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PITTSBURGH and CHICAGO — Kraft Heinz this week unveiled 360CRISP, a new platform for the microwave that creates crispy, crunchy products like you get on the stove.
360CRISP makes its debut with the launch of "LUNCHABLES Grilled Cheesies," with the goal to introduce five new products across four iconic brands by the end of 2024. Grilled Cheesies, powered by 360CRISP innovation, marries quality, convenience and "crave-ability" in an easy-to-prepare format from the microwave.
As the brand’s first expansion into the frozen food category, LUNCHABLES Grilled Cheesies features innovative technology that delivers a pan-like crisp in seconds. Gone are the days where consumers have to experience a burnt crust, yet cold inside, as 360CRISP delivers a golden brown, pan-like crisp outside and melty cheese inside in just 60 seconds. Leveraging a beloved household name – LUNCHABLES – Grilled Cheesies provides a convenient snack option that empowers kids with the independence to prepare it directly in the microwave, no pans or stove necessary.
“The launch of 360CRISP is a clear proof point in our mission to reinvent the frozen category by providing high-quality, delicious and convenient solutions for snack-time and beyond,” said Alan Kleinerman, VP, head of disruption at Kraft Heinz. “At Kraft Heinz, we’re sitting at the intersection of food and technology – building consumer-first innovations that revolutionize the meal table and importantly, drive real value for families around the world. 360CRISP is just the beginning.”
As kids’ snacking is a key driver of growth within the frozen category, Kraft Heinz identified an opportunity to utilize its 360CRISP platform to bring something new and convenient to customers, while still delivering on the flavor and quality consumers expect from Kraft Heinz brands. The launch of the platform contributes to Kraft Heinz’s broader business transformation and intention to drive growth across North American business, targeting $2 billion in incremental net sales by 2027.
Grilled Cheesies boasts two wholesome, melt-in-your-mouth offerings that can be prepared in seconds:
- Original – Featuring deliciously melty KRAFT SINGLES and just the right level of golden-brown crisp, the Original variety provides a quick and convenient take on this nostalgic snack-time staple.
- Pepperoni Pizza – With a deliciously savory twist on the classic grilled cheese sandwich, the Pepperoni Pizza variety features deliciously melty KRAFT SINGLES and the same mouthwatering pepperoni from other popular Lunchables snack packs that kids know and love.
LUNCHABLES Grilled Cheesies rolls out to select grocery retailers across the U.S. beginning this month for a suggested retail price of $4.99 per box of two sandwiches.


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Lockdown ‘seesaw’ forces popular Melbourne cafe to shut its doors
A mainstay of Melbourne’s cafe scene has shut its doors.
The original Hardware Societie store on Hardware Lane in the CBD has closed.
The owners say the uncertainty surrounding lockdowns has made it unfeasible to operate two cafes in the city.
“You can’t just be on a seesaw,” co-owner of the cafe, Di Keser, told Dee Dee.
“You’re open one day, closed the next.
“We’ll shutter the doors and hope in six months things turn around and we can reopen, but right now it’s a pandemic and there’s no guarantees.”
View this post on Instagram
Ms Keser says the decision to close the cafe’s original branch, which has been open for almost 12 years, is “heartbreaking”.
She’s “really angry” with the state government, and she hopes the cafe’s closure brings more attention to plight of small businesses.
“It’s a really, really frustrating time to be in small business,” she said.
“Where’s the support?”
Press PLAY below for more.

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In a recent video captured by a drone operator, the Tesla Cybertruck's acceleration prowess was put on display. The short clip showcases the electric pickup truck navigating Tesla's test track, situated outside the Fremont Factory in California, with a particular focus on its straight-line acceleration capabilities.
The video, initially shared by Twitter user @omg_tesla, prompts viewers to guess the Cybertruck's acceleration speed as it embarks on a standing start at the beginning of the track and accelerates rapidly to the track's end. The footage reveals that the Cybertruck maintained heavy acceleration for approximately 10 seconds before the driver eased off the throttle while approaching the first turn.
This isn't the first time the Cybertruck has been spotted undergoing testing on the Fremont track. Various independent drone operators have previously shared similar footage of these testing sessions.
Guess how fast the Cybertruck accelerates pic.twitter.com/GURas5JmyX
— omg_Tesla/Rivian (@omg_tesla) September 21, 2023
Notably, just a few days ago, Elon Musk himself was seen driving the Cybertruck on the same test track, providing a ride to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sarah.
The big question on everyone's mind is whether these tests signify that customer deliveries are imminent. Tesla enthusiasts certainly hope so. However, time is running out to meet Elon Musk's earlier projection of beginning deliveries by the end of the third quarter, which translates to late September.
Elon Musk had announced in April that a Cybertruck handover event was slated for “the end of the third quarter.” With just a week remaining in the current month, it appears increasingly unlikely. Speculation has arisen that initial deliveries might be postponed to October. An off-road enthusiast, who recently filmed two Cybertrucks undergoing testing at an off-road park in Northern California, reported that Tesla engineers indicated deliveries might commence in October. It's important to exercise caution with such unverified information until official confirmation is provided.
Just a part from todays footage of the Cybertruck on track with a Model S pic.twitter.com/sCueTqrSrE
— omg_Tesla/Rivian (@omg_tesla) September 22, 2023
One certainty remains: until the Tesla Cybertruck obtains the Certificate of Conformity from the EPA and undergoes crashworthiness assessments by the NHTSA, official deliveries cannot commence.


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Russian Based Antivirus company, Kaspersky labelled Bangladesh as the most affected country by cyber crimes. Cyber Crimes are increasing day by day in Bangladesh. Recently hackers targeted the banks in Bangladesh and tried to steal $1 Billion Dollars but they managed to steal about $80 Million Dollars from Bangladeshi Banks.
Bangladesh Tops The List of Countries Suffering From Cyber Crime, says Kaspersky
“The country’s mobile and computer users are the most affected users by Cyber Crimes as hackers can steal individuals’ banking and other personal information from their infected devices and use it for criminal purposes”, states the Daily Star.
Also Read: Hackers Failed To Withdraw $1 Billion From Bank By Doing Minor Mistake
Kaspersky also observed that it registered about two million notifications regarding ‘malware’ infections/Software that aimed to steal money from bank accounts.
Kaspersky in a statement to ANI said, when a bank user logs in to his/her bank account, the Trojan and displays the message to download an Android App which is required to confirm the transaction and also results in Fake Token Application. The fraud token which when gets generated in users device, allows the hackers to obtain access to the users bank account through the Trojan hit device. Also the Trojan targeted device lets the hackers to stop the one time confirmation code.
Recently, Hackers targeted Bangladesh’s Central Bank and tried to withdraw $1 Billion Dollars but however they failed as they did a spelling mistake. Officials believe that hackers have injected malware in the Bangladesh’s Bank computer systems.
It seems that this Trojan has been hit in Banking Servers and users becomes the victim of this trap. However, user needs to be vigil in case he/she spots the message displaying download any application or any other request. Bangladesh’s Banks must take security measures in order to tackle the cyber-criminals.


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Is MSI's premium AIO solution as good as the company thinks it is? Andy finds out.
We've picked some of the best projects recently completed in our project log forum.
We run down the best addons in gaming.
Jen-Hsun Huang reportedly dismisses the rumours about Nvidia buying shares in VIA, and says the two companies are just working together on Ion 2.
Rumours that a new version of the Nintendo DS would be unveiled at E3 this year have been rubbished by Nintendo spokespersons.
Sources inside Taiwanese motherboard makers claim that AMD's Phenom processor is delayed until next year. AMD has rubbished the speculation.
May 5 2021 | 09:30
Copyright © 2000 - 2021, bit-tech.net. All rights reserved.


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Previous reports have suggested that Google will match pricing of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro to last year’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. According to Amazon, that is indeed the situation we face – which is good!
An Amazon listing for the Pixel 7 was spotted and then posted to Twitter a day ago, so obviously it has since been removed. You can still view a cached look at it here, in case you don’t believe the image below. However, the price is listed at $599 for the Pixel 7 with 128GB of storage, just as reported.
The listing also mentions “This item will be released on October 13, 2022,” so that means we should get pre-orders on October 6 and then only have to wait a week for our devices to arrive.
We weren’t able to find a listing for the Pixel 7 Pro at this time. We’ll keep looking, though. For now, assume that $899 rumored price is correct.
Amazon Link (gone)


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The Food and Drug Administration is encouraging families to limit their children's exposure to a chemical found in thousands of household products.
CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace reports that, for years, concerned mothers, environmental groups and some scientists have been warning that Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is unsafe, and can lead to cancers, diabetes and other diseases.
Now, in a shift in the agency's position, the FDA is saying the chemical is of "some concern." However, as CBS News found out, limiting your exposure to it isn't easy.
The FDA announced, on the basis of new studies that can test for "subtle effects" that, while BPA is still considered safe, it now has "some concern" about the potential effects of the chemical - especially on the "brain behavior and prostate glands in fetuses, infants and young children."
The American Chemistry Council, a product advocacy group, says BPA is safe.
The council's Lisa Harrison told CBS News, "What's important to remember is the FDA indicated that the BPA has not been proven harmful to children or adults. And that if they believed it was unsafe, they would've issued stronger regulations."
In a non-scientific "Early Show" experiment, Wallace ate a sandwich made from canned tuna, which consumer groups have found to contain BPA. Shortly afterwards, she had her blood drawn. For the next two days, Wallace tried to live a BPA-free life, during which she tried to avoid all foods in cans or plastic containers.
Then she had her blood drawn again. Her serum samples were shipped to the lab of University of Missouri professor Fred Vom Saal.
Vom Saal told Wallace, "The first set of blood that you gave us had high levels of Bisphenol A in it. It's over five times higher than what we find on average in women in the United States."
However, after her BPA-free diet, Vom Saal said her levels were much lower than average.
Wallace asked, "How convinced are you that elevated levels of BPA in people's bodies can lead to cancers, heart disease, obesity and early puberty?"
He replied, "I and other colleagues of mine at an NIH (National Institutes of Health) meeting said, with a very high level of confidence, we think Bisphenol A is a threat to human health."
Wallace added on "The Early Show" it's hard to avoid BPA because, currently, manufacturers aren't required to label products containing the chemical.
However, you can reduce your BPA intake, Wallace said, by limiting your use of canned food. Also, baby bottle manufacturers only make bottles that are BPA-free. In addition, if plastic containers have the number three or seven on the bottom, it means it does contain BPA. Some recycled pizza boxes, also, contain BPA.
But Wallace said you can still enjoy your pizza: "Everything is relative if eaten in moderation."


