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Each year, DTN publishes our choices for the top 10 ag news stories of the year, as selected by DTN analysts, editors and reporters. This year, we're counting them down from Dec. 19 to Dec. 30. On Jan. 1, we will look at some of the runners-up for this year. Today, we continue the countdown with No. 9 looking at supply chain issues that were still a problem, although they are starting to ease.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (DTN) -- COVID-19 emerged from Asia three years ago, and as farmers head into 2023, many find it difficult to get their hands on both new equipment and on parts to repair old equipment.
Nothing of the last three years has been straightforward or simple, and that certainly includes the price and availability of new agriculture equipment and parts.
The supply chain issues that began early in the pandemic have continued to be a dominant concern through the year for farmers, although the nature of the problems changed some.
"Last year, it seemed like we went from one shortage to the next, and you never knew where it was going to hit you," said Mark Parriott, the senior vice president of operations for Kinze Manufacturing, speaking in an August interview. "It seems like, generally, the supply is more steady than it used to be."
The difference into the summer of 2022 for manufacturers was exploding lead times on parts, which became "substantially longer than it used to be," Parriott said.
The parts shortages weren't affecting manufacturing quite the same, with the exception of computer chips, which continued to pace the ability to push out fully finished new products for many manufacturers.
"The lead time for these electronics are years. Not weeks. Not months. Not a year, but years. Plural," Parriott stressed.
The entire 2022 production for many major pieces of equipment was sold out by January of 2022 for some major manufacturers, and even at that time, the waitlists extended into 2023.
That said, some segments of the market did show signs of cooling, especially as interest rates rocketed higher as inflation concerns became paramount.
"We have started to see a decline in the used market," said Wade Banning, a territory manager with Purple Wave, speaking at an August farm show. "It did peak. The new inventory is coming up, so it's catching up. The supply is starting to get met from both sides (new and used) better."
Late in the year, demand remained strong for new large tractors and combines.
But one thing was clear throughout 2022: There never would be a return to "normal."
"I think about how 10 years ago, I would walk into my kitchen and not many things had a chip," said Kurt Coffey, vice president of CaseIH North America, in a summer interview. "Now, you walk through, and I've got a smart oven, a smart microwave and a refrigerator and an Alexa right there, and they all use technology. This isn't isolated in ag. It's an industry issue across agriculture, across automotive, across technology and, frankly, across the entire economy. That situation is not going away. It's still an issue."
Another aspect of the supply chain issue was frustrations with ocean shipping: Ocean shippers left agricultural goods at port and instead returned to China with empty containers to boost the speed of reloading goods in China to then return products to the U.S., DTN reported. As DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton wrote during the summer, the inability to get goods loaded onto outbound ships then cost U.S. agricultural exporters billions of dollars in lost sales, as well as costs waiting at port.
"Ongoing supply chain issues and record-high shipping costs have limited agricultural exports at a time when our trading partners need us more than ever," the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation Zippy Duvall said in June. "As I told the president (Joe Biden) today, estimates suggest we've lost out on more than $25 billion in agricultural exports over the past six months due to ocean shipping constraints. That's unacceptable."
To see some of DTN's coverage of supply chain issues during the year:
"Ag Executives Spotlight Supply Chain Bottlenecks Pressuring the Industry," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
"Farm Bureau President Duvall Talks Supply Chain Issues With Biden, Urges Congress to Pass Ocean Shipping Reform Act," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
To see the other top stories of the year:
No. 10: "Farmland Values Smash Records in 2022, Undeterred by Interest Rate Hikes," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
"Revisiting the Year's Big Stories," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
You can find No. 8 in DTN's top 10 list on Dec. 21.
Joel Reichenberger can be reached at Joel.Reichenberger@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @JReichPF
(c) Copyright 2022 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.


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Odisha government will set up solar powered cold storage for farmers in all panchayats across the state to keep their freshly harvested fruit and vegetables cool. It has been decided to set up solar cold storage in 1000 panchayats in the first phase under the 5-T programme. Around Rs 15 lakh will be invested per one solar cold room as per the preliminary estimation with 1 mt pre cooler capacity.
The solar cold stores will boost farmers’ seasonal income and control distressed agricultural produce sales. The farmers can keep their harvested vegetables for a long time in the cold store till they feel confident to sell them at right price to traders, said a senior official agriculture department.
Besides, more farmers would be encouraged to take up vegetable farming, the official added. The land identification process is going on for setting up the cold storages and has been completed in several districts. In the first phase the cold stores will be set up in the districts producing more vegetables and fruits.
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CFPB Now Accepting Bitcoin Complaints, Warning Users
issues arise from the fact that virtual currencies aren't insured
Burned using Bitcoin? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is now accepting complaints from users of Bitcoin or other digital currencies.
The CFPB is also warning spenders of the potential risks associated with the new currency model and those that have issues can now submit complaints to the agency. Along with working towards a resolution, the complaints will help the agency better understand the industry.
Bitcoin, XRP and Dogecoin are virtual or digital currencies that were designed to be an alternative to the current payment system. Users can track, store and send payments over the Internet, but the currencies are not back by any central bank or government. Virtual currencies aren't insured, so if a virtual currency company fails, the government won't cover the loss, like it would for U.S. dollars.
Despite this, virtual currency companies are opening worldwide. Virtual exchanges help customers buy or sell currency. Digital wallet providers act like banks where users can create accounts to store and manage their funds.
Bitcoin and the like are still uncharted territory, and officials at the CFPB warn consumers of the potential risks with using the currency.
Exchange rates for the virtual currency are still volatile with extreme highs and lows that could change daily. In 2013, the exchange rate of Bitcoins to U.S. dollars fell more than 60 percent in one day. In 2014 the rate dropped 80 percent.
Like with any bank, consumers should look into the costs associated with exchanges and digital wallet providers.
hacking and scamming threats
Virtual currencies aren't immune to hackers and scammers who pose serious security threats. If hackers get access to a Bitcoin user's private keys, they could clear the account. As mentioned, since virtual currencies are not insured, the government won't cover the loss. Scammers are also posing as legitimate Bitcoin companies to steal money from victims.
There is little to no regulation with the Bitcoin market, so some companies don't identify their owners, contact information or where they are located. Consumers who are considering entering the digital-currency world should find out how to get in touch with the company with which they'll be doing business. They should also find out their rights and what kind of liability, if any, the company will accept.
Consumers can submit a complaint about a virtual currency company, or any company, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.


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UK mobile network operator EE’s Cash on Tap NFC payments service is now available to owners of Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy Note 2 and 3, and Sony Xperia Z1 phones.
The new handsets join the existing lineup of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 LTE and Sony Xperia SP, enabling owners to make contactless payments of under £20 in over 230,000 outlets across the UK, including McDonald’s, Caffè Nero, Pret A Manger and Greggs.
“Cash on Tap is one of the most convenient ways to pay for everyday items, removing the need to reach for your wallet or search out loose change,” says EE’s director of propositions Simeon Bird. “We’re pleased to be announcing the next compatible handsets, allowing even more EE customers to benefit from the simplicity and control the service offers them”.
Further Cash on Tap compatible handsets are due to be announced in the coming months, says EE.


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M-Pesa revenue outside Kenya grew 42.7 percent to Sh6.2 billion in three months to June, showing the growing popularity of the mobile money service in Africa.
Vodacom Group’s trading update for the quarter ended June 2019, shows that the jump in revenue came in the period customers outside Kenya increased by 686,000 or 11.6 percent to 14.2 million.
“We have over 14 million customers using M-Pesa and continue to extend the ecosystem thereby extending our reach and giving customers more ways in which to transact,” said Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub.
The increased revenues, coming from Tanzania, DR Congo, Mozambique and Lesotho translated to 17.7 percent of Sh62 billion posted as international service revenue.
Despite this growth, M-Pesa performance in the four markets trails that of Kenya in terms of revenue and customer numbers.
In the financial year ended March 2019, Safaricom posted Sh74.99 billion or about Sh18.7 billion per quarter from its 22.6 million active users.
Vodacom wants to conclude the acquisition of an M-Pesa branded platform at Sh1.39 billion, a move that will see it secure control for future revenues.
“We expect to conclude the acquisition of the M-Pesa brand and platform and together with the recent launch of VodaPay, to further enhance the performance of our financial services business,” said Mr Joosub.
Vodacom says M-Pesa customers in Tanzania grew 6.9 percent to 7,277 while that of Mozambique was up 19.6 percent to 4,028. DRC posted 7.4 percent growth to 2,284 as Lesotho users increased 44.9 percent to 597.
On average for the quarter, 720 million transactions were processed monthly through the M-Pesa system outside Kenya, growing at 22.8 percent year-on-year. “We expect modest customer growth in Tanzania and the DRC, following implementation of more onerous customer registration requirements,” the group says.
Vodacom launched an M-Pesa overdraft service in Tanzania, similar to Kenya’s M-Pesa ‘Fuliza’, which gives customers instant access to credit to enable them to make money transfers or remit bills when they have insufficient funds in their accounts.


