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Samsung could be planning three variants of its Galaxy S10 flagship
The South Korean technology firm could be planning three variants of its Galaxy S10 phone when it releases, according to The Bell.
The report insists an "entry-level" device will be offered alongside the regular S10 and larger S10 Plus.
The cheaper version of the flagship is understood to be codenamed "Beyond 0" while the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus are "Beyond 1" and "Beyond 2" respectively.
Samsung's cheapest S10 smartphone will lack a highly-anticipated fingerprint sensor within the front glass of the display, according to the Korean site.
Deciding to forgo a futuristic fingerprint sensor may drastically reduce manufacturing costs for Samsung and help the company shift the flagship at a lower price.
If Samsung decides to go through with such a move, it could help to combat the trend of the latest flagships rising in price.
Apple, Samsung and OnePlus are just a few manufacturers that have been forced to increase the cost of their latest devices thanks to the brand new technologies housed inside them.
Instead, the "entry-level" S10 will feature a fingerprint sensor on the side of the device.
Such a move would be incredibly similar to the functionality offered by the Moto Z3 Play that also has its fingerprint sensor housed on the side of the device.
Although differences in how users would unlock the "entry-level" variant was provided, the Korean site did not disclose whether internal parts would differ to the regular Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus.
But such a move suggests all variants of Samsung's Galaxy S10 will feature an all-screen design.
Rumours of a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the cheapest version of the Galaxy S10 was reaffirmed by reliable tipster Ice Universe.
He tweeted: "The new rumour of the Galaxy S10, Beyond 0 uses side fingerprints, Beyond 1 and Beyond 2 use screen fingerprints."
Moving a fingerprint sensor to the side of the device would be completely new for Samsung that have traditionally opted to place it on the front or rear of the device.
But in addition to the Moto Z3 Play, other tech companies such as Sony and Huawei have both already released phones with side-mounted fingerprint sensors.
The cheaper version of the flagship is understood to be codenamed 'Beyond 0'
The Bell declared Samsung's latest fingerprint technology will come from Qualcomm.
Meanwhile, Ice Universe also tweeted the "entry-level" device and the standard Galaxy S10 will both have "dual cameras" while the Galaxy S10 Plus will have three sensors on the back.
The notable leaker added: "Beyond 0 and Beyond 1 are dual cameras, and Beyond 2 is three cameras."


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The Huntington County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Lagg’s Automotive on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Lagg’s, which opened their Roanoke location in April, have now opened a Huntington location at 1885 N. Jefferson St.
Owners Andrew and Garin Stephan were both born and raised in Huntington, so they wanted to keep the business in the area.
The business offers full service mechanical, oil and lube, transmission and full detailing service, as well as in-house financing for vehicles. The Roanoke location is strictly a sales lot, while the Huntington location is where they fix the cars. They also have plans to start a U-haul rental out of the Roanoke location.
“Our main goal is to offer people with bad or no credit a better solution. Typical buy here pay here lots charge 24.9 percent interest and they loan out over five to six years,” Garin explained. “We are charging 14.9 percent and we are selling people on shorter term loans. We are not trying to bury people in a never ending rat race to try and make an overpriced car payment.”
Lagg’s Automotive may be reached at 358-1300 (Huntington) or at 673-9048 (Roanoke). They may also be contacted on their website at laggsautomo
tive.net or on their Facebook page.

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Markets at all-time highs thanks to the phase 1 US China trade deal, is it all it’s cracked up to be? Probably not and it’s also too late for trucking companies and truckers who are in crisis now. That probably isn’t good news for auto loans either. But with the consumer supposedly revving up holiday shopping is this an all clear or an Oh dear?
Have more questions that need to get answered? Call: 844-495-6042
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Ocado, the UK online grocer that has been making strides reselling its expertise to different grocery firms to assist them build and run their very own online ordering-and-delivery operations, is investing at present into what it believes will likely be the subsequent chapter of how that enterprise will develop: it’s taking a £10 million ($13.8 million) stake in Oxbotica, a UK startup that develops autonomous driving programs.
Ocado is treating this as a strategic funding to develop AI-powered, self-driving programs that may work throughout its operations, from automobiles inside and round its packing warehouses via to the last-mile automobiles that ship grocery orders to individuals’s properties. It says it expects the first merchandise to come out of this deal — almost certainly in closed environments like warehouses fairly than open streets — to be online in two years.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Oxbotica to develop a wide range of autonomous solutions that truly have the potential to transform both our and our partners’ CFC [customer fulfillment centers] and service delivery operations, while also giving all end customers the widest range of options and flexibility,” mentioned Alex Harvey, chief of superior expertise at Ocado, in an announcement.
The funding is coming as an extension to Oxbotica’s Series B that it introduced in January, bringing the whole dimension of the spherical — which was led by bp ventures, the investing arm of oil and fuel large bp, and in addition included BGF, security tools maker Halma, pension fund HostPlus, IP Group, Tencent, Venture Science and funds suggested by Doxa Partners — to over $60 million.
The timing of the information may be very fascinating. It comes simply in the future (lower than 24 hours actually) after Walmart in the US took a stake in Cruise, one other autonomous tech firm, as a part of current $2.75B monster spherical.
Walmart, until February, owned one in every of Ocado’s huge rivals in the UK, ASDA; and Ocado has made its first forays into the US, by means of its deal to energy Kroger’s online grocery business, which went dwell this week, too. So evidently competitors between these two is heating up on the meals entrance.
More typically, there was an enormous surge in the world of online grocery order and supply companies in the final yr. Earlier movers like online-only Ocado, Tesco in the UK (which owns each bodily shops and online networks), and Instacart in the US have seen report demand, however they’ve additionally been joined by a variety of competitors from well-capitalized newer entrants additionally eager to seize that chance, and bringing totally different approaches (next-hour supply, smaller baskets, particular merchandise) to accomplish that.
In Ocado’s residence patch of Europe, different huge names wanting to lengthen outdoors of their residence turfs embrace Oda (previously Kolonial); Rohlik out of the Czech Republic (which in March bagged $230 million in funding); Everli out of Italy (previously referred to as Supermercato24, it raised $100 million); Picnic out of the Netherlands (which has but to announce any current funding however it feels prefer it’s solely a matter of time given it too has publicly laid out international ambitions). Even Ocado has raised huge amounts of money to pursue its personal worldwide ambitions. And that’s earlier than you think about the almost dozens of next-hour, smaller bag grocery supply performs.
A number of these firms can have had an enormous yr final yr, not least due to the pandemic and the way it drove many individuals to keep at residence, and keep away from locations the place they could catch and unfold the Covid-19 virus.
But now, the huge query will likely be how that market will look in the future as peoples return to “normal” life.
As we identified earlier this week, Ocado has already laid out how demand is decrease, though nonetheless larger than pre-pandemic instances. And certainly, the new-new regular (if we are able to name it that) could nicely see the aggressive panorama tighten some extra.
That is also one purpose why firms like Ocado are placing more cash into engaged on what is perhaps the subsequent era of companies: another environment friendly and run purely (or no less than largely) on expertise.
The rationale of forking out huge for autonomous tech, which remains to be largely untested and really, very costly expertise, to get monetary savings is a long-term play. Logistics at present accounts for some 10% of the whole value of a grocery supply operation. But that determine goes up when there may be peak demand or something that disrupts usually scheduled companies.
My guess can also be that with all of the sponsored companies which might be flying about proper now, the place you see free deliveries or reductions on groceries to encourage new enterprise — a results of the market getting so aggressive — these logistics have bled into being an excellent larger value.
So it’s no shock to see the largest gamers on this area taking a look at ways in which it would leverage advances in expertise to lower these prices and velocity up how these operations work, even when it’s only a promise of reductions in years, not weeks. Of course traders would possibly see it in any other case if that doesn’t go to plan.
In addition to this collaboration with Oxbotica, Ocado continues to search additional investments and/or partnerships because it grows and develops its autonomous vehicle capabilities.
Notably, Oxbotica and Ocado will not be strangers. They began to work collectively on a supply pilot again in 2017. You can see a video of how that supply service appears right here:
“This is an excellent opportunity for Oxbotica and Ocado to strengthen our partnership, sharing our vision for the future of autonomy,” mentioned Paul Newman, co-founder and CTO of Oxbotica, in an announcement. “By combining both companies’ cutting-edge knowledge and resources, we hope to bring our Universal Autonomy vision to life and continue to solve some of the world’s most complex autonomy challenges.”
But as with all self-driving expertise — extremely advanced and stuffed with regulatory and security hurdles — we’re nonetheless pretty far from full industrial programs that truly take away individuals from the equation fully.
“For both regulatory and complexity reasons, Ocado expects that the development of vehicles that operate in low-speed urban areas or in restricted access areas, such as inside its CFC buildings or within its CFC yards, may become a reality sooner than fully-autonomous deliveries to consumers’ homes,” Ocado notes in its assertion on the deal. “However, all aspects of autonomous vehicle development will be within the scope of this collaboration. Ocado expects to see the first prototypes of some early use cases for autonomous vehicles within two years.”
We’re talking to Ocado and Oxbotica shortly and can replace this put up with extra from that.
Updated to appropriate that Walmart closed its deal to promote ASDA in February.