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Hyderabad, Aug 26 :
The draft policy for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector will be ready in three to four months, MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra said Tuesday.
A committee comprising officials from ministries of finance and MSME and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is drafting the policy, he said.
“This committee will address all issues relating to the sector,” Mishra said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of an interaction session with entrepreneurs organized by the Council of Small and Medium manufacturing Industry here.
The panel will chalk out a comprehensive policy after studying the policies of other countries and also the policies of various states within the country.
Mishra said the policy would also revise the definition of an MSME in tune with the changing business environment. The new definition will revisit the current levels of capital investment required to be made by various stakeholders and the number of employees for a unit to qualify as a MSME. This will also widen the access of these enterprises to bank finances.
On the problems faced by MSME units in getting bank finances, the minister said he had called for a meeting with top bankers next week to discuss the issue.
Mishra also revealed that the government will soon launch an online system of MSME registration. This will help entrepreneurs to register as MSME enterprises online, instead of getting certificates from different government departments.
1″I am aware the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs in getting registered as a MSME unit at present. We want to simplify the procedure by making the entire registration process online,” he said.
Mishra said it would be mandatory from next year for the public sector undertakings to source 20 percent of goods or services though MSME sector including four percent from SMEs run by women and scheduled castes/scheduled tribes (SC/STs).
Representatives of Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI), Federation of Telengana Small and Medium Industries Assocation (FTSMIA) , Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh (ALEAP) and Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE) and other industry bodies interacted with the minister.
They urged him to look into the issue of of skill development and R&D in the sector and also the severe electricity shortage faced by the industry in Telangana.


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French automaker PSA Peugeot-Citroen said Wednesday net profit tumbled in 2006 on weaker worldwide sales, a poor product lineup, the cost of complying with new European pollution standards and higher raw material prices.
Net income fell to 176 million euros ($228 million) from 1.03 billion euros ($1.33 billion) in 2005, the company said in a statement. Revenue rose 0.6% to 56.59 billion ($73.31 billion).
Analysts had anticipated a sharp decline in Peugeot-Citroen's profitability last year as the company battled fierce competition from Asian and German manufacturers with an aging product line.
Nonetheless, the figures came in well below an average consensus of 533 million euros ($691 million) among analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires, but the operating margin - a closely watched barometer of carmakers' health - was slightly above the consensus figure of 1.8%.
The company's operating margin fell to 2.0% in 2006 from 3.4% a year earlier.
Operating profit fell to 1.12 billion euros ($1.45 billion) from 1.94 billion euros ($2.51 billion) in 2005, while net cash from operating activities of the company's manufacturing and sales operations increased to 3.44 billion euros ($4.46 billion) in 2006 from 3.39 billion euros ($4.39) a year earlier.
The company has issued three profit warnings over the course of the last five quarters.
Peugeot expects the European automobile market to remain stable this year, and sees no let up in the "rampant competition" that it suffered last year.
Still, "while group sales are likely to be affected by a certain slowdown in demand for models that are due to be replaced, they will be boosted by the steadily increasing product dynamic over the year, leading to a gradual improvement in the product mix," the company said in its earnings press release.


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Vodafone has unveiled a new offer whereby Pay as You Go customers can gain up to 40pc extra any network credit as part of its ‘Catch Up’ campaign. The company also plans to give away €3.2m worth of mobile phone vouchers.
From now until 10 October, Vodafone’s 1.5 million Pay as You Go customers can receive 20pc extra credit on top ups of €20, 30pc extra credit on €30 top ups, and 40pc extra credit on top ups of €40 and above.
Extra credit can be used to catch up with friends no matter what network they’re on, and customers can keep their free calls and texts.
“Last January, Vodafone gave away over €5m in free credit to our Pay as You Go customers,” Stefano Gastaut, consumer director at Vodafone Ireland explained.
“Now we are delighted to announce the launch of Catch Up and give away €3.2m worth of mobile phone vouchers next month.
“September is the time when friends catch up after a busy summer and Vodafone is delighted to offer real value and makes it easier than ever for our customers to stay in touch,” Gastaut said.
Vodafone is offering a special switching price on the Sony Ericsson Spiro, available from €39.99 online and from €49.99 in stores for Pay as You Go customers who switch to Vodafone.
The Sony Ericsson Spiro with Walkman includes email, Facebook and Twitter capabilities.


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LG Is Working On A Flexible Smartphone With Rollable Display
The year 2019 has seen many new innovations and trends popularised in the mainstream mobile industry. One of such innovative buzzwords surrounded flexible or foldable smartphones. Samsung with the Galaxy Fold was one of the first to reveal a functioning smartphone with a flexible display despite all its flaws. Now, LG is also reportedly jumping on the bandwagon to introduce its own flexible smartphone which may have a rollable display.
LG has trademarked the name ‘LG Rolling’ with the South Korean Intellectual Property Office. Earlier this year, the South Korean company had also trademarked names such as ‘Roll Canvas’, ‘Rotolo’, ‘The Roll’, ‘E Roll’, ‘Dual Roll’, ‘Signature R’, ‘R Screen’, ‘R Canvas’, and ‘Bi Roll’ with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Hence, it is speculated that an LG smartphone with a flexible rollable display is currently under development.
Notably, LG has already used rollable displays in the past. The technology is currently employed on its Signature OLED TV R. As the name suggests, it is an OLED TV that was showcased at CES 2019. The Signature TV features a 65 inch OLED display that can roll back into the base when not in use. Previously, LG had confirmed that they were planning to work on a rollable and foldable smartphone after various reports and rumours surfaced.
The freshly granted patent suggests that LG’s rollable handset is currently in-development stages whiles its name is still undecided.
Also Read: Sony Launches Master Series A9G Premium OLED TVs In India
Conclusively, LG may probably not end up calling the device ‘Rolling’ but use the moniker to represent its key feature. Furthermore, the inclusion of the Signature TV technology in smartphones is a great step in innovation for the mobile industry. Foldable smartphones have already been made and seen but a rolling device could be the next big trend for the arriving year. Unfortunately, concrete information is still lacking but more news is expected to arrive soon, so stay tuned.


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Six news-makers that helped define the year in limited-service restaurants.
In recent years restaurant operators have adapted their social media strategy as the benefits of platforms like Twitter and Facebook become more apparent.
Waffles find a place on the menu beyond breakfast.
Taco Bell extended its long-standing promise to delivering quality food at great value by announcing that 100 percent of its more than 6,000 U.S.
Brands turn their attention to “clean” ingredients as consumer demand for better quality, health ramps up.
Technology and data company Engagement Labs, creator of eValue Analytics, released its ‘Total Social’ data rankings on the top U.S.
Brand is opening urban units in San Francisco and Chicago, targeting younger customers.
Although bee populations in the U.S. have faced unprecedented threats in recent years, honey production is up as more consumers and operators demand it.
Starting this Thursday, August 6, Taco Bell is challenging everyone to take on its spiciest flavors with the new $1 DareDevil Loaded Grillers.
Coalition aims to improve employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
Delivery services are springing up around the country, giving operators a new sales channel—if it’s right for their brand.
Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Panera latest to remove artificial ingredients.
It wasn’t all that long ago that only a small number of restaurant owners and chefs considered sustainability an essential aspect of their businesses.How times have changed.
Delivery is hotter than ever in quick service.
Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell parent makes progress on its CSR goals.
Brands invest in complex metrics to establish the real value of their social media channels.
New Biscuit Taco part of ongoing innovation efforts at Yum! Brand.
Included in Pizza Hut’s recent brand reboot was a Skinny Slice pizza, which uses a thinner crust.
The top players from a busy year in quick-service news.
Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum!
The stories that made this year one of the most eventful in industry history.
A look at how quick-service brands can adapt signature menu items to the retail space.
Industry analysts and operators weigh in on the progress of the healthy-dining movement—and what’s left to be done.
In true disrupt-and-innovate fashion, Taco Bell rolled out its first mobile ordering and payment app after a social media blackout.
Today, Taco Bell became the first quick serve to launch its mobile ordering and payment app at participating restaurants nationwide for both drive-thru and dining-room orders.
Demographic changes bolster snacking throughout the day.
A breakdown of what makes a successful campaign, as seen through the lens of four quick-service marketing efforts.
How does your brand stack up against the drive-thru competition?
Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and its partner, Get Schooled, together with celebrity ambassador and YouTube sensation Tyler Oakley, kick off their first-ever Graduate for Más Teen Scholar contest


