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Jared Cannon’s passion for cooking started before he was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter.
“I have been cooking since I was 3 years old,” said Cannon, a 2016 business innovation and entrepreneurship alumnus. “I have pictures of myself on a stepstool hand-rolling pasta on the counter.”
The Newark, Delaware, native stuck with his passion for food through adulthood, studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York from 2004 through 2006. He then lead kitchens in popular Philadelphia restaurants like Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Honeygrow, Di Bruno Bros. and the Ritz-Carlton hotels.
But after 18 years in the restaurant industry, Cannon took a risk and pursued a venture that addressed his bigger concerns: food waste and sustainable, healthy eating.
In May 2016, Cannon founded Simply Good Jars, a company that makes pre-made meals like salads and yogurt breakfasts from locally sourced ingredients in jars and places them in Simply Smart Fridges, located at busy Center City areas like public gyms and co-working spaces.
Each jar costs $10 and the refrigerators only accept Venmo payments. The company operates on an honor system, so customers are trusted to pay on Venmo after taking a jar.
With Simply Good Jars, Cannon said he is bringing accessible, sustainable and healthy food options to the city to change how busy students and workers eat.
“I always saw [a disconnect] in the industry with food in the garbage and hungry people out there,” Cannon said. “It made sense to…be able to reuse the package by getting it back, so that way there is no waste and every jar back would give a meal.”
Every day, each American wastes about one pound of food per day, while approximately 150,000 tons of food are thrown away in United States households, according to The Guardian.
Customers are encouraged to return empty jars to the refrigerators after eating. For every jar returned, Simply Good Jars donates a meal to the food rescue organization Philabundance.
Cannon said Simply Good Jars donates about 1,000 meals a month, and that some clients hold onto jars for weeks until they have the time to return them.
“We just got a box of 40 jars mailed to us the other day,” he added. “People would rather pay for postage, get a box, tape it up and take it to the post office rather than throw them away. That, to me, speaks volumes.”
Each jar has fewer than 600 calories and is made from fresh ingredients, like the Apple Jawn jar made with ingredients like apple cider, Gala apples, Greek yogurt and almond milk.
“Simply Good Jars are a necessary take on an old way of eating,” said Olivia Neely, the nutritionist for Simply Good Jars. “With any nutritional goal, it is to bring the basis back to eating real foods, but this is packaged in a way that is accessible for people.”
Katie McCrea works as an outreach coordinator for The Common Market, a nonprofit food distributor that connects local farms to food companies looking for reliable, fresh products. The Common Market contacts local farms in the Mid-Atlantic region to get ingredients for Simply Good Jars, and ships produce to the company’s kitchen in West Philadelphia.
In her role as a liaison, McCrea also evaluates how Cannon’s company affects the community. She said Simply Good Jars is doing a study with the University of Pennsylvania, researching how eating healthy, local food impacts student performance.
Moving forward, Cannon has contacted Aramark about implementing multiple Simply Good Jars fridges on campus that would accept meal swipes in dining halls and dorms.
He said the ultimate goal of the company is to allow customers to empower themselves to better the community.
“Hopefully we can be at donating 10,000 meals a month, [so] Philadelphia’s thriving and our waste and consumption has shifted,” Cannon said.
But Cannon’s goals don’t stop there.
He aims to expand Simply Good Jars to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore next year. By 2020, he said he hopes that his company will make its way to New York City and Boston.
Along the way, Cannon hopes to inspire other companies to play an active role in promoting sustainability. Companies can begin to change how the world functions with every small step, he said.
“It is really about increasing the access to healthy food to help people eat better, feel better, waste less and do good in the community,” Cannon added.


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Baidu-backed video streaming firm iQiyi has reaffirmed its determination to push into the short video industry that has flourished during the Covid-19 pandemic, going head-to-head with local giants Douyin, owned by ByteDance, and Kuaishou.
“With the popularization of smart devices and 5G, users involvement in the creation and editing of short videos will become a more common phenomenon,” Liu Wenfeng, chief technology officer and president of iQiyi’s infrastructure and intelligent content distribution business group, said at a recent “dinner party” with content creators, according to a company statement.
Liu went on to say that the new trend is the driving force behind the creation of Suike, a video-sharing app that iQiyi launched in April in order to diversify its entertainment content offerings. According to iQiyi, short form professional user generated content that covers areas such as gaming and comedy as well as iQiyi’s original productions like films and variety shows are already available on the Suike platform.
During the dinner party, Ge Hong, iQiyi’s senior vice president, said that the company will invest more resources to let quality content reach more audiences on the Suike platform and strengthen the interaction between content producers and fans.
The two executives’ remarks came on the eve of iQiyi’s inaugural Suike Carnival, which was held in Shanghai over the weekend with the purpose of connecting Suike’s content creators with their fans offline.
Contact reporter Ding Yi (email@example.com)
Related: iQiyi to Create Genre-Specific Content to Meet Different Audience Demands

domain: news


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AT&T has started rolling out Jelly Bean update to its last year’s addition, the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro. It comes as a little surprise to us as carrier is kind enough to push the update to a mid-tier device. Anyways,over-the-air (OTA) update brings the Android software version 4.1 alongside other goodies, including Google Now and Project Butter. New camera UI — with live filters and a pause/resume video recording option — is what users will be treated with, too. Meanwhile, AT&T is also throwing a new “blocking mode” feature that lets users block calls, notifications and LED lights for a certain period of time. There’s also a new keyboard options with the inclusion of the Swype keyboard.
As usual, to grab the update make sure you are near a Wifi connection. However, the phone can also be upgraded via Samsung Kies software if you’re so inclined. If you’ve already gotten your OTA push, drop us one or two comments below.


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KOLKATA: Cancer patients
may soon have an organic way to fight the dreaded disease
. Black rice
, a heritage variety of Bengal rice
, is known for its high amount of antioxidants
that prevent cancer
Anupam Paul, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Agriculture Training Centre, Fulia said, "Black rice has a high amount of antioxidants that help in fighting diseases like cancer. It is still in the process of experimentation. Once it is completely proven, we might grow more of this."
The source of these antioxidants are yellow pigments, which contain anthocyanins in the hull of the rice. Black rice is different from other organic rice as it has the highest amount of iron and zinc.
Paul mentioned that most doctors treating cancer patients are not aware of the fact that black rice has minerals that are anti-cancerous. "The lack of marketing has led to this. Had people known about the positive effects, they would have opted for this. We are trying our best to reach out to doctors," said Paul.
Nirupam Das, an ex-government employee, said, "I buy only organic rice. I am a diabetic patient and my doctor has recommended organic rice and vegetables to avoid falling prey to kidney malfunction."
This is the only form of Japonica rice served in Bengal and it is not just used as a medicine. Black rice also helps diabetics.
The seeds of black rice are mainly sourced from Manipur and Thailand. Das said he has been harvesting black rice since 2008.
The ‘folk rice and seeds festival', which hosted the organic food forum at Seva Kendra recently, had around 1,000 varieties of rice on display. More than 150 farmers and seed savers from Bengal, Assam, Odisha, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were part of this festival.
Permanent counters will soon be set up in Baghbajar Ramakrishna Mission and Ballygunge Bharat Sevashram Sangha, where non-perishable organic items like rice, pulses and their products will be available directly from the farmers.


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RTA Co has launched the new website as part of it`s new orientation in the new year 2018.
The new features are:
- Viewing our latest products.
- Viewing our latest news.
- Exploring our projects and successful application cases.
- Download center for software, catalogs and manuals.
We wish you nice surfing time in our brand new website!


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Apple has just announced that its iPhone 4S will land in Hong Kong, South Korea and thirteen additional countries this coming Friday, November 4, when the company will begin taking reservations in those countries (with the exceptions of Albania, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malta, Montenegro and Panama, where pre-orders won’t be available).
The full list of new markets goes as follows: Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania and South Korea.
With the aforementioned countries included, Apple’s device will be available in 44 markets come this Friday. The company re-iterated that iPhone 4S will be available in 70 countries and on a hundred carriers by the end of the year, “our fastest roll out ever”.
Full Press Release can be found here.


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Netflix Investors: Don't Be Wooed by an Earnings Beat
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Netflix(NFLX) is expected to report some subscriber recovery in the fourth quarter, which should lead to better-than-expected results. But investors should be wary about reading too much into an earnings beat.
"Netflix is poised to see a rebound in subscribers and may be in a good position to beat conservative revenue estimates, which should help fuel a near-term rally in the stock," Janney Capital Markets analyst Tony Wible wrote in a note. "However, our analysis shows that the company's guidance is reliant on DVD subscribers opting for multi-disc plans and suggests that the Street may be too aggressive in modeling Netflix's recovery."
Ultimately, this could lead to downward estimate revisions if management doesn't issue guidance materially above Wall Street's first-quarter estimates.
While analysts for the most part are expecting modest upside to fourth-quarter results, before investors get more confident in Netflix's turnaround story they should hold out for color on the true "scalability" of the streaming business and any details on just how much international growth will pressure the bottom line.
Netflix lost about 800,000 subscribers in its third quarter following the implementation of higher prices. "The key question is whether U.S. Netflix subscribers have started to re-engage with the service, especially those subscribers who churned off," noted Citi analyst Mark Mahaney.
It seems Netflix is banking on many DVD-only subscribers opting for more expensive two and three-disc out plans, as implied in its average retail per user guidance for the quarter, Wible said.
"This may be aggressive assumptions in light of Netflix subscribers having shown to be price elastic, cheaper disc rental alternatives and the massive growth in streaming hours may suggest more DVD subscribers are moving to streaming and are less reliant on discs," Wible wrote.
Netflix said earlier in the month that users streamed 2 billion hours of movies and television shows during the fourth quarter. While this is an impressive stat, streaming has proven to be a low-margin business that must compensate for the much higher-margin DVD business.
Wible estimated that Netflix needs at least four streaming subscribers to account for the loss of one DVD user.
Bernstein Research analyst Carlos Kirjney said he expects domestic streaming margin should expand to 18% over the next three years from about 8% currently. But he believes this growth will be offset by erosion in the DVD business, estimating DVD subscribers in the U.S. will fall to 4.6 million by the end of 2016 from 10 million in the first quarter of 2012.
"We still believe the key issue for bullish or bearish investors should rest with Netflix's ability to scale the streaming business, increase price (again) and/or layer on new services," Wible wrote. "Without these incremental earnings drivers, we believe investors will find that Netflix does not generate nearly as much value per subscriber as it did only a few years ago. The rebound in subscribers may act as a near-term catalyst for the stock, but the first-quarter guidance will be paramount as it could trigger more earnings revisions."


