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Yellow Door goes Native
Simon Dougan, founder of Yellow Door deli and outside catering, has teamed up with Phil Rodgers, a fellow chef and consultant with the Yellow Door Group, to stage this exciting new restaurant and bar – which is also drawing applause from the business community.
Ideally situated in the bustling Cathedral Quarter, Native is proving a popular place to meet colleagues for a casual meeting over coffee or a light bite, and also provides catering for corporate events at the MAC.
“The MAC has fantastic hire facilities, with a wide range of flexible options that include studios, theatre space, and a boardroom, all fully equipped with the latest technology,” said Phil Rodgers. “It’s ideal for the likes of press launches and networking events, and with the experience Yellow Door already has in outside catering, we intend to grow this side of our business here at the MAC too.”
Native is the latest venture for the family-run Yellow Door business, which has expanded from small beginnings as a restaurant in Gilford, Co Down, in 1992, to a multi-stranded operation employing 114 staff spread over six sites and with an annual turnover in excess of £5.5 million.
Based in Portadown, The Yellow Door Group now comprises delis in Portadown, Belfast and Lisburn; a restaurant at the Ulster Museum; the Native restaurant and bar at the MAC in Belfast (which opened in April 2015); an artisan bakery and patisserie division; and a kitchen garden supplying herbs and leaves.
The multi-award winning Yellow Door is also recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s premier catering companies and is the exclusive corporate caterer for Ulster Rugby at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.
Building on the Yellow Door’s tried and tested recipe for success, the new Native restaurant and bar champions artisan food and drink producers from across Northern Ireland, throwing the limelight on emerging stars such as Shortcross Gin, McGrath’s Premium Irish Ales, Leggygowan Farm goats’ cheese and Ewings home-cured salmon.
There’s also a firm focus on keeping menus at affordable prices – a strategy that is already paying dividends, with the 160-seater restaurant increasing its weekly turnover by 20% since opening in April.
“We chose the name ‘Native’ because it embodies our whole philosophy at Yellow Door – we have a passion for fabulous, locally produced food, and a desire to get the very best out of it,” said Phil.
Promoting sustainability is at the heart of this philosophy, and to this end Simon and the team have created their own roof garden at the MAC building to grow herbs for the restaurant kitchen.
LOW FOOD MILES
“At Yellow Door, it’s all about low food miles, lowering our carbon foot print, recycling, urban gardening – and of course freshness and food quality,” added Simon.
The aim at Native is to provide flexible dining options at affordable prices for a wide-ranging clientele – from MAC visitors, to business people, office workers, shoppers, tourists and students.
“To us, it seems the obvious way to take the business forward,” said Phil. “People are much more educated about food and drink now so we have to keep innovating, but we also need to keep prices at a level that will give us regular return business. Our ‘Native Bites’ are a case in point. Since we introduced these lighter snack options they have accounted for 50% of our overall sales.”
Open from 9am until late, seven days a week, Native by Yellow Door has a fully licensed bar and serves everything from breakfast, coffee and Sunday brunch, to take-away lunch and pre-theatre dining.
For more information, contact Native, the MAC, 10 Exchange Street West, Belfast BT1 2NJ, T: , E: , W: www.themaclive.com/food-and-drink or follow on


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Google reports site attacks rocket due to ageing code
A patch in time saves… a 32 per cent rise in site compromises, according to Google figures. So why is patching still an issue?
It has been revealed that in spite of 12 months of hard work by the security industry, more websites were hacked in 2016 than 2015. The figures were reported by Google, no less, as as part of its #NoHacked campaign, and represented a 32 per cent rise in successful compromises by hackers.
The web giant isn’t optimistic about those figures falling either: “We don’t expect this trend to slow down. As hackers get more aggressive and more sites become outdated, hackers will continue to capitalize by infecting more sites”, it said in a blogpost.
The company’s key message is around verifying your site in Google's Search Console, because the 61 per cent of webmasters who aren’t notified of a compromise by Google themselves are not verified. Of those that do get notified, 84 percent are successful in cleaning their sites.
Unfortunately, the 32 per cent rise in website compromises contrasts against a worldwide spend on security products of $81.6bn in 2016, an increase of 7.9 per cent over 2015, according to Gartner.
Ilia Kolochenko, CEO of High-Tech Bridge said: “Cybercriminals are starting to use more and more efficient technologies, including machine learning, for intelligent automation of website hacking. They crawl the web 24/7, searching for vulnerable web applications and websites running outdated CMSs, exploit the vulnerability, backdoor the website and even patch the flaw to prevent competition from getting in.”
“After an attack, such websites are sold on the Dark Web, usually via large packages consisting of several thousand breached websites. Other cybercrime groups purchase them to steal and reuse personal data (e.g. password), place malware to conduct watering hole attacks, or even use the websites in targeted spear-phishing campaigns against a particular group of users.”
“Cybercrime increasingly relies on insecure web applications as a facilitator of chained attacks against financial industry and governments. Therefore, if you are negligent and careless about your website security, don’t be surprised to receive a lawsuit from a third-party, hacked via your website, claiming the damages.”
Google said that most attacks it tracked are not sophisticated, and involve compromised passwords, missing security updates, insecure themes and plugins, social engineering and failures of security policy.
A good example of a more sophisticated albeit widely-publicised attack is the recently patched WordPress REST API Endpoint vulnerability, responsible for more than one million website defacements. A related XSS bug has just been patched too, but overall the update process can easily be automated, dodging all but zero-day attacks which are more expensive to find and exploit, thus less common.
However, while simpler sites running popular software such as WordPress can be automatically updated, it is not always so easy, as another recent issue makes clear. More than a week ago, a critical flaw in the Apache Struts Web application framework was patched, triggering a new wave of attacks against the vulnerability.
The five-year-old issue allows attackers to inject commands into the web server hosting it, and affects a variety of high-level sites including banks, government agencies, and Internet companies. So why wasn’t it patched immediately? Unlike Wordpress updates, fixing an app that was built using a buggy version of Apache Struts requires rebuilding the app with a patched version. This in turn means developers not only poring through old source code, but then testing and QA-ing the resulting ‘new’ app - a process that can require significant resource and most importantly, time.
As Google’s security team wrote in their blogpost: “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”...

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Wrigley Field Announces New Menu With More Local Vendors, Healthy Options
Wrigley Field is “swapping vendors” for the ’11 MLB season, as Vienna Beef will “once again become the official hot dog” of the Cubs, replacing Sara Lee's Ball Park franks, according to Gregory Karp of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Vienna hot dogs have not been served at Wrigley since '81. Another “major change for fans” will be the pizza, as D'Agostino's Pizza “replaces Connie's Pizza as the brand served at the park.” Other changes include “hamburgers by Stanley's Kitchen & Tap and jumbo chicken wings from The Fifty/50 restaurant of Chicago.” In addition, Enjoy Life Foods will be the supplier of “gluten-free, allergy-friendly food,” and Lifeway Food “will provide its frozen kefir, a low-fat soft-serve treat -- an alternative to ice cream -- that is 99 percent lactose-free and gluten-free.” Levy Restaurants Exec Chef David Burns, whose company “handles most of the food for Wrigley Field,” said that he “started looking at changing the menu shortly after the season ended last year.” Burns said that Cubs Owners the Ricketts family gave direction “to look at using local vendors and offer more healthy food options.” He said that “in addition to allergy-sensitive foods, the park will offer a vegetable chopped salad and assorted fresh vegetables with hummus.” Meanwhile, at U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox replaced Connie’s Pizza for Nestle's DiGiorno pizza. Other new offerings “include an Irish pub, cheesesteak sandwiches and tamale carts.” The ballpark will “change its Beers of the World locations to Midwest Brews, featuring craft beers from neighboring states’ (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 3/28). U.S. Cellular Field also will offer “chicken and pork tamales" and "healthy snacks from Levy Restaurants, including chop salad and grilled chicken sandwiches” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/29).
CHECKING THE MENU: The Rays and hospitality partner Centerplate announced changes to the menu at Tropicana Field, including gluten-free items, local craft beers and a new burger spot. The Brewhouse, a pub-like restaurant, will open close to the rotunda entrance. Burger Up! will open along the first-base food court, and a GF! stand at Center Field Street will feature gluten-free versions of traditional ballpark fare like hot dogs, pretzels and beer (Rays). Meanwhile, the Twins and Delaware North Sportservice announced new local additions to Target Field concessions. New this season will be a turkey sandwich from Turkey to Go, a Walk A Taco from St. Paul-based El Burrito Mercado, Minneapple Pie from Cottage Grill and two Kramarczuk's bratwurst dishes. There also will be a new Kosher hot dog cart at the ballpark (Twins).
FLIPPING A QUARTER: In Milwaukee, Don Walker noted “most food and beverage items at Miller Park will stay the same as last year, but there will be higher prices for some beer, soda and food offerings.” A 16-ounce plastic bottle of beer “will now be $6.75,” a Chicago-style hot dog will be $4.50, and a 28-ounce soda will be $4.50. All three items are increasing $0.25 over last year's prices (JSONLINE.com, 3/28).


