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Alphabet's Autonomous Driving Unit Waymo Announces a New $2.5 Billion Funding Round
【Summary】Waymo, the self-driving division of Alphabet that spun out of Google’s self-driving car project, secured a significant new investment. On Wednesday, the company announced a new $2.5 billion funding round led by Waymo’s parent company Alphabet, Andreessen Horowitz and others.
Waymo, the self-driving division of Alphabet that spun out of Google's self-driving car project, has bold plans to transform mobility with autonomous vehicles that carry people or goods. Now the company has once again secured a significant outside investment round.
On Wednesday, the company announced a $2.5 billion funding round.
Participants in the funding round are Waymo's parent company Alphabet Inc., Andreessen Horowitz, AutoNation, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Magna International, Mubadala Investment Company, Perry Creek Capital, Silver Lake, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Temasek, and Tiger Global.
With its latest funding, Waymo is emerging as one of the most well-funded autonomous driving developers.
Since March 2020, Waymo has raised a total of $5.5 billion as it works to commercialize and scale its autonomous driving technology.
Waymo said it will use the funding to continue its work on the Waymo Driver, which is its AI-powered autonomous driving hardware and software stack that can be added to a vehicle.
Waymo is considered the industry leader out of dozens of companies working on self-driving vehicles. As an industry leader, the company also shares the data it collects to help others working on autonomous driving technology.
In March, Waymo updated its "Open Dataset" by adding a "motion dataset", which is the largest interactive dataset ever released for research, the company says. The data includes behavior prediction and motion forecasting for autonomous driving.
With the financial backing of Google for over a decade, Waymo has made great progress with its technology. The company's fleet of self-driving vehicles has traveled over 25 million miles on public roads in over 25 U.S. cities.
Waymo has driven billions of more miles in computer simulation improving its technology even further.
Waymo was also the first company to operate a fully autonomous, public ride-hailing service called Waymo One that allows customers to summon one of Waymo's self- driving vehicles to pick them up. The company said it has served thousands of rider-only trips in the Phoenix metro area so far, the first launch city for the Waymo One ride-hailing service.
Waymo is also testing its driverless vehicles in San Francisco, which is one of the toughest environments for self-driving vehicles to operate in with its hilly terrain and streets packed with pedestrians and bicyclists. Waymo deployed a fleet of self-driving electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles throughout the city equipped with the Waymo Driver.
Waymo plans to launch the Waymo One service next in San Francisco. However the state of California doesn't allow operators of autonomous test vehicles to collect fares from the public, leaving Waymo unable to start generating revenue on its own, at least for now. The company however is still also exploring ways to license its autonomous driving technology to others.
Waymo says its building the most advanced technology stack for urban driving, but the company is also working on self-driving trucks for highway freight delivery with its business unit Waymo Via.
Waymo is currently working with its freight partners, including J.B. Hunt, with its growing fleet of Class 8 trucks for autonomous freight delivery. Other partners in Waymo Via include UPS and AutoNation.
Waymo's latest funding comes after the sudden departure of CEO John Krafcik in April who left the company after 5.5 years. Waymo's Chief Financial Officer Ger Dwyer announded her departure a month later in May.
Krafcik was replaced by Waymo CTO Dmitri Dolgov and COO Tekedra Mawakana. The two are now leading the company as co-CEOs.
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
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Remember Digg? There was a time when half the web was peppered with Digg widgets, the idea being that a few up-votes might bring a flood of viewers from the social media juggernaut. The site's founder, Kevin Rose, even made the cover of BusinessWeek in August 2006. The tagline was, "How this kid made $60 million in 18 months," and the cover story affirmed, "People in the know say Digg is easily worth $200 million."
Six years later, Rose is long gone from the company, and Digg has just been sold—apparently for much less than that lofty price. Betaworks announed yesterday that it "acquired the core assets of Digg," and a Wall Street Journal story quoting "three people familiar with the matter" claims the purchase price was a scant $500,000. That small mound of cash reportedly covered Digg's brand, website, and technology.
Cue the pointing and laughing. Everyone has picked up the Journal's story and brandished it as evidence of social media's fickle nature.
There may be a little more to it than that, though. The folks at TechCrunch say they've heard from "multiple sources" that the total acquisition price was closer to $16 million. TechCrunch doesn't contradict the $500K ballpark figure for the Betaworks deal, but it claims the Washington Post snagged the Digg team for $12 million, while LinkedIn made off with "around 15" Digg patents in exchange for a payment in the $3.75-4 million range. (Among the patents are one that covers "[clicking] a button to vote up a story.") TechCrunch claims Betaworks only acquired "remaining assets," including Digg's "domain, code, data and all the traffic."
Whatever the actual sale price, Digg may stop existing as we know it. According to Digg's Matt Williams, Betaworks plans to combine Digg with News.me, which he describes as a "Betaworks company with an iPad app, iPhone app and daily email that delivers the best stories shared by your friends on Facebook and Twitter." It's not clear how much of the original service will remain.
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LAST UPDATED : Sep 15, 2017, 10.43AM IST
- Bosch Q3 net dips 20% to Rs 218cr as demonetisation takes toll
New Delhi, Feb 10 () Auto component maker Bosch today reported 19.93 per cent decline in standalone net profit at Rs 218.19 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, as demonetisation hit demand in the auto industry. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 272.


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Supply chain technology provider Trimble Inc. said today it has agreed to acquire the transportation management system (TMS) vendor Kuebix, a move it says will create a single logistics platform for all participants in the supply chain and enable the industry's transformation toward more digital processes.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Trimble said the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020.
Trimble will then fold Kuebix into its Transportation Sector division, alongside other recent acquisitions such as the shipment tracking software provider 10-4 Systems Inc.
The move addresses inefficiencies that occur when shippers, carriers, and intermediaries operate with "fragmented" TMS software, Sunnyvale, California-based Trimble said. Buying Maynard, Massachusetts-based Kuebix will allow Trimble to break down those technology barriers, enable actionable visibility, and improve collaboration by delivering a single logistics platform for all those trading partners, the company said.
Trimble envisions a new approach that will use a software-as-a-service (SaaS), multi-tenant, cloud platform to optimize the entire logistics process from order management to financial settlement. Using that tool could improve efficiency and asset utilization for carriers, while giving shippers access to expanded capacity and reduced costs, the company said.
The acquisition will ultimately enable Trimble to bring together its network of private fleet and commercial carrier customers, which collectively represent more than 1.3 million commercial trucks in North America, with Kuebix's community of more than 21,000 shipping companies. The combination will create a powerful new platform for planning, execution, and freight demand-capacity matching, Trimble said.
"Combining Kuebix's innovative platform and rapidly-growing community of shippers with Trimble's history of innovation, strength and scale will provide a transformative transportation supply chain solution that creates new opportunities for collaboration throughout the logistics ecosystem," James Langley, senior vice president, Trimble Transportation, said in a release. "This combination will help carriers uncover inefficiencies in their network, make better decisions, optimize operations and transform the way the transportation industry works."
We are excited to announce our planned acquisition of Kuebix [@KuebixTMS] and look forward to welcoming them into the Trimble family! Together, we look forward to transforming and connecting the #transportation logistics ecosystem. Read more: https://t.co/aRLdtYaFsU pic.twitter.com/fEXFIHEWUs— Trimble Transportation (@Trimble_Trans) January 9, 2020


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Combining physical store and the online-to-offline (O2O) retail experience, technology company HP unveiled its flagship Experience Hub located at Pavillion Bukit Jalil (Level 4), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Experience Hub unifies the retail experience across the Southeast Asia region with its flagship physical store connecting to 82 online stores spread initially across Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore, with Thailand and Vietnam to follow in March.
The flagship store has been created in partnership with Thunder Match Technology Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s largest tech retailer, while the online experience is supported by regional online commerce partner, Shopee, with an exclusive launch in February, and Lazada. Consumers online can look forward to personally engaging HP Live Advisors, a team of dedicated experts based at the X-Hub, via real-time video calls and chat functions in their preferred local language and join livestreams on the latest HP products via the HP Virtual Showroom.
Customers at the physical store in Malaysia are immersed in interactive “Test Drive” stations that mimic customer scenarios and activities by showcasing the full range of HP and partner technology.
Visitors can also access personalization services such as custom engraving and printing, plus connect to in-store or online HP Live Advisors for immediate product inquiries. Underpinning both the online and offline experience is an interactive content showcase and a virtual showroom to help consumers understand HP’s technology and service offerings.
Categories: Business Features


