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Vivotech founder joins mobile wallet developer's board
YellowPepper, which has developed a mobile wallet called Yepex for the Latin American market, Monday announced that former president and founder of POS terminal manufacturer Vivotech, Mohammad Khan, has been named chairman of the company's board of directors.
"Mohammad is a recognized leader and pioneer in the payments industry, and we are thrilled to have him on our board," said Serge Elkiner, co-founder and CEO of YellowPepper. "As YellowPepper grows and develops new technologies, Mohammad's unique experience in electronic payments and commerce brings YellowPepper additional industry know-how that we constantly strive for.”
Prior to founding Vivotech in 2001, Khan held various leadership positions at Verifone, which he joined in its early stage in 1983. Khan helped the company develop its point-of-sale systems and later helped successfully market these products in 96 countries. Khan was also a co-founder of the Internet commerce business for Verifone.
"I am eager and excited to join the YellowPepper Board," Khan said. "The mobile payments market is undergoing rapid growth worldwide, fuelled by users' increased interest in the convenience and security offered. The outlook is very promising, in particular for Latin America, where YellowPepper's operations are focused and market leading."
Topics: Mobile/Digital Wallet


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MILFORD, Conn., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- SUBWAY(R) Restaurants, the world's largest submarine sandwich chain, will heighten sponsorship efforts with NASCAR's Greg Biffle of Roush Racing in its third year of team sponsorship. SUBWAY(R) restaurants made its first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series appearance as a team sponsor in 2001. Today, SUBWAY(R) restaurants are set to be the primary sponsor of the No. 16 National Guard/SUBWAY(R) Ford Fusion at 11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races in 2006, including two entitlement races. The SUBWAY Fresh 500(TM) will take place at Phoenix International Raceway on April 22 and the SUBWAY 500(TM) at Martinsville Speedway on October 22. "SUBWAY(R) restaurants continues to become increasingly visible in NASCAR," said Roush Racing president Geoff Smith. "We are looking forward to working with SUBWAY(R) during the 2006 season and anticipate another phenomenal year on the track." Biffle finished the 2005 NEXTEL Cup season second in the point standings and is considered a leading contender for this year's title. Last year, Biffle led all NEXTEL Cup Series drivers with six victories. "SUBWAY(R) is very pleased to expand its presence in NASCAR, building top- of-mind awareness in a premier sport that is highly-relevant to our consumers," said Rick Sender, Franchisee and Chairman of the SUBWAY(R) Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust. "As we continue to enjoy phenomenal business growth and solidify our position among the world's leading brands, we'll look to associate with winners like Greg Biffle and Roush Racing." The SUBWAY(R) restaurant chain is the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise, with more than 25,000 locations in 83 countries. In 2002, the SUBWAY(R) chain surpassed McDonald's in the number of restaurants open in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Milford, Conn., the SUBWAY(R) restaurant chain was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. That partnership marked the beginning of a remarkable journey -- one that made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. The SUBWAY(R) chain was named the number one franchise opportunity in all categories by Entrepreneur magazine in its Annual Franchise 500 ranking for 2006 -- for the 14th time in 18 years! For more information about the SUBWAY(R) restaurant chain, visit http://www.subway.com.
SOURCE SUBWAY Restaurants

domain: news


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T-Mobile CEO John Legere took to YouTube this morning with a video where he, essentially, criticizes YouTube. Legere defended his company's Binge On service (again), saying, "There are people out there saying we're 'throttling.' That's a game of semantics and it's bullshit." Spoilers: He's talking about YouTube.
Here's the background: Binge On allows certain customers to stream video from participating services, including Netflix and Hulu, without eating into their data plans. However, Binge One is an opt-out service and all videos for participating customers stream at 480p by default. This includes YouTube videos, even though Google isn't a Binge On partner. YouTube calls Binge On "throttling," while a T-Mobile spokesperson in December called it "mobile optimization" or "downgrading."
Legere didn't address the federal inquiry or the EFF's findings in the video, instead suggesting that Google is making a fuss because it wants to get into the news. Note that Google is one of the largest and most influential technology companies in the world, and it's CES week.
"We give customers more choices and these jerks are complaining," Legere said. "Who the hell do they think they are? What gives them the right to dictate what my customers or any wireless consumer can choose for themselves?"
The FCC is, in fact, the one organization that absolutely has the right to decide whether Binge On infringes on net neutrality. The EFF certainly has legal ground to stand on, as well.
Since Binge On's launch in November, customers are watching 12 percent more video, Legere said. Daily average viewership on "a top video service" is up 66 percent among customers not on high-speed, unlimited plans, he noted.


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Twitter for Android has received a new update in play store. The latest update is
This is second in the series of comparisons pitting Android N, the upcoming Android OS
This is first in the series of comparisons pitting Android N, the upcoming Android OS
We had earlier reported about the new Display scaling slider that arrived with the Windows
Microsoft has pushed a new update for the Photos app on Windows 10 Mobile. Latest
Microsoft is now revamping Windows 10 Web store after revamping the UI of universal Windows
In this tutorial we have covered and demoed how to change Search Engine in Microsoft
Microsoft last pushed Windows 10 Mobile Redstone Build 14356 to Insiders in the Fast Ring.
Microsoft today released Windows 10 Mobile Build 14356 to Insiders in Fast ring ad you
More changes are coming our way with future Windows 10 Mobile Redstone builds though these
Windows 10 Mobile Redstone Build 14342 brings some changes, new features, lots of fixes and
Universal Windows 10 Store app has received a major update on both Mobile and PC.


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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) September 04, 2013
The Open Mobile Summit Launches Sixth Show in San Francisco, Featuring AKQA, Walmart, LinkedIn, Sony, ESPN, Shazam and Evernote
The Open Mobile Summit, the definitive industry conference for the leaders of the new mobile economy, returns to San Francisco on November 12-14th 2013 at the Parc 55 Hotel.
The three-day conference gathers market leaders and entrepreneurs driving a fundamental redefinition of the mobile Internet ecosystem, from carriers through to device manufacturers, Internet and commerce giants, media, retail, brands and app publishers. Key themes this year include Mobile video and the future of TV, Wearables The Age of mCommerce, Health and Quantified Self, Taking LTE to market, Enterprise Mobility, Big Data, App Engagement, Design and Monetization.
The conference has become well known as the annual industry event that truly covers all aspects of mobile. The founder of Fox Mobile, Lucy Hood said, "Open Mobile is a revelation: incisive C-level players and thinkers at the top of their game. Highly recommended for senior executives looking for the right mobile intersection."
Over 80 industry leaders will debate the future of the ever growing mobile space, including:
These leaders and visionaries will allow the summit to debate and look ahead to the future of mobile and its continued disruptive force across multiple industries. The summit will tackle the future of TV and second screen, the future of mobile commerce, enterprise, wearable devices, big data for advertising and targeting, automotive – the new mobile domain and much more.
Confirmed sponsors for The Open Mobile Summit and Appcelerate 2013 are Room 5 Solutions, Immersion, Urban Airship, Xtreme Labs, Trademob, Yandex and Jumptap.
For more information about the Open Mobile Summit 2013 including speakers, agenda and venue, go to http://www.openmobilesummit.com.
About Open Mobile Media Ltd.
Open Mobile Media is a registered company in England and Wales – Registered number 04388971, 7-9 Fashion Street, London, E1 6PX, UK. The company specializes in providing business intelligence to business leaders across the converging mobile, Internet, media and high tech spaces. http://www.openmobilesummit.com.
Media and Press Contact:
0044 207 375 7532


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As Whole Foods prepares to stop accepting GWorld as a payment method next month, students said they lack adequate food and grocery options on campus.
A Whole Foods Market spokesperson said in an email last week that May 31 is the last day Foggy Bottom Whole Foods will accept payments at GWorld. Whole Foods’ gradual exit from GWorld comes as the grocery giant announced in April last year that all of its stores would end partnerships with national university dining plans, and the university announced in January that it would begin swipe-based dining. This was done after switching to the system and phasing out the declining GWorld balance. A system that students can use to buy groceries and eat at restaurants.
The Foggy Bottom Whole Foods opened in September 2011 and began accepting GWorld in the same month. A Whole Foods spokesperson declined to comment on other college meal plans that are being phased out and how chains expect ending participation in college meal plans to affect their businesses. refrained from
University spokeswoman Julia Meghan said the university plans to add a grocery store-style market to the district house this summer to ensure food is available for “dining programs.” He said officials sent the weekly shuttle bus to Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Georgetown (about a 20-minute bus ride from campus) in December. He declined to comment on whether Safeway, the only major grocery store to launch in 2018, would make the switch.
“We are constantly working with potential partners to offer more food options to our students,” Meghan said.
More than 20 students plan to continue shopping for groceries next year despite Whole Foods G World being phased out, opting to spend their own money at stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. said to choose. Some students pointed out that they would have to take a bus or shuttle to Safeway, and said the university should work to partner with another grocery store closer to campus, like Trader Joe’s.
West End Trader Joe’s has not accepted GWorld since its opening in 2006, even after the university contacted them about a partnership that same year. Trader Joe’s did not respond to a request for comment last week on whether it had considered partnering with Gworld.
Safeway did not respond to a request for comment last week on whether it plans to make any changes to the GWorld system or whether it expects any changes to its business after Whole Foods stops accepting GWorld. Mount He Safeway on MacArthur Boulevard, a 10-minute walk from the Vernon campus, used to host his GWorld, but closed in 2019.
Emma Walther, a sophomore in international relations, said it was a “disappointment” for Whole Foods to pull out of GWorld. Because Whole Foods is the “best way” to buy groceries for many students, and a must-have for anyone who wants to cook food that reminds them of their hometown and their culture.
“Being so far away from home, being able to make your own food is valuable for many college students,” Walther said. “Personally, I know I’m from all over the country, so with Whole Foods pulling out of his GWorld, I’ll be making food that I grew up eating and that I’m used to cooking.” It’s sad to be able to.”
Charlie Kaltenbach, a sophomore in cognitive science and languages, said it would be “frustrating” for Whole Foods to pull out of G-World because it would make dorm kitchens “almost useless.” She said she will continue to buy essentials from Whole Foods because taking the bus to Safeway is inconvenient.
“I think dorms are very expensive, partly because of the kitchen, but it’s frustrating not to have anything in the dorms,” she said.
The university opened all-you-can-eat cafeterias in Thurston Hall and Schenkman Hall in the fall and spring, respectively, and new students had to purchase a swipe-based plan for use in the new cafeterias in the spring semester. The university will require all students on campus to purchase a meal plan for the coming semester, ranging from 90 swipes and $890 DC dining dollars to unlimited meal swipes and groceries and Ranges up to $200 DC dining dollars for meals at partner restaurants.
Cecily Poor, a second-year biology and music student, said that the cafeteria offers consistent dining options, making Whole Foods a viable option for students who previously struggled to budget for G-World. said it could serve as a good alternative to grocery shopping at Whole Foods when it comes off of. student. But she said she can’t use her remaining GWorld balance to pay for dorm-cooked groceries because Whole Foods will be pulling out of GWorld next year.
“I also pay for dorms with kitchens just to discourage me from using the kitchen,” she said.
Chemistry freshman Claire Trainor said the college would rather put West End Trader Joe’s on GWorld than keep Whole Foods on GWorld because Whole Foods is a cheaper option. said. She said she likes to go grocery shopping and cook on her own schedule instead of going to her diner at her set time.
She said the next closest option to groceries on GWorld is CVS, which has fewer items.
“I love making my own food because I love knowing what’s in my food, and I love knowing the ingredients to make it the way I like it.” is,” she said. “You can’t do that in the dining room.”


