text:
Israel’s Wix.Com has made it cheaper and quicker for businesses and anyone who wants to set up a website. Now, another Israeli firm, AppsVillage, is seeking to do for apps what Wix.com did for websites.
As our cellphones become an extension of our arms and are an integral part of our daily lives, so has the use of mobile apps grown: we have apps to show us the way, apps to count our steps, apps to touch up our photos and apps to keep in touch with friends.
According to App Annie, a business intelligence firm headquartered in San Francisco, the time we spend using apps continues to increase. On average, smartphone users use over 30 apps per month, and an average of at least nine apps per day. These are used mainly for social networking and communications, but also for photos and video, gaming, music, entertainment and shopping.
Businesses have caught on to this, and many have created apps to reach their clients.
What AppsVillage is proposing to do is to help businesses, from the nail salon to the coffee shop, to larger businesses, create their own app quickly, “in a snap.”
“Today, the best channel to get to a customer is via an app,” said Max Bluvband, who founded the firm a year ago with two of his high-school chums, Shahar Haidu and Nadav Daniel; all three are now aged 39. “For stores, 80 percent of revenues are based on 20-30 percent of their loyal customers.”
But why do businesses need an app to get to their customers when there are newsletters and text messages and social media?
Well, explained Bluvband, an app created using AppsVillage becomes something like a membership card. If you sign up for the app of a business — say, your favorite coffee shop or a clothing boutique — the store can alert you via the app about special deals and send you coupons and offers that you can present to the store or use to order online. The shop can message the customer directly as well – with popup notifications conveying promotions, updates and coupons; by chatting directly with the customers; by offering them cash back bonuses, the possibility to sell products online and even setting up appointments, for a haircut with your favorite stylist, for example.
So basically two things are needed: the app itself — which can be created via AppsVillage — and getting people to download it. Businesses do the latter by approaching their best customers at their stores and giving them a special offer that they can use if they download the app – like a free drink or a glass of wine. Many do. And then they are hooked.
But how does one go about building the app? AppsVillage does that.
Many companies that give you the opportunity of setting up an app, take the do it yourself (DIY) approach, Bluvband explained. “You need to be a techie to set it up,” he said. But most people prefer the “do it for me” approach, that tells them what they need and then gives it to them at the click of a button.
So, this is how it is done. A business goes to the Apps village website and clicks on start now. The person is asked to login with Facebook and then asks to create a new app. AppsVillage then confirms that the Facebook profile is yours – and then starts building the app, taking all the information it needs from Facebook: all about the firm, phone numbers, address.
Once it is ready, you see how it looks and check its features. Then you submit it to the app store. Within a week your business will have its own app available on app store and Google play, Bluvband said.
An Israeli clothing chain called Discreet, for example, created its app via AppsVillage, to offers customer clothing items – with the picture shown and sizes available – at a discount. All customers had to do to order the item on sale was click on the “buy now button.” Similarly, Remax Israel, a real estate firm, uses an app, also created via AppsVillage, to rent property. The app users can click on the properties shown and check out their features, without having to go onto the website of the firm.
Some 1,000 new customers have set up their app via the firm in the past three months, mainly in Israel, said Bluvband, a computer scientist graduate who his free time composes Jewish music. The company is now launching the feature in the US.
AppsVillage, which operates out of the Israeli city of Rishon LeZion and employs 7 people, has raised $1 million to date in seed financing round.


text:
Additive Orthopaedics received FDA 510(k) clearance to market Patient Specific 3D-Printed Bone Segments for ankle and foot fixation.
Per leadership, the company's lattice structures have shown close to 90% bony ingrowth after 6 months, with no use of biologics.
Over 1,000 of the company's devices have been implanted since commercial launch in early 2017. The company has recently closed a Series B round of US $1.0MM.
Source: Additive Orthopaedics, LLC

domain: news


text:
The video game industry is undergoing a tidal wave of consolidation right now, and Swedish holding company Embracer Group is riding it to become one of the newest players in a rapidly shrinking space. A few years ago most people had never heard of it. Now it’s bigger than rivals like Ubisoft and Capcom, and set to get even bigger as it scoops up Square Enix’s Tomb Raider and Marvel’s Avengers studios.
I wish there was a succinct way to explain what Embracer is and where it came from, but there’s not. It began as a nesting doll of investment companies that started out in retail. It’s now a sprawling network of independently operating publishing arms and individual studios that make and sell every type of game you could imagine. The brainchild of Swedish businessman Lars Wingefors, Embracer was formed in 2011 and it has been buying up other game companies ever since.
It was originally called Nordic Games Holding, and grew out of Wingefors’ prior experience selling excess video game stock on the international market. Instead of selling leftover games from EA, Nordic eventually decided to start selling its own. First it snatched up Austrian publisher JoWooD’s assets (Gothic, SpellForce) in a 2011 bankruptcy, and then notably many of the remains of THQ (Darksiders, Homefront) in 2013, after which it rebranded as THQ Nordic.
At the time, it seemed like grave robbing, but possibly even less lucrative. By now it’s clear Nordic Games’ ambition went well beyond just being zombie THQ and giving the world Darksiders III. The holding company went public in 2016, rebranded as Embracer in 2019, and now owns over 100 studios and publishers housing over 10,000 employees, making it bigger than Activision Blizzard in terms of sheer body count.
About the only thing the group has done outside of buying stuff was hold a roundly rebuked 2019 AMA with 8Chan. “I condemn all unethical content this website stands for,” Wingefors later wrote in an apology. “Even if no one within the THQ Nordic Group would ever endorse such content, I realise simply appearing there gave an implicit impression that we did.”
Monday’s $US300 ($416) million agreement to acquire Crystal Dynamics (Deus Ex), Eidos Montreal (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Square Enix Montreal (Hitman Sniper) is one of Embracer’s most high-profile deals yet. In addition to getting the rights to things like Thief, Legacy of Kain, and more than 50 other “back-catalogue games” (i.e. Gex), the sale would also see Embracer’s ranks swell by another 1,100 game developers. But in purely monetary terms, it would be one of the smaller checks Embracer’s investors have cut in recent years.
Here’s who else it recently bought:
- April 2020: Port house Saber Interactive for $US525 ($729) million
- February 2021: Borderlands maker Gearbox Entertainment for $US1.3 ($2) billion
- April 2021: Ad-supported mobile game publisher Easybrain for $US640 ($888) million
- April 2021: Star Wars remaster machine Aspyr Media for $US450 ($625) million
- August 2021: 3D Realms and seven other studios for $US313 ($435) million
- December 2021: French board game and RPG publisher Asmodee for $US3 ($4) billion
While mega publishers like EA and Activision rely on selling tens of millions of copies of a few annualized franchises, Embracer has been busy buying dozens of baskets and stuffing a few eggs in each. Its subsidiaries publish everything from Biomutant to World War Z. It owns 4A Games, which makes the post-apocalyptic Metro series, as well as Dambuster Studios, which made Homefront: The Revolution, and is the latest studio to be cursed with developing Dead Island 2, a sequel that’s been MIA for eight years.
If you want to get a sense of just how much of a labyrinth the Embracer acquisition rabbit hole is, consider the mind-bending case of the upcoming Saints Row reboot. The GTA parody series was created by Volition, the storied studio behind Descent, Summoner, and Red Faction. THQ acquired Volition in 2000. When THQ went bust in 2013, Volition was sold to Koch Media became part of Deep Silver. Summoner and Red Faction were sold to Nordic Games. In 2018 Nordic Games finally bought Koch Media too.
In addition to reuniting old gaming IPs, Embracer has tried to reform long-gone studios. Free Radical Design was formed by developers who worked on GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. In 2000 it released TimeSplitters. In 2008 it went bankrupt and was sold to Crytek. That went terribly, and eventually whatever was left was sold to Koch Media. Last year, Embracer reformed Free Radical Design with original founders Steve Ellis and David Doak to bring the “much-loved” TimeSplitters IP “back to life.”
When THQ went bankrupt, it seemed like a sign that there was no room left for mid-sized publishers in an industry dominated by first-party staples and $US100 ($139) million blockbusters. Embracer’s strategy seems to bear that out. Instead of trying to be king of the hill it’s going to be king of the rest. It rarely releases major games, but one of its bets occasionally hits big like 2021’s viking survival sim, Valheim.
Who knows how that will work out. Hopefully it means developers at Eidos Montreal will get to keep their four-day work week and we’ll eventually get another Deus Ex that doesn’t have the fortunes of an entire company riding on its shoulders.
The Cheapest NBN 1000 Plans
Looking to bump up your internet connection and save a few bucks? Here are the cheapest plans available.


text:
In Amsterdam, a “coffee shop” is a “place to buy and smoke marijuana.” And if you only want coffee, you’re better off at a “café.” And now Colorado may be getting their own pot coffee shop, the first in the U.S. and it would solve a problem folks are having there: where are people supposed to go to get high outside of their own homes?
See, Colorado legalized recreational weed use, so buying and selling it is legal, but smoking it outside of a private residence isn’t. Voters in Denver approved an ordinance that allows cafes and restaurants to apply for a permit to allow pot use inside, but because of a bunch of red tape, no one applied for one until last month.
Rita Tsalyuk is opening a coffee shop, cleverly called the Coffee Joint, and it’s right next to her dispensary, 1136 Yuma. She’s applied to allow pot use in the new space, but because Colorado banned smoking indoors to battle cigarettes, “consumption” can’t include actually smoking pot. So her customers will have to get high on edibles and vaping instead.
Source: Extra Crispy


text: They missed the 2016 presidential election by a mile, but the polling experts nailed this one! A recent Harris Poll published this week in USA Today identified Dunkin’ coffee as first among eight brands of packaged coffee rated above average by the nation’s consumers. The other seven in order of preference included: Starbucks, Café Bustelo, Green Mountain, Folgers, Community Coffee, Peets and McCafe. And we might be soon getting a glimpse at what the “new normal” might look like as far as Dunkin’ stores are concerned with new cashierless stores being tested soon in Southern California. Dunkin’ is just one of a few companies partnered with Mastercard to test a new self-service store concept with one to three pilot stores.