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New year, new tech: what to expect in 2021
From the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max to unexpected breakout tech such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, 2020 gave us devices with powerful new features and specs. And with the recent launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S21 5G series, you could say 2021 looks just as promising. Read on for the best devices of 2020, new phones you can shop right now and tech trends to look out for in 2021.
The best phones of 2020.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is considered one of the best foldable phones on the market, surpassing the first-of-its-kind Galaxy Fold. This second-generation foldable phone is pocket-friendly with the option of unfolding to a 7.6"-seamless display to give you ultimate flexibility when you’re between tasks. Other notable Samsung devices released in 2020 include the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
The new iPhone 12 series offers 4 devices to choose from — all with 5G capability and an innovative 5-nanometer chip. The flagship iPhone 12 and compact iPhone 12 mini feature a 12 MP front camera, dual rear cameras and a brushed-aluminum finish. On the premium side, the iPhone 12 Pro and the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max add a depth-sensing LiDAR scanner, an advanced telephoto rear camera and a shiny stainless-steel finish.
The flagship Google Pixel 5 is among the best Android phones from 2020. With fast 5G speeds, HD Duo screen sharing and impressive camera features such as HDR+, Night Sight and Portrait Mode, this smooth-performing device lets you do it all. You also might consider the even more affordable Google Pixel 4a 5G, which lacks the wireless charging found on the Pixel 5 but includes a convenient headphone jack.
New 2021 phones to shop.
As the first big phone release of 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 series touts new features and specs worthy of praise. You can choose from the Galaxy S21 5G, the Galaxy S21+ 5G or the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. All 3 devices showcase a striking new design, incredible multi-camera systems, an all-day intelligent battery and the fastest Galaxy processor ever.
Several other smartphone makers are also expected to launch new phones soon. Although not confirmed, a possible Pixel 6, iPhone 13, iPhone SE 3 and OnePlus 9 are still rumors to get excited about in 2021.
Tech trends from CES 2021.
If new phone rumors intrigue you, you'll want to see what LG revealed at the influential trade show CES 2021. Coming out this year, the LG Rollable will be the first of its kind. Similar to rollable TVs, this new invention expands the possibilities of smartphones with one smooth and seamless scroll of the screen. Without any folding or screen crease, as seen on foldable phones, the tablet-to-phone hybrid device paves the way for new smartphone technology.
Also taking center stage at CES 2021 was the power and future of 5G. Delivering the kick-off keynote address, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg shared examples of real-world applications from sports, entertainment and education to demonstrate the positive and game-changing impact of 5G for mobile device users.
New tech for today and tomorrow.
Whether you’re still sporting an older phone, you’ve recently upgraded or you’re waiting for the next big device to drop (maybe the LG Rollable?), one thing is certain: technology is embedded in our everyday lives. And just as your needs and routines change, so does the tech you rely on. From new innovative phone design (such as foldable and rollable devices) to enhanced 5G connectivity, technology is adapting to support your needs — whether you can see it or not.
*5G Ultra Wideband available only in parts of select cities. 5G Nationwide available in 2700+ cities.


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The celebratory last market will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Submitted by Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association
West Hartford’s newest farmers’ market, “The Farmers’ Market @ Bishops Corner,” will host a celebratory last market on Saturday, Oct. 25th in the Crown Market parking lot from 9 a m – noon. Ample, free parking will be available.
The Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association (BCNA) has sponsored the market and Bob Fressola, President, says the season has been “tremendous.”
“The response from the community was immediate and clearly demonstrated the need for a farmers’ market in the Bishops Corner neighborhood. Farmers, residents, and businesses have all been pleased with the addition to the community … we’re so grateful for the support we’ve received from so many, foremost, Leonard Udolf and his tenants for allowing us use of his property,” Fressola says.
Elaine Lanzon, a farmers’ market committee member and tasked with managing farmer relations, says, “We want to celebrate the success of the market and provide a really fun, engaging environment for our market-goers and farmers. The Celebration on the 25th is a bit of a thank you to everyone who supported our market this year.”
One of the activities market goers can look forward to will be a free raffle. “Each market-goer will receive a free raffle ticket that they’ll be able to use to win some really great prizes such as free products from our farmers, a gym membership from Anytime Fitness, a gift certificate from Blue Plate Kitchen, a backpack filled with oral hygiene products from West Hartford Family Dentistry and more,” Lanzon says.
The market will also be collecting non-perishable food for the West Hartford Food Pantry. “The West Hartford Food Pantry is in dire need of donations and we want to help,” committee member Janet Willits says. Market goers will receive an additional raffle ticket for each non-perishable food item they bringi n to help us reach our goal of 100 non-perishable items.
Hall High School’s award-winning “The Select Choir” will be making an appearance and Faddy’s Donuts & Ice Cream will be giving away their famous doughnuts. Kids will have a chance to interact with the West Hartford Fire Department as they will be onsite with one of their trucks.
Even though this year’s market is winding down, the committee is beginning to plan for next year. “We hope to add to our diversity of products next year,” committee member Steve Witt says.
The committee also seeks additional residents to help manage the market for 2015. “We’re hoping we can find a few additional residents to help the committee manage the market,” Lanzon says. Anyone interested in helping next year should email [email protected] or call Bob Fressola at 860-206-6975


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Electronic Arts Inc. swung to a profit for its fourth fiscal quarter on a strong surge in video-game sales, thanks to the launch of new titles such as "Battlefield Bad Company 2" and "Mass Effect 2."
However, shares of EA ERTS fell nearly 4% in after-hours trading Tuesday following the report, after the game publisher issued a forecast for the current quarter was largely in line with Wall Street's forecasts but disappointed some investors that were hoping for an increase.
"Bottom line is guidance remained the same, so investors sold on the news," said Eric Handler of MKM Partners, who upgraded EA to a neutral rating earlier in the day, before the earnings report.
For the period ended March 31, EA reported net income of $30 million, or 9 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $42 million or 13 cents a share for the same period the previous year.
Excluding the effect of deferred sales of certain games, as well as stock options, the company said it would have earned $23 million, or 7 cents a share, for the recent period.
Revenue jumped 14% to $979 million. Excluding deferred sales, net revenue was $850 million for the period. Sales for the period were driven by "Battlefield: Bad Company 2," "Mass Effect 2" and "Dante's Inferno."
Analysts were expecting net revenue of $835.4 million with earnings per share of 5 cents, according to consensus forecasts from Thomson Reuters.
Besides strong selling games at retail, EA also benefited from growth in its digital businesses, which includes mobile games, online offerings and downloadable expansion packs for traditional titles.
Eric Brown, EA's chief financial officer, said in an interview that digital revenue totaled $55 million for the March quarter and $570 million for the full year, on a non-GAAP basis. The year-end number is up 33% from the previous year and equates to nearly 14% of the total revenue base.
"Consider this a small business that is growing rapidly for the moment," EA Chief Executive John Riccitiello said on a conference call.
Revenue for mobile games totaled $212 million for the year -- up 12% from the previous year.
EA did not break out other segments of the digital business, but the company is banking heavily on improving its profitability by having fewer titles in the marketplace but selling more digital content -- which offers higher profit margins -- around those titles.
"We believe the 'ship it and forget it' mentality is giving way to much deeper relationships with the game and the customers," Chief Operating Officer John Schappert said on the call.
Eric Handler of MKM Partners noted that the digital side is the company's fastest growing business with above-average profit margins, "so it's a very important driver."
For the current quarter, EA said it expects sales to come in between $460 million and $500 million, on a non-GAAP basis. Analysts were expecting $516.8 million. The company expects to release titles such as "Green Day: Rock Band" and "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11" during the period.
Net loss per share is expected to come in the range of 35 cents to 40 cents, compared with the loss of 33 cents per share expected by analysts.
For the fiscal year ending next March, the company expects earnings between 50 cents to 70 cents a share, with revenue in the range of $3.65 billion to $3.9 billion. Analysts were expecting earnings of 64 cents a share on revenue of $3.8 billion for the year.


