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That’s because the local independent grocery store in Westport, Ont. installed a cardboard baler in September. Although it has only been in place for two months, the compactor is already showing big results for waste diversion at the store.
Owner and operator, Neil Kudrinko, said the measure was taken to continue with the efforts towards sustainability and keeping a keen focus on waste coming from the store. Recycling cardboard is an attractive option for grocery stores, and cardboard compaction makes the bulk much smaller – minimizing the space needed for storage.
In fact, the new cardboard compactor has also allowed Kudrinko’s to aggressively divert other materials such as plastic shrink wrap from the waste stream. It effectively reduced the store’s garbage production by 55 per cent for the months of September and October when compared to the same time period in 2014.
“Since installation, we have already shipped six metric tonnes of cardboard,” said Kudrinko. “The results are positive and work to maximize space at the store, while also permitting us to be more responsible with our waste.”
He added that reducing and diverting garbage from the store is something he has been aiming to focus on for quite some time. Kudrinko’s earned accolades earlier this year for reducing its carbon emissions significantly and adopting numerous green initiatives. Now, Kudrinko says he is pleased to focus on the store’s waste stream.
“We were already looking at waste diversion for fruit, vegetables and meat; now we’re looking at ways to dispose of other aspects of our waste stream without putting an additional burden on the municipality,” he said.
In that vein, Forman Farms near Seeley’s Bay takes loads of waxed produce boxes from Kudrinko’s to be recycled into heating pellets for their greenhouses. Kudrinko said it’s another example of sustainability in action.
For more information on how Kudrinko’s is making green initiatives a priority at the store, click here. To read about how Kudrinko’s was named the first store in Canada to earn the Grocery Stewardship Certification, please click here.
Neil Kudrinko knows how important information about food sourcing is to his customers. That’s why Kudrinko’s is beginning to adopt an in-store program that puts those details directly into the hands of its customers.
The independent grocery store in Westport, Ontario is launching the Localize labelling system which highlights locally grown and produced foods. Kudrinko, who owns and operates the store, said Localize is about empowering customers to make more informed choices while also helping grocers better communicate and promote their local products.
At face value, Localize is essentially a shelf labelling system. But in seconds, a customer can scan the label’s QR code and the product is brought to life with a story about everything from its ingredients to the distance it has travelled.
“It’s an awareness platform for shoppers,” said Kudrinko. “Localize highlights quick answers to customer questions about where a product was made, what went into it, who made it and how it was made with a keen focus on sustainability.”
He said it takes the guess work out of the food buying process for consumers. That’s an important next step for Kudrinko’s, as the local grocer has proven time and again that supporting local food producers, sustainability and green initiatives are at the forefront of the business.
“It’s a great tool to get food facts to customers so they can make fast, details-based choices,” Kudrinko said, noting he understands the importance of communicating key food information to his customers.
Stop by Kudrinko’s to test drive the new shelf labelling system. The initiative will grow as the season progresses, so stay tuned for more information as the launch of Localize continues at Kudrinko’s.
That’s because the family-owned, independent grocer in Westport, Ont. is promoting Family Meals Month in association with the Food Marketing Institute, which encourages sharing meals around the table.
The focus is designed to underscore the benefits of family meals and the role the grocer can play in helping your family share one more meal at home per week.
Eating together as a family is proven to promote lifelong health benefits. Regular family meals are linked to higher grades for children, increased self-esteem, healthier eating habits and less risky behaviour. In fact, a recent study shows that children who grow up sharing meals as a family are more likely to exhibit pro-social behaviour as adults, such as sharing, fairness and respect. (De Backer, C.J. 2014).
Neil Kudrinko, owner of Kudrinko’s Ltd., said his store is committed to helping its customers make shared meals at home fun, affordable and healthier. He said he knows that juggling jobs, kids and the demands of a busy life often come at the expense of family mealtime at home. To that end, he said the Westport grocer can be an ally to finding a solution to the mealtime dilemma.
“Back to school time is a great opportunity to renew that commitment to bringing the family together at the end of the day to share a meal,” he said, noting Kudrinko’s offers an ever-expanding assortment of products that take the stress out of planning and preparing family meals, such as pre-prepared fresh ingredients, delicious readymade salads, and more.
“Our customers can find healthy, mealtime solutions in almost every aisle of the store – and our staff is always willing to help out through locating products or meeting special diet and nutrition requirements.”
Kudrinko’s will be posting tips on social media throughout the month of September, highlighting the benefits of sharing family meals. In addition, Kudrinko’s is devoting the back page of its two September flyers to products and a recipe that are sure to please every member of your family. Watch for a delicious recipe for turkey noodle bake in the flyer starting on Sept. 4!
Kudrinko’s Ltd. president and CEO Neil Kudrinko is pleased to release the company’s 2014 Carbon Report. The report details emissions from the operation of its grocery store located at 22 Main Street in Westport and shares the company’s strategy with respect to strategic investment, energy savings, as well as social and environmental responsibility.
Questions or comments regarding the sustainability efforts of Kudrinko’s Ltd. are always welcome. Please feel free to contact Neil Kudrinko directly at 613-273-2130 or by email neil (at) kudrinkos.ca.
Kudrinko’s Ltd. got a special delivery on Tuesday morning – one that could save lives.
A Public Access Defibrillator is now installed at the independent grocery store in Westport, Ont., from the St. John Ambulance Brigade of Leeds, Grenville and Lanark.
Owner Neil Kudrinko said the machine was an investment into the safety of the store for its customers, which makes sense when considering the sheer number of people who shop at the local business.
“We estimate that about 10,000 people per week walk through the store in the summer months,” Kudrinko said. “We’ve had a few instances where someone is in medical distress in the store, so we wanted to be proactive and make this extra commitment to our customers.”
The St. John Ambulance Brigade provides community service and training which improves the health, safety and quality of life for residents of the Brockville, Smith Falls, and 1000 Islands area. David Dargie, Caring for Our Community Capital Campaign Co-ordinator with the local St. John Ambulance Brigade, said that having a defibrillator at a retail space is exceptional. “That’s progressive,” he said. “Having a defibrillator on site at a grocery store is really cutting edge.”
Kudrinko said not only is the Public Access Defibrillator installed near to the cash area, but half of Kudrinko’s staff is now also trained in CPR and automatic electric defibrillator use.
Dargie said it’s that kind of dedication that could prove essential to saving lives. “As awareness grows in terms of how lifesaving they can be, more community organizations, municipalities and now retail spaces are jumping on board,” he said, noting that the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is aiming to create a map which showcases the location of all defibrillators in the region. “We aim to make these as popular as fire extinguishers.”
He points to an incident earlier this year in Brockville, Ont. when a man was saved by use of a defibrillator after he collapsed at a local arena. Dargie said as people become cognizant of how effective the Public Access Defibrillators can be, the St. John Ambulance Brigade is seeing an increase in people getting equipped and trained for their use.
Distributing the defibrillators is only a small part of what the St. John Ambulance does in the community. Celebrating its 55th year in 2014, St. John Ambulance Brigade of Leeds, Grenville and Lanark offers a full range of first aid, CPR and even marine medical first responder services. In addition, it has served area residents through providing training, therapy dog services, youth services, and car seat safety services. Learn more at www.sjabrockville.org.
Kudrinko said he is glad to partner with the St. John Ambulance Brigade so the defibrillator can be in place at Kudrinko’s in Westport, as part of the store’s ongoing commitment to its customers. To find out more about the unique initiatives unfolding at Kudrinko’s, click here.
Kudrinko’s Ltd. has a lot to celebrate.
The Westport, Ont. family-owned, independent grocer was thrilled to recently receive a Greatness in Green, Outstanding Independent award from Progressive Grocer. The awards reception was held in Las Vegas last week, during the National Grocer’s Association show.
Owners Neil and Martha Kudrinko were on hand to accept the accolade which honoured grocer innovation or success in a specific area of business. The store was nominated for its environmental efforts and competed against entries throughout North America.
“We’re proud of this achievement as we strive to be a modern, energy efficient example of sound business practices,” said Neil Kudrinko. “The investments we’ve made are not only good for the environment, they ensure that our store will remain competitive as we deal with issues like rising energy costs.”
Even before earning the designation, Kudrinko’s was tracking its energy consumption and refrigerant losses, replacing inefficient compressors and HVAC systems, improving insulation of the building envelope, and retrofitting its freezers with LED lights. Outside of the store walls, Kudrinko’s has installed off-grid solar parking lot lighting, and incorporated ground water bioswales into its recent parking lot project.
Progressive Grocer noted that while each of the award winners may have differing approaches to how they go to market, what remains consistent is the extremely close ties they have to the communities they serve.
“Such close relationships give independent grocers insights into their shoppers that they can never glean from transaction or market data, regardless of how rich it is,” the magazine stated in an online article.
Kudrinko’s accomplishments were featured in the February edition of the magazine, with a profile detailing the strategies that contributed to its selection as a winner.
To find out more about Kudrinko’s green initiatives, click here.
Kudrinko’s Ltd. president Neil Kudrinko couldn’t be happier with his latest Carbon Counted report results. “Since we began the transformation of our 1960s era grocery store into a modern energy efficient example of sound business practices I’ve always had a very specific goal in mind – getting our emissions under 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.”
This milestone was easily surpassed by the Westport grocer coming in at 92.55 tonnes for 2012. While electricity usage was up for the store over 2011, the carbon emissions per kilowatt hour on the Ontario grid was lower than previous years due increased green energy production and the continued phasing out of coal.
“Every business continues to look at new programs that we can run in our stores to increase sales. In 2012 we expanded out hot food sales and added more equipment in our kitchen,” said Kudrinko. “The challenge for store operators is to offset these new processes by reducing consumption in other areas. Last year’s improvements included retrofitting our freezers with LED lights.”
The store has been tracking its energy consumption and refrigerant losses using Carbon Counted since 2007 in conjunction with the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers’ Environmental Sustainability Initiative. Setting benchmarks and giving context to expense line items such as energy has allowed Kudrinko’s to be very strategic in making money saving investments.
“You can’t tackle a problem unless you have a means of measuring it,” said Kudrinko. “We’ll keep looking to lower our consumption numbers, add savings to the bottom line, and do something good for the environment.”
Click here to download Kudrinko`s 2012 Carbon Counted Report: crvEmissionsBySite.
We’re pleased to share the feature article from December’s Progressive Grocer Independent issue highlighting the efforts that we have made as a company to deliver a top quality grocery operation. Martha and I are proud of the store that we offer to Westport and the Rideau Lakes and we continue to invest in our business for the benefit of our community. Click on the cover to view the article, it will download as a PDF file.
If the grocery industry in the United States has a figure that is worthy of term “rock star”, in my estimation that person is Sam Mogannam. Sam shares a passion for food which is hard to find and he’s used that passion to not only build an exceptional grocery business, he’s also used that passion to rebuild a community in the process. Check out this great video presentation of Sam’s talk at TedxPresidio.