text:
The lawsuit between Oculus and ZeniMax centred on allegations that Oculus chief executive officer Palmer Luckey had violated a non-disclosure agreement and misappropriated ZeniMax code for the development of Oculus’ highly successful Rift headset product. While the damages awarded to ZeniMax are substantial, they are significantly less than the $2bn originally sought by the company based on claims that Oculus has misappropriated its intellectual property, which were eventually rejected by the jury. The final award against Oculus comprised of $200 for violating the non-disclosure agreement, $50m for copyright infringement and $50m for misuse of ZeniMax’s trademarks. Co-founders Mr Luckey and Brendan Iribe were also ordered to pay $50m and $150m respectively for improper trademark use.
Business as usual for Oculus
Despite the award, Oculus’ lawyers are counting the court’s verdict as a win. ‘The heart of this case was about whether Oculus stole ZeniMax's trade secrets, and the jury found decisively in our favor,’ an Oculus spokesperson said. ‘We're obviously disappointed by a few other aspects of today's verdict, but we are undeterred. Oculus products are built with Oculus technology.’ The scale of the fine is also unlikely to perturb Facebook, which acquired Oculus on 2014 just months before ZeniMax launched its legal action. The social media giant boasts more than $29bn on its balance sheet and recently announced a 51 per cent jump in fourth-quarter revenue.


text:
Michelle Williams is striking as the new face of Louis Vuitton handbags
Creatures crafted out of Louis Vuitton handbags on display in Chinese megastore The French fashion giant has opened a special ‘zoo’ Located at flagship store in the central Chinese city of Wuhan The zoo houses a total of 23 animals The panda took more than 2 months and 74 Louis Vuitton bags to complete PUBLISHED: 08:14 EST, 31 May 2013 | UPDATED: 09:22 EST, 31 May 2013 130 shares Fashion is all about creativity and luxury label Louis Vuitton get top marks for innovation and all-round fun for their latest stylish project. The French fashion giant has opened a special ‘zoo’ – featuring animals made out of their iconic handbags. The zoo was crafted to celebrate the opening of the brand’s new flagship store in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Stylish creatures: Animals have been made out of handbags at the new Louis Vuitton store ‘zoo’, in Wuhan, China A bug’s life: This cricket made from Louis Vuitton handbags is one of 23 animals that have been designed The zoo houses a total of 23 animals, including a giant panda, a cricket, an armadillo and a beaver, all located in the atrium of Wuhan International Plaza.
Louis Vuitton loses lawsuit on “Hangover” handbag
Reese Witherspooon Steps Out With the Louis Vuitton W August 2, 2013 0 If you’re wondering what this Fall’s It bag is going to be, then here’s your answer, courtesy of Louis Vuitton and Reese Witherspoon . The star who has made a name for herself carrying the hottest bags on the market (remember how she was one of the first to carry the Fendi 2jours tote ?) was spotted yesterday out in LA with the Louis Vuitton W, which she styled with a light-blue sweater, skinny jeans, and leopard-print Louboutins. If the leather and coated canvas carryall looks familiar to you, then that’s because you’ve already seen Louis Vuitton Underwear it starring alongside Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton’s stunning Fall 2013 campaign , where it made its official debut with Vuitton’s other headline Fall bag, the Capucine. If its sleek silhouette, classic monogram detailing, and chic celebrity sighting are any indication, then it’s clear this will be the hottest accessory of the Fall.
The 2.55 remains the most popular bag today, both vintage and new. In fact, Chanel released an exact copy of the original 2.55 in February 2005 to commemorate the bags 50th birthday. It remains a design classic, with its quilted exterior and double chain straps. Fans will know that the burgundy leather interiors were said to be inspired by Chanels convent school uniform and that when this bag has the Mademoiselle lock, it is known as a Classic Flap. The Double C lock was introduced in the 1980s. This sale includes several variants of the 2.55. Lot 18: An emerald fabric classic flap bag Chanel, 2009-10 with silvertone metal hardware, classic chain, dustbag and box 30.5 cm, estimate: 1,500 – 2,500 Lot 65: An Hermes tan box lather passe-guide bag from 1979, estimated to fetch 2,500 – 3,500 The Vintage Couture: Handbags and Accessories online-only auction features 102 exquisite items. Lot 18: A 30cm 2011 lime bag, estimate 10,000-15,000 (left) and Lot 34: A crocus 2012 with silver palladium hardware, padlock, keyfob and dustbag 35 cm, estimate: 5,000-7,000 (right), both Epsom leather Birkins by Hermes Lot 5: A 2005 45cm limited edition monogram cerise canvas keepall bag Takashi Murakami for Louise Vuitton, goldtone metal hardware with handle fastener and dustbag, estimate:1,000 – 2,000 Prices start at 400 at Christies.com . Bonhams auction fashion magazine collection for 15,000 Man In A Vuitton Bag at Bonhams is a rare collection of ‘the world’s chicest magazine’ – and it’s going under the hammer. Edition 18 of the contemporary fashion, art and design periodical Visionare is a Fashion Special which comes in a monogrammed Louis Vuitton portfolio. It sold its entire 2,500 print run in less than three weeks and is now to be sold at the Bonhams Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Photographs sale in Knightsbridge on Wednesday 19 June. It is part of a collection of 53 issues of Visionaire, for sale as one lot, estimated at 15,000-20,000.
Louis Vuitton raid: three arrested after designer handbag heist
While Vuitton is still the worlds most valuable luxury brand, its losing ground to competitors such as Gucci and Prada ( 1913:HK ) as demand wanes for the iconic LV monogrammed handbag. A report last month by consultancy Millward Brown Optimor estimated that Vuittons brand value declined 12 percent over the past year. LVMH in April reported its weakest fashion and leather goods revenues in more than three years as sales flattened in China. As consumers make room for those luxuries that make them feel better by trading down on other items, it is the middle-of-the-road brands, such as Vuitton, that have suffered, Millward Brown Optimor said. Delphine Arnaults task will be to give the brand a more exclusive aura, deemphasizing its ubiquitous monogrammed canvas bags and introducing costlier leather bags. In the short term, that could depress sales growth, as LVMH also has said it plans to open fewer Vuitton boutiques. Delphine is the eldest of Bernard Arnaults five children. For the past five years she has held the No. 2 job at Christian Dior Couture, also controlled by her father.
Reese Witherspoon Carrying Louis Vuitton W Bag
The Louis Vuitton store in the city, scene of an attempted robbery. Photo: Ben Rushton Officers surrounded the store within five minutes but it took another hour before the men were allegedly found with their handbag haul in a basement car park. The men were accused of trying to steal thousands of dollars worth of designer handbags and accessories. Police also expect they will face a number of property charges after they damaged a number of fittings within the store. A large perimeter was set up around King, York and George streets as officers from City Central, The Rocks and Kings Cross searched the area. Three police dogs helped during the hour-long search of the complex. Shattered black glass was still visible on the footpath on George Street on Thursday morning, with blue and white police tape sealing off the building’s side entrance.
Daughter’s Got a Brand New Bag, and It’s Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton, part of LVMG Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, claimed it was harmed by the misrepresentation and the resulting confusion to customers. It also said it was harmed in particular by a statement by Garner to a friend, “Careful … that is a Louis Vuitton,” that became “an oft-repeated and hallmark quote from the movie.” The “Louis” is mispronounced as “Lewis.” Louis Vuitton sought financial damages and a halt to further trademark infringement. But U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan found that Warner Brothers, part of Time Warner Inc, should not be held liable.
Bag a bargain! Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton among 84 designer handbags up for online-only auction from 2pm TODAY
With bleach blond hair and bold red lips, the look is edgy and nearly gothic, but strikingly beautiful. By Rheana Murray / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, July 24, 2013, 4:04 PM Michelle Williams makes Louis Vuittons W bag look even better. Related Stories Fashions Night Out goes on the shelf after concernsabout chaos and wrong crowds With porcelain skin and dark red lips, Michelle Williams made her debut as the fierce new face of Louis Vuitton. The actress will show off two of the luxury brand’s latest handbags the W and the Capucines in striking ads for the fashion house’s fall/winter 2013-14 campaign. Williams, 32, follows in the footsteps of A-listers like Madonna, Scarlett Johansson and Gisele Bundchen, who have all worked with the brand. Louis Vuitton Michelle Williams as the newest face of Louis Vuitton. The campaign is slated to break in Marie Claire France next month, and worldwide in September and October. RELATED: MODELS PLAY PROSTITUTES IN LOUIS VUITTON VIDEO It was photographed by Peter Lindbergh. The pixie-haired, Oscar-nominated actress is best known for her parts in “My Week with Marilyn,” “Blue Valentine” and “Brokeback Mountain.”


