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McDonald’s(R) Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
OAK BROOK, Ill., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, McDonald’s is preparing to once again feed the athletes and share the excitement of the Games with millions of customers around the world during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.
Feeding the World’s Best Athletes
- As the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games and the only branded foodservice retailer, McDonald’s is building three new Olympic venue restaurants: one in the Olympic Village in Vancouver, one in the Olympic Village in Whistler, and one in the Main Media Center in Vancouver.
- McDonald’s Olympic Champion Crew, made up of more than 300 top performing restaurant employees from across Canada, will serve menu favorites to the world’s best athletes, coaches, officials and media at McDonald’s on-site Olympic venue restaurants.
- Spectators will be able to share in the Olympic Spirit and enjoy McDonald’s quality and variety at any of the more than 40 McDonald’s restaurants located in the Vancouver and Whistler areas.
McDonald’s Champion Kids(TM)
- The McDonald’s Champion Kids program debuted at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as part of McDonald’s ongoing commitment to children. The program provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for kids from across the globe to experience the Games first hand.
- For the Vancouver Games, one child from each province and one child from the territories in Canada will join kids from around the world to attend Olympic events, meet athletes, visit the Olympic Village, tour the cultural sites of Vancouver and Whistler, and receive their own gold medals from Olympic champions.
- The children will also have the chance to serve as special youth correspondents to share their experiences with their hometown news outlets.
- As part of McDonald’s Olympic tradition of giving back to the host country, Ronald McDonald House CharitiesÃ‚® will make a lasting contribution to Vancouver that will live beyond the Games.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada, in cooperation with The Province of British Colombia, the Rick Hansen Foundation and 2010 Legacies Now, is funding three world-class accessible playgrounds.
- These playgrounds – located in the three venue cities of Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler – will meet the needs of children with disabilities and enable these children to play side by side with their siblings, families and friends.
- The Richmond playground and the majority of the Whistler playground are planned to be completed in time for the 2010 Games; the Vancouver playground will be finished in the summer of 2010. More information to come on playground celebrations that will take place during the Games.
- In keeping with a green Olympic Games, McDonald’s three new Olympic venue restaurants will be fitted with energy-efficient lighting and equipment.
- The equipment from these restaurants will be reused and recycled at McDonald’s restaurants in Canada after the Games have ended
- As host country, McDonald’s Canada is activating a wide variety of programs and promotions leading up to and during the Games to celebrate Canada’s Olympic Spirit nationwide. Activities include:
- Flying Olympic flags at select McDonald’s restaurants across Canada to celebrate their role as host country
- Exciting restaurant promotions such as Olympic-themed McDonald’s Vancouver 2010 Olympic Sport Water Bottles featuring graphics of athletes participating in popular winter sports
- Alliances with top Canadian athletes such as speed skater Cindy Klassen, figure skater Patrick Chan and Cassie Campbell, former caption of the Canadian Women’s Ice Hockey Team
- Celebrating the importance of family and community on the journey to the pinnacle of sport through McDonald’s 2010 Hopefuls, a grant program that supports the Olympic aspirations of 26 Canadian athletes and recognizes the efforts of their parents by allocating a portion of the funding to the family
- Canada holds a special place in McDonald’s history as the first country outside of the U.S. to open a McDonald’s restaurant in 1967.
McDonald’s Olympic Games History
McDonald’s became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1976 and has a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, which first began more than 40 years ago. At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald’s airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for McDonald’s food. Since then, the company has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, coaches, their families and fans. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games mark McDonald’s seventh Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and eighth as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald’s current sponsorship will continue through the 2012 Games in London.
McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer, with more than 32,000 local restaurants in more than 100 countries. About 80 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by franchisees. Please visit our website at www.aboutmcdonalds.com to learn more about the Company. Click on “Members of the Press/Electronic Press Kits” to access our 2010 Olympic Winter Games online resource center.
Ã‚© 2009 McDonald’s
CONTACTS: Suzanne Valliere, McDonald's 630-623-7555 firstname.lastname@example.org Melissa Rutten, GolinHarris 312-729-4147 email@example.com


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The Twitterati are those who use the free social marketing tool to its best advantage, have thousands of followers and generate considerable buzz — and biz — with their tweeting efforts.
Councilman Steve Adams, who proposed the new rules, said they were prompted by issues with ice cream vendors.
Food Network Canada followed a few οf thе Los Angeles food trucks fοr a special "Eat Street" TV ѕhοw. Thеу caught up wіth thе world famous Grilled Cheese Truck melting cheesy treats іn front οf thе Beverly Hills Service Center οn Santa Monica Blvd.
Without a standing storefront, founder Julia Sharaby took her food truck to Downtown, Midtown and the Greenway area at lunchtime, and to the Washington and Lower Westheimer areas for late night eats.
When we got to Biscayne and 64th street, La Camaronera's Fish Box, Sakaya Kitchen's Dim Ssam a Go Go, Chef Bullfrog's Gastropod, and former Detroit Tiger Jim Heins' Latin Burger Truck were already caravanned.
Tired of high rents in the big cities, chefs in New York, LA and Austin, Texas, have been taking their food to the streets, setting up mobile truck restaurants and then broadcasting the location of the day on Facebook and Twitter.
From well known chains, to food trucks, wine shops, specialty stores and even mom and pops; restaurants have found a great place to connect with current and future clients. Food trucks tweet their location on a daily basis. Restaurants respond to positive (and sometimes negative) reviews, mom and pops tweet special events like wine dinners.

domain: news


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Guess exec: Mobile makes up 15pc of online revenue
NEW YORK – A Guess Inc. executive at Aberdeen Group’s Retail and Consumer Markets Summit said that 15 percent of the company’s online commerce sales comes from mobile devices.
During the “Consumerization of Retail IT, Managing Cost, and Meeting Challenges of a New Consumer Economy” session, attendees learned how mobile and social media play a role for the retail brand. Additionally, the executive spoke about the challenges of integrating technology between IT and marketing departments.
“Technology has touched everyone and has gotten to the point where techology at home is much better than the work world,” said Michael Relich, chief information officer at Guess, Los Angeles.
“If you do not embrace it, you will be replaced,” he said.
Last year, Guess brought in $2.8 billion and includes three different brands – Guess, Guess by Marciano and G by Guess.
Guess views new technology as smartphones, tablets and social media.
From a consumer-facing standpoint, Guess includes mcommerce, applications and kiosks in its strategy.
Part of the challenge of getting a company to embrace mobile is getting both IT and marketing departments on board. Although there are technical and IT issues, mobile needs to be included in overall marketing as well.
Guess has rolled out mobile kiosks to approximately 60 to 70 retail locations and has plans to incorporate them into more stores in the near future.
The kiosks, which are tablets, let sales associates show products to consumers in-store. Additionally, consumers can sign up for the company’s loyalty programs and buy products on the tablets.
The tablets double as a training tool for Guess to walk associates through company processes.
Guess also has an app that is meant specifically for merchants that ties in analytics and a virtual store tour.
Although retail makes up 87 percent of Guess’ business, it also has a wholesale business and also has an app to help manage it.
The retail chain is using mobile POS in-stores, which Mr. Relich believes is a huge opportunity for brick-and-mortars retailers.
Mobile POS lets Guess line bust and efficiently check-out consumers quickly.
“If this is successful, why use cash wraps? The ROI on this is huge,” Mr. Relich said.
Guess is also one of Google Wallet’s launch partners. Although mobile payments have been slow to catch on in the United States, it is huge internationally in markets such as Korea.
In addition to combining the company’s loyalty program, Google Wallet lets Guess experiment with location-based services such as geofencing.
Guess also has a strong social media presence and is using it with mobile to send users targeted, relevant deals.
Finding ways to tie social media with an ROI can be difficult, which is why Guess integrates Facebook log-in information into a commerce-enabled app.
Once a consumer says that it is OK to use their Facebook account, the brand has permission to access certain information, which helps the company build its CRM database.
For example, Guess can see which brands a consumer “likes” on Facebook to find ways to connect to them in a more relevant way. Additionally, the company can see which pages a user’s friend likes and can use the information to find ways to build a Facebook following.
“Facebook is the largest, self-maintaining form of data,” Mr. Relich said.
“You can get actual insight and learn about your best customers – this is the value of Facebook as a way to monetize,” he said.
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York


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February 26, 2013
“We’ve brought in one of the biggest bike lines in the bicycle industry ... now we are a Cannondale, GT and KHS dealer.”
— Mick Wolf
Bicycle Adventures owner
Stories this photo appears in:
Mick Wolf has a wandering streak like his relative Arizona Charlie — but Payson called him back
After a stint wandering the West Coast, the owner of the only bike and repair shop in Rim Country, Bicycle Adventures (formerly Hike, Bike and Run), has returned to his roots.


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Ordinary Times regular contributors Mark Krieger (@musepolisci) and Andrew Donaldson (@four4thefire) break down the news that Walmart is looking to launch their own streaming service, and fall on opposite sides when it comes to projecting the retail giants success.
Daily Archive: July 25, 2018
Immigration & Nationhood
The Trump Tape is here. Long-time Trump attorney, and alleged “fixer” Michael Cohen has been in the news for having “tapes” of his conversations with President Trump, and now one such recording has been aired by CNN.


