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Is it possible to legitimize garage producers of construction materials?
Recently we published an article on the shady, so-called “garage” economy in the construction complex. It raised the problems of the legitimization of millions of unregistered builders, more than half of whom are citizens of post-Soviet countries.
Today we continue the topic, considering the “garage” production of construction materials. Is it possible to legalize those working in this segment?
Hey, you there, in the garage!
Apart from construction itself, there is a lot of “shadiness” in construction materials production. But even qualified experts cannot evaluate the real volumes.
— As opposed to low-rise construction, it is very difficult to count the volume of production here and give general figures, Valery Kazeikin, the Vice-President of National Agency for Low-Rise and Cottage Construction, admits.
Which sectors of construction materials production are most dominated by the “garage economy”? According to analysts, they are the production of paving slab (see “Expert opinion”); paints and construction chemicals in general; some types of roofing materials; counterfeit insulants (foam polystyrene); handmade building blocks of various types; fittings (nails, screws, etc.) and, of course, sawn timber.
— A strict set of controls has been developed recently in the sphere of sawn timber, — the Director General of the Wood Housing Construction Association, Oleg Panitkov, remarks. — The phenomenon surely exists but there are fewer “grey” materials than there are migrant workers on “grey” construction sites.
Which sawn materials? Mainly uncut board, profiled log — that is, non-dried materials delivered from so-called ‘black’ sawmills.
— They are usually used for fences, casing, etc., — the Head of the Association explained. — But still, their market share does not exceed 20%, and may be less.
To be fair, the grey brigades often use white materials: for example, there is practically no smuggled laminated log on the market.
Neither is there “garage” cement: vast ovens are required for its production, Valery Kazeikin reminds us.
Quite another thing is counterfeit cement produced, say, somewhere in Turkey and sold in Russia without customs clearance, but this has nothing to do with the “garage” economy.
By the way, counterfeit materials may be of rather high quality.
— In the Nizhny Novgorod region there is a Borsk glass factory famous all over the world, — one of the leaders of the Nizhny Novgorod Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs’ Association, Gennady Khomutov, tells us. — There are a couple of dozen small businesses producing glass quite similar to the original. It is produced according to the factory’s technologies due to specialists who have been made redundant. Others buy cars to deliver glass to Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Siberia… I know such people, and they are quite wealthy. That is regarding the volumes…
Change in a year
As far as paving slabs are concerned, according to an assessment by Alexander Logvinov, President of the Small Concrete Articles Producers Association, at present “garage” production makes up about 40% of the total volume of the market, but the share is gradually decreasing.
— Now the majority of businesses and municipal representatives understand that quality slabs should be bought, Mr Logvinov told Construction.ru.
— But the widespread pattern of buying cheap, low quality, off-the-books produced slab lives on, the buyers not realizing that in a year they will have to replace it.
And how much is 40% of the paving slabs market in monetary terms? The total “white market” for paving slabs is evaluated at as much as 550m square meters of slab produced by about thirty factories. If this volume is multiplied by its average price of 450 roubles for 1 square meter, the total will be about 245m roubles — this is the “white” 60% of the market. It means that the “grey” 40% share of the market is worth about 165 m roubles - and it is only one segment of the “garage” construction materials production industry.
Lev Antonov, Director General of the “Kamenny vek” (Stone age) company, producer of paving slabs
If you drive along any suburban mainroad, at almost every crossroads you will see a stand with slabs which were produced in the neighbouring garage without any legal registration or standards, by, as a rule, migrant workers.
That is a real garage economy, and its volume is so large that in private housing, where nobody asks for any regulatory documents, its share is, I think, as much as 35—40%. Such producers have one advantage – they are based close to cottage settlements.
It is like a Chinese car: it looks like a Japanese or a European one, but how it will behave on the road is a problem for its owner.
We do not know what colouring materials are used for such slabs. And what if your baby runs barefoot on it - will it impact upon its health?
It is necessary to change customers’ attitudes. If slabs were not bought from such producers, there would be no problem with grey businesses to worry about. But such producers make profit from the technical illiteracy of their customers.
The issue of the introduction of the notion of a counterfeit product in industry is being discussed on a governmental level, because such products represent the sheer deception of customers. Besides, the introduction of compulsory certification of all construction materials like cement is being discussed.
Don’t start a revolution
It is clear that in the present condition of the Russian economy, millions of workers who will start paying taxes in case of their being ‘unshadowed’ could become a significant source of state budget taxes.
As Bloomberg reports, referring to two participants in the recent council on strategic development and priority projects, a non-public session in which ministers, governors, and councilors took part, the President charged them with working out a way to ‘unshadow’ off-the-books business and with motivating its participants to legalize their activity.
Improvements to conditions for businesses is being focused upon. It is not by chance that Svetlana Orlova, the Vladimir region’s governor, complained to Putin about, as she put it, law enforcement and revenue bodies’ tyranny over small business.
However, the “garage” economy should be treated very carefully, as all these off-the-books workers have mouths to feed and bills to pay. According to the officials who took part in the discussion, one of the most popular ideas for unshadowing businesses is to reduce income tax, as proposed by the RF Ministry of Finance.
If the reduction of social duty is accompanied by a growth of value-added tax, these measures will allow the authorities to gather about 30% of the total volume of salaries paid in envelopes, which, according to the financial ministry, makes up 2 trn roubles of lost taxes.
In autumn, the government is going to adopt a law releasing some categories of self-employed workers from all taxes, excluding social duties.
— We understand that only the revenue service can unshadow them. The documentation process is being automated and financial discipline is growing, so in a couple of years it will be very difficult to dodge taxes, — Igor Shuvalov, First Vice-Premier, thinks.
Well, we’ll see what another campaign of unshadowing will bring.
The shady economy’s scale
According to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) the volume of the off-the-books economy is about 15—18% of GDP, and is growing.
Specialists from the Higher School of Economics think that in the crisis the share of the informal sector may grow to be 20—22% of GDP, which may be compared with Greece. (see table).
Taking into account that Rosstat does not include the criminal economy in their assessments (the drug business, the illegal arms trade, prostitution, racketeering, etc), the real share of the illegal economy in Russia is estimated as being as much as 40—50% of GDP, Christof Rühl, Chief Economist of the WB Russian Department, and a number of other experts, think.
Speaking about whole continents, according to the evaluation of the specialists from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, the scale of the off-the-books economy in Europe in 2015 was 6,5—22,4% of GDP, in the USA 5,9%, in the countries of Latin America 40%, and in Ukraine 47% of GDP.
The main shady industries are trade, construction, personal services and agriculture, the Director of the Labour Research Center of the Higher School of Economics, Vladimir Gimpelson, thinks. And the Head of the HSE Conjuncture Research Center, Georgy Ostapkovich, in his interview with our journal called construction the main shady industry of the Russian economy
According to the specialists of the HSE, the number of those employed in the shadow economy totaled 17—18m people by February 2015 and is increasing by 1.5—2m people annually.
Social research carried out in more than 20 regions of the Russian Federation shows that almost 12% of Russian citizens work on the shady market. Taking into account those who receive ‘envelope wages’ at their official job, off-the-books employment may constitute 40% of the economically active population of Russia Andrei Pokida, senior research assistant at the center for social and political monitoring of RANEPA, thinks. In 2016, black salaries will only grow and off-the-books employment will increase, he is sure.
According to Alexei Kudrin, tax growth is inevitable in the near future. It is not clear yet which industry will suffer additional tax assessment. But anyway, in some businesses another 5—10% of workers will leave for shadowy work.
Notes from underground
What do market participants think? According to Gennady Khomutov, a businessman from Nizhny Novgorod, it is impossible to exterminate off-the-books business, “unless it is done so that business paid a minimal sum of money to the state and was left alone. Licenses or patents might be introduced”.
Such a possibility is being discussed. But it is not easy: patents alone will not bring trillions back into the state purse. Business should be developed and taken care after. Systemic measures in changing the economy are needed.
Why is the share of the off-the-books economy so high in Russia?
One of the main reasons for the growth of the Russian shadow economy is “incomplete liberalization”. In essence, this is the insufficient implementation of a number of economic liberties, such as competitiveness, price forming, etc.
Among other factors influencing the development of the off-the-books economy, analysts mention legislation imperfection, corruption, high taxes, restructuring of the economic spheres, insecure property rights, low standards of living, weak work by law enforcement agencies, etc.
Also, the great number of sanctions introduced lately against the Russian economy have added to the shadow economy. The reduction of the number of small businesses also contributes to the growth of the shady sector. As RBC says, 600,000 individual entrepreneurs have ceased their work for the last two years all over the country (according to Rosstat, in 2013, there were 5.4 m self-employed entrepreneurs in Russia). And 250,000—300,000 of them may ‘unregister’ if the strict fiscal policy remains in place, HSE’s specialists forecast.
These concerns are supported by the 500 companies’ poll results, according to the poll carried out by the “Opora Rossii” organization. “According to our data,” the Head of the centre for expert assessment and problem analysis of entrepreneurship of the organization, Ivan Efremenkov, reported “28% of small and medium-sized companies have already reduced their staff and their salaries because of the crisis”.
Last but not least, the off-the-books economy sector is growing because of the low level of credit to the state.
— What can we see? First, grey business is legalized by some officials by bribery, then other officials stop it, as is now occurring with kiosks in Moscow, says Mikhail Khazin, a famous economist.
Philosophy of nonparticipation
The point of view of those who consciously work outside out of the existing economic system was expressed by a 36-year-old man, Alexander by name, who left a military career in the Far East and moved to the Moscow region. He deals with tile laying and working in the shade is profitable for him.
He worked at a factory for 5 years with a salary of 30,000 roubles. Now his income, though unstable, is from 80,000 to 150,000 roubles. He works without advertising; customers find him by word-of-mouth. Nevertheless, he is booked up for months ahead.
This former officer does not find the system attractive, and until there are millions of people like Alexander, officials will have no success with their ideas.
Level of off-the-books economy of different countries with regard to GDP in 2015 (%)
Source: Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
Georgy Ostapkovich: It is impossible to count the total losses from the shadow economy
— Rosstat evaluates the off-the-books economy at as much as 15—18%. Russian GDP is 80 trn roubles a year. This means that at least 12 trn roubles in monetary terms are generated in the informal sector including production and various services.
Subtract compulsory taxes paid even by informal workers and export from these 12 trn roubles, and we get 10trn roubles. But this cannot be called direct losses: people who earned this money in the informal sphere, tax-free, repay this money back into the legal economy via their customers’ demand. They buy cars, flats, food, clothes, pay for their parents’ treatment and for their children’s education, go to the cinema and play sports…So they return the money to the Russian economy.
So, it is a very complicated economic process. And with our “wonderful” business climate, business has been forced into the shade, so let them work until the economy becomes steady. If these people are oppressed now, no good will come of it, only an economic fall.
And besides, one cannot measure everything in monetary terms. One and the same factor may represent, on the one hand, losses for the state, and on the other hand, an increase in the quality of life.


