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Redesign on Rodeo
Luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo unveiled its newly remodeled and expanded store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
Going to work should be an exercise in comfort. That’s the idea behind cheeky San Francisco e-tailer Betabrand latest innovation: Dress Pant Yoga Pants.
Los Angeles designer Sue Wong found inspiration in the Edwardian era and the Jazz Age for her Fall ‘14 collection, which she showed in her Mid-City studio.
Footwear trade show Lazr has a new home and a permanent pop-up shop in the Los Angeles Fashion District.
Alpharetta, Ga.–based Eton Systems will release a new mobile application designed to help apparel manufacturers collect real-time production information to help them manage the factory floor.
Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions has unveiled a new line of RFID (radio frequency identification) products to help retailers maintain inventory accuracy for products such as jewelry, cosmetics, healthcare, housewares and footwear, as well as a new solution for apparel.
Point Sur Denim
New York–based J. Crew has written a love letter to Los Angeles in the form of its website announcing its new Point Sur Denim collection.
Project Runway: Under the Gunn, the fashion reality competition that pairs designer/contestants with mentors, wrapped last night with a winning designer and mentor named. Don’t click if you don’t want to know who won.
Technology’s role in the development of fashion was on the agenda at a panel discussion hosted by French technology solutions provider Lectra and held April 3 in the Buyers Club at the California Market Center.
NASA is working on its next-generation space suit to replace the Z-1—and you can help the space agency decide what it looks like.


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It’s Ursa Majors season again, and all the finalists have been announced. And just like how Entertainment Weekly pretends they know best, Weasel Wordsmith has its Editor’s Choice list of winners!
Browsing Out of Position™
FA: United 2010 saw the awards ceremony for the 2009 Ursa Major Awards. Nine winners across ten categories received awards based on votes from fans. The full list of winners are below.
Voting for the 2009 Ursa Major Awards starts today, and the nominee list has been officially released (though many of you already saw the leaked list yesterday). The entire nomination list can be seen on the Ursa Major website. I’m not going over everything, just being snarky about a few of them.
Ok guys. So we talked about video games, movies, and TV shows. But I really hope those aren’t the only forms of media you ingest. Books, despite being long and more likely to give you papercuts than any other form of entertainment, are awesome and you should read more of them. This year alone a number of cool titles came out that you should check out. I even through in a comic book trade paperback for you

domain: news


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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 rendered image hints how spectacular the device would be Image: Fcctech
Smarting from the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, Samsung Mobile has left no stone unturned to make its next flagship, Galaxy Note 8, a special smartphone.
Teasing the upcoming Galaxy Note device, Samsung has sent out invites for an event at New York with an abstract image of a huge edgeless display paired with a stylus. The company has also hinted recently that Note 8 will come with dual rear cameras, becoming the first Samsung flagship to offer the much in demand feature.
If you’re curious to know about the launch, let us tell you that the event at New York will start at 11 am (EDT), or around 8.30 pm Indian time. Samsung is tipped to stream the event live on its official website. You can watch it by heading on to Samsung Mobile’s English or Hindi websites to watch it.
Prior to its launch, the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 has been the focus of rumour mills, hinting something new almost every day. And a majority of those leaks has hinted that the new phablet will be the biggest flagship from Samsung till date. With a 6.4-inch edgeless display, the Galaxy Note 8 will be a new jewel in Samsung’s crown.
The anticipated device has also been subjected to various leaks and renders, teasing the purported design of its front and back. And according to one of the most popular tipster Evan Blass, the phone will come with a Galaxy S8-like edgeless display accompanied by a Wacom-made S-Pen stylus and a dual rear camera setup.
Out of the two sensors on the rear, one is likely be 12MP wide-angle sensor with f/1.7 aperture and dual-pixel autofocus, while the other one will be an 8MP telephoto sensor with f/2.4 aperture. A few leaks also tipped that the upcoming phone camera will offer 2X or maybe 3X optical zoom.
With the dual rear camera, Galaxy Note 8 will give a tough competition to Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus and the upcoming iPhone 7S Plus.
The leaked images also hinted that the Galaxy Note 8 will house a dedicated button for its home-brewed AI Bixby.
Under the hood, the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to pack Snapdragon 835 or an Exynos 8895 SoC coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage.
The smartphone is tipped to go for pre-orders starting tomorrow, and is expected to get delivered by September 15 onwards.
According to rumours, the Galaxy Note 8 will be available at 999 Euros or roughly Rs 75,451.
Samsung Mobile is expected to offer a few goodies like a wireless charger, fitness tracker or micro SD cards as part of the pre-order sale package.


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Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a new PlayStation 4 Slim SKU for western audiences.
The PlayStation 4 Slim is finally getting a 1 terabyte model in the west, and it will retail for $299.99. To be clear, this is the older hardware architecture as denoted by the MSRP – not the upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro, which costs an extra $100.
Here’s that it includes:
- 1TB PlayStation®4 System
- DualShock®4 Wireless Controller (Jet Black)
- HDMI Cable
- Power Cable
- Wired Mono Headset
- USB Charging Cable
A release window for the new SKU wasn’t announced – however we’ll keep you guys posted.
Since its launch back in 2013, the PlayStation 4 has been made available in 123 countries and regions, and most recently broke a new milestone in selling over 53.4 million units worldwide.


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vivo and ZEISS announced that they have teamed up once again for the V30 Pro cameras which promise to deliver great photography capabilities.
This partnership isn’t new as vivo and ZEISS have been working together since 2020 to deliver ZEISS-branded cameras for vivo’s flagship X series. Given ZEISS’ renown for top-notch lenses, the vivo X series phones of recent years featured unique camera features that emulate specific ZEISS lenses along with shooting options to give photos and videos a cinematic feel.
Previously, ZEISS cameras were only for the X series. Now though, the vivo V30 Pro will also come with a ZEISS-branded camera setup — a first for the premium mid-range V series.
As the V30 Series has not been launched yet, vivo hasn’t revealed the extent of the phone’s camera specs. What vivo did share is that the V30 Pro will come with a ZEISS triple main camera that promises to delivers superior color, contrast, sharpness, and depth in photos.
Portraits are no doubt going to be a key focus, but vivo says that the V30 Pro’s cameras should also deliver great results when capturing landscapes and selfies.
For now, there’s no word yet on when the vivo V30 Series will be launched, though the brand previously confirmed that the phone is coming to the Philippines.


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Dungeon Defenders II Spring Forward Update Release Trailer
The Dungeon Defenders II Spring Forward Update is now live, focusing on fixing bugs and improving performance before the game’s launch.
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Meta has been facing turbulent times since it went from the Facebook branding to the metaverse-friendly Meta brand. The company had begun integrating and supporting NFTs on its platforms, and now it is backtracking on that support, after what looks like a failed pilot.
Meta will be winding down digital collectibles, a.k.a. NFTs, across Facebook and Instagram, said the company's commerce and fintech head, Stephane Kasriel, in a Twitter thread. It appears Meta is shifting its focus. The news comes soon after the news of Meta working on a potential Twitter rival.
Meta will find other ways to support creators
Some product news: across the company, we're looking closely at what we prioritize to increase our focus. We’re winding down digital collectibles (NFTs) for now to focus on other ways to support creators, people, and businesses. 🧵[1/5]March 13, 2023
Meta's rebrand was slathered with a lot of Web3 and crypto stuff, including NFT support on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The NFT support was first announced in May 2022, and it looks like it's coming to an end in less than a year. Kasriel did say that Meta will be supporting NFT creators to amplify their work, although it remains to be seen how that will happen without integrated support for digital collectibles on their platforms.
It appears that payments will be a big part of Meta's new strategy. Kasriel tweeted, "And we’ll continue investing in fintech tools that people and businesses will need for the future. We’re streamlining payments w/ Meta Pay, making checkout & payouts easier, and investing in messaging payments across Meta."
He also said that monetization remains a priority, and that Meta will "focus on areas where we can make impact at scale, such as messaging and monetization opps for Reels." The company has been heavily criticized in the past for poor monetization for creators, especially with Reels payouts.
The crypto space has been rather unstable for a while now, so one of the primary companies with a recent and huge web3 pivot backtracking on some of is unlikely to inspire confidence. With this move, you will soon be unable to have an NFT profile picture on Instagram, and plans for augmented reality NFTs on Instagram stories on devices like Apple's best iPhone, the iPhone 14 Pro, are unlikely to materialize.
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
Palash has been a technology and entertainment journalist since 2013. Starting with Android news and features, he has also worked as the news head for Wiki of Thrones, and a freelance writer for Windows Central, Observer, MakeUseOf, MySmartPrice, ThinkComputers, and others. He also worked as a writer and journalist for Android Authority, covering computing, before returning to freelancing all over town.


