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Video games have always been one of the things that have managed to thrill people from different age groups. And that has to do a lot with the kind of video game that are coming out. The action game is something that has always been on the favorite list of all the gamers across the world. It’s almost the same thing for the gamers who like sports games. But there are gamers who like to play games like the ones in the Uncharted series. It has been absolutely sensational how Uncharted has managed to grab the attention of the gamers particularly with the great adventures and realistic approach of the game.
However, things are not looking brighter for all those who are looking forward to Uncharted 5 game. This is because of the fact that there has been a clear indication at the end of the fourth game in the series that the protagonist of the game is slowly reaching his ripe age and it’s time that he hangs up his boots. But the fans are very much eager to see the series being continued further and as things stand, Naughty Dog might just make some way for the other developers in order to come up with the next edition of the game in the Uncharted series.
In the case of a new edition of the game Uncharted 5, there are going to be a number of changes which might come out. Although there are minimal chances of the new game in the Uncharted series getting launched, there is no lack of rumors and speculations of the fans regarding the new game in the series from Naughty Dog or any other game developer who might take up the remnants from Naughty Dog. One of the most popular speculations has been the rise of Nathan Drake’s daughter Cassie Drake. It is believed that Cassie Drake will perhaps become the protagonist of the game if there is any Uncharted 5. And that would make one of the best bets at the moment if any game developer decides to develop the game Uncharted 5.
Not just the protagonist, there might be other changes in the game as well. The assisting characters of Nathan Drake might also change, and Cassie’s friends might take their places. That will certainly make it really interesting for the young gamers, and that will make them identify with the character much more easily. Also, the maps will change as well, and things will certainly get much tougher for Cassie and her companions. But then there is no confirmation that there is going to be these new things in the game.
However, the fans who have been eagerly looking for an update on the game Uncharted 5 might be pleased to come across the news that there is going to be a movie adaptation of the games in the Uncharted series. The movie which’s still in its early days is expected to be the prequel to the games. And it will portray how Nathan Drake rose to prominence. That comes as a really great news for the fans who are keen on some sort of an update on Uncharted 6 about its release date.


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A lot of big important phones have come out recently. If you picked up a new device, you're going to want a few apps and games to put it through its paces. You're probably already tapped out from buying the phone, so we've got some sales for you. See? We're helping.
The stock Google Calendar app gets the job done, sure, but don't you ever want something a little more powerful? Today Calendar is out of beta today, so maybe it's your next stop. This app is based on the AOSP calendar, but developer Jack Underwood made a lot of tweaks in the name of improving the look and features.
Until Android Wear comes to consumers, Pebble is going to continue to have the most robust app ecosystem of any wearable device. Music Boss is a particularly impressive app for the Pebble. It connects to your phone to control music playback with the Pebble's built-in buttons. The most recent update streamlines the process a bit by properly detecting what's going on with the phone.
Sonos released a beta app a few weeks back that is much less... unattractive. The company isn't stopping with the looks, though. Sonos is getting official support for Google Play Music today, allowing you to stream tunes directly to your Sonos speakers from Google's cloud.

domain: news


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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) -- Sprint is launching a new program that gives customers unlimited talk, text and high speed data and the chance to upgrade their smartphone every 12 months.
The company said that the Sprint One Up program will cost $65 a month, which is $15 less a month than its Unlimited, My Way standard rate plan. Customers are guaranteed unlimited talk, text and data for as long as the phone line is in service.
The program is available to new and existing customers on Unlimited, My Way and My All-in plans beginning on Friday. It is not yet available in Florida or Washington, D.C.
Customers who want to sign up for the Sprint One Up program must buy an eligible smartphone or tablet and agree to two years of installment payments. Sprint said that once a customer makes 12 straight payments, they can upgrade to a new smartphone or tablet.
Rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless also allow customers to upgrade their phones more frequently than the traditional two years, but the customer pays the full price of the phone in installments without a reduction in the fees for voice, text and data. Normally, the phone is subsidized, and the phone company makes it for it through monthly service fees. T-Mobile USA also allows for frequent updates; customers pay $10 a month to participate. For all customers, T-Mobile has reduced the service fees while making customers pay for the phone in installments.
Sprint Corp.'s stock fell 22 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $6.26 in afternoon trading. The shares have traded between $5.61 and $7.26 over the past year.


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19 Sep 2018 ID: 426233486
Ashwani Gupta is Alliance Senior Vice President of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi LCV Business.
06 Sep 2018 ID: 426232896
One year since its global unveil, the new Nissan LEAF continues to blaze a trail with a series of awards and record-breaking sales.
Nissan Intelligent Mobility rewarded at Auto Express New Car Awards 2018 with special honours for Qashqai and new LEAF
03 Jul 2018 ID: 426230073
Nissan Intelligent Mobility has been honoured with two special awards at the Auto Express New Car Awards 2018 for the Nissan Qashqai and the new 2018 Nissan LEAF.
26 Jun 2018 ID: 426229304
Nissan in Europe today announced that Jesse Verstraete has been appointed Vice President of Communications.


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About Chuck Vandenberg 4541 Articles
Pen City Current and pencitycurrent.com are products of Market Street Publishing, LLC, a multi-platform media company delivering hyper-local news, sports and advertising information to Fort Madison, IA and surrounding communities.
Fort Madison Police Report 10/05/18 – 6:44 a.m. – Fort Madison Police responded to a report of a larceny/theft in the 1400 block of Avenue C. 10/05/18 – 7:04 a.m. – Fort Madison Police responded [Read More…]
Submitted article FORT MADISON – The Fort Madison Area Chamber of Commerce is reminding everyone that a volunteer community effort designed to remove litter and debris from parks, recreational areas, shorelines and waterways, while inspiring [Read More…]
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR LEE COUNTY – Packed coffee houses and sandwich shops in Lee County were the springboard of a national news cycle introducing Beto O’Rourke to the 2020 Presidential race, as well as [Read More…]


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Drug shortages are an increasing problem—witness the news this week that the chemotherapy drug vincristine, a mainstay in fighting pediatric cancer, is in such short supply that doctors may be forced to start rationing, according to published reports. On Wednesday, the FDA said fiscal year 2018 saw a record number of generic drug approvals.
Fiscal year 2018 saw a record number of generic drug approvals, the FDA said, amid continuing concerns about shortages of critical drugs and rising costs.
Drug shortages are an increasing problem—witness the news this week that the chemotherapy drug vincristine, a mainstay in fighting pediatric cancer, is in such short supply that doctors may be forced to start rationing, according to published reports.
Such care interruptions have become more common, due to shortages of older, off-patent drugs and insufficient generic competition. Besides creating patient care issues, the shortages also limit potential cost savings.
In the statement released Wednesday, the FDA notes that generic drugs account for about 90% of all prescription drug purchases; last year, competition from generic drugs saved the about $293 billion.
In 2017, the FDA released the Drug Competition Action Plan, and implemented certain aspects of the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments included in the FDA Reauthorization Act, to promote competition among drugs no longer protected by market exclusivity and expedite application review of generics.
In the statement Wednesday, Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless, MD, said the FDA's actions are working, creating "a thriving generic drug program that continues to impress me." He said fiscal year 2019 figures overall show a total of 1171 generic drug approvals (935 full approvals and 236 tentative approvals), compared with last year's previous record of 971.
Of the 1171, 125 applications were for first generics of medicines that had no generic competition, including an emergency opioid overdose treatment and drugs to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, breast cancer, seizures, depression and various infections. He also said the FDA is approving increasing numbers of complex generic drugs, which are harder to copy and traditionally have lacked competition.
Recently, researchers attempted to characterize generic drug approvals in the wake of generic drug shortages, including ones with limited competition. The objective of their study was to characterize those recent generic drug approvals, particularly for drugs with limited competition or had previously been in shortage, and to see if there has been any noticeable impact from the FDA’s efforts. But their results indicate it is too early to tell.
Writing in JAMA Network Open last week, researchers describe using the Drugs@FDA database to identify all abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) approved by FDA from July 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018.
FDA policy defines competition as the presence of 2 or fewer versus 3 or more existing manufacturers of a generic drug at the time of approval. A prior drug shortage is defined as any drug shortage lasting 1 month or longer for the same active ingredient and dosage from within 5 years prior to approval.
The authors excluded tentative approvals, biologic treatments, over-the-counter products, and discontinued ANDAs. They included the corresponding brand-name drug’s initial approval year, priority review status, Orphan Drug Act designation, World Health Organization essential medicine status, therapeutic area based on World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code classification, and drug complexity.
Between July 2016 to December 2018, the FDA approved 1832 ANDAs covering 533 different active ingredients.
In the third quarter of 2016, there were 133 ANDA approvals; after increasing for a time, they fell to 102 ANDA approvals in the first quarter of 2018. They rose to 262 ANDA approvals in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The corresponding brand-name products for these generic drugs were most commonly approved from 1995 to 2004 (761 drugs [41.5%]). By category, they treated neurologic (426 drugs [23.3%]), cardiovascular (256 drugs [14.0%]), or infectious (229 drugs [12.5%]) diseases.
Of the 741 brand-name drugs:
Among the 1832 ANDA approvals, 374 (20.4%) were in limited competition at the time of approval, ranging from 27 drugs (14.2%) in the third quarter of 2017 to 39 drugs (29.3%) in the third quarter of 2016.
In addition, 717 drugs (39.1%) had experienced a shortage in the previous 5 years, ranging from 45 drugs (28.1%) in the fourth quarter of 2016 to 107 drugs (46.1%) a year later.
Even though the total number of generic drug applications approved by the FDA rose slightly, the proportion of approvals for drugs that faced limited competition or had previously been in shortage remained steady, the authors write.
There were some limits to their work, the authors note; they only examined FDA approvals, not whether companies brought their approved drug to market after approval. In addition, other studies have defined shortages differently.
Although the results suggest that the result of the FDA’s actions to expand approvals for generic drugs at risk for price hikes and shortages are not yet evident, the authors note that ANDAs take time for the manufacturer to prepare and then another 6 to 12 months for regulatory review.
Despite that possible explanation for the lack of a sustained effect of the FDA’s actions, continued focus on this issue is still needed, the authors write.
Jiao K, Gupta R, Fox E, Kesselheim A, Ross JS. Characteristics of recent generic drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration [published online October 11, 2019]. JAMA Netw Open. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13029.


