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Following The Release of the Final Issue on February 28, The Pinis Have Embarked On a Year-Long “40 Years of Pointed Ears” Appearance Tour
Celebration to Include Exclusive Social Media Giveaway
Poughkeepsie, NY— On February 28, 2018, the fantasy graphic novel series ElfQuest came to its grand conclusion, ending a four-decade run with the publication of issue 24 of the comic series “The Final Quest.” America’s longest-running fantasy comic book series, with tens of millions of copies of comics and graphic novels in print worldwide, ElfQuest will come to an end on the same day it first appeared 40 years ago, February 28, 1978.
To celebrate, creators Wendy and Richard Pini have embarked on the “Forty Years of Pointed Ears” tour, a year-long victory-lap of appearances that will take the Pinis across the country and even to Europe. At each appearance on the tour, the Pinis will be available to meet fans, answer questions, take photos, and sign books and other ElfQuest merchandise. In some locations, the Pinis will also speak or participate in panels. “We’ve been out of the public eye while wrapping up this huge saga,” says series co-creator, writer, and artist Wendy Pini. “Fans have begged us for years to appear at this bookstore or that convention, and now we finally have the time to do just that.”
The Pinis also launched a special social media campaign and exclusive giveaway. Fans who share photos on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #FortyYearsofPointedEars that feature ElfQuest books, other merchandise, or cosplay will be entered to win an exclusive ElfQuest Prize Box filled with items selected by the Pinis themselves. The winner will be selected at random and announced in December 2018.
ElfQuest was originally self-published by the Pinis out of their small apartment in southeast Massachusetts. Independent comic book titles at the time typically sold a few hundred copies, so ElfQuest’s first issue print run of 10,000 created a sensation. It quickly sold out and went back to press for additional printings, a then-unheard-of practice. “We had no idea it would take off like that,” says co-creator and editor Richard Pini. “All we wanted to do was tell the story and not go broke doing it.” By the wrap-up of the title’s first series in 1984, sales had reached 100,000 copies, competing with a number of X-Men and Batman circulation figures.
Still owned and shepherded by solely by the Pinis, ElfQuest can claim a number of superlatives. It is the longest-running American fantasy comic series. It has been called “the first American manga” in recognition of Wendy Pini’s art, a unique blend of Eastern and Western styles. It was voted the “Most Life-Changing Graphic Novel” by Buzzfeed, selected as one of NPR’s “100 Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels,” and is a New York Times Best Seller. It is the only independent title to have also been published (under license) by the three largest US comic book publishers: Marvel, DC Comics, and Dark Horse Comics.
While the Pinis have stepped back from the daily grind of comics creation after forty years and have wrapped the main storyline they began in 1978, this is not the ultimate end of ElfQuest. Dark Horse Comics is currently publishing a series of graphic novel collections and the Pinis stand ready to serve as story and art advisors on future ElfQuest projects.
The full Forty Years of Pointed Ears tour schedule:
- February 28, 2018 – Things From Another World – Portland, Oregon
- March 1-4, 2018 – Emerald City ComicCon – Seattle, Washington
- March 18, 2018 – LA Vintage Paperback Show – Glendale, California
- April 6-8, 2018 – C2E2 – Chicago, Illinois
- April 21-22, 2018 – Hudson Valley Comic Con – Poughkeepsie, New York
- April 27-29, 2018 – East Coast Comic Con – Meadowlands, New Jersey
- May 5, 2018 – Mile High Comics Mega-Store – Denver, Colorado
- June 2, 2018 – Atlantis Fantasyworld – Santa Cruz, California
- July 19-22, 2018 – Comic-Con International – San Diego, California
- September 28-30, 2018 – Baltimore Comic-Con – Baltimore, Maryland
October 4-7, 2018 – New Year Comic-Con, New York, NY


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Aiwifi’s Strategic Contribution to CX Day 2023
Amidst this vibrant exchange of ideas and innovations at CX Day 2023, Aiwifi stood out with its advanced WiFi captive portal technology. Aiwifi’s solution perfectly aligns with the event’s focus on leveraging AI for enhancing customer experience. By offering real-time personalized interactions through WiFi, Aiwifi demonstrates a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape and the growing importance of AI in shaping customer journeys.
Bridging the Gap Between AI and Customer Experience
With discussions at CX Day 2023 heavily centered on the integration of AI in customer and employee experiences, Aiwifi’s offerings are more relevant than ever. Their technology not only facilitates seamless customer engagement but also provides valuable insights into customer behaviors and preferences, powered by AI. This capability is crucial for businesses aiming to stay ahead in the increasingly digital and AI-driven world.
Conclusion: Aiwifi’s Role in Shaping the Future of CX
Aiwifi’s participation in CX Day 2023 in Mexico City highlights the company’s commitment to innovation in customer experience technologies. By integrating AI into their WiFi captive portals, Aiwifi is not just following the current trends but also setting new standards in how businesses interact with their customers. As the landscape of customer experience continues to evolve, Aiwifi’s solutions are poised to play a significant role in this transformation, particularly in the Latin American market.
Stay connected for more insights into how Aiwifi is redefining customer engagement in the era of digitalization and AI. #CXDay2023 #Aiwifi #CustomerExperience #AI #DigitalTransformation #TechInnovation
Don’t miss out on the latest in technology and customer experience – subscribe to our newsletter for updates and insights from events like CX Day and more.

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Vicente Morin Aguado
HAVANA TIMES — A new antivirus for Android devices has been created entirely in Cuba and in now being sold to the Cuban people, under its creator’s management, the Information Security Consulting Services Company, known by the acronym Segurmatica. The innovative digital product was presented at the XVII International IT Fair during the week March 19th-23rd 2018, at the Pabexpo exhibition center in Havana.
Even though attacks against the Android system that is set up on nearly every active cellphone in Cuba, are on the rise, a direct survey of WIFI users at different parks in Havana confirmed the absence of an efficient antivirus on their devices, with no knowledge about the SegSM 1.0.app, the license and files of which are on sale without any distinctions.
The people I interviewed for this piece were taken aback when I asked them the question and they also underestimated or were unaware about the growing threats to this well-known operating system:
“Thanks for your information, do you sell this application?” (Rosalia, a visitor passing through the capital).
“I haven’t had any problems with the so-called Clean Master that was preinstalled, up until now, but I’ll take your word for it.” (A young man who was ready to use IMO)
“Segurmatica!” a woman cried out scornfully, “if it was made here, I don’t think it’ll be worth it, we’re really far behind in these things.” (Mayelin, waiting for her phone to be fixed at Los Doctores del Celular, a cooperative located on Infanta and Zanja streets, Havana).
Interviewed by the Cuban News Agency (ACN), Segurmatica expert Michel Perez Barrios informed the following: “We have over four terabytes of malware stored that were conceived to harm the Android system, especially via Zapya.”
There’s no doubt about how necessary it is to have an antivirus installed on your mobile phone that is constantly being updated, but here in Cuba, it has its limitations because this implies an information flow. Michel subtly drops the following detail on us: “Segurmatica offers a version with a firewall for WIFI and mobile networks, which would prevent traffic going to unwanted sites.“
Unwanted sites? The ambiguity of this phrase could imply the idea of an IT control that is meant to serve Cuba’s digital blacklist, arbitrarily made up of pages which the government doesn’t like the content on. Not forgetting that the internet in Cuba is under the auspices of a great state-controlled monopoly (ETECSA) and its subsidiary companies.
If cellphone owners finally accept the security they need in the face of 4 billion aggressive bytes, they will accept the abovementioned firewall as a bonus gift.
Regarding the sale of this antivirus for Android devices SegSM 1.0 app, a personal license costs 25 regular Cuban pesos (1 usd) per year, although users who have been using the antivirus for Pcs, which was created many years ago by the cited company, will only pay 10 CUP per year.
You can sign up for the new application at any Segurmatica office; the main office is located on 651 Zanja Street, on the corner of Soledad Street, Central Havana.
It is a light app, it only weighs 5.4 Megabytes and updates only weigh 2 MB, which can be downloaded at any Internet connection hub or manually at Computer Clubs for young people, as well as the service that the Cuban creator and sales company directly offers.
This lack of digital culture as a result of the Cuban people’s limited use of the internet is obvious and that’s because Internet access in Cuba continues to be one of the most expensive in the world when taking peoples wages into account. In addition to government controls, the precious online time users buy is used for connecting with family members and friends living abroad, as every minute spent exploring the news world freely is essentially the same as a peso.
Anyhow, for any half-skilled web user, there are other ways to circumvent the State’s persistent censorship online and they don’t have to give up protection for the operating system installed on the vast majority of active cellphones in Cuba because of this.
Vicente Morin Aguado: [email protected]


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Amazon unveiled a new program geared towards startups called Amazon Launchpad.
It is the platform, which seeks to help customers discover unique products and learn the inspiration behind them, will make it easy for startups to "launch, market, and distribute their products to hundreds of millions of Amazon customers across the globe," Amazon said in a press release.
Amazon website has millions of monthly visitors, allowing entrepreneurs the chance to get in front of a massive audience without spending a ton on marketing expenses. Amazon will be offering a suite of marketing tools that includes supported merchandising placements on the site, along with an invitation to join the Amazon Vine review program.
Currently, 200 products in categories ranging from beauty products to wearable tech are available to purchase from the Amazon Launchpad store from companies like littleBits, a startup that makes DIY hardware kits to sustainable water filter maker Soma and mattress startup Casper.
This isn't the first time lately that Amazon has launched a new section to court startups and small business owners. The spring saw the roll out of Amazon Exclusives which featured the fruits of successful Kickstarter campaigns and pitches on ABC's Shark Tank, and Handmade at Amazon, a hub meant for artisans and artists to ostensibly take aim at sites like Etsy.
Prince Dr. Saif Al-Islam bin Saud bin Abdelaziz Al Saud launches the 8th Money Expo and Conference 2015 in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
ECommPay will enable bitcoin, litecoin and dogecoin payments thanks to a partnership with GoCoin.
Google has begun testing a buy button that lets smartphone users click on selected search ads to go to a product page where they can complete ...
Cloud-based data supplier Xignite is to provide fintech startups with low-cost API access to real-time market data quotes from Nasdaq.