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Booming electronic cigarette sales in the U.S. will more than double this year, hitting $1.7 billion, a top tobacco analyst predicts.
Analyst Bonnie Herzog of Wells Fargo Securities said "conservative data" already indicates that sales of e-cigarettes this year have already reached $700 million from traditional retail outlets like convenience stores. Throw in estimated online sales of $500 million to $625 million and total year-to-date sales are above $1 billion.
The pace will only pick up this fall. "We estimate that it will be $1.7 billion by the end of the year," Herzog said.
Although Herzog has been bullish on e-cigarettes, she said she was "surprised to some extent" by how fast sales have grown.
But, she noted, "everything we've been hearing" about e-cigs has suggested increased awareness and interest in the products—which electronically spark a nicotine-infused liquid so that users can inhale a smokeless vapor, giving the practice the name "vaping." E-cigs began being sold in earnest in the U.S. in 2007.
While a pack of traditional cigarettes can cost $15 in places like Manhattan, an equivalent amount of e-cigs costs about $1.50, manufacturers estimate.
"A lot of the awareness is the perceived lower health risks, and definitely the affordability," said Herzog, adding that the ability to use e-cigs in locations where traditional cigarettes are banned is another factor.
E-cig sales are still dwarfed by sales of traditional tobacco cigarettes, whose sales are still about $80 billion annually.
(Read more: E-cig sellers jockey for market before FDA floats regs)
But the explosive growth of the electronic devices has made even the Big Three tobacco companies wake up and jump into the market with various products.
Herzog, in a recent report, wrote: "We have increased conviction that consumption of e-cigs could surpass consumption of conventional cigs within the next decade."
Herzog's nearly $2 billion sales prediction for 2013 comes at a critical point for the industry, which is anticipating possible Food and Drug Administration regulations. The Wall Street Journal last week reported that the FDA has recently discussed with industry officials a possible ban on online sales to prevent sales to minors.
Andries Verleur, CEO of leading online e-cig company V2 Cigs, said such a ban "would definitely lead to some retraction for the overall category. That would also be giving a substantial advantage to companies that already have a very large retail distribution."
That said, V2 Cigs is dramatically increasing its presence in stores to lessen the impact of an restrictions on Internet-based sales.
(Read more: E-cigarettes could slash tobacco use among smokers: study)
Earlier this year, V2 announced a partnership with distributor National Tobacco Company to boost its retail presence. With more than 10,000 retail outlets now, including Hess gas stations, Verleur's company expects to be in 35,000 retail locations by the end of 2013.
"We've been rolling out about 1,300 stores per week for going on nine weeks," Verleur said, calling that progression "pretty phenomenal."
He now expects that 30 percent of V2's ales will come from retail outlets, up from an earlier 20 percent projection.
And in 2014, the company said, retail store sales are expected to outpace online sales.
Spike Babaian, co-owner of the two Vape New York e-cigarette stores in New York City, agreed. "There's been exponential growth for e-cigarettes that have not reached its capacity yet," said Babaian, who is also president of the National Vapers Club. "Right now, the e-cig market is not what we call saturated. There's a very small percentage of smokers using e-cigarettes."
"There are more smokers that need to be converted," she said. "If you can vape and not smoke, and get the same satisfaction and not kill yourself, then every smoker would do it."
Smoking reduction and cessation are oft-cited reasons given by traditional cigarette users to give e-cigs a try.
Because of the addictive nature of traditional cigarettes, many e-cig manufacturers focus not only on giving users enough of a nicotine "hit" in their vapor, but also on replicating the smoking experience in the design of the products, complete with what appears to be a burning ember at the end of some e-cigs.
"The closer that we get to making that experience feel realistic," Verleur said, "the more you're going to see acceleration for the overall category."
(Read more: E-cig boom could be around corner)
—By CNBC's Dan Mangan. Follow him on Twitter @_DanMangan


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In hindsight, it was inevitable. The online marketplace which was famous for sales of drugs, guns and money laundering, Silk Road, has been busted by US federal agents and the founder taken into custody. As a result, the US government has taken possession of millions of dollars-worth of the digital currency Bitcoin, causing its value to crash.
The Silk Road was an eBay-like retail store hosted on the TOR network. TOR, which stands for The Onion Ring, is a method of connecting to the internet via a series of proxy servers which mask the originating IP address. Created by the US Navy as a way of securely communicating with military personnel over the public internet infrastructure, TOR was released as free software over a decade ago and has become an important tool for protecting the identity of whistleblowers and activists in oppressive regimes, as well as a way of ordinary citizens avoiding large scale government surveillance projects like PRISM.
Although most traffic on TOR is just passing through on its way to regular internet sites, there are websites hosted within TOR’s ‘Deep Web’ which are only accessible via browsers using its protocol. It was here that the Silk Road was established in 2011, trading in illegal items with apparent impunity until it was closed down last night. Last month, the FBI also closed down a child pornography website operating out of Ireland by launching a malware attack which compromised its anonymity.
It’s not yet known whether or not the same attack was used to reveal the identity and location of Ross William Ulbricht, a San Francisco resident who went by the online handle “Dread Pirate Roberts” and was taken into custody last night. According to federal prosecuters, more than 100 000 people have bought illegal wares from the Silk Road website, in transactions worth over $1.2bn (R12bn), which netted the site $80m in fees.
While it was the anonymity of the TOR network that allowed the Silk Road to exist online without leaving the usual traces ownership, it was the emergence of Bitcoins as a viable currency that facilitated trades on the site. Bitcoins are a form of digital cash which exist primarily as encryption keys, which can be traded with a level of anonymity since every transaction can be conducted using a new, unique identifier. Bitcoin’s value has fluctuated wildly over recent years, but before the news of Silk Road’s closure was trading at around $145 per Bitcoin.
Following the news its value dropped to $118 (R1182). Mt Gox, the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange, is currently trading at $129 (R1291) to the Bitcoin, suggesting a further recovery could take place today despite the fact that the FBI has seized more than $3m (R30m) of Bitcoins and effectively taken them out of circulation (although limited supply should push up the value, shouldn’t it?).
Some experts are optimistic about the currency’s future and believe that by losing the association with illegal activities. Writing on Forbes, John Jeffrey Mardlin says that some people may try to get rid of Bitcoins today to avoid being traced back to purchases from Silk Road, but:
“That might lead to more curiosity, which inevitably leads to more adoption.”
He also raises the point that with prices low, it may be a good time to buy. Some development specialists have speculated in the past that Bitcoins could be widely used in Africa eventually, as an alternative to heavily controlled currencies with often fluctuating values themselves.


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Click through to see the slideshow gallery of San Francisco events from last week, December 2 - 8, including the Hendrick's Enchanted Forest, SF Bicycle Coalition's Winterfest, a slew of live music, and more...
This Sunday, join 1,500 fellow bike-loving locals for the biggest bicycle bash of the season—Winterfest. Now in its 16th year, this annual party and fundraiser for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an event not to be missed. With wine and beer flowing, food by local vendors, an epic bike and art auction, and views of the city from the roof of the Metreon, it’s sure to be one of the best parties of the year.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's annual Winterfest will be held on December 6 at SOMArts Gallery from 6:30 - 10pm. This year's party will include beer from bike-loving New Belgium, DJs Laron and ShOOey, an art auction, a silent & auction (including bikes, gift certificates, and a 90-minute bike ride and lunch with city supe David Chu), a craft show, and food vendors from across the city. And if that's not enough, the SFBC will also auction off a handcrafted bicycle quilt. Entry is a suggested $15 minium donation for SFBC members but if you aren't a member and would like to join, $40 at the door will cover your admission and a one-year SFBC membership. And yes, admission includes beer.
Even though he’s a nine-year member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, local artist Jonn Herschend, 41, is quick to note that he isn’t a cycling fanatic (sfbike.org). “I don’t talk about bikes all the time,” he says. “It’s just a facet of my daily life.” What’s kept Herschend active in the advocacy group, however, is its dedication to improving bike safety and creating a citywide biking network. Herschend is giving back by spearheading the silent-art-auction portion of the SFBC’s annual fundraiser, Winterfest, held at SOMArts Cultural Center on December 7. The event—which features free valet bike parking and live entertainment — draws local politicians, artists and bike enthusiasts.


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Beston Global Food Co.
Beston Global Food Co., the Australia-based group, has struck two distribution deals in Vietnam.
Beston Global Food Co. has said that it is calling off its planned acquisition of Westdama Dairy Farm in South Australia.
Australia's Beston Global Food Co. has reported a new figure for the loss it made in the year to the end of June.
Beston Global Food Co. (BFC) has acquired cream cheese maker Australian Provincial Cheese (APC) for AUD2.2m (US$1.6m).
Australian food group Beston Global Food Company (BFC) has entered into a 50-50 joint venture agreement with Singapore-based MindChamps Holdings to supply "fresh and nutritious food" to children at early childcare centres in Singapore and the Philippines.
Australia's Beston Global Food Co (BFC) has received a "proposal" from Taekyung Food & Processing (‘TFP’), a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korean company Nongshim Group.
Clean Seas Tuna Limited, the Australian fish company, said today (4 July) it has secured a distribution deal to expand in China and South Korea.
Australian food maker Beston Global Food Co. (BFC) has entered into a strategic partnership with JM WOWO, a Chinese catering and foodservice e-commerce platform.
Beston Global Food Co., the Australian food group, is to team up with Chinese meat processor business Hondo Agricultural Co. to market allergen-free, ready-to-eat meals in the country.
Beston Global Food Co., the recently-listed Australian dairy-to-meat processor, has posted an underlying profit for the first six months of its financial year.
Beston Global Food Co., the Australian group, has appointed Sunwah Group to handle its products in Hong Kong, Macau and parts of southern China.
Australian dairy processor United Dairy Power's plants at Murray Bridge and Jervois have reportedly been acquired by Adelaide-based Beston Global Food Company.
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Try this on for size: Spain mulls charging shoppers for fitting clothes in-store
María del Pilar del Olmo, Castilla y Leon’s economy and treasure minister, announced the proposal during a retail industry conference in Madrid on Tuesday.
The minister for the conservative regional government said the drastic measure was needed to stamp out bargain buyers, saying a growing number of shoppers are using changing rooms to try items on for size - with no intention of purchasing the item in-store, but instead at a cheaper price online.
“One of the hallmarks of Spain is the existence of physical and often bespoke shops in town and city centres and, of course, frequently in villages, too; and the only way to ensure they survive is by seeking out innovative ideas,” she explained, noting that online sales in the region had increased by 27 percent.
The minister said that the proposal is still a suggestion that is being considered by the region’s trade committee. “This does not necessarily mean shops will definitely start charging for trying on – this is just an example [of what could be done],” she said.
The proposal was reportedly rubbished by the vice president of the Federation of Merchants of Soria (FecSoria), Alberto Gil Ropero, who said the proposal was “totally counterproductive,” and actually more likely to drive customers away from traditional commerce than encourage them to shop at physical stores.
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The Guinness World Record for the longest line of pies has been broken. Over 100 chefs from across the UAE joined forces on 4 January, producing a total 2,209 pies, all with a special ingredient: USA pears.
Twelve teams participated in the push for a new world record, with representatives from the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel DDC, Madinat Jumeirah, Le Meridien Airport, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, Crowne Plaza Shaikh Zayed Road, Waldorf Astoria DIFC, Double Tree by Hilton JBR, Bakemart, Emirates Flight Catering, Caesars Bluewaters Dubai, Sarood Hospitality and the team of students from International Centre for Culinary Arts Dubai (ICCA) all involved.
Each chef used the same pear pie recipe, using approximately 2.5 tonnes of pears to achieve the record. Upon achieving the Guinness World Record, the pies were donated to charity.
Danny Hickson, events and production manager of the Guinness World Records and the official judge of the event, said he was excited to announce the new Guinness World Record.
“The existing record was 1,608 pies, set in 2016,' said Hickson.
Guidelines were checked by Hickson, and several important rules had to be achieved for USA Pears to earn the reward. Pies were required to be within 6-10 inches wide and placed in a continuous line, and no food could be wasted.
The event was streamed on Facebook Live, reaching over 17,000 viewers. USA Pears said the event reached more than 30,000 people including many importers, retailers and traders of fruits and vegetables, as well as capturing attention in foodservice and consumer segments.


