kim, it was love at first sight when she saw the most recent design introduced back in 2012. So obviously, she couldn’t miss out on the chance to drive it for a week around the suburbs of her LA area home.
High points: Extra spicy engine
“Wow, can this car haul some childbearing hips. With 325 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque from the twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 lurking under the unassuming hood, it can seriously cause you to bang the back of your noggin on the headrest if you press the accelerator and weren’t expecting the whoosh of propulsion.”
Low points: Complicated steering wheel controls
“What’s not so easy to get used to is the imbroglio of buttons on the Fusion’s steering wheel. The sheer number of them – 20, at my count – is daunting, but add to that the somewhat cryptic markings and the similar sizes of the various controls, and you’ve got a distracting layout that forces eyes off the road for more than just an instant.”
8 Great Traits of the 2018 BMW X3…and a Fatal Flaw
For our next installment of “Great Traits,” we take a look at the redesigned 2018 BMW X3 crossover SUV. Already a looker before welcoming some sheet metal rejuvenation, the X3 gets even more handsome for 2018.
With sporty looks, impressive performance, top-notch technology and comfortable accommodations throughout the cabin, there’s loads of reasons to consider it if you’re in the market for an upscale, German crossover.
In fact, there are eight great reasons why you might want to take one home today. But be warned, there’s a flaw you should know about before signing on that dotted line.
Motorbooks: Chevrolet Trucks – 100 Years of Building the Future
Take a look at the epic story that is Chevy’s trucking history with photos from the Motorbooks title “Chevrolet Trucks,” by Larry Edsall.
Gallery: Chevrolet Trucks Motorbooks
Video: Extreme Barbie Jeep Racing is the greatest new motorsport
Forget Daytona Beach or Speedway, Extreme Barbie Jeep Racing is our new favorite racing event.
In today’s viral video, we’ve got a crash compilation of all the hilarity that comes from grown ass adults empowered by “liquid courage” and children’s toys ready to launch down a bumpy road.
Check the Daily Drive-Thru every weekday evening to get a roundup of the latest news, reviews, galleries and more from the New York Daily News Autos.
Got a news tip or a comment? You can find me on Twitter where I go by @alsilves92 or email me at email@example.com.
Did you find this article helpful? If so, please share it using the "Join the Conversation" buttons below, and thank you for visiting Daily News Autos.


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Up, up and away for Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones as Red Letter Days sales soar
Rescuers: TV Dragons Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis saved Red Letter Days
Sales are soaring at Red Letter Days – the London-based outfit which sells experiences including hot-air ballooning, supercar driving and skydiving – after a surge in the number of companies using it for corporate hospitality and staff rewards.
The rise in sales and profits is being seen as a massive pat on the back for TV Dragons Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones who rescued the company after it collapsed nine years ago.
The firm was founded by Rachel Elnaugh, one of the original judges on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, but its debts spiralled to £12million in 2005 before it was taken over by Paphitis and Jones.
Its latest results show turnover up 9 per cent to £16.4million for the year to December 31, 2013, while profits grew from £501,000 to £562,000.
A spokesman for the company said: ‘The growth we are seeing within the business-to-business market is very encouraging and will continue to be a major focus.
‘Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis remain fully committed to supporting the business.’
Most watched Money videos
- Land Rover Defender pulls transporter carrying seven SUVs
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The impending takeover of humans by machines has caused many scholars and employees to stress about the future of the workforce and humanity at large. In all such scenarios, the future doesn’t seem to be good for humans.
But now, these apps prove otherwise. Using advanced technology including blockchain and machine learning, these apps are a testament to the contribution of technology in social good.
Using blockchain-based pharmaceutical distribution, this app tackles counterfeit medicine in the region. It was designed by a team of eight students who were mentored by Saif ur Rehman, cloud developer advocate at IBM; Saeed Motamed, technology solution professional at Microsoft; and IBM cloud developer Naiyarah Hussain.
An app designed to locate missing family members and contacts among refugees. It was designed by a team of seven students who were mentored by Nikita Mathur, cloud developer advocate at IBM; Varun Arora, executive director at OpenCurriculum; and Khalid Machchate, CEO of Kandw Technologies International.
A blockchain-based layer on top of UNHCR refugee registration to manage trusted agents’ claims made about refugees. The team was mentored by CEO of Sahem.ae, Hussam Mohsineh and software engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)/Improbable Keeley Erhardt.
A platform that assists refugees and asylum seekers in communicating with healthcare professionals using machine learning and natural language processing.
The team was mentored by NYUAD alumna and current Rhodes Scholar pursuing a PHD at University of Oxford Farah Shamout and software engineer at Facebook UK Miguel Sanchez.
The apps were presented at NYU Abu Dhabi’s 8th Annual International Hackathon for Social Good in the Arab World. “This Hackathon has offered yet another round of outstanding ideas and solutions that reflect the spirit of innovation shown across all the teams that participated, which made the final decisions for the judges especially challenging this year. Each team has grown remarkably over the course of these intensive three days, learning, and gaining expert knowledge,” said Sana Odeh, Founder and Chair of the NYUAD Hackathon, Clinical Professor of Computer Science at NYU New York and Affiliated Faculty at NYUAD.
App analytics and market data company, App Annie, have released a new report that sheds light on Gen Z’s mobile behavior, in order to help marketers develop effective strategies to reach them. 98% of Gen Z report owning a smartphone, on average receiving their first at the age of 10. They are also part of […]
Experticity, the world’s largest community of influential category experts have released a new study that sheds new light on the importance of micro-influencers on the average consumer. The study was conducted with online interviews of more than 6,000 individuals from the United States drawn from Experticity’s micro-influencer network and the general population. In addition, more […]
Market research companies eMarketer and Global Web Index have collaborated together to release the 10th edition of the global media intelligence report. The report is a detailed compilation of data and insights about internet users’ traditional and digital media usage in 42 key markets worldwide. Communicate will be highlighting the key trends that are shaping the […]
Social Bakers, a global AI-powered social media marketing company has released the Q3 edition of their social media trends report. The report reveals where the industry is currently standing with regard to spending and engagement globally. Here are the key findings – ADVERTISING Worldwide ad spend increased by 56.4% in Q3 compared to where it […]


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According to a press release sent out by a third-party PR company, Tony Hawk Ride will be an exclusive Xbox 360 release in the UK.
Further to Monday's announcement regarding Tony Hawk: RIDE, Activision UK is pleased to announce that this title will be launched later this year in the UK, as an Xbox 360 platform exclusive. Tony Hawk: RIDE features a wireless skateboard controller designed in conjunction with the game to offer a dynamic gaming experience.VG247 reckons that the rest of Europe and North America will remain unaffected by this localized change.
Using a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors, the intuitive controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game.
Skating in your living room is much safer than this shiz.
Bryn says: A win for UK 360 gamers? Depends on how badly you want to pretend to skate on a piece of plastic... I'm remaining on the fence about the whole thing for now. Project 8 didn't really hold up over the long haul, so this one had better be something pretty special.
Does developer Robomondo have the chops to pull something magical off?