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A rising need for electronics devices offers huge opportunity to those manufacturers that can deal with an increasing number of complex issues. Managing director at Offshore Electronics, Steve Marshall, explains further.
An estimated 75 billion devices connected by the Internet of Things (IoT) will be installed by 2025, says a report from Statista Research Department. Manufacturing and supplying these devices is a huge opportunity for electronics manufacturers, but it comes with a number of complex challenges.
Although making more devices is not so difficult, juggling the range of conflicting factors, such as rising labour costs, fluctuating demand, foreign currency movements and supply chain instability all add complexity.
Companies that are agile enough to deal with these issues are more likely to succeed, and ‘agility’ – having an operation that is flexible and adaptable enough to survive unpredictable conditions – is proving the hidden secret to business success. Agility is as much about a company’s culture as it is about its technology. An agile company is proactive, anticipating problems and having a plan in place to take appropriate action as needed.
The first step to introducing agility is to create an agile ‘culture’ within an organisation, where employees communicate effectively and can solve problems rapidly. Communication is critical and works on many levels. It can mean feeding back field data, in order to make improved products; reacting quickly to industry trends, which demand that products are modified or overhauled; perhaps most importantly, it encourages communication between organisations, to ensure that all partners make changes at the same time.
Often, communication goes beyond the inter-personal, extending to delivering data from one place to another, such as raw data from the production line, or even individual machines. An agile organisation can manipulate and manage this information in a way that helps it to anticipate problems and react to them.
Finding success in today’s commercial environment usually means responding quickly and efficiently to changes in technology or market conditions. Some manufacturing solutions from the past do not work in the modern world.
In the past, companies gambled on reduced manufacturing costs by moving production to lower cost economies. This is not always appropriate nowadays, as costs have risen in countries such as China. At the same time, delivery times, currency exchange movements and limited flexibility can be a concern. In modern electronics, manufacturers must guarantee high product quality and fast delivery times and, in this instance, moving production to a lower-cost economy carries a risk that must be properly assessed.
The first step in becoming agile can be to step away from traditional solutions and find new ones. Outsourcing the manufacture of electronic assemblies to a contract electronics manufacturer (CEM) is an efficient way to increase flexibility. It allows companies to focus on their core expertise, to reduce risk and cost, and to accelerate time to market.
It takes effort to introduce manufacturing agility across an organisation. However, the desire to think in new ways and shun outdated ‘solutions’ to problems, is a good start. Opportunities within electronics manufacturing are plentiful and becoming agile could be the key factor behind grasping them with both hands.
For more from Offshore Electronics, click here.


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Citizens now have the option to save in the covid-free GR wallet application, in addition to the vaccination, disease or diagnostic certificates, their identity card. According to a joint press release of the Ministries of Digital Governance and Citizen Protection, as of Tuesday, December 28, the new version of the covid-free GR wallet application is available on the iOS and Android platforms for mobile devices and tablets.
The identity card contains details of the police identity card. Specifically, it contains: name, date of birth and photo. Therefore, wherever a coronavirus certificate check is required upon entry, citizens can now display their identity card through the application, but this will not be allowed to be scanned by anyone carrying out the check.
The aim of the initiative is to facilitate citizens and businesses in the process of checking coronavirus certificates (vaccination, disease or diagnostic test).


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The AdWords Compendium is designed to link you to news and information about AdWords - PPC program, owned and operated by Google, where webmasters can create their own ads and choose keywords
The latest AdWords news from Google:
SimplePie: adwords - Google News
5 Things You Need to Know About AdWords' New Keyword PlannerSearch Engine Journal
Keyword Tool has been the standard for AdWords
keyword research for over a decade, but there's a new sheriff in town: the AdWords
Keyword Planner. This new keyword tool combines the functionality of the existing Google Keyword Tool ...
Using Multipliers Effectively in AdWordsSearch Engine Watch
Since the switch to enhanced campaigns AdWords
has become a system of overlapping targets and multipliers. When Google announced Enhanced Campaigns they said that mobile device bids would now be controlled by a multiplier on the base bid.
YouTube CEO Is Cannes Lions Media Person of the YearAdweek
Google's ninth employee, Kamangar was responsible for creating AdWords
, the program that has allowed the company to generate billions of dollars per year in ad revenue. Under Kamangar's leadership, YouTube expanded into a global broadcast platform, ...and more »
10 Golden Rules of AdWordsSearch Engine Journal
can be an incredibly powerful advertising platform. However, trying to manage your account whether big or small can be like going down the rabbit hole. Before long you don't remember where you came from, you want to optimize for this ...and more »
Google AdWords Express Gets a FaceliftSearch Engine Watch
Express is the latest Google property to receive a makeover. AdWords
Express, designed to be an easy introduction to AdWords
for local businesses, has been redesigned to make it easier for new users as well as to streamline the process.


