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Bitcoin soaring above $1000, Bitcoin India, Bitcoin NewsRead more about Demonetisation: Bitcoin trading at 25% premium in India amid high demand on Business Standard.Bitcoin price drops. a week ago Bitcoin hit an all-time high as it.Check out our native app for iOS and Android devices for a better mobile experience.
Lots of people in the know that had bank accounts in India and the US took advantage of the situation.
Bitcoin Price | BTC USD - Investing.com
Bitcoins gain currency in India - LivemintWhy is it that at any point of time the rate of bitcoin on this app show is high.It is fair to compare Bitcoin to gold, as they both are liquid commodities.Those fees significantly shrink when customers shop using Bitcoin.
Speculation - Bitcoin Forum - IndexMore people have started looking at Bitcoins and interest has surged.
Bitcoin hits a record high near $3,500 ahead of SegWit
Founded in 2011, Bitcoin Magazine is the oldest and most trusted source of news, insight, reviews, guides, and price analysis on bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain.Bitcoin is trading around its highest price ever today on the prospect of mass-adoption in India and Japan.
Chinese buyers push bitcoin price to highest level sinceBitcoin Price (BTC USD): Get all information on the Bitcoin to US-Dollar Exchange Rate including Charts, News and Realtime Price.BITCOIN PRICE: 4284.82 USD. HIGH. The most recent stat shows a record high of.But experts believe these arbitrage opportunities will come again.
Bitcoin: Making Things Interesting | Seeking AlphaIt is very difficult to speculate the price since the volatility is so high,.
Income Tax department in India is looking at how they can impose tax on Bitcoin miners in India in.Bitcoin prices are known for volatility, but being a keen observer of the news can help mitigate that risk, with large developing nations like India prone to causing.Bitcoins gain currency in India. the Coinsecure Price Setter pegged the average price. any one can charge any rate in India as Bitcoin is decentralized.
Bitcoin price jumps 21 percent over 4 days, reaching a 21Now, merchants can accept Bitcoin through our app and receive INR deposits daily.Bitcoin activists in India help population to move to a modern.
We make it super easy to securely buy, use and accept bitcoin, following KYC-AML guidelines.Data and mobile telephony prices in India are among the lowest in the world due.December 1st, 2016 marks the highest Bitcoin price measured in over two and a half years.
As compared to other countries like the US, the UK and China where the total Bitcoin trade value is around Rs. 10,000 crore per day, India still lags at Rs 500 crore (per year) with 700-800 Bitcoin traded every day.This resulted in long queues at the ATMs and banks for weeks.Charts providing a snapshot of the Bitcoin ecosystem. Charts. The Bitcoin ecosystem at a glance — Bitcoin Price.India is a country which is high on this list as a. has started showing the price movement of bitcoin market.National Securities Depository (India), U.S. Commodity Futures. in order to maintain the high level of discourse we’ve all...
Bitcoin soared to a new record high on. according to the Coindesk Bitcoin Price Index.
Bitcoin is Heading Toward a New High — and It Could Go toIndia is a country where 87% of transactions are done in cash.
What Could Shape the Bitcoin Price Chart in 2016
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This Time Bitcoin's Price Increase is Both Logical and
Coinbase sets eyes on India, makes bitcoin wallet availablePrices in India vary from international prices due to local.The initial growth that most of the Indian exchanges have seen is mainly due to cash crunch.
What is Bitcoin - Zebpay Bitcoin India | Buy BitcoinSandeep Goenka, founder of Zebpay, one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in India, said that post demonetization his exchange is now adding about 50,000 new users per month and the queries have gone up by 30 percent.Get started with Bitcoin: find a wallet, buy bitcoin, shop with bitcoin, read bitcoin news, and get involved on the forum.
Bitcoin Hits Two-Year High Ahead of Key Event - MoneyBeat
Buy, sell, trade, store 18 cryptocurrencies, altcoins, tokens like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH.
[Chart] My prediction about Bitcoin Price from 2015 to 2017Bitcoin price has shown strong upside momentum over the past few weeks and might be eyeing a test of these next ceilings.
Cryptocurrency Bitcoin Price Breaks $4,100 | PYMNTS.comKeep an eye on the Bitcoin price, even while browsing in other tabs.
Bitcoin hits two-year high as yuan worries drive Chinese demand The price of the web-based digital currency bitcoin soared to its highest in almost two years on.With gold and silver being targeted by authorities, these souls saw Bitcoin as a safe haven.Engadget reported Bitcoin use doubled in India this winter when the.Surprisingly, bitcoin prices had been relatively stable for the last.


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On Thursday, New Zealand unveiled a plan to eventually ban all cigarette sales in the country, so that those who are ages 14 and under will never be able to legally buy tobacco.
Per The Guardian, the legal smoking age will increase every year to do this, said health minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall.
- “This is a historic day for the health of our people,” she said.
- The government will also use other measures to make tabacco unaffordable and inaccessible to reach the goal within the next four years.
- The legal amount of nicotine in tobacco products will also be lowered, though none of these restrictions will apply to vape sales.
- “We want to make sure young people never start smoking so we will make it an offence to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to new cohorts of youth. People aged 14 when the law comes into effect will never be able to legally purchase tobacco,” Verrall said.
- The proposal is set to become law next year.
Doctors and health experts are in support of the reforms, per the BBC.
- “It will help people quit or switch to less harmful products, and make it much less likely that young people get addicted to nicotine,” said professor Janet Hook of the University of Otago.
Others warned that the changes could create a black market for tobacco, which the health ministry acknowledges, stating that “customs will need more resource to enforce border control,” the report added.
- “This is all 100% theory and 0% substance,” said Sunny Kaushal, chairman of the Dairy and Business Owners Group, a lobby group for local convenience stores, per the report. “There’s going to be a crime wave. Gangs and criminals will fill the gap.”

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Richard Dickson, the president and COO of Mattel, highlighted the crucial role IP plays in the company’s overall brand-building strategies at the TV Kids Festival today in conversation with Anna Carugati.
The session, which you can view in its entirety here, began with Carugati asking Dickson about Mattel ramping up its focus on IP-driven entertainment. “Following the completion of our turnaround in 2021, we evolved our strategy last year from transforming Mattel into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company to growing our IP-driven toy business and expanding our entertainment offering,” Dickson explained.
“Film and television, consumer products, digital experiences like games and NFTs—these are directly adjacent businesses to the toy industry. We’re making a lot of progress on capturing the full value of our IP in what we believe are highly accretive business verticals. And while it’s still at the early stage, we’re excited about the progress that we’re making and in success, this can be truly transformative for Mattel.”
Dickson then talked about how the company both stokes nostalgia and attracts new audiences for its treasure trove of beloved brands.
“It’s always rewarding and heartwarming to see adults rediscover our toys and our brands, either through their children or becoming collectors as they reunite with that particular part of their lives. I believe that we’re striking the right balance. We use our Mattel Playbook. It’s a game-changing approach to brand reinvention that balances the art and the science of creativity, essentially, to deliver what we call brand longevity.”
The “Mattel Playbook” has four key areas of focus, Dickson noted, the first being “brand purpose. This is the distinctive reason for being that lives in every one of our brands—meaningful and motivating to our teams and collaborators. Brand purpose is also increasingly important to consumers who want to align their purchases and decisions with their values.
Dickson also highlighted the focus on “design-led innovation,” “cultural relevance” and “executional excellence—bringing great ideas to market better and faster. Great ideas are great ideas, but if you can’t execute them and bring them to life at retail, it’s nothing but a great idea. The Mattel Playbook is the heat behind the incredible Barbie brand turnaround we’ve been leading over the past five years and a blueprint for re-energizing brands across the entire Mattel portfolio.”
Dickson then went on to discuss the film and TV slate at the company, which includes projects based on American Girl, Barney, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Matchbox, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master and Wishbone. “We’ve also developed a concept called Christmas Balloon, which is based on an all-new IP.” Dickson also highlighted the summer release of the new Barbie movie from Warner Bros. Pictures.
“The Barbie movie is a perfect demonstration of Barbie’s evolution from doll to IP,” Dickson said. “It delivers purpose, epic fashion, irreverent humor. It explores topics like gender equality and what it means to be human. This is not the Barbie movie you think it is. And in large part, that’s thanks to the visionary Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with her writing partner Noah Baumbach, and the brilliant Margot Robbie, who’s not only executive producing but, of course, starring as Barbie. Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken is stoking what he calls a certain ‘Ken-ergy.’ And he is genuinely hilarious. Margot and Ryan lead a diverse A-list cast that is truly electric on-screen. We love that this film is being created by genuine fans who recognize the power in Barbie’s purpose and its relevance in today’s cultural conversation. As inspired as it is fun, our film promises to continue evolving the brand.”
Dickson also highlighted the TV and movie content around Hot Wheels, “the single largest vehicle toy brand in the world, multiple years running,” Dickson said. There’s a live-action film with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Warner Bros., and “we’re also gearing up to announce several TV titles based on Hot Wheels,” Dickson said.
“In addition to films and television shows, Mattel produces a broad range of content, including short-form and digital gaming, and ultimately are looking forward to unlocking the value of Hot Wheels and how we can bring it to life to new audiences for multiple generations to come.”
On Mattel’s overall approach to serving content across multiple platforms, Dickson noted, “Our objective is always to put our brands where our consumers are. Mattel will always make sure that our brands are discoverable in innovative and exciting verticals, which include, of course, physical toys, television, film, digital gaming, YouTube, Web 3, the metaverse, literally everywhere and anywhere in between.”
There are 12 series and specials on the television slate. “We also continue to rapidly expand our digital gaming footprint,” Dickson noted. “We’re going to continue to double down on content and digital gaming in ’23. Ultimately, everywhere that our consumer engages, Mattel brands will be there.”
On the impact digital gaming is having on the physical toy market, Dickson said, “Physical play is not going anywhere. The industry of physical play is projected to grow by Euromonitor. But as technology advances and new platforms emerge, consumers are hungry to see Mattel IP in these cutting-edge spaces, such as digital gaming. We don’t view traditional play and digital experiences as competitive but complementary to one another. It’s just a larger playground. So we’re excited about Mattel’s unique opportunity to pioneer what’s possible in both the digital and physical worlds, continuously bridging the gap between the two and, most importantly, creating unforgettable experiences for our fans.”


