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When repair jobs increased by around 4,000 instruments a year, Flint Hills Music owner Thomas Silkman found himself taking a leap of faith in an already bizarre year.
Silkman recently moved his business half a block down the street to 701 Commercial St.
“When we looked at the new location,” he said. “It seemed like the perfect fit for our operation and allowed us to keep a small retail area and also expand our repair shops and storage spaces. “
The pandemic has created challenges for the music store, just like other small businesses. Silkman said that throughout the pandemic, there has been an increase in repairs shipped from out of states across the country.
“More and more people are staying at home and using online services,” he said. “Including the stuffing of their flute or the overhaul of their trumpet. This is an area that we plan to continue to grow and expand using our new setup and the capabilities of our website.
The move was also a big step forward in times of uncertainty, Silkman said. However, the move turned out to be a blessing; this allowed FHM to assess the business and make changes as they moved into the new location.
The new building allows FHM to maintain the commercial area while expanding the repair shop and storage space.
“We’re going to be a lot stronger because of it, and in a way it seemed like a new start,” he said. “We are now better equipped to serve our current customers and have improved capabilities to serve remote customers and use our online services for sales, rentals and repairs. “
Silkman explained that the new building has beautiful features, such as an ornate ceiling, terrazzo flooring, and large windows.
“It’s really fun having the two big safes from when the building was also a bank,” he said. “We have a large, dedicated shipping and receiving area, as well as a warehouse to serve our customers online as well, which has really helped us during the pandemic. The complete separation of the retail area has been great and allows us to keep the retail space in pristine condition without the areas merging into each other.
“This decision will benefit customers with increased repair capacity and a dedicated shipping area. We can handle a larger volume of instruments at the same time, and our turnaround time will increase by having everything in one place rather than using storage and offsite areas.
Silkman said FHM is very excited about the addition of dedicated repair rooms. The ground floor at 701 rue Commerciale was last used as an optometrist’s office.
The examination rooms have been converted into workspaces dedicated to technicians for wind instruments, brass and strings.
“This allowed us to customize the workspaces for each type of repair and their individual business tools required for things like polishing, sanding, lacquering, curing,” he said. “The whole operation is being put in place in a much more efficient, functional and professional manner. It has been an incredible improvement in the workflow and the environment.
The group and orchestra have not been the same since the start of the pandemic, and learning has shifted to schools from a distance. Silkman looks forward to schools hopefully safely returning to some normalcy this year.
“We have many customers and friends who have gone to extreme lengths to make the most of the pandemic for their students and continue to provide quality music education,” he said. “I really hope [students] 100% return to the classroom and experience rehearsals, concerts, marching band and all other music related events in the same way as before the pandemic. “
The transition to a new building during the pandemic brought FHM together to work on the project. The staff at FHM and the Silkman family have worked hard to make the new location feel right at home for years to come.
Flint Hills Music is open 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 701 Commercial St. Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday. Call 620-342-4553 or visit their website at flinthillsmusic.com for more information on their services and instruments.


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Over the last year, we’ve analyzed over 8.8 billion Facebook ad impressions. We found that during the first six months, the average CPM increased from $4.12 to $11.17, and the average CPC increased from $0.42 to $0.99.
Facebook’s ad impressions are flat while ad spend is moving up. This tells us advertisers are paying more to enter the auction while getting the same number of impressions.
Based on our data, we saw CPMs increase by 171% during the first half of 2017. This shows how competitive the auction is and illustrates why Facebook is having ad load issues.
The CPCs of Facebook Ads went from $0.42 to $0.99 during the first six months of 2017. That’s a huge jump, especially when thinking about the role of Facebook in the customer journey.
Advertisers are getting consistent CTRs month-over-month, but it’s costing more to get the same result due to higher CPMs and CTRs.
Our ad spend data includes all ads run on Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network. There are a number of possible explanations for the increase in CPMs and CPCs.
Facebook reported a total of five million advertisers as of April 2017. That’s up from four million monthly advertisers in September 2016, and three million in March 2016. Put another way — Facebook gained two million advertisers in one year.
Keep in mind that Facebook’s five million advertisers are only 8% of the 65 million businesses active on the network. Therefore, we don’t foresee a slowdown in advertisers’ growth over the next 12 months.
Hanapin Marketing conducted a paid social survey asking marketers where they plan to increase and decrease budgets in 2017. They reported that 73% of marketers are investing the majority of their social spend on Facebook and 71% plan on increasing their Facebook ad spend within the next year.
Our Facebook data confirms that advertisers are indeed increasing their Facebook budgets as overall ad spend more than doubled since January 2017 (122% increase).
Facebook CFO, David Wehner, said on the Q2 2016 earnings call:
“We anticipate ad load on Facebook will continue to grow modestly over the next 12 months and then will be a less significant factor driving revenue growth after mid-2017.”
The company’s Q2 2017 results showed its reaching max ad load with only a 19% paid ad impression growth compared to Q1’17’s 32% and Q4’16’s 49% growth. However, Facebook’s revenue will continue to increase as surging ad prices, user growth, and Instagram are enough to pick up the slack.
Facebook’s Q2 2017 paid ad impression growth slowed to 19% compared to Q1’17’s 32% and Q4’16’s 49%.
Eric Jhonsa of The Street reported:
“Slower ad supply growth is naturally boosting prices. But given that supply is still growing (albeit at a slower rate), it’s also clear that strong ad ROIs — made possible by Facebook’s powerful and steadily improving targeting abilities — are motivating marketers to pay more for ad impressions and clicks. A growing mix of video ad sales might also be helping, given that video ads tend to carry relatively high prices.”
Based on the data, here are our main insights and takeaways:

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Amid high tensions with China and the steep cost of confrontation, Western leaders have adopted a buzzword to describe their strategy: “de-risking”. This involves continuing to roll out tech and investment restrictions on China, but coupling them with high-level summitry and calls to keep trade flowing. The aim is to limit the risk of escalation in both the political and economic spheres. It is unlikely to work.
The West shifted away from the tougher “decoupling” rhetoric and towards de-risking and “economic security” for two reasons. First, hawks in Japan and America needed softer language to keep on board wobbly European allies, who call China a “systemic rival” but prefer that other countries pay the price of restraining it. De-risking sounds safe and low-cost. Second, President Joe Biden’s administration hopes that the pressure imposed by America’s years-long effort to contain China has made Beijing more pliable. With China’s economy wobbling, Mr Biden hopes it will lose some of its appetite for economic conflict.
There are three reasons why a low-cost de-risking will fail. First, China’s government believes it can overcome the West’s tech restrictions. Second, foreign multinationals are already taking costly steps to shift production away from China, making acceptance of the status quo worse for China’s economy than Western rhetoric implies. And third, Beijing is pursuing its own agenda of reducing its reliance on Western manufacturing technology, while continuing its effort to make the West more dependent on Chinese products, from low-end chips to electric vehicles. This will drive a new round of tech and trade tension.
Start with China’s confidence that it can overcome the restrictions. It is true that China now faces an organised coalition aiming to contain its technological and military advances. On the tech side, Beijing has been locked out of advanced semiconductor technology and venture-capital flows into China have collapsed. On the military side, Japan is doubling defence spending as a share of GDP, and buying missiles that can strike deep into China; AUKUS—a pact that will see America and Britain supply Australia with nuclear-propelled submarines—is binding those three countries more closely together; and the Philippines and Papua New Guinea are providing America with new military access.
Now that this containment coalition is broadly in place, Western leaders want talks to stabilise the economic relationship and limit China’s retaliation. In April, America’s treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, bluntly explained in a high-profile speech that she believes China’s “long-run growth rate seems likely to decline”, making this an opportune time for talks. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, called on the West to “de-risk rather than de-couple”, while Britain’s foreign secretary, James Cleverly, emphasised the importance of “a positive trade and investment relationship, whilst avoiding dependencies in critical supply chains”. Even some hawkish former Trump administration officials speak of refashioning the economic relationship with China with “a scalpel, not a sledgehammer”.
The West wants to wall off security concerns related to high-tech goods from the broader economic relationship, such as trade in toys and textiles. China’s leaders, however, realise that de-risking is a strategy to slow China’s technological advances while minimising the cost of trade disruptions to the West. China’s Global Times newspaper has explained that de-risking is just “decoupling in disguise”. China believes it can respond by out-innovating the West.
The second problem with de-risking is that Western firms are not listening to politicians’ rhetoric—instead they are taking costly steps to restructure their relationship with China. Foreign investment into China has slumped, partly because of the country’s slowing economy and opaque regulation, but also because companies from HP to Apple are shifting tech and electronics production to South-East Asia, India and Mexico.
Companies aren’t trying to be political; they are simply responding to new regulatory reality. Many firms have concluded that they must operate separate tech stacks: one for China, the other for the rest of the world. Some are hiving off Chinese manufacturing operations from their rest-of-world supply chains. Corporate decisions are driving a broader bifurcation than de-risking implies.
The third reason a narrow de-risking won’t work is that it ignores China’s own strategy: decoupling with Chinese characteristics. China’s decades-long effort to cut its reliance on Western manufactured goods continues. Brad Setser of the Council on Foreign Relations, a think-tank, has noted that China’s trade surplus in manufactured goods keeps surging higher.
China is successfully applying this strategy to green energy, where it simultaneously hopes to cut reliance on oil imports and make the rest of the world dependent on Chinese solar-panel and battery supply chains. The surge in Chinese electric-vehicle exports to Europe is the latest stage in this effort.
In the tech sector, meanwhile, China is subsidising construction of massive production capacity in low-end chips, which it will sell at discount prices to threaten Western chipmakers’ market share. China hopes these chips will be integrated into a wide array of manufactured goods, creating new dependencies on Chinese components that counteract China’s own reliance on imported high-end tech.
Western leaders will inevitably respond with new restrictions, making it even more difficult to isolate economic relations from deteriorating political ties. The West’s strategy of talking while tightening controls is not unreasonable, but it would be naive to put much hope in it. Power struggles—whether diplomatic or economic—are only resolved when one side gives in. China believes it still has plenty of cards to play as the impact of confrontation rips through the trade relationship. Containment won’t come on the cheap.


