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Just watched a rom-com on Netflix? Well, now there are “top picks” just like it in your queue, thanks to the streaming service’s matching system.
Every time you engage with Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, Netflix and other online sites, algorithms are busy behind the scenes chronicling your activities and queuing up recommendations tailored to what they know about you. The invisible work of algorithms and recommendation systems spares people from a deluge of information and ensures they receive relevant responses to searches.
But Sachin Banker says a new study shows that subtle gender biases shape the information served up to consumers. The Journal of Consumer Psychology published the study, which was co-authored by Shelly Rathee, Arul Mishra and Himanshu Mishra.
“Everything you’re consuming online is filtered through some kind of recommendation system,” said Banker, an assistant professor of marketing in the David Eccles School of Business, “and what we’re interested in understanding is whether there are subtle biases in the types of information that are presented to different people and how this affects behavior.”
Banker, who researches how people interact with technology, said gender bias is relatively easy to study because Facebook provides information about that social characteristic. And it is not necessarily surprising that algorithms, which make word associations based by all the texts on the internet, pick up biases since they exist in human language. The bigger questions are to what extent is this happening and what are the consequences.
In their multi-step study, the researchers first demonstrated that gender biases embedded in language are incorporated in algorithms—associating women with negative psychographic attributes such as impulsivity, financially irresponsibility and irrationality.
The team then tweaked a single word in an ad—“responsible” versus “irresponsible”—to see who subsequently received it; they found ads with negative psychographic attributes were more likely to be delivered to women even though there was no basis for such differentiation.
It’s a self-perpetuating loop, the researchers found, because undiscerning consumers reinforce the algorithmic gender bias by often clicking on the ads and accepting the recommendations they receive.
“There are actual consequences of this bias in the marketplace,” Banker said. “We’ve shown that people are split into different kinds of consumption bubbles and that influences your thoughts and behaviors and reinforces historical biases.”
For online technology companies, the study indicates a greater need for proactive work to minimize gender bias in algorithms used to serve up consumer ads and recommendations, Banker said. People advertising products may want to test an ad before launch to detect any subtle bias that might affect delivery. And consumers should be aware of the biases at play as they scroll through their feeds and visit online sites and engage in healthy skepticism about ads and recommendations.
Most people, he said, don’t totally understand how these things work because the online giants don’t disclose much about their algorithms, though Amazon appears to be providing more information to consumers about the recommendations they receive.
And while this study focused on gender bias, Banker said biases likely exist for other social characteristics, such as age, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, etc.


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Microsoft has once again said that a virtual reality headset is not on its road map for the Xbox Series X and Series S video game consoles.
The statement came after some gamers saw a message on their consoles referring to a VR headset. As first spotted by IGN Italy, some Xbox owners were greeted with a message that translates into "an update for the VR headset is available". The message appeared when Xbox gamers plugged in Microsoft's new Xbox Wireless Headset.
This promoted speculation that Microsoft was working on a VR headset for the Xbox, potentially in a bid to compete with Sony which recently said a new version of its PS VR headset will be developed for the PlayStation 5.
However, Microsoft has since dismissed these rumors, saying the messages appeared due to an error. The company's PR department said: "The copy in this error message is inaccurate due to a localization bug. VR for console is not a focus for us at this time."
The new Sony VR headset for PS5 will arrive after 2021
This fits with Microsoft's previous narrative on VR for the Xbox. The company said back in 2018 that it had no plans to bring virtual reality to its Xbox One console, a year after saying it would. Xbox dividing boss Phil Spencer said in 2015 how the Project Scorpio console, which later became the Xbox One X, would offer "high-end VR". But this never happened, and VR remains absent from all Xbox consoles to this day.
More recently, Spencer said in February 2020 how VR support for the Xbox Series X console would become a "no brainer", so long as the format continued to be popular enough among gamers and developers alike.
The Oculus Quest VR headset by Facebook has proved popular, and a third-generation is now in the works. But, given Microsoft's statement this week, it seems that level of popularity isn't yet enough for Xbox to get involved with VR.

domain: news


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Federal bankruptcy filings are up 322 percent citywide compared to the same period last year, according to a report in Crain’s New York, not the most promising of trends amid this year’s economic turmoil.
There were 335 bankruptcy filings in New York City, in comparison to 104 in the same period last year.
Experts quoted in the article attributed the sharp spike to — surprise, surprise — the wretched economy, in particular, to the lack of credit that would normally be used to help buoy a business in rough times:
“In the past, when sectors were going through distress or economic conditions were declining, businesses could always look to the credit markets,” observes Dalton Edgecomb, managing director of Huron Consulting Group, which advises distressed companies. “Now, a lot of these companies don’t have the ability to go out and seek additional funds to get them through the cycle.”
Jose Luis Sampedro’s Barrera Construction & Development Corp. is one of the 335 businesses filing for bankruptcy this year. His 15-year-old firm has been hobbled by non-payments from two subcontractors and skyrocketing costs.
"I’m still trying to survive,” Mr. Sampedro said. “I have to struggle for this company.”


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Arrowsmith has worked for Anvil for more than 15 years in a variety of positions, most recently as the Midwest regional sales manager of the Mechanical Division. Harold will remain at Anvil's University Park, IL, location.
Smayda, located in Mentor, OH, has more than 35 years of experience in sales and operations management serving the mechanical, industrial, and fire protection markets.
Brian Reef, with more than 27 years of PVF experience, will continue as the Western U.S. director of sales for AnvilStar.
Arrowsmith, Smayda and Reef will all report directly to Dean Taylor, Anvil's vice president of sales and marketing.


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About the game
Pokemon Go is a free-to-play mobile game that sees players locate, catch, train and battle virtual Pokemon who can be found in real-life locations thanks to the game's use of augmented reality.
Pokemon Go Articles
Pokemon GO - EX Raid Battles have officially launched
Pokemon GO was recently updated to version 0.83.1 for Android and 1.53.2 for iOS devices. EX Raid Battles have left the "field test" stage. The standard Raid Battles have been updated as well.
Pokemon GO - shorter Raids and a new wave of Raid Bosses
Niantic released a Pokemon GO update that shortened the game's Raids and added a bunch of new Pokemon. November marks the final migration of the game's three current Legendary dogs. Niantic has a new type of encounter called EX Raids in the works.
Pokemon Go - Halloween Event introduces two new shiny Pokemon
All five of the third generation ghost-type Pokemon have been added to Pokemon Go as part of this year's Halloween event. Over 130 Pokemon are scheduled to make an appearance in Pokemon Go sometime in the future. The Halloween event ends on 02 November.
Pokemon GO AR photo contest on Instagram is now live
Niantic is holding a Pokemon GO AR Photo Contest. You can enter using photos taken in Pokemon GO. The contest will end on 25 October.
Pokemon GO will get trading and trainer battles, eventually
The CEO of the Pokemon Company Tsunekazu Ishihara recently spoke to Bloomberg about planned and upcoming features for Pokemon GO. Niantic has a very long way to go before the game fulfills its full potential, Pokemon trading and trainer battles included.
Raikou, Entei, and Suicune arrive in Pokemon Go
Three Legendary Pokemon are about to enter the world of Pokemon Go. Raikou, Entei, and Suicune will be available for a limited time. Also, EX Raid Battle field-test will soon be available in select regions around the world.
Pokemon GO fails at Chicago legendary event
What happens when you corral a lot of people onto a festival area and have them try and play Pokemon GO? Everyone's internet connection gets all jumbled up and fails, that's what. This is the exact thing that happened In Chicago during the Pokemon Go Fest. Attendees weren't happy.
Pokemon Go will soon see its first Legendary Pokemon in the wild
Niantic and The Pokemon Company International are still celebrating Pokemon Go's first anniversary. The best news to come out of the celebration so far is the fact that the Legendary Pokemon will start showing up in the game. Still, it all depends on the Trainers of the world and the folks from Chicago.
Pokemon Go exceeds 752 million downloads
Pokemon Go is celebrating its first anniversary soon. The game has been downloaded 752 million times since it launched, and it made £926 million in revenue during the last year.
Pokemon Go: raid rewards, motivation and gym badges explained
Even before you try your hand at Raid Battles, you can enjoy the new additions brought about by the latest Pokemon Go update. In this article, we go over raid battle rewards, gym badges, motivation and PokeCoins.


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"SAMSUNG ODYSSEY" content on TweakTown - Page 1
We found 5 items for the tag: SAMSUNG ODYSSEY
Samsung Odyssey 2020 VR Headset leaked images back up bug-like design
Images have leaked for the Samsung Odyssey 2020 Mixed Reality headset that back up the rumored design.
Samsung Odyssey Mixed Reality headset 2020 official patent and images
Samsung Odyssey mixed reality headset 2020 model has been patented and imaged.
Samsung reveals new Odyssey gaming laptop
Samsung updates its Odyssey gaming laptop with GeForce RTX GPUs and a 144Hz G-Sync display.
Samsung Odyssey VR headset offers Oculus-like experience
Samsung's new Odyssey headset has a premium price tag, but it looks like it could be worth it.
Samsung reportedly working on higher-end 'Odyssey' VR headset
Samsung's purported 'Odyssey' VR headset could directly compete against the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive.