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Close to 50 children from Carmelite Missionaries Secular (CMS) Philippines had a fun-filled workshop as McDonald’s Kiddie Crew participants.
McDonald’s newest Kiddie Crew ambassador Alonzo Muhlach personally chose CMS beneficiaries to join him as they experienced how to be a real McDonald’s crew doing tasks at the front counter, lobby, and Drive-Thru; make their own cheeseburger; and groove to the Ronald Dance. Alonzo also joined in the games, gave away prizes and loot bags to the kids, and performed a song-and-dance number to entertain guests.
Kiddie Crew Ambassador Alonzo, McDonald’s Chief Happiness Officer Ronald McDonald and the kids from Carmelite Missionaries Secular (CMS) Philippines during their Kiddie Crew Workshop
Alonzo and CMS beneficiaries are just among thousands of children who have learned and have had fun through Kiddie Crew, McDonald’s flagship family program that has been running since 1992. It has been promoting children’s well-being through fun and enriching activities that help them develop skills and make new friends.
You can still enroll your kids to McDonald’s Kiddie Crew until May 27, 2016. For more information, visit mcdonalds.com.ph. Share proud Kiddie Crew moments by posting them on Facebook, facebook.com/McDo.ph or tagging @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram.


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Although we can't celebrate Easter as we normally would this year, we can still make the holiday a sweet one. These craft chocolate makers and chocolatiers offer nationwide shipping so you can send treats to loved ones from afar and of course order something for yourself too.
Foot traffic in March took a sharp decline across the U. S. as the month progressed and many retailers closed stores. Leading into April, retailers and brands have lost the peak of the spring selling season.
A big increase in uninsured Americans is expected to hit harder in Republican-leaning states that didn’t expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act amid record unemployment applications in an economy struggling with the Coronavirus strain COVID-19.
It was a challenging year for the nation’s wealthiest. Under the Narendra Modi-led government, which returned to power for a second term with a thumping majority in May, economic growth slowed to 5%, a six-year low.
When billionaire Harsh Mariwala decided to hand over day-to-day control of consumer goods giant Marico, he had a mantra for his role as chairman at the company he founded and ran for 24 years: “Mind On. Hands Off.” “The whole objective is to add value,” says Mariwala, 68. “Not control.”
Billionaire Ajay Piramal got caught up in the credit crunch roiling India’s property market in the past year after his flagship Piramal Enterprises was hit by concerns of being vulnerable to weakened lenders and developers.
India’s automotive tycoons are bearing the brunt of the biggest global industry slump since the financial crisis of 2008. About a tenth of the top 100 richest Indians draw their fortunes from this sector.
To achieve a sustainable economic liftoff, India’s government needs to avoid reverting to its usual consumption-focused nostrums. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arguably one of the strongest mandates to launch the Indian economy into a more stable and prosperous orbit.


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It’s time for The Ghost Who Walks to spring into action for a whole new generation of fans! Comic Collector Live, America’s newest comic book fan site, and Moonstone Publishing is proud to offer fans a chance to reacquaint themselves with the Phantom, America’s first spandexed superhero with an exclusive PHANTOM #21 comic book!
“The Phantom” #21 Exclusive Variant is limited to 300 copies worldwide and features a stunning black and white cover by legendary comic artist Don Perlin. While best known as a classic artist for Marvel Comics’ Werewolf by Night and Transformers, Perlin is also remembered by fans for his time at Valiant Comics in the 1990’s, where he co-created the character “Bloodshot” with writer Kevin VanHook. Mr. Perlin also enjoyed a short stint on a previous Phantom publication as artist..
“The Phantom is just one of those instantly recognizable characters”, says Comic Collector Live CEO Joe Butler. “When you mention the name “Phantom” to a comic collector, they know exactly who you are talking about. He’s been around for 70 years, how can you NOT know who the Phantom is?” First appearing as a newspaper comic strip in 1936, the Phantom was created by Lee Falk. Falk is also known for creating Mandrake the Magician, another popular comic strip hero. The Phantom has appeared in almost every form of entertainment media, such as cartoons, video games, television and film. Moonstone Books began publishing the current Phantom comic book in 2003.
“We’re extremely proud to continue our tradition of paying homage to classic comic book characters,” says CCL Researcher and Event Coordinator Steve Boyd. “This is our third variant cover offered exclusively on our website and at various conventions around the country. We’re excited to be working with a quality publisher like Moonstone and honored to be associated with the Phantom character.”
Comic Collector Live offered their first variant covers in 2007 with Dynamite Entertainment’s “Lone Ranger” #10. Two color variants with an exclusive cover drawn by artist John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men, Captain America) were offered and are still available on Comic Collector Live’s website in limited quantities. Comic Collector Live was also an official sponsor for Markosia’s “Kong: King of Skull Island” limited series in 2007. The Phantom #21 Variant will feature the official Comic Collector Live logo on the cover. The comic will be sealed in a standard comic book bag and board, sealed with the CCL Silver Bullet Seal. Also, a Certificate of Authenticity for each issue will add to the collectability and uniqueness of every issue.
In addition, Comic Collector Live will donate 10% of the proceeds of each sale, plus 30 copies of the variant to the Hero Initiative: an organization dedicated to helping comic book veterans by providing financial aid and other benefits in emergency situations. The website has also committed to donating the one-of-a-kind original cover artwork drawn by Don Perlin to the non-profit organization.
The Phantom #21 Exclusive Variant will be available for purchase on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at www.comiccollectorlive.com . A limited number of copies will also be available at two conventions: Wondercon (February 21-23) in San Francisco, California and Megacon (March 7-9) in Orlando, Florida. Each issue will retail at the cost of $8.00.


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A MetLife news release about its 2010 MetLife Study of the American Dream study said 41% believe that their personal financial situation will remain the same this year, citing lack of a financial safety net and job loss concerns that will offset many Americans’ efforts to save more, spend less, and work harder.
Many Americans still find themselves close to financial ruin should they lose their job: 45% could not pay expenses for more than a month, and 65% could not do so for more than three months. Sixty-nine percent of Americans do not feel that they currently have an adequate safety net, and 95% of those are concerned about it, the survey discovered.
To top it off, their fears of job loss are high with 55% of Americans concerned about losing their employment, MetLife found.
Finally, 47% of Americans say they have given money to a family member in the past year so they can pay their bills, and 35% have had a family member give them money during that time.
Considering all these financial pressures, it’s no surprise that stress is running high, with 45% of Americans saying that concerns about how they are going to “make ends meet” are keeping them up at night, and 52% saying they feel more stress in performing their job requirements.
The poll found that Americans who consider themselves to have an adequate personal safety net are twice as likely to feel they have achieved the American dream as those who do not (57% vs. 24%).
“For the first time since MetLife polled the Study, Americans perceive their situation to be worse off than that of the U.S. economy in general,” said Beth Hirschhorn, senior vice president, Global Brand and Marketing Services, MetLife, in the news release. “In fact, many Americans report they continue to dig themselves out of a deep financial hole that they have been in since before the economic downturn.”
In assessing the general economy, 26% of Americans believe it will be worse this year than last – a significant decline from 44% who said the same in 2009. Forty-one percent believe the U.S. economy will stay the same, and 33% of Americans believe it will be better this year than last year. Sixty-six percent believe that the full economic recovery of the U.S. is still three or more years away.
From April 14 – 21, 2010, Strategy First Partners, in conjunction with Penn Schoen Berland, conducted 2,201 online surveys in the United States among the general population.
The MetLife study is at http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/gbms/studies/Am_Drm_2010.pdf.
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the office has released a notice of intent to invest $2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate domestic manufacturing of electrified vehicles. These investments are expected to be made available in the coming months and aim to boost American production of clean energy technology, create and retain jobs with the free and fair chance to join a union, and support President Biden’s national goals for electric vehicles to make up at least half of all new vehicle sales by 2030 and to transition to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) combines incentives for consumers and businesses to purchase clean vehicles with programs to expand manufacturing and sourcing of vehicle components and critical minerals in the U.S. With $2 billion in funding from the IRA, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for electrified vehicles program will provide cost-shared grants for domestic production of efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, plug-in electric drive, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. It is anticipated that the funding opportunity announcement would strengthen the domestic manufacturing of light, medium, and heavy-duty electrified vehicles and support commercial facilities including those for vehicle assembly, component assembly, and related part manufacturing. This program will prioritize projects that refurbish or retool manufacturing facilities that have recently ceased operation or are expected to cease operating in the near future, with a goal of preserving existing jobs, including union jobs and wages, and maintaining and improving production plants and work opportunities in communities that have been powering our automotive economy for decades. Read the notice of intent.
These investments support the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader government-wide approach to upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including by strengthening critical domestic manufacturing and supply chains to maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition. These programs were made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, creating jobs, and building a clean-energy economy that will combat the climate crisis and make our communities more resilient.
Those interested in applying for the upcoming funding opportunity are encouraged to register to receive updates from the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.