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Business confidence in the manufacturing sector fell in January for the fifth consecutive month. According to the Central Statistical Office's Business Tendency Survey (GUS-BTS), the industry index for the expected general business climate decreased from 1.4 points in December to minus 2.3 points in January and settled below the zero-point threshold, which marks the border between pessimism and optimism, for the first time since December 2009. The deterioration in the sentiment gauge reflects increasing pessimism among businesses regarding the economic outlook over the short run. Survey respondents were particularly concerned about the general economic situation and their ability to pay current debts. On the other hand, businesses were more optimistic regarding expected selling prices of their products. Growing pessimism among businesses may contribute to slowing investment growth in the months ahead.
Poland Business Confidence
Business confidence declines in January
January 27, 2011
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Poland Economic News
October 25, 2016
The manufacturing sector business climate index decreased from 3.3 points in September to 1.0 point in October, according to the Central Statistical Office’s Business Tendency Survey (GUS-BTS).
October 25, 2016
In September, retail sales rose 4.8% over the same month last year, which was below August’s over two-year high of a 5.6% increase.
October 19, 2016
In September, industrial production expanded 3.2% over the same month last year, which was notably below the 7.5% expansion recorded in August.
October 12, 2016
According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), consumer prices recorded flat growth over the previous month in September, which followed the 0.2% decrease recorded in August.
October 5, 2016
As anticipated by market analysts, the National Bank of Poland (NBP) decided to keep the reference rate at the record low of 1.50% at its 4–5 October monetary policy meeting.

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Tech + Gadgets
My boyfriend, who lives in Hong Kong, just visited me here in SF. A few days into his stay he confronted me with his iPad, with which he had been tracking the location of my cell phone from Hong Kong. I was shocked. He even showed me a map from a few weeks before when I was in Palo Alto with a friend. The map clearly showed a little icon with my name on it, right at my friend’s address. My BF wanted to know who the friend was and why I hadn’t mentioned it to him. I, in turn, told him to leave immediately and lose my number. Later, my techie friend told me it’s because I had turned on the “Find My iPhone” setting. Apparently, all he needed was my Apple ID to track me—which he of course knew, since I used it all the time to download from iTunes. Did I overreact?
When we first looked at Nextdoor five weeks after it launched late last year, the San Francisco-based startup had already helped people create 550 private social networks for their neighborhoods across the country, 100 here in the Bay Area.
Since then it’s grown to encompass 4,000 neighborhoods in 48 states and is adding at least 20 more networks every day.
As some 180,000 people – most of them from outside of the city limits – descend on Golden Gate Park this weekend for the annual Outside Lands Festival, the big question is: Where are they going to park?
After all, the parking passes offered by Outside Lands (at $150 a pop) sold out almost as soon as they became available.
For everyone who didn’t grab one of those, a scrappy little startup called ParkPlease says it has come up an alternative.
In the smartphone era, there are opportunities to make our everyday lives smarter in multiple ways, and highly skilled entrepreneurs are hard at work figuring out how to do just that.
A prime example is Randy Adams, a serial entrepreneur and founder of seven venture-backed technology companies, with a track record that includes the invention of the PDF at Adobe; the establishment of the first e-commerce web site (the Internet Shopping Network); and the creation of the first PC desktop publishing app, Personal Publisher.
Getaround, the peer-to-peer car-sharing service, announced a bunch of news today, including a new way for car owners to rent their cars out for an extended period of time, such as when they are backpacking overseas or on a military deployment.
As part this new longer-term sharing program, which is called Getaway, the company has also released a feature called Instant Rental that allows people to get access to a shared car instantly through its in-car technology known as the Getaround Carkit.
Finally, the startup has raised a substantial Series A round of funding from an impressive group of investors, including Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s new CEO, as well as the venture firm of Google’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt.
Consider the modest PDF, for almost two decades now the de facto standard digital document format first described by Adobe co-founder John Warnock as the “Camelot” system – a file format independent of specific software, hardware, and operating systems in the early '90s.
These days, probably the main way most of us are reminded how often we use PDFs is that annoying red icon of the Adobe Reader Updater that pops up almost constantly on our computer screens.
Good food is good, and there is no faster way to get it than GoPago. There is no place where this is more true that the FiDi where lunchtime lines are an intimate combination of comical and disheartening. Skip the whole ordeal with GoPago and get a free meal while you’re at it. Use the $10 credit promo code “7x7FiDi” within the next seven days (ends at 11:59pm on Sunday) and see for yourself how easy lunchtime can be.
Whenever Google launches a new product or a major upgrade to its search results page, the first news of that change often comes in the form of a post to the company’s official blog.
Meanwhile, when the company gets it right, most users don’t even notice that the change was made.
That seemed to be the case back in May, when the company announced the release of its Knowledge Graph, an enhancement to its basic search results.


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One thing that the smartphone heads are anticipating the most in 2014 is the launch of Samsung Galaxy S5. Galaxy S5 rumor mill is picking momentum with time while the fans still await the official release date announcement. The latest Galaxy S5 news that has been creating a buzz is that the S5 might come with a 2K display.
The smartphone giant hinted about the probable possibility when it disclosed that it’s been working on a smartphone with QHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display at the Semiconductor and Display Technology Roadmap Seminar. There is still no official word on the rumor from Samsung.
At the same event, the smartphone giant has also divulged that it is undoubtedly working on 4K UHD screens for its smartphones, tablets and phablets which will make way into the market in near future. Putting a 4K display on a smartphone is still considered a dream although Samsung displayed a couple of its concept 2K and 4K phones at the CES this year. A 4K display is capable of delivering a whopping 3480 x 2160 resolution and an immense pixel density of 700 ppi plus.
4K and UHD televisions were the flavor of CES this year with all the major players like Sony, Samsung and LG exhibiting their magnanimous creations. It would not be an overstatement to call 4K and Ultra High Definition displays the future of televisions and smartphone displays. But, as of now, the technology is at a very nascent stage and bound to cost us a bank.
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Auto sales in China increase by nine percent
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
4/9/2014 (4 years ago)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
It's a sign of China's growing middle class - in addition to trying to beat the clock before new regulations go into effect. Passenger vehicle sales in China have risen nine percent year-on-year for the month of March. The sudden surge is driven by delayed new model launches ahead of the Beijing auto show. Chinese consumers also want to buy cars before curbs were introduced by the Hangzhou government.
Passenger vehicle sales in China have risen nine percent year-on-year for the month of March.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - There were 1,588,792 cars, sport-utility or multi-purpose vehicles and minivans sold in the month of March. Figures from the China Passenger Car Association this week showed sales in the first three months of 2014 increased 9.5 percent to 4.6 million vehicles. This in spite of a weak February owing to the weeklong Spring Festival holiday.
"Passenger vehicle sales dropped a bit in the first week of March," Rao Da, the association's secretary-general says. They "gradually picked up until the boom in the final week when the Hangzhou government announced the purchase restrictions for new vehicles in the city".
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After the government announcement on March 25, more than 70,000 vehicles were ordered in one day in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province.
"More than 10 cities are expected to launch similar limitations on vehicle purchases because of traffic and environmental considerations soon, so panic buying will add at least 500,000 vehicle sales this year," Rao said.
"This points to high growth in China's passenger vehicle market for the whole year," Rao added.
Rao predicted a similar sales number for April. More than 300 new model vehicles will be unveiled at the Beijing auto show, which will likely offset the impact of there being fewer working days this month.
"For the whole year, the association expects an annual increase of 10 percent in China's overall automobile market and 13 percent in the passenger vehicle sector," Rao said.
"Chinese homegrown automakers will be further challenged not only from a continued declining market share, but also shrinking exports to developing countries," Rao said.
Japanese automaker Nissan said this week that sales in China of its premium Infiniti brand grew 2.53 times in the first quarter, to 6,158 units compared with 2,434 in the same period last year.
Sales in China for US automaker General Motors rose to a record in March.
Copyright 2018 - Distributed by THE CALIFORNIA NETWORK
Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for APRIL 2018
For those who have Responsibility in Economic Matters. That economists may have the courage to reject any economy of exclusion and know how to open new paths.
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Retailers think that the fees banks charge them each time a shopper swipes a debit card are too high, so they are asking the Supreme Court to hear an appeal on Federal Reserve rules that allow so called "swipe fees."
"Given how extensive these fees are and how they affect virtually every transaction that takes place in the United States...it's a serious case that the Supreme Court ought to hear," Doug Kantor, an attorney with Steptoe & Johnson in Washington who represents the retailers, said Monday.
Fed spokesmen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Businesses pay the fees, also known as interchange fees, to banks when customers use debit cards to purchase goods or services. The fees are set by Visa and MasterCard and reimburse banks for costs involved in providing the cards.
The 2010 Dodd-Frank law called for the Fed to cap the fees, which were about 44 cents per transaction at the time. Retailers had argued the fees were too high and led to higher prices for consumers.
The Fed in 2011 limited swipe fees to 21 cents per transaction, but retailers said the law intended the cap to be even lower.
The National Retail Federation, whose members include Wal-Mart and JCPenney, the National Restaurant Association, and other groups, sued the Fed in 2011.
A U.S. district court in July 2013 sided with the retailers. The Fed appealed, and an three-judge appeals panel in March reversed the lower court's decision and upheld the Fed's rules.
The retailers had the option of appealing to the full appellate court or directly to the Supreme Court. The court now will decide whether or not to hear the case.