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By Sonja Ryst and Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 9, 2010; A14
More than 450,000 people filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, as joblessness continued to hamper the U.S. economy and other new economic indicators reflected mixed signs about the recovery.
The number of people filing new unemployment claims has fluctuated between 450,000 and 500,000 a week since January, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Although that is down from last year, it remains an indication of ongoing weakness, economists said.
Other new figures showed that consumer borrowing fell again in May, suggesting that Americans remain nervous about the economy. June retail sales jumped 3 percent, though some analysts noted that deep discounts in prices boosted that number.
"We should feel better because we see consumers out in the stores again," said Craig Thomas, senior economist at PNC Financial Services Group. "We're seeing a recovery but at an uncomfortably moderate pace."
The new unemployment figures come as Congress continues to weigh another extension of unemployment benefits. About 1.7 million people had run out of benefits as of last week, according to the Labor Department. That figure could rise to 3.2 million by the end of the month if Congress decides against continuing the benefits.
"There are headwinds still facing consumers right now," said R.J. Hottovy, a Morningstar analyst.
The Federal Reserve said Thursday that consumer borrowing dropped by $9.1 billion in May. It has fallen in 15 of the past 16 months, and some economists consider the drop a sign of economic weakness. But others said the reduction in consumer debt suggests that households are embracing a more sensible frugality.
"I see this as wonderful evidence that households have learned a lesson," Thomas said. "That's very good news for the long-term soundness of the U.S. economy."
The International Council of Shopping Centers' index of retail sales rose 3 percent in June, slightly ahead of 2.6 percent growth in May but lower than the fiscal year-to-date pace of 3.8 percent.
Clothing stores had stronger sales, which some analysts attributed to aggressive markdowns.
While Abercrombie & Fitch said sales rose 9 percent, Chandi Neubauer, a retail analyst at Majestic Research in New York, said the store "bought" its results. It had been offering merchandise for 30 percent off and recently cut prices to 50 percent off. The words "A&F SUMMER SALE" -- in block letters -- dominated the store's Web site Thursday.
"They definitely sacrificed [profit] margin as a result, but they're also going back to school with a clean floor and not a lot of clearance," Neubauer said. "It's probably setting them up for a good back-to-school season."
Costco Wholesale said Thursday that sales rose 4 percent during the five weeks ended July 4 compared with the same period last year.
"Underlying comp growth was driven entirely by strong customer traffic," William Blair & Co. said in a research note. "We believe Costco's business will benefit from stronger small-business spending and the potential for an improved average ticket and a membership fee increase in fiscal 2011."
Other retailers' sales disappointed analysts. Gap said Thursday that its sales were flat in June compared with a year ago, and Target said its sales were 1.7 percent higher.
Andy Wolf, analyst at BB&T Capital Markets, pointed out that unemployment hasn't been that positive, and after recent negative news about things like the stock market, he believes retail sales are probably going to slow from their torrid pace earlier but remain better than last year.
"If there's decent news on the job side, they'll begin to firm," Wolf said.
The ups and downs have left consumers and small businesses guessing.
Marcia Levi, co-owner of Chocolate Moose, a gift store in the District, said the tough economy has taught her how to manage money. Years ago she would order huge amounts of products for her store at 1743 L St. NW without considering how quickly things would sell. Now she orders more according to what she thinks will sell in the next couple of months.
"I'm so on the fence with the economy," Levi said. "It's like one step up and two back."


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- Mobile users 'more likely to be struck by lightning' than infected by malware
- Government-private sector collaboration vital for cyber security: Brandis
- Talking ’bout my generation – the next wave of infosec
- Australia's online ads less fraudulent but lower quality than elsewhere
- Project Fi will help Google amass even more data about you
Kickstarter - News, Features, and Slideshows
Kickstarter in pictures
Pebble Time breaks Kickstarter record...Tim Cook speaks out on discrimination...Intel is said to be considering Altera buy... and more tech news.
A 3D printer that dispenses conducting ink to create circuit-completed boards has garnered nearly five times its $70,000 crowdsourcing goal.
Kickstarter has suspended the crowdfunding campaign of a Tor-enabling wireless router that gained widespread media attention as a privacy device for the masses but left others questioning its legitimacy.
A startup is offering a tiny wireless router to users who want their anonymity protected by first encrypting and then routing their traffic over the Tor network.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission needs to create explicit rules that tell broadband providers what traffic management techniques they can and cannot use if the agency has any hope of enforcing its proposed net neutrality rules, some advocates told the agency Friday.
In the debate over net neutrality, AT&T and Cisco are warning that fiber optic cable rollouts could be delayed -- and revenues lost -- if President Obama's recently proposed rules move ahead.
Can robots steer students towards careers in science and technology? Melissa Jawaharlal thinks so and she's built a robotics kit to prove it.
Many of today's hottest products do something similar -- they get their value from the collective actions of users. Mike Elgan explains why crowdsourcing and all that user data is so successful and valuable.
Last week Gen. David Petraeus, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, resigned in response to what has turned out to be a much bigger scandal than it first appeared.
- IN PICTURES: RSA Conference 2015, San Francisco, April 20-24 (+37 photos)
- Technology investment in SMEs set to escalate in 2015: Robert Half
- Bulletproof increases focus on southern region in Australia with new senior hire
- EXCLUSIVE: Huawei and iCITA - a partnership cemented in the datacentre
- HP nabs Randstad most attractive employer in ICT award
- Microsoft's retail store a step forward in building immersive lifestyle experience, says brand expert
- Twitter boosts beacon technology with investment in Swirl Networks
- NetSuite to acquire Bronto's digital marketing platform for US$200m
- Beacon trial aims to engage Sydneysiders with new World War II sculpture
- MCG rates success of beacon trials for customer engagement


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Samsung’s DeX software allows you to connect certain recent Samsung phones and tablets to an external display and use them like desktop computers.
Soon you may be able to that without the need to run a cable from your phone.
Xda-developers discovered clues pointing to wireless DeX mode in the Samsung Tips app.
The “tip” isn’t one you can actually use at this point, and it may have been pushed to the app accidentally. But it says you can “use Samsung DeX on a TV without a cable. Start DeX from the quick panel and choose an available TV.”
While that’s not actually something you do can do right now, it sure looks like Samsung is working on wireless support for DeX. What’s less clear is whether the feature will ever see the light of day. There’s no way to know whether this is an in-development feature, or one that has been postponed or canceled (one explanation for it showing up in Samsung Tips could be that wireless DeX support was initially scheduled to have been available by now).
For now, if you want to use DeX with an external display, you’ll need a cable.
Since last year, you’ve also been able to use DeX with a PC or Mac by plugging your phone or tablet into a computer and running a companion app on your computer.


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Denny's calls itself America's Diner but thanks to a remodel, one local restaurant in the chain is now more like Bakersfield's Diner. Of course, we can share it with anyone who visits.
The restaurant at 8011 E. Brundage Lane will reopen Friday following a renovation as part of the chain's "Heritage" re-branding.
The remodel includes not only a new color palate, hardwood floor tiles and updated booths and tables, but also an exclusive Bakersfield mural with key local landmarks.
To sweeten the celebration, the restaurant will offer several diner classics at a reduced price from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. Get the original grand slam for $2.99, the classic burger and fries for $4.99 and the bourbon chicken skillet for $6.99.
Diners can also get a free month of coffee when they purchase a limited-edition Denny's coffee mug. More prizes will also be available at the reopening.
“Being able to celebrate the reopening of our completely remodeled restaurant is exciting for our team at Denny’s, and we look forward to sharing that excitement with the residents and visitors of Bakersfield,” said franchisee Shashi Kamboj in a news release. “For years we have welcomed guests into our booths, and we are overjoyed to thank and invite the community back into our diner with this grand celebration.”


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From CNET Magazine: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have set their sights on spaceflight. Their efforts just might put us on Mars.
Do you think all the tech leaders and Trump will just forget the things they've said about each other?
Technically Incorrect: In a time of divisiveness, Amazon creates a new Amazon Prime ad that will surely be talked about.
Amazon's CEO hopes to make it as easy to start investing in space as it is to create an internet startup.
Jeff Bezos' rocket company conducts the first successful in-flight escape test since the Apollo era and lands its rocket booster safely in Texas on Wednesday.
CB Insights is pitting tech bigwigs against one another in a popularity contest because why not.
Jeff Bezos' rocket company will test a system that would keep crew safe in the event of a bad rocket booster. By design, the booster isn't likely to survive. You can watch it live Wednesday.
Diamandis believes the XPrize will help increase the average lifespan by 50 years and cure cancer by 2026.
The company is planning a powerful new rocket that will take satellites and humans to space. And maybe someday, Amazon Prime orders too? We can dream, can't we?
Select Amazon employees will participate in a pilot program that puts them in the office just 30 hours per week.
Bezos and celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson are among the latest to join the agency's Defense Innovation Advisory Board.
Amazon CEO says at Code Conference that the billionaire shouldn't be using his fortune "to fund a lawsuit to kill Gawker."
Do you have Google Home?
If you don't like the stock appearance of Google Home, here are two quick and easy ways to make it truly yours.


