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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. is moving forward with plans to expand distribution of its tires in the U.S. and Canada, but the companywhich acquired Mexico City-based Compania Hulera Tornel S.A. de C.V. in May 2008has yet to disclose specifics of its new distribution partners.
JK Tyre has had a presence in North America since 1986, supplying bias-ply tires from India to the U.S. It also has supplied radial truck tires to the U.S. and Canada since 1999, according to Raghupati Singhania, vice chairman and managing director of JK Tyre.
He said the company will be ready to launch JK- and Tornel-brand radial passenger and light truck tires to U.S. and Canadian customers in six to 12 months.
Mr. Singhania said that the company chose to buy Tornel because of its strategic location that facilitates expansion of JK Tyre's business in the Americas. JK plans to distribute both the JK and Tornel brands in radial passenger, light truck, farm and specialty tires to U.S. and Canadian customers, he said.
Since its takeover of Tornel, JK Tyre has upgraded its three Mexico plants in order to achieve higher productivity and better efficiency levels, Mr. Singhania said. JK Tyre upgraded extruder lines, modified the manufacturing and curing process, improved power consumption and put in a gas pipeline to reduce steam cost.
In India, JK Tyre completed a radial truck tire capacity enhancement project at its Vikrant Tyres Ltd. plant in Mysore, Mr. Singhania said. It also plans to build a radial car tire facility at an as-yet undisclosed site in southern India with a capacity of 2.5 million tires per year in order to cope with increased demand for tires in India. The facility will cost $62 million and should be complete in 18 months.
The Vikrant project will double annual truck tire capacity to 800,000 units at a cost of about $65 million. JK plans to increase capacity by another 400,000 tires per year in a project to be completed in the next 18 months.
To meet growing demand for OTR tires in India, JK Tyre also has been increasing OTR capacity at the plant and has undertaken a $25 million expansion project to make ultra-large size tires by early 2010.
Mr. Singhania said export opportunities for OTR tires have prompted the company to plan another capacity expansion of 5,000 tires per year, at an estimated cost of $31 million. He did not provide a timeline as to when this project would be complete.
Mr. Singhania said JK Tyre will boost annual capacity for radial passenger tires 11.1 percent at its plant in Banmore, India, to 5 million tires. The project, which will be completed in December, will cost about $10.5 million, he said.
This expansion is towards achieving higher market participation in the fast-growing car segment in India, he said. All major players like GM, (Chrysler), Ford, Honda, Toyota (and) Suzuki are setting up their manufacturing facilities in India, and JK Tyre has already been supplying tires to many of these OEMs.
Copyright 2009 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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The consumption of plastics by wildlife is a well-documented problem.
Images of stomachs full of plastic bags, jugs, sandals, and any of the other plastic flotsam that make its way into the food chain are now the new normal.
Today, more than 100,000 marine animals that die from plastic entanglement, or the 1 million seabirds that die from ingesting too much plastic. A new research study found that 90% of birds tested had plastic in their stomach.
Plastics do not belong in the ocean. Period.
Loggerhead sea turtles will mistake plastic bag for jellies, albatrosses think plastic resin pellets are fish eggs, and seals and other marine mammals are continuously being entangled by abandoned plastic fishing nets.
What these images don’t capture is the way that microplastics make they way into the food chain; unseen, eaten by zooplankton, krill, and moving all the way up the food chain, leaving chemical residue in animal tissue.

domain: news


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Shelton Clothiers Bringing Fine Retailing Back to Main Street
MEMPHIS, Tennessee, March 31, 2005 – This June, Shelton Clothiers will open its doors to the public at 147 South Main, bringing a level of fine retailing to Main Street that hasn’t been seen since many shops closed their doors several decades ago.
Thomas Shelton, who spent 15 years with James Davis before deciding to step out on his own, says the new store will offer better men’s clothing with personalized service.
“Our store will be very user-friendly, yet elegant and our customers can expect to be pampered,” said Shelton. “The store will have hardwood floors, first-class dressing rooms, antiques, mirrored fitting rooms, a wine bar, and other details to make customers as comfortable as possible.”
Shelton is leasing 2,700 square feet of space next to Viking Culinary Arts Center at Main and Peabody Place. The retail floor will consist of 1,300 square feet overlooking Main Street and the downtown trolley line.“There are a number of reasons we decided to open a store downtown,” said Shelton. “The area is experiencing tremendous growth in areas such as sporting events, entertainment and restaurants, and retail will be the next sector to take advantage of the opportunities downtown. I actually started writing my business plan when AutoZone Park was completed.”
Shelton says owning a small business on Main Street is in his blood.
“My parents owned a retail store on Main Street in my hometown of Rochelle, Illinois,” he explained. “I’ve worked in fine men’s clothing ever since, and dreamed of one day opening my own store.”
As Shelton began pursuing his dream and trying to find the perfect location to set up shop downtown, he forged a new friendship with Jack Belz, chairman and CEO of Belz, who was instrumental in persuading Shelton to look for a space in Peabody Place.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the community,” said Belz. “As downtown continues to grow and more people move downtown, retailers such as Shelton Clothiers and other small businesses will be vital to meeting their needs.”
Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Belz is a leading innovator in real estate development with interests throughout the United States. Belz develops, owns and/or manages more than 30 million square feet of industrial/warehouse/distribution centers, shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use centers and corporate campuses across the nation and in Puerto Rico. The company also owns a group of premier hotels including The Peabody Hotels in Memphis, Orlando and Little Rock. Visit www.belz.com for additional information.


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The Nintendo Switch is becoming a great little platform, but it’s still far from perfect. Switch owners have complained about a variety of things since launch, including the lack of a virtual console and the need for a smartphone app for in-game communication. One of the most common complaints, however, is that the Switch is missing streaming apps that have already found their way to every other platform imaginable.
This is particularly mind-boggling because it seems like the Switch would be the perfect fit for such apps, owing to its portable nature. As it stands, though, the only streaming app to launch on the Switch to date is Hulu. What about the others like Netflix and Amazon Prime?
As it turns out, Netflix recently gave an update on the state of a potential Switch app. In reply to a Twitter question about when we could expect Netflix to come to the Switch, the company said that there are “currently no plans for Netflix on Nintendo Switch.” Taken on its own, that tweet is bad news, but Polygon followed up with Netflix and heard something a little more encouraging.
“We are still exploring the opportunity with Nintendo, but don’t have definitive plans to share at this time,” Netflix told Polygon. In the time since that exchange, Netflix has deleted its original tweet and put something that closer resembles the statement to Polygon “We are still exploring the opportunity with Nintendo, but don’t have definitive plans to share at this time in its place”. So, while a Netflix app may not be here for a while, at least the company is trying to sort something out with Nintendo.
The hope, of course, is that Netflix and Nintendo can work out an agreement shortly, because in this age where game consoles like the PS4 and the Xbox One double as media centers, the Switch is woefully lacking in that regard. We’ll keep an ear to the ground for more about Netflix on Switch, and we’ll update you if anything new is shared. Stay tuned.


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A recent decision in the English Commercial Court has potentially significant ramifications for the shipping and trading industry.
This decision will be of interest to...more
On 7 November 2014, OW Bunker A/S (“OW”), a global supplier and trader of marine fuel, filed for bankruptcy in Denmark. Further bankruptcies of OW subsidiaries and affiliates swiftly followed, including the bankruptcy of...more
On 10 December, The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of Mr Justice Teare in Griffon Shipping LLC v Firodi Shipping Limited  1 Lloyd’s Rep 50, a matter involving a seller’s remedy in the event of non-payment of the...more
Pilfering on the docks of New York City was once so rife that, so one story goes, an Italian shoemaker shipped his goods in two separate consignments – left and right shoes – to prevent them from being stolen. Today,...more
With global forecasts for trade growth remaining well below the average of the past 20 years, the last article in our Business Across Borders series, written by the Economist Intelligence Unit, and launched today, examines...more
The third in our Business Across Borders report series, written by The Economist Intelligence Unit, and launched today, delves into the challenges faced by companies doing business across markets.
The report and video...more
One of the perils of doing cross-border business is the possibility of being pulled into business-related legal wrangles. A recent global survey of executive carried out by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on behalf of...more
An important decision for the ship sale and purchase market has confirmed that buyers entering into a standard form Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) (on Norwegian Sale Form (NSF) 1993 terms and similar, e.g., the 2012 terms) do...more


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Herb “The ConsumerMan” Weisbaum tackles credit card debt, avoiding fake IRS scams and when your child should start building credit
Herb Weisbaum, better known as the consumer expert “ConsumerMan” drops by the Nick Digilio Show to help listeners stay smart consumers.
This time, Herb tackles how to pay down credit card debt by focusing on specific areas that are eating up your budget, avoiding IRS scams and answers the question: how young is too young for a credit card?
Have a consumer question? Visit Herb at consumerman.com and sign up for his weekly newsletter.


