text:
Radar: Marc Jacobs’ Models Woke Up Like This
PLEDGE: NO MAKEUP AT MARC Marc Jacobs’ models literally woke up like...
PLEDGE: NO MAKEUP AT MARC
Marc Jacobs’ models literally woke up like this. In a case of what François Nars described as “what you see is what you get,” for the designer’s Spring 2015 show, the beauty whiz said, “we applied moisturizer, and that’s it, period.” The barefaced beauties wore black wigs created by Guido Paulo to create a uniform line effect seen as the Marc Jacobs army. So, who’s enlisting with us? [harpersbazaar.com]
COUNTDOWN: ALEXANDER WANG X H&M
While we all anxiously await what’s anticipated to be the collab of the year, the first shots of Alexander Wang x H&M have been released. Based on the New York talents’ first collection images, the logo-heavy line appears to have a decidedly sporty vibe. With only eight weeks to go until Wang’s high-performance pieces at fast-fashion prices arrive, you better have your calendar marked. [style.com]
READ: ONE WOMAN, 100 FACES
Her new book may focus on just one face, but Franscesa Tolot is no stranger to more than a few famous faces (read: those belonging to Beyoncé, Madonna and Elizabeth Taylor). Showing off the talent that’s made her the stuff of beauty legends, the in-demand artist joined with muse Mitzi Martin to paint 100 stunning beauty looks, the likes of which you’ve never seen before. [harpersbazaar.com]
OPENING: CHINESE WHISPERS
Set to open next spring, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced Chinese Whispers: Tales of the East in Art, Film and Fashion as its newest exhibit. Exploring the influence of China on fashion, arts and culture, the exhibition will feature works from filmmaker Ang Lee to fashion by John Galliano. Officially opening with next year’s Met Ball, the event will be co-chaired by Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lawrence, Wendi Murdoch, Gong Li and Marissa Mayer. [Vogue.com]
JOINING: TEAM OSCAR
Let’s be clear about one thing, at age 82, Oscar de la Renta isn’t going anywhere. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t building his design team. De la Renta hired John Galliano following his Dior dismissal, and the two parted creative ways earlier this year. Now, according to reports this morning, Nina Ricci’s Peter Copping may be taking a senior design role with the New York-based label. Credited with softening Olivier Theysken’s darker look for Nina Ricci, Copping has neither confirmed nor denied rumours. [wwd.com]
KNOW: RUNWAY HI-JACK
He’s previously been inspired by ubiquitous fast food chain McDonald’s, but this season Jeremy Scott has taken inspiration from a certain e-commerce site. The shopping destination widely known for knocking off runway designs, it looks like ASOS themselves have finally been knocked off. The “Halloween Pumpkin Sweater” in question, which sold on the site this time last year was recently reduced to $15.23. Not too bad for a hi-jacked design. [fashionista.com]
For the latest in fashion and beauty, pick up a copy of The Kit’s print edition found inside The Toronto Star on Thursdays, and The Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal,Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette on Saturdays.


text:
As the Philippines detected the highly infectious Omicron variant, Filipinos have seen a sudden and tremendous surge in the COVID-19 cases. And while the infections in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces are already starting to decrease, the Department of Health (DOH) still recognizes the country, especially NCR, as high risk for the virus.
For that reason, people must be C-gurado amid these uncertain times. It is essential to always keep our health in check with sufficient vitamins and nutrients for doubled-up protection against the invisible enemy even if we’re wearing masks outside and completely vaccinated, along with a booster shot.
Hygiene and health must start at home. And while no supplements can directly cure COVID-19 and its variants, taking vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and Zinc can help provide adequate nutrition to double up one’s immunity, lessening severe symptoms.
Benefits of Vitamin C and Zinc to help boost one’s immune system
Vitamin C is a well-known vitamin to take in the new normal. Since it provides added protection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), this vitamin is vital to maintaining your health.
Vitamin C also assists a person’s immune system combat sicknesses, making it significant to include in your diet. In addition, a foreign study indicated that regular Vitamin C intake helps reduce the severity of colds.
Other than that, as an essential medicine, it can assist in faster wound healing and minimize the risks of having long-term illnesses like cancer.
Another winning supplement to increase our immune functions is Zinc, a mineral that may have antiviral activity. According to a study, this mineral improves immune cell function that counters viral infections or may reduce the ability of viruses to multiply.
Another study found out that Zinc may not prevent colds, but evidence proves that it plays an essential function in shortening cold symptoms.
No wonder why Vitamin C and Zinc are necessary to be taken this new normal. It’s because of the powerful benefits of these supplements to people’s immune systems.
Doubled-up protection with Santé’s Daily-C Plus
While certain foods can be good sources of these vitamins and minerals, some people have difficulties including them in their daily diet.
That is why Santé, a premier natural and organic health and wellness product and services provider, brings you the new and improved Daily-C Plus, helping you get an extra dose of vitamins for doubled-up protection so you can live beyond the limits and confidently care for your family.
“Because of the health scares brought by 2020, everyone must improve their daily health care and lifestyle. The new and improved Daily-C Plus is our way of helping everyone so they can become more C-gurado even amid these uncertain times,” said Joey Marcelo, CEO of Santé.
Daily-C Plus is the doubled-up version of Daily-C, which helps the immune system and decreases Vitamin C deficiency. It also aids in enhancing iron absorption, collagen formation, and wound healing in our bodies.
Packed with non-acidic sodium ascorbate fortified with Zinc, it provides an extra level of protection to you and your family while being gentler on the stomach and safe for daily consumption. It comes in a 500mg natural vegetable capsule, so it’s like eating your greens with just a pill.
“Because of uncertainties at times like this, I always make sure to put effort and work to protect my future, family, and health. And because I’m a certified C-gurista, the best way to guard myself and my loved ones from sickness is with the doubled-up protection of Daily-C Plus,” said Catriona Gray, ambassador of Daily-C Plus.
So, if you are a certified C-gurista, be sure to double up your protection with Santé’s Daily-C Plus and be C-gurado to face each day in this new normal.
Daily-C Plus is at a 20% discount from February 14 to 28! Avail of this limited time offer by visiting mysante.com/shop.

domain: news


text:
By Carey Smith
The Railyard is a hip urban concept new to Springfield, expected to open in April 2021. Operating out of three shipping containers and a former barbershop, this mostly outdoor venue will offer a variety of foods in a unique environment featuring a lot of green space.
Kirk Jefferis, a commercial real estate developer, bought the property at 2242 S. Sixth for parking and also to control the view for the businesses he owns nearby. Formerly Gallagher’s Steakhouse and then Charlie R’s, it was in the process of being remodeled to reopen as Black Ox Steakhouse when a fire consumed all but one of the buildings on the site.
To create and develop The Railyard, Jefferis teamed up with Dave Matthews, a California transplant with 15 years of experience as a chef, and Chip Kennedy, a local restaurateur and chef, both with a variety of business venture experiences. Their food service experience includes 5flavors Catering, Cinco Sabores at Lake Springfield Marina, Finley’s Tap House and Fire & Ale in Sherman. Matthews describes The Railyard as “a really cool outdoor dining establishment that will have a variety of cuisines to appeal to a lot of people.”
The remaining building on the property will be remodeled to become a taqueria with a small amount of indoor seating, plus restrooms. Outside, in a transformed green space, three shipping containers will provide a variety of food options.
“One of my hobbies is making ice cream,” says Jefferis, “so one of the shipping containers will be a creamery. One will feature Texas-style barbeque. One will have ramen bowls and sushi.”
Matthews says, “All menus will be very short to not overwhelm our potential guests with too many options but still give them a wide variety. There is something for everyone to satisfy them.”
COVID-19 restrictions may have disrupted the restaurant industry, but the partners believe The Railyard is structured to thrive despite restrictions. “We’re going forward with the ‘new normal’ and outside dining is going to be huge,” states Matthews. “Even before all this happened, we were looking into outside seating venues because we have some great summer months in Springfield.”
The property sits adjacent to the newly constructed overpass on South Sixth Street, part of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project.
Leave A Comment


text:
Are we finally moving into the future promised to us by “The Jetsons?” Completely driverless cars are ready to take you wherever you want to go, even though most Americans aren’t too keen on the service yet.
Waymo has developed the driverless cars as its grand entry into the ride-hailing business. While Uber and Lyft have gobbled up the ride-sharing headlines, Waymos has quietly spent 10 years developing its driverless vehicles.
The cars will begin operating in one U.S. city, with others coming online soon, giving the average rider quite an experience.
Let ’em roll
Waymo vehicles have become a familiar sight to residents of the Phoenix Metro area, so it makes sense for Waymo One driverless cars to slowly roll out in that region before expanding to other areas.
Customers began receiving emails from the company, telling them riders will get a notice on their Waymo app informing them when they have been matched with a truly driverless vehicle. That means there will be no safety driver behind the wheel, so riders better prepare to see an empty driver’s seat. If there are any problems along the journey, riders can hit the help button.
Waymo began as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009 and its technology has come a long way over the past decade. Waymo builds detailed three-dimensional maps that highlight information such as curbs, sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic lights, stop signs and more.
With a combination of sensors and software, the vehicle can constantly scan for objects around the vehicle, like pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles, traffic controls and even identifying traffic light colors and temporary stop signs.
Waymo claims its vehicles can see up to three football fields away in every direction and its software predicts the movements of everything around the car based on their speed and trajectory.
Are we ready for the future?
In theory, Americans have always looked forward to the world promised by Disneyland’s Tomorrowland.
Reality has been a little different. A recent poll by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that 7 in 10 Americans want nothing to do with driverless cars. The poll numbers were almost unchanged from 2018.
According to AAA, people had a more favorable view of driverless cars until a series of incidents involving autonomous cars, culminating in the death of a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona.
Needless to say, Americans are still taking baby steps toward fully automated cars; however, AAA found Americans are receptive to automated vehicles in more limited applications.
About half are comfortable with low-speed, short-distance forms of transportation, such as the automated walkways found at airports and theme parks. Meanwhile, 44 percent of those surveyed are okay with fully self-driving vehicles that deliver food or packages.


