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The stars of viral YouTube channel ‘Mandem on the Wall’, Joivan Wade, Percelle Ascott and Dee Kartier presented a fascinating midday session at Mindshare’s Huddle event about how to be a DIY Superstar in the digital age.
“We realised a massive gap in the market in the terms of content we wanted to see,” said Ascott, who grew up watching hit 80s comedy, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. “I thought ‘we could be the ones to fill that gap’”.
The boys, who started their showbiz lives at the Brit school, have taken their characters to many platforms, including the MOBO Awards and TED talks.
“We’ve really been able to push our content out there and really push our brands and ourselves, all starting from YouTube,” added Ascott.
Looking at other platforms, they felt Snapchat has dominated with children recently. “Each social media is a different animal,” he added, “as Vine came in to the picture, with six second videos, we had to evolve with that”.
However, their platform of choice is their JPD3 website which is launching the week of 16 November. “We want to work together as long as possible,” added Ascott, referencing the Wayans as influences.
Wade, as well as mentioning movies which are due out next year, talked about how their website will be a platform to highlight new comedians, whilst keeping consistent with the Mandem on the Wall branding.
“With comedy, unless you go to Comedy Central, there’s no grassroots way for people to see your comedy,” said Wade. “I don’t actually watch TV anymore because everything is online now.”
“I’ve had great experiences on TV but there are still obstacles,” said Ascott. “Online is what our demographic uses all the time and we know it well, let’s make it home; if TV comes, it’ll come.”
Wade talked about how when they got TV offers, they let online take a back seat.
“We need to give online platform love and respect – if you’ve got a strong audience you can take to TV and movies, TV and movies are always going to want you because you’ve got that following.”
With regards to branded content, Wade said “If it’s just becomes an advert, your audience zone out – you need to make it authentic”.
Wade expressed the difficulties of creating branded content with characters: “It’s a completely different type of branded content, the audience love them a certain way and we have to keep them that way, which can be difficult to build with a brand.”
“If you’re working with YouTubers, keep the soul, make sure it doesn’t just become an ad,” said Ascott. “There is a way to reach a compromise.”
Wade said this belief had led them to declining brand partnerships that don’t fit their image: “If you share the kind of message we share, then we would love to work with these brands together and grow long term.”
Ascott went on to talk about how brands need to understand the timing limitations of different platforms.
“We’ve sometimes done content we know isn’t going to work but we’ve had to do it for the brand,” said Ascott. “We sleep and breathe this thing, we have instinct and I think that takes you very, very far.”
With regards to mistakes they had made, they said filming series all at once so they were able to schedule the release time was key.
“We look at metadata, analytics, we look when our audience are online so we know the peak times to put content out, which is 6pm to 12am,” Ascott said, also discussing time zone differences and clashes with key TV events like X Factor.
Wade felt a big mistake was jumping ship to TV: “You’ve run away from what originally got you there in first place which makes no sense, you go back to your missus and she’s gone. Stay with your first love!”
Kartier mentioned they had considered a move to blogging to create quicker content. “We watched it back and said ‘our fans are not to take to this – this is not us’”.
“Following numbers was our biggest mistake,” said Ascott. “Be happy, make content you enjoy, be the master of your craft and the numbers will follow.”
Looking to the future, the boys talked about movies, going on tour, doing more online and live stuff and more content through their new website platform.
Kartier said “I will be doing the first stand up gig on the moon, we’re going to live stream it and stuff, so make sure to look out for that.”
Ascott added “I still want to win that Oscar but I will keep doing this for now!”


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Securing the smart shop floor07 November 2022
Narcisa Pinzariu tells James Crossling about job interviews, inspiring female engineers, and why cyber security must keep pace with digital transformation.
Article feature in the latest issue of the AMRC Journal.
As recently as ten years ago, shop floor security meant setting the alarm on your way out and locking the door behind you. If you kept prying eyes away from your factory - your products, processes and intellectual property were safe.
The manufacturing sector’s digital transformation has been underpinned by the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) allowing them to integrate, communicate and interoperate. Efficiency, productivity and safety standards have all been raised, but so have the cyber stakes. Shop floor security has taken on a completely new meaning.
“The advent of Industry 4.0 has led to a prodigious increase of digital systems and hardware in global manufacturing; but the potential for harm, either malicious or accidental, is equally on the rise,” said Narcisa Pinzariu, technical lead for computer vision at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
“It’s not just a bug in the system that slows down your emails, cyber issues can compromise operations and jeopardise safety.”
In March 2022, automotive superpower Toyota suspended operations on 28 production lines across 14 plants for at least a day after a cyber-attack in its supply chain, halting the production of 13,000 vehicles.
In the UK alone, the cost of cybercrime is estimated at £27bn a year; £9.2bn of that relates to intellectual property theft. As the digital transformation of the shop floor gathers pace, so the vulnerabilities inevitably multiply - manufacturers face the twin peril of either being left behind if they do not embrace Industry 4.0 or opening themselves up to cyber-attacks if they cannot do it safely.
It was with this risk in mind that Narcisa led the creation of the Cyber Security Risk Assessment for Advanced Manufacturing report for the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, the first step-by-step guide of its kind that allows manufacturers - of any size - to complete a cyber security risk assessment of their operations.
“It is a starting point for manufacturers,” said Narcisa.
“In sectors like aerospace and rail, there are strict guidelines in place when it comes to cyber security. That is not there for the wider manufacturing industry, so we decided to create them ourselves by building our own framework using current standards, practical guides and technical documentation.”
The risk assessment has been written as a checklist, designed so any engineer can assess their own operations, identify threats and vulnerabilities, and put a plan in place for additional security controls.
Narcisa said: “We can’t provide a custom solution for every organisation; but this framework is that first step to understanding the cyber security risks and vulnerable points in any environment, whether it is a global corporation with thousands of employees, or a two-man operation.”
With support from colleagues at other HVM Catapult centres, the cyber security report was written by engineers based at the AMRC’s flagship Factory 2050 facility where, since 2017, the team there has built a formidable reputation in helping manufacturers incorporate digital technologies onto their shop floors and unlock the potential of Industry 4.0.
The paper has been the launch pad for greater emphasis on the topic at Factory 2050 with a new cyber security cell being established, driven forward by two full-time members of staff now dedicated solely to cyber security. Narcisa says the benefits of digitalisation are well known, but the impact that has on the threat landscape is less apparent.
She said: “We are really used to telling manufacturers about the advantages of connectivity such as increased productivity, faster remediation of quality defects, better collaboration; but we also know that potential vulnerabilities multiply.
“We have a duty to help manufacturers understand the risks when you go through a digital transformation but do not have the right procedures in place, whether that is unauthorised access, intellectual property theft or operational disruption.”
A combination of cyber security threats will be demonstrated in the cyber security cell at Factory 2050.
“We want to show our partners the importance of cyber security and at the same time debunk some of the misconceptions. The most common one is ‘We are a small company, why would anyone want to attack us?’, but you cannot think like that - with the move towards smart factories and digital manufacturing, every aspect of production has become a valuable secret that could be stolen,” said Narcisa.
“Often, it is not until we speak to manufacturers that they realise the need for cyber security; before that conversation they had not even considered it applied to them.”
Writing a cyber security risk assessment was perhaps not what Narcisa had in mind when she moved to the UK from Galati in Romania in 2012 to study chemical engineering at the University of Sheffield. After graduating with a master’s degree in 2017, she started as a project engineer at Factory 2050, her first full-time job.
“At the interview, they told me I would be working specifically on turbine blades. With no knowledge at all in this field I thought they meant wind turbines– I even told my mum all about how I would be working on these huge wind turbine blades.
“Then, on my first day, I was shown one of the jet engine blades I would be working on, and I remember thinking ‘this is so small’.”
Now familiarised with every dimension of turbine blade through a series of projects with a leading aero-engine manufacturer, Narcisa exemplifies how talented engineers rise fast at the University of Sheffield AMRC, now leading the computer vision team alongside studying for a PhD in anomaly detection using X-ray diffraction.
“There are five people in my team who focus on research involving visual components with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), mainly for the aerospace industry. One project is looking at the automation of visual inspection of aerospace components and defect detection using machine learning. Another is looking at automating the measuring process of an aerospace component using 3D scanning.”
In a manufacturing sector dominated by men, Narcisa is also one of the AMRC’s trailblazing female engineers, dedicating a significant amount of her time to STEM and outreach activities to encourage young women into the industry.
She said: “My biggest inspiration is Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu. She was the first Romanian woman to graduate with a degree in engineering and one of the first female engineers in the world. Elisa was born in Galati as well and overcame so much adversity. She paved the way for myself and other women to pursue their dreams and I have taken that motivation into my career, knowing that the only way to achieve what I want is through hard work and dedication.”
That passion is now being applied to helping to build the AMRC’s cyber security capabilities.
“Manufacturers are digitising, some faster than others, and their cyber security needs to keep pace,” said Narcisa. “There are occasions when manufacturers plug in a new piece of equipment, connect it to their operating systems and expect it to be secure. That is a very dangerous mindset and opens you up to all kinds of risks.
“You could buy a new industrial robot, for example, be told that it is protected with a password and conclude that if you keep that password secure, the robot is secure. But what if the robotics company you bought it from has given all its robots exactly the same password? It is so dangerous: anyone could access your robot, compromise your operations and potentially steal your data.
“Manufacturers need to be aware of threats like this and that is why the Cyber Security Risk Assessment for Advanced Manufacturing is so valuable.”
From artificial intelligence with aerospace giants to helping HVM Catapult accelerate cyber security. Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu would be proud.

