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A California dairy that sells USDA certified organic raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products is voluntarily recalling its whole milk — that expired on Jan. 23 and 26 — in collaboration with state officials. Fresno-based Organic Pastures Dairy Co. posted the recall on its website and Facebook page Thursday. The dairy has recalled products at least four times since 2006 because state tests showed foodborne pathogens. In four additional instances in the past decade Organics Pastures’ organic raw milk products have been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks by state and federal officials. “This is not a state mandated recall,” according to the company’s notice. “This is a voluntary recall being placed by the Organic Pastures team. However, we are working in collaboration with the state and will continue to have open communications with them. “We test and hold all of our products prior to release. We have reason to believe that some tests yielded unsatisfactory false negative results. In a cautionary response, we request that this product be destroyed.” The recall includes:
- Organic Pastures whole, raw milk with a Jan. 23 use-by date and the lot code 20160105-1; and
- Organic Pastures whole, raw milk with a Jan. 26 use-by date and the lot code 20160106-2.
The operators of Organic Pastures said in the recall notice that they are certain the recalled lots did not reach Southern California, but other distribution information was less specific. The company is not offering customers refunds, but will issue credits or replace recalled products. “This product may have been released to the Northern and Central Coast areas of California,” according to the recall notice. “If you have any milk with these lot codes, please discard and contact the Organic Pastures team. … If you have any questions, please contact Marcy Oliver, account manager for Organic Pastures, 559-846-9732 or e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org.” California state law and public warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration all include strong language about the dangers of consuming so called raw dairy products, which are not pasteurized. The Organic Pastures Dairy Co. website includes statements in direct contradiction of many of the warnings and statements from the state and federal governments. Mark McAfee, founder and president of Organic Pastures, formed the non-profit Raw Milk Institute in response to what the institute’s website refers to as a “nutritional civil rights movement.” Points and counterpoints Organic Pastures: “There are misleading reports of deaths caused by drinking raw milk. The fact is, these tragic deaths were not caused by drinking raw milk intended for human consumption but ‘improperly pasteurized milk’ from milk intended to be pasteurized, or from improperly thermalized milk where cleanliness standards are much less strict than for raw dairy standards.” The CDC: “From 1998 through 2011, 148 outbreaks due to consumption of raw milk or raw milk products were reported to CDC. These resulted in 2,384 illnesses, 284 hospitalizations, and two deaths. Most of these illnesses were caused by Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Listeria. “Because not all cases of foodborne illness are recognized and reported, the actual number of illnesses associated with raw milk likely is greater.” California Public Health: “Cases of Salmonella Dublin infections in the 1970s into early 1980s that were associated with raw milk consumption. One published investigation in 1979 documented 113 patients with 89 hospitalizations and 22 deaths. Several patients had a serious underlying disease such as leukemia or lymphoma that might have predisposed them to a more severe outcome.” Organic Pastures: “Raw milk from cows is just like milk from humans … Raw cow’s milk is a great food for toddlers once they have stopped nursing from their mother, or as a supplement to mother’s milk.” The FDA: “If you are pregnant, consuming raw milk — or foods made from raw milk, such as Mexican-style cheese like Queso Blanco or Queso Fresco — can harm your baby even if you don’t feel sick.” California state law: Raw dairy products to carry this label — “WARNING: Raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk dairy products may contain disease-causing microorganisms. Persons at highest risk of disease from these organisms include newborns and infants; the elderly; pregnant women; those taking corticosteroids, antibiotics or antacids; and those having chronic illnesses or other conditions that weaken their immunity.” California Public Health: “The risk of severe disease, hospitalization, or death from consuming raw milk or raw dairy products is greater for children, pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.” The CDC: “It is important to note that a substantial proportion of the raw milk-associated disease burden falls on children; among the 104 outbreaks from 1998-2011 with information on the patients’ ages available, 82% involved at least one person younger than 20 years old.” Organic Pastures: “Raw milk is a low risk food for illness if produced responsibly. … No foods, including pasteurized milk, can make such claims.” The CDC: “Raw milk can cause serious infections. … Among dairy product-associated outbreaks reported to CDC between 1998 and 2011 in which the investigators reported whether the product was pasteurized or raw, 79 percent were due to raw milk or (raw) cheese. “… States that allow the legal sale of raw milk for human consumption have more raw milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow raw milk to be sold legally.” California Public Health: “Raw milk and raw dairy products are inherently unsafe to consumers because they may contain one or more types of bacteria that can cause mild to severe illnesses. These bacteria include Brucella, Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli such as E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Mycobacterium bovis, Salmonella species, and Yersinia.” Organic Pastures: “It is important to consider the benefits of unprocessed ‘raw’ milk versus the potential risk for illness. Pathogens — bad bugs — are everywhere in our environment. Raw milk is a super-food…” The CDC: “Many people who chose raw milk thinking they would improve their health instead found themselves — or their loved ones — sick in a hospital for several weeks fighting for their lives from infections caused by germs in raw milk. “There are no health benefits from drinking raw milk that cannot be obtained from drinking pasteurized milk that is free of disease-causing bacteria. The process of pasteurization of milk has never been found to be the cause of chronic diseases, allergies, or developmental or behavioral problems.” The FDA: “As a science-based regulatory agency, the FDA looks to the scientific literature for information on benefits and risks associated with raw milk. While the perceived nutritional and health benefits of raw milk consumption have not been scientifically substantiated, the health risks are clear. … “Pasteurizing milk does not cause lactose intolerance and allergic reactions. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins. Raw milk does not kill dangerous pathogens by itself. Pasteurization does not reduce milk’s nutritional value.” The past decade at Organic Pastures Previous recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks linked to Organic Pastures in the past decade include: October 2015 – Organic Pastures raw milk recall and quarantine after CDFA inspectors found Campylobacter as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility. September 2012 – Organic Pastures raw milk recall and quarantine after CDFA inspectors found Campylobacter bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility. January-April 2012 – Organic Pastures products linked to campylobacter outbreak. Raw milk, raw skim milk, raw cream and raw butter were recalled and the dairy quarantined after the confirmed detection of campylobacter bacteria in raw cream. State officials identified at least 10 people with campylobacter infections throughout California. They reported consuming Organic Pastures raw milk prior to illness onset. Their median age was 11.5 years, with six younger than 18. The age range was nine months to 38 years. August-October 2011 — Organic Pastures products linked to E. coli outbreak. A cluster of five young children with E. coli O157:H7 infections with matching pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns was identified. Illness onsets were from Aug. 25 to Oct. 25. All five children reported drinking commercially available raw milk from a single dairy, Organic Pastures, and had no other common exposures. Investigations by the CDPH’s Food and Drug Branch and the California Department of Food and Agriculture showed environmental samples collected at Organic Pastures yielded E. coli O157:H7 isolates that had PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the patient isolates. September 2008 — Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream recall and quarantine after state testing and confirmation testing detected campylobacter bacteria in the cream. September 2007 — Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream recall and quarantine following laboratory confirmation of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. CDFA inspectors found the bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility. November-December 2007 — Organic Pastures cows linked to Campylobacter outbreak. State officials found 50 strains of Campylobacter jejuni plus Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointetinalis and Campylobacter lari when they cultured feces from Organic Pastures dairy cow feces. There was only one patient isolate available for DNA fingerprinting, but it was identical to isolates from four cattle fecal samples collected at Organic Pastures. September 2006 — Organic Pastures linked to E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Six sick children were identified by state officials. Four had culture-confirmed infections, one had a culture-confirmed infection and HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in kidney failure and stroke), and one had HUS only. The median age of patients was 8 years, with a range of 6 to 18 years. Organic Pastures’ operators claimed the illnesses were linked to consumption of fresh spinach that was linked to a separate E. coli outbreak in 2006. However, the five children who consumed Organic Pastures’ products who had culture confirmation were laboratory matches to each other and the CDC reported their specific E. coli isolates “differed markedly from the patterns of the concurrent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak strain associated with spinach consumption.” (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)