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Sankey Solutions Recognized as the 7th Fastest Growing Technology Company by Deloitte
Mumbai, India, March 11th, 2021 – Sankey Solutions is pleased to announce that we have ranked 7th on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India 2020, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in India. Rankings are based on percentage revenue growth over three years. Sankey grew 1109 percent during this period.
This event was hosted by the Deloitte India LLP, a leading global provider of audit and financial advisory services with an experience of over 150 years. The program is considered a benchmark for rapidly growing technology companies across the globe by international financial media.
“Making to the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list is commendable in today’s highly competitive, fast-changing technology industry, and especially in the challenging year of 2020 which has forced us to pivot, transform and fast track digitization. Attracting customers consistently as also retaining them to achieve such fast growth over three years makes a strong statement about the quality of a company’s business model, implementation of plans, and its leadership. Sankey Solutions has shown the right calibre for growth. We congratulate Sankey Solutions on being one of the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in India.” said Rajiv Sundar, Partner, and Program Director – Technology Fast 50 India 2020, DTTILLP.
Sankey Solutions Founder & CEO, Suhas Patil, credits a keen focus on building a high-paced learning organization with interdisciplinary skillsets and a highly agile problem-solving mindset for the company’s growth over the past three years. He further adds, “Sankey Solutions is founded on a strong belief that Tech Innovation is a mindset game and not a Skillset game. We are on a journey to build the next generation IT Company and we believe our approach is what will help the Indian IT sector to move up in the value chain and enable us to excel in the ‘Innovation Game’ than in the ‘Outsourcing Game.’
About Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India Program
The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India program, which was launched in 2005, is conducted by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP (DTTILLP), and is part of a truly integrated Asia Pacific program recognizing India’s fastest-growing and most dynamic technology businesses (public and private) and includes all areas of technology – from the internet to biotechnology, from medical and scientific to computers/hardware. The program recognizes the fastest-growing technology companies in India based on their percentage.
About Sankey Solutions
Sankey Solutions is a next-generation Technology Services and IT consulting firm offering advanced software, data engineering, and analytical solutions. With a unique talent model and matured learning ecosystem, Sankey Solutions is designed to unlearn, learn and implement new technologies at the fastest pace giving businesses a true competitive advantage. Sankey Solutions works with leading corporates and start-ups across Europe and Asia with offices in UK, Singapore, and India.
For more information about Sankey Solutions, visit http://sankeysolutions.com


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Ohio has established a reputation as one of the more cannabis-friendly states. Ohio is home to popular attractions including the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Cedar Point Amusement Park. Ohio decriminalized small amounts of marijuana possession in 1975 and authorized the drug for medical purposes in 2016.
Ohio became the twenty-fourth state to legalize marijuana for recreational use on November 7, 2023, permitting residents who are at least 21 years old to purchase, use, and grow the drug. Ohio’s cannabis powerhouse is Toledo, a city proudly positioned along Lake Erie in northwest Ohio with a population of about 272,000 and a typical family income of $38,881.
Toledo: The Cannabis Capital of Ohio
According to publications like Leafly and High Times, Toledo is the best city in Ohio for cannabis fans. This recognition is predicated on elements including product accessibility, cost, quality, and the state of the law pertaining to cannabis-related goods and services.
Toledo’s Principal Distinctions
Availability: Toledo is home to a sizable number of medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensaries that provide a wide selection of goods. With 23 dispensaries within a 10-mile radius, Toledo outperforms other Ohio cities, according to Weedmaps. With twelve cannabis delivery services within a one-mile radius, the city also leads in this area.
Affordability: The low cost of living in the city makes cannabis more accessible and affordable. Toledo’s cost of living index, as reported by Numbeo, is lower than the 100-point national average at 62.71. Furthermore, Toledo’s average cost of $243.67 for one ounce of premium cannabis is less than both the state and federal averages, according to Price of Weed.
Quality: Toledo’s cannabis is known for its exceptional quality, which is a reflection of the strict guidelines and rules that Ohio’s cannabis sector follows. Under the state’s extensive medical marijuana program, approved laboratories analyze every cannabis product for potency, purity, and safety.
Legality: Toledo has taken a liberal stand on marijuana. It decriminalized possession of up to 200 grams of marijuana in 2015, making it the first city in Ohio to do so. Now, the offense is only punishable by a $25 civil fee. Toledo was also in favor of Ohio’s recreational marijuana legalization in 2023, with 59% of voters in Lucas County voting in favor of Issue 2.
Toledo Hempfest, Toledo Cannabis Convention, and Toledo Cannabis Club are just a few of the events, festivals, and clubs that highlight Toledo’s thriving cannabis culture. Toledo not only has the title of Ohio’s cannabis capital but also ranks among the best areas in the country to consume cannabis due to its superior quality, affordability, availability, and supportive legal environment.
In conclusion, Toledo stands out as the cannabis capital, and Ohio has cemented its position as a cannabis-friendly state. Ohio has become a well-known destination for cannabis enthusiasts thanks to the state’s progressive marijuana policies, which include decriminalization in 1975 and legalization for recreational use in 2023. Particularly Toledo is recognized for its outstanding cannabis culture, which includes a large selection of shops, reasonable prices, premium goods, and a welcoming legal atmosphere. Events like Toledo Hempfest and the Toledo Cannabis Convention serve as even further examples of the city’s dedication to cannabis, establishing Toledo as not just Ohio’s cannabis epicenter but also a unique place on the national cannabis scene.


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Billion-dollar firms, including Blackberry maker Research in Motion and aircraft manufacturer Bombardier, are among the commercial giants taking part in Canada’s first trade and investment mission to Cambodia.
Aimed at boosting Canada’s so-far limited participation in the Kingdom’s economy, company representatives are scheduled to enter into high-level talks with government figures – including Deputy Prime Minister Sok An – during the two-day mission which was launched today.
With Canadian investment in Thailand increasing by 300 percent in the past 18 months, Canadian ambassador to Cambodia and Thailand Ron Hoffmann said interest in the Kingdom was “very high”.
“Asia is the future for all of us. Everybody knows why and everybody is adjusting their business practices accordingly,” said the former ambassador to Afghanistan.
Hoffmann, who is based in Bangkok following the closure of the Phnom Penh embassy in 2009, highlighted Canadian companies’ sense of public responsibility and environmental awareness as beneficial to potential investment.
“There has been a surge of investment [in Cambodia] from countries where their companies maybe don’t share those same values. I won’t single any country out, but I think we all know who they are and it hasn’t escaped the government,” he said.
“If [Cambodia gets] strong investors who care about their workforces and invest in governance, I think this government recognises that can raise the overall level of investment and investor behaviour.”
Hoffmann also emphasised the importance of a healthy working environment and a strong labour and legal system in the eyes of potential investors, many of whom expressed enthusiasm for Cambodia and their ambitions for the future.
Christophe Chicandard, Southeast Asia and Pacific sales director at global corporation Bombardier, a company which generated US$19.4 billion in the fiscal year ending January 31, 2010, said the firm was looking at opportunities to sell corporate jets in the Kingdom.
“To see where Cambodia was and where it has come to now is spectacular. There is a lot of room to grow, like any of these Southeast Asian countries I think they are keen on developing their relationship with the Western world,” he said.
The Asia region, he said, presented a potential “third wave” of sales for the firm – following previous waves in American then Europe – and currently makes up 20 percent of its book orders.
“The leads are China and India. So yes, countries like Cambodia might be a drop in the bucket [of potential sales], but I can see that you only create a bucket of water if you have many drops.
“So we need those as well, and you only establish good market presence if you are here first.”
While John Leung, director of emerging markets in Southeast Asia at multi-billion dollar NASDAQ-listed Research In Motion, said via email that the firm had “growth plans” for Cambodia and cited its participation in the trade mission as a means of “ensuring that the BlackBerry platform meets the needs of local customers”.
Agricultural trade is also being considered.
Gretchen Bozak, Canada’s regional agri-food trade commissioner for Southeast Asia, highlighted the potential for cattle imports to the Kingdom.
A small number of Canadian companies are already operating in the country. Junior miner Prairie Pacific Mining Corporation owns a 90-percent stake in a joint venture with Liberty Mining to explore areas of Ratanakkiri province.
Prairie Country manager John-Paul Dau said it would be drilling at its concessions from March to November after entering the Kingdom a year and a half ago.
Representatives from international private equity investment manager Lombard Investments, Thailand’s sixth-largest bank Thanachart Bank, and credit agency Export Development Canada are also taking part.
In 2009, Canada exported $7 million of goods to Cambodia. The Kingdom exported $45 million to Canada, the vast majority of which were garments.


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Codemasters officially announced today that Colin McRae Rally 2005, the latest iteration in its acclaimed racing franchise, will be released for the PC. The title was previously confirmed for Xbox, but until today it wasn't clear whether PC gamers would have a chance at some of the same rally goodness.
Rally 2005 is scheduled for release this fall. Stay tuned for even more details as they come in. And if you're already planning on grabbing this one, add it to your wishlist.


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Early next year, Intel plans to convert from an 8-inch to a 12-inch manufacturing wafer for its microprocessors. In doing so, Intel will save more than 30% in manufacturing costs while producing more chips per wafer.
"Intel will be the lowest-cost producer, enhancing its gross margins and giving the company an edge in any price war," explained Ashok Kumar, an analyst at US Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
AMD officials recognise the advantage of moving from the company's current 8-inch manufacturing process to a larger wafer. While the US-based chip maker will not officially confirm or deny plans to move to a 12-inch wafer, company sources believe an increase to some larger wafer size is a "when" and not an "if" scenario for AMD.
Both AMD and Intel are rapidly moving to 0.13-micron transistor technology for their chips; AMD early next year and Intel before the end of 2001, according to officials of both companies. Intel is building new fabrication plants (fabs) for 12-inch production in line with its transition to 0.13-micron technology. AMD's recently opened German fab, designed to produce 0.13-micron chips, builds chips on 8-inch wafers.
Intel appears to be ready to capitalise on any head start.
"If we move out on a larger wafer before [AMD] does, they'll basically be forced to move faster [toward 12-inch wafer production]," an Intel source said.
Kumar believes Intel has as much as a 12-month lead on AMD in moving to a larger wafer size.
Todd Kort, a principal analyst at Gartner , says AMD's chip pricing is already low enough for the company to maintain a strong market share even against a ramped-up Intel, but agrees that "there is some threat" from Intel's move to 12-inch wafers.
"There will be a point in the future when AMD finds itself at a disadvantage," said Kort.


