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To facilitate the import of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government continues to waive some tariffs, but balks at broad relief. Among the recent developments in this respect are the launch of a new US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) COVID-19 website. In addition, CBP and the Food and Drug Administration have issued updated guidance for importing COVID-19 supplies and new Section 301 tariff exclusions have been published.
As individuals and businesses face the growing health and economic crisis stemming from the global COVID-19 outbreak, the government has searched for balanced ways to provide relief to those struggling, and trade measures are no exception. However, after initially accepting requests from importers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to defer payment of duties, US Customs and Border Protection recently issued guidance withdrawing this option.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical items such as masks, ventilators and gowns are difficult to find. With people looking overseas to source these items, this article provides some basic guidance for importing them in a way which satisfies US import requirements and facilitates quick processing through clearance. Many of these items are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as medical devices and are also subject to US Customs and Border Protection regulations.
The US Trade Representative recently requested comments on the removal of Section 301 tariffs from Chinese medical care, including those that have previously been denied an exclusion, which are needed to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. As manufacturers of medical care products increase production and unrelated supply chains shift to aid the global fight against COVID-19, parties should consider whether Section 301 tariffs are impeding their ability to contribute to the cause.
Section 301 of the Trade Act authorises the president to take retaliatory action if it is determined that a trade act, policy or practice of a foreign government is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts US commerce. December 2019 saw significant end-of-year developments on the Section 301 tariff front. US importers should take stock of these as they plan for 2020.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) recently began accepting petitions as part of the 2019 Miscellaneous Tariff Bill process. Under this process, a member of the public may request that Congress temporarily eliminate or reduce duty on an imported article for three years. Petitions are due no later than 10 December 2019 at 5:15pm Eastern Standard Time via the ITC online portal.
List 4A goes into effect, all Section 301 tariffs are to increase by 5%, the US Trade Representative deadlines loom and the president has ordered US companies to "search for alternatives" to China sourcing. This is your end-of-summer Section 301 China tariffs round-up.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently ruled that where the scope of an anti-dumping/countervailing duty order is ambiguous, US Customs and Border Protection has no independent authority to suspend liquidation without explicit instructions from the US Department of Commerce.
Mirroring President Trump's recent threats – which came just days after the Section 301 tariff on List 3 products was increased from 10% to 25% following a breakdown in trade negotiations between the United States and China – the administration has released a fourth list of Chinese-origin products that will be subject to additional duties. For these tariffs to become effective, the Office of the United States Trade Representative will need to publish a final notice after a public comment period and hearing.
Following a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, President Trump announced plans for an "epic" trade deal with China. However, to date, Trump has declined to set a date for a signing summit with President Xi Jinping to hammer out a final trade agreement, for which the Section 301 tariffs have emerged as a sticking point. China has demanded that the tariffs be removed as part of any final deal, while the White House hopes to use the tariffs as leverage to ensure compliance.


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The YouTube video distribution platform is the victim of a major outage that would affect more than 250,000 subscribers around the world.
It is currently impossible for these users to view a video on the site as well as on the applications of the tech giant. The YouTube team is currently trying to fix the problem.
“If you’re having trouble watching videos on YouTube right now, you’re not alone. Our team is aware of the problem and is trying to find a solution, ”the YouTube team wrote on Twitter.
More details will follow.

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Nikola Stock (NKLA) beat fourth quarter estimates and announced development on critical production objectives, while Fisker (FSR) reported solid demand need for its EV. Nikola stock and Fisker stock rose late.
Nikola Stock Earnings
Estimates: Analysts anticipate a loss of twenty three cents a share on nominal revenue. Thus much, Nikola’s modest sales came from solar energy installations and not from electric vehicles.
According to FintechZoom, Nikola posted a 17-cent loss each share on zero revenue. Inside Q4, Nikola made “significant progress” at the Ulm of its, Germany grow, with trial production of the Tre semi truck set to start in June. It also noted improvement at the Coolidge of its, Ariz. website, which will start producing the Tre later on within the third quarter. Nikola has finished the assembly of the very first five Nikola Tre prototypes. It affirmed a goal to give the very first Nikola Tre semis to customers in Q4.
Nikola’s lineup includes battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell semi trucks. It’s targeting a launch of the battery electric Nikola Tre, with 300 miles of assortment, in Q4. A fuel cell variant of the Tre, with longer range up to 500 miles, is set to follow in the 2nd half of 2023. The company additionally is targeting the launch of a fuel-cell semi truck, considered the Two, with up to nine hundred miles of range, inside late 2024.
The Tre EV is going to be initially built in a factory in Ulm, Germany and eventually found in Coolidge, Ariz. Nikola specify a target to significantly finish the German plant by conclusion of 2020 and to finish the first cycle with the Arizona plant’s building by end of 2021.
But plans in order to build an electrical pickup truck suffered an extreme blow in November, when General Motors (GM) ditched blueprints to bring an equity stake of Nikola and to help it build the Badger. Actually, it agreed to supply fuel-cells for Nikola’s business-related semi trucks.
Stock: Shares rose 3.7 % late Thursday right after closing lower 6.8 % to 19.72 for constant stock market trading. Nikola stock closed again below the 50-day model, cotinuing to trend smaller following a drumbeat of news that is bad.
Chinese EV producer Li Auto (LI), which noted a surprise benefit early on Thursday, fell 9.8 %. Tesla (TSLA) slumped 8.1 % after it halted Model 3 production amid the worldwide chip shortage. Electric powertrain maker Hyliion (HYLN), which reported steep losses Tuesday, sold off of 7.5 %.
Nikola Stock (NKLA) beat fourth quarter estimates & announced progress on critical production


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On Monday, Microstrategy’s Saylor announced that his company had purchased an additional 7002 Bitcoins, bringing the total stash in its coffers to 121,044 Bitcoins since it announced its first Bitcoin purchase On August 11th, 2020.
In a FORM 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the same day, the company disclosed having purchased the coins for a total of $414.4 million in cash at an average price of $59,187 per bitcoin inclusive of fees and expenses. This brings the total cost of acquiring its entire bitcoin stash to $3.57 billion at an average price of $29,534 per coin.
Microstrategy’s Insatiable Appetite For Bitcoin
The latest purchase come only months after the business intelligence company purchased 3,907 BTC in August as the price continued to recover from July lows, splashing $177 Million in the process.
Since making its first Bitcoin purchase, the company’s matriarch Michael Saylor has been an ardent promoter of the asset, strategically scooping some coins when the price dips. Michael’s genius intuition has placed the company in profits that he has previously said were unimagined while constantly defending his decisions which are largely seen as too aggressive.
As of last month, the company’s investment in Bitcoin had doubled, standing at an impressive $7 billion with $2 billion in profit being raked in October alone.
MicroStrategy retains the first position being the most heavily invested public traded company in Bitcoin followed by Tesla which currently holds 42,902 Bitcoins.
Purchase Hoped To Revitalize Price
The move has been applauded by the crypto community as their hope for Bitcoin’s price to push higher got rekindled by the purchase. Bitcoin’s price has been on a sell-off spree since tapping an all-time high of $68,000 three weeks ago and has since entered into a consolidation.
However, despite the announcement of the purchase, popular gold crusader Peter Schiff was quick to scold Saylor for what he likened to market “hostage” tactics.
“Of course you did. You’re pot committed at this point. Also, you are not only buying to help prop up the market but to publicly announce your purchases to keep the rest of the HODLers on board. That’s part of the cult of Bitcoin. DiamondHands. Never sell, no matter what!” he shouted.
At press time, the asset’s price is still attempting to recover over 16% of its lost value since hitting an all-time high after recovering for the last two days. With the price having rebound from the $53,000 psychological area, which most view as strong support, it is expected that the news could add some steam to aid price in recovering faster.


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Moto E7 Plus renders and full spec sheet leaked along with price
While Motorola is making headlines for its foldable Moto Razr smartphone, it also seems to be working on the budget Moto E7 Plus handset. It's not yet official but the leaked renders strongly indicate its arrival soon. The new renders also come alongside the specifications and the price tag.
As noted by Winfuture.de website, the Moto E7 Plus will run Android 10 and will be powered by the Snapdragon 460 processor. This will be complemented by 4GB RAM and 64GB inbuilt storage. However, it will also feature a microSD card for storage expansion. There will be a 6.5-inch LCD screen with HD+ 1600x720 resolution pixels. At the front there will be an 8-megapixel sensor at the notch on top while at the back there will be a 48-emgapixel primary camera with Night Vision and a 2-megapixel depth camera as well. There will also be a physical fingerprint scanner at the back.
mobile to buy?
As one can see from the images, the smartphone may come in two colours – Blue and Gold. On the right side there will be a power button along with volume buttons and a third one for firing up the Google Assistant.
The report adds that Moto E7 Plus weighs 200 grams and will pack a 5000mAh battery that will support microUSB charging with up to 10W speed. There will also be a 3.5mm headphone jack.
As for the price, the E7 Plus is expected to debut in the European region at around EUR 149. However, it will be cheaper in Germany. There is no word on its India launch. That said, since the Moto E6 Plus was announced last year in September, we can expect the E7 Plus to arrive any time now.


