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Retailer JD Sports Fashion has agreed a deal to buy loss-making Irish store chain Champion for a nominal sum.
Bury-based JD also said it had agreed to advance 17.1m euros (£14.74m) as a secured loan to allow Champion's outstanding debts to be settled.
Champion, which has its headquarters near Dublin was founded in 1992 and operates 22 sports clothing and footwear stores in Irish town centre and shopping centres.
Before the deal, JD had only eight stores in the Republic of Ireland.
In a stock market statement, JD said Champion turned over 54m euros (£46.56m) in 2009 and posted pre-tax losses of 4.9m euros (£4.22m).
Its performance in recent years has been affected by the decline in the Irish economy and an inflexible fixed property cost base, which JD said it would continue to address.
JD added: “The board expects that the Champion acquisition will be earnings enhancing in future years after investment in the store portfolio and the realisation of operational synergies.”
The retailer said it intends to maintain and expand the Champion and its own fascias. It added that Champion's experienced management team, led by chief executive John Quinn, would all be retained and that their knowledge would boost the operations of the JD stores in Ireland.
Peter Cowgill, chairman of JD, said: “We are very pleased to announced that we have exchanged contracts for the acquisition of Champion, which will give us an enhanced presence in the Republic of Ireland.
“By drawing on the current management team's expertise and local knowledge, we are confident that this acquisition will bring financial benefits in the future.”
The acquisition follows JD's takeover of French shoe retailer Chausport and the Canterbury rugby brand in 2009, and brands including Sonneti, Chilli Pepper and Nanny State last year.


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IN AN effort to promote the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Mindanao and all their benefits to the regional economy, the Mindanao Microfinance Council (MMC) is putting together the 1st Galing Mindanao MSME Trade Caravan on November 19 to 21 at Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro City.
Adopting a slogan of “Taking Mindanao Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to the next level,” the event seeks to provide opportunities for poor micro-entrepreneurs to take their livelihood projects out into the arena and to promote their quality products and services to a broader market.
An exchange of ideas and practices is also expected to foster good entrepreneurship among fellows in the industry.
The event further seeks to bring opportunities for bigger SMEs to establish wider networks with other enterprises and foster collaboration, as well as create partnerships with MSME support service providers.
On top of that, the daily program of activities at the three-day event will educate the general public on the concept of entrepreneurship and microfinance.
“The challenge now is not just to create more micro and small enterprises but also to transform them into growth-oriented enterprises to positively contribute to the country’s over-all economic growth,” says Jerome Ordonez, MMC Executive Director.
In the Philippines, MSMEs take up about 99.6 percent of the nation’s total enterprises, which also contribute to about 32 percent of the country’s growth domestic product.
According to the World Bank, MSMEs are the largest employment source in most countries, including the Philippines.
For more information about the activity, please call The Secretariat, Professional Organizers Unlimited at 857-6223.

domain: news


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Frontier Airlines is already the largest low-cost carrier at Miami International Airport, and will soon be getting much bigger.
The company will announce a major expansion in Miami tomorrow morning. Frontier CEO Barry Biffle will be at the airport for the announcement.
As part of the announcement, Frontier will also detail plans for job creation at MIA.
Frontier is still tiny at MIA compared to American Airlines, which dominates the airport. After an expansion last month, Frontier now operates around 8 departures per day at MIA, compared to over 350 by American.
Private equity firm Indigo Partners owns the company.