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It is a topic on which the Fresno Bee has published many articles over the years.
The bee has conducted a survey over the last decade in which more than 1,200 respondents were asked their opinions on the value and worth of cotton flowers and the answers were recorded in the annual poll, conducted every three years.
In the latest poll, the Bee asked respondents if they would recommend cotton flowers as a source of income for farmers.
Seventeen per cent of respondents said yes and the remaining were split.
Respondents were asked if they were willing to pay a premium for the flowers.
The number who said yes was a whopping 71 per cent.
The bees report shows that cotton prices in Fresno are up about 40 per cent over the past year and that growers are suffering a loss of sales, but that farmers are not paying more for the product.
The value of cotton has also declined in Fresno since last year.
In the 2016 poll, growers were asked the price of a kilogram of cotton and they said it was about $11.50.
In 2017, growers had a range of prices ranging from $9.99 to $19.99.
In 2016, the cost of a single kilogram (0.2 pounds) of cotton ranged from $1.25 to $7.50 and in 2017, it ranged from about $4.75 to $18.95.
The value of a cotton flower has been rising as the price per kilogram is going up.
In 2014, growers sold 1,400 kilogrammes of cotton in Fresno.
In 2016, that number had risen to 3,600 kilogrammemes.
The Bee survey also showed that farmers were not making any money selling cotton in 2017.
Farmers selling cotton have been making losses and are facing a loss in income, but it is still not enough to cover the losses incurred from the cotton prices, the survey said.
The price of cotton for farmers has been going up since 2014, with the price ranging from about half a cent to $3.00 in 2017 and from $4 to $5.00 last year, the poll showed.
This means that the price has been increasing in the last three years in Fresno, according to the Bee.
In addition to the increase in the price, farmers are paying higher prices for cotton because they can get better deals on the flowers that are sold by local growers.
For example, in the 2016 survey, growers received about $100 per kilo from the Fresno Cotton Growers Association.
In 2018, the price went up to $1,400 per kilos, the study said.
The growers’ association has been trying to get a higher price from the Bee to cover their losses and to help the growers sell more flowers to offset the losses, the report said.
Fresno growers are struggling because they are losing money selling their flowers, said Robert Ceballos, president of the Fresno Flower Growers Union.
He said that growers don’t have any other source of revenue and that farmers can’t make ends meet selling their cotton.
He said that while some growers are selling the flowers in bulk to retailers, the bulk is going to the growers.
“We are going to have to buy a lot of flowers because we have a lot more money to buy them,” Cebillos said.


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UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES OF WALLMART AND NIKE
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., branded as Walmart is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's second largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2013, the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart remains a family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family, who own a 48 percent stake in Walmart. It is also one of the world’s most valuable companies.
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It operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the United Kingdom as Asda, in Japan as Seiyu, and in India as Best Price. It has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Walmart's investments outside North America have had mixed results: its operations in the United Kingdom, South America, and China are highly successful, whereas ventures in Germany and South Korea were unsuccessful.
Wal-Mart under fire for 'unethical business practices'
Unfair Treatment of Women Employees:
WAL-MART has been accused of discriminating against women. They are underpaid, that is men are more paid than women. There are over 70 percent of women working at Wal-Mart, but only a small amount of those women are managers. So, men are holding more management positions than women. A group of 6 women (current and former) employees in California prosecute Wal-Mart for discrimination. According to Hoover’s handbook of American Business: “In June 2001 a group of six current and former female Wal-Mart employees filed a sex discrimination lawsuit (seeking to represent up to 1.6 million current and former Wal-Mart workers) against the company.”An U.S judge certified that these 6 women represent all female employees of Wal-Mart.
The activist group Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) said "in 2006 Walmart reports that full-time hourly associates received, on average, $10.11 an hour." It further calculated that working 34 hours per week an employee earns $17,874 per year and claimed that is about twenty percent less than the average retail worker. (The number of hours the "average retail worker" worked was not specified.) The report from LAANE further opines that this pay is "over $10,000 less than what the average two-person family needs. Walmart managers are judged, in part, based on their ability to control payroll costs. Some say this puts extra pressure on higher-paid workers to be more productive. Walmart insists its wages are generally in line with the current local market in retail labour.
Other critics have noted that in 2001, the average wage for a Walmart Sales Clerk was $8.23 per hour, or $13,861 a year, while the federal poverty line for a family of three was $14,630. Walmart founder Sam Walton once said, "I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We're going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment."
In August 2006, Walmart announced that it would roll out an average pay increase of 6% for all new hires at 1,200 U.S. Walmart and Sam's Club locations, but at the same time would institute pay caps on veteran workers. While Walmart maintains that the measures are necessary to stay competitive, critics believe that the salary caps are primarily an effort to push higher-paid veteran workers out of the company.
In 2008, Walmart agreed to pay at least $352 million to settle lawsuits claiming that it forced employees to work off the clock. "Several lawyers...


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Canada's annual inflation rate rose for the second consecutive month in February, as higher prices on gasoline and food pushed the cost of consumer goods in Canada up one notch to 2.6 per cent.
As well, core inflation – the underlying pressure on consumer goods, excluding volatile items such as energy and fresh foods – rose two notches to 2.3 per cent, above the Bank of Canada's 2-per-cent target line.
"On a monthly basis and before seasonal adjustment, consumer prices went up 0.4 per cent in February, after increasing the same amount in January," Statistics Canada said in its report.
Following a two-tenths pop in January, the first two months of 2012 reverses what had been a generally downward trajectory in inflation that began last May.
While unlikely to be seen as permanent, the upward trend could cause some rethinking at the Bank of Canada, which had been expecting inflation to continue falling.
Statistics Canada said the big mover in the past two months has been gasoline, which is exerting upward pressure on most energy prices and transportation costs. Gas prices rose by 2.6 per cent over January and were 8.9 per cent more than a year ago.
Middle East turmoil and uncertainty over supply has caused the price for world oil to stay well north of the $100 US level, despite what remains a generally weak global economic backdrop.
Meanwhile, the cost of food continued to rise faster than inflation overall – it was 4.1 per cent higher than a year ago, as the cost of meat rose 7.1 per cent and bread by 7.2 per cent.
Other items that saw price increases included shelter, household operations, clothing and footwear, transportation, health and personal services, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
Of the eight major components tracked by the agency, only recreation, education and reading saw a pull-back in prices from a year ago.
Regionally, Quebec and Ontario both experienced significant increases in annual inflation. Prices rose by four-tenths of a point to 3.2 per cent in Quebec, thanks to a 13.4 per cent pop in gas, while Ontario's rate rose half a point to 2.9 per cent as electricity costs rose 8.9 per cent.


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Abiomed stock slumps on FDA setback
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- Julie M. Donnelly, Boston Business Journal
Abiomed Inc.’s (Nasdaq:ABMD) shares slid almost 6 percent Friday, before recovering slightly, after the medical device company announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require the company to re-submit its already-approved miniature heart pump.
The FDA has decided to re-classify the Danvers-based company’s Impella heart pump, along with other temporary ventricular support devices. This re-classification means that Impella and similar heart pumps will have to go through the more rigorous Pre Market Approval (PMA) process at the FDA, versus the less rigorous 510K clearance process, as is now the case.
Abiomed said the FDA will allow the company to continue to sell the Impella pump under its initial approval, until the company can submit, and the FDA can review, the new PMA application.
“We look forward to collaborating with the FDA on next steps and agree with the ... feedback that our existing data, combined with our U.S. registry, position us to work with the FDA to submit a PMA application,” CEO Michael R. Minogue said in a statement. “We welcome the opportunity for a PMA to strengthen our existing marketing clearances and expand the indications for Impella patients.”
This is the latest in a raft of bad news for the Impella. Abiomed announced on Nov. 1 that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is investigating the company’s marketing and labeling of the heart pump, known as the Impella 2.5 circulatory support device. Abiomed also said at the time that it was possible the U.S. Food and Drug administration would reclassify the devices. The company’s stock dropped 31 percent on the announcement. Also, in June 2011, Abiomed received a warning letter from the FDA about improper marketing of Impella for unapproved indications.
Abiomed’s stock was trading at $12.38 Friday afternoon, down almost 4 percent from its previous close of $12.88.
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Parts of New Jersey are still struggling to recover after Hurricane Sandy tore through six months ago and, as a result, some marine businesses continue to take a hit. After scrambling to get things back up and running, boat businesses are facing a new challenge.
After hearing about all the debris littering New Jersey waterways, boat dealers and marina owners are reporting that customers are too worried to boat this season. So members of the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey decided to address the issue firsthand.
The group decided to prove waterways were once again navigable by shooting videos while boating on waterways around the state.
Click play to watch.
“We pretty much spent all winter getting our facilities up and running so we could be ready for the spring,” Don Ditzel, of Comstock Yacht Sales and Marina in Brick, N.J., and vice president of the MTA/NJ, told Trade Only Today. “We do not want to sit here saying everything was fine if it wasn’t, so the only way to prove it was fine was to go boating and freeze.”
Gov. Chris Christie, known and often respected for his outspokenness, had emphasized the debris during some public meetings, Ditzel told Trade Only.
“I don’t know if they were scare tactics, but it almost put boating in New Jersey as a wash this season,” Ditzel said. “We wanted to say kind of the opposite. We’ve been boating since early March and we’ve encountered no issues. I personally think these facts were coming out to push for more federal aid to our area, which is fine. It’s just that it would negatively affect my business, as well as many others in the area, by people either boating or not boating.”
Small businesses, including those focused on the marine industry, are still struggling in many parts of the state, said MTA/NJ executive director Melissa Danko.
“It’s been a hard six months for everyone here and it’s still hard, so we just wanted to have something positive to show people,” Danko told Trade Only. “A lot of people lost homes entirely. It’s still very raw here, especially along the coast. Our members were getting more and more calls from customers asking, ‘What’s in the waterways? Are they safe?’ ”
Danko says the group has been working closely with state departments and knew the work was being done, but the word wasn’t getting out to boaters.
“We gave information at boat shows, but I don’t think any of us felt like it was enough,” Danko said. “We all just realized we needed to do something more, get out on waterways ourselves, get someone to take video and it all sort of evolved from there.”
Some channels are cleaner now than they were before the storm.
“Even things that have been in the water for years are getting cleaned up,” Danko said. “That’s a message we’ve been trying to publicize.”
Hopefully, there is aid on the way for some of the affected businesses, Danko said.
“We’re still fighting really hard to get businesses money,” Danko said Monday afternoon. “The federal government just released $50,000 in business grants and low-interest loans. That’s really good. We just have not seen a lot of money for businesses yet.”
— Reagan Haynes