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The introduction of these changes may cause a conflict with EU member nations that are against a complete prohibition on the use of artificial intelligence. Chinese mobile phone manufacturers operating in India were urged by the Centre to incorporate Indian partners into their local operations. Indian executives in crucial roles like CEO, COO, CFO and CTO have been included in the government’s request. Additionally, manufacturers have been instructed to collaborate with Indian contract manufacturers, enhance local manufacturing capabilities by forming joint ventures with Indian companies at the component level and involve local distributors in their operations. The two companies have been collaborating on chip development since late 2021, but now have a joint venture. Silicon Auto will be able to supply components to other companies.
India’s New Raw Chief Ravi Sinha Is A Tech-savvy Operations Expert
The registration process was scheduled to start at 11 am at Bangalore One, Karnataka One and Grama One center and 3 pm at Gram Panchayat and electricity offices. The registration process for the scheme was supposed to start on June 15, but was delayed to June 18 to fortify the portal. When the consumers went to the portal on Sunday, they were disappointed as the page leading to registration was not open.
According to the study conducted by S&P Global Mobility, the safety features were the most desirable among the respondents. SEJ provides timely, relevant information for marketers and entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses and careers. On the first day of the scheme’s registration, the Energy Department said there was a good response. The registration began at all three centers in the State.
HiiROC went on to win the global competition at the Web Summit in Lisbon. Only 61% of respondents wanted a fully self driving car, according to reports. Almost half of the respondents were open to riding in a car with self driving abilities and would consider buying one. The regulators concluded that Google had abused its power by forcing a monopoly on the advertising business. The EU has been investigating the ad tech business for two years and ordered it to be sold.
According to statements made by Jack Dorsey, the co founder and ex CEO of Twitter, the Indian government exerted pressure on the platform to restrict accounts during the farmer protests. The Indian government threatened to shut down the company’s offices and conduct raids on employees’ residences if it did not comply, according to Dorsey. He mentioned in an interview that he received requests to block accounts related to the farmers’ protests and journalists who criticized the government. Mobile Drive is a joint venture between the two companies that specializes in the development of in car multimedia and communications for automotive applications. Business alliances that would have seemed odd a few years ago are now being formed by the convergence of electronics and vehicles.
According to the senior director of product management at Ribbon Communications, cloud native architectures allow service providers to speed up 5G adoption. Realme is facing a probe by the central government over the alleged collection of the private data of its users, including call logs, usage statistics, and the device’s location. Businesses of all sizes can effectively reach new customers with our advertising technology tools. The publisher and advertiser sector is very competitive and we are committed to creating value for them. The commission has been investigating a small part of our advertising business for a long time. One of China’s most prominent technology firms is based in Hangzhou, and has operations in cloud computing, e commerce, logistics, media and entertainment and artificial intelligence.
The platform has not been paid rent since March, which works out to be around $27,000 per month. According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, almost half of the world’s smartphones sold in the first three months of the year came with anOLED screen. Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker shows that the share of Tech News OLED display smartphones in global sales hit a record high in the first quarter. The national capital has experienced early summer and sudden rains this year. The city had a cool May with the maximum temperature being degrees below normal. By 2037, the demand for cooling equipment such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and cold chains is likely to be eight times higher than the current demand, according to a World Bank report.
The company announced that it is investing in machine learning tools that can detect, prevent and remove junk mail from the platform. When it comes to seemingly generic or universal symbols like the depiction of an apple, there is a lot of controversy surrounding intellectual property rights. The outcome of Apple’s appeal will be watched closely. The European Union legislators have come to a consensus on proposed revisions to the regulations governing artificial intelligence. The updated regulations include a ban on the use of artificial intelligence for facial recognition and mandate that generative artificial intelligence systems reveal their generated content. These amendments are part of the EU Commission’s legislation that protects individuals from potential risks related to artificial intelligence.
Two years ahead of schedule, Transamerica ended its 10 year deal with TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES, and is now planning to reduce its reliance on third party IT vendors.
As part of these changes, Tinder will remove social handles from public bios that promote their social profiles to gain followers, sell things, or campaign. Apple applied to the Swiss Institute of Intellectual Property for the right to make a realistic depiction of the Granny Smith apple. The application covered a wide range of potential uses for electronic, digital and audiovisual consumer goods and hardware. The institute partially granted Apple’s request last year.
Following a record number of applications, 10 successful tech businesses from eight regions across the UK have been selected to take part in pitching competition throughout June. A group of 80 tech businesses from across the UK have been selected by the Emerging Giants practice to go head to head in a bid to win the title of Tech Innovator in the UK. Consumers don’t like paying more for safety features because they don’t like the idea of having to pay more. More than 50% of car buyers want the safety features to be standard. The study shows that customers are more interested in the ADAS tech, which brings in multiple safety features like blind spot detection, a backup camera, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.


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RAPF to distribute Farmers to Families food boxes Feb. 11
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin has partnered with the USDA to distribute healthy food directly to high-need areas, free of charge.
The drive-thru mobile pantry will take place Thursday, Feb. 11 at the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry (RAFP). Distribution is expected to begin around 9:30 a.m.
There is a one-box limit and by accepting a box, citizens are certifying they are food insecure, lack money or other resources, and are in need of the Farmers to Families Food Boxes for their household use.
Enter behind the pantry from Carr Street, exiting onto Coon Street. The line will start at the RAFP driveway on Carr, to Coon, then right on Newell Street. Line up on the side of the cemetery, but do not block driveways, entrances or exits.
Participants should have their vehicle’s trunk open or be prepared to load the box into the vehicle themselves if the trunk is not available. This is a no-contact pickup so everyone going through the line will be required to wear a face covering.


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The Reality of AR
Augmented reality and digital print go hand in hand.
Ever since the launch of the widely popular augmented reality (AR) Pokémon Go mobile game in 2016, AR technology has been on the rise. AR involves superimposing computer-generated data onto existing real-world views, which makes the technology accessible via the smartphone devices owned by 77 percent of Americans. The fact that real-world elements are required for AR experiences is great news for PSPs; augmented reality – which often requires scanning a code/image to begin the experience – and digitally printed elements go hand in hand.
According to a report from eMarketer, 68.7 million people are expected to use AR at least once per month in the US in 2019. Hello, great opportunity. Your shop can be on the cutting edge of technology and establish itself as an industry thought leader; the possibilities at the juncture of digital print + AR are vast and virtually untapped, especially in the wide-format space. Imagine scanning a concert poster and the band appearing right before your eyes, persuading you to buy tickets. Or a construction wrap that gives a tour of the finished retail space. Now is the time to set your business apart by tapping into this emerging market. Here, we offer a glimpse of the digital print opportunities made possible by AR technology.
Capitalizing on AR
To celebrate the Washington Capitals #ALLCAPS Fan Week in April, presented by Bud Light, the NHL team crafted a fun and unique way for fans to celebrate: augmented reality coasters. The team partnered with Bud Light and Balti Virtual to create coasters that launch an AR game, available for free at two Capitals games and 22 DC-area bars. (Out of town fans could get in on the fun by downloading and printing their own, too.) By scanning the coasters with the AppAR8 app, users opened the Tilt the Ice game, transforming the coaster into a rink with an interactive, 3D goaltender. By tilting the coaster left and right, gamers controlled the goalie to get as many saves as possible before the timer ran out. The use of image recognition and a native app available in the Apple and Google Play stores enabled the AR experience to be controlled by the digital print, rather than the phone.
"At Monumental Sports and Entertainment, we are always looking for new and emerging technologies that will enhance our fans’ experience and connection with our brand and believe this game, the first of its kind in the NHL, is a perfect step into the always advancing AR field," said James Heuser, Capitals senior director of digital media, in a release. Users were encouraged to screenshot and share their high scores on social media for a chance to win prizes – connecting digital print to AR to cyberspace. Win, win, win.
The reality of climate change can be hard to visualize; most people don’t encounter starving polar bears, shrunken glaciers, and rising sea levels on a daily basis. An interactive, mixed-reality art installation in the heart of NYC’s Times Square aimed to change that by (literally!) immersing visitors in the discussion around climate change.
From July to September of last year, Times Square visitors could experience a future where global warming has gone unchecked, with rising waters and boats floating down Broadway Plaza 26 feet in the air. Artist Mel Chin’s two-part installation, Wake and Unmoored, was presented by Times Square Arts, No Longer Empty, and Queens Museum in partnership with UNC Asheville and Microsoft. Wake featured a 24 x 34 x 60-foot installation of a shipwreck with a 21-foot-tall animatronic sculpture, serving as an entry point into Unmoored, the mixed and augmented reality activation available through Microsoft HoloLens headsets or an iOS/Android app for smartphones.
Users located one of the six nodes positioned near the Wake installation, which activated the AR experience: The shipwreck transformed into a full-scale model of the USS Nightingale, other boats made their way downstream until they were bunched in a gridlock, and sea life appeared.
According to a release, “With Wake and Unmoored, Chin hopes to spark deeper personal investigations through digital devices, and provoke an enlightened stewardship of human actions in relation to global warming realities. … Chin creates a virtual gateway to an alternate future to test viewers’ imaginations about our place in the Earth’s transforming climate.”
Physical components of the installation were engineered and fabricated at UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio, while 100 square feet of graphics for containers and a kiosk near the Unmoored activation were printed by Knam Media with an HP Latex 360 onto 3M Controltac Graphic Film with Comply v3 Adhesive IJ180Cv3-10, finished with 3M Scotchcal Matte Overlaminate 8520.