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Why Commodity Analytics is the Next Big Thing for Trading, Risk, and Supply Chain
Leading CTRM/ETRM software technology advisory firm to keynote.
Eka Software Solutions, the leading global provider of Smart Commodity Management software solutions, announced today it will host ‘Why Commodity Analytics is the Next Big Thing for Trading, Risk, and Supply Chain’ on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. The webinar features industry expert Patrick Reames, Founder and Managing Partner of Commodity Technology Advisory, who will describe the technologies commodities companies are investing in today to ensure long-term success. Michael Schwartz, EVP & CMO at Eka, will discuss what steps companies should take now to prepare for the era of data-driven decision making and why commodity analytics is the next big initiative for better trading, risk management, procurement, and supply chain operations.
Recent research from ComTech Advisory on trends in ETRM and CTRM solutions found that there has been rapid growth in the adoption of analytics solutions across all commodities sectors. Although budgets are tight, energy and commodities companies are still investing in the most critical areas to successfully navigate volatile, complex, and uncertain markets.
“Commodity prices fell throughout the year in 2015, driven in large part by declining economic growth in the Asia-Pac region, and over-investment in commodities infrastructure during the previous 5 years of high prices and growing demand,” said Patrick Reames, Founder and Managing Partner of Commodity Technology Advisory. “This reality is forcing companies to maximize efficiency as well as seek ways to make better decisions, faster. We are seeing a trend of increasing adoption of analytics solutions which enable commodities businesses to remain competitive in challenging markets.”
This webinar will cover:
- The technologies that companies are investing in today to ensure long-term success.
- The steps companies should take now to be ready for the era of data-driven decision making.
- Why commodity analytics is the next big thing for better trading, risk management, procurement, and supply chain management.
- How Eka’s Commodity Analytics Cloud solution will allow your business to make better, faster, fact-based decisions.
About Eka Software Solutions
Eka is a global leader in providing digital commodity management solutions driven by Cloud, Blockchain, Machine Learning and Analytics.
The company’s best-of-breed solutions serve the entire trading value chain across agriculture, energy, metals and mining and manufacturing markets. Eka is reimagining commodity management with a new age architecture that breaks monolithic ETRM and CTRM systems into bite-sized chunks of powerful, enterprise-grade apps, thereby enabling faster implementation, adoption and decision making. Eka’s mobile-first, enterprise apps are embedded with commodity-specific algorithms that empower businesses to stay on top of volatile markets by letting them scale at will, go live faster, and achieve better value for their investments.
Eka has offices across the Americas, Asia, Australia, and EMEA serving 100+ customers globally across multiple commodity segments. For more information, visit https://www.ekaplus.com.


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WEX taps ex-Reuters Chief Digital Officer and ex-American Express Russia Chairman
WEX first announced the reorganization of WEX’s Executive Leadership Team in October 2021 as the firm looks to bring complementary skills to the team.
WEX has made a series of senior appointments as 2021 comes to an end. Karen Stroup was appointed Chief Digital Officer and Carlos Carriedo was named Chief Operating Officer, International.
The newly created roles will have Stroup and Carriedo reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer, Melissa Smith.
Karen Stroup led Thomson Reuters’ digital transformation
As Chief Digital Officer, Karen Stroup joins the executive leadership team at WEX and will be responsible for furthering digital commerce and product development opportunities across the firm.
Bringing more than 15 years of experience leading innovation, product management, and digital software as a service offerings, primarily in financial services, Karen Stroup joins WEX from Thomson Reuters where she served as their Chief Digital Officer since 2019.
At Thomson Reuters, she led the company’s global digital transformation, focused on digital go to market and customer success, as well as product management for enterprise shared capabilities, product data and analytics, and product operations.
Prior to that, Karen Stroup served as SVP, Product and Innovation at Capital One Financial Services for two years and VP, Product Management at Intuit for nine years.
At Capital One, she led customer-driven innovation and digital transformation for Financial Services, including experimenting with emerging technologies to reimagine auto and home buying experiences, building strategic common capabilities to accelerate innovation and speed to market, and developing organizational capability, focused on top 300 leaders. The role also required her to lead Dealer services and the Product Management Community.
At Intuit, she led the product management team of 20 across three countries, creating end-to-end experiences for both accountants and taxpayers, representing $450M in revenue, 60+% margins. She revamped product strategy to set a bold vision & path for disruption and delivered three strong tax seasons, above plan.
Carlos Carriedo served as Chairman of American Express Bank of Russia
As Chief Operating Officer, International, Carriedo will lead the company’s strategic growth internationally, overseeing WEX’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC).
The industry veteran has more than 20 years of experience, having most recently worked at American Express as the General Manager of Commercial Services for Europe. He also served as Chairman of American Express Bank of Russia.
During his time at American Express, Carriedo held various positions managing commercial services across international markets including Europe, Russia, Canada and Latin America. In addition, he led a global council to integrate best practices across international markets, focused on growth, scalability and productivity enhancements.
Melissa Smith, Chair and Chief Executive Officer at WEX, commented: “Looking ahead to 2022, Karen and Carlos will be instrumental in expanding our global footprint and optimizing digital solutions for customers around the world. As seasoned innovation and international professionals, both executives will enhance our global competitive position by focusing on WEX’s strategic growth and international collaboration initiatives. I look forward to partnering with them as we continue to grow our business.”
WEX first announced the reorganization of WEX’s Executive Leadership Team in October 2021 as the firm looks to bring complementary skills to the team and provide customers with solutions that maximize efficiency while the organization grows and streamlines integration across the company’s expansive payments and tech platform.


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CR claims the Model S lacks a major safety system that all cars should have.
Thanks to watchdog groups like Consumer Reports, automakers have yet another layer of standards to meet alongside those enforced by the government in order to ensure that the car in your driveway drives worth a damn and holds up to the trials imposed on it by a harsh life on the road. Tesla has been both in the good graces of Consumer Reports as well as under its fire, but that's expected of a newer automaker that lacks experience.
Unfortunately, the publication has once again reprimanded Elon Musk's car company, this time citing a problem with its safety features. The technology in question is Automatic Emergency Braking, a relatively new feature in the industry that uses forward-facing cameras and radar to sense if the car will hit another car or an object ahead. If it computes that a crash is imminent and the driver has taken no action, it will automatically apply the brakes to prevent a crash or mitigate the damage of one, potentially saving lives, injuries, and costly repair bills. The Consumer Reports agenda is to have all automakers offer it standard, and has implemented a system of boosting safety ratings for cars that follow that guideline.
The Model S and Model X previously included the AEB system as part of the package, but due to software problems, Tesla has not included the feature in cars produced after late October 2016. The Model S once sat atop safety ratings for the ultra luxury segment with a score of 87, but after losing two points, it now ranks behind the Lexus LS and BMW 7 Series. The Model X dropped from 58 to 56, placing it close to the bottom of the luxury midsize SUV category in terms of safety. Tesla has told CR that it will begin sending out over-the-air updates for its cars beginning April 27th, but it could take up to two weeks for the new code to make it to all new Teslas.
Part of the reason for Tesla's delay has been Autopilot 2.0 hardware, which promises fully autonomous driving at some point in the future, but came at the expense of features like AEB, which needed to be reengineered to work with the new hardware. At least the wait will soon be over according to Tesla.


