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Media analysis firm MIDiA launch new marketer insight tool for TV
London-based media insight company MIDiA Research have announced the launch of a new analytics tool for TV.
The MIDiA Index will offer users data on the value and performance of individual shows, and could help media brands and marketers identify potential new opportunities.
The Index tracks a number of indicators including viewership, brand awareness, demographics, audience demand, and 'fandom'. As well as offering point-by-point analysis, the tool also combines all of these indicators to determine a proprietary performance score for specific shows.
MIDiA say their own data "reveals the depth of audience fragmentation and engagement in the digital landscape," particularly as on-demand services assert their dominance over traditional linear content delivery. The company claims this data helps them produce deeper and more accurate insight into media performance than that offered by traditional ratings systems.
Commenting on the launch, the company's product development lead and senior analyst Karol Severin said: "“Index is revolutionary in providing a holistic understanding of TV show fanbases, giving users the opportunity to view and learn from all the important metrics and components of the Index Score in a user-friendly dashboard.
“The Index Score is the ultimate TV show value marker for the attention economy. Users can avoid data gathering from multiple sources and navigating conflicting methodologies because we have done all the work and put the results at their fingertips in Index.”
The MIDiA Index opens in beta on 17th June.


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Hyundai raises e-mobility budget to €25 billion
The Hyundai Motor Group with its car brands Hyundai, Kia and Genesis is further tightening its electric course. As the Korean Group announced at its ‘CEO Investor Day 2023’, the annual sales target for pure electric cars will be increased to two million units by 2030.
This is another 130,000 BEVs per year more than announced in the Group’s strategic plan from last year. The new strategy “Hyundai Motor Way” envisages total investments of 109.4 trillion won (equivalent to about 77.5 billion euros) over the next ten years. Of this, 35.8 trillion won (approx. 25.4 billion euros) is to be invested in electrification. 9.5 trillion won (6.7 billion euros) of this is earmarked for battery development, with the remainder funding the development of a new electric car platform and increased production capacity for electric cars.
The second-generation BEV platform is the Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA), which will replace the current Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) in the future. The IMA will be used in 13 new electric models of the group by 2030. The IMA will standardise not only the chassis, but also the motors and the battery system with cell-to-pack technology. This should significantly increase economies of scale and reduce complexity (and thus development costs).
Two vehicle platforms are to be derived on the basis of the IMA architecture: The eM for electric passenger cars “in all segments” and the eS for special vehicles (Purpose-Built-Vehicles, PBV for short). Both platforms will draw on IMA’s motor and battery kits.
Thanks in part to the new platform, Hyundai Motor is aiming for a margin of more than ten per cent for electric vehicles in 2030. Production will also play an important role in achieving these goals. The Korean company also announced an “expansion of EV production and optimisation of capacity”. This is to be done not only by building new EV factories (as in Ulsan), but also “by using existing ICE plants to reduce costs and time”. Depending on market demand, more internal combustion lines are to be converted to e-vehicles. In regions “that are expected to grow significantly in the future and require localisation”, the battery-electric car plants are to be built – for example in the US state of Georgia.
As with other carmakers, the battery value chain is also coming increasingly into the strategists’ focus. Hyundai is aiming for stable procurement of battery materials, but also wants to strengthen its own development. To what extent this involves the development of battery cells or the optimisation of battery systems with cell-to-pack or cell-to-chassis approaches is not clear from the press release. What is clear, however, is that in addition to NMC batteries, the Korean company also announced plans to offer LFP batteries in the future.
The more than 100 trillion won in total investments includes battery-electric mobility as well as investments in future businesses such as autonomous driving, hydrogen, robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

domain: news


text: Is there anything 3D printing can't do these days? From toys, to chocolate, to dog legs, to house parts. And now we even have 3D printed drugs. Now that in itself isn't really a novel feat, considering 3D printed food. The success that Aprecia Pharmaceuticals achieved is in actually getting the US Food and Drug Administration to approve it. This makes its SPRITRAM seizure drug to be the first 3D printed medication to receive FDA approval, perhaps opening the doors to even more such products in the future.


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Samsung Plans Higher Pixel Density for Galaxy S4, Mulls 7-Inch Tablet Release to Combat Nexus 7, iPad Mini
By Erik Pineda | January 24, 2013 12:59 PM EST
Samsung's Galaxy S4 appears headed for a mid-April 2013 debut but before the smartphone makes its way to public view it manufacturer would want to whip out a few more garnishing - pack the gadget with as much screen pixels as possible.
It had been reported that the latest Galaxy flagship handset will wow the Android crowd with a 5-inch Super AMOLED screen display, in which Samsung engineers will squeeze pixel galore at a density of 440ppi, exceeding that of Apple's Retina technology. Impressive indeed at any given benchmark.
But Samsung, according to DigiTimes, is gunning to push the envelope a bit further. By launch time of the Galaxy S4, the company wishes to see more than 440ppi, stretching AMOLED's already jaw-dropping ability to flash Full HD rendering in glorious serving.
This is made possible by transitioning into a new technology that governs AMOLED panel's pixel layout. "Samsung is developing hexagon-and-diamond-shaped pixel layouts for the panels in order to increase resolutions above 440ppi, which is difficult to achieve using the current side-by-side layout," DigiTimes reported.
Samsung plans to make these new AMOLED panels by using "a LITI production process," and there is a strong possibility that the tweak has been completed and the new pixel layout technique ready for deployment come April.
We can expect the Galaxy S4 to sport the highest pixel density in the smartphone industry by the time it is unwrapped by Samsung a few months from now, DigiTimes said.
And as earlier indicated, Samsung is also working double-time for a number of gadget releases slated for the first half of 2013. We are aware that another tablet, the Galaxy Note 8.0, is coming out via the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month.
But the South Korean tech giant seems inclined to add more slates to its gadget menu, DigiTimes revealed. The company is issuing new tablets in three screen sizes - 7-inch, 8-inch plus and 10.1-inch.
No further details were provided by the DigiTimes report but it can be assumed that these new tablet pushes represent a refresh of the Galaxy Tab 2 lines, the mass-market tablet offering of Samsung.
Most likely, the 7-inch version is Samsung's answer to the Nexus 7, the Google small tablet manufactured by Asus that has attracted considerable raves from tech experts and buys from global consumers.
CNET once labelled the Nexus 7 as the best Android tablet in the market, heaping praises on the device for its functionality, powerful specs and affordability. Hardware-wise, the Google tablet trumps Apple's iPad Mini and cheaper at that.
Considering these, Samsung would likely upgrade the capabilities of its Galaxy Tab 2 slates so consumers can expect quad-core processors this time with probably near-HD screen rendering plus attractive sticker price.
According to DigiTimes, Samsung aims to double its tablet shipments this year, looking to produce around 40 million units by the end of 2013. The company believes that it will catch up with tablet market leader Apple by offering its device below the $US300 mark.
The lowest priced tablet from the Apple stable is the iPad Mini, the basic model retails at $US329. It remains to be seen if Samsung willing to sell low to achieve better shipment figures and placing in the tablet war.
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The price of Samsung Galaxy A52 in India has been increased by Rs. 1,000, the company has confirmed to Gadgets 360. The Samsung phone launched in March this year with a 90Hz display, four rear cameras and an IP67-certified build. Samsung Galaxy A52 also comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC and has up to 8 GB of RAM. The Galaxy A series phone was launched alongside the Galaxy A72, although the latter has not seen a price increase in the country.
Samsung Galaxy A52 price in India
As a result of the latest revision, the Samsung Galaxy A52 is now available for Rs. 27,499 for the 6GB+128GB storage variant. The phone was launched in the country for Rs. 26,499. Like the base variant, the 8GB+128GB storage option now carries an increased price tag of Rs. 28,999, an increase of Rs. 27,999.
The price increase was initially reported by MySmartPrice. Samsung confirmed to Gadgets 360 that it applies across all retail channels in the country. The higher prices were also seen on Samsung India and Amazon online store at the time of writing.
Samsung Galaxy A52 specifications
The dual-SIM (Nano) Samsung Galaxy A52 runs on One UI 3.1 with Android 11 on top. It features a 6.5-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz. It is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC along with up to 8GB of RAM. The phone also has a quad-camera on the rear with a 64-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical image stabilization (OIS). The rear camera also includes a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, a 5-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro shooter.
For selfies and video chats, the Samsung Galaxy A52 has a 32 megapixel selfie camera sensor on the front. The phone has 128 GB of onboard storage as standard and has a 4,500 mAh battery with fast charging up to 25 W.
The price increase of the Samsung Galaxy A52 comes just a few days after the launch of the Galaxy A52s. Companies including Realme and Xiaomi have also recently increased the prices of their affordable phones.