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The latest security patches should hit your Pixel phone soon.
Google constantly publishes a new Android Security Bulletin on the first Monday of every month, and they’ve done so almost every month for the past few years. Thus, it is not surprising that today Google publishes the Android Security Bulletin for the month of November 2022 and a new security update is being rolled out for supported Pixel phones. A handful of Samsung Galaxy devices have also started receiving the new set of patches.
Android Security Update Bulletin November 2022
In the latest Android Security Bulletin, Google disclosed several security vulnerabilities affecting components of Android system updates and the Google Play system. These vulnerabilities have been patched with Security Patch Level 01-20-2022. Meanwhile, Google also exposed a bunch of vulnerabilities in components of closed source vendors. These vulnerabilities are addressed using the Security Patch Level 11-05-2022.
Pixel Update Bulletin / Functional Update
In addition to patching vulnerabilities affecting all Android devices, the November 2022 Android Security Update also patches some issues that exclusively affect Google’s Pixel phones. Documented in this month’s Pixel Update Bulletin.
The full changelog is below:
- The battery is charging
- Fixed an issue causing increased power consumption while installing certain apps*
- Display and graphics
- Fixes an issue that sometimes causes the green screen to flash under certain circumstances*
- Display power consumption improvements to improve thermal performance under certain conditions*
- Fixes an issue that sometimes causes the Photos app to crash when using certain editing features*
Fixes are available for all supported Pixel devices unless otherwise noted below.
* Included in Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a
* Included in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
The November 2022 security update is rolling out to the Pixel 4a series, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7 series. The build number for the latest build is TP1A.221105.002 (TD1A.221105.001/.003 for the Pixel 7 family). Notably, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have been left out of this month’s list.
If you prefer not to wait for the update (or you can’t do the update because your phone is rooted), have a look at our site Android 13 Download Article For the latest OTA files and factory images.
Samsung November 2022 Update
Along with the aforementioned Pixel devices, Samsung is rolling out the November 2022 Android Security Update for the 3rd and 4th generation Galaxy Foldables. For Galaxy Z Flip 4, the build numbers are F721BXXS1AVJE And the F721U1UES1AVJ7 For Global and US Open models respectively.
The US unlocked variant Galaxy Z Fold 4 has also received the new patch in the form of a software release F936U1UES1AVJ1, so be on the lookout for it. Similarly, the unlocked models of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 have picked up the new one through the software release F926U1UES2DVJ1 And the F711U1UES3EVJ2Straight.
For more information on how Android security patch updates work, check out Our in-depth explanation on the topic.
#November #Android #Security #Update #rolling #Pixel #phones


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Maryland’s Port of Baltimore has been added to MSC’s Santana service which includes port visits between Asia, the Panama Canal, and the Suez Canal.
The carrier has also added new port calls in Boston and Da Chan Bay, China to its “around the world” container service.
The first sailing under the revised port rotation will leave the Port of Haiphong in Vietnam onboard the MSC Ellen on 15 July.
The new schedule of the Santana service is as follows: Haiphong (Vietnam) – Da Chan Bay (China) – Shanghai (China) – Busan (South Korea) – Panama Canal – Charleston (US) – Baltimore (US) – New York (US) – Boston (US) – Suez Canal – Singapore – Haiphong.
“The international maritime shipping industry continues to speak loudly and favourably about the convenience, service, and reliability of Maryland’s Port of Baltimore,” said Governor Larry Hogan.
“MSC was the first container shipping company at the Seagirt Marine Terminal and now it has added another service in Maryland at a time when we’re heavily investing in infrastructure upgrades at the Port.”
Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. added: “Maryland’s Port of Baltimore and its outstanding work force have fuelled the state’s economic rebound from the pandemic.
“The investments we and our partners are making at Maryland’s Port create good-paying, family-supporting jobs, and this new service will add even more to our overall economic impact.”
Port of Baltimore Executive Director William P. Doyle also commented: “MSC is one of the top container shipping companies in the world and a great partner of ours.
“We love the around-the-world services with the Port of Baltimore in between the Asia-Panama Canal and U.S.-Suez Canal routes. With our infrastructure and incredible supply chain network, there’s no better port in the country right now for handling containers than Baltimore.”
Earlier this month, the Port of Baltimore received a $15.6 million grant to support its Rail Capacity Modernization Project.
The grant was awarded under the Federal Rail Administration’s (FRA) Consolidated Rail and Infrastructure Safety Improvements (CRISI) program.


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In-Cosmetics Formulation Summit 2021
The In-Cosmetics Formulation Summit (November 29-30) is returning to a physical format in London this year. Titled ‘Advancing in the Age of Sustainability and Wellbeing’, the event will explore the sustainability and wellbeing trends most relevant to the beauty industry today and beyond.
A total of 23 sessions will be hosted by leading international experts, alongside opportunities to network. From hygiene products and holistic wellbeing to safety regulations and raw material shortages, the summit will focus on four main themes: sustainability, cosmetic claims, neuroscience, and the pandemic and consumer behaviour.
Sustainability sessions will discuss pressing environmental concerns, such as the future of palm oil production and biodiversity loss, as well as the protection of human rights and debunking myths around plastic pollution. They’ll also cover ideas explored in our recent Sustainability Round-Ups, such as collaboration. “What really is important is to become more aware and start talking about these issues, and possibly even start collaborating with other partners in the industry,” said Dr Barbara Olioso, managing director at The Green Chemist Consultancy in the UK.
Other sessions will touch on how brands can avoid misleading consumers due to confusion around safety regulations, as well as the pandemic’s impact on cosmetics – such as supply chain issues, consumer habits and hand hygiene products. The summit will also explore mental and physical wellbeing, opportunities for holistic product development, and research into neuroscience and multisensory innovation (see The Brief for more on how this is already manifesting in the beauty industry).
Look out for our full coverage of the event, dropping on December 8.


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Non-essential shops across England are reopening today after closing down in March due to the coronavirus crisis.
Primark has seen huge queues after implementing strict social distancing measures, while Zara and Sports Direct has witnessed similar scenes.
Topshop is also opening its doors today and has issued its new rules, store changes and opening hours for shoppers.
The store said: "We're thrilled to be able to welcome you back to all stores in England and selected stores in Northern Ireland. We want to assure you that we are working hard to keep you and our employees safe, while making your shopping experience with us continue to run as smoothly as possible.
"Due to government guidelines, our stores in Scotland and Wales will remain closed until further notice.
"We have been making a number of changes to the way we operate with revised opening times and will be following the government’s guidance on measures to protect the safety of our staff and customers."
Topshop opening times
The store has confirmed it will operate on "revised opening times".
To check your local store, Topshop is asking customers to use its store opening times tool.
New safety measures
Topshop has made changes to the layout of stores and queuing areas, adding floor markings and and signage to help customers stay socially distanced. It is also implementing the two-metre rule for shoppers.
The store is limiting the number of people in store and asking customers to shop alone when possible.
Fitting rooms and personal shopping services remain closed to minimise contact. Topshop is also unable to accept returns or exchanges for online purchases in store right now, but collection from home is still free.
Contactless payments will be available at all till points and Topshop is asking customers to pay by card if they can.
Topshop will be carrying out extra cleaning and sanitising to keep the whole store as safe as possible.


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Polestar, Volvo’s electric performance brand, is teasing what will be the first native version of Android Auto in a new mobile web demo that was released on Wednesday. The app-like experience, viewable on smartphones or tablets, allows people to tap around an early version of the user interface that will launch on Polestar’s second car, the aptly named Polestar 2, later this year.
To view it, users need to click this link and choose “Add to Home Screen” from the share sheet in their mobile browser. After that, they can tap through the new icon on their home screen to launch a website that simulates the Android Auto-powered user interface. It’s not fully operational, but it’s enough to get a decent sense of what it will be like to tap through the screen in the Polestar 2.
At its 2017 I/O developer conference, Google announced that it was working on a native version of Android Auto that would not require the use of a smartphone, and Volvo and Audi were the first automakers to strike a deal to put it in their cars. At last year’s I/O, Google showed off an early version of what will end up in Volvo’s cars in 2020. (Audi’s been far more tight-lipped about its own project.) The display was skinned to look just like the Swedish carmaker’s Sensus infotainment system, but it had access to the Android Auto version of Google’s Play Store app ecosystem as well as fully integrated versions of Google Maps, Play Music, and more.
What Polestar showed off on Wednesday looks a lot different, however. It’s a completely new design that fits well in a portrait mode tablet, with big buttons and icons so that the driver or passenger doesn’t have to be so precise with their taps and swipes.
There are four quadrants with persistent control bars at the top and bottom. The top control bar lets users tap around different sections of the user interface. There’s a page for apps, another for user profiles, and one for the car’s functions (like steering or regenerative braking settings). The bottom control bar offers quick access to climate and seat settings.
The demo shows off what it would be like to have quick access to various Google apps in those four quadrants, including Maps, Calendar, and Play Music. (These four quadrants are presumably customizable. They may even adapt on the fly based on what’s most recently been used, similar to how the left rail of Apple’s CarPlay UI operates.)
There are a bunch of cheeky touches throughout the demo, too, all of which seem to imply that Polestar wants to offer some of the joy-over-function features that permeate Tesla’s infotainment system. Tap on the “camera” section of the top control bar, and you’ll unlock a Space Invaders-style game called Polestar Space Warp, which is actually playable in the demo. Tap the Google Maps simulation, and the navigation screen suddenly shows stars streaking by, which echoes one of the more famous Easter eggs found in Tesla’s cars.
In other parts of the demo, though, things don’t work, or they broke outright. Polestar says it will share “additional information about the interface” in the coming weeks. The company will also share more about Polestar 2 itself. Right now, we only know that it’s supposed to offer about 300 miles on a full charge, and it will be priced somewhere north of $35,000, lining it up for potential competition with Tesla’s Model 3.
The push to turn Android Auto into a full-fledged operating system that doesn’t require the use of a smartphone started in 2014, but it’s only over the last year that we’re starting to see the effort step into the light. Automakers have used Android to build infotainment systems in the past, but they tended to have far more control over the top-to-bottom operations, which was sometimes to their detriment.
Polestar’s demo shows that, with native Android Auto, Google is still allowing a ton of freedom when it comes to the design of the user interface (especially when contrasted with the far more familiar version that Volvo showed off last year). But since it’s a more limited system, there are inherently more guidelines in place, which hopefully means a more consistent, reliable experience. With the added value of having access to the app store, native Android Auto could become a selling point for cars in the next few years.


