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Here in South Carolina, there have been a bevy of new announcements surrounding manufacturing and the supply chain that are sure to bring jobs and resiliency to the American manufacturing supply chain. Let’s look at just one example.
Last year, Masonite Intl. Corp., which is a manufacturer and distributor of interior and exterior doors and door systems, announced plans to open a new location, which was selected in part due to its proximity to customers and suppliers, workforce quality, and availability, and the business climate.
Since moving here, I have seen firsthand the efforts being put forth to bring manufacturing to this region. From EVs (electric vehicles) to doors, we are seeing the rise of plants returning to North America to bring manufacturing back to our own soil.
In this example, Masonite recently celebrated the opening of its new door manufacturing facility in Fort Mill, S.C. (a nice community, if you have never visited). The facility produces doors for the North American residential housing market and services some of the company’s key markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the country. The facility will employ roughly 220 people when fully staffed.
For those of you who might not recall this is why I wrote the book, Mending Manufacturing, How America Can Manufacture Its Survival back in 2004, (perhaps it’s time for an update). If we want manufacturing to survive here in the states, we need a diverse approach to problem solving. It’s about thinking differently with employees of all ages and genders. It’s about recognizing that it’s time to innovate effectively and creatively.
Here’s what I like. This unique manufacturing plant features advanced automation and leverages the Masonite Mvantage operating system to assist in identifying and eliminating waste and non-value add activities.
We need this digital transformation if we want manufacturing to be profitable and sustainable here in the United States. I like this is another step forward in a circular and more resilient world. And in fact, this is the only way forward, as we face a worker shortage and a supply-chain crisis across the world.
While this is one example of a new manufacturing plant here in South Carolina, what are you seeing in your own region? What is happening in your local community? I moved from Chicago where I was actively involved and saw a lot of the Industry 4.0 and IoT (Internet of Things) happenings. Now I am learning what is happening in S.C. How are companies stepping up to the plate and bringing jobs and supply-chain resiliency to our country? What would you like to see happen next? The sky is the limit, and we are clearly better together.
Want to tweet about this article? Use hashtags #IoT #sustainability #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork #digitaltransformation #green #ecosystem #environmental #circularworld


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Table of Contents
Worried about someone having the same costume as you at the Halloween party you are going to? Google may be able to help you.
With COVID-19 cases down compared to last year and Americans expected to spend over $10 billion on Halloween this year, much of the United States will be partaking in celebrating the spooky holiday.
Luckily, Google Trends has released its 2021 FrightGeist, which lists the top costumes nationally, as well as the most popular ones in cities across the country. You can look at the list here, but here are some of the most notable mentions in this year’s list:
Top Halloween costumes of 2021
The top 10 Halloween costumes this year include some iconic horror movie characters and some inspired by popular films of the past year. Yet, the most popular costume of them all? That’d be a witch.
Despite recently trending down on Twitter, witch costumes remain the most popular nationwide, according to Google Trends’ list. FrightGeist lists the witch under the horror films category, and with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) of “Wandavision” taking over the first half of the year, as well as the everlasting impact of “Hocus Pocus,” there’s no magic trick behind this being one of the most popular costumes of the year.
The science of fear: Why do some people love to be scared during Halloween?
‘Sexy baby,’ ‘Sexy Handmaid’s Tale’: Have Halloween costumes gone too far?
Other character-inspired costumes in the top 10 include Cruella de Vil, who most recently portrayed by Emma Stone in the self-title movie released in May, and Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, who appeared in the role for the third time in this year’s “The Suicide Squad.”
The full top 10 for 2021 Halloween costumes:
- Cruella de Vil
- Harley Quinn
Notable trending costumes
FrightGeist lists hundreds of the most popular costumes, and a quick look into the top 100 offers give some good ideas if you still haven’t decided on a costume.
The Netflix-show “Squid Game” has had a meteoric rise in recent weeks, becoming one of the most popular shows on the streaming platform and just in time to take over Halloween. “Squid Game” costumes are the 23rd most popular one in Google’s search, and it continues to trend high, being the most searched costume idea in Detroit.
In 2020, the mobile game “Among Us” was the talk to the gaming world, and it is the 16th most popular costume with its popularity spiking in Jacksonville, Florida.
Other notable costumes in the top 50 include Pokémon at no. 50, Fortnite at No. 44, Velma Dinkley (of “Scooby-Doo” fame) at No. 42, Poison Ivy (the comic book villain) at No. 33, Beetle Juice at No. 24 and 1980s at No. 18.
Halloween safety guide: Illustrated tips for parents, trick-or-treaters amid COVID pandemic
Popular Halloween costumes by region
Google Trends lists the most popular costume in at least one city in each state. Some of the costumes not in the top 50 are the most popular ones in certain regions, like “space cowgirl” is the top costume idea searched around Glendive, Montana, “Baby Yoda” in Rockford, Illinois and “Hugh Hefner” is No. 1 around Eureka, California.
Here are some of the most popular costumes in notable cities:
- Los Angeles and Phoenix – Cruella De Vil
- Washington D.C., New York City and Chicago – Spider-Man
- Miami – Fairy
- Kansas City, Missouri – Pirate
- Atlanta and Nashville – Rabbit
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

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WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - Yahoo's data theft - involving about half the company's 1 billion users - is no joke. Yahoo on Thursday confirmed the breach was far bigger than first thought, and the FBI has confirmed it is investigating the attack, said the BBC.
This incident sets a new bar for massive leaks of account information.
The break-in, which Yahoo attributed to a state-sponsored actor, presents a serious problem for users, because the data the hackers got isn't just a partial look at people's profiles. The cyber-thieves stole account details including user names, scrambled passwords, birth dates, security questions and other personal information, but apparently not payment card and other financial data.
Hackers may have accessed millions of Yahoo accounts for years undetected. Security expert Troy Hunt believes the data might have been out there for about two years, according to the BBC. However, Hunt believes users should not be overly concerned as the political motivations of the hackers might mean they are looking for specific individuals. While Yahoo stressed that the passwords were encrypted, the re-use of passwords across the internet and thriving sale of hacked databases on the black market means that hackers may easily connect the dots for many other accounts.
Here's what to do if you're one of the unlucky Yahoo users whose account was compromised:
Yahoo says it is alerting affected users and asking them to change their passwords, especially if they had not done so since 2014. Even if you're not notified, you should do this anyway. The reason: Companies generally only report information that they can prove was taken from them. And it's trivial for hackers to cover their tracks. So even if digital forensics investigators strongly suspect or believe that certain data was accessed or taken, if it's not verified, it may never be reported.
This is a good opportunity for Yahoo users to turn on log-in verification, which will implement a text-message alert or phone call when someone tries to access your account from an unrecognised computer. This is a wonderful feature that all major internet companies now offer.
Now is also a good time for users to try novel authentication services such as Yahoo's Account Key, which links the Yahoo mobile app to your phone to prevent anyone from logging in without having access to that device. Tech companies are increasingly rolling out useful authentication services that reside on smartphones and add extra layers of log-in security - Google has Google Authenticator, and there's another app from Duo Security called Duo Mobile, both of which generate one-time log-in codes that exist only on your phone and the company's servers.
Top 10 previous breaches
MySpace accounts - 359m
LinkedIn accounts - 164m
Adobe accounts - 152m
Badoo accounts - 112m
VK accounts - 93m
Dropbox accounts - 68m
tumblr accounts - 65m
iMesh accounts - 49m
Fling accounts - 40m
Last.fm accounts - 37m
Questions remain still. Why did Yahoo not know it had been attacked until a journalist told them? Why did it take so long for them to confirm the hack and its scale? Why did it take them so long to tell users and prompt them to protect themselves?
Verizon, which has agreed to buy Yahoo, told the BBC it had learned of the hack "within the last two days" and said it had "limited information".
The company added: "We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests, including consumers, customers, shareholders and related communities.
"Until then, we are not in position to further comment."
Yahoo said in a statement: "Online intrusions and thefts by state-sponsored actors have become increasingly common across the technology industry."
Questions are also being asked about the length of time it took Yahoo to fully acknowledge the breach.
"It is really worrying that a breach from 2014 can have gone undetected for so long," said Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey to the BBC.
"It is also surprising the public statement took so long to appear.
"I would have thought most companies had learned by now that early disclosure is better, even if you have to revise and update as you learn more.
"I can understand a few days delay to confirm the breach is genuine as fake data dumps are increasingly common, but six weeks seems rather too long."