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In today’s Finshots, we dive into India’s shrimp trade and how it’s trying to defend its global position amidst the many problems plaguing the industry.
In 2003, an association of shrimp farmers from 8 southern states of the United States filed an anti-dumping petition against 6 countries including India.
Their allegation was simple. These countries exported shrimp to the US at dirt-cheap prices and did so fully knowing that they were selling shrimp at below-normal prices. They were dumping excess produce in the US and affecting the livelihood of American fishermen. India, China, Vietnam, and Ecuador — They were all alleged to have played a part.
And while these countries protested their innocence, the US Department of Commerce began its investigation nonetheless. They notified the International Trade Commission (ITC) of their decision and the ITC agreed that there was sufficient evidence to back the allegations. They admitted that local industry may have been hit hard by the cheap imports flooding its borders and the investigation eventually culminated in a range of duties.
Meaning cheap shrimp from India wasn’t exactly cheap anymore and it dealt a body blow to India’s flourishing shrimp industry. Farmers in Kerala reduced their catch by nearly 45%. And the lack of demand had a veritable impact on prices. Shrimp prices crashed from ₹280 to ₹100 per kilo after ITC’s decision. And farmers in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh were even selling their produce below cost price.
Also bear in mind this was happening at a time when Indian farmers were dealing with a spread of a virus that affected their output. The White Spot Syndrome decimated the cultured shrimp population within a matter of days and India soon lost its tag as one of the top shrimp exporters globally.
But how did it even get there in the first place?
You see, India began modern shrimp farming in the late 1980s at a time when demand for shrimp was on the rise. This demand mostly came in from the US and the government began framing policies to promote seafood exports. This also helped companies pool in capital to build hatcheries, farms and processing plants.
And shrimp farming suited us quite well. Our production costs were low. Labour — readily accessible and we also had huge land parcels. Rice farmers along the coasts of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh could rotationally engage in shrimp farming and it was only a given that shrimp farming would take off in a big way considering the massive coastline we boast.
The Indian government also doubled down on this optimism and offered subsidies so farmers could invest in processing facilities, equipment and local breeding programs.
But then in the 2000s, there was the virus and the US anti-dumping investigation and it threatened to throw India off its perch. Now this sounds pretty bad. But here’s what we didn’t tell you. Despite all this, India continues to remain the second largest shrimp exporter globally after Ecuador.
So you have to ask — How did India manage to navigate this crisis?
Well, a stroke of luck and a little bit of government intervention.
A disease breakout in 2009 named the Early mortality syndrome (EMS) ruined Black Tiger Shrimp farms all over China, Thailand and Vietnam — who happened to be the largest producers at the time. In the same year, the Indian Government allowed for the cultivation of a “new” variety of shrimp called the Vannamei (Pacific White Shrimp). These new shrimps were more disease resistant than their black tiger counterparts and could be cultivated using less feed, significantly easing the burden on the Indian shrimp farmers. This move prompted a nationwide shift in shrimp cultivation as more farmers got in on the act. Soon shrimp exports started rising and today, they contribute nearly 67% of India’s seafood exports as compared to just a tiny percentage in FY10 when the white leg prawn culturing had just begun. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end here either.
Even though we are still the second-largest exporter of shrimp in the world, things have been a bit topsy turvy these past few years. There’s been a steady increase in shrimp feed (shrimp food) prices. There are supply chain troubles. And production costs have been going up. In fact, in Surat production costs have gone up by 35% while shrimp prices have gone down by about 25%.
This is problematic because India used to be the top exporter of shrimp globally until FY19. However, we’ve lost that tag since the pandemic reared its ugly head. Freight costs went up. We couldn’t send out shipments to the big markets (like US and China) and countries like Ecuador pounced on this opportunity.
The upside is that many people believe the tide may turn soon enough.
For instance, CRISIL believes that the industry could start bouncing back after analysing 98 shrimp exporters that account for two-thirds of the industry’s revenue. They anticipate an uptick in global shrimp demand and they think India can capitalize on it. However, if we really wanted to claim the top spot again, we should probably be doing a few things differently this time around.
For starters, if we want to capitalize on the renewed demand, we need to address the matter of underutilised land.
Take Gujarat for instance. Gujarat alone has 3.75 lakh hectares of land suitable for shrimp farming and yet only 2.5% of the land is used to cultivate shrimp. However, if we optimized the figure a little bit, Gujarat alone has the potential to produce more than 3.4 lakh tonnes of shrimp a year.
Then there’s the issue of market diversification. If India wants to keep its top spot, it needs to tap into other markets outside of China and the US. It wasn’t a good idea to depend on one country back in 2003 and it isn’t a good idea in 2023 either. So hopefully we learn from our mistakes in the past and emerge as the top shrimp exporter globally soon.
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Once the largest Bitcoin exchange in the country, BTC China has seen better days. Trading volume on the site is down over 80 percent from its peak, and customers are fleeing amid rumors China is preparing a crackdown on the virtual currency, said the...
China is requiring Microsoft and Nokia to make promises on fair patent use, fearing that the proposed acquisition between the two companies could spell trouble for the nation's Android device makers.
The former social network Jerk.com acted like its name would suggest, by allowing users to label others as jerks and then charging people for the ability to change those profiles, but not delivering on that promise, according to a U.S. Federal Trade ...
The official calendar for Joshua Wright, a commissioner with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, shows he has had many meetings with technology company lobbyists, but none with consumer advocates, even though consumer protection is a major part of the...
China may be tightening the noose around Bitcoin: two exchanges dealing in the virtual currency have been forced to suspend bank transfers from customers depositing yuan to buy bitcoins.
U.S. regulators are opening up spectrum that could allow for Wi-Fi services with speeds of one gigabit per second and faster.
A group of activists are hoping to appeal a U.S. judge's ruling that treated the censorship on Chinese search engine Baidu as free speech.
A U.S. judge has ruled that the Chinese search engine Baidu has the right to block pro-democracy works from its query results, dismissing a lawsuit that sought to punish the company for Internet censorship.
The Turkish government has followed through on a threat to block YouTube from within its borders.
Google has been fined about US$166,000 by India's antitrust agency for not providing information and documents required in an investigation.
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is set to propose legislation that will end the bulk collection of phone data by the U.S. National Security Agency, according to a newspaper report.
The U.S. Federal Communications will soon move forward on a 2-year-old proposal to experiment with spectrum sharing in an effort to deal with a skyrocketing demand for mobile data bandwidth and increasingly crowded mobile services, the agency's chair...
Atlanta cancer-screening laboratory LabMD has stepped up its challenge of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's authority to enforce data security standards by filing a lawsuit against the agency.
A U.S. government effort to encourage agreement among copyright holders and Web-based services on how to improve the notice-and-takedown process in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act began Thursday with some disagreement about what direction the di...
Brazil's lawmakers have agreed to withdraw a provision in a proposed Internet law, which would have required foreign Internet companies to host data of Brazilians in the country.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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In the battle of social media apps, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are arguably the front runners. Each app offers a quick fix for social sharing. Compared to Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are attributed to offering a more long-term, public sharing space where posts are there for the long haul. However, in recent years Instagram has crept into Snapchat’s quick-sharing realms with the introduction of Instagram Stories where followers can view a posted story for 24 hours before it disappears.
Instagram is making its next move by fusing the best of Facebook’s Messenger app within a Snapchat-esque model as recently discovered by The Verge. Bring forth Instagram Direct.
With just 3 screens, Instagram Direct will offer a platform to send direct messages to your best buddies, a camera feature with a whole bunch of new filters and an account screen to access your settings. The camera feature will make creating Instagram Stories a whole lot simpler (and more fun!) and will encourage users to use the app as a direct message alternative.
The Direct app will be easily accessible through the current Instagram app via the direct messages screen, making for a swift transition between the two apps for those worried about flicking back and forth. Currently the Instagram Direct app is only available in Chile, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and Uruguay but we hope to see it here soon!
Source: The Verge


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News Releases are to be used for informational purposes only.
Information provided should not be relied upon for any type of legal action.
Detectives are searching for two suspects that were involved in a string of vehicle burglaries off of North Valrico Road and Sydney Road.
1. White male wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt and pants.
2. Black male wearing darker clothing with a black ski mask.
White, 4-door sedan
Detectives are searching for two suspects that were involved in a string of vehicle burglaries off of North Valrico Road and Sydney Road on December 31 at 3:11 a.m. The suspects were seen driving a white, 4-door sedan through multiple neighborhoods and making entry into vehicles to remove money and valuables.
Anyone with any information reference these suspects is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of these suspects and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or send a mobile tip using our P3 Tips Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids. You must call Crime Stoppers first to be eligible for a reward.


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Marlborough News Online by Peter Davison
First there were 19 stalls, then 28 and now this Sunday’s super community market has become such so popular that it has taken over Marlborough town hall and will have a total of 40 stalls.
The markets’ booming business is due to a combination of stallholders seeking out a high quality venue with enticing prospects and the “feel good factor” encouraging the public to support a community rather than commercial event.
That’s why the town hall has been specially hired to house an Affordable Arts and Crafts Fair while, under the marquees outside in the High Street, 30 stalls will be offering fresh local produce and other goodies in the farmers’ market.
“And it is also partly due to our very effective website, which a supporter donated to us, and means that we can reach many more stallholders who want to come to a wonderful town like Marlborough,” market organiser Ellie Gill (pictured) told Marlborough News Online.
“There has been tremendous public support and goodwill too because it is a community market. People do enjoy the enormous variety of fresh food, helpful local services and arts and crafts that we have been putting on display.”
More. . . . . .
Aug 15, 2018 0Dishes from across the globe, spooky treats and glasses of bubbly are set to entice visitors into a city market.
Aug 15, 2018 0London’s New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) is pushing on with its bold venture to turn the historic wholesale market into the capital’s dominant food hub, as well as an incubator for up-and-coming food makers, creators and thinkers from the UK and beyond.