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According to a new report from StepChange Debt Charity, over four million people in Britain are using credit as a financial safety net to meet everyday living costs, emergency costs and to cover one-off purchases, with credit cards and overdrafts being the most common types of debt.
For many people these products can smooth consumption and spread the cost of larger purchases. However, StepChange’s research has identified how a lack of safeguards and certain product features (such as complex and costly default fees, irresponsible lending, access to multiple products and minimum repayment structures) can result in entrenched financial difficulty.
According to StepChange, there are significant gaps in the availability of affordable and sustainable credit. For example, around 25% of people using credit as a safety net are in the most financially excluded groups, including those on the lowest incomes and in casual work, on state pensions or unemployed. This group may not meet the stricter lending criteria of mainstream lenders and some community lenders.
StepChange is calling on banks, government and the wider third sector to work together to provide a range of potential solutions. Some suggestions include measures to encourage consumers to save money, improved awareness and use of technology and providing microloans to financially excluded people.


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When it comes to new innovations in the tech industry, Samsung has always had great ambitions. The launch of the Samsung Pay back in 2015 was a success, and it continues to improve with new features such as Samsung Pay Cash and Money Transfer.
The South Korean phone manufacturer has set its sight on the mobile point of sale market. In partnership with Mobeewave, Samsung announced on Tuesday that it will soon launch the “Samsung Point of Sale” system or Samsung POS.
Merchants can now accept payments through their Samsung phones
Near-field communication payments with smartphones have evolved immensely since its introduction. Indeed, shopping has become more and more convenient, well at least for consumers. Having not to worry about bringing cash all the time is very hassle-free.
But with Samsung‘s new innovation, it mainly focuses on giving merchants the convenience. The Samsung POS allows merchants to use their very own Samsung smartphones to accept payments from consumers.
A few months ago, a couple of companies in Canada have started a pilot program testing the Samsung POS. The enabled-device allows merchants to accept both credit and debit payments by simply tapping the consumers’ card, or by using Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay on the devices, without having the need for any additional hardware.
We’re excited to launch this solution with our strategic partner, Mobeewave. Their patented contactless payment processing platform is the only mobile-based solution accepting Mastercard, Visa and Interac transactions in pilot in Canada. Mobeewave has passed numerous certification and security processes, to deliver a highly secure payment acceptance solution to merchants in a variety of verticals. Their proprietary technology allows us to launch this new solution on a global scale. — Samsung Electronics VP and Head of Service Operation Group, Mobile Communications Business Sunny Park.
Samsung POS is already available to download
For merchants to be able to use Samsung POS to accept mobile payments, they will need to go to either Galaxy Store or Play Store, install the app called Samsung POS (called Samsung Pay Touch in the URL), and register.
After the registration has been successful, merchants can now start accepting debit or credit payments from consumers through their NFC-capable Samsung devices from sources such as contactless cards, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay digital wallets.
Now, both consumer and merchant will have a fast, seamless, no dongles, and hassle-free transaction without requiring any additional hardware
According to says Maxime de Nanclas, co-founder of Mobeewave, “Together with Samsung, we’re creating a brand-new market segment with an opportunity to offer the untapped micro and small business market with an easily accessible, highly secure, low-cost and easy-to-use mobile payment acceptance solution.”
The pilot program has already seen than 10,000 downloads of Samsung POS. It now has a number of small businesses and merchants using it to help grow their enterprises. The new service has also been available as of October 15th.
Unfortunately, the Samsung POS app on the Play Store is not available for download in the U.S. yet. It seems the rollout is likely coming out in stages.


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Falling cigarette sales could leave budget HUF 40 billion short
A decline in tobacco sales could cause a HUF 40 billion shortfall in revenue from excise tax and VAT, business daily Napi Gazdaság reported yesterday.
Revenue from excise tax on cigarettes was HUF 18 billion in October, a little over half of that in September, the 'paper reported, adding that talks with industry analysts on the subject are underway at the National Economy Ministry.
National Economy Minister Mihály Varga said earlier that a drop in excise tax revenue from cigarettes in July and August – the first two months after the introduction of a state monopoly on retail tobacco sales – was in part due to higher sales in the base period, when shops stocked up on cigarettes before a tax rise. He also said tobacco sellers bought a record number of excise tax stamps in August, the effect of which would be seen mostly in September.
Data on revenue from excise tax for the month of October will not be published by the National Economy Ministry until November 21.
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Tulare County tourism ravaged by COVID-19 pandemic, hopes for quick comeback
The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered Tulare County's $451 million tourism industry, putting more than 5,000 local jobs at risk, a report prepared for Visit California by Dean Runyan Associates found.
"Just look at the numbers. Travel supports one in nine American jobs, including 5,530 right here in Tulare County," said Nellie Freeborn, executive director of Visit Visalia.
Visitor spending generated $17.4 million in local tax revenue in 2019, Freeborn said.
To ensure the tourism industry rebounds in Tulare County, Visit Visalia is working with Visit California on initiatives to inspire community support and begin safe and responsible travel when the time is right, Freeborn said.
Until then, Freeborn urges Tulare County residents to support local businesses and help neighbors in need, she said.
"The economic power of tourism to our community underscores the work Visit Visalia will continue to focus on as families take first steps in planning travel, when safe, to road trip friendly destinations like Visalia," Freeborn said.
Projections show California will lose $72.1 billion in statewide travel-related spending in 2020, nearly half of what was generated last year.
The study also showed the pandemic will wipe out 613,000 California jobs by the end of May, more than half the tourism industry's workforce.
Visitors to California spent $144.9 billion in 2019, a 3.2% increase over 2018. The number of travel and tourism jobs increased to 1.2 million last year, an additional 13,000 jobs.
Travel generated tax revenue also grew for the 10th straight year, providing $12.2 billion to state and local governments, a 3.4% increase over 2018.
"The data show just how vital tourism is to the California economy and why it must be restored when we control and ultimately overcome this deadly outbreak," said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, the state's tourism marketing nonprofit organization.
The COVID-19 pandemic is also impacting the national and international travel sectors.
This week, Norwegian Cruise Line warned that its upcoming financial statements will carry a statement detailing "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a "going concern" in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, another sign of how the crisis is affecting the cruise industry.
Hotel revenue has declined nearly 70% in April and is likely to soften even more, stated The American Hotel & Lodging Association in a letter sent to congressional leaders in April.
North American occupancy levels are at about 10%, and more than 870 hotels are temporarily closed (16%). Marriott is expecting to report that its March revenue per room fell 60% globally in March, roughly the same as in the U.S. alone (57%).
Half of the hotels in the U.S. could shutter amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association told USA TODAY last month.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
James Ward covers entertainment, news, sports and lifestyles for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow him on Twitter. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.


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The Fetish, built by French automaker Venturi, looks to be a true exotic by everyday standards, but this car goes one step further by replacing the internal combustion engine with an electric motor.
Our unique and innovative approach represents a complete change in cultural direction, the evolution from the traditional sports car to a noiseless electric sports car, as well as a radical change in technological references, placing the battery, not the engine, at the epicentre of the automobile technological advancement and its performance.
Price is to be around $500,000. Yeow! I dunno if I’d describe it as a “complete change in cultural direction.” It is pretty spiffy, but is it right to spend that much money on a car that goes fast but only says “hmmmm”? There’s nothing that says speed and power like a V8 or V12 at high RPMs!
In its press kit, Venturi is also claiming that this is “the first production electric sports car in automobile history.” But I remember another car that was discussed right here — the tzero — that has been on the market since 2002. Maybe the French don’t recognize the legitimacy of vehicles built “over here.”


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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit today rendered a judgment that allows the federal government to continue operating the National Do Not Call Registry in its current form. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission operated and enforce the registry, which contains 56 million residential telephone numbers of people who don't want to receive unsolicited business marketing calls. The Direct Marketing Association, which represents telemarketing companies, had challenged the federal regulations on free-speech grounds. The organization today said it will weigh its options and review the ruling with its legal counsel. "Regardless of where we go from here, we will follow the law and hold steady to the pledge we made to consumers when the do-not-call list w...
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Marketing channels have a tendency to rise and fall quickly with the whim of the public. One medium, though, continues to prove itself to be a mainstay – email.
The relative shortness of a press release can create added pressure for organizations to catch readers’ attention and hold it.
With their smaller screens and lack of mouse, smartphones present a challenge for companies, requiring them to adopt new content strategies, - such as responsive email - for their email marketing lists.
New research suggests it may be time for online sellers to update their business email strategies.
While email marketing lists allow doctors and hospitals to stay in closer contact with patients and build deeper relationships, who recipients actually want to hear from within this sector is limited.