text:
Friday, February 01 2013
We recently told of how Judith Heard had gone to the US to launch her 2African Girls clothing line. The former super model has now released photos for the event with models who were clad in stunning outfits.
The 4-hour event was held on Jan 19 at BeHuman Art Gallery and before she comes back to Kampala, JH will host another fashion show on Valentine's day in the same venue showcasing their latest spring-summer collections.
Judith Heard partnered with a US based designer Michelle Okosun of Preme Fashions and together they came up with 2African Girls. Days after the launch, one person by the name of Kiah made a comment on one of the articles saying that:
"I was there at the venue and I didn't see her at the location/function...the press was organised by a totally different person, she just had some "mudaala" but she never launched anything.."
Now with the above pictures, it's clear the person who made that comment must have been at a different location or fashion show.
Judith Heard simply laughed it off in her tweet: "Now I really believe am the best, just read a comment on ugandaonline and someone saying I didn't launch 2AfricanGals in Houston,Tx ahahahaha."
Chameleone shares pics of Davido and Wizkid kneeling, blasted the more
Bebe Cool's 44th birthday celebrations at Murchison Falls
I have been with my Baby Daddy for 7 years-Juliana Kanyomozi
Sheilah Gashumba's experience with a romance scammer
Revealed - Pere and Maria are the fake housemates in BBNaija 6
Leila Kayondo returns with a bang from her US holiday
UG Connect Concert featuring 20 artists for 52 weeks


text:
Today at E3 2015, developer Telltale Games announced The Walking Dead: Michonne, a new mini-series based on The Walking Dead franchise.
Taking control of the katana-wielding Michonne, the title is set to explore her “untold journey during the time between issues #126 and #139″ of The Walking Dead comic series.
“In many ways, Michonne herself is a reflection of the world of The Walking Dead,” says Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. “She is brutal and cold on the outside, but deep beneath what is broken, she remains hopeful, trying to claw her way out of the darkness that surrounds her.
“In our effort to bring the world of the comic and the world of the Telltale series closer together, there is no greater character than Michonne to help bridge that gap.”
With The Walking Dead: Michonne being a spin-off, Telltale has confirmed that the title is a three-part episodic series, with the story focusing on “what took Michonne away from Rick, Ezekiel, and the rest of her trusted group… and what brought her back.”
“Michonne’s complexity and range make her an ideal lead for the compelling interactive drama fans have come to expect from Telltale,” says Kevin Bruner, co-founder and CEO of Telltale Games. “With this mini-series, players will experience Michonne’s challenges first-hand, and the choices they make will shape her journey.
“We’re incredibly honored by Robert for the opportunity to share this untold story in The Walking Dead universe.”
The Walking Dead: Michonne will launch in the fall of 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android and iOS.


text:
You would have to have been living under a hedge to have missed this week’s big news, so there are neigh surprises about what’s been galloping through the minds of Courier Business over the last few days.
But the revelation that horse, and perhaps even donkey meat has found its way into processed beef products stocked by grocers and supermarkets the length of the UK is no laughing matter.
So let’s get some things straight.
This is not a crisis for the native farming industry. No one is calling into question the quality, traceability or regulation of Scottish and British meats. And no one should, because the products proudly produced by our farmers are amongst the highest-quality and most tightly-controlled in the world.
Similarly, there is no problem with eating horse per se. Two fancy Edinburgh restaurants have it on their menus, I’m told. Lots of folk on the continent love it too, and if that’s what they want on their dinner plates then good luck to them.
No the problem here is that consumers were getting horse when they thought they were getting cow.
It’s a food standards issue which our politicians have to crack, for the good of consumer confidence and the domestic industry.
Long and disparate supply chains which weave their way across Europe are no doubt tough to regulate but it will have to be done, and the early indications are that the political will to make sure it happens is there.
However, the underlying and perhaps unpalatable economic fact is that major brands and big retail chains know there is a market for a £1.39 lasagne.
Customers would, until recently, happily pay the less-than-princely sum for the convenience offered by some of those value products found to contain horsemeat.
Findus, one of the implicated food groups, reportedly turned over £1.13 billion in 2011, so it is no slouch in the money-making stakes.
What is difficult for many of us to imagine is how the trading of ingredients of ready meals, burgers and the like across the Continent could possibly result in such a cheap product.
The abattoir, the processor, the food brand and the retailer will all be making their cut, and that is without factoring in the costs of transport or regulation. It is big, pan-continental business and the margins are clearly there.
Ultimately, the drive for profit and market share by huge concerns appears to be behind a supply chain which is out-of-control.
So it is great to hear that local butchers are seeing a trading uplift of up to 25% in the wake of this scandal.
Here’s hoping that the boon for local retailers and supply chains will last, and the consumer’s appetite for cooking tasty meals from cheaper cuts of butcher-bought meat can begin to override the convenience of the more questionable processed ready meals.


text:
TRUMAN, Minn. (KARE) – Small rural towns die one storefront at a time. Truman, Minnesota has a main street lined with ghosts.
Gone are the drug store, the gift shop, the jewelry store and bakery. Missing too are the movie theater, the hardware store and the Ford garage. The town of 1,200 people was once blessed with three grocery stores. When the last one closed its doors last summer, picking up a few items for dinner suddenly meant a 30 mile round trip south to Fairmont.
Truman was in need of a superman. What it got was an even better boy.
“I more or less woke up one night and decided I was going to give this a whirl,” said Nick Graham, owner of the newly reopened Main Street Market. Nick is 17-years-old.
“It’s just amazing,” said customer Vernon Wille.
Perhaps even more amazing, is that it took Nick this long.
“When I was probably 15, 16, I almost bought a hardware store in Armstrong (Iowa)” said Nick. “A year prior to that, I attempted to purchase a restaurant.”
“He’s always been very ambitious,” said Nick’s grandmother Dot Graham.
Nick just seemed to grow up more quickly than other kids, according to Dot. “When you lose a parent at that young of an age it’s very hard.”
Nick’s father was killed in a snowmobiling accident when Nick was four-years-old. “He and his Dad were very close,” said Dot. “It was hard on all of us.”
In the years that followed, Nick began squirreling away the quarters his grandparents gave him for candy. Later he began banking the money he earned on his grandparents’ farm. Saving, for something. Saving, it turns out, his town.
“Isn’t that something,” proclaimed Eva Kelly, a Main Street Market customer. “I’ll tell you, the kid deserves a medal.”
A kid who dashes between grocery store deliveries to the Truman High School to finish his senior year classes.
A kid who negotiated a store purchase while playing tackle for the football team, then convinced a teammate’s mom to quit her job to become his manager.
“He shingled my daughter’s house this last summer,” said customer Bev Mohwinkel.
And when the grocery store freezer needs fixing, Nick tears that apart too. He does it, because Nick is a kid who doesn’t know the word “can’t.”
“The other day we were in the restaurant and things were getting busy and he just took over and helped serve food and cleared the tables,” recalls customer Barb Mager.
And the busiest kid in Truman isn’t through yet.
The doors weren’t even open on the grocery store, when Nick started making calls to universities.
“I’ve been trying to find a pharmacist for probably six months now,” said Nick. His next goal: putting a drug store back in the empty space across the street.
“Are you going to start the drug store?” asked an excited Mary Peterson as she happened upon Nick while shopping. “No, but I’m looking for somebody to start it,” answered the 17-year-old entrepreneur. The hug she gave Nick speaks to a long-struggling town with shelves newly stocked with hope.
“It’s like a miracle,” said customer Luverne Stade. “You know the people just can’t believe it.”
For years, Truman has watched its most promising young people depart for bigger cities. Yet here in their little grocery store the most ambitious of them all is pouring his whole heart into staying put.
“He didn’t think of himself,” said Carl Vogt of the Truman Development Corporation. “He’s thinking of the community and this is what makes him so unusual.”
Of all the opportunities in the Land of 10,000 Stories, Nick Graham has found his at home.
Nourishing his neighbors, and nurturing his town.


text:
The team has announced it will be holding a draft party May 8 at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Admission and parking are both free. Parking opens at 3:30, gates at 4:30 and the draft is at 5:00 pm. The party runs until 9:30 pm. There will be a kid’s interactive zone, photo ops, and the chance to take on a Cardinal player in EA Sports Madden NFL video game.
The event will also have food and drink specials as well as merchandise sales.


text:
Flipkart launches AR capability Flipkart Camera on its app
Walmart-owned Flipkart on Wednesday introduced an augmented reality (AR) capability on its app, Flipkart Camera, which will offer an immersive ecommerce experience to its customers.
A statement from Flipkart said the new offering will enable shoppers to leap from ‘imagining’ to ‘experiencing’ what a product will look like in reality before making a purchase.
Flipkart, India’s leading ecommerce marketplace, believes there is a need and an opportunity to bring real-life purchasing experiences to customers using technologies such as augmented reality.
This is just a representational image
According to the ecommerce company, in categories such as furniture, luggage, and large appliances — where customers need to estimate the size and fit of the product and understand its aesthetics before making a purchase decision — they can have a visual, 3D experience of products using Flipkart Camera.
In fact, this capability will provide confidence to shoppers in the beauty category as it makes it possible for them to try products virtually before making a purchasing decision.
Jeyandran Venugopal, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Flipkart, said, “At Flipkart, we are constantly working towards making ecommerce an inclusive and immersive experience for customers. This technology has far-reaching applications and can improve customer experience manifold, while also helping customers find the right product fit.”
The rapid adoption of smartphones has propelled the usage of augmented reality among customers. According to a report by Gartner, Gen Z and millennials are driving the demand for AR and VR features, with 30 percent of the sample space wanting more AR/VR capabilities incorporated in their shopping experience.
Flipkart has introduced several initiatives to make online shopping a much easier experience. It has introduced Voice Assistant, which enables shopping through audio and in non-English languages.
Started in 2007, Flipkart offers 150 million products across 80 plus categories to its over 350 million registered customers.