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USA TODAY's Sam Amick writes NBAers "looking to expand their personal brand" in China are "well aware that the Rockets have had a corner on that market since the days of Yao Ming." The team's appeal in China is one of the "main tenets to their pitch" to free agent targets. Rockets CEO Tad Brown said, "We're basically the de-facto national team of China. ... Every one of our games is broadcast in China and throughout Asia. We deliver a reach that is greater than any other team in the NBA, on a global scale" (USA TODAY, 6/19).
SUDS DUD: In Buffalo, Tom Precious reported the Bills' effort to "start selling beer an hour earlier for Sunday home games has come up short," as the measure "never gained traction" in the New York State Senate. State Sen. Mark Grisanti once backed the Bills' idea, but said that "getting a Wilson stadium-only measure would never work." Instead, there "has been legislation to push back the Sunday alcohol sales to 11 a.m. on a statewide basis." But that, too, has "stalled at the Capitol" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/18).
BOMBER BLUES: In Winnipeg, Paul Wiecek reports with just a week now remaining until the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers open their regular-season schedule at home against the Toronto Argonauts, the club "has sold just 22,500 tickets for its home opener." That is "two-thirds of the 33,500-seat capacity of Investors Group Field." If ticket sales "don't pick up meaningfully in the next week, this year's first game will be the most sparsely attended ever at Investors Group Field." The club as of yesterday morning "had sold just 21,311 season tickets, down more than 3,000 from last year" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 6/19).


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ANALYSIS - The recent trend of retailers and foodservice providers moving to ‘cage-free’ eggs has left many egg producers wondering how these demands will be met within the stated timelines, writes ThePoultrySite's editor Alice Mitchell.
Some egg associations are still speaking out against the move, saying it will not improve welfare, and Egg Farmers of Canada have come out in favour of enriched colony cages as part of the transition to higher welfare production methods.
However, a member of McDonald’s management said that enriched housing means nothing to consumers, and all the public wants is hens to be out of cages.
British egg producers are looking across the pond with interest, as I heard at the British Pig and Poultry Fair last month.
It is not long since farmers made huge investments to transfer away from barren battery cages to enriched colony cages, to comply with European rules.
There are worries that retailers may soon want to move to entirely cage-free in Britain, too. Once one retailer starts to do this, the American example shows that other retailers may follow, and this would make all that investment pointless as they then have to switch to yet another production method.
Aldi UK has already announced a move to entirely cage-free, with the NFU raising concerns that poultry farmers’ investments in enriched housing may be overlooked.
But will all this actually improve welfare for the hens?
Poultry expert Guillermo Zavala is worried that hens roaming outside are more vulnerable to all kinds of diseases and infections that cause them suffering, including avian influenza. This may mean more medication needs to be used on these birds – but there is also consumer pressure to remove antibiotics from poultry production, limiting vets’ options.
Free-range hens also tend to engage more in feather pecking, with adverse consequences for bird welfare.
On the other hand, Dr Zavala says birds subject to any form of confinement, not just in cages, will be subject to physical trauma, as they knock themselves more and there is more competition.
Leaving us with the question, what is welfare? There seems to be no perfect answer for the hens yet. Research and good management are needed to make welfare the best it can be within the systems that we have available.


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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Every entrepreneur would likely do a few things different if given a chance for a do-over, but choosing just one thing can be difficult.
Financial Post caught up with three women entrepreneurs growing their businesses in different industries and asked what would be the one thing they wished they knew starting out. Here’s what they said.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Lisa Shields completed one of Canada’s largest tech deals by selling her first company, Hyperwallet Systems Inc., to PayPal Holdings Inc. for US$400 million in 2018. She took the hard-won learnings and earnings from Hyperwallet to launch FISPAN, betting that giving banks the technology to provide great user experiences and embedding commercial banking services in treasury and accounting applications would be a win.
So far, her thesis is proving true. Vancouver-based FISPAN landed the largest bank in the world, JPMorgan Chase, & Co., as its first customer, which has quickly created a tailwind for the company in the United States.
The rapid traction the company is gaining is a far cry from the decade-plus it took for Hyperwallet to gain traction. Shields co-founded HyperWallet with Jennifer Cameron in March 2000, just as the tech boom went bust.
“It was impeccably bad timing and we were laughably naive, when I look back on it. I thought we would be rich and famous within two years,” Shields said. “I was hugely unprepared for rejection becoming my most common companion. I wish I had been prepared to derive value from repeated negative encounters and rejection, instead of wallowing in self-pity and righteous indignation.”
The rejection largely came from venture-capital firms.
Whatever timeline you have in mind for your success, triple it and ask yourself if you’re willing to grind it outLisa Shields
“Basically, I didn’t know it took 71 meetings to raise money,” she said. “I was used to being told ‘yes’ to things. I wasn’t prepared for people to say, ‘No, this will never work.’”
Part of learning that lesson leads her to a second thing she wishes she had known: “Whatever timeline you have in mind for your success, triple it and ask yourself if you’re willing to grind it out.”
Unlike Shields, Connie Lo and Laura Burget are on still their first endeavour, launched four years ago as fresh university graduates. They started Toronto-based skincare manufacturer Three Ships Beauty in 2017, when they were 23 years old, as a way to fill a gap in the beauty market: affordable, natural skincare products.
“We’re trying to democratize natural beauty and make it available for everyone,” Lo said. “All products are 100 per cent natural, certified cruelty free and vegan and retail for under US$40 or $55.”
They started with $4,000 and worked out of their apartments. Today, they have 16 products that are available in more than 1,000 stores across North America due to distribution deals with Target, Whole Foods, the Bay, Indigo, Holt Renfrew and Urban Outfitters. This year, they will be adding four new products.
“Once we establish ourselves as the go-to affordable natural skincare brand, we will move into cosmetics and hair care,” Lo said. “Our mission is to be the most transparent natural beauty brand in the world.”
The mission is working. Revenues are on track to exceed $3 million this year, up from $1.3 million in fiscal 2020.
The one thing Lo wishes she had understood earlier was that as owners it’s best for the business to play to your strengths, your particular zone of genius, and hire people to handle the rest.
“Outsource and hire for the areas you don’t like or are not good at,” she said.
Like many startups, Lo and Burget wore all the hats for the first three-and-a-half years of the business and only made their first hires last summer.
Outsource and hire for the areas you don’t like or are not good atConnie Lo
“Once we hired someone to handle social media, which was something I was responsible for, I was able to focus on sales,” Lo said.” That’s how we were able to land all six retailers. They all signed within a two-month period.”
Neetu Godara, on the other hand, wishes she had kept something in-house.
Godara teamed up with Dan Beach and Kevin Folk to solve a problem they and their pals were having in finding a health-conscious ready-to-drink cocktail. In the process, they created North America’s first sugar-, sweetener- and carbon-free, ready-to-drink canned vodka soda, Social Lite Vodka.
“Six years ago, the ready-to-drink segment was a lot of neon-coloured, high-sugar drinks,” said the co-founder and chief marketing officer of Whitby, Ont.-based Aware Beverages Inc. “We started making recipes and here we are today.”
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Launched in 2014, initially selling into private liquor stores in Alberta, there are now 20 Social Lite Vodka products and they are available in almost 3,000 stores across nine provinces. Last year, the company expanded into the U.S., where the market for vodka sodas and seltzers is forecast to hit US$3 billion in 2021.
Aware Beverages is on track to sell 800,000 cases this year, up from the 25,000 cases they sold in their first full year of business.
“When you start out as an entrepreneur, you are out of your comfort zone in a number of areas. One of the things I wish I knew early on was to trust my instincts,” Godara said. “For example, in the early days, we outsourced digital and social media marketing, but my instinct was no one is going to know the brand, our culture, and our fans as well as someone in house.”
The decision to take that function in-house took the founders a few years to make.
“As a small company going against some of the biggest companies in the world, having our team in-house allows us to be agile, quickly react and support our customers,” she said.