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Digital-music entrepreneurs exit a crowded field; new owners plan a 'bigger umbrella'
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Two months after Fiat Chrysler was forced to disavow its once-vaunted streak of consecutive year-over-year U.S. sales gains, a second -- and arguably more important -- sales streak for the automaker bit the dust.
Jeep, FCA's most valuable and globally important brand, suffered a 2.7 percent sales decline in September, its first monthly year-over-year decline since September 2013 -- the month before the then-delayed Cherokee went on sale in the U.S.
Just the Grand Cherokee and Patriot posted gains, with the Grand Cherokee up 18 percent and the Patriot, which soon will end production, climbing 33 percent. FCA's U.S. sales were judged against its most recent accounting of sales totals from September 2015, but even against the originally reported numbers, Jeep would have been down 1.1 percent.
So has the brightest light in FCA's crowded constellation of brands dimmed, and what would a Jeep slowdown mean after FCA's move to a pickup-and-SUV-heavy future product plan?
"I don't know that the bloom is off the rose so much, but the level of competition is very, very fierce right now," said Rebecca Lindland, senior analyst with KBB.com. "Virtually every company, both luxury and nonluxury, is coming out with all different sizes of crossovers and SUVs. That's been Jeep's sweet spot for so many years.
"The market is plateauing. When you combine increasing competition with a plateauing market, it's not surprising that they're going to have an off month."
Within their respective market segments, Jeep's sales losses in September stood out. For example, while Renegade sales dropped 13 percent, other subcompact crossovers, such as the Subaru Crosstrek, Honda HR-V, Chevy Trax and Mazda CX-3, were up by double digits. And while Cherokee and Wrangler were down, the competing Toyota 4Runner in the midsize SUV segment was up 21 percent.
Spokesmen for Jeep and FCA refused to comment for this report.
Jeep's incentives in September were aggressive. Between consumer and dealer cash, some Jeep Cherokees had as much as $7,000 in incentives and discounts available,according to internal documents obtained by Automotive News. Likewise, the sales documents showed the Compass with regional incentives as high as $4,750, while the brand also offered 0 percent financing on some vehicles for up to 75 months.
Some of the sales decline could be the result of inventory issues. The Wrangler and Compass had available inventories of 51- and 55-days supply as of Oct. 3, both below the 60-day supply considered optimum. Renegade had the highest available inventory levels, at 114-days supply.
Lindland said FCA has "a lot of distractions" right now, with recall campaigns and manufacturing portfolio shifts to boost SUV and pickup production.
"It's something to watch in October and November," Lindland said. "One month doesn't make a trend, but it does sort of raise the flag a little bit."
FCA already seems to have amended its strategy for the Cherokee as production prepares to move from Ohio to its new home in Belvidere, Ill.
Instead of bulking up inventories to weather any potential problems with the move, supplier sources say FCA has notified them that Cherokee production is being slowed, with reduced overtime. Indeed, in a communication to workers last week, UAW Local 12 officials said FCA has reduced Cherokee production from 20 hours per day, six days a week to 16 hours per day, five days a week for the last month.
If Cherokee demand falters, it would be a devastating third strike for the Compact US-Wide platform, which the former Fiat brought to its takeover of Chrysler to underpin what was to have been a stable of eight new vehicles. Only three of the eight ever were built, and of the three, both the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 are going out of production this year, in part because of weak consumer demand.
Change of plan
The union also said that FCA abandoned plans to hire an additional 100 temporary workers for its Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio.
Two groups of 50 workers each were hired and underwent orientation in late September to bring the plant's temporary work force back up to 1,000, which it was at earlier this year. The temporary work force allows the complex -- which builds Cherokees and Wranglers -- to maximize production and add overtime, according to union sources.
But after orientation, the union said, the workers were told that FCA had changed its mind and that they wouldn't be needed. That left many scrambling to find employment after leaving their jobs to come work at FCA.


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5 HPE Earnings Takeaways: Partners Drive Record GreenLake Growth
From a record 55 percent year-over-year channel growth in HPE GreenLake to 10 percent growth in intelligent edge, these are the five biggest channel takeaways from HPE’s third fiscal quarter.
A ‘Perfect Storm” Channel Growth Quarter
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Worldwide Channel Chief George Hope told partners that the channel business was up three percent overall to $3.7 billion in HPE’s third fiscal quarter ended July 31 with a record-breaking 55 percent growth in the GreenLake cloud services platform.
“We’re growing in every dimension and we are making progress both year over year and sequentially,” said Hope in a quarterly earnings channel review for partners that he hosted alongside HPE CEO Antonio Neri. “We have kind of had an indirect perfect storm if you will.”
HPE’s intelligent edge business – which includes HPE’s Aruba wireless networking business – was up 10 percent year over year in the channel to $833 million. The channel accounts for 91 percent of the Aruba business.
HPE’s storage business through the channel, meanwhile, was up seven percent year over year, while the compute business was up two percent year over year for partners, said Hope.
With overall product mix taken into account, HPE’s channel business accounts for 69 percent of sales.
With supply chain issues remaining unchanged, mew orders during the quarter exceeded expectations, pushing HPE’s sales backlog to yet another record level. That backlog is up 96 percent year over year.
“What I am really pleased about is what I said during the (earnings) call is the fact that we continue to see enduring demand,” Neri told partners. “That is particularly true in many areas of the portfolio because of our unique differentiated value proposition whether it is the edge or GreenLake.”
Overall, HPE reported non-GAAP earnings per share of 48 cents on sales of $7 billion- up four percent when adjusted for currency impact. That compares with non-GAAP earnings of 47 cents per share on sales of $6.89 billion in the year-ago quarter.
HPE expanded gross margins by half a point sequentially during the quarter, with non-GAAP gross margin of 34.7 percent, up 50 basis points sequentially, matching the highest gross margin the company has delivered since it began it as a service sales offensive in 2019.
Here are the five biggest channel takeaways from HPE’s third fiscal quarter ended July 31.


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The first thing you see when you walk into Hackney Food Center on Well Street, London, is a large display of oat milk.
Amid the tobacco, cheesy Wotsits and Haribo sweets you expect to find in London’s innumerable corner shops, this new addition seems rather odd. But the shop’s owner, Kenan Yildrim, says that 20-30% of his sales these days come from organic, healthy or niche brands that appeal to a certain kind of customer.
“It surprises me how much I’ve had to adapt in this neighborhood,” he says, “[but] stocking these products has helped me stay open.”
If you look closely enough, you can see the city’s demography change by watching how its corner shops do the same. In a rapidly gentrifying area such as Hackney, next to the Walker’s crisps you might see the appearance of lentil chips, wholegrain crispbreads competing for space with McVitie’s biscuits, and tall cans of Polish lager sitting above the stylish labels of east London micro-breweries.
The recent controversy over the new Silicon Valley startup Bodega – a company that produces automated boxes selling everyday staples, and which should probably win an award for least-sensitive name, given that it appears to be trying to put actual bodegas out of business – has sparked a discussion over whether corner shops are doomed.
According to the research organisation IGD Retail Analysis, however, in the UK the convenience store sector appears to have “enduring appeal”, despite expanded competition from online retailers, discount shops and glorified vending machines. Its growth last year is thanks, in part, to its draw among the younger generation: according to the data, one in five 18 to 25-year-olds mainly shops in convenience stores.
On high streets where ramen joints and yoga studios adjoin chicken shops and Betfreds, everyone needs to stop in at shop like Yildrim’s – whether it be for dried goji berries or a tin of baked beans. And everyone occasionally needs an emergency loo roll at 2am.
As a result, these shops have become not just the barometers of gentrification, but establishments that truly reflect the diverse needs of all a neighbourhood’s residents. When other businesses may have to choose to serve one demographic over another, the humble off-licence can change with the neighbourhood.
“Usually the problem with small business is you can’t compete with the big boys, but organic customers generally want to support the local shops,” says Huseyin Yaman, who co-owns an off-licence in Homerton with his brother Ali. “From what I’ve observed, it’s not really about organic food – it’s a lifestyle choice.”
Certainly, Well Street has experienced “extraordinary” changes in the lifestyles of residents in the 26 years since Yildrim’s family opened their shop. At first, he says, they hardly dared to use the front entrance due to fears for their safety. About five years ago, Yildrim began his education in the dietary restrictions observed by many of his younger customers.
“I was getting a lot of demand and often had customers bringing in packaging in to show me what they wanted to buy, saying they didn’t want to go elsewhere to buy it,” he says. “Now I regularly do online research and go to trade shows where I learn what sells well for people with nut allergies, vegans …”
It is testament to Yildrim’s close relationship with his customers; a point of difference with bigger supermarkets. Other local shop owners interviewed say they will stock a new product after a mere two or three requests. It’s hard to imagine the same of Tesco or Sainsbury’s.
Yaman and his brother bought their Homerton off-licence three years ago, when gentrification was already well under way. After a lot of research in the area – eating in local pubs, restaurants and shops to get a sense of what was popular – they put up an organic sign. Today they see roughly 20% of their sales from these upmarket products, which they tend to give premium real estate in the store’s layout.
“When it comes to why a shop is not modernising, you’ve got to look at who the owner is,” says Yaman. “If you’re looking at [an owner] who is 50 or 60 years old, they may not have caught on to the idea that this is a major emerging market. Our store is not a pure organic store, but it’s enough to satisfy the appetite. It’s a balance between the premium stuff people want and the normal stuff everyone needs.”
The hyper-local business acumen that shop owners like Yildrim and Yaman demonstrate is a boon to some brands, too.
Lauren Lister, who is head of sales for Beavertown Brewery, a craft brewery founded at the Duke’s Brew and Que pub in Haggerston, says that bottle shops and off-licences in east London were some of the beer’s earliest stockists, spurred on by customer requests. After it grew a robust customer base in the local borough, demand all over the capital and country outweighs supply, the company says, with large supermarkets keen to stock the brand.
“The early support of Beavertown in many east London off-licence accounts was actually quite organic, as a lot of those owners make it their business to know what’s going on in the craft beer category,” says Lister.
Perhaps the logical endpoint for some of these shop owners is a business model like that of Simply Fresh on Roman Road in Bethnal Green. It is part of what is known as a “symbol group”, whereby it is independently stocked but uses the umbrella branding of the Simply Fresh chain. (Spar, Nisa and Costcutter are other examples of this franchise form.)
Ilkay Guzel opened the shop three and half years ago with his siblings when a double unit became available. For 12 years they had owned an off-licence a few doors down, which they had begun to stock with products requested by their more moneyed customers.
“It was a risk,” Guzel said of opening the new shop. “We weren’t sure the neighbourhood was ready for it and it’s really hard to be an independent shop owner.”
The risk paid off. Since opening, Guzel’s shop has been presented with two awards from the Retail Industry awards, including independent retailer of the year in 2014. Simply Fresh is more high-end than Yildrim and Yaman’s shops, but it still stocks items such as Coca-Cola, Twix and non-organic fruit and veg alongside the prepped salads, Veuve Clicquot and all the non-dairy yogurt a lactose-intolerant customer could desire. Fittingly, you can also follow the shop on Instagram.
Critics often say that one of gentrification’s worst features is how it pushes out established family-owned businesses to make way for soulless chains such as Starbucks and Waitrose.Similarly, hipsters are maligned for co-opting the existing businesses in the neighbourhoods to which they move – note the recent embrace of chicken shops, as reported on (naturally) by Vice.
For now, though, off-licences act as a rare holdout – a place where all the neighbourhood goes, whether it’s to buy household essentials, oat milk for a dairy-free breakfast or a late-night packet of Doritos. And when everyone’s your customer, you’ve got to stock something for all of them.


