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Central China holds key to nation's economic growth
By Li Jiabao and Feng Zhiwei in Changsha ( China Daily )
The development of Central China will be a pillar of the nation's economic growth amid the slowly recovering global economy and China's cooling GDP expansion, with key industries such as agriculture, energy and machinery being promoted, officials said on Friday.
"The development of the central region has become an important factor supporting China's economic growth and is closely related to the transformation of the country's economic growth pattern and the adjustment of its economic structure," Vice-Premier Wang Qishan, told the Expo Central China 2012 in Changsha, Hunan province.
The three-day expo, which opened on Friday, is jointly held by Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Henan and Shanxi provinces, which account for one-fourth of China's population or one-fifth of the nation's GDP
"As the global economic outlook is still challenging, China will ... further open up the central provinces to embrace industries shifting from coastal areas or overseas," Wang said.
China's exports slightly expanded 6.9 percent year-on-year in the first four months while exports from the central region registered a year-on-year surge of 23.6 percent in the same period, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Commerce Minister Chen Deming called for further opening-up to boost development and innovation in the region.
"Further opening-up (of the Chinese economy) will be an effective way to combat the spreading financial crisis while contributing to world economic growth," he added.
After six years, the expo has become a major platform for the region to further open up and increase regional as well as international exchanges, Chen said.
Increased foreign direct investment in the region will also enhance its role in China's economic growth, according to Deputy Commerce Minister Wang Chao.
Foreign direct investment in the region rose 26.7 percent year-on-year in the first four months while China's total FDI in the first four months dropped 2.38 percent year-on-year, according to Wang.
"Foreign direct investment is and will remain a major force in China's economic growth. As China remains a top destination for FDI, its fast-growing central region, mainly driven by rising labor costs in coastal areas, will attract more foreign investment. More foreign investment will go to services industries in order to tap the expanding domestic market," said Peter Jennings Buckley, director of the Center for International Business at the University of Leeds.
Christian Murck, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said FDI is already growing at a rapid pace in the region and US investment in China will increase this year, but is shifting from coastal areas to the central and western regions to meet the demands of domestic consumers.
Shuichi Koseki, president and CEO of Itochu East Asia, said that Japanese investment in China this year continues to grow rapidly after a year-on-year expansion of more than 50 percent last year.


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ICO to celebrate the International Coffee Day
On 1 October 2016, the 77 Member States of the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and dozens of coffee associations from around the globe will come together to celebrate the second annual International Coffee Day.
International Coffee Day is a global celebration of coffee’s journey from the farm to your local shop— an opportunity to honour the men and women who grow and harvest the coffee we love.
Last year, the ICO and partners launched the first official celebration of International Coffee Day with a dedicated website featuring more than 70 events from 35 countries around the world.
How will you celebrate #InternationalCoffeeDay? The details on the official International Coffee Day website.

domain: news


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To Tip or Not to Tip: Etiquette and the Service Sector in the Gig Economy
Technology and industry changes have altered service sector etiquette, including tipping practices
Pizza. Video game consoles. Dog toys. These are just a few of the items you can now buy from the comfort of your couch and have delivered almost directly into your hands.
You can make your purchases on your computer or through an app. You can even still do it by phone if you really want a touch of human interaction.
But what of the person delivering your item or performing the service you bought?
It has long been customary in the U.S. to tip the wait staff at restaurants. It is also common to tip taxi drivers and takeout delivery drivers.
The Emily Post Institute recommends tipping taxi drivers and wait staff at a sit-down restaurant 15-20 percent of the bill, while takeout delivery drivers should generally receive 10-15 percent. Real Simple also recommends 15-20 percent for wait staff, but suggests 10-15 percent for taxi drivers and $2 to $4 for food delivery drivers.
The Gig Revolution
But technology and the gig economy—the growing portion of the workforce that relies on different "gigs," jobs, or projects to make their living, such as freelancers and independent contractors—is forcing us to rethink traditional ways of doing things.
Ride-sharing company Uber has embraced the gig economy and shaken up tradition. Its business model is different from that of traditional taxi companies. It classifies its drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, which means that they do not receive traditional benefits like health insurance and sick pay. It also relies on cashless transactions done in its app.
TIME Money (TM) writes: "Since Uber's inception, tipping your driver is the exception, not the rule." This is largely the result of the move away from cash-based transactions to digital ones using technology like company apps, Square, PayPal, and Venmo. It is also the consequence, as The New York Times (NYT) explains, of Uber's original tipping policy forbidding the tradition altogether.
"Uber drivers have said that the company prevented them from accepting tips and led riders to believe—through statements on its website like, 'Please thank your driver, but the tip is already included' and 'there is no need to tip'—that tips are included in the price of a ride 'when in fact tips are not included,'" the newspaper writes.
Uber under Pressure
The ride-sharing service is now facing increasing pressure to include a tipping option in its app. The lack of such an option limits the amount of income taken home by the drivers, independent contractors who already have to pay for their own insurance, gas, and other concerns usually paid for by traditional companies classifying their workers as employees.
"Uber's refusal to give passengers a tipping option has effectively slashed driver pay, making it all the more difficult for drivers to support their families," Jim Conigliaro, Jr., founder of the Independent Drivers Guild, told TM.
Although the company's app does not include a tipping option, it does now allow the practice in cash, as it states on its website: "If you decide you would like to tip, your driver is welcome to accept."
Tipping in the Gig Economy
So where does this leave consumers who want to follow the proper etiquette on tipping? The practice is still largely accepted, and it is still voluntary. But if you choose to tip, it may mean more than ever to the workers.
Toxic Chemicals in Fast Food Packages Can Seep Into Your Food
Counting calories is no longer the only worry consumers may have about fast food. Environmental group Silent Spring Institute has released a new study that claims that the greaseproof packaging holding some fast food products may contain possibly dangerous fluorinated chemicals that can seep into your food.
You Really Should be Cleaning Reusable Grocery Bags to Stay Healthy
Do you use reusable grocery bags? If you are like many consumers, chances are that you have taken advantage of these heavy duty bags to reduce plastic bag waste in landfills, increase the amount of groceries you can carry, or any combination of factors. But did you know that failing to clean these bags regularly can put your health at risk?
Consumer Tips: Food Safety Practices for When Your Power Goes Out
Any time your power goes out due to high winds, snow/ice, a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, flood, fire, or any other electrical failure, the safety of the food inside your refrigerator and freezer is immediately jeopardized. Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep it safe will help you minimize the potential loss of food to spoilage and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Going Grocery Shopping? Save Money Using These Tips That Stores Don't Tell You About.
Bargain hunters already save money regularly by cutting coupons and shopping during sales. However, there are many other ways consumers can save money when shopping—ways that stores don't tell them about. Combining these shopping strategies with coupons and sales may help you save as much as possible!


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An Internet address with only three letters and four total characters could bring as much as ten million pounds in an auction freeing up some of the UK’s prime Internet real estate.
The address, X.uk, is currently owned by insurance entrepreneur Simon Burgess. Burgess sold British Insurance, which specialised in payment protection, to Towergate for £25m ($41 million) in 2008. He currently heads British Money Limited, an unemployment insurance provider, but trades in web addresses as a sideline. If it does sell for £10m, that price would rank it among the top ten most expensive addresses online. Sex.com sold for £8.3m ($13.9 million) in 2010 and Insurance.com set the world record at £21.2m ($35.3 million) the same year.
Nominet, the non-profit company that controls the UK’s web address system, decided earlier this year to allow people or companies to expand by not requiring a category name like “.co” before the “.uk” suffix, but its decision to allow .uk addresses was criticised by industry insiders who felt it could devalue the UK’s existing Web real estate and create trademark headaches for their owners. But since Burgess already owned X.co.uk, he had first rights to the X.uk name.
Burgess told UK newspaper The Telegraph that, “We think x.uk is uniquely valuable. A is for aardvark and Z is for Zulu but X can be anything. I’ve already had an offer of more than £5m from a very large organisation, which I turned down.” He also noted that there are only 36 four-character addresses possible when combining 26 letters and 10 numbers. Burgess also informed the Telegraph he had also been approached by Chinese interests about purchasing the address due to the letter X appearing frequently in Latinised Chinese names, and also said he was in advanced negotiations with the online dating service Match.com to sell it to kiss.co.uk.
Paying that much for a one-character Web address may seem a bit strange, but in the age of social media, space means money; Twitter limits each post to 140 characters or less, making each character saved on an Internet address one more for marketing and company branding. Companies like Bit.ly and ls.gd have flourished by shortening Web addresses specifically to deal with social media.
With the naming regulations shifting in the next few years, companies are beginning to look carefully at their Internet address names; major brands and corporations will soon be able to create and use their own Internet suffixes. Google has already announced plans to use Web addresses ending in “.youtube” and “.google”, meaning that more generic names ending in “.uk” or “.com” may not be worth as much in the future.
Currently Nominet has revised its plan so .co.uk owners will have a five-year right of refusal on the equivalent .uk address. It says shorter links will appeal to businesses and consumers, old addresses will still work and it will bring Britain into line with France and Germany’s Internet address system, which offer .fr and .de. Comedian and presenter Stephen Fry was the first Briton to make the switch, telling fans, “”Fret no more, people of Britain. The day of .uk is upon us.”


