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22 Apr 2022
Artificial Pollinators: Insect-Size Drones Will Now Pollinate Plants!
Did you know?
“Bees pollinate more than $15 billion worth of crops every year in the U.S.”
How is it important, you ask?
Researchers in Japan have put their sweat and blood behind the creation of insect-sized drones to replace bees in the pollination process.
The bigger question is, WHY?
Surprisingly, the bee population in the US and worldwide is rapidly declining, and there are no other reasons than climate change, pesticides, and other growing diseases. Thus, it has given rise to artificial pollinators, and this article will precisely talk about the entire concept.
So, how excited are you?
Bees are Not Doing Well, and Here’s the Alternative!
The declined population of bees is likely to impact the agriculture sector immensely, which is further going to negatively impact the economy since they act as pollinators.
Therefore, in the absence of pollinators, food production will decrease, directly impacting the demand as well.
So, what’s the alternate solution?
Stunningly, drone technology in robot pollinators works exactly like bees to accelerate the pollination process. The drone pollinators developed by the researchers too have animal hair at their back and a gel-like substance that enables them to pick and release pollen grains.
Additionally, while the artificial pollinators are currently being operated with the help of remote control, researchers are looking forward to developing a mechanism that uses AI.
What’s the catch?
Since the bee-imitating drones are not autonomous, they have not been tested outdoors, and there’s still time before that finally happens! Therefore, researchers are also emphasizing drone app development for leveraging AI, GPS, and other advanced features for efficient functioning.
Other Popular Use Cases of Drones Technology
Now that you have reached this far, we assume you might also be interested in learning more about other use cases of drone technology.
Don’t worry; mentioned below are some real-world examples. Take a look!
1. Terrain Mapping
Scientists are now utilizing drones leveraged with 3D cameras and LIDAR sensors that help them capture terrains. In addition, these drones work on AI mechanisms, thus, eliminating the need for human intervention.
Notably, terrain mapping primarily helps create robust Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), further used for scientific researches.
2. Livestock Management
Again, drone technology is amalgamated with Artificial Intelligence to keep track of livestock in the fields, giving an aerial view of the overall management.
Drones used for livestock management can also be incorporated with thermal sensors for nighttime surveillance.
3. Solar Panel Check
You must be familiar that solar energy is tremendously being used by numerous industries for renewable energy. Therefore, AI drones are now being equipped for solar panel inspection and monitoring any potential issues that might decline the efficiency of the same.
The icing on the cake is its affordability, as solar panel inspection is inexpensive when compared to manual checking.
4. Shipping and Delivery
The time is not away when you’ll see drones flying on the streets carrying delivery packages for people.
Is it really?
That’s true! For instance, companies like Amazon and DHL have adopted the initiative to accelerate their delivery services.
5. Search and Rescue
As mentioned above, thermal sensors are leveraged with drones for easy nighttime surveillance. And its most beneficial use case is search and rescue missions!
Certain areas like mountains, forests, etc., might be challenging to reach for human beings. Therefore, drones can reach where humans can’t and can be effectively used as search and rescue tools.
These drones can also help deliver emergency supplies like food, water, medicines, and more.
6. Law Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies are widely incorporating drones to monitor a situation and keep it under control, especially during protests.
Apart from maintaining law and order, border management agencies also efficiently use drones to track down any illegal activities, like smuggling, transportation of drugs, etc.
Have you attended any concerts recently?
You must have seen equipment flying in the sky around the concert area if you have. Yes, you’ve guessed it right! These are the drones used to capture aerial shots of the event and cover the entire show.
Interesting, isn’t it?
Indeed, drone technology is amusing; however, don’t forget that it is controlled via mobile drone apps for smooth functioning. Therefore, if you’re secretly hoping to develop a drone app, now is your shot at connecting with the best drone app development company.
What are your thoughts?
The Bottom Line
While these are some of the best uses cases of drone technology, artificial pollinators remain at the top, and we are really looking forward to witnessing its magic in the near future.
Without exaggerating, we can’t deny the fact that drones have revolutionized the manner of human interaction with the environment. Fortunately, the advancement will continue to happen, and there’s a lot more yet to be seen.
Do you have a flawless drone app idea? Techugo- a leading mobile app development company in US is all ears!
Schedule a consultation and recite!


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Despite Apple’s objections, the Baltimore Apple Store last year became the first in the country to unionize, and now we’re getting a glimpse into the negotiations for the next contract. Among the proposals by union representatives: higher pay and tips for “a job well done.”
According to a Bloomberg report, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers entered into negotiations with Apple this week by submitting its first series of proposals to management. Among the union’s requests are fairly standard proposals: 10 percent pay raises, changes to the company’s vacation policy, bereavement leave, and overtime.
But the most controversial inclusion is a new tipping system, which would prompt customers to leave gratuities of 3 percent, 5 percent, or a custom amount for any in-store transactions. According to the union, tips “will allow thankful patrons the ability to express gratitude for a job well done without any obligations.” The union says tips would be pooled and “dispersed to members of the bargaining unit biweekly based on any hours worked.”
Tipping prompts are commonplace for food delivery and service but aren’t generally collected at retail stores, where workers traditionally get paid a higher wage. Apple Store workers reportedly make a minimum of $22 per hour following a 2022 pay raise. The union is also seeking double pay for employees who work more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, and up to 34 weeks of severance pay following layoffs.
The union appears to know that the tipping policy is a nonstarter and said in a statement that the proposal merely represents the first phase of negotiations, with the goal of reaching “an acceptable contract for the membership to ratify.”

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Anti-Covid masks are ubiquitous in French supermarkets. Like self-tests, thermometers and hand gels, they are mainly produced in China. RFI looks back at how Beijing turned the global pandemic to its advantage.
Almost all supermarkets in the Paris region carry shelves of Covid-19 related goods made in China.
“They sell out as soon as they arrive,” says one salesperson.
A box of black disposable surgical masks is on sale in a Parisian supermarket for less than 4 euros. The masks are made by Xiantao Zhuobo Industrial, based in Hubei province, the capital Wuhan, the city where the virus first surfaced.
According to the Chinese enterprise search site Kanzhun.com, Zhuobo Industrial was a company with only two employees, specializing in “decoration design, construction, building materials production, processing, sales, vegetables, fruits and crop planting”.
But after Covid swept the world, the business was quick to adapt. Today’s Chinese Enterprise Tracking Site Exporthub.cn said Zhuobo Industrial “mainly produces disposable products, including medical protective clothing, medical masks, medical isolation gowns, shoes and hats,” with ISO quality marks.
Another box with 10 FFP2 folding protective masks is made by Zhejiang xieli Science and Technology Co. Ltd, which was originally a home decor and stationery company. His website shows stickers, notebooks, greeting cards and gift books.
Previously, most of China’s major face mask producers were foreign companies operating in joint ventures with local partners. The top five were 3M (US,) Cleancool (China,) Honeywell (WE,) Uvex (Germany) and Kowa (Japan.)
But when, after the Covid-19 outbreak, domestic demand for face masks soared, domestic producers quickly started making them.
Looting of masks abroad
During the first months of the pandemic, from January to March 2020, authorities in Beijing desperately sought to obtain as many masks from abroad as possible, contributing to severe shortages around the world.
According to a Press release of the truck manufacturer Build Your Dream (BYD) in March 2020, the foreign branches of the company (which is represented in the United States, Europe and Africa) “coordinated foreign resources to purchase N95 masks and other epidemic prevention materials … and have successively donated to medical personnel who are fighting on the front line against the epidemic.”
And Bloomberg suggested that Chinese state-owned companies were systematically indulging in the massive purchase of masks from abroad, reports this oil explorer petrochina, one of China’s largest companies, “asked employees from 20 countries to buy face masks and send them home to help fight the virus.”
But then things changed. A study by the medical site VCbeat.top published in the early stages of the pandemic, shows that already in February 2020, non-specialist companies turned to the production of masks.
BYD announced that it was launching its own mass production effort, while SAIC-GM-Wuling, an automotive joint venture between General Motors and Chinese partners and iPhone producer foxcon has also embarked on the production of face masks on the sidelines.
turn the tide
On May 11, 2020, state television CGTN reported that oil producer Sinopec was building the “world’s largest mask material production base” while other companies like the cellphone maker Changing precision, diaper manufacturer baby daddy, Robot Tuoye jumped on the bandwagon and others started production overseas, such as the smartphone maker Oppo which had its Indian outlet producing masks for its local staff.
Eventually, China swept the initial shortages under the table and its mighty propaganda machine began to highlight examples of how planes full of face masks, respirators and other Covid-19 related gear have reached the countries where the pandemic was raging.
China’s propaganda machine showed the triumphant arrival of pallets full of face masks received by happy crowds in countries from Serbia to Rwanda.
But not everyone was enthusiastic.
The Dutch government had to recall 600,000 FFP2 masks after they were tested and appeared to fail to meet hygiene standards.
Australian Border Patrol confiscated 800,000 ‘counterfeit or otherwise faulty’ face masks according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Spain and Turkey also had to send back large shipments. China dismissed the complaints, saying they were “politically motivated.”
EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell commented on his blog saying there was a “geopolitical component” to the Covid-19 crisis, including a “struggle for influence through the ‘politics of generosity'”.
But where are the local manufacturers?
French companies have belatedly started to respond to the growing demand for face masks and other Covid-related medical equipment, and have tried to counter the flooding from China.
Manufacturer of diagnostic tools NG Biotech in Brittany finally ramped up its self-test production and massively increased its workforce when the Omicron variant hit France in December 2021. The French Mask, a company based in the Paris region, has stepped up production of face masks.
The problem is that the cheapest locally produced box of 50 masks is 19.90 euros. They can cost up to 29.90.
How long will people, who have to change face masks several times a day, be willing to pay for a local product when the alternative made in China sells for a quarter of the price?