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VR Playhouse launches virtual reality training program, USC to lead quantum computing project and sneaker marketplace Goat hires former Twitter executive.
Glassell Park-based boutique studio VR Playhouse has launched VR Playhouse School, an educational program meant to attract students, artists, developers and directors to virtual reality, the Business Journal reports. The production company will offer courses covering 3D production, interactive video and creative writing starting July 10.
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity has selected the University of Southern California to lead a variety of universities and private companies to build quantum computers that are at least 10,000 times faster than the best state-of-the-art computers. The contract could be worth up to $45 million in funding, and USC will lead the effort to build, design and test 100 qubit quantum machines.
L.A.-based online sneaker marketplace Goat has hired former Twitter chief operating officer Adam Bain to its board of directors, reports SoCal Tech. The company, which allows members to buy and resell collectible sneakers, has raised $37.6 million in four rounds of funding.
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Mobile terrestrial digital television looks to be proving successful in South Korea, with 1m receivers sold since the introduction of the country's service six months ago, according to a report from technology news provider IDG.
Seven free-to-air stations were launched last December by broadcasters KBS, MBC, SBS and YTN, along with radio and data service counterparts—all of which are presently available in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The land-based mobile TV service—the first of its kind in the world—is expected to be rolled out to the rest of the country before the end of the year.
Around 320,000 of the receivers sold so far are mobile phones, with other devices including laptop computers and digital media players, claims the IDG report, which goes on to say that the service uses Terrestrial Digital Mobile Broadcasting (T-DMB), a domestic technology based on the Digital Multimedia Broadcasting standard used by DTT and satellite broadcasting throughout Europe and Asia.
Images are transmitted at 30 frames a second in Common Intermediate Format (CIF) employing MPEG4 AVC compression.
Tests of T-DMB, which is a rival to both the widespread Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) and Japan's Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) systems, are now being carried out in a number of other nations—most notably Germany during the current FIFA World Cup.
And earlier this month the BBC and ITV said they would supply content for a UK trial of the T-DMB standard alongside a trial of another digital audio broadcasting (DAB) technology, Internet Protocol over DAB (DAB-IP). The six-month trial?which comes ahead of the expected release of Band III spectrum later this year and L-Band spectrum in early 2007?is the result of collaboration between the UK and South Korea.
Lovelace Consulting | 27.06.2006


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By Ishaan . March 5, 2013 . 8:00am
Update: The next Thief game is in development at Eidos Montreal, the studio that produced Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the multiplayer mode in Tomb Raider. The game, revealed by Game Informer magazine this morning, will simply be titled Thief, and is in development for PC, PlayStation 4 and other next-generation platforms for a 2014 release.
Game Informer report that, series protagonist, Garrett, will return for the fourth game, in the familiar setting known as “The City,” which is ruled over by a tyrant known as the Baron.
You can find more rumoured Thief 4 images over at the gallery linked to above.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Tuesday's session are VeriFone Holdings Inc., Korn Ferry International, and Wachovia Corp.
VeriFone Holdings Inc.
is estimated to report a profit of 32 cents a share in the fiscal third quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.
Korn Ferry International
is forecast to post earnings of 30 cents a share in the fiscal first quarter.
After Monday's closing bell, Wachovia
named David Zwiener chief financial officer, effective Oct. 1. Zwiener was most recently managing director and co-head of the financial institutions group at the Carlyle Group.
said it expects to reaffirm its earnings outlook for 2008 in upcoming calls and meetings with investors and analysts, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. In August, the company said it expects 2008 earnings of $4.05 to $4.25 a share. Analysts estimate earnings of $4.21 a share.
H.B. Fuller Co.
lowered its earnings outlook to adjusted net income of $1.55 to $1.60 a share in fiscal 2008 due to the negative impact from rapidly rising raw material costs. The estimate includes 8 cents a share in tax benefit. The company had previously forecast earnings of $1.76 to $1.86 a share. Analysts are projecting the company will earn $1.80 a share. H.B. Fuller expects to report a net income of 44 cents a share on revenue of $352 million to $362 million in the third quarter. In the fourth-quarter, the company sees adjusted earnings of 40 cents to 45 cents a share and revenue of $380 million to $390 million.
said it will retain its specialty drug business Dey LP following a strategic review of the unit. Mylan, however, said it will relocate Dey's commercial operations from Napa, Calif., to the East Coast. Pittsburgh-based Mylan backed its adjusted earnings outlook of 47 cents to 53 cents a share for 2008, 90 cents to $1.10 a share for 2009, and $1.50 to $1.70 a share for 2010. Analysts estimate 54 cents a share for 2008, $1.01 for 2009, and $1.42 a share for 2010.
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
said its board approved a share repurchase program to buy back up to $200 million in American Depositary Shares over the next 12 months. Shanda has about 71.6 million shares outstanding.
United Rentals Inc.
agreed to settle an SEC inquiry into its accounting practices from 2002 and the years preceding it for a fine of $14 million. The settlement covers the issues identified by an SEC special committee that had been announced previously. As a part of the agreement, the company neither admits nor denies the SEC's allegations. The company has taken a charge for the fine in the second quarter of 2008 and it will not have an impact on United Rental's third-quarter results.
Wells Fargo & Co.
said it will record an other-than-temporary impairment and take a non-cash charge to third-quarter earnings for its investments in perpetual preferred securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac . Well Fargo's perpetual preferred investments in Fannie Mae included in securities available for sale total $336 million and its perpetual preferred investments in Freddie Mac is $144 million. These securities currently trade at 5% to 10% of par value, but the bank does not hold any common or other equity securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.


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Will ‘Fallout 4′ Be Revealed at E3?
Bethesda Softworks, the maker of games like Skyrim, Fallout 3, Dishonored, and more, has just announced on its blog that it will host its first ever E3 press conference at this year’s expo in June.
The E3 conference is the video game industry’s biggest yearly event. During the show, a select few game companies host major press events to show off their upcoming titles.
For the past few years, the only companies to host press conferences have been the console makers — Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony — and two mammoth game makers, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. That’s it: five press conferences.
Those companies form an exclusive club, which means Bethesda’s decision to throw its hat into the ring is a very big deal. It begs the question: Why would Bethesda spend oodles of money on such an event?
Probably because the company has major news to unleash, and it wants to do it on the biggest stage possible. The item most likely to qualify as “major news” from Bethesda would be the announcement of Fallout 4.
The Fallout series began on PC, but when Bethesda took it over with 2008’s Fallout 3, it came out in wide release on consoles as well. The game was a massive success, and is considered one of the best games of the generation.
Fallout 3 takes place in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by nuclear war. Groups of bandits plague the “Wasteland,” stealing everything that’s not nailed down, and killing everything with a pulse. Several militarized factions are vying for control, while others eke out a miserable existence in the mountains or sewers. It’s bleak, it’s horrible, and it’s so immense and gratifying you might never want to put the controller down.
Fallout 3 was followed up in 2010 by Fallout New Vegas, a game that used the same engine and many of the same assets as Fallout 3, but was developed by Obsidian Entertainment rather than by Bethesda in-house. It’s been five years since that game launched, which means the world is ready for a new Fallout game.
An E3 announcement of Fallout 4 is not a foregone conclusion, however. Another game that could be big enough to warrant an E3 press conference would be a new Elder Scrolls title. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came out in 2011 to huge popular and critical success, which would make The Elder Scrolls VI very big news indeed.
But a new Elder Scrolls seems less likely than a new Fallout, because both Skyrim and Fallout 3 were developed by the same team within Bethesda. If that team is taking turns making Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, then Fallout 4 would be due next.
Those aren’t the only two series Bethesda works on, either. Other games in the company’s portfolio include a new entry in the Doom series, which was announced seven years ago and hasn’t been shown to the public yet. Rumors have also swirled that a sequel to the excellent stealth game Dishonored is in the works. But neither of those titles seem big enough to schedule an E3 press conference around.
That said, any single game is too small to base an entire press conference on, so it’s more likely that Bethesda has several announcements up its sleeve. For instance, Doom could be shown or Dishonored 2 announced alongside Fallout 4. In a less likely possibility, other recent Bethesda games could be getting sequel announcements, including Wolfenstein: The New Order or The Evil Within.
On the other hand, the big reveal could be something no one’s predicting. It’s anyone’s guess, and Bethesda isn’t talking. To know for sure, we’ll have to wait for the conference on June 14. If you can’t make it out to Hollywood for the show, you’ll be able to stream it live on Bethesda’s Twitch.tv channel.
So does Bethesda’s E3 press conference portend a Fallout 4 announcement? That’s the most likely scenario, but it’s not the only one. That said, if you’re hoping to hear about Fallout 4 at E3 in June, the possibility just became a lot more likely than it was yesterday.
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Coopers opened its $65m malting plant at its Regency Park brewery in Adelaide yesterday, in a move aimed at underpinning the family-owned company’s long-term future.
The 13,000 sq m plant was officially opened by His Excellency, the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, Governor of South Australia.
The project represents the largest single investment in Coopers’ 155 year history, eclipsing the $40m cost of the Regency Park brewery in 2001. It also brings capital investment in the Regency Park site to nearly $250m.
Coopers Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, said that at full capacity, the maltings would produce around 54,000 tonnes of malt a year and give Coopers full control over an important raw material.
“We agreed on a capacity of 54,000 tonnes to achieve a suitable manufacturing cost per tonne, as well as provide a residual capacity of 37,000 tonnes to be available for sale to domestic and international brewers,” Dr Cooper said.
The new facility also sees Coopers making a return to the malting industry after a break of nearly 16 years; Coopers became the major shareholder of the Adelaide Malting Company in 1986, a business that grew to nearly 70,000 tonnes in annual sales at the time of its sale in 2002.
“The investment has certainly been aided by the growth of Coopers beer sales, which have grown at an annual growth rate of nearly nine per cent for the last 24 years,” Dr Cooper continued.
“The integration of a maltings at Coopers will provide the company with great control over malted barley supply and the opportunity to expand malt extract sales.”
Dr Cooper said particular care and attention had been given to the aesthetics of the building, which was constructed by South Australian building firm Ahrens Group, while the malting equipment had been sourced from the world’s leading malting and milling technology provider, Buhler, headquartered in Switzerland.
“Some of the innovations we have incorporated include full stainless-steel construction, enclosed conveyors, together with advanced process control and monitoring,” he said.
“In terms of water usage, process control and automation, this is the most advanced maltings in the world.”
In officially opening the plant, Governor Hieu Van Le said: “Today is truly a milestone event in the long and distinguished history of Coopers – one of the best known among many great businesses founded in our state of South Australia.”
“It is certainly a company I know well, and not just through the testing of its exceptional beer. Coopers has made a long contribution to South Australia’s culture and economy, in addition to the generous work of the Coopers foundation.”
Following the official proceedings, guests were invited on a guided tour inside the new, state of the art facility, which includes an enclosed conveyor bridge that sends malt directly from the plant to the brewhouse (pictured below).
The first beer brewed using malt from the new plant is expected to be in hotels and bottle shops before Christmas.