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Apple Might Start Manufacturing Computers In The US Any Time Soon
Framed by the intentions of president-elect Donald Trump to get Apple to manufacture its products in the U.S., the news of the Cupertino company making computers in American ground has been widely surprising for those who saw it as something impossible that this kind of move could actually happen. However, the thing about this decision is that the devices won´t be sold to customers.
Apple Will Make Servers And Data Centers
According to The Verge, although Apple is seriously planning a new initiative to manufacture computers in the U.S., these won´t be iMacs or MacBooks. In fact, these devices will be servers and data centers to be used in its other facilities within the country, which are going to be made in Apple´s existing facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Apparently, Apple´s ´plans were referenced in some documents that reveal that the Cupertino company has applied for approval of designation as a "foreign trade zone." Although the tech giant already has the authority to create the components for consumer electronics within Mesa´s special zone, the new approval would let the company import any part that is needed for data centers without any kind of customs duty payments if it´s ended up being granted.
IS Not Known If Apple Would Make Products For Average Customers
As reported by UberGizmo, this was an expected move from Apple, given the fact that a report last year revealed that the tech giant was slowly moving data center operations in-house as it wanted excel the security of all these products. In fact, Apple´s filing states that the nature of the products is for global data centers that will be supported from the site, instead of end users.
Nevertheless, is not known if the Apple would eventually make a similar move for products that are meant to be sold for regular customers, which is something that the president-elect Donald Trump it would make it happen no matter what, to the point in which he has offered tax cuts if the Cupertino return to the U.S. to manufacture its products.
Russia Demands Apple And Google To Remove LinkedIn From Android App Store And iOS: Is This Putin´s Retribution?
Apple and Google´s willingness to remove LinkedIn app from Russia represents the latest exemplification of how the tech giants are willing to stay in the most important markets whatever it takes.
Three Reasons Why The Surface Phone Could Set A Turning Point For Microsoft
Of every single tech product that is about to be release, the Surface Phone is one of the most expected by the customers, since this is a mobile device that promises to be almost perfect.
Samsung Gear S3, S2, And Fit2 Are Now Compatible with Apple´s iPhones
Samsung Gear smartwatch is probably one of the biggest competitors of the Apple Watch, which makes this move from both companies something unexpected and surprising, considering that it will benefit Samsung product.
iOS 11 Plagued with Untested Bugs and Early Adoption Pitfalls
Reports of nagging iOS 11 issues have started pouring in just a day after the software was released by Apple on supported devices.
iPhone 8 Outperforms iPhone X in Early Geekbench Tests [Photos]
Quite surprisingly, the iPhone 8 beats the iPhone X in both Single Core and Multi-Core Geekbench tests.
MORE IN ITECHPOST
Fitness Expert, Jolene Cherry, Explains How to Build Good Fitness Habits Using Tech
Cherry explores several different technology gizmos and gadgets to keep in mind when the initial burst of fitness motivation runs dry.
How Do Personal Emergency Response Systems Work?
Personal emergency response systems, known as PERS for short, are systems that help people to raise the alarm and get immediate help when a medical or personal emergency occurs. They are ideal for older people and anyone with a mobility issue or an injury or illness that can cause falls.
Eight Must-Have Tools to Keep Your Car Out of Garage
We all dread taking our car to a garage for repairs. We might just want to avoid the inconvenience of being off the road or maybe the costs associated, which can even lead to knock-on effects on things like our holiday plans.
6 Hacks for Students to Choose a Laptop While on a Budget
The modern world tries to drown us in the sea of choices. One can’t simply buy a laptop - there are hundreds of laptops around and sometimes our budget becomes the only real limitation we can rely on. But how to choose other parameters to get the best laptop possible?


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There seems to be some confusion circulating about the supposed “Jackyan” update and its relation to Google SEO updates for the year 2024. As of February 17, 2024, there is no official record of a Google algorithm update named “Jackyan.” It’s crucial to address this misinformation to prevent any misunderstanding within the SEO community.
Google SEO Updates in 2024
Regarding Google SEO updates in 2024, here are some confirmed changes that have taken place:
January 17, 2024: Circle to Search Feature – This new feature enables users to obtain more information about highlighted text directly from their screen by conducting a search without leaving the current page. Furthermore, enhanced Image Searches – Google has added text overlays to certain image search results to provide users with better context and understanding.
January 8, 2024: Removal of Crawl Rate Control Option – Google has removed the option to control crawl rates from Google Search Console, affecting how webmasters manage Googlebot’s crawling activity on their websites.
December 6, 2023: Removal of Product Results Search Appearance – Google has discontinued the product results search appearance feature in Search Console, impacting how e-commerce websites track product-related search data.
December 4, 2023: Several Updates Implemented – This date saw a series of updates from Google, including the launch of Schema data for vacation rental properties, stricter video indexing for rich results, integration of Google Analytics Audiences within Google Ads, and the introduction of the Gemini AI model in three versions.
Addressing Potential Misinformation:
It’s worth noting that the mention of a “Jackyan” update may stem from misinformation or misinterpretation. It’s essential to exercise caution when encountering information about major algorithm changes with specific names. Therefore, as Google seldom announces updates with such nicknames. Also, relying on verified sources is crucial for accurate information dissemination within the SEO community.
To stay abreast of legitimate Google SEO news and updates, I recommend utilizing reputable resources such as:
Google Search Central: (https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide): A comprehensive resource providing essential information and guidelines for website owners and SEO practitioners.
Google Search Blog: (https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/41373?hl=en): Official announcements and updates from Google regarding search-related topics.
Search Engine Journal: (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/): A reputable online publication offering insights, analysis, and updates on search engine optimization and digital marketing.
Moz Blog: (https://moz.com/blog): A trusted source for industry-leading SEO insights, tips, and strategies.
By staying informed through these reliable channels, SEO professionals can ensure they are equipped with accurate and up-to-date information. To navigate the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization.
I hope this clarification helps dispel any confusion surrounding. The “Jackyan” update and provides valuable insights into Google SEO updates for 2024.


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All products featured on Glossy Pop Shop are independently selected by our editorial team. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Spring sale season is officially underway. Earlier this week, we covered Ulta’s Semi-Annual Beauty Event, which kicked off on March 8. On Wednesday, Amazon joined in on the action with its own event: The Big Spring Sale.
Similar to Amazon’s popular biannual event, Prime Day, the sales include discounts of up to 50% in top categories including beauty, home, electronics and apparel. While Prime members will have access to an exclusive suite of deals, the spring sale is open to all shoppers, no Prime membership necessary. Shoppers will have access to discounted seasonal items like spring fashion, fitness products, cleaning and yard work essentials, according to Amazon’s blog. Deals also include deep discounts on viral beauty brands, including Revlon, Grande Cosmetics and Maybelline, as well as warm-weather essentials like Supergoop’s Play Everyday Lotion SPF and Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream. Amazon’s small business storefront will be participating in the sales event, as well.
The six-day event is the first of its kind for Amazon, as the e-commerce retailer looks to strengthen its discount strategy. Since its inception in July 2015, Prime Day has been Amazon’s biggest sales event, leading the company to up the frequency of the consumer-favorite event to twice a year in 2022. That same year, Prime Day drove $11.9 billion in sales, and in 2023, the biannual event generated $12.7 billion in sales, an annual increase of 6.1%. Upping the company’s number of sales events is a strategic move to boost its bottom line.
Take advantage of these limited-time sales by shopping Glossy’s top picks from the event below.
Visit the Pop Shop to browse all products featured in Glossy Pop.
Plus, shop more Pop-approved products at the Glossy Pop Shop here.


