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In an SEC filing yesterday, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. said it will continue to press ahead on its $2.5 billion merger with India-based Apollo Tyres.
The filing said, “Both Cooper Tire and Apollo remain firmly committed to the strategic rationale” of the merger
Last week, an arbitrator ruled in favor of the United Steelworkers union, which had filed a grievance that its collective bargaining rights were violated when Cooper entered the deal with Apollo in June. The arbitrator said Cooper’s two U.S. plants with union membership could not be sold until an agreement had been reached with the union. The union covers about 2,500 employees at Cooper’s Findlay, Ohio, and Texarkana, Ark. plants.
Cooper’s Tupelo manufacturing plant, which employs about 1,300, is not unionized.
Read Cooper’s SEC filing after the jump:
As previously disclosed by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (“ Cooper Tire ”), on August 1, 2013 the United Steelworkers and two of its local unions (collectively, the “ Unions ”) which represent employees at Cooper Tire’s Findlay, Ohio plant and Texarkana, Arkansas plant filed grievances alleging that Cooper Tire violated the successorship provisions of the collective bargaining agreement applicable to each plant by entering into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 12, 2013, with wholly-owned subsidiaries of Apollo Tyres Ltd. (“ Apollo ”) whereby Cooper Tire agreed to merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apollo (the “ Merger ”). The Unions agreed to binding arbitration regarding this dispute, and the arbitration hearing took place on August 28, 2013. On September 13, 2013, the arbitrator ruled in favor of the Unions and ordered Cooper Tire to refrain from selling or transferring the Texarkana and Findlay plants unless and until the Unions have entered into agreements with an Apollo subsidiary that recognize the Unions as the bargaining agents and establish the terms and conditions of employment to be effective as of the closing of the Merger.
Cooper Tire is assessing its options related to this decision. At the same time, Cooper Tire and Apollo are continuing discussions with the Unions with an aim of reaching an amicable resolution quickly to minimize any impact on the original closing schedule. Both Cooper Tire and Apollo remain firmly committed to the strategic rationale for the Merger, which will create a leader in the tire industry with a strong presence in the world’s largest tire markets and in the fastest growing geographies, and are optimistic that a mutually beneficial settlement can be reached.


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A decade ago, it was only video game enthusiasts who tuned in and advertised eSports. Now, it is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. In fact, eSports have become so popular that millions of enthusiasts are placing online bets on their favourite games, streamers, and competitions. While older generations may stick to betting on football, cricket, or American basketball – a giant portion of gen X, millennials, and Gen Z-ers have made it clear that eSports are the future. Anyone familiar with the online gambling industry and video game streaming already knows that this business is booming, but here are three things you don’t know about e-Sports betting.
It’s More Popular Than You Can Imagine
Video game competitions have been around since the 1970s and were popular even then. Extremely popular throughout various Asian countries, South Korea has had events that filled Olympic stadiums with fans, while millions more streamed at home. In China, one large event had 91,000 tickets sell out in minutes while hundreds of thousands streamed at home. From the UK to the US, Twitch streamers have become the new celebrities. Betting on eSports is a popular pastime in many countries around the world. Currently, the esports industry in India is up to ₹43.8 billion and expected to increase to 118.8 billion by 2023, according to financial experts. This industry will only grow larger, worldwide.
Millions are Making Money Betting On (and Investing In!) eSports
With popularity growing amongst the worldwide public, investors are rushing to this industry to make sure they don’t miss out. According to Statista, US revenue from eSports will reach over $812 billion by 2023. Currently, 2020 reports find that the market in the US is worth over $1 billion, but that’s expected to grow at a large rate. The biggest betting prize ever? At the 2019 Dota 2 International, there was over $34 million dolled out in prize money.
There are Hundreds of Things to Bet On In eSports
Online betting has overall improved all sports betting because of the amount of options sites give you. From betting on teams to individuals players, to how many red cards someone can get, all this has drawn a huge audience. Video games have increased in the variations of bets available, making it extremely exciting. Major sportsbook sites are adding dozens of new popular games every year. New popular additions include FIFA 17, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Starcraft II, Call of Duty, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch – all which are extremely popular amongst the gaming community. You can expect more favourites to be added on in the coming years.
Twitch and The Pandemic Will Undoubtedly Change the Industry
As the rest of the world catches on to what gamers have known for decades – betting on video games is fun and exciting. Competitions have been here since the 1970s, but as the quality of popular games becomes even better, we can expect more fans to join in. While betting on eSports may not be your grandpa’s favourite pastime, younger generations who have been playing video games for the last 50 years (yes, video games have been around that long) are now in control of the market and the largest audience. When the pandemic halted most traditional sporting events and caused a problem for bookmakers who rely on those games, eSports was able to continue to grow in profitability and popularity.

domain: news


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A press release from Intel down under highlights the release of their new Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology to be implemented in new-gen notebooks. Formerly codenamed "Yonah", the heart of the new platform is a dual-core mobile processor manufactured on Intel's leading 65nm packaging technology.
SYDNEY, Australia, Jan. 18, 2006 -Intel Australia today showcased the Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology for a new generation of laptops. The new platform is aimed at advancing the emerging digital lifestyle at home, work and on the go. It delivers breakthrough capabilities to make entertainment truly mobile for people on the go and improves responsiveness and efficiency of mobile workers.
"Intel is focused on creating an innovative mobile computing platform that ushers in a new era of working, playing and living," said Kate Burleigh, national marketing manager, Intel Australia. "The Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology platform creates a new leap in how people work and play, taking advantage of a new generation of uses and experiences."
Acer are on the ball with their new TravelMate 8200 series notebook to sport the implementation of Intel's Centrino® Duo powerhouse. Details found here folks.
SYDNEY, 18 January 2006 - Acer, Australia's number-three PC vendor and fastest-growing brand* today launched the Acer TravelMate 8200. With Intel® Centrino® Duo, Intel's new dual-core mobile processor technology, the TravelMate 8200 delivers increased performance by providing the ability to easily manage multiple applications simultaneously, making it the ideal solution for mobile business professionals who require heavy computing performance.
The TravelMate 8200 features a carbon fibre casing that delivers sophisticated looks and durability, earning it the prestigious 2006 IF product design award. The stylish casing incorporates a 1.3 mega pixel digital camera with a 225-degree rotation, allowing the capture of action in front and behind the screen without the need to move the notebook. The optional Acer Bluetooth VoIP phone means business users can make the most of the latest collaboration and video-conferencing technologies over the web, ensuring they not only stay in touch but manage their meetings and know who they are talking to.
Last updated: Jun 16, 2020 at 04:29 pm CDT


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Japanese manufacturer and distributor of dairy and confectionery, Meiji has announced the establishment of a China-based company, Meiji Dairies as part of its plans to expand its business overseas.
Founded by subsidiary Meiji China Investment, Meiji Dairies will begin production in March 2023. The new company will produce and sell Meiji’s milk and yogurt products with the intentions of expanding its dairy sales in China.
According to its 2026 vision, Meiji aims to increase its long-term value by establishing a foundation for business growth in overseas markets. In its 2020 medium-term business plan, Meiji identified China as the most important overseas market claiming that the drinking milk and yogurt business has maintained steady growth.
Meiji has interpreted China’s dairy expansion as a result of the increased health-consciousness within the country, coinciding with the growing popularity for chilled milk and the increased demand for safety.
With this new establishment, Meiji says it will strengthen its production infrastructure while utilising its technology and expertise in delivering safe dairy products to a wider range of customers.
By expanding its connections with China, Meiji is one step forward towards achieving its 2026 vision.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2023


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automakers ended 2012 on a high note as Americans kicked tires
and drove more new vehicles off the lots last month than they had in the past five Decembers, a sign that despite a continued slow U.
Families searched for sensible vehicles, men in suits polished and repolished gleaming cars, but most just kicked tires
and circled their dream cars.
Nearly 7 million Americans--more than 40 percent of all new car buyers last year--electronically kicked tires
via the Internet before finalizing a vehicle purchase.
They gawked and pointed, kicked tires
and popped hoods.
WASHINGTON, May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- President Clinton, five members of the Cabinet and 127 members of Congress were among 7,300 visitors who kicked tires
, looked under hoods and road-tested new cars and trucks here in a two-day auto quality festival sponsored by the UAW, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.


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Last week marked the 25th anniversary of the drafting of Tim Berners-Lee’s proposal to combine hypertext with the Internet that would later become the World Wide Web. Berners-Lee used the occasion to call for the creation of a global online “Magna Carta” to protect the rights of Internet users around the world.
The desire for enforceable global digital rights stands in sharp contrast to the early days of the Web when advocates were more inclined to tell governments to stay away from the burgeoning medium. For example, John Perry Barlow’s widely circulated 1996 Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, asked governments to “leave us alone”, claiming that conventional legal concepts did not apply online.
While the notion of a separate “cyberspace” would today strike many as inconsistent with how the Internet has developed into an integral part of everyday life, the prospect of a law-free online environment without government is even more at-odds with current realities. Rather than opposing government, there is a growing recognition of the need for governments to ensure that fundamental digital rights are respected.
My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes that building on Berners-Lee’s vision of global online protections, the World Wide Web Foundation, supported by leading non-governmental organizations from around the world, has launched a “Web We Want” campaign that aims to foster increased awareness of online digital rights. The campaign focuses on five principles: affordable access, the protection of personal user information, freedom of expression, open infrastructure, and neutral networks that do not discriminate against content or users.