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According to Windows Central, Vole wants to make Project Scorpio a true 4K system.
It will feature HEVC and VP9 codecs for decoding 4K streams for things such Netflix, just like the Xbox One S. It will also use HEVC for encoding 2160p, 60 frame-per-second (FPS) video for Game DVR and streaming.
Apparently, Vole has been experimenting with its 4K tests on its Beam streaming service for some time.
Now the plan is to allow Project Scorpio's Game DVR to stream and record clips in 4K resolution with 60FPS.
This will be a huge step up from the 720p, 30FPS you get on the Xbox One. Vole appears to want native 4K for everything from games to console features. It now looks like Scorpio will sport 4K Game DVR, 4K Blu-ray playback, and 4K streaming apps with 4K games as the show stopper.
It is all starting to look rther interesting, and if Microsoft can keep the price reasonable could be a winner.


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The Canadian auto sector is at a crossroads as its recovery is hampered by a continuing shortage of semiconductor chips that has hit industries around the world.
Today’s vehicles contain between 30 and 50 chips, because every electronic component needs a semiconductor to function. These are the microchips that help power many functions and features of a vehicle. Automakers and their suppliers expect that number to increase as more vehicles become electrified and adopt self-driving technologies.
To date, the shortage has shown ripple effects. Statistics Canada data showed a 10.2% drop in vehicle and parts exports in February 2021 alone. This figure is significant given that the industry is worth $ 19 billion and directly employs around 129,000 people across the country according to Unifor, although Statscan data also shows that nearly 500,000 were employed in various automotive and automotive industries.
To increase efficiency during production, automakers try to order only the supplies they need in the near future, a practice called “just-in-time manufacturing.” The massive rebound in demand for cars, coupled with fierce competition for chips from other industries such as consumer electronics, has led to a tight supply for the entire auto industry.
This is why many see the situation as an opportunity for Canada to reposition itself in the global auto industry and reduce its dependence on international suppliers.
“COVID-19 has demonstrated vulnerabilities and gaps in global supply chains, so I think we should frame [the chip shortage] as a demand opportunity and not as a constraint, ”says Melissa Chee, CEO of VentureLab, a technology incubator based in Markham, Ont. “Do we really want to be just the final assembly, or can we rethink the role we play in this final [chip] ecosystem? “
One way to find out is to work with the auto industry to find out if they would be willing to buy chips if they were developed and manufactured in Canada, she adds. This could mark a “strategic advantage” of being part of a North American supply chain that would reduce reliance on concentrated exports abroad.
Building manufacturing plants to make the chips would cost billions of dollars and take years to build, given their size, which could cover hundreds of acres, says Shawn DuBravac, president of the Avrio Institute, a consultancy firm that follows the tech industry.
The US government says it will try, while Intel plans to invest in increased manufacturing capacity in Arizona. Even Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest chipmaker, has said it will invest in manufacturing and development in the United States.
In the meantime, automakers are doing their best to make sure customers don’t have to pay a premium to sit in the driver’s seat of a new vehicle due to the flea race. Various automakers, including General Motors and Ford, and Tier 1 suppliers such as Magna International, declined to speak for this article, although they have indicated in emails that they are handling the shortage well. .
“At the same time, they’ve sped up their orders, and there’s a lead time they face, which is an average of around 14 weeks to turn a manufactured wafer into a semiconductor,” says DuBravac. “Automakers are just trying to catch up with unexpected strength in orders, which they likely did not anticipate due to the pandemic.”
They are more likely to cut production than to shut down a product line, he adds. That could mean reducing the number of shifts in factories and focusing more on models with higher profitability and leaner inventory. In some cases, some promised functionality may also be removed.
This was the case in March 2021, when GM announced it was removing its fuel management cylinder deactivation technology on 2021 Silverado and Sierra pickups with a 5.3-liter V8 engine. Despite a lighter inventory in their product lines, he finds automakers unlikely to deviate significantly from their planned 2021 launches. Prices are also not expected to increase at dealerships due to supply issues. , he said.
Despite the uncertainty, chip developers in Canada, including D-Wave, 1QBit and others, are hoping this could be the turning point the domestic industry needed to gain more financial support.
Montreal-based startup Spark Microsystems Inc. has designed its own chip for vehicles that use ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to replace part of their car’s electrical wiring. The lower energy consumption would ostensibly increase the efficiency and power of the vehicle.
Spark chipsets are not found in any vehicle currently manufactured by an automotive manufacturer, nor in any part sourced from suppliers. Manufacturing the chips would require manufacturing plants outside of Canada, and for smaller players like Spark, which received patents for its designs in 2020, there is a balance.
“Unfortunately, there is no magic in the way you manage the relationship you have with your contractors who build your chip,” says Frederic Nakbi, CTO of Spark Microsystems. “When you are a small customer, you have to order a year in advance, which leads to all the logistical nightmares, but you have no choice or you are not going to sell products.”
Bringing this reinforcement capacity closer to home would be beneficial, says Nakbi, as it would also reduce the wait time to manufacture and deploy chips. It would help to create larger manufacturing plants in Canada and expand existing plants to make the most state-of-the-art chips, he says. but he also argues that an equally effective solution would be to focus on semiconductor research and development, to compete with other markets for the “brains” that create the chips themselves.
“It’s no secret that there are chip design epicenters in Silicon Valley and other parts of the world,” he says. By comparison, Canada’s talent pool, while healthy, is not “large”. And beyond the automotive sector, semiconductor chips are also essential for the biomedical, telecommunications, education and science sectors, he adds.
Government funding to help the cause of chip development and manufacturing is still limited. Chee’s VentureLab has received federal funding of $ 9.73 million for its Hardware Catalyst initiative, Canada’s premier incubation hub for silicon startups and projects. It’s a drop in the bucket in the larger system, and she co-founded an advocacy and lobbying group called the Canadian Semiconductor Council to stimulate private and public investment.
“Our mantra is to build skills and make strategic bets as a country because Canada already wants to be a leader in EVs. [electric vehicle] North America’s battery space and supply chain, ”says Chee. “We know where we want to go; we know the automotive industry is undergoing a transformation and this shortage is our opportunity to understand that because we have all the expertise to do it.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story indicated that VentureLab received $ 5 million in federal funding. The Globe regrets the error.


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The National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators aims to reduce honey bee colony losses during winter to no more than 15%.
05-11-2015 Menu Development
Lentils, chickpeas and dry beans serve a valuable function on non-commercial menus.
Farmers are gearing up to satisfy increasing demand for pulses worldwide.
04-13-2015 Menu Development
With a goal of making menus healthier, operators across all market segments are increasingly turning to alternative sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup and agave to reduce their reliance on...
lthough refined white granulated sugar is still a go-to sweetener for 55 percent of consumers surveyed by research firm Mintel, natural sugars are closing the gap.
03-13-2015 Menu Development
In the past few years, pineapple has been transformed from a snack or side-of-the-plate option into a go-to ingredient for grilling, shredding and sauces.
This versatile fruit is a welcome addition to savory entrees and innovative desserts.
02-20-2015 Menu Development
"Americans are getting a little more adventurous in their purchasing,” Kehler says. “And we are seeing a huge increase in demand for soft cheese.”...
02-16-2015 Menu Development
From tangy feta to milky mozzarella, soft cheeses are a valuable ingredient in the culinary arsenal of non-commercial chefs.
01-16-2015 Menu Development
The conventional wisdom that chicken is boring doesn’t hold much weight with most non-commercial chefs, especially when you consider all the creative ways these operators use the ubiquitous bird on...
iada puts an upscale, fast-casual spin on Italian street food.
Industry News & OpinionView All
The updated national nutrition standards helped close the nutrition gap among middle and high schools, a study conducted by a healthcare advocacy group indicates.
Managing Your BusinessView All
Esteemed members of the Chefs' council Cameron Clegg, Darla Mehrkens and Ryan McNulty answer the question, what are you doing about the price of eggs?...
Ideas & InnovationView All