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“It’s amazing how many celebrated startups have been revealed as essentially labor arbitrage schemes disguised as cool new apps. A decade of high-frequency trading algorithms, but instead of tightening bid-ask spreads on oil futures they just find the lowest possible clearing price for human work.”Kevin Roose, New York Times columnist on Twitter.
The above tweet was sent in support of a well-reported story about the impact of Softbank money on startups in far-flung places, from Bogota and Bombay. I read that piece in the morning and was ready to applaud the reporting team for its efforts. Roose’s tweet is jarring because we have all been to blame for buying and consuming, thanks to the labor arbitrage he bemoans. Those Chinese electronics and cheap fast fashion clothes don’t come for free. Some poor laborer somewhere is getting the fiscal runover.
The entire human history is built on screwing over the poor. If Roose and his coterie of writers at the Times want to haul up the technology companies for their lack of empathy and morals —great, we need to do that. I have been calling for better treatment of the freelancers and low-level employees by these technology-enabled platforms for a while. But we must spare some energy for reflecting on and changing our own behaviors. Softbank cannot force us to use the apps they support. We literally buy into these systems, and we are the ones that make them successful enough to attract an insane amount of investment dollars.
The most effective use of our energy would be to figure out how to get by without using any of these app-based human labor arbitrage services at all. But are people ready for that?
Like I’ve said in the past, it won’t be easy.


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Tilting Point, a publisher specializing in partnering with independent developers, has announced a three-game deal with entertainment tycoon Netflix. Yes, as the media conglomerate inches further towards world domination, everyone can distract themselves today with the first release in the partnership, Spongebob: Get Cooking.
As of September 27th, global subscribers of Netflix will be able to dive into Bikini Bottom and take control of the Nickelodeon superstar Spongebob in Get Cooking. As the title suggests, players will be taking the cook through some iconic locations and restaurants from the series and no doubt churning out Krabby Patties left, right and centre. Get Cooking functions somewhat as a spiritual successor to Tilting Points People’s Choice Award-winning game SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.
For an entirely different type of cooking, Tilting Point has revealed its next game to grace Netflix will be based on their own series Narcos, titled Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited. The app is slated for release in fall this year and will be a base-building strategy game, putting the player in the role of a cartel kingpin, amassing power through force or loyalty. The third game remains a mystery, coming to Netflix in 2023 via developer Emerald City Games. It has been confirmed the game will be based on a popular Netflix series, which sounds fairly exciting.
Kevin Sealla, CEO and Founder of Tilting Point, said of the partnership: “Our guiding principle is to find every way to maximize a game’s reach to new audiences, geographies and platforms, so for us to expand the possibilities for our games through this partnership with Netflix is an incredibly exciting moment”.
“We diversify and publish games on multiple platforms and services, depending where they fit best, and we know that mobile games like SpongeBob: Get Cooking, Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited, and more that are in development, are all perfect matches and will provide incredibly rewarding experiences for Netflix members.”


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In the past, the league has offered incentives to encourage fans to donate to charitable causes, but now the NFL says the gift card giveaway program will be expanded beyond its traditional gift card offerings.
The NFL has said the card giveaway will give fans a way to support the teams and players they love and give them a chance to win a card in the process.
The league has said this initiative will be the first of its kind in the NFL’s history.
In 2016, the NFL donated $20 million worth of cards to organizations that help raise money for charities, including organizations dedicated to veterans, children, the elderly and others.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the league expects to sell out the cards in just under a month.


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Seeking to boost its investments in India, France on Monday announced that its companies would invest nearly 10 billion euro (about Rs. 720 crore) by 2012. It promised the inflows to be even better if multi-brand retail and insurance sectors were liberalised. Speaking at the Indo-France Business Forum organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) here, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, who is part of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s entourage, said: “The 10-billion euro commitment by French businesses to invest in India between 2008 and 2012, could be a lot more if opportunities come up by the opening of insurance and multi brand retail. French companies would respond in a rigorous manner. Everything is about give and take, it’s a two-way street.” Ms. Lagarde suggested that in order to ensure that the margins of the big retailers were not excessive, a process of consultation and dialogue could be initiated by the government with retailers.
Allaying fears on the stability of Euro zone, Ms. Lagarde said that the European Union would defend the European financial alliance and would certainly not give up the euro. “We have put together a $1,000 billion European Fund (which includes the European contribution and IMF assistance) to bail out any EU member state that is in difficulty,” she said. Responding to the remarks by the French Finance Minister, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said liberalisation of the two sectors was very much on government’s agenda but the policy has to be calibrated.
“Relaxation of FDI cap on insurance and multi-brand retail is very much on the agenda. As far as insurance is concerned, the government has initiated the Parliamentary process to create a legislation to go in for 49 per cent FDI in the sector,” he said. At present FDI up to 26 per cent is allowed in the insurance sector. On FDI in multi-brand retail, Dr. Ahluwalia said, several ministries have supported the proposal for allowing FDI in the sector. The government has already put out a discussion paper on the politically sensitive subject. A joint statement issued after talks between the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and Mr. Sarkozy, said that the two governments were committed to more than doubling their trade by 2012 to 12 billion euro from 5 billion euro in 2008. The areas of investment and trade include automobiles, electrical equipment, rail transport and water utilities. It said France and India recognised the importance of agriculture and food processing sector for ensuring affordable food production in both the countries. – BBC


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Job site Ladders Inc. launched a news section of its website on Tuesday covering workplace issues led by two well-known business journalists.
The site plans to publish five to a dozen pieces of content a day, including articles, videos, GIFs and fact cards about work.
Content will come primarily from its editorial staff of two reporters, two editors, a viral video editor and an editorial designer, with additions from some freelancers.
The editorial staff size at launch is eight people.
“We spend a third or more of our lives at work, yet office life tends to get treated as an afterthought,” said Ryan Sager, editorial director, in a statement. “We see the workplace as the day-to-day arena of human achievement, a place where small personal battles are won and lost every hour.”
Sager developed and launched Review, the popular WSJ Weekend section devoted to books and ideas, and he also worked at Time magazine and the New York Post.
Heidi Moore is the site’s editor in chief. She also formerly worked at The Wall Street Journal, and she launched the U.S. business section of The Guardian and then revamped business coverage at Mashable.
She will oversee the site’s daily reporting of news, profiles and features.
Ladders is not the only job site adding business and work-related content. Monster.com hired Money executive editor Margaret Magnarelli in 2015 to expand its editorial content, and LinkedIn has been producing its own content as well.
Ladders, which was founded in 2003, believes it’s strategy is different because it has a news-based model that will include daily news about the world of work in addition to coverage of important psychological studies, pop culture and celebrity, and sports as well as economics and social policy.
Stories from the website will also be delivered through the Ladders newsletter, which reaches nearly 10 million readers per month.


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Ride-hailing companies like Uber could reach more than five times the size of the taxi market, Goldman Sachs said. » Read More
By: Robert Ferris
Tesla's workplace injury rate has exceeded the auto industry average in recent years, according to a new report from a California nonprofit. » Read More
By: Robert Ferris
Tesla shares could surge past $500 if the company sticks to its own production and sales targets, says Baird analyst Ben Kallo. » Read More
European markets were mixed on Wednesday, extending the losses seen in Asian markets, after Moody's downgraded its credit rating for the world's second-largest economy China. » Read More
Americans are setting a record when it comes to how they're paying for their new vehicles.
Shares of Tesla Motors will have a hard time going higher because of this, Citron's Andrew Left says.
Some 75 percent of drivers say they would be afraid to be driven by an autonomous vehicle, according to a recent survey by the AAA.
As the 86th Geneva International Motor Show kicks off, CNBC takes a look at some of the top new cars which have already been unveiled.
Tesla Motors shares dropped Tuesday as Citron Research revealed a short position in the electric automaker's stock.
U.S. auto sales in February showed no signs of decelerating as most major automakers on Tuesday posted big gains from a year ago.
The world's most elite automakers unveiled their latest productions ahead of Switzerland's Geneva Auto Show.
U.S. carmaker Ford has taken a step in to the world of cycling with a new patent for an automatic kickstand
Carmakers are unveiling new models at the Geneva Motor Show, but amid the glitz, the emissions scandal is never far away.
The VW naysayers are turning a blind eye to the impressive line-up of new super- and hyper-cars debuting in Geneva.
After logging millions of miles in autonomous-drive mode, one of Google's self-driving cars has finally been the cause of an accident.
Volkswagen’s CEO, Matthias Müller, discusses the company’s investment strategies and why some projects may be postponed.
The billionaire's company offered to buy the 18 percent of auto parts maker Federal-Mogul that it does not already own for about $213 million.
Silicon Valley start-ups are getting in on the business of car sales.
Ford Motor is recalling 51,470 Transit wagons in North American because the rear seat belts may not latch properly.
Speed versus safety — not sticker price — shape these vehicles' premium rates, an annual Insure.com study reveals.
Car owners are saying many of their vehicles' high-tech features fail to work on a regular basis.
Carmaker reaches its mid-term targets ahead of schedule, helped by cost cuts, price increases and a recovery in European demand.
Driverless and connected cars will be "modular," allowing drivers to replace parts and upgrade software to keep the vehicle up to date.
The navigation app Waze is giving users the option to get turn-by-turn directions from Morgan Freeman.


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The online Burning Man is now underway, after the event decided way back in April that they would not hold an in-person gathering at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. But it’s not really an online Burning Man — it’s actually eight different online Burning Mans, all built by different
Staying safe in the real world can be a hassle. Installing a home security network? Expensive. Training a guard dog? Time-consuming. Hiding your wallet in an under-the-pants fanny pack? Sweaty. Luckily, staying safe online is more manageable. In fighting back against hackers, viruses, and online trackers, here are some of the easiest, cheapest ways to protect you and your data when using the Internet.


