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One thing is clear: Investors need a backup plan in 2019. With the markets frothy and investors concerned about the Brexit, U.S. and Chinese trade relations, and a potential crisis in Venezuela and Iran, volatility in the markets is the new norm.
In times of growing uncertainty, investors may choose to buy “defensive stocks.”
Choosing the best defensive stocks can be difficult. But at Money Morning, we’ve developed a single tool to identify not just the best defensive companies, but also ones that are poised to push higher in 2019. Not only do these stocks have double-digit upside – they also offer investors strong dividend payments.
The system tracks the 1,500 most profitable companies on the market and assigns each one a VQScore. To get the score, we use only the key factors that find stocks ready to far outperform “average” returns.
A “Blueprint to Financial Freedom”: This guy used this secret to become a millionaire. Now he’s sharing it live on camera – and you could learn how to set up a series of $822… $1,190… $2,830 payouts every single week.
A stock’s VQScore is derived from a blended analysis of a company’s underlying earnings power, its profit growth, and its EPS acceleration or deceleration. Then we balance the result against recent demand for the company’s shares.
And when you add it all up, you have a tool that can help you find the best breakout stocks for the future.
Today, we dive into the three defensive stocks to buy in 2019…
The Best Defensive Stocks to Buy in 2019, No. 3
The first stock on today’s list is Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR).
In times of economic downturn, Americans aren’t going to stop going to grocery stores and convenience shops. Even though you can “click and buy” on many e-commerce sites, people will visit brick-and-mortar shops if they believe they can save money.
This beaten-down stock has nothing wrong with it aside from the challenges it has endured since taking over rival Family Dollar three years ago. It is currently working on renovating those stores and should continue to grow its bottom line through the balance of 2019.
The stock currently has our highest VQScore, signaling it’s ready to break out and beyond its 52-week high of $108.83.
However, UBS analyst Michael Lasser projects that the stock will hit $143 per share. That figure represents an upside of 44.1%.
The Best Defensive Stocks to Buy in 2019, No. 2
The second stock we have today is Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH).
If you are looking for an industry with no shortage of demand, look no further than senior living facilities. And if you’re looking for a breakout stock with a robust dividend, then your pick should be Senior Housing Properties Trust.
The company has a rock-solid history of paying dividends in a cash-rich business. This healthcare REIT owns 443 properties across the United States. It generates rental income from medical offices, senior housing, and managed senior housing properties.
Americans may cut down on shopping, travel, and luxury goods during a recession, but they will always pay for healthcare. That’s especially true in a country where Baby Boomers continue to retire at a breakneck pace.
In the next 20 years, senior housing demand could surge thanks to a big increase in the number of Americans living past the age of 85.
Now, this investment does have some risks due to its credit rating (the lowest possible for investment grade), leverage, and interest-rate hikes.
But the company pays a whopping dividend of 10.97% and is relatively cheap compared to its sector rivals. The stock trades at a price to tangible book value of 1.46, which is roughly half of the sector average, according to Reuters. The stock also has a Beta of just 0.47, which makes it less risky in times of market volatility.
The stock also has our highest VQScore…
The Best Defensive Stocks to Buy in 2019, No. 1
Kraft Heinz Co. (NYSE: KHC) is our top stock today and is a favorite holding of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A).
Berkshire will report earnings this week, and it will likely discuss its ownership of the consumer discretionary company. Investors might best know the company for its massive roster of brands that include Maxwell House, Heinz sauces, Kraft cheese, Velveeta, Philadelphia cheese, and Kool-Aid.
The stock has taken a hit over the last year due to changing consumer tastes. Shares decline due to greater competition, the need for more promotions in a stronger economy, commodity costs, and exchange rates.
But this is a rock-solid stock to own in economic uncertainty.
As Americans pinch their pocketbooks, the company’s brands have performed strongly in the retail sector. KHC stock has rebounded slightly from December lows, and at the current price has a reliable 5.18% dividend.
Kraft trades at a price-to-book value of just 0.89. That is an incredible discount to the industry average of 3.51 times book value.
Kraft Heinz currently has a price target of $53.60, according to the consensus of six analysts at TipRanks.com. That figure represents an upside of 11% from Wednesday’s closing price. The stock could easily break out to the $60 price target issued by Barclay’s. That price represents a 24.5% upside.
But most importantly, the stock has our highest VQScore, putting it right in our “Buy Zone.”
This IRS Directive Could Mean Billions Are Now in Play
Everyday folks from across the country are taking advantage of an obscure IRS directive to collect what we call “Federal Rent Checks.”
And by implementing a simple investment strategy, you can collect them each and every month. At this moment, Americans are adding their names to the distribution list – and you can too.
To see how you could receive $1,795 or more every month, go here now.
About Money Morning: Money Morning gives you access to a team of ten market experts with more than 250 years of combined investing experience – for free. Our experts – who have appeared on FOXBusiness, CNBC, NPR, and BloombergTV – deliver daily investing tips and stock picks, provide analysis with actions to take, and answer your biggest market questions. Our goal is to help our millions of e-newsletter subscribers and Moneymorning.com visitors become smarter, more confident investors.To get full access to all Money Morning content, click here.
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Source: Money Morning


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AN EVENT that pulls in tens of thousands of visitors each year is widening its appeal by putting manufacturers and dealers at the heart of the action.
The Pageant Of Power at Cholmondeley Castle attracted more than 50,000 ‘petrolheads’ last year, and it is estimated £2.5m worth of cars were sold because of it.
This year the event will incorporate ‘Magnificent Marques’ a specific platform providing dealers an opportunity to market cars to potential clients.
Sponsors can display vehicle, host guests in hospitality units next to the circuit and offer test drives on the challenging Cholmondeley track and local roads.
The promotional display areas will remain in place for the full weekend, creating ongoing sales opportunities with the tens of thousands of car enthusiasts in attendance.
Pageant of Power director James Hall said: “With the addition of Magnificent Marques, the pageant provides an unbeatable opportunity to promote and sell vehicles in this part of the world.”
For more details about becoming a sponsor call Victoria Bell on 01829 772434 or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Further event information can be found at www.cpop.co.uk.

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Netflix Stops Its ‘Basic’ Ad-Free Plan In The US And UK
Netflix is shaking things up by getting rid of it’s ‘basic’ ad-free subscription plan across the US and the UK. If you’re already on the ‘basic’ ad-free plan in the UK or oversees; don’t worry – you can keep binge-watching your favourites without ads; but if you’re a new subscriber to the platform, you’ll have to pick between cheaper ad-supported plans or splurge on costlier ad-free options.
Industry experts believe that viewers are increasingly open to moving towards cheaper, ad-supported streaming plans due to economic uncertainty. It’s been speculated that this move may be due to the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood; that is likely to have enormous ramifications on next years’ content. Changing focus towards a more ad-centric approach helps to maintain profitability and revenue streams when they can’t rely on fresh new content during the strike.
Netflix is playing the long game and wants to be a big player in the ad industry. Analysts are saying their ad revenues are going to skyrocket, so ads will be a major part of how they rake in cash in the future. So, from a world, not long ago, where streaming was going to sign the death knoll of TV advertising, it’s becoming clear that TV advertising is here to stay and will continue to be the bedrock that funds the world class content we all enjoy.
Image: JOCA_PH / shutterstock.com


