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I knew New York Fashion Week would be a pretty big point of discussion yesterday, but Twitter’s API news was pretty major too. Here’s the rundown:
“Mixer is a new social mobile application for iPhone that lets you converse with people on a location…users can post text and photos to the local feed and others can comment. Via a nice visual interface you can zoom out from your locality to join conversations far away or zoom back in to your neighbourhood. But when you leave a location where a conversation happened you can continue to converse with those people.”
“Search #NYFW and the word “diet” right now on the social media site and you’ll find lots of tweets linking back to the CNN article mentioned above. But if you go back a bit further, you’ll find women tweeting about their actual diets. Just yesterday, fashion stylist Elizabeth Tran tweeted “So my one-cube-of-cheese-every-hour diet starts tomorrow. Well, I think it will…#lesigh #NYFW“ Let’s not forget this shockingly sad picture tweeted out almost a month ago by PR rep Keisha McCotry. Yep, you read that right: a bowl of broccoli and a glass of water is her dinner. She told CNN she began her fashion week diet in July, and that, ‘Perception is reality in this industry, and unfortunately, you have to look the look to get the clients.'”
“New York Fashion Week is one of the fashion industry’s biggest events of the year, the culmination of months of planning, organizing, schmoozing … and dieting? When it comes to the biannual fashion shows, which kick off Thursday, models aren’t the only ones looking to drop a few pounds before hitting the tents. Some publicists, bloggers and fashion editors have been counting calories for weeks in anticipation of the week-long event, where to some, networking and being seen are just as important as the collections debuting on the runways.”
“These are a few of the many benefits offered to you for taking your precious time and creating a great piece of content, such as a case study. One of the benefits I’d like to discuss in much more depth is the social link bait benefit. But before I get into it, I want to just make sure everyone understands what social link bait is.”
“…today, the company officially unveiled the newest version of its API, v1.1, and updated its “Developer Rules of the Road” and display requirements.One of the more notable changes we’ve seen so far, brought to our attention by Steve Streza’s tweet, is that developers will have until March 5, 2013 to switch over to the new version of the API. After that, v1.0 will be “kaput” — to use the technical term.”
While it was easy to see the loss of XML coming — Twitter has slowly dropped support for XML in favor of JSON over the last year and a half — dropping support for RSS and Atom is a major shift. RSS and Atom are the two major formats for serving up web feeds. These feeds can include text, audio, video and other types of media. While most users use RSS as a way to subscribe to web content from a blog or podcast — the format can also be used as a way to subscribe to tweets. Since its inception, Twitter has allowed developers to access Twitter timelines and search queries using RSS. As a result, lots of social aggregators have used RSS as an easy way to pull in tweets alongside messages for other services.


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FPS reboot Syndicate was "a lost battle from the get-go," Starbreeze CEO, Mikael Nermark has said, but the Riddick studio boss is still "proud" of his team's work.
Speaking to Edge, Nermark said he always expected a backlash following EA's decision to turn the classic strategy series into a shooter.
"Yes, I'm still proud of it," he said. "To have the courage to reboot the franchise... We knew from the get-go that there was going to be a small but very vocal [group] of gamers and journalists that was going to hate us whatever route we took.
"If we didn't do an exact copy of the game, they'd hate us. If we did do an exact copy, they'd say we didn't innovate. They were never ours to win; it was a lost battle from the get-go.
"But I'm proud of what the team did and what we made, and I'm especially proud of the co-op; I think that really shows what we wanted to do with the game, and Starbreeze's DNA."
Syndicate sold poorly - an estimated 150,000 copies worldwide - which prompted EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau to tell CVG "it didn't pay off - it didn't work."
"I don't have any response to what Frank said," Nermark told Edge. "I think both EA and Starbreeze can look back at it and say that we could have done stuff differently. [But] if you ask anyone about any game in production they probably would say the same thing.
"In comparison to other triple-A teams, in terms of people and money, we're very small. I'm not going to tell you exactly what Syndicate cost to make - I can't due to NDAs - but it was substantially less than what the big in-house publishing studios would have spent, definitely."

domain: news


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Back in July 2008, we were thrilled when Volkswagen announced it was building a new assembly plant in Chattanooga, TN. Of course, any new assembly plant is big news to us, but a new automotive plant? Well, that’s peaches and cream, as a British friend likes to say.
By any measure, the facility has been a great success. Barely two years after it opened, the plant has already produced more than 250,000 Passat sedans. (In contrast, VW’s previous U.S. assembly plant, in New Stanton, PA, produced 1.15 million vehicles during its operational lifetime from 1978 to 1988.)
We figured the plant would have a big impact on the state and regional economies. Now, a new study by economics professor William F. Fox, Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee has found that the plant has exceeded expectations in that regard, too.
In 2008, VW committed to employing 2,000 people. By 2012, the automaker had hired 2,425 direct employees. When indirect employment is factored in, the facility has helped create an additional 9,985 jobs, according to Dr. Fox.
Spending by the plant has also provided positive economic impact. In 2012, the plant spent some $233.6 million with Tennessee companies, and that doesn’t include spending by employees of VW and its suppliers on housing, groceries and other necessities. According to Dr. Fox, the plant’s annual payroll of $159.2 million produced between $483.9 million and $643.1 million for Tennesseans employed by other businesses.
The facility has also produced a windfall for state and local governments. Dr. Fox estimates that the plant has increased state revenues by $31.2 million annually and local revenues by $22.3 million annually. What’s more, the plant has donated $5.28 million to Tennessean schools and universities since 2008, and it has supported many charities, including the Red Cross, the March of Dimes and the Urban League.
While the economic impact of VW’s assembly plant is remarkable, it’s not necessarily news to anyone who has been involved in manufacturing for a while. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, each dollar’s worth of manufactured goods creates another $1.43 of activity in other sectors—twice the $0.71 multiplier for services. The multiplier is even better for jobs—1.58. Thus, a manufacturing plant that employs 100 people actually supports 158 jobs, 100 directly and 58 through employment at suppliers. For high-tech manufacturing, the multiplier is even higher.
This is why manufacturing matters. Is it any wonder that Michigan, Alabama and several other states battled furiously to host the VW plant? What state wouldn’t want the benefits of a major manufacturing facility? Are you listening Congress?


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19 March 2021
During Qingming Festival in 2020, due to the need of epidemic prevention and control, local governments meet the needs of the masses for the Qingming Festival, local low, medium and high-risk areas vigorously promote online green memorial ceremonies; low-risk areas conduct personnel diversion through online appointment. Most governments advocate that citizens should not go to the scene to offer sacrifices and sweeps. For those citizens who need to offer sacrifices and sweeps on the scene, they should limit the flow, make appointments in time and quantity. As the Qingming Festival approaches in 2021, there is still great pressure for prevention and control in various places, and online tomb-sweeping may still become a way of worship that the government is trying to promote.
At present, there are several different modes of online memorial service, and most of the platforms and technologies are provided by the government. Tianjin has opened an online memorial service platform, launched a "cloud" service for collective memorial service, created scenes for family memorial meetings, and funeral service agencies for collective memorial service to meet the needs of citizens to remember their loved ones. 54 commercial cemeteries in Shanghai have provided 29,000 times of memorial services. The 54 columbariums in Shanghai have organized a collective ritual of tomb-sweeping. Qingdao has adopted WeChat to allow public to carry out "cloud sacrifice" through mobile phones. Qingdao funeral parlour has also opened "space-time" mailboxes to receive letters of missing persons. Nanjing Civil Affairs Bureau of Jiangsu Province, has been developing an online sacrifice scanning software "Ning Si Nian" together with Nanjing Big Data Administration and Nanjing Veterans Affairs Bureau. Citizens can use their ID numbers to log in to the system and provide online sacrifices to their ancestors.
According to the survey results of "The effect of 2020 epidemic on funeral and interment enterprises", 83.1% of the respondents believe that the epidemic will promote the digitalisation of the industry, and 16.51% believe that the public will conduct more online memorial services. As for online services such as "VR tomb watching" or "cloud sacrifice", 15.6% of the respondents said that they are already in the forefront of the industry and are applying and promoting them, while 4% said they would not consider them. In fact, as early as 2013, the funeral industry successively launched relevant Internet services, but it still has not occupied the market today. The epidemic situation in 2020 has brought some changes to the funeral industry, but online sacrifices and digital memorials still require much push-factors, and is still a minority. According to the results of Dongfang.com's poll "How do you plan to sweep this year's Qingming Festival?", 52% chose to sweep after the epidemic, 33% chose to worship at home, 9% chose App network, and 3% chose other ways. The overall proportion of online tomb-sweeping is still relatively low.
As traditional Qingming process moves to a digital front, more and more people may choose to use modern digital methods to carry on the tradition of onsite tomb-sweeping and paying respect through online memorials.
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Tomorrow, on May 29, a new Blue Charm low-end smartphone will debut. Seems there is nothing interesting with this news, but the thing is more and more companies are packing their entry-level smartphones with powerful camera lenses. We have been informed the Meizu M6T will come with a 13+2MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The specs don’t sound attractive. But the sample photo taken by the front shooter proves the opposite.
Gizchina News of the week
On May 28, Li Nan, senior vice president of Meizu Technology, released a sample photo shot by the Meizu M6T. As you can see, the phone maintains quite attractive shooting performance. Looking at the face of the object, we can see the Meizu M6T restore the details of each part perfectly.
As for the rest of features, the Meizu M6T has been said to come with a Spreadtrum SC9850 SoC. It even leaked on GeekBench showing this chip onboard. But yesterday, there was another spotted screenshot confirming the phone will be packed with a MediaTek MT6750 that sounds more trustworthy.
There should be also a 5.7-inch 1440 × 720 resolution display, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 64GB of ROM, 3230mAh battery, and many more. The main change in terms of appearance is the use of rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. At last, the Meizu M6T will have dimensions of 152.3 × 73 × 8.4mm and it will be available in gold, black, red, and blue color options. The Meizu M6T’s selling point will be its pricing around $150.