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PARIS — Howard Dickinson, a highly respected men’s wear designer here in the Eighties, died Saturday at the Hôpital Bretonneau in Paris.
A spokeswoman for the Dickinson family confirmed his death but said no further details were available at this time. A service will be held at the Père-Lachaise crematorium on May 15.
Born in Bradford, England, in 1955, Dickinson studied fashion at Nottingham Trent University, where he graduated with a first class honors degree, before moving in 1977 to Paris, where he was hired as men’s and women’s designer at Christian Aujard.
His talent was spotted by Nino Cerruti, who tapped him to help reinvigorate the Cerruti men’s wear collection in 1978. He was soon promoted to the role of head designer, also overseeing the women’s wear collection. Dickinson stayed at the house through the late Nineties, dressing numerous film stars and music icons.
Fashion journalist Richard Buckley, former European editor at the since-shuttered Condé Nast-owned men’s weekly DNR, said that Dickinson was “by far one of the most creative designers working in the industry at that time.”
“He always managed to walk a fine line between the traditional Italian tailoring that Cerruti was known for and his own nonconformist English art school sensibility. Tailored jogging pants or suit jackets that fit like cardigans may not seem very innovative now, but 35 years ago, Dickinson’s designs were unconventional, yet always chic,” added Buckley.
Dickinson leaves behind his sister Janet and brother Martin, sister-in-law Chris, and nephews Christopher and James.


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Recently it was announced that AutoScout24 European Auto Trader BV taken over by Sanoma Media Netherlands BV In our country means that, in practice, combining forces and AutoTrader.nl AutoScout24.nl. The latter was already a market leader in the Netherlands and now has further consolidated its position. "Together we can further improve the service to both consumers and customers, and make faster innovation," said Christian Bubenheim, senior vice president marketing and product AutoScout24. "Consumers benefit from a wider, richer range of cars, which in turn creates more traffic on our site. As dealers take advantage of an increased range. "
Auto Trader has more than one million unique visitors and an average of 150 thousand cars the third car sales site of our country. By linking the cars offered on the content and expertise of Autoweek Autotrader offers its visitors additional help in finding a car. AutoScout24 is the largest European car sales site.
With the acquisition, which is effective retroactively from January 1, 2016, involves an amount of 27.7 million euros.


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Native Texan & Longtime Guest Brings Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to Palm Springs
(Palm Spring, CA) Rodney Harper has been eating Dickey’s Barbecue Pit since he was a little kid and now at the age of 61 he’ll bring a barbecue tradition to Palm Springs. The first Dickey’s Barbecue location in Palm Springs opens on Thursday, February 12 at 11 a.m. with a three day grand opening.
“It’s exciting to see our restaurants open in new locations like Palm Springs,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Rodney, who grew up eating Dickey’s Barbecue, and now owns his own restaurant speaks to the passion our fans have for our brand.”
Three day grand opening includes:
- Thursday the first 50 guests will receive gift cards worth up to $50.
- Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., radio station 93.7 Classic Rock is onsite and the new location is serving a deal with $2 pulled pork barbecue sandwiches. One lucky winner will be chosen for a $500 gift card and three winners will receive free barbecue for an entire year.
- Saturday, Dickey’s Barbecue offers all day merchandise giveaways.
“I’m from Texas and grew up eating Dickey’s Barbecue since I was only 4 years old,” said first time owner, Rodney Harper. “I’m thrilled to introduce Dickey’s Barbecue to the Valley.”
Prior to Dickey’s Barbecue, Harper worked for Toyota Motor Sales, USA as vice president of sales, marketing and brand. The location in Palm Springs is located at 5200 East Ramon Road and the number is 760.699.2028. Follow along with this location on Facebook.


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Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Place: The Triple Door, Seattle
Bring home the bacon! Amazon tests US Postal Service to deliver groceries
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The Wall Street Journal reports Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is having the Postal Service deliver insulated containers of meat, dairy, produce and other groceries to San Francisco customers between 3-7 a.m., when most of its trucks are not in use.
The company's Amazon Fresh grocery service delivers only in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas as well as select ZIP codes in Northern California, but is expected to expand the service.
"We are always looking for new and innovative ways to deliver packages to customers," Amazon said in a statement.
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Monetisation of online games has been a hot topic for the past few years, fueled by the rise of the free-to-play business model and the undeniable accessibility of mobile gaming. At the Digital Game Monetization Summit in San Francisco, developers shared insights into the source of their revenue ...
Posted on Nov 27th 2014 12:00PM
Posted on Nov 27th 2014 8:00AM
Posted on Nov 26th 2014 7:00PM


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Nokia has much resting on the launch of its first Windows smartphone, the Lumia 800, the first off the production line since its exclusive partnership was agreed with Microsoft in February. The phone is key for Nokia to claw back a position in high-end phones having been marginalised by Apple and Google’s Android in recent years, writes Daniel Thomas, FT telecoms correspondent. Read more
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A new apartment complex will add more than 500 residents to the BullStreet District as soon as 2023.
Work has begun on Bennet at BullStreet, a 280,000-square-foot community with 269 luxury apartments ranging from studio to three-bedroom units, according to a news release. The apartments, anticipated to open in 2023, will include a pet spa, a rooftop deck, an upscale clubhouse and a state-of-the-art fitness center, along with dedicated co-working spaces.
Charlotte-based Proffitt Dixon Partners is the developer of the new complex, which will include a 45,000-square-foot, ground-floor retail space. Bennet at BullStreet will be located between Boyce Street, home to Segra Park, and Pickens Street in the 181-acre mixed-use BullStreet development, overseen by master developer Hughes Development Corp. of Greenville.
“The Hughes Development Corporation team’s talent and dedication to placemaking is remarkable,” Stuart Proffitt, founding partner of Proffitt Dixon Partners, said in the release. “We’re excited to be a part of bringing their transformative vision to life. Our goal for Bennet at BullStreet is to deliver the highest level of rentable living in Columbia, on par with urban projects we’ve recently delivered in other Southeast growth markets. We’re thrilled to now be underway with construction.”
Proffitt Dixon Partners also has multifamily properties in Charlotte, Greenville and Nashville, Tenn., among other Southeastern locations.
Hughes Development Corp. will own and operate the retail space.
“We have toured Proffitt Dixon projects across the Southeast and are excited that they have chosen to do their next great project in the BullStreet District,” Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development, said. “These units will bring over 500 new residents to BullStreet, all of whom will enjoy the recently opened Page Ellington Park, Fireflies games and the growing mix of retail and restaurant tenants who call BullStreet home.”
The apartments will range from 550 to 1,600 square feet. Other amenities will include an outdoor saltwater pool, grilling areas, private cabanas and a covered entertainment pavilion, along with two additional courtyards and two dog parks.
The project will also include a 350-space parking garage, which will join two parking garages already under construction in the district. These garages will have added more than 1,300 structured parking spaces and have more than 1,100 surface parking spaces when completed, according to the release.


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If Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe was any indication, dining al fresco was obviously alluring way before 2020. But if the pandemic taught restaurants anything, it’s how to pivot and do things even better—and diners, in turn, have certainly learned how to appreciate their third places more.
So for those seeking something beyond a fancy “streetery,” OpenTable—one of America’s more popular online reservations platform—has just released its latest diner-reviewed list in anticipation of the country’s post-Covid reopening: Top 25 Restaurants for Outdoor Dining.
And looking at all these datasets (via the OpenTable State of the Industry dashboard) is quite interesting. Especially as it evolves.
New York City, which is arguably one of the most important dining destinations in the world, is not represented at all. (Although OpenTable’s data shows that Lupa near SoHo, Baker & Co in Greenwich Village, and Catch in the Meatpacking District are a small sampling of the city’s highest-rated and most booked spots.) Apparently, as of early April, only around sixty percent of New York restaurants that use the platform have reopened. Beyond that, seated diners at the aforementioned open restaurants are at 75% of 2019 levels—so there’s definitely some major room for growth as the industry slowly recovers.
But New York isn’t the only “snubbed” city. New Orleans, Portland, Chicago, and Charleston are among the big food cities that are noticeably absent on this roster—and that’s a shame.
As for this admittedly abbreviated nationwide list, the warmer states take the top spots. Unsurprisingly. California has the most honorees with six restaurants—including Beachcomber Café, Foreign Cinema, Pacifica Seafood Restaurant, and Waterbar. Next up is Florida, with five. While the District of Columbia and Georgia are tied at third place with two restaurants each.