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European vessel generated growth boost for IRClass In yet another demonstration of its growing global recognition, Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) has received authorisation as a Recognised Organisation (RO) from Merchant Shipping Directorate of Transport, Malta.
US$50 billion turbines-cogen plant market by 2022 India’s Ducon Infratechnologies Limited (BSE:534674, NSE:DUCON), has set up a wholly owned subsidiary, Ducon Combustion Equipment Inc. (DCE), in New York, to sell diversified combustion and power products to global markets where demand is projected at US$50 billion
Rawat sees an agile and response supply-chain The Trade and industry may have faced teething troubles from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) but the entire business landscape of FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), retail and logistics is going to be transforming into modern and
Kapoor calls for revision of PCPIRs International investors, who have stayed away from India’s chemical industry, have been told of the key manufacturing sector growing at 8% to 9% per annum with potential to grow much faster.
New brand launch for global markets As part of the company’s transformation journey undertaken in 2016, Tata Motors commenced a comprehensive project to articulate its corporate branding.
Petchem will be crucial growth area for Indian refiners India is developing a master plan for the petrochemicals sector to serve as a road map for the next 15-20 years, revealed Rajeev Kapoor, Secretary, Dept. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC).
Scrap policy on the anvil A government minister has called for the development of good design, engineering and manufacturing facilities in the country to reduce imports of equipment.
Minister calls for zero defect-zero effect policy Streamline taxes, implement incentives and create healthy competition among states to attract domestic and global investors for India to break into top 50 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Rankings.
UK company seeks Indian partners Cambridge Pixel is keen to increase its marketing in India of sensor acquisition, processing, tracking and display solutions for applications in military naval command and control, air traffic control (ATC), vessel traffic (VTS), ECDIS, security and airborne radar applications.
Meet 800 companies at World Food India 2017 An estimated US$10 billion investment will be realised in the processing industry during World Food India 2017, said Minister of Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal.


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Humankind, Amplitude Studios’ historical turn-based strategy game, has been released on 17 August, 2021 for Microsoft Windows and Stadia.
The Virtuos Chengdu team had the pleasure to be involved in the making of this title, providing art assets used in Humankind’s concept and character art. It was a rewarding experience for the team, who had the opportunity to contribute to the refinement of the 4X genre by making player avatars customizable.
Considered as Amplitude Studios’ magnum opus, Humankind is an ambitious game that revitalizes the 4X (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) genre with its unique gameplay. By allowing players to select from 10 different cultures over six eras in each game playthrough, players can potentially choose from one million possibilities to form their civilization in Humankind.
The release has been a remarkable success, breaking into the top 20 games on Steam on its debut week. As of 16 August, Humankind also received many favourable reviews and a score of 4.5/5 on GamesRadar, and has been praised for its beautiful graphics and interesting take on a venerable genre.
With Humankind being the first of many future partnerships between Virtuos and Amplitude Studios, we look forward to the next collaboration in the team’s upcoming projects.
About Amplitude Studios
Amplitude is a team of experienced, quality driven video game lovers and creators of the finest strategy games with the help of our players! Founded in 2011 and acquired by SEGA in 2016, we are a team of over 140 developers based in Paris with an international team hailing from all over the world. For more information about Amplitude Studios, please visit www.amplitude-studios.com.
About SEGA Europe Ltd.
SEGA® Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe. SEGA wholly owns the video game development studios Two Point Studios, Creative Assembly, Relic Entertainment, Amplitude Studios, Sports Interactive and HARDlight. SEGA Europe’s website is located at www.sega.co.uk.


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Whatever grievances US President Donald Trump may or may not have with the dominant tech giants and how they shape or attempt to shape the political discourse in his own country – he will still seek to defend them and their interests abroad.
Lately, the most prominent feature of this has been the Trump administration's “trade war on China” – but a possible similar confrontation with the European Union (EU) is brewing up – at least according to reports.
One of them comes from Reuters who quote Trump's straight and matter-of-factly language to describe EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager, as being one “hating the United States.”
That's bad enough – but Trump adds, according to the Reuters report, that the EU official does so “perhaps worse than any person he's ever met.”
Now that sounds really bad.
As quoted by Reuters, Trump continued: “She's suing all our companies. We should be suing Google and Facebook, and all that, which perhaps we will. They're suing Apple for billions of dollars. They're suing everybody.”
Additionally, according to Reuters, Trump “reprized” his accusation of China to apply it to the EU – equalized with “Europe” in the Reuters report – which is an entire continent, and a much larger than the EU itself.
According to the article, Trump suggested EU's behavior was “making it almost impossible to do two-way business.”
And once again, the battleground looks to be “the future” – or indeed, the present – namely, the technology industry.
The agency then goes through the “Trophy Room” of EU's fines announced against Big US Tech companies – that ended up making little to no difference in defending or restoring Europeans' compromised privacy and digital rights – but chipping off billions of Google's and Facebook's annual revenues as what ended up amounting up to just pocket money that with no incentive to change their behavior.
Thus, Google alone is cited as giving three fines worth more than $9 billion recently.
Finally, the Reuters report admits that Trump is also aware that at home, the tech giants might be abusing their market dominance to stifle contrarian political voices.
The way Reuters frames Trump's comment is – “they should be sued.” This comes on top of the agency's sources saying in June that the US government was about to engage in “an unprecedented, wide-ranging probe of some of the world's largest companies.”
Those would include Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google – for “misusing their massive market power.”


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Earlier this year, Capcom said they were open to creating more Disney remastered editions of past games such as Chip N’ Dale Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck, with the former being the most likely to receive a remake first. Now, it appears the company has reiterated their stance over on the Capcom Unity forum boards, but it all depends on how well DuckTales Remastered is received by the gamer fan-base.
Capcom employee Jimmy Rey has posted on the boards saying that it all boils down to DuckTales’ sales performance. So, if you want another remastered Disney edition, and to share in the adventures of those cheeky chipmunks Chip N’ Dale, or maybe dark-haired “Street Rat” Aladdin, then you better open up those wallets. DuckTales Remastered is available now in the Wii U eShop.
“The better DuckTales does, the more likely we’ll do another.” – Jimmy Rey, Capcom Employee


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Mr. Gavin Semple named 2016 ABEX Business Leader of the Year
September 19, 2016
The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the 2016 ABEX Business Leader of the Year, sponsored by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, is well-known Saskatchewan businessperson and Chairman of the Brandt Group of Companies, Gavin Semple. Mr. Semple will be presented the award at the 2016 ABEX Awards, to be held in Saskatoon at TCU Place on October 22.
Gavin began his journey at Brandt as a territory salesman at the age of 27 in 1972 and his drive and ambition was quickly reflected in a rise through the ranks in the company. A mere four years later, he had become President and General Manager and soon after secured his position as primary shareholder. Since this time, Gavin and his son Shaun have grown the company into an industrial manufacturing giant, with nearly 2000 employees and a growing international audience; serving the agriculture, forestry, rail, mining, construction, and tube & pipe industries in over 20 countries with unique custom products.
Gavin has received considerable recognition for his abilities as a business leader, including an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Regina. Despite his considerable success and recognition, Gavin displays an incredible humility. He attributes his success to his farm upbringing, knowing the value of hard work and the value of the people working alongside him. Showing pride in his employees and rewarding them for their dedication and hard work has always been second nature for him.
Gavin’s generosity benefits many important causes in Saskatchewan, which further underscores his importance as a business leader and Brandt’s role as a corporate citizen. After surpassing $1 billion in annual revenue in 2011, the Semples and Brandt launched the ‘Thanks a Billion’ program, which continuously gives back to the customers, employees and communities who have helped them reach that milestone.
"The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to recognize Mr. Semple with this award. He is a remarkable and visionary leader who has given so much to this province." said Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets for the ABEX Awards, October 22 at Saskatoon’s TCU Place are available on the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce website at www.saskchamber.com


