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3 DECEMBER 2019
ICSA beef chairman Edmund Graham has suggested that following an ICSA trial, the association believes that processors and retailers are making substantial mark-ups on heifers destined for the supermarket shelf.
In some cases however, aggressive discounting by big retailers is used as a means of getting consumers in to buy other products. When this happens, the farmer is essentially subsidising other over-priced goods in the supermarket.
The second key finding is that higher grade suckler type animals are yielding a lot of added value through higher meat yield which is not reflected in the beef grid payment system.
The ICSA trial showed that an O= animal (dairy cross) under 30 months was priced at €1,043 (VAT exclusive) and its meat could fetch €2,217 in the supermarket, a mark-up before costs of €1,174.
The R+ grade suckler animal, under 30 months, was priced at €1,228 (VAT exclusive) and its meat was priced at €2,741, a mark-up before costs of €1,512.
The trial was conducted taking two heifers from the farm of Mr Dan Lynam in Westmeath who were weighed live, slaughtered and hung for 28 days. The meat from both was then carefully weighed, category by category, and then priced according to a range of prices available in the main retail outlets.
While the trial has the obvious limitation of being based on just two animals, the outcomes point the way for further research and investigation. Edmond Graham says that this information will inform the ICSA approach at the Beef Markets Taskforce, particularly in relation to the Teagasc review of the grid and the independent study into price composition.
One heifer was a Limousin suckler type heifer which was assessed as R+ and the second heifer was an Angus dairy cross heifer assessed as O=. The method was to weigh every cut and price it in all the main supermarkets. There is a lot of variation in pricing not only between supermarket chains but within supermarkets. However, this points to the need for a debate about the sustainability of pricing policy.
“We have tried to exclude very high prices which are not reflective. For example, we have taken a price of €28.73 for fillet steak even though we have seen it priced at €37.50. But on the other hand, some supermarkets are selling beef under special offers without any regard for the fact that you cannot feed two animals for the price of one or decide that this month I am going to cut my heifers’ feed by 33%.”
“A farmer might get €1,100 for an animal that has taken over three years to bring from breeding to slaughter whereas processors and retailers expect to make more than that for processing the animal and putting it on shelf, a process which takes three weeks.”
“In addition, meat processors make significant earnings from the fifth quarter which the farmer doesn’t get paid for. In 2018, beef offal was worth €385 million which works out at just over €200/ animal.”
The story gets worse when you consider that this animal will have cost €1300 to bring to slaughter and the farmer will be expected to have levels of traceability seen nowhere else in the world, be quality assured and be actively investing in saving the planet at the same time.
“The real insight here is that there is a lot of extra value in the suckler animal that current beef grid price does not reward. From a starting point of two heifers of almost identical liveweights (590kg v 600kg) the suckler animal outperforms all along the food chain to yield €523 more value in retail sales. Allowing for her higher kill out and better grade, the farmer makes €184 (VAT excl) more on the suckler animal. But is this enough of a fair reflection?”
“It is true that the suckler animal takes up more shelf space and has more distribution and retailing costs simply down to more packets of meat to sell. But with the massive efficiencies and economies of scale both in processing and retailing, it seems incomprehensible that a lot more of this extra €523 cannot be returned for the suckler type animal.”
“It is also important to note that there is a lot of value added without any major addition of cost other than processing to the O grade animal.”
However, there is another twist to the story which is the cheap food strategy which is destroying value for everyone. While the prices quoted here reflect prices charged in a supermarket in the past week, there are plenty of examples of similar meat cuts being flogged off cheaply.
“Supermarkets are notorious for using primary agricultural produce as a kind of “loss leader” to attract in the customers. They then sell the meat or vegetables for unsustainably low prices from the perspective of the primary producer but it doesn’t matter if other products are being sold to consumers at inflated prices. For example, one supermarket was selling 400g of minced meat for €2 and a few aisles down was charging €32 for 8 replacement shaving blades!”
“When you look at how much meat can be got from a suckler type heifer, it beggars belief that the suckler farming sector is on its knees. It is clear that further subsidies for sucklers are a waste of time if we do not effectively address the massive profiteering on these animals in particular. The carcass weight of this animal was absolutely spot-on when it comes to in-spec demands and therefore ideally suited to all retail markets. Yet the price of €1228 is an absolute scandal when you consider the time, effort and cost of producing her in a world where there are more and more demands on farmers.”
The ICSA beef chairman acknowledged that this trial has its limitations and that ICSA would be demanding that similar exercises were done on a wider basis both domestically and internationally as part of the Beef Markets Taskforce work programme.


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Persona 4: Golden has shipped over 350,000 copies in Japan, and he figure also includes download sales, according to a Famitsu report. Atlus was pleased enough with the numbers to offer the game at a discount through PlayStation Network in the region from April 8 – May 6. In December 2013, Atlus announced the game had shipped over 700,000 copies worldwide, which included download sales of the game in Japan as well. Thanks, Siliconera.
Age of Empires 4 announced, and it's being developed by Dawn of War and Company of Heroes creator Relic
Microsoft has just dropped what has to be the most surprising announcement of gamescom 2017: a new Age of Empires game.
EA closed off its gamescom 2017 show with a nice long demo of a new Battlefield 1 map called Tsaritsyn.
The E3 demo for Far Cry 5 showed a nice slice of everything we’ll be doing in the game, but today’s video is even better.

domain: news


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A new identification card has been unveiled by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It's too early to say conclusively what the card will mean for those who choose to take advantage, but we wanted to make Ohio residents are aware of the government's new system.
In a Feb. 11 memo the USCIS announced that it was combining employment and travel authorization on a single card for those who have completed a Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status). In the announcement the USCIS stated the card "looks similar to the current Employment Authorization Document (EAD) but will include text that reads: 'Serves as I-512 Advance Parole.'"
The USCIS says the card will allow the holder to travel abroad without impacting the adjustment application. They will be expected to present the card at their port-of-entry to request parole.
But the memo does say that "the decision to parole the (card holder) is made at the port-of-entry." Some immigration attorneys are therefore concerned the card will cause some to travel abroad and find themselves unable to return to the U.S. They advise any immigrant who initially entered the country illegally to wait for his or her green card to arrive.


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Everyone knows how to order food online and get it delivered within minutes. During this Covid, most of the population has shifted to online for every household item. Strangely, in Pakistan, people are ordering guns for home delivery. That’s not all sellers are not only taking gun orders but also delivering guns on doorsteps.
You may think that it may be happening in some rural areas. However, gun delivery is happening in daylight in major cities in Pakistan, like Karachi. The news has taken everyone by surprise. At first, netizens couldn’t believe it to be true. Unfortunately, that’s the reality in Pakistan.
Some news channels have published the news on the internet. Now everyone on the internet is talking about the same thing. Netizens are surprised by the Pakistani system. Some even questioned authorities about the gun home delivery system.


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Following lengthy trials in markets like Chicago and Boston, Comcast is now moving ahead with the beta launch of Xfinity Instant TV, an IP-delivered skinny video package targeted initially to broadband customers that starts at $18 for a lineup of local broadcast networks, a VOD library and a cloud DVR with 20 hours of storage.
Related: Comcast Prepping Q3 Launch of ‘Xfinity Instant TV’
In addition to a batch of major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, Unimas, Univision), the core offering of the service also includes access to all public, education, and governmental (PEG) channels.
Xfinity Instant TV, a service initially created for Comcast customers who also get high-speed Internet service from the company, doesn’t include national cable networks like ESPN, AMC, A&E and Disney Channel in the core package, but subscribers can get them by selecting and buying from a mix of add-on packages that span genres such as Entertainment and Sports and News. Subs can also buy premium networks such as HBO and Starz.
Comcast said a beta version of Xfinity Instant TV will be rolling out across the MSO’s footprint over the next two weeks, and has set up a web site for sign-ups. To help prime the pump, Comcast is offering a 30-day free trial for Xfinity Instant TV.
The new offering will help Comcast reach a subsection of broadband customers using a skinny package model that relies on a cloud-powered architecture that is already being used to power its flagship pay TV product, X1.
Xfinity Instant TV will also complement Internet Plus, a different slimmed-down, lower priced double-play (video and broadband) service that Comcast has been using as a customer upgrade path, in some cases, to X1. Comcast believes that Instant TV could provide a similar upgrade path to X1, the flagship video service that supports the MSO's mobile streaming app and a range of the MSO’s own set-tops, such as the new Xi5, a wireless box that supports High Dynamic Range.
Read more at multichannel.com.
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A SUPREME Court ruling against Uber means the taxi-app giant may have to come up with a whole new business model, after the highest court in the said it must now treat its drivers as employees, not freelancers.
The company is now faced with paying drivers the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay and ‘waiting pay’ – which means drivers will have to be paid from the moment they turn their ‘app’ on to the moment they turn it off. Previously, they only earned money from fares, not waiting time.
The case was brought by Uber drivers Yaseen Aslam and James Farrar.
Estimates are that Uber may now owe the British taxman around £2billion, and have to pay VAT on future fares. There is no right of appeal for the case, which has been bitterly fought since an initial ruling in 2016. Uber’s share price on the New York Stock Exchange dropped 4.54% following the news last week.
Nic Eatch explains the case below…