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Recently, a Stanley tumbler and a car fire became the catalyst for a viral marketing phenomenon.
On November 15, a TikTok user shared a video depicting her car engulfed in flames. Despite the car being a total loss, her Stanley tumbler not only remained unscathed but still held ice! The video swiftly went viral, accumulating over 84 million views.
Stanley president Terence Reilly leveraged the unexpected situation by stitching the video and surprising the user with more Stanley tumblers, as well as offering to replace her car. This response garnered over 32 million views in just a few days, transforming it into a heartwarming narrative of the season.
The comment section overflowed with admiration for the brand, as TikTok users expressed sentiments like:
“This is amazing, definitely getting a Stanley now!”
“They stepped up, that’s incredible. I’m definitely getting a Stanley now.”
“Do I really need a Stanley? Probably not. Will I buy one on principle? Absolutely.”
While the circumstances of this marketing incident were unique, Stanley’s knack for virality is not unprecedented. With a legacy spanning over a century, the brand was initially known for its rugged outdoor products. However, a shift occurred in 2017 with the introduction of the Quencher Tumbler.
Recognizing an opportunity, The Buy Guide founders collaborated with Stanley on a wholesale arrangement, marketing the tumblers specifically to women. The initial success led to a sold-out inventory, prompting Stanley to reintroduce the Quenchers on its official site in 2020. This relaunch featured more color options and a deliberate influencer marketing strategy aimed at attracting a female customer base. Influencers played a pivotal role by sharing links to the new tumblers, introducing the brand to a fresh audience unfamiliar with its outdoorsy origins.
Safe to say… it worked.
The New York Times reported on the quick sellouts, affirming the effectiveness of Stanley’s social media strategy. Since then, the brand has consistently leveraged its social media prowess in generating momentum and virality, to frequently experiencing sold-out product releases.
This viral incident underscores the immense power of social media marketing in shaping a brand’s narrative and cultivating consumer loyalty. This exemplifies how social media platforms can amplify brand stories and create a direct connection with the audience. In an age where information travels at the speed of a click, brands can harness the potential of social media to not only navigate unforeseen challenges, but also to showcase their values and commitment to customer satisfaction. The ability to engage with consumers in real-time, showcase authenticity, and capitalize on user-generated content has become a cornerstone of successful digital marketing strategies, transforming online platforms into dynamic spaces for brand storytelling and community building. Stanley’s journey from an outdoor gear legacy to a viral sensation is a testament to the transformative impact that strategic social media marketing can have on brand perception and market reach.


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According to recent data released by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, 63 percent of Facebook’s 1.28 billion users log into the site on a regular basis. The proportion of users who log in six days a week has now risen to 50 percent. So, although Facebook has apparently lost a degree of its cool factor, its popularity continues to rise.
The question is, why? Why does Facebook still continue to reel in users in increasing amounts? Well, there is a special magic that Facebook has employed.
Everyone at Facebook knows what you like. In fact, Facebook has spent a good deal of time and energy trying to determine exactly what you like on an ongoing basis just so it can continue to remain relevant for all of its 1.28 billion users. The Facebook News Feed came in 2006, and the Like button came a year later. That’s when the magic started. Unbeknownst to Facebook’s users, the Like button was actually giving Facebook valuable data about what appealed to Facebook users, and it was also a pretty decent way of measuring engagement as well.
Now, the Like button has allowed Facebook programmers and execs to rank items in your News Feed based on the likelihood that you will find them interesting. However, with that realization came a problem; the items that earned Likes on your News Feed were not necessarily legitimate items, but spam. Now, in an effort to get a better handle on its quality control, Facebook is clamping down on the spammy sort of ads and items and focusing its attention on ensuring that each user has relevant items being sent to their News Feeds.
There could be as many as 100 different Facebook versions being used by various users, and that’s because Facebook is constantly in beta-test mode, working to get rid of issues such as Like-baiting and spam. What works for one user does not always work for the other, so with these slightly different Facebook versions, programmers at Facebook are learning what works and what does not. This consistent data collection is a big part of how Facebook is working to stay relevant and, for many users, the work that’s happening behind the scenes is a big reason why Facebook continues to be quite addictive.
In addition, Facebook programmers are taking a look at what happens when you click on an item in your News Feed. If you go offsite to take a look at the item, Facebook stores that data and is able, through a variety of algorithms, to keep that information for the next time you log into the system. It’s only part of the magic that keeps us coming back for more with Facebook, and the Menlo Park-based company is only continuing to prove that it is willing to do what it takes to stay on top of things where your Facebook world is concerned.


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The Verge By |
Don't expect to see any new smartwatches from LG, Lenovo, or Huawei before 2017. The three biggest Android Wear manufacturers have confirmed to CNET that they won't release new hardware in 2016, leaving LG as the only one of the three that has released a smartwatch this year.
IFA is usually the time when these companies have announced new smartphones, but the event came and went without a third generation Moto 360 or a follow-up to the Huawei Watch. So why the reluctance to release new Android Wear hardware? A number of factors: the inability to include an LTE radio without serious trade-offs to battery life and bulk, the fact that Apple has so far been unable to turn the smartwatch industry into a cash machine like it did with smartphones and tablets, and the overall lack of interest from consumers who would rather spend their money on cheaper fitness bands, according to research firm CCS Insight.


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Owner Paul Domingue hopes Tucson’s newest bike shop, Velo Specialties, becomes part high-end Italian retailer and part nostalgic community hangout.
With names like Bianchi, Cinelli and Masi on the new bikes and vintage Freschi bikes on display, the shop at East Speedway Boulevard and Swan Road, has a distinctly Italian flavor.
Domingue said the Italian bikes and parts are what he loves so they are what he wants to sell.
“Bianchi and Masi are wonderful old names and nobody is doing them,” he said. “I wanted to make sure I just wasn’t another bike shop. I wanted to work with products I personally like and enjoy working with that have a little style.”
This isn’t Domingue’s first time owning a bike shop, but he’s been on hiatus for the last 30 years. He and a partner ran a shop called Velo Specialties in the Northeast, but after seven years they went their separate ways.
After the shop closed, Domingue spent his time as a teacher and administrator for private boarding schools around the country. Domingue, a level two USA Cycling coach, created and coached youth cycling teams at the schools.
Despite the hiatus, he always figured he would return to the bike business.
When Domingue left his last school job, he and his wife returned to their home here and decided it was time to try something different.
He said it took them about a month to decide the time was right to open the shop. His wife is also opening a craft oriented gift shop in the same complex. He said Tucson was the perfect place to open Velo Specialties because it is such a great city for road riding.
While the timing was right, he said there are even some benefits to opening a business in a recession. Domingue said landlords tend to be more accommodating and people really want to see businesses succeed.
In addition to selling road frames and bikes, Velo Specialties will stock and sell track equipment, although Domingue acknowledges Tucson might not be the market for that.
“I am a tracky,” he said. “The idea of selling track equipment is really important to me. So obviously it isn’t just geared toward a Tucson audience.”
Domingue said he is working on a website with a sales component to sell the track equipment around the world.
He also offers coaching services, fitness testing, bike fits using the Fit Kit system and repair services; but says he only works on road bikes.
Domingue wants the shop to be a hang out for customers and plans to serve espresso once his machine is fixed and he gets the proper permits.
He remembers the shops from when he was younger when the shops were “presided over by aging six-day racers who would tell you stories about what it was like to race in the old days.”
He wants Velo Specialties to be like that.
“It is part of that semi-romantic image of what a bike shop should be. it’s not just a place to go buy a bike,” he said. “Everybody is in business for a reason. Obviously we want to make a living, but it should be more than that. I wanted to do a shop that was more than just another bike shop. I wanted to do something that was very, very unique. I think we got it.”
Velo Specialties, located at 4881 E. Speedway, is open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. His website is not yet live, but you can “like” the shop on Facebook.
8 thoughts on “Tucson’s newest bike shop has Italian spin and vintage vibe”
If I were going to be in the bicycle retail biz with a fixed-gear focus, I’d be much closer to the UA and Downtown.
Reason: There are already quite a few fixie aficionados in this area. I think that the 4800 block of East Speedway’s a bit too far east for this market, but I could be wrong.
As for the online sales idea, this could work, especially with a specialty like track equipment. Timely order fulfillment would be crucial, but this could be outsourced to a local company like Custom Back Office Solutions. (Disclaimer: The owner of this company and I go back a long way, but when it comes to order fulfillment, she knows the business inside and out.)
Given the price point of his bikes and cost of retail space, he probably struck as good a balance as he could get. Best wishes to the shop.
Interestingly, C.H. Huckelberry – Pima County Administrator, claims to want to build a velodrome. Problem is, he wants to build his velodrome as close to Maricopaland as he can get it: way up Northwest along I-10…not near UA where there is a built-in audience and no shortage of sports infrastructure. It’s not unlike the Old Pueblo’s transpo director’s, Glock, cynical recommendation: ride a mountain bike to commute.
Building a velodrome near “Maricopaland” makes sense – as it will be the only one in the state, making it “convenient” for Maricopalandians, San Diegoans (their velodrome is rough) & other regional folks to get to is part of the attraction.
The velodrome – whenever it gets built and it’s been forever – has to attract a larger audience than Tucson provides in order for it to succeed.
Sorry, Mllemen! Red Star didn’t realize C.H. Huckelberry – Pima County Administrator is also employed by Maricopaland, San Diego, and sensible you.
No offense taken, Red Star 🙂
Paul, all the best to you and your new bike shop!
Is this guy out of business??
There is a notification of lease termination (dated Sept 29 or 26–don’t recall, doesn’t really matter) by the property’s owner/agent posted in the front door. There are still bikes, likely financed, in the showroom
That, it would seem, is that.