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One of Britain's biggest technology companies is investigating suspicious payments to senior executives at its Chinese joint venture, presenting a potential complication to its $40bn (£30bn) takeover by a US rival.
Cambridge-based microchip maker Arm said that “allegations related to the appropriateness of payments” had been made against senior management at Arm China, which it co-owns with a Chinese investment firm.
It has been locked in a lengthy dispute with Allen Wu, the head of the joint venture, after failing to fire him two years ago.
The row has cast a cloud over Arm’s $40bn (£30bn) sale to the American behemoth Nvidia, which has also been thrown into doubt by competition and national security investigations.
Chinese regulators are among those investigating the deal, making the status of the joint venture more delicate.
Annual accounts for Arm Limited said: “The board of directors of Arm China is in the process of resolving certain disputes with a member of the senior management… which remain unresolved.
“Further allegations have been made about the conduct of certain members of senior management in Arm China, including those in a position to influence financial reporting in Arm China, with one of the allegations relating to the appropriateness of payments in 2019 which were previously charged against profits of Arm China.
“Arm China’s board of directors may pursue additional investigations, if deemed necessary, upon resolution of the ongoing Arm China disputes.”
Arm was bought by Japan’s SoftBank for £24bn in 2016. It set up a joint venture in China in 2018 with state-backed Hopu Investments, which has 51pc of the company, and appointed Mr Wu, a company veteran, to run it.
In 2020, Arm China’s board voted to fire Mr Wu but he has retained control of the company because of legal rights he enjoys. In recent months he has appeared to distance Arm China from the British company, using a new name and talking up technology it has developed in the communist country.
Arm also said that it had been unable to access Arm China’s accounts in order to audit its financials and assess the value of its stake in the venture, which has been recorded at $827m.
The company said: “We were unable to obtain access to the financial information or management of [Arm China]... we were also unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence in relation to the carrying amount of the group’s investment in Arm China.”
Mr Wu was not named directly in the accounts, and did not respond to a request for comment.
Arm’s microchip designs are at the heart of smartphones, tablets and an increasing number of connected cars, laptops and computer servers.
Nvidia, the US graphics chip giant, agreed to buy it from SoftBank in 2020 but investigations from competition regulators in the UK, US, China and Europe have threatened the deal, with rivals complaining that it could threaten Arm’s independence.
In November, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries ordered the Competition and Markets Authority to also investigate the deal on national security grounds. SoftBank is likely to float the company in London or New York if the sale is blocked.
In the year to March 31, Arm’s sales rose from $1.8bn to $2bn but pre-tax profits fell from $266m to $27.5m.
An Arm spokesman said: "Arm continues to work with all key parties to resolve the disputes relating to Arm China. We have no additional comments at this time."


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Fall color hitting its peak in some Ohio locations
Even with the strong winds and scattered rain storms last weekend, there is still some great fall color across the Buckeye State, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"Those areas where color was late to develop are now showing color with more seasonable temperatures," said Ohio Fall Color Forester Casey Burdick. "Due to the weather this year, some trees may keep some of their leaves until as late as mid-November."
This coming weekend we are still seeing mostly peak conditions with some fading color around the state. The oaks are showing their russets and bright reds while the sweet gums are showing their full array of colors from yellow to purple.
Even though fall color season may be coming to an end, don't forget state parks, forests and preserves are open all year long.
Ohio is one of seven states that does not charge an admission fee meaning visitors can enter its 74 state parks for free.
People interested in staying up to date on where the most brilliant fall foliage will appear in the state should continue to check out fallcolor.ohiodnr.gov, Ohio's official guide to the changing colors. This website includes:
Weekly color updates and information to help plan a fall color adventure.
Weekly videos from Burdick highlighting fall color hot spots around the state.
Links to fall activities, scenic road trips, unique overnight accommodations at Ohio State Parks and more.
Looking for some great fall getaway ideas? Get inspired by fall color tours, the aroma of apple butter simmering, the tastes of the fall harvest, the crunch of leaves underfoot and more at ohio.org/fall.
While people are enjoying the wonders of fall color in Ohio, we want to encourage Ohioans to share their outdoor experiences and earn incentives through the new Explore Ohio campaign. This initiative encourages Ohioans to spend time in the state's beautiful natural spaces while becoming healthier in the process.
By visiting exploreoh.com, Ohioans have the opportunity to track their miles, share their photos and create friends groups as well as earn incentives once milestones are reached.
Whether running, hiking, biking, climbing, walking or paddling, the ways for Ohioans to track their miles are endless. Don't forget to use #ExploreOhio when posting to social media.
ODNR and TourismOhio encourage people to take fall color photos and upload them to social media using the hashtag #OhioFall16. Follow @OhioDNR and @DiscoverOhio on Twitter, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Discover Ohio on Facebook and @OhioDNR, @OHStateParks and @Ohiogram on Instagram to see more fall color photos.
Ohio State Parks is also having a photo contest this fall. Highlight the best of the great outdoors in a variety of categories for a chance to win great prizes, including free camping and gift cards! Enter today at ohiostateparksphotocontest.reserveamerica.com.


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Apple says HomeKit products will start shipping in June
On the heels of a report that said Apple HomeKit products would be delayed, the company is pushing back on the claim, saying that devices that will run on its smart home framework will ship right on time.
Apple told Mashable that HomeKit-compatible products will be available as early as June, rebutting the report that they'll be delayed until the fall.
“HomeKit has been available for just a few months and we already have dozens of partners who have committed to bringing HomeKit accessories to market and we’re looking forward to the first ones coming next month," an Apple spokesperson told Mashable in an email.
Read more at Mashable.


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Censornet: Safeguarding the Most Vulnerable People – and Their Data
The argument that legacy systems are holding the enterprise back is not new. Over the last five years, technology analysts have spoken about the negative impact of outdated technology on digital transformation in the finance sector. Concerns have since grown as with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating digital transformation, the digital-driven future is now. Businesses need to adapt to new technologies and venture into new digital services if they wish to thrive and remain competitive. Utilising and relying upon legacy technology only prohibits this.
Huw Owen, Head of EMEA and APJ at Couchbase, knows all too well about the legacy technology dilemma. A tech industry veteran who has been helping some of the world’s biggest organisations to digitally transform, Huw has been campaigning for companies across all sectors to move away from using old computer software, hardware, and databases.
In this Q&A, we discuss the challenges that businesses continue to face with legacy technology, using the database industry as a case in point to show how businesses' legacy arrangements are hindering their chances of being competitive in the post-COVID, digital-first world.
What is the crux of the legacy technology dilemma and why do you think that the database industry is most at risk in the post-COVID, digital-first world?
Many organisations are still relying on legacy technology, which was built for a different world to now. Previously it was the final purchase that mattered, not the steps the customer took to get there. Now it’s the opposite, with the interactions and the whole customer journey taking centre stage. Take legacy relational databases for instance, which were engineered to focus specifically on carrying out the final transaction. These databases are now becoming largely irrelevant for modern enterprise applications as today sees hundreds of different interactions happening all at once. With efforts now concentrated on delivering unforgettable customer experiences, we need technology that supports the entire journey and not just the final transaction.
Like a pair of old, fraying jeans, many businesses are still using legacy technology despite knowing it will become outdated. It's important businesses cast away their legacy beginnings and adopt modern innovations if they wish to meet customer expectations.
Hotel chain Marriott is one such company that has realised this need. To maintain its competitive edge, Marriott adopted a move to the cloud to replace its legacy infrastructure. This has facilitated personalised customer experiences, improved online reliability and quicker delivery of new apps.
Marriott recognised that while legacy technology has its place, it’s often incompatible with newer demands, and can hold back the rate of digital transformation. This makes organisations far less efficient and attractive towards consumers. It also results in competitors gaining a real advantage as they storm ahead with innovation and high customer satisfaction.
Couchbase carried out a survey in the last year about the digital transformation demand and its associated challenges, in which an astounding 90% of enterprises said they rely on legacy database technology despite it disrupting business agility. Has this figure lowered since then and can you tell us about some of the other constraints presented by legacy systems and infrastructures?
The number of businesses utilising legacy databases has actually increased, with 100% of respondents saying they still rely on traditional databases. This is due to disruption from covid-19 causing them to put their modernisation plans on hold, as they sought to overcome the uncertainty.
This presents many difficulties, namely the challenge of switching away from tried and tested technology that’s been in place for years. Those that fail to make the switch, could see competitors leap ahead. Eventually, the needs of the business and capabilities of modern technology will stretch beyond what legacy technology can offer. There will also come a time when the cost of legacy systems, from management to missed opportunities, will outweigh the cost of upgrading to newer technology.
If legacy technology is such an issue, why do so many still use and rely on it?
Again, like that old pair of jeans you’ve had for years, companies find it convenient to keep using these systems. These technologies often get baked into a company’s infrastructure because of the sheer volume of data, time and money invested into them. Organisations simply find it too hard to make the shift. As a result, they haven’t made it a priority to transform their infrastructure.
Often businesses still find these technologies valuable because a lot of critical processes and applications still rely on them. As such, it discourages organisations from swapping out these old technologies. They simply don’t see the point of switching if the system isn’t broken. It’s viewed as more efficient to stick with the familiarity, than having to invest in something new that will require business-wide reskilling.
In the end, though, organisations will be forced to move to newer technology. The cost of maintaining and managing legacy systems will become too much, alongside the daily business pressures to do more with technology. It’ll become vital for companies to shift away from their legacy beginnings.
NoSQL has been hailed as the key to supporting next-generation applications by leading tech experts since 2016. What are the benefits of transitioning from legacy technology to NoSQL databases?
Whilst many organisations still rely on databases that focus on the final transaction, it’s important to have a database that can handle transactional data and support modern applications. With a NoSQL database, businesses have a greater level of agility; they’re able to support the entire customer journey with easier, quicker deployments of new applications and in-built scalability and adaptability so all business needs can be met. Not only that, but newer databases offer an easy upgrade away from legacy architecture to make digital transformation as effortless as possible.
With increased speed and flexibility, NoSQL databases enable enterprises to craft more interactive, enriching experiences for consumers while keeping costs to a minimum. Edge computing is one area where NoSQL comes into its own, enabling end-users to have a great experience regardless of connectivity and syncing changes once it encounters a signal again. This is what happens when an individual pays for the London Underground via Google or Apple Pay and the payment is still successful despite having no internet connection. This is thanks to the mobile database storing relevant information on the device. Retailers can also use these databases to create a 360-degree view of the customer, enabling more immersive omnichannel experiences.
Amadeus is a great example of a company that’s using a NoSQL database to accelerate business growth. As a global travel provider, Amadeus uses its database to process a high workload of travel bookings, knowing its scalability will mean the platform grows at the same rate as the enterprise. At the same time, Amadeus has transformed the customer experience with higher availability and no outages.
In the case of replacing existing legacy technology, how should organisations go about transforming their digital capabilities?
When looking to replace legacy technology, organisations should take a goal-orientated approach. The end goal should be kept in mind – whether that be improving the customer experience or keeping the lights on for day-to-day maintenance – to ensure any new innovations they adopt will truly make a difference. There’s nothing worse than a business deploying a new system to find it doesn’t offer them the scalability or agility they need to operate successfully.
Organisations must also make sure they’re not just swapping one set of problems for another. For instance, if they wish to move to the cloud there’s a whole set of issues such as vendor lock-in and price inflexibilities that must be considered. To avoid this, enterprises need to ensure they’re using innovations that are designed for the cloud, with the flexibility and scalability required.
To wrap up, are there any useful case study examples you can share about how Couchbase, as an award-winning NoSQL cloud database, is helping the enterprise to successfully digitally transform?
One example is when high-profile fashion company, Tommy Hilfiger, used Couchbase to create global Digital Showrooms. This allowed buyers to browse collections, view pieces and see what different outfits would look like virtually via touch screen workstations and high-resolution 4K screens. The database allowed for information to be viewed quickly and in real-time, negating the need to create and send samples to locations all over the world. The database platform supported a one-click ordering system allowing for a faster sales cycle and the ability to easily add new product lines and functionalities. The retailer also had access to in-depth analysis of customer orders allowing for a more personalised approach for future orders. All in all, it delivered a faster time to market with the trip direction reduced by 66% and sample production cut by 80%, enabling the brand to set up more than 25 Digital Showrooms for anywhere, anytime engagement.
Global retailer Tesco also turned to Couchbase to power its catalogue and inventory management, which supports millions of products in-store and online for millions of customers. The company faced the issue of having data stored in multiple legacy databases and were struggling to access this quickly for providing instant updates to customers. Additionally, they were struggling to support changing levels of data and data structures and needed an alternative that would allow them to become far more agile. The NoSQL database provided by Couchbase meant 10 million products and 35,000 requests could be supported per second with low-latency access to thousands and thousands of documents for an improved customer experience. With a more flexible and modern system, Tesco was able to deliver a superior, seamless customer journey with running price and promotion, stocking, shopping cart, supply chain and new product applications that ensure high performance and availability.