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Tokyo, 2nd July 2020 – SOURCENEXT Corporation announced today that on June 29th, the U.S. subsidiary Sourcenext Inc. was selected by Newsweek as one of the “50 Businesses That Stood Out During the Pandemic”. The article highlights 50 companies across various industries that stepped up to help others during the COVID 19 pandemic, and Sourcenext Inc. was honorably selected for its contributions made through the donation of 850 units of their pocket translator device, “POCKETALK” to first responders and medical institutes in the US. Other notable companies that were selected include companies such as Apple and Nike.
The Sourcenext Group are committed to continue supporting the people who are fighting against the spreading of the COVID 19.
Pocketalk™ is a portable and AI-based real-time language translation device developed by Sourcenext that overcomes language barriers and bridges the gaps between currently 75 different spoken languages (55 of which are spoken and written languages; another 20 are text-only). The integrated SIM card provides functionality in over 130 countries - at no additional cost. With more than 700,000 devices sold worldwide, Pocketalk is manufactured and distributed by Sourcenext, the largest provider and developer of software, hardware and IoT products in Japan.
Find out more at https://europe.pocketalk.net


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Pokemon Go developers Niantic have officially released exciting details about the upcoming Pokemon Go Fest 2021. The announcement was made back in April and a couple of months later, the Trainers have the details regarding the major event. The eventual Pokemon Go Fest 2021 Raid Day is set to be live on Sunday, 18th of July, 2021. Along with this, they have also released the updates coming to Raid Battles in Pokémon Go. However, this is in celebration of four years of Raid Battles and five years of Pokémon Go, which makes it even more special.
Pokemon Go Fest 2021: Raid Day Details
Niantic has confirmed that this year, Pokemon Go Fest will feature all the Legendary Pokémon discovered in Pokemon Go ever since the launch in the upcoming Pokemon Go Fest 2021 Raid Day. Each Legendary Pokemon will be appearing in five-star raids during one of four themed hours on a rotation throughout the second day of the Fest. The list includes as follows:
- During Wind Hour, occurring from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time, Mewtwo, Ho-Oh, Latias, Latios, Regigigas, Altered Forme Giratina, Cresselia, Virizion, and Therian Forme Tornadus will be appearing in five-star raids.
- With the Lava Hour, occurring from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, Moltres, Entei, Regirock, Groudon, Heatran, Reshiram, Terrakion, Therian Forme Landorus, and Yveltal will be appearing in five-star raids.
- During Frost Hour, occurring from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time, Articuno, Suicune, Lugia, Regice, Kyogre, Palkia, and Kyurem will be appearing in five-star raids. Plus, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf will be appearing in five-star raids in the regions that they normally appear in!
- In the Thunder Hour, occurring from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time, Zapdos, Raikou, Registeel, Rayquaza, Dialga, Cobalion, Therian Forme Thundurus, Zekrom, and Xerneas will be appearing in five-star raids.
- Mythical Pokémon will not be appearing in five-star raids.
Confirmed by Niantic, all Trainers will be able to participate in this event regardless of whether they have a Pokémon Go Fest 2021 ticket, the ticket holders will enjoy some benefits which are given as follows:
- Get an extra 10,000 XP for winning a Raid Battle.
- Spin Gym Photo Discs to earn up to 10 Raid Passes. These can be used for in-person raids.
- Complete Timed Research to earn up to eight Remote Raid Passes. These can be used to join a raid remotely.
- Pick up an event bundle containing three Remote Raid Passes. The bundle will be available in the shop on Sunday, July 18, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time.
Upcoming Raid Battle Updates in Pokemon Go
Raid Battles have been extremely fun to have in the game, and Niantic has left no reason to complain anything about it by introducing a fresh update to the Raid Battles. This summer, Raid Battles will see the following updates.
This is going to be introduced to celebrate Trainers of all levels for taking part in a raid. For example, after a raid, Trainers who dealt the most damage or used a Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be exhibited for being the valuable participants in the battle. Complete certain actions during it and players can grant them.
Here’s a list of accomplishments that can earn the player a Trainer Achievement after a raid:
- Delivering the final attack of the battle.
- Dealing the most damage overall.
- Keeping a single Pokémon in the battle for the longest time of all participants.
- Using the tallest Pokémon among all participants in the battle
- Joining the raid from the furthest distance.
- Using a Mega-Evolved Pokémon during the battle.
- Changing your avatar’s clothing or pose.
- Using the most Charged Attacks of all participants.
Art and user experience updates
Along with Trainer Achievements, the Art and UX updates are also coming to raids. With this, the overall look of Raid Battles will be getting a makeover ahead of the summer. The stadium where Raid Battles take place will have a whole new look, and there will be other visual updates as well.
What are your thoughts on the Pokemon Go Fest 2021 and the Raid Day Battles and updates? Do let us know in the comments below!


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From the Ford Electric Vehicles Facebook Page:
On Friday at 11 AM PST, CEO Alan Mulally will have big news from the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas. We'll broadcast his keynote address on a Livestream tab on this page and have exclusive technology news every hour leading up to his address.
Although I've not mentioned it much before now, I'm very excited about the Ford Focus with an Electric-only Drive Train. The more electric vehicles we have to choose from, the better we are off as consumers. Ford has yet to announce the MSRP on the Focus EV, but rumor has it around $40,000, though this early in the game that could easily change. Currently, the Focus EV is projected for model year 2012 release at the earliest, so initial sales could come as soon as a year from now.
I've been closely following the developments of the Focus EV and other affordable electric car alternatives that I hope to bring you in the coming months. More so since I learned I'd have to wait 8 more months just to order another Electric Vehicle I've been considering. Given this, the Ford Focus EV is one of the few EVs I believe to have a good chance to become the first generally available (in North America), affordable EVs!


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Here is a roundup of some of the latest executive-level hirings and exits in the world of digital media business…
— TubeMogul: Paul Joachim is joining as chief revenue officer, leaving his post as SVP at Vibrant Media. He first started out in the tech industry as an engineer, then in IBM “Big Blue” sales and more recently as an investment banker.
— Vibrant Media: Meanwhile, Sheila Buckley joins the Vibrant team as chief revenue officer. A sales veteran who has worked at Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), Buckley most recently was SVP of digital, mobile and cross-platform ad sales at The Weather Channel.
— RTP Ventures: Two hires were officially announced this week, reports Betabeat. Battery Ventures alum Murat Bicer is managing director in Boston, and Omidyar Network alum Jalak Jobanputra is managing director in New York. The company also revealed the size of it’s U.S. fund — $120 million.
— Joule: Daniel Rosen has joined WPP mobile agency Joule as CEO of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) division, reports MediaPost. Most recently, he led AKQA’s mobile practice. In January, Joule hired Jonathan Tom, previously group marketing manager for Microsoft’s mobile advertising business, as VP of media for EMEA. It also opened a Paris office under former Motricity executive Ludovic Chayrigues.
— Adara Media: The company continues its hiring spree two months after having closed its $12.4 million funding round. James Bohannon joins as VP of engineering and Tobi Wessels is now director of business development. Greg Weber also joins from YuMe as director of sales, midwest. Bohannon previously held the same title at SmartZip, while Wessels was the CFO Autonomous Vehicles and Special Projects for Google.
— Think Realtime: The ad solutions provider has hired Chris Smith as its SVP of sales and marketing. Smith was previously president of VIBE Lifestyle Network. In 2005, he founded Blackrock Digital and later sold it to Intermedia Partners and the VIBE Lifestyle Network.


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Earlier this week, the PAL-region launch details for cutesy-RPG Rainbow Moon were unveiled; namely, July 4 at €12.99/£9.99. Now, publisher eastasiasoft has confirmed to IGN that the PSN-exclusive title will launch in the US the following week, on Tuesday July 10 at $14.99.
At the time of the PAL-region reveal, a glut of screens were also presented; peruse them here.
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QIB expands it Direct Remit Service to Jordan
By Leandra Monteiro
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), has announced the expansion of its Direct Remit Service to Jordan as part of its continuous efforts to further enhance its remittance transfer service, offering customers a more convenient and secure money transfer experience using the QIB Mobile App.
The service is designed to facilitate Qatar Islamic Bank customers’ remittance experience, the Direct Remit now includes four countries with a plan to expand into more countries worldwide. The Direct Remit service allows customers to transfer money to bank accounts via the QIB Mob App within seconds offering a smooth money transfer experience.
QIB has introduced instant account to account transfer services by directly linking transfer payment services with Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Jordan. Customers can enjoy real time money transfer to Jordan using Direct Remit service under the QIB Mobile App. By logging into the App, customers can select their desired destination and add the beneficiary they wish to send money to. The submitted transaction can be tracked at any time, from anywhere in the world within 60 seconds and receive instant updates on the status of their transactions via SMS.
QIB has previously partnered with the most prominent banks such as HDFC Bank, BDO Unibank, Habib Bank LTD to link the Direct Remit service with major corridors, namely India, Pakistan, and Philippines. For Jordan, Qatar Islamic Bank is collaborating with Housing Bank for Trade Finance (HBTF). QIB has adopted the advanced mechanism of direct host to host integration with major banks, reducing the transfer time to seconds and offering a 27 / 7 service for their customers.
D. Anand, QIB’s General Manager – Personal Banking Group said, “We continue to enhance the banking experience, offering our customers the best digital banking services through the QIB Mob App and are proud to be adding Jordan to our Direct Remit Service. QIB is at the forefront of digital innovation, offering its customers an unparalleled banking experience.”
Available on App Store, Google Play, and Huawei AppGallery, customers can download the App and easily self-register using their active ATM/Debit Card number and PIN. The QIB Mobile App offers customers the ability to have full control of their accounts, cards, and transactions and to fulfill all their banking requirements remotely. In addition, Qatar Islamic Bank customers can open a new account, apply for personal financing, a Credit Card, or open additional accounts via the QIB Mobile App.
IBSi Daily News Analysis
May 30, 2023
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Nicola Mendelsohn, the executive chairman of Karmarama, has been appointed vice-president of Facebook across Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia, replacing Joanna Shields.
Embattled retailer Morrisons has called a review of its £73m advertising and in-store marketing accounts ahead of the launch of its online food business and the roll-out of its M local convenience format across the UK.
Burberry has hired Kaitlyn Wilkins, a director of Ogilvy's social media business, to become its global director of social media following the departure of Musa Tariq in October.
Royal Mail has parted company with Antony Miller, the head of marketing for its MarketReach direct marketing operation, only six months after setting up the business.
22 Nov 2012
| by David Benady
The wide-ranging skills marketers now need demand a fresh form of career strategy.
EasyJet has recruited Ian Cairns as its head of brand and marketing communications as it looks to strengthen its presence across Europe.
HSBC's decision to review its long-standing relationship with WPP has certainly caught a few observers off-guard, but for others it is long overdue, writes Alex Brownsell.
13 Sep 2012
| by Nick Batten
Omega Pharma UK, the global over-the-counter healthcare company, is expanding its range with the launch of a diet pill backed by a £3m marketing campaign.
BSkyB is set to appoint WCRS managing partner Liz Darran to a new senior marketing position, as part of the ongoing restructure of its sales and marketing function.
Jaguar, the luxury car marque, is ramping up its social media marketing strategy, as it looks for more "relevant and innovative" ways to build the brand through digital channels.