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Hot Button Discussion
The Rise of Adaptive Streaming
In a recent presentation at SMPTE's Annual Technical Conference & Expo, Kilroy Hughes, a senior digital media architect for the Microsoft Corporation, made the observation that the Internet is experiencing an explosion in video traffic, and is well on its way to becoming overloaded and congested unless action is taken to dramatically improve and standardize the efficiency of video streaming. Hughes made his remarks during a Conference seminar titled "Optimal Encoding and Network Utilization for Live and Adaptive Streaming." He presented estimates about just how "overcrowded" the Internet is becoming—more than 40 million Internet-connected TV's will be sold in the coming year, more than 100 million video capable cell phones, and more than 250 million PCs. In a recent chat with SMPTE Newswatch, he was even more blunt.
"There is a huge change under way," Hughes said. "Estimates by Cisco and others project that, by 2014, over 90% of Internet traffic will be video. Right now, over 30% of primetime traffic in the U.S. is video, and that is just (largely) the contribution of two providers—YouTube and Netflix. So we are already in the middle of a huge transition that has largely been enabled by improvements in adaptive streaming technology to allow high-quality delivery of video over the Internet. If we don't develop standards to maximize adaptive streaming efficiency, the Internet could become severely overloaded."
In this regard, Hughes is involved as a contributor to the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) project, which is a consortium of Hollywood studios, consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers, and various other hardware vendors and systems' integrators. The goal of DECE is to create media format standards that will allow content creators to create material that consumers can share seamlessly across all the various video playing, video downloading, and video streaming devices that are part of their household (hence the term "ecosystem"). DECE's work toward interoperability of a common file format that can be encoded once and then distributed or played on multiple devices has resulted in the UltraViolet™ consumer brand, and a standardized media format for video download and streaming.
Hughes said an UltraViolet™ standard will soon be published, and by the start of 2011, he expects some new consumer products to start carrying the brand's logo. "UltraViolet™ offers a way to encode content once to make it compatible with all retailers and all devices, similar to the way DVDs can be encoded once and delivered through all retailers and played on all logoed players," he said. "Right now, for video (streamed or downloaded from the Internet), a file has to be encoded many different ways at many different distribution points for many media formats, and everyone of those file copies has to be independently delivered and cached on the Internet. There is a huge inefficiency in doing that versus having one file that can be replicated on all networks for all services. DECE is publishing an UltraViolet™ spec for video encoding and packaging that manufacturers building consumer electronic products and computer products can rely on for interoperability, and publishers and networks can rely on for supply chain efficiency, and to make Internet delivery a thousand times more efficient."
As Hughes discussed at the SMPTE seminar, the so-called Common File Format (CFF) takes its basic structure and DRM-interoperability from Microsoft's Protected Interoperable File Format (PIFF). DECE is finalizing work on standardizing the media format, while MPEG is working to standardize a streaming protocol that will create a ubiquitous standard for Internet video delivery. Indeed, the CFF method of encapsulating data streams is designed for download on demand and live adaptive streaming capabilities. Other important features of UltraViolet™ include the adoption of the SMPTE 2052-1 Timed Text Format standard (awaiting publication approval) to add caption and sub-titles' data to Internet video, and several other improvements in video coding efficiency and random access playback.
All this, of course, is pointing toward the day when consumers, by and large, will rely on video that they have downloaded or are streaming, rather than using physical media such as DVDs, tape, and so forth. Hughes suggested that adaptive streaming is the logical path to take to get there over the Internet. He suggested that DECE's work to standardize the content format and MPEG's work to standardize the streaming protocol "will accelerate support and adoption dramatically."
"These trends are converging with the emergence of potential standards, both for the content format and the streaming protocol," he said. "Those trends will meet in the middle and cause companies involved in selling video to ramp up electronic distribution the way Netflix, Apple, and others have, and consider the new standards for video, subtitles, and streaming as a way to achieve the broadest reach with the best network and supply chain efficiency. Video delivery over the Internet is ready to explode next year, and we'll need the engineering improvements and efficiency increases in these new standards to keep from bringing the Internet to its knees from video congestion."
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ST. LOUIS — Swade Cannabis on Friday opened its third of five planned medical marijuana dispensaries.
The 7,500-foot store, located at 4108 Manchester Ave. in The Grove, had been a vacant warehouse that underwent extensive renovation by Cissell Mueller Construction Inc., with design by MIN+ Architecture.
“Being the largest Swade dispensary to date, special attention was paid to all aspects of the design to highlight The Grove location as our flagship store and hiring local talent from beginning to end, only solidified our goal of creating a destination admired for heavy doses of nostalgia,” said Tom Muzzey CEO of BeLeaf Medical, Swade’s parent company.
The Swade store is the second dispensary to open in St. Louis this month. Captiva Healing opened April 8 at 9933 Watson Road in Crestwood, the first dispensary in South County. It is owned by Brad Kemph, who also owns the adjacent Circle K.
Click here for the full story from the St. Louis Business Journal.


text: As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the internet in our daily lives has grown exponentially. While many trends have come to light, one that stands out is the need for faster internet speeds in regions that have seen an influx of new residents. According to Pew Research Center, 4.9 million Americans left cities for suburbs or rural areas in 2020. Those who are moving from cities into more remote regions have become accustomed to high-speed connectivity and expect a similar internet experience in their new homes. America’s digital gapRural areas across the country continue to face challenges when it comes to high-speed internet. According to the FCC, nearly 15 million people in rural America do not have access to high-speed internet. Terrestrial-based ISPs are unwilling or unable to serve these communities due to infrastructure limitations. Consumers in these regions, therefore, depend on satellite internet for staying in touch with friends and family, work, eCommerce, medical appointments, education, and more. Additionally, as some companies adopt a remote work policy, more and more employees are exploring moving their families into areas where cable and fiber are unavailable. Consumers in these rural areas need faster internet to support their daily digital activities. Internet from space connects rural AmericaThe satellite industry has made tremendous progress in terms of its ability to deliver faster internet speeds to unserved or underserved areas. For example, the introduction of tools that allow consumers to manage their satellite internet plans’ data consumption is a helpful way to optimize internet speeds. One of the ways this is done is to give the consumer the ability to control the quality of their streaming experience to use more or less data. By streaming lower-resolution content, consumers are able to better manage their monthly data allowance, which is delivered at a particular speed, depending on the type of plan they have selected. More and more consumers in rural areas are taking advantage of internet services from satellite internet providers today. People using satellite internet today include small-town residents, network engineers, and small-business owners, to name a few. The future of the internet in rural AmericaDriven by innovation, satellite internet has the capability to connect more people across remote parts of the country, empowering consumers to live where they want and still be able to benefit from connectivity. Companies such as Viasat are developing new satellites, such as its ViaSat-3 constellation, that will provide satellite internet plans with more data, higher data thresholds, faster speeds, higher-quality streaming, and enhanced service reliability. The digital gap is closing, but there’s still work to be done.


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The UK Finalizes Plan For Crypto Regulation
The United Kingdom is on its way to finalizing plans for regulations for the use of cryptocurrencies in the country. The hastiness comes amid growing concern over the potential risks posed by the use of digital currencies and also recent developments in the wake of the FTX debacle.
- The United Kingdom is on its way to finalizing plans for regulations for the use of cryptocurrencies in the country.
- Sources say that this move will involve close of companies’ operations and marketing efforts in the crypto industry.
According to reports from Financial Times, the whole package will also cover limits on foreign corporations selling into the UK as well as curbs on product promotion.
With this development, the Financial Conduct Authority is set to gain new enforcement abilities over digital assets in the UK. According to three anonymous sources close to the Treasury, these will involve close monitoring of companies’ operations and marketing efforts within the crypto industry. The new powers will be part of larger financial services and markets legislation now being debated in parliament, which will underpin the country’s approach to financial regulation in the aftermath of Brexit.
The Financial Conduct Authority has taken action to tighten regulation of the UK’s crypto industry this year, including inspections into money-laundering controls. However, its influence is limited in other key areas such as fraud prevention and customer protection.
The regulations package also includes procedures for dealing with a company’s collapse. The crypto industry is now weathering a storm centred on the implosion of FTX following a run on its deposits after doubts were raised regarding its ties with sibling business Alameda Research and its management of customer monies. According to the Financial Times, ministers will soon begin a survey on the new regulatory system.
Overall, the new regulations on the use of cryptocurrencies in the UK are a welcome development for many. They provide a clear framework for the operation of exchanges and help to reduce the risks associated with the use of digital currencies. While there may be some negative impact on the use of cryptocurrencies for legitimate purposes, the overall benefits of the new regulations are likely to outweigh any potential drawbacks.


