text:
Monday 5 April 2021 5:24 PM UTC
By A Staff Reporter
LONDON April 6: Keralites all over the world celebrate Vishu this year on Wednesday April 14. Vishu marks the start of a New Year in Kerala and is the first day of the Malayalam calendar. Keralites in UK too are very much prepared to celebrate the occasion in all its grandeur in the accompaniment of a delicious traditional Kerala sadya.
Vishu marks the beginning of new hopes and is celebrated widely all over the world by Keralites. Udaya Restaurant in London is too in preparation to cater to one of the most authentic and traditional Keralan sadya possible in such difficult times.
Their cooks are working to provide one of the most authentic home made delicacies possible to make this Vishu a memorable one for Keralites in the UK.
Udaya Restaurant is already a name renowned for its excellent Keralan food, in particular the sadya, which they have perfected using authentic spices from farms in India and best of British produce.
This year Udaya will also be catering vegan sadya due to the growing trend in more people embracing veganism or the abstinence of animal products in food.
The sadya is available for take-away and collection at present due to the lockdown imposed due to the pandemic.
The restaurant is known to celebrate each and every joyous occasion of the Keralite community in the UK that has set their taste buds tingling with tinge of nostalgic fervour to add to the occasion.
Keralites in UK can celebrate this Vishu with The Grand Udaya Vishu Sadya which is available on Wednesday 14th, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th April. It will be an exquisite Vegetarian meal not to be missed.
Book now at www.udayarestaurant.com.
For further information 020 8470 7400
Sadya set on Wed 14th includes – Kalkandam, Dry Grapes, Banana Chips, Sarkara Upperi, Lime Pickle, Ginger Pickle, Mango Pickle, Beetroot Kichadi, Vellari Pachadi, Pineapple Pachadi, Olan, Aviyal, Thoran, Parippu, Sambar, Pulliserry, Theeyal, Rasam, Pachamooru, Palada Payasam, Gothambu Pradhaman, Pazham, Pappadam, Curd Chilli & Banana leaf. (Items differ on Sat 17th & Sun 18th April)
For details visit www.udayarestaurant.com
CLICK TO FOLLOW UKMALAYALEE.COM


text:
Ballston Spa Teen In National Flip Phone Challenge Contest
If I told you that you had to give up your smartphone for a flip phone to win a contest, would you do it? A local teen is only one of a few participating in the Flip Phone Challenge.
Ballston Spa resident, 19-year-old Tyler Novack was chosen by FrontierBundles.com to participate in the Flip Phone Challenge. He must give up his smartphone and use only a flip phone for a full week, according to News10.
Novack started the contest on Sunday and is one of only six people nationally who were chosen to participate. How is it going? In an interview with News10, Novack said, “I’m an hour in and I want my phone back already."
Novack must document his experience and in the end, will earn $1000. Frontier is interested in how long it takes to do things we've started depending on smartphones for: texting, directions, email, or even just the internet.
Frontier gave Novack a "TracFone 60 minutes for talk, text and data, a physical map, a pocket phone book, 90’s pop CD’s and a journal to track his thoughts throughout the process." He plans to document the phone thing for his YouTube page.

domain: news


text:
People Can’t Stop Talking About This $53 Find in Selena Gomez’s Kitchen
If it seems like Selena Gomez is popping up everywhere these days, you’re not wrong. She’s got a new collaboration with Blackpink dropping on August 28, a custom ice cream to celebrate said launch (because what is music nowadays, but an opp for merch?), a beauty line launching a few days after that and a cooking show she filmed during quarantine that airs every Thursday. But one thing seems to be garnering just as much attention as her new projects: the knife set she uses on her HBOMax show, Selena + Chef. Seriously.
In just about every episode—which features the singer video chatting with a chef as they both prepare one of the cook’s signature dishes—the guest chef comments on the aqua-handled knives, which feature shimmery, iridescent blades. “It’s like a Coachella knife,” chef Antonia Lofaso tells Gomez.
Chef Ludo Lefebvre even asks Gomez to prove the knives are sharp enough to withstand the chopping and dicing he has planned, asking her to slice through a sheet of paper with one. When it does, he admits he’s never seen knives like that.
But it’s not just the chefs who are impressed. Fans have been tweeting about them nonstop too. “The unexpected stars of the show are the (coachella) knives,” @blackpink4xo wrote.
“I’m currently watching Selena and chef and I think it’s so cute how Selena is donating $10,000 to different charities each episode. UGH AND I ALSO REALLY WANT HER KNIFE SET,” @slimkilla420 tweeted.
The set, which features a rainbow titanium coating, has more than 2,123 reviews on Amazon, 84 percent of which give it five stars. Reviewers rave that they’re extra sharp, well made and that the rainbow color doesn’t fade from the blades after multiple washes. Plus, at $53 for the 14-piece set, which includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife, shears and a wooden block to store them all, it’s one of the more affordable knife sets you can buy.
The biggest complaint? Some say water spots start appearing on the knives and they’re hard to get off. (One reviewer said the fix for this was immediately towel-drying the knives, BTW.)
All in all, it’s hard to imagine anyone could’ve predicted the hype surrounding a set of knives. Unless it’s all part of a larger plan: “In sel+chef, they’ve mentioned her knife every episode. I know what we’re getting next. SELENA and knife collab,” @oliviasscerri tweeted.
She might be onto something, honestly.