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In September 2022, South Korean prosecutors requested the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice against the company’s founder, Do Kwon. The answer to this question depends on why it is that you’re asking it, in the first place. If you’re wondering about the most popular crypto coin, then, without a doubt, it has to be Bitcoin. If you’re trying to think of a cryptocurrency to invest in, then surely, you might want to look at exchanges that offer you the chance to explore some altcoins.
Cryptocurrencies are decentralized systems that work on blockchain technology. One of the important advantages of cryptocurrency is that it is fraud-proof. When a cryptocurrency is created, all the user’s confirmed transactions are saved in the public ledger.
Bitcoin can be digitally traded between users and can be purchased for, or exchanged into, U.S. dollars, Euros and other real currencies or digital assets. According to blockchain data company Chainalysis, criminals laundered US$8,600,000,000 worth of cryptocurrency in 2021, up by 30% from the previous year. The data suggests that rather than managing numerous illicit havens, cybercriminals make use of a small group of purpose built centralized exchanges for sending and receiving illicit cryptocurrency. In 2021, those exchanges received 47% of funds sent by crime linked addresses. Almost $2.2bn worth of cryptocurrencies was embezzled from DeFi protocols in 2021, which represents 72% of all cryptocurrency theft in 2021.
BNY Mellon on 11 February 2021 announced that it would begin offering cryptocurrency services to its clients. In 2018, cryptocurrencies were already discussed as a tool to evade economic sanctions for example against Russia and Iran, but also Venezuela. In April of that year, Russian and Iranian economic representatives met to discuss how to bypass the global SWIFT system through decentralized blockchain technology. Russia also secretly supported Venezuela with the creation of the petro , a national cryptocurrency initiated by the Maduro government to obtain valuable oil revenues by circumventing US sanctions. Transactions that occur through the use and exchange of these altcoins are independent from formal banking systems, and therefore can make tax evasion simpler for individuals. The current value, not the long-term value, of the cryptocurrency supports the reward scheme to incentivize miners to engage in costly mining activities.
Therefore, there is no risk of a company or organization being hacked, and users are assured of greater safety from hacking, failure, fraud, or theft. They are all those online cryptocurrency exchange places that are controlled by a private and for-profit financial company. This company controls all the Exchange’s financial operations, which means that it is responsible for the funds and transactions that are executed by its users. A cryptocurrency wallet is an application allowing users to retrieve and store digital assets. These applications can be used on smartphones and computer systems. A crypto wallet provides full control over the private key to its users.
What Is A Centralised Cryptocurrency Exchange Cex?
Altcoins are mostly derivatives of Bitcoin, but there are plenty of standalone coins, too. Litecoin has been in the news a lot lately because it will be the first cryptocurrency to use the Lightning Network. The Lightning Network solves a lot of issues for cryptocurrencies, such as scalability — using the Lighting Network, Litecoin will be able to process many more transactions per second. The third main type of cryptocurrency is a token — the same kind we’ve just been talking about!
More than $40 million in assets were placed under restraint pending forfeiture, and more than 30 Liberty Reserve exchanger domain names were seized. The company was estimated to have laundered $6 billion in criminal proceeds. DEXs are best for investors looking to switch from one digital asset to another and not well suited for someone looking to buy or sell digital assets with fiat currency, called on and off-ramping. It makes them less convenient for users that do not already hold cryptocurrencies.
Thereby, Bitcoin owners are not immediately identifiable, but all transactions are publicly available in the blockchain. Still, cryptocurrency exchanges are often required by law to collect the personal information of their users. A cryptocurrency exchange is any system that operates on the basis of trading cryptocurrencies with other assets. Like a traditional financial exchange, the cryptocurrency exchange’s core operation is to allow for the buying and selling of these digital assets, as well as others.
National Australia Bank Limited Asx :nab
Compared to the blockchain, databases perform fast as there is no verification process. Four of the most popular cryptocurrency market databases are CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko, BraveNewCoin, and Cryptocompare. The market capitalization of a cryptocurrency is calculated by multiplying the price by the number of coins in circulation. The total cryptocurrency market cap has historically been dominated by Bitcoin accounting for at least 50% of the market cap value where altcoins have increased and decreased in market cap value in relation to Bitcoin.
Large exchanges usually hold billions of dollars worth of bitcoin, making them a target for hackers and theft. The funds are professionally managed crypto-assets, which allow the purchase of currencies through the fund in which you wish to invest. Earnings from saving cryptocurrencies in the wallets of said Exchange. After the verification, the bitcoin is added into the blockchain, which cannot be reversed.
Cryptocurrencies are also based on blockchain, a system that records transactions across computer networks to maintain traceability and security. This makes it possible for cryptocurrencies to be decentralized. Therefore, no individual company, such as the government or central bank, has to issue it or can change it. Unlike centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, there isn’t a middleman for decentralized exchanges — instead, they use blockchain technology or distributed ledgers. In this less common type of exchange, the currency isn’t held by a third party, and transactions are done peer-to-peer using smart contracts.
- On many of these platforms, cryptocurrency buyers and sellers can make limit orders or market orders, and the brokering process works like it would for any other kind of asset.
- Well, the people and companies that run the blockchain do it using computer power.
- Just like trading stocks through an exchange on the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq.
- To use it, we need to verify two previous transactions on the IOTA ledger, which is known as Directed Acyclic Graph, also known as Tangle.
- Cryptocurrency is a type of digital asset that uses cryptography to validate and secure transactions that are digitally recorded on a distributed ledger or any similar technology.
- That said, many users believe that KuCoin is one of the simpler exchanges on the current market.
We are using an advanced tech stack to provide an efficient trading platform. The centralized crypto exchange allows the user to trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, etc. The trading is executed with the three types of order books like Limit order, Stop limit order, and Market order. After reading this guide, you should be much more familiar with the most popular cryptocurrencies when it comes to both trading and technology, and the different types of cryptocurrency that exist.
Cryptocurrency exchanges allow customers to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets, such as conventional fiat money, or to trade between different digital currencies. The validity of each cryptocurrency’s coins is provided by a blockchain. A blockchain is a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, which are linked and secured using cryptography. Each block typically contains a hash pointer as a link to a previous block, a timestamp and transaction data. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the data.
If Bitcoin can improve so that it can scale and offer cheaper & faster transactions, there might not be much need for Litecoin. I’ll go overfour of the top cryptocurrencies and write a short list of pros and cons that come with each one. So, to make a transaction on a dApp (i.e. to use a token), you must have some Ether or NEO to pay for the transaction fees. Because dApps are built on other blockchains , a token transaction is still verified by the nodes on the Ethereum or NEO blockchain. This means the transaction fee is still paid with Ether or NEO, and not with the token. Their tokens don’t have to represent a physical thing like electricity or a house, though.
Pushpay Asx:pph Gets Revised Buyout Offer; Heres How Shares Are Reacting
Decentralized consensus has therefore been achieved with a blockchain. The system allows transactions to be performed in which ownership of the cryptographic units is changed. A transaction statement can only be issued by an entity proving the current ownership of these units. The system defines whether https://xcritical.com/ new cryptocurrency units can be created. If new cryptocurrency units can be created, the system defines the circumstances of their origin and how to determine the ownership of these new units. In August 2021, Cuba followed with Resolution 215 to recognize and regulate cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
Escrow service is available to provide smooth trading between the buyer and seller. BitDegree Crypto Reviews aim to research, uncover & simplify everything about the latest crypto services. Easily discover all details about cryptocurrencies, best crypto exchanges & wallets in one place. Read fact-based BitDegree crypto reviews, tutorials & comparisons – make an informed decision by choosing only the most secure & trustful crypto companies.
In layman’s terms, a cryptocurrency exchange is a place where you meet and exchange cryptocurrencies with another person. The exchange platform (i.e. Binance) acts as a middleman – it connects you with that other person . With a brokerage, however, there is no “other person” – you come and exchange your crypto coins or fiat money with the platform in question, without the interference of any third party. When considering cryptocurrency exchange rankings, though, both of these types of businesses are usually just thrown under the umbrella term – exchange. Offering more than 300 different cryptocurrencies, KuCoin is also one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
The views expressed on this blog are those of the bloggers, and not necessarily those of Intuit. Third-party blogger may have received compensation for their time and services. This blog does not provide legal, financial, accounting or tax advice.
Litecoin transactions take seconds, like Ethereum transactions. Earlier, we talked about how part of Bitcoin’s value comes from the fact that there is a limited supply. This is not the case with Ethereum — there are almost 100,000,000 Ether coins at the moment, and they will never stop being created. However, the rate at which they are being produced will slow down greatly, so it isn’t much of a problem in my opinion. Ethereum can process transactions in a matter of seconds, whereas Bitcoin’s transactions take upwards of 10 minutes. It’s important to understand, though, that not all altcoins are just alternate versions of Bitcoin.
A paper by John Griffin, a finance professor at the University of Texas, and Amin Shams, a graduate student found that in 2017 the price of Bitcoin had been substantially inflated using another cryptocurrency, Tether. In 2022, cryptocurrencies attracted attention when Western nations imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of its invasion of Ukraine in February. However, American sources warned in March that some crypto-transactions could potentially be used to evade economic sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Cryptocurrencies have also been used to finance covert arms for the Ukrainian resistance. Almost 74% of ransomware revenue in 2021 — over $400 million worth of cryptocurrency — went to software strains likely affiliated with Russia, where oversight is notoriously limited. In December 2021, Monkey Kingdom – a NFT project based in Hong Kong lost US$1.3 million worth of cryptocurrencies via a phishing link used by the hacker.
You should consider whether you fully understand them and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. The content of Coin Insider does not constitute any type of investment advice. It is a merger between the two models of Exchanges listed above. The Centralized Exchange and Decentralized Exchange features are integrated to unify the best of both because each has its advantages and disadvantages. Examples of these platforms are Remitano, Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, and Bitfinex.
The European Council and the European Parliament announced that they will issue regulations to impose stricter rules targeting exchange platforms. Like decentralised exchanges, a hybrid makes use of smart contracts to ensure that there is no central figure imposing on the integrity of the trade. Basically, this reduces security risks and puts the safety of a customer’s assets onto a blockchain rather than relying on a company. Some 99% of crypto transactions are facilitated by centralized exchanges, which suggests that they are accountable for the majority of the trading volume. Due to the lack of volume, decentralized exchanges often lack liquidity, and it can be difficult to find buyers and sellers when trading volumes are low. An example of such an incident is Mt.Gox, which was once the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange company before it reported the theft of 850,000 bitcoins, leading to its collapse.
Blockchain is the technology, which is used by bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. It is a type of record maintaining system which multiple users run in a decentralized manner. When a bitcoin is exchanged over the network, a block of data is created and How to create a cryptocurrency exchange shared over the entire network. Once this block is verified, it is added with the previous blocks and forms a chain type, hence known as a blockchain. An initial coin offering is a controversial means of raising funds for a new cryptocurrency venture.
What To Look For When Picking A Cryptocurrency Exchange
For example, over one week in May 2022, Bitcoin lost 20% of its value and Ethereum lost 26%, while Solana and Cardano lost 41% and 35% respectively. By comparison, in the same week, the Nasdaq tech stock index fell 7.6 per cent and the FTSE 100 was 3.6 per cent down. Some cryptocurrencies have no transaction fees, and instead rely on client-side proof-of-work as the transaction prioritization and anti-spam mechanism. Most cryptocurrencies are designed to gradually decrease the production of that currency, placing a cap on the total amount of that currency that will ever be in circulation.
How Does Cryptocurrency Work?
The technology at the heart of bitcoin and other virtual currencies, blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way. A 2020 EU report found that users had lost crypto-assets worth hundreds of millions of US dollars in security breaches at exchanges and storage providers. Between 2011 and 2019, reported breaches ranged from four to twelve a year. In 2019, more than a billion dollars worth of cryptoassets was reported stolen. Stolen assets “typically find their way to illegal markets and are used to fund further criminal activity”.