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Itty Bitty Sous Chefs
Whether you’re the best home chef or just the busiest, everyone can use a bit of electric assistance in the kitchen. Rice cookers, steamers, slow cookers and more can cut prep time without cutting back on flavor.
“The manufacturers have given some weight to the fact that a lot of people, they don’t want to have these big oversize pieces,” says KC Lapiana, owner of In The Kitchen, a kitchen store based in Pittsburgh. “I think that the manufacturers have spent some time thinking about the profiles of the products and making them not only efficient but a little bit smaller.”
Slow cookers, for one, are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, especially among younger consumers, says Mary Beth Brault, group manager of corporate and consumer communications at Hamilton Beach.
Advancements in technology mean some models are more adaptable to your schedule, and they can be programmed to go into a “keep warm” mode to prevent overcooking.
“Slow cookers certainly picked up in momentum about five years ago when the economy started to go down,” Brault says. “The beauty of a slow cooker is that you can take a cheap piece of meat and turn it into a delicious meal.”
Lapiana recommends “multi-cookers,” which perform slow cooking, rice steaming and pressure-cooking without the hassle of three separate devices.
Rice cookers can also provide convenience for home cooks. “It’s changed in the ease of making rice and getting the right water-to-rice ratio,” Brault says. “And it really allows you to multitask better in the kitchen.” Some models double as food steamers, too.
Immersion blenders are another easy, timesaving kitchen tool ideal for soups and sauces, Lapiana says.
“You don’t have to cut up everything into small pieces anymore, just roughly chop them; I’m talking the garlic and the tomatoes. Once they’re cooked through, you put in the immersion blender and it makes it all smooth.”


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The warm islands of Grenada will soon become the destination of choice for many female travellers as the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) launches its ‘Grenada Girls Getaway’ promotion. The seven-month promotional strategy that starts on 1st June 2015 offers value-added deals on hotels, tours, and car rentals to two or more women visiting Grenada.
“During some of our recent trade shows in the USA, our travel trade partners requested that we create group travel promotions. Our research also shows us an increasing trend in group travel,” says Ms. Nisha Mc Intyre, GTA’s Marketing Executive.
Millennial females are being specifically targeted for the campaign, given their frequent use of social media, and history of influencing the travel patterns of other generational groups.
The start of the GTA’s Grenada Girls Getaway promotion coincides with the new airlift from American cities. On Saturday 6th June Delta Air Lines will begin a weekly service from Atlanta and on Thursday 11th June JetBlue Airways will begin a twice-weekly service from New York.
The Grenada Tourism Authority has begun an integrated marketing campaign that uses direct trade and consumer engagements as well as digital media marketing to support the Grenada Girls Getaway promotion.
Interested travellers will be able to signup for the value-added deals via Grenada’s official destination website, www.puregrenada.com.


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Locals gathered in downtown Riverside Sept. 30 for the annual Vintage Flea Market Fiesta. Patrons displayed vintage items ranging from clothing to home decor, antiques, mixed handmade merchandise, bracelets paintings, necklaces and more to sell to Riverside residents in attendance.
Food, drinks and tote bags to carry purchases were provided as the crowd grew under the beaming sun.
Vendors hung fabric and used wooden signs to accentuate their items while others let their items speak for themselves.
Many California Baptist University students attended this annual event and said they came across a lot of intriguing items, such as barbwire figures, old- school vinyl records, coat racks on reclaimed wood and rusted boot jacks.
Hope Overeem, senior biology major, said the deals were affordable and emphasized how fun it can be discovering items.
“It’s just fun to hunt down different deals because there is a large variety of different things,” Overeem said. “It’s an escape from everyday, normal shopping.”
Overeem also said she enjoyed mixing different styles and patterns each vendor had and liked the opportunity to shop for items like antique door knobs, cassette tapes or record players.
“It’s cool to get things you never saw before or get things you don’t usually get,” Overeem said.
The “Flea-esta” was the perfect place for bargain shoppers who are into classic styles that are not always sold in stores.
One vendor, Joy Haven, displayed many great pieces that created a peaceful environment to which visitors seemed drawn.
Joy Haven’s merchandise included plants, signs, vintage wear, glass, wood and washboards. Their stand was decorated with soft colors and a neutral aesthetic. The presence of cacti and flowers helped to set the ambiance.
Zoe Joy, co-owner and designer of the company, said she and her husband started Joy Haven together. Between the two, they create all the pieces for sale.
“My personal inspiration comes from my grandmother, a collector of antiques,” Joy said. “My husband’s father always talks about legacy, so we basically wanted to marry those two concepts and that’s how the Joy Haven was born.”
Faith Jaennette, freshman music major, said her experience at the Vintage flea Market Fiesta was great because of the many handmade items and retro styles.
“It’s fun to look at things that you don’t always find in the stores,” Jeannette said. “I like looking at clothes that have more of an old style.”
Many different vendors came out to display their artwork making it enticing for attendees to browse through all the booths and even buy some items.
The annual “Flea-esta” adds a fiesta kinda of feel because of a combination of prints, patterns and styles with a dash of music and food.
the event is expected to return next September


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Tornado Focuses On Facebook
Tornado Industries, a division of Tacony Corporation announces it has launched a new Facebook site designed specifically for cleaning professionals.
The site is an extension of the company’s TornadoWatch newsletter, which now has more than 7,000 subscribers.
The new Facebook site is intended to help industry professionals meet cleaning challenges in an efficient, effective, and environmentally responsible manner while adding the benefit of sharing two-way communication, Jolynn Kennedy, Marketing Manager for Tornado.
“We took a little time with this [because] we wanted to see what other [jansan] manufacturers have Facebook sites and how they are using them,” says Kennedy. “I think that helped us avoid a lot of trial-and-error and make the site effective and useful right from the start.”
Kennedy says it cannot be understated that more and more people, including those in the professional cleaning industry, are accessing social media sites to gather information, conduct research before making purchases, ask peers for product recommendations, and seek expert advice.
“With this in mind, our goal is to turn our Facebook site into a ‘Tornado Community’ where everyone has a voice, can join discussions, and can be a part of the conversation,” she says.
Although the number of people in the professional cleaning industry using social media sites is unknown, what is known is that more than 80 percent of Americans visit a social media site at least once per month, many once per week, and that a growing number of these people are using the sites for business purposes.
“We also plan to use our Facebook site to address the needs of end customers as well as our distributors,” adds Kennedy. “They are all part of the community we are creating and we want them all involved.”
Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by CleanLink.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of CleanLink.com or its staff. To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines.


