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Australia’s leading parenting site Kidspot.com.au today announced the launch of a live events platform for Australian parents in partnership with Mum Society.
The Kidspot.com.au and Mum Society partnership reflects the complementary audiences and engagement of both brands.
Through a curated schedule of events, audiences will be able to socialise, interact and learn from experts in the parenting field with the first event being held this week.
The partnership will also offer Kidspot.com.au clients bespoke event opportunities tailored to commercial partnerships.
Kidspot.com.au connects with 2.5 million parents every month, providing readers with expert advice to support them through the trials and tribulations of family life.
Mum Society was founded by Kylie Ostle in 2012 and has grown to have a thriving community navigating the inevitable changes in life, career, business and parenting.
Mum Society events bring like-minded mums and inspiring speakers together to connect at events.
Kidspot.com.au executive editor Melissa Wilson said: “Mum Society has a strong alignment to the Kidspot.com.au brand through their community of mums.
“We’re excited about collaborating with them and creating events that empower parents and offer genuine conversation to arm them with advice, reassurance and ongoing support.
“Our partnership will also offer clients tailored and meaningful events with consumers through brands they trust, which is incredibly powerful.”
Mum Society founder Kylie Ostle said: “Everything we do at Mum Society is about supporting mums. We are passionate about evoking change in the workplace and embracing change at home.
“Things are continually evolving for mums and by sharing our stories and supporting one another we can help ensure these changes reflect positively in our lives.
“Our collaboration with Kidspot.com.au will enable us to reach so many more with our message that you aren’t alone, and through our events do all that we can to rebuild their confidence.”
Melissa Wilson and Kylie Ostle will co-host the events, all of which will be filmed and shared across Kidspot.com.au social channels to ensure mass coverage with the target audience.
The first Mum Society event in partnership with Kidspot.com.au will focus on postnatal depression and will be held on 28 November in Sydney.
Guest speakers Libby Trickett, former Olympian, mum and mental health advocate, and psychologist Chelsea Pottenger, will be joined by Steph Pase, a mum-of-two who has opened up about her struggle with PND and what it was like going from one baby to two.
Kidspot.com.au and Mum Society will be supporting the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) as part of the event.
COPE is an organisation devoted to reducing the impact of emotional and mental health problems in the pre and postnatal periods.
Their goal is to reduce distress and provide hope in pregnancy and early parenthood.
The 2019 event series will kick off with a special Food & Family event to help parents navigate all aspects of getting kids back to school including lunchboxes, organisational hacks and helping children adjust.
This can be a very daunting experience for both kids and parents and this event will bring together experts in nutrition, behaviour and lifestyle to offer advice and support for the whole family.
WHIMN is the largest digital women’s network in the country reaching a unique audience of over 3.2 million.
WHIMN brings together the collective strengths of category leading parenting site kidspot.com.au; category leading health site mybodyandsoul.com.au; and whimn.com.au, targeting women as individuals with positive and empowering content.
WHIMN is powered by News Corp Australia’s digital division News DNA.
James Horne (main photo) is the CEO of Balance Internet. In this guest post, he says direct-to-consumer DTC brands that endure past the initial launch have a true differentiation, standing out from competitors by driving connection… We’ve always known that brands need more than a good product and website to stand out from their competitors […]
Australian owned and operated email and SMS marketing software company, Vision6, announced the launch of its first-ever national brand campaign and new brand platform “Simply Reliable”. Founded in 2001, Vision6 was one of the first email marketing software providers in Australia and has since been relied upon by thousands of Aussie businesses and organisations for […]
Out-of-Home media company JCDecaux New Zealand has appointed business growth specialist Adam McGregor in preparation for its bid to win upcoming local government street furniture tenders across the country. With contracts for the provision of street furniture including bus shelters across New Zealand up for renewal from late 2022, they collectively represent the biggest advertising […]
Fetch TV has announced that ABC iview will soon be available as a dedicated Virtual Playlist Channel on the Fetch platform. Virtual Playlist Channels (VPCs) were developed by Fetch to promote content discovery, and to provide a clear bridge between the traditional world of linear TV and the growing availability of on demand content via […]
Jackie Gillies, businesswoman, psychic medium and cast member of The Real Housewives of Melbourne is bringing her sassy, inspirational and adventurous spirit to her new podcast Shine It Up, With Jackie Gillies, which launches today via Acast. Hosted and distributed by the creator-first podcast company Acast, the show will offer listeners inspiration and motivation to […]
Crowdsourcing platforms DesignCrowd and BrandCrowd are promoting vaccination efforts in a unique way, launching a logo redesign contest among their networks of designers. The initiative saw iconic Australian brands such as Hungry Jack’s, Jetstar, JB Hi-Fi, and Bunnings undergo a redesign. “We thought it would be fun to see some other iconic Australian brands back […]
Jillian Davison has been named editor-in-chief of the recently relaunched Harper’s BAZAAR Australia. She will oversee all content, development and creative direction across the iconic magazine’s digital and brand platforms. Davison (pictured) succeeds Eugenie Kelly, who recently stepped down to pursue other opportunities. The announcement was made by Maureen Jordan, publisher of Harper’s BAZAAR Australia […]
Freedom Foods and 72andSunny Sydney have launched the first advertising campaign for Australia’s Own range of plant-based beverages. The campaign introduces a new visual world and identity for the brand and captures the healthy, positive feeling you get when spending time in nature and when consuming Australia’s Own certified-organic, plant-based beverages. As well as featuring […]


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The Daily Mail, that has not stopped the closing of the sale of the gap in recent years, has surpassed the Sun in May, according to the latest official figures.
The Daily Mail has sold 980,000 copies per day on average, last month, and the Mail on Sunday sold 878,000 a week, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations figures published on Friday.
Last month News UK, the parent company of the Sun, the Sun on Sunday, and the Weather, ceased its official sales figures available to the public. The publisher, however, figures are still private at the disposal of the industry every month, and the Guardian understands that the Sun and the Sun on Sunday reported a decline in sales of the post titles in May.
In the month of March, the most recent publicly available figures for the Sun – the 55p tabloid newspaper sold an average of 1.13 million copies a day. It has also distributed a new 66,800 copies free pick-up at airports and train stations. The post, which does not distribute free copies, and is priced at 70p, is understood to be the largest paid for the sales that the Sun is a combined paid and free circulation.
“I am extremely proud and happy that the Daily Mail has become the great Britain most of the sale of newspapers, a historic moment in our history,” said Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail.
The Sun of March, sales were down 11% on the year – more than two times higher than the 5% decline recorded by the Daily Mail.
It is understood that, as well as the paid for, the sales decline, the Sun has been affected by a significant decrease of the free distribution of the airlines were grounded, and the united KINGDOM went into isolation.
When it launched in 1964, the Sun was the fourth-largest newspaper after the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and the Daily Mail. The paper went tabloid after Murdoch acquired it in 1969, finally, beyond the Mirror, the UK’s best-selling newspaper in 1977.

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The UK economy is growing faster than previously
estimated, according to the latest official figures. The Office for National
Statistics (ONS) said today that gross domestic product was up 0.8% in the
July-to-September period compared with the previous quarter, confirming its
previous estimate.However, it revised its growth figures for earlier quarters.
Estimated annual growth rate grew by 1.9% compared with a previous estimate of
The ONS said later data for expenditure, in particular household final
consumption expenditure, has led to upward revisions for GDP since Q1 2012. As a
result, between 2011 and 2012, GDP in volume terms rose by 0.3%, an upwards
revision of 0.2 percentage points from the previously published 0.1% increase.
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Cosmetics Consultants Europe (CCE) will launch a training programme with Germany’s RWTH Aachen University next year that it says should guide the next generation of safety assessors through rising demands of the fast-evolving cosmetics world.
YouTube’s augmented reality (AR) try-on tool is a powerful way for the beauty industry to tell richer, more engaging stories and better connect with consumers, says Google’s head of product commercialisation.
Finnish beauty tech firm Revieve has opened a development hub in Spain to speed up advances in digital customer experience tools – something that will determine success for retailers and brands in the coming years, its CEO says.
European beauty brands are heavily invested in technology, ahead of their US counterparts, putting the sector in good stead to ‘close the loop’ and develop highly-personalised products, an Accenture executive says.
Human skin microbiology specialist Labskin has built an artificial intelligence (AI) psoriasis skin model that enables cosmetic firms to test and bring to market products targeting this skin condition.
One tech start-up thinks so. Artificial intelligence start-up Cherry Pick will launch its first beauty brand next year, created using technology that reads real-time consumer demands and identifies the ideal talent to front it.