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“During the first quarter of the year, clothing prices will rise up to 10 percent in response to inflation and the increase in the price of fuels such as LP gas and gasoline”, declared the president of the National Chamber of the Clothing Industry in Yucatan (CANAIVE), Pedro Enrique Góngora Medina.
He said that apparently economic conditions will not improve and the increase in inflation remains uncontrolled, so the production sector will have make adjustments in their prices immediately.
He added that clothing companies have been absorbing the inflationary increase, but it is no longer possible to sacrifice profits, especially since prices continue to rise in hydrocarbons (gas, diesel) as well as in LP gas and other basic products.
Góngora Medina said that if there is no stability in inflation between now and March, this sector of production will have to make an adjustment of 5 or even 10 percent in their sale prices.
“We have very little room for maneuver, so if we continue with the upward trend of inflation, we will have to adjust the prices of our products, which would take place around the end of the first quarter,” he added.
The leader of the National Chamber of the Clothing Industry in Yucatan indicated that, at the end of 2017, there was an inflationary increase of 6.6 percent and in the particular case of the clothing industry, the figure was just under 5 percent.
Góngora Medina stressed that clothing manufacturers have called on the authorities to take actions to stabilize inflation in this production sector.
“These increases have caught us off guard, since the Bank of Mexico was expecting an increase in inflation of 4 percent, however, the increase went up to 6 percent,” he said.
The leader urged the Yucatecan society to buy products manufactured in the region, in order to support this economic sector of the state.
“We have an invasion of transnational brands and our duty is to support the local… We see that one of the strategies to optimize the clothing industry in the Yucatán is production, so we need to focus on production,” he concluded.
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Are we willing to compromise on innovation and quality based on origin of the products manufactured? In a recent statement, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal emphasised how the country cannot afford to remain dependent on low-cost, low-quality products. While it is encouraging the government is strengthening the domestic industry, we are seeing lapses in healthcare quality that we possibly cannot afford.
By NK Ganguly
With global economies finding themselves in the coronavirus snare, we are witnessing a paradigm shift in the way we treat patients, provide healthcare access and author policies that make an impact. What we decide today will shape the global societies of tomorrow and hence the need for a pragmatic approach. India, with the world’s second largest population, among the lowest healthcare spend and 75% import dependency on medical devices, has been able to address critical issues like accessible healthcare—ramped up testing, provision of hospital beds and quarantine centres, and the provision of Covid-19 treatment centres with oxygen-equipped beds. It is interesting to see how India’s self-reliance story is emerging, but it would be incomplete in the absence of quality care.
Zooming in on India’s ‘self-reliant’ rhetoric
Our reliance on the world for medical devices is nothing new. But the dependence became more pronounced as India struggled to fight for quality products. From poor quality ventilators to N95 masks, our fight to become self-reliant has taken many hits in the last few months. N95 masks are a classic example. The N95 respirator should ideally filter 95% of particles larger than 0.3 microns. Investigations have revealed that many of these poor-quality masks filter only 60-80% of 0.3-micron particles. What does this mean? It means we are putting healthcare workers at risk. These masks must meet quality standards by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. But do they?
Recently, the government removed N95 masks from its ‘essential commodities’ list. This will now propel the entry of fakes and spuriously certified options at much cheaper prices into the market. We are taking another risk in the name of affordability like we did in the case of ventilators.
The need to strengthen quality healthcare
Amid the ongoing scuffle with China, the government has made it mandatory for sellers to provide the ‘country of origin’ on its e-marketplace (GeM) portal, which is consumed by government departments for public procurement. While the move seeks to empower domestic industry, can we let geography decide the quality of healthcare for our people?
Even as ‘Make in India’ seeks to encourage domestic market of medical devices, make them more affordable, the quality of these medical devices remains in question. Are we willing to compromise on innovation and quality based on origin of the products manufactured? In a recent statement, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal emphasised how the country cannot afford to remain dependent on low-cost, low-quality products. While it is encouraging the government is strengthening the domestic industry, we are seeing lapses in healthcare quality that we possibly cannot afford.
With the third largest number of Covid-19 cases in the world, India has many battles to fight on the domestic front. Now, as India looks at strengthening its own market with domestic companies taking the plunge, it is imperative that global standards are met. Over the years, global partnerships and alliances have helped India and the world exchange the value of innovation that helps patients lead better lives. Our experience of a pandemic is nothing new.
From the Spanish Flu that claimed more than 17 million lives to Covid-19 impacting lives across geographies, medical science has seen many outbreaks; most we have been able to fight with innovations that transformed lives. These innovations promise quality to people around the world, and India is no different. As we work towards strengthening the domestic market, we must also ensure that patients have access to the best quality products, and their safety is not compromised in the name of geography or accessibility.


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To further support our clients as they navigate the effects of COVID-19 on their businesses and their recovery, Colliers Real Estate Management Services (REMS) initiated a national sentiment assessment of the tenants in our managed portfolio, surveying 445 tenants. Of the tenants surveyed, 163 were office tenants, 148 were retail tenants, and 134 were industrial tenants across 66 million square feet of commercial real estate in Canada.
In the last couple of weeks, we have released three separate reports dedicated to the retail, office, and industrial asset classes based on our findings. You can download the previously released retail report here and the previously released office report here.
The third report in our three-part series, Industrial Recovery: Regulations, Permanent Closures and Operational Changes, focuses on how industrial tenants have responded to government regulations and their associated costs, approached possible permanent business closures and shifted operating plans.
- Industrial tenants are 1.3x more likely to consider offering new products or services compared to retail or office businesses
- With ongoing physical distancing measures and an increased reliability on e-commerce, future demand for fulfillment centres could continue to climb
- Due to the nature of the business, industrial tenants have largely embraced shift work to ensure physical distancing, thus increasing operating hours
- Looking forward, industrial tenants are considering the expanded use of automation to address expensive labour and physical distancing requirements
- 6% of industrial tenants said they have plans to permanently close their businesses, compared to 10% of retail tenants and 4% of office tenants
- Local manufacturing could see a steady increase as the world is set to see less globalization, especially for essential products