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The Entrepreneur ‘Level Up’ Interview Series is a collaboration between Interac and Daily Hive. Whether you’re paying multiple employees, contract workers or sending high-limit transfers to vendors, businesses of any size can benefit from INTERAC e-Transfer® for Business.
When Melody Lim embarked on an opportunity to study abroad in Europe, she wasn’t expecting to return home as a candle entrepreneur.
The founder of Vancouver’s Mala the Brand, Lim’s eco-friendly candles — housed in metal tins with pastel labels — have been all over Instagram in recent months. The popularity, in part, is thanks to successful collaborations with influencer Emma Rose, Kitsilano’s Rain or Shine Ice Cream, and curated beauty boutique India Rose Cosmeticary.
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“I have always been obsessed with candles growing up,” the Simon Fraser University (SFU) grad tells Daily Hive over Google Meet. “I’ve always been a big DIY, Pinterest person. I like using my hands,” she explains.
Her signature scent? The nostalgic Cereal — inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast food. “It’s our most popular. It smells like Fruit Loops,” she says. “I’ve always loved cereal — the sweetness combined with the milk. That was what we launched with, and it’s still our number one seller over a year later.”
Just 18 months into her first business venture, the Vancouver native has already landed in major retailers like Nordstrom and Indigo — all without outside investors. In 2020, however, a surprised Lim took home $35,000 through Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize competition with SFU.
While Lim went to school for communications, it was a trip to Greece that sparked her passion for candle-making. In Milos, the then-student stumbled across a candle shop where the owner showed her the ropes.
“It was really cool to see a little candle shop in Greece, in a small town where there were not many people. He taught us the basics of candle making there,” she remembers. “It was really, really cool to see the process. I just fell in love with it. I thought, ‘Hey, I can do this.’”
Her time across the pond influenced the relaxed vibe of the brand, too. “I fell in love with the European culture and the slow, minimalist lifestyle,” she says, explaining she lived in Berlin, Germany while travelling around the region. “I was influenced by the aesthetic…and you can see that on my Instagram feed now. I conceptualized the brand during my travels.”
The name Mala also has a connection to her time in Europe: the nickname was bestowed to her by friends in Germany. “It means ‘kiddo’ in Croatian, and it just kind of stuck,” she adds.
Candle-making began as a “passion project” while Lim worked as a co-op student on local skincare brand Riversol‘s marketing team. “I ended up leaving and decided to give [candle-making] a shot. So I did. That’s around the time I collaborated with [social media influencer] Emma [Rose] on that first candle. Then I just took it from there, day-by-day.” Lim now offers between six and eight scents in rotation and — at the $35 price point — considers Mala to be “everyday luxury.”
For BC born and raised Lim, sustainability was at the core of her idea — especially when it came to ingredients. “A lot of the candles on the market are actually made out of paraffin, which is a carcinogenic wax made out of crude oil — and lots of candles use cotton wicks that contain lead,” the brand founder explains. “I also discovered a lot of fragrance companies can include phthalate — which I wanted to avoid doing.”
All of Mala’s offerings — which include milk and sugar, chai, and cabin fever scents — are made of natural soy wax. In addition to using eco-friendly tins (which are made from post-consumer materials), she also opted to swap out the usual cotton wicks for environmentally friendly, wood ones.
“We started with wood wicks — they’re kind of our thing, that’s what customers come to us for,” she says, noting that they’re also FSC approved. That means the wood sourced meets the highest environmental and social standards.
“They generally last longer than traditional cotton wick as they burn at a lower temperature. They create a crackle sound like a fireplace, which is unique,” she says.
Since launching Mala, Lim has also opted to have a tree planted for each purchase made. So far, the company has planted almost 20,000 trees via Tree Era and Trees for the Future.
“It was really important for me to give back to the environment,” she explains. “When I did more research about how I wanted to give back — I felt like tree planting was more tangible than donating money….[trees] clean our air and help eliminate harmful elements from the Earth.”
Lim’s business growth allowed her to move into her first warehouse just a month ago and hire a full-time candle maker. “It wasn’t part of our plan so early on,” she says, referencing the orders from the larger retailers. “But I couldn’t say no, we went with it. It’s going well. We are launching in 75 Indigo stores in coming weeks — and Nordstrom in the US and Toronto.”
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Instagram has been a major sales driver for Lim, but 2021 has been all about wholesale. “That means continuing with more major retailers, which is something we’re trying to do this year with Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie,” she teases. “This year, I want to focus on our line and hit pause on collaborations…but I would love to expand into a ceramic line,” she adds.
Lim likens Mala to the ultra-popular cosmetics line Glossier — but for candles. “I want Mala to be that go-to, eco-friendly brand for candles,” she says.
As for future goals, a storefront and perfume line are both on Lim’s mind. “I could see myself opening a concept store for candles… That would be amazing if we were able to open a storefront with the warehouse in the back and have people come in,” she ponders. “I could also see myself doing perfume. People often tell me they love our scents, and they would love to wear it.”


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The statement mentioned that the consortium will encourage begin ups, mid Caps and SMEs to join the partnership, leading to a extra innovative and competitive European area sector where new enterprise models will emerge. The group will create a state of the art satellite constellation based mostly on a multi orbit architecture that might be suitable with the terrestrial setting. The European Space Agency and private investments are anticipated to contribute to the EU’s goal of offering 2.four billion euros. The infrastructure supplied abroad will bolster the EU partnership coverage. The sun’s behavior has been monitored because the launch of the DSCOVR satellite.
With increased entry to the massive computing power which can be utilized to crunch huge portions of data extraordinarily quickly, it is no shock that we are seeing a watershed second in public consciousness of what artificial intelligence is able to. Some questionable ethics and the potential for bias are a variety of the the reason why the open supply instruments are causing controversy. If there is an error in reporting or we missed something, please report it to us or go to our information correction coverage web page. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, stated that layoffs on the firm will only be a final resort. Small companies can now charge for appointments on Microsoft Teams. The Americas, Japan and China all contributed to a decline in sales.
The Code Interpreter is an amazing software for importing and downloading information. Pietro Schirano, a designer, stated that the plugin extracts color from a picture to create a palette.png and that it additionally routinely compress large photographs when it runs out of reminiscence. The importing of large knowledge units and the dissemination of the chatbot have been proven. The Code Interpreter can be utilized to help convert file formats. Magicpin said in an announcement last week that it is servicing over 10,000 orders every day, up from 1,000 two weeks ago. Commissions on the ONDC platform are lower than half of those charged by Zomato and Swiggy.
There is an option to choose between several search engines like google and yahoo. The Manufacturing Cloud ERP has been updated with new instruments. Allan Tate, executive chair of the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, gave an summary of the event.
The Fears Of Ai Pioneer Geoffrey Hinton Are Examined
This pattern is prone to continue as we see the new regulation coming into pressure within the EU and the expected sector specific guidance within the UK. The Realme 11 Pro+ will come with a 5000 mAh battery and help a 100W quick cost feature. It has also been revealed that the gadget will characteristic an ultra-lightweight design which can weigh solely 183 grams. The Chinese shopper electronics manufacturer, Realme is soon going to launch its eleven sequence units, and to add to the joy of its anticipated followers, the corporate had revealed the show and camera specs of the Realme eleven Pro+ smartphone. The Commonwealth Bank Group has unveiled its latest technology hub in Perth, as a part of its broader strategy to contribute to Australia’s digital economic system and support a various pipeline of know-how expertise. It ought to be noted that Apple laid off a small variety of employees in its corporate retail division earlier last month, suggest reviews.
Tim Cook Says Mass Layoffs At Apple Will Be The Last Resort
Problems with synthetic intelligence have been taken note of by the federal authorities. The vendor’s artificial intelligence chatbot LaMDA can hold conversations and have human emotions, based on a declare made last yr by an ex Google engineer. Lemoine said that after he gave it his data, it slowed down development. While the pc scientist would not suppose a pause is possible, he does suppose that the risks of Artificial latest news Intelligence and its misuse by criminals and wrongdoers can turn out to be a hazard to society. The issues about the risks of the expertise are similar to these of other leaders who lately called for a pause in the development of the technology.
Making work environments safer and fueling new enterprise models are some of the issues it’s bettering. The advantages of artificial intelligence have trickled into the mainstream due to hovering curiosity in tools. Many synthetic intelligence tools have lately been launched, which may offer larger productiveness, effectivity and accuracy whereas promising to give the layperson again their own time. It’s no secret that artificial intelligence is reworking industries.
The show will only have a slender chin of 2.33mm, making it an almost massive full display show for users. In locations the place our market share is low, we add lots of people which are new to Apple. It improves our capacity to monetize on companies over the lengthy term. Luca Maestri, Chief Financial Officer, stated that rising markets throughout South Asia, the Middle East and Latin America had been responsible for the resurgence of the iPhone.


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Senran Kagura, that large chested ninja 3DS game, is getting a sequel. That sequel is getting official tissues for an upcoming promotional event. Talk about knowing your audience. Talk about knowing your game. [4Gamer]
Lewd 3DS Game Gets Official Tissues
Trending Stories Right Now
The official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account courted controversy yesterday after a tweet that some considered transphobic. This is not the first time that a CD Projekt Red-affiliated Twitter account has needed to apologise for a tweet.
Earlier this year, Nvidia unveiled a showcase of real-time ray-tracing using Phasma and some Stormtroopers from the Star Wars franchise. At their conference in Gamescom this year, they showcased the same ray-tracing demo - but instead of running off four Volta-powered GPUs, it was powered by a single Turing-powered GPU.


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Sales of index annuities and index life insurance fell in the 1st quarter of 2008 compared to the previous quarter, according to figures from AnnuitySpecs.com, Des Moines, Iowa.
IA sales dropped by 10%, while IL sales fell by nearly 25%, says Sheryl Moore, president of AnnuitySpecs.
“But when compared to the 1st quarter of 2007, the picture is more positive,” she says. “For instance, 1st quarter 2008 IA sales are up a little over 0.5% from the same year-earlier period, and 1st quarter IL sales are up nearly 20% from last year.”
The numbers come from the Advantage Index Sales & Market Report 1st Quarter 2008, published by her firm. The report covers results of 58 fixed IA providers, 1 registered IA provider, and 34 index life carriers. Virtually all the life carriers offer index universal life, but 2 also offer index whole life, and one offers only IWL.
Measured in dollars, the 1st quarter 2008 IA sales totaled $5.775 billion, down from the 4th quarter 2007′s $6.435 billion, but up from $5.733 billion a year ago. The 1st quarter 2008 IL sales totaled $122.9 million, down from the 4th quarter 2007′s $162.6 million, but up from $103.4 million a year ago.
The IA sales decline may be reflecting moves made by some major players, says Moore. “For instance, in the 1st quarter, one large carrier discontinued a marketing program and another introduced less favorable caps on credited earnings.”
The decline may also reflect carriers pulling back from their big promotional push in the 4th quarter, she adds.
Another factor could be uncertainty about the economy, she says, noting that people may be “keeping their money in their pockets” for now.
Still, she predicts agents will keep selling IAs–”especially now that several carriers are offering lifetime withdrawal benefits with the product. That should open a lot of doors and opportunities to talk with clients about using their IAs for income.”
But there will need to be more education about IAs for both advisors and consumers, Moore cautions. “There is still a lot of misinformation about the product, even among regulators.”
As for the IL sales decline, Moore believes much of this is because several carriers decided to disallow use of their IL product for equity harvesting transactions (where the client takes out an equity loan on the home and uses the funds to buy an IL policy, and then take withdrawals from the IL for retirement income purposes).
But IL’s future is bright, she contends. “One reason is that more large carriers plan to enter the market this year,” she explains. “And when big players come in, others will follow and distribution will expand. Another reason is that IL, with its downside guarantees and upside potential, will compete well against traditional UL and variable UL.”
The average IL policy face amount was $537,827, down 60%, according to the report. “The lower average face amount suggests IL is being sold to the mid-market,” says Moore.
Much of the report focuses on IA trends. Here is a recap, and Moore’s assessment:
o 17.81% of IA sales went into in the fixed interest bucket in the 1st quarter–up from 11.42% in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, sales going into annual point-to-point products declined.
In general, people are favoring more conservative allocations, and agents are concerned about how to allocate clients’ money in the various IA options, Moore observes. “They don’t want to allocate money to the wrong place and then face regulatory consequences if the clients later complain.” As a result, she says, many agents are now buying (third-party) IA illustration software to help them develop allocations, she says.
o The percentage of IA sales involving a surrender charge period of 10 years is up–to 45.2% in the 1st quarter 2008 compared to 31% a year ago.
This reflects regulators’ growing preference for IAs using the so-called “10-10 rule,” says Moore. (The “rule” says IAs should have no more than a 10-year surrender charge, starting at 10% in year one and declining to zero after year 10).
o Six IAs now offer a 10-year surrender charge period plus a 10% premium bonus, credited from day one, says Moore.
“The carriers are implementing ‘bonus recapture’ provisions, too,” Moore says. These say the insurer will take back (recapture) bonus money if the owner surrenders the IA before the surrender period ends.
o The average IA sales premium among reporting carriers was $57,014, while the carriers’ average fixed annuity premium was $49,457.
o The average agent commission for IA sales was 8% in the 1st quarter.