text:
Everyone is waiting for the resolution of the US-China trade dispute. China is apparently willing to buy a lot of US agricultural goods, with some wire services stating that it could buy between $45 and $50 billion each year. The intellectual property rights and forced technology transfers as well as Chinese structural reforms remain key sticking points and will need much more time to be negotiated.
The US is also moving to resolve trade disputes with the EU, Japan, and others and the administration still needs to find a way to get the new North American trade agreement ratified by Congress.
Winter wheat markets were mostly a little higher on Friday, but lower for the week. World wheat prices were softer as well. USDA released its export sales report that covered the month of January, and wheat export sales were very strong and well above any trade projections. Sales of hard red winter made up about half of the demand, and sales of spring and white wheat were very strong as well. Soft red winter sales were the weakest component of the report.
USDA also released its Outlook Conference estimates for the coming marketing year. Production was estimated at 1.902 billion bushels with slight changes made to planted and harvested area and yield. Domestic demand was increased slightly, but export projections were slightly lower. Ending stocks were estimated at 944 million bushels, below a billion bushels for the first time in a couple of years but still very high.
Minneapolis spring wheat markets held firm amid very cold weather in the northern US Great Plains and the Canadian Prairies as well as on the better than expected export demand. The fall season in both winter wheat regions featured a lot of rain that hurt harvest and planting all season long. Wet weather has continued for much of the Winter, and it is likely that the crop will have good soil moisture to work with as it comes out of dormancy in the next month.
Corn closed about unchanged for the week for the second week in a row on Friday. Oats were near unchanged on Friday, but a little lower for the week. USDA caught up with the weekly export sales reports on Friday as it released a month of data. Export sales were over 6.0 million tons and were at the high end of trade expectations. USDA released its statistically derived planted area and supply and demand estimates late last week. The outlook should help support relatively strong corn prices. Planted area was estimated at 92 million acres, from 89.1 million acres last year.
Yield estimates were trimmed slightly to 176 bushels per acre, and production was estimated at 14.890 billion bushels. Domestic use should be strong than the current marketing year at 12.540 billion bushels and exports could be slightly stronger at 2.475 billion bushels. Ending stocks are estimated lower at 1.650 billion bushels, and are tight enough that any production problems such as bad weather could realty change the supply and price outlook. South American weather is generally good as more showers are reported in central and northern Brazil. The winter corn crop is being planted as soybeans get harvested, so the rains are very beneficial after an extended dry season.
Soybeans and soybean meal
Soybeans were a little higher and Soybean Meal were slightly lower last week. Soybean oil was higher and the strength of the complex. USDA released its weekly export sales report that covered all weeks in January, and sales for soybeans and soybean meal were strong. Soybeans sales were at the lower end of trade expectations, but featured big sales to China as expected. Soybean meal sales were very strong and higher than expected. USDA also released its estimates for the coming production year at its Outlook Conference. Soybeans planted area was reduced as expected, and yield was trimmed to 49.5 bushels per acre for production of 4.175 billion bushels. USDA increased domestic use and export estimates from the current year and estimated ending stocks at 845 million bushels.
The ending stocks are still high, but certainly no higher than expected and are down from an estimated 910 million bushels this year. Wire services said that China had offered to buy another 10 million tons of US soybeans as a good will gesture.
Rice was a little lower on Friday, but higher for the week. Futures made new flows for the move early in the week before reversing. USDA released a months worth of weekly export sales reports and the data showed good demand for US Rice. Much of the demand was for long grain. Colombia was the best buyer for the month, and Latin America was the featured buyer overall. USDA announced its Outlook Conference planted area and supply and demand estimates for the coming year. Planted area was estimated at 2.66 million acres, in part due to the low prices and in part due to the tough harvest last Fall. It is still raining in most rice production areas, and initial fieldwork is not really getting done. Planted area was lower than the trade had expected, and might god lower yet unless the weather gets better or the prices show significant improvement.
USDA showed improved yield potential in its estimates, but production of all rice was estimated lower at 203 million hundredweight. Domestic demand estimates are unchanged from a year ago, but export demand was increased for an overall increase in demand. Ending stocks are estimated lower than the current year at 41.9 million hundredweight, but will be large enough to suggest that there will not be any shortages of rice for the coming year. Private sources suggest that domestic mills are slowly but surely getting covered on needs for the current crop year.
Palm oil and vegetable oils
World vegetable oils prices were mixed, with soybean oil higher and the other markets lower. Soybean oil found support from stronger demand. USDA at its Outlook Conference showed the potential for strong domestic demand for soybean oil. Most of the new demand would come for biofuels. Export demand was cut, and ending stocks projections showed little change on a year to year basis. The chart patterns for soybean oil are positive on the daily charts and sideways on the weekly charts.
Palm oil closed lower and the weekly charts show a failure to penetrate resistance areas. Export demand for February had started off on a very strong note and was well above January, but the latest data from the private surveyors showed that demand has slipped behind the January pace. There is talk that production has held together better than expected. Palm oil production usually turns down at this time of year, but so far this does not seem to be happening this year. Canola was weaker on ideas of weaker demand and big supplies. Farmers are trying to sell and clean out some bins before the Spring season gets underway, but are finding only routine demand or less.
Cotton was higher last week, but sharply lower on Friday. Trends are still mostly down on the daily and the weekly charts. The weekly export sales reports have started to show improved demand for US cotton, and USDA showed overall January demand was almost one million bales. The demand did not feature much in the way of buying from China, but did feature big sales to Turkey and South and Southeast Asia. The Outlook Conference estimates were bearish for prices. Production was estimated significantly higher, and even increased export demand was not enough to offset the big production. Ending stocks were estimated neart 6.3 million bales.
World ending stocks levels not including China were also estimated a little higher at 76.5 million bales. Chinese ending stocks were estimated lower at 287 million bales as it works down its internal supplies. There had been talk of less production from exporter countries like India. Indian and Pakistani sources will continue to insist that production is less than projected by USDA. Cotton futures will have to look for news to cause rallies at this time.
Frozen concentrated orange juice and citrus
FCOJ was higher and closed near the recent highs on the daily and weekly charts. Trends are sideways on the weekly charts, but moves higher could easily turn trends up and create a seasonal low. The market has absorbed speculative long liquidation and producer selling through the winter as no freeze has developed, and futures can now move seasonally higher. Longer range forecasts show that there is little chance for a freeze to develop this month, and then it will be getting to be too late for a freeze to be seen in the state of Florida. The oranges harvest is active in Florida as the weather is warm and mostly dry.
The fruit is abundant. Florida producers are seeing small sized to good sized fruit, and work in groves maintenance is active. Irrigation is being used in all areas. Packing houses are open to process fruit for the fresh market, and all processors are open in the state to take packing house eliminations and fresh fruit. Mostly good conditions are reported in Brazil, and some beneficial rains should be seen this week.
Futures were lower for the week in New York and in London. New York trends are down. Weekly chart trends are sideways in London. January export data from Brazil was very strong and much above expectations, and ideas of big supplies have kept speculators on the sell side of the market. Brazil should be getting past the gut slot of its harvest, and the strong export pace from the country should start to turn down. Brazil had a big production year for the current crop, but the next crop should be less as it is the off year for production.
Ideas are that the current production of 62 or 63 or more million bags can become about 52 million bags next year. El Nino is fading, but remains in the forecast, and coffee areas in Brazil could be affected by drought that could hurt production even more. Showers are in the forecast for this week. Vietnam is active in its harvest. Selling will increase this week as the Lunar New Year holiday is now over. Production in Vietnam is estimated less than 30 million bags due to uneven weather during the growing season.
Both markets were higher for the week. Chart patterns on the weekly charts in both markets imply that higher prices are coming. The fundamentals still suggest big supplies, but the turn in the trends on the weekly charts might be a signal that a change in the fundamentals is coming. Reports that Brazilian mills might pause and give sugarcane production a chance to improve helped support the market.
Brazil weather is improving in all areas as there is less rain in southern areas and more to the north. Petroleum futures strength seems to be helping change the tone in sugar. Brazil has been using the majority of its Sugarcane harvest to produce ethanol this year instead of sugar. Very good conditions are reported in Thailand.
Futures closed higher for the week in New York and slightly lower in London as the new main crop harvest comes to an end in West Africa. The mid crop harvest is still a month or more away. Trends are up, but the market is having trouble holding the trend and a period of consolidation trading could be coming. The main crop harvest is active in West Africa, and Ivory Coast arrivals are strong. However, arrivals have started to fade. The weekly pace just a month or two ago was about 15% ahead of a year ago and now is under 10% of a year ago.
Some early week showers and cooler temperatures were beneficial, it is warmer now and mostly dry. Nigeria is reporting losses to its crops due to recent dry weather. Cameroon is also reporting less production and prices there are reported strong. Conditions appear good in East Africa and Asia. Demand is said to be improving as offers from the new harvest stay strong overall.
(Featured image by DepositPhotos)
DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation for writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.
The TopRanked.io Weekly Digest: What’s Hot in Affiliate Marketing [++ A2 Hosting Affiliates Review]
Something's brewing in the Right to Repair space. Lawmakers are increasingly law-making. DIY fixer upperers are increasingly fixer uppering. And,...
Why the Carbon Credit Market Is Not Working
The Carbon Brief analysis focused on 34 companies that alone used 38 million tons of carbon dioxide over the period...
Recrowd, Real Estate Lending Platform, Finally Gets European Authorization
Recrowd adopts a distinct approach for less sophisticated investors, limiting their investments to under €1,000 or 5% of their net...
Why the Amounts Invested in Belgian Fintech Companies Decreased
In 2023, the Belgian fintech sector has not witnessed any major fundraising events similar to those in previous years, such...
Bitcoin Soars 130% This Year: Will It Reach New All-Time Highs in 2024?
Bitcoin is currently trading within an ascending channel, maintaining support at $35,000, with an upward trajectory towards the psychological resistance...
Crowdfunding2 weeks ago
Mamacrowd and CrowdFundMe Launch First Campaigns with New European Regulation
Africa4 days ago
Why the Bank Liquidity Deficit Eases in Morocco
Cannabis1 week ago
Germany Hosts International Cannabis Forum with US Participation
Biotech2 days ago
Mediquo Is Committed to the International Market and Aims to Double Sales in 2024


text:
Nomura partners with Google and Amazon for Indian fintech program24/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Japanese financial holding giant, Nomura, would use a $100 million fund to invest in Indian fintech start-ups in collaboration with PwC, Amazing, IBM, and Google.
ASIC signs fintech pact with Indonesia24/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has announced a cooperative agreement with Indonesia’s Otoritas Jasa Keuangan to promote fintech development.
Fintech sandbox to be reviewed in a year21/04/2017 Jassmyn Goh News
ASIC’s regulatory sandbox for testing fintech services will run for another year before the framework is reviewed.
Zurich launches new mobile app19/04/2017 Staff Writer News
Zurich Financial Services has launched a new mobile app off the back of beta testing with a panel of advisers.
Data sharing vital to future of banking industry18/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Financial technology and banking experts gathered at the Australian Bankers’ Association Communique have spoken in favour of better access to open data.
ANZ reveals biometrics solution to increase security12/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
ANZ would become the first Australian bank to introduce voice biometrics on mobile devices to improve security and subsequently allow higher-value transactions.
Westpac partners with Samsung Pay12/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Westpac has this week announced a partnership with Samsung Electronics Australia in a bid to increase flexibility for demanding customers.
90% of the world’s data was created post-2015: PwC12/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Technology advancements once considered highly sophisticated and specialist infrastructure were now just commodities in the acceleration of adoption, which saw 90 per cent of the world’s data created in the past two years, said a PwC report.
CIMB announces new chief fintech officer11/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Singapore-based DBS Bank group head of digital banking, Olivier Crespin, would take on the position of chief fintech officer with CIMB.
Dubai welcomes coffee shop bank11/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Saudi Arabia’s Alawwal Bank has unveiled a new digital bank in the form of a coffee branch in the United Arab Emirates.
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi partners with American fintech11/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
MUFG banking arm, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, has announced a strategic partnership with the interbank global payments group of San Francisco-based venture fintech company, Ripple.
Filipino start-up takes $500k in Seedstars World 201710/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Makati-based fintech start-up, Acudeen Technologies, was selected as the overall winner of global seed stage start-up competition, Seedstars World 2017.
Standard Chartered and Reuters launch digital wealth advisory tool10/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Standard Chartered Private Bank has launched a digital wealth advisory tool to integrate its suits of house views and investment recommendations with real-time market information from Thomson Reuters.
Japanese bank to develop biometric ID software07/04/2017 Hope William-Smith News
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group has announced the impending launch of identification verification software based on biometrics.


