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Cereal Partners Worldwide UK, Kellogg’s, Kingsmill, Warburtons and KP Snacks are just some of the major names to get Brits to consume more fibre-rich foods.
As part of its new annual Celebrating Food and Nutrition Week launched in September, the FDF announced an industry initiative to help people boost their fibre intake. From its survey with Censuswide, the FDF found that only one in three British adults are aware of the recommended 30g of fibre per day, while only 9% actually meet that intake.
Action on Fibre is designed to bridge this gap by making fibre more appealing and easy for people to add to their diets. Signing on to the pledge means companies have agreed to proactively approach the challenge, from highlighting higher fibre options on their packaging to launching new products that are higher in fibre.
“It is brilliant that so many of the FDF’s members have signed up to Action on Fibre and we are excited to see their progress. The pledges themselves are broad ranging, and will help to offer consumers more convenient, diverse options to increase their intakes,” said Kate Halliwell, FDF’s chief scientific officer at the launch of Action on Fibre.
At the heart of health
Fibre is critical component for a healthy lifestyle, responsible in keeping the gut healthy, reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Amy Glass, UK diet and health policy manager at FDF, added, “The FDF has long called for a more holistic approach to government nutrition policy, believing there should be a more balanced approach to not just what people need to reduce in their diets, like sugar, calories and salt, but also what should be increased, like fruit, vegetables and fibre. This industry led initiative aims to make higher fibre diets more appealing, normal and easy for the population.”
A leader in dietary fibres, Tate & Lyle has committed to invest in cutting-edge research and the use of its high-end ingredient production facilities to help the industry create products that harness the benefits of fibre while remaining appealing to consumers.
Consuming the recommended 30g of fibre daily can be difficult without also consuming substantial calories, and it is especially challenging for the older consumer. Tate & Lyle has undertaken to help manufacturers with reformulation – not only to increase fibre, but to reduce less desirable nutrients such as sugars and fats. It will also regularly push a fibre-forward message and engage in ongoing communication initiatives with industry experts and healthcare professionals.
“Today’s health-conscious consumers are actively looking for foods and drinks that are fortified with nutrients such as fibre,” said Dr Kavita Karnik, global head of Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs at Taste & Lyle.
“Fibre does so much more than simply promote healthy bowel function. It can help prolong the feeling of fullness, support gut health, regulate blood cholesterol, glucose and insulin levels and help the immune system function properly. We want to help spread the word about fibres’ health and nutritional benefits and that's why we are today pledging to take action on fibre by investing in research projects, supporting health care professionals, food reformulators and the industry with more evidence-based information, and to use our digital channels to spread the word.”