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Ralf Brandstätter is a Volkswagen Group lifer. He joined the firm 28 years ago, working his way up the management ranks in relatively low-profile purchasing and procurement roles. So when he was named the new CEO of the Volkswagen brand in June last year, especially with reports that his predecessor Herbert Diess – who remains Volkswagen Group CEO and Volkswagen brand chairman – was shuffled out of the role in an internal power struggle, it seemed Brandstätter’s mission was to maintain the status quo.
After all, even with his appointment coming in the middle of a global pandemic, Brandstätter took on the top job in Wolfsburg in a far better position than his predecessors. Matthias Müller had to steer the brand through the immediate fallout of Dieselgate, before Diess oversaw the development and launch of the MEB EV platform and ID family.
The first ID cars are now on the road, sales and profits are strong and Volkswagen is weathering the Covid-19 storm with remarkable resilience.
So with Diess leading the group’s shift to electrification, it seems that all Brandstätter really needs to do is steer a steady course and keep the proverbial tanker pointed in its current direction. Except he’s actually charting a bold new course – while simultaneously trying to switch the powertrain of the tanker. He’s moving beyond turning Volkswagen from a brand that sells mostly ICE cars to mostly electric ones (which changing laws will soon force all brands to do anyway). Under the new Accelerate strategy, Brandstätter is working to make Volkswagen carbon-neutral, reinvent its production network, fundamentally change its business model and develop a new generation of electric, connected and autonomous cars. He even wants to turn Volkswagen from a car maker into a software development company.
“The real disruption is still coming,” he says. “If you believe with electric cars alone we’ve arrived in the future already, you’re wrong. Digitalisation is the key. The car is now a software-driven product.”


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SEOUL — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, June 5, expressed confidence that investments and new businesses will flourish in the Philippines, citing the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals.
On the last day of his three-day Official Visit here, the President witnessed the ceremonial exchange of signed business agreements during the Philippines-Korea Business Forum and Luncheon at the Lotte Hotel attended by around 400 businessmen.
In his speech, Duterte said the agreements demonstrate the robust trade and investment partnership between the Philippines and South Korea.
The President expressed hopes that the business agreements will be realized as actual investments and maximized to their full extent.
He told the businessmen that they may consider greater investments in these sectors: shipbuilding; manufacturing; food production and food processing; agribusiness; energy, including renewable energy; finance and banking; infrastructure; tourism and real estate; and other labor-intensive Korean industries.
“With the Philippines’ sound macroeconomic fundamentals, we remain confident that investments and new businesses will thrive when they enter the market,” Duterte said.
At the same time, President Duterte assured protection and potential for profits for the investors, citing the sound policy and competitive business climate.
The President told the businessmen that in the years ahead, the government will ramp up infrastructure spending sustained by structural reforms.
He also stated that the Philippines will have a greater number of highly-skilled and fast-learning workforce.
President Duterte then assured the businessmen that the Philippine government will do its utmost to further strengthen domestic policies and regulations to promote ease of doing business and competitiveness of new businesses and industries.
He touted the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, noting that the new law will help reduce the processing time for permits, transactions and other applications.
“This speaks of our commitment to foster a vibrant business climate to ensure that new businesses will thrive and prosper,” he said.
In addition, Duterte underscored that both the Department of Trade and Industry, through the Board of Investments, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Seoul are ready to assist prospective and existing investors in their business undertakings in the Philippines.
During the ceremony, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said a total of 23 business agreements — one memorandum of agreement, six memorandum of understanding, and 16 letters of intent — were signed, generating an investment commitment of US$4.9 billion.
Lopez said the value does not include those that have not yet finalized their investment figures.
The Trade Secretary said the investments are expected to generate 50,000 new jobs in the sectors of automotive, public utility, modernization, power and engineering, construction, sea offshore services, food and aquaculture, among others.
President Duterte graces Emart Food Festival
The President capped his three-day Official Visit here with a visit to the Emart Food Festival.
He hit the gong at the Emart headquarters as a traditional symbol of unity and opening of the event.
Among the Filipino agri-food that were showcased are tuna, fruits such as pineapples, papayas, and bananas, and other coconut-based and fruit-based products.
Before leaving, the President greeted the Filipinos waiting for him outside of the hypermarket. PND


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LAOS is planning to build a cultural tourism site in Borikhamxay province, central Laos within the next two years, but tour operators are less than enthused about the new development.
According to the Vientiane Times, a 13,487m2 memorial park for revolutionary leader Sisomphone Lorvanxay will be built at a cost of more than US$2.2 million. The development will include open play areas, a memorial plinth, artificial cave, waterfall, museum, library and an administration building among other facilities.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily, Laurent Granier, general manager of Laos Mood Travel, commented: “Its geographical locations means visitors cross overland to reach the next province of Khammouane and Kong Lor Cave. But this is an expensive option, especially for FITs.
“Central provinces of Laos are tough to sell with European tour operators. They imply long (and rather costly) trips with little choice of international standard accommodation,” he added.
Destination Asia’s group product director, Niels Steeman, said: “I do not believe that this project will boost tourism from the (Western) markets we deal with. The area is little known as a tourism area outside of the backpackers and adventure tourism sector. The infrastructure, including international hotels, just is not there yet.”
However, Natalia Kortchouganova, regional operation director of Asia World Travel, which has offices across Asia, said: “I would question whether a ‘culture park’ would capture the attention of Western tourists. Within Asian travellers though, including Thailand, Vietnam and China, the idea of such a park keeps within their interests.”


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You may have seen electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in stores, in advertisements, or being utilized. But e-cigarettes, while more popular then ever, are not harmless. Created as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes are sophisticated mechanical devices created to provide the same highly addictive nicotine which is in cigarettes, without the other harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
Previously decade, e-cigarettes are becoming a far more than $1 billion industry in america, with more than 460 brands on the market. Many adults who use e-cigarettes are current or former smokers seeking to stop nicotine cravings, give up smoking, or reduce tobacco cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes may have a limited effect on helping people quit since at the very least 75 percent of adults who use e-cigarettes also use tobacco cigarettes.1
And although most states prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to folks younger than 18, more and more teens are employing them. In fact, recent surveys2 show dramatic increases every year in the amount of teens who have tried best electronic cigarette inside their lifetime, along with the amount who may have used them in the past month. This can be at the same time when smoking cigarettes is at an all-time low among middle and high school students.
With electronic cigarette use on the rise, the federal government is considering regulating how e-cigarettes are made and sold. If this happens, e-cigarettes might be susceptible to rules on safety, advertising, and warning labels much like the ones that govern the sale of cigarettes. For the time being, however, consumers should never assume that the products are sure to be safe or that claims made in advertising are accurate.
With regards to science on the probability of e-cigarettes as well as the possible benefits for current smokers, scientific studies are just beginning. There is however already an increasing body of evidence showing that teens will be smart to never begin using e-cigarettes.
Nine from 10 adult smokers started smoking tobacco cigarettes before age 18. It is because if people start smoking within their teens, when their brains remain developing, they are especially vunerable to the addictive results of nicotine (and other drugs as well). Once someone is dependent on nicotine, it’s tough to quit. Early research has revealed a powerful link between teens’ using e-cigarettes and smoking cigarettes. Researchers will continue to measure e-cigarette and tobacco-cigarette riqyus among teens to know the connection between the two.
What Is the Effect of Electronic cigarette Aerosol (Vapor) on the Body?
E-cigarettes contain propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine, flavorings, water, and further chemicals. Tests of the liquid in some e-cigarettes have likewise found toxic ingredients, including formaldehyde (a chemical that could cause cancer). Health experts do not yet understand the effects of these chemicals on individuals who use e-cigarettes or who are in contact with secondhand e-cigarette aerosol. Scientific studies are under approach to measure being exposed to nicotine and other chemicals from the aerosol to higher understand the risks.
How Does Nicotine Addiction Impact the Brain?
Scientific studies have discovered that nicotine might make animals’ brains more receptive for the results of other drugs. Some experts think this could also be true for folks. In that case, a young individual that uses an electronic cigarette or perhaps a tobacco cigarette could find other drugs, like cocaine, more rewarding. This “priming effect” on the brain raises the probability of further drug use and possible addiction. To help study this possibility, researchers will track younger people who use e-cigarettes to see if they will probably become addicted to other drugs.


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U.S. Rep. Jim Moran introduced a measure that would put a tax on plastic and paper bags given out at all retail locations, including convenience stores.
April 26, 2013
WASHINGTON – If Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) gets his way, paper or plastic will have a 5-cent fee at the checkout line. Moran introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would put a nickel tax on plastic and paper bags distributed at supermarkets, convenience stores and other retail shops, the Sun-Gazette reports.
Fee revenue would be earmarked for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. “Small steps, like replacing plastic bags with reusable ones, [yield] large returns in reducing the amount of trash we create,” said Moran in a statement. “The results of this waste can be found in our oceans, now home to floating landfills 10 times the size of Virginia.”
Moran modeled his measure on the District of Columbia’s tax on plastic bags, which was enacted in 2009. Moran’s bill is the first one that would impose such a fee on bags in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The representative said he wanted to lower the use of plastic bags in the United States.
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and California are considering banning plastic bags. A plastic bag ban recently went into effect in Austin, Texas, while Sacramento’s proposed ban is moving forward.