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Teleoperating a physical robot could become an important job in future, according to Sanctuary AI, based in Vancouver, Canada. The company also believes that this might provide a way to train robots how to perform tasks that are currently well out of their (mechanical) reach, and imbue machines with a physical sense of the world some argue is needed to unlock human-level artificial intelligence.
Industrial robots are powerful, precise, and mostly stubbornly stupid. They cannot apply the kind of precision and responsiveness needed to perform delicate manipulation tasks. That’s partly why the use of robots in factories is still relatively limited, and still requires an army of human workers to assemble all the fiddly bits into the guts of iPhones.
But when such work is nothing for humans, why not forgo the complexity of trying to design an algorithm to do the job?
Here’s one of Sanctuary’s robots—the top half of a humanoid—doing a range of sophisticated manipulation tasks. Offscreen, a human wearing a VR headset and sensor-laden gloves is operating the robot remotely.
Sanctuary recently ran what it calls the first “real world” test of one of its robots, by having a humanoid like this one work in a store not far from the startup’s headquarters. The company believes that making it possible to do physical work remotely could help address the labor shortages that many companies are seeing today.
Some robots already get some remote assistance from humans when they get stuck, as I’ve written about. The limits of AI mean that robots working in restaurants, offices, and on the street as delivery mules are flummoxed by unusual situations. The difficulty of pulling off fully autonomous driving, for example, means that some firms are working to put remotely piloted trucks on the roads.
Sanctuary’s founders, Geordie Rose and Suzanne Gilbert, ran Kindred, another company doing robotic teleoperation that was acquired in 2020 by Ocado, a UK supermarket firm that uses automation extensively. In this video the pair talk about the company’s history and plans for the future.
The aim is ultimately to use data from humans teleoperating the robots to teach algorithms to do more tasks autonomously. Gilbert, Sanctuary’s CTO, believes that achieving humanlike intelligence in machines will require them to interact with and learn from the physical world. (Sorry, ChatGPT.)
OpenAI, the company behind ChatgGPT, is also taking an interest in teleoperated humanoids. It is leading a $23.5 million investment in 1X, a startup developing a human-like robot. “The OpenAI Startup Fund believes in the approach and impact that 1X can have on the future of work,” Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s COO and manager of the OpenAI Startup Fund says.
For humans to help robots with teleoperation, AI might also need to be developed to ease the collaboration between person and machine. Chelsea Finn, an assistant professor at UC Berkeley, recently shared details of a fascinating research project that involves using machine learning to allow cheap teleoperated robot arms to work smoothly and accurately. The technology may make it easier for humans to operate robots remotely for more situations.
I don’t think I’d much enjoy teleoperating a robot all day—especially if I knew that robot would someday turn around and kick me out the door. But it might make working from home a possibility for more people, and also make certain types of job more widely accessible. Alternatively, we may have just gotten a glimpse of a potentially dystopian future of the workplace.
This is an edition of WIRED’s Fast Forward newsletter, a weekly dispatch from the future by Will Knight, exploring AI advances and other technology set to change our lives.
Roblox is testing a tool that could accelerate the process of building and altering in-game objects by getting artificial intelligence to write the code. The tool lets anyone playing Roblox create items such as buildings, terrain, and avatars, change the appearance and behavior of those things, and give them new interactive properties by typing what they want to achieve in natural language rather than complex code.
“Say I need a gleaming metal sword for an experience I’m creating,” says Daniel Sturman, CTO at Roblox. “It should be really easy to create that.”
Sturman showed WIRED the new Roblox tool generating the code needed to create objects and modify their appearance and behavior. In the demo, typing “red pain, reflective metal finish,” or “purple foil, crushed pattern, reflective,” into a chat window changed the appearance of a sports car in the game. It was also possible to add new game behavior by entering “Blink the headlines every time the user presses “B”, and “Make it float.”
Technology dubbed generative AI has captured attention and investment over the past year by showing algorithms can produce seemingly coherent text and aesthetically pleasing images when given a short text prompt. The technology relies on AI models trained with lots of data, in the form of text or images scraped from the web, and is also at work in the viral chatbot ChatGPT. Some AI researchers are experimenting with generative techniques for generating video and 3D content but this is mostly at an early stage.
Producing computer code was one of the first practical applications for generative AI, and Microsoft and Amazon already sell tools that can autowrite useful blocks of software. But Roblox’s announcement shows how companies can adapt code-writing capabilities to create their own generative AI products aimed at people who may not be experienced coders.
Sturman says the approach holds promise for Roblox because so many of the games on its platform are made by individuals or small teams. “We have everything on our platform from studios, down to 12 year olds who have had an incredible idea come out of a summer camp,” Sturman says.
Roblox says the code-making AI it uses relies on a combination of in-house technology and capabilities from outside, although it is not disclosing where from. Currently the company is only training its AI using game content that is in the public domain. Sturman says Roblox will tread carefully to ensure that users do not object to having their creations fed into generative AI algorithms.
Microsoft was the first to harness the latest generation of AI for coding, through a deal with OpenAI, which has adapted a general purpose language technology called GPT to power a code generator called Codex. Microsoft enhanced the Codex’s coding abilities by feeding it more data from GitHub, a popular repository for software development, and it has made it available through its Visual Studio programming application.
Visual Studio and other AI-enabled programming environments typically write code in response to a developer’s comment or when the user starts typing. The startup Replit, which makes a popular online programming tool, recently launched a chatbot-like interface that will not only write code but answer programming questions.
What a difference seven days makes in the world of generative AI.
Last week Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, was gleefully telling the world that the new AI-infused Bing search engine would “make Google dance” by challenging its long-standing dominance in web search.
The new Bing uses a little thing called ChatGPT—you may have heard of it—which represents a significant leap in computers’ ability to handle language. Thanks to advances in machine learning, it essentially figured out for itself how to answer all kinds of questions by gobbling up trillions of lines of text, much of it scraped from the web.
Google did, in fact, dance to Satya’s tune by announcing Bard, its answer to ChatGPT, and promising to use the technology in its own search results. Baidu, China’s biggest search engine, said it was working on similar technology.
But Nadella might want to watch where his company’s fancy footwork is taking it.
In demos Microsoft gave last week, Bing seemed capable of using ChatGPT to offer complex and comprehensive answers to queries. It came up with an itinerary for a trip to Mexico City, generated financial summaries, offered product recommendations that collated information from numerous reviews, and offered advice on whether an item of furniture would fit into a minivan by comparing dimensions posted online.
WIRED had some time during the launch to put Bing to the test, and while it seemed skilled at answering many types of questions, it was decidedly glitchy and even unsure of its own name. And as one keen-eyed pundit noticed, some of the results that Microsoft showed off were less impressive than they first seemed. Bing appeared to make up some information on the travel itinerary it generated, and it left out some details that no person would be likely to omit. The search engine also mixed up Gap’s financial results by mistaking gross margin for unadjusted gross margin—a serious error for anyone relying on the bot to perform what might seem the simple task of summarizing the numbers.
More problems have surfaced this week, as the new Bing has been made available to more beta testers. They appear to include arguing with a user about what year it is and experiencing an existential crisis when pushed to prove its own sentience. Google’s market cap dropped by a staggering $100 billion after someone noticed errors in answers generated by Bard in the company’s demo video.
Why are these tech titans making such blunders? It has to do with the weird way that ChatGPT and similar AI models really work—and the extraordinary hype of the current moment.
What’s confusing and misleading about ChatGPT and similar models is that they answer questions by making highly educated guesses. ChatGPT generates what it thinks should follow your question based on statistical representations of characters, words, and paragraphs. The startup behind the chatbot, OpenAI, honed that core mechanism to provide more satisfying answers by having humans provide positive feedback whenever the model generates answers that seem correct.
ChatGPT can be impressive and entertaining, because that process can produce the illusion of understanding, which can work well for some use cases. But the same process will “hallucinate” untrue information, an issue that may be one of the most important challenges in tech right now.
The intense hype and expectation swirling around ChatGPT and similar bots enhances the danger. When well-funded startups, some of the world’s most valuable companies, and the most famous leaders in tech all say chatbots are the next big thing in search, many people will take it as gospel—spurring those who started the chatter to double down with more predictions of AI omniscience. Not only chatbots can get led astray by pattern matching without fact checking.
Starling believes Findaway has misused the material that authors and narrators entrusted it with. “This is immoral and illegal,” Starling told WIRED, “Rights holders have the copyrights for the audiobook production only, but no claim on the narrator’s voice.” She’s pausing the release of three upcoming titles she planned to distribute via Findaway.
Interest in automating the art of book narration has grown in recent years for business and technology reasons. Audiobook revenue has continued to grow even as book and ebook revenue has dipped, and synthetic voice technology has improved dramatically. A range of tools have cropped up that allow anyone to clone voices for synthetic narration with a click, but to advance them, companies still need hoards of data.
Across industries like entertainment and gaming, contracts that require voice actors to allow tech companies to train their AI models for generating digital narration on their work have become increasingly common, says Tim Friedlander, president of the US-based National Association of Voice Actors. Adobe, maker of Photoshop and other image software, recently began training its own AI algorithms on visual creatives’ work unless they opted out.
“The voice is how voice actors make a living,” Friedlander added, “and this is literally taking the words out of our mouths without our consent.”
Google began offering free synthetic narration for books in 2020. When Apple announced its own set of digital audiobook narrators in January, the company said it hoped to eliminate the “cost and complexity” that producing a human-narrated audiobook can represent for small publishers and independent authors. The company’s Books app lists titles with AI narration as “narrated by digital voice based on a human narrator.”
Apple has used synthetic voice technology for years, including for the Siri virtual assistant, driving directions, and accessibility features. But some authors and narrators suspect that audio from their ebooks helped the company hone its technology to the complex task of narrating books. The length of audiobooks, the complexity of the material, and the impressive skills of talented narrators make voicing books arguably the toughest challenge for synthetic voice technology.
Applying synthetic voices to books also brings new business and cultural challenges. “Most of the companies developing these AI technologies come from the technology sector, rather than the entertainment sector,” says SAG-AFTRA’s Love. “They lack the relationships, history of protections, and reliance on approval rights voice actors have come to expect.”
Several authors told WIRED that Findaway has emerged as a reliable distributor, offering lucrative deals to list audiobooks across several platforms. But they also say that Findaway frequently prompts people to agree to updated agreements, usually with minor changes, when they log in to their accounts. The company added the machine learning clause to its distribution agreements in 2019.
Many suspect they signed off on the machine learning clause without realizing it. “It’s on me for not initially noticing the addition and what it fully meant,” says Laura VanArendonk Baugh, an author based in Indianapolis, Indiana. “But the placement was kinda sneaky, too.”
This week the world’s largest search companies leaped into a contest to harness a powerful new breed of “generative AI” algorithms.
Most notably Microsoft announced that it is rewiring Bing, which lags some way behind Google in terms of popularity, to use ChatGPT—the insanely popular and often surprisingly capable chatbot made by the AI startup OpenAI.
In case you’ve been living in outer space for the past few months, you’ll know that people are losing their minds over ChatGPT’s ability to answer questions in strikingly coherent and seemingly insightful and creative ways. Want to understand quantum computing? Need a recipe for whatever’s in the fridge? Can’t be bothered to write that high school essay? ChatGPT has your back.
The all-new Bing is similarly chatty. Demos that the company gave at its headquarters in Redmond, and a quick test drive by WIRED’s Aarian Marshall, who attended the event, show that it can effortlessly generate a vacation itinerary, summarize the key points of product reviews, and answer tricky questions, like whether an item of furniture will fit in a particular car. It’s a long way from Microsoft’s hapless and hopeless Office assistant Clippy, which some readers may recall bothering them every time they created a new document.
Not to be outdone by Bing’s AI reboot, Google said this week that it would release a competitor to ChatGPT called Bard. (The name was chosen to reflect the creative nature of the algorithm underneath, one Googler tells me.) The company, like Microsoft, showed how the underlying technology could answer some web searches and said it would start making the AI behind the chatbot available to developers. Google is apparently unsettled by the idea of being upstaged in search, which provides the majority of parent Alphabet’s revenue. And its AI researchers may be understandably a little miffed since they actually developed the machine learning algorithm at the heart of ChatGPT, known as a transformer, as well as a key technique used to make AI imagery, known as diffusion modeling.
Last but by no means least in the new AI search wars is Baidu, China’s biggest search company. It joined the fray by announcing another ChatGPT competitor, Wenxin Yiyan (文心一言), or “Ernie Bot” in English. Baidu says it will release the bot after completing internal testing this March.
These new search bots are examples of generative AI, a trend fueled by algorithms that can generate text, craft computer code, and dream up images in response to a prompt. The tech industry might be experiencing widespread layoffs, but interest in generative AI is booming, and VCs are imagining whole industries being rebuilt around this new creative streak in AI.
Generative language tools like ChatGPT will surely change what it means to search the web, shaking up an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually, by making it easier to dig up useful information and advice. A web search may become less about clicking links and exploring sites and more about leaning back and taking a chatbot’s word for it. Just as importantly, the underlying language technology could transform many other tasks too, perhaps leading to email programs that write sales pitches or spreadsheets that dig up and summarize data for you. To many users, ChatGPT also seems to signal a shift in AI’s ability to understand and communicate with us.


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There has been plenty of talk on how bad bills like SOPA and PIPA are, but no discussion about what can be done about piracy. Piracy is a real problem – but the breadth and depth of that problem has never been accurately documented by the entertainment industry, which use estimates based on lost sales as the basis for their claims.
Jo Twist, the new CEO of UK games industry trade group UKIE is the first person in the industry to say "hey, we need to have a serious debate" on the subject. In response to the reaction over SOPA and PIPA yesterday, Twist issued a statement calling for a debate on the topic. Twist says that her organization would host the debate and would include all interested parties in the coming weeks.
"We are very much involved in the debates around Intellectual Property," said Twist. "Our industry has a very close relationship with gamers who drive our industry and we have led the way in supplying compelling content across all formats and constantly reviewing our business models. We are proud to have this relationship and want to preserve and build on the loyalty of all gamers."
"To this end we are announcing that we will host an industry debate to explore ways of positively building on the power of our products and services for game makers and players alike. This will happen in the coming weeks and will extend beyond our membership to all those involved in our innovative industry."
Details on what interests would be included in this debate were not disclosed. We hope that a UK game players' advocacy group will be part of this discussion as well as technology experts, because a one-sided debate on fighting piracy can really only go in one direction – a bad one.
Image Credit: UKIE