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Sales of beer, cider and flavored malt beverages topped $38.2 billion in 2018, according to market research firm Nielsen, which tracks category-wide sales at major off-premise retailers.
For the 52-week period ending December 28, 2018, category-wide dollar sales grew just 0.7 percent, according to the retail data provider. Sales slowed in the back half of the year, however, as sales dipped 0.1 percent during the final four-week period of 2018.
According to Nielsen, off-premise dollar sales of beer were flat (-0.2 percent), eclipsing $34.6 billion.
Meanwhile, craft beer dollar sales were also relatively flat (-0.7 percent), to more than $4.9 billion, while volume sales declined 1.4 percent. Craft dollar sales declined over the last 26 weeks (-1.8 percent), 13 weeks (-2.2 percent) and four weeks (-4 percent) of the year.
Caitlyn Battaglia, a manager within Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice Area, told Brewbound that the growth of craft over the last five years makes for difficult comps. She added that craft brewers are also dealing with increased competition, as the number of breweries has swelled to more than 7,000, and changing consumer tastes as offerings such as hard seltzers and kombucha have emerged and captured market share.
Although 2018 beer sales were flat, Battaglia said there were “pockets of growth” in domestic super premiums (+14.3 percent), FMBs (+10.2 percent), cider (+8.4 percent) and imports (+5.8 percent).
Within FMBs, hard seltzer drove much of the growth and now makes up 1.3 percent of total beer category dollar share, Nielsen reported.
Hard seltzer dollar sales grew about 169 percent, to nearly $487.8 million, while volumes increased 181 percent, Nielsen reported.
Hard seltzer dollar sales grew triple-digits throughout 2018 — 26 weeks (+175.5 percent), 13 weeks (+201.4 percent) and four weeks (+217.9 percent). However, Battaglia said the bulk of sales still occurred between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“It’s very summer skewed,” she said, adding that the July 4 holiday marked the peak of sales, similar to other beer category segments.
Despite its seasonality, the hard seltzer segment is continuing to develop as new entrants launch products, Battaglia said. Earlier this month, Oskar Blues began shipping its Wild Basin Boozy Sparkling Water brand in Colorado and North Carolina with plans for a nationwide launch in early 2019. Oskar Blues joined a field that includes craft breweries such as Wachusett (Nauti Seltzer), Two Beers (Sound Hard Seltzer), M.I.A Beer Company (HRD WTR), NoDa Brewing (Brizo), Platform Beer Co., Braxton Brewing (Vive) as well as products from large alcohol companies such as Mark Anthony Brands (White Claw), Boston Beer Company (Truly Spiked & Sparkling), Anheuser-Busch (Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer), MillerCoors (Henry’s Hard Sparkling Water), Constellation Brands (Svedka Spiked Premium Seltzer) and Diageo (Smirnoff Hard Sparkling), among others.
Meanwhile, hard seltzers are on the verge of receiving its largest captive audience, as A-B will use one of its Super Bowl ad spots to promote the Bon & Viv brand.
Hard seltzers were also a popular topic during Beer Business Daily’s annual Beer Summit, held in San Diego.
During a discussion Sunday afternoon, Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch said his company would double production of the Truly Spiked & Sparkling brand in 2019. He added that the company has already begun filling distributor warehouses with product in advance of the summer selling season.
Additionally, Koch said more hard seltzer could have been sold had there not been a shortage of slim cans that he blamed on Diet Coke transitioning to the format.
Still, Koch said there’s an opportunity to grow the hard seltzer segment at bars and restaurants. Those comments were echoed by Sanjiv Gajiwala, senior vice president of marketing for Mark Anthony Brands’ Mike’s Hard Lemonade and White Claw offerings.
Gajiwala said hard seltzer’s opportunities include increasing shelf space as well as days of supply with retailers and gaining shelf placements in convenience stores.
For 2019, both Truly and White Claw will introduce similar innovations — called Truly Pure and White Claw Pure, respectively — aimed at attracting on-premise “vodka soda” drinkers.
Koch said Boston Beer ran consumer taste tests of Truly Pure against Grey Goose and soda until the hard seltzer was the preferred choice.
However, in a separate presentation, Ben Weiss, who built Bai Antioxidant Beverages and sold it to the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group for $1.7 billion in 2016 and has launched the Crook & Marker “spiked and sparkling” alcoholic beverage, said consumers aren’t choosing seltzer as much as they are steering away from sugar.
“They are running from sugar, and seltzer is a safe haven,” he said. “It’s a convenient stop on their journey back to flavor.”
Weiss said Crook & Marker, which is not being marketed as a “hard seltzer,” is a more flavorful offering compared to seltzer brands currently on the market.
“Allow us to lead this consumer back to beer,” he said. “Allow us to disrupt this industry. There are 472 million cases at risk. We want those cases back near beer.”
However, Wachusett Brewing president Christian McMahan told Brewbound he believes hard seltzer has “as much runway in front of it as there is behind it” due to the category being “underdeveloped nationally” with consumers and retailers beginning to allocate more shelf space to the products. He added that seltzer lines up nicely with many of the macro trends within the beverage industry, such as the shift to lower ABV, “better-for-your” functional beverages.
“This is not like hard soda where sugary, non-sessionable and once you found out the calories, people would try it but wouldn’t adopt it,” he said.
For 2019, Nauti will transition to slim cans, shift from 6-packs to 12-packs, use a gluten-free recipe, and add new flavors, McMahan said. A re-launch is slated for March.
Nauti is also launching “Extra Nauti,” an 8 percent ABV hard seltzer in a 19.2 oz. single-serve can, targeted for convenience stores with an early April launch date.
“We’re going to test it out and see how it performs thinking that there are still fringes of the category that there are a lot of growth and opportunity for us,” he said.


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By Jacob Romphf and David Sagolj
With the weather gradually getting colder, winter jackets will soon be pulled out of closets or purchased in stores. Some of those will be adorned with fur, including the increasingly popular Canada Goose brand. The animal-rights group Direct Action Everywhere Ottawa recently protested Canada Goose and other manufacturers’ use of real fur in their jackets, saying there is no reason for people to kill animals like coyotes and use their fur. Canada Goose defends the practice, arguing that fur is unequalled by synthetic trim and that it all comes from trappers who follow strict standards.


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The famously enigmatic soft drink producers at Dr Pepper have come up with a completely new way to baffle customers, with their latest and arguably most confusing recipe to date. Dispensing with their traditional riff on root beer, the beverage brand have ventured into uncharted territory, offering fans a novel way to celebrate their birthday without the need for baking. Their solution? Cake-flavored soda.
According to multiple posts across social media, the “new” addition to the line up actually dates back to 2018. However, it remains relatively unknown thanks to the unusually complicated way that customers can get their hands on it. Rather than being available at retail, the soda is only available to members of Dr Pepper’s exclusive “Pepper Pack” club. Described as an elite “squad” of 23 of the drink’s most zealous fans, the Pepper Pack allows members exclusive access to a range of limited flavor, including it seems birthday cake.
A token of appreciation from the brand, the flavor also comes complete with a hat, balloon and a note thanking the receiver for their work as a Dr Pepper ambassador. The note reads, “To the Birthday Pepper, Since you’re a die-hard Dr Pepper fan, your birth month is, well, kind of a big deal to us. So to celebrate, we’ve created a limited-edition Birthday Cake-flavored Dr Pepper and some exclusive party supplies to help commemorate your existence. Don’t drink it all in one place. Or do. It is YOUR birthday after all. Happy birthday, The Dr Pepper Team”. Clearly not every billion-dollar brand is as thoughtless as they’d like us to believe.
Due to the exclusive nature of the offer, the product remains relatively hard to come by. Even on third party websites such as Amazon and eBay, the mysterious drink is largely absent, meaning that the only viable option for diehard Pepper-heads is to sign up to the Pepper Pack squad. Given the scarcity of reviews, it’s unclear whether it’s worth it. However, the process will certainly mark you out as a serious fan, regardless of how the drink actually tastes.This article originally appeared on Twisted.co.uk