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New renders of the OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T have been leaked by Yogesh Brar in partnership with Onsitego. The new OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T will be the latest flagship models from OnePlus, and will be powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. As per the leaks, the design language of the OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T borrows from the OnePlus 10 Pro, which was launched earlier this year.
OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T design
As seen on the leaked images of the OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T, the rear camera island looks similar to the OnePlus 10 Pro. The flash is also part of the stove-top camera island design, making a faux fourth module. As per the images, we can see a total of three cameras in the main setup. The single-lens selfie camera is in a punch hole in the middle of the top end of the screen.
According to the new renders, the OnePlus 10/OnePlus 10T doesn’t seem to have an alert slider. According to Yogesh, OnePlus will apparently opt for the alert slider in Pro-level devices; OnePlus were the ones to initially standardise the alert slider in their smartphones. Let’s see how fans of OnePlus take this news.
OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T Specs
The OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T is expected to feature a 7.6-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. As for the camera setup, we assume the main camera is going to be a 50 MP unit, with optical image stabilisation. The front camera is expected to be 32 MP. Coming to the insides, like we mentioned, the device will be powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, and for the battery, a 4,800 mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging.
OnePlus 10 or OnePlus 10T pricing
As for pricing, we expect the new device to launch in a tier under the OnePlus 10 Pro, which currently retails for Rs 66,999.


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Additives for Polymers (v.2017, #1)
Speciality chemicals firm Milliken & Co has introduced a new variant of its well-established Millad® NX™ 8000 clarifying additive for polypropylene (PP) [ADPO, September 2007] that it has tailored for use in the extrusion blow moulding process. The new additive performs ‘significantly better’ in higher melt-flow-rate (MFR) grades of PP, and yields ‘excellent results’ in terms of both productivity and the optical properties of the end product, the company reports. The clarifying agent received its debut at the K 2016 trade fair in October.
The Dispersions & Pigments division of BASF, via its Colors & Effects brand, has extended the Paliotol® organic pigment series further into food contact and toys applications with the launch of Paliotol Yellow K 1750 at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, in October 2016. The Paliotol series consists of mid- to high-performance organic pigments, which are reported to have excellent colouring value for a wide range of end-uses, including sensitive applications.
US polymer materials and solutions firm PolyOne has announced the commercial availability of its SynPlast™ L9TM plasticizer for demanding flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) applications such as wire and cable. The new trimellitate (TM) product reportedly features ‘equivalent performance characteristics’ to the 810TM linear plasticizer that flexible PVC compounders have traditionally relied upon to achieve critical performance properties at both elevated and low temperatures. However, the new SynPlast option offers greater supply stability, according to PolyOne.
At the K 2016 show in Düsseldorf, Germany, US-based company Troy Micropel introduced four new antimicrobials as well as presenting its full line of Micropel® and Plastiguard® biocide products for plastics. The company reports that it offers a full portfolio of ‘highly effective active chemistries’ for customers in Europe, as well as an experienced regulatory department to enable customers to manufacture high-quality, fully compliant materials.
US chemicals company ExxonMobil Chemical has expanded its range of Vistamaxx™ performance polymers with the introduction of a new low-viscosity grade that can be used to ‘maintain or improve’ the cycle times of injection moulded or extruded applications. According to the company, Vistamaxx 8880 improves the flow and processing of polyolefin compounds that contain Vistamaxx 6202 or 6502, or are heavily filled. The new grade was unveiled at the K 2016 tradeshow in October.
In North America, mineral products specialist Imerys has extended its family of antiblock talc products for the regional plastic film and flexible packaging markets with additional grades of Mistroblock® microcrystalline talc. Mistroblock H, Mistroblock HC and Mistroblock HTC expand the company's existing portfolio of antiblock products for the American market, which includes Mistron 400C, Mistron NT and Mistron NTC.
Germany chemicals giant BASF SE has revealed plans to invest more than €200 million in its global plastics additives business across the next five years. Around half of the funding will be targeted at its Asian production plants but several sites in the USA and Europe will also benefit, the company says. The investments will enhance both capacities and operational excellence. BASF is the largest global supplier of plastics additives, with manufacturing assets in all regions.
Pigments manufacturer Heubach GmbH is doubling its existing capacities for bismuth vanadate pigments at its Langelsheim plant in Germany. These inorganic yellow pigments are marketed under the brand names Vanadur® and Vanadur Plus. The expansion is in response to the growing demand for high-performance pigments to replace yellow lead chromates, the company reports. The additional capacity will be brought online during 2017.
Black concentrate and compound producer Cabot Corp has announced an investment in new capacity to enhance its production capabilities for plastic formulations, specifically for conductive compounds and masterbatches for engineering thermoplastic applications. The new capacity will be installed at the company's existing manufacturing facility in Pepinster, Belgium, and will expand Cabot's capabilities in key growth industries including automotive, electronics and industrial safety, and enable it to move into additional applications.
iD Additives, a North American supplier of foaming agents, UV stabilizers, purging compounds and other products to the plastics industry based at LaGrange, IL, USA, has opened a new division called iD LiquiD Systems. Located in Flint, TX, the new unit is devoted to the production of liquid colorants and additives.
Japanese firm Ube Industries, via its Ube Material Industries subsidiary, has established a company for the manufacturing and marketing of its MOS-HIGE branded magnesium oxysulphate whiskers in Bangkok, Thailand. The new company is named Ube Materials (Thailand) Co, Ltd.
For the third quarter of 2016, South Korean speciality chemicals producer Songwon Industrial Group reported a sales total of KRW170.6 billion (c. €135 million), down 1.9% from sales of KRW173.9 billion in 3Q 2015. Net profit for the three-month period was KRW10.4 billion, a fall of 15.4% from the restated figure of KRW12.2 billion for 3Q 2015. The company has also recently revealed its new corporate image.
In the third quarter of 2016, Ferro Corp reported a 3.3% increase in net sales to US$289 million, compared with $279 million in 3Q 2015. Sales growth was driven by acquisitions in the Performance Coatings segment, and organic growth in the Pigments, Powders and Oxides segment.
Worldwide consumption of flame retardants reached a volume of 2.49 million tonnes in 2015 valued at US$6.29 billion. In volume terms, market size is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% from 2016 to 2025 to exceed 4.0 million tonnes by the end of the forecast period. In terms of value, the global flame retardants market is predicted to touch US$11.96 billion by 2025.
Events calendar (12).