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An American financial solution company, Mastercard, has announced the expansion of its consulting services and support-base system to the crypto market. The crypto market, which is constantly evolving with an influx of technological inventions, complex financial civilization, change in customer preferences, speedy virtual and digital transformation, and geopolitical shifts, will be energized with Mastercard’s expansion.
The announced service expansion to the crypto market by Mastercard will cut across essential consulting services such as Open Banking, Open Data, and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). These services will directly impact the evolving innovative technologies supporting digital currencies.
Mastercard is a credit card payment colossus driven by technological innovations and inventions. Its outstanding services have positively impacted the business world by simplifying payment methods. Last year, the financial giant launched a virtual testing platform that will enable Central Banks to experiment with Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). Central and Commercial Banks, including financial advisory firms are to partner with Mastercard to experiment the CBDC.
Appraising its success in the financial consulting services of over two decades, Raj Seshadri, Mastercard’s President of Data and Services, affirmed that Mastercard, as a multinational financial company multinational financial company, has come in contact with clients from across the globe.
We Provide essential financial and consulting services to individuals and clients from different professional backgrounds, including Fintech, travel and tourism, oil and gas, banking and retail, etc. At diverse points, our services have helped our customers understand the complex challenges of the digital world. Thus, as the consulting business evolves, Mastercard also improves the quality of services to meet recent innovative demands.
A Promising Digital Future
The building technologies of cryptocurrencies are structured to project digital currencies as the next big boom in payments for products and services. In the progression of time, these digital currencies have proven that they are the best option in providing payment services; they are typically cheaper, faster, and more reliable than traditional money transfers and payment methods.
Acknowledging these advancements, Mastercard has promised to aid businesses, irrespective of the capacity of such a firm, big or small, interested in a complete or partial venture into the digital currency. Rolling out its plans to achieve the goal as mentioned above, the consulting giant, amongst many other means, reiterated its commitment to increase its Data analyst workforce by recruiting and training over 500 young professionals.
Consumer Engagement and Increasing Business Value
Every business focuses on increasing its client base, which can be achieved by innovating captivating ways to ensure quality consumer engagement. More so, payment is a deciding factor for the success of every business. Hence, with Mastercard’s wealth of experience in the financial world, its announced expansion into the crypto market will bridge the gap of challenges customers experience in the evolving technology.
These new services introduced into the crypto market by Mastercard will continue to deliver exclusive business objectives and orientation based on world standard services and create tools to promote prompt decisions that will help appreciate the quality of a customer’s entire business.


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Garbutt + Elliott brokered investment deal gives bug push to Surfaceskins’ hand hygiene product range
The manufacture of an innovative hygiene product, which can kill germs and superbugs such as coronavirus, in hospitals, care homes and other public buildings, is being stepped up after an investment deal brokered by Yorkshire accountants and business advisers, Garbutt + Elliott.
Surfaceskins are self-disinfecting, alcohol gel pushpads that mean that people no longer have to touch dirty doors with their hands which the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says spread 80 per cent of infections.
Two product designers, Adam Walker and Simon Scott-Harden, came up with the Surfaceskins concept after observing how people avoid touching dirty doors, and developed Surfaceskins – the name of the business and the product – in eight years with Leeds-based technical textile consultancy, the Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute Ltd (NIRI) which also funded initial development before securing investment from Brian Waligora who joined Surfaceskins as chief executive in 2017.
The Leeds manufacture of Surfaceskins, which has four patents covering UK, EU, USA and Japan, is being increased to meet vast sales potential, after Garbutt + Elliott attracted significant but undisclosed private investment from a Yorkshire entrepreneur who built his own £100m turnover manufacturing business.
NIRI managing director, Chris Fowler, who has 25 years’ experience commercialising novel medical and hygiene products, says: “Surfaceskins’ has huge market potential having been developed with efficacy, ease of use and low cost at the forefront of our strategy and our new investor joins when his experience will have the biggest impacts.
“Surfaceskins was initially designed for healthcare premises to protect high-risk patients against healthcare associated infections (HAIs), which cause thousands of UK deaths annually, and to help people with depressed immune systems. Key areas were intensive care units; special care baby units, neonates, elderly wards and isolation units.
“However, as more sectors have become aware of Surfaceskins, we are receiving interest from restaurants, fast-food outlets, cruise ships, hotels, schools and offices. Virtually any commercial, or public, door with a contamination risk is a market opportunity.
“Garbutt +Elliott quickly realised the scale of the Surfaceskins’ potential, enabling them to recommended the most suitable investment partner who was the first introduction and is a perfect fit in terms of experience, timing and Yorkshire roots!”
During product development, Surfaceskins underwent validation trials in NHS laboratories, which confirmed that they kill many germs, bacteria, and viruses such as coronavirus in seconds. As the pushpads self-sterilise in seconds they reduce the risk of users transmitting germs, protecting other door users and preventing infection transmission.
Trials at three local schools and a Leeds hospital showed that Surfaceskins increases users’ overall hand hygiene, though washing and soap dispenser use, by more than 75 per cent which will help with the control of panendemics such as the current global Coronavirus.
Garbutt + Elliott corporate finance partner, Tony Farmer, who introduced the investor and arranged investment terms, says: “The combination of a simple, but ingenious, idea, expert business development and major market interest means, Surfaceskins has huge growth potential and we are pleased to have contributed by securing the latest investment.”
Garbutt + Elliott’s 11-strong corporate finance team, which operates from its Leeds and York offices, has managed more than 200 deals throughout the UK across a wide range of commercial sectors.


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Crypto Wallets Now Can Run Ads On Google; ICO Ads Remain Banned
Hope beacons upon coin enthusiasts as the latest crypto news brings in more wins for the industry. Since 2018, corporations with control over the web—particularly Facebook and Google, have been censoring BTC currency, Tether crypto, and other cryptocurrency-related advertisements, disallowing any business related to the industry to generate paid ads. However, in early June of 2021, Google took a step back and announced that it would allow crypto wallet ads on its platform, reversing a section of the ban enacted previously.
Why Google Banned Crypto Ads
Google's crypto ad crackdown in 2019 was part of an effort to improve its advertising services to be more positive for the consumers. In a blog post, the company labeled speculative financial services, including cryptocurrency, ForEx markets, binary options, among others as "emerging threats."
The company said, "We want to help consumers by addressing potential risks with these financial products." With the exception of crypto exchanges, all other ads pertaining to coin-related services were removed from the platform. This followed Facebook's move in 2018, which similarly banned most cryptocurrency ads from the website.
Google's crypto ban had a double-sided effect on the industry. On the positive note, it became more difficult for scammers to take a widespread hold on unsuspecting consumers, most resorting to small-scale operatives, such as Telegram groups, to chase after possible victims. While scams and hacks still run rampant in the industry, their inability to advertise highly controls their movements.
On the other end of the scale, it became difficult for legitimate businesses to grow in the crypto sphere. It's not rare for essential services, like wallets and exchanges, to be clustered among a few well-known brands. For instance, when thinking about offline wallets, the first names that come to mind are Ledger and Trezor. But there are hundreds more available—they're just unable to reach consumers due to advertising restrictions.
Big Win For Crypto Wallets
The cryptocurrency industry is the prime target for worldwide regulations, so Google's move to allow wallets to advertise is a breath of fresh air. Per the new policy, all related companies must first request a new Cryptocurrency Exchanges and Wallets certification with Google—an effort to control the businesses that can take advantage of looser policies, essentially getting rid of scammers and giving credibility to legitimate wallets along the way. The application form will go live on July 8.
Applicants must provide information about their ownership structure, qualifications, and detailed descriptions of what they offer in exchange for advertising space. They will also have to admit if they've previously been penalized by Google and disclose any previous legal infractions upon applying.
Ad Ban Still Effective For Initial Coin Offerings
Despite allowing crypto wallets to advertise, Google is not lifting its ad restriction on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), DeFi trading protocols such as Polygon, and related services. In a post, the search engine giant detailed the extent of the ban, which includes ICO ads, pre-sales, crypto loans, token liquidity pools, celebrity endorsements related to cryptocurrency, sites that offer crypto trading advice, broker reviews, and more.
The pattern highly suggests that any website that may intentionally or unintentionally influence consumers to make cryptocurrency trading decisions, as well as third-party services that may compromise consumers, are still out of the question. On that note, crypto wallets may not be able to make statements directing consumers on a particular investment strategy, advertise a specific coin, or directly cite third parties that could influence consumers' security, such as trading platforms.
While Google is certainly moving forward with embracing crypto adoption in a positive light, its slow acceptance of the industry as a whole—especially given its limited tolerance for ICO news—is yet another signifier of how regulators are increasingly cracking down on cryptocurrency projects even before they have been launched into the market. This kind of prohibition also suggests that old players like Google are still confident about their footing despite what some consider an inevitable shift towards decentralized platforms due to increased consumer skepticism over centralized entities' control over data.
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The Ministry of Trade and Industry is to limit the importation of cement into the country as part of measures to boost local manufacture of the product.
The move is expected to help regulate the importation of cement, which has risen to one million metric tonnes in recent years.
A statement from the ministry said the increased imports placed additional pressure on local manufacturers, hence, the need to regularise the activity through a Legislative Instrument.
National consumption of cement currently stands at six million metric tonnes per annum, although local manufacturers have the capacity to produce about nine million metric tonnes in a year.
That notwithstanding, some one million tonnes of the product is imported into the country every year, resulting in increased pressure on the activities of the manufacturers and consequent standoff between the companies and the importers.
The standoffs have led to counter petitions from both sides, with each side accusing the other of unfair trade.
This is unhealthy, the statement said.
“To bring sanity into the sector, bring relief to local manufacturers and facilitate international trade, the Ministry of Trade and Industry proposes through an LI, to impose a ceiling on the annual importation of cement into Ghana,” it said.
The ministry, thus, encouraged companies and individuals wishing to import the product to register with the ministry on or before March 31 to be permitted to import.
It, however, explained that “companies that are legitimately licensed under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS’) Trade Liberalisation Scheme are exempted from the need to apply for permits.
It further welcomed comments and suggestions from the general public on the matter.