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A Tesla Model X owner crashed in a park in China on July 29, 2022. The electric SUV reportedly left the road and crashed while it was on Autopilot. No one was injured, and the owner, who was alone in the car, was able to walk away, but the authorities were involved.
When the police showed up, they determined that there was no one in harm's way, and the Tesla Model X SUV's battery pack didn't seem to be a cause for concern. There was no fire, and since it was late at night at a park, there were no other vehicles around.
According to Teslarati, the Model X owner told the authorities that he had alcohol at dinner, but didn't have a safe ride home. He asked someone to drive him home, but they would only meet him at the opposite end of the park from where his Model X was parked. He said he sat in the passenger seat and let Tesla Autopilot take his car across the park to the north gate.
The authorities responding to the incident tested the Tesla owner's blood alcohol level, which proved he was over the legal limit. The crash was considered a drunk driving accident. According to Pandaily, Tesla China was also able to prove that the driver was actually in the driver's seat during the crash, not the passenger's seat.
The automaker went on to say that the car wouldn't start if the driver was sitting elsewhere. However, the Model X owner may have watched videos or read articles on the internet teaching them to trick Tesla's safety systems. As you may remember, one such video was shared by Consumer Reports last year.
At any rate, Tesla China has alerted the media that there are videos on the internet teaching people how to circumvent Autopilot's safety systems. Tesla China explained:
“We do not recommend doing this, because when the car enters automatic driving, if the vehicle has an accident, it is still the person’s full responsibility, and according to the relevant provisions of the ‘Road Traffic Safety Law,’ the driver should be in in the driver’s seat."
We're glad to see that Tesla is pointing this out. It's also positive to learn that the drunk Model X driver lost his license. He reportedly won't be able to drive again for five years. We can only hope Tesla will engage with the media in the US, and that the authorities in our country would come to a similar decision if a drunk driver were to blame a car for a crash.


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just the round-up - The week in drinks
The week in drinks
The top ten stories published on just-drinks this week:
The UK Government is preparing to raise duty tax on alcoholic drinks by another 5%, according to reports.
French wine group Chamarré has collapsed into receivership.
United Breweries has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government of Karnataka to set up a greenfield brewery at Nanjangud village in Mysore.
Jones Soda has secured access to up to US$10m in extra funds after signing an equity financing deal with Glengrove Small Cap Value Ltd.
The alcoholic drinks industry would be unlikely to oppose a cut to the legal drink-drive limit in the UK, as recommended by a Government-commissioned review.
Coca-Cola Enterprises has said that it expects full-year earnings to be slightly higher than previously forecast.
Heineken has declined to comment on a report that it is seeking to acquire the De Koninck brewery in Belgium.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted against a controversial traffic light labelling sytem for food and drink high in sugar, salt and fat.
New Zealand's wine trade body has said it is confident of draining the country's wine surplus after figures showed this year's harvest fell by 7% on 2009.
PepsiCo's Americas Beverages division has signed a deal to distribute energy drinks produced by California-based FRS Company across the US.
Part three of our annual review of the year brings us Chris Mercer's look at how 2010 has treated the world's brewers....
The second round-up in our Review of the Year series sees Ben Cooper consider a busy 12 months for our soft drink brethren....
Heineken has launched a three-year sustainability campaign in Spain to improve its environmental and sustainability credentials in the country....
- Are we about to see a no-alcohol Heineken?
- American whiskey does a vodka - Analysis
- Battle continues for Pernod Ricard in US and China
- A-B InBev's Global Presence - just The Facts
- Concha y Toro's H1 performance - Focus
- Heineken integrates cider and beer
- The Glenlivet leapfrogs Glenfiddich
- “New normal” sees Pernod target premium in China
- Diageo strengthens Charmer Sunbelt distribution
- Minimum unit pricing fails to get European backing
- Future growth opportunities for global spirits
- Global gin insights - market data, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global rum insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Pernod Ricard SA - Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investment Report
- Brown-Forman Corporation (BFB) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review


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ISPs like to mess around with things and not tell their customers. The latest to fall victim to this tactic are Virgin Media customers, who are quietly being switched to O2 plans without being told. Following on from the mega-merger of Virgin Media and O2, the two brands are trying to merge. We’ve heard reports […]
Read More… from Are Virgin Mobile Customers being switched to O2 plans?


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ATHENS — Kenny Stowe, a professional buyer and seller of “anything of value,” has found it all, including a 15th century gong and cowboy boots, when looking for items to buy and resell.
Stowe said he works hard buying at auctions, estate sales, swap meets, trade shows, liquidations and bidding on repossessed contents of storage buildings, then brings the merchandise to a warehouse in Athens and auctions it off or sells it at flea markets.
But Stowe said his wife, Clairice, is the “backbone” and owner of their recently renamed resale business, now called Extreme Business Services. It also includes U-Haul trailer rentals, UPS, FedEx, Western Union, bill pay, copies, fax and gifts.
She has a front display room of assorted merchandise such as knick-knacks, purses, greeting cards, bubble bath, books, candleholders, hats, wind chimes and etcetera.
Stowe’s treasures are in a warehouse next door. A licensed auctioneer, he auctions them off at 6:30 p.m. Mondays in Athens, also does on-site liquidations at houses and sells at flea markets in Athens and Canton.
He said he drives “everywhere” looking for antiques, vintage items and “good clean modern furniture” that he sells. He goes to Houston, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and as far as Massachusetts. The round trip to one of the biggest auctions in the U.S. in Indiana was about 2,500 miles.
They started their resale business fulltime in 2008, but both grew up in families already in the business and Stowe auctioned his first item, a Mickey Mouse pocket watch, when he was about 6 years old.
Stowe particularly likes to bid on contents of storage buildings or lockers. Under Chapter 59 of state law, owners of the buildings can seize the contents for nonpayment of rent and auction it off.
He estimates he buys contents of probably 40 lockers a month in Shreveport, La., Longview, Dallas, Houston and as far away as Indiana.
Stowe is even being featured as a buyer in 11 episodes of the television show “Storage Wars: Texas” on the A&E channel.
Stowe, who likes to work for himself, said he loves his work and finding things to buy and sell.
Stowe never knows what’s in a locker when he buys it because bidders are not allowed to walk in. Once he has successfully bid on contents of a locker and a crew has taken them to Athens, Stowe said, “it’s like Christmas every day” going through it and discovering what’s there.
A while back, he found two wooden, hand-carved ducks from the 1850s or early 1900s. Wooden ducks are expensive, but these have glass eyes, which make them even more valuable, and they have shank heads so that the duck can face different directions, which makes them even better, Stowe said.
In another storage locker, he found an authentic brass gong from the kingdom of Borneo appraised at $1,500, but he said he doesn’t know what most items are worth until he puts them on the auction block.
His finds include a 1920s planter, a piece of McCoy pottery, which he said was some of the best pottery made; an 1836 brass bell from a church in St. Louis and an 1800s drop-front desk. He bought the desk for $100 and sold it for $350.
Recently, his warehouse contained an antique Singer sewing machine, a 1930s wardrobe, a 1970s three-wheel bicycle, a buffet from the early 1980s, a 1940s metal toy truck, an 1820s drop-front secretary with a serpentine front and claw feet and a 1970s GI Joe box. Hanging on the wall was a 1950s motorcycle jacket.
Stowe buys furniture, appliances, motorcycles, tools, hand-sewn antique quilts and many other items.


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Asda set to be hit by strike action after thousands of distribution staff turn down pay offer
Leeds-based Asda is set to be impacted by a potential strike after thousands of staff turned down a pay offer at the company.
Almost 70 per cent of distribution staff turn down what they called a real terms pay cut, with nearly 80 per cent ready to strike, the GMB Union said.
Almost 70 per cent of the 8,000 GMB members polled turned down the below inflation pay offer.
The dispute relates to the supermarket chain's warehouse, clerical and transport colleagues working in its Asda Logistics Services (ALS) division
Uncertain future for White Rose Centre Cineworld as reports suggest bankruptcy
Cineworld preparing to file for bankruptcy - will cinema tickets for Leeds branch still be valid?
Innovative new homes scheme in Leeds to include 'cohousing community'
Every new shop and restaurant at White Rose Shopping Centre plus two more arrivals on the way
The Scribbling Mill: New Wetherspoons pub opening outside Leeds White Rose Shopping Centre Cineworld
Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said: “The UK is facing the worst cost of living crisis for a generation.
“Inflation is rampant and energy prices are out of control.
“Yet Asda workers are being taken for mugs with below inflation pay offer that basically means a real terms pay cut.
"They’re not going to take it lying down – it's now up to Asda bosses to come back with a reasonable offer and avert the threat of industrial action.”
Asda confirmed that its improved pay offer had been rejected.
The supermarket, which has been negotiating with the GMB, said it had offered the following last month:
- An increase of 4.98% to 6.10% for warehouse & clerical colleagues (average increase = 5.53%)
- An increase of 6.49% to 7.53% for transport colleagues (average = 7.02%)
The specific increases depends on location, role and grade
Jon Parry, Vice President, Asda Logistics Services, said: “We value the key role our colleagues play to keep our stores well stocked and we have negotiated in good faith with the GMB to make a fair, competitive and sustainable pay offer that recognises rising inflation.
"We are disappointed this has been rejected and we expect the GMB to honour the National Recognition Agreement, signed by both parties in 2012, as this provides an agreed framework to resolve outstanding matters.”