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'They are refusing to make a purchase': Philadelphia cops release Starbucks manager's 911 call that led to two black men being arrested and sparked coffee chain boycott
- Police have released the 911 call made by a Starbucks manager in Philadelphia
- The brief call made last Thursday shows manager Holly Hylton telling police two black men were refusing to make a purchase and leave the store
- Police also released several recordings that captured the communications between dispatch and officers en route to the Starbucks
- Footage filmed by a witness inside the store showed police arresting the men
- Incident sparked widespread backlash and protests at the Philadelphia store
- Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson apologized to the men face-to-face on Monday
- The store manager has since 'mutually parted ways' with the coffee chain
Police have released the 911 call a Philadelphia Starbucks manager made claiming that two black men wouldn't leave the store, which ultimately led to their arrests and widespread calls to boycott the coffee chain.
The brief 911 call, which was released by Philadelphia Police on Tuesday, shows manager Holly Hylton reporting the two men for not making a purchase at her store last week.
'Hi, I have two gentlemen at my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave. I'm at the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce,' she said in the call made at 4.37pm last Thursday.
In addition to the 911 call, police also released several recordings that captured the communications between dispatch and officers en route to the Starbucks.
Brief 911 call, which was released by Philadelphia Police on Tuesday, shows manager Holly Hylton (above) reporting the two men for not making a purchase at the store last week
The audio indicates a police car was dispatched before officers called for backup and a supervisor to help with the 'disturbance at the Starbucks' involving a 'group of males.
Officers can then be heard saying they are going to make arrests and transport two men.
Footage filmed by a witness inside the store showed several police talking quietly with two black men seated at a table. After a few minutes, officers handcuff the men and lead them outside as other customers say they weren't doing anything wrong.
A white man identified as real estate developer Andrew Yaffe arrives and tells the officers the two men were waiting for him. An officer was captured on video saying the men were not complying and were being arrested for trespassing.
'Why would they be asked to leave?' Yaffe says in the video. 'Does anybody else think this is ridiculous? It's absolute discrimination.'
A woman can be heard saying: 'they didn't do anything, I saw the entire thing.'
The Philadelphia Starbucks manager who called 911 on two black men last week (pictured above being arrested) no longer works with the company, a spokesperson revealed on Monday
One of the young men was identified on Tuesday as Rashon Nelson - a college finance grad whose fraternity brothers across the country were now rallying behind him
Officials have said officers were told the men had asked to use the store's restroom but were denied because they hadn't bought anything and then refused to leave.
The men were later released without charge.
One of the young men was identified on Tuesday as Rashon Nelson - a college finance grad whose fraternity brothers across the country were now rallying behind him.
Nelson is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's Alpha Eta chapter and graduated from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania last year.
The arrest incident has since sparked widespread backlash and protests at the Philadelphia store following accusations of racial profiling at the coffee chain.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson arrived in Philadelphia this weekend after video of the arrests gained traction online and activists started protesting at the store.
Johnson met with the two men on Monday and apologized for the incident.
It has led to Starbucks announcing they will close nearly 8,000 of its US stores on May 29 in order to train 175,000 employees on preventing racial discrimination.
The manager who made the 911 call, Holly Hylton, has since 'mutually parted ways' with the coffee chain.
Hylton managed the Center City Philadelphia store for a year.
In 2014, a former co-worker wrote in a Facebook post that she wished Hylton was still in the store to help her translate for customers who only spoke Spanish
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, who is currently in Philadelphia, met with the two men on Monday and apologized for the incident
She previously worked at Chipotle from 2006 to 2010 and Smashburger from 2010 to 2014, according to her social media.
Hylton hails from Dayton, Ohio, but moved to Philadelphia in 2014 for graduate school at LaSalle University. She graduated in December with a masters in Spanish.
In 2014, a former co-worker wrote in a Facebook post that she wished Hylton was still in the store to help her translate for customers who only spoke Spanish.
'Ugggghhh I wish I was there! I took an order the other day in Spanish. We only get Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic speakers here. Rude!' Hylton replied on Facebook.
Hylton had previously claimed that loitering was an ongoing issue in the Philadelphia Starbucks.
She claims one person had once chased her around the shop after she asked them to leave.
A representative for Starbucks said on Monday that she had left the coffee chain 'while there is an internal review pending'.
The CEO has since said it was 'completely inappropriate to engage the police'.
The incident is a major blow to Starbucks' image, since the company has promoted its coffee shops as neighborhood hangouts where anyone is welcome.
Police officers monitor activity outside as protesters demonstrate inside the Starbucks store where the two men were arrested last Thursday
Rev. Gregory Holston, 56, (2nd R) and other Interfaith clergy leaders stage a sit-in at the Center City Starbucks
Local Black Lives Matter activist Asa Khalif, left, stands inside the Starbucks on Sunday demanding that the manager be fired
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domain: news


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The ARBS team have released their Exhibition Report on ARBS 2018.
ARBS 2018 was held from 8 to 10 May at the ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour, and marked the first time that ARBS has been held in Sydney since 2010. The Exhibition Report confirmed that ARBS 2018 was the biggest to date with more than 300 exhibitors and over 9,000 visitors.
The Exhibition Report also stated that ARBS celebrated its 20th year in 2018 and enabled their team and the industry to “reflect on the past decades and how our industry has changed.”
“From improvements in safety standards to the introduction of new and smart technologies, our industry has progressed with a continuous commitment to transform our built environment and is driven to be solution focused given the demands of the time.”
The Exhibition Report provides details and statistics of both visitors and exhibitors.
With visitors, details and statistics are provided on: attendance, professional profile, geographic locations (both domestic and international), product interest categories, why they attended ARBS, whether they found any products and suppliers they will use over the next two years, how long they spent at ARBS, their rating of ARBS and the highlight of their visit.
With exhibitors, details and statistics are provided on: their reasons for exhibiting, whether ARBS 2018 was successful for them, their rating on the quality of visitors, whether they intend to exhibit at ARBS 2020, and their feedback on ARBS 2018.
The next ARBS will be returning to the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre and will be held from 19 to 21 May 2020.
The ARBS 2018 Exhibition Report can be read in full here.
Videos via YouTube.


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Guardian, the popular firewall and VPN app for iPhone and iPad, has a new owner. As first reported by TechCrunch, the app has been acquired by DNSFilter, a company focused on web content filtering and threat protection.
Guardian was founded by Will Strafach, better known to many iPhone users as Chronic, as a way for users to protect their personal information like IP addresses and location data. Strafach was once one of the most well-known names in the world of iPhone jailbreaking.
Guardian is described as a “powerful tracker-blocking VPN.” The app works by blocking unauthorized third parties from collecting your data by routing data through an encrypted virtual private network:
We strongly believe that people should be able to use apps on their digital devices without the fear of their data being sold to unknown third parties. Data that you’re not always aware that you’re sharing, such as confidential healthcare information, travel patterns, and lifestyle choices.
Guardian Firewall blocks unauthorized third parties from secretly collecting your personal information while adding an extra layer of security from hackers and unsecure websites with our powerful VPN, protecting passwords, search history, and other sensitive data.
In a statement on the acquisition, DNSFilter explained that it will be able to combine the capabilities of Guardian with its existing technology to “disrupt the secure web gateway market.” TechCrunch explains:
DNSFilter co-founder and CEO Ken Carnesi said that while secure web gateways play a “critical role” in modern cybersecurity strategies, combining DNS layer security with a firewall and VPN combo “presents a massive business opportunity and alleviates the pain points customers face with legacy SWG technology.”
Guardian will remain a standalone app following the acquisition. The app is available on the App Store as a free download with in-app purchases and subscriptions.
Author: Chance Miller


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TORONTO—Canada's unofficial second currency may be headed for the shredder.
For more than half a century, thrifty Canadians have had an alternative to their legal tender. Canadian Tire Corp. CDNAF -1.94 % , an iconic retailer here that sells everything from car batteries to hockey sticks, hands out Canadian Tire money to loyal shoppers.
Customers receive the brightly colored coupons, equivalent to a fraction of their shopping bill, at the checkout. They can redeem them next time through the door. Each bill features the face of fictional character Sandy McTire.
Over the years, the coupons—printed on counterfeit-resistant paper in denominations ranging from five Canadian cents (about five U.S. cents) to two dollars—have gained currency outside the store's doors. Collectors covet older bills and anticipate print runs of newer ones. One group auctions off rare Canadian Tire bills and publishes a newsletter devoted to the coupons.
Many small businesses across Canada accept the bills at face value, alongside Canadian dollars. Speculators buy and sell the paper.
About one billion bills are in circulation across Canada, worth an estimated 100 million Canadian dollars, the company estimates. Fresh bills are stored in high-security vaults before being sent to Canadian Tire's 750 retail and gasoline outlets.
But now, Canadian Tire is starting to phase out the program in a shift toward a plastic loyalty-card system. The company says it will continue to honor its paper currency, but thinks a card would help to better understand what customers are buying and fine-tune offers directly to them.
"We're taking the focus away from money, and moving towards a 21st-century model," said Rob Shields, senior vice president of marketing at Canadian Tire. "It's the evolution of currency."
That isn't sitting well with some Canadians.
Corin Raymond, a folk musician, has collected donations totaling nearly $3,600 in Canadian Tire money, which he plans to use to rent studio time to make a record, including a song he has written in praise of the coupons. James Paul, the studio owner, said he will use the money to help cover the cost of buying various odds and ends at Canadian Tire, including toilet paper, storage bins, kitchen appliances and LED light bulbs.
"This money is in our blood. It's part of our culture," said Mr. Raymond. "If I was going to send a box to Mars to explain what Canada is all about, I'd put in a 10-cent Canadian Tire money bill in it."
The new system promises to better reward customers—giving back up to 3% of a purchase's value in loyalty points, as opposed to 0.4% with the current system. The cards launched in Nova Scotia in early February and will be rolled out across Canada this year.
Canadian Tire said it has no immediate plans to stop printing Canadian Tire money entirely. But as more Canadians pay using their debit and credit cards, Mr. Shields said, the company's paper coupon circulation is dwindling, too.
"It's unfortunate, but it's just the way the economy has unfolded," he said.
Canadian Tire money was launched in 1958 when the company's co-founder and first president, A.J. Billes, needed a gimmick to attract customers to the company's newly established gas stations. His wife, Muriel, suggested a coupon-style money program.
A few years later, the company gave the bills a makeover, adding an illustration by a company employee of Sandy McTire, the chain's smiling and mustachioed fictitious figurehead.
As the program took off, Canadian Tire started printing its coupons on bank-note quality paper. They now have the crisp feel of real money, and each carries an embossed serial number. The company declines to say how much it costs to print its money.
Canadian Tire's cash isn't the only corporate currency floating around.
Disney Dollars are redeemable for goods or services at many facilities operated by Walt Disney Co. A small gas station chain across Ontario, Pioneer Energy LP, initially offered its customers "Pioneer Money" in 1962. It replaced its paper money promotion with a plastic rewards card in 2006.
But Canadian Tire money has worked its way into the Canadian psyche, with many small establishments across the country honoring the bills. Canadian Tire stores—anchoring strip malls from Montreal to Vancouver, and many smaller towns in between—are one of the country's most ubiquitous suburban landmarks.
Eli Gershkovitch, owner of the Rogue Wet Bar in Vancouver's trendy Gastown district, uses Canadian Tire money he accepts from customers to buy plumbing equipment. And many of his customers get a kick out of buying drinks with the coupons.
"Who'd ever think you could get a beer with Canadian Tire money?" he says. "It sure beats buying motor oil."
At The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro, a restaurant chain with 14 stores across Ontario, about $12 in Canadian Tire money buys a hamburger topped with pineapple, sweet and spicy sauce and brie cheese. The restaurant chain usually brings in about $400 worth of coupons each year, though many customers pay with real money.
"It's a pretty popular burger," said Alex O'Brien, owner of the restaurant chain.
Roger Fox, former president of the Canadian Tire Coupon Collectors Club, said his collection of rare Canadian Tire money is valued in the "tens of thousands" of real dollars. He anticipates a boom in demand if Canadian Tire eventually decides to drop the program, but sees Canadian Tire money living on.
"When that happens, they might get a big run at their stores," Mr. Fox said. "And after that, there'll be dribs and drabs forever."
Buyers and sellers trade the bills on Craigslist and other sites that host speculator communities.
Edmonton resident Keith Parsons scans the Internet for chances to buy up Canadian Tire money at a discount. He has become something of a market maker in the trade, recently closing 10 big deals for about $200 worth of the coupons, paying just 50 real cents on the dollar.
"People have contacted me from all over Canada," said Master Cpl. Parsons, an infantry soldier in the Canadian army. He has bought car tires, a barbecue oven, garden supplies and a power washer with the money.
Cheri Border, owner of Acme Fibres in Port Erie, Ontario, recently received a two-inch stack of coupons worth about $150 from a customer to pay for spinning fiber and yarn.
"There's a lot of nostalgia for it," she said. "It's something we've always had as kids. It's part of everyone's collective memory."
Write to David George-Cosh at David.George-Cosh@dowjones.com