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Cola is a category that's been been built on advertising. Though the two major brands in the space, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, make a big deal about their 'formula,' there's little to distinguish between the two brands of carbonated sugar water - except perhaps for the amount of sugar in each of them. The upshot: Advertising has a huge role to play in consumers picking one over the other.
After exiting the country in 1977, Coca-Cola re-entered India in 1993. Pepsi, which made its debut in India in 1989, used its first mover edge to capture much of India's imagination. Coke attempted to play catch-up with a two-pronged gambit: One, turn on the jingles; and, two, bring on the celebrity endorsers.
A lot of Coke advertising from 1993 to 2003 was jingle-based, with taglines like: 'Always The Real Thing', 'Pee Le Coca-Cola', 'Jo Chahe Ho Jaye...Coca-Cola Enjoy.' Bollywood stars endorsing the brand include Karisma Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai among others.
Says Vikas Gupta, a former head of marketing at Coca-Cola India, who was with the company from 1994 to 2006: "Coke came to India when the country was opening up to global markets. Coke did the right thing by buying out Ramesh Chauhan's brands (Thums Up was the biggest, and there were also Limca and Gold Spot) because that gave them instant access to a well established nation wide bottling infrastructure along with a great brand portfolio. With the basics in place, brand building could now take place."
Since the beginning one of the main challenges for Coke has been to increase per capita consumption of cola. Gupta had the mandate in the mid-90s and the current spokesperson echoes a similar sentiment. "The packaged beverages market back in 1993 was at a nascent stage and per capita consumption was just 3. Contrast that to 2012 when the per capita consumption has crossed 20," says the spokesperson.
Advertising for Coca-Cola in India has almost always been handled by McCann Erickson. Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman, McCann Worldgroup gave the brand its award-winning campaign in 'Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola,' which won two gold Lions at Cannes in 2003. The campaign featured Aamir Khan playing regional roles (as a Hyderabadi and a Punjabi among others) and enabled Coke to strengthen its equity nationwide.
"Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola firmly established Coke in India. The campaign also gave the brand a very good edge over competition," says Santosh Padhi, CCO & cofounder, Taproot India which handles communication for Pepsi. The objective of the company through the campaign was to target small towns and not just the urban populace. "Coca-Cola India believed that the first brand to offer communication targeted at smaller towns would own the rural market so it went after that objective with a comprehensive strategy," says the Coke spokesperson.
This segment's primary need was out-of-home thirstquenching; and the soft drink category was undifferentiated in the minds of rural consumers. 'Thanda,' meaning cool/cold is also generic for cold beverages, thereby giving 'Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola' multiple meanings. The phrase addressed both the primary need of the segment for cold refreshment by positioning Coke as a generic 'thanda' beverage like lassi or lemonade.
After 2003, a number of campaigns were used to launch a 200 ml bottle, a PET bottle and to tackle the controversy surrounding allegations of high pesticide levels in colas. However, none enjoyed the same adulation as 'Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola'. "'Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola' was an absolutely gem of a tagline and the biggest ever claim made by any brand on the category of cold drinks. I am not sure why they dropped it at all. They could have approached the idea with a fresh execution every time," says Padhi.
Industry observers also speak about the constant change in the Coke marketing system that contributed to a steady dilution of the brand. "Coke had many people at the helm of marketing over the years and everyone tried to bring his own idea to the fore. Currently the brand has a roster of agencies working on its creative. It also has an internal creative arm that does advertising," says an observer familiar with Coke's promotional strategies.
With so many cooks, the possibility of the broth getting spoiled is high. Since 2009, Coke globally has been running the 'Open Happiness' campaign, which was adapted for the Indian market as well. However actor Imran Khan who's been part of the India execution has not quite been able to recreate the magic his uncle Aamir Khan managed to weave in 2003.
In 2010, Coca-Cola ran the 'Brrr...' campaign - again an adaptation of the brand's campaign in South Africa. On the current challenges in selling Coke to the consumer, Joshi says, "Consumers today are spoilt for choice. With such a vast range of options, they are fickle minded and over-communicated-to. However, the only way a brand can make itself valuable to the consumers is by offering something more than just the functional benefit or just creating awareness about itself."
Padhi of Taproot agrees that Coke advertising in India has lost its charm and has been all over the place in the last five years; however the brand's recent association with Olympics gives it another opportunity for a comeback.
"Coke lost the opportunity when it stayed away from World Cup and now Pepsi is far ahead. Their Olympics tie-up is a great chance for them to make a comeback and put some pressure on us. Then we will be forced to do even better work," he laughs.


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The Steam Early Access launch of the Battle Royale game Fear The Wolves has been delayed, development studio Vostok Games announced.
According to a recent statement, the studio decided to delay the Early Access launch because of the feedback it has received from closed beta testing.
The game will drop players in a Chernobyl-style radioactive wasteland. Deadly mutated wildlife, the organic spread of radiation, unexplainable anomalies, and 99 other players stand in their way on their march to the extraction helicopter inside the final zone.
Players will have to defend themselves with an arsenal of scavenged weaponry, including fire-axes, machine guns and more.
Unlike other Battle Royale games, the end game focuses on a single player being extracted by a helicopter. However, killing all players will also lead to victory. The location of the extraction zone will vary game to game, forcing adaptation and rewarding intricate map knowledge.
Fear The Wolves was supposed to make its way to Steam Early Access last Wednesday, July 18, 2018, but has now been delayed. A new date has yet to be announced.


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MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The over-the-top parties and star-studded shows surrounding Miami's Art Basel wrapped up this weekend with performances by Rosalia, Lizzo, Cardi B and rocker Lenny Kravitz.
The annual event is an extension of the prestigious art show in Switzerland. But over the years, Miami has put its own spin on the affair, which has become a magnet for celebrities. Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Joe Jonas were spotted around town.
The highlight of the week was Louis Vuitton's first ever U.S. fashion show Tuesday. But the lavish affair, where guests where ferried to an island by private yacht, turned into an emotional tribute after legendary 41-year-old designer Virgil Abloh died suddenly just days before the show.


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Innovations in the field of industrial refrigeration systems is having a marked impact on the market with significant shifts occurring across a number of areas.
Innovations in the field of refrigerants have witnessed several alternatives and successive changes like HFCs to Ammonia and then Ammonia to CO2 and today, the focus has returned to Ammonia (NH3) and CO2 cascade.
These innovations have been positively impacting the industrial refrigeration system market in the last few years, according to a report released by Insight Partners.
“The refrigeration system with Ammonia has gained substantial popularity in the market owing to three distinctive advantages such as natural occurrence and thus is an environment-friendly gas, possesses extreme thermodynamic capabilities and requires minimum heat transfer.”
The report said the global industrial refrigeration system market is expected to grow to $US33.66 billion by 2025 from $US20.02 billion in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 6.8%.
Insight Partners expects Ammonia to lead the market with CO2 also experiencing exponential growth during the forecast period.
“In this segment of the market the design of the compressor is extremely critical for any manufacturer as it bears the major cost in the entire industrial refrigeration system,” the report said.
“Hence, most of the players have laid high emphasis on compressor designs to reduce their production costs and increase operational efficiencies.
“In the current scenario, the players in the industrial refrigeration system market are using carbon dioxide CO2 individually as well as cascading CO2 and NH3 as the refrigerants. CO2 is easily available and is much cheaper compared to its counterparts, which helps manufacturers to reduce the upfront cost of the final product and also increase the operational efficiency of the system.
“The cascade of CO2 and NH3 possesses much more efficiency in refrigeration, and also saves huge amounts of energy, thereby helping the end user to reduce their operating costs.”
In an interview with CCN earlier this year, Emerson's director of food retail marketing and growth strategy for the cold chain, Andre Patenaude, said the industrial refrigeration market is no stranger to the use of natural refrigerants.
He said ammonia (aka NH3 or R-717) has been the backbone of many cold storage applications for decades.
"More recently, the increasing uptake of CO2 (R-744) in commercial applications has led refrigeration manufacturers to look for ways to exploit this emerging natural refrigerant in industrial applications — and the technology to combine the benefits of both refrigerants and facilitate this transition - which is finally coming of age," he said.
"With excellent performance efficiency and ultra-low environmental impact, in many ways NH3 is the closest thing to the perfect refrigerant. However, it has one major caveat: toxicity."