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Amazon remained the top destination for teens to shop, but Shein further solidified its number two position, according to Piper Sandler’s 44th semi-annual “Taking Stock With Teens” survey.
The majority of the 14,500 teens across 47 states who responded to the survey, some 52% of teens, cite Amazon as their favorite e-commerce site. Shein (8%), Nike (6%) and Lululemon (4%) round out the top four spots.
Shein also appears on the top clothing brand list, coming in at number five at 4%. Nike (31%), Lululemon (6%), American Eagle (6%) and H&M (4%) take the first through fourth spots on the list. Within apparel, athletic is still the dominant trend, with Nike remaining strong and Lululemon hitting new highs. Vans fell out of the top 10 favorite apparel brands.
According to Edward Yruma, senior research analyst at Piper Sandler, athletic apparel’s popularity among teens may have reached its peak. “Interestingly, the athletic apparel trend may be peaking with 44% of upper-income teens preferring apparel brands that are ‘athletic,’ which is flat compared to our spring 2022 survey,” Yruma said in a statement.
Within footwear, Yruma noted that Nike remains on top, with 60% of teens ranking it the best shoe brand, and Converse (10%) gained share at the expense of Adidas (7%) and Vans (7%). Crocs (2%) increased from the number six preferred footwear brand to number five while Hey Dude is now ranked number seven up from number nine last spring.
What’s more, the survey found that Under Armour dropped out of the top 10 preferred footwear brand’s list all together, while Dr. Martens continued to weaken, Yruma said.
The same survey found that teens are also spending more. According to Piper Sandler, teens spent 3% more than last year, with females continuing to lead the growth in spending (clothing +10%, footwear +7%). The survey also found that teens are allocating 7% of their shopping time to secondhand, with 47% of teens reporting they have purchased, and 58% have sold, secondhand items.
This survey comes just weeks after a similar report from Morning Consult found that Amazon, Walmart and Target ranked fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively, on the list of Gen Z’s favorite brands, beating out companies like Nike, Oreo, Dollar Tree and Apple. All three retailers were noted as favorable among other generation groups, though they ranked slightly higher when ranked by Gen Z.
When compared to millennials’ preferences, Discord, TikTok, Crocs, Snapchat and Shein all had the highest gaps in favorability points with regard to Gen Z preferences. That is, Gen Z appeared to rank these brands much higher than their millennial counterparts.
When it comes to apparel, Shein was the standout brand, especially among Gen Z women. 44% of Gen Z adults said they viewed the fast-fashion company favorably, compared with 22% of adults across all generations.


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Finally Xolo has launched the most awaited lightest windows phone. Few days ago we were talking about this phone and now it gets launched for a price of Rs.9,999. So let us see the features of this smartphone.
Xolo Win Q900S Specifications
|General||Name||Xolo Win Q900S|
|Hardware||Chipset||Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8212|
|CPU||1.2 GHz Quad Core Processor|
|Internal Memory||8 GB|
|Expandable Memory||Upto 32GB using microSD|
|Display||Type||IPS LCD Capacitive Touchscreen, OGS|
|Size||4.7 inch, 1280 x 720 pixels, 312.47 ppi|
|Camera||Primary||8 MP, AF, LED Flash|
|Battery||Capacity||1,800 mAh Li-Po|
|Others||Sensors||Accelerometer, Proximity, Magnetometer, Ambient Light|
|Dimension||135.8 x 67.2 x 7.2 mm|
|Online Price||Rs. 9,999|
Now there are many smartphones which are getting launched for Rs.9,999. The understanding is that it is still below Rs.10K for the buyer. Surprisingly Xolo has kept a limited offer for which only the first 5,000 handsets will be priced at Rs.9,999. Later on the price will be increased to Rs.11,999.
I think this is a new marketing strategy adopted by the company. They want to sell the smartphones fast. People get a perception that it is available for 2,000 less than what it will be after few days. This smartphone will be released in the 2nd week of July.
Still the weight of the handset is 100 grams and yet it is known as the lightest windows phone as claimed by the brand. The rear camera has a PureCel sensor with LED flash support. Right now this handset can be pre-booked from Snapdeal at a price of Rs.9,999.
I do think that features wise Xolo Win smartphones does look better than the Micromax Win smartphones. We will keep you updated about such phone launches. Till then stay tuned on MobileJury.


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With the clamor about the iPad 2 still surprisingly audible, we’re now presented with news and speculation about the next generation iPhone.
Fast Company asks: “Is Apple Pushing Back the iPhone 5 Release?”
We’ve learned by now that any speculation surrounding Apple products is just that —speculation. And yet, for the next three months media outlets will drum up the kind of hype and anticipation that inspires people to wait in line at Apple stores.
The latest round of speculation stems from news that Apple is not planning to introduce new hardware at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.


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When the last two Swiss Chalet rotisserie chicken restaurants in the United States – one in Amherst, one in Depew – went dark on Feb. 28, 2010, Western New Yorkers who grew up with the chicken, fries and sauce at the center of family nights, first dates and happy birthdays did the only thing they could:
They got their passports ready, pointed their vehicles toward Canada and planned pilgrimages to the land where Swiss Chalet was born.
“Lots of Americans come once a week,” said Robyn Hildebrand, manager of one of the Niagara Falls locations, a shiny standalone store on Montrose Road with a drive-thru. “Some come multiple times a week. They usually have a list with them, of friends, people they know, orders to bring back for people in the neighborhood.”
The border guards were among the first to notice the trend, followed by the staff at the Swiss Chalet on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls, Ont.
“I have a couple that comes once a week, from Rochester, an hour and a half’s drive,” said manager Wayne Deline.
For the Western New Yorkers who worship at the Swiss Chalet altar, Facebook is the minaret, the platform most often used to call the faithful.
It goes like this: An Internet-capable fan of the Canadian chicken chain posts a photograph lovingly detailing the holy trinity: a quarter chicken, fresh-cut french fries and brick-red dipping sauce.
If they grew up around here, a certain part of the audience will feel a stirring, a hunger whose source they cannot always name, but with its roots in their childhood; a hunger amplified by the fact that since 2010, satisfaction has required international travel.
Today, Americans account for 5 to 10 percent of the volume at the two Niagara Falls, Ont., stores. If the Department of Homeland Security scanners at the border checkpoint sniffed for Swiss Chalet’s signature dipping sauce, a lot more trunks would get popped. “A lot of people, they’ll come over and order 20 large sauces,” said kitchen manager Matt Stewart. “Lord knows how they get it back over the border, but they do.”
“A lady came over with those plastic gallon jugs – milk jugs? – and filled up 30 or 40 of them,” said Deline. “She was going to auction them off at the church bazaar.”
Bizarre is what the passion of the Swiss Chalet pilgrims is to nonbelievers, which is to say most people. Rotisserie chickens have proliferated in restaurants and grocery stores, satisfying most customers’ pressing poultry needs. Cara Operations, the Canadian company that owns Swiss Chalets among its 700 restaurants, didn’t turn out the lights for nothing.
When you ask the pilgrims to explain the pull, though, you end up talking about more than money. You end up talking about the pure childish joy of dunking fries in sauce.
Raised on Buffalo’s West Side, in a family of six, Connie Berti was introduced to Swiss Chalet on Main Street, in the former Laube’s Old Spain space. “Even in elementary school ... Swiss Chalet was affordable, it was reasonable, and you got a nice meal.”
There was nothing comparable, she said. “You didn’t eat much chicken out those days. Then they make fresh-cut french fries. Never been frozen. That’s the other factor: a delicious french fry.”
The sauce sealed the deal. “It wasn’t something your aunt made, or your mother, or your grandmother,” said Berti, who is Sicilian and knows her way around a sauce. “It was just different and explosive on your taste buds when you dipped chicken in it.”
The most unusual thing “was that at the end of your meal, they would bring you a little bowl, with warm water and lemon in it, to wash up,” she said. “Guess what? They still do that.”
Berti and her husband, Bob, brought their children, and another generation of Swiss Chalet fans were imprinted on the sauce. When the last store closed in 2010, after “lots of tears and unhappiness,” Berti said tongue-in-cheek, “I searched the Web to find if there was another one.”
Which brought her to the border – four times in 2012, and once this year. Sometimes, in a pinch, she oven-roasts a chicken “with a little smoke flavor on it” or buys a ready-made rotisserie bird, and pulls a packet of Swiss Chalet dipping sauce powder from her emergency stash, to simmer her own. “We have that in a pinch,” she said.
The packets are available at Canadian supermarkets such as No Frills for about $1 each, or at Redlinski’s in Cheektowaga. “I give them away to other Swiss Chalet addicts,” said Berti. “When I was ordering them online, I was very careful about who I gave them out to. Now I dole ’em out like candy.”
To Canadians, Swiss Chalet’s main appeal is the food. Freshness is the mantra. If a chicken hasn’t been sold in 45 minutes after coming off the roaster, it’s turned into chicken meat for soup and sandwiches. The fries, fresh cut and cooked twice for a superior crisp? Five minutes unsold and they go into the trash, said Stewart, the kitchen manager. “The head office comes in to make sure,” he said. “Fresh is guaranteed.”
Swiss Chalet had about two generations for the sauce to seep into the locals’ DNA. That was enough.
“As somebody who considers [himself] a pop historian of Western New York and Buffalo, there was something very Buffalo about that place,” said Steve Cichon, news director for WBEN 930. His family were regulars as he grew up in Orchard Park, and it was part of the “dating rotation” with Monica, now his wife of 12 years.
“It was one of those places you think of when the plane lands, and people ask, ‘Where are you going to go first?’ ” Cichon said. “We all became ex-pats, in a way, when Swiss Chalet closed. It was part of the taste of Buffalo, for so many people, that was gone.”
So Cichon’s heart goes out to the hungry who holler every time he posts a photo to Facebook.
“People go crazy,” he said. Needlessly, in many cases, he pointed out. “It’s not that far away, if you have a passport or enhanced license,” Cichon said. “It’s 25 minutes from the [Peace] bridge. There is a border between us, but it’s not that far away.”