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British Columbia-based cannabis cultivation firm Choom Holdings (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) this morning announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Island Green Cure Ltd. (“IGC”), an advanced-stage cannabis production license applicant under Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”). IGC is currently in the “Confirmation of Readiness Stage” in the application process. Subject to customary closing conditions, the acquisition is anticipated to close at the end of April. “We are excited to secure our second acquisition and increase our total production capacity with another craft growing facility to cultivate Choom’s premium handcrafted flower. Upon completion of the tenant improvements, IGC will submit its evidence package to Health Canada and it is expected to receive a cannabis cultivation license soon after. This acquisition further demonstrates our commitment to building a national premium recreational brand,” Choom Holdings president and CEO Chris Bogart stated in the news release.
To view the full press release, visit http://nnw.fm/W3dvp
Channeling the spirit of Hawaii in the Okanagan, high-grade handcrafted strains by Choom™ are all about cultivating good times and good friends. Choom™ was inspired by the Choom Gang; a group of buddies in Honolulu during the 1970s. Now, after four decades, Choom is bringing the spirit of Hawaii to the Okanagan. The company is planting its flag in the rapidly growing legal cannabis industry in Canada with its own brand of high-grade handcrafted herb. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Choom.ca.
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WD Navarre Holdings LLC, the corporate parent of technology products distributor WYNIT Distribution LLC, filed for bankruptcy protection Friday.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
JULY 11, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
2013 - BENNETT DISTRIBUTIONS LLC
Around the Web
- WD Navarre Holdings Files for Chapter 11 Protection
Friday Sep 8, 2017
- Rapper Common surprises students at NY school, donates money
By MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer - Thursday Jul 20, 2017
Rapper Common surprises students at NY school, donates moneyNEW YORK (AP) — Oscar and Grammy winner Common surprised a group of New York students by donating $10,000 to help their teachers buy supplies like calculators and science kits.The rapper-actor partnered with the nonprofit AdoptAClassroom.org and Burlington Stores to give Renaissance School of the Arts in Harlem the funds on Thursday.Jadon-Li M. Antoine, an aspiring musician, actor and dancer, said Common's visit motivates him to keep aiming for his dreams.Burlington has been raising money from its 599 stores to help other schools, asking customers to donate $1 or more.
- ERP Power and Digi-Key Sign Distribution Agreement
By Business Wire - Tuesday Jul 11, 2017
PRESS RELEASE: ERP Power LLC (ERP), a leading provider of small, smart and connected LED drivers for the lighting industry, has signed a distribution agreement with Digi-Key Electronics, a global electronic components distributor. ...
- Women of Sex Tech, Unite
By ANNA NORTH - Friday Aug 18, 2017
New York is becoming a cultural center for young women trying to disrupt the male-dominated industries of design engineering and sex toys.
- The Top 10 Moments of New York Fashion Week
By THE NEW YORK TIMES - Friday Sep 15, 2017
Highlights from the shows, including a celebrity-packed front row at Calvin Klein and a trek to Bedford Hills, N.Y., to see Ralph Lauren’s vintage cars.
- Is the unusual warmth ruining the fall foliage season?
By USA TODAY - By USA TODAY - Monday Oct 9, 2017
The ongoing summerlike heat in the Northeast has dulled some of the annual foliage spectacle there.


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A firmware update for the Guardian Valve Controller (GVC1) was released on Monday, August 15th, 2022. Your device will update automatically if left alone, or you may trigger an update sooner in-app.
- Routine SSL certificate refresh
An update to our Valve Controller firmware was released to the public on Wednesday, March 16th, 2022.
- New events for tracking backup battery status (awaiting cloud rollout)
- "Battery Installed"
- "Battery Removed"
- "Battery Charging Started"
- "Battery Charging Stopped"
- By default, disable low temperature shut-off if triggered by paired device


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Innovation and support, both popular and political, have helped make renewables more competitive than at any other time in their history. Still, cost is the biggest stumbling block for businesses and homeowners who want to retrofit their property with energy-efficient power.
As a result of growing demand for alternative energy in Illinois and Missouri, Pyramid Electrical Contractors Inc. in Fairview Heights, Ill., and St. Louis, Mo., specializes in solar work by installing photovoltaic panels to power schools, residences and commercial buildings.
California has long been a pioneer in renewable technologies, in particular, solar power. But blazing a trail and staying on it are two different things. In this case, the Golden State has managed to succeed at both.
It would be nice to think that, with all of the collective expertise and creativity of engineers and architects, most of the problems related to energy efficiency in buildings could be resolved in the design and build phases. Sadly, that is not the case.
The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit solar education and research organization, released its second annual review, “National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce.” The report found that hiring in the solar work force is on the rise.
It’s not often in the United States that something can generate widespread, near unanimous support, and even less likely for it to completely ignore political party lines. According to a recent poll, solar power is currently enjoying that kind of popular appeal.
Clean Power Finance, a provider of integrated services and financing solutions for the solar industry, and Google announced the creation of a new $75 million fund to finance residential solar projects.
U.S. photovoltaic (PV) installations in 2011 will rise 166 percent to a total of 2.4 gigawatts (GW), with California leading the country in the amount of power derived from renewable solar energy, according to a new IHS iSuppli Photovoltaic Market Tracker report. The number of U.S.
A retail chain known for its friendly greeters and low prices has taken a bold step to reduce the cost of powering its famously large stores. Retail giant Walmart has announced that 130 of its stores in California will be powered by the sun by the year 2013.
In June, the McGraw-Hill Cos. announced plans to build the largest privately owned solar project in the Western Hemisphere on the corporation’s East Windsor, N.J., campus. McGraw-Hill partnered with NJR Clean Energy Ventures, a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, to build the system.
Vermont has enacted a first-in-the-nation registration process for small solar-power systems, providing a national model for mitigating costly local solar permitting. Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the Vermont Energy Act Fiscal Note into law on May 25.
This article continues outlining the procedures for means of providing safe access, pathways and areas considered appropriate for egress to and from photovoltaic (PV) systems. The cell, module, panel and array generally make up a PV system.


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Southport’s 18 metre high Christmas tree is now shining bright above the town!
The impressive structure is provided for the town centre each year thanks to local businesses through Southport BID.
The dazzling structure sparkles with mesmerising colour-changing displays thanks to 25,000 LED pixels.
It was installed throughout Monday daytime and evening by a team of lighting experts from Southport family-run firm IllumiDex UK Ltd.
Last year Southport BID contracted IllumiDex to create the stunning ‘boulevard of light’ along the historic Lord Street in Southport, with 300,000 LED lights wrapped around 80 trees on both sides of the route.
They also work together to provide all the Christmas decorations throughout Southport town centre, on roads including Lord Street, Chapel Street, Eastbank Street, Nevill Street, London Street and others, which were lit up on Monday night.
Southport BID CEO Rachel Fitzgerald said: “Installing the Christmas tree and all the Christmas decorations throughout Southport town centre will create a really festive feeling!
“Added to the 300,000 lights which Southport BID provided along Lord Street last year they will add real sparkle for everyone doing their Christmas shopping in Southport this year.
“The town is full of fabulous shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels and other local businesses which are all playing their part in making Southport a magical place to be at this time of year.
“We have our Festive Fun Day taking place this Saturday (19th November) in the Town Hall Gardens, with everyone welcome.
“Our Christmas Grotto will also be open this Saturday, and people will also be able to enjoy our new Christmas Carriage rides.
“Families will also be able to enjoy taking part in our Southport Gingerbread Trail – see how many you can find!
“Please take a look at our Southport BID website for more details of what you can enjoy. Early booking is advised on some of the attractions, with money going towards three local charities; Southport Lions Club, Southport Lifeboat and Queenscourt Hospice.
“There is lots more happening in Southport this year with drive-in Christmas movies at Victoria Park, festive films at Bijou Cinema Southport, Elf School at Southport Market, a Christmas Lights Parade, pantomimes at The Atkinson and Southport Little Theatre, and much more besides.”
People are invited to kick off the start of the 2022 Christmas shopping season in Southport with a special Festive Fun Day this weekend.
The fun, free event, organised by Southport BID and The Atkinson, will take place on Saturday 19th November 2022.
Festive shoppers will be able to enjoy performances from local dance schools at The Bandstand, Christmas Carols in the Town Hall Gardens and the opening day of lots of activities and events.
The Bandstand will host Express Performing Arts Academy, Central Dance Studios, BabyBallet, and local singer Kelly Bond performing Christmas songs between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.
The Town Hall Gardens will see people coming together around Southport’s Christmas tree between 4pm and 5pm for traditional carols and classic hits. The event will be hosted by Claire Simmo and Sandgrounder Radio featuring performances from The Atkinson Wellbeing Choir, All Souls Dramatic Club and SONG (Southport Operatic New Generation).
- For more on what’s happening in Southport this Christmas please visit: southportbid.com
- For more details about Illumidex UK Ltd please visit: www.illumidex.co.uk or email: firstname.lastname@example.org or call: 01704220829 (landline) or 07979158404 (mobile).