text:
An ordinary fruit yoghurt from a Stuttgart dairy: The strawberries originate from Poland, the bacteria culture from Schleswig-Holstein, and the aluminum cover from the Rhineland. By the time the yoghurt appears on the supermarket shelf, trucks have covered 9,115 kilometers throughout Europe. Spatial planner and traffic expert Stefanie Böge has conscientiously calculated these immense routes in the context of a comprehensive study.
The distances our consumer goods travel, whether pineapples from Costa Rica or Valentine's roses from Kenya, are increasing every year. Even an ordinary North Sea shrimp clocks up a journey of around 6,000 kilometers by the time it lands on a plate in a Schleswig-Holstein fish restaurant—after peeling in Morocco!
"From an ecological point of view, ever shorter delivery times are a problem, because it deprives us of all potential for optimization," says Michael Ten Hompel, Professor for Materials Handling and Warehousing at Dortmund Technical University and Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Material Flow and Logistics.
Interview with Michael ten Hompel
How can the industry do its job not only as fast as possible, but also save resources? That's not easy. Because the demands placed on logistics are rising enormously. While the global freight volume was still at 70,894 trillion ton-kilometers in 2010, it will more than quadruple by 2050 according to OECD forecasts.
Everything has to be available just in time—certainly for producers, but also for consumers. Because a consumer who is always online with his smartphone, going on a shopping spree whenever and wherever he likes, also expects everything ‘now’.
"Immediacy" is the magic word for this new, machine-driven impatience. Forwarding agents, courier services, sea and airfreight companies need to run their business ever more efficiently and flexibly, so that everything is available in a jiffy, i.e. immediately.
But how can logistics experts cope with this mammoth task? What potential solutions does digitization provide? How are trucks going to get through congested cities in future? How to reach the consignees of shipped goods on the first delivery attempt? And finally: How can all these processes be designed so sustainably that they don't create even more emissions to pollute the environment?
Questions that provided ample topics for discussion in Munich recently at the world's leading trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management. "We bring together all the key players in the logistics industry so they can present their solutions to the challenges of the future" says Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München and responsible for the Transport Togistic show, among others.
”We are an extremely important impetus for an industry that represents our country’s third-largest economic sector, with a turnover of almost 260 billion, behind the automobile industry and retail."
Interview with Stefan Rummel
All key players in the logistics world have been represented at this trade show for years, including of course the subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, DB Schenker, with more than 68,000 employees in over 140 countries, one of the giants of the industry.
With a man at the helm with his finger on the pulse of the times: CEO Jochen Thewes summoned 120 top managers of his company on the margins of an executive conference in Dortmund in early February, where he emphatically brought home to his colleagues that nothing which was once big is certain to stay that way in the long run. Specifically, why should digitalization, which is currently turning entire business sectors upside down, spare the logistics sector of all things?
“Not a single board meeting passes without this topic being on the agenda, where we try to assess what the threats are and which new opportunities it offers."
Jochen Thewes, DB Schenker
There is no shortage of options. The Schenker managers have just invested about 24 million euro in the UShip freight exchange, headquartered in the USA—a kind of uber-platform for the forwarding industry, which auctions off transport jobs via mobile terminals.
It is by no means the only digitalization offensive that is disrupting the industry. Kühne + Nagel (KN) in 2014 launched a fully digitalized platform solution for the booking and tracking of air and sea freight shipments named "FreightNet", which will soon be available also for land transport.
Under the label "td.Basic", Lufthansa Cargo markets a particularly inexpensive transport option for bulk haulage, which can only be booked online. And DB Schenker signed a cooperation agreement with truck manufacturer MAN at Transport Logistic just recently. Together, they want to develop the operation of fully networked truck convoys, which are to run on the A9 between Munich and Nuremberg on a trial basis as of 2018.
Self-driving trucks on German freeways
Experts call this new technology platooning, which allows several trucks to ride safely bumper-to-bumper on public roads, connected by electronic shafts and car-to-car communication. The first truck sets the speed and direction, the others follow in its slipstream, without man having to intervene, unless in emergency situations and when explicitly requested by the system.
All truck manufacturers are currently engaged in pilot projects for this traffic concept of the future, not just MAN but also Daimler, Volvo, Scania, DAF and Iveco. Because platooning holds enormous advantages. "We expect a reduction in fuel consumption by up to ten per cent, lower CO2 emissions, better utilization of road infrastructure and improved road safety," says DB-Schenker CEO Thewes.
However, for the fully networked, and, in a next step even self-driving trucks to move beyond the test phase and become common on our roads, new legal regulations are needed. Political decisions strongly influence the business of logistics experts, and not always to their advantage, especially not in air cargo. But wherever speed is of the essence, there is no way around aircraft. Unfortunately, it doesn't always take off as fast as the parties involved would like.
We are just no longer competitive, and precisely through regulations which we have imposed on ourselves", Lufthansa Cargo CEO Peter Gerber
In Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf, the three most important German hubs in international passenger and freight traffic, operating hours during the night are largely restricted.
But a closed airport can be flown around just as easily as an annoying thunderstorm. If the parameters do not suit in Frankfurt, Munich or Düsseldorf, the freight is simply taken to Amsterdam or Paris by truck, where aircraft are allowed to take off and land around the clock.
When you are in a hurry, you soon find an alternative, even without going abroad. Frank Rausch, CEO of Hermes Germany GmbH, therefore decided years ago to make the Leipzig/Halle airport the central air cargo hub for his company, in addition to Frankfurt. Today, the formerly rather insignificant airport handles a freight and mail volume of more than one million tons annually, ten times as much as in 2007, thanks to night flights being allowed. This places Leipzig second behind Frankfurt in the German airfreight business.
Angela Titzrath, the new CEO of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), is facing a strategic disadvantage of a different kind. The River Elbe is simply too shallow for the latest-generation container giants. The plan to further excavate the shipping channel to enable navigation of freighters with a draft of up to 14.50 meters, has been postponed. According to a ruling by the Leipzig Federal Administrative Court in early February, the Hanseatic port city has to improve its proposal in terms of environmental conservation aspects.
HHLA manager Titzrath had certainly hoped for a better outcome. But the port of Hamburg, she says, will by no means face "an uncertain future". With very good connection to the hinterland, high clearance quality and use of state-of-the-art technology, the port managers from Hamburg will continue to play a leading role in the future.
Major support is provided by the specialists of IT service provider Dakosy. It is not for nothing that customers praise the company's "Port Community System" as the "brain of the port", because this platform links all of them together: forwarding agents, shipping companies, line agents and customs authorities. "With our system, all data on a shipment can be captured and verified", says Dakosy CEO Ulrich Wrage.
"Only this seamless, fully digital data flow creates the transparency that is needed to keep a port the size of Hamburg running." Ulrich Wrage, Dakosy
The cargo manifest, previously phone-book-thick paper bundles, are now compressed into computer files, accessible for all involved and traceable step-by-step. It enables the responsible parties to always know the current location of a container and which work process must follow next in importing or exporting.
Up to 8,000 trucks daily head for the piers in Hamburg, a truck avalanche on a gigantic scale. A software solution named "smartPort logistics" (SPL), developed in cooperation with SAP and Telekom is now providing all stakeholders with accurate information: waiting times at the loading terminals, construction sites or traffic jams en route, bridge opening hours and vacant parking spaces can be retrieved via the telematics units in the vehicles, smartphones and tablets.
This example impressively demonstrates that there is no way forward in the modern world of logistics without sophisticated technology and cross-company data exchange, either in the port industry, on the road or in the air. Frankfurt Airport for example is now using a community system called "FAIR @ Link", which aims to further improve the data flow between companies, also developed by IT specialist Dakosy.
"The current situation rather reminds me of the situation 15 years ago when the Internet hype began," says Michael ten Hompel, logistics expert
"A basic understanding of information technology and its programming is as important today as reading and writing," says logistics Professor Michael Ten Hompel. "Anyone who does not understand this is unable to master the most important raw material of the digital revolution."
Transported into the future
Ten Hompel has a very clear picture of where the sector is heading in mind: it is the Internet of Things which will radically change the industry in the coming years. Once the world of devices is fully established, nothing remains as it once was. Cyber-physical systems will then virtually act independently:
With autonomous vehicles navigating through the warehouses, and intelligent crates that communicate with each other thanks to cameras and sensors, finding their way to the destination almost by themselves. "All of this is ready to go. Only the thought barriers in the minds of the decision makers are still stifling the inevitable", says ten Hompel.
"The technology to launch this fourth industrial revolution already exists." It is also sorely needed. Experts of the Society for Consumer Research (GfK) expect that by 2025, the online share of total retail sales will almost double—to reach 15 percent. That means still more work for the courier, express and parcel services, which are currently racing each other for the famous last mile.
Online order, immediate delivery
With traditional delivery vans, but also with cargo bicycles like the ones used back in Grandpa's day, to make headway at all in gridlocked cities. After next- and same-day-delivery, suppliers are now promising delivery service within mere 60 minutes.
Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, has now entered the delivery business itself. On the northern outskirts of Berlin, in a hall of the former Borsigwerke, currently 150 employees are packing 10,000 packages daily, 24 hours, six days a week, which are then delivered within a very short time by regional logistics partners. “With online purchasing and delivery from a single source, we are even closer to the customer,” says Bernd Schwenger, Amazon's Managing Director Logistics, Germany. "We are learning every day at the front door."
What exactly Amazon wants to learn there isn't hard to guess. When is the customer usually at home? Which bell is the right one? And where in the neighborhood can the messenger deposit the goods when no one opens?
Anyone who orders on the Internet knows the problem: shoes, DIY products or clothes are quickly ordered at a mouse click, but delivery is a long time coming. For this reason, the only e-commerce providers who will remain successful in the long run, are those who find new ways to take their products to the customer quickly, reliably and cost-effectively", says Bernhard Rohleder, Managing Director of digital association Bitkom.
"The more sophisticated the logistics, the larger the share of goods ordered online will become." Bernhard Rohleder, Bitkom
The established courier services however won't be giving up without a fight. Although Amazon still handles much of its logistics in Germany via DHL, DPD or Hermes, who knows if this will continue to be the case? Hermes, in any case, has already reacted to the American giant's foray.
After testing the use of parcel deliveries by robotic vehicles in Hamburg, Hermes has recently increased its minority shareholding in same-day delivery specialist Liefery, a Frankfurt start-up. Co-founder of the company is Franz-Joseph Miller, a man who is very well acquainted with ultra-short delivery times. For Lufthansa Cargo, he has already built up the express freight expert time:matters.
The greatest difficulty: on-time delivery
In more than 60 cities, Miller's couriers are already delivering packages with a fleet of bicycles, compact cars and vans. The company currently handles 500,000 shipments a month; with a sales volume that has grown more than tenfold in 2016 compared to the previous year.
In a world where everybody wants everything as soon as possible, only providers who can offer the best logistical service will stay ahead in the long run. Everyone in the industry knows that. The only question is whether—after delivery within a day or within just one hour—how do you improve on that?
But it almost looks as if even that is not in the realm of the impossible. "Anticipatory Shipping". That's the name of the process that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is pursuing. The idea behind it: even before the customer clicks on the "buy" button, the merchandise matching his profile is to be on its way to him.
Because thanks to big data, evaluation of order histories, the exchange and return behavior of customers and their wish lists on the website, Amazon already knows what people want before they even order. It remains to be seen whether, at the end of the day, customers will really appreciate that.