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Editor’s note: Since its inception a decade ago, commentary in the from of guest opinion-editorial, or Op-Ed, content has been an important part of Food Safety News. Hundreds of contributors have found a place in Food Safety News for their voice when they’ve had something important to say about food safety. Through the Publisher’s Platform, Beach Beat, and the Letter from the Editor columns, Bill Marler, Coral Beach, and Dan Flynn have also used this space to share their more opinionated thoughts with our readers. In this way, we’ve served as the town square for the food safety community by having something to say and encouraging others to do the same. Here’s a sampling of excerpts, in no particular order, from the opinion columns we published during 2018.
Eschewing obfuscation on poultry slaughter line speed
By Brian Ronholm Jan. 13, 2018
The key to understanding the complexities in the debate over the line speed issue for poultry production is to recognize that there is a distinct difference between the line speed for slaughter and the line speed for processing in a facility. While slaughter line speed is currently limited to 140 birds per minute (bpm), except for certain facilities, there are no regulations that limit the line speed for processing itself where birds are cut up and turned into various products.
More intuitively, another key point is that the work performed by poultry processing line personnel is incredibly difficult and ensuring the safety of these workers is of paramount importance. It is the intersection of these elements that is vexing the debate over line speed.
Four letters spell out the most significant food safety change in the past 25 years
By Dr. Richard Raymond Nov. 21, 2018
To paraphrase Nancy Donley, then executive director of the organization now known as STOP Foodborne Illness, if you look long enough and hard enough when investigating an E. coli outbreak, you will eventually bump into a cow.
In conclusion, PFGE (testing) does not reduce contaminated food being delivered to our retailers and our door steps, but it can reduce the amount available for sale and consumption by much more quickly identifying a source and initiating a recall along with notifying consumers and public health leaders.
The downside is that large numbers of sickened consumers and industry names lead to headlines, while the previously isolated cases of foodborne illnesses with no link to the industry did not.
And I think this bad publicity is contributing to the increased demand from the public for a safer food supply, which led to the Food Safety Modernization Act. Whether that will actually be another major development in food safety remains to be seen, but Congress and FDA feel mighty good about it.
Yesterday’s uninformed habits are tomorrow’s known threats
By Phyllis Entis March 25, 2018
In the 50s and 60s, there was no effective method to detect norovirus. Illnesses that today are attributed to norovirus infections were written off as “stomach flu” instead.
Some of the bacterial pathogens common today, notably, shiga-toxin producing E. coli, including E. coli O157:H7, are relatively recent mutations. The earliest report in the literature of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak dates from 1983.
Large-scale production requires large-scale distribution networks, including transportation of liquid ingredients in tanker trucks. A Salmonella outbreak resulted from the transportation of pasteurized ice cream mix in a tanker that had previously carried liquid raw egg, and that hadn’t been sanitized between uses.
Climate change also has played a role. For example, shellfish are known to harbor Vibrio parahaemolyticus. However, this pathogen is cold-sensitive and was not a food safety hazard in the waters off the coast off Canada’s west coast in the past. With the rise in water temperatures, Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been found more frequently in shellfish harvested in those waters.
Triple play: ‘Pro-choice nutritionist’ calls out produce guides
By Toby Amidor April 10, 2018
As a nutritional professional, I am frequently asked questions regarding purchasing organic or conventional fruits and vegetables. I am also asked about the use of “shoppers’ guides” produced and promoted by consumer and environmental groups that advise on which produce to buy organic due to residue concerns.
My response is that I am a “Pro-Choice” shopping advocate, which is why I am not a fan of produce “shoppers’ guides.” Whether you purchase organic, conventional, ugly or local, buy your produce at a grocery store, food cooperative, online or a farmer’s market, I support doing whatever works best for you and your family. I just advise consumers to eat more fruits and veggies every day for better health and a longer life because it is my job to promote a nourishing, well balanced diet.
These “shoppers’ guides” are a disservice to consumers and confusing because they are not based upon sound science and are often in direct conflict. A quick review shows one guide advises consumers to buy only organic of a certain produce item due to supposed safety concerns, while another guide recommends making the exact opposite purchasing decision. What is a consumer to do?
By Dr. Richard Raymond April 24, 2018
Yes, let us count the ways the federal government has failed to keep us safe from a foodborne illness.
First is the current, growing E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to precut romaine lettuce. As of April 19, 53 persons have been reported ill from this bug, involving 16 states, with 31 hospitalized.
That is a 60 percent hospitalization rate, almost twice the normal, so this bacterium is an especially virulent strain. Maybe it could be called a super bug?
And what have the Food and Drug Administration and Center for Disease Control and Prevention to assure our safety? They have advised throwing out any romaine lettuce grown in Arizona.
That is a pretty big safety net. Why not name the brand and the stores it was sold in?
Oh, right, proprietary, confidential corporate information (CCI). Protect the companies, not the public.
Egg farmers not defined by bad actors; industry is safe, clean
Guest Opinion by Ken Klippen, National Association of Egg Farmers president, May 30, 2018
Today’s opinion article (posted May 26, 2018) by Roy Costa RS, MS, entitled “Rose Acres Farms: Another Bad Actor, or a Deeper Problem” deserves a rebuttal from the nation’s egg farmers.
Costa served as an expert witness for Marler Clark LLP when the 2010 Quality Egg Salmonella enteritidis outbreak occurred. Egg farmers today are providing a safe, wholesome egg for consumers while caring for the chicken and environment, so the title of his article suggesting a “deeper problem” is being challenged in this rebuttal.
Unfinished business: Keeping the focus on food safety
By Michael Taylor on July 9, 2018
In just the past few months, outbreaks involving romaine lettuce, pre-cut melons and Honey Smacks cereal have reminded us that the work to more effectively prevent foodborne illness is far from complete. People are still getting sick and dying, and markets are still being disrupted. Make no mistake, the commitment and effort are there among food safety professionals who work every day on farms, in factories and in retail settings to provide consumers safe food. And people at FDA and in state governments are working hard to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Beach Beat: Why wasn’t canal water tested months ago?
By Coral Beach June 29, 2018
If you’ve walked the Beach Beat with me you know how I feel about government workers: They make the world go ’round. …
What I don’t understand is why the canal water samples were not collected for testing until June 4-8. Yep. June 4-8.
Back on April 13, both FDA and CDC reported that romaine from the Yuma growing region was implicated in the outbreak.
“Epidemiologic evidence collected to date indicates that chopped romaine lettuce is the likely source of this outbreak. Twenty-six (93%) of 28 people interviewed reported consuming romaine lettuce in the week before their illness started,” CDC reported and FDA referenced in their April 13 updates. “At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified. However, preliminary information indicates that the chopped romaine lettuce was from the Yuma, AZ, growing region.”
Maybe it’s just my calendar, but there were seven weeks of opportunity to test canal water — the most common source of irrigation water in the area — before the FDA collected samples. I doubt the rank and file investigators suggested that delay. Considering the fact that CDC scientists couldn’t start testing the canal water until they received it, their turnaround time for confirmed test results seems pretty darn quick.
But the question lingers. Why wasn’t the canal water tested sooner by government investigators?
FDA should choose public safety over corporate confidentiality
By Sharon Natanblut July 17, 2018
The FDA has an opportunity now to update its recall disclosure policy to provide consumers critical information they need and want to protect themselves during an outbreak. The agency can, and should, begin routinely identifying which retailers and individual store locations sold recalled food. This information will motivate consumers who have shopped in these stores to check their homes for recalled food and discard the food before anyone becomes ill.
That is the message that consumer groups, members of Congress, and others have been delivering to the FDA. Just last week, food safety lawyer Bill Marler wrote in his blog that “the time has come for the FDA to reassess what are considered “trade secrets” or “confidential corporate information” so that consumers can know which retailers have sold recalled foods.” He pointed out that the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has been routinely doing this for the past decade, “and the sky did not fall.”
Setting the record straight: USDA says your meat and poultry are safe to eat
By Carmen Rottenberg on August 29, 2018
You may have seen a Consumer Reports story claiming that the poultry and meat you purchase in the grocery store and feed your families could contain harmful drug residues. That is not true. This story is sensational and fear-based infotainment aimed at confusing shoppers with pseudoscience and scare tactics. Consumer Reports admits in their closing paragraph that the real agenda behind this piece is to convince Americans to eat less meat. Shame on Consumer Reports for attempting to advance a rhetoric that lacks scientific support or data, at the expense of American producers and the 9,000 food safety professionals who ensure the safety of meat and poultry in this country every day.
USDA has been ensuring the safety of meat and poultry since 1906, with inspectors, scientists, and experts making food safety determinations daily. FSIS has a rigorous drug residue testing program and has been conducting drug residue testing since 1958. When FSIS tests for residues, USDA inspectors collect meat and poultry samples at multiple points in the process, including in the final packages, before they are shipped to grocery stores. The samples are sent to FSIS labs, where we test for more than 200 veterinary drug and chemical residues as well as numerous harmful pathogens.
Our intensive testing process includes a preliminary test, or screening test, followed, when positive, by confirmatory testing. The screening instrument very often produces a response, which is why the agency completes the screening process, using controls and other evidence, to determine if the responses are confirmed and reproducible. The results of this initial screen, without the further testing layers, are the data that was released in error. FSIS scientists spoke with Consumer Reports multiple times to explain this information, but Consumer Reports scientists failed to evaluate all the scientific results and methods objectively.
Will the foodservice industry ever knock down it’s brick wall of denial?
By Francine L. Shaw on October 5, 2018
Day after day, I watch the list of foodborne illness casualties accumulate. As a food safety expert, I receive a ridiculous number of recall alerts and foodborne illness outbreak notices daily. And I watch in amazement as the food service industry continues to be in denial about our country’s serious, ongoing food safety problem. Things won’t get better until the industry admits there is a problem, and takes measureable steps to improve their food safety protocols.
In 2017, there were a total of 438 recalls, with the leading cause being the presence of undeclared allergens and mislabeled products. Nearly half the recalls contained known food allergens (i.e., wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, etc.) that were not listed on the product label – a serious (potentially deadly) issue for food-allergic individuals. Some misbranded products had serious errors on their labels. For example, the Food Industry Counsel reported one raw pork product was labeled as ready-to-eat (RTE) when it wasn’t cooked at all.
The second leading cause of recalls in 2017 was due to the possible presence of dangerous pathogens in RTE foods. Listeria monocytogenes was the number one pathogen found in recalled products, including hummus, protein bars, nuts, soup and waffles.
Romaine outbreak: Where should we go from here? Forward together
Editor’s note: Michael Taylor and Lauren Bush, co-chairs of the STOP Foodborne Illness board, combined efforts to write this column. Nov. 16
On Nov. 1, FDA issued its assessment of factors contributing to this year’s deadly outbreak of illness caused by contaminated romaine lettuce produced in the Yuma, Arizona growing region. This was the largest outbreak of E. coli O157: H7 infections in the United States since the spinach outbreak of 2006. Ninety-six people were hospitalized and five died.
In an accompanying letter to the leafy greens industry and state officials in Arizona and California, the Food and Drug Administration also issued a strong call to action, saying: “Bold action is needed to prevent future outbreaks, especially ones of this magnitude, and to restore consumer confidence in the safety of leafy greens available on the market.”
We emphatically agree. The question is what action and by whom. The key players are FDA, the states, the leafy green industry and food retailers – the businesses that directly link food producers with consumers. They all have roles to play. The cattle feeding industry must also be part of the conversation. Typically, multiple factors contribute to major outbreaks, but just as run-off from cattle grazing was implicated in the 2006 spinach outbreak, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) is implicated in the romaine outbreak due to the CAFO’s close proximity to irrigation canals and growing fields.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)