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Despite recognized benefits, safety improvements and acceptance in other segments of aviation, lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery suppliers are having a hard time persuading business aircraft manufacturers to adopt the technology. Business aircraft OEMs either never picked Li-ion for main batteries or dropped the technology after considering it. Some OEMs prevent battery providers from disclosing their name, making it hard to determine whether any business aircraft uses Li-ion.
For the purpose of this article, AIN surveyed five battery suppliers: Concorde Battery, EaglePicher Technologies, Saft, Securaplane (a Meggitt company) and True Blue Power (a division of Mid-Continent Instruments). Only two business jet makers, Dassault and Gulfstream, answered AIN’s request for information. All the operators AIN contacted declined to comment for the article.
Other aviation segments have started moving to Li-ion. The Airbus A350 XWB, a clean-sheet composite widebody in service for 16 months, is delivered with Li-ion batteries–four of them, weighing 175 pounds less than the nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries they replace. (Boeing’s travails with Li-ion batteries in the 787 prompted Airbus to switch to NiCds for a time.)
Last November a Bombardier Dash 8 operated by Calgary, Alberta-based R1 Airlines started revenue service with True Blue Power TB44 Li-ion main aircraft batteries. Avmax, R1’s parent firm, and True Blue Power had received an STC from Transport Canada and are seeking FAA approval.
Bell Helicopter has chosen the True Blue Power TB17 (17 amp-hour) Li-ion engine-start battery for the 505 Jet Ranger X, slated for certification this year. The TB17 uses True Blue’s nanophosphate chemistry. Weighing less than 16 pounds, the battery is 45 percent lighter than lead-acid and NiCd alternatives and requires 60 to 90 percent less maintenance, according to its promoters. It has received FAA TSO and EASA ETSO certifications.
Applying Higher Standards
The standard for Li-ion batteries is now RTCA DO-311, which was issued after the 787 had been certified.
“One of the most demanding tests, for any kind of battery, is a forced overcharge,” Brett Williams, True Blue Power’s director of engineering, told AIN. Under DO-311, one version of this test begins with all protective circuits disabled. The battery is then overcharged–going to 42V from 28V–Williams explained. High current is then sent into the battery. “We have to demonstrate there is no adverse consequence such as external overheating, leaking of hazardous material or any breach of the battery case,” Williams said. If flames result, they have to be contained.
By selecting less volatile cell chemistries and employing appropriate protections, the manufacturer can design a relatively light container, Williams said. It may be lighter, at least, than the one that mitigated the problem on the 787 (and largely contributed to the 185 pounds of weight gain).
Safety–or the perception of safety–remains a major concern for aircraft designers faced with deciding whether or not to adopt Li-ion. Yet, “technologically speaking, we are beyond that point; key chemistries can be made safe at the system level,” Mike Boost, a Li-ion battery expert with Securaplane, told AIN. The only potential problem remaining is logistics, he believes, since shipping Li-ion batteries in the cargo hold is subject to stringent rules. In fact, ICAO has banned the shipment of lithium-ion batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft.
EaglePicher’s general manager for aerospace, Ron Nowlin, expressed confidence that the industry is allaying those safety worries. “Safety for Li-ion batteries is still a concern; however, proper design and testing can alleviate those concerns,” he said.
The battery Saft has developed for the A350 is the first Li-ion battery to comply with design assurance level (DAL) A, which equates to a failure rate of one per billion hours. “This is the highest achievable DAL on an aircraft,” Jean-Marc Thévenoud, Saft’s aviation marketing manager, told AIN.
Certification standards are to be further improved. The RTCA SC-225 committee is working on a DO-311 update, said Dave Vutetakis, Concorde Battery’s v-p for advanced technology. DO-311A “will include a lot of testing protocols inspired by the NTSB 787 incident report,” he said.
Li-ion technology remains unrivaled when it comes to energy density. A cell can be 70 percent lighter than a lead-acid or NiCd cell, according to True Blue’s Williams, and “by the time we integrate this into an aircraft, with accompanying electronics, container and so on, we can achieve a weight saving of 50 percent or more,” he went on.
Securaplane’s Boost agreed. Should a large bizjet embark with 220 pounds of conventional batteries, switching to Li-ion could slash that number to 120 pounds, he suggested. Power density is better, too, Boost said; for a given volume, peak power will be greater.
Li-ion batteries have a battery management system (BMS) that protects against unsafe conditions, such as overvoltage, undervoltage and overcurrent, EaglePicher’s Nowlin noted. The BMS can also send real-time data to the cockpit to provide charge information and health monitoring. The charger can be built in.
A Li-ion battery does not suffer from any memory effect, and it needs much less maintenance. A conventional (lead-acid or NiCd) battery has to be taken out periodically to measure capacity, Boost said. This can be done on wing with some Li-ion battery designs.
Saft’s Thévenoud referred to “a single check every two years.” However, Li-ion cells may have to be replaced–inside the battery unit–every four years, Boost said.
The Li-ion battery is also more environmentally friendly than traditional batteries, Williams asserted. They contain no toxic heavy metal such as lead or cadmium. “Li-ion cells are safe enough to be recycled or allowed into most municipal landfills,” Williams said.
All these benefits and what arguably can be seen as a worry-free level of safety should be enough for business jet manufacturers to move to Li-ion. The need may soon become pressing. “We have found that the addition of electronic aircraft systems and electric backup actuation has driven up the amount of power needed in power-up and emergency conditions,” a Gulfstream spokesman told AIN. This has raised the number of batteries installed on Gulfstreams over the past 20 years. “We see these trends continuing in the future as emergency loads become larger,” the spokesman said.
In addition, customer demand for larger displays and more power sockets in the cabin continues unabated. Li-ion batteries could prove an attractive method to avoid a significant increase in battery weight to support those systems.
So Much for Lithium
Li-ion batteries are already on board business aircraft for back-up purposes, but they have small capacities. No airframer or battery supplier could or would name a business aircraft with Li-ion main ship batteries. In fact, in several programs the technology was selected but later dropped in favor of an older one. The Cessna Citation CJ4 initially shipped with new lithium-ion batteries. They were developed in house, met DO-311 requirements and received FAA certification. But in 2011 a ground-power charging unit caused a fire in the main battery of a CJ4, prompting an airworthiness directive that mandated replacement with NiCd or lead-acid batteries. The FAA discovered that the fire was caused by a mechanic’s intentionally bypassing the safety systems built into the battery.
Gulfstream had been planning to use Li-ion main ship Securaplane batteries in the G650, for a weight saving equivalent to one passenger. However, the OEM elected not to use those batteries after the Boeing 787’s problems. Securaplane’s Boost told AIN, “The time frame for battery certification was not compatible with the aircraft certification schedule.” Therefore, Securaplane provides conventional batteries for the G650. The larger batteries are NiCd and the emergency batteries are lead-acid.
Embraer’s Legacy 450/500 was to be equipped with Securaplane Li-ion emergency batteries. However, Securaplane said in April that none of its System Lithium products is in service on a business aircraft. Embraer did not answer AIN’s requests.
Late in 2012, EaglePicher was planning to have its first Li-ion battery certified on a very light jet in the first quarter of 2013. The hope apparently never materialized. Last March, Nowlin reported, “EaglePicher has two Li-ion main ship batteries that are currently being certified for commercial passenger aircraft.”
Manufacturers Speak Out
Although Li-ion technology and approval rules have evolved since Gulfstream elected not to install the batteries, company engineers are unlikely to change their mind in the foreseeable future. “We continue to monitor the technology but are not interested in developing and maturing these components,” a spokesman told AIN. “We have conducted significant work evaluating Li-ion and Li-ion polymer batteries. The obvious pro is the potential weight reduction; the cons are increased complexity, cost and risk during development.”
For the in-development G500 and G600, Gulfstream has kept the same battery configuration as on the G650. The larger batteries are NiCd and the emergency batteries are lead-acid. Both are “known, mature technologies that are low-cost and reliable.” With Li-ion, the complexity of the hardware and software “results in extra certification costs and could impact the reliability of the system,” Gulfstream engineers believe.
Dassault’s designers, too, believe Li-ion has not earned its way into their aircraft. Falcons use lead-acid and NiCd batteries. The suppliers are Concorde and Saft, respectively. For the two in-development types, the Falcon 8X and the Falcon 5X, the company has chosen lead-acid, François Paté, chief of the vehicle system design department, told AIN. In addition to a price that appeals to the airframer, customers have expressed satisfaction with lead-acid’s ease of maintenance and replacability.
However, Dassault has recently requested information from several Li-ion battery suppliers to assess the state of the technology and its economics. Paté believes Li-ion has now reached an acceptable level of maturity. The available chemistries are more stable, and the sophistication and stringency of the regulations have grown.
Li-ion battery suppliers are keeping faith. Securaplane is expecting “much deeper interest” from business aviation within two years. System Lithium batteries are in the process of being qualified on a military aircraft and in “other segments.” Two certifications are expected next year that should influence business aviation, he added.
True Blue Power has been working with almost every airplane and rotorcraft manufacturer and has seen “a lot of interest,” according to Williams.
Saft hopes to build on the momentum launched with the A350. “With the use of Li-ion batteries for commercial aircraft, in the coming years we will see more interest from business jet OEMs for their next-generation aircraft,” Thévenoud predicts.
Concorde is a supplier and strong promoter of lead-acid batteries. Asked about the future of Li-ion, Vutetakis first expressed wariness, saying the technology is “susceptible to undetectable failures that can cause unsafe conditions,” but then said the company has conducted extensive research and development activity in Li-ion. “Will Li-ion catch on as mainstream? If so, we will be one of the players,” Vutetakis said.
Retrofitting to Lithium?
Could Li-ion retrofits be easy? Securaplane’s Mike Boost believes so: “Our System Lithium could be a great drop-in replacement for lead-acid or NiCd batteries.” But François Paté, chief of Dassault’s vehicle system design department, does not share this view, noting that a Li-ion battery has to exchange a lot of information with the cockpit and needs much more integration than a lead-acid battery.
Nevertheless, True Blue is pursuing STCs for the Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna 208/208B Caravan, as well as the DHC-6 Twin Otter. In the rotorcraft segment, it is seeking STCs for the Robinson R44 and Airbus Helicopters AS350 AStar. The firm already holds Transport Canada STCs for the Bombardier Dash-8 and the Beech Bonanza A36.
What if a passenger’s smartphone overheats?
Cabin crewmembers are now trained to deal with thermal runaway on a passenger personal electronic device. They must not cover it with a blanket. Rather, they should drop it into the ice cube compartment of the galley, a Dassault pilot advised.
Does more-electric mean more batteries?
At the aircraft architecture level, hydraulic and pneumatic systems are increasingly being replaced with electric ones. The concept is called “the more-electric aircraft” and is expected to save fuel. François Paté, chief of Dassault’s vehicle system design department, believes going more electric will not require larger-capacity batteries. A battery works only in transient regimes, he pointed out. The rest of the time, the aircraft draws its power from generators driven by the engines, APU or ram air turbine.


