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MP visits award winning village store
Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert visited Kirdford Village Stores on Friday (2 March), following their recent success in the Countryside Alliance Awards.
The shop was chosen last month as South East winner for 2011 in the best village shop/post office category.
The Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars', are now in their seventh year of celebrating the characters, skills, traditions and enterprise of the countryside through the people who work so hard to make it tick.
The Awards are led by public nomination, with each business being put forward by supportive customers.
Kirdford Village Stores, which opened in June 2010, is a community owned and managed village store.
Following the closure of the old village shop in 2006, the residents of Kirdford rallied together and raised in excess of £200,000 to open up the stores for local residents.
The store is now run by Store Manager Craig Ramus along with two members of staff and ten regular volunteer workers.
The store sells a wide range of daily essentials and quality local produce, as well as running a small cafe. It won the Daily Telegraph's Best Small Shops in Britain award last year.
Mr Herbert dropped into the store to congratulate staff and Steering Committee Chairman Sue Ransley on their recent award, and to buy some locally produced groceries.
Kirdford followed the successful example of community shops in Amberley, which has been going since 1998, and Graffham.
Slindon, which lost successively its pub, post office and shop, has a plan to create a community shop, cafe and hub at the old forge in the village, hopefully by September. Organisers of this project point out that there are around 250 community shops across the country - with a 97 per cent success rate.
Following the visit, Mr Herbert commented: "Having attended the launch of the shop, I was delighted to see that Kirdford Village Stores have become an integral part of village life, with a fantastic range of local produce. They also serve snacks and I had a delicious sandwich and cup of tea.
"Our Downland community shops are a brilliant example of The Big Society, with people coming together to protect their local services. What's striking is that community shops are often better than the shops which were lost before, and are more supported precisely because local people feel a sense of ownership over them.
"Well done, Kirdford, for winning your 'Rural Oscar' - you richly deserve it."
Notes for Editors
1. For more information about the Countryside Alliance Awards please visit: http://www.countrysideallianceawards.org.uk/article/2011-south-east-champions.
2. For more information on Kirdford Stores please visit: www.kirdfordvillagestores.com


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UK-headquartered biotech start-up Green Biologics has announced that it has failed to secure funding to keep its US facility, which produces biobased chemicals, running and will close it down.
Godavari Biorefineries Ltd has earned the US Department of Agriculture- (USDA) certified biobased product label for its products, NaturoBG (1,3-Butylene Glycol), Acetic Acid Glacial and Crotonaldehyde.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a stretchy material from lignin that exhibits self-healing behaviour and could be used in adhesives and other industrial applications.
The Finnish company Kemira will be participating in a four-year EU funded project which aims to develop 100% biobased chemicals for paper and cardboard production.
The Austria-based Lenzing Group has announced plans to invest more than €1billion in new biobased fibre production facilities, according to the company’s press release.
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. recently introduced its concept for a bio-polypropylene (bio-PP) development project at the G20 Ministerial Meeting in Karuizawa, Japan.
LyondellBasell and Neste partner to produce family of biobased polyolefins at commercial-scale [Full subscriber]
Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residues, and LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, announced the first parallel production of biobased polypropylene and biobased low-density polyethylene at a commercial scale.
Solugen’s engineered enzyme supports safe production of biobased hydrogen peroxide [Full subscriber]
The biotech start-up Solugen, founded in 2016, has engineered an enzyme that is extremely stable in the highly oxidizing environment required for H2O2 generation.

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PET plastic producers in the spotlight
Issued by The Good News Lab - Nov 16th 2018, 09:42
AMID mounting pressure on major retailers and brand owners to be more environmentally-minded, one of the country’s leading food packaging producers has become the first in the PET thermoform plastics sector to join voluntary national Extended Producer Responsibility body the PET Recycling Company (PETCO).
The move signals a changing sentiment among producers amid a tidal wave of pressure from government and civil society for retailers and brand owners – as well as their suppliers – to account for the end-use of products and packaging by ensuring they can be recycled either into their original form or used in alternative markets.
RPC Astrapak Thermopac has become the first in the PET thermoform plastics sector – responsible for products such as lightweight sandwich and fruit trays, which account for just under 20% of PET products nationwide – to sign on with PETCO, which until now has been supported primarily by the PET bottle sector.
“PETCO has been engaging the PET thermoform sector since our incorporation in 2004,” said PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz. “This is a welcome move so that together we can find sustainable solutions for these [thermoform] products going forward.”
Although thermoform products are not currently recycled in South Africa – a trend mirrored globally due to their complex make-up – the move by RPC Astrapak Thermopac indicates a shift in producer sentiment towards proactively seeking solutions to ensure the sustainability of their products and minimising any environmental impact.
GROWING PRESSURE ON PRODUCERS
According to Professor Linda Godfrey, a researcher with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and PETCO board member, “RPC Astrapak Thermopac joining the PETCO voluntary Extended Producer Responsibility [EPR] scheme is the next step towards fulfilling their responsibilities”.
“There is growing pressure being exerted on producers and brand owners globally, by governments and civil society, to take responsibility for their products at end of life.”
Research conducted by the CSIR shows that every year, South Africa loses R3.3-billion worth of viable polymer from the economy, through disposal of waste plastic to landfill or leakage into the environment, said Godfrey.
“A lot has been done to develop local end-use markets for PET bottles, resulting in a 65% post-consumer recycling rate in 2017. However, until now, PET thermoform has not been recycled in South Africa."
“RPC Astrapak Thermopac joining PETCO is a necessary and exciting step towards creating new local end-use markets for PET thermoform recycling; of supporting greater return of this resource into the South African economy, thereby creating new job opportunities; and ultimately, reducing the leakage of these products into the environment.”
Scholtz said PETCO had initiated a trial earlier this year in Cape Town to investigate clear PET thermoform recycling using existing PET bottle recycling infrastructure. She said the results had proved “encouraging” and that a solution was now within reach.
Thanks to the trial, PETCO member – together with one of the country’s largest recyclers, Extrupet – has come up with a likely end-use solution for thermoform recyclate, according to Extrupet joint MD Chandru Wadhwani. PETCO, meanwhile, is now working on a plan to incentivise collectors to collect the lightweight thermoform products that conform to “Design for Recycling” guidelines and are compatible with the current PET bottle recycling infrastructure.
INDUSTRY WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
By signing with PETCO, RPC Astrapak Thermopac has also ensured that it is compliant with the government’s call to companies in the paper and packaging industry to have an Industry Waste Management Plan (IndWMP) in place. PETCO, on behalf of its members, submitted its IndWMP ahead of the September 6, 2018, deadline.
PETCO, in its IndWMP, reaffirmed its commitment to representing all packaging products comprising PET. This includes the existing product scope of PET bottles – such as soft drinks, water bottles, foodstuffs, household and personal care – as well as expanding its scope to include edible oil products, such as cooking oil and thermoform and sheet products, such as fruit trays.
Scholtz said the plan was centred on EPR to ensure that the recycling of PET not only continues, but that ever-increasing recycling targets are met year-on-year, at the lowest cost to the consumer.
“We believe the solution for recycling of these additional products lies within the current PET bottle recycling chain. In many cases, they also form an end-use for PET bottle recycling and provide a closed-loop solution. Most of the PET thermoform trays and tubs produced in SA contain at least 35% recycled content,” said Scholtz.
Speaking about the move to join PETCO, RPC Astrapak Thermopac general manager Craig Matthews said: “We are indeed proud to be the first major thermoforming business in the country to commit to this process… There is a great focus placed on sustainability in all aspects of our company going forward, and it forms part of the group strategy.”
Woolworths carves out market share in SA
27/11/2019 - 10:11
In Australia, David Jones's sales declined 2.1%, with the company saying a store refurbishment contributed to the decline.
Coca-Cola introduces sustainable packaging solution for multipacks
26/11/2019 - 10:40
Coca-Cola is rolling a new paperboard solution for multipacks of cans as part of its drive to eliminate plastic and use more sustainable packaging in its supply chain.
Push and pull strategies work together to keep consumers coming back for more
26/11/2019 - 10:20
The retail sector is under increasing pressure as consumers have shrinking disposable income in a strained economy. Maintaining share of wallet is critical. Relying solely on a push route to market strategy from manufacturers into retailers is not enough to get consumers buying products. A pull strategy needs to coexist with the push to drive brand consumption. Integrating these strategies requires intelligent and insightful decision-making. This, in turn, requires data generated through smart technology which provides line of sight across the value chain from manufacturer to distribution, retailer to the consumer.
Today’s customers are loyal to speed and convenience, not brands
25/11/2019 - 11:15
Consumer expectations are rapidly shifting as technologies such as mobile, geolocation, social media and increasingly, Internet of Things devices and wearables, connect people to a world of easily accessible information and convenient services. With the ability to browse, compare and order with a few swipes and taps, consumers are becoming trained to value convenience and service above nearly anything else.
Gearing FMCG manufacturing for the red season spike and maximising profits all year round
25/11/2019 - 11:03
As we enter the festive season, demand for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) increases rapidly, often leaving manufacturers scrambling to fulfill orders from their distribution channel. If demand cannot be met, then loss of revenue is inevitable. However, over-production is not an ideal solution either, as it can leave manufacturers sitting with unsold stock that costs money to store.