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The fate of Imagination Technologies has become something of a saga in recent months. The prolific IP vendor, Apple’s right-hand supplier for GPU designs and IP over the last decade, found itself on the rocks in April, when Apple announced they would be transitioning away from using Imagination’s IP and designs. Then in May, the company announced that they would be doubling-down on the GPU business – their strongest business – by selling off their remaining Ensigma communications and MIPS CPU businesses. Now this morning, the company has announced that they have decided to instead focus on going another route, and will be putting the entire company up for sale. While the company as a whole was not formally up for sale until today, as...
Steam Holiday Sales and PuppyGames Humble Weekly
With Christmas just around the corner and all the festivities and shopping, I’ve neglected to mention the Steam sales that are going on right now. They’re being updated daily...7 by Jarred Walton on 12/20/2013
Humble Bundle Launches the Humble Store
I’ve been a big fan of the Humble Bundle since it first showed up several years ago. I haven’t purchased every single bundle (often simply because I missed hearing...9 by Jarred Walton on 11/11/2013
Humble’s Weekly Sale: Kalypso Media
So let me first start this post with a question: who out there feels stuff like this is worthy of our/my coverage, and who thinks I should give it...27 by Jarred Walton on 9/26/2013
Newegg’s First Pop-Up Store: This Week in Thousand Oaks, CA
Ask any [Ed from Ian: US-based] computer/technology enthusiast about the best place to buy hardware online and it’s almost inevitable that you’ll hear the name “Newegg”. They have been...29 by Jarred Walton on 8/14/2013
Surface Pro $100 Price Drop - A Prelude of Things to Come?
Techreport.com posted earlier today that there's currently a $100 rebate from Microsoft on the Surface Pro. That brings the price of the 64GB SSD model to $799 and the...100 by Jarred Walton on 8/5/2013
Newegg Giving A 15% Discount on Any OCZ SSD
Update: Apparently, the sale was only valid for one day (November 16th), meaning that the coupon code no longer works. Newegg is having a sale and they are giving a...37 by Kristian Vättö on 11/16/2011


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Marks & Spencer (M&S) has appointed Passion Peers as its new digital agency. Passion Peers will be handling the upcoming digital initiatives and social media campaigns for M&S. Marketing understands that M&S previously worked with KRDS Digital.
The appointment will be for one year and the agency will work on business for the Singapore market. In a statement to Marketing, a spokesperson from Passion Peers said that selected work from here could be replicated in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Evelyn Sun, head of marketing for Marks & Spencer Asia said that Passion Peers was chosen for its "proactiveness" and creativity to drive reach, sales and conversions for its brand. "Despite being a start-up with a lean team, the agency's turnaround time is fast. We are confident that with the new agency, we can drive more engagement and reach out to more customers," she added.
Two years into the market, Kanika Agarwal, founder of Passion Peers said that with prior experience working for luxury beauty and skin care brands, the agency has the "transformation and digital support" it looks to provide M&S from a fashion industry perspective.
"Marks & Spencer has showed a lot of confidence in us and we really hope that through the upcoming digital initiatives and social media campaigns we can truly bring the positive change," she added. Apart from its new appointment, Passion Peers has also been working with Unilever on its new arm of Unilever Professional globally except in Europe. The agency covers end to end all digital services including website development and content creation, among others.


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Facebook started as a platform for college students and quickly became popular with teenagers as well. As the platform went through the adoption curve it started to pick up older users. As the Facebook demographic shifted, so too did it’s appeal to the younger audience that helped establish its dominance. This USA Today article, “Facebook losing young users even faster to Snapchat, eMarketer says“, talks about some of the challenges currently facing Facebook and how Snapchat is now growing its user base faster than Facebook. Better privacy control, faster viewing, and limited permanence are some of the factors that are driving 12-17 teenagers toward Snapchat and away from Facebook. 6 years ago Facebook recognized the threat and acquired Instagram as a means of continued access to teenagers but Snapchat is now getting new users even faster than Instagram.
The consequences of this change can be significant for Facebook. Their business model relies on advertising and if they can capture users early in life it is much easier (and cheaper) to retain those users rather than trying to switch users off of competing platforms. Should Facebook modify their platform to cater to younger viewers? What would they have to do? Could they be successful with a redesign or is their present brand identity too strong for younger viewers to consider using them? Can they succeed if they stay focused on an older demographic?


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BRADFORD, Pa. — The familiar yellow and green signage and awning remains, but the food, family-friendly atmosphere and friendship among longtime employees at the Perkins on Bolivar Drive has come to an end.
A Facebook post on the Bradford Perkins page earlier this week read, “It is very sad to announce that the Bradford Perkins location will be closed starting (Wednesday). We have been serving the public for almost 40 years. Over the years it has been our pleasure to be part of all of your special events and thank you for sharing them with all of us! We all have Perkins memories that we will always hold onto whether it be as a customer or a past employee. Again Thank you for supporting us and being part of our family.”
For Lee Jordan, who started his career with Perkins at the Bradford location as a teenager and was the general manager of the Bradford Perkins, the restaurant closing is sad to see.
“I have worked for Perkins for 29 years. I started at the Bradford location when I was 16, then I moved around with the company and eventually came back. Perkins itself has always been a great company to work for. Obviously. I made a career out of it.”
While Perkins has not been a bad company to work for, the same cannot be said for certain franchise owners.
“The last owner — the last people that bought this franchise made some poor decisions that obviously we (the employees) have no control over,” he said. “5171 Campbells Land Co. Inc. declared bankruptcy July 5. We have known since then there was a chance if we didn’t get picked up by a different franchise owner that runs Perkins, it was a possibility that we could close.
“We learned last week — last Thursday — that we weren’t going to be picked up by JDK Management.”
Jordan said that JDK Management bought the Olean, N.Y., location and officially takes control today. He noted that Bradford employees were given the opportunity to transfer to the Olean location, and a couple of the employees from Bradford will be taking advantage of the opportunity and making the commute.
JDK Management owns more than 40 Perkins locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida and West Virginia.
The Bradford location is another bullet point in a continued list of closings related to bankruptcy filings by 5171 Campbells Land Co., a Meadville-based business that owned 27 Perkins franchise locations in western Pennsylvania, northeastern Ohio and southwestern New York.