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Maruti Suzuki Alto was not only the best-selling hatchback but was also the best-selling passenger vehicle in Jan 2023
After taking a look at the SUV sales, here is a detailed analysis of hatchback sales in India for Jan 2023. Hatchback sales in India grew both on a YoY and MoM basis. Sales in the past month stood at 1,23,795 units, up 20.79 percent from 1,02,484 units sold in Jan 2021. This was a 21,311 unit volume growth. MoM sales also improved significantly by 44.58 percent from 85,622 units sold in Dec 2022.
Maruti Suzuki Alto was the best-selling passenger vehicle in India in January 2023. This entry level hatchback was also at No. 1 on the top 10 list of hatchbacks sold in India last month, closely followed by the WagonR. Adding considerable numbers were the Swift and Baleno while lower down the list was Maruti Ignis and S-Presso also from Maruti Suzuki stables.
Hatchback Sales Jan 2023
Maruti Suzuki Alto topped the sales charts last month. Sales stood at 21,411 units in Jan 2023, up 73.48 percent as against 12,342 units sold in Jan 2021. MoM sales improved by 147.58 percent from 8,648 units sold in Dec 2022. Alto commands a 17.30 percent share on this list. Maruti Suzuki has been paying added attention to the Alto with regular updates and refreshes. More recently, the company has introduced the Maruti Alto K10 Xtra Edition with new exterior and interior accessories that will instantly appeal to a younger segment of buyers in the country.
YoY and MoM growth was also seen in the case of Maruti WagonR. Though it improved only marginally by 0.65 percent on a YoY basis to 20,466 units in Jan 2023 from 20,334 units sold in Jan 2021, MoM sales grew 101.02 percent from 10,181 units sold in Dec 2022. At No.3 was Maruti Swift with 16,440 units sold last month, down 13.96 percent from 19,108 units sold in Dec 2022. It was however, a MoM growth of 36.31 percent over 12,061 units sold in Dec 2022. The 2024 Maruti Swift has been spied on test and gets a complete change in design over its current counterpart. It is expected to debut later this year.
There was a 140.86 percent YoY growth in Baleno sales in Jan 2023 to 16,357 units, up from 6,791 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales however, dipped 3.40 percent from 16,932 units sold in Dec 2023. Maruti Suzuki recently hiked the price of Baleno which now starts from Rs 6.56 lakh (ex-showroom) while along with this increase in prices, the company has also introduced a safety upgrade. All variants of the Baleno now comes with ESP and hill hold as standard.
Breaking the Maruti Suzuki stronghold was Tata Tiago with sales of 9,032 units in Jan 2023. This was a YoY growth of 73.86 percent from 5,195 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales also improved by 49.24 percent over 6,052 units sold in Dec 2022.
Hyundai i10, i20, Ignis, Altroz
Lower down the order was the Hyundai i10 NIOS with sales of 8,760 units in the past month, up 28.05 percent from 6,841 units sold in Jan 2022.MoM sales grew by 5.04 percent from 8,340 units sold in Dec 2022. The list of best-selling hatchbacks in Jan 2023 also had the i20 at No. 7 with a 25.83 percent YoY and 74.26 percent MoM growth to 8,185 units.
Maruti Ignis and Tata Altroz featured next, with both reporting YoY and MoM growth to sales of 5,842 units and 5,675 units respectively in Jan 2023. Maruti S-Presso (4,035 units) and Celerio (3,418 units) sales dipped 35.87 percent and 58.71 percent on a YoY basis but made up in MoM sales with a 261.24 percent and 213.58 percent growth respectively.
There was also the Toyota Glanza on this list at No.12 with sales of 3,327 units in Jan 2023 up 146.99 percent over 1,347 units sold in Jan 2022 while moM sales dipped 25.49 percent from 4,465 units sold in Dec 2022. Citroen C3 sales stood at 788 units, a MoM de-growth of 13.69 percent from 913 units sold in Dec 2022 while Honda Jazz sales were down to 0 units.


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Rebellion has released a 2000 AD Prog 1919 preview.
Judge Dredd, Savages, The Order, Survival Geeks and Tharg's 3rillers continue in the latest issue.
Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner and artist Greg Staples continue Judge Dredd's 'Dark Justice'.
Judge Fire gloats as the bio-dome burns.
Gordon Rennie, Emma Beeby, Neil Googe and Gary Caldwell deliver the second chapter of Survival Geeks' 'Steampunk'd'.
The gang arrive in the legendary flying city of... Milton Keynes?
Eddie Robson and Darren Douglas continue the three-part Tharg's 3rillers story 'Station to Station'.
The military get involved in the strange goings-on on the London Underground.
Kek-W and John Burns deliver The Order 'Part Nine'.
The wurms deliver a message - a surprisingly peaceful one. Can they be trusted?
Pat Mills and Patrick Goddard continue Savage's 'Grinders'.
As the VV Day celebrations turn violent, Bill realises he's been double crossed.
Rebellion's 2000 AD Prog 1919 will be released on the Apple Newsstand app and in UK stores on Wednesday, February 25. It will arrive in North American stores in the coming weeks.


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Alan Estevez, undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, announced the decision at an industry gathering last week. The exemptions, initially granted for one year in October last year, were provided to several companies, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, who have invested billions in building plants in China.
The decision to extend the exemptions reflects the challenges faced by US authorities in isolating China from high-tech goods in a highly integrated global industry.
The US has been trying to keep advanced chips out of Chinese hands by limiting exports not only from American manufacturers but also those made by allies. However, US and foreign chip makers have resisted these efforts, and governments in Asia and Europe have also pushed back.
The most vocal criticism has come from South Korea, whose largest export market is China.


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This is it. After a blowout bash, a commemorative book, a special issue and daily flashbacks, WWD wraps up its 100th anniversary celebrations today with a look back at one of fashion’s biggest fetes ever: the launch of Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium fragrance in 1978.
The party took place on a 350-foot boat — dubbed “The Peking” — in downtown New York, for which 800 invitations were printed and hand-delivered. There were 5,000 white orchids, a 1,000-pound bronze Buddha, “precariously placed pillows,” a straw-strewn floor and Chinese lanterns aplenty. Embassy Liquors delivered 30 cases of Bollinger Champagne (the designer’s favorite), while Glorious Food caterers served up 13,000 oysters, clams and mussels (in a 6-foot-tall ice sculpture of a clam), 20 pounds of sturgeon and red caviar and 50 Peking ducks. Six models were paid to follow Saint Laurent around dressed in his “Opium Fantasy” clothes. Rumors circulated that there was an actual opium den in the bowels of the ship (there wasn’t). The reported cost for the party was $100,000, but sources estimated that it was closer to $250,000.
Though one unnamed guest quipped, “This will be great when 400 people leave,” Saint Laurent deemed it all worth it. While gazing at the Zambelli fireworks display (cost: $30,000), the designer remarked, “C’est merveilleux, c’est merveilleux,” to which Guy de Brantes replied: “A great way to blow money.”
John Richardson, swathed in a cashmere scarf, added, “Better than a Jackson Pollock.”


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The family earns the distinction of having the most members make the worldwide list.
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Joseph Cecere sailed to America from Italy in 1952 with little more than a lemon in his coat pocket as...
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The restaurant chain’s stock fell 9 percent.
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The Austin-based company beat profit estimates.
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The restaurant chain is set to explore strategic transaction.
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Minnesota’s food giants are fighting an FDA proposal to list “added sugars” separately on nutrition labels.
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Tesco aims to raise extra revenue with homes built on car parks
Tesco is in talks with residential property developers about building homes above its stores or on car parks as part of the radical turnround plan introduced by Dave Lewis, chief executive.
Sources close to Britain’s biggest supermarket group said plans were in their infancy and the company would not identify the developers. Apex Housing Group, which specialises in social housing, is believed to be considering the plan.
Mr Lewis indicated last month that his plans for reviving the company include getting the maximum value out of its property portfolio. At the heart of the strategy is “airspace development”, building homes on top of existing buildings and retained land, an area in which Apex claims to specialise. Tesco is understood to have identified about 15 potential


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More on News
The global data center as a service market is projected to reach $461.44 billion by 2030, expanding at a remarkable CAGR of 25.1% from 2023 to 2030. The market is estimated to reach $96.32 billion in 2023. The growth of the data center as a service (DCaaS) market can be attributed to increased government support and higher investments by key market players.
Additionally, the widespread adoption of advanced technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning in data centers offer numerous benefits to organizations and are likely to drive market growth.
Governments worldwide actively promote the establishment of data centers to facilitate energy-efficient and reliable data storage facilities. Leading players like Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, and Equinix are investing substantially in advanced data center infrastructure globally. For instance, in November 2022, Amazon Web Services, Inc. unveiled the AWS Europe (Spain) region, marking Europe’s eighth AWS infrastructure region. These factors are poised to create lucrative opportunities for the data center as a service market in the coming years.
Data center service providers offer data center services for rent or lease to clients. The increasing adoption of data center services by various end-use companies as an alternative to setting up expensive data centers is expected to drive market growth.
According to a new study by Grand View Research, the rising demand for data center solutions has prompted industry players to enhance their data center as a service offering, thereby improving their brand representation. In July 2022, Data Holdings acquired Stack41, a provider of data center management, cloud, cybersecurity, and hosting services. This acquisition will enable Data Holdings to offer its customers a comprehensive suite of fully outsourced data center services.
The data center as a service market will witness significant growth in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for efficient and scalable data storage solutions. The market is poised for a prosperous future with governments supporting data center development and industry giants investing in advanced infrastructure.