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Home Tags Connecticut Small Business Development Center
Tag: Connecticut Small Business Development Center
“We’ll see how it plays out,” says Connecticut Restaurant Association Executive Director Scott Dolch.
“You have to be so flexible, accommodating your customers and your employees,” says Don Droppo Jr., owner, president and CEO of Curtis Packaging in Sandy Hook. “This is unprecedented for all of us, and you can either run from it or you can see it as an opportunity.”


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We spent some hands-on time with the new LX3, and bring you a first look at sample images from the most powerful Lumix compact yet.
A phenomenal 24mm f/2.0 Leica lens and a redesigned sensor could make the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 the "Canon G9 killer" Panasonic fans have been waiting for.
Sigma has released a firmware update for its large-sensor 14 megapixel compact camera, the DP1.
With the typical lack of fanfare that has become their signature, Kodak quietly added two new flagship cameras to their website this week.
In this "holiday edition" of DCR Workshop, we take on one of the most mystifying aspects of the compact camera experience for casual shooters: scene presets.
In a press release from its U.K. division, Fujifilm has announced the launch of a full line of ultra-fast CompactFlash cards.
Is it possible that the compact camera megapixel wars have finally reached a fragile detente?
Anyone shopping for a new compact digital camera today is quickly overwhelmed with features most photographers couldn't even imagine ten years ago. The problem is that these features all basically fall into the same category: useless gimmicks.
Sigma has launched a new accessory lens for its DP1 compact that allows for near-macro shooting.
If you closely follow camera reviews on the web, you probably already know that the folks over at DPReview published their much-anticipated take on the Sigma DP1 earlier this week. The DP1's generally unimpressive marks in this latest evaluation join a growing list of lukewarm receptions for this camera lately. What happened with the DP1, and what does this mean for the future of large-sensor compact cameras?
The latest waterproof camera in Pentax's compact Optio series, the Pentax Optio W60, was announced this afternoon. Waterproof and freezeproof, the 10 megapixel W60 packs a 5x wide-angle zoom lens into an ultracompact body measuring only an inch thick. A 2.5-inch LCD and HD video capture round out the latest camera to jump into the waterproof pool.
Getting into Fuji's latest high-style ultracompact, the Fujifilm FinePix Z100fd, just got a little easier: Fuji announced this week that it's lowering the Z100fd's MSRP to a very budget friendly $199.95.
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Lokadewatanews.com – Aris Mardani (Black) said that this Gulai smoked chicken does have a unique taste, during a press conference at Keday Gulai Smoked Chicken on Jalan Marboro Barat in front of Karaoke De Berry Denpasar Bali. Monday, September 14, 2020.
According to Black, the smoked chicken with a long process is able to create a distinctive flavor, as well as formulated with gulai spices that attract culinary hunters, “he explained.
In addition, with a super affordable price, of course, open from 6 in the afternoon until it runs out.
“The culinary business fronted by hospitality friends, of course, has become a distinctive icon of Gulai Smoked Chicken ” said Black.
The current pandemic period has led to various business creativities, especially in Bali, which is the majority of the world tourism sector.
“Health protocol is an absolute prerequisite for advancing the Balinese economy, which is expected to be better in the future,” said Black.
Please come for the lovers of Gulai Smoked Chicken in Bali, especially Denpasar. Enjoying the beauty of culinary tours at night with a variety of entertainment and dishes to captivate the tongue, “he concluded.
Gulai Smoked Chicken as one of the special menus in Aceh, with a blend of spices adjusted this time with the Balinese version of spices.
“Nanda, as a seller of Gulai smoked chicken, said that for a while customers are starting to know,” he explained. (Team).


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Vayu Hill-Maini is using his culinary background to create a protein alternative from koji mold while working at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Fascinatingly, a lab photograph of a koji burger sizzling on an apparent flat top looks the part, with the right color and consistency.
Now he is fine-tuning fungal genetics for more beef-like features.
"We might be able to program the structure of the lot fibers to be longer, which would give a more meat-like experience. And then we can think about boosting lipid composition for mouth feel and further nutrition," Hill-Maini said in a Berkeley lab summary.
It's all part of an effort the Berkeley report said is aimed at creating planet-friendly, cruelty-free foods.
Surprisingly, our food system generates around one-third of the world's planet-warming air pollution, according to the United Nations. Beef production tops the list, due in part to the extensive acreage needed to raise cattle, and from digestive gasses (methane) from the animals, the agency claims. Methane is a powerful world-warming fume.
Skipping just one meat meal a week can provide for a planet- and body-healthy plate, as well as helping to save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries — even with partial menu adjustments.
Koji, long used in East Asia to help ferment starches into soy sauce, sake, and miso, could be part of future options on the table elsewhere. The process from fungus to burger includes some in-depth biology.
As part of the work, Hill-Maini and his team developed a "gene-editing toolkit," including an iron-based molecule prevalent in animal tissue. This helps to give the fungus a meat-like flavor and color, all per the lab report.
The experts feel this is the start of developing an easy-to-grow, low-cost protein source, among other products.
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"By unlocking koji mold through the development of these tools, we are unlocking the potential of a huge new group of hosts that we can use to make foods, valuable chemicals, energy-dense biofuels, and medicines," research senior author Jay Keasling said in the report.
It's not the only research into unique, albeit odd, meat alternatives. France-based Ÿnsect is making protein from mealworms. Lab-grown meats are also gaining FDA approval. Though the options will likely have to overcome some stigmas before going mainstream.
Hill-Maini and his labmates are tapping his kitchen experience to make koji mold delicious for even people with "sophisticated tastes." They are also looking into the potential of other fungus types, according to the lab.
"It's a thrilling new avenue for biomanufacturing," Keasling said in the Berkeley report.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.


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State Wineries Break Record
The Wine Institute reported yesterday that California wineries broke a record for shipments last year. They shipped more than 490 million-gallons of wine — 6 percent more than the previous year. The sales spurred by the popularity of “extreme value” wines, such as the Charles Shaw “Two-Buck Chuck” have helped cut into inventories.
Analysts say that´s an optimistic sign for state wineries and grape growers.


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Eagle Roofing and Jim’s Black Top Paving took money upfront, never completed repairs
Raleigh – August 27, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Two local home repair companies have been ordered to pay more than $700,000 in refunds and penalties after misleading dozens of consumers, Attorney General Roy Cooper said today.
“These North Carolina consumers deserve to get their money back,” Cooper said. “Don’t do business with anyone who shows up at your home and asks you to pay upfront for roofing, paving or other repairs.”
At the request of Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division, Wake County Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. ordered defendant Brian William Smith of Eagle Roofing and Restoration to pay $148,308.57 in restitution to consumers, and pay up to $366,709 in civil penalties and investigation costs. Judge Hight also ordered defendant James Stevens, Jr. of Jim’s Black Top Paving to pay $48,750 in restitution and up to $196,750 in civil penalties and investigation costs.
The default judgments also permanently bar each defendant from operating home repair businesses in North Carolina. Eagle Roofing and Restoration was also banned from assisting consumers with insurance claims.
Cooper’s office will work to collect on the judgment and return refunds to consumers. Consumers who have information about either of these companies violating court orders barring them from business in North Carolina are encouraged to contact the Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
Eagle Roofing and Restoration
According to a complaint filed in April of 2014, Eagle Roofing and Restoration misled homeowners into paying for repair services by claiming that their roofs showed signs of storm damage. After victims signed contracts for repair work and received checks from their insurance companies, Eagle Roofing and Restoration charged half of the repair cost upfront. The company regularly took the money without finishing the roof repairs, and in some cases never began the work. Most victims lost thousands of dollars in the scam.
Eagle Roofing and Restoration also operated as GBS Roofing and operated in Wilmington, Sanford, and Apex. Company owner Brian William Smith’s location is currently unknown.
Jim’s Black Top Paving
Cooper’s office filed a complaint against Jim’s Black Top Paving in May of 2013, alleging that the company talked consumers into paying thousands of dollars for shoddy driveway paving services. According to victims of the scam, the company promised that the repair work would be finished at a substantial discount and failed to inform them of their rights to cancel within three days of purchase. When consumers complained that their driveways cracked shortly after the work was finished, the company refused to pay refunds.
Jim’s Black Top Paving also operated as J&J Paving and Big Time Paving, and worked on projects across North Carolina.
Problems with home repairs ranked number five on the list of top ten consumer complaints to Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division.
To help avoid problems when hiring help for home repairs, follow these tips:
- Never pay the full cost of repair work upfront. Make sure you’re satisfied with the result before making the final payment.
- Always ask for a written contract that lists all the work to be performed, the cost, and the completion date.
- Know your right to cancel. Under North Carolina law, transactions that take place at your home can be cancelled up to three days after you sign the contract.
- Do your research before choosing a company. Ask for recommendations from people you trust, and check with the Better Business Bureau to learn about any complaints against the company.
To check out a home repair company or file a consumer complaint against one, call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina or visit ncdoj.gov.
Contact: Noelle Talley


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A amd it’s done pretty well in recent years, thanks in large part to its processors AMD Ryzenand it is today that we know that the company has reinvested part of the income in the opening of Research and Development (R&D) a new CPU design center At New York. For this reason, the company is also recruiting new talent.
“AMD Radeon Technologies Group is hiring new workers,” AMD employee Mike Evans said. in his account Official Twitter
“AMD’s CPU division is also hiring, they’re even building a brand new site in Poughkeepsie, New York.”
Next to the tweet, a link with 25 jobs for this new development center, where a large number of verification engineers, processor design engineers, architects focused on processor performance, architecture, core design or Infinity interconnect technology Fabric are wanted.
On the other hand, market analyst Statista reveals that since the arrival of AMD Ryzen processors, AMD is investing more and more money in R&D. And it is that although in 2015 they invested $947 millionin 2020, with its brand already well positioned in both consumer and server markets, it was already investing 1,983 million of dollars. Finally, last year, in the face of much stiffer competition from Intel, the company invested $2.845 milliona little more than triple what was invested 6 years ago.