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TAIPEI -- Major Taiwanese tech companies saw their combined August revenue drop on the year ahead of the new iPhone launch as a slowing global economy and trade war uncertainties clouded the outlook ahead of the Christmas shopping season.
Each month the Nikkei Asian Review tracks the revenue performance of 19 Taiwanese tech suppliers as a barometer of global electronics demand. The clients of these companies range from hardware titans including Apple, Huawei Technologies, HP and Dell, to internet giants such as Amazon and Google. Telecom gear makers Ericsson and Nokia, electric vehicle maker Tesla also do business with many of these Taiwanese suppliers. Key findings for the month are presented below in an easy-to-digest, graphics-led format.
Total revenue for the 19 tech companies monitored by Nikkei fell 0.02% in August -- the first year-on-year decline in five months -- to 1 trillion New Taiwan dollars ($32 billion). Although only eight out of the 19 companies reported a year-on-year drop in sales, growth at the remaining suppliers was not strong enough to keep the overall momentum positive.
The 19 Taiwanese tech suppliers include four major consumer electronics manufacturers -- Foxconn, Pegatron, Quanta Computer and Compal Electronics. Their clients are a who's who of industry heavyweights, including Apple, Huawei, HP, Dell, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Amazon. The revenue performance of the four companies reflects that month's shipment momentum, an indicator of global electronics demand.
Quanta, the key notebook computer supplier for Apple, witnessed a 7.5% year-on-year drop in August due to the absence of a new MacBook launch compared with the same time last year. Compal reported a 10.04% revenue fall due partly to a hangover effect as HP and Dell frontloaded notebook orders in the previous months amid concerns that the Trump administration would impose punitive tariffs on laptops.
Key iPhone assemblers Foxconn and Pegatron remained positive, but only barely, with sales growing 0.51% and 0.2%, respectively. This weak growth suggests gloomy demand across clients.
The gloom may be only temporary, however, as Apple unveiled the latest generation of the iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad on Tuesday. Sales are scheduled to begin this month, and the revenue performance of the four major Apple assemblers is expected to pick up around the same time.
Lite-On Technology, a leading components and power parts supplier to the likes of Apple, Dell and Huawei, saw its revenue plunge 12.07% in August, marking the company's eighth consecutive month of year-on-year contraction.
The company has been adjusting its product portfolio by selling business units whose margins are lower than Lite-On's corporate-level performance. The Taiwanese tech supplier sold its smartphone camera module business to a subsidiary of China's Luxshare-ICT for $360 million in June 2018 and unloaded its money-losing mobile mechanics unit to Chinese display maker Zhejiang First Star Panel for 530 million yuan ($74.78 million) in September the same year.
Lite-On recently announced plans to sell its solid state drive business to Toshiba Memory Holding for $165 million, with the deal expected to be completed in April next year. However, the deal does not include an SSD joint venture formed with Beijing-backed Tsinghua Unigroup in 2017, according to Lite-On.
This joint venture was set up to provide memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies, a Tsinghua subsidiary, with access to storage products, as China lacks its own SSD technology.
Beijing envisions Yangtze Memory becoming a national champion in memory chips, and the company is backed by China's flagship chip industry investment fund.
Nikkei staff writer Chien Chia-hung in Taipei contributed to this report.


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Earlier this month we reported that the Amazon Appstore may finally expand itself past American shores. Well we can finally confirm that it will indeed find its way to several European countries this summer. I know it has been frustrating for many European Android users to not be able to use the Amazon Appstore and take advantage for what it has to offer. But with the emergence of the Kindle Fire it would be a huge mistake if Amazon were to not take advantage of expanding it. Amazon is currently eyeing the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain as the first to use their appstore with more “in the near future.” Any of our European readers out there excited for this? Or bothered that it took this long?
Full press release after the break:


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Managing phone use while driving: will switching to silent mode suffice?
Phone use while driving is a growing problem. The Dutch government recently launched a campaign in which it urges drivers to switch their phones to silent mode when they get behind the wheel. Will this campaign prove effective? And why (or why not)?


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Foul and abusive language may not be a red card offense in professional football, but it is in the FIFA 20 gaming world of football.
An e-World Cup semi-finalist and professional FIFA 20 gamer has been given a lifetime ban. The ban is not only from the FIFA game, but any game made by its producer EA Sport.
The professional gamer know as Kurt, ‘Kurt0411’ Fenech has been banned for life from any games published by EA.
He is accused of repeatedly violating the company’s code of conduct with “abusive and threatening” behavior.
Check out the video that was considered the last straw and got Kurt banned.
EA sport have since issued a statement highlighting their reasons behind the action.
“In November 2019, after a series of code of conduct violations as part of the EA Sports FIFA Global Series in which he threatened employees and other players, Kurt0411 was banned from competing or attending any EA Sports FIFA 20 Global Series events or future competitions.”
“Since that time, Kurt has continued to post abusive and threatening messages and videos about EA employees and competitive players on social media and he has encouraged others to do the same.”
“His messages have crossed a line of decency into very personal attacks and breach our Terms of Service. We will not tolerate threatening behavior.”
“As a result, today Kurt0411’s EA account will be banned from playing our games and accessing our services due to these serious and repeated violations.”
Kurt has fired shots back, at the gaming giant.