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The budtender champions the genetics, the organic cultivation methods, the sustainability — the grower uses only electric vehicles to ship her product! —of the eighth of Purple Haze.
Solar panels power the dispensary. Artisans crafted the display cases out of trees felled by pine beetles. Product menus — strains, gummies, vapes, lotions — appear only on iPads. Why rely upon harvested and pulped spruce for menus, when digital options bypass forest destruction?
But then the budtender delivers that eighth. A hard plastic vial. In some states, the vial then gets sealed in a plastic envelope. Plastic child-proof contraptions add to the petroleum pile.
The disconnect struck me early on, beginning when I still needed a medical card in Colorado to buy weed. Unfortunately, more than a decade later, it persists.
The better brands and dispensaries at least try to project a green vibe, even though growing cannabis year-round in Colorado is far too energy intensive to ever count as a sustainable pursuit. Either way, cannabis is here to stay in Colorado. We do what we can to mitigate its environmental costs. Packaging stands as a prominent hurdle.
Hemp, Recycled-Ocean Plastic Solutions
James Eichner, one of the founders of Sana Packaging in Denver, experienced the same disappointment as me every time he shopped at a dispensary.
And then he did something about it.
During graduate school at The University of Colorado, he and his business partner (name?) tackled the packaging problem as part of a class project. When they graduated, they turned it into a business.
“Because cannabis is new and emerging, it’s still developing its best practices. We saw an opportunity to introduce more sustainable packaging practices from the ground up,” says Eichner. “We also thought we could move the needle towards circular packaging.”
Sana offers companies several different packaging options. Some of its containers, most of which are designed for flower and pre-rolled joint sales, are made from a combination of hemp and corn. Others rely upon reclaimed ocean plastic. None of the packages Sana sells to dispensaries and brands in 30 states come from first-use plastic.
“There is no reason to ever use virgin plastic,” he says. “There is so much plastic out there.”
To that end, Sana is launching a pilot program in Denver, which will reclaim and recycle plastic containers already used for cannabis.
Circular Economy Hits Sustainability Bullseye
I’ve been involved here and there with the cannabis industry since 2014, crafting content for clients, engaging in media relations and researching and writing industry analysis. During those six years of work, I never came across a factoid that startled me during a recent conversation with Eichner: plastic used to package weed cannot cross state lines after it is used, due to drug residue. In fact, until recently it could not even by recycled within Colorado. All of it went to landfills.
“We’ve had 10 years of plastic entering the state and then not leaving, because of the drug residue,” says Eichner. “But plastic is so damn useful for addressing things like shelf-life. If plastic is in a closed-loop system, there is nothing wrong with it. The problem is when plastic enters our waste management system.”
Price also counts as a problem. In most industries there is little stomach for boosting packaging costs — the threshhold for spending more for sustainable packaging is low. In the food and beverage industry, for example, companies might up their packaging costs by 20 percent for green solutions. But in cannabis, Eichner says companies are willing to double and even triple costs for packaging.
Regulatory Environment Hobbles Sustainability
At least some of the rationale for such large cost increases revolves around the highly regulated nature of cannabis. Close to 100 percent of other consumer packaged goods sit on shelves open to the public — anybody can pick up the paper canister of toothpaste tablets, the local artist’s ceramic mug or the can of kombucha. But dispensary employees control access to cannabis products — touch-and-feel browsing isn’t a consumer option.
As a result, brands hunt for differentiators. For some, packaging is something to champion.
Regulations might inadvertantly help to push sales of sustainable packaging. But there is no accidental upside to child-packaging regulations from a sustainability standpoint.
“Even though regulations in each state differ tremendously, one thing you can count on is child-resistance being a requirement,” says Eichner. “It is difficult to develop this kind of packaging with sustainable materials.”
Note to regulators: Alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana. For consistency’s sake, it’s either time to require child-safe packaging for alcohol sales, or it’s time to ditch the absurd requirements for cannabis.
The company, which formally opened its doors to customers at the beginning of 2019, doesn’t employ engineers and scientists to develop new products in-house. Instead, Sana is a packaging brand, says Eichner. Sana comes up with ideas for packaging, and then works with suppliers to manufacture products.
As Sana continues coming up with novel solutions to the industry’s heavy reliance on plastic, from the vials that store the eighths to the envelopes outfitted with rigid plastic devices designed to protect kids from weed, I’ll be looking for them in my friendly neighborhood dispensaries.


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What's Playing on Your iPod?
As I stated in this post on October 20th with the addition of video playback to the iPod, we now have the advantage of having porn with us 24/7. Now it gets even better... at least for the girls.
When I'm traveling I always like to ask people what they are listening to on their iPod. I will pay particular attention to the ladies from now on.
From The Sun:
APPLE'S iPod is set to bring even more pleasure to music lovers this Christmas - after boffins invented a vibrator that moves in time with the songs.
The £25 iBuzz connects up to the gizmo and pulses while each tune is played.
When the volume is pumped up, the vibrations get faster as the music gets louder.
Ali Carnegie, of adult-store www.LoveHoney.co.uk, said the firm is already on the verge of selling out of the bullet-sized device before Christmas.
She said its inconspicuous design has been a big winner with women and claims the sex toy, totally unrelated to Apple, is perfect for giving users "big smiles on their way to work".
Jessamy Hawley, of Gadget Candy - a technology website aimed at women - believes combining two female passions is sure to prove a No1 hit.
She added: "The iPod is this era'’s must-have accessory, while a vibrator is a timeless addition to every girl's gadget drawer.
"Entwine the two and you'’ve got the ultimate cheeky Christmas stocking filler."
The iBuzz is not the first tech-inspired vibrator.
Earlier this year, the Internet Enabled Rabbit was released, which allows lovers to hook up through cyberspace, while another on sale connects to a mobile phone and vibrates when a text message is received.


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New-home construction dropped in December to its lowest level in more than a year as the feeble housing sector ended 2010 on a weak note.
Private building of new homes dropped 4.3% in December from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000—the lowest level of housing starts since October 2009, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The construction industry continued to stumble last year even as economic growth picked up and private-sector job creation returned. Housing starts ended the year 8.2% below December 2009 and there's little sign building will pick up early this year.
Walmart Fall Rollbacks - Up to 80% off
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Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair
Nike Push for Greatness Sale: Up to 50% off new sale items for fall
Expedia Weekend Getaway Sale - 30% off your perfect stay
Back-to-School Savings: Up to 50% off + extra 25% off all shopping departments - JCPenney promo code