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Q&A: New KeyBank Dayton leader Thomas Schlehuber
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The newest member of Dayton’s banking community understands that business is not just business and cities are not just bricks and mortar. Tom Schlehuber, KeyBank’s new district president for southwest Ohio, believes businesses and cities have distinct personalities that need to be recognized in order for them to flourish.
Schlehuber previously served as senior vice president and team manger for commercial and business banking for KeyBank in central Indiana. He has also worked in banking in Peoria, Ill., and Chicago.
The Dayton Business Journal sat down with Schlehuber — who started his new job Nov. 1 — and talked to him about his vision for KeyCorp in the next year in the southwest Ohio market.
Q: What is your vision for KeyBank’s growth in the next year?
A: Banking in general has had a lot of headwinds in the last few years. Not economically, but regulations. And a lot of that now is behind us. … Revenue growth, that’s what we’re after. How are we going to do that? Our retail branches are the foundation of KeyBank. We have 52 in southwest Ohio. That represents probably 60 percent of our revenue.
Consumers over the past couple years have been doing the right thing. They’ve been deleveraging themselves. That’s a really good thing, but that’s why the economy is sputtering. The economy hasn’t taken off because the consumer is doing the right thing.
Why aren’t the banks lending? The consumers aren’t asking. But housing is stabilizing, the consumer confidence indexes are increasing, that’s a good thing. What we have established is 52 banks with good people. We have consumers who have done the right thing, and we’re properly positioned to assist them. I’m optimistic because the consumers have done the right thing and we’re positioned perfectly in the marketplace.
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Tag Archives : Ford Figo Aspire
Prices are effective from today. Ford India has announced a cut in prices of the Ford Figo and Ford Aspire by upto INR 91,000. The prices.
Average production per month is around 6,500 units for both models. CNBC-TV18 reports that Ford India has halved the production of the Ford Figo and.
Ford has showcased both the Ford Figo hatchback and its sedan sibling, the Ford Figo Aspire at the Auto Expo 2016. Ford Figo: The Ford.
Is the first product from the Gujarat plant. Cashing in on the festive season, Ford India has managed to sell around 15,000 units of its.
In August, Hyundai Creta was the best selling SUV, Figo Aspire was the second most sold compact sedan. Hyundai Creta The Hyundai Creta became India’s.
Lineup similar to India. Go Ford has launched the Ford Figo Aspire in Nepal at the 2015 NADA Auto Show, just weeks after the sub-4.
Dual front airbags standard on all variants. A report on the Economic Times states that the recently launched Ford Figo Aspire has received between 4,000-5,000.
Available in four trim levels: Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium+. The highly anticipated Ford Figo Aspire has been launched in Delhi, India, today. Prices (ex-showroom.
Will launch in Nepal this August. Autolife reports that Ford dealerships across Nepal have begun accepting bookings for the company’s first ever sub-4m sedan –.
Bookings began in late July. Ford India today confirmed that the Ford Figo Aspire will launch on August 12. The compact sedan’s bookings opened on.
Bookings began last week. Ford India has officially confirmed a mid-August launch for the Ford Figo Aspire sedan. Bookings for the compact sedan began just.
Display cars will begin arriving next week. Dealers of Ford India will start accepting bookings for the Ford Figo Aspire from July 27, 2015. The.
Titanium Plus variant comes with six airbags as standard. Ford will also launch the Ford Figo Aspire with two petrol engines, a 1.2 Ti-VCT and.
Ford’s first ever sub-4m compact sedan. Being the price-conscious lot that we are, the “sub-4m sedan” is probably the only way manufacturers can gauge a.
Launch scheduled for August. Judging by latest spyshots from IAB reader Mohamed Shahid Hussain, initial units of the highly anticipated Ford Figo Aspire have begun arriving.


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Rumor: HTC One set to launch on Verizon this spring
There’s new evidence that the HTC One may actually launch on all four major U.S. service providers. T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T have already announced their intent to sell the HTC One (according to HTC, the March retail launch of the device is still on track), but Verizon has not shown any sign that it will offer the device to its customers. But that may soon change.
According to a new rumor, Verizon is currently testing the HTC One and its retail debut “will trail the other U.S. carriers by a month or two.” This new bit of information comes only a day after we reported that the Verizon-bound HTC6445LVW (also known as the HTC DLXPLUS) received its Bluetooth certification. It’s impossible to know why Verizon would want to keep the HTC One out of the hands of its customers for an extra month or two, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the device features a handful of hardware and software tweaks once it hits store shelves later this spring.
Source: All Things D


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14 February 2020
A resounding win for the consumer – Right to Repair welcomes Competition Commission Draft Guidelines for Automotive aftermarket sector
Right to Repair South Africa (R2RSA), a Section-21, not-for-profit organisation that has been advocating for freedom of repair choice for vehicle owners over the last couple of years has welcomed the publication of draft guidelines for the Automotive Aftermarket sector by the Competition Commission seeing this as a positive move for the industry and a big win for consumers.
The draft guidelines were published today and industry stakeholders are requested to submit formal comments by 16 March.
“Now that we have the guidelines, fair competition can be implemented speedily. It is a big win for consumers and an opportunity for market players to report uncompetitive behaviour. It is encouraging to see such a strong focus on increased consumer choice, fair competition and competitive pricing,” says Gunther Schmitz, Chairman of Right to Repair South Africa (R2RSA).
Schmitz says this increased transparency and freedom of choice for consumers is really going to help grow small business. “In the past lack of access to technical information has really constrained the independent aftermarket. “It is encouraging the Commission has acknowledged that access to technical information remains a prerequisite for effective competition in the automotive aftermarket and is removing that obstacle by directing Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to share key technical information with independent service providers (ISPs) for both in-warranty and out-of-warranty motor vehicles. Our hope is the OEMs do remove the barriers for consumers and do not try to make access to technical information unaffordable.”
Schmitz says another win for the consumer is the unbundling of maintenance and Service Plans at the point of sale from the purchase price of the Motor Vehicle. He says at the point of sale, dealers and financiers must now provide the consumer with details of all inclusions and exclusions included in the Service and Maintenance Plans. The draft guidelines point out ‘this will allow consumers to exercise choice regarding whether to purchase the Maintenance or Service Plan and make servicing a more affordable option for South Africans, whilst allowing for more players to provide such Value-Added services for consumers whose vehicles are in-warranty.’
“It is good for the industry and good for consumers who can now make informed financial choices.”
The draft guidelines also make provision for consumer choice around value-added products which is also a significant change.
“This is such a positive step for consumers and the aftermarket. We want an environment where consumers can select where their vehicles are serviced, maintained and repaired, at competitive prices and in the workshop of their choice, and which gives aftermarket Small Medium Enterprises a chance to stay in business.The draft guidelines embrace these principles,” concludes Schmitz.
To join the conversation and to find out more about the campaign go to:
And on Twitter follow @Right2RepairSA
The website also provides more insight into the campaign and its objectives:
PREPARED ON BEHALF OF Right to Repair BY CATHY FINDLEY PUBLIC RELATIONS. CONTACT JACQUI RORKE WITH ANY QUERIES ON (011) 463-6372 OR EMAIL JACQUI@FINDLEYPR.CO.ZA


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/ Energy Drinks – regulatory risks and market growth
Opinion Column - 20/02/2015
Energy Drinks – regulatory risks and market growth
The consumption of so called "Energy drinks" is on an upwards trend, as demonstrated by their already large and increasing market growth.
Companies claim that these beverages can offer the consumer an increased energy boost related to their ingredient content. However, the wider health consequences of their increased consumption remain unclear and on a regional basis, efforts are being made to develop a better regulatory framework for this niche segment of the beverage industry.


text: People.com Lifestyle Food Oreo Unveils New Churro Cookie As Its Latest Mystery Flavor The new cookie has a strong hint of cinnamon. By Morgan Raum Morgan Raum @morgan.raum on TikTok @tooomuchfoood on Instagram @tooomuchfooodny on Twitter People Editorial Guidelines Published on December 2, 2019 11:58 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Nabisco After months of keeping us in the dark, Oreo finally revealed the flavor of their Mystery Oreo, and it’s not what we guessed it would be. When PEOPLE staffers tried the treats in September — which came in an ambiguous white package with cookies that looked exactly like regular Oreos — we were overwhelmed by the scent of cinnamon and ended up betting on a Teddy Grahams flavor (the brand previously collaborated with Fruity Pebbles for a mystery flavor in 2017). Well, it turns out that we were thoroughly incorrect. The Mystery Flavor is in fact…Churro. Oreo Dunk Sets Are Officially Heading Back to Stores In an email to PEOPLE, a rep for Oreo gave us some background information pertaining to the new cookie. “Known for delighting street fair and carnival goers across the globe, Churro is becoming an increasingly popular flavor trend in the U.S., which made it the perfect, playful Mystery OREO flavor to surprise fans.” They continued, “The hints of cinnamon flavor in Churro flavored creme were picked up by many supertasters. Other than Churro, popular flavor guesses included funnel cake, graham cracker, gingerbread and more.” Clearly other people also thought the flavor had something to do with graham crackers, so for all intents and purposes, we’ll be considering ourselves runners-up. Oreo Is Releasing New Chocolate Marshmallow and Caramel Coconut Flavors Next Year Nabisco The Oreo website revealed that the winner of their Mystery Oreo sweepstakes and $50,000 cash prize has been notified directly, but did not give any more information regarding his or her whereabouts. Meanwhile, Oreo fans have responded to the news of the flavor with both enthusiasm and confusion…apparently, a lot of people correctly guessed the flavor but did not win the prize. Nicole Lovar of Bachelor in Paradise jokingly joined in on the fun and commented on Oreo’s Instagram post, “That’s so strange I just refreshed my email and it’s not there?? Hello? Oreo? It’s me.” Others wondered where they could find the Churro cookies in stores. WATCH: Oreo to Your Dooreo! Cookie Company Now Offers Subscription Service Club While you’re waiting to try the new flavor, check out Oreo’s new products that have already hit the shelves, including their viral Oreo Dunk Sets, Oreo-inspired ugly Christmas sweaters, and, of course, their Holiday Chocolate Cookie House kit that lets customers build an Oreo version of a gingerbread house. You can also keep an eye out for the debut of two new Oreo flavors: Chocolate Marshmallow and Caramel Coconut. The former is filled with real marshmallow pieces and a chocolate-marshmallow creme, while the latter is stuffed with coconut bits and caramel creme. Their release was announced two weeks ago on Instagram and Twitter, and we should expect to see them in stores early next year.