text:
Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, has lots of flash and fanfare — but, so far, not much else.
The Duchess of Sussex’s latest project was announced online earlier this month with a video featuring the mom-of-two in a kitchen straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie.
In moments that are peak Markle, the 42-year-old was also seen picking flowers and posing in a black ball gown.
But there still remain vital questions surrounding the brand: Just who is investing in it, who is working on it — and who is manufacturing the goods, which will range from jams and jellies to candles, skincare and pet food?
Well-placed sources at other lifestyle brands told Page Six that American Riviera Orchard is all the gossip on industry What’sApp groups around Los Angeles.
Tellingly, however, they have not yet heard anything about Markle hiring buyers or a sourcing team.
One insider who knows the Sussexes told Page Six that it’s looking like a typical Markle project: plenty of glamour, little substance. “They [Harry and Meghan] consistently make announcements and roll things out really early … to what point?” the insider said.
Sources close to Markle point out that no timeframe for an actual product launch has been given yet.
However, Page Six can confirm that the finance types Markle and Prince Harry have been seen networking with — including Wall Street billionaire Ken Griffin and cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson and her husband, marketing multi-millionaire guru Bill Guthy, both close pals of the Sussexes —are not investing.
Neither is Ari Emanuel, head of WME, the talent mega agency which signed up Markle nearly a year ago.
Markle is believed to have worked on the project with Hollywood money man Adam Lilling.
As Page Six previously revealed, the Sussexes are thought to have been introduced to Lilling, who heads up the private equity fund Plus Capital, by their close friend and Montecito, California, neighbor Ellen DeGeneres, who has worked with him for years.
The trio were seen mingling at DeGeneres’ surprise vow renewal to wife Portia de Rossi last year. Lilling was unavailable for comment.
The project will tie in with Markle’s new Netflix show, which she is said to be filming now, in a bid to follow in the footsteps of Martha Stewart and Joanna Gaines.
When she was interviewed for The Cut in 2022, Markle gifted the writer a basket of homegrown fruits and vegetables, as well as a jar of jam with a customized label from Etsy.
It read Lili Bunny Garden + Larder, after her daughter Princess Lilibet — could that be a clue about her pantry products?
Whatever the case, she’s already raising her neighbors’ hackles.
Kerry Clasby, an organic farmer who runs the Malibu Fig Ranch and supplies to top chiefs including Tom Collichio and Jean George Vongirechten, said that Markle also needs to be diligent about using the name America Riviera — a nickname for the posh Santa Barbara region, which includes Montecito.
“If you’re calling it American Riviera, you really ought to be [sourcing ingredients] grown in Santa Barbara,” Clasby told Page Six. “Otherwise, you’re going into the wholesale dump in downtown LA, where all the produce comes up from Mexico or Chile.
“The kitchen should be there also [in the Santa Barbara area], unless they are just putting their name on it and getting it made wherever, or getting it pre-made. And then it’s hype.”
Although Markle has been spotted at the Montecito farmers market, Sam Edelman, general manager at The Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association, told us that, to his knowledge, the duchess is not working with any of the farmers in the group.
If Markle wants to sell anything at her local farmers market, though, she’ll need to get her hands dirty.
“California is strict about us putting on our sign that we grow what we sell,” said Maureen Claffey, who owns Red Hen Cannery in Carpinteria, California, with her husband. “In order to sell strawberry jam at the farmer’s market, you have to have grown the strawberries.”
Claffrey is a fan of Markle’s after meeting her: “My daughter had set up a little cotton-candy stand and [Markle and Prince Harry] bought cotton candy from her. Having met them and seen how they reacted to my daughter and how positive they were on a windy day, that speaks volumes. How people treat children with no one around says a lot.”
One source who knows Markle well told Page Six that it had long been the former actress’ dream to follow up on The Tig, the lifestyle site she ran while starring in the TV drama “Suits.” It included travel tips, recipes and fashion insight.
Markle shut it down in 2017 after meeting Harry and before marrying into the royal family.
“She’s always been a big fan of Goop, and wanted to create an extension of The Tig,” the source said of Markle and American Riviera Orchard.
A senior figure in the lifestyle industry pointed out that Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow organically grew her business — now valued at around a billion dollars — from her kitchen table 16 years ago.
Patlrow has talked about how she used to go to appointments with suppliers herself.
“Everyone is speculating about American Riviera Orchard,” said the lifestyle figure. “But someone like Gwyneth started out by sending out a newsletter once a week and it was very personal, kind of like Substack now. But it was a very novel idea at the time, but she didn’t monetize the business for about seven years. The goal was creating a community and something of value, rather than it being a business.
“She didn’t take any outside funding until 2015.”
It was only then that Paltrow turned her passion for things like clean cosmetics into a brand, and worked on creating her own beauty products with specialists.
Goop has now worked with leaders in the beauty and fashion industries, including former staffers from LVMH and investors from top firms such as NEA.
“With Goop, everything that happened all came from a very gradual, authentic place … Gwyneth did not set out to create what it is today,” said the lifestyle figure.
It was Mandana Dayani — president of the Sussexes’ company Archewell from May 2021 to December 2022 — who first came to Markle with a list of business proposals, we’re told.
Another source who knows the Sussexes said: “Mandana was supposed to figure out a business that makes money, but she left … but I know she pitched Meghan on a bunch of ideas.”
Dayani declined to comment.
Markle has also discussed ideas with Sarah Harden, CEO of Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine, sources said.
As Puck reported, Markle took inspiration for her new brand from Flamingo Estate, a celebrity favorite that sells candles, skincare and pantry goods — including $250 honey hawked by stars including Julianne Moore (with proceeds going to charity).
The Duchess of Sussex was, at one point, in talks with founder Flamingo Estate Richard Christiansen to join forces.
“I know that Meghan had a lot of meetings with Richard, and it didn’t work out,” said the lifestyle figure.
Christiansen was unavailable for comment.
But another insider who knows Markle isn’t so sure the Flamingo Estate crowd is interested.
“She thinks her audience is high-end wealthy and wear Cartier and Tiffany — because she does,” the insider said. “But I think they are J Crew. She is really in the mid-tier market.”
A trademark application for American Riviera Orchard was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 2, by the company Mama Knows Best, LLC. Two further applications have since been filed, registering the name for flatware, cookbooks, household linens, pantry items including jams and spreads, gift wrap stationery, candles, yoga mats and pet food.
Markle could, of course, use her AmericanRiviera.com site to sell her favorite products from other brands, as well as her own merchandise.
But whatever she’s doing, experts said, she better hurry if she wants to cash in this year.
“Surely Meghan would have products ready to go soon, or they would not have announced it,” one merchandising source told us. “She will want a holiday range and she’s almost getting too late for that.”