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In 2021, the Brazilian crypto market attracted more investors, entered the Brazilian stock market, launched the bubble into the mainstream and became an important part of the investment portfolio of ordinary Brazilians.
In addition to strengthening the crypto community in Brazil, initiatives by Brazilian blockchain companies have brought cryptocurrency to a wide range of sectors of society, from football – a major national passion – to civil aviation. Cointelegraph Brazil chose the country’s top 10 personalities in 2021, taking into account the performance of premium companies, their impact on the crypto community, and their market-leading spirit.
The above are just 10 significant individuals in a vast ecosystem that extends around the entire world. To see more installations highlighting the crypto and blockchain industries, check out Cointelegraph Top 100 2022.
10. Louis Adeyemi – Moss
Luis Adaime is the CEO and founder of MOSS, a Brazilian company dedicated to tokenizing carbon credits with the MCO2 token. Founded in 2020, MOSS has forged a number of partnerships in Brazil: the logo appeared on the Clube de Regatas Flamengo shirt for the 2021 Brazilian soccer season. Other related carbon offset partnerships have included major companies such as iFood, Hering and GOL Linhas Aéreas. MOSS has also issued non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with the goal of preserving the Amazon rainforest. The MCO2 related group is dedicated to sustainable development projects in Brazil.
9. Edilson Osorio – OriginalMy
Edilson Osorio, a Harvard Law School graduate computer scientist, professor and information security specialist, was a blockchain and big data consultant at ITS-Rio and is a member of the European Blockchain Observatory. He is the CEO and founder of OriginalMy, a legal technology company with a blockchain-based platform to increase leadership trust through identity authentication, signatures, permissions, and content.
8. Thiago Cesar – Swiss transfer
Thiago Cesar is the CEO of Transfero Swiss, the issuer of the largest currency in the stack backed by the Brazilian Real (BRZ). In 2021 alone, the stablecoin recorded a trading volume of $1.5 billion, the highest level since the coin was launched in 2019. BRZ entered the world’s major exchanges and stood out for its multi-chain technology compatible with Ethereum, Solana, Stellar, and other networks. Transfero Swiss is also expected to launch crypto retail solutions in the country through the BRZ trading platform for a range of cryptocurrencies.
7. Fernando Carvalho – QR Capital
Fernando Carvalho is the CEO of QR Capital, which controls a stake in QR Asset, one of the leading crypto investment funds in Brazil. QR Capital has launched the country’s first DeFi-linked ETF on the Brazilian Stock Exchange, consisting of nine cryptocurrencies in Bloomberg’s Galaxy DeFi Index. QR Capital previously launched an ETF that includes Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), which ranks among the most profitable investments in 2021 on the Brazilian stock exchange B3.
6. Primo Rico – Rico
Brazilian entrepreneur and famous YouTuber Thiago Nigro, better known as “Primo Rico,” has become a popular cryptocurrency fighter with educational videos on his YouTube channel and 5.5 million subscribers. His affinity for the cryptocurrency market was also in the news in 2021 when he revealed that he was a partner in the Brazilian exchange Biscoint through Rico Investimentos. Another Nigro initiative launched in 2021 is the digital bank Rico, which provides access to cryptocurrencies through two investment funds.
5. Fernando Ulrich – Liberta Investimentos
With global experience in the Brazilian real estate and finance market, Fernando Ulrich studies money theory and is a digital currency enthusiast. Ulrich has worked for many world-renowned companies such as Thyssenkrupp and XP Investimentos as a lead analyst on the XDEX cryptocurrency exchange. He currently works at Liberta Investimentos, an investment advisory firm associated with XP. Ulrich was the first prominent Brazilian economist to publicly support Bitcoin and often spoke out about Bitcoin and various cryptocurrencies on his YouTube channel and on Twitter.
Roberto Campos Neto – Banco Central de Brazil
Brazilian Central Bank President Roberto Campos Neto has launched a digital innovation program through pioneering Pix, a financial institution’s fast-track transaction system that is quickly becoming popular among Brazilians. Campos Neto is also leading the Real Digital digital currency project for the country’s central bank, which is still in the analysis stage but could start its first attempts as early as 2023.


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The Victorian Privacy Office participated in the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (‘GPEN’) Privacy Sweep of mobile applications in May this year, a movement designed to examine issues such as privacy protections raised by the use of mobile apps.
It looked at whether consumers were being clearly informed about the type of personal data an app stores and uses and why it does so, and whether data was being collected beyond necessary for the application’s function.
Privacy Victoria used the sweep as an “early introduction” to the state’s new privacy by design approach, which was announced in May and was implemented as of July 1.
The approach ‘embeds privacy into IT, business practices and networked infrastructure right from the outset’ in order to address the ‘ever-growing and systemic effects’ of large-scale networked data systems, and ensure that privacy is not a trade-off with the adoption of new technologies.
“New communication channels lend themselves to privacy by design, and agencies are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the relevant principles and materials," the Office said.
It similarly found state government agencies were opting for iOS-based applications over the Android platform, limiting “the extent of citizen engagement”. Around 94 percent of the surveyed apps catered to Apple devices compared to 62 percent for Android.
“The implementation of digital and mobile channels is a relatively new direction for public sector agencies, and the emphasis on mobile apps is now at the forefront," the Office said in its report.
“However, the proliferation of mobile apps should not have negative privacy implications for Victorians."
The privacy body will produce guidance to mobile applications towards the end of the year.
It did highlight a number of good practice findings as a result of the sweep - namely users being required to accept a privacy statement after downloading an app in order to use it; child-focused apps requiring parents to complete a consent form before the child can use it; and a ‘report anonymously’ option integrated within crime reporting apps.


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Presented by Treasure Data
The digital and regulatory landscape is constantly evolving, which impacts day-to-day marketing strategy and operations. In this VB On-Demand event, learn how to navigate regulatory changes while building consumer trust, leverage intelligent technology to meet marketing objectives, and more.
Watch free on-demand!
Across the world, the privacy legislative and regulatory landscape is in constant flux — and that’s not great for marketing strategy and operations.
There’s Apple’s tracking transparency framework and Google’s third-party cookies drama. Comprehensive privacy legislation passed in California, Virginia, Colorado, Utah, and Connecticut. The American Data Privacy Protection Act (ADPPA) introduced in the U.S. Congress, plus the Federal Trade Commission proposing sweeping regulations to address commercial surveillance and lax security practices. Internationally, there’s the GDPR taking an interest in Twitter, privacy laws being passed in China and Australia, Brazil’s new cookie guidelines, and more.
Marketers have to protect their brands by complying with these regulations, while at the same time find ways to ensure they’re meeting their company objectives. But that’s an opportunity, says Helen Huang, principal product manager, security and data privacy at Treasure Data.
“Companies are taking a closer look and reevaluating data collection practices because it’s important to listen to what the consumer base is saying,” Huang says. “These changes are worrisome, but provides an opportunity for all of us to work together to be responsible custodians of first-party customer data and earn their trust.”
Identity resolution and customer data platforms
Identity re …


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Americans throw away around 100 billion plastic bags every year, with less than one percent making it to recycling facilities. One of these bags takes up to 1,000 years to decompose, which is why many cities and companies are making changes to curb plastic bag use.
Whole Foods and IKEA are two of the most popular stores now known as plastic bag-free establishments. It appears WalMart is in the process of cutting back as well, with a goal of reducing global plastic bag waste by 33% per store by 2013.
Some companies have not completely ditched plastic bags, but do offer incentives for customers who bring reusable bags. Target, for example, offers 5 cents off for each reusable bag customers use. CVS Pharmacy started the â€œGreenBagTagâ€ program in 2009, which earns customers points when bringing plastic bags back to the store for recycling. Other stores, such as Kroger, claim to have cut plastic bag use by selling reusable bags and training employees on how to efficiently bag groceries and minimize waste.
San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu City, and Toronto are cities that have recently enacted plastic bag bans, which have not come without controversy. Alameda County, located in Northern California, will soon be prohibiting plastic bags throughout all 14 of its cities and towns, and Austin, Texas will require retailers to get rid of single-use shopping bags in March.
This is no doubt a controversial move, especially for those working in the plastic bag industry. However, it’s pretty common knowledge that plastic bag use is grossly wasteful and harmful the environment, making it an unsustainable industry. Do you think it is best for entire cities to ban plastic bags, or do you think it is smarter to allow individual companies to make the choice, thus causing a â€œdominoâ€ effect among the competition?
Image CC licensed by Zainub Razvi
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Helen Gardner, shopping on New Yorkâs Fifth Avenue with her boyfriend on Tuesday, left the Polo store without buying anything.
âItâs quite old-fashioned,â said the 28-year-old visitor from London. âItâs not for the young crowd.â Then she lowered the boom. Sheâs bought Ralph Lauren clothing before, she said, âbut just from outlets.â
Ralph Lauren, the retail avatar, has spent a half-century selling his Gatsby-esque fantasy of the American Dream.
But now, at 77, Lauren is confronting life after the...
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Sling Media is back: The original place shifter is launching two new devices in time for the holiday season, promising higher resolution and additional features that could eventually transform them into a home media hub. But the devil is in the details, as I found out during a somewhat painful test of the new Slingbox 500 – and the strategy to hold back on advanced features may eventually come back to hurt Sling.
First, here’s all you need to know about the new hardware in a nutshell: Sling has been an innovator in the space of place shifting, making it possible to stream your TV signal from your cable box to PCs and mobile devices inside and outside of your house. That’s pretty much what the new hardware offers as well, with some added bells and whistles: The new Slingbox 350 is an entry-level model that sells for $180. It’s essentially like the older Slingbox solo, but with a more compact form factor. Also new: Up to 1080p streaming and an integrated IR blaster, so you won’t have to fiddle with extra cables and anymore to control your set-top-box.
The Slingbox 500 adds an HDMI connection to the mix, making it possible to daisy-chain it between your cable box and your TV – something that may look familiar to anyone who has ever checked out a Google (s GOOG) TV device. And it has two USB ports, which will eventually offer the option to add external storage for personal media – more on that later. Sling has also redone its software, offering new players for mobile devices and the option to beam photo slideshows straight to your TV.
The value proposition
Sling’s media team recently invited me to a demo and briefing about the new units, and their pitch sounded pretty compelling. The basic gist of it: The Internet was supposed to make TV more convenient, but it got actually more complicated. You’ve got apps from operators that work inside your house, but not on the go, apps that have some content but not other shows and apps that work on some carriers, but not elsewhere “This isn’t TV Everywhere. This is TV all over the place,” Sling’s Vice President of Marketing Jay Tannenbaum told me.
Sling thinks that it’s instead easier to get back to the basic idea of place-shifting, which makes your entire TV subscription content available everywhere. Of course, this means that you still need a traditional TV subscription – Slingboxes have never really been about cord cutting, and the new iteration is even less so, as none of the new models features an integrated ATSC tuner capable of receiving over-the-air broadcasts. Sling plans to eventually sell an USB adapter for that purpose, but Sling’s Senior Vice President and General Manager Raghu Tarra told me that over-the-air usage in the past has been “in the single digits.”
The actual experience
Sling send me review units of both devices to test, which made me wonder: who of my friends still has cable? Eventually I found someone gracious enough to host me in his living room for a few hours, and I thanked him by unhooking all of his TV equipment – only to stumble onto a number of bumps on the road. I concentrated on the more capable Slingbox 500 with its HDMI ports – but quickly found out that HDMI simply wouldn’t work with the setup I had at my disposal.
The problem: Some TV operators encrypt the digital signal on HDMI, something that’s known as High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, or HDCP. And in my case, using a Motorola set-top box leased by Comcast, (s CMCSK) every single channel seemed to be encrypted. Sling is anticipating these hick-ups and thus asking consumers to also connect the box via component cables.
These can theoretically transmit 1080p as well, but it’s unclear if every set-top box will serve 1080p via component. There is definitely one added step of converting the signal to analog and then back to digital, and in my case, the signal looked considerably worse. That alone is kind of a deal breaker for something you would permanently make part of all of your big screen TV viewing.
The other problem is that this fallback hook-up makes the whole set-up unnecessarily complicated, in my case adding probably an extra 40 minutes as I tried to figure out what exactly was going on with the HDMI signal. Said my host: “I would have put it back in the box 30 minutes ago.”
The bigger issue
Of course, I may have stumbled across the worst-case scenario. The Sling folks told me that Dish, (s DISH) for example, only encrypts its HBO channel via HDCP, and they hope that even that will eventually go away. “We don’t crack HDCP,” said Tannenbaum, adding that the company’s own encryption of streams could help to get studios more comfortable with place shifting. “We hope that this will open up a dialog,” he said.
But the bigger issue seems to me that Sling got its value proposition backward. It is launching with new devices that out of the box don’t add that much functionality over the previous generation. Sure, 1080p is nice, but matters little on a phone screen, and just a little more on an iPad.
Meanwhile, viewing has evolved, and the traditional place shifting approach may not work as well anymore as it used to. In many households, people are now watching multiple programs on multiple screens at the same time, with only one of them being a TV, and others including iPads and laptops. But with place shifting, everyone is still watching the same – your cable box simply can’t serve more than one stream, no matter the cable connecting it to the Slingbox.
Sling potentially has some solutions for these problems, as I was told that the box will eventually get access to a VOD service. The company is also looking into second-screen functionality, making use of the fact that its boxes are sitting in between your cable box and your TV, which could allow all kinds of overlays. However, don’t expect the Slingbox to turn into a full-blown media streaming device with a plethora of apps. “We don’t think the world needs another app store,” said Tannenbaum.
Where’s the vision?
And then there is the personal media angle. The new boxes include functionality for Airplay-like (s AAPL) photo slide shows from your mobile devices, and I was shown advanced functionality that inlcudes the ability to constantly synch all of your mobile phone’s personal media to a hard drive attached to your Slingbox – and then consume it on any screen. That’s neat, but doesn’t seem world changing. I already have two services backing up all my camera phone photos to the cloud, and a NAS for local copies. So why add yet another media hub to the mix?
Sure, you might say, that’s you – and admittedly, I’m not the average consumer (and being a cord cutter, not part of Sling’s target audience anyway). But I’d argue that the average consumer won’t spend $300 on a Slingbox either. Instead, they’re gonna just install the HBO Go app, and their cable company’s app, and find that it works well enough, despite all of the aforementioned shortcomings.
What’s missing from the new generation of Slingboxes is a vision. Something grand, something that would change TV like place shifting and time shifting have done in the past. The Slingbox 500 may technically be capable of delivering this, but and may get much better over time – but with its current iteration, it’s just a slightly updated version of something that was cool four years ago.