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The Most Awaited Game of the Year: The Order: 1886
Ready at Dawn will take on the big boys after they release their title, “The Order: 1886.” The game is expected to be a Hollywood block buster.
This era of gaming is a little different than 10 years ago, game publishers are releasing fewer titles every year and the concept of volume has changed. The Order: 1886 is a story based game which action, adventure and horror. The goal is to create a captivating experience so the player would indulge in its rich and diverse environment.
Some experts think that the it might not be that easy to take on the big boys, their plan was to make AAA games from the start. Ready at Dawn wanted this game to be a roller coaster ride but will it deliver? That is a question that many people are waiting to be answered.
The game is no doubt ambitious and risky, the game is set in England heroes will be battling ancient dark forces with superior technology.
Sony will be providing Ready at Dawn assistance with their marketing and production costs; in return, Ready at Dawn has agreed to launch this game on the PS4
This type of game would cost a lot and experts think that Ready at Dawn made the right choice to sign up with Sony. It is difficult for medium sized game developers to cope with the marketing and production costs and in Read at Dawns case, Sony will be handling that.
Gamers have their fingers crossed for this one; they are waiting anxiously to experience The Order: 1886.


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Zhuhai – 16th September 2019 “This is a historic event,” said Head of the “Common Republican Processing Centre” LLC JV (CRPC ) Akhror Makhmudov in the meeting of Heads of the National Payment Systems as well as the National (Central) Banks of the CIS countries which took place in Samarkand.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the National Payment Systems and National Banks of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Abkhazia, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The meeting sees the start of a Cooperation Agreement between the MIR payment system and focuses on future goals and opportunities for Uzcard customers.
“This is a truly unprecedented event for Uzbekistan. From 13 to 15 June 2019 in Samarkand, the delegation of payment systems and central banks of the CIS met and signed a number of important agreements. Perhaps, the most important accomplishment, can be considered the signing of agreements on unimpeded cross-border payments between the Uzcard payment system and the Russian MIR payment system.
On June 13 2019, in real time, the first production transaction between the two payment systems was successfully completed and by the end of the year, card holders will be able to conduct operations, purchase goods and use services throughout the CIS, bypassing all sorts of outdated procedures.
The head of the CRPC noted that this decision will also increase the tourist attractiveness of Uzbekistan and promote business development.
According to statistical data by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2018, more than 5 million tourists visited Uzbekistan from the CIS countries. The main share of tourists visiting Uzbekistan are citizens of the CIS. Accordingly, cooperation with NSPK (“MIR”) is not necessary only for Uzbekistan and Russia, but also beneficial for other CIS countries.
Moreover, in the near future, it's planned to reach agreements with colleagues from far-abroad countries on the issues of Uzcard cards in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. There is also a plan to implement a project for the issue of Uzcard-Mir co-branding cards. Offering users of the two systems enhanced cards, a number of processes are being simplified for conversion into foreign currency, for transferring funds, and for carrying out transactions in the CIS countries.
Vladimir Komlev, General Director of NSPK (MIR), commented on the prospects for cooperation with the CIS countries:
“We will create an opportunity for cardholders everywhere to feel comfortable, at home, and not to feel any limits and restrictions while traveling around the CIS. This is an important understanding that we are part of a seamless payment space along with the mutual penetration of our cultures.”
It's a great honor that XH Smart not only as a witness but also a participant of this historical moment as XH Smart is the exclusive card supplier in Uzbekistan for dual branding cards.
XH Smart is ranked No.6 among the top global smart card vendors by international market share and has shipped more than 3 billion smart cards. The company has successfully passed certification of Union Pay International, VISA, Mastercard, Uzcard and other smart card industry organizations.
XH Smart’s customer base includes international and Chinese banks, including Postal Savings Bank of China, Deniz Bank in Turkey, Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Uganda Post Bank, South African Post Bank, MCB Mauritius among others.
XH Smart always manages to provide innovative payment cards product which can enable banks to present their cardholder value-added service, for example, XH biometric card, the card holder can identify themselves just by fingerprint instead of PIN code, which is more secure and convenient for contactless payment scenario.
The company also provides cards for the young generations such as the highly sought after LED card. By adopting LED luminescent Intermediate material, the card body flashes during swiping, which presents a unique user experience comparing with ordinary card. In the June of 2019, XH Smart won the bid of Postal Savings Bank of China for 2,000,000 Tencent co-branded LED card project and has being providing card for whole country.
XH Smart provides not only high-quality banking card but also advance payment solution such as Instant Issuance System (IIS). Comparing with traditional card issuance process, XH Instant Issuance System (IIS) enables the banks to instantly issue personalized cards in the branch. Banks will no longer have customers who are frustrated and unable to spend on their cards waiting for card delivery. They are issued with a new or replacement card instantly and are thus able to start using the card immediately, which leads to a better customer experience and faster revenue generation for banks.
About XH Smart Tech (China) Co., Ltd
Founded in March 22, 2011, XH Smart is the reliable provider of digital security solution. The company's vision is to be the global leader in digital security solution provider protecting business and consumer. XH Smart's proven products and services are deployed in more than 70 countries covering Europe, Africa, Middle East, South America and Southeast Asia. Since its inception, the company has invested heavily in R&D and has registered numerous patents in the area of production automation and copyright. XH Smart has also received ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO18001, ISO27001, GSMA SAS, Visa, MasterCard and China UnionPay certification for production of schemed payment cards.


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The former CFO of SPI Lasers, a manufacturer of fibre lasers, David Holloway assisted in developing the business, including raising additional capital to support growth and also, ultimately, facilitating the sale of the company to the German engineering multinational Trumpf Gmbh
The 2013 CS Industry Awards will recognise success and development along the entire value chain of the Compound Semiconductor industry from research to completed device, focusing on the people, processes and products that drive the industry forward.
A new laser-based solar simulator produces a spectral distribution almost identical to sunlight at wavelengths from 450 to 1750 nm. It can be used to characterise solar cells including III-V multi-junction based modules
CS International are pleased to announce A.J. Nadler, General Manager, Research Development and Engineering, RF Micro Devices (RFMD) has been confirmed as a guest speaker for the Compound Semiconductor industry's premier international event, CS International, which will be held in Frankfurt, Germany on 4th & 5th March 2013. His presentation will focus on Gallium Nitride for High Voltage Power Electronics.
Materion have confirmed they will be Gold sponsors at the Compound Semiconductor industry's premier international event, CS International, which will held in Frankfurt, Germany on 4th & 5th March 2013.


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|November 26, 2022|
Inflation clouds 'Black Friday' shopping
Retailers are braced for their biggest test of the year: Will U.S. consumers open their wallets wide for the Black Friday sales that kick off the holiday shopping season?
Consumer confidence is precarious, rattled by soaring inflation in the world's biggest economy, casting uncertainty on this festive shopping season that starts the day that caps the Thanksgiving holiday.
A year ago, retailers faced product shortfalls in the wake of shipping backlogs and COVID-19-related factory closures. To avert a repeat, the industry front-loaded its holiday imports this year, leaving it vulnerable to oversupply at a time when consumers are cutting back.
"Supply shortages was yesterday's problem," said Neil Saunders, managing director for GlobalData Retail, a consultancy. "Today's problem is having too much stuff."
Saunders said retailers have made progress in recent months in reducing excess inventories, but that oversupply created banner conditions for bargain-hunters in many categories, including electronics, home improvement and apparel.
Higher costs for gasoline and household staples like meat and cereal are an economy-wide issue but do not burden everyone equally.
"The lower incomes are definitely hit worst by the higher inflation," said Claire Li, a senior analyst at Moody's. "People have to spend on the essential items."
Leading forecasts from Deloitte and the National Retail Federation project a single-digit percentage increase, but it likely won't exceed the inflation rate.
The consumer price index has been up about 8% on an annual basis, which means that a similar size increase in holiday sales would equate with lower volumes.
Story Date: November 25, 2022


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In an unusual move, Google recently confirmed rumours about the look of the Pixel 4. Following on that, Google has yet again taken an unprecedented step and announced that the upcoming Pixel 4 will have FaceID and will be powered by Google’s Project Soli.
Pixel users who were hopeful about an all-screen design or a hole-punch display will have to wait for long as Google showcased another top bezel, but this time it was packed with sensors and a radar chip for Soli.
Google announced the feature in a blog post and called it an “early look at the technology behind two new features coming to Pixel 4 that make your phone more helpful and represent a next step in our vision for ambient computing.”
Soli/Motion Sense is powered by a radar chip, as mentioned above. Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team (ATAP) had been working on making the radar chip smaller for the past five years; and it seems like the company has finally found a way to do so, as Google iterates the same in a video.
“Pixel 4 will be the first device with Soli, powering our new Motion Sense features to allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, just by waving your hand. These capabilities are just the start, and just as Pixels get better over time, Motion Sense will evolve as well.”
Pixel 4’s Face Unlock vs. Apple’s Face ID
Face unlock has been on Android for a few years now. It used the phone’s selfie camera and just captured a 2D image of the face. This tech was easy to bypass and definitely not secure enough until Apple introduced Face ID on the iPhone X. Before Apple’s iteration, Google themselves called the feature a gimmick and one that you shouldn’t use if you value security.
However, the Face Unlock on the Pixel 4 is supposed to be way better than Apple’s. Android Authority has called it the face unlocking you’re not used to seeing. Google claims it’s making improvements over Apple and other manufacturers who offer face unlock.
“Other phones require you to lift the device all the way up, pose in a certain way, wait for it to unlock, and then swipe to get to the homescreen. Pixel 4 does all of that in a much more streamlined way. As you reach for Pixel 4, Soli proactively turns on the face unlock sensors, recognizing that you may want to unlock your phone. If the face unlock sensors and algorithms recognize you, the phone will open as you pick it up, all in one motion.”
Another area where Google has made improvements is that the Pixel 4 will use two face unlock IR cameras as compared to the iPhone’s one. Along with a dot projector and flood illuminator, it looks like the Pixel 4 is taking a page out of Apple’s playbook. Google says it’s making some improvements over Apple’s implementation, though, with faster activation.
How secure is Pixel’s Face unlock?
Google has claimed that the image data will never leave the phone or shared with Google services. Soli data will also be treated similarly and will not leave the phone.
“Security and privacy are core principles for Pixel. Face unlock uses facial recognition technology that is processed on your device, so that image data never leaves your phone. The images used for face unlock are never saved or shared with other Google services.”
Motion Sense will be available in select Pixel countries
While the feature will be a great addition to the Pixel 4, it may not be available in all countries. Soli operates on a 57-to-64GHz frequency band, which may not be permitted in all countries. Recently, Google had to get the FCC in the USA to lift power limitations in those bands so Soli could work better. However, other nations may not be so kind and hence, the Soli capabilities may be turned off.
Also read: Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 855+