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Lawmakers are still dining out and jetting off on trips they don't pay for themselves --and taking friends and lobbyists with them. They get the money by setting up something called a "leadership political action committee." Steve Henn reports.
About $21 billion was spent on online advertising last year. Almost half went to search engines, with Google getting the lion's share. But commentator and economist Ian Ayres says you, too, may be able to get in on the action.
Not too long ago yarn shops were popping up in fashionable neighborhoods. But the fad has passed. Those still minding their knitting are buying most of their wares online, and that has some stores spinning a sad tale. Carolyn Adolph reports.
Leaders on Capitol Hill are set to debate and vote later this week on the Bush administration's bailout plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Marketplace's John Dimsdale's discusses with Kai Ryssdal how the politics may play out.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche says it wants to buy California-based Genentech, maker of three of the best-selling cancer drugs in America. But Genentech's not going to come as cheap as Roche is hoping -- if the deal goes down at all. Janet Babin reports.
Marketplace® is your liaison between economics and life. Noted for timely, relevant and accessible coverage of business news across both audio and digital platforms, Marketplace programs are heard by more than 14 million weekly listeners. This makes the Marketplace portfolio the most widely heard business or economic programming in the country.


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The International Trade Commission (ITC) is a critical forum for those seeking to protect their intellectual property rights, particularly patent claims, against unfair imports. As overseas manufacturing has increased and injunctive relief from the federal courts has become more difficult to obtain as a result of the Supreme Court’s eBay decision, ITC exclusion orders to ban infringing imports have become a more attractive option for some plaintiffs who can show the existence of a domestic industry for the products at issue. Similarly, the federal courts’ willingness, unlike the ITC, to stay and defer to pending inter partes review proceedings before the USPTO Patent and Trial and Appeal Board has made the accelerated decision-making of the ITC a more attractive alternative to slower district court proceedings. Finally, the America Invents Act’s joinder rules are not an issue in Section 337 investigations, as the target of the investigation is the article being imported, with the manufacturer, distributors, downstream users, and/or importers being named, essentially, to defend against exclusion of the imported article. While the ITC has adopted a number of common procedures, ALJs have individual rules of practice, some of which can differ significantly.
In conjunction with the Sedona Conference’s Working Group 10 (WG10), Finnegan attorney Christine Lehman coauthored Commentary on Patent Litigation Best Practices: International Trade Commission Section 337 Investigations Chapter, which outlines principles and best practices specific to International Trade Commission Section 337 Investigations to parallel the extensive set of commentary chapters that WG10 has published for patent litigation in the federal courts.


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“Capitulation” of bitcoin miners may have already happened – study
A research paper claims that metrics on the web prove that miners have capitulated, while whales appear to be the lone bitcoin buyers. Bitcoin (BTC) miners may have already triggered a "capitulation event," according to a fresh analysis
The launch of THORChain’s core network boosted RUNE’s daily rally by 20%
The launch of THORChain's core network has opened the floodgates to bullish activity in its native token, RUNE. Over the past 24 hours, the asset has rallied more than 20% to an intraday high of $2.3 amid a rapid recovery in the overall market.
Binance CEO denies giving 3AC a line of credit after its rejection
An international consortium of news organizations developing transparency standards. Lenders at Maple Finance will have to wait, the platform is short on money Changpeng Zhao explained his philosophy on which companies deserve bailouts, and which ones should be left behind.
Lenders on Maple Finance will have to wait, platform lacks money
An international consortium of news organizations developing transparency standards. Lenders at Maple Finance will have to wait, the platform is short on money Maple Finance issued an announcement warning investors that there may not be enough cash in the platform's pools
Bancor Exchange rolls back protection against intermittent losses due to “hostile market conditions”
An international consortium of news organizations developing transparency standards. Bancor exchange rolls back non-permanent loss protection due to "hostile market conditions" Decentralized cryptocurrency trading platform Bancor has halted its non-permanent loss protection mechanism
South Korean authorities banned Terra developers from leaving the country
An international consortium of news organizations developing transparency standards. South Korean authorities have banned Terra developers from leaving the country South Korean law enforcement authorities have banned current and former Terra blockchain developers from leaving the country
Coinbase will lay off 1,000 people to survive crypto-winter
In tough economic times, cryptocurrency exchange, like many other businesses in the industry, saves money on everything, including people.More than 1,000 people, or 18% of the total number of employees will lose their jobs at Coinbase in the near future
Tron founder ready to spend $2 billion on vendor war again
An international consortium of news organizations developing transparency standards. Tron founder ready to spend $2 billion again on vendor war Tron ecosystem founder Justin Sun announced his willingness to spend $2 billion to protect the TRX token from short-selling
Bored Apes Yacht Club non-interchangeable tokens collection developer studio has removed code that allowed infinite generation of NFT tokens
After a year of promises, the developers of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection have still removed the code that allowed the generation of an infinite number of NFTs on the collection. The co-founder of Yuga Labs, alias EmperorTomatoKetchup, announced this on his Twitter account.
Lithuania has already started to use cryptocurrencies without EU permission
Lithuania intends to create a national cryptocurrency licensing system without waiting for a single EU law. In an interview with CoinDesk journalists, Mindaugas Lytvinskas, deputy prime minister of the Ministry of Finance, said.
The new Ryzen 3 7420U will be available to all laptop and Chromebook users
Today, there was a vote in Albany on a mining moratorium bill. The Senate approved the bill, and now it's up to the governor. If the bill is signed into law, New York will become the first state in the country to outlaw cryptocurrency mining.
Nvidia has announced that the video card market will return to normal soon
CFO Kress said that retail goods inventories in the first quarter of the year are near normal levels, and will remain so in the second quarter. Increases in the number and quality of videocards are helped by an decline in miner activity, as well as Nvidia's own work to combat shortages.
SAMSUNG Electronics will develop a brand new mobile processor for the flagship
Galaxy series of smartphones Samsung Electronics will develop a brand new mobile processor, that will be used only in the flagship galaxies. The Korea Economic Daily reported that the chip will be included in the final devices, as part of the final devices, and it is planned to come out in 2025. By 2023, it is expected to complete the design of the new chip
New AMD processors will unlock RAM potential better than Intel
Intel's 13th-generation Raptor Lake-S and AMD Ryzen 7000 desktop processors will be released around the same time. Both platforms will support PCIe Gen 5.0 and DDR5. However, it looks like AMD processors will have a slight advantage in memory support capabilities.
After testing the key support, Bitcoin came under pressure after falling in price after testing key support.
It became known that bitcoin's fall on Thursday led to a test of important support near the $28,650 mark, which is worrisome, but bitcoin quickly recovered thereafter. Since last night, it has been testing lower and lower highs since last night.
Terraform Labs postponed the launch of the new ecosystem to May 28
Token distribution will begin a day later than planned. UST price drops to $0.03 Cryptocurrency company Terraform Labs is postponing the launch of the Terra 2.0 network and new token distribution to May 28, it announced on its official Twitter page.
Cryptocurrency community cheated a fraudster and recovered stolen NFT tokens
The scammers received only 2% of the resale price they requested. Stolen items returned to owner The World of Solana (WOS) cryptocurrency community has tracked down and recovered some of the NFTs stolen for resale, buying them back for 2% of the value assigned by the attacker.
The Metaverse is popular in developing countries, but not in developed countries, according to a World Economic Forum poll
According to a poll performed by the World Economic Forum, interest in the Metaverse and virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR) is substantially higher in poor nations than in high-income ones (WEF).
Thanks to the launch of a stable coin inspired by Terra, TRON DeFi is growing
The most important takeaways are: At the moment, The DeFi TRON ecosystem is experiencing rapid progress in its development. There are no doubts that it is currently the second largest blockchain in terms of total value, after only BNB Chain and Ethereum. How can you explain its new algorithmic stable USDD coin? What do you […]
Do Kwon warns Terra community not to use LUNA record address
TerraForm Labs founder and CEO Do Kwon announced a plan to revive the company, receiving conflicting reactions. Many users expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the hard fork to restore the plummeting price of Terra (LUNA) and TetraUSD U.S. tokens (UST).
Norwegian Parliament rejects bill to ban energy-intensive mining
A bill by representatives of the left-wing parties aimed at a complete ban on energy-intensive mining of cryptocurrencies did not get the support of the majority of Norwegian deputies. In November 2021, the Norwegian government began to consider proposals for a partial ban on mining cryptocurrencies, put forward by the Swedish regulatory authorities. The background […]