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In the retail world, drop shipping is catching fire. As the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year, retailers are jumping on the drop-shipping bandwagon not only to offer their customers a wider variety of products and provide a more satisfying shopping experience, but also to cut their inventory and supply chain costs by relying on third-party suppliers to stock, manage and deliver their customers’ orders.
As it becomes more mainstream among retailers, drop shipping presents a golden opportunity for suppliers to substantially grow their business. But it’s by no means a risk-free opportunity.
In this article, Paula Heikell, vice president of product marketing at Logistyx Technologies discusses five key practices shippers can implement to reduce errors that result in costly redelivery charges and an unsatisfactory customer experience.Read Full Article Here


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Our thanks to everyone in the community who turned out for this year’s plant sale on Saturday, May 11th, to benefit the Woodstock Community Center. Gross sales came to $7,851, the highest sales total in our history, more than beating last year’s $5,300.
We’d like to thank our 20+ generous plant donors and the 51 volunteers who helped with setup, sorting, and pricing more than 1,400 plants, cashiering, offering plant advice, and cleanup. A special shout-out to Karen and Larry Krettler, who once again donated dozens of strawberry starts and tomato plants that they raised from seed. We couldn’t have done it without you.
This year’s sale also featured Shelly Keach’s whimsical mini sedum gardens, Jill Torberson’s garden sculptures, and beautiful hanging plants and color bowls from Tony’s Garden Center.
Many thanks as well for these generous company donations:
- New Seasons for their $75 in-kind donation to the Woodstock Community Center as well as plants and trays for carrying plants
- Portland Nursery for a $60 gift certificate for plants
- Woodstock Ace Hardware’s garden center for sedum plants
- Flying Rabbit Productions for designing this year’s gorgeous poster
- Papaccino’s, Papa Murphy’s, and Safeway for coffee, pizza, donuts, and OJ for our volunteer
- Ben Schoenman for updating the plant sale banner
In addition, a local plant nursery made an anonymous donation this year of many native shrubs.
Your efforts and attendance will help to maintain the community center in the year to come. We look forward to seeing you again at next year’s sale.


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“The more colorful your plate is the more nutritious it will be…. People are healthy if they eat healthful food. Healthful food [intake results in] healthy people.”
This was said by Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) during the online launching of “FLEx PHD: Food is Life Exemplified Promoting Planetary Health Diet” on November 16.
The project promotes the consumption of more plant-based food in the planetary health diet (PHD). It is being spearheaded by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and Searca.
The campaign also launched the competition for the development of mobile application (app) for PHD.
30-year campaign: Generational challenge
It was conceptualized by NAST Interim President Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr., who pointed out that PHD is a 30-year effort in order to help solve the three interconnected existential problems of the Filipinos.
The first, malnutrition and the increasing incidence of chronic diseases that are linked to unhealthy diet; second, poverty among farmers and fisherfolk that is linked to lack of demand for nutritious food; and third, the deteriorating condition of the environment due to disfunctional food system.
Rasco explained that the campaign is set for 30 years because it is promoting the shift in food habits from the current that is “progressively unhealthy” to one that is “science and Filipino-culture based.”
“This is a generational challenge as it takes at least one generation, or 30 years, to effect this kind of behavioral change,” he said.
Rasco expressed optimism that the campaign is doable “because we have done it before.”
He cited smoking, which was rampant before but said that the smoker is now becoming an “extinct species.”
“We believe that we need a change in food habits from one that is highly processed, dominated by unhealthy sugar, salts and fats to one that is more diverse, fresh and rich in dietary fiber,” he said.
He added that food habits ultimately impact on the rural economy. “If consumers prefer locally grown food, farmers will be assured of a market,” he said.
The PHD as the core idea in making food choices because so far “it is the only dietary pattern that addresses both nutritional and environmental concerns,” he explained.
He pointed out that the campaign needs active advocacy and collaboration of many sectors of society, including education and civil society.
Diets risk factor in diseases
DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora said their vision is a food system that considers the wellbeing of the people and the planet, adopts to the changing environment and accommodates the diversity of food culture.
“The global trend in food preferences is changing in ways that are becoming harmful to the environment and human health,” Ebora pointed out.
He said diets are now becoming the risk factor in the global burden for disease, accounting for one in five deaths globally.
In less-developed countries, nutrient-dense food like eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables can be very expensive, which is much difficult to diversify, he added.
At the same time, he said that processed, high-calorie and low nutritional-value food items like junk foods and canned goods are more accessible and affordable than fresh foods and vegetables.
“This indicate that there is no room for complacency. This necessitate a whole industry approach,” Ebora said.
Fruits and vegetables
Gregorio said the campaign aims to promote PHD as a global preference diet for adults that is symbolically represented by half plate of fruits and vegetables.
“The more colorful your plate is, the more nutritious it will be,” he said.
Gregorio explained that the diet is “flexible and allows for the adoption of dietary needs, personal preference and cultural traditions. Vegetarians and vegans diets are two healthy options in the PHD but are personal choices.”
He said the contest to develop a mobile application will help guide consumers to have informed food choices based on individual biological information or needs, the nutritional and healthy benefits of various foods and values, such as impact to farmers, income and to the environment.
Doctor of 2 patients: People and planet
Dr. Renzo R. Guinto, director of Planetary and Global Health Program at St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine, told the online event that six out of nine planetary boundaries have already been violated.
The boundaries are critical for the survival of the planet and of the people. Among them are climate change and loss of biological diversity.
Guinto pointed out that there is no single disease group that is immune from climate crisis. Infectious diseases like dengue or malaria, cardio-respiratory illnesses due to pollution or extreme heat, and mental health are also impacted by climate emergency.
“As a physician, I am now treating two patients. Not just the people but also the planet,” Guinto pointed out.
“We need the collaboration of different disciplines and sectors because we are addressing multiple interconnecting problems,” he noted.
He said planetary health is “Agham ng Lahat” (Science of All). Lahat is the acronym for Lupa, Araw, Hangin at Hayop, Ako, Tubig and Tao (land, sun, air, animals, myself, water and people).
Because “we have to address all, we need to address across sectors and across disciplines, including the food system that we are producing and consuming,” he said.
Quoting “You are what you eat” of German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach, Guinto said there is a need to address the food that we produce and eat, and our health.
PHD: Half of plate with veggies and fruits
He explained that PHD was introduced by Lancet medical journal and Eat Foundation.
“It is symbolized by a plate that is good for the health of the people and of the planet. It contains mainly green vegetables and fruits, with a very little portion of meat,” he explained.
He noted that the current “defective food system” contributes to climate crisis, producing pollution to air and land.
He cited that in the Philippines three of 10 children under 5 years old are stunted; while 9.2 percent of adolescents and 28.8 percent of adults are overweight; and 25 percent of pregnant women are nutritionally at risk.
More benefits of PHD
Guinto said PHD dramatically reduces the contribution of the meat industry to the total greenhouse emission. It should be noted that cattle raising is among the top emitters of greenhouse gas.
It also reduces the incidence of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases because red meat is identified as carcinogen.
Future pandemics are likewise prevented because pathogens jump from animals to humans, explaining that the production of meat to food involves a lot of interaction of animals and human beings.
It lessens antibiotic misuse in the production of meat in agricultural animals, such as pigs, chickens and cattle that worsens antibiotic resistance, Guinto said.
Local veggies: Delicious, nutritious, cheaper
Juana Manahan-Yupangco, founder and editor of “Mesa ni Misis” promoted in her message the eating of more local vegetables, saying that they are equally nutritious and delicious as the more expensive imported ones.
At the same times, they are cheaper than meat products.
Manahan-Yupangco said the public should appreciate the eating of local vegetables, which she has been campaigning in public schools and hospitals.
She said a 30-day plant-based challenge results in low cholesterol and low blood sugar.
“We suffer from bad diets. We consume too much fats and protein, but less fruits and vegetables. We are killing ourselves,” she pointed out.
She clarified that beans are not the cause of joint paints or uric acid.
“It is an urban legend,” she said. The culprit is the “bagnet” or pork in the “mongo,” or eating of too much meat or fatty food.
She urged the public to look at the “Bahay Kubo kitchen which has 18 vegetables that are all healthful.”
She said as alternative to meat, there are many locally available plant-based protein, such as string beans, pigeon pea and cow pea.
She said the “Mesa ni Misis” has delicious recipes of local vegetables that can be used as alternative to many known dishes, like “upo” lasagna, banana heart “adobo,” “kangkong” pesto or “kadyos” ala Cubana.
Manahan-Yupangco said women or housewives can lead in the lifestyle change of their family because they can decide what their family can eat by trying local vegetables.
“People think western vegetables are more nutritious. We have local vegetables which are equally nutritious,” she said.
She added that with the current higher costs of agricultural products, vegetables are still cheaper compared to meat.
“The challenge is the eating habits and preferences. It is still more affordable to eat vegetables,” she said.
MOA signing on PHD
Rasco, Ebora and Searca Deputy Director for Administration Joselito G. Florendo (representing Searca) signed the memorandum of agreement for the competition for the development of PHD mobile app.
Rasco explained that the idea behind the competition began in 2020 when NAST competed for the Rockefeller Foundation Food System Vision Prize and proposed the creation of a nourishing food system for 30 years.
He said the NAST entry was among the top 1 percent of the more than 1,300 entries, and received the prize money of $25,000.
Rasco said PHD is supported by more than 30 scientists from many disciplines and experts from all over the world, including India and South America.
“The recommendation is not only from rich people. There is scientific consensus on it. PHD is a science-based diet,” Rasco said.
Prof. Glenn N. Baticados, program head of Searca’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, said the competition is open to all Filipinos of school-age, companies, nongovernment organizatios, cooperatives or associations with three core members.
The deadline of entries is on December 30 at 5 p.m., Philippine time.
A total of 40 teams from 10 regions of the country with be selected, and will be trimmed to eight teams for the finals.
The Rockefeller Foundation prize money was the source of the prizes for the PHD app competition of P500,000 for first prize;P200,000 for second prize, and P100,000 for the third prize.
The goal it to have a free app that is user-friendly for mobile phones with web interface, Baticados said.
Image credits: Eatforum.org


