Industrial Pipeline Developers like Thompson just want to make more money on theirgambles in industrial real estate, he charges. "This is all aboutinstantaneous gratification." The City Council could take up the Interbay NeighborhoodAssociation's proposal this fall. North Interbay is a triangular sliver of the city, boundedgenerally by West Dravus Street, the BNSF railroad yards and busy15th Avenue West. It's a jumble of vacant lots, storage yards and mostly olderfactories and warehouses. Most who work in the area or live nearby agree it's rundown. "It's dead here. Just dead," says Chuck Read, whose companymanufactures custom cutting boards. About one-third of the area, mostly along Dravus and 15th, is zonedfor commercial uses. The Interbay Neighborhood Association is pushing for big changeshere, too — a rezone to allow condo or apartment towers up to125 feet tall. The city's Department of Planning and Development last monthproposed towers not top 85 feet. Planners said taller buildingswould be incompatible with nearby industry. North Interbay's industrially zoned blocks hold businesses thatmanufacture doors and cabinets and musical instruments. There's a steel-products warehouse, a marine-equipment supplyoperation and several machine shops. Other businesses don't really qualify as industrial: adog-obedience school, a fitness club, a company that rents partytents and canopies, another that markets sex toys. The Interbay Neighborhood Association cited that mix in itspetition to trim the area from BINMIC. The neighborhood already lacks the intensity of "hard-core"industrial uses that should define a manufacturing/industrialcenter, proponents argue; deleting it would just reflect reality. The city's restrictions on nonindustrial uses "lump me in with100-acre tracts in South Seattle that are pouring steel," saysRead. "Every area has different needs and different requirements." Thompson, Nitty Gritty's developer, contends mixed-use projectslike his would create "a more upgraded environment for industrialuses and a more respectful environment for customers." But just 12 percent of the land in Seattle is zoned industrial. AndAakervik, of the BINMIC Action Committee, says North Interbayoffers the access to rail and water that industry needs, and thatfew other areas offer. Industrial development in the area has been stymied, he says,because property owners aren't satisfied with its potential returnsand are speculating that zoning changes will make them richer. Dave Gering, executive director of the Manufacturing IndustrialCouncil of Seattle, says a project like the Nitty Gritty wouldcause him more heartburn if it were proposed in a heavy-industrystronghold like Georgetown or SoDo, rather than North Interbay. Gering's organization supported the limits on nonindustrial usesthe City Council approved last December.
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Metal Fabricator requests rRoad closing for growth
Metal Fabricator The company fabricates metal for power plant ducts, structuralsteel, conveyors, hoppers and stainless steel scrubbers for coalplants, Mr. Parker said. The company also manufactures powertransmission lines for the Tennessee Valley Authority, he said.Another large customer is Georgia Power. Mr. Parker said he started his business in 1995 with a building andan acre of land. He expanded twice, and bought five acres adjoiningthe site two years ago, and then bought another tract on BrownStreet. The road closure also would benefit his company and a neighboringbusiness by preventing theft, Mr. Parker said. Both companiesfrequently have break-ins, he said. "I'll sit out here at night and they'll circle the block lookingfor something to steal," Mr. Parker said. The commission approved a request by former planningcommissioner Mike Price to grant a road-width variance at the ElderCove subdivision in Tiftonia. The request was not on the Mondayagenda. Mr. Price, owner of MAP Engineers, said he had filed thevariance with the planning agency, but the case was not scheduledto be heard until the July meeting. The Elder Cove developers are installing roadside drainage in thesubdivision and needed to reduce the road's width. The projectwould have been held up if the developers had had to wait until theJuly planning commission meeting, Mr. Price said. Planning agency director Barry Bennett said after the meeting thatwhile granting a request that's not on the agenda is unusual, itcan be done under extreme circumstances.
India copper eases on rising LME
lme copper Indian copper futures gave up early gains and eased on Tuesday after rising inventories dampened sentiment, analysts said. At 4.50 p.m., the benchmark June copper MCCM8 on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) was down 0.39 percent at 344.25 rupees per kg. Copper inventories on the London Metal Exchange were up 1,500 tonnes to 123,550 tonnes on Tuesday. "Rising inventories pushed down copper after it gained in the morning but it should rise again because the outlook continues to be strong," said an analyst from Motilal Oswal Commodities Broker Pvt Ltd. Prices found support earlier after China reported a 25.6 percent surge in urban investment in the first five months of the year which indicated a positive demand outlook for metals. Copper prices also found support from falling Chinese imports. China is importing less copper, despite domestic demand, and expectations are that the local shortage will push traders to buy the metal over, supporting prices China's imports of unwrought copper fell 25 percent in May from April. Prices also rose on fresh supply concerns from Peru, where protestors blocked a mine belonging to Southern Copper (PCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (SPC.LM: Quote, Profile, Research), the country's largest copper producer [nN16263028].
Control4 introduces standards-based IP entertainment
lighting wire Control4 Corporation, a leader in affordable IP-based controland entertainment systems, today announced the release of Control4 ? Suite Systems, a customized version of the company ’ s popular home automation and entertainment control technology forthe hospitality market. The Control4 Suite Systems provides aplatform of innovative convenience and automation for the in-roomenvironment by enabling hotel guests to control lighting, roomtemperature, television/video systems, music, draperies andrequests for services through a single Control4 ? remote. "We' ve worked closely with the industry to develop a fully customizedroom automation platform that is incredibly easy to use, installand maintain, ” said Will West, Chief Executive Officer at Control4. “ The Control4 Suite Systems truly transforms the guest experience byproviding completely new functionality that significantly enhancesthe customer ’ s stay and provides differentiation for the destination. Thehospitality market represents a huge market opportunity forControl4 ? technology and we look forward to applying our expertise forcontinued innovation. ” Control4 Suite Systems provides the hospitality industry apractical, reliable automation operating system that is affordable.For new property construction, operators will see significantsavings in construction costs because the Control4 Suite Systems ’ wireless features eliminate virtually all in-room, low-voltagewiring, and require less conduit, labor and materials for controland lighting systems than traditional wire-based systems. The Control4 hospitality solution also offers a non-obtrusive andeasy way to save money by managing precious resources such asenergy, water, money and time. Control4 Suite Systems can beprogrammed to automatically put a room into unoccupied status uponcheckout — turning down or off the heating/cooling system, televisions,lights and any appliances. According to Green Lodging News,lighting accounts for up to 35 percent of a hotel ’ s energy bill, while up to 50-70 percent of a hotel ’ s energy bill is attributed to heating and cooling. "The Mandarin is renowned for offering personalized comfort andconvenience for our hotel guests, ” said David Heckaman, VP Technology, Mandarin Resorts. “ Control4 Suite Systems provides a technology platform that takesthat personalized experience to an entirely new level. Bothcorporate and leisure guests will delight in this highlysophisticated, yet easy-to-use service that makes the roomenvironment more relaxing and enjoyable. ” Control4 Suite Systems is also easy to install. Wired and wirelesssolutions are available for installation in both new constructionand most retrofits of properties meeting LEED certificationbuilding standards. To facilitate interoperability and integration between partnerproducts and Control4 ’ s digital home platform, Control4 is licensing its operating systemthrough the C4iQ ? certified partner program. C4iQ ? approved technology enables companies to embed the Control4operating system into a range of products, such as televisions,routers, receivers, etc.
Magnetic sensor ignores large local fields
Small Magnet Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a novelmagnetic sensor that they claim for the first time detects tinyfluctuations in a small magnetic field – even when there is astrong magnet right beside it. The sensor can therefore be utilised even in places where powercables generate an interference field – for instance, in acar’s side mirror. In the car mirror application, if there is a change of driver it isnormally required to adjust the position of the mirror and theseat. To provide automatic adjustment for each driver, a tiny chip in thekey or a corresponding button on the dashboard can be pressed,enabling all adjustment to be performed very easily. There is a tiny magnet in the mirror and another in the seat, whoseposition is detected by a magnetic sensor and which enables themirror to be correctly adjusted. The only problem with this systemis that the cables supplying the power for heating the mirror andcontrolling the stepper motor also generate a magnetic field. The sensor therefore sees not only the field generated by themagnet, but also that of the power cable – and errors can bemade. Up to now, therefore, such magnetic field sensors have had tobe screened. This is difficult and expensive. A new type of integrated 3-D magnetic field sensor from theFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) in Erlangen,Germany, can work without screening. The researchers have arrangedseveral sensors in a pixel cell in such a way that they can measureall three components of the magnetic field in one place. If two ofthese pixel cells are placed on a chip, the sensor measures notonly the magnetic field as such, but also how the position of themagnetic field changes. IIS team leader Dr Hans-Peter Hohe states:“This sensor enables us for the first time to identifymagnetic interference fields as such and to separate them from theuseful field. The sensor works perfectly even when the interferencefield is considerably larger than the useful field. There istherefore no need for shielding.”
