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The coconut water health fad hit New York City in 2004. Mark Rampolla, the founder of Zico, had just returned from a trip to Central America, where he’d seen locals sipping the stuff. His competitors at Vita Coco, now the top brand, had just returned from Brazil and were also trying to market coconut water.
Rampolla would park his van outside yoga studios and offer samples. Sweaty students emerging from trendy hot yoga classes embraced his claims that the drink was natural and replenishing. The lithe, spandex-clad students would head off in all directions with Zico’s logo in hand.
It was a stroke of marketing genius. Even now, when Zico introduces its products to a new market, the company first builds brand loyalty at local yoga studios.
By 2013, coconut water was the health food to have, buoyed by claims that it’s exactly as saline as blood and therefore restores the body to its pristine state after a workout — or even just a hard day. Even Coca-Cola had gotten in on the action: The beverage giant acquired a controlling share of Zico in 2012. Dr. Oz had touted coconut water as “one of the most hydrating liquids out there.”
But what does all that really mean?
Nutritionists describe coconut water as a natural sports drink. As sports drinks go, it’s not a bad one. Unlike Gatorade, it doesn’t contain artificial colors. Enthusiasts can avoid added sugars and sugary fruit purees if they steer clear of the many fruit-flavored varieties and stick to plain coconut water.
But only a tiny fraction of fitness buffs push themselves hard enough to need a sports drink, nutritionists say. A 2012 study funded by Vita Coco found that the company’s $0.12-per-ounce product was no better than water at hydrating athletes after hour-long workouts. Those who don’t need to recoup calories and electrolytes add 43 milligrams of salt and 10 grams of sugar to an American diet that’s generally already too rich in both.
“Drink it if you like it, but don’t assume it’s a powerful, much-needed food in your diet,” advised Joan Blake, MS, RD, LDN, a clinical associate professor of nutrition at Boston University.
Building Foods up with the ‘Health Halo’
In recent years, the number of foods touted as dietary magic bullets has grown rapidly. The 1980s saw grapefruit and cottage cheese diets. The past 10 years have seen coconut water, Bulletproof coffee, juicing and cleanses, raw foods, acai and goji berries, Greek yogurt, kale, chia seeds, and fermented foods and teas — not to mention fad diets such as the paleo diet.
These nutritional claims often appeal to our primal ways of thinking. Many are said to cleanse or restore our bodies to like-new condition. Others bring traditional wisdom into the modern world: Acai berries purportedly emerged from the Amazon rainforest, and goji berries came down from the high Himalayas. The paleo diet returns us to the simplicity of more primitive times.
Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University and the author of “Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life,” says these claims create a “health halo” that surrounds certain foods. Once a food acquires a health halo, consumers often ignore nutrition labels and price tags alike.
“People tend to underestimate the amount of calories in that food and overestimate the health benefits,” he said.
Consumers are eager to find foods on which to hang these health halos. They want to eat healthier, but they don’t want to commit to the hard work that a diverse, healthy diet can require.
“People are always looking for something new. They’re ready to hear about something that could be ‘it,’ that this is the magic bullet,” said Blake.
The trouble is, there’s no such thing as magic. What consumers are usually buying is marketing.
“As to why these and other foods are considered health foods, the answers vary — sometimes it’s preliminary research that always ends with ‘and more research is needed.’ More often it’s good PR on behalf of companies, importers, or ideologists promoting their products or views,” said food historian Andrew F. Smith.
Many fad health foods are potentially healthy, but not miraculously so and only when they’re part of a nutritionally sound diet. Chia seeds are just as healthy as any other seed. Kale and wheatgrass are nutritious leafy greens, but they’re no better than spinach. There’s nothing wrong with acai or goji berries, but it would be hard to make the case that those berries are better than, say, blueberries.
“All plants have antioxidants,” said Blake. “Do I need to have an expensive berry? Is it going to have any superior nutritional benefit over another plant food?”
Nutritionists take issue with the way fad foods key in on a single potent ingredient, rather than accept the healthful blend found in most vegetables and fruits. The most extreme example is juice diets, which literally filter out the beneficial fiber as if doing so would make the remaining vitamins more powerful.
Dr. Ranit Mishori, a family medical doctor and professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine, has reviewed the scientific literature on juice cleanse diets. Her conclusion is that any promise that a food will “cleanse” is “complete nonsense.”
“The human body was set up to ‘detox’ itself 24 hours a day and for free. It does so through the kidneys, the liver, the skin, the immune system, and the lungs. Despite marketing claims, ‘toxins’ do not get trapped in those organs or need external help from some supplements, ‘superfoods,’ or certain types of vegetables or fruit,” she said.
When foods gain a health halo, people tend to simply add them to their diet like they would a supplement, instead of substituting them for less healthy foods.
“People aren’t eating acai berries instead of apples,” Wansink said. “It’s just calories on top of calories.”
The health halo also leads to regular consumption of foods whose health benefits are limited to certain circumstances. A gluten-free diet is healthy for people who have an autoimmune reaction to the protein gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye. But the hype surrounding gluten-free foods can lead consumers to think that gluten is bad, period. To wit, a gluten-free café in Berkeley, California, bans customers from bringing even packaged gluten products onto the premises.
Following fads like a gluten-free diet when they don’t need it can lead people into eating habits that are less healthy, not more so.
“I’m happy that there are more gluten-free foods, but when you take them and say ‘I’m doing this because I want to lose weight,’ there’s no science to support that. And if you look at gluten-free foods, because they take out gluten, they can have more fat and calories,” Blake said.
Can Coffee Really Make You ‘Bulletproof’?
Few health fads are as commercially driven as Bulletproof coffee, a mix of “low-mold” coffee, butter from grass-fed cows, and a coconut oil extract made from medium-chain triglycerides that supposedly improves brain function.
Bulletproof coffee’s proponents say one cup in the morning instead of breakfast keeps them satisfied, energized, and alert well into the afternoon, while training the body to burn fat for energy, leading to weight loss. Grass-fed butter, according to some, contains healthier fats than cream or cheese.
But there’s no science to support any of these claims. Many people aren’t aware that the claims originate with the company that makes Bulletproof coffee.
The term “Bulletproof” is trademarked by Dave Asprey, a self-proclaimed “biohacker” who developed the recipe based, he says, on a cup of yak butter tea he had on a cold day in the Tibetan Himalayas. Asprey sells low-mold coffee and the coconut oil extract, which he calls “Brain Octane,” directly. He also sells an herbal sleep supplement and a diet book.
Asprey’s health claims are met with utter contempt from dieticians.
“What you don’t need is to be having a stick of butter!” said Blake. “It shouldn’t displace a breakfast that would be of food, like grains and fruit.”
Liz Applegate, Ph.D., a nutritionist at the University of California, Davis, also scorned the coffee concoction.
“Bulletproof coffee is the best example of something that’s gone viral that’s just ridiculous,” she said.
Here’s what the evidence says. The fats in Bulletproof coffee, like all fats, extend the feeling of fullness, according to nutritionists. But butter in your morning coffee is no more likely to result in weight loss than butter anywhere else, they said.
There’s no reliable evidence that the caseins in cream and cheese are any different nutritionally, gram for gram of fat, than those in milk or butter. Medium-chain triglycerides have no health benefits other than being more easily digested by people who have trouble digesting fats.
“They just make a feasible-sounding yet still confusing claim,” said Katie Ferraro, a registered dietician and an assistant professor of nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. “If I were to reinvent Bulletproof coffee, at least I’d put olive oil in it because those are healthy fats.”
So what about that magical productivity Bulletproof coffee drinkers claim they experience? It’s just a caffeine buzz, nutritionists said.
Blame the Internet for New Food Fads
If there’s no nutritional evidence to fuel them, how do trends like coconut water and Bulletproof coffee take off? We asked Vani Hari, the woman behind the popular website FoodBabe.com and the forthcoming book “The Food Babe Way.”
“Social media,” she said.
The Internet allows niche groups to connect and share information, and it allows information to spread quickly, sometimes obscuring its source.
There’s a willing audience for new health food discoveries, as the number of health and lifestyle blogs reveals. These sites have to produce new content constantly in order to stay relevant. When one site mentions a hot new food, others often follow suit.
“You’ve got to come up with another miracle week after week because people’s attention spans are short,” said Ferraro. “They’re all variations on a theme. Last year it was Greek yogurt; this year it’s Icelandic yogurt.”
That explains why kale, rather than its equally nutritious cousin, spinach, became a craze: Consumers already knew about spinach.
Celebrities also get in on the game. Dr. Oz has endorsed nearly all of the fad foods mentioned here, and then some. Some of his “miracle” weight loss claims landed him in a congressional hearing last year.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle site Goop has also helped push raw and gluten-free diets and, more recently, bone broth. (Traditional meat broths are also made with bone, but “bone broth” is the buzzword du jour.)
Soon after Goop hyped bone broth, Marco Canora, a celebrity chef and serial restaurateur, launched Brodo. The café, located in trendy lower Manhattan, serves bone broth in coffee cups. Canora calls the broth “the world’s first comfort food.”
Journalist Christopher McDougall isn’t a celebrity, but his 2009 bestselling book “Born to Run”was popular enough to launch a couple of health fads. In the book, McDougall describes the fast, joyful, injury-free running habits of a remote indigenous tribe in Mexico. The runners, he wrote, noshed on chia seeds. American health enthusiasts were eager to follow suit, and the seeds began to appear in juicing diets, kombucha fermented teas, and energy bars.
What the natives in the book wore on their feet spurred a second fad: barefoot-style running shoes. Vibram, formerly known for making outsoles for hiking boots, shot to commercial stardom with its FiveFingers shoes.
But the company settled a class action lawsuit in 2012 after the commission pointed out an inconvenient truth: There’s no scientific evidence to support the claim, repeated at gyms and on athletic fields across the country, that barefoot-style shoes result in fewer running injuries.
Health food claims are rarely debunked. The more obviously bogus the claims are, the harder it is for nutritional scientists to get funding to investigate them, Applegate said. It’s not a good use of funding dollars. Researchers could use social media to combat false information, but they’re paid to research and teach, not blog and tweet.
“There are people out there who don’t have the background, and they often outnumber people like me,” said Applegate. “I just don’t feel that a lot of credible people in the world of nutrition can be out there combatting this kind of information.”
The Food Industry Cashes In
The food industry capitalizes on consumers’ desire for dietary magic to move products off the shelves.
“There’s a caveat with almost everything that becomes a trend. As soon as the thing becomes a trend, the food industry finds a way to capitalize on that, and when they capitalize on a trend that has to do with health, they usually adulterate it,” Hari, the Food Babe, said.
Hari is part of the health-food echo chamber. But she advocates for the least processed forms of trendy foods, including juice, coconut water, and yogurt. She researches which beneficial ingredients they have, and she’s hawkish on processed foods and the dubious, sometimes undisclosed, ingredients they contain.
Take yogurt. Naturally low in sugar and a solid source of calcium, protein, and beneficial bacteria, yogurt has real health-food cred.
Enter Chobani, founded by a Turkish-American man in upstate New York in 2007. Seeing Chobani’s success, Fage, a Greek company, started marketing its yogurt in the United States the following year. Before long, Greek-style yogurts had taken over the dairy case, with food multinationals like Dannon and others entering the fray.
But many of the big brands didn’t want to take the time to strain their yogurt. Instead, they added milk protein concentrate or carrageenan to unstrained yogurt, according to an exhaustive analysis done by the Cornucopia Institute, an advocacy group that supports small, organic farming.
Carrageenan’s safety as a food additive has been widely debated, and the Food and Drug Administration forbids the use of milk protein concentrate in yogurt. Many yogurts, whether Greek or not, also add something else, the Cornucopia Institute analysis shows — sugar, and lots of it.
At the same time, many major brands, including Chobani, are short on the very thing that gives yogurt its edge: the good-for-you bacteria, or probiotics, that turn milk into yogurt. Makers are not required to provide a count of how many active bacteria a serving of yogurt contains. However, some companies voluntarily include this information on the packaging.
Unlike many nutritionists, Hari believes there’s a longer list of health benefits that don’t show up on food labels, such as the active enzymes in coconut water. She also points out that food companies can legally conceal many industrial processes. For example, the ingredient called high-fructose corn syrup is sometimes labeled simply “fructose.”
But she says the nutrition label is still the best way to tell how healthy a food really is.
“No matter what health trend you choose, you have to look at the ingredient list,” she said.
One Not-So-Simple Trick to Live Longer
Nutritionists insist that the most legitimate healthy diet is the Mediterranean diet, made up of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats and fish, with caps on unhealthy fats rather than total fats. There’s a long list of studies supporting the benefits of such a diet for heart and metabolic health and longevity.
The diet’s benefits don’t come from any single food, though some researchers have tried to prove it does. The cultures that pioneered the Mediterranean diet managed to live longer, healthier lives without eating a single so-called superfood.
“If you lived in the Mediterranean, they never had the ‘superfood’ berry,” Blake said.
Of course, the Mediterranean diet also didn’t include Doritos or Coca-Cola, so if food fads drive people to eat chia seeds or drink coconut water instead of fast food and processed foods, nutritionists will call it a win.
“I don’t want people to feel bad for following these things, I just want people to be realistic,” Applegate said.
The key is for consumers to do their own research, starting with nutrition labels. Smart choices about one’s overall diet will have to replace magical thinking about particular foods.
“We’re going to get to the point where it’s going to be the total diet,” said Blake. “We’re going to go back to what your grandmother did — we’re going to go back to food.”