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Supermarket chain Aldi has submitted plans to build a new store in Aberystwyth.
Cambrian News reported “The German company has this week submitted a planning application to Ceredigion County Council to build a store on the old Cambrian Garage and Kwik Save site on Park Avenue – a parcel of land the company has owned for nearly a decade.
The submitted proposals, if approved, would result in the construction of a modestly sized food store with a net sales area of 1,254m² and 85 car parking spaces, including dedicated disabled and parent and children parking.
A store on this site would create approximately 40 full and part-time permanent local jobs, which would be paid at an industry-leading rate.
There would also be additional employment opportunities during construction and via the supply chain.
The submission of the proposals follows on from the positive feedback received during the pre-application consultation period, which saw 91 per cent of respondents to Aldi’s consultation indicate that they supported the proposals for the Park Avenue site.
Aldi’s regional property director, Rob Jones said: “We would like to thank local residents and community stakeholders for providing their feedback during the public consultation period. We have worked hard to ensure that our submitted plans take into account the feedback we have received.”
He continued: “We remain committed to supporting the local community in which we operate and will work closely with local representatives as this application progresses.”
A decision from Ceredigion County Council is expected within the coming months. In the meantime, Aldi will keep residents and stakeholders informed of the progress of the proposals” here.


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In Q2 2021, Ukraine’s real GDP increased by 5.7% in annual terms, but it declined by 0.7% in seasonally adjusted terms compared to Q1 2021. This is according to data compiled by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
The year-on-year recovery was expected. It was driven by sustained consumer demand, the growth in investment activity, and last year’s low base of comparison.
At the same time, the actual increase in real GDP in Q2 2021 (5.7% yoy) came out lower than the NBU’s estimate published in its July 2021 Inflation Report (7.5% yoy). This is primarily due to later start of the harvesting campaign, adverse weather conditions, volatile financing of budget expenditures, and oil supply disruptions. However, most of these factors were temporary.
Annual economic growth in Q2 was primarily driven by household consumption
Final consumption expenditures of households rose by 17.4% yoy. Robust consumer demand was underpinned, among other things, by:
- high wage growth due to the revival of economic activity after the crisis, an increase in the minimum wage, a revision of wages in healthcare and education, and wage supplements for physicians
- the increase in pensions in March 2021, and a recalculation of pensions for working retirees.
The contribution of the low base of comparison was also significant: last year, it was in Q2 that the strictest quarantine restrictions were imposed, depressing household consumption significantly.
Consumption in the general government sector continued to grow. Specifically, the focus was placed on health expenditures amid further efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. Expenditures on education were also increased. At the same time, other expenditures (including defense and security) were relatively restrained, affecting the gross value added in the respective activities.
Investment activity continued to recover and investments returned to growth in year-on-year terms
Gross fixed capital formation increased by 14.8% yoy in Q2, fueled by improved companies’ business outlook and financial performance, and by greater public capital expenditures, in particular on road infrastructure.
Real GDP growth was restrained by a larger negative contribution of net exports
Robust consumer demand and a revival of investment demand led to a sharp increase in imports, by 21.5% yoy in Q2. Imports of agricultural machinery and industrial equipment, cars, and trucks increased significantly, while imports of consumer goods remained high.
Exports improved slightly, but continued to fall (by 6.2% yoy). On the one hand, this was in part due to the drawdown of stocks from last year’s lower harvest. On the other hand, the rapid rise in prices for certain goods (including edible oil and oilseeds) restrained the demand for them. As a result, the negative contribution of net exports to real GDP growth widened to 10.7 pp.
The performance of most sectors in Q2 2021 returned to growth in annual terms
Gross value added increased in trade, transport, manufacturing, mining, a number of sectors mainly funded by the government (education and healthcare), and services.
However, as harvesting kicked off late this year and livestock farming kept decreasing, the gross value added of agriculture continued to shrink. Cooler weather and a change in the breakdown of power generation by source resulted in a decrease in the gross value added in the energy sector.
In Q3, the economy has been recovering rapidly
First, the recovery has been driven by an increase in the pace of harvesting, crop yields being higher than last year. Second, the sustained consumer demand, supported by high wage growth and better labor market conditions, remains the strong contributor. Other contributors have been the further recovery of investment activity, favorable external conditions created by the rebound of the global economy amid the vaccine rollout, large-scale stimulus, and growing optimism. This is according to available high-frequency data from retail, transport, agriculture, and some other sectors.
These and other factors will be taken into account in the NBU’s updated macroeconomic forecast, which will be presented at the 21 October 2021 press briefing on monetary policy and published in the Inflation Report on 28 October 2021.


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Ever since Apple introduced Privacy Labels on the App Store, there has been a lot of clarity on which permissions an app would ask for and what kind of hardware it could access, like your camera or microphone.
Google also stated that they would be introducing something similar for the Play Store. Today, the company is introducing app privacy labels for developers to take a look at. The blog post shows off how these labels will look like and how developers can tell users what kind of data is being collected from them, whether or not it is encrypted and how can it be deleted.
Developers can add details like whether the permissions that are requested can be disabled or not, and whether an app can still function without them. Google also notes that the current design is subject to change but this is what they have got so far.
“Ultimately, all Google Play store apps will be required to share information in the safety section. We want to give developers plenty of time to adapt to these changes, so we’re sharing more information about the data type definitions, user journey, and policy requirements of this new feature.”
App developers can start making their apps comply with the new labels starting October later this year. The cutoff date for all apps is April 2022 when it will be mandatory to take part in this program.


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Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Secaucus Town Council invite all residents to participate in a town wide garage sale.
The sales will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 1. The rain date is 8 a.m. on October 2.
Residents interested in participating in the sale had to register online at secaucusnj.gov/garage to have their address added to the list that will be posted.
After the sale, GreenDrop is encouraging residents to give unsold items a second chance by scheduling a free donation pick-up. To schedule a pick-up call 888-944-3767 or visit GoGreenDrop.com.
GreenDrop works on behalf of partner charities including: the American Red Cross, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the National Federation of the Blind. The organization raises funds for their causes through the generation and collection of donated clothing and household items.
According to GreenDrop, the Recycle for Charity program: generates charitable donations to help others, provides student volunteer and community service opportunities, and keeps clothing and household items out of landfills.
What GreenDrop can accept: clothing, shoes, accessories, blankets and bedding, flat screen TVs, kitchenware, small appliances, electronics, sporting goods, books, toys, and games.
What GreenDrop cannot accept includes: large appliances, air conditioners, tube TVs, computer monitors, food items, exercise equipment, mattresses, foam pads, large furniture, and recyclables including cans, paper, and magazines.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at email@example.com.


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Motor Trade Increased 3.5 Percent in 2014
Johannesburg—Sunburst Africa–According to figures released by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday, measured in nominal terms (current prices), motor trade sales increased by 3,5% in 2014 compared with 2013. The highest annual growth rates were recorded for fuel sales (6, 3%), workshop income (5, 9%) and sales of accessories (5, 2%).
In December 2014 motor trade sales (current prices) increased by 6, 5% year-on-year. The highest annual growth rates were recorded for new vehicle sales (12, 7%), sales of accessories (10, 9%) and convenience store sales (8, 7%).
Seasonally adjusted motor trade sales increased by 1, 2% in December 2014 compared with November 2014. This followed month-on-month changes of -3, 1% in November 2014 and 0, 7% in October 2014.
Seasonally adjusted motor trade sales decreased by 0, 5% in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with the previous quarter.
Motor trade sales increased by 4, 0% in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with the fourth quarter of 2013. The main contributors to this increase were:
- new vehicle sales (4,4% and contributing 1,2 percentage points);
- sales of accessories (6,6% and contributing 1,1 percentage points); and
- Fuel sales (3, 0% and contributing 0, 9 of a percentage point).
South African fundamentals look better for 2015 than they were in 2015. There is huge potential for higher vehicle sales. This has further been boosted by the decrease in fuel prices. Reduction in consumer price inflation will also continue to boosr demand in 2015. However, in data has to be viewed with caution by investors. This is due to power crisis within the economy that might affect the supply chain for vehicles if not redressed.
for more information contact firstname.lastname@example.org


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22 Feb 2015 Logistics Today and Tomorrow
In your opinion, what has changed since last year in the logistics sector? What are today’s hottest topics? Which are your company’s focus task in the near future? These and others the questions to TESISQUARE® CEO Giuseppe Pacotto asked by the editorial staff of Logistica Management magazine.
Click on the image to read the article. (Italian only)


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Blackmores announced yesterday that Global Therapeutics will be sold to McPherson’s – a fellow Australian firm specialising in health, wellness, and beauty for AUD$27m (US$19.3m).
Under Global Therapeutics are brands such as Fusion Health and Oriental Botanicals. The business started in 1999 and was acquired by Blackmores in 2016.
Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia, Blackmores CEO Alastair Symington said the decision was made in order to focus on the three core brands that the firm has identified in a review back in February.
They are the same name product brand Blackmores, practitioner-only brand Bioceuticals, and the pet healthcare brand PAW.
“The conclusion was that the three core brands for us moving forward is to look at the combination of brands, markets, channels that we want to focus our efforts on.
“Global Therapeutics is a wonderful brand but when we have a look at the channel and positioning in the market, we didn't feel that that was a good strategic fit for us moving forward,” Symington said.
He added that while the product SKUs from Global Therapeutics took up about 27% of the firm’s over 1,400 SKUs, the portfolio had only contributed about 3.5% to 4% to the firm’s sales.
In FY2020, Global Therapeutics recorded a net revenue of approximately AUD$20m (US$14.3m).
A factor was a decline in the health foods channels – the key retail channel where the products were sold.
“For us, we want to focus our attention on bigger brands in more channels,” Symington said.
In the case of the Blackmores brand, the products are already sold in multiple markets, including China and South East Asia.
As for Bioceuticals, it hopes that by serving more practitioners it will benefit the complementary medicine segment as a whole.
The transaction of Global Therapeutics to McPherson’s is expected to complete on November 30.
Blackmores said in a letter to shareholders yesterday that it was encouraged by a solid start to FY21, with group net sales in the low double digits driven by strong pre-Double 11 sales in China.
“There have been strong sales to key customers in many markets ahead of our Oct 1 price increase.
“We are currently projecting first half FY21 net sales growth in the mid-single digits range compared to prior year. Both of our Asian regions will be the primary drivers of this growth,” said the company.
Aside from China, the company has also identified the halal markets as key growth drivers, namely Indonesia, Pakistan, and India.
Following the sale Global Therapeutics, Blackmores will focus on its core product lines with no plans to incorporate TCM or oriental botanicals into its more established brands.
“We want to focus our attention on the current product line that we have. Once Global Therapeutics goes to McPherson's, we still have more than 800 product lines in more than 14 markets,” Symington said.
“But certainly TCM has been around for thousands of years and any of the TCM that we get inspiration from, whether its TCM or ayurvedic medicine or any local traditional medicines, that's very much aligned to the thinking that we have around complementary medicines in general,” he added, giving the example of how TCM ingredients such as ginkgo is used the firm’s products.