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Houston, Texas – Trident Growth Fund is auctioning off the trademark, Internet domain name and related goodwill of Crazy Eddie, the
Southampton, Bermuda — Home Depot Direct Brands president Shelley Nandkeolyar outlined the company’s catalog and online strategies and
Rogers, Ark. — Wow.
CE is at the core of a handful
San Francisco — Sharper Image reported on June 9 a higher loss and lower revenues for its first fiscal quarter, ended April 30.
Dulles, Va. — AOL announced today that it would offer a print-at-retail option on its AOL Pictures online service, teaming with
Palo Alto, Calif – Former Best Buy online stores and marketing senior VP Sam Taylor has been named online sales senior VP for Hewlett-
German company TrekStor is bringing its brand of flash-memory MP3 players, external hard disk drives and USB flash memory
Framingham, Mass. — International Data Corp. (IDC) reported the PC market forecast for the year remains strong despite a slowdown in
Austin, Texas — Worldwide flat-panel computer monitor unit shipments fell further than expected during the first quarter, but widescreen
New York — Toshiba Digital Products introduced its back-to-school notebook computer line that includes two new chassis, a 12.1-inch
A quick look around the just opened Flatbush, Brooklyn location of
New York — Samsung held its annual star-studded Hope for Children Gala on June11, raising $
San Antonio — The Progressive Retailers Organization was at the Westin La Cantera Hill Coun
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Swedish gov’t payments in surplus in October
Sweden is unlikely to have any problems selling new debt after its National Debt Office (Riksgälden) announced yet another central government payments surplus of SEK3bn (€330m) for October.
The surplus was SEK2.7bn higher than its own previous forecast. The Office said the discrepancy was down to its overestimating spending by Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, as well as higher than expected income to other agencies.
Interest payments were SEK1bn lower than expected because of exchange rate gains.
the central government payments surplus over the past 12 months now stands at SEK69bn (€7.59bn), the Debt Office said. Total central government debt stood at SEK1trn (€110bn) at the end of October.


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FIS Inc. had only begun to digest the massive processor Worldpay, which it acquired in July last year, when the global Covid-19 virus broke out, leaving the company on Tuesday to report a challenging second quarter marked by a significant hit to its newly integrated merchant-processing business. Still, given the pandemic’s deep impact on consumer and business spending, the quarter’s results “exceeded our expectations across the board,” said chief financial officer Woody Woodall during a Tuesday morning earnings call.
Overall, the results companywide could have been worse for Jacksonville, Fla.-based FIS but for “the benefits of automation,” including the company’s move to a cloud-based strategy, chief executive Gary Norcross told equity analysts during the call. He predicted FIS, which provides core processing for financial institutions and capital-markets software as well as merchant processing, will have more than 80% of its computational power in a cloud configuration “by the middle of next year.”
The merchant business produced $812 million in second-quarter revenue, up from $97 million in the pre-Worldpay second quarter of 2019. That accounted for fully 27% of FIS’s revenue, But the pandemic’s hit to merchant acquiring was such that the company reported a 25% drop in organic revenue for the unit, referring to change year-over-year when current revenue sources are included on a constant-currency basis in last year’s result. The drop was 19%, though, with the exclusion of a “$60-million headwind” that resulted from the delay in federal tax-filing deadlines, Woodall told the analysts.
Still, “merchant volumes returned to growth by the end of June,” Woodall added, with dollar volume for the month up 4% and transaction count down by just 1%. The corresponding figures for May, by contrast, were negative 7% and negative 11%. And the drops in April were even deeper, at 18% and 21%. A big bright spot was an approximate 30% rise in e-commerce transactions for the quarter, excluding travel and airlines, as stuck-at-home consumers turned to the Internet for shopping needs.
Indeed, e-commerce processing capability “was the crown jewel that came out of the Worldpay acquisition,” said Norcross. “We’re leaning in to next-generation capabilities there. Post-Covid, this is a good, solid double-digit grower for FIS.” Added Woodall: “On the e-commerce side, demand continues to be robust across the board.”
FIS executives said the integration of Worldpay is proceeding “ahead of schedule,” having already produced $115 million in second-quarter revenue “synergies,” or incremental revenue compared to the same time last year. “Our original estimate was $100 million for this year,” Norcross said. “We feel great about where we are.”
In the banking solutions unit, which at $1.48 billion in second-quarter revenue is the largest of FIS’s trio of divisions, the company reported progress toward mobile and digital technology after long delays caused by outmoded supporting technology. “We’re now seeing [banks] leaning into next-generation digital,” said Norcross. “Most of our customers have just held on [to older technology] too long and now realize they’ll have to spend their way out of it.”
The company as a whole generated $2.96 billion in revenue for the quarter, down 7% from $3.21 billion a year ago when adjusted to include Worldpay.


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Tesla’s have gotten much less like bats day-after-day.
The automaker has introduced that it has started to take away the ultrasonic methods its current autos use for his or her digital driver assist methods, collectively with Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, which is ready to transition to a solely digital camera-based mostly system.
Tesla started eradicating radar from its autos final 12 months and the mannequin three and mannequin Y can be the primary to lose the ultrasonic sensors, adopted by the mannequin S and mannequin X subsequent 12 months.
A “imaginative and prescient-based mostly occupancy community” will draw information from eight cameras put in on the autos.
“This strategy supplies Autopilot extreme-definition spatial positioning, longer fluctuate visibility and expertise to establish and differentiate between objects. As with many Tesla options, our occupancy community will proceed to enhance quickly over time,” Tesla mentioned on its internet website.
residence owners of current vehicles are being notified that they are going to quickly lose simply a few of their semi-autonomous options with the associated computer software replace, however that they are going to be restored after the mannequin new computer software has been completely validated for safety.
The capabilities embody park assist, which at present makes use of the sensors to detect close by objects at low speeds; Autopark, which might steer a automobile proper into a parking residence; and each Summon and smart Summon, which allow the automobile to be managed remotely by way of an app at low speeds with nobody on board.
fully different capabilities, collectively with AutoSteer, blind spot warning and automated emergency braking will proceed to function as they at present do and all of the autos will retain current crash test scores that assume about energetic safety methods.
whereas fully different automakers use all three sensors and are starting to incorporate lidar into their semi-automated driving methods, Elon Musk has championed what the automaker calls “Tesla imaginative and prescient” and argued that having a quantity of inputs can overwhelm a system with conflicting information.
Some Tesla residence owners have posted video proof, nonetheless, that current how the Pure imaginative and prescient system can misread distances when cease indicators will not be customary measurement or mistake the Moon for a visitors mild.
Tesla had hinted on the transfer with the latest Cybertruck prototypes, that are outfitted with cameras however not any ultrasonic sensors.