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CoolSprings Galleria opens short-term rental space for local merchants
CoolSprings Galleria is trying to make it easier for local merchants to get in with the mall crowd.
The mall last week announced the opening of a pop-up shop, a space that can be rented by the week.
“The Pop Up Shop is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs to showcase their merchandise and experience operating a shop in the mall without the long-term commitment of a permanent lease,” Kristina Francese, marketing director of CoolSprings Galleria, said in a news release. “With guaranteed traffic, and more people wanting to 'shop local,' this is a great way for CoolSprings Galleria to embrace our community and all the talented entrepreneurs we have in the Nashville area.”
The space can be rented for $1,000 a week Monday through Sunday. The shop includes fixtures, decor, tables, hangers, mannequins, mirrors, a fitting room and vinyl window signage.
For more information contact Mary Anne Monast, specialty leasing manager, at 615-771-4227 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Ted Marti, president of August Schell Brewing Company, is being inducted into the MN Business Hall of Fame on Wednesday, July 26th, and the New Ulm Chamber and CVB are leading efforts to recognize Ted locally for this milestone accomplishment.
Each year, Twin Cities Business Magazine recognizes the accomplishments of Minnesota executives who have made lifetime contributions to the state’s economy and to our greater community. According to Twin Cities Business, “Ted Marti leads Minnesota’s oldest brewery, August Schell in New Ulm. Schell’s could have disappeared in the 1970s, as most small regional breweries did. Instead, Marti kept the family business alive and thriving by embracing the nascent interest in craft beers while holding fast to Schell’s longtime core market of traditional German-style beers. Marti’s acquisition of the Grain Belt brand in 2002 made this once small, rural brewery the state’s largest beer producer.”
“Anybody going through the tour at Schell’s Brewery will come away with respect for the whole Schell’s family, and Ted’s influence and leadership is a great business case study on risk-taking and perseverance – as well as actively bringing up the future for the organization,” said Kathy VanRoekel – NU-Telecom Marketing and Customer Relations Manager and Chamber Board Chair. “The impact of August Schell Brewing Company on New Ulm encompasses, of course, beer, but also community pride and investment, tourism, and economic development. We owe much of our reputation as a hard-working, fun-loving city to Schell’s,” said Audra Shaneman, President of the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce. “Ted wasn’t looking for this recognition, but as the organization that represents the business community in the New Ulm area – we can’t let this opportunity go by without doing something fun!”
Induction into the MN Business Hall of Fame is a remarkable achievement. To recognize this accomplishment, the New Ulm Convention & Visitor Bureau has led efforts to compile video clips from local businesses saying “Congratulations” to Ted Marti. View the video here: click here to watch the video on YouTube.
Read the full article about Ted Marti in the Twin Cities Business Magazine here.


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Pittsburgh gets its first distillery since before Prohibition
Owner Eric Meyer poses for a portrait in the under-construction Wigle Whiskey, a distillery in the 2400 block of Smallman Street in the Strip District.
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Though distilled spirits run in the region's historical veins as much as coke or iron, there hasn't been a whiskey still in southwestern Pennsylvania in decades -- not a legal one, anyway -- and there hasn't been a distillery of any kind within Pittsburgh's city limits in nearly a century. But that changes this summer, when an "artisan" whiskey distillery opens in the Strip District.
Wigle Whiskey will be distilled on the ground floor of the Pittsburgh Wool Co. building near 24th and Smallman streets, beneath the Schoolhouse Yoga classroom. Its owners, Eric Meyer and his father, Mark, and other family members named the whiskey after Philip Wigle, one of two men convicted of treason and sentenced to hang for his role in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.
From the Rebellion and a century onward, southwestern Pennsylvania was an important whiskey-producing region, and its Monongahela rye was more widely consumed, at least into the 1800s, than Kentucky bourbon. At one point, by one author's account, more than a quarter of the young nation's distilleries were within 50 miles of Pittsburgh.
The Meyer family will be bringing whiskey back to the region for the first time since the 1970s, when Schenley Distillery in Armstrong County (known for its Sam Thompson brand, among others) stopped producing. In Pittsburgh, the last distillery probably was Joseph S. Finch, at South Second and McKean streets, which was out of Pittsburgh for good by 1920, according to Sam Komlenic, editor of Malt Advocate.
"The major distilleries moved out of the cities after Prohibition," he said. Joseph S. Finch, for example, moved its operations to the Schenley plant after Prohibition ended.
"This is an opportunity," the younger Mr. Meyer said, "to restore this Pennsylvania industry that has been dormant for a long time."
The Meyer family and its contractors -- including builder M M Marra and architect Edge Studio -- have spent the past five months gutting the empty garage and warehouse space, splashing it in blues, yellows and greens, installing cabinets and plumbing, hanging whiskey bottles-turned-light fixtures.
"They wanted a space that was going to be light, bright, playful, [something] refined, within the rawness of the space," said Anne Chen, principal at Edge Studio. Many American whiskey brands tend to conjure earthy, historic themes, wood tones and leather. But Wigle, from the logo design to its physical space, is leaning the other direction.
When the Meyers met with Edge last summer, the family told their designers that the space should convey that "this is not your father's whiskey," Ms. Chen said. "We want to do something that is very different."
Re-imagining the space is step one. Step two is the equipment: By the end of June, the Meyers hope that the distilling pieces -- a boiler, a hammermill, a mash tank, fermenting tanks, various holding tanks and, finally, the custom-built copper pot still -- will all have arrived.
"We're all in," said Mr. Meyer. By that he means financially (they will have sunk nearly seven figures into this space by the time it's producing whiskey later this year) as well as conceptually: Unlike most small distillers, Wigle will fully process the product on site.
Whereas a vodka distiller might work with pre-shaved potato flakes, or whiskey maker might buy its grain pre-milled, Wigle will buy the wheat and rye grain unprocessed, and then pound it into grist in the distiller's hammermill. The first run will probably be the rye; next they'll work on a clear wheat whiskey.
Some of the rye and wheat whiskey will be sold unaged, 90 proof, for around $30 a bottle. The rest will be set aside to be sold next year or the year after as an aged whiskey. Mr. Meyer said his family also may consider selling or giving away small wooden barrels in which customers can age the whiskey as long as they want. They also want their grain to come from a local farm, though a source hasn't been found and they may have to pay a farmer to grow rye and wheat for them.
The Meyers will soon be part of a niche community that is growing more popular by the month: There are 260 or so "craft" distilleries existing in the United States today, according to the American Distilling Institute. Eight years ago, there were about 60 such distilleries in the country. Despite high start-up costs and regulatory barriers, distillers are finding that there is a market for small-batch, locally made booze -- much as farm wineries and craft breweries have known for the last two or three decades.
Some distilleries, in fact, are built next to existing breweries, reducing the start-up costs, and even the production costs, since some of the same ingredients in beer mash can be used in the distilling process. Most of the small whiskey distilleries, out of necessity, initially traffic in unaged whiskeys and white whiskeys, since aging whiskey for several years would mean they'd have nothing to sell, and no early cash flow.
"The advantage that wine and beer have is that you have home wine- and beer-makers," said Bill Owens, head of the distilling institute. "There's clubs. There are shops." Making beer and wine in your garage is easier, and those hobbies translate more easily into start-up businesses.
Marketing beer and wine to the masses is easier than marketing rye and moonshine, too.
That's why "the ultimate challenge," Mr. Owens said, "is to make whiskey."
Mr. Meyers said his family is up to the challenge. With the amount of effort and design the they've put into the distillery space, including its entrance, the family hopes that the distillery will not be merely a place that makes booze, but also a neighborhood gathering place that offers tours and tastings and hosts small parties.
In other words, a "community" distillery -- a place where farmers, a century or two ago, might have brought their own grains after the harvest and produced small batches of whiskey for personal consumption, leaving a portion of the product behind for the person operating the pot. (For the record, Wigle will not allow you to bring your own grains and distill your own whiskey.)
Mr. Meyer said he and his family have been working with the Artisan Distilling Program at Michigan State University to develop their recipes and distilling techniques. Along with Mr. Meyer and his father, the Wigle team includes his brother-in-law, Alex Grelli (a Texas transplant who will be the company's No. 2 distiller), mother Mary Ellen Meyer (marketing), brother Jeff Meyer (librarian, who will curate a planned Whiskey Rebellion museum) and sister Meredith Grelli (marketing, and also one of the founders of Burgh Bees along with her husband, Alex).
Before Wigle can begin selling its first product -- something that should happen by the autumn -- it will need to receive the proper federal permits, and must also be listed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. When this distillery opens, it will be the second in the region. Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, which makes Boyd & Blair vodka in Glenshaw, has been operating since 2008.
Mr. Meyer said his family has been working with Boyd & Blair's owners, Barry Young and Prentiss Orr, as well as some Philadelphia distillers to amend the state law that forbids distillers from selling their product on site. Wineries and breweries can give samples of their product, then sell it, Mr. Meyer said. But at the few Pennsylvania distilleries now operating, you can't buy a bottle.
Instead, you have to drive to the nearest state liquor store.
But House Bill 242 would change that, allowing on-site sales for "limited distillers" that produce less than 40,000 gallons of product.
That bill, however, has been tabled indefinitely.
Visit wiglewhiskey.com for more details.
First Published May 22, 2011 12:00 am


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PLAYING games is set to become big business in Birmingham this summer when the city hosts the UK's first major fair to attract thousands of board game fans.
The UK Games Expo will be based on the theme of the world-famous Essen Spiel fair in Germany which last year attracted more than 150,000 people to the world of board games and puzzles.
And the aim is also to invite year five and six children from across the city to represent their schools in a grand tournament using the latest games and some old favourites.
Winners will receive a pile of games for their school and ipods for themselves.
The event is being launched by Richard Denning, of the October Club, which is a Birmingham games club, and Stourbridge-based gamer Kevin Townsend. They are joint directors of UK Games Expo.
They are being supported by Rasib Khan, from Great Barr, an award-winning games inventor, whose word game Alphabet Runner scooped the Good Toy Award for 2006.
Rasib's game will have its own separate tournament run during the expo event which is being held on the weekend of June 2 and 3 at the Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, in Edgbaston.
Coun Deirdre Alden, a keen board game player, who has written about their history, said: "Birmingham has so many links with board games so I'm delighted we're hosting this.
"Famous games such as Cluedo and Buccaneer were created here and Chad Valley, one of the world's finest toy companies, had a factory here in Harborne."
Keith added: "At the moment UK games manufacturers have to go abroad to get a good response to their products.
"We want to showcase all that is fun and fascinating in the world of games, whether they are board games, puzzles, card games, miniatures or role-playing games.
"Many games are also based on the fantasy element and again, what better place than Birmingham - the home of JRR Tolkien?
"The Essen toy fair is a huge event in Germany enjoyed by thousands of families. Our fair will have an ethos of participation where people will be able to join in."
Schools wanting to partcipate can download the entry form from the website at www.UKGamesExpo.co.uk .