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Between September 2009 and November 2016, Kamahl Santamaria hosted Counting the Cost, a weekly business and economics show on Al Jazeera English.
For over seven years he presented financial news which matters to everyday people, with a stated aim of showing just how the global economy affects all of our lives - not only those working in the world's financial capitals.
Special editions of Counting the Cost also came from the following locations (click the dates to view the programmes):
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2013: a special debate on The Economic Malaise and its Perils
Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2016
Paris Air Show in 2015
The Philippines, following Typhoon Haiyan in 2013
Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Palo Alto, California in 2016


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Economic Development Manager
City of Carlsbad
After a hard year, the renewal of this springtime feels especially welcomed.
Carlsbad’s economy is showing signs of resilience, too. In particular, the manufacturing industry is projecting some promising growth, even in the wake of COVID. A new study by Innovate78 spotlights these strong points. Here are the key takeaways:
The manufacturing sector is bearing fruit, big time
Collectively, the manufacturing industry in North County has an enormous economic impact on the regional economy, totaling $18 billion annually. That accounts for more than seven percent of San Diego County’s economy.
Manufacturing in computers and electronics is providing the most jobs within this sector. It accounts for 12,746 jobs — nearly one-third of all manufacturing jobs in North County. What’s more: there’s a projected job growth of nearly six percent over the next five years.
Many manufacturers are deepening their roots
In many ways, COVID has ramped up the demand for manufactured goods, especially in the life science field. As a result, many have expanded their operations.
Case in point: here in Carlsbad, Argonaut Manufacturing Services — a leading contractor for life sciences, diagnostic, and biopharma organizations — is steadily expanding. As I write this, the company has more than a dozen open job opportunities.
And many manufacturers are planning to expand into bigger spaces. In its study, Innovate78 found that most surveyed (58 percent) expect an increase in their physical space going forward. As a city with ample industrial space, this is great news for Carlsbad.
The future is rosy for the manufacturing sector
The manufacturing industry has enjoyed 15 percent job growth over the past five years, according to Innovate78’s research. In 2020, the pandemic did take a toll, resulting in one percent job growth among the firms surveyed – a pace that lags previous years. But still, the study concludes, “all indications are that manufacturing is poised to return to its pre-pandemic growth.”
In Carlsbad, we’re excited about the emerging manufacturing trends taking root here. Notably, there’s a budding cluster of gourmet food and beverage producers. This includes popular foodie companies like Bitchin’ Sauce, Chuao Chocolatier, Buddha Teas and KonaRed coffee. In true Carlsbad fashion, we’re setting business trends.
No doubt, our local manufacturing industry is ripe with opportunity. I encourage you to visit manufacturing.innovate78.com to review the complete study. While we still have a long road to complete economic recovery, the data captured here is promising. And I think we can all agree, that’s an encouraging sign at any time, and especially now.
The report was authored by San Diego Regional EDC, the managing entity of Innovate78.


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Nixie is a wrist-mounted drone that can fly right off your wrist for taking the perfect adventure selfie. The Nixie wearable drone has bendable legs which snap around your wrist so you can wear it just like a watch. Nixie can be sent flying through the air while the camera faces the user to take action ‘dronie‘ anywhere you go.
The creator of the Nixie wearable drone Christoph Kohstal, has develop a functioning drone using flexible electronics and an Intel Edison chip the size of a small SD card. By utilizing these tiny electronics Kohstal was able to build a form-factor small enough that the drone’s arms can then wrap around the wrist.
Nixie first came online in 2014 in the Intel’s Make It Wearable competition where it won first place, securing $500,000 in funding as well as technical support from Intel itself. The competition which has entries from around the world encourage inventors to create innovative wearables using Intel’s Edison technology.
Although Nixie looks different from the original sleek prototype, it seems the Nixie wearable drone is getting closer to a finished products. Earlier this year the Nixie team attended the 2016 consumer electronics show with a bulkier, updated prototype version of their drone. Videos from the event show Nixie flying to and from its starting point and how to remove and wear it on your wrist.
We’ve seen other ‘selfie’ style drones prototypes like the Lily and the ibubble with Nixie being the first wearable selfie drone. None of these new products have yet to hit the market and we wonder which, if any, we see first.
Judging by these three drones it looks like there is still a hole in the market for an underwater wearable selfie drone. Perhaps this is already in the works?


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VENLO, Netherlands (AP) _ Qiagen NV (QGEN) on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter net income of $44.9 million.
On a per-share basis, the Venlo, Netherlands-based company said it had profit of 19 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 48 cents per share.
The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 44 cents per share.
The diagnostic products maker posted revenue of $413.5 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $408.9 million.
For the year, the company reported a loss of $41.5 million, or 18 cents per share, swinging to a loss in the period. Revenue was reported as $1.53 billion.
Qiagen expects full-year earnings in the range of $1.52 to $1.54 per share.
Qiagen shares have declined roughly 2% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Tuesday, shares hit $33.16, a drop of 10% in the last 12 months.


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LumenRadio, technology leader in wireless lighting controls, today announces LMP as exclusive distributor of CRMX products in Germany. LMP is one of the largest distributors in Europe with a thirty year track record of distributing top brands to customers all over Germany.
“LMP was our first choice for distribution in Germany and we’re very happy to launch this partnership which will bring our CRMX products to customers all over Germany. LMP has impressed us with their professionalism and drive in establishing CRMX as the natural choice for wireless lighting controls in Germany. Working with LMP has so far been a pure pleasure”, explains Anders Ardst?l Vice President of LumenRadio.
CRMX products are enjoying a surge in popularity throughout Europe in both entertainment and architectural installations. Lighting designers are discovering that going wireless with CRMX means reliability, flexibility and functionality that is superior to cables.
“We are proud to include LumenRadio’s CRMX products in our brand portfolio and are launching a nation-wide road show with demonstrations and reference installations in the near future. LMP strongly believes that the industry is now ready to make the transition to wireless and that CRMX is the natural first choice for customers who want quality”, explains Marc Petzold at LMP.


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From BMW to Bentley: Jaguar takes the XJ upmarketPosted by: Trevor Miles onSeptember 29th, 2008
Since their purchase from Ford by the Indian carmaker Tata, Jaguar’s future has been a bit uncertain, as the luxury automaker was having serious trouble moving cars under the Premier Auto Group umbrella. With Tata at the reigns and cars like the XK selling far fewer units than its BMW or Mercedes counterparts, it seems Jaguar has decided that there is only one way to go – up.
In its current inception, Jaguar’s market strategy places it as a British alternative to the luxury offerings of the Germans. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have long dominated the segment, with Jaguar left as an old-fashioned niche brand. Even with the more modern look and feel of the XK and XF models, Jaguar still has an image problem, one that goes back as far as the dark days of British Leyland. In an attempt to revive a struggling brand, Jaguar execs have decided that instead of fighting the Germans on the beaches of middle-luxury, they’re aiming for higher ground; specifically, the upmarket offerings of companies such as Bentley.
The first example of Jaguar’s upper-luxury foray will be the upcoming revision of the venerable XJ sedan. David Blackhall, chief of Jaguar’s Australian division, had this to say about Jaguar’s new direction:
“we talk about Jaguar as premium niche. The way I explain this to people is, closer to Bentley than BMW. That’s the territory we’ve got to keep heading towards in my opinion.”
Focuses on the new car are to provide a new range of engines, replacing the supercharged V8′s with more modern engines ready to compete in the horsepower wars. That said, it is expected we’ll see supercharged V8′s replaced with more supercharged V8′s; gone are the days of straight-six Jags. Jaguar’s history of unreliable V12′s may also keep them away from that configuration for the immediate future, and the break from Ford means they no longer have ready access to the Aston powerplants. Luxury appointments will also have to be suitably upgraded to compete with cars such as the Bentley Flying Spur, which carries a hefty price tag in the area of $200,000.
So, is the new XJ going to be ready to take on the big names? Find out in 18 months when the big cat is unveiled.


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Milking the right shares
I am a Unigate shareholder and I see the price falling. Do you think it will sell off its milk retail sales business? KP, Maidstone, Kent.
Justin Urquhart- Stewart of Barclays Stockbrokers says: There is no clear indication that it is thinking about it and no speculation in the market. But there could be a good argument for getting out of the milk supply business as margins are so low.
There's hot competition at present among Unigate, Express Dairies and Robert Wiseman to supply big supermarket chains as the big chains are generally reducing the number of their suppliers - most have reduced it to two, and Unigate has lost out in some cases.
We have not been positive on the UK food producing sector for some time. At present the Unigate price (304p on Friday Oct 8) looks very cheap but in the sort term we see significant problems in the sector because of retailers cutting back on their suppliers, so you may be better off considering selling Unigate and buying a food retailer that is either set to be bought or considering buying others, such as Tesco.
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Clippy was one of the assistants Microsoft Office introduced in 1997 to help users with basic tasks that some were finding annoying and offered helpful advice. In Office XP, it was disabled by default and after irritating people’s workflow with its interruptions to offer help, Microsoft removed Clippy with Office 2007 in a fun press release.
Microsoft recently reintroduced it(though not by default) to its now 2-year-old workspace platform that comes with Microsoft Office 365, Teams. Clippy was shown in various situations such as holding a coffee cup in front of its face and “Happy Hour” as well.
Well, his appearance didn’t excite anyone. It was promptly shut down, again – Microsoft’s brand police didn’t like it and immediately ordered it to be vaporized. The Gitbub page Clippy had has now disappeared too.
Fans of Clippy now have an online petition in the hopes that it gets enough signatures and that Microsoft to bring it back.
Microsoft Teams is becoming a popular tool and is now used by more than 500,000 organizations worldwide with 91 out of the Fortune 100 already on board and serves as a Slack alternative that has 10 million daily active users and 85,000 paying customers.
Microsoft Teams is getting one of its most requested features – private channels later this year among other updates such as new call conferencing features, customized backgrounds, live captions, live events and this impressive whiteboard feature for remote workers:
#MicrosoftTeams Rooms will soon support an additional camera for content capture on analog whiteboards. Leverage Microsoft’s new Intelligent Capture processing so remote attendees can continue to brainstorm, even if someone is standing in the way. #EC19 https://t.co/9KgRnNgeq4 pic.twitter.com/von3cFZPBq
— Microsoft Teams (@MicrosoftTeams) March 19, 2019
A year ago, Microsoft had inserted the assistant as an easter egg for Cortana and it looks like he’s gone back.