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An upcoming Diwali, two of Bollywood's leading men are pitching another option during India's annual gold shopping spree: cryptocurrencies.
India's top two crypto platforms each have one known stars - one amitabh Bachchan - may be the best international actor of all time - to promote cryptocurrencies as a good investment ahead of Dhanteras, the most important day in the Hindu calendar to buy gold or start new ventures. Indians have expanded their Diwali investments to include stocks, real estate, diamonds and other assets.
Cryptocurrency exchanges like CoinSwitch Kuber and CoinDCX offer Bitcoin as another option to invest. Ease, though, may not be the central concern. The Reserve Bank of India effectively banned cryptocurrency trading until the courts lifted the prohibitions in March 2020. Since then, the government has flirted with crypto governance legislation which could change the landscape for investors.
Tapping celebrity pitchmen helps push crypto into the mainstream and, particularly in Bachchan's case, adds a measure of respectability. In addition to a voice of god baritone, Bachchan has been the celebrity face of RBI's campaign against banking fraud, online and otherwise.
Following a third of the RBI's plans for a virtual currency, India remains critical of cryptocurrencies, advocating that the government ban them. Over the weekend, officials met with Bachchan to reiterate its concerns, according to a person familiar with the development. The star said he'd reconsider his relationship with CoinDCX, the person said, asking not to be identified as the details are private.
Représentants for the CoinDCX and the Central Bank did not respond to emails or to questions sent by email. I got to Bachchan in her car last night but no one answered the text messages, calls and texts.
Singh, star of blockbusters like Padmaavat and Gully Boy has a fan base that skews toward YOLO millennials as well as small-town Indians. The CoinSwitch tie-up is recent, the platform is a country's largest crypto portal for online trading with 10 million users so far.
Other Indian exchanges have attempted to demystify crypto for first-time investors, making it possible to sell or buy with two or three clicks.
A slew of global celebrities have made the case for digital coins. In the United States, football star Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen have a stake in NFL and costar in its ad campaign. Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Snoop Dog have also endorsed various crypto games.
According to at least one measurement, the pitches work: some 45% of crypto investors said they'd invest based on a celebrity's endorsement, according to a survey by Morning Consult. Of investors more broadly, 20% said they could be swayed by A-listers.


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The recession in Europe has disrupted consumer behavior and cast its shadow on the soft fruit industry in Morocco. With 95% of Moroccan raspberries being exported to Europe, the raspberry season has faced a flat demand.
Mr. Bennani Amine, president of the Moroccan association of soft fruit producers, said: "The raspberry season started in October at a feverish pace. While the acreage has grown this year and has increased from the previous year to 4,500 hectares, the season looks bad."
Due to the lack of demand, this season's first cycle produce is met with a price at packing stations below the cost of production.
Mr. Bennani added: "We are not reassured about prices. There will be a decline in volumes in the second cycle of the season. We have no choice but to assume the losses." Some producers have had to abandon their crops or even destroy part of their produce to "limit the damage". The decrease in volumes is at least 15% according to Mr. Bennani.
The situation requires Moroccan producers "to take the blow, learn from it and make the right decisions in the next season", says Mr. Bennani. To limit the dependence of the industry on Europe, the Moroccan association of soft fruit producers has approached potential customers China, with the support of the national office of food safety (ONSSA). "The industry is knocking on every door," said Mr. Bennani.
Producers are looking forward to the end of the crisis in Eastern Europe and the stabilization of global inflation, Mr. Bennani concluded: "The industry is still promising and has the capacity and potential to restart after the turmoil of the current situation. We offer a panel of the same varieties as Europe, with deliveries in a very short time. Our export standards are stable and our laws protect the intellectual property of patented varieties."
Soft fruit growers still have hope in other products, such as strawberries and blueberries, whose season is starting slowly.
For more information:
Mr. Bennani Amine
Moroccan Association of Soft Fruit Producers


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Combermere Abbey To Re-Open To Public For Woodland Walks
After its annual Bluebell Walk was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, local gem Combermere Abbey will reopen its grounds to the public in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. For the first time ever, the Combermere woodland walks with bluebells will be held over a 5 week period, as opposed to the usual one day a year.
Combermere Abbey plans to open the estate to local residents across South Cheshire and North Shropshire – in line with Government guidance – to enjoy a stroll through the woodlands on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 14th April until the 23rd May, with to the possibility of extending it, should the demand be there. Dogs are welcome (at no charge) and appropriate footwear is required.
New for this year is online ticketing via the website, offering a limited number of tickets per walk to ensure lots of space and privacy. Tickets will be released 2 weeks prior to each event.
The first collection of tickets are now live on the website at: https://combermereabbey.co.uk/?whats_on=bluebell-walk.
Visitors can book either a morning or afternoon walk – The morning slots will allow for walks between 10am and 12pm and afternoon slots will follow between 2pm and 4pm. Only a limited amount of tickets will be available for each day so early booking is recommended.
Park View Café on the Park View Business Park just 200 years from the estate entrance is offering visitors toilet facilities and refreshments either as take out or on their terrace before or after their walk.
Combermere Abbey, which is located in Whitchurch, previously opened to the public annually for a Bluebell Walk, Abbey tours and garden open days. Due to the pandemic in 2020, the estate was only open during certain periods for guests of the North Wing B&B and self-catering holiday cottages. This year, as restrictions ease, Combermere looks forward to welcoming back local visitors to enjoy the grounds as they begin to blossom and bloom.
In previous years, guests of the Combermere Abbey woodland walks have included the likes of Strictly and I’m A Celebrity star AJ Pritchard and his girlfriend, dancer Abbie Quinnen.
Sarah Callander Becket, owner of Combermere Abbey, says: “I am so excited to welcome local people from Cheshire and Shropshire back to Combermere Abbey this year… What a wonderful escape from the past 12 months to come and enjoy the blossoms and bluebells that are just magical this time of year. We are encouraging only local people to travel to Combermere in line with restrictions and Government guidance, but look forward to welcoming people from all over the UK when Abbey tours begin later this year.”
Woodland walk tickets are available for purchase now (if the date is not available yet, please check back as tickets are to be released two weeks prior to each event), walk ins are not permitted and you can purchase your tickets online now.
Combermere Abbey given financial lifeline
Combermere Abbey, a treasured local country estate, has been announced as one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a financial boost from the government as part of a £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them...


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Rockwell Automation to strengthen its position with Clearpath Robotics acquisition
September 7, 2023
By Manufacturing AUTOMATION
Rockwell Automation has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ontario, Canada-based Clearpath Robotics. Rockwell will strengthen its Connected Enterprise with the acquisition of this AMR specialist.
Clearpath’s OTTO Motors Division offers AMRs and fleet management and navigation software, designed to increase throughput and reduce costs by ensuring components and subassemblies are in place when needed and by transporting finished goods to a truck or warehouse upon completion.
Combined with Rockwell’s continuing partnerships in fixed robotic arms, solutions such as Independent Cart Technology, and traditional leadership in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the addition of OTTO Motors’ AMR capabilities will create a complete portfolio of advanced material handling solutions unmatched in the industry, according to a press statement from OTTO Motors.
This acquisition is expected to contribute a percentage point to Rockwell’s fiscal 2024 revenue growth.
“Rockwell and Clearpath together will simplify the difficult and labour-intensive task of moving materials and product through an orchestrated and safe system to optimize operations throughout the entire manufacturing facility,” said Blake Moret, chairman and CEO, of Rockwell Automation. “The combination of autonomous robots and PLC-based line control has long been a dream of plant managers in industries as diverse as automotive and consumer packaged goods. With Clearpath, Rockwell is uniquely positioned to make that dream a reality across virtually all discrete and hybrid verticals, optimizing planning, operations, and the workforce.”
Data from Rockwell’s offerings and OTTO Motors’ AMRs will be harnessed in artificial intelligence-powered Software as a Service information management applications, such as those by Rockwell’s Plex and Fiix businesses. With this, Rockwell will offer a unified solution for manufacturing, enabling autonomous execution and optimization to increase efficiency and allow for traceability and real-time adjustments. The combined technology will also amplify Kalypso’s production logistics consulting practice.
“Industrial customers are under ever-increasing pressure to do more with less. Autonomous production logistics is becoming a necessity to meet targets and stay competitive. We are excited to join Rockwell and help expand their leadership position in advanced material handling,” said Matt Rendall, co-founder and CEO of Clearpath. “Together, we will create safer and more productive workplaces with autonomous technology.”
Founded in 2009, Clearpath got its start offering robotics technology to global research and development markets, and in 2015, launched its OTTO Motors Division.
The acquisition will be funded by a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Rockwell’s investment in PTC. It is subject to customary regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first quarter of Rockwell’s fiscal year 2024. At close, Clearpath will report to Rockwell’s Intelligent Devices operating segment.
- Manufacturers share top technologies on their automation wish list in latest MA poll
- Quantum technologies commercialization: NGen Canada and Digital Supercluster seek project proposals


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Matcha green tea: The new super food
Kale is so last season.
#Bmorehealthyselfie campaign launched
The Baltimore City Health Department launched a new social media campaign #BmoreHealthySelfie.
Ford recalls 213,000 police vehicles
Ford is recalling about 213,000 police vehicles in North America to fix springs that may not keep doors closed in a crash.
Shave Like a Man
Have you ever gone shopping for razor blades and done a sticker shock double take? Maybe it's time to go old school with the safety razor.…