text:
Executives at the Daily News have been watching in horror for years as their paper's archrival, the New York Post, has closed the yawning gap in the circulation divide. But they could always take comfort in another set of numbers: Advertising billings at the News remained far ahead.
That equation may be subject to revision now that Les Goodstein, former chief operating officer of the News and a major architect of its ad sales operations, has gone over to the Post. He started work last week as a senior vice president of News Corp., the parent company of the Post, where he will serve as an adviser.
"Les is now playing poker knowing what cards are in the other guy's hand," says Mitchell Modell, chief executive of the Modell's sporting goods chain and an advertiser in both papers. "That makes for an interesting game."
The city's two tabloids have been playing a high-stakes version of Texas Hold 'Em ever since rival billionaires purchased the papers in the early 1990s. But News Corp. chairman and veteran newspaperman Rupert Murdoch has been playing by his own rules, adhering to practices that are unusual for a business concern. He's been willing to lose tens of millions of dollars annually in a long-term bid to win the circulation war.
The moneymaking News, meanwhile, has been hamstrung by the unpredictability of its owner and publisher, real estate tycoon Mort Zuckerman, whose tenure has been marked by unending turnover among top editors and now the defection of his No. 2 business executive.
Last week, the Daily News scored an impressive hire, nabbing Marc Kramer, former senior vice president of circulation at The New York Times, to be its new chief executive. But that announcement was overshadowed by the Christmas-week defection of the veteran who was passed over for that position, and who can now help the Post in the one area in which it has always lagged.
"Les knows where all the bodies are buried, and he has very good relationships in the market," says Gary Mathew, director of print marketing at media buying agency JL Media. "There is no doubt in my mind that he will be able to use his relationships to turn people into advertisers at the Post."
For now, the News remains the undisputed advertising champion, with billings of $491 million through November 2005 versus $244 million for the Post in the same period, according to TNS Media Intelligence. But the Post is growing much faster: Its billings rose 23% during that time, compared with the News' 2% gain.
According to Mr. Zuckerman, all that matters is which paper delivers for advertisers, and in that category, the News wins. Retailers including P.C. Richard & Son, Sleepy's and Macy's, eager to reach the News' working-class audience, have helped the News remain profitable, despite its stagnant circulation in recent years.
The publisher expects his new CEO, Mr. Kramer, to help the News keep its edge with advertisers by improving its circulation. He also insists that Mr. Goodstein, a onetime associate publisher of the News, did not play a key role in ad sales in recent years.
"Yes, personal relationships play a part, but the people who are making the sales calls are still at the News," Mr. Zuckerman says. "And what works for them is that the advertisers know the Daily News works."
Mr. Zuckerman also denies claims that he is a mercurial meddler, prone to shuffling top management. He points out that Mr. Goodstein lasted 28 years at the paper, reporting to Mr. Zuckerman for the past 13.
Other staffers have not lasted as long. Former editor in chief Michael Cooke, who was hired after a yearlong search following the resignation of Ed Kosner, quit in December after less than a year on the job. Mr. Kosner had lasted only three years, as did his predecessor, Debby Krenek. A string of senior executives on the business side have gone out the door in the past two years as well.
Some people who have worked for Mr. Zuckerman praise him as a smart, tough businessman, but say that his staff changes hurt the paper.
"He's the Ponce de León of New York journalism, always looking for the fountain of circulation," says Lou Colasuonno, senior vice president at public relations firm Financial Dynamics and a short-lived editor in chief of the News. "That's unsettling, and undermines even the most competent management."
Traditionally, the News has been the bedrock paper for advertisers looking to reach the middle- and working-class shopper. But as the paper's longtime circulation lead has dwindled to fewer than 20,000 copies, some of its most loyal advertisers--including Modell's and Macy's--have been adding the Post to their schedules.
With Mr. Goodstein on its rival's payroll, the News may find the advertising game tougher than ever.
"The Post has never had the retail impact or the array of ads that the News does," says Russell Pergament, publisher of giveaway paper and rival daily amNewYork. "Les may be able to change that."
Comments? [email protected]


text:
A wide spectrum of merchandise from produce to home health care products in stores approaching 30,000 square feet has set Discount Drug Mart apart from the competition. The personalized service, caring pharmacy staff and convenient locations that complement the broad assortment have served the chain well for five decades.
SHELTON, Conn. — One of the key factors powering the sun care products market is the growing multifunctionality of almost such products as well as the number of formats they are available in. Christina Saikus, senior brand manager for Banana Boat at Edgewell Personal Care says sunscreens are being offered in a variety of formats,
Chain drug retailing has thus far largely escaped the repercussions of the opioid epidemic, an ongoing tragedy which has seen so many people become addicted to pharmaceutical products that, when taken as prescribed and properly managed, can bring needed relief to patients with serious illnesses or injuries. Several of America’s most prominent pharmaceutical houses have
TORONTO — Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) is making shopping more convenient with the launch of home delivery services in partnership with Instacart. Customers across Ontario now have access to same-day delivery of groceries, everyday essentials and over-the-counter medications from approximately 60 SDM stores in the province. “For decades, Shoppers Drug Mart has been a destination
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — The executive team of CVS Health outlined a series of transformation initiatives at its 2019 Investor Day event last month, showing how the company plans to accelerate enterprise growth, simplify a consumer health system that is confusing and inconvenient, and position the company for long-term growth and increased shareholder value. The
WASHINGTON — Advocates of direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fee reform are intensifying pressure on the White House to reverse the May rule that left the existing drug pricing system intact. In a letter sent early last month to President Trump, organizations representing a broad range of pharmacies and pharmacists said action by the administration,
Even as a misguided federal judge continues to review its merger with Aetna — a deal that was finalized last November — CVS Health is moving forward expeditiously to overhaul the health care delivery model. President and chief executive officer Larry Merlo and seven of his colleagues from the combined company’s management team recently laid
IRVING, Texas — A week before he succeeded John Hammergren as chief executive officer of McKesson Corp., Brian Tyler wrote on the company’s website that he was getting ready for the job of a lifetime. Tyler might have added that, in light of the serious problems that continue to plague the health care system in


text:
Since the traditional Thanksgiving feast is predicated upon the execution of hundreds of thousands of conscious, sentient beings, animal rights/vegan advocate Bea Elliot provides for our consideration a mini-tour of executions throughout the centuries. But even as horrific as these scenarios are, they may be viewed as compassionate in comparison to what is done to animals every day of every year – and especially in preparation for the ‘celebration’ of holidays.
Some things to think about before you reach for that slice of turkey: it may contain the active ingredients in Prozac, Benadryl, and Tylenol, as well as antibiotic-resistant intestinal bacteria, arsenic, and other toxic substances, and it is likely to come from diseased birds. It is also brought to you under conditions of unspeakable cruelty. Read this, and ask yourself if it’s really worth it …
The “Walipini” is an underground greenhouse developed for South American mountain regions over twenty years ago. It was made to allow for edible plants to be grown year-round, no matter how severe the winter got. It’s cheap, simple, and could change everything.
Sustainable livestock production practices provide greater animal welfare, increase biodiversity, and extend good working conditions to those who care for the animals, all while maintaining a profitable business. A new study clarifies this further, showing how sustainable livestock care outperforms that of factory farms.
Have you heard of the slow food movement? If not, that’s o.k. Created in 1986 and known as the alternative to fast food, the slow food movement is currently happening in over 150 countries, and the ideas it upholds are spreading.
Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB 566, the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act. After moving smoothly through the California legislature with strong bi-partisan support, this landmark legislation has now become California law.
One forward-thinking town in the North of England, called Todmorden, decided to become more food sovereign. Without permission from Big Government, they transformed their town’s landscape into a giant food-producing, edible garden.
Professor Austin Darragh of Limerick University is employing a new use of radio wave technology that could be called the new or real miracle grow. The consequences of its implementation are being referred to as “the greatest breakthrough in agriculture since the plough.”
It’s that time of year again when many of us are on vacation. If you’re not working and enjoying these hot August nights, you’re in good company. Congress is also on recess until September 9. Lawmakers left Washington DC with unfinished business and a farm and agriculture community truly sweating it out. The 2008 Farm Bill elapsed last September, and rather than pass a new farm bill Congress extended the 2008 bill for one year. This extension left many organic priorities stranded and without funding.
Just one of the many organic growing methods that farmers have used for centuries – crop rotation – is a way to increase yields by as much as 10 fold, and it is better for the planet, too.
Cotton is considered the world’s dirtiest crop due to its heavy use of pesticides. The by-products of conventional cotton production used in our clothing, personal care, bedding, furniture etc. go directly back into our food. Sixty five percent of conventional cotton production ends up in our food chain, directly through food oils or indirectly through the milk and meats of animals feeding on cotton seed meal and cotton gin by-products. The next time you are shopping for clothing, bedding, or personal care products, choose wisely and shop certified organic exclusively for your family’s health and to protect the planet.
Many pesticides have been found to cause grave danger to our bees, and with the recent colony collapses in Oregon, it’s time to take a hard look at what we would be missing without bee pollination. While we don’t need bees to pollinate every single crop, here is just a brief list of some of the foods we would lose if all our bees continue to perish…
ORPP stands for Organic Research and Promotions Program, which could be a mechanism for creating much needed funding for organic research, education and promotion of the burgeoning organic industry.


text:
Mobile Shoppers Expect More From Retailers
It should come as no surprise that mobile sales are up. A report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that nearly half of American adults own smartphones. Statistics like these have inspired many retailers to court their phone-savvy customers more aggressively.Wal-Mart, for instance, has begun to offer special promotions exclusively to mobile shoppers.
Smartphones and tablets not only make shopping more convenient; they’re fundamentally changing how people think about shopping. Mobile shopping makes people feel more relaxed, productive and informed, as well as more open-minded and receptive to discovering new things, according to a new study by Latitude, Next-Gen Retail: Mobile & Beyond.
Expected mobile shopping over the next two years: [Source: Latitude, 12/2012
- 64% of respondents will do more shopping
- 34% of respondents will not change their mobile shopping
- 3% of respondents will shop less on mobile devices
Interestingly, more people say saving time over saving money as one reason to shop via mobile, regardless of income. Women are significantly more likely than men to go mobile because it eliminates waiting in line and because it’s something they can do while multi-tasking or accomplishing other things. On the other hand, men are attracted to mobile because it streamlines shopping by offering better-curated options, which means fewer items to sift through, says the report.
Many brands are sending push notifications or daily deals to heightening the sense of urgency around making a purchase. 60% of participants report that they’re spurred to shop or make a purchase at least once a week because they’ve received a mobile alert from a brand or retailer.
Some summary statistics include:
- 79% are interested in the possibility of having digital content delivered to their mobile phones while shopping in a store
- 79% want the ability to virtually try on clothes while shopping in a store
- 86% want their mobile device to alert them when they’re near a store selling recommended or sought-after items
- 80% would be interested in a digital wallet – especially if they could skip on carrying cash or credit cards entirely
- Currently, the most important features of a mobile shopping app are access to coupons (36%) and comparison shopping (35%)
How are you using mobile to engage with your customers?
Filed under: Mobile Marketing