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Apple will be rolling out its iBooks app and iBookstore internationally alongside the iPad’s launch on Friday, May 28. Press releases from the UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan indicate that the iBooks app for iPad, including the iBookstore, will be available as a free download from the App Store on May 28; as with pricing, Apple has yet to update the press websites of many of the other countries slated to launch the iPad on that day. We will be updating this story with further details as they become available.
Update: Apple has confirmed that both Italy and Spain will also be getting iBooks and the iBookstore on May 28.
Update x2: France has also been confirmed to receive iBooks and the iBookstore on May 28.
Update x3 Germany is now confirmed for the May 28 iBooks launch as well.
Apple has revealed its pricing for the iPad in a number of the international countries in which the device will launch on May 28. In the UK, the iPad with Wi-Fi will sell for £429 (inc. VAT) for 16GB, £499 (inc. VAT) for 32GB, and £599 (inc. VAT) for 64GB, while Wi-Fi + 3G models will be priced at £529 (inc. VAT) for 16GB, £599 (inc. VAT) for 32GB and £699 (inc. VAT) for 64GB. In Australia, iPad with Wi-Fi pricing is set at AUS$629 inc GST for 16GB, AUS$759 inc GST for 32GB, and AUS$879 inc GST for 64GB, while Wi-Fi + 3G models will sell for AUS$799 inc GST for 16GB, AUS$928 inc GST for 32GB and AUS$1049 inc GST for 64GB. The company is continuing to update various other countries’ press websites with pricing; we will post details of other countries’ iPad pricing here as they become available.
Update: In Canada, the iPad with Wi-Fi will sell for $549 (CAN) for 16GB, $649 (CAN) for 32GB, $749 (CAN) for 64GB; Wi-Fi + 3G models will sell for $679 (CAN) for 16GB, $779 (CAN) for 32GB and $879 (CAN) for 64GB.
Update x2: Apple has announced its iPad pricing for Italy and Spain. In Italy, pricing will be set at €499 for 16GB, €599 for 32GB, and €699 for 64GB Wi-Fi models, with Wi-Fi + 3G models priced at a €100 premium. In Spain, the iPad will sell for €479 for 16GB, €579 for 32GB, and €679 for 64GB Wi-Fi models, and €579, €679, and €779 for the respective Wi-Fi + 3G models.
Update x3: Pricing for the iPad in France has been announced. The same as Italy, pricing in France will be set at €499 for 16GB, €599 for 32GB, and €699 for 64GB Wi-Fi models, with Wi-Fi + 3G models priced at a €100 premium.
Update x4: German iPad pricing has now been announced. The 16GB Wi-Fi model will sell for €514, the 32GB for €614, and the 64GB model for €714, with Wi-Fi + 3G models again running €100 more.
Apple’s 2010 Worldwide Developers Conference has sold out in only eight days, according to an update on the event’s dedicated website. Dates for the conference, to be held June 7-11 in its traditional venue of Moscone West in San Francisco, CA, were announced on April 28; John Gruber of Daring Fireball notes that last year’s event took a month to sell out, despite the fact that it included a number of Mac OS X and IT sessions that are not being offered at this year’s WWDC. In addition to providing developer sessions, Apple has for the past three years used the event’s keynote address as a venue for iPhone-related announcements, revealing the launch date for the original iPhone in 2007, introducing the iPhone 3G at the 2008 event, and unveiling the iPhone 3GS in 2009.
Apple has announced that the iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK on Friday, May 28. Both iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available; online pre-orders will begin on Monday, May 10. The iPad was originally set to roll out internationally at the end of April, but “surprisingly strong US demand” forced Apple to push it back. In addition to the nine countries listed above, Apple also plans to release iPad in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore in July. It will announce availability, local pricing and pre-order plans for these nine additional countries at a later date.
Speaking during the company’s recent Q2 conference call, Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr made a number of comments praising Apple for its iTunes Store and devices. “The flight to iTunes and iPhone continues,” Bronfman Jr. said, according to a paidContent report. “Apple has proved to be the most adept software and hardware manufacturer out there in delivering content to consumers in a seamless and very attractive consumer experience. No-one’s gotten very rich betting against Steve Jobs - and I don’t want to be the first to do it.”
Bronfman, whose WMG benefitted from Apple’s acquisition of music streaming service Lala as a prior investor, also deflected questions on whether the move suggests an upcoming iTunes subscription service. “Apple is not currently a retailer involved in an access or subscription model,” he said. “I’d probably like not to speculate on what Apple’s plans are - it’s really interesting technology that it acquired in the Lala acquisition. That’s a question that Apple management should answer.”
Apple has been awarded a U.S. patent for the ornamental design of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Filed on June 5, 2008, patent number D615,083 lists both Apple CEO Steve Jobs and senior vice president of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive as inventors. Possible examples for the “electronic device” are listed as a “computer, a portable or hand-held electronic device, media player (e.g., music, video and/or game player), media storage device, a personal digital assistant, a communication device (e.g., cellular phone), and/or the like.” [via GoRumors]
Apple has released the third version of iPhone OS 4 and its accompanying Software Development Kit (SDK) for the iPhone and iPod touch. As with prior beta releases, a main Xcode and SDK beta is available for download, as are pre-release builds of the iPhone OS 4 software for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and the second- and third-generation iPod touch. Changes made in the latest beta have yet to be revealed. Both the new SDK and pre-release builds are available now for download by registered iPhone developers from the iPhone Dev Center.
Apple has become the target of yet another patent infringement lawsuit over the iPhone. The Loop reports that California-based NetAirus Technologies has filed a patent infringement suit against the iPhone-maker, claiming that the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS infringe on NetAirus’ patent for a “Wireless Handset Communication System.” The suit claims that the entire concept behind the iPhone is infringing, instead of focusing on one or more of the device’s attributes. The patent in question describes a “small light weight modular microcomputer based computer and communications systems, designed for both portability and desktop uses,” featuring several functions similar to the iPhone’s, including “bi-directional realtime communications of voice, audio, text, graphics and video data,” a “telephone-like handset,” and a “relative large flat panel display device assembly.” NetAirus is seeking a ruling that forces Apple to halt production of the iPhone, as well as cash damages.
Apple may be facing an antitrust inquiry over the company’s recent decision to ban apps made with cross-platform development tools from the App Store. Citing a person familiar with the matter, the New York Post reports that the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are in negotiations over which body will oversee the inquiry into Apple’s policy, with the decision only “days away.” According to the report, the inquiry will focus on whether or not the policy stifles competition by forcing developers to choose between building apps that only run on iPhone OS devices or apps that are able to run on a variety of competing operating systems, including those from Google, Microsoft, and Research In Motion. The report also points out that the launch of an inquiry does not mean action will be taken against Apple, instead serving to determine whether a full-scale investigation will be needed; Apple could be subpoenaed for further information should an investigation be necessary.
Apple has announced that it sold its one millionth iPad on Friday, 28 days after the device’s introduction on April 3. In addition to unit purchases, iPad users have already downloaded over 12 million apps from the App Store and over 1.5 million ebooks from the iBookstore. Notably, the announcement also reveals that there are now over 5,000 apps for the iPad in the App Store. “One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”
Apple has posted a new support document detailing the process for setting up a cellular data account on the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G. According to the document, users simply tap a “View Account” options within a new Cellular Data menu inside the Settings app to get started. Users will then be prompted to enter their information, including first and last name, telephone number, email address and a password for the new AT&T account, and billing information, select a data plan. A Terms of Service page will then be displayed, and once accepted, a payment summary screen appears for final confirmation. Once submitted, a congratulations screen appears, followed by a pop-up notification once the connection has been activated. The page notes that the process is managed by AT&T, and users should contact AT&T if they have have questions, concerns, or problems.
Apple has updated its individual retail store web pages to indicate that its U.S.-based stores will be closed later today from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time to prepare for the launch of the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, which will go on sale when the stores reopen at 5:00 p.m. Unlike the launch of the iPad with Wi-Fi, no advance reservations were taken for the Wi-Fi + 3G models, so purchasing will most likely be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Checks with several Apple Store locations around the country conducted by iLounge showed that stores are expecting “big” crowds for the launch.
Apple has passed Motorola to become the largest cell phone maker in the United States by unit volume. Reporting its first quarter fiscal results, Motorola revealed that it sold 8.5 million phones in the quarter, less than the 8.75 million iPhones sold by Apple over the same period. Motorola’s numbers have fallen greatly from the 46.1 million phones it sold in the first quarter of 2006 when the company’s RAZR was still popular. The company has more recently been focusing its efforts on the smartphone market, where the company’s Droid handset, which runs Google’s Android operating system, has served as the basis for an ongoing anti-iPhone Verizon ad campaign.
Lala.com, the music streaming service Apple purchased last December, will be shutting down on May 31. Around the time of Apple’s acquisition, it was said the company wanted to use Lala’s technology and streaming expertise to offer a streaming service on iTunes in addition to the its normal purchase and download model. According to the site, Lala users will receive iTunes credit for all money spent purchasing web songs, wallet balances, and unredeemed gift cards. Lala launched in June 2006 as a CD trading service before re-focusing on digital music uploads and streaming the next year. [via Engadget]
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has posted an open letter entitled “Thoughts on Flash,” in which he explains the company’s motivation for leaving Adobe’s Flash off of its iPhone, iPod, and iPad devices. Jobs divides his explanation into six key factors, including Flash’s proprietary nature, the fact that the vast majority of web video is now accessible without Flash, reliability, security, and performance issues, battery life concerns, Flash’s reliance on mouse-dependent interface elements, and the fact that Adobe wants to allow its developers to use Flash for creating cross-platform applications that will run on Apple’s platform, as well as on competitors’ devices, without exploiting any platform’s unique and innovative features. The crux of the letter is an attack on Flash as a battery-hogging middleware solution that is no longer necessary or desirable in an age of advanced mobile devices.
Jobs makes several scathing comments in the letter, claiming that Flash is the leading cause of Mac crashes, that Adobe was the slowest major third-party developer to adopt important changes to Apple’s Mac OS X operating system, and that the company has promised but repeatedly failed to deliver an optimized mobile version of Flash. The letter also sheds new light on Apple’s App Store business, including the statement that “[t]here are more games and entertainment titles available for iPhone, iPod and iPad than for any other platform in the world,” and noting that there are now more than 200,000 apps available in the App Store. In closing, Jobs says, “[n]ew open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win on mobile devices (and PCs too). Perhaps Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticizing Apple for leaving the past behind.”
Apple plans to charge close to $1 million for ads on its new iAd network, according to a new report. Citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has indicated it may charge as much as $10 million to be part of the initial group of advertisers on the service. Ad executives told the paper they are used to paying between $100,000 and $200,000 for similar mobile deals. Along with the lofty price tag, Apple is also making demands for greater control over advertisers’ marketing campaigns, at least initially. “It’s a hefty sum,” said Phuc Truong, managing director at Mobext, a mobile marketing business whose clients include Sears, Choice Hotels, Amtrak and Volvo. “What Apple is trying to do is certainly above and beyond what’s been done in the past.”
Despite the pricing, ad executives at agencies across the U.S. have met with Apple in recent weeks to listen to the company’s pitch for iAd. Discussions over possible deals are said to be ongoing, but several ad executives said they are beginning to look at potential creative ideas for iAd campaigns. “It was very easy to think about the several minutes of interaction time consumers can spend with the ad. It’s incredibly attractive,” said Baba Shetty, chief media officer at Boston-based ad agency Hill Holiday. Apple’s demands for creative approval, and that it build the ads itself during the first few months, are giving some agencies pause, however. “As a creative director, I can completely understand that they created this new baby and they want to make sure it gets born looking gorgeous,” said Lars Bastholm, chief digital creative officer at WPP’s Ogilvy. “But as a creative director, I don’t feel completely comfortable letting Apple do the creative.” According to the report, marketers will be able to target ads to users based on past download preferences from the iTunes Store, and by location; Apple is planning to charge one cent each time a consumer sees a banner ad, with a $2 charge if the user taps on the banner.
Apple has acquired the voice-based personal assistance and search service Siri, according to a newly-published FTC document (PDF Link). Business Insider reports that a Siri representative has confirmed the purchase, but would not comment on the financial aspects of the deal. Siri describes itself as a voice-based personal assistant, that can “help you find and plan things to do,” such as finding a dinner spot, telling you what’s playing at a local music venue, or getting tickets to a movie. The company describes the service as “young” and says it “may be awkward at times,” but also says it “will improve quickly by getting to know you better and understanding a broader set of tasks.” The current version service, which is currently only available in the U.S., is built to run on the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch. The Siri Assistant app is available now as a free download from the App Store.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs will give an on-stage, opening night interview to kick off this year’s D: All Things Digital Conference. In its eighth year, the Wall Street Journal executive conference will be held near Los Angeles, CA from June 1-3. Jobs has appeared at the conference before, most notably in 2007 when he took the stage with Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates, as well as interviewers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, to discuss their long history in, and the future of, the technology industry. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Oscar-winning director James Cameron, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, among others, are also scheduled to appear.
Apple has announced the dates for its 2010 Worldwide Developers Conference. This year’s event will be held June 7-11, in its traditional venue of Moscone West in San Francisco, CA. As with last year’s event, Apple will be providing sessions focusing on both Mac OS X and iPhone OS X, as well as web app development; although this year’s sessions appear to be more heavily focused on iPhone OS development than in previous years. For the past three years, the company has also used the event’s keynote address as a venue for iPhone-related announcements, revealing the launch date for the original iPhone in 2007, introducing the iPhone 3G at the 2008 event, and unveiling the iPhone 3GS in 2009.
“This year’s WWDC offers developers in-depth sessions and hands-on working labs to learn more about iPhone OS 4, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system,” said Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vice president of iPhone Software. “WWDC provides a unique opportunity for developers to work side-by-side with Apple engineers and interface designers to make their iPhone and iPad apps even better.”
Following reports from earlier this month suggesting Apple had acquired ARM processor development company Intrinsity, the New York Times has been able to confirm the deal, which according to the report may have been worth as much as $121 million, with Apple. “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we do not comment on our purpose or plans,” said Apple spokesperson Steve Dowling. Austin, TX-based Intrinsity gained publicity for its efforts to speed up ARM CPU designs, including working with Samsung to introduce the 1GHz Hummingbird processor last July. According to the report, “many experts” in the chip industry believe that Apple relied upon Intrinsity’s Hummingbird chip as the basis for the iPad’s A4 processor.