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Labeling products “organic” can influence perception of food, according to a study done by Cornell University. Known as the “health halo effect,” calling an item organic improves how people perceive its taste, calories and value.
The study asked 115 people to evaluate two foods. They were told one was organic, the other regular. What the participants didn’t know was that both options were organic and had no actual differences.
The results show the participants had indeed been tricked. Participants said the cookies and yogurts labeled organic seemed to have fewer calories and tasted lower in fat, and people were willing to pay up to 23.4 percent more for the organic, according to the study.
The health halo effect is more likely to affect shoppers who don’t regularly read labels or buy organic food.
BOHEMIAN BIERGARTEN OPENS
The Bohemian Biergarten, the latest restaurant on Boulder’s 13th Street, is opening to the public this week. The European-style beer hall will be serving dinner April 11, open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Starting the next day, the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner.
The biergarten will serve eight beers on draft and about 15 bottled brews, General Manager Pavel “Pauly” Soukup said in an email. The taps include a few American — that is, Boulder — products, like Avery’s White Rascal and Shine’s Trilogy IPA. But the majority are European brews, like Paulaner Hefeweizen, Warsteiner Dunkel, Pilsner Urquell, Stiegl lager and Staropramen, a Czech beer. Soukup says the restaurant will announce daily specials on Facebook and Twitter.
FRESH FOOD FUNDRAISING
A co-op fundraising program put on by Door to Door Organics raised $11,000 for schools in Colorado and other nonprofits in 2012.
A co-op is formed when four or more orders are delivered to the same location and generates a discount. Schools or nonprofits that participate in the co-op program may turn their 10 percent discount into a donation.
“We love the regular influx of funds,” Megan Morgan of The Peak School in Breckenridge said in a press release. “There are very few other fundraisers which function year-round and have such an incredibly high return on investment.”
To form a co-op, families can order their produce and other groceries through Door to Door Organics and have them delivered to the school on ice.


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GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., is voluntarily recalling its Alpheon sedans for headlight problems, the transportation ministry said Thursday.
The 12,747 entry-level luxury cars subject to the recall were manufactured between April 30, 2010 and March 5 this year, according to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.
Vehicles subject to the recall are the 2.4-liter gasoline and hybrid models as well as those powered by a 3.0-liter engine.
The ministry said headlights on the sedan based on Buick’s LaCrosse were discovered to impair the visibility of drivers in other vehicles because they were positioned to shine too high off the road.
Owners of vehicles subject to the recall may have their headlights replaced free of charge at any GM Korea service center starting Friday, or have their costs reimbursed if they have already replaced related parts.


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Net profit at Suryalakshmi Cotton climbed 11.8 per cent year over year to Rs 7.75 crore in three months ended June 30, 2016, while earnings per share rose to Rs 4.65 from Rs 4.16.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2016-17, India’s third largest denim fabric maker recorded net revenue of Rs 190.33 crore as compared to Rs 187.36 crore in the prior fiscal’s second quarter, up 1.6 per cent.
Profit before interest, depreciation and tax stood higher by 9.8 per cent at Rs 29.12 crore as against Rs 26.52 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal.
According to the company, sales volume and profitability increased on the back of several process efficiencies at the plant, thereby reducing operating costs.
During the reporting quarter, new yarn variants were readied for launch at its spinning unit in Maharashtra, which will be used by the denim unit for developing premium and fashion-led fabrics.
A capacity of 2,000 units per day of ready-made garments is also being added, which will be operational by the end of current fiscal.


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The Three Lions’ Nike home strip for the big tournament in Russia has apparently been revealed in pictures online today.
Although the plan was for the kit to be unveiled in March, it appears FootyHeadlines.com has beat them to it.
The football site has posted photos of a new white England shirt, with a blue Nike logo and outlining of the England badge.
A single silver star is stitched above the Three Lions logo to symbolise England's one World Cup win in 1966.
Unlike the red away kit, it comes without a cross print on the front.
But it does feature a red St George’s cross on the back of the collar, as well as the outline of a rose on the inside.
The biggest changes have been made in the colour of the shorts and socks colours, which will be navy blue and white respectively.
The players' names and numbers will be red.
Reaction to the leaked kit has left England fans split.
Some feel it is “boring” and too “plain”, while others think it is a perfect “classic”.
Those against wrote on FootyHeadlines.com “you might as well get a plain white t-shirt and slap 3 lions on it” and “looks exactly like 2014 kit but some red on the collar”.
Another said: “So basically it's the same shirt but without the blue sleeves? Genius.”
While fans in favour of the “new kit” said “this actually looks quite classy” and “navy blue shorts and red numbers? YES YES YES”.
The new strip is set to be released in time for the friendly against the Netherlands on March 23.
England fans can pay £55 for the replica shirt, but will have to fork out £90 if they want the tighter fitting version that will be worn by the players.


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Gateway Rail Freight, the logistics arm of Gateway Distriparks, on Thursday said that commissioning of the new section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor would help in a “significant” reduction in its trains transit time.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 306-km New Rewari-New Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) to the nation.
Through video-conferencing, Modi also flagged off the world”s first double-stack long-haul 1.5-km-long container train hauled by electric traction from New Ateli in Haryana to New Kishangarh in Rajasthan.
According to a release, this is the world”s first double-stack train to be operated by electric locomotives.
GatewayRail”s train from ICD Garhi Harsaru to Mundra Port was one of the two trains flagged by Modi on the new section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, the release said.
“We are extremely proud to be one of the first Intermodal operators to run its train on the newly inaugurated section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
“The transit time of our trains will reduce significantly and we will be able to provide an even more reliable service to our customers through our North India ICDs at Garhi Harsaru, Faridabad, and Ludhiana,” Sachin Bhanushali, Director and CEO at Gateway Rail Freight Ltd said.
Gateway Rail Freight”s intermodal hub at Garhi Harsaru, Gurugram in NCR, is now connected to the Corridor, he said.
The company operates a fleet of 31 container trains sets, providing daily container train services from these ICD to ports terminals at Nhava Sheva, Mundra, and Pipavav ports for EXIM and domestic containers.
The parent company Gateway Distriparks Ltd (GDL) operates six Container Freight Stations with two at Nhava Seva and one in Chennai, Krishnapatanam, and Kochi and Visakhapatnam.
“We are ready to harness the tremendous opportunity that is now available with commissioning of this section of the DFC. The ultimate benefit of this infrastructure dedicated to rail transportation of cargo will help industries in North India and will help Indian manufacturing industry in NCR to be internationally competitive.” said Prem Kishan Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of Gateway Distriparks Ltd and Gateway Rail Freight Ltd.
The opening of this section will benefit industries in Gurugram, Manesar, Rewari, Neemrana industrial areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, the company said.
It would also connect various multi-modal logistics hubs, including GatewayRail”s terminal at Garhi Harsaru (Gurugram Haryana) to the DFC, providing a quantum boost to the freight and logistics of the entire Northern India region.
“We have created the necessary infrastructure at this terminal to operate regular services on the DFC for Mundra and Pipavav Ports from our container terminal.
“We will also be operating our train services for Nhava Sheva port on the DFC through our Gujrat hub at Viramgam near Ahmedabad,” Bhanushali added.


