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Due to a regulation requiring digital platforms to compensate local news publishers, Meta Platforms Inc. started the process of ceasing news access in Canada. The California-based business implemented its warning to restrict access to news on Facebook and Instagram. This comes after the Online News Act, which was passed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration and is anticipated to take effect before the year is through.
Digital behemoths are required to pay news organizations for using their content under the Online News Act of the Canadian government. This rule was created in response to the growing issue of unfair revenue sharing between traditional news organizations and digital platforms.
Facebook and Instagram, two popular online news platforms, both generate considerable earnings from advertising based on content produced by news organizations. But before the establishment of this rule, news organizations did not get a fair portion of the money generated by the usage of their content. The Online News Act creates frameworks for digital behemoths to pay news organizations for their material.
Users and news organizations are very concerned about the censoring of Meta News in Canada in reaction to the new online news law. The action brings attention to the issue of the financial disparity between conventional news organizations and internet platforms.
Despite the lockout, several news organizations are actively seeking substitute methods of information delivery and user accessibility. The Canadian government has also promised to make efforts to protect open information access and support journalistic organizations.
In conclusion, Canada’s meta news block is one of many instances of how news organizations and digital platforms struggle to understand one another. It is crucial to strike a balance between defending news organizations’ rights and facilitating public access to information.


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XBIZ | Porn News | Adult Video News
'LeWood's Anal Superstars' Available Through Evil Angel
Oct 9, 2014 10:00 AM PDTLeWood Productions’ new title, “LeWood’s Anal Superstars,” is now available at both brick-and-mortar and online retailers through Evil Angel Video.
Trouble Films' 'Fucking Mystic' Now on VOD
Oct 9, 2014 10:00 AM PDTTrouble Films announced that “Fucking Mystic” is now available through RealQueerPorn VOD.
Gia Nova at NightMoves Weekend in Tampa
Oct 9, 2014 9:00 AM PDTPerformer Gia Nova will be in Tampa Bay, Florida Oct. 9-12 to meet fans and entertain attendees during NightMoves' annual weekend of adult entertainment festivities.
Porno Dan Releases 2nd 'European Invasion'
Oct 9, 2014 8:00 AM PDTPorno Dan has released the second volume of “European Invasion.”
Julia Ann Appearing With Cartoonist Bill Plympton at ComicCon
Oct 8, 2014 1:30 PM PDTCrossover sensation Julia Ann will be appearing at Comicon, New York for the first time ever, signing with popular mainstream cartoonist and animator Bill Plympton.
Evil Angel Directors Set Sights on Berlin
Oct 8, 2014 1:15 PM PDTJohn Stagliano and Evil Angel will return to Berlin for the Venus International Fair to promote the companies’ expansive catalog of film titles.
Pornhub's Times Square Billboard Pulled One Day After Erection
Oct 8, 2014 12:30 PM PDTPornhub.com’s enormous 54’x48’ billboard erected in New York City's Times Square yesterday has already been taken down, as per request of the hotel it was posted on.
Romi Rain Sees ‘Darkside’ Success
Oct 8, 2014 11:15 AM PDTRomi Rain fans have reportedly embraced Jules Jordan’s “Darkside” vision of the porn starlet.
Allison Moore Heading to Tampa
Oct 8, 2014 11:00 AM PDTStarlet Allison Moore is heading to Tampa, Florida as part of the NightMoves' Caravan of Stars, taking part in the FanFest, doing radio interviews and presenting at the awards show.
Pornstar Platinum Relases 'Girlfriends Teaching Girlfriends 4'
Oct 8, 2014 10:00 AM PDTPornstar Platinum has released the fourth installment of “Girlfriends Teaching Girlfriends” on DVD.
WEB / TECH NEWS
Sex Toy Manufacturers Talk Retailer, Distributor Support
The pleasure products industry, at its best, is a well-oiled machine consisting of manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Distributors make sure that products get from Point A to Point B, while retailers...
Pleasure Product E-commerce Experts Discuss Latest Trends
Adult mail order is a concept that has existed for many years. Phil Harvey famously operated a groundbreaking mail order business for adult products during the 1970s. But e-commerce has expanded the concept...

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Most of us don’t realize that many of the products we use, the foods we eat are causing deforestation on a massive scale in Southeast Asia and are devastating to our planet’s biodiversity.
The culprit is palm oil, which is a key ingredient in many common foods, shampoos, soap and pet products, lubricants, pesticides and paints. It even helps fuel our cars.
Palm oil has become a silent part of our everyday lives and accounts for 30 percent of world vegetable oil. And that’s how it’s usually identified on the list of ingredients – as vegetable oil so we often don’t even know what we are using.
Our consumption of the versatile lipid is soaring. Demand is predicted to more than double by 2030 and to triple by 2050. China is the biggest consumer of palm oil, importing 18 per cent of global supply.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, forests are being cleared at an alarming rate, estimated at 2 million hectares a year, wiping out endangered species such as the orangutan, the black sun bear, the Sumatran tiger and many others. The two countries produce 90 percent of the world’s palm oil.
A new study by Stanford and Yale researchers estimates that 75 percent of deforestation in Indonesia was directly attributable to land use changes, from forestry to plantation. The study was released this month and published in the journal Nature Climate Change
Indonesia already has 8 million hectares of oil palm plantations, but has plans for another four million by 2015 dedicated to biofuel production alone. In total, the country produced more than 23 million tonnes of biofuels last year and is setting aside 18 million hectares to produce much more.
Malaysia in 2011 produced 18.9 million tonnes of palm oil on nearly 5 million hectares and was the second largest producer of palm oil.
Beyond feeding our snack habit, another challenge for forests is that governments are pushing to increase the use of biofuel, which ironically is seen as a quick fix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU By 2020, 10 per cent of fuel will be biofuel, while China expects 15 per cent of its fuel to be grown in fields.
But in both Indonesia and Malaysia, in order to plant palm oil, often carbon-rich peatlands are being drained and then burned, releasing stored C02 into atmosphere already clogged with greenhouse gases from razing dry land forests. This represents possibly more carbon emissions than burning fossil fuels.
And not infrequently palm oil plantations are just an excuse for clearing forest because the profits associated with sales of tropical timber are substantial. In this case, companies seek concessions and access to land that is forested but don’t ever bother to plant palm oil.
We might think that forest and peat swamp loss in Southeast Asia sounds bad but it’s far away so why do we care?
We care for many reasons. But if we are thinking purely about self-interest, the effects of forest loss can be seen globally in changing climate patterns and erratic weather.
Forest cutting is responsible for 17 per cent of global carbon emissions, meaning this is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and equal to emissions for the entire global transport sector. It is also comparable to the total annual CO2 emissions of the US or China, according to the UK Eliasch Review, “Climate Change, Financing Global Forests”.
If the international community does nothing to reduce deforestation, modeling for the Eliasch Review estimates that the global economic cost of climate change alone caused by deforestation could reach $1 trillion a year by 2100.
Beyond the effects of climate change from deforestation, we look to forests as sources of vital biodiversity.
Estimates are that nearly half of the world’s species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next 25 years because of rainforest deforestation. As rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for disease.
At least 120 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less than 1% of tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists. We just don’t know enough about the significance of forests to sit back while they disappear.
Locally, the consequences of deforestation on such massive scale are even more immediate. Forests help regulate regional rainfall, offer defense from floods, maintain soils and their moisture, and generally offer ecosystem services crucial for maintaining life and livelihoods. Globally, an estimated 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their welfare and livelihoods to one degree or another.
So is it worth it to eat that biscuit, that chocolate, choose a shampoo that contains palm oil and how do we know if it’s not even labeled?
The rule is that if the label shows the saturated fat content is close to 50%, there is a good chance that the vegetable oil will in fact be palm oil. Among those items that should be immediately suspect are biscuits, processed foods, chocolates and snacks.
Other key tip-offs that a food item might contain palm oil listed among ingredients are cocoa butter equivalent (CBE), cocoa butter substitute (CBS), palm olein and palm stearine.
When looking at ingredients in non-food products such as soaps and detergents, those that contain palm oil include: elaeis guineensis, sodium lauryl sulphate, cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, isopropyl and other palmitates, steareth-2, steareth-20 and fatty alcohol sulphates.
Next time you reach for a snack, paint a wall or fill up your car, do your best to make sure palm oil isn’t an ingredient or at least that the brand claims to use oil from sustainable sources.
There are many issues around what makes palm oil sustainable as well as the industry body, the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) itself, but this is at least a step in the right direction.
A very important subject and yet another example of a world gone mad . Yesterday in the market I noticed no one bothers to look at labels. Getting folks to look at labels is a primary goal. The solution lies in the education of the consumer. For the moment the average consumer is too busy to care.
I think that is a big part of the problem Denys – we need to do a better job of educating consumers.
Interesting post. Why is more not being done to educate consumers?!!
You are so right Denis. Consumer education is one of the keys.


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Custer Summons 'Spellcasters'
12:16 PM | IMG News | Comment on this story
Once again Brad Custer has proved himself a master pixel pusher and released yet another gorgeous desktop/wallpaper image for Mac gamers. This week his theme is appropriately inspired by the just-shipping RPG Summoner (see related story) which is certainly not lacking in eye candy itself.
Head to Custer's Desktops to grab this image, and make sure you examine his previous efforts as well -- collect them all!
Recent Mac Games News
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Search for other Mac games news stories or browse our Mac Games News Archive.