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Emirates SkyCargo has celebrated five years of facilitating exports of Ecuadorian roses and other flowers and perishables with freighter flights to Quito.
Weekly services were launched in December 2013, and due to demand, Emirates now operates four Boeing 777 Freighter flights a weekly from Ecuador’s capital city.
Emirates SkyCargo has transported more than 50,000 tonnes of exports from Quito since the first flight, with fresh flowers forming the bulk of export commodities.
In 2017 alone, close to 12,500 tonnes of fresh flowers were flown from Quito to other parts of Emirates’ network in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
High season for flower exports lasts between August and February but the peak demand for roses occurs in late January and early February in the run up to Valentine’s Day, often requiring additional capacity.
More recently, Emirates SkyCargo has also helped promote the growth of exports of perishables such as mangoes and baby bananas from Ecuador to markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Emirates Fresh helps flowers and perishables from Ecuador retain their freshness and longevity during their journey, and B777Fs have temperature zones to ensure perishables shipments travel at the right temperature.


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Friday, September 17, 2010
Yahoo: "The advertising platform for mobiles from Apple will collapse"
The chief executive of Yahoo is a strong woman who does not mince her words and appears often in public attitudes. The Carol Bartz granted these days interview with Reuters and spoke on various topics related to the purchase of high technology. Asked about Apple, the xespathose Bartz and other ills ... Nostradamus predicted the company of Steve Jobs.
The question was accepted by Bartz to do with iAd, advertising platform for Apple's portable devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). The iron lady of Yahoo appeared absolute "(the iAd) will collapse. The Apple wants complete control over these ads. No advertiser wants to control them so much," was the prophecy ... Bartz.
It is certainly the first time that Apple criticized for a strict control regime imposed on its products. Predictably, the process of creation and validation of applications are in the App Store, a process that gives little room for maneuver to developers.


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The ad operations of Google and Facebook in the EU will be significantly affected if the proposal is agreed upon by all 28 member states of the European Union.
As per a European source, France and Germany have sought to salvage a EU tax proposed that aims to levy digital tax on large tech firms by narrowing its focus to cover only revenues earned from online advertising.
Both countries are set to back the text of the proposal when the finance ministers meet in Brussels.
In March 2018, the European Commission had proposed a 3% tax on the online revenues of large tech firms and accused them of funneling profits through member states with the lowest tax rates to keep their overall tax down.
While France has backed the proposal, Germany has so far held back due to some misgivings, while countries which benefit from such tax moves, such as Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland have opposed the proposal.
“What matters for France is that there is a legally binding instrument that can be adopted as soon as possible,” said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire as he arrived for talks with his euro zone counterparts.
He went on to add, “If we can reach an agreement between France and Germany in the coming hours…, that will be a first step”.
The Franco-German proposal, differs from that of the original proposal put forward by the European Commission in that it aims to impose a 3% tax only on advertising revenues and not cover areas including data sales and online platforms.
If this proposal is accepted by all member states, it will have significantly impact the ad operations of Google and Facebook. In the original European Commission proposal, the tax was intended to be a temporary “quick fix” until a broader solution could be found among OECD members.


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By Mujeeb Sheikh
KARACHI: Sindh government on Friday called upon businessmen and traders of the province for formal dialogues related to the opening of businesses.
Traders and businessmen have continuously remained at loggerheads with Sindh government during the coronavirus inflicted lockdown.
The afflicted traders and business owners have been called for a meeting at Minister for Education and Labour, Sindh, Saeed Ghani’s office.
It has been told that a strategy to open businesses and shops across Sindh will be discussed and a formal allowance to conduct business activities will be conveyed. Earlier in the day, In the wake of the federal government’s decision to end the countrywide lockdown in phases starting Saturday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced that the province will ease the lockdown from Monday.


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Galaxy M51 owners can now experience One UI 3.1 after the latest update
Another mid-range Galaxy smartphone is receiving the Android 11-based One UI 3 firmware update, and as you can already tell from the title above, it’s the Galaxy M51 that does the honors this time around.
The Galaxy M51 is now getting the Android 11 update in Russia. As always, the rollout is expanding gradually and the firmware should reach more markets soon. Galaxy M51 owners in Russia can identify the update by firmware version M515FXXU2CUB7.
Along with the new One UI 3 features, the latest firmware update for the Galaxy M51 also improves security as it’s rolling out alongside the March 2021 security patch.
This is the first major Android OS update for the Galaxy M51
The Galaxy M51 is still a relatively new smartphone. It was released in September running Android 10 and One UI 2.5 out of the box, so this is the first time when it receives a major update with significant changes across the board.


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Boggle Lane Foods
A brand-new local venture is celebrating its first major milestone.
Boggle Lane Foods was established just five months ago, has already received five-star ratings from customers, and now West Lindsey District council has awarded it five stars too in a recent inspection.
Nikki Bawn, Founder of Boggle Lane Foods said: "I'm thrilled that our customers and now the local authority have given us a big thumbs-up. It's taken quite a bit of work to get the business up and running."
Nikki left her corporate job to follow her dream early last year. Driven by her passion for the Lincolnshire Wolds and a love for local, natural produce, she bought and renovated a house high in the Wolds and set up Boggle Lane Foods.
She said: "The idea behind it is very simple. I wanted to promote the fabulous local produce and provide customers an alternative to the mass produced, loveless products that fill some of our supermarket shelves. So, I found caring local suppliers, started growing my own herbs and vegetables and began foraging to create a range of delicious and healthy ready meals. Every one of them is a celebration of the local landscape. The feedback I've had has been amazing, with many customers saying that they can taste the goodness and love in every dish."
Boggle Lane ready meals are now sold in at a number of shop in Market Rasen, Tealby and Binbrook and there are other goodies on offer too.
Nikki said: "I'm always researching, experimenting and developing new offerings. There's everything from pickles, preserves, oils and fudge collections, to a fine dining service known as Boggle Banquets."
To share the tastes of the Wolds with even more people, Nikki is working with Sunnyside Up Farm & Coffee Shop on a very special event.
She said: "To celebrate Spring we are planning an exclusive four-course dining experience on 23rd March at Sunnyside. We'll be offering a limited number tickets so that food enthusiasts get the opportunity to try our carefully crafted menu. The dishes will be fresh and seasonal and all made from local and foraged ingredients. It's going to be a sumptuous way to celebrate Spring!"
For more information about Boggle Lane Foods email:


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For the past couple of days, we’ve seen how the Asili team and some friends from the U.S. are working together to try out new ways to serve the Asili community. And today, the group is taking another small step toward testing yet another idea that could change how Asili does business – the Asili marketplace.
Asili water points are natural gathering places. And the Asili team has always been curious about the potential of these water points to sell more products, bringing needed supplies closer to home. But what could we sell? Is the Asili brand strong enough to attract attention at the market? And how can we be sure that our products meet Asili quality standards?
On Day 298, the team decided to find out.
They wanted to test the Asili marketplace in an area that’s already an economic hub – near the water kiosk at a bustling nearby market. People already come to the area for their shopping needs, but Asili’s products would stand out – they would be sold under the Asili brand, in Asili-labeled bags and under an Asili tent.
The team arrived at the market bright and early, set up their tent, and laid out their products – things like soap, body lotion, pre-packaged flour and sugar. They also sold some food – samosas from a restaurant in town and pre-packaged nutritional meals for kids, a kind a “just add water” porridge designed for a mother’s convenience.
And what did we learn? People were interested – very.
By the end of the day, the team had sold out almost all their products.
“People were so curious,” said Mama Josee of the Asili team. “They wanted to know what Asili was up to next.”
Reagan, our head of sales at Asili, agreed that the marketplace attracted huge crowds because the products were attached to the Asili name. “People wanted to know what was inside our food packages because of the Asili brand,” he said.
There was a particular demand for the samosas and the “just add water” nutritional porridge. “We can’t find this kind of quality samosa around here,” said one woman. “And the nutritional porridge sold in packages makes it so easy for me – I can carry this home.”
The Asili marketplace test taught the team lot of things – that there’s a demand for quality, intentional products that are not only better, but convenient for families. And, that Asili has become a trusted brand throughout the area – it’s become synonymous with world-class, yet locally relevant products.
It was just one day, but this simple test has opened our eyes even further to the possibilities of Asili – the good it can do, the people it can reach, and the idea that a trusted, loved brand is important for markets everywhere.