text:
There are just three months to go before the housewares industry can get its hands on yet another wonder egg poaching product.
Lakeland currently has UK exclusivity on the Poachet, a patented egg poaching bag manufactured by Quickshine. The retailer has sold almost 100,000 packs of 20 Poachets since April – enough to prepare 2m eggs – while Quickshine has sold a further 1.5m bags to export customers.
Lakeland will retain exclusivity until the end of this year, after which time it will retain the name Poachets as its exclusive brand going forward. The products will, though, then become available to other retailers under the brand name of Poachies, from the start of 2012. Quickshine says it is currently seeking distributors for the housewares sector.
The success of the Poachet joins that of JWP’s Poachpod and Eddingtons’ Poach Perfect. However, while both of those products are silicone, the Poachet is like a paper tea-bag that holds the egg during cooking.
“Proper, water-immersed poached eggs have always been difficult to prepare, with unpredictable and inconsistent results,” Quickshine’s Howard Gold told HousewaresLive.net. “Egg poaching bags make them simpler to cook than an omelette.”
Meanwhile, at Lakeland – where the Poachet now continuously ranks as a top seller – director of buying Matthew Canwell explains its success simply: “You just can’t go wrong with eggs!”


text:
SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — This winter, demand for imported fruits is increasing as domestic fruit produced in the winter is limited to produce such as tangerines and strawberries.
According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., grapes are particularly popular this year.
Grape imports stalled in 2016 after reaching a peak in 2015. However, imports of grapes reached 68,749 tons as of November this year, surpassing the total from last year.
This shift can also be seen in the retail market. According to statistics provided by the online shopping mall G9, sales of imported fruits have more than doubled, with an increase of 143 percent compared to last year.
G9 explained that the increase was likely due to the limited variety of domestically produced fruit during the winter, and easier access to imported fruits.
Grapes have been the most popular fruit among imported tropical fruits, with sales more than five times higher than the same period last year.
G9 explained that grapes with a high sugar content, such as green grapes, can be eaten without peeling off the skin, and these merits are being advertised via word of mouth through SNS and online.
Other imported fruits such as cherries, pomegranates, kiwis, bananas have also become more popular.
G9 is trying to meet consumer demand by quickly introducing a variety of products as consumers who have become accustomed to tropical fruits on their overseas trips or on their SNS accounts are seeking these types of fruits in the middle of the winter.
Ashley Song (firstname.lastname@example.org)


text:
Editor’s note: The creator of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has made her anti-trans rights views widely known. We at Upcomer are vehemently against the views expressed by Rowling, and encourage our readers to read about the impact of her views at our sister site, The Mary Sue. If you would like to donate to help trans people in need, please visit Trans Lifeline or Mermaids UK.
Hogwarts Legacy is the next chapter in the Wizarding World created by J.K. Rowling. While the famed author has no direct involvement with the new game developed by Avalanche Studios, her world is still at the forefront. The developers have designed a completely original story set in the 1800s. Players will assume the role of a new student at Hogwarts and take part in every magical activity the castle has to offer. The game has no firm release date as of yet but players are trying to figure out if they will even be able to play the game. To do that, they need to know what consoles Hogwarts will release on.
The consoles Hogwarts Legacy will release on
2022 is a strange time for video game systems. The current generation of consoles is the norm for developers but the past generation still hasn’t been left behind in most cases. A majority of games released today are developed for both PlayStation 4+5 and Xbox One and Series X|S.
Luckily for fans who haven’t gotten their hands on a current-gen console, Hogwarts Legacy will release on both past and current-gen hardware. This includes “PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStation4 Pro, the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox Series X and Xbox One X,” as stated by the game’s FAQ. Hogwarts Legacy will also be arriving on PC.
The release date for Hogwarts Legacy
As stated previously, the developers have given no exact release date for Hogwarts Legacy. All players officially know is that the game will launch sometime in 2022. This timeframe has been questioned by leakers recently but it seems the game is still on track for this year.
Warner Media CEO Jason Kilar recently tweeted that the company will deliver a large amount of content this year, including a “full slate of highly anticipated games.” The CEO didn’t mention Hogwarts Legacy specifically but this seems to confirm the game’s release timeframe has not changed.
This mission, this strategy continues in ‘22 with a sense of urgency: launching HBO Max in many more countries this quarter and the balance of the year, launching CNN+, delivering of a full slate of highly anticipated games. 10/x pic.twitter.com/CY5jYAhxU5
— Jason Kilar (@jasonkilar) January 26, 2022
The release date for Hogwarts Legacy aside, players with any past or current-gen console will be able to enjoy it. Fans on PC will need to wait until the developers release the full slate of minimum and recommended requirements before they can figure out if they can run the game or not.
About the Author
Joey Carr is a full-time writer for multiple esports and gaming websites. He has 6+ years of experience covering esports and traditional sporting events, including DreamHack Atlanta, Call of Duty Championships 2017, and Super Bowl 53.


text:
THE NEWS: Federal Trade Commission data released Friday show the nation's top tobacco companies spent less money on advertising and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products in recent years.
CIGARETTES: Marketing decreased more than 5 percent to $8.05 billion in 2010, the latest year available, compared with a year earlier. Meanwhile, cigarette sales decreased about 3 percent to 281.6 billion cigarettes in the same period. About 81 percent or $6.49 billion, was for price discounts paid to retailers and wholesalers to reduce the price of cigarettes to consumers.
SMOKELESS TOBACCO: Marketing decreased nearly 10 percent to $444.2 million from 2009 to 2010 as sales increased 6.5 percent. Companies spent about 19 percent, or $95 million, on price discounts.


text:
Vinyl gloves are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which produce dangerous dioxin and other carcinogenic emissions across their life cycle (from manufacturing to landfill disposal).
Some vinyl gloves are also found to contain toxic plasticiser chemicals called ortho-phthalates that can leach into food.
Malaysias Maybank Investment Bank notes that demand has gradually switched from vinyl to nitrile rubber gloves, with the trend starting as early as 1999, for the medical gloves segment.
Global demand of 330 billion gloves this year
VIP Gloves Ltd (ASX:VIP) manufacturers nitrile gloves, which are allergy-free, puncture-resistant, have good barrier protection against infection and contamination and are suitable in medical and high-risk tasks.
The company said sales orders have been filled through to the second quarter of 2021, with recent orders at higher sale prices which vary, depending on the specifications and volume.
With the impact of COVID-19, the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association is projecting an estimated global demand of 330 billion gloves this year and expected annual growth of 20% this year.
According to Macquarie Bank, VIP looks set to benefit from strong glove market fundamentals with glove demand expected to remain robust driven by COVID-19.


text:
DBCI, a manufacturer of self-storage roll-up doors and other building components, has introduced Curl-Lok, a new door constructed of replaceable panels. It’s engineered with curls that lock along the edges rather than seam together. The door can be quickly repaired on site without any specialty tools, company representatives said in a press release.
Shipping replacement panels rather than an entirely new door will reduce associated freight costs and increase delivery speed, company officials said. “This is a huge advancement for our customers,” said Larry Miller, vice president of operations. “In the past, the only options for a damaged door was to either live with it or replace the entire thing. Now damaged panels can be changed out at significantly less cost.” DBCI also expects many self-storage operators will keep replacement panels on site to keep unusable units to a minimum.
“Curl-Lok is simply a more cost-effective door solution for the self-storage industry,” said Roc Hughes, general manager. “It’s a convenient and efficient product that extends the life of a door and helps facilities remain profitable into the future.”
The product is the result of more than three years of development and testing. “DBCI is a company that lives and breathes innovation,” said Bray Allen, who works in the company’s research and development department. “We realized that one component of the rolling-sheet door our industry has taken for granted is the curtain itself. We saw that as an opportunity. The result is an efficient and dependable door unlike anything else in its category.”
Customers can find more product information and a demonstration video at curl-lok.com. The company is also launching a marketing campaign to announce the product in various trade publications.
DBCI designs and manufactures commercial-grade, steel roll-up doors as well as frames and panels, wall systems, interior-hallway systems, mezzanine systems, portable-storage units, and wine lockers. Headquartered in Douglasville, Ga., the company also operates production facilities in Chandler, Ariz., and Houston.