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(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) Crafthouse, a growing beer-centric restaurant chain with a prominent Reston location, recently signed a $250 million deal to start franchising across the country.
As first reported by the Washington Business Journal, Crafthouse owner Evan Matz signed a deal with development firm American Development Partners to provide site selection, acquisition, and construction services for more than 100 new Crafthouse locations over the next five years.
Crafthouse currently has locations in Reston, Fairfax City, and Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood.
It’s a turnaround for Matz, who started his restaurants as franchisees of Florida-based World of Beer before going independent and rebranding the locations as “Crafthouse.” The move prompted a lawsuit from World of Beer, which has since been settled, according to the Business Journal.
Matz told Reston Now that the core idea of Crafthouse is not just locally sourced beer, but entire menus built around local specialties.
“Eat local, drink local,” said Matz. “I want to try to showcase local craft beer or local spirits. As we go forward, if we open one in North Carolina or Tennessee, I want to focus on the local beers there, like their whiskey or wine, but they’re also known for their ribs. If we open in Maryland it might be crab cakes or conch in Key West.”
As they begin looking at locations throughout the country, Matz said he’s excited by the variety of different locales and what they have to bring to the table.
“People love the concept, so I wanted to bring it to other possible franchisees to expand it throughout the country,” said Matz. “There’s a lot of exciting markets out there. Each one is unique in its own right.”
Crafthouse has arranged with American Development Partners to provide 100 percent funding for franchisees planning on placing a Crafthouse inside newly built, freestanding buildings.
While Matz said he plans to go to every location as they open and make sure they are being properly run, he said the emphasis is going to be on local owners independently owning and operating the restaurants.
Matz said Crafthouse is already beginning to get inquiries from across the country about potential new locations, and that he aims to have a franchised location open by late 2019 or early 2020. Matz said interested parties should reach out to Crafthouse through email at [email protected] or through the website.
Among the requirements for a new franchise location is at least $300,000 in liquid assets, a net worth over $1 million, and a credit score of 700 or above. But just as importantly, Matz said he’s looking for franchise owners who understand their community and are committed to it.
“Being directly involved as a local owner is key,” said Matz. “You have to be in touch with the community. Be involved and listen to what the customer wants. Forming your Crafthouse around the local area is key to success.”
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You’re invited to enter a snowy winter woodland, as McArthurGlen Designer Outlet East Midlands launches its Christmas celebrations today.
The shopping outlet, near Nottingham, is holding a Christmas light switch-on, a winter woodland snow takeover - and giving visitors the opportunity to see Santa and his reindeer.
Santa will be walking around the outlet tomorrow at 4pm before the switch-on, whilst the reindeers and elves will be located near the Lindt Chocolate Shop, where elves will be on hand to tell families more about the reindeer.
There will be entertainment from 2017 Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Kyle Tomlinson, at 6.20pm, and guests will have the opportunity to enter a competition to win a £250 gift card.
Santa will then make his way to the stage at 6.45pm to turn on the magical Christmas tree, and lights within the centre at 7pm.
As the centre lights up, X Factor finalist, Lucy Spraggan, will treat audiences to a live performance, and there will be the opportunity for a lucky guest to win the ultimate Christmas experience at Alton Towers, which includes breakfast with Santa at the resort followed by an overnight stay for four.
In the magical winter woodland, children will be able to experience pleasant snowball ‘fights’ in the new snow ball pit.
You’ll be able to visit Santa in his grotto at the centre from December 1 to 24 (Monday to Saturday: 10.30am-6.30pm and 10.30am-4.30pm on Sunday).
From November 25, you can enjoy late night shopping as the centre stays open until 8pm on Saturdays, with further extended opening hours of 9am - 8pm Monday to Saturday from December 11 onwards.


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As I wrote in a recent Times article on electric car batteries, scientists are expecting big breakthroughs in battery technology over the next five years that will increase the range of electric cars while reducing their cost. But even with these advances, researchers acknowledge that any rechargeable battery will gradually lose its capacity to store energy after repeated cycles of charging and discharging.
Once storage capacity falls below a certain level, the battery can no longer provide the range that electric car owners will expect, according to Micky Bly, the executive director of global battery, electric vehicle and hybrid engineering at General Motors. For its new Chevy Volt, GM expects that level to be around 60 to 65 percent of the battery’s original capacity, he said in a telephone interview.
At the same time, with most of a battery’s useful life still intact, automakers anticipate that it could serve other, less demanding purposes than powering a few thousand pounds of car.
A number of projects and new ventures are already under way to explore second-life applications for lithium-ion batteries. G.M. has announced a cooperative agreement with ABB, an energy technology company. And Nissan has formed a joint venture called 4R Energy with the Sumitomo Corporation.
This month, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, financed by the Department of Energy, announced their own initiative in this area, a collaboration with academic and industry partners.


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You may have heard of automated payment systems enabled via NFC to make purchases at a superstore. But you’ve probably never heard of this. ‘Naraffar’ a local supply and grocery store in Sweden, works completely unmanned from opening the door, to letting you pick your products yourself and scanning their barcodes to pay for it.
The owner of the store Mr. Robert Illijascon serves 4,200 residents of the small town of Viken through his modern store. Not too many stores in the town are open during wee hours and the automation in his store lets it stay open 24-hours of the day and 365-days of the week.
This unmanned grocery store runs on the honor system. Is this the beginning of the end for human store clerks?
Posted by AJ+ on Tuesday, March 15, 2016
An app devised by the owner himself allows customers to sign-up for purchases from the store. The account used on your store app is linked with your bank account and all new customers undergo a credit check before their user-id’s are activated. The app lets you open the store door via your mobile device, allows you to scan barcodes of products with your smartphone’s camera and lets you make an online payment for the inventory you have scanned.
If you’re wondering how this works well, the store operates on ‘trust’. Not that the owner does not employ security measures of his own: he receives a text alert on his phone if the store’s main-door has been broken or tampered with, or even if it is kept open for more than 8 seconds.
While other international chain stores such a Waitrose and ASDA in the UK have integrated technology to complete purchases in fragmented aspects of the supply chain process, ‘Naraffar’ has taken in-store-experiences a notch further by allowing sales to continue totally unmanned.


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Cherry Creek North Food & Wine has both expanded and contracted.
The annual event, which was held on one day up until 2019 and canceled entirely last year, is now a four-day event. It kicked off Wednesday and runs through Saturday.
But at the same time, the two “grand tasting” sessions initially planned for Saturday have been consolidated into one.
The nearly 15 restaurants participating expressed concerns about not having enough staff for two sessions, according to an organizer.
“The hospitality industry is really having a tough time finding the staff that they need to support their different services, and restaurants here in Cherry Creek North are definitely feeling that as well,” said Jeanine Johnson, director of marketing of the district. “When we were getting feedback from restaurants that (staffing) was becoming more of a struggle, we made the choice that we felt was absolutely best, to consolidate those two sessions into one.”
The single grand tasting will have a capacity of up to 600 people, Johnson said. Ticket prices were not changed from the original $150, and Cherry Creek North Food & Wine is hoping for the event to sell out as the rest of the smaller sessions of the week have, she said.
Those smaller sessions revolve around dining at specific Cherry Creek restaurants and in some cases learning skills, such as oyster shucking at Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood and determining “when to stir and when to shake” during a cocktail class at Le Bilboquet.
Nationwide, businesses have grappled with staffing shortages as restaurants, bars and other shops began to reopen after nearly a year of lockdowns. Some restaurants in Denver have reduced hours, offered increased pay or closed retail operations to maintain their businesses without a full staff.
But Johnson said patrons and restaurateurs she’s spoken with are eager for the four days of specialty dining since last year’s event was canceled altogether. The longer event will better highlight the individual restaurants that are participating, Johnson said.
“We have some various gatherings of culinary events, some of them as small as 10 people and some larger ones in outdoor settings with 500 people or more,” Johnson said. “We’ve taken it to a different level from years past and we really want to celebrate the restaurants here in Cherry Creek North.”


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The saturation of job market being a big concern especially in the IT and the BFSI sectors, here is some good news finally coming in for job seekers in India. The Logistics sector is expected to churn out 30 lakh jobs in the next four years, as per a report by TeamLease. A large part of this growth is coming courtesy major investments by the government in infrastructure improvement and GST implementation which has formalised this sector and brought operational efficiency to a great degree.
Get Ready for 30 Lakh New Jobs by 2022
According to this report titled "Indian Logistics Revolution - Big Bets, Big Jobs", the employment numbers in the Indian logistics sector are expected to rise the present 10.9 million to 13.9 million by 2022. Technology is having a profound impact on this sector as highlighted by this report.
"Logistics sector is going through an exciting phase with a number of public investments in line.of these changes alongside the interplay of sector demand – Manufacturing, FMCG / FMCD Retail and E-commerce – and technology will not only create innumerable jobs but also metamorphose the skills landscape for logistics," said Rituparna Chakraborty, Co-founder and EVP, TeamLease Services.
Government initiatives National Highway Development Project (NHDP) and Bharatmala Pariyojana will help create maximum number of jobs in road freight and regions such as Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Ahmedabad will be the biggest beneficiaries. Similarly, New National Waterways and Sagarmala Pariyojana will yield in job creation in water freight which will benefit places such as Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Chennai.


text: During the Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) launch in Singapore, HTC’s manager in the country, Melvin Chua, expressed his company’s enthusiasm for Microsoft’s mobile operating system. “We believe that Windows Phone 7 will eventually be better than other platforms and will give Android a run for its money,” Chua said, according to ZDNet Asia. Chua’s speculation around the success of Windows Phone has also been backed by analyst firms Gartner and Pyramid Research. Recent data from Gartner suggests Windows Phone will surpass iOS as the second most popular mobile operating system with a 19.5% share of the global smartphone market by 2015. Android is expected to have a 49% share at that time. In addition, Pyramid Research has suggested the Windows Phone market share will surpass Android in 2013. Chua noted Windows Phone already makes up 30% of HTC’s overall sales and he expects that figure to increase. BGR recently published a hands-on with Windows Phone 7.5 and we were impressed with the hundreds of new changes.