CRM's CDC Software,Schneider Electric says upgrade
Hardware Supply CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s CDC Corporation, has announced that Schneider Electric (News - Alert) has gone live with its upgrade to cWMS Release 10, a warehouse management system part of the CDC Supply Chain suite. With more than 2,000 employees and revenue in excess of the equivalent of $977 million, Schneider sells electrical distribution and automation control products and services in the country and has rapidly expanded its logistics operations over the past 10 years. Since first implementing an earlier version of CDC Software’s (News - Alert) “cWMS” 10 years ago, Schneider consolidated two of its warehouse sites, while at the same time expanding capacity to 50 tons of throughput per day, covering 14,000 product lines, resulting in cost savings and higher productivity. Andrew Holdroyd, logistics projects manager, said the company “needed to upgrade our warehouse functionality and systems to support our growing business volume and new distribution service in a multi-brand environment.” Michael Shrimplin, logistics development analyst for Schneider, said while the initial go-live “covered an ‘as-is’ upgrade, the latest version of cWMS will allow us to implement additional functionality… these include capabilities such as cartonisation, which will help improve item scanning, picking accuracy and overall quality control.” CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of IT company CDC Corporation, has announced three multi-million dollar contracts recently.
Reliance Steel purchases PNAGroup for $1.1bln
Platinum Bar Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. said Tuesday it agreed to buy PNAGroup Holding Corp., a steel service center group owned by PlatinumEquity, for about $1.1 billion. Shares of Reliance rose $6.82, or 4.7 percent, to $74.43 shortlyafter the opening bell. The deal is expected to close within 60 days, pending regulatoryapprovals. Los Angeles-based Reliance Steel expects to finance the dealthrough its existing credit facility and by raising about $750million by issuing new debt and equity securities. Reliance, which processes and sells products to aerospace, energyand construction companies, said it expects the deal to immediatelyboost earnings. Through its subsidiaries, PNA Group processes and distributesprimarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural and flat-rolledproducts. PNA subsidiaries include Delta Steel LP, Feralloy Corp.,Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company Ltd., PrecisionFlamecutting and Steel LP and Sugar Steel Corp. PNA had 2007 sales of about $1.6 billion. Reliance reported saleslast year of about $7.26 billion. PNA has 23 steel service centers in the United States, five jointventures and seven service centers in the U.S. and Mexico. Reliancehas about 180 locations in the U.S. and about 37 across Belgium,Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materialmay not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
Reliance Steel&Aluminum Co. signs deal to acquire PNAGroup
including aluminum Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (NYSE:RS) announced today thatit has reached an agreement to acquire the outstanding capitalstock of PNA Group Holding Corporation, a national steel servicecenter group owned by Platinum Equity. The transaction is valued atapproximately $1.1 billion. PNA ’ s subsidiaries include the operating entities Delta Steel, LP,Feralloy Corporation, Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company,Ltd., Precision Flamecutting and Steel, LP and Sugar SteelCorporation. Through its subsidiaries, PNA processes anddistributes primarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural andflat-rolled products. 2007 and first quarter 2008 revenues for PNAwere about $1.6 billion and $474 million, respectively. PNA has 23steel service centers throughout the United States, as well as fivejoint ventures that operate a total of seven service centers in theUnited States and Mexico. The transaction is expected to be consummated within the next 60days, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, includingobtaining required regulatory approvals. Reliance expects tofinance the transaction, including the replacement of PNA ’ s existing debt, through a combination of borrowings under Reliance ’ s existing credit facility and by raising approximately $750million through the issuance of a combination of new debt andequity securities. “ The PNA operations complement our existing business and add newproducts in many geographic areas that further enhance thecustomer, product and geographic diversification of our business.Through the PNA joint ventures, we also gain entry into a newmarket for us in Mexico, ” said David H. Hannah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Inregard to the financing, Hannah stated, “ We expect that this transaction, including the impact of theexpected financing, will be immediately accretive to our earnings,with the dilution from any new shares issued offset by the earningsfrom PNA and savings from our lower cost of capital. Additionally,we expect our balance sheet and liquidity to remain strong. ” Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., headquartered in Los Angeles,California, is the largest metals service center company in theUnited States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the UnitedKingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processingservices and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metalproducts. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled andcold-finished steel; stainless steel; aluminum; brass; copper;titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers invarious industries. Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. ’ s press releases and additional information are available on theCompany ’ s web site at www.rsac.com . The Company was named to the 2007 “ Fortune 500 ” List and the Fortune 2007 “ 100 Fastest Growing Companies ” List and the Fortune 2008 List of “ America ’ s Most Admired Companies ” and the 2008 Forbes “ Platinum 400 List of America ’ s Best Big Companies. ” This release may contain forward-looking statements relating tofuture financial results and the proposed acquisition and relatedfinancing of PNA. Actual results and events may differ materiallyas a result of many factors over which Reliance Steel &Aluminum Co. has no control. These risk factors and additionalinformation are included in the Company ’ s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007and other reports Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. has on filewith the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Paper industry to discuss recycling issue in Chicago
An upcoming Paper Recycling Conference in US city Chicago is expected to highlight the environmental issues facing the paper industry, Tootoo.com reports. The Paper Recycling Conference & Trade Show, now in its ninth year, will be held June 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago. The three-day event offers paper stock dealers, consumers, paper mill representatives, and equipment and service providers involved in the paper recycling industry the opportunity to network with leading industry consultants and entrepreneurs from across the globe. The show features an educational program with panel discussions on current business and operational trends and their impact on the secondary fiber industry. The program also dedicates an afternoon to targeted breakout sessions covering important niche areas of the industry such as transportation, plant safety and pricing trends. It also features an exhibit hall filled with industry equipment and service providers. On June 22, Moore & Associates will conduct a Recovered Paper Supply Development Workshop from 3-5 p.m. Bill Moore of Moore & Associates will be the moderator. The objective of the workshop will be to present a variety of approaches that are designed and have been successful in developing new supplies of recovered paper.
Makro sells office supply business
The sale of Thai company Makro's Office Centre office-supplies business to Central Retail Corp. (CRC) will prove beneficial for both parties, Tootoo.com predicts. While it allows CRC to expand its Office Depot network selling office equipment, Makro can now focus its efforts and resources on its core cash-and-carry wholesale food business. Siam Makro managing director Suchada Ithijarukul said the company's decision to locate a new investor for Makro Office Centre. Its choice was CRC, operator of Office Depot, which is known for its quality and expertise, she said. "We're pleased to let the Office Centre business go to CRC, and we believe it'll be a mutually beneficial move," she said. "Siam Makro can now focus on its food-service business, which showed healthy growth of 40 per cent in the first quarter. It's aligning with the business direction that Makro is taking globally." She said Siam Makro opened 12 new Makro cash-and-carry wholesale stores last year. That includes two new Eco stores of 4,000-4,500 square meters each, on Koh Samui and in Krabi. CRC executive vice president Ivor Morton said the conversion of the outlets into Office Depot stores would allow the group to reach more customers. It will build up its inventory and offer more promotions. "We currently run 19 Office Depot stores here, and the combining of another 16 Makro Office Centers into the network will make Office Depot the top retailer in office supplies, with 14 per cent of the market," Morton said. "The stores are expected to have Bt2.6 billion in combined sales, with a total of 45,000 square meters of floor space." It has set a growth target of 10 per cent next year. The company also plans to open three new Office Depot stores next year, including one at the new Central project on Chaeng Wattana Road.
The end of paper airline tickets in China
China's airline industry entered a new era in air travel on June 1, as carriers nationwide stopped using paper tickets and began to adopt electronic tickets. This move was in answer to a 2006 call by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which called for carriers worldwide to adopt the widely-used e-ticket. An official from Youee.com, one of the country's biggest on-line e-ticket agents, said Chinese travelers could look forward to easier travel by using the new format. He said passengers could change, re-endorse or cancel their e-tickets through the Internet or telephone; they didn't have bother with physically going to a travel agency or airline ticket office. Currently, e-tickets are generally used by most domestic carriers. Only a handful of international carriers and some for pertaining to infant tickets accepted paper ones. "Electronic tickets will entirely replace paper tickets by the end of the year," said the expert, adding prices were expected to fall because operation costs would be reduced by using electric tickets. Paper tickets date back to the 1920s. The first e-ticket was issued in 1994. IATA adopted a global standard for e-ticketing in 1997 but the evolution was slow. In May 2004, only 19 percent of global tickets were electronic.