text:
After the game had been released last year, it quickly became evident that one extremely important part was missing – people. According to numerous players, the opportunity to communicate with other folks would create Fallout's charm. Apparently, the company engaged in the development of the game agreed and started to elaborate frameworks for its update soon after the original game was launched in November last year. And now, a lot of fans are looking forward to the moment when is “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” DLC launched.
“Fallout 76: Wastelanders” will introduce special companions so players will get the opportunity to interact with two new groups – raiders and settlers. Thus, things will become much more exciting in Appalachia.
A “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” update was announced at the “Bethesda Softworks” press conference as part of E3 2019. At the press-conference, developers announced just a few details of the future novelty such as the introduction of non-players characters (NPC) and the ability to interact with them. Afterwards, at QuakeCon 2019, it became known exactly how the dialogue system in the forthcoming update would look like. According to the developer’s project manager, the dialogue system of the update would not be similar to the one in the fourth part of the well-known series. It would look like answer choices in “Fallout 3”, where users could freely choose lines and were not limited to using just general statements. It should be noted that the dialogues in “Fallout 4” were criticized because of the fixed answer options, which in most cases fit into one standard scheme. Apparently, therefore, Bethesda decided to use the developments of the third part of the series.
Read more: Shenmue III: Details on the Novelty
“Fallout 76: Wastelanders” DLC release date
Originally, the “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” update release date was scheduled for the end of the year 2019. However, afterwards, the developers announced that the update would be released in 2020, notably in its first quarter. This was due to the fact that they realized it would require more time to provide their customers with a high-quality product.
Therefore, as is already known, it will be a free update for “Fallout 76”, and if it is similar to the “Wild Appalachia” update, “Fallout 76 Wastelanders” will not be released all at once but will be spread during a few months, with a number of subsequent updates taking place every few weeks.
What is the reason for the “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” release of the update? The original idea of the game was to make players the only alive creatures residing in Appalachia. However, many players claimed that they miss a dialogue system and communication. Thus, in order to satisfy their customers, the developers decided to prepare an update featuring new options.
“Fallout 76: Wastelanders” DLC: when is it coming out?
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, Bethesda Game Studios shared new screenshots of the forthcoming update for “Fallout 76”. In the images, it is possible to see the NPC and diverse locations that will be populated by different fractions. The developers gave a short description of each picture and explained what exactly was depicted on them.
Another reason why Bethesda Softworks shared screenshots is to soften players’ disappointment after the statement regarding delay of the update and announcement of the “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” new release date. On its official website, the company says that the launch of DLC has been postponed to the first quarter of 2020. According to the team, which is engaged in the development, it needs more time to realize all their clients’ ideas. The team makes every effort to ensure that future content meets everyone’s expectations. Developers sincerely apologize for the delay, as they claim, this is worth the extra time.
In this week's Inside The Vault, we’re bringing a few new Wastelanders screenshots to the table for you to dig into over the holiday weekend. We’ve also got a reminder about the Purveyor Legendary Sale that’s live in #Fallout76 right now.https://t.co/I4sn7Ko8n9 pic.twitter.com/0e1SkW1rKZ— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) 28 ноября 2019 г.
According to the published screenshots, with the launch of “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” DLC, the number of activities in the game will increase significantly. In addition, the authors will try to surprise users with interesting characters.
Even during the announcement on E3 2019, the developers talked about a new storyline, equipment and weapons. A number of fractions were mentioned in the image descriptions: settlers and raiders. Players will get the opportunity to join raiders or settlers, and this is not a simple selection between bad and good. It is anticipated that dialogues will take place between a non-player character and a single player as opposed to a whole team communicating with that NPC together.
The developers also shared more information on the group system with those who keep on asking: when is “Fallout 76: Wastelanders” DLC? Therefore, if you are a member of a team, you need to know that the one who will negotiate will be the team’s leader. However, if you are not a member of a team and want to speak to non-players characters, you will need to communicate face to face with them. This is due to the fact that the developers wanted to give the opportunity to every player to experience the story and not only follow the leader of the team.
This is almost all the information that is currently known about the forthcoming update.
As mentioned earlier, The Game Awards 2019 took place in Los Angeles. At the ceremony, the most interesting projects of the outgoing year were awarded prestigious prizes.
Read more: “Death Standing” Reviews
Read more: eSports Team Rating


text:
Wal mart in china
Free 2-day shipping on qualified orders over $35 buy online-shopping in china at walmartcom. In 1996, wal-mart began its retail operation in china through joint venture agreement with opening of a supercenter and sam's club in shenzhen. Grassroots strategy: wal-mart employees in china win an unprecedented victory opening the door to a different kind of trade unionism. After its wall street ipo, alibaba founder jack ma wants the chinese company to be bigger than walmart.
Wal-mart in china 2012 case solution,wal-mart in china 2012 case analysis, wal-mart in china 2012 case study solution, in this updated case of wal-mart, the largest retailer in the world. (business news) have you ever visited a walmart in another nation a look inside china shows some major differences in how our countries operate and market, and it's fascinating. 1 wal-mart workers in china anita chan [email protected] sponsored by the international labor rights forum and the national labor college washington dc. The statistic shows the number of walmart stores in china from 2013 to 2017, broken down by type as of january 2017, there were in total 424 walmart retail stores in china, an increase from. Wal-mart is the world’s largest retailer stores emerged in arkansas, usa since 1962 by sam walton with his belief that the future of retailing.
Bentonville, arkansas and beijing – june 20, 2016 – walmart (nyse:wmt), and jdcom (nasdaq:jd), china’s largest e-commerce company by revenue, today announced that they have formed a. Walmart failed to understand china's consumers and culture.
Walmart china web site food safety customer requirements and corporate responsibility food comes first in people's life while its safety is the top concern. Alibaba group holding ltd’s $29 billion deal to buy a slice of china’s largest hypermart chain pits it against wal-mart stores inc in the world’s largest retail arena. Wal-mart faces protests by employees in china over what they say is a drastic change in work schedules, as the company overhauls its struggling business amid an economic slowdown and.
Wal mart in china
Access to case studies expires six months after purchase date publication date: october 10, 2012 in this updated case on wal-mart, the world's largest retailer, the company remains actively. The signs all over the store proclaiming everyday low prices look the same (except that they're printed in chinese), as do the neatly dressed.
It seems like you can find anything at your local wal-mart, and most of the products are of course made in china these days but that doesn't mean that you'll feel at home when you walk into. Slightly more crowded than a jar of italian anchovies (and smells about as fishy) and packed on multiple floors walmart in china is familiar and yet foreign. Wal-mart stores inc has hit the reset button on its china strategy in dramatic fashion. In china, walmart is not only betting on e-commerce, it's betting on a top chinese e-commerce giant the us retail giant announced on may 25 that it will open a store on jdcom, one of. How walmart is changing china the world’s biggest corporation and the world’s most populous nation have launched a bold experiment in consumer behavior and environmental stewardship: to set.
Wal-mart recently re-adapted its online strategy in china selling a part of its investment in yihaodian to alibaba’s rival jdcom clever move. Jd worldwide promises two-hour delivery of imported goods to any customer living within miles of wal-mart’s 20 stores in china. According to “north news”, an official inner mongolian newspaper, wal-mart china announced on 19th may that it will set up a model supermarket in baotou, the biggest city in inner mongolia. Zhong guoyan sifted through piles of fish at a wal-mart in shenzhen, one of china's largest cities she studied the fins, to make sure they were bright red and.


text:
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — In the wake of Hurricane Ida, the United States Postal Service is asking Louisiana residents to clear debris around mailboxes.
The Postal Service is asking for assistance from postal customers to help us continue to provide uninterrupted mail service to all Southeast Louisiana residents who live in the following 3-Digit ZIP Code Areas:
According to USPS, the accumulation of debris around mail receptacles can cause delays in delivery, and in some areas.
Many carriers are already back on the street delivering mail, wherever it is safe and accessible to do so.
Customers are also reminded to check their website regularly for the updated information on their mail services.
The latest information on alternate locations for residential and business customers, including where to pick up mail and access retail service, is available here:


text:
The Beverage Palce Spirits
CREATED A WHISKY THAT CAN POWER YOUR CAR
Produced by Nick Hines, vinepair.com
Whiskey, the liquid that powers your night, can now power your car,
too. In early July, researchers held the
first successful test run of a car run on a biofuel made from whisky
(the Scotch kind, without the “e”) residue.
The fuel is called biobutanol, and it’s made from the barley kernels
(called draff) that are left over from fer-
mentation. Biobutanol runs in any car that runs on gas and diesel,
and, according to the BBC, you can’t even
tell the difference when driving on the fuel.
Alternative fuel has become big business. Volvo recently made the
To only produce hybrids or electric vehicles by 2019, Ford has made a
major push for clean transportation, and Tesla — and all-electric
was briefly the most valuable car company in the U.S. in 2017.
But there’ll be a middle ground before people drive electric cars
combustion engines. That’s where biofuels come in. Biofuels can be the
middle ground between an entirely clean vehicle and the present day
(and help the world achieve climate change goals set by the Parris
Climate Accord in the process). The process
also uses a byproduct that would otherwise come out as waste.
The biobutonal was created by Celtic Renewables Ltd. in Scotland in
conjunction with Perthshire’s Tullibardine
“What we developed was a process to combine the liquid with the solid,
and used an entirely different tradi-
tional fermentation process called ABE, and it makes the chemical
called biobutanol,” Martin Tangney, the
founder and president of Celtic Renewables, told the BBC. “And that is
a direct replacement, here and now, for
The test run was held, naturally, in Scotland, one of the most famous
whisky regions in the world. The company believes it create make a
£100 million industry, and the government gave the company £9 million
to build a
demonstrator plant in Scotland.
From there, they could go anywhere. The U.S. produces some 37 million
cases of whiskey every year, Canada
produces around 21 million, and Ireland produces around 7 million,
according to Whisky Invest Direct. That’s a
lot of potential whiskey fuel for some very thirsty cars.
We have one of the very
largest selections of bourbon and rye & Whiskeys in the state.
Just in Whistle Pig
Tim Smiths Climax
Garrison Brothers, Cave
Creek, Cooper Creek, Tritcale Whiskey, 287 Single Malt, Black Saddle,
Tin Cup, Stranahans, Johhny Drum, Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, Michters,
Stagg Jr, Bernheim, Rittenhouse, Corner Creek, Jim Beam Craft, Russel
Res, Wild Turekep Spirit, Basil Haydens, Bakers, Bookers, Noahs Mill,
Angel Envy, Delbac, Willett's, Templetons, Four Roses, Rowan's Creek,
Lexington, Hig West, Eagle Rare, Colonel EH Taylor, Jefferson's, No.4
Westchester, Elijah Craig, Pendleton, Collingwood, Rebellion, WH
Harrison, Suntory, Yamazaki, Woodford, Rebelyell, Knob Creek