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iOS 16 finally improves support for devices like Chromecast
iOS 16 has meant a great evolution at the level of customization in Apple's mobile operating system. The foregoing is important because it is not common to see those from Cupertino adopt such an open position. However, this interesting strategy is not being limited to the exclusive functions of the system.
From the Casa app offering compatibility with the Matter standard, to a recent discovery suggesting that iOS 16 could be much more open to Chromecast than in previous versions. According to the information shared by the Manzanaconnecting to a Chromecast will receive similar treatment to AirPlay.
In 9to5Mac They comment that iOS 16 opened up the protocols to support Google Cast at the system level. Yes, Chromecast has been supported by iOS for quite some time, but only some apps have such compatibility; while the rest of the system uses AirPlay as the only streaming method.
A unified experience in iOS 16
Recently, those from Cupertino have revealed a new tool for developers within iOS 16, and it arrives under the name of "DeviceDiscoveryExtension". So, Chromecast protocols could use AirPlay to support the operation of Google Cast at the system level.
Use DeviceDiscoveryExtension (DDE) to discover third-party media receivers to which your app can stream media content.
Because DDE runs in a system sandbox, the extension does not need to prompt the user for local network or Bluetooth permissions. The picker view displays discovered third-party devices and protocols in the same system menu as AirPlay, providing a unified device selection experience.
Of course, this integration should translate into better use of Chromecast features in iOS 16. This doesn't mean that Apple is fully integrating Google Cast into its system, no; but we will see the devices compatible with this standard directly in the AirPlay menus, as if it were a device with this technology.
In addition, developers will also be able to take advantage of this feature, and that is now have more tools to support Chromecast from your apps. For its part, those apps that already have support for AirPlay, will now also be able to take advantage of some Google Cast functions to transmit content. Thus, they will not need to have separate menus for each of the protocols, integrating everything under one umbrella.
iOS 16 seems to paint a new landscape for Apple and how we use your devices. But the iPhone system is not the only one that has been new. Your iPad has also gotten a lot of new features with iPadOS 16, and it looks like it's going to be the juiciest update in a long time.


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Interview: Alaa Diab
How can Egypt’s agriculture sector be made more attractive to foreign investment?
ALAA DIAB: Agriculture is one of the most important sectors for business and economic growth in Egypt. Its significant potential stems from the country’s geographic location between Africa, Europe and the Middle East, as well as a favourable climate, good soil quality and abundant manpower. Egypt needs to bank on these resources in order to attract investment. As trade agreements come into place, they will also have a major impact on the ease and efficiency of trade over time, increasing the strategic value of investments in Egypt. Value-added food manufacturing is also important to penetrating high potential markets such as those of sub-Saharan Africa, where a lack of infrastructure and inefficient logistics can create delays that cause a significant proportion of fresh produce to spoil.
The government is moving to boost agricultural growth and plans to make 1.5m feddans (630,000 ha) available for private-sector agricultural development. Another project that will be a fillip to the market is the creation of 100,000 acres of covered plantations. However, notwithstanding the significant efforts under way to make the sector more attractive to investment, additional steps must be taken with regard to the root structure of the sector as a whole.
How are infrastructure and logistics affecting the ability of growers to compete in terms of exports?
DIAB: There are several tiers of growers, from the small grower who has between half an acre and five acres; the medium grower with 20, 30 or 50 acres; and large companies with hundreds or thousands of acres. For the small grower, infrastructural support is key because they lack the capacity to pack and grade their produce in line with market requirements. This calls for investment in logistics and grading centres similar to co-operatives in Europe. Initiatives of this kind would also help to reduce wasted produce, levels of which can be as high as 40-50% due to the lack of supply chains linking the field to the consumer. Increasing efficiency in this area would reduce the markup charged by middlemen, thereby increasing affordability for the end consumer.
Medium and small growers both need assistance with accessing export markets. To this end, the government is embarking on a project to set up logistical centres in each of the governorates. There is also interest in investment in the management of wholesale markets for export, which is a way private sector funds could ease access to international markets. At present, a grower in Upper Egypt has to go through the intermediary system to get produce to Cairo’s wholesale markets, but the time and cost markups at each step along the way makes the produce uncompetitive by the time it reaches its destination.
What challenges does the limited availability of water present to agricultural producers?
DIAB: Egypt has a lot of assets when it comes to agriculture, but one key challenge is water. While the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam often makes the headlines, the primary driver for water shortage in Egypt is population growth. Improving irrigation methods would help to rationalise water usage, and growing crops that use less water, or have a shorter growth period, could also reduce demand. Technological advancements in areas like desalination and water collection could also increase the availability of water for agricultural use. Egypt needs a more balanced agricultural policy that safeguards strategic crops and takes into account the most efficient use of water, land and labour. The government is working to limit the cultivation of high-consumption crops like rice. There is talk of limiting sugarcane as well, but it is important to bear in mind that producers of sugarcane supply the sugar factories. Thus, lower cultivation of sugarcane would disrupt steady income and may lead to it being substituted with produce that is more susceptible to market volatility.


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As grocers across the country prepare for November when section 204 of the The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) goes into effect, the National Grocers Association (NGA) and ReposiTrak have created an alliance to help independent grocers tackle these compliance issues, NGA said on Thursday.
NGA entered the multiyear agreement with Utah-based compliance-management firm ReposiTrak to be NGA’s traceability and supplier compliance partner. The partnership will serve as a step forward in bringing guidance, education and support to the independent wholesale and retail grocery community, NGA said in a statement.
The FDA has stated that the initial list of 16 categories and thousands of products covered by Section 204 is the starting point to further improve the safety of the food supply chain, the the NGA, the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, said in a statement.
The FSMA is designed to help the FDA "rapidly and effectively" tamp down or prevent foodborne illness outbreaks, through enhanced traceability, the agency said.
“Food safety is of paramount importance to independent grocers and their supplier partners,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO, in a statement. “NGA’s partnership with ReposiTrak is the latest in a series of ongoing initiatives to enhance value for our members by sharing best practices in an area that’s crucial to safeguarding the hard-earned trust that retailers and manufacturers have with consumers.”
As for retailers, wholesalers and their trading partners, NGA said this will mean a need to maintain records of every movement of several fresh product categories from the point of origin to the point of sale to the consumer.
“NGA’s strategic partnership and support of the ReposiTrak Traceability Network is the first step toward industry-wide adoption of our easy and inexpensive solution that will improve food safety, enable faster and more precise recalls, and even usher in the potential for food waste reduction and better transparency for consumers,” said ReposiTrak Chairman and CEO Randy Fields in a statement. “Through our more than two decades of work in the grocery supply chain, we’ve come to understand that traceability will be inherently good for the industry.”
As part of this partnership, ReposiTrak will be the exclusive traceability and supplier compliance provider in NGA’s partner program. NGA will host online thought leadership content and share it across various platforms, including website, newsletters and email blasts, as well as a webinar series. Additionally, ReposiTrak will participate in NGA events and offer a special rate for its services to NGA member companies, the trade association said.
Earlier this month, the NGA welcomed the introduction of the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022, a bipartisan credit card reform bill aimed at providing competition to the credit card marketplace and lowering acceptance costs for merchants and consumers.
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) introduced the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act of 2022, legislation that would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly.
“Credit card swipe fees inflate the prices that consumers pay for groceries and gas. It’s time to inject real competition into the credit card network market, which is dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly,” said Durbin in a statement.
“The fees associated with accepting credit card payments is one of the highest costs of doing business for many U.S. merchants, including independent community grocers. These ‘swipe fees’ have a direct impact on our members’ operations and the viability of their businesses,” said Ferrara, in a statement. “Competitive grocers make a 1 percent net profit margin in a good year. Unfortunately, we do not see the same level of competitiveness in the credit card marketplace, which is why credit card fees increase annually without any free-market forces to drive down costs.”
The Washington, D.C.-based National Grocers Association (NGA), represents 21,000 independent grocers throughout the U.S.,


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The company’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report exceeded expectations across all levels.
The ongoing trade war has taken many U.S. companies hostage and left them vulnerable to tariffs and falling sales. So it’s refreshing to see companies like Estee Lauder doing well in spite of this economic uncertainty.
Estee Lauder released its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report this week and the results were exciting. The company’s sales and full-year guidance rose, largely thanks to an increasing demand for the company’s skincare line.
The company’s shares rose 5% in premarket trading and on Tuesday, it reached a new 52-week high. Here is an overview of the earnings report as well as what to expect from Estee Lauder going forward.
Takeaways from the earnings report
Estee Lauder has been investing heavily in its skincare line in recent years, as consumer demand for these products continues to grow. This investment has obviously paid off since the company has seen strong gains in this area.
Revenue from the company’s skincare line grew 15% to reach $1.59 billion during the fourth quarter. And many of these gains were due to the company’s strong sales in the Asia-Pacific region.
In this region, the company’s skincare sales grew by 18%. Most of these sales came from China, Hong Kong, and emerging markets in Southeast Asia.
The company’s net sales rose 9% to reach $3.59 billion, surpassing forecasts of $3.53 billion. Adjusted earnings were 64 cents per share, as opposed to 53 cents per share, which is what investors were expecting.
But most exciting of all to investors is that the company raised its full-year guidance. The company expects sales to grow by 7% to 8% in fiscal 2020, instead of the 6% originally anticipated.
Where is the company headed from here?
Estee Lauder has been a publicly-traded company since 1996 and 2019 has been its best year yet. The company’s shares are up 56% year to date and 44% from a year earlier.
Going into the next fiscal year, the company did caution that trade war concerns and other geopolitical issues could affect its sales. But given the company’s 2019 success, management seemed optimistic about its prospects going forward.