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JUNE 29, 2020
Daily Gaming Update
How’s it going everybody, Adrian Simple here and welcome back to The Gaming Observer for Monday, June 29th. My friends I hope you had an absolutely tremendous weekend, now let’s start off your week talking about video games.
My friends, I think I made a mistake last week not talking about this particular story, so I apologize for that and allow me to rectify it. Over the past little while, the video game industry has been overwhelmed by another wave of abuse allegations. I couldn’t possibly cover them all, but it includes famous people like RPG writer Chris Avellone, who is now no longer associated with the projects he was involved with, such as Dying Light 2. Several streamers on Twitch are now being held accountable, with bans being issued. Companies like Ubisoft have also been taking action, with the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla director stepping down, and the company suspending two executives. I won’t be getting into any more details of those situations, however I think its important to know that not only a number of people have been accused, but that this has once again brought light to the fact that this isn’t just a few bad apples. I’m going to take something that Rob Fahey wrote here because he did it better than I can, “The games industry, like several other creative industries…has an innate cultural and institutional problem that permits this kind of abuse to happen with impunity.” I’m going to ending it on that, but I wanted to talk about it here today because we as gamers are active participants in this industry and it is important to know the kind of environments it fosters. My heart goes out to everyone who was brave enough to speak up.
The Last of Us Part II sold 4 million copies of the game in its first 3 days on sale. This makes it the fastest selling Playstation exclusive, beating out Spider-Man and God Of War, which were both just over 3 million. The UK sales charts also told us last week that its the fastest selling game of the year so far, at least in that region. This will be definitely be a strong catalogue game for Sony in the years moving forward, but I wouldn’t surprised to see even more millions of copies since the first 3 days. Besides sales, Naughty Dog has confirmed that there are no plans for DLC for the game, like there was for the first game. Apparently they are planning to bring back the previously announced multiplayer mode, but it won’t be as a part of the game, it’ll be a separate release.
Sea of Thieves is going to be introducing custom servers in the near future. The feature will begin in an Alpha, so only a few people will have access to it initially, but obviously the goal is that you’ll be able to play with your friends without coming across others in the game. I know there has been a lot of community building with that game as well, so being able to customize the experience will be good for them, I hope it works out. Speaking of Sea of Thieves, there is an update on the way to to the game State of Decay 2, and they are going to be having some crossover cosmetic content. In that update will also be something called the Green Zone, which I will let them describe, “Think of the Green Zone has a more relaxes, accessible apocalypse, designed for all those gamers who’d like to explore what’s possible in [the game] without enduring quite so much stress.” I think that’s a tremendous idea, and I’m happy to see that the game is still getting content.
When Telltale closed their doors a few years ago, many of their games ended up being taken off of storefronts, and they’ve slowly been reappearing over time. Well today. Tales of Monkey Island is now available for purchase once again on Steam and GOG. And it looks like to celebrate that, they’ve got it 50% off for the next week or so, which is pretty cool. I’ve heard good things, so if you like Monkey Island then maybe go check that out.


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September 24, 2019
September 24, 2019
U.S. automotive and energy company Tesla, Inc. is “hoping to open in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia & most of Eastern Europe early next year,” its co-founder and CEO Elon Musk has tweeted.
“Finally, we will do Nikola Tesla proud by having his cars in his countries of origin!” – according to Musk’s tweet.
Hoping to open in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia & most of Eastern Europe early next year. Finally, we will do Nikola Tesla proud by having his cars in his countries of origin!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 23, 2019
Though Musk did not specify it, it is assumed he referred to the opening of Tesla Inc.’s stores in these countries.
According to Tesla, Inc.’s website, Croatia already has Tesla Superchargers, whose installation the company also expects “soon” in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece.
EV infrastructure development uneven in SEE
Serbia has a poor track record with electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.
The country currently has only about 30 EV charging stations, five of which are fast-charging stations along the highway routes, which can service up to three vehicles at a time.
Serbia has a meager 148 registered electric vehicles (EV), more than a half of which are electric cars and the rest vehicles such as buses, trolley buses, and motorcycles.
The situation is similar in other non-EU member states in South-East Europe (SEE).
EU countries, including Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria, as well as Slovenia, have far more developed networks of EV charging stations than non-member states in the region.
Serbia must introduce eco subventions in 2020 and build greater number of EV charging stations.
Tesla must establish its service facilities and superchargers in Istanbul and Ankara in Turkey as well as Turkey had more Tesla cars than Balkan countries!!!
Mr. Musk, contact President Vucic or PM Brnabic, I am sure they will give you a land to build you battery factory near my town.