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2019's Berks County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year grows 40 kinds of trees, sending hundreds to military families every Christmas
Geissler Tree Farms of Ontelaunee Township is the first tree farm to receive the award in the history of the Reading Fair.
Plant trees and they will come.
Rick and Anna Geissler feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work at something they love.
“It's the aroma of the pines and seeing the fields of beautiful trees,” Anna said.
Rick and Anna's farm, Geissler Tree Farms Inc. of Ontelaunee Township, was named the Berks County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year, a contest sponsored by the Reading Fair. Winners are chosen from the county's granges and are judged on community involvement. The Geisslers will receive the honor at a ceremony Friday at the Reading Fairgrounds. It comes with a $1,200 cash prize.
It's the first time in the fair's history that a tree farm has been honored, said Steve Mohn, who helps run the contest for the Reading Fair.
“I enjoy this business, and I must enjoy it because I just bought more acreage,” said Rick Geissler, 62. “Getting 'farm family of the year' is an honor; there's no doubt about it. It's the first non-conventional winner, and that makes it unique.”
Anna Geissler, 59, is the office manager for the farm. A registered nurse, she gave up nursing to help with the family business.
“I'm certainly proud of my husband,” Anna Geissler said. “It's great that this honor is going to a non-traditional farm because people don't look at it as a real agri-business, but it is.”
The Geisslers are donating half of their $1,200 prize to the Ontelaunee Junior Grange, and half to the Berks County 4-H.
The couple has three daughters: Kelly teaches at Berks Career and Technology Center East Campus; Kate teaches at Schuylkill Valley High School; and Courtnie is a partner with Good Life Financial.
Son-in-law Justin Nein runs the landscaping division and is the project estimator for the business.
Geissler has been growing and selling trees for 40 years on 200 acres, and has about 25 employees, but the business' roots go back to the Depression, when Geissler's grandfather, Earl Ruppert, started selling Christmas trees from his home on Front Street.
Later, Geissler's parents, Ruth and Russell Geissler, also sold Christmas trees after Russell returned from the Army.
“My dad's best story is that he was a cook in the Army and Gen. (George) Patton came through his chow line one day,” Geissler said.
Russell Geissler served with the Army in France during World War II.
“They both enjoyed selling Christmas trees, so in 1955, they moved to Schuylkill County and had a tree farm there,” Geissler said.
Later his parents combined their talents into a campground, called the Christmas Pine Campground.
“I took over the Christmas tree operation at that time, and started selling trees when I was 17 or 18,” Geissler said.
Geissler attended Penn State for ornamental nursery management, and after college, purchased a cornfield in Bern Township and began growing trees.
The Geisslers have been branching out; they recently purchased another 45 acres.
While Christmas trees hold a special place in the Geisslers' hearts, the family has many varieties of trees for sale.
“We are a complete nursery,” Geissler said. “We have about 40 varieties of trees; we do shade trees, flowering trees, evergreens, Christmas trees, some container trees, and we have a full-service landscaping service.”
They also sell trees wholesale in New England and in larger cities up and down the East Coast.
“Working with trees, we have a lot of manual labor,” Geissler said. “Conventional farming, at this point, is more mechanized than we are; there's a lot of mowing, spraying, cutting and shaping.”
The Geissler family's farm in Penn Township is where most of their Christmas trees are grown.
Going to Geissler Tree Farms for your Christmas tree has become a tradition with many people, especially since the Geisslers offer horse-drawn carriage rides for the “choose and cut” customers during the three weekends before Christmas, starting with Black Friday.
“The five-week window around Christmas is our busiest time of the year,” Anna said. “We open a small gift shop and have wreaths, swags and decorated logs for sale. It's a lot of work, but we enjoy it.”
Geissler is proud of his product and of the part his family plays in the Christmas traditions of many families.
“Every tree we sell at Christmas is grown on our farm; we don't bring anything in,” he said. “We're one of the few who grow our own Fraser firs.”
The Fraser, Douglas and concolor firs make the best Christmas trees, he said, explaining that the softer-branched pines don't hold ornaments as well.
Still, the artificial tree market is larger than the demand for live trees, Geissler said.
“People who want a real tree like the tradition, they like the aroma, and they like the idea of something real, not something made in China that's plastic,” Geissler said.
The cost of all Christmas trees is $10 per foot.
Trees for Troops
For the past 12 years, the Geissler family has participated in Trees For Troops, a part of the nationwide Christmas Spirit Foundation. With help from donations, the Geisslers send Christmas trees to families of deployed military members. Each year, the family sends 200 to 300 trees to soldiers' families living on military bases across the country.
“That's very important to us because we have great respect for our troops,” Anna Geissler said.
But Rick Geissler has concern for aspiring tree farmers.
“Young people can't get into it; it takes too much money to buy the land and the trees,” Geissler said. “You buy a piece of land and plant trees and then wait for six to eight years after your outlay of money before anything starts paying, and most people can't do that.”
Shade trees can be ready for sale from three to six years, he said.
“With Christmas trees, they grow six to 10 years before being cut; that's a long way to payday,” Geissler said. “Right now there's a shortage of Christmas trees because for a while, there was a glut and the price of trees went down, so people got out of the business and now it's too expensive to get back in.”
Reach Marylouise Sholly: email@example.com.


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Heineken agreed on March 27 to drop its objection to the use of the Csiki brand name by the ethnic Hungarian brewer of the Romanian beer brand, in a case that has once again highlighted the Hungarian government's aggressive stance towards foreign investors.
The move by the international brewing giant is intended to bring an end to efforts by Viktor Orban's rightwing nationalist government to provoke a battle. Budapest had leapt to the defence of the Transylvanian brewer by threatening to ban Heineken's use of the red star logo because of its Soviet connotations, though the symbol is much more ancient.
Lixid Project SRL, producer of the Csiki beer brand, announced on March 27 that Heineken Romania has agreed to drop its long-running legal battle with the local brewer. A Romanian regional court ruled in January that the name is too close to that of the Dutch giant's Ciuc beer brand, which is called Csiki sor in Hungarian.
The Lixid statement read: “the settlement involves compromises on both sides and it allows both companies to continue building their relationship with their consumers, employees, business partners and the local community. Both companies now look forward to leave their past differences behind them and focus on what they do best and enjoy most: brew beer."
Having initially claimed that banning the red star in the Heineken logo was a "moral obligation and historic necessity”, Janos Lazar, Hungary’s Prime Minister’s Office chief, admitted that the government campaign had been a counter measure to protect the ethnic Hungarian brewery. Local media pointed out that the logo had not been an issue for the Hungarian government when it signed a strategic agreement with Heineken in 2014.
As well as threatening to ban Heineken's red star logo Hungary has also drawn up plans to impose a slew of special taxes on large supermarket companies.


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Goodwill Columbus CEO Margie Pizzuti Receives Innovation Award at Smart Business ‘Smart 50’ Event
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus business leaders gathered at the Hyatt Regency on Oct. 28 to celebrate the Smart Business “Smart 50” executives selected by Smart Business magazine as leading examples of how to effectively build and sustain successful organizations.
Smart 50 honoree, Margie Pizzuti, President and CEO of Goodwill Columbus, also received a special “Innovation” recognition, one of three juried specialty awards presented at the event by Robert J. Klonk, CEO of Oswald Cos., the corporate sponsor of the event. “Through her business acumen and dedication to serving the community, Pizzuti has helped nearly double the agency’s annual revenue since 2005,” said Klonk upon presenting the award, noting that this type of business savvy allows for the expansion of Goodwill services to better support persons with disabilities and other barriers.
“Being recognized by our corporate peers for innovation is an exceptional honor, especially given our agency’s social enterprise model that includes a variety of earned income businesses,” said Pizzuti. “Our ecommerce ventures including online auctions, Goodwill Studio and Gallery e-storefront and book sales through Amazon – along with our brick-and-mortar retail locations, auto auction and contract services offerings in unarmed security and janitorial services – form a diverse portfolio of revenue streams to fund programming that serves people with disabilities and other barriers.”
According to Smart Business, The Smart 50 Awards, now in their second year in Columbus, brings together like-minded leaders that share the common drive toward sustainability and growth for our region.
In addition to Pizzuti’s Innovation specialty award, Edgar W. “Bill” Ingram III, Chairman of the board and CEO of White Castle System Inc. was awarded a specialty prize in the category of “Sustainability.”
“Ingram has overseen a brand revitalization; watched the division he created to establish a grocery store presence for White Castle restaurant products grow to represent nearly 25 percent of total sales, and a larger percent of profit; and overseen a thoughtful transition to the next generation of family leadership,” Smart Business outlined in their program. “Ingram will retire from CEO duties at the end of 2015, knowing he leaves the business better than he found it.”
Kimberly Blackwell, CEO of PMM Agency, received a specialty award in “Impact.” Blackwell has grown PMM Agency from a startup to an industry-recognized agency that counts among its clients, Nationwide, Huntington National Bank, Honda, Macy’s, the State of Ohio and the City of Columbus. In a statement to Smart Business magazine, Blackwell cited the importance of insights and instincts, being relentless and taking a beast-like approach rooted in a standard of excellence. “If you want to be a bear in business, be a grizzly,” she said.
To learn more about the Smart 50 awards and the class of 2015, please visit http://www.sbnonline.com/article/smart-50-specialty-awards-recognize-companies-demonstrate-excellence-achievement/


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Tag: Redmmi K50i
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Barilla, the largest producer of pasta in the world, has announced the roll-out of its new, 100% recyclable packaging. This packaging will be implemented across the brand’s best-selling products, including Penne, Fusilli, Spaghetti, Lasagne, Linguine, Tortiglioni and Mezze Penne Tricolore, and is constructed with a combination of paper-based materials and 100% virgin fibres, all of which are sourced responsibly from certified sources.
As part of the Barilla Group’s purpose, ‘Good for You, Good for the Planet’, the brand has defined specific commitments to design, produce and distribute packaging responsibly. Ensuring all materials are sourced renewably, utilising resources from responsibly managed forests and reducing the quantity of materials in packaging are all key factors of Barilla’s ‘Sustainable Packaging Principles’. The development of this new 100% recyclable packaging, which no longer has a plastic front window, has been one of many actions taken by the company throughout its work with CONAI – the national packaging consortium in Italy – the Sustainable Packaging Coalition in the United States, and CITEO in France – which aim to reduce the environmental impact of household packaging.
To ensure ease of disposal for consumers, Barilla’s new packaging features instructions and visual aids that correspond to the appropriate recycling measures. This not only benefits the customer in terms of convenience and peace of mind, but also contributes to the brand’s ethos of ‘Changing our World, One Pack at a Time’.
Approximately 96% of the 250 million packages of pasta sold in the UK every year are made of plastic film. Barilla has made significant investments to develop its new plastic-free packaging, with further measures being implemented to continue to reduce the brand’s environmental impact to help make strides in lowering this figure.
Alberto Costella, Marketing Manager for Export Markets at Barilla, comments, “At Barilla, operating in a sustainable way is part of who we are, everything we do ensures a sustainable supply chain, from the field right through to the fork, and working to remove the plastic window from our packaging is an extension of this. We know lowering our impact on the environment and protecting the planet is important to our consumers, especially since we’re all spending a lot more time at home and are more aware than ever of how much household waste we produce. We’re delighted to bring this new 100% recyclable packaging to supermarket shelves to continue our mantra of ‘Good for you, Good for the Planet’ and support our customers in their own sustainability goals.
“Over the last few decades, we have been able to greatly minimise the use of plastic in our packaging, providing a more environmentally friendly casing for our products whilst offering our customers a simple disposal process. We will continue to invest in the development of recycled and renewable source material by working closely with research centres, associations and innovation platforms over the coming years, to ensure we can reduce our plastic consumption as much as possible.”
Barilla’s new packaging is available on shelf now in Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Amazon and Ocado, through Barilla’s UK distribution partner, Euro Food Brands. RRP £1.29 (excluding lasagne at £1.50).
For more information on Barilla, its full range of pasta products and its sustainability targets, please visit: www.barillagroup.com
 Source: IRI on Major Multiples (modern trade) of last 52 weeks ending April 27th, 2019.