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Here in the UK we are starting to get ready for the 2012 London Olympics. The UK won quite a lot of medals in the last Olympics and we are more confident of success than in other international sports. We have not had a good summer for our major sports, so far, with England going home early from the World Cup.
Now our Olympic team will look good even if they do badly. Team organisers have just announced that fashion designer Stella McCartney will oversee the development of the team’s kit. This includes the clothes they will wear on the track, casual tracksuits and also tops sold to fans.
These have been provided by Adidas until now. Adidas will be working with Stella McCartney on the new clothes. The team says wearing good clothes can give athletes an advantage.
Stella McCartney is very well-known in the UK. Her father is the former Beatle Paul McCartney, and she was chief designer with the French label Chloe two years after graduating. She now has her own label as part of the Gucci fashion group.
At least two million visitors to the UK came to watch sport, including football matches, horse racing and golf. Another 1.4 million came to take part in sport themselves.
Visit Britain says that 3 million visitors to the country spent £2.3 billion watching and playing sport. The most popular spectator sport was football. This option was particularly popular with American, Norwegian, Germa,n and Spanish visitors.
Horse racing was the second most popular sport, whilst golf attracted large numbers of American tourists.
The Church of England has been doing a lot of arguing about when and how women can become bishops, which is a senior position in the Church. Bishops are usually in charge of priests (called vicars in the Church of England) over a large area and will be based in a Cathedral church.
Traditional members of the Church are not happy about the idea of women in senior positions. They argue that Jesus specifically chose men to work with him.
This week a special meeting of the Church decided that women should be allowed to become bishops, and voted against a plan which would have allowed people to have access to a male bishop. There will be a final vote in a year.
The Government is thinking about ending the system of taking a “census” of the UK population every ten years.
Governments have taken a Census for over 200 years now. The current government thinks it is an expensive and not very accurate way to get information. A government minister said results were not available for 18 months after the work had been done and were then often out of date.
The 2011 Census, which will go ahead, will cost £482 million. Many people do not take it very seriously. In the last Census, 390,000 people said their official religion was “Jedi” referring to the Star Wars films.
The Government is looking at other ways of counting the population more often, using existing databases.
by Susan Youngsusan@englishuk.com


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Microsoft changes the name of its storage service SkyDrive to OneDrive. The software giant had to change the name of the service after a lost lawsuit. It is not yet known when the name change will take effect.
The name change was announced on Monday afternoon on the software giant’s new OneDrive blog. “It may take a while before the name change is rolled out everywhere,” said Microsoft spokeswoman Julie de Wit. In addition, the content of the service will be overhauled, but how exactly remains to be seen.
The name change is not voluntary. Last summer, Microsoft lost a lawsuit filed by British media conglomerate BSkyB. According to BSkyB, the SkyDrive brand name led to confusion and the judge agreed. Although BSkyB only operates in the UK and Ireland, the brand name needs to be changed globally.
Microsoft previously had problems using the Metro brand name. The name was used for the interface where apps are navigated horizontally, but had to be abandoned after the German Metro AG invoked its trademark right. Incidentally, this did not lead to a lawsuit.


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Aug. 31, 2015, 10:56 AM
- Pleasant Lake Partners, which currently owns 9.9% of MagnaChip (MX +5.7%) has offered to buy the Korean analog/mixed-signal chipmaker for $10/share in cash (roughly $345M). The offer is "subject to confirmatory due diligence and the negotiation of definitive transaction documents." (13D filing)
- Pleasant Lake: "[T]he accelerating pace of consolidation in the semiconductor industry, coupled with what believe are Magnachip’s strategically valuable assets and intellectual property, has led us to make this Proposal. We have consistently heard from other shareholders that the status quo at Magnachip is not acceptable and that the Company, in whole or in part, would be worth significantly more to strategic acquirers than as a standalone entity."
- MagnaChip has risen to $8.17. Pleasant Lake's proposal letter offers few details on how a purchase will be financed. The firm has previously argued MagnaChip's fabs and IP have value to potential acquirers.
- Last month: MagnaChip exploring strategic alternatives, including potential sale
Jul. 24, 2015, 12:58 PM
- Buried within the recently-filed proxy materials for MagnaChip's (MX +2%) annual meeting: The company discloses its board has formed a strategic review committee that is "reviewing, considering and evaluating strategic alternatives that may be available to the Company, including the potential sale of all or a substantial portion of the Company."
- A long list of small and mid-cap chipmakers have been acquired amid the industry's ongoing M&A wave. MagnaChip investor Pleasant Lake Partners (9.95% stake) recently called on the company to "redouble its efforts and be proactive in unlocking and enhancing shareholder value."
Apr. 1, 2014, 3:58 PM
- The Nikkei reports Apple (AAPL +0.9%) is in talks with Renesas (RNECF) to buy its 55% stake in iPhone LCD driver IC supplier Renesas SP Drivers, and is looking to acquire it for ¥50B ($479M).
- Sharp (SHCAY) owns 25% of Renesas SP, and Taiwan's Powerchip 20%. Sharp is expected to sell its stake to Apple if the company asks for a a deal after buying Renesas' interest.
- Apple, which already develops its own app processors and fingerprint sensors, reportedly "wants to meld the design of core display components into overall product development."
- A deal could be a positive for Himax (HIMX +3.9%) and MagnaChip (MX -0.6%), given Renesas SP's other clients would start looking for alternative LCD driver suppliers. Renesas SP has an estimated ~33% share of the market for small and mid-sized LCD drivers/controllers. It had revenue of ¥60B ($575M) during the fiscal year ending March 31.
- Earlier: 4.7" iPhone LCD production reportedly set to start
Jan. 27, 2012, 3:59 PM
MagnaChip (MX +8.8%) jumps after announcing earlier that its Korean subsidiary is acquiring Dawin Electronics, a privately held South Korean semiconductor company that designs and manufactures Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor, Fast Recovery Diode and MOSFET modules. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.| Jan. 27, 2012, 3:59 PM