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221 News articles Found
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The Covid-19 pandemic has forced mindset changes and innovation that could improve local food and beverage businesses, and could even catalyse innovation and growth in future. This is according to exhibitors and experts on the advisory board of food
The relaxation of rules under level 3 of the lockdown regulations allowing for more economic activity comes amid a continuing job's bloodbath. Several large South African corporates including SAA, Edcon, SABC and Cell C among others have recently ann
TOMRA Food has published an eBook to help potato fresh packers tackleoperational challenges intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 19-page publication, downloadable free-of-charge from the company’s website, offers information and advice ...
With seven decades of modernising equipment solutions, the company continues to advance the food, pharmaceutical and multiple additional industries. Heat and Control takes pride in the machinery they manufacture and the customers they serve...
IFAT Africa, the leading trade fair for water, sewage, refuse and recycling in Southern Africa, has announced a new highlight to be launched at the 2021 trade show – Powered by IFAT, a focused renewable Energy Pavilion, supported by Renewable Energy
RAGO Group is one of the leading Italian producers of washed, packaged and ready-to-eat (fourth range) salad, and the second biggest exporter of rocket in Europe.
There are many myths and misconceptions around food and diet. The SASDT is hosting a webinar where they will explore some of the key reason why people cling to these beliefs, and why their minds are so hard to change.
In a surprise announcement, the Department of Trade & Competition (dtic) notified the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA) that it was asking for comments on the discussion document relating to the publication of the Franchise Association of
We must look beyond the underlying economic problems faced by South Africa for the opportunities generated by a growing urbanised population. Professor Philippe Burger, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Poverty, Inequality and Economic Development at the Unive
South Africans tracking the country’s Covid-19 infection map now have another, more positive and hopeful, chart to plot. And the faster the rise in “cases” on this map, the better.
Eskort is responding to the COVID crisis with a sense of community that is ingrained in its DNA. In line with its corporate social responsibility initiatives, the processed pork products brand is donating over R1 million worth of food parcels
South African consumers are leading the world in consumer activism to protect our oceans and the seafood we all love. Choosing seafood with the blue MSC label is just one easy way to take action for our oceans this World Oceans Day...
Today is the World Food Safety Day. The United Nations has declared 7th June and the World Food Safety Day, to strengthen global efforts to ensure food safety under the theme that Food Safety everyone’s business.
Brazzaville, 28 May 2020 – Three months after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in sub-Saharan Africa, the region has made progress in tackling the virus. Many countries implemented lockdowns and key public health measures early and these appea
OMRA Food has published an eBook to help nut processors tackle underlying operational challenges, which are now intensifying because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of the ongoing uncertainty facing the world in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued ban on gatherings of large numbers of people in South Africa, the organising committee of the SAPCA Cleantex® 2020 Summit deemed the postp
Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has hired Lianne Jones, a produce and floral industry veteran with extensive global experience, as the new Country Manager for PMA in South Africa. Jones’s background includes nearly 20 years of...
The softest rolls, smothered in a variety of garnishes, dripping with sauce or simply all extras removed for the traditional taste, burgers continue to be a firm favourite for South Africans. Now, Uber Eats has compiled the list of the nation’s favou
Optical sorting machines now benefit the renderers of animal food production by-products.TOMRA Food has begun offering its optical sorting technologies to renderers who turn the by-products from animal food production into petfood ingredients. This n
Force majeure can be defined as any unforeseeable act of God, act of government or any act that is out of your direct control that makes it impossible for one to fulfil a contractual agreement...
The rise in health consciousness amongst consumers has amplified the demand for protein blends. But products with protein blends have been viewed by consumers as less palatable. Hence, key market players in the protein blend market have been launchin
Analytica Lab Africa exhibitor Eins-Sci, an international company specialising in laboratory equipment, has compiled a complete SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) Testing Laboratory Solution including all the equipment and the quantities required to set up the l
Today, on World Bee Day, Forestry South Africa (FSA) joins a global movement to acknowledge the important ecological role of bees and look for solutions to help curb their dramatic global decline.
With the world changing rapidly, it has become even more important than ever to beat winter’s unavoidable colds and flu symptoms thereby ensuring that you remain at optimum health!
During these times of pandemic, the German government is offering financial support for South African students. Due to Covid-19, many students have lost their jobs which allowed them to finance their stay in Germany...
Three trade shows across interconnected value chains for food, drink, water, waste and analytics. The future of South Africa’s key industry sectors – including food & drink, water, sewage and waste treatment – rest heavily on science, and never more
The National Department of Health is pleased to announce Dr Sandile Buthelezi as its incoming Director-General.A seasoned expert in health governance, policy and programme management with more than...
Restaurants and fast food chains are increasingly relying on polystyrene packaging to keep their food hot, hygienic and fresh now that the sale of hot food for home delivery is permitted under Level 4 restrictions.
Listed producers of animal-free products are thriving in spite of the corona crisis. Beyond Meat share prices have increased by around 156% since 18th March. A new infographic from Kryptoszene.de shows that shares in other industry leaders have also
As businesses begin reopening and operating during the various levels of lockdown, there will be a requirement and obligation on these businesses to prove that there is a system in place to manage the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Ms. Thoko Didiza, MP would like to announce the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) at Amathole District Municipality in Eastern Cape.
In PMA South Africa's PMA Talks event on 5 May, panellists from ZZ2, African Green Alpha and the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) came together to share their thoughts on how Covid-19 challenges will impact talent and labour needs and pract
Packaged food has become widely popular these days because of consumers' busy lifestyles. Hence it has become a priority for the producers to develop food items that have better shelf life, creating demand for good preservatives in the market.
Providing meals for dozens of retirement villages and aged care facilities across South Africa, Fedics remains committed to providing nutritious, age-appropriate meals to the elderly throughout the national COVID-19 lockdown
Beer producers are racing to secure all available CO2 to ensure continued output levels, as the production of Ethanol – a key aspect of petrol production – has fallen sharply due to the ongoing lockdown and subsequent lack of demand for fuel.
South Africa’s liquor industry, particularly craft distillers and brewers, have been hard hit by the protracted lockdown and ban on the sale of alcohol, with fears that many may not be able to survive.
PepsiCo South Africa today unveiled a R12-million initiative to provide meals to vulnerable South Africans amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
The franchise industry in South Africa generates approximately R734 billion to the economy, according to the Sanlam Franchise Survey conducted in 2019. Furthermore approximately 500 000 employees enjoy permanent employment nationwide in its 48 000 fr
Proudly South African company Denny Mushrooms is doing their part in the COVID-19 crisis by playing a role in social responsibility through its Add Goodness project.
TOMRA Food is taking further action to ensure business continuity while protecting its employees’ and customers’ health with the introduction of Virtual Demonstration Centers to provide interactive demonstrations at this time of limited contact.
The Consumer Goods Council Food Safety Initiative shares some advise for food businesses during the COVID19 Pandemic.
Fedics is providing meals for dozens of retirement villages and aged care facilities across South Africa, they remain committed to providing nutritious, age-appropriate meals to the elderly throughout the national COVID-19 lockdown
To help combat the Coronavirus pandemic, Six Dogs Gin Distillery near Worcester has donated 75 litres of handmade, rose pelargonium-scented hand sanitiser to organisations ranging from SAPS in Claremont to an animal rescue group.
CoronaFighter presents us with the opportunity to be calm and mindful about our health status daily – screen for COVID-19 and stay empowered in the #CoronaFight
Bidfood is proud to offer a new service to households in certain regions in South Africa with their new AT HOME delivery service.
PMA’s updates on the Coronavirus and fresh produce
TOMRA has opened new regional headquarters in Johannesburg to strengthen its commitment to customers in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
Whilst the picture for 2020 will be vastly different as a result of the impact of COVID-19, one of franchising’s biggest attributes is its ability to adapt and innovate. At the start of the corona virus threat, franchises from all sectors stepped up
SABIO (South African Bee Industry Organisation) made a submission as the bee sector representative in the agricultural industry on the controlled movement of beehives, during the 21-day lockdown starting on 26 March 2026 at midnight
FoodForward South Africa is launching a special R50 million appeal to be able to scale and provide critical food provisions to our most vulnerable groups across the country
The Chief Executives of some of South Africa’s largest retailers and who are members of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA), engaged with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Competition Commissioner and the National Co
Over the past week, South Africans have demonstrated their determination, their sense of purpose, their sense of community and their sense of responsibility.
As you are aware the legal dispensation regarding labelling forms a complex regulatory framework that can be difficult to navigate and sometimes, whether intentionally or not, allows for some difficulties in interpretation. However compliance with th
US food and beverages giant PepsiCo will be excited by the prospect of growth in sub-Saharan Africa now that its acquisition of Pioneer Foods has been cleared by competition authorities, says GlobalData.
Pick n Pay will open all its supermarkets and hypermarkets an hour earlier every Wednesday for elderly customers to shop for their groceries and essentials.
It is with regret that AFSQ has to cancel the Processed Meat Products Workshop scheduled for the 25th of March 2020.
There has been some speculation around whether South African products, such as Rooibos, will continue to enjoy Geographical Indicator (GI) status following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
We must change how we handle our resources. A rapidly growing population, increased demand for produce and the threat of climate change bring with them risks to the food supply chain, and new approaches must be looked at to enable a sustainable futur
Africa’s biggest food and beverage trade show, looks set to be another sold-out success when it is staged at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 21 – 23 June 2020.
When compared to the hot coffee category, hot tea in the US is still in its infancy. However, the category is benefitting from the success of its relative, with manufacturers borrowing innovations that have helped drive the coffee category, such as
If tourism in South Africa is to raise its contribution to GDP, expand economic opportunity and accelerate inclusive growth, it will have to tackle the issue of sustainability head-on, says Margi Biggs, convenor of the annual Wine & Food Tourism Conf
Foundation FSSC 22000 is proud to announce that its Scheme Version 5 has now been recognized against version 7.2 of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Benchmarking Requirements and would like to thank all its stakeholders that have contributed
The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications has ordered all formal Wholesalers, Retailers and informal Traders to remove and stop selling the 400g Pilchards in Tomato Sauce and 400g Pilchards in Chili Sauce with immediate effect.
Friday, 21 February: Responding to the opportunity to continue providing better nutrition to consumers, Tiger Brands has officially opened its brand new, state-of-the-art Oat Mill for its first and oldest product – Jungle Oats – in Maitland, Cape Tow
Thursday, 20 February 2020 - Agriseta today launched its fifth Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Centre in partnership with the Potchefstroom College of Agriculture.
The AFMA Forum 2020, Africa’s largest feed and animal nutrition conference, was strategically chosen as the right time and perfect platform to officially launch Africa’s first research and training feed mill to be located at the University of Pretori
TOMRA’s three food sorting and grading brands exhibit industry-leading solutions at Fruit Logistica Berlin.
AFMA joined 140 feed industry representatives and government officials from more than 30 countries around the world to participate in discussion on critical issues facing the feed sector
Dr Adriaan du Toit is appointed as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors at SABIO – the South African Bee Industry Organisation.
Michel Picandet has been appointed Executive Vice President and Head of TOMRA Food. He joined the company on January 1st, 2020 and will be based at the TOMRA Food headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. In his new role, he will be in charge of...
The 10th AFMA Forum themed ‘Explore today for a better tomorrow’, which will be held at the Sun City Convention Centre from 3 to 5 March 2020, will bring together animal nutritionists, veterinarians, feed manufacturers, feed formulators and technical
NOSA Group is pleased to announce the closing of the transaction to acquire QPRO and SAIGAS. The newest acquisitions – QPRO and SAIGAS – are among the most highly regarded and recognised companies offering food safety assurance and certification...
South Africa records 14 000 deaths on our roads annually, or 1500 every month, of which almost 60% are drinking and driving-related. Not only are South Africans among the highest consumers of alcohol in the world...
Wesgro extends an invitation to relevant Western Cape and Cape Town companies to apply to participate at the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) Exhibition, which is scheduled to take place from 26 – 27 May 2020 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
NOSA Group, a global safety intelligence expert, has entered into an agreement to acquire QPRO and SAIGAS, the Assurance South African businesses of SAI Global, a recognised leading provider of integrated risk management solutions and assurance servi
NOSA Group is pleased to confirm acquisition of 100% of the Deltamune Group’s laboratory business (a leader in diagnostic testing and salmonella serotyping) effective 1 December 2019. This follows our press release dated 22 October 2019 where it was
Food Lover’s Market, South Africa’s leading fresh produce retailer, today confirmed its continued commitment to a plastic-free shopping experience with the announcement that it has banned plastic bags completely, as of 01 December 2019, in...
Leading food retailers in South Africa have indicated a keen interest in committing to implementing initiatives to reduce food waste in their stores in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to halve global food waste by 2030.
See the attached FMD Molemole outbreak update for your attention.
Food Focus has recently acquired the food industry publication, Food & Beverage Reporter, adding the print media platform to its range of food media offerings and related services.
Country Mushrooms launched their fresh new look on 28 November. They are boasting with a brand new 100% recyclable label as well as a new 100% compostable/recyclable punnet.
With a rapidly growing population, adopting sustainable production practices on a global scale is an imperative to safeguard the future of our planet. The food supply chain is certainly one area where there is urgent need for improved sustainability.
At Montego, we believe that honesty and transparency ate essential foundations for strong relationships, so to our loyal retailers and their customers, here is the story of the unexpected mould problems we recently experienced in specific batches acr
South Africa has been named one of the unhealthiest countries in the world. Complicating this is the fact that healthy eating is often seen as expensive or complicated...
New 3-year qualification developed specifically to prepare plastics technicians and engineers for SA market
Food businesses will have to change to stay competitive – online, in-store, and at sorting and processing plants too.
More than ever before, consumers are looking to make sustainable choices in their daily lives. Understanding the origin of a product, and its impact on the world around us, is becoming increasingly crucial in daily decision-making.
On 1 November 2019, veterinary services were alerted to clinical signs suspicious for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in a herd of cattle on a farm in the Molemole district of Limpopo Province. This farm is located in the previous FMD free zone of...
On 8 and 10 October 2019, PHT and Schröter jointly hosted two masterclasses about thermal treatment of meat, first in Johannesburg and then in Cape Town. With presentations by experts in the fields of meat smoking, food safety and hygiene solutions,
This deal will create SA’s largest Food and Agriculture and Occupational Health laboratory group NOSA Group, a leading global occupational health and safety (OHS) risk management solutions provider,
FoodNext.Africa Cape Town, a successful food and beverage conference championing change in catering and providing tangible value to the market.
After a decade of commitment to addressing child hunger and poverty in South Africa, KFC has reinforced its commitment to the communities that it operates in and to help bring an end to the injustice that is childhood hunger.
The wait is over - Checkers Xtra Savings is here! Africa’s largest supermarket group has introduced its latest initiative that shows their loyalty to customers, and not the other way round.
SAMPA have updated and refreshed their website to make it safer and more secure for users and to provide an easier and more informative experience for users.
Developed in response to specific customer challenges, TOMRA Food has introduced the TOMRA 3A sensor-based sorting machine for freshly harvested root crops, offering potato growers unrivalled sorting capabilities, dependability, and affordability
South Africa joins the global community to observe and commemorate World Mental Health Day on the 10 October. The whole month of October is dedicated to raising awareness on mental health and suicide prevention under the theme: Suicide Prevention.
Feed additives play an increasingly important role in animal nutrition as farmers search for new ways to improve the performance and health of their animals. It is critical to make informed decisions about what to add in your feed formulation for sp
RECALL: Over the past few weeks, several isolated instances of mould were discovered in Montego products, originating from specific batches.
New regulations to protect the South African consumer against health and safety risks posed by the production of processed meat products will come into effect next month.
54 on Bath’s fine-dining Level Four restaurant (https://www.tsogosun.com/level-four) is welcoming Jozi’s warmer weather with a new summer menu and its signature focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
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Global smartphones sales slump as Samsung shipments slip
IDC blamed Samsung's weak performance and fewer shipments in China for the slump
Following the news that Samsung's mobile revenues declined in the last quarter, IDC has revealed that global smartphone shipments have decreased overall, by exactly 6% year-on-year.
There were 355.2 million smartphones shipped during the quarter, with Samsung's share falling by more than 13%, contributing heavily to the figures.
Huawei remained above Samsung as the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the quarter, thanks to its introduction of the P20 Pro - one of its flagship products that boasts one of the best smartphone cameras in the world according to some reviewers.
Other lesser-known brands such as Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo are challenging Samsung's third place too. IDC expects Huawei to retain its position as it launches its Mate 20 Pro, just as Apple releases the iPhone XR.
The other significant factor in the global smartphone decline was shipments within China, which fell further from the 11% decline in the previous quarter. This is the sixth consecutive quarter that shipments have declined in China.
"China's domestic market continues to be challenged as overall consumer spending around smartphones has been down," said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.
"High penetration levels, mixed with some challenging economic times, has slowed the world's largest smartphone market."
Reith added that IDC expects the market to recover somewhat in 2019, although IDC's report didn't reveal estimates for shipments, preferring to stay cautious. IDC explained the recovery of the smartphone market over the next few years will be in part due to people upgrading their handsets and the introduction of 5G in some markets.
"We believe this market will begin to recover in 2019 and beyond, driven in the short term by a large, built up refresh cycle across all segments, and in the outer years of the forecast supported by 5G migration," Reith said.
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The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether truck engine makers are encouraging customers to pre-buy engines ahead of the October emissions deadline, according to a May Chicago Tribune report.
The 1998 consent decree engine makers signed that created the October deadline also prohibited the companies from encouraging pre-buying.
An EPA official told the Tribune that the EPA started its investigation after receiving reports from “other manufacturers” that some companies were using “extraordinary incentives” to encourage pre-buying.
Caterpillar and Cummins spokesmen interviewed for the story both denied that their companies have encouraged pre-buying.
Most truck makers have reported increased sales in recent months, attributing the upturn to both pre-buying and improvements in the economy. Some have said they will set limits on their pre-October orders to avoid a massive effort to boost capacity that would have to be followed by a sharp reduction in capacity when orders drop in the fall.