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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statement revealing the voluntary recall of a dietary supplement sold across the United States. G.A. Mart, operating as H&Natural, has recalled specific batches of H&Natural Tejo Root and Brazil Seed after random FDA testing uncovered the presence of yellow oleander, a poisonous plant native to Mexico and Central America.
Ingestion of yellow oleander can result in dedicated neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular problems, and in extreme instances, it can even be deadly. There are a variety of symptoms that might be experienced, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, cardiac abnormalities, and dysrhythmia.
According to the FDA, the recall was prompted by a single case of gastrointestinal illness linked to Tejo Root, causing severe symptoms and internal bleeding. No problems have been documented regarding the Brazil Seed.
The nutritional supplements that were recalled were distributed across the country and sold online through the websites www.handnatrual.com, Amazon, and Walmart. The H&NATURAL brand was included on these products. The goods that have been impacted include the Tejo Root tablets that weigh 10 grams and the Brazil Seed Pure Natural Semilla de Brasil seeds that weigh 0.167 grams.
Recalled lots are identified by expiration dates 3/24 and 5/24. Consumers in possession of these products are strongly urged to discontinue use immediately.
G.A. Mart is actively notifying customers via email, and those who purchased the recalled items can request a refund by contacting 928-389-4805 or [email protected].


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Image-based social networking service Pinterest has decided to relax its sign-up policy, opening the site to all.
Previously, people needed invites to become members and “pin” online images onto its virtual “boards”.
Launched in 2010, Pinterest became the fastest-growing site ever, passing 10 million users in nine months.
Although it has tried different money-raising techniques, the company has not yet disclosed a commercial plan.
“They’re one of the main sites that serve the so-called social collectors, people who like to curate information across the web,” said Forrester Research analyst Darika Ahrens.
“What remains to be seen is what happens if they start to commercialize – how they’re going to do that and if they do it in a way that’s not going to alienate their users.
“So far, they have tried a number of different methods such as using monetizing links that bring in a revenue share, but they stopped that.”
Social media analyst Rob McNair said that having invites had been part of Pinterest’s marketing strategy.
“This tactic of adding exclusivity upon launch of a social network is not a new thing,” said Rob McNair from mycleveragency.com.
“Google+ adopted [it]… creating a people-referral engine and as a result built pent-up demand from the everyday user that wanted to give it a try.”
Fashion and recipes have quickly become top topics on Pinterest, and women outnumber men on the site.
Its number of users grew hugely over the past year, according to a digital media analytics company Comscore.
It said that last June, there were 1.2 million unique visitors globally – but a year later there were 31.2 million.
In February, the company had to address concerns about users “pinning” copyrighted material.
It now allows websites to opt out of being featured on Pinterest. To do so, sites can block their content by adding a line of web code.
If a Pinterest user attempts to share images or other material from a site with the “nopin” instruction, a message is displayed: “This site doesn’t allow pinning to Pinterest. Please contact the owner with any questions. Thanks for visiting!”


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The Electrical Contractors Association has announced a new Learning Zone initiative, which is designed to educate and inform ECA members and the wider industry on a range of electrotechnical and commercial issues.
The focus of the ECA Learning Zone will be a series of webinars in which the association has partnered up with firms from across the electrical industry. The ECA says that it wants to give those in the electrical industry an insight into the latest developments surrounding regulations, cutting-edge technologies and value-added support services.
The first webinar in the ECA Learning Zone series, in partnership with manufacturer Aurora Lighting, will take place on September 24 at 11am. The webinar will be open to ECA Members and subsequently, the wider industry.
This Webinar will be hosted by Chris Hill, Aurora’s product manager of smart devices, and Luke Osborne, ECA’s energy and emerging technologies solutions advisor. Naturally, the focus will be on the latest technologies from Aurora Lighting and how they can be beneficial to electrical contractors. While also touching on smart lighting in general.
Mike Smith, ECA technical director, commented, “The new ECA Learning Zone allows ECA’s Commercial Associates to reach our Members – and the wider electrotechnical industry – to join forces with ECA’s technical and business experts to deliver up-to-the minute information on many of the latest industry topics.
“Attendees can look forward to engaging presentations, important new information and the opportunity for training and professional development.”
The first session will present the latest information and views on the installation of smart lighting for a range of applications, including relevant Standards, Regulations, along with advice on good and best practice.


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A group of state cannabis associations is asking Senate leaders to advance bipartisan cannabis banking legislation as soon as possible. The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) alongside marijuana trade associations from 16 other states sent a letter to Senate Banking Committee chair Sherrod Brown and committee member Tim Scott emphasizing the need for immediate cannabis banking reform.
ATACH was joined by trade associations representing cannabis businesses from Hawaii, Arizona, Alaska, Alabama, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, California, Washington State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Montana, Mississippi, District of Columbia and…
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
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A search of the internet for last minute tax tips and planning for 2016 yielded the following. The first 2 come from Business News Daily by Adam C. Uzialko.
Small businesses have been crying out for consistency in the tax code, and for 2015 they got some. However, the 2016 elections could change that. Business News Daily consulted small business tax experts to find out what things business owners should pay attention to.
- Tax extenders – Two important tax breaks for small business have been extended: Section 179 and bonus depreciation. Section 179 allows businesses to deduct the full price of any qualifying equipment or software purchased or leased during the year. The tax-extension bill makes permanent the $500,000 maximum deduction for new and used equipment that was purchased or leased in 2015. Bonus depreciation, which was extended through 2017, allows business owners to depreciate 50 percent of the cost of new equipment purchased in 2015. The two tax incentives can be used together.Other notable tax extenders include the research and development credit, work opportunity tax credit, energy production tax credits, and a deduction for local and state sales tax.
- The Affordable Care Act – The main issue for many businesses is that they could face tax penalties for failing to provide health insurance to employees or for failing to report to the Internal Revenue Service what type of coverage they have provided.Since the start of 2016, businesses with 51 to 99 employees are required to offer health insurance to at least 70 percent of their full-time-equivalent employees or face a tax penalty of $2,000 per employee. They must report, on each employee’s W-2 form, the cost of the health coverage provided. A breakdown of what the employer and the employee each paid is also required. The IRS recently extended the reporting deadline to May 31, 2016, for paper filings and June 30, 2016, for electronic filings. For more tips, see Janemarie Mulvey’s book “Health Reform: What Small Businesses Need to Know Now!” at Amazon.com.
- Business identity theft – Business fraudsters have realized they can generate larger refunds when they steal a business’s identity and claim business deductions and credits. It is estimated that over the next five years, the IRS could issue nearly $11.4 billion fraudulent tax refunds based on falsely-obtained Employer Identification Numbers (EIN).
- For the cost of a $10 filing or processing fee, thieves may file a fraudulent change of your business address, or file changes to your business’ officers, directors or registered agent.
- Thieves may identify a target business in one state, and fraudulently register that business as a foreign (out of state) business in another state.
- Making a slight change to an established company name to be confusingly similar to the legitimate company’s name in order to deceive creditors, financial institutions, and other businesses. For example Anderson Petroleum, LLC vs. Anderson Petroleum, Inc. For tips on how to protect your business go to http://www.businessidtheft.org/


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Virgin Mobile has introduced a new SMS Pack for its GSM prepaid users in all circles. Now users can send unlimited local and national SMSes to anyone, anywhere in the country just for Rs. 69.
Virgin Mobile has introduced its GSM service now in Orissa. Earlier Virgin Mobile had covered 5 telecom circles- Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamilnadu, Kerala, and Karnataka in South India.
In Orissa, Virgin Mobile has come with very low tariff plans to impress its customers.
Virgin Mobile has introduced new SMS packs for its GSM prepaid users in Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu circles. Users can choose local or national SMS packs and enjoy 10000 local SMSes or 2000 local and national SMSes.
Virgin Mobile offers Per Second Plan to its GSM prepaid customers in Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu circles. Now Virgin Mobile GSM customers can also enjoy Per Second Plan and reap the benefit of each penny they have spent. All local and STD calls to any network in the country will be charged at 1 paisa per second tariff rate.
Virgin Mobile has recently launched its GSM service in 5 telecom circles which are: Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu. Virgin Mobile has introduced the GSM service with Per Minute Plan in all the circles.
Virgin Mobile has now launched its GSM service in 5 telecom circles in South India.
Virgin Mobile The Closer The Better Prepaid Plan- Local Vodafone Calls @15P/Min! All Local Calls @30P/Min!Submitted by mann on Thu, 01/07/2010 - 16:54
Virgin Mobile has introduced a special prepaid plan- “The Closer The Better” for its users in the country. Now users can enjoy local Vodafone calls at 15 paisa per minute and other local calls at 50 paisa per minute tariff rates.
Virgin Mobile has introduced a new way to dress up mobile phones with vArtitude. It is a very beautiful and impressive way to decorate your mobile phone. Now don’t use your mobile just for chatting, but for enhancing your personality also.
Virgin Mobile Introduces Special Calling Packs for Prepaid Users in Rajasthan- Unlimited Free Local Virgin Mobile Calls! Calls at 30 Paisa per Minute!Submitted by Aparna on Thu, 01/07/2010 - 11:25
Virgin Mobile has introduced special calling packs for its prepaid users in Rajasthan. Now Virgin Mobile users can make unlimited free calls to local Virgin mobile or at 30 paisa per minute tariff rate.
Virgin Mobile has introduced a new vFLASH- high speed mobile broadband service for its broadband users. vFLASH broadband service offers 20 time faster broadband facility anytime anywhere.