text:
Sudan’s inflation rate has risen to 55,6% in March compared to 54,34% in February, reported the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBoS)
However, the government introduced a number of measures to curb the rise in the dollar price including limiting cash withdrawal from banks to absorb liquidity, cracking down on black market Forex traders and restricting imports.
The government measures managed to pull back the dollar price to 34,00 pounds however economists expect a new rise in its price once these restrictions were lifted.
The most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report indicated that Sudan’s gross international reserves remained very low in 2017 ($1.1 billion, 1¾ months of imports).
Ordinary citizens continue to complain from cost of living increases that impaired their access to basic commodities.
Inflation could be tamed through a hard peg of the Sudanese pound to the dollar. The success of such an exchange rate–based stabilization plan would then depend on the strength of the accompanying structural and fiscal reforms.
Taming the tides of high inflation in Sudan, in the first instance, a political will to pursue a strong and credible stabilization plan.
It will take a few more months before the government can control policies that can curb inflation. The overall inflation measures are the result of millions of pricing decision made by businesses, large and small.
The calculation of retail price index although extremely through, is always subject to error and omission.
Furthermore, the nature of the inflation process makes it very difficult to forecast, even when inflationary conditions in the economy appears too benign.
External economic shocks can make forecast in accurate, for example a sharp jump in the world oil prices or deep falls in global share prices, and both have big feedback effects through the economic system.
The exchange rate might also fluctuate leading to volatility in the prices of imported goods and services.
Inflation’s effects on an economy are various and can be simultaneously positive and negative.
Negative effects of inflation include a decrease in the real value of money and other monetary items and uncertainty over future inflation may discourage investment and savings.
High inflation may lead to shortages of goods if consumers begin boarding out of concern that prices will increase.
Positive effects increase ensuring central banks can adjust nominal interest rates and encouraging investment in non-monetary capital projects.
The control of inflation has become one of the dominant objectives of the government economic policy in many countries including Sudan. The various methods are usually grouped under three heads: monetary measures, fiscal measures and other measures.
Inflation should be fought by the government using short, medium and long term policies.
Oil WorriesNext >


text:
August 20, 2015 10:23
Confectioner Orion has achieved cumulative sales of W1 trillion in Vietnam, where the Korean company is leading the market (US$1=W1,184).
The confectioner said Wednesday that it posted sales of W84 billion in Vietnam in the first half of this year to amount to W1.22 trillion in cumulative sales there since it entered the market 20 years ago.
Orion started to export its Choco Pie in 1995 and built a production factory in Ho Chi Minh in 2006 and a second factory in Hanoi in 2009. Its annual sales in the country surpassed W100 billion in 2010, and last year, it recorded sales of W150.1 billion.
The food company plans to use Vietnam, which has a population of nearly 100 million, as a launching point to expand into neighboring Southeast Asian nations.
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com


text:
Earlier this week, Sprint surprised everyone by announcing a new unlimited data plan that would cost subscribers just $20 per month. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that’s because it is.
READ MORE: 45 Apple TV apps and games already available on the new App Store
Although the “unlimited” part of Sprint’s Starter Unlimited Data Plan is technically accurate, only the first gigabyte of data will be high-speed data. Once you’ve hit 1GB, your data will slow to 2G speeds, effectively limiting your access to streaming video and other content that requires high-speed data.
So yes, you can get unlimited data for $20 per month, but it’s not the data you want.
For customers who only use around 1GB of data over the course of 30 days, this might not be a bad option. After all, if in the last few days of your billing cycle you happen to go over that 1GB allowance, you won’t have to worry about paying overage fees — you’ll just have to deal with 2G speeds.
It’s just a shame that carriers feel the need to trick customers into thinking they’re getting something they’re not, however. T-Mobile has a similar plan called Simple Choice, and the only real difference between the two is that T-Mobile doesn’t include the word “unlimited” in the name of its plan.
Quit trying to fool us, mobile carriers.


text:
How Facebook is spending more to ensure wary publishers rely on it less
Facebook is eager to trumpet its new initiatives to help publishers, in particular, local news providers. But at the same time, executives are making pains to declare it is no savior for the industry.
This week, Facebook is rolling out a pair of initiatives around local news. On Monday, the platform launched the Facebook Journalism Project Community Network, an initiative designed to help publishers share information with one another about how to create communities and direct relationships with their audiences. Today, approximately 100 publishers, researchers and academics will convene in Denver for a two-day conference focused on local news, subscriptions, memberships and audience development, with many of the case studies — such as the Seattle Times talking about subscription promotions — involving projects that took place off of Facebook’s platform.
After years of courting publishers to try new Facebook products and features, Facebook has begun telling publishers — with increasing directness — that they should not rely too much on its News Feed or other features for their businesses.
Facebook’s investments in local news, which the company has treated like a mix of business investment and charitable donations, have largely reflected that message. Similarly, Facebook has approached news programming on Facebook Watch no differently than a TV network might: It’s been telling production partners that only one-third of the news shows Facebook invested in last year for Facebook Watch will be renewed this coming year.
That frankness contrasts with Facebook’s earlier style of interacting with publishers, when it would regularly try to steer them toward a new product it was working on, with the promise of an increased audience. “To some publishers, it’s almost become a bit of a punchline: ‘Here’s what Facebook says we should focus on today,'” said Melissa Chowning, the founder of audience development consultancy Twenty-First Digital.
Meanwhile, Facebook’s donation-like programs have yielded mixed results. Publishers give Facebook’s subscription tools a middling grade. But Facebook’s accelerator programs have drawn rave reviews from participants, which ranged from newspapers such as the Seattle Times to local nonprofit news organizations such as Michigan’s The Bridge Magazine.
Getting a free handout helped: Participants in those accelerators each received grants at the end of their 12-week runs, which they were free to use to apply what they learned during the program.
Many of the participants did not spend any of that money on Facebook, said Jim Friedlich, the executive director and CEO of the Lenfest Institute. Most, Friedlich said, only spent a “small” amount on Facebook ads — either to grow their audiences or drive subscriptions — and some participants actually spent more on Google.
Today, many publishers regard Facebook the way that a marketer might: as an effective, if increasingly expensive, way to target consumers. “If you’re looking to Facebook to build an audience from scratch, that’s not going to work anymore,” Chowning said. “But their ad manager can’t be beat.”
But for publishers that don’t want to turn Facebook purely into a channel for performance advertising, many are trying to figure out the value of the audience connections they do have on the platform.
“The real thing we’ve been trying to learn is what are the ways to measure other ways of value besides traffic conversion,” said Chris Sopher, the co-founder of local news startup Whereby.Us. “How do you measure the value of a productive conversation? The traditional stack in media hasn’t caught up with that.”
There are also more charitable endeavors. Facebook will begin accepting grant proposals from publishers hoping to try out community-building initiatives around local news. The Lenfest Institute will help assess these proposals, and Facebook will write the checks that cover the costs of the grant.
These initiatives are part of a nine-figure investment in local news that Facebook has pledged to make over the next few years. Facebook’s investments are encouraging to publishers that have been trying to diversify their revenue streams, in part to limit their exposure to the digital advertising market that Facebook plays a dominating role in.
Some of Facebook’s slightly more altruistic investments, such as its accelerator programs focused on subscriptions and memberships, have scored good grades from participants. “All four of our staffers came back saying what a revelation it was,” Spirited Media CEO Jim Brady said.
But the new investments also haven’t necessarily absolved Facebook from what some observers see as its deeper obligations to the media ecosystem that the platform has disrupted.
“We certainly support their accelerator program and we’ve supported [them] whenever they say they’re going to give grants, but none of that is the answer,” said David Chavern, the CEO of the News Media Alliance. “If they were willing to actually partner with the industry to help businesses — if they shared more revenue, shared more data, had some algorithmic stability — that would go further to help publishers than some charity.”
More in Media
Atlas Obscura looks to raise $10 million at a $24 million valuation with help from smaller investors in a tough market
For the first time, smaller investors are participating through the venture capital investing platform OurCrowd.
Companies like Priceline and various Amazon vendors are using large language models to update their e-commerce platforms.


text:
Total Results: 356Displaying: 41 - 50
- Forbes flaunts multiplatform news content via iPad app
- Published: January 9, 2013
- Forbes has rolled out an iPad application that marries the print, Web and social components of the magazine.
- Tablet activations outnumber smartphones on Christmas: Flurry Analytics
- Published: December 28, 2012
- More tablets were activated on Christmas Day this year than smartphones, according to new figures from Flurry Analytics.
- The pricing game: How low can tablets go?
- Published: December 27, 2012
- In a sign of an increasingly competitive tablet landscape, prices for the devices keep moving lower, with Acer reportedly readying a $99 tablet next year.
- IPad mini continues Apple’s dominance of mobile ad impressions
- Published: December 20, 2012
- The iPad mini is proving to be another powerful weapon in Apple’s arsenal of mobile devices helping it to grab mobile advertising market share, according to a new report from Velti.
- Popular Science, Celtra, New York News briefs
- Published: December 17, 2012
- News briefs: Popular Science leverages facial mapping technology for new iPad app; Location-based ad engagement jumps for rich media mobile ads; New York to pilot mobile taxi hailing program next year.
- Apple's iPad market share drops 14pc in Q3: report
- Published: November 29, 2012
- The iPad’s share of tablet shipments sank to its lowest level ever during the third quarter as Android tablets continued to gain, according to new data from ABI Research.
- Apple’s Passbook impact on retailers and brands
- Published: November 13, 2012
- By Tobias Dengel
When the history books and Harvard case studies on iOS6 are written, the innovation that likely will have had the most impact, especially on retailers and brands, will be Passbook.
- Apple’s iPad Mini: The first mobile tablet?
- Published: November 12, 2012
- By Tobias Dengel
The iPad Mini is not the first of its kind, but Apple's release may mark the beginning of significant growth in the 7-inch tablet market. The implications for those of us deploying tablet experiences are potentially significant.
- Apple's iPad market share has a bite taken out of it by lower-priced tablets
- Published: November 6, 2012
- In a sign of strong interest from consumers for lower-priced tablets, iPad’s market share dropped to 50 percent in the third quarter, while Samsung, Amazon and Asus all picked up share, according to new research from International Data Corp.
- Apple, Google, eBay - News briefs
- Published: October 30, 2012
- News briefs - Apple's iPad mini pre-orders quickly sell out; Google broadens product portfolio with new smartphone, tablets; eBay cuts 325 PayPal positions.