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OPPO’s upcoming Reno smartphone was recently granted Bluetooth certification by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, confirming some of its key hardware specifications. The 5G variant of the OPPO Reno with model number CPH1921 has now bagged Wi-Fi certification.
OPPO Reno CPH1921 Variant Bags Another Certification Ahead of Launch
The OPPO CPH1921 Wi-Fi certification only confirms the smartphone will have support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band and run on the Android 9.0 Pie operating system. As many of you may have heard already, OPPO is set to launch the smartphone in China on April 10. However, going by the smartphone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi certifications, it looks like the OPPO Reno will be sold in several markets outside China as well. It had received a 5G CE certificate by CTC this week, clearing operation over 5G networks in Europe.
As confirmed by the smartphone’s Bluetooth certification recently, OPPO Reno will pack Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855 chipset under the hood. However, a variant with the mid-range Snapdragon 710 chipset will also be offered. The smartphone will feature a large 6.65-inch display with Full HD+ resolution. If rumors are to be believed, the OPPO Reno will be the first non-Samsung smartphone to come equipped with a Dynamic AMOLED display panel.
For optics, OPPO Reno will have an impressive triple-camera setup on the back with a 48MP primary sensor, 8MP secondary sensor, and a 13MP tertiary sensor. Rumors suggest it could be OPPO’s first flagship smartphone to utilize the 10x optical zoom technology showcased at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year. The smartphone will have a 16MP resolution snapper on the front for selfies, although it remains to be seen if ‘Reno’ will utilize an elevating mechanism similar to the Find X or if it will have a waterdrop notch instead. In terms of software, the first Reno smartphone will ship with Android Pie-based ColorOS 6.0 out of the box.


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State-owned GAC plans to break into the U.S. market before the end of the decade.
China-based GAC will travel to next week's Detroit Auto Show to introduce four new cars.
Owned by the Chinese government, GAC primarily sells its cars under the Trumpchi brand. The first model the company will show in Detroit this year is a crossover named GS7. French website LeBlogAuto has learned it will be a short-wheelbase version of the GS8 (pictured) that debuted last year in China. Power is expected to come from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
The next Trumpchi-badged model on the GAC stand will be a concept car named GE3. It will preview an upcoming compact crossover powered by a battery-electric drivetrain. A third concept called ENspirit will provide a glimpse at a future BMW X6-like crossover-coupe. Finally, the brand will introduce the plug-in hybrid variant of the GA8 sedan. All four models are being kept under wraps until the start of the show.
GAC has been attending the Detroit Auto Show since 2013. However, this year the company is paying for a stand on the main floor of the Cobo Center, meaning it will get as much exposure as bigger, better-known automakers from all around the globe.
The company's executives are trying to build up momentum in order to break into the United States market. Details about the company's North American offensive are still vague at best, but GAC hopes to sell its first cars on our shores before the end of the decade.


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Researchers are testing a way to double the use of cropland to generate renewable energy. Read more here.
Washington steps up trapping for Japanese beetles following Oregon’s eradication campaign. Read more here.
Dryland wheat crops will do better than researchers originally assumed as the climate changes, according to a scientist who took part in a $20 million, six-year regional study of cereal crop production systems. Read more
OSU recently released its Future of Oregon Agricultural Land report, which shares stats about the aging farm population in Oregon, lists challenges faced by next-generation farmers, and identifies tools young and beginning farmers need.
See the summary here.
A report examining the many ways climate change threatens coffee and coffee farmers has alarmed people who are now imagining what it would be like getting through the day without their caffeine fix.
The report, released this month by the Climate Institute, a nonprofit organization in Australia, was commissioned by Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand, the regional hub of the global Fairtrade system.
Christian Science Monitor; August 31, 2016 — Climate change could render about half of today’s coffee-growing land unsuitable for production by 2050, according to a new report. Major coffee companies including Starbucks are taking steps to help the world’s coffee farmers cope.
Unpredictable weather, including unusual heat spikes or unseasonal rain or drought, will render about half of today’s coffee-growing land unsuitable for production by 2050, according to a new report from The Climate Institute in Australia. By 2080, estimates the institute, wild coffee such as weather-sensitive Arabica and Robusta could become extinct.
As coffee production declines due to climate, consumer prices will rise. Millions of coffee farmers in developing countries that depend on their robust coffee export businesses, such Honduras, Nicaragua, Vietnam, and Guatemala, could go out of business. These countries are among the world’s most threatened by climate change.
“Before the century is out . . . conditions are set to become inhospitable for Arabica coffee in the wild in East Africa – its centre of origin,” the climate institute concludes in its report. As a result, coffee production will move to other parts of the world, particularly to the highlands of East Africa, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Andes.
“In just a few decades, climate change could . . . push production upslope and away from the equator,” the institute predicts.
Coffee and other major crops already are at the mercy of unpredictable weather. Cocoa, for example, likely won’t be able to grow in West Africa, the epicenter of cocoa production, by the middle of this century.
Central America is one of the regions where coffee growers have felt the likely effects of climate change. In 2011, unusual levels of heat and rain brought a plant disease that affected more than half of the coffee crops in the region. Between 2012 and 2013, this amounted to $500 million of crop damages and 350,000 farm workers unemployed, according to the Climate Institute.
The impact of all this is not just on the anonymous farmers in a far-off land, though. It’s also showing up in your morning brew, which has been getting more expensive. Starbucks, for example, announced in July, as it does regularly, that it has raised prices on some coffees by up to 30 cents partly because of rising coffee bean costs, according to Fortune. That trend is expected to continue for coffee overall.
“. . . Tight supply, potentially detrimental weather and extremely strong global demand, especially emanating from the US, China and India . . . will continue to tighten coffee markets,” predicted Harish Sundaresh, a portfolio manager and commodities analyst in Boston for Loomis Sayles Alpha Strategies team, told Bloomberg in June.
Starbucks has said that it’s worried about the impact of climate change on its coffee supply. The company’s former sustainability director, Jim Hanna, has said Starbucks works with with local producers to try to protect them from future changes.
“What we are really seeing as a company as we look 10, 20, 30 years down the road – if conditions continue as they are – is a potentially significant risk to our supply chain, which is the Arabica coffee bean,” he told The Guardian in 2011.
Starbucks is one of a number of global coffee purveyors, including Tim Hortons, Neumann Gruppe, and Gustav Paulig, that are part of “the initiative for coffee and climate,” a partnership with NGOs and other organizations to “provide framers with training and tools to better respond to climate change,” according to the Climate Institute.
In addition to offering coffee farmers financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions, the initiative works with growers to better adapt their crops, including “developing more resilient production systems, diversifying crops, and shifting plantations upslope,” the report reads.
There is a small bit of comfort for coffee devotees, if not for farmers: If wild coffee disappears from some regions due to climate change, it could move to others that will become more hospitable – although the transition, the institute warns, could take several years.
Another ironically reassuring finding is that coffee plants appear to thrive with higher levels of carbon dioxide (C02), a gas in the atmosphere that is largely responsible for harmful global warming. But whether the benefits of C02 on those crops will outweigh the drawbacks of its negative impact on the climate, and thus coffee, is unclear.
By Lonnie Sheckhtman, CSM staff
Pacific Northwest farmers will be able to get their hands on a Washington State University variety of quinoa in about three years, according to the university’s breeder.
Kevin Murphy, assistant professor in barley and alternative crop breeding, hopes to follow the model for releasing wheat and barley varieties. He needs one more year of solid testing and then a year of increasing breeder seed and foundation seed.
On the national level, the Federal Clean Water Act regulates pollution flowing out of pipes, known as point source pollution. But contaminants flowing off of farm fields — non-point source pollution — are exempt from regulations. With little authority to compel farmers to adopt clean water practices, state and federal agencies rely on a voluntary approach. As a result, farming practices can be dramatically different from one field to the next.
We, along with many partners, have worked long and hard to update the Native Plants for Pacific NW Gardeners. The newly titled, expanded version features more plants, more information, and more resources for you. Find out more in Native Plants for Willamette Valley Yards.
For more information, please visit Metro.