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Chevy displayed “Project Opel” at the 1953 GM Motorama Show in New York City simply to liven up the display of stodgy sedans. A two-seater concept car equipped with a straight six-engine and a two-speed automatic transmission, it was so well received it went into production, becoming C1, the first generation Corvette. The 8th Generation Corvette is generating an even larger wave of excitement. The tech is impressive, including the fact this is the first Corvette to not have a leaf-spring suspension. The most compelling observation is the location of the engine. In one gigantic leap, Corvette has joined the ranks of mid-engine supercars. The Z51 performance package option, gets you a 495-hp V8 mated to an 8-speed automatic that goes from full stop to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Whiplash insurance is definitely worth considering. The body looks like the love child of a McClaren and an Acura NSX and the interior is a driver’s delight. At a third or less of the price of the European alternatives, the C8 has reinvented the supercar; Chevrolet.com.
Bringing new meaning to “must-have,” the pandemic has ushered in a new trend — blinged out face masks, cloth coverings, PPE, shields, neck gaiters, bandanas — whatever you decided to wear, these unexpected fashion accessories can literally save lives.
Brickell City Centre has become a destination in its own regard. Swire Properties has developed a place where the community wants to be, hang out, and enjoy their time with loved ones while shopping at some of the world’s top retailers in a vibrant destination in the heart of Downtown Miami that’s second to none.


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The Mumbai-based startup is raising INR 5.55 Cr from Sony Group in exchange for 1.80 Lakh
The investments are likely to be part of a larger Series B round, after Impact Guru raised $2 Mn (INR 13 Cr) in its Series A in 2018
Last year, the platform claimed to have raised over INR 11 Cr through 800 active campaigns related to Covid
Crowdfunding platform Impact Guru is raising INR 35 Cr ($4.7 Mn) from Japanese electronics and entertainment giant Sony Group Corporation as well as healthcare-focused venture capital fund HealthQuad in its Series B round.
The Mumbai-based startup is raising INR 5.55 Cr from Sony Group in exchange for 1.80 Lakh Series B compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS), and INR 29.59 Cr from HealthQuad, as per filings accessed by Inc42.
Founded in July 2014 by Piyush Jain and Khushboo Jain, ImpactGuru was incubated at Harvard Innovation Lab in August 2014 and at PACT, Singapore, in May 2015. The latest investment is likely to be part of a larger round, after Impact Guru raised $2 Mn (INR 13 Cr) in its Series A funding round from Apollo Hospitals Group and Venture Catalysts in 2018. Singapore-based VC fund, RB Investments, Currae Healthtech Fund and family offices from the US, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East have also backed the startup in previous rounds.
As per data compiled by Inc42 on Covid-related fundraising last year, Impact Guru was the fourth largest fundraiser among crowdfunding platforms, trailing the likes of GiveIndia, Ketto and Milaap. Impact Guru claims to have impacted more than 1 Lakh individuals and organisations listed across 15 countries during the first Covid lockdown last year. It claimed to have raised over INR 11 Cr through 800 active campaigns related to Covid.
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ImpactGuru also received an INR 40 Lakh grant in the form of matching funds from the Action Covid-19 Team (ACT) to scale fundraising across India.
But last year, the company also suffered a cyberattack in May. In an email sent to customers on May 1, Impact Guru said the security incident involved unauthorised access to the website. The company said it resolved key vulnerabilities that led to the breach, on the advice of cybersecurity experts, but refused to delve into questions about when the attack took place, how long the vulnerability was open and what data was compromised. It also did not reveal how many users it affected and whether any donations for Covid-19 were targeted.
The investment in Impact Guru comes from HealthQuad’s INR 550 Cr fund II, which had its first close at INR 514 Cr ($68 Mn). The VC firm’s limited partners include Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH), Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), SIDBI, Swedfund and pharma giant Merck impact investor KOIS among others. From its first fund, it invested in Medikabazaar, Technology Healthcare Big Data Analytics, Strand Asian Institute of Nephrology & Urology (AINU), Neurosynaptic Communications, Regency Healthcare, and Hi Impact.


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China: FAIRS Export Certificate Report
March 5, 2020
This report lists the major registration requirements and export certificates required for food and agricultural exports to the People’s Republic of China.
China: China Announces Reductions in Certain Additional Tariffs
February 17, 2020
On February 6, 2020, the State Council Tariff Commission announced that China would cut in half the additional tariffs for certain commodities from the United States on February 14, 2020.
Taiwan: Taiwan Impacted as Agricultural Trade Disrupted by Coronavirus
February 13, 2020
Agricultural trade with Taiwan is being impacted by new quarantine measures, port closures, vessel delays, and suspended flights as U.S. agribusiness exporters struggle to find available space....
China: China Announces Increases to Additional Tariffs
August 28, 2019
On August 23, 2019, the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF), State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced new tariffs on certain U.S. products, valued at $75 billion USD.
China: China Raises Tariffs on U.S. Agricultural Products
May 17, 2019
On May 13, 2019, the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF), State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced that supplementary import tariffs levied on certain U.S. products....
South Korea: Growth in U.S. Ag Exports to Korea Outpaces the Rest of East Asia
December 19, 2017
Several categories of U.S. food and agricultural exports to South Korea saw significant growth in fiscal year 2017 (Oct/Sept).
Central America and the Caribbean: Prospects for U.S. Agricultural Exports
March 30, 2015
Central America and the Caribbean, with their close geographical and economic ties to the United States, have always been an important market for U.S. agricultural exports.
Egypt: Exporter Guide
August 1, 2013
Information on the Egyptian market for U.S. exporters of food and agricultural products. Prospects for U.S. bulk commodities and intermediate products remain positive in 2013.
KORUS at One Year: Expanding Opportunities for U.S. Agricultural Exports
March 25, 2013
A look at U.S. exports to South Korea in the year since since the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement entered into force.


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EA and BioWare have released an official trailer for the Mass Effect Trilogy which is due to release this week on Xbox 360 and PC, with a PlayStation 3 release to follow next month.
The trilogy will hit the U.S for Xbox 360 and PC on November 6 followed by a European release on November 9. PlayStation 3 players will have to wait until December 4 in the U.S. and December 7 in Europe. The trilogy signals the first time that the original Mass Effect has launched on PlayStation 3, a digital download of the game will also be made available for players who own the two sequels.
You can check out the trailer below.


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Brex is rebuilding B2B financial products, starting with a corporate credit card for technology companies. We help startups of all sizes (from recently incorporated to later-stage companies) to instantly get a credit card that has 20x higher limits, completely automates expense management, kills receipt tracking and magically integrates with their accounting systems.
Brex was founded by Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi, two engineers who previously founded Pagar.me, one of the largest payment processors in Brazil with over $1.5 billion in GMV.
Brex is backed by the co-founders of PayPal (Max Levchin and Peter Thiel), Y Combinator, Ribbit Capital, Yuri Milner, and Carl Pascarella (former CEO of Visa). Brex is building the next generation of B2B financial services with better tech and without the restrictions of legacy technology.
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Brex adapts to tough times, but is it only skin deep?
Contxto – It has been an interesting year for Brex. The fintech who had such a troubled year that they have decided to change things but only superficially. Back in May, the company had received a US$150 million investment, and planned on hiring 400 employees—but this year has turned differently—by June it had laid off […]
Alude offers a free real estate platform and it just raised US$3.3M with big-name VCs
Contxto – Get this: proptech Alude was launched in Brazil in 2019 and its team currently consists of nine people (three of which are the co-Founders). Nonetheless, it’s attracted big names in venture capital for its seed round. Today (30) the real estate startup announced it closed US$3.3 million. And interestingly, Allude had multiple round […]
Brazilian startups in Silicon Valley close US$2 million plus in funding over 2 years
Contxto – Brazil’s ecosystem is growing—and that’s not necessarily within its borders. Brazilian entrepreneurs and venture capital (VC) firms in Silicon Valley are looking to play an important role in strengthening the startup scene. Non-profit BayBrazil has been tracking this quite carefully. This organization recently arranged a survey that found that 11 startups with Brazilian […]
Latam 2050: The fastest growing global region in three decades?
Today’s Soapbox opinion was written by Gonzalo Simons, Chief Strategy Officer at uSound, Contxto – To reach this strategic target, it is essential to contextualize ourselves within the four industrial revolutions: 1st Industrial Revolution (1786-1850) Lever for growth: Steam Engine. Impacted industry: Transportation/manufacture Impact: It was possible to increase human productivity 8X 2nd Industrial Revolution (1850-1920) […]
Rockstart accelerator will offer something other programs don’t—a credit card for startups
Contxto – There have been quite a few examples of startups dishing out credit cards for individual consumers. Although this time around it’s a different ecosystem player that’s helping founders foot the bill without using their own pocket money. Rockstart, an accelerator with offices in Colombia, will release a credit card for startups. The minds […]
Fintech Brex undergoes restructuring, layoffs ensue
Contxto – One step forward, two steps back. In May, fintech Brex disclosed a US$150 million investment. Although last Friday (29), it announced 62 people would lose their jobs. Likewise, there would be some internal changes at Brex. These changes are part of the unicorn’s shift in focus from growth to building its product. As […]
Fintech Brex raises US$150 million in Series C extension
Contxto – Brazilian-founded Brex raised an investment for US$150 million as an extension of a previous Series C round. Returning investors include DST Global and Lone Pine Capital. The fintech had been experiencing a serious growth spurt through its core product: a corporate credit card for startups. For now, Brex will focus on product development […]