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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – With the new year comes a new tax law, and it’s a law many of us will likely overlook until tax season 2023.
Do you know all of these transactions that we do using things like Zelle, PayPal, Cash App, and Venmo? Well, we better start keeping records of all these transactions because the IRS is going to start looking at those records and asking questions.
We spoke to local tax expert, Bill Clark, who explained in more detail.
“You have to report these transactions because that’s what the government is going to look at, is to match those items to see if you’ve included them on your tax returns,” he said.
Clark has been helping people with their taxes for 35 years. He says that when it comes to this new tax law, many transactions we make will not be taxable, but will be declared taxable unless we provide documentation to prove otherwise. So keep track of all your transactions using these payment methods.
Clark offers another example of how the new law will work.
“Two people share an apartment. They share the rent. I pay the rent and you can pay me back with a Venmo or one of those other cards. I will be notified, or the government will be notified of my transactions on them. rents I have received. ”
Clark thinks this is ultimately how the government is cracking down on tax fraud. The IRS says there is over a trillion dollars in unpaid taxes. And keep in mind that even if you don’t report your transactions on these money transfer sites to the IRS, the companies will.
“Then they’ll be required to withhold what’s called a backup withholding, which is ‘we’re going to charge you an additional 24% and hand that over to the federal government to cover your taxes,'” Clark said.


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In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, American Gaming Association (AGA)'s Senior Vice President Casey Clark shares an overall year-end assessment of the gambling industry in the US. He further explains that the AGA is focused on convening the sports betting ecosystem to address concerns around advertising, align on proactive consumer education and streamline resources for problem gambling, as well as shares insights on the AGA’s future plans for 2022.
What would be your year-end assessment regarding the gambling industry's recovery in the US, and key developments in the different markets and verticals?
Our recovery in 2021 has been remarkable. Every vertical shattered records, leading to the best revenue results in our industry's history. This type of turnaround takes grit and perseverance — but it didn't happen by accident. It was a direct result of our industry's commitment to our customers and our consistent focus on providing a world-class experience.
Traditional gaming — slots and tables — recovery has been most significant, given it was hit hardest by COVID restrictions and closures. From January to October, gaming revenue totaled $34.22 billion, topping pre-pandemic levels by double-digits. Sports betting and iGaming also experienced tremendous growth, recording $6.14 billion in revenue through October. Eleven states launched sports betting in 2021 while two states launched iGaming.
Beyond the strength of our recovery, 2021 saw the real embrace of omnichannel strategies. We know that for online and retail customers alike, it's not an either/or proposition, it's both. Our customers — especially the new, younger adult demographic — want to engage with our products how, where, and when they want. Key to the growth of omnichannel is the continued adoption of digital payments, which are now available in at least nine states and many tribal properties.
Based on the feedback you've received from the companies that conform AGA, and AGA's work with regulators and local authorities, which do you anticipate will be the main issues driving the 2022 agenda? What do you think will be the new challenges for the gambling industry next year?
Sustained growth in gaming is dependent on regulatory flexibility, prioritizing responsibility, and stamping out the illegal market.
Whether it's digital payments or the latest slot machine equipment, gaming is constantly innovating to provide our customers with the latest technology and best experience possible. The pace of this innovation is accelerating faster than ever, so the industry needs regulations that allow for that type of growth.
As gaming expands and new entrants like sports leagues and media companies engage, it is important that we all work together to ensure responsibility is at the core of what we do. We know that responsibility isn't a box to check — it evolves with the industry. The AGA is focused on convening the sports betting ecosystem to address concerns around advertising, align on proactive consumer education and streamline resources for problem gambling.
While our industry's boom is providing more legal wagering options for consumers than ever before, the illegal gambling market is still pervasive and illegal gambling operators are unfortunately taking advantage of gaming's growth. Whether it's illegal sports betting or gray market machines, these illegal operators see an opportunity with the legal market's expansion and have used that to prey on unsuspecting consumers. Federal and state governments must remain focused on enforcing the law and rooting out these bad actors.
Where will AGA's focus be in 2022 and what new milestones do you anticipate for the US market? Which segments or sectors do you anticipate will see the most growth?
Along with advancing gaming's recovery, the AGA's is continuing to focus on building a sustainable market and uniting the industry to move gaming forward. Specifically, 2022 priorities center around advancing responsibility in sports betting, showcasing AGA members' progress and commitment on ESG issues, building industry champions, and advancing policy priorities in Washington.
It's hard to predict what growth looks like from here, given the record-setting pace of our recovery in 2021. Nobody could have imagined that after 2020 we would be headed for the first $50-billion-year in gaming's history. If the last two years have proved anything, it's that this industry has never been stronger, more united, or better-positioned to succeed and the AGA stands ready to guide the way.
Join us for a look back on 2021 and all that we achieved together.⤵— American Gaming Association (@AmericanGaming) December 20, 2021


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ANDERSONVILLE — Next year, Clark Street will be home to a fresh spin on the Dollop coffee shop brand.
Dan Weiss, owner of the local collection of coffee shops, will open a Dollop diner at 5060 N. Clark St., Weiss said this week.
"It's pretty exciting. It'll be a cafe like all the rest of the Dollops, but will also be a breakfast-all-day diner," he said.
Weiss, who now has 10 Dollops across Chicago including its flagship location at 4181 N. Clarendon Ave. in Uptown, said he was excited to open something in Andersonville.
"I call it downtown Rogers Park," he said of the neighborhood. "That's where I go to eat because I live in Rogers Park."
The restaurant, slated to open next door to Jet's Pizza on the ground floor of a new apartment complex along Clark Street, will not off table service. Instead, diners will order at the counter and an employee will bring the food to their table, he said.
The menu was created by Chef Keith Kreuser, a longtime friend of Weiss who's worked as his recording engineer, said Weiss, who also raps under the moniker Verbal Kent.
"I wanted to work with him aside from music," Weiss said.
Customers can expect a fun menu including offerings like chicken and waffles and house-made donuts.
It'll be "a small breakfast-heavy menu, focusing on craveable, seasonal comfort foods with some modern twists," said Kreuser, who has training in all forms of hospitality.
Weiss is also applying for a liquor license and hopes to have cocktails on draft and stock local beers.
The interior of the diner is about 1,600 square feet and allows seating for about 45-50 people, but the owner is most excited about the "massive" patio with tons of outdoor seating during the warm months, he said.
The diner "will shine chrome with maple curves in a mod update of the classic Chicago diner," designer Paul Leisen said.
Dollop hopes to open around March 1.
"We're really going to do it up. Our goal is to really make it a fun place, where if you're driving down Clark you want to stop," Weiss said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.


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The highly anticipated release of Gran Turismo 8 in 2023 is set to deliver an innovative and groundbreaking experience for enthusiasts of car racing games.
Gran Turismo 7, which was originally slated for a 2021 release, encountered delays as a result of the worldwide pandemic. However, it eventually debuted on March 4, 2022, catering to a wide audience.
After its one-year run, the highly anticipated return of Gran Turismo 8 is imminent, generating considerable excitement among countless gamers eagerly awaiting its arrival.
Read Also: State Of Decay 3 Release Date
We have collected info from multiple sources to compile a summary of the expected release date for Gran Turismo 8. Ensure you don’t ignore it!
If one examines the chronicles of past game debuts, it becomes evident that there has been a substantial gap between leaks. The release of the sixth iteration dates back to 2013, and now, after nine years, the seventh iteration has finally arrived.
In the past, the company had a lengthy process of four to five years for releasing a new game. However, the launch of GT Sport indicates a significant time period.
Gran Turismo 8 Expected Release Date?
Ahead of the imminent launch of Gran Turismo 7, no official announcements have been made about the upcoming game. The team responsible for its development is currently focused on endorsing and advertising the recently released Gran Turismo 7, considering the considerable gap between this title and the previous installment, which fans eagerly anticipated. It is premature to anticipate any speculation about the initiation of production on Gran Turismo 8. However, drawing upon their past achievements and progress, it is possible to form certain conjectures.
Gran Turismo 7 was released 9 years after Gran Turismo 6, which was released in 2013. Gran Turismo Sport was released at some moment in the depth of the series, but it was more like a spin-off. Nevertheless, the business utilized to postpone four or five years to released a Gran Turismo 8. The nine-year gap is cut in half if the Gran Turismo Sport’s release is considered.
Gran Turismo 8 may be released, based on the information now available, sometime in 2026 or 2027, while this prediction is totally speculative and unsupported by any pronouncements. This estimate is derived from the historical patterns observed in the development timeline of previous Gran Turismo games. It is important to recognize that, as of right now, there is no official news available on the release of the game.
Gran Turismo 8 Sports Cars
The Gran Turismo series of sports car games has always featured an impressive lineup of diverse and formidable vehicles. Among the notable names are the Dodge SRT Tomahawk, Nissan NSX, Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo, Zagato Vision Gran Turismo, Power Livery, Daihatsu Copen, Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition, M6 GT3, Quattro S1 Pikes Peak, Subaru, and Audi R18 TDI. These cars bring a unique blend of performance and style to the virtual racing experience.
Does It come to PS4 and PS5?
The arrival of the Gran Turismo 7 presents an all-encompassing and gratifying opportunity, featuring an assortment of vehicles from prominent makers like Honda, BMW, Toyota, and Subaru. In simpler terms, enthusiasts can relish these offerings during their free time without requiring additional modifications or enhancements.
The gaming community eagerly welcomed the release of Gran Turismo 7 on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, continuing the tradition of previous installments in the series being exclusive to the PlayStation platform. This indicates that when Gran Turismo 8 launches, PlayStation gamers can expect to have the opportunity to enjoy it as well.
Is it possible to play Gran Turismo 8 on Xbox?
The definitive response to the possibility of playing Turismo 8 on Xbox is contingent upon any official statements released by the developers upon the game’s launch.
Is Gran Turismo 8 going to be available for PC?
the possibility is low that the upcoming game will be available on PC. The reason is that the Gran Turismo series is a PlayStation exclusive, yet released any of its games on any platform than PS.