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Apple’s iOS 15.4 is available for download and Face ID will now work with a mask. Users will now be able to unlock their iPhone, autofill passwords using Face ID with a face mask. Apple says the feature analyzes unique features around the eye area to authenticate, although it cautions that Face ID works best when the whole face is visible. However, users do not need to wear a mask while setting up Face ID.
Apple iPhone users can go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install iOS 15.4. The update is around 1.25 GB, so make sure you have access to WiFi when installing. The file size might be larger if you haven’t updated your iPhone in a while now. You can also set a reminder for the update to install overnight while the phone is charging.
Here’s a look at everything the new iOS 15.4 update brings.
First, Face ID will work with a mask. The option for this can be accessed from the settings after installing the new update. Users will be able to access Apple Pay and password autofill in Safari with Face ID while wearing a mask. Users will also have the option to not use Face ID with a mask from the settings.
Capacity is limited to iPhone 12 and newer devices, which include iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, Pro Max, and the latest iPhone 13 line. Apple iPhone 11, iPhone XS and iPhone X will not be able to take advantage of this feature. Thus, they will always have to remove their mask in order to unlock the device.
Apple’s iOS 15.4 update also brings new emojis, including faces, hand gestures and household objects, to the keyboard. The handshake emoji now allows users to choose separate skin tones for each hand.
FaceTime, Siri, vaccination cards
The new update will allow SharePlay sessions to be launched directly from supported apps. Meanwhile, Siri can now provide offline time and date information on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 or newer. Finally, the Vaccination Cards feature applies to EU residents, where support for the EU Covid digital certificate in the Health app allows them to upload and store verifiable versions of their Covid-19 vaccination. 19, test results and recovery records. Covid-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital Covid Certificate format.
Other features in the update include support for translating Italian and Chinese web pages on Safari. The Podcasts app now adds episode filters for seasons, as well as played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes. Apple iCloud custom email domains can be managed from Settings, while the News app will offer improved discovery of audio content in the Today feed and the Audio tab. Users will also be able to use the camera on the keyboard to add text to notes and reminders. Additionally, Shortcuts now supports adding, deleting, or querying tags with callbacks.
Apple also changed the SOS emergency settings. Now users can call on hold to access it. Additionally, 5-tap calling is still available as an option in Emergency SOS settings.
Close-up in Magnifier now uses the Ultra-Wide Camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to help users see small objects. Apple will also allow users to include saved passwords in their own notes in Settings.
This update also comes with some bug fixes. These include an issue where the keyboard would insert a period between numbers typed, News widgets in Today view were not opening articles when tapped, and photos and videos were not syncing with the library. iCloud pictures.
Another issue that the update fixes is the Speak Screen Accessibility feature closing unexpectedly in the Books app. It also fixes an issue where live listening would not turn off when disabled in Control Center.


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In today’s computing environment, more and more companies are beginning to work with massive datasets, ranging into the hundreds of petabytes and beyond. Whether it's big data analytics, high-definition video, or internet-of-things applications, the necessity for companies to handle large amounts of data in their daily operations continues to grow.
The face of the MSP (managed IT services provider) marketplace is changing rapidly. Not so long ago the keys to success for most MSPs revolved around recommending or selling the newest and best hardware and software products to their customers. But as more and more companies migrate to the cloud, that approach is no longer adequate.
The cloud computing model has brought about a fundamental shift in the way businesses seek to meet their IT needs. No longer must companies devote scarce capital (CapEx) funds to the purchase of their own servers, storage, and networking hardware.
Businesses are moving to the cloud at an accelerating pace. A recent report from 451 Research indicates that by 2018, 60 percent of all enterprise workloads are expected to be based in the cloud. Yet many companies are still hesitating – not because they doubt the value of the cloud to their businesses, but because they recognize that moving their existing workloads to an entirely new platform is not a trivial task.
MSPs have built their businesses on offering a suite of standard IT services to their customers. But now many of those customers have begun migrating to the cloud, and taking advantage of the unique services the cloud model offers. That should be a warning flag for traditional MSPs. With much of their customer base moving to the cloud, those MSPs that don’t offer their own set of cloud-based services in a managed private cloud risk being left behind.
Traditionally, corporations' storage spending through capital expenditures (CapEx). The servers, networks, and storage arrays they require for their data centers are purchased up front, and then are depreciated over the…
The amount of data businesses require to support their operations is exploding year by year. Most of that growth in digital storage is taking place in the cloud. According to…
IT is reinventing itself. Not only are the cloud and mobile technologies revolutionizing the way we see IT, but the economic landscape is such that IT must evolve or implode.…
With the advent of cloud computing, the 'as a Service' model of buying software, enterprise cloud storage, and related trends in IT, many organizations are successfully shifting some or all IT expenses to the operational expense ledger, similarly abbreviated as OpEx.
A strong trend among businesses today is to forego expensive capital investments in IT storage solutions and opt instead for lower-cost cloud-based storage solutions that fit on the operational expense sheets. There are numerous advantages for moving storage costs to OpEx


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For the first time in nine years, Samsung or Apple didn’t lead the global smartphone charts. As per a report by Canalys, Huawei sold the most phones in the second quarter of 2020 — courtesy of its growing dominance in China, the largest smartphone market.
Canalys claims at 55.8 million units, Huawei shipped about 2 million more phones than Samsung (53.7 million) which retained the second spot, followed by Apple. While countries like the United States — where Samsung and Apple hold pole positions — continue to struggle with COVID-19 restrictions, China has largely returned to normal allowing Huawei to close the gap.
“Our business has demonstrated exceptional resilience in these difficult times. Amidst a period of unprecedented global economic slowdown and challenges, we’ve continued to grow and further our leadership position by providing innovative products and experience to consumers,” Huawei told Digital Trends in a statement.
That’s apparent in the figures too. Huawei’s smartphone sales fell by 5% as opposed to the same time last year. However, Samsung suffered a steep 30% fall against Q2 2019 when it reportedly shipped over 70 million phones.
Ben Stanton, a senior analyst at Canalys, says Huawei has been able to take “full advantage of the Chinese economic recovery to reignite its smartphone business.” “Samsung has a very small presence in China, with less than 1% market share, and has seen its core markets, such as Brazil, India, the United States, and Europe, ravaged by outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns,” he added.
Analysts are wary as to whether Huawei can sustain this top spot when the rest of the countries’ smartphone sales begin recovering.
Nearly three-quarters of Huawei’s shipments are from China and its ailing relationships in the west have cost it a 27% decline in non-China regions. The Chinese vendor’s phones outside of China no longer offer Google services due to the trade U.S. ban and that can potentially wipe out that remaining quarter of its business.
On top of that, Apple’s more competitive push through affordable phones such as the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE has also affected Huawei’s share in China. As per a Counterpoint Research report from last week, in the second quarter of 2020, Apple was the fastest-growing smartphone brand in China as its shipments soared by 32% year-on-year.
Canalys analyst, Mo Jio believes it will be hard for Huawei “to maintain its lead in the long term”. “Its major channel partners in key regions, such as Europe, are increasingly wary of ranging Huawei devices, taking on fewer models, and bringing in new brands to reduce risk. Strength in China alone will not be enough to sustain Huawei at the top once the global economy starts to recover,” he commented further.
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Cell phone makers shipped more than 1 billion handsets for the first time in 2006, driven by a strong holiday season in which shipments rose nearly 20 percent to a record 295 million devices, the technology research firm IDC reported Thursday.
The two biggest suppliers posted strong gains to boost their market shares in the quarter, with No.2 Motorola Inc. tightening the gap slightly with industry leader Nokia Corp. However, profit margins declined for both companies.
The fourth-quarter activity drove the year's total shipments to 1.02 billion phones, up 22.5 percent from the 2005 tally of 833 million units.
Emerging markets became a bigger factor in the industry's growth in 2006, accounting for more than half of all shipments.
"IDC expects this trend to continue as mature markets reach saturation and emerging markets, with much lower teledensity, provide ample opportunity for handset vendors to attract first-time users," IDC industry analyst Ramon Llamas said in a statement. In addition, he said, "Mobile phones are seen as both a practical necessity and a status symbol in many emerging markets."
Among leading vendors, Nokia shipped 105.5 million handsets in the fourth quarter, up 26 percent from year-earlier levels, to expand its share of the market to 35.8 percent. But with cheaper entry-level phones making up a large chunk of those shipments, the Finnish company saw profit margins decline from year-earlier levels.
Motorola shipped 65.7 million devices, a gain of 47 percent from the fourth quarter of 2005, increasing its market share to 22.3 percent vs. a year-ago level of 18.1 percent.
No. 3 Samsung Electronics Co.'s fourth-quarter shipments grew 17.6 percent to 32 million phones, its market share holding almost unchanged at nearly 11 percent.
Rounding out the top five, Sony Ericsson vaulted past LG Electronics Co. into the No. 4 slot. Shipments soared 61.5 percent to 16.1 million handsets at Sony Ericsson, a joint venture between Japan's Sony Corp. and Sweden's Ericsson AB, expanding its market share to 8.8 percent compared with 6.5 percent a year earlier. LG's phone shipments rose about 5 percent to 17 million phones, but its market share slipped to 5.8 percent, down from the year-earlier level of 6.6 percent.
For all of 2006, Nokia's shipments rose 31 percent to 348 million phones for a 34.1 percent share of the market, up from its 2005 market share of 31.8 percent. Motorola's annual shipments rose 49 percent to 217 million handsets, its market share expanding to 21.3 percent compared with 2005's level of 17.5 percent.