Staples buy Dutch stationers for $2.7bn
Staples Inc.'s long battle to buy Dutch company Corporate Express NV finally ended with a $2.7 billion deal Wednesday. The deal sets to make Staples the biggest office supplier in the world and will no doubt put further distance between itself and U.S. rivals Office Depot and OfficeMax. Its two rivals combined would be smaller than Staples once the deal closes. With U.S. retail sales of office supplies slumping, Staples also hopes to expand in the more profitable business of delivering office supplies to corporate customers — Corporate Express' strength — and build off the Netherlands-based company's European market. Staples succeeded by raising its offer three times after its original Feb. 19 cash bid of 7.25 Euros per share. The final price of 9.25 Euros per share is up from Staples' offer last week of 9.15 Euros, which prompted Corporate Express' management to enter talks. The corporate office supplier had earlier resisted negotiations even as Staples brought its hostile offer directly to Corporate Express shareholders. "We're going to go from a company where retail is about 60 percent of our sales to a company where delivery is about 60 percent of our sales," Ron Sargent, chairman and chief executive of Staples, said in an interview. "That is really transformational." The agreement thwarts a competing deal Corporate Express had reached three weeks ago to acquire France's Lyreco SAS, which is now expected to receive a $46 million breakup fee from Corporate Express. "I think the paper clip wars are over, and it's a win for both sides," Sargent said.
Vista, Vivo & Venue add vibrancy to Boltaflex contract uphol...
Upholstery Fabric Vista, Vivo & Venue add vibrancy to Boltaflex contract upholstery June 10, 2008 (USA) OMNOVA Solutions is excited to introduce Vista, Vivo and Venue, thelatest offerings from OMNOVA's line of Boltaflex contractupholsteries. This new trio of coordinating patterns offers the healthcare andhospitality markets a fresh design look and superior ease inupholstering. Featuring an elegant leather-like appearance, Vista is a versatilesolid color design with a great, pliable hand, available in 49contemporary colors from high-impact hues including Key Lime andSeville to traditional Maroon and Porcelain. The full design storydevelops with the addition of coordinating patterns Vivo and Venue,which add subtle style. Vivo is a refined dot pattern with glimmers of metallic sheen thatplays nicely with a dynamic palette of 16 colors, while Venue addsa little more bling with just a hint of metallics and a fun flow ofcurly loops. Use them alone or mix and match. All three designs are 28 oz., 100% vinyl upholstery with a fabricbacking and can be used in both interior and exterior applications.Additionally, all three patterns boast our
Chemtura to raise pricing for flame retardants
Fire Retardant Materials BOSTON (Thomson Financial) - Chemtura Corp. said Wednesday it plans to increase pricing for its Reofos BAPPand Reofos RDP flame retardants by 65 cents per kilogram in allregions, effective June 15. The company, which also removed all extended price validity, saidthe increase has become necessary because of the rising cost ofelemental phosphorus and 'significant' increases in other rawmaterials, utilities and transportation costs. Shares of the Middlebury, Conn.-based specialty chemicalsmanufacturer closed Tuesday at $8.32. Neither the Subscriber nor Thomson Financial News warrants thecompleteness or accuracy of the Service or the suitability of theService as a trading aid and neither accepts any liability forlosses howsoever incurred. The content on this site, includingnews, quotes, data and other information, is provided by ThomsonFinancial News and its third party content providers for yourpersonal information only, and neither Thomson Financial News norits third party content providers shall be liable for any errors,inaccuracies or delays in content, or for any actions taken inreliance thereon.
New organic food supplier proves an instant success
Instant Food They sell meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and bread thatis either organic or traditionally produced - the vast majoritywithin County Durham. It is then delivered to the customer's home. Mrs Deacon and Mrs Rose- Gray admitted even they were surprised bytheir instant success. Mrs Deacon said: "It has taken off even better than we expected. "We are getting orders from all over the region. Initially, westarted off delivering in Durham City, then a further ten-mileradius, and now we are taking orders from Stanhope, Burnopfield,Washington and Sunderland. "Initially, we were just thinking of serving only the domesticconsumer, but we are starting to take commercial orders as wellsuch as schools and nurseries." Mrs Deacon said that herself, Mrs Rose-Gray and a third friend whois a silent partner, had first seen the possibility of starting abusiness after their own experiences of having to travel todifferent locations to get various products such as fruit and meat. She said: "That was the reason the business was formed. We both ateorganic and if I wanted meat I had to go to one part of town and ifI was wanting vegetables I had to go to another. "On other occasions I was going to the supermarket which I didn'tfeel right about because I wanted to know where the meat was comingfrom." As they buy the vast majority of their stock from local producers,within a 35-mile radius of Spennymoor, the pair believed everybodygained. Mrs Deacon said: "Everyone is benefiting, we are giving a fairprice to farmers in this area. "It is about supporting local producers. We have some fantasticproducers in the North-East but a lot of people don't know aboutthem." The business partners were also delighted with winning theircertification from the Soil Association. Both gave up jobs working at a direct mail company to set up theirbusiness. With limited experience of running a business, the pair had help insetting up from Business Link North-East, which provides freeadvice and guidance to the region's budding entrepreneurs andestablished companies. Mrs Deacon said: "Business Link helped us source financial supportfor our corporate identity, website and design - without which wewould not have been able to communicate with new customers." Colin Willis, Business Link account manager, said: "The Honest FoodPartnership has proved to be a huge success already as SoilAssociation accreditation is only given to businesses whose foodproducts are produced and processed to strict animal welfare andenvironmental standards." The Honest Food Partnership can be contacted on 01388-817085 or goto thehonestfoodpartner ship.co.uk 12:12pm today Print Email this Comment
Wild launches new Fruit Up with a confectionery spin
Compound Chocolate The German ingredients firm first launched its Fruit Up sweetener in 2001, and has developed versions for beverages,bakery, and ice-cream productions. The logo was re-launched lastyear for the ingredient brand. But building on the success so far, Wild sought to make it suitable for a new category of products - fruitjelly confectionery . This includes products like fruit pastilles, fruit gums, winegums and gummibears. "Fruit Up is perceived well and has caused high interest in thebeverage industry and a lot of interest from food customers," the company told FoodNavigator.com. "This is the reason for spreading it to the confectionery market." Emilio Colom, product manager for Fruit Up, explained that thedifference between the versions lies in the balance between thecarbohydrates from fruits, such as glucose and fructose forinstance. This is important so as to ensure the right sweetnessprofile and technical attributes. For fruit jelly confectionery, Wild has hit upon the mix ofcarbohydrates that prevents browning or crystallisation on thesurface of the finished product. The beverage version, on the other hand, is monosaccharide-rich,Colom said. The flavour profile needs to fit with the expectationthat the product will be sweet when first sipped, but to fadethereafter. Wild is supplying the new version of Fruit Up both as an ingredientand in its jelly confectionery concepts - that is, ready madeblends of ingredients to which the manufacturer of the finishedproduct only needs to complete the production stage. It alsosupplies "marketing arguments" that the customer can use. The sweetener is described as a composition of different fruitconcentrates. "This ingredient has no intrinsic flavour but creates a naturallysweet sensation in the final product," said the company. The sweetness intensity is said to be similar tothat of sugar. Low-GI for health As for the healthy aspect to the sweetener, Wild says Fruit Up hasa low glycaemic index. The glycaemic index measures how quickly certain foods releasecarbohydrates into the body, which then raise consumers' bloodglucose levels. High GI foods, including white bread, white rice,many prepared breakfast cereals and sugar, cause blood sugar levelsto rise more rapidly. Low GI foods include most vegetables, fruits,beans and unprocessed grains. Low glycaemic foods are presently receiving considerable attentionfor their contribution to a healthy lifestyle. The approach wasoriginally designed to help diabetics manage their blood sugarlevels by diet, but a low glcyaemic diet has also been linked to areduced risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. In some countries, since as Australia and the UK, glycaemic indexhas also been adopted by consumers as a weight management approach.The idea is to choose good carbohydrates, rather than eliminatingthem entirely as was the approach in the previously popular Atkinsdiet. Wild conducted a scientific study on the level and effect of theglycaemic index of Fruit Up in collaboration with researchers fromthe Nutrition and Food Science Group at the School of Life Sciencesat Oxford Brookes University in the UK. The company says this study showed it has a "very low glycaemic index". FoodNavigator.com has not seen the full methodology or results,and the study has not been published in a journal. The healthy confectionery market A report published in March by Global Industry Analysts predictedthat healthier eating patterns and strong economic growth, in bothdeveloping and developed markets, will boost global confectionerysales to $159.6bn by 2010. According to the report's authors, the market will on averageexperience compound annual growth of 3.95 per cent, thanks toproducts such as sugarless sweets and functional chocolate.