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NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 1- Britam Holdings Plc has announced that it will lay off some of its workers as part of a new organisational structure that it is currently implementing.
In a statement, the regional insurer says the reorganisation is expected to lead to a leaner executive team with fewer reporting layers that will support the company’s growth in an increasingly competitive business environment.
The move, which is the result of a business strategy review spearheaded by the Board, for the period 2021- 2025, will result in a more competitive, efficient and customer-centric organisation.
Additionally, it will gear the organisation for enhanced digital innovation in its solutions and in product development.
“The review of the organisational structure is also expected to significantly improve service standards, reduce corporate and shared service costs, reduce unnecessary overlaps and put the customer at the centre of the business,” the company said.
“The business realignment process will result in the elimination of some roles.”
Employees in the affected roles and positions are expected to exit the business under a Voluntary Early Retirement program.
Under the VER programme, exiting employees will receive an attractive package that is well above the industry average.
This process is expected to conclude at the end of May 2021.
The insurer announced a Sh1.6 billion loss for the first six months of operations in 2020, plunging from a Sh1.7 billion profit posted in a similar period in 2019.
The company attributed the loss to the falling share values at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).


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Craft beer aficionados to open Lake Zurich restaurant this summer
By Phil Rockrohr
Mar 15, 2016 | 1:26 PM
A group of local craft beer aficionados hope to fill what they see as an vacant niche in Lake Zurich when they open Consume restaurant in June.
On March 7, the Village Board granted Consume, currently under construction at 569 W. Illinois Route 22, a rare combination of liquor licenses that will allow the restaurant to both serve alcohol and sell it in packaged form from a small store within the business.
"(The four owners are) a group of friends, and we have a passion for quality beer and food products," said Reed Bartuska, co-owner. "There is no great bar in the area that has those two things in one place. And we think we found a good location."
Consume, which will offer seating for more than 80 people spread over 3,000 square feet, will serve 50 to 60 bottled or canned beers, 24 draft beers, and six draft wines, with an emphasis on green culture, Bartuska said.
"There will be no waste and we will be eco-friendly," he said. "For example, draft wine is served only in kegs. There is no waste of wine, cork or anything else."
"There's going to be a lot of reclaimed wood, dark-stained oak-top tables," he said. "We're trying to make it feel friendly, rustic."
The restaurant will contain an 80-foot-long bar and a 150-square-foot bottle shop where customers will be able to purchase craft beer to go, Bartuska said.
The combination of carry-out and service licenses is rare in Lake Zurich, Assistant Village Manager Roy Witherow said. Mariano's is the only other business in the village to hold both licenses, he said.
Bartuska and his partners, all three of whom were the previous owners of Foremost Liquors in Arlington Heights, have worked in the beer and restaurant industry for many years, he said.
"So we have good connections to get good stuff," Bartuska said. "We'll have a good selection."
"They were selling more and more craft beer to point that they got an offer to sell," Bartuska said. "So they did and then took the opportunity to do this."
Bartuska has managed entertainment venues, including food and beverage establishments, for 15 years, he said.
"I've been on the warpath to start a business myself," he said. "I met these guys and they're very passionate about the industry and craft beer in general. When they sold the store, there was an opportunity available, so we got together and said, 'Let's do this.'"
Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press


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Solstice Arena Steam Launch Trailer
Solstice Arena’s PC version is set to launch on Steam, allowing players to jump into the action alongside Mac and Iphone players.
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Wineries, Vineyards & Related Businesses Provide $1.7 billion in Annual Economic Activity
Santa Barbara, CA, February 16, 2023 – The Santa Barbara County wine and winegrape sector and the related businesses that support the industry provide a total contribution of $1.7 billion in annual economic activity for Santa Barbara County, according to a new report commissioned by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG).
The report also shows that the Santa Barbara County wine industry provides 10,202 local jobs and $602.6 million in annual wages and benefits. The local winemaking industry also generates $117.2 million in annual tourism spending from its 1.1 million annual visitors.
“Santa Barbara County is a significant contributor to the local, state, and national economies with jobs, tax revenue, and community donations,” said Alison Laslett, CEO of the Santa Barbara Vintners. “Santa Barbara Wine Country is home to both well-known and small production vintners that take great pride in providing jobs, producing quality wines, and protecting the beauty and vitality of our community for future generations.”
Named Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year in 2021, Santa Barbara County is known internationally for producing diverse premium wines with its patchwork of microclimates. The region has 327 area wineries and vineyards that produce more than 70 different winegrape varieties on 15,750 acres. There are seven AVAs that include the Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Happy Canyon, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez Valley, and Alisos Canyon.
Economic Impact Report Highlights for Santa Barbara County Wine Sector:
- $1.7 billion in annual economic activity generated by wineries, vineyards & related businesses
- 1.1 million tourists visited Santa Barbara County wineries
- $117.2 million in annual tourism spending
- 10,202 jobs provided to Santa Barbara County
- $602.6 million in annual wages and benefits in the wine industry
Santa Barbara County’s wine sector is also a dedicated community partner, contributing to the California wine industry’s donation of $291.2 million to charities throughout the state.
Laslett also notes that Santa Barbara County is welcoming a new winery, a luxury hotel, and multiple renovations to area properties later this year.
About the Research
Economic Impact of California Wine and Grapes on Santa Barbara 2022 measures the full economic impact of the wine and winegrape industries in terms of employment, wages, output, taxes, tourism spending and visits, and charitable giving. “The Economic Impact of California Wine on Santa Barbara County” was prepared by John Dunham & Associates. It uses a standard and widely used methodology, which includes direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts, to present the full picture. The IMPLAN model, initially developed by the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Minnesota (and now maintained by IMPLAN, Inc.), is used by many companies worldwide and government agencies such as the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Economic Research Service, and Federal Reserve Bank.
About Santa Barbara Vintners
Santa Barbara Vintners (Santa Barbara County Vintners Association) is a non-profit 501(c)6 organization founded in 1983 to protect and promote Santa Barbara County as a world-class wine producing and winegrape growing region. The association includes winery members whose annual production is at least 75% Santa Barbara County (or sub-AVA) labeled and extensive industry-associated members. The association produces festivals; educational seminars and tastings; provides information to consumers, trade, and media; and advocates for the Santa Barbara County wine and grape industry. For additional information, visit https://www.sbcountywines.com/ and follow @santabarbarawinecountry on Facebook and Instagram, and @sbcwines on Twitter.
Santa Barbara County wineries, vineyards, and related businesses that support the industry provide a total contribution of $1.7 billion in annual economic activity for Santa Barbara County, according to a new report commissioned by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG).


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Cars made by South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate, Kia Motors Corp, are loaded onto a transport ship destined for the US at Hyundai’s shipyard in Ulsan City, in South Gyeongsang Province on Monday. The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, the world’s fifth-largest car maker, on Monday said its cumulative overseas sales have reached 50 million units.Apr 10, 2013
Photo: EPA / YONHAP
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5[ LETTER ]


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WASHINGTON — Medtronic Inc. said yesterday it has resolved two warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration over lax oversight at two manufacturing plants, clearing the way for new product approvals.
The FDA cited the company in November 2009 and June 2009 over problems at facilities in Mounds View, Minn., and Juncos, Puerto Rico. The violations involved unsatisfactory procedures for preventing and identifying problems with its devices, documenting those problems, and notifying the FDA.
The FDA typically withholds approval of new products when there are outstanding problems at a facility where they would be manufactured. The Mounds View facility houses Medtronic’s heart rhythm product unit, its largest business by sales. The warning letter there has held up the approval of several devices.
The Puerto Rico facility manufactures diabetes, neurological, and heart devices.
The warning letters have been one of several negative factors pressuring the company’s stock the last several years. In 2007 the company issued a high-profile recall of wires used with its defibrillator implants due to a problem that could cause them to break and fail. Two years later the company recalled thousands of pacemakers due to a defect.