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Apple,a name that has been creating waves in the technology business since the 80s. A name that had almost died in the 90s because of the bad leadership in the company after Steve Jobs left the company. In early 2000s,the company came back with a Bang with the ‘iPod’ and ever since then,the ‘i” in all of its significant products has been playing a huge role. Steve Jobs,the person behind the success of all the ambitious Apple projects,from the Macintosh to the iPhone. It entered the cell phone business in late 2007 and ever since then,its been giving all the leading(at that point of time) cell phone companies a run for their money. Its on the top of its game right now and plants to be there. What’s next for Apple? If you ask me,I’ll be clueless because Apple can do anything. Ask Steve Jobs and he says,”Apple TV”. That’s right,in the biography by acclaimed writer Walter Isaacson,Steve Jobs said that he wanted to enter the Television business.
I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synched with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.
Piper Jaffray Gene Munster has been arguing for an Apple TV effort that was more than a hobby for many months. Munster’s view is that an Apple TV is coming in late 2012 or early 2013.
He said in a research note:
Apple’s iCloud service for media storage makes it simpler to own multiple Apple devices and share content among them. iCloud stores TV shows and pictures, but we believe Apple may add movies. While a solution for live TV combined with previously aired shows “recorded” in the cloud remains a significant hurdle, perhaps this code is precisely what Jobs believed he has “cracked”. We also believe Apple could use Siri, its voice recognition, personal assistant technology to bolster its TV offering and simplify the chore of inputting information like show titles, or actor names, into a TV (typically with a remote
Munster also says that, Apple will charge a steep premium for its television. According to Business Insider, Munster said that if a given television costs $800, Apple’s alternative will set customers back $1,600–twice as much because Apple thinks customers want an all-in-one television that isn’t tied down to external boxes. According to Munster, Apple will offer a range of screen sizes to appeal to many different consumer needs. Munster also believes the television will come with Siri support, allowing users to control their television with their voices. And in addition to iCloud integration, Munster expects the television to also be controllable from an iPhone or iPad, Business Insider is reporting.
He believes it will launch in late 2012 or early 2013.
Typical Apple,they make things that cost more than someone can afford but they do make the product worth getting. Lets hope they have something good in stores for us as Munster feels that they have a winner in hand.


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We've Got Pickup News Covered at PickupTrucks.com
Pickup trucks are consistently among the top-selling vehicles month after month and year after year, which means they appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers. From new pickups to comparison tests to spy photos to the ins and outs of towing and hauling, sister site PickupTrucks.com has these family-hauling beasts of burden covered.
Starting today, each Thursday we'll share what's new in the pickup truck world as reported by PickupTrucks.com.
Luxury Pickup Challenge
Our road-test crew put four top-of-the-line, heavy-duty pickups to the test in the 2017 3/4-Ton Premium Truck Challenge. Because three-quarter-ton pickups are often ignored on dealer lots, we decided to shine the spotlight on the class to see which one had the best combination of brains and brawn.
GM is redesigning its half-ton Chevrolet and GMC pickups for model-year 2019. Our spy photographers got photos of a prototype GMC Sierra 1500 in the mountains of Colorado.
As with other vehicles, pickup sales have slowed a bit this year, but a couple of brands — Ram and Toyota — are poised to shake up long-held standings if they continue their current growth trajectory.
Pickups Go Electric
Workhorse Group will start producing its extended-range electric pickup, the Workhorse W-15, later this year. The company revealed the truck Tuesday at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, Calif. We took it for a quick spin.
2017 Ford F-250 Photo Gallery
The 2017 Ford Super Duty F-250 King Ranch won our 2017 3/4-Ton Premium Truck Challenge. Get a closer look at this luxury hauler in our photo gallery.


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The government’s revenue collection from mobile phone companies increased by Tk 116 crore or 5.19 per cent in the July-January period of the current fiscal year compared with that in the same period of last fiscal year thanks to a growth in revenue income in December and January.
The revenue collection from the sector started to pick up in December due to an increase in mobile connection after a negative growth in the tax collection in the first five month of the FY 2016-17.
According to the National Board of Revenue data, the revenue board received Tk 2,342 crore in VAT, supplementary duty, SIM tax and source tax from five mobile phone operators — Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Airtel and Teletalk — in July-January of FY17 against Tk 2,226 crore it collected in the same period a year ago.
NBR officials said that revenue collection first entered in the positive zone in December when revenue earnings increased by only Tk 19 lakh.
In July-January period of this fiscal year, sales of new SIM cards and replacement of old ones increased by 1,31,491 to 3,13,72,911.
In the same period of last fiscal year, the number of new and replaced SIM cards was 3,12,41,420.
The sales of new SIM cards of Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Airtel and Teletalk, however, dropped by 7,42,058 in July-January, the data showed.
A total of 2.39 crore new SIM cards were sold in the seven months of the current fiscal year against 2.46 lakh sold in the same period of last fiscal year.
Replacement of existing SIMs, however, increased by 8.7 lakh in the months of the current fiscal year compared with that in the same period of last fiscal year.
In FY16, the large taxpayers unit (LTU-VAT) got Tk 3,717 crore from Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Airtel, Citycell and Teletalk.
According to the LTU data, revenue collection in the forms of SIM tax, SD and VAT increased by 0.42 per cent, 30.58 per cent and 0.72 per cent respectively in the period while source tax dropped by 8.46 per cent.
In the current fiscal year, the government increased SD to 5 per cent on mobile services including voice call from 3 per cent.
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With just a couple weeks left until Mobile World Congress, a clearer picture—quite literally—is beginning to emerge of LG’s next flagship phone, the G8 ThinQ. Previously teased in a cryptic video with the tagline “Goodbye Touch,” we now know one thing for sure about the new handset: It’ll take great selfies.
In a joint announcement with chipmaker Infineon, LG says the G8 ThinQ will feature time-of-flight technology in the front camera, allowing it to sense depth in all kinds of light. Infineon touts the tech as having little impact on battery life and providing faster results than the algorithm-based depth-sensing methods that we see in the Pixel and other phones.
We’ll have to wait to see exactly what that means for the G8, but the technology presents some very exciting possibilities. Here are three ways the new Real3 Image Sensor Chip could transform selfies and security in Android phones:
Augmented reality has yet to really take off, but a time-of-flight sensor could be what’s needed to power the next generation of AR apps and services. Light and accuracy pose the biggest challenges for AR, and if the G8 can solve these issues, it could turn ARCore-enabled apps into something we actually want to use. With superior sensing and a greater understanding of distance and obstacles, the G8’s camera could forge a better relationship between the real world and the virtual one.
Emoji might not be revolutionary, but Android phones have yet to deliver any true answer to Apple’s Animoji after more than a year. Samsung’s AR Emoji come closest, and, well, they’re not quite on the level of Apple’s smooth cartoon-style characters. G8’s selfie cam might finally replicate Apple’s system on Android, even to the point of bringing customizable characters that work in the dark. Now that would be a winner.
Super selfie portraits
Portrait mode has gone from being a novelty to a necessity on our smartphones, but it’s still not quite as good on the front camera as it is on the rear one. A time-of-flight sensor would up the ante considerably for selfies, as it would grant the camera the ability to sense multiple people in order to create Instagram-worthy bokeh-style shots with realistic lighting and adjustable depth-of-field.
Secure facial authentication
Apple unveiled its Face ID facial authentication system back in 2017, and most Android phones are still trying to catch up. So far, only a couple of phones have implemented secure face-scanning tech, and none of them use it for more than unlocking. It’s already been rumored that Android Q will include support for the biometric, and the time-of-flight sensor could be the thing that finally makes it mainstream.


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The Avia Smart Lock from MIGHTON PRODUCTS has been selected as the global winner of the “Smart Lock Product of the Year” award in the 4th Annual IoT Breakthrough Awards Program from market intelligence organisation IoT Breakthrough.
James Johnson, managing director at IoT Breakthrough, said: “Unlike many other smart locks, Avia uses the latest advanced 256 bit encryption for the transfer of data, and Apple HomeKit is widely acknowledged to be the most secure platform available, so the communication between the phone and the lock is protected at the highest level possible.
“Their innovations with the Avia product continue with their introduction of child safety features, and simply put - Mighton Products is now a leading force of innovation in the smart lock arena. We extend our congratulations to the entire Mighton Products team for taking home this 2020 IoT Breakthrough Award.”
The Avia secure smart lock is the first smart lock to be accredited by Sold Secure, which is administered by the UK’s Master Locksmiths Association. Itwas also the first smart lock to be compliant with the UK Government code of practice for consumer IoT and ETSI TS 103 645 Consumer IoT security technical specification, as well as the first smart lock to achieve the BSI Internet of Things Verified – residential IoT accreditation.
The mission of the IoT Breakthrough Awards program is to recognise the innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe in a range of IoT categories, including Industrial and Enterprise IoT, Smart City technology, Connected Home and Home Automation, Connected Car, and many more. This year’s program attracted more than 3,700 nominations from companies all over the world.
Mighton Products chairman Mike Derham said: “Avia is all about security and about peace of mind, so we didn’t want to make Avia just secure, we wanted to be able to prove Avia’s security credentials too. That's why we have sent Avia to the world’s best security testing houses for both physical and cyber security testing to be completely scrutinised, and we are proud to receive their validation, as well as the validation from IoT Breakthrough with this 2020 IoT Breakthrough Award designation.”