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Nicolette Lambrechts has been appointed vice president and managing director of sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz Vans USA, effective May 1.
In this role, Lambrechts will lead all van business operations in the United States, including sales, marketing, service and parts. She succeeds Robert Veit who is taking over the position as managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK.
“The United States is the largest market for our Sprinter vans after Germany. With her many years of international experience in the field of sales and marketing, we’re confident she will further develop our van business,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, executive vice president Mercedes-Benz AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, of Lambrechts.
“I would like to thank Robert Veit for an outstanding job overseeing the U.S. market. I am convinced that his wealth of experience and leadership skills will help to continue to drive our business ambition forward as managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK,” Breitschwerdt added.
Lambrechts joined MBUSA Vans team in October 2019, as the general manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans sales. She built a diverse sales team and implemented new business processes and strategies across the entire value chain, enabling the team to achieve profitable sales growth within the U.S. market. She starts her new position with an extensive understanding of the North American market.
Lambrechts joined Mercedes-Benz South Africa in 2001 as a graduate trainee. In 2002, she became a sales planner for ChryslerJeep and was promoted to distribution and logistics manager for commercial vehicles in 2004. Between 2008 and 2014, she held management roles as the national sales manager and brand manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans in South Africa. In 2014, she was promoted to managing director of the vans division for Mercedes-Benz South Africa and in 2017, she took over the role as managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans Canada.
Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC, in Ladson, South Carolina, assembles the Sprinter vans for the U.S. and Canadian markets under the brands Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. The midsize Mercedes-Benz Metris vans are also reassembled at this location. Opened in 2018, the plant provides more than 1,600 jobs and supports at least another 600 jobs in the region through its suppliers.


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Our Head Giraffe, Lynda Schenk, recently had this article published on Smart Company.
Maintaining an organic social media presence is important for all SMEs wanting to establish their brand. But it also comes with limitations.
For example, traffic can take days to build around platform algorithms, meaning if you’re running a time-sensitive campaign, it can cost you important factors like visibility and leads. Even then, content shared organically across major social platforms, is often only seen by approximately 5.5% of your following.
As a result, increasing your reach, building your audience, and maintaining a return on investment (ROI) for your time can be slow going.
That’s where paid (‘sponsored’) social media campaigns come in and help to enhance your social media strategy.
The key benefits of paid social media advertising are:
2. Customisabilty to suit your business objectives
3. Easily target key audiences
4. You can be ‘Always On’ social media
Effective ads emulate organic social media posts, and the penetration of paid social media means these reach audiences in the moment they most want to see your brand or product.
As a result, with even a modest budget, paid social media advertising can launch your content far beyond its current reach and engagement.
Continue reading about how to get the most out of paid social media advertising here.
Keep up to date with Purple Giraffe on our News Page.


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Boarini Milanesi, the Italian luxury brand, has unveiled the world's most expensive handbag, priced at Rs 52 crore. The Bologna-based brand will produce just three of the luxurious Parva Mea bags.
Reports suggest that 1,000 hours of work will be required to make each bag.
Boarini Milanesi, taking to Instagram, further announced that a part of the earning will be “donated to cleaning the seas”.
“We are proud to unveil a 6 million euro bag, the most expensive ever in the world, to raise awareness of the need to protect our seas, increasingly threatened by non-biodegradable plastics. 800 thousand euros of the proceeds will be donated to cleaning the seas,” said the Italian brand.
Take a look:
Made of semi-shiny alligator skin, the handbag is embellished with 10 white gold butterflies and a diamond pavé clasp. Out of the 10 butterflies, four are decorated with diamonds and three with sapphires and rare paraiba tourmalines.
The design of the bag and choice of stones were inspired by the ocean, reported Daily Mail.
It further quoted Boarini Milanesi co-founder Matteo Rodolfo Milanesi as mentioning that the bag is a tribute to his father.
Meanwhile, the bag's designer Carolina Boarini said, "Blue sapphires represent the depths of the oceans. Paraiba tourmaline reminds us of the uncontaminated Caribbean seas, and diamonds refer to the transparency of water when it falls in the form of rain."
Boarini Milanesi was established in Italy in 2016.
As per the Guinness World Records, the current most expensive handbag is the heart-shaped Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse, which is made of 18 kt gold and encrusted with 4,517 diamonds.


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Cruise Lines International Association
February 04, 2018
Millennials enjoy premium cruises
A report by the Cruise Lines International Association has revealed that millennials enjoy going on premium cruises more than ...


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Online shopping websites are going an extra mile to ensure customers don't fall prey to spam offers or security scares.
Sharad Sawant, an avid online shopper, is keeping away from shopping websites this festive season. "Online shopping has become tedious, with spam offers and other security scares such as loss of credit card information. I would rather shop in stores than get duped by clicking on some wrong URL," says Sawant.
His fears are not unfounded. Venkatasubrahmanyam Krishnapur, senior director, McAfee India, explains: "When searching for gifts online, beware that cybercriminals are busy putting up malicious holiday-themed content such as Diwali ringtones and e-cards as well as dangerous websites designed to spread malware or to steal information." He wishes to bust the misconception that popular websites are infallible from cyber attacks and that it is safe to shop at such sites. "Cyber criminals are now so sophisticated that they can also fake the 's' after the 'http' in a website address, which is usually considered one of the ways to secure a site," adds Krishnapur.
Probably that's why e-commerce portals such as Myntra.com, HomeShop18, buzzr.in and dealsandyou.com are leaving no stone unturned to ensure their customers are not duped by phishing and fraud sites. And, assisting the portals in these efforts are online security service providers and analysts. For instance, HomeShop18, that witnessed a 50 to 60 per cent increase in traffic this festive season, has added a mechanism for consumer education so that customers don't fall prey to any scam. "We follow an extremely secure encryption of 256 bits. There is also a back-to-back arrangement with payment gateways to ensure that no misappropriation takes place during the payment process," says Narasimha Jayakumar, COO (e-commerce).
Another e-commerce portal, buzzr.in, has installed strict measures to avoid online frauds. "Password data is stored in encrypted format, there are daily backups to avoid loss of data by users and we have a policy of not sharing email addresses. Permissions need to be taken to contact users by email," says Kunal Jain, founder of buzzr.in. The website has also eliminated payment gateways for consumers and adopted a method of charging advertisers based on interest per deal, thereby ensuring a smooth and secure use. Similarly, dealsandyou.com has ensured no credit card numbers are stored on the website. "We have also been credited by Verisign and Thawte, the companies that provide online certificate, as being secure for online transactions," says Arvind Verma, IT head, dealsandyou.com.
McAfee, one of the world's largest dedicated security technology companies, has noted that scammers tend to tailor their emails and social messages with festive themes in the hope of tricking gullible recipients into revealing personal information. Alternatively, spammers attach malware to such greeting emails, attracting recipients to click on these, which in reality could result in unleashing of a malware on their system.
"Watch out for those 'too good to be true' offers. Such offers could be a part of a counterfeit operation designed to get your credit card details. On receiving such online offers or discounts, exercise the same caution that you would if an unknown person from the street tried to sell you designer goods at an irresistible price," explains Krishnapur. From a solutions perspective, it is no longer sufficient to have anti-virus solution alone. McAfee advises that users must consider add-on features such as anti-phishing toolbars, password encryption, along with a security solution.


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California's Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced the approval an insurance product from Farmers Insurance on Wednesday that could fill a gap in insurance coverage for drivers of on-demand transportation companies like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar.
Chinese investments in U.S. businesses, all but nonexistent 15 years ago, now total nearly $50 billion and could reach $200 billion by the end of the decade, according to a new study tracking the accelerating trend.
Ellen Pao, interim chief executive of Reddit, announced last month a ban on salary negotiations at the social media company. Her stated goal: to eliminate the persistent disadvantage that women have at the bargaining table.
Someone shells out hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars for a smartwatch. Then what? Ariel Vardi doesn't have the answer, but he's confident after spending most of the last decade building games for cellphones that he can entertain people when they look down at a screen on their wrist.
Americans have little faith the government or companies can keep their private records secure online, a new survey by the Pew Research Center shows.
Like rock 'n' rollers getting the band back together, Activision and Harmonix are resurrecting their music-based franchises "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band," titles that in 2008 at their peak generated more than $1.6 billion in North American sales.
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. After testing every flagship Android phone released in the last two years over hundreds of hours, we think the Samsung Galaxy S6 is the best new phone for most people. It looks and feels fantastic, it's...
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have donated $5 million to help undocumented immigrants attend college, Zuckerberg said in a post on his Facebook page.
Wireless carrier AT&T could be forced to pay $100 million after the Federal Communications Commission found that the company had slowed data networks for unlimited plan holders without informing them, the agency said Wednesday.
The California labor commissioner's office has determined that a San Francisco-based Uber driver is an employee, not a contractor, of the popular ride-hailing service, according to a document filed in a San Francisco court Tuesday.
For the first time, E3 is allowing fans into its closely watched video gaming convention, starting today.
When it comes to thinking about entrepreneurship, we may be getting only half the picture.
Much of social media involves showing off where we are, whether it's watching a ballgame at Dodger Stadium, meeting Mickey Mouse at Disneyland or eating a pastrami sandwich at Langer's.
At the video game industry's big conference in Los Angeles, it's technology as much as the games that's driving discussions this year.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be an Uber driver but don’t want to actually get behind the wheel, there’s now a game for that.
A federal court on Thursday declined to halt implementation of tough new net neutrality regulations.
Dick Costolo is stepping down as chief executive of Twitter effective July 1, the company said Thursday.
Facebook-owned Oculus VR showed off the long-awaited consumer version of its virtual reality headset Thursday, announcing features such as built-in 360-degree audio headphones, a constellation tracking system, an external sensor and a dial that adjusts the distance of the headset's lenses.
In its first action involving the multibillion-dollar crowdfunding industry, the Federal Trade Commission charged that a man used money raised through Kickstarter for rent and other personal expenses instead of producing the board game he promised.
Google’s Chief Executive Larry Page has announced the tech giant’s latest moonshot, a new company whose mission is to revolutionize urban life.