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Johannesburg - The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications denied a report on Monday that it would recall Dettol and Domestos products.
"The products to be recalled are new products and we will issue a statement in the week," spokesperson Daniel Ndiambani Ramarumo told Sapa.
"But Dettol and Domestos are not the two products we planned on announcing today [Monday]."
On Monday, a press conference by the NRCS's chemicals, mechanical and materials department to announce the recall of two well-known disinfectant products was cancelled.
Maroela Media reported that an NRCS spokesperson said the company was worried about certain imported Dettol and Domestos products and that they were considering recalling the products countrywide.
According to the report, the imported products did not comply with the compulsory specification for disinfectants as administered by the NRCS.
Domestos Extended Germ Kill and Dettol Disinfectant Liquid would likely be recalled but all the products manufactured in South Africa met all the requirements of the regulator and were safe to use, it reported.
Maroela Media said the NRCS would send the products for comprehensive tests to determine whether the content of the products are hazardous to consumers.
However, Ramarumo said he could not give the name of the products as the finalisation of the press release needed to be completed but insisted that it was not Dettol or Domestos.
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It's like the opposite of "Not Invented Here" Syndrome.
American Express has partnered with design and research lab Ideas42 to recruit academics and practitioners from nonprofit organizations to propose personal finance software feature ideas. Amex technologists will test the ideas with opted-in customers of Serve, its prepaid account software platform.
The new Amex Financial Innovation Lab is designed to cultivate fresh thinking that could influence future Amex product developments. The website's call for applications, which opened in September, asks individuals to pitch ideas to improve Serve that "make measurable, positive changes in consumers' financial behaviors."
In exchange for its patronage, Amex will receive a non-exclusive license to use and adapt the technology of those participating. The company stresses that participants will retain all the rights to their proposals and can pitch their ideas to rivals.
"Research should happen without strings attached," said Neal Sample, chief information officer for enterprise growth at Amex. "Investigators can license technology to our fiercest competitors."
American Express was long considered an elite consumer brand, but in recent years the company has been trying to expand its markets to include the underserved.
Amex is seeking help under flexible terms because "solving the financial inclusion problem is not possible to do on one's own," Sample said. The creator-friendly approach will also draw a wider pool of applicants, he said.
The project is part of a trend of financial companies sponsoring fintech innovation labs and contests to crowdsource ideas they may never have dreamed up internally.
"There are a lot of good ideas and we need to give them a runway," said Kosta Peric, a deputy director of financial services for the poor at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Not a couple of days go by when I don't have a call or mail sometimes from people from the other side of the planet" pitching him.
To provide such a runway, the Gates foundation is organizing a worldwide challenge soliciting ideas to help provide financial services for the poor, for example.
Wells Fargo launched an accelerator program in August to groom young startups. First National Bank of Omaha hosted a hackathon to get closer to coders.
Such programs are meant to "transform the kind of potential energy into actual kinetic energy," said Peric, who used to run an innovation event for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. "It's a way to focus energy in a positive way."
In 2011, American Express launched Amex Ventures, which has since invested in 17 fintech startups. The group recently expanded its focus to include financial inclusion.
In June, Amex sponsored and aired "Spent: Looking for Change," a documentary that explores the needs and lifestyles of Americans who lack access to traditional financial services.
The latest effort aims to appeal to academics with the promise of data results from actual customers to inform their research efforts. Plus, all they need is a concept while Amex will take care of the heavy lifting in testing their ideas.
"The thing everyone wants is the data," said Jake Peters, president and co-founder of PayPerks, a fintech firm that tries works to change people's payments behavior. PayPerks was recently featured in an Amex video spotlighting fintech startups.
"Ideas are ideas. What's really important is to test ideas in physical world and see how they perform," Peters said "Changing behavior is hard."
Amex said the sample size will depend on the tests that are selected for the Lab and the number of Serve customers who opt in for the experiment. More information is expected to become available in December when participants are announced.
Those chosen will receive stipends in addition to technical, design and training support. Amex has worked with the research and academic community before but this will be the first time it pairs them with Amex technologists who will test their proposals.
Amex could collect ideas on topics like savings, budgeting and tax preparation to potentially refine Serve.
"Crowdsourcing innovation is a better and cheaper way to get your next product improvement," said Ben Rogers, a research director at the Filene Research Institute.
A downside to the process, however, is some ideas may lack a sense of the underlying technology or compliance challenges.
"Any good banker will tell you that risk shouldn't kill a good idea, but it can sure slow one down," said Rogers.
The Amex challenge could help shed light on an area that's been fairly murky.
"When it comes to the underserved, there is a deficit of information," said Ben Katz, chief executive and co-founder at Card.com, which supplies customized prepaid cards.
Better insights are needed to create relevant financial products.
"The underserved market is many different types of groups of people who have different needs," said PayPerks' Peters. "[You] can't tell them you should be doing something if they can't do it in life."


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Fast food not the major cause of rising childhood obesity rates, study finds obese does not prove that calories from fast foods bear the brunt of the blame. Is fast food to blame for obesity cheeseburgers big macs pizzas these foods sound tempting but are they the cause of obesity (you might be shocked. We can’t blame obesity on fast food 22 comments obviously the people who say the fast food chains are not to blame are the obese ones katie | march 4. Fat epidemic linked to chemicals run amok fast food not solely to blame for obesity, new research suggests below: x jump to discuss comments below.
Fast food is not to blame for childhood obesity, poor eating habits learned in children's home are, says a new study conducted by the university of north carolina at chapel hill. Millions of people in the united states are considered obese as waistlines continue to increase, people are asking the question: who is to blame is it because american’s have become lazy. The main reason many american kids are fat isn't fast food, says a new study. Every day, nearly one-third of us children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity, a study of 6,212. The spread of fast-food restaurants and supersized meals is not to blame for america's obesity crisis, new research suggests. Fast food restaurants are not entirely to blame for our nations growing weight problem many offer healthy options but studies show that most of us turn them down because of other reasons.
Urbana, ill – fast food restaurants take a lot of heat for the rise in obesity in the united states, but is it really their fault a research survey conducted by two food economists. A diet of soda, fries and gummy worms is certainly not an rx for healthfulness but according to a new study from cornell university's food and brand lab, junk and fast foods aren't to blame. A qualified yes vote fast food alone is not to blame for obesity, but it is a huge contributor considering the millions of people served at fast food restaurants versus any other eating.
Transcript of should fast food be blamed for obesity -laziness should be blamed for obesity -the article concludes that fast food is not to blame for obesity. Junk food alone is not the root cause of the obesity epidemic is junk food to blame for the obesity and fast food is not directly linked to body mass. Fast food – is it the enemy could there be a link between fast food and obesity is fast food to blame let’s look at a few typical fast food menu items. Junk food isn't to blame for the study found that consuming more fast food, candy and soda was not correlated with higher body fortune may receive.
Winning the blame game - critics say fast food is partly to blame for the growing obesity epidemic, but the industry can start to prove critics wrong.
It's not the fast food making our kids fat, it's the rest of their diet. Calvarado portfolio search this site have started to blame fast foods for their obesity and/or i believe it's not a fast food restaurant's fault for. New research shows that, for the majority of americans, eating some candy and fast food doesn’t lead to weight gain.
Fast food not the major cause of rising childhood the most likely to become obese does not prove that calories from fast foods bear the brunt of the blame. Junk food, soda aren't to blame for obesity, researchers say candy and fast food was not linked to weight gain for 95 percent of the population. Eating out has become part of our everyday lifestyle as a registered dietitian nutritionist, i am often asked, is fast food healthy — to which i reply, yes.
Junk food not to blame for obesity epidemic of this study to mean that eating fast food, candy and soft drinks does not affect the health of. Is junk food to blame for the obesity epidemic the researchers suggest that the blame lies with americans' overall candy and fast food was not linked to bmi. Is fast food to blame for childhood obesity not only does fast food cause most overweight people blame their obesity on a genetic deformity that.


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Em Rusciano will not be returning to her 2DayFM breakfast show role next year, with Ash London to fill in for the remainder of 2018.
Rusciano, who is expecting her third child early next year, revealed her decision to quit her radio gig to listeners this morning, which you can listen to here.
A statement by the Hit Network said Ash London will fill in alongside Grant Denyer and Ed Kavalee until a replacement for 2DayFM’s 2019 line up has been determined.
However, Hit Network’s head of content, Gemma Fordham, rubbished talk about plans for Rusciano to be dumped from 2DayFM in June.
In a statement today, Fordham said: “We are so thrilled for Em and her family that after everything they experienced last year, they will have a beautiful baby in their world early next year.
“Em had a heart-to-heart with me last month and let me know that she would like to wrap up breakfast hours and focus on her growing family and her other many creative pursuits.
“The business 100 per cent supports and understands Em’s decision. Em has always been forthright and honest with our listeners, sharing every intimate detail of her life, and she will continue to be part of the 2DayFM family when she can for the remainder of this year.”
The station will send off Rusciano on Friday morning in the way of a brunch with 100 pregnant listeners.
Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.
Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]
This week Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa are celebrating 10 years of their iconic radio show and plenty of famous faces have weighed in on the feat! For Fitzy & Wippa’s 10-year anniversary show they were joined by a bunch of special friends who shared their messages and favourite memories over the last decade. The guys […]
Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]
Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]


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M&S, PepsiCo and Unilever among 150 organisations calling for ban on oxo-degradable plastics, which are thought to be a major cause of microplastic pollution
More than 150 organisations, including some of the world's best-known brands, will today issue a call for governments around the world to ban oxo-degradable plastic packaging over fears it can have harmful...
Withdrawal Agreement strengthen post-Brexit green pledges, but resignations of key Cabinet ministers including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab throws deal's future in doubt
EXCLUSIVE: Tea company promises to become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030 and halve Scope 3 value chain emissions
EXCLUSIVE: How the organic tea company plans to cut emissions 'from crop to cup' and become an 'A* green business'
Car-sharing firm teams up with Innovate UK and US-based FreeWire Technologies to test benefits of recharging on the go


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sera recently introduced sera Nature at Interzoo, a new line of natural foods that eliminate dyes and preservatives. The line of six flake food also tap into natural ingredients and includes a marine formula, sera Nature marin GVG-Mix Nature.
Like other companies going towards a natural diet, sera based the decision on scientific research that shows better food not only means healthier fish, but better water quality as it helps with digestion, reducing the amount of food waste that pollutes the water. The sera Nature line include vital natural ingredients like vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, complex secondary plant substances as well as prebiotics and probiotics.
The new sera Nature marin GVG-Mix Nature provides a mixture of flakes and dried, whole food organisms like Krill, bloodworms and daphnia for a varied diet. It is also are rich in natural minerals and trace elements like iodine, that also enhance the health and the fertility.
Expect the new sera Nature foods to be available in the next few months.