Turkish Delights Living, eating in San Francisco infuses Ist...
Turkish Pistachios (06-11) 04:00 PDT Istanbul -- In preparation for a recent vacation in Turkey, I was pokingaround online, trolling for tips for the food-obsessed traveler.Eureka. A lavishly photographed food blog from Istanbul caught myeye, and the more I read, the wider my eyes got. Cenk Sonmezsoy, the blog's 31-year-old creator, had spent fiveyears in San Francisco after college, and his posts were laced withreminiscences of his food life in the city. In moments, theblogosphere had transformed the world into a ridiculously smallplace. After an exchange of e-mails, Sonmezsoy (pronouncedsun-MASS-soy) agreed to meet me in Istanbul in early May and toprepare for me a Turkish meal that would reflect his Californiaexperience - a little taste of San Francisco on the Bosporus. "A food story involving me? That sounds surreal!" wrote theself-effacing Sonmezsoy in an early e-mail. In fact, his 21/2-year-old blog ( cafefernando.com ) has already built a following and garnered some critical acclaim.Recently, in what Sonmezsoy describes as his country's "WebOscars," Cafe Fernando was voted the best blog in Turkey. "San Francisco was a whole different world for me," recallsSonmezsoy, an Istanbul native who moved here at the age of 21 toget a master of business administration at University of SanFrancisco. "I couldn't believe how many types of restaurants therewere on one street." By comparison, the Turkish food of his youth seemed like a bookwith chapters missing. Here, Sonmezsoy reveled in garlicky Italianfare in North Beach, dim sum at Ton Kiang and the "double-doubleanimal style" burgers at In-N-Out Burger. When his parents came tovisit, he took them to the Slanted Door - "my most favoriterestaurant in the whole world" - for clay-pot chicken andVietnamese coffee. San Francisco refined his palate, saysSonmezsoy, who now stocks his sleek Istanbul kitchen with foreigningredients like Maldon salt and coconut milk. Despite his enthusiasm for the city's multicultural table,Sonmezsoy's dining experiences here did not start on a high note.On one of his first days in San Francisco, the young student gothopelessly lost and wound up at a Burger King, frustrated andhungry. "For here or to go?" asked the counterperson after takinghis order. Sonmeszoy, his English still rough, didn't understandthe question but took a stab at an answer. "No," he replied. "For here or to go?" repeated the counterperson. The flusteredSonmeszoy tried an alternative. "Yes," he ventured. Bilingual baking Today, his English is all but flawless and he composes his blog inboth English and Turkish. Eighty percent of the posts revolvearound baking and Sonmeszoy's dogged kitchen experiments. Usuallyriffing on published recipes, he adds artful touches of his own: ajaunty white chocolate and pistachio wafer garnishing chocolatecupcakes; a raspberry cream filling in swan-shaped chocolateeclairs. Sonmezsoy's subjects are often homespun - bread pudding, muffins,granola bars - but his results are elegant. In his most-read post,he offers his recipe for the ultimate brownie, a tantalizingcreation dripping with chocolate glaze and bejeweled withpistachios. Sonmezsoy's heroes are America's baking and pastry experts: DorieGreenspan, Alice Medrich, David Lebovitz, Peter Reinhart. Hefollows their recipes meticulously, documenting the outcome inmagazine-quality images. With help from Reinhart's book, "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" (TenSpeed Press), he even tackled and mastered bagels in hopes ofduplicating his ritual San Francisco breakfast: the toasted bagelwith cream cheese and tomatoes at Caffe Sapore, at the foot ofLombard Street. Unfortunately, reports Sonmezsoy, Istanbul lacksPhiladelphia cream cheese. After graduating from the University of San Francisco, Sonmezsoygot a job with a public relations firm in North Beach, writingpress releases for high-tech companies - "clients whose technologyI couldn't even pronounce," he says. He moved from Geary Street toa studio apartment on Chestnut Street and took up in-line skatingin the Marina. "I wouldn't miss San Francisco this much if I hadn't lived onChestnut Street," he says. "There is no place to Rollerblade inIstanbul." International acclaim In 2003, after five years in San Francisco, Sonmezsoy decided itwas time to leave. "I always wanted to study abroad," says theblogger, but "I always knew I would come back to Turkey." He nowworks with his older brother and father at the family's boutique adagency, a job that doesn't interest him nearly as much as the foodwriting and photography he does for his blog. The response to the blog has astonished everyone in the family,most of all Sonmezsoy. "My parents thought I was wasting my time,"he admits. But when the blog got a mention in Turkey's biggestnewspaper, his brother bought him a fancy camera. Another mention, in a New York Times travel story on Istanbul, gothis father's attention. Recently, pastry expert Nick Malgieri did astory on baking blogs for the Washington Post and listed CafeFernando. Sonmezsoy says his hands were shaking when he read thee-mail from Malgieri asking for his brownie recipe. When Sonmezsoywrote a piece on a cookie he had adapted from a Dorie Greenspanrecipe, made with a Buddha-shaped mold from San Francisco'sChinatown, Greenspan herself posted a compliment. "I couldn't sleepthat night," says the star-struck Sonmezsoy. Chinese, Indian inspirations For his San Francisco-influenced Turkish menu, the young bloggerfound inspiration in some of his favorite food memories. The springrolls at Ton Kiang reminded him of cigarette borek, finger-sizefried savory pastries made with the thin, floppy, lavash-likeflatbread known as yufka. He filled one version with feta and dill,another with pastirma (spicy air-dried beef) and a Jack-likecheese. With mung beans, a legume he first encountered in Bay Area Chineseand Indian restaurants, he made a Turkish salad typically preparedwith white beans. Initially, Sonmezsoy proposed making a variation of Slanted Door'scaramel-sweetened clay-pot chicken, using chickpeas and greenpeppers from his father's garden. But the concept failed intranslation. "Chicken with sugar will never be a Turkish recipe,"muttered Sonmezsoy when I asked why he had dropped the dish. In its place, he made karniyarik - "split bellies" - a Turkishstuffed-eggplant preparation named for the manner in which theeggplant are pried open and filled, like a plump baked potato. Itis, Sonmezsoy says, his favorite dish in the whole Turkishrepertoire; predictably, nobody makes it as well as his mother. Bulgur pilaf has little to do with Sonmezsoy's San Francisco days,but it typically accompanies karniyarik, so it made the menu. Fordessert, he turned to a classic finale at Istanbul's kebab shops: ascoop of ice cream encased in warm semolina halvah, a Turkish sweettraditionally made with semolina, pistachios and milk. Yet Sonmezsoy introduced a twist. He served the ice cream andhalvah separately and made the halvah with sweetened condensedmilk, an item virtually unknown in Turkey but familiar to him fromthe Slanted Door's Vietnamese coffee. Despite living in a countryfamous for its coffee, Sonmezsoy still makes the Vietnamese versionon occasion with cans of condensed milk scored at a cake-decoratingshop in Istanbul. San Francisco souvenirs Sonmezsoy writes and photographs his blog in a spacious, stylishapartment in Istanbul's Ulus neighborhood. A large image of theGolden Gate Bridge complements the contemporary furnishings in hisliving room, and a whimsical map of San Francisco hangs in thebathroom. With its pumpkin-orange Kitchen-Aid mixer and orderlyrows of spices and water bottles, Sonmezsoy's tidy kitchen lookslike it was propped by Martha Stewart herself. "My mom ate a lot of food last week," confessed the blogger, whowanted to make sure every dish passed muster with her before heserved them to me. He need not have worried. After five hours ofchopping, simmering, frying and photographing, Sonmezsoy brought afeast to the table. In the end, the menu's California accent was less pronounced than Imight have hoped, but he clearly remains smitten with the state.When he returns, says the blogger, one of his destinations will beBig Sur, for Nepenthe's famed steamed artichoke with balsamicvinaigrette Recipes and ingredient resources F6
Without equal emphasis on sushi
Sushi Ginger The fish was faultless. Whether in nigiri, sashimi or maki rolls,the high-quality fish was the perfect temperature - cool but notchilly - and was sliced neither too thick nor too thin. If you like fish without embellishments, sashimi (15-piece, $25;21-piece, $35; 30-piece seasonal specialties, $95) is pristine. The spider roll ($9), soft shell crab, cucumber, avocado, romaineand eel sauce, crackled with each bite while a fresh crab saladupdated an Alaskan roll ($13) with avocado, salmon, lemon and ponzusauce. The most expensive maki roll is $17. Save some money and trythis Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. when selected maki rolls andappetizers are half price. Some rolls need work. The spicy tuna roll ($8) wasn't spicy, theegg ( tamago ) nigiri ($2) was overly sweet and the salmon skin ($5) was limp. A serving of creamy sea urchin ( uni ) ($3.25) almost made up for those minor flaws. Perhaps only in Utah would a Japanese restaurant offer bananasfoster ($7), chocolate cake ($7) and New York-style cheesecake ($7)alongside mochi ice cream ($5.95) for dessert. The bananas fosterwas delicious and decadent - unlike the freezer-burned vanillamochi. Same name, different experience A dinner at the Mikado Cottonwood was the opposite of ourexperience at the soon-to-be Naked Fish. Our server was friendly,accommodating and knowledgeable, outshining the food, which wasgood but not excellent. Slices of sashimi (15-piece, $24.95; 20-piece, $31.95) were toothick and a touch too cold, making them bland-tasting. A lighterhand would have saved Tosh's prawns ($7.95), five well-cookedshrimp drowned in a thick citrusy aioli. Other dishes were much better. "Asian fries" ($3.95) were a uniquestarter: mashed ginger potatoes are wrapped in flour skins anddeep-fried. Shrimp tempura ($16.95) and assorted vegetables werepiping hot and crispy. Fluffy egg ( tamago ) nigiri ($2.50) had just a hint of sweetness, and a salmon skinhandroll ($6.25), chockfull of crackling salmon skin strips, diakonsprouts, refreshing cucumber and burdock root, was good enough towant another. At lunchtime, bento boxes ($11.95) and the lunch combination($14.95, tuna sashimi, nigiri sushi, California roll, fruit, shrimptempura, beef teriyaki, soup, rice and salad) cost slightly more than when The Tribune visited in 2003. On Mondays and Tuesdays maki rolls are half-offduring lunch and from 5 to 7 p.m., selected sushi rolls andappetizers are discounted. For dessert, there are interesting ice cream flavors, such as theroasted banana, ginger and chai (all $5.95). If you must indulge inchocolate, the sweet caramel brownie ($6.95) hits the spot. As the downtown Mikado morphs into Naked Fish and the CottonwoodMikado branches out and adds locations in Sandy and Bountiful, Ihope both owners remember that a great dining experience is acombination of great food and a well-trained staff.