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An Iowa company and two executives are expected to plead guilty to selling tainted eggs that were responsible for a 2010 salmonella outbreak that sickened thousands and led to an unprecedented recall of 550 million eggs, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
Disgraced egg industry titan Austin "Jack" DeCoster and son Peter DeCoster are charged with introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail. A charging document filed by federal prosecutors alleges that their company, Quality Egg LLC, sold eggs tainted with salmonella from early 2010 until the August 2010 recall and that the DeCosters were the responsible corporate officers.
The DeCosters are scheduled to plead guilty June 3 as part of plea agreements expected to resolve the four-year investigation, though it's unclear whether prosecutors will recommend jail. The punishment will be handed down in the same federal courthouse where Jack DeCoster received probation in 2003 for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.
Two felonies also were filed against Quality Egg, which includes the DeCosters' former network of chicken farms and egg production sites in northern Iowa. Corporations can face criminal charges under the theory that they are responsible for employees' actions, with felony convictions carrying fines of $500,000 apiece, or more, depending on the amount of loss.
The company is charged with introducing misbranded food into interstate commerce by selling products with labels that "made the eggs appear to be not as old as they actually were" from 2006 to 2010. It also is charged with paying bribes to influence a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector on at least two occasions, including in April 2010, to approve eggs that had been retained for failing to meet federal standards.
The company also is expected to plead guilty. Frank Volpe, an attorney representing Jack DeCoster and Quality Egg, declined comment on Wednesday.


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EMC World 2011: VMware to virtualise mobile phones
Work is in progress to provide enterprise users with two phones on one handset by using virtualisation technology.
VMware is working on extending virtualisation to mobile handsets, according to the company's chief executive (CEO).
During his keynote at EMC World 2011, Paul Maritz claimed we were now living in a world that had moved on from the PC and needed to address it accordingly.
"We are moving into the post PC era, not that laptops and Windows are going to go away, but they are just going to have to share the stage with other devices," he said.
"IT can no longer assume it only has to deal with windows laptops."
Maritz believes virtualising the mobile devices will help keep companies safe through the trend of consumerisation of IT and revealed VMware was working on a solution.
"We will be complementing [this trend] with a number of technologies for the post PC era," he said. "We have interest in experiments, one called MVP, which [looks at] how do you provide a secure environment on smartphones."
"Instead of businesses buying phones [for employees], give users virtual phones and have two phones on one phone."
Maritz said this would allow for two numbers, two set of policies and enable users to have their handset of chopice without putting the business at risk.
"If in their private life, they install a hacked version of angry birds, it wouldn't be reading the contacts of the business and transmitting them [like current devices]," he added.
However, regardless of how well the experiment goes, the CEO remained realistic as to whether users would embrace this new way of mobile usage.
"Will users like that schizophrenic way of business? We are not sure, but we are going to find out," concluded Maritz.
For all the news from EMC World 2011, check out our round-up here.
Unlocking collaboration: Making software work better together
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Four steps to field service excellence
How to thrive in the experience economyDownload now
Six things a developer should know about Postgres
Why enterprises are choosing PostgreSQLDownload now
The path to CX excellence for B2B services
The four stages to thrive in the experience economyDownload now


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CTV: The Trend That’s Becoming a Household Standard
Think the spike in TV is a throwback trend? Here’s how CTV is keeping the TV screen front and center.
Smart devices are nothing new. Screens are replacing old take-out menus on the fridge, and doorbells now record home security footage. The option to add more tech is always evolving, but home entertainment is still tied to the “OG” screen: the television.
TV has gone through many evolutions, and Connected TVs (or CTVs) are the newest iteration dominating the marketplace. CTVs are TVs connected to the internet, either through the TVs functionality (smart TVs) or through streaming devices, that allow viewers to stream on-demand video content and even live TV through streaming services
With social distancing and stay-at-home orders in place over the past year, record numbers of viewers have tuned into content on CTVs worldwide, but this isn’t a trend. CTV viewership numbers have been going up for years and the data shows CTV is a force that shouldn’t be ignored and is here to stay.
Here are four reasons why:
Viewing hours spent with CTV skyrocketed in 2020. And, while the pandemic has definitely played a role, CTV isn’t a flash in the pan.
The latest news? Consumption on CTV devices surpassing 7 billion hours in 2021, more than doubling over 3 years.1 And these numbers didn’t just come out of nowhereーtwo years prior, in January 2018, viewers were consuming 3.4 billion total CTV hours!2
It’s easy to wonder if numbers will go down. Historical trends say otherwise though: the last four years of steady growth indicate viewers are loyal to their CTVs.
Viewer expectations for how they enjoy media have changed. This is most notable in trends such as straight to VOD (video on demand) releases, binge-watching, and an ever-expanding libraries of content brought directly to viewers. All of it points to the fact that streaming has never been more mainstream, especially as new streaming platforms continue to pop up.
The continued acceptance, ease, and availability of CTV gives it an indispensable role in home entertainment, and provides viewers with total control over where and how they watch, from hit TV shows to award-buzzy films is the new normal.
And all those eyes mean unprecedented demand for content. So what are viewers watching? The answer is a little bit of everything—but their choices of where to watch have stayed relatively consistent.
Three-quarters of all CTV hours watched come from five platforms (Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video). The remaining quarter of CTV watch hours is split across more than fifty other apps.3
Hulu’s share of CTV engagement grew by +23% from January 2018 to January 2021,4 indicating that Hulu is still a go-to for entertainment.
As the #1 of the top 20 most engaging apps on CTV5, Hulu is built for consumers to stream content and entertainment on any screen they want, whenever they want. Hulu is the leader in per-household engagement among CTV streaming services (ad-free and ad-supportedーbeating out both YouTube and Netflix.)6
Why? Content that CTV viewers watch matters to consumers and consumers trust Hulu. 91% feel that Hulu has trusted and credible content while 92% feel that Hulu publishes high-quality content.7
With 2020 behind us, we’re all moving forward with a new perspective. While getting back into the real world is something everyone is anticipating, more than ever, people are looking for high-quality, fresh entertainment that’s convenient and accessible no matter where they’re spending time. Telling us that viewing via CTV is here to stay.
Running your campaigns on Hulu positions your ads on viewers’ CTVs and in the sweet spot of quality content and an engaged audience.
Hulu Ad Manager is a leading self-service streaming TV platform with top-tier content; options for all budgets; and engaged, diverse, and easily targeted audiences. Sign up and begin creating your campaign today!
Ready to start streaming your ads?
Source: 1. slide 2 comScore OTT Intelligence Report, January of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021
Source: 2. slide 2 comScore OTT Intelligence Report, January of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021
Source: 3. slide 3 comScore OTT Intelligence Report, January of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Source: 4. slide 4 comScore OTT Intelligence Report, January of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Source: 5. slide 4 comScore OTT Intelligence Report, January of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Source: 6. slide 8 comScore OTT Intelligence Report January 2021. 5% Market Penetration and above
Source: 7. slide 12 Nielsen Competitive Ad Engagement Study, 2019


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The soft drink company proved incredibly adept at getting other businesses and local governments to bear the majority of the costs of producing and distributing its products. Food and farm workers in mcdonald's wide-reaching supply chain are the food integrity campaign has worked closely with food worker unions, including teamsters and the united food & commercial workers. In an exclusive interview with ciocom, mcdonald's us cio talks about why the fast-food giant chose to support apple's new contactless payment technology out of the gate and how it built on its experience with google wallet to help make apple pay a customer magnet. Outsourcing the drive-thru window this photo is then used at the drive-thru window to help the fast food employee match the right food order with panda express and mcdonald's locations there is an animated illustration and explanation of the features and benefits of exit41's system on. Fast-food giant mcdonald's has committed another five years to its managed it services agreement with xerox-owned affiliated computer services (acs) download this free guide uk it priorities 2018 survey results download this e-guide to discover the results of our 2018 uk it priorities survey, where. Fast food giant mcdonald's may be planning to outsource jobs to india as part of a usd 500 million cost reduction plan it announced in november 2015, a media report said a report in the new york post said mcdonald's is shedding jobs as part of a usd 500 million cost reduction spearheaded.
Mcdonald s is a limited menu restaurant is characterised by speed of operations of outsourcing the company has a 100 percent outsourced supply chain, which is a rare case in industry giants but mcdonald s has complete control over its functioning. Mcdonald's: a history of innovation by eric fontinelle | april 14, 2010 outsourcing order taking one in need of a cheap coffee and the other looking for a cafe experience mcdonald's promotes its coffee to the former customer. Log in use your e-mail address and mobile number to log in with. Mcdonald's just outsourced 70 ohio white-collar accounting jobs to lower wage foreign graduates a spokeswoman for mcdonald's explained the outsourcing as an effort to cut costs. Mcdonald's is increasingly using technology to give customers new ways to order and customize, said steve easterbrook, senior executive vp. Would you like fries with that fourteen mcdonalds in oregon and southeastern washington have been linked to the call center operated by sei-ccs inc,(link works in ie only) a fargo, nd.
Outsourcing is the practice of hiring an outside firm or individual to perform contracted work as an alternative to paying employees to do it many companies use outsourcing based on expertise and. The global business strategy of mcdonald and how it reached all its worldwide growth a mcdonald's restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself mcdonald's the success of the supply chain is attributed primarily to their commitment to outsourcing. While the call-center idea has received some attention since a scattered sampling of mcdonald's franchises began testing it 18 months ago, most customers are still in the dark. However, subcontracting in the same country would be outsourcing, but not offshoring a company moving an internal business unit from one country to another would be offshoring or physical restructuring, but not outsourcing. Fast-food restaurants begin outsourcing drive-through order-taking catholic online news home & family home & food including mcdonald's and wendy's audible or visual are the exclusive property of catholic online and are protected under us and international copyright laws.
Information technology staff members across the university of california system are holding their breath to see if the layoffs and outsourcing at the san francisco campus represent an individual cost-cutting measure or the beginning of a trend. Mcdonald's (mcd) plans to outsource some jobs to india in a cost-cutting move, sources tip the new york post a company facility in columbus, ohio that pro. Mcdonald's has been a leader in the fast-food market for decades, boasting one of the us's most memorable brands, products and mascots owning a mcdonald's franchise can be safer than lesser-known. Outsourcing is a practice used by different companies to reduce costs by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally.
Outsourcing mcdonald's but not mcdonald's by kate cox 41817 an actress in a yellow dress stands in front of a red curtain she tells you about coke and about google, but it's not a commercial for either of those things.