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Policybazaar became the latest entrant in the Unicorn club of the Indian startup segment after raising more than $200 million from investors led by SoftBank Group's Vision Fund on Monday. The online financial services portal run by EtechAces Marketing and Consulting Pvt. Ltd has been valued at more than a billion dollars, the company said on Monday.
It became the second Indian startup in as many weeks after Swiggy, a food delivery tech startup which joined the Unicorn club post raising $ 210 million from DST Global. All the existing Indian investors except Premji Invest participated in the current round of funding. EtechAces, which runs PolicyBazaar and Paisabazaar.com, counts Temasek, Tiger Global Management, True North, Premji Invest as existing investors.
In a statement Yashish Dahiya, co-founder and chief executive said, "SoftBank's culture of backing disruptive businesses and industry leaders with long-term capital investment gels well with our own values and vision of creating a transparent and empowering financial products marketplace. We hope to gain a lot from their global footprint and experience."
The company also said that the growth in insurance purchases digitally will enable it to grow at an annual average rate of 80 percent over the next three years to a total of 10 million transacting customers by 2020. According to Boston Consulting Group's estimates, digital influence on insurance purchases will grow to 50 percent for life insurance and 75 percent for general insurance by 2020.
Policybazaar is a Gurugram based company founded in 2008, which offers online services to consumers to compare and purchase insurance policies. It currently accounts for nearly 25 percent of India's life cover, and over 7 percent of India's retail health insurance business. The online insurance platform competes with Sequoia Capital-backed BankBazaar (A&A Dukaan Financial Services Pvt. Ltd), new entrant Coverfox, which recently raised $22 million, besides Fairfax Financial Holdings-backed Digit Insurance, and start-up Acko, which raised $12 million from Amazon in May this year.


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Uber And FreedomPop México announced the launch of Uber Cel, a mobile and data service with various promotional plans designed for platform drivers and delivery partners.
The mobility company explained, through a statement, that the service is provided Unlimited browsing In the Uber app and navigation systems like Google Maps and Waze.
In addition, Members can use social networks Like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Plus there’s unlimited texting and calling in Mexico and the US, and an extra gigabyte flow.
The packages offered by the companies will provide from 3 GB to 17 GB and Prices will start at 200 pesos.
We know that delivery partners and drivers need to be connected at all times, whether it’s to receive a ride or order a ride, stay in touch with loved ones, liven up their journey through podcasts, or even anticipate something unexpected on the road. . . That’s why we’re so excited to announce Uber Cel, a service offered by FreedomPop, with which you can access Uber, WhatsApp, Facebook, Google Maps, Waze, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, and more.
Mar Medrano, Uber’s director of communications in Mexico, noted.
Read more: Uber marks a milestone: It reports its first operating profit since its founding in 2009
The new service joins other initiatives implemented by the mobility app within its scope Uber Pro Membership Programsuch as the possibility to choose the region in which they drive, discounts in gyms, access to loans, financing solutions, among others.
For Uber, it’s important to listen to drivers and delivery partners for the app. Thanks to your feedback, we can work to improve your experience using our platform. Uber Cel is the result of this listening, as they share with us that having an accessible mobile phone and data plan is very attractive to them
Linking to FreedomPop will allow the new service to get Great coverage Recruitment can take place entirely remotely, depending on the companies.
“Thinker. Professional twitter fanatic. Certified introvert. Troublemaker. Unapologetic zombie maven.”


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Starting March 8, Aeroplan Members can link their Aeroplan account to their Starbucks Rewards account and earn Aeroplan points in addition to Starbucks Stars at participating Starbucks locations throughout Canada.
Canada to require returning international travellers to quarantine in hotel, mandates COVID-19 testing
Mandatory PCR testing will be in place with pre-paid quarantine at a Health Canada-approved hotel facility for up to three days while individuals await the results of their test.
Dina is joined by Travel Expert Winston Sih to talk about one of his favorite places that brings him PURA VIDA! To win a trip to Costa Rica (when it’s safe to do so) go to @visit_costarica and nominate someone who is essential to you.
There’s a lot of talk around what the future of travel will look like and what kinds of health and safety considerations people will need to consider before flying domestically.
How cruising will evolve in this post-COVID world as cruise lines look to amplify cleaning protocols and reassure customers of the importance of health and safety.
A look at how airlines look to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic and implement new health and safety guidelines at airports and in cabin.


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Front row, from left: Barbados Tourism Director for the United States Petra Roach, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc chief executive officer William Griffith, Minister of Tourism Kerrie Symmonds and SATW president Barbara Ramsay Orr head the conference. (Picture by Alex Downes.)
Barbados' tourism sector has hit another regional and local milestone.
For the first time ever, the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) kicked off its annual conference in the Caribbean region with an opening ceremony this morning at the Hilton Barbados Resort.
Over 250 travel writers, bloggers and photographers will spend the next week touring, experiencing and writing about Barbados.
Additionally, SATW will discuss the state and future of the travel writing sector.
Minister of Tourism Kerrie Symmonds delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.
In welcoming the writers, Symmonds urged them to tell the story of Barbados, but not shy away from critiques as that would only serve to make the local tourism product better. (AD)


text: SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 23, at the APEC CBET Workshop in Santiago, Chile, experts from leading B2B cross-border e-commerce firm DHgate.com, global communications giant Tencent, international payment service provider UnionPay, and successful e-commerce entrepreneurs introduced 300 Chilean MSMEs (micro-small-and-medium sized enterprises) to the cross-border e-commerce industry ecosystem and value chain, in order to provide Chilean MSMEs with a better understanding of the opportunities and disruptive impact of cross-border e-commerce, and new technologies in the areas of internet financing, payments, and social commerce they can leverage to run and grow their businesses. APEC CBET Chile During the workshop, the industry experts explained the roles of marketing, payments, customer service, trust and safety, logistics, internet finance, and all other components of the industry ecosystem in cross-border e-commerce. The APEC CBET Chile workshop not only included speakers from DHgate.com, Tencent, and UnionPay, but also local leaders such as the Executive Director of the Chile Pacific Foundation Loreto Leyton, the Director of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce George Lever, the Chief of Staff for the Trade Minister of Chile Nicolas Shubert. Tencent Vice President of Tencent Qidian Wang Xiangyu discussed social commerce, which is the use of social channels to facilitate commerce and transactions, and the way it is changing the way international and domestic business communications alike are realized. Mr. Xiangyu explained to the audience, "Digitalization has accelerated globalization and has already changed the way we communicate, most people already use mobile, Tencent has expertise in this area and would like to help all of you to improve efficiency and grow your network." DHgate and Tencent Qidian are currently co-developing a next generation social commerce app together. UnionPay The head of Union Pay Chile, Chen Jianpeng explained the new financial services available that are specifically designed for MSMEs to utilize for cross-border e-commerce business. He explained how MSMEs should take advantage of the availability of short-term financing in order to scale up their digital trade businesses, "UnionPay is seeking to help MSMEs with our many new and innovative internet finance service products, and worldwide online payment methods. These alternative payment and financing methods are becoming more and more popular, and this trend is reshaping people's lives and the way we run businesses."


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The Wisconsin Technology Council is among a coalition of 38 economic development partners that have joined with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. in a regional print advertisement touting the state as a good place to do business. Click here to read a WisBusiness.com story. See the ad here.
- Investors will meet with emerging companies at 2019 Wisconsin Early Stage SymposiumSeptember 16, 2019
- InsideWis: More regulation of tech industry isn’t long-term answerSeptember 12, 2019
- WisBiz: The Show’ covers Tech Metrics, Tom Still commentary; interview with Jed WhiteSeptember 10, 2019
- F35A public hearingSeptember 10, 2019
- Guest column: What’s your personal benchmark? It’s a question worth asking yourselfSeptember 9, 2019


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Paytm Mall set to invest Rs 50 crore in FMCG category
The company competes with players such as BigBasket, Amazon Now and Grofers who have captured the nascent online grocery delivery market in India.
October 11, 2017 / 05:54 PM IST
Noida-based Paytm Mall, a company owned by Paytm Ecommerce Pvt Ltd is set to invest 50 crores on seller training, marketing and optimizing logistics network of its FMCG category.
The company competes with players such as BigBasket, Amazon Now and Grofers who have captured the nascent online grocery shopping market in India.
The investment will enable an increasing number of customers across every city and town to order their daily needs frequently on the platform regularly, the company said.
The company is targeting 6X growth in FMCG sales by the end of the financial year.
The platform will offers a wide range of products including food and groceries, home care essentials, beauty products among others.
“Our country’s FMCG market is the third largest globally and offers a unique opportunity with less than 1 percent of all sales happening online. We want to be the platform our consumers use to shop products of daily needs,” said Amit Sinha, Chief Operating Officer of Paytm Mall.
Over 60 percent of all Paytm Mall customers have shopped for FMCG products on the platform, the company said.
Paytm Mall is working directly with all the leaders in FMCG space including Hindustan Unilever, Nestle, P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, ITC, Mondelez to offer their brands on its platform.


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A couple weeks removed from announcing their Xperia Z flagship smartphone, Sony has unveiled their next Android tablet. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z debuted in Japan and brings a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, enough for 1080p full HD and then some. But that’s not even the most impressive bullet point.
While a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU from Qualcomm is nice, as is 2GB RAM and an 8MP camera, it’s the slate’s 6.9mm thickness that will turn heads. The measurement makes the Xperia Tablet Z the world’s thinnest in its size class while still managing to pack a 6,000mAh battery.
The waterproof, dustproof tablet will run Android 4.1 out of the box. Exact pricing and release details haven’tbeen revealed, but an LTE-enabled version of the device is likely headed to Japan’s NTT DoCoMo. A more general availability is expected to be announced at a later date.