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- Published on Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:05
Over 300 delegates representing over 1500 stores will gather on Friday 1st April at the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro for the SGF Annual Conference.
Key priorities identified during SGF’s strategic review in 2010 have led to the welcome addition of new retail members including the Costcutter Group and Martin McColl.
Delegates attending this year’s conference, which is the centrepiece of the Scottish convenience store sector calendar, will be inspired by a line up of high calibre speakers including Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland Political Editor; Stephen Robertson, Director General, British Retail Consortium and leading SGF member, David Sands, David Sands Ltd, who will address the theme of the conference “Progressive, Professional, Proactive”.
In a change to previous SGF conferences the Friday afternoon session will feature of series of case studies showcasing successful examples of collaboration between suppliers and retailers, in key category areas, which will provide insight and practical advice to take away and feed into your own business.
John Drummond, Chief Executive of SGF, said:
“These are exciting times for SGF and I very much look forward to welcoming delegates to the our annual conference at a new venue here in Dunblane.
“The impressive line up of speakers is one of the very best we have ever brought together for our conference.”
- Published on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 20:09
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has called for tougher action on shoplifting after a written answer to a Scottish Parliamentary Questions revealed over half of those convicted of shoplifting go to re-offend within a year. John Drummond, Chief Executive of SGF said; “Retail crime is wrongly viewed as victimless but it is not “low level” for those investing thousands of pounds protecting staff, stock and retail premises. In reality it causes misery to lives and is detrimental to livelihoods. “The rate of re-offending is alarming and we want to see the Government take action to address this appalling re-offending rate. Part of the solution must be about tackling substance abusers and the use of fast track justice and community payback to deter criminals. However, the need for prison sentences when appropriate must not be ruled out.” SGF has made a number of recommendations in their Local Shop Manifesto 2011 to tackle shop theft including a need for the criminal justice system to treat shop theft seriously and a requirement for police to raise the importance of retail crime on their agenda by responding quickly and more consistently to retail crime.
- Published on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 20:07
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has published its Local Shops Manifesto 2011 ahead of May’s Scottish Parliament Elections. The manifesto sets out the key policy concerns of local shops, identified through on-going engagement with retailers, and highlights areas where Government can support the local shop.
Commenting, John Drummond, Chief Executive of SGF said:
“As we get closer to the election, we have to make sure that the issues facing local shops are at the forefront of the minds of prospective MSPs. The SGF’s strong member-led policy development, supported by the team at SGF, means we have produced a manifesto which makes practical proposals.
“There is no doubt that local shops make a vital contribution to the national and local economies. Local shops also provide a valued service at the heart of communities and share a unique relationship with customers, trading as we do in neighbourhoods, high streets and towns across Scotland.
“Throughout the election campaign we will be asking candidates for their support in recognising the contribution that local shops make to communities and the economy.”
SGF policy recommendations from the manifesto include:
- Tougher action against retail crime by recommending police raise the importance of retail crime on their agenda by responding more quickly and consistently to retail crime
- Reduce the amount of business regulation by preventing local authorities implementing separate licensing regimes to reach the same policy objective
- Rethink the tobacco display ban and support enforcement of legislation to stop adults proxy purchasing tobacco
- An end to the irresponsible selling of alcohol by banning below cost selling of alcohol
- Promote strong town centres by increasing non-domestic rates for out of town developments with a redistribution of the revenue raised to encourage vibrant town centres
- Support retailers on the front line of preventing underage sales by introducing and applying tougher prosecution and sentencing guidelines in relation to assaults on retail workers
- Continue to support the long term future of the SGF Healthy Living Programme
- Published on Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:10
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has welcomed the Public Health Minister’s announcement that small shops (under 280 sq m) will not be required to implement a tobacco display ban until April 2015 but is disappointment there has been no further announcement on the details of a display ban north of the border
The display ban has already been delayed due to an on-going legal challenge by Imperial Tobacco. The new timescales mean large retailers will be required to implement a display ban by 1st April 2012 and small shops by 1st April 2015.
John Drummond, Chief Executive of the SGF said:
“I welcome the Ministers acknowledgement that retailers will need more time to prepare for the changes which will be implemented at the same time both north and south of the border.
“While we still do not know the final details of a display ban in Scotland, I am disappointed there has been no movement from the Scottish Government on proposals relating to the details of a display ban, consulted on last year.
“Today the UK Health Minister Andrew Lansley MP announced that the size of the display allowed while serving customers in England will increase to 1.5 sq m while in Scotland the proposal is for an allowable display area of 120 sq cm (approx size of a packet of 20 cigarettes).
“At the very least small shops in Scotland must have parity with English retailers otherwise Scottish retailers will be placed at a significant disadvantage as they are forced to install more expensive storage solutions to accommodate draconian regulations.
“SGF is keen to continue to work with the Scottish Government to find a workable solution.”
Commenting on announcement by the UK Government that it will consult on plans to introduce plain packing of tobacco products, John Drummond said:
“Plain packaging would not have the operational costs which would be involved with a display ban. However, it would have operational implications for retailers especially regarding customer transaction times and we are concerned it could boost the illegal trade in tobacco. We would also need to see compelling evidence that plain packaging would be effective at reducing levels of smoking.”
- Published on Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:12
As the political parties add the finishing touches to their manifestos ahead of the Scottish Parliament Election in May, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) is urging politicians to include measures to stop the continuing decline of our high streets and secure the future of local shops. The call comes as a report by the Local Data Company shows an increase in vacancy rates across the UK.
Scotland recorded the lowest rate of vacant shop space in the UK. However, empty retail stock figures remain high at 12.6 per cent, a slight rise on the 12 per cent UK average recorded in 2009.
John Drummond, Chief Executive of the SGF said:
“The number of empty shops continues to increase in most centres and the situation may get worse in 2011.
“High streets are under threat from reduced investment, poorly applied planning rules and aggressive supermarkets expansion.
“In too many examples across Scotland supermarkets are poorly planned, too big, and located away from the existing centres, meaning that they destroy choice and close down high streets.
“Politicians need to think creatively how they can redress the balance and incentivise retailers to locate in town centres.
“SGF is keen to work with the politicians to protect the future of the high street because this continuing level of decline cannot be ignored.”
- Martin McColl Joins SGF
- SGF and ACS Combine Forces on Post Office Issues
- Delay of Tobacco Display Ban Provides Opportunity to Review Policy
- A Ban on Below Cost Sales of Alcohol Must be Workable and Credible
- Letter to the editor of The Scotsman re large retail supplement
- SGF Seeks Retailers Views ahead of Scottish Parliament Election
- SGF Calls on MSPs to Support Protection of Workers Bill
- Legal Delay on Tobacco Display Ban Makes Review Necessary
- Local Shops React to Scottish Draft Budget
- MSPs Vote in Support of Alcohol etc (Scotland) Bill


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(Please note that our product is not specifically designed for theft prevention or stolen vehicle recovery)
Bouncie was recently in the news for helping an Ohio man whose car had been stolen right from his driveway. Our fast location updates, mapping capabilities and pinpoint accuracy helped police nab the suspected car thief and return the vehicle to its rightful owners.
While our product was not designed as a theft deterrent, we’re grateful that we were able to help in what was clearly a stressful situation. Bouncie was engineered for reliability and accuracy which is why our customers have come to trust us with the important drivers and vehicle in their lives.
In other news we’re putting the finishing touches on a set of new features that we’ll be announcing soon. Stay tuned!