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Start-up company BlueStacks has rubbed their hands together and produced some magical app that allows Android apps to run on all Windows PC, as it is ready to start publicly testing its software. BlueStacks is making an alpha of its software available to the public. But their long-term goals are to have both a free and a paid version of its software and to have it loaded onto new PCs. The alpha version of the software allows most (not all) Android apps to be loaded onto a PC, but prohibits some games such as Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja - which will be left for the paid version of the app.
BlueStacks VP, John Garguilo said in an interview "We're very happy with the degree to which apps work, not every app will work perfectly." That I agree with, we can't expect every app to work perfectly, but for just an app to appear [for what seems] out of nowhere, this is a magic day indeed. BlueStack's app will actually ship with several Android apps already preloaded and users will have the ability to push programs from their phone or tablet to the PC from a program that will be on the Android market.
- > NEXT STORY: New Xbox 360 dashboard drops on November 25th
- < PREVIOUS STORY: RAGE gets updated, fixes many of the games issues


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The days of the household rating as the only meaningful measurement are over, writes Dan Lovinger, executive VP of advertising sales at NBC Universal Sports Group.
The decline in TV ratings not just for the NFL, but television as a whole, is a daily discussion because TV viewer habits are changing with content being available across multiple platforms. The industry must respond and account for viewership outside just traditional television.
NBC has moved to a “Total Audience Delivery,” or TAD and Lovinger believes the entire industry needs to follow suit. TAD records viewership from linear TV, as well as VOD, OTT and mobile platforms to more accurately depict the audience size of produced content.
TAD is crucial for a broadcast such as Thursday Night Football. TNF is available on a broadcast network, cable network, and streams over multiple digital platforms.
NBC has been selling advertising for The 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea under the TAD umbrella. Sponsors buying advertising spots during NBC’s primetime presentation will garner viewers from NBC, NBCSN, the NBC sports app, regardless of if they’re watching live or on demand hours later.
“If you’re a marketer and your time is valuable and your funds are limited, the most important thing you can do is leverage your spend in as many ways as possible. It’s not just our sports on their own. It’s how they play into the portfolio to deliver great value to our advertisers,” Lovinger told The Sports Business Journal last year.
To accurately present the audience size of a sporting event, all viewing platforms must be considered. With the growing production of digital content, sponsors have a difficult time judging where to spend their advertising dollars. Total Audience Delivery helps provide a more precise representation of viewership and allows advertisers to present their message over multiple platforms.


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Chinese smartphone manufacturer ZTE has announced the extension of its sponsorship deal with the RBC Canadian Open Golf Tournament for the next 3 years. This renewal will see ZTE remain as the official smartphone sponsor of the Canadian Open, but the value of this sponsorship was not disclosed.
The sponsorship will allow ZTE to engage more with users in North America and in other places around the world, according to Cheng Lixin, Chief Executive of ZTE's mobile devices business unit. Golf Canada’s CEO Laurence Applebaum expressed that the Canadian Open is opened to partnering with companies willing to engage in supporting the sport. He is also looking forward to more partnership formed between the Canadian Open and Chinese companies.
With its North American headquarters based in Dallas, ZTE entered the Canadian market in 2005 and set up an R&D center in Ottawa. Up to now, ZTE has reportedly emerged as the #4 ranked smartphone manufacturer in the North American market and #5 in the Canadian market.
Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick


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Hannah Fitzsimons, president and gm, at Elavon Merchant Services, Europe.
Elavon, the global merchant acquirer unit of U.S. Bancorp, has agreed to acquire Sage Pay, a U.K. and Irish payments gateway for small and medium sized businesses, for $300 million (232 million British pounds).
Elavon said it is currently the fourth largest merchant acquirer in Europe, and the Sage Pay acquisition will help it extend its presence in the U.K. and Ireland and grow its SME space, where Sage has a loyal business following.
“We are a customer focused company that is helping businesses succeed in a global marketplace that is changing rapidly,” Hannah Fitzsimons, president and general manager of Elavon Merchant Services, Europe, said in a press release. “This acquisition brings tremendous talent and leading technology to Elavon, which can be leveraged across the European market.”
Elavon has operations in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Poland, Norway, Spain and Sweden and serves many companies in the hospitality, aviation, e-commerce and retail sectors, according to a spokesperson. Just last month Evalon acquired Sweden’s Payius, an exclusive provider of merchant acquiring services in Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
Sage Group said in a regulatory filing that Sage Pay would remain an important partner after the deal, noting the company had 41 million pounds ($53 million) in revenue and 15 million pounds ($19 million) in operating profit at the end of fiscal 2018.
“Our vision of becoming a great SaaS company for customers and colleagues alike means we will continue to focus on serving small and medium sized companies with subscription software solutions for accounting and financials and people and payroll,” Sage CEO Steve Hare said in the filing announcing the sale. “Payments and banking services remain an integral part of Sage’s value proposition and we will deliver them through our growing network of partnerships, including Elavon.”
The agreement is subject to regulatory approval. Elavon Financial Services DAC, which trades as Elavon Merchant Services, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and Prudential Regulation Authority and is subject to limited regulation by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Cover image: Elavon.


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It’s now clear when Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama will vote in a mandatory second union election. As Motherboard‘s Lauren Kaori Gurley notes, the National Labor Relations Board has sent notice that employees at the BHM1 fulfillment center can start voting with secret mail ballots on February 4th, with the vote count beginning on March 28th. Anyone employed at the company from the first week of January 2022 onward is eligible to consider joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
The NLRB ordered the new vote after determining that Amazon interfered with the first union election in early 2021. The RWDSU filed 23 objections after the 1,798 to 738 “no” vote, accusing Amazon of installing an unapproved mailbox to intimidate staff as well as handing out anti-union material like badges and signs. After an investigation, the NLRB found that Amazon had a “flagrant disregard” for the mail voting process that made a fair election “impossible.”
The RWDSU wasn’t completely satisfied with the notice. In a statement, the organization claimed the NLRB’s decision “fails to adequately prevent” Amazon from skewing the vote. Amazon, meanwhile, repeated its comment from November in response to Engadget’s inquiries. It maintained that warehouse workers “overwhelmingly” voted against joining the union, and found it “disappointing” that the NLRB rejected the election.
As before, the stakes are high. A pro-union vote would give warehouse workers collective bargaining rights they could use to improve pay and working conditions — both frequent points of contention. Whatever the outcome, it’s safe to presume the election will draw renewed scrutiny from politicians and stars who see it as a turning point for labor at the internet shopping giant.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


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Nicks Hardware in Dickson closer to auction, demolition
The fabled contents of Nicks Hardware will likely be auctioned off soon so the building that’s housed the store – and has remained a collection site for various oddities since the business closed – can be demolished.
City of Dickson officials have deemed that the building, located on South Main Street in Downtown Dickson, is unsafe and a threat to pedestrians. Building owner Sammy Nicks, whose grandfather started the business in 1929, tore down the building’s awning last year due to it being a possible hazard.
Nicks was expected to work with a local auctioneer to set up an auction for the items that fill the entire building.
In March last year, David and Susan Allsbrooks organized estate sales for much of the store’s antiques and other items – but those sales barely put a dent in the collection at Nicks Hardware.
Once the items are out, Nicks said he will hire someone to demolish the building, according to Dickson Planning and Zoning Director Jason Pilkinton.
The city had accepted bids for the demolition of the building but has not yet opened the bids after Nicks said he would set up an auction.
Albert Nicks, started the business with his brothers, Buckner Clay and Charlie Emmett, in 1929. They moved the store to Wrigley, Tenn. and then moved back to Dickson in 1939. Albert bought the store from his brothers after they moved to its current location in 1949. He managed the store until his death at 94. Albert’s son Samuel Clay then took over the store until his death in 2004 at which point Sammy took ownership.
So many locals remember shopping or simply looking at all the merchandise over the decades. In recent years, that’s often meant only looking through the window.
Allsbrooks said she received several phone calls asking about White Bluff’s legendary giant Harley Deal’s size 22 shoes. Deal, the 7-foot tall, 500-pound farmer is still remembered by many locals for his Paul Bunyan-esque feats decades after his death in 1976.
While the estate sale was happening in March last year, TV’s famed “picker” Mike Wolfe and partner Frank Fritz, who star in the hit History Channel reality show American Pickers, visited Nicks Hardware and haggled with Sammy Nicks.
“It’s been a little bit rough, but we were prepared for that,” said Wolfe about negotiations with Nicks last year. “(Sammy) is a great guy. Basically at the end of the day we are here to tell his story and the history of the hardware store and how important it was to the community.
“If we are able to buy a few things, that’s a great thing,” added Wolfe, the creator of American Pickers. “If not, it’s not a wasted trip because there is a lot of history here.”
In 2007, Nicks began charging admission to the store for people who didn’t buy any merchandise. He said tourists coming in to look around interfered with his assisting customers.
Nicks said at the time the services he provides, such as repairing saddles, saddlebags, purses and other leather goods were what sustained his business.