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Today is the public opening of the John Varvatos store in downtown Detroit.
The store is in a Gordon Lloyd-designed, 1891 building, which once upon a time housed the Wright Kay Jewelers. The 4000 sqft. store is touted by Bedrock Real Estate services -a Dan Gilbert company -to be "the first high-end designer fashion retailer in decades to open a permanent storefront in downtown Detroit."
I have photographed the new store for John Varvatos a couple of days ago. Let’s hope that this store will start a real retail renaissance in Detroit.


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Chartwell Investment Partners LLC lowered its holdings in General Motors (NYSE:GM) (TSE:GMM.U) by 51.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 52,032 shares of the auto manufacturer’s stock after selling 55,993 shares during the period. Chartwell Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in General Motors were worth $2,133,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Fieldpoint Private Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Motors in the third quarter valued at $119,000. Cerebellum GP LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Motors in the fourth quarter valued at $123,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky purchased a new stake in shares of General Motors in the fourth quarter valued at $129,000. Stumpf Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in General Motors during the fourth quarter valued at about $131,000. Finally, Hoertkorn Richard Charles purchased a new stake in General Motors during the fourth quarter valued at about $135,000. 73.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Shares of General Motors (NYSE GM) opened at $41.09 on Tuesday. General Motors has a 1 year low of $31.92 and a 1 year high of $46.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $57,634.07, a PE ratio of 6.26, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.59.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, March 9th will be paid a $0.38 dividend. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.70%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 8th. General Motors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -52.59%.
In related news, CFO Charles K. Stevens III sold 35,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.88, for a total value of $1,430,800.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 26,052 shares in the company, valued at $1,065,005.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Barry L. Engle II sold 50,443 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.08, for a total value of $2,173,084.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 57,091 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,459,480.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 203,847 shares of company stock worth $8,793,908. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.
A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on GM shares. Vetr downgraded General Motors from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $43.99 price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded General Motors from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Cascend Securities downgraded General Motors to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Barclays reissued a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 price target on shares of General Motors in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group downgraded General Motors from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $43.16 to $32.00 in a research report on Monday, October 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $44.44.
WARNING: This report was first reported by StockNewsTimes and is owned by of StockNewsTimes. If you are accessing this report on another website, it was stolen and republished in violation of United States & international trademark and copyright legislation. The legal version of this report can be viewed at https://stocknewstimes.com/2018/02/20/general-motors-gm-stake-lowered-by-chartwell-investment-partners-llc.html.
About General Motors
General Motors Company designs, builds and sells cars, trucks, crossovers and automobile parts. The Company’s segments include GM North America (GMNA), GM Europe (GME), GM International Operations (GMIO), GM South America (GMSA) and General Motors Financial Company, Inc (GM Financial). The Company provides automotive financing services through General Motors Financial Company, Inc The Company develops, manufactures and/or markets vehicles in North America under the brands, including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC.
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Motors (NYSE:GM) (TSE:GMM.U).
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Consumer Health Digest #06-39
Your Weekly Update of News and Reviews
September 26, 2007
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by Stephen Barrett, M.D., and cosponsored by NCAHF and Quackwatch. It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making.
Serious disease outbreak traced to "organic" food marketer. The FDA has announced that all spinach implicated in the current outbreak of E coli diarrhea has been traced back to Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, California. This determination is based on epidemiological and laboratory evidence obtained by multiple states and coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). E. coli O157:H7 can cause diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults recover completely within a week, some people develop a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can be fatal. To date the CDC has received reports of 187 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection, including 29 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), 97 hospitalizations and one death. Natural Selection Foods has issued a recall of all implicated products, and four other companies have issued secondary recalls because they received the recalled product from Natural Selection. Spinach processed by other manufacturers has not been implicated in the outbreak. The FDA Web site contains additional information that includes product names. [FDA announces findings from investigation of foodborne E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach. FDA press release, Sept 29, 2006] Natural Selection Foods has described itself as North America's largest supplier of specialty salads and organic produce. Its organic products are marketed under the Earthbound Farm brand. [Fact sheet. Natural Selection Web site, archived June 30, 2004] Natural Selection Foods is offering to reimburse out-of-pocket medical expenses of people with officially confirmed E coli infections linked to use of its products.
Dr. Phil suit class-action suit settled. An agreement has been reached to settle a lawsuit against psychologist Phil McGraw and a company through which he marketed dietary supplements and meal-replacement products under the "Shape Up!" brand name. The suit, filed in Los Angeles in 2004, alleged that McGraw falsely claimed that the products would cause weight loss by promoting fat metabolism and reducing carbohydrate cravings and appetite swings. The products, which cost about $120 for a month's supply, were supposedly tailored for the person's "body type," a concept that has no scientific support. The settlement agreement calls for the establishment of a recover fund will be established consisting of $6.0 million of Nutrilite Daily Multivitamin Multimineral, 6-month supply, and $4.5 million in cash, out of which all costs and attorneys fees will be paid. McGraw will have no personal obligation to contribute to the Fund. The agreement provides benefits to people who can establish that they bought Shape Up! products on or before July 1, 2006. It also provides benefits to certain charitable organizations to be selected by the parties and approved by the court. The suit and settlement agreement are posted on Casewatch. Instructions for claimants have been posted to a Shape-Up! settlement site.
Products seized from MLM company. At the FDA's request, U.S. Marshals have seized about $55,000 worth of Ellagimax capsules, Coral Max capsules, Coral Max without Iron capsules, and Advanced Arthritis Support capsules distributed by Advantage Nutraceuticals L.L.C. of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Although these products were labeled as "dietary supplements," they were promoted with claims typically associated with drug products, including claims of effectiveness against cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and seizures. The claims persisted even though the FDA had warned the company to stop. [FDA asks U.S. marshals to seize dietary supplements: Products being promoted with drug claims. FDA news release, Sept 6, 2006]
Xango warned about illegal claims. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned XanGo International of Lehi, Utah, to stop the distribution of brochures which claim that its Mangosteen Juice drink has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-ulcer, and anti-allergic effects and a long list of other potential health benefits. [Collins BB. Warning letter to Gary Hollister, Sept 20, 2006] XanGo International is a multilevel marketing company that sells products through independent distributors who are encouraged to recruit other distributors. The FDA obtained the brochures through contact information given at a recruitment seminar. A company attorney has stated that XanGo should not be held responsible for the claims because the brochures were distributed by an independent publisher that shows up uninvited to its workshops. [Fantin L, Gehrke R. XanGo and the FDA. The Salt Lake Tribune, Sept 29, 2006] The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database states that there is insufficient information to conclude that mangosteen if effective.
This page was posted on October 4, 2006.


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Published 22 December 2021
abillion, a rapidly growing social commerce platform designed to help people and businesses around the world be more sustainable, has successfully closed a US$10 million Series A financing round. The Series A was led by NYC-based venture fund 1/0 Capital. Speaking on their investment into the Singapore-based company, Ziggy Jonsson, Senior Partner, said, “We’re delighted to support abillion, a platform that can inspire users, provide daily utility, drive purchases, and promote advocacy while creating real impact for the planet.”
abillion was founded by Vikas Garg in July 2017. Garg, a career investment banker and fund manager, started the company to repurpose social media and ecommerce for sustainability and social impact. The abillion app was launched in May 2018 and has been downloaded by more than one million people. abillion members have published more than one million reviews of sustainable food, fashion and beauty products from more than 60,000 consumer products brands in 161 countries. Content creators unlock donations that the company makes to sustainability initiatives. abillion has donated more than US$1 million to impactful charities around the world.
Other prominent investors in the company’s Series A include Mamoru Taniya, the Chairman of Tokyo-based SDG Impact Japan, the first full-service sustainable investment firm in Japan. Bradley Busetto, former Director of the United Nations Development Programme Global Centre on Tech, Innovation and Sustainability and co-CEO of SDG Impact Japan, explains, “A social media platform dedicated to the planet makes a lot of sense to us. Helping people make smarter decisions around what they eat and wear and connecting those choices back to measurable impact for society, animals and the planet.”
Timo Recker, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Next Gen Foods, creators of plant-based chicken brand TiNDLE, is an early investor. Another early investor is Zurich-based venture fund Blue Horizon, founded by Roger Lienhard, whose investments include Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, JUST, Wild Earth, and Geltor.
The new funding will be used to expand the company’s product development, engineering and design capabilities, and to build a peer-to-peer marketplace within the abillion app that enables consumers to become the next generation of sustainability entrepreneurs from around the world. “We have a long road ahead in achieving our target of one billion people committed to plant-based living and a more sustainable planet. Completing our Series A is a significant milestone and we’re excited to make a far greater impact for our planet in 2022 and beyond,” says Garg.
Original Article > by Newswire
Vegan Easy’s YouTube channel recommendations to help you on your vegan journey.
Pamela Anderson, the iconic Hollywood actress and passionate animal rights advocate, is set to captivate the culinary world with her upcoming vegan cookbook titled "I Love You: Recipes from the Heart."
People from around the world began their 2024 with a peaceful start by taking the 30-day Vegan Easy Challenge.
Learn the sublime art of plant-based cuisine at Katie White's new cooking school in Byron Bay
The global popularity of K-dramas and growing interest in veganism present a unique opportunity to foster positive change
Helping farmers find the right path for them, for a sustainable and viable future.