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Microsoft has updated the “Your Phone” app, which is the company’s ticket to integrating your smartphone and Windows 10 computer. Since Microsoft has long since dropped out of the smartphone game, this is the next best thing to having Windows in your pocket, and it works really well with Android so far.
The app keeps getting new features, with the latest feature update bringing a battery status indicator to the app. Now when your phone is paired to your Windows computer via the app, you can check how much charge your phone has left, right from your desktop. As of right now that’s only in testing for Windows Insiders, but will likely very soon roll out to more users.
On top of that, the app is preparing phone calls, too. This one’s a little more involved, though, since you’ll have to pair your phone with your computer over Bluetooth. At that point it’s essentially acting as a Bluetooth headset and will be able to make and receive calls, plus have full access to your contacts. Pretty neat, and very similar to iMessage/Facetime.
Keep an eye out for these updates soon, unless you’re a Windows Insider. Those users will probably already have these new tricks to test out.
via: XDA Developers


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Why You Should buy Glasses Online at Specscart
The founder of the company, Mr. Siddharth Sethi proposed the idea of Specscart in Albert Gubay Award in 2017. His business idea was awarded with prize money and a small retail space in the Walkden Town Centre. The unique business agreed with the customers and the company opened its second retail store in Bury.
Having their customer's best interest in mind, Specscart offers free protective coatings on its glasses lenses. Customers can buy a selection of glasses from Specscart at 70% less cost than the high-streets shops. The company has recently caught the attention of customers due to its much-awaited holiday and new year sale.
Specscart sells its own high-quality cheap glasses online under the brand name Tom Archer. Apart from this, one can also find a range of prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses at affordable prices at Specscart. Contributing to their agenda of better vision for its customers, the company also offers free eye tests from skilled opticians.
Visit Our Website to know more - https://specscart.co.uk/


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Bitcoin is the most valuable crypto on the market, but is still highly speculative and volatile. Cryptocurrency exchanges are a dime a dozen, but there are only a few we think make sense for crypto investors. The volatile, speculative nature of cryptocurrency investing presents risks for investors no matter how and where you buy it. You can narrow down your search for the right platform by mostly paying attention to security and fees.
#LunarOpinions Would you recommend trading on Beaxy?
5.128% No opinion
Data represents opinions given on LunarCrush over the last 24 hours.https://t.co/vOlKvVnhjW
— johansyah coga (@johan_syah) March 1, 2022
Lipper shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Bitcoin was designed and created by an anonymous programmer, or possibly group of programmers, by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto. Open a free, no-risk demo account to stay on top of forex movement and important events. There is a limit of £500,000 notional value per client across all cryptocurrencies. The percentage of IG client accounts with positions in this market that are currently long or short. An American nonprofit called the Bitcoin Foundation brc usd was founded in 2012 to support the development and adoption of the Bitcoin protocol. After three years, however, the foundation eventually ran out of cash and was dissolved. No more bitcoin can be created and units of bitcoin cannot be destroyed. “A group of miners who didn’t like SegWit2x are opting for this new software that will increase the size of blocks from the current 1 megabyte to 8,” Morris told Business Insider. Fidelity Investments will introduce the bitcoin option later this year, becoming the largest 401 provider to offer crypto.
The correction was largely attributed to profit-taking, as well as some negative comments on the use of cryptocurrencies by U.S. At AvaTrade, you can trade the most popular Bitcoin pair in a safe environment with low margin requirements, competitive spreads, and zero fees, all on an intuitive and robust trading platform. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two largest cryptocurrencies by market cap and exchange volume, but they’re very different when you look past the popularity they share. Exchange fees can vary greatly, and may be applied as a flat fee upfront or as a percentage of your trades. Fees can be based on price volatility, and many are charged per transaction. While fees should definitely be a consideration, experts say you also get what you pay for, especially when sticking to the bigger, more established exchanges like Coinbase. If an exchange has more protections, better security, or other features that are important to you, it may be worth slightly higher fees. Bitcoin has shown as steady a rise in value over the years as any other cryptocurrency on the market, so it’s only reasonable for Bitcoin investors to be curious about how high it can ultimately go.
What Is Bitcoin?
Expect high volatility over the next few days as the trend is tested and established. Following the Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation request, we are terminating all the accounts of … Przemysław Kral is set to discuss cryptocurrencies starting from April 7. Withdraw your funds to a card or bank account in a few clicks. Getting crypto-backed loans instead of selling your crypto when you need cash with CEX.IO Loan. Buy Ethereum , Ripple , Litecoin , and many other virtual currencies, including numerous native tokens of emerging DeFi projects. Last Trading DayThe business day prior to the Delivery Day for the contract month. Now you can send money to the generated address, or just copy the address link and send it to the user from who you are waiting for the funds from. Invite other traders to EXMO exchange via the Referral Program and earn on referral commissions. Tesla stock was left in the shadows on Monday something it is not accustomed to.
Unlike traditional fiat currencies, which are backed by trusted third parties such as banks and governments, cryptocurrencies are decentralised and backed by peer-to-peer technology. At the core of cryptocurrencies is the blockchain technology hat serves a secure and accurate public ledger of all transactions. By design, there will only ever be 21 million bitcoins, and as of the beginning of 2020, more than 85% of this amount had already been mined. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of https://www.beaxy.com/ stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG. The CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index is the world’s leading reference for the price of bitcoin, used by the largest institutions active in crypto assets. It is the crypto market standard, benchmarking billions of dollars in registered financial products and pricing hundreds of millions in daily over-the-counter transactions. Built for replicability and reliability, in continuous operation since 2014, the XBX is relied upon by asset allocators, asset managers, market participants and exchanges. The XBX is the flagship in a portfolio of single- and multi-asset indices offered by CoinDesk.
But fear not it is likely to be short-lived as the Technoking of Tesla now has the world’s largest advertising board for Tesla. Ethereum price recovery after the recent stint indicates that the bulls are back in business. The technicals and on-chain metrics have aligned and are signaling a recovery rally soon. But thanks to media coverage and the steep rise in Bitcoin’s price, the crypto industry started to take off between 2017 and 2019. At the start of 2017, Bitcoin finally broke $1,000 again and kicked off a bull run phase.
Benefit From High Liquidity Markets
BTC/USD refers to the pairing of the leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin with the U.S. dollar. It’s a very new currency pair, and one that has generated much excitement over the past decade. If you aren’t familiar with BTC/USD you should take some time to learn about it now. After accelerating the bull run in early 2021, institutional money is expected to continue being a major price driver in 2021. Major companies, such as Tesla and MicroStrategy Incorporated, invested big money in Bitcoin, paving the way for other corporations to rethink their cryptocurrency strategy. With the price at ‘favourable’ levels, BTCUSD is due for another round of heavy backers – something that would be a major tailwind for the digital currency’s price. Overall, Bitcoin is considered a highly speculative and risky asset compared to conventional investments.
- Blockstream is a for-profit tech company that develops new infrastructure on the Bitcoin network, including Lightning Network and sidechains.
- The original gangster in whose footsteps all other coins must follow.
- Volatility is standard in the cryptocurrency market, so experts predict the ups and downs to continue.
- This is a visual representation of the price action in the market, over a certain period of time.
- The IRS considers cryptocurrency holdings to be “property” for tax purposes, which means your virtual currency is taxed in the same way as any other assets you own, like stocks or gold.
Maintaining strong passwords that you update regularly and not using the same password for multiple accounts will make you less vulnerable to hacks and scams. Bitcoin’s high point of the year so far remains in the earliest days of January, when it nearly hit $48,000. In that same month, Bitcoin also hit its six-month low as it dipped below $34,000. Bitcoin has lost 40% of its value since its Nov. 10 all-time high above $68,000. IG International Limited is part of the IG Group and its ultimate parent company is IG Group Holdings Plc. IG International Limited receives services from other members of the IG Group including IG Markets Limited.
What Is The Difference Between A Blockchain And A Database?
On the other hand, any regulation that will cause friction with the idea of decentralisation and blockchain will see investors express pessimism in the value of BTCUSD. This has partly been observed when Bitcoin retraced during the start of 2021. But after the 2017 rally, BTC then began a retracement and remained trapped below $10,000 for most of 2018 and 2019. There was cooling interest in cryptocurrencies in general, with traditional investments, such as stocks, proving to be more lucrative and safer as well.
It was created in 2009 by an anonymous person or group of people, known pseudonymously as Satoshi Nakamoto. The price rose from a fraction of a cent in the spring to $0.09 by July. Very few people, except for very niche tech experts and finance enthusiasts, knew enough about Bitcoin to buy the currency. Bitcoin has a much more extensive track record compared to other cryptos, though it’s still in its relative infancy compared to the 200+ year history of the U.S. stock market. Investors should continue to hold and not worry about the fluctuations. No matter if crypto is going up or down, the best thing you can do is to not look at it. Set it and forget it like you would any traditional long-term investment account. If you let your emotions get in the way, you could sell at the wrong time, or you might make the wrong investment decision. It’s the original and most valuable cryptocurrency by far, despite its huge — and normal — swings in recent months, ranging in value from less than $30,000 to more than $60,000. Bitcoin has also seen a surge of new investors, with more than half of all current Bitcoin holders having bought in the past year.
Cryptocurrencies are known for their immense volatility, while the US dollar is by far the most traded fiat currency globally. As a result, BTCUSD is the most popular crypto-to-fiat pair, and it serves as the de facto gold standard for the cryptocurrency market; providing the price direction cue for virtually the entire crypto market. With the release of version 0.3 of the Bitcoin client, information about the digital currency spread throughout the internet. An article published on a popular technology portal presented the project to a wider audience, thanks to which the BTC/USD exchange rate increased by 900% within 5 days, reaching the price of 8 cents. The rapid increase in the price of Bitcoin encouraged more investors and initiated an annual boom period on the market. Half a year later, on February 9, 2011, the value of a Bitcoin had reached the price of one dollar. The huge breakthrough moment was the first exchange of digital currency on the exchange. On October 12, 2009, USD/BTC transactions were made and 5,050 Bitcoins were purchased for 5 dollars and 2 cents. The first rationalization of cryptocurrencies, although symbolic, revolutionized the perception of BTC in the eyes of numerous investors. Another further milestone in the history of digital currencies was the purchase of the first material property.
Looking for a reliable online exchange might be a complicated task. Thus, trusting a platform with extensive coverage and a positive reputation among its users might save your time. Get started with the easiest and most secure platform to buy, sell, trade, and earn cryptocurrencies. The very nature of Bitcoin’s decentralized blockchain means that the payment system runs 24-hours a day, with no downtime and has no restrictions on where and to whom Bitcoin can be sent.
Ice Markets Expiry Calendar
Ethereum, on the other hand, is a software platform that allows developers to build other crypto-oriented apps on it. To use Ethereum, developers have to buy and pay fees to the network in Ethereum’s native digital currency, ether. Many exchanges let you to leave your investment within your account, which is easiest for most beginners. But if you want to further secure your digital assets, you can transfer them into a hot or cold wallet. One Week Ago One Month Ago 3 Months Ago $40,878$44,936$36,852So what should crypto investors do in light of this volatility? Given crypto’s history of volatility, this increase doesn’t guarantee a long-term reversal. Bitcoin’s price is just as likely to fall back down as it is to continue climbing. The future of cryptocurrency is sure to include plenty more volatility, and experts say that’s something long-term crypto investors will have to continue dealing with. Since then, Bitcoin has remained under pressure as investors wrestle with rising inflation, geopolitical crises, and the potential for tighter monetary policy by the Federal Reserve.
EToro USA LLC; Investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal. Own 30+ cryptoassets on an easy-to-use platform, and share in the knowledge of 25m+ users. Until just before the decision, the solution known as Segwit2x, which would double the size of bitcoin blocks to 2 megabytes, seemed to have universal support. But while fraudulent credit-card purchases are reversible, bitcoin transactions are not. Each bitcoin has a complicated ID, known as a hexadecimal code, that is many times more difficult to steal than someone’s credit-card information. And since there is a finite number to be accounted for, there is less of a chance bitcoin or fractions of a bitcoin will go missing.
If you plan to keep your crypto on your account with an exchange, make sure you choose an exchange that uses offline, cold storage, and has strong protections against theft. Some exchanges also have independent insurance policies to help protect investors from potential hacking. Generally, if you’re using a beginner-friendly platform like Coinbase or PayPal, you can simply enter the amount in dollars you want to trade for Bitcoin, and buy at the current rate . If you use an exchange designed for more active trading, you may have the option to place both market and limit orders. Conservative predictions of Bitcoin say the cryptocurrency will reach $100,000 by 2023, but more bullish crypto enthusiasts say $250,000 isn’t far from sight. Big financial institutions have made their own predictions as well, with JPMorgan seeing a long-term high of $146,000 and Bloomberg saying it could hit $400,000 by 2022. A recent study by Deutsche Bank found that about a quarter of Bitcoin investors believe Bitcoin prices will be over $110,000 in five years. Because Bitcoin is so new, price predictions are mostly informed speculations. In the short term, these factors have created some noise and extra volatility in the crypto and stock markets, but this is usual during times of uncertainty.
Alan………did we meet in Chicago at the beaxy launch?
— Dale T. Goat ? (@CryptoDale) March 31, 2022
The cryptocurrency system is a peer-to-peer open-source software, meaning computers are part of a mining process for coins. Over 2018, the entire crypto market plunged into what is now known as the “crypto winter” – a yearlong bear market. In February 2011, BTC’s price reached parity with the U.S dollar for the first time. The milestone encouraged new investors into the market, and over the next four months, bitcoin’s price continued to rise – peaking at over $30. CEX.IO is also regularly expanding the list of cryptocurrencies.