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HCM CITY (VNS) — The southernmost province of Ca Mau has set a target to attract 910,000 visitors this year, including 19,000 international travelers. To this end, the province's tourism sector has begun a campaign to popularise the region through exploiting existing tourism attractions, and connecting with neighboring provinces and cities.
The province received 27,000 tourists in the first two months of this year, up 19 per cent year-on-year.
Total turn-over from tourism in the past two months reached VND22 billion ($1,1 million), up 23 per cent on last year. — VNS


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Police warn Cecil residents to be aware of package theft
— ‘Tis the season to be vigilant — for anyone who orders merchandise on the internet for home delivery, according to the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office.
CCSO officials are cautioning Cecil County residents to take measures to safeguard packages scheduled for delivery to their homes, explaining that there is a significant spike in thefts of packages delivered to home doorsteps this time of year and that it correlates to the big rise in Christmasrelated package deliveries.
“Over the past couple of years, we have seen a dramatic increase in thefts of delivered packages from front porches, doorsteps and mailboxes during this time of year. More people are ordering stuff on the internet and there is a criminal element out there that will take advantage of it,” said Lt. Michael Holmes, a CCSO spokesman.
Police officials urge residents to track the movement of their ordered packages online, after placing an order, so they will know the day of delivery. Making inquiries of the parcel company handling the package might even help residents narrow down a timeframe in which the delivery will be made.
By tracking the delivery process, residents can be at home when the package arrives. Or, if being at home isn’t possible, a homeowner can arrange for a family member, friend or neighbor to be there to collect the delivered package.
“You don’t want the package sitting out too long after it is delivered,” Holmes said, explaining that the window of opportunity for a thief to steal a delivered package is quite narrow when a homeowner collects the package quickly.
Holmes also suggested that neighbors increase their level of vigilance during this time of year.
“If you see a suspicious person in your neighborhood or if you see subjects you don’t recognize sitting inside a parked vehicle for a long period of time, call the police and report the suspicious activity,” Holmes said.
In December 2015, two adult brothers stole more than 50 delivered packages from the doorsteps and porches of Elkton homes during a one-day spree before Elkton Police Department officers were able to nab them, police said.
The perpetrators had followed a delivery truck on its route and targeted homes where the packages had been dropped off, police added.
Investigators were helped by a homeowner’s security camera, which yielded video of the suspects, and by a resident who saw the brothers discard her package in a garbage bin, police reported.
Each brother pleaded guilty to a theft charge in March, as part of a plea agreement, according to Cecil County District Court records. They received sentences of 18 and 15 months, and both were ordered to serve two years of supervised probation, court records show.


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Three University of Louisiana at Lafayette students placed highly in the eighth annual collegiate sales competition that was recently hosted by the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration.
Several students participated in the competition held in the Northwestern Mutual Sales and Research Lab in Moody Hall. They delivered mock sales pitches to representatives of local companies, who posed as potential buyers for simulated businesses.
A panel of local sales professionals judged participants on how well they performed in areas such as effective communication, use of visual aids, and ascertaining potential buyers’ needs in real time through the video-enabled lab technology.
The event also featured a networking hour where students had the opportunity to meet and talk with judges and local industry professionals.
Wendy Hebert, a marketing senior from Lafayette, La., placed first. Sureena Patel, a general studies senior from Lafayette, La., placed second. Brooke Landry, a marketing junior from Lafayette, La., placed third.
Photo Caption: Pictured from left to right is Assistant Professor of Sales Dr. Brent Baker, Brooke Landry, Wendy Hebert, Sureena Patel, and Reece Theriot, Instructor of Sales and Entrepreneurship.


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To put it mildly, the fast emergence of AI has stirred up conflicting emotions. As a “force for good,” it is praised by some experts, while others warn that it also poses a “risk of extinction.”
Decision intelligence startup Morning Consult Pro polled 1,000 individuals in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK to get a sense of how European customers feel about artificial intelligence.
With the exception of Spain, where it comes fourth, the poll revealed that AI-powered web search is one of the top three most intriguing applications worldwide.
The incorporation of AI into medical diagnoses, road assistance, and airline and lodging suggestions also thrill the respondents .The overwhelming majority of polled European consumers do, however, feel that society is not yet ready for AI. The strongest emotion was voiced by 74% and 70% of respondents in France and Germany, respectively.
The reasons for the delay include worries about the dissemination of false information, child safety, and the privacy of personal information. Only around three out of ten responders specifically trust generative AI with their personal information.
The primary concern in the UK and Spain is the hasty development of AI by IT firms.
Concerns about AI are closely related to the need for regulation made by European consumers. In all markets, more than half of respondents concur that there should be strict government regulation of AI. The figure rises to 66% in Spain and 64% in the UK, where the government supports a method based on innovation rather of the tougher, more risk-based AI Act of the EU.
Consumers are interested in AI, which they anticipate will play a significant role in the future, according to the survey’s overall findings. However, there are also a lot of worries about the possible misuse of technology and its unpredictability.
“Companies seeking to integrate AI into their products and services should be cognizant of where consumers draw the line.”
— Jordan Marlatt, Lead Tech Analyst at Moring Consult Pro


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- Tesla's historic price decline has helped drag ARK Invest's flagship fund to five-year lows.
- The Ark Innovation ETF fell to its lowest level since August 2017 on Tuesday, while Tesla hit its lowest level since November 2020.
- Despite steep declines, Cathie Wood is buying more Tesla, and investors are buying more of the ARKK ETF.
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest saw its flagship innovation ETF fall as much as 2% on Tuesday, hitting a new five-year low. The ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is now trading at its lowest level since August 2017.
Back then, the ARKK ETF had assets under management of just under $100 million. Today, ARKK has total assets under management of $6.7 billion.
The decline comes as Tesla, ARKK's third largest holding, suffers its worst decline since going public in 2010.
Tesla stock has wiped out nearly $800 billion in market value since the start of the year, according to data from YCharts. Meanwhile, the stock is down 66% from its November 2021 high, representing its worst drawdown on record.
On Tuesday, Tesla stock fell another 5% to hit its lowest level since November 2020.
The steep decline for Tesla has come amid growing concerns of high interest rates and an imminent economic recession, combined with investor concerns about CEO Elon Musk's committement to running the company as he shifts his focus to managing Twitter.
The swift decline in Twitter is a reversal in fortunes for ARKK, which rode the Tesla wave to great heights in 2021 as the stock price soared. And while it used to be able to point to Tesla as one of its few winners among its other holdings, that is no longer the case.
Every single one of ARKK's 30 holdings printed negative gains in 2022, with the best performing position down 24%.
Despite the pain, Wood isn't backing away from Tesla. Instead, she has added about 100,000 Tesla shares to the ARKK fund since last week. And to that effect, retail investors don't seem to be giving up on Cathie Wood. Net fund flows into the ARKK ETF are hovering around $1.5 billion since the start of the year, according to data from VettaFi.
The the net fund inflows into the ARKK ETF can't mask the pain that investors have suffered over the past two years, as the ARKK ETF has fallen 80% from its February 2021 high, erasing more than $20 billion in assets.


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Despite a well-financed lobbying campaign by information technology heavyweights, committees in the House and Senate have voted to end the "cooperative purchasing'' law, which allows state and local governments to buy products from the online catalogs maintained by the General Services Administration, bypassing small companies not wired into the Washington procurement scene.
The winning coalition of small companies includes pharmaceutical companies, tractor dealers, fire engine manufacturers and computer shops.
"This would have given very large companies a lock on all state and local business," said Kenton Pattie, a lobbyist based in Annandale, Va., who lobbied members of Congress on behalf of the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association, which formed a broad 200-company coalition against cooperative purchasing.
The large companies lost because "they were outnumbered by thousands of small businesses [in all sectors of the economy] that protested to Congress," Pattie said.
However, some analysts and industry officials predict that local companies will lose out anyway as state and local governments increasingly rely on large companies for systems integration and outsourcing programs to cut costs and ease management burdens.
Large states like California, Texas, Florida and Ohio have already landed agreements with vendors to provide GSA-level pricing. More than half of the states operated under mandates that would significantly limit GSA schedule purchases, according to the U.S. General Accounting Office.
Following an earlier vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee, members of the House Appropriations Committee voted July 31 to kill cooperative purchasing. If, as seems likely, the full House and Senate approve the measure later this fall and President Bill Clinton also approves the measure, it would wipe out the cooperative purchasing law. Implementation of the law has been held up by stop-gap measures in Congress since its little-noticed passage in 1994.
Federal officials and elected leaders remain doubtful that cooperative purchasing can survive, and it's also unlikely that cooperative purchasing can be revived next year, GSA officials said.
"There's some indication that some [federal officials] are interested in trying to salvage it," said Ida Ustad, deputy associate administrator for acquisition policy at the GSA. "Whether they have much of a chance of succeeding becomes more difficult the further down the road we get.''
Large information technology companies supported the proposal, and although no formal study was completed, International Data Corp., the Framingham, Mass.-based research firm, estimates that cooperative purchasing could have eventually provided $1 billion in information technology sales for companies on the GSA's schedules within the next several years.
"In our world, it kills the whole idea of best value, and that's what competition is about,'' said Bob Laclede, national sales manager for Reston, Va.-based Decision Support Systems Inc., which deals with more than 280 resellers who have computer products on GSA schedules. "Why can't you negotiate the best price? This is a step back to the old ways.''
The biggest names had the most to gain from such a vehicle, while smaller local companies not on the GSA schedules would have been squeezed out, critics said.
Much of the current state, city and county government spending goes to local businesses, said Pattie. Moreover, local businesses benefit from spending by many government-backed operations, including hospitals, libraries, schools and utility companies, who could buy off the GSA schedules if the law is not killed, Pattie said.
Those stakes explain why those businesses lobbied hard to ensure that their carefully cultivated vendor relationships would not get plowed under by some big-time sales arrangement conjured up in distrusted Washington.
But local governments and smaller states would have benefited, given their relative lack of access to volume-based purchase discounts, said Milford Sprecher, IDC's program director who tracks state and local government technology use.
"This is unfortunate,'' Sprecher said. "Some states were not interested in it. But certainly some would have used it and, especially, the local governments would have. To me, it's a very logical thing to do. It just makes good sense.''
Local companies lost the battle during a tense July 31 meeting where House members voted on the final draft of the bill appropriating funds to a variety of government agencies, including the Treasury Department.
Rep. James Moran, D-Va., sought approval for an amendment that would have ended the cooperative purchasing plan for all industries except the information technology industry. His amendment was rejected without a formal tally of votes, partly because of opposition from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Livingston, R-La., and from Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas, the Republican whip.
"We are looking at options. ... We are not going to let it drop," said James McIntyre, a spokesman for Moran.
One plan would be to seek another vote on the issue when the appropriations bill is debated by the full House of Representatives in September, he said. However, the overwhelming rejection of the amendment leaves little hope that it could win during a later vote, said congressional staff members. Also, the Senate has already voted to kill the cooperative purchasing plan.
The Beltway companies lost because "there are lot of people who feel very passionate about this at the local level," said Larry Gately, a vice president at Gately Communication Co. Inc., Hampton, Va. This commitment helped win state and local politicians, who helped persuade House lawmakers to vote against the cooperative purchasing plan, he said.
"We have absolutely gone after local representatives because we are the people that put them in office," Gately said. Moreover, local government officials oppose the cooperative purchasing measure because it allows distant companies to win local contracts, hurting local employers and tax receipts, he said.
Ultimately, in light of the widespread, commercial-like changes that sweeping federal procurement reform has prompted, the defeat of cooperative purchasing is a huge disappointment, industry leaders said.