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Homeowners in the Bay Area have begun installing solar-powered smart cameras in certain neighborhoods. The cameras automatically photograph every license plate that cross their paths, and the data can then be used to assist police in helping catch perpetrators of crimes such as break-ins, package thefts and street racing.
Though residents seem to be seeing success with the new technology, concerns have been raised over potential privacy violations. Organizations such as the ACLU argue that use of these cameras in the private sector lack proper regulation and are ripe for abuse of personal data.
We examine how the cameras access and store data, and whether there is cause for concern regarding personal privacy.

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Last summer, Kroger began selling cannabidiol products at over 1,000 of its stores across the country. The country's largest national grocery chain joined the CBD boom in stocking topical CBD products like oils, balms and creams. Kroger, along with Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS, has been on a mission to introduce CBD use to mainstream shoppers since the hemp-derived compound was decriminalized in 2018. With hundreds of stores, largely located in the Midwest and the South, Kroger has quickly become one of the biggest brick and mortar CBD sellers by footprint, with plans to become the go-to hub for large CBD producers.
From luxury brands to sportswear, retailers across the industry are feeling the non-health effects of coronavirus.
Showfields is expanding beyond NYC and into the Miami market, where it plans to open a second concept shop in May.
Under Armour's look forward to 2020 includes expected losses that the company blames on China's coronavirus outbreak.
The race to go cashierless has another entrant. This month 7-Eleven became the latest chain to test cashierless stores at its Irving, Texas headquarters as part of a pilot program. The 700-square-foot store, which opened on Feb. 5, is currently available to employees only via an app, allowing them to check in, shop and exit the store. The 7-Eleven launch is part of a wave of existing retailers trying to offer shoppers a more frictionless checkout process, which includes foregoing long line waits. A company spokesperson did not comment on how the initial testing has gone thus far.
Macy's announced it's closing 16 out of 36 Story concept shops in markets that have multiple locations.
“We're building the shoppable surfaces and we're improving the ML that matches inspiring images."
Staples is launching Staples Connect, a concept store that will include spaces for co-working, podcast recording and events. The office supply chain said the format, which initially announced it last April, will debut in six Boston area Connect locations, and is “built around the ever-evolving needs of the retail customer.”
The subscription model that Rent the Runway helped popularize has prompted established retailers to launch their own in the past year. From department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, to smaller brick and mortar companies like Banana Republic and URBN, all announced their own version over the past year.
Amazon has been wooing direct to consumer brands for years by offering them an array of services including financial backing and inventory management via the Fulfilled By Amazon program. For many founders, being on the platform was something to be avoided. But even some that were lured by Amazon’s benefits early on have been gradually making the move off the marketplace.
Retailers are now gravitating toward Pinterest’s shopping-friendly features to add another source of e-commerce revenue. The platform has added more social commerce tools in an effort to pitch retailers on how being on the platform can help actual conversions. These include the ability to build custom shopping catalogs, product pins and improved retargeting.
Pinterest wants to be “more shoppable than ever” thanks to customizable retail features like shopping catalogs and promoted pins.
The retailer will now close 100 of its 650 stores in the next two years. It's a piece of its wider strategy to bring Express back into profitability, a plan the retail is calling the "Expressway Forward" plan. It involves a shifted focus to more streamlined merchandise offerings and investing in online sales.
David's Bridal has launched a suite of online wedding planning tools, including a messaging chatbot named Zoey, aimed at helping people find and purchase their wedding looks. The idea is that a service layer will be enough to fend off competition and create a more seamless experience. Taking a page from wedding planning services like Zola, David's Bridal helping brides do save the dates, curate mood boards via Pinterest and of course embarking on finding the perfect wedding dress, all from their device.
In its early days, being direct-to-consumer meant lower prices. Because there was no middleman, so the theory went, companies were offering better quality goods at more competitive prices. But as the industry matures, there has been a shift away from branding DTC products as the most affordable alternative to traditional retail shopping for personal products. The strategy to offer “no markups” was integral for the success of Warby Parker and Everlane, among others when they launched a decade ago. However, that’s no longer the case, as evident from a new crop of luxury DTC brands that are looking to duplicate the model’s biggest success stories, in diamonds, luxury fashion and more.
At the Modern Retail Virtual Forum, we’ll bring together senior retail marketers to discuss the challenges they’re facing and the solutions they’re seeking in the era of smarter retail.Book Passes


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The data of anonymous users of VPN services appeared on the Internet
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Logins and passwords, as well as IP addresses and device identifiers of 45.5 million users of mobile VPN services, of which about 800 thousand were Russians, were made public. Such leaks have become more frequent lately, experts say. As a rule, VPN services are used to visit web resources blocked by the authorities and partially hide data about their own devices. Disclosing data about their users could help intelligence agencies investigate cyber incidents, analysts say. This was reported by Kommersant.
Data from 45.5 million users of FreeVPN.org and DashVPN.io services appeared on the shadow forums, providing privacy services for their data through personal VPNs, which are necessary to create anonymity on the network, according to experts of the Telegram channel "Information Leaks". The data was left on an unsecured MongoDB database server. Both services belong to the international company ActMobile Networks, headquartered in the United States, only 795.7 thousand records belong to Russia, experts say. As stated on the company’s website, more than 75 million people around the world have used their VPN services.
The database contains user email addresses, encrypted passwords, registration dates, profile updates, and last login. The channel’s authors clarify that the database stores data from 2017 to 2021.
VPN applications allow customers to spoof their real IP address in order to visit web resources blocked in their country and partially hide data about their own devices. Information leaks through such services happen more and more often, earlier the data of mobile applications with free VPN GeckoVPN, SuperVPN and ChatVPN appeared on the network (see Kommersant from 1 March), in total 21 million people were affected. Before that, in July 2020, the data of more than 20 million users of similar applications UFO VPN, Secure VPN and others were leaked. Experts immediately drew attention to the fact that free mobile VPN services are unsafe, and fraudsters who bought the database can use the data for phishing and hacker attacks.
Leakage or sale of data from VPN services today is no longer an accident, but an almost guaranteed scenario for using any unprotected service, says Alexander Dvinskikh, an expert on information security at the Krok IT company:
"If a person uses a free service, then he must understand that, most likely, he is the product himself." Such companies collect and repeatedly resell information about which sites the user visits, what he is interested in, what purchases he makes, the expert specifies. In addition, VPN applications retain information about the e-mail and IP-addresses of users, which allows them to directly identify the owner of this data, explains Alexander Dvinskikh.
VPN services are usually used to bypass restrictive measures or to hide their real IP address for the purpose of anonymization on the network, explains Sergey Nenakhov, head of the information security audit department at Infosecurity a Softline. Leaked passwords can be used on other online services as well, as most people use the same password everywhere, he said. “Attackers, having acquired this data, can try to gain access to e-mail, online banks, social networks and other online resources. In this case, the protection will be the use of two-factor authorization and changing passwords,” says Mr. Nenakhov.
But information from VPN services that has become publicly available can be used not only by ordinary fraudsters looking for profit, recalls Alexander Dvinskikh. For example, he notes, it can help intelligence agencies investigate cyber incidents in which those who use these services in illegal activities on the Internet have been seen.