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Despite its critical stance on crypto, China has seriously undertaken the development of blockchain technology, exploring its potential for enhancing the infrastructure, economy, and individuals’ livelihoods. Blockchain has been mentioned in the most recent five-year policy plan in 2021. The technology is tried out in a number of industries such as banking, financial and public services, healthcare, logistics, and smart manufacturing. If blockchain is ever going to become mainstream anywhere, then China has all the chances to be that place.
China has come to be associated with tech progress and digital innovation and blockchain direction is no exception. Red Dragon country was the first to release central bank digital currency (e-CNY). The project has made significant progress and is considered as the most advanced so far.
China is also actively developing two ambitious projects aimed at next generation network infrastructure, namely, BSN (Blockchain-based Service Network; qūkuàiliàn fúwù wǎngluò) and Xinghuo BIF (Blockchain Infrastructure and Facility； Yǔ xīnghuǒ liàn wǎng).
Blockchain-based Service Network
Launched in 2020, BSN is viewed as the infrastructure technology for complete nationwide interconnectivity with the so-called 'value network'. BSN will allow developers and companies to deploy smart contracts and run decentralized apps (DApps). China sees decentralized blockchain infrastructure as the backbone of the global internet of the future. However, the Chinese government is promoting a specific type of blockchain, where “intervention” can be exercised in case of an emergency. As it is with China, in case of necessity, data, and transactions are reversible and the system can be shut down.
BSN is a state consortium founded by the State Information Center of China, China Mobile, China UnionPay and Hong Kong based Red Date Tech.
In January 2022 BSN introduced BSN-Distributed Digital Certificate (BSN-DDC) network, a structure for building NFTs that is compliant with Chinese regulations.
Red Date Tech has made news at the World Economic Forum in Davos recently announcing the launch of the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN) to be run on BSN. The system is envisaged as a common platform for CBDCs and an alternative to SWIFT.
The second blockchain structure under our observation, is Xinghuo BIF (Blockchain Infrastructure and Facility) which was inaugurated in 2022. It is a national-scale second-generation internet infrastructure supporting blockchain-based value transfer and identity tracking. Xinghuo BIF is a project under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology managed by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
The project was started with a node in Chongqing City with the purpose of advancing digital transformation locally. Currently, there are 7 Xinghuo BIF supernodes located in the mainland with 29 backbone nodes delivering services to a broader range of industries and cities. Some of the nodes are Xiamen and Liuzhou supernodes, Jiaozhou (Shandong), and Hengqin (Guangzhou) backbone nodes.
Chinese government is testing the waters of all the possible applications of blockchain technology on its territory and also making attempts to 'export' it. A substantial step forward for Xinghuo BIF has been the agreement between the latter and Malaysia’s MY E.G digital services company. In a sense, it is an integration of e-government systems between Malaysia and China for the sake of facilitating seamless transactions between the two countries. Such partnership will also result in a number of other benefits, such as reduced tariffs on a wide range of goods, increased investment flow, an advanced e-commerce environment, etc.
“At the moment, Xinghuo BIF is the most actively used blockchain platform globally with around 100 million blockchain identifiers daily” said Wong Thean Soon, Group Managing Director of MYEG and Co-Founder of Zetrix mentiong that “Xinghuo BIF is the most advanced and widely used chain for industrial and trade applications.”
At this point, we are actually observing the gradual creation of ‘China Web2’, an evolution that may bring a new infrastructure to facilitate global trade and finance. We will continue to closely watch this initiative of China and its global expansion and see whether it’s all roses.


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Hackers have discovered a jailbreak vulnerability in a protected section in the Bootroom iPhone 3GS. According to the hacker axi0mX, tool, exploit this gap in the smartphones, can’t be blocked by any software update from Apple.
Despite the fact that we are talking about a fairly old model iPhone, this is a great achievement of the jailbreak developers. The fact is, hackers have discovered hypervisor vulnerability in the mobile device, which can be closed only hardware upgrade. Previous low-level vulnerability called “limera1n” has been found legendary developer Geohot in 2011. With its help hackers several years created the exploits for jailbreaking iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 4G, iPod touch 3G and iPad.
Tellingly, this is the second Bootroom vulnerability discovered in the iPhone 3GS. After the release of the first exploit, Apple was forced in mid-cycle to release a new modification of the smartphone. Therefore all the iPhone 3GS is divided into the models for old and new Bootrom. Now the company is for obvious reasons not to upgrade iPhone 3GS.
A new exploit for the vulnerability the developers have called alloc8. On the project website axi0mX explains in detail the principle of operation of the program. The vulnerability is found in bootrom-section of Apple gadgets means that the manufacturer will not be able to close it by a simple release of a software update, that is the iPhone 3GS got the “eternal jailbreak”.
Although the iPhone 3GS is a rather old model (year 2009), statistics show that many people continue to use this device. Analysts DeviceAtlas counted a few hundred thousand people who call and accept calls with the iPhone 3G and 3GS.


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Download the El Grocer App Now and get 20dhs off your first purchase using the EDUHUB coupon code. Coupon Code: EDUHUB Note: For existing students only.
Dubai International Convention Center saw a flurry of high energy activity during the 2-day Mobile Show Dubai (31-May, 1-June). The Mobile Show 2016 attracted significant attention from the technology, media, and business segment, all gathered to witness and showcase the incredible progress made by the mobile ecosystem. One such high profile mobile app launch was for [...]


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The profits of dollars 230.1m ( pounds 135m), up by 44 per cent from the same period last year, coincided with another record third-quarter performance from Paine Webber, where profits of dollars 51.7m showed a 35 per cent improvement. But Smith Barney, part of the Primerica Corporation financial services group, saw earnings slip by 7 per cent to dollars 33.4m.
Merrill benefited from its position as the largest underwriter of debt and equity in the US, raking in large underwriting fees as corporate America continued its stampede to issue debt and take advantage of the lowest interest rates in 30 years.
But Merrill's biggest gain came in principal transactions, where revenues rose by 26 per cent to a record dollars 610m. It was helped by heightened client activity in foreign exchange, swaps and other derivatives. Retail commission revenues were up by 8 per cent over the third quarter of last year, reflecting strong mutual fund and other investment product business.
Paine Webber, which has added 400 brokers over the past year to bring its total to more than 5,000, achieved its own record earnings with the help of strong results from retail broking services, trading activities and underwriting. During the quarter it managed or co-managed 35 corporate debt offerings, raising dollars 8bn.
Smith Barney failed to join in the bonanza because of a combination of lower trading results and higher expenses, the latter a result of opening new retail branches, establishing a Hong Kong office, and expanding the company's futures businesses in London. These factors helped offset a 21 per cent improvement in asset management fees, as well as 16 per cent higher revenues from investment banking.Reuse content


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Transportation capacity is expected to continue tightening throughout the year, putting a strain on the supply chain that could impact warehouses.
"Tight trucking capacity impacts the outbound shippers more so than the inbound as most shippers (or companies) only control their outbound. Inbound product will continue to come in and if the outbound slows down, warehouses will fill up. If they get too congested, productivity slows down," said Don Klug, vice president of sales for Penske Logistics.
As a rule of thumb, when a warehouse achieves more than 90 percent capacity of storage locations being full, it is harder to find an open location. "Most warehouses are engineered to be able to flex, but you only want them to flex 10 to 15 percent," Klug said. "If the warehouse becomes overloaded, the operation gets congested, and it can become inefficient and unproductive."
When capacity tightens, shippers need to focus on being the shipper of choice to ensure they can obtain transportation capacity. "As we move through the next quarter, it is going to be brutal to shippers who haven't treated their trading partners very well. Never does it become more prominent than when you have trailers piling up in the yard and no one to move them. Everything stops when the day-to-day isn't getting executed," said Andy Moses, senior vice president of sales and solutions for Penske Logistics.
Warehouses must operate efficiently for shippers to become the shipper of choice. "Carriers charge shippers for waiting time, but no one wants to wait. Having loads ready when they're supposed to be is a huge part of warehouse efficiency," Moses said.
The most sophisticated shippers find ways to make the majority of their freight drop-and-hook rather than live-unload, Moses said. "That is a best practice," he said, adding that efficient yard operations are also necessary. "When you have hundreds of trailer parking spots, the flow of trailers and how drivers are navigated and treated is an art."
There are several options companies can pursue if warehouses become too full. "You try to locate a larger warehouse if you can, or you can take some of the dead stock or slower movers and store them in outside trailers in the yard," Klug said.
Engineering within the warehouse can also help make the most of the space. "Putting in a pick module can add storage capacity as well as efficiency in a warehouse, but it does come at cost," Klug said.
Penske's engineers can also help improve shippers' overall network design. "We take the customers' shipping information and inbound information, if available. We analyze all the locations inventory is coming from and going to, look at the major markets, actual miles and design the most efficient network," Klug said. "At the end of the day, it is a big math analysis."


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The World's Largest Automotive Extravaganza
Concord, NC (Vocus) July 30, 2010
Racing has always been the first order of business for fans of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, but car enthusiasts from around the country will be driving to town this August to see a show of extraordinary proportions – one that will surely sell-out both the raceway and the neighboring Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa.
From August 26 to 29, 2010, the Food Lion AutoFair – billed as “The World's Largest Automotive Extravaganza” – returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway. The show annually attracts over 100,000 visitors, many of whom also come back to the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord to enjoy the hotel’s spacious, two-room suites, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, and nightly Manager’s Reception. They also fancy the onsite casual dining at Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord’s Rocky River Grille, golf at the Rocky River Golf Course, and the opportunity to relax at the full-service Spa Botanica.
But the major attraction for guests staying at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord will be the Food Lion AutoFair, featuring more than 50 Car Clubs and over 10,000 vendor spaces offering an amazing variety of automotive parts and memorabilia. Visitors to the show will also have a chance to evaluate more than 1,500 collectible vehicles of all makes and models for sale in the car corral that rings the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. Plus, there will be a special Collector Car Auction.
On display for the first-time ever at this year’s event will be the world’s only collection of Vintage Carnival Bumper Cars licensed for the street. All nine of these street legal bumper cars have been transformed into mini hot rods with motorcycle engines, working headlights, turn signals and windshields.
For more about the Food Lion AutoFair, or to make reservations at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort, Spa & Conference Center during The World's Largest Automotive Extravaganza, call 704-454-1725 or visit http://www.embassysuitesconcord.com.