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Apple Opens a New Window. said on Monday it will issue a fix for a bug that lets iPhone Opens a New Window. users hear audio from users who have not yet accepted a FaceTime video call. The software patch will be issued by the end of the week. The bug allows an iPhone user placing a call using Apple’s FaceTime video-calling feature to hear audio from the recipient’s phone even if the recipient has not yet picked up the call, according to Reuters. In certain situations, the bug also broadcast both video and audio from the recipient’s phone, the technology news website the Verge noted. Apple’s group FaceTime was temporarily made unavailable due to an ongoing issue, according to Apple’s system status webpage. The Cupertino, California-based company was not immediately available to comment on the update on its system status page. Apple announced the feature last summer, but then removed it from early test versions of its iOS 12 operating system. The company launched the feature in October. Apple will report its fiscal first quarter results after the markets close on Tuesday.
The iPhone is arguably the most valuable product in the world, representing the backbone of Apple Inc.’s AAPL -1.03% half-trillion-dollar hardware business and undergirding its software-peddling App store. It remains the envy of consumer-product companies world-wide. If history is any indication, though, America’s favorite handheld device will someday take up residence with the digital camera, the calculator, the pager, Sony’s Walkman and the Palm Pilot in a museum. Although it’s hard to imagine the iPhone dying, change can sneak up rapidly on contraptions that are deeply entrenched in American culture. Consider it was as recently as the mid-1990s when I spent an hour a day during my senior year in high school in a room full of electric typewriters learning to type. Today, I spend most of my working hours using that skill to bang away on a keyboard, but I have rarely touched an actual typewriter in 25 years. “Over time, every franchise dies,” said Nick Santhanam, McKinsey’s Americas practice leader in Silicon Valley. “You can innovate on an amazing mousetrap, but if people eventually don’t want a mousetrap, you’re screwed.” Kodak, Polaroid and Sears are all examples from the recent past of companies that held too tightly to an old idea. Today’s tech giants, ranging from Netflix (having already reinvented itself to be dependent on advertising-free streaming video) to Google parent Alphabet Inc. (counting advertising as 86% of revenue), should take note of those painful demises to avoid the same fate. Apple’s mousetrap is anything but broken. Representing 60% of Apple’s revenue, the iPhone outsells 96% of the companies on the Fortune 500. The phone carries the bulk of the $545 billion valuation that Morgan Stanley assigns to Apple’s wider hardware business. Apple, for the better part of the 2000s, was the master of the next big thing: the iPod, the MacBook Air, the iPad, the iPhone. Apple wasn’t always first, but its products were easier to use, thinner, cooler. With the success of the iPhone since it arrived on the scene, the next big thing has been harder to find. Apple has had no breakthrough on TV, a modest success with its watch, a stumble in music and a lot of speculation concerning its intentions for autonomous cars or creating original programming. Now, as in a comic-book movie, we’re all left to wonder whether Apple’s greatest strength could be its biggest weakness? Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook acknowledges the latest iPhone delivery trends indicate his company faces a potential inflection point. “Apple has always used periods of adversity to re-examine our approach,” Mr. Cook said in a Jan. 2 letter to investors. Apple has a legacy of invention, Mr. Cook says. That’s something the Cupertino, Calif., company is eventually going to need. In a CNBC interview Tuesday, he pointed to rapid growth in services and “wearables”—such as watches or ear buds—as reason for optimism. Someday, Apple will be known more for its contribution to health care than its sleek gadgets, Mr. Cook says. Whatever shape it takes, Apple’s evolution will be closely watched if only because reinvention is so hard to pull off. A decade ago, Nokia’s dominance in handheld devices evaporated after executives failed to create a compelling operating system to make their pricey smartphones more user-friendly. Finnish executives have told me on several occasions that Nokia knew it needed to rapidly change, but lacked the urgency and resources to do it. There are success stories, to be sure. The Model T almost entirely underpinned Ford Motor Co.’s rise a century ago, when the Detroit auto maker owned roughly half of the U.S. car market. Without “The Universal Car,” Henry Ford likely would have been forgotten. A closer parallel to Apple is Microsoft Corp. Its best-known product, Windows, was so dominant that it drew extreme regulatory scrutiny while vaulting the Seattle software company atop the personal-computer market before cloud computing existed. Both Ford and Microsoft adapted and survived. Iconic vehicles like Ford’s Mustang coupe or F-150 pickup prove companies can live a productive life after the initial hit product fades. Microsoft’s transition to cloud computing with its Azure product, meanwhile, has vaulted the company back near the top of the race for the title of world’s most valuable company. Still, it’s a slog. “It’s hard to be a two-trick pony,” former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told me Thursday. “It’s amazing to do one. It’s super amazing to do two. Doing three? I have a lot of respect for a company that can do three tricks. … It’s just hard to come up with concepts that can make that happen.” He said Apple’s line of Mac products is one trick and the so-called i-Series (iPhone or iPod) was a second. “If they had stopped with the iPod, where would they be?” They succeeded because “they pushed beyond” with a phone. By all accounts, the iPhone’s run—nearing the dozen-year mark—has been remarkable, especially when you consider the average company in the S&P 500 remains in the index for only 15 years. Mr. Cook’s legacy, however, hinges on how well he pulls off Apple’s next act.
Indeed… Thanks to John D. Stoll for that reality check.
Apple’s next iPhone could feature powerful camera technology built by rival Sony. The so-called “3D camera” would turn the real world into a video game – using revolutionary augmented reality (AR) tech. Apple is tight-lipped about this year’s iPhone 11, to the point where we don’t even know the gadget’s real name. But a new report suggests Apple has shown interested in a three-lens camera system that could debut on this year’s iPhone. According to Bloomberg, Sony is “boosting production of next-generation 3D sensors”, which could revolutionize phone cameras. Apparently, this is “after getting interest from customers, including Apple.” The report notes that Sony will kick off mass production “in late summer”. Apple typically launches new smartphones in September, so the production timeline could work for a new iPhone. So what’s the big deal with Sony’s new camera tech? Smartphone makers are investing heavily in augmented reality, which overlays computer-generated images onto the world around you. Common examples include Snapchat filters, or the Pokémon you see in the Pokémon Go app game. To achieve high-quality AR, cameras need to be able to work out depth – understanding how far objects are away from each other. This makes it possible to place CGI objects much more accurately, so they seem more realistic. Sony’s system uses a “time of flight” method that sends out invisible laser pulses and measures how long they take to bounce back. This can create more detailed 3D models are a distance of up to five meters. With very accurate AR, it would be possible to turn the real world into a convincing video game. One example included a game where phone owners could use hand gestures to cast magic spells in a virtual game. Sony regularly supplies camera hardware for lots of rivals in the smartphone industry. It counts Apple, Google and Samsung among its customers, and controls about half of the camera chip market. Of course, there’s no guarantee that Apple will use any of this new camera tech in its next iPhone model.
Ready Player One…coming to an iPhone near you
Apple has announced that it is putting its cash pile to work. The technology giant will invest $1 billion to build a new campus in North Austin, Texas and another $10 billion for new data centers. It is all a part of a five-year investment aimed at creating 20,000 jobs in the United States. The Cupertino-based company said on Thursday it would also to set up new sites in Seattle, San Diego and Culver City, California and expand operations in Pittsburgh, New York and Boulder, Colorado over the next three years. “Apple is proud to bring new investment, jobs and opportunity to cities across the United States and to significantly deepen our quarter-century partnership with the city and people of Austin,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Talent, creativity and tomorrow’s breakthrough ideas aren’t limited by region or zip code, and, with this new expansion, we’re redoubling our commitment to cultivating the high-tech sector and workforce nationwide.” Apple has faced increasing political pressure to ramp up investments at home since 2016, when then presidential candidate Donald Trump targeted the company for using Asian factories for the bulk of its manufacturing. Data centers in North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada are being expanded. The new Austin campus will be located less than a mile away from its existing facilities, Apple said. Apple’s technology rival Amazon.com last month ended a months-long search for new headquarters, picking locations in New York and Virginia.
Great news!! 🙂
Apple Watch users can now take a reading of their heart’s electrical signal by holding a finger on the crown of the device. On Thursday, customers with the Apple Watch Series 4 who install the latest software update can access a new feature to identify atrial fibrillation, a common form of an irregular heart rhythm, as well as opt in to more passive monitoring. Anyone over age 22 can use these new heart health features, although not all them are designed for people who have already been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, or AFib, by their doctor. All of this has been in the works for years. Apple got a first-of-its-kind clearance for its electrocardiogram app from federal regulators in September after conducting a preclinical study with 2,000 people. It also did a clinical trial with 600 other participants to ensure it could distinguish between a normal heartbeat, or sinus rhythm, and atrial fibrillation. The company released data on its new features in a white paper, published on Thursday, as well as a physician-facing website. Click here for more
If you’re an Apple Watch Series 4 owner, and have heart concerns, you really need to read this article. Just click on the text above for more. This is excellent! 🙂
Things move very quickly in the media realm, and in quirky ways. Despite the fact that Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify banned controversial broadcast host and “InfoWars” creator Alex Jones, he still led the national trends on Twitter throughout Monday. Such is the irony of social media. Certain content producers are banished from busy sites for violating “community rules” about the nature and tone of content — then the public can’t wait to talk about them. And talk they did. All that aside, the Texas-based Mr. Jones bypassed both traditional news and social media sites and immediately produced a “world exclusive” outlining his response from “being banned from the internet,” then streamed the statement from his own website, and on Twitter, where he still has a presence. Though they may not agree with Mr. Jones’ work or philosophy, many observers are troubled by the banning. “It is a dangerous cliff that these social media companies are jumping off to satisfy CNN and other liberal outlets,” said Media Research Center founder and veteran media analyst Brent Bozell. “This is part of a disturbing trend. In recent months top conservative congressmen have been shadowbanned on Twitter. Pro-life and pro-gun posts and videos are often removed on several platforms. Liberal journalists even objected to one conservative outlet attending a meeting with Facebook. Several conservative organizations like Live Action, the NRA and even the Christian satire site Babylon Bee have complained they had posts removed or censored,” Mr. Bozell continued. “Social media sites are supposedly neutral platforms, but they are increasingly becoming opportunities for the left and major media to censor any content that they don’t like,” he said, warning that the ban on Mr. Jones is “just the beginning.” Some other media forces were also at work. On Monday the Drudge Report led with Mr. Jones’ story — which is a monster-sized mention. The proverbial Drudge “hit” yields huge readership. Consider that in the last 24 hours alone, 29 million people visited Drudge, which is formatted like straightforward, old-school news. There are terse, pertinent headlines — lots of them — and all are immediately accessible, the provided links leading to the original content. Some heavy thinkers also stepped forward to have a say on Twitter, some characterizing Mr. Jones’ experiences as something right out of communist nation of yore. “Whether you like @RealAlexJones and Infowars or not, he is undeniably the victim today of collusion by the big tech giants. What price free speech?” asked British broadcaster and political analyst Nigel Farage. “Alex Jones is now an unperson, straight out of the plot of George Orwell’s 1984. Regardless what you think of him and Infowars, this is the equivalent of digital book burning and sets a horrifying precedent for mass censorship by Big Tech,” tweeted Mark Dice, an author and independent media analyst.
Agreed!! This censorship by big tech is beyond outrageous. Shame on ALL of them!! For more, click on the text above. And, if you are curious to see what all these tech companies don’t want you to see, just go to: http://www.infowars.com and you be the judge.
Apple Incc. delivered its best-ever revenue for the June quarter, typically its weakest period, as demand for high-price iPhones remained resilient and services like app-store sales swelled to all-time highs. The results for Apple’s fiscal third quarter show how the world’s most valuable company is finding ways to grow amid a contracting global smartphone market that is roiling its rivals. “Growth was strong all around the world,” Apple finance chief Luca Maestri said during an interview. Though iPhone sales usually weaken in the spring and summer as anticipation builds for new devices expected in September, Mr. Maestri said demand has remained consistent, particularly for the iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus. “Customers are really valuing the features in the products,” he said. Shares of Apple, up 28% over the past year, rose 3.6% to $197.01 in after-hours trading. Apple’s move to raise iPhone prices continued to pay off in the period with sales of its flagship product rising 20% to $29.91 billion even as shipments rose less than 1% to 41.3 million. Meanwhile, the company’s services business reported record revenue of $9.55 billion, a 31% increase from a year ago, strengthening the case that Apple is in the midst of a transformation from a device-driven business into one increasingly reliant on sales of subscriptions and software. The combination drove total revenue up 17% to $53.26 billion in the latest period, above Wall Street expectations and near the high end of its own guidance. Profit rose 32% to $11.52 billion, or $2.34 a share, also above analysts’ consensus estimates. Apple signaled it expects to sustain strong iPhone sales in the current quarter with a forecast for total revenue of between $60 billion and $62 billion, which would represent a healthy 14% to 18% increase from a year ago. The expected jump reflects a small boost from a trio of new devices the company is expected to release in September, analysts say, including an update to the $999 iPhone X, its first oversize phone with an organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, display and a 6.1-inch LCD phone with facial recognition technology. The new phones are projected to be priced between $699 for the LCD device and $1,099 for the plus-size handset, according to UBS, potentially ensuring another year of higher average iPhone prices to lift Apple’s total revenue. Analysts had estimated the $999 iPhone X made up one-quarter of total iPhones sold, which helped lift average selling prices per iPhone by nearly 20% to about $724. While sales of the company’s handsets have been more pedestrian so far this fiscal year than the more than 7% increase in annual iPhone shipments many analysts forecast a year ago, features like the iPhone X’s facial recognition and edge-to-edge display have been enough to help Apple deliver modest growth and revive a China business mired in a multiyear slump. The company said revenue in Greater China, where sales tanked in 2016, rose 19% to $9.55 billion. Apple’s chief rival, Samsung Electronics Co. , hasn’t fared as well. The South Korean company, which also has raised smartphone prices to nearly $1,000, reported a big decline in mobile phone profits on Tuesday as consumers hold on to devices longer and balk at higher prices. Samsung has seen its market share in China fall as homegrown rivals like Huawei Technologies Co. increase sales.