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The virtual reality has finally settled in the market, Oculus Quest 2 selling millions of units, Sony preparing their new generation of PlayStation VR and Valve demonstrating with Half-Life: Alex to what extent can it guarantee great experiences of video game this technology. But this is only a tip of what is to come. Thus, Gabe Newell guarantees large investments to advance in this field.
In my opinion, the brain-computer interfaces are going to be totally breaking, the most disruptive technological change we will spend. For this reason, I consider it a sector with a lot of courage, by which we are making great investments both in new viewers and video games, but we also look to the future, and we ask ourselves, What will be your evolution?, Exposed Steam’s creator a few months ago in New Zealand, in a talk now pick up by Road to VR.
In this way, we can wait in the coming months and years the disembarkation of new proposals that lead the signature of Valve. Recall that the company pretty successful also Valve Index, its own commitment to virtual reality hardware. Meanwhile, we recommend you take a look at the analysis of Half-Life: Alex by Alexander Pascal for 3D games that said like this: It is one of the most innovative works I have enjoyed in a long time.
On the other hand, Valve is now also focused on the launch of Steam Deck, a portable hardware capable of executing an immense catalog of PC games. Its launch was set for this month of December, but finally it was delayed.


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Hoka One One will be supporting three-time Ironman world champion Mirinda Carfrae of Australia as she chases another Kona crown.
I thought I had a good idea of what Hoka One One was up to when the fringe ultra-running brand began to dip its toes in the triathlon market seven years ago. I’d seen it before. A running brand with some form of new technology enters the triathlon market with aplomb, gains a little traction and buzz, and then boom: Said brand makes the leap over to the massive marathon market and the millions of athletes that go with it. It’s a strategy that worked—to an extent—for Newton, and one that did not for K-Swiss.
Except that’s not exactly Hoka’s grand plan. Sure, they’ve made massive in-roads into the running market. And yes, Tom Brady was pictured wearing a pair of Hokas just a few weeks before the Super Bowl. They’ve officially arrived—big time—but that doesn’t mean they’re abandoning the sport that catapulted them to the feet of perhaps the most famous athlete on the planet. Instead, Hoka has reaffirmed its commitment to tri by signing one of the sport’s most decorated athletes still competing at the Ironman distance, Mirinda Carfrae.
“In my experience, the companies that are fully invested in the triathlon market are also fully invested in me as an athlete,” Carfrae says.
Carfrae is on a mission this year, after taking time off to give birth to daughter Isabelle on Aug. 22, 2017, to return to the top of the Kona podium for a fourth time. If she succeeds, she’ll join Chrissie Wellington, Natascha Badmann, and Paula Newby-Fraser as the only women to win four or more times. Carfrae turns 37 next month, and while her gazelle-like gait always looks seemingly effortless, she’s put some serious miles in over the past 20 years (she’s started at Kona every year since 2009, except last year). After all those years of pounding pavement, she decided a little more cushioning could help her achieve her quest to top another Kona podium.
“In the past I’ve tended toward a more minimalist shoe and wasn’t sure how I’d feel in Hokas, but with my husband’s insistence, I figured it couldn’t hurt to give them a whirl,” she says. “It’s a softer and more comfortable ride. I expected them to be heavy, but looks can be deceiving. I also love that I don’t lose my feel for the ground, which is one of the main things I look for in a shoe.”
While it only took Hoka seven years to ascend top dog in the tri market (they had far and away the most shoes in Kona last year), the brand that began in France and is now owned by California-based Deckers won’t be abandoning the sport that’s been vital to their overall success. While it’s great to see Tom Brady wearing their shoes during a massage, the true measure of Hoka’s unique technology is seeing them on podiums underneath athletes who crush running, like Carfrae, Heather Jackson, and Ben Kanute.
“Running a marathon off the bike is never the most pleasant thing in the world. It can be down right ugly,” Carfrae says. These days, she’s all about the comfort that her new sponsor’s cushy shoes provide—and their dedication to the sport she loves. “That’s what makes a successful partnership. Beyond my success, I know that Hoka is also invested in the performance of all triathletes who run in their shoes.”


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O'Reilly blogger Jeremiah Foster says Apple has a responsibility to be a better citizen of the broader open source community now that its OS X operating system (a FreeBSD derivative) has established itself among the UNIX varieties. Sadly, he opines, the company hasn't done so.
In Foster's opinion, Apple should be following the example of Sun Microsystems and releasing its operating system source code under the GNU General Public License or another open source license that requires companies to donate modifications to the open source community. The BSD license, of course, does not require sharing.
Foster points to the death of OpenDarwin and the fact that the company supports two different implementations of GTK as evidence that Apple is not as serious about its commitment to open source as it claims to be, which, he says, leads to loss of good will, and then to loss of users.
We think we understand his point, but we're not convinced that he's using the best facts or examples to support it. Iljitsch van Beijnum at Ars Technica certainly isn't, and the comment section following his own blog reveals that many of Foster's readers aren't either.
In his post, van Beijnum points out that many of Apple's products are built on open source software and that even though it is under no obligation to share modifications to that software under the BSD license, the company often does. The difference, he says, is that Apple shares only the commodity components of its products, while keeping the value-added elements proprietary.
van Beijnum says this demonstrates that Apple does understand open source and how to leverage it for the business. We're not experts, by any means, but we tend to agree.
The fact that the company doesn't leverage open source exactly the way others have or think it should doesn't mean Apple doesn't understand how, does it? Google has also been accused of bad open source citizenship in the past, but Google reps have indicated that the company releases code when it makes sense for Google. For other companies, it makes sense to open source everything all the time, but that's not the way Google -- or Apple -- chooses to do business.


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By TODD STONE
MLA, Kamloops-South Thompson
IT HAS BEEN CLEAR since Oct. 17, 2018, that John Horgan’s NDP government did not have an effective plan in mind for the introduction of legal cannabis.
Nine months in, the great green rush is off to a rough start here in B.C. Yearly revenue projections are down a staggering $53 million and Horgan’s handling of the shift to legal cannabis has quickly become a laughing stock across Canada, especially when compared to the progress made by previously prohibition-heavy provinces like Alberta and Manitoba.
Let’s start with the most obvious issue, which is the complete lack of private retail cannabis stores throughout most of B.C. To put the numbers into perspective, Alberta currently has 176 licensed stores province-wide, which easily dwarfs B.C’s pitiful 40 stores as of the middle of July. This is in stark contrast to the expectations laid out by the NDP government.
The black market is thriving, the legal market is sputtering and the NDP are, unsurprisingly, making it very clear that they could care less about the struggles of small business owners.
Dozens of private retail cannabis operators are severely disheartened and facing financial hardship. Small business folks around B.C. with legitimate applications are waiting upwards of eight months for provincial approvals.
These entrepreneurs are being forced to bleed money for leases and other costs they have incurred in good faith on the understanding set by the NDP that their approvals would be dealt with in an expeditious manner.
Many of these small business owners are now facing serious financial hardship as they watch the NDP dither and delay with no apparent rationale for doing so.
John Horgan willfully gave municipalities the option to decide whether to allow legal retail stores in their communities, which means if a local government opts out, there will be no local competition to the black market in that community.
One example is Surrey, which has voted to ban legal stores and has, in turn, pushed recreational cannabis consumers to the black market. The entire idea is preposterous, but here we are in John Horgan’s B.C., the joke of the Canadian cannabis industry.
The number one objective of legalizing cannabis – we were told – was to eliminate black market sales. There should be great concern that while the NDP sits idly by and refuses to approve permits to legitimate business owners, illegal sales will continue.


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For the sixth consecutive year, the Canastota Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Future Business Leaders of America students to hold a business exposition. Future Farmers of America students will once again participate in the planning.
The Market Day and Business Expo will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday April 5 at the Canastota High School gymnasium.
New this year to the expo will be a networking coffee hour from 9 to 10 a.m. on the morning of the show.
"This hour will give businesses and organizations the opportunity to visit with each other before the crowds roll in," said Margo Frink, co-organizer of the expo. "Some business owners have said that because so many people come out to the event it is difficult to go around to the booths and visit with the other businesses. We hope the coffee hour will provide more networking opportunities."
Featured at the show are businesses, clubs and organizations displaying their goods and services, along with vendors offering products for sale. Raffles and product giveaways, free food samples, door prizes and entertainment are just a few of the highlights. The Market Day Caf (c) also will be open serving food.
"This event that not only gives local businesses the opportunity to network but brings the entire community together for one day," Frink said. "Last year and in previous years, the FBLA school students have offered arts and crafts projects for the kids and face painting among other activities.
Last year we had a clown entertain the kids with balloons, Frink said. Every year since the inception of the expo there has been free entertainment and WMCR Radio has broadcasted live from the event."
Last year around 400 people attended the expo, according to Frink.
"At this time we are asking for corporate sponsors," Frink said. "A lot of planning, paper, ink, postage and advertising go into this event every year. Corporate sponsors have helped make it possible."
Corporate sponsorship includes a prominent place in all news stories, print and radio advertising and a PowerPoint presentation during the show, a booth with an 8-foot dressed table, two chairs, trash can and sign and a prominent place in the Business Expo booklets to be given out at the show. The cost is $250.
For more information on the business expo or to become a corporate sponsor, call Margo Frink at 697-7142, chamber President Rick Stevens at 697-8510 or the chamber office at 697-3677.