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Sony Inzone M3 Gaming Monitor has launched by the company. The monitor has arrived as a more affordable version of the Inzone M9 that was launched a few months back. While the previous gaming monitor is priced at $900 (nearly Rs. 74,000), the latest Sony Inzone M3 is priced at $529 (nearly Rs. 43,500). It offers a Full HD resolution instead of the 4K resolution of that comes with Sony Inzone M9. With a 27-inch display, the new Sony Inzone M3 comes with upto 400 nits of brightness.
Sony Inzone M3: Launch
Sony Inzone M3 Gaming Monitor has been launched in US


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Bhubaneswar: Congress MLAs created a ruckus in Odisha Assembly on Monday over levying of GST on food items like puffed rice and flattened rice.
Party MLA Suresh Routray raised the issue during Question Hour, saying the imposition of GST on food items of poor people and children is unfortunate.
He requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to write to the Centre to withdraw its decision, or otherwise, the state government should bear the GST cost on the items like puffed rice and flattened rice.
In his response, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari said: “As per levying of GST on puffed rice and flattened rice is concerned, it is the subject of GST Council and Odisha, a single state, cannot take any decision on this.”
However, he also clarified that only packaged and labelled puffed rice would attract GST, therefore it will have no impact on customers and traders in rural areas where these items are sold loosely.
Raising the issue again during Zero hour, Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded Speaker B.K. Arukha to form a house panel to meet the GST Council Chairman and the Prime Minister on this issue.
As poor people will be affected with this move of the Centre, another Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja demanded immediate rollback of the decision.
Similarly, BJD member Amar Prasad Satpathy also expressed concern over the issue and demanded the state Finance Minister to make a statement clarifying whether the GST Council has taken permission from the state government before levying of GST on puffed rice and flattened rice.
The Congress members rushed into the well of the house shouting slogans against the Centre and demanded withdrawal of GST on puffed rice and flattened rice as these are food of the poor.
As the Congress members continued to create a noisy scene in the house, the Speaker first adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes and then till 4 p.m.
The GST Council has imposed 5 per cent GST on pre-packaged and labelled food items such as curd, lassi puffed rice and flattened rice from Monday onwards.
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Hancock Fabrics records more losses
BALDWYN — Hancock Fabrics Inc. has released its financial results for its second quarter ended July 30, 2011 and its first half of fiscal 2011.
Financial results for the second quarter include:
• Net sales were $57.8 million, compared to $60.5 million for second quarter of last year, and comparable store sales decreased 4.1 percent, compared to a 0.7 percent increase in the previous year.
• Operating loss was $2.7 million, compared to operating income of $0.6 million in the second quarter last year.
• Net loss was $3.9 million, or $0.20 per basic share, compared to a net loss of $0.8 million, or $0.04 per basic share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2010.
First half financial results include:
• Net sales were $119.8 million, compared to $123.6 million in the first half of last year, and comparable store sales declined 2.7 percent following a 0.7 percent decrease in the previous year.
• Operating loss was $3.7 million, compared to $0.6 million of operating income in the previous year.
• Net loss was $6.1 million, or $0.31 per basic share, compared to a net loss of $2.1 million, or $0.10 per basic share in the first half of fiscal 2010.
Steve Morgan, interim president and CEO said, “The second quarter numbers were negatively influenced by the lack of buying strategies implemented in the summer of last year. Fabric inventory levels today are down very significantly year over year despite adding a considerable craft assortment in approximately 25 percent of our stores. These reduced fabric levels have delayed the income improvements we are anticipating will be provided by the various operating initiatives we are currently executing. We have remedied a portion of the inventory imbalance with receipts that are just now beginning to flow into our stores. Our recently installed merchandise team is making progress in correcting the missed buys of last year.”
During the quarter, the company opened one new location and relocated three stores, ending the quarter with 265 stores.
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Facebook is launching another mobile site 0.facebook.com.
0.facebook.com is a new mobile site that includes all of the key features of Facebook but is optimized for speed. It initially is available through more than 50 mobile operators in 45 countries and territories with zero data charges. Facebook claims 0.facebook.com is faster than mobile site m.facebook.com.
In a blog post, Facebook says “Yet when using the mobile internet, people around the world face two main challenges—sometimes the experience is too slow to be fun and the cost of data plans and understanding them can be daunting. We have designed 0.facebook.com to help solve these two barriers and we hope that even more people will discover the mobile Internet with Facebook as a result.”
0.facebook.com is fast and free but it is only available on the networks of certain mobile operators. People can still access Facebook from its standard mobile site m.facebook.com or mobile site for touch screen mobile devices, touch.facebook.com, under operator's standard data charges.
Facebook is launching 0.facebook.com in partnership with more than 50 mobile operators around the world, listed below.networks.


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Over the last eight years, travel and tourism has grown by 17.3 percent in the top ten fastest-growing global destinations
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Littlewoods has appointed Monsoon managing director Rose Foster as chief executive of its clothing chain.
The retailer plans to split responsibility for its clothing stores and Index shops, with a chief executive for Index to be announced later.
Foster will remain at Monsoon for the next six months and Littlewoods Stores chief executive Susan Murray will leave at some point before that.
Littlewoods chairman David Simons said: 'Susan has led the business through a period of great change to a significantly better trading performance.'
According to a Littlewoods statement, there has been a 'significant turnaround in profitability of the high street in the past 12 months'.
The Barclay brothers-owned Littlewoods business is in the process of separating its home shopping and retail arms.
Monsoon revealed that trading since January 13 has been good. Pre-tax profits for the year to May 31 will not be less than£37.5 million.


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Here’s the text of a news release we just sent out…more commentary to follow…
Only 1% of 18-64 year olds say HD Radio provides more stations or programming choices, based on a recent survey conducted by Mark Kassof & Co.
Overall, those aware of HD Radio are in the minority…38% say they have heard of it. However, this group includes 7% who have only heard of HD Radio and have no idea what it is. It also includes 6% who only define it as “high definition radio” but cannot explain what that means.
This leaves 25% who are “familiar” with HD Radio – that is, they have specific ideas about it. They include 17% who correctly define it as having better, clearer sound quality…far more than say HD Radio provides more choices. They also include those who have misconceptions about HD Radio…most notably, 3% who think it is “satellite radio.”
18-24 year olds have higher awareness and familiarity with HD Radio than average, while 55-64 year olds are lower than average on both measures. Men have more awareness and familiarity with HD Radio than women do.
These findings are based on 749 telephone interviews, completed from May 24-28 in the U.S. Total sample statistics have a maximum margin of error of +/-3.5%.
Mark Kassof & Co. is a research and strategy firm specializing in radio. Mark Kassof, President, states: “It is early in the marketing of HD Radio, so low awareness and familiarity are to be expected. Still, this research reveals just how far HD has to go. I’m most concerned that only 1% say that HD Radio means more programming choices, since that’s a key selling point crucial for competing with Sirius and XM.”


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“We appreciate that government sees this as the next step, not the final step, in the road to recovery.” says Dan Baxter, Director of Policy and Government Relations. Today, the provincial government shared details of its Economic Recovery Plan, Stronger BC. In addition to broad consultation and recommendations, the Stronger BC Plan took into consideration the BC Chamber of […]
The BC Chamber of Commerce completed its recommendations for BC’s Economic Recovery Plan on behalf of it’s 36,000 members, and submitted this report to government on July 21. This submission will help the Province design a plan to support BC’s businesses and our economy as we move out of crisis and toward recovery. Our submission […]
“Plan will require big thinking around small business,” says Aleece Laird, Board Chair. Today, the BC Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) publicly released its Economic Recovery Submission (submitted to Government July 21st, 2020), made up of 54 policy recommendations focusing on competitiveness, innovation, and inclusivity respectively. The plan is a pan-provincial in scope and aims to guide the Province on stimulating BC’s economy through measures that support small and medium enterprises […]
The Cannabis sector is ready to put hundreds of unemployed retail employees back to work – quickly. They’re also well positioned to generate thousands of dollars in tax revenue if they could accept online orders and deliver to your door. Unfortunately, burdensome regulations mean cannabis retailers are struggling to find workers and being forced to […]
On July 20, 2020, the BC Chamber and 21 other BC business associations sent a letter to the Hon. Harry Bains, outlining the business community’s concerns with Bill 23, Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act, 2020, which was tabled in the legislature on July 14.
The B.C. government is extending temporary layoffs provisions under COVID-19 to a maximum of 24 weeks after concerns were raised by business groups, notably the BC Chamber of Commerce Network. We issued this news release in partnership with several other BC business associations on June 22 and also advocated to the Premier directly on the importance of extending the layoff provision in […]
BC Businesses Call on Labour Minister to Act to Avoid Employee Terminations and Small Business Bankruptcies
Business organizations representing almost all of British Columbia’s 500,000 businesses are frustrated by Labour Minister Harry Bains refusal to appreciate the severity of current business challenges. At issue specifically is the potential for bankruptcy and insolvency for thousands of small and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profits as they are forced to payout severance costs due to […]
Hon. Minister James announced early this week that landlords who are eligible for CERCA but don’t apply will be prevented from evicting tenants for at least the next month. A joint letter to provincial/territorial governments from the BC Chamber of Commerce in late May, and BC Chamber CEO Val Litwin’s recent op-ed in the Vancouver Sun, called for more landlord participation […]
Like you, in the past month we’ve had to pivot quickly. Our full-time job has been to advocate on behalf of the thousands of local businesses like yours that have been impacted (and in many cases devastated by) the current economic downturn.
The BC Chamber of Commerce (and its 120-member chamber network) in partnership with Small Business BC, The BC Economic Development Association, and Community Futures BC, launched a survey on March 13 to understand specific impacts BC businesses are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic – and hear their proposed solutions. As of March 18, almost […]