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This monumental breach is both startling and newsworthy enough that we enlisted tech and cyber security analyst Raj Goel to help drive home the point that this isn’t just a voyeur’s paradise.
Laptop and USB-connected webcams are not included, Mashable reports.
In the United States alone there are over 11,000 feeds on the site.
PIX11 found over 100 cameras around Manhattan with a Google Maps zoom-in of the location.
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- A Russian hacking group is suspected of breaking into thousands of surveillance cameras around the world and posting live feeds online.
The cameras range from those in private homes to businesses, all tapped without the owners' approval.
A side panel on the Insecam homepage gives a breakdown of where each camera is by country.Insecam is able to access the cameras that are hooked up to public servers.Users can also see the manufacturer of the camera, the default login and password.Insecam was designed to show the importance of security settings, according to the creators.Several media outlets reported the breach when the site posted the feeds online.The site addresses the allegations that they're hacking into cameras in the frequently asked question portion.


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Many 1980s commercial buildings suffer from an appalling lack of street presence.
That’s certainly the case with downtown Dallas’ Thanksgiving Tower, which has about as much curb appeal as a power plant.
Dark glass walls slam down to the street. The entryways on Elm Street and Pacific Avenue are framed in funereal granite blocks.
Fortunately some changes are in works.
New owners are blowing out the lower level of the skyscraper, adding retail space and transparent glass that will open up the building to the streetscape.
The City of Dallas is kicking in $6 million in tax increment finance district funds to help pay for the tower renovations, which are expected to total about $100 million.
About 16,000 square feet of retail space will be added to the ground floor of Thanksgiving Tower, according to leasing proposals from United Commercial Realty.
The Pacific Avenue side of the building which fronts ThanksGiving Square will have large outdoor seating areas.


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DON'T NOD Annual Report: Revenue reached record levels, restructuring started
The French company DON'T NOD has released a preliminary financial report for 2023. We share the main thing from it.
- DON'T NOD's operating revenue amounted to 32.1 million euros, an increase of 6.8% compared to 2022. This is the best result in the company's history.
- Sales tripled over the year, reaching 2.9 million euros. This was achieved thanks to the stable performance of games from the back catalog and the successful launch of Jusant.
- DON'T NOD increased game development costs by 16.8% to 26.8 million euros. The company currently has seven titles in development. Five of them are made by DON'T NOD itself, two are made by third—party teams.
- DON'T NOD has revised the book value of its IP and decided to write off approximately 10.5 million euros from its fixed capital. According to the company, this will not affect its finances.
- The company noted that 2023 was a difficult year for it. A lot of good games came out last year, and DON'T NOD titles had a hard time competing with them. As a result, Harmony: the Fall of Reverie earned less than it could have, and the Banishers release: Ghosts of New Eden had to be postponed from November 7, 2023 to February 13, 2024.
- As part of the report, DON'T NOD announced a restructuring. She decided to divide the company into three areas, each of which will deal with games of a specific genre. These will be RPGs, action-adventure games and story-driven adventure games.
- DON'T NOD is not planning layoffs during the restructuring. The company currently employs about 350 people.


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Apple took a short time during today’s event to talk about Apple TV. The device is getting a price drop from $99 to $69, but the device itself amounted to little more than a footnote in the presentation. Instead, Tim Cook took the opportunity to announce a partnership between Apple and HBO on the exclusive launch of HBO Now this April.
HBO Now is big news for anyone who enjoys HBO content. It’s the first time you’ve ever been able to get HBO content without a cable or satellite subscription, so this announcement is a cord cutter’s dream come true. HBO Now costs $14.99 a month and can be purchased in-app. With cable bills often topping out at over $100/month, we expect a great many Game of Thrones fans to leap at this.
“HBO NOW is the next phase of innovation at HBO,” said Richard Plepler, Chairman and CEO, HBO. “With this new partnership, a natural evolution for the network, we have access to millions of Apple customers who are used to getting their favorite apps immediately. Now, they can do the same with an HBO subscription.”
Do you see yourself subscribing to HBO? Does this make cord-cutting more viable for you? Let us know!


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Womanizer, the groundbreaking new adult toy for women, proudly announces that its Womanizer Deluxe (W500) massager won New Product of the Year at Monday night’s StorErotica Awards Show at the ANME Founders novelty trade expo in Burbank, California.
The German-engineered hand-held clitoral stimulator – recently named Europe’s #1 women’s toy – has officially made its mark in the U.S. thanks to its addictive, one-of-a-kind PleasureAir™ gentle air pressure wave suction technology, often delivering multiple orgasms on demand in less than a minute.
“We are excited to come right out of the gate and win an award for the Womanizer Deluxe (W500) massager,” said Ryan Poirier, Vice President of epi24 USA, Womanizer’s manufacturer. “A big thank you to StorErotica, ANME and every woman who has bought and supported this amazing invention.”
The Womanizer Deluxe (W500) delivers unparalleled orgasmic satisfaction and comes in four colors, eight intensity levels from gentle to firm suction, a new ergonomic design with swivel switch controls, replaceable silicone heads in two sizes, a discreet travel case and USB charging cable to guarantee hours of use.
The Womanizer collection of massagers – which also includes The Womanizer Delight (W100) and Womanizer Delight Swarovski Limited Edition, inlaid with 1,200 sparkling Swarovski crystal elements – are available now at Amazon, Babeland, Good Vibrations, Lovers, Hustler Hollywood and leading sex positive retailers nationwide. For more information, please visit www.Womanizer.com.
Womanizer is the first clitoral stimulator designed to help women achieve sexual pleasure 100% of the time. It offers an effortless experience to help women maintain their sexual wellness safely. It was designed by a German couple who discovered PleasureAir technology, which produces incredibly fast, often multiple orgasms by leveraging a suction technique that does not desensitize the clitoris. *Based on early testing on a sampling size of 100 women, 50% orgasm in 60 seconds or less, 80% orgasm between 2-3 minutes, and three-fourths experienced multiple orgasms.
In Europe, The Womanizer is one of the fastest selling erotic products and is on track to sell 150,000 units there in 2015. It is exclusively available on the US market through its parent subsidiary, epi24 USA LLC.


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Postman, an API development environment portal, has today announced that both the Postman free app and Postman Pro were named 2017 SIIA CODiE Awards finalists in the API Management category.
The SIIA CODiE Awards are the premier awards for the software and information industries and have been recognizing product excellence for over 30 years. The awards offer 93 categories that are organized by industry focus.
The startup was selected as one of 205 finalists across 59 business technology categories, and Postman and Postman Pro were two of the four finalists in the API Management category. Winners will be announced during the CODiE Award Business Technology Winner Announcement & Celebration, on July 25th in San Francisco.
Ken Wasch, President of SIIA, said,
I am impressed by the level of innovation and creativity of the products that have been selected as this year’s CODiE Award finalists. We are happy to recognize these products and the power they have to transform the future of how we do business.
Abhinav Asthana, CEO and co-founder of the company, said,
We are thrilled to be named as a SIIA CODiE finalist and to have both our free Postman app as well as our Postman Pro product recognized this way. Developers deserve more, and we deliver that – to individual API developers and to professional and enterprise developer teams.
Postman began as a simple tool to make API testing faster and easier and has expanded into a powerful, collaborative and user-friendly toolchain, allowing its customers to streamline and simplify API development.
Developers can leverage the power of the platform at every stage of their API workflow, from development and testing through collaboration, documentation and publishing, and API monitoring.
The company was founded by Abhinav Asthana, Ankit Sobti, and Abhijit Kane as a side project in 2012. It provides free apps for Chrome, Mac, and Windows to build APIs and a paid cloud-based app.
Last year, the company raised $7 million in its Series A round of funding from Nexus Venture Partners. Prior to that, it had raised $1 million in seed funding. Earlier this year, the company moved its headquarters from Bangalore to San Francisco. The company recently also launched Mock Server feature for its Postman Pro product line.


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Shares in the broadband Internet communications company closed up $1.31 to $44.63 Tuesday ahead of the announcement.
The good results came as no surprise--this is the 15th consecutive quarter Qwest has met or exceeded consensus estimates, and the company had promised in December that its fourth quarter would meet expectations.
Though analysts are concerned that fourth-quarter results from some other communications companies like AT&T and WorldCom may be affected by the slowing long-distance business, Qwest is sheltered from such worries by its large stake in high-growth data and Internet businesses.
Fourth-quarter earnings, on a pro forma basis, were $270 million, up 43.6 percent over the fourth quarter of 1999. Earnings grew by 45.5 percent to 16 cents per diluted share. That's two pennies higher than First Call's consensus estimate.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the fourth quarter grew 19.7 percent to $1.99 billion.
Revenue for the fourth quarter was $5.02 billion, up 9.9 percent from a year ago, and slightly below a consensus estimate of $5.03 billion. Qwest said the growth was driven by strong demand for Internet and data services, which increased by almost 40 percent.
The company said it saw strong demand for Internet access, hosting, DSL (digital subscriber line), VPN (virtual private network), frame relay, ATM and professional services. Internet and data services revenue represented 70 percent of Qwest's total revenue growth in the quarter.
Wireless services revenue grew 90 percent in the quarter to $150 million. Commercial services revenue increased more than 19 percent, while consumer and small-business services grew by just 5 percent.
For the year, Qwest reported net income of $1 billion, up 53.6 percent from 1999, while 2000 earnings of 59 cents per share grew 51.3 percent from 1999. Pro forma EBITDA for 2000 increased more than 17.3 percent to $7.37 billion, despite large investments in areas such as hosting, local broadband access, Internet and data services, and service improvements, the company said.
Revenue for the fiscal year jumped 14.2 percent to $18.95 billion thanks to Internet and data services, which grew more than 60 percent in 2000. The company ended 2000 with more than 255,000 DSL customers, more than double the previous year and above the company's year-end target of 250,000.
CEO Joseph Nacchio said the company is "on track to meet our expected growth rates." The company is expecting $21.3 billion to $21.7 billion in revenue and $8.5 to $8.7 billion in EBITDA for 2001.
Rival Broadwing posts loss
Qwest rival Broadwing also reported fourth-quarter results Wednesday.
The company reported a loss of 18 cents a share, excluding charges, compared with a loss of 50 cents a year ago. First Call was expecting a loss of 20 cents a share. EBITDA improved 81 percent to $146 million. Including charges, Broadwing lost $1.26 a share.
Revenue increased 27 percent to $561 million. Results were on a pro forma basis as if the acquisition of IXC Communications had occurred at the beginning of 1999.
During the quarter, the company recorded a nonrecurring charge of $1.08 per share for a write-down of its portfolio of publicly traded securities. The charge had no effect on the company's cash position.