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STOCKHOLM, August 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Alleima, formerly Sandvik Materials Technology, which is expected to be listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, is hosting its first Capital Markets Day today at Sandviken, Sweden. At the event, senior management will present trends and characteristics of Alleima’s markets, activities, financial performance and strategic direction.
Alleima advances industries through materials technology. Alleima offers niche and premium products to a wide range of industries and has claimed strong market positions through its leading metallurgy expertise, global reach and fully integrated value chain.
The strategy is based on profitable growth, innovation in materials, operational and commercial excellence and industry-leading sustainability. With its customer offering and material expertise, the company is well positioned to take advantage of the global transition to renewable energy. Alleima has also built a solid financial foundation and has proven its financial resilience in recent years. Going forward, the focus is on growing the business in line with major global trends, such as strong demand for energy and power generation, a strong transition to fossil-free energy and the efficiency, as well as a growing and aging population, driving the development of new health technologies.
Financial goals (as previously announced)
Generate profitable organic revenue growth in line with or above target end market growth over an economic cycle
Adjusted EBIT margin average more than 9% over an economic cycle
Net debt to equity less than 0.3x
Dividend on average 50% of profit for the period (adjusted for metal price effects) over an economic cycle. Dividends reflecting financial position, cash flow and outlook
“Alleima is a global leader in materials technology, a strong customer partner and a driver of sustainability. We are the result of nearly 160 years of collaboration between collective minds. On our inaugural Capital Markets Day, we are thrilled to present the exciting journey we have ahead of us, as a stand-alone company. We plan to further strengthen our market position by offering our premium products, utilizing our fully integrated value chain, leading expertise in the field of metallurgy and our global footprint. We will grow our business by taking advantage of key global trends, the high demand for energy and energy efficiency, the shift to non-fossil and renewable energies and the need for new medical technologies”, says Göran Björkman, President and CEO of Alleima.
Capital Markets Day will be webcast live from 10:30 a.m. CEST on cmd.alleima.comand a recording of the webcast will be posted after the event.
Agenda Alleima Capital Markets Day (approximate times, all in CEST)
10:30 a.m. – Welcome and security
10:40 a.m. – Presentation of Alleima: Göran Björkman, President and CEO
11:20 a.m. – Financial performance and objectives: Olof BengtssonCFO
11:50 a.m. – Q&A
12:00 p.m. – Lunch break
12:45 p.m. – Dividing tube: Michael AnderssonSpeaker Tube
1:15 p.m. – Kanthal Division: Anders Björklund, President Kanthal
1:40 p.m. – Strip Division: Claes Åkerblom, Strip President
2:00 p.m. – Seizing the opportunity of the energy transition: several members of the management team
2:25 p.m. – Q&A
2:45 p.m. – Closing remarks: Göran Björkman, President and CEO
3:00 p.m. – End of webcast
15:00 – Guided tour of the steelworks and surface technology facilities (only for on-site participants)
Dial the conference call details:
Sweden: +46 8 505 583 65
UK: +44 3 333 009 035
USA: +1 646 722 49 57
The first day of trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in Stockholm is scheduled for August 31, 2022. For detailed information on the company, including the process for the distribution of Alleima shares to Sandvik shareholders, please see the prospectus which has been published. August 4, 2022on www.alleima.com.
stockholm, August 23, 2022
For more information, contact Emilie AlmHead of Investor Relations, Alleima, tel. : +46 (0) 79 060 8717, or Yvonne EdenholmPress and Media Relations Manager, Alleima, telephone +46 (0) 72145 2342, or Louise TjederVP Investor relations, Sandvik, phone: +46 (0) 70782 6374 or Johannes Hellström, Press and Media Relations Manager, Sandvik, phone: +46 (0) 70721 1008
 Adjusted EBIT (operating income excluding items affecting comparability and metal price effects) to sales.
 Interest-bearing current and non-current debt, including net pension and lease obligation, less cash and cash equivalents.
 Metal price effect on operating profit in a given period of changes in alloy prices resulting from the timing difference between the purchase (as included in cost of goods sold) and sale of an alloy (as included in sales) when alloy surcharges are applied.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
The following files are available for download:


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Publication of the BIS report complies with a crackdown by China on the cryptocurrency business as it attempts to limit risks with customers piling.
As it would no longer be possible for depositors to avoid negative interest rates, A cryptocurrency could if it were to replace money, eliminate the constraint on monetary policy, BIS said.
BIS said that the question of whether or not a bank should offer a alternative to money was pressing in a country like Sweden, where money use has declined over the past decade.
BIS concluded that central banks would have to decide whether issuing retail or wholesale bank cryptocurrencies made sense.
“In making this decision, central banks will have to consider not just customer preferences for privacy and possible efficiency gains — in terms of payments, clearing and settlement — but also the dangers it might entail for the financial system and the broader market, as well as any implications for monetary policy,” BIS said.
“Some of the dangers are currently hard to assess,” it said, adding that very little was understood about the resilience such currencies would have the ability to show to cyber-attacks, for example.
Blockchain technology empowers payments to be made using decentralized cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, by means of a ledger that settles transactions in a few minutes, records and verifies.
Released at Sun, 17 Sep 2017 16:09:39 +0000
What is distinctive about a fundamental bank-issued cryptocurrency – instead of just electronic money – would be that this could be exchanged “directly between the payer and the payee with no need for central intermediary”, by means of blockchain technology, BIS said in its latest Quarterly Review.
“Most of the alleged benefits of retail central bank cryptocurrencies can be achieved by giving the public access to accounts in the central bank, something that’s been technically feasible for quite a long time but which central banks have largely stayed away from,” it said.
Central banks use money – gold now backs only a percentage of the assets – but this is exchanged in a fashion.
On the side, a central cryptocurrency’s usefulness depended on whether it may reduce settlement times and improve efficiency, BIS said. But would depend on the successful resolution of a number of issues that are technical and that had yet to be proven.
RETAIL OR WHOLESALE?
BIS reasoned that the nature of the technology meant that a cryptocurrency for customers could enable the anonymity that cash provides. But if that weren’t seen as significant it was unclear what benefits it might provide.
The report explores two potentially forms of fundamental bank-issued cryptocurrency: a consumer-facing money for use in retail trades, and a wholesale one that would be used by institutions as a “token” money for digitally settling trades.


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Two women’s clothing stores shutting their doors
Two downtown Chico businesses are in the process of closing and leaving a couple of large corner storefronts vacant.
Betty’s on Broadway at the corner of Third and Broadway streets and Katie’s Corner on Third and Main are both women’s clothing stores but closing for very different reasons.
Summer Ballock, owner of Betty’s, said she is closing after a successful 25-year run because she is ready to retire and travel with her husband. She credits her success to the location and the loyal customers who have become her friends over the years.
“We put up the [‘Going out of business’] signs late Sunday night so people didn’t see them until Monday,” she said. “Then the phone started ringing off the hook.”
She also credits her success to opening and running a business long before Internet sales began. The store stock is now almost gone and her lease ends in June.
The store is named for her mother, who started in a location on Main Street 30 years ago. Five years later, it moved to its present location, and Ballock, who was a Miss California in the 1970s, took over ownership.
She also credited longtime friend and artist Sophia Boulas for the store’s success.
“For 30 years she has done our windows, and I’ve gotta tell you, people walk in and say they come down here just so they can see the windows,” she said. “We go all out for Christmas Preview.”
She said though there was “a lot of angst, a lot of thinking about it,” closing and retiring is the right decision at this time.
“Our story is all good,” she said. “The reason I get to retire is because this store has been extraordinary here. This is a success story, and now it’s time. I had the best of everything. I had the best customers, good timing before the Internet, and the best location in Chico.”
Katie Vaclavik, whose store has been open since February 2010, has a very different story.
“I felt like the economy is really slow and I’m just not doing all that great,” she said. “And I don’t like where I am anymore. The homeless live in my front door and urinate there. I can’t seem to get them out of the door, no matter how I try.”
Katie’s Corner’s window says it is having a moving sale, but it is more likely a going-our-of-business sale. Vaclavik said she can no longer afford the $3,500-a-month lease and has been looking, without success so far, for a new location. Her lease doesn’t expire for another two years.
“What I have to do is wait until the landlord finds someone else to take the lease over before I can actually leave,” she said “It’s very painful. What I thought I would do if I could get out of there was find another place in a decent spot with lower rent than what I am paying now. If it takes me too long, then I’m stuck with that and my business isn’t any better, then I’m going to close down. I am surviving, but that is about it.”
Katie Simmons, president and CEO of the Chico Chamber of Commerce, called the closings “heartbreaking.”
“I am a regular customer of Betty’s, and I just bought my wedding dress there last month,” she said. “This of course is not about me, but I think as a consumer I will certainly miss that business. I’m happy for Summer that this decision benefits her life and her future.”
She said she was not familiar with the closing of Katie’s Corner and as such, couldn’t comment.
“As an organization representing businesses, we are certainly doing everything we can to connect business with resources,” she said. “But people make decisions all the time. They retire, they move their business, they close. We are here to support the businesses in whatever way they need.”
Shawn Tillman, a senior planner for the city, said the closing of the two large and highly visible storefronts may give a false impression. The vacancy rate in downtown Chico as of the end of last year, he said, was only 5 percent, compared to 7 percent city wide.
“A 5 percent vacancy rate is considered healthy from either an economic-indicator standpoint or if you’re an investor,” Tillman said. “In commercial real estate, if you have less than a 5-percent vacancy rate, the old adage is that you’re not charging enough.”