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There is an update in App Store guidelines by Apple a few weeks ago. To set out clear rules and regulations for how the developers should appear in-app subscription alternatives to users. As per the information, little changes have been made till now, and it seems that Apple decided to remove a number of the confusion that comes with and while installing and downloading an app and signing up for a repeated subscription.
The new rules and regulation by Apple can be seen in the Human Interface Guidelines and App Store documentation on auto-renewable subscription, and they also told the developers that they must clearly present the real prices users will have to pay up the total figure. The apps which are shown in an example below sticks to Apple’s guidelines that “the amount that will be billed must be the most prominent pricing element in the layout.”
As another option, promotional pricing, containing monthly and yearly saving, should be inducted less important. For Eg. Advertisement by Tinder, it only advertises its Gold and Plus subscription pack per month prices for its six- and 12-month subscription, but it needs users to pay up front for their subscription in full. Essentially for free trials, the developers must clearly show the price invoiced once the trails are over, as well as the renewal terms.
After that, it is all clear that how Apple demands app in the App Store to display the subscription options, now it is time to see how firmly Apple will implement its own guidelines. And as we know that Apple App Store is much strictly managed then Google Play Store, Malware and malicious app which trick users to make the app purchases have managed to move into the marketplace before.
But still, the Google Play Store allows users to cancel the app subscription very easily, which is way bigger than we expect in App Store. Presently, only a few numbers of apps give the option to cancel subscriptions through an option hidden under within the Settings —> iTunes & App Store —> Apple ID —> Subscriptions. And presently there are clear guidelines by the company that how can companies sell subscriptions to users. As per the information we get to know that Apple is now thinking to add an option to cancel the subscription within the apps itself.


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LEXINGTON, Mass. (CBS.MW) -- Centra Software shares plunged 33 percent Friday after the company posted a wider-than-expected loss in its third quarter.
The software company CTRA, -1.63% reported a third-quarter loss of $3.3 million, or 13 cents a share, excluding one-time items. Analysts polled by First Call expected a loss of 12 cents a share. In the ear-ago period, the company lost $3.3 million, or 14 cents a share. Including one-time items, the latest quarter showed a net loss of $4 million, or 16 cents a share.
Revenue for the quarter totaled $9.2 million, a 46 percent increase over the year-ago period. Dalton L. Chandler, analyst for Needham, expected revenue of about $11.7 million. Software licensing revenue made up $6.5 million of the total, falling short of Chandler's software licensing estimate of $9.4 million.
Of the total shortfall in revenue, an estimated $1 million was directly related to customers in or near the World Trade Center that were expected to close in the quarter and did not, according to Chandler. The company noted that those deals weren't canceled, just delayed.
As for the fourth quarter, the company expects to lose between 7 cents and 9 cents a share, on a pro forma basis, while analysts currently expect a loss of penny. Revenue for the fourth quarter is expected to be between $11 million and $11.3 million.
While still maintaining a "buy" rating, WR Hambrecht & Co. cut its 12-month price target from $20 a share to $12 due to the fourth-quarter warnings. The firm believes the stock price could go as low as $5 a share, which would represent a 50-times multiple of fiscal 2002 earnings per share guidance of 10 cents. At that point, WR Hambrecht & Co said it would be "aggressive buyers" of the stock.
In defense of its "buy" rating, WR Hambrecht & Co said that Centra's products remain the strongest in the e-learning market and that the company could "very well be raising guidance two quarters from now."
Shares closed down $3.50 to $7.05.


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After the whole Litepay debacle, the Litecoin Foundation is again partnering with a payment provider in a move that could see it offer a proper debit card option.
This time, the foundation has teamed up with TenX, with an announcement from the company coming after it had already added LTC to its wallet app.
TenX claimed that the option to trade LTC came up without any official statement because it wanted a small pool of users to notice it first and thus give the wallet provider a chance to live-test the solution and iron out any bugs.
“Going forward this will be our process for new coin integrations to ensure both stability and wide availability,” the startup wrote.
This new partnership resurrects the idea of Litecoin holders being able to spend their money with a debit card, which was the intention all along.
“We have reached out to, and are working with the Litecoin Foundation to introduce a co-branded card for which more information will be available soon. We hope to become the preferred payment platform for fans and owners of Litecoin,” TenX added.
Litecoin creator Charlie Lee was more direct about the whole arrangement, announcing in a tweet that the Foundation is “working with them to launch a Litecoin debit card.”
Although a timeline has not been provided, the partnership with TenX is less likely to unfold as Litepay did in the past. This startup has a proven record of integrating cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum into its debit card system.
On the other hand, it also has a history of kinks to work out with regard to security. A flaw in its web app allowed hackers to brute-force passwords and gain access to individual wallets. However, the glitch was discovered quickly by a bounty hunter, prompting TenX to disable the web interface in order to fix it.
Security concerns aside, this might help generate more enthusiasm about using cryptocurrencies as payment options rather than speculative instruments.


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UTICA — U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., stood with local business owners and community leaders at the Utica Women’s Business Center on Monday to announce bipartisan legislation, the Microloan Modernization Act, to expand the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Microloan Program that provides loans and technical assistance to minority and women business owners, among other entrepreneurs.
These entrepreneurs face challenges accessing the capital needed to start and expand small businesses because they are often denied loans by banks, Gillibrand said..
The proposed legislation, Gillibrand said, would strengthen the SBA Microloan Program by raising the total limit on outstanding loans to intermediary lending organizations, which would allow for more loans to be made to minority, women, and other business owners. The Microloan Modernization Act also expands opportunities for more hands-on training assistance to help small business owners succeed. This bipartisan legislation was passed with unanimous support by the Senate Small Business Committee in March this year, and has passed in the House of Representatives. The bill is sponsored by Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and cosponsored by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Gary Peters (D-MI).
“Too many would-be small business owners struggle to get loans from banks to start their businesses. More often than not, the people who lose out are women and minority New Yorkers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The bipartisan Microloan Modernization Act would help ensure that every hardworking entrepreneur who wants to start a business has a chance to do it.”
“Providing capital and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs is the best investment we can make. In Utica, minority and women-owned businesses have and will continue to play an integral role in our City’s revitalization,” said Mayor Robert Palmieri.
“This bi-partisan legislation will go to great lengths in helping local businesses expand and grow. I commend Senator Gillibrand for her proactive leadership and support for our small business community,” Palmieri added.
“Small businesses are truly the engine of the Mohawk Valley’s economy. The Microloan Modernization Act will provide women and minority entrepreneurs with the tools they need to become successful business owners. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her support for this program, which will expand opportunity for small business owners, and also help with the continuing revitalization of the Mohawk Valley region,” said Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi.
Since its inception, the SBA Microloan Program has delivered more than $722 million in loans to small businesses across America that have created or retained 212,000 jobs. In Fiscal Year 2017 alone, the program loaned over $8.4 million to 821 New York entrepreneurs and business owners. The SBA Microloan Program makes direct loans and grants to intermediary, non-profit organizations, which in turn provide microloans of up to $50,000, business-based training, and technical assistance to start-up and growing small businesses. The average loan size is $13,000.