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We talk about “The good in this” a lot during this segment every day. Meaning that even we you go through really difficult times, like a worldwide pandemic, there is always good that can come out of it. This is a perfect example.
Since the start of the pandemic there has been a record number of students applying to become nurses. One new report out of the U.K. says that applications are up 32%. There has also been a big spike here in the U.S. too.
A wonderful reminder that we have so many great people willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to help each other.
Photo credit: Getty Images


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The Japanese based automaker Toyota has recently announced its plans to introduce a “redesigned” version of the Tundra during the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, later on this.
According to the car manufacturer, a redesigned version of the Toyota Tundra will be officially presented to the public on the 7th of February, 2013, during the Chicago Auto Show. Even if the updated truck has been officially announced by the carmaker, we don’t have any official images of the upcoming model and the company isn’t saying anything about it for the moment, except the fact that it will be “redesigned”, which probably means that it will be a new generation.
Developing a new generation of the Toyota Tundra is obvious if we consider the fact that the outgoing has made its public debut back in 2006, during the same Chicago Auto Show. The Toyota Tundra is going against some of the most popular trucks over-seas like the Ram 1500, the Ford F-150, the GMC Sierra or the Chevrolet Colorado. Additional details on the upcoming 2014 Toyota Tundra are limited for the moment and will be announced on the 7th of February, during the Chicago Auto Show.


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According to the latest report, the MacBook Pro 2016 release date is expected in October. This is when the Mac variants along with the iPads are believed to be introduced to the eagerly awaiting world. However, it is worth noting that past reports pointed to an early-2017 release.
As for rumored specifications, the next-generation MacBook Pro will reportedly come powered by the new and powerful Intel Kaby Lake chip. In fact, the delay in MacBook release has been attributed to the availability of this chipset.
At the same time, other reports suggest that Apple could make use of an A10 Fusion chipset. The Apple A10 chipset is the one seen in the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. On a related note, TheBitBag recently reported that some iPhone 7 users are experiencing whining sound from the innards of the device. If you would like to check out the details,?click here.
Past rumors suggested that the MacBook Pro 2016 will be thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The rounded corners of this device will apparently be shallower and the device, as a whole, will have smaller footprint. The pressure-sensitive trackpad will reportedly be wider. The hinges, connecting the display and the keyboard, will go through a design change.
Furthermore, the next-generation MacBook Pro is believed to come with a touch-enabled secondary OLED strip display. This strip display will replace the traditional function keys.
The latest macOS Sierra will run this powerful notebook out of the box. Not to forget, this particular OS version supports the faster USB 3.1 Gen 2 port.
If the USB 3.1 Gen 1 housed in the current-generation MacBooks can deliver up to 5Gbps, the Gen 2 doubles the speed by offering up to 10Gbps.
The 2016 MacBook Pro has also been rumored to feature a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button. If this feature comes true, Mac users will be able to use Apple Play.
In addition to the standard connectivity options, expect a Type-C USB port to be part of the notebook.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed via a reply to a user query that Apple is very much committed to the MacBook Pro 2016. Cook further added that he loves the Mac and the company will soon make an announcement.


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Just one year into a projected three-year turnaround, Thompson said he is pleased with how far the company has come.
Thompson started at Dollar Thrifty as chief financial offer and assumed his role as CEO Oct. 13 last year. The native Texan, looking for a way to connect with his workforce of 6,400, started sending a weekly e-mail to the company’s staff.
"I starting writing the e-mails (and) people liked them ... and it’s gotten to be fun. Some are very serious, some are lighthearted. It’s become a very effective way to communicate with the employees,” Thompson said.
Jake Dollarhide, chief executive of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, said Dollar Thrifty will likely see continued successes as the economy rebounds and consumers start traveling again.
"It’s become the darling of the stock market,” he said.
Investors who took a chance on Dollar Thrifty during the bleakest times could be seeing a 4,500 percent return, he said, a number that is "astronomical.”
Thompson likes to relate the company’s comeback tale to a quote by General George Patton: "Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”


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The International Consumer Electronic Show, better known as CES, is self-described as the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on consumer technologies. It’s riveting to think how far technology has come in the 50 years that CES has existed. Held annually in Las Vegas, 2017 was the first year Wieck attended in any functional capacity, and we got to offer a bit of our expertise behind the scenes this past January.
The use of advanced technology in cars and trucks is more critical now than ever. And a big focus at this year’s CES was the convergence of electronics and motor vehicles. There were lots of future-forward concepts to be announced, and everyone from drivers to investors constantly wonder what the next big thing will be. We were there to help some of the automotive manufacturers deliver their latest messages of digital innovations.
With the use of fiber optics, a whole lot of bandwidth and hands-on work by Wieck staffers, we crafted a reliable and high quality process to live stream events and press conferences. And since the CES, we’ve been excited to apply this method of streaming to auto shows and other events around the world. The possibilities are endless.
We were hands on at Mandalay Bay on January 4 to live stream Hyundai’s press conference. During this time Hyundai revealed the latest in its Future Mobility lineup. The following day we provided similar services for Honda, a long-time client we know well from building, managing and maintaining its digital newsroom. The Honda press conference was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center but with Wieck streaming the event, it was accessible for anyone who couldn’t attend event personally.
Our final project at CES was a series of satellite media interviews with Carlos Ghosn, Chairman of the Board of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. This event was scheduled just before Mr. Ghosn gave his keynote address at the convention. The satellite interviews included some of what he would discuss in the keynote, and were embargoed for use until the address was underway.
What better place to roll out the latest streaming techniques than at CES? We were glad to join forces with other innovative minds to deliver live content to the right audiences.