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Santa wasn`t the only one making a list and checking it twice.
Holiday shoppers helped keep their costs down-and retail sales volume at essentially the same level as last year`s disastrous season-by sticking to budgets and eliminating as much impulse shopping as possible, according to retail managers and consultants.
``They really planned their shopping lists,`` said Carol Gasper, spokeswoman for the Nordstrom department store in Oak Brook. ``I definitely think people knew what they wanted before coming into the stores.``
``This is about the third Christmas where consumers have exerted rather strong spending discipline,`` said George Rosenbaum, chief executive of Leo Shapiro & Associates, a retail consulting firm in Chicago. ``If a consumer is trying to discipline spending, the first thing they`ve got to do is change from an `open-to-buying` mood to having specific objectives.``
As a result, traditional, moderately priced gifts-such as terrycloth robes, slippers, sweaters, scarves and leather gloves-were popular, as were any items on sale.
And there seemed to be no end to the promotional and discount specials, which were largely responsible for the flat results this year, said Tom Tashjian, a securities analyst with First Manhattan.
``Shoppers were usually only buying at sale prices. So much was sold on sale that even though there were probably increases on an overall-unit basis, the number of dollars generated was probably down,`` Tashjian said.
Not surprisingly, the recession was cited as the primary reason for the soft sales this season. But at least two other factors played aggravating roles. Fewer shopping days after Thanksgiving, plus the effect of major cutback announcements this month by General Motors Corp. and International Business Machines Corp., among others, contributed to consumers` stinginess, according to retailers.
``We`re disappointed with the results this season,`` said Sue Sorensen, spokeswoman for the department store division of Dayton Hudson Corp., which includes Marshall Field & Co. ``Despite seeing a last-minute surge, it wasn`t enough to provide results we had hoped for.``
Of the company`s three department store chains, Field`s had the strongest performance, she said.
Other stores also reported slow starts in early December, which they attributed to Thanksgiving falling on its last possible date in November.
``Our holiday preliminary results were not as strong as we had hoped. It`s been about the same as last year,`` said Connie Wysaske, spokeswoman for the Seattle-based Nordstrom chain. ``There`s a lot of traffic in the malls, but traffic is not matching the spending.``
Retailers were somewhat encouraged by the large crowds Thursday, however, and not all of them came to return items, Sorensen said. Some analysts predicted that post-Christmas shopping would be better this year because the holiday fell on a Wednesday, encouraging people to take off Thursday and Friday-and with more time, they`re more likely to shop.
So far, though, reports on the overall season are disappointing.
Rosenbaum, with Leo Shapiro, said that after factoring in 4 percent inflation, most of the retailers saw a decline in sales from the 1990 holiday season. But Dan Skoda, president of Field`s, said that revenues remained flat because retail prices remained pretty much the same from last year.
Not everyone did poorly. Gap Inc., which saw an 8 percent increase in same-store sales in November, and big discounters, such as Kmart Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., are expected to show increases for December.
``A big lesson from this season is that shoppers no longer feel embarrassed about going to a discount store to buy Christmas gifts,``
Rosenbaum said. ``This notion that you should have no shame in going to a discount store for Christmas will have serious consequences for future seasons for department stores.``
Other retailing consultants agree that even if the economy rebounds by next year, the recession will continue to influence holiday seasons to come because of its profound impact on young shoppers.
``There`s a whole generation of consumers who have been through their first recession, and frankly, they`re scared to death,`` said Sidney Doolittle, a partner at McMillan & Doolittle, a retail consulting firm in Chicago. ``They`ve found out that lifetime employment is a thing of the past.``
All of the above might explain why ``value-oriented shopping,`` the euphemism retailers use, was the typical shopping style this season.
``We noticed there were some common characteristics this season,``
Sorensen said. ``We noticed customers responding to promotions, to value-oriented items-items consumers believe are priced right.``


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KAKAMEGA COUNTY BENCHMARKS ON NANDI DIGITAL MARKET PLACE.
The recently launched Nandi Digital Marketplace has registered its initial success in spurring the digital economy in our county which has generated interest for partnership from players within and outside the County. Today the County received a delegation from the County Government of Kakamega who are on a mission to Benchmark on Nandi Digital MarketPlace.
County Government through the Department of Trade, Tourism, industrialization, and Enterprise Development, developed a business-to-business digital marketplace that helps farmers to sell their products directly to consumers to enjoy 100% profit and avoid exploitation from brokers.
Speaking during the engagement the Chief Officer for ICT and E-Government Jonathan Misoi said that the digital market has bridged the gap between traditional markets and the digital economy and it has also allowed local businesses to thrive in the online marketplace. He also encouraged the officials from Kakamega to join the Global Open Governance Partnership to automate service delivery in their backyard which will greatly improve performance within the county.
While going through the developed systems, Kakamega County Chief Officer for Cooperative Development Emmanuel Kariuki, lauded Nandi County on its commitment to automate their services, he said that they are looking forward to execute the same strategies in their County.
Nandi has managed to automate the following services County Call Centre, Nandi County Digital Marketplace, Digifarm and Gigicow, Asset and inventory system, County Monitoring and Evaluation System (CMES, and Nandi County Data Desk among others.
Present at the meeting were Trade, Tourism, Industrialization, and Enterprise Development Chief Officer Benjamin Kiprotich, Kakamega County ICT and E-Government Chief Officer Phanuel Musasia, Cart ‘n’ Shop Director Joseph Wambugu, and Digital Market Technical Officers amongst others.


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LIOC Managing Director Manoj Gupta said the price of a litre of Petrol 92 (Octane) has been increased by Rs.7. As such, the new selling price will be Rs.184.
The price of a litre of Lanka Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs.3 and thus the new price is Rs.124.
He claimed the losses are around Rs.42 per litre on the selling price of diesel and Rs.10 per litre on petrol compared to the current international prices.
The recent price revision took place on December 21, 2021. However, since then, Brent Crude prices have increased from $72 per barrel to $92 per in the international market, Mr. Gupta said.
International fuel prices have increased to seven-year high in an unprecedented rise. As of today, the international price of gas and gasoline 92 is exceeding $100 per barrel, he said.
Oil prices are soaring due to geopolitical tension between the US and Russia over the Ukraine invasion, a deep freeze in Texas that disrupted some Permian oil production; and the failure of OPEC+ to address the growing gap between quotes and what is being produced.
Mr. Gupta informed us that we have been left with no other option but to increase the prices of petrol and diesel.
However, although losses are very high, the company has currently increased the prices to the barest minimum, taking into consideration its impact on the industry and people at large, he said.


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About the game
BloodRayne is a third-person shooter that began the long-running BloodRayne franchise. Controlling the redheaded protagonist, you hunt down supernatural threats for the Brimstone Society, killing all and any opposition along the way.
BloodRayne and BloodRayne 2 remasters get a release date
Ziggurat Interactive announced the name of the upgraded versions of BloodRayne games as well as release date which is just a few weeks away.
BloodRayne is about to be revived thanks to Ziggurat acquisition
Nostalgia is swooping over the gaming industry as another series is getting a revival from its 2000s run and this time we are getting the Nazi-hating half-vampire back. Bloodrayne is officially coming back.