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For more than a decade, eggs and other breakfast and lunch eats have been served up at The Egg Bistro. Over the years, the restaurant has expanded, adding a location in Suffolk and, as of last year, a location in Virginia Beach. The scope of service changed, too, with dinner being added 2009.
Citing a desire to get back to core business – breakfast and lunch – the restaurant announced last week that dinner will be served for the last time at the Chesapeake and Suffolk stores on June 16. Dinner service is not offered at the Virginia Beach location.
The eatery came to the decision following a two-year research project, according to a post on social media. “We now see that continued growth along with being able to focus on innovative food and beverage ideas is a much easier process without the added stress of having night time shifts,” the post said.
New food and beverage menu options are planned for the upcoming months.
The Egg Bistro is at 501 Kempsville Road, Chesapeae. Call 757-410-8515 or visit www.TheEggBistro.com
Soft-shelled crabs coming soon
Tradition says that around the time of the first full moon in May, blue crabs shed their hard shell, emerging with a soft – and completely edible one. Ray Wicker, an experienced waterman and restaurateur, says that time is just about to come.
“The moon is full, but the water is still chilly,” says Wicker, who owns his namesake Wicker’s Crab Pot off Indian River Road.
So when might these succulent shellfish find their way into some cornmeal coating and be fried up golden brown and delicious?
“Hopefully by Mother’s Day weekend,” says Wicker. Look for the softies on Wicker’s restaurant menu and in a small, adjacent seafood market. We’ll keep you posted.
Wicker’s Crab Pot is at 4201 Indian River Road. Call 757-351-2724 or visit www.WickersCrabPot.com
Get hoppy at Tap It Local
Tap It Local is featuring two returns of hop-centric brews from The Virginia Beer Company of Williamsburg.
Deadbolt, a double IPA with tropical fruit and pine nuts, will be featured along with Blood Orange Deadbolt, a hoppy offering with loads of citrus and tropical fruits on May 15 from 6-9 p.m.
That’s a Tuesday, which also is Burger & A Pint Night from 3-9 p.m. with the eats and drinks deal priced at $10.
Tap It Local is at 648 Grassfield Pkwy. Call 757-698-4025 or visit www.TapItLocalCraftBeer.com


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Any hope that the prices of goods and services in Malawi will ease anytime soon are slowly fading with latest statistics showing that the price of goods and services in Malawi is the second highest compared to other countries in the 26 member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
For seven months, since the beginning of the year to July, Malawi has been trailing Zambia to record the second highest inflation in the regional trading bloc.
Comesa uses the harmonised consumer price index to compute inflation standings for member states and our studies show that since January, Malawi’s inflation has been peaking and was last recorded at 25.9 in July, behind Zambia with a year on year inflation of 28.0.
And the figures paint a gloomy picture, dissolving hopes that the country is making any progress to win the battle. In January, Comesa showed Malawi’s inflation at 25.6 percent, but six months later, Malawi’s inflation now stands at 25.9 percent.
At some point in 2015, Malawi’s inflation rose to become the highest in the region, recorded at 24.6 percent in July, behind Sudan at 17.4 then. Sudan has since managed to reduce its inflation standing to 17.5 in July 2016.
Although Malawi’s headline inflation was seen easily to 22.8 percent in August as reported by the National Statistical Office from 23.5 percent in July, the figure still leaves many Malawians grappling to make ends meet.
A survey conducted by the centre for Social Concern (CfSC) in 2014 found that an
average worker receives K44,000 per month and CfSC says the figure has not significantly changed despite salary increments which have been effected since then.
According to CfSC, average national cost of living between June and July increased by 0.26 percent from K165, 660 in June to K166, 086 in July.
CfSC has warned that low income earners in the main cities of Malawi will continue to face economic challenges because the gap between the cost of living and what they get at the end of the month is still too wide
CfSC said by improving Malawi’s economy, this will eventually improve peoples’ standard of living in both urban and rural areas.
The development comes at a time when Malawi is sailing through other economic challenges made worse by declining revenues from the country’s major foreign exchange earner, tobacco.
The troubled tobacco market saw the kwacha depreciating to unprecedented levels, only stabilising in the last month to the dollar while recording mixed fortuned to other currencies such as the South African Rand and pound.
Commenting earlier on Malawi’s inflation status, the Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) cautioned government to control its huge appetite for expenditure, ensure steady food supply and boost the export base if it wants to tame inflation figures to acceptable levels.
Ecama Executive Director, Edward Chilima, observed that if there is no change in the way government is running the economy, then Malawi should not expect any change in the current status.
Said Chilima, “We need to start doing things right if we are to contain inflation figures and we have already spoken about what needs to be done only that what is lacking is implementation. We have talked about the greenbelt initiative as one of the programmes that can boost food supply, but we are not seeing much on the ground. If we continue as we are doing, then let us not expect any change in these statistics,” he observed.
Government initially projected a drop in annual average inflation to 16.5 percent by December, but according to Chilima, the target is unattainable in the current economic environment.
“We did not anticipate the drought, absence of donor support or even the unprecedented fall of the kwacha which have all had an impact on the economy and in turn inflation. I don’t expect us to achieve that target judging by how things are at the moment,” he said.
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Today’s top business story: Top Commercial Banks In Malawi