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On May 5, 1862, the Mexican Militia beat the pants off the invading French at a little town called Puebla, creating an excuse for a party ever since.
While Cinco de Mayo usually is not considered a major event in Mexico — Mexican Independence Day, Sept. 16, is more important — it’s become a big deal in Texas.
“Cinco de Mayo is crazy,” says Ray Grawunder, owner of La Mariposa Imports, a longtime storefront specializing in Mexican crafts, clothing and decor in East Dallas.
There is an annual parade and festival in Oak Cliff. And countless backyard grills will sizzle over the Cinco de Mayo weekend May 3 and 4.
Using a Mexican theme and authentic decorations has become popular, as well, Grawunder says. “A guy came in here and bought $1,500 worth of stuff,” he says. “We’re about cleaned out of serapes.”
While items specifically made for Cinco de Mayo celebrations might be a little hard to come by, almost any brightly colored serving pieces, especially those with orange, yellow and green, will serve.
Bright paper flowers and piñatas (big and small) finish the scene. Kids always like the cascarones, eggshells filled with confetti. Get them at La Mariposa and Fiesta Mart grocery stores.
Add some fajitas, tacos, some guacamole and you’re set.
Scroll through the photos to see all our party ideas.
Karel Holloway is a Terrell freelance writer.
The Dallas Cinco de Mayo Big Parade & Festival starts at 11 a.m. May 3 along 10 blocks of West Jefferson Boulevard in Oak Cliff. Vendors and perform- ances on two stages continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See dallascincodemayo.net.


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In an effort to bolster short-term arrivals across the state, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau launched a monthlong, $3 million L.A.-area media campaign with two events held last week at the W Los Angeles Westwood.
Hawaii’s four county mayors -- Mufi Hannemann of Honolulu, Maui’s Charmaine Tavares, William Kenoi from the Big Island and Kauai’s Bernard Carvalho Jr. --joined HVCB officials and more than 60 members of the media at a pair of evening events featuring Hawaii-inspired cuisine, entertainment by Grammy Award-winning musician George Kahumoku and a range of cultural sessions led by island experts.
The events were the first in the HVCB’s “Hawaii: A Thousand Reasons to Smile” September blitz, organized in conjunction with several Hawaii suppliers to showcase the state through print, broadcast, online and electronic billboard advertising and a number of social networking and blogging initiatives.
"This is a big, concentrated campaign in our foremost market, with a view toward stimulating travel to Hawaii as we approach the fall and winter seasons," said John Monahan, the HVCB’s president and CEO. "We are using an integrated strategy that produced good results in the Bay Area earlier this year, and we are confident it can be repeated successfully in Los Angeles."
Eight Hawaii-themed cooking demonstrations and tastings will be held throughout the month at four L.A.-area Whole Foods markets. The Grove, a luxury shopping destination near Beverly Hills, will host a range of Hawaiian cultural activities, entertainment and Island-inspired meals during weekend-long events scheduled for Sept. 12 and 19.
In an effort to reach L.A. travel agents and wholesalers, the HVCB will also conduct a number of sales calls, e-marketing initiatives, webinars and agent training seminars with major suppliers during September.
"What we are attempting to do with all of the Hawaii-based supplier partners is present Hawaii in a very alluring way with more media weight, if you will, than we’ve been able to in the past to drive people to want to visit Hawaii in the short term," said Jay Talwar, the HVCB’s senior vice president of marketing.
"We’re doing the best we can to push people from awareness to desire to intent to buying the product, and we just need our partners who sell the product for us to be active, to be up to date on Hawaii, to be clear on where the packages are, where the prices are and really working their components of the job."
About 1.6 million Californians visited Hawaii in 2008, nearly 23% of the Islands’ total arrivals. According to Talwar, numbers like these made Los Angeles an obvious choice for the HVCB’s limited short-term marketing funds.
"L.A. is Hawaii’s No. 1 market, and there are incredible values in Hawaii right now,” Talwar said. “We know the L.A. marketplace loves Hawaii. And if we grow 10% there, it’s better than growing 10% in any other marketplace in the country."


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Nashville, TN — The Tennessee District of the Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging shopping at local small businesses on Small Business Saturday. Officials say shopping small on Saturday, Nov. 28, supports America’s dynamic small business owners and provides critical economic backing to businesses nationwide. This year, officials say, small businesses need support more than ever as they navigate, retool and pivot from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday allows consumers to make an impact in their neighborhoods by supporting local small businesses. Last year, an estimated 110 million U.S consumers shopped small on Small Business Saturday.
Latanya Channel, TN Director of SBA is spotlighting agency success stories across Tennessee in the next week with media outlets in honor of Small Business Saturday. From bakeries to catering companies, SBA Tennessee continues to cultivate small businesses amid the Covid-19 Pandemic and their clients continue to thrive amid the struggles.
For more information on Small Business Saturday and a list of small businesses in your area visit www.sba.gov/saturday.


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Toyota's two-seat MR2 Spyder is a modern sports car with back-to-the-roots feel. Like some Ferraris, its engine is mounted just...
Hybrids aren’t as environmentally friendly as you may think.
Read This Article
The future of autonomous vehicles may have just gotten a step closer to reality, as the California Senate passed legislation that covers safety and performance standards relating to the cars.
Our staff recently drove the 2013 Toyota Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid. We found it was one of the best and worst cars out there. Find out why.
Toyota is against it, but there's a huge market for a posh people-mover


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Twitter client enters World of Warcraft
Cryptic have already confirmed that Twitter will be included in Champions Online, and now Blizzard reveal that a fully functioning Twitter client is live in World of Warcraft now.
Called TweetCraft, a full, in-game take on Twitter is promised.
The new service will allow the sending and receiving of in-game 'Tweets', the uploading of in-game screen grabs via TwitPic, auto log-in for collecting messages - and even auto-tweeting linked to in-game events.
The social revolution continues.
- Trine series sells 7 million copies, Frozenbyte releases user-creation tools
- Lots of teary-eyed gamers as more Star Wars: Battlefront 3 gameplay footage leaks out
- Jade Raymond leaves Ubisoft Toronto to pursue new opportunities
- Ryse: Son Of Rome scores Best Game Design award at the Animago Awards in Germany
- Activision releases the launch trailer for Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare a little early
- Rockstar won't be holding a beta for GTA Online on the PC
- UK to toughen up laws on internet harassment
- Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward expansion announced for release next year, first screenshots released
- Driveclub issues persist as players report trouble downloading the latest patch


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Mary Jo Foley is reporting that Microsoft is getting ready to show off a sort of mobile version of Microsoft Surface, that Microsoft is calling Mobile Surface. This is being shown at an employee-0nly Microsoft Research showcase, but some reporters have seen it in action.
The idea is to hook up a mobile phone with a camera and projector. The screen is projected onto a table top and a user can then use hand gestures to control it. Supposedly it not only recognizes gestures in a lateral manner, but also can detect the distance between your hand and the surface.
Todd Bishop managed to record a video of this in action and you can view that below.
For Microsoft Courier fans, Mary Jo also says Microsoft is still working on a variety of touch projects including Courier, but that we aren’t likely to see anything beyond the incubation phase until 2011.
Some more info on this at Gizmodo.
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PortalFront SharePoint News Slider is an end to end solution for companies to display and manage news on the SharePoint landing page. It offers auto imaged adjusting, publish date, expiration date, and a very neat look all together.
Primary Use Cases
Display Attractive News Banner on your SharePoint homepage
SAP — the world’s third largest software company — is the latest tech titan to announce layoffs. And the future could change for its CX provider, Qualtrics. Continue reading...
These statistics show how the impact of customer experience can’t be understated. Continue reading...
ChatGPT will likely impact the digital customer experience world and act as a catalyst for trends already in place. Continue reading...