text:
We must remember that Apple has many R&D projects and “says no a thousand times for every yes” and of course even if the car project does happen, any type of product is many years off (barring any acquisition). Then there is the current mess that is CarPlay…
But the idea does make some sense on a macro level. Tim Cook’s Apple is a Green company and takes on the world’s problems including Global Warming. Electric cars, when coupled with clean energy, cut Co2 emissions.
“We know at Apple that climate change is real… our view is the time for talk is past and the time for action is now” – Tim Cook on the recent opening of Apple’s monster solar project
Execs including Eddie Cue (Ferrari’s Board), Phil Schiller (who testified in the Samsung trial that Apple considered making a car before the iPhone) and Jony “Aston/Bentley” Ive (pictured above, shotgun) are known for their interest in cars.
Perhaps the most compelling argument is that Apple, which sits on $200B cash mountain and looks for areas ripe for disruption, can make a very short list of industries bigger than the consumer electronics industry that it now dominates.
For the record, I’d heard from people outside of Apple that they were hiring people that could only be working on electric cars. Without solid proof and with the knowledge that they’d hired auto folks like Doug Field to actually work on Macintosh hardware development in the past, we had nothing to go on.
As an electric car enthusiast who drives two different electric cars and writes about the clean energy/electric car industry, I couldn’t be happier about the prospect of Apple joining the electric car industry. I am a big Tesla fan but I think an Apple car would be great for the whole electric vehicle ecosystem. Even the rumor of Apple’s electric vehicle entry has cast a bright light on the technology.
Every major carmaker has some sort of electric car initiative and the prospect of Apple taking over their industry will only spur investment in the field. Nissan’s Leaf which debuted with ads on iAd, now is the only mainstream fully electric car, but many more are just around the corner.
Apple has the resources to expand vehicle charging infrastructure, battery technology and even influence government regulations.
Electric and autonomous transportation is clearly the future and Apple’s entry would be good for everyone outside of the legacy car and oil industry.
Other Silicon Valley giants are looking at autos. Google Inc. has been working on a self-driving car for years. The head of Google’s autonomous vehicle project said last year that the company aims to forge a partnership with auto makers to build a self-driving car within the next few years. A self-driving car is not part of Apple’s current plan, one of the people familiar with the project said.
“It’s a software game. It’s all about autonomous driving,” the source said.
That makes a lot of sense. In 5 years, many cars will have some level of autonomy built in. In 10 years, most cars will be autonomous. Every major automobile manufacturer and most big tech companies see the huge potential here and are actively investing in R&D.
Cars will change more in the next 10 years than they have in the last 100.
Almost every car on the street right now will be valueless.
Google and Tesla are the most obvious leaders in this field. Google’s Autonomous car project is well on its way. With public demonstrations already happening and Google lobbying governments for legislation to allow for autonomous driving, the groundwork is already being laid out.
Doug Field, a former Apple executive, demonstrated Tesla’s autonomous driving to me a few months ago (along with an insane 0-60mph time). Tesla expects to have at least partial autonomy in its cars within a year and its cars coming off the assembly line already have the hardware on board to do a lot of this.
Reuters also notes that Apple is talking to automotive manufacturing suppliers which would indicate that they’ve moved beyond the theoretical and are now on to the physical aspects of building a car.
Technology giant Apple AAPL.O is learning how to make a self-driving electric car and is talking to experts at carmakers and automotive suppliers, an automotive source familiar with the talks said on Saturday.
The Cupertino, California-based maker of phones, computers and watches is exploring how to make an entire vehicle, not just designing automotive software or individual components, the source said.
“They don’t appear to want a lot of help from carmakers,” the source, who declined to be named, said.
Apple is gathering advice on parts and production methods, the source said, adding that Apple appeared not to be interested in combustion engine technology or conventional manufacturing methods.
For the record, I’ve also heard rumblings of an early vehicle program at Apple which could be an R&D exercise or turn into something significant. One of the leaders of the program recently left Apple for Oculus if that’s any indication of what kind of technology Apple is hoping to bring to the automotive world.
Apple’s stock price closed up 2.3 points today to close at 122.02 giving the Cupertino company that was on the verge of bankruptcy less than 2 decades ago, the highest market cap of all time. The closing market cap of $705.32B reflects significant growth since it hit a recent low of a split-adjusted 56 in mid-2013.
From the upcoming book Believer, US President Barack Obama’s Chief campaign advisor David Axelrod gives a small tidbit on a meeting Obama had before he became president. He called it: In 2007, Obama got a sneak peek at the iPhone during a private meeting with Apple’s Steve Jobs. “If it were legal, I would buy a boatload of […]
The long-rumored news comes from The Verge: TUAW.com is closing as of Feb 2. I didn’t like all of what they did there, but there was a solid group of writers and people that I will miss reading.
AOL is shutting down The Unofficial Apple Weblog, better known as TUAW, sources familiar with the situation tell The Verge. The company — which is also shutting down its gaming site Joystiq — is in the midst of a major reorganization, and is cutting back on media properties it deems as underperforming.TUAW’s run comes to an end on February 2nd.
TechCrunch, which originally reported the news of AOL’s restructuring, noted that tech and lifestyle sites would most likely be affected by the changes. AOL decided against selling TUAW, leaving open the possibility it could resurrect the site in the future. But for now, a team of writers and editors are out of jobs.
While Verge earlier today reported that both tech were being closed, this is not quite accurate: Joystiq will stay on as a separate channel at Engadget, while TUAW content will be folded into the bigger site, we understand. It’s still being decided whether the two brand names will remain.
I’ve heard separately that pageviews were in a slow downward spiral over the past few years and the site became too small to justify being a separate unit against slowing ad revenue for AOL. In any case, it is always sad to see some good Apple writers out of a gig.
Scanadu cofounder Sam De Brouwer demonstrates the Scout and Scanaflo
At CES this week I met with a very interesting company called Scanadu which makes two interesting healthcare products that connect with the iPhone…
The Scanadu Scout (pictured, right) is a little electronic device designed by Yves Béhar that you touch to your forehead for a few seconds. Almost instantly, physiological parameters, including temperature, heart rate, blood oxygenation, respiratory rate, ECG, and diastolic/systolic blood pressure are sent to an app on your iPhone which logs these measurements and alerts users to anomalies and deviations which may be cause for heath concerns.
Perhaps more interesting however, Scnadu introduced its new “Scanaflo” device at CES 2015 which is a home urinalysis apparatus that uses your iPhone’s camera to image a set of colors strips.
The strips are all dipped in the patient’s urine and change color based on the levels of important chemicals found within. The various colors indicate the levels of glucose, protein, leukocytes, nitrites, blood, bilirubin, urobilinogen, microalbumin, creatinine, ketone, specific gravity, and pH in urine. Almost instantly after taking the picture, the app has a good idea of the chemical composition of the urine.
Again, the app logs your levels to compare it against a history and alerts to anomalies and potentially harmful deviations.
Interestingly, De Brouwer indicated that the Scanaflo could easily be upgraded to be a drug/urine testing apparatus which would open up a huge can of worms but also enable parents of troubled teens to know that their children were behaving. Obviously there would be privacy concerns.
Scanadu is also trying to push the Scanaflo through the FDA and hopes to have it in customer hands later this year.
At CES today, Logitech subsidiary Ultimate Ears (UE) announced its Megaboom Bluetooth speaker. Yes, it is a bigger, louder version of the popular UE Booms. That means it comes with apps that do things like equalize, set alarms and pair to stereo, with new features added all the time. The Megaboom also shares the 100-foot Bluetooth range and ability to pair with up to 8 devices with its smaller sibling.
But the bigger and louder sound of the Megaboom also comes with some nice extras not found in the other models. Megabooms are waterproof like crazy (IPX7). Bring it into the shower. Knock it in the pool (the shallow end, anyway). NBD. The MegaBoom also has a whopping 20-hour battery life but still charges via MicroUSB. Smart.
The cost: $299 is a significant $100 premium over the Booms and $200 premium over the Mini Booms and you’ll lose some portability with the bigger size. These are big and heavy and they don’t fit in a cupholder.
But if you want the banging-est sound you can find from a portable Bluetooth speaker, your search is over. I’ve secretly been reviewing a unit since last year and it is all true. The sound fills up a room, day at the beach, picnic, bikeride or destroys a car. It even works as a nice desk speaker. As I hinted in my Best Bluetooth Speaker o the year list, the Megaboom is as good, if not better than the other best $300 Bluetooth speakers we’ve reviewed: Bose Soundlink 3, Beats Pill XL and Jawbone’s Big Jambox have met their match!
Pair up to 8 Bluetooth® enabled source devices – Connect up to two source devices at the same time.
Wirelessly play (stream) to 2 UE MEGABOOMs from one source.
Mobile range of play is up to 30m (100 ft).
NFC (passive) enabled – (works with active NFC enabled source devices * Android Jellybean and higher).
Maximum Sound Level: 90dBA
Frequency Range: 65Hz – 20kHz
Drivers: Two 2″ drivers and two 2” x 4” Passive Radiators
Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery for up to 20 hours of battery life between Micro USB charges.
Actual battery life will vary with use, settings and environmental conditions.
Every piece in this gallery was created on an Apple product. Every brushstroke, every pixel, and every frame of film was brought to life by talented Apple users from around the world. As you explore their work, we hope it inspires you to create something new.