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Data from Goskomstat for the first half of 1998 show Russian GDP down by 0.5 percent compared to the first half of 1997. Thus the recovery proclaimed by many Western observers in mid-1997 has failed to materialize. Industrial output was also static, rising by a borderline 0.1 percent.
Consumer inflation was running at the low level of 8.2 percent per annum, while producer prices actually fell by 0.9 percent in first half of year. Real incomes fell by nine percent, and retail spending by 1.8 percent. In June, the average wage was 1,110 rubles ($185). Thirty-two million people–22 percent of the population–were living below the poverty line.
New surveys by the International Labor Organization have led to revised unemployment figures. The total unemployed is now estimated at 8.3 million persons, 1.5 million higher than previously reported. This amounts to 11.5 percent of the labor force. Only 2.5 percent of the labor force bother to officially register as unemployed, since benefits are very low. (Kommersant-daily, July 21)
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER OFF TO BEIJING.


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When assessing the strength of Levi Strauss & Co., Chip Bergh takes the broad view — looking not just at the company’s sales, but also the cultural relevancy of its namesake brand.
And the chief executive officer likes what he sees on both fronts.
In an interview with WWD, Bergh pointed to solid third-quarter results that led to an increase in the company’s annual sales forecast, a collaboration with Google that just produced an ultrahigh-tech trucker jacket and some gentle ribbing for Levi’s from “Saturday Night Live.”
Last month, SNL aired a skit featuring Ryan Gosling in Levi’s “Wokes,” jeans that are not only gender non-conforming, but sizeless and “style-neutral.”
“’SNL’ has parodied four of five of the brands I’ve worked on,” said Procter & Gamble veteran Bergh, who pointed to Gillette, Swiffer and Mr. Clean. “Every single time, without exception, when ‘SNL’ pokes fun at your brand, it’s a good thing for your brand — it says you’re important.”
The brand has also bolstered its profile by doing collaborations, like the Project Jacquard trucker jacket with Google, or its link up with high-end skater brand Supreme (which is having its own moment with new investor Carlyle).
“This brand is at its best when we are at the center of culture,” said Bergh, who referred to the 163-year-old company as the “original Silicon Valley start-up.”
Bergh has reinvigorated the business, building on its core and expanding outward, while still working to fix the still-suffering and closely connected Dockers and the U.S. wholesale businesses.
Levi Strauss’ third-quarter revenues rose 7 percent to $1.27 billion, which prompted the firm to boost its revenue guidance for the year to constant currency growth of 5 percent to 6 percent, up from the 2 percent to 4 percent previously projected.
Losses on currency hedging, however, hit the bottom line and the company’s net income slipped 10 percent to $88 million while adjusted earnings before interest and taxes inched up 1 percent to $147 million.
“What I’m most pleased about is just how balanced it is across the board,” Bergh said. “If you look at channel, if you look at regions — we’re not firing on all cylinders to be clear, we still have a couple opportunities — but in a very challenging environment we delivered another strong quarter, up 7 percent in reported revenues.”
And the trouble spots are getting attention.
Dockers, which has been hurting the U.S. wholesale business, is trying new approaches, new styles and just recently opened two premium outlet doors, with plans to try some more.
“Having a direct-to-consumer business on Dockers in premium outlet malls is a viable proposition,” the ceo said. “We want to see what we can do if we are really more in control with how the brand shows up with the consumer.”
The general retail climate remains challenging, particularly for companies that wholesale, but Bergh is ever so cautiously crossing his fingers.
“I want to be optimistic,” he said. “I want to believe that maybe we’re seeing the bottom.”


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Hitting Record Highs, Americans Spent Over $5 Billion on Thanksgiving This Year 2020 has been a year of a lot of change, but even during ‘unprecedented times,’ there are some things we can count on—and consumers coming out in droves to shop […]
Hitting Record Highs, Americans Spent Over $5 Billion on Thanksgiving This Year
2020 has been a year of a lot of change, but even during ‘unprecedented times,’ there are some things we can count on—and consumers coming out in droves to shop […]
Green Wednesday, Second Only to 4/20 as a ‘High Holiday,’ Set to Break Cannabis Sales Records
Cooped up with the relatives or not, weed fans are expected to stock up, with sales driven by aggressive retailer promotions.
Adnatomy: How ESPN and State Farm Pulled Off the Most Talked About Ad of the Year
The spot was a product of pandemic precautions.
Amazon Adds Spoiler-Free Delivery Options for Holiday Surprises
These top-secret features can help keep the holiday magical.
Amazon Can’t Deliver the Covid Vaccine—But It Is Shaping the Future of Healthcare
Pharmacy retailers are making medical services more affordable and accessible.
Ulta Beauty’s CMO Dishes on Partnership With Target
Target's past experience with such collaborations was also a selling point for Ulta, Haus said. She specifically citied the department store’s ongoing joint efforts with Disney, Levi’s and now FAO [...]
Under Armour’s Stacey Ullrich on Turning Moments Into Movements at Purpose-Led Brands
Ullrich added, “I am the first person who will tell you that I hope I lose my job at some point, and not because I did something wrong, but because [...]
Good Riddance to Office Holiday Parties: Thursday’s First Things First
Plus, how creatives are fueling the Georgia Senate race.
The Era of Gap’s Mass Appeal Is Over—But Specialization Could Bring the Brand Back
Gap seeks to reconnect with its roots and a new customer as the pandemic offers a fresh start.
To Compete Online, Walgreens Overhauls Its App and Loyalty Program
It's Walgreens' bid to be competitive digitally as Amazon announces its own pharmacy.
Are Consumers Ready for Facial Technology? Amazon Bets On It With Smart Glasses
The Alexa-enabled eyewear seeks to succeed where Google Glass failed.
Shutterstock Forecasts Creatives Will Use Calm Colors in 2021 After 2020’s Vivid Hues
The company uses pixel-level data to create yearly projections.
Gaming the Underground; BBC Dad Returns: Thursday’s First Things First
Plus, highlights from the Brandweek Sports Marketing Summit.
Babe Wine Builds a Monster Truck to Crush Cars—but It’s Really Hoping to Crush Competitors
Instagram-famous wine makes a high-horsepower entry into the most dude event imaginable.
Audi of America Elevates Its Chief Communications Officer to CMO
Tara Rush will be the first woman to lead marketing for the automaker's U.S. business.


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Microsoft's Satya Nadella has confirmed that the next version of Windows, probably Windows 9, will unify the Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox operating systems into "one single converged operating system." Microsoft had previously made some moves towards unification with Universal Windows Apps that run across all three platforms, but this new version of Windows will go a lot further: "This means [we'll have] one operating system that covers all screen sizes." The question now, of course, is whether this will be the one-Windows-to-rule-them-all (and in the darkness bind them) that Microsoft desperately needs in order to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting personal computing environment, or whether it'll just be a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none flop -- a bit like Windows 8.Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO. He doesn't look like Sauron, but they never do, do they?
Way back in June 2012 I called for the unification of Microsoft's operating systems as an answer to most of the company's woes. Even though Windows 8 hadn't even been released yet, Windows Phone 7 and its Metro interface had already lead ballooned, and a lot of angry words had been spilt over the death of the Start menu and the introduction of Metro in Windows 8. A single operating system that leveraged Microsoft's biggest advantage -- its huge Windows developer ecosystem -- while at the same time building a unified user experience across all platforms and screen sizes seemed like a surefire way of ensuring the success of both Windows Phone and Xbox, and the continued survival of Windows. Microsoft might have actually stood a chance against Android and Apple smartphones and tablets -- but instead it frittered away much of its user base and positive mind share through the fracturing and alienation of its different platforms.
Over the last year -- probably since Windows chief Steve Sinofsky was forced out of the company -- Microsoft has been gradually dropping hints that, yes, it dropped the ball, and that convergence was once again on the cards. The first step was to combine the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 app stores, and after that the plan was to create Universal Windows Apps -- apps that developers could write once, and then run on any Microsoft platform (Windows desktops and tablets, Windows Phone smartphones and phablets, and on Xbox One in the living room). Just last week, Microsoft merged the Windows and Windows Phone developer portals.Windows 9 was meant to see the return of the Start menu, and Metro apps running in Desktop windows -- and now it seems something altogether more exciting might occur as well.
And now, during Microsoft's quarterly earnings call(Opens in a new window), CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed that "We will streamline the next version of Windows from three operating systems into one single converged operating system for screens of all sizes." Presumably he is talking about Windows 9, which is due in spring 2015 -- but I think that would be a very aggressive timeline (unless Microsoft has already been working on this convergence for a while). Another option is that it'll be Windows 8.2 in spring 2015 with the return of the Start menu, and then the unified Windows 9 coming later in 2015 or 2016.
The big question now is whether one big Windows operating system across all platforms and screen sizes is actually a good thing. Assuming that Microsoft can deliver some amazing developer tooling to allow for slick, cross-platform apps, then I can definitely see this as a good thing for the Windows Metro, Windows Phone, and Xbox One ecosystems. If an indie developer can make one game that works well across desktops, tablets, smartphones, and consoles, then that can only be a good thing. Likewise, this would go a long way towards making Windows Phone a primary target for developers (there are still many top-tier apps missing from the store).The Xbox One's home screen, which is already powered by a cut-down version of Windows 8
Beyond unifying the apps, developer tools, and app stores, I'm honestly not sure what form this "converged operating system" will actually take. All three of Microsoft's major operating systems already make use of the same Windows NT kernel, along with some other low-level libraries. How much further can Microsoft actually take things? Given how a variation of the Metro interface is already used on Windows Phone, Windows 8, and the Xbox One dashboard, maybe this convergence will finally standardize the Metro Start screen across all three platforms, with the same settings and options for all devices and screen sizes? We certainly won't see the classic Windows Desktop rolled out across Windows Phone and Xbox One, that's for sure.
On the same earnings call, Nadella said there'll still be segmentation by SKU; you're not going to buy a single copy of Windows that you can install on your laptop, smartphone, and game console. Puzzlingly, he also mentioned that "converged Windows" more refers to the fact that there's going to be just one engineering team, and that they're going to "approach Windows as one ecosystem." There is clearly some confusion about just how converged Microsoft's operating systems are going to become.In any case, no matter how the engineers actually go about achieving convergence, the main thing is that Microsoft must provide a compelling user experience and bountiful app ecosystem across all platforms and screen sizes. I'm not convinced that unification is necessarily the best way to do it (Apple still manages to do it with iOS and OS X, despite keeping the OSes fairly separate). But, faced with almost zero mobile market share, no obvious route towards regaining consumer market share, and the need to do something dramatic following Nadella's proclamation of a new vision and direction for Microsoft, it seems convergence is the risky path that will be taken. Stay tuned: If you thought the introduction of the Metro Start screen in 2011 was contentious, I think the next few months, as Microsoft unveils the unified Windows 9, will be even more dramatic.