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New York (April 16, 2009)–Music producers, engineers, manufacturers, distributors and other audio pros will compete at the 14th Annual TEC L.A. Open, to be held Monday, May 11 at the Malibu Country Club.
This year’s Honorary Chairman is recording engineer Al Schmitt, winner of 19 Grammys, as well as the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The charity event will be sponsored for the second consecutive year by Guitar Center Professional. Proceeds of the tournament support the Foundation’s programs.
Tournament director Karen Dunn noted, “We are really excited about this year’s tournament, and grateful to the many companies who are sponsoring the event in this time of economic uncertainty.”
Besides the traditional Longest Drive, Closest-to-the Pin and Putting contests, there will be a chipping contest alongside the various competitions managed by Pin-Up Golf. They will also supply a Pin-Up Golf Lady Pro driver for the Long Drive ‘Eagle Hole’ par 5 contest. The day concludes with a dinner and awards presentation, along with a raffle and silent auction featuring an assortment of donated audio equipment, musical instruments and gift packages from sponsors and other supporters.
2009 Sponsors as of this date include:
Presenting Sponsor: Guitar Center Professional
Hat: Shure Incorporated
Box Lunch: The Pass Studios
Golf Cart: Recording Academy/Producers & Engineers Wing
Hole: Lurssen Mastering, Sennheiser
Beverage Cart: Design FX
Beverage Cart : Sound Design Corporation
Some highlights of the silent auction items include: a Les Paul electric guitar; a Shure Beta 58 signed by Clint Black; two Rode M2 mics; additional gear from Audio-Technica, Mojave Audio, IK Multimedia and Brauner Microphones; and fine wine and gift baskets.


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Video game developer Epic Games is buying Bandcamp, an online music store and community that focuses on supporting independent musicians and connecting them with fans who directly support their work. Epic Games is best known for Fortnite and Unreal Engine. Though details of the deal were not disclosed, Epic Games said the two companies share a mission of building artist-friendly platforms that allow creators to keep most of the revenue generated by their work. They also believe in a fair and open internet for all.
Epic Games said that Bandcamp will play a key role in helping the company develop their vision for a “marketplace ecosystem for content, technology, games, art, music and more.” Bandcamp will retain its independence as a standalone marketplace and music community. It will continue to be led by Bandcamp co-founder and CEO Ethan Diamond, and Bandcamp products and services will still be available.
“Bandcamp’s mission is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans,” said Diamond in a March 2, 2022 announcement.
“In Epic, we’ve found a partner who believes as deeply as we do that the future of music, and art itself, depends on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities like the one our fans and artists have helped to build. We’re excited to work alongside the Epic team to accelerate the realization of our mission and pursue our shared goal of empowering more creators in a fair and open way,” Diamond added.
Steve Allison, vice president and general manager of the Epic Games store, also commented on the acquisition.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Bandcamp team to Epic Games,” said Allison. “Bandcamp has built an incredible community and business where up and coming artists can succeed thanks to the direct support of their fans, with one of the best revenue models and terms in music. This aligns closely with Epic’s approach to supporting creators across all media and enabling them to connect directly with their fans.”
Based in Oakland, California, Bandcamp was founded in 2008 to create a community of independent musicians and fans. To date, Bandcamp has paid artists and labels nearly $1 billion. Bandcamp said their model is an artists-first model and Bandcamp’s musical artists net an average of 82% of every sale, giving the musicians and labels control over their music.
Bandcamp is transparent about its arrangement with artists, evidenced by the Bandcamp Fair Trade Music Policy posted on their website. The company said it has been profitable since 2012. They take 15% of revenue on digital sales and 10% on physical goods. They pass along payment processor fees, but typically 80% to 85% goes directly to the artists, and they make payouts daily.
“Since we only make money when artists make a lot more money, our interests remain aligned with those of the community we serve. It’s a straightforward approach, and one we’re happy to say works well,” Bandcamp says on their website.
Diamond said much of their operations will stay the same. For example, they’ll continue Bandcamp Fridays and the Daily will still highlight the wide range of diverse music available on the site. What will be new is that the deal with Epic Games will allow them to expand internationally, add features like mobile apps and merch tools, and support some of their newer initiatives including vinyl pressing and live streaming.
“…while over the years we’ve heard from other companies who wanted us to join them, we’ve always felt that doing so would only be exciting if they strongly believed in our mission, were aligned with our values, and not only wanted to see Bandcamp continue, but also wanted to provide the resources to bring a lot more benefit to the artists, labels, and fans who use the site. Epic ticks all those boxes. We share a vision of building the most open, artist-friendly ecosystem in the world, and together we’ll be able to create even more opportunities for artists to be compensated fairly for their work,” Diamond said.
This is an exciting time to be an independent artist and creator with so many platforms to choose from with each platform offering a unique set of features, benefits and payout formulas. The partnership between Epic Games and Bandcamp seems like a natural fit that not only aligns the companies’ values but also their vision for the future. It sounds like a winning combination with limitless potential that will benefit the companies, creators, and the music lovers who support them.


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It's been months since anything's been seen from Might & Delight's Pid, an in-development indie platformer that plays around with gravity. It's looking like it's going to sport really stunning visuals and the video above offers a glimpse of Pid's progression. Look for Pid to hit digital platforms later this year.
Watch Upcoming Indie Game Pid Go From Paper To Pixel In This Video
Trending Stories Right Now
Telltale Games, makers of The Walking Dead adventure games and several other episodic series, laid off many of its developers today and may be shutting down according to messages on social media, a report by The Verge, and a Kotaku source with knowledge of the matter.
This week on Kotaku Splitscreen, we raided some tombs.