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A flexible spending account is a handy tool that lets you put aside pre-tax money for medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. It lowers your income tax bill and means that you have money set aside for dental care and contact lenses. The problem with FSAs is that money in the account disappears at the end of the year, which is not necessarily December 31. Starting in 2013, though, there has been a little-known exception to that. [More]
Douglas received an unexpected delivery from UPS last week: a check from Fidelity Investments made out to Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company for over $300,000, along with a bunch of 401(k) rollover paperwork that included the real account holder’s address, date of birth, SSN, and phone number.
A California lawsuit is accusing GM of negligence for not including a stability control system as a standard feature on the Chevrolet Suburban. The lawsuit stems from a 2002 rollover involving a Suburban that killed a woman and her stepdaughter. GM paid the stepdaughter’s family almost half a million dollars to settle out of court.
“The safety benefits of stability control have been known to auto manufacturers since the mid 1990s,” Avila said. “But they delayed implementing because they felt that safety was not marketable, so instead of installing on the SUVs that needed it most because of their rollover problem, they put it on luxury SUVs and cars as a performance item.”
The federal government will require the inclusion of stability control systems by 2012, but GM will offer the systems on all models by 2010. Should automakers be required to install stability control systems? Tell us in the comments. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER


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Usually when movies are made about video games, they tend to deviate from the game’s original story. We suppose this is done because the story has already been played out, and also maybe because some directors don’t want to step on the toes of hardcore fans of these movies, but so far most video game-cum-movies have turned out rather badly.
However could things change with the Assassin’s Creed movie? According to a tweet by the Assassin’s Creed Twitter account, it has been revealed that the movie and the games will all be connected to each other. Not just limited to game, but it will also affect future comics and books that are made about the Assassin’s Creed universe. Read full post →Assassin’s Creed Movie Will Tie-In With The Games
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XV has been in the works for a while now, and we’re sure many are curious as to when the game will be released. In fact it was last year that we were treated to some gameplay footage, so it should be soon, right? The good news is that while it isn’t necessarily soon, we at least have a timeframe to look forward to.
Announced at PAX Prime, the game’s director Hajime Tabata has revealed that Final Fantasy XV will be released in 2016, or so we hope. According to Tabata, he stated that Square Enix will be holding a special event in March 2016 where the game’s release date will be revealed. We can only imagine that the release will probably be in the same year, otherwise that would just be mean! Read full post →Final Fantasy XV Has Been Pegged For A 2016 Release


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WASHINGTON (Aug. 21, 2007) — Titan Tire International Inc.'s bid to get duties imposed on certain off-the-road (OTR) tires imported from China moved one step closer to reality after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) supported in a preliminary vote Titan's assertions that U.S. tire makers are being harmed.
The ITC, in a 6-0 vote Aug. 20, determined there is a “reasonable indication” that U.S. makers of off-the-road tires are being harmed by imports of such tires from China allegedly being sold here at less than fair value. Titan's petition is supported by the United Steelworkers (USW), which claims its members are being harmed.
As a result of the ITC's determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its investigations of imports of certain off-the-road tires from China to determine the degree to which foreign subsidies are affecting the prices of tires sold here.
The ITC decision is labeled as preliminary.
In order for anti-dumping duties to be instituted, both the Commerce Department and the ITC must make positive determinations separately, according to government regulations. Eventually there will be public hearings on the petition.
The ITC will publish its findings Sept. 17 in a document called “Certain Off-the-Road Tires from China: Investigation Nos. 701- TA-450 and 731-TA-1122 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 3943.”


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Sales to business customers accounted for nearly all of the second-quarter net income at Staples Inc., the office products company reported today.
Staples’ North American Delivery unit, which includes sales to businesses through StaplesAdvantage.com, Quill.com and Staples.com, dipped 1.6% year over year to $2.547 billion, as net income attributed to the unit decreased 15.8% to $138 million from $164 million.
In comparison, second quarter retail store sales fell 6.0% to $1.358 billion, with a unit net loss of $4 million.
Earlier this month, Staples said a plan related to its pending acquisition by investment firm Sycamore Partners would break out the company’s U.S. and Canadian retail operations into separate “independently managed and capitalized” Sycamore-affiliated entities. The move will leave North American Delivery as the sole business within Staples, Staples said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
For the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, Staples reported:
- North American Delivery sales of $2.547 billion, down 1.6% from $2.588 billion a year earlier, as income for the unit decreased 15.8% to $138 million from $164 million;
- North American Retail sales, including retail stores in the U.S. and Canada, fell 6 .0% to $1.358 billion from $1.444 billion, as net income for the unit narrowed to $4 million from $8 million;
- Total sales declined 3.1% to $3.905 billion from $4.032 billion;
- Net income of $102 million compared with a year-earlier net loss of $205 million. The net loss of a year ago coincided with $250 million in costs related to the aborted merger with Office Depot Inc.
For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Staples reported:
- North American Delivery sales of $5.18 billion, down 2.3% from $5.30 billion a year earlier, as unit income fell 11.0% to $324 million from $364 million;
- North American Retail sales of $2.873 billion, down 7.1 % from $3.094 billion;
- Total sales of $8.055 billion, down 4.0% from $8.394 billion;
- Net income of $260 million, compared to a year-earlier net loss of $120 million.
Sign up for a free subscription to B2BecNews, a twice-weekly newsletter that covers technology and business trends in the growing B2B e-commerce industry. B2BecNews is published by Vertical Web Media LLC, which also publishes DigitalCommerce360.com, Internet Retailer and Internet Health Management. Follow B2BecNews editor Paul Demery on Twitter @pdemery.
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UK inflation reached its highest rate for the first time in two and a half years recently, but with the uncertainty following the Brexit vote and the recent rise in fuel and food prices, what does this mean for the UK economy in 2017? Martin Walker, Professor of Finance and Accounting at Alliance Manchester Business School, casts an expert eye on the topic.
There are many factors contributing to the recent rise in inflation, however it is difficult to predict just how high inflation will rise because of ongoing negotiations on Brexit and new trade deals.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), annual inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) reached 1.8% last month, up from a rate of 1.6% in December. The ONS also reported an unexpected dip in wage growth to 2.6 per cent a year.
Following the Brexit vote and due to a very significant fall in the pound, the costs of imported materials, in particular fuel, were bound to rise. It is highly likely that inflation will continue to rise as increased costs continue to feed through to retail prices. Food prices also contributed to the rise in inflation, as they remained unchanged between December and January, having fallen a year ago.
It is difficult to predict just how high inflation will go but we are potentially looking at a peak value between 3.1 and 3.8 percent around the end of 2017. The peak inflation rate will also likely be substantially greater than pay rises.
Therefore, real wages will fall on average, which could reduce consumer demand and the growth rate in the last half of 2017 – and the first half of 2018 – more than it would have been in the absence of Brexit. Inflation will most likely start to fall.
The uncertainty following the Brexit vote is reflective of the volatility of the UK economy after 2017. Presumably, success will depend on how well the negotiations on Brexit proceed and the impact of political decisions regarding new trade deals after Brexit in 2019.
One particular issue, that we all need to keep a close eye on, is the potential impact of Brexit on investment by overseas companies in the UK. If this does not decline, then it will bode well for the long term. If it goes into a sharp decline then Brexit will start to look like a failure.
The only thing we know for certain, in all of this uncertainty, is that Brexit has increased economic and political uncertainty both for the UK and for Europe as a whole.


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angry tapir writes: "Tablets running on Intel's upcoming Atom chip code-named Clover Trail could come with the Android OS, adding another OS option for the processor platform in addition to Windows 8, according to Intel. "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments that at this time. Stay tuned," a spokeswoman said. It has previously been reported that Intel wouldn't support running Linux on the chip." Link to Original Source
The F-15 Eagle:
If it's up, we'll shoot it down. If it's down, we'll blow it up.
-- A McDonnel-Douglas ad from a few years ago


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PETA has come up with a solution to the controversy over the naming and branding of the Washington Redskins that sees the American Football team get to keep their name...and it might just work.
The animal rights group has suggested that the team simply change their logo to the redskin potato and created a mock-up to show how it would look.
From "The PETA-Files" blog section of PETA's website:
The redskin potato would be a noble mascot for a variety of reasons. Potatoes are also native Americans, having been cultivated in Peru for millennia. A tasty, versatile, animal- and environmentally friendly vegan staple, potatoes are now the most popular vegetable in the U.S. They are loaded with nutrients, including iron, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and even protein, and red potatoes in particular are high in antioxidants. (Take that, Cheeseheads.)
Ok PETA, now change the Cleveland Indians logo.