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Jay-Z and the white truffles’ burden
HOW do we know when the black man is free? Writing in the Guardian, Kieran Yates knows:
Jay-Z, truffles and the transformation of bling
As a lover of white truffles, a stereotypically upper class food, the rapper is bolstering a new kind of black identity
You don’t have to eat truffles to be black, but…?
So Jay-Z has shelled out an eye-watering €15,000 on three kilos of white truffles on a recent holiday to Italy… But what does this extravagant detail say about the Jay-Z brand?
This new kind of spending goes a long way to help his brand while bolstering a new kind of black identity.
Fungus can do that?
With his latest truffle extravaganza, what Jay-Z is in effect saying is that the world of decadent foodstuffs is not off limits… Assumptions are slowly being challenged.
Mushroom for improvement?
Food has always been an issue in working class communities, and one of the first things you learn when you are finally allowed consumer power is that food that you once thought was off limits is in fact accessible. Jay-Z understands the cultural capital of food, and with his purchase he is showing the world that taste is not for the white elite to dictate.
To surmise: Black Man Eats Truffle.
Next week: golfing with Jay-Z.
Photo: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, rapper and New Jersey Nets basketball team co-owner Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Mikhail Prokhorov, new majority owner of the New Jersey Nets attend a breakfast meeting at Gracie Mansion in New York City to discuss the Atlantic Yards Stadium Development Project, which will eventually produce an arena for the Nets basketball team, May 19, 2010. Landov.


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The name "Show Me's" is not intended to be a double entendre, but a tribute to Missouri, says Ron Cote, the president of the chain of eateries.
Missouri's nickname, the "Show Me State," is on the state's license plates. Cote said his father-in-law suggested that as the name for the business, and his wife designed the logo.
Asked if the restaurant's name referred to the servers' uniforms of shorts and T-shirts, Cote said, "Y'all are giving us too much credit."
The chain, which has been in the St. Louis metro area since 1990, bills itself on its Web site as offering customers "a laid-back Florida beach experience." Cotes is a Florida native.


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New technology could reduce sugar content by up to 40 per cent
An Israeli company has received US $8.1 million to commercialise a sugar reduction solution that claims to reduce the amount of sugar in a product by 40 per cent.
Targeted technologies development company, DouxMatok, said its sugar reduction technology maximises the efficiency of sugar delivery to taste buds and enhances the sweetness. This then allows for less sugar to be used and for calories to be reduced.
The sugar is said to leave no aftertaste in the product and is compliant with FDA and EU regulations.
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of DouxMatok, Eran Baniel, said the financial investment will speed up the process of commercialising the technology.
“We hope that DouxMatok will become a trusted leading brand in the efforts to reduce sugar consumption to healthier levels, so we can continue to enjoy the foods we love,” Baniel said.
The funding was led by Israel’s largest venture capital fund, Pitango, along with existing shareholders.
Pitango Managing General Partner, Ittai Harel, said the potential of the DouxMatok’s technology is “immense”.
“Having been tested independently by third party evaluators, as well as by
major food manufacturers, the company has proven its ability to achieve desired sweetness level with significantly reduced sugar content,” Harel said.
“Major food manufacturers are actively seeking healthy viable alternatives to the high levels of added sugar currently in use and we are confident DouxMatok will become an enabler and trusted partner to the industry, and for consumers, in this mission.”
It is expected the technology will be commercialised by the end of the 2018 calendar year.
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- Nestle plans to cut sugar but not taste, new science breakthrough
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Woolworths has been testing rounded pricing in its supermarkets.
Singaporean quick service chicken restaurant, 4Fingers, will be setting up shop in Australia.
Australian publicly-listed Retail Food Group is to expand its presence into Scandinavia after a Swed...
Concern for the sustainability of Australian breweries and pubs has been made by industry insiders a...
Wine Australia and Tourism Australia have partnered for a $36 million marketing campaign which will ...
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REGISTER your trade mark prior to doing business – or risk losing your right to register and use it ...


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By Dana Rogge, Public Affairs and Outreach Specialist, Missouri FSA
For many families, the holiday season kicks off with picking out the perfect tree. Everyone bundles up in their winter coats, hats and gloves and takes a hay ride through rows of green beauties in search of the perfect evergreen that will serve as the centerpiece of all family holiday festivities. For many mid-Missouri families, that masterful search happens just outside of Boonville, Mo., at Starr Pines Farm.
Owners Wayne and Ann Harmon have been raising Christmas trees since 1986 and in 1990, they began selling trees to the public, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, on their 200-acre farm.
Most of the trees grown at Starr Pines farm are Scotch Pines, their biggest seller, and Norway Spruce. Wayne estimates he has between 32,000-35,000 trees on the farm currently, but has had as many as 65,000. Their crop is half of what it used to be because of a major hail storm in the early 2000s that destroyed nearly 50,000 trees. Continue reading


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Exclusive: AMD’s Verizon server win was actually a massive win for Intel October 8, 2013 at 4:52 pm
Yesterday, Verizon announced that it’s building its own cloud computing platform to compete with the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Rather than designing its own hardware, or using readymade big iron setups from someone like IBM, Verizon instead opted for high-density SeaMicro servers. AMD, which acquired SeaMicro last year, has been touting this as a huge victory over Intel and its dominance in the server market. We can exclusively reveal, however, that more than three quarters of the SeaMicro servers purchased by Verizon are actually powered by the Intel Xeon E3, not AMD’s own Opteron chip. AMD has, rather ironically, become an Intel OEM.
Microsoft will combine the Windows 8 and WP8 app stores in ecosystem hail mary September 26, 2013 at 5:08 pm
In an effort to save both of its ailing platforms, Microsoft is planning to combine both the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 app stores into a single, all-encompassing app store. It isn’t entirely clear whether this will result in complete cross-platform compatibility for both Windows 8 and WP8 apps — like Apple’s iPhone and…
Microsoft’s impending obsolescence is caused by its failure to grasp its own increasing irrelevance September 23, 2013 at 10:31 am
Microsoft recently released broken patches and updates as part of this month’s Patch Tuesday. Ordinarily, this would be small potatoes — except it’s the third month in a row that Microsoft has released major security fixes or features, then yanked them within hours or days. The problems at Microsoft run deeper than bad patches — even multiple bad patches in a row — and to date, nothing the company has done or said, including getting rid of Ballmer, has spoken to the underlying problem.
Samsung will misguidedly release 64-bit SoC and Android, to combat iPhone 5S September 16, 2013 at 12:02 pm
Samsung has announced that its “next smartphones” will also have “64-bit processing functionality.” This presumably means that the Galaxy S5, or perhaps the phone after that, will have a 64-bit SoC — and, perhaps more importantly, that Android will make the leap to 64-bit, too. Whether smartphones actually gain anything from 64-bit processing, or whether this is merely a 3D TV-like marketing ploy, is another question entirely.
Hands-on with Windows 8.1: A solid update, but not a game changer September 13, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Now that Windows 8.1 has been finalized, we go hands-on to see if it can really help rescue Windows 8 from the doldrums.
Microsoft announcing new Surface on September 23, but is it DOA? September 9, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Microsoft is set to announce a new Surface on September 23rd. Leaks have painted a picture of a version of the Surface with improved specs, but is that anywhere close to enough?
Microsoft buys Nokia’s phone business for $7.2 billion in an attempt to imitate Apple September 3, 2013 at 7:58 am
Microsoft has announced that it will acquire Nokia’s mobile phone business, and a “broad intellectual property license” for Nokia’s patent portfolio, for 5.44 billion Euros (~$7.2 billion). This deal will see Stephen Elop return to Microsoft as the vice president of the newly minted Nokia division, along with some 32,000 other Nokia execs and employees. Microsoft’s rationale for the acquisition, which is due to complete in early 2014, is that it will allow the software giant to finally, seriously, definitely compete against Apple and Google in the smartphone and tablet markets. For real this time. Honest.
Is Windows RT dead? With Asus jumping ship, and just one OEM left, it sure seems so August 12, 2013 at 9:19 am
Last week, Microsoft published an embarrassing video that tried to compare the Surface RT with Apple’s latest iPad. While this video sorely miss the mark (there’s no mention of the iPad’s superior display or the better selection of apps), the more significant point is that this video tries to get users to adopt an ecosystem that’s just a few shaky steps away from death.
Microsoft’s Surface tablets should have been ‘Nexus’ devices August 5, 2013 at 11:55 am
In a mis-guided attempt to go head-to-head with the iPad, Microsoft turned what could have been a promising line of Windows 8 showcase tablets into a PR and business disaster.
Microsoft’s Q2 earnings take $900 million hit due to millions of unsold Surface RT tablets July 19, 2013 at 7:39 am
Microsoft (MSFT) has announced its fourth-quarter (Q2 calendar) and full-year earnings, and the news isn’t fantastic. While its enterprise offerings continue to do well (the Server and Tools division grew 9% this year), the company continues to be hampered by the shrinking PC market — the Windows division, despite the release of Windows 8, saw its profits drop 18% year-over-year. Microsoft’s financial report also shows that it took a $900 million charge for “Surface RT inventory adjustments.” Dividing that by the recent $150 price cut suggests that Microsoft could be sitting on as many as six million unsold Surface RTs.