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Fruits and vegetables are healthy foods. We all know that’s true, but it’s important for us to know how and why, as well. It not only help us to feel good about our dietary choices, it also helps us choose healthy foods more carefully, according to our own specific needs. Especially as we age, some may be concerned about specific conditions which may be preventable. Heart disease and stroke are high on the list of issues that people take more seriously as they mature in life.
Eating foods that contain vitamin C may reduce your risk of the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.
Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, papaya, peppers, broccoli and strawberries. Hemorrhagic stroke is less common than ischemic stroke, but is more often deadly.
The study involved 65 people who had experienced an intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke, or a blood vessel rupture inside the brain. They were compared to 65 healthy people. Participants were tested for the levels of vitamin C in their blood. Forty-one percent of cases had normal levels of vitamin C, 45 percent showed depleted levels of vitamin C and 14 percent were considered deficient of the vitamin.
On average, the people who had a stroke had depleted levels of vitamin C, while those who had not had a stroke had normal levels of the vitamin.
“Our results show that vitamin C deficiency should be considered a risk factor for this severe type of stroke, as were high blood pressure, drinking alcohol and being overweight in our study,” said study author Stéphane Vannier, MD, with Pontchaillou University Hospital in Rennes, France. “More research is needed to explore specifically how vitamin C may help to reduce stroke risk. For example, the vitamin may regulate blood pressure.”
Vannier adds that vitamin C appears to have other benefits like creating collagen, a protein found in bones, skin and tissues. Vitamin C deficiency has also been linked to heart disease.
This is the kind of study FoodFacts.com really embraces. It’s exciting to see a connection drawn between consuming specific foods and reduced risk of health problems. It’s great to have a clear understanding of the advantages those foods bring us so that we can make a conscious decision to adjust our dietary habits accordingly. Everyone feels better being proactive about their health. Adding fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C to our diet is another way for us to take additional steps to help ourselves stay healthy throughout our lives.
FoodFacts.com understands that everyone in our community and, for that matter, just about everyone in the nation, is more concerned than usual this year about flu season. This year, the influenza virus is widespread and especially virulent. The Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months receives the flu vaccine. Unfortunately, many people are not happy about the vaccine and refuse it. Generally, the efficacy of the flu vaccine is a constant question. Often, it does not prevent influenza in the folks that have been vaccinated and some even speculate as to whether or not it may, in fact, cause the virus sometimes.
There is evidence that implies that Vitamin C in high doses can prevent or even cure the influenza virus. Studies suggest that the dosage would need to be up to 5 grams per day for flu prevention and 1 gram each hour for treatment of those experiencing flu symptoms. An analysis was published back in 2007 during a major worldwide flu outbreak that covered Vitamin C and its influence on the virus.
The study suggests that Vitamin C can prevent and treat, not only the flu, but all types of viral infections. Because Vitamin C is actually a nutrient that the body cannot make itself, it must be obtained through food and supplements. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) improves the body’s overall immune function, thus helping it to stave off and/or rid itself of influenza virus.
While there are many foods that are rich in Vitamin C, it is felt that consumption of these foods will not provide the dosages necessary to fight the flu. In order to achieve the high dosages recommended, supplementation is the way to ensure correct amounts. If you feel that turning to the effects of Vitamin C on the virus this flu season, FoodFacts.com suggests making sure the quality of the supplements you choose be as high as possible, especially considering the dosage needed to benefit from the Vitamin’s effects. You may want to consider the FoodFacts TRI Nutritionals brand of Vitamin C that can assure you of its purity and quality: https://www.foodfactstri.com/shop-by-health-concern/immune-system/c-1000-mg-caps
Tonight we have a tremendous announcement to make here at FoodFacts.com. We are launching FoodFacts TRI Nutritionals. We’ve been around a long time – well over 15 years. One of the things we’ve been exceptionally aware of throughout those years is how poorly most vitamin and supplement products rate on our Health Score.
FoodFacts.com has brought its tremendous knowledge to bear in this product category and is debuting FoodFacts TRI Nutritionals – vitamins and supplements you can feel good about. Take a look at our new site: FoodFactsTri… for the most part we are free of everything you want to avoid – Gluten, Sugar, Salt, Yeast, Dairy, Artificial Flavors, Artificial Colors. Our brand – FoodFacts Tri – has been run through our own scoring system.
We’re so excited – just take a look … These days your expenditures are so important. We really believe that our new brand of vitamins and supplements are really above the bar that’s been set. And we want you to know that this launch for FoodFacts TRI Nutritionals has taken us well over twelve months to formulate and decide on so that we can present to you the best formulations we can honestly bring to market.
We are happy with our work. Please visit our site: www.foodfactstri.com. Please let us know what you think! We hope that you’ll be happy with the research and development we’ve put behind this new brand!
FoodFacts.com will continue our research and hopes to add to our brand with products you can feel good about. We want to bring you the products you can trust for purity and quality. We hope you’ll feel the same way!
FoodFacts.com found great news coming out of Germany today. In a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, new research from the University of Ulm has found that the amount of vitamin C and beta-carotene present in patients suffering from mild dementia was much less than in patients without symptoms. It is actually possible that a person’s diet (and their intake of specific antioxidants) may have an impact on the development of Alzheimer’s Disease.
We know that Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. Forgetfulness and disorientation lead to a patient’s cognitive decline. In this new study, 74 patients with Alzheimer’s were studied along with 158 healthy patients who showed no sign of Alzheimer’s symptoms. It is known that plaques forming in the brain, along with the degeneration of synapses are what cause the disease. The medical community has connected the constraint of oxygen in the body may actually be linked with the development of the disease. And that’s where the idea of antioxidants providing protection came into the picture. So the researchers investigated if there could be differences in the levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and coenzyme Q10 in folks with mild symptoms of dementia and a population with no symptoms at all.
Results of the study showed definite differences. In fact, it was found that the concentration of vitamin C and beta-carotene in Alzheimer’s patients as much lower than in the population of healthy patients. The levels of vitamin E, lycopene and coenzyme Q10 showed no differences at all between the two populations. The researchers did feel, interestingly, that food storage and preparation and stress levels may have played a part in their findings. They are, therefore, recommending further studies to find out more about how these two antioxidants provide protection for this debilitating disease.
FoodFacts.com encourages our community to continue their quest for good health by including foods rich in Vitamin C and beta-carotene in their diets. Citrus fruits, carrots and spinach are a great place to start. As always, research like this is an exciting insight into how our diets affect our health and may provide the information that can help us fight diseases through nutrition.
FoodFacts.com is happy to see that finally, science is looking into the fertility concerns surrounding men of a certain age AND finding that nutrition appears to play a part in the improvement of sperm quality in men over the age of 44.
That’s right, there seems to be a link between micro-nutrients and healthy sperm. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folate and Zinc help turn back the biological clock for men. In a new study 80 healthy men between the ages of 22 and 80 were studied for sperm quality. Those participating in the study who were over the age of 44 and consumed the greatest amount of Vitamin C had 20 percent less DNA damage in their sperm than the control group of the same age who consumed the least amount of Vitamin C. This same finding was also true for Vitamin E, Zinc and Folate.
Through this study it was determined that men may be at an increased risk for sperm DNA damage as they get older, but that they can actively do something about this through the use of supplements.
Year after year, there are greater numbers of men and women who are putting off child birth until they are over 35 years of age. There are greater health concerns associated with conceiving in this age group. A recent study, for example, linked an increased risk for autism and schizophrenia to infants of older men. In addition it was been discovered that older men are less fertile than their younger counterparts and have an increased number of chromosomally defective pregnancies. While this information has been known about older women attempting and achieving conception for years, the studies for men are relatively newer.
The new information linking Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc and Folate to an increase in sperm quality is good news for men in this age group and suggests the need for additional studies on the affect of antioxidants on fertility as well as the risk for genetically defective pregnancies across the board. Can an increase in micronutrients result in healthier offspring with a decrease in genetic problems? The results are yet to be seen … but FoodFacts.com thinks that it can’t hurt any man over 40 who’s looking to embrace fatherhood to up their intake of C, E, Zinc and Folate. The answer to men beating their biological clocks may just be waiting for them at their local health food store! That would certainly be worth the trip!


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ZURICH — February 7, 2023 — The enterprise situation is at a new lower place because ITMF started out the Global Textile Marketplace Survey in 2021. High inflation and mounting curiosity prices are the key existing drivers of the world-wide financial state, but the main problem of the textile offer chain in 2023 are substantial inventories at the brand and retail level. With the opening of economies all-around the globe just after the COVID crisis, customers experienced the option to invest the income they could not throughout 2020 and in the to start with 50 percent of 2021. For that reason, desire soared, and manufacturers and retailers improved orders to meet up with this pent-up demand from customers. With inflation climbing, in particular right after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, desire for consumer items slowed while inventories remained really high.
Respondents to ITMF’s 18th GTIS survey confirm that get ingestion has repeatedly lowered given that November 2021. In January 2023, the indicator was adverse in all regions and segments apart from for North & Central America and fiber producers. The latter observed orders increase for the to start with time since last summertime. The earlier substantial worldwide order backlogs also steadily decreased from 3.1 months in March 2022 to 2.4 months in January 2023, primarily due to brand name and retailers’ restraint to location orders. The dampening results of the earlier source chain disruption even more helped lowering buy backlogs by enhancing world-wide trade flows which led to slight rise of the capacity utilization price around the world (typically pushed by fiber producers and spinners).
Expectations in six months-time have soared and respondents are globally constructive about enterprise in June 2023. Textile producers anticipate a better circumstance thanks to two crucial factors. Initial, the environment is now in a significantly improved strength predicament with a relative delicate winter in Europe and energy rates in Europe and Asia (specifically for gas) dropping again to stages found prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 2nd, the unexpected conclusion of the Zero-Covid-policy in China with a swift opening of the borders is promising to bolster desire in China as very well as overseas (more holidaymakers and imports of merchandise). Everything else becoming equal, the international financial system will see a higher progress degree than anticipated and this will benefit the worldwide textile marketplace.
Posted February 7, 2023