text:
Renault is reportedly considering buying a Formula 1 team and going it alone as a full constructor once again.
Bruised by the notorious crash-gate affair, the French carmaker sold its works Enstone team to Gerard Lopez in 2010, who renamed it Lotus.
But according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Renault is now considering buying it back.
Correspondent Michael Schmidt said Renault is unhappy with its current situation: spending a lot of money as Red Bull’s works supplier, only to be dwarfed from a marketing perspective by the energy drinks company.
Not only that, Red Bull has been highly critical of its partner, and in the last months been making its own moves to improve the turbo V6 engine, including bringing in the former Mercedes guru Mario Illien.
Schmidt said Renault is considering internally whether running a full works team again, as it did when Fernando Alonso won the 2005 and 2006 titles, might now be the better strategy.
“On Renault’s short-list are Lotus, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso,” he revealed, adding that Bob Bell, formerly a leading Renault figure who recently departed Mercedes, might be involved.
Auto Motor und Sport said Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s second team, could be the frontrunner, as it is the only team on the list with no debt.
An added bonus is that, alongside Red Bull, the Faenza outfit is the only currently Renault-powered team.


text:
Bayonetta 2, the mature action game from Platinum, is officially slated for an October release date and will be a Wii U exclusive. While it's unlikely to move consoles by itself, Bayonetta shows Nintendo has a variety to their roster, even if said variety is only a single game.
Everything from Mario to Xenosaga
The rumor mill turned out a diamond with Mario Maker, a Super Mario level builder. While not much is known about the goals of the game, it looks like an interesting community run title that could rival Sony's LittleBigPlanet 3.
Debuting in true anime fashion, Xenoblade Chronicles will show us what would've happened had Gundam been made into a triple-A title when it comes out in 2015.
Splatoon, Fantasy Life and the Professor
Call of Duty may be a little too mature for Nintendo audiences. In its stead we'll get Splatoon, a third-person shooter that pits teams of squid/human hybrids against one another to cover the map in paint. It's strategic shooter that uses the gamepad - making it a shoo-in on Nintendo's console in 2015.
Announced at the tail end of the show was Fantasy Life, a role-playing game coming to the Nintendo 3DS on October 24.
Also coming to 3DS August 29 is a mash-up title: Professor Layton vs Phoenix Write Ace Attorney.
Finally, the last blockbuster title to get an E3 mention was Star Fox on Wii U. It's in development now and was shown as a tech demo to a select group of journalists, but was strangely absent from today's presentation. At a Nintendo Treehouse event, project leader Shigeru Miyamoto said it should be ready in about one year. Which means Star Fox will likely be getting the limelight this time next year.
It would've been nice to see a few more big names in the Nintendo family this year to reassure those of us with Wii Us that the proper choice was made, and wish that the semi-plausible rumor about a price drop was more than just hear-say.
Nintendo shows a lot of promise with the next class of games coming to their systems and with new Nintendo Directs coming every month, there's nothing stopping the company from debuting a big title this time next month.


text:
If Matt Bootman has his way, his small team of Pittsburgh-based researchers are about to shake up the global lighting market.
It’s a massive $80 billion to $120 billion space involving everything from light bulbs to Christmas lights to headlights, and the Crystalplex team aims to attack it armed with the tiniest of weapons.
These dots are actually semiconductor nanocrystals — semiconductor, like the material found in computer chips — in a microscopic crystal form roughly the size of DNA.
“Our first product is a solid-state LED light using quantum dots to make light as efficiently as an LED but better quality,” CEO Matt Bootman said.
Making an efficient light with the same quality as the old-fashioned Edison bulb is at the heart of what Crystalplex is doing. The company’s first product, a 60-watt equivalent light that is 20 times more efficient than an incandescent bulb, is expected to hit the market in the second quarter of 2013.
This product is low profile and will look sort of like a hockey puck, with a blue LED array overlaid by quantum dots, Bootman said. The LED pumps the dots to produce the broad spectrum of light making white light. Initial products are expected to be akin to track lighting. The company declined to disclose how much the product will cost.
The first product is aimed at “people who care” about light quality, Bootman said. Consumers like photographers, cinematographers or retail display designers. Once that low-volume, high-quality market is captured and the manufacturing process gains an economy of scale, Bootman expects the product to hit store shelves for the rest of us in 2015. By that time, he expects the company to have ramped up to about 80 people.
The dots are produced in a lab in Robinson Township, and the device will be made in California, Bootman said.
The quality of an LED light can be noticeably different. Think about the blueish car headlights that are on the roads today, Bootman said. Due to the way the LED creates white light (typically combining yellow and blue light to create a whitish light), the colors of objects underneath it don’t balance properly. This causes items illuminated by the LED light to appear differently than they would under natural light or traditional white light.
“The museum of modern art would never light (galleries) with an LED, but it could with ours,” he said.
The reason is the nanocrystals. Understanding the process requires a quick physics lesson.
The crystals can convert light of any wavelength into any other wavelength, Bootman said. The wavelength of light determines its color. Because the crystals are smaller than the wavelength of the light, the laws of physics cause photons — the elementary particles that make up light — to hit the crystals. The crystals then tune the light to a different wavelength, changing its color.
To tune the colors, Crystalplex developed a novel process. Whereas the handful of competitor companies tune the crystals by size — bigger crystals are red and smaller crystals are blue — Crystalplex does it through creating an alloy by mixing in different semiconductor atoms that alter the properties of the crystal so color is tuned by composition not size.
By creating same-sized crystals that can create different colors due to their unique composition, the company was able to overcome a key challenge to commercial application of a quantum dot light — stability.
Crystals of different sizes burn out at different rates, Bootman said, and to perform at commercial lighting standards, crystals need to last for 35,000 hours.
“We solved the issue,” he said.
Andrew Wang, president of Arkansas-based Ocean Nanotech, has been researching quantum dots for lighting and biomedical uses since 2002. In the 15 years that quantum dots have been around, Wang said, the biggest limitation to commercial use has been stability since the coating used to bind dots to surfaces have interfered with light emission. But, those problems are close to being solved, he said, and he expects commercial products on the market in the next couple years.
Now, Crystalplex isn’t the only company working to revolutionize LEDs with quantum dots. There are at least three other competitors in the space that are using different techniques, QD Vision in Lexington, Mass.; Nanosys in Palo Alto, Calif.; and Nanoco in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Crystalplex licensed the base technology from Indiana University in the early 2000s intending to develop the dots for medical diagnostic uses. However, in 2006, the company completely changed its business plan to instead capture the much bigger lighting market, Bootman said.


text:
• The May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows disinflation persisting as Bitcoin rises.
• Bitcoin’s illiquid supply has hit an all-time high of 15.17 million, with 72% of the circulating supply being considered “illiquid”.
• Binance saw the largest Bitcoin inflow since the SEC lawsuit, while the Bank of England faced a challenge due to skyrocketing yields following a disappointing jobs report.
Disinflation Persisting as Bitcoin Rises
The May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed that disinflation is persisting even as Bitcoin continues to rise in value. This suggests that there is still some reluctance amongst consumers to spend their money, despite increased optimism about the future of cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin Illiquid Supply Hits All-Time High
Data from Glassnode revealed that roughly 72% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply is now considered „illiquid“. This means that it is not readily available for trading or selling and is instead held by entities who are likely hodling onto it for long-term investment purposes. In the past 30 days alone, 131,000 Bitcoin has become illiquid – an unprecedented rate so far this year according to analysts.
Binance Sees Largest Inflow Since SEC Lawsuit
Binance recently saw its largest inflow of Bitcoins since the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against them in June 2020. Despite legal issues with regulators in certain jurisdictions, traders remain confident about Binance’s potential and are continuing to invest in cryptocurrency through this exchange platform.
Bank Of England Faces Challenge Due To Yields Skyrocketing
The Bank of England recently faced a challenge when yields skyrocketed following a disappointing jobs report released earlier this month. As investors moved away from traditional assets such as bonds, they instead turned towards riskier investments such as cryptocurrencies which have seen unprecedented growth over the past year or so.
Markets Anticipate Rate Hike ‚Skip‘ At FOMC Meeting
Finally, markets are anticipating that there will be a rate hike ‘skip’ at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting later this month due to current economic conditions and inflationary pressures which could potentially lead to further volatility in asset prices if not addressed soon enough


text:
Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Calls Out Biden Administration
Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos has criticised the Biden Administration over spiralling US inflation. Turning to Twitter, Bezos wrote that it is the least affluent Americans who are suffering the most. Presently, US inflation is at a near 40-year high.
“In fact, the administration tried hard to inject even more stimulus into an already over-heated, inflationary economy and only Manchin saved them from themselves,” Bezos said in a Tweet. “Inflation is a regressive tax that most hurts the least affluent. Misdirection doesn’t help the country.”
Bezos’ comments were made in response to a thread in which the US President claimed the country was on track for its largest yearly deficit decline ever, totalling $1.5 trillion.
Bezos called the President out over a tweet that said taxing wealthy companies can help to bring down inflation. Bezos also urged the Disinformation Board to review Biden’s tweet.
“Raising corp taxes is fine to discuss,” Bezos said. “Taming inflation is critical to discuss. Mushing them together is just misdirection.”