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The following is the Roadmap for implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1, 2017, as announced by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia.
New Delhi: The following is the roadmap for implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1, 2017, as announced by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia.
* Ratification of GST Bill from at least 16 states in 30 days
* Cabinet nod for GST Council after President's assent
* Recommendation of model GST laws by GST Council
* Cabinet nod for the CGST and IGST laws
* Similar approval for SGST by all states
* Passage of CGST, IGST laws in the upcoming winter session
* Notification of GST Rules by March 31, 2017
* Software for GST to be ready by December 2016
* Testing, integration of GST software from January-March
* Training of state, central officials to be over by December
* Stakeholder consultation to be completed by March 2017
* VAT/Service tax/Central Excise to migrated to GST system


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Borders Offers Discounts on e-Readers in Battle With Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Borders is looking to boost sales of e-readers and pull sales from online retail giant Amazon and its Kindle e-readers. Amazon last week said third-quarter profit rose 16% from a year earlier largely on an 80% surge in U.S. sales of its electronics products. The company has increased demand for Kindle by offering 720,000 books on the U.S. Kindle store.
Meanwhile, retailer Barnes & Noble on Tuesday will host an event at its flagship store in New York City's Union Square. While the bookseller isn't saying officially what will be announced, it's widely believed to be a new, color edition of the Nook e-reader, appropriately named Nook Color, that will operate on Google's (GOOG) Android operating system.


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Bitcoin 3 predictions from experts provide a glimpse of what may be to come for the virtual currency. This borderless transactional currency was created as a store of value and a safe haven asset during times of economic crisis. Its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, developed it after the 2008 financial crisis, with the goal of giving the power back to the users and keeping their wealth out of the hands of governments and banks. Bitcoin has the power to revolutionize the world, so what’s to stop us from getting involved in this revolution?
While there is still a long way to go before the Bitcoin price reaches $90,000, many industry experts are predicting that this value may reach that mark by the end of 2022. Ric Edelman, the founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, predicts that by 2022, 500 million people around the world will own Bitcoin. Fellow crypto expert and BlockFi founder Flori Marquez agrees with this prediction. She says that the current regulatory clarity and understanding of the industry will help drive this adoption.
Some of the most famous Bitcoin investors and enthusiasts have made their predictions. The Winklevoss twins, a pair of billionaires, predicted that Bitcoin will reach $500,000 by 2030, putting it on par with gold’s $9 trillion market cap. Other prominent Bitcoin personalities include Mark Yusko, a billionaire investor and the founder of Morgan Creek Digital, an asset management firm that has invested $150 million in the cryptocurrency. In addition, he says that Bitcoin is the gold equivalent of a virtual currency.


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The US donut and coffee chain will open its first café in Paris later this year, ahead of a planned kiosk rollout and national distribution via French supermarkets and coffee chain Columbus Café & Co
Krispy Kreme plans to reach eight flagship outlets and approximately 80 kiosks across Paris by 2028 | Photo credit: Ravi Palwe
Krispy Kreme is to open its first bricks-and-mortar stores in France in September 2023 as part of plans to reach eight flagship outlets and approximately 80 kiosks across Paris by 2028.
The North Carolina-based donut and coffee chain operates more than 1,800 stores globally, but currently only has a European café presence in the UK and Ireland.
Alexandre Maizoué, General Manager of Krispy Kreme France, said the company will also roll-out branded kiosks at high footfall sites, including shopping centres, train stations, airports and metro stations in the Paris region.
In October 2022, Krispy Kreme announced a joint venture with France’s Wagram Finances, a Paris-based holding company which manages the French coffee chain Columbus Café & Co.
As part of the agreement, the US company said it would use the market expertise and café footprint of Columbus Café to target 500 retail locations in France over the next five years, starting in 2023.
Alongside its partnership with Columbus Café & Co, Krispy Kreme has also set a target of reaching 450 points of sale for its donuts within French supermarkets over the next five years.
“Western Europe is a very important area of focus for the Company for further expansion and we believe Paris, the city of Lights and Love, is the perfect city to embark on that journey,” said Mike Tattersfield, CEO, Krispy Kreme.
During an Investor Day in November 2022, Krispy Kreme said it was on track to achieve revenues of $1.5bn for its 2022 financial year, with adjusted EBITDA of approximately $195m.
The company, which announces its full-year results on 15 February 2022, generated third quarter sales of $377.5m in the three months ended 2 October 2022.


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Chrysler to Fight Ford Compact Van with Fiat Doblo
By Luca Ciferri, Automotive News
Chrysler Group's new Ram brand will sell a version of the new Fiat Doblo compact van in the United States.
The Fiat-sourced Ram van will go up against Ford Motor Co.'s Transit Connect, which Ford started selling in the U.S. in July.
Chrysler is separating the Ram pickup range from the Dodge brand and adding Ram-badged vans.
The Doblo will join a large Fiat-based van to be sold in the U.S. by the new Ram truck brand, along with a restyled chassis cab model and light and heavy duty Ram vehicles.
With the new range, Chrysler expects to boost Ram sales to 415,000 by 2014, up from 280,000 in 2010.
Fiat, which has a 20 percent stake in Chrysler and management control of the U.S. carmaker, has sold the Doblo in Europe since 2001.
The Italian carmaker unveiled details of its second-generation Doblo on Monday. The new Fiat Doblo will go on sale in Europe starting in mid January. U.S. sales of the Ram-badged version will start in 2012.
Chrysler has not yet announced a name for the U.S. version of the Doblo.
In Europe, the Doblo is sold as seven-seat passenger vehicle or as a panel van.
Vans from Turkey
Ford builds the Transit Connect for the U.S. market at the Ford Otosan factory in Kocaeli, Turkey. Ford plans to build the Transit at one of its U.S. assembly plants for the 2013 model year, supplier and industry sources told Automotive News.
Fiat has no plans to build the Doblo in the U.S. and most likely will export the van from its Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi AS joint-venture factory with Turkey's Koc Holding industrial group.
Fiat could also decide to import the Ram-badged Doblo into the U.S. from Brazil where it builds the Doblo for Latin American markets.
In Europe, the Doblo's main rivals are the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and Renault Kangoo.
Best in segment
Fiat said the new Doblo is the best in its segment in terms of interior room and CO2 emissions.
The new Doblo's 2755mm wheelbase is longer than rival vans, Fiat says.
The new Doblo will be offered in Europe with a gasoline engine and three Multijet diesel powerplants.
No details have been released about the Ram-badged Doblo's engines.
The most fuel-efficient Fiat Doblo will be powered by a 90hp 1.3-liter Multijet diesel engine and will have CO2 emissions of 129 grams per kilometer.
For the new Doblo, Fiat is using a revised version of the platform used on the Grande Punto small car.
The Doblo will offer in Europe a stop-start system that boosts fuel economy. The system cuts off the engine temporarily when the vehicle is stopped.
Fiat also will add in Europe a Doblo that can run on compressed natural gas.
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(Pictured: The Fiat Doblo.)
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Would have thought that was obvious
A new study undertaken by Ericsson and Vodafone Germany has worked out that even very minor connectivity drops cause stress and dissatisfaction, which we thought was obvious.
IDC thinks there will be US $122.5 billion spent on it
Beancounters at IDC have been adding up some numbers and divided by their shoe size and worked out that worldwide spending on public cloud services and infrastructure will reach $122.5 billion in 2017.
Wraith Max and Wraith Spire coolers
As was the case with previous CPUs, AMD's upcoming Ryzen CPUs will be available as a tray option, without a cooler and as a "boxed" version, with cooler, and today we have a few more details regarding two boxed coolers, the Wraith Max and Wraith Spire.
First supported device with an LTE modem
Later this year, Qualcomm plans to release Android Things for its Snapdragon 210 mobile processor and the first demonstrations are expected to take place next week during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
From $49 back down to $35
On two separate occasions, the world’s largest internet retail warehouse has raised the minimum price of shipping on all non-Prime purchases in order to compensate for other retailers raising their minimums to quality for free shipping.
Yahoo agrees to pay half of all costs for non-SEC investigations
When Verizon announced that it wanted to buy Yahoo back in July 2016 for a large price of $4.83 billion, no one expected the delays that would result from the latter’s two undisclosed data breaches and consumer backlash for building tools that help the government spy on civilian emails.