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Why Visibility Is Important in Supply Chain Management
From the great chicken shortage that affected Kentucky Fried Chicken in the UK to Apple’s iPhone X supply chain woes, to Tesla’s now-famous blame game for why the Model 3 isn’t rolling out fast enough to meet demand, it’s clear that companies still don’t have the visibility they need into their supply chains.
On the other end of the spectrum are supply chain leaders such as Amazon. While not perfect, Amazon’s supply chain serves as both battering ram and giant shield in its battle for winning ever-more market share.
Leaders like those cited by analyst group Gartner (Gartner’s 14th annual supply chain ranking puts Unilever at the top for the third straight year, with Inditex, Cisco, Colgate-Palmolive, and Intel rounding out the top five) don’t view the supply chain as simply a cost center. Instead these leaders have elevated it to a strategic weapon, with the supply chain viewed as a value generator that differentiates the customer experience and drives competitive advantage.
How do they do that? At the risk of oversimplifying, supply chain excellence starts—and ends—with visibility, but not just any visibility. The concept of true visibility has evolved over time as supply chains have become more complex and digitized.

The Rise of Digitized Supply Chains
What is true visibility? In short, true visibility is having accurate, reliable, order-level detail across every shipment at your fingertips at any moment in time.
Doesn’t digitizing the supply chain give companies visibility? The reality is that as supply chains have become more complex, digitalization has resulted in massive volumes of data being generated from disparate and dynamic sources. Today’s global trade environment relies on a chain of interdependencies with anywhere from 5 to 25 parties playing a role across 30 milestones on an international ocean shipment alone. The data collected across this intertwined supply chain is most often inconsistent, incomplete, out of sequence, and moving at varying speeds.
Instead of visibility being easier to achieve than in the past, it’s more difficult than ever.
For large importers/exporters, guesswork, inefficiencies, and extra costs are the norm, as are customer disappointment and churn, loss of competitive advantage, increased risk, and shrinking profit margins. Not surprisingly, this lack of visibility has become a huge issue for the organizations that own the cargo—including major retailers like Target, Gap, and others—since customer expectations for swift, reliable delivery have increased significantly, thanks to the standards set by Amazon and other e-commerce giants.
For shippers, carriers, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and 3PLs, guessing at important operational metrics such as booking allocations or container ETAs also causes pain. When their projections are inaccurate, they suffer the costs associated with repositioning empty containers. According to Boston Consulting Group, this costs the shipping industry as much as $20 billion annually.
Supply Chain Visibility Software is No Longer Optional
While supply chain professionals have long chased after visibility, it was still considered a nice-to-have capability by many. Manual efforts and processes filled the gaps in data and helped avert or lessen each disaster as it happened.
Those days are over. It’s no longer viable to guess at shipment ETAs or keep customers in the dark about product delivery. Companies today that lack visibility across their supply chain are consistently reactive to adverse events because they are either working from incomplete data or unable to leverage what data they do have to their advantage.
Predictive Visibility is the New Must-Have Capability
While supply chain visibility is imperative today, it’s also not enough. To gain the insight needed to resolve top operational challenges, companies are turning to predictive supply chain visibility.
Using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, predictive supply chain visibility gives businesses the ability to assess problems ahead of time, make contingency plans, and manage risk more effectively. It gives companies the ability to make proactive, strategic decisions that create value by:
Increasing revenue: With predictive visibility, companies can avoid stockouts, demand higher price points for consistent delivery, accurately forecast inventory required, and gain market share and greater share of wallet.
Decreasing costs: Lack of visibility increases costs in many ways, from detention, demurrage and drayage fees that eat away at profit to missed shipment windows. With end-to-end, predictive visibility, businesses can reduce their reliance on air transportation and shift to lower-cost ocean transport.
Improving efficiency: Lack of insight into the supply chain creates a domino effect of inefficiencies from the back office to the warehouse. With predictive visibility, staff can spend less time manually tracking down shipments and products and more time proactively managing exceptions. Labor planning based on accurate assumptions and data helps companies optimize the use of personnel resources.
Improving cash flow: With predictive visibility, businesses can optimize working capital and improve cash flow by reducing buffer stock and associated costs of insurance and warehousing, without the risk of increased stock-outs.
Delivering a better customer experience: Improved on-time deliveries and insight into shipments that will arrive late helps businesses improve the customer experience with their brand. This reduces churn and creates sustainable growth in customer lifetime value. Shippers that can improve quality and consistency can deliver a customer experience that differentiates the brand.
<img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5759b74140261db7b2b5f6ae/1534186060041-IFSEV7ZQU45FHO9B64BO/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kDrQ9tfdcvPUv7NgXGP4R2R7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z4YTzHvnKhyp6Da-NYroOW3ZGjoBKy3azqku80C789l0gmXcXvEVFTLbYX9CdVcGe4zwrosjp5YtnrvbmlM1LFKb7wNXE8lRZ0Z8l5PIsW3Vw/bright-energy-idea-247753.jpg" alt="Chief Supply Chain Officers are Strategic Thinkers - In a study of psychometric data on executives, chief supply chain officers tend to be significantly more strategic and innovative, inclined to act independently, persistent, and determined than other executives. They contemplate the future, anticipate change, and think innovatively about solutions." />
Chief Supply Chain Officers are Strategic Thinkers
In a study of psychometric data on executives, chief supply chain officers tend to be significantly more strategic and innovative, inclined to act independently, persistent, and determined than other executives. They contemplate the future, anticipate change, and think innovatively about solutions.
Making Predictive Visibility a Reality
AI and machine learning-based technology, such as the solutions from ClearMetal, make predictive visibility a reality. For instance, ClearMetal takes global supply chain management data and automatically cleans, corrects, and makes sense of it by sequencing it properly, removing duplicates, inputting events, labeling milestones correctly, and throwing out erroneous information. Using the clean data, ClearMetal provides real-time, end-to-end, predictive visibility, risk assessments and planning capabilities.
Interested in more information about how we provide better supply chain intelligence on international ocean transport? Request a short consultation.


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Sandwell Council, partner Serco and West Midlands Fire Service, are warning residents of the dangers batteries and electrical items going into bins pose and advising them on how to dispose of them.
The move follows a spate of fires in the back of refuse and recycling vehicles, and at waste facilities across the country due to batteries being disposed in household bins.
As well as traditional batteries, many everyday household items including laptops, mobile phones, electric toys, e-cigarettes, bluetooth devices, shavers, electric toothbrushes and power-bank chargers contain hidden batteries. This can make them hard to notice or separate. Lithium-ion batteries in particular, which carry the highest risk of combustion, have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Watch Commander Andy Pincher said: “We’ve got lots of useful advice on our website about electrical safety and how to charge batteries safely. Disposing of them safely and responsibly is really important.
“They can start fires in refuse collection vehicles, putting the vehicle crews, our firefighters and the public at unnecessary risk. If we have to deal with a refuse vehicle fire, it can cause significant disruption on the roads.
Councillor Danny Millard, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Ahead of the Christmas clear out, we want to make residents aware of the dangers batteries pose if not disposed of safely and to make sure we keep our waste collection crews, recycling centre staff and firefighters safe.
“I urge residents to be responsible – it’s easy to find out where your nearest recycling point is and dispose of your old batteries and electric items there, reassured that you are not going to cause any fires or pose any dangers to anyone.
“Even if batteries that end up in bins don’t cause a fire in our vehicles, they could end up in landfill sites. Once there, they will leak out toxic chemicals which can be harmful to people and wildlife.
“I’d also encourage residents to consider buying rechargeable batteries as modern ones hold their charge much better than was previously the case and can be charged more quickly.”
Tony Marston, Senior Contract Manager at Serco said: “Should batteries end up in the body of the recycling truck there’s a very real risk of the battery being punctured by the compacting equipment with the potential to ignite or explode in the back of the lorry, causing damage, disrupting waste collections and ultimately putting lives at risk.
“The good news is that small batteries can still be recycled at the kerbside just as long as they’re separated into a clear bag. Residents should put the bag on top of their blue lid bin for our crews to put into a side compartment.
“Alternatively, both batteries and electricals can be taken to our Household Recycling Centre in Oldbury.”
The correct way to dispose of all types of household battery, is to remove them from the electrical item, if possible, and recycle them both separately.
Small household batteries can be put inside a clear plastic bag and put on the blue lid recycling bin to be collected separately by the bin crew.
Alternatively, batteries and electrical items can be taken to the Household Recycling Centre in Oldbury.
There are also collection points in all major retailers that sell batteries and electricals.
Residents can find their nearest battery and electrical recycling point online.