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© Reuters. Needham remains sidelined on Tesla (TSLA) following 2Q delivery beat
Needham reiterated a Hold rating on Tesla (NASDAQ:) after the electric vehicle giant posted its 2Q production and delivery numbers, beating consensus estimates by about 5%.
Over the past year, the growth in TSLA’s production capacity has surpassed the growth in vehicle deliveries. As a result, there have been several rounds of price cuts throughout the year, with the most significant reductions occurring in early Q1. According to Needham, TSLA’s inventory is still expanding, albeit at a slower pace. They consider this a mildly positive development, but they believe that additional confirmation (a lack of price cuts) is necessary to solidify this view.
Analysts wrote in a note, “Most encouragingly for TSLA bulls, inventories are growing at a slower pace by our math, helping modestly lower the likelihood of further aggressive price cuts. However, uncertainty isn’t fully resolved as inventories still grew on an absolute basis. It’s likely bulls feel more comfortable that a margin trough is near, while bears are likely to remain unconvinced; we don’t view the Q2 numbers as enough to declare victory for either side.”
According to Needham, the headlines surrounding the initial production and launch of Tesla’s Cybertruck are seen as a victory for bullish investors. This is because early adopters of the Cybertruck are likely to be enthusiastic supporters of TSLA, making them more inclined to overlook any minor production delays or negative reviews compared to the critical scrutiny they might receive from Tesla’s retail investor base.
Analysts expect the Cybertruck to be a niche vehicle, but given the size of the reservation book and high purchase intent, TSLA won’t have to win over new consumers soon, so they think that bears expressing a “short the launch” thesis will likely struggle to gain traction in the near term.
Needham sees a move to a NACS connector standard away from CCS, along with Tesla’s decision to open up its charging network to other automakers, as a negative. They believe that by doing so Tesla is “opting to lower the drawbridge itself” vs. forcing drivers of non-TSLA vehicles to endure a lower quality charging experience.
Analysts consider the move as highly unlikely from a competition perspective that TSLA is allowed to dominate US EV Charging. Even if Needham doubles their revenue estimates for Tesla’s Services and other segments in 2026, the EPS estimates would only increase by 1% due to the low gross margin nature of this business.
Shares of TSLA are down 0.38% in pre-market trading on Wednesday.


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A consortium of high street and retail experts, backed by Rakuten’s Play.com, is aiming to launch an online presence for 200 high streets.
Target200 will ensure that for the first time towns will be able to showcase their wares online, and shoppers will be able to use click-and-collect and receive promotions through a loyalty programme. The initiative is designed to enable local high streets to take on retail giants including Amazon and Tesco.
It is also backed by high street website developer MyHigh.St, the British Independent Retailers Association, Action for Market Towns and the Association of Town and City Management.
Rakuten’s Play.com managing director Shingo Murakami: “We have built a global business by harnessing the power of the internet to help smaller businesses compete and grow; whilst protecting their individuality and their brands.
“With 40,000 online retailers in Japan alone we know that this approach delivers for retailers and consumers alike. We are committed as part of our growth in the UK to providing an alternative to the traditional product driven approach of the established e-commerce players and to bringing MyHigh’s independent retailers to our 16 million UK customers.”
MyHigh.St co-founder Loaye Agabani said: “The collapse of our high streets will have deep repercussions on communities across the UK. Britain’s High Streets are not just a collection of shops. They are the beating heart of our towns and cities.”
Today target200 has launched a report entitled A Nation of Shopkeepers, which examines how to breathe new life into the high street.
It will be formally launched at a parliamentary reception in Westminster, set to be attended by high street minister Brandon Lewis.
Findings show a third of people believe that the staff in chain stores are often unfriendly, and that there is overcrowding on the shop floor and over half of people (56%) think there is not enough choice on the High Street.
Agabani: “After numerous reviews, reports and pilots programmes, it’s time for action. Our website empowers independent retailers to fight back against the rise of online shopping from faceless warehouses, showing them that the internet, when used effectively, can boost their business and get money flowing back into their tills.”


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EMC shakes up leadership with three new appointments
February 24, 2020
By Manufacturing AUTOMATION
The Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) has announced several staff changes, which were effective as of February 12.
Amanda Doman, EMC’s director of finance, is now the vice-president and general manager.
“Since starting with EMC 20 years ago, I have watched manufacturers change and evolve with new products and technologies,” Doman says.
“It has been great to be part of our initiatives that allow us to assist these companies as they grow. I am excited to see the changes that are yet to come and what the future holds for manufacturing!”
Scott McNeil-Smith, national director, projects and partnerships for EMC is now vice-president, manufacturing sector performance.
“Working with the many thousands of manufacturers EMC has touched over the past 20-plus years, has been both a privilege and an exciting challenge,” McNeil-Smith says.
“As we continue the next phase of helping industry of all sizes to foresee the path towards excellence, Canada’s largest manufacturing consortium will be looking at needs, capabilities and solutions that have not been envisioned yet. I look forward to what the future will bring for EMC and its members, helping the Canadian manufacturing sector to grow and prosper.”
The final appointment is Bren de Leeuw, formerly operations manager, Western Canada for EMC, who is now vice-president, community partnerships and stakeholder relationships.
“I am absolutely delighted to be contributing to the success and growth of our EMC members and for Canadian manufacturers as a whole,” says de Leeuw.
“After nearly 20 years at EMC, without a doubt I continue to be amazed at the depth and breadth of products produced and marvel at the entrepreneurial spirit, ongoing ingenuity and at the innovative ideas which spur Canadian industry forward in a constantly growing global marketplace.”
- Magna says some plants in China still offline, parts supplies a concern
- Rockwell Automation to acquire digital automation company ASEM


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Hyundai Motor Africa and the Middle East, in partnership with Almajdouie Motors Company, Hyundai distributors in the Eastern Province, and Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Dammam, announced the start of the third and final phase of the “Mobility for Food” initiative with the Saudi Food Bank. The campaign, which began with the beginning of the month of Ramadan, includes the delivery of food parcels to the poor and needy in various regions of the Kingdom.
The official launch ceremony was held at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. The event began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ali Al-Moraisel, Head of Services at Almajdouie Motors Company, and Ms. Fatima Melhem, Dean of Student Affairs at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. The signing ceremony was followed by the main launch event, which witnessed speeches by representatives of Hyundai, Almajdouie and the University. Then Almajdouie volunteers and university students participated in the process of preparing food parcels.
The Mobility for Food Bank campaign aims to reach 1,500 beneficiaries in both urban and rural areas of the Kingdom and emphasizes Hyundai’s social responsibility as a mobility and sustainability solutions provider.
The three Hyundai distributors, namely, Mohamed Yousef Naghi Motors, Wallan Trading Company and Almajdouie Motors Company, in addition to volunteer students from Dar Al-Hekma University and Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, are participating.
Three Hyundai Staria trucks are used to transport volunteers and food parcels to different regions of the Kingdom.
“We are aware of the responsibility to leave a positive impact on people’s lives, especially people who have gone through difficult circumstances due to the recent uncertainty that the world has witnessed,” Al-Mourisel said. “The initiative highlights our commitment to this responsibility. By leveraging our mobility solutions to create a spirit of unity and solidarity, we can give back to people during the month of giving.”
Prof. Al-Mulhim indicated that the university’s participation in the campaign confirms its social responsibility towards society. She said that by volunteering to prepare food packages, university students are doing their part in helping needy families secure food supplies during Ramadan.
In a statement, the Saudi Food Bank expressed its keenness to enhance its cooperation with strategic partners in implementing charitable and humanitarian initiatives.
The food distribution drive is part of the automaker’s “Hyundai Continue” charity campaign.
The aim is to provide the necessary support to the targeted groups of low-income families, orphans and widows, to improve their living conditions, especially during the month of Ramadan, and to ensure food security and meet their other needs.
Through this campaign, Hyundai Motor Company also aims to fulfill its commitment to sustainability by reducing its environmental footprint by using sustainable packaging directly from food suppliers and providing efficient transportation. All packages contain sustainable food that lasts for at least six months and can be used during and after Ramadan.


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Snapshot – We’re three months into the new year and the Indian car industry is still stuck in the doldrums when it comes to sales at the hustings. However, interesting car launches have happened, and new trends have emerged that could become the status quo in the future. CarToq analyzes five emerging trends in the Indian car industry that could become commonplace in the years to come.
Shift in demand towards petrol powered cars
Diesel price deregulation that Indian car buyers have come to accept. The Indian government is deregulating diesel prices in 50-60 paise increments and eventually, diesel will cost about 60 rupees/liter, vis-a-vis petrol which costs 72.26 rupees/liter, both prices reflecting New Delhi numbers. With the gap between petrol and diesel prices reducing to a nominal 10-12 rupees, the demand for petrol cars is likely to intensify, tilting the balance towards petrol cars up to 10 lakh rupees. Also, the advent of turbocharging and direct injection on petrol engines, making them more efficient, will also make petrol cars more attractive buys in terms of fuel efficiency.
The rise of the AMT
India plans to go automatic in its own unique way, what with the emergence of the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). With industry bellwether Maruti Suzuki taking the AMT route with much success at that, a flurry of other automakers operating in India are prepping up cars with AMT options. Tata Motors will launch the AMT equipped Bolt, Zest and Nano in the coming months while Mahindra is readying up the Quanto AMT. The latest rumour in motown suggests that even Datsun wants a piece of AMT action in India. In a nutshell, the AMT promises to be the next big tech trend among Indian cars.
The emergence of diesel automatics
While the AMT has bridged the cost and technical complexity between manual and torque converter/CVT automatic gearboxes, it has also allowed a new segment to spawn, of that of diesel automatic cars. Given that diesel powered cars are more expensive to build than petrol cars, adding an automatic gearbox to the equation increases the cost of a diesel car further. Therefore, diesel automatics have been a rare species, especially in the budget end of the car market. All that will change in the coming months with Tata Motors equipping the Zest and the Bolt Diesels with an AMT. Volkswagen is also said to be considering DSG dual clutch automatic gearbox equipped Polo and Vento cars.
Entry level luxury segment to get stronger
The entry level luxury car segment, spanning the 20-30 lakh rupee price points will see not one, not two, but three new entrants this year. The Audi A3 sedan, Mercedes Benz GLA crossover and CLA sedan are the three new entry-level luxury cars lined up for India. These cars join the likes of the Mercedes Benz A and B-Class and the BMW 1-Series hatchbacks. With incomes of younger car buyers growing, the entry-level luxury segment is likely to outgrow other parts of the luxury car market in the country and bring in big volumes for luxury labels. Larger volumes means the possibility of local luxury car production in the coming years.
Advent of low cost MPVs
The Go+ 7 seat MPV is the next big launch from Nissan’s Datsun low cost brand. The 7 seat MPV is likely to be priced between 4-5 lakh rupees, making it the least priced MPV in the Indian car market. Another low cost MPV, the Dacia Lodgy, is anticipated to make its entry into India next year. The Lodgy, while measuring as much as the Innova in terms of dimensions, is expected to the undercut the latter by a big margin. While Suzuki has lined up the WagonR 3 Rows 7 seat concept for a launch in Indonesia to fight the Datsun Go+, it remains to be seen whether the WagonR 3 Rows will get an Indian production run. Nonetheless, the low cost MPV segment is one sector to watch out for, given the fact that India is one of the largest markets in the world for affordably priced cars.