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By JOHN BRODER NYT.COM 03/25/12
THE future would appear bright for the electric car. Gasoline prices are high. The government is spending billions on battery technology. Auto companies are preparing to roll out a dozen new electrified models. Concern is growing about the climate impacts of burning oil. And tough new fuel economy standards are looming.
Yet the state of the electric car is dismal, the victim of hyped expectations, technological flops, high costs and a hostile political climate. General Motors has temporarily suspended production of the plug-in electric Chevy Volt because of low sales. Nissan’s all-electric Leaf is struggling in the market. A number of start-up electric vehicle and battery companies have folded. And the federal government has slowed its multibillion-dollar program of support for advanced technology vehicles in the face of market setbacks and heavy political criticism.
The $41,000 Volt, in particular, has become a target of conservatives. Glenn Beck called the Volt “crappy.” Rush Limbaugh accused General Motors of “trying to kill its customers” by selling an unsafe car. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said while campaigning for president in Georgia last month that the Volt was too small to handle a gun rack (a claim proved wrong repeatedly on YouTube).
Daniel F. Akerson, the chairman of General Motors, defended the Volt before Congress earlier this year after revelations that the battery pack in one Volt caught fire three weeks after a federal crash test. Federal authorities eventually declared the car no more flammable than regular gasoline-fueled vehicles.
“Unfortunately, there’s one thing we did not engineer,” Mr. Akerson said. “Although we loaded the Volt with state-of-the-art safety features, we did not engineer the Volt to be a political punching bag. And that, sadly, is what it’s become.”
Is this the beginning of the end of the latest experiment in the electric car, whose checkered history goes back to the dawn of the automobile age? Can the electric car survive only with heavy government subsidies and big consumer rebates? Are the Teslas and Fiskers and ActiveEs andVolts and Leafs destined to be the playthings of only rich technophiles with a couple of spare gas-powered cars at home?
Or is this what an emergent technology looks like before it crosses the valley of death?
“Face it, this is not an easy task,” said Brett Smith, assistant research director at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. “You still have an energy storage device that’s not ready for prime time. You still have the chicken and egg problem with the charging infrastructure. That’s not to say it’s not viable over the long run. But the hype is gone and the challenges are still there.”
The market for all-electric and plug-in electric cars in the United States is tiny, amounting to fewer than 20,000 sales last year out of total light-vehicle sales of 12.8 million. Even in optimistic forecasts, plug-in vehicles will account for less than 5 percent of the global market by 2025.
Hybrids that do not require external charging, however, like today’s Toyota Prius and many others already in showrooms, are a growing segment. Forecasters say they could represent as much as 6 percent of the market by 2015 and 25 percent by 2025, in part because they are among the few vehicles currently on track to meet the government’s proposed new fuel economy standard of roughly 50 miles per gallon by 2025.
Other propulsion technologies, like natural gas and fuel cells, are more likely to be seen first in heavy trucks and local delivery vans because of limited refueling options.
Jon Bereisa is a former G.M. systems engineer who helped design the Volt and was among the lead developers of the company’s mid-1990s experiment in electric vehicles, the ill-fated EV1. He says that the prospects for the electric car are much better today than they were then, but technical development, cost reduction and consumer acceptance are going to take far longer than most people expect.
“There is much more political support for it today, for a variety of reasons,” he said. “Global warming, energy security, petroleum prices, all these vectors are aligned to support the electrification of the automobile, whether it’s hybrid, plug-in, extended-range hybrid or full battery-electric.”
But he added that the Volt was an incredibly complicated device in the early stages of development. “When you push the start button, you’ve got 10 million lines of software running. On an F-15, it’s about eight million lines of code. You’re really driving a modern data center, and a lot can go wrong.”
He noted that the current Volt was the first generation and predicted that its third version, which will come between 2020 and 2025, will gain wide acceptance, as long as G.M. does not end the project and the government backs a nationwide infrastructure of charging stations.
PRESIDENT OBAMA, who has been a strong supporter of alternative vehicle and fuel technologies, proposed this month spending more than $4 billion to encourage purchases of electric and natural gas vehicles and to speed construction of charging and fueling stations. He is seeking to raise the current $7,500 purchase incentive for electric and plug-in electric vehicles to $10,000, and to make it a point-of-sale rebate rather than a credit to be claimed on a tax return.
David B. Sandalow, the assistant secretary of energy for policy and international affairs, said that the Obama administration was fully committed to nurturing this technology, and he is persuaded that, eventually, it will catch on.
“It is the future of transportation,” said Mr. Sandalow, who saves money on gas by commuting to work in a Prius converted to run 30 miles on battery power alone. “The only question is how fast and how soon.”
He said that China, Germany, Israel, South Africa and other nations were racing ahead with electric vehicle programs and maintained that President Obama’s goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 was achievable if Congress fully financed his rebate and infrastructure proposals.
Most analysts doubt the million-car goal is achievable, as the enthusiasm over electrification in the industry has begun to flicker and the price of battery technology remains stubbornly high.
At the recent auto show in Geneva, for example, Peter Schwarzenbauer, a top executive at Audi, said of electric vehicles, which generated considerable buzz at previous shows, “Reality is phasing in.”
And Dieter Zetsche, the chief executive of the German automaker Daimler, said that cost, range and consumer rates remained serious problems for the electric car. Still, he said, the company would continue work on such vehicles, as well as those powered by gasoline, diesel and hydrogen.
“There is no alternative,” Mr. Zetsche told reporters. “We believe it is our responsibility to push this technology forward and make it marketable.”
The fate of the electric car remains hazy, with technical, economic and political forces working both for and against it. Chris Paine, who made the 2006 documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” about the demise of G.M.’s EV1 at the hands of the car company, government regulators and the oil industry, said he was alarmed at how quickly the political climate had turned against the Chevy Volt and other electric vehicles, and offered a theory as to why.
“The attacks leave me a bit stunned,” he said in an e-mail message. He said the Volt had been more successful in the marketplace than the early Prius was and that today, unlike in the late 1990s, the government and the auto industry are fully behind electric vehicle programs.
But one possible culprit still stands to gain if the electric car is killed yet again, Mr. Paine suggested.
“Not too hard to guess,” he said. “With Americans paying $250 a month to fill up on gasoline when electricity can do the job in a Volt for $50 a month, why are we being told electric cars are failures? Who could possibly be behind this?”


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The Missouri Association of Manufacturers (MAM) in now accepting nominations and applications for the Made in Missouri Leadership Awards (MMLA) to honor manufacturing companies and individual leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, July 25.
The MMLA program recognizes Missouri manufacturers as leaders in all segments of manufacturing. Innovative companies and individuals in the manufacturing industry from around the state will be showcased at the Made in Missouri Leadership Awards & Appreciation Event on Sept. 28 in St. Louis. They will also receive feedback from a panel of MMLA judges.
For more information about the program or to apply for the awards, call 417-863-7262 or email Info@MAMStrong.org.


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Madison, WI (Northland's NewsCenter) - Testing performed by the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection laboratory has confirmed Salmonella Bareilly contamination in recalled yellowfin tuna and in a spicy tuna roll made with the recalled tuna.
The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison found that the Salmonella isolated from these samples matched the DNA fingerprint of the outbreak Salmonella Bareilly strain isolated from ill individuals.
These lab tests confirmed earlier evidence discovered through case interviews and product tracking that the yellowfin tuna was the source of the contamination. To date, the outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections has involved 160 ill individuals in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Both of the contaminated samples were collected and tested as part of a collaborative effort in which Wisconsin state and local officials assisted federal investigators.
On April 13, 2012 the Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, California voluntarily recalled all frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA.
The product was not available for sale to individual consumers, but may have been used to make sushi, sashimi, ceviche and similar dishes available in restaurants and grocery stores. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is continuing to trace the recalled tuna forward from the recalling company through the subsequent distribution.
Since February, 15 Wisconsin residents have had laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Bareilly infections that match the DNA fingerprints of the national outbreak strain. Three of the 15 patients were hospitalized and all of the patients have recovered from their infection.
Milwaukee - 6
Washington - 2
Waukesha - 7
State and local health officials continue to monitor for additional cases and have supported the national investigation by interviewing patients regarding their food histories and other exposures and using this information to conduct a trace back of food consumed by ill individuals from the point of consumption through the distribution chain to its source.
State health officials advise consumers to contact their doctor if they believe they became ill from eating potentially contaminated food.
Click here for more information about salmonellosis.


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TOKYO – Japan recorded a trade deficit of 136.33 billion yen ($1.26 billion) in August, 69.6 percent lower than the negative trade balance it posted in the same month of 2018, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.
Exports fell 8.2 percent year-on-year to 6.14 trillion yen while imports decreased 12 percent to 6.28 trillion yen.
China remained Japan’s main trading partner in August although exports declined year-on-year by 12.1 percent and imports by 8.5 percent, according to the ministry’s data, which is still provisional.
Japan recorded a trade deficit with China in August of 216.77 billion yen, up 17.7 percent from the negative trade balance recorded in the same month in 2018.
Japan’s exports to the United States – its second-largest trading partner – fell 4.4 percent while imports decreased 9.2 percent.
With the US, Japan had a trade surplus of 472.01 billion yen, 3.8 percent more than that recorded in August last year.
This is the first monthly decline in Japanese exports to the US since September of 2018.
The data’s release comes in the middle of the final phase of talks between the US and Japan to finalize a new trade treaty.
The data also indicates a drop in trade with South Korea – Japan’s second-largest trading partner in Asia – with which the Japanese government has been locked in economic and political disputes for several months.
Japan’s exports to South Korea fell 9.4 percent in August and imports by 10.3 percent.