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As demand for birds shot with non-lead ammunition continues to grow, the British Game Alliance (BGA) has launched a pioneering new register for BGA-assured lead-free shoots so that dealers, processors and stockists can source game to service this growing market.
Shoots simply fill out a short questionnaire on the BGA website that asks for top-line information such as the date on which the shoot went lead free and the estimated number of birds the shoot will put into the food chain each season. It is not yet possible to guarantee lead-free game meat, but we can assure lead-free shoots. Shoots registering as ‘lead-free’ will be committing to a new clause in the BGA Standard, requiring the writing and implementation of a credible lead-free protocol on their shoot days.
Commercial Director Mark Staples said:
“We at the BGA are committed to the five year phase out of lead, but the reality is that the food industry increasingly demands birds from lead-free shoots. Our new lead-free register has been developed alongside our partner game dealers and with input from major processors and supermarkets. It will allow us to ensure the flow of game into these significant outlets continues, boosted by the BGA’s work to promote game into all retailers and across hospitality, while we work to support the marketing of game for the whole shooting sector as we all pull together towards the five year phase out of lead.”
To register today click here.


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Monday 7th November 2011
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Goodman Fielder, the food company once owned by kiwi billionaire Graeme Hart, has refinanced A$500 million of bank debt through a new facility with Australian and global banks.
The existing debt was due to mature in October next year, but the manufacturer refinanced early to “take advantage of favourable borrowing conditions,” it said in a statement. The new facility consists of an A$300 million three-year tranche maturing in October 2014, and an A$200 million five-year tranche maturing in October 2016.
Pricing was below the existing facility, and will generate “significant cost savings” for the company, it said, without being specific. The weighted average interest rate on its unsecured borrowing facilities was 5.77 percent as at June 30, according to its annual report. The total was $960.6 million including $317 million drawn down on the $500 million facility coming due in October 2012.
“Goodman Fielder is very pleased with the level of support from our banking group and the level of interest and confidence in Goodman Fielder, which has resulted in commitments in excess of our funding requirements,” said managing director Chris Delaney. “This facility extends Goodman Fielder’s average debt maturity to five years, with the next major debt maturity not until July 2013.”
Last month, Goodman Fielder came up short in the retail component of a A$259 million capital raising to give its balance sheet more flexibility. The food ingredients maker took a A$300 million write-down of its baking division in August that led to a A$166.7 million annual loss, and prompted a restructure of its divisions.
The dual-listed shares fell 0.5 percent to 61.7 Australian cents on the ASX and were unchanged at 69 NZ cents on the NZX.
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Goodman Fielder returns to full-year profit; baking, NZ dairy units improve
Goodman Fielder 2013 earnings will fall on higher marketing spend, lower poultry sales
Goodman Fielder 1H profit more than doubles on asset sales; revenue falls
Goodman Fielder to sell Integro unit for A$170M to GrainCorp consortium
Goodman Fielder scotches media reports of approach from Wilmar
Goodman Fielder, selling assets and taking charges, narrows annual loss
Goodman Fielder's earnings to be at lower end of guidance
Wilmar targets 10% stake in Goodman Fielder, keen on buying non-core assets
Goodman Fielder 1H profit slumps 77%
Goodman Fielder retail offer comes up short


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Buffett Has no New Investment Plan in China,Says There's no Competitive Advantage05-06 13:58 Caijing
Warren Buffett, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO, said he has no new plans to invest in China, as the Oracle of Omaha remained conservative about competitive edges of the world’s second largest economy, following disappointing performance of his once favored investment in Chinese auto-maker BYD.
There’s no competitive advantage in China, said the billionaire in taking up a question from a shareholder from Shanghai as the annual meeting of Berkshire Shareholders was drawing to a close in Omaha on May 4th.
The pessimistic remarks about China came as a strong contrast with five years ago when he invested in a new plant of Iscar Metalworking Companies (IMC) in Dalian, a coastal city in northeast China, saying China has huge growth potential.
Buffett purchased 1.3% stake in PetroChina, China’s largest oil and gas producer, with $488million between 2002 and 2003 before selling all the shares in November, 2011, which gained the investor as much as $4billion.
Berkshire Hathaway bought 225million shares of BYD, a Chinese auto and battery maker, or just under 10% of the company’s stock at 8 HKD a share before it soared to over 80HKD in 2010.
The company, however, had seen slumping businesses since then with its shares dropping as much as over 80% to 12.44HKD in October, 2011.
The Buffett-backed BYD in March reported a drop of over 94% in net profit for the year 2012 largely due to weakening demands in the world’s second largest economy amid a downturn.
Buffett said he would prefer Chinese companies that export quality goods, especially consumer goods at last year's annual shareholder’s meeting for Berkshire Hathaway.
Berkshire vice chairman Charlie Munger said China has a huge auto market
which is BYD’s main focus, and the number of cars he expected BYD to sell in the
U.S. would be very small.
Editors’ Picks »
- 1Central Bank Allows Direct Investment Overseas in FTZ
- 2China Clarifies Details for the Coming Fiscal and Tax Reforms
- 3IPOs to Resume After a Yearlong Freeze
- 4Plan to Push "Humanity-Centered" Urbanization in the Pipeline
- 5Huawei is Giving up on the U.S., Finally
- 6China Housing Prices Post 18th Monthly Rise in Nov.
- 7Cities and Sustainable Development
- 8Alipay in Push to Lure Mobile Users
- 9China Everbright Secures $1.4Bn Subscription from Cornerstone Investors
- 10Cameron in China to Forge Ties


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Apple patents some interesting-sounding fingerprint scanning tech
One of the more unusual rumors to attach itself to the iPhone 5S has been this talk of giving the phone a fingerprint scanner. We’ve heard a number of theories on both why Apple might want to do such a thing and how it could hope to implement it. While we’ve got some serious doubts about the utility of such a feature, the general thread to unravel thus far has described some sort of integration with a mobile payment system, and a fingerprint scanner embedded in the phone’s home button. Now a new Apple patent is suggesting another way it might hope to make a fingerprint-scanning iPhone a reality.
Rather than putting the sensor in the home button, nor cluttering up the phone’s design with a separate scanner, this patent describes a system that uses the phone’s own screen as fingerprint scanner.
It sounds like a fantastically elegant solution, but it may be just a little ahead of its time. After all, there’s a world of difference between describing the functionality of such a system in a patent application and developing the technology into a state that’s ready for mass production. That makes us hesitant to expect seeing this on the iPhone 5S, but that doesn’t mean that fingerprint scanning couldn’t arrive in a different form.


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Legislation will aim at protecting working families from predatory practices
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today at the steps of the California State Capitol, Senator Kevin De Leon, Senator Ricardo Lara, Assemblymember Luis Alejo, Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember Das Williams, and representatives from TURN and Consumer Federation of California joined the leaders of the movement – Two Counties One Voice – by calling for more government oversight on mergers that could harm millions of underserved Californians. Two Countries One Voice is dedicated to exposing the predatory, monopolistic practices of Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world. Recently, Slim zeroed in on California when one of his telecommunications' companies, TracFone, acquired California-based Simple Mobile without any public hearings or review by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Prepaid mobile providers like TracFone and Simple Mobile largely serve immigrant and working families.
TracFone currently has a pre-paid cellular customer base that is larger than that of Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile's. Now, with the acquisition of Simple Mobile, TracFone has 22 million customers nationwide – over 42 percent of the pre-paid cell phone market share – making it the LARGEST prepaid mobile provider.
"Carlos Slim is taking the model he created in Mexico that was built on the backs of the poor, charging excessively high prices and providing inadequate services, and he's expanding that model into California, the U.S., and across Latin America," said Juan Jose Gutierrez, one of the leaders of Two Countries One Voice and the President of Vamos Unidos USA. "We're here today to shine a glaring light on the damage that such practices have on a country and its people. We demand more oversight and protection here in California."
Senator Kevin De Leon and Senator Ricardo Lara wrote a letter to CPUC Chairman Michael Peevey calling for action and a full investigation during CPUC's upcoming evidentiary hearings from December 12-14, 2012. Senators De Leon and Lara also announced they will be introducing legislation that will better protect working families by ensuring the CPUC has the authority and discretion to review all mergers – including pre-paid cell phone services – when it's in the best interest of the public.
"As we become more reliant on cell phones and digital technology for every day life, we need to ensure that all consumers – especially underserved communities – are protected," said Senator De Leon. "Our legislation is aimed at providing better protections for working families by requiring proper government oversight and rigorous review by the CPUC."
"We will not stand by quietly while hard-working Californians spend their honest-earned money on excessive charges associated with something that most of us take for granted: making a simple phone call," said Senator Ricardo Lara.
When TracFone purchased Simple Mobile in June 2012, the CPUC did not require hearings or scrutiny of Slim's acquisition. The current law does not require the CPUC to hold hearings on all mergers and is prescriptive as to when the CPUC may deem additional hearings necessary in the public interest.
In the United States, Slim has four million TracFone customers participating in government phone assistance programs. Slim has collected $10 per phone he provides to these consumers, totaling a minimum of $38 million in U.S. federal subsidies this year alone. Yet, TracFone refuses pay its share of the public services fee that funds California's programs for the poor. By some conservative estimates, TracFone may be liable for $13 million in unpaid fees and additional penalties to the CPUC.
"We have been watching Carlos Slim gobble up company after company – growing his empire at the expense of struggling families" said Andres Ramirez, one of the leaders of Two Countries One Voice. "And today, we are joined by others who see this injustice and are committed to speaking up for those without a voice."
"It is important that we empower the CPUC to hold public hearings and engage in rigorous reviews of mergers that may impact consumers' rates and access to reliable services," said Richard Holober, Executive Director of Consumer Federation of California. "Especially with companies with questionable customer service records, we must ensure our government provides protections to underserved communities with less access to digital services."
BACKGROUND: Carlos Slim's power and fortune is made up primarily from his monopoly on the Mexican telecommunications system. According to the independent and highly respected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Slim's company, America Movil, which controls nearly 80 percent of the total Mexican telecom, cell and internet industries, charges exorbitant prices and provides inadequate services. Their report also shows that Slim has price-gouged Mexican customers billions of dollars for basic telephone and Internet service. They point out that those specifically and most profoundly affected by these business practices are rural and poor communities.
The impact of Carlos Slim's monopoly has resulted in Mexico ranking LAST in public investment in telecommunications compared with the 33 other OECD countries while Slim's company Telemex had a profit margin of 47 percent – one of the highest profit margins of companies within the OECD countries.
SOURCE Two Countries One Voice