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Technology is bringing the distinctive voices of Chicago architect and critic Ed Keegan and Chicago Public Radio's Ira Glass to iPhone users.
The architecture app allows users to create a city tour by foot, car or taxi accompanied by Mr. Keegan's voice as guide.
Judging by his press release announcing the app, he isn't going to disappoint.
"This American Life" will bring Mr. Glass's flat voice (albeit with colorful stories) live to iPhone users. Isn't that funny — old-fashioned radio by iPhone? And it will offer 400 shows from the archives.
Both apps are available at the iTunes App Store for $2.99.


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The Italian private equity fund will inject £150m into the luxury carmaker, which is hoping to expand its model range and strengthen the dealership network around the world.
The British company, which is owned by owned by Kuwait's The Investment Dar, said the value of the group was now £780m, compared with £630m prior to the deal.
Aston Martin's chairman David Richards said he was delighted with the investment by Investindustrial, which used to own Italian motorcycle maker Ducati.
"Investindustrial's new investment reflects and sustains the unique position of Aston Martin within the industry," he said.
"With this partnership and the continued commitment of The Investment Dar, we look forward to working with our shareholders as we realise our vision and exciting future plans."
Andrea Bonomi, senior principal at Investindustrial, added: "We are delighted to form part of this iconic global, but quintessentially British brand.
"We are looking forward to working with the management and Investment Dar to achieve a similar transformation and rejuvenation that we achieved with Ducati."
The 99-year-old carmaker - famous for its starring role in James Bond films - said it plans to invest more than half a billion pounds in its new product and technology programme over the next five years.
It added that production will remain at its global headquarters at Gaydon, Warwickshire, which currently employs a workforce of 1600 employees.
The deal comes after weeks of speculation over which investor would buy a chunk of the iconic car company.
Investindustrial beat Indian tractor maker Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) to invest - despite M&M reportedly offering more than £250m for a stake of up to 50% in the sports car brand.
The maker of the DB9 and Vanquish sportscars has struggled over recent years, as the global economic downturn hits sales.
Last week, Aston Martin said it had sold 2,340 cars in the year to the end of September – down 19% on the year before.


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Siri what's that song?
I know this song.
It's Despacito featuring Daddy Yankee by Luis Fonsi.
Siri will soon be singing a different tune.
Apple confirmed it bought Shazam, the popular name that tune app that helps you identify songs, shows and movies.
Apple music and Shazam are a natural fit, sharing a passion for music discovery and delivering great music experiences to our users.
We have exciting plans in store.
Apple said in a statement.
It represents just another move from the Cupertino company, To beef up its music services.
Apple bought Beats in 2014 for $3 billion.
And though it's no Beats, Shazam has consistently been at the top of the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores.
And surpassed the 1 billion downloads in September of 2016.
Apple and Shazam had been working together even before the purchase.
Siri uses the same software to identify music even if you don't have the App, Download it on your phone.
And Shazam lets you play that tune and add it to your playlist on Apple music.
Apple did not say how much it paid for Shazam, but rumours point about 400 million dollars.
That's half of what it was valued at in 2015 and a lot less than when it paid for for Beats.


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Supreme Court ruling means Iowa can collect new sales taxes
The U.S. Supreme Court is clearing the way for Iowa to collect sales taxes on digital goods and services.
The court ruled Thursday that states can force companies operating online to collect taxes, reversing decades-old decisions that had stymied efforts to collect sales taxes on many online transactions.
Earlier this year, Iowa legislators approved expanding sales tax to digital goods like e-books, subscription services like Netflix, ride-sharing apps like Uber and physical goods purchased online.
The new sales taxes will go into effect in January.
The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency estimates the expansion will bring in $42 million to the state in the fiscal year beginning July 1. That climbs to about $103 million in the next fiscal year. It was unclear before the court's ruling whether the new taxes would be collected.
The expected revenues would help reduce the estimated cost of property tax cuts in the same legislation.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


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Patrick Murphy | Northern Star
DeKALB — Three more DeKalb County businesses are joining a lawsuit to sue Governor J.B. Pritzker and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, over restrictions to shut down indoor dining that started Saturday.
Rambo’s Bar & Grill, 140 W. Market St., Somonauk; Uncle Milty’s Pizza Palace, 138 W. Market St., Somonauk; and Karlsbad Tavern, 413 W. Main St., Genoa, are joining the seven other businesses included in the lawsuit, lawyer Bradley Melzer said.
Melzer said the businesses won’t be added to the lawsuit until they go before a judge at 9:15 a.m. Friday. He said other business owners in DeKalb County have expressed interest in joining the lawsuit and expects to have additional businesses added in the future.
“This is not a political lawsuit,” Melzer said. “This is a lawsuit about fairness to the businesses of DeKalb County as it regards to the rest of the health Region 1.”
On Sept. 29, Pritzker announced that Region 1 was to undergo “resurgence mitigations” following an increase in test positivity rate of 8% or above for three consecutive days. DeKalb County, however, had a positivity rate of 6.8%, 7.2% and 6.9% for three consecutive days, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Other businesses included in the lawsuit are Fatty’s Pub & Grill, the Lincoln Inn in DeKalb, Faranda’s Banquet Center in DeKalb, the Junction Eating Place in DeKalb, Ellwood Steakhouse in DeKalb, El Jimador Mexican Grill in DeKalb, MVP Sports Bar in Sycamore and Remington Gastropub in Malta.
In the lawsuit filed on Oct. 1, business owners stated that the governor’s actions to prohibit indoor seating and other mitigation efforts are “unlawful” and “unconstitutional.”
The owners also requested a temporary restraining order to block the new restrictions put in place for DeKalb County. Judge Bradley Waller denied the request last week, according to court documents.
Melzer said he believes the judge will look at the law and the facts for each individual business or the businesses as a whole.
“I think as a business community, and as bars and restaurants, certainly they have to make a decision of whether they are interested in joining the suit or not,” Melzer said. “We are not adding these restaurants to put pressure on the judge that is not the goal.”