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In her series about the instant gratification economy, ReCode's Liz Gannes looks at the variety of delivery services accessible via smartphone that are emerging and the people that work for them. Among her examples, Instacart, which provides personalised grocery shopping on your behalf, or Munchery which promises to deliver meals created by the best chefs in town.
it can be too easy to forget that people make “instant” happen. And, generally, these people are not a traditionally stable workforce. They are instead a flexible and scalable network of workers — “fractional employees” — that tap in and tap out as needed, and as suits them.
It’s estimated that more than 100,000 of these jobs have been created, especially due to the largest on-demand mobile services: The ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft, whose drivers provide alternatives to taxis and other forms of transportation.
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|The Duck World|


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American Express has announced several senior leadership and organisational changes to position the company for growth during a time of change in the payments industry and take advantage of opportunities as the world economy comes out of the recession.
- The company’s global consumer, small business and network businesses will report to Edward Gilligan, vice chairman. Gilligan had previously led the global business-to-business group.
- A new global services organisation that includes company-wide customer service, technologies, operations, business processing and information management will report to Stephen Squeri, who has been promoted to group president. Squeri had been in charge of technologies and corporate development.
- A new enterprise growth organisation is being created to leverage existing assets, generate incremental fee revenue and drive the company’s entry into new payment areas and related businesses. A senior level executive from outside Amex is being recruited to head this organisation.
- Each of these executives will report to Kenneth Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO).
- With Gilligan taking on additional responsibilities, Anré Williams, president, global commercial card, and Charles Petruccelli, president, global business travel will also report to Chenault.
- Judson Linville continues as president and CEO, US Consumer Services, reporting to Gilligan. He is responsible for the consumer card, membership rewards and consumer travel businesses in the company’s largest market and for the prepaid card and travellers cheque businesses globally.
- In addition, Amex announced that president Alfred Kelly Jr has decided to leave the company early next year, to explore chief executive opportunities outside the company.
A report by broking group Marsh examines the repercussions from the administration of the South Korean company, which filed for bankruptcy protection at the end of August.
Global research by C2FO suggests that smaller businesses are less concerned with the repercussions of Brexit and the upcoming US presidential election.
A squeeze on skilled talent means it now takes an average of seven weeks to fill open permanent roles in finance in the UK according to new research from financial services recruitment firm Robert Half.
Early-stage merger and acquisition deals in Asia-Pacific show nearly 10% year-on-year growth in recent months.


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Spotify is offering a new bundle to new and existing subscribers: Its $9.99 per month Premium plan now includes access to all Hulu TV shows and movies through Hulu’s ad-supported tier, which costs $5.99 per month separately.
More and more people are cutting the cord and opting instead for less expensive, contract-free, Internet-based streaming services. According to a recent Nielsen report, the percent of US homes without traditional cable or satellite TV has increased 48% over the past 8 years, totaling about 16 million households. Spotify’s partnership with Hulu offers yet another incentive for people to ditch their cable bills, in addition to helping Spotify and Hulu distinguish themselves from their biggest competitors: Apple Music, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
Starting today, current Spotify subscribers can activate the Hulu bundle or link their existing Hulu accounts on Spotify’s Your Services page. New Spotify Premium users can sign up for a free 30-day trial that includes Hulu. After creating or linking a Hulu account, Spotify users can go to Hulu to watch TV and movies via supported devices or Hulu.com.
A spokesperson for Spotify said, "The bundle is available in perpetuity to those who opt-in before June 10." Additionally, if the price changes in the future, subscribers will be notified first, and can cancel the bundle at any time from the Spotify Account page.
But there’s a caveat: A promotional image for the deal says, “Limited quantity of offers: open until 6/10/19 or while supplies last.” The Hulu deal also does not apply to Spotify Family subscribers paying $14.99 per month for up to five people. Hulu is only available for those with an individual Spotify Premium subscription. Additionally, Hulu upgrades, like the ad-free plan ($11.99 per month) or the HBO add-on (an additional $14.99 per month), are not available through the bundle.
This is the first time Spotify is offering all Premium customers Hulu for no extra charge (Spotify Premium for students comes with Hulu and Showtime for $4.99 per month). Previously, the Spotify Premium + Hulu bundle, which launched April 2018, was $12.99 per month. Those subscribers will automatically switch to the new $9.99 price, starting today.
Updated to include more detail about Spotify Premium for students, which also includes access to Hulu.


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Biomutant update 2.09 (v1.7) is now available to download on PS5, PS4, and Xbox. According to the official Biomutant 2.09 patch notes, the latest update added the Japanese localization improvements and fixes. Apart from this, today’s Biomutant version 2.09 also includes personal improvements.
Previously, a big update added a long list of quality of life changes. Unfortunately, since the last patch, players are experiencing various issues with the game.
Today, Biomutant patch 2.09 will address a few of these issues. Read full details here.
Biomutant 2.09 Patch Notes (1.7) – November 5, 2021
- This update overhauls and improves the Japanese localization of the game.
- Added stability and performance enhancements.
- Added gameplay optimizations.
- Other minor fixes
Download free Biomutant patch 2.09 on Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.
#Biomutant #Update #Patch #Notes #v17 #Official


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Investors Are Eating Up Plant-Based Investment Opportunities By the Truck Load
FN Media Group Presents Microsmallcap.com Market Commentary
NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- While the food industry has seen a steady shift towards offering more plant-based options to their product lines, 2020 was indeed a mega-year for plant-based investment. In just the first three months of 2020 alone, US plant-based protein investment took in US$741 million. The global plant-based protein market is expected to continue a large growth trend, as it's projected by Emergen Research to grow to over US$16.6 billion by 2027. On the road to get there, several innovative companies are offering the market a wide variety of vegan-friendly options in both home delivery and other options, including from PlantX Life Inc. (CSE: VEGA) (OTCQB: PLTXF), Eat Beyond Global (CSE: EATS) (OTCPK: EATBF), NEXE Innovations (CSE: NEXE), good natured Products Inc. (TSXV: GDNP) (OTCPK: SLGBF) and Plant & Co Brands (CSE: VEGN).
Serving a growing number of customers with a straight-to-home delivery convenience option, PlantX Life Inc. (CSE:VEGA) (OTCQB:PLTXF) recently announced the addition of meal programs to its already-operating meal delivery services platform. The company's current offerings include chef-designed meals, and a selection of more than 10,000 plant-based products right to the customers' doors.
Between April and October 2020 alone, PlantX already sold and delivered more than 10,000 meals—of which includes menus from a variety of celebrity chefs.
By cultivating a subscription-based "set and forget" option, PlantX has now enhanced their home-meal delivery service for consumers to have as many as 5 full days' worth of nutritionally-balanced meals delivered to their door.
These new meal programs are provided in partnership with "Upmeals" and delivered from their HACCP-certified production facility. Meals for the programs will be curated by Ms. Amy Gensel RD, CSNC and will be positioned as a simple way to incorporate healthy and nutritious meals for the PlantX community. As per the agreement, Gensel joins the PlantX Medical Advisory Board.
"We couldn't be happier to have Amy on the Medical Advisory Board and helping us curate the meal programs. We're committed to educating the public about healthy living, and this is another step in the journey," said PlantX CEO, Julia Frank. "PlantX is focused on creating the ultimate customer experience that provides customers with flexibility for their food delivery options. PlantX meals will still be able to be ordered à la carte, but customers will now have the option to pre-order in 3 or 5-day quantities. This enhanced meal delivery service provides freedom from the hassle of cooking and meal-preparation."


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The Guadalajara International Book Fair, this November 24 to December 2, offers a myriad of opportunities for fun and professional deal-making.
Spain’s LIBER publishing trade show opened this week in Barcelona, where changes reflect new economic and digital realities, and a focus on professionalization.
The Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) will host Israel as Guest of Honor in 2013, providing a platform for Israeli writers to be better known in the region.
Though China, like the rest of the world, faces concerns over digitization, the publishing market is expanding.
In South Africa 70% of the titles come from the US and Europe, so priority during Book Week is on promoting books and reading from South Africa’s own.
Frankfurt’s StoryDrive is bringing together agents, publishers, film & TV producers, financiers, and games developers to talk shop and, hopefully, sign deals.
The latest issue of PulbishNews Brazil from PP offers a recap of Amazon VP Russ Grandinetti’s comments on Brazil, coverage of the São Paulo Biennale, and more.
Chinese publishing is on a roll with 370,000 titles published in 2011, up 12.5%, with 48 selling 1m+ copies. Total revenue hit $229 bn, up 18%.
This July’s Buenos Aires Children’s and YA Book Fair has recovered some of its past splendor but it still lacks a digital program.
The Independent Publishers’ Fair brings together 65 small, culturally significant publishing houses for a three-week-long event in Mexico City.