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iOcean is now ready to release their new three smartphone, while the G7 is coming with more larger screen (6.45 inch screen size) the other model is iOcean X8 that brings the power of octa-core processor inside.
The other three model are, iOcean X7, iOcean X7S and iOcean G7, and now we have another model that the iOcean X8. This phone has been listed on last February and this phone has a godd looking design in the overall, since packs with 7.7mm body thicknes.
The phone has 5.7 inch screen size and has FHD 1920 x 1080 pixel resoution, and this phone is also has a thin bezel that makes this phone look slimmer and beautiful. And this phone is covered by nice doble-glass design.
Powered by MT6592 octa-core processor, and support for 3GB of RAm and 32Gb of internal storage, this phone is also has 13 megapixel main caemra and has dual card dual standby.


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All clothingbranqs, whether highstreet like Zara, H&M or High end like Chanel, will soon be forced to give their unsold share of clothes away to charity if it depends on the government of Emanuel Macron. Fashion houses that find themselves with piles of clothes at the end of the season should donate it for instance, to charity. Consumers annually throw about 5 million clothes in the trash and only a quarter of it gets recycled according to environmental organisation Friends of The Earth Europe:” The rules that we’ve applied to prevent food waste should apply to the clothes industry too as from 2019.”
That being said:
The French government is planning to sort out the juridic details in the course of this year and will present the law draft as soon as possible.
Chains like H&M are placed more and more under fire because of their weight their clothes production and destruction have on the environment. The clothing industry is the second most polluting industry on this planet next to the oil industry. The biggest cause being the industry itsellf pushing up on new trends and the cheap ready to wear version to the consumers
Fast fashion pollutes the water and the air, using toxic chemicals harming the underpaid labourers in underdeveloped countries the most of all. Besides this it seems we can’t shake the habit of buying more and more causing the enormous mass of waste to get completely out of controle
As of next year all clothes have to get recycled in France or given away to good causes. So don’t be shocked when you see a homeless guy rocking a Chanel purse on your next trip to Paris.


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TOKYO, Sept. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that its head-to-head football simulation game Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team will hold the FC Barcelona Official Campaign starting Friday, September 9th. During the campaign period, new players Tsubasa Ozora, Rivaul, Gordoba Gonzales, and Pedro Fonseca will debut wearing FC Barcelona official kits. See the original press release (https://www.klab.com/en/press/) for more information.
Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team will hold the FC Barcelona Official Campaign starting Friday, September 9th. During the campaign period, new players Tsubasa Ozora, Rivaul, Gordoba Gonzales, and Pedro Fonseca will debut wearing FC Barcelona official kits. There will be various in-game campaigns to celebrate this collaboration so be sure to see the announcements for more details.
FC BARCELONA OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN Login Bonus
Login every day to the game during the event period to receive great rewards.
FC BARCELONA Selection Transfer
Rivaul, Gordoba Gonzales, and Pedro Fonseca wearing the FC BARCELONA official kit debut as new players in this Transfer.
FC BARCELONA OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN Daily Scenario
Users can complete these limited scenarios once a day during the event period. Clear the scenario to receive points and medals to exchange for amazing items.
FC BARCELONA OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN Event Mission
During the event period, complete the Event Missions to earn great rewards.
FC BARCELONA 2022/2023 Official Kits Added to Dreamball Exchange
The Dreamball Exchange is getting an update with the FC BARCELONA 2022/2023 home, away, GK uniforms. Users can exchange Dreamballs to collect them.
Overview of Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team
Supported OSes: Android™ 4.4+, iOS 10.0+, HarmonyOS 2.0+
Genre: Head-to-head football simulation game
Price: Free-to-play (In-app purchases available)
Supported Regions: Global (Excludes Japan and Mainland China)
Official Website: https://www.tsubasa-dreamteam.com/en
Official Twitter Account: @tsubasaDT_en
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tsubasaDTen
Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTgOPO7kIQ35YzB7SBIQoWQ/
Official Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/6tyEs48
Copyright: ©Yoichi Takahashi/SHUEISHA
©Yoichi Takahashi/SHUEISHA/TV TOKYO/ENOKIFILM
App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1293738123
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.klab.captain283.global


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Morocco reiterates full support for African free trade area
Morocco spares no effort to materialize the AfCTA on the ground, Mohcine Jazouli told an African Union meeting held by video conference.
He recalled that King Mohammed VI had underscored Morocco’s commitment to promote an intra-African cooperation based on economic solidarity.
In this respect, boosting intra-African trade would help promote integration, reinforce competitiveness, create jobs and give a push to African industrialization.
Morocco signed the AfCFTA on March 21, 2018, in Kigali as it pushes ahead with an African policy based on win-win partnerships and African solidarity.


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Husker fans gear up for game day in style
The Husker football season officially begins on Saturday, which means a lot of fans are gearing up in style.
It's that time of year to swap out the old and buy some new. For some, it means simply a new hat and for others, like UNL sophomore Elizabeth Gregg, it means just short of a whole new wardrobe. She says she bought a lot. “A little bit longer sleeves with a hood, some traditional Nebraska t–shirts, one with 'Nebraska', one with 'Huskers” so we can support the Big Red.”
The Nebraska Bookstore says what's hot right now is women's fashion. It's the only store that they know of downtown that's carrying merchandise from Victoria's Secret.
But not everyone is looking for bling. Now that it's looking like the Huskers' dominating defense is here to stay, Adidas is devoting a whole line to skulls and crossbones. So, the Nebraska Bookstore is, too. Amanda Tangeman works there and says, “we have 'Throw the Bones', and some versions of the Blackshirts and crossbones that are even a little scarier and a little more intimidating.”
There is one thing though that you won't find anywhere in this store or most likely any other. The Nebraska Bookstore says there won't be any Big Ten merchandise out until at least July. Also, Tangeman also says 'Farewell to the Big 12' t–shirts are not allowed. “They won't license any goods that talk about leaving the Big 12 or getting into the Big 10. We're supposed to talk about where we're at right now.”


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March 18, 2011 | by Andrew Kameka
Sprint Android phones were big in 2010. The HTC EVO 4G completely turned around Sprint’s tanking sales, and the Samsung Epic 4G kept momentum going. That’s why everyone was so disappointed to hear practically nothing from Sprint at CES. The EVO Shift was announced and then there were just a bunch of crickets in the days and weeks that followed.
Don’t expect that to happen with CTIA Wireless 2011. Sprint is expected to make a massive move that could make it the star of the show. While AT&T Verizon grabbed the headlines at CES with their new devices, Sprint is all but guaranteed to be the talk of the town as writers head home next week. Here’s a look at what to expect.
LOOKING INTO MY CRYSTAL BALL
Sprint is hosting a major event on Tuesday that is expected to be the anchor of its showing at CTIA. That’s where Sprint will likely announce a variety of products, including:
- The EVO View – We first heard of this name from an anonymous tipster to Engadget. It’s likely that this will be the Sprint-branded version of the HTC Flyer, a 7-inch tablet that runs HTC Sense and includes several custom features.
- The EVO 3D – Yup, the EVO’s a brand. The next phone to don that EVO name will likely feature 3D, but it could be one of two devices. It could be the HTC Shooter, a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon with a high-quality display and Android 2.3.2. I have a tiny feeling this could be what Sprint will call the Optimus 3D, but that’s far less likely. We’ll know soon enough (read more about the HTC Shooter).
- Motorola Xoom – The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the only Android tablet currently available on Sprint, but it’s likely to get company since a SprintUsers member posted an image of the Motorola Xoom with Sprint branding. Keep in mind that this is the same user who posted the EVO Shift before it was officially announced, so the guy is legit. It also falls in line with a rumor floated from AAM yesterday.
- Nexus S 4G - Engadget also says that it’s coming. We’ll see.
All our Sprint readers have been clamoring for something to lust after. CTIA Wireless will finally give them a couple of great Android phones and tablets to bring up during those AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon flame wars. The Sprint CTIA press conference is scheduled for Tuesday at 12:30 pm and ends at 4 pm. That’s a lot of time to tell us about some great Android products.