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Written by Michael Sewall
During its busiest time of the year, the Loaves & Fishes food pantry in Naperville is facing a $15,000 shortfall.
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So Aurelio's Pizza locations in the area are stepping up to help do what they do best: feed people.
Now through Dec. 31, four Aurelio's restaurants will be the sites of food and money collections that will go to Loaves & Fishes. Celeste and Steve Wagner, owners of the four Aurelio’s Pizza franchise locations, said in a news release that it’s about "helping neighbors help neighbors."
The four locations are:
- Aurelio’s Springbrook Square, 1975 Springbrook Square Dr., Naperville
- Aurelio’s Hobson West, 931 W. 75th St., Naperville
- Aurelio’s Woodridge, 6430 Main St., Woodridge
- Aurelio’s Oakbrook Terrace, 100 E. Roosevelt Rd., Villa Park
Visit the links above to review the Aurelio's locations.
In October, the food pantry served 11,145 people, 4,803 of whom were children for a total of 2,725 households.
"When the Wagner’s found out that the pantry suddenly lost $15,000 in support it was counting on, their first thought was that they had to do something," the news release stated.
The Wagner’s want to help Loaves & Fishes reach its goal to provide 2,000 families with complete Thanksgiving dinners and feed 2,000 households again for the December holidays, plus provide an additional grocery cart full of groceries for families receiving holiday meals.
The food and donations drives at the four participating Aurelio’s locations are part of the Loaves & Fishes yearly online HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) campaign.
In addition to bringing canned and non-perishable food items to these Aurelio’s pizza locations, where patrons can also make monetary donations, those interested can provide a complete holiday meal for a family of eight for just $25.


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The House committee that's probing Johnson & Johnson massive recall of kids' medicines has widened its inquiry to cover drugs sold by another company.
A few days ago, Blacksmith Brands said it was undertaking a "precautionary" recall of four varieties of liquid allergy and cold remedies sold under the PediaCare label.
The medicines are made for Blacksmith by Johnson & Johnson at the Fort Washinton, Pa., that is now shut after a slew of quality problems were documented during an April inspection by the Food and Drug Administration.
Chariman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform fired off a letter to the CEO of Blacksmith Brands asking what exactly is the problem that led the company to yank the products.
A spokesman for Blacksmith Brands told the Wall Street Journal the company will cooperate with the committee.
Last week officials from the Food and Drug Administration and J&J appeared before Towns' committee to answer questions about the quality issues that led to the recall of more than 130 million bottles of over-the-counter medicines.
A central theme of the hearing was whether the FDA should have more power to order recalls. Towns says yes and will introduce legislation to give the agency the authority to make recalls mandatory for companies.


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Taxpayers have until midnight Thursday to postmark their property tax statements, which are due upon receipt.
Barber said the tax office will offer free payment by electronic check for the first time, which increases convenience and reduces expenses.
The deadline for payment is Thursday. The tax office accepts cash, check, money order, credit card, debit card and electronic check payment.
Nearly 1,700 taxpayers have paid about $4.2 million with the free electronic check payment option.
Barber stressed that only a postmark before the midnight deadline will prevent penalties. Putting the tax bill in the mailbox does not guarantee it will be postmarked by the deadline, he said.
“Go ahead and pay online because you get a receipt and know it’s taken care of,” he said. “We have people miss the deadline every year and are hit with the 7 percent penalty.”
Credit card payments include a convenience fee of 2.5 percent of the balance. The convenience fee would cost $125 on a $5,000 tax bill. The convenience fee for debit cards is $3.95.
The tax levy, which goes to school districts and other governmental jurisdictions around the county, is $262 million compared to $256.5 million last year.
Penalties begin at 7 percent on Friday and increase 2 percent per month until it reaches 15 percent in June. In July, penalties continue to escalate in 1 percent increments with an additional 15 percent collection fee.
The tax office accepts partial payments on current and delinquent taxes, but they must be received by Thursday to avoid penalties.
Residents 65 and older or disabled residents qualify for quarterly payments. No penalties or interest are assessed if payments are received on time for homesteads.
Residents must file for this exemption and make the first payment by Thursday.
Physical and technological improvements also will benefit taxpayers and tax office staff soon, Barber said. Walk-in customers will have three additional teller windows this year. “Self-serve” payment kiosks, with touch-screens and multiple payment options, will allow customers to access their tax information and pay.
Barber said the options should make the process easier.
The main tax office is in the Cotton Belt Building, 1517 W. Front St. in Tyler. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
Taxpayers also can make payments at the office in Lindale, 2616 S. Main St. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.


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Airtel has announced a few measures to help people in flood-hit Kerala. All Airtel prepaid customers will get a talk time credit of Rs 30 auto-approved.
All smartphone users will get 1 GB data free. This will be valid for seven days. Bill payment dates for all Airtel postpaid and home broadband customers have been extended to ensure they have uninterrupted access to services.
Airtel will deploy VSAT at five major relief centres in Kerala to provide free wi-fi and calling facility to people. People can charge (power) their mobile phones and make free calls from Airtel’s flagship stores located in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kayamkulam, Kannur, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram.
Airtel said its network teams and partners continued to make efforts to ensure the network was up and running despite challenges such as lack of power supply and disruption in movement of fuel supplies. – The Hindu BusinessLine


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THE 2013 Audi Q5 is now available with cosmetic and mechanical changes to further delight luxury SUV enthusiasts.
The biggest changes lie under the hood — more power, increased speed and greater fuel economy. The driver is guaranteed an exhilarating ride from a two-litre engine with an eight-speed transmission producing 224 horsepower; 350 newton metres of torque; and which goes from 0-100 km/h in 7.1 seconds.
“The increased speed and power is backed by greater fuel efficiency from a previous 32.8 mpg (miles per gallon) to 35.8 mpg; that’s the mileage you get for each gallon of fuel the vehicle uses,” explained Sloane Jackson, ATL’s market analyst.
“The fuel range has also increased from 872km to 950km to a full tank on a combined cycle; meaning, on average, a full tank of gas lasts longer whether you are driving in urban or rural areas,” he added. “One could drive from Kingston to Boscobel in St Mary on that 78km difference. In essence, drivers will make fewer trips to the gas station.”
The Q5 has made its way to the top of the bestselling podium in the premium vehicle segment in Jamaica, having outperformed not only SUVs in its class, but all hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs of all sizes across all brands, according to the most recent figures released by the Automobile Dealers’ Association.
“This vehicle has won the hearts of a wide range of Jamaicans, including those with a previous preference for much larger SUVs,” said Jackson. “It’s not too small or large and it is offered at a great starting price of $6.4 million. We have watched it grow from 10 deliveries in 2010 to 80 deliveries year-to-date in 2012, and we believe it will infiltrate the market even more in 2013,” Jackson said.
Internationally, the Audi Q5 has won significant praise. “At a time when the term sports utility vehicle has depreciated into nothing but a generic catchphrase for a high-riding station wagon, the Audi Q5 TSFI quattro is one SUV that still embodies the label’s true sporty spirit,” said carandadvice.com.
You could say the Q5 put the ‘sport’ back in SUV.
Yesterday, ATL, in a news release, noted that for those drivers wanting a bigger engine, Audi has delivered a three-litre TFSI version of its best-selling SUV for 2013, which is significantly faster and more powerful than the two-litre version.
“With 272hp, 400nm of torque, 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds, drivers are in for a thrill with this one,” Jackson said, adding that it also delivers on fuel economy at 33.2 mpg and 882 km on a full tank.
Boasting subtle styling changes, the 2013 Q5 showcases a new-look front grille, front and rear bumpers, tail lights and xenon. “Buyers will be especially pleased with the xenon headlights, which first featured on the A6 and Q3 models,” said Jackson.
“These signature xenon headlights have a continuous band of LED daytime running lights around the edge, similar to the tail lights at the rear. The previous design was a row of dots in a circle,” Jackson explained.


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New IDC research has revealed that enterprise social software adoption is growing quickly, as organizations realize its potential business benefits.
The new study – Determining the Value of Social Business ROI: Myths, Facts, and Potentially High Returns – found that 41 percent of respondents indicated they had already implemented an enterprise social software solution. IDC also predicted continued uptake of enterprise social software, forecasting the emerging market to generate revenues of nearly $2 billion by 2014, with a compound annual growth rate of 38.2 percent between 2009 and 2014.
IDC research director for Enterprise Collaboration and Social Solutions, Erin Traudt, said that despite the positive forecasts, businesses would have to strive to better understand the complex benefits of social media-style initiatives to establish an effective measure for Return on Investment (ROI).
IDC believes business executives need to understand not only the traditional metrics and value calculations of ROI, but also the impact that social business initiatives have on these computations and their interrelatedness.
“To determine social business ROI, organizations must consider why their customers and/or employees are using social software and understand the cost/benefit impact related to people, process, and technology,” said Traudt.
At Yellowfin, we believe that social and collaborative Business Intelligence (BI) will change the way you do business. Yellowfin 5.1, due out tomorrow, brings to you a suite of social features that will make it the leading collaborative BI solution on the market.