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Earlier this year, indie skin care brand Dion Michaels Skin Care for Men was recognized at the Oscars award show Luxury Celebrity Gifting Suite event. The minority Black woman-owned and operated brand has carved a niche in the skin care product space by offering a minimalist, multi-functional approach to protective skin care for men.
The collection, which is non-toxic, paraben-free, and formulated to be compatible with all skin types, focuses on its two-step Grooming Cream and Skin Balm combination: the Grooming Cream acts as a cleanser, moisturizer, shaving cream, and beard conditioner, and the Skin Balm functions as an additional moisturizer, toner, and aftershave. In addition to being featured in GQ, Esquire, and Men’s Health magazines, the brand has also been endorsed by former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
To learn more about the formulation and development process for Dion Michaels Skin Care for Men, as well as the development challenges that needed to be overcome to launch and the brand’s future plans for further expansion, CosmeticsDesign spoke to Tammie Sykes, co-founder and brand owner, for her insights.
Product formulation and development
Sykes and fellow co-founder Simone Randle, having found success in addressing their own skin care issues, decided to found Dion Michaels Skin Care for Men in 2018 to create a skin care line that would address men’s skin care issues, which they believe to be an underserved market. When addressing the products’ formulation, the brand’s goal was to “be a brand for all (#oneforall), available to all men regardless of skin type, color or facial hair texture,” said Sykes.
The co-founders spent over three years on product research and development, and “the outcome has been a formula that has proven successful among ethnically diverse test groups,” she shared. During the testing phase, she added, “men have reported drastic improvements in their skin in as little as fourteen days, and most respondents stated that they noticed an unmistakable ‘glow’ on their skin as their complexions started to even out.”
The products are formulation with natural ingredients including shea butter, sandalwood oil, oat kernel oil, and ginger root extract to soothe and moisturize skin and be compatible with all skin types. However, the formulation and development stages were not without challenges.
Overcoming challenges to product launch & brand expansion
One of the brand’s greatest challenges to launching a successful men’s skin care collection that eliminates the need for a multi-step routine was “to find the right cosmetic chemist and development team to create a prestige product line that utilized natural ingredients and address the specific needs that are unique to men,” said Sykes.
During the process, the research team found that “men’s skin is twenty-five percent thicker than women’s,” and therefore, they needed to develop products that would “encourage skin renewal during the shaving process.”
Once the products’ formulation was finalized, the brand also faced challenges in marketing and expanding brand awareness. “The other challenge is to get product recognition when the owners/product creators are not celebrities,” Sykes shared.
“To overcome that challenge,” she explained, “we created sample sizes of our two-step skincare system and sent them out to celebrities, influencers and the media to try and endorse the products.” These efforts have proven to be fruitful in engaging the brand’s targeted demographic, and “we have achieved success in getting name recognition utilizing that strategy,” she said.
The brand remains committed to further brand recognition strategies by expanding the brand’s commercial reach for consumers. In addition to being available on its company website, products are being posited in higher-end retail stores in conjunction with a brand store on Amazon.
Additionally, “we have currently been approached by Walmart.com to sell our products on their premium skincare section of the website,” she shared. As of this writing, the brand is working with Walmart to add its product collection to their platform soon.
Next steps for Dion Michaels Skin Care for Men
While the brand’s co-founders remain focused on expanding brand awareness for the current product line, “Q1 of 2024 we will be working with our research and development team to create a sunscreen for our men,” Sykes said.
Moving forward, Dion Michaels Skin Care for Men remains committed to its original mission of embodying self-care for men by “bridging the gap between gendered skincare products and inclusivity to pave the way towards a market that not only has the health of its customers in mind but also their confidence and self-image,” she shared. In doing so, the co-founders hope to place male consumers “as part of a culture shift in which skin care for men is a staple and not an afterthought.”
To accomplish the goal, “the brand will continue to prioritize simplicity and healthy minimalism with products that are multifunctional, and that can be seamlessly integrated into any skincare routine,” she concluded, and continue to address the personal care needs of a targeted consumer demographic.


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Today we will be touching on the cost of food in the UK, the question is why is food so cheap in the UK?
The perception of prices will depend on whether you are a resident of a city in the UK or if you are just traveling or sightseeing. Some tourists especially from South America or North America may consider that food may be a bit more expensive than in their respective cities, on the other hand tourists from Europe may consider that the costs are quite similar or cheaper to those in their home country.
The first thing to consider in determining whether food is cheap or expensive is the relationship between the minimum wage and the cost of food in the UK. We must take into account that the minimum wage is approximately £1,100 (this currency has a little more value than the euro), then based on this information, compare the prices of food.
Another point to consider when we want to talk about food prices is the mix between the inflationary crisis that half the world is experiencing and the effects of Brexit have hit the UK particularly hard. According to an Ipsos survey for Sky News, 27% of Britons have been forced to skip some meals and 65% have avoided turning on the heating as much as possible in recent months, a sign that the economic crisis is hitting society hard.
According to research by BBC News in 2018, the food consumed in the UK was the cheapest in Western Europe: it costs at least 8% less than the EU average, according to the EU statistics agency Eurostat.
It was also much cheaper in relative terms than the food British parents and grandparents used to buy.
The proportion of household income spent on food had more than halved over the past 60 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while spending on housing and leisure activities has doubled.
but, Why was food so cheap in the UK?
Like many countries, the UK has been benefiting primarily from rising incomes, while food production has become more efficient.
Farming has become increasingly mechanized, speeding up production and helping to maximize yields.
At the same time, the way food is transported, stored and distributed has become increasingly agile. All of this has helped to reduce the price of food in the stores.
The UK has also benefited from the growth in trade between countries. It now imports about half of the food it consumes, up from about a third in 1988.
Retailers were able to source food cheaply from around the world, without incurring the often higher manufacturing and processing costs in the UK.
Despite all that has been mentioned above, it should also be mentioned that the cost of food has been on the rise, as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. People in the UK have been increasing their household spending as a result of the rising cost of products in supermarkets. Fierce competition among supermarkets has so far limited price increases for essential products, but the pressures in the food sector “do not look set to abate any time soon”
VISIT TO: Do they have ranch in the UK


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The LEGO Friends 30404 Friendship Flower polybag set was previously spotted for sale at Toys R Us Canada stores. If you live in America, the set has also been spotted at Wal-Mart USA stores. This would make a great Mother's Day Gift! Thanks Nick for the news.
Article Link: http://toysnbricks.com/lego-friends-fri ... sa-stores/
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Apple's reputation as a provider of operating systems that are more secure than the alternatives has taken a hit with the iOS source code for the iPhone understood to have been posted online.
The purported iPhone operating system code was posted on code-sharing site GitHub and was reportedly removed after a request from Apple that cited copyright law.
Apple filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice, indicating it had been "injured by a violation of the US Copyright laws" and forcing GitHub to remove the code.
The move by Apple would seem to confirm the authenticity of the code.
According to the DMCA notice filed by Apple, the leaked content was "reproduction of Apple's 'iBoot' source code, which is responsible for ensuring trusted boot operation of Apple's iOS software.
"The 'iBoot' source code is proprietary and it includes Apple's copyright notice. It is not open-source."
The so-called iBoot source code is involved in securely booting up iPhones, and was actually a part of iOS 9 – although it's likely to still be a part of the current version of iPhone operating system software, iOS 11, according to Motherboard.
Apple did not immediately respond to CRN USA's request for comment.
In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple said: "Old source code from three years ago appears to have been leaked, but by design the security of our products doesn't depend on the secrecy of our source code. There are many layers of hardware and software protections built into our products, and we always encourage customers to update to the newest software releases to benefit from the latest protections."
The exposure of the code raises the risk of hacking and jailbreaking activity related to Apple's iPhone, and lands another blow against the narrative that Apple's software is virtually impervious to security threats.
"This is a significant situation for Apple, who differentiates itself on being a closed, highly secure platform," said Jay Gordon, vice president of sales at Plano, Texas-based Honeywell Enterprise Mobility, speaking to CRN USA.
Unlike with Android software and devices, "Apple owns all aspects of the hardware and software on its platform, which gives them an edge in being able to manage threats and vulnerabilities," Gordon said.
"This development proves that third-party security software from the likes of MobileIron, AirWatch, SOTI and others remains a needed part of any mobility strategy to thwart jailbreaking and intrusions to the enterprise."
He added, "I am positive that Apple is already working on a solution to ensure this does not occur again."
Other recent Apple security issues included a bug in macOS High Sierra that allowed access simply by typing in the username "root," as well as the so-called "Fruitfly" malware, which could be used for such surveillance activities as taking webcam photos and capturing keystrokes.
Mac users saw a 240 percent increase in malware during the first three quarters of 2017, according to cybersecurity vendor Malwarebytes.
In terms of iPhone security, a cyberattack that could involve taking over an iPhone user's camera and microphone if a user clicked a text message link was revealed in August 2016.
That same month, Apple revealed a bug bounty program to pay researchers that uncover security vulnerabilities in its products, in an admission by Apple that its products are not immune to security issues.