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German battery and solar start-up sonnen to give away home EV chargers in a bid to encourage adoption of home energy systems
Although a massive build-out of public charging infrastructure will be essential to realising the growth of EVs, consumers will also be able to take advantage of more flexible options for charging at home.
Seeing an opportunity, German battery start-up sonnen is now giving away free electric car plugs to customers, allowing them to power up their EV or PHEV based on electricity they generate from their rooftop and/or store in a home battery system.
The 22-kilowatt sonnenCharger works in tandem with sonnen’s modular sonnenBatterie systems, which are available in sizes from 2-16 kWh (expanded in steps of 2 kWh). The charger can also be set to charge at fast or slow rates, or at specific times. With a large enough user base, this could help to manage peak loads in the grid, ensuring that demand for power does not exceed local generation and infrastructure – one of the overriding concerns about widespread uncoordinated home charging.
The charger is then linked to a mobile data app and the internet, creating a community of sonnen customers who are able to share power production, consumption and storage.
Sonnen even aims to market unused electricity from customers’ solar panels to the grid, and to market the EV battery capacity to absorb extra renewable energy such as wind power. “Access to car batteries would give us additional storage capacity,” sonnen’s Philipp Schroeder told Reuters.
This allows customers to buy power at a guaranteed volume and price. The news agency reported that a flat 8,000 kWh per year tariff could supply 5,000 kWh to power the average four-person home, and a further 3,000 kWh for EV charging.
First deliveries of the sonnenCharger are expected by the end of June.


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Podcast Lounge 2 lets you listen to podcasts on your desktop
Igneous Software has released Podcast Lounge 2, the second version of their universal Windows app which supports Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, Xbox and HoloLens. The app lets you listen to audio podcasts from all over the world ...
Unigram UWP Telegram client for Windows updated with chat improvements
The only certified 3rd party Telegram app for Windows, Unigram, has been updated to version 0.14.1160.0 with improvements designed to make the app faster and easier to use. This includes the new ability to double-click on a mess...
Keeps snoops out of your chat history with the new Unigram UWP Telegram client for Windows
Privacy is the main reason messaging app Telegram exists, but keeping your chat history private on your phone does not seem to be a big priority of the service. Unigram is the only officially certified 3rd party Telegram app for ...
Unigram UWP app for Telegram messaging network now available in Preview
Unigram is a UWP Telegram client for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. The app is being created by a group of developers who are fans of the Telegram network but note “current official Telegram-app has no signs of releasing ...
Developer Submission:This Universal Windows app lets you keep track of upcoming game releases
Game Calendar let you keep track of the upcoming games on a variety of gaming platforms including Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, PSV, Nintendo 3DS etc… It’s a truly universal app running all across Windows Ecosystem, ...
Back the Loki WIFI Meat Thermometer Kickstarter to get a UWP app
Loki is a premier smart WiFi meat thermometer currently fully funded at more than $50,000 on Kickstarter. The implement is designed to help track your main course to a perfect finish, whether you’re cooking a turkey in the oven...


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Half-Ton Pickups: Strategies for Better Fuel Economy
According to the 2014 Vehicle Technologies Market Report from Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s sales-weighted data from 1980 to 2014, light vehicles showed a 124 percent increase in horsepower and a 47 percent improvement in zero-to-60-mph times, but just a 27 percent improvement in fuel economy. Interestingly, the report notes that vehicle weight appears to have an inverse relationship with fuel economy, meaning as pickup trucks get heavier (excluding the alloy-bodied Ford F-150 because it’s been getting lighter), fuel economy is getting better. This is especially relevant to today’s luxury-laden ever-larger pickups.
Read the whole story at: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/04/half-ton-pickups-strategies-for-better-fuel-economy.html


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Posted At: 2022-01-28
A familiar viewpoint people in a management sector hear is that the repetition of mistakes that organizations make during their industry transition focusing on the buggy makers at the turn of the last century figured out that they were in the personal transportation world lingered around cars. Those who thought they were just in the buggy venture came on the verge of disruption
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Four years, untold gallons of baby oil and loads of other barbarian-based cliches later, Funcom's completed MMO Age of Conan and sent it off to master.
"After four years of development co-publishers Funcom and Eidos are proud to announce that Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures has gone gold," said the company in a statement. "One of the most highly anticipated MMO games in history is about to hit the store shelves, and the gates to the world of the mighty barbarian will soon be open to the millions of gamers around the world."
The game releases on May 20 globally. Read the full press release on GamingShogun.


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The wearable health trackers’ revolution has been going on producing devices that let us measure vital signs and health parameters at home. It is changing the whole status quo of healthcare as medical information and now tracking health are available outside the ivory tower of medicine.
A 2014 report showed that 71% of 16-24-year-olds want wearable technology. Predictions for 2018 include a market value of $12 billion; a shipment of 112 million wearables and that one third of Americans will own at least a pedometer.
Now a growing population is using devices to measure a health parameter and while this market is expected to continue growing, devices are expected to shrink, get cheaper and more comfortable. At this point, nobody can be blaimed for over-tracking their health as we got a chance for that for the first time in history. Eventually, by the time the technology behind them gets better…
View original post 482 more words


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The EU Wednesday launched a draft of its proposed overhaul of drug manufacturing legal guidelines. The adjustments have triggered controversy amongst producers, with some stating they’ll depart the area if the legal guidelines take impact. Nevertheless, in accordance with an announcement made by EU Well being Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, the changes will present EU residents with “extra accessible, inexpensive and revolutionary medicines.”
The reforms fall throughout the larger EU health plan from 2021 to 2027, the place one of many targets is the affordability of medication for members. This revision appears to be like to handle the shortcomings of the business as effectively by growing the provision chain in Europe so there may be extra entry to medication. The measure additionally seeks to handle environmental points and take action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The hope is that the adjustments will profit not simply Europe but additionally third events to the EU, resembling related international locations, by offering a stronger world provide chain from Europe to the remainder of the world. This system will embody reforms to information exclusivity, that means that different corporations can use their competitors work sooner. The general public has seen the adjustments positively after many have been upset at how the well being sector has struggled for the reason that starting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, the adjustments sparked some pushback from the drug manufacturing business. Lots of the prices are handed on to the producer, with some producers contemplating shifting away from Europe. This angle is heightened as there are extra profitable markets in different international locations, such because the largely unregulated markets within the US and China, the place doing enterprise may very well be extra worthwhile. Bayer’s Prescription drugs CEO Stefan Oelrich acknowledged that he hopes that is “a primary draft,” and that sharing information in such a time-frame might have ” a catastrophic influence for Europe.”
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‘‘I am just waiting. They told me to wait until end of this month for the test result,’’ he said.
Activists criticized the government, the garment industry and the factory for keeping important information secret, including the names of the victims of the fire and who has received compensation.
‘‘Who died, who got compensated, who not? We don’t have any clear idea,’’ said Kalpona Akter of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity. ‘‘There should not be any plot to play hide-and-seek.’’
She said the major Western brands that produced clothing in the factory have a responsibility to come to Bangladesh to check on the compensation situation. She also raised concerns about the DNA testing process.
‘‘We don’t know why it’s taking too much time. If time is required, fine, but there should be proper reasons ... that should be explained,’’ she said.
Ahedul, a mechanic who lost his wife in the fire but could not identify her body, said he has no idea what is happening with his claim.
‘‘I have been asked to stay calm by the BGMEA,’’ said Ahedul, who uses only one name. ‘‘They told me they will come to me. I don’t need to go to them.’’


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In 2019 Belarus sold 53,868 tonnes of apples. Through 2019 alone, the market for Belarus apples (fruits category) has gone down, changing by -34.184 percent compared to the year 2018. Between 2017 and 2019, apples' exports went down by -8.75 pc earning Belarus US$14.89m for the year 2019. Belarus' apples exports are categorised as:
In 2019, Belarus exported apples with a value of 14.89m USD, a reduction of -35.38% from 2018's total apples export of 23.044m USD. The yearly change in value of Belarus apples between 2017 to 2018 was 30.369 pc.
The yearly variation in the amount of Belarus' apples exports between 2017 and 2019 was -8.75 pc in comparison to a variation of -34.184% in the period between 2018 and 2019.
Belarus' leading export markets for apples are Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and Lithuania.
Belarus imported 237,772 tonnes of apples in 2019.
The production of apples in Belarus was 673,394 tonnes in 2019 and is forecast to change by an average of -51.91%. The country had an estimated 103,074.00 hectares under apples cultivation.