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On Wednesday, Walt Disney World unveiled its plans for a phased reopening of the Orlando Disney parks over the summer, along with SeaWorld who has plans to open their three Orlando parks on June 11th.
- UPROXX - Dane Rivera
- UPROXX - Gabrielle Pharms
There are many things to love about Portland, Oregon. It’s glorious uniqueness as a city can be seen, heard, and most importantly, tasted. With over 80 breweries calling Portland home, it’s no wonder burgeoning


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A new initiative from bitcoin shopping service Purse, in partnership with Chain and the BitGive Foundation, allows consumers to receive discounts on Amazon purchases and donate to charity at the same time.
Called the ‘1% Initiative’, the US-only scheme launched yesterday with the aim of showcasing the benefits of bitcoin both for the consumer and the greater good, while also increasing Purse’s customer base.
Purse is a platform through which customers can buy products on Amazon using bitcoin. Notably, shoppers receive discounts made possible by other users who pay a premium to buy bitcoin using the P2P marketplace. Last week, Purse opened its first bricks-and-mortar location in San Francisco.
Now, Purse is available for the Amazon Smile platform, the arm of the online retail giant that donates 0.5% of customers’ total order prices to a charity of their choosing.
Customers can access the Smile platform through Purse and have the same 0.5% donated to charity, while still receiving their discount for paying in bitcoin.
BitGive executive director Connie Gallippi said:
“This new partnership is an innovative and exemplary advancement that will propel the social impact of the bitcoin community forward. We are very excited to have a way for customers to give back to charity through this new platform.”
As the functionality is built out, additional options will become available for charitable donations, Purse said.


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Bitmain co-founder Micree Zhan Ketuan has initiated legal proceedings to regain control of the company with the filing of a summons in the Cayman Islands.
Bitmain Technologies is one of the largest crypto mining firms in the world and has been caught in turmoil since October when the company’s other co-founder, Jihan Wu, announced Zahn’s departure from the firm, saying, “Bitmain’s co-founder, chairman, legal representative and executive director Jihan Wu has decided to dismiss all roles of Ketuan Zhan, effective immediately.”
Zhan responded by saying he had been ousted from the company he had …
Read The Full Article On CryptoCurrencyNews.com
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A small German-based company, Lilium, has announced that they have successfully tested an electric “flying car”. A ducted fan mini-plane really.
Others are also looking at developing small air-borne taxis. But Lilium is the first to have a working prototype.
Initially piloted, but Lilium hopes it can become autonomous and able to be summoned using a smart phone. And eventually cheap enough so most can use one.
My first thought was, is this a hoax? But it looks legitimate. The CEO, Daniel Wiegand, has been talking about this for several years, and one of the investors was a co-founder of Skype.
The most surprising thing for me is the speed with which they have got to prototype stage. The concept was, according to their website, developed only in 2013.
New Zealand’s own Martin Jetpack is based on 35 years of R&D. Such is the speed of development in the electric and transportation fields now.
Being based in Europe, Lilium seems to have attracted little attention in, or investment from, the US. Although their marketing is US centred.
For a modest fee could many of us soon be able to flit across Cook Strait from Wellington for a weekend in Marlborough or Nelson, or from Auckland to Waiheke, or from Queenstown to Treble Cone?
Unlikely. The company indicates that 2025 will be the earliest that they will have it in operation.
Elon Musk was already unpositive about flying cars before this announcement. He thinks it will be safer getting to Mars (and hopefully back) than having many vehicles zipping by just overhead. He makes a good point. And he hasn’t factored in all the drones that may be, legally or otherwise, in the air too.
Flying cars feed a futuristic fantasy, and I’d love to fly in one, but getting from A to B more quickly isn’t the most challenging problem we face.
Update: A Slovakian company AeroMobil has also just announced that they hope to have a real flying car, that you can drive on the road and fly in the air, available for purchase in about three years. For $1 million.
Update 2: The NY Times has a piece on Silicon Valley’s flying car initiatives. It notes regulatory work underway for a new air traffic control system to take account of drones and other flying vehicles. But the best line is the last:
“Silicon Valley is full of very smart people, but they don’t always get the laws of physics,” he said. “Gravity is a formidable adversary.”
Featured image: copyright Hanna-Barbera


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During the recent Detroit Auto Show we were treated to a number of future vehicles, but there were some that will be released this year. Looking at a preview of the 2011 model year cars, two that stood out for us were the Chrysler 300 and the Toyota Prius V — the two could not be any different.
The Prius V as you know is still a Hybrid, and as you will notice is larger than the standard model. This will make it an ideal car for families, which should help the Japanese automaker appeal to a broader market. Even though this is a 2011 model, it will still be known as the 2012 Toyota Prius V. You might not know this, but the upcoming car will come with iPad and Android integration thanks to a new app, which we recently discussed.
InsideLine has said that the new larger Prius will have 50 percent more cargo space, and will come with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine,. As always this will work in conjunction with an electric motor to help it achieve 38mpg highway and 42mpg city. For more details visit the Toyota website.
Next up with have the Chrysler 300, there is to be a Hybrid model, but that will not be for a year or so. However, let us not get ahead of ourselves, what the American carmaker has here is a sedan that oozes prestige. The styling is distinctive and comes with more than enough power under the hood.
Edmunds explains that there are four 300 models, the LX, Touring, Limited, and “C” — so more than enough choice to suit your budget. So these are a choice of just two new 2011 car models, but which others have you got your eye one?
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Everyone seems to have commerce on the brain: One designer told me that U.S. buyers' budgets are down 30 percent for the big luxury brands -- and "far more" for the smaller, independent labels, so it's time to explore new ways of doing business.
For the first time, Graeme Black invited personal shoppers from stores such as Browns to his show, so they could see the collection firsthand. "The only way we're going to move forward is to connect directly with the customer," said Jonathan Reed, Black's business partner.
Most of the time, Reed said, the people who are doing the buying are not the ones who are interfacing with the customer. "That's why personal shoppers need to have a seat at the show," he said. Reed and Black also plan to organize small, private lunches, where Black can sell the clothes to clients directly.
For fall, Giles Deacon has introduced more daywear pieces, has started to price in dollars for U.S. clients and has updated his best-selling skinny, strapless calf-length dress — a bestseller at Barneys New York — for fall. "We're giving the stores what they want," he said.
Julien Macdonald, who is relaunching his company under a new backer, has also ramped up the amount of daywear in his collection, is pushing into new markets like Switzerland, Austria and Germany and will unveil a separate knitwear collection for fall 2010. "I think there's a huge gap in the market for sexy, fashionable knits at affordable prices," he said.
In theory, then, it's a golden moment for buyers — if they actually had the budgets. U.S. stores were thin on the ground during the London shows.
Barneys had one representative, while Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Henri Bendel all had local scouts do the viewing.
"It's a shame there were no American retailers, because there was a lot to see," said Ed Burstell, Liberty's buying director, who recently joined the store from Bergdorf Goodman, where he was senior vice president and general merchandise manager for nonapparel. "London is the only place left that's driven by creativity — and it still has its own exuberance," he added.
The American department stores may have stayed put, but other buyers were out in force. According to the British Fashion Council, Japan had the strongest attendance in years, as did independent stores from around the globe. Buoyed by the strong euro against the pound, Italian and French buyers came flooding into The Exhibition in the tents, and jeans brand Made in Heaven said it picked up 12 new accounts in four days.
"We actually found the mood upbeat. It was one of the strongest London Fashion Weeks we've attended in years, with lots of energy and strong collections," said Erin Mullaney, buying director at Browns, who named Marios Schwab, Richard Nicoll, Meadham Kirchhoff and Erdem among the standouts.