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Now that November is here, everyone is starting to think about the festive celebrations to come. Christmas time is everyone’s favourite time of year, a time for family, presents and food – but do we go food mad during the festive period?
According to figures released by GoCompare.com in 2016 families spent a staggering £183 on average just on food and drink for the big day. This means that the country is estimated to spend around £5bn on Christmas food.
Paige Evans said: “I’d say my family spends at least £200 on food for Christmas. That is for five of us and we don’t waste any food, it all gets eaten. It only happens once a year so you want all the treats and stuff don’t you, so I don’t mind spending the money!”
But is this indulgence unrealistic for families on low incomes? A spokesperson from the Cheltenham food bank said: “We do see quite a large increase of people needing our help around Christmas, it does then drop back down after Christmas.”
The Food bank are expecting the number of people not being able to afford to do an extravagant food shop to increase this year again, adding: “It might be worse this year because of everything going on with Universal Credit.”
Universal Credit is a new government scheme which reforms the benefits system, and has been widely criticised.


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5 Reasons to Get Excited About the Symphony of the Seas
Due to be delivered in April 2018, Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas is set to make some very big waves in the cruising industry. With anticipation building, we’ve decided to shine a spotlight on this amazing cruise-ship-in-the-making and highlight the top five reasons to get excited about its arrival.
Size can matter
Upon its completion, the Symphony of the Seas will be the world’s largest cruise ship. Weighing in at 230,000 gross tonnage and measuring 362 metres long and 66 metres wide, this giant vessel will feature 16 decks and carry 5,494 passengers. These numbers outstrip those of the world’s current largest cruise ship: the Harmony of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean vessel.
As the world’s largest cruise ship, you can bet the Symphony of the Seas will have plenty to offer to its passengers. Royal Caribbean’s distinct neighbourhood experience is back, with the Symphony of the Seas boasting seven distinct areas, including Central Park, which features over 12,000 trees and plants lining elegant walkways.
The Ultimate Abyss is back
Originally debuting on the Harmony of the Seas, the heart-racing, jaw-dropping Ultimate Abyss slide will be featured on the Symphony of the Seas. Beginning on the top deck (45 metres above sea level), riders enter a glass platform and grab a mat before launching down a spiralling tunnel of colour and sound. The tallest slide at sea, the Ultimate Abyss boasts LED lights, speakers, a twister light effect and a starry sky effect, as well as a 27-degree incline that means riders experience a G-force of 1.46 as they zoom down 10 decks of twisting tubes. The average ride time is 13.14 seconds and most riders have a heart rate of 101 beats per minute, making this the supreme adventure for thrill-seekers.
Surprises are in store
Launching in a year’s time, there are a few aspects of the Symphony of the Seas that remain a mystery. For example, Royal Caribbean have said the Ultimate Abyss will be back, but with a twist. On their website, they’ve also said they’re ‘composing a few new dishes’, hinting that new dining experiences and talents are coming aboard. Another mystery that remains to be solved is the ‘whole new challenge’, which promotes adventure and a ‘new scale of daring’. It’s official: we’re well and truly excited to discover what Royal Caribbean have up their sleeves.
If sailing on this floating wonderland wasn’t enough, you’re sure to get excited about the Symphony of the Seas’ travel plans. The cruise ship will spend its inaugural summer season in Europe, travelling to amazing destinations such as Barcelona, Rome, Florence and Naples. After that, it will make its way to the warm, welcoming waters of the Caribbean and continue to travel the area until April 2019.
It will have a brand new home
After its Europe travels, the Symphony of the Seas is set to dock at a new, 15,793-square-metre cruise terminal in Port Miami. Nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ due to its distinctive crown-shaped design, the cruise terminal will be completed in late 2018 and will boast an array of state-of-the-art facilities.
Set sail on a dream holiday with Cruiseabout.


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Hebei "Thank BASF for its active cooperation and professional support in the use of development and imitation. The province recognized the top ten printing enterprises for the first time.
recently, the author learned at the 2007 strong printing enterprise Symposium in our province that 35 printing enterprises such as Hebei Xinhua Printing No. 1 factory were recognized as strong printing enterprises in our province by the Provincial Publishing Bureau, of which 10 printing enterprises such as Hebei Zhengyuan Packaging Group Co., Ltd. were recognized as top ten printing enterprises in our province. In addition, the emperor of Qin Dynasty 26 printing enterprises including Fannan color packaging Co., Ltd. were identified as strong nominated printing enterprises. It is understood that four strong printing enterprises with total assets of more than 200million yuan and 10 with total assets of more than 100million yuan were shortlisted this time; Annual sales: when the inner diameter of seamless steel pipe is greater than 26mm, 9 companies have a sales revenue of more than 100million yuan, and 15 companies have a sales revenue of more than 50million yuan; Two companies with annual profits and taxes of more than 20million yuan and six companies with annual profits and taxes of more than 10million yuan basically reflect the development of leading printing enterprises in our provinceDujinqing, director of the Provincial Publishing Bureau, said that since the reform and opening up, especially in recent years, the printing industry in our province has shown a good development trend. The overall benefits of the printing industry have increased year by year, and the overall scale has been expanding. The printing industry accounts for more than two-thirds of the total publishing industry in our province, and has become a new force in the development of the publishing industry and even the entire cultural industry in our province. The identification of strong printing enterprises will play a positive role in building the brand image of printing enterprises in our province and promoting the sound and rapid development of the printing industry in the province
Copyright © 2011 JIN SHI


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The video game gender debate has been going on for years now, fueled mainly by complaints that the video game industry continues to make games that primarily appeal to males. Perhaps it's not the fault of the video game industry, but a result of a psychological tendency. A new study reports that men's brains are more responsive to video games than women's. According to MRI scans, the zones of the brain associated with reward and addiction are much more active in men's brains when they played a simple video game. Last year, there was an effort to get the American Medical Association to classify video game addiction as an official disorder -- perhaps these folks now have some more empirical evidence to support that claim.
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United Kingdom-based brand Quorn Foods doubled its production capacity this week with the opening of a new facility in England—which it describes as the “world’s biggest” factory of its kind. Quorn—which offers several vegan products, including chicken nuggets—is now capable of producing 1.33 million packages of meatless products (approximately 20,000 tons per year), which is equivalent to the meat produced by 1,600 cows. Quorn reported a 12-percent increase in sales during the first six months of 2018 and aims to become a billion-dollar company by 2027. In July, Quorn invested $9 million into creating a research and development facility to develop its own “bleeding” burger to compete with popular brands such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. In conjunction with increasing its production, the company aims to eliminate 297 tons of non-recyclable plastic from its supply chain, and hopes to convert its packaging to be made from 100-percent sustainable materials by 2025. “We see decades of growth ahead of us as consumers respond to growing environmental concerns around meat production,” Quorn CEO Kevin Brennan said. “We provide dramatic sustainability benefits compared to meat, and this new facility will enhance those benefits further.”
Wedding bells! You’re going to fall in love with VeganWeddings.com — a new website from the editors of VegNews.


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Articles about MediaTek
04 Oct 2022Latest Tablets
Xiaomi has launched Redmi Pad as the latest tablet under the Redmi branding in India.
03 Oct 2022Android 12
Motorola has introduced its latest mid-range smartphone in India, called the Moto G72.
02 Oct 2022Upcoming Mobile Phones
Motorola will introduce the Moto G72 as its latest G-series smartphone in India tomorrow i.e. October 3.
02 Oct 2022ASUS ROG Phone 6
AnTuTu has revealed its best-performing flagship smartphones list for September 2022 in China.
13 Sep 2022Vivo
Vivo has introduced yet another mid-range smartphone in India, called the Vivo Y22.
06 Sep 2022Xiaomi
Xiaomi's sub-brand Redmi will launch its latest budget smartphone, the Redmi A1, in India today, alongside the Redmi 11 Prime series.
05 Sep 2022Flipkart
POCO has introduced the M5 as its latest budget smartphone in India and globally.
24 Aug 2022Poco
The POCO M5 4G will be introduced in India in early September, according to 91mobiles.
19 Aug 2022Lenovo
Lenovo has debuted its latest gaming smartphone, called the Lenovo Legion Y70. It starts at CNY 2,970 (around Rs. 34,800).
17 Aug 2022Flipkart
Infinix has introduced its latest smartphone in India, called the Infinix Hot 12.
09 Aug 2022Android 12
The Teclast P30 Air tablet has been introduced in the global markets at $119.99 (nearly Rs. 9,550).
18 Jul 2022TECNO Mobile
TECNO has introduced SPARK 9, as its latest budget smartphone in India under 9-series.
17 Jul 2022Infinix Mobile
Infinix has quietly introduced its Note 12 Pro 4G smartphone.
09 Jul 2022Vivo
Vivo has introduced the Y77 smartphone as its latest mid-ranger in China.
20 Jun 2022Xiaomi
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Umidigi has launched its Bison 2 series, including Bison 2 and Bison 2 Pro handsets, globally.
06 Jun 2022Samsung
TECNO's latest entry-level smartphone, the POP 6, has gone official in Nigeria.
06 Jun 2022Samsung
Motorola is gearing up to announce the Moto G GO, a budget smartphone under its ever-expanding G-series, soon.
02 Jun 2022Flipkart
Motorola has officially launched the Moto e32s as its new budget smartphone in India.
27 May 2022Motorola
Motorola has announced its latest E-series smartphone, the Moto E32s in Europe.
23 May 2022OPPO
OPPO has finally introduced its Reno8 series of smartphones in China which includes the vanilla Reno8, Reno8 Pro, and Reno8 Pro+ models.
20 May 2022Android 12
OnePlus has launched its latest mid-rangers, the Nord 2T and Nord CE 2 Lite, globally.
06 May 2022OnePlus
OnePlus has introduced its latest mid-range smartphone, the Nord 2T, in Europe.
03 May 2022Flipkart
Nokia has launched its latest range of smart TVs in India, including six display sizes across three resolution choices.
22 Apr 2022OnePlus
OnePlus has launched the all-new Ace model, the company's latest smartphone in China.
13 Apr 2022OnePlus
OnePlus is working to announce a new 10R smartphone in India and the design of the upcoming handset has been reportedly revealed by an Amazon advertisement on Instagram.
09 Apr 2022OnePlus
OnePlus is working on a new Nord series smartphone, called the Nord 2T. The phone's specifications have been tipped before but thanks to Onsitego and industry insider Yogesh Brar, we now know what it will look like.
08 Apr 2022Vivo
Vivo has introduced a new budget-centric smartphone, the Y21G, in India. The handset bears a price-tag of Rs. 13,990. It will be available via several offline and online stores in Midnight Blue and Diamond Glow colors.
26 Dec 2021Latest Tech News
Rugged smartphone maker Blackview has introduced the BV8800 handset in the US. It carries a price-tag of $300 (roughly Rs. 22,600).
17 Dec 2021Geekbench
MediaTek had unveiled its new flagship Dimensity 9000 mobile processor as the world's first system-on-chip (SoC) to use TSMC's 4nm process technology.
19 Nov 2021Latest Tech News
Taiwan-based semiconductor company MediaTek has announced its latest flagship Dimensity 9000 processor for smartphones.
28 May 2021Intel
Taiwanese tech giant Acer has expanded its Chromebook line-up in the US with four new models. These include the Chromebook 314, Chromebook 317, Chromebook 514, and Chromebook Spin 713.
13 Apr 2021NVIDIA
NVIDIA has revealed a unique partnership with MediaTek at its GPU Technology Conference. NVIDIA will be using the fellow Taiwanese chipmaker's ARM expertise to create SDKs for a reference platform that can eventually herald GeForce graphics to Chromebooks.
10 Apr 2021Xiaomi
Xiaomi and OPPO are developing in-house processors for smartphones which the companies will introduce between late 2021 and early 2022, reports DigiTimes.
29 Jan 2021Ram (Random Access Memory)
POCO has sold more than one million units of the M2 smartphone in India since its launch in September last year. Earlier this week, the POCO C3 had achieved this milestone.
06 Jan 2021Ram (Random Access Memory)
Honor V40, which was expected to be unveiled on January 12, will now be announced on January 18, according to a new report. Separately, a Weibo post (via MyDrivers) has revealed the full specifications of the upcoming flagship handset.