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BANGKOK-- With production of its premium-grade fragrant rice declining, Thailand is looking to develop more varieties of the crop in order to compete with major exporters like Vietnam and India.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association has been trying to ecourage farmers to diversify the strains they grow by paying them above the market rate for a soft, middle-grade product, which is in high demand in China and other major Asian markets, according to Charoen Laothamatas, the association's president.
In the first year of the scheme, exporters anticipate having accumulated around 5,000 tons of middle-grade, long grain white rice, an inexpensive variety the association hopes will prove popular.
"This rice is not as fragrant, but it has the soft-texture favored by most clients in Asia. We expect it to help us grab a larger market share in the region in the long term," said Charoen.
Thailand's 13 million low-income rice farmers form a substantial voting bloc, and will often throw their support behind politicians who promise financial incentives.
The Thai government and the association predict that exports for 2018 matching the record high of 11 million tons marked last year due to strong global demand. But instability in production weighs heavily on the commodity's long-term prospects.
Production of premium-grade Thai white rice has fallen by 40% this year due to poor weather. The signature product helped the country claw its way out of the low-end market dominated by Vietnam and India, but can only be grown in a specific area in northeastern Thailand, making it particularly susceptible to climatic conditions.
The variety, called hom mali locally and jasmine rice elsewhere, is normally sold to upscale restaurants in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong, as well as Thai restaurants in Europe.
Total output of premium Thai rice is expected to fall to around 4 million tons from 6.1 million tons (in paddy base) in 2017, according to the association.
The decline has pushed the price of premium-grade rice to a record high of $1,200 a ton -- it would stand at about $800 a ton in a normal year. This has cut exports of fragrant rice by 20% so far this year, according to Charoen.
Mainland China's imports of the product have fallen by 35%, while Hong Kong's have dropped by 14%.
"With higher costs and an unfavourable exchange rate, we can't compete with Vietnam and India in selling common-grade white rice in the low-end market," said Charoen. "At the same time, [only] producing premium grade is not stable, we need to have more rice strains that meet diverse demand in order to retain market share."
Charoen pointed out that this is the first year in several decades that changes in the market and consumer appetite have forced both exporters and farmers to adapt.
"It might be a small number at this stage, but it is a good start and we expect to encourage farmers to produce other grades of rice to gain a bigger market share in the future, particularly in China and other traditional markets in Asia," added Charoen.


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vetements has been invited to show during paris couture week
The young French brand will be showing its next collection a lot sooner than we thought.
jason lloyd evans
Three months ago, street-savvy French brand Vetements announced it would be shaking up the fashion calendar by combining its menswear and womenswear collections into one show in January — the same month that other more seasoned labels would be rolling out their most elaborate garments as part of Paris Haute Couture Week's spring 17 season. But in a surprise plot twist, Vetements will actually be making an appearance a lot sooner than that. WWD reports that the brand has been invited to show during the couture calendar in Paris this July. The Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture has elected Vetements as official guests of the Fédération Française de la Couture.
Though Vetements isn't the only brand showing in a guest slot — J. Mendel, Yuima Nakazato, Francesco Scognamiglio, and Iris Van Herpen have also been chosen by the Chambre Syndicale — it's probably the most surprising. Vetements, which literally translates as "clothes," is known primarily for lose-fitting hoodies and deconstructed denim that take cues from what people are wearing on the street. Though the brand also has plenty of technical prowess up its oversized sleeves. Chief designer Demna Gvasalia, a Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp alum and Margiela protégé, wasn't appointed to the head of Balenciaga for nothing.
Haute Couture Week's fall 16 season will take place from July 3 through July 7 in Paris.
Text Hannah Ongley
Photography Jason Lloyd Evans


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Well this is neato! I made The Daily Meal’s list of The 60 (Plus) Coolest People in Food and Drink alongside folks I greatly admire, like Andrew Zimmern, Amanda Cohen, Dave Wondrich, Randall Grahm, John T. Edge and others. Take that, high school tormentors!
That’s a li’l bit from an article I wrote for BlogHer called How to Promote Your Personal Brand … Minus the Ickiness. (Speaking of, I’ll be on a panel called You As a Brand: Breaking Free to Build a More Authentic, Meaningful Personal Brand at BlogHer on July 17, should you happen to be attending. Which would be lovely.
TastingTable.com, the premier online destination for culinary enthusiasts, has named Kat Kinsman as Editor in Chief. In her new role, Kinsman will oversee all editorial content for the multiplatform media company, which delivers discerning dining advice, chefs’ recipes and news from the world of food and drink across email, Web, social media and mobile.
“During the past six years, we’ve established Tasting Table as a must-read for culinary obsessives,” said Geoff Bartakovics, co-founder and CEO. “Kat is not only a highly respected journalist, she’s also a longtime digital and social media maven whose broad interests will help to expand Tasting Table’s focus on the larger lifestyle surrounding the world of food and drink.”
Read the full press release at my soon-to-be new workplace TastingTable.com


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Repak has today announced the results of a survey that exposes what the Irish public really think when it comes to recycling at Christmas. Over 1,000 people were questioned for this specially commissioned survey, which has revealed that over 93% of people think Irish retailers should recycle properly, despite 50% being unaware that retailers are legally obliged to do so.
The majority of respondents, 72%, have never asked a retailer whether they recycle. 71% plan to shop online this Christmas, but only 43% have considered whether their online retailer recycles packaging correctly.
Repak estimates that Irish householders will generate approximately 74,000 tonnes of packaging waste over Christmas (or 44.6 kilos of waste per household) and receive nearly 12 million Christmas gifts, nearly all packaged in some form. Repak is targeting the collection and recycling of 44,000 tonnes or around 59% of household used packaging over the holiday period.
Last Christmas, Repak recycled 42,750.55 tonnes of household used packaging, a 3% increase on 2015. This Christmas, Repak is asking the public to continue with its support of Packaging Recycling during the holiday season.
Seamus Clancy, CEO Repak said: “It will not come as a surprise to many that Christmas is also the busiest time of year for our recycling contract partners as packaging increases over the holidays. We’re asking people visit their local recycling centre and bottle banks if they have additional packaging over the holiday.
“We would also ask consumers to be mindful where they are shopping and purchase gifts from a Repak member. While research shows that Irish people buy presents aplenty at Christmas, by shopping with one of our member’s, people can feel assured that they are helping to protect the environment.”
The Repak study also investigated Irish habits on ‘re-gifting’. The survey results showed that 27% plan to buy over 20 gifts this Christmas and 40% will buy at least 10-20 presents for loved ones. However, 21% of respondents admitted to re-gifting a present over five times and just under two thirds (63%) confessed to re-gifting at least more than once.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Donncha Mac Cóil


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Between the St. Patrick’s Day special releases and the jump from winter to spring seasonals, there’s a lot rotating through the brew tanks. It’s a nice reminder of just how productive and imaginative the brewing scene is in the South Sound; the party Saturday afternoon covers only a small but delicious percentage of March’s offerings.
Party Saturday afternoon?
Indeed — four breweries are teaming up for the Tacoma Brewery Spring Showcase 3-9 p.m. at The Valley.
“A couple Tacoma breweries have joined forces for several events,” says Charles Gibb, sales executive at Odd Otter Brewing Company, “but I wanted to see what would happen if four breweries gathered for a single event. Could we get something bigger started?”
Gibb approached Brittany Crowder, craft beer expert and bartender at The Valley in Tacoma, about hosting the Tacoma Brewery Spring Showcase. He thought Crowder’s love of local breweries and the bar’s close proximately to all four participating breweries would be ideal.
“For our customers to taste four Tacoma breweries from one stool — and hang with the brewers — is pretty awesome,” adds Crowder.
“We are bring two beers each, as well as our brewery swag to auction off,” says Gibb. “The raffle grand prize will be a four-person tour and tasting at Wingman Brewers. We’ll draw that one at the end of the party.”
The beer list is a combination of spring beers and popular sippers. Pacific Brewing will tap their 1897 Pale Lager and the single hop, citrus-y Potomic Citra Pale. Tacoma Brewing will arrive with two of his popular India Pale Ales — Broken Window IPA and Coffee With Aristotle (Coffee IPA). Wingman will tap its favorite P51 Peanut Butter Porter and a “spring IPA.” Gibb says his flagship beers Ottermelon Hefeweizen and Momma Otters Pancake Porter with real Vermont maple syrup will be in the house.
At 9:30 p.m., Tacoma’s new rocking music venue, The Valley, will plug in Tacoma power pop bands Vanilla and The Rallies, plus indie poster Jordani.
The weather folks forecast a party sunny day Saturday, which means The Valley’s back patio will be the place.


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Christmas came on Dec. 19 for a few local school children thanks to the help of Fayetteville Public Utilities and Walmart.
FPU and Walmart partnered together again this year to purchase 14 bicycles to give to area school children.
“The hope is these bicycles will bring excitement and joy to some children in our community. At FPU we care about our community, and we want to give back,” said FPU CEO/General Manager Britt Dye.
“We are thankful to Walmart for their partnership this year and the last two years. Without the help of the store manager Travis Jean and his staff, this endeavor would not be possible. We like partnering with Wal-Mart because they are a part of our community and also want to give back,” said Dye.
The bicycles were awarded to one boy and one girl in the third grade at Ralph Askins, Blanche, Flintville, Highland Rim, South Lincoln, Unity schools and Riverside Christian Academy.
The bicycles were delivered to each school on Dec. 19.