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According to the fire brigade, there are several dangers in keeping hand cleaning gel in the car. With the recent outbreak of the pandemic coronavirus, a lot of people are now carrying hand cleansers with them wherever they go. Therefore, it is not strange that the disinfectant gel ends up in your car and is there for a period of time. However, it is not really a good idea at all to leave the gel inside the car on hot days, according to the fire brigade.
Don’t keep disinfectant gel in the car
We clearly understand that it is necessary to keep disinfectant gel in the car. For example, when you are in a public space or office, you can quickly use the gel to clean your hands when back to the car. Meanwhile, people don’t understand that leaving hand gel in the car can be very dangerous.
According to a post several weeks ago on the Facebook page of the Western Lakes Fire District, “Disinfectants mostly contain alcohol and are therefore flammable. Storing the disinfectant gel in your car in hot weather can result to disaster”. Although, the fire brigade meant well, readers actually misunderstood the message he passed. Their thought was that hand gel can quickly catch fire. Subsequently, the fire brigade corrected the message.
A lot of damage
In furtherance, the fire department posted on their Facebook page that “Our goal in the WLFD is to offer timely, accurate, and educational information while responding to the requests of our customers. It has become clear that a recent post about hand sanitizer was taken in different directions from our original goal. We want to take the opportunity to clear up some misunderstandings and ensure that our position is well understood by the public”.
“Our message was intended to center on preventing fire or injury from the use of hand sanitizer”, the fire brigade said, and in continuation, they stated that bottles, including hand-held bottles, can catch fire when they contain water or other transparent liquids such as hand cleaning products.
“While infrequent, there have been cases in the recent past where reflecting light placed through a clear bottle was able to focus onto a combustible surface and cause a fire. This has primarily been through water bottles since hand sanitizer is usually stored in the same vessel; we wanted to pass it along for the public’s safety. The principle is identical and clearly an additional issue would happen if it occurred in the presence of an alcohol-based product.”
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Durden Outdoor Expands Inventory in Troy, AL
July 17, 2016
With the increasing retail growth to the Troy, AL market, Durden Outdoor expanded its inventory in the Spring of 2016 by acquiring the inventory of Insight Media. First, Durden Outdoor upgraded and better positioned 5 of the 6 locations acquired. Durden also built two new prime time 10’ x 40’ bulletins and also added a new 10’ x 40’ Digital at the highest traffic intersection in the city. To help support the demand of circulation for business who like to saturate the market by using our Rotary Poster Program, we expanded our rotary inventory by adding six new Rotary Poster Boards.
Troy is looking forward to the retail growth coming in first Quarter of 2017. Phase One of the new Publix Shopping Center will open which will have eleven store fronts attached and several outer parcels. There are already three new restaurants committed along with a new bank to be built on one of the outer parcels. There will be two new Credit Unions coming to Troy later in 2016. There are also plans for a new retail strip to be added across from Santa Fe Cattle Company. So far in the past year, Troy has seen a new tire store open (Jim Whaley Tires) along with a new Owner of the Ford Dealership and name change to Pike County Ford, the opening of Chicken Salad Chick and several other new retail establishments.
After seeing all the new growth in the City of Troy over the past couple of years, Durden Outdoor saw the need to go in and create more inventory and upgrade some existing inventory to be able to support the demand and have the best billboard positions for our Clients. We are excited about the growth of Troy and look forward to helping make many businesses FAMOUS in the Troy, Alabama market.


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Sklar Wilton & Associates has developed and launched a Disruption Audit Solution which includes a free assessment tool that executives of any company can use to assess how their business will fare in a world of disruption and identify where they need to lean in harder.
The tool, which leverages the Wizu AI platform, focuses on three main dimensions: Consumer-led planning, conviction for the future, and being technology forward. The tool aims to help companies better understand how they are faring in terms of being prepared for disruption so they can future-proof their business. In the resulting customized report, gaps among the three dimensions help reveal the ability of the business to disrupt before it is disrupted, and identify areas for improvement. The free tool is available here.
The Disruption Assessment Tool is one component of a more holistic Disruption Audit Solution which helps companies assess the future landscape of the world and create an agreed-upon aligned view of the future for their industry, company, and category. Through stakeholder interviews, a customized disruption digest, a full-day workshop of immersion and scenario planning, the Disruption Audit Solution helps companies target their strategic planning and become better equipped to future-proof their brands from potential disruption and transform into innovative leaders within their categories.
Sarah Whitty, associate and developer of the Disruption Audit says, “Companies like Sephora and Indigo/Chapters have discovered how to survive and thrive in brick and mortar despite the massive growth of online retail that has negatively affected other retailers. Their store sales are rising, and they plan to open more stores (a US expansion is in the plan for Indigo/Chapters). They’ve been monitoring cultural, demographic, environmental, and economic trends and successfully translated those complex systems into actionable business strategies to innovate and disrupt within their categories.”