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To the editor:For the first time in three years, since Covid-19, the U.S. Postal Service, in conjunction with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), will restart the "Stamp Out Hunger" …
To the editor:
For the first time in three years, since Covid-19, the U.S. Postal Service, in conjunction with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), will restart the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive campaign on the second Saturday in May.
Since its inception in 1993, this biggest one day food drive in this country, if not the world, where it has garnered billions of pounds of food for the needy, will continue on May 14. This annual event helps fill the shelves of local pantries that, at this time of year, needs it most. During the week of May 8, postcards will be delivered to help remind you of this very important opportunity to help out the less fortunate in your area.
In the Town of Bristol, all of the donated food will find its way to the East Bay Food Pantry(EBFP), located on Wood Street. Some of the items that they are low on are; black kidney beans; canned fruit; granola bars; pasta and sauces; all rice products and wheat crackers, to name a few.
What you need to do is check your pantry shelves and cupboards and choose non-expired, non-perishable food items and leave it out by your mailbox or on your porch, by 8 a.m., on the morning of May 14. Your letter carrier or helper, will do the rest. It's that simple.
If you would want to find out more about this very successful endeavor, please go online at www.nalc.org/fooddrive.
Thank you for your support.
Letter Carrier (retired)
East Bay Food pantry volunteer


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SHANGHAI — Chinese economic growth slowed unexpectedly in the first quarter of the year.
The country's gross domestic product grew 7.7 percent in the first quarter of 2013, compared with the 7.9 percent expansion seen in the fourth quarter of last year, according to data released Monday by the country's statistics bureau.
Other sectors in the world's second largest economy also experienced a slowdown for the first three months of the year. Retail sales decelerated to 12.4 percent year-on-year from the 14.8 percent growth registered a year ago.
The statistics bureau said slower growth in the retail sector was due largely in part to a decline in business in the catering sector, which has been hit hard by government efforts to crackdown on extravagant banquets organized by officials.
Meanwhile first-quarter industrial output growth narrowed to 9.5 percent in the first quarter of 2013 from 11.6 percent a year ago.
During the National People's Congress in March, Chinese leaders set a GDP growth target this year of 7.5 percent, marking the second consecutive year that the government has slashed economic growth below the 8 percent mark in an effort to bring more stable growth to the economy. GDP growth for 2012 was 7.8 percent.
The World Bank projects China's economy will grow by 8.3 percent in 2013.
The first quarter deceleration can be attributed to weak global demand for Chinese exports, particularly in Europe and North America where economies continue to slump, as well as a policy vacuum during China’s leadership transition, which began in November of last year and wrapped up last month in Beijing. New policies announced in recent weeks aimed at cooling real estate prices and reigning in extravagant government spending have also had an impact, HSBC economist Qu Hongbin said in a research note.
In March, Beijing said it would make it more difficult for homeowners to buy a second home while requiring those who sell their homes to pay a 20 percent capital gains tax on their profit. China’s property market expanded with sales up 61.3 percent year-on-year for the first quarter of 2013.
The less than robust economic data for the first three months of this year “confirm that the economic recovery is fragile,” Hongbin said.
The first quarter GDP growth is “disappointing,” Hongbin said. “As inflation is easing, this should prompt stronger policy response mainly in the format of more fiscal spending in coming months, especially as all the dust of power hand-over is now settled. Once fiscal spending is delivered, growth should be lifted in the coming quarters. But the magnitude of the growth acceleration will depend on the dose of policy response.”
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)
@heriethpaul and @gracebol have a moment on the @victoriassecret fashion show 2017. See every look from the runway on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo) #wwdfashion #victoriassecret #VSFashionShow
“Azzedine has been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always been such a strong, loving, fatherly figure to me. I call him Papa. His designs are indescribably unique, they are pieces of art. He knew how to make the female form look its loveliest. I have so many memories of him; my favorite might be during my first show with him in Paris. He liked me and he wanted to help me get more work. He called all his friends at Kenzo and Comme des Garcons, and asked them to book me. They said, ‘But she can’t walk!’ And he said, ‘but she has such a great ass!' His friendship and support has been the great privilege of my career. I can't imagine life without him. Repose en paix mon Papa.” - @stephanieseymour tells @wwd. #wwdfashion (📷: @steveeichner) #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa, flanked by two of his closest friends, models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.
He designed Seymour’s dress for her 1995 wedding to Peter Brant, and treated Campbell (who famously called him Papa), like a daughter. For more on the legendary designer, tap the link in bio. #wwdfashion #alaia #azzedinealaia


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BTC/USD bears remained in control as the price fell from $6,877 to $6,842.60. There are no healthy support levels on the downside, so the price can be The corona crisis has moved many employees to their home desks – where parents have to teach their children in addition to the job. 😀 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜! 🚩 Remember to subscribe and hit the bell “🔔” icon, so you don`t miss your daily cryptocurrency news! Become A Patron! ⭐ On Patreon … Coin Metrics says bitcoin`s correlation with gold has increased in recent weeks. Read More
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Join Stock Advisor. Premium Services Newsletters. Walgreens even announced earlier this year that it will sell products containing cannabidiol CBD, the active ingredient in cannabis in 1, of its stores. Plus, HPE has topped our quarterly earnings estimates by an average of Let that sink in for a second. What exactly is Boingo Wireless?
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From his small corner office in the Salvation Army thrift store warehouse, Samuel Leach takes calls from people requesting donation pickups.
Since The World-Herald published its investigation of Goodwill Omaha three weeks ago, his phone has been ringing more often — maybe 30 percent more, he estimated.
About half of the callers mention the problems at Goodwill, including high executive pay, and many say they no longer plan to donate there. One older woman told of giving to Goodwill for more than two decades, adding through tears that she now would be giving to the Salvation Army instead.
Other nonprofit-run thrift stores around the city have heard the same sentiment — and it’s reflected in the increase in donations they’ve been seeing.
That redirecting of donations has hurt the Goodwill stores in Omaha. Material goods donations so far this month have dropped 26 percent compared with last November, said Erin Swanson Russell, Goodwill Omaha vice president of marketing and development.
Retail sales are down 13 percent. Without as many donations, the organization is looking to purchase and ship items from Goodwill stores in Kansas City and Minneapolis, a move it hasn’t had to resort to in more than a decade, Swanson Russell said.
“The impact on Goodwill’s retail operation has been substantial since the release of the Omaha World-Herald articles,” Swanson Russell wrote in an email to The World-Herald.
The decline in donations and purchases “directly affects how we can support and serve our community,” she wrote, going on to say that Goodwill Omaha’s focus now is on the employees in its stores, the “backbone of our organization.” The charity has announced a number of changes, including the exits of top executives, a top-to-bottom evaluation of its pay structure and a commitment to put more thrift store profits into its mission of serving the disabled and others with barriers to employment.
Swanson Russell also issued this statement:
“To our shoppers and donors who have supported us through this difficult time we say thank you. To those who have hesitated to bring new items to the stores, we hope through the steps we are taking to improve we can rebuild a stronger relationship with you. We are focused on moving forward with a commitment to our mission, our employees and our community.”
That message comes too late for many of the donors who already have taken their donations elsewhere in recent weeks.
St. Vincent de Paul, which runs three thrift stores in Omaha and one in Papillion, has seen about a 30 percent increase in donations since the initial article on Oct. 23. The bin in front of the Benson store used to take all day to fill. Now it needs to be emptied every couple of hours — at least three times a day, said store manager Ann Thomas.
Rick Brown, the warehouse manager for St. Vincent de Paul, said the uptick in phone calls for donation pickups has put a burden on workers.
“I could use a whole other truck and a whole other crew to deal with this,” he said. Normally donation pickups are scheduled three days out at most, he said. Lately that has stretched to 10 days.
“It’s crazy, but I don’t know how long it will last — who knows when people will forget about the article and start taking their stuff (to Goodwill) again.”
Capt. Chris Clarke at the Salvation Army also is worried about what the recent influx means for his employees’ workload. The guys in the men's rehabilitation program who pick up donations and deliver them to the organization’s two thrift stores have been swamped. Some days, he said, they don’t go home until after 8 p.m. — logging 10- or 12-hour workdays.
Clarke is looking to hire more drivers, but the slow season for donations is coming soon and he doesn’t know if the shift of donations away from Goodwill will continue through the winter. The Salvation Army donation boxes around town have been full or overflowing, but he wonders how long it will be before that trickles off.
A quick look around the Salvation Army warehouse, with its towering piles of clothes and furniture, might be deceiving, Clarke said. The recent boost in donations has brought in a lot of furniture. But the stores — which benefit the organization’s adult drug and alcohol rehabilitation program — still need more, especially clothing, he said.
“We don’t want people to think just because we are seeing an increase that we don’t still want more. Keep it coming,” he said. “This is good for us but we need and will need more.”
That’s the message St. Vincent de Paul wants to spread, too. Brown said St. Vincent de Paul isn’t one of the “top dogs” in town — not the primary place people might think to donate. He’s careful to avoid saying anything negative about Goodwill, but noted that the controversy has been positive for other local nonprofits seeking donations.
“Many people are saying that they want an alternative,” Brown said. “Well, here we are. We are that alternative. Maybe this can help other organizations like us. Though it’s all unfortunate, we are grateful.”
* * * * *
Places to donate
In response to reader requests, here are charitable organizations other than Goodwill Omaha that accept donations:
St. Vincent de Paul
Thrift store proceeds go to programs to help needy individuals and families in the Omaha area. Donations can be made at any store location, or pickups can be arranged by calling 402-341-1688.
» 2101 Leavenworth St.
» 5920 Maple St.
» 5037 S. 24th St.
» 807 Tara Plaza (South 84th Street), Papillion
Proceeds go toward adult rehabilitation services for men with drug or alcohol addiction. Donations can be made at both stores. To request pickup or find a drop-off location, call 800-728-7825.
» 2525 Dodge St.
» 7266 N. 30th St.
Proceeds from the thrift store at 5128 S. 24th St. go to the Stephen Center, which provides addiction recovery services, emergency housing and transitional and permanent supportive housing services. Stephen Center clients can also get jobs at the store and are able to receive clothing vouchers to shop there. Does not accept computers, TVs, pianos, building materials. 402-614-1017
Humble Lily thrift store, 2580 S. 90th St.
Proceeds support Bethlehem House, a residential care setting that serves women who are pregnant and in crisis. Accepts gently used women’s clothing, purses, shoes and jewelry. 402-933-3366
Heart Ministry Center, 2222 Binney St.
Operates a clothing pantry that people in need can visit every 30 days. Accepts clothing, shoes, bedding, bicycles, fans and space heaters. Call 402-451-2321 to arrange a donation drop-off.
Y.E.S. Youth Street Outreach Center
Accepts donations of clothing and hygiene items for the outreach program, 2679 Farnam St. Proceeds from sales at the volunteer-operated Tip Top Thrift Shop, 5910 Maple St., also go to Y.E.S. programs. Y.E.S.: 402-345-5187. Tip Top Thrift Shop: 402-551-1302
Women’s Center for Advancement Career Clothing Closet, 222 S. 29th St.
Provides work-appropriate clothing for women. Accepts women’s clothing (skirts, pants, sweaters, jackets), bras, shoes, jewelry and makeup. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk. 402-345-6555
Women United Ministries, 1202 E. Browne St.
Accepts donations of women’s clothing for women in need. Call 402-591-0354 to arrange a donation.
Together, 812 S. 24th St.
The homeless prevention organization will distribute donations to people in need. Accepts coats, furniture, kitchenware and household items. Does not accept clothing donations (other than coats) or major appliances, electronics, exercise equipment or hideaway couches/beds. To arrange a drop-off or a pickup, call 402-345-8047.
Open Door Mission, 2107 E. Locust St.
Donations go to the homeless or to outreach centers. Accepts donations of clothing, furniture, appliances, toys, books. Does not accept mattresses. 402-422-1111
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Locations at 10910 Emmet St. and 1003 S. 24th St. Accepts building materials, appliances and home furnishings. 402-884-6976
Assistance League Thrift Store, 3569 Leavenworth St.
Funds go to several programs, including Operation School Bell, providing vouchers to J.C. Penney for children in need of school clothes. The Assistance League’s Thrift Shop also gives vouchers for its store to residents of Santa Monica, a home for women recovering from drug and/or alcohol dependency. Store does not accept furniture. 402-342-3113
MICAH House, 1415 Avenue J, Council Bluffs
Takes all donations except appliances and large furniture. Work-appropriate clothes can be donated to the career closet. Donations that MICAH House cannot use will be distributed to other shelters and community giveaways. Donation pickups can be arranged. 712-323-4416
Project Hope, 6201 N. 60th St.