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There are little hidden ways to save some cash on flights. According to Airlines Reporting Corporation:
- get your flight 42 DAYS or six weeks before your travel will save
- look in the early morning for fairs that are cut
- Farecompare.com says buying on Tuesday at 3p is the ideal time
- fly out early, like 4am early
- checking on Expedia/priceline doesn’t do always find the lowest so check individual airline websites
- get in on updates from places like airfarewatchdog.com
- if ya fly a lot check on frequent flyer freebies you could grab
- farecompare.com found that WEDNESDAY is the best time to fly, runner ups: Tuesday and Saturday. worst days Sunday and Friday!
my only secrets are asking for a full can of pop and multiple snacks. If they ask if you want pretzels or cookies, say both and they will oblige! I also pack in a small bag and don’t pay for baggage, roll up your shirts to save room. You can also tuck things in your shoes to save room! carry a big purse too to put under the seat in front of you!
Merry Christmas and happy traveling!
source: us news and world report


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Challenge ahead: In addition to fixing its supply chain issues, Bed Bath & Beyond needs to cut costs and improve its balance sheet.
- The retailer’s gross profit shrunk from 32.4% in FY Q1 last year to 23.9% in FY Q1 2022.
- It also faces pressure from activist investor Ryan Cohen to improve performance and explore the sale of its buybuy BABY chain.
- “We must deliver improved results,” Gove said in a statement. “Our shareholders, associates, customers, and partners all expect more.”
Knowing what people want: The retailer’s supply chain challenges drove it to order inventory earlier than usual. That left it vulnerable to shifts in consumer demand, which will force it to discount excess inventoryas Target and other retailers have had to do.
- A mismatch between inventory and consumer demand led Bed Bath & Beyond to carry approximately 15% more inventory than last year. At the same time, its sales were 25% lower. That delta of almost 40 percentage points between sales and inventory was worth more than $500 million in cash in Q1, said Gustavo Arnalchief financial officer.
The big takeaway: Tritton’s timing was terrible: He arrived just before the global pandemic upended the retail landscape. That left him attempting to execute a challenging shakeup plan amid a swirl of headwinds, including a dip in demand for home goods in Q1. While there’s clearly more work to be done—starting with its supply chain challenges—Tritton’s initiatives provide Gove with a head start at turning around the retailer’s business.


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Sponsored news from Haffner:
Machinery experts, Haffner Ltd, has been confirmed as a finalist at this year’s National Fenestration Awards in the category of Machinery Company 2022. Dave Thomas, CEO at Haffner, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this award and would like to thank everyone who took the time to nominate us. Our teams across the UK and Europe are dedicated to providing the best in machine technology and this nomination acknowledges their hard work and the support of our customers and suppliers.”
The National Fenestration Awards are the industry’s fastest-growing, independent awards event which was launched in 2013. Now in its ninth year, the event has grown in popularity and is voted purely by industry participation.
Founded in 1990, Haffner Ltd has the largest and most comprehensive machine portfolio in the industry today, which makes it a go-to supplier for fabricators of all sizes.
Haffner is the exclusive UK supply partner of Graf Synergy, which offers world-class seamless welding technology and patented welding techniques. It is the sole UK agent of Haffner Machinery, which designs innovative and high-quality engineered products and it supplies a range of aluminium fabrication machines from FOM Industrie.
Overall, the strength of their offer means many of their customers return to Haffner every time they need to invest in machinery. Dave said: “Our reputation has given us wider recognition in the industry too. We’ve secured back-to-back wins in the Machinery Company category at the NFA Awards and to be named finalists at the 2022 awards is a great achievement. The teams have their fingers crossed in the hope of securing the treble.”
The winners will be announced at the NFA 2022 Winners Event at Doncaster Race Course on 5th November. Dave concluded: “To win for a third consecutive year would mean so much to everyone at Haffner. Good luck to all the finalists.”
To vote for your winner, visit https://www.fenestrationawards.co.uk/vote/
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Anti-Meth Meds Now in Stock Locally
WHEELING – As West Virginia lawmakers consider making pseudoephedrine products available by prescription only, Kroger stores in Wheeling now stock the abuse-deterrent product Nexafed.
Pseudoephedrine is used for cold and allergy relief, found in products such as Sudafed, Claritin-D and Allegra-D. It also is the main ingredient used to manufacture methamphetemine.
In 2013, law enforcement discovered more than 500 meth labs statewide. The cleanup cost and the hazard the labs pose is leading many in Charleston, such as Delegate Don Perdue, D-Wayne, a pharmacist, to call for the prescription-only legislation.
Abuse-deterrent drugs such as Nexafed also are coming on the market. Considered the meth-resistant equivalent to cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine as the active ingredient, Nexafed involves a new technology that Acura Pharmaceutical believes disrupts the tablet’s conversion to meth.
Steve Burson, pharmacy sales manager at Kroger, said the new technology “gives customers peace of mind” regarding the risk of pseudoephedrine theft and abuse while enabling them to still benefit from the ingredient’s intended purpose.
At this time, Kroger pharmacies are not offering tamper-resistant pseudoephedrine products exclusively. Sudafed and other multi-symptom medications are still stocked behind counters.
Brad Rivet, vice president of marketing at Acura Pharmaceutical, the makers of Nexafed, said pharmacies’ adoption of the new medication over time will result in fewer meth labs.
“Pharmacies and patients have been very receptive to the switch to Nexafed, and meth cooks must look elsewhere to get the precursor products they need for meth production,” he said.
Rivet said attempting to extract the pseudoephedrine from Nexafed forms a “thick gel to block that extraction.”
Other pharmacies in West Virginia, including Rite Aid, already have made a shift to carrying only tamper-resistant pseudoephedrine formulations. Zephrex-D is another abuse-deterrent option.
Across West Virginia, about 10 percent of all state residents purchased pseudoephedrine products in 2013, according to data from the National Precusor Log Exchange.
The purchase numbers were slightly lower than expected, but not much, said Mike Goff with the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy.
Goff added the state saw 422,675 separate pseudoephedrine transactions last year.
Considering the increase in meth lab discoveries in West Virginia, Goff believes over-the-counter access to tamper-resistant products, combined with a requirement that remaining PSE products are made prescription-only, would significantly reduce the number of meth labs.
“It appears that some pharmacies are choosing to only stock the tamper-resistant forms of PSE. However, most still sell the multi-symptom products that contain pseudoephedrine and another active ingredient,” said Goff.
Producers can still use these multi-symptom products in clandestine lab operations, Goff said.


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Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Hwang Jung-chiou, right, and Sony Computer Entertainment Asia president Tetsuhiko Yasuda launch a Taiwan-Japan cooperation project on new digital content during a press conference in Taipei yesterday.Jun 30, 2009FULL STORY
This photo has been viewed 644 times.
Listing from 2014-07-25 to 2014-08-01
- Most read
- Most e-mailed
1Competition catching up to tablet market leaders
2BSkyB to buy Europe pay-TV firm
3Isner reaches fourth Atlanta final
4US stocks mixed after uneven earnings
5Is it time to dump the name ROC?


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Apple is suing a Canadian recycling company that it says resold upward of 100,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches instead of breaking them down. GEEP, a recycling firm, was responsible for recovering valuable material from used Apple devices by de-assembling them.
The suit, which was filed in January, according to The Logic, states that Apple had sent more than half a million devices to GEEP to recycled between 2015 and 2017, and following a routine audit realized that almost 20 percent of them were still online.
Between 2015 and 2017, Apple sent GEEP over half a million devices, and during a routine audit, they realized that 20 percent of them were still online.
This 18 percent doesn't count Apple devices without a cellular radio. In its lawsuit, the company claims that three "rogue" employees carried out the theft without the company's knowledge.
Cases like this one could prompt device makers like Apple and Samsung to start recycling programs of their own. Apple filed the suit in January 2020 although the thefts were discovered in 2017-2018.
And Apple says: These employees were top administrators in (Geep Canada). The iPhone SE may share numerous iPhone 8's specs, but for $40 more you'll get more mileage out of a phone that isn't going to be three years old out-of-the-box. Apple also relies on robots like Daisy that can strip and keep the parts of 200 iPhone units an hour. That company apparently ended up reselling the stolen devices in China. If the resold products are not rebuilt with counterfeit parts, it results in serious electrical and battery defects.
Apple said that the number of stolen devices will be considerably higher, since non-LTE ones wouldn't be shown. He would prefer that Apple fix older iPhones rather than strip them down and recycle the parts.
As such, Apple intends to get at least $ 22.7 million from the company that allegedly stole it.
Apple has always been working to increase how much it recycles.
From Apple's perspective, reselling these devices was never okay even if they happened to meet Apple's quality or safety standards. The company actually uses recycled metal in their devices to save some impact of their manufacturing on the environment.
- Alexei Navalny blames Vladimir Putin for poisoning
- Trumps tests positive for Covid-19
- Turkey, Greece reach understanding on 'general principles'
- The just-announced Pixel 5 has somehow already been unboxed
- Singer Helen Reddy dead at 78
- North Korea's Kim tours flood-hit town, sister reappears in public
- Conservationists Warn 500,000 Sharks Could Be Killed For Covid-19 Vaccine
- Rebels from Syria recruited to fight in Karabakh conflict
- Thurston County COVID-19 cases jump by 23 to 1,252
- Pompeo to visit Japan, Mongolia, S.Korea


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UK telecom giant BT has increased the prices of its broadband, home phone services and TV channels just weeks before Christmas.
The price hike, which has come into effect immediately, affects more than 10 million BT customers in the United Kingdom.
According to Daily Mail, the customers of BT's Anytime Call plan will have their bill rise to £4.90, an increase of 20p. The company also announced an increase of 5 per cent in monthly line rental charges, to £14.60 from £13.90.
The company has also decided to increase the prices of daytime and evening calls, with the daytime calls now costing 7.95p per minute while the evening calls cost 1.05p per minute.
BT, which posted a profit of £1.7 billion in the financial year ending March this year, also revealed that customers of its broadband packages will see their bills rise by 20p to £4.90, depending on their subscription plans.
"We are making a series of price updates, but are freezing some prices until 2013 to provide customers with greater certainty over bills." said BT director John Petter reports Mirror.