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Neon Machine, the gaming company, has recently raised $20 million in funding for its upcoming Web3 game “Shrapnel.” Earlier, there was another successful seed funding round in June 2021, where Neon Machine secured $10.5 million.
Furthermore, renowned investors, including Polychain Capital, Griffin Gaming Partners, Brevan Howard Digital, Franklin Templeton, IOSG Ventures, and Tess Ventures, supported the funding. Not to mention, the support from these companies has strengthened the future prospects of the game.
Neon Machine’s Unique AAA Game
The highly anticipated game “Shrapnel,” also known as an AAA game, stands out as an extraordinary gaming experience. It has top-notch production, high budgeting, and an inclusive marketing strategy. Moreover, it is a first-person shooter game and features multiplayer with an “extraction” mechanism. Also, players have the task of exiting the game while carrying in-game loot to retain it. Hence, creating a layer of challenges and excitement.
Additionally, “Shrapnel” is being compared to the popular game “Call of Duty: Warzone” by Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Studio. Therefore, players can expect a thrilling experience. However, there is one thing that makes “Shrapnel” stand out. The game is integrated with Web3 and blockchain technology, and the players can have complete ownership of their in-game assets. Besides, it ensures a sense of security and ownership among the players.
Neon Machine has plans to provide a modding toolset that will allow players to incorporate additional blockchain assets into the game. By doing so, Neon Machine plans to further enhance the gaming experience and invite chances for creativity.
Future Prospects for Neon Machine’s Shrapnel
The company has scheduled an early-access testing phase for “Shrapnel” in December this year. And it will only be available to paid subscribers. What’s more, this phase will serve as a chance for the development team to gather feedback and refine the game before its official release.
Soon, Neon Machine aims to launch “Shrapnel” as a free-to-play game in 2024. Further, it will expand its accessibility to a wider audience. Besides, “Shrapnel” is going to become a renowned player in the gaming industry with its innovative features and strong development. Finally, Web3 and blockchain technology will redefine the gaming landscape and provide players with a more immersive gaming experience.


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The company said that net sales for the period fell by 2.5 percent to €326.2m, compared to $334.4m in the corresponding period last year.
The sales figure was negatively impacted by $5.8m from currency translation, which meant that sales in local currencies fell by only 0.7 percent, compared to last year.
Net profit fell from $29.2m in the corresponding period last year, to $23.1m, a figure that disguised the fact that the company’s comprehensive cost cutting measures have continued to positively impact operating margins.
Share values continue to rise
Despite the fact that the results were below market expectations share prices have continued to rise, increasing by over 9 percent in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange today, to reach $9.19.
Share prices had already peaked at $8.46 on Friday, rising more than 50 percent since the beginning of October on the back of buy recommendations from analysts.
“The organizational restructuring that we fully implemented earlier this year is delivering cost savings in line with our expectations and is enabling us to continue to strengthen our brand and become stronger,” said Revlon CEO, Alan Ennis.
Color cosmetic sales slump while hair color rises
In the same statement, Ennis also pointed out that the rate of growth fell for its color cosmetics business in the North American market, which was partly offset by higher sales of its ColorSilk hair color.
Net sales in the US market fell by $5.7m, or 3 percent, to $183.7m, while sales in its international market fell by $2.5m, or 1.7 percent to $142.5m.
Excluding the negative currency impact, international net sales increased by 2.3 percent, driven by strong gains in both the Latin America and Asia Pacific markets.
For the first nine months of the financial year, sales decreased by 6.1 percent to $951.3m, while net income fell from $46.6m to $36.0m.


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Apr 11, 2014 07:00 AM
David Beckham is stylish even when spinning.
The athlete-turned-model looked his best while leaving a SoulCycle fitness class on Friday in Brentwood, Calif. Aside from a peppered beard, Becks sported grey sweats and a long sleeved shirt with an orange jack-o'-lantern beanie and matching Adidas kicks. The former sports star didn't even break a sweat after the rigorous workout.
Although he drove off in his car yesterday, he opted to ride around town in his motorcycle instead on Wednesday.
The hunk also worked out there with his oldest son Brooklyn on Tuesday, and his wife Victoria last Saturday. It's safe to say that Brooklyn and Posh were more worn out after the session than the soccer stud.
David's efforts are clearly paying off. He showed off his hot bod earlier this month in H&M's latest ad for his new swimwear line. If his toned, tattooed torso can't sell swim trunks, nothing can.
SEE THE GALLERY David Beckham Doesn't Break A Sweat In Spin Class


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What's at stake: this week has been filled with news that the small Belgian region of Wallonia intended to veto CETA (the Canada-EU trade agreement). Eventually, Wallonia conceded defeat and agreed to let the agreement go on. But meanwhile, it spurred a debate on trade agreements and their sovereignty implications, which we summarise here.
Wallonia recently voted against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which aims to eliminate 98% of tariffs between Canada and EU. While the ratification is currently on hold, we take a look at the figures for EU-Canada trade.


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OnePlus 6 Stories Yesterday
OnePlus 6 Stories May 21
Wireless charging has been around for a long time, but thanks to Apple finally adding it to its latest crop of iPhones and Samsung fully embracing it with its past few flagships, the technology has pretty much become mainstream at this point. However, with its latest flagship, the OnePlus 6, the company still hasn’t adopted it…
Ready to try the Pixelbook?
Fast charging has become incredibly popular over the past couple of years, and OnePlus has been on the forefront of that with its special “Dash Charge” system. The proprietary charging option has been around since the debut of the OnePlus 3, but if you were tuned in to the OnePlus 6 reveal last week, you might have noticed that the company didn’t once mention Dash Charging. Apparently, there’s a reason for that…
Since its inception, OnePlus has always marketed itself as the “flagship killer.” Basically, this meant that it would create smartphones that rivaled the flagship devices from Samsung, LG, and other as far as performance but at a lower price. While the company has done it again with the OnePlus 6, the continuing trend of increasing prices and premium features among “true” flagships of the world has left the Chinese company doing the same to keep up. expand full story
How to apply a dark or light theme to the OnePlus 6
Unlike many other Android manufacturers, OnePlus builds different system-wide theme options right in the device’s settings menu. Without digging too deep into the OnePlus 6’s theming options, here’s how to apply a basic dark or light theme as well as adjust its accent color.
OnePlus 6 Stories May 20


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WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is heightening scrutiny of China’s large state-owned media outlets in the U.S., designating them as foreign missions, in a further effort to rein in Chinese government activity.
The State Department said Tuesday that the U.S. operations of five Chinese news organizations—Xinhua News Agency, China Radio International, China Global Television Network and the distributors of China Daily and People’s Daily—will be considered foreign missions.
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President Biden has an enviable problem: The economy under his watch is doing a lot better than voters give him credit for.
In the latest update of the Yahoo Finance Bidenomics Report Card, Biden’s grade on the economy rose from B+ to A-. This isn’t our opinion. It’s what the numbers tell us. We developed this methodology at the beginning of the Trump administration, with the help of Moody’s Analytics, and we’ve kept it in place for Biden. We determine each president’s grade by tracking six economic indicators back to the 1970s and rating how the current president compares with the prior seven at the same point in their first terms, going back to Jimmy Carter. (Here’s our full methodology.)
Of the eight presidents, Biden gets the highest marks for the total number of new jobs created since he took office, and also for real GDP growth per capita. Biden also gets top marks for the increase in exports during his presidency, although that data only goes back to 1993, so he’s the best of five presidents.
Biden gets second-best marks for the number of new manufacturing jobs, and for gains in the S&P 500 stock index. His only sub-par number is on average hourly earnings, where he ranks second-last.
Much of this robust economic performance represents the sharp snapback from the COVID recession in 2020—and has little to do with Biden policies. The American Rescue Plan Biden signed in March of 2021 contributed a bit to GDP growth, and probably to job gains, but Biden would probably score just as well without it. Most of the stimulus that jolted the economy out of a deep downturn came from fiscal stimulus Congress passed in 2020 and from Federal Reserve magic. Biden simply came into office at the right time.
Few consumers would give the economy an A-, even though it’s doing very well by many metrics other than ours. That’s because of inflation and COVID. Inflation is now running at 7% and forcing millions of families to pay more for rent, food, gas and home heating. COVID is just a never-ending drag, as the third year of the pandemic draws nigh and Americans continue to struggle with virus fears, disrupted school schedules and masking fatigue. Even if the economy is booming, we’re not back to normal, which is why consumers are gloomy and Biden’s approval rating has plummeted to the low 40s.
Can the economy really thrive with inflation at 7%? Probably not. That suggests one of two things: Either our Bidenomics grade is temporarily biased to the upside and will soon decline, or inflation will fade and Americans will really start to feel like they’re living in a boom. We didn’t include inflation as one of our indicators in the presidential report card for a couple reasons. For one, when we created the the Trump Report Card in 2017, there had been no persistent inflation for more than 30 years and it didn’t seem like a metric that would change much, or tell us anything useful.
We also knew that if inflation did become a problem, it would eventually show up in other indicators. Inflation erodes consumer purchasing power and depresses growth, which would cut into GDP and employment. That hasn’t happened yet in 2022, and economists aren’t sure it will. Most forecasts call for solid real GDP growth this year of 4% or so (adjusted for inflation), with the unemployment rate going down rather than up. Still, it seems unlikely that strong growth and high inflation can peacefully coexist for long.
This is a much better problem for Biden than if the economy were depressed or unemployment were stubbornly high. There’s a good chance inflation will slowly fade as COVID disruptions bring supply and demand back into balance, especially for goods such as cars and appliances. Americans, meanwhile, are learning to live with COVID, whose ravages decline as more people get vaccinated or survive an infection.
Biden would be making a mistake if he tried to convince voters they’re better off than they feel. Inflation can generate intense financial pressure families feel every time they pay a bill. You can’t persuade people those pressures aren’t real, and they’ll resent you if you try. Better for Biden to acknowledge the problem and highlight everything he’s trying to do about it. At some point, some voters might believe him.
As for COVID, the Omicron variant is fading and warmer spring weather may bring a further reprieve. The surprising creation of 467,000 new jobs in January—during the peak of Omicron—seems to be evidence that the U.S. economy is beginning to power through COVID outbursts instead of battening down. If that trend continues or accelerates, who knows, Biden’s grade might go even higher.
Rick Newman is a columnist and author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success.” Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips.