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One delivery service offers gluten-free marijuana brownies. Another promises a free marijuana-laced lollipop with each order. A third touts trained “caregivers” and delivery until 4 a.m.
These marijuana delivery services — the objects of an unsuccessful crackdown by Massachusetts health officials two years ago — were expected to fade away once the first state-sanctioned medical marijuana dispensaries opened last year. Instead, they have proliferated.
More than two dozen of these Internet-based services are now openly advertising long menus of marijuana strains and edibles, plus prices and user reviews, the Globe found.
The cat-and-mouse dance between the services and regulators intensified last week when the popular website Leafly, which features marijuana news and product reviews, abruptly removed online listings for more than 20 Massachusetts delivery services after patient advocates and the Globe questioned their legality.
Unlike dispensaries — whose owners must pay hefty licensing fees, submit to background checks, and test their products for contaminants — delivery services operate without oversight. They call themselves caregivers, a designation they say allows them to supply patients.
This booming cottage industry uses the Internet to offer on-demand delivery to anyone who shows a state-issued marijuana card. But in online discussion forums, several customers claimed to have used fake medical recommendations printed from the Internet to have marijuana delivered by the services.
Operators say they are exempt from Massachusetts rules that prohibit caregivers from supplying more than one patient at a time and that limit their compensation. State officials strongly disagree, saying only registered dispensaries can sell marijuana.
Leaders of Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance, a group representing medical marijuana patients, said they were troubled by complaints from patients about subpar products and tense encounters with gun-toting drivers. Earlier this year, the advocates urged Department of Public Health officials to rein in the delivery outfits, but said they were largely ignored.
On Thursday, health officials took another tentative step toward enforcement, telling Leafly the delivery services listed on its site were operating illegally.
“Caregivers cannot sell marijuana or profit from its distribution,” the health agency said in a statement. “Anyone distributing marijuana outside of state regulations may be subject to law enforcement action.”
Before learning of the department’s stance, Leafly had argued that Massachusetts law permits “personal care attendants” to deliver marijuana to registered patients. The Seattle company, which calls itself “the world’s largest cannabis information resource” and says that millions use its app and website, later suspended the listings. But it questioned whether delivery services are really banned under state rules.
“Leafly is still seeking further clarification,” the company said in a statement. “The [department’s] response did not provide guidance beyond what was already published on [its] website.”
Patient advocates attribute the continued popularity of the delivery services in part to supply problems that patients say they encounter at some of the state’s six dispensaries. Delivery services also help patients with disabilities and patients who are too ill to travel to dispensaries.
High prices at dispensaries present another issue. Some delivery services sell marijuana for $100 an ounce less than the dispensaries do, according to menus the delivery services publish online.
But patient advocates acknowledge they face a quandary. While worried that patients using delivery services may be vulnerable to theft and questionable products, advocates also want increased access to marijuana.
“We want the delivery people to be licensed and funneled through the proper channels,” said Nichole Snow, executive director of the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance.
She said the state’s registration system is too cumbersome for some patients to use, and there aren’t enough licensed dispensaries to meet demand. She pointed to health department data showing that while 22,500 patients have registered with the agency’s medical marijuana program, fewer than 9,000 have shopped in dispensaries. That means most are getting their marijuana elsewhere — on the street, from legitimate caregivers, or through the delivery services.
A state health department spokesman said the agency is aware of patients’ concerns.
Leafly did not respond to questions about how — or if — it vetted the delivery services that had been advertising on its site. The same delivery outfits are still listed on similar websites.
A spokeswoman said Leafly’s removal of the services last week sparked a backlash from customers.
“Leafly has been contacted by dozens of patients who are extremely upset and concerned about how they are going to access their medicine,” the spokeswoman wrote. “Many of these patients are elderly or disabled.”
At the Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center last month, a delivery outfit calling itself Boston Best Buds, which advertised on Leafly, set up a booth as part of the New England Cannabis Convention. A man who would give his name only as Ray invited anyone who claimed to have a state-issued medical marijuana card to enter a raffle for a free ounce of marijuana.
When a reporter asked Ray if his service was legal, he initially said it was. But when pressed, he conceded it was a “gray area.”
“Are we an unregulated service? Absolutely!” Ray said. “Does the state need to add regulations? One hundred and ten percent yes. There’s nothing I would love more than to be completely within the system.”
Ray boasted that at $280 an ounce, his marijuana was selling for substantially less than at the dispensaries. And, he said, Boston Best Buds offers a far greater variety of strains.
Ray said he initially delivered the marijuana himself, but now employs two drivers whom he pays $20 per delivery. He said he gets his inventory from “small gardens in [patients’] houses, guys growing in their closet, growing in their old kid’s [empty] room, stuff like that.”
He referred further questions to his lawyer, abruptly packed up his booth, and left the convention center.
“What Ray’s doing isn’t necessarily within the confines of the law at the moment, but that may very well change in short order,” Rudolph Miller, Ray’s attorney, said in a phone interview later. “It’s a newly developing landscape that’s subject to a great deal of interpretation.”
Miller declined to provide Ray’s last name but insisted Ray was “trying to be as transparent as possible.”
“He attends hearings at the State House, trying to get what he does recognized,” Miller said.


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A unique 30-day ‘try before you buy’ electric vehicle loan scheme piloted by the Nottingham ULEV Experience project and financed through Nottingham City Council’s Go Ultra Low funding has the potential to act as a blueprint for other UK cities that are considering Clean Air Zones.
The Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle loans have been delivered by DriveElectric, one of the UK’s leading EV leasing companies, for the Nottingham ULEV Experience project for the last two years, offering businesses and public sector organisations the opportunity of a fully-funded trial of electric cars and vans for 30 days.
Research carried out in March 2020 has shown that the Nottingham ULEV Experience project has been the only solution for businesses to try out an EV for this period of time. A total of 16 vehicle dealerships were contacted to arrange an EV trial and not one could offer a similar 30-day loan.
DriveElectric has managed the EV trials for the Nottingham ULEV Experience including providing the vehicles, booking the 30-day loans, providing a handover about the vehicles and charging, being available throughout the trial to answer any queries, and even arranging insurance if required.
The vehicle fleet included some of the very latest EVs such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro, which are long-range EVs, capable of between 250-300 miles per charge, and these vehicles proved to be the cars that were most in demand. A total of 52 organisations in Nottingham have enjoyed 72 EV loans over the last 18 months, with 20 EVs being adopted as a result so far.
As well as businesses, public sector organisations can be successful ULEV early adopters for a range of reasons, including due to the driving cycles of their fleets often being ideally suited to electric vehicles. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is one example of such an organisation, which trialled EV loans from the ULEV Experience. The project provided Renault Kangoo and Nissan e-NV200 electric vans for a month to allow the Transport and Logistics team to assess the suitability of the vehicles.
Following the trial, positive feedback was received about the larger Nissan e-NV200 van in particular. As well as the electric vans having zero emissions, lower whole-life costs, and being suitable for the required duties, employees preferred the driving experience of the EVs. The Trust now operates two Nissan e-NV200s and based on running these vehicles to date, 40 vans could be swapped to EVs.
Mike Potter, Managing Director of DriveElectric, comments: “Most organisations need to experience electric vehicles before making a decision to purchase. Fully-funded month-long EV loans are not readily available through dealerships, manufacturers or any other source. Therefore the ‘Try before you buy’ EV loans provided by the ULEV Experience have been extremely valuable in filling a gap in the market not offered elsewhere.”
The ULEV Experience has been a programme dedicated to supporting Nottingham businesses to understand, trial and implement Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles, and has been funded by Nottingham City Council’s Go Ultra Low City project. The programme has been delivered by a consortium led by Cenex, with partners from DriveElectric, the Energy Saving Trust, RideWise, CleanTech Business and Automotive Comms.
Similar EV loan schemes could be adopted by other cities around the UK that are implementing measures such as Clean Air Zones to improve air quality. Interest in electric vehicles has risen further since the government announced that the proposed ban on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles – including plug-in hybrids – may be brought forward from 2040 to 2035 – or possibly even as soon as 2032.
Businesses looking to adopt EVs have been incentivised by measures in the March 2020 Budget. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak confirmed that motorists buying electric cars would continue to benefit from the Plug-In Car Grant (until 2022-2023), although it would reduce from £3,500 to £3,000, and cars costing £50,000 or more would be excluded.
The Plug-In Van Grant also continues, providing up to a maximum of £8,000 off the price of a plug-in van, and there’s up to £20,000 off the price of large vans and trucks.
Company car benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rates already announced for the three years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 were confirmed in the Budget. However the Chancellor also said that rates would then be frozen for the following two financial years, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. This means that a pure EV will have 0% BIK in 2020-2021, 1% BIK in 2021-2022, and 2% BIK in 2022-2023 – and in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 – which could save thousands of pounds per year for company car drivers.
There was more good news for EV buyers in relation to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). From 1 April 2020 until 31 March 2025 all zero emission vehicles will be exempt from the VED ‘expensive car supplement’. Currently all cars with a list price above £40,000 pay a £320 supplement, which increases to £325 from 1 April 2020, for five years from the second time a vehicle is taxed.
DriveElectric is an electric vehicle leasing company that has been helping organisations and individuals to adopt EVs to save money, lower emissions and transition to low carbon energy since 2008. DriveElectric aims to make the switch to electric cars and vans simple for business fleets.