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Pan-African e-commerce business Jumia is adjusting its digital retail network to suppress the spread of COVID-19
The Nigeria headquartered operation– with online products and services verticals in 11 African nations– announced a series of procedures on Friday. Jumia will donate licensed face masks to health ministries in Kenya, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda, making use of its supply networks outside Africa.
The business has actually provided African federal governments usage of its last mile delivery network for distribution of products to health care facilities and workers. Jumia will also decrease fees on its JumiaPay financing item to motivate digital payments over money, which can be an avenue for the spread of coronavirus.
Governments in Jumia’s operating nations have begun to engage the economic sector on a possible COVID-19 outbreak on the continent, according to Jumia CEO Sacha Poignonnec
” I don’t have a crystal ball and nobody understands what’s gon na take place,” he told TechCrunch on a call. However in case the infection spreads rapidly on the continent, Jumia is reviewing extra assets it can offer the general public sector. “If governments find it helpful we want to do it,” Poignonnec stated.
Africa’s COVID-19 cases by country were in the single digits up until recently, but those numbers surged last week leading the World Health Organization to sound an alarm. “About 10 days ago we had actually 5 nations affected, now we have actually got 30,” WHO Regional Director Dr Matshidiso Moeti said at an interview Thursday. “It’s has actually been an extremely quick … advancement.”
By the World Health Organization’s newest statistics Monday there were 1321 COVID-19 cases in Africa and 34 confirmed deaths related to the virus– up from 463 cases and 10 deaths last Wednesday.
Dr. Moeti noted that lots of socioeconomic factors in Africa– from housing to access to running water– make common denominators to suppress COVID-19, such as social-distancing or regular hand washing, challenging. She went on to explain that the World Health Organization is trying to find solutions that are adoptable to Africa’s scenarios, consisting of working with partners and federal governments to get sterilizing products to health centers and families.
As coronavirus cases and associated deaths grow, governments in Africa are responding. South Africa, which has the second highest COVID-19 numbers on the continent, stated a nationwide catastrophe recently, banned public events and announced travel restrictions on the U.S.
Across Africa’s tech ecosystem– which has actually seen significant development in start-ups and now receives $2 billion in VC yearly– a number of stars are stepping up.
In addition to offering its logistics and supply-chain network, Jumia is working together with health ministries in a number of nations to use its website and mobile platforms to share COVID-19 associated public service messages.
Hearkening President Kenyatta’s call, recently Kenya’s biggest telecom Safaricom waived fees on its M-Pesa mobile-money product (with over 20 million users) to increase digital payments use and decrease the risk of spreading out the COVID-19 through handling of cash.
Africa’s largest development incubator CcHub announced funding and a require tech jobs focused on reducing COVID-19 and its social and economic impact.
A looming question for Africa’s tech scene is how start-ups in major markets such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa will weather significant drops in revenue that might occur from a larger coronavirus break out.
Jumia is well capitalized, after going public in a 2019 IPO on the New York stock exchange, but still has losses surpassing its 2019 earnings of EUR160 million
On handling organisation through a possible COVID-19 Africa slump, “We’re extremely long-lasting oriented so it has to do with doing what’s right with the governments and thinking of how we can help,” said Jumia’s CEO Sacha Poignonnec.
” Earnings wise, it’s actually to early to tell. We do think that e-commerce in Africa is a trend that surpasses this specific situation.”


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Charlotte’s first “car vending machine” is coming to South Blvd, directly across from the Scaleybark Light-rail Station. The new facility will be about 71 feet tall with 8,270 total square feet, according recently filed permit documents.
Carvana is a new online-focused car dealership that allows customers to go through the entire buying experience at home, then choose to have their new car delivered to their front door, or pick it up from one of their unique ‘vending machines’. They boast a 7-day ‘no-questions-asked’ return policy, which basically makes up for not being able to test drive the cars.
The CEO of Carvana recently explained the entire process on Fox Business:
The company stores most of its used-auto inventory away from — but within easy delivery distance of — the densely populated areas where most customers live, very similar to how Amazon.com runs their business.
They originally expanded to Charlotte in 2014, but their new vending machine concept will be a first for our city.
Here’s what the “car vending machine” process looks like in action:
The company has not yet released an opening date for their new South Blvd. car vending machine.
What do you think of Carvana’s new concept?


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RBI caps merchant discount rates to boost debit card transactions
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Dec 6 (ANI): In a bid to boost transactions using debit cards, and digitisation on the whole, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday has capped merchant discount rate (MDR) and will create a framework for asset-light acceptance infrastructure.
The decision was announced by the central bank's six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) while discussing the bi-monthly monetary policy here.
The MPC stated that a differentiated MDR for asset-light acceptance infrastructure and a cap on the amount of MDR per transaction will soon be prescribed. This, the RBI believes, will help facilitate increased usage of debit cards along with sustainability of the business for the entities involved.
The decision comes after the MPC noted a significant increase in the use of POS (point of sale). To this regard, the RBI revealed that it was "about time" that a further push was given, and hence proposed imposing a limit of the MDR.
According to the RBI, the proposed scheme will help widen the network of establishments that will enable use of debit cards. Further, it noted that marginalising MDR would increase debit card usage among small merchants.
Meanwhile, the MPC in a 5: 1 majority decided to keep the key policy repo rate unchanged at 6 percent, and reverse repo rate at 5.75 percent. The cash reserve ratio too has been left unchanged at 4 percent.
The projection of real GVA (gross value added) growth for 2017-18 of the October resolution at 6.7 percent has been retained.
"On the whole, inflation is estimated in the range 4.3-4.7 per cent in Q3 and Q4 of this year, including the HRA effect of up to 35 basis points, with risks evenly balanced," the apex bank said in its policy statement.
The MPC estimates growth in the third and fourth quarter of this fiscal year to be 7 and 7.8 percent respectively. (ANI)
This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI
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SFA Regents approve new logo, advertising campaign
February 13, 2014
The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved a new graphic identity and an ad campaign that will be seen on billboards and in malls throughout East Texas and in the Houston and Dallas areas. The designs were viewed by regents and discussed during a special session Monday.
SFA began conducting research one year ago to provide data for a marketing initiative to increase awareness of SFA and establish the university as a top choice for outstanding students in Texas and beyond.
"The goals of the rebranding campaign are to increase enrollment, recruit and retain high-caliber students, increase positive statewide perceptions of SFA, recruit and retain world-class faculty and staff members, reinforce internal pride in the university and motivate alumni and donors to invest in the university," said Jill Still, vice president for university advancement.
The logo was designed by the Richards/Carlberg agency, based in Houston. Chuck Carlberg is the agency principal and said that SFA is evolving, and the logo should reflect that.
"Graphically, SFA reads much more clearly in the new logo," Carlberg said. "With our new brand and distinct SFA purple, we will gain an awareness and a look that is as smart, clean and up to date as our university."
The current SFA logo has a star that indicates the location of the university in Nacogdoches, and Richards/Carlberg proposed keeping that as a feature of the new logo, along with the outline of the state of Texas and the university colors – purple and white. In the new logo, the "Nacogdoches star" appears in the middle of the "A" in "SFA." The logo approved Monday is very similar to the version proposed at the January board meeting, but the edge of the letter "A," which extends outside the eastern border of the state, has been refined.
A primary concern for most college students is being able to find a job after graduation. The SFA research showed that prospective students who think of SFA as a great place to go to college aren't always sure what academic programs are available at the university.
"Our new advertising campaign also will focus on educating prospective students and the general public about the areas of study available at SFA, and the fact that an SFA education provides outstanding career preparation," Still said.
The university will begin using the new logo when the trademark process is complete, and the new ad campaign will begin in the spring.
- Marketing campaign update - Jan. 28, 2016
- Marketing campaign update - Aug. 5, 2015
- Marketing campaign update - Feb. 9, 2015
- Marketing campaign update - Oct. 28, 2014
- Marketing campaign photos - Sept. 29, 2014
- Dr. Pattillo comments on the marketing campaign - Aug. 22, 2014
- Marketing campaign update - May 15, 2014
- Marketing campaign launched - Apr. 8, 2014
- SFA Regents approve new logo, advertising campaign - Feb. 20, 2014
- Marketing Update from UMC - Jan. 16, 2014


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2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited Redesign, Review, Price – A lot of significant events are held within Toyota. After the amazing reports about the redesign of famous designs like Land Cruiser along with Sequoia the well-known maker is bringing out the brand-new version of 2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited. Based on numerous studies that indicate the coming away from-roader is expected to debut next year as 2023YM. The 4Runner with the newest age group is likely to be renewed, and we could also wish that there choice be a number of mechanized adjustments.
2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited Redesign
Exterior And Interior Design
2023’s upcoming Toyota 4Runner Limited is much more dangerous than it was just. In addition, the upcoming model has significant improvements in all aspects. Based on the information that we were given, the new model will be based in a single unit which is likely to be significantly lighter the next time. In addition it is possible to imagine an altered body style that could incorporate a fresh grille, stronger bumpers, brighter rear lights and taillights.
One of the longest-lasting models one of the most durable versions is TRD Pro. The following editions of pickups include a include a hood scoop, skidplates large auto tires, high suspensions and all of-tire-generate techniques. Also, we must mention that each Toyota 4runner edition includes roofing carriers in the normal way.
In the past, we may see the same cabin layout in the 2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited. This particular model offers an easy, but practical interior. The SR5 trims and the Limited trims provide third-row seating for chairs, as well as enough space for many passengers.
The current model has an middle unit which has an 8eight” touchscreen display that can be used for multi-media applications. In addition, as standard equipment the SUV is equipped with Apple CarPlay as well as Google Android Car for the first time. The convenience is excellent and 4Runner comes with an adjustable front seat that can be strengthened. Additionally second-row seating is split and collapse in an 80/20/40, which provides nearly 90 cubic feet.
2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited Engine
There’s definitely a lot of information regarding the engine of the 2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited. We must point out that we rely on a variety of new developments. The latest version of the mid-size SUV 4Runner has a an impressive 4.-liter V6 that can produce 270 horsepower.
Most likely, the most recent model could feature a more refined and efficient powertrain. Many believe that the next generation could have a new engine, a turbo V6 engine or an improved V8 engine. In regards to towing, we do not think of major modifications. In addition, everything is determined by the powertrain that is used. The most recent 4Runner is judged to lift 5,000 pounds.
2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited Release Date And Price
The numerous recent 2023 Toyota 4Runner Limited will probably be refreshed and extremely competitive without a doubt. The kind of SUV could be on the market in the next year. But in terms of price we do not expect that there will be a huge increase in the latest version. The current 4Runner begins at $36,000. including the demand for it.