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Google needs help. More specifically, the Internet giant is looking for people who are experts on basically anything to lead some of the first sessions for its soon-to-launch Helpouts video calling program.
If you like to scour the deepest recesses of the Internet for everything from culturally-significant documentaries to the best recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich, you'll be happy to hear that Google has released version 2.0 of its YouTube client fo...
Many companies have begun using specialized software to analyze what people are saying about their products and services on social media, and now SAP says it can help them match up individuals' social profiles with customer history data from CRM (cus...
Google is making good on its promise to make its Maps app more comprehensive and useful following its acquisition of mapping company Waze, with some new traffic update features going live Tuesday.
YouTube is adding some new video-playing functions to its mobile app on both iOS and Android devices. Some of the tools are aimed at giving users more control over how they stream video to their television sets using Chromecast, Google's new video st...
GoDaddy has agreed to acquire Locu, a startup in San Francisco that helps local merchants get discovered online by their customers.
Microsoft has integrated Outlook.com with Skype in several countries, including the U.K., the U.S. and Germany, offering users the ability to tap Skype functions and contacts from within the interface of the webmail application.
Twitter has announced a new feature designed to give people a better sense of the context behind the site's characteristically short, 140-character tweets.
Facebook has designed a system that would allow individuals and advertisers to make direct connections to those physically nearby that share similar interests or are open to receiving certain advertisements.
Some recent cases of news articles about same-sex marriage disappearing from the newspaper page on Facebook appear to have been caused by a bug and not a policy violation, the social network said.
The use of tools to detect malicious patterns in apps led Facebook to temporarily disable some legitimate third-party apps that integrate with the social networking website, it said Thursday.
Facebook plans to test a new service designed to streamline the check-out process for people shopping on their mobile devices. It could become a competitor to other e-commerce players like PayPal.
San Francisco-based online payments startup Stripe expanded to the U.K. Thursday.
Google is shutting down its Messenger group chatting service as part of an update to its Google+ app for Android-based devices, the company recently announced. Google will also be ditching the service on iOS devices.
Facebook is looking for some really bad flash.
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As the new Passbook feature available on iOS 6 starts to settle in the hands of more users, the sales of printed tickets may start to go down. MarketWatch reported this afternoon that Major League Baseball wants to phase out printed tickets all together and move to apps like Passbook to deliver tickets instead. The MLB tested this type of digital ticket sale with four teams during the last two weeks of the season. From the sound of it, results are better than expected.
Bob Bowman, CEO of MLB Advance Media, told MarketWatch that 1,500 e-ticket buyers, or 12 percent, bought their tickets using Passbook. He was shocked: “That adoption rate really floored us – there is no question our fans want digital tickets.” This has to be just what Apple wants.
Passbook offers benefits that paper tickets do not. Sure, there is nothing like having the paper ticket as a collectors item, but the benefits of a digital version may seem worth it to some. Bowman explained, “Fans can use the tickets, forward them to a friend, resell them, or even donate them to charity – and they never get lost or left at home.” Fans can also purchase a paper ticket, leave it at home, and use their ticket via Passbook instead. Read more
Much like in the weeks leading up to the iPhone 4S launch in early October 2011, European carriers are preparing for the expected Sept. 12 introduction of the new iPhone with pre-order tickets now available through various carriers. As noted by reports from German website iPhone-ticker.de, Deutsche Telekom will offer pre-order tickets to interested customers through its distribution partners starting today. The tickets will offer a first-come, first-serve basis for the new iPhone with express delivery of the device to ticket holders on the first available day. Carriers are clearly preparing for the launch of Apple’s next-gen iPhone. Not that we need additional verification, as the most recent reports once again confirm a Sept. 12 unveiling and add the device could actually be available for pre-order on the same day. Last year, Vodafone and other carriers quickly followed Deutsche Telekom by offering iPhone pre-order tickets.
During its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Apple demoed a new app called “Passbook” with its unveiling of iOS 6. The app allows you to manage boarding passes, movie tickets, store cards, and other passes that have QR codes, barcodes, or visual, scannable codes. Scott Forstall demonstrated how the feature is integrated into the iOS 6 lock screen by allowing cards or tickets to be displayed when—for instance—walking by a movie theatre. The cards are also live, so things such as boarding passes or show tickets will update live with cancellations or show times.
Forstall noted that Apple would make templates available to developers to make it easy for companies to offer their cards and tickets through Passbook. Apple’s press release described the app:
Apple announced this morning that its 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place June 11 at the Moscone Convention Center, but the event’s $1600 tickets are now listed as sold out within two hours of going live. In 2010, it took roughly a week for tickets to sell out, and last year it took about half a day. Tickets were limited to one per person, or five per organization, and are non-transferable and non-refundable.


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October 10, 2017
Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital have developed a proof-of-concept flexible sensor that can be ingested, attaches to the inside of the stomach lining, and collects and transmits data on stomach movement and meal ingestion. The device is piezoelectric, which means it can be powered by the mechanical energy generated by the stomach, allowing it to last for at least two days...
September 8, 2017
Big Blue is investing $240 million over 10 years to build the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab in partnership with MIT.
The lab will engage in research into artificial intelligence with the goal of driving scientific AI breakthroughs. The collaboration will focus on AI hardware, software, and algorithms related to deep learning and other areas. It aims to increase AI’s impact on industries, such as...
February 1, 2017
Apple sees health as the future, the Apple Watch as the present. On Apple's Q1 conference call, CEO Tim Cook almost didn't mention the company's healthcare operations or aspirations at all. But in response to the final investor question, when asked whether future updates to the iPhone would be incremental, Cook alluded to health as one of the areas where the company sees substantive...
June 29, 2016
Boston-based Sonde Health, a recent spin-out of PureTech Health, has licensed a health-focused voice scanning technology from MIT’s Lincoln Laboratories.
The technology, developed by Thomas Quatieri, detects a range of mental health conditions from biomarkers in a person’s voice. In pilot studies, it has shown promise in measuring symptoms of depression, mild traumatic brain injury, concussion,...
February 24, 2016
Massachusetts General Hospital and Cogito have partnered on a National Institute of Mental Health-funded project aimed at addressing depression and bipolar disorder.
MGH is the largest hospital in the Bay State, and serves as the teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School. Cogito, a startup spinoff from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializes in behavioral analytics.
"We focus on...
December 3, 2015
The new Hacking Medicine Institute, a nonprofit that spun out of MIT this past summer, is launching the latest initiative to produce reviews of mobile health apps and digital health tools. The vetting will be done by Harvard-affiliated physicians, according to a story in Medical Marketing & Media.
The venture will curate the mobile health app both for consumers and for providers looking to...
December 2, 2015
What if wearables like Fitbits and the Apple Watch represent the infancy of on-body health sensors, something we'll one day look back on the way we now look at the clunky, boxy mobile phones of the 1980s? A number of researchers are working on ultrathin, flexible sensors that could be applied to the skin like smart tattoos, or even applied to the surface of organs inside the body to continually...
September 1, 2015
Pictured above: A device from Cambridge-based MC10, a company focused on flexible electronics.
The US Department of Defense is making a big bet on flexible electronics, an area of technology with close ties to mobile health. The DoD announced last week that it will invest $75 million in a public-private partnership called the Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Flexible Hybrid Electronics,...
August 10, 2015
As his time in office draws to a close, President Obama secured his reputation as our first geek president by hosting a tech startup demo day in the White House last week. Although the primary purpose of the demo day was to showcase diversity in tech entrepreneurship, a number of mobile health and wellness-focused companies filled out the ranks of Obama's invited startups.
Here's a round-up of...
June 24, 2015
Participants in MIT's 2014 Hackathon with MGH and Samsung.
MIT's Hacking Medicine program, which has organized medical hackathons since 2011, has launched a new spin-off: the Hacking Medicine Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit with a slightly different mission. The new organization will assess whether digital health products and services really work and, if they do, help them to prove their efficacy...


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Eating junk food or ultra-processed food like chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals will kill you.
No Sh*t Sherlock! – That was my initial reaction when I read this article in the newspapers today.
My second reaction was, well that is exactly what we at Simple as Fat have been saying for over a year! Of course, backed up by expert opinion from the likes of Professor Robert Thomas who believes that fizzy drinks and excess sugar is at the root of all chronic disease like stomach cancer, obesity type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and dementia. (watch him here…)
The Professor is not alone in these opinions as both Doctor David Unwin and the leading cardiologist, Aseem Malhotra, agree as you will see when you look at our homepage.
This latest article in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) is sensible and makes for very sobering reading …
The report defines ultra-processed foods as:
“formulations of food substances often modified by chemical processes and then assembled into ready-to-consume hyper-palatable food and drink products using flavours, colours, emulsifiers and . . . other cosmetic additives.” These foods include savoury snacks, reconstituted meat products, pre-prepared frozen dishes and soft drinks.”
So, in plain English they are talking about the kind of junk millions eat in the UK and in most Western societies!
Putting this in tabloid terms the Sun newspaper define this as
“Eating ready meals washed down with fizzy drinks increases your risk of dying young, experts have warned. People who ate more than four servings of highly-processed foods a day were two-thirds more likely to die early than those eating fewer than two. And each additional item was linked to an 18 per cent higher risk. High intake was also linked to heart disease and strokes.”
This is NOT just another health or food scare story.
This is serious research based on two different studies. The first one from the University of Navarra, in Spain, which monitored 19,899 people aged 20 to 91 for up to 14 years, during which 335 died.
Then this research was backed up by a study from the University of Paris 13, in France, who analysed data on 105,159 people aged 18-plus for an average of five years. They found eating 10 per cent more highly-processed food was associated with a 12 per higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
It also raised the risk of coronary heart disease by 13 per cent and cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke, by 11 per cent.
This research all comes on top of the fact that we have all known for ages that ultra-processed junk food like crisps, breakfast cereals, biscuits, microwave meals, and fizzy sugary soft drinks like Coca Cola are linked to cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and high blood pressure.
This is why Simple as Fat has the mantra that good healthy animal fat is not the enemy – but sugar is.
These researchers are calling for more sugar tax but we at SAF do not believe that the answer lies in punishing people and ever-increasing taxation but in education.
We need more carrot both literally and metaphorically.
We need to bring back real cookery lessons in schools and real nutritional education so that people understand about Carbs, fats and protein and especially sugar.
Government should immediately change the dietary guidelines and instead of pursuing the vegan agenda with such vigour, they should accept that Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diets and eating plans are a positive way of changing the Nation’s health.
This is why on Simple as Fat we say you should NOT eat starchy carbs, sugar, pasta, bread, cereals, beer, rice and potatoes but instead eat plenty of meat, fish, cream, cheese, olives and leafy green veg.
This is why we stress that you should cook and eat like your Granny did by using real food and cooking from scratch and finally we say if any product contains more than five ingredients DO NOT EAT IT as that is clear proof that it is ultra-processed food.
In conclusion we are also delighted that at last a major study points out the blindingly obvious point that all breakfast cereals are full of sugar and are highly processed and therefore by implication you are so much better to start the day and go to work on an egg, or preferably two eggs!