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Posted on Monday, May 16th, 2016 by Ethan Anderton
There have been some disappointing decisions on the merchandise side of things from Disney and Marvel Studios, specifically with regards to their treatment of female characters. Black Widow, once the only female member of the Avengers, had a rather disappointing shortage of toys, so much that Avengers star Mark Ruffalo lamented that his daughters and nieces couldn’t find many at the store. In fact, Black Widow was even left out of an action figure playset inspired by a key scene for the character in The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now some more upsetting details from behind the Marvel machine have been revealed.
Director Shane Black has been out promoting The Nice Guys (in theaters this weekend), and a recent interview saw part of the discussion steer towards Iron Man 3 and some of the difficulties he had on the production. One surprising revelation that came from the discussion was that the primary villain in the movie, played by Guy Pearce, was originally slated to be a female character. But Marvel forced a change in the character’s gender because they believed a female villain action figure wouldn’t sell as well. Wow.
Find out more about the axed Iron Man 3 female villain after the jump.
This conversation arose in an interview with Uproxx while Shane Black talked about some of the challenges of making Iron Man 3. One of the problems they had came from having to make changes to the script. Black explains:
We replaced a lot of things. The plot went this way and that way. Stéphanie Szostak’s character was bigger at one point and we reduced it. Rebecca Hall’s character was bigger at one point and we reduced it.
Rebecca Hall played the former colleague of Tony Stark’s who ended up being involved with Aldrich Killian while Stéphanie Szostak played one of the extraneous bad guys who had the Extremis virus running through her body. And when Black elaborates on the matter, he explains:
All I’ll say is this, on the record: There was an early draft of Iron Man 3 where we had an inkling of a problem. Which is that we had a female character who was the villain in the draft. We had finished the script and we were given a no-holds-barred memo saying that cannot stand and we’ve changed our minds because, after consulting, we’ve decided that toy won’t sell as well if it’s a female.
In the earlier draft, the woman was essentially Killian – and they didn’t want a female Killian, they wanted a male Killian. I liked the idea, like Remington Steele, you think it’s the man but at the end, the woman has been running the whole show. They just said, ‘no way.’
So it sounds like Rebecca Hall maybe could have been the real villain behind Aldrich Killian instead of what we saw on the big screen. Changes like this happen during rewrites all the time, but hearing that this decision was made simply because it would impact toy sales is shocking. This is the ugly side of having a franchise that pulls in millions of dollars in revenue from merchandise. Black even explains that this wasn’t a decision that Kevin Feige made, but rather Marvel corporate. But he also pointed out that this isn’t a problem anymore.
That’s our hint that Ike Perlmutter likely had a hand in the shortsighted decision, and maybe the problem has been solved since then, now that Kevin Feige only has to answer to Disney chief Alan Horn. Still, Perlmutter remains the CEO of Marvel Entertainment, and if certain story decisions impact their bottom line due to toy sales or other decisions, this could still be a problem, no matter how ridiculous that may sound.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this decision is that you’d be hard pressed to find an Aldrich Killian action figure out there. I spent some time on Google seeing just how many figures of Guy Pearce were out there, and the only one I could find was a Minimates figure from Diamond Select. There are some Mandarin toys out there, but the real meat of Iron Man 3 action figures comes from the different suits that Tony Stark had in that movie. So would it really have been a problem to have a female villain in Iron Man 3?
Obviously Disney is a successful corporation for a reason, and maybe they have plenty of data that shows female action figures don’t sell as well as the male ones. But they really seem to be shortchanging their female fans, and even some of their male ones, by not providing as much merchandise based on their female characters. Whether it’s Black Widow, Gamora or Scarlet Witch, these female heroes (and villains) need to start getting their due in the merchandise department.Cool Posts From Around the Web:


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BlackBerry Tour Hits Alltel
Today Alltel announced that it is selling the BlackBerry Tour for $200 after rebate with new agreement.
DirecTV Now: App Tour
A quick hands-on tour of the DirecTV Now app for Android. (An iOS version also available.) This is the boldest attempt yet to bring all of the major network and cable content to cord-cutters, and the full service is available from mobile apps, in addition to home streaming boxes.
TCL Teases Its Next BlackBerry Phone
TCL today offered a sneak peak of a new BlackBerry smartphone in a short video. TCL is the parent company behind Alcatel and recently struck an agreement to design and manufacture smartphone hardware for BlackBerry.
AT&T Replacing Alltel Brand with Its Own Across Georgia
AT&T today said beginning Dec. 10 all Alltel stores and services across Georgia will be rebranded under the AT&T name.
TCL to Be Sole Maker of BlackBerry Phones
BlackBerry today said moving forward TCL Communications, the parent company of Alcatel, will be responsible for designing, manufacturing, selling, and supporting all BlackBerry-branded smartphones. The companies struck an agreement that sees TCL licensing BlackBerry's security software and service suite along with the BlackBerry brand.
BlackBerry Wins $815M from Qualcomm for Overpaying Royalties
BlackBerry today said it received a favorable outcome after arbitrating a royalty payment issue with Qualcomm. The two companies entered into arbitration on April 20, 2016, over a dispute concerning "whether Qualcomm's agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a license agreement between the parties." The binding arbitration settlement determined that Qualcomm's agreement did in fact apply to such payments, resulting in BlackBerry paying Qualcomm too much money.
Verizon won't be getting "all of their money in the future". This applies to all those markets that were divested (Verizon was not allowed to purchase).
Indirect or dealer locations can sell the phones for whatever they want. Th...


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THC! CBD! Terpenoids! Cannabis Science is Getting Hairy, Wired Magazine, Nov. 6, 2018
Notes: “We specifically see that CBD protects against the paranoia and anxiety and the racing heart that THC produces,” Wilson-Poe says.
“In this sense I think of whole-plant cannabis as like a multivitamin for inflammation.” (Because there are so many important compounds at play, some researchers prefer the term ensemble effect over entourage effect. “Entourage” makes it sound like everything is supporting the rock star that is THC, when the reality might be more nuanced.)
There might also be medical applications when you don’t want the entourage effect at work. One of THC’s more famous treatments, for instance, is for lowering eye pressure to treat glaucoma. “We found that it works, and THC does a nice job,” says Indiana University, Bloomington researcher Alex Straiker, who studies cannabinoids. “But it’s actually blocked by CBD.
But because there’s seemingly no end to the complexities of cannabis, CBD might also enhance THC’s anti-cancer properties. Research has found that if you apply THC and CBD to cancer cells in the lab, the combination is more effective than THC alone at both inhibiting the growth of those cells and outright killing them.
Yes, another member of the entourage. Unlike THC and CBD, you can find terpenoids not just in cannabis, but across the plant kingdom. They’re handy little molecules that plants use to ward off insects, and they’re what give cannabis that characteristic smell (same for terpenoids in lemons and pine needles)


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It's official! Sex and drugs are making Holland's economic engine hum more than cheese. Authorities said revenue from red-light prostitution districts and "coffee" shops selling drugs contribute $3.4 billion a year to the national economy, or slightly more than the Dutch consumption of cheese. Official calculations made public on Wednesday under new European guidelines showed the industry accounted for about 0.4 percent of gross domestic product. About half of the consumption is domestic, much of it in coffee shops and brothels, and the rest is from export, primarily of drugs, according to Statistics Netherlands. Britain's Office for National Statistics estimated last month that drugs and prostitution would add almost 1 percent to GDP. But France says "non!" because it says such transactions are not always based on mutual consent.
- Drugs? Prostitution? They Are Part of GDP Too, U.K. Says
- Sex Workers Need Rights Not Rescue, Author Says
- Sex Industry Study: Internet Is Driving Prostitution Off Streets


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At the point when Apple issued reconsidered direction for its quarterly profit a month ago, the organization singled out China as an essential driver for its frustrating outcome. Beyond any doubt enough, iPhone income declined 15 percent year over year, and now IDC is very brave knowledge into the job the Chinese market may have played in that decay.
New makes sense of this current week show directly around a 20 percent plunge in shipments in China y-o-y for the quarter. That is a quite sensational drop for a market that has been a key factor in Apple’s development plans, going ahead. That denotes a drop from 12.9 to 11.5 percent of the market. A month ago, Tim Cook featured a portion of the purposes behind the drop on the planet’s biggest cell phone advertise.
Among the reasons refered to are worldwide exchange pressures and a general abating Chinese economy. Obviously, Apple’s not the only one in observing a decay. Cell phone shipments are down nearly no matter how you look at it, inferable from slower overhaul cycles. Most telephones are as of now truly great, so individuals are clutching them for more. It’s additionally important that the current year’s XS didn’t check as sensational an overhaul as its ancestor.
Unsurprisingly, in any case, various local cell phone creators are up in the nation, including, prominently, Huawei, which saw a 23.3 percent uptick for the quarter, recommending that the ascendant organization ate into Apple’s piece of the pie.
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EM News Distribution have released a statement to Northern Ireland members regarding late running titles.
Unfortunately a few titles are running 24hrs late and will now be on sale Wednesday 06/01/2021.
These titles are:
TV Times Issue 09Jan / 15Jan
TV Satillete Issue 09Jan/ 15Jan
What’ On TV Issue 09Jan/ 15Jan
Menzies distribution have released an update about the temporary...read more
Menzies Distribution have released important information on...read more
Average carriage charge increases of 3.5 per cent rises...read more