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Steve Jobs backlash: five anti-Jobs stories
Apple founder didn’t give to charity and made tech company like ‘Big Brother’, say critics
THE BEATIFICATION of Steve Jobs, the late founder and former CEO of technology giant Apple, has been rapid and well-publicised. For some, however, he was not quite the saint that many are making him out to be. Here are five examples of the negative press Jobs has received since his death.
• Apple doesn't like press leaks of its products, and its 'Worldwide Loyalty Team' aggressively pursues anyone who falls foul of its rules. Last year, police raided the home of an editor of gadget website Gizmodo after they ran a video of the new iPhone 4, while just last month, two Apple private security agents and police officers searched the home of a man in San Francisco in connection with a lost iPhone 5 prototype. "Jobs never seemed comfortable with the idea of fully empowered workers or a truly free press," reports Gawker. "Inside Apple, there is a culture of fear and control around communication."
• Under Steve Jobs, Apple products have become increasingly controlling and restrictive. Devices such as iMacs, iPhones and iPods are only compatible with Apple software, and Apple bans content that it does not approve of including instances of gay art, sexy pictures and political cartoons. Further, last year Apple introduced a new rule which meant that programmes had to be written in one of four of the forms it approves of, excluding the popular Flash, made by rival Adobe. "Today there is no tech company that looks more like the Big Brother from Apple's iconic 1984 commercial than Apple itself," writes Mike Daisey in The New York Times, "a testament to how quickly power can corrupt."
• Apple's factories in China are regularly accused of human rights abuses, capitalising on poor laws surrounding child labour, and a sweatshop culture. The Daily Mail reported that factory workers lived in cramped, dirty conditions with no air-conditioning, and there were a spate of suicides at supplier Foxconn. The company's latest report also admitted that two-thirds of its factories make their employees work more than 60 hours a week without a days rest. Jobs' death, writes Kathleen McLaughlin in the Global Post, does not absolve Apple of these sins.
• One of the first things that Jobs cut when he returned to Apple in 1997 was the company's philanthropic programme, which was never reinstated. Critics also point to the fact that he has never publicly given money to charity, despite his huge wealth. But as D B Grady notes in The Atlantic, "Apple wasn't built by a saint. It was built by an iron-fisted visionary."
• Finally, there is his much-discussed personal attitude. He is known for having been incredibly rude and belittling at times, with public humiliations of workers who had not lived up to his standards well documented. "In the pursuit of greatness," Gawker writes, "he cast aside politeness and empathy." For two years, he denied fathering Lisa Brennan-Jobs, protesting that he was sterile and infertile.


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RIYADH HOSTS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF SAUDI’S PREMIERE DESIGN WEEK
Oasis Magazine, in partnership with The King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic studies, is proud to announce the second edition of Saudi Design Week (SDW). The SDW founders Munira Al-Ajlani, Noura Bouzo, and Basma Bouzo are joined by an esteemed advisory board: HRH Prince Faisal bin Saud bin Abdulmohsen Al Saud, HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, HH Prince Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki Al Saud, and Mr. Mohammed Habbas Al-Mutairi.
Saudi Design Week, which will take place from 6th till the 12th of May, 2015 at Al Faisaliah Resort and The King Faisal Foundation unites local, regional and international participants in the city of Riyadh. Workshops and design and art events will take place in conjunction with Saudi Design Week throughout the week at partner galleries and design firms, including: Art Riyadh at Naila Art Gallery, AlaanMini at Alaan Artspace, and Saudi Art Exhibition (Talal Al Zeid and Hussein Al Mohasen) at Lam Art Gallery.
'We created Oasis Magazine as a platform to highlight creatives and extraordinary individuals in the region and as an extension of that vision, we created Saudi Design Week to offer young and emerging designers a dynamic platform with an opportunity to showcase their designs alongside established designers from around the world,” stated SDW founders Munira Al Ajlani, Noura and Basma Bouzo. “This rare opportunity provides a much needed learning experience to designers in the region and by supporting great design and encouraging it, we give back to society.”
Saudi Design Week aims to raise awareness to the importance of design culture in the region by encouraging upcoming talents through a series of exhibitions, workshops, and a curated design forum. More than 30 local Saudi and regional designers are participating in SDW alongside international heavyweights from around the globe. The theme for this year’s fair revolves around culture and design. The theme was adopted by all participants who were able to create designs that reflect and explore this important narrative.
Amongst the participants this year is the winning design from the competition launched by Saudi Design Week 2014 in partnership with aura living. The modern home fashion brand from Saudi Arabia, teamed up with Oasis Magazine and SDW to launch a competition for local designers. The winning designer is Riyadh-based Noura Al-Kharashi, who has re-envisioned the traditional GCC seating area. Her design will be viewed for the first time exclusively at the fair.
This year’s SDW was made possible by diamond sponsor Juffali Automotive Co. (JACO) the Authorized Dealer & Distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Saudi Arabia. “Mercedes-Benz has always been known for its expressive exterior and interior designs. It is a strong factor that you can see in each and every one of our vehicles. We believe that automotive design is artistic creation, and that’s a statement that all Mercedes-Benz Design Centers live by, and currently there are 6 Design Centers spread around the world, and their main task is to identify future trends,” stated General Manager, Mr. Safi Kobeissi.
“Therefore, being part of the Saudi Design Week was something we really wanted to do. Being part of this community and to be able to showcase our latest design master piece shown in the new CLA-Class is essential in helping us be closer to our target audience.”
For more information regarding Exhibitors, Speakers, and Special Events, please refer to the website: www.SaudiDesignWeek.com


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Pubs and restaurants to close at 8pm as of Wednesday
Pubs and restaurants will have to close their doors at 8pm as of Wednesday, including sales via dispensing windows, Health Minister Jan Blatný said at a press conference following Monday’s cabinet session on the worsening epidemiological situation in the country.
The government decided against taking the country to the fourth level of the coronavirus emergency system PES, which would have meant closing shops and restaurants less than a week after they reopened. However it appealed for greater discipline and warned that it would get tougher on those violating its decrees.
A proposed amendment to the crisis law envisages raising the fine for individuals from 10 to 50,000 crowns and setting a ceiling of 3 million for legal entities.
The government is planning to ask the lower house to extend the state of emergency for another 30 days.


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France, which is trying to stay in line with crypto-friendly countries, has done itself one better after the Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire announced that the European country will not tax crypto trades but only digital assets sold for cash, reported Bloomberg Tax on Sept. 12.
The Minister said that the French government believes the right time to tax crypto is when it is converted to cash.
“We believe that the moment the gains are converted into traditional money is the right time to assess tax,” said Le Maire.
Value Added Tax (VAT) will only come into the picture when cryptocurrencies are used to pay for goods or services. By a long mile, this is seen as a viable method used to minimize the difficulties faced when tracking crypto trades for tax purposes.
Some reports claim that the model is already in operation, but there is no doubt that this development is highly welcomed by crypto traders and merchants based in France.
This is a model that crypto traders based outside France hope their nations will adopt.
France still no sold on Facebook’s Libra
While France announced the positive development, it still hasn’t changed its position on Facebook Libra cryptocurrency, a stablecoin tied to a basket of major fiat currencies.
The French Minister said that Facebook’s Libra should not be allowed in the EU region in its current proposal. He backed his claims by highlighting concerns over the bad effects of the privatization of money and the associated risks of market abuse and fraud.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ within the crypto community, welcomed France’s decision but pointed out that that the country is still harsh on Libra.
Libra has received from many countries including the US, the home of Facebook. US President Donald Trump previously tweeted his dislike for bitcoin and Libra.
The spotlight is on how countries tax crypto
Portugal, a southwestern European country, became a darling of the crypto community in late August when the Portuguese Tax Authority (PTA) officially announced that bitcoin and all its cousins will not be taxed in the country.
This, for some people, turns Portugal into a crypto tax haven as individuals are not liable to paying capital tax gains or VAT when buying or selling cryptocurrencies.
Prior to the announcement, Portugal’s tax authority had previously stated that trading digital assets or receiving payments in them was not taxable but expected companies to pay capital gains tax ranging from 28 percent to 35 percent.
While these countries have adopted stances that promote cryptocurrency trades, other countries still tax crypto-to-crypto trades.
In response to CZ’s comment on France’s latest crypto stunt, a Twitter user highlighted that Australia is bad for business (for crypto traders) and has led to many people being bankrupt.
“Yep. Australia is the worst place in the world for crypto business. Every [crypto-to-crypto] transaction is a taxable event. Many here are bankrupt as they owe more in tax than they have money. Funny how that works,” commented a Twitter user.
In the United States, crypto-to-crypto trades are still subject to tax assessments. At the moment, the US Congress has asked the taxman, the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), to clarify its position on how cryptocurrencies should be taxed.
These developments come at a time when policymakers are looking at how best they can cope with the cryptocurrency regulation at a time when the interest in the young is growing, and more institutional players coming to the scene.