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The on-demand advantage of 3D printing continues to allow health providers to reach new heights in patient-specific care. Surgical models, guides and pandemic-related personal protective equipment are being printed at an accelerating rate right where caregivers and patients need those items.
High-volume point of care production as practiced at the Mayo Clinic is being echoed in programs like the new 3D printing lab at Montefiore Medical Center. And a collaboration between 3D Systems and the Veterans Health Administration announced in November will bring the manufacturing-in-the-hospital model to dozens more facilities nationwide.
Continuing to raise the bar on its industry-leading model for bringing manufacturing into the health-care setting, Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic has recently expanded its centrally located production facility to 7,000 ft2.
“Since we founded our clinical service using additive manufacturing for patient care,” said Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Morris, “we’ve tried to make it the standard of care in several instances.” Since beginning its program 15 years ago, production has exploded from about 20 anatomical models a year to 3,000 models a year for an average of 850 patients for every surgical subspecialty at the main campus in Rochester. Those specialties include thoracic, colorectal, neurologic, pediatric, urologic, orthopedic and cardiovascular; the top specialties Morris’ lab serves are benign or cancerous facial reconstruction; all orthopedics; and congenital heart disorders.
Meanwhile, surgical guide output has increased 500 percent over the past two years.
The lab is a constant hub of activity thanks to its proximity to the clinic’s operating rooms. Surgeons routinely come to the lab for surgical planning and consultation on models “on the fly.”
Mayo has further made the ordering of 3D anatomical models the standard of care by making it easier for doctors to order them. “We continue to build IT workflows so physicians and surgeons can order models in the electronic medical records, or EMR system,” Morris said. “We’ve built into Epic [the Mayo Clinic’s EMR platform] the infrastructure needed for additive manufacturing of patient-specific models and guides.” This makes ordering a surgical model as easy as ordering a blood test, CT scan or other diagnostic. “Our surgeons are busy,” Morris said. “If [a 3D printed model or guide] is the standard of care, they have to be able to order it like anything else.”
For example, in the case of a jaw tumor, a surgeon can see a patient and order an anatomic model and surgical guides at the same time as a CT scan. That triggers the radiology department to use a specific protocol designed for 3D printed anatomic models. “All that automatically gets transferred to our clinical department, which is housed centrally in the department of radiology. We build a manufacturing workflow solution into our clinical care.”
Working with additive manufacturing software provider Link3D, “we build custom solutions for Mayo Clinic,” Morris said. “Once we have imaging and start the process of segmentation and virtual surgical planning and guide creation, that lives in a Link3D ecosystem with pertinent manufacturing data embedded into the electronic medical record. Every step of the manufacturing process when it comes to a patient-specific device is tied to that patient’s medical record.”
As with any other manufacturing process, quality control is built into every step, Morris added. “Someone’s signing off on their part of it, and we can look at dashboards and see how many models we have going, for how many people, and when surgical dates are. We can pull audit trails of how many jaw resections we’ve done per year using this type of printer.”
When a surgeon signs off on a medical model or guide, it goes to one of 36 printers; vat photopolymerization is the clinic’s predominant technology, with 27 Formlabs printers in house. The arsenal also includes a NewPro3D digital light processing (DLP) vat photopolymerization printer; Stratasys material jetting printers including the Objet500 and J55; 2 Ultimaker S5s and a five-filament input PRUSA for material extrusion; an EOS P110 Formiga SLS (selective laser sintering) printers for nylon 12; an HP multi-jet fusion printer for full photorealistic color nylon prints; and a ProJet 660Pro binder jetting printer from 3D Systems. “We have full color and photorealistic color capabilities and can produce multi-material models and sterilizable, biocompatible models, guides and swabs. With the DLP printer, we can print a skull in two hours, which has really helped for trauma cases.”
Because Mayo’s additive manufacturing center is staffed by subspecialty radiologists, they can give a model to, say, an orthopedic oncology surgeon and indicate where the margin of a tumor is—something an external 3D printing house cannot do.
In terms of materials, Mayo has entered into batch contracts with suppliers to ensure device consistency “because we can’t have differences in raw materials if we’re screwing something inside a person’s body.” Mayo’s model of manufacturing means its specialists can perform enterprise-wide consultation, design and printing—for instance, a device can be printed at its Jacksonville, Fla., campus, or printed parts can be sent state to state.
It’s a big paradigm shift.
“Instead of using traditional manufacturing at a medical device company—where the surgeon might upload imaging through a HIPAA-compliant cloud, schedule time with an engineer of a company and then review plans and re-review plans, then the device is manufactured somewhere and shipped to the hospital—this is a truly disruptive way to manufacture medical devices and anatomic models. Although other centers are increasing their use of 3D printing across the country, Mayo’s been at the forefront. We’ve built regulatory, IT and intrahospital infrastructure in terms of space, equipment and personnel to make this a reality.”
Ultimately, “we’re using industrial manufacturing equipment to change the way we fundamentally treat patients,” Morris said. “We’re doing it in a distributive way at the point of care; the traditional manufacturer has become the hospital.”
With a roadmap from the American Medical Association (AMA) and multiple modalities at her disposal, Dr. Nicole Wake of New York’s Montefiore Medical Center has been creating 3D printed models since she created the 3D Imaging Lab in the Department of Radiology in January 2019.
“In conjunction with the new AMA Category III CPT codes for 3D printing, which were released in July 2019, we have established a proper workflow and documentation method of our 3D printed anatomic models and guides,” said Wake, director of 3D imaging and assistant professor of radiology. “First, the clinician is asked to place an order in our patient medical record system.
Once a model has been ordered, it comes to the 3D lab work list, and we are able to consult with the physician and decide which printing approach to take. After the model has been printed, we document this through pictures and have a dictation template with information regarding printing technologies, material types, print times, and physician effort. All of these are exported back into the patient’s medical record before the model is delivered to the ordering physician.”
Montefiore uses multiple additive processes, including vat photopolymerization, material extrusion, material jetting and binder jetting. “We consider things like whether the model needs to be sterilized and brought into the OR, or if it needs to be flexible in order to perform a pre-operative simulation on the model,” Wake said. “Binder jetting allows us to achieve beautiful multi-colored prints, so we are able to properly depict all anatomical areas of interest within our models. We can even create lattice structures to allow for internal structures to be highlighted within organs, and these can be shown in full color.”
Specialists in orthopedic surgery, urology, plastic surgery and radiation oncology are Montefiore’s primary users of 3D printed models. They “are also especially useful for medical student and trainee education as well as for patient communication, allowing for patients to better understand their disease as well as to make more informed decisions about their treatment choices.”
Wake recently created a 3D printed kidney tumor model for a complex renal mass case, she explained. “This model was designed to be printed in multiple colors using our binder jetting printer, the Projet CJP 600, 3D Systems, and a lattice structure was created so we could see through the kidney to view an endophytic tumor and the internal components of a second partially endophytic tumor. The model was used pre- and intra-operatively and greatly assisted with the surgical procedure.”
Offering a unique take on 3D printing in the hospital, Cleveland Clinic combines augmented reality (AR), novel applications and an emphasis on patient education. In addition to 3D printed surgical models and tools, Cleveland Clinic printed the injection mold for a cured silicon airway stent for a cancer survivor experiencing abnormal stricture of the trachea and bronchus.
Karl West, director of Medical Device Solutions at Cleveland Clinic and a staff member of its Lerner Research Institute (LRI), brought his biomedical engineering background to the institution 18 years ago to begin working on stent grafts for aortic aneurysms. Having purchased the clinic’s first 3D printer in 2003, he now oversees LRI’s team of 3D printing professionals who run flexible, rigid and color materials including carbon fiber and ABS on an array of six printers, including a Stratasys J750 polyjet and an Ultimaker fused deposition printer. “We have a large material selection because we never know what we’re going to be asked to print.” In the case of a heart valve deformity, the valve and annulus can be printed in flexible material, while calcification is printed with hard material.
LRI interacts directly with the clinic’s clinicians and patients to devise optimum treatment plans, West said. Printing 3D surgical models requires careful interpretation of medical imaging to print exactly the right anatomy; that work can take hours or days, he added. But that critical work can cause a specialist to completely change a surgical approach—as in the case of a boy with a congenital heart deformity. In a more recent case, West and his team combined AR and 3D printing for a face transplant. “We were able to look at different scenarios as far as how much of [the patient’s] face to replace.”
Adding the HoloLens AR holographic computer headset provides that next level of anatomic certainty, West said. By looking through the headset a 3D printed model of a heart, for instance, a specialist can visualize the flow of electricity or blood, or how valves open and close.
Besides pushing the boundaries of 3D printing in the hospital, LRI is working to create a 3D printing center behind glass walls that will allow patients and visitors to see models being printed, as well as previous models on display. This will help the public understand more about anatomy, including what functions organs perform and how large they are.
For instance, “we have printed models of diseased and healthy livers,” West said. “We made them transparent so you can see the vasculature, because what you find in a diseased liver is the lack of vasculature.” One physician keeps all the liver models West’s team has printed to educate patients about diseases and procedures.
Looking ahead, West envisions patient-specific implants being printed at the hospital. For the military, a soldier’s dog tags might contain all the data required for caregivers to print replacements for damaged bones. In terms of preoperative training, surgeons could have desktop printers in their offices to print anatomical models for practice. This will continue fostering advances in minimally invasive care.“I really didn’t think we would be replacing an aortic valve without cracking the chest open,” West said. Now that that is a reality, mitral valve replacement is next, he added. “A lot of that has come about because of 3D printers allowing for benchtop simulations and models.”
In a collaboration that promises to provide federal regulators a wealth of data on the use of 3D printing for creating medical devices in situ, the Veterans Health Administration in November entered into a contract with 3D Systems to establish FDA-compliant manufacturing facilities within VA hospitals.
The collaboration grew out of the VA’s need for face masks early in the COVID-19 pandemic. When 3D Systems helped get a stop-gap mask into production, the VA then requested printable testing swabs. Now, the company will begin installing ProX SLS 6100 printers and materials and enabling its VSP surgical planning solutions at multiple facilities in the VA’s expansive network of hospitals, said Ben Johnson, director of product development, healthcare for 3D Systems.
With the VA, “we’re very interested in setting up medical device manufacturing capability that’s compliant with FDA standards,” he noted. “Many hospital networks are using 3D printing equipment to manufacture low-risk devices and developing controlled workflows to fabricate the devices, but this effort raises the bar for U.S. point of care manufacturing with a compliant quality management system and associated FDA registrations.”
It will take about a year to set up the quality management system and manufacturing capabilities at several VA sites.
“In the near term, we’re looking at setting up operations at a handful of hospitals across the U.S.,” Johnson said. “Once set up, the rolling out of additional tools and capabilities can be much quicker, depending on the risk level of the product.” Low-risk (Class 1) devices can be developed in months; higher-risk devices like surgical guides would still take about a year to develop, validate and transfer to production. A GMP-compliant system ensures control over device materials, designs and testing — especially when transitioning from low-volume production to tens of thousands of units, as with PPE.
With facility space an issue, hospitals might look to create 3D printing facilities in spaces nearby. Creating a localized hub for device manufacturing run as a managed service would be “very interesting for a company like ours with expertise spanning the technology and how it is deployed in a controlled manufacturing environment.”
For the past 15 years, 3D Systems has run a medical device facility with about 80 plastics and metals printers in Littleton, Colo., producing models, surgical instruments and implants. “That’s something we can translate and educate hospitals like the VA to do themselves.”
While the VA hospital network “is quite sophisticated in its capabilities and know-how with 3D printing, and this collaboration is an evolution in their journey to increase their capability to do surgical planning, patient-matched instrumentation and eventually implants within their network.”
In addition, the VA’s partnership with FDA promises a healthy pipeline of additive manufacturing data and metrics from this collaboration to regulators who are drafting guidance of medical device manufacturing at the point of care.
While 3D printing of dental fixtures like dentures and implants is commonplace, general dentist Perry Jones of Richmond, Va., has seen an opportunity to simplify the direct manufacture of orthodontia with digital scanning and modeling. This would prove especially useful in eliminating the multiple physical models used to produce multiple clear Invisalign-like corrective devices for different stages of a patient’s progress.
His ultimate goal is threefold:
--Eliminate impressions taken with messy, inaccurate elastomeric materials used directly in the patients mouth.
--Eliminate models and directly manufacture end-use appliances like retainers, occlusal guards and mouth guards.
--Eliminate cumbersome, time-consuming software required to repair the digital file surface and trim the digital model.
“My primary focus is to help simplify the process of everyday dentistry,” Jones said. “3D printing … is not well integrated as yet into everyday dental practice. Digital scan technology is not new but has been very slow in adoption. I placed the first iTero scanner in service in the U.S. in 2005, and yet the world market penetration of intraoral digital scanning is only in the 10 percent range or so. Over six years age I removed gypsum, and fully integrated 3D printing in my GP practice.”
Most dental offices make their own appliances, like occlusal guards and retainers, he said. “The most common technique used to make a thermoplastic appliance requires an impression, usually taken using an elastomeric material such as PVS or alginate,” he said. “The traditional process required a model to be poured using a gypsum material.” Digital scanning lets dentists eliminate “the mess and inaccuracies” of elastomeric” impressions and gypsum to pour stone models.”
That virtual model can be used to create a physical model using additive manufacturing to create a physical polymer/resin model, he added. “That 3D printed model may then be used to create the actual appliance using thermoplastic material that is either vacuum formed or pressed.”
In the case of clear, Invisalign-style aligners, another layer of software—segmentation software—is needed. “A virtual model is created from the digital scan of the patient. The software can then create virtual ‘dies’ that can then be virtually moved to create virtual movements using established orthodontic and physics principles. The software allows the operator to view and create a virtual model of each movement stage. The virtual model can be sent to a machine such as a 3D printer to create a physical resin/polymer model.”
Jones’ patent for a software, a process and a prototype to directly manufacture the end use product is under review. The process is called galvanometer-guided material ablation.
“The .stl design file from the segmentation software would be sent to my software,” Jones explained. “The user would the use the simple steps to design and create a virtual aligner; a physical model is not necessary. The design file is sent to a 3D printer or CNC mill to be directly manufactured. No physical model is required as the material used to make the aligner is not a thermoplastic material.”
He has been working with material suppliers “to develop a polymer with a wall thickness thin enough to replicate a thermoformed aligner. We have not as yet found a liquid resin/polymer to use in a 3D printer that will produce an end-use aligner with sufficient properties to direct print end-use aligners.
Thermoformed materials used on models to create an aligner appliance are typically in the .040 material blank thickness. After thermoforming, the thickness is roughly reduced by 1/4 to 1/2 depending on the heating system and application techniques.”
Compared with his process, “I do not know of a company that has a direct manufacture process using 3D printing that produces a viable aligner product with a wall thickness in the 0.5mm range.”
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New Natural Supplement Designed as a Resource for Millions of Americans that Struggle to Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
TIMONIUM, MD — Natural Products Solutions’ new VirMax Blood Sugar Stabilization Formula, a once-daily natural supplement that promotes normal blood sugar levels, increases the body’s production of insulin and improves overall cardiovascular health is now available at Harris Teeter across the country and will be available at Walgreens stores nationwide starting August 7, 2015.
This new product was developed in response to the emerging global epidemic of diabetes that can be traced back to rapid increases in poor diet, obesity and physical inactivity, according to the World Health Organization. Diabetics and pre-diabetics suffer from blood sugar (glucose) levels that are consistently high. An estimated 1.5 million deaths each year are directly caused by diabetes. Diabetes also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, foot ulcers, infection and eventual need for limb amputation, as well as blindness and kidney failure.
“The natural supplement industry has put out very few products aimed at maintaining healthy blood sugar levels,” said Marty Gallant, President & CEO of Natural Product Solutions. “Response thus far to our new VirMax product from both consumers and retail partners has been very strong. This supplement meets a crucial need for many Americans and we are excited to be offering it at both Harris Teeter and Walgreens.”
According to Gallant, NPS’s goal with the new product was to provide a natural once-a-day supplement for consumers that contains a combination of ingredients which have been clinically tested to combat high blood sugar levels and the symptoms of diabetes.
VirMax Blood Sugar Stabilization Formula features natural elements including Vitamin D, Magnesium, Bitter Melon, Chromium, Goldenseal, Cinnamon Bark Extract, Turmeric, Green Coffee Bean Extract and Caffeic Acid.
Lifestyle changes like adopting healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and using products like VirMax Blood Sugar Stabilization Formula can help keep blood sugar at normal levels and may help reduce the risk of adult-onset diabetes.
About Natural Product Solutions, LLC
Founded in 2006 by President and CEO, Marty Gallant, and Vice-President of Sales, Travis Pendergast, VirMax is a clinically tested line of natural supplements for men and women that are designed to enhance the sexual experience and to address prostate health as well as testosterone levels. VirMax products are based on a Nobel Prize-Winning discovery on the body's regulation of blood vessel dilation and flow. All VirMax products can be found at Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, Meijer, the Defense Department Commissaries (DECA), Ahold, Harris Teeter and other major retailers and grocers nationwide. For more information on VirMax please visit www.VirMaxinfo.com, follow us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @VirMaxDS.