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NEW YORK -U.K. start-up Sendo, owned partly by Hong Kong-based manufacturer CCT Telecom, will enter the U.S. wireless-handset market this year with a GSM smartphone based on Microsoft’s Stinger OS.
The phone is the first GSM phone unveiled to date to incorporate Microsoft’s smartphone platform. Samsung has already announced development of a CDMA phone with Stinger OS.
Sendo’s phone, a triband (1900, 1800, 900MHz) world phone, was demonstrated in public for the first time in the United States at last week’s Internet World Wireless show in New York City. It incorporates GPRS (general packet radio service) technology to send and receive data at speeds up to 128 Kbps in networks that support that speed.
Although the track record of European companies entering the U.S. market with GSM phones has been poor, Sendo contends that times have changed. The company cited recently announced plans by AT&T Wireless to expand the footprint and capacity of its TDMA network by adding GSM base stations throughout the country in its unused 1.9GHz spectrum.
AT&T’s decision expands the potential size of the U.S. GSM market, which currently accounts for only about 10 million handset sales, the company said. To justify operations in this country, Sendo’s annual GSM volume must hit 500,000 to 1 million phones, an amount that would be difficult to achieve without additional potential demand from AT&T, said senior product manager Ron Schaeffer.
European companies that entered the United States with GSM phones, only to exit shortly thereafter, include Sagem, Bosch and Siemens, which returned last year.
Birmingham, U.K.-based Sendo, founded in August 1999 by a trio of wireless executives, has already begun selling one GSM phone in Europe, to be followed by a second in March. The founders include CEO Hugh Brogan, who was a European product director for Motorola and later went to Philips Consumer Communications. There, he was responsible for the development of the Genie, the lightest and smallest GSM phone at the time of launch in the mid-1990s, the company said.
Sendo management and employees own 65 percent of the company, but CCT has invested $45 million in Sendo for a 35 percent stake. In return, Sendo will also develop wireless phones for a joint venture between CCT and Haier Group, China’s largest domestic appliance and CE manufacturer. The joint venture’s China factory will manufacture Sendo phones destined for areas outside China and Haier phones destined for the China market, CCT said.
Production capacity is 4 million handsets per year. Although Schaeffer said Sendo has no current plans to offer CDMA or TDMA phones in the United States, CCT said the China factory expects to manufacture CDMA handsets beginning this year.
The Hong Kong company is one of the world’s largest cordless phone manufacturers and expects to become No. 1 during 2001. Its cordless-phone customers include Thomson. The 21-year-old company also manufactures multimedia communications products, and telecom and IT infrastructure.
As a start-up, Sendo admits it can’t achieve the economies of scale that the three dominant handset suppliers-Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson-can achieve, but Schaeffer said Sendo compensates through design efficiencies that make it price-competitive. The two phones available in Europe incorporate only 360 components, he said, whereas the average wireless phone uses more than 500.
“Only four to five of the 10 to 15 mobile phone manufacturers worldwide can make a phone as small and featured as ours,” he added. The company’s first phone, the D800, is the lightest GSM phone in the world at 2.38 ounces, Schaeffer claimed. It’s also the industry’s second smallest at 69cc, but it doesn’t operate on U.S. frequencies.
Sendo also competes by providing carriers and consumers with a level of customization that other suppliers can’t, in part through modular designs, said Schaeffer. The D800’s user-interface software, for example, is separate from the phone’s core software, so Sendo can create a new user interface for a carrier within a day and test it in only an hour because the code won’t interfere with other phone operations.
In the S200, Sendo takes modular design to the next level. In China, it builds the core transceiver/LCD display, which it inventories in the Netherlands for European distribution. There, Sendo can clamp on different-shaped shells, provision the phones for individual carriers, then ship them out within 72 hours of a carrier’s order, he said. Consumers can also order custom shells and install them themselves.
The Stinger-based phone, called the Z100 Multimedia Smart Phone, weighs less than 3.5 ounces and features a 176 x 220-pixel color screen. Its Stinger OS was “designed from the ground up for phones,” even though it “shares a lot of code” with the PocketPC platform, Schaeffer said.
The phone incorporates PIM functions that synchronize with a desktop PIM, a WAP microbrowser and Internet Explorer, which lets users access any HTML website. The phone will reformat websites for display on the device’s small screen by reducing the size of text and graphics to fit the device’s screen.
The phone will also open Microsoft Word attachments e-mailed to the user (although the user won’t be able to edit the document). Other features include Microsoft’s Windows Media Player to play MP3 and Windows Media Audio music files in stereo through a headphone; POP3 e-mail access; a memory card slot that accepts MMC and SD cards; and an optional Bluetooth module.


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Denver-base indie development studio Glass Bottom Games has announced its latest project, Jones On Fire. Initially started as part of Colorado’s 2012 BlazeJam charity event, the game is now on the verge of releasing for iOS devices with an Android port planned for later.
Described as a “run-and-jumper”, Jones on Fire tasks players with doing what every good firefighter should do: save kitties. Doing so unlocks new abilities for lead hero Emma Jones as she tries to outrun the pursuing pixel-art wall of fire. And if saving furry friends along the way isn’t enough incentive to be a hero, leaderboards are included for bragging rights. The retro art style and “cute factor” certainly make this game look like it’ll be appealing to a wide audience. The price tag of $0 can’t hurt either.
Although no official release date has been announced, Glass Bottom Games is hoping to have it out within a few weeks. For meow, erm now, you can check out the latest trailer below.
© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.


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The retailer has signed a joint venture with AD company Biogen Greenfinch to construct five plants that will receive Sainsbury’s food waste and recycle it. The joint venture’s first site will be the Westwoodplant in Northampton next year.
A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said: “Biogen Greenfinch is part of our plan to send no food waste to landfill by next spring but it is not the entire plan.”
Sainsbury’s pays about GBP 7m a year for companies to collect its food waste and dispose of it in landfill. The company said it would save GBP 2m a year by recycling its food waste. It aims to receive revenues from the electricity generated by AD plants, which will go into the National Grid, as well as from third-party companies paying to use the site.
The move follows a commitment by Sainsbury’s to end the use of landfill sites by all its 800 stores across the UK by the end of 2009.
Sainsbury’s added that when food was past its ‘best before’ date but had not reached its ‘use by’ date it would be donated to local charities on a store-by-store basis.


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Since 2018, the global chip and Internet giants have been making efforts to strengthen the layout of artificial intelligence, including industry leaders such as NVIDIA, Huawei, Google, and Keda Xunfei, which also promoted the industry. The technological gap between some leading companies has been further narrowed.
Nvidia established a robotic laboratory
Speaking of NVIDIA, everyone first thought of graphics cards, processors, chips, but in fact, NVIDIA has become an artificial intelligence computing company. In the new wave of industrial revolution, machine learning has made automation equipment smarter, and NVIDIA has begun to deploy intelligent robot business. According to foreign media, NVIDIA is developing robots that can work with humans and perform complex work.
NVIDIA recently announced the opening of a new robotics lab in Seattle and said it will build a collaborative, cross-scientific team of experts in robot control and perception, computer vision, human-computer interaction and deep learning.
NVIDIA and IKEA work together to create collaborative robots that can be easily programmed, and the development of a kitchen-assisted robot with only one robotic arm is one of its focuses.
Huawei layout mobile phone and robot chip
Huawei's artificial intelligence chip Qilin 970, Kirin 980, is to integrate voice, image perception and other technologies into mobile phones and smart terminals.
Especially the artificial intelligence chip in the AlphaGo, Zero Go game, after defeating the masters of Go, Li Shishi and Ke Jie, the powerful data analysis and computing power of the artificial intelligence chip has become the focus of everyone's attention. Huawei is one of them. One. Huawei has witnessed the powerful computing and deep learning capabilities of artificial intelligence chips, and is accelerating the deployment of the chip to AR, VR, driverless and intelligent robots.
Keysight's intelligent voice technology
Intelligent voice technology is one of the most mature technologies in artificial intelligence applications, whether in the educational learning market, communication social, convenient life, intelligence Hardware, office commerce, and shopping offers are also widely used. Among such a wealth of commercial enterprises, the intelligent voice technology of the University of Science and Technology is considered to be the leader in the industry.
according toAccording to complete statistics, in 2018, its smart terminal equipment connection reached 1.7 billion, and the daily service volume reached 4.5 billion. According to the annual report of Keda Xunfei in 2018, the voice technology of HKUST is in the automotive field, with an annual loading capacity of 2.6 million units, ranking first in market share and 98% accuracy in speech recognition.
You must choose independent research and development technology
You must choose the domestic human service robot and servo steering machine leader, its self-developed small size and high torque modular digital servo The production cost of the robot is greatly reduced, and the price is one tenth of the imported product, which is of great significance to the development of the service robot industry in China.
The 2018 excellent financial report shows that its service robot sales reached 35 million units.
The Alpha series robot is an important force for the selection. The official said that in the future, it will continue to strengthen the cooperation with the robot industry such as Keda Xunfei, Google and Nuance to build a robotic product ecological chain.
In 2018, the intelligent robot industry is increasingly enriched in the consumer market. The Chinese robotic unicorn company is also helping the industry and commercialization of the robotics field.
In the future, robot manufacturers equipped with artificial intelligence hardware terminals also have great prospects for expansion. From the upstream industry chain, scene recognition applications such as visual recognition, speech recognition, deep learning, and artificial intelligence chips are also used. More and more quality products and companies will emerge.


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Universal Studios Home Video’s debut of The Rundown is on track to become the top-selling action video of the year, selling more than 1.5 million combined DVD/VHS units to consumers and video rental chains during its first 24 hours in release.
The same studio’s home video release of Honey has sold an estimated 700,000 combined DVD/VHS units to consumers and rental stores during its first 24 hours in release.
Universal’s Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat continued to perform well during its second week on store shelves, topping both Nielsen VideoScan’s First Alert DVD and VHS weekly sales charts by a wide margin for the week ending March 21. The film was the nation’s second-best video rental title during the same frame, earning an estimated $6.56 million in gross rental revenue.
Columbia TriStar’s debut of Mona Lisa Smile was the nation’s No. 1-renting video for the second consecutive week, earning an estimated $8.35 million in gross rental revenue for a 12-day cume of about $18 million. The film was the nation’s No. 4-best-selling DVD during its second week in release.
Paramount Home Entertainment’s School of Rock continued to show strong rental and sales activity after nearly three weeks in release. VideoScan ranked “School” the nation’s third-best-seller for the week ending March 21, and Video Store shows that the comedy has earned an estimated 19-day rental gross of about $23.5 million.
Universal’s 21 Grams was the nation’s second-best-seller. The drama sold more than 150,000 units during its first 24 hours in release and has gone on to more than double that number since its March 16 release on DVD and VHS.