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A new report from DigiTimes has shed some light on what could potentially be a thinner Apple Watch model arriving in the future.
According to the report, which cites information obtained from Apple supplier TPK Holding, the second-generation Apple Watch will feature “one glass solution” display technology, instead of the current generation’s glass-on-glass display technology. If that is indeed the case, it would mean that the Apple Watch 2 would be thinner than the current generation’s profile.
“The large loss for the second quarter was mainly because touch panel orders for iPhones continued to decrease, and Apple will change touch panel technology from G/G to OGS (one glass solution) in the new Apple Watch to be launched in the second half of 2016, TPK said. The change in touch panel technology involved unexpected technological difficulties and therefore yield rates for OGS touch panels were much lower than expected, TPK explained.”
By utilizing one glass solution technology it effectively removes one of the layers that would be present on a glass-on-glass-equipped piece device. Going this route also means Apple could make the Apple Watch 2 lighter than the original wearable as well.
As far as rumors go, the Apple Watch 2 is expected to be thinner this time around, and it could include cellular-connectivity as well. It was also rumored recently that Apple would drop OLED technology for the display in a future version of the Apple Watch, and instead switch to micro-LED technology. Most recently, though, it was reported that the Apple Watch 2 would begin shipping in September or October of this year.[via DigiTimes]


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Bitcoin and other large cryptocurrencies are collapsing into an unexplained and dramatic market crash.
After weeks of steady gains, Wednesday morning the bitcoin fell by more than $ 300 within an hour, with ethereum, ripple and bitcoin liquidity all following his example.
The reason for the sudden fall in prices is not immediately obvious, although some analysts have said that the sale of panic could contribute to the fall in the value of Bitcoin.
While bitcoin has decreased by about 4%, the hardest success of the market has been ethereum, ripple, bitcoin cash and EOS, which all fell by about 10%
The bitcoin reached the maximum of one month on Tuesday, bringing some experts to suggest that one might expect a price increase.
"The increase in price stability of Bitcoin over the past two days has not been seen for a while, and I think it should be seen as a positive sign with further gains, especially in the coming months," blockchain investor and advisor Oliver Isaacs said The Independent when he was asked what the prospects of the cryptocurrency were just a few hours before the incident.
Yet other analysts have been quick to say that cryptocurrency investors should be careful to see recent gains as a sign of future things, at least in the short term.
"The price of Bitcoin could increase but it is too early to call it a real resurgence," said Matthew Newton, a market analyst at the eToro online trading platform. "We have seen the yo-yo price for several months, so I would hesitant to announce it as a new dawn yet … Operators should be cautious. "
He added:" Looking forward, there are many positive things though. "There is a lot of fundamental news on the development of cryptocurrencies at this time, but it will take time to filter and affect the price. "
Bitcoin is still trading higher than it was at this point last year, although it remains a long way from the highs of December 2017, when the price reached almost $ 20,000.
Since then, the bitcoin has slipped up to the current price of about $ 7,000, although in recent months it has had a period of relative stability.
The most significant thing is that the bitcoin appeared more immune to the negative press in 2018, which previously had a major impact on its market movements.


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Outdoor retailer Kathmandu is capitalising on customer data from its Summit Club loyalty program to build better relationships with their customers and increase revenue.
Yelda Rahimi, marketing manager – customer, told Which-50 Kathmandu takes that data, and leverages Salesforce marketing cloud to build customer journeys and one-to-one personalised communications.
She explained, “[We can] be relevant through our communications whether that’s product recommendations or content recommendations, based on what we know about our customers. So we have our customer data, transactional data and we know what their interests are in terms of what types of activities [they like], whether it’s hiking, camping or travelling.
“We use that information and we are now able to utilise it and engage with our members and increase frequency of visitation and spend.”
The retailer launched its first lifecycle campaign on the Salesforce marketing cloud in 2015. Kathmandu has 1.9 million active club members through their Summit Club membership program.
According to Rahimi, their lifecycle campaigns target customers from the onboarding journey when they sign up to the Summit Club loyalty program.
She said the retailer wants to give their customers a good onboarding experience and use that as an opportunity to capture more data, which is then used to drive personalisation across future lifecycle campaigns.
Since launching, Rahimi said the outdoor retailer has seen positive results around attributed revenue growth.
She said, “In FY18 we increased our attributed revenue of predictive intelligence by 244 per cent and our lifecycle programs generated 186 per cent growth.
“We are seeing more customers engage and respond with our lifecycle program. They’re engaging with our personalised comms and also utilising our Summit Cub data to target customers on social channels.
“Through Facebook we are seeing return on social ads which is 15 times our investment.”
John Sette, group marketing manager, Kathmandu said when it comes to business strategy the company was focusing on digital transformation, ensuring they move from a mass marketing, above the line media approach to more digital, one-to-one personalised marketing.
Looking to the future, Rahimi said they want to use live data and feed it into their lifecycle program as it will help fuel personalisation.
She said, “We are a seasonally driven business so utilising things like weather to be able to recommend the right products and right content and messages based on live weather data.
“For example, if a customer opens an email and it happens to be raining at the time, we can serve up product recommendations to encourage purchase in rainwear and engage customers in that way.
“We can encourage customers to get outdoors by using live weather forecasts that say ‘the weather is great this weekend why don’t you go outdoors, here’s some product recommendations’.”


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Quality is compromised when you "have to hit a date," says Tim Morten, whereas F2P lets them keep working at it making it "better and better over the years." The new C&C is powered by Frostbite 2.
Basically the team is less rushed to get everything in for launch, which helps them focus on fun and "satisfying gameplay." It will be set in the Generals universe.
"Being able to focus on quality over a specific time frame,” explains senior development director Tim Morten. “Compromises get made when you have to hit a date. We’re going to keep making this better and better over the years.”
“I think that free-to-play impact has been surprisingly liberating. We traditionally have to race to get all the features done, to but it on a disc and in a box, but now we’re less concerned about having everything on day-one than how successful it is in terms of fun satisfying gameplay.” Originally billed as Command & Conquer: Generals 2, Victory has transformed it into a free-to-play platform for the veteran PC strategy franchise, still to be powered by DICE's Frostbite 2 engine.
Already there are plans afoot to eventually include the Tiberian and Red Alert universes.
"So, we like to say that 2013 is…the beginning of the next 10 years of Command & Conquer games, and we’ve been building this platform and this first game to start that process,” general manager Jon Van Caneghem told PC Gamer.
"As we mentioned, our first outing is going to be in the Generals universe…but over time, we want to add the Tiberium universe and the Red Alert universe, even a new fiction we’ve been working on.”
“This really becomes a service that just goes, and goes, and goes,” he added. “We’ll be adding content weekly, monthly, constantly going forward: new universes, campaigns, single-player, more game modes.”
Command & Conquer releases on PC in 2013. Check out the official website and register for the beta.


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Du Jiang Meets with Costa Cruises CEO
On October 31, Du Jiang, Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), met in Beijing with a delegation headed by Costa Cruises CEO Michael Thamm. The two sides made in-depth communications in the field of cruise ship tourism.
Du said, more and more international cruise ships have taken Chinese ports as their home ports since 2006, and all world-famous cruise ships have entered in China, which has become the market with the fastest growth of cruise tourism in the world. At present, CNTA is taking a lead in formulating the Master Plan on Cruise Tourism Development of China, and China’s cruise industry will see more development opportunities. He hoped that Costa Cruises grasp the good opportunities of the development of China's cruise market, strengthen cooperation with China in terms of popularization of cruise culture, cruise operation, design and manufacturing, as well as training of cruise tourism talents, provide Chinese tourists with better cruise travel experience, and make more positive contributions to the development of China's cruise industry. Du expressed his welcome and appreciation to Costa Cruises once again for its joining in the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) as a founding member, and hoped the two sides strengthen pragmatic cooperation within WTA.
Michael Thamm said that Costa Cruises attaches great importance to and is full of confidence in the Chinese market, pledging to further deepen cooperation with Chinese cruise companies including China State Shipbuilding Corporation, promote the development of China’s cruise industry chain, bring China with more foreign tourists and create more job opportunities. He indicated that, Costa Cruises, as a member of the WTA, would play its role actively within the WTA and assume corresponding obligations.
Also present at the meeting were heads of CNTA Tourism Promotion and International Cooperation Department, CNTA Planning and Finance Department and WTA Secretariat.