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SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns' opinion of the economy is climbing, according to a new report.
The Zions Bank Consumer Attitude Index rose five points in February to 84.8 — the highest level recorded since the index debuted in January 2011. In comparison, the national Consumer Confidence Index jumped 9.3 points to 70.8.
Recent traction in the economic recovery has facilitated a surge in optimism this month as more Utahns adopt a favorable view of the economy, said Randy Shumway, chief executive officer of The Cicero Group.
"We saw inflation grow at an appropriate and healthy pace in January … two-tenths of a percent," he said. The national inflation rate was twice as high as Utah at four-tenths of a percent.
The state's lower price at the gas pump was the major factor in the keeping consumer prices in check, Shumway explained. Utah gasoline prices were among the lowest in the country in January.
However, Shumway said that the impending rise in fuel prices would likely "be an obstacle or impediment to economic growth" in the coming months.
"Increasing gasoline (prices) will affect people's pocketbook. It increases the cost of clothing, the cost of food and the cost of transportation." Shumway said.
But he noted that the hike in gas prices may be offset somewhat by stability in other economic sectors, such as increased productivity, improvements in the housing market, rising employment and the rapidly improving stock market.
"All of those data points … will positively (influence) the negative impact of rising gas prices."
The Zions Bank Present Situation Index — a snapshot of current business conditions and employment — jumped 11.8 points to 61.2. Nationally, the CCI Present Situation Index increased 6.2 points to 45. Meanwhile, the Zions Bank Expectations Index for six months from now — a prime predictor of the direction of consumer spending — remained largely unchanged at 100.5, while the national CCI Expectations Index increased 11.3 points to 88.
The Zions Bank CAI is based on a representative sample of 500 Utah households surveyed by The Cicero Group/Dan Jones & Associates. The Utah CAI data is compared to both Utah data and U.S. data from previous months to identify key consumer sentiment trends in the state.
Shumway said that even though the monthly increase in the attitude index was a positive sign, it should be taken with guarded optimism looking ahead to the spring and summer.
"We're seeing a steady, consistent uptick. We're seeing improvement," Shumway said.


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BEIJING (Reuters) - China is appealing a World Trade Organization ruling against its restrictions on imported films, books and other audio visual materials, adding to sparring following the United States’ imposition of safeguard tariffs on Chinese-made tires earlier this month.
With the two giant economies joined at the hip, the U.S.-China relationship is unlikely to unravel over any single product.
Just a quarter century ago, “Made in China” products accounted for less than 1 percent of U.S. imports.
Now, China’s high rate of savings are used to buy U.S. Treasuries, allowing Americans to keep buying Chinese-made exports. That in turn has driven tremendous economic growth in China and lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty.
China is now the largest holder of U.S. government debt, while the United States is China’s second-biggest trade partner.
The intimate relationship between the two economies has marched in step with China’s opening up to the outside world over the last three decades.
By 2008, U.S. exports to China totaled $69.7 billion, but were dwarfed by $337.8 billion in exports from China to the United States.
The U.S. trade deficit with China has steadily grown since 1985, when its exports to China were worth $3.86 billion, just $6 million less than the value of Chinese shipments to the United States. Bilateral trade was less than $2.5 billion in 1979.
China held $776.4 billion in U.S. Treasuries at end-June, displacing Japan in September 2008 as the largest foreign holder.
Beijing is concerned the value of its dollar holdings could be eroded by massive debt issuances to fund the U.S. stimulus.
According to the 2000 census, 1.19 million people living in the United States were born in China. About half had become U.S. citizens.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
As recently as the early 1990s, foreign direct investment accounted for less than 5 percent of total investment in China.
Foreign invested firms in China now employ more people than do China’s state-owned and collective enterprises.
Since the joint-venture heyday of the 1990s, U.S. non-financial FDI in its trading partner has slid, accounting for 3.2 percent of utilized FDI in 2008, versus 10.5 percent in 1999.
Utilized FDI from the U.S. slipped to $2.9 billion in 2008, down from $4.2 billion in 1999, even as overall FDI in China nearly doubled to $92.4 billion last year.
China encourages its firms to “go out” and invest overseas, particularly in natural resources -- but ran up against national concerns when China’s CNOOC tried to buy U.S. oil firm Unocal.
Chinese non-financial direct overseas investment leapt to $40.65 billion in 2008, almost half of the investment coming in. Compare that with $6.92 billion in outbound investment in 2005, or about one-tenth of the investment into China in that year.
China and the U.S. meet regularly through what is now known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
The two countries sit on the United Nations Security Council.
They are key players in the six-party talks over North Korea, and the U.S. is seeking China’s cooperation over Iran.
China has become an enthusiastic participant in the World Trade Organization.
Sources: American Chamber of Commerce 2009 White Paper; U.S. Census Bureau; The U.S. China Business Council; Chinese Ministry of Commerce; American Chamber of Commerce China Brief.
Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Alex Richardson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Less than three weeks after the largest ever Apple Store hacker attacks, researchers have discovered a sample of malware infecting iOS devices with jailbreak and without it. According Securitylab, victims YiSpecter be users in China and Taiwan.
Infecious device, malware can install unwanted apps, to download apps and use them to replace the legitimate program to display full screen unwanted ads, modify bookmarks and search engine by default in Safari to send information to users on your server to automatically recover after a user has manually deleted it.
The exact number of victims is still unknown, however, according to the researchers, YiSpecter successfully infects iOS devices without jailbreak November 2014. Using private API installs the malware with centralized C&C server four component signed with digital certificates. Three of them are used to hide icons from responsible for main screen in the iOS app SpringBoard and be disguised as a system program to avoid detection by users.
YiSpecter, which masqueraded as a media player to view pornographic content QVOD, was discovered 10 months ago. Vectors of attack was to intercept Internet traffic, the worm for the Windows, attacking the messenger Tencent QQ and online community, whose members have established third-party applications for compensation from their developers.
Researchers Palo Alto Networks has already informed Apple about the problem, and the company is “investigating”.