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"With the start of Copa America 2011 Argentina only days away, Canon is pleased to announce a series of fan-friendly events that we hope will enhance appreciation for this incredible sporting event," said Taro Maruyama, president, Canon Latin America. "Followed by millions of fans throughout Latin America and the rest of the world, Copa America represents an excellent opportunity for Canon to strengthen our brand and foster growth throughout the region’s consumer and business markets. We hope that everyone enjoys the tournament."
Beginning with the start of tournament play on July 1, Canon will launch a series of activities
For soccer fans in Colombia and Peru, Canon is sponsoring "Click and Print" public viewing parties at which Canon will broadcast games, offer T-shirts and give attendees the opportunity
In addition to fan attendance opportunities, Canon will sponsor the Copa America "Best Photo" section (www.ca2011.com) where fans can vote on the best photos from every game of the tournament to help generate a donation to UNICEF Argentina from Canon.
For professional photographers and media, 78 Canon printers, 55 Canon multifunction products and nine PowerShot Digital cameras will be available to support the press booths and accreditation office at each event site of Copa America 2011 Argentina. To help professional Canon users avoid downtime in the event of an issue with their equipment, there will be a Canon Service Depot located near the field-entrance at each stadium provided to photographers with appropriate event credentials for four hours before each soccer match through one hour after the match ends.


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There are conflicting reports about what Apple will ultimately do with Beats Music, with Recode reporting a potential name change, and TechCrunch calling for the service to be scrapped completely. Apple says TechCrunch's report is inaccurate.
Apple has now released two iPhone 6 ads it showed at its launch event. They are blessedly silly.
Spotify's 30 million nonpaying listeners will start seeing prompts to watch a commercial in exchange for 30 minutes of ad-free mobile music, plus "video takeover" spots on their computers.
The Internet giant buys another company, as Alibaba, the Chinese giant in which Yahoo has a large stake, moves closer to its blockbuster IPO.
Both new and existing customers can get the $100 credit, as the carrier looks to boost its smartphone revenue. Customers who sign up for a new line must also sign up for the AT&T Next device program.
Everyone is dousing themselves with buckets of cold water for charity. But should the Galaxy S5 be doing it too?
The "YouTube for audio" is the latest streaming-music site to tout new ways artists can commercialize. Of course, for its 175 million monthly listeners, that means commercials.
Now you can "humblebrag" for knowing that "binge-watch," "side boob," "douchebaggery," "fandom," and other well-known slang terms are officially in Oxford Dictionaries.
In a mea culpa written for the Atlantic magazine, Ethan Zuckerman explains why he devised the infamous pop-up ad and offers his apologies to the Internet community.
It's that time of year. And how can you not love the way EA Sports is announcing it?


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The Council of the EU has adopted new rules obliging businesses to commit to a degree of transparency when operating online.
With around 60% of private business transactions and 30% of public consumption of goods and services relating to the digital economy conducted wholly or partially online, concerns have grown over fragmentation of the market and the infinite potential of the internet to facilitate harmful trading practices. The new regulation therefore aims to promote online business transparency by establishing a framework both to guarantee transparency in the terms and conditions of online platforms for business users and to ensure tangible consequences where the terms and conditions are not observed.
Romanian Minister of Economy Niculae Bădălău said: “Predictability is key for business. Companies doing business through online platforms should be fully aware of the terms of this relationship and when necessary be able to seek quick and efficient redress. The new regulation, the first of its kind in the world, will enable EU businesses to reap the full benefits of the digital economy.”
The regulation covers online platforms which are used for business purposes or provide goods and services to consumers within the EU – irrespective of the region in which they are based – including online marketplaces, application stores and search engines. Platforms providing online intermediation services are obliged to phrase their terms and conditions in ‘plain and intelligible’ language and publicly disclose any preferential treatment accorded to businesses, for example in the form of search ranking placement. Platforms are also compelled by the regulation to establish ‘efficient [and] swift’ internal complaints handling systems; and to commit to participating in mediation where complaints cannot be sufficiently addressed internally.
The Council has invited the European Commission to take further action to ensure online business transparency by developing codes of conduct for online platforms and establishing independent specialised mediation bodies to oversee disputes.


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Environmentally friendly packaging is part of the company's philosophy, which affects all areas of the firm's activities.
Mon 20/02/2023 by Agroponiente
More than 500 key stakeholders in the fresh food sector participated at the WUWM 2022 Conference in Abu Dhabi
Tue 03/01/2023 by Pierre Escodo
NTUC FairPrice is actively involved in developing sustainability strategies and promoting healthy eating. The Singaporean retailer has embraced SS668, a government initiative and an integrated food safety standard in Asia.
Tue 29/11/2022 by Pierre Escodo
For over 40 years, this family business has strived to maintain its commitment to protecting the future and respecting the environment in Campo de Cartagena, Murcia. “Ours is a model form of agriculture for […]
Mon 14/11/2022 by Amanda Cardinal
Cuadraspania is committed to lowering costs at all stages of production so as to achieve greater economic sustainability through computer-controlled robots and automated systems. Cuadraspania is also seeking to achieve […]
Sat 12/11/2022 by Gloria Zorrilla
The firm’s 25 farms across seven Spanish provinces cover a total of 1,628 ha. Haciendas Bio practises organic and biodynamic agriculture to produce fruits and vegetables. Around 85% of its products come from its own farms and the rest from associated […]
Fri 11/11/2022 by Amanda Cardinal
Kristian Moeller took the opportunity to tell us about the latest improvements to his company's certifications with the new version 6 and sustainability strategy.
Sat 29/10/2022 by Pierre Escodo
The Zerya® brand aims to develop production systems that guarantee a quality final product without pesticide residues and ensure that all active matter found from analyses is below 0.01 ppm. How is this achieved? Committees carry out a technical study […]
Thu 27/10/2022 by Amanda Cardinal
petrrgoskov - stock.adobe.com
TikTok Shop now sells fresh food in UK Food content has clocked up over 26 billion views on TikTok, which has become the catalyst for some of the biggest viral […]
“Production of yellow-fleshed and red-fleshed kiwifruit this season should be up by 30-40% compared to last year, which should satisfy the growing demand for both types. As this year will see the first significant volumes of red kiwifruit on the market, Jingold […]
Mon 24/10/2022 by Gabriele Orsi
The family company has increased its product portfolio and improved services to tackle today’s challenges regarding surging costs.
Sun 25/09/2022 by Pierre Escodo
Among the main transformations taking place in the logistics sector are the consolidation of the sector’s real digitisation and its shift towards sustainability by adapting ships and trucks to clean energy or imposing regulations on CO2 emissions.
Wed 14/09/2022 by Maria Belén Barbini


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Chevrolet has announced that they will be partnering with Street League Skateboarding(SLS). Stevens Point Chevrolet fans at Wheelers Automotive Chevrolet GMC, should come and take a look at the official ride of the upcoming 2012 season.
This sponsorship will provide excitement for both the fans and the Street League Pros. The Street League features some of the biggest names in skateboarding. Chevrolet features the biggest names in the automotive industry so this new partnership is a perfect match.
In November, Chevrolet teamed up with Street League founder and President Rob Dyrdek to have the new 2012 Chevy Sonic do a “kick flip” off a huge ramp, with Rob behind the wheel. The was featured in the Sonic Super Bowl commercial, and was the lead story-line in the premier episode of the fifth season of Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory on MTV. Stevens Point Chevrolet shoppers should come and take a look at the lineup of 2012 Sonic vehicles on our lot.
“With Rob we’ve found an advocate for the Chevy Brand, especially after he’s taken Sonic on some of his most memorable adventures,” said Kevin Mayer, director, Chevrolet Advertising.
A Chevy Sonic will be awarded to both the 2012 Street League Champion and one lucky fan. Through an online contest, legal U.S. residents have the chance to win the exact vehicle to the one presented to the 2012 Champion. Stevens Point Chevrolet Fans should visit www.StreetLeague.com/Chevrolet to enter.
In addition to the car giveaway, Chevrolet is now the sponsor of “Chevrolet Overdrive.” This event has no boundaries or specific rules and is a complete jam session. This will happen immediately following the finals of every event. It will be streamed live on the Street League’s Facebook page. The judges will award $10,000 to the best overall skater from each “Chevrolet Overdrive” session and a trophy.
“From working with Chevrolet to make the Sonic kickflip car a reality, to now creating the Chevrolet Overdrive campaign as well as offering the Championship car for this year’s series, we have built an amazing partnership,” says Street League creator Rob Dyrdek. “Their dynamic integration into the Street League platform is a testament to their support of not only the series, but to our fans and skateboarding in general.”