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South Korea told Apple and Google to remove win-play NFT games.
The South Korean government has told Apple and Google that they should remove their win-to-play (P2E) games from their respective app stores.
The government has demanded that Apple and Google remove NFT mobile games from their app stores.
Restriction of Games from South Korea
Gamers in South Korea spend about $6 billion a year on games. Therefore, the country’s government has taken a firm stance in regulating the game market, age-restricting games like Minecraft, and limiting the value of game rewards. It looks like the government, which has limited in-game rewards to 10,000 Korean won, will bring even more bureaucracy for game developers and distributors.
Under South Korean law, games offering prizes of more than 10,000 Korean won ($8.42) are banned nationwide, and the government has imposed strict regulations on gambling, gaming and age ratings.
The Game Management Committee (GMC), a South Korean government agency, has told Apple and Google that they should pull P2E games from their distribution platforms. In addition, GMC informed the companies that they cannot approve new games that require in-app purchases as a game requirement.


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The first trailer for the highly-anticipated Birds of Prey movie finally arrived online earlier this week, delivering on the promise of wild action, bright colors, and fantastic costume design. From Black Canary to Huntress, all of the women in this Harley Quinn team-up are clad head-to-toe in totally unique costumes, inspired by the comics but also brand new for the film. The costume and production design of Birds of Prey has been a selling point from the get-go, and now we finally get to see them in action.
Of course, it's hard to get a real good look at all the new costumes during the actual trailer, considering everyone is moving pretty much all the time. Fortunately, Warner Bros. and DC are offering a close-up look at a few of the outfits at New York Comic Con.
The "main" costumes for each of the five main Birds of Prey characters -- Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) -- are on display at the DC Booth at NYCC this weekend. So we snapped a few photos of the full costumes for everyone to enjoy.
Check them out:


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The team behind a cult Manchester burger spot have spoken of their pride after being named one of Britain's best burger spots. Burgerism, the hole-in-the-wall burger takeaway born in Salford, was listed by The Times in its latest piece heralding the return of the burger.
The list of Britain's 17 best burger spots named MeatCastles in Doncaster as having the best burger, followed by the chains Shake Shack and Patty & Bun. Burgerism landed in 7th, coming just above Hawksmoor - which has a site in Manchester - and famous spots in London, Edinburgh and Bristol.
If you needed any persuasion of Burgerism's clout and popularity, just last week, the hit takeaway concept was named one of Deliveroo's top trending dishes for 2023. Sitting alongside the likes of McDonald’s meals, burritos and bananas from Waitrose, the popular burger joint, which now has venues in Salford, Ardwick, Gatley and Freight Island, came in 23rd place.
Following the glowing write-up, the team behind Burgerism took to Instagram to express their gratitude and reflected on their journey so far. In a post entitled 'Britain's seventh best burger', the team behind Burgerism wrote: "We are unbelievably proud, humbled and grateful to have been named in @thetimes Top 10 burgers in Britain, as voted for by some of the country’s top chefs, coming in at number seven!
"To think of where we started from just a few short years ago as a solitary shack in Salford to our meal deal ranking as Deliveroo’s most popular dish in Manchester and now to have top chefs singing our praises and naming us one of the best burgers in the country. It’s completely overwhelming and a testament to all of our wonderful team who serve countless burgers up expertly every day, never allowing our quality to dip even when they’re absolutely rammed with orders.
"Every one of them deserves all the praise in the world for getting us to this point. And obviously, you lot, our loyal customers who have come from all over the country, sometimes driving hours just to pick up a few meal deals and scranning them down in your car in the pouring Mancunian rain. Where would we be without you? Your support will always mean the world to us and we love serving you all.
"Here’s to cracking that top five next time."
In a relatively short space of time, Burgerism has fast become one of the most popular burger spots in Greater Manchester. As well as its flagship kitchen in Salford and another ‘dark kitchen’ for deliveries in Ardwick, it opened at Escape To Freight Island last year too, and opened its first shop in Gatley on Stonepail Road in January.
Set up by Mark Murphy in 2018, it gained a cult following during lockdown, and continues to be one of the most ordered-from traders on Deliveroo. It was also named Food Trader of the Year at the 2022 Manchester Food & Drink Awards, and has received a nomination for Takeaway of the Year at this year’s awards.
They’re straight up, no frills burgers includes the 'Cheesed', which encompasses two smashed patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and Burgerism sauce in a seeded brioche bun, was was singled out by The Times as the must-try burger in it's top burger round-up. Their menus also spans chicken burgers, wings and plant-based meals.