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PARIS — Hennes & Mauritz is moving out of its box once again.
The Swedish fast-fashion giant — which pioneered collaborations with designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney — said Wednesday it would introduce a new “niche” format next year. Details were sparse, but the stores will operate under a separate brand name yet to be revealed. Nils Vinge, H&M’s head of investor relations, suggested the new brand would be more expensive and more fashion-forward than H&M’s existing offerings.
Vinge said 10 stores would open next spring to showcase the chain. H&M plans to explain the change to the market in greater detail this August, he added.
H&M, which operated 1,244 stores at the end of May, has thus far been reluctant to tinker with its successful single-brand format. But the retailer faces increasing competition from Inditex, owner of the Zara chain, as well as Bershka, Pull and Bear, and Stradivarius in Spain; Mango; Topshop in the U.K., and, in the U.S., J. Crew and the Gap brands, Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Gap last year introduced Forth & Towne, and J. Crew has revealed plans to add a new, more casual brand called Madewell with its own freestanding stores.
H&M revealed plans for a new format while reporting that a spike in May sales spurred second-quarter profit 8 percent.
Profits for the three months through May 31 rose to 3.92 billion Swedish kronor, or $517.3 million, driven by a 13 percent sales gain in May after disappointing sales in March and April that H&M blamed on bad weather.
Overall, second-quarter sales gained 7 percent to 17.06 billion kronor, or $2.25 billion, and gross margin stood at 59.6 percent. Currency conversions were made at average exchange rates for the period.
In a conference call, Vinge said the “weak” sales meant stock-in-trade was higher and that “price reductions may be higher in the third quarter.”
Though in line with most analysts’ expectations, the results were significantly slower than those of H&M’s main rival, Inditex. Last week, the Spanish retailer, which opened its first store in Shanghai this spring, said sales in the three months through April advanced 20 percent, while its profits jumped 20 percent.
Vinge said sales had been weak in H&M’s important German and Austrian market, but added sales trends have accelerated recently, particularly in France, Spain and the Nordic markets.
He said sales in the U.S. were healthy and that H&M would soon have more than 100 stores in America. Eastern Europe is also showing promise, especially Poland, where H&M now operates 31 stores, Vinge added.
Vinge said H&M planned to increase stores another 13 percent through the end of the fiscal year.
In September, H&M will open its first stores in the Middle East — in Dubai and Kuwait — and it plans to open its first stores in Greece and Slovakia in 2007. The chain said it would enter China with two stores in 2007.
Vinge said H&M was ramping up initiatives to broaden its product offer, including a new shoe assortment that would be introduced in 2007.
He also trumpeted the chain’s collaboration with Madonna to wear H&M clothes offstage during her “Confessions” tour. The pop star will appear in H&M advertising in August and has helped design a tracksuit that H&M will sell in its stores in August.
This fall, a one-off collection by Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren will hit H&M stores. Vinge said the line, which will include men’s and women’s wear, should sell about as much as Stella McCartney’s one-time collection for the chain last fall.
H&M stock gained 4.3 percent to close at 269.50 kronor, or $35.56, in trading on the Stockholm Bourse.


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Anyone who watches the UEFA Champions League football matches and enjoys video games will have noticed that Sony has partnered with the tournament many years ago, guaranteeing the display of advertising around the PlayStation brand. For the joy of Sonys footballers, this partnership has just been renewed!
With the signing of the new contract, UEFA will continue to be a PlayStation partner between 2021 and 2024, building on a tradition that has lasted for more than two decades. With this, the video game logo will be shown during the awards for best player of the match and best player of the week.
It’s also common to see game ads around the field at matches, as was done around the release of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, or even hardware, with lots of PlayStation 5 ads just before it hits shelves.
According to Eric Lempel, Sony’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, “We have enjoyed a strong collaborative partnership with the UEFA Champions League for over 23 years, delivering a unique football experience to the PlayStation fan community around the world. is an essential part of the PlayStation DNA, and we know that many players are as passionate about the sport as we are!”
And you, what do you think of this news and partnership? Have you ever noticed PlayStation ads during UEFA matches? Let us know in the comments below!


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Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Place: Hyatt Minneapolis
Markets will remain closed on Tuesday (The New York Times)
Expect gas price hike as hurricane threatens refineries (CNN)
Hurricane expected to cost insurers $10 billion (CNN)
UBS to cut 10,000 staff in overall (The Wall Street Journal)
J.C. Penney restores the percent-off discount (Dallas Business Journal)
Penguin Books, Random House merger creates giant publisher (USA Today)
Google unveils first 10-inch Nexus tablet (Reuters)
Retailer's class-action suit targets counterfeit NFL jerseys (Portland Business Journal)
Three Best Buy Mobile stores opening in South Florida (South Florida Business Journal)
Ed Stych reports on Twin Cities breaking business news for MSPBJ.com, manages online features, and writes the Fast 50 Diary features for the print edition.
What music streaming service do you use most often?


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Retail business has begun attracting high level creative talent as well!
One of the country’s well known advertising professionals, 44 years old, Santosh Desai, President and COO, McCann Erikson, has decided to join the Kishore Biyani owned Future Group. He will be MD & CEO of the Future Brands — a soon to be launched Future Group company, which besides functioning as a custodian of private Future brand labels will also be supervising the licensing and promotion of about 50 of the Future Group Brands. According to a report in the Times of India, the business model of Future Brands will be based on what Martha Stewart does in the US.
Rama Bijapurkar, a leading marketing consultant, has also consented to join the board of Future Brands as chairperson. Both, Bijapurkar and Desai are alumni of IIMA.
While, Future Brands will promote and strengthen existing brands through effective advertising and promotion, it will recover a licensing fee from group companies for using the brands. While the retail rights will continue to reside with the group, in due course other rights may be licensed to markets and clients overseas.
Santosh Desai in an interview a few years ago had said that: “At the end of the day, a brand is something that impacts people’s lives. Our role is to connect brands with life.”


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China has announced a curfew on online gaming for minors among new measures aimed at curbing video game addiction.
Under the new rules, gamers aged under 18 will be banned from playing online games between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. On weekdays, minors can only play for 90 minutes, while they may play up to three hours per day on weekends and public holidays.
The guidelines also place restrictions on the amount of money minors can transfer to their online gaming accounts. Gamers aged between eight and 16 years old can only top up 200 yuan ($29) per month, while the maximum amount for those between 16 and 18 will be 400 yuan ($57).
China is the world's largest gaming market , accounting for a quarter of global revenue, according to market research firm Newzoo. It expected China's total gaming revenue to reach $38 billion in 2018.
The document was issued by China's General Administration of Press and Publication on Tuesday.
Speaking to the state-run Xinhua News Agency , a spokesman for the administration said the new rules were aimed at creating a "clear internet space" and "protecting the physical and mental health of minors."
"(This notice) has emphasized on the responsibility of the corporations, and has executed the government's duty to supervise the problem," the spokesman said.
He said that government units would be required to study the rules and ensure corporations abide by the requirements.
The administration is also working with police to set up a real-name registration system, and to enable gaming companies to check the identity of their users against the national database, he added.
The new guidelines are China's latest move in an ongoing campaign to increase regulation of the gaming industry.
In August 2018, Beijing announced plans to limit the number of new online games to "reduce nearsightedness in children and adolescents." It also criticized a popular mobile game, " Honor of Kings ", for allegedly causing addiction in young people in 2017.
Addiction to gaming, known officially as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), was added to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases for the first time in June 2018.
IGD is diagnosed when an online gamer plays compulsively to the exclusion of other interests, including school and family life.
carried out by researchers at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine showed that men may be more susceptible to gaming addiction.


text: Top News Asiana Airlines enhances rewards programme for travellers By TTG Asia / Posted on 19 March, 2021 15:32 Asiana Airlines and Collinson have forged a partnership to significantly enhance and expand how people earn points with the airline’s rewards programme. The partnership will expand the South Korean airline’s existing loyalty programme from a domestic-only focus to one with regional and international reach. Asiana Airlines, Collinson partner to provide travellers an enhanced online rewards platform in five new markets It will allow customers in five new markets – China, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US – to earn rewards with over 5,000 retail brands when using Collinson’s proprietary technology to shop online. The partnership comes as earn and redeem rewards programmes are recognised as an increasingly critical component of travel and retail brand strategy in light of the ongoing challenges of Covid-19. Todd Handcock, president of Collinson’s Asia Pacific region, said: “Earn platforms, such as the one we’ve created for Asiana Airlines, enable airlines to stay in touch with customers at a time when travel is limited, while providing an additional way to build points and air miles with a range of retailers; which they can put towards a dream holiday once lockdowns lift.” He added that “rewards programmes will continue to be critical to how travel and retail businesses survive this turbulent time and thrive in the future”.