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Verizon may be launching its "nationwide" 5G network as soon as tomorrow, to sync up with the iPhone 12 launch event, according to new 5G tests we did in Chicago and posters on the Verizon subreddit.
Tomorrow's iPhone 12 launch is anticipated to include up to four 5G phones, and Verizon is far behind AT&T and T-Mobile on 5G coverage. (That's a render of one of the new iPhones, above.) According to our 26-city Fastest Mobile Networks tests, Verizon had 3.5 percent 5G availability earlier this summer, as opposed to 38.5 percent for AT&T and 54.2 percent for T-Mobile.
That's because Verizon chose a fast, but hard-to-build 5G system, called high-band or millimeter-wave, which has very short range. In our tests, Verizon's millimeter-wave system was much faster than the other two carriers', but it didn't carry.
Low-band 5G, on the other hand, lets carriers light up a "5G" icon on lots of phones but delivers essentially 4G performance. AT&T and T-Mobile both focused on low-band 5G to get that indicator lit up. In AT&T's case, the carrier used a very narrow low-band channel, resulting in a 5G network that (according to our tests) was actually slower than its 4G network.
Verizon doesn't want to lose the marketing game, though, so it plans to activate dynamic spectrum sharing, or DSS, which flips some of its 4G channels over to 5G to turn on that 5G icon for many people. If the capability is on enough of its low-band towers, Verizon's 5G could quickly span the nation.
Testing Verizon 5G throughout Chicago on Oct. 11, we saw a "5G" icon appear on one of our phones, without the usual "UWB," which signifies Verizon's high-band 5G network. We ran speed tests when the "5G" icon appeared, within the Loop, in River North, along Lake Shore Drive, and on the North Side.
According to posts on Reddit, the low-band 5G icon can appear on Verizon phones that have the Android 11 beta loaded. We have that loaded on some of our phones. Also according to a post on Reddit, the network uses frequency band n5. That's the original 850Mhz cellular band which has been in use since the 1980s, and it has excellent range. AT&T is using the same band for its poorly-performing nationwide 5G.
Existing 5G phones released after February 2020 should have DSS capabilities. It's unclear whether they'll need an update to Android 11 to get them, though, which could delay its arrival on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series. While Samsung said it intends to launch an Android 11 update for the Galaxy S20 series this year, that could be any time this year.
How Fast Is Verizon's Nationwide 5G?
Pre-launch, DSS 5G isn't impressive, but it doesn't have the airwaves to pull it off. The chart below compares the DSS 5G speeds we got with the 4G and 5G speeds we found during the Chicago phase of our Fastest Mobile Networks tests earlier this summer.
I wouldn't worry too much about the 5G being slower than 4G yet. This is pre-launch and either our devices or the network may not have been fully configured. But I think 5G being the same speed as 4G is more relevant, because DSS 5G is really just a shell game. You get faster speeds when you add spectrum to a carrier's pool. The power of 5G comes from its ability to use wider channels than 4G—up to 100MHz each where 4G channels max out at 20MHz.
DSS simply shifts some existing 4G channels to 5G when they aren't being used by 4G phones. So you're going to end up with narrow odds and ends of airwaves that don't expand the carrier's portfolio any, but let it show a "5G" indicator for marketing purposes.
Why do DSS anyway? There are reasons to do it from a tech perspective. It pays off later in the game. It lets carriers more quickly achieve "standalone" 5G status where phones don't have to attach to secondary 4G networks for coverage. That then activates new non-speed-related 5G features like super-low latency, network slicing for high reliability, and an increased number of devices per cell, which eliminates blocked connections. It also lets carriers manage their 4G-to-5G transitions much more easily than they could otherwise.
But most importantly, it lights up that icon.
We've contacted Verizon for comment and haven't heard back yet. The new iPhones will launch at 1 p.m. ET on October 13.


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A digital walkie talkie app has become the top downloaded app as Hurricane Irma threatens Florida and the southern Atlantic seaboard. Zello was the top free download in both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store yesterday, after gaining fame as the top communications tool of the “Cajun Navy” Harvey rescuers in Houston. “Over 1 million people have joined in the last day, with most coming from Puerto Rico and Florida,” Zello CTO Alexey Gavrilov said in a statement. Gavrilov warned users that Zello is not designed for disaster communications though, and will not work without either a WiFi or cellular data link, dispelling online rumors to the contrary. As Texas recovers from Harvey and Florida braces for Irma, other hurricane-related apps dominated the two main app stores. The NOAA weather radar app was the number five free download in Google Play yesterday, with the Hurricane Tracker app taking the store’s number five paid slot. Meanwhile, NOAA Radar Pro and Hurricane Tracker were the top two paid downloads on Apple’s App Store. Zello differs from other messaging or voice apps by allowing the user to hold down a button and broadcast to other users logged into a specific channel – just like a tradition walkie talkie.
Photo Credit: jacksonville.com