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Katherine Eban is an investigative journalist whose 2019 book Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom uncovered problems in generic drug manufacturing. Ms. Eban has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.
TCPR: What’s wrong with generic drugs?
Ms. Eban: That’s the question that got me started. In 2008, I got a phone call from Joe Graedon, the pharmacologist who hosts the NPR program The People’s Pharmacy. He was getting complaints from listeners who were saying that their generic drugs were either causing troubling side effects or weren’t effective anymore. So I started investigating, and it led me on a decade-long inquiry, ending up in India and China where the majority of our low-cost drugs are made.
TCPR: What did you find?
Ms. Eban: I began looking into the conditions in those manufacturing plants, and it’s really like something out of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle: just a very troubling web of fraudulent data, substandard conditions, and manufacturing plants with snakes and monkeys and bird droppings. In one case a company was steaming fabricated documents overnight in a sauna-like room to make them look old.
TCPR: How does this kind of thing get past inspectors?
Ms. Eban: At US plants, the FDA conducts surprise inspections, but with overseas plants they announce their inspections in advance, so these plants have months to launder their true conditions. Essentially, they create a stage set of compliance that does not reflect what is actually going on in the plants. That is what I was able to uncover by obtaining documents, speaking with investigators, and talking to whistleblowers.
TCPR: Your book talks about antibiotics that don’t reach therapeutic levels, dangerous contaminants, and—closer to home for psychiatry—extended-release (ER) mechanisms that break down, like generic Wellbutrin XL. What happened there?
Ms. Eban: That was one of the medications that Joe Graedon was hearing a lot of complaints about from his listeners. First he wrote the FDA about it but they took no action. Then he got ConsumerLab to test Teva’s generic Wellbutrin XL, and lo and behold, the generic dumped the active ingredient into the bloodstream much faster than the brand. It was like guzzling three glasses of wine as opposed to drinking them over the course of a day. The patients were complaining of dizziness, suicidal thoughts, and nausea. That discovery shamed the FDA into conducting their own study, and that generic was forced from the market. Then one of the FDA officials who had spent years telling Joe Graedon “everything was fine” ended up going to work at Teva, which was essentially the company the official had been protecting for years.
TCPR: Why do we see more problems with ER medications? Can’t a company just make an identical ER mechanism after the patent runs out?
Ms. Eban: The mechanisms may be in the public domain, but the manufacturing techniques are not. The brand-name companies don’t turn over their recipes, so everything has to be reverse-engineered.
TCPR: When did generic manufacturing start to move overseas?
Ms. Eban: It started slowly in the 1980s and quickened with the launch of the new century. By 2004 the FDA had more overseas plants to inspect than it did within the US.
TCPR: Have the brand-name manufacturers also shifted overseas, or is this just affecting generics?
Ms. Eban: Western brand-name companies have bought up a number of manufacturing plants overseas, so this is not a problem that is exclusive to generics. In the book, I do feature a number of brand-name companies who are essentially getting duped within their own plants by supervisors who are faking data. But the bigger problem is driven by the financial model of the generic drug industry. Profit margins are slim, because generic competition causes the prices to plunge. That leaves little incentive for quality.
TCPR: How widespread is this problem?
Ms. Eban: There aren’t a lot of data on this, but here’s a metric. The book features a young FDA investigator named Peter Baker. He inspected 86 plants in India and China over four years, from 2012 to 2016, and found evidence of fraud in four-fifths of those plants. So it’s fairly widespread.
TCPR: How did he uncover the fraud?
Ms. Eban: Instead of relying on data printouts, Baker looked into the plants’ computer systems, and there he found metadata evidence of test manipulation. Some plants were secretly pretesting their drugs to see if they would pass, and if they wouldn’t then they’d manipulate the testing parameters. They’d delete those pretests, which they were supposed to share with the FDA.
TCPR: Your book focuses on India and China. Have you seen this problem in other countries?
Ms. Eban: I don’t think it’s unique to those countries, but regulatory break-downs have made it more common there. The plants in India and China are not being scrutinized by their own regulators, so the scrutiny is left up to the FDA, and thus it’s become a game of how to trick the FDA inspectors.
TCPR: Did your investigations uncover any hope?
Ms. Eban: The book tells the story of a heroic whistleblower who exposed incredible wrongdoing in India’s largest drug company, and he did so at incredible risk to himself and his family. That’s basic hope in humanity.
TCPR: What happened to the drug company he exposed?
Ms. Eban: That company was Ranbaxy. They no longer exist, but before 2014 they manufactured several dozen generics, including gabapentin, nefazodone, atorvastatin, and pantoprazole. Although the company was eventually brought down by the investigations, the conditions that gave rise to the fraud inside Ranbaxy have not necessarily changed. There are more Ranbaxys. I think we need to realize that we can’t really separate the issue of cost from quality. We need to build a system that incentivizes quality in generics, and I see some evidence of that happening.
TCPR: Seems like a simple change would be for the FDA to conduct surprise visits overseas.
Ms. Eban: The FDA had been relying on overseas companies to organize their travel. After the book came out, there were some congressional hearings where the FDA announced that they would stop that practice, but this is not a wholesale change in how they operate—their visits are still announced. COVID-19 has further derailed attempts at improvement because the FDA has put overseas inspections on hold during the pandemic. On the other hand, COVID-19 has accelerated our understanding of the grave risks of being dependent on foreign countries for lifesaving supplies. There is a movement in the US to reshore our pharmaceutical supply chain.
TCPR: We’ve seen a lot of drug recalls lately, like metformin ER. Are these just honest mistakes, or are they indicative of the larger problem?
Ms. Eban: These recalls are part of the problem. There is basically a worldwide scandal in which a carcinogen called NDMA was found in metformin ER, ranitidine, and several of the “-sartan” angiotensin II receptor blockers. An FDA inspector had actually identified problems in a plant in China where they were not investigating impurity spikes in their own drugs. He flagged that, but his supervisors at the FDA ignored the finding. The FDA has become increasingly industry-friendly and often downgrades the findings of its own inspectors.
TCPR: You’ve uncovered clear problems. Are doctors seeing the results?
Ms. Eban: It’s hard to connect the dots. How do you know if a bad outcome is due to a bad drug? Doctors who prescribe drugs with a narrow therapeutic index are more likely to make the connection. At the Cleveland Clinic, the transplant team figured out that their patients were suffering organ rejection after being switched to a certain Indian-manufactured immunosuppressant.
TCPR: What can clinicians do about this?
Ms. Eban: Clinicians usually don’t know which generic their patient is taking. But if they have a patient who’s suddenly become unstable, it might be worth finding out if the pharmacy dispensed drugs from a different manufacturer.
TCPR: Do any medications or manufacturers stand out?
Ms. Eban: I don’t want to be in a position of calling winners and losers. But I get a lot of queries about that, so I’ve created a five-step guide at www.katherineeban.com/guide. Patients can start by finding out who manufactured their medicine. They can check if that manufacturer has run afoul of the FDA—namely, if there have been problems with sterility (ie, contamination) or data integrity (ie, fraud). If there are problems, patients can find another manufacturer from the FDA’s Orange Book and request a change.
TCPR: What’s next for you?
Ms. Eban: I have been investigating the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19 for Vanity Fair magazine. Unfortunately, I’m going to be doing a lot more of that.
TCPR: Thank you for your time, Ms. Eban.
Table: Generic Stumbles From The Past
PO Box 626, Newburyport MA 01950


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On June 25, Honda of Morgan Hill celebrated the end of their month-long campaign “Christmas in June,” which was able to offer 35 brand new bicycles and helmets to needy children within the South County community.
The event kicked off June 1, with the dealership, located at 17100 Laurel Road, partnering with Bikes Because We Care, according to a press release from Honda of Morgan Hill
The bikes were delivered to the dealership on June 1, and were on display June 25. Dealership mechanics performed safety inspections and helped to assemble every bike before they were delivered to children.
Bikes Because We Care is a local nonprofit in the Morgan Hill and San Jose community that has been donating bikes since 2007 and usually delivers the bikes during the December holiday season. Honda of Morgan Hill has been supporting Bikes Because We Care for years, and when founder Mark Reuter reached out to see if the two could partner in the middle of the year, Honda of Morgan Hill owner Ted Stevens didn’t even hesitate, reads the press release.
Christmas in June was born to create a spirit of giving that went on throughout the entire month at the dealership. On Sunday, June 25 one very gracious Honda employee came dressed as Santa Claus—complete with board shorts and a surfboard—to surprise the kids. The bikes were donated to children within St. Catherine Church community and Community Solutions, both of which serve residents and families in need in Morgan Hill and beyond.


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LG G7 is the supposed successor of LG G6 about to be launched, nobody knows when. Not knowingly when it is about to launch, but sure about the impact it’s going to make, we gather some rumors and developed a story. Afterwards, the company said that it will not be releasing the phone near MWC and not even months after that. Later on, the confusion got even troubling as we are not sure what device it is going to be a newer LG V7, an LG V30s or that “Judy” thing that too appeared in a leak.
We don’t know what it’s going to be, but what we know is that a new mysterious video has surfaced, created by Ynet news, claimed to be an LG G7 (Neo) showing an iPhone X-like notch at the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry, MWC in Barcelona.
The much-anticipated G7 has apparently been canceled or rebuilt from scratch, according to past rumors, but this new leak tells a different story. The Ynet News posted images as well as video of the alleged LG G7, presented as G7 (Neo).
Yes, ‘the notch’, this is another device (I don’t know 6th maybe) inspired by the Cupertino giant, Apple’s iPhone X in this regard. Though the notch is intelligently hidden by the software at times, yet it is there, (I can’t believe). Why are Android-powered manufacturers so eager to copy Apple?
Anyhow, what the leak says about the device is described as follows. The 6-inch OLED display has rounded corners too and a decently small bottom bezel. Its resolution is 3,120×1,440, with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio which is same as the iPhone X. LG G7 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset and comes with either 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage or a 6/128GB combo. It has a 3,000 mAh battery, which seems a bit on the low side for a powerful chipset.
The device has an 8 MP wide-angle selfie camera in the notch, while on the back you get two 16 MP camera sensors, both with f/1.6 aperture. The main sensor has OIS, while the second one doesn’t. The fingerprint scanner is right underneath the dual camera module.
There’s no official word on the G7 (Neo) itself. The phone seemingly came out of nowhere and is a total puzzle to us all. And one more thing we heard (a rumor) that the LG G7 (Neo) is accompanied by two other phones — the Q7 and V35 — and a new Watch at MWC.


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Kakao, the operator of South Korea's popular chat app KakaoTalk, posted a 64.5 percent loss in net income for the first quarter of this year due to a higher operating expenses from launching new O2O businesses.
Kakao reported a net profit of 10.94 billion won ($9.35 million) for the January-March period, down significantly from 30.84 billion won ($26.47 million) that the company reported for the first quarter of 2015.
Profits were down as a result of investments in new revenue generators that the company expects to come online later this year, Kakao said.
The company spent 221.4 billion won in operating expenses in the first quarter, up 14.1 percent from a year earlier, reflecting a greater spend in the search for new growth engines. The company plans to launch two additional businesses this year to its expansive menu of O2O ventures that could pay off in this regard: Kakao Hair Shop, a hair salon reservation service, and Kakao Driver, an on-demand designated driver service.
Although overall revenue inched up 3.5 percent year-over-year to 242.4 billion won ($208 million) from 234.39 billion won in the first quarter of 2015, Kakao's operating income dropped 47.7 percent drop to 21.09 billion. It was 40.35 billion won in the first quarter of 2015.
"The decline [in revenues] reflects the off season factor plus the termination of deals with a number of ad network partners as part of Kakao's continued efforts to optimize ad traffic and revamp the overall ad platform," Kakao said in a statement released with its filing. Kakao said its advertisement business posted sales of 129.4 billion won, down 11.1 percent from a year earlier.
Kakao gets 53 percent of its revenue from ads, and about a quarter from games. The company said it raked in 70.3 billion won in revenue from games in the first quarter, nearly unchanged from the first quarter of the previous year, but a 23.3 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2015 because of a strong show from its For Kakao games and the popularity of its Black Desert Online in Europe and North America.
Kakao's CFO Choi Sae-hoon and Choi Yong-suk, head of IR and finance, said in a conference call after the financial report that the company expects strong performance from games in the second quarter in part from Black Desert Online's continued popularity.
It is also planning to launch an in-game ad model called Kakao Game AD+ in July, saying that "this addition will contribute to profit model diversification for game developers, allowing for an ad-based revenue model to the paid model and the currently dominant freemium model".
KakaoTalk has about 39 million MAUs in South Korea, with Kakao drawing 63 percent of the revenue coming from its mobile businesses.
Kakao added a web-based bank service at the end of last year to its list of business ventures, and in February launched a new mobile build to order (BTO) platform aimed at minimising inventory and combating waste from mass production.