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Bangalore, 23 January 2015: Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, today announced the opening of its second world-class showroom in Bengaluru. This is the third Audi showroom in Karnataka. Based on a unique Central Business..
Mumbai, 18 December 2014: Mercedes-Benz today launched its new Pre-Owned car brand, ‘Mercedes-Benz Certified’ in India. The launch of the new brand was celebrated by the simultaneous inauguration of 12 new ‘Mercedes-Benz Certified’ outlets across..
Madurai, 13 December 2014: Mercedes-Benz India today inaugurated the world class dealership of Sundaram Motors in Madurai. A record 14th outlet inauguration by the Three Pointed Star in 2014 further reiterate sthe brand’s claim of..
Karnal, 24 November 2014: Pursuing the ‘Year of Excellence’ strategy, Mercedes-Benz India continues its commitment to providing the complete luxury automotive experience to its customers in emerging markets. With the inauguration of the 3S state..
Gwalior, 19 September 2014: KTM 200 Duke and 390 Duke doesn’t please your eyes? You are not into naked bikes or ladies? Then Bajaj Auto knows the ambitious plans about your life. KTM, the Austrian..
Gwalior, 3 July 2014: A day to be marked as the history in Gwalior two-wheeler business with the opening to city’s first premium motorcycle dealership. Gwalior has a new KTM (Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen) and Kawasaki joint dealership located..
Koenigsegg Automotive AB has announce the newly signed exclusive dealer agreement with Al Ain Class Motors in Dubai – UAE. The showrooms are located along the famous Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai and in Al..
With the launch of Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Anniversary Edition, J.R. Automotives has officially opened the Mitsubishi Dealership at Jhansi Road, Gwalior. Pajero Sport Anniversary Edition was uncovered by Gwalior Collector, P. Narahari and Dr. Ajay..
Mercedes-Benz India is on fire, just a few days back they opened India’s largest car showroom with T&T Motors at Mathura Road, but now they are up again with another dealership in Noida. Visit it..


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TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Hundreds of job seekers lined up, resume in hand, looking for work at the Lucas County Job and Career Fair.
Michael Chavis, a former supply chain logistics manager, is hoping to stand out from the crowd of hundreds of applicants. Chavis says job fairs like this on are invaluable for people who are out of work.
Get's your name out to the employers, who actually physically handle your resume instead of just throwing it on the internet and watching it go into a black hole ." says Chavis.
About 50 employers were on hand at the event, all with job openings that needed filled. The most prominent employer was Chrysler, which currently has 15 full time job openings and an upcoming 1,100 new jobs being created from the expansion at the Jeep North Assembly Plant.
Ed Schaeffer, with Chrysler says, "We are planning on putting on a second shift next year, that we are advertising our website so people know how they can apply online when those jobs become open."
Organizers of the event hope that the variety of businesses will help job seekers find work in an area they may have previously overlooked.
"One of the advantages of a jobs fair is that it brings together companies that maybe people haven't thought about, careers that maybe they didn't realize were out there. So it gives them a chance to do a little shopping about what kind of job they might be interested in." says District 9 Representative Marcy Kaptur.
And local leaders say the sight of so many businesses hiring is a sign the economy is improving.


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Executive Dismissed By Sonic
Vern Stewart, executive vice president of Sonic Industries Inc. since 1986, was fired Monday by the Oklahoma City-based company.
Contacted at his Edmond home, Stewart said he had no comment and was seeking advice on the matter.
"I don't have any plans yet," said Stewart, an executive vice president since 1986. "It just happened today, and I am in total shock.
Asked if there was a company shakeup, he said he knew of none.
Executive officers come and go, and Stewart's leaving was a personal matter, said C. Stephen Lynn, Sonic's president and chief executive officer. "We are parting ways for a difference of view on administrative policy matters, not for business contribution reasons," Lynn said.
Stewart joined Sonic in 1984, a member of a management team that purchased the company in a $10 million leveraged buyout. Before that, Stewart was senior vice president for corporate development and marketing.
His promotion came in a plan to launch an aggressive franchise marketing program to open new markets in the western United States.
Business has been profitable and no corporate changes are planned, Lynn said. He will assume Stewart's responsibilities.
"With any reasonable size company, you are going to see vice presidents leaving and replacements coming on board from time to time," Lynn said.
Clifford Hudson, general counsel at Sonic, said Stewart had not only done well at Sonic, he had prospered financially.
Sonic is said to be the fifth largest fast food hamburger chain in the country. BIOG: NAME:
Archive ID: 392078