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WATCH: Singapore researchers develop ‘virtual lemonade’ to be digitally shared
USING electrodes and LED lights, researchers in Singapore have created a “virtual lemonade” that could one day allow people to digitally share beverages over the Internet.
The team conducting the research at the NUS-Keio CUTE Center, a collaboration between the National University of Singapore and Japan’s Keio University, said they were primarily motivated by the fact that current digital interactions did not support sharing beverages and food over the Internet, something routinely done offline.
The technology works by the electrodes in the drink mimicking the sour flavor of lemonade while the light-emitting diode (LED) lights imitate its color.
— Aloysius Low (@longadin) April 7, 2017
A sensor dipped into a glass of real lemonade collects data on its acidity and color, which is then transmitted via Bluetooth to silver electrode strips on the rim of a tumbler.
The action of a drinker running their tongue over the strip when taking a sip causes the electrodes to simulate the sour taste, while an LED flashes yellow.
The technology can also simulate bitter and salty sensations. It could help people on restricted diets like those who need to cut back on salt.
“We can even help people who want to cut down their calorie intake,” Nimesha Ranasinghe, who led the research team, told Reuters.
“If he craves lemonade, he can have a virtual lemonade, with which he can get the same experience, but with zero calories.”
The technology still requires further improvement, however, such as how the drinker sips from the cup.
“I think it’s definitely the way the tongue touches the cup, because no one would, subconsciously or consciously, put their tongue onto the electrode and then drink the water,” student Genevieve Low, a volunteer who participated in tests of the drink, told Reuters.
- NVIDIA and NTT DOCOMO revolutionize telecom services with world’s first GPU-accelerated 5G network
- Sony battles new hack: ‘Is my account safe?’ Echoes among concerned customers
- GlobalFoundries opens Malaysian office, seeks funding from U.S. CHIPS act
- Can we expect a new AI from Amazon soon, given its up to US$4 billion investment in Anthropic?
- Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence pioneering the change in analytics


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Nintendo Switch competitor? Valve reportedly plans to release portable gaming PC in late 2021
An early Steam Machine, the Gigabyte Brix Pro. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop)
Sources inside Valve Software have unofficially confirmed that the Bellevue, Wash.-based company is working on a portable gaming PC, codenamed the “SteamPal,” for a planned release date later this year.
The news broke on Tuesday morning via Ars Technica, which followed up on SteamDB operator Pavel Djundik’s discovery of several references to a device called the SteamPal in the code for the latest version of Steam’s client.
The SteamPal, as per the Ars writeup, is a portable gaming system running off Linux that uses gamepad controls and includes a touchscreen, which puts it in the same general category as the Nintendo Switch.
Other rumored features include the ability to hook it up to a monitor via USB, a thumb-sized touchpad, and two joysticks. It’s currently being prototyped behind closed doors at Valve, which means all details about it, including the name, are subject to change.
This appears to be the project that was previously codenamed “Neptune,” references to which were spotted in Steam’s code as early as last September. It also may be what Valve CEO Gabe Newell was talking about a couple of weeks ago, in response to a high school student’s question about Steam ports on console.
Gabe Newell welcomes the crowd at The International, an esports gaming tournament sponsored by Valve. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota)
At time of writing, this is little more than a curiosity. Valve has not announced anything to do with the SteamPal yet, and despite Newell’s hints, could very well decide to kill the project in the near future.
This is also a notoriously poor time for anyone to be talking about launching a new piece of gaming hardware, as the worldwide electronics market is still crippled by chip shortages, with the possibility that the issue may persist for the next year and a half. The idea that any company, even a major player like Valve, could be planning the launch of a brand-new electronic device for a debut in late 2021 is an incredible display of optimism.
The project is entirely on-brand for Valve, however, which has never quite given up on its dreams of bringing PC gaming into players’ living rooms. That’s much of what motivated past projects like SteamLink and the custom Steam Machines.
It’s also not alone in taking aim at the Switch, which is still the best-selling gaming console on the market, and enjoys a near-monopoly in its particular niche. Alienware showed off a similar handheld device, the UFO, at last year’s CES, with plans to ship it to market a few months later, but then the pandemic hit and the project went dark. There are also several Switch-like portable PC projects coming out of Hong Kong, such as the ONEXPLAYER, which are being made via crowdfunding efforts.
While it’s peculiar that challengers to the Switch are coming out of the PC market, of all places — you’d think Sony would’ve resurrected the PlayStation Portable brand by now, if anyone — it does indicate that at some point in the future, Nintendo could have a fight on its hands.
Steam’s got a lot of advantages going into the portable market, such as an established community, brand name, and the various gamification measures taken on its storefront. As “cross-play” between platforms becomes more standard going forward, something like the SteamPal theoretically could whittle away at the Switch’s market share.
It would also theoretically open up a new audience for Steam, as it continues to face challenges from other digital storefronts in the PC space. Some analysts put the console sector of the video game industry at roughly twice the size of the PC sector, and making inroads into that end of the market could only help Valve’s bottom line.


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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Planning your tropical getaway will soon get a little easier.
An NFTA source tells News 4 Sunwing Airlines, a Canadian carrier, will soon start offering non-stop flights from Buffalo to popular vacation destinations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The Buffalo News first reported the new service on Thursday. An official announcement from the airline and NFTA will come Tuesday.
The once-a-week, seasonal flights will start next year. They will be first flights from Buffalo to a foreign destination in more than a decade.
The Buffalo Niagara International Airport made headlines last week, when officials reminded travelers to leave prohibited items at home. For details on what you cannot bring on flights, click here.


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By: Cesilia Faustina
Companies that focused on marketing products online are soaring compared to those who don’t. Other than that, digital communication tools like Zoom and online food delivery services are also increasing. According to data from Avalara, since the start of the pandemic there has been a decrease for items unnecessary to everyday life and there was a huge increase in survival, hobbies and home entertainment supplies.
So yes, the pandemic is definitely putting the economy in a state of uncertainty, but you can definitely see the positive impacts for certain industries, I’m talking about the online industry here. Online shopping has increased greatly since the start of the coronavirus and though you would think we would be spending less because of it; it seems to have the opposite effect when it comes to certain products and services.
For example, since the start of all this, there has been a huge trend of baking, and I am sure there are just a flock of people out there looking to buy baking supplies and equipment. Now, I’m not saying baking is bad, it’s a great and productive activity to do during these times, however, how aware are we of the amount of spending we are actually doing?
Consumer spending during COVID-19
Becoming mindless shoppers is an easy thing to become, even before coronavirus started. That said, could we possibly be taking advantage of all this downtime by shopping all the time?
According to Geekwire, the survey from Avalara showed an increase of 209% for home learning supplies, which is a major shift in comparison. This shows that yes, we are spending more online for these items, items previously we never thought as necessary. The pandemic is creating a whole new method of consuming and if we are not careful, we might just fall into a digital capitalist hole.
The coronavirus is already creating economic uncertainty, it has cost so many people their jobs, and yes, though you would like to help out the people in need of income, we need still to balance out our spending.
Founder of athletic apparel company Oiselle Sally Bergesen stated in an interview with the New York Times that bigger corporate companies are likely to profit more from this situation than smaller enterprises or start-ups. She talked about how we could become more conscientious shoppers during a pandemic, and you know what? She’s right.
Balancing our spending during this time is not only important for us, but also for those most affected by it, which is why knowing the first step on how to handle your money during these times is key.
Tips for your spending fever
So, with unstable spending in unstable times, here is some advice on how to handle the situation.
Understand your spending habits
First things first, you need to figure out your spending. You can do this via a series of things, like writing down the amount of money you spend after every purchase online or using one of those apps to write down your spending. Doing this can give you a clear idea of your spending habits and can work as a base to making any future spending decisions.
Now, I know this is easier said than done, truth be told, I always forget to write down my spending or rarely do I remember to check at the end of every month, but there are plenty of tools out there to help. In fact, many bank apps even record all your in-and-out transactions within the month, which makes keeping track a whole lot easier, especially with most payments being done digitally since COVID-19. So, see if you’ve already spent a lot last month then try to reach less for the next month.
Aware of your cash flow
Seeing how much money you earn within the month or week is also a key step in this. For example, I would usually hold off on any purchases I don’t see urgent if say I don’t receive my paycheck for another week, while I would get all my essential beginning of the month shopping once my paycheck is in or if I know it is coming in soon.
The amount of money you spend becomes easier once you know the amount of money coming in and out of your pockets. If you are lucky enough to still have a job and know exactly when and how much you are getting paid, cater your spending to that, and if unfortunately, you are unemployed, you would need to be even pickier.
Check out your priorities!
Prioritizing is so important here. The economy is greatly unstable at the moment and not only would you need to think about yourself, but also those who are struggling with income or left unemployed. Surely, purchasing things online is great to help the everyday workers out there but too much spending and you are digging a hole for yourself.
Generally speaking, you would need to think about your spending anyways. Make sure to prioritize your bills and basic needs/items and everything else later. This is very true for everyone, but especially if the pandemic has left you unemployed, this is very important to do while you are still in the midst of job hunting.
In regards to supporting local and small businesses as well, it is also a good idea to purchase items from these types of businesses once in a while, rather than with big corporate companies – they need all the help they can get.
Try to keep some savings
Though things may be tough, whether you are unemployed or your paycheck got cut due to the virus, always try to put aside some cash into your savings, even if it’s not a lot. Your savings can go a long way and it is important to spare some for the unforeseeable future.
With many people becoming unemployed during these times, your safety net is your cash reserve, so always staying ahead of the game is a must.
All-in-all we are facing uncertain times, but it is important to stay smart and aware of your cash flows and spending. More than ever, our spending not only affects us, but the people around us, and we need to support each other on the changes to come.