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The country's third-largest holding company is in negotiations to purchase some street cred in the form of Steve Stoute's branded-entertainment shop, Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging. Making a bet on youth and urban markets, Interpublic is set to acquire the four-year-old company noted for promotional pairings that include Justin Timberlake with McDonald's, Jay-Z with Reebok and Hewlett-Packard with Gwen Stefani.
Financial terms of the transaction, expected to be completed this week, are unclear, though the deal is estimated at between $10 million and $15 million.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Stoute declined to comment and referred calls to Interpublic. A holding-company spokesman declined to comment.
Mr. Stoute, a former record exec and manager for rap artist Nas turned urban-marketing guru, launched Translation in late 2003 after a stint at the now-defunct Pass marketing agency. There, he partnered with Peter Arnell, CEO of Omnicom Group's Arnell Group.
Mr. Stoute gained notoriety for his promotional matchmaking skills and even dabbled in the beauty space, in 2005 leading a star-studded team of investors (Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Tommy Mottola, Jimmy Iovine, Jay-Z) to back Lisa Price's Brooklyn-based line of skin- and hair-care products, Carol's Daughter, for which Ms. Pinkett Smith was the first spokesmodel.
It was also Mr. Stoute who recently brokered a deal between singer Beyoncé and Samsung to produce the B'Phone, a limited-edition burgundy-and-gold cellphone that comes preloaded with photos and videos of the star. It will be released next month with Sprint as the exclusive carrier and Wal-Mart as the exclusive retailer. And for McDonald's, Mr. Stoute was working to redesign its worker uniforms to be hipper and more appealing to youth, though that project never got off the ground.
Whether Interpublic or Mr. Stoute initiated the talks is unclear, but the holding company has been in discussions with him for the better part of the year, executives familiar with the matter said. Among those personally involved in the discussions: DraftFCB Chairman-CEO Howard Draft. Mr. Draft could not be reached for comment.
Details up in the air
The parties are still ironing out certain operational kinks, executives said, but Translation, which has a full-time staff of 40 to 50, is expected to operate as an autonomous unit under the Interpublic umbrella, liaising with the company's agencies and their clients on a project basis. It's also unclear what will happen to the 20% stake Universal Music owns in Translation.
With this buy, Interpublic and its new marketing agency would be poised to rival holding-company-backed branded urban shops such as SpikeDDB, a division of Omnicom Group's DDB Worldwide founded by film director Spike Lee that creates integrated communications targeted at African-American and urban markets. It also will compete with Platinum Rye, part of the Omnicom family, and WPP Group's Group M, which touts sports and entertainment marketing among other services.
"It's a great move for Interpublic. Steve brings a cultural connection that's very valuable, and if it's leveraged with the resources of a large holding company, it will increase [in value]," said former Reebok Chief Marketing Officer Dennis Baldwin, who is managing partner of venture-capital firm Breakaway Ventures and interim CMO of ice-cream vendor Moobella, both in Massachusetts.
"He has a rare mix of an understanding the youth consumer and the ability to clearly communicate his understanding to senior executives in a language they understand and utilize," Mr. Baldwin said. He hired Mr. Stoute to help create the RBK brand platform for the sneaker retailer, for which Mr. Stoute negotiated relationships with hip-hop artists including Jay Z, 50 Cent and Nelly.
The move is strategically wise for Interpublic, which "is focused on finding ways to build out their business in certain target demographics," said Mike Simonton, an analyst at Chicago-based Fitch Ratings. "Obviously urban and youth-oriented marketing is an important place to focus, and such an acquisition does make some sense."
One lingering question relates to the possibility of restrictions on Translation -- which, for example, enjoys a strong relationship with fast-food giant McDonald's (the latter is affiliated with Omnicom agency DDB and Publicis's Leo Burnett Worldwide, among others) -- that would prevent it from working with clients and agencies outside the holding-company family.
It would, however, be aligned with General Motors Corp., a major Interpublic client. GM last year called upon Mr. Stoute to boost its youth-market appeal for Chevrolet and other brands. He responded by enlisting racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and rapper T.I. That last matchup is now seeing some problems, as Chevy told news outlets it is reviewing its contract with the rapper, who was arrested for illegal gun possession earlier this month.
"I initially engaged Steve and the team at Translation," said Michael Jackson, former VP-marketing and advertising for GM in North America. "The team is very sharp and offered insights and creative solutions in support of our marketing efforts. I always appreciated the passion and enthusiasm that they demonstrated, particularly around GM's brands' challenge of being relevant to young, well-educated, affluent, urban consumers."
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Contributing: Jean Halliday


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E-commerce stocks were some of the biggest winners in the second quarter.
Donald Trump’s WeChat ban targets a celebrated Chinese innovation at the heart of the world’s largest mobile gaming and social media empire, threatening one of the more eye-catching stock rallies of 2020.
In recognising Malaysians’ love for spicy and authentic local flavours, Maggi has released two new Maggi Mi Goreng noodles.
LONDON: UK employment fell by the most since the global financial crisis at the height of the nation’s coronavirus lockdown, in a taste of a mounting labour-market crisis.
Amazon.com Inc might soon be filling online orders from the kinds of shopping centres it has helped destroy.
OTTAWA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 505 COVID-19 cases were confirmed since July 4 in connection with public venues in 61 cities across seven provinces in Canada, according to Canadian Project Pandemic on Monday.
CHICAGO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two people were shot, more than 100 arrested and 13 police officers injured in widespread looting and vandalism that happened early Monday morning in downtown Chicago.
Los Angeles: Now a social media giant has reportedly joined a software giant in an effort – albeit a longshot one – to acquire another social media giant, TikTok.
JOHOR BARU: Teacher Effa Hizda Hussein will be more careful from now on when buying products on social media platforms.


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Sports car usually stand out of the crowd because they are unique in many ways and are usually not designed for the average commuter. They are fast, looks cool, not so fuel efficient and most of all can’t accommodate more than two people at a time.
After catering to the elite crowd which don’t mind these million dollar cars having just two seats, Koenigsegg is set to consider making a four door car in the near future. The sports car lover market is at a saturation point where it’s all about selling a refreshed model every year. The success to make more revenue relies on creating new customers which is what the brand is aiming at. It’s not just them because even Bugatti has a similar idea.
The company’s boss, Christian Von Koenigsegg revealed the news to the media but he added that the idea is very much at an early stage.
“We are still working and the idea is yet to be approved by the board. A lot of suggestions are being poured into the drawing board and probably we will arrive at a conclusion in due time,” he said. The brand has been mulling over the idea of launching a sports car with four doors for a while now, confirmed the CEO. Even though, their existing models are selling well, the new suggestion sounds enticing to him and his entire team of enthusiastic engineers.
Apart from a four door model, Koenigsegg is also mulling over the idea of launching an all-electric vehicle. For professional sports car manufacturer, fuel efficiency doesn’t seem to pose a huge issue but their target audience may never compromise for less speed and performance. Delivering the same on an electric motor is a complex task which they aim to overcome in the next few years.
It is not confirmed whether the brand is going to go for an all-electric sports sedan in the next few years or a hybrid model. Koenigsegg confirmed that they will go with whatever is hot during the time of production and is feasible without compromising on overall performance.
The company recently launched the Regera at the 2016 Geneva auto show last week. The car boasts of an amazing 1,500 horsepower and is a hybrid model. It is designed to compete against the Bugatti Chiron which was launched at the same expo. Both cars look simply adorable but a conclusion can be drawn only when a head to head comparison is possible.