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Dubai hotel RevPAR slips as room supply surges
STR Global preliminary results show 2.3% RevPAR decline
STR Global’s preliminary October data for Dubai indicates negative revenue-per-available-room performance.
Based on daily data from October, Dubai reported a 2.3% YoY decline in RevPAR to AED845.60 (US $230.20).
Negative results were also reported for occupancy, which witnessed a 0.9% decrease to 81.7%, and average daily rate which saw a 1.6% decrease to AED1034.57 ($281.65).
Supply increased by 7.3%, slightly exceeding demand, which was up 6.3%.
STR Global managing director Elizabeth Winkle commented: “Eid al-Adha took place in the earlier part of this month; however, as Eid also took place in October last year, we do not see much impact on the monthly numbers this year. This will change for 2015.
“Supply outpaced demand growth marginally for Dubai, resulting in flat occupancy growth and yet the city was able to maintain the same occupancy levels as the year before.
“From an ADR perspective, Dubai hotels were able to maintain their rates above AED1,000 ($272.23) as Dubai starts to move into its peak period”.
STR Global will release October 2014 results in two weeks.
The November edition of the STR Global Hotel Market Forecast will be available later this month.


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With the spike in diesel prices over the last year, some farmers may be looking for ways to save on miles traveled across their fields. Could taking to the air be the answer?
Aerial drones are coming down in price, and they’re able to handle more fieldwork as capabilities advance.
Diesel prices rose to $5.718 per gallon in June, up 74% from June 2021, and fertilizers including liquid nitrogen, diammonium phosphate, and urea have been at an all-time high.
Nate Dorsey, Nebraska Extension educator, who has a drone license says there’s lots of interest in using a drone for spraying, especially if it’s a targeted treatment for part of a field.
Legal requirements for operating drones, however, could be a challenge for some, he said.
“Since farms are a commercial business, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires the Part107 certificate for anyone to fly a drone for their business. If you’re flying to replace a sprayer to spray a pesticide, you need the same license and medical license as a pilot,” Dorsey said.
He plans to offer a drone test-preparation class online through the University of Nebraska website this spring.
Until something changes with the FAA, having a crop agronomist or someone who has an aerial business handle spot treatment is the way to go, he said.
Spot treatment is where farmers can see savings.
Farmers tend to overspray and treat an entire field when pulling a sprayer with a tractor, even if the whole field doesn’t need it, Dorsey said.
“There’s where drones come in. It’s not likely that a farmer would use a drone to spray an entire field, and a drone can hold only 18 gallons, which limits how much you’d cover,” he said.
With more targeted treatment, farmers save on pesticide costs. They can also save time that would be spent in a tractor cab, and using drones could eliminate the need for a large sprayer.
People are also reading…
Dorsey recommends farmers try the John Deere Configurator online calculation tool to make equipment cost comparisons.
The cost of operating a tractor has risen in recent years. The University of Illinois provides an estimate of hourly operating costs. The latest estimates from 2021 don’t include this year’s rise in diesel prices. It shows that hourly operating costs for a 310 horsepower tractor were at an estimated $189.20 per hour in 2021, an increase of 4% over 2019, when costs were $181.10 per hour. For 2021, that total cost included hourly costs of $126.10 overhead, $41.10 for fuel and $22 labor.
Texas-based Hylio manufactures autonomous crop spraying drones that sell for about $30,000. Because one drone can carry about 18 gallons as opposed to thousands that a tractor can pull, the company recommends using a swarm of three or four drones to spray a field.
It depends on the drone model, but for a single AG-130, the approximate per hour cost is $39.10. Factored in are repair parts and maintenance, labor, battery cost and the fuel it would take to run generators to charge drone batteries.
Hylio CEO Arthur Erickson listed benefits of using drones to spray a 70-acre field.
Drones will use less herbicide, he said, because they can spray only the spots that need it. They’re also fast.
Using a tractor to cover that 70-acre field would cost $433.44 compared to $117 for a drone, calculating $92 in herbicide costs and $25 in operating costs.
“Generally speaking, our customers will see from 15% up to 90% cost savings, depending on how they utilize the drones,” Erickson said.
Spraying a large field requires multiple fill-ups of those 18-gallon tanks. But fill-ups are fast, Erickson said, taking about 60 seconds. Drones spend more than 90% of the time in the air treating crops and usually 10% of the time on the ground in-between flights, he said.
Users develop streamlined systems for swapping and charging batteries and refilling the tanks between flights. They are able to spray hundreds, possibly thousands of acres per day, Erickson said.
With rapidly changing drone technology, Hylio offers upgrades. They’re a right-to-upgrade and right-to-repair company. While some companies discontinue models and expect customers to buy new ones, Hylio can update a customer’s drone with new hardware.
“You will get five to 10 years out of our drones,” Erickson said.
Reporter Amy Hadachek is a two-time Emmy Award winning meteorologist and a storm chaser who earned her NWA and AMS Broadcast Meteorology Seals of Approval. She and her husband live on a diversified farm in Kansas. Reach her at email@example.com.


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JD.com’s active customer accounts jumped by 65%
JD.com (JD), China’s (FXI) second-largest e-commerce player after Alibaba (BABA), has been witnessing astounding growth in its active customer accounts. In 2Q16, the company’s annual active customer accounts (excluding unique customers from Paipai.com) jumped by about 65% YoY (year-over-year) to 188.1 million during the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2016.
JD.com’s average number of purchases by active customer accounts have also been growing rapidly. The company’s vast offerings, its partnership with Tencent (TCEHY), its strategic initiatives aimed at driving the user experience, and the expansion of its partnerships with leading overseas brands have been driving much of this encouraging growth.
Recent initiatives drive user growth
As the demand for high-quality, authentic imported products remains high among Chinese consumers, the company is leaving no stone unturned to capitalize on this market. Recently, JD.com announced the launch of its British Mall on a worldwide platform. Through this new channel, the company plans offer a vast range of high-quality products from leading UK brands to its Chinese consumers. The company added that Liverpool FC and Zannier Group also launched flagship stores on a worldwide platform.
In 2Q16, many of the world’s major international brands launched their flagship stores on JD.com. Some of the names include Japan’s (EWJ) popular cosmetic brands, Kose’s Sekkisei and Shiseido’s Anessa, and the world’s top cognac brand, Louis XIII.
Now we’ll look at revenue and margin trends, focusing on the key drivers of these e-commerce giants.


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PB Fintech, Marico shares drop 5% post q4 updates
Shares of PB Fintech and Marico dropped up to 5% after the companies announced q4 updates on Tuesday
Shares of PB Fintech and Marico dropped up to 5% after the companies announced q4 updates on Tuesday. Shares of PB Fintech dropped 5% on Wednesday despite Policybazaar and Paisabazaar parent, PB Fintech, saw insurance premium growing by 46% to Rs 6,975 crore for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, as per the Q4 update of the company. Besides, total insurance premium increased to an aggregate of Rs 2,177 Crore, for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, a growth of 70% in comparison to the corresponding quarter last year.
Also, total health insurance premium grew at 40% and new life insurance premium rose at 38% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 vs same quarter last year.
See Zee Business Live TV Streaming Below:
At 10.30 am on Wednesday, the fintech scrip was trading with a discount of Rs 34.70 or lower by 4.25% to Rs 780.95 a share on the BSE against its previous closing of Rs 815.65 per share. At current levels, the stock is available at nearly 90% discount from its 52-week high of Rs 1470 per share that it touched soon after listing on November 17, 2021. shares of shares of PB Fintech (Policybazaar) were listed at a premium of over 17% on the BSE on November 15, 2021. Shares of PB Fintech Ltd's Policybazaar had opened at Rs 1150, up Rs 170.00, a piece against an issue price of Rs 980 per share.
Recently, Morgan Stanley has upgraded PB Fintech to 'overweight' following massive correction in the stock.
Policybazaar & Paisabazaar are the flagship platforms of PB Fintech and are India's largest online platform for insurance and lending products according to Frost & Sullivan.
Meanwhile, shares of Marico too declined nearly 5% to the day's low of Rs 518.95 a share after the company said consumption trends remained subdued amidst weak rural sentiment and inflation in global commodities aggravating due to geopolitical tensions during the quarter.
FMCG volumes declined in the Jan-Feb’22 period on a year-on-year basis (per Nielsen). Revenue growth of India business in the quarter was in the low single digits, however, volumes were marginally positive on an exceptionally high base (25%) (leading to double-digit volume growth on a 2-year CAGR basis)," it said in the Q4 update.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


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UK retailers cut prices at 'record' rate during sales
Retailers in the UK cut their prices during the January sales at the fastest rate in at least seven years, says the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
The industry body said shop prices were 1% lower in January than the same time in 2013, the biggest annual decline since the survey started in 2006.
It said prices had been falling for nine consecutive months.
Discounting in shops selling clothing, electrical equipment and furniture retailers was partly behind the fall.
The BRC also said prices had fallen in flooring, books, stationery, and home entertainment retailers, while DIY, gardening and hardware shops had entered "deflationary territory" in January.
Helen Dickinson, director at the BRC, said: "January is always a key month for sales and promotions but discounts have been deeper and more widespread than last year and we are seeing this trend continuing."
She said "hard-pressed" families would also benefit from the lowest rate of food inflation in almost four years, The rate fell to 1.5% in January.
Mike Watkins, from the market research firm Nielsen, which helped to compile the survey, said: "With the first few weeks of January a time when many households take stock of personal finances, the fall in shop price inflation will be a welcome boost for consumers."