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L.A. cosmetics brand literally offers double the value for the price of one
LOS ANGELES CA - NOVEMBER 14, 2021: Romantic Beauty Cosmetics today announced their new collection of beauty products. Makeup fans and wholesale buyers can soon purchase a new line of cosmetics that literally gives customers two for the price of one.
“Our new line of makeup products comes with twice the value,” says Alan Cha, Allen Cha, Director of Operations for the brand. “We’re thrilled to premiere our Winter dual collection. We’ve been working hard to perfect these new products and hope our clients and fans love them and come back for more.”
The new line offers customers more for their money by getting two products in one. The new line includes a new eyeshadow /liner, a concealer/foundation, and mascara /liner, among others.
Romantic Beauty cosmetics burst into the industry in 2020 with the promise to deliver a vast variety of products at the most competitive price.
After a successful run at 2021’s Cosmo Prof in Las Vegas, the makeup startup made good on its promise to deliver a stunning variety of new quality makeup for the best possible price.
Romantic Beauty, whose tagline is Ultimate Beauty - Ultimate Confidence!. Is now offering holiday specials that fans and wholesale buyers can purchase for a limited time online.
ABOUT ROMANTIC BEAUTY COSMETICS
Romantic Beauty cosmetics began in the US in 2020, with one goal: to deliver quality products for a variety of women, at the best price possible. The brand, whose headquarters are in Los Angeles, offers a full line of quality cosmetic products that won’t break the bank. From colorful eyeliners, smudge-proof lipsticks, and creamy eyeshadow palettes to beautiful makeup accessories. Romantic Beauty has exactly what you need to achieve your Ultimate Confidence.
For more information about Romantic Beauty Cosmetics, please visit www.romanticbeautycosmetics.com
For more press images, click the link below.
For press Inquiries and product requests please contact:
Heist Media Inc.
Phone - (213) 2716761
Email- [email protected]


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Bryan Fire Department honoring fallen firefighters with limited memorial merchandise
Published: Jan. 7, 2023 at 10:38 PM CST
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - The Bryan Fire Department is honoring two of their fallen firefighters that were killed in the line of duty.
Lieutenant Greg Pickard and Lieutenant Eric Wallace passed away in a fire at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
Shirts and other merchandise made by the department to honor them are up for sale again but this time they have a special 10 year anniversary seal.
Anyone can purchase hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, or blankets until January 16.
There is only a limited supply of merchandise that can be purchased which can be purchased at the link here.
The merchandise will be sent to the Bryan Fire Department where customers can pick it up.
Copyright 2023 KBTX. All rights reserved.


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Young fans get the chance to face Posh duo at popular console game.
Peterborough United duo Marcus Maddison and Leo Da Silva Lopes spent over two hours taking on young supporters at the new FIFA18 console game at a special event in Smyths Toys on Wednesday afternoon.
The superstore in Boongate attracted a host of young Posh fans who fancied their chances of beating one of the two players at the new game, which is available on Friday. With in-store offers galore, Smyths Toys has everything a child could want.
Posh Press Officer Phil Adlam said: “The event worked really well. Fans had the chance to face Marcus or Leo on either the PS4 or the XBOX and all of the games were very competitive. Nobody wanted to lose! We would like to thank Smyths Toys for their support and look forward to working with them moving forward.”


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For the last seven years, Elisa Cardona has worked as a hostess at the Pacific Gateway Hotel near Vancouver, greeting guests at the breakfast restaurant and helping servers when needed. With the job, Cardona, a single mother who immigrated to Canada from Mexico nearly two decades ago, had been able to afford a comfortable lifestyle for her and her two children.
But when the pandemic struck last March, she and the hotel’s other employees, many of whom are women and immigrants, were laid off. With a lack of travel weighing down bookings, the hotel has refused to commit to bringing its workforce back, leaving workers like Cardona to fend for themselves with no end in sight.
“I’m on the verge of going homeless if things continue this way,” Cardona said. “Even if I had enough savings, I’m looking at a long way to get back to work.”
Canada’s tourism industry has been devastated by the pandemic, with a full recovery not expected for at least several years. But COVID-19 has taken an especially difficult toll on women, immigrants and youth, who make up an outsized share of the tourism industry, according to a report released Monday by Destination Canada, a Crown corporation that promotes domestic tourism.
The report highlights the pandemic’s toll not only on a particular sector of the economy, which shed 500,000 jobs in 2020, but also its disproportionate impact on the economic well-being of certain communities.
For example, immigrants comprise 26 per cent of Canada’s tourism workforce, compared with 23.8 per cent of the total labour force, the report says. In addition, more than 30 per cent of the jobs in tourism are held by Canadians aged 15 to 24, compared with 12.7 per cent of the total workforce, it says.
In travel services, the business sector most impacted by COVID-19, women make up 70.7 per cent of the workforce, the report says. Women employed in accommodation and food and beverage services, two other sectors within tourism, comprise 60.3 per cent and 57.7 per cent of total employees in those areas, respectively.
In response to the layoffs at their hotels, Cardona and other workers in British Columbia launched a campaign this week called “Unequal Women,” an effort to help women employed in the hotel industry keep their jobs. The campaign, which is led by Unite Here Local 40, the hotel and hospitality workers’ union, says the hotels have permanently laid off workers even as they anticipate an eventual recovery.
The job losses in the tourism industry, if sustained for long periods of time, could lead to further economic struggles for laid-off workers. In particular, women and any other group that is experiencing prolonged bouts of joblessness may find it more difficult to re-enter the workforce once the economy picks up again, said Dawn Desjardins, vice president and deputy chief economist at RBC.
“The longer you remain unemployed, the more risks are generated with respect to an erosion of your skills,” Desjardins said. “The networks you set up when you are working, those networks also erode.”
In a report co-authored by Desjardins, RBC found that women have been disproportionately affected by job losses since the start of the pandemic, echoing Destination Canada’s findings. Almost 100,000 women aged 20 and up have exited the labour market entirely, compared with fewer than 10,000 men, says the report, which was released this month.
Meanwhile, the tourism industry faces a long road to recovery. Eve Pare, president and chief executive officer of the Hotel Association of Greater Montreal, said she isn’t expecting a meaningful rebound in hotel bookings before 2022.
At the start of the pandemic, her organization’s members were forced to lay off about 90 per cent of their staff, many of whom are youth, women and immigrants. But when business finally picks up again, she is worried that the industry may struggle to find workers, as laid-off employees are forced to seek work elsewhere during the pandemic.
“We were in a labour shortage before,” Pare said. “Are they going to come back? I’m not quite sure.”
Jon Victor, The Canadian Press
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Mar 31, 2023 – (SeoXnewsWire) – London, UK– Coin-Royal broker Adam Ali says 2023 was tumultuous for the U.S. stock markets. After a volatile start at the beginning of the year that saw significant indices rise and fall, the market eventually settled. The biggest stories of the year largely revolved around the tech sector.
In particular, the FAANG trade, which had been the driving force behind the stock market gains in recent years, fell out of favor in 2023 as investors shifted their focus to established tech giants like Apple and Microsoft. As a result, the two companies saw unparalleled success over the year, with their respective stocks soaring to new heights.
Let’s look at how Apple and Microsoft outshined the FAANG trade in 2023 and what it means for investors in the years ahead.
The FAANG Trade Falters in 2023
The FAANG trade – comprised of the five most prominent tech companies in the world (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google) – was one of the main drivers behind the stock market rally over the past few years. However, in 2023, the FAANG stocks lagged the broader market as investors shifted their focus to established tech giants like Apple and Microsoft.
The decline of the FAANG trade was due to several factors. For one, the companies had become too large to continue showing the kind of growth that investors had expected. Secondly, the companies faced increased regulatory scrutiny, which weighed on their shares. Finally, the companies needed help to keep up with the pace of innovation, as smaller companies like Tesla and Zoom were able to outpace them in terms of technological advancements.
Apple and Microsoft Surge in 2023
As the FAANG trade faltered in 2023, investors turned to Apple and Microsoft, two companies that had been around for decades. The two stocks surged throughout the year as investors were drawn to their established businesses, strong cash flow and long histories of success.
In particular, Apple saw its stock rise nearly 40% throughout the year. The company’s iPhone sales continued to remain strong, and it announced a series of significant acquisitions and product launches. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s stock rose nearly 25% due to its continued dominance in the cloud computing market and its strong partnerships with some of the world’s biggest companies.
The Impact on Investors
The performance of Apple and Microsoft in 2023 had a significant impact on investors. Many who had previously invested in the FAANG stocks shifted their money to the two tech giants as they sought safer investments.
That positively impacted portfolios, as Apple and Microsoft’s stock prices, continued to rise throughout the year. That allowed investors to realize gains on their investments while also providing a hedge against the uncertainty of the markets.
The Impact of the Apple-Microsoft Dominance
The dominance of Apple and Microsoft had a significant impact on the U.S. markets in 2023. The FAANG stocks, the market leaders for the past few years, could not compete with the two tech giants. This shift in market power allowed Apple and Microsoft to become the largest companies in the U.S., with Apple’s market cap reaching $2.3 trillion and Microsoft’s hitting $2.2 trillion.
The dominance of Apple and Microsoft also affected the broader tech industry as smaller companies began to struggle to compete with the two giants. That led to a consolidation of the industry, with many smaller companies being acquired by Apple and Microsoft.
What the Future Holds
The success of Apple and Microsoft in 2023 is a sign that investors are looking for more established companies with a track record of success. As the tech sector evolves and becomes more competitive, investors will likely continue to favour companies with a proven history of the win over companies just beginning to make their mark.
Furthermore, the success of Apple and Microsoft is a sign that investors are looking for companies with solid balance sheets, strong cash flows and a long-term vision. It’s a sign that investors are more interested in companies they can trust than companies that are just “flavour of the month.”
As the calendar year 2023 nears its end, investors are looking ahead to 2024 and pondering the future of the markets. Powerhouses such as Apple and Microsoft are expected to remain strong players. However, they will face competition from tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Observing the U.S. markets in the coming year and seeing which companies will come out on top will be interesting. Investors are paying close attention to the strategies of these companies and trying to predict who will come out on top. The race to be the leader in the tech world is heating up, and the competition is fierce. With so many big players, it’s difficult to tell who will come out on top at this stage. Investors will closely monitor the market in the coming year to see who will emerge victorious.
Disclaimer: Our content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is essential to research before making any investment based on your circumstances. You should take independent financial advice from a professional in connection with, or independently research and verify, any information you find in this article and wish to rely upon, whether to make an investment decision or otherwise. We do not provide any warranties regarding the information on this website and are not responsible for any losses or damages incurred from trading or investing.