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Kryptonite knew about the postings on Bikeforums.net from a very early stage. It was not "clueless", a claim made by David Sifry, CEO of Technorati, a blog tracking and search company based in San Francisco.
He told thedeal.com that Ingersoll-Rand could have limited the damage to its brand if it had used a service to track its reputation on the web. " Instead, the manufacturer was clueless for days that its Kryptonite locks were under digital assault and had to offer a lock exchange program that it estimated at the time would cost it $10 million."
See the links below for background to this story. BikeBiz.com was the first news site to report on the Bikeforums.net and made the first comment about the Bic vulnerability being known about in the UK since 1992. This fact was later picked by the Boston Globe, the New York Times, Wired.net, CNN.com and other mainstream new sites. Kryptonite itself did not know about the 1992 Bic vs locks article from a now defunct British cycle magazine but that didn’t stop lawyers launching class actions against Kryptonite, citing URLs from BikeBiz.com.
A new piece of info to come out of the latest Kryptonite/blog coverage is this quote from an Ingersoll Rand press official: "Since the Kryptonite situation, we have established a person in a communications role within the communications department who is responsible for monitoring major blogs out there with respect to Kryptonite."
In March, Steve Down, the general manager of the Kryptonite Corporation, told BikeBiz.com Kryptonite was alerted to the Bikeforums video at an early stage but didn’t post to the forum:
"No doubt we’ll look back and see different ways of dealing with the issue. At the time we wanted to address concerns via our website and via the trade media. We took it very seriously but had to analyse the situation, see what products were affected, and prepare an adequate response. This all takes time. We have been accused of reacting slowly. I have looked at the timeline, we weren’t slow to respond. But in an age of cellphones and the internet people assume things have to be done instantly. We had problems of logistics and manufacturing to get around."
BIKEBIZ.COM BIC/LOCK ARTICLE INDEX
Wednesday 16th March 2005: What does Kryptonite Corp think about blogging?
Steve Down, the English general manager of the Kryptonite Corporation of America, is facing the media this week. He’s painfully aware that September 2004’s Kryptonite vs Bic problem is the "poster child" for the power of internet chat-rooms to influence corporations. Kryptonite was on the receiving end of thousands of online complaints, starting on bikeforums.net. The company has recently settled one of the class action suits filed against it in the US and Canada.
Monday 10th January 2005: Bic vs Kryptonite to be case-study in PR textbook
‘Cases in Public Relations Management’ will be published in the US by McGraw-Hill Publishing and is to feature the online brand mauling suffered by the Kryptonite Corp in Autumn 2004.
Tuesday 28th December: US distributor of OnGuard locks has a dig at Kryptonite
The European lock company has long known about the vulnerabilities of cylinder locks and has shunned their use. Todson, the lock brand’s US distributor, has today issued a press release that knocks Kryptonite, even though Kryptonite has voluntarily recalled the locks which could be opened with Bic pens.
Wednesday 17th November: Kryptonite, rejoice, it’s now Oxford Products taking the heat
The December edition of Ride, the British motorcycle magazine has an "exclusive investigation" on the Bic lock opening trick that’s been exercising minds in the bicycle trade since September. However, the four-page piece fingers tubular cylinder locks from Oxford Products rather than Kryptonite. "It’s possible some Kryptonite locks are affected," said the Google-averse writer of the article.
Wednesday 6th October: Kryptonite lock replacements to ship to public before dealers
That’s the consumer-focussed message being promoted from the busy Kryptonite booth at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas. Kryptonite launched its recall programme after a US consumer posted a Quicktime movie to a forum, showing how tubular cylinder locks could be opened with Bic barrels. The exchange locks will ship from the beginning of next week via UPS, after being airfreighted from the Far East.
Saturday 2nd October: MasterLock stung into recall action
When Kryptonite’s Bic problems surfaced, Master Lock of the US issued a statement saying its top-end locks were immune to pen-attack. The fact the company also produced u-locks with cylinder tubular mechanisms was not majored on. Master Lock did not follow Kryptonite and launch a recall programme: until now, that is. News of this went on masterlock.com on Friday
Wednesday 29th September: Brand attack: how many ways can consumers tell you they’re unhappy?
At first, disbelief. Anger follows. Tort lawyers then smell blood and launch putative class actions. Is sarcasm the last stage or merely another point along the road? A US consumer has placed Kryptonite replacement keys on Ebay. They’re felt tip pens. "If you really bid on this, you missed the point of the auction, but I will still gladly take your money anyways," said russw19.
Friday 24th Sept: Bike bosses round on round-key lock makers
Gordon Fisher, MD of Fisher Outdoor Leisure, has told BikeBiz.com he and other bicycle trade execs were interviewed by newsreader John Humphries on BBC Radio 4 on 3rd December 1992. The subject matter? Bike locks which could be opened with Bic pen barrels. Prices for locks secured with ACE mechanisms dropped overnight, indicating the Bic method was well known at the time. Nigel Moore, MD of Moore Large, said: "It does our industry no good if the public are ripped off."
Monday 20th Sept: Bikeforums.net hit by upsurge in Bic-fondling visitors
As of late Sunday night, the Kryptonite vs Bic posting on Bikeforums.net had been read 340 000 times, and the movies, hosted elsewhere, downloaded by half a million unique users. Forum owner Joe Gardner, who holds down a full-time job and runs the site in his spare time, is now out of pocket because he had to lease extra gigabytes of server space to cope with the rush on his site following reports on CNN.com, Wired.com, 370+ news-sites, and a front page splash in the New York Times.
Wednesday 22nd Sept: Cycling attorney files class action against Kryptonite
The class action has been filed at the San Diego Superior Court Case, California. Despite the fact many lock manufacturers supply security products which can be opened with deformable plastic tubes – such as Bic pen barrels – it’s only Kryptonite mentioned in the class action. Attorney firm Estey-Bomberger bases its action on Kryptonite’s failure to change from tubular cylinder mechanisms after the Bic-opening method was first publicised in a British bicycle magazine in 1992. BikeBiz.com is cited as a source of evidence in the class action.
Wednesday 22nd September: Kryptonite does not win ‘dilution’ case against DC Comics, owner of Superman brand
Ingersoll-Rand’s Kryptonite execs are probably seeing more lawyers than they like right now. On top of the Bic wrangle, DC Comics has come out best in the first stage of a long-running dispute over the use of the name usually associated with Superman.
Thursday 23rd September: Kryptonite changes tack; offers free product exchanges
Last week, Kryptonite came out with a caveat-heavy crossbar upgrade programme. This has now been scrapped. Now, owners of Kryptonite tubular cylinder locks – the ones that can be opened with Bic pens – can hand in their locks in an amnesty programme that will see them walk away with free locks. No other supplier of locks using ACE cylinders have announced any sort of exhange programme.
Friday 24th September: $200m locks lawsuit launched against Kryptonite and others
A class action against Kryptonite was filed in California earlier this week. Now, a Canadian lawyer has launched a lawsuit to help gain compensation for "hundreds of thousands" of bicycle lock owners. Significantly, Sack Goldblatt Mitchell of Toronto names not just Kryptonite in the suit but Norco and Bike Guard, too. The company says it will also add "bicycle retailers" to the list.
Saturday 18th September: Kryptonite was not too slow to respond to consumer attacks, says Tocci
Donna Tocci is getting lots of media name-checks at the moment. She’s the Kryptonite spokeswoman quoted in hundreds of news-site articles syndicated across the US and beyond. She believes Kryptonite has acted as swiftly as it could, given the circumstances.
Thursday 16th September: Write it down to experience, Kryptonite to offer lock upgrades
Sheath those Bics, Kryptonite is to offer owners of Evolution and KryptoLok locks the ability to upgrade their crossbars to the new disc-style cylinder. The mechanism for this has yet to be worked out, says the company.
Thursday 16th September: The pen is mightier than the….u-lock
In a bizarre case of coincidental product syncronicity, the plastic barrel of a certain type of biro can easily open a certain type of tubular cylinder locking mechanism, popular on u-locks. This was first described in a British bicycle magazine in 1992 but the issue then disappeared from public view. But, in a powerful demonstration of how quick and cruel the internet can be, an American cyclist has rediscovered the Bic-pick and posted a Quicktime movie to a bike bulletin board, showing a Kryptonite lock being popped open in seconds. Kryptonite has responded, but slowly…


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During her campaign for re-election, Governor Raimondo promised to support these mandatory emissions reductions. We want to thank the Governor for her leadership on this issue, but we also want to emphasize how critical it is to take bold climate action NOW.
The third annual Who’s Minding the Store? report card ranks 40 top retailers on their actions on toxic chemicals. Take action and send a message to the CEOs of all 19 retailers that earned Fs in this year’s report card.
Let your State Representative and Senator know that you want them to support statewide legislative efforts to phase out single-use plastic bags once and for all!
Climate Change is already impacting residents and businesses in our state. Stronger storms are causing increased flooding of residences and businesses and warming waters are decimating lobster and flounder populations.


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The OnePlus Nord CE 5G and OnePlus N200 5G have been confirmed by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau. Both are revamped versions of existing handsets. The Nord CE (Core Edition) 5G is an update of the OnePlus Nord and will be available in the UK, Europe and India. Meanwhile, the OnePlus N200 5G updates the previous N100 exclusively for the US and Canada market.
The OnePlus line-up has varied across different regions. The OnePlus Nord hasn’t released in the US or Canada, but all regions currently carry the N10 5G and N100 models. So, it seems strange that these two models don’t have any region cross-over.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G will officially launch at the OnePlus UK Summer Event, scheduled for June 10, and is already listed on the website. According to the launch page, more details will be teased every couple of days, starting on May 31.
- Sonos earbuds are coming and will make you forget about AirPods 3
- Electric scooters: the Scotsman e-scooter looks like it’s come from the future
- What the insides of the iMac 24-inch can tell us about the upcoming MacBook Pro
There’s likely to be a longer wait for the US release of the OnePlus N200 5G, as there’s no announcement planned for this one yet. Aside from introducing 5G to the handset, it will be interesting to see how this one beefs up the specs without eclipsing the current N10 5G.
Our sister site, Techradar, which broke the news, spoke to Lau directly. He said, “with the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, we've given the N100 successor 5G capabilities to further improve the user experience at an even more accessible price point.” This suggests around $200 for the phone, which would make it a very appealing proposition.
And there’s more to come. The OnePlus Nord 2 is still expected to make an appearance later this year and will sit above the Nord CE and N10 5G. Hopefully, this will be a global launch, taking the role of the flagship Nord product across all markets.


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Back in the days before Facebook, no one would have ever suggested that businesses get involved with social networks. Can you imagine someone suggesting to Michael Dell that his company ought to have a MySpace page?
Today, not only does Dell Computer Company have a Facebook page but Michael Dell has one as well (we have ten mutual friends; who knew?). But this didn't happen thanks to Mark Zuckerberg's magnetic personality; it happened because enterprise users got comfortable with social networks thanks to LinkedIn. While Facebook had barely opened up beyond the student world, LinkedIn had already become a force within the business community, as illustrated by this January 2007 post by Guy Kawasaki, exhorting executives to make better use of the social networking tool.
Today, for all the talk about business uses for social media in general, and Twitter in particular, enterprises remain wary of it because of security and productivity concerns. As O'Reilly Media's Joshua Michele Ross notes,"social technologies turn many corporate policies upside down." While there are businesses that do use Twitter to broadcast themselves, most enterprises only use it to listen in on what consumers have to say about them, and that's not using Twitter to the fullest extent of its potential. What's holding those businesses back is that they worry employees might Tweet proprietary information, or communicate ideas that could land the company in legal hot water. It's not surprising that companies like Oracle are experimenting with so-called enterprise versions of Twitter (OraTweet in this case), in the hopes of creating a hybrid that offers some advantages of Twitter within an enterprise context.
The trouble with this approach is that it necessarily excludes the outside world; innovation and true communication can't be restricted to conversations behind the firewall. IBM tried turn parts of Sametime into a private IM client protected by a secure gateway, but customers still use AOL's AIM or Microsoft Messenger. Now Cisco intended to mimick aspects of Twitter using Jabber. But the walled garden of business communications is over, and an enterprise Twitter tool will be as doomed as today's boring old knowledge management portal.
That's why enterprise needs a LinkedIn for Twitter -- training wheels for microblogging that can get customers comfortable with the whole idea, and get a glimpse of the benefits of Tweeting. One could argue that Facebook has already blazed that trail, but Facebook still feels more familiar and resembles a more traditional Web site than Twitter and the generation of Twitter clients it has spawned, like TweetDeck and Twhirl. And anyone considering this idea shouldn't see themselves as just a stepping stone. LinkedIn had 7.5 million unique visitors in May 2009 and is the fifth largest social-networking site in terms of total minutes.
[Image source: Franchise Essentials]


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Several luxury brands have announced over the past few months that they will be coming out with their own Android Wear-powered smartwatches. Movado is one of them. The company is best known for its conventional fashion watches but it’s also following the smartwatch trend now by launching one itself. It has launched the Movado Connect luxury Android Wear smartwatch.
Movado’s design language, even with its conventional watches, has largely been minimal. Its watches normally don’t have a lot of buttons and the dials are kept clean and tidy.
We see that design language carry over to the Movado Connect Android Wear smartwatch as well. It’s actually one of the most minimal smartwatches on the market today.
The smartwatch is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor with 512GB of RAM and 4GB of storage. It features a 1.39 inch 400×400 pixel resolution AMOLED display. Additional features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 300mAh battery.
It also has an accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, mic, and NFC for Android Pay. It doesn’t have a heart rate sensor or GPS so those who want that functionality should look elsewhere.
Prices for the Movado Connect smartwatch start at $595. The price goes as high as $995 for the “ion coated” gold models. Movado is selling its smartwatch exclusively through its online store for now.