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Consumer demand for Ford’s fresh lineup of high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles in September helped the company continue to grow both sales and retail market share.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales in September totaled 160,873, up 46 percent vs. a year ago. Ford’s market share also increased in September, marking the 23rd time in the last 24 months that Ford’s share of the retail market increased.
Year-to-date sales totaled 1.44 million, up 21 percent – growth more than double the overall industry rate. Ford is on track to gain market share for the second year in a row – a result not achieved since 1993.
“The key to our success in the U.S. market is the relentless cadence of new vehicle, powertrain and technology introductions,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. marketing, sales and service. “Every high-quality, fuel-efficient new vehicle provides Ford and its dealers with an opportunity to reach new customers and build a stronger foundation for future growth.”
Ford’s Newest Products
The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers, the company’s latest new products to arrive in dealerships, are the first to offer MyFordTouch and MyLincolnTouch, respectively – state-of-the-art technology to better connect drivers with their vehicle information, entertainment and on-board technologies. The new Ford Edge features best-in-class horsepower and unsurpassed V6 highway fuel economy. The new Lincoln MKX offers best-in-class fuel economy and 305 horsepower – an increase of 40 hp versus the prior model.
Sales for the Ford Edge in September totaled 12,815, a record for the month and up 186 percent versus a year ago. Sales for the Lincoln MKX totaled 2,658, the highest sales month in over two years and up 76 percent vs. a year ago.
The pace of sales for the all-new Fiesta accelerated in the second half of the month as availability at Ford dealers began to improve. September sales for the highly acclaimed subcompact totaled 3,050. Fiesta’s conquest rate is 57 percent – the highest of any Ford product.
“Fiesta customers love their new cars,” said Czubay. “The Fiesta is our strongest proof point yet that our global growth strategy is working. This is important for consumers, dealers and employees to recognize as we prepare to launch the Focus – the next all-new product from Ford’s global product development system.”
Another global product star – the Ford Transit Connect, a small, purpose-built van – launched in North America last summer. In September, this new vehicle aimed at small businesses posted its highest-ever sales month of 3,571.
Ford’s Balanced Vehicle Portfolio
In September, cars were up 40 percent vs. a year ago. Sales of all Ford cars were up sharply from a year ago:
Utility vehicles were up 61 percent versus a year ago. In addition to the Edge and MKX:
September truck sales were up 43 percent, thanks in part to a special Ford Truck promotion that continues to the end of October. Highlights include:


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Check out who's clinched the award for our favourite fashion moment of the day!
Supermarkets Have Started Rationing Vegetables And This Is The Reason Why
Lettuces, broccoli, aubergines and courgettes are just some of the vegetables being rationed by supermarkets because of a shortage in supplies.
Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's have responded to the vegetable crises by trying to kerb bulk buying. They are allowing customers just three lettuces per visit while Lidl and Aldi say they're not affected.
Poor growing conditions in Europe, mainly Spain and Italy have meant a difficult harvest for growers and this has been reported as the reason for the shortage of fresh produce.
Consumers have posted photos on social media sites of empty shelves in Tesco stores and notices asking them to limit lettuce purchases.
One notice read: "Due to continued weather problems in Spain there is a shortage of iceberg lettuce."
Another said: "To protect the availability to all our customers, we are limiting bulk purchases to three per person. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."
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Over 50 tracks to make you feel-good. New album out now...


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The first initial coin offering (ICO) by a publicly traded company in Thailand has begun trading on a couple of local exchanges. Meanwhile, the regulators are still drafting the legal framework for cryptocurrencies and token sales.
First Public Company to Launch ICO
The launch of an ICO by a publicly traded company has paved the way for other token sales in Thailand.
Jay Mart Plc’s subsidiary, J Ventures Limited, launched its ICO called Jfin Coin last week. Jay Mart Plc operates in the wholesale and retail sectors for mobile phones and technology accessories and is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).
The pre-sale of Jfin Coin was held on February 14 at the rate of 6.60 baht (~US$0.21) per token, which was sold out. Its ICO debuted on local cryptocurrency exchange Coin Asset at 6.45 baht, but quickly tanked 57.09% to roughly 3 baht before regaining some of its losses. It is currently trading at 3.94 baht (~$0.12).
Initially, J Ventures was going to trade the tokens on a much larger crypto exchange in the country, the Thai Digital Asset Exchange (TDAX). However, the company switched to Coin Asset, which has much lower liquidity, according to the Bangkok Post.
Jfin Coin also started trading this week on another local platform, Cash2coins. J Ventures CEO Thanawat Lertwattanarak told the news outlet that the company plans to list Jfin Coin on Hong Kong’s Hitbtc as well as South Korea’s Upbit in the near future. His statement came prior to Upbit being investigated by the Korean authorities for alleged fraud.
Other ICOs Follow
The Thai government is currently drafting the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies and ICOs. However, some companies are not waiting for the legal framework to be introduced.
Following Jfin Coin, Zmine Holdings Limited is also planning a token sale. CEO and co-founder Kasem Pativitvatana said the company expects to raise at least 180 million baht (~$5.6 million) through the issuance of 100 million ZMN tokens in order to expand its crypto mining business which began in 2014, Prachachat Turakij reported.
The pre-sale of ZMN tokens began last week. MGR Online reported that 2 million tokens were sold on the first day for approximately 3.5 million baht (~$109,825).
Recently, “the Finance Ministry took steps to put the brakes on the Initial Coin offering (ICO) bandwagon by threatening to hit the emerging ICO market with value-added tax and capital gain tax,” the Nation Multimedia described, adding:
Under the proposed new laws, the [Thai] Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would be responsible for regulating the ICO market, covering securities and other kinds of digital tokens. One key feature of a related new law covers the electronic-KYC (know your customers) requirement aimed at preventing money launderers and other criminals from taking advantage of the new funding channel.
Do you think the Thai government will let ICOs flourish? Let us know in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coin Asset, J Ventures, and Zmine.
Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.
The post Public Company’s ICO Paves the Way for Other Token Sales in Thailand appeared first on Bitcoin News.
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Royal Farms To Donate Truckload of Food
Royal Farms today announced the company has arranged to deliver a tractor-trailer truck full of much-needed food supplies to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank on Tuesday, June 30th at 10 am.
“This coronavirus pandemic has resulted in an increased need for food within the communities that we serve. People are worried right now, and where they are going to get their next meal should not be added to their list of worries. Royal Farms will be making a similar donation to a Food Bank in every state in which we operate to do our part in combatting this worry.” said John Kemp, president of Royal Farms.
“The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank is so grateful to Royal Farms for their generosity and partnership in feeding the hungry of our community,” says Dayle Reschick, Interim President & CEO.
For more information about Royal Farms please contact Breahna Brown at 410.889.0200 ext. 257 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
About Royal Farms:
Royal Farms is a fast-casual, convenience, and gas station chain that now operates 226 stores in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Since 1959, Royal Farms has been satisfying the mid-Atlantic area's hunger for real fresh food served real fast! The Royal Farms Kitchen is well known for its World-Famous Royal Farms Chicken - Always Fresh, Never Frozen - lightly breaded and pressure-cooked in your store in Trans Fat-Free cooking oil. Their Western Fries are hand-cut and hand-breaded from fresh Idaho potatoes and are cooked right in the store. Most Royal Farms locations are open 24 hours, 365 days a year. They have been recognized by Food and Wine Magazines “10 Gas Stations Across the Country That Are Worth the Detour”. For more information, visit: www.royalfarms.com
About Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank
The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank (FRFB) serves Planning District 16 which includes the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, Caroline, the City of Fredericksburg, and Locust Grove. The food bank secures and distributes more than 3.6 million pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The FRFB provides support for more than 150 local charitable agencies, operating over 250 programs including emergency shelters, food pantries, CSFP senior feeding, the Mobile Pantry program, Club Kids after-school snack program, Food-4-Families School Pantry program and the Kids on the Go Summer Feeding. For more information, visit: https://www.fredfood.org/.


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With a total attendance of almost 150,000 people and representation from 78% of the Fortune 100, the annual Consumer Electronics Show has become the premier showcase for new technology. It was a natural fit for an industry leader such as Mercedes-Benz to showcase their new technologies and they turned to us to help them make it a success. The challenge was to create a unique environment that would showcase and explain the newest mbrace2 technology, as well as provide a glimpse into the future of the automobile.
Just this past month, the annual Exhibitor Show took place in Las Vegas, Nevada and Dimensional Communications, and our multimedia division, Immersive Realities, had our most successful event to date! Our technology WOWS them at EXHIBITOR 2012 This year we really stepped up our game at the EXHIBITOR show in Las Vegas, NV; the premier [...]


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Warzone update 1.52 is now available to download on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. According to the official COD Warzone 1.52 patch notes, the latest update added quality of life improvements and adjustments. Apart from this, today’s Warzone version 1.52 also includes stability improvements.
Previously, a big update added a new map, a new Operator, four new weapons, and more.
Unfortunately, players are still experiencing a number of issues while playing the game. Today’s cod Warzone patch 1.52 will fix a few of these issues. Check out more details below.
Download free Warzone update 1.52 on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.