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Yahoo is serving mobile phone banner ads from the likes of Hilton's Embassy Suites, Infiniti, Intel, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble Asia Pacific, and Singapore Airlines.
Yahoo is now offering mobile display advertising though its Yahoo Mobile Web service in 19 countries, extending the graphic ad platform for phones that it launched in the United States late last year.
Yahoo is serving mobile phone banner ads from the likes of Hilton's Embassy Suites, Infiniti, Intel, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble Asia Pacific, and Singapore Airlines starting today. The ads will appear atop the Yahoo Mobile Web home page.
Mobile advertising appeals to marketers as a way to "reach consumers when they're on the move and communicate with them in a way we haven't before," as John Vail, director of interactive marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America, puts it.
The new ad platform is available in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
Like its rivals, Yahoo has been moving aggressively to expand its mobile offerings. In January, the company launched a new mobile search service, Yahoo oneSearch. The service "understands what consumers are looking for and presents answers directly in the results -- not just a list of Web links to PC sites," says Marco Boerries, senior VP of connected life at Yahoo.
How Enterprises Are Attacking the IT Security EnterpriseTo learn more about what organizations are doing to tackle attacks and threats we surveyed a group of 300 IT and infosec professionals to find out what their biggest IT security challenges are and what they're doing to defend against today's threats. Download the report to see what they're saying.
Infographic: The State of DevOps in 2017Is DevOps helping organizations reduce costs and time-to-market for software releases? What's getting in the way of DevOps adoption? Find out in this InformationWeek and Interop ITX infographic on the state of DevOps in 2017.
Digital Transformation Myths & TruthsTransformation is on every IT organization's to-do list, but effectively transforming IT means a major shift in technology as well as business models and culture. In this IT Trend Report, we examine some of the misconceptions of digital transformation and look at steps you can take to succeed technically and culturally.


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pubg 1.34 PS4 update is now rolling out for players. According to the pubg 1.34 patch notes, the latest update brings some minor quality of life improvements to the game. Apart from this, pubg 1.34 also includes stability and performance improvements.
Previously, a big update was released with new features, Bloody realistic, death cam, Cross-Platform Play between Xbox and PlayStation, a new progression system based on survival called Survival Mastery, a new shotgun called the DBS, quality of life improvements and more.
Unfortunately, many players are still experiencing a number of issues while playing the game. Today’s pubg 1.34 update is expected to fix a few of these issues. Check out more details below.
pubg 1.34 for is now available fo download.


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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Maine's lobstermen are working harder for less, as demand drops for their expanding harvest.
As with most things, the recession is to blame. Cash-strapped consumers are avoiding delicacies such as lobsters, driving down the overall price, according to George Lapointe, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
"I think it's largely a function of supply and demand, and the world economic condition," he said. "Lobster is a luxury product."
Lapointe said the price of lobster managed to "claw its way" back to a range of $2.75 to $3 per pound in 2009, after slumping to $2 to $2.50 in the fall of 2008. That pales in comparison to five years ago, he said, when lobstermen were getting $4 to $4.50 per pound.
David Cousins, president of the Maine Lobstermen's Association and a lobsterman for 42 years, said the 2009 harvest was the biggest since the early 1990s, when the annual take peaked at an estimated 100 million pounds. But that is little comfort, considering the dropping prices and increasing costs.
"Our business is based on a $4 dollar-plus lobster [per pound]," said Cousins. "When you're getting $2.90 a pound, you're going the wrong way and it just doesn't work anymore.
"There are a lot of people who are in serious trouble up here, because they have a lot of money out on their business - they owe for boats and traps and houses and trucks and all that," Cousins said.
I guess the middle man is making all the money because I'm still paying $11 a lbs.


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Microsoft Corp. subsidiary FRx Software Corp. today announced that Microsoft® Forecaster 7.0, the latest release of the company’s budgeting and planning software, will be released to manufacturing on March 28, 2007. This latest version of Microsoft Forecaster focuses on enhanced usability, adaptability and visibility, giving organizations confidence that their budgets are realistic and accurate, and enabling them to monitor business conditions and respond to new business opportunities and challenges to improve overall performance.
“Our customers and partners have told us they want an affordable application that will make budgeting and forecasting less cumbersome, faster to implement and easier to use and that will offer greater adaptability to changing business conditions, all of which are addressed in Microsoft Forecaster 7.0,” said Andy Kamlet, director of marketing and sales of Denver, Colo.-based FRx Software. “We seem to have struck a chord with customers as they have reviewed this release, with survey results from our customer preview program showing that 95 percent of them are ‘satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’ with what they’ve seen.”
Microsoft, Microsoft Forecaster 7.0, Press Release


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After facing a tough stance on its India entry and hanging on the edge for over two years, Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motors (GWM) has finally called it quits by firing 11 Indian employees from its organisation. The company had initially proposed an investment of USD 1 billion (INR7000 crore) and had plans to start manufacturing in 2021.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has commenced deliveries of its 184.4-cc all-new CB200X bike in the domestic market. The bike, priced at Rs 1.44 lakh and unveiled last month, is being delivered through the company's 'Red Wing' dealerships, Honda Motorcycle &Scooter India Ltd said in a release.
The maiden customer key handover ceremony was conducted at Faridabad Honda in Faridabad (Haryana).
"From the day it was launched, our dealer network has been receiving inquiries especially from new-age customers. As the situation is getting normal and people are moving out for work and leisure trips, they are looking for the machine which meets all their expectations," said Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director - Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd.
With Honda's CB legacy, the all-new CB200X proves to be the best partner for both a busy weekday city commute as well as short weekend relaxed rides, he added.
The digital showroom offers customers 360-degree virtual product demos, online documentation, direct-to-home delivery and virtual chat support, among other features, a company release said.
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At the beginning of September 2013 the European Chemical Agency published a report pointing out that the 67% of the companies inspected - in the 29
It would be hard to design a law more stacked against the regulators than the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, which is supposed to ensure the safety of thousands of chemicals used in household products and manufacturing. It is long past time for Congress to reform the law so that it provides genuine protection against harmful chemicals in products like shampoos and detergents.
Babies with higher PFOS exposures in the womb are born smaller and sooner, reports a new study from Taiwan. The effects were found at levels of the perfluorinated chemical similar to those measured in U.S. and Canadian babies. A persistent compound that repels stains, water and grease, it hasn't been produced in the United States since its manufacturer completed the phaseout in 2002.
New research by a Blue Hill scientist shows that during a fire, firefighters are exposed to dangerous levels of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals created when commercial flame retardants burn.
Cobalt in plastic building blocks and baby bibs. Ethylene glycol in dolls. Methyl ethyl ketone in clothing. Antimony in high chairs and booster seats. Parabens in baby wipes. D4 in baby creams.


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(Bloomberg) -- Well, hello again from New York.
Whether you’re feeling the sand between your toes or wondering if it’s time to have a peek at that dreaded inbox of work e-mails, here’s a little something to get you primed for the new week.
The big stat: OK, it’s not a stat but the minutes from the Fed’s meeting last month—the one when Jerome Powell and his crew sanctioned a hefty 75 basis-point hike in borrowing costs. Wall Street’s finest will be parsing the words for clues about how high and high fast interest rates are headed.
The big earnings: Get ready for the retail parade, and it won’t be pretty. Walmart and Target report earnings just a few weeks after stunning investors by cutting their profit outlooks. Also on deck: Home Depot and Lowe’s. And Tencent, the Chinese e-commerce giant that lost a whopping $560 billion in market value over 18 months, is set to report its first sales decline since 2008.
The big market thought: Every investing trend that defined the wild first half is staging a messy reversal. So moving to the sidelines wouldn’t be the worst idea. As one investment strategist at All Star Chart puts it, “Letting the volatility play out is often an overlooked and under-appreciated option.”
The big tech idea: Mark Gurman explains in Power On how Apple is set to expand ads to new areas of your iPhone and iPad in search of its next big revenue driver.
The big trip: Seeing as the dollar is so mighty and the euro is so feeble, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s worth going pretty much anywhere in Europe. But things aren’t quite so cost effective once you start to factor in inflation. Actually, the best value for your vacay dollar is in Turkey, where the lira has taken much more of a hammering. The worst? That would be Iceland.
ICYM our Big Take: Rental costs in the US are soaring at the fastest pace in more than three decades, surpassing a median of $2,000 a month for the first time and pushing rents above pre-pandemic levels in most major cities. Increases are particularly steep in metropolitan areas that saw large influxes of new residents during the pandemic, but the rental market is sparing almost nowhere and no one.
And here’s an interesting podcast to take you into the new trading week: The chief investment officer of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management joins “What Goes Up” and has a warning for anyone chasing the latest rally in stocks.
Have a good week. See you on the other side.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.