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Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to sex trafficking as banner flown above court reads ‘tick tock Matt Gaetz’
A plane has flown a banner above US District Court in Orlando, Florida reading “Tick Tock Matt Gaetz” as the GOP congressman’s ally Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor, among other charges, potentially aiding prosecutors in a related investigation involving the Republican congressman. Mr Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector, appeared in court on Monday after admitting to introducing a “minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts” with her, according to a lengthy plea agreement filed on 14 May. The other men were not named. Mr Gaetz was not named in court documents filed in US District Court on Friday.
Since 1886, people have trusted Coca-Cola to be a brand that delivers quality drinks they can depend on. But with other massive beverage brands like PepsiCo providing serious competition, Coca-Cola has had to repeatedly reinvent itself over the years with new products. Not all of Coke’s new products become fan favorites, however, and the company is no stranger to failed experiments—like New Coke, which was pulled from shelves completely in 2002. Now, cola drinkers will have to say goodbye to another beverage. One Coke product is disappearing from shelves forever, as the company has announced that it is being discontinued. Read on to find out which Coke product you won’t be able to find in the near future.RELATED: This Beloved Summer Food Is Disappearing From Stores and Restaurants. Coca-Cola is discontinuing Coke Energy in the U.S. Coca-Cola announced on May 14 that they are discontinuing Coke Energy—the company’s only energy drink—in North America, per The Wall Street Journal. The drink was introduced to break Coca-Cola into the energy-drink market dominated by Red Bull and Monster. However, the beverage failed to do that. According to Beverage Digest, Coca-Cola Energy only accounted for 0.7 percent of U.S. energy-drink sales by the end of 2020. The product will be discontinued in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2021, the WSJ reported. This decision comes less than two years after it was introduced. Coke Energy hasn’t exactly been a fixture for the U.S. branch of Coca-Cola, however. According to CNN, the company first introduced the drink in the U.S. in Jan. 2020 with four different varieties: Coke Energy, Coke Energy Zero Sugar, Coke Energy Cherry, and Coke Energy Cherry Zero Sugar. Before coming to the U.S., the energy drink was originally launched internationally—and it will continue to be sold in these international markets, per the WSJ. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. The company says it is focusing on new drinks that are selling well instead. According to CNN, Coca-Cola is turning its focus to new drinks that are selling well for the company—like AHA and Coca-Cola with Coffee, which were both introduced in the last two years like Coke Energy. AHA is the company’s sparkling water brand that was launched in March 2020, and Coca-Cola with Coffee was just introduced in the U.S. on Jan. 25. “An important component to this strategy is the consistent and constant evaluation of what’s performing and what’s not,” the company said in a statement, per CNN. This isn’t the first time the company has taken a product off shelves during the pandemic. Coke Energy is just the latest example of the company’s downsizing. In Oct. 2020, Coca-Cola announced it was removing half of its portfolio of drink brands, which is about 200 brands. According to Business Insider, at that time, the company had already announced it would discontinue drinks like Tab, Zico, and Odwalla, as just a few of the company’s brands rack in most of its profits. CEO James Quincy has said that Coca-Cola’s revenue is dominated by its biggest brands like Coke, Sprite, and Fanta, while more than half of the company’s brands collectively only generate around 2 percent of its revenue.RELATED: This One Thing Is Disappearing From Walmarts Nationwide.
KCRA – Sacramento Videos
A 14-year-old driver died after an early morning crash in a stolen vehicle Friday, according to Stockton police. Stockton police tried to pull over the stolen vehicle Friday around 12:41 a.m. near El Dorado Street and Fremont Street. Police said the 14-year-old driver did not pull over and led officers on a 2-minute chase before crashing into a tree at El Dorado Street and East Stadium Street. The juvenile female passenger was detained and not hurt, police said. The 14-year-old boy was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died, police said Saturday. Detectives are still investigating. No other details were released.
Eat This, Not That!
By now, you’ve heard that eating less meat is healthier for you, your family, and the planet. Meanwhile, the last year’s lockdown probably saw you ordering more takeout and delivery than ever. Unfortunately, these two trends conflict in a way you might want to know about. With pizza as the most-ordered food this past year, advocates are calling out America’s biggest pizza brand for inhumane treatment of the animals that become our food.Late Friday, animal advocacy group The Humane League contacted Eat This, Not That! editors with a report that may warrant awareness. In the report, entitled “The Price of a Slice,” the organization states that 200 food companies have willingly committed to a new chicken welfare policy that eliminates the cruelest factory farming practices from their supply chains. Those companies that have committed to good for chickens include well known brands like Chipotle, Burger King, Popeyes, Papa John’s, Starbucks, Subway, Denny’s, and more.RELATED: This Is the Best Supermarket in America, New Survey SaysWhile a lot of fast food brands, family restaurants, and manufacturers like General Mills and Kraft Heinz appear on the list of companies that have committed to kinder chicken welfare, the number of pizza chains leaves plenty to be desired. The Humane League says big pizza brands have failed to commit to the same animal welfare supply chain practices. The list of these chains includes Domino’s—which is the top-selling pizza in America—along with Pizza Hut, Little Caesar’s, Sbarro, Marco’s Pizza, and many more.Shown is the Humane League’s list of pizza chains they’re calling on for better animal welfare practices:The Humane League says these pizza chains commit inhumane practices in their treatment of chickens in particular. Here’s what they detail:Crowded by the tens of thousands into sheds with no room to move around. Standing in their own waste because their sheds are almost never cleaned during their lifetime. Bred to grow so heavy, at such a rapid rate, that many can’t even stand up. Killed using a brutal system called “live-shackle slaughter,” leaving half a million chickens boiled alive each year.These pizza restaurants allow this to go on every day. They have refused to ban these practices from their supply chains, and they have never released a public statement about their standards for chicken welfare.We all know that making the healthier, more conscious transition to eating less meat products takes sacrifice, intention, and commitment. But the insights we gain from reports like this might better inform where we want to order from next time the house has a craving for barbecue chicken pizza, wings, or chicken tenders. Catch up on the big popcorn brand that’s been recalled in 16 states, and keep reading:Burger King Brings Back These Beloved Chicken Nuggets After 10 YearsStudy Finds Harmful Chemicals in Breast MilkThe Easy Homemade Pet Treat Everyone Is Trying
Dementia can come in many forms—from vascular dementia to frontotemporal dementia to Alzheimer’s disease—and each can affect the brain differently. And while all of the various types cause memory loss and changes in personality, each may also display its own signs and symptoms that can clue you or a caregiver into what’s going on.Researchers have found that one of these types, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), has a distinct symptom that may serve as an early warning sign. They say that individuals with this type of dementia “show a marked change in food preferences,” including a particular desire for one particular type of food. Read on to find out which craving may tip you off to a dementia diagnosis—and what other symptoms to look out for.RELATED: Doing This for 12 Minutes Each Day Slashes Your Dementia Risk, Study Says. Craving sweets can be a sign of dementia. According to Andrew E. Budson, MD, associate director for research at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center and a professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, craving sweets can be an early sign of FTD. He explained to Psychology Today that this particular form of dementia “often exhibits changes in food preferences, such as the desire to eat sweet foods.”Budson recounted a story he heard in a support group for the caregivers of dementia patients, which included this strange symptom. “He began to eat things—like a tub of ice cream or a whole box of cookies—in bed while I was trying to sleep,” one woman told the group of her husband, who was later diagnosed with FTD. She also shared that he would eat “a box of cake mix, a tin of frosting,” and other sweet items that would not typically appeal to him. A 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients with FTD eat more sugar and carbohydrates—and are more likely to experience rapid weight gain—than those without neurodegeneration.For more health news sent directly to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. You may notice symptoms at a younger age than most forms of dementia. While most people with Alzheimer’s disease are diagnosed in their mid-60s, signs of frontotemporal dementia regularly appear significantly earlier.”Most people with frontotemporal dementia start to show symptoms between the ages of 45 and 65, although in about one-quarter of individuals the disease is first detected after age 65,” Budson explains.RELATED: Doing This When You Drive Could Be an Early Sign of Dementia, Study Says. You may also notice pronounced shifts in your personality. In addition to craving sweets, those with frontotemporal dementia will typically have other “prominent symptoms,” including notable changes in personality and behavior. “Friends and family members of individuals with frontotemporal dementia frequently describe them as behaving like ‘different people,'” Budson explains.”They often show socially inappropriate behaviors, have poor manners, make impulsive decisions, and engage in careless actions,” as well as displaying a pronounced lack of either sympathy or empathy, says Budson. It may also affect your ability to complete everyday tasks. The woman from the support group Budson described shared that while there were many signs that something was wrong with her husband, she didn’t think to consult a doctor until it began affecting his ability to work. “Loss of interest, drive, and motivation to do anything is very common,” Budson says. This sense of “apathy” or “inertia,” as Budson describes it, may impact one’s ability to hold a job or fulfill their everyday responsibilities.However, the neurologist warns that while the individual’s habits may change drastically, they are almost always unaware of the changes themselves. “It is family or friends who bring the abnormal behavior to medical attention,” Budson says.RELATED: If You’re Over 65, Doing This Can Reduce Your Alzheimer’s Risk, Study Finds.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated people can go without masks in most scenarios. The sudden shift in mask guidance sent shockwaves through everyone who had been carefully abiding CDC directives. While many people shed their masks for the first time this weekend, others remained cautious and opted to continue wearing a face covering. But there’s one group of people the CDC has warned should keep their masks on, even once they’re fully vaccinated: People taking immunosuppressive medications for autoimmune diseases may need to continue wearing a mask.RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says This Is What Happens If You Combine the Moderna&Pfizer Shots.On May 13, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people “can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying six feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” However, the CDC noted that people who have an autoimmune condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system should talk to a doctor before going without their mask.”If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated,” the CDC guidance reads. “Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.” The CDC says its researchers are still learning about how well the vaccines protect people with weakened immune systems, either from certain conditions or medications they’re taking.Studies have shown that people with an autoimmune disease who take medications that suppress their immune systems may have a weakened response to the vaccine. A pre-peer-reviewed study shared on medRxiv on March 29 found that regular infusions of infliximab (Remicade) can make the first dose of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines less effective. Remicade is commonly used to treat autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, plaque psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis. While many patients’ immune response improved with the second dose, some never gained sufficient immunity. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. The researchers noted that reduced efficacy of the vaccine is likely not only limited to Remicade. The study hypothesized that people prescribed other medications to stop inflammation could also have a diminished immune response to the vaccine. Besides Remicade, other commonly prescribed tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors include Enbrel (etanercept), Humira (adalimumab), Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), and Simponi (golimumab). Humira and Enbrel are two of the world’s top-selling medications, according to ARY News.CDC director Rochelle Walensky, MD, expanded on the guidance over the weekend. During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press on May 16, Walensky said, “We know that—and there are emerging data to suggest—that if you don’t have a fully competent immune system from chemotherapy, from transplants, from other immune-modulating agents, that the vaccine may not have worked as well for you. So, please, before you take off your mask, consult your physician.”Walensky also pointed out that just because the guidelines changed doesn’t mean that everyone’s behavior has to shift immediately. You should factor in your risk and how comfortable you feel going maskless. “Not everybody has to rip off their mask because our guidance changed on Thursday,” Walensky said on CNN’s State of the Union on May 16.RELATED: Dr. Fauci Reveals the Key Difference With Vaccinated People Who Get COVID.
The 82-year-old U.S. congresswoman detailed a death threat she received, in which a caller referred to her as the n-word and said she deserved to be “hung by a rope for treason.” Congresswoman Maxine Waters is weighing a lawsuit against Fox News after the conservative news outlet reported that she requested and utilized federal law enforcement for security during her travels to and from Minnesota where she attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration last month. In a report published on Friday, Fox News claimed Rep. Waters (D-Calif.) used government resources to be accompanied by two armed Capitol Police officers and two U.S. Secret Service agents and that she requested two air marshals and two more marshals to escort her in the airport.
Consumers and retailers alike are still trying to figure out what Americans will want to wear as they head back out into the world after a year at home, in sweatpants.Why it matters: The choices people make about their post-pandemic wardrobes will help define what, exactly, our “new normal” is. They’ll indicate how both work and socializing have changed, and will tell the story of how people expressed themselves in the aftermath of a year of massive transformation.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.What we’re watching: As sales begin to tick back up, both men and women seem to be moving on from their lockdown looks, but aren’t simply snapping back to their pre-pandemic tastes.Handbag designers, for example, are still making compartments for hand sanitizer, and will probably continue to, said Lainie Schreiber of Latico Leathers. “We made sure to include pockets for the new essentials,” she said.What’s trending: “Not a lot of suits and almost anything without a zipper or buttons,” said Camille Wright of Style Consortium, a multi-line apparel showroom.“They cannot get enough dresses,” she said. “Everyone wants to wear a dress right now. They want to be pretty.”Anything soft and flowing, especially in block prints or bright colors — pink, turquoise, lavender — is in. Men’s purchases also suggest a lot of them are heading back to the office: They’re buying a ton of tops but fewer button ups. “Everything is kind of comfortable and kind of stretchy,” says Christine Alcalay, owner and operator of Kiwi, a women’s store, and Fig, a men’s retailer.“People have enough sweatpants, but they’re still in their COVID bodies so they want really pretty things that aren’t too boxy but comfortable,” Alcalay said.Denim, therefore, has taken a dip.Between the lines: Businesses have been “extraordinarily cautious” about their inventory, and are now trying to pin down the post-pandemic market at a time when they can’t afford much experimentation.”We just didn’t know what was going to happen,” Lisa Bobb of Squash Blossom, a women’s clothing boutique in Georgia, told Axios. “Was there going to be another wave? Were people going to be gathering for events or opting for smaller outings, where they’d be more casually dressed?”Retail clothing store sales dropped 5% month-over-month in April. And some specific categories have seen steep declines — women’s dresses and men’s suits saw prices fall 14% and 17%, respectively, from the start of 2020 to March 2021.But overall apparel prices are now on the rise, and retail employment has improved over the past few months, too.The bottom line: “After the pandemic, people want to be happy and so I think that is what is translating into what people have been wearing,” Wright said.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
Eat This, Not That!
“Preventative medicine” has been a buzzword for decades, and there are many science-backed regimens that can help protect you from serious disease. But taking a daily multivitamin isn’t necessarily one of them. Some of the ingredients in those supplements can lead to health problems. Here are five of the dangers you might encounter when taking multivitamins—always know what you’re taking, and it’s a good idea to consult your healthcare provider about what supplements you’re taking in conjunction with other medications. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You Had COVID and Didn’t Know It. 1 You’ll Waste Your Money If you’re interested in taking multivitamins for protection against serious disease, you should know that science doesn’t quite support that decision. In 2018, researchers from Johns Hopkins analyzed studies involving almost half a million people and determined that taking multivitamins doesn’t lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, or early death. Their advice: Don’t waste your money on multivitamins; get the vitamins and minerals you need from food. Increased Cancer Risk If you choose to take a multivitamin, be wary of the amount of biotin it contains. Kathryn Boling, MD, a family medicine doctor with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, recommends her patients take no more than 1 mg (1,000 mcg) of biotin daily. The reason: One study showed that men had an increased risk of lung cancer after taking megadoses of biotin (5 mg to 10 mg daily). Excessive Bleeding Another potentially dangerous multivitamin ingredient—and one that warrants a conversation with your doctor—is vitamin E. “Unless you have a reason to take vitamin E, you shouldn’t be taking it as a random supplement,” says Boling. “We used to think it was good to take because it’s an antioxidant, but actually it turns out that the risk is higher than the benefit.” That risk: Vitamin E thins the blood, which could turn minor injuries into serious bleeding episodes. 4 Liver Failure No supplement you take should contain the plant extract kava. “Kava, which people have taken to help them with sleep, can cause liver failure,” says Boling. “I tell patients it’s not safe to take orally.”RELATED: 9 Everyday Habits That Might Lead to Dementia, Say Experts 5 Neurological Problems Any multivitamin that contains tryptophan should be avoided. “Tryptophan is also something you can take to help you sleep, but it’s linked to a disorder that’s called EMS, which is a neurological condition that includes fatigue, intense muscle pain and nerve pain,” says Boling. Tryptophan is naturally present in small amounts in food, such as turkey and milk, “and that’s not a problem,” she adds. “But you should not take a tryptophan supplement.” 6 Drug Interactions St. John’s Wort, a super-trendy supplement a few years ago, is a prime example of how over-the-counter herbal remedies can interact with prescription medication. “You shouldn’t take it along with antidepressants, and it may interfere with birth control,” says Boling. And to get through life at your healthiest, don’t miss: This Supplement Can Raise Your Cancer Risk, Experts Say.