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The key reason why OPEC+…
Norway’s $1.4 trillion wealth fund…
Electric cars, which at this point are still few in number, and remain a bit of an anomaly on American roads, will increase in the ensuing decades.
Spencer Dale, who serves as the chief economist at BP, notes that the upswing in the number of electric cars probably will not happen for another twenty years, but it will happen. Dale maintains that while conventional vehicles still retain many advantages over electric vehicles, it is a matter of “when, not if.”
While the U.S. still has relatively few of them, due to a combination of lower fuel prices and batteries that need to be recharged approximately every 100 miles, better electric cars are coming on the market now that overseas automakers are answering the demands of air quality restrictions.
In the United States, Tesla is creating cars with larger batteries that can hold a charge for 200 miles, spurring other auto makers such as Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen to join the race.
Ford has announced its plans to develop 12 new vehicles over the next four years. Volvo wants to get one million vehicles out by 2025. Chevrolet is expected to introduce the Bolt sometime this year. A new Bolt will cost consumers $30,000 after tax credits.
The upshot of this upswing, according to a report from the firm of Wood Mackenzie, is that electric cars could decrease demand for gasoline in the United States by anywhere from 5 to 20 percent over the next two decades. The country uses over nine million barrels of gasoline a day. Should electric cars pick up a market share over 35 percent, the demand could drop by approximately two million barrels per day by the year 2035, the firm says.
Related: Is The Race For Madagascar’s Resources About To Get Underway?
Prjit Ghosh, who wrote the report, said that those numbers reflect a speedy introduction of electric cars to the market. Ghosh contends that it is more likely that the U.S. would see a 5 percent drop in demand for gas as electric cars increase to about 10 percent of the nation’s vehicles by 2035.
The report notes that the demand for natural gas could go up to meet the increasing demand for electricity.
By Lincoln Brown for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Lincoln Brown is the former News and Program Director for KVEL radio in Vernal, Utah. He hosted “The Lincoln Brown Show” and was penned a…
Analysts predict the cost for all classes of EVs will match gas cars by about 2023. The only reason to buy an ICE age vehicle after that point would because there won't be enough of them go around. If you ever get a chance to drive an EV you will know what I'm talking about ... it is like the difference between a propeller airplane and a jet!
Multiple hybrid plugin vehicles with 20-40 mile electric range are available now and with new wireless home charging standards will become very wide spread.
If it wasn't for the large increase in the number of car's produced there would be no increase in oil consumption, shame all this didn't happen 10 years ago.


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Army supply prices skyrocket in Russia, as families struggle to outfit conscripts
The price of a bulletproof vest has skyrocketed to twenty times the January price, said the Russian Senator Lyudmila Narusova, when speaking to the Federation Council.
“The fifth-grade bulletproof vest that cost 7,000 rubles last January, now costs 135,000,” Narusova said. She added that the Federal Antitrust Service (FAS) should find out why Russian manufacturers don’t deliver the bulletproof army gear directly to the Russian military, selling it instead to consumers at market prices.
The senator described talking to the conscripts’ parents at a draft office in Moscow’s Khimki district:
Their mothers said, verbatim, “I’m packing him for the special operation the way I used to pack him for the summer camp — with thermals, socks, underwear, clothes, not to mention the canned spam and other stuff.”
Narusova criticized the army for leaving it to the families to outfit and equip the Russian fighters going to Ukraine. She also said that conscripts at the draft office were given economy-class airline snacks donated by some “bleeding-heart flight attendants.” “Do you think this is normal?” the senator asked her colleagues.
The Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko asked the specialized committees to look into the price “skyrocketing.” At the same council meeting, Senator Olga Kovitidi pointed out that the council has already spoken to the FAS, but the antitrust regulator said this question was outside of its scope.
Earlier this month, the FAS said that it had discovered cases of army supply price gouging. The Attorney General’s office then warned retailers against trying to limit the army goods supply to encourage price hikes.
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Golf Property Sales Boost Recovery Of RE Market
9 September 2016 – Opp.today
Spanish property sales in major tourism areas have been starting to rise over the last year or so, with a little help from the golf sector.
In fact, the golf industry is a key driver of Spanish home sales, achieving nearly 3,000 transactions in 2016 alone – and buyers can benefit from prices that often rise faster than similar homes elsewhere.
Being close to a golf course can add up to a quarter to the value of a property compared to a regular home, says a new report from the Arum Group, which develops and manages luxury resorts in Spain including Abama Luxury Residences, La Manga Club and Eldorado Playa.
More than two-thirds (68%) of golf courses in Spain have a direct or indirect link with a real estate development, according to the data produced in conjunction with the Real Federación Española de Golf.
The Arum Group has seen strong demand at its Abama Resort in Tenerife with 45 sales in 2015, almost 50% more than predicted, and rising sales from sports enthusiasts at La Manga in Murcia, which has three golf courses.
Agustin La Rocca, Sales Director at Arum Group, says, “The Spanish property market is currently on an upward curve and one of the main drivers is the golf industry. We have certainly noticed the appeal that having world class golf courses adds to real estate developments.
“At both La Manga Club and Abama, we are graced with outstanding examples and there is no doubt that they add to the appeal for our buyers. For a start it means that their views will never be interrupted or built upon and also means that the peace and tranquility of the area will be preserved.”
Golf is a big draw for foreigners in Spain and it is estimated that 160,000 Britons in the country are close to a golf resort. In total, 234,500 properties enjoy ‘direct’ access to a golf course.
Most overseas demand for Arum Group Spanish golf properties comes from the UK, Belgium and Scandinavia, but it has buyers across the globe.
The EU Referendum vote has not affected UK buyer demand, says Agustin La Rocca. “Despite Brexit, British buyers will undoubtedly continue to aspire and want own their own luxury holiday homes in Spain. We have found that our clients are very focused and know exactly what they want from a second home. We do not have many competitors with the same standard of services and facilities and we expect UK demand to continue to grow.”
“The reason for buying depends on the project. Investors at La Manga Club are attracted to its renowned sporting facilities. The gated community offers world-class sporting amenities and wellness facilities perfect for second-homes investors looking for a home in the sun. On the other hand, Abama is more focused on luxury and glamour for those looking for the ultimate cuisine, golf and hotel facilities.”
With a high buyer demand, other developers are considering entering the sector, but it takes experience to be successful, says Agustin La Rocca.
“Over the past year, there have been a number of developers in Spain who have tried to develop golf resort but this is a science that needs lots of technology and it takes a lot of practice. It essential to have a highly experienced team behind the resort in order for it to be a success. In that sense, Arum Group has more than 20 years of experience in developing some of the top golf resorts in Spain.”
As well as boosting real estate sales, golf has also had a positive impact on the Spanish tourism industry with visitor numbers increasing 36.3% in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, in the region of Murcia alone.
La Manga Club, a 1,400-acre resort in Murcia popular with sports enthusiasts, has seen strong sales thanks to its on-site sporting facilities including three golf courses. It also reports, a rise in visitors using the available rental accommodation. These findings are supported by the Murcia Tourist Board, which recently released data highlighting that tourists staying in private rented accommodation in the region has risen by 25.6% in 2016 compared to the same period last year.
There is a similar story at the Abama Resort in Tenerife, which features an 18 hole Dave Thomas designed golf course and tennis academy. 45 units were sold in 2015, almost 50% more than predicted, with all purchasers attracted by the lifestyle offered by the resort and its amenities. (…).
In May 2016, across all Spanish property sales, not just golf villas, 32,512 homes were sold, up 23% year-on-year, according to the National Statistics Institute. It is the highest figure since January 2013 and the fourth consecutive month of double-digit annual increases.
Original story: Opp.today
Edited by: Carmel Drake


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Skullcandy Grind Wireless Bluetooth headphone It has an integrated amplifier for higher power rating and less distortion.
Skullcandy has announced a Bluetooth headphone for the Indian market. The new Skullcandy Grind Wireless will be exclusively available from Tata Croma stores for one month and is priced at Rs 6,499.
"Our wireless product innovations were well-received in 2015. Grind Wireless will continue our mission to launch headphone in style that change consumers' expectations of Bluetooth product's aesthetics and acoustic performance," said Amlan Bhattacharjya, founder and chief executive officer of Brandeyes Distributors Pvt. Ltd.
As per Skullcandy, the Grind Wireless features simple and iconic design. It has an integrated amplifier for higher power rating and less distortion while its high-end drivers enable greater dynamic range.
It has plush on-ear cushions and a lightweight and durable metal headband for maximum comfort. A 12-hour battery life enables all day wearability. The right ear cup cleverly integrates microphone, call, track and volume controls just like the wired Grind model.
Uproar Wireless also features the on board built-in microphone and remote, so users can take calls and manage their music on their device directly right from the ear cup.
The Skullcandy Hesh 2 wireless headphone is priced at Rs 8,499 while the Strum earphone is priced at Rs 3,699.
The first headphone under the new headphone series, Skullcandy Grind features a simple yet iconic design.


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United States – US-based aluminium rolling and recycling major Novelis has reported a net income of US$ 307 million for the second quarter of fiscal year 2018 compared to a net loss of US$ 89 million in last year’s corresponding period owing to increased shipments, ‘favourable’ metal costs and operational efficiencies. Net sales increased 18% year on year to US$ 2.8 billion.
‘As an industry, we are seeing increasing demand for lightweight, high-strength aluminium from global automotive customers based on aluminium’s ability to provide equal or better quality, strength and safety compared to other materials,’ comments Novelis’ president and ceo Steve Fisher.
‘We are now actively seeking organic investment opportunities to further expand our leadership position in the growing automotive aluminium sector.’
The company recently announced in its latest sustainability report that it had incorporated 55% recycled content into its products in the 2017 financial year, thereby reaching what had been identified as a target figure some two years ahead of schedule.
The recycled content recorded for the 2016 financial year had been 53%.
Don't hesitate to contact us to share your input and ideas. Subscribe to the magazine or (free) newsletter.