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US President Donald Trump’s vow to increase tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 per cent to 25 per cent “will definitely heighten the global recession risk”, according to analysts.
Despite the widespread assumption that trade talks were progressing smoothly and that negotiators from China and the United States were close to reaching a deal, Trump tweeted on Sunday that “the 10 per cent will go up to 25 per cent on Friday”. He also threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on “US$325 billion of additional goods sent to us by China” that “remain untaxed, but will be soon”.
Trump said that trade talks were progressing “too slowly” – contrary to the views of many trade watchers, who fear that they were actually progressing too quickly, leaving room for error.
The tweets roiled markets in China and Hong Kong, leading one analyst to compare Trump to Thanos – the character from the box office smash Avengers who wiped out half of all life in the universe with a snap of his fingers.
“He snapped his fingers and rattled the market,” said Sheng Liugang, director of the trade and development research programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, adding that the move would add to pressure on the Chinese economy, which outperformed expectations in the first quarter of the year, largely due to stimulus measures from Beijing.
The tweets led to speculation that the latest round of talks, set to take place this week in Washington, would not go ahead, or would do so on a more low-key basis, throwing into jeopardy a deal to end a trade war which has acted as a dark cloud over the global economy for the best part of a year.
“The return of trade war will definitely heighten the global recession risk,” said Ken Cheung Kin-tai, senior Asian currency strategist at Mizuho Bank. “The tariffs will also bring back uncertainties and hit the business confidence. Investors will hasten the progress of relocation of Chinese factories to elsewhere, such as Southeast Asia, to mitigate the tariff risks, souring the investment and employment in China.”
Trump’s outburst showed the volatile nature of US-China relations and the high stakes at play. Over 10 rounds of painstaking negotiations, the US has been demanding that China reforms its economy, becomes more market-oriented and ends malpractice such as intellectual property theft and forced-technology transfer.
The return of trade war will definitely heighten the global recession risk. The tariffs will also bring back uncertainties and hit the business confidence
Ken Cheung Kin-tai
Recent negotiations seemed to be conducted cordially, with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He exchanging pleasantries in front of the cameras with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer.
Trump’s tweets, however, brought echoes of May 2018, when Liu returned from the White House confident that he had managed to avoid the widespread implementation of tariffs on Chinese exports, only for the US to pummel China with duties within weeks.
“People are going to say: ‘It is a tweet, it is not policy,’ but the problem is that I just do not think the Chinese will ever believe them ever again. So I think it is really sad and really horrifying in a sense that Trump is sabotaging his own people, because it looks like he is doing this as a deal is about to get done,” said Sally Peng, a trade and customs lawyer at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg in Hong Kong.
Peng, who advises companies in China and Hong Kong about tariff management, said that her phone was ringing off the hook with worried clients who had picked up on the tweets.
“I had several companies calling me this morning that we thought tariffs will go away. I said: ‘I told you they will not.’ You cannot base your company policy on this type of jerky movement, you should have thought about this as a long-term strategy,” she said.
Zhou Hao, Asia senior emerging market economist at German bank Commerzbank, said that the reaction shows that the markets were complacent about the prospects of a trade deal.
“The market has underpriced the no deal risk. They were too optimistic of reaching a trade agreement. I think China never said it would make all concessions to the US just to reach a trade agreement. If you make short-term concessions, that would be meaningless as it would lead to further concessions. The market had been too optimistic of a trade agreement,” Zhou said.
....of additional goods sent to us by China remain untaxed, but will be shortly, at a rate of 25%. The Tariffs paid to the USA have had little impact on product cost, mostly borne by China. The Trade Deal with China continues, but too slowly, as they attempt to renegotiate. No!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2019
There is a general feeling that “no-deal” is firmly back in play and that China would be willing to walk away from a deal should the US be too belligerent in pursuing hard terms.
One source, who did not wish to be named, said that “it is a slap in the face that China will never be able to stomach”, particularly for Vice-Premier Liu, who has pushed hard for a deal, reportedly against the will of hardliners in Beijing.
“As we learned a year ago, Beijing could be willing to walk away if the US applies negotiation tactics that they do not agree with,” said Tai Hui, chief market strategist for Asia-Pacific at JP Morgan Asset Management. “An escalation of the trade war could be the trigger for weaker global growth. In the near term, investors are rightfully worried since the lingering threat of a trade war weighed on risk assets in 2018, especially in Asia.
“However, in the longer run, given president Trump’s relentless focus on the economy and equity market performance, a market pull back may pressure him to rein in his rhetoric. This would be similar to the end of November when the two sides were willing to call a truce and negotiate.”
As we learned a year ago, Beijing could be willing to walk away if the US applies negotiation tactics that they do not agree with.
Should Trump decide to push ahead with increasing the 10 per cent tariff to 25 per cent, he could do that relatively quickly since the increase was due to be implemented on January 1 and again on March 1 but was postponed, eventually indefinitely, due to progress made in trade talks.
New tariffs on the remainder of China’s exports to the US would take longer to implement, said Nick Marro, an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“Extending tariffs to Chinese imports that aren’t currently affected, such as mobile phones or other consumer electronics, wouldn’t be immediate. We’d expect to see some type of comment period, like we saw with the previous tariffs, suggesting a timeline of at least a month – if not longer,” Marro said.
As a natural by-product of the trade tensions, bilateral trade between the world’s two largest economies weakened in the first quarter of this year after export order front-loading from both countries started to fade.
Mexico took advantage of the tariffs to become the US’ top trading partner so far this year, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
“To cope with [the impact on confidence], on one hand China should push forward with the trade talks, on the other hand the country could do more work on reforms and opening-up,” said Shao Yu, chief economist at Orient Securities.
The only thing that seems certain now, said some, is the uncertainty.
“Regardless of what happens in Washington, DC, it is important to remember that the impact of the trade friction can linger for a long time,” said Jon Cowley, a senior international trade lawyer at Baker McKenzie in Hong Kong.
Additional reporting by Cissy Zhou
More from South China Morning Post:
- China still ‘preparing’ delegation for US trip despite Donald Trump’s threat to increase tariffs
- China tempers US hints that Beijing and Washington are preparing for the ‘last round’ of trade talks
- Economic mood sours in US, China and Asia in April, as green shoots wilt
- As US-China deal nears, Beijing relaxes rules for foreign banks and insurers, in concession to Washington
- US investors ‘confidently’ pouring money into China despite trade war, says commerce minister
This article Donald Trump’s ‘Thanos-like’ tariff threat to China adds to ‘risk of global recession’, analysts say first appeared on South China Morning Post


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Historians will pinpoint Biden’s decision on 7 October 2022 as the moment at which US and Chinese technology decoupling became inevitable.
The UK has some clusters of excellence in semiconductors, but it was badly exposed by recent shortages.
Semiconductor chips are electronic devices that store and process information. Today they can contain billions of microscopic switches on a chip smaller than a fingernail.
Taiwan dominates the global market for microchips – something that Washington is well aware of.
China’s innovation plans and international trade tensions may risk an economic ‘decoupling’ with the West.
Europe’s share of the global microchip market has dropped from 44% to 8% in three decades.
In the short term, the war is causing energy prices to soar and prompting fears of famine in some countries. In the long term, it could remake the modern global supply chain.
The story of how America’s great chipmaker’s main strength became an albatross around its neck.
Wingtech Technology is taking over Newport Wafer Fab for £65 million.
Shutdowns at microchip factories, panic-buying by electronics manufacturers, and legions of workers and home-schoolers needing new devices, have put a global squeeze on the electronics market.
Quantum communication has the potential to provide truly secure global communications.
Modern supply chains have become very efficient, but that means disruptions of any kind can lead to delays and shortages.
The high cost and long lead times for building computer chip factories makes it difficult for the U.S. to reverse the steady decline of its domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
Welcome to the great silicon famine of 2021. And 2022. And 2023. And …
Arm defied the traditional notion of how a technology company competes in the global market place. That could all change.
These tiny nanoparticles might provide a new way to see what’s happening in the brain and even deliver treatments to specific cells – if researchers figure out how to use them safely and effectively.
US actions do more than just keep Huawei away from critical infrastructure. They choke off the supply of semiconductors to China.
Historical grievances, domestic politics, the US-China trade war and a looming global recession are all at play.
It turns out to be fairly complicated to figure out how electricity will flow through materials – a crucial question for designing new electronics and semiconductor materials.
Silicon is cheap and a good semiconductor, but it’s bulky and rigid. Using organic polymers as semiconductors could yield solar panels with the physical characteristics of plastics.


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PARIS — As the pre-collection phenomenon continues to gather steam, Première Vision on July 6 inaugurated Blossom Première Vision, a twice-yearly, two-day fabric salon dedicated to the flourishing market.
Based in the Palais Brongniart, the fair mainly targets brands based in France, Belgium, the U.K., Spain and Italy. Of the 861 visitors attending the niche event, 86 percent hailed from France. The U.K. was next, representing 3.5 percent of visitors, while the U.S. made up 1 percent of traffic.
Geared to the fall season, around 60 weavers exhibited along with a sprinkling of accessories manufacturers from across nine countries, led by Italy, France and Japan. The show coincided with Paris Couture Week.
“The Première Vision salon in September fits with the timing of the main collections but is positioned too late for the pre-collections which today represent on average 50 to 70 percent of a brand’s turnover per season. Pre-collections today have an identity that needs to be as creative as the main collections presented on the catwalks,” said Gilles Lasbordes, general manager of Première Vision.
In terms of exhibitors, Blossom Première Vision’s selection process was based on the ability to deliver quality new fabric proposals in early July and develop exclusive items for fashion brands, he said, adding that the event’s next edition, scheduled for mid-December, will open up to leather manufacturers and tanners targeting the bag and accessories markets.
“The name Blossom Première Vision evokes the beginning of the season. And that’s exactly what it is for us, too, because we will start gathering our fashion information for the fall season here, followed by New York, followed by Paris where the collections will be complete,” added Lasbordes.
Weavers and visitors lauded the event’s timing and location, even if business remains sluggish, impacted by political turmoil worldwide, including the EU economic sanctions on Russia and the economic downturn in key markets like Brazil.
“It’s a great space because it’s in downtown Paris and there’s that human scale that is maybe missing in Villepinte [where Première Vision shows],” said Marc Leblond, director of special projects for L’Éclaireur, who also oversees the store’s men’s wear line. Leblond is preparing the second chapter of Shigoto Project by L’Éclaireur x Première Vision for the February 2017 edition of Première Vision. The initiative invites designers and weavers to collaborate on a capsule for the retailer’s private-label Shigoto line.
“For sure the show is a good idea, as everybody is looking for new items earlier than usual. With women’s now showing men’s and men’s now showing women’s, a lot of weavers in Italy are reorganizing their collections and for the first time are ready with their fall collections two months in advance,” said Federico Boselli, founder of young Italian weaver Luxury Jersey, which presented a double-knitted polyester embossed with motifs using a heating technique and a double-layer wool knit fabric connected by polyamide threads to create air between the layers for warmth and lightness.
“It’s really exciting, it’s a great opportunity. It’s the first time we’re presenting a pre-collection, which involved some reorganization,” echoed Giacomo Bologna, commercial director at heritage French silk specialists Sfate & Combier. Demand is for fluid articles with a soft hand, he said, with new silks presented by the firm a velvet-effect fil coupé design on a chiffon base. Despite the upbeat mood, clients were still being cautious, added Bologna. “We have felt the impact the drop in tourism has had on our clients who are primarily from the luxury sector. Decisions are being made later and later.”
“I’ve been very surprised, they’re picking the stronger pieces like chunky threads, the thicker fabrics, a lot of coat weights. People are bored of furs and down jackets,” said Eve Corrigan, president of French tweed specialist Malhia Kent, which ranked 84th in a list of France’s highest performing companies in the July-August 2016 edition of French magazine L’Expansion. The 30-year-old company, which recently moved its headquarters to the Villa Labrouste in the upmarket Paris district Neuilly-sur-Seine, posted sales of around 20 million euros, or around $22.2 million at current exchange, in 2015, with double-digit growth over the past seven years.
Debs, a third-generation Tokyo-based family-owned weaver specializing in polyesters and cupro, presented a yoryu-style cupro with a controlled crinkle effect dubbed Voodoo. The company will fete its 100th anniversary next year.
Other Japanese exhibitors included B.O.B., whose new styles included a reversible stretch combed wool and a formal wool silk for jackets that doesn’t crease, and wool specialist Tsuboyoshi Orimono which presented a bonded wool fabric that had been needle-punched to pull the backside color through. “With all the world issues going on, demand is a little slow. The whole Brexit thing has been a big shock, the effect on the exchange rates has had a big impact for us and we have no visibility on how things will pan out,” said the weaver’s manager Takeshi Nakano.
Visiting the booth of synthetics specialist, Komatsu Seiren, whose highlights included a new technical suede with shape memory; Luke Georgeson, a designer at British label Maharishi, echoed Blossom’s early-bird sentiment, saying: “It’s great, it comes earlier in the season so it forces us to get designing a bit earlier.”