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By Joyce Hanson (June 25, 2020, 8:57 PM EDT) -- Nearly 300 timeshare holders have slapped Westgate Resorts with a proposed mass action suit in Missouri federal court, claiming that it runs a high-pressure and fraudulent business operation that induces consumers to sign contracts but then refuses to deliver on the vacation properties it has promised.
A total of 287 individuals led by John and Veronica Hambacker of Missouri, who own a timeshare interest under Westgate Resorts Ltd. and affiliates, filed a 103-page complaint Tuesday seeking monetary relief of at least $5 million and alleging that Westgate uses aggressive sales tactics to trick consumers into making purchases they don't understand....
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled Medtronic’s recall of the HawkOne Directional Atherectomy System a Class I event adding to the company’s long list of product safety problems.
According to an alert issued by the FDA, Medtronic issued the recall of the medical device on Dec. 6 because of the risk that guide wires in the catheters can alter their positions when force is applied during use.
According to the FDA, the HawkOne Directional Atherectomy System consists of a catheter and a cutter driver. This device is used during procedures intended to remove blockages from peripheral arteries and improve blood flow.
Injuries Reported from HawkOne Use
The malfunction could result in the catheter tip breaking off or separating, which could then cause a tearing of the inside wall of an artery, a rupture or break of an artery, reduced blood flow to parts of the body due to a blocked artery and/or blood vessel complications that might require surgical repair.
Product malfunctions can also require additional procedures to capture or remove the detached tips or tips that have migrated to other parts of the body. So far, 163 complaints have been received with regard to these defective medical devices including 55 injuries. So far, no deaths have been reported. The recall affects 95,110 devices in the United States. The FDA has classified this as a Class I recall, which means it is “most serious” involving products that could cause serious injury or death.
Medtronic is continuing to face more product safety issues. In 2021 alone, the FDA posted 10 Class I recall notices for the company including MiniMed insulin pumps and several recalls for the HeartWare ventricular assist device, which was eventually pulled from the market in June. This year, FDA has posted three Class I recall notices for Medtronic.
Medical Devices and Product Liability
When it comes to medical devices that are implanted in patients’ bodies, the only way to correct problems is to perform surgery or other invasive procedures to remove or repair the device. If these interventions are not done in time, the patient could suffer serious injuries or even death.
In such cases, a number of different persons or entities may be held liable for injuries and damages suffered by victims. A manufacturer, supplier, or seller of the defective device could also be held liable. A physician, healthcare provider, or hospital that implanted a faulty device can be held accountable as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective medical device, you may be able to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, cost of surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation, as well as pain and suffering. An experienced product defect attorney can help you better understand your legal rights and options


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SOI Industry Consortium Joins SEMI
SOI Industry Consortium has joined SEMI as a Strategic Association Partner effective January 1, 2021. Objective is to connect members of both the semiconductor industry associations, where SEMI to deepen its materials technology focus and helps connect members with key players in SOI to collaborate and pursue new technology and business opportunities. The SOI Industry Consortium to also accelerate SEMI’s engagement in end-market applications such as 5G, IoT, automotive/mobility and medtech.
“SOI technology is a vital enabler of low-power, high performance semiconductor devices,” said Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI. “The SOI Industry Consortium brings to SEMI top-notch technology expertise and critical ecosystem connections while providing platforms and events that will foster collaboration and innovation across the SEMI membership. We welcome SOI Industry Consortium members as we continue to broaden our scope at SEMI to serve the full global electronics product design and manufacturing supply chain.”
“The integration of the SOI Industry Consortium with SEMI’s global reach, breadth of technology communities and industry-leading events will enable us to extend our technology expertise into new communities and harness the electronics industry’s collective power to develop new solutions,” said Carlos Mazure, chairman and executive director of the SOI Industry Consortium. “SOI Industry Consortium members will be better positioned to more effectively engage with the entire electronics manufacturing and design ecosystem while delivering innovative solutions to critical end-market applications SEMI now addresses.”
SOI Industry Consortium members can now access SEMI’s technology communities, smart initiatives across mobility, data/AI, medtech and manufacturing, and other strategic initiatives in areas such as advocacy, international standards, industry statistics, trade and regulations, and environment, health and safety (EHS).
“SOI technology enables novel low-power optimization techniques for rapidly growing edge processing applications demanding the highest levels of power efficiency,” said Ron Martino, senior vice president and general manager, NXP Semiconductors Edge Processing Business Line and member of the SOI Industry Consortium board. “Leveraging SEMI’s broad industry presence will further strengthen the ecosystem for technologies such as fully depleted SOI and RF SOI which will continue to play an important role in expanding local computing and data gathering devices."
"As a firm promoter and practitioner of FD-SOI technology, VeriSilicon has been committed to facilitating the establishment and development of the FD-SOI ecosystem,” said Wayne Dai, founder, chairman, president and CEO of VeriSilicon, and board member of SOI Industry Consortium. “We co-founded and co-sponsored the Shanghai FD-SOI Forum for seven consecutive years, and now the FD-SOI technology has been gradually adopted in the Internet of Things, automotive electronics, medical electronics, consumer electronics and other fields. After the integration with SEMI, we believe that FD-SOI technology will gain more room and resources for its further development, and will be better positioned to extend its technical advantages to a wider range of end-market applications."
All SOI Industry Consortium member companies to join SEMI’s global membership while retaining the SOI Consortium’s distinct self-governed community within SEMI, stated in the release.
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N


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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- According to local media, Dongfeng Venucia Vehicle Company (Dongfeng Venucia) and the Chinese AI and intelligent speech developer iFlytek Co., Ltd (iFlytek) will officially sign a strategic agreement on March 20 to carry out the cooperation in IoV (Internet of vehicles) area. Both parties will make use of their advantages to develop cooperation in some business realms like intelligent human-machine interaction, in-vehicle intelligentization, AI technology, big data analysis, intelligent IoV platform, intelligent customer service as well as sales innovation. Besides, the two companies may jointly build “intelligent-connected” models in the future.
As early as 2015, Dongfeng Venucia had launched its intelligent in-vehicle system called Venucia smart vehicle manager. In 2017, the automaker joined hands with Amap.com to have a deep cooperation in LBS (location based service), mapping platform, travelling service, Internet finance and other areas.
So far, the IoV system developed by Dongfeng Venucia is able to achieve the whole-journey navigation that covers the process spanning from “before getting in the car” to “after getting off the car”. Besides, it can plan the best routes for drivers according to the real-time updating traffic conditions. The automaker's intelligent human-machine interaction system can recognize 16 dialects and enable drivers to do operations like controlling air conditioners, navigation system and blue teeth via voice commands. All new models launched by the Dongfeng Venucia are expected to carry the all-new IoV system in the future.
Apart from the upcoming cooperation with Dongfeng Venucia, iFlytek has already formed partnerships with some internationally famous automakers like Volkswagen, Nissan and Toyota Motor.
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Yahoo Confirms U.S. Ad Head Bradford's Departure–In Tweet-Sized Terms
Short and, well, not so sweet.
More like a tweet.
Yahoo (YHOO) confirmed a report earlier here today, in a statement so terse, it almost could have been sent on Twitter, that its head of North American revenue, Joanne Bradford, is leaving the company
The announcement did not mention that advertising sales veteran Bradford, who has also worked at Microsoft (MSFT), is going to social content start-up Demand Media as its new chief revenue officer.
Here it is, in its entirety (missing Twitter by only 22 characters):
“Joanne Bradford has decided to leave Yahoo! to pursue a new opportunity. Joanne will be working with the team over the coming weeks to enable a smooth transition.”
Sources told BoomTown that means within two weeks.
Santa Monica, Calif.-based Demand Media also eventually put out a press release, which is quite a bit more enthusiastic:
Demand Media Appoints Joanne Bradford as Chief Revenue Officer
Former Yahoo and Microsoft Media Executive to Focus on Growing Branded Ad Sales and Platform Partnerships
SANTA MONICA, CA–March 15, 2010–Demand MediaTM, a leading content and social media company, today announced that Joanne Bradford joined the company as its Chief Revenue Officer. In this newly-created position, Bradford will oversee the growth of brand advertisers on the company’s top 20* owned and operated websites, as well as the adoption of the company’s professional content and social media platform by business partners. She will report to CEO and co-founder, Richard Rosenblatt.
“Joanne and I share a passion for listening to the consumer and using that information to give them exactly what they want. When content is produced with that perspective, it creates rewarding online experiences that visitors can easily discover and engage in,” said Rosenblatt. “This translates into unique opportunities for marketers, and with Joanne at the helm, we are well-equipped to provide expanded offerings to partners and advertisers.”
Bradford will drive the comprehensive sales strategy for the company’s category-leading O&O media properties, including eHowTM, LIVESTRONG.COMTM, Golflink.com, and Cracked® which combined grew its audience 102 percent year over year*. In addition, Bradford will oversee the company’s newly created Business Solutions Group, which delivers Demand Media’s professional content creation services and the award-winning Pluck social media suite. Leading publishers, marketers and retailers deploying Pluck include BF Goodrich, Kraft Foods, Lowes, NFL, Scott’s, USA Today and Whole Foods.
“Marketers are hungry for the ability to acquire new audiences with great content, opportunities to engage visitors with social media experiences and innovative ways to build long term connections to their brand.” said Bradford. “I’ve worked with hundreds of brand marketers over the years and am excited that Demand Media has created a platform that can deliver exactly what top marketers are seeking. This is a tremendous opportunity to reshape how online marketing works at scale.”
Most recently, Bradford served as Senior Vice President at Yahoo! where she was responsible for North American revenue generation activities and also struck innovative business partnerships. Previously, Bradford established herself as a new media trailblazer at Microsoft’s Internet Business unit where she helped grow online revenue to more than $2 billion and introduced innovative services such as in-game advertising and self-serve advertising platforms. Bradford has served on the IAB and Ad Council boards.
[Binder image courtesy of Zazzle.com]