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Gold continued to rally on Tuesday, as investors and metal traders priced in expectations that central banks will keep interest rates low until late 2022 at the earliest.
At time of writing spot gold and gold futures were both changing hands at about USD$1,833/oz.
The precious metal brushed up against a two-month high Friday of $1,795/oz, following a surprise decision by the Bank of England to keep its current bank rate at 0.1%, despite the US Federal Reserve’s decision last week to begin tapering its $120 billion per month bond purchases.
The US central bank had been telegraphing a hike in interest rates to reduce inflation which is currently well beyond its 2% target.
US inflation hit a 30 year high in October, rising at a 6.2% annual rate.
However the hawkish tone has recently turned dovish, with a top Fed official predicting that the economic conditions for raising interest rates beyond current near-zero levels would likely not be met until the end of next year.
The Financial Times quoted Fed vice-chair Richard Clarida stating on Monday that while the Fed is “clearly a ways away from considering raising interest rates”, the “necessary conditions” for interest rates to rise from current near-zero levels will be met by the end of next year should the economy progress as expected…
Clarida said he expected the labour market to have healed sufficiently to warrant tighter monetary policy by the end of next year, if the unemployment rate drops to 3.8 per cent from its current level of 4.6 per cent, as projections suggest.
Fed officials have said rate hikes won’t be on the table until the bond-buying program ends, likely next June. But investors are projecting more than two quarter-point increases by early 2023, Bloomberg wrote on Nov. 2.
How realistic is that? And why are these investors swallowing the Fed’s propaganda regarding rate hikes?
The US Federal Reserve is severely constrained in how much it can raise interest rates, to quell rising inflation, due to ballooning debt. The national debt is closing in on $29 trillion, and heading higher, much higher. The Fed can telegraph its intentions all it wants, the fact remains that at such unsustainably high debt levels, the interest payments will eventually cripple the federal government. More on that below.
For now we need to talk about inflation. Inflation is a gold investor’s best friend and a traditional investor’s worst enemy. This is because when inflation rises, it chips away at real savings and investment returns. If your yield on a bond is 1.5%, and inflation is running at 2%, your “real return” is negative 0.5%!
Gold and silver are the best defensive commodities to own when goods and services start to become more dear. The yellow metal is the ultimate store of value, proven to have held its worth over time, unlike fiat currencies which are subject to inflationary pressures and over the years, lose their value.
The fear of inflation continues to keep gold prices buoyant, with gold seen as the perfect inflation hedge. The only thing preventing them from going higher is the looming threat of interest rate hikes, which are seen as the antidote to inflation, but are poison to gold prices, since gold does not offer a yield and therefore loses to income-generating assets like bonds.
(Some are predicting that we ain’t seen nothing yet, that we might be heading for stagflation, where high inflation is accompanied by low economic growth. Analysts expect inflation will rise to 5.8% in October when the consumer price index figures are released on Wednesday)
Indeed a vigorous debate is raging in the financial press concerning whether inflation is “transitory” or “sticky”. The answer is important as it will guide the Fed’s timing of an interest rate hike, or series of hikes.
The Fed’s official line is that inflation is “transitory” based on supply chain disruptions resulting from the pandemic.
We don’t buy it.
Sure, we accept the idea that high demand for products and services in countries coming out of the pandemic has led to supply shortages and higher prices in a number of industries. But there are several inflation manifestations that simply cannot be called temporary or transitory. We have reported on most, if not all of them.
To recap, an energy crunch has pushed coal and natural gas prices to record highs. In China, emergency power rationing is triggering concerns that households and factories could be left without power just as winter sets in. In Europe, a colder-than normal last winter depleted natural gas inventories, causing electricity prices to soar, as demand from rebounding economies surged too fast for supplies to match. The price of NG is currently six times higher than last year and about four times higher than it was in the spring.
We also have energy inflation because of too massive a shift to renewables and a de-investment in fossil fuels, before renewable energy is ready to take the place of oil, natural gas and coal. The problem isn’t about to sort itself out anytime soon, because even though solar and wind power are getting less expensive, many parts of the world still depend on coal and natural gas as a primary source, or as a backup. The obvious example is the United States. With 40% of the country’s electricity now generated by NG, higher gas prices will inevitably push up electricity and heating bills. US natural gas futures have already more than doubled this year. Meanwhile power consumption is projected to increase 60% by 2050, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, driven by continued economic and population growth. Transitory inflation? Yeah, right.
New research from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, quoted by BNN Bloomberg, shows that food inflation in Canada is close to 5%, well above the normal 1-2%. Among food categories, meat prices stand out as rising the most, with Stats Canada noting a 10% increase for these products over the past six months. Nearly half of Canadians say they have reduced their purchases of Alberta meat.
A similar trend is happening in the United States. In September food prices jumped 0.9% with the largest rise since April 2020 driven by a surge in meat costs.
It isn’t only retail food shoppers that are feeling the pinch of climbing prices. Recently the Green Markets North American Fertilizer Index hit a record high, rising 7.9% to US$996.32 per ton, and blasting past its 2008 peak. Higher fertilizer prices must often be passed onto the end user, the buyer of grains, fruits, vegetables and meats, for the grower/ farmer/ rancher to preserve his profit margin. This is precisely what we see happening right now.
One of the most important factors driving food inflation is climate change. Global warming is obviously not a temporary phenomenon.
Scientists say that record heat waves lasting longer than a week, such as the “heat dome” that enveloped residents of western Canada and the United States this past summer, will be two to seven times more likely — creating the conditions that spark wildfires, cause droughts/ water shortages, and increase the frequency of extreme weather events that often ravage farmland and disrupt supply chains around the world, forcing food prices to rise year after year.
Is drought-caused food inflation transitory? I don’t think so.
Climate change is affecting not only the prices of agricultural commodities and food, but the entire commodities complex. As global temperatures warm, practically everything that is grown or mined is impacted. The prices of a number of industrial metals, including copper, zinc, nickel and aluminum, have seen healthy gains this year due to a constellation of factors, including robust demand from top commodities buyer China.
Finally, an overabundance of jobs versus jobseekers in the United States is fueling wage inflation. The US economy faces a shortage of workers, driving wages and salaries higher. Republicans blame the Biden administration’s enhanced unemployment benefits, including a $300 weekly check, for providing a disincentive for returning to work. The same thing is happening in Canada with the overly generous CERB/ EI benefits.
Despite all of these examples of sticky inflation, of price increases looking to be a permanent fixture of the global economy, the Fed continues to maintain that inflation is transitory. We don’t accept that, and neither, it appears, do American shoppers.
Wolf Street reported this week on the New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations, a key metric used by the Federal Reserve based upon the theory that inflation is partly psychological. The idea being that if people think that prices are going up, they are more likely to defer purchases, which contributes to higher inflation.
Of interest is the chart below by Wolfstreet.com and the New York Fed. The red line shows inflation expectations one year from now rising to 5.7%, while the three-year inflation expectations in green is 4.2%.
That seems about right, given the US Consumer Price Index currently sits at 5.4%. However when a more granular approach is taken, it reveals a different result. Although the median one-year inflation expectation is 5.7%, when rent, food, gasoline, health care and college tuition are examined separately, they show inflation expectations for these items is close to 10%! I.e.:
Wolf Richter @ Wolf Street writes:
The Fed keeps saying in its FOMC statements that it wants “longer‑term inflation expectations” to remain “well anchored” at 2%. And they’re now totally unanchored and spiking to high heaven..
Now, as actual prices have surged, consumers can see where this is going, and they can see that even the Fed is starting to back off its mantra that this red-hot inflation is just “temporary,” and they’re not fooled by some Fed officials’ efforts to redefine “temporary” to mean the opposite of temporary.
It’s at the point when consumers think inflation will remain high that they change their behavior and contribute to even higher inflation.
And they’re supported by unspent stimulus money, repressed interest rates, cash-out refis, magnificent asset price inflation that they can leverage, and by wages that are surging in all industries at the highest rates in two decades.
There is now nothing standing in the way of inflation spiraling higher: Consumers are flush with money, and the Fed still has its foot all the way on the gas, including near-0% short-term interest rates and printing $120 billion a month to repress long-term interest rates despite actual inflation that has been above 5% four months in a row. The Fed will now back off slowly from its money printing mania, but that means that it will blow through the red lights at the next bunch of intersections at slightly lower speeds, but it’ll still blow through red lights, and consumers can see that.
The limitations of debt
The Fed can slow or even stop its monthly asset purchases currently at $105 billion (They ‘Tapered bond purchases by $15B), what I like to call “quantifornication,” but that won’t do anything to limit inflation. QE in 2008-09 was expected to be result in inflation but it didn’t happen because the trillions printed by the Fed were given to banks but never made their way out of the financial system into the hands of average Americans.
The same thing is happening with QE2.0. Consider: between March 2020 and February 2021, just the billionaires in the United States have grown their wealth by $1.3 trillion. They now hold two-thirds more in wealth than the bottom half of the US population according to a current PBS Frontline documentary titled ‘The Power of the Fed’.
Lower interest rates and massive asset purchases by central banks are the monetary tools of choice when it comes to restoring shocked financial systems. The idea being that making the cost of borrowing cheap for individuals and businesses will entice them to spend, spend, spend.
The downside of “quantitative easing”, QE for short, is a major accumulation of global debt, of which there are three kinds: government, corporate and household.
Global debt more than doubled from US$116 trillion in 2007 to $244 trillion in 2019.
The Institute of International Finance (IIF) found that governments, companies and households borrowed $24 trillion last year to offset the pandemic’s economic toll, bringing total global debt to an all-time high, at the end of 2020, of $281 trillion.
The IIF estimates that governments with large budget deficits are expected to add another $10 trillion in 2021.
Global corporate debt hit 86% of GDP in 2020, the largest increase since 2007 and the first annual rise since 2016.
In the United States, consumer spending makes up nearly 70% of GDP, meaning the ability of households to spend, and to handle debt burdens, is of utmost importance. Globally the figure is similar.
In its recent report, RBC notes that in some countries, household debt is of greater concern than government debt. In other countries the reverse is true. For example in the decade following the financial crisis, Canada’s household debt rose from 93% of GDP to 106%, compared to federal debt falling from 47% to 40%; whereas in the US, government debt has surpassed household debt and continues to swell.
The United States is the obvious poster child of excessive debt accumulation.
According to usdebtclock.org, the current national debt sits at $28.9 trillion, and it is increasing every minute.
The next round of government spending involves President Joe Biden’s $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill, just passed by Congress after a months-long debate, and a $1.75 trillion anti-poverty and climate plan Democrats hope to get passed this fall.
Debt is clearly a major limitation on a growing economy.
According to the World Bank, if the debt to GDP ratio exceeds 77% for an extended period of time, every percentage point of debt above this level costs a country 0.017 percentage points in economic growth. The US is currently at 125.9%, so that is 48.7 basis points multiplied by 0.017 = 0.82, nearly a full percentage point of economic growth!
The now-almost $29 trillion national debt doesn’t include what the Biden administration has already spent on pandemic relief ($1.9T). It doesn’t include the infrastructure bill and the social spending/ climate bill, total $2.8T, and it also excludes the $3T deficit on Biden’s proposed $6 trillion budget.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is projecting that with all of this year’s spending, the national debt in 2021 could balloon to $35 trillion!
By the end of 2022 the national debt, presuming all of the spending commitments use borrowed (or printed) money, will be approaching $44 trillion.
The Fed won’t raise interest rates on $29T worth of debt, yet they tell us they will raise interest rates on $44 trillion of debt?
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:
“This year, the federal government will spend $300 billion on interest payments on the national debt. This is the equivalent of nearly 9 percent of all federal revenue collection and over $2,400 per household. The federal government spends more on interest than on science, space, and technology; transportation; and education combined. The household share of federal interest is larger than average household spending on many typical expenditures, including gas, clothing, education, or personal care.
Despite historically low interest rates, this significant interest cost is the result of high levels of debt. This cost could be even worse if interest rates rise. Each one percent rise in the interest rate would increase FY 2021 interest spending by roughly $225 billion at today’s debt levels.”
On a per-household basis, a 1% interest rate hike would increase interest costs by $1,805, to $4,210.
US consumer debt rose to nearly $14.6 trillion at the end of 2020, driven by a record-breaking increase in mortgages, which in February totaled over $10 trillion, as home buyers took advantage of low mortgage rates. Mortgage debt in Q4 2020 increased 1.4%, or $206 billion, making it the fastest fourth-quarter rise since 2006.
A more recent CNBC story states that household debt jumped the most in 14 years in the second quarter of 2021. Though mostly driven by the housing market, credit card debt is reportedly back on the rise.
According to the Federal Reserve and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFA), US companies now face the highest debt levels on record, at more than $10.5 trillion. In 40 years the amount of corporate bonds outstanding has grown by over 2,000%, from 16% of US GDP in 1980, to 50% of GDP in 2020.
There has been talk of a “corporate bond bubble” triggering the next financial crisis, after the Fed took extraordinary measures at the beginning of the pandemic to buy corporate bonds — part of a $250 billion program funded by the CARES Act.
Questions emerged about why the Fed was purchasing the bonds of companies that really didn’t need their help, including such economic stalwarts as Microsoft, Visa and Home Depot. Moreover, several of them had “junk bond” as opposed to “investment-grade” status, such as Heinz, Ford and Macy’s. “The corporate bond market is hanging on right now by a very precarious string. How long can we continue to live on red ink?” asks a CNBC video on the subject.
The way we’re going, interest payments on the debt will almost certainly top $1 trillion by the end of the decade if not before.
The people supposedly represented by the government can’t afford that level of interest (they will suffer higher interest payments on their own debt), same as businesses cannot afford higher interest payments on their debt. Corporations will simply pass on the higher interest obligations to their customers, cut dividends or in the worst case scenarios, lay off staff.
This can’t go on forever. It’s not a stretch to envision a scenario whereby the world’s reserve currency, the US dollar, collapses under the weight of unmanageable debt, triggered say, by a mass offloading of US Treasuries by foreign countries, that currently own about $7 trillion of US debt. This would cause the dollar to crash, and interest rates would go through the roof, choking consumer and business borrowing. Import prices would skyrocket too, the result of a low dollar, hitting consumers in the pocketbook for everything not made in the USA. Business confidence would plummet, mass layoffs would occur, growth would stop, and the US would enter a recession.
All the countries that sold their Treasuries would then face a major slump in demand for their products from American consumers, their largest market. Eventually companies in these countries would begin to suffer, plus all other nations that trade with the US, like Canada and Mexico. Before long the recession in the US would spread like a cancer, to the rest of the world.
China is playing the long game
We can’t forget how vulnerable the US government is to China, by far the largest owner of US Treasuries. How long will it be before China, which is working hard to reduce its trade dependence on the United States and particularly the US dollar, refuses to keep financing America’s debt?
Right now it may be in the Chinese government’s interests to keep buying T-bills; doing so keeps the Chinese yuan low in comparison to the greenback which makes Chinese exports competitive. It also keeps US consumers addicted to cheap Walmart-grade products mostly made in China. What happens when China decides it doesn’t need the US anymore, when they no longer require the USD holdings of their foreign exchange reserves because they’ve locked up all the world’s resources, having paid for them with their US dollars? Well China needs the US to buy its exports, you say. Yes but only until China has developed enough of a trading orbit through its Belt and Road Initiative, which has signed up over 70 countries, that it no longer needs the United States. When that happens it is truly over for the US dollar and its exorbitant privilege, and I predict, will be the beginning of the next “golden” age when gold makes a triumphant return to the nexus of the global financial system.
Why do you think China is so interested in getting back Taiwan? Could it be because Taiwan is a competitor in a number of products including semiconductors for which it has a monopoly? While outwardly China wants to reunite the renegade province that became independent over a century ago (in 1912), I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there are economic forces involved. I say it’s highly probable that China is playing chess while the West is still learning to play checkers.
Excessive money-printing not only in the United States, but Britain and the EU, is continuing to devalue currencies at an alarming rate (this, by definition, is inflation, because it takes more units of currency to buy the same amount of goods as before) — for which precious metals, namely gold and silver, are the best defence.
Inflation erodes the purchasing power of fiat currencies and eventually they become worthless.
The dollar has lost 90% of its purchasing power since 1950.
By contrast, since 1972 gold has gone from $35/oz to $1,800.
The Fed can telegraph its intentions all it wants, the fact remains that at such unsustainably high, and going much higher, debt levels, the interest payments will eventually cripple the federal government, corporations and the ultimate bag holder – the consumer.
The US government is addicted to spending and Wall Street is addicted to the Fed’s easy money policies including money-printing to support government borrowing and ultra-low interest rates, both of which appear to have no end.
In this environment of excessive debt accumulation and runaway inflation there is only one way to protect one’s wealth and that is by owning gold and silver or quality junior precious metals stocks.
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Ubisoft has officially announced Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Patriots, the latest game in the counter terrorism-themed tactical shooter series. It's set for release in 2013.
...of Twittergeddon, Android flagships, and Microsoft's new ring
LG V10: A solid contender distracted with gimmicks
Coin 2.0: More of a conversation piece than your credit card replacement
Is Steve Ballmer the unsung hero of Microsoft's resurgence?
Microsoft launches 'Release Preview' ring for Insiders
Windows 10 build 10586.104 and changelog history site rolls out
windows 10 update
Do you use many Windows Store apps on your laptop or desktop?
Game Developer Researched has released its annual list of the Top 50 Developers according to the number of studios, sales from 2008 as well as SKU (Stock-Keeping Unit) numbers and metacritic ratings for each. A...