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Well done to Anita Sharma, IAPC&M accredited APC, UK who achieved recognition from Theo Paphitis (aka Dragon’s Den) at Small Business Sunday for her good work with young people.
Anita Sharma Coaching has received a business boost from Retail Entrepreneur Theo Paphitis after Anita tweeted Theo about her business during ‘Small Business Sunday’ and was one of six weekly winners to gain a retweet by Theo to his 500,000 Twitter followers. The weekly initiative, set up by Theo in 2010, now has over 2200 #SBS winners and supports small businesses in the UK.
Business and retail entrepreneur and self-confessed Shopkeeper, Theo re‐tweeted Anita Sharma’s message to his almost 500,000 followers and as a result, Anita Sharma will be profiled on the #SBS website that is exclusive to all Small Business Sunday winners.
Anita Sharma said, “It is great to have support from Theo because supporting people’s emotional wellbeing, especially preteens and teens is a passion of mine, however as a small business it has been tough trying to raise the profile of the work I do. I am ecstatic that Theo has recognised my hard work and helped spread the word about what I do to his following.”
Small business champion and Ryman Stationery, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue Chairman, Theo Paphitis, said: “We are thrilled to welcome new #SBS members every week and highlight just how important it is to support our small businesses here in the UK. My vision is that everyone who has ever won an #SBS re-tweet from me becomes part of a friendly club; like-minded individuals who can share successes and learnings. The website will also give a valuable profile to the winners chosen and I wish Anita Sharma Coaching every success.”
Anyone looking for a re‐tweet from Theo should tweet him about their business on Sunday between 5 PM and 7.30 PM and include the hashtag #SBS. Six lucky businesses are re‐tweeted every Monday at 8 PM and then invited to enter their profile on the new website, attend the annual #SBS networking event and take advantage of the networking opportunities.
For further information about Small Business Sunday please visit www.theopaphitissbs.com.


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Targeting rural households that have no access to clean energy products
Vol 5 | Issue 29
Ajaita Shah launched Frontier Markets (FM) in 2011 targeting the base of the pyramid (BOP) households in rural India that had little access to clean energy products like solar lights or smokeless stoves.
It was a decision that would better the quality of life in thousands of households which depended on polluting traditional fuels like kerosene to light up their homes, and also provide additional income to small retailers in the villages who would become franchisees for FM.
Ajaita works with 225 rural franchisees in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan
Based out of Jaipur, Rajasthan, they are currently operating in 700 villages, and have sold 20,000 solar solutions, which include products ranging from solar lanterns (priced at about Rs. 600) and solar inverters (costing about Rs. 20,000).
FM works with partner channels like microfinance institutions (MFI), self help groups and NGOs which have good grassroots presence, and locally trained field staff, to reach its target segment of BOP households.
The company does not manufacture products, but sources solar products in bulk and retails them through 225 franchised outlets that sport the brand name of ‘Saral Jeevan’. These outlets form the backbone of their sales and service network.
FM had found the model of working with MFIs and local kirana shops very effective during a pilot study it conducted with Ujjivan Financial Services in Chitradurga, Karnataka, in 2009.
FM had introduced Whisper Choice Sanitary Napkins and Volini Gel, a pain reliever, to Ujjivan members. But Shah realized that it would be easier to sell products that customers valued more and zeroed in on clean energy products.
“FM is impacting every stakeholder in the BOP market. We sell to the BOP households through our wholesale and retail points. We move products by creating franchisees out of rural traders and small retailers,” says Shah, who has been an active educator, collaborator, and catalyst in helping scale clean energy access globally.
Franchisees are given competitive margins and receive marketing support from FM.
“We started FM with a clear understanding of the actual model,” says 29-year-old Shah, who was recently named in Forbes Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30’s Social Entrepreneurs of the Year.
Born in New York, Shah did her graduation in International Relations and International Development from Tufts University. While doing her under-graduation, Shah, who travelled to many places around the world, eventually landed in India.
Though she had been visiting India since her childhood days, she decided to work in India only after she started working in the US Congress on South Asia policy.
She applied for the America-India Foundation Service Corps fellowship program to work in India in microfinance and has never looked back since then.
Besides being a Clinton Service Corp Fellow (2006), she has been an Echoing Green Fellow (2012), Cordes Fellow (2013), and has also received the most influential award in Microfinance for people under 30.
Shah’s background in microfinance – she had been in the field in India for about 4 years having worked with Ujjivan as a Credit Plus Manager and Director of Swayam Krishi Sangam – helped her to understand the BOP market and plan the strategies for FM’s growth.
According to Shah, it has been very challenging to work in the clean energy sector. While Shah and FM provided easy and clean energy solutions, the villagers had problems in accepting the new innovation. They had no clue about solar energy.
“Rural consumers have low levels of brand affinity and low exposure to products. They also have unstable cash flows from their seasonal, agriculture based economies,” says Shah.
This challenge was taken by Shah head-on, and she started educating people about the benefits of clean energy.
“Building brand affinity in the rural market requires high- quality products that can gain the trust of customers. Product companies must know what kind of product to introduce, at what quality and at what price. This is exactly where FM adds value.”
Shah also started the ‘Solar Saheli campaign’ to empower rural women in becoming solar entrepreneurs in their communities and spreading news about solar products directly to other women.
“This program was inspired by the experiences of organizations like Solar Sisters (an international social enterprise), Mary Kay, and Tupperware (US based marketing companies), which believed in training, inspiring, and mentoring women to become income-generating entrepreneurs,” says Shah.
Frontier Markets has sold 20,000 solar solutions among BOP households in rural India
Shah believes each and every household deserves access to goods and services that will enhance their health, wealth, and productivity.
She calls FM a “for-profit business with a social mission” to eradicate deadly killers like kerosene and ensure a more energy-equitable future for millions of BOP households.
“Our brand is based on customer trust. Unless rural households can rely on us for dedicated service, education, and continued local presence, they will go back to using dangerous forms of energy,” she says.
According to International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2011, India has the largest number of people without electricity. About 33% of the total households in India lack access to electricity.
Many depend on fuels like kerosene for lighting and cooking purpose and are exposed to carbon emissions.
FM has partnered with five energy companies and has expanded into 16 districts in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“With efficient distribution and superior service, we hope to light the lives of 10 million households in five years,” says Shah.


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A two-day industry event which kicks off at the Venetian in Cotai tomorrow is expected to supply a healthy boost to businesses in Macao and beyond.
The 12th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF), which is co-organised by the China International Contractors Association and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), has been put together with the theme “Join Hands for New Development of International Infrastructure Cooperation”.
The forum will combine online and offline activities, serving as an exchange and matching platform for representatives of governments, research institutes, industries and universities from the mainland, Macao and countries and regions along the Belt and Road (B&R) route. An IPIM spokesman said the forum aims to promote international cooperation in the industry which is currently suffering the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 1,300 guests from over 500 entities in 42 countries and regions have signed up for the forum, a 30 per cent increase compared to last year. The forum provides 60 booths, a year-on-year increase of about 40 per cent. Online activities, such as speeches by video link and online attendance of overseas guests, live-streaming and broadcasting will also be available during the forum, The Macau Post Daily reported.
China International Contractors Association Chairman Fang Qiuchen said: “This year’s IIICF focuses on financial innovation and the combination of industry and finance, new opportunities and challenges in the context of ‘dual carbon’ goals, and new development momentum, to help facilitate the transformation and upgrading of the [participating] industries and tap the markets in key regions and countries.
“IIICF will send a clear signal to the outside world that Macao’s MICE industry is recovering at an accelerated pace and that the city’s economy and society are stable. It will also convey China’s confidence in further spurring international infrastructure cooperation.”
IPIM President Benson Lau Wai Meng said that the Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index 2021 and its associated report will be released on the first day of the Forum.
He added that the forum would include analysis relevant to Portuguese-speaking countries and assessments of the development prospects and investment opportunities for cooperation with China.