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Imperial Rugs to celebrate new Atlanta showroom
July 3, 2008,
Atlanta – Hand-crafted rug company Imperial Rugs is gearing up to celebrate the grand opening of its new showroom space at the AmericasMart during the International Area Rug Market.
Jim Arinik, area sales manager for Imperial Rugs, said the company opted to lease a permanent showroom here to support recent growth.
“Partnering with and taking space at AmericasMart will help us continue this momentum as we will be afforded the opportunity to reach more customers and strengthen our business on an international level,” he said.
A ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the showroom will take place at 2 p.m. July 13, the opening day of the rug market.
Related Content By Author
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Home Textiles Today eDaily
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See the November 2017 issue of Home Textiles Today. In this issue, we look at Complex Colors, Complex Times--Trend forecasters and interior designers weigh in on 2018 palettes and motifs. Other articles include: Data: Exclusive HTT soft window research; Innovation: Material Changes conference preview; Country report: India invests in the future and Fabrics: Showtime preview.


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New Anti-Aging Protocol for Chiropractors Is Unique in $30 Billion Industry
With the introduction of Iontophoresis Elastin Infusion Therapy™ chiropractors have the opportunity to capture a large share of the market by offering a dramatically effective, natural, non-invasive, painless treatment not now available from med spas or other traditional sources.Dermalastyl® is a patented genetically engineered human protein using plant bio-technology. The active ingredients include Elastatropin® (Tropoelastin) that synthesizes with the skin to produce new human protein; Matrixyl-3000® to promote collagen production; Argireline®, a unique new peptide targeting the same wrinkles as Botox® but safely and with much less expense; 3500mg of Hyaluronic Acid HA, the active ingredient in Restylane® typically administered by injection at $300 to $500 per 10mg; and Proliesl®, a mixture of amino acids with the ability to reduce damage caused by sun exposure.
TBI President Nelson Thibodeaux stated, “If chiropractors have considered the cash advantage of anti-e, they now have a unique, proprietary, natural, non-invasive, painless treatment that will clearly distinguish them from more traditional cosmetic recovery sources.”
For more information, contact Nelson Thibodeaux at 1-817-416-6934, Ext. 103.
Kent S. Greenawalt Honored by Northwestern Health Sciences University
Foot Levelers President and CEO, Kent S. Greenawalt, is Northwestern Health Sciences University’s 2008 Brilliant Star Award honoree. Kent is the first non-chiropractor to receive the prestigious award.
“There are a handful of leaders in the industry who step forward to make a difference. Dr. Monte Greenawalt was one and his son, Kent, is another,” said Dr. Mark Zeigler, President of Northwestern Health Sciences University. “Their gift to our profession and to all natural health institutions is a wonderful example of their commitment to moving the profession forward.”
“I am honored to receive the 2008 Brilliant Stars Award,” said Kent Greenawalt. “This award honors my father who passed away almost a year ago. This honors Foot Levelers, the company my father founded over 55 years ago, and this honors me—as I have the great honor and the responsibility to manage a company that is literally the foundation of many chiropractic practices.”
For more information about Foot Levelers, call toll free: 1-800-553-4860 (USA), 1-800-344-4860 (CAN), or visit www.FootLevelers.com.
Kinesio Taping® for Lymphoedema and Chronic Swelling
With the introduction of our unique lymphoedema techniques, Kinesio Taping now offers an effective modality to compliment other lymphoedema treatments. This taping resource demonstrates step-by-step instruction of over 108 common and not-so-common applications associated with lymphoedema, chronic swelling and scar management. This text is spiral-bound and 172 pages of information. Benefits of the Kinesio taping method for lymphoedema include:
• The alleviation of pain
• Assisting in the movement of muscles
• The repositioning of joints
• The creation of space within the superficial skin that leads to decreased pressure and opens initial lymphatics
This resource and others are available from OPTP. Request a catalog by calling 1-800-367-7393 or visit www.optp.com.
Nordic Naturals Offers Cod Liver Oil Solutions in Response to Recent Vitamin A and Vitamin D Controversy
In response to the commentary entitled Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin A Toxicity, Frequent Respiratory Infections, and the Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic published on November 11th by 16 well known supplement experts, Nordic Naturals announced that its cod liver oil products pose no threat or compromise to consumers and actually offer healthy omega fatty acid solutions that are low in natural Vitamin A. According to Karin Yien, MD, Nordic Naturals Chief Medical Advisor, “The issue that is cited by this group is based on the fact that almost all cod liver oil in the market is being supplemented with synthetic or natural Vitamin A, standardized to certain levels, which is why it is assumed that all cod liver oil has high levels of Vitamin A. This is not true for the Nordic Naturals brand. We have always had low, healthy levels of natural Vitamin A in our cod liver oil; consequently, we do not add Vitamin A to any of our cod liver oil products.
“Since we have never added synthetic vitamins to our oils, consumers have felt confident in our brand delivering the desired results without the potential of ingesting too much Vitamin A from this one source.”
Nordic Naturals is the leader in omega-3 fish oils and EFA blends with exceptional taste, freshness, and purity levels. The company has over 150 different fish oil products, including liquids, soft gels, and children’s chewables. For more information, call 1-800-662-2544 or visit www.nordicnaturals.com.


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Printland Digital India Pvt Ltd, that runs an online printing solutions startup, Printland.in has raised Rs 5 crore ($810,094) in funding led by SIDBI Ventures. Existing investors Evista Venture Capital and Sanjeev Kakar, co-founder of startup incubator Aegis Centre for Entrepreneurship, also participated in the round. Behl said the capital raised will be used for acquiring specialised equipment and to expand the firm’s solutions to international markets.
Founded in January 2012 by BITS Pilani alumnus Sandeep Behl, Printland offers corporate printing as well as personalised gifts with readymade design solutions. It integrates automated printing, design studio and cloud computing to provide on-demand printing and distribution solutions. Its offerings include business printing, corporate merchandise, corporate gifts, personalised gifts, etc. The website allows users to customise his/her requirements, order and pay online. The consignment is delivered within 48 hours.
In March this year, the startup raised Rs 90 lakh from Evista Venture Capital. The company had claimed to have 15,000 clients. Behl had also said the company is clocking 1,500 orders a month with an average transaction size of around Rs 4,500. In addition to the new round, the company is targeting to raise Rs 10 Crores by the end of this year and get on board a strategic partner with international experience.
Similar startups in the sector include Printbindaas that recently raised angel funding from Manoj Kumar Swain, CEO of Morgan Stanley India, Primary Dealer Pvt Ltd and Rajesh Garg, AVP (business development & technology) at Ireo Management Pvt Ltd. Other key players are Printo, which is backed by Sequoia Capital; Delhi-based Printbazaar which also has printing solutions for home parties, gifting and personal use; and NASDAQ-listed Vistaprint which entered the Indian market by acquiring online marketing solutions provider Printbell, and Rocket Internet-backed Printvenue.