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|April 21, 2019|
Steakhouse chain founder Stuart Anderson dies
RANCHO MIRAGE - Stuart Anderson, the founder of the Black Angus Steakhouse restaurant chain, has died at his home here. He was 93 years old.
Anderson's wife and daughter described a man with a zest for life, goal-setting, trying new things and having fun.
"The best thing about my dad is he was really fun," said Christopher Carol Gee, Anderson's daughter. "He had a Jeep when no one else had a Jeep. He had a camper when nobody else knew what they were."
Anderson opened the first Black Angus Steakhouse in 1964. The chain eventually grew to include more than 100 restaurants across 19 states. According to the company's website, they currently have 47 locations in six states. Of that number, 31 restaurants are in California.
Though Anderson sold the chain years ago, he and his wife reopened a location in Rancho Mirage, which they called Stuart's Steakhouse, six years ago. That restaurant closed in 2012 and the space was taken over by the now-defunct Stadium Club Sports Bistro.
A private family service will be held in Seattle, but a celebration of life is being planned for November in Rancho Mirage, to coincide with what would have been Anderson's 94th birthday. (Source: Desert Sun)
Story Date: June 13, 2016


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CSM, a U.K.-based sport and entertainment marketing group, has acquired LeadDog Marketing Group, a U.S.-based integrated experiential marketing agency. The deal will increase CSM’s presence in the media and entertainment space and allows CSM to expand its offerings in the U.S.
The acquisition, a key piece of CSM’s North American expansion strategy, will enhance CSM’s presence in sports marketing, experiential marketing, cause marketing, strategic communications, digita...
Brad has been writing about the world of entertainment for over 25 years and has had work published in VenuesNow; Pollstar; Famous; Woman's Day; New Ideas, NW; The Daily Mail; Entertainment Weekly; Le Monde; Grazia; Heat; The New York Post; The National Enquirer; Star Magazine; and many more.
Pollstar Live! is returning to The Beverly Hilton February 4-6, 2020. Pollstar Live! is the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professional and the flagship event for Pollstar magazine, the leading trade for the global[...]
*Major new sport business forum is backed by French President Emmanuel Macron *Inaugural event to take place at the Louvre, February 5th-7th 2020 French sports leaders have travelled to London to formally launch Global Sports Week[...]


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The United Kingdom mega carrier, British Airways, has stopped travel agents in Nigeria from selling their tickets amid the difficulty of foreign airlines to repatriate over $464m ticket sales proceeds to their respective home countries.
This came as the Central Bank of Nigeria on Friday announced the release of $265m out of the N464m trapped funds to the foreign carriers.
A breakdown of the figure indicates that the sum of $230m was released as a special FX intervention while another sum of $35m was released through the Retail SMIS auction.
However, the BA in a notice to travel agents in Nigeria on Friday said the ticket distribution firms would no longer be able to make new bookings or service existing bookings made in Nigeria.
The UK airline did not specify the reason for the decision nor did it state how long the suspension of ticket sales by Nigerian travel agents would last.
BA however said it was committed to the Nigerian market and would not stop flights to the country.
The development means Nigerian passengers seeking to fly the UK carrier may have to go to the airline’s website to book flights and possibly pay with local or foreign debit cards.
The notice to the travel agents, which was obtained by Saturday PUNCH, read in part, “We’ve had to make some temporary changes to the way we sell our inventory in Nigeria. As a result, trade partners are currently unable to make new or service any bookings made in Nigeria at this time.
“Existing bookings may still be serviced on both a voluntary or involuntary basis through our Global Engagement Centres and lines. Once a ticket has been revalidated or reissued, British Airways will take ownership of the booking. We remain fully committed to serving the Nigerian market and apologise for this temporary adjustment in operations.”
The development came barely a week after Middle East carrier, Emirates Airlines, announced the suspension of flights to Nigeria effective September 1, 2022. The Dubai-based carrier linked the development to the inability to repatriate $85m ticket sales proceeds.
The International Air Transport Association, the Switzerland-based global body representing international airlines, had last week warned Nigeria that more carriers might suspend flights to Nigeria if the government failed to address the repatriation of the $464m trapped in Nigeria.
Article first published on the Punch Website


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Fransat, Eutelsat’s DTH platform for the French market, is launching a new version of its Smart TV app.
The white-label video streaming platform publishing solution, Okast, has launched Opsis TV on Fransat Connect. Opsis TV offers theatre plays on-demand.
The French free-to-view Fransat bouquet is celebrating its tenth anniversary with two million homes connected.
French free-to-air platform Fransat is welcoming back the TF1 4K channel.
European cultural channel Arte will expand its Ultra HD activities and show four concerts and a ballet in the new video format at the occasion of IFA Berlin on September […]
French satellite DTH platform Fransat, owned by Eutelsat, is to add HD versions of seven channels in the 20-channel optional pay bundles from Bis TV on April 25.
The French public broadcaster France Télévisions will upgrade all of France 3’s regional channels to HD from this coming Tuesday, April 5.
European cultural channel Arte will transmit in Ultra HD on April 2, 2016 for the first time.
WATCH VIDEO. French free-to-view satellite platform Fransat on the Eutelsat satellite will be broadcasting all its channels in HD from December 1.
WATCH VIDEO. Fransat has announced the launch of the first Ultra HD demo channel aimed at French viewers.


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360-Play celebrates Indo-Qatar Olympic Champions!
“The show of solidarity and sporting spirit among athletes at the Tokyo 2020 games was extraordinary; the way they displayed the compassion, friendship, and respect behind the intense competition is inspiring.” Said Dr. Singh
The Chairman of 360-Play, Dr. Tejinder Singh, calls on all parents in The State of Qatar to celebrate with our Olympic gold medalists Mutaz Barshim, Fares El Bakh and India’s gold medalist Neeraj Chopra.
Speaking about the importance of sports, Dr. Singh also said: “It’s important for children to play outdoors. For their physical, social, and emotional development and well-being. At 360-Play, they get to explore different games and enjoy their time off.”
“We would like children with the names Mutaz, Fares, and Neeraj just like the gold medalists to enjoy a full month of fun activities at any of our locations for free.” He added.
He encourages parents to bring their children to 360-Play, where they will enjoy the different activities and have fun.
Parents can bring their children to any of our locations listed below.
Important note: You will need to bring the child’s ID.
360-Play, a new-age Qatar-based company, has quickly become one of the most recognized family entertainment brands offering quality indoor play areas, events, and festivals in Qatar and the Middle East. The brand has grown to signify innovative products and has built a reputation for service and professionalism. Whether it be Family Entertainment Centres (FEC’s), shopping malls, sports fan zones, or large-scale festivals/events, 360-Play provides customized turn-key entertainment solutions and event services to any sector.
For more information visit:
Snap and Qatar Tourism Showcase the Wonders of Qatar Through Immersive AR Experiences at Corniche
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"After the Portland snow -- now what?
by The Oregonian
Monday December 29, 2008, 9:41 PM
When will I get packages?
The U.S. Postal Service expects to finish delivering delayed packages today, UPS by the end of the week and FedEx said only as soon as possible. Check on individual packages with UPS at www.ups.com or 1-800-PICK-UPS, and with FedEx at www.fedex.com or 1-800-GO-FEDEX."
And another blogger responded with this comment: "My last few presents were scheduled to be delivered last Monday. The tracking said it was out for delivery on Monday. And then out for delivery on Tuesday. Then the delivery date was changed to Friday. Now it says the delivery date is today.
Of course, the gifts were for family who flew home on Saturday. Now I have to pay to ship it to them. I cannot change the shipping address. And I'm not holding my breath that it will be here today.
I just hope my garbage is picked up on Tuesday. It has been three weeks...."
We can vouch for the fact that we personally witnessed several UPS and USPS trucks stranded on the side of the road in Portland due to the snow. On one day last week, we even received a call from one of our UPS drivers (we love them dearly; We have several of their cell phone numbers programmed in our phone on speed dial) calling us with some "Good News & Bad News". Good news was that they were nearby; Bad news was that we were going to have to meet them at a local convenience store because they could not make it down our street.
In addition, like many of you, our Christmas gifts, purchased online (of course) for friends and family still have not arrived. We are still waiting on a particular Next Day air package that was purchased on the 20th of December to arrive. When we check the tracking information online with UPS all it says is "Exception. Delivery will resume when severe weather subsides." According to our friends at UPS, in the heart of the storms a few days ago, all UPS and Fed EX planes (which carry USPS express packages) were grounded. No planes were taking off or landing period, end of story.
So, while we wholeheartedly empathize with our customers' upset over the delays encountered in receiving their goods, there really, honestly hasn't been a damn thing we can do about it except blame God, and what's the point in that?
Watch a video pictorial from Ireport here.(there's some really cute doggies in it)
Tiger at the Oregon Zoo: (not looking too happy)
Deserted PDX Intl:
So...um, yeah. Your order might be delayed!


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“In late July I blogged about Apple’s FRAND [fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory] defense against some of Samsung’s patents-in-suit. In that post I also explained the concept of FRAND and the role FRAND licensing plays in connection with industry standards,” Florian Mueller reports for FOSS Patents.
“The fact that FRAND commitments restrict the ways in which a patent holder can leverage standards-essential patents in disputes with competitors is also important to consider in the context of Google’s proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility (MMI),” Mueller reports. “Most of MMI’s patents aren’t particularly strong. Yesterday, M-CAM founder and CEO Dr. David Martin simply called them ‘crap’ on Bloomberg TV.”
“And the relatively best ones MMI has — which wasn’t discussed on Bloomberg — are subject to FRAND commitments. Standards-essential patents can be great parking meters to collect limited amounts of money, but they just aren’t nuclear warheads and won’t protect Android,” Mueller reports. “The limitations of FRAND were raised again in a brief filed yesterday by Apple with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in opposition to a Samsung motion to dismiss and strike Apple’s FRAND-related counterclaims. In that pleading, Apple also makes reference to its FRAND-related claims against MMI.”
Mueller reports, “Apple accuses Samsung of ‘serial standard-setting abuses,’ ‘deceiving standards-setting organizations,’ and having ‘perpetrated’ ‘anticompetitive ambush.'”
Read more in the full article here.