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This article is more than 1 year old
FOUR STUNNING NEW FEATURES Cook should put in the iPHONE 7
Also: Grauniad selected to join El Reg in elite group of news organisations
It's the eve of iPhone Day, the most magical time of the year, when fanbois' and fangurls' little faces light up as they tear open the packages tomorrow. It's the day that we celebrate the coming of a new Jesus Phone down to Earth to be seen amongst mortals yet again.
But there are a lot of, pardon us for shooting straight from the hip like the grizzled old tech warhorses we are, fools out there saying that the iPhone 6 range – in particular the iPhone 6 Plus – now offers everything a smartphone can offer, and so there's nothing new and exciting that Apple can bring to its seminal pocketslab. It's got everything: 4G, big screen, bonkpayment, fingerprint reader, the lot.
There's some truth to that, perhaps, in the case of tomorrow's 6S and 6S Plus. These are indeed no more than a slight upgrade of the 6 and 6 Plus. But frankly, that story is over. The unwashed rabble of the technology press already have review handsets, and in fact – horrifyingly – at least one actual non-journalist normal person has got one too. We here at the Reg – and just one other elite publication that we know of* – will not be wrestling with the other sweaty peasants in that particular media mosh-pit, thank you.
No, the spotlight has moved on conclusively to the iPhone 7: that's the real story now, and will be until shortly before it comes out. And the fact is, the iPhone 7 could be a real, market-devastating game changer. There are, absolutely no word of a lie, several major new items which could be added to it which would truly upset the Applecart.
Tim Cook has it in his power to do something genuinely transformative – but does he have the guts?
So without further ado, here are the stunning new technologies and options which could be added to the iPhone 7 to make it truly, groundbreakingly different. In some cases we've added possible branding.
1. POWER AIR™: Genuine SIXTEEN SECOND WIRELESS RECHARGE WITHOUT A WALL SOCKET
Sure, you've seen all the fast-charge and wireless-recharge hype. It always turns out that actually it takes ages, the battery isn't really fully charged, if it is charged the level of charge drops massively soon after recharging, you need to fit a special battery which isn't very good ... or all of the above. And, no matter what, you always need a wall socket to plug the super-recharger gizmo into.
Well that's just not good enough. Not when there's a technology out there which can potentially take a phone from dead flat battery to full, stable, genuinely fully charged and do it in sixteen seconds or less – and all you need to do it is an easily pocketable device smaller than the phone which requires no power socket to work.
Our ace team at #VultureTRENDING exclusively revealed this stunning technology earlier this year, and verified it themselves in a videoed hands-on test. It's real, and Apple could implement it any time they want to. Right there, that would take the iPhone to a completely new level.
2. SUPER iCLOUD RETINA PRO™: Access all your overflow data with UNBELIEVABLE SPEED, TOTAL SECURITY – and even with NO INTERNET CONNECTION!!!
The existing iCloud is just great – it completely solves the problem of your iPhone's storage filling up, which is something that can definitely happen with all that 4K video: especially if you're a cheapskate and have only got the 16GB scum model. iCloud can go up to a terabyte at quite reasonable prices. Brilliant.
But what if iCloud was even better? What if you could access your older, bigger files from your phone effectively instantly, without streaming or downloading? What if you could access them within seconds on smart TVs, projectors, Macs, lesser computers etc, no matter where you were in the world?
What if your new super iCloud, unlike the existing one, was secure against "Fappening" style hacking that could reveal your nude selfies or other embarrassments to the world?
And – most miraculous of all – what if this technology would work seamlessly, not only over a slow or intermittent internet connection, but even without any internet connection at all?
Again, this technology has actually been developed to quite an advanced stage already. It could definitely be in the iPhone 7 if Tim Cook chooses to put it there.
That would be exciting. Who says iPhone launches have to be ho-hum from here on?
And there's more:


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Living Social, one of the biggest competitors to Groupon and other daily deal couponing sites, is scoring big points today for a national deal offering a $20 Amazon.com gift card for $10.
The company, which received a $175 million investment from Amazon in December, has already sold more than 354,000 of the deal in a little over 3 hours. At $10 a pop, that means Living Social has sold more than $3.5 million worth of the daily deal.
With more than 20 hours left to go, it’s probable that this deal will far exceed competitor Groupon’s recent nationwide deal with Gap. That deal, which offered $50 in Gap merchandise for $25, previously held a record of $11 million worth of coupons sold.
Will you buy/have you bought this deal? Let me know your thoughts. Or, if you want to send in your predictions for how many of these coupons will sell, I’d love to see how close we get to the actual number!


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Distribution deal sees instant win provider significantly expand global reach.
The award-winning supplier of online, instant win games – has partnered with Playtech, the world’s leading omni-channel gaming company, in a deal which significantly improves the reach of its instant win catalogue.
Under the agreement, IWG’s content has been integrated onto the Playtech Bingo Network, enhancing the platform’s instant win offering.
Playtech’s global network of operators will now have access to leading IWG titles including the award-winning Cash Buster series.
Rhydian Fisher, CEO at IWG, said: “Our commercial business continues to go from strength to strength and partnering with one of the leading platform providers in Playtech is a very important deal for us.
“Playtech has a wide network of operators and opens the door for us to expand our international presence while also greatly improving their instant win portfolio with our award-winning content.”
Angus Nisbet at Playtech, said: “IWG is one of the first suppliers to benefit from the Playtech Open Platform, our new, industry leading content aggregation technology. We are thrilled about this partnership, as it exemplifies Playtech’s mission with this new platform – to drive innovation in the gaming industry and provide unparalleled access and capabilities to users. We look forward to sharing IWG’s hugely popular catalogue with our partners.”
IWG started to offer its services to commercial brands and platforms in the wider online gaming industry in late 2016 and the supplier’s instant win titles are live with William Hill, Mecca Bingo and across GVC’s B2C brands.
IWG has provided a full online instant win service to lotteries for over 15 years, producing more than 250 high quality instant win games. It won online lottery supplier of the year at the 2017 EGR B2B Awards.


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Apple is investigating what looks to be a very serious battery issue with the new iPhone 8 Plus, according to reports.
When you’re manufacturing incredibly complex smartphones by the millions, it’s not improbable that something is going to go wrong. We saw South Korean tech giant Samsung brought to its knees publicly over a battery issue with last year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone – is Apple next up for the chopping block?
A report by The Independent notes that Apple is “investigating reports of its new iPhone bursting open”. Apparently, some iPhone 8 Plus handsets are splitting open along the sides, which is not something you’d expect from a £799 smartphone. Worse still, this startling claim comes mere days after the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus smartphones went on sale.
Several users have posted images of the phenomenon to Twitter, with some customers claiming that the casing cracked open during charging. Others suggested that their handsets were broken straight out of the box.
Apple reportedly told The Independent that it was “looking into” these claims, but it’s not clear what action (if any) the Californian tech powerhouse plans to take.
The issue is believed to be the result of battery swelling, which is causing the case to split along the side. However, reports online are mixed regarding how widespread the issue is. Until we hear otherwise, it’s probably safe to assume your iPhone will be fine. That said, if you do notice any issues, it’s worth hauling your new handset over to your local Apple Store Genius Bar for tech support.
Apple will likely be fearful that the issue is widespread, however. Phone makers had a significant wake-up call last year, when a battery issue affected Samsung Galaxy Note 7 handsets resulted in Samsung having to issue two global recalls, eventually halting manufacturing of the phone and killing the device off indefinitely.
However, it’s entirely possible that these alleged iPhone 8 Plus issues are very infrequent, and Apple customer support is generally good at resolving such issues for customers on a case-by-case basis. Don’t let this put you off buying an otherwise brilliant phone, is what we’re saying.
Related: iPhone 9
What’s your take on Apple’s latest additions to its iPhone roster? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter.


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New Aldi store in Grantham 'progressing well' ahead of 2022 opening
Aldi have confirmed that construction of a new store in Grantham is "progressing well".
The construction of the supermarket on derelict land at the corner of Harlaxton Road and Trent Road began in April.
Once completed, it will replace the current store, which is located off South Parade.
Aldi confirmed that they were moving towards opening the new store early in 2022.
An Aldi spokesperson said: “Construction for our new Grantham store on the corner of Harlaxton Road and Trent Road is progressing well as we move towards opening in the first quarter of 2022.
"This will create up to 10 jobs for the community.”