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Is Free the Future of Gaming?
We’ve seen the release of big-budget free MMORPG releases like Atlantica Online and Runes of Magic but recent trends show that the free-to-play, ad and micro-payment supported model is spreading to other genres. With EA’s long awaited Battlefield Heroes now entering the next phase of beta testing and the recent release of id Soft’s Quake Live, it’s clear that major Western game publishers have gotten the hint that the free to play model pays. Even Sony, an early subscription based MMORPG pioneer, is experimenting with f2p in their upcoming game Free Realms.
But it’s not just large publishers getting in on the action. With the spread of the internet, hundreds of independent developers now have a platform to share their projects with the world. Smaller games like Soldat and Starport Galactic Empires are available for free. There are even programs that let enthusiasts make their own MMORPGs. Similar to the retail RPG Maker, these MMORPG makers come with premade sprites and resources but allow players to set many of the variables such as experience rates, number of maps, monsters, and so on. They also allow more experienced users to add their own resources and edit the source code.
The third leg and perhaps the most important is the shift from pay-to-play to free-to-play happening in established MMORPGs. Already many former subscription based games have opened their gates for all to enter. Gravity has been the boldest in this field. Originally a publisher of traditional MMORPGs with subscription fees attached, their latest game release Requiem Bloodymare is free to play. Gravity’s two older games have also been re-released with the subscription fee stripped away. Ragnarok Online and Rose Online are now both free to play but supported with optional micro payments.
So now we know that this trend is happening. The question remains whether it will prove to be profitable. Already many publishers have found success but whether it this model will support an entire industry remains to be seen. Arguably the most successful f2p MMORPG worldwide is Nexon’s MapleStory which has reached a large audience in multiple markets, something few other games have managed. With millions of players in its native Korea, North America, China and Japan, Nexon has found the magic formula. Simple games with bright, vibrant graphics that appeal to a broad audience perform the best worldwide. Will other developers and publishers be able to emulate Nexon’s success with games like MapleStory or Kart Rider? Only time will tell.
By, Erhan Altay


text: Contactless payments using the Bancontact app in a nutshell? Simply pay by holding your Android smartphone close to a payment terminal. “The smartphone is steadily becoming a genuine extension of our wallets”, says Bancontact CEO Kim Van Esbroeck. With more than one million payments with the Bancontact app per month, mobile payments are becoming more common every day. Which makes sense, because the Bancontact app is easy to use, despite meeting the strictest security standards, and this is true just as well for this new milestone in the way we pay.


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If you’ve ever bought eCommerce goods online, you probably had a hard time finding an online store.
Xiaomi’s platform, which offers more than a million eCommerce listings and a broad range of products and services, has been a big hit with Chinese consumers.
The company has even become popular with Western consumers, with the US$1.1 billion deal with Xiaomi worth over $100 million.
Now Xiaomi is expanding its eCommerce offering, which is now available to Western customers.
As of this week, Xiaomi has introduced the eCommerce shop with eCommerce marketplace Ebay, which allows customers to buy, sell and even resell goods online.
EBay is a platform where sellers can advertise their products and have a direct relationship with customers.
According to the website, Ebay is designed to make it easier for customers to find, purchase and sell goods on Ebay.
A quick look at the Ebay site shows that the site offers eCommerce sales as well as shopping services, including shopping carts, eCommerce store, ecommerce marketplace, e-commerce shopping and more.
This is a very powerful addition to Xiaomi’s eCommerce platform, but what is even more important is that it opens the door for other Western retailers to become eCommerce sellers.
Chinese eCommerce is growing rapidly and has become a major market in the US.
With Ebay opening the doors to more Western retailers, China could become an even more appealing market for eCommerce businesses.
For now, it is not clear how many Chinese retailers will join the Ebays new eCommerce offerings.


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Shopworkers and office staff in Nuneaton town centre are being asked to consider carsharing now that work has got underway on the town's massive Rope Walk development.
Scores of parking spaces will be lost on two car parks in Chapel Street, where contractors moved in yesterday to launch the first phase of a multi-million pound project which will change the retail face of Nuneaton when it is due to open in 2005.
A multi-storey car park, boasting 525 spaces, is being built on existing car parks in Chapel Street, behind the Yorkshire Bank and Jailhouse bistro. It should be completed by the autumn.
While construction work is going on, the borough council fears there might be a shortage of central parking spaces - especially for shoppers.
The authority is carrying out a survey among town centre retailers, hoping to set up a car-sharing database.
Shopkeepers and office bosses in the town centre have been sent a travel survey questionnaire by the council to distribute among their employees.
In a letter to retail chiefs, Lee Paddock, the borough council's town centres' manager, said: "The borough council has developed a strategy to minimise the disruption of this and other developments, but require you and your staff to help support this by looking to reduce the impact of staff car parking on customers.
"There are several ways you can achieve this, including long-stay car parks further afield, and to look at car-sharing and public transport usage."
Town centre workers are being encouraged to fill in the questionnaire, and Mr Paddock said: "The more space work-ers occupy, the less space is available for customers. The aim of this survey is to look at establishing a car-share database, provide information to public transport operators on more appropriate services."


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Hana Financial Investment predicted on the 15th that the profitability of Donghwa Corporation will rise significantly to more than 10% of its operating profit ratio from the third quarter. The target price has been raised from 81,000 won to 106,000 won. Investment opinion 'buy' was maintained.
"Unlike major secondary battery material companies defending their profitability by reflecting rising raw material prices in their selling prices, the electrolyte market has not been able to reflect the cost increase as a selling price for a long time," Hana Financial Investment said. "However, this trend will change significantly from the third quarter.". Consolidated sales in the third quarter rose 17% year-on-year to KRW 223.2 billion and operating profit rose 61% to KRW 30.2 billion.
However, it is expected that the construction materials sector will be sluggish due to worsening Vietnamese corporate performance due to restrictions on moving to Vietnam, and that a reduction in sales and operating profit will be inevitable compared to the previous quarter.
The annual performance in 2021 is expected to be 955.7 billion won in sales and 128.7 billion won in operating profit. It is expected to increase 28% and 93% year-on-year, respectively. The proportion of secondary battery material sales is expected to rise from 7% in 2020 to 9% in 2021, 19% in 2022 and 30% in 2023.
Reporter Lee Dong-hoon firstname.lastname@example.org


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This week Marvel is realy coming through with some new TPB releases. Firstly we have Superior Spider-man (TPB) Vol 01 My Own Worst Enemy Now – $17.99 which is probably going to be a very popular book for years to come since it contains one of the most controversial story lines ever thought up.
They also have the one where Deadpool kills zombie ex presidents Deadpool (TPB) Vol 01 Dead Presidents Now
The to top it off Marvel are releasing the TPB where the Punisher takes out the Avengers Punisher (TPB) Enter War Zone . Marvel shut up and take my money!
Posted by Adi Mursec on May 22, 2013
Comics, Graphic novels and Merchandise shipping Wednesday 26th of August 2015
Comics, Graphic novels and Merchandise shipping Wednesday 19th of August 2015
Comics, Graphic novels and Merchandise shipping Wednesday 12th of August 2015


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There has been speculation about the financial health of high performance computing specialist Verari Systems ever since the company failed to show at the SC09 conference, where it had purchased a booth. Most employees have been let go, and reports Friday on Twitter and Inside HPC indicated Verari had shut down.
On Monday the company issued a statement, saying it is reorganizing. "Verari has initiated a process that will protect our customers investment and benefit our creditors as we restructure the business," the company said on its web site. "The intention is to safeguard customers investment and provide an ongoing support capability. There are several options that are being considered to provide solutions to our customers. We expect to have the new plan in place soon."
Earlier Monday, Verari CEO David Wright told InsideHPC that the company is in a "controlled reorganization" and won't file for Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Wright says Verari is still open for business and working on a support plan for existing customers.
One rumor, seen in the comments at several sites, is that an investor may try to acquire the assets of Verari's data center container business to form the nucleus of a new company.
For now, the current state of Verari leaves serious questions about the future of the first two commercial data center container offerings. Verari announced its container program shortly after Sun Microsystems unveiled its Blackbox container, since renamed the Sun MD. Back in April Sun agreed to be acquired by Oracle for $7 billion, but the deal has been delayed by antitrust concerns from European regulators.
Microsoft also uses a Verari container to power its Virtual Earth service. Despite its early adoption of Verari's container, Microsoft later chose to use containers from Rackable and Dell in its huge container farm data center in Chicago, which may ultimately hold up to 150 containers packed with high-density servers.
Other large companies on Verari's customer list include Virgin America, Morgan Stanley, Wachovia, Akamai, EMC, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Sony Imageworks.
Here's a video from Data Center World 2008 in which Verari's Michael Slagel gives a brief demo of Veraris XM Blade Rack and describes the Forest container solution.


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DecoPac, a leading direct-to-store distributor and technology and supply chain solutions provider for bakeries and professional cake decorators, exemplifies the power of existing business and referrals. After all, it often shares its experience reducing “time, touch and travel” in its packaging and shipping process—with on-demand packaging systems and workflows—with those considering a partnership with a custom packaging solutions provider.
Following its success with on-demand packaging systems, DecoPac suggested that the solutions provider meet its Culpitt subsidiary in England. As the leading United Kingdom multi-channel distributor of non-licensed supplies in Europe and a manufacturer of a few DecoPac products, Culpitt maintains a thriving e-commerce fulfillment business. Just like DecoPac, Culpitt needed a flexible, eco-friendly packaging solution to reduce shipping charges, corrugated usage and void fill.
With this in mind, the custom packaging solutions provider offered a solution to Culpitt: an end-to-end, data-driven system using a packaging machine, along with software from the solutions provider. The system enables smart packaging decisions, based on key business criteria, the individual product mix and channel optimization.
As a result, Culpitt uses a box-first system to pick and pack into right-sized boxes, which are produced on the packaging machine. Software data also provides business intelligence, so informed decisions on couriers, corrugated usage and shipping costs are made.
“We joined forces with [the packaging solutions provider] at an extremely complex time when our business was transitioning to e-commerce,” says Gary Quinn, logistics and customer technology director at Culpitt. “The benefits went well beyond a packaging solution, delivering better data insights, [as well as] multiple courier integration and courier selection criteria, based on pack weight and dimension.”
Since the implementation, Culpitt has noticed a 28% reduction in courier charges, along with corrugated and packaging savings of 12%. The company can now integrate with more platforms (currently 12), along with multiple courier systems.
“The positive joint team engagement between Culpitt and [the packaging solutions provider] ensured that the optimal process was integrated at our Ashington site, making the project rewarding for both our companies and, importantly, for Culpitt’s customers, too,” adds Kevin Beattie, United Kingdom area director.