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Chevrolet Lawsuit News
TBD … continue reading
General Motors is facing a second legal challenge for problems related to warped and cracked wheels in the C7 Corvette.
As reported by the Detroit Free Press, the consolidated class-action lawsuit was brought by eightteen 2015-2019 C7 Corve … continue reading
GM used heat shields that don't curve under the starters in the 5th and 6th generation Camaro, according to a new lawsuit. That leaves them exposed to heat and makes them completely unreliable.
The plaintiff says the problem is particularly … continue reading
TBD … continue reading
There's growing concern that GM has made a series of bad decisions about the wheels for the C7 Corvette. … continue reading
GM allegedly cut corners by installing a fuel pump that isn’t compatible with US diesel in its larger trucks. It’d almost be hard to believe, except we are talking about GM here. The same company that swept a deadly ignition switch problem … continue reading
A lawsuit says a failed vacuum pump in GM’s brake boosters can make the brake pedal extremely hard to push, leading to longer stopping distances and accidents.
While investigating a rear-end collision involving the lead plaintiff ”GM told h … continue reading
The federal case against GM’s handling of their ignition switch recall might be over, but a judge has left the door open for owners to sue the automaker for economic losses if they want.
Judge Jesse Furman ruled on claims of "manifest … continue reading
A lawsuit says the 2.4L Ecotec engine in the 2010-2017 Equinox burns too much oil, knocks incessantly, has defective spark plugs, and is pre-disposed to timing chain issues that can lead to complete engine failure.
But wait, there’s more…
A … continue reading
Have you heard about the lawsuit that says the side blind zone alert system in the 2013-2018 Chevy Cruze is defective?
The lawsuit claims that the system fails because the sensors are poorly sealed and over-exposed to elements like debris a … continue reading
A consolidated class-action lawsuit is accusing GM of equipping its Duramax diesel engines with defeat devices.
The plaintiffs claim emissions tests show the Silverado and Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks emit levels of nitrogen oxides higher t … continue reading
A lawsuit says defective piston rings have been causing overheating and oil consumption issues in Equinox and Terrain vehicles since 2010.
The allegedly faulty engines cause too much oil to enter the combustion chambers, something General … continue reading
It's no secret that the Equinox's 2.4-liter EcoTech engine has problems with excessive oil consumption. Now there's a lawsuit that wants Chevy to do something about it.
In the end, the plaintiffs claim the EcoTec 2.4-liter piston rings can … continue reading
Chevy started offering an optional "blind zone alert" safety upgrade with the 2013 Cruze. However, they placed the system's sensors on the rear bumper which, according to a new lawsuit leaves the system suceptible to spray from th … continue reading
A lawsuit filed in Oklahoma says GM’s A/C will only blow hot air due to multiple defects in the HVAC system. And that the automaker wasn’t upfront about the problem.
The lawsuit says there are at least two defective parts of the air condit … continue reading
A proposed settlement will award certain GM owners in Arizona about $200 each for owning cars with ignition switch problems.
The $6.28 million will be paid to about 33,000 GM owners in Arizona, as long as they purchased the vehicles betwee … continue reading
GM owners tired of their dashboards looking like a faultline have taken the matter [to the court].
General Motors allegedly tells consumers the damage is merely cosmetic, but the plaintiffs claim in addition to safety hazards, the damag … continue reading
GM owners are still trying to convince a judge that Vortec 5300 engines have oil consumption problems and don’t give owners adequate warnings when oil levels are dangerously low. … continue reading
A federal judge has ruled there isn't enough evidence to support some very reasonable claims made by a Vortec 5300 engine oil consumption lawsuit last year. … continue reading
Dennis Ward says he was involved in an accident after his HHR's ignition switch shut off, causing a "sudden and unexpected power loss." The next day, GM expanded its ignition switch recall to include his now totaled car.
He filed … continue reading
There's something funky going on inside GM's 5.3L Vortec 5300 engine causing it to use a higher-than-normal amount of oil. Some might even say it's excessive. … continue reading
Back in May, GM admitted that they overstated the fuel economy on some 2016 SUVs and offered a compensation program as a sorry 'bout that. Owners received somewhere between $450 to $1500, based on a few factors, for their troubles.
But that … continue reading
Here's a fun thought --- your Chevy Cruze turbo diesel might be illegal in the USA. A new lawsuit claims GM is using "defeat devices" to hide emissions output similar to the ones VW just got raked over the coals for.
"Attorn … continue reading


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A third of a town centre park, including 81 mature lime trees, are still condemned by development scheme, despite the council’s development partner pulling out of the “transformational project”. This plan was put forward for Walthamstow town centre, by the Housing portfolio holder at Waltham Forest Council, Cllr Simon Miller.
Save Our Square E17 explain that the scheme will build on 32% of the town centre’s park, cutting down the mature trees (to be replaced by saplings) just so that they do not obstruct the view of the new building. There will also be a new shopping mall and 800 houses (52 of which are affordable at either 40% or 80% commercial rents) in 29-storey blocks.
One local commented “They only have outline permission for the towers… this just shows what problems they have trying to get such a rubbish scheme like this to fly”, and “Capital & Regional and Mount Anvil have both refused to comment on the issue.”
“the mall development just one part of the pipeline we are putting in place to deliver social and affordable housing for our residents”, says Cllr. Clare Coghill, Leader of the Council.
WIF spokesperson, James O’Rourke, says:
“High streets in 2018 are a tale of lost shops with thousands of jobs at risk. Ironically, the owners of the Walthamstow Mall, Capital & Regional, recently released figures for its predictions of how much the high street bloodbath is set to cost it by the end of the year – estimates show that full-year rental income will be down £1.2million.”
“Additionally, research shows year-on-year retail footfall fell 6% in March 2018, Greater London saw the most rapid fall in footfall of 7.5% and high streets like Walthamstow experienced the most drastic decline of all retail destinations of 8.6%. With such economic woe it seems Capital & Regional has lost touch with reality.”
“Both Cllr Simon Miller and Capital & Regional are also delusional if they think swallowing up two thirds of public space, ripping out 81 mature Lime trees and moving the children’s playground next to the third busiest bus station in London is a “transformational project”.
“We are committed to working with local groups to deter future developers from stealing our public space from us.” O’Rourke concluded.
Our earlier article about the granting of the outline planning permission, is here.


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Recent reports have found that cyber attacks against U.S. corporations are on the rise, along with an increase in international threats, especially from China, and emerging threats to small businesses. Today, it’s not a matter of if an organization will be the victim of a cyber attack, but when.
If you knew you were going to be attacked, what would you do differently to prepare your infrastructure? Bill Wheeler, global director of security & compliance practice at Zensar, outlines the most important steps you should take when protecting your organization.
With the launch of ApplePay for secure online and mobile payments, tokenization has become a hot topic in data security. ... More >>
Making the right investments can minimize the cyber risks your organization faces, but this requires looking at the complete picture and not just a few pieces. ... More >>
In reviewing this list, continue to ask yourself how to apply the advice to your organization and its unique cybersecurity ecosystem. ... More >>


text: WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Fairchild Semiconductor fcs on Thursday posted a loss in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 25, as the maker of power chips reportedly slightly lower sales. The South Portland, Maine-based company said it lost $4.7 million, or 4 cents a share, down from net profit of $15.8 million, or 13 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue fell 2% to $370.8 million on a year-over-year basis. Excluding onetime costs and benefits, Fairchild generated profit of $13.6 million, or 11 cents a share. The company was expected to earn 7 cents a share on sales of $363 million, according to the consensus of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call. Looking ahead, the company said it expects revenue to climb 5% to 7% sequentially in the first quarter.