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Microsoft has provided some surprising bad news this week. The gaming consoles and components developer declared nowadays that is terminating Fable Legends, its next sequel in a fantasy game that has represented an Xbox choice since its first appearance in 2004.
The company also announced it has suggested completely ending Lionhead Studios, the famous creator of Fable. This may be the ending phase of this company in the $100 billion worldwide gaming market. Since the making of its console, Fable Legends represented one of the main titles in Microsoft’s collection.
It offered a multi-player mode to a franchise that is liked by many individuals, even those who do not prefer standard RPGs. This provided gamers the idea of a universe where they could perform any action and be any character they want.
Lionhead’s representatives assured their followers on the studio’s forum that the title was arriving just earlier this month. Microsoft also declared that they are shutting down Press Play, a firm that has designed numerous titles and that was developing Project Knoxville for a multi-player action mode.
These have represented challenging choices and the company did not accept them without a thorough analysis. These are not a representation of their teams of experts and Microsoft was extremely lucky to have all skills, creativeness and dedication of the specialists working at these companies, as Microsoft mentioned in its press release.
Lionhead Studios’ ideas have pleased large numbers of players with their Fable franchise over the last years. Press Play enriched the market with an original and innovative concept behind their games that has attracted enthusiastic fans.
These improvements are helping Microsoft Studios too, as they carry on to concentrate their investments and efforts on the titles and businesses that people find most interesting and like to try out. Fable Legends, a game that was presented in 2013, appeared to be in a very advanced stage of development, since it was created as a multiplayer-based version of the franchise.
A beta edition for the free game was expected to arrive these weeks, but Lionhead said on its website that it would return the money to gamers who pre-ordered the product, which will not go off-line until Apr 13.
The company is among the most experienced studios in gaming activities. Microsoft has shut down important studios before, such as Ensemble, which came up with realistic characters and complex missions on the battlefield.
This is major negative news arriving from Microsoft, whose gaming console system has been behind its main rival, Sony’s PlayStation 4, for 2015’s sales. People do not know precisely what Microsoft meant when it affirmed that it plans to focus their financial commitment and growth on the activities and businesses that users find most interesting and like to play.
We have yet to understand how exactly this lead to Fable Legends’ termination, a title that Microsoft had often shown at trade events such as Electronic Entertainment. While this was never a big title, like the Halo series, Fable Legends was however an identifiable unique series for Microsoft’s own gaming console.
Image source: Techtimes


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CHRISTMAS Toy Appeal organisers have expressed a "heartfelt thanks" to Macclesfield Express readers who generously donated hundreds of gifts to underprivileged children.
Delighted kids across the borough were able to enjoy a sparkling festive season thanks to our kind-hearted readers who bought toys for the vulnerable youngsters to open on Christmas morning.
Along with our sister papers, the Wilmslow Express and Stockport Express and Times, the Macclesfield Express teamed up with BiG Storage to try and give vulnerable children a happier Christmas.
A deluge of gifts have been donated over the past months, resulting in an 8ft high, 50sq ft brightly coloured mound of toys, teddy bears, CDs and other gifts piling up at the BiG Storage Depot.
Toys were distributed in vanloads in time to reach designated charities and youngsters before Christmas.
Sadie Lund, Christmas Toy Appeal co-ordinator, said: "We have had an overwhelming response from people in Macclesfield. The charities have now distributed the gifts and toys, which were sent out in their vanloads to the charities.
"Each area involved had its own designated charity, which, in Macclesfield, was the NCH Poolswood Family Centre, as well as other charities in the area."
Paul Fahey of BiG Storage said: "We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the readers for their generosity and support in donating gifts this Christmas to underprivileged children in the area. It is wonderful to witness the community spirit which is so apparent in Macclesfield."
This week the NCH Poolswood Family Centre, Henshaws Society for the Blind, Barnardo’s and the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust gave out the huge array of gifts to thousands of children and teenagers across the region.
Express editor David Lafferty added: "I am immensely proud of the Macclesfield Express readers in coming forward and buying toys to help brighten up Christmas for less fortunate children. It is due to our readers that this campaign has been such a huge success."


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For the first time ever, tomato prices breached the Rs. 50 mark on Saturday. Traders are scrambling to find enough of the vegetable — in stark contrast to the glut situation when farmers routinely dump their harvest on the streets in protest — even as its price has been snaking upwards since the last one week.
Contrast this with the price this time last year when you could get a kg here for around Rs. 20.
While the farmers’ cooperative Hopcoms sold tomato for Rs. 50 a kg on Saturday, it had already reached an eye-watering Rs. 60 in several neighbourhood markets in the old areas of the city. The price was a more reasonable Rs. 40 in the north and eastern areas that are closer to tomato-growing region of Kolar and Hoskote.
“Procuring tomato is a challenge now as the heat wave and lack of water have brought down the crop output drastically. Tomato has never been so expensive,” a Hopcoms source told The Hindu. The official pointed out that its price in Bangalore had reached Rs. 45 some years ago when there was a demand-supply gap. He expected the price to drop from the second week of June.
Other veggies too
It’s not only that tomato is in the news for the price rise: some other vegetables too have witnessed drastic spike over the previous year. Beans is now hovering around Rs. 100, and in some places even Rs. 130 a kg. The price of cucumber, another vegetable in high demand during summer, has doubled compared with last year. Coriander, a must-have, along with carrot, is also climbing upwards.
A Hopcoms source said prices of other vegetables have remained more or less steady in May, a month that usually sees a spike in prices due to summer conditions that are not very conducive for crops. The prevailing high prices benefit farmers to a certain extent, the official said, adding that not all will be benefited though.


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The wetter and cooler weather at the start of June took some of the heat out of overall garden centre sales, not quite setting a new record for the first week of June. Garden product volume sales were up by 43% on the same week last year and with more furniture, BBQ and pot sales included in the GTN Bestsellers Epos data there’s no doubt that turnover will have been much higher.
That means on a year to date basis the garden products deficit has halved from 52% just before re-opening to 26% after the first week of June.
All eyes will be on the next few weeks of Bestsellers data to see if the warmer weather improved sales last week and what the impact on all shops re-opening will be after this week. Watch this space.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 23
• Garden Products Top 50 – up 43%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 87%
• Wild Bird Care Top 50 – up 12%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 166%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 23
• All Plants with Barcode index – up 41%
• All Items with Barcode index – up 35%


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Uasin Gishu County is up-scaling breeding of high-quality livestock at a farmers’ training center (FTC) in to be availed to North Rift farmers at affordable rates in an annual auction.
“The breeding will be enhanced at Chebararwa FTC and local farmers will be given an opportunity to buy and use them to upgrade their livestock breeds,” said Governor Jackson Mandago speaking during a ground breaking ceremony for to construct a cattle dip at the centre.
The governor noted that Chebararwa FTC has the capacity to produce high grade breeds of dairy and beef cows, toggenburg goats and dorper sheep that will enable farmers to improve their indigenous breeds andenhance their incomes.
“There is high demand for quality livestock. breedsThe agriculture department will enhance breeding stock at Chabararwa FTC to be availed to farmers through an annual auction to enable them improve their indigenous breeds,” said Mandago.
The governor said the breeding centre’swould in future make the breeds more affordable.
“Our role is to make quality breeds more accessible and transform the farmers economic status. We have enough breeding livestock and are working to ensure they are affordable to our farmers, in Uasin Gishu and adjacent counties in the North Rift,” he added.
He also attended an auction of dairy and beef cows, goats and sheep at the same institution which he said would he turned into an annual event.
“In addition to production of high-grade breeds of livestock, Chebararwa FTC offers training to farmers, and we urge them to utilise the facility. The training and sale of livestock is not restricted to Uasin Gishu. We encourage farmers from other counties in the region to take advantage of services offered by the institution,” he said.
ALSO READ ABOUT: Caring for livestock during the rainy season
Mandago congratulated farmers from the semi-arid Kerio region who had bought livestock breeds that are resistant to drought.
“It is encouraging to see farmers from dry regions came for breeds that are more tolerant to their climatic conditions,” said Mandago.
The governor also said the centre would diversify into production of coffee, avocado and macadamia.
“We want to make Chabararwa FTC a centre of excellence in production of coffee, avocado and macadamia. We advise farmers to venture into commercial production of these crops to enhance their earnings,” he said


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Early access to spectrum for mobile broadband in the so-called ‘C-Band’ is feasible, and likely to generate significant economic benefits, according to an independent report by Plum Consulting, commissioned by Ericsson, Huawei and Qualcomm Technologies.
The GSM Association said it is disappointed that the Asia Pacific telecommunications community has not identified sufficient spectrum to meet growing consumer demand.
M1, Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) and StarHub will stop all 2G (Second Generation) mobile services in Singapore with effect April 1, 2017.
Digi.Com Bhd is aiming for its Fourth Generation/ Long-Term Evolution (4G LTE) network to cover at least 45% of the population by year-end.
Telekom Malaysia (TM) CEO Zamzamzairani Mhd Isa expects its mobile offerings to be launched at the end of 2015, but declines to answer a question about unlimited data offered for its mobile offerings, a nightmare scenario for TM’s competitors if it does so.
It may have introduced a brand refresh, with a new tagline and new brand pillars, but it is still data and the mobile Internet that is driving Digi forward.