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It’s official: Sydney is more expensive to live in than Melbourne, claim the results of an annual survey into cost of living around the world.
The report, conducted bi-annually by The Economist Intelligence Unit, has found that Sydney is the third most expensive city to live in around the world. Melbourne is the fifth.
According to the report, entitled ‘The Worldwide Cost of Living 2013′, Sydney is beaten to the top spot by both Tokyo, at number one, and Osaka at number two. Tokyo has repeatedly topped the list in the last 20 years, being named the most expensive city to live in in every year but six.
Australian cities have only recently been added to the top ten ranking, ten years ago no Australian city made the top 50 most expensive cities. This swift rise is due to economic growth and local currency swings.
Survey results come from comparing the cost of 160 products and services, including food, drink, clothing, transport and rent.
Mumbai in India and Karachi in Pakistan are the two cheapest cities to live in according to the index, with the average US$ price of 1kg of bread being $0.86 in Mumbai, in comparison to Tokyo’s $9.06.
Businesses are also feeling the cost of living affecting things like rental costs, but according to Patricia Forsythe, executive director of the Sydney Business Chamber, these costs are mostly being felt by people looking in. “[If you are] a business looking to establish a regional presence or headquarters for example, if the choice is Sydney or some of the other cities in the Asia pacific region, we are looking expensive from people looking inward at us. So compared to some of our key competitors: Singapore, Hong Kong, cities in China, we are expensive, but we offset that by an execellent standard of living, a quality of life, and a highly skilled educated and multilingual workforce.
“By and large, if you’re a business established in the market, this high cost, is not a significant factor. Because the reality is that the price that you’re charging for your goods is generally keeping pace with it.”


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Court: Chinese tire maker can be sued in Iowa over explosion
The Iowa Supreme Court says a Chinese company that made a tire that exploded and caused permanent injuries to an Iowa teenager can be sued in the state.
Justices ruled Friday that courts in Iowa have jurisdiction over Doublestar Dongfent Tyre Company because it shipped thousands of tires into the state.
The ruling reinstates a civil lawsuit brought by Dylan Book, who was severely injured in 2009 when a tire exploded at his father's auto repair shop in Adel.
Then 17, Book was trying to mount a tire on an older rim when he overinflated it, causing an explosion.
He was left blinded in one eye and lost part of his jaw, most of his sense of taste and smell, and the partial use of his left arm and hand.


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Ashok Leyland plans to introduce locally made, Optare buses in India including electric and hybrid models.
The Indian firm owns a majority stake in Optare whose electric and hybrid buses have been successful in the UK.
Vinod Dasari, Ashok Leyland’s managing director, said: “The UK government with its green fund scheme really supported Optare and that has allowed Optare to innovate more and come up with newer technologies. Today it is one of the world leaders in terms of electric and hybrid buses. And learning from that technology, we would like to bring that technology to India and manufacture those buses [locally].”
He added: “We will do that [manufacturing] next year. We will first showcase them at the Bus Expo on 22 January in Delhi.”
The company is considering its Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu and Alwar, Rajasthan, plants to make the buses.
Dasari added, “We will probably have to [make] investments in electric and battery handling capabilities. The bus itself will not require substantial investments other than the tooling to make the structure.”
The Solo and Versa models be the first Indian made models.
“We have a diesel variant also. The hybrid version has a smaller diesel engine and it’s connected to electric drive. The diesel engine buses will be made by us. The electric motor and the batteries will be imported from UK, US or from China,” Dasari said.


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Horizon Forbidden West announcement trailer for the PlayStation 5
Another cool reveal from the recently launched PlayStation 5 was the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn was Horizon Forbidden West which is once again produced by Guerilla Games.
So once again we get to control Aloy, the heroine from the first game as she goes West to continue to save the world.
The Horizon Forbidden West trailer was pretty impressive and it does feature some heavy spoilers including a returning villain from the first game. Check out the first trailer for Horizon Forbidden West below:
No word yet on when the game would be released but it could reqlly hit its target release date of Holiday 2020.


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Agrico held its annual central general members' meeting earlier this month. During this online meeting, the annual figures for 2019/2020 were discussed and Agrico's digital transformation was addressed.
The potato harvest in the 2019/2020 season was extremely good with yields up 20% compared with 2018. The dry summer was followed from the end of September by a very wet autumn, which resulted in quality differences in the harvest.
Despite the extreme situation, Agrico managed to get all the potatoes delivered and a fair price was paid out for all the crops. This resulted in 4% growth in turnover taking the figures to EUR 332 million, which is EUR 12 million higher than the 2018/2019 season.
Robust growth and quality on all fronts are the two key pillars of Agrico’s strategy 2030. Despite the hectic year, Agrico has shown progression in both of these aims. The national and international subsidiaries also had a good year.
Agrico Research introduced three promising new varieties and - partly due to the stockpiling behaviour prompted by the corona outbreak - retail specialist Leo De Kock booked a good year. The international subsidiaries also noted strong growth together, with outliers in Poland and Turkey.
Agrico paid out the realized payment capacity almost completely to its members in the 2019/2020 financial year. The extent of equity is linked to financial key figures with the principle being continuity and a healthy financial status.
Due to investments made in recent years, the need to strengthen the equity position was EUR 2.5 million higher. In addition, a debt to the pool was included on the balance sheet of EUR 1.2 million, which will be added to the pools in the new financial year.
Central general members' meeting
For the first time in the organisation's history, the central members' meeting took place digitally. Some 250 members participated in the online meeting.
In addition to an explanation of the annual figures, the members were also informed about the latest developments taking place within the organisation and at the shareholdings.
Click to access Agrico's annual report for year 2019/2020 (English version;9MB pdf-file!))
After the meeting, members could take part in a webinar on digital transformation. Jan Brouwer, Microsoft's Food & Agri spokesperson, outlined a picture of digital developments in the world and in the agricultural sector. Jan Hoogenboom, information manager at Agrico, explained the steps being taken by the cooperative in its own digital transformation process to the members.
Digital transformation is also the organisation's theme for this year. Among other things, a focus area is implementing a new ERP system which will be used from harvest 2021. In October, the new website www.agrico.nl was launched and in November a portal was introduced for items including the presentation of new varieties.
In addition, with a sounding board of 14 Agrico members, preparations have been made for a new grower portal that will be implemented in the year ahead.


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► 2017 Intense Factory Racing Launch Video
Intense Cycles proudly announces its 2017 Factory Racing Team with a new awesome video! Charlie HARRISON, Dean LUCAS, Jack MOIR and Nikolas NESTOROFF are ready to shred the extreme downhill tracks of 2017 UCI World Cup! Check out and share the launch video.
Read more: www.intensecycles.com


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Founded by Chileans in New York, Runaway adds the machine learning and AI to image editing and post-production processes.
Nacida en Nueva York pero fundada por chilenos, Runaway suma el learning machine y la IA a los procesos de edición y postproducción de imágenes.
Como la principal voz de los negocios y empresarios de propiedad latina en la región, la GPHCC ha ampliado sus esfuerzos con nuevas iniciativas para ayudarles a sobrevivir a la pandemia.
As the leading voice for Latino-owned business and entrepreneurs in the region, the GPHCC has further expanded its efforts with new initiatives to help them survive the pandemic.
Despite growth in population and number of businesses, the Latino community suffers from the stigma of underinvestment.
Raymond Santana Jr. took his experience as a member of the “Central Park Five” and turned it into a clothing company.
Why finding the right accountant can be the best thing you can do
The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce held their 29th Annual Meeting on Mar. 27, but this year, allowed members to make their own suggestions and recommendations for the 2019-2020 Latino Small Business Agenda.
Es el más americano de todos los estilos, por cierto. Tan solo pregunte a cualquier empresario, por ejemplo, a la que protagoniza la portada de esta edición de AL DÍA, Adriana Alejandre.
It is the most American of the styles, by the way. Just ask any Latino Entrepreneur, male of female. For example the one that graces the cover of this edition of AL DÍA, Adriana Alejandre.
Americae, a four-week-old, Philadelphia-based fashion brand built a floral and Amazon-inspired wall in Center City to promote its vibrant clothing and messaging.
A lo largo de toda su carrera, Jimmy Durán ha aprovechado todas las oportunidades que se le presentaron. Ahoro quiere ayudar a los emprendedores latinos a hacer lo mismo.
Jimmy Durán has spent his career seizing every opportunity. Now, as Director of Programs for the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he's creating them for Latino entrepreneurs.
With two upcoming events, the American Jewish Committee will honor a local Latino leader and host a conversation on advancing Latino success.
During the Alegria Ball on Feb. 9, the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce presented the Excelencia Business Awards.
‘Finhabits’ es un asesor financiero digital pensado para solucionar las necesidades de ahorro a largo plazo de la comunidad hispana.
Finhabits is a bilingual digital financial adviser that caters to the long-term investment needs of the Hispanic community.
La Cámara de Comercio Hispana del Área Metropolitana de Filadelfia (GPHCC) realizó un estudio en profundidad sobre el contexto empresarial en el que se mueven los emprendedores latinos de la región.
The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce held the "State of Hispanic Business," a symposium dedicated to the current business climate for Latino-owned businesses in the Philadelphia region.
Research suggests that successful Latinos aim to improve academic and financial attainment within the Latino community.
According to a 2017 report, Philadelphia ranks among the lowest in providing a favorable environment for Hispanic-owned businesses.
The State of Hispanic Business is designed to inform Philadelphia’s business community about the current climate for Latino-owned businesses in the region.
In November, the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold a symposium focused on the business climate for the region's Hispanic entrepreneurs.
Saskia Sorrosa, founder of baby food company Fresh Bellies, shares her thoughts on balancing an entrepreneurial venture with a full-time career.
The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold a master class on the Business Model Canvas on Tuesday, Oct. 31.