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Welcome to a world with Smart Home, Smart Camera & Smart lights and products – truly Smart Wearable.
(#FlipkartIndia was tagged in Social media posts on Facebook and Twitter handles of the blog.)
Low internet costs, open-source technologies, standardization of network protocols, low cost and time for processing and higher behavioral elasticity have paved the way for smart homes and smart devices in India.
Next bout of thrust comes in form of smart cities. In short, supply and demand forces/curves move in the same dynamics, a rare distinction of sorts. This has triggered a need for smart communities, smart homes and smart individuals (individuals accepting smart devices and even literally!). Look even the choice for technology has transformed drastically. Pure play automation to one reliant on ambient/artificial intelligence. Machine to Machine (M2M) interface together with Internet of Things (IoT) has formed the backbone for communication – in smart homes and smart devices alike.
|Innovation – Drives the need for smart devices
Consultancy firm Redseer, forecasts that the demand for smart devices – both individual and home – would stand at USD 2.2 bn by end of 2019 !
The Indian case stands out more uniquely. A strong inter-relationship built among smart cities, smart communities, smart homes and smart devices. The advent of innovation in the quality of life and functionality has started showing evidence. Instances for implementation of smart products include: solutions to conduct IoT enabled clinical trials in order to evaluate specific outcomes (Pfizer), wearable sensor patches to give insights on health patterns, medication effectiveness (Proteus), Polo shirts that monitor and show heart rate and calories burned during work-outs (Ralph Lauren) and trial rooms containing virtual and smart mirrors for helping consumers in making the right choice (Rebeccaminkoff).
a.) Need for Smart devices:
i.) Smart Homes:
The need for smart homes in India come primarily from three folds. Security, convenience and energy efficiency.
High crime rates make it inevitable for individual investments in security in India. Technology not only provisions for a new layer of security, it comes with an added advantage – low cost of implementation and maintenance. Economies of scale is significantly driving the cost southwards for the smart products. Changing customer preferences for monitoring and management of audit logs are other influencers favoring smart homes. High energy costs further drives the need for smart homes in India. Distribution losses in electricity supply and access of electrification are drivers from the supply side. Without surprise, thus, the prospects of growth are phenomenal in this segment.
|Smart homes and smart devices – Integrating in Indian society
ii.) Smart Devices – Personal:
The smart devices segment for fitness can largely be differentiated in two categories. First, urban wellness piece and second, rural public health part. High obesity rates, propensity for cardiac issues in India, pollution levels and ensuring productivity through work-life balance drives the demand in smart devices for urban wellness segment.
|Smart Watches – Multi faceted and empowering !
A major breakthrough – as also latent demand – exist for the smart devices in the public health for rural India. While dismal access rates of medical facilities sets the tone for such demand, low literacy and lack of adequate social insurance further accentuates this need for smart devices in rural India.
b.) Advantages of Technology – Makes it a smart case :
Technology has eased our day to day life drastically, and the biggest breakthrough comes through reduction in cost and efforts. Take the case of the new marketplace created by e-commerce. The availability of a broad product range at favorable price points, that too directly at the doorsteps has redefined the experience. Experts say that it has not only tapped the latent demand, but also gone beyond and created fresh demand in new product segments.
Governance is another major beneficiary. Digitization of the records and public access has ensured transparency – in a big way. Overlapping ICT technologies including biometric recognition has redefined the framework for public governance.
Next is the comfort for public/alternate transport. Secondary access through car rental companies and recharges for the public transport – like Indian Railways – facilitates a tremendously comfortable travelling process.
The list would be certainly incomplete without mention of accessibility to financial products – payment wallet, instant money transfer – have made life more efficient.
Other major applications of technology includes products that can be customized for security.
c.) Evolution of Technology – Indian life is smarter and better for sure!
Technology has completely transformed the Indian life.
In our case, the daily life has changed completely ever since I wake up in the morning.
Alarm clocks have paved the way for smart watches, thermostat based electric geysers power up the morning showers along with smart speakers that play our favorite playlist, hybrid cars save the fuel during drive for the office, algorithm based lift management ensure optimal utilization of the energy and time, smart lighting in the office, all this – while we wear the little fitness bands in the fist to keep track of our health – is simply amazing.
Vrroom.. As I drive my bike on the way, the smart helmet’s bluetooth gives me option to attend urgent calls.
|Smart viewing experience
Come home, and the smart windows keep the street noise at the bay while smart regulators adjust the temperature as we monitor the activities in our absence through smart security devices.
And wait…. all through Smart TV eagerly waits to play our favorite drama which we watch on smart glass through the connecting stick ! The ambient smart lights are aligned just perfectly to our moods. And our pet Smartphone …. has touched and simplified each and every facet of our life.
|Smart Glasses – Entertainment experience to a new level
My Favorite !
My smartwatch is something which I admire the most. It motivates me to stay fit. I can monitor my physical activities dynamically and calibrate the further need as per deficit/surplus. Goal setting, achievement and adaptability gives me conviction that I’m in complete control of my health. I can’t imagine a single day without my personal smart watch.
In short, smart products make me feel more empowered about my life.
d.) Smart Products – Potential for India
The potential for smart products in India is huge. The youth population base, increasing connectivity penetration, wellness consciousness, disposable income and welfare push from the government augur great times ahead ! Integration of smart devices into our lives has been seamless so far, and whatsoever little traction that existed earlier, has simply evaporated. Two pronged ‘Push-Pull’ forces for demand and supply would accelerate the growth of smart devices in Indian lives.
Some of the segments where smart products hold immense potential in India are :
i.) Wellness and Health : More fist borne smart watches – that can assess medical parameters round-the-clock, as well as immediately flag outliers – are going to gain acceptance, especially in urban India. Other smart products such as Pocket ECG, gluco-meters are also expected to find favors.
ii.) Tele-Medicine: Smart devices that would aid medical assistance through hub-spoke model are the next big thing in India. Intelligent devices that prepare medical set-up, forward emergency messages to related agencies and flag the need for specialist services basis preliminary diagnosis could be extremely beneficial.
iii.) Smoke Detection: Automated fire detection devices integrated in a grid that can trigger immediate alarms as well as inform gird would befit Indian system to contain fire-related causalities. Other corollary devices towards detection of gas leakage could help in residential and industrial set-ups.
iv.) Automatic illumination in dark alleys: Effective energy management in form of smart devices for automatic illumination of dark alleys can be extremely useful in India. The increased penetration witnessed in addition of the artificial intelligence in the lighting solutions has made strong case for acceptance.
v.) Automated controls – Main Gate: The main gates (or some select gates) in our home can be operated through smart devices – programmable keys, face recognition devices etc.- to ensure security. The added advantage of prospects of audit logs substantiate such products.
vi.) Smart Irrigation: Smart devices that measure soil humidity and control level of irrigation accordingly can be boon for water management and agricultural production in a water-scarce India.
vii.) Energy management: Effective energy management for cooling levels in refrigeration, de-humidifiers and other appliances, on a standalone basis as well as smart grid can lead to great savings.
viii.) Water Potability: Smart devices that can measure, monitor and manage water purification in homes on the basis of the quality of water-supply can enable wellness and better health, considering high rates of water-borne diseases in India.
|Smart sensors to monitor soil humidity
Growth of the smart devices is inevitable in India. Individuals are already empowered by the prevalent smart products and new products would bolster acceptance.
Image Source: All Images – Google Images’
Background Reference: http://tec.gov.in/pdf/M2M/M2M_IoT%20Enablement%20in%20Smart%20Homes.pdf


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REMSA to host USA Pavilion at Innotrans 2016
The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) will host a USA Pavilion at Innotrans 2016, Sept. 20-23, in Berlin, Germany, the organization announced Feb. 2, 2016. InnoTrans, the largest rail transport…
LRIW seeks nominations for board of directors
The League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) announced Nov. 17, 2015 that it is seeking candidates to serve on the organization’s board of directors. The LRIW board represents a cross-section…
FreightCar America beats EPS estimates
FreightCar America, Inc. reported on Nov. 2, 2015 third-quarter 2015 earnings per share of $0.96. This is compared to an estimate of $0.88 made by KeyBanc Capital Market Inc., and…
HRSI introduced its Automated Conveyor Train at Railway Interchange
Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., unveiled the Automated Conveyor Train (A.C.T.), its new aggregate delivery system, at Railway Interchange 2015.
Take the guesswork out of setting hand brakes
The newly patented Hand Brake Torque Indicator (BTI) from CMN Components Inc., a nationwide railc ar parts supplier, is a torque indicating device that directly replaces traditional vertical railcar hand…
Amsted Rail prepares for higher axleloads
Amsted Rail is developing new designs of components to produce a truck to meet the demand from Australian heavy-haul freight railways for 45-metric ton axleload freight cars, or even 50-metric…
Kontron highlights transportation computing capabilities at RI2015
Augsburg, Germany-based Kontron, a supplier of ECT (embedded computing technology) and an IoT (Internet of Things) consultant, showcased its line of standards-based transportation computers at Railway Interchange 2015 in Minneapolis.
Power Drives powers up at RI2015
Power Drives, Inc. (PDI), a Buffalo, N.Y.-based supplier of diesel engine heating/idle reduction and fuel filtration systems with manufacturing facilities in Erie, Pa., Falconer (Jamestown), N.Y., and Haiyu Town, Changsu…
Railway Interchange 2015 attendance reaches a new record
Organizers for Railway Interchange 2015, held in Minneapolis, Minn. on Oct. 4-7, 2015, announced today that total registered attendance for the USA-based combined exhibition and technical conference reached 9,571, a…
Scott Commo elected to REMSA board of directors
The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) announced Oct. 14, 2015 the election of a new director, Scott Commo, to join the REMSA board of directors. The election took place at…
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Do you know what microplastics are?
Microplastics have been detected in commercial table salt and some studies assure that 90% of bottled water and 83% of tap water contain plastic particles, this worries the UN, as little is known about the impact of this material in human health.
Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment.
Then, microplastics come from a wide variety of sources, such as tires, cosmetic or cleaning products, clothing, everyday plastic waste, industrial processes.
It is estimated that between 2% and 5% of all manufactured plastics end up in the oceans. Some of them do it in the form of microplastics.
At the same time, microplastics come from a variety of sources, including from larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller and smaller pieces.
In addition, microbeads, a type of microplastic, are very tiny pieces of manufactured polyethylene plastic. That are added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpastes.
There’s also an emerging field of research looking at nanoplastics – pieces too small to see with the naked eye – which are measured in nanometres (there are 1,000 nanometres in one micrometre).
These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean and Great Lakes, posing a potential threat to aquatic life.
Around the world, researchers are only now beginning to examine the impacts of plastics on the health of animals, after a swathe of studies identified the many species that were interacting with microplastics.
How can we reduce the use of plastic?
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KARACHI: The Gas and Oil Pakistan Limited (GO) on Thursday said its fuel stations continue to cater to the customers’ fueling needs.
In response to the reports that the country faces shortage and pumps drying out, the GO has submitted its response to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).
In its response, the company has clarified that its retail outlets have witnessed an extraordinary increased influx of customers due to the demand pressure generated on account of volatile conditions during the last few days.
Despite that, GO has been supplying above and beyond its forecast volumes to meet the extraordinary requirements put forward by its retail outlets and has sold 18,938MT of petrol and diesel representing approximately 15 percent of its June demand in the first two days of the month.
GO has kept its terminals and its depots operational 24/7, which is testament to GO’s commitment to ensuring smooth fuel supplies at its outlets nationwide.