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By Alina Carta
Last week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a new examination guide entitled “Mandatory Electronic Filing and Specimen Requirements”. As of February 15, 2020, all applicants must provide and maintain a valid email address, even if they have appointed US counsel to act as agent before the USPTO. Furthermore, the USPTO will now only communicate by email. But beware: email addresses provided to the USPTO will now be part of the public record, and will likely be viewable on the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) platform. Concerns have already been raised about the potential misuse of trademark owners’ email addresses, particularly in light of the growing number of scam letters being sent to unsuspecting trademark owners.
If required to provide an email address to the USPTO, we are recommending to clients to create a generic account for this specific purpose, i.e. uspto@[enterdomain].com to reduce the risk of spam email.
For more information on protection your marks outside of Canada, please contact us.
By Alina Cartan
On January 31st, 2020, the United Kingdom formally withdrew from the European Union. The good news for owners of EU trademarks and designs is that no changes will be made to trademark and design protection in the UK. Specifically, until December 31st, 2020, UK trademarks will continue to be protected by European Union trademark (‘EUTM’) registrations, and trademark applications filed in the European Union will continue to include the United Kingdom.
Once the transition period ends on or after January 1st, 2021, registered EUTMs will automatically convert to UK registrations and will continue to be protected in the United Kingdom as if they have been filed and prosecuted under UK law. However, trademarks applications which are pending in the European Union will not be granted automatic protection in the United Kingdom. Although EUTM priority filing dates will be maintained, these trademark applications will need to be converted to UK applications within nine months of the end of the transition period.
More information regarding trademark protection and BREXIT can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-trademark-protection-and-comparable-uk-trademarks#stay-up-to-date
For more information on registering and protecting your trademark internationally, contact us.
Written by Alina Cartan.
Since December 11th, 2019, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC has filed over twenty-eight new US trademark applications, including applications for THE MANDALORIAN THE CHILD, and THE CHILD covering toys, food, jewelry, images, mobile apps, printed matter, bags, clothing, bakeware and, believe it or not, cosmetics.
“The Child”, otherwise known as “Baby Yoda”, has captivated millions following his appearance on the new Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”.
Lucasfilm filed these trademark applications after the series premiere. According to Disney CEO, Bob Iger, this was necessary to prevent any possible leaks of the adorable character. However, the late applications opened the door to a multitude of unauthorized sales using THE CHILD mark, which may have cost Disney over $3 million in lost revenue.
Registering a trademark takes time but offers you significant legal protection and benefits. For more information on registering your trademark, contact us.
Written by Ashley Moniz
On January 17, 2020, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) published a Practice Notice limiting an applicant's time to respond to an examiner's office action or to request for a classification of goods and services.
As before, applicants must respond within six months from the issuance of an office action. Where an applicant could previously receive one six-month extension, this extension is no longer available unless the applicant can prove that exceptional circumstances exist which have prevented the applicant from responding within the initial six-month term. If the applicant neither meets the deadline nor secures an extension, the application will be considered in default.
When a request for clarification is issued, the applicant also has six months to respond. However, if CIPO does not receive a response within six months, they will issue a notice of default providing an additional two months to respond. As above, CIPO will only grant a further six-month extension under exceptional circumstances. This process also differs because, as this is a statutory deadline, the extension request is subject to a $125 fee.
CIPO has included a non-exhaustive list of events which constitute an "exceptional circumstance". Among these exceptions are circumstances beyond the applicant's control, associated proceedings related to the mark, and additional time needed to gather evidence in response to a substantive objection to the mark's registrability. You can read the full list of objections in the CIPO Practice Notice here.
For more information on registering and protecting your trademark, contact us.
There are two applications filed, "Breakfast Burrito" and "Breakfast Burritos," both covering "Breakfast burritos; Burritos." The marks are clearly descriptive, not to mention the fact that the southwestern dish has been marketed and sold in restaurants for decades, including fast food giants such as McDonald's.
Suffice to say, the applicant might face objections upon examination.
For more information on what you can trademark and how, contact us.
Paula Clancy is attending INTA’s 2019 Leadership Meeting in Austin, Texas. This is her last year as Chair of the Public Information Committee, though she is excited to take on a new role in the “Brands for a Better Society” Committee for the 2020-2021 term.
We're pleased to announce that Paula Clancy will be a member of the panel session "Genuine Use of Trademarks" at the AIPPI World Congress in London on September 17.
For more information and to register for the panel, visit here.
It turns out that “Taco Tuesday” is a trademark owned by a fast food chain from Wyoming, Taco John's. The mark, filed on March 23, 1989 and registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) under registration number 1,572,589, covers “restaurant services” in international class 42. The only exception in the country-wide registration is the state of New Jersey, where the same mark owned by a different restaurant preceded it.
This registration has caused an online stir after Freedom’s Edge Brewing Co., located five blocks from the taco chain’s national headquarters, received a cease and desist letter. The warning was for a sign advertising an unaffiliated food truck that parks outside of the establishment weekly.
The Wyoming brewing company posted on their Facebook July 31, the day after receiving the letter, “Just to clear things up, we have nothing against Taco John's, but do find it comical that some person in their corporate office would choose to send a cease and desist to a brewery that doesn’t sell or profit from the sales of tacos.”
While the company says the term is part of the company’s “DNA,” others argue that the slogan is no longer distinctive of Taco John's due to its widespread usage. "Taco Tuesday" has its own Wikipedia entry mentioning its widespread usage in restaurants, LeBron James is in headlines celebrating it, not to mention references from pop culture such as the Simpsons.
In other words, the Taco Tuesday mark may have suffered "genericide". For more information on "genericide" and how to avoid it, please visit INTA's guide here.
After cancelling the BIG MAC trademark in the EU, Irish fast food chain Supermac's has continued its offensive against McDonald's, this time petitioning to cancel its MC trademark in the EU. In another blow to the multinational fast-food giant, the EUIPO has partially cancelled the MC mark on the basis of a lack of use as a standalone mark as it is exclusively used as a prefix, only retaining chicken nuggets and some sandwiches.
While McDonald's will continue to maintain its registrations for products containing the "Mc" prefix, such as "McNuggets" and "McFlurry", the EUIPO determined that there is no use of the MC mark by itself. The question, then, is if the addition of these other elements altered the distinctiveness of the mark. The EUIPO Cancellation Division determined that, if paired with a descriptive element such as a "Muffin" (ie. as in "McMuffin"), the additional element does not add to the distinctiveness of the mark.
McDonald's will most certainly appeal the decision; however, the partial cancellation of the MC trademark is a reminder that giants aren't immune to challenges by the "little guy".
For further information on protecting your brand, please contact us.


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Tesla's biggest competitor pointed out an important caveat to reserving the Model 3
Aaron Brown/Tech Insider
GM is Tesla's biggest rival when it comes to mass-produced electric vehicles, and it's not impressed with all the hype surrounding Tesla's Model 3 after Elon Musk's company racked up nearly 276,000 reservations since last Thursday.
At an electric drivetrain event for the upcoming all-electric Chevy Bolt Tuesday, GM spokesman Fred Ligouri said GM doesn't care about the massive interest in the Model 3 that Tesla has been glorifying over the past few days, Autoblog reports.
"We haven't taken any [pre-orders]. We don't need to to begin building our products. We're really excited to offer it when it goes into retail production at the end of this year to those that have expressed interest and we'll work through our great network of dealerships to get them to customers." Ligouri said when asked about pre-orders for the Bolt, according to Autoblog.
Though at $37,500, the Bolt has a higher starting price than the $35,000 Model 3, the Bolt is expected to go on sale much before the Model 3, giving it the upper-hand in this situation.
Ligouri's comment was a jab at Tesla's projected manufacturing schedule for the Model 3. It could be up to another two years before Tesla delivers the Model 3. Tesla lets customers reserve a spot in line to buy the Model 3 for $1,000, which some see as a way for it to generate enough revenue to start producing the vehicle. (It's been compared to a Kickstarter project, after all.) Tesla says sales of its pricey Model S and Model X cars actually help pay for the Model 3 production.
Still, Chevy's Bolt hasn't drummed up the same kind of hype and attention Tesla's Model 3 has. Besides, the Model 3 does sound a lot better on paper.
- A boomer moved back to Virginia after living in Florida for a decade. She says she'll 'never own another home' in the Sunshine State and loves the slower pace of life.
- Satellite images reveal Egypt has been quietly building a 16-foot wall on its border with Gaza
- Congressman presses Elon Musk to provide SpaceX satellite services for US defense forces in Taiwan, report says
- The importance of multi-asset investing
- AirAsia looks to add tier-2 and tier -3 cities to its India route map
- Most Internet users avail of OTT services; 53% of them from rural areas: Report
- Companies to dole out 10% average salary hike this year, says survey
- Godrej Appliances expects 20% growth in AC, refrigerator sales in summer season