text:
CD Projekt Red recently announced that fans would get a new next-gen version of the classic RPG The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for PS5 and Xbox.
CD Projekt Red has been working on an updated next-gen version of The Witcher 3 for some time. Today they finally announced that an updated game version would be coming “soon”. The Witcher 3 is considered one of the best video games. Fans have been wondering how the game would perform if it got a modern update for PS5 and Xbox Series X. PC gamers have been using mods for years to improve the visuals and performance of the ageing game. Console players, however, have stuck with a version of the game that is nearly a decade old.
The update has been delayed several times, and CD Projekt Red originally planned to release a next-gen version of The Witcher 3 by now.
According to reports, CD Projekt CEO Adam Kicinski stated during a recent earnings call that the game is “still on track” for a 2022 release. Players can invest countless hours into the RPG mechanics of The Witcher 3. This will further enhance the title’s appeal to multi-platform players.
During the latest earnings call, Kicinski said that the enhanced version of the game is on track for a Q4 2022 release. In a one-word social media post, CD Projekt Red simply wrote that the new version is coming “soon”. All this was using The Witcher’s official social media account. Players have already seen the visual fidelity modern hardware can produce in the game. A recent video showed The Witcher 3 running over 100 mods on the Nvidia RTX 4090.
The game is likely to be released sometime before late December 2022.
The end of the year is fast approaching. CD Projekt Red will likely have more to share shortly. The developer has already confirmed that PS4 and Xbox One owners of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will not have to pay extra for the updated version. The same next-gen update will also be released for PC players. The update will undoubtedly focus on the visuals. At the same time, combat may also be improved. They are hopefully including the celebrated chopping system from The Witcher series.
The update will improve gameplay and graphics on all next-gen systems. It doesn’t offer any changes for the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Both veteran players and newcomers alike will have great opportunities with the next-gen version.
Source: Generacion Xbox
— The Witcher (@witchergame) October 26, 2022


text:
All those sales of more fuel-efficient cars are starting to pay off: Average fuel economy in the U.S. has risen 20% in the past five years, according to a new study.
Fuel economy of all new vehicles sold has topped 24 miles per gallon for the first time ever, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Average fuel economy, as measured by the government ratings as noted on stickers pasted on the windows of new cars and trucks purchased in March, was 24.1 mpg, up from 23.9 mpg in February and 23.6 mpg in January, the institute says. That makes it a whopping 4 mpg, or 20%, higher than October 2007, the first month that institute researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle started keeping track.
Besides saving gas, all those new cars and trucks are emitting fewer emissions, the researchers found. The amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the average car is down 17% over the same five years.
View subscription options


text:
Samsung's exploding Galaxy Note 7 disaster just keeps getting worse, and now some analysts think it might be time for the company to cut its losses and move on to the Galaxy Note 8.
The South Korean electronics giant halted sales and recalled its $882 flagship device on September 2 in countries around the world following reports that multiple devices had melted, burst into flames, or burned people.
On September 19, the company started replacing Galaxy Note 7 devices with new handsets that wouldn't spontaneously combust. But there's been one teenie-weenie problem. Some replacement devices (eight altogether) also overheated and caught fire. As a result, Samsung was left with little choice but to tell retailers to remove all of its Galaxy Note 7 devices from their shelves. Samsung says it has now stopped producing the Galaxy Note 7 altogether, according to The Associated Press.
Executives at Samsung will now want to move forward and focus on how they can rebuild trust among consumers, as companies like Apple and Google look to capitalise on Samsung's misfortune with devices like the iPhone 7 and the Pixel.
"It’s now time for management to mull over the option of giving up Note 7 completely, as it has already missed the first three months of sales, an important window of opportunity, and the Note 7 phone appears to have lost confidence among customers," wrote Macquarie analysts in a note.
Here is a timeline of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle:
Edward Snyder, the managing director of Charter Equity Research, added: "This has probably killed the Note 7 brand name. By the time they fix the problem they have to go through recertification and requalification and by the time that happens they're going up against the Galaxy S8 launch."
The whole debacle could cost Samsung $17 billion (£13.8 billion), according to analysts at Credit Suisse. Meanwhile, there are concerns that the fiasco will have a detrimental impact on Samsung's overall brand.
"We think the Note 7 incident may hurt demand for Samsung's other smartphone models as well," Nomura analysts wrote in a note, adding that Samsung's mobile division could see its profits fall by as much as 85% in the fourth quarter.


text:
Asus has launched a new TV commercial for its dual-screen Asus Taichi Windows 8 notebook that has a basketball theme and even features former NBA coach Phil Jackson.
Nokia Lumia is no more. Long live Microsoft Lumia! (It's official now.)
Editorial: With Gadgets long dead, give us pinned Live Tiles in Windows 10
Philips Fidelio X2 headphones review
Windows Phone's future success lies at the low end, says Alcatel VP
Windows 10 logo
The wacky Asus Taichi - a Windows 8 Ultrabook with a touchscreen on the inside, and one on the outside - has been delayed, just a few weeks after retailers started taking orders for it.
The previously announced Asus Taichi, a Windows 8-based dual screen notebook, has a starting price of $1,299 and is now available for pre-order at Amazon and other retailers.


text:
Google is constantly changing up the structure and format of the massive search engine, but recently, from Friday to Saturday, they tested switching the color from the search results from blue to black.
The “reason” was that black is a color that is easy to notice but many users of the famous search engine disagreed with the change.
41 shades of blue
Google’s decision to change from blue to black comes from 2009 when they tested over 41 shades of blue until they determined that the actual one used caused the most clicks on the search results. It led to bosses opting for a “slightly purpler” color, which is said to have resulted in Google making an extra $200 million approximately in ads revenue.
As everyone that uses Google know, when typing something on the search bar, about 10 links can be found on the first page, where the results are in blue and the URL under the result is green. When users found out that the blue-green combination changed to black-green they weren’t “pleased” at all with that change and many of them expressed their opinions on Twitter, Reddit, and at Google’s Forum.
Google saw my blue links and they've painted them all black,
No colours any more, they want them to turn black! pic.twitter.com/NItnW8NF05
— Mark Summerfield (@patentology) May 9, 2016
— Joseph Madden (@Hyper200) May 9, 2016
Also, back in 2014, Dan Cobley, who is Google UK’s managing director said that they saw which shades of blue people liked the most, demonstrating how much they clicked on them.
“As a result we learned that a slightly purpler shade of blue was more conducive to clicking than a slightly greener shade of blue, and gee whizz, we made a decision,” said Cobley.
Actually, Google serves over a trillion search results per year worldwide, so at the minimum change on the view could make that more people – or less – use Google as their first choice for searching on the web. The only way that allows Google to make the change is that users accept it and find it more “attractive”, but hence, it wasn’t the case it will remain with the classic blue.
Source: Telegraph UK


text:
We are pleased to announce that Domek Logistics will complete its integration with Masterpiece International on January 1, 2020. As a part of this integration the Domek brand and website will be replaced with Masterpiece International’s. Starting January 1, Domek Logistics will join Masterpiece as its Chicago West branch, and www.domeklogistics.com will be redirected to Masterpiece International’s website, www.masterpieceintl.com.
“We’re delighted to welcome the Domek Logistics’ team to our Masterpiece family,” said Thomas Gilgen, President of Masterpiece International, “The addition to the Midwest will help our existing local teams and support our International Logistics Solutions division’s business development and operations efforts.” Masterpiece International has offices across the United States, including two Chicago-area locations in Mount Prospect and Crystal Lake, Illinois.
We’d like to officially welcome Domek to our Masterpiece International Family!


text:
The furore over Cambridge University Press and Chinese censorship has brought to the forefront an issue that has been going on under the radar for... Read more
The recent imposition of a new National Security Law in Hong Kong was followed by a crackdown on libraries. There are now signs that it... Read more
The US has halved its tariffs on books made in China to 7.5% as the trade war between the two countries eases.
Publishers with operations in China are curtailing some activities in the country after the coronavirus outbreak.
The Publishers Association says it is closely monitoring the situation after China announced a ban on foreign textbooks in the country’s classrooms.
Planned US tariffs on Chinese products including children’s books have been halted after the two countries reached a preliminary trade agreement.
Bloomsbury is entering China’s domestic market in a joint venture with state-owned China Youth Publishing Group (CYPG) and its subsidiary Roaring Lion Media (RLM).... Read more
Chicken House has signed a special co-operation agreement with China's biggest children's publisher, marking its expansion into the country.
The Bookseller has heard from multiple sources that Chinese publishers are currently having difficulties getting ISBNs to publish books written by US authors, after buying... Read more
UK publishers at the Beijing International Book Fair last week saw typically buoyant rights trading, as the country's book market boom continues in 2019, with double-digit growth... Read more


text:
Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google may have decided to trim their workforce worldwide to cope with the economic turmoil, but these entities do have openings in India.
Interestingly, the companies are cutting jobs in India too, even as they have hiring plans in the country.
For instance, software giant Microsoft recently said it would create employment opportunities in tune with the growth of the Indian economy.
The announcement came from its chief executive officer Steve Ballmer amid the firm proceeding with 5,000 job cuts worldwide, including 55 employees in India. The workforce reduction in the country would be completed in the next 18 months.
Few months ago, search engine giant Google unveiled plans of trimming as many as 200 jobs in sales and marketing operations worldwide. Nonetheless, the firm is hiring for about 20 positions in engineering operations, finance and software engineering, among others.
Internet entity Yahoo! too would be slashing its employee strength as part of its efforts to bring down costs. At the same time, the company has over 100 vacancies in India, according to its website.
Steve Ballmer noted that Microsoft would continue to hire and create employment opportunities in line with the recovery and growth of the Indian economy.
"We had said that we would lay off about 5,000 people. We are still filling other jobs. We are mostly through that process globally and there is still some work to do.
". . . There are areas where we are continuing to add people. As I said, these are global additions, so it is a little hard to separate our work globally from our work in India," he said.
Yahoo! recently said in a statement it would be cutting as many as 700 jobs, representing nearly five per cent of its worldwide headcount, and has given pink slips to around 60 employees at its R&D centre in Bangalore, India.
Still it is hiring for over 100 positions in the country. This month alone the company posted an offering of 10 vacancies, according to information available with Yahoo's website.
According to its website, Google has over 20 job openings in different areas such as advertising sales and enterprise, engineering operations, finance, human resources and software engineering.
India, which is one of the largest locations for Google outside the US, has different positions at its offices in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Gurgaon.
Meanwhile, in a sign that financial crisis is hitting the search engine giant also, Google would be reducing its headcount by 200 employees.