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North America Pet Wearable Market Revenue to Surpass US$ 5 Bn by 2027
According to a recent study from market research firm Graphical Research, the North America pet wearable market size is set to register a significant growth during the forecast timeframe, supported by the growing popularity of pet health products. Pet owners are increasingly focusing on their pet’s physical and mental health since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As pet wearable devices empower owners to spend time with their pets while also tracking their day-to-day activities, they are buying these products for ensuring optimal health of their furry companions.
Activity trackers and interactive cameras enable pet owners to reward their pets for their good behavior. More importantly, behavioral disorders and other health issues can be identified at an early stage, when these devices are deployed. By 2027, the market size is expected to cross USD 5 billion, driven by the availability of innovative products across the region. The below-mentioned trends are powering industry forecast:
Growing deployment of smart cameras
Smart cameras are likely to remain popular throughout North America, thanks to the multiple advantages of these devices. These cameras offer advanced features such as sound detection for alerting owners in case of a discrepancy. In the absence of the owner, a pet camera provides constant updates regarding the pet’s health and behavior, which can be accessed by the user on a smartphone.
These systems also support night vision, wide-angle viewing, two-way audio, as well as pet treat dispensers that can be operated via smartphone app. Interactive toys are one of the innovative features provided by these cameras. In case of a concerning activity, smart cameras determine whether an in-person vet visit is necessary, at the same time providing tele-vet connectivity feature. Owners can engage in a live chat with a licensed veterinary doctor, with an option for sharing photos and videos of the pet.
Pet collars to gain traction
The pet collars market share is set to advance at a stable pace between 2021 and 2027. These devices feature GPS tracking technology that offers updates as well as escape alerts through text messages or smartphone app. Proactive alerts are automatically sent to the owner regarding sleeping, scratching and other behavior patterns amongst pets, helping the owners to set activity goals for their pets.
Since these products remind owners regarding medication times, vet-visits, and grooming appointments, these devices are playing a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life of pets. Premium features of these products include geofencing, virtual fences, and training programs.
Strict animal protection laws foster growth of commercial segment
The commercial pet wearable market trends indicate that these devices will pick momentum across Canada and the U.S. because of the stringent animal protection laws enforced by the regional governments. Due to these norms, commercial pet trainers are deploying these devices for stopping unwanted pet behaviors such as clawing, barking, biting, and digging. They reinforce corrective behaviors amongst pets by using pet training devices that are in-built with infrared cameras and computer vision. Users can also access insights about the pet’s training session for assessing various parameters including work intensity.
DogTelligent Inc., Dairymaster, Afimilk Ltd., Ridogulous Labs, Inc., GoPro, Inc., FitBark Inc., Scollar Inc., and Garmin International Inc. are some top companies in the North America pet wearable market. These companies are providing latest features in their product offerings, in order to attract a larger customer base.


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Thursday, October 27, 2011 : BETONLINE CHIEF DEPARTS
Archer's next post unknown
Occasionally controversial industry exec Clive Archer has reportedly departed his post as chief executive of the Panama-based internet gambling group BLS International – Betonline.com "by mutual agreement."
The company has been part of the online industry since 2001, changing hands early 2010, when it was reportedly taken over by ex-Bet on Sports managers Clive Archer and Dalton Wagner. In more recent announcements the company launched its own proprietary software-powered online poker room.
The company announcement disclosed that the chief executive officer responsibilities at Betonline would be absorbed by other members of the management team, which includes affiliate manager Simon Eaton.
Betonline is primarily a ASI-powered sports book enterprise, carrying a B+ rating from Sports Book Review. The company, at that time titled Best Line Sports, has been online since 2001 and originally operated from Costa Rica, switching to Panama City in 2004 and acquiring the Betonline brand.
The site also offers online casino action, powered by a mix of Betsoft, DGS and GTS software.


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TripAdvisor Survey Finds Americans Traveling Despite Rising Gas Prices
By James Shillinglaw
August 28, 2012 10:27 PM
TripAdvisor unveiled the results of its annual fall and Labor Day travel survey of more than 1,400 U.S. respondents. Eighty-five percent of travelers say they plan to take a leisure trip this autumn and 84 percent said rising gas prices will not affect their fall travel plans.
Thirty-four percent plan to spend more on fall travel than they did in 2011, while 42 percent plan to spend about the same amount and 12 percent plan to spend less than they did last year. Among those traveling, 61 percent plan to take more than one trip. Of those taking fall leisure trips, 72 percent are planning a hotel stay and 18 percent will rent a vacation home. Thirteen percent are taking international trips, 23 percent will travel both internationally and domestically, and 64 percent will take only domestic trips.
Seventy percent of travelers plan to travel by car for their autumn getaways. Among the 16 percent modifying travel plans due to higher prices at the pump, 51 percent are driving shorter distances and 46 percent are driving less often. With rising gas prices in mind, 27 percent are willing to drive 100-200 miles, 21 percent will go 200-300 miles, and 16 percent plan to drive over 500 miles.
The top five fall activities are view colorful fall foliage (39 percent), go wine tasting or visit a vineyard (26 percent), go to a state or county fair or fall festival (22 percent), attend a football game or collegiate homecoming (20 percent), go to a food festival (20 percent).
According to the survey, 27 percent are planning to travel this Labor Day weekend, up from 22 percent who traveled for the holiday last year. Among those traveling, 64 percent anticipate driving, and 31 percent will take to the skies. Of those traveling for Labor Day, 21 percent are planning an outdoor trip, 21 percent will take a beach trip, and 17 percent will go on a city escape.
Other findings of the survey include: 22 percent cite fewer crowds than in the summer as their top reason for fall travel, while 20 percent say they travel in the fall for the weather. Forty-two percent of fall leisure travelers will enjoy a city trip, 31 percent will take a cultural trip, and another 31 percent will head to the beach.