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Tesla discussed its Model S pricing for the Chinese market yesterday, doing so alongside the launch of its online design studio in the nation. For Chinese buyers, the Model S will come with a 734,000 CNY price tag, a figure the auto maker has described as both risky and fair in comparison to its competitors' prices.
The Chinese government announced this week that it believes an internet outage that has hit the country is the result of a cyber attack. Web users within the country were unable to reach certain websites starting around 3:20pm local time on January 21 according to the National Computer Network Emergency Response Center. That response center has issued a preliminary conclusion that the outage was caused by a cyber attack.
In a move that probably shocks nobody, the Chinese government has implemented a new rule that will require anyone who uploads a video online to register with their real names. No matter what justification China has for this, it will always be seen by people outside as yet another attempt to control citizens' freedom of expression.
Supposing you were at China Mobile's headquarters store in Beijing on the 16th of January, 2014, you may have been part of the iPhone launch - one that brought Apple CEO Tim Cook to the store to shake hands personally. This launch has been a long time coming, with Apple aiming to move into China for several years and China Mobile being one of the more important steps toward a large spread. Cook visited the headquarters store of China Mobile and helped with distribution - at least for the first few phones.
When the gold iPhone 5s was revealed in leaks, it was called fake. When the actual, real deal, official iPhone 5s was released in gold, it was the start of a wave of releases that'd forever be called copycats. While devices like the Sony Xperia RAY have been appearing in gold for many moons now, there seems to be no end in sight for the odd, internationally tapped color set. Here we're seeing the LG G2 in a particularly interesting shade of the precious metal.
China has been successful so far in its first mission to the moon. The Chinese launched their moon mission, which landed on the moon on December 14. Both the Yutu Rover and the Chang'e-3 lander have functioned as designed so far. One of the biggest tests for both the pieces of Chinese equipment is set to begin soon.
The first-person shooter Battlefield 4 has had its fair share off odd events since the dawn of its arrival, but this newest China-based oddity has to take the cake. Due to the supposed discrediting of China’s national image in the futuristic plot line of the game, Battlefield 4 has been banned from sale as of this week. As quick as possible, says the Chinese Ministry of Culture, the game is to be removed from physical shelves as well as all China-based online sales channels.
Images and specs for the OPPO R1 have leaked, and the smartphone is looking to be a worthy update to the Chinese electronics company's R-series line of Android handsets. While the R1 will not be OPPO's flagship handset by any means -- those honors go to the Find-series and CyanogenMod-enabled N1 -- the R1 is a step up in most respects from the R819 released in August.
The Bitcoin is a virtual currency that traditionally has a very high value in the form of currency in the real world. Bitcoin has had a bad week with Norway dismissing it as a currency. A major bitcoin exchange in China, called BTC China, has hit the virtual currency hard after announcing that it would no longer accept deposits in Chinese yuan.
Telsa has begun taking orders for the Model S in China, with the first deliveries of the EV expected to begin early in 2014, and car industry analysts predicting a huge increase in demand. Having opened a showroom in Beijing in November, its first in the Chinese market, Tesla began accepting preorders online, taking reservation down-payments of around $41,000 apiece. However, the overall price of the car is expected to be considerably higher than in the US market.


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Ubisoft fixed ‘Division 2’ so bad that it broke the ability to update the game
Gamers are no stranger season is delayedBut 2nd Division The player is in a particularly awkward situation. Ubisoft has revealed that a development “bug” broke the shared world shooter’s build generation system and, therefore, the studio’s ability to update the game. Not only were the team unable to introduce the new season that was delayed last week, but they were also unable to extend the upcoming season until the build function was fixed.
Ubisoft said it has made “good progress” in fixing the problem in recent days and there are signs that a solution has been found. company is between about a three-hour “unscheduled maintenance” session as we write this, and it’s using the downtime to fix it. problems including the inability to make seasonal in-game purchases. The servers will be back online around 1pm Eastern if there are no complications.
The timing is particularly bad for this matter. Ubisoft recently cancel three games to cope with declining sales and workers at the Paris studio went on strike last month to protest what they say are unfair working conditions. Things are not going smoothly at the publisher and it may take some time before there is a level of stability.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at time of publication.


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There’s something really special inside the October issue of the beloved Southern Living magazine: Us!
The issue — on newsstands now — features our founder, Paula, as part of the magazine’s first ever Beauty Awards, which were launched to honor “real Southern women doing extraordinary things.” Each of the 10 women (who run eight companies) who received an award was chosen because she has “a passion for doing good” and is “making waves and proving that real beauty starts from within.” With a circulation of a whopping 2.8 million readers (!!!), Southern Living put GAIA in front of so many potential new customers, each one with a chance to help our refugee women improve their lives.
We are delighted to have been chosen — and to be included among such empowered female entreprenuers as Amy Wright, who founded ABLE to Work USA, which matches intellectually and developmentally disabled people with employers, and owns a North Carolina coffee shop employing the disabled; and Hallie Darphin, whose Mississippi-based company, Dot, funds education for children in developing countries.
What an honor for our brand!


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Downtown shops plan the Great Give Back
Canned food drive Friday, Saturday to benefit Anchorage Children’s Home
PANAMA CITY — The merchants of downtown Panama City are starting the holiday season with a gift for the community.
On Friday and Saturday, downtown stores will be collecting canned goods for Anchorage Children’s Home through a drive they are calling “The Great Give Back.” The drive will be capped Saturday night with a free showing of “Elf” from 6-9 p.m. on the Panama City Marina lawn.
“All the event planning we do, it’s not just about us making a profit. It’s about the bigger picture of the whole community,” said Kara Rigby, who organized the events as part of the the Downtown Business Alliance. “Downtown has been super, super supported by the community. We want to say thank you not only to our customers but to the community as a whole.”
There will be some perks for people who participate in the food drive. When people bring a nonperishable item to any of the participating stores, they will receive one raffle ticket per item. Those tickets can be entered to win a gift basket from any of the participating stores, which will be displayed inside each store.
There won’t be sales, however, as “we are really just trying to get a ton of food,” Rigby said. But it is a chance to get a peek into what the stores will be stocking leading up to Small Business Saturday.
The alliance chose Anchorage after the organization posted pictures on Facebook of its scantily stocked shelves. The organization needs peanut butter, jelly, pop top canned soups and dinners, microwavable meals, cereal, spaghetti, granola bars, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, pancake batter, pod laundry detergent and diapers size two through four.
“They need food, and we thought it was a great place to invest,” Rigby said.
Salty Marsh, the Light Room, Little Mustard Seed, Blasted Screen Print, Accents Home Decor & Gifts, Main St. Antiques, L.H. Bead Gallery, Vinny and Bay’s and and the Maddie Hatter are participating in The Great Give Back.
The raffle winners will be announced Monday on the We Are Downtown PC Facebook page.
As for the movie, Rigby said to bring a blanket, snacks and find a place on the lawn. The Maddie Hatter, owned by Rigby, is sponsoring the movies. The alliance is planning to show movies on the lawn regularly. “The Polar Express” will be shown Dec. 16, sponsored by Salty Marsh.


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Cannabis Sales Surge as Missouri’s Booming Industry Struggles to Meet Unprecedented Demand
The cannabis industry in Missouri is experiencing an extraordinary surge in sales as the state’s recreational marijuana market takes off. With sales figures reaching new heights, businesses like Hippos Cannabis and Robust Cannabis are facing challenges in meeting the overwhelming demand. Despite their efforts to expand production facilities, the market’s appetite for cannabis products seems insatiable. Missouri’s cannabis industry is growing rapidly, but it’s clear that there is still untapped potential waiting to be explored.
Since Missouri legalized recreational marijuana sales in February, the demand has far exceeded expectations. Hippos Cannabis, operating a 40,000-square-foot production facility in Vienna, Missouri, has witnessed a staggering increase in sales. The company has expanded its workforce to 70 employees, with most hailing from Vienna and nearby communities. Nicholas Rinella, the CEO of Hippos, emphasizes the sense of community among the employees working together to keep the facility running smoothly.
Missouri’s recreational marijuana sales have been on an upward trajectory, with April alone generating $91 million in revenue. This marked increase from February’s $71.7 million and March’s $93.5 million brings the total sales for the first three months to an impressive $256 million. When combined with medical marijuana sales, Missouri’s total sales for the first three months reach a remarkable $350 million. However, industry insiders believe these numbers could be even higher if cultivators and manufacturers were operating at their maximum capacity.
Tyler Hannegan, the co-owner and chief of operations and sales at Robust Cannabis, anticipates that it may take up to a year to truly gauge the potential of Missouri’s cannabis sales. The state’s regulatory agency, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), must approve any facility changes, leading to potential delays in meeting the market’s demands. DHSS has received over 80 requests for facility changes, and with their existing workload, the approval process can take time.
Although Missouri is not yet matching the sales numbers of states like Illinois, which reached $300 million in seven months, the potential for Missouri’s cannabis market to hit over a billion dollars in its first year is highly likely. Cannabis businesses like Robust Cannabis, located in Cuba, Missouri, have witnessed a significant surge in demand. Despite hiring more employees and tripling production, they still struggle to keep up with the state’s incredible appetite for cannabis products.
Missouri’s quick turnaround in implementing recreational marijuana sales, just three months after voters approved the constitutional amendment, set a national record. However, the need for expansion to meet the growing demand has led to some delays. Companies must submit construction plans for DHSS’ review, start the work, and then undergo inspection for approval. DHSS is also in the process of hiring additional staff to handle the increased workload associated with the new law.
With the high demand for cannabis products, price increases have been observed in the industry. However, it’s important to consider the historical context. Just two years ago, an eighth of cannabis flower, the most commonly sold product, was priced at $60 in dispensaries. Currently, the average prices at Hippos Cannabis hover around $40 to $45, offering a more affordable and higher-quality option compared to the illicit market. Maintaining stable prices is crucial to retaining customers and ensuring the value proposition of purchasing from a legal dispensary.
Jason Nelson, the owner of Swade dispensaries and Sinse Cannabis cultivation, emphasizes the significance of stable prices in the conversation surrounding the value of legal cannabis purchases. If prices spike too high, customers may turn back to their previous illicit sources. Nelson stresses the importance of educating customers about the safety and quality of products offered by licensed dispensaries, contrasting them with potentially contaminated illicit market products. Maintaining a competitive edge while navigating inflationary pressures is crucial for long-term success in Missouri’s evolving cannabis market.
As Missouri’s cannabis industry continues to flourish, businesses like Hippos Cannabis and Robust Cannabis face the exciting challenge of meeting the surging demand for cannabis products. With sales skyrocketing and the potential for hitting over a billion dollars in the first year, the industry shows no signs of slowing down. However, expanding facilities and obtaining regulatory approvals pose hurdles that need to be overcome to fully unleash the market’s true potential. Missouri’s cannabis industry is poised for further growth and success, but it will require strategic management and innovation to navigate the evolving landscape.