text:
Whether you’re looking for the perfect prom gown at a sensible price – or looking for thrifty glam for any other occasion – then Cinderella’s Closet has you covered.
After a one-year hiatus, Cinderella’s Closet is returning Friday night with 100+ gently used or new gowns all priced under $200. Better yet, all proceeds from the re-sale event will go toward making a local girl’s prom dreams come true.
This is Danielle Peet’s first year as Team Leader for the project, and she’s a perfect fit. Peet has fond memories of her own prom days, plus she’s worn formal evening wear as a candidate in the Trail Ambassador Program and most recently, in her role as Miss BC Interior 2016.
“We are so excited for this year’s event and really think it is a great opportunity for the community,” Peet says.
“I have always followed the event and thought it was such a great way to repurpose gowns and give back at the same time, but never seemed to have the chance to get involved until now.”
The event’s previous leader, Lisa Frisk, couldn’t keep up with the demand and reached out via Facebook to find someone to take over.
“And voila, this was right up my alley and had me so inspired that I couldn’t help but say yes,” Peet said. “Though I plan to carry out the main idea that Lisa created with this project, I also have some ideas and plan to expand and change it up a bit as well in the next few years, so there are big things to come.”
Previously, Cinderella’s Closet raised money for various local non-profits and would sponsor one or two grads with a prom package.
“I absolutely love this idea but also really want to expand on the sponsorships and make that the forefront of our mission,” Peet explained. “Because it really is a big deal to those girls who are living a tough life and are stressed about how they could possibly be able to afford this expense … We hope to sponsor every girl who is nominated.”
So far there’s 150 gowns all priced under $200, though more dresses are being donated daily.
“Some of the gowns are even brand new which is so amazing,” Peet said. “People have been incredibly generous and we are so grateful for the support. The selection of dresses is incredible; every color of the rainbow, different styles, long and short as well as two-piece options, which are getting more popular.”
The event goes Friday night from 6-9 p.m. in the Fruitvale Memorial Hall.
Guests will have the opportunity to look through and try on the gowns during the event, shop and meet local vendors, enjoy a fashion show showcasing some of the gowns, and win prizes.
Admission is by donation and each entrant will receive a door prize ticket.
“I just want girls in the community to know that it is okay to buy a used gown at a low price and still feel beautiful, confident and a queen on the big day,” Peet said.
“Society is so quick to judge on price and girls feel bad about not purchasing that expensive gown but as long as you find something that is you, that is what matters.”
Sponsorship nominations are kept confidential.
Nominations can be emailed to Peet at email@example.com.


text:
Wandering Aramean asks, “What to do when the industry’s largest consumer advocate is so wrong?”
He explains, “For better or for worse the largest airline passenger customer advocacy group in the United States is FlyerRights.org.”
And then shares this gem of advice from the group on how to deal with the current pilot sickout and work slowdown at American Airlines:
[I]f you have stacked up the frequent flyer miles we recommend you immediately book your trip on AA or a code-share partner just to avoid the risk of losing those miles in the event AA shuts their doors.
Wandering Aramean points out that this hysterical advice is being given in the organization’s fundraising, and that the advice is silly because American Airlines isn’t going out of business and their frequent flyer program isn’t ending.
In fact the airline has plenty of cash and the frequent flyer program itself is profitable.
Moreover, it seems strange to suggest that one book tickets to fly American in the future if you think that American is going to shut down.
And it’s also strange to suggest that booking tickets on an airline partner is a sure-fire way to make sure you get to travel in the event the airline were to shut down. While governed by local laws based on where you’re flying from and the partner you’re on, it’s not at all obvious that if you book a ticket through an airline that’s out of business that the airline you’re supposed to be flying will honor that ticket. Again, there’s lots of factors that this will depend on.
But I have to take issue with the characterization of FlyersRights.org as “the industry’s largest consumer advocate.”
As I noted two years ago, the organization’s ‘membership’ numbers have been inflated by simply totaling up the number of people who signed an online petition plus estimating the number of calls the organization has received. And for good measure, the organization seems to massage the data in their reports to get the outcomes they want. And there’s a sex tape, too…


text:
The Covid pandemic and the subsequent geo-political instability arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought supply chains under immense pressure, particularly in manufacturing, energy and food industries.
However, when things are difficult it also presents an opportunity for businesses to streamline and build resilience with automation and digital. Global supply chains have always been vulnerable to disruptions but the imperative to future-proof supply chain is stark now. finds that on an average companies experience supply chain disruption of one to two months duration every 3.7 years.
Companies are integrating resilience and sustainability, recognizing that an efficient supply chain is both about mitigating risks and embracing environmentally and ethically sound practices
Companies are making changes in the supply chain management by adopting multiple sourcing strategies and moving from global to regional networks. At the same time, businesses are aggressively embedding digital into the entire ecosystem to better navigate agile operations. Advanced analytics with data modelling is enabling to improve demand forecast and align supply, while pushing digitization into the supply chain is helping businesses to keep track of suppliers in a multi-tier ecosystem.
Building Resilience with Digital
SCOs must embed resilience in the supply chain by accelerating investments in data-infused transformations. This entails a two-pronged approach to automate, digitize and bring in more transparency to weed out internal inefficiencies. While the second approach entails leveraging advanced data technology including machine learning with deep learning capabilities to understand dynamic market conditions and better predict demand.
According to an for Business Value study conducted in the early part of 2022 that surveyed 500 Chief SCOs across industries, leaders are adopting a data-first mindset with 73% recognizing the strategic value in data and 64% using data to identify new opportunities.
Best-in-class SCOs are focused on building resilient workflows powered by automation and intelligence. This forms the backbone of enterprise value chains and the foundation of digital transformation as the workflows extends through the ecosystem. With automation and digitization of workflow, data silos in the organization are welded into a single pane of view. The organization is thus empowered to analyze data from transaction systems to identify trends, streamline processes and remove inefficiencies at scale across the ecosystem of partners and suppliers.
More SCOs are fast embracing digital and automation according to the IBM study and 72% expect most of their processes and workflows to be automated within the next three to five years and 27% of the workflows will be AI enabled during that same time frame. What’s more they plan to integrate 26% of the intelligent workflows with ecosystem partners by the end of 2025.
Getting the Edge with Data-first
Digital acceleration to get deeper insights into the supply chain and data-based decision making is fast becoming a norm. Savvy SCOs are leveraging automated and intelligent workflows as a competitive differentiator to better manage risks and hardwire resilience into the supply chain. In turn, enhanced visibility in digital supply chain is enabling the business to better service customers who demand transparency in the procurement process and the supply chain.
MSITEK has enabled many organizations to embed resilience and get high level of visibility in the supply chain with SAP Supply Chain solutions. Get in touch to know more about our services.


text:
May 29, 2023
Canadian Tire bumps Tim’s from top spot
Canadian Tire is the most trusted brand in the country as it bumped Tim Hortons out of the top spot this year. Morning Consult’s ‘Most Trusted Brand’ survey found that Canadian Tire was the most trusted company in the country, based on a survey of more than 2,220 Canadians, followed by Dove (a soap and skin product manufacturer) in second place for the second year in a row. Tim Hortons claimed the third ranking, dropping two spots after it was named the most trusted brand in 2022. With Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire topping the list, the importance of localization is evident. Many of the top brands are strong domestic brands which helps contribute to a higher level of trust. Canadian Tire’s Triangle Rewards loyalty program may also have helped the retailer earn trust among consumers by adding more value to customers. In the US, the most trusted brand was Band-Aid, followed by UPS and Amazon. Google was the top brand in India and France, Paypal was the most trusted company in Germany, and Toyota was the most trusted brand in Japan. China's Alipay claimed the top spot in that country. The survey ranks top global brands based on net trust scores, meaning the share of consumers who trust brands minus the share of those who distrust the brand.
Sign up for our Daily News Alerts to receive relevant industry news, articles, and previews for our next issue of Home Improvement Retailing. Delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe here.


text:
The crime prevention and correctional sector are overcrowded, and many companies are trying to level it out with each other to emerge as the leader. However, one of the companies that have showcased its commitment to the crime prevention as well as a correctional industry from the time it started its operations in 1986 is Securus Technologies. The company has made its way to the top in the industry in a very short period due to the amount of contribution it has made to the said sector.
The lives of inmates have changed drastically through the products and services offered by Securus Technologies. It makes it easier for the inmates to connect with their loved ones back home, and that too without spending a fortune. Previously, services like talking over the phone were much expensive for the inmates, but Securus Technologies has helped in considerably decreasing the prices. The CEO of Securus Technologies, Rick Smith, says that the company is focused on bringing the costs of inmate communications services down even further in the future.
He has also invited the customers and investors in the company, existing and potential, to visit the highly advanced and futuristic Technology Center of Securus Technologies in Dallas, Texas. Rick Smith believes that the people should know the contributions being made by the company to the sector and how well its innovation and research and development activities are going. It would help in building a better image of the enterprise and ensuring that the products and services of the company are used by more people and correctional agencies.
As of now, more than 2,400 correctional agencies rely on Securus Technologies for its products and services. More than 1.2 million prisoners in various penal institutions across the United States, Canada, and the District of Columbia, uses the inmate communications services offered by Securus Technologies.