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BANKRUPTCY AND SOCIAL SECURITY IN ONE POST!….Musing about the Republican party’s eagerly anticipated bankruptcy bill, Max asks:
In a different vein, a good question is whether the private accounts and annuities under Bush’s excellent Social Security privatization plan would be vulnerable to attachment by creditors, thereby opening up a new source of equity to the credit card industry, after they have sucked out all your blood.
Funny he should ask. Just a couple of months ago a case was argued before the Supreme Court on the question of whether creditors could seize money in IRA accounts. Associated Press reports:
Bankruptcy law already protects pensions, 401(k)s, Social Security and other benefits tied to age, illness or disability. Most justices appeared reluctant to allow the seizure of all the money in IRAs, a nest egg used by millions of people, though Justice Sandra Day O’Connor offered that some accounts might be taken to repay debts.
So IRAs are still up in the air, but private accounts tied directly to retirement would presumably be safe. Until the credit card industry manages to ship Grand Theft Bankruptcy v2.0, anyway.


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Earlier today, Activision (News - Alert), riding high from its recent quarterly numbers showing the company doing surprisingly well in the midst of a weak economy, added another feather to its cap by announcing that its upcoming product, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, due on stores November 13, will let gamers show off through a special live streaming mode that will work with YouTube (News - Alert).
Call of Duty: Black Ops II's live stream capability, originally shown at the Gamescom event in Germany, will now allow players with webcams to upload their live streams to YouTube, complete with any "color commentary" they may be applying at the time. Anyone with a YouTube account will be able to stream video, but those players with Call of Duty Elite status will have access to a set of additional features, including player cards, class loadouts, statistics on the matches, and career stats on other Call of Duty titles that have Elite support.
Streaming efforts previously required the combination of a third-party recorder and a variety of different cable linkups, making it cumbersome and a seldom-used product. Now, the floodgates will be opened and a horde of YouTube videos featuring frags, sweet kills and amazing headshots will likely be arriving in short order.
Treyarch, who developed the game with Activision, is banking on Call of Duty: Black Ops II being as fun to watch as it is to play. Its studio head, Mark Lamia, said of the initiative, “With our competitive play and eSports initiatives, we wanted to deliver live streaming capabilities built right into ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II’, because ‘Call of Duty’ is not only fun and exciting to play, but we believe it will be just as exciting to watch.”
Image via Shutterstock
While it's unclear if this will prove to be the case – a few videos involving the Benny Hill theme "Yakety Sax" will almost certainly show up – there will likely be more than enough takers using the service to make it well worthwhile for Activision and Treyarch to include it. While viewers may be in comparatively short supply, budding filmmakers likely will not be.
Still, it's clear that adding features to a game already likely to be a big seller can't hurt, and providing more value for customers is always the sort of thing that seldom goes wrong for the company doing so.
A weak economy means companies need to do a better job of showing customers why it's worth parting with their money, and though plenty likely would have already for this one, that addition of easy live-streaming certainly won't hurt.
Edited by Braden Becker


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METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — Paris Hatcher, a local entrepreneur, has always loved fashion but never would have expected to have her own clothing line. It took years of trying different careers to figure out what she really wanted to do. In 2011, Hatcher attempted to start her journey of becoming an owner of her own online fashion boutique “My Classy Closet,” but different obstacles in her life made it difficult for her to stay consistent. During that time, Hatcher put more emphasis on finishing graduate school and traveling for other careers. It was difficult for her to give the business the full attention that it needed to grow.
It wasn’t until 2018 that Hatcher set her mind to follow through with investing in herself and in her dreams. It was a rough year for her. Her father passed away in 2018 from lung cancer. Hatcher said that she remembers telling her father prior to his passing that she wanted to relaunch her online boutique. After telling him what she wanted to do, she said it pushed her to follow through with her idea.
“It really pushed me to continue to do it in his honor because that’s all you need, you need someone who believes in you and trusts your vision.”
Hatcher said that although her father didn’t understand the online business, he believed in her. “I just wanted to make him proud and I feel like I have accomplished that,” said Hatcher. Since then, her online boutique has grown and continues to grow.
Now that Hatcher feels successful in what she aimed to do, she said she wants to help people who need help with that extra push to start up their own businesses.
“I know what it means to be in your head, to overthink, I know what it means to look at other people online and see them excelling in something you know you can do but you really just have a blockage right now.”
Hatcher started another business called The PMH Collection where she produces prayer journals for Women and Men. I really wanted to produce something that has helped me for over a decade and share with people that this is what works, write in the vision and make it happen.”
She says it took a lot of patience to get to where she is today. “It may not happen at the time you wanted it to, but trust and believe and have faith and do the work and know that it will happen,” said Hatcher.


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New and existing Kentucky companies announced the creation 18,000 full-time jobs, $11.2 billion in investment in 2021.
Italy-based cured meats producer Veronesi will expand its customer base and create more than 150 jobs with its new Rockingham County, VA facility.
The Lone Star State has been the top state for exports for 19 consecutive years, surpassing the combined total for its three closest competitors.
The USDA is adding ethanol and whiskey to its annual tally of agricultural products, with U.S. exports expected to outpace imports by nearly $20 billion.
Rural King, ‘America’s Farm and Home Store’, expands its distribution & manufacturing center operations in Waverly, Ohio. The family-owned farm store operates more than 120 stores in 13 states,
The diverse, inclusive gumbo in Southwest Louisiana includes a highly skilled workforce that is the hot sauce for success in key growth sectors.
AeroFarms will establish a new indoor vertical farm, Ostara will invest $25 million In the St. Louis region.
Collaboration and connections: partnerships—and large infrastructure projects—are key components of York County, NE’s development strategy.
Prestage Farms will create 292 new jobs in Kershaw County; Solstice Sleep Products will create 80 new jobs in Marion County.
Despite the challenges of 2020, New Mexico saw growth and success across a wide range of industries and is preparing for even more growth in 2021.
California-based greenhouse grower Pete's will invest $18 million and create 15 jobs in Peach County, GA.
Box Elder County, Utah is consistently learning and growing, with more and more to offer the business community.
Every Fortune 500 company headquartered in Arkansas began as a small, family-owned business.
GoTopeka has announced that Plug and Play, a global innovation platform that specializes in creating industry-specific accelerator programs, has selected its first batch of startups for its animal health and ag tech program in Topeka. Learn more.
When it comes to the entire food chain—from agriculture to agribusiness to food and beverage manufacturing—North Carolina is second to none.
As the nation’s top wheat producer, Kansas has long been an agribiz leader. The Sunflower State also is in the top tier for food manufacturing.
New York Power Authority economic development awards support more than 620 jobs across the state; green job components to be considered in future applications.
Take skilled workers and a growing population in a strategic location with shovel ready sites, easy transportation links and low business costs. Add advanced technology, global business leaders and world class education and research facilities, and you have Middlesex County; right in the heart of Southwestern Ontario.
The animal health company will establish its global headquarters at a former GM stamping plant in downtown Indianapolis, and create more than 570 new jobs over the next decade.
Innovafeed and ADM will establish a new livestock feed production facility and headquarters in Decatur, IL, expanding sustainable agriculture solutions and creating more than 280 jobs in the region.


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Fewer than 10 were made by Porsche tuner DP Motorsport.
Ordered for a race track that was never built.
For sale in Washington State, this nearly 45-year-old Ford M151A2 MUTT was a military mainstay from its debut in the early 1959 to its retirement in 1999.
An Aston Martin Vulcan owner has decided to cash in on the ultra-exclusive supercar by sending it to Mecum's Monterey auction in August.
You may recall earlier this month that noted environmentalist and celebrated actor Ed Begley, Jr. was auctioning his own 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV on eBay. Bidding got up to $13,655 without meeting the reserve, and the auction ended on June 12 without a sale. Now, though, the well-loved electric Toyota has found its way to Craigslist with a new, set price of $17,500.
Rhys Millen Racing has put a few interesting vehicles up for sale. Buyers can now get their hands on both of Millen's 2011 Hyundai Veloster Global RallyCross racers. Both cars competed in the 2011 and 2012 Global RallyCross championships as well as the X-Games. Expect to find a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a 45mm restrictor, and both cars come with a spate of spares to get you racing and keep you there. Both of those machines will be for sale staring January 1, 2013. No prici
A design and engineering icon, the Toyota 2000GT is the forefather of all Japanese supercars, the ancestor to which the Acura NSX, Nissan GT-R and Lexus LFA must pay homage. It's rare enough to find a 2000GT for sale, but the example being offered by Maine Line Exotics is particularly special.
All summer, I make it a point to hit the local cruise nights, and while there are plenty of regulars on hand week to week, a few cars make just one appearance and vanish. Way back in May, the car you see above, a surf-themed 1964 Ford Falcon Squire dubbed "Tiki Taxi", showed up. Immediately smitten, I snapped a bunch of photos, all of which are now gallerized here. Good thing, because the car never materialized again.
1985 Saab 900 Turbo Limousine – Click above for high-res image gallery
Maybach Zeppelin 62 – Click above for high-res image gallery
They won't make you ski, skate or snowboard with any additional talent or zest, but the "official" Olympic-branded vehicles used during the 2010 Winter Games are going up for sale in Canada later this month. Each of the General Motors supplied cars and trucks spent time in Vancouver and Whistler shuttling athletes, officials, VIPs and dignitaries to and from the competitions and related events. Now, with the Winter Olympics written in the history books and the Paralympic Winter Games closing at
If you've ever had the urge to cruise your neighborhood in a self-propelled La-Z-Boy, your opportunity has arrived. Minnesota resident Dennis Anderson (no relation to the Gravedigger monster truck franchise – we think) has forfeited his notorious motorized, and over-the-top modified, recliner chair involved in his DWI incident and crash recently is going on the eBay auction block later this week.
Profitable, and with 5.5 million subscribers under its belt, GM's OnStar vehicle telematics system is not for sale, according to a top General Motors executive. "At this point, OnStar is firmly a part of the new GM and is an integral part of GM's future strategy," reports Chet Huber, the outgoing president of OnStar. Huber, who has led the unit since its launch in 1995, made the statement yesterday during a media event with his successor, Walt Dorfstatter.
Tato Nano Europa - Click above for a photo gallery
According to several reports, Honda has put its F1 team up for sale and if the automaker doesn't find a suitor before the start of the season in March, it won't be campaigning in 2009.