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A plan to make parking in council car parks free for the first two hours is set to come into effect from September.
The plan had been to do it earlier in the year, but due to Covid-19 the district council decided to make parking free indefinitely.
Now, the council has said it will re-introduce parking charges from September, but only for people who have parked for more than two hours.
It is hoped the move will help bring more people into town centres to help with the economic recovery from the pandemic.
The move, which is expected to cost the council around £25,000 this year, and around £42,000 next year in lost income.
It will affect 11 car parks across the borough.
There are three in Hucknall: Market Place; Piggins Croft and Yorke Street.
Four are in Kirkby: Market Yard; Ellis Street; Hodkinson Road and Festival Hall.
The remaining four are in Sutton: Stoney Street; New Street; Market Place and Sherwood Place.
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A council report on the change, expected to be approved next week, says: “The order (to change the rules) was due to be advertised at car parks during March and April but this process was put on hold when parking charges were suspended during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“During this period it has become apparent that town centres will require additional support due to the short-term effects of the closure of non-essential retail from late March until June 15 and the longer-term effects caused by a potential acceleration of online shopping, the existing and predicted increases in unemployment and reduced consumer confidence and spending.
“During lockdown it has been reported nationally that local independent businesses which were able to remain open have seen a rise in sales and support from local communities.
“It is an ideal opportunity to build on this support through promoting a ‘shop local’ message.
“A campaign to support our local high streets was launched in mid-June and will continue throughout the summer.
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“The new Parking Order is currently being advertised in car parks for the mandatory six week period.
Until the new charges come into force (on September 7), parking will remain free in all council car parks across the district.
“Extending the free parking period beyond June 2020 which was the previously approved period will reduce car parking income by circa £25,000.
“Based on the last full year usage of town centre car parks from 2018/19, providing two hours free parking would reduce income by approximately 26 percent or £42,700.
“Free parking promotions during the Christmas period have been very popular in the past two years and increasing the free period from one to two hours is likely to be very well received by traders and the public.
“Although the reduction in income will need to be offset elsewhere in the council’s budget, there is an urgent need to support town centres and businesses through a very challenging time and to provide longer-term incentives to attract people to the town centres.”


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US Steel Corp. is looking for growth possibilities in Europe, where it wants to expand its product mix to serve the burgeoning auto industry in Central Europe, the chief of the nation's leading steelmaker said Wednesday.
By increasing the products at its operations in Serbia and Slovakia, Pittsburgh-based US Steel can be in a better position to serve automakers in a region that many are referring to as a new "Detroit," said US Steel CEO John P. Surma at Pittsburgh Technology Council breakfast briefing at the Omni William Penn, Downtown. Toyota Motor Corp. and Hyundai Motor Co. are among the automakers that have located assembly plants in Slovakia. To serve those customers' demands for high-quality coated steel, US Steel last year constructed a $160 million galvanizing line at its Kosice plant in Slovakia. The facility is producing galvanized steel now for the construction industry, but it should be able to produce products for automotive and appliance customers by June, Surma said. While US Steel is not looking to boost steelmaking capacity in Central Europe, it will look to acquire raw materials, possibly in Russia or Ukraine, to serve those plants, Surma said.
US Steel has looked at expanding its presence in Europe through acquisitions, but has failed, said steel analyst Charles Bradford in New York. "It's pretty expensive to buy companies," Bradford said. US Steel European operations make it one of the largest integrated flat-rolled steel producers in Central Europe. It acquired the Kosice plant in November 2000, and acquired three plants in Serbia when it bought the Serbian steel company Sartid in November 2003. US Steel's Europe operations in 2006 contributed $3.96 billion of the company's $15.7 billion in sales, an increase from sales of $3.33 billion in 2005, the company said. Central, southern and western Europe are the primary market for the products US Steel's European operations produce. (pittsburghlive.com)


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15 chips you’ll never be able to snack on again – including a pizza-flavored favorite
THERE seems to be an endless variety of chip flavors, but not all of them can stick around forever.
The world has come a long way from the basic salted potato chip.
The flavors have become so much more unique, with some incorporating salty and sweet flavors.
On top of that, there has also been a host of innovations in terms of how chips are cooked and even what they're made out of.
Chips made using avocado oil have become a popular snack from Target, while chickpea-based chips have also landed on the market.
With every new chip introduced, another one seems to leave the shelves in an endless circle of chip life.
Read more on discontinued items
The U.S. Sun rounded up 15 chips you'll never see again, with some that will definitely be missed more than others.
1. PRIVATE SELECTION SWEET SOUTHERN HEAT BBQ KETTLE CHIPS
Earlier this year, Kroger axed the snack despite customers' claims that it was the "best on the market."
Twitter user Renee (@renee41961) said that her family couldn't find the chips when they went to their local Kroger store in White House, Tennessee.
The retailer apologized and said the item had been discontinued.
Renee said: "These were the best bbq chips on the market. [I] should have had samples at stores.
"Everywhere I took them people were amazed at the taste."
2. 3D DORITOS
Fans had their hopes up when these extra crunchy pyramid-shaped chips made a quick comeback in 2021.
Unfortunately, they didn't last long.
One review on Walmart's website said the snacks "are just *chef's kiss*."
They are few and far today, but if you want to give it a shot, you can use the product locator on Doritos.com to see if you can find a bag.
3. JACKED BUFFALO RANCH DORITOS
Four years ago, Doritos unexpectedly discontinued its JACKED Ranch Dipped Hot Wings flavor.
Despite this, fans rallied to get the popular snack back in stores.
According to a Change.org petition, it was removed from shelves because of a lack of interest, however, consumers disagree.
Die-hard Doritos fans said on the website: "No other 'spicy/hot' flavor comes even close in comparison!
"I CAN NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS LOVED THESE CHIPS! So help me get these chips back on the shelves! I miss them."
Since the petition to bring them back launched, it has received over 63,000 signatures, and the movement has continued well into 2022.
4. TRADER JOE'S SALSA VERDE FLAVORED CORN TORTILLA CHIPS
Trader Joe's confirmed that it discontinued its Salsa Verde flavored tortilla chips.
The chain has also been giving away the product in recent weeks to get rid of surplus stock.
A fan wrote about the move online and said: "No way. It’s the absolute best chip!! How can they discontinue it?!!!"
"They discontinued the salsa verde tortilla chips at Trader Joe’s... WE RIDE AT DAWN," said another on Twitter.
5. ARCHER FARMS BUFFALO WING POTATO CHIPS
Target decided to replace the Archer Farms line of goods, taking these delicious chips with it.
The closest alternative may be the hot wings-flavored Ruffles, but not all Target shoppers are satisfied.
One shopper expressed nostalgia for the lost Target offering on Reddit: “Anybody still miss Archer Farms. I know, I know, Good and Gather is supposed to be the same thing but it's not.”
6. LAY'S WAVY FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
These chips were part of a special campaign with the singing competition tv show The Voice.
The "Do Us A Flavor" campaign introduces unique flavors submitted by fans from around the country who then vote for their favorite new option.
If you really want to give them a try, you can snag a bag on eBay for an eye-watering $150, despite the 2021 "use by" date.
7. TRADER JOE'S KETCHUP SPUD CRUNCHIES
These weren't your typical chips.
The unique french fry shape and ketchup flavor reeled in curious guests before the snack was ultimately discontinued in 2019 due to a lack of mass appeal.
If you're seriously craving these, you could try the Lay's ketchup-flavored chips that are going for a whopping $13 a bag on Amazon.
8. CHEETOS SALSA CON QUESO
Crunchy, puffy, spicy; Cheetos come in so many varieties it's hard to get bored of them.
The cheesy snack got even cheesier with the salsa con queso flavor, adding hints of spice, lime and tomatoes.
9. GUACAMOLE DORITOS
These chips got rid of the need for a dip with the incredible avocado flavor.
It seemed like a match made in heaven when they were first introduced in 2003.
Unfortunately, they were only around for three years before being discontinued in 2006.
10. SWEET AND SPICY BBQ SUN CHIPS
Lay's was working hard when it released this take on the classic barbeque chip.
The multigrain snack was seasoned with molasses, brown sugar and honey to balance out hints of spice from the barbeque flavor.
11. LAY'S CHEDDAR BACON MAC AND CHEESE
As if mac and cheese wasn't already one of the best comfort foods, Lay's added bacon to make these even better.
Unfortunately, this flavor was introduced as a limited edition in 2019.
Once fans had bought all the bags, it wasn't seen again.
If you want to try a combination of the flavors, you can make this mac and cheese with a potato chip crust at home.
12. CAPE COD BACK BAY CRAB SEASONING
The incredibly crunchy chips kicked it up a notch with the introduction of this flavor.
Perfect for landlocked seafood lovers or anything looking for something new, this snack also had a surprisingly spicy kick to them.
13. CLANCY'S LIMON CHIPS
A simple twist of lime elevated these chips to a tasty snack.
While Clancy's has done away with the flavor, there are several other brands still offering it.
You can pick up the Lay's Limón chips from Target, Tostio's Hint of Lime, and even a Great Value version from Walmart.
These chips looked like Doritos but tasted like a fresh slice of pizza.
Made by the Keebler company, these chips were actually made out of pizza dough rather than potatoes.
They came in several classic pizza flavors before sadly being discontinued in the 1980s.
15. KROGER KETTLE COOKED CUBAN SANDWICH CHIPS
Another blow to Kroger's snack lineup was the discontinuation of these chips.
A shopper, known as Lisa (@Lisamw912), asked Kroger if they had discontinued its store-brand Cuban-flavored kettle chips.
She revealed that she had been looking for the item for months.
Kroger revealed that the product is currently “unavailable,” but shoppers have been left in the dark.
They added: “We can’t say for sure if it will return. We will share your desire to have the product back with our product teams.”
Read More on The US Sun
See four fast-food restaurants that are no longer serving one of America's favorite meals.
Plus, see if you remember these classic candies that were taken away too soon.