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Something Interesting is Now For Sale at Square One in Mississauga
Are you looking for a truly unique Christmas present?
Something exclusive to Mississauga?
If so, you might be excited to hear that you can now purchase honey made by Square One’s very own bees.
SQUARE ONE (@shopSQUAREONE) November 7, 2018
Earlier this year, the shopping centre started doing its part to save the world’s most on-trend (for good reason) insects:
“From solar panels to rooftop greenhouses to urban gardens, many corporations are using their free, unused space to positively impact the environment,” Square One said in a previous news release.
The mall had urban beehives installed on the shopping centre’s rooftop in response to worrying stories about the declining bee population.
If that concept sounds familiar to you, it might because the City of Mississauga is also welcoming more bees to its rooftop in an effort to protect declining bee populations and produce honey.
Now, it looks like honey from the Square One bees has been harvested and is for sale.
According to Square One, it can be purchased from the mall’s concierge (which is located in luxury wing on level 2).
Will you be buying some Mississauga honey this holiday season?
- Masks mandatory in Mississauga until end of September, some face coverings no longer permitted
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- Mayor wants Brampton, Mississauga residents to be able to get a hair cut sooner than scheduled
- Mississauga man murdered at Wasaga Beach, Brampton man one of two charged
- Breaking out in a mysterious rash? Mississauga's gypsy moth may be the problem


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Tesla has produced 300,000 electric vehicles
Despite the fact that Tesla continues to experience difficulties with the production of machines, the new electric cars continue to slowly but surely leave the factory conveyor. The company’s quarterly report indicated that the manufacturer produced 286,000 cars, and more recently the board of directors noted that Ilon Mask coped with the task by completing all the points of his compensation plan, which included the task of making 300,000 cars by the beginning of 2018. It is the number of machines that the company has been able to produce since its inception.
It may seem that 300,000 electric cars – quite a bit, but, when compared with other manufacturers of machines with electric drives, it becomes clear that the result is very good. Nissan, for example, has been selling its electric Leaf already since 2011, but only in the past month has it been possible to achieve similar Tesla figures. And this despite the fact that the company Ilona Mask began to produce large quantities of cars only in 2013.
Recall that the shareholders of Tesla decided not to pay Mask salary, replacing it with tranches, which the head of the company will receive after the implementation of the plan, scheduled for a certain period. With the tasks assigned to him at the moment, Mask has almost completely figured out – the construction of 300,000 cars was also included in the list of compulsory cases. The current quarter will end only next month, and the head of the company faces yet another unrealized task – to ensure the achievement of gross profit of 30 percent or more for four consecutive quarters. But, according to preliminary results, the company has not yet reached this figure.


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We are delighted to announce that JATCO Ltd have decided to renew their FISITA Corporate Membership.
FISITA Corporate Members are the elite group of industry leaders from the world’s top auto mobility makers, suppliers and technology providers, as determined by members of the Industry Committee.
Since creation, FISITA has seen significant growth in influence and relevance and today our membership network reaches over 210,000 engineers in 35 countries, placing us at the heart of the industry. FISITA is pleased to offer exclusive membership to engineering societies and corporate organisations active within the automotive mobility industry.
To find out more about FISITA membership options, please visit: www.fisita.com/membership
As demand in automobiles is shifting from developed to emerging markets, JATCO must proactively globalize its operations in order to ensure that automobiles continue to contribute to society. JATCO stands committed to providing superior transmission units in a timely manner from locations close to automobile manufacturers around the world, where they can also closely monitor feedback from local customers. To respond to the increasingly global nature of the market, JATCO continues to expand its R&D facilities outside of Japan, in the U.S., France and South Korea, and production bases in Mexico, China (Guangzhou) and Thailand.


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Black Friday Begins: Chrysler Cuts 25% of White Collar Jobs [Text of Letter Below]
The Wall Street Journal [sub] reports that there’s blood on the carpet in Auburn Hills, as ChyrCo CEO “Boot ‘Em Bob” Nardelli lives up to his TTAC nic. The announcement came in the form of a Dear John letter. “Chief Executive Robert Nardelli said the cuts are necessary because of the deep downturn in the economy and the tightening credit situation, which are choking off auto sales. Mr. Nardelli said the company is facing the ‘most difficult economic period any of us can remember.'” (Bob was speaking professionally, of course.) So, let’;s count the carnage, shall we? One thousand white collar workers were terminated at the end of September. The new cuts are on top of those cuts, which should eliminate another five thousand non-unionized employees. “The employees whose jobs are being eliminated will leave the company payroll Dec. 31, Mr. Nardelli said in the letter. An unspecified number of the 5,000 employees will be offered early retirement or buyout packages. Others will be terminated involuntarily. Those affected will be notified between Oct. 24 and Nov. 5.” Will the last Chrysler employee please turn off the lights? Meanwhile, here’s Bob’s letter…
Redbarchetta on Oct 24, 2008
Menno that is an interesting theory and I would think it might be possible except for the bailout money from Uncle Sam. If they kill all their US production how on earth can the government justify giving them a penny. Or does the new GMC company get what both companies would have gotten individually and they just count GM US production in the total of both. Damn that makes your theory a lot more possible since our government can't really be trusted with our money.
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- Dukeisduke I'd like to see some kind of two-door pickup version (like the original Bronco, not a Gladiator clone). The one on the recent Dirt Every Day episode made a pretty decent crawler. I like the steelies on this one.
- THX1136 @Matt: Totally agree. Buying a 'used' cat is not the same as buying a used one. I would also suspect that the asking price would not be in the $800 range. Unfortunately there are folks out there that care not for their fellow man and would happily 'make a profit' at the customers expense (both literally and figuratively).
- Mike Beranek "Fuel Economy, U.S.17 city / 19 highway / 18 combined (EPA Rating, MPG)":What in the world are these people thinking?
- ToolGuy "We’ll see what happens with Haas." I wonder what happened with Haas?
- ToolGuy Auction is 2 days away now. I've been setting aside some spare change here and there - have you? (You forgot again, didn't you?)


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The Vodacom Bulls have revealed the brand new home and away jerseys that they’ll wear for the new 2019 Super Rugby season, which starts on 16 February 2019.（www.camisetasrugby.com）
The new jersey differs from recent seasons in that the darker shade of blue is much more prominent as part of the the striking ‘Bulls Armour’ graphic across the front. With the light blue dominating the rear of the design.
The away shirt uses the same graphic, but it’s white with grey and dark green accents that cover the shoulders and chest.
Interestingly, the Bulls have indicated that the shirts will be used by both Super Rugby and Currie Cup teams, which won’t please fans of the classic Northern Transvaal jersey – and calls in to question whether the iconic Barberton daisy will be retained, too.
The Vodacom Bulls will wear their new jerseys for the first time when they take on the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld for their opening game of the Super Rugby season on 16 Feb 2019.


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LG has begun mass producing flexible OLED displays destined for smartphones. The screen measures 6" diagonally, which is probably large enough for phablet classification. Despite its size, the display is supposedly thinner and lighter than existing designs. LG says the panel measures just 0.44 mm thick and weighs only 7.2 g—that's 0.02" and 0.25 oz for the metric-impaired.
Although the display's plastic construction is flexible, don't expect a bendable handset. The initial implementation will employ a fixed, concave curve with a radius of 700 mm, or about 28". That curve seems to fit the profile of prototype sketches that popped up at the Wall Street Journal last week. The WSJ says the curved panel will debut in a G Flex device in November, but LG's press release suggests the first product may not arrive until next year.
Curved displays have some novelty value, but there are practical considerations. According to LG, the technology that makes the screen bendable also makes it unbreakable. A slightly concave device should fit more comfortably into one's back pocket, as well, though perhaps not with a 6" screen.
Unfortunately, there's no word on the panel's display resolution or other attributes. We don't know anything about the device that will host the curved screen, either, but we do know that it will have some competition. Samsung has pledged to introduce a smartphone with a curved screen this month.
|Early Unreal Tournament concept art reminds us how far we've come||6|
|Report: Intel targeting larger, pricier Android tablets||17|
|AMD's Mullins APU appears in $250 HP netbook||42|
|Core i7-4790K 'Devil's Canyon' overclocking revisited||34|
|Steam controller gets an analog stick||52|
|Delays strike Battlefield: Hardline, Dragon Age: Inquisition||18|
|It's official: Microsoft will consolidate Windows development||68|
|Microsoft's 2014 revenue up 11.5%, but income stagnates||28|
|Tuesday Night Shortbread||49|
|The new new name for the UI is called Retro.||+37|


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Fashion Designer, Karl Lagerfeld, Has Died Aged 85
Designer Karl Lagerfeld has died aged 85.
Known for his trademark gloves, the German designer died on Tuesday in Paris.
Fashion icon Donatella Versace paid tribute to Karl
“Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I. We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration”
Karl was reportedly unwell for some weeks but the cause of his death is unknown
He missed attending various fashion shows, including New York Fashion Week.
Rest in Peace.