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Bahl & Gaynor Inc. lowered its position in shares of Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) by 28.0% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 36,704 shares of the company’s stock after selling 14,240 shares during the quarter. Bahl & Gaynor Inc.’s holdings in Kraft Heinz were worth $2,286,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Kraft Heinz by 4.2% during the 4th quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 50,250 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,907,000 after purchasing an additional 2,007 shares in the last quarter. Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Kraft Heinz by 66.7% in the 1st quarter. Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. now owns 25,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,557,000 after acquiring an additional 10,000 shares during the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in shares of Kraft Heinz by 41.4% in the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 570,817 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,387,000 after acquiring an additional 167,133 shares during the last quarter. Ferris Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Kraft Heinz by 18.1% in the 4th quarter. Ferris Capital LLC now owns 19,120 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,487,000 after acquiring an additional 2,933 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Banco de Sabadell S.A acquired a new stake in shares of Kraft Heinz in the 4th quarter worth about $401,000. 62.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
NASDAQ:KHC opened at $60.67 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43. Kraft Heinz Co has a 52 week low of $54.11 and a 52 week high of $91.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $73.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.09, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.60.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 17th. This represents a $2.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.12%. Kraft Heinz’s payout ratio is currently 70.42%.
In related news, Director Mackey J. Mcdonald purchased 669 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 2nd. The stock was bought at an average price of $60.27 per share, for a total transaction of $40,320.63. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 17,486 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,053,881.22. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 26.81% of the company’s stock.
KHC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Kraft Heinz from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, April 20th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a “buy” rating and issued a $77.00 target price on shares of Kraft Heinz in a report on Tuesday, April 24th. UBS Group set a $80.00 target price on shares of Kraft Heinz and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $95.00 target price on shares of Kraft Heinz in a report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Kraft Heinz from $100.00 to $85.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $77.85.
About Kraft Heinz
The Kraft Heinz Company manufactures and markets food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. Its products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy products, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, and other grocery products. The company offers its products under the Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinz, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Planters, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Ore-Ida, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Cracker Barrel, P'Tit Cheese, Tassimo, Classico, Plasmon, Pudliszki, Honig, HP, Benedicta, ABC, Master, Quero, Golden Circle, Wattie's, Glucon D, and Complan names.
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According to a data report from The Insight Partners, the global halal cosmetics market is projected to reach $79.8 million by 2028, growing at a 13.8% CAGR. This market was valued at $36.6 million in 2022, and increasing demand for halal certification in Southeast Asian and Islamic countries is driving growth.
By product type, the skin care segment is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the global halal cosmetics market due to increasing demand for moisturizers, serums and anti-aging creams, and the growing awareness of skin-friendly and clean beauty products.
The Asia-Pacific region dominated the market in 2021 and is expected to retain its prominence during the forecast period. The growing Muslim population in countries including India, Indonesia and Malaysia has led to an increased demand for halal cosmetics.
The report also indicates that social media has a significant impact on the market, as modern Muslims present in Asia-Pacific are highly connected to social media, fashion and beauty.
Key market leaders in the global halal cosmetics market include: Clara International Beauty Group; Inglot Cosmetics; Inika Organic Australia; IVY Beauty Corporation; MMA Bio Lab Sdn Bhd; OnePure, LLC; PT Paragon Technology and Innovation; PHB Ethical Beauty Ltd.; Sampure Minerals; and IBA Cosmetics.


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Samsung remains ahead of Apple as the world’s top smartphone maker, but is facing fiercer competition with the US tech giant surpassing it in sales in the US market in the latest quarter, reports showed Wednesday.
Despite Samsung remaining the top dog in the global smartphone market in Q3 2017, research company Strategy Analytics suggests that Apple has once again regained the top spot position for the US.
According to market researcher Strategy Analytics, Samsung maintained the first position with 21 percent of the global smartphone market share in the third quarter of this year, while Apple held steady at 12 percent share.
“Samsung shipped 83.4 million smartphones worldwide in (the third quarter of) 2017, rising an impressive 11 percent annually from 75.3 million in Q3 2016,” said Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics in a report. “This was Samsung’s fastest growth rate for almost four years. Samsung’s growth is being driven by strong demand for its A, J and S series models across Latin America, India and elsewhere.”
“Despite a delayed launch of the flagship iPhone X model, the new iPhone 8 portfolio was relatively well received in major countries such as Germany and China,” Mawston said.
Samsung shipped an estimated 9.9 million phones in the US for Q3 2017 compared to Apple’s 12 million iPhones. This resulted in a 30.4 percent market share for Apple versus 25.1 percent market share for Samsung, thus ending Samsung’s reported two-quarter run as the top smartphone vendor in the US. Though Apple will almost certainly lead Q4 2017 also, competition between the two companies is fiercer, and more complicated, than ever.
Apple just launched its tenth anniversary iPhone, the iPhone X, which is probably going to become one of the biggest selling smartphones ever, while Samsung stands to earn potentially billions of dollars from the phone thanks to its partnership with Apple as a components supplier.
“Since it is the home ground for Apple, the release of iPhone 8 was influential to the market share,” said a Samsung official. “However, it is encouraging to see Samsung’s share slightly grew from a year earlier.”
“Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S8 performed relatively well in the high-tier, while its A5 model and others are popular in the mid-tier,” the researcher said.
Samsung may now struggle to climb back to the top US smartphone vendor spot until after the release of its Galaxy S9 next year.
- Samsung Galaxy S9 back will change a lot, no in-display fingerprint scanner, to be released early
- Speed Test: Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone X | you shouldn’t expect results to be much different


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SAN FRANCISCO -- Residents of the District of Columbia drink wine at more than three times the national rate, while people in Arkansas consume the least, a wine trade journal reported Wednesday.
Wine consumption in the nation's capital was 6.59 gallons per capita in 1986, compared with a bit more than half a gallon in Arkansas, according to the journal Wines & Vines.
The average American drank 2.43 gallons of wine last year, the same as the year before. By comparison, according to the California Wine Institute, Portugal is the top wine-drinking country in the world, with about 23 gallons per capita, followed by Italy, 21; France, 20, and Argentina, 16.
The top wine-consuming states are: Nevada, 5.50; California, 4.82; Washington, 3.76; Vermont, 3.65; New Jersey, 3.57; Oregon, 3.40; Massachusetts and Rhode Island, tied at 3.39; and Connecticut, 3.28.
Consumption of hard liquor in the United States fell for the eighth consecutive year in 1986, but beer headed up after a year's decline, said the magazine, which collected figures from a variety of federal, state and industry sources.
The decline in popularity of all alcoholic beverages, with the exception of wine coolers, is attributed by the industry to concerns about health and drunken driving.
The coolers, virtually unknown five years ago, continue phenomenal triple-digit growth among the top producers and last year represented 20.3 percent of all California wine shipments.
If the wine in the coolers wasn't counted, U.S. wine use last year would have been 2.1 gallons per person, an eight-year low and the lowest consumption of any major wine producing nation.
The national average for beer, pegged at 36.2 gallons per capita in 1979, was 34.7 last year. That compared with 37.7 gallons for coffee, including instant and decaffeinated, and 9.7 gallons for tea