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October 31, 2007
Kia Unveils Spectra5 SX Concept at 2007 SEMA Show
Concept Displays Aspects of Future Design Language for Kia.
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 31-- Kia Motors America (KMA) displayed its sporty new concept vehicle, the Spectra5 SX concept, at this year's SEMA Show today in Las Vegas.
The Spectra5 SX concept is finished in an edgy three-stage Amped Amber exterior color that changes shades and color depending on the vantage point.
Kia Motors America is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 30, 2007
Siemens technology supplies ships in port with environmentally friendly electricity from the public network
An innovative solution to counter "harbor smog".
Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) has developed a solution called "Siharbor" based on its DC transmission system Siplink, with which ships berthed in port can be connected to the medium voltage network of the local power supply company and supplied with electricity. The advantage is that ships can shut down their diesel generating sets which would otherwise be needed, and which not only produce electricity but exhaust gases, soot, fine dust and noise. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 29, 2007
NADA GUIDES Launch New Car Video Buying Guides : GlobalGiants.com
Interactive Video Technology Offers Consumers a Compelling Car Buying Experience.
Photo: NADAguides.com Screen Shot.
COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 29 -- N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides today announced the launch of New Car Video Buying Guides. The buying guides available at NADAguides.com feature interactive video technology to assist consumers with their new car buying research by offering educational information for all types of vehicles, including Hybrids, Convertibles, Sedans, SUVs, Minivans and Trucks -- in full-color video, complete with narration.
In addition to category-specific information, the video buying guides offer users insight into all types of new car subject matter, including Pricing, Passenger Capacity and Comfort, Fuel Economy, Safety Features and Ratings, Reliability, Styling and Design -- even Cargo Capacity. Included in this information are JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings which provide consumers with the ability to compare models across all segments.
The Video Buying Guide player is equipped with a Top Vehicles List so users can save and research their favorite vehicles from that list, including accessing new car reviews, comparing their favorites side-by-side with competitive makes and models, viewing interior and exterior photos and 360-degree views -- and the ability to submit a new car purchase request to a local dealer.
The New Car Video Buying Guides available at NADAguides.com are produced by Vehix, while the interactive video technology powering the NADAguides.com New Car Video Buying Guides comes from VIMATION.
Visitors to NADAguides.com can access these informative videos by clicking on the "New Car Buying Guide Videos" link in the "New Cars" section.
NADA stands for National Automobile Dealers Association. N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides (NADAguides.com) is the world's largest publisher of vehicle pricing and specification information for new and used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, as well as van conversions, limousines, classic and collectible cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft and manufactured housing. Throughout its 74-year history, N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides has earned the reputation as the recognized authority for vehicle valuations. Its website, NADAguides.com, is the most comprehensive vehicle information resource on the Internet today. |GlobalGiants.com|
Los Angeles Auto Show: Five Finalists Compete for 2008 Green Car of the Year Award
Photo: Chevy Malibu Hybrid -- The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan with an EPA rating of 24-mpg city and 32-mpg highway.
LOS ANGELES Â· October 29, 2007 -- The winner of the 2008 Green Car of the Year award has been narrowed to five nominees, according to an announcement by Green Car Journal, the leading automotive environmental magazine. The winner will be announced on Nov. 15 during Press Days at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Photo: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid -- The Chevrolet Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid not only offers functionality but also surprising efficiency for a full-size SUV.
This mainstreaming of hybrid technology is reflected in the five nominees for the 2008 Green Car of the Year award: The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, and Saturn Aura Hybrid.
Photo: Mazda Tribute Hybrid -- The Mazda Tribute Hybrid, a compact SUV, is Mazda's first hybrid vehicle.
Each of the nominees achieves "firsts" in specific ways. All, of course, feature fuel efficiency gains and offer extremely low emissions with advanced technologies used to further increase their environmental performance. The Chevrolet Tahoe, a popular larger SUV, is now much more fuel efficient through the use of an all-new two-mode hybrid technology. Mazda's Tribute Hybrid is this auto maker's first-ever gasoline-electric hybrid model and exemplifies the continuing evolution of fuel efficient hybrid technology shared with related brands. The Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura hybrids showcase affordable hybrid technology available in mass-market sedans. Nissan's Altima Hybrid represents this brand's first-ever use of hybrid technology to blend higher efficiencies and performance in its popular sport sedan.
Photo: Nissan Altima Hybrid -- The Nissan Altima Hybrid features a full hybrid powerplant that offers higher fuel economy and spirited driving.
Jurors include leaders of America's top environmental organizations, including Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club; Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; and Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute. Also, Jay Leno noted auto enthusiast and host of the "Tonight Show" as well as automotive icon Carroll Shelby join four Green Car Journal editors to round out the 2008 jury.
Photo: Saturn Aura Hybrid -- The mid-size Aura Green Line Hybrid is Saturn's first hybrid sedan.
The Green Car of the Year award is an important part of Green Car Journal's mission to showcase environmental progress in the auto industry. Since 1992, Green Car Journal has focused on the intersection of automobiles, energy, and environment, first with an industry newsletter and then with an award-winning auto enthusiast magazine. Today, the magazine is considered the premier source of information on high fuel efficiency, low emission, advanced technology, and alternative fuel vehicles.
LA Auto Show opens for media only Nov. 14 and 15. Public days run from Nov. 16-25 including Thanksgiving Day. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 28, 2007
Energy-saving bulbs from Osram
Over its lifetime (15,000 operating hours), every energy-saving bulb from Osram saves several hundred dollars and around half a ton of CO2. A 30% switch to energy-saving products alone could reduce global CO2 emissions by 270 million tons per year. In February 2007, Osram was the first lighting manufacturer to receive approval from the United Nations for a so-called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - the replacement of incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving light bulbs in developing and emerging countries. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 27, 2007
Coca-Cola Company helps in the restoration of the birthplace of the Olympic Games
Photo: Athens, Greece, October, 24 2007 -- Dominique Reiniche (L), president of The Coca-Cola Company's European Union Group, presents a check for US $2 million to Minoas Kyriakou (R), president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, to aid in the restoration of its site in Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The site was severely damaged by the forest fires in Greece this past summer. The Coca-Cola Company is the longest continuous supporter of the Olympic Games in a partnership that dates to 1928.
Photo: Forest area around the Pierre de Coubertin monument. Ancient Olympia, Greece -- A donation of US $2 million from The Coca-Cola Company will help restore the forest area around the Pierre de Coubertin monument, a tribute to the founder of the modern Olympic Games. The site, on the grounds of Ancient Olympia where the Olympic Games were first held, was severely damaged by the forest fires that scorched Greece over the summer. |GlobalGiants.com|
Mercedes-Benz Introduces Sound Logo
Photo: Hans Tempel, President and CEO of DaimlerChrysler Japan and Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars at the October 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.
Acoustic logo to enhance new brand image:
Stuttgart - As part of its new brand image, Mercedes-Benz is, for the first time, introducing an "acoustic trademark": the new sound logo, which will be used in all ad broadcasts starting on November 1, 2007.
Combined with a new film fade-out, the distinctive sound serves to focus attention more sharply on the star as the Mercedes-Benz trademark.
Hear Audio/See Video
(Click and wait till the Video loads)
To view such videos you need Windows Media Player installed in your computer .
If you do not have it, download it For Free here: Windows Media Player Downloads
"Our new sound logo is going to make the Mercedes-Benz brand not only visually, but also acoustically distinctive, and thus more quickly recognizable," said Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 26, 2007
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 takes off
Photo: The CEOs from Singapore Airways, Airbus and Rolls-Royce visit the A380's spacious economy cabin.
Photos: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 plane made its first commercial flight from Singapore to Sydney on October 25, 2007. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 25, 2007
AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show
The magazine's Editors' Choice Awards recognize Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun.
Photo: AutoWeek Cover: The Nissan GT-R, as highlighted on the October 29 issue of AutoWeek, was awarded the AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award for Best in Show during the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.
DETROIT, Oct. 25 -- The AutoWeek editorial staff will announce its Editors' Choice Award winners for the 2007 Tokyo International Motor Show in its November 12 issue.
The 2007 AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award winners for the Best of Tokyo are:
BEST IN SHOW: Nissan GT-R -- "This is the super car everyone has been
waiting for since Nissan officials announced in 2001 that they would re-
create the icon," said AutoWeek Editor and Associate Publisher Dutch
Mandel. "A twin-turbocharged, 3.8-liter V6 pushes this coupe to a top
speed of 193 mph and from zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds. The great news for
the U.S. is that Nissan will finally bring this flagship to our shores."
BEST CONCEPT: Mazda Taiki -- "This aero-efficient sports car blends the
best of the last three Mazda show cars with the company's next-generation
Wankel rotary engine: a power plant that celebrates its 40th anniversary
this year. It sets the way for the future front-engine, rear-drive sports
MOST SIGNIFICANT: Honda CR-Z -- "Here's a car that finally reintroduces
passion and emotion in a legendary vehicle that is also powered by
alternative sources. The CR-Z is very much the spiritual successor to
Honda's beloved CRX, a subcompact rocket from the past."
MOST FUN: Suzuki X-Head -- "It's every kid's Tonka toy come to life. It's
boxy, it's burly, it's bright yellow and looks as though it wants to haul
heavy loads through woods. It's what happens when Suzuki builds a Hummer."
The AutoWeek editorial staff will announce its 2008 Editors' Choice Awards for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January during the magazine's annual Design Forum. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 23, 2007
Nokia N81 8GB now shipping globally
Photo: Nokia N81
Photo: Nokia N81 8GB
Espoo, Finland, October 23, 2007 -- Nokia N81 and Nokia N81 8GB multimedia computers are now available globally. Designed for music and gaming, these devices come with dedicated music and game keys and are loaded with memory.
The 3D Multimedia Menu introduced in these devices is the first step to bringing a new user interface to the Nokia Nseries range. The new menu makes it easy to discover and enjoy your digital content and the Internet, and share your experiences with others.
The Nokia N81 and Nokia N81 8GB also offer the discovery of millions of tracks through the Nokia Music Store*. And, with their integrated Nokia Music Players, creating playlists. For enhanced sound quality, compatible high-quality headphones or speakers can be used with the standard 3.5mm headphone connector. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 22, 2007
Bob Dylan and XM Featured in Integrated Marketing Campaign for Cadillac
Cadillac Promotes Dylan's Exclusive XM Show and Highlights XM as Standard Feature.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Music icon Bob Dylan will star in an innovative multi-platform marketing campaign for the 2008 Cadillac Escalade that integrates his XM Radio show, "Theme Time Radio Hour." The campaign, which begins today, highlights XM as a standard feature in the Escalade through TV, online and print. Cadillac has been a leading luxury automotive brand since 1902. Cadillac is a division of General Motors (NYSE:GM).
XM (NASDAQ:XMSR) is America's leading satellite radio company with more than 8.2 million subscribers. XM is also a leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market. Through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, XM is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2007. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 21, 2007
Siemens Diesel Freight Locomotive with Powerful Traction
The first type ER 20 CF freight locomotive from Siemens Transportation Systems was officially received in Lithuania. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, Gediminas Kirkilas, took the opportunity to embark on a first trial run. At 138 metric tons, the new freight locomotive is one of the heaviest locomotives in Europe and, in double-headed operation, can haul trains of up to 6,000 tons and transport 50 percent more freight per route than before. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 20, 2007
JCPenney and Charles & Colvard Announce USA National Contest Honoring the "Milestone Achievements in Every Woman's Life"
From Oct. 9, 2007 through Jan. 16, 2008, women across the USA will be encouraged to share their inspirational stories in the "Milestone Moments" contest by visiting www.Omagazine.info/moissanite . At the completion of the contest, one grand prize winner will be selected to share her story nationally and also receive a one-of-a-kind platinum pendant set with an approximate 5ct. round, brilliant-cut moissanite jewel surrounded and accented with micro-set diamonds valued at $10,500.
Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (NASDAQ:CTHR), based in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, is a global source of lab-created moissanite, a near-colorless jewel, while JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,064 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 18, 2007
"Da Vinci... An Exhibition of Genius" organized by 'RYP Australia' Reveals Details about Mona Lisa
Photo: Da Vinci... An Exhibition of Genius presents "Mona Lisa Revealed": high-tech camera uncovers hidden images in world's most famous painting.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18 -- Since making its North American debut in San Francisco in August 2007, Da Vinci - an Exhibition of Genius has inspired thousands of visitors with the full scope of Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable genius as an artist, inventor, anatomist, sculptor, engineer and architect. In line with the exhibition's theme of discovery and invention, exhibition organizers RYP Australia announced a new installation unveiling 25 secrets about the most famous painting in the world: Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."
"Mona Lisa Secrets Revealed" showcases the work of French engineer Pascal Cotte. His life-long passion for the study and preservation of the Mona Lisa led him to invent the cutting edge 240-megapixel Multi-spectral Imaging Camera, which uses patented infrared technology and intense illumination to scan the painting and virtually peel away layers of varnish applied over centuries. With his camera, Cotte was able to uncover how the Mona Lisa looked as she was originally painted, including layers of over-painting, restoration and attempts at preservation -- even identifying the individual pigments that da Vinci used.
Cotte used his camera to scientifically verify and visually recreate 25 secrets of the Mona Lisa that otherwise go unseen. Other discoveries include da Vinci's preparatory drawings, alterations, restorations, and historical events the painting has withstood. Using his Multi-spectral Imaging Camera, Cotte's work resulted in thirteen original photos of the masterpiece, with unequalled accuracy and resolution, showing how the Mona Lisa looked to Da Vinci's contemporaries: blue sky, pink face, brighter mountains, and green trees.
The exhibition now allows the public to see new details, including Mona Lisa's original gaze and smile, new findings regarding the mark on the corner of her eye, and the lace on her dress that has disappeared over time. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 17, 2007
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago named 'Best Hotel in the United States in 2007' at Conde Nast Traveler's 20th Annual Readers' Choice Awards
Photo: The Lobby of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago.
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) has been named "Best Hotel In The United States In 2007" at the Conde Nast Traveler magazine 20th Annual Readers' Choice Awards. The Ritz-Carlton Chicago was also named "Best Hotel In The United States" in 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1996 and 1994.
The 435-room Ritz-Carlton Chicago is set atop Water Tower Place, high above prestigious North Michigan Avenue, steps from Oak Street Beach, and Chicago's bustling cultural community. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts acquired management of the luxury property in 1977.
Conde Nast Traveler's Annual Readers' Choice Awards are recognized as the predominant international benchmark of travel service. For the 20th year, the magazine tabulated surveys from over 28,000 readers. Hotels were judged on the quality of their service, guest-rooms, food/restaurants, design/layout and location. |GlobalGiants.com|
"smart fortwo" prepares for its US market launch in January 2008
Photo: The "smart house" showroom at Venice Beach, Los Angeles.
The new "smart fortwo" will be available in the USA beginning in the first quarter of 2008. "smart", like Mercedes-Benz and Maybach, is part of the Mercedes Car Group. This vehicle concept is highly practical - especially for people who live in cities or urban areas. Since on most journeys a car carries just a single occupant, people make faster progress through the city in a "smart fortwo" and they do not even need to search for a parking space - the "smart fortwo" can easily fit between in very limited space they can find one right away. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 16, 2007
Maybelline New York Signs German Super Model, Julia Stegner : GlobalGiants.com
NEW YORK, Oct. 16 -- Maybelline New York Worldwide announced today that Julia Stegner, the German supermodel and media star, has become Maybelline's newest spokesperson. She joins Maybelline New York's prestigious roster of A-list celebrities including Christy Turlington, Erin Wasson, Adriana Lima, and Zhang Ziyi.
Julia has also appeared in campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana and many others. She has also collaborated with the world's renowned fashion photographers including Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindbergh, Craig McDean, Inez and Vinoodh, Steven Klein, Mert and Marcus, and David Sims.
Julia will make her television and print debut for Maybelline New York in February 2008. |GlobalGiants.com|
FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S WAYNE ASSEMBLY PLANT EMPLOYEES CELEBRATE 2008 FORD FOCUS PRODUCTION LAUNCH
Photo: Wayne, MI., October 15, 2007 - 2008 Ford Focus Employee Celebration. Alan Mulally President and CEO Ford Motor Company addresses Ford Employees at the employee celebration at Wayne Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
WAYNE, Mich., Oct. 16 - Ford Motor Company employees at Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant yesterday celebrated the production launch of the all-new 2008 Ford Focus.
Photo: Wayne, MI., October 15, 2007 - 2008 Ford Focus Employee Celebration. Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company, President and CEO at the celebration of the new 2008 Ford Focus at Wayne Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally thanked plant employees for their part in building the company's new small car.
"The most important thing we can do at Ford Motor Company is create the products that people really want and value," Mulally said. "The team at Wayne Assembly is helping Ford address the demand for small, well-equipped cars as they build the new Ford Focus with an unwavering focus on quality and craftsmanship."
Photo: Wayne, MI., October 15, 2007 - 2008 Ford Focus Employee Celebration. Ford Employee Mark Pompa at the celebration of the new 2008 Ford Focus at Wayne Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford invested $130 million in Wayne Stamping and Assembly for new tooling and equipment to build the all-new two-door coupe and the four-door sedan Focus models. Upgrades include new robotics, more precise welding guns for improved exterior fit and finish and the addition of 130 new direct-current electric hand tools to ensure more ergonomically friendly and error-proof assembly. Vision cameras also have been installed to measure the dimensional integrity of every Focus built on the line and a new rough road track includes more varied surfaces to ensure each assembled unit adheres to strict noise-vibration-handling (NVH) targets.
Photo: Wayne, MI., October 15, 2007 -Ford Focus Employee Celebration. The newly redesigned 2008 Ford Focus rolls off the line at the employee celebration at Wayne Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
"Everyone who works here understands the importance of small cars in the Ford Motor Company line-up," said Dale Wishnousky, plant manager, Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant. "The Wayne team is proud to be building the vehicle that will help strengthen Ford's position in the small-car market."
2008 Ford Focus, which is fun to drive, features industry-exclusive technology including ambient lighting and Ford SYNC™, the hands-free voice-activated in-car communication system that seamlessly integrates Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital music players. |GlobalGiants.com|
October 15, 2007
First A380 delivered to Singapore Airlines
Photo: Singapore Airlines' first A380 was delivered at Airbus' Toulouse, France facility today. It will depart for Singapore tomorrow.
Photo: The A380's initial operational flight with Singapore Airlines will be a Singapore-Sydney charity trip on October 25-26, 2007, with scheduled services commencing daily from 28 October.
Airbus celebrated the first A380-Megaliner-handover to first customer Singapore Airlines today with a dedicated delivery ceremony. The exclusive event - hosted by Singapore Airlines, Rolls-Royce and Airbus - took place at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse (France). The spacious double-decker aircraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The A380 provides more comfort in every class and more open space for relaxation. Customers enjoy a new way of flying while benefiting from the "quietest cabin in the sky." |GlobalGiants.com|
MOTOR TREND names Mazda CX-9 'Sport/Utility Of The Year'
MOTOR TREND today named the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV its 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year. Beating one of the toughest fields in recent memory, the CX-9 was, according to MOTOR TREND editor in chief, Angus MacKenzie, the judges' unanimous decision. It topped 11 other contenders.
To judge contenders for the award, MOTOR TREND's editorial staff conducted exhaustive off-road, street and track testing, and carefully considered essentials such as driving performance, safety and features. Sport/Utility of the Year is not a comparison test. Each contender was evaluated against three simple criteria: superiority (engineering, design, utilization of resources); significance (its impact on the market), and value (what buyers get for their money versus the competition). |GlobalGiants.com|