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Treating the root cause of refractory pain
Project CBD talks with Dr. Bonni Goldstein about whole plant cannabis remedies, nonintoxicating cannabinoids, and cancer care for children.
Another hare-brained idea about cannabis replacement therapy from NIDA.
Why does eating a raw cannabis bud not get you high but eating a THC edible does?
Many plants can help soothe sore muscles and joints.
Do-It-Yourself Recipes for Cannabis Remedies


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Does the recent weather have you feeling like this?
But you’d rather feel like these guys?
Well, worry not friends! The most wonderful time of the year is nearly upon us! That’s right! It’s almost racing season and this year, that’s not the only exciting news the North Carolina Region of the SCCA has in store for you!
Read it here first, folks:
Carolina Cup Pro Series
Returns to VIR!
March 12-13, 2016
March Into Spring at VIR
Double SARRC, ECR & TCPS & CCPS
We’ll be running DOUBLE everything! That’s right – a Double SARRC, as well as Double ECR, Double TCPS and RETURNING THIS YEAR… Double CCPS races.
Drivers will be able to enter two enduros at once. ECR, TCPS and CCPS will run concurrently. Enter the 90 minute ECR and also run either the 45 minute TCPS or 45 minute CCPS at the same time!
For Majors drivers this is also a great opportunity to get some valuable practice time in on the cheap for the upcoming dual-conference Majors event at VIR.
In case you were wondering – the average daytime high in Danville, Virginia in early March is around 60˚F with the azaleas starting to bloom. Spring racing weather!


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AECOSAN, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, has issued a health warning over multiple batches of food for children after cases of salmonella were detected in Europe.
It has urged the public not to consume products from infant food brands Modilac and Blemil, amid fears some samples could be linked to the ‘outbreak’.
The agency said that on January 25, an alert was sent surrounding the infections due to a ‘salmonella poona’ outbreak in France in relation to the consumption of the products which are marketed by French company Sodilac, and manufactured in Spain.
New cases have since been identified in Luxemburg, Belgium that are believed to be related to the affected batches, but no cases have been detected in Spain.
However, as Spain is the manufacturer, protocol procedures have been activated and carried out by the companies in question and authorities.
The results in Spain have so far been negative according to Aecosan.
Investigations are still being carried out to identify the possible source of contamination within the industry that could have affected the products.
As a precaution, the Asturian factory that creates the products has suspended part of their production of rice-based products.
According to the Coordinated System of Rapid Information Exchange, as well as the products from Modilac, that have been withdrawn from France, batches from Laboratiorios Ordesa have also been affected.
These are: Blemil Plus 1 rice, 400 g. (lots 1068-132, 1087-122, 1927-124, 2698-137, 3097-126 and 3408-141) and Blemil Plus 2 rice, 400 g. (lots 1088-190, 1107-173, 1107-173X, 1937-176, 2698-197, 2698-197X, 3107-180 and 3408-204).
Authorities have issued a mass withdrawal of the affected products in Spain from all points of sale; the companies are also actively contributing to retrieve all of the products that are still in distribution.
As the batches are exclusively sold in pharmacies, the Council of Pharmaceutical Associations of Spain and the Spanish Association of Pediatrics have been informed of the situation by Aecosan and are also collaborating to informing the public.
As it is possible that some of the batches have already been purchased, the recommendation is to return the product to the nearest pharmacy.


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Why stop when you're on a roll?
Microsoft (NAS: MSFT) has been inking deal after deal of patent licensing agreements with handfuls of Google (NAS: GOOG) Android device makers. While litigation is still pending with the likes of Foxconn, Barnes & Noble (NYS: BKS) , and Motorola Mobility (NYS: MMI) , Microsoft can now add growing Chinese device-maker Huawei to its hit list.
Huawei's chief marketing officer, Victor Xu, has confirmed that the two companies are at the negotiating table, and that "Microsoft has come to us," looking to add another notch to its Android stick.
Most U.S. consumers probably aren't all that familiar with Huawei, since the company has long produced "white label" devices that carry others' brands -- the latest example being the Huawei MediaPad, a 7-inch Android tablet that is being rebranded and sold as the T-Mobile Springboard. That may all soon change, though, as Huawei's newest devices will begin sporting its own brand.
It's a strategy that worked wonders for Taiwanese HTC, which I've only dreamt of investing in. The HTC Dream was the first Android device ever and was marketed as the T-Mobile G1. Over the years, HTC began to transition to its own branding and has become one of the most prolific Android OEMs, alongside Samsung.
Huawei has a strong position on its home turf in China, but its overseas revenues have been growing and represented 65% of sales last year. Over the past four years alone, overall revenue has more than tripled to $27.4 billion last year. Keep in mind that Huawei has various telecommunications-related segments, and Android devices are just part of its revenue picture. Last year, its overall Devices segment contributed just 16.6% of revenue.
Microsoft isn't just on the receiving end of patent royalties; it also just signed a licensing agreement with Openwave (NAS: OPWV) to utilize that company's IP portfolio. Openwave is also currently pursuing Research In Motion (NAS: RIMM) and Apple (NAS: AAPL) over the same patents.
We can argue all day whether Microsoft has turned into a patent troll, but the fact still stands that the courts are siding with Mr. Softy, and that spells trouble for current and prospective Android OEMs. The count is up to 10; will Huawei give in and make it 11?
At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributorEvan Niuowns shares of Apple, but he holds no other position in any company mentioned. Check out hisholdings and a short bio. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google, Microsoft, and Apple.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of Apple, Microsoft, and Google and creating bull call spread positions in Microsoft and Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2011 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Friday, 29 May, 2015 at 18:43 GMT
We are very pleased to offer the Hyip Information Survey #409 at your attention below. Today we may observe certain changes both in the Top choice and the Hyip Quote sections, due to the closure of Brand Destiny. In the Top Choice the HYIP was replaced with AmerEx Trade, and in...
Thursday, 28 May, 2015 at 14:18 GMT
Please have a look at the news digest showing the latest updates from a couple of HYIPs online. For a start, there is a short update from Infinity Finance, listed at HYIPNews for 44 days, which gladly announces the launch of the Spanish version of the website. The Spanish version...
Tuesday, 26 May, 2015 at 13:17 GMT
You are welcome to take a look into the Hyip Information Survey #408 presented at your attention below. One change is observed today in the Top Choice section. Two programs exchanged their positions and one HYIP is still sticky listed in the HYIPNews hyip monitor. The HYIPNews...
Tuesday, 26 May, 2015 at 11:22 GMT
The Cryptoconomist HYIP has recently become sticky listed at HYIPNews. It's been listed at HYIPnews for 22 days, however the latest newsletter reports on completing the 300 days online anniversary. As reported by the admin, within this time the project has shown great growth and...
Friday, 22 May, 2015 at 11:00 GMT
Please have a look at the Hyip Information Survey 407, which is not that large today for nothing serious and global is happening in the HYIP industry at the moment. Seems the entire sphere is entering summer fast. There is not much of development and minimum new programs launched...
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Friday, 22 May, 2015 at 09:40 GMT
The leading provider of mobile payments, Square, launches the fourth global centre in Melbourne, Australia. From the point of view of the company's authorities, it will stimulate selling the devices to accept payments in the region. The Australian department will ruled by the...
Friday, 22 May, 2015 at 09:21 GMT
It's been two days with no news posted. The reason is simple, there has been nothing to report, for the industry has nearly stopped. No new programs get added, no serious admins intend to launch new HYIPs. So today the news digest will only include some short news from several...
Tuesday, 19 May, 2015 at 11:17 GMT
Good to welcome you reading the Hyip Information Survey #406 below. Every experienced investor might notice the industry now is not developing at all. No large hyip opportunities are launched. Mostly there are those, aimed to work for a month or so. People tend not to trust the...
Monday, 18 May, 2015 at 12:43 GMT
The Infinity Finance HYIP project is now taking the 14th place in the HYIPNews listing. It's been listed for 34 days and has shown nice performance with the signs of stable running investment opportunity. With the maximum profit rate of 3.25% daily, Infinity Finance declares to...
Friday, 15 May, 2015 at 19:30 GMT
Today it's Friday and the Hyip Information Survey #405 is published at HYIPNews and delivered to the subscribers of ours. The signs of the industry slow-down are everywhere. There's such a feeling that serious players and experienced admins are anticipating something big to...
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It’s more possible than ever these days for anybody to be an entrepreneur in their own right. The rise of the ‘gig economy’ has opened the doors for people to monetize their skills on their own schedule. There are plenty of websites available for freelancers to connect with clients for business support and independent contracting for various tasks and short-term projects.
This type of professional lifestyle is also incredibly attractive to younger generations entering the workforce, but it is certainly not limited to Millennials and recent college grads. More and more workers are finding ways to turn a side hustle into a major money maker. In fact, over one-third of the American workforce currently uses an “alternative work arrangement” as their primary source of income.
The great news is that as the gig economy grows, businesses are finding ways to incorporate data technology to ensure that opportunities abound and alternative entrepreneurs can succeed.
Let’s discuss how some of the latest trends in technology are making it possible for the gig economy to continue on its upward trajectory.
Cloud-Based Accounting Tools for Better Freelance Billing
One of the things that attracts most freelancers to the gig economy is the fact that they can set their own …