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The potential of the Indian economy will be tested after the end of the Kovid-19 epidemic. Despite this, there is no doubt that the Indian economy will emerge as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Indian economy is on track to grow by 10% in the fiscal year commencing from 1 April. Bloomberg said this based on the estimates of 12 economists. However, due to the restrictions imposed at the local level due to the second wave of Corona, some economists have also cut their estimates.
Demand increased when the economy opened last year
Last year, a strict lockdown was in force for nearly two months due to a corona infection. After this, when the economy opened, the demand for all items from mobile phones to cars increased. Bloomberg Economics says that in the past month, many states have increased the level of lockdown at their level. But the fall from this is a message of not taking the recovery of the economy lightly. Economists say that the easing of sanctions in states will speed up the strength of recovery. At the same time, consumers are ready to spend, as they were unable to spend in lockdown last year. This will be quite important.
Parts of the country may open from June
Abhishek Gupta of India Economist says that corona cases have started declining. In such a situation, some parts of the country may open from June. Despite this, consumers are unlikely to spend freely. This will cause economic uncertainty and unemployment. Economist Yuvika Singhal of Quantico Research says families will prefer savings over spending. Yuvika Singhal has reduced the full year growth by 150 basis points to 10%.
Kovid-19 has the most impact on demand
The Reserve Bank of India said earlier this month that the second wave of Kovid-19 has had the biggest impact on demand. Along with this, mobility, non-spending and employment have also been affected. The Reserve Bank will review the interest rates this week. It is believed that the Reserve Bank can keep the interest rates unchanged. Also add more liquidity to the system to support growth.
Losses may be higher than anticipated
Barclays economist Rahul Bajoria said that the number of cases of the second wave of Kovid-19 in India has started to decline. Despite this, the economic loss may be more than anticipated. The slow pace of vaccination and the imposition of lockdown will also have a major impact on India’s economic recovery. Bajoria says that if India faces the third wave of Kovid, then the growth may fall to 7.7%.
Corona epidemic statistics in the country


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Fentanyl overdose has become the leading cause of death for young Americans since 2019. U.S. authorities say that China remains the primary source of the precursor chemicals, which are then processed and manufactured into synthetic opioids by Mexican drug cartels to bring into the United States.
In response to the rising threat of illicit fentanyl, bipartisan lawmakers last year introduced the “End Fentanyl Act,” a bill intended to strengthen border enforcement in combatting the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
The Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act was introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in June 2022 with bipartisan colleagues.
Deadly DrugFentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. Manufacturers of illegal drugs add fentanyl to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, and other drugs to make the drugs more powerful and cheaper to produce.
Just two milligrams of the synthetic opioid—equivalent to 10–15 grains of table salt—is considered a lethal dose. Laboratory testing is the only way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder.
In 2021, the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States surpassed 100,000. Illicit fentanyl accounted for over 64,000 of those deaths, which has doubled since 2019.
The majority of fentanyl is mass-produced in Mexico using chemicals from China before being pressed into pills or mixed with other counterfeit pills made to look like Xanax, Adderall, or oxycodone.
The counterfeit drugs are then sold to unaware buyers. Most people using fentanyl assume they are given heroin and mix it with other drugs or overdose.
Drug Issue WeaponizedThe Chinese city of Wuhan is known as the fentanyl capital of the world. Following the initial outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), disruptions to fentanyl production and supply in Wuhan set off a chain reaction that hit the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Mexico, which caused street drug prices to skyrocket across the United States.
“China is linking the fentanyl issue and negotiations with other totally different issues like [the] Taiwan issue. So when Pelosi visited Taiwan, one of the ways in which China retaliated against the United States was to cease negotiations over the fentanyl issue,” Corr told the “China in Focus” program on NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.
Beijing announced the suspension of bilateral talks and collaborations with the United States related to illegal immigrant repatriation, criminal justice assistance, climate talks, transnational crime, and “anti-drug programs.”
On the contrary, Westhoff found that some Chinese fentanyl producers were subsidized by the CCP.
He said that China has sought to encourage exports of these harmful and illegal drugs as they are seen as a vital part of its economy. And to grow these exports, it started offering subsidies and tax breaks for chemical companies that produce and export those drugs.
“Not only is China not doing enough to contain this industry. They are actually encouraging this industry through a series of tax breaks, subsidies, and other grants,” Westhoff said.
When asked about China’s commitment to the U.S. in banning the substances in December 2018, Westhoff said China has no real intention to follow through.
“I think we can take China at its word that it has gone about banning all of the fentanyl analogues, the fentanyl-like drugs. Now, doing that on paper is one thing, but the enforcement is the part where China has really lagged,” he said.
“They don’t have enough people on the ground to enforce the laws they have on the book. And often, there are competing layers of government that are at odds with each other. So you might have a provincial official who wants to let these companies keep doing what they’re doing because it brings in more revenue for the area.”
He added that manufacturers only need to slightly tweak the chemical formula of fentanyl to make it legal.
When Weissoff visited a Chinese fentanyl-producing lab, he found a large amount of the chemicals sitting around in tall piles on the laboratory floor, reminding him of “the scene in [the 1983 film] Scarface, where [American actor] Al Pacino is sitting at the table full of massive piles of cocaine.”
Combatting the Drug CrisisThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in its January 2020 report (pdf), laid out clearly that China was the “primary source” of fentanyl trafficked into the United States.
“China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States,” the DEA report says.
Included in the bill is the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which aims at curbing the flow of opioids sent through the mail system, and increases the coordination between the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The STOP Act would require that all mail from foreign countries coming through the U.S. Postal Service have package-level detail. It would also require accurate advanced electronic data (AED) for international mail shipments to be submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection before shipping.
Under pressure from the Trump administration, China was forced to increase the compliance rate for submitting international package data.
The postal service said the STOP Act significantly improved its ability to seize fentanyl and synthetic opioids from the U.S. Mail.
Evading US RegulationsIn May 2019, at the urging of the Trump administration, Beijing placed all forms of fentanyl and its known analogues known at the time on its drug export control list. However, illicit fentanyl from China remains widely available in the United States.
To evade U.S. regulations, Chinese fentanyl producers shifted their primary market to Mexico. Mexican cartels use precursor compounds imported from China to manufacture large quantities of fentanyl products, which are then smuggled into the United States.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations have previously been involved in producing opium poppy, a flowering plant used in the production of heroin. But as Mexican authorities stepped up efforts to eradicate the country’s poppy fields, the drug cartels turned to synthetic fentanyl, which is much cheaper to obtain the ingredients and highly profitable.
The DEA estimates that a kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of powdered fentanyl from China can fetch a few thousand dollars. And if transformed the powders into hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills, it can bring in millions of dollars of profits through street sales.
Driven by high profits, drug traffickers use private cars, pedestrians, and commercial vehicles to smuggle fentanyl into the United States through ports of entry.
Laundering MoneyThe August 2021 report (pdf) by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said Beijing’s cooperation with the U.S. has lagged in money laundering investigations, criminal prosecution, and legal assistance in ongoing cases.
“Chinese regulatory authorities continue to delay requests for access to inspect and investigate potential sites of illegal chemical production where precursors are made. [And] requests are often delayed for days, allowing any illegal operation to vacate or clean up the premises,” the report said.
In addition, China’s financial system has also been used to launder money for Mexican drug cartels. In a single money laundering case in November 2018, several Chinese nationals were arrested by U.S. authorities on charges of laundering between $25 to $65 million for drug cartels.
According to the report, Chinese money launderers leverage encrypted mobile communications apps like WeChat to move vast sums of money from the United States to China and then back to Mexico with “great speed, discretion, and efficiency.”
An investigation revealed that once Chinese money launders move illicit drug proceeds into China’s financial system, some of that money is used to purchase consumer goods or more precursor chemicals, recycling the money back into the economy. And then, the money, consumer goods, or precursors are transferred back out of China to the drug cartel in Mexico.
“Since they are difficult to track, convertible virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Monero have become a popular medium,” the report added.


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Analyst Brruce Diesen of Carnegie ASA estimates chip sales were down 32.2 percent year-over-year in December:
The actual (non-averaged, non-adjusted) chip sales fell even more precipitously at 32.2 percent year-on-year, according to Diesen. The compares with a fall recorded in November of 22.5 percent, suggesting that the suppy chain freeze has yet to run its course. However, the results are consistent with recent fourth quarter financial results from most chip vendors and foundries.
PC-related chip sales fell nearly 40 percent year-on-year in December, while handset-related chips fell nearly 20 percent in dollar terms, Diesen estimated


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Local Big Bundle Up Totals
The numbers are in and more than 500 warm clothing items were collected by the local tourism center to benefit the less-fortunate in the M&M area this year. The Marinette Welcome Center reports they received 517 donations as part of Travel Wisconsin’s annual Big Bundle Up campaign. These items have been distributed to area organizations who will deliver them to individuals and families in need this winter. Statewide, the Big Bundle Up campaign reports over 31-thousand items were collected.