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The Secret to Having a Successful Business? Solve Problems for Consumers
With the U.S. unemployment rate hitting 14.7 percent in April and major companies announcing a secondary wave of coronavirus-related layoffs, the labor market is looking particularly grim. Nearly every industry has been hit hard by COVID-19, but a key challenge facing consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands has been manufacturing.
However, one of these companies has managed to stay ahead of the curve. With three channels of sales and a production process based solely in the United States, Hint has been able to quickly pivot its priorities and keep up with consumer demand—without furloughing or laying off any of its 200-plus employees.
“I think it’s a matter of you just don’t stop,” Hint founder and CEO Kara Goldin explained on Thursday. “I always tell entrepreneurs, especially, that we’re a 15-year-old startup, we’re still scrappy enough where the CEO during COVID is going into stores and helping stock shelves.”
In a discussion with UBS private wealth advisor Kathleen Entwistle and Worth CEO Juliet Scott-Croxford during the second session of Worth’s newest online event series, The Next Normal, Goldin explained how her company’s mission from the get-go, to solve consumers’ problems, has been essential throughout this crisis; Goldin’s early recognition of COVID-19’s potential impact and the brand’s quick pivot to focus on direct-to-consumer and online sales haven’t hurt either.
“During a fluctuating economy, if you’re solving problems for people, you’re going to be OK,” Goldin said, adding that no matter what the economy looks like, being able to actually solve a problem is the number one thing.
“It’s common sense,” Goldin explained. “Solve problems for consumers, make them recognize why you’re doing this and then, you get the stickiness of that consumer. Also, it just makes you feel good as a leader. Prior to starting Hint, I never used to get emails saying, ‘You have changed my life.'” If you’ve never gotten those emails from consumers, it’s really powerful and it creates purpose, it creates energy for you as a founder. It’s a powerful thing.”
Today, Hint, known for its unsweetened flavored water, is the largest independent nonalcoholic beverage in the country that doesn’t have a relationship with the big soda companies. The brand also produces oxybenzone- and paraben-free scented sunscreen and aluminum-free deodorant. But it all started when Goldin decided to develop a product that could get people to ultimately enjoy water again, and thereby, get healthy.
“I decided to venture into the beverage industry when I recognized that what I was actually putting into my body—diet soda, in particular—was not as healthy as maybe I had originally thought,” Goldin recounted. “I had developed some health issues that I really started to see come out in my skin, terrible adult acne that I didn’t even have as a teenager, and also, I had gained weight over the course of a bunch of pregnancies.” But by giving up diet soda and switching to water, Goldin lost over 50 pounds, her skin cleared up and she developed a lot more energy. Her goal was to “get a product on the shelves of Whole Foods, and that’s really how it all started.”
As an FDA-regulated essential product with all manufacturing done in the U.S., Hint has had an advantage over many of its CPG counterparts trying to navigate through this pandemic. The company produces its products in a clean room, and there are no actual people in the room where products are filled. This “makes business more reliable and less likely to create any hiccups,” Goldin explained. While other brands were dealing with international supply chain issues and factory closures, Hint was never worried about its manufacturing.
But that doesn’t mean Hint’s business has been immune to the coronavirus.
On March 13, as the crisis was beginning to emerge in the U.S., Goldin stopped at Target on her way home from the airport and was surprised to see how low the store was on product. “The shelves had been decimated,” Goldin said, noting that she spent the next day visiting other stores and found the same issue. Grocers were relying on an auto-replenishment system to keep items, including Hint, stocked, but with panicked consumers stockpiling products, the system didn’t seem to be working. So, Goldin and her sales team started reaching out to buyers, offering to send over truckloads of product to get their shelves stocked. Over 50 percent of Hint’s grocery partners took the company up on the deal.
“We actually gained space in so many stores because many manufacturers were just relying on old ways of doing business,” Goldin said, “but we were willing to jump in and help.”
And helping—their consumers, their partners, even their employees—has clearly been Hint’s key to success.
“It’s about the experience, you want to make people feel something special about what you’re doing or the product that they’re using,” added UBS’ Entwistle. “It’s about knowing the quality, knowing that you’re putting good things into your body or around your body, and that it’s coming with a purpose. And I think that is really a sign of an incredibly thoughtful leader and the product that follows.”


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Dunkinâ€™ Donuts plans to have at least 10 restaurants in Tulsa and the surrounding area as part of a large-scale expansion of the company, an official confirmed Tuesday.
Last week, the doughnut and coffee shop chain announced plans to double its number of U.S. locations during the next two decades. The news caused a flurry of speculation as to the locations of the impending stores.
Grant Benson, Vice President of Franchise and Market Planning for Dunkinâ€™ Donuts, told the Tulsa World Tuesday that the company was excited to say that the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas were both part of the expansion plans.
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Android users who've downloaded at least one of 210 hugely popular apps may have exposed their smartphones to adware that could become a much larger problem in the future. A new report has come out to show that two-thirds of all these apps don't work as advertised - they're all frauds.
Researchers have found an adware in 206 Android apps that have 150 million downloads at the Google Play Store.
Only 80 apps detected more than 30% of the malware the company tested the apps with. You can slip malware past these apps by using a package name like "com.google.android.scarymalware" because the beginning is the same as Google's apps.
Just as it should, Google is always changing Android in order to harden it not just against hackers but also against unscrupulous app developers. According to Check Point, the developers of the apps in question may have duped into using the Software Development Kit or SDK that has the adware. The app icons on Play Store for Android users have been of varied shapes. "Similarly, the number of downloads can only be a very rough guide; a successful scam app may be downloaded many times before it is found to be a scam". Google says that it wants to "provide a more unified and consistent look and feel for Google Play", which it says will provide a "higher quality user experience". Things are the same when it comes to app security; Google has taken the steps needed to make sure apps aren't misbehaving through Google Play Protect, which monitors the apps on your phone independently of the operating system. AV-Comparatives is recommending that consumers ought to be vigilant and use only products of well-known vendors.
Android Q will break clipboard manager apps
Some apps would even block themselves, in instances when the devs would forget to whitelist themselves.
Many of these apps are created with the same developer making some of them have a similar interface instead of showing a fully running malware scanner. That means you'll be able to change up bokeh and depth styles in various other apps, if you so choose.
So now people have to go through the list of applications and remove them to get rid of the malware, so get busy all you players of Beard mustache hairstyle changer Editor (over one million downloads amazingly).
Some apps or features within an app may only need location while the app is being used. Majority reduce the efficiency of your phone, consume a lot of battery, annoy you with notifications and take up a lot of your storage.