Cooking on deadline Chicken peanut noodle salad
Peanuts Butter Unable to handle another summer of gloopy, mayo-sodden pastasalads, I started tinkering. Wondering what to do with leftover grilled chicken breasts that hadbeen marinated in peanut sauce, I decided on a whim to play up thepeanuts. Grabbing a piece of flatbread, I spread it with peanut butter. Ithen cut my cold chicken breast into thin strips and layered it inthe wrap over the peanut butter. Odd? Yes. But truly delicious. From that inspiration, I made the leap to a chilly pasta salad withchicken (which also would be delicious lightly warmed) in whichspicy peanut sauce stood in for the mayonnaise. Here's what you need to know: This recipe calls for roasted orgrilled chicken that has cooled. The easiest way is to useleftovers, or buy a rotisserie chicken and either let it cool orpop it in the refrigerator overnight. While using jarred peanut sauces would speed up this recipe, mostare too salty and the flavor of the peanuts too muted. Asian noodles such as udon are a good choice for this salad, but Iused paper-plate-friendly spirals. Hot and Cold Chicken Peanut Noodle Salad
Global Gaming strong on oil producer
Organic Oil LONDON (Thomson Financial) - UK small caps were firmer in earlytrade, mirroring the wider market's rally, with Global Gaming tothe fore amid talk that an oil producer deal is on the cards. The FTSE Small Cap index stood 2.10 points up at 3,047.30 by 9.03am, while the FTSE 100 was 12.90 ahead at 5,840.20. Shares in Global Gaming Technologies, which is seeking to broadenits search for acquisitions beyond the gambling sector, soared 78percent -- or 0.175 of a penny to 0.4 of a penny -- after the DailyExpress reported that heavy trading on Tuesday had fuelledspeculation that an oil producer deal is in the pipeline. First Property Group also attracted support and rose 2-3/4 pence to23-3/4 as the AIM-listed property services group disclosed bumperfull-year results, ramped up the dividend and said it looks to 2009with confidence. And better levels were seen in Stagecoach Theatre Arts, 8 pence upat 71-1/2 pence, after the company said it expects full-year pretaxprofits to be significantly ahead of the current market estimatesdue to more school openings than forecast and continued reductionin overheads. NetStore, too, was a bright spot, climbing 3-1/2 pence to 30-3/4pence after the provider of IT managed services confirmed it is intalks which may or may not lead to an offer being made for thecompany. Shares in Imaginatik, a provider of collaborative innovation andproblem-solving software and processes, ticked up half a penny to5-1/4 pence as traders warmed to narrowing full-year losses, whileChapelthorpe, the industrial products maker, moved ahead 1-3/4pence to 22 pence for the same reason. Elsewhere, Bezant Resources put on 4-1/2 pence, at 62-1/2 pence,following news of large copper-gold intersection at the company'sManakayan project. And Rift Oil made modest headway, firming 1/4 of a penny to 7-1/4pence, as the market responded to the company's agreement withNorway-based Flex LNG to work together to commercialise potentialgas reserves from Rift's acreage onshore Papua New Guinea, shouldsufficient reserves be established. Solid progress was registered in Cape, 12 pence higher at 262-1/2pence, as the provider of support services to the energy andnatural resources sectors reported strong organic growth in allinternational markets with activity levels at record highs acrossthe group. Meanwhile, the company is on track to reduce debt levels during theyear by not less than 30 million pounds. Ormonde Mining edged up half a penny to 12-3/4 pence afterrevealing highly encouraging results at Spain's Barruecopardoproject. Away from the winners, Toronto-listed Caspian Energy plunged 40percent -- or 9 pence to just 13-1/2 pence -- as initial testresults from the Baktygaryn 703 well in Kazakhstan found noreservoir quality rocks at target depth. The company will continueto drill to up to 2,500 metres before making a decision on thewell, however. Serabi Mining provided another tale of woe, sliding 3-1/2 pence to17-1/4 pence after the company warned full-year production for 2008is unlikely to be greater than 34,000 gold equivalent ounces, asfirst-half production fell short of forecast levels due toequipment delays and breakdowns. Again on the downside, SCS Upholstery dropped 9-3/4 pence to 19-1/2pence after the specialist sofa retailer warned it has lost creditinsurance facilities with one company, affecting the workingcapital facilities of some of its principal suppliers. 'ScS is in discussions with each of the suppliers affected and iscontinuing to trade with them in the normal course of businesswhilst various financing options are being reviewed,' it said. Finally, fund-raising moves brought out the sellers in JohnsonService Group, one penny adrift at 22-3/4. It plans a conditionalplacing of 150 million new shares at 20 pence, to raise 30 millionpounds and an open offer to raise 10 million pounds. Neither the Subscriber nor Thomson Financial News warrants thecompleteness or accuracy of the Service or the suitability of theService as a trading aid and neither accepts any liability forlosses howsoever incurred. The content on this site, includingnews, quotes, data and other information, is provided by ThomsonFinancial News and its third party content providers for yourpersonal information only, and neither Thomson Financial News norits third party content providers shall be liable for any errors,inaccuracies or delays in content, or for any actions taken inreliance thereon.
Shatico penetrates Italian market
Dried Seafood The South Ha Tinh Seaproduct Import and Export JointStock Co (Shatico) exported its first consignment of squid to Italyat the beginning of May, according to Dang Sy Trien, the companydirector. In the two months of April and May this year, Shatico exported 70tonnes of seafood to Japan and Italy despite having a lack ofmaterials for operation. To deal with this, Shatico may invest amoderate amount of capital into whiteleg shrimp. At present, fishery enterprises in the central areas of the countryare facing many difficulties due to the high interest rates. Ifbanks offer reasonable interest rates in the current circumstances,said Trien, it will be easier for enterprises to operate smoothly. The People's Committee of Thua Thien-Hue has granted aninvestment licence to Enda Pte Ltd Co, a subsidiary company ofSingapores Banyan Tree Holdings Ltd Co, to build Laguna Huetourism area with a total capital of US$875 million. The tourism area covers a site of 300ha and will include sevenluxury hotels with 2,000 rooms, 1,000 apartments, an internationalconvention and shopping area. The project is expected to becomplete in 2014. The Binh An Seafood Joint Stock Co (Bianfishco) hasreceived the "International Quality Summit Award" by theBusiness Initiative Directions (BID) in New York, according to theVietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). This is the most reputed annual award in the US which relies on aQC100 standard, recognised by 100 nations worldwide for productionquality. It aims at honouring and promoting prime enterprises thatcover qualifications of sustainable development, consumers tastesatisfaction, and company's staff solidarity. Ha Noi Securities Trading Centre will host bidding for theGovernments 6th issuance of Government bonds in 2008 on June 17. Participants must hand in bidding forms by Friday, June 13 for thetwo or three-year bonds worth VND500 billion (US$31 million).Interest on the bonds is scheduled to be paid once per year.