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Apple Pulls Over 8,000 Games From Chinese App Store in One Week
Apple has started to put its foot down on paid games or games with in-app purchases that have not received its license from Chinese regulators.
According to Niko Partners’ Daniel Ahmad, Apple has removed over 8,000 games from the App Store in China. They are expecting to remove even more by the end of the month.
Daniel Ahmad shared an email that was issued to developers with free to play games or premium titles that include in-game purchases.
Apple has removed around 8,000 games since July 1 when it started requiring license numbers for paid or IAP games operating in China.
A new notice states that all games without a license number will be removed by July 31.
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) July 8, 2020
In the email, it is stated that Chinese law requires all such games to have a publishing license number or ISBN from the National Press and Publication Administration. This is the government body that regulates game releases.
July 31 will be the deadline for developers to submit their approval numbers. Any game that does not have one by the date will be removed from the China mainland Apple App Store. Developers will be able to provide a license after the date.
Ahmad stated that just over 8,000 games have been removed from the digital storefront between July 1 and July 8.
He followed this up stating: “The current clean up is a long-overdue correction of the market.” He mentioned that Android stores have been enforcing this rule since back in 2016. On the iOS side of things though, there have been loopholes that allow devs to launch on the App Store without a license.
Back in 2016, China created a new law that games with in-app purchases or paid games must first be approved by the gaming regulator before it is released.
It looks like Apple is cracking down hard on this one and plan to crack down even more in the weeks to come.


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Michigan’s epidemic order extension a blow to Dowagiac restaurants
Published 7:50 am Wednesday, December 9, 2020
DOWAGIAC — Local eateries hoping to open their doors to guests must wait a bit longer.
In a press release Monday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced it has extended the epidemic order that restricts indoor social gatherings and other group activities by 12 days.
The additional 12 days will allow the department to determine the full impact of the Thanksgiving holiday on the spread of COVID-19 across Michigan.
“Within our community, restaurants represent the greatest number of businesses affected by the Pause to Save Lives,” said Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority. “They are also the businesses that are hanging on by a thread from the first and second shutdown. For the past several years, Dowagiac has been known regionally for its fine and casual dining. It is hard to imagine what our community would look like without Caruso’s, China Garden, Saylor’s, Wood Fire, Wounded Minnow and our other locally owned restaurants. However, that day may come. Even before Monday’s mandate, our restaurants had a lot of ground to make up.”
The news was a blow to several Dowagiac businesses, which were hoping to open their dine-in space Wednesday in a limited capacity.
“I definitely am all for taking the necessary steps to get everything under control,” said Baker’s Rhapsody owner Jordan Anderson. “I just wish more financial assistance could be given. It would be great to get federal assistance for businesses in need.”
While wedding and event catering opportunities have decreased in recent weeks before the pandemic, Anderson said that walk-in traffic has been steady.
“We have plexiglass and protections inside,” he said. “Dine-in was never a big part of our business plan, so we’re doing OK.”
Anderson hopes members of the community will adhere to proper safety protocols laid out by the health department.
“It would be in everyone’s best interests to follow health and safety guidelines,” he said. “The most important part is to keep everyone safe and following guidelines and getting past this so that we don’t have to deal with more lockdowns.”
Caruso’s Candy and Soda Shop, 130 S. Front St., Dowagiac, will continue to offer its carryout menu during the extension, according to owner Julie Johnson.
“Since they shut us back down, our lunch business has dropped about 75 percent,” Johnson said. “If we had to survive on that right now, we would not be surviving, that’s for sure. I really feel bad for all the other restaurants that don’t have something else to carry them through this bad time.”
While the lunch portion of her business has taken a hit, Johnson said her candy sales have been able to shore up the difference.
“It’s the holiday season and candy is one of the most popular gift items,” Johnson said. “We’ve noticed an increase in chocolate purchases this year.”
“Hot chocolate bombs” — chocolate spheres filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows — are in high demand as this year’s trendy treat. Johnson said she is making 191 hot chocolate bombs this week alone.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “We’re selling tons of [chocolate bombs]. Everybody wants them so that’s been very helpful to us. We also have local businesses supporting us. Everyone’s doing what they can to help each other out.”
Phillipson asked community members to continue supporting local businesses during the crucial holiday season.
“As you shop for holiday gifts, please remember these business owners, who had to close their dining rooms, not once, not twice, but for three stints, spanning several weeks,” Phillipson said. “In addition to ordering lunch and dinner out, we can also make a concentrated effort to purchase restaurant gift cards for the holidays. Doing so flushes money into their bank accounts right now — when they desperately need it. Let’s focus today on what we can do to save our business community.”
According to Phillipson, corporate sponsors helped underwrite the Chamber’s sale of Buy One, Get One Free Universal Dowagiac Gift Cards that helped stimulate the economy.
“A vast majority of the gift cards have been redeemed,” Phillipson said. “However, there are approximately 350 gift cards that have yet to be used. If you’ve been saving your gift card for a special time, this may be it. The need to shop locally has never been greater, whether it is at a restaurant or retail location. All of our businesses need your help.”


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Wilko 'on the brink of collapse'
By David Wood | 4th August 2023
Homeware retailer Wilko has warned that it is on the brink of collapse, putting some 12,000 jobs at risk.
The privately-owned company, which was founded in 1930, said it had filed a "notice of intention" to appoint administrators after failing to find enough emergency investment.
Wilko, which is well known for its affordable everyday items, has 400 stores across the UK, including those in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud.
Chief executive Mark Jackson said it would continue to talk with interested parties about options for the business, the BBC reported.
He said the company was left with "no choice but to take this action", but hopes to find a solution as quickly as possible to "preserve the business".
Wilko did not confirm in the announcement on Thursday whether or not any jobs would be affected.
Andy Prendergast, national secretary at the GMB union, said: "This is extremely concerning but we remain hopeful that a buyer can be found.
"Wilko's staff deserve reassurance that their jobs are safe. We hope this is the number one priority going forward."
Wilko said it had received "significant interest" from investors and some offers, but none of them would have provided enough cash within the time needed.
Wilko's boss said yesterday that the company, which has an annual turnover of about £1.2bn, had a "robust turnaround plan" in place, said the BBC.
Rising interest rates, higher energy costs and reduced consumer spending have all affected retailers.
Stores including clothing group Joules and furniture retailer Made.com collapsed into administration last year.
Copyright 2023 Moose Partnership Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission.


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The next Super Bowl will be streamed online by NBC Universal, adding a new-media dimension to one of the oldest but most viable big-TV properties on the prime-time schedule.
The National Football League made the announcement Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
Under current plans, all postseason games broadcast by NBC, including a wild card Saturday game, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, will be streamed via NBC’s website and Verizon‘s NFL Mobile application. Online viewers will be able to access additional camera angles and live statistics.
In recent years NBC began online streaming of its “Sunday Night Football” telecasts.
The Super Bowl has broken viewing records for the last three years. CBS’s telecast of the Super Bowl in 2010 trumped the famous series finale of “M*A*S*H” to become the most-watched event ever on broadcast TV. This year’s broadcast on Fox beat that record, topping 111 million viewers. The online-streaming component of the 2012 game could add more viewership, though whether advertisers would consider that segment as valuable as TV viewership remains in question.
The stream of the telecast will have its own separate ad load, and could feature advertising that is not being seen on television, according to an NBC Sports spokesman. While Super Bowl TV sponsors could – and likely will – purchase advertising on the stream, a TV purchase is no guarantee the ad will also be shown online. The spokesman declined to comment on the price of ads to be shown on a Super Bowl stream, but chances are the cost would be significantly lower than what NBC has been seeking for TV. The network has been looking for up to $3.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl spot.
NBC plans to give streaming viewers the chance to see the Super Bowl TV ads. One feature will give fans on-demand access to the new crop of Super Bowl TV ads as soon as they have aired on the NBC TV broadcast.