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A majority of Singaporeans – 64.7% – are comfortable with skippable ads according to the ‘State of Online Video Report’ from Limelight Networks. The numbers remain consistent across most countries surveyed in the Asia region: in India and Korea are nearly neck and neck when it comes to their preference for skippable ads at 67.8% and 67%.
Pre-rolls are overwhelmingly preferred to ads that interrupt online video – 58.3% of Singaporeans do not mind an ad playing before free content, but only 22.4% are accepting of mid-roll ads. Similar patterns are present through the region: in India, for instance, 62% are comfortable with pre-rolls but only 36.8% are comfortable with ads that play in between content
The study also revealed an increase in the amount of time spent watching online videos across the globe. In Singapore, it accounted for a lion’s share of viewing: seven hours and 37 minutes compared to five hours 44 minutes of broadcast video content. This puts Singapore in the top five global markets for online video. In India too, online video had an edge.
In Japan and South Korea though, cable, satellite and broadcast video had longer viewing hours than online video.
Singaporeans are also consuming more online video services with 64% of Singaporeans subscribing to at least one streaming service (compared to just 48% in 2018). Dedicated streaming devices are growing in popularity, used by 72% of Singaporeans compared to 67% in 2018. In India, only 21.6% of online video users had not subscribed to even one service. Price was a key reason to unsubscribe from these services with 55.5% of Singaporeans opting out, higher than the global average of 52.2%.
Sports could however result in a significant uptick in the consumption of online video if latency issues are addressed. The report said: “Traditional live online streaming events are generally delayed by 30 seconds or more from the broadcast feed, and more than half of Singaporeans (55%) are more likely to watch live sports online if the stream was not delayed from the broadcast. The number increased to 80% in India and nearly 70% in South Korea.
Speaking about the report, Limelight Networks director of South East Asia said: “Singaporeans enjoy live streaming global sporting events on their devices, but with the rise of social media usage, every second of delay can potentially ruin the game when online viewers learn about big plays from social media before seeing the action online
“Especially in the upcoming 2019 Southeast Asian Games, the pressure is on for streaming providers to invest in video enabled edge services that deliver seamless user experiences in real-time.”
The report was based on responses from 4,500 consumers in France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the U.K., and the U.S. age 18 and older, who watch one hour or more of online video content each week. The full report can be accessed here.
The post Nearly 65% of Singaporeans most comfortable with skippable ads, says State of Online Video Report appeared first on Mumbrella Asia.


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Paragliding in Pakistan
Thipra, Pakistan, Dec 1, 2006 - For Pakistan's new class of affluent but bored young people, action sports like paragliding are providing a healthier outlet than fast cars and recreational substances.
"It is better than drugs and drag racing on city roads," says local pioneer Sajjad Shah, 43, as he unloads gliders from his green Toyota Prado in the scenic northwestern village of Thipra.
Shah, one of the country's top pilots, says people often approach him and his friends when they fly in the Margalla Hills overlooking the capital Islamabad and beg to be taught how to paraglide.
"Paragliding is not an expensive sport and for youths who destroy cars worth million of rupees in a night while racing it is no big deal for them," said Shah, who is also president of the Pakistan Association of Free Flying.
On a recent trip Shah and his fellow pilots make a steep 45-minute climb in this sub-Himalayan region then unpack the fabric wings, lay them on the ground and hook them to their harnesses.
One by one they stand facing the wind before the gliders lift them into the sky. Minutes later the pilots land in the cornfields below as schoolchildren in ragged clothes gather to greet them.
"Only a paraglider pilot knows why birds sing," said fellow pilot Abdul Jabbar Bhatti after touching down.
Despite fears of terrorism since September 11, 2001 that have sent tourist numbers plummeting, top paragliders have recently visited the flying school run by Shah and friends at Thirpa.
One top flyer, Leroy Westerkamp of the Netherlands, this year set a new world record for gaining height while paragliding, ascending 4,526 metres (14,849 feet) to reach an altitude of 7,685 meters in Pakistan's northern Hunza district.
The Dutchman will return next year to fly over the 8,611-meter K2, the world's second highest mountain, in a paraglider.
The Pakistan Association of Free Flying plans to hold an international paragliding festival next year at Chajian near Islamabad.
The only setback to the sport has been the April 2006 government ban on paragliding near Islamabad for security reasons.
"Paragliding has a great potential to promote tourism in Pakistan and we have sponsored paragliding events" during the famous Shandur polo festival in northwest Pakistan, says Jahangir Khan, deputy chief of Pakistan Tourism Development.
Pakistan's economy has also soared in recent years. Growth was 8.4 percent in 2004-2005, its highest in two decades, and although it dipped to 6.6 percent officials say the outlook is still good.
Analysts say the booming economy has enhanced the buying power of the middle-classes of the 150 million population, while those with old money are living luxuriously.
Pakistan's first Rolls-Royce showroom opened in Lahore this week and other luxury carmakers including Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are branching out.
"We have sold 50 Porches during the past 10 months and the demand is still rising," said Taimur Malik, sales manager of Autotechnik Private Limited which opened Pakistan's first Porsche facility last year, also in Lahore.
"Pakistan is a booming automobile market and that is why Porsche itself selected it to sell their high-end exclusive cars," he said.
"A loose monetary policy and increased remittances from overseas has benefitted the middle and upper-middle class over the past five or six years," said Mohammad Sohail, an economic analyst.
"The resultant boom has brought further riches to the already rich," Sohail said.
Instant gratification is hard to come by in Pakistan and here buyers have to wait months for their luxury cars -- and often for lesser models -- despite paying in advance.
And with a ban on the public consumption of alcohol meaning that organised nightlife is almost non-existent in Pakistan, young people find themselves similarly frustrated.
Extreme sports could provide them with the outlet, suggests paraglider Shah.
"It provides more of a thrill than riding a motorbike with its front wheel in the air and losing one's life," he says.
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January 20, 2014
A new app from Samsung was developed with the intention of keeping drivers off their phones while behind the wheel. Startling statistics indicate that text messaging while driving makes you 23 times more likely to get in an accident. More startling yet is that more than 77 percent of young American adults believe they’re able to text while safely driving. To combat that, Samsung’s new Android app, “Eyes on the Road,” turns not texting into a game with tangible rewards for safe driving.
What could inspire all-too-easily tempted drivers from picking up their phones to send a quick text? Competition and reward, according to Quartz. The more miles driven while the app is activated, the more points a user earns. And the points aren’t meaningless — they can actually be used toward insurance premium vouchers and discounts on gas.
“When active, the app determines the speed at which a user is traveling in order to gauge whether that user is in a moving vehicle or not,” Quartz says. “At and above roughly 20 km per hour or 12 miles per hour, all phone call, text, social media and other notifications are hidden.”
Call and text notifications are only revealed when the driver has safely reached his/her destination. An Eyes on the Road promotional video shows that the app will even send auto replies to anyone who texts a driver while the app is active. There’s also the option to share rewards with friends and deactivate the app manually.
“The company is test-launching the app in Singapore, presumably because of its surging problem with driver cell phone use, before introducing it elsewhere,” says the article.