text:
Bodybuilders need to eat right, exercise and exercise regularly, according to a new bodybuilder nutrition and fitness video.ABC News’ Dr. Lisa Sussman and NBC’s Dr. Brian Nelley interviewed Bodybuilder Nutrition CEO David Dye, who says he is taking a holistic approach to helping his clients lose weight and get back to being healthy.
The two said the company’s bodybuilder-focused website, BodybuilderMD, has become a hub for health information, videos and exercises that are designed to help bodybuilders lose weight, build muscle and even get back on the road to healthy living.
Dye told ABC News the site was launched as a platform for his clients to share tips and advice, share nutrition and exercise strategies and to receive personalized, personalized training.
He said the site has been a great source of information for his patients and customers.
Dy’s website includes nutritional information, exercise videos and workout routines.
He also provided a video of a typical workout, which is shown below.
BodybuilderMD has a “Health and Fitness” section, which shows people how to lose weight.
It also has a video called “How to Eat Well,” which teaches you how to eat healthily, and an FAQ section.
Dyes also created a website for his clientele that is dedicated to health and fitness and is titled “Get Strong and Healthy.”
Dye also said his company has received more than 5,000 orders for its bodybuilder diet.
Dynastes also has several websites dedicated to bodybuilding and fitness, including a website dedicated to weight loss.
Dylan Daley is a bodybuilder and fitness professional.
He has been in the sport since the age of 10 and has had a successful career in the fitness industry.
He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and has trained with various bodybuilding competitors.
Daley said he is very interested in the benefits of using the nutritional and health-focused site Bodybuilder MD to help his clients.
“It’s a huge resource that is really important because it’s a way to reach out to people and it’s like a portal to get them on board and give them the information they need to get the results they want,” he said.
“There are a lot of different things on Bodybuilder.MD, which I think is a really great resource for people who are really in the know and want to know more.”
He said there are many ways to help people lose weight by eating a balanced diet and getting more physical activity.
Dry said the videos and workouts are designed so that people can learn from each other and make good habits.
“The idea is to have a little fun, just to get people excited and excited about it, and then have them start doing it,” he added.
“If you get the right people in the right place, it really has an impact on their life.”ABC News reached out to Bodybuilder and Dye’s companies for comment on the new bodybuilding website.
Bodybuilder Medicine declined to comment.


text:
To download Fashion Victims: 4Corners mp3 for free: Right Click -> Save Link As.../Save Target As...
The conditions for low-paid textile workers came to the world's attention when the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Bangladesh collapsed in April killing more than a thousand people, many of them young females. Source: abc.net.au
Many people hear voices inside their head -- some are diagnosed with schizophrenia, others live privately with the experience. International leaders in the Hearing Voices Network gather in Australia this week, controversially challenging the belief that voices are a pathological symptom without psychological meaning. They argue people can find it therapeutic to 'dialogue' with the voices. Meet three clinicians pushin...


text:
The "Plain English" guide, written with data from the NCSC, advises retailers on what they need to do to keep their business - and their customers - safe from cyber attacks.
Retailers face potential ransomware threats, malware, phishing attacks and many more and a new guide developed with the help of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) aims to prevent retailers from falling victim to these attacks.
The "Cyber Resilience Toolkit for Retail" has been developed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the NCSC and seeks to provide a "Plain English" guide to cyber security for management and retail boards.
The nature of retailers and the way they handle not only financial data but also personal data, always make them a tempting target for them Criminals at cyberspace. During 2020, BRC reports that there has been an increase in the number of online markets, which may provide Criminals of cyber more loot if they make a successful one attack in cyberspace on a website e-commerce.
"We want to keep them data, the identity and privacy of buyers secure and ensure that the sector retailers are well equipped to meet the cyber challenges associated with an increasingly digital worldSaid Dr. Ian Levy, NCSC Technical Director.
"Cyber security does not have to be scary. There are many best practice measures you can take to ensure that you protect yourself and them. customers you ", he added.
These best practice measures include the use of strong passwords, good staff training and data backup, so if a successful ransomware attack occurs, the organization will be able to restore data from backups.
It is also recommended that management know what procedures apply and know what to do if a cyber attack occurs - and who to call if help is needed.
"Last year, retailers spent more than 186 XNUMX million on cyber security, but rising online sales mean there is a growing threat of new violations in cyberspace and sophisticated hacking techniques. As a result, retailers need to ensure that their systems are up to date, ”said Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium.
The toolbox also contains tips for areas that may come from potential threats from retailers. These include people working from home, malicious people, the supply chain and the old systems not updated.
The guide also urges retailers to take advantage of the NCSC exercise in a box - a free tool which allows organizations to test their cyber defense based on some common hacking scenarios and cyber facts.


text:
#3- There isn’t a boxer engine underneath that STI performance concept.
Super GT in Japan is a grand touring car racing series with multiple manufacturers in different classes battling it out over a racing season. Since 2012 Subaru has been campaigning its BRZ in the GT300 class. According to Subaru, “ Under the hood, the BRZ GT300 engine is the proven Subaru EJ20, which has been tuned for road racing using technologies developed for the STI World Rally Championship (WRC) cars since the 1990s. ”
And when Subaru unveiled the STI Performance concept at the 2015 NYIAS, that was the engine stuffed inside. Just like the racing class suggests, that means this Subaru was good for around 300 HP and 330 lb-ft of torque. Basically Subaru took the base engine out of the Subaru TS and stuffed this race ready EJ20 under the bonnet and called it the STI performance concept.
If Subaru went ahead and released that STI Performance concept just as it was, it would stay true to what STI stands for, namely honoring its racing heritage with a car with more power, balanced by the right handling and suspension modifications.
Next: Subaru has been on a roll with its sales records


text:
Retail real estate is a fast-paced and ever-changing industry. Keep up to date with the most recent developments, find out about our latest successes, and read our insights on the hottest topics. Read something interesting? Join the conversation on Twitter @HDHrealestate.
The Frontier Awards, the most prestigious celebration of excellence within the travel retail industry, is back for its 37th year. This year the event returns …Read more
Many UK retailers are caught in a ‘perfect storm’, with Brexit uncertainty, rising wages, increased occupancy costs and the growth of online shopping working against …Read more
Cambridge has again been named as the UK’s leading retail location according to a list scoring Britain’s best and worst retail centres. The university city …Read more


text:
From 15 to 16 March at Fiera di Rimini the curtain will rise on EspoGame 2023, an event centered on Esports, gaming, web3, metaverse, blockchain, NFT. All this and much more will be the protagonist of the event which involves dozens of companies, speakers and industry experts, hundreds of visitors and enthusiasts, conferences, panels and meetings.
With this edition, the B2B event, dedicated to the most modern and innovative sectors of the Italian and international scene, enters a next level. A phase where training, inspiration, networking and business are the key principles of an event focused on the contamination between gaming and web3 and where players from these sectors have the opportunity to get to know each other, exchange ideas, meet the brands that are investing.
The future is in the metaverse
EspoGame 2023 https://www.espogame.it/taglia also a unique milestone in Italy for the events dedicated to these sectors. It will in fact be the first to have an extension in the metaverse. Thanks to the partnership with the Italian The Nemesis, within its metaverse users will be able to access extra and exclusive content from the speakers and brands involved.
Through https://game.thenemesis.io/worlds/?game=Metaverse&id=64085f0db04b1497a2728a8c it is possible to access now – and until the end of March – the space in the metaverse reserved for the trade fair event (it is necessary to connect with a Chrome browser).
EspoGame 2023: anticipate trends
Luigi Caputo, founder of the Italian Esports Observatory and organizer of EspoGame: “We focused on the contamination between gaming and web3. These are two directly related trends, which will influence business worldwide in the coming years. You need to know them to anticipate their trends. We want to offer the public one of the most important moments dedicated to getting to know these sectors. The program we will propose will have a very high quality standard, both in terms of speakers and companies involved. Even the proposition of the event in the metaverse of The Nemesis has the meaning of always pushing beyond the barriers of innovation. In addition to being an event, EspoGame 2023 represents a format in which to experience technological progress, and not just talk about it”.
In this regard, there will be many experts who will enliven the stage of the Rimini Fair. March 15th will be dedicated to Esports, Gaming and networking, while on the 16th, in addition to networking, the panels related to Web3 will be staged. Among the speakers also present were the four guest stars such as Fortuna Imperatore, Doctor of Psychological Sciences and Techniques at Federico II University in Naples, as well as developer of “Freud’s Bones-the game”, Fabio Viola, among the most influential gamification designers in the world, Stefano Sorrentino , former Serie A goalkeeper and President of the A.S.D. Chieri, with whom he is taking Esports into a new dimension, and Giacomo Zucco, one of the most successful Bitcoin Educators, as well as consultant and researcher.