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Two companies united by innovation: Renishaw and MSP
Renishaw and metrology software products ltd are thrilled to announce their partnership
has been recognised with a prestigious award. The two companies won 'Best Supplier
Partnership' at the MTA Manufacturing Industry Awards 2015.
The MTA Best Supplier Partnership Award celebrates successful relationships where
innovation, sustainability, value and efficiency have led to productive collaborations.
Renishaw and MSP's partnership has been essential to advancing inspection within the
manufacturing industry and has established a global portfolio of revolutionary products.
The awards were announced at the MTA Annual Dinner. This black-tie event was held on
the 12th of March at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham and was hosted by
business presenter, Steph McGovern. It is the biggest annual event of its type and every
year hundreds of senior people in engineering-based manufacturing attend the event to
celebrate the success of the industry.
The partnership between MSP and Renishaw has led to many innovative products for the
manufacturing industry. UCCserver is a global product providing access to all Renishaw
advanced CMM probing systems and Equator™, Renishaw's versatile gauging system, is
revolutionising manufacturing quality processes. Such product developments would not
have been possible without the partnership, as they encompass skills from both
companies. MSP with the highly specialist software expertise and Renishaw with its
hardware design excellence, innovative application software and global sales distribution.
Kevyn Jonas, Director of Renishaw's Measurement and Automation Products Division,
commented: "To be recognised with this award is a huge achievement. MSP’s software
and Renishaw’s hardware, deliver innovation to manufacturers around the globe. Our
trusted partnership with MSP continues to thrive and stretch what is possible with
This award signals the start of a successful year for the partnership. This year it enters the
machine tool arena where the use of MSP's multi-award winning system, NC-PerfectPart,
is being explored for use in conjunction with Renishaw's advanced machine tool probing
Peter Hammond, MSP Technical Director, added: “To be recognised as the best supplier
partnership for 2015 is an honour and I am extremely proud of our partnership with
Renishaw and what we have been able to achieve. Our partnership is based upon
innovation, trust and quality and together we have worked closely to produce innovative
products for the manufacturing industry”.
For more information on Renishaw, visit:
For more information on metrology software products, visit: http://www.metsoftpro.com/
For more information on the award, visit: http://www.mta.org.uk/awards/award-categories


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The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) mandatory added sugar labeling policy for packaged foods and beverages, set to take effect between 2020 and 2021, could be a cost-effective way to generate important health gains and cost-savings for both the healthcare system and society in the U.S., according to a new modeling study led by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and the University of Liverpool. The analysis is the first to estimate the potential health and economic impacts of the new label.
In 2016, the FDA announced several mandatory changes to the Nutrition Facts label in order to provide consumers with enhanced nutritional information. Among the changes was adding the grams and percent Daily Value of added sugar content, which would help consumers limit calories from added sugar in accordance with the recommendations of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The study, published today in Circulation, estimates that the FDA’s added sugar label could prevent or postpone nearly 1 million cases of cardiometabolic disease, including heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, over a 20-year period. When combined with possible industry reformulations to reduce added sugar content in packaged foods and beverages, the label could prevent or postpone nearly 3 million cases of cardiovascular disease and diabetes over the same time period. Cost-effectiveness of each scenario was evaluated from a healthcare perspective (accounting for policy costs and medical costs) and from a societal perspective (further accounting for informal care costs and lost productivity costs). Both scenarios were estimated to be cost-effective within five years and cost-saving within seven years.
Specifically, the analysis estimates that the added sugar label could:
- Prevent or postpone 354,400 cases of cardiovascular disease and 599,300 cases of diabetes;
- Gain 727,000 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs); and
- Save $31 billion in net healthcare costs and $61.9 billion in societal costs. Policy costs were estimated to be $1.7 billion.
Taking into consideration possible reformulation by the food industry, the analysis yielded greater corresponding gains, estimating that the new label could:
- Prevent or postpone 708,800 cases of cardiovascular disease and 1.2 million cases of diabetes;
- Gain 1.3 million QALYs; and
- Save $57.6 billion in net healthcare costs and $113.2 billion in societal costs. Policy costs, including industry reformulation costs, were estimated to be $4.3 billion.
“The added sugar label is an important policy step toward reducing consumption of foods and beverages with high added sugar contents, improving health, and lowering healthcare spending,” said Renata Micha, R.D., Ph.D., the study’s co-senior and corresponding author and research associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. “These findings have important implications for individuals, policy makers and the food industry alike. Modest industry reformulation would be a powerful way to maximize potential benefits, highlighting industry’s critical role in being part of the solution.”
While some companies have begun listing added sugar content, the 2018 deadline for compliance has been extended to 2020 for large manufacturers and 2021 for small manufacturers.
“Informing consumers about what is in their sugary drinks, cakes, and sweets will help them decide what they want to eat for their health now and later,” said Martin O’Flaherty, M.D., Ph.D., co-senior author and professor in epidemiology at the University of Liverpool. “Full implementation of the label before 2021 could help maximize health and economic gains.”
The researchers note that Americans consume more than 15 percent of their total calories from added sugars and overconsumption of added sugars is linked to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. These diseases pose large health and economic burdens for the society and the healthcare system. Food labeling could be an effective strategy to support informed consumer choice and reduce added sugar intake, while further stimulating industry reformulation, as supported by recent experience with trans fat labeling in the U.S.
The researchers used a validated microsimulation model (IMPACT) to estimate the potential health impact, costs, and cost-effectiveness of the FDA’s added sugar label based on the two scenarios, which were compared with a “no intervention” baseline scenario over a 20-year timeframe (2018-2037). The model generated a sample representative of the U.S. adult population and utilized data from the two most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2011-2014), CDC Wonder, meta-analyses, and other validated sources.
Source: Read Full Article


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May 10, 2013 |
MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever will soon launch the country's first liquid laundry detergent, hoping that affluent consumers will pay a premium for a product that promises to make their laundry chore easier. At Rs 230 for a litre, Surf Excel Liquid will be the most expensive daily use detergent product. So far, liquids were sold only for woollen clothes or as post-wash whiteners and conditioners within the laundry category. HUL, which also owns...
June 27, 2012 |
MUMBAI: Viacom18 Media today appointed Sudhanshu Vats as its Group chief executive, effective August. Vats will be reporting to the Viacom18 board and will be responsible for growth of all Viacom18 brands/businesses, comprising Colors, Comedy Central , MTV , Nickelodeon , Sonic, Vh1 and Viacom18 Motion Pictures in the country. A HUL veteran, Vats has worked with Unilever in various capacities in the country and is currently...
April 22, 2010 |
MUMBAI: What started as a bitter laundry advertising war between arch rivals ? Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Procter & Gamble India (P&G) ? has now extended way beyond that turf. HUL has moved a contempt petition in the Calcutta High Court against Procter & Gamble (P&G), alleging that the latter made "incorrect" and "misleading" interpretation of the court's order in a media release dated March 5, 2010. In the contempt petition moved on March 30 ?
December 15, 2004 |
It's a mixed bag for the big daddy of the FMCG sector. Power brands Lux and Rin move up the rankings, but there's still room for improvement in the rankings of Surf, Wheel and Lifebuoy. Despite the swings, the fact remains that HLL has eight power brands in the top 20 list this year, which indicates that the powerhouse remains a force to reckon with year after year. Gopal Vittal, VP, personal wash, believes that the rise of Lux to No 2 in the survey is a result of efforts put into...
December 17, 2003 |
Personal hygiene gets the thumbs up from all concerned, as Colgate is the top brand for both housewives and chief wage earners ? and Dettol is at No 3. But the rest of the rankings reflect the different priorities of these two segments. Call it nature or call it nurture, but finance finds its way on top for CWEs, with LIC and State Bank of India at No 6 and No 17. In the housewife segment, it's Pond's, Rin and Fair & Lovely that move up the rankings, all of them making the top five.


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Turkish, Kiwi experts discuss 'smart agriculture'
With climate change and rising food demand in view, speakers focused on the use of technology and joint collaborations to increase bilateral trade.
Wendy Hinton, New Zealand’s ambassador to Turkey, said the twin challenges of an inefficient food system and the impact of climate change are interrelated. “Both New Zealand and Turkey are making investments in developing sustainable practices, boosting production, and responding to a changing world,” she said.
Turkey’s newly appointed ambassador to New Zealand, Fatma Ömür Ünsay, said the two countries have “great potential for investment” and can find new areas for joint collaboration.
Turkey and New Zealand bilateral trade is close to $200 million annually. The two countries are collaborating in healthcare, agricultural technology, communications, and seismic research, among others.
While Turkey imports sheep intestines, wool, and skin from New Zealand, the latter buys Turkey-made vehicles, dry fruits, and plastics.
Catherine Beard, a Kiwi expert, said Turkey's exports of finished carpets to New Zealand "is a fantastic collaboration."
She shared key statistics about New Zealand such as its food and dairy industry competes with the U.S. and China, it meets 80% of entire energy needs through renewable means, and that it does not provide subsidies to the agriculture sector as “farmers are highly productive.”
The country spends half a billion dollars on agricultural research annually, and has four globally recognized universities for agri-food research, she said.
Emine Feyhan Yaşar, representing Yaşar Holdings from Turkey, said food security is important for future generations, as well as to overcome water and nutrition deficiencies.
Technologies such as robots, GPS, and censors will allow efficient use of resources and result in more productivity, she added.
Yaşar termed the use of technology in farming as “smart agriculture,” which will ensure a stable food supply chain.