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Mastercard has released its first sonic-integrated music single, the company announced in a release Tuesday (Jan. 7).
“As experiences increasingly define the brand in the eyes of the consumer, Mastercard is designing consumer journeys that cater to the senses and reinforce the brand in new and differentiated ways,” the company said.
Mastercard teamed up with Niclas Molinder, a Swedish songwriter, to work with up-and-coming artists around the world. Molinder and Mastercard are going to “build upon the Mastercard sound architecture” and create new sound experiences to define the brand.
The first song is courtesy of Swedish musician Nadine Randle, and it will debut in partnership with iHeartRadio on Jan. 8. The single is called “Merry Go Round,” and it’s about new beginnings and possibilities.
“The launch of this sonic-integrated song project is one-of-a-kind and signals the way that music and consumer consumption is changing. The recognizable sonic sound architecture has an incredible way of transcending genres and geographies, while continually evoking excitement through its expressive melody. It’s a pleasure to work with Mastercard on this exciting project and I’m looking forward to more song releases soon,” said Molinder, songwriter, producer, and founder of Session (formerly Auddly) in a statement.
“Sound is our next frontier for brand expression and a powerful way for us to reach consumers through the passions that connect us all. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Nadine on ‘Merry Go Round’ to integrate the recognizable sonic melody — underscoring the many ways that the branding can be used beyond traditional means,” said Mastercard chief marketing and communications officer Raja Rajamannar.
“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Mastercard on its first-ever single. The uniquely flexible sonic melody adds a dynamic dimension to ‘Merry Go Round’ that conveys both passion and optimism – two key tenets of Mastercard’s identity, and important takeaways from the song itself,” Randle said in a statement.


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Mazda is preparing to launch the all-electric crossover MX-30January 1, 2020
The first electric car of the brand will appear by the summer of 2020. However, the company runs the risk of huge fines due to new environmental standards from the beginning of next year. The company is ready for this.
Mazda has to take great risks with continued operations in Europe. The introduction of new environmental standards came at a time when the brand was not yet ready to present its own line of electric cars on the new platform, but would already be required to pay heavy fines for exceeding the level of carbon dioxide emissions.
Almost urgently, on the standard units, an electric version of the compact Mazda CX-30 crossover was created. The model is undergoing various tests and is preparing to enter the market. This should happen in the second quarter of 2020. Up to this point, the brand will be forced to pay huge fines. The company noted that they are ready to work the first half of the year at a loss in the European market.
The Mazda CX-30 electric crossover will be equipped with a modest battery with a capacity of 35.5 kW * hours, which will allow it to travel up to 200 km at full speed. This is enough for most average drivers. The main problem of the company is the cost. They need to keep a price tag of up to 35,000 euros, after which Tesla cars start.
There are no exact specifications yet.
- BMW is preparing to release the most expensive version of the M3 CS sedan
- 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser engine data revealed
- A prototype of a powerful coupe BMW M4 CSL was spotted on tests
- Renaissance Renault 4 patented in Europe
- Lamborghini will hybridize all of its cars by 2024


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Washington: The United States has launched what China calls the “largest trade war in economic history” and in its latest move targeted another $200 billion in Chinese export goods.
The US-China spat is one of several trade fights picked by the protectionist President Donald Trump as his “America First” agenda disrupts trade relations among traditional allies.
The growing share of international trade under threat has raised the prospect the escalating trade war could harm the global economy, shrinking investments and undermining supply chains. World stocks again tumbled on Wednesday.
Here is a summary of Trump’s multi-front trade conflicts:
– China –
After weeks of apparently fruitless negotiations, the United States on Friday imposed 25 percent tariffs on approximately $34 billion of Chinese products, sparking an immediate response from Beijing, which said it would hit back dollar for dollar.
A second tranche of $16 billion in products is under review and could soon be added to the US measures.
That volley now appears to have marked only the opening shots in a churning trade war. Trump has warned he could ratchet his measures up to $450 billion in Chinese imports — the vast majority of what China sells to the United States in a year — if Beijing continues to retaliate.
The US tariffs which took effect this month target a wide range of Chinese goods — including aircraft parts and computer hard drives — that Washington says have benefited from unfair trade practices.
China’s has hit back dollar-for-dollar, largely targeting agricultural products designed to hurt Trump supporters.
The US Trade Representative on July 10 identified a sprawling list of more than 6,000 product categories that could be hit with 10 percent import duties as soon as September. The goods to be hit are as varied as fish, grains, luggage, plywood, carpets, stone, ceramics and glass as well as products made from copper and nickel.
China again vowed to strike back with more countermeasures. Beijing also has filed a complaint in the World Trade Organization against the US actions.
– European Union –
On June 1, Trump made good on several months of threats and imposed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from the EU, Canada and Mexico.
Trump has said the European Union is “possibly almost as bad as China” when it comes to trade, as a raft of retaliatory tariffs from Brussels came into effect on June 22.
From blue jeans to motorbikes and whiskey, the EU’s hit-list of products targeted the most emblematic of American exports.
Europe also is worried Washington will follow up on a threat to impose punitive levies on imported cars, something the powerful German car industry particularly fears.
However, signs of a possible thaw emerged on July 5 when the US ambassador in Berlin told bosses at Germany’s biggest car firms that Washington was calling on the EU to bring tariffs to zero on car imports — in exchange for equal treatment.
– Canada and Mexico –
Canada and Mexico, members of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the US, have not been spared the Washington offensive on steel and aluminum and have imposed their own counter-tariffs on US goods.
Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traded barbs over the steel tariffs at a farcical summit of the Group of Seven richest countries last month.
Meanwhile talks among the three NAFTA signatories, launched after Trump demanded an overhaul of the “terrible deal,” have snagged notably owing to US demands to increase American content installed in duty-free autos.
However, Mexico’s firebrand President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as “AMLO,” has vowed to work with the US to revise the trade pact.
– Japan –
Japan is another target of Trump’s steel tariffs, which Tokyo calls “extremely deplorable.”
The country has informed the WTO it plans to impose retaliatory measures on US goods to the tune of 50 billion yen (395 million euros, $455 million), after failing to persuade Washington to exempt it from the tariffs.
– South Korea –
In March, Washington and Seoul announced an agreement on a revised version of their bilateral free trade accord, giving US carmakers greater access to the South Korean market.
Trump argued the original deal from 2012 was lopsided in Seoul’s favor, but has also clouded the issue by appearing to link trade concessions to progress in his separate track of talks with nuclear-armed North Korea.
– Russia –
Russia, also hit by the US steel tariffs, announced Friday it was imposing its own 25 percent tariffs on some US goods.
Trade relations were already strained by US sanctions targeting oligarchs and businesses accused of supporting President Vladimir Putin’s alleged efforts to undermine Western democracies.
– Iran –
Trump announced in May he was abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran — which will mean new sanctions on Tehran and punitive measures for those who trade with it.
Several companies — including Total and Peugeot of France, and Russia’s Lukoil — have said they are preparing to exit Iran ahead of US deadlines, the last of which is November 4.


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We are a nation of travelers. We travel for work and for play, to stay connected to friends and family and to see the country.
For many, Labor Day represents the last opportunity to do these things before Thanksgiving. In 2013, more Americans traveled during the period around Labor Day than had for five years.
Projections for 2014 are poised to surpass 2013 with advanced ticket sales for city-to-city bus travel remaining strong. This is not surprising. Studies by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development of DePaul University revealed that in 2014 city-to-city express bus transportation remains the fastest-growing and most-affordable transportation mode by a wide margin. Express, city-to-city bus carriers have expanded the number of daily operations by 4 percent from 2013 to 2014, far exceeding the growth rates of city-to-city rail and airline service. This is not a new trend, but it's catching on.
Recently, I was honored to speak to the board of directors of the U.S. Travel Association and 100 leaders in the U.S. travel industry about how Americans' travel needs are transforming and how the entire landscape of the travel industry is shifting. The reasons are threefold.
The first is cost. Recent studies issued by DePaul reveal that city-to-city, express bus carriers such as megabus.com
save customers nearly $300 per trip when compared to single-occupant driving, and between 50 and 80 percent per trip when compared to train and air travel. Cumulatively, city-to-city bus service saves Americans $1.2 billion annually when compared to other modes of travel, according to the DePaul study.
Next is convenience. Many of today's buses have amenities that the modern traveler expects -- such as free Wi-Fi and power outlets in every seat -- but have trouble finding on other modes of transportation. Add in the convenience of online booking, mobile tracking functions, free luggage, onboard restrooms, climate control, three-point seat belts and wheelchair accessibility, and it's clear why bus travel is seeing a surge in popularity.
Finally, express bus travel is just that -- express. Efficient. Unlike bus travel even 20 years ago, city-to-city, express bus services do not stop in every town, instead driving from, for example, San Francisco to Los Angeles in approximately the same time it takes a consumer to drive themselves, with minimal stops in between. There are direct routes available in major cities all across the country.
Gone are the stresses and additional costs associated with driving (parking, tolls, vehicle wear-and-tear, etc.) and financial concerns of flying (domestic airfare are up more than 6 percent in 2014 with an average cost of $343 per round-trip flight, according to the online travel agency Travelocity). With fuel prices soaring and consumers looking to stretch their budgets, travel for business or leisure is shifting dramatically. The consumer's preconceived notions of bus travel -- and their expectations -- are being shattered.
This Labor Day, and every other day of the year, consumers will be saving by leaving their car keys at home and hopping on board the bus.
DALE MOSER is president of Coach USA of Paramus, N.J. Coach USA owns and operates 25 companies, including megabus.com
. Launched in 2006, Megabus serves more than 120 cities in the U.S. and Canada, including Erie.