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Samsung has already completed the design and is making its final tweaks to the Galaxy S7 so that it can be ready for a January release. The news source cites “many people in the smartphone parts industries.”
If Samsung changes its release date for their next phone to January, it gives consumers a new timeframe to upgrade their smartphone. Samsung hopes that customers will pass on purchasing the iPhone 6s, which just launched last month, and instead buy the Galaxy S7 in January. Samsung and Apple are known to make some of the best smartphones in the world and usually compete directly with each other,.
Samsung has struggled lately, facing a decline in sales and profits. The company expects to return to growth in October though.


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U.S. officials are investigating at least 10 major banks for possible rigging of precious-metals markets, even though European regulators dropped a similar probe after finding no evidence of wrongdoing, according to people close to the inquiries.
Prosecutors in the Justice Department’s antitrust division are scrutinizing the price-setting process for gold, silver, platinum and palladium in London, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has opened a civil investigation, these people said. The agencies have made initial requests for information, including a subpoena from the CFTC to HSBC Holdings PLC related to precious-metals trading, the bank said in its annual report Monday.
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Troubled exercise bike maker Peloton held a virtual all-hands meeting this week that was promptly accessed by angry laid-off employees. As former employees added messages like “I’m selling all my Peloton apparel to pay my bills!!!,” the meeting was quickly shut down as yet another failure for the formerly high-flying company.
CNBC reports that exercise equipment maker Peloton held a virtual all-hands meeting on Wednesday that was meant to introduce the company’s new CEO, Barry McCarthy. But instead, the virtual meeting was accessed by angry laid-off employees who attacked company management in the meeting’s chat section.
The virtual meeting, primarily a conversation between McCarthy and former CEO John Foley, was cut short according to sources.
Breitbart News has previously reported on Peloton’s financial issues. Last month, the company announced that from January 31 onwards, Peloton would be adding a $250 delivery and setup fee for its Bike and another $350 for its Tread, bringing the cost of the products to $1,745 for the bike and $2,845 for the treadmill.
Now, the company is replacing company co-founder John Foley as CEO. Foley will be assuming the role of executive chair while former Spotify CFO Barry McCarthy will be taking on the role of Peloton CEO and president and joining the company’s board.
The company will also be cutting around 2,800 jobs, or 20 percent of its workforce, to cope with low demand for its products and continued losses. The exercise company is also reportedly giving all laid-off employees a free membership to its own services. In a press release about the layoffs, the company stated: “The Peloton monthly membership will be complimentary for impacted team members for an additional 12 months.”
During the virtual meeting, employees wrote fiery messages in the chat. “I’m selling all my Peloton apparel to pay my bills!!!,” said one person. “This is awfully tone deaf,” another stated. “The company messed up by allowing people who were fired into this chat,” a user wrote. “Too late to mod this.”
Read more at CNBC here.


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By Kris Michell | Downtown Partnership News
You have an idea that you want to turn into a company? Pitching to investors but with little success? Not sure what to do?
These are the questions that weigh on entrepreneurs trying to transform a preliminary concept into a successful business, and are the questions that can be answered when the resources and tools are nearby. That is where the Downtown San Diego Partnership is stepping up to make a difference.
Let’s grow and foster a startup community where knowledge can be easily shared, right here in downtown.
To strengthen Downtown’s growing tech ecosystem, the Partnership is partnering with UC San Diego Extension. Launched last summer, The Collaboratory for Downtown Innovation, or CDI, offers a variety of programs to help local entrepreneurs develop the networks critical for future growth. Classes are taught right here at the partnership’s offices.
In collaboration with UC San Diego Office of Innovation and Commercialization, CDI recently launched the first program of its kind — a free, six-week Entrepreneur Certificate Program. The program is focused on early-stage founders who have already decided to start their business and are now focused on execution but need further support to take the next step.
The Entrepreneur Certificate Program helps participants discover what they need to be successful by providing practical knowledge. This allows them to focus on critical business needs.
This is an exciting opportunity for early-stage entrepreneurs looking to take off.
Students have access to some of the biggest names in the startup space. The program is facilitated by Greg Horowitt, co-founder and managing director of T2 Venture Creation. Horowitt has spent more than 25 years working in startups and venture capital, and has been a founder, investor and board member in many leading organizations.
As the inaugural class comes to end, there are so many inspiring stories. Take Melissa, the wife of a disabled veteran, who started an online stationary business before her husband was injured.
After relaunching her website, she is now using the class to help regrow her customer base. Or Ryan, a retiring U.S. Navy officer looking to start his next chapter by starting a business.
There are many exciting things happening in the Downtown startup space, and the Downtown Partnership is proud of, and committed to, its work in this area.
The innovation economy is critical to Downtown’s continued growth and success, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners to make Downtown a center of innovation.
—Kris Michell is the president and CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a nonprofit, member-based organization that oversees the Clean & Safe program and serves as the leading advocate for the revitalization and economic health of Downtown. For questions or comments, email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Kuala Lumpur, 26 January 2018,
Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (PNS) is allocating between RM30 million and RM35 million this year to finance entrepreneurs who are keen to undertake franchise business.
Managing Director, Datuk Syed Kamarulzaman Syed Zainol Khodki Shahabudin said the amount was the same as what the agency allocated last year to finance franchise entrepreneurs.
“We expect the allocation to benefit between 200 and 250 entrepreneurs this year,” he told a press conference on PNS’s strategic collaboration with fast food chain operator, Marrybrown Sdn Bhd.
He said apart from franchise sector financing, PNS would also allocate RM30 million for investment in the property sector.
To date, PNS had disbursed some RM400 million for the franchise sector, benefiting 1,700 entrepreneurs, and invested RM424 million in the property sector, he added.
On the collaboration with Marrybrown, Syed Kamarulzaman said the agency would offer financing to 17 entrepreneurs who wanted to become its franchisee.
He said that PNS would provide an average of 70 per cent of the cost of opening a Marrybrown restaurant, which ranges from RM800,000 to RM2 million depending on the size and services offered.
Meanwhile, Marrybrown Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Joshua Liew said the company planned to open 25 new outlets this year and would allocate 10 outlets for Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
He said the company was also planning to open at least six outlets overseas this year, one each in Iran and Sri Lanka and three in New Zealand. Liew said the agreement with the master franchisor in Iran would see the opening of at least 30 outlets in that country within the next five years.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, he said the master franchisor was expected to open at least 10 outlets within the next three years.Currently, Marrybrown has more than 400 restaurants in 15 countries including Malaysia, Singapore, China, India, the Maldives and Indonesia.
Read more at : http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/01/26/pns-allocates-up-to-rm35mn-for-franchise-business/


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I remember a time when Netflix was special. The company was delivering innovative ideas to the marketplace, it fully understood its customers, and its management was in tune with the changing market dynamics. Netflix was, just last year, in fact, a tech giant.
But after increasing how much it charges customers for access to its rentals and its streaming, and watching its content partners turn their backs on it unless it paid up, everything has changed. Now, Netflix is a shadow of its former self, and a company that, as far as I’m concerned, could very well be on its way to outright obsolescence.
The single thing saving Netflix right now, however, is the fact that it’s not really faced with any tough competition. Vudu is fine, but few people know about it. And although Amazon is trying its own streaming service, it’s not something the company has promoted effectively. At this point, Netflix is still a household name when it comes to streaming.
But before long, that will change. Based on what we’ve seen with Apple over the last several months, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the company is warming to the idea of streaming. And when that happens, expect movies and television shows to accompany it.
Don’t believe me? Let’s first start with the fact that, years ago, Apple bought out Lala’s music-streaming service. Sure, that hasn’t really been used in anything yet, but Apple has been known to pick up companies for the sole purpose of using their technologies years after.
[aquote]Apple’s iCloud platform is ripe for streaming content[/aquote]
Moreover, the company’s iCloud platform seems ripe for streaming content. Most people expect it to offer users the chance to stream their own content across multiple products, but what if Apple delivered a Netflix-like offering that includes not only what customers own but also what they don’t?
Out of all of the companies operating in the technology space right now, only Apple has the cash, the infrastructure, and the user base to deliver a solution that could take on Netflix. Even more concerning for Netflix, Apple is the only company with somewhat strong ties with Hollywood studios. The right deal might just get those studios to play ball — and in the process, hurt Netflix.
We’ve been hearing for years that Apple is a hardware company that wants nothing more than to generate huge profits off of computers, iPhones, and other products. However, in recent years, Apple has warmed to the idea of being more well-rounded, thanks to the launch of its App Store, MobileMe, and yes, iCloud. The days of Apple caring solely about hardware are long gone.
And that alone could be dangerous for Netflix. Apple realizes that today’s consumers want to be entertained, and it understands that cornering the streaming market is a key ingredient in maintaining its control well into the future.
Look for Apple to take aim at Netflix in the coming years. And when it does, expect Netflix to crumble under the pressure.