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Exclusive: Swiss machinery firm Trikno’s chocolate tempering world first
Trkno's stand at the recent ProSweets event. Pic: Neill Barston
A major technology breakthrough from Swiss firm Trikno has recently been exhibited at the ProSweets event, with its tempered nozzle technology (TNT) claiming a global first in delivering ‘just-in-time’ chocolate tempering, as Neill Barston discovers speaking to its CEO, Marc Fuchs.
There’s a genuine sense of excitement as an audience gathers around the Trikno stand at ProSweets, as it boldly displays what it believes is a genuine world first piece of technology.
The company’s recently installed CEO, Marc Fuchs, enthusiastically starts up the prototype tempered nozzle technology (TNT for short) machinery, which promises plenty of potential for the global chocolate processing market.
Its star feature comes in the form of what the Swiss firm’s leader explains as ‘just-in- time’ tempering, which occurs directly on the print head as it supplies the moulds. As he notes this is the real game-changer in its view, and it certainly appears to pique the interest of the many visitors hovering around the booth, to gain a glimpse of the company’s fresh innovations.
It’s on an ambitious mission to carry forward the well-established Knobel machinery, which unfortunately fell into administration in the summer of 2022, amid challenging external conditions as the world struggled to draw clear of a highly- testing pandemic.
However, as the Trikno team explains, acquiring the business in the autumn of that year, including keeping on dozens of its staff, the much-respected company continues to gain a fresh purpose under new ownership.
For many external observers, it appears there’s plenty of interest in the fact that Knobel’s well-regarded name lives on in the entrepreneurial hands of a business that recognises Swiss quality. The new enterprise’s sense of vision is certainly ambitious, with its mission statement asserting ‘it’s not enough that the world associates Switzerland with high quality confectionery – we have the ambition on an international level that Trikno becomes synonymous with the most efficient and innovative ways of making products,” explains the business, as it lays out its plans.
According to the company’s CEO, its latest TNT innovation is indeed catching the eye of potential investors, on a number of levels, against a backdrop of continued buoyancy in machinery sales, despite wider supply chain challenges in the market.
As the firm explains, its solution is based upon a scalable and temperable 3D print head, featuring a specially devised extruder unit, targeting ultra-fine machine decorations and labelling of products with maximum repeat accuracy. Notably, this key new unit makes it possible to create three-dimensional structures with chocolate tempered directly in the nozzles, comparable to a 3D printer. The number of extruder nozzles can be adjusted as required, allowing a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to a wide range of production requirements.
Furthermore, its just-in-time tempering ensures precise control of the chocolate consistency and enables unprecedented fineness and detail in the decoration. By continuously dispensing tempered chocolate with uniform pressure, extremely fine, repeatable lines and dots can now be created by machine. This innovative solution supports the realisation of creative chocolate ideas that were previously difficult to implement by machine.
In addition, direct tempering of the extruder nozzle unit in the 3D print head leads to immediate and distortion- free control over the temperature of the chocolate and can therefore increase the quality of the decorations. According to the company, the processing of chocolate in this manner also effectively reduces the energy required for tempering, which is a key consideration for its sustainability credentials.
Speaking to Confectionery Production at ProSweets, CEO Marc Fuchs (right of pic), explains there had been a positive response at the show for its breakthrough innovation, stating that the ‘sky is open’ in terms of its potential for both smaller artisan and larger scale confectionery manufacturing operations.
He says: “This is our proof of concept, and our next step is to develop a prototype machine, and define the number of print heads for it, and bring the machine to a customer application, collect feedback and then optimise it from there. We’re here to find a customer who is willing to go to the next step with us.
“We’re showing the TNT to demonstrate that the chocolate is properly tempered, and have been making a lot of measurements, and have done a lot of lab trials to show that things like its positioning and speed are good. Our mission is to collaborate with customers and develop together. We’ve already had some enquiries about TNT here at ProSweets, so I think we’ll be busy, which is great,” enthuses Fuchs. He explains one of the most dynamic features of its new line is in its sheer flexibility, and the potential energy saving capabilities are among its standout core strengths.
Strong industry background
As he notes, having come from a background working for major equipment and solutions businesses including many years with Bühler, notably at the company’s impressive Swiss headquarters in Uzwil, he reveals that taking on a new role leading Trikno forward offers an especially energising challenge. Moreover, as he adds, the company, which is located in Felben-Wellhausen, employs 60 people within Switzerland, had already made significant investments into the TNT system’s initial research and development.
Displaying a commendable level of belief in the project, he feels it is likely to have a notable impact in the market, though his team is by no means being complacent in its approach.
As its CEO observes, the company is aiming to have its first fully operational new tempering machine out with a customer later this year.
“Luckily, I had some time to look into the business beforehand, so I officially started in October last year, so it’s been four months in the role. I saw the potential of these beautiful high-tech machines, and when I spoke to customers, I saw the sparks in their eyes, they knew exactly how great they are and what they bring to their production and their business.
“I am just proud to show to the industry that we are back supporting companies again and the feedback we’ve had has been fantastic,” explains the Swiss national, who says there’s a depth of expertise within its ranks which will make difference.
Reflecting further on the TNT’s development, he notes that there are a number of strings to its bow, and he will be keen to explore commercial opportunities in the coming months and years ahead.
Which is precisely why, he says, being seen at shows such as ProSweets is particularly important as it attempts to establish a foothold in what is an undoubtedly competitive international machinery market.
“We came up with the tempering technology as we believe we are the market leader when it comes to decoration, from tiny dots, through to precise different colours and high production.
“However, our existing technology previously had limitations when it came to ultra-fine lines and dots, so we needed to take that technology to the next level, and worked on the extrusion as well as tempering processes. So it’s an all-one solution, which is why we call it the temperance nozzle technology.”
Turning his attention to its other areas of focus, he explains that the business is also continuing competencies in one-shot depositing, as well as cold press technology for hollow figures, plus other fresh chocolate processing systems.
In addition, he also enthuses that the business has developed systems for processing inclusions at a rate of up to 45 per cent of the quantity of a product, representing a considerable improvement on previous achievements.
For his part, Bart Klinkenberg, chief sales officer for Trikno, adds that ProSweets is proving a rewarding experience. While he notes the volumes of visitors may not be quite what they were pre-pandemic, the chance to meet a wide range of potential customers is of significant importance. He says: “It’s been positive here.
“The good thing is that we are been presenting something new, and really unique in the market. So, we have presented ourselves as an innovative company, rather than one that follows others,” he notes, conceding that while it was a relatively late decision to exhibit its TNT system at the show, it is worthwhile in doing so.
He adds: “The ‘just-in-time’ tempering of the machine is a good thing, and also energy consumption-wise it has another positive. We have made it a lot easier for operators to handle, as you don’t need to have an someone operating it who understands all the aspects of depositing and tempering for them to able to use it,” says the chief sales officer, who asserts this is set to prove a decisive factor in terms of delivering precise automated equipment. He notes that it offers advanced in its performance, yet is comparatively manageable to put in place and run within a manufacturing facility.
As for the company’s CEO, he concludes that he is buoyed by the prospect of driving forward the business, and he’s fully welcoming the tests ahead.
Thankfully, its TNT system clearly delivers an innovation focal point and confidence boost, amid the wider industry faces some ongoing challenges in terms of wider market uncertainties.
“The past year or two for the business has been about talking to customers and explaining our situation, and building trust with them. So, this year, we have to bring in the orders, we’ve put a lot of work into it all, and it’s time to harvest now.
“We are very positive and optimistic that we will really be back at the level that customers used to know the business in the good times,” explains the CEO, who says that the business is continuing to export globally.
“The exhibition overall was a success for us. We had a lot of good discussions and feedback around our TNT technology and we had the chance to talk to existing, but also a lot of potential new customers. So, I am very happy about the outcome and I am looking forward to the next year show to present our newest developments.”


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WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3 percent in the final three months of 2011, the best pace in a year and a half. But that growth has likely slowed in the current quarter.
NEW YORK (AP) - Bank of America gave its CEO a pay package worth $7.5 million last year, six times as large as the year before. It happened while the company's stock lost more than half its value and the bank lost its claim as the biggest in the country.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Oracle and Google are digging in their heels as they prepare for an upcoming trial.
DETROIT (AP) - General Motors soon will sell a $50 smartphone application that could replace your dashboard navigation system.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Federal Trade Commission is calling for a new law that would allow people to review the vast amounts of information being collected about them as the Internet, smartphones and other technology make it easier to create digital dossiers of just about anyone's life.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says that without faster economic growth, it could take "a few more years" for U.S. unemployment to decline to a normal rate.
NEW YORK (AP) - When the Harry Potter books finally went on sale in electronic form on Tuesday, it was as if Harry himself had cast the "Alohomora" spell on them - the one that unlocks doors.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Home prices fell in January for a fifth straight month in most major U.S. cities, as modest sales increases have yet to boost prices.
NEW YORK (AP) - Americans are holding onto a rosier view of the U.S. economy as they focus on the good in a flood of mixed economic news.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream is the winning dish of the 2012 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy U.S. homes dipped in February from nearly a two-year high, a mixed signal ahead of the spring home-buying season.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - The maker of "pink slime" suspended operations Monday at all but one plant where the beef ingredient is made, acknowledging recent public uproar over the product has cost the company business.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Union Pacific Corp.'s acting CEO earned less than one-third of the $13.3 million the railroad's top executive received last year.
CHICAGO (AP) - New research gives clear proof that weight-loss surgery can reverse and possibly cure diabetes, and doctors say the operation should be offered sooner to more people with the disease - not just as a last resort.
NEW YORK (AP) - AT&T Inc. on Monday said it will sell the Lumia 900, its first Nokia Corp. smartphone that runs Windows Phone software, on April 8, for $100 with a two-year contract.
NEW YORK (AP) - Some of the most familiar names in ketchup, pickles, cheese and hot dogs are set to come under the same roof after H.J. Heinz Co. announced plans Wednesday to buy Kraft and create one of the world's largest food and beverage companies.
NEW YORK (AP) - The FCC says the first lawsuits filed against the government's new Internet traffic rules are "premature" and may be dismissed because they were filed too early.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is mounting a public defense of its animal handling in a new advertising campaign that began Monday, after a highly critical 2013 documentary left the park with declining revenue and attendance.
NEW YORK (AP) - OPEC and lower global oil prices delivered a one-two punch to the drillers in North Dakota and Texas who brought the U.S. one of the biggest booms in the history of the global oil industry.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Ride-sharing company Uber said Monday that CFO Brent Callinicos is leaving the company to spend more time with his family.
NEW YORK (AP) - McDonald's workers in 19 cities have filed complaints over burns from popping grease, a lack of protective equipment and other workplace hazards, according to labor organizers.
NEW YORK (AP) - Coca-Cola is working with fitness and nutrition experts who suggest its soda as a treat at a time when the world's biggest beverage maker is being blamed for helping to fuel obesity rates.
NEW YORK (AP) - Cablevision is offering the new HBO Now online service to its Internet customers, even though the service could persuade more people to drop their cable TV packages.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two San Francisco federal judges say juries will have to decide whether drivers for Uber and Lyft were independent contractors, or employees of the ride-hailing companies with all of the protections and benefits the state affords regular workers.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) - Get ready to see more red warning signs online as Google adds ammunition to its technological artillery for targeting devious schemes lurking on websites.
SANTA CLARA (AP) - Intel's stock fell Thursday after the giant chipmaker lowered its first-quarter revenue forecast, citing weak demand for business desktop PCs and a strong dollar that affects revenue from overseas sales.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Fueled by higher stock and home values, Americans' net worth reached a record high in the final three months of 2014.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Fake IRS agents have targeted more than 366,000 people with harassing phone calls demanding payments and threatening jail in the largest scam of its kind in the history of the agency, a federal investigator said Thursday.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The world's tallest observation wheel hasn't quite reached the elevated expectations of its owner.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - All eyes were focused on the watch, but Apple CEO Tim Cook also unveiled a new MacBook and announced other deals at a company event Monday in San Francisco.