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Months later than expected, we know the Huawei P50 launch date – as revealed by company CEO Richard Yu, it’s set to show up on July 29 along with some other devices.
Via a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Richard Yu has confirmed that launch date. So we don’t have long to wait to see the Huawei P50, though we don’t know its release date yet.
Even more Redmi K50 and Redmi K50 Pro rumors have sprung up, containing information about the supposed charging capabilities, main Read more
A possible real-life image of the Xiaomi Mi 12 and specifically its rear-facing main camera system has appeared on Chinese Read more
We’re covering a quite unusual device announcement a little unlike what we’ve seen before. ASUS and Qualcomm – well, mostly Read more
If you assumed that the Steam Deck's hardware was going to restrict it to less demanding games like older releases Read more
On Tuesday, a post from iQOO on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, suggested that the iQOO 8 launch date Read more
While the Huawei P50 series doesn't exactly have a boatload of 'buzz' around it - it feels like most phone Read more
There's a new Radeon RX 6600XT leak that appears to offer us our first look at the upcoming AMD graphics Read more
The Fortnite Rainbow Royale event just appeared in the in-game shop for all platforms. This event is a celebration of Read more
While Honor phones have dropped off the radar over the past few years, the company is gearing up for a Read more
Introduction If you’re looking for a new laptop, be it for reading emails, editing video or just to snoop on Read more
Leaked documents suggest pricing and equipment for all-new seven-seat off-road SUV will both skyrocket Pricing and specifications for the new Read more
If you compare the charging speeds of top Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy S21 will stick out like a sore Read more


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Be careful with cans
There is strong evidence to show that BPA causes cancer in mice, but studies on humans have been ethically difficult. Still, it’s reasonable to try to avoid the chemical when possible. Plastics are also worrisome for containing BPA, although many are now labeled BPA-free. Another unlikely source, though, is the lining of cans.
In a recent study from Stanford, researchers found people who ate one canned food item in the past day had a 24 percent higher concentration of BPA in their urine than people who didn’t. Eating two or more canned food items led to a 54 percent higher concentration. Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, MPH, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), advises avoiding canned products, especially those with a high acidity, like tomato products.


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What you need to know
- Apple is bringing some of its employees back to Apple Park.
- They'll have to get used to some changes when they arrive at work.
- Masks will be required and infections testing will be offered.
Apple has already started to bring some of its workers back to Apple Park following its closure due to COVID-19. More will be returning soon, and they're going to have to get used to some changes when they arrive.
As reported by Bloomberg, the Apple Park employees are returning to isn't the same one they left. Limits on the number of people allowed in certain spaces will be in place and some areas of the building will remain closed.
As the building gradually reopens, some employees are working from the Apple campus only a few days a week. Apple is also limiting the number of people allowed in confined spaces at its offices. For example, as few as two are permitted in elevators at the same time, which normally would fit as many as 10 employees. The company has also closed many break-room kitchens and has posted signs asking employees to wear masks.
Employees will also be given the option of undertaking a nasal-swab test to check for the presence of COVID-19 while temperature checks will also be compulsory for those returning to work at Apple Park.
Some of Apple's executive team is also returning to Apple Park with retail head Deirdre O'Brien already working from the office instead of her home.
Apple closed offices and stores worldwide to aid with the social distancing initiatives put in place by local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stores and offices are slowly beginning to open following the relaxation of rules around the globe.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Plugable's UD-6950Z Dock may be built for Windows but it saved my Mac
I had to jump through hoops to uninstall the macOS developer beta and reinstall Catalina and the Plugable docking station made it all possible.
Nudget nudges you in the right direction when it comes to budgeting
Struggling with keeping a budget? Yeah, it's hard. Nudget is an app that makes it a little easier.
New EU regulations target App Store, empowering developers
The EU has introduced new regulations and measures to help protect developers and publishers who deal with storefronts like the App Store.
Every Joy-Con controller color plus some customization options!
They probably weren't available at first, but nowadays you can find Joy-Cons in every color under the rainbow.


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In May 2022, Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, among others, began testing integration with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Instagram. This concerned a select number of users in the United States who could use NFTs on their feed, stories and messages on the platform.
A few months later, the NFT pilot expanded to Facebook, with the ultimate goal of allowing users to display their NFTs on both platforms. NFTs were also made available on Instagram for a total of 100 countries in Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas.
In November it faced a small group of Americans creators to mint and sell NFTs directly from Instagram via the Polygon (MATIC) blockchain.
Meta is discontinuing NFTs
It has now been announced that Meta will scrap its NFT function on both Instagram and Facebook, just under a year after its launch. Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s head of commerce and financial technologies, broke the news yesterday, saying that Meta “wants to focus on other ways to support creators, people and businesses.”
Some product news: across the company, we’re looking closely at what we prioritize to increase our focus. We’re winding down digital collectibles (NFTs) for now to focus on other ways to support creators, people, and businesses. 🧵[1/5]
— Stephane Kasriel (@skasriel) March 13, 2023
Kasriel added that the company is still prioritizing ways for users to “connect with their fans and earn money.” The company will focus on other products such as Reels, the company’s short video tool, for messaging and monetization
Kasriel further specified that Meta will continue to work with creators of NFTs and Web3 content using the suite of tools to help them grow their community.
Is Amazon entering the world of NFTs?
While Meta is stepping out of the world of NFTs, you could recently read in the NFT news that there are currently rumors that Amazon is going to enter this in a special way. The powerhouse of e-commerce is said to be developing the ability to link real-world assets to NFTs. The new platform will probably only be available in the United States initially.