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Microsoft stated on Tuesday it should enable Epic Video games, Amazon, and different companies to combine their app shops into the expertise large’s market, giving extra choices to third-party builders.
The Redmond, Washington-based firm additionally stated it might not take a lower from app builders’ income, when the apps handle their very own in-app fee programs.
“Microsoft is once more main the trade ahead with Home windows, now an open platform with an open retailer,” Epic Video games Chief Government Officer Tim Sweeney tweeted.
The Epic Video games Retailer is coming to the Home windows Retailer! Microsoft is once more main the trade ahead with Home windows, now an open platform with an open retailer.https://t.co/nFWP9lUGpC
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) September 28, 2021
The transfer comes as Epic Video games and Apple have been locked in a authorized dispute since final 12 months when the Fortnite creator tried to get round Apple’s 30 % charge on some in-app purchases on the App Retailer by launching its personal in-app fee system.
Apple has blacklisted Fortnite from the iPhone maker’s common App Retailer for a number of years till all of the court docket appeals are completed, Epic Video games Chief Government Officer Tim Sweeney stated just lately. Epic Video games’ opening temporary in its enchantment to the US ninth Circuit Court docket of Appeals is due December 12, in line with a court docket submitting and Apple’s reply is due by Jan. 20, 2022. The total enchantment course of may take years.
Builders have lengthy criticised Apple’s commissions of between 15 % and 30 % on many App Retailer purchases, what some builders see as an opaque and unpredictable app-vetting course of.
Google will now take a smaller lower when clients purchase software program from different distributors on its cloud market, in line with a current report. The Google Cloud Platform is chopping its share income share to three % from 20 %, the CNBC report stated, citing an individual aware of the matter.
© Thomson Reuters 2021


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Going for the emerging markets, Microsoft has announced its new Lumia 430 that’s priced at only US$70 (about RM260). This is currently their most affordable Windows device and it also supports dual SIMs with 3G HSPA+ connectivity.
On paper, the Lumia 430 is hardly any different from the Lumia 435 that was announced recently. It has a 4″ display that does a modest 800×480 pixels resolution and runs on a 1.2GHz Dual-Core Snapdragon 200 processor. Also included is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of on-board storage which you can expand up to 128GB extra with microSD.
For taking pictures, it gets a low 2MP main camera and a basic VGA front unit. The only differences if you look hard enough includes the battery, which is a slightly smaller 1,500mAh capacity unit (Lumia 435: 1,560mAh), lighter overall weight (Lumia 430: 127.9g Lumia 435: 134.1g) and a thinner side profile (Lumia 430: 10.6mm, Lumia 435: 11.7mm).
Out of the box, it runs on Windows 8.1 with the latest Lumia Denim Update, but you can also expect it to be upgraded to the latest Windows 10 once it is available by end of this year. The Lumia 430 is only available in either Black or Orange and it will hit the shelves in Asia Pacific sometime in April.
For more information, check out the Lumia 430 Dual-SIM product page.


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New Association Aims to Help Families Avoid Travel Woes
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Traveling with your family should be an unforgettable experience, but anyone who has attempted to make a long journey with children understands that it can be one of the most chaotic and stressful times imaginable.
The Family Travel Association (FTA), which launched Monday, is here to help.
According to a report from Christopher Elliott of the USA Today, the FTA will work with parents and guardians to help encourage and educate on how to travel efficiently and with the least amount of headaches. The FTA will also be working with travel industry leaders to determine which hotels, airlines, amusement parks and other amenities are most family friendly.
FTA president Rainer Jenss told Elliott, “We want to help parents and inspire them to travel…The fact is, the industry has never before come together for the specific purpose of helping families and inspiring them to travel. Now, the industry is joining forces to present a clear and unified message — that travel with kids can be transformational, not just recreational, and that there are things you can do with your children that you may never have dreamed possible.”
The numbers back up the influence of family travel on the industry and the hesitance from parents with small children. According to a 2014 survey by TripAdvisor, 92 percent of those taking a trip planned to bring their families for the journey. Those numbers are up seven percent from 2013.
In another study conducted by MasterCard, “89 percent of families were frazzled by the amount of time and effort required for planning a successful trip.”
The whole reason behind the formation of the Family Travel Association is to assist parents and guardians traveling with children. From helping with itineraries to guiding people to family-friendly facilities, this could be the resource many travelers have needed.
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US: Monster Beverage on course for growth - analyst
Monster released its full-year results yesterday
Monster Beverage's full-year results are “not perfect” but the company can look forward to single-digit sales growth over the next five years, an analyst has said.
In a note today (28 February), Stifel Nicolaus said a resurgence in US sales and increased overseas business give the energy drinks maker a healthy outlook despite slowing growth. In full-year results yesterday, Monster reported a 20% profits rise year-on-year compared to a 35% jump in 2011.
"We continue to anticipate low double-digit sales growth over the next three-to-five years driven by continued US category growth, innovation, and international expansion," Stifel said.
Stifel estimated US sales grew by 12% in the past quarter, an improvement compared to a past two-year average, while international sales increased by 30%.
“The strength in core growth is significant, in our view, as it demonstrates the Monster brand remains healthy as relatively new growth drivers (brand) Rehab and international mature,” Stifel said.
Stifel said Monster’s global market share stood at 15 %, compared to Red Bull's 50%. It estimated Monster’s US share at about 31%.
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A mother and daughter who run a family farming business have described adapting to lockdown and how they are making 50 essential food deliveries a day.
Celia and Kirsty Gay are the latest generations of the Gay family that farm at Newton St Loe, located outside Bath, with a café and farm shop.
Though the farm is running as normal, the café had to close, and the opening hours of the farm shop have been reduced during the pandemic.
They have started non-contact food deliveries and collections for vulnerable people and NHS workers, making around 50 deliveries a day.
“Rather than do nothing and shut the business, we have tried to respond to the community’s need and do it in a safe way for our staff and our customers,” said Celia.
Kirsty said they have received great feedback from the community, and that customers will leave notes in their windows and shout out to the delivery drivers to thank them.
“I think it is definitely nice to get direct feedback. People have sent us messages and cards and even chocolate, so most people are really grateful,” said Kirsty.
Celia said that the pandemic has had a varied effect on the countryside. She believes it has led to people reconnecting with food, cooking with raw ingredients, and a greater appreciation of farmers.
“I think farmers up and down the country have had to adapt dramatically, in the same way we have, so hopefully that has been appreciated by people,” said Celia.
The pandemic has also had negative effects on the countryside, as Celia and Kirsty have experienced people walking and cycling through their crops.
“They have been leaving gates open, picnicking in the middle of our crops, and I completely sympathise with people who need to get out to have their exercise but there seems to be a bit of a ‘we’ll just go where we like’ attitude,” said Celia.
“I guess they are finding that if they go to public places perhaps it is too busy. I don’t think it’s an intentional thing, I think people are just trying to get out to remote places but aren’t necessarily sticking to footpaths,” added Kirsty.
Celia said the other issue caused by Coronavirus is terrible price volatility for farmers due to restaurants, cafes, hotels, and the whole food service industry closing.
“That hasn’t been our experience, but I think generally across the country it has been, sadly,” said Celia.
The pair spoke during Great British Beef Week, which runs from April 23 to 30 and marks the 10th anniversary of the event that aims to highlight British beef and inspirational British farmers.
Celia said the week focuses on the way British beef is produced, and why it is probably one of the world’s most superior beef products.
“British beef farmers graze their beef animals out on grass, with very high welfare standards, so we have a fantastic product and it has a great environmental benefit.”
“We are really proud of the beef that we produce and it’s worth pointing out to people why they should be buying British beef,” explained Celia.
Kirsty said that since they have been making deliveries, they have seen an increase in purchases of beef stewing steak and mince beef.
“I thought it was interesting that when people were starting to cook more from scratch, at home for their families, they were going for products that meant they could make big meals for the family that might last more than a day,” said Kirsty.
A new survey, commissioned to highlight the tenth anniversary of Great British Beef Week, revealed that 64% of Brits cook in bulk to cut costs – saving almost £300 a year on average. 73% of those who batch cook do so to save time and 50% do it to waste less food.
The survey also found that 19% of respondents were cooking in batches so they could give some to their elderly neighbours during the pandemic.
Beef was found to be one of the main ingredients used in batch cooking as stew, chilli con carne and spaghetti Bolognese were among the most popular meals to cook in batches.
Further information on Great British Beef Week can be found on ladiesinbeef.org.uk/events/