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Could Eating Deli Sandwiches Make Your Asthma Worse?
Researchers found that something as common as a cold cut sandwich can make you wheeze and make it difficult to breathe.
Have you ever finished eating a cold cut sandwich for lunch and found yourself coughing and getting a bit phlegmy or having a little bit of a hard time breathing? A new study found that eating cured meat frequently, like cold cuts, is about 76 percent likely to worsen asthma. They also found that being obese or overweight has a 14 percent likelihood of worsening asthma too.
This is just another reason to stay away from cured meats, which have already been linked with causing cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and COPD. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified cured meats as carcinogenic! They're basically saying that cured meats are dangerous – there shouldn't be any reason for you to eat them (unless directed by your doctor).
But if you have asthma, Omigy says to also stay away from foods containing these asthma-exacerbating preservatives:
Sodium bisulfite. According to WebMD, dried fruit, wine, processed potatoes, and bottled lemon juice are commonly treated with sodium bisulfite to prevent discoloration and prevent bacteria from growing. But sodium bisulfite can also exacerbate asthma.
Potassium bisulfite. Potassium bisulfite is also found in wine and dried fruit. It's another asthma-worsening preservative. But it's also used in fresh cut fruit products to prevent browning – so stay away from these at the grocery too if you have asthma.
Sodium metabisulfite. Sodium metabisulfite also inhibits bacterial growth in food. It's used in raisins, potato chips, and fruit concentrate juices. Stay away from these foods and buy fresh fruit juice to avoid this asthma-exacerbating preservative.
Potassium metabisulfite. Potassium metabisulfite is found in molasses, sauerkraut, gravies, and other assorted products. It's also a preservative that's been found to exacerbate asthma.
Sodium sulfite. Sodium sulfite is found in canned clam chowder, beer, frozen pizza, and other preserved products. Like the others, it's a preservative that can make your asthma worse. It's best to stay away from these foods if you're having a particularly tough time dealing with your asthma.
If you have asthma, instead of cold cuts, try a healthy salad with fresh fruits and nuts for lunch or a tofu burger. You can also opt for sandwiches with fresh meat. Stay away from cold cuts because they'll most likely make your asthma worse. Also stay away from preservative-laden foods because they've also been found to exacerbate asthma.


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Lumber and hardware firm sells part of its company to its employees.
After over 115 years in business, Bliffert Lumber and Hardware announced the partial sale of the company to its employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) representing the Bliffert employees.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are qualified retirement plans that buy, hold, and sell company stock for the benefit of the employees, providing an ownership stake in the company.
In the announcement made on April 10, 2022, Eli Bliffert, company vice president, outlined how important it was for the Bliffert employees, who helped grow a robust and prosperous company, to share in its ownership into the future.
The sale is a way to reward employees for their contributions to Bliffert Lumber and Hardware’s success and to ensure its long-term vitality, Bliffert said. “I am a firm believer that we are all in it together. The ESOP is the best way to ensure this.”
ESOP Partners is an ESOP service provider that changes lives by creating wealth and sustainable employment through employee ownership, said Bliffert.
It works with business owners and companies to determine if an ESOP is a good fit for their situation. ESOP Partners establishes, maintains, and sustains employee stock ownership plans throughout the lifecycle to maximize the benefits of being an ESOP company and provide employees with an ownership stake in their company.
Bliffert Lumber and Hardware has served contractors and homeowners in southeastern Wisconsin for over 115 years. Since our incorporation in 1904, we have helped the community grow by supplying building materials to hospitals, stadiums, new homes, and a variety of other projects.
“Now in our 5th generation of Bliffert family ownership, we are proud to be family-owned and operated and make sure that the personal service shows at each of our eight locations,” said Bliffert.


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Yesterday we reported on the recent Cone findings that moms are the most receptive demographic to cause marketing efforts, and now more reports are coming out about just how receptive moms really are. Organic food and beverage brands, such as Kashi and Bear Naked, top the rankings for EcoAware moms,
a term used by the research group, EcoFocus Worldwide. In their latest
report, they reveal, “EcoAware Moms want the brands they know and trust
to offer more choices that are eco-friendly. And they expect the
manufacturers who are experts in their categories to be the innovators
and creators of eco-friendly and sustainable choices,” said EcoFocus
Consumer Insights and Research Leader, Lisa Harrison.
The report reveals that Yoplait has fallen behind other brands,
as has Frito Lay, and what appeals to moms, especially, is the humor and
sense of fun imbibed in such campaigns as Bear Naked’s, for example.
EcoFocus found that the company’s playful graphics appeal to moms.
And echoing Cone, EcoFocus says that moms’ behavior around
sustainability has to do with parenting style–making eco-friendly
choices is a way to express care for the environment and the world in
which their children live.
The findings of both EcoFocus and Cone reveal huge opportunities
for companies to innovate in cause branding and cause-related items
targeting moms. “EcoAware Moms are a receptive target market for
sustainability. They are rethinking their decisions and often making new
choices, creating unprecedented opportunities for businesses offering
sustainable solutions for everyday living,” said EcoFocus CEO, Linda
“This is low hanging fruit that is ripe for harvest by marketers.
These consumer driven opportunities are often surprisingly simple,
immediately actionable, and profitable for companies to execute,” said


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The Green Party has backed plumbers who are calling for a household boiler scrappage scheme.
Plumber’s merchant Mick Williams started the petition for the scheme in July that is calling for incentives to scrap old boilers for more efficient new models.
Rob White, The Green Party candidate for East Reading, said: “Mick’s idea for a boiler scrappage scheme is just what the country needs.
“Small businesses need a boost right now far more than banks and giant corporations.
“With lower bills and added carbon savings, the scheme would bring real green benefits as well.”
Mr Williams, a plumber’s merchant based in Hampshire, was inspired to start the petition after the Government launched its car scrappage scheme.
He added: “I have already got support for the idea from boiler manufacturers, who could help finance it, other plumbers and the trade press.
“But we need the backing of other campaigners on issues like fuel poverty and climate change.
“Most importantly we need the support of the public to really get the Government to listen.”
The campaign shows the benefits of such a scheme would include reduced carbon dioxide from households, a boost to manufacturing and lower bills for many homeowners.
To sign the petition log on to www.reheatbritain.org.uk .


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A lot is happening in the world of social media. Here’s a quick summary of recent major research findings:
#1: By 2010, 26 Million (1 in 7) U.S. Adults Will Use Twitter Monthly
A new study by eMarketer surpasses their previous estimates of Twitter usage. The study, conducted just last month, found the following: “In 2009, there will be 18 million U.S. adults who access Twitter on any platform at least monthly. That represents a 200% increase over 2008 levels. Usage will reach 26 million U.S. adults in 2010, a further 44.4% climb.”
Earlier this year, eMarketer reported more conservative usage numbers, stating that there were indications of large numbers of users abandoning the site shortly after signing up and many others only using it sporadically. However, they recently revised their estimates because “recent data shows healthy—and growing—percentages of U.S. Internet users adopting the popular microblogging platform,” according to eMarketer senior analyst, Paul Verna.
Twitter is not the only social networking site to report record usage numbers. In September, Facebook officially hit the 300 million-user mark, making the social networking site nearly as large as the U.S. population.
#2: Americans Spend 17% of Online Time on Social Media Sites
As popular social media platforms continue to grow their numbers of users, it is logical to conclude that Americans are spending more time on social networking sites. According to a recent study by The Nielsen Company, 17% of the time spent online was at social networking sites (an increase from 6% in August 2008).
Among those paying the most attention to this recent trend are advertisers. Online ad spending increased by 119% to $108 million in August 2009.
#3: In 2010, Over 50% of Marketers Will Be Using Social Media
Marketers are becoming even more aware that social media marketing must be a key component of their media buy strategy. This was recently affirmed in the findings of the “2010 Media Planning Intelligence Study” by the Center for Media Research, which examined the likelihood of marketers including social media in their 2010 marketing plan. Over half (56.3%) of marketers stated that social media would “realistically” be part of that mix.
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The top 5 most popular media for the 2010 marketing spend were as follows:
- Email (56.8%)
- Social networks (56.3%)
- Keyword search (49.7%)
- Radio (42.2%)
- Magazines (42.1%)
In addition, 57% of media buyers reported they will buy non-traditional media, including online, display video, search, mobile and event sponsorships, while 43% reported they will buy the more traditional media, including TV, print and radio.
#4: Blogs Most Useful Social Media Tool, Say 51% of Businesses
McKinsey Quarterly’s “Global Survey” examined companies’ overall assessment of the value of different social media technologies. As reviewed by eMarketer, “When it came to customer-related benefits, blogs were the most useful tool, bringing measurable benefits to 51% of responding companies worldwide. That was followed by video-sharing and social networking at 48% each, and RSS feeds at 45%.”
In addition to these findings, the top three reported benefits of Web 2.0 marketing included:
- Increased marketing effectiveness (52%)
- Higher customer satisfaction (43%)
- Reduced marketing costs (38%)
#5: 75% of Marketers Plan to Increase Social Media Use in 2010
According to a recent survey by virtual events provider Unisfair, marketers are most focused on attracting and keeping customers in 2010 and they plan to use social media to make this happen. A few interesting factoids from the Unisfair findings:
The 3 leading marketing priorities in 2010 according to U.S. marketers:
- New customer acquisition (60%)
- Customer retention and engagement (48%)
- Thought leadership (45%)
The top 5 marketing tactics U.S. marketers planned to increase in their 2010 marketing mix:
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- Social media (75%)
- Web search/SEO (51%)
- Email campaigns (49%)
- Virtual events (48%)
- Online advertising (28%)
The study also asked marketers to rank the value of social media platforms. LinkedIn came in on top at 26%, Facebook at 23% and Twitter at 17%.
What are your thoughts? How might these study findings impact your future social media activities? I’d love to hear from you.
Curious about NFTs, DAOs, and Web3?
Follow the Crypto Business podcast to find out how NFTs, social tokens, DAOs (and so much more) will affect your business in the near future.
Every Friday, host Michael Stelzner interviews leading industry experts about what works right now in Web3 and what to expect in the future, so you can prepare your business for the shift, even if you're a total newbie.