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A BIKINI-CLAD woman has revealed why all eyes were on her when she visited the beach.
She donned a stylish black two-piece swimsuit as she posed for snaps while sitting on the sand.
Rikki Tikki (@rikkitikki102) has over 1,400 followers on TikTok, where she gives a glimpse into her lifestyle.
She took to the social media platform to reveal how people reacted to her skimpy choice of swimwear worn at the beach in California.
The text over the video read: “When you’re the only one in a thong at the beach.”
She was all smiles as she played with her braid and posed confidently in the plunging bikini top and tiny matching bottoms.
The trendsetter appeared to be wearing no makeup as she soaked up the sun.
She captioned the post: “If looks could kill [crying].”
Over 5,700 people watched the short 7-second clip and hundreds liked the post.
Commenters were quick to compliment her appearance saying “gorgeous” and posted heart-eye emojis.
Most read in Lifestyle
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Thong bikinis have become increasingly common in recent years, and even those who prefer to dress modestly have struggled to find bottoms that provide full coverage.
Rikki isn’t the only TikToker to have turned heads with their choice of outfit as Chloe Woods (@fullerbustinspo) was recently forced to hit back at critics.
She has over 28,000 followers on the social media platform, where she shares fashion advice for women with a big chest.
The UK-based trendsetter claims trolls have warned her not to wear certain items of clothing because they won’t flatter her size 16 and 32JJ frame.
She defied their unsolicited advice by opting to go ahead with wearing the eye-catching look.
The text over the video read: “When they tell you to avoid mini skirts, round neck high tops, and chunky heels because of your body shape…
“…So you wear them all.”
Chloe looked stylish wearing a brown round high-neck top from Amazon paired with a black mini skirt from Stradivarius and chunky knee-high boots.
She captioned the post: “Hourglass & fuller bust friendly fits without the fear of unflattering, wearing what the F you want!!”
Over 11,400 people watched the video and it received hundreds of likes from people who were impressed by how she looked.
Read More on The Sun
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Horror pictures show woman's arm bitten through to the bone by crazed dog
One person wrote: “Omg thank you!! So hard to find someone with my body type for style inspo.”
Another commented: “You look stunning!!”
Source: Read Full Article


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(Dearborn, MI) – The celebration of 50 years of Ford Mustang will be so large the Ford Motor Company and the Mustang Club of America plan to simultaneously hold it at two locations from April 16 through April 20, 2014. Open to everyone, not just Mustang owners and MCA members, the event will be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. and at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas.
“Working closely with Ford, we want to make the official Mustang 50-Year celebration the most important car event of 2014,” said Ronald D. Bramlett, Mustang Club of America executive director of the Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration. “We hope everyone who loves this iconic car will join us to share their personal Mustang story.” ...read more >
“Whether you love modern or vintage Mustangs, Shelby or Boss, racing or cruising, a new fan or have been enjoying the lifestyle for years, we’ll have something memorable for everyone at both locations.”
Charlotte Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, two of the most prestigious racetracks in the United States, are positioned to allow the maximum number of enthusiasts worldwide to attend the Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration. MCA will also organize “Pony Drives” so Mustang owners can travel in an organized group to each venue.
“Mustang enthusiasts are among the most passionate fans in the world,” said Steven Ling, Ford car marketing manager. “These twin events are really for them. We’re proud to be part of this celebration of a car that’s often called the soul of Ford Motor Company.
“Everyone has a Mustang story, and we will give people a forum to express those stories with others who also love this car.”
The original American pony car has been extremely successful for Ford, with more than 9 million sold throughout its lifetime. A key aspect to its success is that the car has always been offered in a variety of configurations, appealing to a wide variety of people.
“One of the highlights at both venues will be a display featuring examples from each of the first 50 model years of Mustang,” said Bramlett. “We’ll include cars released in April 1964 to the latest models out of Flat Rock Assembly Plant.”
Since the Ford Mustang was launched at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, it has become an important part of pop culture. Mustang has more than 3,000 appearances in film and television, plus hundreds of musical references. With nearly 5.5 million fans, Mustang is the world’s most popular automotive nameplate on Facebook.
Always evolving, each new model year of Ford Mustang has been embraced over the decades, offerings people a way to express themselves. Mustang has been a canvas for personalization. From 600-horsepower-plus versions that can exceed 200 mph to the most affordable models that get more than 30 mpg and deliver more than 300 horsepower, Mustang’s universal appeal has made it a symbol of Americana.
The tentative schedule for both venues is:
Details are being formalized for the event. Information will be continuously updated on a special website, http://www.mustang50thbirthdaycelebration.com/ and at the MCA website, http://www.mustang.org/.


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Battery manufacturer Ener1 has recently announced that they’ll be seeing a 50% drop in the price of lithium ion batteries as production increases. Statements indicate that the majority of the price decrease will come from scaling up manufacturing, and that it won’t happen until their dealing in hundreds of thousands of units. That means it’s a very optimistic prediction, to say the least.
Ener1 has also announced that they’re expecting two new development deals this year. They already provide the lithium ion batteries for Think’s City Car in Europe. But the CEO is promising that these deals will be with much larger car companies. And even though GM and Toyota and Mitsubishi already have their providers lined up, there are still quite a few car companies without a firm supplier of lithium-ion batteries.
Since the lithium-ion batteries are a significant part of the cost in hybrid cars, a 50% decline in price would mean a big drop in hybrid car cost.
Some automotive futurists have predicted that within ten years, every new car on the road will have a lithium ion battery pack. I find that a difficult prediction to make, considering the inherent dangers in lithuin ion technology and the advancements already being made with lithum-polymer and silver-zinc batteries and any unseen technologies that may arise. Still, it’s be good news if it happens.


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On March 2, the global music media brand Billboard announced the firm has partnered with Universal Music Group (UMG) in order to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) project called Chartstars. According to Billboard, the Chartstars project will be Billboard’s first NFT product focused on music fans, as Chartstars aims to “commemorate achievements and milestones on the Billboard Charts.”
Billboard Joins the NFT Ecosystem
The American music and entertainment company Billboard has revealed it has partnered with Universal Music Group (UMG) in order to enter the growing NFT ecosystem. The company revealed on Wednesday that Billboard is launching an NFT project called Chartstars and the firm’s NFT compilation will leverage the Flow blockchain. Billboard further disclosed the Chartstars NFTs will feature “officially licensed art and creative including short visual clips from music videos, and album photography.”
“The launch of Chartstars marks Billboard’s first scalable NFT product geared toward music fans. Chartstars will be a collection of artist-focused digital artwork that commemorates achievements and milestones on the Billboard Charts,” Billboard’s announcement explains. Furthermore, the music and entertainment firm said that incentives will be implemented into the Billboard NFT project. Billboards Chartstars NFT announcement adds:
Collecting and gamification will be built into the platform through collector leaderboards, challenges and true utility baked into the smart contracts, including special access at Billboard Live Events. The first Chartstars products are expected to be available for purchase in May.
UMG and Billboard Execs Believe NFTs Make It so Fans Can Be ‘Forever Linked to Their Favorite Artists’
Universal Music Group (UMG) recently revealed it partnered with the NFT marketplace Curio in mid-February. UMG also launched a Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) entertainment project in mid-November last year. Michael Nash, UMG’s executive vice president of digital strategy, said Billboard is pioneering new ways for music fans to connect to artists.
“By harnessing its iconic charts for these compelling digital collectibles, Billboard is creating a ground-breaking new way for artists and fans to celebrate unique achievements and cultural moments,” Nash said in a statement on Wednesday. Julian Holguin, the president of Billboard, agrees with Nash about NFTs creating new ways for fans to interact and share ownership with today’s music artists.
“For the first time, music fans will now have an opportunity to be forever linked to their favorite artists, by sharing ownership of a moment in time,” Holguin remarked during the announcement. “These digital collectibles will celebrate and commemorate special chart achievements with visually stunning [creativity]. Fans will also compete for real-life prizes, adding an authentic layer of gamification to the entire platform,” the Billboard executive added.


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To promote its newest film, "Paper Towns," 20th Century Fox is relying on good, old-fashioned word of mouth—online.
The studio tapped tech platform TheAmplify to find the most notable voices on social media to tout its teen drama, which will be released on Friday. By giving these influencers behind-the-scenes access through unique experiences, it hopes to build the buzz to make "Paper Towns" a summer blockbuster.
"One of the most effective communications is to send the message at scale," said Justin Rezvani, CEO and founder of TheAmplify. "We can effectively send out posts to 16 million unique people in 35 seconds."
For "Paper Towns," 20th Century Fox shared clips with some of TheAmplify's 1,500 influencers. The platform's algorithm helped select which social media super users would best fit the target audience for the film.
For example, actor Keegan Allen—best known for his work on ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars"—was given access to the movie trailer before it was released. He has 3.1 million followers on Instagram, and happens to be a fan of the book series.
"Experiencing that first look at something and getting to finally experience that with everybody gave that sense of community and made it feel like something that everyone was excited about," Allen said. "Everyone wants to share on social media. That's what our show did from the beginning. As we engaged with our fans on social media, we were able to cast our show in a way that fans would enjoy."
It also sent 22 people on a 17-day road trip in an RV, mimicking the story arc of the film. The influencers posted images and tweets throughout the journey, with a total of 11 million social media users expected to tune in.
"Social media is such a big thing now," said Jordyn Jones, a 15-year-old singer and dancer with 1.1 million followers on Instagram. "It's the easiest way to get things out…. It's the generation these days: Social media is the easiest way to get noticed and reach millions of people quickly."
The strategy may work. Variety is projecting that "Paper Towns" will only take in $20 million its opening weekend. However, analysts point out that the number is expected to grow exponentially if teens love the movie—which is currently at 73 percent on Rotten Tomatoes—and push it to go viral.
About 65 percent of TheAmplify's revenue is from film and entertainment entities, according to Rezvani. Prices start at $50,000 for just a consultation.
Fox previously worked with the company when it launched "Fault in Our Stars," a teen drama based on another book by John Green, in addition to being a best-selling author, has proven to have social media clout both through being a part of a YouTube duo called VlogBrothers and the founder of online influencer convention VidCon. Variety reported that Fault in Our Stars made $307 million globally on a $12 million budget.
Fox confirmed their involvement in both campaigns, but declined to comment because The Amplify's "Paper Towns" campaign is in exploratory stages.
"Our partnership with The Amplify not only allowed for a data-driven approach when selecting the ideal team of influencers to work with, but also the creative freedom to develop a more immersive experience, true to the themes of 'The Divergent Series: Insurgent,' " said David Edwards, vice president of digital marketing at Lions Gate via email. "More and more, web content consumers are expecting a level of production value previously afforded mostly to the more traditional broadcast mediums. And rightfully so; watching online video, no matter its length or purpose, should feel like time well spent."
Moviepilot, an online community of fan-driven content, has also helped facilitate access between movie studios and its influencers for films ranging from Pixar's "Inside Out" to Fox's "Poltergeist." It has upward of 25 million unique visitors each month, and 80 percent of its audience is 35 and under.
"Social media is more and more being seen not only as a pure PR play, but as a marketing and media play," Moviepilot CEO Tobi Bauckhage said. "The turning point is the scale."
Moviepilot recently teamed up with Entertainment Weekly to co-produce and promote San Diego Comic-Con content. To date, videos--which were hosted on influencers' channels--have been viewed more than 3.69 million times.
Bauckhage said the reason these campaigns are so successful is because fans with a large online presence can create an "echo chamber" to build excitement. Because it comes from authentic voices, their peers are more likely to trust their opinion.