Backyard on a budget
Frozen Shrimp You went nuts with barbecues last year. Bluefin tuna steaks. NewYork strips and rib-eyes. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Lambburgers. Baby-back ribs. But that was another summer, a stretch of warm days without$4-a-gallon gas and skyrocketing food prices. This summer, the year of the "staycation," you will remain attachedto your grill. But the stuff you slide onto the hot grate will bedifferent. And you will be thankful for this rude push out of halibut land.The economy handed you lemons, and you'll make . . . marinade. We love the classic cheap approach to the barbecue — throwbrats and burgers on the grill and serve 'em up. But we likevariety, too. So, change it up this summer: Learn how to cook new cuts of meat.Have fun with chicken wings. Buy frozen shrimp and grill them onskewers. Cook whole fish. Master the marinade, the potion of spices and liquids into whichyou never dunked your pricey T-bone or your sashimi-grade salmon. Get familiar with local markets focused on Latin American and Asianfoods. With the weekly sales at major supermarkets, the Costco andSam's Club deals, and the offerings at these ethnic markets, you'llpull off enviable backyard feasts without threatening the finances. Let's begin with the beef. This summer, go for cuts of sirloin, andcuts of top round: Tri-tip. Flap meat. Hanger steak. Skirt steak. Most of these cuts have more muscle than expensive cuts of beef andas a result usually need tenderizing. Marinades, which combineacids and fats (like lime juice and olive oil), help break down thecollagen in the meat. The process also allows more moisture andflavor into the meat. You're not gunning for the essence of beef asmuch as a hint of steak mixed with bright flavors, like thesavory-sweetness of teriyaki. The key is to cook the meat to medium-rare or even rare (thesetougher cuts of meat become rubbery at medium or well-done) andslice it thinly against the grain. Thinking chicken? Think chicken wings, much cheaper than breasts.Imagine them Vietnamese-style, plump little boomerangs ofgolden-crisp poultry, pungent with soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic,ginger and lemon, and perfumed with star anise. You get the picture. Take the wings, marinate them in whateverflavors you desire, toss them on the grill for 12 or 15 minutes,and you're done.
Myanmar cyclone survivors need food aid for 6 months
Food Material Nepal's former king Gyanendra said Wednesday he"respected" the abolition of the centuries-old Himalayan monarchyas he gave a final speech before his eviction from the royalpalace. The Group of Eight justice ministers and security chiefsgathered in Tokyo on Wednesday to discuss ways to better coordinatethe fight against terrorism and organized crime. Hong Kong on Wednesday said it would slaughter all livepoultry in markets and shops around the city following a furtheroutbreak of bird flu. Taiwan's top China negotiator arrived in Beijing onWednesday for historic talks which will be the first directdialogue between the two sides in more than a decade. Democrat Barack Obama staked an ambitious claim to newpolitical turf with the states he chose for his first two stops ofthe White House general election campaign -- Virginia and NorthCarolina. Two lorry drivers were killed on picket lines in Spain andPortugal on Tuesday as strikes by thousands of truckers oversoaring fuel prices turned deadly. China on Tuesday called on the Dalai Lama and his supportersto halt Tibet protests and attempts to "ruin the Olympics," inorder to create the conditions for future roundtable talks. A Sudan Airways plane burst into flames after landing atKhartoum airport on Tuesday and 120 of the 217 passengers died, thehead of the airport's medical services said. A Portuguese truck driver was killed during protestsagainst rising fuel prices as a strike by thousands of driverscaused petrol shortages in Spain and violent protests spread toIndia. A court marrtial has jailed a US Marine for 15 months forsexual misconduct against a woman in Japan, the US military saidTuesday, in the latest of a string of cases involving the armedforces. Construction of the world's tallest building, the BurjDubai, has been delayed and will be completed only in Septembernext year, the developer was quoted on Tuesday as saying. A suspect behind a stabbing spree in Tokyo which left sevendead was handed to prosecutors on Tuesday as a picture emerged ofan angry young man engulfed by feelings he was ugly and lonely.
Canada profits from tomato fears
Peeled Tomatoe Ms. Sheehan said the company, which markets tomatoes for 24 B.C.producers, sells half of its product to the U.S. Since thesalmonella outbreak, calls about their tomatoes have been"consistent." "This is not good for the industry, but we're in a good position,"she said. "Hopefully, this will be resolved quickly." John Newell, co-owner of Windset Farms in Delta, B.C., says hisphone was ringing "a little more briskly" yesterday with calls fromwestern U.S. food companies begging for his greenhouse tomatoes.While grocery shoppers shouldn't see a price rise, southern U.S.wholesalers that did not have a contract with Windset Farms butordered due to the U.S. shortage paid anywhere from 10 to 30 percent more per order than the average customer this week. "We have had some prices definitely move up this week on most ofthe major commodities," he said. "A $10 carton of tomatoes isselling for anywhere from $11 to $14." In Canada, restaurants are pulling tomatoes from their menus andsome consumers are making sure they buy homegrown products. "People are just making sure what they're buying is from here,"said Sal Badali, the owner of Badali Food Market in Toronto. "Ifthey can see that, then they're okay buying the tomato." Jackie Crichton, director of food safety and environmental affairsfor the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, said the CanadianFood Inspection Agency is working closely with the FDA and hasfound no reason to advise Canadian grocers to pull tomatoes fromtheir shelves. The FDA said it still does not know where the contaminated tomatoesoriginated. The infections have struck most often in New Mexico andTexas and its search is homing in on those states. Since mid-April, 167 people infected with salmonella with the same"genetic fingerprint" have been identified, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. At least 23people have been hospitalized. The salmonella strain associated with the outbreak was said to be acontributing factor in the death of a 67-year-old cancer patient inTexas, who was sickened after eating a tomato at a Mexicanrestaurant, health officials said. In 2006, it took more than six weeks to locate the source of an E.coli outbreak in spinach. The source of the outbreak across NorthAmerica was eventually linked to a processing plant in San JuanBautista, Calif. The FDA has been searching for the source of thetomato outbreak now since mid-April.
Shop Sui by Sylvia Tai at No. 227 has funky printed T-shirts
Printed Velvet Shop Sui by Sylvia Tai at No. 227 has funky printed T-shirts youwon't see on anyone else's back, while Little Salon at No. 71 is asmall but perfectly formed boutique selling designer scarves,handbags and more. Food Melbourne's best Italian pizzeria is not on Lygon Street. There areno red-and-white checked tablecloths or Ferrari posters, just darkwood, marble-topped tables - and authentic wood-fired pizzas withminimalist toppings. It's Ladro, at No. 224a, a slick diner thathas held tightly to its one hat in The Age Good Food Guide. Justcome early or you've got no chance of getting a table. Anotherdarling of Melbourne foodies is the Gertrude St Enoteca at No. 229.Started by slow food proponent Brigitte Hafner, it is part winebar, part cafe - and everything that Clover Moore is trying toencourage in Sydney. Tables are surrounded by shelves ofinteresting bottles of wine - you can get a French Pouilly-Fume orartisan cognac, a coffee or an antipasto platter. Jars of picklesand olives line the window and a sign proudly declares the Enotecais a "GM Free Zone". In fact, it's more a philosophy than a shop. The Builders Arms pub on the corner does both reconstructed pubgrub and Middle-Eastern specialities. The menu ranges from suchAnglo staples as corned beef and bread and butter pud to Greekskordalia and tagines. And don't be fooled by the traditionalyellow-tiled exterior - inside, think disco balls and not a pokiein sight. Dante's restaurant and wine bar at No. 150 is a bit of aboho institution and is a great place to go for tapas and a drink.Also worth mentioning is Fatto A Mano organic bakery at No. 228,which apart from a variety of breads and rolls, sells irresistiblypuffy Italian sugar doughnuts. Art It has to be remembered that the art galleries in Gertrude Streetare what started to draw fashionable and creative types into itsorbit in the first place. At No. 200 is Gertrude Contemporary ArtSpaces, a collection of galleries and studios started in 1983. TheDiane Tanzer Gallery at No. 108 also started in the 1980s and isdedicated to exhibiting innovative artists. Also see SeventhGallery at No. 155, which has two galleries rotating severalexhibitions each month. Books Artisan Books at No. 159 is crammed with unusual literary finds.Here, you can find tomes on everything from crop circles to bodyart. Title at No. 183 is a new shop staffed by musos, stocking raremusic and films. If you need an obscure piece of vinyl, look nofurther. Some of the items on display included a vinyl soundtrackof the film Lolita, a collector's edition DVD of Zatoichi and theFritz The Cat series. The standout bookshop here is Books for Cooksat No. 233, Australia's largest seller of cookbooks. There arebooks that date back to the 18th century, a foreign languagesection and of course the latest titles from top cookbook authorsaround the globe (the day I pass, Stephane Reynaud's Terrine wasfeatured).