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|Retailer:||Cumberland Farms #4693, Ashford|
Another Ashford Resident “Hits the Big One” Wins Lottery “Super Draw” Top PrizeWith a population of only 4,317 residents, the beautiful bucolic town of Ashford has certainly seen a large share of Lottery luck. Out of the thirteen CT Lottery “Super Draw” drawings held over the last 4 years, Ashford has produced not one, but two Super Draw top prize winners. On January 1, 2012, Marilyn Rossi won the New Year’s Day Super Draw single $1,000,000 top prize. Today, it was Alice King’s turn to claim the Lottery’s 50/50 Super Draw $103,887.50 top prize for the March 18th drawing with the winning ticket number 027800.
“My husband checked the lottery’s website for the winning number this morning and yelled out to me, ‘We hit the big one!” King told Lottery officials with a laugh. “I didn’t believe him, of course, because he’s always kidding with me. It wasn’t until my son took the ticket and checked the number on the computer that I believed it.”
This morning, King and her husband, Robert, arrived at CT Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill to happily claim their 50/50 Super Draw top prize for $103,887.50 (value before taxes). “We’re going to pay off our bills, give my old car to my son, and get a new used car for ourselves,” said King.
Ticket sales for the 50/50 Super Draw game began on February 2, 2015 and ended on March 17, 2015. A total of 41,555 tickets were sold for $5 each. The game’s $103,887.50 top prize was based on 50% of the game’s total sales.
King’s top prize winning 50/50 Super Draw ticket was purchased at Cumberland Farms #4693, located at 33 Pompey Hollow Road in Ashford. Cumberland Farms will receive a $1,038.88 bonus check from the CT Lottery for selling the ticket.


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In a small storage room in Durango, Louise Barden opens a large plastic tub to reveal a pinwheel array of red, yellow, and green bell peppers, which have been dehydrated and stored since last summer. Louise’s wife and business partner, Jane, opens another container, and the unmistakable smell of broccoli mingles with the savory pepper scent in the air. The storage room is filled with similar buckets and tubs, each housing a selection of dried vegetables: delicata squash, carrots, green chiles, and more.
This storage room belongs to Farm to Summit, a vegetarian meal startup. Louise and Jane launched the business at the Durango Farmers Market last summer, and quickly grew a local following in the outdoor community because of their innovative take on dehydrated meals, which are ready to eat with the addition of hot water.
For multiday backcountry trips, adventurers often rely on dehydrated or freeze-dried meals, as fresh fruits and vegetables are heavy, take up valuable backpack space, and can require refrigeration. The inspiration for Farm to Summit came after Louise—a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service—spent two weeks in the Yellowstone backcountry, listening to her coworkers moan about their food. “I was listening to these grown men complain nonstop about their dehydrated meals,” Louise says.
Louise and Jane hope to offer adventurers healthier and tastier meals—like a white bean potato stew adapted from a recipe Jane grew up with, and a Thai red curry with a decadent peanut sauce—by sourcing upcycled produce from local producers such as Fields to Plate Produce and Beet Street and Sol Vista farms in an effort to reduce food waste and produce better-tasting dehydrated meals. “We wanted to create meals that don’t rely on a bunch of salt and preservatives,” Louise says. “Simple ingredients, a lot of flavors, and spices.”
The Bardens have each eaten plenty of pre-packaged meals in the backcountry, so they were familiar with the other products on the market when starting Farm to Summit. They knew they’d have to do something to make their business stand out. Jane, who grew up on a farm in Michigan, was adamant that they source their ingredients locally, not only for the flavor, but to support Colorado farmers. “It made sense on a personal level,” Jane says.
But using local food wasn’t enough. The Bardens wanted to make a bigger impact by upcycling produce that would otherwise go to waste. Fruits and vegetables often have imperfections, like bruises or irregular shapes, that make them undesirable at the grocery store, even though they’re still perfectly edible. Repurposing these ingredients into ready-to-eat meals finds alternative uses for foods that would otherwise go uneaten.
According to the USDA, 30 to 40 percent of the nation’s food supply is thrown away. Loss occurs at every stage in the journey from farm to table—in the field, during transportation, at the grocery store, and eventually at home. At the farm level, the price for a particular crop may drop below the cost of bringing it to market, meaning it’s more expensive to sell the food than to throw it away. During transportation, food is exposed to a myriad of risks, from insects to mold to faulty refrigeration. And it’s not just a problem in the United States. By some estimates, global food waste contributes to eight percent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. “So much of food goes to waste,” Jane says. “Thrown away because it’s not perfect enough.”
Although Durango is known more for outdoor recreation than agriculture, Louise says the area is a confluence of the farming and adventure communities. That’s why the two women tapped their local connections and discovered that farmers often had large quantities of ripe produce available with no buyers to be found—whether that’s because of imperfections or low demand. Dehydration, they realized, could not only prevent it from spoiling, but provide a steady stream of ingredients for their backcountry meals.
The Bardens take whatever is seasonal and available, even at a moment’s notice. Once last summer, a farmer from Fields to Plate called in a panic: He had 400 pounds of broccoli that needed to be harvested. The tips were beginning to yellow, which made the broccoli unsellable at grocery stores. Farm to Summit snatched up the crop and incorporated it into a green curry recipe that has now become a bestseller.
Today, Louise and Jane are in the process of moving their headquarters into a prime location on Durango’s Main Avenue that will serve as a kitchen, warehouse, and retail space. A number of outdoor gear shops in the area have begun carrying their products as well. “The support of the community is everything to us,” Louise says. “Durango is definitely putting the stamp of ‘hell yeah’ behind our business.”
The Bardens plan to open their new location in early May, providing customers with a behind-the-scenes view of their production process. The space will also allow them to increase production and expand distribution. They plan to have several retailers in the Denver area lined up for the summer season.
Naturally, Louise and Jane hope that using upcycled produce will help Farm to Summit stand out on the shelf, but that’s not their primary motivation. “For me, it’s the conservation standpoint,” Louise says. “The more produce we can use from our local and regional folks, the less resources we have to use to truck food across the country.”


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The average fish trader in Nigeria loses 30 per cent of their product daily due to the lack of affordable, reliable refrigeration. As the power grid is unreliable, traders supplement with diesel generators, which are expensive and harmful to the environment. Solar refrigeration could be a potential solution; however, the up-front costs are prohibitive. Loans could help purchase these assets, but fish traders have no assets and therefore are ineligible for most loans.
Koolboks provides solar-powered refrigeration solutions where customers pay in small instalments through pay-as-you-go (PAYG) technology which enables mobile money payments and GSM-based machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity to remotely control and monitor refrigerators’ usage, billing and performance.
“Following a successful pilot program to test consumer response to Koolbok’s solar-powered refrigerators enabled with pay-as-you-go (PAYG) technology, Koolboks want to launch and scale the product in 12 markets in Nigeria, targeting fish traders, the majority of whom are women.”
Message from the Co-founder
“We are thrilled that the GSMA has selected Koolboks as a grant recipient of the GSMA Innovation Fund for Digital Urban Services. The funding will enable us to help female fish traders in Lagos, Nigeria to have access to affordable and sustainable refrigeration, ultimately improving their small businesses and their lives. We thank the GSMA for helping us to further our mission to make sustainable cooking accessible to all.”