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As owners of independent and family-run restaurants struggle to stay afloat, the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act could help them overcome the structural changes happening across the industry. Four months after it was introduced, House Democrats have included the RESTAURANTS Act in an updated version of the HEROES Act, a $2.2 trillion coronavirus response bill that now includes a $120 billion grant program for non-chain restaurants who have lost business in the wake of federally mandated social-distancing orders. This is a huge step towards saving the thousands of neighborhood restaurants, food trucks, food carts, and bars that are at risk of closing for good.
How the Heroes Act Can Help
1. Prioritization Of BIPOC-Owned Restaurants.
For the first 14 days after the bill passes, “grants would be prioritized for establishments owned by members of marginalized and underrepresented communities, with a focus on women and minority-owned and operated entities,” according to The Independent Restaurants Coalition. But that’s not all. There’s also a separate $3 billion grant proposed exclusively for minority businesses, like NYC’s Black-Owned Restaurants, and so many others.
2. Direct Support For Restaurants And Their Workers.
In June, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was enacted to provide loans to restaurants and other businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis. But even some U.S. Congresspeople have acknowledged that this program “doesn’t fit the needs of the many restaurants hit hard by the pandemic.” Only 8% of PPP loans have gone to restaurants and “when you look at the fraction that have gone to independent restaurants, the number decreases drastically,” according to ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants). The HEROES Act would change all of that by giving eligible restaurants free grants for things like payroll and 10 days of paid sick leave for all workers. And unlike PPP loans, restaurants and bars would not have to pay this money back.
3. More Funds to Help NYC Restaurants Survive The Winter Months.
Whether a restaurant chooses to reopen for indoor dining at a reduced 25% capacity, or continue working with some combination of outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery, colder weather is going to impact business. In fact, many are already suffering from financial losses after being closed for months or operating at a much lower capacity. That’s why organizations like The Independent Restaurants Coalition believe that Congress can ensure small businesses have a shot at surviving winter and getting through the pandemic by “providing flexible grants based on revenue losses to independent restaurants who need them.”
How You Can Help
While ordering takeout, tipping well, and donating to nonprofits are all important ways to help the restaurant community right now, you should also let your local representative know that helping independent restaurants and workers survive this crisis is important to you. The Independent Restaurants Coalition has made it easy to ask your rep to support the HEROES Act with this automatic email builder. You can also can also share this infographic using the hashtags #saverestaurants and #toosmalltofail to amplify their mission on social media.


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If you would like your announcement to be included in Amalgam Insights’ weekly data and analytics roundups, please email email@example.com.
Machine learning platform Hugging Face announced May 9 that they had raised $100M in Series C funding. Lux Capital led the round, with participation from Addition, AIX Ventures, a_capital, Betaworks, Coatue, Sequoia, SV Angel, and individual angel investors. Hugging Face will use the funding on R+D, product development, and education.
Predibase, a low-code machine learning platform, came out of stealth this week and announced $16.25M in Series A and seed funding. Greylock led both rounds, with participation from The Factory and angel investors. The funding will go towards hiring additional engineering and ML talent, as well as the go-to-market strategy and bringing Predibase into general availability.
Pyramid Analytics, a decision intelligence and augmented analytics platform, announced on May 9 that they had closed $120M in Series E financing. HIG Growth Partners led the round, with participation from existing investors Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings, General Oriental Investments, and Kingfisher Capital, and new investors JVP, Maor Investments, Sequoia Capital, and Viola Growth. Pyramid will use the money on product development, continued R+D, expanding partnerships globally, and hiring to support all of these efforts.
Launches and Updates
On May 10, Databricks announced a pay-as-you-go lakehouse offering on AWS, available now. Customers will be able to launch a lakehouse from the AWS Marketplace whether or not they’ve used Databricks before; they can set up a Databricks account from within AWS, and even consolidate their Databricks usage bills into their AWS billing.
At Google I/O, Google unveiled its new Language Model for Dialog Applications (LaMDA) 2 conversational AI model, along with AI Test Kitchen, an app to demonstrate use cases for LaMDA 2. LaMDA is a generative text model, aiming to produce relevant textual responses based on patterns it recognizes from linguistic input. While no date has been announced for general availability, Google plans to open up LaMDA access to small groups of people.
Mindtech Global, a synthetic data creation platform, has announced updates to its Chameleon platform. Chameleon 22.1 lets users automatically generate millions of “actors” in virtual worlds, creating privacy-compliant synthetic visual data for training computer vision systems. To address known bias issues, the Chameleon actors now have a range of configuration options, including height, build, age, skin tone, and clothing and hairstyle options.
Privacera, a data access governance company, announced the release of the latest version of Privacera Platform 6.3 and PrivaceraCloud 4.3. New features include extending Attribute Based Access Control across all supported data and analytical sources, supplementing existing role-based and tag-based access control mechanisms; along with enhanced support for Google BigQuery, Starburst Enterprise, Databricks, and Snowflake.
At their Beyond 2022 event this week, ThoughtSpot announced numerous new capabilities for their cloud analytics platform. Key updates include integrations and connectors for Amazon Redshift Serverless, Snowflake Data Marketplace, Databricks Partner Connect, Dremio, and Starburst Galaxy; templates, code samples, and ThoughtSpot Blocks to accelerate the development process; and automation capabilities to trigger actions based on analytics.
On June 7 and 8, DataRobot will host DataRobot AIX 22, a free virtual event to explore innovation in AI, analytics, and data science. Featured speakers include DataRobot executives Dan Wright, Debanjan Saha, Nenshad Bardoliwalla, and Michael Schmidt. Register for the event at the DataRobot AIX 22 website.


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Soleus Air's $225 SG-DEH-70-2 dehumidifier has been a CR Best Buy in Consumer Reports' Ratings. But it's also among the models cited in a recent stop-sale notice issued by the manufacturer after reports that the dehumidifier can overheat, smoke, and catch fire. For that reason, we've removed this dehumidifier and two other Soleus Air models affected by the stop sale from our Ratings of dehumidifiers.
The company's notice includes models that were sold between January 2010 and the beginning of 2013 and distributed under either the Soleus Air or Kenmore brands in 25, 30, 45, 50 and 70-pint sizes. MJC America, which owns the Soleus Air brand, recently filed suit in federal court in California asserting that the dehumidifiers were defectively designed and encased in a non-fire-retardant plastic by its Chinese manufacturing partner, Gree Electric Appliances.
Gree Electric Appliances says it is investigating the issue in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. While the CPSC couldn't provide further specifics, a federal official told Consumer Reports that a stop-sale announcement can be a precursor to an official product recall.
The Soleus Air SG-DEH-70-2 dehumidifier we tested showed no fire risks in our tests and performed well enough to earn a CR Best Buy in our Ratings. But as a result of the stop sale, we have removed it from our Ratings. We also tested two smaller Soleus dehumidifiers that are affected by the stop sale, the Soleus Air SG-DEH-45-2, and the Soleus Air SG-DEH-45-1, but they did not make our list of top picks. We did not test the Kenmore models in the stop-sale notice.
We'll update this story with any new information, including details of any CPSC recall, as it becomes available. Meanwhile, if you own one of the dehumidifiers listed in Soleus Air's safety notice, which includes dozens of models, stop using it immediately and call the manufacturer at 866-853-2802. Lowe's, one of the retailers that sold the defective dehumidifier, says that customers can return the product to its stores for a refund.
If you're shopping for a dehumidifier, consider the $238 Frigidaire FAD704DUD, which costs a little more than the Soleus Air and was tops overall in our dehumidifier Ratings.