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I have been sorting out a few bills this week and was struck by the number of companies still asking me to give full card details over the phone. These weren’t small companies either, one major mobile provider was on the list. I know what you’re thinking…GDPR
From May 2018, any organisation which processes or stores personal data, including payment card data, will need to adhere to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation.
With fines of up to four per cent of a company’s global annual turnover or £18m, whichever is greater, businesses of all sizes are at serious risk if they don’t start to protect themselves and their customers.
Implications of a GDPR breach
A GDPR breach can cost a business millions of pounds in fines, but for some the negative impact it can have on a company’s reputation can be far more damaging. As an example, a recent report (on itgovernance.co.uk) has shown that 24% of consumers will switch banks if their personal financial data has been breached and more than a third of consumers will shop elsewhere if their retailer has been breached – this means repercussions that can long outlast initial fines.
GDPR a bit of a minefield
There is help at hand however and there are solutions available which greatly reduce the effort involved in becoming compliant and staying compliant. We can help you achieve compliance quickly, cost effectively, and without huge disruption to day to day operations.


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It’s no longer just nice to share.
Just ask Hans Schmidt.
Whenever the 30-year-old South Loop resident is headed to the grocery store, library or a friend’s house, he takes out his smartphone and opens his SideCar app.
Instantly, he’s making money. On the clock in the middle of his daily routine.
He receives ride requests from hundreds of Chicagoans. He sees where they are and where they want to go. He’ll pick up a passenger along his route, chat for a few minutes, drop them off and receive payment in 24 hours.
“It really is as easy as that,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt is one of many Chicagoans finding creative ways to make a quick buck by hiring out their personal belongings and underused assets.
Schmidt is a driver for SideCar, a San Francisco-based startup that came to Chicago in March. He went through interviews, a background check, insurance checks and a ride-along to get approved.
Since becoming a driver in April, Schmidt has given 350 rides and uses the extra income to pay off student loans.
“Sometimes I even pay extra on my loans instead of just the minimum, which is great. I never expected to be able to do that,” said Schmidt, who is awaiting admission into a medical residency program. “Every dollar, especially in this economy, helps.”
Schmidt is part of the burgeoning “sharing economy,” sometimes called “collaborative consumption.”
It’s a trend that’s turning millions of people into part-time entrepreneurs. The sharing economy operates on the principle that access to a good trumps ownership. The idea is digging the hole is more important than owning the shovel.
“We are hoping to create a world where car ownership will be optional in cities like Chicago," said Lisa Frame, SideCar’s Chicago city manager.
Shannon O’Brien doesn’t own a car.
Yet the 29-year-old works a hectic job as a freelance make-up artist, spending her days bouncing from downtown hotels for bridals parties and homes of private clients for special events.
While O’Brien said SideCar is usually cheaper than cab fare--saying she spends an average of $12 on a SideCar ride from her Humboldt Park home to the South Loop--she enjoys the community aspect of her involvement in the sharing economy most.
“My job is so much about traveling and running around, for that to be a little bit more enjoyable for me is huge,” she said. “You feel good about getting a ride from SideCar. You meet all these great people. I have so much faith in my drivers. It’s almost like getting a ride from a friend. And if you can hire a friend for a job, why wouldn’t you? ”
It’s certainly easy enough to hire a “friend” in Chicago thanks to a slew of new start-ups.
You can rent a dusty couch to a stranger on CouchSurfing. Share your shovel on SnapGoods. Act as a one-man taxi service with SideCar. Turn your driveway into your personal parking meter on Parkatmyhouse. You can even borrow a $40 bottle of Chanel nail polish through a Netflix-like service called Lacquerous.
You name it--you can rent it and make a profit off it.
But don’t be mistaken. The sharing economy is more than a few people renting their lawn mower for $5 a day.
Forbes estimates the sharing economy revenue will surpass $3.5 billion this year. And companies aren’t just watching idly.
ZipCar, America’s largest car-sharing service, was purchased by Avis in January for $491.3 million.
I-GO, the first to bring car-sharing to Chicago in 2002, was acquired in May by Enterprise Holdings, operators of Enterprise, National and Alamo rent-a-car brands. The financial terms of that acquisition were not disclosed, as Enterprise is a private company.
While one-time non-profit car-sharing services being gobbled up by national brands certainly diminishes the community-level spending appeal to the sharing economy, it may offer a more reliable delivery system.
“The challenge (with car-sharing and the sharing economy) is people are often concerned about sharing with someone else and actually knowing who you are sharing with,” said Ryan Johnson, assistant vice president of Enterprise Car Sharing. “What worries people in the sharing economy is the methodology in which I am bound to other sharers. This really has opened up the spectrum of who can and wants to share by eliminating that one-on-one handoff that makes people concerned and providing credibility.”
Car-sharing outlets acquired by companies also avoid the regulatory uncertainty that clouds the sharing economy.
As Reported by The Wall Street Journal, SideCar suspended its service in New York City in May after an administrative court judge ruled that one of its drivers violated the city’s law governing taxis and limousines.
There are other concerns surrounding the sharing economy, chiefly that peer-to-peer transactions aren’t being reported as taxable income. But the plot only thickens from there. Should room-renters through sites like Airbnb be subject to hotel taxes? Should car-sharing drivers have to operate with a car services or taxi license?
Time will tell. Either way, sharing has evolved into much more than the timeless concept being taught in preschools across the country.
Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.


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Against the odds: Kuehne + Schenker? War? Rates? – 'thanks for the firework of questions'
One of Trefzger’s last shots
SEEKING ALPHA reports:
– Electric vehicle automaker Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has made roughly $1B of digital profit on Bitcoin (BTC-USD) over the last month, estimates Wedbush Securities.
– Dan Ives puts that windfall in perspective by noting that Tesla is on a trajectory to make more from its Bitcoin investments than profits from selling its EV cars in all of 2020.
– Ives and team think other public companies will follow Tesla’s lead on the speculative diversification play.
To read the full post, please click here.


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Smartphone Ownership Segmented By Age
When wanting to engage in the mobile channel, it’s very important for businesses to know the profile of their clients. Do they own a smartphone or not?
Nielsen released today a report highlighting the age segments that own smartphones. In fact, 62 percent of mobile adults aged 25-34 are owning smartphones. For the segments 18-24 and 35-44 years old the smartphone penetration rate is around 54 percent.
Other groups show slightly lower penetration rates. Around 40 percent of 12-17 year-old teens and 40 percent of 45-54 year-olds reported owning a smartphone, as opposed to a more basic feature phone.
After younger adults, the segment with the second fastest-growing smartphone penetration rate is those aged 55-64. Smartphone penetration among this older group is only 30 percent, but it grew 5 percent this quarter.


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Android, Apple lead U.S. smartphone market, others play catch-up
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
The Android operating system’s share of smartphone sales grew to 53% from January through October, up from 42% in 2010, and Apple’s iOS share rose to 29%, up from 21% last year, research firm NPD Group said Tuesday.
Research in Motion, which makes the BlackBerry, continued to see its share of the smartphone market decline, plummeting to 10% in the first 10 months of this year. In 2010, it held one-fourth of the market.
Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7, Symbian OS and Palm/webOS had tiny shares of the market, with each operating system capturing no more than 3%.
‘The competitive landscape for smartphones, which has been reshaped by Apple and Google, has ultimately forced every major handset provider through a major transition,’ said Ross Rubin, executive director of Connected Intelligence at the NPD Group. ‘For many of them, 2012 will be a critical year in assessing how effective their responses have been.’
Motorola is seeking to rebuild its share of the market, which was 36% five years ago but had fallen as low as 1% in the third quarter of 2009. After adopting Android, Motorola rose to 16% of the market in the fourth quarter last year but fell to 12% in the third quarter this year. But Rubin said Motorola is at least back in the game.
Another smartphone maker hoping to rebound next year is RIM. Rubin said few companies ‘have felt the impact of the shift to touch user interfaces and larger screen sizes as negatively,’ but noted that the company is beginning anew with a strong technical foundation and has already made incremental improvements this year with the release of its BlackBerry 7 operating system. In the second quarter of 2006, RIM held half of all smartphone sales, but by the third quarter this year, it had fallen to 8%.
-- Andrea Chang


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A new foreign exchange trading week has arrived – and while the coronavirus crisis is still continuing around the world, there are many scheduled economic calendar events to watch for.
Monday, there will be a meeting of the Eurogroup take place at some stage across the course of the day.
These events are attended by a range of leaders including the president of the Eurogroup, finance ministers from member states and more.
Those who are concerned about the economic health of China during the coronavirus crisis are likely to be watching releases from the country overnight.
Industrial production figures for February came out at 2am GMT.
Year on year, this was expected to show a very significant drop from 6.9% to 1.5% – but actually went as far as -13.5%.
Retail sales figures for February were also expected to go into significant decline and move from 8% to 0.8% – but eventually reached -20.5%.
The German Bundesbank is also scheduled to release its monthly report at some stage on Monday.
On Tuesday of this week, the Reserve Bank of Australia will release the minutes of its recent meeting.
This is due out at 12:30am GMT.
Unemployment figures are expected out of the UK at 9:30am GMT.
It is believed that the figures for the three months to January will not show any change from their previous position of 3.8%.
Retail sales information is expected out of the US at 12:30pm GMT.
At present, there is no indication as to whether this will change.
Japanese trade balance data is expected late on Tuesday.
This is due to come out at 11:50pm GMT.
Looking ahead to Wednesday, Europe will be in the spotlight at 10am GMT when consumer price index information for February is published.
Later in the day, Canadian consumer price index information for February will come out – with the year on year change expected to move from 1.8% to 1.7%.
The ongoing coronavirus crisis is expected to continue to cause havoc in the foreign exchange markets over the course of the week.
Many traders are concerned about the effect on the wider economy.
Many are also worried about what the consequences of what any central bank action might be.
Late on Sunday night, for example, it was revealed that the US Federal Reserve would cut interest rates in the US to zero.
According to the press, the Fed said that it believed that “the coronavirus outbreak has harmed communities and disrupted economic activity in many countries, including the United States”.
It added that it was “prepared to use its full range of tools to support the flow of credit to households and businesses and thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals”.
It also revealed that it would be launching a $700bn quantitative easing programme as a way of potentially reducing the economic effects of the crisis.
One member of the Fed’s decision-making committee, Loretta Mester – who serves as the president of the Cleveland Federal Reserve – voted against the change, although she was overruled.