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A1 Plastics Resources specialises in recycling PET plastic bottles by turning them into flakes and granules that can be used to create a variety of products such as textiles, food containers and bottles. Their goal is to significantly reduce the amount of PET waste in Cambodia.
After meeting the CEO of A1 Plastics Resource Limited, Cambodia's Minister of the Environment, H.E. Eang Sophalleth, said he "encourages all investments that take into account the interests of the population as a whole, and in particular the impact on the environment".
Last week, the Minister met with Lee Hong Lan Deborah Anne, director of A1 Plastics Resource Limited, to discuss investment in plastic waste in Cambodia through recycling and access to international markets. Ms Lee praised the Ministry of Environment's efforts to reduce plastic bag imports by more than 50% recently through the campaign, which has attracted millions of students, workers, monks and citizens.
She also expressed her interest in investment opportunities in plastics recycling using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), which makes it possible to reduce the amount of plastic waste from businesses and consumers and to offer production processes that benefit people's economies.
In response, the Minister of the Environment affirmed his support for all investment activities that contribute to the community, taking environmental impact into account, in line with the first phase of the Royal Government of Cambodia's pentagonal strategy.
H.E. Eang Sophalleth said that within this strategy, the first phase also focused on reducing environmental pollution by continuing to strengthen the management of plastic and hazardous waste, pollution control, water, air and noise. It will also promote clean energy, energy efficiency, smart agriculture, climate change resilience, green transport, clean industrial processes, economic practices, mechanisms, environmental impact assessments, green certification and respect for the environment.
A1 Plastics Resources specialises in recycling PET plastic bottles by converting them into PET flakes and food-grade granules that can be used to create a variety of products such as textiles, food containers and drinks bottles. Our aim is to significantly reduce the amount of PET waste in Cambodia.
Cambodia and plastics
For many years, Cambodia has had a unique and informal process for collecting and recycling many types of waste, such as plastic, paper, cardboard and aluminium. The process starts with the Edjai, also known as ragpickers. Many of them start their day before dawn, scouring the streets for recyclables.
Normally, the hierarchy of the process runs from the Edjai to small collection centres/mediators, then on to larger collection centres/mediators where the plastic bottles are generally sorted and compressed before being sold to recycling companies or for bulk export.
"By 2022, studies show that Cambodia currently has the capacity to recycle only 10% of its plastic waste. Due to the ban on importing plastic waste into neighbouring countries, supply far exceeds demand, jeopardising the livelihoods of many Edjai and intermediaries, and much of the plastic is not collected and is dumped in landfills."
A1 Plastics was established in 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and production is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2024. A1 will purchase the plastic bottles collected from Edjai and intermediaries for recycling. Their process includes sorting, washing and decontamination, flocking and granulation.
About Deborah Lee
Deborah Lee, Chief Executive Officer of A1 Plastics Resources Company Limited, started her first business at the age of 25 and built a successful food and beverage distribution company in the highly competitive environment of Hong Kong, which was eventually sold to an industry-leading company.
Deborah has always sought to combine creativity with business acumen. She graduated with honours from the University of California, Berkeley (USA), where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Architectural Project Development. Combining a major in architecture with a minor in business administration (real estate development), she has always used a creative approach and applied design principles and an entrepreneurial spirit to develop ideas and turn them into tangible realities.
Most recently, Deborah founded a company that designs, manufactures and markets luxury travel and has built a loyal following of Hollywood and Silicon Valley celebrities.
As well as creating and developing lucrative businesses, Deborah also believes in the power of business to have a positive impact on society and actively seeks opportunities to make a meaningful difference through philanthropy. One of her success stories in this area is DOXA Enterprises Limited. Deborah created and holds a patent on a doorstop for industrial use where 100% of the profits are donated to support global clean water initiatives. Most recently, a well sponsored by DOXA Enterprises was constructed in Tanzania in 2023, providing a vital source of clean water for thousands of people in the local community.
In addition to her own businesses, Deborah is actively involved in family businesses by investing in property in Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China, Japan, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Deborah also manages a large family philanthropic fund operating globally and is dedicated to empowering and promoting sustainable change.
With over 37 years' experience as owner and CEO of a number of businesses, Deborah has an in-depth knowledge of international markets, a strong ability to identify emerging opportunities and a proven track record of successfully introducing businesses to these markets. As CEO of DOXA International Group Ltd and A1 Plastics Resources Co Ltd, Deborah aims to be the first to introduce material reprocessing to international standards in Cambodia. As part of this, Deborah is committed to promoting initiatives related to corporate social and environmental sustainability, diversity, inclusion and community development.


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Hawaiian coffee company KonaRed has closed a “significant capital raise” from emerging consumer brands venture capital fund Venice Brands, which will be directed towards supporting sales, marketing and distribution of the brand’s range of coffee products.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with KonaRed, Kyle and his team,” said Greg Willsey, founder and CEO of Venice Brands, in a press release. Willsey had previously worked with KonaRed CEO Kyle Redfield at POM Wonderful. “The company’s brand and product lines are exactly what we look for at Venice Brands: incredibly strong growth, high-quality ingredients with a great story, compelling sales velocities, experienced management, and the ability to become a true leader not only in cold brew coffee but in the broader premium beverage category.”
Founded in 2009, KonaRed is a vertically integrated company that produces a range of products made from Kona coffee grown on the slopes of the Big Island of Hawaii. In addition to marketing a five-SKU line of ready-to-drink (RTD) cold brew coffee in 12 oz. and 32 oz. glass bottles, each made with the brand’s proprietary coffee fruit liquid extract, the company also sells dry Kona coffee beans, Hawaiian coffee fruit juices and a coffee fruit nutritional supplement. Its products are sold nationally at retailers such as Target, Kroger, Whole Foods and 7-Eleven.
According to data from market research group IRI, sales of KonaRed RTD coffee have increased 639 percent year-over-year in a 52-week period ending on Sept. 10.
The deal is Venice Brands’ second investment since launching earlier this year; in May, the fund announced an investment for an undisclosed fee in frozen bone broth brand The Osso Good Company. In an interview with Project NOSH that month, Willsey said Venice Brands typically writes checks of $1 to $5 million in exchange for 25 to 40 percent of a company.
Under the terms of the agreement, described in a press release as a strategic multi-year equity deal, KonaRed’s management team and board of directors will remain intact. The total size of the investment was undisclosed.
Speaking with BevNET, Redfield said that, in the past, the company had spent much of its time pursuing new investment. The injection of new financing from Venice Brands, as well as its industry expertise, will allow KonaRed to focus on brand development and pursue a larger share of the ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee category.
“To compete with brands like Starbucks, Peet’s and Chameleon, we had to raise some capital,” he said. Redfield explained the company will take a three-pronged approach towards near-term growth, using the new funding to support increasing distribution, marketing initiatives and new innovations, including some forthcoming “unique and fun” plays in cascara.
In addition to the deal with Venice Brands, Redfield said KonaRed recently signed an exclusive deal with sales and marketing agency Impact Group to represent the brand in all conventional and natural grocery retailers. Since then, 200 additional retailers have signed on to carry its products.
While not quite comparable to Nestlé’s head-turning acquisition of Chameleon Cold Brew just last week, news of further investment in KonaRed speaks to cold brew’s enduring appeal to investors of all types.
“The growth is going to continue to be exponential,” he said. “The investment activity of companies like Nestlé is really smart. It makes sense for those kinds of brands because the craft aspect [of cold brew] is important.”


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UON joins coalition working to shape the future of Tourism
Spearheaded by the Events, Tourism & Hospitality subject team, the University of Northampton has added its signatory to the Future of Tourism Coalition, which has a global mission to place destinations at the heart of post-pandemic recovery strategies.
Decades of unprecedented and unrestricted growth in travel have resulted in the path less travelled becoming a rarer find, with the world’s treasured places at risk of over-tourism and devastating impacts, environmentally, culturally, socially, and financially.
Then the pandemic hit, and tourism halted. As the industry begins to emerge, the Future of Tourism Coalition calls for travel to become more responsible, leaving a lasting positive impact on destinations.
The travel and tourism industries face a precarious and uncertain future due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Coalition believes that now is the perfect moment for the industry to go further than sustainable travel, which aims to offset, and leave no trace, and adopt regenerative travel strategies, which are designed to support the long-term success of destinations worldwide.
Ivna Reic, Head of Subject for Events, Tourism & Hospitality at the University of Northampton said: “The future for tourism is the idea to leave a place better than you found it – giving destinations support to grow, environmentally, culturally, socially, and financially. During the pandemic, we’ve all discovered the power of using our resources – money and time – to create a local impact. I believe our travel choices should reflect this same desire to support areas which give us so much joy as tourists.
To rally global change, the Coalition has shared their Guiding Principles that outline a vision for tourism’s path forward and they are calling on tourism agencies, travel companies, governments, investors, non-governmental organizations, and destination communities to commit to them.
Ivna continued: “The University of Northampton has added its signatory to the Coalition to further support the academic research influencing this important direction of travel for a healthier tourism industry, while protecting the places and people on which it depends. We are acutely aware that universities are in a unique position to inspire and train future responsible industry professionals who will take ownership to implement this vision.
“Long-term resilient social, economic, and environmental recovery and regeneration will require all sectors within our industries to rethink how tourism works, who it works for, and how success is defined. The path to change is a journey and lasting solutions will take time, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the events, tourism and hospitality industries to tip the scale away from viewing success in financial terms only, and to effect meaningful change by valuing social, cultural and environmental impact of our activities for the benefit of our industries and the wider society – locally, nationally and globally.”
Join the University of Northampton’s events, tourism, and hospitality team on 30 June, for a webinar to explore the future of the sector. In this webinar, the University team, in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg School of Tourism & Hospitality, the Future of Tourism Coalition, Otolo, and key industry experts, will discuss how the tourism and hospitality industries can and should, embrace doing things better post-pandemic.