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Chambersburg farmer Keith Benedict knows the pumpkins have to be big, a little bigger than the size of a basketball. They have to be just the right shade of orange, too. Otherwise, his Central Pennsylvania crop might not land on the displays of stores in Philadelphia and other big markets in the state.
“If you fall down and some pumpkins are in they don’t like,” Benedict said, “they’ll generally start buying from somebody else who’s doing a better job.”
According to the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing & Research Program, 21 farms in Pennsylvania feature more than 10 acres of pumpkins. These farms, like Benedict’s, are the source of pumpkins for most big grocers and retailers in Philly. Dozens more Pa. farmers have fewer than 10 acres dedicated to the Halloween crop.
But despite the relatively small number of big-volume growers, getting your pumpkins into stores in Philly or other big cities in Pennsylvania can be competitive.
The Whole Foods on South Street gets its pumpkins from Davino’s & Sons farm in Clarksburg, N.J., plus other small farms. ACME gets some of its supply from Benedict and the rest from Zehner Farms in Northeast Pennsylvania and Fitzgerald Farms in Arlington, Va. ShopRite representatives said they get their pumpkins from various farms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but declined to provide names.
For pumpkin farmers, deals with major stores can be a huge asset — if they can be scored.
“Any box store, if you can’t supply their huge demand,” said Adam Davino of Davino’s & Sons, “they won’t even look at you.”
How much do these stores need? Benedict supplies ACME with about 31,000 pumpkins. In the rest of Pennsylvania he supplies Giant with about 100,000 and Aldi with 60,000. Doug Zehner, of Zehner Farms, said he supplies about 100,000 for ACME.
“You’ll find that the pumpkins we sell to them are very, very orange,” said Zehner, crediting the higher elevation climate of his farm in Northern Pa.
The stores you see in Philadelphia with pumpkin displays out front are likely not even concerned about making a profit. Benedict suggested many stores sell pumpkins at a loss as a draw to get people into the store to buy other items.
He got his start in 1992, buying a neighboring farm and turning his milk and dairy into a much larger operation. Benedict first had about 10 acres for pumpkins and now has about 150. The connection to Giant began with the help of two cousins who had an in. Other connections developed from there and eventually Benedict Farms landed deals with ACME and Aldi.
Davino has a much smaller farm than Benedict. His pumpkin business basically consists of supplying to Whole Foods and local lawn and garden centers. For the local lawn and garden centers, a farmer can simply stop by to try to strike a deal to get his or her pumpkins sold. The bigger businesses don’t come nearly as easily. Many of Davino’s connections were passed down from his grandfather. Zehner Farms has had the ACME account going back at least 25 years.
For just about any Pennsylvania farm, two stores will almost always be out of reach: Home Depot and Walmart. Those big chains tend to get their pumpkins from Bottomley in North Carolina, a mega farm that supplies pumpkins and Christmas trees all over.
“If I ever went to Home Depot,” Davino said, “if I could even get a sales person on the phone — they’d probably laugh.”


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Microsoft's proprietary studio for all things Halo, 343 Industries, has announced it's new studio head as Chris Lee, who previously worked as an executive producer on Halo 5: Guardians. Lee will now head up the production of future Halo first-person shooters. This announcement as made by development director Frank O'Connor on Twitter.
O'connor then went on in a later post to clarify Lee's new position, saying he's "heading the FPS production [and] not replacing Dan [Ayoub]," who recently left the studio to work in Microsoft's VR department. According to O'Connor, Lee's role and Ayoub's are "Two different things."
It appears that Lee will only head up the main FPS Halo titles, while whoever takes over for Ayoub will control the RTS and ancillary titles like Halo Wars 2.
In related Halo news, 343 confirmed that Halo 6 won't be making it to E3 this year, but we do know that the game will focus on Master Chief rather than new playable characters, and Bonnie Ross confirmed earlier this year that all future first person shooter Halo titles will have split-screen local multiplayer, which means that mode will be included in Halo 6 when we finally do get it.


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Paul Tazewell, Broadway costume designer has created a line of protective face masks inspired by the elegance of Princess Grace for the The Princess Grace Foundation-USA. In collaboration with Matthew Neff’s company neffnyc, the exquisite pieces are hand sewn and finished.
The unveiling of the designer Face Masks inspired by Grace Kelly’s iconic fashion looks is just in time for the holidays.
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA presented an exclusive line of limited-edition, hand-sewn face masks inspired by Grace Kelly’s iconic fashion looks for the holiday season to help support the creative community. The face masks were designed exclusively for the Foundation by Paul Tazewell, Princess Grace Award Winner, Tony Award-winning Hamilton costume designer and designer for Spielberg’s upcoming West Side Story. The limited-edition face masks feature three designs inspired by Grace Kelly’s most memorable fashion moments on the silver screen – Rear Window; Dial M for Murder and To Catch a Thief – along with a sleek mask design heralding the Foundation’s illustrious crown logo.
The exquisite face masks can be obtained by donating to the Foundation –$100 per mask – and the proceeds will directly support the Princess Grace Foundation’s performing arts grants program and put critical funds directly into the hands of so many deserving artists at a time when they need it most.
Under the direction of Matthew Neff’s company neffnyc, a full-time costume stitcher for the current Broadway revival of West Side Story, these unique masks are being hand-sewn by the incredible artisans of Broadway’s costume community who lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
To make a tax-deductible donation to the Princess Grace Foundation and receive your choice of Grace Kelly-inspired face masks, please visit https://pgfusa.org/masks/.
This article originally appeared on MilanoStyleVintage.com.


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Lights, camera, action! On Sunday, February 9, stars flocked to the 92nd annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in L.A. to celebrate the best of the best in film. Celebs dressed in their black tie best, closing out this year’s awards season in the most stylish — and sexy — way possible.
From daring dresses and sophisticated jumpsuits to larger-than-life ballgowns and plunging necklines, there was truly no shortage of memorable looks to go around at the Oscars. For example, Renée Zellweger looked breathtaking in a one-shoulder Armani Prive gown and Cynthia Erivo turned heads in a magnificent Atelier Versace number.
But that’s far from all of the crazy-good fashion moments we’ll be dreaming about until next year’s ceremony. Billie Eilish pledged her allegiance to Chanel in a cool white pantsuit and Gal Gadot shook the nation in a Givenchy gown featuring a sheer, lacy bodice. Additionally, Natalie Portman donned a black cape over her Dior gown that featured a touching ode to female film directors.
From 6:30 p.m. EST until 8:00 p.m., stars walked the carpet before taking their seats in the star-studded theater. Over the course of the evening, celebrity presenters took turns announcing this year’s big wins. Some of the evening’s stylish presenters included Penélope Cruz, Gal Gadot, Maya Rudolph and Regina King.
So what are you waiting for? Keep scrolling for a look at all of the fabulous fashion looks from the 2020 Oscars red carpet!