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Today, we’re pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Torro, the latest addition to our platform’s selection of small and medium-sized business (“SMB”) financing borrowers.
Torro, a Utah-based purchaser of future receivables from various merchants through the country, started out as a receivables purchase broker in 2015 and since grew its platform and capabilities to support its own purchase activities. Torro leverages a proprietary technology stack alongside a knowledgeable sales team and brokerage relationships to source and purchase best-fitting deals. The company began building its own portfolio in 2017 and, with its syndicated financing partners, has purchased more than $32 million in future receivables to hundreds of companies across the United States.
Charlie Lienau, Managing Director of Capital Markets at Cadence, noted that “Torro is a good example of a growing specialty finance firm that is both innovative and experienced. The management team has been in the receivables purchase space for years yet is constantly looking to improve its operations with technology.”
As an alternative investment platform, Cadence continues to offer accredited investors largely uncorrelated, high-yield investment products while providing flexible non-dilutive growth capital to its origination partners. Cadence is excited to include Torro in our growing community of best-in-class borrowers from across the private credit universe.
“We are honored Cadence has done the proper due diligence in reviewing our entire funding platform and are excited about the partnership ” said Cameron Montgomery, CEO of Torro. “We are at the forefront of the booming business funding industry. Torro takes pride in the fact we have built a self-sustaining platform. We streamlined the funding process and control all aspects of the business including direct to merchant marketing, proprietary technology, underwriting platform, and our in-house collections and legal team. With Cadence, we can strategically expand at a rapid pace. The partnership between Cadence and Torro allows us to best serve growing SMBs seeking funds to grow.”
This new partnership continues to illustrate Cadence’s commitment to support high-growth, tech-enabled borrowers. providing transparency and private credit investment opportunities to our growing investor base.
[This archived post was released at a time when Percent was formerly known as Cadence.]


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It seems like Apple struggles to take its devices off of manufacturing lines and then into shops before the year is over. The Apple Watch 7 was reported to be delayed, and now it looks as though the 14-inch version of the MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro for this year might also be delayed. Reports were posted on DigiTimes, and website insiders state that, rather than the normal September release, the worldwide processor deficit might lead to a new MacBook Pros launch date either in October or November.
The Apple insider also points out that this claim has a major problem: September is not the regular launch date for laptops from this company. Moreover, in September, Apple never debuted a MacBook Pro, as this is often when new iPhones arrive. Nonetheless, it was believed to be somewhat unusual in 2021, with Apple preparing several events this month.
Even Apple has been caught off guard by such probable additional setbacks. Its Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri cautioned at his last financial statement that supply restrictions over September quarters would not lead to a pleasant report. However, he went on to explain that the limitations mostly affect iPads and iPhones; MacBooks were not mentioned.
However, if the claim of DigiTimes is correct, then there are no big setbacks, and updated MacBook Pros will definitely be coming out of the manufacturing process well before the year is over. We anticipate the same mini-LED screen but with a makeover that will make it flat-edged.
It is claimed that these gadgets are fueled by the Apple M1X processor, improving the Webcam functionality and returning alike MagSafe and HDMI connections. But it is reported that the TouchBar gets eliminated. The latest MacBook Pro M1X may also be worth around $1800.


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“Wipes are now one of our greatest challenges within the collection system here at Charleston Water System,” said Baker Mordecai, the system’s director of wastewater collection. Wipes have been a problem for wastewater systems for decades, but the problem has accelerated over the past 10 years and worsened still with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Longstanding issues with materials like wipes, which do not dissolve like toilet paper, have led to lawsuits against the companies that make and sell wipes. The most notable of these brands, Kimberly-Clark Corp., which manufactures brands including Huggies, Cottonelle and Scott, was brought to court by the Charleston, South Carolina, water system. Suing for injunctive relief, the Charleston system settled with Kimberly-Clark in April, according to Bloomberg News. This agreement states that the company’s wipes labeled as “flushable” must meet the wastewater industry’s standards by May 2022.
This wipe problem has cost the Charleston Water System hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. The system has invested $120,000 on bar screens for approach channels over the last five years—capital cost alone, not counting operation and maintenance costs. “That helps us to remove the wipes before they do any type of damage to any downstream equipment, mainly the treatment plant,” Mordecai said.
The largest investment made has been in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) for the system’s 216 pump stations, with $2 million in spending over eight years. Preventative maintenance, like wet well cleaning at each pump station, main lines cleaning and screen cleaning, also made up a significant investment. Most of this work is done in-house, but outside contractors were brought in to help on and off, especially with the pandemic—costing another $110,000.
Although Mordecai said that the Charleston Water System has been dealing with the wipes for decades, the pandemic has worsened the problem. Mordecai said the system used to have two pump clogs per month but that went up to eight clogs per month this year. Mainline blockages also grew from two per month to six per month in the same time frame.
“We believe that a lot of this is that folks are doing extra disinfecting,” he said. “They’re obviously cleaning their hands more often. And all these wipes are winding up in the sewer system.”
Before COVID-19, the Charleston Water System was spending $250,000 per year just to manage the wipes, which rose to $360,000 in 2020; Mordecai estimates an additional $250,000 will be spent in 2021—totaling to more than half a million dollars.
Unfortunately, these extra costs brought on from managing the wipes are often passed on to the customer, despite reallocation of work.
“At the end of the day, what you have is a customer buying the wipe on the one hand, and they’re seeing an increase in their sewer bill for the wipes on the other hand,” Mordecai said. “There’s a cost component to the consumer that I think sometimes goes unrecognized.”
Although the pandemic let up some this summer, the clogs that the Charleston Water System is seeing have not reduced. “You would think that as folks went back to work, there’d be some decrease, but we have not noted that to date,” Mordecai said. “Once people get into a bad habit, it’s hard to break that habit.”
The Charleston staff has run a few education campaigns over the years to let utility users know what flushing wipes leads to further down the system. One was the “Wipes Clog Pipes” campaign that Charleston participated in with some other regional utilities, but Mordecai says these campaigns only had “marginal success.”
In 2018, staff ran a social media campaign with photos of the clogs and the divers who unclog them by hand that went viral globally, reaching more than 1 billion people. “Unfortunately, what wasn’t significant was the impact on the amount of wipes that we saw in our collection system,” Public Information Administrator Mike Saia said. “We didn’t see any change whatsoever in the volume of wipes that we were getting on screens and taken out of the wastewater treatment process.”
What the social campaign did do was bring attention to the lawsuits made by wastewater utilities across the United States and get the Charleston Water System on everybody’s radar.
“Because of that viral effort, we became the de facto face of wipes issues in America. So, the primary legal efforts that were being perpetrated throughout the courts took a pause and adopted us as their lead plaintiff because of the visibility that we had in the industry,” Saia said.
The lawsuit was filed in January 2021 against Kimberly-Clark as well as Procter & Gamble, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Target and Walmart. Before the suit, the Charleston Water System was negotiating privately with Kimberly-Clark. Saia said they hoped to settle with the manufacturer but could not get to that point, so they sued.
In filing these suits, the Charleston Water System staff wants to ensure that wipes labeled “flushable” are actually flushable and that they will “disperse” in a time and manner that will not cause blockages or additional maintenance problems. The suit also included requirements that manufacturers provide better notice to consumers that nonflushable wipes are nonflushable.
“The notice should come at the point of sale in the store and at the point of use, which means the packaging,” Saia said. “That focuses on prominent ‘do not flush’ warnings on the front of the package and, ideally, right at the point where you remove the wipe from the package.”
There has been litigation over wipes for years, and Saia said this is the first settlement “of any real substance.”
“We applaud them for developing a truly flushable wipe and for agreeing to better label their nonflushable products as well. And we also are thrilled that they’re going to continue to improve their products,” Saia said.


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One-third of samples tested by Consumer Reports showed Salmonella contamination of ground chicken, including product from one of the nation’s largest producers.
The investigation by the non-profit consumer watchdog group included testing of 75 samples of ground chicken from Perdue and other companies. Purdue sells under its own brand and supplies chicken to Trader Joe’s and Wholesome Pantry. Consumer Reports also found Salmonella in samples from Isernio’s, Walmart and Whole Foods. Overall, no single brand stood out as being statistically better or worse than another, and CR found no difference between ground chicken from organic and conventionally-raised birds.
“Dangerous salmonella is far too common in chicken and sickens hundreds of thousands of people every year,” said James E. Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports. “The USDA has pledged to reduce illness from salmonella contamination for more than a decade, but CR’s tests show that more … Read more