Herb Benham: Table shopping no picnic
A pea-sized meteorite, a large, wobbly bird, a sign with noindication of what the sign meant? Whatever it was, the table tops detonation meant that we were leftwith the square, green, rickety table on the deck that has servedas the bed for Gennie, our huge black lab mix, for the last fewyears. The solution seemed simple to me. Dust off the square table, Picnic Table Cloth on it, and when the weather was nice enough to sitoutside, eat dinner there. We are not going to eat dinner on a dog table, my wife said. A dog table? A dog table is different than a table on which a dogsleeps. If we follow this reasoning, then we must designate thehandsome blue carpet inside our family room as the dog rug eventhough this is a rug we proudly use ourselves. This was not a winnable argument. As far as Sue was concerned,Gennie, by virtue of logging thousands of hours of sleep on the topof the table, had imparted a certain dogness to the table that madeit off-limits to what city planners might call mixed use. TABLE SHOPPING NO PICNIC Dont even think about a picnic table that is not made ofredwood, said Russ, a friend, who conspires to make life moredifficult by throwing up issues of taste and expense at everyopportunity. Redwood? Of course. Why not wrought iron, marble or beaten gold? The problem with iron, marble or gold is with theirpurchase, thehomeowner moves from the picnic table genre to patio furniture orperhaps even to heirloom status. Couple patio and furniture, twoinnocuous words when used separately, and summer vacation plans areat risk. Im going to find a table, I announced recently as if I wereleaving the cabin to track down and shoot an elk. Costco was the first stop. They had a marble-like table similar tothe one neighbors had that was beautiful, solid and cost more than$1,000. It also required a seven-ton crane to move it three inches. Next up was Lowes, which had one of those old-fashioned picnictables made of pine with the benches attached displayed in front ofthe store for $90. Pine's fine until the first rain and then your picnic table bowsand turns into Noahs Ark. Inside Lowes was a beautiful wrought-iron table with fourwrought-iron chairs. I sat down on one of the comfortable swivelchairs. I called Sue and asked her to come and look at the set,which I was confident shed absolutely love. It's ugly, Sue said, when she finally arrived. I want to likeit, but I cant. How do you argue with ugly? Ugly has never lost an argument. Theonly thing that trumps ugly is pretty and pretty was not available. Wal-Mart. No. Target. No. After three hours of shopping for picnictables on Rosedale Highway, I was no closer to an elk or a table onwhich to serve it so I returned home. The next day, I called several glass shops. It costs $200 toreplace the glass top. Two hundred bucks puts us back in businessand solves the problem of eating on a table with a large black labas the centerpiece.
World's top cable firms try reining in heavy web use
Nylon Cable Gland Top U.S. cable operators Comcast Corp and Time Warner Cable Inc will begin testing ways this week to limit individual subscribers who use the largest amount of Internet capacity in an effort to protect their high-speed networks.ADVERTISEMENT The moves are a response to government inquiries as well as the heavy costs of upgrading existing broadband infrastructure due to the explosion of downloading and watching music and videos. Such usage is "taxing the infrastructure," a Time Warner Cable spokesman said. "In order to make investments in the infrastructure, we have to find the revenue to pay for it." Some technology blogs have criticized the new pricing structure and usage limits, which they said would curtail interest in viewing videos online and enrage consumers who currently pay for unlimited service. Time Warner Cable said it will launch a service on Thursday that charges new consumers of high-speed Internet service based on their usage. Broadband subscribers in Beaumont, Texas, will be charged $1 per gigabyte above monthly allowances, a company spokesman said. Separately, Comcast said it has changed the way it will manage network traffic and begin a test to slow the transfer of files to individual subscribers who are its heaviest users during congested periods. The tests will begin Thursday in the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and Warrenton, Virginia areas. Time Warner Cable's new policy is intended to address its top 5 percent of users, who have spent a "disproportionate" amount of time on the company's network, the spokesman said. Consumers in Time Warner Cable's test region will be offered several levels of service. A $29.95 per month plan for slower speeds of 768 kilobits per second and a 5 gigabyte limit would let users send and receive nearly 350,000 e-mails, play 170 hours of online games, or download more than 1,380 digital songs per month. At the high end, a $54.90 monthly fee for a 15-megabit-per-second service and a 40 gigabyte monthly limit would allow subscribers to watch 124 hours of standard-definition videos or download 11,070 songs. COMCAST MULLS NEW BILLING Comcast is currently looking at "consumption" billing plans. The top U.S. cable operator offers tiers of service differentiated by speed, but not by size limits. A Comcast spokesman said it is also evaluating a monthly 250-gigabyte limit for customers to manage its heaviest users, but it has not made a decision. "We want to deliver the best online experience for our customers," a Comcast spokesman said. "We can do it really quickly and without the need for government intervention." In January, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said it would investigate complaints by consumer groups over the blocking of file-sharing services such as BitTorrent on Comcast's service. At the time, Comcast said it did not block such services, but used network management technology to slow delivery of files to heavy users of such services. Comcast's new approach will stop distinguishing the type of activity or services that are considered bandwidth hogs, but will slow delivery of files it believes is taxing the network. "Setting the caps is a very simple matter to change," the Time Warner Cable spokesman said. "If usage patterns are such that we need to change those, we certainly can."
China stock indexes down as telecommunication shares slide
DC Contactor China's main stock indices fell Wednesday on the heavy selling of telecommunications shares following their recent gains. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 66.49 points, or 1.9 percent, to 3,369.91. The Shenzhen Composite Index lost 1.3 percent to 1,021.36. Telecom companies extended losses as investors continued to cash in on gains made the past few weeks ahead of a major industry restructuring. Details of the plan were announced Monday. China United Telecommunications tumbled 8.9 percent to 8.74 yuan. From April 22 to Tuesday, the stock had risen 37 percent to 10.71 yuan. Computer and telecom services provider Bright Oceans Inter-Telecom lost 7.9 percent to 14.92 yuan and equipment maker Wuhan Yangtze Communications shed 6.4 percent to 9.58 yuan. "Early investor enthusiasm for telecom firms immediately fizzled out after the sector's overhaul was announced, reflecting the broader stock market's gloom," said Wu Feng, an analyst at TX investment. Despite prevailing pessimism, declines have been limited by the conviction among many investors that regulators will move to support the market if share prices drop much lower, analysts said. China Merchants Bank fell 3.1 percent to 28.77 yuan on lingering concerns that the lender's capital base will be weakened by its US$2.47 billion takeover of Hong Kong's Wing Lung Bank. Property developers advanced on expectations that they will likely benefit from the reconstruction of areas devastated by last month's earthquake in Sichuan province. China Merchants Property Development rose 6.5 percent to 19.70 yuan. China Vanke gained 4.7 percent to 20.50 yuan. In currency dealings, the dollar's advance overnight in international markets helped push the Chinese yuan lower. The dollar was at 6.9440 yuan around 0730 GMT on the over-the-counter market, up from Tuesday's close of 6.9250.
Cable Digital Tuner Clearing Up The DTV Confusion
Cable Digital Tuner Television stations across the country will be dropping theiranalog signal and going all digital next February. But do you knowwhat that means? Do you know if you'll have to make changes towatch your favorite TV shows? 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan clearsup some of the confusion. Maybe you've seen the commercials which are a reminder that nextyear, television as we know it, will change. It's the digital TVtransition and it's occurring February 17th of next year, but why? The government has ordered television stations to switch to adigital signal because it has benefits. "Anyone with an older analog TV that has an outside antenna orrabbit ears who would normally receive an analog broadcast needs adigital converter box," said Knowles. But what does a converter box do? The box converts the digitalsignal into analog so you can watch your older set. That's becauseolder TV's don't have a digital tuner. But you won't need a converter box if you have cable. "Regardless of how you're connected to cable, whether it be througha set-top box or a direct connection into the back of the set, ifyou're connected to cable, you're covered for February 2009," saidJeff Alexander with Comcast Cable. That's because the cable company converts the signal for you. Ifyou have satellite TV, you won't need a converter box either. Finally, the where. You can get a digital converter box at manyretailers. The government is offering two $40 coupons perhousehold.