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Diverse Flavours’ MD Anthony Budd discusses South Africa’s alcohol sales standstill
South Africa announced on 30th April that the country plans to lift some restrictions that have had the country on lockdown for the last five weeks. Although some shops will open, exercise will be allowed for three hours a day between 6am-9am, select home food delivery services will operate, restaurants will remain closed and the sale of alcohol and tobacco remains banned.
The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa (SAAPA SA) explained the government’s reasoning: Alcohol limits a person’s willingness to reduce social distancing, and alcohol weakens the immune system.
Gulf-Africa Duty Free spoke to Anthony Budd, Diverse Flavours Managing Director, to get an insider’s look at a country normally brimming with local wine and spirits sales fuelled by national and international demand, all of which is currently on hold.
“The government has been very strict on the sale and supply or movement of alcohol during the lockdown. Basically nothing has been allowed. Therefore up to April 30th, there have been no domestic sales of alcohol, no movement of goods to the ports, and no export of wine or other alcohol has been permitted. But we had good news last Thursday night that wine and spirit exports are now allowed from this week,” states Budd.
In South Africa there is uncertainty about when business will return to normal. “I think it is the same as everywhere in the world. When will this end? The government has done a good job managing the crisis, but we retain a certain amount of anxiety about when the economy can start again. As in so many countries you have an element of the community that will get through this crisis well enough, but on the other hand you have a massive part of the community that is really struggling to survive day to day. These are the people we really need to be concerned about,” says Budd.
Business as usual?
Budd stresses the importance of being patient. Although his team has orders that they can now ship in the coming weeks, his clients are holding off sending new orders for the time being.
Diverse Flavours has a unique portfolio offering with both South African wines and Japanese sakes. “The business has developed in line with our expectations, and we still work on the “three P’s” philosophy: Patience, Perseverance, Passion. We know and understand that South African wines and Japanese sake are not core categories, but we also know that consumer demand and interest is increasing. The retailers, airlines, border shops we work with know this, and are seeing the positive results,” notes Budd.
Budd is realistic about the future, with Diverse Flavours shipments in 2020 expected to be down overall by 25-35% based on stock in market and pipeline fill. “I imagine consumption will be down more, simply based on the month’s sales we have lost and will lose, and will not get back,” he says.
“As an owner of a private company we are not under the pressures of the big multi nationals with share holders and banks. Therefore we are not under the same pressures to overcome the loss in business, provided we can keep overhead under control and cash flow in check. These will be the priorities. However, looking ahead we are taking this time to work on new NPD projects that will target future revenue channels either by the end of 2020 or most likely in 2021.
Moving forward, Diverse Flavours — like many businesses — is reverting to more online meetings, calls and is increasingly updating its website with information, supplying more brand data and presentations so that they can be used internally.
The million-dollar question is, what will the new normal look like? “Realistically, I think we need to get through 2020 as best we can. Ask me in a year’s time,” concludes Budd.


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Over the last year, thousands of products have been recalled in Europe due to the presence of ethylene oxide (EtO) or its breakdown products, particularly products containing the additive locust bean gum. The additive is commonly used as a thickener in ice cream, which has led to the global recall of tens of thousands of pounds of one ice cream brand, and a French recall of more than 100 brands. And now, the EU has added another key focus to its pursuit of EtO: pet foods.
As we discussed in a July newsletter, the EU amended its import entry regulations related to the presence of EtO in foods, increasing the frequency of identity and physical checks on locust bean gum or guar gum from India, Malaysia and Turkey. But the new regulation carried difficulties in enforcement because the EU has a regulation against the use of EtO for sterilizing purposes in food additives, but there is no quantified limit for its presence in food additives in general. Thus, enforcement challenges were raised because of the difficulty of determining if the EtO resulted from sterilization use or some other cause.
So on August 11, the EU Commission issued a regulation “to avoid those difficulties and to ensure a high level of protection of human health,” declaring that “the presence of ethylene oxide, irrespective of its origin, is not authorised for all food additives.” The new regulation sets the maximum limit for EtO residues in food additives “at the validated lowest residue concentration, which can be currently quantified and reported by routine monitoring with validated control methods” (currently not more than 0.2 mg/kg), effective September 1.
To make the matter even more challenging many regulatory authorities look for the breakdown products of EtO such as 2 Chloroethanol (2Ce), and then assume if they detect 2Ce it was because EtO was there originally. There are certainly some data to suggest that 2Ce may be present naturally in certain products, thus making the drive to zero even more difficult for the food industry.
While the U.S. does allow the use of EtO, which is the principal method of bacterial reduction in herbs and spices, there is some movement to require clear labeling of foods that are sterilized with the chemical. Additionally, the U.S. is dealing with a zero tolerance environment of its own, such as the low to no tolerances being advocated or set for PFAS and heavy metals.
Just as with EtO, one of the greatest challenges is that while the elements can be toxic at high levels or prolonged exposure, all are present in the environment and can result from multiple sources, making zero tolerance fundamentally unattainable. It is for this reason that the industry needs to take steps to limit these chemicals and heavy metals as much as possible in foods. But, as we’ve stated in past articles, while the elements should be identified as potential hazards, the associated risk (and regulatory levels) should consider dose and relative exposure, not just presence.
Unfortunately, basing regulation on presence or consumer-perceived risk, rather than actual risk, is not new. The ability to detect at levels lower than the ability to prevent has been an ongoing issue in the food industry, and the closer that detection gets to zero, the greater the challenge for food producers. The recall and disposal of such food – deemed adulterated without actual risk – also has sustainability implications in relation to potentially massive food waste and unnecessary disposal to landfills.
Given all this, a key strategy for the food industry to consider is that of conducting an in-depth risk analysis of the real impact on public health – the level at which any real risk exists. Once determined, the food industry would have to act on anything which equals or exceed that level. But if there is negligible risk, then there would need to be better communication with and education of the public – and regulatory bodies. This is particularly apparent when considering the recent comment of USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin who said (in relation to setting Salmonella levels in breaded stuffed raw chicken products), “If we require it, the testing industry will create it.” That may be, but it circles the issue right back around to the ability to detect being lower than the ability to prevent.
Unfortunately, when it comes to EtO, regulatory agencies have decided to apply a simple solution to a very complex problem, and as usual that creates a lot of challenges for the food industry. This is certainly a topic that the food industry needs to create even more robust risk assessment than are currently available in order to at least try to get regulatory agencies to adopt a more balanced and attainable strategy.


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New PEGI ratings for UK delayed
UK Minister for Culture Ed Vaizey has confirmed that there will be a further delay in implementing the new PEGI age ratings system brought in in the Digital Economies Bill.
The new system was due to become the legally enforced standard in the UK on April the 1st but there are still a few details to iron out and that is what is causing the delay.
Vaizey said: "There's been some technical delays to iron out a few kinks nothing fundamental, nothing serious. And we'll crack on with it as fast as we can."
A source close to PEGI told GamesIndustry.biz: "What goes on the front of the box is fine. It's what goes on the back of the box that's still being discussed."
- Valve's Chet Faliszek has been confirmed as the first developer session for EGX Rezzed 2015
- One area from Zelda Wii U is as big as the entirety of Skyward Sword
- Telltale's new collaboration is with Mojang, on a Minecraft story game
- Franklin voice actor indicates GTA V story DLC is on the way
- Red Dead Redemption, LA Noire and Bully sequels will come when the time is right says Rockstar
- Telltale teases another collaboration with another game developer
- New Company Of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault trailer recognizes the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
- New Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare trailer focuses on character customization
- Splash Damage's free-to-play shooter Dirty Bomb coming to Steam in the new year