text:
At the 2021 edition of The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair held last month (June 18-20), it was hard to decide who was more excited to be there: the 60 dealers stalling out, many at a live event for the first time since last year, or the visitors who happily queued up in the rain as the event open its doors.
The rain didn’t matter and the weather improved. Postponed from May because of pandemic restrictions, the fair was judged a big success by dealers ATG spoke to at the event’s close on Sunday, June 20. Sales were across the board: paintings, sculpture, furniture, silver and clock purchases were being wrapped and boxed right up to closing time.
Porcelain dealer Jupiter Antiques was among those who ensured good footfall on opening day despite such distractions as Euro 2020 football by sending “emails to customers and print invites to the really special ones” beforehand. “We do lots of ceramics fairs but this was our best ever Friday for sales”, said dealership partner Brad Dover.
Acquiring new clients is a key measure of a fair’s success for dealers. “I’ve been exhibiting at Petworth for five years and this is the best one so far”, said Jamie Rountree of Rountree Tryon Galleries. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Several dealers noted the bigger price points achieved this time round, attributing it to unspent cash accumulated during lockdown. Including after-sales (another badge of the fair’s success), Rountree Tryon sold eight paintings and one sculpture, with an average sale price of £10,000 compared to “the normal Petworth of under £5000”.
New exhibitors were grateful to make the cut this year, when a small number of regulars weren’t ready to come back to live fairs. “This is my first one and I don’t know why I didn’t do it before”, said Jeroen Markies of the eponymous Art Deco dealership in East Sussex. “You could tell people were excited and have been waiting to see things in the flesh. Although they’ve been buying online during lockdown, it’s not the same as coming to a show like this and having an emotional reaction to an object.”


text:
The expansion plans of Apple seems to be running in full swing, recently the company acquired a $200 million deal with an AI and machine learning company that is based in Seattle as a part of its expansion plans for the state. In downtown Seattle, one of the offices of Apple that is located there currently a little less than 2 floors. There is word that the company has plans to take up a space that is several thousand Sq. Feet.
According to various sources and real estate insiders, the company has been looking at various properties that are located at the Bellevue area downtown. One of them is a building which is 16 stories high and is under construction. The Center 425 space is said to have enough place to house up 2300 Apple employees and is said to be a space that is 324,000 Sq. Ft. Apart from that, there is also word that Apple is considering another in construction building which is located at the 929 Office tower and has an area of 620,000 Sq feet and the Lincoln Square Tower of 710,000 Sq. Feet.
The notes of the report show that the expansion plans of Apple is on the part of the acquisition of Turi which could be one of the main reasons why the move was made. Over the recent times tech companies have been seen making their presence in Seattle with names like Amazon and Microsoft already having their offices there.
Though there is no official word from the company on this font, however what are yet to be known are the plans that Apple has with the increased space that they have and what they plan to do after the acquisition of the company that has come into their bucket recently. Well you can stay tunes to headlines to find out more on this font.


text:
By Everett Brazil, III
The Newkirk Herald Journal
NEWKIRK — The world has entered a New Year with 2023, and many people are optimistically making New Year’s resolutions to improve their lives, whether that be to eat healthier, be more active, read more books or find a new outlook on life. Many businesses also see something to be optimistic about going into the new season, and for two local businesses, 56 Feed. Co. and Chaotic Creations the relatively new retailers Downtown Newkirk see nothing but growth going forward into the New Year.
Kaycee and Nila Brandon are the proprietors of 56 Feed Co., which opened in August 2021, and P.J. Malone operates Chaotic Creations, which opened earlier in the summer of 2022. Both are located only a few blocks from each other on Main Steet.
The shops offer a unique boutique offering of their own, with mugs, shirts and other collectibles in their respective shops. For 56 Feed Co., though, they also offer NAPA auto parts, livestock feed and supplements, garden ware and food items. They have seen great success recently.
Having only been open about six months, Chaotic Creations has seen increasing customers, especially through the holiday season.
“It’s been really good. We had a few slow periods, but November and December have been really good,” Maloney said.
Likewise, 56 Feed. Co. has seen an increase in sales for Christmas.
“I’ve done double over what I did at Christmas last year,” Kaycee said.
There were also slow periods for 56 Feed Co., but they have largely overcome them with a variety of offerings that speak to a variety of customers. One is livestock feed, something that has brought in new customers in recent years.
“This past summer, I added a brand of feed I didn’t have last show season, so that increased sales because the customers were having to go to Medford,” she said. “Hopefully more word-of-mouth will keep people talking about our store, and we will continue to grow.”
Both businesses are represented by Newkirk Main Street (NMS) and the Chamber of Commerce, and they are optimistic about the coming year for businesses across the community.
“As we move into 2023, I’m looking forward to a year of collaboration, partnerships and continuous improvement that will continue to stimulate Newkirk’s economic stability and growth,” said Dawn Brakey, Chamber president and NMS board member. “I’d like to take this opportunity to personally thank those of you that are investing in Newkirk’s future, you know who you are, whether it be financially or by volunteering with your time and talents. Thank you and Happy New Year.”
As for the local businesses, they have plans to expand and offer new items to the community, maybe their own New Year’s Resolution, from a business standpoint.
“I would like to add, every year, a new brand to our line,” Kaycee said. “I intend to increase my online sales, as well.”
Malone is also ready to add more to the community.
“We do hope to bring in new merchandise, often,” Malone said. “I do hope to expand online and get the online business going.”


text:
It's breakfast, but not as we know it.
The team at Castle St Townhouse have created the city's first breakfast afternoon tea.
The Townhouse Tier is the first of its kind in the city, comprising cornfritters, poached egg and chorizo jam, French toast and bacon, Danish and French pastries and fresh fruit and smoothie shots.
By combining the ‘Three B’s’ (breakfast, brunch and bar), Castle St Townhouse aims to blur the lines between social meetings and cocktail nights.
Owner and Director of Castle St Townhouse Jason McNeill said: “In a bid to offer our guests a totally unique experience, we have created The Townhouse Tier, which is the first of its kind in the city.
"By taking inspiration from ‘breakfast’ afternoon tea, our house speciality will allow our diners to sample a selection of our most popular brunch offerings.”
The Townhouse Tier is priced at £15 per person.
For more information visit the website.


text:
Category Archives: Shoplifting
Thieves Targeting Dairy Products
According to Mail Online, increasingly hard-up Brits are stealing milk as supermarkets put security tags on butter amidst the current cost-of-living crisis.
With shoplifting increasing by 18%, recently Tesco shoppers reported that security tags had been fixed to milk and Aldi put tags on blocks of cheddar.read more
Notts Shoplifting Ring Busted
According to Yahoo! News, a major shoplifting ring has been busted after a ‘swap-shop’ containing thousands of pounds worth of designer shoes and clothes was discovered by police.
Officers raided a property in Nottingham and found around 240 boxes of designer shoes, 40 boxes of household goods and cosmetics as well as clothes stacked floor to ceiling.read more
Interceptor Cars Used To Fight Shoplifting
The Belfast Live website reports that high performance police Interceptor cars are being used to tackle organised shoplifting gangs operating across Ireland and Britain.
Police and retail chiefs say a number of gangs, who had stolen goods worth thousands of pounds, have been caught thanks to use of the vehicles and the sharing of intelligence between officers and businesses.read more
Security Guard Broke Thief’s Leg
The Daily Record website reports that an “overzealous” security guard at a Lidl store broke a thief’s leg after tackling him for shoplifting.
Leandro Da Silva spotted the thief – David O’Connor – trying to steal from the shop in Edinburgh and knelt on his body to restrain him, before piling a second thief on top of him.read more
Scotland’s Shoplifting On The Rise
An opinion piece on the Daily Record website reports that recorded instances of shoplifting in Scotland have risen 18 per cent in the 12 months ending in June 2022.
Just under 25,000 incidents were recorded by police – an average of 68 per day – but the real number is likely to be far higher, with many store managers simply letting thieves go with a telling-off.read more
TK Maxx Thief Jailed
As reported on The Reading Chronicle website, a prolific TK Maxx shoplifter who stole £875-worth of the store’s clothes has been jailed for 36 weeks.
Marian-Cornel Moldovan had been given a 10-week suspended prison sentence but reoffended twice in the following five months.read more


text:
88% of customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, according to Search Engine Land. Businesses also hold high value in online reviews and believe they play an important role in influencing consumer decision making and have an impact on ROI. So it’s no surprise that both businesses and consumers place a high value on online reviews.
Amazon recognizes their customers value online reviews, which is why they filed a lawsuit against people who were writing fake online reviews in exchange for cash. Retailers like Amazon are protecting their clients and their own reputation. They know how important online reviews are to their customers when making a purchasing decision and want the reviews to be honest and real.
Businesses love online reviews because it impacts their SEO and bottom line. According to MOZ’s Local Search Ranking Factors Survey, online reviews make up roughly 10% of how Google and other search engines rank search results. The more positive reviews they have, the higher they’ll appear when customers are searching.
Online reviews also play an important role in an organization’s reputation management. A business’ reputation is in customers’ hands. It’s also proven that customers are likely to spend more on a business that has excellent reviews, because they trust the quality of the product and service being offered. Customers are also more hesitant to make a decision when sites have negative reviews. One negative review can cost a business 30 customers, according to Invesp.
With the holidays quickly approaching and online shopping already soaring, it’s important to carefully consider the reviews you read when making a purchase and for brands to evaluate how online reviews impact their bottom line.