Mobile Phones Batteries's nex in Apple iPhone
Mobile Phones Batteries Gadget fans will also hope that iPhone 2.0 makes much better use ofits built-in Bluetooth, which at the moment only works with a fewselected Apple-approved accessories. This could potentially allowiPhone owners to ‘pair' their handset with theirBluetooth-enabled computer to transfer files between them, andwirelessly connect to Bluetooth headphones and handsfree systems. Expect to see voice-dialling and speed-dialling added to iPhone 2.0as well - it seems ridiculous that such a cutting edge gadget ismissing so many of the utterly basic mobile phone functions andcapabilities that we've taken for granted on lesser handsets foryears. Apple could also add "proper" global positioning software to theiPhone, which would tie-in nicely with its Google Maps tool. At themoment, iPhones are able to triangulate a users' vague location bytriangulating their mobile phone signal with nearby masts andwireless internet hotspots. In truth, that's probably sufficientfor most iPhone users, and GPS is an expensive technology that isstill largely in its infancy on mobile phones. Adding it to theiPhone would probably increase the cost of the deviceprohibitively, and it's unlikely to improve navigation andtriangulation accuracy enough to justify the outlay. In terms of appearance, several industry analysts have said thatthey do not expect Apple to make any significant or dramaticchanges to the look of the device until early 2009. The maindifferences are likely to be that slightly convex back to make roomfor a 3G-capable battery, and a non-recessed headphone plug -plenty of iPhone users were left disgruntled to discover theirexpensive, noise canelling headphones didn't have a long enoughjack to fit into the current iPhone's sunken headphone socket. So, what won't we see with the new iPhone? Don't expect too manydramatic changes to its text-messaging functionality. Americans arenot big fans of "txting", and while we Brits would love to be ableto forward on text messages to other contacts in our address book,it's unlikely to be added to the device. Instead, keen texters willhave to look to the new Application Store for those sorts of tweaks- more of which below. It's also unlikely that Apple will make any dramatic changes to itstouchscreen keyboard. iPhone users have long hankered after theability to flip the iPhone for a horizontal keyboard layout, andhaptic feedback to indicate that buttons have been correctlypressed, but that sort of interface improvement is more likely toappear on the third-generation device rather than on iPhone 2.0. Opinions are divided on whether Apple will drop the 8GB version ofthe phone and instead offer 16GB and 32GB versions of the device,which would bring it into line with the storage capacity of theiPod touch range. The fact that Carphone Warehouse and O2 storesslashed the price of the 8GB model just a few weeks ago couldeither be taken as a sign that they were trying to clearsoon-to-be-discontinued stock, or that they are simply making a bitof extra space for the next-gen model. Personally, I think we will see an introduction of a 32GB model,not least because Apple will be making another big announcement atthe conference that is all about software, rather than hardware:details of the iPhone application store, that will allow people tobuy third-party programs and widgets through iTunes and installthem on their device. Essentially, Apple is seeking to make the hacking of iPhonesunecessary by providing a development ecosystem in which people canbuild small programs that improve, diversify and personalise theiPhone's capabilities. The iPhone is built on a stripped-downversion of Apple's OS X operate system, which means there is plentyof latent power that can be leveraged to turn the handset into amini computer of sorts. Expert to see some really clever bits of software that fill in thegaps Apple itself is not plugging, such as an instant-messagingprogram for the iPhone, nifty location-based features, such asrestaurant recommendations and movie reviews that tie into GoogleMaps and its triangulation capabilities, and even software to keeptrack of your company expenses. In many ways it is this, rather than the actual handset itself,that should dominate the headlines, because it is the platform,rather than the hardware, that is key to securing the enduringpopularity, flexibility and longevity of the device. But the poor old iPhone, rather like a handsome movie star, hasbeen typecast for its good looks and sex appeal. Still, there areworst things to build a reputation on.
Verizon customers in three Mobile Phone Flashers
Mobile Phone Flasher Most video services for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearinginvolve an interpreter who relays messages between thoseindividuals and the hearing parties they communicate with. Avideophone with a high-speed Internet connection and a monitor,used either one-on-one or with an interpreter, is preferred by manyAmerican Sign Language users when they want to communicate bytelephone. Heidi Reed, commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for theDeaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), said, "MCDHH commends thisenhancement to Verizon's customer services for our manyconstituents who use American Sign Language. This addition inservice delivery reflects Verizon's leadership role in meeting theneeds of deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. All of us at MCDHHlook forward to continued excellence in communication accessservices for residents of Massachusetts." People can have a video conversation in ASL with a videophone -- aset-top box with either a built-in camera connected to a broadbandrouter, a free-standing desk unit with a small screen or a Web camsupported by a computer and appropriate software. Each equipmentoption requires a high-speed Internet connection to receive goodpicture quality; lower-bandwidth services will result in pixilationand low frame rates on most products. ASL is a unique language that incorporates hand gestures and facialexpressions, and provides a more expressive and fulfillingtelecommunications experience than either TTY (teletype) equipmentor relay services. "Due to the widespread availability and affordability ofbroadband, more and more deaf or hard-of-hearing consumers have avideophone," said Grenda. "We believe the videophoneoption gives customers a simpler, more user-friendly way tointeract with Verizon for their telecommunications needs." Verizon customer service representatives can recommend services andequipment that make communications easier for people with variousdisabilities. For example, Verizon offers phones that have photoson the buttons to help people with cognitive difficulties, andphones that operate by remote control for people with physicaldisabilities. Some customers with disabilities can get an exemption from chargesfor calls made to 411 or for operator-assisted calls. Verizon canprovide its bill statements in large print or Braille at no extracharge. The company also produces a quarterly newsletter(http://www.verizon.com/forwardaccess ; please enter a phone numberor zip code to access the file) filled with news and informationfor its customers with disabilities. While Verizon does not currently sell videophones, the centersupports sales of other equipment to help people with disabilities.(NOTE: See accompanying list of available equipment.) The Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities, which iscelebrating its 16th anniversary this year, provides customersupport to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, blind, or havevision, mobility, speech or cognitive disabilities. There are twosuch centers, one in Marlboro, Mass., the other in Oxnard, Calif. When the Marlboro center opened in 1992, its staff of sixrepresentatives handled approximately 4,000 calls a year. Today,the staff has grown to more than 100 representatives who now handlemore than 700,000 calls annually. Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is aleader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wirelesscommunication innovations to mass market, business, government andwholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's mostreliable wireless network, serving more than 67 million customersnationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business,which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions tocustomers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which bringscustomers the benefits of converged communications, information andentertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-opticnetwork. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employed a diverse workforce ofapproximately 232,000 as of the end of the first quarter 2008 andlast year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5billion.
Mobile Phone Cable Sprint will be bought Analyst
Mobile Phone Cable What kind of vehicle would Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse have todrive to accommodate all of the back-seat drivers wanting to advisehim on how to steer the wireless company back into the fast lane? Don't think a van would be big enough. A Hummer stretch limousine?How about a bus? A really, really, really long bus? "Wow. I've received hundreds of messages since we put my e-mailaddress on our latest TV ad. Thanks to everyone who responded.There are a lot of awesome ideas out there. Keep them coming!,"Hesse states on his company's blog, Buzz About Wireless. The folks at Laptop Magazine are getting in on the pass your tipsto Dan phenomenon. They recently interviewed Berge Ayvazian, YankeeGroup's chief strategy officer, about what he would do to save Sprint. Ayvazian covers all kinds of topics in his assessment of Sprintmissteps and possible fixes. Among other things, the company has todo a better job of getting the hot new phones and overcome ahistory of failed ventures with cable companies such as Comcast andTime Warner, he said. "Sprint is in an all-out war with AT&T and Verizon, and theonly allies it has are cable companies," Ayvazian said. "They needto partner with cable companies in effective ways to secure theirbase Hesse first must complete his WiMax spinoff with Clearwire, fix hiscustomer care problems, prove that the company can roll out a newhigh-performance walkie-talkie technology over the Sprint networkand solve all the other big problems, he said. But then, he said, Sprint becomes an attractive acquisitioncandidate for T-Mobile or its corporate parent, Deutsche Telekom. Or, headded, it's not out of the question that Sprint eventually will bethe buyer in such a transaction. "Neither T-Mobile nor Sprint on its own is sufficient to competeagainst Verizon. Sprint has put together the partnerships thatwould make it possible to create a viable competitor againstAT&T and Verizon," he said.