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Should metalworking companies brace for a slowdown in 2023? Are interest rates having an impact on equipment purchases? Is the move to robotics a significant trend that could help solve the labour skills shortage? We put these questions and more to industry leaders in our annual Outlook report. Before you finalize your strategy for next year, read what they have to say.
SHOP: What are you expecting in terms of business conditions for 2023?
ARCAND: Even though manufacturers are optimistic, things are slowing. Business conditions are not going to be as favourable next year as they are this year. Rising interest rates will slow growth across the world. The odds for a recession in Canada are probably increasing, because interest rates are being raised here and in the U.S., which is our most important market. The Fed has pretty much signalled it will tackle inflation at any cost. So, if you think of Canada’s most important export market going into recession next year, that’s not going to be great news for manufacturers. Offsetting that, if there is going to be a recession, it looks like it’s going to be mild and probably short lived. It’s not going to be of the magnitude we saw during the depths of the financial crisis in 2008-09 or during the start of Covid. So that probably explains why business confidence has not gone down as much as would have been expected.
HERGOTT: One thing that scares me is that soon as the media starts talking about recession, you can end up creating a recession because we talk about it so much. We are not seeing that level of decline in manufacturing. Half our members are still very busy. The machining side of things has been busy. We are still short goods, we are still short people, I am not too worried about (a slowdown) from XL Tool’s perspective and neither are a lot of CTMA members. Our forecast for the future is that things are going to stay steady.
THIARA: There is a great deal of uncertainty looming over us with all this economic doom and gloom but when we are out in the field there is a lot of activity. I visit a lot of moulding facilities and they’re all busy and some are even working seven days a week. There are some OEMs who have put orders on hold but only because there is such a backlog of orders at mould shops that can’t be completed due to unavailable parts or raw materials and logistics issues. So rather than adding more orders to the pipeline, the OEMs want to give the mould shops a chance to get caught up before they release any more orders to them. Specifically in the Windsor area, the electric vehicle plant that is going in there has created a lot of positive energy in the region that is going to create a lot of opportunities to that area and beyond.
HASROUNY: Our outlook and projections for 2023 are very similar to 2022. There are a lot of challenges, but the market is healthy and dynamic, people are purchasing. There are shops that are very busy and some shops still struggling to get their feet back on the ground after the pandemic, just like last year. There is definitely a continuous momentum, especially in the mould industry. If we continue along with this momentum, we should be good for at least the first quarter of 2023.
KLOTZ: What we’ve been hearing from members is that things are going to stay pretty much the same next year. The year 2023 will be quite similar to what 2022 has been with no improvement or decline. There are still going to be huge issues with logistics and getting materials and parts. Focusing on automotive, it’s going to get a little bit better but not much better. Steel prices have gone down but they’re still high. Availability is better too but still not where itused to be and so our members are still going to have to be passing on higher steel pricing to their customers. They will be generating more revenue but profitability wise it will probably be the same as before the pandemic.
SHOP: Are high interest rates having an impact on capital purchasing or growth plans?
HASROUNY: We haven’t had any issues approving customers the last few months. We had a customer in April who wanted to place an order and knowing already from discussions that interest rates were going to go up and delivery of the machine would not be till the fall, he signed the agreement with the leasing company and started his payments in May. His savings by starting to pay for the machine five or six months before it hits his floor were significant. Also, when he signed his agreement the exchange rate was less than it is today, so he got a good deal. We are encouraging customers as soon as they know that they want to place an order, even though the delivery will be later, to fix their rate now and start their payments. They won’t have the revenue associated with the equipment, but they will be saving money and paying off the equipment sooner.
KLOTZ: Machine manufacturers and suppliers I have talked to are all swamped and busy. They’ve got backlogs out to May and June of next year and can’t find the staff to build the equipment any faster so they’re quoting long lead times. We don’t see a slowing down in equipment purchasing. High interest may eventually affect it, but right now the outlook for capital equipment purchasing in early 2023 is still looking very strong. Members who are supplying housing-market related industries could see a slowdown, but they have been going like gangbusters since before Covid. But also, reshoring will lead to new plants and buildings in North America. Take a look too at what’s going on with the auto industry. We still have quite a way to go to get to the 17-18 million vehicles sold per year and the rental car industry has held off purchases since the pandemic. So the auto industry still has a lot of room to grow.
ARCAND: Talking to members I haven’t heard anyone discussing the issue of higher interest rates affecting their investment decisions. In theory higher interest rates should cause people to spend less but I think businesses are less sensitive to interest rate changes than households are. Canadian homeowners have high debt loads given what’s happened with the housing markets over the past few years so that’s really where interest rates will slow things down and you can see that already with the housing market going much lower and that has spinoff effects on home renovations, etc. That’s really where the impact is going to be. There may be a small impact on business investments, but businesses tend to have a longer term view of things.
CERON: There is going to be a little hesitancy in terms of pulling the trigger on a $100,000 purchase and then the training and the hiccups that come with the learning curve. But there is another side that is starting to become dominant in the robotics industry. We have 30 years of automation so the used market for automation and robots is growing substantially. Many companies now offer a used robot option for sale. These are robots which have come back into the market and are a fraction of the price. I have seen companies start to look into buying slightly used automation options for simple production runs, things that are quick repetition, recurring buys. This may be something for which you don’t need a $200,000 robot. It’s judging your needs against what you’re trying to produce and being realistic. If you’re hiring an employee, it’s a $75,000-$100,000 investment when you’re including salary, training and benefits etc., and there are availability issues. If you can spend $50,000 on a slightly used robot that was twice that when new, that might be worth considering.
SHOP: For those looking to purchase new equipment, our research shows a significant increase in plans to invest in automation and robotics in 2023. Are you seeing that as well and what role can automation play in helping solve the skilled labour shortage?
KLOTZ: I have one member who had zero robots five years ago and now they’ve got 45. And another who had none three years ago and now they have 15 or more. Automation is happening. One, because manufacturers can’t find people. If they need to run a second shift they can’t find people for it even if paying an overtime premium. Whereas before the pandemic when you offered overtime people would be on it and taking advantage of the extra pay, now they’re not interested. After the pandemic people are working the minimum 40 hours. I am not sure why this is happening.
HERGOTT: The driver is that you don’t have people to run the machines. You have to do more with less. Robotics is going to be huge. But it isn’t easy. It’s complex. The mould industry has always been ahead in terms of automating processes for machining. Can better equipment help us out? One hundred percent it can. And I think that’s where people are starting to reassess how they do things. Look at what automation can provide in the machining portion of the business. I think technology is getting a lot smarter a lot faster than we’ve ever seen before.
CERON: Automation is a huge leverage for a prosperous country like Canada. In many ways it solves many of the manufacturing outcome problems. It’s not a labour replacement. Manufacturing automation has been shown to increase hiring of humans. For every robot that does welding there is an operator who needs to know how to weld. For example, let’s say you have a manufacturing robot that can work 24 hours, that’s three shifts of humans who are needed to monitor that robot. That’s three shifts of people with welding experience that is required to do that. And then you have the people who build the robots, the people who install them, maintain them, etc. The network of automation is wide, and it is actually a huge opportunity. I have worked with large companies which have gone to automation and we would double our workforce in support of the automation. You are producing three times the widgets with automation, but you are also increasing the staff. But you will have the output to satisfy your customers and you won’t be falling behind, which is what the skills gap is causing.
HASROUNY: Automation is unavoidable. It’s going to start being the way North American machine shops transition. Medium-sized shops in particular are seriously starting to consider automating a lot of their processes. They have no choice and I think they’ve come to that realization as more and more customers are telling us their next purchase will be automation. For us to remain competitive as Canadian manufacturers we need to look at how can we produce products more efficiently.
THIARA: The young generation of today doesn’t want to be in dark, dirty, and dangerous environments. They’re all about technology. Automation will really work towards changing the perception of manufacturing and make it more appealing to the next generation.
SHOP: What’s your advice to our readers for 2023?
HERGOTTT: Don’t overreact, don’t panic. Continue running your business. Put your foot down and go to work. That’s how I got through the recession of 2008-2009. A good friend of mine a long time ago said recessions aren’t a bad thing. They sort out the weak from the strong and the strong get stronger and the weak just go away. Focus, find out what in your business you should and shouldn’t be doing. Get laser eyes.
THIARA: Be open to new initiatives and new opportunities that may arise out of the conditions of the marketplace, especially the electric vehicle plant going into Windsor. I think that’s going to present a whole new set of strategies for companies in terms of products they can work with and services they can offer. You need to be able to pivot and explore new opportunities. Canadian manufacturers did that during Covid so they proved it can be done. We had automotive suppliers all of a sudden producing face shields. Companies really need to explore new avenues. The market is changing and you have to think of new ways your company can add value. We are in a transitional stage and we need to be open to exploring opportunities and expanding capabilities.
KLOTZ: If you decide you don’t want to invest because of a concern of a recession happening, you need to look at your customer base and figure out which customers are profitable. Customers which are not profitable will require a decision on how to move forward with them. Your customer list and revenues can go down a bit but your profitability can increase by focusing on the right customers. Everyone gets so busy and it’s hard to say no to customers, but you have to look at what’s the right thing for your business and which customers are the right ones to grow with.
CERON: Research is always good, which is a bit tricky if you haven’t gone down the path before of trying to see what your local jurisdictions are producing and what’s the “win” for your area. We have a tendency to follow paths that have been consistent but in markets like this that are volatile there are things than are on the up—for example, the marine industry in Canada is exploding right now on all three coasts. If you are a company in the Prairies, there is nothing to say you can’t bid on those jobs. Look outside your local markets. Look for market assessments by jurisdiction. See where the big players are and where the money is being invested. You might have to chase a little bit, but the work is out there. It may not be the same work you have always done but we are seeing parts of boats being built in Saskatchewan and Alberta. That was not normal before but it’s happening now.
HASROUNY: My advice is don’t be scared. Your dealers are here to help you, to consult with you, to give you advice and if it doesn’t make sense for you, put (the equipment purchase) on hold until you think you are able to make the investment. But if you’re interested in equipment and you have a dealer you’re working with and he has inventory, go through the financing process and see what your monthly payments would be, what that does to your financial ratios and what your bank thinks. How fast will be the delivery? If you skip on the opportunity today what is the next delivery for you? Equipment is still very difficult to deliver. As soon as we have stock it’s gone. We don’t have stock for longer than two or three months now whereas before we would have stock for six to eight months. There are a lot of factors to consider but if it makes sense and you have the work for it, maybe it’s better to go ahead and make that investment right now. If you decide to skip it, your competitor may not. Don’t think that just because you’re hearing bad news it’s not the right time to invest. Sometimes it is the best time to invest. SMT
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