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Sony Corp (NYSE: SNE) has inked a deal to buy AT&T Inc’s (NYSE: T) anime video streaming subsidiary Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion in cash consideration. A definite agreement has been signed by Sony Funimation Global Group LLC to acquire a 100% stake in AT&T’s Ellation Holdings.
What Happened: The acquisition will allow Sony to grow its content library by including the Japanese anime movies and TV shows, as AT&T remains focused on its HBO MAX offering in the U.S., the Wall Street Journal reports.
Crunchyroll is part of the AT&T WarnerMedia unit, offering a direct-to-customer service. Crunchyroll in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it caters to over three million users for its subscription video on demand (SVOD) content.
Almost 90 million registered Crunchyroll users access its advertising-based video on demand (AVOD), manga content, mobile games, and events, it said.
Funimation was created as a joint venture between Aniplex Inc, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc, and Sony Pictures Enteainment Inc.
Why Does It Matter: As part of the deal, Sony will also absorb Crunchyroll’s 500 employees post-acquisition.
The current sale is part of the telecom giant’s plan to reshape its business focus, the Journal noted.
"Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunity for creators, producers and publishers in Japan and elsewhere," Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra said in a statement.
"Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing segment of entertainment.”
In October, AT&T disclosed the receipt of $1.1 billion in cash for its stake in the European broadcasting company — Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.
Price Action: On Wednesday, Sony shares closed at $94.13, 0.82% higher, and AT&T stock closed 2.11% higher at $31.46
Photo courtesy: VeganTylor via Wikimedia
See more from Benzinga
© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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HARIBO of America is planning to begin work on its new “gummy production campus” this year in Pleasant Prairie, which means Wisconsin is really going to be upping its gummy game.
“HARIBO is the fastest growing confectionery brand in the U.S. I’m proud that its products will be made right here in Wisconsin,” said Gov. Tony Evers in a statement on Monday.
“We warmly welcome HARIBO to a long list of family-run enterprises that form the economic backbone of our state, making best-in-class products that reach every corner of the globe.”
The gummy factory will be the first in North America for the German-born HARIBO confectionery company.
“HARIBO’s commitment to quality, excellence and joy makes it precisely the kind of company we want and can well support in Wisconsin,” added Missy Hughes, Secretary & CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), in Monday’s statement.
“The company is a perfect fit with our food production tradition, and joins an enviable roster of iconic consumer brands that call Wisconsin home.”
In addition to gummy bears, HARIBO also makes gummy worms, happy cola, gummy snakes, sour Gold-Bears and other chewy delights.
The company’s sweet (and sour) commitment makes up for the fact that Jelly Belly closed its distribution center and store, which also offered a fun tour, this year. Jelly Belly did not manufacture its jelly beans in Wisconsin.
“Kenosha County is pleased to be the future home of HARIBO’s production facility,” said Jim Kreuser, Kenosha County Executive. “A company like HARIBO, with its manufacturing legacy and engagement as an outstanding corporate citizen, is already an important part of our community. Kenosha County looks forward to becoming an integral part of the next chapter in HARIBO’s story.”
The company announced its $242 million plan to develop the 136.8-acre site last year.
“HARIBO is a great partner and a pivotal addition to Prairie Highlands Corporate Park, and we’re excited to see the momentum behind this development,” added Nathan Thiel, Administrator, Village of Pleasant Prairie. “HARIBO is making a significant investment in Pleasant Prairie that will benefit the local economy. The Village is thrilled with the progress made and is eager to see the facility start to take shape.”
Southeastern Wisconsin continues to be an important destination for global corporate investment. “We’re truly delighted that HARIBO’s production campus will soon be taking shape along I-94 in southeastern Wisconsin,” said Gale Klappa, Co-chair, Milwaukee 7 and Executive Chairman, WEC Energy Group. “HARIBO is the latest in a long line of companies making 9-figure investments in our region. We’re proud to welcome HARIBO’s famous and beloved Goldbear to Wisconsin.”
Let’s hope this means we can all finally have easier access to Sour S’ghetti.


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People have bought things online to support their hobbies during the lockdown. Plantitos and plantitas purchased gardening tools, while self-proclaimed baristas bought their french press. But being a pet parent is a whole different situation. Online aggregator iPrice Group’s study stated that Southeast Asians’ interest in pets increased and showed that Filipinos are the likeliest pet owners during the pandemic.
The research revealed that six countries in the region had a notable spike in Google searches for pets, both for adoption or sale. In 2021, searches for furry friends are around 12.9 million, which is an 88 percent rise from the same period in 2019. But the Philippines leads the overall searches for pets, reaching around seven million by September 2021.
On the other hand, Vietnam lands second with 1.9 million searches on how to own a pet. However, the country appears to have the weakest improvement despite its sufficient amount of pet-related browsing. The study explained that it could be because Vietnam’s coronavirus cases only heightened recently, starting in July.
It turns out that every pet parents’ browser history is also filled with searches for their furbabies’ needs. iPrice’s database says that the Google impressions on the pet supplies category have progressed by 158% across all their six platforms in SEA.
When it comes to Filipinos, impressions on pet supplies rose by 145%. It started with over 400,000 in the previous year to more than a million this year.
iPrice also included another interesting point. Whether you happen to be a dog or a cat person, the study discovered that dogs are more popular in SEA. In fact, Southeast Asians’ are said to be five times more interested in dogs than with cats. The data also applies to the people living in the Philippines.
‘It’s important for people to keep their minds in check, even if it means spending time and money on a beloved pet,’ the study noted. ‘It may just be worth it.’
Banner: (L) Unsplash/leohoho, (R) Unsplash/yerlinmatu


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Sonimus has launched a limited time offer on the Burnley 73 classic 1073 equalizer effect plugin, offering a 35% discount today only. Inspired by the...
The post Sonimus Burnley 73 equalizer effect plugin on sale for $39 USD appeared first on rekkerd.org.
This is a syndicated post. To read more, click the source link above.


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Lamb Weston plans to buy out its partner in a potato processing joint venture. Lamb Weston will pay $65 million in cash to Ochoa for the remaining 50 percent of the company. Ochoa will also receive an additional $13 million payment to facilitate a quick wrap-up for this deal. This joint venture involves the potato processing plant at Warden, Washington, which has been in place for ten years.
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For years we’ve warned readers about the burgeoning calamity known as student loans, and the latest news is that the debt bomb is hurting the economy as well as the federal fisc. New evidence from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia illustrates how subsidized student loans sap small business creation.
Student loans have ballooned tenfold since 1999 to more than $1 trillion, the authors note in a July report. Other consumer debt—mortgages, car loans, credit cards—dipped during the 2008 financial crisis, but student debt doubled from $547 billion in 2007, nearly all of it on Education Department books. The Philly Fed is the first to examine how mortgaging an education influences entrepreneurship.
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AT&T Will Not Bid On Vodafone, For Now
AT&T has officially told U.K. regulators that it is not interested in making a bid for Vodafone at this time. The company was forced to clarify its position after speculation suggested the company was prepared to make an offer for the U.K.-based operator. AT&T cannot make a bid on the company for six months unless Vodafone asks it to, or a third company makes an offer for Vodafone. AT&T has expressed interested in expanding overseas, and Vodafone was seen as a compelling target.
Apple Says iOS 12 Will Be Faster, Work Better On Older iPhones
Jun 4, 2018
Apple today announced iOS 12, its next-generation platform for the iPhone and iPad. Apple says it spent time improving the performance of the operating system, which in claims will work well on iPhones and iPads that went on sale as far back as 2013.
Target Adds Mobile Payment Feature to its App
Dec 4, 2017
Target today made it possible for people to make in-store payments with their smartphones through the Target mobile app. Similar to Walmart’s offering, shoppers can link their debit cart to the new Wallet function within the Target app.
LeEco Selling the Pro3 and S3 Through Target
Jan 11, 2017
LeEco has struck a distribution deal with Target and is now selling its Pro3 (pictured) and S3 handsets via Target's web site. The two phones are available online for $400 and $250, respectively, and are sold unlocked.
Google Assistant On Phones to Gain Voice-Based Shopping
Oct 12, 2017
Google today expanded the scale of its Google Express service with the addition of Target stores nationwide. Starting immediately, people who live in the 48 contiguous states can ask Google Assistant on the Google Home product to purchase items from Target.


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XYZprinting, the company behind the da Vinci line of 3D printers, had a large booth set up at this year’s “Inside 3D Printing,” conference. There, the company showed off all three of their machines, which included the da Vinci 1.0, 2.0, and latest addition 2.1.
XYZprinting is known for their affordable, yet sophisticated 3D printers and in this market you need to innovate in order to stay ahead of the growing number of competitors entering. That is just what XYZprinting is doing. For just $499 you can purchase the da Vinci 1.0, and for $849 you can be the proud owner of a da Vinci 2.1, which features dual extruders, and an easy to use touchscreen interface.
The innovation doesn’t stop there though. In a statement made by Gary Shu, senior manger of market development at XYZprinting, to Computerworld this week, he revealed something that many 3D printing enthusiasts have been hoping to hear. Gary told Computerworld, that by the end of this year they hope to be able to launch an all-in-one 3D printer/scanner combo. Such a device would likely allow users to place an object inside the printer, scan that object, and then begin to replicate it moments later, layer by layer, out of filament.
“Our aim is to improve the speed, quality and usability of our printers,” Shu told Computerworld. “Also, we’re hoping to add different applications…and 3D scanners are a hot topic right now.”
There is no doubt that this market is becoming extremely competitive. This could be seen this week at the “Inside 3D Printing,” conference and expo, where there were a large number of 3D printer companies on hand, many pitching very similar products. Anything to set a company apart from the competition would be huge as this market continues to expand. Stay tuned to the XYZPrinting Thread at 3DPrintboard for further updates.
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced 30 projects that have been selected to receive a total of $57.9 million in grants from the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). Among the...