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UFC signs unique partnership with Sweet Sweat
UFC has a new marketing partnership with fitness brand Sweet Sweat that involves both advertising, plus a research component that will see the sides study how the company’s products affect fighters. A source said that the terms are for three years, with a high seven-figure spend total going to UFC. The partnership also includes a low six-figure annual commitment from Sweet Sweat to do endorsement deals with fighters. The marketing side of the deal will include branding for Sweet Sweat on the Octagon mat and broadcast ad placement at select events, as well as throughout the Performance Institute in Las Vegas. There also will be co-branded digital and social content. The sides quietly soft launched the branding part of the deal last weekend during UFC 268 at MSG, where Sweet Sweat had its logo on the mat.
Sweet Sweat, founded in ’80, makes products like a topical gel to help increase sweating/weight loss while working out. This new deal involves working with the UFC Performance Institute to perform studies on Sweet Sweat products. The research program will be fully voluntary, and will mainly focus around the topical gel. UFC VP/Performance Duncan French told SBJ that several fighters in its ranks have already been using Sweet Sweat products on their own for years, and so he expects some to sign on for the project.
French also said that the research could eventually be shared in things like scientific manuscripts, on top of being highlighted on the internet. He said, “The Sweet Sweat guys reached out to our partnership guys for an opportunity, and the PI became involved in that discussion largely because we were keen to understand the mechanism and what’s going on physiologically with our fighters. ... That’s why it’s cool – there’s the sponsorship assets on their end, and then at the PI we really get to explore and interrogate what they do to help our athletes in a critical part of the whole weight-making process.”


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Why talk about the upcoming and now officially confirmed Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Jeep Wagoneer on a truck site? That’s because a recent report from AutoNews reports a statement from FCA CEO, Sergio Marchionne, to confirm the Grand Wagoneer (and Wagoneer) as a body-on-frame SUV, not a unibody crossover. The new SUVs will be built at a retooled Warren Truck Assembly plant, near Detroit, which now builds the current-generation Ram 1500.
This news is most welcome, because full-size three-row body-on-frame SUVs are very popular right now. General Motors is having great success with the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Escalade models. Oil and auto industry experts suggest that fuel prices will stay low for longer than initially thought. Some industry insiders suggest that low fuel prices will continue for more than two years from now, barring a catastrophic event. This makes a body-on-frame SUV business case more attractive.
It’s not clear whether the Grand Wagoneer or the Wagoneer will share the frame and chassis components with the upcoming Ram pickup trucks, a modified version of the Jeep Wrangler frame, or another solution.
We will stay on top of this story and let you know all of the details.
Here is Nathan Adlen driving the Jeep Crew Chief 715 pickup truck concept at the 2016 Easter Jeep Safari.


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Surveillance video caught a deer crashing through the window of a Holmdel frozen yogurt store Monday night.
The deer entered the large front picture window of the Peachwave just after closing time at 10 p.m., according to a report from CBS.
Owner Alan Prachar and his daughter were in the kitchen when they heard a loud crash. They cautiously opened the double doors leading to the kitchen, and discovered a deer running throughout the store.
An employee from a nearby store came by to help after hearing the commotion. He is seen in the video calmly opening the back door, allowing the deer to run away.
The deer caused about $5,000 in damage, the report said.
“We’ve got quite a reputation for having fantastic yogurt,” Prachar told CBS. “Apparently it made it to the animal kingdom as well.”


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WASHINGTON - Adding to the rosier economic outlook for next year, revised government data show the economy grew in the third quarter at the fastest pace in nearly two years as American consumers spent billions of dollars more than originally thought.
BlackBerry Ltd. (BBRY:US)'s five-year deal to outsource smartphone production to Foxconn Group is jump-starting its transformation into a services provider, pleasing investors who were looking for a smaller, nimbler company.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Friday, capping the best week for major indexes in months as unexpectedly strong data on economic growth increased confidence that the recovery was accelerating.
(AP) The Federal Communications Commission has approved two multi-billion-dollar mergers involving the consolidation of major TV station groups.
Like shoppers racing to buy last-minute holiday gifts, thousands of Californians are going online - or lining up in person - to get Obamacare insurance ahead of next week's deadline to have coverage starting next month.


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Britons 'among laziest holidaymakers'
17 July 2014 08:33
Many Britons just want to chill out and relax when they're on holiday
When it comes to getting active on a beach holiday Britons are being put in the shade by travellers from other countries, according to a new survey.
Expedia's Flip Flop Report suggests that as long as Britons have their travel insurance, flights, accommodation and spending money sorted, many are content to lie back and relax.
However, while Brits laze away their days in the sun, more energetic Germans, Mexicans and Brazilians are trying out water sports, going on excursions and exploring the local area.
According to the travel booking firm only Japanese and Thai travellers are likely to be less active while on a break, making Britons among the laziest holidaymakers in the world.
The survey reports that 92% of Britons pick a quiet destination when planning their holiday.
Meanwhile, and perhaps surprisingly, just 13% say they are excited about the prospect of going out partying while away on holiday, compared to 87% of Brazilians who want to do so.
Less than a fifth (19%) of the Britons quizzed for the survey say they can be bothered to take a dip in the sea, go surfing or try out other water sports when they're on a beach holiday.
The survey also finds that after the Japanese, Thais and Brits, the next laziest holidaymakers are the South Koreans, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, Dutch, Irish and those from Singapore.
It seems the most active travellers, according to the study's results, are Indians, Mexicans and Malaysians followed by Austrians, Brazilians, Germans, Canadians, New Zealanders, Spaniards and holidaymakers from Hong Kong.
The Expedia survey includes the views of 11,165 adults from Europe, North America, South America and Asia who have been on a beach holiday in the past year or plan to take one in the next 12 months.


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The customer will be king
Customers are leading the way in the business arena. And they all have smartphones. No company worth its salt will be operating without mobile apps. If you want to sell something in 2014, you need to be able to sell it on a mobile device, or you may as well not bother.
We’ll export more
In November, the government announced a drive to help the UK’s creative industries secure overseas contracts. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will support the UK’s top 100 creative sector SMEs to win £500m of high-value overseas contracts in the next three years — all part of a grand plan to get 100,000 more UK businesses exporting.
But we’ll stick close to home
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) reported recently that a growing number of SMEs are bringing production back to the UK from overseas. This is for a number of reasons, including reducing costs, improving quality and bettering lead times in an increasingly demanding retail landscape. The survey suggests that there are now more UK manufacturing SMEs “onshoring” than offshoring, which could be great news for UK manufacturing this year.
The money will roll in
A recent report conducted for Nesta, an independent charity that works to increase UK innovation capacity, predicted that crowdfunding will provide £1.6bn of finance in 2014, including £840m for start–ups and SMEs. Creative finance was a hot new thing in 2013. It’s going to be the norm
We’ll bring our own
Companies are investing more and more in mobile devices for staff. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) phenomenon looks set to boom in 2014, especially among smaller businesses.
A study in 2012 from Juniper Research suggested that the number of devices being used in the corporate environment will reach 350m globally by 2014, compared with 150m in 2012. This growth brings security issues, so expect to see a slew of security support services on the market.
By April 2014, IT systems will have to migrate from Microsoft XP, for which the software giant will no longer be providing security updates and patches, to either Windows 7 or 8. Step forward companies, such as HP, offering migration support packages.
We’ll look at the big data
2014 is all about big data. If you hadn’t heard whisper of it in 2013, you will be sick of it by the end of this year. It’s all about harnessing predictive analytics.
Though the behemoths have been doing this for some time, 2014 start-ups will be using metrics from the word go. This means no more organic retail experiences, no more finding things by accident. No customer profile will go untapped and no web search will go unnoted.
We’ll all be virtual
You’re unlikely to be sharing the same cheese sandwich day in, day out with Jeff from Epsom. The workforce of the next few years is going to be more flexible and more mobile.
This is why local-aware sites such as TaskRabbit and Gigwalk, which let anyone create project work and immediately post it, will be on the increase in 2014. Analysts have predicted an explosion in mobile virtual local workers and the SME sector looks set to embrace this culture with gusto.
Innovation at work
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• For more advice on preparing your business for the tech challenges of the future, visit HP BusinessNow
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Uber Technologies Inc will cut about 3,000 jobs, in addition to the 3,700 it had announced earlier this month, as coronavirus-led restrictions sap demand for ride-hailing services, Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said in an email to employees on Monday. The ride-hailing business has suffered a near-total collapse as large parts of the United States and the rest of the world shut to combat the spread of the virus. Nearly two-thirds of Uber's revenue is generated in the United States and Canada, where stay-at-home orders were issued in the middle of March. The company ...
Uber to lay off 3,000 workers in second cut for May, trip requests drop 80%
Company says it plans to reduce investments in several non-core projects.
Reuters Last Updated at May 18, 2020 22:15 IST


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Top Performing Industries For May 4, 2015
At 10:30 am, the Dow climbed 0.45 percent to 18,105.27, the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index moved up 0.49 percent to 2,118.58 and the NASDAQ composite index rose 0.62 percent to 5,036.48.
The industries that are driving the market today are:
Electronic Equipment: This industry moved up 3.1 percent by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Energous Corp (NASDAQ: WATT), which gained 5.7 percent. Energous Corporation is expected to report Q1 financial results on May 11, 2015.
Building Materials Wholesale: The industry gained 2.5 percent by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE: LPX), which gained 2.8 percent. Louisiana-Pacific is expected to announce its Q1 financial results on May 5, 2015.
Semiconductor- Memory Chips: This industry jumped 2.4 percent by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Netlist, Inc. (NASDAQ: NLST), which rose 2 percent. Netlist shares have dropped 67.48 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 11.87 percent in the same period.
Consumer Services: This industry rose 2.2 percent by 10:30 am ET. The top performer in this industry was Envirostar Inc (NYSE: EVI), which gained 3.9 percent. Envirostar's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 42.68 percent.
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Limited number of BottleRock 2018 tickets to be sold in DecemberNovember 27, 2017 Updated: November 27, 2017 9:53am
Just in time for the holidays, BottleRock Napa Valley officials announced they will be releasing a limited number of three-day passes next month for Wine Country’s biggest outdoor music festival.
Tickets for next year’s BottleRock, scheduled for May 25-27 at the Napa Valley Expo, will be available at 10 a.m. Dec. 12 on the festival’s website, www.bottlerocknapavalley.com, while supplies last. General admission for the full weekend is $319, with VIP tickets for all three days starting at $699. Other three-day pass packages above the standard VIP level, from Skydeck access to the festival’s Platinum experience that includes artist meet and greets and more, go up to $3,900.
Calling itself a luxury festival, BottleRock pairs live music with the region’s award-winning wine and food, offering opportunities to meet local winemakers and watch unique cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs like Martha Stewart, Gordon Ramsey and José Andrés partnered with musicians from the day’s lineup.
BottleRock headliners have included the Black Keys, OutKast, the Cure, Stevie Wonder, Florence + the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and just last year Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters and Maroon 5.
A full lineup of artists for BottleRock Napa Valley, now in its sixth year, is expected to be announced Jan. 8. All ticket packages for the festival will be made available again Jan. 9.