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Two years ago, we saw a remarkable advance in 3D printing technology: a professor and a doctor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor designed a splint to open the collapsing windpipe of a baby. A licensing agreement signed this month between these specialists and the 3D printing company Materialise will help such splints become a medical norm.
Professor Scott Hollister (left) and Dr. Glenn Green (right) broke new ground when they created the tracheal splint and saved the life of their young patient, Kaiba Gionfriddo. Previously, there was no known solution to the problem of tracheobronchomalacia, which causes infants’ airways to periodically collapse. In addition, the researchers created the splint out of biodegradable material, so that when Kaiba outgrows the condition, the splint will break down naturally, eliminating the need for another surgery.
The success story was very unique – Hollister and Green custom printed the splint and weren’t certain it would work. Two years later, three more infants have been saved by similar splints, but each one has been a custom case: the University of Michigan is the only place one can receive such treatment. Now the researchers are working with the Belgium-based Materialise to bring their invention to a wider audience.
"This agreement is a critical step in our goal to make this treatment readily available for other children who suffer from this debilitating condition," says Dr. Green in an Ann Arbor article. He and Professor Hollister have been streamlining the production of the tracheal splints over the years, and he now believes that the technology is ready to be released to the public. In his words,
"We have continued to evolve and automate the design process for the splints, allowing us to achieve in two days what used to take us up to five days to accomplish. I feel incredibly privileged to be building products that surgeons can use to save lives."
Under the licensing agreement, U-M researchers are still able to perform research on the splint and continue to improve it. Meanwhile, they will receive funding and support from Materialise, which provides professional 3D printing in several industries, such as health care, automotive, and consumer products. For more detailed funding statistics regarding the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, read on with our Funding Statistics and Vendor Show Info report:
Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. pays a visit to the University of Michigan each year for its Ann Arbor BioResearch Product Faire™ held annually. Our next Ann Arbor event will be on July 28th, 2016. Biotechnology Calendar is a full service event company that has produced on-campus, life science research trade shows nationwide for the past 20 years. We plan and promote each event to bring the best products and services to the finest research campuses across the country. If you are a university researcher or a laboratory product vendor, consider attending one of our on-campus trade shows. You can click below to view pricing for the Ann Arbor show or have a look at our 2015 schedule or our new 2016 schedule of events for a wider geographic selection.


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In-N-Out Burger Lands in Texas
In-N-Out Burger, the Southern California institution, opened its first stores in Texas to long lines, media hysteria and a few murmurings over what the fuss was all about.
A few hundred people, many California transplants, either camped out the night before or got in line early at both the new Frisco and Allen locations in North Texas that opened on May 11.
"Our openings are always big, but I have never seen anything of this magnitude," Frisco Store Manager Scott Bayliss, who moved from California to manage the restaurant, told the Plano Star Courier. "At 10 a.m. we had cars lined up 150 deep in the drive-through line."
In-N-Out burgers are made with 100 percent fresh beef that’s never frozen and they don’t use microwaves. In order to keep to its fresh beef code, a meat patty processing plant as well as distribution center were opened in the Dallas area.
It’s also known for its limited menu that includes three types of burgers, french fries (fresh cut), and beverages, including three shake flavors. It’s also known for its "secret menu" ordering system. For instance, "Animal Style" means pickles, extra spread, grilled onions and mustard fried onto each meat patty. With about 260 restaurants in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah, Texas represents only its fifth state since its founding 1948.
"It’s really a turning point for this area," Los Angeles-raised Kip Cummings told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "The California spirit hits right here and begins to get entrenched. It’s very much a milestone."
In-N-Out Burger is planning at least seven more locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and an article speculated that the new distribution and meat processing center will enable In-N-Out to move as far north as Iowa and as far east as Florida to offer serious competition to McDonald’s and other fast food chains. At the same time, In-N-Out Burger is known for its slow expansion stance. It’s taken three years for to open eight restaurants in Utah.
Not everyone was blown away.
Michael Hamtil, Dallas Morning News‘ photo editor, said people similarly lined up when IKEA opened in 2005 and now it’s "just another big box store in Frisco."
In-N-Out also faces hometown competition from Whataburger, based in San Antonio.
"Whataburger is bigger, juicier, and their fries are better," Jesse Rede told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, after his first In-N-Out experience. "I’d come back, but it’s not worth all the hype."
- Thousands dine at Texas’ first In-N-Out Burger restaurants – Plano Star Courier
- First In-N-Out Burgers open in Texas – Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Will In-N-Out Burger hit East Coast next? – MSN Money
- In-N-Out Burger opens: Hype, or history? – The Dallas Morning News
- Tears and a two-mile-long line mark opening of the first In-N-Out Burger joints in Texas – Daily Mail
Discussion Questions: Does In-N-Out Burger risk losing its cult-like devotion as it expands? What is the expansion potential for In-N-Out Burger as it explores more eastern states?


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Lenzing’s flagship textile brand, TENCEL™, is celebrating three decades of sustainable fiber innovation this year. Since 1992, the TENCEL™ brand has empowered companies across the textile value chain to adopt more eco-friendly practices.
“Since its launch 30 years ago, TENCEL™ has always been envisioned as a solution provider for the textile industry,” said Robert van de Kerkhof, Member of the Managing Board at Lenzing.
TENCEL™ expanded its offerings from fiber creations to pioneering digital technologies.
The brand has exceeded expectations across the industry as ‘the trusted provider’ of high-quality.
TENCEL™ has collaborated with more than 300 brand partners globally in various consumer-centric campaigns.
As part of the “digital first” strategy of the TENCEL™ brand, TENCEL™ invested heavily in proprietary technologies to reduce environmental impact during textile production and developed platforms to support stakeholders’ sustainability momentum.
From the introduction of fiber identification technology to fabric certification and licensing services offered via the Lenzing E-Branding Service platform, the TENCEL™ brand has been a driving force towards full-scale supply chain transparency.
“Our partnership with the TENCEL™ brand began more than 20 years ago,” said Durai Palanisamy, Executive Director at Pallavaa Group. “TENCEL™ branded fibers are produced more efficiently with the most sustainable process and the least amount of ecological footprint. Since our focus is to promote sustainable yarns and fabrics, this collaboration is a perfect alignment, meeting our sustainability goals and those of our customers.”
“In 2022, we will continue to focus on producing carbon-zero innovations that make a difference to the textile and fashion industries,” said Florian Heubrandner, Vice President Global Textiles Business at Lenzing. “The next decade will see more sustainability-driven innovations unveiled to actualize our 2050 vision. We are grateful to have worked alongside our partners and colleagues over the last 30 years and we look forward to greater success in the next 30!”


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From April 9 to 11, the Stratégie Clients fair, the most important event of the Contact Center industry in France, was held in Paris. It was a great opportunity for experts in our sector to meet and exchange innovative tools to enhance the customer experience and customer contact points.
Stratégie Clients was held at the Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles in parallel to the E-marketing Paris show, giving thousands of visitors a complete overview of customer acquisition and loyalty techniques and technologies. It was an intense three days of conferences, networking and lots of activity in the exhibition hall. The focus of the 2019 edition was "relational intelligence": how to enrich the experience of an increasingly demanding and attentive customer, making good use of artificial intelligence and combining multiple contact channels.
The inConcert team participated once again with a high-tech booth presenting our all-in-one omnichannel solution. "After having launched last year the Marketing & Sales solution, linking marketing and sales, this time we focused on the entire customer lifecycle" explained Priscillia Oscoso, Marketing & Communication Manager at inConcert France. "We are presenting a solution that concentrates all the technology that may be needed to improve the customer experience: marketing, sales, customer service, service desk and collections. This ability to manage the entire customer cycle from a single platform is something truly innovative in the market."
Once again this year, the Stratégie Clients fair gave us a good overview of the latest trends in Customer Experience, encouraging us to continue innovating at every step of contact with customers.