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Key beverage industry trends for 2017
Trends expected to impact the beverage industry in 2017 have been identified by Evergreen Packaging and EcoFocus Worldwide from the annual EcoFocus Trend Study.
The survey examines wellness and sustainability trends impacting the food and beverage industry. In its seventh year, the study results show how consumer tastes, demographics and values are reshaping purchasing decisions.
Study author and chief executive officer of EcoFocus Worldwide, Linda Gilbert, says, “These study results show that a majority of grocery shoppers have identified products’ fresh, clean and sustainable benefits among their top purchase priorities when it comes to healthier choices.
“The message is clear: if you are a brand aiming to attract consumers to your healthy beverages, be sure your packaging and processing line up with your ingredient list. And be sure to tell your fresh and clean story effectively on your packaging.”
The four trends identified are:
- Millennial motivators – millennials are leading the escape from mass produced, over processed and over packaged foods and beverages with a demand for real, less processed ingredients. They want the preservatives and artificial ingredients out, and natural, nutrient dense ingredients in. 69% of millennials have changed what they buy in order to avoid artificial ingredients in foods and beverages; they aren’t just thinking about the product’s contents, they are differentiating packaging for improved personal and planetary health. 73% say they try to buy products in packaging that is recyclable, while 59% look for beverages in packaging that is made with renewable materials.
- Clean packaging gains momentum – the clean labelling movement is expanding into clean processing and clean packaging trends. Brands are expanding their transparency on all fronts, from supply chain details to their packaging choices. The study shows 70% of grocery shoppers strongly agree or agree that foods and beverages with healthier ingredient lists should use packaging materials that are healthier too. 86% believe some types of packaging can leave undesirable chemicals in beverages. They say cartons and glass containers are the least likely to do so – and best protect freshness without preservatives.
- The new value-add: fresh + clean = healthy – the definition of what makes foods and beverages healthier is becoming increasingly complex. Clean ingredients have moved from a trend to the norm for many categories and brands. Creating products that are fresh and eco friendly is the new go-to as these attributes will become increasingly crucial contributors to consumer’s measurement of ‘healthy’ in 2017. Many brands have already taken out preservatives and removed artificial ingredients; the next challenge is to leverage packaging to convey and deliver freshness without the chemicals that consumers view as undesirable for their health. Brands need to ask themselves if their packaging is aligned with their focus on clean ingredients and messaging. 71% of shoppers say that packaging that keeps beverages fresh without preservatives is the most important quality for healthy beverage packaging, while 67% say recyclable packaging is an extremely or very important quality for healthy beverage packaging. 59% say packaging made with renewable materials is an extremely or very important quality for healthy beverage packaging.
- Naturally functional beverages – consumers are increasingly looking to beverages to play new roles in their diets and health routines. Drinkable breakfasts and the snackification of beverages are fueled by consumer interest in nutrition and performance drinks that act as meal replacements and guilt-free snacks. Industry leaders should expect consumers in 2017 to demand beverages that work harder, whether for refreshment, satiety, energy, immunity boosting, sleep aid, blood sugar management, or a host of other functional benefits now associated with these multifunctional power beverages. When identifying the most desirable nutritional attributes for healthy beverages, shoppers surveyed shared the following preferences:
- o 63% are seeking a good source of calcium
- o 61% are looking for beverages that are a good source of fibre
- o 61% want their beverages to contain lowered or reduced sugar
- o 60% are drawn to beverages that are a good source of antioxidants
- o 57% want to consume beverages with increased protein
- o 55% buy beverages because they are a good source of omega-3
- o 46% are looking for beverages that contain probiotics.


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Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at infrastructure for sustainable fuel, Booking.com's short-term rentals, and Norwegian Cruise Line's recovery.
Skift Daily Briefing Podcast
Listen to the day’s top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, November 9. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
European authorities are preparing legislation requiring airlines to use more sustainable fuel by 2030 in efforts to make aviation more environmentally friendly. But to accomplish that ambitious goal, American Express Global Business Travel CEO Paul Abbott argues the travel industry needs to start securing money now to build sustainable fuel plants, reports Corporate Travel Editor Matthew Parsons.
Speaking at the Global Business Travel Association’s Sustainability Summit on Tuesday, Abbott said 300 sustainable aviation fuel plants need to be built to help hit, for example, a 10 percent sustainable fuel target. Building the production plants would cost $90 billion and take five years, Abbott estimated. He added the travel industry has to figure out soon how to obtain the money to start building the plants in 2024 or 2025.
Abbott also said he doesn’t view operating fewer flights as the most appropriate method to reduce carbon emissions, arguing reducing the number of leisure flights is difficult. However, Mark Cuschieri, the association’s vice president, said at the summit that getting the necessary amount of sustainable aviation fuel was challenging.
Next, Booking.com, which is often seen as a rival to Airbnb, only recorded a modest increase in short-term rental bookings from 2019 levels during the third quarter. But the company isn’t worried about stagnant booking levels in the sector, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel acknowledged during its recent third quarter earnings call that it wants to expand its roster of short-term rental properties. However, Fogel said its inability to attract more short-term rental bookings wasn’t necessarily a negative since hotel bookings are more profitable for the company. Hotels represented roughly 70 percent of bookings on the site during the third quarter, around the same level as last year.
Fogel stated Booking.com’s strategy isn’t to push travelers toward short-term rentals instead of hotels. But he said the company could easily increase short-term rental bookings if it struggled with hotels.
Finally, Norwegian Cruise Line saw its occupancy level rise in the third quarter even as it increased its pricing. The company believes it will fill ships next year with even higher pricing amid a possible economic downturn, writes Dawit Habtemariam.
Norwegian Cruise President and CEO Frank J. Del Rio said during its third quarter earnings call on Tuesday that its occupancy level rose to 82 percent, a 17 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. That jump occurred in spite of charging customers more to cruise than it did in 2019. Norwegian Cruise expects to reach full occupancy levels by the second quarter of next year.
Habtemarian writes that raising prices is part of the company’s strategy to achieve its recovery targets, with Chief Financial Officer Mark Kempa explicitly stating Norwegian Cruise wants its customers to pay more. Habtemarian notes that most of the company’s guests have more than a quarter million dollars in net worth, a group that has historically continued to book cruises despite economic downturns.
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Seagate said to be sniffing SanDisk
Deal more about IP than Flash production?
Is Seagate about to acquire SanDisk? That's one claim that's been doing the rounds at a US Flash storage conference this week.
According to an EETimes report, that's what attendees at the Flash Memory Summit have been whispering.
Neither party's commenting, of course. But would such a deal make sense? Solid-state storage may be a popular topic right now, but there's no sign it's about to kill off the traditional hard drive. As the biggest supplier of hard drives, Seagate has less to fear from SSDs than most.
But it does see a role for the technology, particularly in mobile applications, and has said it too will hop on the SSD bandwagon, early next year. Acquiring SanDisk would allow it to embrace Flash fully.
Not to mention expand its consumer product line through SanDisk's memory card and media player businesses - assuming Seagate keeps them. SanDisk is the world's second biggest supplier of MP3 players, second only to Apple.
But does Seagate need all this? It could buy Flash chips from, say, Samsung and combine them into its own drives, using its extensive storage know-how to deliver drives better tuned to the demands of today's operating systems than current SSDs are proving to be.
Ironically, perhaps, it was SanDisk itself that most recently admitted that the Windows-SSD pairing isn't as harmonious as previously promoted.
Seagate has made aggressive noises in the past about how it believes many SSDs infringe technology it owns. In April this year, Seagate launched legal action against SSD company STEC, alleging patent infringement. That appears to be a test case, gauging how strong Seagate's patent claim is. Buying SanDisk would add considerably Flash and SSD IP weight to Seagate.
Going forward, IP is going to become increasingly important in a market built on cheap Flash chips and the kind of production capacity the likes of Samsung and Intel can bring to bear.


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The space will be used as a company training facility.
But Revelator isn't vacating the space.
Instead, the coffee roaster and retailer will transform the coffee shop, at 691 14th Street NW, into a "training hub" where employees will get brand educated.
“Our cafe at 14th Street and Howell Mill Road is an important part of our company’s history, so we’re excited to keep the space as a hub for our brand, education, and training teams,” Meredith Singer, Revelator’s Director of brand strategy and marketing, told Eater.
The last day open to the public will be Sunday, June 24.


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The Trump administration escalated its lumber trade tiff with Canada, adding a new layer of duties on imports from its northern neighbor, even as it said it still hopes to negotiate a settlement before the full bite of the penalties is felt.
Two months after moving to impose 20% tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber commonly used in single-family homes, the Commerce Department announced Monday that it was considering additional fees that would mean some products would face duties as high as 30.88%.
The Trump administration has accused Canada of unfairly selling its lumber in the U.S. below production costs, aided in part by improper government subsidies — a trade practice known as “dumping.” The first round of duties was aimed at countering the alleged subsidies, while the new round is aimed at other factors that the U.S. says is fueling the alleged dumping.
Canada has denied the U.S.’s allegations, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at one point said he would carefully consider retaliatory measures against the U.S. The U.S. last year imported more than $5 billion worth of softwood lumber from Canada.
Also popular on WSJ.com:


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In a letter to the Japanese carmaker, the UK business minister had vowed to maintain manufacturers' capacity to trade with the EU.
Britain in 2016 promised Nissan up to £80 million (over €91 million) of support and vowed to protect the carmaker from any Brexit fallout, according to a confidential letter released on Monday.
The UK Business Secretary Greg Clark told the former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn: "We will set our ambitions high and vigorously pursue continued access to the European market as an objective in future negotiations.”
On Sunday, the Japanese carmaker abandoned plans to produce its new Qashqai and X-Trail sport utility vehicles in its Sunderland plant in the north of England.
In a letter to employees, Nissan said continued Brexit uncertainty is not helping companies to "plan for the future".
The automobile maker is also facing declining diesel sales in Europe.
The original decision to build the cars in England in 2016 would have created 740 new jobs and was hailed by Prime Minister Theresa May as a major boost to the UK economy as it began Brexit negotiations.
The government had previously refused to publish the letter on multiple occasions, which prompted accusations that MPs were doing lucrative deals with companies.
The business minister wrote: "It will be a critical priority of our negotiation to support UK car manufacturers and ensure that their ability to export to and from the EU is not adversely affected by the UK’s future relationship with the EU.”
The £80 million of support would have been used to develop skills, research, development, and innovation for the new car models, according to the letter.
Nissan builds 30% of Britain's cars at the Sunderland factory, which is the UK's biggest vehicle plant. However, as the majority of cars are exported to EU countries, Nissan is worried about tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit.