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Strategic Vision has announced the winners of its 2013 Total Quality Index (TQI), with American automakers reinstating their position in some very competitive segments.
AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Despite smaller, lighter cars being safer than they used to be, bigger and heavier vehicles still offer more protection in crashes.
You’ve probably heard of Costco members getting incentives to buy new vehicles at dealers on your local radio. However, one automaker; General Motors is taking things a step further, teaming up with the wholesale giant to sell select Chevy/GMC pickups and SUVs through a number of authorized retailers for a no haggle “preferred price.”
In addition, eligible buyers will also receive a $500 Costco Cash Card for further savings on the price of a new truck. As part of the program, GM will display vehicles at Costco outlets across the country, which according to a company spokesman for the General; Jim Cain, enables the automaker to “reach people in a unique setting outside of a dealership.”
The “preferred” price actually varies from vehicle to vehicle, though according to Cain, will be similar to incentives offered to employees of GM suppliers, who currently receive discounts on new cars and trucks.
Eligible vehicles in the Costco program include the 2011/2012 Chevy Silverado, Tahoe and Surburan as well as the Traverse, plus their GMC equivalents, Sierra; Yukon, Yukon XL and Acadia.
In order to participate, Costco members have to register online with the Costco Auto Program or call a special phone number. They must also complete surveys and redemption forms after purchasing a vehicle in order to receive the $500 Cash Card.
[Source: Automotive News]
Bob Buckhorn, the mayor of Tampa, Florida needed a safe, reliable vehicle for his family, and did what many cost-concious car buyers do – he looked for a vehicle seized by the police.
While most people have to attend an auction to purchase such a car, Buckhorn decided on a police forfeit since it meant that the city wouldn’t have to pay a dime to get him a vehicle. Buckhorn opted for a 2005 GMC Yukon Denali, and the car in question has what many classic car auction houses would call “provenance”.
Buckhorn’s Denali was formerly owned by Charles Melvin Fox, who was convicted of sex trafficking. Authorities allege that Fox’s Denali was used to transport prostitutes across state lines, making Buckhorn’s new car a pimpmobile in every sense of the word – the vehicle even had spinner rims installed, but they were eventually removed before Buckhorn took delivery. Buckhorn described the car as ”a product of ill-gotten gains is being put to good use.”
GM is recalling 10,000 trucks and SUVs that have been impacted by two safety issues worldwide. The majority of the recalls are for the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon (9,215 combined) that could roll away when shifted into park due to a faulty part manufactured in China. The recall will be officially issued out on July 19th, and GM will install new automatic transmission adjustment clips. This recall impacts 6,700 vehicles sold in the United States.
Fortunately this recall (and the other one) doesn’t involve any crashes. The Colorado and Canyon recall was discovered when a vehicle failed to start while at a GM assembly plant. The other recall is being issued out to 891 SUVs and trucks for steering problems. 739 of the vehicles impacted are in the United States. Those impacted will have their intermediate steering shaft bolts properly tightened to ensure no loss of steering can occur. Those letters will be sent out on July 13th.
The 891 SUVs and trucks affected by that recall include the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Sierra all from the 2011 model year.
GM’s big SUVs harken back to an era of conspicuous consumption, when $2-a gallon gas and a lingering nostalgia of 15-foot-long American cars flooded the industry. But if the Volt is any indicator, the era of big, cheap Suburbans and Tahoes might finally come to an end with next generation trucks.
To meet new fuel economy regulations, General Motors will add a price premium to its line of full-size SUVs. Currently, the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe get a combined average of 17-mpg. But new CAFE regulations will force GM to reach a company-wide average of 35.5-mpg by 2016, and there’s no time to waste.
As a result, GM’s next generation of full-size SUVs “will be more expensive to engineer and build because of the need for lighter weight materials,” said Tracy Handler, an analyst at IHS Automotive. “I expect prices to be higher.”
Sales of full-size SUVs have sunk like, well, a full-size SUV into a lake. From a high of over 1 million units in 2003 and 2004, sales of the Suburban, Escalade, Toyota Sequoia, Lincoln Navigator, and others dropped to 372,437 vehicles. There have been prior doubts to whether this would be the last time these squirrel crushing, deer smacking, driving machines would live to see next year, but GM is still committed to introducing them in 2013 as 2014 models: it is investing over $300 million in its Arlington, Texas plant for the next Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
“We have customers who need full-sized SUVs for work and play,” Chevrolet spokesman Mike Albano said. “We will continue to provide a vehicle in that segment.”
[Source: Automotive News]
The latest in a growing list of investments, General Motors has announced a $331 million cash infusion into its Arlington Assembly Plant in Texas.
The plant currently builds GM’s SUV lineup, with models including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. The funding will go towards new tooling and equipment for the facility and while GM hasn’t said as much, it’s believed the this is in preparation for a new full-sized SUV line, with new versions of the above-mentioned trucks expected to hit the market some time around 2014.
In addition to sprucing up the place, GM has also announced the creation of 110 new positions at the plant, adding to the 2,400 person workforce there now.
“This investment will allow us to continue building award-winning full-size SUVs that offer better fuel efficiency than ever before without sacrificing the features and functionality they’ve come to expect,” GM Manufacturing Manager Larry Zahner said Thursday. “We remain committed to providing customers the utility and capability of our world-class full-size SUVs.”
Part of a major overhaul of its production facilities and models, GM recently announced upgrades to its Detroit-Hamtramck plant and Bowling Green Corvette Factory as part of an investment strategy that will see $2 billion used to revitalize 17 plants.
General Motors’ T800 series of full-size pickup trucks and SUVs, with specific reference to 1999-03 models of Chevy Silverado, Avalance, Suburban and Tahoe, as well as their GMC counterparts, Sierra and Yukon, have been subjected to an investigation regarding rusted brake lines.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in a filling posted last week, has said it has upgraded its original investigation to an ‘engineering analysis’ covering the affected vehicles, following concerns regarding its preliminary findings.
Said findings included no fewer than 26 separate complaints of brake line corrosion which have resulted in vehicle accidents since the agency first began looking into the problem last year.
GM, in a statement last year, said that even if a brake line rusted through, one of these trucks should still be able to stop safely.
In the course of its investigation, NHTSA initially targeted 6 million vehicles, but later reduced this 1.8 million when it decided that only vehicles being driven in rust belt states (where the roads are salted in winter) are adversely affected.
Said states comprise Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia.
Considering NHTSA’s recent spate of recalls, we have to think an official recall notice is coming soon.
[Source: New York Times]
We regret to inform you that the subject matter behind the enticing title won’t live up to whatever thoughts are circulating in your head. Rather, Forbes’ list of “Americas Dirtiest Vehicles” has to do with pollution and gas mileage, and is mostly comprised of cars we ourselves would want to own.
Forbes used a variety of factors to determine what qualified for the list, with both carbon emissions and fuel consumption factoring in to the economy. “Heavy Duty” trucks were left off the list, as well performance cars that only get driven on special occasions, like the Ferrari 599 GTO (and, apparently, Mercedes’ AMG lineup).
Hit the jump to see the list for yourself
The Detroit-area wheel thieves have struck again, this time liberating the giant chrome 20″ rims off of Mayor Dave Bing’s GMC Yukon Denali.
The SUV, which police say is used by Bing’s family, was allegedly parked in a secure lot at Bing’s condominium. No other vehicles were targeted, and a replacement set of dubs were summoned via tow truck.
Ex-Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick previously made headlines for leasing expensive SUVs on the taxpayer’s dime, while an Autoguide contributor recently had the wheels stolen off of a Lincoln MKT while visiting the city. Detroit and full-size SUVs seem to be a bad combination.
[Source: ClickOn Detroit]
In a sign that the Cash-for-Clunkers program is working and that car sales are finally starting to turn a corner, General Motors has announced that it is increasing production and adding overtime shifts at several plants.
Shifts will be added at GM’s CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada and at the Lordstown, Ohio plant. The Lordstown facility is responsible for assembly of the Chevy Cobalt, while the Ingersoll facility is home to the GMC Terrain and the all new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox (pictured above).
The added shifts means General Motors will bring 1,350 employees back on the job.
Earlier this month Gm added overtime shifts at its Arlington, Texas plant where the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon are made.
The total production increase is said to be roughly 60,000 units, a move deemed necessary by General Motors to ensure its dealers have an appropriate number of vehicles on their lots after a surge in sales following the recent Cash-for-Clunkers legislation saw dealer inventories hit their lowest point since 1991.
[Source: Automotive News]


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Although Samsung’s successor to the Galaxy S3 is set to be announced in a couple of short days, it seems the company could be prepping a refresh to the line. According to insider Eldar Murtazin, the refresh will bring about a better display, a 2,400 mAh battery, and will be outfitted with the necessary bits for wireless charging.
That’s a worthy retake on one of 2012’s best phones, and at the right price it could be even more enticing for some people than shelling out for the Galaxy S4. Of course, those who already own the Galaxy S3 won’t see the need to step up to this particular version, especially when you can take care of most of those upgrades with third-party products.
We’re not sure when to expect the refresh, but don’t be surprised if we forget all about it by the time Samsung hits New York March 14th — there are bigger, and better things to look forward to on the horizon.
[thanks to everyone who sent this in!]


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Welcome to our new web site!
To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.
During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.
In a major shift, state Sen. Rick Jones amended legislation Tuesday to govern medical marijuana dispensaries to follow the same tiered distribution system as alcohol.
The change quickly cost the legislation the support of a major medical marijuana advocacy group.
Jones, R-Grand Ledge, chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is working on legislation that has already passed the House. Jones delayed a vote today to send the three-bill package to the floor because two members had to leave early.
The three-tiered system for alcohol is a post-Prohibition era policy that is meant to keep alcohol producers from distributing and selling their own product. Under that system, suppliers sell alcohol to wholesalers, which then sell it to retailers like bars or stores, which then sell it to consumers. Jones believes it should also apply to medicine.
“When Pfizer makes medicine, they don’t go open a store and sell it,” Jones said Tuesday. “There is a clear difference between people who manufacture it and people who transport it and people who sell it.”
The National Patients Rights Association withdrew its support. “We think it’s a terrible model,” said its legislative liaison, Robiun Schneider. “Medical marijuana is a very unique product. It’s not in any way similar to a product like alcohol.”
Preventing growers from also processing or selling their medical marijuana creates barriers for patients who need specialized forms of the product, Schneider said.
“We’re better off with nothing than having a three-tiered system for medical marijuana,” she said.
Jones denied that the tiered-system amendment was pushed on him by the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association.
“They didn’t ask me to be able to distribute” medical marijuana, Jones said.
Jones, a former Eaton County sheriff, said the change was meant to address police concerns, but the wholesalers are clearly interested.
“Michigan’s local beer and wine distributors encourage legislators to regulate medical marijuana in a manner consistent with other adult, controlled products. What businesses in Michigan’s alcohol industry have found is that a tiered, licensed system is the most effective way to promote accountability, transparency, competition and safety,” Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association President Spencer Nevins told City Pulse last week.
The House version of the bill without the tiers passed in October with broad bipartisan support.
Jones hopes to move it out of committee “as soon as possible,” where it faces an uncertain fate in the full Senate.