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DEARBORN — Police are seeking information on three men who entered Gold Sarafand Jewelry on Warren Avenue and left with an unknown amount of jewelry Dec. 20.
The three men were dressed in long clothing and veiled similar to the attire worn by Arab women as two entered through the back of the store and one in the front.
Police said the men walked in to browse the merchandise at 1 p.m. and then produced a handgun which they pointed at an employee but no shots were fired.
During the robbery the men smashed several display cases and took numerous items before exiting through the back door.
The men fled in an older model Chevrolet Cavalier convertible believed to be a 1995 to 2002 model year, according to police.
Nearby business owners called police to the jewelry store after they heard pounding on the walls, screams for help and shattered glass.
The business owner was pistol whipped in the head leaving him with an injury, police said. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
“Crimes of this nature are particularly disturbing because the suspects showed no regard for the safety of the employee,” Police Chief Ronald Haddad said. “We are urging the public to come forward with information regarding this incident.”
Anyone with information regarding the crime may call Dearborn police at 313-943-2240. Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the three robbers. People may call anonymously at 800-773-2587.


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Photo Credit: Andrew Rich/Andrew Rich/Getty Images
Turns out it's not just me. Australian online retailer Littlewoods surveyed 1,000 moms of kids 2 to 10, and found that kids ask an average of 288 questions a day, peaking at mealtimes, according to News.com.au. Yep, that's about 23 questions an hour -- about a question every two and a half minutes. No wonder you can't form a coherent thought -- being your kids' low-tech Google is a full-time job.
If you've got a 4-year-old daughter, you're really in for it. That gender and age combo represents the one most likely to "but why?" you all day long, with a whopping average of 390 questions a day. Boys age 9 ask the fewest questions daily, a mere 144.
One more survey stat that may not surprise anyone: 82 percent of kids go to Mom before Dad with their question.
Tantrum-Free Ways to Get Your Kids Dressed in the Morning
16 Things No One Told Us About Raising a Girl


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Archive for "Xbox game studios" Tag
Another delay hits Double Fine's platformer following its acquisition by Microsoft.
"The goal with these studios is to provide content for Game Pass," says Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty.
Your current Xbox career will also carry forward onto the next-gen console.
Expect to see a lot of announcements to go along with the formal Scarlett reveal next year.
Three-player co-op campaign also confirmed with split-screen support.
New trailer showcases three player co-op mode Escape.
The gorgeous hand-drawn 2.5D visuals look incredible.
Terrifying threats like giant spiders debut in new gameplay trailer.
A technical alpha test will be taking place on June 27th.
As per Xbox boss Phil Spencer, this is "more than we've ever had in the show."
The open world title will finally let you play with friends in Wrecking Zone.
It seems like Microsoft wants to funnel as much talent into this new studio as it can.
The Outer Worlds developer talks about the decision to join forces with Microsoft.
For the long term health of Halo, however, they decided against it.
The Splispace Engine has demanded a heavy time investment from 343 Industries.
Phil Spencer tweets a "spy shot" of the highly anticipated shooter.
Sounds like Halo may get a God of War-style reimagining.
There’s a whole lot of smoke at this point...
The signs were there all along, we just didn’t put them together.
Microsoft and Nintendo’s partnership may end up being closer than expected.


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Jet2.com has extended its winter 2021/22 ski flight schedule, citing "very strong demand" for its ski programme.
Extra flights to Grenoble, Geneva, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Chambery will be available for February half-term getaways.
The airline and operator has also added some extra December flights and late-season services.
Jet2 will offer seven ski destinations in total this winter, with Chambery – a brand new Jet2 destination – and Barcelona (serving Andorra) completing the programme.
Seven of its winter 2021/22 routes are brand new too.


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All CVS Locations Now Offer Disposal of Unwanted Medication
CVS has announced that all 7,200 of its locations now offer the Sharps Compliance Corp.’s Environmental Return System, which provides customers with the ability to safely dispose of unused medication.
Under the system, unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication is placed in a prepaid envelope, which is then mailed through the U.S. Postal Service to a licensed, secure facility for safe destruction. The envelopes cost $3.99.
An estimated 200 million pounds of unwanted medication are improperly disposed of every year, CVS says.
“Leftover and unused pharmaceuticals are a hazard for abuse and misuse particularly by young people,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said. “I applaud CVS and their partners for providing consumers with an easy avenue to safely dispose of unwanted medications.”
Energy Manager News
- Clauses to Consider in Green Leases
- Bahama Yacht Club to Generate Power from Solid Waste
- Duke Energy, USF Launch Solar Battery Research Initiative
- Energy Storage Helps Hotel Reduce Demand Charges by 10%
- EU Smart Campus Pilot Achieves 30% Energy Savings
- Uline to Operate 130 GenDrive Fuel Cell Units from Plug Power
- Los Angeles Shopping Center Installs 504 kW Solar
- SustainCo Wins $575,000 Contract for Energy Management Controls


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Archive for "Private Division" Tag
The game is also available for pre-purchase.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in "many unique challenges" that necessitate more time.
Of these, 47 are new games in existing properties, while 46 are new IPs.
NBA and The Outer Worlds also enjoy strong sales.
The sci-fi FPS will retail for $49.99.
The port clocks in at less than half of other versions.
Events from different publishers, limited time demos and trials, and much more incoming.
The developer looks forward to sharing more details "very, very soon."
Lots of interesting pieces of information in this.
We finally get a look at the game's campaign.
The RPG finally gets its Switch release.
Mutli quest map tracking, improved font visibility, and various other fixes also coming later this week.
Key members of the current development team have been retained.
The upcoming debut title from V1 Interactive aims to bring a new level of destruction from the sci-fi first-pe...
The RPG has been quite the success story.
The delay will allow the physical version to be on a cart.
Our first look at the port is a bit blurry.
Obsidian's successful RPG will be available at retail and the Nintendo eShop.
The beta kicks off later this month.
The upcoming shooter will get a beta run soon.


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Ras Al Khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (Rakta) has revealed the restarting of the e-scooter service in cooperation with ‘Fenix’, by deploying 200 tourist scooters at ten different sites in Ras Al Khaimah. This e-scooter service is in keeping with the mini mobility units project, in line with Rakta’s strategic plan for projects 2020-202).
Rakta confirmed that this new mode of transport will be available to all segments of society and will save time for commuters. Moreover, it will provide a more sustainable and smart option to commuters. The users will be able to access the scooters via the Fenix mobile application, with a Dh3 unlocking fee. Customers can also receive clear in-app safety instructions and local guidelines on how to use the electric vehicles legally and responsibly.
Mohammad Hashem Esmaeel, director of Quality Control and Operations Department, stated that the launch of the environment-friendly tourist scooter project will enhance a flexible mobility system in the emirate and provide transportation service to destinations as quickly as possible, especially for short destinations and at reduced costs. A field team has been assigned to carry out the maintenance of these scooters and place them at their sites on a daily basis.
Fenix has confirmed the safety measures during COVID-19 by carrying out continuous sterilisation of the fleet. In addition, all scooters are fully insured and supported by advanced safety features and equipped with integrated hand sanitisation packs to ensure highest level of safety for users.
He also stressed the need for all e-scooter users to adhere to the safety guidelines and instructions set by the authority, such as not exceeding the speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour, the user must not be less than 14 years old and must not use or park the e-scooter in a way that obstructs the movement of vehicles or pedestrians.
“Fenix is thrilled to forge a long-term exclusive partnership with RAK Transport Authority. With the introduction of e-scooter sharing service in Ras Al Khaimah, residents and tourists will now have a new, affordable, convenient and fun way to move around,” Said Jaideep Dhanoa, co-founder and CEO of Fenix.


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After many challenging years, California dairies have reason for optimism thanks to a bipartisan effort by Rep. David Valadao and other House members from the Valley.
On Thursday, the California Federal Milk Marketing Order Act took effect.
The marketing order is intended to make dairies in the Valley and throughout California more competitive with milk producers nationwide.
“After years of work, our efforts have come to fruition. … California dairy farms can compete on the national level, expand their operations, and create greatly needed jobs right here in the Central Valley.” — Rep. David Valadao
Valadao, whose family is in the dairy business, introduced the legislation in 2013, and it became part of the 2014 Farm Bill. That enabled California dairy producers to petition the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enter into a new pricing structure.
“In 2013, I first introduced legislation to allow California dairy farmers to have a say regarding their pricing system,” Valadao (R-Hanford) said in a statement. “After years of work, our efforts have come to fruition, and today California milk pricing transitions to the Federal Milk Marketing Order.
“In doing so, California dairy farms can compete on the national level, expand their operations, and create greatly needed jobs right here in the Central Valley.”
Costa, Nunes, McCarthy Among the Bill’s Co-Sponsors
Ten co-sponsors from California backed the legislation. Among them: Jim Costa (D-Fresno), Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), and Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield).
“I look forward to seeing the positive effects this will have for our dairy farmers and our entire Valley community,” Costa said.
“I look forward to seeing the positive effects this will have for our dairy farmers and our entire Valley community.” — Rep. Jim Costa
Rising Costs, Lower Milk Prices
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the state had 1,563 dairies in 2012. In 2016, there were 1,392 dairies — an 11 percent decline.
Rising production costs coupled with falling milk prices have triggered a rise in bankruptcies, mostly of smaller dairies. This has resulted in fewer, but bigger dairies.
Before the federal milk marketing order, the California Department of Food and Agriculture ran the milk pricing program. However, dairy farmers in California compete with producers across the nation who operate under the federal program.
According to Geoff Vanden Heuvel, director of regulatory and economic affairs for the Milk Producers Council, this is a primary reason California producers voted to adopt the federal marketing order.
“By opting for the federal milk marketing order, we chose to level the playing field with our competition,” Vanden Heuvel said in a statement provided by Costa’s office. “This should hopefully allow our dairy farmers to get paid more for their milk.”
Source: California Department of Food and Agriculture (GV Wire Graphic/Alexis DeSha)