text:
In collaboration with biotech firm Natraceutical, in which Spanish-based Natra holds a 50.27 per cent stake, the two companies have developed their 'Chocolactive' line of cocoa and chocolate products that contain “functional ingredients, active principles and nutritional supplements for the final consumer”.
Health-positioned chocolate products are still, it would appear, at a nascent stage, but major R&D efforts that focus on potential health-boosting ingredients are starting to trickle down into the chocolate market.
Mars recently launched CocoaVia, while Barry Callebaut has rolled out its Acticoa ingredient, both of which boast high polyphenol contents and are marketed as healthy options.
Indeed, at this week's Salon du Chocolat show in Paris, ConfectioneryNews.com saw Barry Callebaut's Acticoa ingredient in a new line from Belgian chocolatier Guylain. Branded as 'Guylain Extra', the Acticoa label is clearly visible on the front packaging, as is the term 'antioxidants'.
The Guylain product notwithstanding, health positioned chocolate products at the salon, which showcased the wares of some 140 exhibitors, were barely visible.
The range from Natra spans the gamut of health areas and, the firm writes, is composed of "premium plain chocolate with a high content of polyphenols; premium milk chocolate with more polyphenols than a traditional bar; fibre chocolate; energy chocolate, in which two squares have the same amount of caffeine than a cup of coffee; and low-lactose chocolate, suitable for lactose intolerant consumers".
"This is the first product launch which is specifically directed towards the final consumer," says the Spanish manufacturer.
Recession spears private label appeal
In addition to spearing the growing health area, the Natra launch also neatly targets private label needs.
In recent months, the entire food chain, from farmer to consumer, has felt the impact of soaring prices for essential inputs, such as fuel and ingredients, which has sent costs spiralling upwards.
This situation is now improving as prices for key inputs, such as oil and cocoa, are tumbling.
But with challenging economic circumstances hitting Europe and the US, consumers are starting to look hard at their spending patterns, which is when private-label demand is wont to grow.
In times of economic straits, history has shown that consumers may opt to ditch certain branded goods, preferring instead to switch to cheaper private-label products.
Natra recently cited data from market analysts AC Nielsen that reveals the consumer switch from branded to private label goods in the US market alone has enabled growth in the consumption of private label products in excess of 10 per cent, compared to 3.2 per cent growth for branded products.
The estimates, says Natra, suggest that within the confectionary category, private label products will record significant growth of 27 per cent in 2008.


text:
We have many ways to store energy, but only one real way to store it. Batteries. A global push for Net Zero has sparked opportunity for investment in new initiatives.
The rise of third-party food delivery companies has shaken up the hospitality industry, here are some of the players to look out for.
Berkshire Hathaway has an unprecedented track record of delivering strong returns throughout different. Here’s a look at their top 5 holdings.
The Sun has powered the Earth for millennia and these companies are ensuring that continues well into the future.
Wind energy is a core element of our push towards net zero emissions. These companies are ones to watch in this space.
Emerging markets signal opportunity for investors seeking high growth and there’s no better place to look than Latin America.
Superinvestors have been busy making new investments throughout the quarter. Here’s a look at 10 companies where they’ve found value in Q3 2022.
Superinvestors like Warren Buffett have always been a paragon of investing. Here’s a look at some of the most recent additions to Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway portfolio.
The size and distribution of our population is changing rapidly and some companies stand to benefit.
The strong returns of Speaker of the House of Representatives has garnered the attention of investors. Here‘s some on Nancy Pelosi‘s top trades for 2022.
Our work landscape is rapidly digitizing and traditional education providers are struggling to keep up. These EdTech disruptors are looking to change that.


text:
Slovakia's dominant fixed-line operator, Slovak Telecom, will begin offering its products and services under a new brand name, T-Com, as of March 8.
The company is changing into a holding company known as Slovak Telekom, the last phase in a re-branding drive that began when it changed its name from Slovenské Telekomunikácie to Slovak Telecom in January 2004, the news wire SITA wrote.
ST President Miroslav Majoroš said that the current re-branding costs are higher than those of the brand change in 2004, but did not reveal details.
Majoroš said the introduction of the T-Com brand on the Slovak market reflected the strategy of ST's majority owner, Deutsche Telekom, to support the development of broad band internet and IP-based products and services.
Deutsche Telekom AG owns a 51-percent stake in Slovak Telecom. The Slovak Transport and Telecom Ministry controls 31 percent, while the FNM state privatization agency has 15 percent.
Slovak Telecom owns 100 percent of mobile operator T-Mobile Slovensko.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.


text:
On March 31, an unusual arena will appear in Moscow with an area of over 1,000 square meters, where children will be able to compete in e-sports, Russian media reported on Wednesday with reference to the developer.
Children's E-sports Arena will be located in the Central Children's Store — a huge mall housing 100 of various shops. The building is situated on Lubyanka Square which is about kilometer north-east of Red Square. Investments in the construction of the facility exceeded $1 million.
As noted in a message of Gals Development, the owner of the shopping center, the facility will be the first complex of this kind in the center of the Russian capital. It is planned that regular e-sport tournaments, including international ones, will be held there on a regular basis.
Round-the-clock broadcasting will be conducted from a specially arranged streaming studio. The audience is expected to be over one million people monthly.


text:
Two weeks ago, Amazon has purchased digital comic book seller ComiXology and now we’re seeing the first big chance after the take-over. The ComiXology app has long been one of the top-grossing iPad titles in the App Store, and the new version has been released in order to to circumvent Apple’s 30% cut from purchases made inside the app itself. The new read-only version will require users to purchase comic books via the official website, just like Amazon does with its Kindle app.
Amazon has did the same thing back in 2011, when it had updated its Kindle app to remove the ability to purchase books from within the app in order to avoid Apple’s in-app subscription and purchases policy. ComiXology recommends that users back up their purchases through their ComiXology account, as the legacy app will continue to work for a limited time, but will be pulled down. Marvel and DC Comics apps are also powered by the ComiXology platform, so this change could soon come to them, as well.


text:
How much is that doggie on the Web site? If it is a purebred puppy and the price is unbelievably low, watch out!
Con artists are now targeting animal lovers. They use bogus ads with cute puppy faces to hook their victims.
“It’s a scam that plays on people’s emotions,” says Alison Preszler with the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “And unfortunately, it’s working.”
Preszler says hundreds of people across the country have already fallen for this scam, paying anywhere from $250 to $1,600 for a puppy that never arrives.
The just suck you in
It happened to Kim McDonald of Gallipolis, Ohio. She went online to look for an English bulldog for her son. McDonald was willing to pay $500 (much lower than market rate) and was surprised to find three purebred puppies available for that price on PuppyFind.com.
She contacted the sellers via e-mail. All three wrote back that they were at a conference in Nigeria.
“Dummy me, I believed it,” McDonald told me. “I just thought, OK, maybe there is a conference in Nigeria.”
There wasn’t. Nigeria is where many of the scammers live.
McDonald made it clear she did not want a dog that was coming from overseas. The seller assured her the puppy was at a kennel in Tennessee. All she needed to do was wire $350 to the shipping agency in Nigeria and the puppy would be on its way.
A few days after wiring the money, McDonald received an e-mail asking her to send another $200 dollars right away. Her dog was being held in customs, the message said, and needed shots.
Since McDonald’s dog was supposedly coming from Tennessee, she realized she had been scammed and refused to send any more money.
She found a local breeder and got her son a puppy. But she had to pay the market rate of $1,600.
The folks who run PuppyFind.com know all about these bogus ads. “We’re sorry for the people who have been hurt by it,” says Mike Peters, who founded the site.
“We’ve been trying everything we can to keep the scammers off the site and catch them the minute they come on,” Peters told me. But he says this is an ongoing problem that will never be completely eliminated.
A scam with many variations
In some cases, the scammers pose as breeders. They build a complete Web site using pictures they have lifted from legitimate breeder sites. The more common way to snag victims is to place ads in newspapers or online.
In many cases, the con artist claims to be a missionary in Africa. They say they have a wonderful purebred puppy that they cannot care for anymore. They are willing to give the puppy away free if they can find a good home for it in the United States. All they want you to pay is the shipping.
“It starts little by little,” explains Anne Donoghue with the American Kennel Club. “They don’t start with a high number.”
Once you wire the money to cover the shipping – usually $100 to $350 – they start asking for more. They claim these extra payments are needed for vaccinations, crates and customs declarations.
James Randles is a private stationed at Fort Gordon, Texas. He wanted an English bulldog puppy. Last month, an online ad for a 14-week old purebred pup named Betty caught his eye.
The seller told Randles via e-mail that Betty was healthy and current on all her shots. “She is so loving,” he wrote, “and will make a wonderful member to your family.”
“The weather in Cameroon, Africa, was too harsh for Betty,” he explained. “That’s why I intend to give her out to any pet loving home in the USA that is willing to pay just for her shipping charges of $100.”
Three days after he wired the $100 to Cameroon, Randles got an e-mail asking for another $400 to cover a customs certificate. Since he was already growing attached to Betty, looking at the pictures the con artist sent, he wired the money. But still no dog arrived.
The next e-mail said the plane transporting Betty crashed and she needed emergency medical attention. Randles agreed to pay for the vet bills.
Then an e-mail made to look like it was from Air France arrived. It asked for $650 to be sent to the U.S. Customs office in Cameroon.
That’s when Randles pulled the plug. In all, he got taken for $650.
“That was over half a month’s pay that I lost,” he told me. “It’s wrong for them to be scamming people out of that kind of money.”
Spotting the scam
How could people fall for something like this? It’s so bizarre. In hindsight the warning signs are clear. But at the time, things are happening so quickly, victims don’t realize they’re being played by a con artist.
“When you see that cute little puppy face you tend to throw caution out the window,” says Alison Preszler of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
All of the victims I spoke to told me they could never talked to the breeder or seller on the phone. All communication was via e-mail. That should make you nervous.
If you get burned or spot a scam, let the Web site or newspaper know. Contact the Better Business Bureau. They won’t be able to get your money back, but they can use this information to warn others.