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- US-based Consumer Technology Association (CTA) had designed this logo for retailers and consumers
- These logos, as per CTA, help better identify products that meet key 8K Ultra HD requirements
LG Electronics announced that its TVs are the first in the world to exceed the strict requirements established by the Consumer Technology Association to define the new generation of 8K Ultra HD products and services. These, as per the company, offer four times more detail than 4K TV and 16 times more than HDTV.
“CTA is the consumer technology industry authority, and LG’s use of the CTA 8K UHD logo communicates a clear message to consumers that a Real 8K TV from LG will deliver the viewing experience they expect,” said Nam Ho-jun, senior vice president of R&D at LG’s Home Entertainment Company. He added, “We expect LG’s 2020 8K TV lineup to set a new standard for the TV industry.”
Debut at CES 2020
These new LG TVs will be making debut at the upcoming consumer electronics show in 2020. “LG’s Real 8K TVs, which will make their debut at CES® 2020, are the first to exceed CTA’s specific requirements including those related to resolution, digital inputs, high dynamic range, up-scaling, bit depth and measurement methodology,” read LG’s official statement.
The official industry 8K Ultra HD designation and logo were developed by the U.S.-based CTA to set a clear definition for retailers and consumers to help identify products that meet key 8K Ultra HD requirements. The CTA based its 8K definition on the threshold specified by the International Committee for Display Metrology.
These measurement guidelines are based on contrast modulation (CM) state. It states that the resolution must meet a 50 per cent minimum CM threshold along with at least 33 million active pixels in order to qualify as 8K UHD.
“Starting in January 2020, every LG 8K TV will display CTA’s 8K UHD logo. New 2020 models build on LG’s leadership position as the only manufacturer offering Real 8K TVs in two categories – OLED (LG SIGNATURE OLED 8K) and LCD (LG 8K NanoCell TV) – all delivering CM values in the 90 percent range, while some other models in the industry remain in the low double digits,” noted LG.


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It was a moment of soul searching that brought Eric and Liza Cioffi from the Central Coast of California to central Virginia where they are hoping for a fresh start with a crisp finish.
This spring, along with Eric Cioffi’s father Paul, they’ll look to become the latest startup in the local craft booze scene when they launch Courthouse Creek Cidery in Goochland.
The cidery will sit on a 10-acre parcel of land at 1581 Maidens Road that the husband-and-wife team bought in 2013 and where they have also built a home.
Plans for Courthouse Creek Cidery include a 3,000-square-foot production facility and an 800 to 1,000-square-foot tasting room.
The property is also where they eventually hope to grow the fruit for their labor.
“The goal is to source 100 percent from our orchard but that’s going to take time,” Eric Cioffi said. “It’s a very classic small winery model.”
On seven acres of their land, they’ll plant 30 different American, English and French cider apple varieties, along with a small lot for pears.
The Cioffis plan to apply for a farm winery ABC license that requires them to source 51 percent of their apples from the Commonwealth, Eric said. Courthouse Creek will use apples from nearby orchards until its trees start producing.
Eric, 45, said both he and Liza, 39, always had the dream to start a farm of their own. Liza taught for 10 years in a one-room school house in Parkfield, California. Eric practiced law and also worked in the food and wine industry.
At some point, Eric said he caught the “wine bug.”
But the costs of breaking into the California wine scene proved too high. The Cioffs have four children in addition to several pets.
“We sort of have the modern day Brady Bunch going on,” Eric said. “A 10-acre piece of land over there would have broken the bank.”
As they were looking for a more affordable fresh start, Eric landed a job a with a Richmond law firm. He and Liza came to visit the area and were reminded of how the Central Coast in California used to be.
“It was almost like traveling back 10 or 15 years ago to what was happening in California,” he said. “We saw a lot of that same foundation that we saw explode in California.”
So in 2013 they moved the family to Richmond. Eric eventually left the Richmond law firm and closed on the purchase of the Goochland property for $135,000 and built a house.
They quickly began researching the property’s soil and found it promising for wine making. Ultimately, a weekend visit to Albemarle Cider Works changed the Cioffis minds, if not their palates.
“We walked into their tasting room and I tasted a premium Virginia cider,” Eric Cioffi said. “We thought, ‘Why not go with what the Tidewater was designed for?’”
So Courthouse Creek Cider was born, named for a creek that runs near the property. Cider production for retail sale will begin in fall 2015 and the tasting room will be open spring 2016. The Cioffis hope to eventually go into commercial production and distribution.
Eric would not say how much it will cost to open Courthouse Creek Cider.
“We look at it from two sides: the orchard and the cidery,” he said of the startup costs. “The cidery is going to be two times the cost of the orchard.”
He said he is friends with owner of Strangeways Brewing and that he is encouraged by the popularity of the craft beer scene and consumers’ willingness to try new things.
The craft alcohol craze has also already reached another Goochland County farm.
“We’ve got Lickinghole Brewery right up the road,” Eric Cioffi said. “I think ours will be similar but more of that farmstead, real traditional farm style tasting room.”
As for the transition from California and the move into a new career field, Eric said the change hasn’t been without it’s trying times, but he’s happy with the decision.
“You can read about it in a book all day but until you do it, it’s radically different,” he said. “The reality is I didn’t want to end up dead from a heart attack from overwork and not pursue my passion.”


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Aldi to become one of only UK supermarkets to stock Prime drink
| Last updated
Prime drinks are a sensation, and they're about to land in Aldi.
Aldi is one of just a few locations to stock the product, which is expected to sell-out.
The drinks will be an Aldi specialbuy and in a bid to keep up with customer demand, they will be limited to just one of each of the three available flavours per person.
While in some instances people have been reselling the drinks for as much as £60, they will set Aldi customers back £1.99 a bottle.
Because the drinks are a specialbuy, this means that once they have sold out, they will not be restocked, so if you want to grab a bottle, you'll have to be quick.
You can get your hands on them from 29 December.
So what exactly are Prime drinks? Well, they're made up of 10 percent coconut water, electrolytes and B vitamins and BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids).
They also come with the added bonus of being sugar-free and contain just 20 calories per bottle.
There will be three flavours of the drinks available in Aldi: Blue Raspberry, Lemon and Lime, and Ice Pop.
As reported by The Sun, scenes of absolute chaos erupted in Asda stores when it stocked Prime drinks.
One staff member said back in October: "On Sunday we finally had a fresh delivery and there were about thirty kids outside before we had opened.
"At 9.30am we had a member of security outside trying to keep it all under control. As soon as the doors opened they sprinted for the energy drink aisle.
"It was chaos, they cleared the shelves within minutes and were pushing and shoving each other to get their hands on some."
Unfortunately, the popularity of the drinks means that many people have not been able to get their hands on a bottle, so hopefully Aldi is able to sort them out.
One disappointed Asda customer said: "I was really looking forward to getting some Prime, I was looking forward to it all day. I'll keep trying to get some."
A spokesman for Asda said in a statement: "Prime is available in all of our larger superstores and we are pleased that customers are enjoying it.
"We know how popular this product is and we would like to assure customers that our stores are regularly receiving stock."
Asda confirmed to LADbible that its stores which stocked the drink were receiving regular deliveries.


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In January, Netflix raised its membership fees for the United States and Canada. Subscribers in the United Kingdom and Ireland are now facing a similar fate, with a minor price hike for the basic plan and a £2/€3 price increase for the premium tier. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:
According to Ampere Analysis, Netflix has 14 million UK members and 600,000 Irish subscribers. In terms of the most popular packages, the regular membership delivers HD quality streaming to up to two devices. £6/€8 used to be the price, but now it costs £7/€9.
Existing customers will be contacted 30 days in advance of the new pricing taking effect, and new subscribers will be alerted right away.
Netflix can “continue investing in best in class UK productions and provide a broad choice of selected quality series and films” because of the increased rates. Some of the most well-known shows to come out of the United Kingdom include The Crown, Bridgerton, and Emily in Paris.
Netflix said in a statement that the price increase will enable it to “continue investing in best in class UK productions and deliver a broad choice of selected quality series and films.”
Over the next five years, Netflix plans to spend $1 billion producing content in the United Kingdom and Canada, creating more than 10,000 jobs for actors and crew. The company is also contributing $1.58 million in funding to the UK’s film and television industry via its Grow Creative initiative. A sampling of recent British and Irish programmes available on the streaming service includes The Crown, Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, The Hand of God, and the Power of Dog.
Members will continue to have access to Netflix’s complete content catalogue without any extra fees or penalties, according to Netflix. The firm has lately introduced a variety of new services, including “Play Something,” which plays a TV episode or movie that the consumer hasn’t seen, and “Fast Laughs,” which links users to the company’s short-form video stream.
An Netflix spokeswoman said that “we have always been focused on delivering our customers both quality and obvious value for their subscription” in a statement. “Our increased rates reflect the investment we have made in our service and library and will enable us to continue developing the series, documentaries and films that our members enjoy as well as investing in talent and the creative sector..”. Members may pick from a variety of programmes to find a pricing that works best for them,” we say.