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The HTC Merge is getting closer, It popped up at Best Buy, and here we see it in a Cellebrite listing. Doesn’t reveal much but hints that the Merge’s release on Verizon is getting closer.
According to a tweet from a Verizon engineer, the HTC Merge was being delayed so that the phone could be retrofitted with an LTE radio. This way the unit would work on Verizon’s 4G network. But just a few days ago, we told you that Best Buy’s internal computer system was showing the HTC Merge, which could mean an imminent launch for the phone.
With the soft launches of the Motorola Droid 2 Global and Motorola Droid Pro, do you think Verizon will silently toss out this full-QWERTY slider to the wolves? We expect an official launch of this device within the next few days or possibly next week, While Verizon customers would probably rather see the HTC Merge get rolled out as an LTE device, most of the signs do point to an imminent launch of the phone, probably too soon for the LTE radios to be retrofitted on the model.


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Originally published on Wed October 9, 2013 10:10 am
By Peter Ogburn
Credit Peter Ogburn for NPR
Craft beer is having its moment. Microbreweries and craft beer operations are thriving, and weekend warriors spend hours in the garage honing recipes and sharing test batches. Beer is what friends drink when they get together. It's fun. It's accessible. You rarely see people sipping glasses of wine at a tailgate or a backyard barbecue.
Wine is what people think of for fine cooking — steaks with red wine reduction and mussels with white wine sauce. However, beer has a place on the stove, too.
Originally published on Thu October 17, 2013 8:12 am
Credit Courtesy of Cultivate LA
Until recently, if you wanted to find out the rules for raising goats in Hollywood, bees in Bel Air or squash in a community garden in South Central Los Angeles, it would have been pretty tough — like standing in various lines at the DMV.
As we reported Tuesday, the government shutdown is pushing the nation's food safety system to its limits.
For instance, there is normally a team of eight people overseeing the critical foodborne illness tracking database PulseNet. This team identifies clusters of sickness linked to potentially dangerous strains of pathogens such as E. coli or salmonella.
Beef from cattle that have grazed only on pasture is in high demand — much to the surprise of many meat retailers, who didn't traditionally think of grass-fed beef as top-quality.
George Siemon, a founder of Organic Valley, the big organic food supplier, says the push for grass-fed beef started with activists who wanted to challenge a beef industry dominated by factory-scale feedlots. In those feedlots, cattle are fed a corn-heavy diet designed to make the animals gain weight as quickly as possible.


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Earlier today, players noticed that: Spec Ops: Line it was no longer available for purchase on Steam, leading many to fear that the acclaimed third-person shooter had been quietly delisted without warning. Unfortunately, 2K has since confirmed that this was the case, and the publisher also explained why it pulled the landmark shooter..
Developed by Yager and released in 2012 Spec Ops: Line was a reboot of the lesser known Special forces franchise like past games Line He was a third-party military shooter. However, the 2012 reboot received critical acclaim at launch thanks to its narrative depicting a soldier slowly losing his grip on reality in the deserts of Dubai and offering a meta-critical look at the way some military marksmen glorify the horrors of war. Although it didn’t sell as many copies as 2K would have liked, the game became a cult favorite among shooter fans. And it’s no longer on Steam.
on January 29people are starting to realize this Spec Ops: Line It was removed from Steam and other storefronts like Fanatical. People wondered if 2K had delisted the game, presumably because licensing rights to some of the music featured in the game had expired. That appears to be the case, according to a 2K spokesperson.
“Special Operations: Line “As various partnership licenses related to the game have expired, it will no longer be available on online storefronts,” 2K said. Kotaku. No specific license was specified, but notable musical pieces featured in the game include Jimi Hendrix’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Alice in Chains’ performance of “Rooster”.
The publisher assured players that game owners will be able to download the game and play it again Spec Ops: Line “seamless” but it will no longer be easy to purchase digital copies in the future. Right now, The game is still on sale on GoGbut the above statement seems to indicate that this will change soon.
“2K thanks our community of players for supporting the game, and we look forward to bringing you more offerings from our label this year and beyond,” 2K said in the statement.
While a sequel has been rumored for years, it seems like 2K isn’t even willing to tease it and is instead just letting it happen. Spec Ops: Line It disappears like a mirage in the desert. This is yet another game on an ever-growing list that will only get harder to play as the years go by.


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The supply of Haribo to shops in the UK is under threat due to a shortage of truck drivers, it has been learned.
The German confectionery giant that makes the candies, including Starmix, Goldbears and Tangfastic, said they were “facing challenges” that were affecting delivery.
Any supply issue could affect all major supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, as well as other stores.
A spokesperson for Haribo said he was “working with partners in the food and drink industry” to try to rectify the problem, the BBC reported.
It is not the only company to be affected by the shortage of drivers and the transport industry has blamed the pandemic and Brexit for thousands of unfilled positions.
READ MORE:Supermarkets could face empty shelves “within weeks” as driver shortage hits “crisis point”
The Road Haulage Association estimates that around 60,000 drivers are missing and that around 30,000 heavy truck driving tests have not taken place due to Covid.
Kate Shoesmith, deputy director general of the Confederation of Recruitment and Employment, previously said that many long-haul drivers were EU nationals with a high percentage from Romania and Bulgaria.
“They have either found work in their home country or they think it is not fair to return to the UK, whether it is because of Brexit or the pandemic,” Ms Shoesmith told the BBC.
The government said it was aware of the shortage of drivers, with the Transport Department confirming progress was being made in test driving and recruiting heavy trucks.


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The entire Epic Games vs. Apple ordeal went on to become one of the biggest events globally last year. Of course, the majority of the gaming community sided with Epic Games although there was considerable support for Apple as well.
While the lawsuit is not discussed as much now as it used to be last year, it is still one of the most significant incidents of our time. Elon Musk recently offered his two cents on the issue and quite visibly sided with Epic Games in the fiasco.
Epic Games sued Apple last year after the company removed the iconic Battle Royale title Fortnite from the App Store. This was largely in response to the direct payment system that Epic built within Fortnite so that Apple cannot take home the 30% fee for App Store purchases.
The removal of Fortnite from the App Store gave rise to major opposition from the gaming community and #FreeFortnite subsequently began trending on Twitter at the time.
The majority of the community agreed that the stance taken by Epic Games against Apple would go on to make sure that the app developers are not exploited in terms of money. Many independent app developers would probably not choose the Apple App Store as a platform for their products if they have to pay a fee for the platform the Store provides.
Elon Musk visibly takes Epic's side in the Apple vs. Epic Games fiasco
In a recent tweet, Musk said:
While many have replied to his tweet saying that it is a small amount that Apple charges for the vast platform it provides to the developers, many have pointed out that there is no apparent reason as to why the platform can charge 30% of all in-app purchases in Fortnite.
As it turns out, this is exactly Elon Musk's point on the entire issue as well:
Now, of course, there are two sides to the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit, but many have commended Epic as their stance will make it easier for small-time developers and independent devs who wish to release their apps on this platform.


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Bungie and Activision have announced the dates for the PC open beta for Destiny 2....
According to Edge Magazine and Reddit, Destiny 2 will feature over 50 hours of content...
Bungie have released details on some of the changes PC players will experience during...
Today Destiny speedrunner Jazzwastaken managed to solo Fist of Crota in 1 minute flat....
Bungie and Numskull Designs have reached a partnership that will see loads of Destiny...
Activision have released a new trailer for their highly anticipated game Destiny 2.
Bungie and Activision have announced they have partnered with Pop Tarts and Rockstar...
If you are a Destiny player who likes to solo everything by yourself, you might want...
According to the latest This Week at Bungie blog post, Bungie’s Communications...
The ESRB have released their rating summary for Bungie and Activision’s highly...
Sony Interactive Entertainment


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NFC Forum Recognized With Association Industry’s Highest Honor For Its Innovation and Positive Contributions To Society
NFC Forum Wins Power of A Silver Award For “Changing The World With Innovation And Imagination”
WAKEFIELD, Mass. – August 13, 2019 – The NFC Forum announced today that they were awarded a 2019 Power of A Silver Award for their entry “Changing The World With Innovation And Imagination” from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The Power of A Awards recognize and celebrate the contributions associations make to society by enriching lives, creating a competitive workforce, preparing society for the future, driving innovation and making a better world.
“We applaud the NFC Forum for creating and implementing such a collaborative initiative that strengthens society,” said Sharon J. Swan, FASAE, CAE, chief executive officer of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and chair of the Power of A Awards Judging Committee. “Their initiative exemplifies how no other sector helps improve lives as comprehensively as the association community.”
ASAE’s Power of A Awards, the industry’s highest honor, recognize the association community’s valuable contributions on the local, national and global levels. The Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum’s submission highlighted how the work of the NFC Forum has empowered consumers and organizations to innovate, create and use new products and solutions that are changing the world.
“The Power of A Awards recognize associations that are impacting everyday life in a positive way. The social, economic and technical impact of NFC on consumers and companies has been immense,” said Koichi Tagawa, chairman, NFC Forum. “We at the NFC Forum believe that the recognition from this award is a reflection of the hard work, creativity and dedication that the NFC Forum and its members have put forth towards positively changing the lives of people around the world with NFC technology.”
About the NFC Forum
The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum’s mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum’s global member companies are currently developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery and device capability. Only member companies can participate in the Forum’s certification program of NFC devices, readers and tags.