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The most anticipated device of the year that is supposed to be launched in September sees more speculations around what it would be like. No official statements have been made by the company, but with Spring Event announced all eyes are looking out for the details of the supposed iPhone 13 (if that is what the company will call it). As for now the launch of four models is rumored which are the alleged iPhone 13, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max. Apart from the usual upgrades of battery here is what we are expecting of the device.
The last design was a major upgrade in terms of the feature and outlook so any drastic changes might not be underway in the upcoming model. The slap-like design is expected which eliminates the foldable design factor.
However, a notch-less screen might be a new feature, if Apple manages to put a face ID camera under the screen. Insider talks also suggest that the charging port is staying for the upcoming model as MagSafe is not reliable enough to solely fulfill the charging.
The screen is meant to change for the good and the better. It is said to use LTPO technology that will increase the refresh rate by two times at the speed of 120HZ. The feature is available in the market in Samsung phones and even Redmi sets, but all previous Apple variants are at a 60HZ refresh rate.
Another thing with the most speculations is the price of the upcoming phone. As no drastic changes or glow-up are expected to be seen, experts are predicting the price range to be similar to the previous versions. Nonetheless, it will help the company generate massive revenue just like it did with the launch of the iPhone 12.


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Xiaomi launches the Yi Action Camera with a spec sheet to match GoPro's entry-level camera and two-digit price tag.
The world's most valuable company joins Wall Street's pre-eminent stock index, a key metric of the nation's economic performance.
With its big-screened iPhone 6 lineup, Apple jumped past Samsung to capture a 20.4 percent share of smartphone sales last quarter, says research firm Gartner.
The company is expected to share more details about its smartwatch, as well as possibly introduce new Macs, an Apple TV and other products.
Sling TV is a new $20 per month live TV package with 16 channels, including ESPN, AMC, TNT, CNN, HGTV and the Disney Channel. How does it work, how can you get it -- and will it let you quit cable?
Commentary: The new regulatory action by the FCC has sweeping implications for the Internet, and the price we will pay over time for this radical shift will be severe.
Honda claims that it's brought the fastest front-driven hatchback on the planet to the Geneva auto show, and then it backed up that claim by smashing the Nurburgring lap record with the new Type R.
Which has the most apps? Which has the coolest features? Which one is the best? The most popular streamers all have their merits, so we'll help you decide which box is right for you.
There's more evidence that 2014 was a really bad year in the fight against malicious software. Panda Security says the number of new malware strains it detected doubled compared with 2013.
This crafty "Star Wars" fan made an incredible custom Millennium Falcon quadcopter drone perfect for Wookiees and scruffy-looking nerf herders everywhere.


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Sony Pictures is one of the biggest IT stories of the year and has naturally dominated the news cycle this week. We have sat and watched in horrified fascination as bizarre detail after bizarre detail comes to light. With it’s saucy combination of celebrity gossip, candid emails and movie specifics its pretty much news dynamite. However plenty of other stuff has also gone down.
- Sony Pictures struck by one of the biggest hacks of all time
- Google excludes Spanish media from Google News
- Piratebay goes down
- 2014 Marketing trends that won’t make it to 2015
- Mark Zuckerberg considers ‘dislike’ button
Sony Pictures hacked by North Korea because of… Seth Rogen?
Sony just can’t catch a break at the moment. The Sony gaming division went down for 23 days after 77 million user account details were taken in 2011. Just a couple of days ago the Playstation Network (PSN) faced another series of hacks. So it should come as no surprise that Sony Pictures was also targeted, what is a little more surprising is the extent of the hack. No one knows exactly how much data the hackers were able to get their hands on, but it is already looking like one of the biggest corporate hacks ever. So far private emails, user account information, scripts and even unreleased films have been leaked online by the hackers. A lot of evidence points to the hack coming from North Korea in retaliation for the upcoming film The Interview, but North Korea denies any involvement.
Take away: With internet security and user privacy coming more and more to the forefront, it’s becoming increasingly clear that you should always assume that a third party is reading your online communication. Whether it is a hacker, the company providing the service, or a government agency almost nothing you say online is secure. However that doesn’t change the fact that Sony Pictures appears to have been more than a little nonchalant, as employees have complained that funding was cut from online security despite the clear warnings including the previous hacks and even emails warning they would be hacked.
Vamos: Google News leaves Spain
Google News is stopping activities in Spain on the 16th of December. This move is a reaction to a new intellectual property law that would require search engines (mostly Google) to pay money to Spanish news publications whose links appear on search results. Considering that Google makes no money off its organic search results, especially its news search results, this law makes little sense other than as a measure to protect Spanish newspapers.
Take away: This law, nicknamed the ‘Google tax’, hurts Spanish newspapers more than anything else. Google search is a considerable source of free traffic for these newspapers; lobbying the government to charge for another company providing you a free service might seem like great way to make some extra, if unearned, money. But with Google News no longer showing Spanish newspaper results, these newspapers could now find themselves having to pay Google to reach the same audience. Ironically, they might have to rely on Google ads now. I don’t think the newspaper lobbyists foresaw Google’s action when they pushed for this law.
Avast ye mateys: Piratebay down
Swedish police raided Piratebay in Stockholm last week, bringing the site down. The police confiscated servers (apparently located in a server room carved into a mountain) and the website is still not back up.
Take away: Considering how controversial the world’s most famous torrent site has been for the past decade, it is a surprise that it has lasted this long. With most of the founders in jail or on trial it’s obvious that the intense media attention generated by the site has made it a top target for Swedish (and international) law enforcement.
5 Marketing Trends that didn’t take off in 2014
Ran Avrahamy in the Entrepreneur lists five 2014 marketing trends that turned out to be all hype. The list includes QR codes, auto-posting, viral videos, search engine over-optimization and responsive web design. It’s an interesting read with some surprising entries.
Take away: While I think most people would agree that QR codes are largely irrelevant for marketing purposes, the others are surprising.
- Viral videos: it’s difficult to have an opinion on the efficacy of viral videos because they’re generally not produced to become viral. But I agree that engineered viral videos for marketing tend not be successful: either the message or the audience isn’t there as Ran shows with his example.
- Auto-posting and SEO over-optimization: Both are useful to a point. Cross-posting social updates and keyword-stuffing are usually not good ideas, though.
- Responsive web design: I disagree with the article here. These days, creating mobile-first web design or using frameworks like Genesis really isn’t so cost prohibitive and is within reach for most businesses. Creating a great user experience is usually not a bad investment and for a lot of companies building your own app (which the author suggests) isn’t really a good alternative. But considering he works for a Mobile App Analytics company it isn’t surprising that he would suggest that. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg does not like the ‘dislike’ button
Random baby pictures and bathroom mirror selfies beware, Facebook is thinking about a dislike button. Before you start rubbing your hands with glee about all the things you are going to ‘dislike’, Zuckerberg isn’t about to just add a dislike button as he doesn’t “think that’s good for the community”. Speaking at a public Q&A, Mark Zuckerberg explained that while he can see the limitations of just being able to like something he doesn’t want the negativity of a dislike button.
Take away: Zuckerberg wasn’t giving much away about their plans but it does seem like they are exploring a wider range of possible interactions. He mentions expressing surprise and sadness. It will be interesting to see how this is implemented.
Have a gooi weekend!


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Nissan recalls 908,900 vehicles for sensor problem
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TOKYO — Nissan says it is recalling 908,900 vehicles around the world for defective accelerator
sensors that could cause the engine to stall.
Nissan Motor Co. said today that the recall affects the Serena minivan, Infiniti M luxury model, X-trail sport utility vehicle and other models. No accidents have been reported related to the problem.
Yokohama-based Nissan says most of the vehicles being recalled are in Japan. Others are in North America, Europe and Oceania.
The company says sensors, manufactured in Japan, can malfunction, causing the vehicle to slow down and at times stop.


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- News tagged "tablets"
Tuesday, 27 Aug 2013
The latest leak indicates that Apple's eagerly anticipated iOS 7 could be made available to the public on September 10, the same day that the company will announce the new iPhones.
Monday, 26 Aug 2013
According to reports, Apple is said to be testing 64-bit "A7" processors ahead of the eagerly anticipated new iPhone launch. In addition, these new processors are said to provide a substantial increase in performance.
Tuesday, 20 Aug 2013
This consumer-focused rating will provide consumers with a tool that measures the things that directly impact user experience - battery life, application speed and network performance - for a wide variety of mobile products.
Wednesday, 12 Jun 2013
Toshiba has announced a slew of products including Qosmio and Satellite P-series gaming laptops, Satellite S40 series laptops for everyday use, Portégé Z10t Ultrabook, Excite Pure / Write tablets running on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean platform, Canvio Connect portable hard drives, palm-held Camileo X150 Full HD camcorder, and a USB Mobile LED Monitor.
Monday, 3 Jun 2013
ASUS today announced the Fonepad Note FHD 6 tablet-phone hybrid which is powered by Intel Atom Z2560 dual-core 1.6GHz processor.
Besides the new MeMO Pad tablets, ASUS today also announced the new Transformer Pad Infinity which is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core 1.9GHz processor.
ASUS today announced two new Android tablets - the MeMo Pad HD 7 and the MeMo Pad FHD 10.
Acer today announced the world's first 8-inch Windows 8 tablet, the Iconia W3. It comes in two storage capacities (32 and 64GB).
Friday, 31 May 2013
Sony Mobile today announced that the Xperia Tablet Z will be available in Singapore from 6 June.
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
ASUS will launch several small Windows 8 tablets later this year as prices of these devices are expected to fall below US$300.