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Trade Cases | April 29, 2010
USW Updates and Background on 421 China Tire Case
The United Steelworkers (USW) April 20, 2009, filed a major trade case at the U.S. International Trade Commission, challenging the flood of imported consumer tires from China that have led to thousands of job losses and a growing number of plant closings throughout the United States. Some of the workers affected are shown in the above photos: USW local union leaders who produce consumer tires.
(Page last updated April 13, 2010)
USW Report to President Obama - April 2010
Early Success of Section 421 Safeguard Relief to U.S. Consumer Tire Industry
Click here to download the letter USW International President Leo W. Gerard sent to President Obama talking about the union's report showing the success of the relief to the domestic tire industry.
SUMMARY OF LETTER: Gerard's letter to President Obama cites the union's six-month updated report from public data and industry analysts documenting early success of the Section 421 safeguard relief for the domestic tire industry. The tariff order was implemented on Sept. 11, 2009. The USW president said production has increased and utilization rates are moving higher toward full capacity. Employment in consumer and light truck tires has not only been maintained, but workers have been recalled. Gerard thanked President Obama for his decision and urged the Section 421 relief be continued for the full three-year period so the domestic tire industry and workers can have a fair opportunity to recover from the damage done by China's surge of consumer tires.
Click here to download the report.
SUMMARY OF USW REPORT: Charts from public data show China's exports to the US decreased significantly in October 2009 after the tariffs went into effect. This trend has continued into 2010, with the US share of China's exports dropping to 24% on a volume basis in February. Import Prices: From January to September 2009, imports from China averaged $38 per tire (on a landed cost duty paid basis). From October 2009 to January 2010, imports from China averaged $44 per tire. This is an increase of $6 per tire, or 16%. No where near the "doubling" from $200 to $400 for a set of four $50 tires claimed by opponents to the tariff.
President Obama Fulfills Trade Enforecement Pledge in USW's 421 case
Click here to access the Sept. 18, 2009 letter from USW President Gerard to Congress, suggesting the Sept. 11 decision by President Obama to enforce the recommendations of the trade commission and order tariffs on China passenger and light truck tire imports, signals a new assertiveness to act on behalf of domestic manufacturing.
Click here to download a Sept. 14, 2009 fact sheet explaining why threats of retaliation by China are unfounded, based on WTO rules.
Click here for the USW's Sept. 11, 2009, press release lauding President Obama's decision to enforce trade rules in the union's 421 case involving passenger tires imported from China.
Click here for the Sept. 11, 2009, U.S. Trade Representative's press release announcing the decision.
Letters to President Obama in Support of the ITC Recommendation under Section 421
• Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN)
• Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA)
• Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
• Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
• Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
• Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
• Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
• Rep. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV)
• Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH)
• Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
• Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)
Letter of Support from International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers – R. Thomas Buffenbarger
USW President Gerard Urges Congress Add Voice on China Tire Imports Trade Case
Click here for a USW letter transmitted Aug. 31, 2009, to Congress saying now is the time to draw a line in the sand for enforcement of the nation’s trade laws and to urge President Obama to support an affirmative decision on relief in the trade case on surging imports of consumer tires from China.
Click here for a Aug. 19 summary of the USW’s responses to opponents’ arguments against relief from China tire imports as presented before the U.S. Trade Representative public hearing held Aug. 7, 2009.
Testimony from Aug. 7, 2009, U.S. Trade Representative Hearing
USW International President Leo W. Gerard calls for a remedy to help the U.S. tire industry and its workers combat the surge of tires imported from China. Click here for the testimony.
USW International Vice President Tom Conway refutes the opposition's claims in the case against the flood of imported Chinese tires. Click here for the testimony.
Former USW International Executive Ron Hoover makes the case in his U.S. Trade Representative testimony for retired tire workers and their families, explaining why a trade remedy can mean life or death for them. Click here for his testimony.
Dr. Kenneth R. Button, senior vice president at Economic Consulting Services, testifies that the proposed International Trade Commission remedy to help combat the flood of imported Chinese tires is good economics for the United States. Click here for his testimony.
Jim Wansley, former USW local union president at closed Goodyear plant in Tyler, Texas, testifies about the painful impact of a closed tire factory on workers, their families and their communities. Click here for his testimony.
Terence P. Stewart, managing partner at Stewart & Stewart, a lawfirm that specializes in global trade, testifies that it's time to follow the law, which was created to protect American companies and workers, because the evidence is so overwhelming in this case. Click here for the testimony.
Filing Documents Before USTR
Click here for the July 27, 2009, public version filing of written comments on remedy by the USW before the USTR in the Section 421 trade case on China tire imports.
Click Here for the December 13, 2010 press release about United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk announcement that a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel found in favor of the United States in a dispute brought by China challenging the imposition of additional duties on imports of Chinese tires under the transitional safeguard mechanism included in China’s Protocol of Accession to the WTO.
Click here for the September 11, 2009, press release about the USW Supporting the President’s Enforcement of Trade Laws.
Click here for the September 8, 2009, press release about the USW Urges White House to Address Current China Import Tire Spike.
Click here for the September 2, 2009, press release about the USW is confident Obama will will grant the U.S. tire industry meaningful relief from Chinese tire imports.
Click here for the July 27, 2009, press release about the USW’s requested appearance before USTR on China tire imports remedy.
Click here for the June 18,2009, press release lauding the 4-2 International Trade Commission ruling affirming the USW's unfair trade case.
Click here for a June 2, 2009, press release about the ITC hearing.
Click here for the April 20, 2009, press release about the USW's filing of the major 421 trade case.
Click here for background on the unfair trade issue and how it has impacted U.S. tire jobs.
Click here for a timeline of the USW's 421 case.
Click here for background on the U.S. International Trade Commission's remedy and the USW's recommendation.
Click here for responses to some of the common myths presented by Chinese tire producers and importers.
Click here to download a chart detailing: ‘2009 Passenger Car & Light Truck Tire Imports From China; Jan. 09 to Aug. 09
Click here to download a chart detailing the rapid increase in the imports of Chinese tires. (08/05/09)
Click here to download a chart detailing the job losses and other suffering the domestic tire injury has endured as a result of the influx of Chinese tires. (08/05/09)
Click here to download a chart explaining how tires imported from China were a direct cause of injury to the domestic industry. (08/05/09)
Click here to download a chart showing how the International Trade Commission's recommended remedy would have a positive impact on the economy, outweighing costs to consumers. (08/05/09)
Click here for some frequently asked questions and the USW's answers.
U.S. Tire Plant Shut Downs
Click here for a chart detailing U.S. tire plant shut downs.
Click here to read statements from Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln and others about the USW's case when it was filed.
Several members of Congress and the Senate reacted to the June 18 ITC ruling. Here are few links:
Click here for comments from other lawmakers, including Sen. Sherrod Brown, and U.S. Reps. Mark Souder, Carolyn Kilpatrick, Louise Slaughter, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel and Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin.
Click here to read a July 24. 2009, letter from the United Auto Workers urging President Obama to apply the U.S. Trade Commission's recommendation in the 421 case.
Click here to read a July 27, 2009, letter from the Communications Workers of America urging President Obama to apply U.S. Trade Commission's recommendation in the 421 case.
Click here to read a July 16,2009, letter sent to President Obama signed by Sens. Evan Bayh, Sherrod Brown, Richard Burr, Robert Casey Jr., Kirsten Gillibrand, Kay Hagan, Lindsey Graham, Arlen Spector, Debbie Stabenow and Mark Warner. The letter urges President Obama to accept the U.S. International Trade Commission's recommendations for relief from a surge of tires imported from China.
Click here to read a letter sent to the U.S. International Trade Commission on June 24, 2009, by Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow. She calls on the ITC to support middle class U.S. jobs by enforcing trade rules.
Click here for testimony of USW International and Local officers before the International Trade Commission's June 2, 2009, hearing on the Chinese tire case.
Support Testimony Presented at ITC Hearing, Jun. 2, 2009:
Support Testimony Presented at ITC Hearing, Jun. 2, 2009:
Aderholt, Robert (R-AL). Click here for statement.
Bishop, Sanford (D-GA) Click here for statement. Cole, Tom (R-OK). Click here for statement.
Kilpatrick, Carolyn (D-MI)
Ryan, Tim (D-OH)
Sanford (D-GA) Click here for statement. Slaughter, Louise (D-NY)
Support Letters Submitted to ITC:
Burr, Richard (R-NC) Click here for statement.
Davis, Artur (D-AL) Click here for statement.
Durbin, Ricahard (D-Il) Click here for statement. Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY)
Gordon, Bart (D-TN). Click here for letter.
Graham, Lindsey (R-SC) Click here for statement.
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS) Click here for statement.
Kissel, Larry (R-NC). Click here for letter.
McCotter, Thaddeus (R-MI) Click here for letter.
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC) Click here for statement.
Ryan, Tim (D-OH) Click here for statement. Souder, Mark (R-IN)
Shuster, Bill (R-PA). Click here for letter.
Tanner, John (D-TN) Click here for statement. Warner, Mark (R-VA)
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. Click here for letter.