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Morgan Wright, Cyber Security Expert, joins to discuss the possibility of Cyber Attacks here in the US by Russia. Continued discussion with callers about Ukraine and Russia.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson talking about cyber-attacks that could be launched from Russia or by Russian proxies as tensions escalate over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, and what that could mean for the average American.
Our cyber security expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson talking about allegations that Hillary Clinton's campaign paid to infiltrate Donald Trump's servers, and the boom in the advertising of crypto currencies and NFT's, especially during the Big Game last Sunday.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson with her take on Meta Facebook's recent stock dive and threats to pull Instagram and Facebook in Europe over privacy laws, and the Foo Fighters big concert scheduled in the metaverse to follow the Big Game this Sunday.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson talking about the tactics that ransomware syndicates are using to get employees to compromise their employers' security, Wordle is sold to the New York Times, and metaverse real estate sales are booming, even though the buyers can never touch their properties.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson with word of warning about a scam that is using the pretense of Uber needing your information, the potential for the Russia-threatening-Ukraine crisis leading to cyber attacks, cyber threats to Olympic athletes in Beijing, and a Wordle fad update.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson in studio talking about the benefits and unintended consequences of using tile and air tag tracker technology, legacy planning for social media accounts, defending your privacy against key-logging hackers, security considerations in connection with the wildly popular Wordle game, a warning to U.S. athletes about taking their own technology to the Winter Olympics in Beijing, and 3G wireless networks coming to an end.
Our cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson with news about the IRS plan to begin tracking cash app payments, a new online game called Wordle, hidden danger behind the popular Ten Year Photo Challenge, and cows equipped with virtual reality headsets producing more milk.
Cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson with an update about the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), easier ways to securely carry immunization records on a smart phone, and the end of the road for Blackberry phones.
Our cyber security expert Theresa Payton joins Bo Thompson with follow up on the nationwide TikTok school challenge that had parents on edge, a new way to get around those pesky telemarketer robocalls that spam your cell phone, and an update on the Apache Log4j cyber security flaw.


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According to the latest information from insiders, release date Xiaomi Mi7 will not take place at the end of February 2018 at MWC 2018 in Barcelona. Most likely, it will be presented in March or even April.
Xiaomi Mi7: Release date
Sources say that components for smartphone will go into production in February 2018. It means that release date Xiaomi Mi7 should take place a month later. Of course, this is a purely logical conclusion based on an unconfirmed leak. The manufacturer does not comment any rumors. As for the other specs, they are still known only approximately, except for chipset.
Xiaomi Mi7: Performance
As you know, according to rumors, Samsung reserved for itself all the first chipsets Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. However, flagship smartphone from Xiaomi also will come with this chipset. In addition, the Chinese manufaturer want to equip its new smartphone with support for wireless charging.
At the moment it is known that the company will purchase the necessary components for upcoming Xiaomi flagship from Broadcom and NXP, exactly the same ones that Apple uses for iPhone 8/8 Plus/X. Apparently, next year wireless charging will finally become trend, even in China.
Xiaomi Mi7: Specifications
• 6 or even 8 GB of RAM
• 64/128/256 GB built-in storage capacity
• Samsung AMOLED screen with diagonal of 5.7 or 6 inches
• Dual main camera 16 MP + 16 MP and aperture f/1.7 at wide angle
• 3350 mAh Battery capacity
Also, according to rumors, Xiaomi Mi7 can get the function of 3D Recognation like iPhone X. It should be noted that some Chinese companies also develops the same technologies.Follow us in social media:


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- Special Sections
- Public Notices
Retailers continue to pull selected snack food items from grocery store shelves after several food companies issued a recall on products made with peanut butter and peanut paste supplied by the Peanut Corp. of America in connection to a nationwide salmonella outbreak.
The FDA said the recall is not linked to any national name-brand peanut butter. The peanut butter being recalled is sold by PCA in bulk-packaging to distributors for institutional and food service industry use. Those most likely to come in contact with the tainted peanut butter are nursing homes, hospitals, schools, restaurants and cafeterias.
It was sold under the names, Parnell’s Pride or King Nut and was produced in 21 lots in 5- to 50-pound containers.
Still snack food makers aren’t taking any chances.
Kellogg Co. has recalled 19 products, including peanut butter sandwich crackers sold under the Austin and Keebler names, along with some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft-Batch Peanut Butter Cookies.
Kellogg Co. announced Monday that the FDA had found salmonella in one pack of Austin Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter.
General Mills has announced a recall of Larabar Peanut Butter flavored snack bars and JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars because they contain peanut butter from Peanut Corp. and may be contaminated.
McKee Foods – which makes Little Debbie Snacks – has recalled its peanut butter toasty sandwich crackers and peanut butter cheese sandwich crackers made since July 1. The crackers were made for Little Debbie by Kellogg.
Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products, Inc., has announced the recall all Wal-Mart “bakery” brands of peanut butter cookies, peanut butter no-bake cookies and peanut butter fudge no-bake cookies. Similar brands were removed from Food Lion stores, too.
At least 85 companies bought peanut butter and peanut paste produced in the Georgia plant.
Lance, Tasty Baking, Hersheys and ConAgra Foods have issued releases that their products made with peanut butter or peanut-based ingredients are not impacted by the recall since they do not buy peanut butter from PCA.
The FDA said consumers should avoid eating snack foods and foods containing peanut butter unless they know it isn’t linked to product manufactured by Peanut Corp.
Stewart Parnell, owner and president of Peanut Corp., said in a release that consumer safety is the first priority.
“We deeply regret that this has happened,” Parnell said. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily withdrawing this product and contacting our customers.”
Eating food contaminated with salmonella can result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea and fever. Many people infected with salmonella usually develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days with most people recovering without treatment.
However, the infection can be serious in the elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems. In some instances, the diarrhea can be so severe that patients must be hospitalized.
So far, at least 474 people in 43 states have become sick during the salmonella outbreak. Product samples from Connecticut, Minnesota and Virginia has tested positive for the salmonella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Analysis by the Georgia Department of Agriculture found peanut butter from the plant tested positive for salmonella, but tests to determine if that salmonella is an exact DNA match to the outbreak strain are still ongoing.
The Peanut Corp. of America has set up a toll-free 24-hour number 1-877-564-7080 to answer questions or consumers can visit the company Web site, www.peanutcorp.com for additional details.


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Another day, another story calling into question the validity of the data caps that Comcast has brought to a number of new markets in recent months. [More]
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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
How do you say Lazarus in Finnish?
About two months ago, I wondered how to say "unmitigated disaster" in that Nordic tongue after Helsinki-based Nokia issued yet another profit warning.
But on Thursday, Nokia looked to have sprung back to life, lifting sales and earnings targets. The leading maker of cell phones cited particularly strong demand.
This follows a more bullish than expected mid-quarter update on Wednesday from Texas Instruments, the largest maker of semiconductors used in cell phones. Nokia is TI's largest customer.
During a conference call, a TI exec went out of his way to stress that the wireless business wasn't nearly as moribund as many were making it out to be.
Shares of both Nokia (NOK: Research, Estimates) and TI (TXN: Research, Estimates) soared more than 6 percent Thursday.
And the double dose of good news had a profoundly positive impact on other stocks with exposure to cell phones.
Nokia rival Motorola (MOT: Research, Estimates) enjoyed a nice pop.
And so did shares of cell phone chip companies RF Micro Devices (RFMD: Research, Estimates), Skyworks Solutions (SWKS: Research, Estimates), TriQuint Semiconductor (TQNT: Research, Estimates) (which actually lowered its sales guidance Tuesday), and OmniVision Technologies (OVTI: Research, Estimates).
Making a comeback
So is Nokia really back on track?
Since Nokia did lift its earnings target for the quarter by about 33 percent, it appears fears that Nokia would drastically slash prices on older, cheaper phones -- which could have dampened its profits -- were for naught.
|Have shares of Nokia and Texas Instruments finally bottomed?
Casey Ryan, an analyst with Wells Fargo, said it looks like Nokia has been cutting prices on more expensive models, a move that appears to have worked in the company's favor, since it has spurred demand for more profitable phones.
"One of the market's assumptions was that Nokia would cut aggressively on the low-end, but by cutting prices only on the high-end segment, you can raise profit margins if you gain enough sales," said Ryan. "What is happening is a changing product mix."
In addition, Nokia indicated that it had shipped a large amount of new models to cell phone carriers and retailers in anticipation of the holiday shopping season.
One of the biggest problems facing Nokia earlier this year was that it was late in getting so-called clamshell models (phones that flip open) to the market. Rivals capitalized on this.
|Recently in Tech Biz
Thomas Carpenter, an analyst with Hilliard Lyons, cautiously points out that there is a difference between shipping a phone and actually selling it. Still, he's confident that the new models will be hot sellers during the fourth quarter, particularly in the North American market, where Nokia has really lost ground to companies like Motorola, Samsung and LG.
"This is a step in the right direction since the product lineup was getting stale," Carpenter said. "This doesn't mean that Nokia has solved all its problems but it does have more competitive products coming out toward the end of the year."
Good news for wireless...but the rest of tech?
Now what does this say about overall cell phone demand? Worries about a major slowdown seem to have been overblown after all. Inventory concerns could in fact be temporary.
TI said on Thursday that it was really only seeing a major handset inventory problem in China. And Nokia said that sales of cell phones were particularly strong in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The latest outlooks from Nokia and TI clearly illustrate the danger of lumping tech into one convenient category, a mistake often made by the market. It now appears that companies like TI were unfairly punished after Intel lowered its sales target last week.
But by the same token, the good news from Nokia and TI shouldn't be pointed to as evidence that all of tech is due for a rebound after a brutal summer.
All that Nokia and TI proved on Thursday is that retail sales of cell phones should remain healthy. This does not say anything about the state of corporate demand for things like servers and software or consumers' appetite for PCs.
Analysts quoted in this story do not own shares of the companies mentioned and their firms have no investment banking relationships to the companies.
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Dog poisoned by cannabis and possibly cocaine in Metro Vancouver
A warning for pet owners to be extra vigilant. We’ve told you about dogs being poisoned by cannabis but it’s rare to hear of an animal ingesting cocaine. That’s what may have happened to a Metro Vancouver Siberian Husky. Now his owner is speaking to our Linda Aylesworth about the ordeal.