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Several credit card firms have started forbidding Bitcoin and cryptocurrency purchases with various decent reasons. This very week, Apple Inc. in collaboration with two American multinationals financial services firms Mastercard Incorporated and Goldman Sachs Group, officially rolled out a new card providing customers 3% cash-back (discount) on products and services bought directly from Apple, and 2% discount on any products bought using Apple Pay – Apple’s electronic wallet service – and 1% on other related transactions.
A grassroots Australian crypto exchange has seen volume spike by 1900% after it introduced a new token rewards model.
Wayland Baptist’s JJ Culver dropped 100 points on Tuesday night, paving the way for haters to try and detract from his epic performance.
Shopin Founder and CEO Eran Eyal allegedly spent $500,000 of investor funds on personal expenses.
Berlin-based fintech company solarisBank has established a subsidiary, solaris Digital Assets GmbH, to provide a custody solution for digital assets.
It is evident that SBI Ripple Asia has big plans, but they might not prove all that easy to fulfill unless the plan is thought through properly.
æternity, the open-source blockchain application platform, today announced that its solution was able to solve half of seven new projects utilizing its
The Dutch government is about to get tougher with fraudulent schemes involving banking apps and cryptocurrencies.
Sixers star Joel Embiid has quietly been among the NBA’s most disappointing players this season, and there’s no easy fix for his struggles.
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin came to the defence of privacy coin Zcash (ZEC) after a prominent twitter personality branded it a failure.
Gerrit Cole believes cutting his hair is worth it to sign with the Yankees, but not every free agent target has felt or will feel the same.
La reunión anual de Ethereum [ETH], Devcon, anunció el lanzamiento del MCD de MakerDao en octubre. Desde su lanzamiento el 18 de noviembre, el activo recién garantizado de la Fundación Maker ha sido objeto de algunas críticas por parte de varios sectores. Coinmonks, una plataforma criptoeducativa, destacó el sistema de gobernanza de la Fundación que […]
The introduction of Libra was met with a lot of reaction from all corners of the crypto-space, with many hotly contesting the utility and functionality of Facebook’s crypto-project. In an exclusive interview with a media outlet, CoinMetrics’ Nic Carter claimed that the social media company has made a huge miscalculation with the Libra project. Carter […]
It was a volatility event that was unusual even for the crypto world. The price of Matic, the native token of blockchain scalability project Matic Network, collapsed 66% Monday evening in under an hour — falling from $0.034 to a low of $0.011 between 7:51 and 8:26 p.m. EST. Matic Network released a blog post …


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[V]isit Britain and Lake District China Forum complete the speaker line-up for the global tourism conference coming to Cumbria next month.
Set to shine a light on the Lake District, the Journey To conference will be welcoming travel experts to the shores of Windermere on 19 April to discuss emerging travel trends.
With a focus on attracting international visitors to the UK, representatives from Visit Britain and the Lake District China Form were the final speakers confirmed to join the line-up for the day-long conference.
Anthony Pickles, Head of Tourism Affairs at Visit Britain and Visit England and James Lester, Digital Marketing Manager for the Lake District China Forum and founder of The Chinabuzz Project are joining Jen Cormack from Windermere Lake Cruises, Justin Reid from Trip Advisor and travel journalist Simon Calder as the confirmed speakers for the event.
The line up of speakers will offer an insight on how the UK is being promoting to overseas visitors, with examples of how tapping into destination culture and forming key collaboration can provide rich travel experiences that will also drive business growth.
Journey To host and Cumbria-based digital agency, A Digital, are bringing global-interest topics, speakers and attendees out of the UK capital in a first-of-its-kind event to be hosted in the Lake District; the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Digital director, Andrew Armitage said: “We’re thrilled to announce our final two speakers for Journey To and really looking forward to welcoming attendees to this beautiful part of the world next month. There’s no reason why global-scale tourism conferences shouldn’t be hosted in the Lake District, it’s one of the most visited regions in the UK, and the calibre of speakers really reflects that, so I hope this will be the sign of things to come with more conferences of this scale being hosted here.”
Attendees to the conference will spend the day at the newly refurbished Low Wood Bay Hotel, which will be in the closing stages of a a £19m refurbishment, and will enjoy an evening cruise on Lake Windermere to close proceedings.
To find out more about Journey To, and to book your place visit www.journeyto.uk.


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Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy as the company prepares its sale by Tesco PLC to Yucaipa Companies LLC, and produce company creditors appear to be covered by payment plans.
“It’s a formality but it opens up the bidding,” said Ed Odron, owner of Ed Odron Produce Marketing & Consulting, Stockton, Calif. “You might see others come in, although we know from the past that if Yucaipa makes up their mind to go after it, they’ll get it.”
“Today’s filing is simply the next step in the restructuring process to sell the business to the Yucaipa Companies and will have no impact on our customers’ shopping experience,” Fresh & Easy spokesman Brendan Wonnacott said in a Sept. 30 statement. “It’s business as usual as we continue the transition to new ownership.”
United Kingdom-based Tesco plans to sell more than 150 stores and other assets in California, Nevada and Arizona to Yucaipa, whose managing partner is Ron Burkle. About 50 other stores are slated to close.
Fresh & Easy owes between $500 million and $1 billion, according to court records.
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act and Packers and Stockyards Act claimants are owed about $12 million, Fresh & Easy reported. The company asked permission to pay a maximum of $5 million under PACA and PASA and the rest under administrative priority, which most of the creditors also qualify for.
The 20 largest creditors include Calavo Growers, owed $216,000, and Columbia Marketing International, $117,500. The biggest creditor is Harvest Meat Co., owed $1 million.
Tesco can terminate store leases easier under bankruptcy protection, paving the way for an acquisition at auction.
Fresh & Easy misread its customer base from its start in 2007, as Odron sees it. Closure, he said, “was a matter of when, not if.”
“When you say ‘Fresh & Easy,’ the first thing that comes to mind is a beautiful produce department with fresh fruits and vegetables all over the place,” Odron said. “It was kind of vanilla with premade sandwiches and everything wrapped. It wasn’t fresh. It might have been easy — grab-and-go stuff like you see at 7-11. But the presentation was underwhelming. We knew grab-and-go would be part of it, but the store was just a lot of cellophane and plastic.”
Yucaipa’s undisclosed bid for Fresh & Easy surprised Odron, who expected interest from retailers like Dollar General or Aldi that operate stores in the 15,000 to 25,000 square feet range.
“Yucaipa just seems like their format is more toward the Food 4 Less type of operation,” he said. “A price conscious customer, but with a bigger format. But they can bring in people who’ve been successful with their other banners to run that for them and turn it into a low-price operation with quality product.”
The prospect of a sale was in the air since December, when Tesco chief executive officer Philip Clarke said the chain wasn’t profitable enough to sustain its $1.6 billion investment. Yucaipa’s purchase for an undisclosed amount is expected to be final by the end of the year.
The stores, a distribution center and other assets were valued at $362.8 million in February. Pre-tax net losses were $258.5 million for the last fiscal year.
Tesco expects to spend the equivalent of $237.3 million on store closures and other expenses. Those include a loan of $126.6 million to the new company.
About 4,000 of Fresh & Easy’s more than 5,000 employees will keep their jobs. Yucaipa also acquires Fresh & Easy’s Riverside, Calif., distribution and production facility.


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… this time the prestigious Compasso D’Oro
Having already won the ‘International Engine of the Year’ award in its category for 2013, and the 2012 Top Gear gong for ‘Supercar of the Year’, the rather gorgeous Ferrari F12 Berlinetta has now been awarded one of the oldest and most prestigious awards in the world of design; the Compasso D’Oro.
‘… its dynamic and flowing forms and the use of innovative aerodynamic solutions that create a true marriage of technology and design’ were apparently the principle reason for the award. We’d have simply settled for ‘hey, look a that!’
Like another particularly beautiful product of Maranello, the 250 GTO, the design of the F12 Berlinetta was carried out in-house be Ferrari’s famed Centro Stile (… with a bit of help from Pininfarina).


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Amazon’s relatively successful venture into the video streaming business alongwith few Original releases from their own production has found an audience across the globe and thanks to its Download and watch later feature, it has become even easier to watch the available titles.
For those unaware, Amazon Prime lets you download several of the titles available in their video gallery — TV shows, Movies and others.
Online streaming services have changed the way people watch television, as videos are available on-demand now — people don’t have sync their lives according to their favourite TV show’s schedule anymore.
According to Amazon’s help page, “The detail page for each Prime Video title indicates whether the title is available for download. You can download available titles to only two devices at one time”.
Amazon Prime video service is currently available in more than 200 countries worldwide and is viewed by tens of millions of people, who have the ease to watch videos at their own time — thanks to the download option.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.