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Port of Oakland will try to leverage infrastructure to attract first carrier call from Asia
Improved infrastructure coupled with new supply chain capabilities should result in record cargo volume at Oakland.
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As Oakland continues to woo global ocean carriers to make this gateway a first port-of-call, executives here are celebrating several significant achievements related to container throughput and efficiency.
Improved infrastructure coupled with new supply chain capabilities should result in record cargo volume at Oakland, say spokesmen.
Maritime Director John Driscoll said construction projects currently underway would attract additional containerized cargo to Oakland beginning in 2018. He predicted all-time highs in Oakland cargo volume annually through 2022.
“I’m forecasting growth because of the development that’s going on here,” Mr. Driscoll told a gathering of 50 trade and transportation leaders. “It won’t be dramatic – it will be steady - but it will result in more cargo volume than we’ve ever had before.”
Driscoll's comments came before an audience of supply chain officials that meets three times a year to review Oakland’s operating performance.
The Maritime Director said that three international shipping lines are contemplating Oakland first calls due to recent port improvements.
Spokesmen say that’s important since the first port of call is where ships discharge most U.S. imports. Oakland import volume could increase if any of the shipping lines makes the move.
“The ocean carriers are looking favorably at Oakland,” Driscoll said. “It’s a major discussion between them and their import customers.”
The Maritime Director said these projects are drawing the most interest from shipping lines:
- Crane raising: Four ship-to-shore cranes are being lifted 27-feet higher at Oakland International Container Terminal. Higher cranes will be better equipped to load and unload megaships in Oakland. Work on the second of four cranes should conclude by year-end. Completion of the entire $14 million to $20 million project is expected mid-2018.
- Cool Port Oakland: Cool Port will process beef and poultry exports in a 280,000-square-foot temperature-controlled facility. The plant expects to handle the equivalent of 27,000 20-foot containers full of meat annually. The $90 million refrigerated distribution center should open next August.
- Seaport Logistics Complex: This $52 million, 440,000-square-foot distribution center will be designed for transloading. That’s the rapid transfer of cargo between ships, trucks and trains. Construction is expected to begin in late 2018.
- 8Truck Service Center – Negotiations are still underway to construct an 8-acre facility for harbor truck drivers. It would include food stops, fueling stations and overnight parking. There’s no timetable yet for construction.
The Port of Oakland reported total volume of 2.37 million 20-foot containers in 2016. Earlier this year the Port projected that volume will reach 2.6 million containers by 2022. That would be 8 percent more than the Port has ever handled in a single year.
Meanwhile local Bay Area shippers are expecting to learn more about the port’s goals at an annual event featuring executive director Chris Lytle. The “State of the Port “ luncheon, sponsored by Women in Logistics and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association takes place January 30th.
About the AuthorPatrick Burnson, Executive Editor Patrick Burnson is executive editor for Logistics Management and Supply Chain Management Review magazines and web sites. Patrick is a widely-published writer and editor who has spent most of his career covering international trade, global logistics, and supply chain management. He lives and works in San Francisco, providing readers with a Pacific Rim perspective on industry trends and forecasts. You can reach him directly at [email protected]
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As investors have been warned and seen with other tech stocks, the COVID-19 boom eventually leads to pain. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tech pull forward in the last year and growth rates are now decelerating. My investment thesis remains Bearish on the stock as guidance around FQ2'22 results confirm the gravy days are over for the company.
Apple has spent the last year trading at 30x forward earrings as investors got too used to the fast growth pulled forward by the WFH environment due to COVID-19 lockdowns. The reality is that revenues have historically grown far below 10% annually with several periods in the last decade where the tech giant reported negative YoY growth.
For this reason, Apple analysts were forecasting FQ1'22 revenue growth of just 6.4% followed by only slightly positive revenues for the March quarter. The company actually reported revenue growth of 11.2% in the December quarter to reach $124 billion.
The quarterly results were fantastic for a company the size of Apple. The problem is that the growth rate of 11% in the quarter is substantially below the nearly 29% YoY growth rate in the prior quarter.
Apple still isn't providing full revenue guidance in what remains a negative sign for the business. The tech giant still suggests numbers are showing irrational revenue pull forwards, or the company would be able to provide numbers for the next quarter in a more traditional environment. The comments surrounding the FQ2'22 numbers all suggest revenue growth decelerates from the December quarter with foreign exchange providing a 300 basis point headwind in comparison to the prior quarter.
Also, the company had another fantastic quarter from selling more of existing products. As highlighted in previous research, the problems with Apple are taking the next step with new products such as an AV/VR device and autonomous vehicles. The company will need to spend substantially more as a percentage of revenue to compete with the other tech giants in these areas.
The December quarter saw all categories outside of the iPad beat analyst estimates and grow over the prior year period. Even the weakness with the iPad, with sales down 14% YoY, was potentially due to Apple taking parts from this product to feed the growth of the iPhone:
Apple saw gross margins soar to 43.8% while operating expenses are starting to grow at accelerating rates. The company grew key R&D expenses by 22%, or $1.14 billion over the levels from FQ1'21.
Even the SG&A expenses grew at a 15% clip, far outpacing the revenue growth rate. The company will face some pain to operating margins in future quarters with these growth rates in operating expenses while revenue growth stalls. Such margin pressure could offset the small benefits from a large capital return plan.
Apple spent $20.5 billion on share buybacks during the quarter, but the large spending doesn't go very far when the market cap reaches $3 trillion. The tech giant has seen the net cash balance slip to $66 billion in the December quarter, as the company continues to head towards a net neutral cash position.
The net payout yield is an indication of stock valuation and the yield has never been lower since Apple started repurchasing shares. The current 3.8% yield is an indication of the limited value Apple sees in the stock with capital returns mostly flat with prior years and the nature of how the tech giant has the lowest net cash position since starting share buybacks.
A 2% to 3% reduction in share counts won't move the needle much going forward. Apple would be far better building the cash position back up when the stock is trading at a premium valuation versus spending so aggressively repurchasing the expensive stock.
Apple is up only a few dollars after reporting an outstanding quarter because the stock is priced for the perfect results of the past year. Heading into quarterly results, Apple was trading at nearly 28x forward EPS targets.
Even in a blowout quarter, Apple only grew EPS by 25%. The growth rates will only fall from these levels going forward as revenues slow and operating expenses ramp.
The stock is priced for the tech giant growing revenues at a level unsustainable considering the company has a history of product sales running in cycles. At the same time, Apple is starting to show signs of needing to boost R&D and likely CapEx leading to expense growth far outstripping revenue growth.
The key investor takeaway is that Apple is priced for perfection, yet the market knows results are heading towards flat growth. The logical conclusion is for the tech giant's stock to inevitably fall to levels more in line with greatly reduced growth rates in future periods. The COVID-19 boom of the last year ultimately ends in tears for shareholders holding on too long.
If you'd like to learn more about how to best position yourself in under valued stocks mispriced by the market during 2021, consider joining Out Fox The Street.
The service offers model portfolios, daily updates, trade alerts and real-time chat. Sign up now for a risk-free, 2-week trial to start finding the next stock with the potential to generate excessive returns in the next few years without taking on the out sized risk of high flying stocks.
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Stone Fox Capital launched the Out Fox The Street MarketPlace service in August 2020.
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Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Additional disclosure: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this article should be taken as a solicitation to purchase or sell securities. Before buying or selling any stock, you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion or consult a financial advisor. Investing includes risks, including loss of principal.


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A message from JAXPORT CEO Eric Green regarding the State of Florida’s proposed nearly $260 million in COVID-19 relief funding for Florida’s 15 seaports:
“We are extremely grateful to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and FDOT Secretary Kevin Thibault for their continued support of Florida’s seaports, which are vital economic engines for our state. COVID-19 has caused unprecedented disruption to the global economy and supply chain, bringing cruise business to a halt and reducing cargo volumes and revenue for Florida ports. Economic relief for our ports ensures we can continue to do the important work we do to connect Florida’s businesses to the global economy, create and protect Florida jobs, and do our part to help lead the economic recovery of our state.”
Florida’s seaports are critically important to the state’s economy. Cargo and cruise activity through Jacksonville’s seaport alone generates nearly 139,300 jobs in Florida and more than $31.1 billion in annual economic impact for the region and state.


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Jessica Alba: Toxic Chemical Law Should Change for Child Safety
The NPR health blog Shots covered a late-May Capitol Hill appearance by the actress Jessica Alba to advocate for reforms to the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that governs how chemicals are used in products from water bottles to soaps to furniture. In May, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement recommending that the government specifically amend this law to better protect children and pregnant women.
Alba appeared with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), who has introduced a bill called "The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011" as a replacement to the Toxic Substances Control Act. Announcing the bill in April, Lautenberg said, "The average American has more than 200 industrial chemicals in their body, including dozens linked to cancer and other health problems. The shocking truth is that the current law does not require tests to ensure chemicals used in everyday household products are safe. The EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] does not have the tools to address dangerous substances and even the chemical industry has asked for stronger laws to assure consumers that their products are safe. My 'Safe Chemicals Act' will breathe new life into a long-dead statute by empowering EPA to separate the chemicals that help from the chemicals that hurt."
(image via: http://www.saferchemicals.org/)