text:
4 April 2015
Précigrafik Acquires Laser Cheque
Précigrafik has announced that it has purchased the Laser Cheque printing shop in Cowansville, which specializes in printing cheques that are compatible with accounting software.
The Sherbrooke company has thus become the largest private cheque printer in Québec, after the banks.
This is Précigrafik’s second acquisition in three years – in 2012, the company purchased Impression Totale in Granby.
Founded in 1988, Imprimerie Précigrafik employs more than 60 people in Sherbrooke and Granby. The company now serves more than 17 000 clients.
Source : Précigraphix
» Précigrafik Acquires New Multi-level Embossed Printing Technology
Back to the news


text:
CINCINNATI – Bill Manis has joined Walker Marine Group as a sales representative, the company said in a release today.
Manis, a former harbormaster and manager of several local marinas, has worked for many of the large boat dealerships in the area. He has brokered and sold hundreds of southern Ohio’s larger motor yachts, some several times over, according to the company.
"Bill Manis knows more about boating and the Ohio River than just about anyone I know, and we are honored to have him join our team," Walker said. "I know he will do an outstanding job serving our customers, and he joins us at an exciting time.”
Walker Marine also has launched a marketing campaign with a new logo, new signage and a Web site under production, the company said.


text:
As the number of smartphone users are anticipated to quadruple by 2013, says the Yankee Group, forecasting an explosion in mobile app downloads that could generate up to €2.8 billion in annual sales.
The number of US smartphone will grow to 160 million by 2013, and they are expected to download 7 billion apps, the report
forecast. Currently the US has about 40 million smartphone users.
Yankee Group director Carl Howe said that while apps have been around for years, the next wave in growth will be punctuated by the widespread use of high-end handsets and the consumer’s willingness to pay a little extra for a wanted app.
“Every mobile software developer could be the next Bill Gates for smartphones, but only if they bet on the platforms with the right reach and fit for their application,” he advised.
The Yankee Group report recommends that consumer app developers should focus on RIM's Blackberry, which has yet to exploit consumer-centric apps. Likewise, enterprise app firms should work on the consumer-heavy iPhone and Android platforms.
Yankee forecast that one in four apps will be “paid” by 2013. In terns of pricing, the average app price will be €1.60 ($2.37), growing the current €231 million app market more than tenfold in five years.
The Yankee Group reports included research and survey responses from over 8,700 consumers and publicly available statistics form sites like the iTunes App Store, to derive forecast results.


text:
Check out the on-demand sessions from the Low-Code/No-Code Summit to learn how to successfully innovate and achieve efficiency by upskilling and scaling citizen developers. Watch now.
Apple may try to flesh out its media offerings by stepping into talk radio.
Such an acquisition would be just another in a series of buys from Apple. Earlier this year the company bought Beats Electronics for a hefty $3 billion price tag, and BookLamp, a Pandora-like book recommendation service.
Swell was reportedly having troubled finding a wide audience, although user engagement has been high. The app is well suited for playing in the car, which could make an excellent new feature on Apple’s podcast app, which hasn’t found much success to date.
If the deal goes through, Swell will shut down this week as a part of its agreement with Apple, though most of Swell’s employees will join Apple, a person close to the company tells VentureBeat.
Before being bought by Apple, Swell had raised $7.2 million from DFJ, Google Ventures, and InterWest Partners as well as other investors.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


text:
It’s 2016: A Woman Was Sent Home From Work for Not Wearing Heels
A female receptionist has hit headlines for the sexist treatment she received at a temp job. (Photo: Rex)
In a world where women are still fighting for equality, a company punishing a female employee for not wearing high heels is a massive slap in the face.
But, in 2016, it still happens.
Nicola Thorp, a 27-year-old from London, was sent home from her temp job at PwC for turning up at the company’s headquarters in flat shoes. Sent home, we might add, without pay.
We highly doubt that’s ever happened to a male employee.
“I expressed my confusion as to why [I was being turned away from work], and they explained that flat shoes are not part of their dress code for women,” she told the Evening Standard.
“The supervisor [from Portico, a company that PwC outsources its reception services to] told me that I would be sent home without pay unless I went to the shop and bought a pair of 2- to 4-inch heels. I refused and was sent home.”
But rather than just complain about the insult, Thorp is taking action and campaigning for it to be made illegal to force women to wear heels — and makeup — to work.
Why are many working women still encouraged to wear heels? (Photo: Rex)
She has launched a petition on the U.K. Parliament’s website calling for this sexist injustice to end once and for all. If it reaches 10,000 signatures, then the government has to consider debating the issue.
“It’s still legal in the U.K. for a company to require female members of staff to wear high heels at work against their will,” she writes. “Dress code laws should be changed so that women have the option to wear flat formal shoes at work if they wish.
“Current formal work dress codes are outdated and sexist.”
PwC provided the following statement when we reached out for a quote: “PwC outsources its front of house/reception services to a third party supplier. We first became aware of this matter on 10 May some five months after the issue arose. The dress code referenced in the article is not a PwC policy. We are now in discussion with the suppliers about the policy.”
We also got in touch with Portico, which assured us they’re reviewing their guidelines:
“In line with industry standard practice, we have personal appearance guidelines across many of our corporate locations,” a company representative said. “These policies ensure staff are dressed consistently and include recommendations for appropriate style of footwear for the role. We have taken on board the comments regarding footwear and will be reviewing our guidelines in consultation with our clients and team members.”
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
Newlyweds Spark Outrage After Telling Friend Her Wedding Present Was Too Stingy
Publishers Issue Apology After Outrage Over Body-Shaming Article


text:
The Bank of Moscow was the most rapidly developing bank in Russia in 2013 among those in the retail market and was close to being among the top 10 banks by volume of retail credit portfolio, according to recently release retail business development results.
The bank improved its last-year results for the majority of business segments and earned approximately $55 million in revenue compared to the loss that had been forecast.
The retail credit portfolio increased by $2.03 billion and amounted to $4.7 billion in 2013. The sales of retail credits were 1.5 times higher than that in 2012 and made up approximately $2.19 billion.
The bank's credit card portfolio increased by 1.6 times and reached $210 million.
"The year-end results confirmed that we chose the right strategy of retail business development in 2012," Vladimir Verkhoshinsky, a Bank of Moscow board member, said. "A close internal cooperation with the Bank of Moscow corporate business and VTB Group partners enabled us to demonstrate high dynamics and to occupy leading positions at the retail banking market."
- National Bank of Ukraine removes restrictions on foreign-currency transactions, investment metals
- Black Sea Trade & Development Bank visits Azerbaijan to boost business relationships
- VTB Bank finances three new planes for SunExpress airline
- National Bank of Ukraine makes it easier for businesses to invest abroad
- National Bank of Ukraine eases lending regulations for deposit guarantee funds to other banks
- Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, Russian Federal Corp. for SMEs support business growth
- Oleg Demidov named commercial director for Rosbank Factoring
- Eurasian Development Bank sells bonds on Kazakhstan Stock Exchange
- EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event to name world's top entrepreneur
- ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE, Microsoft parter for Armenian digital business technology seminar


text:
New Batteries: The Quest For More Power - Hitachi Lithium Ion Battery
The electrification of cars is coming. It became inevitable when F1 rules were opened up to allow hybrids. Once Bernie Ecclestone says something is OK, the world follows... Seriously, F1 rules now allow for a kinetic energy recovery system that can be stored as electrical energy. This would follow the same concept as the regenerative braking system used in any contemporary hybrid including the Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, or any of the GM full-size trucks.
Beyond the crazy world of F1, real progress is happening toward making battery-electric hybrids and pure-electric vehicles more practical in terms of performance and price. The key to affordable, long-range battery-electric and hybrid vehicles is the battery pack.
A recent announcement from Hitachi shows how quickly progress is being made in the battery sector. Hitachi is among the world's leading battery manufacturers, and they recently announced a high-power automotive Li-Ion battery that lists its output as 4,500 W/kg. The cells have a service life of ten years, which should about equal the life of any car they're installed in.
The newly announced battery produces 1.7 times the output of the company's current automotive lithium ion cell which is rated at 2,600 W/kg. The new cells also supersede Hitachi's soon-to-be-released 3,000 W/kg cell that won't even go into production until 2010.
Hitachi has already produced 600,000 automotive lithium-ion cells. The new 4,500 W/kg cell will start going into sample testing soon (this Fall), and is expected to enter production in 2011.
Currently, cheaper, bulkier, and less-power-dense nickel metal hydride batteries power most gasoline-electric hybrids. The characteristics of NiMH batteries suit providing short bursts of power, not sustained electric runs over long distances. Lithium-ion cells offer the advantage of being more compact and more power-dense, enabling longer runs on battery power. For vehicles like the new series hybrid Chevrolet Volt, running up to 40 miles on batteries only is critical to their appeal and success. Lithium-ion cells are currently the best-known battery chemistry that can get the job done.
The quest for more power is driving battery research at an unprecedented rate. Money from the Obama Administration's stimulus program and additional private funding is sparking new development in the U.S., which significantly lags behind South Korea and China in battery research and battery manufacturing capabilities.