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Acquisition and consolidation have become prevalent across the car wash landscape. While the industry remains fragmented with thousands of mom and pop’s battling it out for their piece of the pie, the mega chain is becoming more prominent and influential.
It is not just industry stalwarts like Mister Car Wash, Zips, and Autobell that are dominating their local markets. New powerhouses, backed by private equity, are emerging, buying up the local competition and positioning themselves as major players at the national level.
Magnolia Wash Holdings was formed a little over a year ago, fueled by investment from A&M Capital Opportunities, and already owns and operates 36 sites in the Southeast with additional expansion on the immediate horizon.
The company’s accelerated growth can trace its roots back to the combination of The Wave Carwash and Camel Premium Express Car Wash seven years ago. Owners Frank Bennett and Brooks Moye sold a majority stake to A&M in late 2020 forming Magnolia Wash Holdings, immediately acquiring the 10-site Oasis Express and bringing its wash total to 17. Following its founding, the company has been able to more than double its site total in less than a year with acquisition after acquisition.
“We formed the Magnolia brand as a holding company in November 2020,” says Magnolia vice president of operation Andy Agostini. “We brought on a leadership team, which consists of myself, our CFO Kyle Poyer, and Forrest Peters, who is vice president of development and integration.”
Once the leadership team was in place, it went to work scaling the brand through strategic acquisition. “We are the nation’s 13th largest car wash operator with 36 sites,” says Agostini. “This is a huge achievement, but it also highlights the fragmentation in the industry.”
The southeastern express wash chain’s latest growth spurt came in early September when it closed on the acquisition of 16 locations spanned over four transactions. These deals, which were all executed on the same day, included the purchase of sites from RipTide Car Wash, Pirates Cove Car Wash, Whatta Wash, and Splash-N-Dash in the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia markets.
These various sites will eventually be rebranded as Wave or Camel sites depending on location. The Wave and Camel washes are the primary brands under the Magnolia banner and maintain the customer-first approach Bennett and Moye instilled when they were launched years ago.
“We have nine brands under our umbrella,” says Poyer. “Three of which will be rebranded as Wave sites. Wave and Camel are our flagship brands and as we expand our footprint, we can offer our unlimited customers a greater selection throughout our markets with a unified brand approach.”
Building and nurturing a cohesive brand from disparate pieces requires more than just changing the name on the door, it requires a foundational realignment of both culture and operations.
According to Agostini there are three main challenges a growth-oriented enterprise must overcome if it hopes to build a cohesive organization from a collection of separate parts.
The first, is operational in nature. Every company does things slightly different, and Magnolia is hard at work integrating its playbook at the newly acquired locations. “We have decades of car wash experience across our field management team,” says Agostini. “We have spent a significant amount of time perfecting our playbook. As soon as we bring on a new brand the challenge becomes how do we integrate, how do we weave our way of doing things into the existing structure.”
The second hurdle to overcome is the human aspect. As the labor crisis rages on across the industry, building and retaining a high-performing staff is becoming increasingly difficult.
Factor in a major change in management, and keeping employees engaged and productive becomes increasingly difficult.
“We try to do everything we can to give back to our employees,” Agostini says. “Retention is a challenge in our industry, but we are doing whatever we can to build a positive work environment. The car wash industry is filled with stories of people that entered this business fresh out of high school thinking it was going to be a part-time job and now it’s a career for them. We want to give our associates that kind of opportunity. We want them to grow within the company.”
Tightly linked to the staffing challenge is the cultural obstacle that must be overcome. Every company has its own unique culture, and Magnolia must instill its culture at every wash it acquires if it is going to build unity and cohesion.
“We are not the type of company that will come in and expect immediate changes or begin slashing personnel,” says Agostini. “We are not a lead by fear business, we lead by example. Instilling a new culture can be a challenge, but the outcome has been very positive. We have had employees down to the associate level reach out and say how great thing have been since we took control.”
The final barrier Magnolia, or any company looking to build a unified brand from a collection of individual washes, must overcome is systemic. When you are dealing with a collection of POS systems and various wash equipment there are going to be challenges providing a consistent wash experience across locations as well as a unified data approach on the backend.
Magnolia’s equipment supplier of choice is Sonny’s. While it is operating various equipment options throughout the chain, Sonny’s is its go-to manufacturer for equipment retrofits as well as ground up builds — which Magnolia has in its pipeline and will be a major focus for 2022 and beyond.
“By the end of this calendar year, we should have around 45 sites,” Poyer says of Magnolia’s continued expansion plans. “In our current pipeline we have about 56 sites in development, and another seven under construction right now. By next summer we’ll have 15 under construction.
“We just want to grow and become a benchmark of success within the industry. Whether that is 100, 200, or 300 sites, the sky’s the limit. We are very opportunistic when it comes to expansion. Our development pipeline will start to bear fruit in the next couple of months.”
Whether it is acquiring sites or developing from the ground-up, Magnolia has its foot on the gas when it comes to expansion. It has big plans but is also grounded in the understanding that car washing is not a cookie-cutter business, and what works in one community may not be successful in another.
“Even though we are becoming a larger company, we still want to have that small town feel,” says Agostini. “One of the things that separates us from the competition is that customer journey. This is a hyper competitive market, and I think that is the one piece that a lot of car washes are missing.
They are hyper-focused on turning vehicles as quickly as possible. But we want to provide a cool experience for the customer, an experience that keeps them coming back.”
Name: Magnolia Wash Holdings
Area of Operation: Southeast
Concept: Express Exterior
Primary Brands: The Wave
Carwash & Camel Premium
Express Car Wash
Key Board Members:
Frank Bennett & Brooks Moye
Number of Sites: 36
Preferred Equipment Supplier: Sonny’s


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CLINTON, Miss. (CBS.MW) - WorldCom on Thursday said its data and international business, renamed WorldCom Group, recorded another steep decline in profit amid continued weakness in voice sales.
Looking ahead, however, the company reasserted its belief that it can boost annual sales 12 percent to 15 percent and meet previous financial targets. As a result, WorldCom WCOM, +0.09% stock rose 8.9 percent to $14.54.
In the latest quarter, WorldCom Group's income shrank to $110 million, or 4 cents a share, from $716 million, or 25 cents, a year earlier. Sales dipped 4.6 to $5.36 billion from $5.62 billion.
The year-ago results include WorldCom investment in Embratel, a big phone company in Brazil. Earlier this year, WorldCom reduced its stake in Embratel and announced that it would no longer include its results in the company's corporate earnings reports.
Excluding Embratel and other onetime items, WorldCom Group would have earned $574 million, or 20 cents a share, on a 12 percent increase in revenue. That was a penny below the 21-cent consensus estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial/First Call.
Before the quarter ended, WorldCom split itself into two businesses. The WorldCom Group, which operates the globe's largest Internet network, supplies data, Internet and long-distance voice service to big corporations.
Its MCI Group MCIT segment caters to consumers and small businesses. On Thursday, the company reported its first results as a separately traded stock.
Excluding onetime items, MCI Group posted income of $49 million, or 42 cents a share, down from $91 million, or 79 cents, in the first quarter.
Revenue slipped to $3.5 billion from $4.2 billion in the year-earlier quarter.
Including charges, MCI Group reported a net loss of $29 million, or 25 cents a share, in the second quarter.


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The 2012 NFL Draft Day is Here!
MaxDenver " Draft Day Dawns …
Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy was Andrew Mason’s pick for the Broncos in two mock drafts. But don’t be surprised if the Broncos’ day is defined by a trade.
Peyton Manning jerseys available at Broncos' team store - The Denver Post
The Broncos team store at Sports Authority Field at Mile High will be selling 2012 Nike jerseys, including Peyton Manning


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LoveMplsParks.org has been supporting Minneapolis parks for one year.
Founder Dan Woychick launched the online parks-themed apparel retailer last December and has since raised $1,400 for parks.
LoveMplsParks.org contributes 50 percent of its profits to local nonprofit People for Parks, which cooperates with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on projects and events.
The retailer, which is not affiliated with the Park Board, sells T-shirts with designs featuring the city’s most popular and iconic parks. Its product line has expanded to include sweatshirts, youth T-shirts and long-sleeve shirts.
Examples of the expanded line from LoveMplsParks.org


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On a bright afternoon in late March, an 18-year-old named Fadi stood in a friend’s clothing store in Baghdad checking out the new merchandise. A worker in a neighboring store walked into the boutique with a newspaper in his hand and shared a story he had just read. It was about “sexual deviants,” he said. Gay men’s rectums had been glued shut, and they had been force-fed laxatives and water until their insides exploded. They had been found dead on the street.
That evening Fadi met up with his three closest friends—Ahmed, Mazen, and Namir—in a coffee shop called the Shisha café in the Karada district of Baghdad. Karada is a mixed Shia-Christian neighborhood that has a more relaxed, cosmopolitan feel than many parts of the Iraqi capital. Fadi and his friends had been meeting there nearly every evening for a year, Fadi coming from his job cleaning toilets for Americans in the Green Zone and the three others from college. The coffee shop was relatively new and attracted a young crowd. The walls were colored in solid blocks of orange, green, and blue, the glass-topped tables painted red and black. It was the closest thing to hip that Baghdad had to offer. For Fadi and his three friends, who secretly referred to themselves as the 4 Cats, after a Pussycat Dolls–like Lebanese group, the Shisha was a refuge from the hostile, often violent anti-gay climate that they had grown up with in Iraq.
-Full article available at link below-