text:
Beeline offers “Nice” numbers for half the price
17th April, 2018, Yerevan: Beeline announces a special promotion offering half price for "Nice" mobile communication numbers at the Company's Retail Stores. The promotion is valid from April 17 to May 17 this year.
As part of the offer, “silver” category numbers, for example, can be purchased at a price of 10,000 AMD instead of the previous 20,000 AMD, and platin numbers - at a price of 70,000 AMD instead of standard 140,000 AMD.
“We already have had practiced a similar promotion in Beeline online store recently, and after it was over, we received a huge number of requests from customers to continue it in the Company's Retail Stores. At Beeline, we are always very attentive to feedback from customers, therefore we decided to give our favorite subscribers the opportunity to take advantage of a unique offer and purchase nice numbers at half price,” said Beeline Armenia CEO Andrey Pyatakhin.
Recap: as before, “nice” numbers are available at Beeline number.beeline.am online store with an additional 20% discount.
For additional information please visit www.beeline.am; contact the official page of Beeline Armenia on Facebook; call the toll free number 0611; or visit any nearest Beeline retail store.


text:
Independent auditors found that Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. complied with proper auction practices during the 2008-2009 season, the company said on Thursday.
The Arizona-based auction house opened its books in the wake of a 2007 legal action, which alleged improper activities. Barrett-Jackson sued a seller and was exonerated. The company also wanted to show transparency in light of recent troubles at other auction companies and in the financial sector.
“We are what we say we are,” said Steve Davis, Barrett-Jackson president.
The probe, conducted by Deloitte & Touche, said Barrett-Jackson did follow the rules for the consignment process, bidder-qualification procedures, adherence to contract sale terms and timely and accurate payment.
“In our opinion, Barrett-Jackson complied in all material aspects,” Deloitte & Touche's report concluded.
The auditors looked at the 2008 auction in Las Vegas, and 2009 events in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Palm Beach, Fla.
“The release of this report is part of Barrett-Jackson's continued commitment to transparency in our auction practices,” company CEO Craig Jackson said in a statement.
“Particularly in light of stories that have surfaced recently concerning business practices at other car-auction companies, we felt the time was right to have an independent review and validation of our auction practices.”
The next Barrett-Jackson auction is Oct. 7-10 in Las Vegas.


text:
Activision and Sledgehammer Games have opened the Call of Duty: WWII PC open beta early.
PC players excited to see whether Call of Duty: WWII will be a worthy port can hop on now and see for themselves. Sledgehammer Games has opened the floodgates to players now, despite the fact that the beta was initially supposed to go live on Friday, September 29.
In the Call of Duty: WWII PC open beta, players will get to play on four maps, test out five Divisions, and enjoy four different game modes. With over thirty levels to unlock, there’s plenty of progression to keep you busy over the extended weekend. PC fanatics will also be able to test out a bunch of PC exclusive features, including native 4K support, framerate cap slider, and mappable keys.
Call of Duty: WWII is out November 3 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The PC open beta will run today through Monday, October 2.


text:
Walmart Mexico workers will strike in March without better pay and conditions for thousands of employees, union officials said.
The National Association of Trade and Home Offices demanded a 20 percent salary hike over 2018 wage levels for the 8,000 workers it represents. They also want a new perk: 4 percent commissions for sales clerks.
The daily minimum wage went up 16 percent in January under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
The union alleged that employees are not properly compensated for working overtime and that some staff suffer abuses, including sexual harassment, from their supervisors.
Walmex, Mexico’s biggest retailer, said it saw the dialogue as positive but did not immediately respond to the abuse allegations.
Mexico’s conciliation and arbitration board is overseeing the talks, which have a March 5 deadline. After three meetings, Walmex has yet to counter with an offer.
The retailer has some 237,055 employees in Mexico and Central America, about 200,000 of whom are in Mexico.
The union workers, who include janitors, cashiers, pharmacy clerks and warehouse workers, earn between 92 pesos and 169 pesos a day, said a union official.


text:
Demand for healthy noted: WIBISCO expands in COVID-19 with Licias
WIBISCO proud of the reception to the launch.
Contraction and pivot have been the bywords of businesses since COVID-19 and expanding its product offerings in this last quarter of 2020, Barbados' West India Biscuit Companty Limited (WIBISCO) is not only choosing to pivot but to grow.
Licias is a new on-the-go snack cracker that comes in three flavours.
Rain did not stop the recent traffic-blocking launch of this new brand. With sampling and a slew of brand ambassadors showing off on social media since receiving their Licias packages, according to Brand Manager Lisa Boxill, "the excitement around this snack has been growing and we expect the same level of excitement as we introduce the product to our various export markets."
One of the first to get her hands on Licias, Brand Ambassador Mahalia Cummins told Loop that she has no clear winning flavour yet. Of the multi-grain, buttery blend and lightly salted, she is actually split between two flavours currently. With a laugh, she said, "I can’t choose between the multigrain and the lightly salted Licias! Multigrain is delicious all by itself while being extra nutritious while the lightly salted just goes so well with any topping."
Considering the economic climate and operating in these post-COVID-19 times, Boxill explained in an interview with Loop Business why WIBISCO took this step.
"As our consumers and the economic environment change, our mandate is to continue to adapt but look for new ways to develop and grow. We, therefore, cannot remain still nor complacent despite our 110 years in business. We have an obligation to serve our consumers and customers.
"We recognized that there has been a change in consumption trends as persons are eating more on the go, so a ready-to-eat option is in demand. We have also seen an increase in demand for savoury and healthier options."
Boxill admitted that as is the case for many others in the market, WIBISCO had to pivot in this pandemic. "Licias snack crackers was earmarked for launch earlier this year but was delayed as a result of the onset of the pandemic. The pandemic will be with us for some time yet, but we must still continue to provide our consumers with tastier, affordable, baked products they have come to expect from WIBISCO. We believe it is our responsibility to continue providing options that are relevant to our consumers and do our part to feed the nation.
"Stopping everything was not an option. Yes, we took a pause just like everyone else but now we are learning how to adapt to the 'new normal' which has forced us to find new and creative ways of operating, including the way we launch our new products."
Asked why they still pushed to launch before the new year with all that happened in 2020, she said, "We are particularly thrilled to launch the Licias brand at this time as the WIBISCO family recently celebrated our 110th anniversary on October 12, and we feel a sense of pride as we in Barbados prepare to celebrate 54 years of Independence."
Boxill told Loop Business, the hope from here now with this brand is that it will grow in popularity amongst the young demographic and become a global product, not only sold in Barbados but that’s there’s a good footprint and distribution in the Caribbean and beyond."


text:
For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 28, 2018) – Pepco recognized 10 outstanding employees with the company's annual Premiere Customer Experience Award for their work in delivering exceptional customer service over the last year. The award recognizes employees who made a difference in the lives of customers through assistance and support on important topics, such as energy bills, energy assistance programs, or service requests.
Pepco established the award as part of its ongoing efforts to continually promote a customer-focused environment and to recognize employees who go above and beyond to provide a positive customer experience.
"A call into one of our representatives may be one of the most important interactions a customer has with us," said Mike Poncia, vice president of Customer Operations for Pepco Holdings. "Providing customers with a personal and thorough experience is only possible through the hard work and dedication of our team members. This award provides us with an opportunity to acknowledge those who exemplify this commitment and celebrate the continued focus on customer centricity across our company."
The employees recognized for their commitment to customer support include:
Award recipients were chosen based on feedback provided by customers and their demonstrated ability to bring together their knowledge, listening skills, and drive to deliver an exceptional customer experience. The employees also received trophies and certificates commemorating their accomplishments.
To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco's online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting www.pepco.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Our mobile app is available at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.
About Pepco: Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 842,000 electric delivery customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.


text:
Ah, PayPal. The best friend of eBay shoppers and people too lazy to pull out their credit card while ordering a pizza online. Good ol’ PayPal would never hurt us, especially since we were all kind enough to give it access to our bank accounts in the name of convenience. Except, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PayPal has actually been hurting tens of thousands of us for a long time. Apparently, blindly allowing it to act as a middleman in millions of online transactions for all of these years wasn’t such a good idea. Whoops!
The CFPB’s report lays out a list of PayPal’s transgressions, and they all sound pretty devious. First, there’s “Deceptively advertised promotional benefits,” which means that PayPal promised $5 or $10 credits to people and never actually sent them out. Then there’s the “Abusively charged consumers deferred interest” section, which explains that PayPal allowed people to defer the interest on their PayPal Credit accounts, then refused to give out information about how the deferring would actually work, and then charged people fees on the interest that they couldn’t properly defer.
Speaking of those PayPal Credit accounts, it also signed people up for those without asking or telling them, and then automatically set that as the primary payment account for PayPal purchases, meaning the consumer would end up getting charged interest (and, of course, late fees) for an account they didn’t even know about. Finally, PayPal also refused (or “forgot”) to remove late fees from people’s accounts, “lost payment checks or took more than a week to process checks,” and “mishandled consumers’ billing disputes and made billing errors.”
Basically, the only way PayPal could’ve fucked up any worse would’ve been to directly take all of our money and run off to live on an island somewhere. “PayPal? No, my name is ShmayShmal. I have a mustache. PayPal doesn’t have a mustache.” Luckily, PayPal’s not that clever, and—unlike most companies—it’s actually being punished for the illegal stuff it has been doing. The CFPB has declared that PayPal must refund the affected customers a total of $15 million and pay a $10 million fine.
PayPal, recognizing that it has been beaten pretty bad here, has already agreed to pay the fine. We should all probably keep an eye on our own bank accounts, though, just in case there’s a mysterious withdrawal of $25 million in the next few days.