text:
Red Meat Allergy Linked To Tick Bites
Move aside peanuts, shellfish, fruits, or wheat. A bite from the lone star tick might spark an allergy to beef, pork and lamb, researchers say.
The meat allergy, known as alpha-gal for a sugar carbohydrate found in beef, lamb, and pork, produces a hive-like rash – and, in some people, a dangerous anaphylactic reaction – roughly four hours after consuming the meat. It’s caused by antibodies to the alpha-gal sugar that are produced in humans after they are bitten by common Lone Star ticks.
Like what you’re reading? Then LIKE us on Facebook!
[ione_facebook_like_box url_segment=blackdoctor.org height=”260″]
Now, the government has not yet issued health warnings about meat allergies associated with these ticks — such allergies are still quite rare, and like many other food allergies, the presence of the antibody doesn’t necessarily guarantee an allergic response. Scientists say the allergy-inducing tick bites have affected about 1,500 people since it was first reported in 2008 —compared to the roughly 25,000 new cases of Lyme diseases reported every year.
In the majority of cases so far, the tick bites have become a concern for meat-loving hikers, farmers and pretty much anyone spending regular time outdoors in Southeastern states like Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee where the Lone Star tick is commonly found.


text:
Last week, it was reported that a Lord of the Rings TV series was being shopped around to various networks by the J.R.R. Tolkien estate. Well, now it’s just about official, as Amazon is set to plunk down $250 million for global rights.
The series will be a prequel set before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. I suppose that Middle Earth might be expansive enough to mine more material out of, but after The Hobbit trilogy became more and more of a slog with each successive installment, I’m a little wary of this endeavor.
That ridiculous price tag is also cause for concern, especially considering that $250 mil figure is just for the rights and does not all factor in the costs for development, production, marketing, etc. that are still to come. But Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos declared a mandate to have a fantasy series on the same scale as Game of Thrones, and his company has so much precious, precious cash.


text:
Jackson County, Oregon, voters approve ban on genetically engineered crops
Dr. Drew, One Minute Clinic
Thailand's political turmoil casts spotlight on colorful sights, tastes of the Asian country
With James Beard awards moving to Chicago, time for a foodie smackdown: Chicago vs. NYC
Consumers question safety of genetically modified foods as Vermont becomes first to label them
Whether you like yours with lettuce and tomato, rare or of the veggie variety or slathered in ketchup -- there are tons of burgers to gobble up.
In nod to city's culinary prowess, James Beard Foundation awards will move to Chicago in 2015
House GOP bill would allow schools to opt out of healthier school lunches, breakfasts
Go For the Food: Forget Cincinnati chili, get perfect fried chicken in trendy neighborhood
Men and women are different and their approach to food should be too.
Life can get complicated, but you can still eat fast and healthy from your freezer.
Nation's schools upgrade kitchens to entice students into healthy choices, boost efficiency
Coffee fungus threatens to worsen poverty, raise prices for some high-end blends
Food trucks will get a 16-month tryout in the parks, parking lots, schools and driveways of Alexandria.
Organic farmers try to push genetically engineered sugar beet giant out of 2 Oregon counties
Not for the faint of heart!
The Texas de Brazil churrascaria-style steakhouse will take over the former Buddha Bar space in Mount Vernon Triangle.
Children's cereals contain too much sugar and can contribute as much as 10 pounds of sugar to a child's diet a year, according to a new report.
Virginia legal community raises equivalent of 1.4 million pounds of food in annual drive
Hi: 89 °F | Lo: 70 °F


text:
Krafton Inc, publisher and developer responsible for the PUBG-Universe" confirmed that "Project Cowboy" is in the works. "Project Cowboy is the project name for the new Battlegrounds game" said Krafton Inc. Which will be a standalone game, not a custom mod or some DLC, based on the popular western-themed game that only allows guns from the old west. For which the hiring process has already started off by Krafton and the job listings says that it's a "PUBG Universe based open-world shooter."
Though this is just the tip of the ice-berg, there are several titles that have been announced in the recent past as an expansion to the popular battle royale being "The Callisto Protocol", a horror game that's more of a spiritual successor to Dead Space "PUBG: New State", which is starting with its Alpha testing soon and also some "Sci-fi shooter" that includes "mechs" that kinda falls in the "Titanfall" category is also said under the works.
#PUBG's Western custom mode-- Old West guns only, will release as an independent title.— PlayerIGN (@PlayerIGN) May 22, 2021
A new open-world shooting game codenamed "Project COWBOY" with plans to release for console and PC.
Krafton told South Korean media outlet, Bloter, that "COWBOY is a new PUBG IP game..." pic.twitter.com/C6XzOd4TLY
The Alpha testing for PUBG: New State is said to be kicking off anytime soon this year, and more than ten million users have already pre-registered for the opportunity. Which is not so surprising judging by how huge the PUBG community and especially how they managed to get the "Steam's Best Selling" title once again at the start of this month.
Are you a gamer? Then this is just for you!
We're building an exciting new offering in the gaming and esports space and need your valued insights for its creation. Help us with this quick survey, it will only take 2 minutes and then you can get back to your gaming devices! GG!


text:
For a volunteer organization, the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association has ambitious goals.
And it's found a dedicated leader in Dave Anderson to help the association, made up of wholesalers, retailers, distributors, suppliers and marketers, unite to achieve those goals.
During Anderson’s 2-year term as president, which ends in February, the association planned to double its annual Gift of Produce to the Houston Food Bank through a new consumer and retail campaign and raise enough money to donate 20 salad bars to Houston Schools through the Salad Bar in Every School program.
The association organized a charity golf tournament in May to raise money for the effort and announced a pledge of 20 salad bars instead of the three it originally had planned.
Tom Stenzel, president of the United Fresh Produce Association, Washington, D.C., praised the group’s effort, the first on this scale by a regional association.
“I’ve always been really impressed with the HFFVA and their commitment to the food bank and the community overall,” Stenzel said. “Dave’s leadership in reaching out to the Houston schools and raising money for salad bars continues in that strong tradition.”
Craig Slate, director of retail sales for Houston-based IFCO Systems said Anderson has helped provide a new vision for the HFFVA.
“Over the past year, he committed a tremendous amount of time and effort to the organization, and, best of all, his passion to see the HFFVA organization excel is genuine,” Slate said.
Anderson’s efforts were in addition to his day job as principal of New Braunfels, Texas-based Anderson Food Sales and Marketing LLC, which heads marketing for the Bard, Calif.-based Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association, retail marketing for the Irvine-based California Avocado Commission and marketing and merchandising for Rivermaid Trading Co., Lodi, Calif.
Anderson, 49, describes himself as a relative newcomer to the produce industry, having started as a regional representative for the California Pear Advisory Board and the California Cherry Advisory Board 12 years ago. At the urging of colleagues, he got involved at the local level.
“Jeannetta Davis (formerly of the California Tree Fruit Agreement) introduced me to the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association,” he said. “She was an amazing woman who challenged me to get involved and give back and recognize the value of the association.”
It’s also an exciting time for Anderson, as marketing director for the Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association. The association launched an aggressive marketing campaign and a new “Natural Delights” brand image.
“We have a tremendous amount of acreage that’s been planted,” he said. “We want to get in front of that volume and really develop a following.”
The group already has 18,000 fans on Facebook before its new website and materials hit the consumer market in mid-October.


text:
June 9, 1999
State Issues Warning on Raw Oysters from
the Gulf Coast
SACRAMENTO, CA (SafetyAlerts) - In response to one
recent death and two illnesses linked to the consumption of raw oysters from the Gulf
Coast, the California Department of Health Services (DHS) today reminded high-risk
individuals not to eat raw oysters harvested from Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Mississippi
and Alabama. Oysters from these states, especially those harvested during the warmer
months of April through October, have been contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus, a
harmful bacteria that can cause severe illness and death in susceptible individuals.
Gulf Coast oysters are distributed throughout
California, especially in ethnic markets. Three Hispanic men who became ill from this
- A 49-year-old from Los Angeles County who died in
May, four days after consuming raw oysters.
- A 44-year-old from Los Angeles County who recovered
after becoming ill in April.
- A 45-year-old from Ventura County who currently is
in critical condition.
Of the 46 individuals with Vibrio vulnificus
infections reported to DHS from 1983 through May 1999, 31 died.
People with chronic liver disease or viral
hepatitis are more susceptible to Vibrio vulnificus infections. Other people at
higher risk of severe infection who should not eat raw oysters include those with cancer,
AIDS or other conditions that weaken or compromise the immune system.
Oysters should be thoroughly cooked to decrease
the risk of infection since heat kills the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. Undercooked
oysters, such as those that are lightly steamed, marinated or prepared as Oysters
Rockefeller, may also pose a health risk.
Vibrio vulnificus infections can cause
fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The onset of symptoms is usually
within 24 hours of eating contaminated shellfish. Death can occur within two to three
Vibrio vulnificus is naturally present in
all estuaries and marine environments. Especially high levels of Vibrio vulnificus
have been found in raw oysters harvested from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Consumption of raw Gulf Coast oysters has regularly caused Vibrio vulnificus
illnesses in California and other states.
Since 1991, DHS has required restaurants, markets
and other retailers that sell Gulf Coast oysters to conspicuously display a warning about
the risk of eating these oysters. Regulations prohibit retailers from receiving raw
oysters if their origin is not clearly identified and require the retailer to retain
oysters identification tags for 90 days. In addition, state regulations require all
dealers and retailers to maintain proper records, which allows for the rapid
identification of shellfish sources linked to illnesses. If you have any questions about
the source of oysters displayed for sale, please ask your retailer or oyster supplier.
DHS warns consumers that all foods of animal
origin pose some risk when eaten raw. To reduce the risk of illness, high-risk individuals
are advised to cook all foods of animal origin, such as oysters.