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After a report went live stating that Jeri Ellsworth and around 24 other employees of Valve Software were let go, Gamasutra received news that Valve's director of business development Jason Holtman was part of that list. Even more, a comparison between the current employee directory and one stored last month by the Internet Archive shows that nine are no longer currently listed.
According to the original report, affected employees were asked not to speak about the specifics. But there's speculation that the cuts weren't made over performance issues (as in Valve is cutting the slackers), but that the cuts are driven by "company challenges".
The biggest surprise cut was Jeri Ellsworth who not too long ago was publicly talking about Valve's hardware efforts. She worked in the studio's year-old hardware division and indicated that hardware testing would actually begin in 2013. This division was working in tandem with Steam's Big Picture Mode, creating a hardware solution to the control-based limitations found in many titles offered on Valve's Steam platform.
So with Ellsworth out of the picture, does that mean Valve's hardware plans have been canned too (outside Piston)? No. According to Valve bossman Gabe Newell, all projects remain in active development.
"We don't usually talk about personnel matters for a number of reasons," Newell told Engadget. "There seems to be an unusual amount of speculation about some recent changes here, so I thought I'd take the unusual step of addressing them."
"No, we aren't canceling any projects," he continued. "No, we aren't changing any priorities or projects we've been discussing. No, this isn't about Steam or Linux or hardware or [insert game name here]. We're not going to discuss why anyone in particular is or isn't working here."
Engadget said that Valve reps would not confirm or deny the layoffs at Valve, nor would they comment on the confirmed exit of Ellsworth. The site also points out that we've already seen Valve in action on the hardware side this year at CES 2013 with its Piston project in association with Xi3 Corporation. The company is also slated to reveal its VR plans this year at the Game Developer's Conference next month.
Still, what's the big staff purge all about? As stated on Wednesday, it's unusual to associate the words "fired" and "layoff" with the Half-Life developer -- it's a peculiar predicament for such a secretive, lucrative studio. Perhaps we'll know more before the whistle officially closes the week on Friday.


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Imagine someone impersonating a well-known brand, offering fake job opportunities, and collecting money deceitfully. Sounds like a plot from a thriller, right? Well, in the real world, the High Court of Delhi recently dealt with a case where an individual, Mr. Sameer Samim Khan, registered the domain india-mart.co to engage in such fraudulent practices. Let’s dive into the details of this intriguing legal battle involving cybersquatting, trademark infringement, and the quest for justice.
In the vast digital landscape, businesses strive to establish their online presence. Indiamart Intermesh, a prominent B2B portal, has been a key player since 1996, providing a platform for businesses to showcase their products and services. Their registered trademark “INDIAMART” is not just a name; it’s a symbol of trust and reliability in the online marketplace.
INDIAMART” is not just a name; it’s a symbol of trust and reliability in the online marketplace
Enter Mr. Sameer Samim Khan, who decided to exploit this trust for personal gain. Khan registered the domain india-mart.co in August 2022 and embarked on a deceptive journey. Operating under the guise of Indiamart Intermesh, he crafted a website offering ‘work from home’ jobs, complete with payment plans and false promises.
Indiamart Intermesh, rightfully angered by this impersonation and fraudulent activity, took the matter to the High Court of Delhi. Seeking justice, they filed a lawsuit against Mr. Sameer Samim Khan for trademark infringement and unauthorized use of their brand.
During the initial stages, the court issued an ex-parte ad interim injunction, recognizing the urgency to prevent further harm. The court observed that if Khan’s activities were not curtailed, both the plaintiff and the unsuspecting public would suffer irreparable damage due to fraudulent practices.
The Court’s Verdict:
As the legal proceedings unfolded, it became apparent that Mr. Sameer Samim Khan had no intention of contesting the allegations. The court, in an ex-parte decision, issued a permanent injunction against Khan, restraining him from using the trademark “INDIAMART” or any similar names.
The court highlighted Khan’s engagement in malicious and dishonest practices, representing a clear violation of the law
The court’s observations were damning. It highlighted Khan’s engagement in malicious and dishonest practices, representing a clear violation of the law. The defendant’s website not only featured false job offerings but also displayed photographs of Indiamart Intermesh’s promoters, adding another layer to the deceptive scheme.
Implications and Damages:
The consequences for Mr. Sameer Samim Khan were severe. The court ordered the blocking of the fake domain, recognizing the need to halt this deceptive operation. Additionally, the Delhi Police cyber unit was tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, underscoring the severity of online fraud.
In a move to deter such fraudulent activities, the court awarded Indiamart Intermesh Rs. 10 lakhs as damages. This decision not only serves as justice for the aggrieved party but also sends a strong message to potential cybersquatters and fraudsters who may attempt similar schemes.
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, protecting online identities is paramount. The case of Mr. Sameer Samim Khan attempting to cybersquat on Indiamart Intermesh’s brand is a stark reminder of the challenges businesses face in maintaining trust and credibility in the virtual realm.
This legal saga highlights the proactive stance of the Indian legal system in safeguarding businesses and the public from deceptive practices. The court’s decisive action against Khan serves as a precedent, showcasing the commitment to upholding the rights of registered users and deterring potential wrongdoers in the online domain.
In a world where online interactions play a pivotal role, such legal battles become crucial in maintaining the integrity of businesses and protecting consumers from falling prey to deceitful practices. As we navigate the digital landscape, cases like these underscore the importance of vigilance and the need for stringent measures to combat cyber threats and fraudulent activities.


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Trudeau has appointed Jim Teml as svp/sales and business development for Trudeau USA.
Teml comes to Trudeau with an extensive executive career in the housewares industry, with a focus on bakeware, according to the company.
“Jim has an impressive career in the housewares industry, in various leadership positions. He understands the retail landscape very well and has the mandate to continue to strategically grow the U.S. business,” said Philippe Trudeau, president of Trudeau Corporation.
Teml’s appointment follows the recent launch of Trudeau Maison, a multi-category housewares program designed specifically for big box and grocery store retail distribution channels. The Maison program marks the company’s first entry into this segment of the U.S. retail market.