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Not that there was any risk of it happening, but never let it be said Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) isn’t a perpetual source of news. Indeed, TSLA stock holders have something new to process nearly every single day, and the occasional weekend day to boot.
This week was no exception, and three of this week’s developments are doing most of the driving right now:
- Tesla is taking a big step toward Model 3 production starting as planned.
- Tesla wants to enter India later this year.
- Short sellers are increasingly betting against Tesla stock as a rather amazing rally has unfurled since the end of November.
Here’s a little more perspective on all three matters owners of TSLA stock may want to digest, for better or worse.
Model 3 Production Beginning Soon
The details on the matter are scant to far, but on Thursday morning, Tesla announced it would shut down its California plant this month to get ready to produce Model 3s, and might begin building the prototype Model 3 as early as Feb. 20. The company anticipates full-scale production beginning later this year … in July, as initially suggested by Musk.
The market knew it was only a matter of time, but to see it happening can elate current and would-be owners of Tesla stock. Somehow, the goal of producing 500,000 vehicles per yer by next year doesn’t seem out of reach.
The company is believed to have received nearly 700,000 reservations — complete with deposits — for the Model 3, which is expected to sport a sticker price of around $35,000.
The news came as a tweet on Tuesday — a response to a question to CEO Elon Musk via Twitter, actually. In less than 140 characters, Musk said he hopes to enter the Indian market by this summer.
The knee-jerk response is optimism; entering new markets means more revenue potential. It’s the second thought that raises questions, though. India is a poor country, per capita. The average annual income in India is $5,630. Worse, median income is $616. It’s not likely many of those consumers are even thinking about buying a TSLA vehicle.
There’s a curious nuance with the way India’s income is distributed, though.
In India, the richest 1% of the country controls 58% of the nation’s wealth. That’s one of the world’s most extreme levels of wealth disparity. And when you’re talking about a country with a population of 1.33 billion, it doesn’t take a large proportion of the population to create a decent-sized pool of potential buyers.
And for what it’s worth, the more manufacturing Musk can do in that country rather than import vehicles into India, the better, in terms of marketability. At the same time, though its consumers still aren’t as flush as they are in other parts of the world, that’s changing. Manhattan Venture Partners’ Santosh Rao recently opined, “The market opportunity is too compelling to ignore. India has a growing middle class with rising disposable income. The manufacturing cost will also be relatively lower.”
The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Eisen was right about one thing this week: Tesla’s short-sellers are a persistent bunch.
Thing is, they may be a little too persistent for their own good.
The 44% gain that TSLA stock has dished out since the first day of December, amazingly enough, wasn’t a short-covering one. As of mid-January, 35.04 million shares of TSLA stock were held as a short position, up from the total as of the end of December, and well above the mid-November tally of 31.5 million shares. That’s essentially a $9.2 billion collective bet against Tesla, according to calculations from S3 analyst Ihor Dusaniwsk.
The bears aren’t backing down, betting against Tesla stock as it ticks higher. The mid-January reading is almost a record-high short interest.
This is a stock that the market still loves to love, and though it has been a love-hate relationship at times, there’s been more love than hate. That hasn’t changed recently. Indeed, if anything, as production of electric vehicles scales up, margins should improve. Don’t forget that Tesla swung to a profit last quarter, and may well surprise again later this month. It shouldn’t take much more upside in TSLA stock to flush these bears out of their short trades, augmenting any rally — the only way to close out a short trade is by buying the stock.
By the way, Dusaniwsk estimates that the collective short positions entered of late are have translated into unrealized losses of $2.27 billion. Those traders are apt to be getting very antsy.
Bottom Line for Tesla Stock
Tesla still has plenty of hurdles ahead. Namely, it’s still spending heavily on … well, pretty much everything, and it remains to be seen if the integration with SolarCity will bear fruit.
But, the potential of India is a positive for Tesla stock, as is what is ultimately an ill-advised wave of short-selling of TSLA shares. The prospect of the Model 3’s production beginning soon. of course, is a show-stopper.
Although a technical dip in the near-term may be in the cards, this week’s news can be scored as a pair of wins in the ledger.
As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


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Kohl & Cook Offers Guidance to Small Businesses in Receipt of PPP Loans on Columbus Local Channel 4
On May 11, 2020, Kohl & Cook partner, Sean Kohl, was interviewed by NBC Channel 4 News for his input on issues local businesses face when opening amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Al’s Delicious Popcorn is featured in the story which details its efforts to return to business in the new normal. Many Columbus area businesses applied for and received funds pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). It is important that business owners understand the requirements imposed by the PPP and how funds are distributed in order to maximize federal forgiveness of the PPP loan when the time to apply comes. Click here to see the interview and read the article. Kohl & Cook recommends that business owners who received PPP funds contact an attorney as soon as possible to receive guidance on PPP’s forgiveness requirements.


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Ford’s 2014 Transit Taxi Set To Go On Sale In Early 2014
News: US automaker Ford Motor has unveiled its 2014 Transit Connect Taxi in North America, Automotive News reports. Consisting of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, the 2014 taxi is due to hit US dealerships by early 2014. Ford says the new vehicle is available with an engine prep package, priced at US$300, that converts to compressed natural gas/liquefied petroleum gas. Ford allows members of its Qualified Vehicle Modifier programme to modify vehicles without negating the factory-set calibrations.
BMI View: Better than expected growth of 17.0% y-o-y for US light vehicle sales in August is putting the market ever closer to its historical norm of 16mn units. Backed by positive economic data for the month, there is reason to suggest improving consumer sentiment will carry the market through the remainder of the year. Consequently, we have revised our forecast upward slightly, to a total of 15.7mn units for 2013.


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WHITBREAD chief executive Andy Harrison will resist calls to spin off the group’s highly successful Costa coffee chain on to the stock market when he unveils resilient interim results this week.
Harrison is expected to counter the demerger calls from some in the City by stressing Whitbread’s plans to deepen the current overseas footprint of Costa, which runs from China and the Middle East to mainland Europe.
Despite the chain’s robust performance throughout the economic downturn, some investors believe the UK is now a highly competitive and mature market, and the engine of growth lies abroad.
Edmund Salvesen, a leisure analyst at broker Brewin Dolphin, said: “Costa will show interim like-for-like sales growth of 6 per cent. That shows it is still a good business in the UK.
“But Whitbread is trying to expand the brand, and the main interest now is what they are doing overseas, in the likes of China. Overseas will be more significant for growth; it will be where expansion is rolled out.
“By contrast, the coffee market in the UK is becoming competitive. There are large alternative brands out there.”
The City believes there is significant scope for Costa to grow abroad. Last year, the brand’s international revenues were £80 million compared with £592m in the UK.
Some analysts have urged Whitbread to demerge Costa from its other, slower-growing businesses – such as Premier Inn hotels and Beefeater restaurants – to release shareholder value.
But it is believed Harrison has told the board he favours keeping the company as a combined entity. One analyst said: “Personally, I am not in favour of demerging Costa, and I don’t think Harrison is.
“I like the combination with the hotels and restaurants. The latter are assets owned by the company, which keeps Costa’s average weighted cost of capital down.”
In a trading update last month, the Whitbread chief executive revealed that the exceptionally hot July hit sales growth at Costa.
“July this year was an absolute scorcher, whereas July 2012 was very wet and cool,” Harrison said. “When it is that hot people want a cold drink rather than a hot coffee.”
Same-floorspace sales growth more than halved to 3 per cent in the 11 weeks to mid-August from 8 per cent in the March-to-May quarter, when Britain suffered its coldest spring since 1962.
However, it is thought that lower wholesale coffee prices might slightly lift profit margins.
Whitbread reports half-time results on Tuesday, with Salvesen forecasting full-year pre-tax profits at the group of £390m, up from £355m.
The company is expected to say that Premier Inns, its budget hotel chain, has seen like-for-like sales growth of about 3 per cent over the six months, with London outlets performing particularly well, partly due to a continuing recovery in business clients.
Whitbread unveiled plans in the summer to open 40 “compact” hotels, including in Edinburgh, as it targets customers who want cheaper rooms.
The first “Hub by Premier Inn” establishment will open at St Martin’s Lane in London next summer.
Trade at its restaurants, which also include Brewers Fayre, is believed to have been flat in the latest period.


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OPPO A9x with 6.53-inch FHD+ display, Helio P70, 48MP rear camera announced
Oppo has launched a new mid-range smartphone Oppo A9x in its A series of smartphones in China. The phone looks to be an upgraded variant of Oppo A9 with 48 megapixels camera.
OPPO A9x features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display and runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) with ColorOS 6.0. The phone packs Octa Core MediaTek Helio P70 12nm processor with 900MHz ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU. It has 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage with an option to expand storage up to 256GB.
The phone has dual camera setup that includes 48 megapixels primary with f/1.7 aperture and 5 megapixels secondary camera. It also has 16 megapixels front camera with f/2.0 aperture.
The phone has a fingerprint sensor located on the back panel. It also offers Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS/GLONASS. It packs 4020mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast charging.
The phone comes in Ice Jade White and Meteorite Black colors. Dimensions measure 162 x 76.1 x 8.3m and it weighs 190g.
The phone is priced at 1999 Yuan and is now available for pre-order. It will go on sale in China starting May 21.