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Just last week, we shared news of a crowdfunding campaign for Kowloon’s Rhizome: A Day of the Fire, a sequel to the 1997-released PlayStation title Kowloon’s Gate. That campaign is now live, and the team is looking to bring in $19,000 to make the game a reality. If that goal is hit, backers can expect the game to launch sometime in Fall 2021 for Switch. You can check out the crowdfunding campaign here.
Let's see if the funding comes in


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Dillon’s Carbinite coating is ideal for hard or soft jaws, especially Vise Jaws and Step Jaws used for clamping applications.
Total Seal just announced the management system of Total Seal Inc. has been found to conform to the Quality Management System Standard ISO9001:2015 for design, machining, fabrication and assembly of piston rings. Matt Hartford, CEO of Total Seal, commented, “Congratulations to the team at Total Seal for their hard work and dedication in achieving this significant ISO
Lately, I’ve had the Led Zeppelin song, Ten Years Gone, running through my head. The lyrics above signify my own 10 years here at Babcox Media. It seems crazy to think I’ve been working within the Engine Builder brand for a decade now! Half of that, I’ve been at the helm as Editor and now
Continuing its leadership role in secure digital connectivity and Industry 4.0 manufacturing, Mazak has joined major cybersecurity research universities and enterprises throughout the country as a collaborative partner with the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII). Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, CyManII brings together the nation’s foremost manufacturers and research institutions along with the
QualCast, a leading distributor of the best quality aftermarket engine products since 1997, announces the launch of a new warehouse located in Amarillo, TX. This will be the company’s ninth warehouse spanning over 11,000 square feet. The new warehouse location at 401 S Monroe Street, Amarillo, TX, 79101, serves as another ship point for QualCast
We recently got access to go inside Callies Performance Products‘ Fostoria, OH facility and speak with owner Rick Norton and his son Heath Norton, up close and personal. What we got was the story of how Callies came to be a leading manufacturer of engine components, and where the company is going next.
The state of manufacturing in general, and engine component production these days domestically, is forcing manufacturers overseas due to many factors. We decided to take a look behind the curtain to see how some of these components are really made.
Jaguar Land Rover’s more than $1 billion Engine Manufacturing Center (EMC) recently celebrated production of its first Ingenium gas engine, which will debut in vehicles later in the summer.
Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) was recently selected by the U.S. Department of Energy, as part of its Manufacturing USA initiative, to lead its new Reducing Embodied-Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Institute—a national coalition of leading universities and companies that will forge new clean energy initiatives deemed critical in keeping U.S. manufacturing competitive.
Lokar has announced that Jeffrey Walls has been named Manufacturing Systems Engineer to drive improvements within the business processes to provide better quality, delivery and service to customers.
Melling Cylinder Sleeves in Maquoketa, IA can manufacture a custom sleeve for your application.


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An 8-year-old from Duluth won't have presents under the tree this year – and it's not because she made Santa's naughty list.
Anna Stanley decided to give her Christmas presents away this year to help people in need.
Stanley has asked people to donate all the money that would have gone towards buying her gifts, according to the Salvation Army. The donations are then being used to make stuffed toys for kids who might not otherwise get holiday presents.
The Salvation Army says Stanley chose to use the money to make the stuffed toys at the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Duluth's Miller Hill Mall because it's her favorite place to be.
When the store heard the story of a young girl giving her Christmas presents away, they asked her to help build one-hundred more bears to donate, the Duluth News Tribune reports. Stanley accepted the offer and was "hired."
Stanley finished her job Saturday and made the last sixteen stuffed animals, the Salvation Army says. She bought six of those bears with her own money and then the store donated the rest.
For information on how you too can Give Christmas Away, click here.
The Salvation Army says its Northern Division, which serves Minnesota and North Dakota, gives away about 202,000 Christmas toys each year.


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Craft beer lovers and brewers will gather in Boone to celebrate the 12th annual High Country Beer Fest on Saturday, August 24, 2019, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. at the High Country Fairgrounds. Summer’s coolest event will feature more than 60 breweries, live music, local craft food, and educational seminars — all served up in the spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.
High Country Beer Fest showcases the best of locally crafted beers, as well as beers and ciders from craft and micro-breweries from across the region and the country. The event takes place at the High Country Fairgrounds, 784 Roby Greene Road, Boone, NC.
“Favorite local breweries like AMB, Booneshine, and Lost Province will be back this year. The lineup also includes Brown Truck, Fonta Flora, and many more fantastic breweries,” says Brett Taubman, director and founding member of the High Country Beer Fest. Taubman is also a professor in the Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences Department at Appalachian State University and directs the Fermentation Sciences.
Dubbed a boutique beer festival, High Country Beer Fest is small by design yet offers something for all. “Whether you’re an aficionado or just enjoy a cold one on a hot day, you’ll find a lot to sample and enjoy,” Taubman adds.
Last year, Beer Fest drew more than 3,000 attendees. This year is expected to be just as successful.
VIP and General Admission tickets are available now on the High Country Beer Fest website, www.hcbeerfest.com, or at Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants, 1104 NC-105 in Boone
General Admission tickets are $40 each and include a sample glass for limitless tasting of more than 150 of different beers. VIP tickets are $80. These ticket holders receive a specialty tasting glass as well as a festival t-shirt, meal voucher, and one-hour early entry into the festival.
Because HCBF encourages all patrons to be responsible and safe, Designated Driver tickets are also available for $10 each. All attendees must be 21 years or older.
Tickets are also available at the gate, $60 for General Admission, $100 for VIP, and $15 for Designated Driver.
Education Never Tasted So Good
Beer and education go hand in hand at High Country Beer Fest. Created in 2007, the festival helps support App State’s Fermentation Sciences program. More than $264,000 has been raised to date, helping purchase equipment and fund scholarships and research grants. Fermentation Sciences students also participate in the festival, serving up their brews under the label Ivory Tower Brewing.
“It’s more than a fun festival with great beer. The awareness, interest, and funds raised through the festival help ensure a thriving future for craft beers and brewers,” says Taubman.
This year’s educational seminars will highlight fermented foods made by students and professors, including vinegars, hot sauces, kombucha, and pickled vegetables.
As a nonprofit event, High Country Beer Fest also donates a portion of proceeds to local charities and nonprofits. To date, more than $24,000 has been raised for these organizations.
Visit www.hcbeerfest.com for more information, including discounted rates from sponsoring hotels.
About High Country Beer Fest
High Country Beer Fest (HCBF) is dedicated to the celebration of quality craft beer, cider, and other brews with an emphasis on education. Founded by like-minded brewers and Appalachian State University professors, HCBF showcases the depth and creativity that embodies the craft brewing industry.
HCBF is a not-for-profit event that raises money for Fermentation Sciences at Appalachian State University. A portion of proceeds also goes to support local nonprofit organizations.


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NH High Tech Council seeks Product of the Year applications
MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire High Tech Council encourages Granite State organizations interested to apply for the 2015 Product of the Year award.
The award is one of the council’s cornerstone events and recognizes New Hampshire’s most innovative products developed in the past year and provides a platform for entrepreneurs to receive free advice, major product promotion and podium time in front of hundreds of tech leaders. Finalists will present their innovations to a live audience Nov. 12, held this year at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford.
At the award ceremony, the audience is actively engaged and helps select the winner. After the presentations, audience members cast their votes for top product. The audience vote counts towards 50 percent of the final tabulation, with the initial judges’ votes counts comprising the remaining 50 percent. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the event.
The application period is open and applications are available at NHHTC.org. In mid-October, up to five finalists will be selected by a panel of judges composed of entrepreneurs, investors and past winners, and awarded with POY Judges' Awards. The Judges' Award winners will then present their products in a trade show format at the event, which includes a seven-minute presentation to a live audience.
The award program offers finalists and winners significant visibility through the judging process and product demonstrations, both at the event and in overall promotions. In addition, each winner is showcased at the council’s display and on a crystal trophy, which was recently moved to the new visitor center on Route 93 south in Hooksett. Past winners include Prosenex, Single Digits, Nanocomp Technologies, UltraVision, Insight Tech Gear, Holase Incorporated, Sky-Skan, Foss Manufacturing and Therma-HEXX.