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|reply to goalieskates |
Re: Facebook in talks to buy browser company Opera, says report
Opera not only makes a web browser, but they've bought at least three advertising networks. That makes Opera both a browser and an advertisement company. Just like Google.
Opera Software's first quarter 2012 financial report reveals a great deal about the company's current mobile strengths beyond browsing, especially where advertising and mobile revenue are concerned. In 2010, for example, Opera acquired advertising publishing platform AdMarvel. This was followed by the acquisition of advertising suppliers Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising earlier this year. Combined, Opera now claims to offer "the leading global mobile advertising platform," with with a reach of 140 million mobile consumers globally330 million when Opera's own browsing software is included.
less talk, more music


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In this file photo taken on June 24, 2018 the official Adidas Telstar World Cup football is pictured prior to a press conference in Kaliningrad during the Russia 2018 World Cup football tournament. (AFP / Ozan KOSE)
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German sporting goods firm Adidas on Thursday said the World Cup in Russia and strong e-commerce sales lifted net profit in the second quarter, keeping the company on track to meet its 2018 goals.Net profit at the Bavaria-based company more than doubled to 396 million euros ($459 million) between April and June, up from 158 million the previous year.Sales at the group's struggling US sports brand Reebok fell three percent to 387 million euros, despite a major overhaul.Adidas also said it had incurred a one-off charge related to Reebok, after German financial regulators forced the group to make accounting changes to its 2016 financial statement over the value of the Reebok trademark.Investors were impressed with Adidas' performance, sending shares soaring 7.5 percent to 204.80 euros by 1030 GMT in Frankfurt, against a DAX blue-chip index up 0.4 percent.
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07 November 2023
Lincolnshire specialist acquires Yorkshire business, extending reach.
AKP Group, a UK potato supply chain specialist based in North Lincolnshire, has completed the acquisition of Wolds Produce, based in York.
Wolds Produce was set up as a potato trading business in 2004, offering crops from the Yorkshire Wolds region to packers. The company has since grown to become a major potato supplier into the crisping, chipping and potato seed industries, and currently trades more than 50,000 tonnes of potatoes in the UK and abroad.
Arundel Kerr Produce Ltd (AKP Group) was established in 1999 by Richard Arundel and Bruce Kerr and works with a network of growers and partners to deliver potatoes to the retail, processing and food service sectors in the UK and overseas.
“We are thrilled to welcome Wolds Produce into the AKP Group,” said Richard Arundel, Managing Director of AKP Group. “By combining our respective services and scaling up our operation across storage, washing, grading and distribution, we can help our growers and partners to minimise risk, reduce their costs and make it happen for UK farming.”
“At AKP Group, we take pride in being flexible and responding to the changing needs of the industry. This acquisition represents a strategic step towards realising our vision of becoming the go-to partner within the UK’s potato industry. We are excited that Wolds Produce shares this focus and we are excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring to our network of growers and customers.”
Tim Foggin, Managing Director at Wolds Produce, added: “The culture and forward-thinking nature of AKP Group aligns with our own values, and we look forward to merging our expertise and consolidating our respective strengths.”
Wolds Produce will continue to operate independently under AKP Group, and all employees will retain their current roles.


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Click play to hear Tom Hudson host this episode of WLRN's ongoing radio and online series, The Sunshine Economy, airing Mondays at 9:00 a.m. on WLRN 91.3 FM.
Squeezed between South Florida's neighborhoods and the Everglades is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry. Tomatoes, beans and avocados all sprout from the rocky South Florida soil along with one of the largest nursery industries growing trees, shrubs and other landscaping plants.
Agriculture generates a direct $700 million dollars a year in Miami-Dade County alone. The economic impact of the plowing, growing and picking of those crops is much larger.
Sale 2791. Lot 8A. "Three Studies of Lucien Freud." $142.4 million.
On the evening of Nov. 12 at Rockefeller Center in New York City, the 1969 oil painting on canvas by Francis Bacon set a record price for publicly auctioned art. Its auction price may bode well for those hoping the upcoming Art Basel Miami Beach will lead to big business. But even if there are no nine-figure sale prices, a rebounding housing market and rallying stock market are expected to lift the spirits, and possibly prices, of the business around Basel.
The legal profession is going through a bit of an existential crisis and certainly an economic one. Large law firms that 10 years ago would have been expected to survive any financial crisis are reacting to a new, constricting marketplace with staff reductions and requests for capital contributions from partners. Host Karen Rundlet talks with Greenberg Traurig's Brad Kaufman about new opportunities for hiring and partnership in today's legal environment.
Structural engineers don't necessarily view rising sea levels as certain disaster. By definition, it's the job of the engineer to solve design and construction problems caused by environmental changes.
Business journalist Karen Rundlet examines some proposed solutions for sea-level rise. She interviews the University of Miami's Dr. Antonio Nanni about embracing some unusual possibilities. Click play to hear the interview.
Late August 1992 was going to be a memorable time for Joanna Lederman, her husband Alan and sons John and Michael. They had spent the spring and summer getting ready to open a new independent grocery market. After all the product testing, tastings, employee training, inventory stocking, marketing and other work to get a new business off the ground, they were all set.
Joanna's Marketplace was going to open for the first time on South Dixie Highway in Miami on August 24, 1992. Then Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida.
In the movie Field of Dreams, an Iowan farmer builds a baseball diamond in a cornfield and the ghosts of the disgraced 1919 Chicago White Sox materialize from the stalks.
On a 1.6-acre plot of land in Dania Beach, there's nothing so supernatural taking place. Instead, the community, along with a public-private partnership, have joined together to build an urban garden. They grow vegetables and sell them to neighbors who otherwise have a difficult time finding fresh food near their homes.
Florida’s Senate Gaming Committee held its first public workshop recently to hear local perspectives about the future of gambling in the state as well as the potential social and economic impact expanded gaming would have on South Florida.
Early last year, state lawmakers shot down a bill to allow major casinos in South Florida. But now they’re reconsidering that decision, and possibly changing other state laws on gambling --- and that has plenty of people concerned.
Click the play button above and listen to WLRN's hour-long episode, "The Sunshine Economy: The Grocery Business," with host Tom Hudson. The episode is part of an ongoing series examining key industries of the South Florida economy. The show airs Mondays at 9:00 a.m. on 91.3 FM.
Would you pay $12 for this jar of pluot jelly?
It's a combination of apricots and plums. Plenty of people are shelling out the $12 for the 10-ounce jar at independent grocery store Joanna's Marketplace on South Dixie Highway in Miami.
This jelly is just one way the small store looks to compete in an increasingly crowded grocery store industry in South Florida.
Click the play button above to hear the radio version of this post.
The store you probably spend the most time in isn’t a boutique or a department store. I’ll bet, over the course of a year, it’s the supermarket.
On average, supermarket customers shop for groceries twice a week and spend about $100. In South Florida, Publix is the marketshare leader – dominating with close to 250 stores. Winn Dixie is second. And then, we have Walmart and Sedano’s.
While each chain is distinct in terms of pricing and store environment, there are commonalities in how many of them are designed, said Paco Underhill, a consultant and author who studies the science of how people shop all over the world.
The confirmation by Amazon.com that it will build a pair of massive "fulfillment" centers along the Interstate 4 corridor means that sometime in the next two years Floridians will have to start paying sales taxes on purchases from the online retail giant.
But even with Amazon eventually joining other businesses located in Florida in collecting the state's sales tax, some groups will continue pushing to eliminate an exemption that has allowed out-of-state online retailers including eBay and Overstock to avoid the tax.
It’s entirely appropriate that Makers Square is a work in progress.
The grounds surrounding the brick-red building are covered with projects under construction, including large aquaponic planters built from pallets for herbs and fruit trees.
Nine shipping containers are being repurposed as classrooms, a pottery studio, a photography studio and rentable individual workspaces. Also in the plans: The roofs of those containers will be covered with gardens.
Originally published on Tue October 22, 2013 4:09 pm
Cuba will end the two-currency system it has used for nearly 20 years. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba has used either American currency or a peso that's pegged to the dollar alongside its national peso.
The monetary unification will phase out a system that has become a symbol of exclusivity and foreign wealth. Many products that are imported into the country can be bought only with the dollar-based convertible peso. But most Cubans are paid in the standard peso, which is worth just a fraction of the other currency.
Alexandra Estrada (right) is studying Portuguese at the Cultural Center for Language Studies in Miami. Estrada encounters many Brazilian customers in her job with the cruise industry. Her teacher is Valmira Hayes.