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New 2020 Ford F350 Changes, Release Date, Specs – That modern 2020 Ford F350 Super Duty revises characters who require more compared to what one half-ton truck might achieve, producing the actual Super Duty a popular regarding this kind of large sectors because of signing, development in addition to essential oil search. Ford F250, Ford
New 2020 Ford F 350 Specs, Release Date, Super Duty – That future 2020 Ford F 350 will be affected numerous considerable changes. This specific weighty-task pickup truck was initially found during Michigan using total camo. On account of the spying photos, people found just what improvements can happen about the renowned F 350 product.
New 2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty Diesel, Towing Capacity – Ford centred on supplying the latest version minimal enhancements towards the stopping program, which includes even bigger rotors plus a larger sized auto parking braking system. It is indeed not likely to draw this visually-likely. Nevertheless, there is a disagreement to become manufactured these particular


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(WFLA) – Macy’s announced Wednesday it is closing 68 stores, including multiple Tampa Bay area locations. These stores are part of an August 2016 closure announcement, which included around 100 total stores.
The three Tampa Bay area stores are slated to close by year’s end. The local closing will affect 227 employees.
The company said it estimates 6,200 people will be laid off across the country.
“We are closing locations that are unproductive or are no longer robust shopping destinations due to changes in the local retail shopping landscape,” Macy’s CEO Terry J. Lundgren said in a press release. “These are never easy decisions, and we are committed to treating associates affected by these closings with respect and transparency.”
CNBC reports, “Macy’s shares tumbled more than 9 percent after the market’s close Wednesday after it posted disappointing holiday sales and released the locations of 68 of the 100 stores it plans to close as it looks to turn around its performance … Macy’s comparable sales fell 2.1 percent in November and December, which was at the low end of its previous guidance. It maintained its 2016 comparable sales guidance of a 2.5 percent to 3 percent decline, but expects full-year diluted earnings to be in a range of $2.95 to $3.10. It had previously been expecting $3.15 to $3.40.”
Here are the Tampa Bay area stores Macy’s plans to close:
- Lakeland Square in Lakeland
- Sarasota Square in Sarasota
- University Square in Tampa
Here are the other Florida stores slated to close:
- Oviedo Marketplace in Oviedo
- CityPlace in West Palm Beach
One customer was shocked by the news. “Are you serious? No! They have good sales. They’re not supposed to close. When are they closing?” Samantha Bien-Aime asked.
“It’s really sad … (I) really like shopping at Macy’s. It’s one of our best stores we do have for down here in Florida. It’s affordable. The quality of the materials is great,” Stacy Mccabe said.
But other shoppers weren’t concerned. “Not a surprise. They’re expensive. We don’t shop there particularly just cuz they’re overpriced. We go to J.C. Penney instead,” James Jarrell said.
Macy’s stores that remain open will be restructured.
“The significant restructuring of the Macy’s, Inc. operations to focus resources on strategic priorities, improve organizational agility and reduce expense,” the company said in a press release. “The actions announced today are estimated to generate annual expense savings of approximately $550 million, beginning in 2017, enabling the company to invest an additional $250 million in growing the digital business, store-related growth strategies, Bluemercury, Macy’s Backstage and China. These savings, combined with savings from initiatives implemented in early 2016, exceed the $500 million goal communicated in fall of 2015, one year earlier than expected.”
The ailing company had said in February that it would accelerate the closing of unprofitable stores. It says the move is expected to generate a “meaningful level” of cash from the liquidation of store inventories and from the sale or sublease of some of the related real estate.
The Tyrone Square Sears store has been slated to close this month. However, Sears officials said that was not part of the larger closing. That store was previously sold to another company who is tearing it down. Sears said it’s not part of an effort to remain financially viable.


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Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) revealed that the company's U.S. branch may go public via an IPO.REDeFiNE Tomorrow held on July 23.
CZ also said that the major crypto exchange Coinbase helped to form a "playbook" for crypto firms before IPOs. Note that Coinbase was the first crypto exchange to go public and get listed on the stock market NASDAQ in April.
While the company has been facing regulatory problems, Zhao stated the team is strengthening its compliance efforts. He finds it is effective to employ different strategies for different places as each country has its own approach for regulation.
Talking about the Binance Smart Chain, Zhao said it surpassed the expectations and continues to develop. The Binance CEO finds the crypto industry has a huge potential to advance further.
According to CZ, the majority of regulators want to see businesses having headquarters and corporate structures. Although Binance is a global business, and most of its operations are virtual, the company is setting up those frameworks to make the IPO launch simpler.
As crypto adoption is growing, CZ says the entire crypto industry must do a pivot. Binance itself, intends to turn from a tech startup to a financial services firm.
The native token of Binance, BNB is the fourth largest by market cap (over $51 B). Currently, the token trades at around $303.


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NME is this summer introducing a new sponsored event franchise billed NME Lock-Ins which will shine a spotlight on up-and-coming talent.
Posted on: 12 June 2017 08:09
Romano Sidoli: "NME is building out its events calendar."
Spanish beer brand Estrella Galicia is confirmed as the official headline sponsor for the first three gigs in the series, which will be free to attend and kicked off last Friday.
Romano Sidoli, managing director, NME says: “NME is building out its events calendar and key to this is introducing new events to grow the brand footprint and to create more opportunities for partners to reach our core audience of 18-34 year olds. NME is famed for championing grass roots talent and for being a source of discovery for those looking to find the best new music. This partnership with Estrella Galicia is borne out of NME’s authority and position at the forefront of the music scene.”
Bang Bang Romeo and Pretty Vicious launched the series on Friday with an intimate set, with the performance streamed via Facebook Live. The next two dates will be released soon with the line-up to be announced, say the publishers.
Lindsay Castling, UK brand manager of Estrella Galicia, adds: "We are thrilled to be working with such an established and credible music partner. NME is a perfect fit for Estrella Galicia to partner with as we grow in the UK market and we are excited to work with them to bring the fans something really special whilst they enjoy a chilled Estrella Galicia!"
As part of the partnership, the venue also featured a bespoke mural created by contemporary graffiti artist Ben Allen. Allen is known for his distinctive Pop paintings, using complex collage techniques, creating dynamic mash-up of popular culture. Allen has created a number of wall installations for Estrella Galicia in restaurants across the UK.
This launch is hot on the heels of the recent news that NME will be introducing an outdoor film festival this summer called CineJam, which will see music and film collide in a 10-night stint on the roof of the Bussey Building in Peckham.
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Your industry news - first
ISSA recognises 2020 Industry Achievement Award Winners
ISSA has announced its 2020 Achievement Awards honorees, who have been recognised during the ISSA Show North America Virtual Experience, which is underway now.
The Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award has been presented to Brian Slack (pictured left), CEO of Pro-Link, and the ISSA NextGen Rising Star Award in Honor of Jimmy Core has been presented to Kyle Pickens (pictured below right), regional sales manager with Home Depot Pro.
"We are pleased to recognise these two professionals who have made positive impacts in the cleaning industry," said ISSA executive director John Barrett. "Slack has been a shining example of leadership and industry expertise throughout his career, and Pickens represents the future as an emerging leader in our industry."
The Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award honours individuals with 10 years of industry experience who have demonstrated outstanding service to the cleaning industry through their innovation, professionalism, leadership, elevation of industry standards, promotion of the Association's growth and development, unselfish dedication without personal gain, and emulation of the ISSA Code of Ethics.
Throughout his 30-year career, Brian Slack has dedicated himself to the continual improvement of the cleaning industry by championing training and helping customers implement optimal cleaning practices. He also has rendered an invaluable impact on ISSA, serving on the Association's Exhibitor Committee from 2013 to 2017.
ISSA NextGen Rising Star Award in Honor of Jimmy Core recognises emerging leaders who are helping to change the way the world views cleaning by making positive and innovative contributions to their organisations and the overall cleaning industry.
Kyle Pickens started with Home Depot Pro four years ago as a field sales professional in northern New Jersey. In 2019, he was promoted to regional sales manager for the institutional market in the New York/New Jersey metro market. Prior to joining the Home Depot, he spent four years in outside sales in the maintenance, repair, and operations industry with W.W. Grainger.
Both men received their awards during the 2020 ISSA General Business Meeting today, which has taken place virtually for the first time ever.
19th November 2020