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Iraq still too risky says Exxon-Mobil
OIL and gas major Exxon-Mobil has joined Royal Dutch/Shell in saying it is too soon to invest in Iraq, due to security risks.
'If you can't ensure the physical safety of your people, you can't send anybody there. You can't justify doing that,' Exxon-Mobil chairman Lee Raymond told Reuters.
'I think before anything really significant happens in terms of real investment...there's going to have to be more stability.'
The comments are a blow to US-led efforts to get the war-torn country back on its feet, and underscore the Pentagon's inability to control the security situation.
Last month, Shell indicated it would wait until a 'real Iraqi government' was in power before it would even consider activities in the country.
Iraq has 112bn barrels of oil reserves, second only to Saudi Arabia, income from which traditionally propped up Baghdad's finances. America had hoped a speedy return to full production would help underwrite reconstruction costs.
But, since Saddam Hussein was toppled, efforts have been hampered by repeated attacks on key facilities, widescale looting and the dilapidated state of much equipment.
Raymond said Exxon has had no contact with the White House about how the situation needs to change before the firm would move into Iraq.
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The internet is being very normal about Cammy’s new viral pose…
On Feb. 24, Cammy took the internet and FGC by storm when she was revealed as one of the characters for Street Fighter 6. But Cammy’s new look, her style, and most importantly, stretch pose has drawn comparisons to 2021’s most viral fighting game character, Jack-O.
When Guilty Gear Strive released, Jack-O and her spine-breakingly seductive pose became an internet sensation. Now with Cammy’s pose also trending, it didn’t take long for the internet to join up the dots and make this new stretch a whole thing. So is the Cammy stretch the new Jack-O pose? We kinda hope so.
Cammy vs. Jack-O: A pose-off
Fans instantly saw the potential in the pose, and since it was artists who started the last pose-craze, it’s only fitting that freelance illustrator VJ. went viral for just suggesting the connection.
Artist pike on Twitter wasted no time mashing up the Cammy pose and Jack-O, drawing the Guilty Gear Strive character stretching things out before a fight.
The pose, which had already been dubbed by some “the Cammy cat pose” quickly gained traction. Artists rushed to draw the Street Fighter staple in her newly iconic pose. We've listed a few below. Make sure to check out these artists' profiles as well!
Overall, as our article predicted, people are being super, very normal about Cammy, and the internet isn’t exploding over a questionably anatomically possible pose. Honestly, if I had a nickel for every time a fighting game characters’ pose had gone viral… I’d have two nickels. But it’s strange it happened twice.
Street Fighter 6 is set to release on June 2. Then, fans will finally be able to try out Cammy for themselves, instead of relying on six seconds of preview footage. Stay tuned to Esports.gg for more SF6 news, guides, and more!


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By David Perry
In an era marked by uncertainty and economic challenges, it is imperative that our lawmakers make informed decisions that prioritize the well-being of American citizens and the growth of our economy.
The proposed “Big Box Bill,” aiming to introduce credit card routing mandates akin to those enacted in 2011, raises substantial concerns about its potential repercussions – especially for small business owners, like me and many colleagues, who travel for work.
While the bill may appear to target fairness and competition, a closer examination reveals that it could inadvertently favor large, big box retailers at the expense of customers and the credit card benefits they cherish.
One of the most glaring issues with the “Big Box Bill” lies in its potential to strip consumers of valuable rewards, such as airline miles. These miles have become more than just a perk; they have become essential to many individuals’ financial strategies – including mine. For frequent travelers, especially business travelers like me, airline miles represent hard-earned rewards that enable them to explore new destinations, reconnect with loved ones, and create lasting memories without straining their budgets.
The mandates in the bill will likely mean the end of most reward programs and unjustly take away rewards that have become an integral part of countless individuals’ lives.
The connection between credit card rewards, particularly airline miles, and various industries cannot be understated. Airline miles incentivize consumers to travel, bolstering the tourism sector and giving rise to countless business opportunities. By eradicating these rewards, the bill inadvertently undermines the growth of these sectors and economic recovery efforts.
This could prove particularly devastating given the recent challenges the travel industry has faced here in California, which is still struggling to recover fully from COVID – especially hard hit San Francisco.
Recognizing the potential unintended consequences of implementing such mandates is also essential. While the bill purports to level the playing field for small businesses, it carries the long-term risk of further concentrating power in a few global conglomerates.
Smaller businesses, which often rely on inflated customer spending thanks to credit card reward programs, might find it challenging to compete long-term with larger companies whose model is more centered on competitive prices and whose added revenue from the mandates will allow them to further invest in delivery convenience (think Amazon same-day drone delivery).
As a result, the diversity and competition the bill seeks to foster could be stifled, inadvertently leading to a more monopolistic environment that limits consumer choice.
In light of these concerns, Congress must act in the best interests of both consumers and the economy. The proposed legislation, while well-intentioned, fails to consider the broader implications of its actions.
Rather than favoring a few large corporations, lawmakers should prioritize the well-being of ordinary citizens and the various sectors of our economy that rely on credit card rewards to thrive.
Congress must reject this bill in favor of measures that genuinely promote fairness, competition, and the well-being of all Americans. By doing so, lawmakers can ensure that credit card benefits remain intact, the economy continues to grow, and the interests of citizens – and small business owners like me and my colleagues — are protected.
CEO, David Perry & Associates, Inc
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OC3D Reviews ›› Storage
Storage | 6th May 2015
If the blazing speeds available from the latest m.2 drives is something you covet, but you want it on something other than a bright green PCB, then Kingston have just the thing for you.
Storage | 22nd April 2015
SSDs with incredible speeds are coming thick and fast. We take a look at the latest Samsung offering, and see how PCI Express 2.0 compares to PCI Express 3.0 too.
OC3D Articles ›› Storage
Tom Logan | 28th March 2011
Kingston have just released a new firmware for their V100 solid state drives to fix a possible post hang issue.
Gaurang Shah | 7th February 2011
Plextor is coming to the UK with its high-performance solid state drives, with the launch of its second generation M2S series SSDs next month.
Gaurang Shah | 27th January 2011
Memory and storage major OCZ today officially unveiled its next-gen Z-Drive R3 P84 PCI-Express SSDs as part of its enterprise range of storage solution.
Gaurang Shah | 25th January 2011
Carrying on with its recent fine form, Hitachi today announced the release of its new 3TB 3.5in HDD family - the Ultrastar 7K3000.
Storage | 7th April 2015
Solid State Drives are quickly becoming as big as the data drives of old. We take a look at the latest in the Crucial range, the MX200. In a 1TB capacity!
Storage | 2nd April 2015
If you find that SSDs aren't quite fast enough for you, then Intel have unleashed a drive with speeds beyond our wildest dreams. If 500MB/s doesn't quite cut it, welcome to the world of NVM Express.
Storage | 31st March 2015
Samsung have taken their latest creation, the 3D V-NAND, and applied it to a M.2 socket SSD. How does it perform?
Storage | 26th March 2015
Today we're looking at the first motherboard that comes equipped with USB 3.1, the ASUS Z97-A. Does the extra bandwidth make a difference to storage speeds?
Storage | 25th February 2015
Once upon a time the idea of a 1TB SSD was the stuff of dreams. Today we look at Crucial's BX100 1TB SSD. Oh yes.
Gaurang Shah | 17th January 2011
Global storage solutions manufacturer Transcend today announced that it has upgraded its 2.5” solid state drives (SSD) lineup with the latest controller.
Gaurang Shah | 16th December 2010
Hitachi has started shipping its new 500GB Travelstar Z5K500 ultra-slim HDD and has today announced the G-Drive External HDD based on these drives.
Gaurang Shah | 13th December 2010
Storage systems specialist Seagate today unveiled Constellation.2, the industry’s first ever enterprise-class 2.5in HDD with a massive 1TB capacity.
Gaurang Shah | 1st December 2010
Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) today announced the introduction of a new 2.5in Self-Encrypting Drive.
Gaurang Shah | 26th November 2010
The geeks at Hitachi have developed a revolutionary new hard disk drive technology that could change the capacity of HDDs for ever.
Gaurang Shah | 23rd November 2010
The new and upgraded RAIDDrive from Super Talent gives a fair idea of the data transfer speeds that USB 3.0 is capable of achieving.


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Samples in periodicals archive:
At this year's FiE the American Peanut Council (stand 2F49-11) will highlight how peanut ingredients are helping food developers across the world to create healthier, tastier products.
org, World Neighbors, Operation USA, MAZON, The American Peanut Council, Feeding America, Land of Nod, MOWAA, Caesars Foundation, SOS Children's Villages, SEVA, Sonoma-Cutrer, Kellog Company, ChildFund International, World Vision, and the AARP Foundation, Mediaplanet published one of the largest distributed Hunger Awareness reports in US history.
The American Peanut Council (APC), the association representing all segments of the U.
Contact American Peanut Council on tel 0207 828 0838 or visit www.
Awareness of the health benefits of nuts is high among consumers, says American Peanut Council consultant nutritionist Jennette Higgs.
With more than 28 years in the agriculture industry, specializing in strategic planning, public relations and export management, Lord has worked for the American Peanut Council and was president of Southco Commodities for 12 years.
Similarly, the American Peanut Council actively promotes peanuts at both levels.
com for more information, such as a video message from CEO David Singer, FAQ for consumers and a link to the American Peanut Council for a list of products not impacted by the recall.