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Gmail has given its users the option to switch to a new look with new features for the popular e-mail service.
The news comes as the company also announces it has come up with a new Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
In its review of the changes, a story on The Washington Post noted it is now easier to read “long chains” of threads on Gmail. Pictures on the profiles will let users follow who said what. Users can also change density of the Gmail display. Spacing “automatically” changes “based on the kind of display you’re using,” the company adds.
In addition, users can change the size of the chat and label panels, and there are improved search features, as well as smarter navigation.
There is also an advanced search option – making it easier to find something.
It was also reported that the app may offer “push notifications and will likely include priority inbox and one-click message flagging” as well as “Google+ integration,” according to The Post.
In its review of the new options, Mashable commented, “The changes … allow Gmail users much more control over the look of the service. You can drag sidebars around to your preferred size and width, choose from a wider selection of high-resolution background pictures, and decide whether you want lots of email on your screen or more white space between mails…. Heavy Gmail users will also be pleased to learn that there’s a new search function — that is, you can now access Advanced Search by clicking on the search bar. Conversations have been condensed, and profile pictures added.”
It was also announced that users who want the “new look” can click on a “Switch” option in the bottom-right of Gmail, according to a blog post from Jason Cornwell, a user experience designer for Gmail.
In a related matter, Gmail is offering details on the new app.
“We’ve created a new Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch,” Matthew Izatt, Gmail product manager said in a Wednesday blog post. “We’ve combined your favorite features from the Gmail mobile web app and iOS into one app so you can be more productive on the go. It’s designed to be fast, efficient and take full advantage of the touchscreen and notification capabilities of your device.”
In September, TechZone360’s Carrie Schmelkin noted how Gmail upgrades back then let mobile users sign into multiple accounts simultaneously.
The service also offered users a mobile-specific signature which informed the recipient that the sender of the message was responding to an e-mail via a mobile device, TechZone360 added.
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When Andy Cookston and his wife opened Denver’s first medical-marijuana dispensary three years ago, they hung no sign outside their door.
They did no advertising; patients were drawn exclusively by word of mouth. They were unsure whether the state would even allow them to include their dispensary’s full name — Cannabis Medical Technology — on their business license because of its pot-tinged terminology.
Such modesty is no longer a concern.
“Now that the door’s been cracked open,” said Cookston, who also owns a graphics company, “people are rushing it.”
Colorado’s medical-marijuana industry — just in its infancy — is already in the throes of a dramatic change.
As tens of thousands of patients applied for medical-marijuana cards in the past six months, dozens of new dispensaries opened. The number of dispensaries — in essence, shops where approved patients legally buy marijuana — is likely more than 200 in Colorado, though no official tally exists.
And, even as new mom-and-pop dispensaries continue to open weekly, the money flooding into the industry has also attracted the interest of big players with big checkbooks. A 5,000- square-foot dispensary — billed as the largest in Denver — recently opened just north of Invesco Field. Two powerhouse dispensaries from California are opening outposts in LoDo.
Offshoot businesses abound
Meanwhile, small-time dispensary owners have resorted to ever more adventurous business models to create a niche in a suddenly crowded marketplace. There are delivery-only dispensaries and dispensaries with hair stylists on site and one dispensary that claims to be the country’s only medical-marijuana restaurant.
And this doesn’t include the offshoot businesses that dispensary owners say have arisen around the cannabis industry — including not just the paraphernalia and growing supply shops but also insurers, electricians, security firms, ventilation contractors, real estate agents and lawyers. One local bail bonds company took out an ad in the alternative magazine Westword’s 64-page special medical-marijuana insert, offering a discount to people charged with marijuana-related crimes.
Commercial real estate for dispensaries now leases at a premium, several dispensary owners said. Warehouse space for marijuana-growing operations is even tighter.
“The average guy starting a storefront now, you definitely better have some legitimate business skills compared to what it used to be,” Cookston said. “It’s definitely getting harder.”
Despite the harsher competition, dispensary owners remain a diverse set. Many, like Cookston, are patients themselves and longtime advocates of using marijuana for medical purposes.
Because dispensary owners remain largely cut off from traditional financing like bank loans, they must scrounge together all the money necessary to open their shops — in most cases anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 — on their own.
For Steve Horowitz, who used to sell promotional magnets to Realtors until the housing bust, that meant skipping the mortgage payment on his space for three months in order to come up with the cash to start a dispensary. Horo witz’s creation — the Ganja Gourmet, which serves marijuana-infused pizza, lasagna, hummus and desserts — opened last week on South Broadway in Denver.
“I’m lucky I didn’t run out of money before I opened this,” he said.
Posting ads for investors
Pierre Werner — a Nevada transplant who moved to Boulder earlier this year in search of a friendlier climate for medical-marijuana distribution after receiving three felony convictions on marijuana-related charges in his home state — opened his Dr. Reefer dispensary on University Hill after posting ads to Craigslist seeking investors.
“I think everybody is throwing every last dollar and maxing out their credit cards and getting every kind of loan they can,” Werner said of new dispensary owners.
Well, perhaps not everybody. In LoDo, at least two new dispensaries have the backing of major players from California’s booming medical-marijuana industry. The Farmacy, at 14th and Market streets, is a branch of a dispensary chain with three shops in the Los Angeles area. Local Product, at 15th and Larimer streets, has the backing of Harborside Management Associates, a for-profit offshoot of the Harborside Health Center in Oakland, one of California’s largest dispensaries with about $20 million in annual sales.
“It’s David versus Goliath”
Representatives from the two dispensaries did not respond to inquiries, but the Californians’ entrance into Colorado has a number of local dispensary owners concerned.
“It’s David versus Goliath,” said Jason Irwin, the 27-year-old owner of Highland Health dispensary in Denver. “They didn’t strong-arm their way in, but they have a blank checkbook.”
In response, Irwin said, he plans to expand his business. The dispensary just completed the first harvest at its own growing operation in southern Colorado. Irwin said he hopes to build an even bigger growing operation soon, all to be overseen by his mother.
“When I was in high school, she used to flush my weed down the toilet,” he said, marveling at her shift in attitude. “She was not cool with it.”
Cannabis Medical’s Cookston said the current growth will only help boost dispensaries’ legitimacy, making them all the more entrenched in the community.
“It’s all coming,” he said. “It’s like the sunrise. It’s getting brighter and brighter.”
John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or firstname.lastname@example.org


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On Monday 15th July at the triennial WineTech trade exhibition, held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, JMP Holdings Pty Ltd were awarded the WOW Award for its presentation and launch of the breakthrough ‘Trust Flexitank’.
Open to all 134 exhibiting companies, the WOW Award is an initiative of Wine Industry Suppliers Australia Inc. (WISA) and was sponsored by Wine Business Magazine (WBM). The award recognises companies launching a new product, service or initiative to the wine industry. The three person judging panel consisted of WISA Vice-Chair Tim Duval, WBM’s Editor Anthony Madigan and wine industry strategist and advisor Peter Hayes. The seven finalists for the award were given the opportunity to make a short presentation at their stands in order to ‘WOW’ the judges. After considerable deliberation from the judging panel, JMP Holdings came out on top.
JMP Holdings dedicates their resources to the development and delivery of market specific retail, e-commerce, industrial, cargo care and bulk packaging. At WineTech 2013, JMP launched the Trust Flexitank to the Australian and New Zealand wine market.
Commenting on the WOW award success, JMP Cargo Care General Manager, Jason Beattie, said “we were a little anxious after the presentation to the judging panel as we were sure JMP were up against some serious competition. When the announcement of our success was made we were extremely delighted to have been recognised.”
Jason added “our team at JMP strive to deliver products to ensure the Australian wine industry maintains its competitive edge, increases profitability and protects its reputation. The Trust Flexitank with its improvements in design, manufacturing process and film technology will provide solutions to many of the challenges faced by the industry in relation to bulk shipments.”
“We’d like to thank WISA and WBM for the award” he concluded.
Representing WISA on the judging panel, WISA’s vice-chair Tim Duval said “JMP had impressed the judges with its commitment to improving the quality of wine being exported in bulk. The Trust Flexitank’s more effective rectangular shape and reduced migration of taint compounds and oxygen transfer are important in providing increased confidence to winemakers. Further, with more wine now being exported in bulk rather than in bottle, the Trust Flexitank is an important step in protecting brand Australia.”
“JMP presented compelling evidence through its Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) commissioned independent testing and subsequent report which highlighted the Trust Flexitank’s improvement on existing technology” added Tim.
For information on the Trust Flexitank contact Jason Beattie – JMP Holdings Cargo Care General Manager T 03 9588 2229 E [email protected] or Matthew Moate – JMP Holdings Regional Sales Manager – M 044 888 2019 E [email protected].