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PRESS ASSOCIATION -- The Government will unveil changes to copyright law which could open the door to new services for film and music fans and boost the economy by up to £7.9 billion.
Business Secretary Vince Cable will announce the Government's response to 10 recommendations on intellectual property following a review by Professor Ian Hargreaves.
Unlike most countries, Britain's current intellectual property regime makes it technically illegal to transfer content from CDs or DVDs on to a different format, such as an MP3 file on a computer.
Mr Cable is expected to say that he will legislate to sweep away these restrictions, making it legal for consumers to build up personal libraries of music, videos and films on their home computers and transfer them on to devices such as iPods - as millions already do without being aware that they are technically breaking the law.
The move will clear the way for companies such as Google and Amazon to develop online content storage systems for UK consumers, allowing them to create back-up files of their music and film libraries in a "cloud" on the internet, so they can be retrieved even if their own computer or MP3 player is stolen or lost.
The reforms are also expected to make it legal for individuals to burn copies of purchased content for other family members to use. However, sharing files of copyrighted material over the internet is expected to remain illegal.
Mr Cable is also expected to give legal protection to internet spoofs of famous chart hits and movie blockbusters.
Legislation to protect parodies would prevent the kind of legal challenge which forced the makers of YouTube hit Newport State of Mind - which relocated Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind from New York to South Wales - to remove it from the video-sharing site.
Another proposed copyright exception expected to be supported by the Government will make it easier for scientists to mine existing electronic journals to make discoveries.
The Business Secretary said: "We are determined to explore how exceptions to copyright can benefit the UK economy and support growth. Private copying is carried out by millions of people and many are astonished that it is illegal in this country


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Facebook has finally unveiled its long-awaited software Facebook Home that enhances Android smartphones, making them more integrated into the social-media world. The steady stream of posts and photos from friends on Facebook is the first thing users see when they turn on the phone with the installed Home. Facebook notes that new product is not a new operating system or a smartphone, but a “family of apps that puts your friends at the heart of your phone.”
The product’s benefits are highlighted on a dedicated Facebook page that says “Welcome Home.” Thanks to Home, now users don’t need to navigate through an array of apps to get to Facebook. The latest posts from friends take the screen, working as a cover feed, and the notifications about calls, events, Facebook updates, etc. will appear right on the home screen above the posts. A user can tap the notifications to read them or swipe them away and read them later.
Home also allows chatting with Facebook friends even while using other apps—the message with the friend’s face pops up on the screen, and by tapping the message a user opens the chat window.
Photo; Facebook Home, www.facebook.com/home
The apps on the phone can be easily accessed. On the home screen, there’s a profile picture of the phone’s owner, and to quickly navigate to the Messenger, Apps and the Latest App from the screen, a user will have to drag his or her picture left, up and right, respectively. To post to Facebook, a user has to drag the picture up, again.
Facebook Home will be available for a free download from Google Play Store starting April 12. It will work on a selection of smartphones including the HTC One and HTC One X, the Samsung Galaxy SIII and S4 to name but a few. The tablet version for Home will arrive in the coming months. The two giants will release the HTC First with the pre-loaded Home in the U.S. on April 12, and it can be already pre-ordered at AT&T for $99.
«At a deeper level, I think this can start to be a change in how we use computing devices. For more than 30 years, computers were mostly about tasks… The modern computing device has a very different place in our lives—it’s also for making us more social, connected and aware. By putting people first and then apps, is one of many small but meaningful changes in our relationship with technology over time,» commented Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook.


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Edge Chromium And Android On Windows, What A World
Microsoft have changed a bit over the years, as it would have been unimaginable that they would be incorporating technology from their competitors without buying the company outright and absorbing them into their organization. This has changed, with the advent of Chredge and their serious efforts to improve their Windows Subsystem for Android. This week, WSA has been updated to Android 12.1 which brings improved integration into the Windows 11 GUI.
This new update will now display if your microphone and camera are in use by an Android app, and those apps should now reliably appear on the taskbar while running. In addition to improved integration, your Android apps should now be able to access other hardware on your network, allowing for IoT control or just the ability to stream video from a remote camera.
If you are running Windows 11 preview build 22621 or higher, and are interested in how WSA works, pop by Slashdot for more details on what Android 12.1 brings to Windows 11.
Android-Windows integration has also been improved. Windows taskbar icons now show which Android apps are currently using hardware features like the mic and location in the system tray. The taskbar now also correctly appears or disappears when apps are running or stopped.


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Eid clothes in time for the 2013 Eid ul-Adha festivities!
A few months ago Restless Beings carried out the ‘(link /campaigns/my-ramadan-resolution text:My Ramadan) Resolution’ campaign to give street children Eid gifts (consisting of a meal, new clothes and educational books) at the end of the spiritual month of Ramadan.
It brings us great joy to say we were able to raise enough to buy for all those who frequently use the Centre as well as many more; on top of that, your donations allowed for extra food distribution on the day!
The Restless Beings Bangladesh team as well as the children give their heartfelt thanks to the donors and supporters of this project.
And now, a few days ago the Restless Beings Bangladesh team were busy again collecting unwanted clothes from friends, family and supporters in Bangladesh to give to the children in time for Eid ul-Adha celebrations.
After sifting through the mountain of clothes received, we were able to discover 90 lovely pieces of clothing to give away. These ranged from day-to-day clothing to pretty dresses. All of which were appreciated by those who were there to receive it.
A merry Eid from the Restless Beings team to all those celebrating it.
Love. Light. And lollipops.


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It’s been another quiet couple of weeks as far as new U.S. Mint releases go, but bullion sales for the month so far have seen a healthy uptick.
2021 proof 1-ounce Buffalo coins have already reached 14,000 in July, bringing the year-to-date total to 207,500.
Bullion Eagle sales also have a strong showing this month. One-ounce gold sales are at 39,000, while 1/2-ounce gold Eagles are on the board at 4,000. That brings us to a gold bullion Eagle total of 44,000 for July and a 1,005,000 total so far in 2021.
Silver bullion Eagles have logged a total of 1,539,000 for the month of July, bringing total sales for the year so far to an impressive total of 17,445,500.
Platinum has not yet left its mark this month, keeping its year-to-date total static at 75,000.
There is a noticeable downturn in sales reported for the 2021 Tuskegee Airmen ATB quarter rolls and set as well as for bags and rolls of the 2021 New Hampshire American Innovation dollar. Also decreasing in reported sales are the “CC” and “O” privy mark Morgan silver dollars. The “CC” total came down by 168, the “O” by 155.
The Mint is likely in a number-adjustment phase for some of its 2021 offerings.


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Campaign Game launch – Football Manager 2007
PR Team Kazoo
Timescale October to December 2006
To plug the game’s revamped features, Sega approached Kazoo PR to build on the success of last year’s campaign.
To raise awareness of the game’s release and drive sales. To offer a demo of the game to existing Football Manager fans and an audience outside the specialist online gaming forums. To secure mass consumer game reviews and editorial features in mainstream press and across the sports pages.
Strategy and Plan
Linking football with the pub seemed a sure way of reaching a core football audience. Kazoo planned a four-week Football Manager pub quiz with 25 Mitchell and Butler Scream pubs.
The venues held a quiz night with Football Manager branding and questions by Sports Interactive. Brewer Carling backed the quizzes with free pitchers of beer and fees were donated to the charity Warchild. The 25 winning teams met in early December at the Gun Barrels pub in Birmingham for a head-to-head final hosted by football pundit Andy Townsend.
To hit mainstream fans, a four-week unpaid media partnership was negotiated with the News of the World giving a month of free editorial. Readers were offered the chance to download a gold demo version of the game in advance of its release.
Feature ideas were generated to highlight the new elements of the game including the revamped scouting system, manager team talks and match predictions. There was also an opportunity to profile the MD of Sports Interactive, Miles Jacobson, and the campaign was underpinned by a strong reviews programme and sell-in for placement in Christmas gift guides.
Measurement and Evaluation
Thirty-five pieces of regional coverage were secured in titles including the Daily Record, Western Mail, Stoke Sentinel, Yorkshire Evening Post, (Brighton) Argus, Jersey Evening Post and Nottingham Evening Post.
The campaign also generated over 70 positive game reviews and lifestyle or sports features in the Daily Star, Zoo Weekly, The Times, ICE, the People, Observer, Soccernet, TeamTalks and ICONS. FHM TV also interviewed Andy Townsend at the pub quiz final.
The Football Manager pub quiz attracted 400 teams, resulting in 2,000 people taking part and a donation of £2,000 to Warchild. Nearly 100,000 readers downloaded the gold demo version of the game through the News of the World.


text: ONE ROQ Spirits, the creators of ONE ROQ Vodka Club announced today a new Member milestone with the addition of their 2000th Member as part of an Initial Public Offering and decentralized business model developed by Founder Garrett Green. Dec 27, 2019, Buffalo, New York — ONE ROQ Spirits, the creators of the ONE ROQ Vodka Club, announced today a new member milestone of 2,000 Members. ONE ROQ Vodka Club offers consumers the opportunity to become shareholders in the company and enjoy an increasing number of privileges as the brand grows. Defining features include company equity, VIP event invitations, premium content, 24/7 ordering and gifting services, company votes, upside potential, and technology that enables Members to activate local retailers and serving establishments. “We are so excited and thankful for our investors,” says ONE ROQ Founder, Garrett Green. “After making several observations in the industry, we conceived a better approach, allowing consumers the opportunity to benefit from – and play a direct role in – the success of the brand. And we’re proud that we are the first luxury adult beverage company in the world to bring this experience and opportunity to consumers.” Green added, “It will be interesting to see how large brands react when even more consumers begin subscribing to the principle of owning their spirit.” The brand and its international community of 2000+ Member-Owners has raised more than 75% of its initial funding goal, enabling the company to develop and commercialize its Member platform. With initial testing in California, and further tests outside of the State yielding exciting results, ONE ROQ is now focused on advancing increasing sales and distribution opportunities. These opportunities are coming largely through the “Carry Request” tool, a proprietary function within the app that enables Club Members to activate local retailers. Members are encouraged to get their Carry Requests in and also utilize the Carry Request Declaration form to help expedite requests. Timing varies based on location. ONE ROQ has been shipping its award-winning product direct-to-consumer in 42 States through 1-877-Spirits to support initial Member growth. Members utilize codes through the Membership platform to unlock exclusive offers through 1-877-Spirits.com. In the first quarter of 2020, ONE ROQ plans to move aggressively toward fulfilling hundreds, if not thousands, of Carry Requests to make ONE ROQ available to Members outside of the home.