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In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at new Windows "12" rumors, Microsoft's plans to develop custom AI chips for Bing Chat and its components, fresh Windows 11 preview builds, taskbar changes, app updates, and many more.
Table of contents:
- Windows 11 news
- Updates are available
- Gaming news
- Reviews are in
- A blast from Microsoft's past
- Random fact about Microsoft
Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.
Let us start the Windows 11 section of Microsoft Weekly with a fresh stats drop from Statcounter and Valve. Statcounter's latest findings show that less than 24% of all PC users run Windows 11. The operating system's growth has slowed down slightly, leading to it maintaining a relatively unchanged market share for eight consecutive months.
Things are slightly better on the gaming side: Valve claims Windows 11 has more than 37% on Steam. However, its market share decreased compared to the previous month. The Windows 11 Moment 4 update may help the operating system get more users. Still, you should not expect many changes for at least two more months since the broad availability is anticipated only in November 2023. Until then, the Moment 4 update remains an optional non-security update. You can click here to learn how to install it right now.
One of the changes introduced in the Moment 4 update is the new Windows Backup app. However, it is not exclusive to Windows 11—Microsoft also released it for Windows 10 users, leading to a mixed reception from IT admins. To calm the enraged crowd and make it put pitchforks down, Microsoft released a statement claiming the company would release an update to prevent the Windows Backup app from appearing for Azure Active Directory or Active Directory users. At the same time, the company clarified that the app is a system component, so you cannot remove it.
The previous Microsoft Weekly covered a story about missing Windows Copilot in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act. As it later turned out, it might be for better: Windows 11 users with AMD graphics cards complained about their systems losing overclocking and tuning profiles after each reboot. And the funniest part is that turning off Windows Copilot resolved the problem for some.
But there is more! KB5030310, aka the "Moment 4" update, is also messing with Wallpaper Engine, a popular third-party app for animated desktop backgrounds. And as a cherry on top, you now get ads when using Copilot in Windows 11—Microsoft gotta pay somehow for those expensive GPUs powering the thing.
Interestingly, Microsoft might soon have a solution for that problem. According to newly published reports, the company will reveal plans to introduce its own generative AI processors to power Bing Chat, Bing Image Creator, Copilot, and other AI-powered developments requiring astronomical amounts of horsepower. Per latest rumors, Microsoft will share more details during its Ignite 2023 developer conference scheduled for November 14-17.
Next week will mark the end of support for several Windows versions. On October 10, 2023, Microsoft will stop issuing security updates and patches for the original Windows 11 release, also known as version 21H2, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2. If you use one of those operating systems, it is time to consider updating to something more recent to avoid potential security risks.
With Windows 11 entering its third year of service and rumors pilling up on the next release, users are getting increasingly agitated about Windows "12." This week, a report emerged about Microsoft potentially making its next-gen operating system subscription-based, sparking a heated customer dispute. However, it later turned out those rumors were false.
Still, that does not mean Windows "12" is not coming. An Intel executive revealed in interview that the upcoming "Windows refresh" in the second half of 2024 will help the company sell its chips.
Windows Insider Program
Here is what is new in the Windows Insider Program this week:
- Canary Channel: build 25967 with a new home page for the Settings app and a reworked Quick Settings flyout. The latter now displays all available toggles, and you can check out our guide detailing how to enable the new variant.
- Dev Channel: build 23560 with fixes for File Explorer, context menus, and Task Manager.
- Server vNext: build 25967.
This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.
One of the biggest news on the updates side is OneDrive 3.0, a big update for Microsoft's cloud storage. The latest update features a fancy new UI and plenty of new capabilities, such as a new "For you" area with AI-powered file recommendations (because everything nowadays needs AI recommendations), context-based file organization, a new page for shared files, various customization features, better integration with various apps, and more.
Microsoft officially killed 32-bit Windows editions in 2021 with the release of Windows 11. The company's latest operating system is 64-bit only, and third-party developers are slowly ditching 32-bit Windows support. This week, Discord announced plans to discontinue its 32-bit version on December 1, 2023. Although the service will continue operating on 32-bit Windows versions, developers will not release new features or security updates. Therefore, Discord will stop working on your 32-bit Windows PC at some point.
The recently announced Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 are now available. If you plan to buy or already received one, make sure to check Windows Update and install available updates. Microsoft has released a set of day-one patches to improve your user experience. Although there are no specific details about what exactly the updates enhance, their changelogs contain plenty of new drivers, so be sure to get them.
By the way, check out a neat Easter egg when setting up your new Surface devices. Users noticed that the onboarding experience (OOBE or initial setup) now lets you play the Surf game while the operating system prepares itself for work. For those unfamiliar, Surf is a game Microsoft developed for the Edge browser, and you can play it by visiting the edge://surf link. It commemorates the legendary SkiFree game from the Microsoft Entertainment pack from 1991.
In addition to updating Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 firmware, Microsoft released new patches for the Surface Studio 2+ and Surface Pro 8. The update improves wireless connectivity and overall system stability.
The Microsoft Store received several updates this week. The Windows 11 app now features redesigned pages for Windows 10 and 11 license pages with consistent visuals and comparison tables between various editions to help customers select the right license. The company also rolled out a new apps.microsoft.com website with fresh looks and new features to match the app on Windows 10 and 11.
Finally, here is the latest issue of our Microsoft 365 Roadmap Weekly, a series where we cover all the upcoming changes and new capabilities for Microsoft Teams, Office apps, OneDrive, and other services from Microsoft. The latest edition mentions performance improvements for OneDrive for the web, iCloud account support in the new Outlook app for Windows, and new capabilities for Microsoft Teams Rooms.
A few interesting reports emerged about Bing this week. For starters, at some point, Microsoft was willing to pay Apple as much as $15 billion per year to make Bing the default search engine on iPhones and iPads. In addition, Satya Nadella offered to hide Bing's name and respect Apple's privacy policies, all just to remove Google from iOS devices. According to a report, Nadella has been trying to replace Google with Bing (which cost Microsoft about $100 billion to develop) as the default search engine on Apple devices since becoming Microsoft's CEO in 2014. As we all know it, his attempts never yielded any result.
Here are other notable software updates released this week:
- PowerToys 0.74.1 with fixes for FancyZones, SVG viewer, Quick Accent, and more.
- VeraCrypt 1.26.7 with bootloader, memory encryption, and plenty of other improvements for the popular encryption app.
- Microsoft Edge 119.0.2132 Dev with new notifications, flags, bug fixes, and more.
And here are the new drivers released this week:
- Intel Arc 188.8.131.5285 with support for Forza Motorsport and Assassin's Creed Mirage, plus performance improvements for DirectX 11 and 12 titles.
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.
Microsoft is finally on track to close its ever-going Activision-Blizzard purchase. A new report emerged this week claiming Microsoft is ready to finalize the merger on October 13, 2023. After numerous back-and-forth with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the UK's CMA, the company finally has the green light to proceed with its humongous $69 billion acquisition.
Mojang has partnered with NERF to release the NERF World Minecraft DLC. It is now available on supported platforms, allowing you to play with NERF guns solo or with your friends in several areas. Shoot mobs to earn Nerf bucks to later spend on new blasters, including the Ender Dragon blaster.
The first wave of October 2023 additions to the Xbox and PC Game Pass catalog is here. It includes the new Forza Motorsport, From Space, Like A Dragon: Ishin, and more. Note that several games, such as Eville, Overwhelm, Shenzhen I/O, and more, will leave the subscription soon.
Speaking of games leaving Xbox and PC Game Pass soon, Microsoft is working on a new notification system to remind users that the game they are about to play will soon be delisted from the catalog. The new notification is now available for testing in the Xbox Insider program in the Alpha Skip-Ahead, Alpha, and Beta Channels.
NVIDIA also has a catalog of games playable on its cloud platform, GeForce NOW. In October 2023, 60 different games will be available to play, including Microsoft's newest Forza Motorsport, Alan Wake 2, Cities Skylines 2, Metro: 2033 Redux, Surviving Mars, MudRunner, and many more. However, it is worth noting that you must own the titles you want to play. Unlike Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft's Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA only gives you access to hardware, requiring you to bring your own games to the party.
Finally, Microsoft announced a new Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller. It is called Gold Shadow, and it features a blacked-out case with a two-tone golden front panel. The new gamepad is now available for pre-order at the Microsoft Store, with availability scheduled for October 17, 2023.
Freebies and discounts
The Epic Games Store is giving away a satirical sci-fi restaurant sim Godlike Burger, where you manage a burger joint in outer space. Cook, serve, and satisfy various species from different galaxies. However, there is a surprising twist: the secret ingredient in your burgers is... your customers. Lay traps, slay visitors, chop them, and deal with police in this satirical game, available for free until Thursday.
Also, check out our Weekend PC Game Deals series covering discounts on various bundles, exciting storytellers, and several free events across different PC gaming storefronts.
Check out the latest hardware and software reviews published on Neowin during the last seven days.
This week, we reviewed the TerraMaster F2-212, a two-bay network-attached storage or NAS. Released earlier this year, the NAS offers easy setup, compact casing, and an extremely affordable price tag. However, you will also have to accept some trade-offs, such as no SSD support, an Ethernet port limited to only 1 Gbps, and mediocre hardware transcoding.
John Callaham's weekly "Look back" series provides throwbacks into the past, detailing the company's products, partnerships, mishaps, and successes from years ago.
This week's look-back article is about Windows Home Server and its quirky promo campaign. In 2007, Microsoft unveiled Windows Home Server, a special Windows edition for backing up all home PCs and storing your media in one location, available even when you are away from home. To promote the new Server SKU aimed at home users, Microsoft created a weird children's book called Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House?
Sadly, the idea did not took off, even though some vendors backed it up with dedicated hardware. In 2012, Microsoft discontinued Windows Home Server.
And here is a randomly selected piece of trivia about the company, Windows, and other Microsoft-made things.
This week's random fact about Microsoft or its products comes from the @wowstartsnow Twitter user. Modern Windows versions are infamous for constant update notifications, nagging users to install the latest patches and new features. Did you know that Microsoft introduced Windows Update notifications in 1998?
Windows 98 users could download the Critical Update Notification Tool and receive messages about available updates with a link to guide them through the update process. It also allowed postponing notifications for 24 hours by clicking a "Notify Me later" button. Microsoft later renamed it Critical Update Notification Utility and made it a system component, part of Windows 2000, released in 1999.