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Cereals market outlook
The latest Cereals Agri-Outlook takes stock of the current situation and looks forward to what we might expect in the coming months, for supply availability, trade and demand. The volumes below are estimates at the time of writing. This is a seperate piece of work to the AHDB balance sheets, the next of which will be published 27 January 2022.
Globally and domestically, the current outlook is for the tightness to remain in wheat markets. Global wheat prices have soared to multi-year highs over recent months, with supply challenges following weather-stricken harvests in major exporting nations and a Russian export tax restricting volumes of Russian wheat entering the global marketplace. The UK, as a follower of global grain prices, has seen prices rise accordingly. Despite a bumper Australian crop entering the market at the back of 2021, this tightness looks set to remain until Northern Hemisphere new crop comes online.
This has been exacerbated by the tight supply situation domestically. Despite a rebound in production for harvest 2021, to 13.988Mt, the UK entered the 2021/22 marketing year with the tightest opening stocks this century. So, what might we expect for production for harvest 2022?
The UK winter wheat and winter barley area have both been estimated up this year, by 1% and 4% respectively. Given the favourable conditions seen for winter drilling and strong prices incentivising planting, this is perhaps unsurprising. Given winter drilled crops have increased in area this season, planting intentions for spring drilled crops are back on the season – spring barley down 8% on the year.
As at the end of November, winter drilled crops were faring well, with 84% of wheat and 90% of winter barley crops in good-excellent condition. However, with high fertiliser costs being experienced currently, there are concerns that some applications could be reduced or delayed. Potentially, there could be yield implications with doing this.
Globally, the balance sheet looks slightly more bearish for the 2022/23 marketing year. The US, EU and Black Sea wheat areas are all up on the year, which could bring more supply to the market and ease global prices (although from a very strong level).
However, both globally and domestically, there is a lot of growing time between now and Northern Hemisphere harvests, which could shape production outlooks in the coming months.
The UK remains a net importer of wheat this season. However, the rate of shipments has slowed on the last marketing year following a strong start to the season.
High grain prices, coupled with logistical constraints and strong freight rates could all be a factor in the slowing import pace and may weigh on volumes going forward. However, given the tightness of UK supply this season, an uptick in imports may be seen as the UK waits for the domestic new crop to come online, especially if harvest is delayed.
Barley exports are forecast down on the year. Given the smaller opening stocks this season for barley and production last season back to 2018/19 levels (6.96Mt), total UK barley availability has reduced this season more than reductions projected for UK consumption. The reduction in the exportable surplus, coupled with the current strong barley prices, has seen the export attractiveness of the grain reduce. In addition, the logistical issues and freight rates impacting wheat imports are also weighing on barley export volumes.
Concerns over the availability of milling wheat this season have eased, with millers widening their specifications to increase the proportion of usable crop. While haulage issues have been impacting volumes, especially over the Christmas period, it is thought that these will start to ease as we move through 2022.
Wheat inclusions in feed rations are expected to continue to be elevated on last season over barley, given the relative availability of feed wheat this season. As such, we have seen the premium feed wheat holds over feed barley tumble from over £50/t in the summer to less than £5/t at the beginning of this year.
Overall demand for animal feed is predicted to stay elevated until we move into the summer. The livestock backlogs on farm have increased demand, particularly for cereals which play a more dominant part in maintenance rations. However, as herd rationalisations are realised into the summer and beyond, animal feed demand should begin to subdue accordingly.
With the introduction of E10 by the UK Government last September, the demand for biofuels has increased domestically. Preparations to reopen the Vivergo plant are reportedly well advanced, so we could see that coming online in the next few months. Coupled with the Ensus plant, demand for wheat into the north of England could strengthen.
However, should the wheat price continue to rise, or logistical challenges continue with moving grain up the country, imported maize might prove a more reliable and cost-effective alternative.
Brewers, Maltsters and Distillers (BMD)
With coronavirus lockdown measures continuing to ease, and the Omicron variant not proving as bad as initially fearer, the BMD sector is forecast to continue its growth on the year. However, rising inflation and increases to the cost of living may adversely impact the hospitality sector, which could weigh on demand for Brewers, Maltsters and Distillers.
Cereals consumption trends
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many cereal-based products, such as bread and breakfast cereals, were struggling. Government restrictions imposed throughout 2020, which kept people at home, resulted in a sustained increase in retail demand for cereal-based products. During 2021, where restrictions started to ease, demand for in-home cereal-based products dipped but compared to pre-COVID many remain at elevated levels.
Hybrid working is fast becoming more commonplace for consumers: during 2021 there were still higher levels of in-home breakfasts, lunches and snacks compared to pre-COVID but lower than the peaks of 2020 as foodservice started to re-open. This has been reflected in growth in retail volumes of staples such as bread (+3.8%), biscuits (+6%) and breakfast cereals (+1.9%) compared to pre-COVID, but with subsequent dips in these three categories against 2020 (Kantar, 52 w/e 26 Dec 21 vs 19).
Pizza had proved to be a popular in-home meal option throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, due to their convenience. Both chilled (+3.2%) and frozen (+5.9%) have seen in-home volumes remain higher than pre-pandemic. Easing of restrictions meant consumers spent more on pizza out of home (+14.8%) during 2021 compared to 2020 (Kantar, 52 w/e 26 Dec 21 vs 20). This rise in out of home impacted in-home volumes during 2021, with both chilled and frozen volumes behind levels in 2020.
Home baking was a major trend throughout the pandemic, however during 2021 we have seen the baking trend slow. Volume sales of home baking goods were down 8.9% compared to 2020 but they do remain 7.3% ahead of 2019 levels (Kantar, 52 w/e 26 Dec 21).
As a result of restrictions easing and the out-of-home market opening up, retail volumes of alcohol saw a dip as more consumers enjoyed the ability to go out. That said, in-home alcohol consumption does remain significantly elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. Spirits volumes are up 24.1% and beer and lager have also seen strong growth versus two years ago, up 26.8% year-on-year (Kantar, 52 w/e 26 Dec 21).
Reduced consumer confidence often leads to an increase in snack occasions as we saw in the 2008 recession. The easing of restrictions meant that consumer were able to spend a little more time out of home so biscuit sales were down 2.6%. However, Kantar data shows that biscuit volumes remain at an elevated level compared to 2019, with volume sales up 6% (Kantar, 52 w/e 26 Dec 21). As a result of the current economic uncertainty, which is lowering consumer confidence, we expect snacking and biscuit sales to continue to benefit compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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CHICAGO, Feb. 25‐The Ford Motor Company's president, Lee A. Iacocca, said today that, because of “signs that the economy is surging ahead, we have revised our 1977 calendar year industry sales forecast from 10.6 million cars to 10.9 million.”
Speciel to The New York Times
Mr. Iacocca made his revised forecast at a news conference held in connection with the opening of the Chicago Automolbile Show.
Mr. Iacocca also said Ford was planning to begin offering next fall a Peugeot diesel engine in the Granada car built in Europe by Ford. He said about 5.000 a year would be sold. But he said Ford had no plans to follow General Motors and begin offering diesel engines in cars in the United States. Mr. Iacocca said he did not see much of a potential market because a diesel engine would cost $300 to $700 more than a gasoline engine.


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KUALA TERENGGANU: The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) in Terengganu will be putting about 20 metric tonnes of durians on sale under its Jualan Anak Beranak 2.0 programme in August.
Its director Fauzi Mohamad said through this programme, Fama will be buying various types of durians from durian sellers in Besut and Setiu as well as Kelantan, to be sold at affordable prices to the public.”However, the prices have not been finalised because they tend to fluctuate.”We can assure that kampung durians will be sold at not more than RM10 per kg or maybe per fruit.
“We are promoting this programme now to alert the public,” he said at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration organised by Terengganu Fama here.
Besides durians, visitors will also be able to buy local fruits such as mangosteens and rambutans at much cheaper prices.
Last year, Fama sold kampung durians at RM6 to RM8 per kg compared to the market price of RM8 to RM10, while mangosteens and rambutans were sold at RM10 for 3kg compared to the market price of RM5 per kg.
About 10 tonnes of durians were sold out in less than two hours of the opening of Jualan Anak Beranak last year. — Bernama
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The first-generation Blockscale 1000-series Bitcoin mining ASICs were discontinued by Intel on April 18, even though the chips increased revenue in 2022 from 2021 and improved efficiency.
The action was taken around a year after Intel unveiled its standalone crypto mining processor, which was claimed as being superior and energy-efficient to top-tier ASICs.
In an interview with Tom’s Hardware (opens in new tab), Intel explained that the decision was made as part of a larger IDM 2.0 strategy that has seen the company tighten its belt and concentrate on its core business and products.
IDM 2.0 is the term used to describe Intel’s strategy of outsourcing the production of goods like graphics cards and chipsets to outside foundries.
Argo Blockchain, Block (formerly Square), GRIID Infrastructure, and Hive Blockchain were recognized as Intel’s initial clients for its Blockscale ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), which is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2022.
Later, Hive Blockchain praised Intel’s processors for being crucial in boosting the effectiveness of its ASIC fleet.
Hive Blockchain, a Canadian Bitcoin mining company, used Intel Bitcoin-mining ASICs to mine a total of 213.8 BTC, or $3.15 million, in December 2022.
Although Intel’s Blockscale 1000-series processors offer enhanced efficiency and profitability, operational income costs Year-on-Year (YOY) for the company climbed by approximately 50% to $1.7 billion in 2022 from $1.2 billion in 2021.
According to Intel’s annual report, these operational expenses were “due to increased inventory reserves taken and investments” in the company’s product pipeline.
The additional $500M in operating expenses YoY in 2022, which further supports Intel’s validity for discontinuing production of its Bitcoin mining chips, adds justification to the company’s choice.
Regarding the IDM 2.0 plan, the company stated: “Though we aggressively adjusted capital investments in 2022 to respond to changing business conditions, we still made significant investments in support of our IDM 2.0 strategy during the year.”
The crypto winter and the fall in bitcoin prices have hurt the businesses of Intel’s clients, especially those who had borrowed heavily during the bull market to swiftly grow.