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Brides-to-be rush to Primark to find their latest bridal collection, including adorable veils and sashes from £4
ONE WOMAN has shared Primark’s new bridal collection and people are rushing to wrap them up.
Pippa from the UK showed off the latest collection of bridal items she’s found at her local Primark and people can’t wait to get their hands on them.
The bargain hunter said: “2023 birds beware because Primark has come up with a new bridal collection.”
In the video, posted to her TikTok account @pippawiththepixie, she was blown away by the reach.
The beauty and fashion buff regularly shares his top picks to grab on the high street.
The first thing that caught her eye was a pair of white slippers with a gold “Bride” embroidery to wear while getting ready for the big day.
Next, she found a cute white Bride jumper and matching Team Bride jumpers for your bridal shower to wear for £10 each.
She also loved the infamous £1 white and silver flip flops, perfect if you’ve booked a spa day ahead of your wedding.
There was also a range of accessories for your bachelorette party, including a white and gold ‘bride-to-be’ veil for £4 and beige sashes with gold ‘Team Bride’ motifs for £6.
Peppa captioned the post: “Make sure to tag your entire bridal shower in the comments!
“These will sell out and are perfect for your hen party, bridesmaid boxes and gifts.”
The new range is just in time as the summer wedding season approaches.
The video has since gone viral with over 725,000 views and 18,000 likes.
People rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts on the range and many couldn’t wait to get their hands on it.
One person wrote, “I think I might get married just to buy this.”
Another commented: “Ooooh gotta go!”
“I absolutely need a Primark trip,” wrote a third.
Meanwhile, a fourth added: “I want it all.”
“I think we need a trip to a big Primark,” claimed a fifth.
Another said: “Oh my god, perfect timing.”
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/fabulous/10466601/shoppers-rush-primark-bridal-range-veils-sashes/ Brides-to-be rush to Primark to find their latest bridal collection, including adorable veils and sashes from £4


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Organic products have no significant nutritional advantage over conventional foods, even though consumers can pay more for them, a new study finds.
The findings suggest that a key reason behind why many people buy organic products — a $28.6 billion market last year — may not be borne out by the science.
The four-year project began when two doctors wondered what advice they should give their families and patients about whether to buy organic or conventional foods.
“It became much larger than we expected,” says Crystal Smith-Spangler, a primary care doctor at Stanford University and lead author on the study appearing Tuesday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Eventually, 12 researchers looked at 240 studies conducted from 1966 to 2011 covering nutrient and contaminant levels in foods.
Among the findings:
•There were no significant differences in the vitamin content of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables. The studies looked specifically at vitamins A, C and E.
•Detectable pesticide residue was found in 7% of organic produce and 38% of conventional produce. However, only three studies found pesticide residue that exceeded maximum allowed limits in the European Union on organic or conventional produce.
As to how pesticides could be in organic product that must be grown without them by law, Smith-Spangler said it could either be long-lasting, now-banned pesticides in the soil or drift from nearby fields.
•Both organic and conventional foods were at similar risk for bacterial contamination.
A smaller study done in 2009 by Alan Dangour at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with a European emphasis reached similar conclusions.
Organic produce often costs more than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, but the differential varies widely. In 2009, it generally cost at least 25% more in Boston andSan Francisco wholesale markets and sometimes was double the price, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In rare cases, the organic food was equal or even a smidge lower in price.
Yet “there isn’t much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based solely on your health,” said Dena Bravata, senior author of the paper and a physician at Stanford’s Center for Health Policy.
The data don’t fit well with consumers’ stated motivations for buying organic foods. A 2010 Nielsen study found that 76% bought them believing they are healthier, 53% because they allowed them to avoid pesticides and other toxins, 51% because they are more nutritious and 49% because organic farming is better for the environment.
Urvashi Rangan, a scientist at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reportsmagazine, points out that organic farming originally started out as something designed to be better for the environment and for farmers.
“The health benefits really ended up being almost inadvertent, a nice fringe benefit” of farming in a sustainable way that benefits the planet, she says.
That once counter-culture trend is now mainstream. Organic foods make up 12% of allU.S. fruit and vegetable sales, according to Christine Bushway, CEO of the Organic Trade Association in Brattleboro, Vt. Organic products account for nearly 6% of the total U.S. market for dairy products, she says.
A statement from the association said the new findings confirm that organics reduce consumers’ exposure to pesticides and overuse of antibiotics can lead to higher levels of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in meat.
Different people will make different choices, Smith-Spangler says. “There may be some consumers who feel that any pesticide residue that’s detectable is unacceptable to them.” Others may trust government standards for allowable limits and be less concerned.
Pregnant women and families with small children are most likely to err on the side of caution, Rangan says. “Is it in some ways healthier to have less pesticides in your body, especially if you’re a kid? Absolutely,” she says. That fits with findings by the Organic Trade Association that 48% of parents say they believe organic foods “are healthier for me and my children.” Those surveys showed that 78% of U.S. families bought at least some organic foods in 2011.
Smith-Spangler says consumers should know there is overwhelming evidence that eating produce improves health — so whatever you choose to buy, load up on fruits and veggies. By Elizabeth Welse, USA Today. For original article, click here.
J. Kyle Mathews, MD
Plano OB Gyn Associates


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Unlicensed experts not allowed to assist in trade of diamonds‚ Constitutional Court rules
The Constitutional Court has declined to confirm a high court order which declared that a section of the Diamond Act was unconstitutional.
Section 20A‚ which was put in place in 2007‚ stated that no licensee may be assisted by a non-licensee during the viewing‚ purchasing or selling of unpolished diamonds at any place where unpolished diamonds are offered for sale‚ except at diamond exchange and export centres (DEEC).
Before the insertion of the section into the Act‚ a number of South African Diamond Producers Organisation (SADPO) members had developed a mode of operation at their licensed business premises.
Parcels of unpolished diamonds from local dealers were offered on a tender basis to other South African dealers.
Non-licensed “experts”‚ who attended on behalf of prospective foreign buyers‚ “assisted” the licensed purchasers.
Section 20A put an end to this practice.
Aggrieved by this‚ the organisation approached the high court in Pretoria to declare the section unconstitutional.
The high court ruled in favour of the organisation.
However‚ the Department of Minerals and Energy and the South African Diamond‚ Minerals and Precious Metals Regulator appealed to the Constitutional Court.
They said the purposes of section 20A were to tighten the regulation of the diamond trade and to eliminate illegal activities that were occurring in the diamond trade.
However‚ the organisation stated that producers and dealers were deprived of 30% of the market value of diamonds they sell.
This was because Section 20A prohibited a key part of the price-forming mechanism; the unlicensed expert assistance.
Without this assistance‚ producers and dealers were unable to obtain the prices they were previously able to obtain‚ and suffered a loss of 30% compared to the prices they were previously able to obtain‚ the organisation argued.
In a unanimous judgment by Justice Sisi Khampepe‚ the Constitutional Court said nothing in the way of empirical evidence for this alleged drop in price was included in the papers.
She said the more involvement unlicensed persons were permitted to have in the process of buying‚ selling and exporting unpolished diamonds‚ the greater the risk of illegal transactions going unnoticed.
“It is plausible that it would be easier for the state to control and monitor diamond trading if all persons who engage in the trading process outside the DEECs are at least known to the state through a licensing process.”
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Brewers use a lot of carbon dioxide in the beer making process. They also generate a lot of CO2 when they brew beer. But COVID-19 has led to breweries rethinking things…
Here’s the deal…
“Beer makers buy a lot of carbon dioxide,” according to Marketplace. “They use it not only to add some fizz to your IPA, but also to purge tanks for cleaning and to transfer beer from tank to bottle.
But thanks to COVID-19, commercial carbon dioxide, which is primarily produced as a byproduct of oil and gas production, is experiencing bigtime shortages. People have been locked in for months and not driving as much, so oil, gas and ethanol plants are generating less of it, leading to higher prices for those who need it.
At the same time breweries are still generating their fair share of carbon dioxide. But it’s expensive to capture so most breweries just release it into the air…
Enter Earthly Labs, a public benefit corporation that wants to change this and is now offering craft breweries a plug-and-play carbon capture technology that is both affordable and sized to their needs.
Founded by veteran entrepreneur and mom, Amy George, Earthly Labs knew there were decades of carbon capture innovation that could be unlocked and used by small businesses and individuals.
Earthly Labs CiCi Carbon Capture solution allows brewers to recover waste CO2 from their fermentation and brite tanks, purify it to meet industry beverage grade standards and reuse it to make better beer.
One thing that’s driving breweries to capture their own carbon dioxide is that right now some commercial CO2 suppliers don’t want to bother with low-volume customers. Big beer producers like Anheuser-Busch InBev have deep pockets and are willing to pay the escalating prices so why bother with the little guy?
According to Sky News “the Renewable Fuels Association’s chief executive, Geoff Cooper, estimates that 34 of the 45 US’ ethanol plants that sell carbon dioxide to FMGC companies have either cut production or stopped altogether during the lockdown.”
Which is why companies like Earthly Labs, which has already set up carbon capture solutions for the Denver Beer Company, Hops & Grains and Austin Beerworks are fielding more inquiries from craft breweries than ever before…
“It was kind of always the holy grail of craft brewing was to be able to figure out how to reclaim the CO2 that we’re producing and be able to put it back into our beer,” Adam DeBower, co-founders of Austin Beerworks explained to Marketplace.
And while systems like Earthly Labs CiCi Carbon Capture can only provide some of most breweries CO2 needs it’s still an earth-friendly and elegant place to start.
Need more on CO2 (and who doesn’t?)