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At the Clements Centre in Duncan, there’s a bakery serving up smiles.
The Mindful Mouthful started in 2015 as a way to provide employment opportunities to people with developmental disabilities. Previously, the bakery was a training kitchen that produced goods for sale to the public with volunteer help.
“The actual workers were not getting paid for what they were producing and we wanted to change that,” said Clements Centre representative Sheila Coogan.
“We wanted them to get real pay for real work. So with the help of a consultant, we developed a business plan and we’ve been going ever since then,” said Coogan.
Kitchen staff prepare and bake everything from meat pies to cookies and while COVID-19 has led to some changes, the program is still running strong.
“COVID has certainly presented challenges for us with our workforce because not everybody’s back at work yet,” said Coogan. “So we kind run a skeleton crew of five Mindful Mouthful employees, they’re supported by our community support workers from the day program and then we have a kitchen manager as well who oversees the day-to-day operations.”
The Mindful Mouthful has turned into its own community, where the baking is just a small part of the experience.
“I like it here and they make it fun, and everybody works as a team,” said baker Tawny Daw.
It’s just as rewarding for staff at the centre.
“I think there’s nothing more wonderful than seeing the look on somebody’s face when we print off a Facebook comment that says ‘I tried the cookies, and tell so-and-so they’re the greatest baker ever,’ because they know they’re contributing to their community,” said Coogan.
To learn more about The Mindful Mouthful, visit their website.


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'So painful I want to cry': £1bn hospitality fund is 'not enough'
- Credit: Polly Hancock
Hospitality businesses in Hampstead say the chancellor's support scheme “will do nothing” to make up for their loss of earnings during the Omicron surge.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a £1 billion fund, which includes cash grants of up to £6,000 for businesses in the hospitality sector, as well as covering sick pay costs for certain venues.
Musa Mohsen, at Polly’s cafe in South End Road, said the current level of support puts the business under threat, adding: "Its impossible to carry on... people just want to take away, they don’t sit down and have food.
"We work so hard but you don't even take a penny home.. we just want to pay the bills and it's impossible. [The government] should come here and try do it themselves.”
Antonia Macone, who runs La Cage Imaginaire, a French restaurant in Flask Walk, said the fund is “a big mistake” and she is “very disappointed”.
“It really doesn't cover the loss — the rent is so high, we have the staff salaries… we are having to throw lots of food in rubbish because people are cancelling their parties the day before. I have an empty restaurant today. I give my life to this job, I’ve done it for many years... it is so painful I want to cry," she said.
Jack at the King William IV pub said: “I don’t think it's really that much money. For a business like this on the high street, £6,000 doesn't even cover a beer order.”
- 1 The most expensive homes sold in Haringey in November 2021
- 2 Air ambulance mobilised as boy, 15, knifed in South Hampstead
- 3 'We don't need to drink more coffee' say cafés as Joe & The Juice moves in
- 4 Italian sandwich shop opens in a Hampstead telephone box
- 5 Cops swoop on cannabis farm rumoured to be 'largest ever' busted in Haringey
- 6 Landlord scales back 40% rent rise - but it is too late for some tenants
- 7 3,000 new council homes for Haringey over next ten years
- 8 Haringey to splash £54m on Civic Centre makeover and extension
- 9 Camden gets £400k to overhaul planning system
- 10 New sustainability market coming to Camden
The chancellor described the scheme as “generous”, and said the new support recognises the situation many hospitality and leisure businesses are facing in the run up to Christmas. But some businesses have decided to take control of the situation themselves.
One staff member at The Horseshoe pub, in Heath Street, said the pub has decided to shut for the next week "to stem the flow of the new variant".
"We will re-open in the new year depending on restrictions, and see what happens, just to play it safe,” they said.


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Google is the most popular search engine in the world, to the point where I feel dumb typing “Google is the most popular search engine in the world” because holy shit, you already know. But ubiquity is not synonymous with benevolence. The EU’s new lawsuit against the search giant brings up larger issues.
The European Union has officially charged Google in an antitrust suit for abusing its position of dominance and manipulating search results. Google has ten weeks to respond, and while the giant has a relentless fire hose of cash it can shoot at its problems, this is the biggest antitrust case since Microsoft got bitchslapped by EU antitrust charges in the 2000s. The outcome is going to color how Google operates. And even Google’s profusion has limits: EU fines may be as much as $6.4 billion. It’s a big deal.
Google is skewing your search results...
The EU’s Statement of Objections for Google focuses on how its search engine arranges results about shopping. Its complaint alleges that Google prioritizes results from the shopping sites it owns over its competitors. It says Google shows results according to their relevance for making itself stacks of cash, not their actual relevance to the person searching.
The Commission is concerned that users do not necessarily see the most relevant results in response to queries - this is to the detriment of consumers, and stifles innovation. The Commission’s preliminary view is that to remedy such conduct, Google should treat its own comparison shopping service and those of rivals in the same way.
“Google’s abuse of its dominant position comes in various shapes and forms but some patterns exist and have been observed over the last few years,” Arthur Ravier, a policy officer at Open Internet Project (a group that urged the EU to ban Google) told me. Ravier cited the way Google rankings for restaurants give places with lots of Google+ reviews a boost over those with lots of Yelp or TripAdvisor reviews as a prime example of manipulations that hurt Google users.
This EU suit isn’t the first time Google’s been accused of sneaky, anti-competitive tactics. A leaked report shows that the Federal Trade Commission nearly sued Google back in 2012 for its search-result skewing. In that case, in addition to simply prioritizing its own services, Google was accused of stealing content from rivals. But an antitrust suit never happened. FTC’s commissioners agreed to back off and let Google voluntarily change some of its policies in 2013.
...And it’s not denying it
Google’s reply to all this: It’s not a monopoly, and competition is flourishing, so there’s no evidence that its Google-centric search results are harming anybody. With competitors like Bing drawing larger shares of the search market (it just surpassed 20% for the first time in the US), Google definitely has a point there.
Note that Google does not deny allegations that it manipulates search results to favor itself. The argument here basically amounts to, if you don’t like it, use Bing!
Bing Bing Bing
It’s not up for debate that Google has immense power over how we discover information. Obviously a company tasked with ordering the known internet is going to have to make choices about how to siphon relevance from the noise of a monster data-dump, and many of those choices will hinge on that company’s subjective taste on what’s important. Google is pretty flagrant in the ways it shows that company policy = our stuff is the most important.
What’s up for debate here isn’t that Google manipulates search results, it’s whether that manipulation is ruining competition, specifically in comparison shopping.
And that’s probably a good debate to have, but it really doesn’t cut to the heart of what’s wrong with search. There is a more pernicious issue with the way Google prioritizes its results, and it has less to do with screwing over competitors than it does with creating a digital world that is tilted towards commerce over knowledge.
Whether or not Google’s preference for its own brand is tantamount to a monopoly, money drives Google search far more than knowledge. As Motherboard’s Brian Merchant recently pointed out, Google often yanks up commercial search results— a search for “watch,” for example, will lead you right to Apple Watch, even though Apple’s wearable tech is both very new and very not a generic watch.
The assumption is that you’re looking to buy something when you’re looking to find information on something. “The logic that our chief aim is to consume is written directly into the engine’s DNA,” Merchant writes.
People are starting to notice Google’s tendency towards hyper-commercialization— children’s groups just complained that the company’s new YouTube Kids app is basically just a commercial-viewing tool. But it’s telling that the bulk of criticism and complaints lobbed at Google’ search functions are about hurting competitors rather than its slow metamorphosis into an online shopping tool.