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Mobile World Congress 2012
Fira Montjuic Exhibition Centre, Barcelona
The MWC is the world’s most renowned mobile technology event of the year. It is undoubtedly the largest exhibition for the mobile industry to showcase their products and a world-class conference featuring visionary keynotes and panel discussions from prominent chief executives representing mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors and content owners from many countries.
Telefónica’s exhibit of proposals and projects will be open to the public at Hall 8 of the Fira, where its two-storey stand is located. It will feature its own press room to attend the journalists covering MWC 2012. Telefónica’s stand will be number (8A115). The most accessible entrance to locate Hall 8 would be the gate at the end of the Fira, the nearest one to the Palau Nacional.
Follow us on @m2mtelefonica


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You now have an easier online way to manage your Home Delivery subscription for The Oklahoman. Go to our secure server to update account information, make a payment, set up vacation no-delivery times, change your delivery address, or report delivery concerns.
FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2012 file photo, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., waits to speak with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Chambliss announced Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, he will not seek a third term next year, saying "this is about frustration" with Washington gridlock that he doesn't see changing in a divided government. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)


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The unemployment rate in the U.S. has been percentage points higher than officially reported since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the economy. We break down the misclassification error behind the underreporting.
Americans who can telework are avoiding the office due to the coronavirus pandemic. But not everyone can telework, because they lack stable broadband access. Many of those who lack broadband live in rural areas.
This collection of research, compiled to help journalists write about Black Friday and winter holiday shopping, examines shopper experiences, holiday pricing, shopping psychology and Black Friday aggression.


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12 apologies that fell short
Evan Spiegel, Snapchat CEO
Last month, Spiegel said he was "mortified" after
Valleywag published offensive e-mails he wrote while at Stanford University. "I'm sorry I wrote them at the time and I was [a] jerk to have written them. They in no way reflect who I am today or my views towards women," he said.
The energy company caused outrage online after offering gift certificates for a free pizza and a 2-liter drink to residents in a Pennsylvania town where a natural gas well explosion killed one worker in February. The certificates came with a letter stating, "Chevron recognizes the effect this has had on the community."
Tom Perkins, venture capitalist co-founder of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Perkins apologized for any misunderstandings around his Wall Street Journal letter that compared critics of the rich to Nazis. He said, "I’d deeply apologize to you and anyone who has mistaken my reference to Kristallnacht as a sign of overt or latent anti-Semitism. This is not the case."
Campbell's apologized for offending anyone with its tweet of a cartoon SpaghettiO holding a flag with the message: "Take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us" on Dec. 6, 2013, the day before the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. The company said, "We apologize for our recent tweet in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. We meant to pay respect, not to offend."
Chip Wilson, former Lululemon CEO
Wilson apologized in November 2013 after saying that Lululemon pants "don't work for some women's bodies" in response to complaints about "pilling" fabric. He said, "I'm really sad. I’m sad for the repercussions of my actions. I’m sad for the people at Lululemon who I care so much about that have really had to face the brunt of my actions."
Guido Barilla, CEO of Barilla
Barilla apologized in September 2013 after saying the pasta company would never make an advertisement featuring a same-sex couple. "With reference to statements made yesterday, I apologize if my words have generated controversy or misunderstanding, or if they have hurt the sensibilities of some people," he said.
The wireless company was criticized last year after commemorating September 11 by tweeting a photo of a smartphone superimposed over the New York Skyline with the words "Never Forget." It responded by saying, "We apologize to anyone who felt our post was in poor taste. The image was solely meant to pay respect to those affected by the 9/11 tragedy."
Tim Armstrong, AOL CEO
In an internal memo, Armstrong said he was accountable for the way he publicly fired Patch creative director Abel Lenz in August 2013 and explained that his action was "driven by the desire to openly communicate" with Patch employees across the country. Armstrong apologized to Lenz directly, according to the memo. "On Friday I acted too quickly and I learned a tremendous lesson and I wanted you to hear that directly from me," he wrote.
Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie & Fitch CEO
Jeffries posted an apology to Facebook in May 2013 after 7-year-old quotes from a Salon article indicated the brand is "exclusionary." "I sincerely regret that my choice of words was interpreted in a manner that has caused offense. A&F is an aspirational brand that, like most specialty apparel brands, targets its marketing at a particular segment of customers," he wrote.
The sandwich company caused a stir in January 2013 when a customer discovered the Subway "footlong" was actually 11 inches long. Subway Australia's apology caused more confusion than clarity. "With regards to the size of the bread and calling it a footlong, 'SUBWAY FOOTLONG' is a trademark as a descriptive name for the sub sold in Subway Restaurants and not intended to be a measurement of length," it said.
Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO
Hastings was criticized for taking two months to apologize to customers unhappy about changes in its service in 2011. The apology touted the company's success and pitched its new DVD by mail service called "Qwikster." He said, "It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology."
Tony Hayward, former BP CEO
The former BP executive had to apologize for his apology following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven BP employees died in the blast. In the earlier statement, he said, "We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused their lives. There's no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back."
Admitting fault is not easy.
No one enjoys acknowledging their errors in front of the whole world. The best apology is prompt, thorough, and considerate of consumer outrage. It avoids phrases like “I’m sorry if I offended you.” And it doesn’t take months to materialize.
That apology is sometimes elusive.
We looked at some of the more awkward apologies that have been issued by companies in the Bay Area and across the country. The first came shortly after Valleywag published explicit e-mails Snapchat chief executive Evan Spiegel wrote while at Stanford University. The apology came over e-mail to Business Insider. While this apology was timely, it did nothing to erase the e-mail incident from the public mind.
Where Spiegel’s apology fell short, others have outshone the incident they aimed to remedy. View 12 bad apologies above, then let us know about any we missed.


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- Ford prefers hybrid cars over electrics for autonomous driving.
- The choice makes sense, as hybrids are subject to less downtime than cars that need to charge, say auto industry analysts.
Hybrids make better self-driving cars than the electric cars some automakers are using, a top Ford executive said Monday.
Hybrid cars will be able to stay on the road for longer periods of time than electrics — Ford plans to have its cars on the road for 20 hours a day, said Jim Farley, Ford's executive vice president and president of global markets, told Automotive News.
Farley gave his comments days after publishing a post on Medium elaborating on Ford's plans for developing autonomous vehicles.
Using hybrids is a different strategy from the path some other companies are taking. Ford's U.S. rival General Motors has been using all-electric Chevrolet Bolt cars for its own autonomous testing.
And of course Tesla has been outfitting its own electric cars with all the hardware the company says is necessary for full autonomy since 2016.
Ford has been stepping up its efforts on new mobility businesses such as ride-sharing and autonomous driving technology. The company is battling a perception among investors that Ford is falling behind peers.
Ford's shares have risen just more than 3 percent so far in 2017, compared with nearly 20 percent for GM and more than 50 percent for Tesla.
Ford's choice makes sense, said Dave Sullivan, an auto industry analyst with AutoPacific.
"The auto industry has been working on full battery electric vehicles for over 110 years now," Sullivan told CNBC. "We still have many of the same issues today as we did then in regard to range and charge time. Hybrids are much better suited to robotaxi and delivery duty because their downtime can be minimized."
Cold weather can also reduce battery range on electrics, which further reduces the amount of time the car can be on the road, but this is offset in hybrids by the gasoline engine, he said.
Ford plans to market autonomous vehicles not only for ride-sharing, but for other commercial driving applications, such as delivery vehicles. And commercial vehicles are likely to be especially sensitive to shorter ranges and long charging times, Sullivan said.
Finally, electric powertains are likely to remain more expensive than internal combustion engines for quite some time, and autonomous technology will be very expensive on top of that.
"Hybrids offer the best mix of uptime, efficiency, and cost," Sullivan said.
That may change if battery technology improves and charging times can be reduced.
"If/when batteries can fully recharge in the 3-5 minutes it takes to refuel with gas, then an all-EV fleet would be appealing," Kelly Blue Book analyst Rebecca Lindland told CNBC, "But that technology is not available yet."
But one of the reasons Ford is choosing hybrids is the fast-charging technology touted by companies such as Tesla degrades batteries more quickly, requiring more frequent replacements, Farley told Automotive News.
Ford recently said it is shifting production of an electric car to Mexico in order to free up space for self-driving cars at its plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. Ford plans to bring autonomous vehicles to a test market in 2018 and to the general market in 2021. GM plans to have a fleet of self-driving cars by 2019.


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Popular among cryptocurrency companies Metropolitan Bank has stopped the processing of international transfers related to cryptocurrency. The Bank recently informed customers.
Client Metropolitan announced that his investment company on Thursday received a warning from the Bank about the “suspension of processing incoming and outgoing Bank transfers related to cryptocurrency”. Its decision, the Bank explained the inability to verify international transfers by cryptocurrency.
The official position of the Bank is not yet known. Presumably, Metropolitan had the courage to take this step after the detection of cases of fraud involving one of his clients. The need to comply with rules “Know your customer” (KYC) has increased the potential for increased regulation in the current free cryptocurrency climate.
Metropolitan has not said yet whether they plan to resume service cryptocurrency companies in the future. Not clear is the fate of the customer funds stored in the Bank.
The surprising decision of the Metropolitan is of particular importance for several reasons.
First, after the November IPO of Metropolitan showed good growth due to its focus on the emerging market of digital currencies. Some customers call him “the bitcoin Bank”. It is known that the American stock exchange, Coinbase is one of the companies that use the Bank’s services to transfer money and receive deposits. Cancellation of cryptocurrency transactions can reduce the number of companies and have a negative impact on the future prospects of the Bank and the value of its shares.
Second, American funds, working with international clients across Metropolitan, now hold their funds without the possibility of return of capital. This results in Bank and investment firms to instability.
Thirdly, non-us funds, working exclusively with international clients across Metropolitan, could potentially be forced to suspend or fully terminate their activities.


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A group of Philadelphia pals launched a fundraiser to pay local restaurants to feed health care workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. Cole Berman and 5 of his friends launched a page called “Fuel the Fight” last week. They wanted to help workers in both the health care and restaurant industries who have been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic. 100% of the money raised buys meals from area restaurants and they deliver the food to local hospitals.
The campaign has raised over $41-thousand so far to both support local restaurants and feed local healthcare workers.