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Wall Street expects more good news from LinkedIn
LinkedIn has been the good news IPO story of the last two years and analysts expect that to continue when it reports earnings after the markets close on Thursday.
Wall Street expects that the Mountain View professional networking company's earnings minus expenses for stock compensation are expected to be 11 cents a share on $244.6 million in revenue. That compares with an adjusted loss of 6 cents a share on $139 million in revenue a year ago.
The stock (NYSE:LNKD) has more than doubled since the company went public in May 2011 at $45 a share, closing on Wednesday at $106.93, up more than 2 percent.
That's in stark contrast to Facebook's post-IPO stock drop of more than 40 percent. Its shares (NASDAQ:FB) closed Wednesday at $21.11, down about 4 percent.
This high-flying performance puts pressure on LinkedIn to continue to grow at its average of 14 million members a quarter or raise red flags among investors.
While most users consider LinkedIn a valuable professional networking site, about two-thirds of its revenue comes from fees it charges employers and others for referrals and data mined from the website.
In order to make the site more attractive, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner and his team have been adding features and making it easier to access via mobile devices.
Cromwell Schubarth is the Senior Technology Reporter at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
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It's hunting season, savvy shoppers.
Bargain seekers on the Peninsula love a good yard sale, and neighborhood sales are especially popular for their efficiency.
Here are some of the biggest yard sales planned for the spring.
April 21. The Greenlands in York County will host a community yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hampton residents can head to the Landings at Langley for the annual neighborhood sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Addresses for the yard sale will be posted on the association's Facebook page the day before the event. You also can find information at langleyfamilyhousing.com.
In Williamsburg, Warhill High School is hosting a vendor fair and yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to fund its after-prom activities.
April 28. The Cornerstone Fellowship Church of God in Hampton will host a yard sale, with spaces rented to nearby neighbors and church members, in the church's parking lot. The sale begins at 8 a.m.
In Poquoson, the annual Yard Sale in the Park will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Municipal Park. Vendors and community residents will offer deals. Call 868-3580 for more information.
Serious shoppers will want to set their alarms nearly every Saturday in May.
May 5. Clear your calendars, bargain hunters. Eagle Harbor in Carrollton, Woods of Tabb in Yorktown, Tabb Lakes in Yorktown and Creekside Landing in Williamsburg all will host neighborhood yard sales.
May 12. The large Coventry community in York County will host its sale, as well as the Riverdale neighborhood in Hampton.
May 19. The popular Hilton Village yard sale combines its efforts with the Women's Club of Hilton Village to offer blocks and blocks of bargains. Get your start at the Women's Club meeting house, near the front of the neighborhood, and wind your way back.
Port Warwick in Newport News also will host its community yard sale, and the much-loved Olde Wythe sale will take place on May 19. If it rains, Olde Wythe will reschedule the sale for May 26.
June 2. The Lakes at Dare community in Yorktown will host its sale this day. Also in Yorktown, the Running Man neighborhood has planned its sale to take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
June 30. The popular Ford's Colony sale in Williamsburg will take place at the Historic Temple Building, located at 312 Waller Mill Road.
Later in the year
Organizers say they haven't begun planning the Virginia Marine Science Institute's annual yard sale, but it usually takes place in the later summer months.
Though both the Kingsmill community in Williamsburg and the Kiln Creek community in Newport News already hosted spring yard sales, the neighborhoods usually host a fall event, as well.
(If it rained Saturday, look for the Kiln Creek sale on April 14).
The Peninsula Parents of Multiples also hold two community sales a year. Look for information about the fall sale at mppom.org.
The longest yard sale
The Mathews County Visitor's Center sponsors an annual community-wide yard, barn and collectibles sale with stops on Main Street and other county locations. This year, the sale will take place on June 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Referred to as "the longest yard sale," it stretches, through various stops, along a 13-mile route, featuring treasures from residential attics, antique items and crafts.
Regular attendees have said that even the speediest shoppers have a hard time browsing the entire county sale in one day.
Shoppers can pick up maps of the sale route from the visitor's center at 239 Main St., Mathews.
For more information, call 804-725-4229 or go online to visitmathews.com.
The World's Longest Yard Sale, which is spread out over 675 miles from Michigan to Alabama, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
The sale, which has been touted by editors for HGTV and Southern Living magazine, takes from August 2-5.
One of the closest stops for shoppers in Hampton Roads is in Crossville, Tenn., which is about a 9-hour drive. Other stops along the route are 10 to 12 hours from home.
For more information, visit 127sale.com.
Garage sale app
Valerie Cudnik, of Chesapeake, built the website garagesalefinder.com to help her fellow bargain hunters.
On one recent weekend, her website listed more than 110 sales for the Hampton Roads area, alone. Neighborhood sales are marked with a pink icon.
Cudnik says shoppers also can download their route to their personal GPS device, and she plans to release a mobile application soon.
Paitsel can be reached at 757-247-4737 or email@example.com.
Mindy Lepp, a self-proclaimed yard sale guru from Williamsburg and the author of the website eatplaywilliamsburg.com, gives these tips for successful bargain hunting at yard sales.
• Bring your own tote bag to help carry items.
• Resist the urge to dress in your best clothes. You will have a hard time bargaining if you look like you have money to spare.
• Don't be afraid to bargain. But don't insult the seller with your offer. Yard sale prices should be between 50 and 90 percent off of the retail value.
• Shop early for the best selection.
• But don't count out those last-minute deals. The last 30 minutes of a sale (many sales end around noon), is the best time to bargain with sellers, who likely plan to donate their items after the sale.
Find a map of neighborhood sales at SavvyShopperToday.com. Connect with the Savvy Shopper at Facebook.com/SavvyShopper. Sign up for mobile alerts at dailypress.com/textalerts.


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Media eats up free pizza for
Pie-Fection, a new pizza restaurant looking to make an impact in the Orlando market, turned to Julison Communications to deliver a creative idea that would help set them apart from the more than 1,200 restaurants in the local area.
Julison Communications created and planned an event that reached a wide-range of potential customers through a variety of media channels. Pie-Fection hosted a "Free Pizza for the Unemployed" event, in which anyone out of a job would receive a free medium pizza during a pre-determined time period.
In addition, Pie-Fection partnered with a local employment agency to provide on-site resume tips and other services for job seekers.
The social media campaign generated significant buzz and a significant number of people "liked" the Pie-Fection Facebook page.
Media coverage was substantial, with the event generating 42 stories from all five Orlando TV affiliates and print coverage in the area.
Additionally, the story was picked up by the Drudge Report, one of the most viewed websites in the world, and went viral, resulting in millions of impressions nationally.
Pie-Fection gave hundreds of free pizzas and generated significant local and national media attention, which gave them the jumpstart their brand needed in a crowded restaurant market.


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The Kenyan digital content creation industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with creators earning substantial incomes from digital platforms.
YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are some of the social media platforms that have made it possible for digital creators to make an income. The rise in popularity has also led to local companies rushing to secure influencer deals through contracts, creating a lucrative market for talented individuals.
The increasing potential of the online market has made the government take notice and aims to claim a larger share of this thriving industry by proposing several amendments to the Finance Bill 2023, including the taxation of payments made to digital creators.
If approved, the proposed amendments would subject income earned through digital content monetization to a 15 percent withholding tax, significantly higher than the 5 percent rate imposed on professional services.
This move has sparked controversy among content creators, who argue that it is unfair, particularly for young people striving to make a living in an environment where quality jobs are scarce.
Mohammed Assad Alby, a well-known content creator, expressed his discontent with the tax proposal, describing it as “extremely unfair” to young individuals trying to make ends meet.
Alby, whose social media presence includes over 634,000 followers on TikTok, more than 159,000 on Instagram, and 32,000 YouTube subscribers, believes that the tax will discourage job creation and hinder the growth of the industry.
“We have to come up with ways of creatively earning income for ourselves in ways that the older generation would never have thought of only to be slapped with tax. From all the tax changes ours is the craziest,” said Mohammed.
Read Also: Will The Government Maintain its Current Tax Regime in The Next Financial Year?
Significant content creators like Alby and Kevin Maina, a 23-year-old artist with a significant following on TikTok and Instagram, mentioned the hidden costs and challenges involved in content creation.
They emphasized that before earning money from their content, they invest heavily in equipment such as cameras, laptops, editing software, microphones, and lighting. These expenses, coupled with the competitive nature of the industry, make it difficult for creators to succeed.
They argue that higher taxes on their income will limit their capacity to invest in their craft and potentially affect the quality of their work.
Nancy Wotune, a senior advisor at Ichiban Tax and Business Advisory LLP, provides insights into the proposed tax. She explains that the tax is an advance payment on the income of digital content creators, which they would usually be required to pay at a later stage.
Nancy predicts that the creative industry will continue to grow due to the rapid shift from traditional commerce to digital platforms. However, she acknowledges that the higher tax rate of 15 percent, compared to the ordinary 5 percent for professional services, could lead to income tax refunds for content creators after deducting their expenses.
Addressing concerns about tracking earnings across multiple digital platforms, Wotune clarifies that the responsibility to withhold taxes falls on the person making payments to content creators.
KRA expects data on these transactions to be disclosed, enabling them to collect the required taxes. Additionally, there is a proposal to implement an electronic tax invoice system, ensuring traceability of these transactions.
The proposed amendments to the Finance Bill 2023 have ignited a debate about the future of the creative industry in Kenya. Content creators are worried about the potential financial burdens and limitations on their growth, while the government aims to increase its revenue from the advancing digital space.
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