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Image Credit: Ellen Armstrong
During lockdown, we saw a rise in artistic ventures, with many people going out of their way to channel their creative flair into economic prospects. The new trend of Instagram businesses became a genuine way for young people to make their money, particularly as unemployment rates soared due to the closure of recreational facilities. According to the UK Government, youth unemployment (16-24) rose by 66,000 people, a staggering 13 percent increase from previous years.
But what are young people if not resourceful? Many took this as the opportunity to explore their own creative hobbies, and found an easy way to make money by selling to their peers online. When Instagram was not overflowing with banana bread, TikTok dances, and couch to 5K attempts, it became a place of creativity, with young people exploring and exploiting their passion for art to generate an income.
New mediums were explored: polymer jewellery, paintings, crochet clothing, and digitalised prints to name a few which graced my feed. Many of these new businesses were also non-profit, donating their income to charities such as Mind which seeks to help the mental health of our generation. For a split second, an appreciation for the arts became a mainstream venture. But what has happened to these businesses now that lockdown is ending and normality is returning? Is creative exploration once again going to return to the shadows as social media becomes a place for staged photos and likes rather than impressive artistic individuality?
I recently spoke to Ellen Armstrong, the Somerset based creator of Rose Totes – an online venture in which she dyes, stamps, and paints her own tote bags, sending the profits to different charities each month. I asked her what prompted her to start this new hobby, and what was the initial thought process behind her expression of art.
“I think, as someone who just loves art and crafts as a way to express myself anyway, I wanted a way to capitalise on what I was doing – I was doing a lot of it during lockdown – so I thought I would try to make money out of it. I thought I could use it to help give donations to the Black Lives Matter charity; I was feeling so frustrated that I couldn’t do anything to help.” She continued, “Rose Totes allowed me to help myself, by expressing myself creatively, whilst also contributing towards a much bigger social issue.”
During the first lockdown in particular, we saw art as a way to express and explore the current social and racial issues that were globally causing quite the phenomenon. Art became an escape, but also a political tool which drove people towards change. In Britain in particular, one of the biggest movements to social change was the photo of the Edward Colston statue being pulled down in Bristol. Art and creativity became a mainstream way to evoke change, or as Ellen mentioned, to raise money for current causes.
I then asked her what will happen to Rose Totes now normality is starting to return and if she was still creating artistic pieces for the brand. “I am not, purely because the end of the first lockdown and returning to uni, made it difficult for me to sustain the brand. I don’t have enough space for the resources, or enough time during full time study. I still do other creative things, and may return to it in the future, but as of right now – time out.”
This “time out” as Ellen called it can be seen as worrying for the arts and creative expression. The first lockdown especially showed creativity to be at the forefront of everyone’s time. We saw a rise in Etsy stores, Instagram pages, and individualistic sustainable fashion and art pieces, as people turned to their resources around them for creative license. Between the end of lockdown one, and 3 March 2021, Rose Totes has dropped 13 percent of its followers from their peak selling point. Although this may not be worrying for Ellen, as it allows her to focus on her studies, this overall decrease in interest from other Instagram users could be a wider comment on where art is placed now normality is slowly returning.
I asked Ellen a question along a similar vein – what did she think would happen to the arts now that they are no longer considered mainstream?
“I think that, in general, people have a greater appreciation for them now that the lockdown is over. Of course, this could be an echo chamber – I might be surrounding myself with people who already have very artistic influences, so it is more likely to stick with them. I understand that a return to full-time study and socialising picking up again has stopped me from making my own art for my business; maybe this will have a long term effect on my appreciation for art in general. We are busy and we are no longer consuming as much media where we are seeing art at the forefront of mainstream chains''.
One of the main concerns I shared with Ellen was the fact that, over lockdown, we saw an increase in the individuality of people, with clothing becoming the main tool to express yourself. With so many independent businesses going out of their way to create, alter and present new clothing pieces, fashion itself became a creative tool. Depop, Etsy and Vinted became popular clothing stores, allowing fashion to become both a sustainable and creative venture. What will happen now once clubs are opening and people return to the likes of PLT and Asos for their fashion fix?
“Personally” Ellen added, “being in lockdown, and having small businesses become more popular – I think that will stick. People have spent a long time in lockdown exploring their creativity, and it has, in a sense, become a norm. My tastes have been fine-tuned by what small businesses are achieving and I think it will have become an ethos and passion for many people to continue to appreciate art.”
As we leave lockdown, and venture back into normality, it would be good to remember all of the creativity that graced our feeds during this time. Whether come 21 June you will be heading to a club, pub, or using the time to revamp your style and space for summer, try to look first at the independent businesses, like Rose Totes, that got us through the pandemic for your splash of creativity.


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International House of Pancakes, the iconic California restaurant chain that is better known as simply IHOP, announced Thursday it will test serving beer and wine at locations in San Diego and New Mexico.
The new “Bubbles, Wine & Brews” menu features mimosas, wines from Barefoot and E. J. Gallo, and beer from Bud Light, Blue Moon and Corona.
“As we continue to focus and expand on our daytime and evening menu options, adult beverages offer a terrific innovation and evolution to enjoy IHOP for every occasion,” said Jay Johns president of the Glendale-based chain.
Johns said a recent survey showed that as 66% of guests have wanted an alcoholic beverage to accompany some their IHOP menu favorites.
The company said the gradual rollout will allow the chain to learn from guest feedback to optimize the menu and test new offerings.


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If you've ever hankered to listen to your iTunes selections from your Alltel phone, now you can. Alltel Wireless announced Wednesday that it's offering Nutsie--which lets you upload your library to the Web and then stream it to your phone--on more than 10 of its devices. There are some , however.
Developed by Melodeo and launched last year, Nutsie will be available on Alltel phones including the Motorola Razr V3m and V3c; the Motorola Krzr K1m; the Motorola Razr2 V9m and Motorola Rokr Z6; the LG AX565, Wave, and AX8600; the Samsung Muse and Wafer, and the Alltel Hue by Samsung. More Alltel phones supporting Nutsie will be announced in coming months, the company says.
The service will cost $4.99 a month or $19.99 for one year. It can be accessed via the Alltel Shop located on the handset. Alltel customers will also be able to listen to recommended music based on their playlists and explore hundreds of thousands of playlists from other users.
When Nutsie launched last year, it provided a nice alternative to $500 iPhones. Now that you can get one for 200 bucks--and at that price itswill only continue to grow--I have to wonder just how long a service like this can remain viable.


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US Government to Europe: Give This to Your People Or There Will be "Some Pain"
January 12, 2011
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A WikiLeaks release of U.S. diplomatic cables has revealed that the Bush administration planned ways to retaliate against Europe for its refusal to use genetically modified seeds.
According to Democracy Now:
"In 2007, then-U.S. ambassador to France Craig Stapleton was concerned about France's decision to ban cultivation of genetically modified corn produced by biotech giant Monsanto. He also warned that a new French environmental review standard could spread anti-biotech policy across Europe ...
In the leaked cable, Stapleton writes, quote, '... Moving to retaliation will make clear that the current path has real costs to EU interests and could help strengthen European pro-biotech voice.'"
Stapleton recommended retaliations that would cause "some pain" across the EU. Folks, this is pretty much conclusive proof that the U.S. government is working towards Monsanto's pro-GM goals.
(For video transcript, see Democracy Now link below.)
The insanity has gone far enough. It’s time to unite and fight back, which is why I encourage you to boycott every single product owned by members of the GMA, including natural and organic brands. To learn more about this boycott, and the traitor brands that are included, please visit TheBoycottList.org. I also encourage you to donate to the Organic Consumers Fund. Your donation will help fight the GMA lawsuit in Vermont.
Voting with your pocketbook, at every meal, matters. It makes a huge difference. By boycotting GMA Member Traitor Brands, you can help level the playing field, and help take back control of our food supply. And as always, continue educating yourself about genetically engineered foods, and share what you’ve learned with family and friends.


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It wasn’t long ago that electric vehicles (EVs) felt as futuristic as George Jetson. Fast forward to the present and demand for EVs has sparked an uptick in manufacturing from local companies like Volkswagen and Novonix.
The zeitgeist has turned in favor of electric transportation thanks to many factors including a decline in vehicle prices, unpredictable fuel costs, innovations that have increased EV drive-ranges, and a desire to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
The future of transportation looks electric. Still, to reach mass appeal, drivers need convenient and worry-free ways for their EVs to reach full charge.
Chattanooga companies are stepping up to meet the needs of EV drivers and offer commuters more opportunities to access low-carbon transportation.
EV mobile app, PlugShare, reveals there are at least 166 charging stations in the Greater Chattanooga area – compared to 195 in Knoxville and 158 in Memphis, Tennessee. This number is rising rapidly in Chattanooga thanks to local service providers including CARTA, TVA and EPB.
As part of its Earth Month celebration, EPB added 13 charging stations to its downtown parking garage. The utility provider also launched three new incentives for local companies looking to deploy additional EV charging options. Additionally, they’ve partnered with TVA, the State of Tennessee and others to add electric fast-charging stations every 50 miles along major Interstate highway corridors.
EPB’s parking garage joins downtown staples like Chattanooga ChooChoo that offer free charging for EVs. While charging EVs is free, 10th Street garage is pay to park with rates starting at $1 and a daily maximum of $8.
Finley Stadium could also see potential charging stations in the future. With crowds rushing back to support UTC football and Chattanooga Football Club, the stadium may see EV charging stations as an added revenue stream.
Tesla has considered adding charging ports near the dog park on a vacant property owned by Finley Stadium. The Volkswagen-owned charging network, Electrify America, received approval by stadium board to add six new charging stations on location – per Chattanoogan.
Adding to the list, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport is also looking to grow its ChargePoint and Tesla Supercharger stations.
It’s no secret that conservation efforts, drive companies to the Scenic City. In fact, members consistently say Chattanooga and Hamilton County’s natural resources are a primary benefit of doing business and living here.
This healthy business environment mindset, combined with support from local companies, help pave the way for an EV boom in Chattanooga while nurturing the battery manufacturing industries in town.


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Walgreens and non-profit Vitamin Angels announced today that they have supported more than 200 million women and children in the U.S. and around the world through their partnership to improve child and maternal health.
Approximately one-third of women in the U.S. experience iron deficiency during pregnancy.1 And nearly one-third of women residing in low and middle-income countries around the world do not have access to basic health services and are at increased risk for poor nutrition, including vitamin A deficiency2 and anemia.3
Walgreens and Vitamin Angels have worked together for six years to raise funds to address these healthcare disparities:
- One percent of sales of participating vitamin products at Walgreens support Vitamin Angels’ outreach efforts to communities in need across the U.S. and globally.
- In January 2019, Walgreens held a ‘Quarter Drive’ customer donation program, which resulted in an additional $1.5 million raised to support Vitamin Angels work.
Walgreens and its parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) are committed to improving societal health and wellbeing around the world.
“The strength of this partnership is our shared commitment to accessible, affordable health care, and Walgreens ability to bring this program to our customers in nearly every community nationwide,” said Alex Gourlay, president of Walgreens and Co-Chief Operating Officer of WBA. “Every child deserves a healthy future.”
Vitamin Angels operates in 74 countries through a network of over 1,600 field partners who provide health services and nutritional support across the critical window of a child’s development. These services include distributing prenatal multivitamins and Vitamin A, promotion of breast-feeding practices and deworming. Domestically, the organization works across every state in the U.S. to support pregnant women’s health with prenatal multivitamins and nutrition education.
“With the support of Walgreens, Vitamin Angels has been able to reach millions of mothers and children under five at risk of malnutrition with life-saving nutrients,” said Howard Schiffer, founder and president of Vitamin Angels. “We are honored to be partnering with an organization that cares so much about children and moms in the U.S. and around the world.”