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In a previous article I talked about my thermostat and the Internet of Everything [read here] I questioned the true value my smart meter was providing to my home and my wallet. I said what’s missing is a thermostat that helps me understand my energy consumption habits, allows me to stay within budget (and save money!) and eventually take advance of spot prices on energy. Wouldn’t that be cool?!
The good news is that there are products on the market today that are heading in the right direction. Nest, recently acquired by Google for $3.2 billion [read here], offers a “learning thermostat” which Bill MacGowen wrote about earlier in his post: My home thermostat and the Internet of Everything” [read here].
The Nest acquisition is a big deal and there’s already discussions starting to surface on what Google plans to do with the data they will gather from Nest devices. Why is Google getting into the energy management and HVAC market? What will they do with the data? Will there be ads showing up on my Google thermostat? This led me to wonder who else was in this market space? Are there any alternatives to Nest? Of course there are but they’ve been overshadowed by Nest because of the origins of it’s founder (Apple) and Google’s recent purchase.
One of them is ecobee, a Canadian company. While they may not be a household name (yet) they’ve been around since 2007 plugging away and growing their business organically. I reached out to ecobee because I wanted to learn more about the company, it’s founder and his thoughts on where he sees the future heading for IoT/IoE.
Below is part two of my email conversation with the founder and CEO of ecobee, Stuart Lombard. Click here to read part one of the interview.
In 2013, you opened your API allowing others to integrate with ecobee smart thermostats. Can you explain what this means for advancing IoT and what success looks like so far?
There is a lot of innovation around IoT right now. At ecobee, we want to give our customers the opportunity to experience all of it. But we know we can’t build it all. So we’ve opened our APIs to allow others to integrate with us so we can deliver more value to our customers, and our customers can choose the solutions they want. Currently, we have hundreds of companies – like SmartThings and revolv – building applications around our platform. We’re excited to see where our open API will take our technology. Read More »


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New Delhi: Vowing not to let foreign brands "step foot in Mumbai", the Shiv Sena Wednesday said foreign investment in multi-brand retail will "snatch the livelihoods of traders and farmers".
"We will not allow these foreign companies to step foot in Mumbai and neither will the citizens of India let them in... 70 percent of Indians are protesting against FDI (foreign direct investment), that's why the Bharat Bandh took place," Shiv Sena MP Anant Gangaram Geete said Wednesday while taking part in the debate on the issue in the Lok Sabha.
"The government is taking business away from local traders and farmers and giving it to foreigners and then say it is for the country's welfare. I compliment their intelligence," Geete added.
Citing Mahatma Gandhi's stand against foreign products, Geete said Mahatma Gandhi was a firm advocate of "all things swadesi and was against videsi" but this government was supporting and welcoming foreigners.
"There are 35 lakh north Indians in Mumbai and of those almost 20 lakh sustain themselves by selling milk, vegetables and fruits. You are snatching their livelihood and giving it to Wal-Mart and other foreigners," he said.


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Seattle-based i-shop Avenue A is separating its design and technology functions into two operating divisions, the company said today.
Avenue A's planning, ad serving and optimization technology products -- now sold under the brand name Atlas DMT--have long been touted as the elements that set the three-year-old agency apart from its competition. According to Mike Galgon, Avenue A's chief strategy officer, the decision to split off Atlas DMT was not made because of financial problems, but because demand for the services had reached a level justifying the move.
The company's interactive agency division will continue to operate as Avenue A, Galgon said.
The move puts Avenue A in direct competition with DoubleClick. Galgon said Atlas could compete with DoubleClick because Atlas was created by an ad agency for other agencies.
"Atlas is currently in beta with a few agency partners," said Galgon. Though he declined to name the partners, he said one is a global traditional agency with strong digital capability, and one is an interactive agency which, "like Avenue A, is a specialist in best of breed in the digital space."


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For the last four years, Sony’s phones more or less have looked almost exactly the same in terms of design. In an interview with Indian Express, there could finally be a change coming very soon. Speaking to Indian Express, Sony’s managing director for India, Kenichiro Hibi, said that the company is “planning to launch [a] new generation of products, and you can expect a complete new design from the devices.”
We don’t have a timeline of when Sony will unveil a newly designed phone or when it will arrive to the consumer market. From previous trends, Sony normally waits until Mobile World Congress to unveil major phones, which is in February, and then at IFA, which is in August.
Potentially, we may see Sony unveil a new phone design in February at Mobile World Congress. Hibi said to Indian Express that the phone design will arrive “soon.” A new design is really needed for Sony. While their phones are attractive, they don’t have a major selling points over its competitors that are constantly introducing new technology. For example, companies are now reducing the bezel designs of the phones while Sony’s phone are full of bezel, so far.
Sony could potentially release a phone with a taller screen, potentially adopting an 18:9 aspect ratio, and smaller bezels like its competitors. Knowing Sony, they will find a way to maintain the company design “elegance” in the newly introduced phone(s).


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UK Today News: Sony Reveals New PS3 160 GB And 320 GB Models – Move Launch Date Announced
Sony Corporation announced on Tuesday that it will be bringing out two upgraded models of the PlayStation 3. Sony states that the models will have a good upgrade in terms of its storage capacity- one with a 160 GB memory capacity and the other with a 320 GB memory capacity.
The 320 GB model will be a part of the new PlayStation Move bundle, and it is set to be shipped out by 19th of September. On the other hand, the new 160 GB PS3 will be priced at $299 and is currently available. Reports say that Sony has divided the PS3 into two capacity tiers or levels.
Currently, in the game module market, the PS3 models are readily available with a 120GB memory as well as a 250 GB memory, along with a price tag of $299 and $349 respectively. The new upgrades come when Sony Japan is coming up with their new motion sensor module called the Sony PlayStation move which will be a part of the PS3 320GB bundle.


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Former Spago and Campanile pastry chef Kim Boyce immediately made a splash upon her move to Portland last summer — in addition to bringing along husband Thomas Boyce (who's now collecting enthusiastic reviews at Bluehour), Boyce has picked up a 2011 James Beard Award for her cookbook Good to the Grain, and her pastries have appeared on the cover of Bon Appetit.
And now, after a series of delays, Boyce's long-awaited Bakeshop has swung its doors open in NE, offering a wide range of pastries: scones (like figgy buckwheat; maple; and chocolate orange pecan), muffins (corn and gruyere; sweet potato date), tea cakes, and specialities like salted peanut honeycombs and spiced caramel corn. Boyce's Bakeshop is now open, 7am-2pm.
· Bakeshop [Official site]
· All Previous Kim Boyce Coverage [Eater PDX]


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Carbon Footprint And Diet: A Review From Germany
As more and more people become aware of the growing consensus that animal agriculture is helping to accelerate climate change, there is more of a desire to understand the carbon footprint of what we eat. It’s estimated that global food production is responsible for more than 25% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, and in order to turn the tide, big changes need to be made. Organic agriculture is widely considered to be more environmentally friendly than conventional methods, and Germany is one of the central and fastest-growing markets for organic food in Europe. To this end, Germany provides a good case study for comparing the carbon footprints and landuse of organic versus conventional diets. The idea goes that once we know the actual carbon footprints and land use factors of our food, we will choose smarter and choose better for the planet.
In this study, researchers used a combination of life cycle assessments, land use measures of conventional plant-based food products as a baseline, and a series of calculations for finding the relative yield differences in conventional and organic agriculture. Their results are fascinating, even for those who may be familiar with the issue: first and foremost, they found that the average conventional diet contained 45% more meat than the average organic diet, which in turn contains 40% more vegetables, fruits, and legumes (combined). They found, perhaps unsurprisingly, that men eat “considerably more meat” than women. However, most interestingly, they found that there is no meaningful difference in carbon footprint between a conventional or organic diet: both hover around 1,250 kg CO2. The researchers also found that the organic diet used about 40% more land than the average conventional diet, “due to lower yields and less intensive animal-farming systems.”
For animal advocates, do the results mean that we should give up advocating for organic systems as a better choice for the planet? Not exactly. First and foremost, the authors suggest caution all around, as their calculations are based on a relatively low number of studies. However, more than anything, the study shows that meat is the biggest culprit when it comes to carbon footprints. For animal advocates, the study shows than conventional versus organic is not the most important battle to fight, but more of a red herring for the true battle of meat versus vegetables.


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The inaccessibility of fashion shows may soon be a thing of the past. Earlier this month Riccardo Tisci invited members of the public to Givenchy’s Marina Abramović art-directed show in New York, and more recently, Simon Porte Jacquemus launched “I want to come to the show” project, giving people the chance to come to his label’s presentation in Paris later this month. Now, Marques’Almeida have done the same, holding a competition on Instagram for tickets to their show in London.
“We want to give you and your best friends tickets to our show!” write the brand’s founders Marta Marques and Paolo Almeida. “Take an M’A inspired photo of you and the friends you want to take to the show with #marquesalmediafriends to win tickets! We want to see how you interpret M’A and how we inspire you!”
This competition is open until 6pm tonight so there’s still time for you to enter. The show itself is taking place tomorrow at 12pm as part of London Fashion Week’s official schedule, at a mystery location which is disclosed on the invitation.
Since bursting onto the fashion scene in 2011, the Portuguese-born CSM grads have earned a reputation for their raw cut denim and 90s nostalgia. Last season, they debuted a collection inspired by an editorial shoot by Corinne Day that was published in cult style bible The Face in 1993. Stay tuned for coverage of their SS16 offering.