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Last October, Bodegas de Argentina took part in the Masticar food and wine fair organised by A.C.E.L.G.A.* to promote responsible consumption of wine. The fair which had programmed various activities, also gave visitors the opportunity to discover different types of wines alongside the WIM message. A special video was also developed together with the CAVE Wine Academy for the occasion, to educate people on how to best taste wines.
Besides the Market where visitors had the opportunity to buy typical products, Masticar also rimed with cooking classes and talks. The cooking classes were conducted by the most recognized chefs of Argentina who presented their different styles of cuisine (from French, to Japanese, passing by Asian, Argentinean, etc.) and all participating wineries associated themselves to one of the master classes making the classes all the more original. WIM was present during the master classes and leaflets were distributed to all participants.
The Masticar food and wine fair which welcomed over 100 000 visitors this year was launched in 2012 and is now at its third edition. This project came from the common interest of A.C.E.L.G.A.’s members to raise awareness about the importance of good nutrition and highlight Argentinean cuisine and culture.
* A.C.E.L.G.A. is the association of chefs and entrepreneurs linked to gastronomy.


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Air bag, brake defects trigger Fiat Chrysler recalls of 1.3M vehicles
Fiat Chrysler has issued a pair of recalls affecting more than 1.3 million vehicles worldwide: one to fix defective air bags and another to repair anti-lock brakes.
In the air bag recall, the company is said certain crossover vehicles are prone to "inadvertent deployment of the driver-side front air bag." The company identified five potentially related minor accidents, but no injuries.
The recall affects 770,853 vehicles around the world, including certain 2011-2015 Dodge Journeys sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and certain 2011-2015 Fiat Freemont crossovers sold outside North America.
With the anti-lock brake issue, the company is recalling 565,647 vehicles so the alternators can be replaced. The defect can compromise the vehicles' anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control, although basic brake function is not affected, the company said. The company said it had identified two accidents potentially linked to the defect, but no injuries.
The recall affects certain 2011-2014 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans, Dodge Challenger coupes, Dodge Durango SUVs and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs equipped with electro-hydraulic power steering.
Dealers will repair vehicles for free. Owners will be notified directly when they can get repairs done.
The air bag recall results from wiring that may "chafe against pieces of steering-wheel trim, potentially causing a short-circuit," the company said. "This may lead to a second short-circuit that is potentially capable of generating inadvertent deployment of the driver-side front air bag."
Before that happens though, drivers might experience an illuminated air-bag warning light, unintended wiper operation, inoperable switches or some combination, and are urged to contact their dealers.
With the alternator problem, drivers in the affected vehicles who see an instrument-cluster warning light, see smoke or smell a burning odor are urged to contact their dealers.


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Freshway Foods makes around 300,000 sandwiches a week for major supermarkets including Asda. It also supplies schools, High Street bakers and motorway service stations, as well as producing bulk fillings for sandwich bars and restaurants.
Administrators BDO Stoy Hayward have been appointed at the Wolverhampton-based firm, which employs more than 300 people.
Asda, which described Freshway as a major supplier, said it did not expect sandwich shortages as it had planned for the possibility of the company's demise.
It is believed a pre-pack administration may have been prepared, but no one from Freshway or BDO Stoy Hayward was available to comment.
The UK's £5.25 billion sandwich industry, which employs more than 300,000 people, has been squeezed by supermarkets demanding ever-lower prices.
At the same time, costs have risen due to the weak pound, with imported fillings becoming more expensive.Reuse content


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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a complaint against real estate crowdfunding platform iFunding, along with co-founders William Skelley and Sohin Shaw. The complaint alleges that Skelley and Shaw pursued a “fraudulent scheme to misappropriate investor funds.” CI Senior Contributor and securities attorney… Read More The post SEC Lawsuit Against Real Estate Crowdfunding … Read more
Over the past year, SBI Ripple Asia has brought in 61 Japanese banks to its consortium representing 80 percent of Japan’s total assets. In the upcoming months, the consortium could begin to utilize the Ripple network to process cross-border payments. On September 26, SBI Ripple Asia successfully registered with the Kantou Bureau of Japan’s Ministry … Read more
US-based mobile payments provider Stripe has raised $245 million in funding, taking its valuation to $20 billion. The latest investment was led by Tiger Global and includes DST Global and Sequoia. Stripe has got the backing of some big names, such as American Express, Visa, PayPal’s co-founder Peter Thiel and Tesla founder Elon Musk. Lined … Read more
The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to inform investors about features and potential risks of non-traditional index funds.
During the week I share the latest marketplace lending and fintech news on Twitter as it happens. Then every Saturday I take the most interesting news items and blog posts from the past week and share them here. The founder of LendingClub, ousted two years ago, pledges not to make the same mistakes with his … Read more
More than 80 representatives from a variety of cryptocurrency projects and companies spent four hours calling for clarity around ICOs and tokens.
Circle is introducing a stablecoin dubbed the “USD Coin,” with a consortium called Centre serving as the platform. Circle Internet Financial Ltd. is launching a USD-backed digital token dubbed the “USD Coin,” Circle’s blog reports Wednesday, September 26. A consortium called Centre — which includes Bitmain Technologies Ltd. among its members — will act as … Read more
In recent cryptocurrency surveys, a poll of 100,000 Chinese citizens has found that 3% have invested in cryptocurrencies, and a survey conducted by Circle has found that a quarter of millennials would like to invest in crypto assets in the next 12 months. In addition, a survey by UK-based Rathbone Investment Management has found that … Read more
ICE’s Bakkt platform will begin its operations with physical Bitcoin futures, the company has said on social media. Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) confirmed its Bakkt cryptocurrency platform’s first offering will take the form of physical Bitcoin futures. ICE, which also operates the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) released new details Tuesday, September 25. Bakkt, which ICE … Read more
In an official announcement Tuesday, Google said that it will allow registered crypto exchanges to advertise in the U.S. and Japan. The U.S. tech giant Google is set to update its ad policy in October, reallowing some crypto businesses to advertise on its platform. The company announced this in an official post Tuesday, September 25. … Read more