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NRA's annual conference stirs emotions, raises awareness on the 'Hill'
In an effort to consolidate and communicate the National Retail Federation and National Council of Chain Restaurants’ position on the health care law, the NRF recently launched a
The National Restaurant Association today announced its partnership with the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) to launch a Canadian version of the Conserve Sustainabil
The National Retail Federation and its National Council of Chain Restaurants division joined a broad coalition of business organizations today to file an
In an unprecedented alliance, The Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers are calling on the U.S.
The National Restaurant Association today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the bipartisan “Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012” (H.R.
A year after a bipartisan majority of senators stood up to protect debit swipe fee reforms, the National Restaurant Association today noted those reforms have provided i
On May 29, the Illinois Senate passed the “Sip and Spit” bill, which will allow hospitality and culinary students over the age of 18 to legally taste alcoholic beverages in the classroo
New study shows that vast majority of restaurants are over USDA limits.
Roz Mallet balances two roles as she leads the NRA and her Dallas-based restaurant company.
- By Barney Wolf
- Read More About:
- Food & Beverage, Policy, Community, Leader Perspectives, Applebee’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Red Lobster, TGI Friday's, El Chico, Smashburger, Le Madeleine, Caribou Coffee, Corner Bakery, Freshii


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TAMPA — A Tampa man was indicted on 15 federal charges Thursday accusing him of defrauding the U.S. Postal Service to mail 5.6 million items of bulk mail free of charge.
Galal Ramadan, 61, owner of G.R. Marketing & Graphic Design, was charged with 14 counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Prosecutors say the loss to the Postal Service was $1.3 million.
The indictment comes about two weeks after a truck driver who worked for Ramadan pleaded guilty for his part in the alleged scheme. The driver, Richard Nieves, 39, is cooperating with authorities. Ramadan denied wrongdoing in an interview, saying Nieves acted alone.
Prosecutors say Ramadan's customers paid him for the production of bulk mail items, including postage at a discounted, bulk rate offered by the Postal Service. Ramadan, prosecutors say, should have deposited that money in a postal account.
But from 2005 to 2007, "the conspirators exploited … vulnerabilities to send the mailings without ever paying the postage," Nieves' plea agreement said.
Part of the scheme, prosecutors say, involved placing counterfeit or stolen tags on pallets carrying bulk mail. Such tags indicated to postal workers that the postage had been paid, thus clearing it for mailing.


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Apple apparently obtained a large hike to the fees Google pay as the default search browser on Apple products.
Google has recently complained about the rising TAC.
The near pure profit search revenues should boost FY19 EPS targets towards $14.50.
One doesn't have to look very hard to make abullish thesisonApple(AAPL) based on their growth in the Services division. The shocking news of the last week is that a portion of the revenue base is set for a major boost thanks toGoogle(GOOG,GOOGL). These high-margin revenues might provide a bigger boost to the bottom line than the new iPhones.


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Shore Capital believes that it will be ‘a couple of years’ before Marks & Spencer Group (LON:MKS) sees any benefit from its deal with Founders Factory, Citywire reports. The joint venture partnership, announced earlier this week, will focus on discovering and developing start-ups.
Marks & Spencer’s share price has slipped marginally into the red in today’s session, having given up 0.39 percent to 307.80p as of 10:31 BST. The stock is fractionally outperforming the broader UK market, with the benchmark FTSE 100 index currently trading 0.55 percent in the red at 7,666.32 points. The group’s shares have lost more than four percent of their value over the past year, as compared about a three-percent gain in the Footsie.
ShoreCap weighs in on digital deal
Citywire reported yesterday that Shore Capital’s analyst Clive Black had retained his ‘hold’ recommendation on M&S after the company announced earlier this week that it was launching a joint venture partnership with Founders Factory. The deal will see the FTSE 100 group become Founders Factory’s exclusive UK retail partner, and invest in a number of start-ups.
Black noted that while he was ‘encouraged’ by the announcement, the clear message was “that it would take a couple of years for the change programme now well underway to start to yield notable, hopefully positive, financial output”.
‘No small amount of scepticism’
The analyst further pointed out that while the broker was “happy to record new joint ventures,” it also had “the reality of a group where earnings are side-lining, the stock valuation multiples are compressed by years of disappointment with no small amount of scepticism among the investment community”.
Earlier this year, M&S unveiled a partnership with Microsoft to test artificial intelligence in a retail environment, as it continues with its transformation under chief executive Steve Rowe.


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From Home Furnishing Business
Watermark Living Shares Textile Trends from Winter Showtime
Casual furniture and accessories producer Watermark Living has announced its recent survey of textile trends from the winter 2018 Showtime market, held in High Point, N.C.
Headed by the company’s EVP Ashley Newton, the team surveyed over two dozen indoor and outdoor textile collections in preparation for the spring 2019 outdoor living season.
Newton, joined by Stephanie Martin, special projects for Watermark Living, examined thousands of textile designs and constructions between Dec. 2-5 in an effort to make performance selections for its wholesale and retail customers.
“We are excited by the many designs, patterns, and programs that we were able to review in one place,” said Newton. “Our commitment to attending markets like this one in High Point allows us to see what is trending ahead of any in-store visits as well as get an idea of what is occurring across the entire textile industry.”
With appointments covering each day of the show, the team was able to examine new and existing vendors, additional areas of note as well as preview colors and patterns that are slated for outdoor living in 2019. In design trends, Newton notes that Aztec, Native and Geometric patterning were on display in multiple showrooms as well as more embroidered patterns or woven fabrics that mimicked embroidery details. Trademarked performance fabrics being used for indoor applications also was a growing trend as well as a proliferation of cut yardage programs.
“The number of vendors offering cut yardage was significant,” said Newton. “I would say the vendors are doing all they can to meet different customer needs and expand who they are able to service.“
Exciting showrooms included Z-Woven, Alfresco, Valdese Weavers and Glen Raven with each addressing new designs; but also the call for multiple colors within a single pattern.
“We continue to see blue in combination with greys as a popular color way especially in performance textiles,” said Martin. “The hues that are then used to accent this combination travels all across the color wheel from neutrals to brights.”


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MeadWestvaco Corp. And Rock-Tenn Co. Merging Will Create A $16 Billion Heavyweight Packaging Company
Rock-Tenn Co. and MeadWestvaco Corp., two major packaging companies, have agreed to merge this 2015. This merger would create a heavyweight company of about $16 billion dollars that will be able to supply the packaging and container needs for almost every product from sodas to appliances.
Although the two companies play a major role in the same industry, they are in different playing fields of the packaging business. Last year, Rock-Tenn Co. was able to earn $10 billion in sales. It is considered as the second largest seller of boxes that is used to contain pizzas, delivery packages from Amazon.com and various internet-based companies, suppliers and merchandisers from North America. Rock-Tenn Co. is only behind International Paper Co. in sales.
MeadWestvaco Corp., on the other hand, is second only to Graphic Packaging Holding Co. in supplying thinner paper cartons that are used for holding ice cream, cereals and beer. MeadWestvaco’s annual revenue is $5.6 billion.
The deal was announced on Monday and through it, an approximately 13 million tons of paper will be produced and will be used for packaging purposes. It will also open up numerous job openings for about 42,000 employees in 30 different countries as well as plants located in Brazil and India.
Rock-Tenn has been known for its acquisitions and in the past decade, it was able to $7 billion worth of acquisitions. In 2011, Rock-Tenn was able to acquire Smurfit-Stone Container which had effectively helped raise its market share to an outstanding 20%. Smurfit-Stone Container is known for its corrugated packaging and the success of its acquisition and the ultra fast consolidation has prompted Rock-Tenn to look for more significant deals.
Unfortunately, the name of the new company has not been made known to the public yet but it will surely be headed by the Chief Executive of Rock-Tenn, Steven Vorhees while the CEO and Chairman for MedWestvaco, John Luke Jr., will become chairman of the new board. The shareholders of both companies have agreed that there will be eight members from Rock-Tenn on the board and six from MeadWestvaco.
The merger of the two major packaging companies will also include operations for the use of plastic.


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Yum China, Jollibee Considering Bids for China Restaurant Chain Wagas
- Wagas has also drawn non-binding bids from buyout firms
- A buyer for the business could emerge by as early as year-end
Yum China Holdings Inc., Jollibee Foods Corp. and Restaurant Brands International Inc. are among companies considering bids to acquire Chinese healthy food and bakery chain Wagas, according to people familiar with the matter.
The closely held company has also drawn interest from private equity firms, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The owners of the business, whose sales are expected to reach close to 1.2 billion yuan ($188 million) this year, are seeking a valuation of $800 million to $1 billion or more, based on previous transactions in the industry as well as initial interest, the people said.
A buyer for the business could emerge as soon as this year, with the goal of completing the transaction next year, the people said. Considerations are still ongoing and no final decision has been made, the people said.
Representatives for Jollibee, Yum China, Wagas and Toronto-based Restaurant Brands declined to comment.
Shares of Jollibee rose as much as 3.8% in Manila, the biggest intraday gain in about two weeks.
Founded in 1999 as a cafe in Shanghai, Wagas has since expanded across China, counting more than 160 stores, according to its website. It sells light meals including power salads, pasta, sandwiches, juices and coffee.
Last month, Bloomberg News reported Wagas was exploring a sale amid initial interest from potential investors.