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When the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping the globe early in the year, and governments began enforcing lockdowns that forced people to stay at home to depress infection rates, videoconferencing technologies rocketed into public consciousness as never before.
Professional apps including Zoom, Skype, Webex, and Microsoft Teams were suddenly thrown into the hands of people who had never used them, alongside more social-media-oriented ones like Houseparty and Whereby, as people sought virtual connection and collaboration tools to cope with the stay-at-home and work-from-home orders.
The effect of this rapid adoption of video chat systems was dramatic. Suddenly, debate in the media and on social networks centered on which was the best app or desktop package, with users treating it almost like an exercise in comparative religion.
Uses for the technologies flourished along with those ballooning user numbers, with video livestreams suddenly dominating locked-down domestic and work agendas. From live exercise workouts to yoga and meditation sessions before breakfast, to gaming at a distance, to attending virtual church services and craft lessons, to online school classes and workplace meetings, as well as convivial drinking and socializing sessions with friends of an evening, Internet-based videoconferencing finally came into its own.
Enduring memes were born, too: perhaps one of the most memorable being Sting's online, at-home jam with The Roots, aired on NBC's Tonight Show. The combo played a "quarantine remix" of "Don't Stand So Close To Me" (surely one of the social distancing anthems of the lockdown) with improvised musical instruments.
Yet despite the blizzard of media and social media coverage, videoconferencing technologies are just one way of collaborating remotely and eliminating the need for personal, commuter, and business travel. Developments in computer science and robotics ensure other options are emerging, involving the use of telepresence robots, drones, augmented and virtual reality systems, and even holographic teleportation systems, which can put a three-dimensional, life-size version of you in a target room anywhere on Earth with a broadband connection.
It is possible the still-unfolding societal changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic could see some of these alternate collaboration methods come to the fore in future lockdowns, perhaps due to new waves of infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or mutated versions of it, or completely new pathogens.
It is fair to say, however, that emerging collaboration technologies will have a difficult time reproducing the surprising, runaway success videoconferencing and group video chat apps experienced as the early 2020 pandemic lockdowns took hold. Carman Neustaedter, who researches interactive and collaborative technologies at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver, British Columbia, says the first sign he had that video chat was on an unexpected ascendant was when he found the shelves cleared in online tech stores.
"I suddenly found I couldn't buy a new webcam; all the decent ones were sold out, everywhere. It was a sign of how quickly people were adopting videoconferencing tools. But that immediate shortage of the hardware to support it really surprised me," says Neustaedter.
That sales rush was indeed a sign of things to come, and in the following weeks, videoconferencing growth was stellar. For instance, Zoom alone grew from 10 million users worldwide in December to 200 million at the end of March, as the system moved from being an enterprise IT conferencing system to, frankly, something of an unlikely consumer product. Skype use was up 70% to 40 million daily users in March versus February, said a Microsoft spokesperson in Redmond, WA, who added the growth was accompanied by a 220% increase in Skype calling minutes. The professional collaboration app Microsoft Teams saw usage boosted 200%, from 900 million meeting minutes on March 16 to 2.7 billion on March 31, then a record for the platform, the spokesperson says.
However, that runaway uptake rate came at a price: security, at least for Zoom, was found wanting as users found trolls could join any password-free, open virtual meetings and shock people with violent pornographic images or other content designed to generally disgust and disrupt. These intrusions quickly got a name: Zoombombs. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Google, and SpaceX were among firms barring Zoom use by staff on security grounds. Some Zoom user data was spilled onto the dark web, too.
All this resulted in Zoom Video Communications of San Jose, CA —which says it had been too sidetracked laying on extra AWS and Oracle server capacity to cope with all its newfound global users—issuing a hasty security update to the app. This placed user security and privacy settings front and central, allowing consumers, for instance, to easily and clearly password-protect their meeting URLs. "We've always had all kinds of security features built in, but normally enterprise IT teams would decide which features to enable and which to disable," said Zoom CEO Eric Yuan in a Bloomberg interview. He accepted the firm "made a mistake" in not having made those features easily accessible and understandable by people at all levels, from consumers to professionals, from the start.
"With the shift to online video meetings, you do have to have this kind of barrier," says Neustaedter of the locking-down of video chat systems to known, passworded invitees, and controlling who can be trusted to show content on screens. He says there is an interaction downside to that buttoned-down rigor: a lack of spontaneity, which reduces the chances that people experience idea-generating casual interactions with unexpected people—like an electronic equivalent of bumping into people "in the hallway, coffee room, or at the water cooler."
All is not lost, however; those valuable casual interactions can be recovered, to a degree at least, by switching from video chat apps to mobile telepresence robots. These wireless, remote-controlled, wheeled, flatscreen-display platforms go out into the world and act as a user's eyes and ears and, controlled from a laptop or phone, allow users to explore a remote workplace, conference, mall, street, or pretty much anywhere with flat surfaces where there's strong Wi-Fi. Because the robot can still randomly bump into people, they can experience the kind of informal verbal exchanges that video chat app users cannot, says Neustaedter.
Indeed, this London-based reporter can attest to the validity of this: at ACM SIGCHI's Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Denver, CO, in 2017, I spent a day using a Beam telepresence robot from Suitable Technologies of Palo Alto, CA, and the experience was both liberating and unforgettable. On top of attending sessions, my droid could trundle up to, and let me interview, HCI researchers during the breaks, in corridors, outside session rooms, and at the coffee stall, and even record interviews, and all from my desk in London. "It's those exchanges I think that telepresence robots are actually really good for," says Neustaedter.
Telepresence robots are already fielded commercially and have found some strong healthcare roles in the COVID-19 pandemic. "Venues are using our mobile telepresence devices to monitor inside areas that have been converted to hospitals. They are also being used to maintain the security of those venues, and doctors are using them to visit and evaluate patients quickly," said Steve Ernst, CEO of Event Presence, a company that provides Suitable's Beam and BeamPro robots to event organizers.
If further pandemic waves strike, telepresence is ready to step up again as a virtual collaboration technology by allowing people prevented by lockdowns from traveling to conferences and trade-shows to attend them instead via robot. "We have developed a way to onboard up to 1,000 people on the Beam. We can now bring remote attendees not only to an event, but also directly to the participating event company's showroom, corporate headquarters, or manufacturing plant anywhere in the world," says Ernst.
Those 1,000 people, seeing and hearing through just one Beam robot, will tour 15 booths in a 1.5- to 2-hour session, which Ernst dubs a "Smart Tour," taking in the booths of all the major vendors. For instance, at a flash memory event, remote users got to hear from the likes of Samsung, Toshiba, Sandisk, and Micron, Ernst says. "In fact, we don't really need a traditional conference, with booths, to operate the robotic tour. We simply bring the attendees to where the client wants them," he adds.
Pandemic lockdowns affect private lives as well as business lives, and Neustaedter's research group at SFU has been exploring telepresence's prospects in many everyday homespun scenarios, too. For instance, one SFU team gave one member of a couple in a long-distance relationship a robot, allowing their distant partner to be both robotically present and mobile in their apartment. For added "presence" effect, using a voice-activated system, the robot user could turn on the lights, switch on the vacuum cleaner, or turn on a slow cooker. The seven couples in the study found the robot lent them a stronger sense of sharing a home and a feeling of companionship versus communicating via video chat apps.
Still another SFU couples study found that sending a robot shopping with their partner was better than discussing what to buy on the phone: the remote user, embodied in the robot, mirrored their normal shopping behaviors (like which side of their partner they walk on, and whether they took off to look at goods alone) and were much better able to take part in joint purchasing decisions and accept responsibility for them. However, Neustaedter warns, "You just have to be really careful driving the robot, especially if you're in a shop that has very breakable items."
His group also cajoled some couples into having one partner trundle around as a telepresence robot around parks and urban areas to see how it fared as a walking partner on strolls taking in Vancouver's beauty spots, sometimes undertaking undemanding outdoor pursuits like geocaching—that is, hiding curious objects at certain mapped GPS locations for other walkers to find. While that provided a great way for the remote user to experience the scenery, the robots have little awareness of what's around them, from inclines they might topple down, to bicycles and people. Safety issues from potential collisions with members of the public, or damage to the expensive robot, were concerns; "We had to strap foam around the Beam robot just in case it fell, because they're so expensive," says Neustaedter.
Robots, however, are just one kind of telepresent proxy that a remote user in some future pandemic lockdown might send off to explore some facet of the world. Further into the future, multi-rotor drones are another potential tele-present proxy, with ever-smarter, geo-fenced autopilots in control of them, and augmented and virtual reality tools providing user visualization.
A leading light in this field of drone-based telepresence is Xtend, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, which is honing its technology in the military space but has designs on the tourism, entertainment, mixed-reality gaming, and cinematography markets. Xtend's overarching aim is to allow people to don an augmented reality headset and, with very little training, send a local drone into an area they want to explore (think of the Grand Canyon, the sights of Paris, or the verdant waterways of the Amazon jungle), much like its military customers currently send drones for short-range reconnaissance on the Gaza border.
It is part of a move to marry AR and VR with drones that market analyst Accenture is calling Extended Reality (XR), in which user location ceases to matter. Instead of displaying recorded or generated AR/VR content, XR will display live 360-degree content. It is still very much a future prospect for at-a-distance virtual collaboration, not least because the amount of data needing reliable backhaul between a drone and a highly distanced user, with low latency, will be high.
On top of that, telepresence robots and drones alike are not yet trusted devices: people coming across them do not know who is controlling them or to where they are broadcasting video footage. "We found certain stores would not allow our robots in," says Neustaedter, during their shopping trials. In addition, VR-based solutions, he says, still need to solve one of its fundamental issues: the motion sickness experienced by many users.
That said, there is one emerging virtual collaboration technology that looks much more likely to be a near-term hit, at least for the deep of pocket: it's called the Holoportl, a "single passenger," life-size, human hologram transmission machine that's a little bit bigger than a phone booth. Built and sold by PORTL of Los Angeles, the machine has a 4K transparent flatscreen display on the front of a 3D lightbox that, in a patent-pending projection process, displays a 3D video image of somebody elsewhere in the world, in very-near-real time. The projected person gets audiovisual feedback from the room they have beamed into, and so can interact with the people there.
Holoportl proved its worth in the COVID-19 pandemic, says PORTL CEO and founder David Nussbaum. "At the moment, nobody can leave their homes, so we are being hired by doctors, speakers, educators, and politicians to beam them from the safety and security of their own homes or offices into classrooms and other places they need to be," he says.
The Zoom phenomenon in the pandemic lockdowns did not go unnoticed: Nussbaum says PORTL's road-map includes Zoom-style holographic software, which will allow multiple people to appear in the booth in 3D. He also promises "a few new things that'll blow people's minds".
"PORTL looks pretty cool," says Peter Ladkin, a researcher in safety-critical systems at Bielefeld University in Germany, and a frequent user of video-conferencing systems on global standards making committees. "But it will make the cat crazy."
Zoom reports massive user growth after lockdowns, The Hill, April 2, 2020, https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/490794-zoom-ceo-says-company-reached-200-million-daily-users-in-march
Blog Post, How to tighten security on Zoom videoconference meetings, Graham Cluley blog, April 15, 2020, https://www.grahamcluley.com/how-to-host-safer-zoom-meetings/
Heshmat, Y., Jones, B., Xiong, X., Neustaedter, C., Tang T., Riecke, B., and Yang, L.
Geocaching with a Beam: Shared Outdoor Activities through a Telepresence Robot with 360 Degree Viewing, Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, April 2018, https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3173574.3173933
Yang, L., and Neustaedter, C.
Our House: Living in a Long Distance Relationships through a Telepresence Robot, Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, November 2018, https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3274459
Holoportl: a single-passenger hologram system https://portlhologram.com/products-services
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An interesting collection of think tanks offered last week a rare consensual warning to a U.S. trade agency that banning a list of Samsung devices for sale over a patent infringement claim could have drastic consequences on the economy, public safety, health and welfare.
Public Knowledge, CTIA — The Wireless Association, the Latino Coalition, a former Department of Justice antitrust official, and others submitted opinions to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) last week urging the agency not to ban the importation of popular Samsung smartphones and tablets in response to a complaint filed by graphics company Nvidia.
“An exclusion order on mobile phone devices could negatively impact United States consumers, and particularly their health, safety and welfare,” Public Knowledge said in comments submitted to the ITC last Friday. “This is because mobile Internet access is vitally important today— not merely for entertainment, but for healthcare, public participation, and essential communication.”
While Public Knowledge argued the ban would sever mobile Internet connectivity in poor and rural communities across the U.S. lacking broadband infrastructure, CTIA added it would have a hefty negative impact on the U.S. economy as a whole.
“The administration has made wireless broadband deployment a clear priority,” CTIA said in comments Monday. “As President Obama has stated, ‘[a]ccess to high-speed broadband is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity for American families, businesses, and consumers.’ Consistent with this recognition, the administration, the Federal Communications Commission and Congress have taken numerous steps to promote and streamline wireless broadband deployment.”
The groups, consistently at odds over high-profile issues like net neutrality, agreed Nvidia’s request for an import ban on Samsung handsets including the Galaxy S5, S4, Galaxy Note, and Note Edge, as well as some tablets, would decrease competition in the mobile device market and raise prices for consumers, potentially placing them out of reach for customers in poor communities.
“Wireless broadband is a huge driver of the U.S. economy, and the Samsung devices at issue in this case are an important part of that industry,” CTIA added.
Samsung devices made up more than 21 percent of the U.S. smartphone market in the second quarter of 2015 — the largest of any single manufacturer — according to the International Data Corporation.
That won’t be the case if Nvidia has their way. The U.S. graphics processing unit (GPU) company, which holds some 7,000 patents, filed a complaint with the ITC in February 2014 seeking a ban on Samsung devices using technology Nvidia claims it patented. Nvidia filed a lawsuit seeking financial damages against Samsung and Qualcomm the same day in a U.S. Federal Court in the District of Delaware.
Roslyn Layton, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, recently described Nvidia’s request as the corporate equivalent of patent trolling, and said the California-based Nvidia is abusing the outdated patent litigation process and the ITC “as a form of brinkmanship to shakedown Samsung for higher licensing fees.”
Nvidia admitted it tried to come to an agreement on licensing with Samsung for two years before filing the suits, claiming Samsung delayed and shifted the responsibility to chip supplier Qualcomm.
Last month, ITC Judge Thomas Pender issued an initial finding that Samsung does not infringe on two of three Nvidia patents, and that a third was an obvious feature and as such, an invalid patent. The full commission will review and make a final determination in February.
If the commission does find infringement by Samsung, Pender said he would recommend the ITC issue a limited exclusion order over the infringing products named in the complaint, banning their importation, as well as a cease and desist order on violating Samsung products already in the U.S. (the judge said he would exempt Qualcomm from both orders).
Bret Swanson, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote earlier this summer such action “could plunge the U.S. mobile ecosystem into utter chaos.” And former New York City comptroller candidate John Burnett warned “consumers would find themselves disconnected from the Internet. Prices would likely rise, disproportionately harming low-income consumers.”
Upon completion of the filing period, the ITC will make a final ruling.