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10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Acacia Park, 115 E. Platte Ave., free; makerfair.org
Natural, organic, up-cycled and vintage.
You won't find any other type of products at the Green Market by Maker Fair Handcrafted Artisan Festivals.
The free festival is Saturday in Acacia Park.
"People are taking computer parts and turning them into jewelry," says Sara Krosch, founder and producer of the Maker Fair Handcrafted Artisan Festivals. "They're taking old fabrics and refashioning them into funky baby wear. The idea is that it's inspiring. People go online or on Pinterest and see ideas, and this is where they'll see artists who took these ideas and turned them into something people want to buy, wear or eat."
About 50 artisans from around Colorado will set up shop in the park, including TechWears, which turns electronic circuit boards into neckties, cufflinks, earring and pendants; pet portraits by Off the Leash Art; and wearable art by Boho Belles, which features recycled brass chain earrings and bangles made from magazine paper.
The family-friendly event caters to its younger visitors with areas for make- and-take crafts and a gnome scavenger hunt with prizes.
"Everything is juried," Krosch says. "One deciding factor is we ask artists to tell their story. They have to compete with stuff on big store shelves. Every artist has a story, whether it's grandma taught them how to quilt or they retired from the military and started crafting their own line of hot sauces. It's memorable and connects them with audiences. You get to know the person through their products."
Krosch's own story involves coconut oil. She learned to make it in 2000 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia, sold scented body oils in 2008 in American Samoa with her partner, and in 2012 in the Philippines they created Just Coco, a line of virgin coconut oil body care. They now split their time between the U.S. and the Philippines.
"It's a fun way to have a shopping experience," she says about the festival. "There's a lot of local talent around. I want people to seek out from people who have their business in Colorado."
JENNIFER MULSON, THE GAZETTE, 636-0270, JEN.MULSON@GAZETTE.COM


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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief executive said that the automaker will be able to sell 6 million vehicles annually by 2018 thanks to its strategy based on relaunching the Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands.
Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said he is optimistic about the automaker’s future, following the merger of the two companies and reinforced the sales and production objective. Marchionne previously said that the target of 6 million vehicles built annually was of utmost importance for the automaker’s survival on the global market.
In 2013 the automaker exported 4.4 million vehicles, a number affected by low demand in Italy and other European markets.
In January, Fiat took full control of Chrysler for $4.35 billion, creating the seventh largest auto group in the world. This merger will give the auto group the possibility to cheaply and easily share technology, dealer networks and cash.
“By 2018, Fiat will be capable of making more than six million vehicles (per year),” said Sergio Marchionne.
FCA plans to exports Alfa Romeo and Maserati vehicles to make up for the low demand in its traditional markets in Europe, which have been affected by a 6-year slump in auto sales. The CEO will present in May the new plan outlining investments and new models.
Marchionne added that the automaker might not need to sell assets to get the cash for its expansion plan, but could choose issuing debt.
“Technically, if I look at the structure today, I’d not sell assets,” he said. “Raising capital with some type of instrument is still on the table.”


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And all the usual goodies that it entails.
Today, Hudson officially announced that Bomberman will be making an Xbox Live Arcade appearance this summer. Like most games released on the service, Bomberman Live will feature high-definition graphics and character customization – with upwards of 10,000 possibilities – to help distinguish yourself in the 8-player online and 4-player local multiplayer. More information about Bomberman Live and its Xbox Live Arcade release in the official press release below:
REDWOOD SHORES, CA - May 16, 2007 - Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm for Hudson Soft, today announced that they are releasing the all-new Bomberman Live for Xbox LIVE® Arcade, the premier destination for digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games. Retaining classic gameplay elements while adding 8-person online multiplayer, full character customization, and gorgeous high-definition graphics, the game is expected to launch worldwide in Summer 2007.
Fans can now compete with the best Bomberman players worldwide, as Bomberman Live delivers frantic 8-player online. Fans can also play with their friends in 4-player local action on one system. In addition, Bomberman Live features new character customizations, which allow players to personalize their Bomberman from 10,000 possible combinations. Bomberman Live offers gamers the chance to finally prove that they're the best Bomberman player in the world.
"This has been one of our most requested games, our fans have been clamoring for it, and we are thrilled to finally be able to deliver the game they want," said John Greiner, President of Hudson Entertainment. "As our flagship series, Bomberman has been hailed as the best multiplayer game ever created. Now that Xbox LIVE® Arcade delivers a truly worldwide multiplayer gaming platform, we can at last bring to market a Bomberman game that represents our long-term vision of the brand."
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Magic Ring donuts make their debut in Bismarck-Mandan
Magic Ring donuts have made it to Bismarck and Mandan.
Last week, we brought you the story of Baker Boy, a company out of Dickinson that is creating ring donuts that are filled with jelly.
They're the only company in North America with the technology to do so. And today, they're being served up at Dan's locations across Bismarck and Mandan.
"We've had a lot of people walk by and they have been taking a sample and people that were like oh I didn't really come in to buy a donut today they take a sample and they leave with a couple trays worth,” said Baker Boy Marketing Manager Dustin Monke.
There are three flavors: raspberry, Bavarian cream and a chocolate and Bavarian cream filled donut.


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Wal-Mart Stores today (13 May) said first-quarter profits rose 6.9%, however the world’s largest retailer issued a cautious outlook as consumer spending slows and the global economy constricts.
Wal-Mart profits totalled US$3.02bn in the three months to 30 April, up from $2.83bn a year earlier. Overall revenue totalled $95.30bn, up 10.3% from $86.41bn a year ago.
Wal-Mart president and CEO Lee Scott attributed higher profits the group’s strategy to make inventory management more efficient and improve customer service.
“There are still uncertainties during the rest of the year,” Scott said. “The economy is playing a critical factor in 2008.”
Wal-Mart said it is well positioned to meet customers’ needs in the economic downturn nad beyond.
Excluding fuel, US same-store sales for the first quarter were up 2.9%, rising 2.7% in the Wal-Mart Stores division and 3.6% at Sam’s Clubs.
Wal-Mart Chief Financial Officer Tom Schoewe said the company expects second-quarter same store sales to increase between 0-2%.


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Films, panels, popup shops to local eateries were on display at 99 Scott Avenue for Happy Family Night Market on July 14.
The food centric event was put together for attendees to enjoy and learn about the diversity found in Asian cultures, and in the continent’s cuisine and how it connected to Asian American identity.
It started off with a panel on pickling and Asian American fermentation that brought together business owners, chefs and scientists. Afterwards they gave out samples of fermented vegetables and natto, a slimy fermented soybean that’s eaten mainly eaten in Japan.
Ann Yonetani, a panelist and the brains behind NYrture which is a company that makes different varies of natto, said she was excited to see how many people were willing to try the fermented foods that are usually considered an acquired taste.
“It was great to see how many people came so early, even before all of the food stalls were set up,” said Yonetani.
Local restaurants including While in Kathmandu and Bunker had stalls set up at the event. While in Kathmandu was selling a new plantain inspired momo, an option that isn’t on their restaurant menu yet. Bunker on the other hand served satisfying duck spring rolls with noodles, thinly sliced duck and a dipping sauce.
There was a slew of unique combinations. Dotory, a Korean restaurant in Williamsburg wowed attendees with their kimchi corn dogs with rice cakes in gochujang.
According to Happy Family Night Market’s website, anyone who would like to stay updated on future events can sign up to their newsletter.
Photos courtesy of Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech


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Apple's latest technology defeat at the hands of Google, in the area of maps, underscores how the two are going head-to-head in a tech battle in which the stakes loom large.
Apple and Google are increasingly becoming the tech titans poised to dominate mobile Internet access and devices. That leaves investors to wonder which is best positioned in what's looking like a winner-takes-all market.
While many people like to handicap the race between Apple and Google based on the number of smart- phone apps they offer, how many gadgets they ship or how thick the screens on their tablets are, investors are digging through the numbers to see how they measure up in terms of:
Stock performance. While Google may be beating Apple in smartphone sales, the battle on Wall Street has tilted in Apple's favor. Long-term Apple investors have pulled in one of the greatest hauls in investing history. The stock went public on Dec. 12, 1980, at $22 a share. After adjusting for the stock's three splits, Apple's per-share IPO price was $2.75. Today, those shares are trading for $529.69, an increase of 19,150%. Google went public Aug. 25, 2004, at $85. Those shares are now worth $702.70, a 725% increase.
This year, Apple investors have been on top. Despite the 30% decline in Apple shares from their high, they're still up 39% this year. Google's 2012 rise: 9%.
Market value. Apple is by far the most valuable company in the world, valued at nearly $500 billion. That's more than double the $230 billion valuation of Google.
Also, Apple trades for 44.2 times its trailing earnings per share excluding extraordinary items, says S&P Capital IQ. By the same measure, Google's P-E is 32.
Profitability and financial resources. Apple's early lead in smartphones and savvy marketing have afforded it a giant war chest of cash and profit. It generated $41.7 billion in profit on $156.5 billion in revenue over the past 12 months.
Accumulated profits give Apple cash and short-term investments of $29.1 billion, and an additional $92 billion in long-term investments. That's a cash pile few companies can rival, including Google with $44 billion in cash and short-term investments but just $1 billion in long-term investments. Google's net income of $10.6 billion on revenue of $47.5 billion isn't even half what Apple has achieved.
That's why while Google is beating Apple in getting its Android operating system, and now maps, into the most consumers' hands, Apple's premium pricing shows it is a bigger darling on Wall Street.
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