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At this year’s GIE+EXPO, Project EverGreen will say “thank you” to deployed members of the military by sponsoring a thank you card writing initiative.
The group says the cards will be delivered to military personnel through Operation Gratitude, a national organization that provides care packages and messages of appreciation to military members.
“Sometimes the simplest gestures mean the most and taking a few minutes to write a note of appreciation is a way all members of the green industry can thank our military personnel for their sacrifice and service to our country,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “We encourage all attendees of the GIE + EXPO to stop by our booth, complete a card and learn more about our GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops programs.”
The group says attendees can stop by the Project EverGreen booth (365) to write their note on a special pre-printed postcard, and attendees writing a note will be eligible to be entered into a drawing to possibly win a Yeti 35” Tundra cooler.
The group says GIE+EXPO attendees can also enter to win a Yeti cooler by picking up a Project EverGreen passport card and collecting stamps at any of the following participating partner booths:
- Project EverGreen (#365)
- Nufarm (#22110)
- Toro (#7148)
- Boss Snowplow (#11212)
- SiteOne Landscape Supply (#20090)
Cards with all five stamps will be entered into the drawing, which will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Project EverGreen booth on Friday, Oct. 19.
Horizon launches series on labor-saving products
In response to the labor crisis impacting the green industry, Horizon Distributors says it’s launching a new program focused on labor-saving products developed to help landscape professionals reduce their dependence on manual labor and reduce labor costs.
According to Mary Martinez, director of marketing for Horizon, the purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness for products that, while not new, have not yet been fully embraced by the landscape industry.
“We hear over and over from our customers that they have been hamstringed by the current labor environment,” says Martinez. “Our intent was to identify solutions and help green industry professionals use the tools available to help fight the labor shortage.”
Horizon says products in the campaign include everything from wide deck mowers to WiFi controllers and services like Horizon’s 24/7 online ordering platform. The company says each campaign steps through time savings, cost savings and results.
Horizon says the campaign will be launching across several digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and their website. Horizon says they plan to continue to add to the campaign by featuring marketing materials to help landscapers sell some of these products to their clients.
AriensCo announces new look for corporate brand
AriensCo recently launched a refresh of its corporate branding, which the company says builds upon and protects the company’s reputation while separating its corporate efforts from its product brands.
This new AriensCo logo, the company says, personifies the manufacturer’s premium global presence while establishing the corporate enterprise with an identity of its own. AriensCo says the intent behind the re-branding was due to the need to differentiate between the corporate and products brands, specifically the Ariens brand.
Traditionally confused because of their shared name, color palette and iconography, the company says the new identity will prevent future confusion by establishing a neutral, versatile and high-end feel with the company’s core values as the focus.
The updated look, the company says, features scenes of distressed copper, steel and concrete that symbolize the company’s manufacturing heritage.
New Certified Irrigation Contractor exam to debut at 2018 Irrigation Show
The Irrigation Association Certification Board says it has updated the exam content outline for the Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC) exam. The association says the revised exam will be launched during the 2018 Irrigation Show and Education Conference in Long Beach, California, Dec. 3-7.
The association says this new CIC exam content outline was developed as a result of a job task analysis finalized in June 2018. While the exam domains have remained the same, the association says the subdomains have expanded. More information is available in the job analysis executive summary published on the IA website.
The IA Certification Board will introduce new items for beta testing on a new form of the 150-question CIC exam, and the association says the new items will not be scored. This, the association adds, will not statistically alter the quality of the exam. Those who pass the exam will become certified irrigation contractors.
“This updated exam reflects the IA Certification Board’s efforts to keep IA certification exams fresh and relevant to the changing industry,” said IA CEO Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE. “The IA conducts job analyses to ensure that its certification exams are legally defensible and based on what individuals within the profession do in the field and how they apply their knowledge.”
The association says the Certification Candidate Handbook has also been updated with a new specification sheet and content outline for the CIC exam. Additional study references for this exam can be found online.
Individuals interested in taking the CIC exam or another IA certification exam during the Irrigation Show can click here for more information, exam schedules and to register. Taking an exam at the show requires advanced registration and a separate fee; registration is required by Nov. 18.
STMA to host 30th annual conference and exhibition
The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) announced that it will host its 30th annual conference and exhibition Jan. 22-25, 2019, in Phoenix, Arizona.
The event will take place at the Phoenix Convention Center, and STMA says the summit is highlighted by daily events including a volunteer field rebuild at Lindo Park in partnership with Project EverGreen, Sports Turf Talk Show, Women’s Forum and Lunch and the STMA Awards Reception and Banquet.
STMA says participants will enjoy the “Seminar On Wheels” tour, and facility visits include the University of Phoenix Stadium, Camelback Ranch, Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University, Sloan Park and Riverview Park and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
“For three decades, STMA members from around the globe have come together for this annual event to share innovative ideas and best practices to advance our industry,” says Kim Heck, CAE, CEO of STMA. “Our conference’s intersection of leading experts and young professionals provide attendees with insightful educational programs and ample networking opportunities.”
STMA says on the schedule for 2019 are 50 learning sessions and panels given by commercial representatives and renowned sports turf managers and academics from professional sports stadiums, high schools, parks, universities and recreational facilities. STMA says learning sessions will be split into eight tracks, including facility management, turfgrass management, water, industry developments, synthetic, pest control, professional development and baseball.
STMA adds that turfgrass management programs nationwide will enter a team of up to four students in the STMA Student Challenge for a chance to win one of two $5,000 grants. STMA says the competition will test the students’ skills and knowledge of the sports turf management industry. The association says students will also be challenged on several knowledge areas, including turfgrass identification, fertility, soils, drainage, irrigation, pest management, human resource management, sports field maintenance practices and more.
STMA says it will once again host a variety of fundraising events, including a live memorabilia auction, two silent auctions, a golf tournament at Grand Canyon University’s golf course and a bowling competition. All proceeds will benefit the scholarship, research and educational outreach programs. Last year, STMA says over $37,000 was raised for the SAFE Foundation.
Registration for the conference opened on Oct. 1.
LaurelRock Company wins top workplace award
The LaurelRock Company, for the second time, has been awarded a Top Workplaces honor for 2018 by Hearst Connecticut Media Group. The LaurelRock Company received its first Top Workplaces accolade in 2015.
The Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage LLC (formerly WorkplaceDynamics). The company says the anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection.
“Being recognized as a top workplace is a true testament to the dedication and integrity of our team,” said LaurelRock president Burt DeMarche. “Making LaurelRock a great place to work is embedded in our culture and the mindset of our people. We believe that our ‘Making a positive difference’ mission truly inspires our team’s performance and enables our success. The LaurelRock Company continually strives for our employees to embrace teamwork, share their time and talents within their communities and always aims to improve and have fun along the way.”
The company says its mission of “Making a positive difference” is the foundation the company has built their reputation upon. The LaurelRock Company adds that its culture is built on a shared belief in its core principles, which are based on “E.T.H.I.C.A.L.” practices: Embrace Teamwork, Think Creatively, Honor the Client, Invest in the Community, Continuously Improve, Act with Integrity and Listen, Learn and Lead.
PBI-Gordon announces new employees
PBI-Gordon recently announced that John Wiblishauser has joined the company as sales manager.
The company says Wiblishauser is responsible for PBI-Gordon product sales to turfgrass management customers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company says he is taking over the sales territory from long-time PBI-Gordon employee-owner John Patten, who will be retiring in the fall of 2018.
Before joining PBI-Gordon, Wiblishauser was in sales with Grigg Brothers, where he covered a territory that ran from Virginia to Maine. Before that, he was with Bayer CropScience and is a graduate of Rutgers University’s golf turf management program.
“John is a great addition to the PBI-Gordon sales team,” says Doug Obermann, PBI-Gordon vice president of professional and agricultural sales. “His deep knowledge and experience will serve our customers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey well now and in the future.”
The company also announced that Matt Ayala has joined the company’s sales team as Florida manager. Based in Ft. Myers, Florida, the company says he is responsible for PBI-Gordon product sales to golf course and turfgrass management customers in Florida and the Caribbean.
Ayala is taking over the sales territory from long-time PBI-Gordon employee owner Tim Allen. Allen has been a member of the Florida, Alabama and Mississippi Turfgrass Associations and will be retiring in the fall of 2018.
Ayala comes to the company from SePRO Corporation, where he served as sales manager for the turf and landscape markets in western Florida. He is a Certified Pesticide Operator and alumnus of the University of Central Florida.
“Matt brings a wealth of experience to PBI-Gordon,” Obermann says. “His deep product knowledge and familiarity with the needs of turfgrass professionals in Florida and the Caribbean will be a great asset to our customers in that region.”
Sipcam announced additions and promotions
Sipcam Agro USA, Inc. recently announced that Todd Mason has joined the Sipcam Agro USA team as specialty manager, Southeast accounts and Southern region product development within the turf and ornamental (T&O) and material preservation division.
The company says his responsibilities will include territory sales growth and management for the Southeast plus product development for the Southern region.
The company says Mason has vast experience in sales, marketing and product development, and most recently he was the American key account manager for Belchim Crop Protection USA, LLC. He has held various roles during his career at John Deere/LESCO as region manager and Arysta Lifescience responsible for sales in the Northeast and Midatlantic regions.
Additionally, the company says Augie Young has been promoted to specialty manager, Northeast account and Northern region product development. His responsibilities will include territory sales growth and management for the northeast plus product development for the Northern region. The company says he is a nine year veteran of the specialty group at Sipcam.
“With our recent growth and strategic optimism moving forward, we are excited to accelerate our plan to bring in new talent and bolster those within the organization,” says Michael Maravich, vice president, specialty business for Sipcam Agro USA, Inc. “Todd and Augie both are key to our winning culture and possess the experience and competency necessary to help us implement and execute our strategic objectives.”


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The PlayStation 5 is coming to many parts of the world on Thursday, November 19. One of the many markets that will get the new Sony console is Chile, where details on the release have already been revealed.
The console will be released tomorrow but people looking to buy the system there will have to do everything online. The company has announced that there won’t be any consoles at stores across the country.
The process of getting a PS5 will be entirely online, which means customers won’t be getting their consoles right away. There is no exact time on when the preorders will go live but it will be third round of preorders that the console offers there.
The first two rounds of preorders were held shortly after the announcement of the price. At the time, the consoles sold out quickly and many were left without a chance to get one. Retailers in the country such as Paris and Ripley currently have the console as sold out or coming soon.
It is unclear which retailers will be offering preorders this time. We assume that Sony’s official website will be one of them. Their Chile website currently has the console as sold out.
There will be a few lucky customers who will have the console when it releases there tomorrow. Those customers were the ones who preordered the console when it was first announced some weeks back.
PlayStation 5 Coming Tomorrow
The next round of preorders will ship the console on December 15. This likely makes it the last round of PS5 preorders for Chile in 2020. The consoles there have a price of 500,000 and 649,999 CLP.
The PS5 made its big debut in some markets last week. The Sony console went up for preorders shortly after its price was announced back in September. In the US, preorders were done quickly and many had to wait or are still waiting to get their hands on one. The console reportedly sold out in Japan and retailers there expect it to be out of stock until the end of the year.
A new round of preorders for the US and other markets is expected to come soon. Right now, the consoles are difficult to find in those markets. Those who got to preorder one early on have already received it or are about to.
The high demand for the consoles has led to a lot of reselling, something that happens quite often when a new console is released. In recent days, the Sony consoles have been popping up in websites such as eBay for a much higher price. In some listings, the consoles are going for more than $1,000.
The PS5’s big rival, the Xbox Series X/S, also made its debut earlier this month. The Microsoft console also held rounds of preorders but some people are still having a difficult time finding one. The Microsoft consoles have also started appearing on eBay and other websites at a much higher price.


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The Co-operative Group is hoping to inspire home cooks with a versatile new potato variety.
Pioneer potatoes can be eaten hot or cold and are ideal for boiling, sautéing or using in salads. The variety, which is named after the Rochdale Pioneers who founded the co-operative movement in 1844, are grown on the group’s farms in Cambridgeshire.
Sold under the Grown By Us range, the potatoes hit shelves in 250 stores last week. “The range has been a huge success so far and is very popular with shoppers,” said Christine Tacon, managing director of The Co-operative Farms. “Pioneer potatoes are a worthy addition and a great example of co-operation between The Co-operative Farms and The Co-operative Food.”
The new variety is the latest in a series of launches in the Grown By Us range. Last month it launched sweetcorn.