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Hewlett-Packard (HP) boosted its recycling rate by 17 per cent in 2005 and is advancing on its goal of recycling one billion pounds of material. This achievement is suggstive of the possibilities of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as it applies to computer and electronics companies.
HP has announced it has recycled approximately 140 million pounds (63.5 million kilograms) of hardware and HP print cartridges globally in its just ended fiscal year. This increase of 17 percent over the previous year is the equivalent weight of 280 jumbo airliners.
In addition, HP collected more than 2.5 million units — more than 50 million pounds (22.6 million kilograms) of hardware — to be refurbished for resale or donated.
To date, HP has recycled more than 750 million pounds (340 million kilograms) of hardware and HP print cartridges globally, well on the way to meeting its goal to recycle one billion cumulative pounds (453.5 million kilograms) by the end of 2007.
“HP’s commitment to environmental responsibility includes our efforts to limit the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycles,” says David Lear, vice president, Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility, HP. “One way we achieve this is through developing and investing in product return and recycling programs and technologies globally, giving our customers choices and control over how their products are managed at end of life.”
HP intends to reach its global recycling goal by expanding its product return and recycling program to more customers and creating new ways for customers to return and recycle used or unwanted electronic equipment and HP print cartridges in a convenient and environmentally responsible manner.
New recycling initiatives launched in 2005 include:
HP began a free and convenient hardware recycling service for commercial and enterprise customers in European Union countries who purchase replacement HP products, in advance of the implementation of the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. A similar offer exists for HP commercial customers in the Asia Pacific region.
To make recycling more convenient and affordable in the United States, HP partnered with retailers to offer free recycling at drop-off events throughout the year in San Diego and Roseville, California, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Bentonville, Arkansas. HP offered similar initiatives in Germany and Australia.
In China, HP initiated a first of its kind public-private sector partnership with Global Village of Beijing, the Jane Goodall Institute, and Roots and Shoots Shanghai and Beijing to increase awareness of print cartridge recycling among consumers and to provide residents of Beijing and Shanghai with a convenient and easy way to return HP print cartridges for free and environmentally responsible recycling.
Addressing electronic waste is one of HP’s global citizenship priorities. As part of this effort, HP opened its first recycling facility in Roseville, California, in 1997, becoming the only major computer manufacturer to operate its own recycling facility. A second HP facility has since been opened in LaVergne, Tennessee. Outside the United States, HP works with more than 10 recycling vendors across Europe, and regional and local recycling vendors throughout Asia Pacific.
HP has implemented global recycling standards that ensure HP vendors manage product recycling responsibly and to set a high expectation regarding how vendors should manage their workforces. HP regularly monitors and reviews all of its recycling operations to ensure the highest standards of responsible recycling are maintained.
HP’s recycling program operates globally in more than 36 countries, regions and territories and seeks to reduce the environmental impact of IT products, minimize waste going to landfills and help customers conveniently discard products in an environmentally sound fashion. Plastics and metals recovered from products recycled by HP have been used to make a range of new products, including auto body parts, clothes hangers, plastic toys, fence posts, serving trays and roof tiles.
In addition to recycling, HP offers a variety of product end-of-life management services including donation, trade-in, asset recovery and leasing. More information, including HP’s 2005 Global Citizenship Report, is available at www.hp.com/environment
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Oct. 31, 2005, HP revenue totaled $86.7 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com


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Renovated store offers a glimpse into the next generation of shopping
LAGRANGE, Ky., June 25, 2010 – The LaGrange Walmart, located at 1015 New Moody Lane, will celebrate a grand re-opening this week, giving local shoppers a glimpse of the company’s next generation of store design and customer experience. The results of a three-month remodeling project will be unveiled at the LaGrange Walmart Friday, July 2, during a grand re-opening ceremony at 7:30 a.m. Among the many improvements are a new layout, wider aisles, low-profile shelving, bright interior paint scheme, enhanced lighting and easy-to-read signage to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers than ever before.
“We listened to our customers and have redesigned the store to make shopping at Walmart even easier,” said store manager Terry Sanders.
New Layout Improves Customer Experience
The remodeled LaGrange store features a more open shopping environment with wider aisles that contain no product displays. Walmart also aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently, making it quicker to purchase everyday items.
“The new layout is easier to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for necessities,” said Sanders.
A bright interior paint scheme and enhanced lighting create a more inviting shopping experience and help define the store’s merchandise areas. Low-profile shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage helps customers find the products they need.
Expanded Departments Add Value and Savings
The remodel also brings Walmart customers an expanded electronics department featuring a wide selection of the latest consumer electronics and home entertainment. The new design includes a more hands-on experience for customers with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. The interactive experience enables shoppers to test new technology including laptops, cameras, phones and GPS units before purchase.
Shoppers looking to grab a quick lunch or dinner will have more choices in the store’s conveniently located deli. The store also features an expanded frozen food department and a broader assortment of dry grocery items including baking goods.
A redesigned department called Celebration Station has been added and will feature party supplies, greeting cards, balloons and helium tanks, cake supplies and gift wrap.
Grand Re-opening Activities Include Support for Local Organizations
The grand re-opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, July 2, at 7:30 a.m., and will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Terry and Janet Sanders, who will join a group of employees who have been with the store since the original opening in 1987. The community is invited to join Linda King as she sings the national anthem and as Carrollton Veterans of Foreign Wars presents the colors. The celebration will include an invocation by Mark Murray, pastor of Owenton Methodist Church.
During the ceremony, store associates will present grants from the Walmart Foundation to local service organizations, including Oldham County Police Department, City of LaGrange Police Department, City of LaGrange Fire Department, Oldham County Historical Society, and others. The store will also serve cake and punch to the community during the grand re-opening celebration.
"Oldham County appreciates the investment Walmart has made in our community," said Deana Epperly Karem, executive director of the Oldham Chamber & Economic Development office. "The remodeled store here in LaGrange is a complement to the economic development project’s going on in the nearby Oldham Reserve Business Campus. The business landscape of the area continues to change and Walmart is helping to make a positive difference."
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $2 billion to U.S. hunger relief efforts through 2015. The Fighting Hunger Together campaign will also engage Walmart customers and associates in the fight against hunger. More information can be found at walmart.com/fightinghunger.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.
- Terry Sanders, store manager, can provide details about the grand re-opening, offer quotes for interviews and arrange for photo opportunities or preview tours. He can be contacted at
- (Statements and quotes on behalf of Walmart should not be obtained from or attributed to agency employees.)
- Walmart PR and Brand Reputation: 800-331-0085
- Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the legal trade name of the corporation. The name "Walmart," expressed as one word and without punctuation, is a trademark of the company and is used analogously to describe the company and its stores. Use the trade name when it is necessary to identify the legal entity, such as when reporting financial results, litigation or corporate governance.


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New numbers show strongest economic growth since 2007, decreases in inflation
Gross domestic product for the Cayman Islands, a measure of economic growth, increased by 2.1 percent in 2014 to its highest level since before the global economic crisis, according to government figures released this week.
Tourism and related sectors like hotels and restaurants led the growth, increasing by an estimated 10 percent from 2013. Wholesale and retail trade and transport and storage also saw high growth last year. The only two sectors to decline were financial services and government services.
Releasing the new economic report, Finance Minister Marco Archer stated, “I am pleased that we had another year of economic growth for the Cayman Islands in 2014, the highest we have achieved since 2007.”
“With this performance, average income in the Cayman Islands rose to $48,095 in 2014 from $47,170 in 2013,” the minister added.
Economists with the Economic and Statistics Office expect GDP to grow 2.1 percent again in 2015, led by tourism and construction.
Unemployment figures for 2014, released earlier this year, show overall unemployment at 4.7 percent, the lowest level since the start of the recession and down from 6.3 percent in 2013. Unemployment for Caymanians dropped to 7.9 percent, and the rate for non-Caymanians was down to 1.5 percent for the year.
Tourism led the surge in economic activity, with almost two million visitors to the Cayman Islands last year, up almost 16 percent over the year before. Air arrivals were up almost 11 percent and cruise passengers, which last year decreased by almost 9 percent, increased 17 percent in 2014.
The financial services industry had a mixed performance for the year, decreasing overall by 0.2 percent. The report states: “New company and partnership registrations grew while declines were recorded for mutual funds registration, including master funds, insurance licences, stock exchange listing, and banks and trusts.”
Government last year recorded a $93 million surplus, following a $70 million surplus in 2013. Core government debt also fell, down more than $25 million to a recent low of $534 million, or just under 20 percent of overall GDP.
Inflation slows, declines
Inflation, which measures price increases across the economy, was 1.3 percent last year, down from a 2.2 percent inflation rate in 2013.
Another report, released simultaneously with the 2014 economic report, shows the consumer price index, which government uses to measure inflation, dropped into the negative for the first time in almost five years to -0.4 percent for the first quarter of 2015.
Consumer price increases slowed during the fourth quarter of last year, and continued that trend into negative territory in the new year.
Putting the blame squarely on falling oil prices, Minister Archer said in a statement, “This is the first time since September 2010 that the CPI of the Cayman Islands showed a negative movement.”
He added, “It parallels the 0.1 percent CPI decline in the United States during the same period. The general price movements in the two countries reflect the impact of global oil price reductions.”
The consumer price index measurement combines average prices and calculates how households spend their money in Cayman, about two fifths of which go to housing and utilities, which is down about 1 percent for the quarter. Electricity, gas and other fuels decreased by more than 13 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Other decreases so far this year include restaurants and hotels, down more than 8 percent, and miscellaneous goods and services, which decreased by 2.3 percent.