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A luxury apartment complex in Union has finished leasing its first phase, according to developer American Landmark Development.
Centurion Union, a five-story downtown property at 975 Bonnel Court with 80 units and amenities, has finished leasing despite the need to shift to a digital strategy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Elizabeth-based developer and its exclusive marketing and leasing agent, the Marketing Directors.
“Demand is on the rise for superior quality rental buildings in outer-ring suburbs with tremendous downtown environments and great access to New York City,” Manuel A. Fernandez, American Landmark’s founder, said in a prepared statement. “That’s exactly what we offer at Centurion Union and throughout our entire rental portfolio.”
The property includes one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus amenities including a fitness center, game room, coworking space and more.
The second phase of the development is a four-story building along Stuyvesant Avenue, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. Leases have already been signed for that property’s 10,000-square-foot retail component, American Landmark said.
“The leasing success of the initial offering will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst as we put the finishing touches on the community’s second phase,” Fernandez said.
American Landmark is the designated redeveloper of the Stuyvesant Avenue Redevelopment Project, which will include 300 new residences and 27,000 square feet of retail across four buildings.
The developer’s other projects include a boutique apartment building near Elizabeth River Park and a Centurion project in Newark.


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Famed American fashion photographer Steven Meisel has shot this year's edition of the Pirelli calendar, revealed Tuesday in Milan.
Titled 'Calendar Girls 2015', this latest edition of the Italian brand's annual supermodel-studded fashion calendar is themed around the idea of classic pin-ups with a modern twist.
"Sometimes to show a bit of fashion is even more sexy than to be totally naked," explained the calendar's stylist, Carine Roitfeld.
As usual it's a truly international affair: the Americans include rising star Gigi Hadid, plus-size model Candice Huffine, Carolyn Murphy and Cameron Russell. The Brazilians represented are Isabeli Fontana, Adriana Lima and Raquel Zimmermann. English model Karen Elson appears as well as Puerto Rican Joan Small, Natalia Vodianova and Sasha Luss from Russia, and Anna Ewers from Germany.
"If you are a model and you get a phone call to be in Steven Meisel’s edition of the Pirelli Calendar, you say yes," explained casting director Jennifer Starr.
Previous editions have been shot by Karl Lagerfeld, Terry Richardson and Steve McCurry.
Check out a new video here: youtu.be/xaYjOP4Us2o


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Some automotive features once were exclusive to luxury vehicles, but now are standard on vehicles in every price bracket. One collector, however, has commissioned Rolls-Royce to create something that probably won’t be seen on another vehicle anytime soon.
The luxury automaker recently manufactured a special-edition Ghost, called “Elegance,” for a collector, and it’s not hard to see why that name was chosen. The vehicle is the first car ever to be finished with a paint created from diamonds, Rolls-Royce announced in a press release Monday.
The one-of-a-kind paint job, named “Diamond Stardust,” was made from 1,000 crushed diamonds, and created at Rolls-Royce’s paint shop.
As you could imagine, creating this type of paint job wasn’t easy.
The diamonds underwent testing to ensure their “radiance” when used in paint. A team of specialists worked for two months to create the perfect mixture, one which left diamonds undetectable to the touch.
The resulting fine diamond powder created unique challenges to the painters. The workers applied an extra layer finish to protect the diamond during the hand-polishing process. This added an extra two days of by-hand paint application, as well as an additional day of finishing.
The “Elegance” will be on display at the Geneva International Motor Show, as well as other models made by Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke division.
All photos courtesy of Rolls-Royce
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For Uber, the avenue to new barter may be through their stomachs.
Uber’s aliment commitment account is alluring an accretion allotment of barter who accept never acclimated the ride-hailing app, as the fast-growing assemblage expands above Uber’s bulk markets.
Forty per cent of bodies acclimation aliment through the app for the aboriginal time are new to Uber, compared with a third beforehand this year, Jason Droege, arch of Uber Eats, told the Financial Times this week. In India, area Eats has launched in several cities, added than two-thirds of Uber Eats barter accept never acclimated addition Uber service.
When Uber Eats launched as a standalone app in December 2015, the aggregation focused on abacus aliment commitment in places area it offered rides. This accustomed it to tap its absolute abject of barter and drivers and its technology to avenue cartage about a burghal to bound body the service.
But Mr Droege said the contempo addition in advance had apparent Uber Eats was not bound by the brand of ride-hailing.
“It angry out that there was such a appeal for the artefact that we didn’t necessarily consistently charge the rides business and all of the riders to catechumen to eaters,” he said. “That was an acumen that still surprises me aloof because the rides business is so big.”
Uber Eats has added about 100 new cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa this year, and broadcast to burghal areas in North America.
“As you move alfresco of burghal centres, a ample allotment of the restaurants are civic or bounded chains,” Mr Droege said. “So Halifax in Nova Scotia is an archetype area we don’t accept a rides business but Eats is absolutely popular, and 60 per cent of the appeal is absolutely for chains.”
Wednesday, 26 September, 2018
The action has additionally accustomed Uber to accomplish appropriate in countries such as Japan and Italy, area auto markets are awful adapted and its capital ride-hailing business is not available.
Mr Droege said it was still “early days” for the aggregation to actuate how aliment commitment barter could be adapted into cartage for the capital ride-hailing business. In cities area Uber offers both commitment and rides, its ride-hailing and Eats apps can collaborate so that a commuter in an Uber car can adjustment a meal to be delivered to her destination in adequation with her arrival.
Uber Eats’ acquirement advance has accelerated in the accomplished year, due abundantly to the accelerated amplification into new markets. It has additionally accustomed a lift from partnerships to bear from above alternation restaurants, including McDonald’s, Popeyes and Subway.
Uber Eats’ year-on-year sales advance in the aboriginal quarter
Mr Droege said sales accept “continued to grow” this year from its $6bn anniversary gross bookings run bulk — the bulk it takes in afore advantageous couriers, restaurants, promotions, taxes and fees — in the aboriginal quarter, although the aggregation beneath to accommodate an adapted bookings figure.
Uber Eats sales grew at an anniversary blow of 200 per cent and accounted for about 13 per cent of the company’s all-around gross bookings in the aboriginal quarter, up from 10 per cent at the end of aftermost year.
But the business is lossmaking in best of its about 300 markets, and is accepted to abide a disciplinarian of costs as Uber invests in added amplification over the aing two to three years.
With Uber branch against an antecedent accessible alms aing year, admiral and investors are absorption on Uber Eats both as a contributor to the company’s all-embracing appraisal and a archetypal for its future. Dara Khosrowshahi, arch executive, has said he wants Uber to become the “Amazon of transportation”: a belvedere for affective both bodies and goods.
“[Uber Eats] is the aboriginal and absolute affirmation of beheading from Uber area they are able to band added acquirement streams on top of this all-around arrangement of appeal and accumulation of transportation,” said Rohit Kulkarni, managing administrator of clandestine advance analysis at SharesPost. “That is a adequately able account in agreement of what added things could be layered on to this network.”
Fierce antagonism in aliment commitment has kept margins low or abrogating beyond best of the industry. In the US, Uber Eats competes with well-capitalised rivals including bazaar baton GrubHub, Amazon, and the start-ups DoorDash and Postmates, both of which accept afresh aloft new funding.
Uber Eats has outpaced its aeon in accepting US bazaar share, according to Additional Measure, a analysis accumulation that analyses anonymised acclaim and debit agenda data. The group’s allotment of civic aliment commitment sales rose to 24 per cent in August from 13 per cent a year ago.
Over the aforementioned period, GrubHub, which recorded $1.2bn in gross aliment sales in the additional quarter, saw its bazaar allotment arrangement from 51 per cent to 41 per cent, while DoorDash’s rose from 13 per cent to 21 per cent.
In the UK, Uber’s advance into the bazaar over the accomplished two years has spurred bounded apps Aloof Eat and Deliveroo to footfall up spending to avert their bazaar allotment and differentiate their offerings. Uber has looked at a affiliation with or an accretion of Deliveroo, according to bodies accustomed with the matter.
But Mr Droege said his antecedence was to advance the Uber Eats account rather than appoint in added dealmaking.
“Any [acquisition] accommodation is a big one,” he said. “It’s case by case. It’s not what we focus our time on. We absolutely focus on perfecting this actual amiss action of aloof carrying you your aliment back you appetite it.”
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Amid local government regulations in certain provinces requiring the total ban and pullout of all pork products from various parts of Luzon, Purefoods-Hormel assures the public that its products are safe to eat and are not affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF).
The pork ingredients in Purefoods chilled, frozen, and processed products are produced from company-controlled hog breeding, growing, and slaughtering facilities that observe the highest level of bio-security measures and processing plants that have passed all stringent requirements of BAI and FDA. With regard to imported meat parts, Purefoods only uses materials that come from ASF-free countries and have passed all the Veterinary Quarantine requirements of the exporting countries.
Moreover, Purefoods chilled products like hotdogs, bacon, and canned products like luncheon meats are cooked in high temperatures, thereby destroying harmful viruses like ASF, and making them safe for consumption by humans. It is also important to note that ASF does not affect humans and therefore does not pose any risk to human health.
San Miguel Foods, which carries the Purefoods brand, echoes the statements of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) that its products are safe and should be allowed distribution in supermarkets and wet markets nationwide.
Purefoods also produces products that do not contain pork, which should remain available for consumers nationwide to enjoy: chicken hotdogs, nuggets, corned beef, chicken ham, and other chicken and beef-based products.
The company will continue to cooperate with authorities as we remain fully committed to the highest standards of quality and food safety in all our products.