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Battery cell shortage
Today, Reuters reported that Panasonic had announced battery cell shortages as the production of Tesla’s (TSLA) Model 3 is ramping up. During Panasonic’s general shareholder meeting today, one of its officials mentioned a “sharp improvement in production” of the Model 3, which is causing occasional battery cell shortages.
Supplier issues in the past
Tesla had blamed suppliers for initial delays in the production of its Model S and Model X in October 2017, as a Fortune report also suggested that the Model 3 might be facing delays due to suppliers. The report cited a note from analysts at Oppenheimer & Co., who stated, “Tesla’s Model 3 production problems stem from a small number of suppliers that have failed to deliver on time.”
Tesla’s partnership with Panasonic
In 2011, when Tesla was preparing for the production of its Model S, Panasonic entered an agreement with the company to supply battery cells. The Tesla–Panasonic partnership has expanded over the last few years. In 2014, Tesla started constructing Gigafactory in cooperation with Panasonic and Tesla’s other strategic partners.
While the factory is already operational, the construction hasn’t finished yet. Earlier this month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company would “keep building on the Gigafactory for at least 4 or 5 years.”
In January 2016, Panasonic revealed that it would invest up to $1.6 billion in the Gigafactory project. Later that year, Panasonic agreed to begin the manufacture of photovoltaic (or PV) cells and modules at the Buffalo, New York, factory by investing $256 million there.
Currently, Panasonic produces battery cells in Japan and at Gigafactory for all Tesla vehicles, including the Model S, Model X, and Model 3. Any shortage of Model 3 battery cells could badly hurt Tesla’s effort to boost its already delayed Model 3 production. TSLA plans to release its Q2 vehicle production and deliveries data next week. Investors’ high expectations from this data could be driving optimism in its stock.


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Neither the 9-euro ticket nor the prospect of the new Deutschland-Ticket for 49 euros have brought the railway and public transport a sympathy bonus. This is one of the results of a survey of more than 4000 consumers for the mobility study of the insurance company HUK Coburg. The question was asked: "Which means of transport do you think will best meet the selection criteria in the future?" Three entries were allowed. The preference for rail fell to 16 percent from 2021 percent in 2022 and 15. Trams and S-Bahn lost from 12 percent approval in 2021 to 10 percent in 2023.
While in the Corona year 2021, 30 percent of respondents expressed their preference for "walking" and 26 percent for cycling, the popularity of these means of transport has now shrunk by a good quarter: In the survey for 2023, there was still a preference for the walk and 23 percent for the bicycle.
The popularity of the electric car, with 17 percent of preferences in 2021 and 19 percent for 2022, stagnated at 2023 percent in the 19 survey. However, the discussion about e-fuels led to growing expectations of "cars with alternative climate-neutral drives". It was first asked in 2022, and 8 percent saw it as the ideal means of transport for the future. By 2023, this share has grown to 18 percent. Including electric cars and climate-neutral cars, the car continued to gain importance among respondents and was cited as an important means of transport by 2023 percent in 72, up from 67 percent in the previous year.
Automotive industry scores points in terms of competence
To this end, 63 percent of those surveyed also wanted a change in mobility concepts for the future. 22 percent of those surveyed attributed the greatest competence for mobility concepts to the automotive industry, ahead of the German government (22 percent) and Deutsche Bahn (15 percent). In this survey, only 9 percent of the participants rated the EU as competent, while only 2 percent rated the Last Generation Movement.
"The results of the surveys repeatedly show us that people in Germany want to see the debates on this more innovative and less blinkered," comments Jörg Rheinländer, board member of HUK Coburg. "People are becoming more and more concerned about how mobility can work in the future. I'm surprised at the large majority of people who think the car is clearly number one – especially against the backdrop of political discussions that want to push back the car."


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Wed, Feb 18 2015 04:41pm PST
Fans of Penthouse Pet and adult star Tasha Reign can own some of her latest photos, while supporting a charitable cause through the purchase of her 2015 Tasha’s Pets Calendar.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 04:33pm PST
Assylum.com is on a hot streak coming after winning three RISE awards from the well-known adult review site RabbitsReviews.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 04:02pm PST
Michael Weinstein, the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and proponent of the proposed California Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act, has revised the ballot measure's language that, in particular, punishes adult film producers with harsher civil fines for noncompliance of the mandatory condom drive and its regulations.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 03:39pm PST
NYC-based gay fashion designer BCALLA has reportedly become the first designer to debut a collection purely in the context of an adult film.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 03:02pm PST
Classic Erotica, manufacturer of pheromone body and sexual enhancement products announced today that it has acquired Jelique Products.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 02:59pm PST
Rapture Novelties is now offering a full set of stainless steel spreader bars to complement its line of stainless steel bondage products, VP of Sales Lewis Adams told XBIZ Wednesday.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 02:26pm PST
Fleshlight is among the sponsors of “Sex with Betsy and Alise: An All Female, Sex-Positive Comedy Show,” featuring comedians Betsy Kenney (UCB Theater) and Alise Morales (IFC).
Wed, Feb 18 2015 01:17pm PST
MojoHost, the XBIZ award-winning web hosting provider, has announced the integration of Paxum payments for its clients.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 01:00pm PST
Envy Menswear has introduced male model Ajdin Sefer as “Mr. Envy,” to represent the brand via face and body.
Wed, Feb 18 2015 11:45am PST
Exile Distribution today inked a deal with gay studio Manhole Media.


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This report was just released today, Feb. 27, 2017, by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independent, non-partisan think tank with progressive leanings. It basically outlines the extreme job loss occurring in British Columbia’s timber communities because of the export of raw logs.
The report has stirred up a hornets nest north of the border. In BC, even logs off public lands can be exported. In the US, only logs off private lands can be exported.
I still think this should be a major issue in Clallam Co. The port is nervous as heck about the issue. They replaced their TLAC representative with Connie Beauvais after he released raw-log export numbers. And since then, the port is working to build support for export policies.
One factoid that would be useful is how much more in tax revenues would be available to schools and other taxing districts if they could get the export price for their logs, like the private timber companies. (Roughly a third more.)
But the bottom line is clear: Exporting raw logs is exporting high-paying jobs. Most of the jobs per MMBF in the timber sector come from mills and wood processing, not logging.
Some highlights: (link to the report is at the end):
Last year nearly 6.3 million cubic meters of raw logs left the province [British Colombia]. Had those unprocessed logs been milled in BC instead, an estimated 3,650 more men and women could have been working in the province’s neglected forest sector. Moving up the value chain and making even higher value forest products would have added even more jobs to the tally.
Most of the raw logs exported from BC ended up in China, other countries in the Asia Pacific region or the United States. Mills in the US Pacific Northwest, just across Juan de Fuca Strait from southern Vancouver Island, are among those that receive raw logs from BC.
In coastal BC, not a single new sawmill of note has been built in well over a decade.


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WASHINGTON — Sales of new single-family homes were up 2.8% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 870,000 units, as new home sales rebounded from weak sales figures in June, according to the United States Commerce Dept. The July sales pace was 10.2% below a year earlier.
“Despite their normal volatility, these numbers are promising,” said Brian Catalde, president of the National Association. of Home Builders (NAHB). “Financing is still available, builders are offering plenty of choices of price ranges and people are still buying the homes of their dreams.” Read more.
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.


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AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) will bolster its tablet lineup with the announcement that it will be the exclusive U.S. provider for Sony's forthcoming S2 Android-based tablet.
Sony announced the S1, left, and S2 Android tablets in April.
AT&T and Sony did not provide pricing or a release date for the S2, which was announced in April. However, the companies said the device will have HSPA+ and Wi-Fi support. Little is known about the specifications for the S2 other than it will run Android 3.0 Honeycomb, it will have two 5.5-inch displays that can be folded, and it will feature cameras.
In addition to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad 2, the S2 will fight for shelf space and attention with other AT&T tablets, including Hewlett-Packard's TouchPad, which AT&T will start selling later this summer.
However, so far tablets with 3G connectivity have not fared so well in the market, according to research firm ABI. Analyst Jeff Orr said in the first quarter that around 35 percent of all tablets shipped with 3G connectivity, but that the number of users activating that service was very low.
- see this release
Special Report: Testing tablets: What are the pros and cons of today's tablets?
ABI: 25% of iPads sport 3G connections, slightly below industry average
Data price plans are hindering 3G tablet sales
Sony to launch S1 and S2 Android-based tablets later this year
HP positions TouchPad as enterprise play, not iPad killer