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Konami will be releasing two demo’s for Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, the first of which will arrive at the end of July.
As per last year, Konami will release an early demo, allowing them to collect feedback from fans, before continuing to develop the game and release a more final version of the demo later in the year.
In addition to the above, it’s also been confirmed (via SverigePES) that the new training mode, which has been subject to a major training mode, will also feature in the first demo.
PES 2013 will be released around October this year.
You can read our recent preview of the game here.


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Trucker salary numbers have seen some ups and downs, and recent dynamics in the industry made it go on a mini rollercoaster. So what can you as a truck driver looking for a better salary make of it?
What can you expect, if you were out looking for a new position right now? Did the changes in the economy and the industry make an impact on the price of your labor?
We discuss all these topics today.
As of today, the average trucker’s salary is a bit lower on average when compared to what it was 2 years ago. The drop in the supply of loads for all types of trailers took its toll on every segment of the industry, and trucker salary is no exception.
This month alone a couple of companies have already shut down, from small and family-owned all the way to large companies. Around 5000 drivers have lost their jobs due to shutdowns of various companies in the past month.
Even though there are a lot of claims that certain policies made the freight market plummet, others argue that it’s just the aftermath of bad decision making of companies that have shut down.
The truth is, as most of the time, somewhere in between. Even though the freight market has slowed down a little bit, the situation is not as fatal as some claim. The market changes daily and claiming that doomsday is just around the corner based on a few bad months, is not that realistic, although it should be a warning. The business strategy of carriers has the biggest impact on the trucker salary. They do adjust it according to the state of the market, but that’s not the main determinant.
Even though we’ve seen decent increases in trucker salary last year, due to truck driver shortage, brokers are lowering the rates to the amount of demand for freight accordingly.
With last year’s jump in the freight market, a lot of companies bought extra trucks believing that the expansion will continue at the same rate.
Since the market slowed down, carriers were left with those trucks without the freight to haul. This gives the brokers space to bring the rates down because there are more trucks than loads.
Lower rates lead to lower trucker salary, depending on the size and capability of the carrier.
The best advice for the trucker looking for a new company driver position, and owner operator as well, is to get the most out of his time and truck. Do business only with the best paying carriers, which is still Strong Group USA.
Strong Group was, and still is, the fastest-growing carrier in the US, our pay rates do the talking for us.


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You have been able to pre-order movies and albums on iTunes for some time and now Apple lets you pre-order apps in the App Store.
Apple has added a new feature to their App Store that lets you pre-order apps on iOS, macOS and tvOS. Apple did this previously with Nintendo when they released Super Mario Run, although this was a one off.
Apple has now opened up the pre-order feature to all developers on their App Store platform and this will be available to developers that are submitting new apps to the app store. The developers must release their app within 90 days in order to offer it for pre-order.
This could be a useful feature for developers as it will help them sell their apps and generate revenue before it is released.
Source Cult of Mac
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Next weekend's sales tax holiday will come too late for parents in some Georgia school districts.
Students starting school this week -- including Brantley, Charlton, Glynn and Ware counties -- would have to put off their shopping until this weekend to benefit from the tax break.
Several parents said they were shopping ahead of the sales tax holiday because it didn't make sense to split up their shopping trips.
Other parents of students who start earlier in August said they are buying essential supplies now, but holding off on big purchases until after the first week of school.
In Georgia, businesses won't charge sales tax next weekend on clothes, shoes, school supplies and computers. There are limits. For example, a pair of shoes and an item of clothing can't cost more than $100.
The tax holiday is Friday and Saturday only. Click for complete list of items included and limits.


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VICENZA, Italy — The Vicenzaoro jewelry trade show, opened its fairgrounds to watches for the first time, as a part of a broader plan for the Italian fair to boost international traffic to its Fiera di Vicenza grounds.
The latest edition of the five-day trade show, which closed Sept. 7, registered more than 19,000 visitors, in line with the February and the September 2015 edition of the fair. The show hosted 1,300 brands from 35 foreign countries, as well as from the Arezzo, Milan, Valenza and Naples jewelry districts of Italy.
Dubbed NOW — “Not Ordinary Watches” — the watch pavilion included a range of independent watchmakers, such as Altanus Geneve, Brosway, Didofà, GaGà Milano, Ju’sto and Locman, among others.
“The Swiss industry did a tremendous job with Basel, but that fair isn’t perfect,” said Fiera di Vicenza president Matteo Marzotto. “Italy has a long watchmaking tradition and our watches have high-end, global appeal.”
One of those firms, Locman, is an Italian watchmaker that is based on the island of Elba and specializes in timepieces made with titanium, carbon fiber, aluminum and other high-tech alloys. Commercial director Fabrizio Fuochi said Locman has plans to expand over the next year in South Korea, China, Japan and Vietnam.
Overall, the watch industry is facing a daunting year, owing to China’s consumer slowdown, the smartwatch craze and global uncertainty.
According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, watch exports in July fell 14 percent to $1.71 billion, with wristwatch exports dipping 14.5 percent to $1.6 billion. Exports to Hong Kong dove 33 percent, while U.S. orders slipped 15 percent.
Marzotto shrugged off industry jitters.
“When people say that the watch category is in crisis, I laugh,” he said. “Millennials’ attitudes are changing. They are looking for quality. A smartwatch is a fad, but it isn’t something you keep forever.”
Terra Cielo Mare, a watch company run by Luca Fontana, a 27-year-old watch aficionado, sells only 1,000 limited-edition pieces that are made for adventure enthusiasts. Terra Cielo Mare works with divisions of the Italian military to develop many of its pieces. At Vicenza Oro, the company showcased its latest El Alamein watch, which is dedicated to the North African battle of the same name. Designed for the desert environment, the timepiece is outfitted with special features like a solar compass that relies on the stars and the sun’s position instead of magnets or electronics.
“Watches like these are something you pass down,” Fontana concurred. “A smartwatch will become obsolete.”
Bros Manifatture’s Brosway watch brand unfurled a collection of affordable timepieces called Volano, a collection of light, luminous watches with a Thirties-inspired vintage design. Bros, the Italian jewelry group that also controls the Rosato and S’Agapo brands, acquired Pianegonda last year. Its recently created Bros USA Inc. with headquarters in Miami, to distribute its brands in the U.S. It’s betting on Brosway and will open a monobrand store in the International Mall in Miami, and aims to open franchises and in-store shops on the East Coast, including in New York.
On the other side of the fair, Italian gold and jewelry-makers predicted modest sales performance for 2016, as the Chinese and Russian consumer slowdowns continue cramp spending power and gift-giving.
Between January and March, Italian gold and jewelry sales grew 9 percent, with an increase of 24 percent in domestic sales. Due to an uncertain macroeconomic climate, the price of gold has risen as investors look to the commodity as a “safe haven,” Marzotto said.
Luxury jewelry-maker Roberto Coin, famous for its high-ticket bejeweled menageries and enchanted garden pieces, will continue to expand and invest in the Middle East and Italy.
“The U.S. is still our number-one single market,” Roberto Coin said. “This is definitely an uncertain year, but we expect our full-year sales to grow in the lower double digits.”
Upscale peers such as Damiani and Pasquale Bruni showcased high-ticket baroque collections inspired by the royal courts of Europe and beyond.
Damiani tapped a Romanov descendant, the Italian actress Nicoletta Romanoff, as the face of its Fiocco and Fiori d’arancio collections of jewels inspired by the valuables of the dethroned imperial family. Pasquale Bruni’s Ghirlanda pieces were named after queens like Elizabeth and Egypt’s Nefertiti.
Vicenzaoro’s affordable jewelry offer marked Italia Independent’s foray into jewelry. The eyewear maker signed a 10-year licensing agreement with Industrie Testi SpA for the production and distribution of the label’s first jewelry collection.
Designed for men and women, the collection bears signature elements of Italia Independent’s past eyewear collections and fashion capsules, including herringbone and a tweed pattern decorating pendants, cuffs and necklaces.
The jewelry line will be sold at Italian Independent’s stores and e-commerce site, and at a number of retailers starting in December.
“The jewelry market offers Italia Independent an opportunity to pursue its mission…as a lifestyle brand, while keeping its core in the eyewear field,” said Andrea Tessitore, cofounder and chief executive officer of Italia Independent.
Looking ahead, Vicenzaoro’s owner Fiera di Vicenza will focus on merging with Rimini Fiera.
The combined trade shows in 2016 are expected to generate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 23 million euros, or $26.2 million at current exchange, and aggregated sales of around 120 million euros, or $136.8 million. Fiera di Rimini has built one of the key fairs on wellness in Europe. Founded more than 60 years ago, it includes 41 highly specialized trade shows, of which 11 are international, mainly organized directly, covering food and beverage, tourism, entertainment, transportation and wellness. It also manages the city’s conference stadium, Palacongressi.
Fiera di Vicenza, founded in 1948, organizes Italy’s jewelry and watch fair Vicenzaoro, among other lifestyle trade shows, as well as being a cultural hub and organizing conventions and summits. In 2015, it posted revenues of 36.8 million euros, or $40.8 million at average exchange, up 14.5 percent compared with 2014.
Together, Marzotto said that the two companies would represent a strong mid-sized company with 120 million euros, or $135.2 million, in sales. An initial public offering, he said, could take place in the next 18 months.