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Online Traffic Set to Peak on Boxing Day, Reveals Pricespy
If online shopping is to take a similar pattern to 2016, traffic is set to peak on Boxing Day, according to
PriceSpy.co.nz, where up to 40% of items listed on the website are expected to be reduced.
PriceSpy.co.nz also expects online traffic to be around 2.5 times higher than the average day throughout December, so
bigger than the Christmas shopping frenzy!
Liisa Matinvesi-Bassett, New Zealand country manager for PriceSpy.co.nz, New Zealand’s biggest online price comparison site, says: “With so many products being discounted, it’s of no great surprise that the Boxing Day sales prove to be so popular
with bargain-savvy Kiwis.
“Boxing Day is by far the cheapest day of the month, with prices beginning to drop from around 22nd December and
remaining low until the end of the month and early into January.
“In fact, those that wait to do their shopping just one day after Christmas Day can expect to receive an average saving
of around 17% per product. With almost a third (30%) of items listed on PriceSpy.co.nz on Boxing Day 2016 at a lower
price than a week earlier, so it saves to wait!”
For those setting their New Year’s Resolutions to save money and get fit – there’s more good news in store!
PriceSpy.co.nz can reveal gadgets such as activity trackers are predicted to offer huge discounts after Christmas, with
the average saving expected to be around 58%. Other products likely to offer money off post-Christmas include portable
speakers (offering an average discount of 19%) and headphones (offering an average discount of 18%).
Matinvesi-Bassett continues: “Our data clearly demonstrates the closer you get towards Christmas, the bigger the savings consumers can potentially
receive. This is especially so for the more popular items like speakers, headphones, activity trackers, perfumes and
With the festive period set to be a scorcher, PriceSpy.co.nz also reveal that Kiwis are on the search for fans, to help
them keep cool in the midday heat. In addition, they are also keeping an eye on the prices of barbeques, to make the
most of those long summer evenings!
Matinvesi-Bassett concludes: “Our historical data already shows a clear spike in the number of people searching for fans. Kiwis need to buy wisely
however, as the most popular fan on the market (Dyson AM06
), is priced at its highest over the summer, peaking at $486. Out of season this same product is priced over $100
cheaper ($365 in May 2017).
“Kiwis are also hunting out barbeques at this time of year as according to our data, the popularity of barbeques in New
Zealand can increase five-fold during the summer months. If this heatwave is anything to go by, this year it may be even
To help Kiwi consumers avoid panic buying and purchasing items when they are priced at their most expensive,
PriceSpy.co.nz encourages shoppers to download the PriceSpy app and set up price alerts for the items they are looking
to buy. This will automatically monitor the price of the items from their phone and they will notified when there is a
price change. Alternatively, using the barcode scanner in store will let shoppers compare prices across different


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O2 mobile broadband customers will now be able to connect to the internet free of charge at a further 3,000 wi-fi hotspots.
The network has announced that dongle users will now e able to connect via wi-fi at all of BT Openzone’s hotspots in the UK, which includes most Starbucks branches, as well as the 5,000 hotspots of The Cloud network which are already included in the package.
The change coincides with an upgrade to O2’s Connection Manager software. The new version, which only works under Microsoft Windows, automatically copies existing wi-fi profiles from a customer’s laptop into Connection Manager during the initial installation process. The new software also includes a data counter for monitoring usage.
The wider wi-fi access and new software is available…


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More warnings kept techs underwater at midday Wednesday. The Nasdaq tumbled 41.95 to 3,823.69 and the Dow Jones industrial average shed 107.29 to 10,682.00.
The Inter@ctive Week @Net Index fell 3 to 521.47.
Sprint Corp. (NYSE: FON), down 1.44 to 26.81, warned Wednesday that third quarter earnings will be lower than expected.
ADC Telecommunications (Nasdaq: ADCT), down 2.5 to 32.38, is snapping up Broadband Access Systems for $2.25 billion, the companies said Wednesday. The move will fortify ADC's position in the market for Internet protocol based service delivery and help it meet the surge in demand for digital subscriber line networks.
National Information Consortium (NIC) (Nasdaq: EGOV) was down 2.44 to 5.38 after warning its third-quarter would fall short of estimates and announcing it will re-align its eGovernment applications and services businesses.
Hoping to expand its role as one of e-commerce's biggest players, Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL), up 0.75 to 37.06, announced it will launch its new B2B exchange, called Dell Marketplace, late next month.
Shares of Informix Corp. (Nasdaq: IFMX) plunged 13 percent, or 0.66 to 4.5 in morning trading, after the company cut third-quarter earnings estimates.
Application service provider Interliant Inc. (Nasdaq: INIT), up 1.59 to 10.75, will cut 300 jobs as part of a plan that it said will boost profitability.
Citing a lengthened sales cycle and funding issues at its dot-com customers, US Interactive Inc. (Nasdaq: USIT), down 1.31 to 2.69, warned of a third quarter revenue shortfall Wednesday, and announced layoffs and management shifts.
NetSilicon, Inc. (Nasdaq: NSIL) rose 2.5 to 26.5, or 10 percent after announcing a partnership with Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT), down 0.75 to 20.25.
Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) fell 2.06 to 38.68, AOL (NYSE: AOL) shed 1.19 to 54.81 and Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) rose 1.21 to 110.38.
Among other leading tech issues: Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) dropped 0.38 to 61.63, Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) rose 0.62 to 61, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) was down 1.56 to 63.44, Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) shed 1.06 to 78.25, and Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) was down 0.19 to 117.5.


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Good news! Asia’s leading online fashion retailer, ZALORA announced a wholesale agreement with global American retailer, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Starting next week, you can shop two brands under the retailer namely, from Hollister on April 17th, followed by Abercrombie & Fitch later this month on April 24th.
With over 100 years of global presence, the classic all-American brand, Abercrombie & Fitch offers high-quality designs for those looking for timeless casual luxury pieces. The brand will start with a release of its Spring collection for both men and women on Zalora this month. On the other hand, if you love a more laid back get up to keep up with our Malaysian weather, its subsidiary brand, Hollister provides the ultimate Californian style through its Summer wear.
The CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Fran Horowitz, says the partnership will seek to build strong base of loyal customers across the Southeast Asia region.
“We work hard to connect with customers wherever, whenever, and however they prefer to shop and we continue to invest in relationships and innovation to support that.” he said in the release.
Both brands will be available in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines via ZALORA.


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Chinese search giant Baidu has created an entire Nexus S ROM, replacing Google’s suite of services with its own. The ROM has been built to accompany Baidu’s cloud services push, and it allows mobile owners to fully ‘Baiduize’ their Android phone, giving them to access a range of the company’s web services, which include music, maps, apps and photo album. The ROM will be officially announced this week. Currently it only supports the Google Nexus S but it will expand to cover selected Android phones (ICS) in time … UPDATE: Download available now: (link here)
Baidu has promised to update the ROM every two weeks via OTA (over the air). If China Nexus S users want to integrate the whole Baidu-based life into their Android phone, this might be a good product for them. But we do fear this ROM though. Baidu abides by Chinese government regulations, especially in terms of censorship. Their search engine service is heavily censored, and no one really knows what kind of information or personal data it could be collecting after you have changed the ROM. Android’s open-source nature allows different developers to take advantage of the latest software, it also allows for the extreme manufacturer and carrier customization that’s been a thorn in the side of the platform for years.
There Are Too Much Light Pollution Over at Hong Kong Apple Stores
Amazon is the First Foreign Tech Company to Offer Paid Android apps in China
You Can Buy Fresh Crocodile Meat in China Supermarket
Lenovo First MediaTek-based Smartphone Teased by Kobe Bryant (Video)


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O.T.A. names executive director
September 22, 2008
by Jeff Gelski
GREENFIELD, MASS. – The Organic Trade Association has named Christine Bushway as executive director. Most recently Ms. Bushway served as director of state programs for the American Egg Board to enhance national promotion of the Incredible Edible Egg consumer awareness campaign. She takes over at the O.T.A. for David Gagnon, who has served as interim executive director since July 1.
Ms. Bushway has owned an advertising, public relations and marketing strategies agency focused on food and agricultural clients and issues. Her clients have included the American Egg Board, the Pennsylvania Beef Council, Radlo Foods, the New England Brown Egg Council, Great River Cooperative, Texas Peanut Producers Board, PennAg Industries Association, the New Hampshire Apple Growers and the New Hampshire Audubon Society.
Ms. Bushway received a bachelor’s of science degree from the College of Life Science and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. She has worked as a chief executive officer for an agricultural trade association, as a Washington lobbyist representing the egg industry and as a spokesperson on issues ranging from nutrition to food contamination and production.
"Her passion for this opportunity, combined with her outstanding leadership skills, association experience and great energy will help the O.T.A. move to the next level," said Julia Sabin, president of the board of directors for the O.T.A., based in Greenfield.
Ms. Bushway said, "I am very excited to be serving as the new executive director of the Organic Trade Association and am looking forward to working hard at contributing to strengthen the integrity of organic while enhancing the business climate for those companies meeting the increasing demand for organic."
Ms. Bushway becomes the third full-time executive director for the O.T.A. Katherine DiMatteo served as executive director from 1990 to 2006 before Caren Wilcox took over. The O.T.A. is a business association for organic agriculture and products in North America, and it has 1,700 members.