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Research shows consumers trust farmers
MITCHELL, S.D. — Most consumers are now several generations removed from the farm, and for the last 40 years that has led to a continual erosion of trust in farmers. As a result, farmers and farm groups have been focusing their efforts on bridging that gap with the consumer. The latest research from the Center for Food Integrity has some good news for farmers in that area.
Donna Moenning with CFI says a majority of consumers trust farmers when it comes to their food supply. She shared research results with farmers, as well as how to best engage with consumers, at the Developing Consumer Trust Workshops in Mitchell and Huron, S.D., on Feb. 6-7. The sessions were hosted by the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council as part of their Hungry for Truth Campaign.
Moenning says while CFI's findings are favorable for farmers, that didn't extend into the rest of the food chain.
"The trust in federal government, state government, food companies is not as high as it is for farmers," she says.
At the same time, consumers hold farmers responsible for the food supply, and she says that is a good thing.
"Consumers hold you responsible and they also trust you," Moenning says. "That's where farmers are at and it's a good place to be."
CFI research also indicates consumers are interested in knowing more about farming and food production.
"The most recent research from the Center for Food Integrity shows that 65 percent of consumers want more information about the food that they consume," says Moenning. "They want to know is their food healthy? Is it safe? Can I purchase healthy affordable food?"
She says that means secrecy is no longer an option for farmers.
"We need to be transparent about what we're doing. We need to answer questions, we need to listen to consumers and really provide meaningful answers to what they're seeking," she says.
To capitalize on this research Moenning provided training to farmers on how to build a connection with consumers in person and on social media. She says it can't be done by answering their questions with scientific data.
"Until we trust someone, then we'll look to their information. How do you build trust? Shared values is a piece of that," Moenning says.
She says food is personal, so farmers need to connect with consumers one-on-one first.
Dawn Scheier understands that. She is a grain producer from Salem, S.D., and serves as a director on the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. She has been through several training sessions on engaging with consumers and continues to learn.
"We're supposed to listen to the consumer and ask questions to make sure we are understanding what the consumer is asking, and at the end we want to let them know that we share the same value as the consumer," she says. Those shared values commonly revolve around providing a safe and affordable food supply for their family, which both consumers and farmers strive for.
Canistota pork producer Karen Hofer doesn't take that consumer trust for granted, and that's why she wanted to learn how to tell her story to consumers. She says it is important to listen to the consumer and share her desire to produce safe food for the consumer and her family.
"We want to take care of our animals so that we have a healthy, safe product in the grocery stores for them to buy," she says.
Baltic grain and cattle producer Jared Questad was surprised to find the science he had always relied on to talk to consumers wasn't the best approach, so the workshop was very helpful for him.
"If some of us can be the connection there to the farmer and consumer, we might be able to jump the gap and help them understand what we're really doing with these new technologies," he says.
Moenning says many of the same food topics are still trending with consumers.
"We continue to see interest and concern over things like antibiotic use, crop protection products, water quality, sustainability," she says.
However, she says farmers are making end roads in changing consumer perceptions and skepticism about agriculture, so at least the trend is moving in the right direction.
Sheier says it takes time to change consumer misconceptions and that's why their Hungry for Truth initiative and workshops like this are so important.
"The training is important so they can go out and tell their story and answer questions." she says.
Sheier says it is also imperative for the future of farmers to change the disconnect the public has with agriculture.
"It's really important so we can keep on farming. It's to let farmers tell their story and for consumers to understand what we're doing, so we have that freedom to do that," she says.


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BOCA RATON, Fla. - State inspectors had to shut down two restaurants in the same strip mall because of what was found in the kitchen.
The strip mall is along Federal Highway near Northwest 76th street in Boca Raton. We were there for another restaurant’s rodent problem in May. This week we were back.
Inside Fah Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar (7461 N Federal Highway, Suite B5), state inspectors found live roaches in the Tempura mix, under food storage containers, and under sinks. They also found evidence of rodents.
When we went there, we were told the manager would be there at 5 PM, but at that hour the restaurant was dark and no one was around.
In the same strip mall is Corporate Caterers II (7491 N Federal Highway). Inspectors closed it down after finding more than three dozen rodent droppings. When we were there we found another violation – the back door was wide open with no screen.
We reached the owner by phone, and he told us his place is clean.
State inspectors also shut down Salon Rojo Cafeteria Restaurant (3095 S Military Trail Suite #15).
A clogged pipe had wastewater backing up through the floor drains.
The owner, Albert, blamed rice in the drain for the clog.
“The thing was taken care of in 15 minutes. I had to wait for her to come back and recheck. She came back, She checked it. That was it,” Albert said.
Inspectors also found a roach there under a sink.
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Microsoft has broadened the accessibility of its AI-powered Bing Chat, making it officially available on the Google Chrome desktop browser. This move is aimed at enhancing user experience and bringing AI-driven communication capabilities to a wider audience. Furthermore, Microsoft has indicated plans to extend Bing Chat to other browsers both on the web and mobile platforms.
Google Chrome users on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems can now seamlessly access Bing Chat, catering to both consumer and enterprise versions. The company confirmed this announcement through an official blog post, underlining its commitment to fostering efficient communication tools for a diverse range of users.
Microsoft’s decision to extend Bing Chat’s compatibility to Google Chrome is expected to have a substantial impact, given Chrome’s popularity as one of the most widely used web browsers. Users can now harness the power of Bing Chat’s AI-driven features directly within their preferred browsing environment, allowing for more streamlined and efficient communication.
Moreover, Microsoft’s commitment to inclusivity in the realm of web communication doesn’t end with Chrome. The tech giant has revealed its intention to expand Bing Chat’s support to additional browsers, demonstrating its dedication to making AI-enhanced communication tools accessible across various platforms.
This recent update isn’t the only advancement Microsoft is unveiling. In conjunction with bringing Bing Chat to Google Chrome, the company has also introduced support for Bing Chat Enterprise on Edge Mobile. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that users can seamlessly transition from their desktop to mobile devices while maintaining a consistent and efficient communication experience.
In addition to these compatibility expansions, Microsoft has implemented new search page templates on Bing for specific topics. This strategic enhancement is designed to streamline search results and prevent content duplication, further enhancing the Bing user experience.
As Microsoft continues to invest in expanding the capabilities of Bing Chat and optimizing the Bing search engine, users can look forward to a more integrated and efficient online experience across multiple devices and platforms. With the commitment to compatibility and innovation, Microsoft is setting a strong precedent in the realm of AI-driven web communication.
With Bing Chat’s availability on Google Chrome and its future expansion to other browsers, users can anticipate a new era of intelligent and streamlined communication in the digital landscape.


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TH_NK will be responsible for providing a strategic framework for the studio's digital marketing communications in the UK.
The digital agency will work alongside Warner Bros' existing roster of digital shops, as well as orchestrating cross-divisional projects.
It won the business after a competitive pitch against undisclosed agencies, which started in July.
Polly Cochrane, senior vice-president and group marketing director for Warner Bros UK, said: "We're constantly looking at innovative ways of reaching our audiences and connecting them to one another, so this move will help us to optimise all of our digital activities and make the most of our outstanding content."
Warner Bros was one of the first movie studios to dip its toe into renting movies via Facebook, offering its 'Harry Potter' titles via an app.
It also offers its titles through movie services such as Amazon’s LoveFilm and Tesco’s Blinkbox.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
The games console as we know it is dead. When Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One earlier this week, it was clear that this was more than a device that would enable you to play Call of Duty or FIFA – this was, in Microsoft’s own words, “an all-in-one home entertainment system”.


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>>BGR Burger Joint has opened at 983 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford. The Virginia-based chain's menu features made-to-order beef, turkey, veggie, lamb and seafood burgers, served on toasted brioche buns and topped with premium ingredients. Information: 860-523-3152 and bgrtheburgerjoint.com.
>>G-Zen has opened at 2 E. Main St. in Branford, serving vegan, vegetarian, raw and sustainable cuisine. The restaurant is owned and operated by the team behind Gmonkey Mobile, Mark Shadle and Ami Beach Shadle. G-Zen's initial hours will be dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 3 to 9 p.m., with plans to open for lunch in coming weeks. Information: 203-208-0443 and g-zen.com.
>>Mystic Restaurant Week runs Oct. 28 through Nov. 5 at 18 participating restaurants, featuring $10.11 lunches and $20.11 multi-course dinners. For a list of eateries and their special menus, visit mysticrestaurantweek.com.
>>New Haven Restaurant Week runs Nov. 6 through 11 at 36 city eateries, featuring $16.38 prix-fixe lunches and $29 multi-course dinners. For a list of participating restaurants and their menus, visit infonewhaven.com/restaurantweek.
>>Max's Oyster Bar, 964 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, hosts a Stone beer dinner Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Six courses will be paired with selections from the Southern California brewery. Cost is $75 plus tax and gratuity. Information: 860-236-6299 and maxrestaurantgroup.com/oyster.
>>Haight-Brown Vineyard, 29 Chestnut Hill Road, Litchfield, celebrates the seasonal release of its Apple-Crannie wine Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30. Special pairings will be available at the winery. No reservations required. Information: 860-567-4045 and haightvineyards.com.
>>The Griswold Inn, 36 Main Street, Essex, continues its Autumn Wine Series, featuring artisan red wines from Spain on Nov. 3 and "New World Contrasts" from the portfolio of winemaker Jayson Woodbridge on Nov. 10. The events begin at 5:45 p.m. in the Steamboat portion of the Inn's wine bar. Cost is $15. Reservations are required: 860-767-1776 and griswoldinn.com.
Leeanne Griffin, Special To The Courant