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Amazon's COVID-19 health and safety measures at a Staten Island warehouse drew criticism on Tuesday from New York's attorney general, who asked a New York court to require improved contract tracing, cleaning, and disinfection and social distancing protocols. James also asked the court to require Amazon to reinstate a former warehouse worker who complained about COVID protocols early in the pandemic.
The request was part of a larger case filed in February seeking to address safety concerns at the facility, which the attorney general says employs about 5,000 people. James also asked the court to install a monitor to ensure the enforcement of improved health and safety measures.
"Amazon must guarantee a work environment that promotes safety, transparency, and respect for its hardworking employees, not one that further endangers them," James said in a statement. "We are filing this motion today to stop Amazon from continuing its practice of valuing profits over the health and wellbeing of its workers."
A group of Amazon employees and labor organizers are currently seeking to form a union at the warehouse. The worker whom James asked the court to reinstate, Christian Smalls, said he was involved inof Amazon's COVID safety measures when he was fired in March 2020. James has been since it became public, calling it "immoral and inhumane." Amazon said at the time that Smalls was fired for coming to the warehouse premises during the protest after being asked to quarantine.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel criticized James for claiming a need for emergency action from the court nine months after filing the initial lawsuit. "We're working hard every day for our team, and the facts are that we moved fast from the onset of the pandemic, listened to and learned from the experts, and have taken a comprehensive approach to COVID-19 safety -- incurring more than $15 [billion] in costs to support our employees and customers."
James' request came the same day a union-affiliated organization released a report accusing Amazon of under-reporting COVID infection numbers to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The report also says warehouse workers said in a poll that Amazon is inconsistent with measures like contact tracing and informing co-workers of potential exposure.
Nantel said the report was misleading, adding that Amazon follows OSHA guidance for reporting work-related COVID infections.
"OSHA has acknowledged that assessing whether a COVID case was caused through exposure in the workplace vs. in the community is difficult," she said. "We also communicate regularly with our employees and local health authorities. While we know we aren't perfect, we're working hard every day to listen to the experts and keep our teams and communities safe."


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BACKFIRE: Seattle Gun Buyback Turns Into Gun Show; Collectors Waved 'Wads of Cash' at Those in Lineby Mac Slavo
Jan. 31, 2013
1.New York & California Move to Ban The Sale of Current iPhones Because They Protect Your Data
2.Trump is Right: GOP Debate Audience is Packed Full of Republican Donors
3.Jeb Bush Wore High Heels To Look Taller Than Trump [Pic]
4.Trump Calls Out Bush WMD Lies: 'They Knew There Were None, They Lied'
5.Ted Nugent Replies 'Eat Me' to Critics of 'Anti-Semitic' Gun Control Post
6.Feds Push New Plan For Home Visits to Check On Parents
7.VIDEO: Workers Rage After Being Told They're Losing Their Jobs to Mexico
8.WSJ Covers Free State Project: 'Can New Hampshire Become a Libertarian Utopia?'
Leave it to enterprising Americans to always find a loophole in the midst of ever-expanding government regulation.
While thousands of Seattle residents lined up for hours to trade their handguns, rifles and family heirlooms away in exchange for up to $200 in gift cards as part of the city’s latest gun buyback program, gun collectors who have seen prices for assault rifles and firearms accessories almost triple since November took advantage of a huge opportunity.


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Consumer Reports Unimpressed with 2012 Compass and Patriot
Date 2011/6/22 2:22:47 | Topic: Compass
|The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Consumer Reports magazine is "unimpressed" at the "mediocre" 2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot.|
For months car shoppers have heard that Chrysler has redesigned, re-engineered or at least touched up its vehicles to make them more appealing and competitive. But are they worth buying?
Well, the answer varies widely from one model to the next, according to Consumer Reports, a magazine known for no-nonsense assessments of new vehicles. In a broad review of Chrysler’s lineup released today, the magazine’s car testers said Chrysler, which includes the Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands, has improved, but still has a long way to go.
But testers were “unimpressed” by the Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger and Journey, and Jeep Compass and Patriot, Compass, Journey, and Patriot, summing them up as “mediocre.”


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In January, Apple news site 9to5Mac received unconfirmed images of what looks to be the rear panel for the next iPad — likely called ” iPad 5 ,” or fifth-generation iPad with Retina Display.
Apple fans are expecting a brand-new mini iPad to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 5 next month, but on Wednesday, 9 to 5 Mac posted concept images of what it believes the iPad Mini will … Read more
A report from Rene Ritchie says Apple plans to release a brand-new "mini iPad" when it launches the iPhone 5 in September. Even though most people can assume a 7-inch "mini iPad" would be able … Read more
Traduzioni in contesto per "features likely" in inglese-italiano da Reverso Context: other features likely to affect competitors, customers or consumers: Many translated example sentences containing "is likely to feature" – French-English dictionary and search engine for French translations. likely to feature Portuguese Many translated example sentences containing "likely to feature" – Portuguese-English dictionary and search engine for Portuguese translations. The recession has only magnified the need as hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance along with their jobs. In response, Democrats on Capitol Hill are proposing even more significant increases, Tags: likely, feature,


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Will offer three models based on Classic 500 in three camouflage colours.
Royal Enfield will offer three limited edition versions of the Classic 500 on its growing online accessory store from mid-July. The three bikes will be limited to 200 units a piece.
Two of the three offerings, the Royal Enfield Desert Storm Despatch and the Squadron Blue Despatch will be offered to customers in the Indian market while the third bike which resembles an army bike will be exported from the country.
The company has said that prices for the limited-edition models will only be announced in mid-July when they go on sale. The motorcycles will be sold with a genuine leather seat and a leather buckle that supports its airbox. A matte black paint scheme is seen on its engine and silencer unit. The chassis gets the same colour as the respective motorcycle.
Source Autocar India


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June 14, 2014
WANT GROWTH? LET LOOSE THE HOUSING DEMAND:
America's move to faster growth (Martin Feldstein June 3, 2014, Business Standard)
The primary driver of this year's faster GDP growth is the $10-trillion rise in household wealth that occurred in 2013. According to the United States Federal Reserve, that increase reflected a $2-trillion increase in the value of homes and an $8-trillion rise in the value of shares, unincorporated businesses, and other net financial assets. As former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke explained when he launched large-scale asset purchases, or quantitative easing, that increase in wealth - and the resulting rise in consumer spending - was the intended result.Past experience suggests that each $100 increase in household wealth leads to a gradual rise in consumer spending until the spending level has increased by about $4. That implies that the $10-trillion wealth gain will raise the annual level of consumer spending by some $400 billion, or roughly 2.5 per cent of GDP. Even if less than half of that increase occurs in 2014, it will be enough to raise the total GDP growth rate by one percentage point.The data show that a significant increase in consumption already is happening. Real personal consumption expenditures rose at a 3 per cent rate from the fourth quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of this year. Within the first quarter, the monthly increase in real consumer spending accelerated from just 0.1 per cent in January to 0.4 per cent in February and 0.7 per cent in March. That was faster than the 0.3 per cent monthly growth in real personal disposable income during this period, highlighting the importance of wealth as a driver of spending.
Posted by Orrin Judd at June 14, 2014 7:18 AM


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A6 Car of the Year
The Motor Week segment where they tested the new 911 and gave out their
"driver's choice" awards was on in our market last night.
The new A6 quattro won best in the luxury sedan class while the new 911
won in the sports car category. What was surprising was that John Davis,
the show's host said that they had decided to give a first-ever overall
car of the year award. the winner is a A6q. the like its styling, orad
manners, fit, finish, handling, and other niceties. Their claim is that
a comparable car would cost $15,000 more.
Yet another affirmation of what we have known for a long time. Hopefully
it should get a few more quattros sold and into the used car markets. I'm
beginning to see some '96 and even a few '97s show up as used cars.