text:
Taco Bell is partnering with a New York company on a new dessert that it’s testing at two locations in Southern California.
It’s called the Strawberry Bell Truffle and it’s a collaboration with Milk Bar, a chain of bakeries that specializes in truffles.
In a news release, Taco Bell describes the truffle as featuring vanilla cake with strawberry pieces soaked in strawberry milk. It has a sweet corn fudge center and a coating that includes taco shell crumbs.
The dessert will be available at an Orange County Taco Bell 14042 Red Hill Ave., Tustin, and at Milk Bar’s Los Angeles location, 7150 Melrose Ave., until Aug. 16 or as long as supplies last.
The Strawberry Bell Truffle will also be sold at one Milk Bar location in New York City, 196 Broadway at 29th Street.
The news comes shortly after Klondike discontinued the Choco Taco, an ice cream treat that was sold at Taco Bell restaurants from the 1980s until 2015.
Taco Bell also made news this week by announcing the upcoming return of its popular Mexican Pizza.


text:
China is more than just the 800-pound gorilla in the world cotton market. The Asian giant is both the world’s biggest producer and importer. As such, China has tremendous market manipulating power that leaves other producers, including those in America, at its mercy.
China provides unstinting support to its cotton farmers with the end result being that cotton prices in China are often found above world market prices, yet actions in China can create extreme fluctuations in world prices that affects everyone else. A few years ago, a small crop in China coupled with robust demand sparked a rally which lifted prices to their highest levels since the U.S. Civil War in the 1860s.
But the pendulum could easily swing the other way. Recent forecasts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that China currently holds half of the world’s cotton stocks. Releasing too much of that surplus on the market could cripple prices for American farmers, creating uncertainty and anxiety.
Gerald Bange, a USDA official charged with estimating global supply and demand, said in a recent interview with China Daily: “Will China continue the same [cotton] policies that it has had for several years now, or will it change those policies? Obviously, that’s up to China. We just have to wait and see what China does.”
So far, China has shown no inclination to cut back on its support for its cotton farmers and mills in the country. A recent report by the international OECD found that China has been steadily increasing its farm support levels well above those found in the United States, and there has been some talk of the country resorting to a direct payment method to support its farmers.
Darren Hudson, the director of the Cotton Economics Research Institute at Texas Tech University, said in an interview with Farm Policy Facts that if China “abandons its reserve policy in favor of paying its producers, that could result in significant price declines leaving U.S. (cotton) producers vulnerable to low prices for no other reason than China dumping its stocks.”
Meanwhile, the debate in the U.S. has turned to further decreasing support for its farmers in the Farm Bill.
“Thus, unilaterally dismantling U.S. (farm) policy would expose U.S. producers to significant downside risk at the whim of Chinese policy,” Hudson explained.
The point underscored a recurring fact of global farm trade these days. Countries are boosting the level of their farm supports whether it is China in both the cotton and rice industries, Thailand in its rice pledging program, or Brazil in its combined sugar-ethanol supports. In many ways, the U.S. is headed in the opposite direction by trimming its farm supports.
Getting a grip on the ins and outs of Chinese cotton subsidies can be challenging, but the International Cotton Advisory Committee said in a report that China’s intervention is done by using a sliding scale of import quotas to “ensure that the effective cost of imported cotton exceeds international market prices and thus boost prices paid to farmers in China.”
ICAC said the estimate of benefits resulting from government intervention in China for its producers was around $1.6 billion in 2008/09 and then rose slightly to $1.7 billion in 2009/10.
On top of that sliding scale import quotas, the Chinese government also pays growers a subsidy to use high-quality cotton seeds. In the past two seasons, China also provided subsidies for the transport of cotton from the western province of Xinjiang near Central Asia to mills in the east and south of the country where most of its textile and apparel industry is located.
China’s Finance Ministry paid about $290 million in the first half of 2011 to pay for interest on loans give for agricultural projects benefiting the cotton, grain, and vegetable oil processing industries.
The government also foots the bill for keeping over 1 million tons of cotton in China’s warehouses. Reserves are released to mills when supplies are a bit tight and to make the fiber affordable for textile companies that are already among the world’s biggest.
“China restricts the inflow of cotton so that the internal price of cotton remains higher than the international price. It allows imports (or sells out of the reserve) to domestic mills so that their domestic spinners remain cost competitive,” said Hudson.
“It is quite the balancing act trying to keep internal cotton prices to producers high enough to maintain them while keeping raw materials prices low enough so that domestic mills do not lose significant market share,” Hudson concluded.
And right now, U.S. farmers are the unwilling participants of that balancing act.


text:
Swinton Insurance is to create more than 100 jobs at a new Manchester call centre to meet growing demand for its services, the firm announced today.
The group, which has its headquarters in Manchester and around 500 branches currently employs 5,000 staff, making it one of the UK's biggest high street brokers.
It said around 120 jobs will be created at the new call centre in Bridgewater House, Whitworth Street .
The investment follows Swinton's recent partnership with vehicle information checking expert HPI to supply the broker's network of 4,500 car dealership clients with free, seven-day driveaway insurance.
Staff at the call centre, which will open in early June, will manage and deliver the HPI policy as well as working with Swinton's large panel of UK insurers to find competitive deals and prices for annual policies.
Most of of the jobs will be in inbound or outbound sales roles, as well as some key team leader positions.
The launch of the HPI product follows Swinton's telematics pilot scheme, aimed at helping customers save money on car insurance premiums through monitored driving.
It is the first major announcement by the group's new management team since its entire executive board was dismissed in December by parent company Covea over concerns regarding planned performance-related share scheme payments.
Chief executive Peter Halpin and executive directors Nick Bowyer, Anthony Clare, Jackie Ordish and Adrian Hazeldine were replaced.
The new executive board now comprises Christophe Bardet as CEO, Charles Bellringer as financial director, Rob Hornby as IT director and Kelly Ogley as operations director.
Kelly said: “2012 has got off to a positive start for Swinton. We’ve launched two new products, namely telematics ‘Drive It Down’ and HPI Driveaway, with many more in the pipeline. To meet demand for the sales of these new products, Swinton is able to offer new jobs in an employment market that is currently flat.
“There’s lots of training, incentives and commission schemes to help drive our staff to success.”


text:
FRANKFURT: Germany's BMW and its joint venture partner Brilliance Automotive Group Holdings have agreed to expand production capacity at BMW Brilliance Automotive's (BBA) two sites in China to a total 520,000 BMW brand vehicles in 2019, BMW said.
That means that the venture's annual capacity will outstrip that of the German carmaker's U.S. plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, currently its biggest plant in the world.
In addition, it said the two companies had agreed that the all-electric BMW iX3, to be produced by BBA from 2020, would be exported from China to other markets.
BMW and Brilliance signed their agreement at a meeting of Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday at which the trade conflict between Europe, China and the United States is high on the agenda.
As part of the plan, called the "Big Leap" internally, the maker of the Innova and Fortuner has shut its India facility for over a month starting Christmas to recast it for higher output and make way for the production of a mainstream SUV (codenamed D22) to challenge Hyundai Creta and a multipurpose vehicle (codenamed 560B).


text:
Ericsson's litigation, filed in the Netherlands, Britain and Germany, accuses U.K.-based manufacturer Sendo of making handsets that unlawfully use Global System for Mobile Communications technology that Ericsson patented. GSM is the
The central issue is what companies charge to license their intellectual property. Manufacturers that don't own cell phone patents, like, usually promise the patent-holder a certain percentage of revenue from the sale of handsets using the technology. Higher-priced patent licenses force consumers to dig deeper into their wallets to buy the phones, Sendo says.
"All we ask is that companies who use technology invented by Ericsson compensate us for this, the same way we are prepared to compensate others for our use of their technology," Kasim Alfalahi, Ericsson's vice president of patent licensing, said in a prepared statement.
In its defense, Sendo on Wednesday disclosed that the European Competition Commission is investigating whether Ericsson and other handset makers operate an intellectual property licensing "cartel." Sendo said handset makers treat each other fairly if both sides own patents required by cell phone standards, but gouge the companies that don't. Sendo Chief Executive Hugh Brogan on Wednesday didn't say which other manufacturers are involved in the investigation.
Patent squabbles invariably force consumers to wait for new technology--and to pay higher prices when they finally get it. Intellectual property scuffles are not particular to the cell phone industry, but the impact is more severe there because handsets become smarter and faster by incorporating new patent-packed standards with tongue-twister names like Universal Mobile Telecommunications System or.
Nokia Chief Executive Jorma Ollila hinted earlier this year that a spat over UMTS, a third-generation cellular standard, could drive up prices of those handsets. Sendo's CEO said his company had been trying to avoid a legal fight over the issue.
"We were in negotiations to license the intellectual property, so the lawsuit took us by surprise," Sendo's Brogan said. "It's not that we don't want to license the intellectual property, but we believe it should be fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory. We thought we were doing things the responsible way."


text:
For Cannes press interviews, Sonam Kapoor was seen wearing a black dress with a linear pattern — also by Ralph and Russo.
After her surreal fashion statement in a white ensemble on the red carpet at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival here, Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor picked another chic Ralph and Russo dress for an appearance at the gala.
Following her subtle yet effective red carpet look on Sunday in a caped floor-sweeping gown, Sonam spent Monday morning at Cannes giving press interviews.
For the same, she was seen wearing a black dress with a linear pattern — also by Ralph and Russo. She teamed this with shoes by Christian Louboutin, with her hair tied in a neat bun and summed up with the look with cat-eye glares, read a statement.
Adding a dash of colour was a bright lip colour.
The actress is the brand ambassador of L’Oréal Paris, and is representing the cosmetic giant at Cannes.
The Cannes Film Festival started on Wednesday and will go on till May 22. The actress, who completed six years of going to the festival in 2016, will also attend amfAR Gala on May 19.