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Specialty meats produced in Britain such as guinea fowl and quail are hard to find. With so few UK breeders operating herds, traders and retailers have to rely primarily on French imports.
But with consumers appearing to be more environmentally conscious, there could be an untapped niche for UK farmers in a sector providing slower growing birds with low feed miles – if there was proper support from supermarkets and government.
We ask farmers and retailers for their views on guinea fowl opportunities and find out why, for a quail producer, market volatility means the business is no longer viable.
See also: Commercial-scale guinea fowl find their niche
The producer’s point of view
Producing free-range Suffolk guinea fowl is something of a side business for Chris Mobbs, helping to support sales for his larger free-range Christmas turkey business. But keeping guinea fowl is quite rare in the UK.
“For three generations the Mobbs family have been raising Christmas turkeys in the traditional way,” says Mr Mobbs, trading as PA Mobbs & Sons, based near Cratfield.
“We started with guinea fowl about 10 years ago. We were looking for another product, as well as turkeys. We don’t produce them on a large scale, but they are good for our business promotionally.
“We go to the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, where the guinea fowls are the eye-catcher and once people are on the stand we sell turkeys out the back.
“We’re just too far off the beaten track to sell to London restaurants – if you factor in transport costs, it’s very difficult to charge for it.”
Mr. Mobbs sells to local butchers and farm shops as well as providing a delivery service to customers. He raises 4,000 turkeys and 400 guinea fowl a year, mainly for the Christmas trade, although birds can also be ordered at other times of the year.
Customers appreciate the fact that the birds are raised outdoors, he says.
“Freedom means our birds have grassy enclosures to run around in, with enough space to really spread their wings. At night, they sleep in a warm, dry shed to protect them from foxes.
The birds are also fed locally grown grains and legumes, he says.
“Most poultry farmers buy their feed from a large commercial mill, but we still believe that the grains we grow on the farm are the best for our birds. We grow wheat, barley, oats, beans and peas and grind them ourselves.
At tasting events, people love the flavor of guinea fowl and often say it tastes “like the chicken of old,” Moyles says.
“We encourage customers to try it roasted or in their favorite pan, and have posted some of our favorite recipes on our internet recipe page, pamobbs.co.uk.”
The guinea fowl can be roasted in the same way as a chicken, a 2 kg poultry taking about 1h20 at 180°C.
“Our guinea fowl are very different from the intensively farmed French poultry often sold in supermarkets,” explains Mr Mobbs.
“Our English guinea fowl are raised slowly to reach maturity. They are larger than imported birds, so one Suffolk guinea fowl will feed four people.
A medium-sized bird (1.5-1.8kg) costs £18 and a large one (1.9-2.4kg) costs £20 – plus postage and packaging for online orders.
Retailer’s point of view
One company selling guinea fowl through its website is The Wild Meat Company, co-founded by Robert Gooch.
“We’ve been selling it since we started The Wild Meat Company 22 years ago.
“We process game and specialty poultry, but we have not found any UK-based commercial operators capable of producing large quantities of guinea fowl,” says Mr Gooch.
There isn’t a huge demand for guinea fowl, which could explain the lack of interest in commercial production, he says.
“They have a slightly higher value than chicken. With the cost of living crisis, some customers are downsizing to cheaper cuts and we may not see an increase in demand until the crisis subsides.
Consumers tend to buy guinea fowl based on the perception that it is raised less intensively than chicken.
“We market free-range and chicken coop guinea fowl imported from France. Customers have a choice and, as with chicken, free-range chicken is more expensive.
“We import about one pallet per month and sell it in different cuts – fillets, supremes and whole birds. If it’s bred less intensively, customers are willing to pay a bit more,” adds Gooch.
“As far as I know, British guinea fowl is not available on a commercial scale. When we tried to store it, we couldn’t find anyone who produced it.
“If you exploit it and don’t have a buyer, you could lose a lot of money, so you need an outlet before you sell it. It must also be killed in a slaughterhouse certified for guinea fowl.
The Wild Meat Company sells free-range guinea fowl for £13.95 per bird and barn-raised for £9.95.
The meat is more widely consumed in France, says Mr Gooch. “France has a big food culture, unlike the UK where McDonald’s, fish and chips and Kentucky Fried Chicken are popular.”
View of the farm store
Kimbers Farm Shop, near Wincanton, Somerset, imports guinea fowl from France via its game dealer. But the owners would like to source poultry produced in Britain, if they could find any, says his partner Naomi Kimber.
“We are always looking to buy locally for sustainability reasons and have tried Google searches, but we cannot source UK guinea fowl.”
She thinks French consumers are more connected to agriculture than those in the UK.
“The path [the French] the inheritance system works means more townspeople have a greater connection to the countryside and knowledge about the different types of meat.
The farm shop sells around 20 or 30 guinea fowl a month across the UK, says Ms Kimber. “We tend to sell the most during game season. We also sell a lot at Christmas.
Business in the farm shop in general has increased by 50% since Covid, which boosted guinea fowl sales, she adds. “More people are looking at guinea fowl on the website and trying it.”
The former producer’s point of view
After 10 years of hard work trying to put British quail on the map, Norfolk Quail stopped producing quail meat last October due to market volatility caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was an extremely difficult decision to make, but in hindsight, thank God, we stopped.
“With the sharp increase in production costs, including the increase in overhead, the price should be so high that customers would not have paid for it,” says director Ellie Savory.
The unreliability of couriers played a big role in the decision to cease production, says Ms. Savory.
“There is no compensation on perishable products in any courier, so when they did not deliver on time and the product was spoiled, it was us, the supplier, who had to replace it .
“Service was tricky before Covid, but as driver shortages became such an issue, we were left without a reliable delivery mechanism.
“And with one product, it wasn’t viable to create our own national network.”
The pandemic-fueled failure of restaurants supplied by Norfolk Quail and others wanting payment terms of 60 to 90 days contributed to the decision to cease production, Ms Savory says.
“We have paused and believe that unless we find a suitable distributor to undertake all marketing and distribution, we are unlikely to resume production.”
Britain’s farming industry is very different from that in Europe, where farmers are more supported by governments and people who value local produce, she adds.
“Our supermarkets insist on high profit margins, continually reducing the prices they pay to suppliers and producers, which makes it unviable for farmers.
“In the egg and pork industries, many farmers are going bankrupt or operating with huge losses.
“Perhaps if supermarkets cut their profit margins by as little as 5%, producers could be paid a fair bit more to stay in business.
“There is a food crisis looming and it seems to us as farmers that little is being done by the government to intervene and prevent it from happening.
“Food safety in the UK should be a priority, but unfortunately it seems the profits of supermarkets and their stakeholders are all that matters,” says Ms Savory.


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Previously we reported that the rare debut EP by Autechre – long regarded by fans as the holy grail of electronica – would receive a limited CD release for its 20th anniversary. The CD emerged this month, replete with bonus material. Now we’ve learned that the EP is going to be issued on vinyl too.
Earlier today, Skam Records tweeted the following:
“Due to the amount of death threats, begging letters, and ransom notes… Legofeet – Ska001CD will be released on Vinyl in around 8 weeks.”
Produced by Rob Brown and Sean Booth under the name Lego Feet, which is also the record’s title, it was Skam Records‘ first release, issued on 12″ vinyl in 1991. Original copies are incredibly difficult to come by – there’s currently one on sale on Discogs for £300. Sonically it’s a close cousin to Autechre’s debut album, Incunabula, but with a crunchier sound, and one more obviously indebted to acid house.
Original Lego Feet tracklist:
A2. Leaves On The Line
B5. Northwest Water


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Bibox, the AI-enhanced encrypted digital asset exchange has announced plans to cater to European customers with the upcoming launch of Bibox Europe. Equipped with the necessary license in Europe, the company will be opening doors to the public as a fully regulated Blockchain Financial Service Institution.
The company’s plan to launch a fully compliant fiat exchange has been well received by traditional institutions. It is reported that one of the largest global banks has invested in this round of fundraising of Bibox EU. According to Bibox, the platform’s European arm will provide its users with easy access to digital assets by supporting fiat to cryptocurrency brokerage service, encouraging users to build up their crypto portfolio with fiat in a convenient and effective manner. The equity investment from a reputable banking institution, combined with collaboration with multiple Swiss banks have enabled the platform to act as a bridge between traditional financial services and the new-age blockchain and crypto-based financial instruments.
To begin with, Bibox Europe will be supporting fiat on-ramp with four fiat pairs, US Dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling, and Swiss Franc. The Estonia based parent company, Bibox Exchange has forged partnerships with various parties across banking, investment, insurance, and regulatory authorities to provide a seamless experience as a one-stop solution for cryptocurrency investors.
What’s in store for the Customers of Bibox Europe?
Bibox Europe users will be able to purchase crypto assets using fiat without any hassles that are usually associated with such transactions. This is made possible by the support from major European banks following the equity investment into the project by an internationally renowned banking institution.
In addition, Bibox Europe has partnered with a regulated custodian to store, process and protect users’ assets in cold wallets. Further, the company has signed a warranty service with an insurance company to mitigate any potential loss of customer assets in the unlikely event of a security breach. Any loss of customer assets stored on Bibox Europe result from such circumstances will be reimbursed by the insurance provider.
To further reduce the barrier between fiat and cryptocurrencies, Bibox Europe will be issuing a Bibox credit card in collaboration with major credit card service providers. The Bibox credit card can be used across partnered PoS and online payment gateways, not only for the purchase of crypto assets but also for the purchase of real-life goods and services. In addition, it is understood that Bibox is planning to create more applications for its native platform token BIX with credit card services.
When it comes to bulk trading, Bibox Europe has partnered with leading OTC Trading desks in Asia, Europe and America, including FBG Capital to support rapid order execution and transaction processing internationally, covering more than 20 cryptocurrencies.
Bibox is a quality digital asset exchange powered by artificial intelligence. It is committed to providing users with only high-quality assets to trade with. With the innovative incorporation of AI, the exchange is able to provide greater transaction security, system stability, and better user experience. Bibox has established operating centers across continents and it is still expanding to better serve its users. Bibox is working towards building a secure, transparent, compliant and innovative digital asset platform.
Learn more about Bibox at – https://www.bibox.com/


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Jay St Mark, antique appraiser for 40 years, will be coming to Bethel to appraise residents’ treasures, heirlooms and collectibles. “We thought it would be a nice addition to our program to have him come in,” Pat Rist, President Bethel Historical Society, said.
This is the fourth time the event has been held in Bethel. Rist said that in previous years, as many as 40 or 50 people have shown up with items to be appraised. Rist said, “He is very discreet when talking to people. He sits at the far end of room and what he says is strictly between him and the other person.”
St. Mark, who has held similar events at other historic societies in the area, said that the most exciting piece anyone has ever brought in was an Eric Sloane painting. “It was quite valuable,” he said.
Other artifacts of worth were old letters signed by Orville and Wilbur Wright. St. Mark said that the items people bring in run the gamut, but people are often disappointed by the worth of things they have cherished for years. He said the most commonly over estimated objects are often books. “People usually overestimate the value just because the books are old,” he said.
“People have brought furniture and he will go outside to look at it. China, glassware, clocks from Europe, antique toys and trains, paintings,” Rist listed the most common items people bring in, but said, “The only thing he will not appraise is weapons.”
“People often bring in things they have inherited and sometimes they are surprised and sometimes they are disappointed,” St Mark said, adding that it is always best to have items appraised in person rather than to try to do it on the internet.
“The internet is a tool, but it is not the tool,” he said. “You can acquire some knowledge but you can’t become an expert.”
St. Mark cautions that real value is determined by the selling price, rather than the asking price. Like everything else, St. Mark said that prices have come down considerably, notably because young people are furnishing their homes from Ikea and other modern stores.
“People in their 30s and 40s now have a mountain bike in the garage, a Mercedes in the driveway, and no furniture in the house,” he said. “Echos of our culture are now affordable and available.”
St. Mark said that the one exception is paintings, which have held their value fairly well. “Everyone has walls,” he said.
The event will take place on Sunday April 15, at the Stony Hill Fire House from noon to 2:30 pm. Rist said they chose the firehouse location for it’s flat, open parking lot, so people can bring in large items. The cost is $10 for the first item, $5 for the next two, with the limit being three. If a person brings more than three items, they can go back to the end of the line and come through again.