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Australia’s biggest brands, agencies and suppliers are set to discuss one of the most fundamental changes to marketing in recent years.
‘2023: The Second Bite Of The Cookie’ will launch as a free webinar series produced by AdNews, running from November 8 to 11.
Curated and hosted by AdNews publisher Assia Benmedjdoub, it will investigate how the industry is addressing current privacy provisions as well as preparations for Google’s extended cookie sunset in 2023.
The event will feature presentations from Google Australia’s marketing platform director Barney Pierce, Optus director of acquisition and customer marketing Angela Greenwood and a joint presentation from Mindshare and NAB senior manager of media personalisation, innovation, enablement and transformation Christoff Botha.
These sessions will be reinforced with a panel discussion featuring Australia’s top brand experts, including Afterpay director of customer growth Charlie Short, Menulog CMO Simon Cheng and Tourism Australia GM of digital, technology and data Paul Bailey.
AdNews publisher Assia Benmedjdoub said the webinar aims to equip media, marketing and advertising professionals with insights ahead of the 2023 deadline.
“The industry is currently navigating a number of significant changes to privacy regulations and identity solutions, making the year ahead a vital time to improve strategies for a post-cookie world.”
The webinar will unveil additional speakers shortly, including a lineup of agency experts and suppliers.
AdNews would like to thank the event’s supporting partners Alpha Digital, Amobee, Foxtel Media and The Trade Desk as well as associate partners Foxcatcher and Tv Squared.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at email@example.com


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If you recently bought bagged lettuce and you’re planning on pairing a salad with dinner tonight, you might want to listen up.
Ken Bendat said he’s glad he shops at the local farmers market.
“It’s a good place to get lettuce,” said Bendat.
Especially after hearing about River Ranch Fresh Foods’ nationwide recall.
The company says their bagged lettuce with “best by” dates between May 12th and 29th is potentially contaminated with Listeria.
“I got a call from my supplier and he told us to pull it…figure 100-125 bags we threw away,” said Ray Nouguier, Produce Manager at Sherms Food-4-Less.
Contamination can occur if produce comes in contact with manure.
At the Rogue Valley Farmers Market in Ashland, farmers say there is a difference when you buy locally grown lettuce.
“When you’re dealing with those monster companies, there’s so many people in between, you never know what going to happen…I mean I cut that lettuce, I packed it…so i’m intimately familiar with it,” said farmer Kenny Kapler.
He said while there’s no absolute guarantee any produce is without contaminants, he said the difference is the pride smaller companies take in their work.
“Anytime you get larger scale, you get people who don’t love what they’re doing they’re just doing it for a paycheck…you can’t pay somebody enough to make them care,” said Kapler.
Meantime, shopper Ken Bendat says he’ll continue shopping local.
“There’s a lot less possibility for it to be contaminated. It’s good and fresh and it’s safe for my kids,” said Bendat.
However, there are many ways to ensure your produce is okay. Watch for recalls, and wash it before you eat it.
So far, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the recall.
River Ranch also distributes lettuce to brands including: Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Marketside, Shurfresh and The Farmers Market.
Listeria symptoms include high fever, headache and neck stiffness.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.


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“Fascinating” may be the best adjective to describe how a mere 2 percent of the population in the United States is responsible for producing the bulk of our nation’s food supply. For the most part it is because of this incredible food supply that U.S. citizens have become somewhat accustomed to the abundance of high quality, safe and wholesome foods.
Grocery bills today make up less than 10 percent of the average U.S. household’s disposable income, far less than what is spent in other parts of the world. It’s been documented that many Americans will spend more on taxes in 2016 than they will collectively on food, clothing and housing. This is unlike generations gone by.
As good as our Agriculture engine has historically been at producing a safe and wholesome product for the consuming public, Agriculturists have done a horrible job of educating the general public about the wholesome, sustainable and environmentally friendly practices we employ in producing a safe food supply for the world.
Case in point is the misguided and misunderstood issue of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s). A Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) food labeling law recently passed in Vermont and will impact foods across the nation. Advocates for the bill are calling for a similar nationwide labeling bill.
Such a state effort was brought forth and defeated in Nevada during the 2011 Nevada Legislative session. The bill was defeated with partial help from the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and the Nevada Farm Bureau joint lobbying efforts. Food companies and agriculturists are concerned that on-pack labeling would mislead consumers, causing them to believe foods bearing a GMO label should be avoided even though there’s no scientific justification warranting that belief.
The safety of GMOs is well-documented and supported by health and scientific authorities covering the globe including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Medical Association, European Food Safety Authority, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and World Health Organization.
The Colorado Corn Growers Association recently offered the following as talking point facts:
Each Genetically Modified (GM) seed variety takes on average $136 million and 13 years to bring to market because of the safety studies and regulatory approval processes necessary.
In response to what was described as an information gap at the time, Italian scientists in 2013 analyzed 1,783 studies around the world, spanning the previous decade, regarding the safety and environmental impacts of GMOs. They couldn’t find a single credible example demonstrating that GMOs pose harm to humans or animals.
In 2015, a massive, peer-reviewed, food-safety study – involving 4 billion farm animals fed GM foods, and 4 billion animals fed non-GM foods – showed there were no differences in animal health, growth or fertility. No quantifiable traces of GM components were detected in milk, meat and eggs following the animals’ consumption of GM foods.
It appears to me that GMO dissenters are justifying the foods they like as non GMO, picking and choosing which foods they call a “GMO product” and which not. Take for example a succulent seedless watermelon. Most consider this food to be a GMO product. However, as pointed out by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, “A seedless watermelon is a sterile hybrid which is created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon, containing 22 chromosomes per cell, with a female watermelon flower with 44 chromosomes per cell. When this seeded fruit matures, the small, white seed coats inside contain 33 chromosomes, rendering it sterile and incapable of producing seeds. This is similar to the mule, produced by naturally crossing a horse with a donkey. This process does not involve genetic modification.”
So there you have it. Seedless watermelons are just regular watermelons, albeit a relatively younger relative of the traditional seeded watermelon. The seedless watermelon actually outsells its seeded peers by a significant margin.
My wife and I own and operate a custom beef Artificial Insemination (A.I.) business. We artificially inseminate thousands of cows annually for our customers, breeding their cows by A.I. to the most efficient and sought after sires in the world. Offspring of these inseminations add to the efficiency of our nation’s food supply and the eating satisfaction of the consuming public. Do you consider this method of genetic advancement to be termed GMO? If so, how do you view the tens of thousands of human conceptions to invitro or artificial inseminations? Do you see the possible hypocrisy here?
It is my hope that the reader of this letter to the editor will take the time to educate themselves on the scientific facts before buying into and supporting the anti GMO movement taking place across the nation. I encourage you to not support the political moves being proposed which may unduly hinder agriculture’s ability to feed the world. The U.S. House has passed a voluntary, national labeling bill that would supersede state laws, but it is stalled in the Senate. The agriculture community supports voluntary labeling and staunchly oppose mandatory GMO labeling.
The next time you enjoy a seedless watermelon or an ear of sweet corn, consider the political moves going on nationwide which, if successful, will hinder American Agriculturists from advancing their ability to feed a growing world population.