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The $70 (£55) Bluetooth keyboard accessory stylishly packs a portable punch.
Homeboy has a different take on home security than its power-adapter-reliant DIY camera competition.
Greg Joswiak, vice president of iPhone, iPod and iOS product marketing, also says the iOS 8.0.1 bug, which caused phones to lose connectivity, was because of how the operating system was delivered, not because of the software itself.
Apple Pay or merchants' CurrentC? Consumers will have to decide which mobile payments system works better for them.
This $99 tablet offers decent performance, but struggles with a lackluster display.
Take a look at this combination of a surge protector and a portable battery pack.
The Cuisinart CPO-600 Alfrescamore Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven goes where the party is. The gas-powered pizza oven supplies high heat for fast pizza cooking.
Windows Phone fitness tracker packs a range of features including a color touchscreen, heart rate tracker and GPS.
Get a first look at Google's new email app, Inbox.
On today's show, we discuss a jacket with 50 cameras sewn into it, how the band OK Go used drone tech in their new whimsical music video, and the scientist who improved on the Nobel Prize he won three weeks ago.


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Hundreds of bikes which have been abandoned by their owners in Amsterdam are being shipped to refugee camps in Jordan, the Parool reported at the weekend.
Every year, some 30,000 bikes are left uncollected from the city’s central bike depot and the first shipment of 350 will be loaded into a container for Jordan on Wednesday.
In total, the city plans to send 1,400 bikes to two refugee camps, after they have been repaired by a team of volunteers. Bikes which otherwise may well be destroyed can be put to good use by Syrian refugees, city official Ton Buffing told the paper.
Not only can they be used as forms of transport, but the bikes can also be rebuilt into rickshaws or cargo bikes, which is good for stimulating trade within the camps, he said.
The bikes have all been collected by the city’s ‘bike police’ who remove illegally parked two-wheelers and take them to a depot in the western port area of Amsterdam. Only a small proportion of their owners ever collect them.
DutchNews.nl has been free for 13 years, but now we are asking our readers to help. Your donation will enable us to keep providing you with fair and accurate news and features about all things Dutch.
Donate via Ideal, credit card or Paypal.


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PEP has been the topic of several other reports. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $123.00 to $134.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Goldman Sachs Group set a $132.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Deutsche Bank lifted their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $120.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, April 18th. Atlantic Securities began coverage on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Monday, July 29th. They issued an overweight rating and a $145.00 price target on the stock. Finally, SunTrust Banks reaffirmed a hold rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. PepsiCo presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $129.35.
PEP stock traded down $3.33 during trading on Thursday, hitting $124.59. 2,993,956 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,646,821. The company has a market capitalization of $178.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.01, a P/E/G ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.60. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $132.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.66. PepsiCo has a 1 year low of $104.53 and a 1 year high of $135.24.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.955 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. This represents a $3.82 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.07%. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is currently 67.49%.
In other PepsiCo news, Chairman Ramon Laguarta sold 15,431 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.43, for a total value of $1,997,234.33. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now owns 232,394 shares in the company, valued at $30,078,755.42. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Steven C. Williams sold 2,420 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.95, for a total transaction of $324,159.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 54,920 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,356,534. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PEP. Personal Wealth Partners purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Evolution Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in PepsiCo in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Financial Advantage Inc. acquired a new position in PepsiCo in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Mackey Komara & Dankovich LLC boosted its holdings in PepsiCo by 199.0% in the 2nd quarter. Mackey Komara & Dankovich LLC now owns 858 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 571 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1 North Wealth Services LLC acquired a new position in PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at about $39,000. 71.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
PepsiCo Company Profile
PepsiCo, Inc operates as a food and beverage company worldwide. The company's Frito-Lay North America segment offers branded dips; Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks; and Doritos tortilla, Fritos corn, Lay's potato, Ruffles potato, and Tostitos tortilla chips. Its Quaker Foods North America segment provides cereals, rice, pasta, mixes and syrups, granola bars, grits, oat squares, oatmeal, rice cakes, simply granola, and side dishes under the Aunt Jemima, Cap'n crunch, Life, Quaker Chewy, Quaker, and Rice-A-Roni brands.
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Rival online travel giants Booking.com and TripAdvisor have both launched new destination pages designed to better inspire their users to find their perfect place to holiday.
Priceline-owned Booking.com has unveiled its “Passion Search” destination finder backed by a new algorithm enabling people to find the places where they can pursue their interests.
And TripAdvisor has redesigned its destinations pages, and started offering destinations an enhanced commercial partnership to improve their promotion on the site.
Both firms are looking to achieve what many have tried and failed to do in the past – remember Hotels.com’s Inspirator? – and revolutionise the way we search for our holidays.
Booking.com claimed their attempt is “the most comprehensive of its kind in the travel industry – perfectly matching people’s unique passions and interests with the best destination and accommodation to suit their needs”.
David Vismans, chief product officer at Booking.com, said: “Booking.com is not just about a transaction. We are all about the experience.
“We can certainly help people find the perfect spot – whether it’s a hotel, a villa or an apartment – in any city or local town in the world.
“But what about the people who have a passion but don’t know where to go? Now we have created technology that can unearth the perfect destination – anywhere in the world – tied to the passions of our customer base.
“Our aim is to connect every traveller with those possibilities which perfectly match their personality, desires and ambitions.”
Meanwhile TripAdvisor said its redesigned destination pages will allow partners to “complement the site’s user-generated content with sponsored content, including additional insights about great things to do and see in-destination”.
Destination Management Organisations who sign up to be a ‘Premium Destination Partner’ will be able to publish various types of content, such as lists of restaurants or attractions, articles and information about local events.
TripAdvisor said: “TripAdvisor is committed to helping travellers choose a great destination for their trip. To give its users the tools and resources they need to make informed decisions about where to go.”
Premium Destination Partnerships are available across all of TripAdvisor’s points of sale in 28 languages.TripAdvisor, meanwhile has announced the arrival of Jonathan Howlett in the newly created role of vice president of global destination marketing.
Howlett joins TripAdvisor from digital media analytics specialist comScore where he led a team in London tasked with helping clients measure their online and mobile advertising effectiveness.
Prior to that Howlett was global director of advertising sales for BBC World News where he oversaw the launch of advertising on BBC.com. Howlett is based in London. He is a graduate of the AMP program at Harvard Business School and holds a master’s degree in marketing from Lancaster University in the UK.


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By Michelle Poirier
The Georgina Community Food Pantry is headed into its busiest season from October through December and is facing an increase in new clients and food costs.
“During the first half of 2021, we have seen more people, and we are spending more on food,” Cesar Caneo, Executive Director of Georgina Community Food Pantry, said.
“So far this year, based on the January to July period, we have assessed our food services have increased overall about 5 per cent.”
While the overall increase is 5 per cent, the increase in new clients receiving food from the Pantry for the first time is 18 to 20 per cent for the first half of the year, a much higher increase than usual, Caneo said.
He said after more than a year and a half of the pandemic, people have either lost their jobs or have seen their income reduced, which has brought a lot of new clients to the Pantry.
The Pantry’s food cost has also increased 64 per cent during the same period.
Heading into the holiday season, Caneo said many businesses, groups and schools have contacted them to run food drives.
“With Thanksgiving, it’s a celebration of the harvest and a time to share food with the people you care about. We are going to have our own Fall Thanksgiving food drive in Keswick this Friday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Zehrs to collect food and donations,” he said.
The Pantry is focusing on supplying fresh, nutritious and healthy foods to their clients. Caneo said they are making an effort to purchase food high in fibre and low in salt and sugar. They are also only 10 per cent away from reaching their goal of every week having 40 per cent of the food provided be fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat, with the food being purchased locally at farms and grocery stores.
The Pantry will soon be launching a new mail-in campaign and will be sending out contribution requests for end-of-year donations. Caneo said their online donation process is much easier and will allow those donating to receive a tax receipt immediately.
In August, the Pantry, along with Community Living and Routes Connecting Communities, started a new community lunch program at The Link called the Good Food Collective.
According to the Routes website, the collaboration was started to provide ethnic foods with locally sourced ingredients and support residents in a new catering venture, where they will be able to learn planning, budgeting, and cooking skills.
The meals are $5.00 each and are offered every other Wednesday at The Link. To order a meal, you can call Routes at (905) 722-4616.
Caneo said it has been a success so far, and they are hoping to offer the community lunches every week very soon.
“It’s been a year with higher need, more people requiring food and higher costs for food. But at the same time, once again, the local community in Georgina is responding by increasing their donations and their support to us through food drives or donations online,” Caneo said.
“They make it possible to help those people who, in a way, cannot help themselves. So we are excited and very grateful for the support that we have received and will continue to receive.”
If you would like to support the Pantry, you can donate online at georginafoodpantry.com, or donate during their food drive Friday, October 8 at Zhers Keswick from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can drop off food donations to the Pantry every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. They ask you to call ahead, if possible, before dropping off your donation, (905) 596-0557.
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