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Unlike in previous years, when most Chinese tech funding went to internet startups in e-commerce, the bulk of the money in the past year headed into areas that hew more closely to Communist Party priorities, such as semiconductors, biotechnology and information technology.
Venture-capital investors put $129 billion into more than 5,300 startups in China in 2021, higher than the market’s last record of around $115 billion for 2018, according to data from investment database Preqin, which has tracked China venture-capital deals since 2000.
A broader measure of investment financing into Chinese startups, which also includes private-equity financing, reached $165 billion in the first three quarters of 2021, on track to surpass a record of $190 billion in 2017, according to figures from PE Data, an investment-financing database owned by Zero2Ipo Holdings Inc. Full-year data isn’t yet available.
The funding boom shows how popular China remains as an investment destination despite the government’s attempts to impose more restrictions on some technology firms, and a broader financial decoupling between China and the U.S.
China’s leaders have been trying to gain more control over tech firms’ data and rein in what they view as excessive risk-taking and anticompetitive behavior in the sector. Authorities blocked an initial public offering of fintech leader Ant Group Co. in late 2020, imposed giant fines on consumer-internet firms in 2021 and forced many to restructure their businesses in ways that will likely make them less profitable.
Those and other moves rattled investors and destroyed billions of dollars of market value at Alibaba and other companies.
Washington, meanwhile, has prohibited dozens of Chinese tech companies, including startups, from sourcing equipment and capital from the U.S. as it seeks to slow China’s advances in cutting-edge technologies.
Yet Beijing seems to be succeeding in redirecting capital into what are known as “hard-tech” areas, which leaders feel can better serve national interests than food delivery, videogaming or e-commerce.
The country’s new five-year plan labeled technology development a matter of national security and announced aims to increase spending on research and development by 7% annually—higher than budget increases for its military. The economic blueprint included plans to speed up development of technologies from chips to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which officials hope can reduce China’s reliance on foreign providers or allow it to take the lead in advanced technologies.
Between 2016 and 2020, by contrast, the country promoted the “Internet Plus” movement, which sought to harness the internet to modernize China’s industries and fuel growth.
The internet sector, typically among the top two investment areas in previous years, dropped to fourth in the first three quarters of last year, with around $20 billion of financing—about $10 billion less than the most popular category, semiconductors, PE Data indicated. Consumer-internet companies such as Alibaba and
Tencent Holdings Ltd.
, once considered to be crown jewels of Chinese entrepreneurship, are no longer seen by Chinese leaders as the type of technology companies that can serve national interests, people familiar with the discussions said.
Alibaba and Tencent spokesmen declined to comment.
Venture-capital investors interviewed by The Wall Street Journal said they are happy to piggyback on Beijing’s priorities, even though companies in “hard-tech” or information technology sometimes take much longer to mature and deliver returns than consumer-internet firms like short-video heavyweight ByteDance Ltd.
“Semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, enterprise software, anything that involves data, those are ripe areas,” said Gary Rieschel, a partner at Qiming Venture Partners, which has about $6 billion in assets under management and has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Suzhou.
Companies related to the consumer-internet sector accounted for nearly 50% of Qiming’s investments five years ago, but the number has since shrunk to 15%, Mr. Rieschel said, adding that the firm has instead put money into “core” technology such as chips, enterprise software and healthcare.
During a summit for entrepreneurs in Beijing last September,
the founding and managing partner at Sequoia China Capital, one of the most active investors in China in 2021, told the audience that more than 80% of the number of investments made by the firm in recent years was in “hard-tech” areas such as artificial intelligence and high-end manufacturing.
Mr. Shen said then that these investments would require more patience by investors looking for a payout as these startups and technologies have longer development cycles, but called it “half public service, half commercial opportunity.”
Even with significant financial backing, industry analysts say China still has a long road to travel before it achieves self-sufficiency or becomes a global leader in some areas it is targeting, particularly semiconductors.
China is still hugely dependent on foreign chip foundries and fabless chip makers, and with U.S.-imposed export controls on high-end equipment, the country is unlikely to catch up with the West in the near term, they said.
Still, Danny Mu, a China technology analyst at Forrester Research, said Chinese companies have made inroads in sectors such as databases and enterprise software in recent years.
“When I was growing up, I thought trying to kick out a company like
was very difficult,” said the Beijing-based analyst, who noticed large investors, many state-linked funds, taking a strong interest in “hard-tech” startups in the past 12 months.
“But right now, there are more and more scenarios in which domestic tech brands and software are holding their own in the market, and people are growing increasingly confident about them. The more you use them, the better they become.”
SaaS, or software as a service, is another emerging area attracting venture capital. At a forum hosted by the Asia Venture Capital Journal in Beijing last October, all speakers featured on a panel titled “Technology: Where are China’s unicorns?” talked about the opportunities in SaaS startups, which provide a range of services to businesses such as human resources, sales and client-relationship management.
Yuxiang Zhou, a 32-year-old technology entrepreneur whose firm sells cloud-computing-based software that helps factories in China manage production, said it only took two months to close around $78 million in Series C funding for his startup at the beginning of 2021, when the government’s shift was building momentum.
Mr. Zhou said he was surprised at how quickly his firm, Black Lake Technologies, raised the funds from investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners and Temasek Holdings, a Singapore sovereign-wealth fund, as financing rounds of similar sizes typically take about six months to close.
Shanghai-based Mr. Zhou said a pivotal turning point for enterprise technology came in 2019, with the U.S.-China trade conflict serving as “an awakening moment for China and factories that didn’t have their own domestic-factory software.”
To encourage more investment in desired sectors, Beijing has laid out measures aimed at making investment exits easier via domestic stock markets, a key consideration for venture capitalists.
The Beijing Stock Exchange, which started trading in November, is meant as a venue for smaller startups with advanced technology. The Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market, a Nasdaq-style board also known as the Science and Technology Innovation Board, revised its rules last year to give priority to listing of “hard-tech” companies.
“Companies in industries such as semiconductors are very popular when they list on the domestic stock exchanges such as the STAR Market,” said Linda Cai, a partner at Shanghai-based Loyal Valley Capital, which has been investing in “hard tech” for several years.
Several provinces in China including Shanghai, Jiangsu and Guangdong, as well as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have also introduced goals and policies favoring the rollout of advanced manufacturing, software and integrated circuits.
—Raffaele Huang contributed to this article.
Write to Liza Lin at firstname.lastname@example.org, Jing Yang at email@example.com and Keith Zhai at firstname.lastname@example.org
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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We’ve stressed before how important local search is to service industries; now, Google has released even more data to further prove how effective the method is for identifying potential customers and offering them opportunities to interact with your brand. Google partnered with independent market research firm Ipsos to survey 3,000 mobile searchers who recently made a purchase in seven distinct verticals: Travel, Restaurant, Auto, Retail, Finance, Technology, and Local Services. The results show that 70% of the searchers called a business directly from Google’s search results.
It wasn’t just one type of mobile user that called directly from results, either; searchers in different stages of the sales cycle all called a business directly from search results. The survey found that 52% of the callers were researching companies, and 61% of callers were ready to make a purchase. What does all of this data mean for marketers? Businesses that want to generate leads and sales directly from their search results should implement a click-to-call feature in both their organic and paid mobile search results.
According to Google, ads generate 40 million calls a month, 75% of which last longer than 30 seconds. On average, calls from Google ads last around 6 minutes, which means that mobile searchers are often looking for more than just a quick answer. Adwords accounts that implement a click to call option receive an 8% increase in click-through rate than mobile ads that do not include this feature. In the Google/Ipsos survey, the click-to-call option was an important feature across all 7 researched verticals, and in both organic search results and paid ads. Each vertical had its own individual metrics with regards to call times and caller goals; Search Engine Watch has compiled a complete breakdown of the Google/Ipsos data.
The survey did not only establish that companies that use click-to-call experience more calls and clicks; it also showed that companies that do not include the feature are missing out on converting potential customers. Nearly 50% of the users surveyed noted that the lack of a call option would make them frustrated and more likely to turn to a competing brand. Additionally, 33% would be “less likely to refer the brand to others and would be less likely to use the brand in the future.” Calling options aren’t just important for converting customers; they are crucial to ensuring that your brand reputation remains high, and to keep your competition from getting a leg up.
Implementing click-to-call is important in mobile search engine optimization and advertising; call extensions have several different options for accomplishing this task. However, the tool can’t help you strategize and execute the implementation. Let our Lead Generation Team help you create compelling ads and help mobile searchers find your business – and connect to it right from their phone.


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AT&T's no-contract subsidiary Cricket Wireless has started a new rewards program. It will offer its customers ways to earn and accumulate points that can be used later to acquire gift cards and more. The company says this is the only rewards program launched by a no-contract wireless carrier.
Cricket has teamed up with mPLUS Rewards to launch the new program:
Cricket Rewards is accessible through the Cricket Rewards app, MyCricket app or Cricketwireless.com website. Customers who sign up can start earning points quickly through Cricket activities like opening and registering an account, adding AutoPay or making on-time payments. They can earn even more by participating in an integrated points-sharing universe that includes over 1,500 mPlus Rewards powered applications and a number of other offers that will be included in the program through social media, events, and sponsorship activities.
The points can be used to get gift cards from retailers like Amazon, GameStop, Old Navy, Sears and others. They can also be used to enter contests and they can even be used to donate to charitable causes.
Source: Cricket Wireless


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Google Lets Devs Tickle Android With Cloud to Device Messaging
May 27, 2010, 2:44 PM by Philip Berne
Google today gave Android developers access to a previously proprietary feature, cloud to device messaging (C2DM). The service is similar to push delivery, except that Google suggests devs send a simpler notification to their apps, more of a "tickle" than a complete content package, as Google puts it on the Android developer blog. Developers will be able to send notificatiosn even if the application is not running, or if the device is in airplane mode. Developers will be able to send notifications to any device that is logged into a Google account, though the device must also be running android 2.2.
|tickle my nuts!!!||gringo.mexican112||
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