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Without further ado…
1. The verdict is in: Twitter users want Elon Musk to sell 10% of his Tesla stock. Musk, Tesla's CEO, took to Twitter on Saturday to ask followers if he should sell off some of his stock. The answer was a resounding yes.
- "I will abide by the results of this poll, whichever way it goes," Musk tweeted after launching the poll. More than 3.5 million people voted, with 57.9% voting yes.
- Sen. Ron Wyden, the author of the billionaires' income tax proposal, responded to the poll, saying: "Whether or not the world's wealthiest man pays any taxes at all shouldn't depend on the results of a Twitter poll." Read more of his comments here.
- It remains to be seen if Musk will actually part with his stock. If he does, it'd amount to around $21 billion. Here's everything we know about the poll – and its results — so far.
In other news:
2. Facebook's researchers found the app is bad for 360 million of its users. A report by The Wall Street Journal found that the site's own team of researchers said the app hurts sleep, work relationships, or parenting for about 12.5% of users. How one in eight users are affected by Facebook.
3. Amazon might put prescription drugs and lottery tickets in its cashierless grocery stores. According to internal documents, Amazon could use medicine and lotto tickets to boost traffic and revenue. The company is considering self-service pick-up lockers or a kiosk for automatically dispensing medications. Read more in our exclusive report.
4. We have a recap of week nine of the Elizabeth Holmes trial. A former lab co-director said she was uncomfortable with the "lack of clarity" about the lab, and the jury heard testimony about investments from Henry Kissinger, the DeVos family, and Walmart's heirs. Here's what else you may have missed.
5. An engineer who interviewed with Google three times explains how to land a job. After interviewing with — and being rejected by — Google three times, Rick Viscomi learned from his mistakes and ultimately nabbed a job at YouTube. From practicing interviews to framing his passions as strengths, he explains how he finally got the job.
6. Companies are using robots to write thank-you notes to their employees. Described as "gratitude robots," the bots are created by Handwrytten, a company based in Phoenix — and can write notes and holiday cards with custom messages. See how gratitude robots work.
7. Inside Zillow's two weeks from hell. Leadership at the real-estate giant had positioned house-flipping as the future of Zillow — but it flopped. Within a span of weeks, Zillow went from betting big on home-flipping to cutting 2,000 people and losing $10 billion in value. We have an inside look at what happened.
8. What comes after the Switch? Nintendo is working to figure that out. Now that the Switch has been out for five years, Japanese gaming giant Nintendo is working on a console that will succeed it. What we know about the "20xx next-gen device."
9. Volkswagen is reviving its iconic bus as an electric vehicle. The bus, an icon of the 1960s and 1970s, is coming back as an electric model — and VW just offered a peek at what the production version will look like. Check out the electric VW bus.
10. Uber might dispatch New York's yellow cabs from its app. Thanks to a driver shortage, NYC Uber app users could potentially see yellow cabs as another option alongside "UberX." Here's a look at what we know so far.
The week ahead:
- PayPal, Virgin Galactic, Roblox, and others are reporting their Q3 earnings today. Keep up with earnings here.
- The COP26 climate conference continues through Nov. 12.
- Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is appearing before the European Parliament today.


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Diana Marszalek 05 Jun 2018 // 6:40AM GMT
SAN FRANCISCO — Robert Holdheim has departed Edelman following a 26-year association with the firm that he joined in 1991, joining tech company Engineer.ai as its chief business officer.
After rejoining Edelman New York in 2006 as SVP of its corporate communications group, Holdheim relocated to India in 2009, helping Edelman expand its Indian presence considerably before taking on a similar remit across the Middle East and Africa.
One year ago, Holdheim moved to Berlin to become MD of corporate reputation. His role at Edelman will not be replaced, said an agency spokesperson. “We are grateful to Rob for everything he did in service of our clients and the firm during his time here,” the rep said.
At Engineer.ai, Holdheim reunites with president/COO Varghese Cherian, a former senior executive from Edelman. Holdheim is based in San Francisco.
Engineer.ai allows clients to custom build their own tech products by selecting from components the company has built.


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Several banks have announced plans to reduce their overdraft fees this week. But as Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, consumer groups say changes don’t go far enough.
Wells Fargo, Chase, U.S. Bank and others have all announced changes. For example, Well Fargo will no longer charge customers $35 for overdrawing less than $5.
The banks are hoping to slow momentum in Congress for new laws. But Matt Wallis, with the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, says Congress still needs to act.
Matt Wallis: “I think laws will protect consumers much better than press releases will. Laws of course are a lot harder to rescind or go back on than corporate policy.”
New legislation could deal with overdraft charges, or establish a new consumer financial protection agency.
Banks generated six percent of their operating revenue from overdraft fees last year.
There is some concern that cutting those fees may prompt banks to charge for other services.


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Clothing, shoes and home accessories from Macys and Bloomingdales are now available in Atascadero.
Designers Outlet opened Tuesday at 7175 El Camino Real. The Atascadero location is the Pleasanton-based companys first store in California, said Fadel Hemdan, district manager. Other stores are expected to open soon in Dublin, Morgan Hill, Salinas and Santa Maria, he said.
Were starting with 10 leases right now; the first lease was in Atascadero, said Hemdan, adding that the 16,000-square-foot space will be leased for about $10,000 a month. A dozen people will be hired to work at the store.
Designers Outlet will sell brand-name overstock items from Macys and Bloomingdales, which is owned by Macys, at a cheaper price, he said.
Calvin Klein, Anne Klein, Tahari and Nine West are some of the designer labels shoppers will find. The store will stock mostly womens clothing, shoes, and accessories for the bed, bath and kitchen.
Hemdan said the store will give local shoppers more choice.
Atascadero is a small town, but I didnt see a lot of good stores where people might want to shop, he said. They have to go to Paso (Robles) or San Luis Obispo.
Warren Frace, the citys community development director, said Designers Outlet, housed in the space formerly occupied by Tool Outlet, is a welcome addition to the retail landscape.
The City Council is definitely interested in trying to increase retail opportunities in the city, and we see this as fitting in perfectly, Frace said.


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May 17th, 2021
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The rising cost of goods and services has not had a significant impact on poor households over the past year, according to the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS).
Both poor and rich households were found to have experienced “moderate” inflation rates, despite price hikes in consumer goods due to supply bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In fact, poor households have seemingly experienced slightly lower inflation than rich households,” CSPS said in its latest Brunei Economic Update publication.
Using data from the Household Expenditure Survey 2015-16, the think tank analysed the spending patterns of the poorest 20 percent of Bruneian households with an average monthly income of $1,897 and the richest 20 percent of households who earned an average of $15,749 in a month.
CSPS attributed the lower inflation for poor households to falling housing rents and subsidised rates of electricity, water and gas, as poor households spend a large share (49 percent) of their expenses on housing and utilities.
“This has helped to alleviate upward pressure on the cost of living from food price spikes,” CSPS said.
The report added that poor households also spend a higher share on food and beverages (17 percent) than rich households (11 percent).
In contrast, rich households can afford to spend more on clothing and furniture, vehicles, private education, restaurant and hotels, and recreation.
CSPS said rich households experienced a higher inflation rate than poor households as the goods and services they spend more on have seen price increases, except clothing and footwear.
“However, the cost of living remains a concern for many households despite higher nominal incomes and moderate inflation, possibly due to psychological bias or because the standard of living that can be afforded by households’ income remains lower than they would like.
“For instance, individuals tend to place a greater weight on prices that have risen, rather than those that have fallen. Consumers may also take note of sudden large price changes rather than smooth price increases, and on purchases made frequently or recently,” CSPS added.
Brunei reports highest inflation rate in 12 years
Brunei’s inflation rose to 1.9 percent in 2020, the highest rate in 12 years and more than six times the average rate in the past two decades.
Figures from the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS) showed positive inflation rates for 15 consecutive months since December 2019.
The sultanate recorded a deflation of -0.4 percent in 2019.
Citing statistics from DEPS, CSPS said most consumer price index categories posted moderate price increases between February 2019 and February 2021.
However, there were steep price hikes in vegetables, averaging 38 percent higher in February this year compared to two years ago, while the cost of accommodation services fell 27 percent in the same period.
CSPS said the pandemic has caused restricted labour supply, hampered production and increased logistics costs, pushing up prices of goods and services.
“Unfavourable weather conditions affected agricultural production, while travel restrictions barred local professionals from inspecting the halal status of imported meat, leading to domestic food shortages.
“In addition, increased food consumption and panic buying due to the travel bans further lifted prices,” the think tank added.
The depreciation of the Brunei dollar was also reported to have contributed to higher import costs.


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Labor has announced a $200 million assistance package to revive the embattled Australian car industry.
The funds were set aside under the Government’s economic statement last week.
Industry Minister Kim Carr told ABC News he is consulting with carmakers and associated manufacturers about how best to spend the money.
Senator Carr wants to make it compulsory for commonwealth, state and local governments to use Australian-made cars.
"We're providing support for the supply chain for smaller companies," he told the ABC.
"We're providing support for sales of vehicles, and we want to make sure we have a much larger number of cars put through Australian factories."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has brushed aside the suggestion that the extra funding for the automotive industry is an admission that his government's recent tightening of the fringe benefits tax (FBT) arrangements on cars has damaged the sector.
"The auto sector in Australia employs directly or indirectly about a quarter of a million Australians," he told the ABC’s AM program.
“I do not believe manufacturing is an industry just for the past, it's an industry for the future, Mr Rudd said. "It means that on a case-by-case basis, industry-sector-by-industry-sector, the Government will provide support where necessary.
"I'm a believer in manufacturing's future."
The Coalition has described the package as a “band-aid” solution.
"On the one hand, Mr Rudd takes a baseball bat to the car industry by hitting it with an unprecedented $1.8 billion tax and on the other he gives them back $200 million to try and save them," Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey said.
"The fact is, you can't put a band-aid over a bullet wound."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told the ABC’s AM program the Coalition will not accept the Government's $1.8 billion saving made through the FBT changes.
"There's one that we certainly aren't going to accept and that's the $1.8 billion hit on the car industry," Mr Abbott told AM.


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The Ford Motor Co. has teamed with Coca-Cola to build a Ford Fusion Engeri model with Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle Technology. Basically, this car’s seat cushions, seat backs, head restraints and door panel and headliners are made entirely from renewable materials.
This Ford Fusion Engeri research vehicle is the first to use PET plastics in the fabric of a vehicle. PET is a durable, lightweight plastic also known as polyethylene terephthalate. It’s used by both Ford and Coke in a variety of products including plastic bottles, fabrics and carpets. According to Coca-Cola and Ford, PlantBottle Technology is a plastic bottle made from plants, and more than 400,000 barrels of oil have been saved thanks to this technology.
Ford says if PlantBottle fabrics were used in the majority of Ford models, it would save 295,000 gallons of gasoline and 6,000 barrels of oils.