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Prepare your eyeballs. Sony has just taken the wraps off its first flagship entry in the coming 4K TV revolution— An 84-inch Bravia LCD with 10 built-in speakers offering virtual surround sound.
The set, announced today at IFA in Berlin, is capable of upscaling current media to 4K, which is fully four times the resolution of the highest quality HD available today. That's helpful, since pretty much nothing is available in native 4K yet.
Sony says the TV will be available by the end of the year. Expect its as-yet-unknown price to rival that of a midsize sedan.


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Highlights from the latest Survey show pet ownership is up; 68 percent of American households now own a pet, accounting for 84.6 million pet-owning households, up from 79.7 million pet-owning households in 2015.
March 31, 2017
Bob Vetere, President and CEO of the American Pet Products Association (APPA), announced at Global Pet Expo, an annual trade show presented by APPA and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), new findings from APPA’s 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey. Highlights from the latest Survey show pet ownership is up; 68 percent of American households now own a pet, accounting for 84.6 million pet-owning households, up from 79.7 million pet-owning households in 2015.
Pet ownership, in general, is up and The Survey shows a new generation of pet owners contributing to that growth. Gen Y/millennial pet ownership has officially surpassed baby-boomer ownership by three percentage points to now account for 35 percent of all pet owners.
“Millennials may be the largest generation segment of pet owners in general, but they also account for more than half of reptile, small animal and saltwater fish owners,” said Vetere. “This is a very passionate, active and connected group, and it’s been very exciting to see the ways in which our industry is working to meet the demands of this powerful demographic.”
New data from the 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey also reveals insight into how pet owners feel about their pets. Here are some of the key personal statements:
85% of owners believe pets are a good source of affection
- 82% agree that interacting with a pet can help them relax
- 81% are aware that owning a pet can be beneficial to their own health
- 81% feel unconditional love for their pet


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New Source: JusticeNewsFlash.com
05/24/2010 // West Palm Beach, Florida, USA // Nicole Howley // Nicole Howley
Washington, D.C.—An outbreak of salmonella that has caused over 22 people in 10 states to become ill prompted Caldwell Fresh Foods to voluntarily recall alfalfa sprouts. The nationwide recall was announced on Friday, May 21, 2010, as reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Alfalfa sprouts manufactured under Caldwell Fresh Foods, Nature’s Choice and California Exotic brands are involved in the recall.
A total of 22 cases of Salmonella Newport infections have been confirmed in Arizona (1), California (11), Colorado (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Missouri (1), New Mexico (1), Nevada (2), Oregon (1), and Wisconsin (2). No deaths have been reported, but six of the cases caused hospitalization.
The recalled alfalfa sprouts are labeled and packaged as:
• Caldwell Fresh Foods – 4-ounce plastic cups and one pound plastic bags, and 2-pound and 5 pound plastic bags in cardboard boxes with sticker affixed with the printed words Caldwell Fresh Foods.
• Nature’s Choice – 4-ounce plastic cups
• California Exotics brands – 5-ounce plastic clamshell containers
The tainted sprouts were distributed to restaurants and retailer’s including Trader Joe’s and Wal-Mart stores.
The FDA stated, “Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Consumers who are experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.”
The FDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state authorities are investigating the outbreak.
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for product liability attorneys.
Url: http://NicoleHowley.visionsmartnews.com/salmonella-newport-outbreak-alfalfa-sprouts-recalled-nationwide_438.html News Source: JusticeNewsFlash.com – Press Release Distribution


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When the Nissan GT-R hit U.S. shores in 2009 it completely shook up the sports car world with insane performance typically reserved for exotics costing considerably more. At this year’s New York Auto Show, Nissan is turning up the performance dial once again with a refreshed 2017 GT-R.
Form & Function
The updated GT-R gets fresh styling, most noticeable being the incorporation of Nissan’s signature “V-Motion” grille, made larger to improve engine cooling. Other updates — including the new reinforced hood, front lip spoiler and front bumpers — not only give the GT-R a new look, they are functional as well.
New rear bodywork still features the GT-R’s trademark four-ring taillights, while new airflow enhancements and other updates give the sports car a wider, more aggressive stance. Overall styling changes give the GT-R sharper lines while maintaining a slippery 0.26 coefficient of drag.
“As the icon of Nissan’s driving performance, the GT-R continues to evolve. With the signature V-motion grille, the GT-R now possesses the latest Nissan design language. Its exceptional aerodynamic performance and upgraded interior have given the GT-R a more mature character, which will continue into the future,” said Mamoru Aoki, executive design director of Nissan’s Global Design Center.
Sophistication & Simplification
The GT-R’s new interior is decidedly more upscale with lighter sport seats and an updated instrument panel that has been wrapped in a single piece of Nappa leather. A new 8-inch touchscreen display with larger icons simplifies controls.
Sound & Fury
The 2017 GT-R gets more than a new look — there’s a healthy power boost under the hood. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 now puts out 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque. That’s an increase of 20 horses over the 2016 model. Engine updates give the GT-R better acceleration in the mid- to high-range rpm, and it will sound better at spool-up via a new titanium exhaust system.
Improved Cornering, Shifting
With a more rigid body structure and new suspension, the GT-R claims even better cornering abilities — an impressive feat given the outstanding handling of the previous version. Further improvements include shift paddles that are now mounted to the steering wheel rather than the steering column, allowing easier shifts in the middle of a turn.
The new GT-R is expected to offer a more comfortable, smoother and quieter ride — qualities not often associated with improved handling — through Active Noise Cancellation technology and new sound-absorption materials, including an acoustic glass windshield.
Performance & Civility
“The new GT-R delivers a heart-pounding driving experience at all times, on any road, for whoever sits in the driver’s seat. We have continued to push its performance boundaries . . . to an entirely new level. We’re proud to bring you what we feel is the ultimate GT-R that possesses amazing performance, newfound civility and a rich racing history,” said Hiroshi Tamura, chief product specialist for GT-R, Z and NISMO.
Look for the 2017 GT-R to begin arriving in U.S. showrooms this summer.


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If your boyfriend happens to work on Wall Street, don't expect him to be in the mood for much romance this evening. The Dow dropped another 680 points today and it seems all the negative economic news is now taking a toll in the bedroom. Experts say that stress, depression and anxiety related to the economic crisis has led to a sharp drop in mens' libido. One couple that was once doing the deed four times a week? They've only had sex once since the "economy went soft," reports the Post. "A man's sexual apparatus is very delicate. If something is wrong, it is very difficult for men to get or maintain an erection," says Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who probably knows about these issues more than anyone else, especially since she's old enough to have been dishing out sex advice during the Great Depression.
But the plunge is great news for the stores around town that sell dildos and vibrators. Toys in Babeland reports that "appliance" sales more than doubled between mid-October and mid-November as lonely women scooped up mechanical products to fulfill their needs. This may also suggest that buying stock in Procter & Gamble, which owns Duracell batteries, would be a bright idea right about now, but the stock fell four percent today, so clearly most investors may not agree with that thesis.