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Competition and innovation are allowing the American economy to reach unprecedented heights.
Despite this success, many activists and interested parties from across the philosophical spectrum are arguing for more government intervention in the market. That’s troubling when you consider the economic progress this level of intrusion would unravel.
However, there’s reason to be optimistic about where many of our leaders stand on this issue. A portion of the White House’s recently released annual report from the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) shows that the administration is committed to keeping our economy strong through a free, open market that allows individuals to pursue opportunity. The report contains three promising observations.
Big isn’t necessarily bad. The report correctly pushes back against demands for government to break up companies because of their size rather than their actions.
The CEA found that contrary to what many politicians are claiming, larger companies are actually driving innovation and more affordable costs for ordinary Americans. Why? Because when large companies compete, they are forced to improve efficiency and keep prices low to attract customers.
As the report notes:
”The Trump Administration understands the vital role that competition plays in the economy, promoting new businesses and serving consumers. Timely antitrust enforcement is an empowerment tool for protecting the competitive process. By contrast, confusion surrounding the effects of rising concentration appears to be driven by questionable evidence and an overly simply narrative that “Big Is Bad.” When companies achieve scale and large market share by innovating and providing their consumers with value, this is a welcome result of healthy competition.”
Expanding the goals and tools of antitrust isn’t wise – or necessary. The report rejects calls to use antitrust to address other policy aims. As the report notes,
“Using antitrust law to regulate markets in the absence of competition problems will exact costs on the economy by preventing efficient market organization. If society wants to pursue goals such as rising income inequality or the political power of large firms, there are better policy tools to deal with these issues.”
Antitrust enforcement is one of the most powerful, blunt tools at the government’s disposal. Government power is at a high point when used to break apart a private enterprise. With that in mind, antitrust should be applied judiciously and only in cases of anti-competitive behavior and real consumer harm.
But when companies do engage in anticompetitive behavior and harm their customers, the government should act – and it has. The report notes that the Justice Department (DoJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have a strong track record of holding companies accountable:
“Federal enforcement agencies, which are already empowered with a flexible legal framework, have the tools they need to promote economic dynamism; as ongoing investigations and resolved cases show, they are well equipped to handle the competition challenges posed by the changing U.S. economy.”
Government regulation can be the most impenetrable barrier to competition. The report notes that competition is often harmed by government-created barriers to entry. It notes that “[E]ven if a regulatory action addresses a private market failure, a deregulatory action is still warranted if the costs of the regulation outweigh the regulatory benefits” and summarizes agency efforts to “call attention to regulations that harm consumers by creating entry barriers that limit competition.” When trying to ensure a competitive economy, one of the best places for government to focus is on the barriers it has created.
The CEA is right to argue that major policy initiatives to completely rewrite antitrust rules and to create a new regulator for the digital economy are premature. We stand behind the administration’s effort to prevent abusive antitrust enforcement. It’s about keeping our economy on the right track for every American family.
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It seems like every cable, Internet, and broadband provider makes some variation on the claim that it has the fastest speeds.
These terms have become so overused and tied to technicalities that most consumers are likely to dismiss them as marketing hype. It's like when one of the television networks proclaims a show "Tuesday night's top comedy" without mentioning that all of its rivals devote the night to drama.
It's hard to know what's real and what's an overstatement, or even outright deception. That has not stopped companies from going to extreme lengths to proclaim their own superiority, or attempting to debunk another company's claim. In most cases, this is done with dueling ads or social media wars, but in one recent case, Verizon (VZ 0.03%) won two court victories over Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) regarding claims made in ads.
Cablevision was ordered in August by a federal judge to stop running ads that accused Verizon of lying about having the fastest wireless network, Reuters reported. That ruling came just days after the same judge denied Cablevision's effort to stop Verizon from using the term "fastest WiFi available."
The ads being run by Cablevision were "literally untrue and implicitly false," and were likely to mislead consumers, the judge said at the court hearing, according to the news service.
Some of the print ads for the campaign featured depictions of Verizon reps with their pants on fire, or looking like Pinocchio, a fictional character whose nose grew when he lied. The ruling, which Verizon shared on its website, stated in part:
The law, like our economic system, encourages spirited competition. But when a competitor exceeds the bounds of decency by falsely impugning the integrity of a competitor, it runs afoul of the law. Such extraordinary conduct warrants the extraordinary relief of a temporary restraining order. Cablevision's defenses here also prove unpersuasive.
Verizon, as you might imagine, was excited by the ruling, which seemed to vindicate its claims, and it gloated a bit on its website:
"Cablevision's obfuscation of the truth is nothing but a campaign to keep accurate and factual information away from consumers," the company wrote.
The Cablevision lawsuit and its other tactics have a great consequence, even if it's the opposite of what Cablevision had hoped: It's clear, and confirmed by a court, that if you want faster Internet upload and download speeds and the ability to access those speeds wirelessly, Verizon offers it.
Is it really faster?
In many cases, judging speeds can depend greatly on variable factors. For example, Verizon topped the RootMetrics Mobile Network Performance survey for the first half of 2015, but its lesser rivals still equaled or surpassed its service in some parts of the country. In this case, however, which was specifically limited to the Long Island, New York, market, where Verizon and Cablevision compete, the U.S. District Court judge was very specific in his ruling:
The evidence presented suggests that Verizon FiOS's top three tiers, namely 150/150 Mbps, 300/300 Mbps, and 500/500 Mbps all provide faster download speeds than Cablevision's fastest plan, and five FiOS plans offer faster upload speeds than any of Cablevision's offerings.
This is part of a bigger problem
While Cablevision must stop its deceptive ads, this ruling does nothing to clarify exactly what claims a company can make in its advertising. It's likely companies will avoid overtly calling their rivals liars, but beyond that, it remains an undefined grey area.
The Federal Communications Commission should consider issuing standards for when words like "fastest" and "best" can be used in advertising. Verizon's latest ad (seen above) calls its network "America's best and most reliable," which could easily be justified by the RootMetrics report. The commercial also heavily implies that its rivals are vastly inferior, which is just not the case if you look at the data for overall performance on the chart below.
The numbers are similarly close on the network reliability chart, and even the last-place finisher outscores where Verizon ranked just a year ago on the same report. Verizon's "best and most reliable" claim is true, but the visual implication of the ad -- that all of its rivals are offering poorly made products -- is simply wrong.
There need to be standards regarding these claims, or else the public will never know what to believe, and companies will be able to shade the truth, or lie outright. Until that happens, consumers should continue to take all claims made by ISPs, wireless providers, and cable companies with a big grain of salt.


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British commercial-vehicle (CV) production achieved a 24.5% year-on-year increase in March to 9,098 vehicles, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
This growth, which follows an 8.8% decline in March 2018, was stimulated by strong market incentives and upcoming model changes.
The number of vans, trucks and buses built for the domestic market rose by 58.6% to 4,010 units, while export demand increased by 6.5% to 5,088.
The first quarter of 2019 saw 27,513 trucks, buses and vans built in the UK, representing the strongest first-quarter performance since 2012.
The growth was driven largely by growing export demand, with 96% of the export models built so far this year being sent to the European Union.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes (www.smmt.co.uk
) said: “It is certainly positive to see growth in the commercial-vehicle market, but with on-going Brexit uncertainty and the natural variability of buying cycles, we are likely to see some turbulence in the months ahead.
"With most of the commercial vehicles we build in the UK going to EU customers, it is crucial that we quickly agree a deal that retains free and frictionless trade with our most important trading partner.
"The sooner a favourable deal is in place, the quicker we can be confident about the future.”
In stark contrast, British car production declined by 14.4% in March, falling for the 10th month in a row, with 126,195 units produced. Production for both home and overseas markets declined in double digits, down 18.1% and 13.4% respectively.
Mr Hawes said: “Just a few years ago, industry was on track to produce 2 million cars per year by 2020 — a target now impossible with Britain’s reputation as a stable and attractive business environment undermined.”
Moreover, UK engine production fared only marginally better, down 6.3% in March with 244,201 units manufactured. Demand at home and abroad was down 14.1% and 1.5% respectively, with first-quarter output down 7.6% overall — driven by a 15.1% fall in the domestic market.
Mr Hawes added: “An 11th successive month of decline in engine production for domestic vehicle assembly shows the underlying weakness of UK automotive manufacturing.
“Exports, however, are holding up better, down only 3.0% in the first quarter and taking almost two-thirds of all output so far this year.”


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Web3, let’s discuss it. It’s among the most talked about terms around nowadays, however, as is the case with the many new technologies, its meaning is not clear. Kirby Porter, founder of New Game Labs and PLAY3RS, along with Amobi Okugo, former professional soccer player and founder of A Frugal Athlete explore the Web3 creator economic upside on investing in the platform Public.com for Black creators. Over 34,000 developers will be committing code to Web3 initiatives at the end of 2021 as per Electric Capital’s 2021 Developer Report It’s possible that this could change the way wealth is portrayed for Black content creators, in particular with the decentralized evolution of the internet.
The creator economy, which many believe will soon be powered by a blockchain-powered web (Web3) is taking off. There’s a huge distinction between making content in Web2 versus Web2 environment versus Web3, and that’s because the former tech and platforms offer the greatest upside to content created on their platforms. With Web3, creators can own more of this upside.
Porter And Okugo are both passionate about supporting athletes and the creator economy.
“We’re living in the midst of two generations of changes one in technology, where this new era of internet is in the works to athletes, but also as they undergo NIL rules that have been changed,” Porter said. College athletes are now able to utilize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) and earn money for an athlete in the student league.
In the current market for creators, which exists primarily on Web2 platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok and TikTok, the pay gap is evident. Black media creators have a higher chance fall in the micro-influencer category, making $27,000 annually on average, while white content creators are more likely to be considered mainstream influencers, making $100,000 annually.
CultureBanx reported many prominent trends that have emerged on social platforms stem from Black creators. However, these trends can be copied, if not even adopted by larger white creators. In these situations the creator of a trend isn’t seeing the same financial upside as mainstream creators.