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Tractor Supply hosting farmers market Saturday
NEWS HERALD STAFF REPORT
SOUTHPORT — This weekend, Tractor Supply Co., 6922 State 77, will offer crafts, produce and other local goods at the TSC Farmers Market.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., CamFox Reclamations and North Bay Honey will offer their wares in front of the store, in “celebration of the talent and expertise in our community,” store manager Dane Hallemeier said in a news release.
“We are inspired by customers who live the out here lifestyle and we are excited to introduce them to members of the community who share similar interests,” Hallemeier said.
To participate in the farmers market, sign up at TSCEventPartners.com or call 850-265-0231. Nonprofit organizations and food trucks also are encouraged to register.


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Fast rising Afrobeats singer, Ayra Starr has taken to social media to show off her Dior bag, which she spoke about getting earlier this year.
The Marvin’s signee and ‘Comma’ crooner, Ayra Starr took to social media to flaunt her Dior designers bag which she spoke about purchasing some months ago.
Recall that the singer, Ayra Starr spoke about a $12k Dior bag which she which wanted but was scared of purchasing it.
Ayra Starr, who expressed that she could get the bag, stated that if she buys the bag, her mom would be mad at her for spending $8k on a single bag.
However, in a nsw video shared on her Instagram handle, Ayra Starr was captured dancing with the bag.


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With the cost of everything increasing and state funding for libraries decreasing, we need to look at every angle. Libraries need to take advantage of any opportunity to increase funding.
Georgetown, KY (PRWEB) July 7, 2010
BookJingle.com LLC has announced a new service to assist libraries in maximizing their profits from the sale of discarded and donated books. It is estimated that most libraries will be able to increase their book sale revenue by 10-50% by utilizing the new program. Currently, most libraries sell used books at book sales for prices ranging from as low as 10 cents per book up to $2.00 per book. The money generated from these sales enable libraries to purchase much needed items that are not included in the regular budget. BookJingle.com is able to offer much more for titles with a higher market value. In some cases, customers have even been able to sell textbooks and other used books for more than $100.00.
In today’s economy, libraries are facing unprecedented budget cuts. According to a survey conducted by the American Library Association, forty-one percent of states report declining state funding for U.S. public libraries in fiscal year 2009. Twenty percent of these states anticipate an additional reduction in the current fiscal year. It has become necessary for libraries to explore new ways to make money. Wayne Onkst, State Librarian and Commissioner for the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives advises, “With the cost of everything increasing and state funding for libraries decreasing, we need to look at every angle. Libraries need to take advantage of any opportunity to increase funding.”
BookJingle.com is very easy for libraries to use. To sell used books, library staff simply enter the ISBN numbers of the books as they come in or as they weed books from their shelves. An offer is shown for each book that BookJingle.com is currently purchasing. The staff member will then put the books in the cart, complete the check- out process, print out the prepaid mailing label, pack up the books and ship them out. Within 48 hours of receipt of the books, the library receives payment via check or Paypal. Some libraries may even qualify for a portable pricing scanner which makes finding used books to sell even easier.
The director of the Cynthiana-Harrison County Public Library, one of the pilot libraries for this initiative, has this to say about her experience, “I am thrilled with what you have done for us. We would never have sold the books at the price you can get for us. I am extremely pleased with what you do. Thanks a bunch."
For more information on how your library or organization can increase revenue by selling books online, contact BookJingle’s Library Service directly at library(at)bookjingle(dot)com.
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Shares of Tesla are popping, adult some-more than 2%, after a association announced it is exploring a automobile bureau in China.
Rumors have been circulating ever since Musk visited a nation and met with high-ranking officials during a finish of April, though a news was reliable Thursday afternoon. Tesla shares jumped shortly after a confirmation.
The association had formerly announced skeleton to boost automobile prolongation to 500,000 vehicles a year. That’s something a Chinese plant would assistance accomplish.
“Tesla is deeply committed to a Chinese market, and we continue to weigh intensity production sites around a creation to offer a internal markets,” a association pronounced in an emailed matter to The Verge.
Shares of Tesla are adult 79.2% this year and are now trade during $384.53.
Click here to watch Tesla’s batch cost in genuine time…


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No shit genius…Everytime I submit a posting to Craigslist I am always greeted at one point by a ‘Captcha’ (Completely Automated Public Turing tests to tell Computers and Humans Apart) security code; which is used to determine whether I am a spam-spewing robot selling timeshares in Florida. From what I understand, it isn’t uncommon for one to request another generated code. More often than not, squinting and distressing over the lack of necessary symbols has to occur before you can give away your $9.99 IKEA LACK side table.
The Daily Mail posted a story today saying that researchers at Stanford University have been able to break most Captcha codes with their software. The software is aptly able to dissect the code into something far more readable; sans strike-throughs, close spacing and distortion. The boffins at Stanford were able to crack 93 per cent of the codes on big sites such as Visa, eBay and World of Warcraft. It would be wise to roll out this software in app form so I can stop dealing with this:
Because you would have to be a SpamBot to figure some of these Captchas out.
Fashion Talk…Recently Vogue Italia was at the center of a backlash after delicately terming a new accessory trend as ‘slave’. The high-fashion magazine featured a new accessories piece on its website showing huge, hooped-earrings under the heading “Slave Earrings, Hoop Earrings: A Classic Always in Evolution.” Vogue Italia has since issued a public apology in an article citing that, “If the name brings to mind the decorative traditions of the women of color who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom.” And, absolute style. But seriously, this is how the fashion industry works and I am still quite impressed that the industry continues to shock. Although, I believe it was an insensitive move, the way forward is dialogue and this isn’t encouraged by silence.
Models, designers and people who can’t afford high-fashion all came out to declare this a racial slur. Vogue Italia also admonished that the incident may boil down to a translation issue. It is fair to mention that Vogue Italia did print an all black model edition back in 2008—maybe they thought that qualified for a pass?
Former supermodel, icon and wife of David Bowie, Iman said: “They might as well have called them nigga earrings.” What Iman didn’t know is that the item was initially called, “Put two rings in their ears so you can chain ‘em up and they will never leave the land they work on after you whip ‘em.”
But editorially, it didn’t seem to flow as well.


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In what can only be described as stupidity and cowardice, national theater chains including AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and Cineplex, and eventually Sony Pictures Entertainment have pulled the December 25th release of The Interview. For those who might not know, The Interview is a film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco that has them traveling to North Korea to interview Kim Jong Un, and are tasked to kill the leader. The country didn’t take the comedy too lightly, and instead North Korea (likely, it’s hard to verify) waged a cyber-war against Sony in retaliation.
That cyber attack proved an embarrassment for the American subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate. Sensitive documents were released, and have been fodder for sites over the past week. That coverage of leaked documents, and the subsequent reaction (which we’ll get to), played right into the hackers hands. Really, the…
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Merritt Island, FL, Oct. 31, 2012—Lockheed Martin has selected All Points Logistics LLC (APL) as a major subcontractor on the NASA Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) contract. APL will be responsible for software lifecycle development, integration and test support for Orion’s Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). “We’re very excited to be part of the support team for such a pioneering project,” said Phil Monkress, APL President and CEO. “Orion represents a leap forward in manned space exploration.”
Orion is the focus of NASA’s retooling efforts as it sets its sights on exploring and traveling to distant parts of the Milky Way. As part of NASA’s new plans to explore beyond low Earth orbit and into deep space, Orion will transport astronauts to Mars and beyond and is tentatively scheduled for launch in September 2014. The first manned space mission is expected to take place after 2020. NASA has invested over $5 billion on the Orion space capsule to date.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.
All Points Logistics is a verified service-disabled veteran-owned small business with approximately 220 employees. Headquartered in Merritt Island, Florida, with satellite offices in Orlando, Florida; Reston, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia and Huntsville, Alabama; APL has five primary lines of business: Integrated Logistics; Information Technology; Facilities and Environmental Management; Professional, Engineering and Technical Support.
As opposed to supercars and expensive custom-built dream machines, classic muscle cars were always designed with the average consumer in mind. They were mass-produced to be cheap, powerful, and impressive to look at. Thanks to varying trim levels and engines, however, a large number of muscle cars had runs of fewer than 100 units. Today, these cars are highly sought-after collectibles that sell for far more than they originally cost.
Perhaps the rarest muscle car ever to roll off an assembly line is the 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T 426 Hemi convertible. Only 238 units were produced, and of those, just two were convertible specimens – one each in manual transmission and automatic. Like many of the rarest muscle cars, it used the powerful 426 Hemi engine, which produced an astonishing 425 brake horsepower (BHP).
The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner 426 Hemi features the same engine as the 1967 Dodge described above, and again, it is the convertible model that turned out to be exceptionally rare. Only three were ever produced. Leather seats and special hydraulic lifters distinguish this rare vehicle.
One of the flashiest muscle cars ever produced, the 1970 Dodge Super Bee Fastback came in an array of ill-advised colors, including royal purple and pink. The version of the Super Bee with a 426 Hemi engine was barely ever ordered, so only four 1970 Super Bee 426 Hemi Fastbacks were made that year.
The muscle car was the great American equalizer – a mean, fast driving machine that wouldn’t break the bank, and sacrificed luxury for power. The fact that so many muscle cars ended up being so rare is an odd and interesting twist in their history.