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GITEX provides gateway to $15bn opportunity
IDC projects regional ICT spend to hit $15bn in 2014
GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2014 is shaping up to be the catalyst that drives smart technology adoption across MEASA.
With regional ICT spending projected to cross US$15 billion this year and hit US$20 billion by 2020 (source: International Data Corporation), this year’s GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK – the largest ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) – is primed to solidify its position as the premier gateway to the world’s fastest-growing and investment-rich ICT markets. GITEX is set to power business to a smarter future, with the four pillars of cloud, big data, mobility and smart technologies driving the market this year. Positive spend in the developing regional ICT market has spurred exhibitor demand to an all-time high, which will see a buzzing floor space at the region’s most important marketplace showcasing cutting-edge trends supported by a packed programe of Conferences, Briefings and Workshops that are all sold out.
The high level of interest in the region’s ICT market has resulted in commitments from new country pavilions including the Czech Republic, Singapore and Switzerland. Africa, a huge ICT growth market, is strongly represented this year with Nigeria selected as the show’s Official Country Partner.
With the world’s leading international names on board, GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK will feature the world’s top ICT brands in 12 sector-specific technology industries supporting four industry-leading themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility. Spanning more than 100,000 square metres of exhibition space, GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK – returning to Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 12-16 October, 2014 – is expected to gather more than 142,000 ICT professionals, 25,000
C-level executives and over 3,700 exhibitors from 61 countries. “GITEX Technology Week continues to evolve year-on-year and this year is no different; our largest show to date will cover every aspect of the global ICT spectrum and showcase a raft of significant technology and mobile innovations that will shape our future societies for decades to come,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, DWTC, organiser of the event.
As one of the world’s top ICT events, GITEX continues to enhance cross-border ties in delivering innovation, nurturing investment opportunities and driving the global dialogue on technology adoption across MEASA and beyond. The strategic choice of Nigeria – which has Sub-Saharan Africa’s highest unique mobile subscribers at 48.8 million (source: GSM Association / GSMA) – as the 2014 show’s Official Country Partner continues the trend.
“Nigeria’s ICT growth potential will be amplified via the country’s National Broadband Plan 2013-2018, which aims to enable economic and social development by increasing national 3G wireless coverage to at least 80% of the population by 2018,” said Peter Jack, Director General of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NIDTA). “GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK offers NIDTA a unique platform to highlight Nigeria’s abundant investment opportunities and build networks with potential partners from across the world.”
With GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK presenting strategic investment inroads into the lucrative Middle East and African ICT markets, a host of international exhibitors and visitors will benefit from an evolved attendee experience integrating the latest ICT innovations. The new ‘On Track for the Smart Experience’ initiative will feature paperless mobile registration, smart networking and interactive navigation and marketing.
Elsewhere, visitors will see a range of exciting innovations, including Industry Briefings – a key component of this year’s GITEX Trends – where more than 1500 delegates and 150 speakers will debate tech trends in cutting-edge, sector-specific knowledge platforms; After 5, a place to recharge and get entertained every day at 5pm during GITEX; the Bloggers Tweetup and the Tech Talk Blogger Programme, which will double attendance from regional bloggers.
Expanded event features include the official press reception ShowStoppers, online community ConneXions, live streaming of social media, trending topics and tech news via the Content Hub, the 2nd GITEX Hot Stuff Awards and GITEX TV, the 53-screen in-house broadcast presence. Enhanced interactive elements include the GSM Exchange Zone, a platform for the mobile product industry, the C-Level Majlis Lounge for senior executive networking, free Smart Sessions for knowledge-sharing and the SME Zone.
In addition to the GITEX Hot Stuff Awards, the GITEX Student Lab will recognise leading students in the field of technology innovation and connect them with industry professionals, while the 2nd GITEX Cloud Awards will identify and recognise cloud computing excellence in the Middle East and Africa.
Alongside GITEX, there is the second edition of the GSMA Mobile 360 Series: Middle East, a dedicated platform for senior executives from the region’s mobile industry, and the fourth edition of InfoComm MEA, the leading showcase of the latest professional AV technology in the Middle East and Africa.


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MotorStorm Apocalypse has been delayed in the UK.
Sony has confirmed that it will push back the disaster-themed racer following last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
"Although we have shipped the game into the channel last week, given that we are able to do so, we have chosen to postpone the launch in the UK," a spokesperson told MCV.
"We are shocked and saddened to see the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and our thoughts are with all those affected, including our colleagues within the Sony family living and working throughout Japan.
"We are very conscious of the parallels between these events and the underlying theme in Motorstorm and are doing everything we can to be as sensitive as possible to the situation."
They continued: "Although the game itself is already in distribution, we are ceasing any further shipments and removing as much of the marketing materials as possible."
While no new release date was provided, it was added that the firm will "continue to monitor the situation very closely".
Yesterday it was announced that MotorStorm Apocalypse would be delayed in Japan until further notice.
MotorStorm Apocalypse was due for release on Friday, March 18.


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Monday, July 23rd, 2012 12:05pm
Brand new CRC-sponsored Cycle Show premieres tonight at 8pm on ITV4, featuring cycling chat, the latest news and some of the sport’s most famous names.
Friday, July 20th, 2012 11:31am
'Top-100 reasons' countdown for a joined-up network of quieter, safer streets coincides with London 2012 Olympics.
Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 8:20am
Take to the roads with our fast paced new cycling game, and sprint for the line in pursuit of online glory and real-world prizes.
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 10:52am
New eight programme cycling-based chat show premieres at 8pm on Monday 23rd July, ITV4. We can't wait!
Monday, July 16th, 2012 2:57pm
Irish Rugby Captain and Leinster Centre Brian O’Driscoll stopped into CRC’s Flagship retail store on Belfast’s Boucher Rd this morning.
Monday, July 16th, 2012 10:38am
Hundreds of riders battle through the weather for another stage of this year’s Series – taking on the best of the riding in Shropshire.
Friday, July 13th, 2012 10:52am
Completely free website allows you to find fellow mountain, road and leisure riders – whatever your ability.
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 1:38pm
Five fantastic courses utilising Shropshire's best mountain bike trails and taking in the area's most stunning road riding spots.
Thursday, July 5th, 2012 8:17am
We’re cutting the prices across our massive range of bikes, clothing, shoes and accessories, making this the event of the summer you don’t want to miss out on.
Monday, July 2nd, 2012 11:09am
Enter now to win cool prizes for kids including bikes, a stunt display for your school and more!


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Cotton prices slid in February, dipping below $0.57 per pound for the first time in more than a year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The seven-market U.S. average cotton spot price, which ended 2015 at $0.6262 per pound, plunged by almost 11 percent in the first two months of 2016, $0.56. The low for the year, just over $0.56, was reached in late January. The high of almost $0.65 happened in June.
Soft cotton prices are expected to continue as reductions in both supply and demand grip the world market. The USDA has decreased its forecasts for both global production and consumption in each of the past six months.
In the latest month, the estimate for the world cotton crop was reduced by 172,000 bales, to 101.4 million, down from 119.2 million in the prior year season.
The largest country-level reductions for production have been for India, Brazil and several African countries.
The most current estimate for the world’s consumption was reduced by 1.3 million bales, to 109.6 million. The largest reductions in consumption have been for China, largely because of lack of information about sales of its huge cotton reserves.
The ending stock estimate for the current season is now 104.1 million, a sizable drop from 2014/2015’s 112.2 million bales.
A smooth Brexit. That's what the European Apparel & Textile Confederation Euratex is advocating in the hopes of keeping the intertwined supply chains of Europe and England functioning.Read more
From closed-loop cards to digital wallets, here’s the innovations that will drive retail payments in upcoming years.Read more
As shoplifters become more brazen and dishonest employees more greedy, many retailers report their loss prevention departments are falling behind in manpower and skills.Read more
E-commerce is rolling along at a dynamic pace for most retailers, but logistical challenges to maintaining profitable and efficient operations remain.Read more
Hoping to quell misconceptions about organic cotton and its differences from the conventional kind, Textile Exchange released a Quick Guide to Organic Cotton. The fact sheet, out Friday, points to organic cotton as a preferred fiber, or one that is ecologically and socially progressive, and outlines exactly why.Read more
Old-fashioned tailoring doesn't apply for Crisp Clothing’s advanced apparel concept.Read more
Conserving natural resources and reducing an environmental footprint have become top priorities for China’s textile sector.Read more