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The continuing fight against exploitative conditions in garment factories took a new turn yesterday when labor unions from around the world formed a new coalition to undertake the biggest campaign to fix the problem of overseas sweatshops.
The coalition began its campaign with a noisy protest march down Broadway in Manhattan, followed by demonstrations in front of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer stores in SoHo.
Frustrated that they have made little headway in fighting sweatshops, unions from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Thailand, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic formed the new coalition, pledging a global fight to improve conditions in garment factories.
Executives from Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer say they have worked hard to ensure that the factories they use are not sweatshops, but the coalition's leaders say that virtually all large apparel companies use overseas factories that can be classified as sweatshops.
''Despite years of public pressure against sweatshops, today's global retailers are greedier than ever, and more workers around the world are toiling in sweatshops to make their goods,'' said Bruce Raynor, president of Unite, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, North America's largest apparel union. That union organized the new coalition, which includes the A.F.L.-C.I.O., religious groups and United Students Against Sweatshops, which has chapters on more than 200 college campuses.Continue reading the main story
''For some years, we have observed the lack of real progress on the sweatshop issue, and this is a big concern to us,'' said the Rev. David Dyson, a Brooklyn pastor who is co-founder of the Progressive Religious Partnership, a group of 10,000 congregations from around the country that has joined the coalition. ''In today's global economy, the apparel workers of the world have really become the wretched of the earth,'' he said.
During yesterday's demonstrations, which attracted more than 500 protesters, the coalition's leaders talked of garment workers in China who toiled for 96 hours a week, of a factory in El Salvador that required employees to continue working through the night, and of child laborers in Cambodia who did not see their parents for months.
Executives at several apparel companies objected to having been singled out. Lurma Rackley, director of public affairs and social responsibility at Eddie Bauer, said, ''To make a blanket statement that all big companies maintain sweatshop conditions is unfair.''
Denying that Eddie Bauer uses sweatshops, she said, ''We are very, very careful in the selection of factories.''
Alan Marks, a spokesman for Gap Inc., Banana Republic's parent company, said Gap had a 100-person compliance team to monitor factories to ensure that adequate working conditions. Ann Taylor executives said they required all suppliers to be socially responsible.
The coalition's leaders predicted that their efforts would be more effective than previous anti-sweatshop campaigns, which they say have been uncoordinated, piecemeal and inadequately financed.
Unite organized the new coalition after facing severe criticism for doing too little to fight sweatshops in the United States and overseas, and brought foreign unions into the coalition partly to show that it was not undertaking a campaign to keep jobs in the United States.
''This isn't about protectionism,'' Mr. Raynor said. ''It is about improving worldwide standards.''
He said the coalition would focus on pressuring large retailers because they often determine what prices are paid to overseas factories. Those prices, the coalition says, are usually so low that factories are forced to skimp on safety and pay their workers too little to live on.
Mr. Raynor said, ''We want consumers to reward good behavior and to punish retailers who pay prices so low that their factories are forced to abuse workers, whether it is in Brooklyn or Bangladesh.''Continue reading the main story


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This year has been a big one for data breaches and cyberattacks on companies and organizations.
Since January 2021 the 10 largest data breaches in the U.S. affected 1.1 billion individuals, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
Facebook and LinkedIn breaches top the list.
The center is nonprofit and tracks publicly reported incidents of compromised personal information and consumer data in the U.S.
“There’s no panacea to this problem that is going to solve everything,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “In addition to having all the cybersecurity protocols and infrastructure in place, education is a huge part of this. And not just education of consumers, although that also plays a huge role, but for employees.”
(c) 2021 the Journal-News
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


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In July this year, Mini unveiled the quirky-looking Aceman concept serving as a preview of a new production model the British company is currently working on. We have the first spy photos showing a camouflaged prototype of that electric crossover and they reveal the production Aceman will stay very close to the concept in terms of design.
This may look like a Countryman at a glance, though it is indeed the Aceman. The short overhangs, large round headlights, bubbly overall shape, and relatively low profile seem to match the design of the Aceman concept. Our photographers caught two different trial vehicles featuring different wheel designs. There’s no exhaust pipe at the back and this obviously means this is an electric vehicle.
Gallery: Mini Aceman first spy photos
If you find the design of this vehicle surprisingly humble, there’s an explanation for that. The Aceman concept was the first Mini product featuring the company’s new Charismatic Simplicity design language, which focuses on minimalism and sustainability. The concept was 4 metres (159.4 inches) long and 1.99 metre (78.35 inches) wide, making it slightly smaller than the current Countryman at 4.3 metres (169.7 inches) long and 2 metres (78.8 inches) wide.
Speaking of the Countryman, Mini is also working on a new generation of this crossover. It is slated to get slightly bigger, thus leaving more room for the Aceman. The Clubman, in turn, could be discontinued after the current generation of Mini models goes out of production. Simply put, the Aceman will be slightly smaller and fully electric, while the Countryman will retain its combustion engines and will be positioned above the Aceman in terms of dimensions.
This is our first look at the zero-emissions crossover and it already looks exciting. We are yet to learn more about its powertrain and we expect to start seeing more and more prototypes testing on public roads in the coming months, so stay tuned. A full and official debut is likely coming in 2024.


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There is yet another auto emissions scandal bubbling up, and this time it’s on Toyota. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan announced Thursday that Toyota would pay a $180 million fine for violations of the Clean Air Act. This is the largest civil penalty ever for a violation of federal emissions-reporting requirements.
Toyota knowingly sold vehicles with defects while doing nothing about it, the complaint says. From about 2005 to 2015, Toyota failed to report defects that hindered how its cars controlled tailpipe emissions. This violated standards meant to protect the public and environment from pollution.
It gets worse from there. While Toyota knew about it, its employees failed to do anything about it. From the New York Times:
Toyota managers and staff in Japan knew about the practice but failed to stop it, and the automaker quite likely sold millions of vehicles with the defects, the attorney’s office said.
“Toyota shut its eyes to the noncompliance,” Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney, said in a statement. Toyota has agreed not to contest the fine.
Eric Booth, a spokesman for the automaker, said that the company had alerted the authorities as soon as the lapses came to light, and that the delay in reporting “resulted in a negligible emissions impact, if any.”
“Nonetheless, we recognize that some of our reporting protocols fell short of our own high standards, and we are pleased to have resolved this matter,” Mr. Booth added.
Toyota has enjoyed a reputation for green technology and leading the way toward a cleaner environment. However, the automaker has been slow to adapt to the times. The marque supported the Trump Administration’s rollback of fuel economy standards, and it has been late to offer battery-electric vehicles.
Toyota’s missteps don’t stop there. From the New York Times:
Toyota’s more recent lineup of models has been heavy on gas-guzzling sports-utility vehicles, which come with far bigger price tags and have brought far higher profit margins. According to a recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency, Toyota vehicles delivered some of the worst fuel efficiency in the industry, leading to an overall worsening of mileage and pollution from passenger cars and trucks in the United States for the first time in five years.
Toyota is only one of many in the auto industry hit with emissions scandals. Most people will immediately remember Volkswagen’s Dieselgate as a prime example. But Volkswagen wasn’t alone, as Mercedes-Benz and BMW both faced fines for cheating emissions regulations.
According to the EPA, transportation remains the largest source of planet-warming emissions in the country. Of that chunk, 59 percent comes from light-duty vehicles. Transportation is followed closely by the electric-generating sector.


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July 16 (Reuters) - UK’s Segro Plc said on Friday it had agreed to sell six of its warehouses in Italy to asset manager AXA IM Alts for 127.5 million euros ($150.49 million), as a pandemic-led e-commerce boom had boosted demand for such properties.
“We have chosen to capitalise on buoyant market conditions to sell this portfolio at a price materially ahead of December 2020 book value. We will be recycling the capital into exciting opportunities in other parts of Italy,” warehousing specialist Segro in a statement. ($1 = 0.8472 euros) (Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Supply chain issues, persistent inflation and recent interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve have many Americans facing uncertain economic conditions. Mark Kurt, Elon University professor of economics, breaks down present economic conditions, rising prices and high turnover, or churn, among employees. Kurt holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clemson University, as well as an economics master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
What does it mean for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates?
“So when the Fed is going to raise interest rates, what they’re doing is raising the price of having money today. So if you want to get a loan today, it’s going to be more expensive. The Federal Reserve can actually influence the loans market and make it more expensive to get money today. So firms are going to take more pauses in taking out loans. People are going to take less pauses and avoid buying a home that requires a mortgage. So it’s going to act to maybe slow down some aspects of the economy.”
With the Federal Reserve rapidly increasing interest rates recently, what implications does this have on service and good prices and the job market?
“So the idea behind it is that the Fed is making it more expensive to borrow for firms. So firms might be doing a little bit less investment. Maybe a company has bigger loans for their operations, so they might be hiring fewer people. That would be one way to look at it.
Our ability to increase our supply shift and supply hasn’t kept up with the rapid increase in demand. And so when that happens, that puts upward pressure on prices — gas, food, other things — and now what we’re seeing is increases in prices of what the Federal Reserve calls ‘core goods and services.’ So the Fed is increasing interest rates to try and tame the demand a little bit for goods and services.”
Will the cost of transportation — such as gas and flights — and technology continue to change?
“The gas prices recently have declined. It seems like China’s economy is slowing down, and they’re a huge energy importer, so that affects gas prices here in the U.S. So I think some of the decrease in the price of gas has been a result of that.”
While nothing is certain when it comes to the stock market, is there talk among economists that there will be a continued decline in the markets next year?
“Economists are terrible at predicting what we call ‘inflection points’ in the market — that’s when it starts when the economy starts slowing down or starts picking up. However, every time the Federal Reserve Bank increases interest rates, I think it makes it more likely the economy will slow down more than they hope at some point, because it’s increasing the price of money to a point where it could have a bigger negative impact on the market than expected — but I don’t give stock advice.”
What would all of this mean for Elon’s upcoming graduates’ job searches?
“So when you graduate there’s always churn in the labor market, even in recessions and depressions, and there’s just more churn right now. There’s more openings. Right now, there would still be openings, but there wouldn’t be the signing bonuses. There may not be any offers after your junior year internship. I think you’re graduating with the latest skills, so for a finance major, you’re probably going to know are in Python. Things that firms are looking to hire, they’re looking to buy those skills. They don’t want to have to train the people that they have. They want to buy the skills to get you working in the market. So it’s different if you’re mid-career and laid off than if you’re a new graduate.”
Why should Elon students care about this?
“When you’re graduating into this market, firms are going to want to know that you’re able to take information that’s going on in the world about you and make important decisions about what’s going on and how to adapt and synthesize that. You’re interacting in this. It’s going to affect us, here at Elon, North Carolina, and at home with your families.
If the interest rates cause a big recession, like they did in 1982, a lot of people lost their jobs and that has impacts on people. You should be mindful of what happens and know what’s happening in the world around you and what are the causal relationships and those to help you navigate that world.”