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“Hey, did you read the stamp I sent you?” There’s no need for a letter when the stamp you use is a book. Rotterdam designer Richard Hutten has designed a new stamp for Royal TNT Post, in honor of this year’s Dutch Book Week, that doubles as a tiny tome. The 3×4 centimeter stamp opens up into an 8-page, 500-word story by Joost Zwagerman.
We have Charles and Ray Eames and Calvin and Hobbes, fine, but we also have Dolphins. (UPDATE: Kelsey Keith at Flavorpill reports that the USPS is releasing Abstract Expressionism stamps. Not bad, but they still don’t make up for this.)
Meanwhile, TNT Post has always pushed great design. They’ve had an official design department since they were founded in 1911, and have commissioned designers like Martijn Sandberg and staat, who immortalized Dutch icons like, no joke, the Heineken bottle on their stamp set from 2007. Hutten’s stamp went on sale Tuesday for €2.20, enough to mail about a pound–or, according to TNT Post, a life-size book.
[Via moco loco]


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Volkswagen's growing bribery and sex scandal yesterday claimed the head of its personnel chief, Peter Hartz, overshadowing the announcement of fresh plans to slash costs and halt the slide in quality.
Mr Hartz, a close ally of Chancellor Gerhard Schroder and a towering figure in Germany, has denied any involvement in a raft of alleged abuses worldwide but offered to step down for the good of the company.
Jurgen Peters, spokesman for VW's executive committee, said it would accept the resignation, ending weeks of turmoil at Europe's biggest car company and Germany's leading corporate symbol.
The scandal erupted last month when two officials at the Skoda operations in the Czech Republic resigned after allegations of kick-backs. It quickly spread to VW's headquarters, where the chairman of the worker's council, Klaus Wolkert, stepped down, admitting that he had a stake in one of several front companies used to channel money from VW suppliers abroad, including India and China.
German prosecutors are now poring over the books, though all officials have denied wrong-doing.
The scandal engulfed Mr Hartz when a VW insider alleged that management had used slush funds for "over a decade" to pay for perks - including "luxury hookers" - for trade union officials on the works council, a powerful body that gives German unions a joint say over management decisions.
One Brazilian beauty was allegedly flown to Paris for comfort therapy at the Georges V Hotel.
Free-market reformers have seized on the case to attack the entire German system of worker co-decision - "Mitbestimmung"- saying it leads to an incestuous club of top managers, union leaders and local politicians.
The conservative premier of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff, has led demands for a full inquiry, prompting claims that he is exploiting the scandal to discredit co-decision and clear the way for Thatcher-style labour reforms. Lower Saxony owns 18pc of VW's stock.
The Social Democrat state leader, Wolfgang Juttner, said the abuses were no reason to question a system that had delivered decades of harmonious labour relations. "If a businessman steals money, you don't question capitalism itself," he said. The departure of Mr Hartz came as the new chief executive of the Volkswagen Brand Group, Wolfgang Bernhard, announced a €7billion (£5billion) package of cuts and "growth improvements" by 2008.
"The production costs are also clearly too high. VW's costs are up to 40pc higher than the competitors','' he said. Mr Bernhard denied rumours VW planned to shut its factory, employing 5,700, near Brussels. "We don't want to close a single plant," he said, but added that there were "no sacred cows".
Mr Bernhard admitted that the company faced "massive problems" after dire sales and tumbling profits last year but the worst may now be over. VW sales rose 10.6pc in June compared with a year earlier, while Audi was up 18.7pc.
But serious problems abound. A quality survey by JD Power ranked Volkswagen 32 out of 36 brands sold in the US.


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In a statement, AG Barr said: "This amendment to our existing agreement will extend the current contract through to 2024, further cementing the strong relationship between the two companies and highlighting the future growth potential of the Rockstar ...
In recent months AG Barr added to the brand's roster with Rockstar Pink, the first energy drink to target women, and Rockstar Xdurance, a new 500ml beverage “designed to prepare shoppers for extreme mental and physical performance”.
An unnamed bank is provid- ing the debt for the project, with the balance to be funded from existing AG Barr resources. Net debt was �6.7m at the end of the most recent financial year, while there was free cashflow of �20.2m.
Scotland's largest independent brewery - BrewDog - has said it is to recruit 40 new members of staff amid growing sales. The Fraserburgh-based company said it expected to achieve a turnover of �12m this year, an increase of �6m.
An Eastern European firm are taking AG Barr to court in a bid to end their brand protection in the country. If the case is successful, it could pave the way for cheap imitations of Scotland's other national drink being sold in Russia.
About 10,000 jobs could be created in the booming subsea sector of the UK oil and gas industry, it has been claimed. The subsea industry - much of it based in in the north east of Scotland - already generates about �6bn in revenue and supports about 50 ...
The makers of the soft drink, AG Barr, aired the advert on TV after releasing it online on May 21. It has had more than one million hits on YouTube and is the fourth in the series of new “Irn-Bru Gets You Through' ads.
Fortnum & Mason, the luxury department store, has hired a new retail director and is hunting for a new chief executive. Tim Fisher, who had previously worked at Marks & Spencer, joined the 305-year-old emporium last month.
Why Now Could Be The Perfect Time To Add National Grid plc, British American Tobacco plc and Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc To Your Portfolio · Protect Yourself From A Eurozone Meltdown With SABMiller plc, A.G. Barr plc, Britvic Plc And Diageo plc.


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YouTube ready to start renting video on-demand movies from major studios and the report indicates it could launch as soon as this week with movies from majors including Sony, Warner and Universal, as well as smaller entities like Lionsgate, Kino Lorber and other independents.This doesn’t appear to be a challenge to Netflix, with the unnamed studio exec quoted in the article saying how happy they are to see a new entrant renting movies that’s not using a subscription model……….
YouTube imminently launch a movie-on-demand service charging users to stream mainstream Hollywood movies off the world’s largest video sharing site and the new service means a full-bore challenge to Apple’s iTunes service currently the most powerful player in paid video streamingand a welcome new revenue stream for Hollywood as home entertainment revenues continue their steep decline.The service may start as early as this week or next and is expected to be announced soon by YouTube.Major studios including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Brothers and Universal have licensed their movies for the new service, as have numerous independent studios, including Lionsgate and the library-rich Kino Lorber, according to movie executives with knowledge of the deals in place.YouTube has been laboring to bring all the major Hollywood studios on board before announcing it, according to one executive involved in the deal. But so far Paramount, Fox and Disney have declined to join.YouTube, which had earlier declined to comment for the story, issued a statement after this story was published, pointing out that it has rented movies for a year, while declining to comment on the broader initiative it is about to launch with the major studios on board.
But in fact the video giant has never rented mainstream movies on this scale during the traditional DVD window. The major studios, who were once leery of YouTube, now see it as a potentially lucrative platform. “We think it will start with VOD, but broaden to include sell-through over time,” said a senior executive at one Hollywood studio that has signed the deal with YouTube. “We are pretty excited because we are happy to see new entrants come in transactionally rather than a subscription model.”The service is the biggest studio VOD deal since all the major studios signed on to Apple’s iTunes rental service in January 2008. Fox, Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony, MGM, Lionsgate and New Line were all on board for that initiative. Apple charged as low as $2.99 rental fee for that service.It was not clear what YouTube would charge. But it means the site’s 130 million monthly users will be able to pay to watch movies as they come out into the DVD market; it is the first serious foray by the Google-owned company into mainstream movies and charging money for video.Hollywood studios have long struggled to find a way to marry their high quality content for which they want to be paid with the largest video site in the world best known for cats peeing on toilets.
Paramount and Fox have declined to be part of the service at this time, according to knowledgeable executives. Disney‘s status is still unclear, and a spokeswoman declined to comment for this story.For movie and YouTube fans, the service means that movies they often see at the cineplex will be available on the same day and date as they can be rented at video stores or iTunes, far ahead of other subscription streaming services such as Netflix.“What’s really good about their approach is rather than another subscription offering, they’re going into a fresh area where there has been fewer leaps forward,” said the studio executive.The executive said that Hollywood studios were excited by having a tech giant like Google involved in a new streaming service, with the hope that the parent company would develop new technologies to encourage sell-through purchases of movies that could be securely stored in a digital locker.At a seminar this month where Google executives discussed their strategy for movie advertising, Robert Kyncl, YouTube‘s vice president of TV and film entertainment hinted at a plan in the offing.
“Imagine if you had a video store on YouTube, where you could rent or buy the movie without being sent elsewhere,” he said.But when asked about specific plans for streaming movies, Kyncl said: “Obviously, there are things coming, but we can’t talk about them yet.”YouTube has been flirting with Hollywood for several years, and has struggled to figure out how to stream movies in concert with the major studios for at least the last two years.The shift that led to the culmination of this deal seems to be the arrival of Kyncl from Netflix in September 2010, where he ran content acquisition. He brought on board two Paramount executives, Alex Carloss and Malik Ducard, recently let go from that studio’s digital team in an executive reshuffle.