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In response to the UK government’s call to for information on digital currencies last year, US-based Silicon Valley Bank suggested that they should start regulating the bitcoin industry. Ideally, the UK could work with other financial regulators across the globe to come up with a framework for cryptocurrency oversight.
The bank mentioned that regulation could help mitigate the risks associated with digital currencies and provide a framework for companies in the space to operate. If this were to happen, cryptocurrencies would become more appealing to users.
Bitcoin Industry Regulation
In some US states like New York, bitcoin industry regulation has had mixed reviews. The recently implemented BitLicense framework was seen to be stifling to innovation, as it could be very costly for startup companies to obtain regulatory approval for their products.
However, the prominent use of bitcoin in illegal and underground criminal activity stresses the need for oversight. The infamous online drug marketplace Silk Road has been shut down and its owner put behind bars, underscoring the need to monitor potential cryptocurrency usage in illegal dealings.
“If this [digital currency] is to be regulated, then yes, the [UK] government should lead and ensure accountability, sustainability, credibility and liquidity of digital currency participants or designate an appropriate body to the same,” indicated the four-page document. “Taking no action could leave the UK static to global economy change – if others go forward.”
Indeed the UK government could be one of the best leaders when it comes to creating a unified approach towards bitcoin industry regulation, as they are seen to be relatively open-minded to cryptocurrency developments. Their call for information has yielded several recommendations from top financial institutions, some of which are suggesting a creation of a government-based cryptocurrency and others advising the regulation of bitcoin wallets.
Source : http://www.newsbtc.com/2015/07/02/silicon-valley-bank-uk-government-should-regulate-bitcoin-industry/


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David Kozier didn’t expect to spend his first summer managing the Canim Lake General Store under evacuation order due to wildfires.
Yet that’s just what happened after Kozier and his wife took over running the business in February.
Most of Canim Lake was put on alert and South Canim Lake under evacuation order on July 14, although the evacuation order has since been lifted on July 24. Residents in the area remain under evacuation alert.
“We’re loving the area. The fires were a bit of a surprise but it comes with the territory I think,” Kozier said.
Although they had anticipated a busy tourist season, it’s been fairly quiet at the store over the last two weeks, Kozier said. Last week, his only customers were locals or South Canim Lake residents who chose to remain to watch their properties, along with firefighters.
The roadblock for the evacuated area was right on the other side of his property, so he said people can still access the store.
“We serve lots of firefighters (right now). They come by the store all the time and get coffee, sandwiches, baking and all the goodies,” Kozier said. “It’s nice to have them around. It’s reassuring every time you get to talk with them. They always seem to be in good spirits, which is always uplifting.”
As a precaution, Kozier’s wife left the area with their child for Abbotsford while he runs the store with a skeleton crew of staff.
He’s hopeful the wildfires won’t last the entire tourist season.
As an essential service thanks to their Canada Post Office, Kozier said that short of the fires getting worse he’s confident the store will be able to remain open during the rest of the summer.
During the evacuation order, the story was stocked up for the tourist season, so Kozier said he was not in danger of running out of anything.
However, he admits that during the evacuation order, the supply line for fresh produce was a bit precarious, and he had to meet his supplier at the highway.
The Canim Lake General Store is still operating seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.


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Camino Financial, a lender with a mission is to catalyze economic growth within low-to-moderate income communities, is out with a report on the US Latinx SME market and their credit needs. The Camino Financial U.S. Latinx Small Business Survey – Q4 2019, the first in what is anticipated to be a regular series of reports summarizing the credit and financial status of the U.S. Latinx Small Business segment, serves to identify and anticipate the credit needs of U.S. Latinx small businesses in general. Of course, now the Coronavirus has turned everything upside down and all businesses face economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This initial report provides insights into macroeconomic trends derived from Camino Financial’s 2019 business loan data based on tens of thousands of applications, the largest published data set of its kind focused on the U.S. Latinx business segment.
According to the Survey:
- Credit – In Q4 2019, 35% of Latinx businesses applied for a loan with no reported Credit Score. The average Credit Score for Latinx applicants is 634.
- Velocity – Latinx entrepreneurs are rapidly launching new ventures: 56% of applicants had fewer than 2 years in operations in Q4 2019, compared to 48% in Q1 2019.
- Size – The average Latinx small business generated $213,000 in annual revenue with over 80% of Latinx businesses operating in Low to Moderate Income areas.
- Latinx businesses are trending to have shorter operating history with 56% of applicants with less than 2 years in operations in Q4 2019, compared to 48% in Q1 2019, as Latinx entrepreneurs begin to rapidly launch new ventures.
- Almost 90% of Latinx businesses operate in Low to Moderate Income (“LMI”) areas, where the revenue distribution skews smaller than businesses that operate in non – LMI areas.
Sean Salas, co-founder & CEO of Camino Financial, explains that his company has leveraged a combination of deep data and AI to produce insights into the market. The data will be used to help provide credit to the underserved market.
Kenny Salas, co-founder and COO of Camino Financial, adds that they use an alternative credit scoring system to help users secure loans:
“Data from this survey shows 35% of U.S. Latinx businesses do not have a credit score. It’s important that key stakeholders understand the profile of Latinx businesses and their trends over time, especially in light of a potential financial crisis.”
The report notes that U.S. Latinx economy is a key driver of economic growth in the country, growing at more than double the rate of Non-Latinx businesses and generating $2.3 trillion in GDP in 2017, making it the 8th largest economy in the world. Camino Financial says it is America’s “New Mainstream Economy.”


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When we think about Black Friday, we often think of just one day of savings and great deals but as consumers ramp up their holiday shopping it seems as if Black Friday has become more of a season of shopping. Due to consumer demand, it’s virtually impossible to get everything you need solely on Black Friday therefore the span of Black Friday shopping has expanded and so have its products.
It’s now more than just clothing and department stores—you’ll be hard pressed to find one store that doesn’t offer some kind of promotion. Every retailer from specialty boutiques to car dealerships are offering specials to their customers during the Black Holiday season.
With this amount of shopping, virtually every industry is feeling a boost. In fact, the car industry anticipates a 3.6 percent increase in November alone.
This year is expected to be especially big because Thanksgiving is so late. Now, consumers only have 25 days between Black Friday and Christmas to get all of their shopping done. For this reason many retailers, including Lamarque Ford, are offering specials for their customers. Lamarque has extended their annual tire sale into December from the 5th through 7th. They are even offering a free set of tires up to $700 value.
The season of shopping is officially upon us! Happy shopping.


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Bhubaneswar, 5/12: There is no let up in the upward trend of onion price. The retail price of the tuber has reached Rs 150 per kg at the capital city here. A standard onion costs around Rs 15 per piece. This has forced the consumers to think twice before purchasing the tuber, which is considered as poor man’s diet.
The onion price has gone up by Rs 20 within a day, which has left the consumers in tears. A few days ago, consumers used to purchase the tuber kilogram-wise. But now they are asking for one or two tubers. Its adverse impact has been cast on the tiffin stalls, hotels and restaurants.
While the shop keepers are charging exorbitant price for the onion, the state civil supplies department has virtually become mute spectator. Though state government had announced to sell onion at Rs 80 per kg at fair price shops, there is no adequate stock of the tuber in these government outlets. Similarly, the government announcement about raid on the onion hoarders has remained a non-starter.


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This week’s Apple Pay promo offers concertgoers and sports fans the chance to get $10 off a purchase of $100 or more from StubHub. To get the discount, browse tickets in the StubHub iOS app, use Apple Pay to checkout before August 1, and enter the code APPLEPAY-10 during the checkout process.
The new promotion is themed around summer music festivals, and encourages users to pay with Apple Pay in apps like Airbnb and Lyft to book rooms and order rides to and from events. The company is also pointing customers towards a few clothing apps like Abercrombie & Fitch, GOAT, Hollister, and HBX.
The Stubhub promo follows a few Apple Pay promotions that [...]
Apple has partnered with Adidas for this week’s Apple Pay promotion, allowing customers to save 15 percent on items purchased in the iOS Adidas app until June 28. There’s no promo code this time around, and some exclusions apply in regards to the products that can be discounted, but the companies didn’t provide specifics.
To take advantage of the promotion, download the Adidas app for iOS [Direct Link], add items to your cart, and when checking out choose Apple Pay as the payment method and the 15 percent savings will be automatically applied.
Other retailers mentioned in the summer workout-themed promotional email include The North Face, Oakley, [...]
Apple Pay’s new promotion offers savings on 1-800-Flowers just in time for Mother’s Day on May 13. With the promo, if you use Apple Pay to shop the Gift Collection in the 1-800-Flowers iOS app [Direct Link] or on 1800Flowers.com, you can get $15 off your order.
The discount will be applied automatically in the checkout process, and will last through May 13, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The flower shop’s Gift Collection includes floral collections, popcorn tins, tea and fruit baskets, and more bundles ranging in price from $25 to over $100. Many of the arrangements support same-day delivery by local florists.
The Mother’s Day [...]
In addition to our standalone articles covering the latest news and rumors at MacRumors, this Quick Takes column provides a bite-sized recap of other headlines about Apple and its competitors on weekdays.
Thursday, April 5 Mac mini is three-and-a-half years old: Apple today confirmed that its revamped Mac Pro will be released in 2019. It’s an opportune time for a reminder that the Mac mini hasn’t been refreshed in three-and-a-half years as of April 16. 1,267 days ago as of today, according to our MacRumors Buyer’s Guide. We asked Apple for a comment, but it’s unlikely they’ll break silence. Apple predicted to accelerate its capital [...]