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Harley-Davidson reported net income of $127.9 million on revenue of $1.38 billion for the first quarter, down from net income of $174.8 million and consolidated revenue of $1.54 billion a year ago, but the company beat expectations for profit by more than 30 cents per share and upheld its shipment forecasts for 2019. Some analysts said they expected shipment forecasts to be reduced.
The company reported earnings per share, excluding items, of 98 cents, compared with the average analyst estimate of 65 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Earlier this year, Harley-Davidson said the EU tariffs would cost it between $100 million and $120 million in 2019. EU tariffs increased from 6% to 31% last June and are set to increase to 56% in 2021. Chinese tariffs on the bikes increased from 30% to 55%.
The earnings beat prompted a Tweet from President Donald Trump, who called EU tariffs unfair to the U.S., adding, “We will Reciprocate!”
President Trump last year seemed to support a boycott against Harley-Davidson after the company said it was moving some production out of the U.S. in response to retaliatory tariffs that followed Trump administration tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
“We are acting with agility and discipline to take full advantage of rapidly evolving global markets. Harley-Davidson’s U.S. market share growth and retail sales performance in the first quarter are further evidence of the effects we are having as we continue to implement and dial-in our More Roads efforts,” CEO Matt Levatich said in a statement. “We are driven by our unparalleled rider focus and deep analytics that are guiding our efforts today and into the future. We, along with our dealers, are determined to lead and stimulate global industry growth.”
Harley-Davidson said revenue from motorcycles and related products was $1.19 billion, down 12.3% from a year earlier. Sales in Europe were down by 2.1%.
Harley shares were up modestly in midday trading.


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Check out the hottest mobile IT news for Oct. 21, including Lenovo making a move for BlackBerry, the release of the Apple Pay update for iOS, how LTE-A will affect matching test equipment, what more sensors will mean for the hands-on approach to mobile devices and how our world become inhabited by more devices than people.
Motorola Mobility, which is being acquired by China's Lenovo from Google for $2.9 billion, has decided to close the only U.S. factory that makes smartphones by the end of the year, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Google and Apple, longtime legal sparring partners in the mobile realm, called a truce Friday in a joint statement that announced the two would suspend any outstanding smartphone patent litigation against one another. The two tech companies said they will work together to remedy the country's muddled patent system.
Last week saw a number of major developments in the ongoing patent wars among the major smartphone players.
Chinese PC and smartphone maker Lenovo has agreed to buy phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.9 billion, Google announced on Wednesday.
Check out the hottest mobile IT news for Friday, 10/18.
The new Moto X smartphone, the flagship smartphone for Google's Motorola Mobility unit, comes with all kinds of consumer friendly features, but these same features can pose a security nightmare for IT managers, according to analysts consulted by CIO Magazine.
Facebook has hired former Motorola Mobility executive Gary Briggs as its first-ever chief marketing officer. Briggs replaces Facebook Vice President of Product Marketing Eric Antonow, who is leaving the social networking giant after spearheading its marketing efforts since 2010: A Facebook spokesperson told AdAge that Antonow will exit next month to pursue a project related to his interest in education.
A new demonstration video reportedly released by Canadian operator Rogers Wireless indicates Google's forthcoming Moto X smartphone will integrate an always-on voice command feature enabling users to access services and information without touching the handset.
Apple ranked as the top smartphone maker in the United States with 39.2 percent of market, but second place Samsung posted the highest sequential growth rate, according to an online survey by comScore's MobiLens service


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Internet millionaire, Tom Gonzales, is selling his sprawling Lake Tahoe compound for $50 million. Besides the stellar views, the estate has one other key selling point: An underground garage that can house 30 cars.
|More than half of middle-class kids fail to earn bachelor's degrees|
|Samsung Galaxy S6: An iPhone for people who hate Apple|
|Stocks likely to fall further. Earnings stink|
|How Ferrari maintains its mystique|
|'Deliberate crash' a huge blow to Lufthansa|


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Walmart will implement the blockchain technology to make it easier to track the source of food contamination.
On pace with the growing demand for knowledge and interest in blockchain technology, IBM partnered with India to offer a class on the subject.
Recent Entrepreneur article outlines the ways blockchain could change the tech world for the better when it comes to storing data.
Decision makers should consider these three steps to make sure their blockchain company is on track to success.
Two blockchain startups have reportedly been coming up with solutions to one of technology’s newest problems.
Among the lawsuits involving the product and company Tezos, decision makers can evaluate the importance (or lack of) cryptocurrency has on their business.
The financial services industry, despite popular belief, is quite cutting edge when it comes to new technology. Here are 6 examples of FinTech of the future.
Over the past year blockchain technology has popped up more and more often, and in doing research I have to ask if it’s the next great technological advancement.
Two of the hottest topics in the tech industry – AI and Blockchain – share many similarities, and one day could converge to create even more proficient technology.
If you’ve been on the internet in the past year you’ve heard about the blockchain, but do you understand what it is? Take our quiz to find out!


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It appears that for many people out there, the scheduled alarms feature on the Google Clock app is flat-out broken with the bug preventing preset alarms from going off. On the back of this issue, the Play Store listing has now seen a deluge of 1-star ratings from disgruntled users.
[Update 09/06]: Google has issued a statement via a thread over on /r/GooglePixel, with the broken Google Clock problem likely a result of Spotify integration. A temporary solution is to just switch to one of the on-device default alarm sounds to ensure that your scheduled alarms go off on time:
We’re sorry you’ve been experiencing this issue, and thank you for reporting it. We’ve identified a fix and will roll it out soon. In the meantime, you can change the alarm sound setting to a selection within Device sound.
A growing thread over on the /r/GooglePixel subreddit noted that many devices have been skipping their morning alarms or haven’t shown as “upcoming” on their Pixel devices. The problem also shows any previously scheduled alarms as “missed” shortly after said alarm was pre-programmed to go off (via Android Authority).
According to the large volume of negative and 1-star reviews left on the Google Clock app Play Store listing, these broken alarms have been affecting people for a little while already. However, the problem doesn’t appear to be limited to just Pixel devices. Complaints come from owners of devices from all the biggest OEMs, including OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi.
Most complaints are from people frustrated that Google Clock alarms are broken and won’t go off, leading to late wake-ups and scorn of employers. While anecdotal, in the original thread on the Pixel subreddit, some have mentioned that when putting their phone face down in “Flip to Shh” mode this appears to be the culprit for missed alarms. This does hint that it could be related to the on-device Do Not Disturb mode and Google Clock not overriding any system settings. It’s not clear if this is what is affecting devices from other OEMs though.
Luckily, Google is aware of the broken Clock app with an IssueTracker thread (h/t XDA) noting that the problem has been “shared with our product and engineering teams.” Updates will be shared “as more information becomes available.” At least until a solution is forthcoming, it may be worthwhile trying out a different alarm app to be 100% certain that you wake up on time.
More on the Google Play Store:


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Following an investigation into the potential data breach of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro restaurants, the popular chain has learned of 33 U.S. restaurants affected by the breach. Also, no Pei-Wei restaurants were discovered to have been affected by the breach.
Rick Federico, P.F. Chang’s Chief Executive Officer, clarified the results of the investigation by releasing a statement about how the chain was aware of a potential security compromise on June 10. An investigation performed by forensics experts began shortly afterward.
“The potentially stolen credit and debit card data includes the card number and in some cases also the cardholder’s name and/or the card’s expiration date,” the statement said. “However, we have not determined that any specific cardholder’s credit or debit card data was stolen by the intruder.”
Fortunately for those living in Alabama, neither of the two P.F. Chang’s restaurants in the state has been affected by the recent breach. However, if you dined at one of the restaurants on the company’s list between October 19 of 2013 and June 11 of 2014, you may have had your financial information compromised.
P.F. Chang’s has become the fifth major retail chain to admit that its security was compromised by hackers. With the addition of this data breach, more than one-third of Americans have had their financial information compromised by recent data breaches.
Any questions in regards to the P.F. Chang’s data breach can be answered on the company’s security page located here.


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Flybe appoints The Corner to £8m ad account
Flybe, the budget airline, has appointed The Corner to handle its £8 million advertising account.
Flybe: appoints The Corner to its advertising account ahead of spring campaign
The agency won the account after a competitive pitch process, which included Now and Leagas Delaney in the final stages. McCann was knocked out in an earlier round and Joint had talks with Flybe but declined to pitch.
The process kicked off in November, with pitches taking place in December.
New creative will launch in the spring, with a different positioning for the brand. Although the media plans are still being finalised, Flybe is expecting to invest in TV advertising. Digital, radio, press and outdoor are also being considered.
The Corner replaces leisure and travel specialist Souk Advertising. Flybe will continue to use Starcom as its media buying agency.
The process was led by Flybe’s director of marketing, Simon Lilley. He said: "The Corner has a new agency hunger, but also demonstrated to us an impressive blend of major brand and big agency experience. They clearly understood our business challenges and backed this up with a superior customer insight."
In November, the airline reported pre-tax profits of £13.8 million for the six months to 30 September, compared with a loss of £1.6 million a year earlier.
However, Flybe also announced it would make 500 redundancies across the UK and proposed closing six bases (Aberdeen, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey and Newcastle) as part of an £85 million cost-cutting plan.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
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