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Connecting expert communities to the Forbes audience.What is this?
Post written by
Co-Founder and CEO of Varonis, responsible for leading the management, strategic direction and execution of the company.
Coming in May 2018, the EU's General Data Protection Regulation will bring about the greatest change to European data security in 20 years. If you’ve only been following the headlines, you’re probably aware of the “right to be forgotten,” 72-hour breach reporting, stronger consumer consent and high fines.
Of course, an EU-based company or multinational corporation that does business in the EU is, we hope, well on the way to complying with the GDPR. But what about U.S. companies that have no direct business operations in any one of the 28 member states of the European Union. They have nothing to worry about, right?
Any U.S. company that has a Web presence (and who doesn’t?) and markets their products over the Web will have some homework to do.
A very important change in the GDPR that hasn’t received the attention it deserves has do with the geographic scope of this new law.
To quickly summarize: Article 3 of the GDPR says that if you collect personal data or behavioral information from someone in an EU country, your company is subject to the requirements of the GDPR. Two points of clarification. First, the law only applies if the data subjects, as the GDPR refers to consumers, are in the EU when the data is collected. This makes sense: EU laws apply in the EU. For EU citizens outside the EU when the data is collected, the GDPR would not apply.
The second point is that a financial transaction doesn’t have to take place for the extended scope of the law to kick in. If the organization just collects "personal data" -- EU-speak for what we in the U.S. call personally identifiable information (PII) -- as part of a marketing survey, then the data would have to be protected GDPR-style.


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HAMMOND | Hammond is seeking developers for Oxbow Landing, an area city officials hope turns into a premier commercial and retail area.
The site, which formerly held the River Park Apartments, is at the southeast corner of Kennedy Avenue and the Borman Expressway.
Since the city demolished the apartment complex, work has centered on making the area prime for development. In 2011, the city unveiled a road, named Carlson Drive, that consolidated 177th and 179th streets through Oxbow Landing.
The city will advertise for proposals from developers Monday with submissions due Feb. 19.
“We are hoping for restaurants and retail opportunities for our residents that they've been asking for for a long time,” said Phil Taillon, executive director of the city's department of planning and development.
A developer purchased one 2.6-acre lot at the site and is working to get the financing together to start construction of a new Hampton Inn hotel.
Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said the city also is working to bring what he described as a “touristy-type of attraction” to the site that would be good for the city and the development.
McDermott said he hopes Oxbow Landing draws restaurants and night-life opportunities for Purdue University Calumet students and people staying at the hotel.
"I think it will be really a successful development. I really do," McDermott said.
Six years ago, the city had sought one master developer for the site, but the economy weakened, Taillon said. Since then, the city has decided to sell the property in lots.
The new request for proposals is for three lots, though one lot is large at 10.5 acres and can be divided and subdivided for purchase by different entities, Taillon said. In all, the proposed retail and commercial site encompasses about 16 acres. The Hammond Redevelopment Commission will sell the real estate by acre, with the minimum bid per acre at $142,428.
The city is prepared to offer incentives for the right projects, Taillon said.
“It's right off one of the busiest-traveled highways in the United States,” Taillon said. “From conversations we've had with different developers, we think we are going to get a number of submissions for retail-type businesses.”


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Starbucks says it's hiking prices again starting Tuesday, with the increases ranging from 5 to 20 cents for most affected drinks.» Read More
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, owned by Singapore's Sassoon brothers, is ready to take a big leap in China. The global gourmet coffee chain, run by brother-in-law and CEO Mel Elias, tells CNBC's Christine Tan on Managing Asia that it wants to brew up a storm in other Tier 1 & 2 cities.
Coffee futures are up nearly 100% in the past year and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is blaming speculators for the sharp increases.
Starbucks announced a 17% increase in packaged coffee prices in their stores today, with Nicole Miller Regan, Piper Jaffray.
High street bookstores need to become richer experiences if they are going to succeed, according to the CEO-elect of Waterstone’s, the UK’s largest bookseller.
The "Mad Money" host gives his calls on Yum! Brands, McDonald's, Starbucks and Domino's Pizza.
The Fast Money traders take a look at today's biggest market movers, including Starbucks, Big Lots and Baidu.com.
The Fast Money traders take a look at today's biggest market movers.
The first quarter is now behind us and as retail earnings start to trickle out, the S&P retail index is hitting new highs.
I hit the road Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. to drive to Mendota, in the heart of California's Central Valley. My assignment—report on plans to build California's largest nuclear power plant, even though there's a moratorium on new nuke facilities in the Golden State. What I found, driving the I-5 during the dark of night is not for the weak.
Find out why Dennis Gartman tells us, "Where it was easy to own crude oil or be bullish of the grains, it’s much less easy now.”
Will last week's commodities sell-off be followed by a big bounce this week?
Cramer said this restaurant stock is displaying a "tried-and-true formula" for making money.
Just a decade ago, sports drink consumers pretty much had one Gatorade option — full calorie Gatorade. Brand managers at the time reasoned that the formula for the masses didn't need to be changed. The Gatorade formula designed by four University of Florida doctors in 1965 was still perfect athletes of all shapes and sizes. But the business quickly changed.
Here's our Fast Money Final Trade. Our gang gives you tomorrow's best trades, right now!
Starbucks, the world's largest coffee chain, got a shot in the arm this week, reporting a 20% rise in second quarter profits. However, higher commodity costs are expected to take a bite out of earnings in 2011. New York coffee prices hit a 34-year high of $3/pound on Thursday. CNBC's Christine Tan caught up with the billionaire founder and CEO Howard Schultz in Shanghai for his take on rising coffee prices.
Stocks closed at new highs for yet another session despite mixed economic news and a varied batch of earnings reports, putting all three major indices on track for the best April since 2009.
Stocks continued to gain before the market closed Thursday although many tech stocks slipped after mixed earnings reports and ahead of Microsoft's results, which will be released later today.
The coffee giant warned that rising fuel and dairy costs could take a bigger chunk out of earnings than previously expected. Yet one analyst isn't too concerned.
The ‘back of a business card’ idea is akin to the elevator pitch. You need to be able to quickly and clearly communicate your value in a way that people can easily understand you, your idea and what you want to sell, according to the author.
Starbucks stock is rising today after last night's earnings release, but will soaring coffee prices take it's toll next year? Nicole Miller Regan, Piper Jaffray senior analyst weighs in.


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Condominiums tend to crowd out a lot in Toronto. While the abundance of new towers has virtually wiped out areas like the club district, an unofficial car dealership district in Corktown and the Riverside neighborhoods has found a way to continue through fancy new housing developments with street-level dealers.
The latest combination of condo car dealerships proposed for the East Side seeks to replace a Volkswagen car dealership showroom and adjoining two-storey car park in the northeast corner of Adelaide Street East and Berkeley Street, replacing it with a new mixed-use development .
While Volkswagen appears to be on the way out, the AWIN Group of Dealerships’ plans for 550 Adelaide East were to integrate a dealership exhibition concept at the bottom of a new 29-storey Giannone Petricone Associates-designed tower with 240 condominium units.
The dealer is depicted in signage with representations of the luxury Italian car brands Maserati and Alfa Romeo, the two companies that share a ‘brand group’ under Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s wider umbrella.
It looks like the location would either replace or complement the existing Maserati / Alfa Romeo showroom at the bottom of a condominium at 88 Davenport and work with the nearby spare parts and service center at 90 Eastern Avenue.
Over 1,000 square meters of commercial space will be dedicated to this ‘lightweight’ dealer and service workshop model, which will offer car sales, limited repairs and service pick-up and drop-off.
However, the new space will mainly serve as a showroom and transit point for cars, where most customers’ vehicles will have to be shuttled to other locations for service and repairs after delivery.
The proposal includes 100 parking spaces across the ground floor and three underground levels, the lower two levels for residents and visitors and the upper two contain space for dealer parking and an area for detailing cars.
All of these cars would spill out from a garage ramp on Berkeley Street, but that would probably not make much of a difference to the traffic in the area, as it would replace a large multi-level garage serving the existing dealer.


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Friday, December 2, 2005
Verizon Streams TV To Qualcomm Phones
Verizon Wireless and San Diego-based Qualcomm said yesterday that they have launched a nationwide service to stream real-time TV to Qualcomm phones. Verizon will launch MediaFLO, a multicasting network that allows CDMA2000-based phones to receive mobile TV coverage in the United States. Verizon said that it plans to offer mobile TV service to its subscribers where it holds licenses to the 700 MHz spectrum, starting in late 2006. Verizon is the first wireless carrier to offer a broadcast TV option for its network. Previously, wireless carriers have only offered short video clips; MediaFLO will be the first service to offer live television over cellular airwaves.


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Maruti SX4, Honda Civic And Toyota Altis Sedan Exempted From 30% Excise Duty
According to PTI and ENS, The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) today said that manufacturers of sedan cars, including Maruti SX4, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis, will not have to pay excise duty at the higher rate of 30 per cent levied on SUVs. This clarification will bring huge relief to the car manufacturers struggling with the contracting auto sales for the last few months.
The clarification was called given the confusion arising after the budget announcement 2013-14 which said that vehicles with engine capacity of over 1,500 cc, length exceeding 4,000 mm and ground clearance above 170 mm will have to pay tax at 30 per cent while large segment cars will continue to pay excise at 27 per cent. The confusion arose as sedan cars such as Maruti SX4 met all the three criteria but were not sports utility vehicles.