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Holiday Shopping Season is Approaching – Here’s How Retailers Can Prepare for the eCommerce Rush
Online retail companies are beginning to bolster their preparations for the holiday season. With many companies expecting to see an average 27% of their total revenue in November and December — eCommerce fulfilment plays an important role during these months to ensure customers receive products on time and operations run efficiently. If the holiday season is a big deal for your business, it’s important to be aware of consumer and eCommerce trends — and partner with a fulfillment company who can keep up with the high demand.
eCommerce Shopping Trends and Statistics for the 2022 Holiday Season
According to the National Retail Federation, 62.8 million people are expected to shop online this Cyber Monday, with 46% of shoppers planning to start their online shopping even earlier than previous years. And according to NPD, a whopping 85% of total consumers will include online shopping in their holiday plans — a statistic that continues to increase year-over-year.
Along with consumers’ buying habits, free shipping and out-of-stock messages also affect if customers will buy a retailer’s product or opt for a competitor’s brand. Fulfillment continues to be a key driver of consumer spending, since over half of consumers say they opt for products that offer free shipping. And if shoppers are faced with an “out-of-stock” message, over 70% will switch brands, compared with only 13% who will wait around for the item to be restocked.
Tackling the Holiday Season with a Reliable Fulfillment Partner
How can an eCommerce fulfillment provider help address consumer behavior to ensure your brand can compete during the holidays? Holiday eCommerce fulfillment needs to be three things: flexible, accurate, and reliable.
- Delivery flexibility is highly important when addressing what consumers want from an eCommerce brand. We already know that buyers are more likely to shop products that offer free delivery, but oftentimes this can come at a high cost to the brand. Fulfillment companies like Piedmont Distribution Centers offer bulk shipping discounts due to shipping a large volume of items monthly. This savings is passed on to the client, and then subsequently to the end buyer — meaning online retailers can enjoy an advantage over their competition.
- Increased order volume during the holiday rush requires heightened fulfillment accuracy. A fulfillment warehouse partner that employs detailed picking and packing methods with quality controls in place will ensure that the right product is picked, packed, and shipped every time. For subscription boxes and kitting, multiple products will often need to be picked and packed quickly to meet accelerated delivery deadlines.
- Supply chain issues over the last two years have caused “out-of-stock” messages to surge by an astounding 175%. While manufacturing supply chain issues are still a problem for online retailers, a reliable fulfillment center can make sure the entire order process, from shopping cart to front door, runs smoothly. Piedmont Distribution Centers understands the urgency and importance of fully stocked shelves. Our dedicated receiving team works with clients to get more product through the door faster – because we know fully stocked shelves mean happy customers.
Piedmont Distribution Centers is an eCommerce fulfillment provider headquartered in Charlotte, NC. With a vast shipping and delivery network, along with over 50 years of experience in third party logistics (3PL) through PDC’s parent company, Distribution Technology, PDC works with a variety of clients to address fulfillment and shipping challenges and help online brands increase profit and expand their customer base. The holiday shopping season is competitive and fast paced. Make sure you’re making a great impression with customers by partnering with the right fulfillment company.


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Comments by radio group heads of a challenging ad environment during the third quarter are reinforced in the latest guidance from Pivotal Media Group. The research firm has lowered its total ad forecast for 2017 from 4.4% growth to 4.1% growth while sticking with the 4-5% growth range it has anticipated for much of the year.
Q3 advertising grew “slightly slower” than in Q2, rising 4.1% year-over-year, minus political and national Olympics-related advertising. “Our ‘feel’ of the market is that year-over-year growth is similar or perhaps slightly softer in 4Q17,” Pivotal analyst Brian Wieser says, with 4.0% growth forecast for the final quarter. Looking ahead to 2018, Pivotal calls for total ad dollars to increase 3.0%.
Pivotal’s numbers are based on its analysis of U.S.-based advertising revenues from public companies.
Compared to other traditional media – TV in particular is experiencing “key challenges” – radio’s Q3 trend was “more muted,” Wieser says, estimating that radio revenues were down 2% during the quarter. That’s a far cry from year-over-year declines in the teens for magazines and newspapers and a combined drop of 4% for local and national TV. Outdoor, on the other hand, was up 1%.
Pivotal’s radio guidance suggests network and satellite radio gained ground in third quarter while local radio dipped modestly. Combined network and satellite radio revenues grew 5% to $317 million and are on track to increase 3.5% in the fourth quarter to $321.1 million. Pivotal’s full-year 2017 outlook for network and satellite radio is for 2.1% growth to $1.22 billion accounting for 1.7% of total national advertising.
Local radio, which accounts for a far greater share of the local ad pie – 22.4% in Q3, per Pivotal – dipped 3.0% to $3.22 billion in Q3. Q4, traditionally radio’s strongest quarter, will put $3.24 billion on the books for a 3.4% year-over-year decline. For the full year, Pivotal calls for local radio billings to dip 3.1% to $12.42 billion.
That said, Pivotal’s estimates for local radio do not include radio’s digital or off-air revenue, which are two growing areas for most broadcasters that are helping offset declines in on-air advertising.
Television “fared relatively poorly” during the quarter, Wieser says, with national TV declining 2% and local TV, which includes broadcast and cable, tumbling 6% for a combined drop of 4%. That caused TV’s ad share to decline from 31% to 29%. Digital advertising continued its hot streak, up by around 21% in the quarter, pushing its share from 37% to 43% of total advertising. Pivotal’s digital outlook includes “all kinds” of digital channels, including spending associated with traditional TV. Excluding digital video sold by national TV networks and Hulu, the share change “was more like 36% to 41%,” Wieser says.
But it’s not spending shifts by like-for-like advertisers from traditional TV into digital media that’s causing changes in the ad pie. Instead Wieser says most of the share shifts are due to a change in the companies driving growth in ad spending. “The large brands who dominate TV are generally weak at the present time, generally constraining total budget increases to low single digits or otherwise reducing them, and with few increasing spending on digital by more than single digits,” Wieser says. So while TV may be losing some budget share from these advertisers, it’s likely only one percentage point a year. “As we think the trends which have driven those changes are unlikely to abate soon, we think that national TV advertising is positioned to continue with low single digit declines,” Wieser says. Local TV faces other hurdles, he adds, as “regionally constrained marketers either lose revenue share (and consequently reduce advertising budgets) to nationally-oriented ones, or as nationally-oriented advertisers reduce media budget allocations to regionally-specified territories.”
The main driver for digital ad growth is spending by e-commerce brands, app developers and businesses who “are generally too small to efficiently use television,” Wieser says.


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Kingsville, ON (October 18, 2013) – Mastronardi Produce® President and CEO Paul Mastronardi has been named Ontario’s 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year; Food & Beverage Category Winner.
Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates the contribution and spirit of entrepreneurs everywhere. The Canadian program is in its 20th year of honoring the country’s most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business.
“I’m extremely honored to be selected as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Food & Beverage Category Winner,” said Paul Mastronardi. “This is a fantastic network of business-oriented individuals who support each other and share ideas and inspiration and I’m proud to be a part of that.” (more…)


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As of today, the national production projection for 2022/23 of wheat is between 12 and 13 million tons, but it is estimated that millions of tons were left on the way due to inclement weather. What is happening with wheat is a productive disaster that will be discussed from now until the end of the year. Gustavo Idígoras, head of the Chamber of the Oil Industry and the Cereal Exporters Center (CIARA-CEC), assured that in the case of wheat “so far we have lost 9 million tons due to the drought. We are in a climatic calamity and this is going to affect us all.”
That “everyone” involves exporters, millers, producers and other actors in the commercial chain but, according to Idígoras, the concern of those who have signed commitments with foreign buyers and do not know if they will be able to fulfill the contracts is notorious.
It is worth remembering that in order to avoid an escalation in the price of cereal as a result of a reduced offer, the Ministry of Agriculture allowed shipments to be rescheduled (not suspended) without penalties for one yearbut the result of these negotiations will be known later since they will arise from the dialogue between local exporters and buyers from different parts of the world and from the progress of the harvest in our country.
Regarding the data and cereal stocks, last campaign left wheat available for 22.5 million tons: of that total, exporters bought 18 million tons and mills another 4.5 million to industrialize. This is how we get to this day and although it seems that there will be a lack of wheat because everything that could be sold has already been marketed, when the magnifying glass is placed on the sales of exporters, it emerges that only 15 of the 18 million tons were sent abroad. and therefore there would be 3 million tons of grain in the hands of different holders.
Regardless of who owns those 3 million tons of wheat, with that figure a link could be achieved with the new campaign, which will begin at the end of the year in the most productive areas since the drought hit hard the first wheats that arrive from the North.
As for the 2022/23 campaign, the Government – pressed by the lack of dollars – allowed between March and April of this year to record exports of 8.8 million tons of wheat that had not even been sown at that time and on which months later the ferocious drought that we suffer today would fall. If the almost 7 million tons required for the domestic market are added to the 8.8 million tons, the numbers do not close because the campaign with a lot of wind in our favor will leave us with 13 million tons of wheat. What is surprising about these numbers is that, of the 8.8 million tons, only 5.4 million tons were purchased. According to various market analysts, it is likely and quite understandable that exporters have made sales to secure a quota to export in a context of constant changes in the rules of the game by the Government, where the possibility of limiting exports or intervening in the market. For now, it remains to wait for a good production to be confirmed in the south of the province of Buenos Aires so that the wheat estimates do not continue to fall. But we will also have to wait for the “fine print” of the resolution that extends wheat shipments abroad and the obligation for producers to comply with grain delivery contracts, since for now no one knows what the commercial conditions will be like for the next year’s campaign.