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LAN & WAN - News, Features, and Slideshows
A Boston-area hosting provider briefly knocked several large services and websites dependent on Amazon and AWS offline on Tuesday night, thanks to a configuration error.
By Jon Gold | 03 July, 2015 00:47
Americans with historically lower rates of Internet access are making progress in getting online, but there are still persistent disparities between rich and poor, and between English-speaking Asians and other ethnicities, according to data from the Pew Research Center released today.
By Jon Gold | 30 June, 2015 00:28
Two trains made of fiber, copper and code are on a collision course, as the widespread popularity of Android devices and the general move to IPv6 has put some businesses in a tough position, thanks to Android's lack of support for a central component in the newer standard.
By Jon Gold | 24 June, 2015 01:33
The annual American Customer Satisfaction Index for 2015 placed Comcast and Time-Warner Cable near the very bottom of all telecom and technology companies in the rankings, the researchers involved announced Tuesday.
By Jon Gold | 03 June, 2015 23:56
When discussing the ongoing revitalization efforts in Detroit, it's hard to miss the name Dan Gilbert. The founder of Quicken Loans, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a Detroit native himself, Gilbert's investment firms have funded dozens of tech startups in the city and turned its defunct old buildings into shiny new workspaces that look like Silicon Valley transplants.
By Colin Neagle | 30 June, 2015 00:50
We've been hearing about the impending depletion of IPv4 addresses for years, but that day is finally upon us -- the free supply of IPv4 numbers in North America will be completely gone within a month or two.
By Marc Lindsey, Janine Goodman | 28 May, 2015 04:35
SpaceX, Facebook, Virgin Galactic and Google have all announced major initiatives that would help connect the world -- especially developing nations -- to the Internet. But the next thing in worldwide connectivity isn't going to be in underground cables, so much as it will be over your head. It starts with satellites, but it gets a lot weirder.
By Matt Weinberger | 06 February, 2015 04:21
SIP roll-out has picked and, by 2019, SIP worldwide traffic could be more than double today's volume. While 30% of worldwide network traffic today moves with the use of SIP, in 2019 76% of outbound call traffic will be SIP.
By Eastern Management Group | 30 June, 2014 23:04
Cloud, big data and analytics, mobile, social, and IT security have impacted networking – bringing it almost to breaking point. This whitepaper looks at the future of networking to accommodate these evolving trends.
Identity and Access Governance is often used in reaction to demands from auditors. However, thinking of governance as only a means to pass audit is short-sighted. Failure to proactively manage user access to sensitive resources puts you at risk for sabotage, fraud, data breaches and financial penalties. In this whitepaper you'll learn: if your governance program is proactive or reactive, what to look for when searching for a solution to help you reduce risk.
- Airbnb guest suspected of stealing $35k from San Francisco home
- Nokia reaches deal to sell Here business to Audi, BMW Group and Daimler
- Indian government orders ISPs to block 857 porn websites
- Telstra reveals increase in warrant-free access to customer data
- DNS server attacks begin using BIND software flaw
- Fake Apple iOS crash reports prove tricky to remove
- NBN to invest $40m to boost construction workforce
- Windows 10's usage share jumps 4x in three days
- Lawmakers propose new visa for foreign tech entrepreneurs
- Microsoft bests Google in patent case appeal
- Yahoo picks up fashion commerce site Polyvore
- Mt. Gox CEO Karpeles arrested by Japanese police
- Facebook says Flash security woes could hurt its business
- IBM fattens patent portfolio in cloud tech
- Microsoft scores with free Windows 10 upgrade as downloads tally 10x Windows 8's first-day sales


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Despite the uncertainty faced by restaurants due to the coronavirus pandemic, the owners of Atlantic Station have announced two new restaurants coming to the development this fall. Azotea Cantina and Envegan, the new restaurants, join Hobnob as the three unopened concepts planned to border the renovated Atlantic Green at the center of the mixed-use property.
“Since the start of Atlantic Station’s transformation, it has been our goal to bring a more diverse restaurant experience to the property,” said Nick Garzia, Director of Leasing at Hines. “With the announcement of these two new concepts, we continue to exceed that goal.”
Azotea Cantina is owned by Diego Velazquez, who also owns Tacos & Tequila. The new restaurant will have what he describes as a focused menu, with food made using locally sourced ingredients.
The Atlantic Station location will be the second for Envegan, a popular Morrow-based vegan restaurant`owned by Hoang Nguyen.
Though the coronavirus pandemic looms large, Garzia is optimistic about the schedule of restaurant openings. “Right now, work continues on the park, and we’re expecting to unveil that on April 19,” he said in a phone conversation with the AJC. “The tenants can take possession of the properties then.”
Without an official shelter-in-place order or similar measure preventing construction, Garzia expects the restaurant buildouts to begin in late April, though he stressed that “flexibility is the optimal word.” While there are unknowns, such as the potential for shortages of labor or materials, the restaurants plan to forge ahead towards the target opening date this fall. Garzia said that all contractors working at Atlantic Station had been encouraged to follow CDC guidelines related to safety from the coronavirus.
“Just recently, we had two really encouraging calls with Hobnob and Azotea,” said Garcia. “We want them to open, but we’re going to work with them... We’re all going to have to make adjustments.”
More dining news:
Sol Catering, the catering division of Atlanta-based taco chain Taqueria del Sol, is providing free meals to fellow service industry employees tomorrow from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and the offer will continue the following week, Monday-Friday, with the same hours - just bring a recent pay stub as proof of current or prior industry employment. Sol Catering is located the Woodland Hills neighborhood at 1145 Zonolite Road.
Fifth Group Restaurants has launched a silent auction to raise money for the Fifth Group Family Fund, a fund that will benefit the group's employees affected by the coronavirus shutdown. The silent auction runs through midnight April 13 and includes a variety of big-ticket items, from a Cinco de Mayo party at Alma Cocina for 75 people to a guitar signed by Jon Bon Jovi. The hospitality group also announced that several of its restaurants will begin offering takeout, including Alma Cocina, La Tavola, South City Kitchen Midtown and the Original El Taco.
Summerhill restaurant Junior's Pizza closed after customers refused to obey the establishment's clearly posted safety rules while it operated its takeout business. One customer coughed directly on the cash he was trying to use as payment for his meal, dismissing the dangers of the virus. Governor Brian Kemp shared the story on Twitter, encouraging Georgians to be safe and praising the owners of Junior's Pizza for their decision.
The AJC has adjusted its dining coverage in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the restaurant industry. Restaurant reviews have been suspended, and a new column called Atlanta Orders In has been introduced. The column goes behind the scenes at individual Atlanta restaurants to show how each one is facing the unique crisis created by the coronavirus. The first two editions of the column visit Cibo e Beve and the Busy Bee Cafe.
A sophomore at Druid Hills High School has created a charitable platform that helps people donate catered meals from local restaurants to medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Grey Cohen, 16, started the Meal Bridge over the weekend of March 20 with her family's help. Donors can visit the organization's website to sign up for a time slot to feed medical personnel at Emory University Hospital, after which they are directed to place an order with one of several partner restaurants that have been vetted by the hospital chef. As of March 25, the days-old organization had already fed more than 60 Emory personnel and sold out time slots later in the week.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced this week that the official Vidalia onion packing date would be April 16.
Some metro Atlanta restaurants have transformed into retail shops, providing customers with an alternative to grocery stores where they can buy necessities like toilet paper and cleaning supplies, as well as produce, ready-to-eat meals and dishes from the restaurants' menus.
Former AJC dining editor John Kessler wrote a blog post this week explaining what he's doing to assist restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic and how others can follow the same model.
Read the AJC Fall Dining Guide: The Noodle Edition
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.


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Private equity house BC Partners has bought mobiles specialist Phones4U for an undisclosed sum from Providence Equity.
Phones4U, which has 500 shops and generated sales last year of £900m, is expected to be a beneficiary of the booming smartphone market in the coming years and BC said it would invest in the retailer to maximise its growth potential.
BC Partners managing partner Andrew Newington said: “With its market leading position, strong and trusted brand, multi-format strategy, and extensive store network, Phones4U is ideally positioned to benefit from further strong growth in the smartphone market, as technological innovation and product evolution continues.”
Phones4U chief executive Tim Whiting said: “Phones 4u is a truly unique brand with a great store platform. I am confident that we can continue to provide our customers the very best products and deals with outstanding service.”
Providence managing director Gustavo Schwed said: “Over the last four and a half years, we have worked to increase the value of the business in partnership with Phones 4u’s outstanding management team.
“Together we extended the Company’s leading position in the UK mobile phone distribution market, particularly in the youth segment, grew its high street presence and maintained consistent, high cash flow generation.”
The transaction is expected to be formally completed in April.