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The Smosh YouTube channel will no longer be creating content due to its parent company, Defy Media, shutting down its Beverly Hills office.After coming home from a stressful day of school, many students spend a chunk of their day on a phone or computer watching YouTube. These channels are often students’ main source of entertainment, since many of them no longer watch cable TV. This is because it’s so much easier to watch content directly from their personal device. However, many students will no longer be able to watch one of YouTube’s longest lasting and most successful channel and brand, Smosh.
Defy Media was a company that owned many brands, ranging from a variety of comedy, gaming and style channels. These channels all brought in large amounts of viewership to bring revenue in for the company. According to Defy Media’s website, all of their brands combined boasted 756 million views per month, 79 million total subscribers, and 1.4 billion minutes viewed per month. However, the most popular among these brands, Smosh, accounted for over 25 percent of Defy Media’s monthly viewership.
Smosh was originally found in 2005 by two friends, Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, when they were in college. They focused mainly on sketch comedy and music videos, but their content extended to anything they found interesting and wanted to create. Their most popular video, Beef’n Go, has earned over 103 million views to this date. On 2012, Smosh founders Hecox and Padilla joined forces with Matthew Sohinki, David Moss, Joshua Ovenshire, and Mari Takahashi to form Smosh Games, which currently has over 7 million subscribers.
However, in 2017, Padilla left the Smosh brand abruptly, creating a large feeling of confusion among their fanbase. Padilla promised there was no issue with his fellow cast mates, but just felt he was lacking creative freedom and creator’s choice. However, Padilla uploaded a video to his personal channel Nov. 7 going into further detail about why he left the brand, as the majority of the reasons were rooted in the parent company, Defy Media. In fact, Padilla went so far to say that he had lost all control over the project he once created as a teenager, as he had no power over what was done, and was reduced to being a regular employee.
Despite content creators working for the Smosh channel saying the channel had been receiving record breaking views, Defy Media declared they were shutting down due to market conditions. To make matters worse, the company gave its employees no warning as 80 people lost their jobs without any previous notice.
With so much frustration going around in the online community, numerous tweets came to light saying how the company owed individuals up to $30,000, despite constantly hiring new employees, even up to the date of closing.
The accumulation of all this anger led to many popular social media figures, such as Shane Dawson, criticizing the company for its actions, and going so far to call them a “evil company.”
After all of the chaos that went down regarding the company and the Smosh brand, its cast members have only asked their fans to continue following their individual content and to stay tuned to their progress across the digital world.
By BRENDEN JACOBY


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My proposal co is a platform which helps love-struck men and women set up a proposal specially tailored for their significant other.
On-demand photography startup Snappr has announced today its expansion into the US with the opening of a San Francisco office and backing from YCombinator.
A new player has entered the wedding service marketplace, determined to take the hassle away from couples planning to tie the knot. In a similar structure to oDesk, the user posts a “job” they need done and WeddingBids instantly notifies relevant wedding businesses that are equipped to deliver the service.
The joy of tying the knot can often be overshadowed by the stress of planning a wedding. And although we’ve stepped into the digital age, Australian couples still rely on glossy wedding magazines and word-of-mouth recommendations to find suppliers. Brisbane-based entrepreneur, Kristy Ouwerkerk, felt it was time the wedding industry experienced the full benefits of technology.


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Senior citizens are entitled to a 20-percent discount for select products even if they’re bought from online shops.
The Department of Trade and Industry issued joint memorandum circular 01, series of 2022, saying discounts granted to senior citizen and PWD ID holders for in-person transactions must also be honored by e-commerce channels, whether they order online or by phone.
Both senior citizens and PWD ID holders are entitled to avail of a 20 percent discount, with 12 percent VAT exemption on the purchase of specific goods and services as provided by law, along with an additional five percent special discount for basic necessities and prime commodities.
“Online shopping platforms need to reprogram their offering to incorporate a feature that allows discounts for persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” DTI Secretary Mon Lopez said, such as to allow a way for the store to accept ID submissions so the discount may be applied.
A Dutch university that fell victim to a massive ransomware attack has partly received back its stolen money… which in the meantime more than doubled in value, a news report said on Saturday.


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- TICKET NEWS
Rap mogul Master P and former basketball player Baron Davis are in talks to buy sportswear company Reebok for $2.4 billion.
The pair has entered into negotiations with parent company Adidas to acquire the brand, according to Forbes.
Adidas executives purchased Reebok for $3.8 billion in 2005, but they haven't had the success they had hoped for.
Master P, real name Percy Robert Miller, has confirmed the news to ESPN, stating: "These companies have been benefiting off us, this could be history for this company going black-owned...
"Imagine if Michael Jordan owned Reebok? That’s what I’m talking about making history. As we focus on turning Reebok into a lifestyle brand not just a basketball brand, our most important initiative will be to put money back into the community that built this company," the rapper and producer added.
He also took to social media to share his vision for the sportswear giant, and said his business decision was inspired by former Philadelphia 76ers basketball player Allen Iverson.
“Crown @alleniverson and give him his righteous icon status for being probably the most elite athlete wearing Reebok,” the 50-year-old wrote. “Allen Iverson is Jordan for Reebok. Nobody never gave him the royalties or ownership as the icon for the brand."
Master P is estimated to be worth around $200 million (£148 million), and is the founder of record label No Limit Records, home to hip hop artists including Snoop Dogg and Mystikal.


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By Jamie McGeever
BRASILIA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Industrial production in Brazil rose 0.8% in October, official figures on Wednesday showed, the third month in a row of growth and further evidence that the sector is steadily recovering from a steep decline earlier this year.
Data on Tuesday showed that industry was one of the main drivers behind Brazil’s stronger-than-expected pace of overall economic growth in the quarter, and these latest figures suggest that is continuing into the fourth quarter.
The 0.8% rise - the strongest for any October since 2012 - was higher than the 0.7% median estimate in a Reuters poll of economists, and brought the gains over the three straight months of growth to 2.4%, government statistics agency IBGE said.
Production was 1.0% higher compared with the same month a year ago, less than the 1.4% predicted in a Reuters poll.
According to IBGE, three of the four wider economic categories covered showed an increase in output, as did 14 of the 26 narrower sectors surveyed.
“This growth has been led by domestic demand and a slight improvement in the labor market,” said André Macedo, research manager at the IBGE.
“In no way does this recover previous losses, but it does show a change in the industrial sector’s direction, which until mid-year was negative.”
Production of consumer goods rose 1.0% on the month and 4.1% on the year, and durable goods production rose 1.3% and 6.9%, respectively, IBGE said.
Among the narrower sectors, the biggest contributers to the overall rise were food production, which rose 3.4% on the month, pharmaceutical and related products, which rose 11.2%, IBGE said.
Whilst encouraging, the recovery is slow. Output in the first ten months of the year was 1.1% lower than the same period in 2018. Similarly, output in the 12 months to October was 1.3% down on the same period a year earlier, IBGE said. (Reporting by Jamie McGeever Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)


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Pakistan’s leading TV actress and host, Mahira Khan will soon be seen promoting Haawei Ascend G700 Dual SIM smartphone.
The 31 year old actress, fashion model and TV host has been a household name since her immensely successful TV serial Hamsafar.
According to ProPakistani, the ad has been shot entirely in Thailand. Mahira will be seen promoting Huaweii Ascend G700 Dual SIM smartphone along with model/actor Actor Emad Irfani
After taking over Ericson in 2012, the Chinese technology brand introduced its smartphones in Pakistan; however, it is the first time that Huawei has decided to go commercial in Pakistan.
Although, Huaweii has aired some ads for its past flagship phones in Pakistan before but amidst the smartphone war among other more popular brands, Haaweii’s efforts went unnoticed.
Pakistan’s local smartphone brand QMmobile is famous for its celebrity endorsements; From Kareena Kapoor to Amir Liaquat Qmobile has hired practically everyone famous to promote its products. On the other hand, Samsung and Nokia are busy launching one phone after another.
With so much competition in the industry, Huawei’s move to hire a local face is a positive step towards establishing the brand name in local market.


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With the fresh capital at its disposal, Paper.id says it aims to grow its product and reach millions of Indonesian SMEs that are not digitized yet.
Founded in 2016, Paper.id is a SaaS (Software as a Service) startup that provides an all-in-one platform for businesses to create invoices, manage their accounting, and inventory. The company particularly looks to empower the SME segment in the country, which is overwhelmingly still reliant on manual methods to manage its business.
According to State Minister for Cooperatives Small and Medium Enterprises (KEMENKOP UKM), only 8% out of Indonesia’s 59.2 million SMEs in Indonesia has utilized digital business platforms.
Currently Paper.id claims it has created over 800,000 invoices for more than 100,000 entrepreneurs on its platform.
The company recently launched a financial solution for SMEs, by working with various P2P companies and financial institutions to ensure safe and transparent funding distribution. One of Paper’id’s P2P partners for this feature is SoftBank-backed Modalku, which has decided to strengthen the strategic tie with Paper.id by making an investment in the company.
“Modalku and Paper.id have the same vision where we want to help SMEs to grow through having a seamless cash flow. Furthermore, Paper.id’s business model is in-line with one of Modalku’s products where the usage of invoice is used as the main document to propose loan fund. Through this collaboration, we hope that we can reach more potential SMEs to have funding access without collaterals,” said Modalku COO and Co-Founder Iwan Kurniawan.
Its participation in Paper.id’s new funding round marks the first announced investment Modalku has made in a fellow startup. The company, which also has operations in Singapore and Malaysia, claims to be Southeast Asia’s biggest peer-to-peer financing platform, having raised a funding round of $25 million last year, which at the time counted as the largest financing round for a P2P lender in Southeast Asia.