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honey bud baby promised in the official website, 100% authentic, rest assured
Beijing News reporter Li Dong photo
less than half the time, unknown maternal electricity supplier honey bud baby quickly favored by investors, and completed a $20 million financing.
rosemari brand children’s car sales, which was "goofy" suffered the biggest crisis since the birth of newborn.
recently the media exposure of the maternal electricity supplier sales rosemari brand children’s cart was fake, the media began to question the honey bud baby other products supply channels, many mothers with anxiety. In this regard, honey bud baby recently bursts of three letters of the announcement statement to clarify rosemari cart events, and three times the compensation measures for the purchase of the cart for buyers, apologize to his negligence. The statement said that the trolley incident is only a case, does not mean that honey bud baby sales of other products problems.
honey bud said to be cheated by dealers
rosemari cart event exposure, honey bud statement said he was being cheated by dealers." And said, may be due to rosemari trolley upstream supply channels resulting in chaos honey bud encounter "blame".
it is understood that many of the business enterprise to order sales, often coordinated through the industry can ideals and various powerful dealers, these acts are often characterized as Chuanhuo brands or illegal shipments, and blow.
according to public information, rosemari global factory in Dongguan. Rosemari in Europe 2012 sales decline, canceled the general agent Chinese District, and take out Chinese market strategy.
according to the relevant person close to rosemari said the strategic changes in Dongguan and kralanh foundry cart has a backlog of tens of thousands and bring a series of labor disputes. Insiders revealed that the factory from the clerk to the top of a lot of people are taking inventory sales realized. Currently on the market, including a number of online stores, a large proportion of rosemari carts are in the form of shipment. Some analysts believe that the brand announced the actual selling honey bud, intended to combat all factory shipments behavior.
according to unnamed sources said, authorization issued by the honey bud baby, is a high-end retail chain China district managers to assist the Department in a stroller out form is characterized as forged official micro-blog rosemari.
honey bud baby in micro-blog’s statement that the actual situation of this batch of cart: stakeholders covertly plant illegal shipments and forged authorization. It is precisely because the factory illegal shipments, so the brand side will not recognize these goods, honey bud will never accept the factory shipped this model."
honey bud day ago with the micro-blog Hongkong company to rosemari loudspeaker: "we do not intend to get involved in any complex illegal channels. Will continue to contact the brand side, to solve the problem of channels." In this regard, Hongkong and > rosemari


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More and more game studios are actively discussing and considering the implications of new AI technologies in development, and Honkai: Star Rail developer HoYoverse is among them.
The fourth entry in the Honkai series launched last week for PC and mobile, bringing gacha and other systems familiar from its prior open world hit Genshin Impact to a classic RPG format with familiar nods to prior Honkai games.
And like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail is a massive game, with plans to continue growing over time. It’s made by a development team of over 500 people, but even with so many on board its scale makes it unsurprising that the developers used at least a couple AI techniques to polish off certain otherwise-handcrafted design elements.
“Our team is paying much attention to AI, especially its impact on the gaming industry,” reads an answer from the Honkai: Star Rail development team in response to IGN asking about advances in AI technology. “In fact, we have already integrated some latest AI technologies into Honkai: Star Rail. These techniques have been implemented to improve the facial appearance and behavioral patterns of characters, enhancing the immersive gaming experience with a more natural representation overall.”
That said, there are some areas of Honkai: Star Rail specifically that HoYoverse feels AI isn’t necessarily ready to touch just yet, though it may be in the future. Specifically, content scripting – you won’t find any AI writing in Honkai: Star Rail, especially given how story-driven the game is. Still, HoYoverse says it finds more in-depth AI application for scripting “definitely intriguing.”
“With that being said, we also found out that the current application of AI is still restricted. It is more like a ‘cherry on the top’ technique to supplement what we already had instead of fundamentally solving issues from the ground up. We will focus on the [repercussions] and development of AI, figuring out a more robust implementation in the future.”
What's next for Honkai: Star Rail
In the same interview, we also asked about upcoming content plans for Honkai: Star Rail. HoYoverse didn’t offer too many new concrete details, noting that future plans would be unveiled when the studio was ready. But it did confirm that Honkai: Star Rail is a long-term game with an “ever-lasting plan and goal” that will, like Genshin Impact, have future Special Programs to announce major updates and introduce new in-game content.
We also learned that while Honkai: Star Rail features a handful of familiar faces from previous Honkai games and is a spiritual sequel to that series, other crossovers such as with Genshin Impact or other games, are not off the table. However, HoYoverse says that for now, it’s too early to consider any. So no Paimon in Honkai: Star Rail…for now.
Finally, HoYoverse also reiterated it has no “concrete updates regarding other platforms” when we asked about Xbox and Switch console releases. A PlayStation release, however, is still in the works for an as-yet-unannounced date. Notably, Genshin Impact was announced for a Nintendo Switch release, but is still missing in action on the handheld over two years after its initial PC, PlayStation, and mobile release.
We’ve been keeping an eye on Honkai: Star Rail since its release, including spotting its fans’ inexplicable love for a certain trash can. If you’re working through Honkai: Star Rail yourself, our Wiki Guides are here to help.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.


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Fox 9 and Kare 11 push misleading opinion pieces as ‘Fact Checks’
One of the new media fashions is to put the phrase ‘Fact Check’ or some variation of it into the title of a piece. This is meant to tell you…
Just recently, Explore Minnesota released a survey conducted on businesses in the Hospitality Sector during the late part of 2020. The survey, which was done in partnership with Hospitality Minnesota and the Minneapolis Fed, focused on how well businesses fared in light of the Covid-19 restrictions that characterized the hospitality industry in the third quarter. Unsurprisingly, the findings indicate that businesses did not fare well financially.
Nearly 80% of respondents reported lower fall revenue, and more than 80% also reported lower fall customer traffic. Even larger portions of respondents expect lower winter revenue and customer traffic.
Food/drink establishments reported the worst business activity levels, while resorts and campgrounds reported the best, though best is relative and, in this case, still bad.
Geographically, the metro and southern Minnesota regions reported the worst business levels, followed by central Minnesota. Northeast and northwest Minnesota reported similar levels of the best results among regions. Again, best is relative.
What stands out in this survey is how badly affected bars and restaurants were due to Covid-19 restrictions. Bars and restaurants usually face a slow winter. However, in 2020, all throughout fall and beginning of winter, bars and restaurants operated with either a limited indoor dining capacity or a complete ban on dining limited only to take out. For instance, a complete ban on restaurant and bar dining ban was in effect starting Mid-November 2020 through the beginning of January this year. In fact, the survey was conducted in mid-December when restaurants and bars were closed.
It is not surprising to see that out of all surveyed businesses, food/drink establishments faced the most difficulty with at least 60% reporting declining revenue. However other places like resorts and campgrounds, probably due to their nature of being outside activities, experienced some gain.
In regards to solvency, roughly 50% of all businesses said they could not stay in business beyond 6 months if operating conditions persisted. Similarly, food/drink establishments had the worst outlook out of most respondents. However, the number was as high as 80% for food/drink establishments.
Currently, Governor Walz has loosed restrictions on indoor dining. However, as I wrote on Tuesday, these changes do not do a lot to inspire hope in some restaurant owners. This is because for some establishments, operating at 50%, indoor capacity is not profitable. And additionally, many are not sure how long the new rules will be in effect before they are changed.


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London--The following links showed up in our daily search for news on the web. Readers might be interested to read these news stories.
ERJ editorial staff strongly advises readers to heed the warning below, these stories are not confirmed, and may contain mistakes.
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Michelin to increase stake in Serbia's Tigar Tyres to 94 pct - report Les Echos via Forbes (France)
S.Korea Kumho Tire to spend $165 mln in U.S. plant Reuters (Korea)
Dunlop Systems acquired in management buyout Birmingham Post (UK - England)
Mahalaxmi Rubtech eyes expansion MyIris (india)
Malpractice in crumb rubber processing hits rubber industry Myiris (India)
India's rubber output seen above f'cast - source Reuters (India)
Wage boom in TN to choke rubber output Financial Express (India)
Families get access to files of tire firm Salt Lake Tribune (US - Utah)
Burning of Tyres Lead to Health Problems The Himalayan Times (Nepal)
Bridgestone to raise China tyre prices in March Reuters (China) note: there is no mention of this on the Bridgestone website
Bridgestone plans to expand China network Nikkei via Marketwatch (China)
NIPPON LIGHT METAL, TWO OTHERS [Toyo] SOLD FAULTY BUILDING MATERIALS Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport via Trading Markets (Japan)
Russia 1st Vice PM to open second SEZ in Lipetsk TAss via MBT magazine (Russia) - repotr follows announcement Bekaert is to build greenfield steelcord plant there
Hundreds of tyres dumped in lanes Mid Sussex Times (UK - England)
Pawan Kumar Ruia turns sick companies profitable MeriNews (India)
Update: Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires Consumer Reports (US)