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Acer’s CEO, Jason Chen, showed off the Predator 6 gaming smartphone to the trade show’s audience. It boasts a six-inch display and packs a 10-core processor from MediaTek. It’s also got 4GB of RAM and an impressive 21-megapixel camera. To complete the gaming-focused features, the phone comes with four front-facing speakers and gives use a powerful haptic feedback system, which Acer says replicates the same kind of vibrations felt on game controllers. “This will dominate any games you throw at it," an Acer executive said on stage at the company's press conference.
The Predator 6 will run Google’s Android software and will be available next year, but it’s likely the company will introduce it exclusively to Asia and then determine other markets, said Acer’s president of the smart phone products business group, ST Liew.
The company’s other big reveal, the Acer Predator projector, can throw a 120-inch projection onto a wall using ultra-short-throw technology, meaning that you don’t need a massive room to make the most out of it. Because the lens system on top of the projector fires the full HD images upwards rather than outwards, the Predator can function when placed just 20 inches from a wall. The projector will be available in mid-to-late-2016.
The Taiwanese company also revealed four new smartphones, a series of new monitors, several gaming PCs and laptops, and the Acer Predator 8 gaming tablet at the Berlin event.
Shown below is the Predator X34, an ultrawide 34” curved display that supports Nvidia's G-Sync:
Another interesting product announced at IFA is the Acer Revo Build "stackable" PC. A small form factor PC powered by an Intel Pentium or Celeron chip can then be expanded by stacking additional blocks for storage, GPU power, battery, or even a speaker. The concept looks like a mesh between the Intel NUC and Google's Project Ara.


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Travis, who will assume her new position on August 20, replaces the retiring Richard W. Kunes, who said in August 2011 that he would retire from his current role on June 30, 2012, at the end of Lauder’s fiscal year. Kunes has been named executive vice president and senior advisor to the chief executive officer, and will work on special projects after assisting Travis through the transition.
In her new role, Travis will report jointly to William Lauder, executive chairman, and Fabrizio Freda, president and ceo.
Travis most recently was senior vice president and chief financial officer of the Ralph Lauren Corp., where she oversaw global finance, internal audits, treasury, tax, business development, investor relations and global information technology. Before joining Ralph Lauren, Travis was senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer of intimate brands for Limited Brands Inc.
“[Tracey’s] broad background in all facets of global finance will be a tremendous asset to our growing organization,” Lauder said. “I also want to thank Rick for his immeasurable contributions as cfo for the last 12 years. Under his tenure, the company has achieved record financial results. Among his many accomplishments, he has helped implement greater financial discipline and developed a strong team that has positioned us as the leader in global prestige beauty.”
Added Freda: “I am looking forward to working closely with Tracey as we continue to implement the company’s successful long-term growth and profitability improvement strategy and strive for even greater global financial successes in the years ahead. Tracey has valuable business experience in consumer products, luxury brands, operations and finance and we believe her skills and background will be a terrific fit with our company and will help us continue to drive value creation for our stockholders.”
In her new role, Travis will be a member of Lauder’s executive leadership team, program management team, investment development committee, fiduciary investment committee and corporate risk management committee.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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The The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter of this year. Fears of a recession are rising amid inflation, a protracted corona virus infection and the global impact of the war in Ukraine.
The function of the world’s largest economy Contracted 1.4% in the first three months of the year On an annual basis, according to government figures released on Thursday. This is the most debilitating behavior since the shock of the outbreak in 2020. This is a significant departure from almost 7% growth at the end of last year.
The summary came as a surprise to economists who forecast 1% growth in the first quarter. But There is no talk of a recession yet. For this to happen, contractions must be recorded for several consecutive quarters. Also, some economists They expect the economy to accelerate its growth in the April-June quarter.
At the beginning of 2022, two factors weighed heavily on the economy: Private companies reduced their inventory and recorded a decline in exports.
“The decline in gross domestic product (GDP) reflects a reduction in investments in private goods, exports, federal and local government spending,” the government said.
However, Consumption momentum was strong and grew 0.7% during the period, Suggests a major recession point for the US economy. Sales to local buyers also showed opposition.
Possible recession and inflation, consumer concerns
This figure comes at a critical juncture for the US Federal Reserve (Fed).
These hikes are expected to slow the pace of inflation, but some economists fear it will slow economic activity as well.
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They don't fix microwave ovens. But those at TMD Technologies of Lansdowne are very familiar with high power microwave technology.
The company is currently settling into a 6,000 square foot facility in the Beltway Business Park on Twin Springs Road, which will serve as the U.S. headquarters for the U.K. based company, said Bob Gillette, operations manager of the facility in Lansdowne.
The company manufactures, sells and repairs microwave power tubes, microwave amplifiers, transmitters and high voltage power supplies sold mainly to the U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force.
The parts are used in UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) better known as "drones,"' as well as helicopters, other aircraft and other equipment, and the military currently has about 2,500 individual units manufactured by the company in its arsenal, Gillette said.
"It became a logistics and economic problem to service [the units]," Gillette said, "The goal of this facility is to be a sales and service center. We can do the sales and service here, but the products are built in London."
The company signed its lease for the facility in October 2012, and has been slowly hiring employees since, Gillette said.
The company decided to open its U.S. headquarters in Lansdowne because of the convenient location and talent pool in the area, said David Brown, managing director of the company.
"It's a great area because of its flexibility and vicinity to three international airports," Brown said. "We can also recruit quite easily in the area."
Brown and Howard Smith, co-owner of the company, agreed that the access to universities was also a factor in selecting the local site.
"In the U.K., we have a strong relationship with universities and we hope to have that here," Smith said. "But right now, we're just taking the steps to become established."
TMD Technologies traces its roots to EMI Central Research Laboratories in the U.K. During and after World War II, the laboratories developed radar equipment and microwave devices.
Currently, the U.K. operation consists of a 90,000 square foot factory in London with 150 employees, where microwave tubes and microwave power supply equipment is manufactured, repaired and sold.
The space on Twin Springs Road will eventually have four product lines, though only one is up and running now, Gillette said.
The many rooms of the office space are currently sparse.
But Gillette said they foresee filling the rooms with additional employees and cubicles soon.
In a laboratory in the rear of the building where products are repaired, it's a requirement to wear an anti-static laboratory coat before entering in order to protect the electronic equipment in the room from static damage, Gillette said.
The room, which also has an anti-static floor, is full of testing equipment worth roughly $100,000. Among the equipment is an "altitude chamber," that simulates high and low altitude environments where equipment may be used. The equipment is tested in the chamber to meet safety standards, Gillette said.
Those in the room are advised not to touch anything because the static energy their hand may produce can damage the equipment, Gillette said.
Technicians are required to wear special wrist straps when testing equipment in the room in order to test static energy levels. The room is also temperature controlled to protect the equipment from humidity.
The company has spent nearly $2 million hiring new staff and acquiring the facility, Gillette said.
Nearly $80,000 has been spent to upgrade the infrastructure of the building, he said.
The company has an annual revenue of $50 million and expects the U.S. office will generate an additional $20 million annually, Gillette said.
Of its six employees in the U.S., four work in the Lansdowne office and two salesmen are based out of San Jose, California.
There are plans to hire four more technicians, Gillette said.
"It's great to have a new business [in Lansdowne]," said Wayne McDowell, president of the Lansdowne Business and Professional Association. "Mainly for the new employment opportunities it provides to residents."


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Partnership to enhance geospatial offerings for the Japanese market
LONGMONT, Colo. — April 3, 2014 — DigitalGlobe, Inc. (NYSE: DGI), a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth observation and advanced geospatial solutions, today announced that NTT DATA Corporation, one of the largest IT service providers in the world, will become the new master reseller of DigitalGlobe commercial satellite imagery and geospatial solutions in Japan, effective April 1, 2014.
“We are very excited about commencing this new partnership with NTT DATA and further contributing to a variety of government and commercial applications in Japan,” said Takayuki Odawara, vice president and head of APAC commercial sales for DigitalGlobe. “Our customers in Japan can expect a significant expansion of our presence and unique geospatial products and services.”
NTT DATA will help expand the use of DigitalGlobe’s products and services within numerous customer segments throughout Japan, including civil governments, local governments, and enterprise industries including telecommunications, mapping, environment applications and other GIS-related industries.
“We’re excited to begin this partnership with DigitalGlobe to bring enhanced geospatial solutions to the Japanese market,” said Yutaka Saitou, Head of e-Community Division, Public Sector, NTT DATA Corporation. “This partnership will create a synergy by combining our novel IT solutions and DigitalGlobe’s state-of-the-art earth imagery solutions to deliver new capabilities to the Japanese geospatial market, in particular the telecommunications and infrastructure sectors.”