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The cold wind of trade protectionism is blowing toward China. With the tire industry still in the shadow of US punitive tariffs, China's solar industry is facing dumping claims from German counterparts. Germany is one of the key markets for China's photo-voltaic manufacturers. If Germany took regulatory action, the impact on China's industry would be devastating.
China's PV industry has confirmed that it is facing anti-dumping actions from Germany. Several weeks ago, two German companies filed a petition to their national government and the EU, claiming that Chinese solar panel and cell makers received improper subsidies. They contend that local power generation firms should not source products manufactured in China. As Europe is one of the main export destinations for China's PV industry, the impact on those companies could be grave.
Liu Yong, Vice President of JA Solar said "If Europe sets up a trade barrier, the impact will be big on all the enterprises. We organized several meetings within the industry to discuss it, with all Chinese major PV companies present. We are inclined to set up an industry alliance, to jointly negotiate with outside world."
PV manufactures would not be the only ones impacted. The up-river industry -- multi-crystalline silicon manufacturing, with its annual production capacity of 80-thousand tons -- is also facing a seismic shock.
Wu Jinhong, GM of Shunda Electronic Materials Tech. said "95 percent of our output is sold to solar companies. If they are impacted, we will naturally be affected."
China has set up a panel of executives from top domestic solar PV companies to help deal with the allegation. Led by the chairman of Suntech, the largest domestic solar-panel maker, the delegation is travelling to Germany to meet with members of the European PV industry.
Xie Xiaonan, Vice President of Suntech Power Holdings said "The senior officials of Chinese major PV companies are in Hamburg to join the European Photovoltaic Solar Industry Conference. They will actively negotiate the issue with German counterparts, in hopes to increase mutual understanding and trust."
China is the world's largest maker of photovoltaic products, and the biggest exporter, with more than 90 percent of manufacturing output shipped overseas to Germany, Spain, Japan, and the US, among other countries.
(CCTV September 28, 2009)


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Residential sales across the region of Revelstoke to Peachland totaled 625 in October, down from September’s 652 sales and just 2% fewer compared to the 639 units sold in October 2018, reports the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB).
New listings dropped below last month’s 1,046 by 10.5% resting at 936 new units listed this month. The supply
of homes for sale, or overall active listings, also dropped slightly coming in at 3,650 over last month’s inventory
of 4,150; down 3.5% from this time last year.
“With the holiday season approaching it’s not unusual for consumers to have other financial priorities on their mind, perhaps putting home purchases on the backburner until the new year,” says OMREB President Michael Loewen, adding that “typically, we see less market activity as we head into the colder months as those that are not in a rush to move prefer to do so when weather conditions are more agreeable.”
October’s average price of $516,940 was down 6% from September’s average price, yet 5% higher than this time last year. A closer look by housing category shows single-family properties and townhomes’ average pricing both tracking at 5% higher than October 2018. The condominium category saw the largest shift in average pricing coming in at 14% less over September’s average price and down 5% from this time last year.
“It is too early to say whether this shift in the condo category is an anomaly or the beginning of a trend or merely just a case of construction of more compact and affordable units having caught-up to consumer demand creating competitive market conditions,” says OMREB President Michael Loewen.
The average number of days to sell a home increased to 93 days over September’s 81 days. It’s important to note that OMREB reports an average of days on market for the entire Board region and that the indicator will vary depending on home type and sub-region.
When finding a real estate agent to work with, it is important that you consider working with a REALTOR®. Unlike regular agents, REALTORS® are professional members of The Canadian Real Estate Association who have the knowledge and experience to make the home buying or selling process as simple for you as possible. Given the high stakes on such a significant financial transaction, both homebuyers and sellers can benefit from the knowledge and skills of a practiced REALTOR®.


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A NEW scheme has been launched in Ashford which aims to get more people doing exercise.
Ashford Leisure Trust is expanding its walking and jogging groups to include a new weekly session at the Stour Centre from Tuesday, May 15 at 12.30pm for 45 minutes. The sessions are being led by a Run England's qualified group leader Fiona Sime All ages are welcome and the group meets at the Stour Centre reception. Sessions cost £2.50 per session. For more information e-mail pete.lerossignol@ashfordleisuretrust .co.uk or call 01233 667 125
To celebrate the opening of our new offices in Canterbury and Whitstable we are offering 50% off our standard selling fees on production of this voucher.
Terms: If you have instructed another agent on a sole agency and/or sale selling rights basis, the terms of those instructions must be considered to avoid possible liability to pay two commissions.
Contact: Whitstable 01227 208268
Valid until: Monday, September 30 2013


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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - David James Poissant was really excited for 2020. The Oviedo author’s debut novel, “Lake Life,” was being released by Simon & Schuster, and he was gearing up for his first major book tour. “It was going to be like 20 cities with indie bookstores, and then in the fall it was going to be a bunch of colleges and universities,” he said.
Then the coronavirus hit, and the tour was off.
Poissant’s Southern novel concerns a tragedy at a fictional lake reminiscent of the north Georgia where the writer grew up. The book is still coming out with a launch at Writer’s Block Bookstore in Winter Park, but the event will be shown online. “Now there are going to be some virtual events, which is cool, but it’s not nearly as fun,” said Poissant, a professor in UCF’s master’s program in creative writing.
For Orlando author Kristin Harmel, canceling events because of COVID-19 has nearly become old hat. “I think I’m one of the few people who this has happened to twice,” she said.
In March, Harmel had planned to set out to promote the paperback release of her 2019 book “The Winemaker’s Wife.” Coronavirus took out that tour, then erased her summer tour for “The Book of Lost Names,” her latest novel. “So I’m now actually a pro at canceling a tour,” she said.
“The Book of Lost Names” is the bestselling author’s 12th book and fifth concerning World War II. It follows a librarian during the war, as well as in current times, and the book of secrets she helped created. While Harmel has done tours before, “this was gearing up to be my biggest,” she said. “We had dozens of places lined up.”
This novel also will get a virtual launch at Writer’s Block this month. But Harmel still expressed disappointment at not being able to hit the road.
“It’s something I look forward to,” she said. “Writing is such an isolating endeavor. It’s rare that you get to go out for weeks at a time and interact with the people you’re writing for.”
The author of the 2014 short-story collection “The Heaven of Animals,” Poissant echoed her sentiments. “Readers aren’t just consumers,” he said. “They become friends. They’re the people you want to connect with and get to know throughout your career.”
The virus hasn’t only taken these promotional journeys from the writers, both 41. It has also delivered a blow to their writing habits. “My writing schedule’s been turned upside down,” said Poissant. “When my wife and kids came home in March, it’s been really hard to find a quiet place to write.
“Normally in three months, I’d have written a hundred pages. I’ve written two short stories, so it’s 20 pages in the span that I would normally write 100.”
Harmel has found herself in the same distracted boat. “It took me a long time to get back into the rhythm of writing,” she said.
One of Harmel’s major concerns was for the independent booksellers she would have been visiting. Always a business with narrow margins, small bookstores count on author events to boost sales. “I felt a responsibility to those bookstores when I canceled my tour,” she said. “So I did what I could for them and that took up much of my brain.”
What Harmel has done is joined forces with four other authors, all who have books coming out this year, and created Friends and Fiction, a Facebook group that spotlights independent bookstores and connects readers to buy from them. The five authors co-host a Facebook Live event every Wednesday at 7 p.m. with a store owner and other guests.
“We talk about the things we would be talking about on a live book tour,” said Harmel. “And we talk about the importance of shopping local.”
Harmel says that each event has raised more than $1,000, but “It’s not the same.”
“We all wish we were touring,” she said, “but it’s been a really nice way to keep meeting people.”
In setting up virtual events, Poissant also has connected with the store owners. “Even though I’m not getting to meet as many readers in person, I’m getting to know indie bookstore owners and my publicist in ways I never did with the first book,” he said.
Both authors are pressing on. Harmel has a new book due to her publisher on Nov. 1. And Poissant recognizes his loss as a small part of a larger blessing.
“Despite the bleakness and the doom and gloom, I am extremely grateful to have a book published, period,” he said. “From big five publishers especially is one in a million. Having the book come out is an honor.”
Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC.


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Mobile and crawler cranes division welcomes Beau Pocock as the business development manager for Liebherr rough terrain cranes
August 17, 2020 By Liebherr USA
Newport News, Va. – Beau Pocock is the new business development manager of the Liebherr rough terrain cranes. Pocock will be responsible for the rough terrain crane product line for the U.S. market.
Pocock started in the crane industry at an early age working summers with Buckner Steel Erectors, gained experience in the business and most recently served as a product manager at Manitex.
He will be based out of Liebherr USA, Co. corporate headquarters in Newport News, Va., and will report to Brian Peretin, general manager of sales for mobile and crawler cranes.
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The Japanese used car export giant SBI Motor Japan has announced that it has added 2 cryptocurrencies to its list of payment methods. SBI Motor Japan customers can now buy used cars for Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP.
The cross-border e-commerce site “SBI Motor Japan” starts accepting payments in cryptocurrency
SBI Motor Japan, a Tokyo-based used car export company, has announced that it will now accept XRP and Bitcoin as payment options. Payments will be made through SBI VC Trade, a cryptocurrency trading subsidiary of the financial giant SBI Group.
SBI’s announcement on Monday marks the first time XRP will be sold on a cross-border e-commerce website in Japan. BTC and XRP transactions will be conducted on SBI VC Trade Co., Ltd, a cryptocurrency exchange owned by SBI Group. According to SBI, the platform will use appropriate security methods to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing through cryptocurrency transactions.
In addition, SBI announced that it is currently monitoring and verifying business partners to ensure that they comply with AML and corporate regulations. In addition to adding settlements to BTC and XRP, SBI said it will continue to support other key projects that meet the needs of its expanding customer base.
This move is seen as a positive step forward for Ripple.
SBI’s move on cryptocurrency is seen as a positive step for Ripple, which is leading a lawsuit for selling unregistered securities through XRP in 2020. The Ripple-SEC lawsuit dealt a crushing blow to XRP and its holders, as a result of which some platforms stopped supporting cryptocurrencies.
As we reported in Somanews news, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently expressed optimism that a protracted lawsuit with the SEC will lead to a positive outcome for the global blockchain-based payment company. Aliasgar Merchant, developer relations engineer at Ignite, interprets the adoption of XRP outside the US as a good indicator that the lawsuit “will not interfere with the implementation of the technology.”