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Bitcoin Teller in Des Plaines at Inside Cash2Go Financial Currency Exchange.
During the Inside Bitcoins Chicago Conference, BitGive Foundation announced its newest initiatives in spearheading charity projects using the cryptocurrency.We are emerging into more of a cashless, digital and token economy, said Steve Beauregard of GoCoin.
Why Venezuelans Are Turning to Bitcoin Mining - The Atlantic
Hackers linked to North Korea are ramping up attempts to steal bitcoin in order to bring in money for Kim.ABOUT BITCOIN.COM Bitcoin.com is your premier source for everything Bitcoin related.Inside Bitcoins will host its next conference in Chicago, Illinois on July 10-11, 2015.
For the first time ever, anyone can send or receive any amount of money with anyone else, anywhere on the planet, conveniently and without restriction.The consistency of your efforts in an inconsistent market with inconsistent borrowers is appreciated.If you have a business in the BTC ecosystem then you need a multi signature wallet.
Inside Bitcoin’s Crazy Run: 4 Reasons the Digital Currency
Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All.
Right on the corner of Chicago Ave and Rush St. a new Red Leaf Bitcoin ATM is located inside the Check Changers currency exchange.
MecklerMedia's Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo to
More and more businesses, large and small, accept Bitcoin payments every day.Inside Bitcoins will make its way to Seoul, South Korea on December 9-11.Digital currency bitcoin has seen its price run up more than 40 percent in.
North Korea is trying to amass a bitcoin war chest
Loyalty coins, a digitized version of the loyalty card, is one area where adoption can grow by starting with loyalty and moving to payments.Become a Member Sign Up Here for Free Subscription to Member Portion of this Site.
Business School and he is part of the Executive MBA Chicago.
How To Gain Bitcoin Exposure Inside Of Your Traditional
Inside Bitcoins is coming to Chicago, Illinois July 10-11, 2015.
About the author Stu Lustman, the author of this post, is a Credit Analyst by trade trying to bring Commercial Credit Analysis techniques to the world of Peer to Peer Lending.Please keep in mind that this is a commercial website that lists wallets, exchanges and other bitcoin related companies.Booth: Exhibitor Details-yBitcoinNetherlands -The PaypersAmsterdam, Netherlands -The Digital Currency CouncilNetherlands -The ChamberNetherlands.Today at TechCrunch Disrupt SF, Naval Ravikant of AngelList, Balaji Srinivasan of genomics startup Counsyl, and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss took to the.Buy and sell bitcoin locally with cash at an XBTeller Bitcoin ATM, or buy bitcoin online with PayPal.The friction in setting up wallets and other ways to accept Bitcoin for the first time is still a big hurdle to mass adoption.Glidera Launches First Non-Custodial Bitcoin Buying Service for.
EDGE Media Network :: Chinese Bitcoin Exchange Announces
What is Bitcoin? - CNNMoney
Get started with Bitcoin: find a wallet, buy bitcoin, shop with bitcoin, read bitcoin news, and get involved on the forum.The easiest way is to just buy them on one of our trusted Bitcoin exchanges.
See 2 photos from 21 visitors to Inside Bitcoins Conference and Expo.BitAML President speaking at Inside Bitcoins, San Diego. The panel premiered earlier this year at Inside Bitcoins, Chicago to a capacity crowd.MecklerMedia produces more than 25 conferences annually, including Inside 3D Printing, Inside Bitcoins,.The bitcoin space just got a bit more user-friendly as Glidera, a Chicago-based digital currency.This Trade Show is a 2 day event and will end on 11th July, 2015.Join us at the Navy Pier for two days of conference sessions and exhibit.Genesis Mining Press. The people of South Florida, Washington DC, Chicago, Boston,. the Life Inside a Bitcoin 8 Mine project that aims to make cloud mining.The author is a Forbes. of technology oriented conferences such as the Inside Bitcoin Conference in Chicago and the CoinCongress in San.I learned some terrific stuff there and wanted to share some tidbits with you.


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Investing in Asian Food Marketplace Growth
CJ Foods is investing in the new Asian-food facility to support it and Schwan’s Company’s growth initiatives in the retail and food-service markets in North America. The two companies offer several Asian-style brands in both the food-service and retail sectors, including Bibigo®, Pagoda®, Kahiki®, Minh® and Annie Chun’s® foods.
Asian food is extraordinarily popular in the United States alone, representing a more than $38 billion industry across retail stores and food-service venues, which includes 70,000 Asian-style restaurants. Worldwide, the cuisine’s popularity is growing rapidly as consumers increasingly embrace more global flavors. In a recent study by Technomic®, a leading consulting and research firm, 23 percent of global food consumers say they are preparing more global flavors at home than two years ago. This rate was at 39 percent with millennials, according to the study.
“The growth and popularity of Asian cuisine is something we expect to continue unabated over the coming years, especially as consumers have the opportunity to increasingly experience high-quality, authentic global foods when dining out or preparing meals at home,” said Smyrnios. “We are excited to work with our retail and food-service customers to expand the Asian food category and create great consumer experiences.”
Working with South Dakota Public Officials
To help facilitate the project, company leaders from CJ Foods and Schwan’s Company worked with state and local public agencies and officials in South Dakota, including: Gov. Kristi Noem; Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) Commissioner Steve Westra; Sioux Falls Development Foundation CEO & President Bob Mundt; and Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken.
“South Dakota is open for business, and we’re excited for this tremendous investment in our state. The Sioux Falls community will benefit greatly from the new full-time jobs that this facility will provide,” said South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. “I want to thank Dimitrios and everyone at CJ Foods and Schwan’s who worked with us to make this happen.”
Groundbreaking Event in Sioux Falls Planned for Spring 2021
More details about the specific products and brands that will be made at the facility, as well as renderings and more specific construction timelines, are expected to be shared at an event at the Sioux Falls site of the future plant in the spring. Event attendees will include CJ Foods and Schwan’s Company leaders as well as South Dakota public officials.


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It’s a boutique with a minimalist spirit, but with all the rock’n’roll energy that has made Zadig&Voltaire a genuine cult label. The new shop belonging to the brand founded by Thierry Gillier has just opened its doors at 16 Via Bocca di Leone, in the heart of Rome, with a cocktail party which brought together many famous faces – including Alice Dellal, who ran the DJ session.
The 200 square metre space, once occupied by a historic Valentino boutique, was designed by So+An Paris: the concept combines Zadig&Voltaire’s sophistication and cutting-edge spirit. The brand was started in 1997 and opened its first Italian flagship store in 2008, in Milan (Corso Vercelli). In June 2011, it was the turn of Via della Vigna Nuova, in Florence.
Today, the number of new shops opened around the world has grown exponentially – there are 112 mono-brand stores, including 37 in France alone, 30 in the rest of Europe and 40 in Asia.
Last On Vogue
A chat with Kristin Prim, the founder of The Provocateur, the site that publishes letters written expressely by leading women addressing the whole female world. Vogue.it presents you an exclusive preview of the letter written by Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer


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The Pentagon plans to open its network to Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android platforms for the first time ever, posing a major threat to Research In Motion’s BlackBerry, reports the Washington Post.
The United States Department of Defense plans to build a system that will manage more than 160,000 Android and Apple products, including iPads. This system could expand to manage up to eight million devices.
This deals a huge blow to RIM, whose market share was cut in half in the US this year. The Pentagon is the latest in a slew of American organizations that are cutting back on BlackBerrys. Yahoo recently banned the Canadian smartphone because it wasn’t considered cool. And many US citizens are now embarrassed to own BlackBerrys.
The system, which will be built through contractors, may not include management of RIM devices. The Defense Department says that, while it “desires” a system capable of handling BlackBerrys, that is not a necessary requirement for contractors to include.
UPDATE: Reuters reports that a contract will be awarded in April. And in an effort to stay relevant to the Pentagon, RIM has suggested its Fusion service as a solution.


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A recent Florida Court decision was like a big right hook from consumers into the jaw of the debt collectors. In an unfair debt collection case, a consumer sues a debt collector for harassment or some other unfair debt collection practice.
The Plaintiff is the consumer, and the Defendant is the debt collector. Less than 5% of people being harassed by a debt collector ever do anything about it. Florida Statute §768.79 allows a defendant (debt collector) to place pressure on a Plaintiff to settle by making an offer for judgment/proposal for settlement. If the Plaintiff refuses this offer and then wins a judgment that is at least 25% less than the offer or there is a judgment of no liability then the Plaintiff becomes liable for the Defendants attorney’s fees and costs.
So, not only do very few consumers actually go after the debt collectors but when they do, they have to worry about an adverse judgment and the payment of the debt collector’s attorney’s fees and costs. Obviously, this strategy could cause the consumer many sleepless nights, and more importantly, make them believe that filing a lawsuit is the worst thing that they could ever do.
This statute is often a strategic tool used by defense attorneys to keep the Plaintiff from having their day in court due to the potential risk. However, the Florida Consumer Practices Act provides the Plaintiff attorney’s fees and statutory damages if they prevail in court. A Hillsborough Court judge recently ruled that Florida Statute §768.79 is not applicable to proceeding under the FCCPA, holding that the purpose of the Consumer Practices act is to encourage litigation on behalf of consumers who are being harassed by collectors.
This is a win for the consumers in the State of Florida as attorney’s representing these clients will be able to continue doing so on fee-shifting basis without having to addresses the inherent chilling effect that accompanies an offer for judgment/ proposal for settlement.
If you are being harassed by a debt collector and the harassment has risen above a few phone calls each and every day, please feel free to call The Dellutri Law Group, P.A. At The Dellutri Law Group, we sue abusive debt collectors.