text:
Newport Coast CA— This June, where and what you eat can help save lives and deliver the first AIDS Free Generation in over 30 years, thanks to the EAT (RED) DRINK (RED) SAVE LIVES campaign. Tamarind of London, a contemporary Indian restaurant in Newport Coast, Calif., that pays homage to India’s flavorful traditional favorites while artfully integrating California’s robust selection of seasonal ingredients, is proud to announce that it will be joining restaurants, bars and food trucks across the world to encourage epicureans to EAT (RED), DRINK (RED) and help SAVE LIVES. From June 1 through June 30, Tamarind of London will be offering customers a limited-time (RED) dessert and cocktail, with all proceeds from each menu item benefiting the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
Spearheaded by Mario Batali, EAT (RED) DRINK (RED) SAVE LIVES is a month-long campaign which unites every aspect of the culinary world with one shared goal: to make a collective impact in the fight against AIDS. Today, it costs as little as 40 cents for two lifesaving pills that, when taken daily, can prevent an HIV+ mom from passing the virus to her unborn baby. Still, 650 babies are needlessly born with the virus every day. Together with food and drink businesses across the world, Tamarind of London is proud to play a role in getting that number to near zero in the coming years.
During the month of June, Tamarind of London guests will have the opportunity to support this campaign by indulging in two new limited-time (RED) menu items. The featured dessert will be a take on a classic; (RED) Velvet Cherry Cake which will incorporate St. Germaine infused cream cheese frosting, a cherry glaze, and accented with dark cherry garnishes and white chocolate. Guests will also be able to sip their way toward making a difference by enjoying the (RED) Rose Petal Martini, comprised of fresh red rose petals, vodka, lime and rose syrup.
About Tamarind of London
Located in beautiful Newport Coast, Calif., Tamarind of London sets the standard for an elevated Indian dining experience for locals and visitors alike. Tamarind of London pays homage to India’s flavorful traditional favorites while artfully integrating California’s robust selection of seasonal, fresh and sustainable ingredients in every dish. The menu is diverse, much like the Indian culinary scene, and offers a wide range of items suitable for every occasion, mood, appetite and palate. The combination of a generous happy hour, large airy patio with fire pits, innovative cocktails, and energetic bar scene has established Tamarind of London as a local hotspot. To learn more, visit www.tamarindoflondon.com.
(RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands who contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Starbucks, Galaxy Chocolate (UK), The Coca-Cola Company, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, SAP, Telcel and Live Nation Entertainment. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Jonathan Adler, Theory, HEAD, Mophie, Square, Girl Skateboards, Fatboy USA and Bed Bath and Beyond.
To date, (RED) has generated more than $315 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 60 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.
(RED) is a division of The ONE Campaign. Learn more at www.red.org.


text:
Cities Push Back Against Dollar Stores In Food Deserts
Is the growth of bargain stores harmful to communities?
For dollar stores, there has been no retail apocalypse: The concept has been growing by leaps and bounds, especially in the years since the recession. Late last year, Dollar General Corp., the largest of the dollar chains, said it was adding almost 1,000 stores in 2019.
Dollar General and Dollar Tree, which also operates Family Dollar, now have about 30,000 stores between them nationwide, and have been called the "true disrupters" in retail.
As dollar stores have moved into some urban areas, particularly lower-income neighborhoods, they have started to inspire strong criticism that their presence is driving smaller grocery stores out of business, either making a food desert worse or even creating one. Now, a number of cities are looking to stifle their growth.
"While dollar stores sometimes fill a need in cash-strapped communities, growing evidence suggests these stores are not merely a byproduct of economic distress. They’re a cause of it," the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, an advocacy group and sharp critic of the industry, asserts in a white paper. "In small towns and urban neighborhoods alike, dollar stores are triggering the closure of grocery stores."
Naturally, dollar stores deny that characterization of their impact.
"We believe our small-box footprint and product assortment provides customers with both alternative and complementary options to larger-box grocers and other retailers," Dollar General spokeswoman Crystal Ghassemi said. "We also believe the addition of each new Dollar General store represents positive economic growth for the communities we serve."
Nevertheless, the idea that dollar stores are driving local grocers out has inspired new policies, especially over the last two years.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, enacted a zoning overlay last year that limits new dollar stores and encourages full-service grocery stores in the part of the city known as north Tulsa. The policy bans new dollar stores from locating within 1 mile of any existing dollar store in north Tulsa.
The city defines dollar stores as retailers with a floor area less than 12K SF that offer for sale a combination and variety of convenience shopping goods, and continuously offer a majority of the items for less than $10/item.
Any store that dedicates at least 500 SF to the sale of fresh meat, fruits or vegetables is exempt from the 1-mile dispersal standard. There are also incentives for standard grocery stores to locate in the area, such as a reduced parking requirement.
"The purpose of the zoning overlay was to address the proliferation of dollar stores," said Tulsa City Council member Vanessa Hall-Harper, who represents north Tulsa. "They were contributing to food deserts. Groceries stores close after dollar stores move in."
The same dynamic is at play in low-income rural and urban neighborhoods, Hall-Harper said, where dollar stores started focusing expansion efforts in recent years, especially in the wake of the recession.
"I'm not against dollar stores, but they need to be limited in some communities," Hall-Harper said. "There would be even more dollar stores in my community now if the city hadn't passed the zoning overlay."
Hall-Harper said she has gotten calls from all over the country about what Tulsa has done to limit the growth of dollar stores.
"There's a lot of interest from local officials and citizens who are concerned about the impact of dollar stores," she said.
Other places have taken similar steps, though the rules vary some in detail. In early 2016, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County [Kansas] Commission passed an ordinance regulating dollar stores, which was updated in 2019. Wyandotte County includes Kansas City, Kansas.
The ordinance requires a special use permit for new "small box variety stores," establishing a requirement that new development be a minimum distance of 10,000 feet from existing stores. The law defines a small box variety store as a store of 15K SF or less which sells an assortment of physical goods, products or merchandise for $5 or less.
In mid-2018, the Mesquite, Texas, City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits dollar stores from locating within 5,000 feet of one another, as well as requiring them to obtain a conditional use permit to open. Mesquite is a suburb of Dallas.
"We considered a moratorium," Mesquite City Manager Cliff Keheley told Fox 4. "But the council was able to come together very quickly and put together rules and regulations which addressed their concerns."
Also in 2018, the City Planning Commission of New Orleans completed a study on the impact of dollar stores, recommending a number of policies, including regulations designed to limit the number of dollar stores in certain areas, but also to incentivize stores than offer fresh food and loosening zoning to allow more urban agriculture.
In 2019, the Oklahoma City City Council passed a 180-day moratorium on constructing or issuing building permits for small-box discount or convenience stores within one mile of another such store in part of the city.
When the moratorium is over, the next step is to create what the city is calling a Healthy Neighborhood Overlay District, ideally to attract a grocery store with fresh meat and produce to the city’s northeast side, the Journal Record reports.
The Birmingham, Alabama, City Council also voted this year to establish a "healthy food overlay district," which prevents new "small box discount stores" from opening within 1 mile of existing stores.
"Lots of research has demonstrated that dollar stores actually contribute to a loss of grocery stores over time,” Birmingham Director of Innovation and Economic Development Josh Carpenter told Birmingham Watch.
Food deserts, which plague both rural and urban communities whose common tie is elevated poverty rates, have been defined by the U. S. Department of Agriculture as low-income census tracts in which a substantial number or proportion of the population has low access to supermarkets or large grocery stores.
Food deserts also lack fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy whole foods, and a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33%) of the population is greater than half a mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter or large grocery store. For households without automobiles, in areas without transit, that can make food shopping nearly impossible.
Kansas State University Professor of Communication Studies David Procter, who is director of the Rural Grocery Initiative at the university, said there isn't a definite answer to whether dollar stores make food deserts worse.
"Our work is in rural parts of Kansas," Procter said. "We know that dollar stores take significant business from rural grocery stores. Some grocery stores have closed because of dollar stores, and that leaves communities with less healthy food — both variety and quantity of healthy foods.”
If a town has a grocery store and a dollar store moves in and the store closes, the residents of that area have less choice and will have to look to other sources of some foods, Procter said.
Still, dollar stores do offer some healthy foods, although it is limited in its variety and quantity, Procter said. Also, there are some rural communities where a grocery store has not existed for some time.
"Then a dollar store moves in, and residents are elated about having some food and dry goods available," Procter said.
Dollar General's Ghassemi said that the company offers fresh fruits and vegetables in about 450 stores with plans to expand those offerings to 200 additional stores in fiscal 2019.
"We also unveiled our Better For You merchandising set in mid-2018 in response to customer requests for healthier options in our traditional stores," Ghassemi said.
That includes about 125 items and is available in about 3,400 stores with plans to add it to 6,000 stores by the end of this year.
Dollar General strives to provide such products as milk, eggs, bread, cheese, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, cereals, rice and pasta, Ghassemi said.
"We plan to continue to evaluate the expansion of such initiatives, taking into account our strategic, financial, format and distribution requirements," Ghassemi said.